WFMW: Freezer Meals: Rice

Last fall I joined my SIL and the gals from her church for their ladies retreat. We had a fantastic time of fellowship, worship, and the word. I took so much away from that weekend. This is one that I want to share with you. Freezing rice.

Deep. I know.

I'd never even thought about it. But it makes dinner prep so. much. easier!

It's as simple as making a huge batch of rice. Follow the directions on the package of whatever rice you prefer. When it's done cooking measure desired amounts into freezer storage containers or bags.

When it's time to use the rice defrost, heat up, and serve.

Making a big batch of rice on a slow day mid month will help you out so much on nights when you don't have time.

Sometimes I take slow days and do many pre-prep things: making beans, making rice, mixing up pie crust.

I'm linking up with We are THAT Family and WFMW.

Freezer Meals: Sausage Lasagna

Homemade spaghetti sauce is probably one of my favorite things to make. I don't know why exactly, but I love it. I also love that I can use the same recipe to make a delicious lasagna since HH gets tired of spaghetti. This recipe is easy to double.

To make the sauce I use:

One Pizza Sauce recipe

1 lb Italian Sausage

1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 cup (ish) chopped mushrooms

1 cup (ish) shredded zucchini

1 cup (ish) sliced mini peppers

1 medium sized onion, diced

1-2 head of garlic, minced

Start by browning your meat. When it is cooked through add the onion and cook until the onion is clear. Add the other veggies and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated. Add the Pizza Sauce.

To make a lasagna I use:

16 oz of ricotta cheese

1 bunch of onions, sliced

1 cup of shredded mozzarella

1 pkg of no bake lasagna noodles or 1 pkg of bow tie pasta

Mix the ricotta, green onions, and mozzarella together.

In a 9x13 pan layer sauce, noodles, and cheese mix. You want to end your layers with sauce on top. Cover with shredded mozzarella and bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes.

For the freezer I wrap each pan twice with saran wrap and then add a layer of foil to the top. You'll want to defrost for 24 hours before baking.

Enjoy!

WFMW: Freezer Meals: Crockpot Liners

With all the crockpot meals I'm trying out this month I thought I'd do myself a favor and splurge on some crockpot liners. Friends, they are the best things ever!

You simply line your crockpot with one of the liner bags...

Dump in your crockpot meal... Cook it... Serve it.... Take out the left overs...

And grab the liner and toss it in the garbage.

I wash the lid off and put my crockpot way for the night. It's so easy. I love that an easy meal now has an easy clean up. You can find a box of these in the food prep isle of most grocery stores. Go get some. Now!

I'm linking up with WFMW at We Are THAT Family.

When the Queen comes for dinner

I'm sure most moms are familiar with this scenario:

You are getting a meal ready for your family who are all "patiently" sitting at the table. You dish your kid's food first so you and your hubby's food is more likely to still be warm. When you finally sit down to eat your children are done with their plates and are handing them back to you to be refilled. 

This was the case for us for awhile. I don't know why, but it took my a while before I started telling me kids they had to wait until I was done with my food before I would get them seconds. Abiah was really good at this. He would watch me closely and right when I put my last bite in my mouth he would try to hand me his plate as he asked for more. So pleasant.

After awhile I decided to have they kids just wait until we were all sitting before they began eating. This way they were at least occupied while we were eating and we weren't spending most of our meal trying to keep them seated.

While I really liked this idea and it seemed to help, the kids then began asking over and over and over whether they could begin eating or not. Because apparently they couldn't tell if and when we were all seated. So I recently decided to do a little teaching/story telling while we were eating.

"Hey, guys? Do you know that when a Queen is having a meal in her castle and everyone is sitting at the table ready to eat, they all have to wait until the Queen takes her first bite before they can start eating? That means that when the Queen takes her first bite everyone knows they can start eating."

They all mumble comprehension through food smeared mouths.

I continue, "How about we do that here at our house. We can even take turns being the Queen!"

So far the "game" has stuck and made a little bit of an etiquette imprint on my children's lives. The only time they didn't like playing the game was when they decided it was daddy's turn to be the Queen and he kept putting food to his mouth and then setting it back down without taking a bite. He hasn't been asked to be the Queen since.

The little princesses coming for tea.

How do you encourage good manners in your home? Any tips?

The Lady Time Beverage

If you are male this post may be a little to much information for you. If you are a married man I highly suggest that you skip to the end, make a steamy mug of this delicious drink, and serve it to your leading lady. She'll thank you. And you'll thank yourself.


As you can tell by the title of this post, we are about to get real comfortable around here. I wouldn't normally choose such a public forum to talk about personal matters but sometimes you come across a gem of information and you just can't help but share. So here.we.go.

I grew up in a female dominated house. Bless my dad's heart, I'm sure he was overwhelmed by the hormone tsunamis that frequented our home. I remember my mom telling us over and over again that hormones were no excuse to be nasty. As real as the emotional roller coaster is I have tried to ride it as gracefully as I can. Tried.

In the last few years I have come to understand more about the female cycle than I knew growing up. Along the way I've purposed to gather tips and bits of information to help myself (and the women around me) balance the way through the monthly cycle. Recently, when I was complaining to a friend about a migraine, she pointed out to me that she tends to get migraines right before her cycle begins. In that moment the dots began to connect and I realized what I was dealing with. Apparently this is a common issue for women.

My friend then shared a tip she had been given to help relieve hormonal migraines. And that is what I'm sharing with you.

The secret? Homemade Hot Chocolate.

I don't mind chocolate, but I really only need it once a month. For about one week. I don't really care for hot chocolate either. But this is not your wimpy store bought hot chocolate. The benefit of this drink is that chocolate reduces inflammatory chemicals, reducing the pressure on the brain and relieving the migraine symptoms.

Here's what you'll need for this treat:

Homemade Hot Chocolate

baking cocoa
sugar or honey
cream or milk
boiling water
your favorite mug

This really isn't a recipe since you kind of have to make it to your own taste, but here's the gist:

Set your water to boil. Pour the amount of milk/cream desired into your mug. If you like your hot chocolate creamy I suggest heating it up in the microwave for a few seconds so everything is nice and warm. When your milk/cream is heated add a heaping soup spoon of cocoa. Since you are using baking cocoa you kind of have to be extreme with the sweetener. Honestly, I start with a few teaspoons and then, after I've added the water, taste and add as needed. I mix all of these ingredients together and then add the hot water. Because of the amount of cocoa used you'll have to continue to stir off and on as you enjoy your treat to keep the cocoa from settling to the bottom of the mug.

I've enjoyed many cups of homemade hot chocolate since I heard about the benefits. I'm still perfecting my personal recipe but so far I know that I like it rich, sweet, creamy, and steamy. Which, consequently, are also some of the qualities I like in Hot Hubby.

Now that we've reached a whole new level of T.M.I. I think it's time to say good bye.

Remember to try this treat the next time you are battling a migraine. And let me know what you think!

Do as I say. Not as I done did.

In my last recipe post I made the obvious statement that I wouldn't post a flopped recipe on here. My thought was that such a posting wouldn't be helpful anyways. Why would someone read a recipe for something that won't turn out?

Well, I've always believed that it's easier to learn from others mistakes so I thought I'd give you such an opportunity.

I'm real giving in that way. You're welcome.

So, without further rambling, I give you today's "don't try this at home" recipe:

Egg Free Crepes

To begin, I want to state that I'm not so much of an idiot that I didn't realize that the base of a crepe is egg. However, being as I'm allergic to eggs I wanted to see if I could make something that I've missed in my current egg-less state.

Do NOT take:

4 tablespoons of ground flax, mixing it with 12 tablespoons of water to substitute for 4 eggs and mix with:

dash of salt
4 tablespoons of sugar
1 cup of flour
1 cup of milk
1/3 cup of melted butter

Mixing in order and then baking in a round skillet 1/4 cup at a time.

If you do you will inevitably:

• feel awful about wasting 1/3 a cup of butter that is sinfully expensive right now.
• have to throw out a bowl full of messy goop.
• have three children who are still hungry and are letting you know but coming into the kitchen every minute to check on the status of breakfast.
• settle on cold cereal.
• be sad that you can't have crepes.

You may, however, make the recipe above by starting with 4 eggs well beaten and make the crepes for all the egg eaters of your house. They are easy and delicious. And I still want one.

P.S. I have had great success in using flax meal mixed with water as an egg substitute in baked goods. Crepes do not count as baked goods. Amen.

Refried Beans from Canned Black Beans and Pan Nachos

Because of my issue with soy I am needing to find alternatives for most foods, refried beans being one of them. My amazing sister showed me how to make my own "refried beans" using canned black beans. It is super easy and equally delicious.

For my family of five I use:

2 - 14oz cans of black beans (drained and rinsed well)
3-4 cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped finely)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of water

Boil these on the stove until most of the liquid has been cooked out. Then you can either serve them as is or mash them up a bit. I put them through the food processor for a few seconds since I don't have a potatoes masher.

I have been using this recipe to make nachos so I usually add about a 1/4 cup of taco seasoning. Also, don't be afraid to add some minced veggies. I've added onion and zucchini (mince half a zucchini in the food processor or blender before mashing the beans) and my family was none the wiser.

The fact that this is a healthier version of refried beans hasn't occurred to them either. I LOVE it!

For Pan Nachos:

If you want meat:

brown 1 lb of burger (add taco seasoning packet)
add beans
add 1 can of stewed tomatoes (drained)

Spread on a large cookie sheet or pizza pan. Top with your favorite nacho toppings (cheese, olives, green onions, jalapenos, etc). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden around the edges. Serve with chips, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc. You can even use it as a filling for burritos.

This recipe gives us plenty for one dinner and lots of leftovers. Since it's not a meal the girls especially enjoy we usually have plenty left over. I made this for the five of us and my parents and we still had leftovers so I imagine it would be safe to say it feeds 6-8 adults (with the meat).

Enjoy!

Egg Replacer for Baking

In my search for egg and soy free foods I have come across a few tips for baking. My current go to is for replacing eggs in baking. As the title suggests. Not to be obvious or anything.

So, here's whatcha do. For every egg, mix together one (1) tablespoon of flax meal with three (3) tablespoons of water.

I've found that letting the mixture sit for a few minutes helps the flax and water combine and results in a fluffier baked good. I've used this in:

homemade pancakes
cookies (no eggs = no salmonella = eating cookie dough = happy me!)
homemade cornbread
brownies

All have turned out perfectly delicious.

Do you have any substitution tips? Share!

Motivation Monday: Worship Music Selection

Worship music makes my heart soar. For me worship is a way to say what my heart feels when my mouth has no words. Make sense?

That's okay. I get that response often.

Honestly, Kat's recommendation for a personal time of worship in the mornings is what sold me on being a part of this. I need worship. I thrive on it.

It was hard for me to narrow my list down to three songs. I tried five the first week and while I loved it, I found that I would need to wake up earlier if I wanted to get everything else into my morning schedule. I thought I would share all five with you though.

Alabaster Box by Julie Meyer

Desert Song by Hillsong Live

The More I Seek You by Christ for the Nations (Kari Jobe)

In Christ Alone by Travis Cottrell

Yearn by Shane & Shane

What worship songs minister to your heart?

To see more Motivation Monday posts go here.

Motivation Monday: Getting Out Of Bed

I don't like getting out of bed. Ever. It's soft. Warm. Cushy. Warm. Comfortable. And warm.

If I don't wake up before my kids I wake to Hazel's "I'm dying because there is a wild animal on top of me eating me alive" scream. Not pleasant. Ever.

It makes me want to crawl as far down in my blankets as I can get and hide from everything.

Since I've been purposing to get up a few hours before the kids so I can have alone time, I've had to "help" myself by changing a few things.

How easy is it, when your alarm goes off, to turn it off and roll over and not know until you wake with a start a few hours later?

Tip #1

Place your alarm clock across the room so you have to get out of your bed to turn it off. And NO music! It's too easy to sleep to music. Loud obnoxious beeps, however, are hard to ignore.

Also, I love to push the snooze button. It makes me feel like I'm getting away with just a few more minutes of sleep. So...

Tip #2

Set your alarm to go off before you really need to get up so you can push the snooze button. My snooze lasts for 9 minutes. So I set my alarm for 18 minutes before I need to get up. Then I can push the snooze button twice.

Keeping yourself in a relaxing environment keeps you sleepy.

Tip # 3

TURN ON THE LIGHTS! I can't do this in our room because it will wake the girls who are directly across the hall. But as soon as I reach the bathroom - no dim night lights for me. It wakes me up in a hurry. I also make sure the room I'm using for my quiet time is well lit.

Tip #4

Brush your teeth right away. Why this helps me wake up, I'll never know. But it does. So I do.

Tip #5

COFFEE!! A big steamy mug of it! Nothing says good morning like coffee.

Do you have any "getting out of bed early" tips?

Go here to read other Motivation Monday stories.

Motivation Monday: Inspired to Action

I've been wanting to write this post for the past week. The funny thing is, I've had to fight to find the motivation to do it!

Anyways, on to the subject at hand.

I've realized that my weekly routine is to be like the kernel of wheat that fell on the rocky soil - "a person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it" (Matthew 13:20-21 MSG).

I will get excited about having an organized week with a clean house, dinner ready by six, happy clean children, and a happy Hot Hubby. And Monday afternoon when the kids attitudes stink and I haven't been able to get to everything on my To Do list, and all I want to do is be in Facebook land, I fall apart right along with my world around me. Plan out the window. Maybe this isn't my season for an organized life. I'll just let life happen to me. I'm unhappy.

So when in my blog stalking/hoping I came across Kat's blog, Inspired to Action, I was intrigued. And a bit nervous.

Kat has dedicated her blog to "practically helping moms develop the habits and skills they need to effectively manage their homes and raise children who are prepared to change the world."

That's me!

I downloaded her FREE! ebook, Maximize Your Mornings, and her calendars for praying for hubbies and kids. I read through the book. Made a plan. And have tried to stick to it.

The first week was easy. Up every morning at 5:30. Time for Bible study, prayer, worship, exercise and shower by 7:30. I was thinking, "This is gonna be easy!"

Week two: I don't feel good. My girls decide to wake up at six. Or be awake most of the night. (Okay. She really can't help that she's teething.) My plan wasn't working and I wanted to give up. But not really. And then I read the verse above.

What a timely word from the Lord!

My heart is starving for that time with Him. I feel more prepared for the day when I have that time. As the wife and mom I feel I sometimes get lost in the mix of the day. I get so busy taking care of everyone else I forget to properly take care of myself.

Properly meaning: something other than vegging out in front of my laptop or behind a book. Not that I don't still have time to do those things. It's just not the only time I take for myself.

I have had to come to a place where I can be at peace with my morning/day not going the way I plan. I have to do that every time something interrupts my plans, but, like I tell my kids, I'm not the only one in that family.

Well, I tell my kids they aren't the only one's in the family. I'm sure most of you understood that, though. Just had to clarify for my dad.

So, I encourage you to download the Free! ebook and read through it (you can find a link in the left hand column). I don't do everything exactly like Kat says because, well, she's not the boss of me. No. I joke. I think that everyone has to find what works best for them and their family. I'm still working on that.

As I do find thing that I like I will share them with you. It's always fun to see what works for other people because it just may be the thing you were looking for.

Find more stories of mom's Motivation Monday stories here.

Circle Time and a Giveaway!

In an attempt to expose our kids to regular Bible study and prayer time we've been having Circle Time together. It's an idea I learned while reading through some Montessori information.

With my personal twist added in there.

My MIL got this children's devotional for us:





The kids love it. They are learning about Jesus by looking at nature. The lessons are short and sweet and there are questions that help them think about what they've just learned. We try to read a lesson every time we have circle time.

We make time to sing a few songs. The kids love ring-around-the-rosy. Very spiritual. I know. And Father Abraham. Yay! for me. Or not. Because I think my kids are the cutest I recorded them singing Father Abraham. Just for you. Because I'm giving like that.



We also take time to pray together. Being as the kids are 7, almost 3, and one-and-a-half there is usually lots of giggling and silliness. I still feel like they are learning an important discipline.

One thing we've not done, that I plan to soon incorporate, is a time for silence. Listening. Being still.

This will be interesting because of the age thing. I figure we'll start with a few minutes every time and work our way up. We'll see how it goes!

I've never really liked children's Bibles. Call me a terrible parent (and a 12 year old) but I would rather read Captain Underpants all day then sit through the stories in the children's Bibles. I've always felt that they were missing something. Watered down. Simplified. They lack the spark that ignites a passion for the Word of God.

So when my MIL gave this one to our kids for Christmas a few years ago I thought, "Another book to add to the Goodwill pile in a few months."





And then we read it.

Oh my granny, I love this Bible! Every story that's told comes back to the point that the Bible is a story about Jesus and His love for His Bride. How exciting!

I love that the stories from the Old Testament come alive through the parallels being drawn. For me! I love that when my kids are old enough to read a Bible by themselves they will already have this idea firmly planted in their little hearts and the stories won't seem obsolete. They will have a better understanding of what they are reading. I can't recommend this version enough. Perfect for children and adults!

And since I love it so much I'm giving one away to one of you! Here's what you do:

Leave a comment here on this blog post and you'll be entered to win. To earn four more entries you can:

• Facebook about this giveaway
• Twitter about this giveaway
• Blog about this giveaway
• Follow my blog
  

Make sure you come back here and let me know when you've done any of these. Remember to leave a separate comment for each! The giveaway will end Sunday night at 7pm, PST. So get your comments in by then.

I Should Have Made It Spicy

Maybe then I wouldn't have eating the whole bowl.

You see, I made a bowl of pico de gallo. And then I had to taste test it. And it was good. Very good.

And since I hadn't had any lunch, I ate it. But my in-laws were coming for dinner. And I promised homemade pico de gallo.

So I made more. Gladly.

Homemade Pico de Gallo:

Equal parts:

onion, tomato, and cilantro diced small and mixed together with 1 or 2 diced jalapeno peppers.

Removing the seeds from the jalapenos keeps your pico de gallo on the mild side. Which was my mistake. I think. I can't decide. It was awfully good.

Add the juice from half a lime and salt to taste. And taste you will.

(My mom just informed me that she adds crushed garlic which sounds divinity! I'm gonna try it next time.)

Serve with chips or on your favorite Mexican dish. Mmmmmm. I think I need to go make a fresh batch.

A Course In Justification: Session 2

I know that we still have about a month before school starts, but I assure you that this is one class you'll want to take year round.

I recently found out that I am allergic to soy and eggs. This has caused some major changes in my shopping and cooking. But the biggest (and saddest) change has been the lack of chocolate around the PnP Castle. Because SOY IS IN EVERYTHING! It's been so long since I've had chocolate that I'm convinced my body is shutting down.

So, for health purposes only, I decided to make a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

How do you make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies without soy and eggs you ask?

Well, I purchased these soy free chocolate chips, which taste exactly like regular chocolate chips. They are a little on the spend-y side, but a momma's gotta do what a momma's gotta do. Which means making these babies last!

To replace eggs in baking there are a few options: egg replacers, or 1/4 cup veggie oil or applesauce per egg. I chose applesauce. Because I'm healthy like that.

So, I made up my favorite recipe. And then I had an epiphany.

No eggs = no salmonella poisoning=eating all the cookie dough!

I think my body is on the mend. I know for sure when I finish of this plate of cookies.


OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Mix together: 1/2 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar.

Add: 2 eggs or egg substitute, 1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl mix together: 1&1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt.
Add to creamed mixture.

Mix in 3 cups oatmeal.

Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Wha'da You Do?

What do you do when your two year old sticks her finger in her sisters snot? And then puts it in her own mouth.

Gag?

Puke?

Scream and yell?

Wash her mouth and the entire house with antibacterial soap?

Maybe.

Or you blog about it so as to make sure it's filed away and ready to email to the boys who prematurely pursue her when she's 15. Or 26.

Half an Olive

The last time my mom and I made once-a-month-meals she showed me this great tip for quickly slicing olives in half. And no, we didn't hire a hand model. My mom's hands are just that pretty.

You will need:
olives (duh)
two Tupperware lids
large knife (you need a knife long enough to reach across the middle of the Tupperware lid)

Begin by placing one Tupperware lid on the counter, top up. Pour olives on top. the lip of the Tupperware helps hold olives in place.



Place the other Tupperware lid on top of the olives, face side down.



While gently holding the top lid on, slide knife through horizontally.





The results:



We were able to slice half a can at a time.

My Shade of Green

Kermit the Frog had it right. It's not easy being green. And sometimes it's not affordable either. I have a list of things that I would love to do to have a simple, low waste, organic, healthy home but somethings just aren't feasible for us right now. However, there are things that we are doing and, as I love to learn knew ideas or be encouraged in what I am able to do, I thought I'd compile a list of what I am doing and hopefully it will encourage you to do what you can. Or even give you ideas for your home.

I recycle as much as I can. My purpose is mostly selfish. About 80% selfish, 20% awareness. Or 80% selfish, 10% awareness and 10% convenience... which is still selfish. The reason I say it's selfish is because we mostly do it to save us money. I also do it to get rid of junk. I love sorting through old papers and magazines and de-cluttering the house. Goodwill has been blessed by our donations many times. My husband, Nathan, recycles the soda cans (yeah for Oregon's bottle return deposit!) and since he's the main soda drinker in the house he saves the cash for man stuff like fishing, hunting and tools.

We recycle anything they let us put in the big recycle garbage can outside. This saves us so much on garbage bills. We set our main garbage bin out once a week and our recycling bin (which is almost twice as big) about once a month. I've also been trying to cut back on the trash by putting all our food scraps in a compost pile outside. I recently read here about making your own worm compost and want to try it but we don't have a garden yet so I'll wait.

We have a burn barrel outside and so we burn most of our paper and cardboard. If you don't live in a burn area but know someone who does ask them if you can use their burn pile or barrel to get rid of your papers. It saves money and creates an opportunity for visiting with friends or family. Nathan has found that magazines don't burn well so we have a small recycle bin for those.

As for being organic, this is a little harder for us as most things organic are spendy. Probably our main organic source is our meat. Nathan is an archery hunter and tries to supply us with an elk every year. Although I've had to get used to the difference in flavor I love that elk meat is low fat and organic.

I would love to have a garden but juggling toddlers and a garden doesn't appeal to me right now. I do get organic produce from Costco when I can. I use their organic carrots and organic frozen veggies to make Amelia's baby food. The organic coffee they sell is also a great deal and makes a deliciously strong cup of coffee. I do get organic, eco friendly cleaning products from Melaleuca. I have really liked their laundry and dish detergent and have just started using their cleaners and hand soap, too. If you are interested in their products I have a sister who is a representative of theirs.

Since I can't do much in the organic area I still try to keep us healthy by making meals that are as nutritious as I can make them. Plus, making homemade meals is, a lot of times, cheaper than eating out or buying prepared foods. We get a lot of veggies from Gleaners and so I try to chop, shred and puree them ahead of time and freeze them so they are easy to add to meals I am making. Most of the time my family has no clue that they are eating three to five different veggies which they wouldn't have touched otherwise. I also try to include fruit into one or two meals a day. A lot of times it ends up being oranges or apples but it's still fruit. Balancing out the carb/fruit/veggie/protein/fat ratio in our meals is helping me to feel better about what I serve my family.

For both of my girls I made their baby food. I found it to be more cost effective and if I make it then I know what is in it. I was given a recipe book written by the La Leche League International for making baby food and have used a few ideas. Mostly I steam veggies, puree them and store them in the freezer in the same containers you would use for jam. I make a variety and pull a few out at a time so that Amelia isn't getting bored of one flavor. It is easy and very convenient.

I also make freezer jam for our family. I started a year ago and we have enjoyed the jam almost everyday since. I don't use any sugar substitutes so far but I do like that I know where my fruit comes from.

Because I'm a stay-at-home mom I'm home a lot. Which I like. Which also means I don't use very much gas. I try to only fill my van once every 7-10 days. There are times when I can go many more days and others when I need to fill up more often.

To make things simpler in our home I like to do:
once a month cooking
regular de-cluttering
flexible daily scheduling

And a few more money saving tips:
use cold water for laundry
do full loads of laundry
lights out during the day
in the winter: more clothes/lower temp on thermostat
mainly use wood heat
hand-me-downs worked for the Wilder children it will work for you

And here's my list of things I'm trying to convince Nathan that we should do to save money, etc:
cloth diapers
stop trash pickup and take trash to the dump every three months (if you have a trailer this can work for you)
minimize our belongings
haul and chop firewood on our own
Turn our yard into a large garden to make it more efficient

I hope this list is encouraging to someone. Let me know what you do to make your home more simple, low waste, organic and healthy. Let's glean from each other.

Also, in the next few weeks I plan to post recipes for once a month meals and homemade baby food.