It's a crazy world 2020!

Well the Covid is making life crazy in America.  I would say that I'm so over all this, but I carry on self isolating, going to work, and so wanting to see Texas get passed this.
Stay safe!
Ciao
Sicilian in Texas

Home Sweet Home

Sometimes you think way back when . . . You know when you were growing up. When I think way back I remember snow in April.  For two years in a row it has snowed when I've gone home for my dad's birthday.
As much as I hate the cold I sure do love how beautiful the Sange de Cristo Range looks!

Ciao!
Sicilian

The Texas Rivera

It doesn't get better than this. Sunset Port Aransas .  

 

Oooh Laa Laa

How was Paris in September . . . It was fantastic. We walked and walked and did all the sites, but you are looking at the most fantastic thing below. We watched the sun set on the river in a restaurant. The most wonderful surprise was watching the lights come on the Eifel Tower. Who knew that happened and obviously half the people in the boat did not know it either as an awwwww was heard as the twinkles began "

Ciao

Spending for the day

Here we go on this Tuesday with my attempt to live more simply.

Breakfast & lunch provided at meeting.
Dinner leftover Lentils with asiago sausage. 2 whole grain rolls.  Vanilla ice cream topped the meal off.  Tomorrow is a travel day with work. I'm car pooling to save the company money as the group I will be traveling with has a company car.  This saves the company money as I would  turn in for a reimbursement of mileage. Four of us will be traveling in one car also saving the company money.

I am hopeful to food shop before the weekend.  I am considering doing the envelop system with my food budget.  I'll only use cash.  Right now I have 36.20 to use for the rest of this week.  If I don't spend it all I can start to stash the excess for those times that I find a good deal and when I have to buy extra food for entertainment.


Here is a great website that helps you to use the things in your pantry.  It will help me to keep my focus on using what I have and not wasting food or money.

Ciao

Columbines in Colorado my home.  I took these several years ago.  They bring wonderful memories of summer to mind when I see them.

I am very thankful for my family in Colorado who gave me the foundations for money management.

Food for thought

I will update you on food today.  I am attending some leadership classes and breakfast and lunch are being provided.

Hubby has thing he can grab for lunch, but I am not sure if he made himself lunch today before he left to work.

I'm eating leftovers - Spinach Dip  on hoagie roll with provolone and tomatoes.

Here is an interesting blog. We just got an Aldi, and I am trying to figure out what the best way to utilize this grocery store is.

Buying Healthy Food at Aldi's

Ciao

All pictures in this blog are mine. These two mortal enemies can get along for the love of the blanket.  I'm sure there is a life lesson somewhere in this picture.

 

Working with what you got

I am posting meals made with my in house stock + 13.80 I spent for groceries for the week.

Breakfast

I ate Cheerios with a small organic banana and almond milk.  Hubby did not eat.

Lunch

Hearty Lentils, which I posted under soup in Pinterest, but would say is hard to categorize because this soup is very thick. I didn't have rice so I substituted bulgur. I used 6 oz can tomato paste because that is what I had. I seasoned with salt, dry basil, and oregano.  I also made it vegetarian by using organic vegetable broth and no chicken. In my freezer I had some asiago chicken sausage which I added to the individual bowls.  They are pre cooked mini sausages and they really made the lentils very special. I had 6 whole grain frozen rolls. They made the lentils a complete and filling meal.

Dinner
Hubby really liked the pot roast so he has been eating it with rice that I have on hand.   I ate mango salsa to use up the mangos, chips, cilantro green onions, and  limes.

Random thoughts about frugal living.

1. It ain't easy
2. It will take a lot of planning
3. Thank goodness that there are a lot of resources 
4. I want to see if you can eat healthy nutritious meals when your money is restricted.

Ciao

When I am having a bad day, I smile and think of this.  I can do no wrong in the eyes of my terriers Dexter and Allie.

50.00 a week

I have decided to try something.  Thanks to my husband, I have a new IPad, and thanks to my daughter she gave me an Apple gift card so, "I can buy some cool Apps."  One of the cool apps I bought was a Account 2 Checkbook.  First let me tell you I am good with money.  I don't know why, but I am able to delay gratification and can live on very little.  I have always hated debt, but know that there are some things that just require debt for most average Americans.
Account 2 app makes me account for the areas my money must go into, which has not happened in the past.  I think I have learned a lot in my job dealing with different budgets, but knowing how a budget process works and putting it into action are very different.  I believe I have been doing a budget, but couldn't give the details that this app will provide.
My first thoughts are where do I spend the most money.  I was surprised that food was so high.  I began to comb through my pins to see what others are doing to help with the food budget. My inspiration was this blog.  Kristin said she and her husband lived on 30.00 a week when they were first married.  I thought about how much money I spend on food, and how much food is wasted.  I have not told my Sweet Man, but I am going to see if I can spend 50.00 a week on groceries for a month.  I think it is doable for two people because I have many things in the freezer and I have a lot of staples in the pantry. 
I will give an update on this idea to see what I can really do concerning the food consumed and wasted in our house.
This week's breakdown of food purchased.

1. Organic Bananas - 1.52
2. Red Bell Pepper -    .98
3. Roma Tomatoes -   .30
4. Store brand frozen chopped spinach - .98
5. Store brand sliced Provolone - 3.98
6. 1# cello carrots - .78
7. Red Onion - .58
8. Philly Style Hoagie rolls (on sale) 2.50
9. Store Brand Whole Milk - 2.18

This totaled 13.80

What have I done with these items:

I made dinner for my daughter and her family Friday night.  Had pot roast in crock pot and served Crock Pot French Dip .  I used 4 of the six hoagie rolls.  My daughter and her family are vegetarians so I served them this Spinach Dip broiled in the toaster oven with Provolone and thin sliced tomatoes on top of the open faced hoagie rolls. I had the Spinach Dip in the freezer because when you make this recipe it makes a lot so I freeze it up in smaller amounts for occasions when I need to do something vegetarian.
I rarely buy whole milk, but my grandson is starting to drink whole milk so I want to have it at my house for him.  I cut up some of the carrots and the entire red bell pepper and served it with the French Dip and and the Spinach Dip.

For me this is a huge effort.  I have to plan meals - something I have been marginally doing.  I have to account for what I have now and try to buy smart.  The key to this is to see if my husband notices a difference in our meals.  He is so easy to please, that I think he'll not notice.

I am curious about the big items.  How will a 50.00 a week budget be impacted when you have to buy clothes soap, paper towels, tp, and meat.

I guess we will deal with those things as we move forward.

Ciao

This picture is to remind me that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to do.  I am very afraid of heights, but overcame to reach the top of this rock wall.  I can reduce, reuse, and stop wasting in my life.

Back to Blogging

I have been spending a lot of time on Pinterest, and it has made me realize that I really do enjoy blogging.  I like reading blogs, and I especially love to read what different people have to say about a variety of topics.
My latest interest is in the amount of money wasted on buying things.  There are some things that you must buy - for each those musts are different - I am on a mission to simplify.
I am going to try to be a better user of the resources I have been granted.

So where does this go from those thoughts that are running around wildly in my little head.

I am not sure, but stick with me as I start my blogging again.

Ciao

Salt Lake City, Utah

 Recent trip to SLC. Spent some time downtown before we headed to the mountains.

Ciao

Christmas Mantle

I love all the modern devices we have. I was getting my state inspection tag that went out yesterday, and I started flipping through my pictures.  I showed this to my daughter and she said, "Mom you should post that and take a picture of it in the day time and post them up on your blog." Well I've done half of that idea.
I have been wanting to have a "Natural Christmas for many years."  What I haven't liked about the idea of natural Christmas is that you get no glitz.  SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo I have what I call Bark and Bling.  I have all the twiggy viney stuff and I have bling too.  Because I have become addicted to Pinterest, I have been collecting Bark and Bling ideas for a few months. I am trying to be a good steward of all my resources, and I am trying to use what I already have.  I think this came out well, and I spent no money doing this project.
Enjoy.
Ciao

Dollar Store Fall Decor

Here is what you need to get started. Some Dollar Store loose leaves, twisted sisal twine found in Wally World's home fix it area, and a glue gun. Oh and because I was streaming videos I stuck a cutting board underneath because I am messy.

 This was hard to take a picture and do, but below I cut the twine in various sizes and put a dab of glue on the back side of the leaf, then after several  tries, I came up with a genius idea. I cut the twine longer and put the dab more towards the middle and held the twine on both sides until it was almost set then made a sandwich and put the other leaf on the back side.  You are gluing two back sides so the pretty side shows.

 I thought I had it all done, but the little tree just needed something for the top so I had to eat a mango pop to get the stick. . . . .  what a deal. I glued some of the leftover leaves on the stick and we get the finished product below.

 I feel so crafty today.

Ciao

Mazzorbo Island, Italy

Love this photo. Superman rules even on a small island in Italy.

Ciao

A Wedding shower

The girls and I have been looking at buttons things on pinterest. We took this idea and decided that instead of covering it in flowers that we would cover their initials in vintage buttons from our collections. We found the letters we wanted at Hobby Lobby.  The bride to be loved it and we gave it to her for their new home. We felt it was a labor of love. The buttons had been gathered many years ago by my grandmother and my daughters grandmother-in-law. We combined the buttons and the Principessa and I made the letters. I did the A and she did the M.

Balloon wreath.  We saw the idea and my 2 daughters and I created this to put on the front door. I like ours better than any we saw on Pinterest. I think it was the bow that made it special.

Crayon Art  - We decided to decorate the wall by the food table with crayon art. This project took a lot more time than you would think. It got so tedious that there were 4 of us and we each took on a board. It was late at night when we were doing this and  the Principessa said, " We should put them in the sun like it shows on Pinterest. " Well I thought that was brilliant, but the hour was late and we needed to complete the project before morning.  I am definitely going to repeat this and I think I'm going to do a heart shape and put it in the sun.

We made these rainbow fruit skewers too.

We also did a lot of other pinterest ideas. We made Italian skewers and we made them vegetarian. We used only fresh mozzarella and put fake pepperoni in place of real meat.

We made mac and cheese bites. I had made them earlier in the week and thought that they were bland. After much discussion with the girls, I let them make mac and cheese. They made it with gouda, white cheddar, and  fontina. It was much better than the recipe listed, but they also didn't put the egg in the mac and cheese so it did not stick together very well.
This was a beautiful day for a very special young lady. I hope these pictures and links inspire you too!
Ciao

Favorite time of year

If you live up north you live for the beauty of the leaves turning in the fall. In Texas we live for the spring so that we can view the bluebonnets that are so abundant that you would think you are looking at an ocean full of flowers.  
This is the best time to be in the heart of Texas. 
Ciao 

Buttons

I love old buttons, but what I really love is looking at them and remembering watching my mother and grandmother cutting buttons off of things that were no longer wearable.
I told my daughter this week that I need to do what they did and start cutting off buttons from items that are to damaged to be used.
My daughters and I have recently made a project for a wedding shower out of buttons.
Will post soon.
Ciao

Terrier Tangle

 

I love it when they want to be next to me and next to each other. Terriers are so wonderful.

Poppies and Bluebonnets a little bit of heaven

On my way from work today I decided to take some pictures. The bluebonnets are on my way home, and the poppies are in my yard. We had a big thunderstorm roll through the area so it was like walking on a sponge as I tried to get a great bluebonnet shot.

Maybe tomorrow I'll take the dogs and the good camera. If it doesn't rain tonight it will be a bit drier tomorrow afternoon.

Ciao 

Burano Windows

I have been looking over my Italy pictures and I have decided to start posting them. Now that I am a pinterest addict I am not ashamed that I was so awe struck by the doors, windows, and door knobs that I saw as we traveled through Italy. I decided to focus on door knobs for the trip, but I did snap pictures of other things that fascinated me.

These windows were just beautiful. I am so glad that I have these pictures. These and many more sights and sounds are etched into my memory.

Ciao

Spring flowers in Texas

My entry into Sugar Bee Craft’s Celebrating Spring competition, sponsored by Appliances Online and Beko Fridge Freezers"