The Abundant Wife

Living Abundantly on Less

Almond-Parmesan Green Beans

September 12th, 2012

Jessica

If you haven’t caught on yet, I like recipes that require few ingredients and simple preparations. So here is a new favorite for our family. I’m not crazy about garden-fresh green beans, but Brad and Naomi love them, so I make this recipe especially for them!

Almond-Parmesan Green Beans (Simply in Season)

1 pound / 500 g green beans (cut in 1-inch / 2.5-cm pieces)

Cook in small amount of water until crisp-tender, about 5-10 minutes. Drain (save liquid for soup).

In 2 tablespoons olive oil saute 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/4 cup / 60 ml slivered almonds (optional). Add cooked beans and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Enjoy!

Toddler Tuesday: California State Railroad Museum

September 11th, 2012

Jessica

On August 20, we packed up our kids for a big adventure! We drove down to Sacramento in hopes of riding the train that departs from the California State Railroad Museum. I had heard about the train and train museum from my friend BeccaG!

Naomi brought two of her favorite books along for ride, The Little Engine That Could, and The Polar Express. (If you’re interested in seeing more of the books I read aloud to the kids, check out my Pinterest board!)

Once we arrived at the museum we were disappointed to find out you can only ride the train on weekends, and we were there on a Monday. However, we decided to go explore the museum instead. We watched a 20-minute film about the history of the Sacramento Railroad, and then spent the next couple hours climbing on trains, looking at model trains and playing with train toys.

Oliver and Naomi love trains, and have been even more interested in them ever since. All in all, it was great day and we all learned a lot about the California State Railroads.

What fun things are there for you to do with your kids in the cities near you?

Book Review: Surprised by Joy

September 8th, 2012

Jessica

For the past couple weeks I have been reading Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis. I really enjoyed this autobiographical account of his early life. I’ve read many of his books, both for children and adults. I gained a lot of insights into the origins of his books and personality. It was refreshing to see the humanity in a man so revered, and to see how he became a writer. This book is truly the story of his search for Joy, and ends with his belief in God and conversion to Christianity. It was really interesting to see how he came to faith through the books he read, through serious reasoning, discussion, and debate. At many times in this book I was reminded of the long philosophical discussions that college students love to have long into the night. This book was very different from any other book I’ve read by Lewis, but his admirers will find this book a fascinating look into his personal life.

Paying Off Debt = Pain With A Purpose

September 7th, 2012

Jessica

When my husband and I got married in 2005, we had $70,000 in student loan debt. We promptly bought a duplex with an 80/20 mortgage for $150,000 and a used truck for $18,000. We had barely been married a year, and we were already looking at $238,000 in debt!

Read the rest of my guest post on Money Saving Mom today!

It’s A Girl!

September 6th, 2012

Jessica

Her Face

Her Spine

Her Arm

Her Legs

How I Made $200 in August

September 6th, 2012

Jessica

As most of you know, being a Stay-At Home Mom is not the most financially lucrative career choice. I find it so much easier to find ways to save money than to make money! So I was pretty happy when I earned $170 in the month of July. I am even more excited to report that I earned $200 in August! Here is how I did it:

$175 Portable Washing Machine: I sold our portable washing machine on Craigslist! It had been listed since late April, and I had gradually lowered the price until more people started e-mailing me.
$20 George Foreman Grill: I sold our George Foreman Grill on Craigslist! It too had been listed since late April, and I went through the same process as I had with the Washing Machine.
$5 Swagbucks: I earned another Amazon Gift Card on Swagbucks, and used it to buy birthday gifts!

What creative ways have you found to earn money this month?

Toddler Tuesday: Toothpicks & Marshmellows

September 4th, 2012

Jessica

Welcome back to Toddler Tuesdays! I haven’t had a lot of toddler projects to talk about over the summer months. As long as the weather is bearable, we try to get outside to play and do fewer indoor projects together. Brad tells me that Toddler Tuesdays are his favorite part of my blog though, so I promised to start doing them again.

A couple months ago on Money Saving Mom, Crystal did marshmallow and toothpick structures with her kids. I decided to try it with my kids shortly after that, since we already had some marshmallows on hand. One evening I showed the kids what to do, and then stepped back to watch.

Naomi did a pretty good job of arranging her marshmallows on the toothpick like a shish kabob.

Oliver managed to stick a toothpick into a marshmallow a few times, but otherwise he just enjoyed eating the marshmallows.

Naomi enjoyed eating the marshmallows too!

Eventually I gave up on getting any structures out of the kids, and sat down to make my own little project. The kids helped me to eat it when I was finished!

In hindsight, this project is better suited to older children. However, maybe you can come up with a new spin on it that is better suited to toddlers.

What fun things have you been doing with your toddlers this summer?

Book Review: 9 Books in 9 Weeks

September 1st, 2012

Jessica

Thanks to my 6 goals on June 15, I have now finished 9 books in 9 weeks! Between Friday June 15 and Friday August 17, I read some books cover to cover, and read others that I had begun but never finished. In the year 2012 then, I have finished 12 books total. As further motivation, I’ve been documenting the books I read for myself, and to the kids, on Pinterest. Before I began these goals, I had only read 3 books from January 1 to June 15. So I am very satisfied with my progress. Here is a brief review of the last 3 books I have read:

1. The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis. I think I began reading this book in China, more than 3 years ago! I was about a third of the way through the book at that time. I was dreading the older English and philosophizing of Lewis, but I had forgotten his knack for telling stories to illustrate his points, and poking fun at himself. So I enjoyed the book and read it faster than I’d expected. Lewis covers the 4 basic kinds of human love: affection, friendship, erotic love, and charity. He compares need-love and gift-love. He elevates friendship as the most spiritual of loves. There are many well-known passages in this book, like “There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable” (pg. 121).

2. Penny Pincher’s Almanac, Handbook for Modern Frugality by Dean King. I think I actually read this book once before, when we were first married. The copyright on my edition is 1992, so the information in this book is somewhat outdated. However, it is still chock full of commonsense wisdom, frugality, bargain-finding, and strategies for doing more-with-less. There is advice for saving on everything from air-conditioning costs to cleaning your car. There are suggestions for saving, investing, stretching your money, and having fun on a budget.

3. Hinds’ Feet on High Placesby Hannah Hurnard. This book was very different from most books that I read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is the allegorical tale of Much Afraid, a crippled girl with a deformed face, who dreams of following the Shepherd and climbing to the High Places. She travels with her two companions, overcoming the mocking voices of her tormenting Fears. They travel through many trials, learning many lessons along the way, until they reach the High Places where she is given a new name. This book was originally written in 1955, but it is still a classic today.

How do you find time or motivate yourself to read? What good books have you read recently?

Celebrating Birthdays on a Budget

August 30th, 2012

Jessica

Most of the birthdays in Brad’s and my families are during the winter or summer months. This means that we are buying a lot of gifts from June to August and December to February. When you’re trying to “live like no one else,” it can be difficult feeling like you cannot give gifts or throw parties like those you see every day on Pinterest. Don’t give up hope though! Here are a few suggestions for how you can still give generously on a budget:

Make a homemade cake or cupcakes. In fact, why not let the kids decorate their own cupcakes before or during their party? Naomi helped me to make and decorate her cupcakes this year.
Use coupons and sales to purchase inexpensive ice cream, chips, treats, and decorations year-round when they are discounted.
Serve a special breakfast. Breakfast in bed is always a special treat around here, or I will throw something fun (M&M’s, sprinkles, chocolate chips, etc.) into the pancake batter. If I’m at my parents’ house for my birthday, my Dad will still ask me what I would like for breakfast that day. (I usually choose French Toast or Homemade Crepes topped with fruit! Mmm…)
Make a homemade card (or gift). I often use free photo card deals on-line to make cards for birthdays, but since I was a child my mother always had us make homemade cards. In fact, my husband prefers my homemade cards and specially requests them!
Skype your relatives. My parents got to watch from Maryland as Naomi opened her birthday gifts in California!
Have a gift-less party. Inform your guests that need not bring a gift to the party. Instead, have them bring a dish to share, or pack a lunch for themselves.
Have a one-gift party. A lot of parents are scaling back on gifts in order to deal with the clutter in their homes. Instead of many gifts, choose one special gift, and don’t feel guilty about it.
Use a Gift Card or Swagbucks to purchase your gifts. I bought almost all of Naomi’s gifts with a $25 gift card to Toys-R-Us that I found in my wallet. I buy most of my gifts for our extended family on Amazon using Swagbucks, and then I have the gift shipped directly to the recipient!
Give a Group Gift. When I was growing up, sometimes everyone would chip in to get one very large gift for another family member. I like this idea because it saves me the time I would have spent shopping, and it’s a way to give someone a very special gift that they might not otherwise receive. We’ve used this concept to buy a rocking chair, luggage, concert tickets, a computer, and an iPod Touch as gifts for different people.
Have a small party. I read not too long ago that the appropriate number of children to have at a birthday party is equal to the age of the child. So don’t feel that you must host 40 people at your 2 year old son’s party. There is nothing wrong with only inviting immediate family, or just the grandparents. Your child will not judge the party’s success by the number of guests.
Instead of a party, try an outing. Have your party at the public pool, park, or zoo. Decorating will be minimal (if at all), and you won’t have to plan activities to keep everyone busy. Party guests can pack a lunch and cover entrance fees, instead of bringing gifts to the party.
Make simple decorations. When I asked Naomi what she would like for her 3rd birthday, she said, “Ice Cream and Balloons.” Kids don’t need much to be happy. Have them help you decorate. Naomi and Oliver were thrilled to participate in hanging balloons and streamers around our living room. As Amy always says, “Easy-Peasy!” We also keep a bag of candles, streamers, balloons, paper goods, and party favors in our pantry. Whenever there is another party, we don’t have to go shopping for more decorations.

Finally, remember that your goal is to celebrate your special person on their special day. Your goal is not to have a Pinterest-worthy party, or to impress all the parents in your child’s class. Remember that, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” If your family tradition is to serve the honored person a special birthday breakfast on a special plate, sing “Happy Birthday,” and give them a small homemade card or gift, then don’t feel guilty about it. They will feel special and celebrated, and be glad that you remembered their special day.

What creative ways have you found to celebrate birthdays on a budget?

Toddler Tuesday: 20 Frugal Field Trips

August 28th, 2012

Jessica

This has been one HOT summer in California, but if your kids are like mine, they need to get out of the house and DO something! Early in the year I looked at the calendar and scheduled one Field Trip for each month, to guarantee that I would keep exploring our new hometown. As the last year has passed, I have discovered many more places to visit. So, without further ado, here are my Top 20 Frugal Field Trips, in no particular order:

Library: We go for story-time and then hang around to play with toys, kid-sized computers, and (of course) to check out books!
Pet Shop: When we visited ours they let us feed the fish!
Feed the ducks and geese at a nearby lake: Look for ducklings, bridges, and gazebos.
Sight-Seeing: Walk along a nearby river, beach, or overlook.
Farm: We have a farm nearby that offers hayrides, fresh vegetables, a petting zoo, and more during the autumn months. Farmer’s Markets and Orchards are also fun.
Tour a local factory or business: We live near the Sunsweet factory, and they had an adorable gift shop.
Museums: We’ve been to the community museum for an art show, and a train museum! Check on-line for dates when museums have free admission.
Playgrounds: We’ve been to at least a half-dozen playgrounds here in town. We recently went to one with a roller slide!
National & State Parks: Go exploring! Again, check on-line for dates when parks have free admission.
Zoo: Check some books out of library before your trip to learn about the animals you’ll be seeing.
Parades: Check your newspaper or on-line for upcoming parades in your area, usually around cultural or holiday celebrations.
School Sports & Shows: Although some school events have an entrance fee, many are free to watch.
Mall: Malls are a great place to people-watch, and many have indoor playgrounds and other sites to see. The last time we were at the mall, a vendor curled Naomi’s hair for free!
Church & Church Events: Church is a great weekly field-trip, and churches also host lots of kid-friendly events like picnics, retreats, potlucks, date nights, and more.
Community Events: We’ve attended band concerts, fireworks, and parades for free!
Swimming Pool: During the summer heat, we’ve been taking our kids to the local pool once a week for “Tot Time.” The pool is only open to kids 5 and under!
Fair: Check the newspaper for the dates of your local state and county fairs. Our county fair offered free admission on opening night!
Visit Friends & Family: Whether it’s a play-date or a drive to great-grandpa’s house, it’s great to reconnect with the other adults and kids in your life.
Parents’ Workplaces: “Take-Your-Daughter-To-Work-Day” is a great idea! Grab your kids and show them what Daddy does at work, or introduce them to Mommy’s co-workers.
Community Service: Whether you’re visiting shut-ins, singing Christmas Carols in a nursing home, mentoring teenagers, or feeding the hungry, bring your kids along for the ride. Charity begins at home!