Lovely Links: "I Survived My Whole30!" Edition

First of all, Happy New Year!

Secondly, I'm on the last day of my Whole30!

(source: instagram.com/whole30)

After indulging this past holiday season (read: cookies for breakfast! Eat all the chocolate!), I decided a Whole30 was in order and started on January 1. For those of you not familiar with the Whole30 program, it's basically a dietary reset. For 30 days, you eliminate grains, dairy, sugar (white sugar, honey, syrup, any added sugar), legumes, and alcohol (that last one was the easiest part for me, Mormon girl that I am, haha!).

What was awesome this time around (this is my second Whole30 -- I did one this past September, in preparation for my family's trip to Hawaii) was that my husband did it, too. Let me tell you, having someone else doing it with you makes it so much easier, even if that other person doesn't think it's all that hard to follow. As I grumbled over zoodles (basically, cutting zucchini into noodles), he was like, "You know, I think I prefer these over pasta!" Grrr.

So, yeah, Day 30 is here. I survived! It was definitely hard at times, but after a couple weeks the sugar cravings subside and you get used to the program. There were definite ups and downs, times when I felt angry and deprived (I found myself sniffing chocolate cupcakes that a neighbor gave us at one point. Seriously.), but more than that, I feel good. It feels good to not have sugar highs and lows. It feels good to eat nothing but whole foods. It makes things taste better. Take fruit, for instance. Once I was off refined and added sugars, eating a strawberry tasted like candy!

Oddly enough, I haven't lost much weight this month like I did in my first Whole30 (I lost 12 pounds in a month that first time!), but I do have more energy, feel less bloated, my skin looks better, and the whites of my eyes are even whiter (and oddly enough, I swear my eyelashes got longer). My husband has noticed a few benefits, too. The main one for him was that his gastrointestinal issues (he doesn't have a gallbladder so it can sometimes cause some GI troubles for him) got dramatically better. It's been cool to do the program with him, because in the past he's not really cared that much about health and nutrition (he let me do all that stuff since I'm in charge of the grocery shopping and meal prep). Now, that's he's done the program, he understands better the value of it all. He was checking the labels on things more even more than I was (I was bummed when he noticed that the Trader Joe's sriracha sauce had sugar in it. Womp womp.).

The biggest pay-off, though, is the satisfaction in knowing that I did it, that I stayed strong and focused.  I definitely have a clearer idea of how I want to eat from now on, too. I'm glad we did it -- it's certainly been a learning experience for my husband and me.

So for this edition of Lovely Links, I thought I'd share what helped me through my Whole30, just in case you ever decide to do one. I highly recommend giving it a try -- these resources will definitely help.

BOOKS

It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig  -- This is a must-read if you're going to do a Whole30. All the science behind it (written in a totally readable, uncomplicated way) and the why and how.  Really, it's a good read, whether you're going to do a Whole30 or not.

Nom Nom Paleo: Food For Humans by Michelle Tam and Henry Fong -- I love this cookbook SO MUCH. It's seriously one of my favorite cookbooks, period. Everything I've made from it has been so delicious. A few favorites that helped me and my husband with our Whole30 (and my previous Whole30): madras chicken salad, chicken nuggets (no breading and they're awesome!), kai jiao (Thai omelet - so tasty!), curried cream of broccoli soup, uova in purgatorio, and bacon-topped deviled eggs (they've become a regular thing my husband makes -- yum). Her recipes for paleo ranch, Louisiana remoulade, and paleo mayo are delicious and so simple to make, too. You should have this cookbook, no matter what kind of diet you follow. It's that good. (Looking forward to making the walnut prawns recipe next week -- couldn't make it during the Whole30 because it has honey in it. Holy moly, the walnut prawns recipe is sooo good.)

Make It Paleo: Over 200 Grain-Free Recipes for Any Occasion by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason -- This is a good resource for easy paleo recipes -- lots of good basics here. I like the recipes for salad dressings and prepping vegetables as side dishes. One great thing about this book when it comes to the Whole30 is that it has lots of breakfast recipes (a good thing for me since breakfast is the hardest for me to give up. I love my pancakes and waffles. And French toast. And oatmeal. And cold cereal.). Side note: it's worth mentioning that the chocolate chip cookie recipe in this book is surprisingly delicious -- and very NOT Whole30.

Well Fed 2: More Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan -- I kept seeing this book on all sorts of posts about doing a Whole30, so I picked up a copy. This book is a great resource because it complements It Starts with Food really well and almost all the recipes are Whole30 compliant. There are many great ideas on how to keep your menu full of variety by making your own sauces, dressings, condiments, burgers, and sausages. I really liked the Taj Mahal chicken recipe. This book also got me to try plantains (which truly is something for someone who has had a lifelong aversion to bananas. Still do.) -- I totally recommend Trader Joe's plantain chips now.

INSTAGRAM

I love Instagram -- it has pretty much replaced Facebook for me. Instagram has been a great resource during my Whole30, too. Here are a few accounts that I follow:

@Whole30 -- the official Instagram account for the Whole30 program. It's been so helpful to have it give daily inspiration and information, like "on this day, you're probably feeling ____" or  answering frequently asked questions. I also like getting direct info and answers in the comment section from Melissa Hartwig, the creator of the program.

@Whole30Recipes -- Exactly what the name implies, just a lot of Whole30 recipes. It's hit and miss for me -- sometimes the recipes look absolutely delicious, other times not so much. Every week there is a new contributor that posts recipes and it's been a great way to find people to follow.

@nomnompaleo -- Michelle posted posted daily throughout the Whole30, a new recipe for each day. Lots of the recipes were from her cookbook, but there were new ones, too. Plus, she's just funny.

@Amazon_Ashley -- Her Instagram feed is great. Lots of delicious recipes and encouragement. I really love how real she is. Still need to try her sweet potato bun recipe. I bought her ebook when it was on sale -- it's called Clean & Colorful Cooking and it has some really simple recipes in it. I haven't made any yet, but I'm excited to. (Tip: be sure to have the underscore in her name or else you get redirected to a different, much more adult account. Yikes.)

@littlecoconutty -- This is such a beautiful feed (she's a graphic designer, so it makes sense). Recipes and encouragement to be found.

@pretend_its_a_donut -- Just discovered this one this week, looks fun. And I really like her account name.

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS

Dreading Your Whole30? Just start it now (with 9 planning tips) -- Modern Mrs. Darcy
I read this post last year before I did my first Whole30 and it inspired me to take the plunge. PS -- this is one of my favorite blogs, mostly for book-related reasons.

The Round-Up: 30 Days of Whole30 Recipes -- Nom Nom Paleo
Yep, I'm mentioning Nom Nom Paleo again. (I think I may be becoming a NNP fangirl.) But her blog is a really great resource, too.

Spicy Shredded Pork -- The Pioneer Woman
I made this pork shoulder recipe at least twice (maybe three times?) during this month's Whole30. You can find the recipe in her first cookbook, too. I omitted the brown sugar and it was still good. This recipe is great because you can cook up a pork shoulder (I do it in my slow cooker) and then use leftovers in recipes all week -- I particularly like making a salad with it, with a dollop of salsa and guacamole.

Paleo Egg & Chorizo Muffins - Sweet C's Designs
One thing that got tiring for me with the Whole30 is that there is a lot of meal prep, which can be inconvenient if you're in a hurry. These egg muffins (I used loose sausage instead of chorizo) are super-simple to make and you can freeze them. When you want a muffin, you can just reheat it in the microwave or oven.

Pizza Stir Fry Recipe -- Wellness Mama
Friday nights are pizza + movie night at our house, which is a problem when you're doing a Whole30. I will say that this recipe doesn't come close to the deliciousness that is pizza (not that the recipe is bad or anything, but I just really, really, really love pizza), but it definitely helped on Friday nights, even though I still shot more than a few wistful glances at the pizza my boys were eating. Sigh.

The Whole30 Timeline -- Whole30.com
"Day 1: What's the big deal?
Days 2-3: The hangover
Days 4-5: Kill all the things.
Days 6-7: I just want a nap."  This timeline walks you through the ups and downs of the program. I'll be honest, the first Whole30 I did was an emotional roller-coaster for me and I felt those ups and downs hard. This time wasn't so bad, especially since I had my awesome husband along for support. But I still referenced this a lot to keep me focused and to know what to expect -- and I thought it was kind of funny, too.

So, yeah, I made it through my Whole30. It was hard, but not the hardest thing I've ever done. And you know,  I'm going to keep following it pretty closely. I feel that good. That said, tomorrow is my mom's birthday and I'm totally having a (smallish) piece of her birthday cake. What's more, I'm going enjoy that cake and I won't feel an ounce of guilt because I actually feel in control. No more sugar dragon ruling my life. And that is the best result of this Whole30 experience.

Note: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. 

Lovely Links: The Return of Summertime Edition (+ Some Thoughts on the 70th Anniversary of D-Day)

I love every season but, oh, summer! I love the freedom of it and the simple joys that come along with the season. Simple joys like flowers from the yard. The other day, I gave myself a bouquet of two dozen roses. Not only are they gorgeous on my kitchen table and smell heavenly, but they were free! The rosebush in my yard is exploding with blooms right now, as well as many of my other flowers: yarrow, Jupiter's beard, lilies, bachelor's button, salvia, lamb's ear, sage. My house feels so much cheerier with all these flowers, both inside and out. I always try to keep fresh flowers in my home. I tell you, they're good for the soul and I heartily recommend giving yourself a bouquet today, whether it's from your yard or from the grocery store!

Here's a mish-mash of summery links to celebrate this first week of June!

Summer Goals...with a Plan :: 71 Toes
I don't know about you, but I've been seeing all sorts of blog posts about summertime lists: bucket lists, to-do lists, checklists. I'm not the most organized of people, but I do want a little structure for my kids, especially my older son, this summer. This post at 71 Toes is pretty amazing (seriously, these people are super-parents). If I'm being honest, their summer goal-setting, checklists, and plans may be a bit too structured and organized for my brain, but the post is still giving me some good ideas on how we want to organize and plan our summer.

It's Okay to NOT Have a Summer To-Do or Bucket List :: Life As Mom
Then again, summertime is supposed to be about freedom and relaxation, too. One of my best friends and I were just talking yesterday about easy it is to feel overwhelmed by bucket lists and the feeling that you alone are responsible for making summer perfect, magical, and memorable for you and your family. While I plan on making some goals and plans, I believe I'm more in favor of the fluidity of the approach in this post.

Old Fashioned Lemonade Recipe :: Making This Home
Lemonade and summer are pretty much synonymous. I like this recipe because of its simplicity and because it sounds likes it's more on the sour side. I believe a truly good glass of lemonade should make your lips pucker a little.  (I'm totally going to try this lemonade in my other favorite summertime beverage -- you can find it here.)

10 Creative Ways to Make an Outdoor Oasis for Kids this Summer :: Apartment Therapy
I want to do every single one of these.

How to Build a Water Balloon Launcher :: Frugal Fun for Boys
Making this soon. My boys (as well as their neighborhood friends) will LOVE it.

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe :: Andrea's Notebook 
This recipe sounds super simple and delicious. Plus, it doesn't have that much sugar in it. I'm totally counting a bowl of this sorbet as a serving of fruit.

On a more serious note...

I couldn't write a post today without mentioning the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Years ago, while I was visiting the Special Forces Museum at Fort Bragg, I came across a quote from John Stuart Mill that really struck me and that I think of often when I think of the military:

"War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares about more than his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

This quote offers such an interesting perspective and insight into the character of those who do fight our wars. That's what really humbles me about the picture above, why it is so moving -- in that boat sit men, all of them having lives and families back home, ready to head onto the shores of Normandy seventy years ago, knowing full well they might not survive. I wonder how many in the picture did. And if they did survive, they most likely survived with painful memories of that horrific but tremendously important day in history. I'm willing to bet that each one of those men in that photograph were afraid as they sat on that boat, but their courage lies in the fact that they went ashore anyway.

I come from a military family -- my grandfather fought in the South Pacific during World War II and my dad served a full military career during many conflicts, including Vietnam. I have a particular soft-spot in my heart and deep respect for the military. Yet, more than ever, days like today strike a little closer to home because I have a brother currently deployed and serving in Afghanistan. I understand the cost of freedom in a way I haven't fully appreciated before. There are no words for my gratitude for the brave men and women who have served and serve our country today, who are willing to pay the ultimate price to defeat tyranny and defend freedom. On this 70th anniversary of D-Day, I remember and honor the bravery of them all.



Note: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have disclosed.

Lovely Links: Garden Planning Edition

Spring is finally here and with that comes gardening again! I turned over my garden beds a few days ago and, man, it was nice getting my fingernails all dirty again.

I feel like I'm a little behind schedule in my garden, though, since I'm still in the planning stages. The only things growing in my garden right now are the Swiss chard that overwintered (yay!) and the 30+ heads of garlic I planted last fall (YAY!). Next week, I'll post about my garden planning process here, but I thought it would fun to give you some inspiration for your weekend.  Whether you're growing a windowsill herb garden, a few containers on a patio, a garden in a corner of your yard, or a full-fledged homestead, here are a few links I've come across to help you plan your best garden yet!

1 Really Great Reason to Grow Food this Year :: Gardening Jones
On the fence about even bothering with a garden this year? Planning to grow a garden but need a little more motivation to dive in? The one reason described in this post is motivation enough.

Organic Vegetable Gardening 101 :: My Humble Kitchen
Great, basic info with links to posts about ordering seeds, the different types of seeds, succession planting, and more -- though I prefer the milk-jug seed starting method to starting them indoors. I'm also in love with the vertical planter boxes in this post.

Our DIY Raised Garden Beds - Chris Loves Julia
$10 Cedar Raised Garden Beds - Ana White
I love my raised garden beds!  If you don't have them yet, here are a couple great tutorials for getting yours started -- or, if you're like me, to rebuild yours because the wood frames of your existing garden beds are rotting away.

The Living Jigsaw: Planning for Crop Rotation in Your Garden :: Designing Edible Gardens
I've known for a while that it's not a good idea to grow the same crops in the same spots every year, but until last spring, I had no idea that you should rotate what type of vegetables you grow in each area of your garden in a particular order. Now that I understand the concept, it actually makes planning my garden easier.  Leaves - Fruits - Roots - Rebuild -- this post explains it all.

How much you need to plant to feed your family :: New Life on a Homestead
This post has a list of how much you would need to grow to feed yourself and your family for a year.  It's interesting , but it's also a bit overwhelming. While I would LOVE to be that self-sufficient, I don't have enough room in my garden beds to grow all that. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and bummed, I look at this list as a good guide to how much to plan on growing in the space I do have.

Lawns into Gardens :: New York Times
Speaking of garden space, my latest fascination: turning lawns and front yards into gardens. I mean, my lawn gives me grief every year (dandelions everywhere and it won't stay green); why not grow food instead? My husband isn't on board with this idea and I guess my boys need some grass to play on, but a girl can still dream.

Front Yard Vegetable Garden :: The Art of Doing Stuff
Now, this is something I could do...

One last thing: as you're deciding what to grow, consider growing some of the bees' favorite fruits, veggies, herbs and flowers.

Hope your weekend is lovely!

Wrapping Up 2013: The Year's Most Popular Parsimonious Posts

I know it's a little cliché to say, but I can't believe how fast this year has gone by!

Lots happened this year in our little family. Max entered first grade this past fall. I tell you, I cried the first time I packed a lunch for him. All's well now, though -- we've both adjusted and are doing fine with the whole transition. My Jonah is almost three; I can't help but still think of him as a baby. It's bittersweet to watch my boys grow and get older, but, luckily, they just get better with age. My husband Kevin had eventful year at work -- he's a video game artist for Disney Interactive and the studio he works at made the popular (and super cool, I might add) game Disney Infinity. He's also been busy doing freelance work. As for me, I've just kept busy taking care of this family and home of mine, though I did have one big milestone this year: I finished the first draft of my novel! It's been years in the making and now I'm busy with the second draft. At the rate I'm going, I'll probably have it ready to publish by the time I'm 40. *sigh*

In terms of frugal and homestead-y milestones, we had a couple. The first was at the beginning of the year when we finally paid off our car and became DEBT-FREEEEE! (sorry, it has to be typed that way. If you're familiar with Dave Ramsey's show, you'll know why.)  We've since been working on Dave Ramsey's third baby step and our emergency fund is over half-way funded.  Another milestone: our first honey harvest! I can't even begin to express how exciting it was to fill all those Mason jars with honey from our very own beehives - or how much love and gratitude I felt for all those thousands of little honeybees.

Now I know I didn't post so regularly in 2013 -- about half as many as I did in 2011 and 2012. Honestly, I've let it go a little so I can juggle all the things in my life. I've never been very good at balancing my time. I feel a new year's resolution coming on...

Anyway,  I thought I'd do what I've done the last couple years and look back to see which posts were the most popular (according to page-views) and compile a list of the top ten. I'm always intrigued by the posts that get the most attention -- sometimes I write them thinking, "I'm probably the only person who finds this interesting." It's always a nice surprise to find I'm not alone.

10. Peel Appeal: 7 Ways to Use Citrus Peels

It's that glorious time of year when citrus is in season, when oranges come close to tasting like candy. Save those peels and zest, boil, scrub, clean, sweeten, burn, and/or soak them. Really, it's kind of a shame that peels ever get thrown out.

9. Off the Needles: Chunky Fingerless Gloves

I love these fingerless gloves. Not only are they comfy and cozy, but they're also great for beginner-level knitters. There's plenty of winter left, so I'd definitely recommend knitting up a pair.

8. Expecting Wonders: How to Test Your Seeds Before You Plant

Planting seeds is always a sort of act of faith. You put these little things into the soil, give them some water, and expect them to sprout -- or at least hope they do. It's a beautiful concept. That said, there is one way to ensure that they will actually grow and that is to test them. It's super easy to do and it can save you the heartache of planting old seeds that won't germinate.

7. Observations & Lessons Learned from My First Winter with Chickens

As I type this, all three of the ladies are weathering another winter out in the backyard. Winter hit us really suddenly this year; one day the high temperature was in the 50s, the next day the high temps were in the 20s. Even worse, one of my hens was in the middle of molting (seriously, feathers EVERYWHERE) and another was still growing hers back from her molt. Neither they or I were quite ready for winter when it hit, but we've gotten back into the swing of things. Both ladies are fully feathered again and all three are laying. It's definitely not as enjoyable to keep chickens this time of year, but it's not too bad. That post I wrote last February has been a good reminder for me as we do this whole winter thing again.

6. Some Thoughts on Open-Mindedness & Frugality

Basically, this is the post where I ate a big helping of humble pie. Never say never, I learned.

5. Paleo(ish) Almond-Buckwheat Pancakes

For this being one of the most popular posts of the year, you'd think I would make these pancakes more often. I honestly haven't made them in months. In fact, until I saw this post was one of the more popular ones, I sort of forgot about them. Seeing as I may have overindulged this Christmas season, I'm thinking I'll revisit this recipe soon.

4. "We're Debt-Free!" : Of Car Payments and Baby Step #2

That post was basically the blog-equivalent of my debt-free scream (not familiar with that is? It's basically this). And I'm totally going to use that inspirational/cheesy picture I found when I did an image search for "freedom" again. Being debt-free is an awesome feeling and worth the work it takes to get there.

3. Homemade Weed Killer: The Experiment and the Results

Vinegar to the rescue again. Granted, it needed a couple helpers in the form of salt and dish soap, but it killed those nasty weeds!

2.  I Made Laundry Detergent! (Again) : Easy Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

Homemade liquid laundry detergent doesn't get easier than this. It takes five minutes to make, tops. No boiling or grating soap required.

1. Another 100 Painless Ways to Live Frugally

This post went nuts this year! It was a follow-up to my first list of 100 painless ways to live frugally -- personally, I think this list is better than the first. Currently working on the third one, though coming up with another 100 is going to take some creativity, for sure.

{Although this post isn't from 2013, I have to mention my post about my gingerbread cookies. It went crazy these past couple months, getting thousands and thousands of visits. One reason: it was featured on the Canadian edition of The Huffington Post. It was pretty crazy to see my little blog and the recipe featured next to recipes from Martha Stewart, Nigella Lawson, and the Food Network.}

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog, whether you've been following along on my frugal journey these past four years (wow!) or if you've just found me via Pinterest. I hope my little space here has helped your life in some way. I enjoy writing it and I love taking tons of pictures of food, kids, animals, and inanimate objects for it. This blog keeps me focused on my money-saving goals partly because I feel a sort of accountability to you all. Plus, trying new things and sharing them with you keeps this homemaking and child-raising stuff fresh and fun for me. I'm not perfect at it -- not even close -- but it stays interesting due in part to you.

May 2014 be your happiest year yet!

Lovely Links: 'National Preparedness Month' Edition

My blog is certainly not an emergency preparedness blog; there are a ton of other blogs that cover that topic extensively. I'm definitely not an expert at prepping, either -- I just barely started putting our 72-hour kits together a few months ago. I find it interesting and somewhat amusing, however, that my most popular post to date on this blog is about emergency preparedness. A lot of people really wanted to know how to make an emergency heater, I guess. (Really, you should make one -- it only costs five bucks.)

For the Lovely Links post this month, I thought it'd be appropriate to have an emergency preparedness theme since September just happens to be National Preparedness Month. What does emergency preparedness have to do with frugality? Plenty, in my opinion. I believe that emergency preparedness goes hand-in-hand with self-reliance and frugality. 

I'm certainly not as gung-ho about emergency preparedness as some people I've met (as in, the types of people I think secretly want a natural disaster/zombie apocalypse to happen so they can use all their supplies), but I try to be smart about it. Like I mentioned, I've been working on putting together a 72-hour kits in backpacks for each member of my family. We've got a good amount water and food stored. We've got those emergency blankets and sleeping bags that look like aluminum foil, 100-hour candles and glowsticks, a battery/hand/solar-powered radio, and, of course, plenty of vinegar. I do need to work on our first-aid kit, though.

Oh, I do have those emergency heaters on hand, in case we ever need them.

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Thing is, emergency preparedness can get overwhelming. There's so much you can do and it's hard to know when you've done enough (at least, I worry about that). It'd be easy to get carried away and just buy everything at once. Going into debt is definitely not the way to get prepared for an emergency -- in my opinion, debt is just another kind of emergency. The best way to go about it, really, is to do what you can little by a little, with the resources you have.

Here are a few links I've found in my efforts to get my family a little more prepared, should disaster strike. You can find more ideas on my emergency preparedness board on Pinterest.

How to Store Water :: Family Survival Planning
Storing water is probably the most important thing you can do in terms of emergency preparedness. You can live three weeks without food, but you can only live three days without water. Plus, it's also necessary for hygiene and sanitation. This link is great because it tells you how to store water, as well as dispel some myths about water storage (it's not so hard as some people think). There are also helpful links within this link (you got that?) about where to find water in an emergency and one about how to purify water.

Evacuate Your Home - 9 Checklists to Help :: A Pinch of Joy
If you've been following the news, you'll know that a lot of people in Colorado have had to evacuate over the last couple days due to severe flooding. An evacuation can be necessary for so many reasons -- last year, my brother-in-law had to be evacuated from his home because of a wildfire. This link is great because it's so organized -- I am not an organized person, so I appreciate people who like to come up with systems and checklists. This link will help you get all organized and ready to make dealing with an evacuation a lot less stressful.

36 Lessons Learned from Testing a 72-Hour Kit :: Survival Mom
This post is great because there are plenty posts about putting together a 72-hour kit but not so many about actually using one. I like the good, practical advice given here. Plus, I always enjoy a good list.

The Tackle-Box First-Aid and Wellness Kit :: Abide With Me
Remember how I mentioned I need to work on my family's first-aid kit? I love the idea of using a fishing tackle box - it really makes so much sense. The only thing that would be comparable would be one of those Caboodles from the 1990s. I'm sure my mom didn't save the one I used back in sixth grade, so I'm thinking I'll go pick up a tackle-box soon.

Lessons in the Aftermath of a Disaster :: Homestead Revival
It's almost unavoidable to read or watch the news and not see some kind of coverage of a disaster somewhere. This post is helpful because it shows what lessons we can learn from others and it's a good basic review of the essentials of preparedness. I like it because it helps me evaluate how prepared my family is. Definitely worth a read.

Every time I think about emergency preparedness, I can't help but think of a verse from one my church's books of scripture: "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear."  So, yeah, it can be kind of unsettling, scary, and even depressing to consider the worst-case scenarios as you prepare for an emergency, but being prepared gives you a sort of power. It's amazing what having the right supplies on hand, organized, and ready can do for one's peace of mind.

Lovely Links : Going Camping Edition

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It's that time of year, folks! Few things say summertime to me more than a good, old-fashioned camping trip. We've gone once already this summer and have a couple more on our calendar before the summer is through. I'm no rough-and-tough, super-outdoorsy granola girl, but one of my favorite things is waking up in a tent -- hearing the birds chirp outside, the breeze rustling through the trees overhead, the cool air waking you up. Makes a person feel alive, you know?

If you've got a camping trip on the horizon, there are tons of great resources online -- packing lists, recipes, tips, crafts, games, homemade bug repellents, the list goes on and on. People are just so clever! So, in honor of camping season, I thought I'd share some cool camping links I've found (and, in many cases, used).

I can smell that fresh mountain air already...

Let's Go Camping! 50 Ideas to Make it Easier (and more fun!) :: A Mom with a Lesson Plan
So many good ideas here. May I recommend the suggestions for Rolo marshmallows and the hobo eclairs? We made those on our last camping trip (thanks to this list) and they were awesome.

Books to Read on a Camp-Out :: KC EDventures
Reading a book outside is one of my all-time favorite things to do. Get the kids in on the action and bring some camping and outdoors-themed books for them. It's a nice way to keep kids occupied. During our camping trip last month, I read We're Going on a Bear Hunt at least twenty times (and that's on the conservative side -- he couldn't get enough of it!). This link has a lot good recommendations for a variety of ages and reading abilities.

Tacos in a Bag :: Camping with Gus
We made these on our last camping trip and they were great! Seriously easy to make and so little mess (especially since I cooked the ground beef at home and then just reheated it at camp).  This is definitely going to be in our camping food repertoire for years to come.

Family Camping Checklist :: The Portable Baby Blog
What to Bring When Camping with Children :: Snail Pace Transformations
In the past, we've always gone camping with either my husband's or my family (parents, siblings, and lots of nieces and nephews). It's been easy that way in the sense that Kevin's mom and my mom have been the major planners and packers, the sort of overseeing matriarchs of their respective family camping trips. They've have plenty of experience in organizing these types of things. A couple weeks ago, we went on a camp-out with just our little family of four, making me the said planner, packer, and overseeing matriarch. It's a lot of work! Inexperienced at this role as I was, I forgot a bunch of stuff. Sigh. Next time I'm printing off a list. The first link is a really comprehensive list; the second link is a great outline to help you get organized. Lesson learned.

How to Survive the Weekend Camping With a Toddler :: One Sweet Appetite
This is me this summer. Camping with little kids is fun, but it can also be a bit challenging. Lots of great ideas and reminders here for kids of all ages.

41 Camping Hacks That Are Borderline Genius :: Buzzfeed
These hacks are pretty dang awesome. Except that one for glow-in-the-dark Mt. Dew. I tried that this past camping trip and it didn't work at all. I'm totally trying that one using Doritos as campfire kindling next time we go, though.

Happy camping this summer, everyone!

Lovely Links: 'Hooray for June!' Edition

I love June.  The return of watermelon, running through sprinklers, lemonade, Otter Pops, days spent in swimming suits, sunny days, and lots of gardening. *sigh*

Also, the return of my favorite summertime drink. I only have it the summertime so I don't go totally nuts and get burned out on it (kinda like how I only let myself drink eggnog during the Christmas season).  It's really simple, takes hardly any time to make, and it's gooood. It's not too sweet and it's really refreshing on a hot summer afternoon.

I can take no credit for this delicious drink - it's basically a copycat version of Starbucks Iced Passion Lemonade, only my version isn't nearly as sugary.

Nothing against the Starbucks version. I first tried it years ago, in my pre-kids days, when I worked as a Community Relations Manager at Barnes & Noble. Mormon girl that I am, my drink choices at the Starbucks mini-cafe were pretty limited (since we Mormons don't drink coffee or tea). I pretty much only drank the cream-based frappuccinos (mmmmm....double chocolate chip frappuccino...). Then one day, I saw a co-worker drinking a bright pink drink and I had to ask what it was. To my delight, they had an iced tea that was totally herbal (while Mormons aren't supposed to drink tea that contains tea leaves, herbal tea is totally cool). So, I had one of those pretty much every day from then on. Yum.

Anyway, I make my own iced passion tea at home throughout the summer. You can buy the Tazo Passion tea at pretty much any grocery store. I simply heat up a cup of water (usually in the microwave -- no sense heating up the kitchen in the summer heat by using the stove), put a couple bags of the Passion tea into the water, let them steep for about three minutes, and then pour it over ice. Like the Starbucks version, I sweeten the iced Passion tea with lemonade. I really like raspberry Simply Lemonade. I don't use much lemonade -- maybe ¼ cup at the most. I've used other sweeteners in the past (like agave nectar -- which I found isn't really that healthy after all), but I like the raspberry lemonade the best.  Try it -- I think you'll like it. (FYI -- I've heard that hibiscus tea -- which is what the Passion tea is partly made up of -- isn't a good choice to drink while pregnant. I was pretty bummed when I learned that in the summer of 2010, let me tell you.)

On to the Lovely Links...

Here are a few links that have caught my eye or that are relevant to life in June or that I've rediscovered whilst looking through my many, many pins on Pinterest.

A toast to the beginner, or, what to do with garlic scapes :: Eating from the Ground Up
Garlic Scape Pesto :: The Garden of Eating
If you hadn't guessed by the photo or the links already, I'm so excited about the latest thing to come from our garden: garlic scapes! Our garlic is almost ready to harvest (more on that when the time comes) and recently the bulbs sent out the flowers (called scapes).  You're supposed to cut these off before they bloom so that the energy stays in the bulb so you have stronger-flavored garlic. We've never had scapes before and I'm so excited to cook with them! I'm not sure my boys want to eat them quite yet -- they've been having too much fun curling them around their arms and walking around with their arms outstretched, a la The Creature from the Black Lagoon.

DIY Project: Kate's Grocery Planner :: Design*Sponge
In my ongoing effort to be an organized person (sigh), I've been trying out different menu planning/grocery list templates. Of the ones I've seen or tried, I'm liking this one best (I use the menu grocery list).  I also really like how she made a cute clipboard for it -- I'm going to work on mine this weekend.

Clean Your Air Conditioner Unit :: The Family Handyman
This is on my to-do list (okay..let's be honest...it's really going to end up on my husband's to do list.) because I've heard that cleaning your A/C unit can save you a bunch of money on your cooling bills. Also, having had our A/C go out last summer (not fun) because we hadn't been so great at maintenance, I've decided to be a little more proactive.

Campfire Eclairs :: Making Memories with Your Kids
Oh my. These look dangerously good. My only change would be to use homemade chocolate frosting (the store-bought stuff is gross and has nothing on this recipe).  We're going camping at the end of the month and I'm thinking these might be a must.

How we stopped living (less than) paycheck to paycheck :: Simple Mom
This is how you do it, people. Little things add up. I love, love, love this post.

Hoping this June weekend is wonderful for you!  

Note: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have disclosed.

Wrapping Up 2012: The Year's Most Popular Parsimonious Posts

Crazy how fast time goes by, isn't it?

Like all years, it's been a pretty eventful one for our family. The kids are growing like crazy; Max started kindergarten and my baby is nearly two years old. I feel so ambivalent about growing kids -- I love them at the age they are and want them to be little forever, but it's so much fun to see them grow, too. Thank goodness they both get even better with age. My super-talented husband has been really busy with his full-time job at Disney Interactive, as well as with his freelance work. It's been stressful at times but also a blessing -- this year we saved up enough money to buy a second car (a very basic but nice little commuter car for my hubs), to do some home renovations (we redid all the floors on the main level of our home and painted our cabinets), and we're almost debt-free (just a couple thousand left on our car -- yay!). I also turned the big 3-0 this year (which wasn't so bad, especially since we softened the blow with a trip to Disneyland).

The year was also full of frugal and homestead-y firsts:  I finally got the backyard chickens I'd been wanting for years, Kevin and I (and my parents) started our beekeeping endeavor (no honey for us this year, thanks to super-dry conditions, but we're optimistic about 2013 honey harvest), and we had our first yard sale. I also grew zucchini for the first time in my garden, started my own tomatoes from seed for the first time, and I even bought my first can of beer this year (to kill snails in my garden, of course). I wonder what we'll try next year...

Anyway, I thought I'd do what I did on here a year ago and look back to see which posts were the most popular (according to page-views) and compile a list of the top ten. I find it odd/interesting/amusing that a third of the posts in my top-ten list deal with poo. Go figure.

So, without further ado, here are the top 10 posts from 2012 on The Parsimonious Princess...

10.  Adventures in Cloth Diapering: The Post about Stripping

Like I wrote in the post, the title isn't even close to as scandalous as it may sound. After a while, some types of cloth diapers get minerals, oil, and detergent built up on them making them really stinky (we battled serious ammonia odors before I stripped our diapers) and less absorbent. This year, I stripped our cloth diapers for the first time. This post covers what worked and what didn't, plus some other info about build-up and how you can avoid having to strip cloth diapers as often.

9.  Abbey's Award-Winning Zucchini Cake

Make this cake. Hopefully you have some shredded zucchini in the freezer because this cake is awesome (just like my friend, Abbey).

8.  How I Reuse Dryer Lint for Camping, Emergency Preparedness, and Beekeeping

Yes, I found a reuse for dryer lint. Lint is notoriously flammable, so why not use that flammability to your advantage and make fire-starters? An update since I wrote the post: after my first season of beekeeping, I highly recommend using these fire-starters in your smoker. The fire-starters burn for a while and produce a nice, cool white smoke.  There have been a couple times when I didn't have a lint fire-starter and it was much harder to keep the smoker lit (and even when it was lit, it didn't last nearly as long as it did with the fire-starter in it). So, yeah, yay for dryer lint!

7.  Recipe for Relief: Homemade Teething Biscuits

So easy to make. Your little one will love gnawing on them.

6.  In the Backyard: My Milk Jug Mini-Greenhouses and How Empty Milk Jugs Changed My Garden

I put both of these posts in the #6 slot because they were in the top ten but basically about the same thing -- why have them take up two slots? That said, this is one my favorite things I tried in 2012. I'm still amazed that it worked and I actually started my own tomatoes from seed this year -- it was so easy! I'm going to start saving my empty milk jugs again pretty soon!

5.  Adventures in Cloth Diapering: The Post about Poop

Yep, I wrote a whole post about babies and poopy diapers. Apparently people wanted to know about it. It makes sense -- whenever people find out that I cloth diaper my baby, I can tell they want to ask about how I deal with the stinkier side of it all. This post has just about everything you need to know on the subject.

4.  How We Made Our Chickens' Water Poop-Free

It's been so much fun having chickens and collecting their eggs (I still get a little excited when I see eggs in the nesting box). What was not so fun about keeping chickens? Constantly changing disgusting, poopy water. Enter the 'chipple' (as the husband and I call it).  Problem solved.

3.  Ants Hate Cinnamon

They do. They really do.

2. Clothesline 101: How to Get Softer Line-Dried Clothes

Who would have thought that a tip my lovely grandmother gave my mom back in the 1980s would become one of my popular posts on the blog?

1.  Sudsy Savings: Two Homemade Hand Soaps

This post and the one in the #2 slot are so close -- it's almost a tie -- but the homemade hand soap eked out a win. I love that it's popular because homemade hand soap is so easy to make and so, so cheap.  We've been using homemade hand soap all year and will continue to in the next. If you're not already making your own hand soap, give it a try for 2013!

{Although it's not a post from 2012, I have to mention the little post that could: the post about making an emergency heater  from rubbing alcohol, toilet paper, and new paint can. Babble first featured it on a post about DIYs for the zombie apocalypse and then it went a little nuts on Pinterest. It's gotten tens of thousands page-views in just a couple months. I'm still amazed.}

Thank you so much for reading my blog. I hope it has helped your life in some way. I have fun writing it. I enjoy taking tons pictures of kids, animals, and inanimate objects for it. It keeps me focused on my money-saving goals because I feel a sort of accountability to you all. Plus, trying all the new things I do (partly doing them with the intent to share the results with you) keeps all this homemaking and child-raising fresh and fun for me. I'm not perfect at it -- not even close -- but at least it's interesting.

Best wishes for you and your family in 2013!

{This post is linked up to Your Green Resource, Simple Lives Thursday, and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.}

The Return of Lovely Links

{I haven't done one of these Lovely Links posts in almost exactly a year. I know why I stopped: Pinterest. I figured you could find all sorts of links to things I find informative/interesting/awesome by checking out my pins. But I've been thinking about it lately and I think I'll bring back the occasional Lovely Link post to highlight some of the things I've found particularly enlightening and cool lately.}

It finally rained here! And not just a few scattered drops here and there, but a full-fledged rainstorm! I grabbed an umbrella (my practically perfect umbrella, I might add) and the baby for some much-needed puddle time and to get that just-rained air into our lungs! (My other boy couldn't join us because he was sick -- don't worry, he had Return of the Jedi to make it easier to stay inside.) This summer has been so dry and much of it has been smoky from dozens of wildfires. The rain was definitely a welcomed and wonderful change of pace.  

Anyway, I can't believe that it's already the end of July. We still have so many summery things to do before school starts (Sigh...my first baby in kindergarten. Still wrestling with that idea.). We're still waiting for our first homegrown tomato and the first egg from our hens, too. I love this time of year.

Except when it gets too hot. I can keep my thermostat low in the wintertime and be totally fine; I'm a complete wimp when it comes to the heat. So, during the times when it is too hot to do much of anything, I do a little reading. Here are a few of cool links I've come across lately...

10+ Ways to Beat Rising Food Prices :: Frugally Sustainable
If you've read the news, you've probably seen the toll the drought has taken on the corn crops in the Midwest. As a result, corn prices are on the rise. Even if you don't eat a lot of processed foods or corn-fed meat,  the shortage will mostly likely affect your food budget. The post above has a lot of good, practical advice on how to keep your food budget under control even when prices go up.

The Lady's Coleslaw :: Food Network
This recipe for coleslaw (it's the only Paula Deen recipe I've ever tried) is awesome. I've made it three or four times this summer already. It's really easy to make and it's so good. We've had it on hot dogs (my husband lived in the South for a couple years before we got married and grew to love slaw dogs while he was there), on pulled pork sandwiches, and even on beef tacos (I bet it'd be amazing on fish tacos).  Anyway, this recipe is a keeper. Make a batch for your next summer picnic or barbecue.

Printable Back-to-School Countdown Chain :: Life Your Way
Like I mentioned earlier, I am feeling really ambivalent about my little guy starting kindergarten. He's so ready to go; I'm just not sure I'm all that ready. Anyway, I just found this fun way to savor all things summer-related while also gearing up for school.We're big fans of countdown chains at our house (we make them for Christmas, days until we go to Disneyland, etc.) because it's a good way to give little kids a sense of time.

10 Simple Things to Make You Happier at Home :: Apartment Therapy
I love this. This list could change your life. Even just doing the first thing listed has made a big difference for me already.

Hope your weekend is wonderful!

How Empty Milk Jugs Changed My Garden

Earlier this week, I wrote about some of my various frugal endeavors and experiments, that...well...failed. However, I have one experiment that has been going on in my garden since April that makes up for all of them!

Those little seedlings I mentioned back in early May, the ones I was so nervous to transplant, are thriving! It's borderline crazy how excited this makes me!

I'm guest posting over at The Green Phone Booth today all about my experience with the milk jug mini-greenhouses. Check it out for a recap of the process and how reusing milk jugs changed the way I garden forever!

{This post is linked up to Your Green Resource, Little House Friday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, and Homestead Barn Hop.}

Wrapping Up 2011: The Year's Most Popular Parsimonious Posts

I can hardly believe it's New Year's Eve already. What a year it has been! I don't know about you, but it has flown by for me.

It's been an adjustment for us at our house having a new baby. Little Jonah is a dream come true, a perfect and happy little baby (all 22 pounds of him), busy crawling all around the house. Our other son, Max, has really stepped up and become an amazing big brother (though he was already an awesome kid to begin with). We met a big financial goal in 2011 -- we just refinanced to a 15-year mortgage (with our payment only going up $150/month. Hooray for low interest rates!). All in all, we feel really blessed and hope that 2012 will be good to us, too.

I thought it would be fun (at least for me), to look back at the year, glance through the blog statistics, and see what posts were most popular in 2011. You never know what people will find helpful and/or interesting. So, without further ado, here are the top 10 posts on The Parsimonious Princess:

10. The Easiest {and Best} Roast Chicken Recipe
Chicken, lemons, salt, and pepper. Seriously, that's all you need. It's is ridiculous how good this chicken is. Thank you, Marcella Hazan!

9. 8 Sure-Fire Ways to Get Frugally Fatigued
I remember writing this and thinking that I've experienced all eight of those ways. It's easy to get burned-out on living frugally if you don't have the right frame of mind and specific goals.

8. The Latest Concoction: Homemade Bathtub Scrub
A mixture of castile soap, baking soda, water, and vinegar. Makes your bathtub practically sparkle!

7. This Cold House: How to Sew a Draft Stopper
Draft stopper, draft dodger, draft snake. Whatever you want to call it, this easy sewing project can help you save on your utility bills. Now if only I could find mine...

6. Squeaky Clean for Pennies: How to Make Foaming Hand Soap
Just water and a little bit of liquid castile soap. The only bad thing about this experiment for me was realizing how much money I'd wasted buying the stuff before.

5. Meatless Monday: Noodles with Thai Peanut-Chili Sauce
Yum. My favorite go-to meal from the pantry. I make this when I'm feeling too lazy to plan and/or cook anything for dinner.

4. Canned Heat: How to Make an Emergency Heater
Peace of mind for five bucks. I love having one of these in our car in the wintertime, just in case.

3. Functional, Not Fancy: Homemade Nursing Pads
So simple to make and they work really well. I used them all the time during my first few weeks postpartum.

2. DIY Plumbing Project: The Cloth Diaper Sprayer
I will spare you the gross details and just say that this sprayer is a must if you're going to cloth diaper. MUST.

1. How to Make Cloth Wipes & Solution
I'll admit, I was a little surprised that this is the most popular post of the year.  We're still using the same cloth wipes I made back in March and they work great (I personally think they work better than the disposable wipes). The wipes couldn't be easier to make. The wipe solution is also simple: water, baby shampoo/soap, and olive oil.

---

I am excited to start the new year (Well, mostly excited. I do turn 30 next year...). I love the fresh start that January 1st brings. In terms of this blog, I've got all sorts of posts planned: more cloth diapering (since those were the most popular posts, after all), Meatless Monday recipes, cleaning concoctions, product reviews (a company actually sent me a sample to review!), Random Reuses, fun stuff for the kids, plenty of canning, and miscellaneous craftiness. As always, if you have any questions, things you would like to see more of, ideas you'd like to share, don't hesitate to shoot an email to parsimoniousprincess(at)gmail(dot)com.

Thank you so much for reading my blog and best wishes for 2012!

The Return of Canning Season: Some Recipes, Reasons, and How Canning is Sexy

I've said it before and I'll say it again: one of the main reasons I love late summer-early autumn is canning. I love canning. It's not easy and it can make a big mess, but I love it. It's just so satisfying to rows of beautiful glass jars full of delicious summer produce in the pantry. And opening a jar of some of that in the winter? Lovely. 

For the next couple weeks or so, it's all about canning here. Before we get started, though, I thought I'd share a few links to past posts of mine, along with other blog posts about canning that I've enjoyed.

To Get You Started:

Yes You Can! -- My motivations for canning and why I love it.

All You Really Need -- A list of supplies to get you started.

The Fruits of My Labor:
Apples -- Applesauce and Pie Filling
Jam (Pluot jam!)
Peaches
Pears
Peppers

Other Helpful Sources and Inspiration:

Roasted Tomato Salsa -- Doris and Jilly Cook {Mom and I just canned a batch of this. It is the BEST!}

9 Good Reasons to Can Your Own Food -- Simple Bites

Preserving Summer: A Round-Up of Inspiration -- Simple Bites

Preserve! - SouleMama {My favorite blog}

And if you still haven't caught the canning bug, watch the video below. If you're a big canning geek like me, watch the video below. It made me kind of giddy. Classie Parker tells you why you should can. After all, as she says in the video, "Canning is sexy, baby!"


The Canning Queen of the Desert from Etsy on Vimeo.