Two Week Menu-Low Carb Eating On a Budget|How I Am Losing Weight

I'm back with another 2 week menu. I always shop my refrigerator and cupboard first so that I use what I have on hand. I find this helps keep the cost of my groceries down quite a bit and helps avoid waste! I spent about $125 on what I needed for this 2 weeks. I buy for breakfast, lunch, and dinners.

The Menu

Taco Soup

Velveeta w/ Hamburger Cheese Dip

(with homemade chips)

Breakfast Burritos

Pigs in a Blanket

Baked Pork Chops

Ham & Cheese Sliders

Rotisserie Chicken

Tatertot Casserole

Chicken & Broccoli w/ Alfredo Sauce

Chicken Caesar Wraps

And as always, we have a few nights of leftovers.

**We use low carb tortillas for wraps/burritos & to make our chips. We use a low carb dough for the pigs in a blanket. We use low carb buns.

I would love to hear what you've got on your menu and how you are saving money on your groceries!

Laundry Room Cuteness on a Budget

I decided to give my laundry room a little love and decorate a bit. I did have a couple things hanging on the walls, and an old wash board sitting out, but other than that it was kinda drab. Everything I did here I used things I already had around the house and spent NO MONEY :)

I have had the basket for a long time it came from a thrift store. I keep clothespins in it & carry out with me to hang clothes on the line. I have lots of old glass jars sitting around so I grabbed this little one & put a few clothespins in it. The letter holder thing I got at a thrift store a long time ago. It was ugly and brown. I finally got around to painting it & love it now. I have had the cake plate & thought it looked sweet with another old jar with flowers stuck in it. I have a stash of fake flowers that I have picked up at thrift stores over the years. The are kind of expensive new so I keep my eye out for cheap ones!!

The basket I got as a Christmas gift. It had pedicure stuff in it so I took it out to use for this. Another old jar with powder stain remover in it. The old jar in the back has liquid detergent in it. I had the little pot but it was shiny & didn't go with my decor so I painted it and added faux moss. The piggy bank was something we had laying around. It was gold so more white paint!!

Here I hung a little scrap fabric garland I made from fabric I already had. The WASH sign was an old sign I wasn't using anymore so I gave it a makeover :)

These zero dollar projects really make my day. I love walking into my laundry room now :)

Have you done any cheap decorating lately?? I would love to hear about it! :)

Linking up at :

Nifty Thrifty Things

Flamingo Toes

Tatertots and Jello

Spring Break Fun on a Budget

For the last couple of years, I have taken the kids to a hotel for a couple days just to relax and get away and spend time together just the three of us. We eat and shop, maybe see a movie, those kinds of things. We have really enjoyed this. Unfortunately, this year, I ended up needing some car repairs that took a big chunk out of my savings..so plans had to change a little. When I first found out how much my car would be to repair I cancelled our 2 day hotel reservation right away. We just could not afford to go this year. But, I just kept thinking about how much we would miss out on. The bonding, the laughs, the relaxation..I decided to look for a less expensive hotel room and to just stay for one night instead of two. It wasn't what we had always done, and it wasn't what we had planned to do, but it would be better than nothing, right!? I decided on a small amount of money I would spend on each of the kids and estimated how much it would cost to feed us. The hotel I found had free breakfast so we saved there. We still had a great time, even with a smaller budget. I am SO glad we didn't skip it all together. My daughter graduates from high school this year and I am cherishing every last thing we can do with the three of us.

Krispy Kreme stop was on the list.

Our room was actually pretty nice!

Relaxation

We stopped at a Humane Society and visited all the dogs.

There was a little excitement at our hotel, but all was well!!

My daughter tried makeup for free at one of her favorite stores.

When we were all wound down for the night, my daughter and I watched HGTV while my son did this :) I was okay with it. He deserved some game time after a day with mom and sister!

I almost forgot I also stopped at a new Goodwill and found my son 4 pairs of like new Nike golf shorts for $3.49 a pair. What a deal!!! :)

So even if you don't have much to spend, make the most of what you CAN do and treasure those memories made!!

Two Week Menu-Low Carb Eating On a Budget|How I Am Losing Weight

Most of my adult life I have struggled with keeping my weight in check. I have tried diet after diet after diet. I always felt so deprived while dieting. Most recently I have began a low carbohydrate way of eating and am loving it. I do not feel deprived or hungry. My goal is to eat 40 net carbs or under each day and I am using a free app on my phone to track my meals. So far I have lost 10 pounds in under a month with this way of eating. Even if you are not living a low carb lifestyle, this menu might give you some meal ideas!! 

FATHEAD PIZZA

2 WEEK MEAL PLAN

Tater Tot Casserole

(made w/ cauliflower tots & 98% fat free cream of mushroom)

BLT wraps

Burrito Bowls

Chicken Quesadillas

Rotisserie Chicken 

Ham & Cheese Roll Ups

Fathead Pizza

(using a crust crust recipe from Pinterest)

Baked Pork Chops

Polska Kielbasa with Sauerkraut

Bunless Burgers

Chicken Caesar Wraps

(all tortillas we eat are low carb)

**Plus we will have leftovers a couple nights**

After I have my menu made, I use it to make my grocery list. I have a fairly small grocery budget & find that making a menu & a list help tremendously. Now we are all set for another 2 weeks!

Linking Up:

Nifty Thrifty Things

My Spring/Easter Decor is Up!!

I am SO ready for spring!! Over the weekend I went ahead and put out all my decor. I just love the fresh, clean vibe this stuff gives a room! Over the past month or so I have been picking things up here & there as I have been shopping. I've found decor at Walmart, Dollar General, Gordmans, Ross, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, and Target.

 I have recently changed my home decor to kind of a "farmhouse" style with a fairly neutral color scheme so my Spring/Easter decor goes along those lines as well. I am really happy with the way it all turned out!!

On to the photos :)

The old window came out of my grandparents' house. Chalkboard was a DIY. The sand timer & the white eggs are from Walmart. The Pray sign & little bird I found at Hobby Lobby, and the bunny came from Target.

The chalkboard here was from a garage sale, the bunny came from Ross, and the jar of beans with moss was a DIY.

The Hymn book I found at a thrift store. This cute basket came from Dollar General. The bunny & carrots I got at Walmart.

The coffee filter wreath is a DIY from forever ago. The chicken wire frame was a DIY using a thrift store frame. I made the cotton stems and wrapped twine around the old wine bottle. The little chalkboard was from Target dollar bins a year or two ago. The vintage camera was a thrift store find! The little tin I got at Walmart.

The small plant is just some stems I put in a thrift store basket. The big tin came from Gordmans in a set of 3 and came in copper. I painted it to look like galvanized metal & filled it with flowers from Walmart.

All from thrift stores except the tin with flowers. I stenciled the & sign on the wood tray.

The old metal thing that I think is a butter churn maybe?? came from a thrift store. The sign & bunny jar came from Walmart. They came out with some cute stuff this year!!

The tray here was from a Chalky & Company party I attended. Everything else was thrift store finds!

All the milk glass I have been collecting for years at garage sales & thrift stores. The BLOOM banner came from Target. I made the little yarn tassel garland.

The tobacco basket I was SUPER exited to find at Hobby Lobby. The plant inside the lantern was also from Hobby Lobby. The Lantern was from TJ Maxx. The market sign was an old metal sign I painted over & stenciled :)

This little table I bought at Hobby Lobby half off. The chalkboard, drawer, and metal orb thing were from there also. The planter came from TJ Maxx.

This tiered tray is probably one of my favorite things & came from Hobby Lobby. The pear & happy sign were also from Hobby Lobby. The bunny on top and the tiny bunnies came from Gordmans.

Whew!! Looks like I was all over the place!! But, I love how it turned out and hope you enjoy it too!

Check out my You Tube Channel!!

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Pumpkins

To celebrate the 1st day of Autumn this weekend I am sharing my pumpkins with you. This was a super easy project, inspired by this post at You Craft Me Up blog. It thrills me to no end when I have everything I need to do a project I come across!! We had some 4 x 4 wood post pieces left over from when my husband built our fence. I am so glad we didn't toss them out. They make super cute pumpkins :)

Happy Autumn and have a fabulous weekend.

Linking Up:
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Progress

I have made progress on my secret project. Here's a look at what I am done with so far!!

Photo overload ahead.

Look at that color contrast..

Before and After.

I had been wanting to paint my dining room chairs for a long time, just hadn't gotten up the nerve. I am glad I did. Each chair will be a different color. 2 down, 2 to go!!

I only spent $17 on paint. Woohoo :)

Here is the step by step process I used :)  Love her blog ♥

Linking Up:
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Repurposed Cabinet Door

I love to find an inexpensive item, such as an old cabinet door for a dollar, and repurpose it. Take a look at what I did :)

Gave it a shabby coat of white paint & used stencils for the WASH letters.

I think it's adorable. I added a hook so it could actually be functional as well as cute :)

Linking Up:

Southern Lovely
Shabby Nest
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Re-purposed Wine Rack

I came across this old wooden thing at goodwill that I am assuming is a wine rack. A couple quick coats of spray paint and it sure is cute. I stuck glass Kerr jars filled with colored pencils, paints, ribbons and rulers in it for some super cute storage.

I sold this thing and now I miss it terribly!! I hope I run across another one. I will snatch it up and keep it for myself this time :)

Linking Up:

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Here Comes the Sun

DIY Home Sweet Home
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In Love with my Rescued Cabinet

It has been a ridiculously long time...BUT..I am back with a darling cabinet makeover.

My grandma had this poor thing in her basement for years and years, in fact, I believe it may have been there when she and my grandpa bought the place!! She knows if she comes across any junk that nobody would want, she should call me ASAP ;)

Anyway. Here is the before.

My husband claimed it was beyond saving.

Umm, are you kidding me!?! It has so much potential!!

So, after a lot of sweet talking, he added a few screws and some wood here & there. He also took the broken glass out & put chicken wire in for me.

I painted it yellow.

I think it is just too charming...

I don't have any idea what I will use it for, but for now, it will just sit and be pretty :)

Linking Up:

Southern Lovely

House of Hepworths
Someday Crafts

DIY Shabby Table

My super sweet husband grabbed these for me from the dump.

Table legs, missing the table ;)

He also grabbed this for me out of someone's curbside trash after I begged him repeatedly to go get it.

I mean OBVIOUSLY this thing is not on it's last leg yet!!!

Here is what we turned it into.

Thosw sweet legs now have a table.

He cut all these slats for me out of that dilapitated pile. I painted them & shabbied them up.

I love it {♥}

And here is proof that one man's trash is another man's girl's treasure :)

Linking Up:
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Not Just a Housewife

Thrifty Decorating
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Embracing Change

The Adorable After

I showed you all the BEFORE picture of "my next victim" in my last post. I am back today to show off the finished AFTER pictures.

I tore it apart (okay, my sweet husband really tore it apart), and cleaned, sanded, primed and painted this baby.

It is a very soft pale pink color. I put it in my shop yesterday & it sold already!!

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You Are Talking Too Much



Before & After: Numbers Sign

Here is a quick Before & After post for you all. Enjoy :)

Here is the BEFORE. Doesn't it just scream with potential!! ;)

And the AFTER

I love it!! But I can't keep it, my house is getting too full...

Linking Up:
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Domestically Speaking

Another Shelf

If I am not careful, I won't have any room left on the walls of my house!! I keep finding things on blogs & pinterest I want to do. Here's another shelf project.

There just happened to be some free space right above my washer & dryer :) My darling husband made a shelf to fit for me.

The new shelf needed some decor. I got a can of Krylon spray paint call Global Blue & used it on the shutter. I really love the color. I filled an old glass jar with my clothes pins. The "wash" sign was an ugly, drab sign that I did a makeover on.

I think it adds a little bit of charm to this room. It needed some charm. We enter our house through this room, so it's nice to have something new here!!

Here's an up close of the "wash" sign. I stenciled the letters on with some metallic silver paint.

Running out of wall space around here :)

Linking Up:
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Here Comes the Sun
Funky Junk Interiors
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Cherished Treasures
I {heart} Naptime