The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Thursday 8 June 2017

Feather your Nest Friday, 9 June, 2017.

It was a really big week!  The best part was we headed down to the farm for the weekend to celebrate Dad's 80th Birthday.  It was a lovely weekend! The whole family gathered and we had a big birthday dinner on Saturday night.
Years ago Dad nearly died before he turned 60 and I remember that birthday so well. And here we are twenty years later.  When he turned 60 he was given five years to live by the way!  

Some of the best fun was seeing Harper with the farm animals. She had cows lambs, ducks, chooks, puppies and others to pat!


Harper cautiously looking at puppies! 

It was so nice I could talk about it for a week! 


Dad with Scarlett.

On the way down to the farm we stopped at an op shop and on the way home another one.  Andy got a beautiful fine pure wool grey knitted vest which he just loves (for $2.50) and a heap of books.  I found beads,  a top, and pumpkins that just came in from a local farm. And lemons!


At the farm I also picked Bay Leaves and Mum sent us home with venison as well.

Chloe lives nearby and we drove over to her house for an afternoon. We arrived to fresh baked biscuits and cups of tea.


Each day was sunny and beautiful.  We saw hundreds of cockatoos, water birds, Blue Wrens and Rosellas... and so many more.

It was like a little holiday and I took heaps of photos around the farm. 

Mum keeps interesting things at her front door....



I had my eye on that bird nest!

And there are various spots with wood ready for the fire place.  There is always a big fire going.



A while back I posted about the farm and showed a bit about the kitchen and Dad's old stove and things which is here.

Most of Mum's garden is native flowers.  There was a gum tree just covered in pink!


During the week we had good news and bad news.  The good news is that it looks like insurance will cover new floors in the kitchen and lounge/dining area. The insurance floor guy came on Tuesday and said "yep, that's stuffed"  confirming our suspicions!  There is someone else coming yet and hopefully they can go ahead and get this done.

The bad news was the job that promised Andy 30 hours a week hasn't delivered.  They had him at conferences and appointments but haven't delivered work.  It's been weeks. We can't afford to wait around really.  Luckily he has had private work to keep him going so far.  But it is nerve wracking.   With this and floors that look HORRIBLE I thought of "do the next thing" and just kept doing what needed doing.  Ages ago I wrote about this quote that I learned from Elizabeth Elliot.  It has helped me so much so many times.  Do the next thing.

During the week some of my money saving efforts included making two big pots of Chicken Soup. First I made the stock then I added everything else.  I think I made almost 15 litres of soup!  One lot went to Lucy's house as they have had colds.  Lots was frozen for days when Chicken soup is needed.


I made two trays of ham and cheese scrolls.  This was meant to go with the soup and provide lunches. 

The scroll recipe is just the same as my bread recipe, rolled out and filled.  All the Sour Dough recipes can be found via the index on my side bar.


As far as I can see anything you might put on a pizza is good in scrolls! 



Then I had another go at making Raisin Bread.  This time I added a lot more fruit.  Success! It is beautiful. I think there might be a bit of difference between Australian Raisin Bread/toast and the US.  

My recipe ended up being my couple of cups of starter made into a sponge with a cup of water and a cup of flour. Once that was bubbling like mad I added:

2 tablespoons milk powder,
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 
3 tablespoons of raw sugar,
1 and a half tablespoons soft butter, 
1 cup raisins,
1 cup chopped apricot, 
1 cup sultanas,
3 cups bread flour (or substitute)  plus extra.

I kneaded everything but added the fruit near the end (in the mixer) and then the mix was too sticky so I gradually added more flour until it was a nice soft dough that held together.

This made two loaves.  After the first rise I divided it in two, placed in my pans and let rise a couple of hours in a pre warmed oven that I turned off. I was really cold here!  They were beautiful!  I baked in pre heated oven for 20 mins.


They are all sliced up now and most is frozen.  At a cafe last week I saw this for $4.50 per slice!  It is less than that to make a whole loaf!  It is so yummy toasted.  Now I have it to our taste it will be a regular.  Alter the fruit, sweetness, spices to your own taste.

I trimmed my own hair,
Froze a bag full of celery tops,
Pruned all the roses out the front of the house,
Mended a pair of my jeans,
And I took advantage of a half price sale on some vitamins we buy.  To my surprise with this I was given a whole bag of free stuff!


The best things for me were a moisturiser and a good mascara, also some vitamins. There are a few things to give the girls and one item to go into the present cupboard. 

So that is my week!  I need to have a quiet moment to work out my Vicky Challenge total.  It should be good.  

Lucy has started a blog!  It will suit the young Mum's with little ones.  You can see some of my ways have rubbed off on her 😊  It is here The Pitter Patter of Tiny Feet.  All encouragement is welcome! She is right where I remember being so well with two little girls just like me! 

How did you build up your nest this week?  I hope there were some ways to get ahead, save and feather your nest generally! 

Have a lovely weekend! xxx








39 comments:

  1. What a beautiful week you've all had Annabel. As usual, a visual display to rival an art gallery! That shot of Harper standing in the sunbeams looks sent from Heaven. A Happy Birthday to your darling Dad. He looks hale and hearty for 80! I'm so sorry to hear that the expected work for Andy has not eventuated. I'll keep you both in my prayers. Something better will come along, of that I am certain. I had a great week with lots of savings, and much progress on the kitchen. That's all on the blog, but to be able to say I generated the equivalent of over $33,000 in value in the home between January and June, is a mighty fine feeling! I hope you have a lovely weekend, and that the new week brings hope for you and Andy. Lots of love, Mimi xxx

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    1. Dear Mimi,
      Your year is going better than mine! It is very good. I truly think that showing how our work at home equals real dollars helps people. I loved the post this week about that! Have a lovely weekend! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  2. Dear Annabel, I love nothing better than going to the farm and it is so relaxing or maybe the fresh air and bush smells but it does relax me. Your fruit loaf looks great and I always have some in the freezer, so easy to make.
    Sorry to hear that Andy's job hasn't worked out how you thought, Glenn started a new job this week and I hope it works out for him and I have a medical next week for a job for me so fingers crossed that works out well too.
    I am loving Lucys blog too and have told my Daughter in law about it. She is due for baby number three in about 10 days so I have been busy stocking up on things for the freezer that I can take over when she has bub to makes things a little easier for them.
    The weather has been really cold and wet here and is supposed to stay that way for about a week.
    Have a great weekend. love Debbie xx

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    1. Dear Debbie, I am so happy about Glenn's job! That is really good news. I hope your medical is a breeze and you get your job too.
      Thank you for commenting on Lucy's blog! She is getting a bit of what happened to me back then, the surely you should be doing other things with your life type comments. So all encouragement is welcome and appreciated thank you.
      It is really cold here as well. Crochet weather!
      With love Annabel.xxx (good luck next week)

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  3. Annabel what a beautiful photo of Harper! Amazing! I am so pleased that your Dad didn't agree with the doctor's prognosis of five years :-) I hope that Andy gets more work really soon as unemployment is always a concern. Don't ask me how I know. Have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. Dear Nanna Chel, Thank you! Yes, Dad thinks its best to ignore these predictions and also pretty much ignore advice i.e. to slow down, retire etc. He thinks you have to keep going and have dreams and plans or you die. I think he is right! I am thinking you are having issues with employment there... I better investigate! With love Annabel.xxx

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  4. I am so glad you were able to spend all that time with your dad and have your family down there with you. How precious family time is, especially when you have almost lost someone you love. Praying for steady work for your hubby to come through here soon.

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    1. Dear Debbie, Thanks so much. Since the fright all those years ago I have appreciated everything. I know we have been so lucky. Thank you for the prayers on the job too, with love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Praying for you and Andy. One thing that's always been a comfort to me in hard and uncertain times is remembering that God does not make mistakes. We might not know why we're in a certain situation and what comes next, but He knows what He's doing, and why. All's well that ends well, and if it's not well, it's not ended yet. xx

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    1. Dear Allegra, Thank you for your encouragement! Wise words! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  6. Hi Annabel, Andy will find something that is worthy of his skills. It will happen.
    Your Dad looks so happy and little Scarlet so safe, wrapped up in Great Grandpa's arms. He obviously enjoyed having you all there to celebrate his Birthday.
    It looks like creativity runs in your family. I love how your Mum uses what she has and then turns the ordinary into extraordinary. You do the same and no doubt learned this from her. Lucy does the same.
    We have had an interesting week. Bluey has been getting the last of the work on the caravan completed. He has also been showing Katie what needs watering and how often for while we are away. He is getting excited about being able to get on the road again. This time next week we will be off on a new adventure. Woohoo.
    We had friends over for lunch yesterday. Bluey and I worked out that we spent less than $20 to feed 8 adults. We had pumpkin soup made from a gifted pumpkin and home made stock. There was a lasagne, marinated chicken and a home grown salad. I made a ham and cheese pull apart to have with the soup. I baked a caramel chocolate slice and an apple slice. It was a wonderful afternoon of good food, good company and great conversation. There is lasagne for dinner tonight and some in the freezer. Slice has gone with Katie to her Boyfriends family as they are having dinner with his parents tonight.
    Homegrown and made from scratch is one heck of a money saver. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
    Life is good.

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    1. Dear Jane, What a feast with your visitors! And left overs! I love left overs! This is the difference cooking makes. It is a fortune, not a bit, and healthier too.
      How exciting to be getting ready to go away. I hope you will still be online! I know the clothes you sewed are going to be a big hit! Have a good weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  7. Hi Annabel,
    Your Dad looks extremely happy and relaxed nursing Scarlett - she looks quite comfy too. Love the photos from the farm, especially Harper dressed in tutu. It must be a real girl thing as my DGD who's about the same age doesn't go anywhere without wearing a tutu, either :-).

    How frustrating for you and Andy with the current work situation - it makes future planning extremely difficult. I hope things change soon and Andy finds himself getting the hours he was promised.

    Once again your baking has me drooling.

    Soup really is the go at the moment. I made a huge batch of minestrone which we had one night for dinner and the rest went to the freezer. I planted some pieces of zygote cactus that the dog had knocked off the main plant. These should come in handy as gifts once they grow a bit. I really should write down my weekly nest building as I can never remember.

    Have a great weekend,
    Janine

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    1. Dear Janine, I could never remember even for a day what I achieved! No matter how busy I have been if someone asks what have I been doing I go blank! I write dot points on the fridge or in my diary a few times a day. It amazes me at the end of the week and seems to help me feel good about the week.
      Yes a tutu on the farm. What can I say! Perfect as it turned out! There she is, I just love this picture!
      Dad is very thrilled with the Great Grand Daughters. He has always been wonderful to my girls. They look at him more as Dad than Grand Dad in many ways.
      You had a good week! Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  8. It is always so wonderful to be with family. Nothing better! Love to hear how you save money. It is always great inspiration. I too love Elizabeth Elliot's writings. Simple words but so profound! Do the next thing! Wonderful mantra!

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    1. Dear Lynn, Thank you! I need to look up some more Elizabeth Elliot... I remember another one was about how awful it is to live in constant hurry with small children and that impacted me greatly as well. She was very practical.
      Have a lovely weekend Lynn, with love Annabel.xxx

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  9. Dear Annabel!

    What a post full of your treasures!! Well done!

    Your Dad is a remarkable man, and our household is constantly grateful for the farmers! I think that heavy old wood stove of his is amazing, and you know I'd love to see his cooking!

    Your girls are all beautiful, and I know the farm is an exceptional place!

    Your very fruity bread appeals to me very much! This is a wonderful success!!

    I've been busy reading Lucy's new blog! I love the title, and the theme picture!! It's beautiful!! I'm no young mother, yet I can see that Lucy has exceptional points of encouragement for young mothers, so deserves many thumbs up!! I love to see young people setting high standards for themselves, and I love that the running pram suits her so very well. (Well done, Lucy! You've already achieved so much with your beautiful family!!)

    Somehow, with the experience you and Andy already have, and the mission you have set yourself, I feel very positive about the road ahead for you. I am thinking of the Rick and Vicky challenge!

    Warm regards,
    Rachel Holt

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    1. Dear Rachel, Thank you! You re right the fruit loaf is VERY fruity! We have really liked this one.
      Thank you for your kind words for Lucy. She is getting it like I did at the same time with little kids...WHY would you want to look after your own children? Don't you have anything better to do with your life!? Seriously. I tell her to stick to doing a good job that is all that matters!
      Maybe it should be the Rick and Vicky challenge. She is the counter... Rick does a lot of making, trading, fixing, inventing and all kinds of things that count enormously in the total. This is good... teamwork!
      Have a lovely weekend Rachel! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Dear Annabel and Lucy!!
      It used to be that, when a woman married, it was accepted that she would be a homemaker. With children, then, Lucy has every reason under the sun!!
      Regards,
      Rachel

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  10. Annabel,
    Your Dad had a Blessed Birthday with All his family there. The joy of holding his newest Great Granddaughter, Scarlett will treasure that picture as she gets older.

    My Prayers go out to You and Andy on his prospect of finding new and steady employment, so sorry to hear that this new job isn't working out.

    Oh! Just when you thought your remodel for your home was done, there is more to do with the water damage. Hoping you can find flooring that is satisfactory. Please don't overdo trying to move things.

    My week so far is a blur, since last week we did all the landscaping work, I don't want to see a truckload of dirt for awhile. I have been concentrating on my neglected housework. Now that I have the living level of the house done, it's back to the basement and more pantry cleaning, organizing and purging.
    I made a deal with husband, I get rid of 2 water bath canners in exchange for one new stainless steel one. I didn't mention both are dented and rusting.

    May your future days only be filled with Joy.
    Rosanne

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    1. Dear Rosanne, It sounds like you struck a good deal!
      Also your garden is looking BEAUTIFUL. It is a lot of work. I thought you would be worn out! With houses and gardens there is always so much to do. Today I cleaned up and sorted the cupboards that got water in them. I really look forward to new floors. There will be a lot to pack up and move to do it but I will only have to do whats in the cupboards, the guys who do the floors move the actual furniture. (apparently) This is my whole kitchen pantry though and china, glassware etc etc its heaps! I am thinking of it as spring cleaning (in winter) and will hopefully end up with everything lovely, organised, clean and fresh as a result.
      We need a rest! I hope you get one this weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  11. Nice! Sounds like a wonderful time and delicious food was had by all:)

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  12. Annabel, Your weekend away at the farm sounds so restful and nice! What a blessing to be able to enjoy your family in that setting! I am praying that work starts coming through for Andy at his job or that he is able to find another job soon. I'm sorry that you are still dealing with this issue, I thought it was all done and over with. Our getting ahead this week has been all wrapped up in our garden. We are starting to harvest which means the preserving of food for our pantry has begun. By the way, I love Elisabeth Elliott's writings too, I need to go dig some of them out and reread them. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Dear Patsy, I think that is why I have had trouble with it, I thought it was done too and I was so excited to be getting back into a new routine (as I like routine) but it just hasn't happened.
      You are starting to harvest already! That is good! Filling the pantry! I hope you have a fantastic harvest! With love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Dear Annabel,
    I am sorry that Andy's job hasn't panned out the way you expected. Try not to worry though, God's time is not our time and he will provide. In the meantime, you are so wise to be prepared. I know you are probably feeling discouraged, with the water and Andy's job, but how smart to be prepared even with a mantra to help carry you through! Take comfort in family and friends, both in real life and the tons over the internet, we are all rooting for you!

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    1. Thank you Sarah that is a lovely thing to say. Life throws all sorts at us! I am glad we can look at the good parts of the week as well as the not so good! And we had plenty of good. Have a beautiful weekend! xxx

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  14. I love your farm photos Annabel, you posted some last year when we were seriously considering a rural move and they warmed my heart. We don't have a farm as such, but we live out amongst dairy farms. Our neighbours are cows! I love driving home, it is relaxing and just so much quieter than living in town.

    I'm so sorry that Andy's job has not been as good as expected. How frustrating. It's great he is getting private work, I hope he finds something reliable soon.

    Great news that your floors will be covered by insurance, a bit more moving furniture to other rooms for you!

    I remember Mimi posted about her mum saying a similar thing, to do one more thing. It has stayed with me since reading it, and when there seems to be around 100 things to do, it really is wonderful advice.

    I've had a very muddled week with my car being at the mechanics for two days, so I've been out of the house. One of those days a lovely mun from school invited us to spend it with her, then dropped me off to the mechanic when it was ready. There haven't been many invitations like that since we moved so it was really nice. And then yesterday as it was getting a new windscreen (covered by insurance thankfully), my 3 and 4 year old and I explored town a bit more. We took food, went to the library and found a park with a river to throw rocks in. So a very nice (free) day!

    Have a lovely weekend everyone
    Jen in NZ

    p.s. I'm already enjoying Lucy's blog - love the honesty and the positivity :)

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    1. Dear Jen,
      It sounds like you live in a beautiful spot. And also that you have met someone very nice!
      Doing one more thing is another one... each time all these little things add up! It is just like buying one more can of food to hide in the pantry... it seems like it might be impossible to get ahead but these accumulate and soon the pantry is looking good! Another I heard the other day is that success is in the daily routine. Its the things we do daily that add up most even if they are very small.
      It is really good you made the most of the situation with your car. I hope its all fixed now for you! With love Annabel.xxx

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  15. Dear Annabel,
    Your Dad's family birthday celebration sounds so lovely. And the picture of him holding Scarlett is so beautiful. I was also very taken with the picture of Harper and the play of light, making everything look quite ethereal.

    The raisin bread looks mouthwatering as do the scrolls. I'm like you in keeping tons of chicken soup at the ready in the freezer.

    Sorry to read about what's going on with Andy's new job and how disconcerting this is. Hang in there. When God brings us to it, God will bring us through it.

    Last night there were two wonderful documentaries on TV, one was called Wild NZ and the other Wild Australia. The photography was amazing as it went into all of the landscape and animals, National Parks, etc. Your country is so beautiful. This is the third time documentaries about Australia have been on and we've thoroughly enjoyed getting to see some of your world!

    Aside from roses hanging all over the house to dry, I made 60 scones for the freezer, salads for the week, worked in the garden,
    shopped for pantry items, got a little bit of time in the sewing room. We also had to take a trip to Lowe's (Toys R Us for men), to get some florescent lights for the closet, and other manly things that were needed to get some jobs done around the house. Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend. Blessings, Cookie

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    1. Dear Cookie,
      You explained Lowe's so that I understood completely!
      All the roses will be handy for my projects and beautiful in the meantime! 60 scones is a very good effort! They will be wonderful. I love these things that are inexpensive to make (yet expensive in shops) and are a help in so many meals and so many ways.
      That was a good week! I feel like it was two weeks for me! Some weeks are like that! Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  16. Annabel,
    Your photos are always the best! From babies and toddlers to puppies, family and food they are all wonderful to see.
    I am sorry to hear about Andy's work it can definitely be up and down when work is slow or stops for them. Being prepared and creative both are our best tools to have.
    Since I have been behind I will catch everyone up a bit. Our ladies are doing well with laying and we get at least 2-4 $8 dozen eggs a week and we were gifted a chicken $8,
    I won $75 in gas cards from a raffle
    We planted the garden and was gifted $30 worth of plants
    We got a new screen door at a $60 discount because nobody wanted white.
    Todd helped me paint rocking chairs with free paint.
    I had a little dresser that I was not using for anything because it was covered in stickers so I got them off and painted it with leftover paint.
    Got a bunch of good samples including 2 packs of pull ups free in the mail.
    Got $20 worth of vouchers from Loreal for the bottle of hair dye busting during use.
    cashed in for $50 worth of gift cards from online activities.
    Todd calls me the gift card queen!
    On nice days I have been hanging out clothes and paid bills online and saved the cost of stamps.
    Rick took in a load of scrap.
    Got freebies from the store via store rewards or coupons. I found dog food on clearance and had coupons and got 3 bags free.
    Got $43 worth of household products free after rebate.
    Found a metal bucket to paint in the old garage. $5
    Picked strawberries and pineberries $4(2 quarts at store sale price)
    And while I have been waiting for the Mr. to finish the pantry I have been taking the time to sort, downsize or donate some things.
    It has been raining here so much that I have been just trying to keep busy the rain makes me bonkers! LOL
    I hope everyone has a great weekend!
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky,
      You got a lot done! The rocking chairs turned out great! Also the dresser so that was time well spent and stopped you going crazy too! Well hopefully haha!
      Its the variety of things that add up, a bit of this and that... it all counts! Now that so much of the garden is in that is good, its a big investment in the months ahead! I hope you have a good weekend! With love Annabelxxx

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  17. Dear Annabel,
    I'm sorry to hear about Andy's job. I will be praying for God to make the way for him to have work. I know he will and I know Andy is a good provider and hard worker.
    Despite the bad news, it looks like you had a lovely time with your family at the farm. I just love seeing pictures and reading about the farm. You had a productive week, as well.
    I had another good week for the Vicky Challenge. My total came to $422.48. Really I can hardly believe we save this when I see that number, but when I write down what I've done I know it's not an exaggeration! Ways I saved include purchasing groceries on sale (I even found lots of organic baby items super cheap!), washing our vehicle at home, cooking breakfasts and packing lunches and coffee on workdays, cooking on a day we would normally eat out, enjoying a few meals at a friend's house, and sewing a set of cloth napkins and tea towels as part of a wedding gift. I also saved a bunch by purchasing aluminum pans in bulk (to use when I cook freezer meals.) I bought a pack of 36 for $8 as opposed to paying $2 individually. We were given seeds, eggs, and a carton of ice cream, I paid three bills online, and I used gift cards I earned to purchase thread and baskets for organizing our chest freezer. So some savings were major but a lot of it was little things that add up. It really pays to do the little things!
    I hope everyone has a good upcoming week! I have everything I need to start my freezer cooking, so that will be my main task. Five weeks to go :)
    Love, Kelsey

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    1. Dear Kelsey,
      Thank you! We loved our weekend at the farm.
      Well done on your challenge! What a good total! I am glad you are seeing how this all adds up as it is very encouraging!
      What a massive saving on the foil trays! They are very handy for freezer meals I agree. And freezer meals are so good to have especially with a new baby.
      If you cook mostly meals that you can double or triple over the next weeks you will end up with dinners plus the spares you need. It is such a good way to get ahead. And also building up the pantry with things that make quick and easy meals, this helps too. Five weeks is not long! Don't get too tired, just go along steadily! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  18. Dear Annabel and beautiful bluebirds,
    I apologise, I am very late to comment this week , It has been a pain filled week but I am doing ok.
    This week I bought $22 worth of food from Coles using flybuys $$ so that was a saving of $22 .i have put $20 into savings.
    I had 2 hours subsidised cleaning this week, saving $40 compared to a private company. I had two one hour meal prep sessions , saving me time and saving me getting takeaway, I put $25 in my slush fund.
    I had a doctors appointment which was bulk billed, saving me $60 .
    I received 2 meals from my parents $20 savings.
    My total this week was $165 , it was another quiet week.
    Annabel thank you for sharing those beautiful photos with us, they are just gorgeous.
    I hope everyone has a lovely new week. Love Barb W.

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    1. Dear Barb,
      I hope you are feeling better Barb. Do you think pain is worse in cold weather? I often think the cold is bad for a lot of aches and pains.
      You still had a good week!
      Thank you for your comments on my photos and the farm! It was such a nice trip! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  19. Sounds like you've had a great week, Annabel! I'm so sorry to hear Andys job hasn't panned out as planned. Prayers to you!
    I don't reply much on here but I so enjoy reading your posts! You've been on my mind all day as I've been feathering around the house. I keep just telling myself to do the next thing! So simple but so effective. I often struggle with anxiety and feeling overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done! My children have been entertaining themselves today and we're experiencing that June gloom here in sunny California, so I made myself useful in the kitchen. Got quite a bit of things used up in the fridge that would have just been tossed. I made some chicken stock with some leftover chicken bones, some banana cake with overripe bananas, and some dinner biscuits with some leftover heavy cream. I didn't know you could make biscuits with heavy cream, but a google search led me to that discovery. All of those things went into the freezer to be used later. My freezer was getting pretty low so it's nice to restock it a bit.
    I loved reading over Lucy's blog, especially as a mom of two small children myself. I only wish I could be in her shoes and be at home with my two little ones! I really hate that everyone feels the need to comment negatively on how moms choose to raise their children. I get the opposite comments all the time about how could I possibly leave my children in someone else's care. Believe me, I never thought I'd be here either, but God has been showing me that He has a different path for each of us! My 7 year old suffers from a chronic illness and God made a way for us to get him better medical insurance by me going back to work full time. I struggle constantly with comparing myself with other moms who don't have to work and get to spend so much time with their children and volunteer at their schools so often, and then God reminds me to "stay in my own lane" and stop comparing myself with others! I just wish we moms could spend our time supporting and building each other up instead of tearing each other down! Being a mom is so hard, no matter what your circumstances are!

    Anyway, thank you Annabel for giving me something positive and encouraging to read each week! I so look forward to the wisdom in each of your posts!

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    1. Dear Tarin,
      Thank you and well done on all you have done for the week it is a lot!
      Some of the ladies have told ma a lot about medical insurance costs and medical costs there and it is very different to the system here so I found it very interesting. With a child who has an illness if you have found a way to cope with those kind of expenses then that is huge. Well done. Now I know that your life must be very busy. And I think anxiety can be worse when we have a lot on our plate. I am very prone to it. I have success with a herb called St Johns Wort. If I take it I am much better... my doctor put me on to it. Also in winter I take some vitamin D and that also seems to do me good.
      Thank you for commenting on Lucys blog. She is very grateful she can be at home and while some knock her for it there you are wishing wishing you could be doing the same... I will tell her this! Some of the little activities she does with Harper are so cute, cheap and lovely I hope some of the ideas will be good fun for you on weekends maybe.
      Yes, we need to support and help each other. When I was a single Mum I also found often I was the odd one out in that way as well. If only we could all help each other as Mums mostly try to do their very best for their families.
      All the work you did in the kitchen was wonderful! I hope next week is another good week! With love Annabel.xxx

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