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Frugal Homemade Potpourri

Does your house get stinky? Of course it does!

From last night's fish fry to damp dogs to sweaty gym shoes, there are lots of odoriffic things that make their way into your home. How can you combat this frugally? Make your own homemade simmering potpourri.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 or 2 apples or oranges (I use up the ones that are about to go "off" or are the undesirables from the produce bag)
• a few shakes of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc.)
• a handful of whole cloves or cinnamon sticks
• a small saucepot

HOW TO DO IT:

Quarter your fruit and toss in the pot, peel and all! Fill pot 3/4 of the way with water. Give a few shakes of the spices of your choice. Toss in your cloves or sticks. Give a quick stir with a spoon. Put on your back burner on low and let simmer as long as you like.

Sometimes I even add a bit of vanilla extract if I am feeling fancy. Vanilla has a nice gentle scent. Speaking of vanilla, you can also take cotton balls and soak up vanilla extract with them and tuck them around in hidden spots in your home. It's nice. Though a little strange to try to explain to nosy guests who find them around your house. A fellow blogger mentioned this trick before, but it was awhile back and I completely forget who it was. If it was you, sorry!

Note: Do keep an eye on the water level. After awhile it will simmer down and you simply add more water to the mix.

WFMW...Book Swap

Wanna know what works for me? Not paying for books. No, I am not encouraging anyone to steal...I am telling you to swap!

My local chapter of MOPS is fixing to organize a book swap next month and I am psyched. Everyone will bring in all the books their family is done with or has duplicates of, and then they will be divided into two categories: kids and adults. Everyone who brings books can take some "new" books home.

I have done this with other organizations I have belonged to in the past and sometimes made it a Media Swap, complete with magazines, DVDs, and computer software. These swaps are always a big hit!

Moms give the best tips ever, no?

Head on over to We Are THAT Family for more tips

that will save you money, time, & your sanity!

The 30 Day Giving Challenge: Days 5, 6, 7

I volunteered to bake and deliver holiday cookies to a group of folks in an impoverished community not too far from my home.

I gave my time to teach a weekly bible study for children.

Today I am sorting through our closets to find old clothes to donate to those bins that benefit veterans and their families.

Menu Plan Monday...November 9th

Nothing too fancy this week. As the holidays approach I am finding myself busy, busy, busy!

	DATE	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	DINNER
FRIDAY	10/23	Kashi cereal, milk	Chicken tenders, fruit salad	Chinese Chicken, fried rice, steamed broccoli
SATURDAY	10/24	Peanut butter baked oatmeal	Turkey sandwich, chips, fruit	Dinner at BIL's
SUNDAY	10/25	Peanut butter baked oatmeal	PBJ, yogurt, fruit	Dinner Out
MONDAY	10/26	Yogurt with fruit	Sunflower butter and fruit spread sandwich, carrots	Mother's Meatloaf, corn, mashed potatoes
TUESDAY	10/27	Kashi cereal, milk	Sunflower butter and fruit spread sandwich, carrots	Spaghetti with meat sauce
WEDNESDAY	10/28	Yogurt with fruit	Pizza Day at School!	Whole wheat mac & cheese, stewed tomatoes
THURSDAY	10/29	Kashi cereal, milk	Tuna sandwich, pickles, fruit	Pasta e Fagioli

Snacks/Baking

Honey Wheat Bread (see pg. 20)

Pumpkin Bread

Banana Bread

Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Sugar Cookies

Don't forget to head on over to

Organizing Junkie

for hundreds more menu plans!

The 30-Day Giving Challenge Update, Days 3-4

This past weekend presented many chances to give.

Our family gave:

• food for Thanksgiving baskets for impoverished families in Camden, NJ
• a monetary donation to church
• a bunch of Similac checks to a local mother in need
• high value coupons left behind on a shelf at Target (I love playing coupon fairy!)

We also had a special opportunity to support a ministry that helps support families of the Holy Land. The small remaining Christian population in Bethlehem is dwindling due to years and year of persecution. Add to this the the fact that Christians from around the world no longer visit and tour the Holy Land since the atrocities of 9/11. People are understandably afraid to make the trip. However, the families in this area heavily relied on tourism for their livelihood. Families there sell handmade goods, carved from olivewood and Mother of Pearl. They are absolutely gorgeous!

A man from the Christian Solidarity Cooperative came to speak at our church today, not only to try to sell these beautiful works of craftsmanship to help these families thrive, but to make us aware that there are indeed Christians still living in the land where Jesus was born. And they need our help. If you so feel inclined, take a look at their work. Although we did receive lovely things in exchange for our money (early Christmas shopping), we felt so good that these gifts will help others.

The 30-Day Giving Challenge Day 2

Day 2 of the Giving Challenge.

We have too many toys in our house. Doesn't everyone? Now is the time to declutter and clear out before the holidays hit and more toys infiltrate your home. After a chat with my son about how blessed we are with friends and family who spoil us so, we mutually agreed to sort through and give the toys he no longer plays with to a family who doesn't have enough money for toys.

I'm off to grab some boxes!