Savings and Goals Journal #25

Christmas is getting closer! Are you ready? We are getting there. I’m trying hard to keep the to-do list manageable and not add in too many things. I’m ahead of where I usually am at this point of the year, so I’m glad about that!

In the Kitchen

I made homemade spreadable butter. I used some bread dough I had frozen at Thanksgiving to make a small batch of hot rolls. We ate all meals at home and used up all of our leftovers. We’ve been eating lots of soup. Potatoes were on sale at 69 cents for a 5-pound bag. I’m going to try making Twice-Baked Potatoes for the Freezer using this recipe.

I made Chex Mix for snacking. I made Sausage Balls and froze them for Christmas morning breakfast. Grampy made a small amount of sweets: cashew bark, chocolate-dipped pretzels and Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies. He also made dipped cookie dough balls using a mix for cookie dough bites I got free with my store rewards points. He will share some of the things he made with his co-workers.

This week’s meal plan:

• Sunday: Oven-Fried Chicken, veggies, rice
• Monday: Leftovers
• Tuesday: Baked Potato Bar
• Wednesday: Pizza night
• Thursday: Charcuterie board, snacks
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Meatloaf, potatoes and gravy, veggies

We don’t cook a large meal for Christmas dinner or Christmas Eve. Years ago, we started doing a sandwich bar for Christmas Eve and then ate sandwiches on Christmas Day as well. We buy fancier things than we eat the rest of the year, such as sliced meats and cheeses from the deli–roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, and muenster and provolone cheeses. This year, my daughter wanted to make a charcuterie board, so we’re doing that.

In the Garden

The lettuce and Swiss chard seedlings I was so excited about last week aren’t doing so well. I think this is what they call a “gardening fail.” 🙂 I think I lost several seedlings to damping off. Or I was possibly overwatering them. I sprinkled some cinnamon on the surface of the soil and the surviving seedlings are beginning to grow. I will replant more seeds next week in new soil and sprinkle cinnamon over the soil as soon as I plant them. I’m not giving up!

I used a small, clear storage tote to make a mini-greenhouse over the Swiss chard plants I’m trying to keep growing inside the greenhouse. It has helped them grow a little faster, but the nights have been super-cold. I may throw a blanket over them at night for more insulation.

Home and Family

I’ve been out and about a lot this week attending doctors’ appointments with my dad and my stepmom’s mom. I’ve avoided shopping except for an early-morning trip to one of the smaller grocery stores. Our area was having stores limit the number of people inside, and I didn’t want to stand in a line out in the cold waiting to get in! I’ve been able to find the few things I needed for gifts online.

My wonderful friend who is moving away gave us lots of stuff! We happily received wood, paint, a metal storage cabinet and a piece of cattle panel. Cattle panels make great trellises for tomato plants. I am planning to use the wood to build raised garden beds and for several other projects.

The calendars I had printed arrived and I am very happy with the quality. I spent an afternoon sewing baby doll blankets for my granddaughter. I didn’t have as much fabric as I thought I did, so I won’t be making other sewn gifts this year. Next year I hope to start earlier and make more handmade gifts.

Have a wonderful week!