Frugal Friday - Week 35 of 52


Our second "summer" event at the end of the summer here was to spend all day one day this last week at a friend's cabin.  The above photo is the children on a float behind a personal water craft.  They had a BLAST!  Both want to return as soon as possible and do it again.  That won't happen this fall but maybe next summer.  John went on the water craft with our friend and they hit a wake and rolled - he was soaked but fine and we all laughed because it was like watching slow-motion!  (No worries about the water craft - it shuts off if the driver falls off.) It was a great time and free other than gasoline to get there.  We were there with two other sets of friends - lawn games, a bonfire, fishing and really good food. It was a wonderful end to the summer.

School starts after Labor Day (September 3rd) so we are heading into school next week.  The children had Back to School Night this week where they bring all their school supplies and the communal school supplies for the classes, receive and try their locker combinations, and meet any new teachers (3 this year!).  They also turn in paperwork and get their school photos taken.  I'm having a hard time realizing this is the last year at our much-beloved school.  They will be ready for something new but it's going to be a year of "lasts" for us.

Here's our frugal accomplishments for the week:

* We made two types of soup, pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, bread, and cookies at home this week.

* We picked tomatoes, green beans, and several winter squash from the garden this week.

* We collected our CSA box and received: zucchini, fennel, cucumbers, onions, garlic, sweet peppers, tomatoes, a huge cantaloupe, tomatillos, carrots, beets and green beans this week. 

* I made two large batches of Corn Salsa and one batch of Salsa Verde.  I froze the two batches of Corn Salsa.

* I blanched and froze green beans and beets this week.

* I sliced and froze peaches, nectarines, and peppers.  The peaches and nectarines were purchased on sale for 99-cents/pound.

* We seeded another part of the lawn this week.  We have one more patch to do before the whole yard is seeded for this fall.  There should be enough time for the grass to take root and be mature enough to live through the winter before the first frost. 

* Our daughter picked flowers for the kitchen table. 

* Our children watched a friend's grandchildren one day and were paid to do so.  They are saving up for a class trip at the end of the year so that was perfect.

* Our son was invited to a back-to-school get together at a classmates house.  We made oatmeal cookies to send and he brought a lawn game we already owned as his contributions for the evening's events. 

* I worked on some Christmas gifts this week.  I will hopefully start posting on some of the things I've been working on this next week.

* I used paint and supplies we already owned to finish up a couple of small painting projects.  I am very relieved they are finished before school starts.

What have you done this week?

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