Thursday, May 26, 2011

Rain I love Thee

Call me crazy but I love these RaInY DaYs!!!!

These days give me tons to do! Spring clean closets, cabinets, clean Kitchen cabinets and more! I love going to the library on rainy days. Fun to find a movie and curl up with a blanket on the couch. :)

Rainy days are good for:

Cleaning your puppy's kennel when he's sick. Like really sick. :(
Open windows to air out a stinky kitchen from a sick pup! Bring the fresh air in!!
My plants for the garden. The rain is helping them grow and grow.
Rinsing the bird doo doo off my car! Love free car wash days!
Keeps the dust down from the battery plant. Great to breathe fresh air.

Gearing up for our Memorial Day Cookout!!
Excited to grill and enjoy a bonfire with Friends!!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Spring is here!!!

I am tickled now that Spring is officially here. I have so much to do now! I actually feel some what motivated to get things done around here. :)

Here's my list:

Prep Garden
Weed
Mulch around house
Buy Flowers
Mow the lawn
Spring Clean my closets
Organize porch
Walk Riley more!!

Probably forgetting some as I am going off what I can think of at the moment!

Spring also means Tulip Time! I've always wanted to wear the Dutch Costume, but not Dance. Called a family friend for advice.I am now a Step on Guide for Holland. I step on Coach bus' and take them around town and tell them about the history of Holland. Bonus-the job pays too!

My tours have started and I love it! 6 more to go! Woot!

Fireworks are this Saturday. Hooray for Carnival food!

Happy Mother's Day to my Moms! :)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Frugal is the new norm!

With gas prices exceeding $4.00, its times like these that make one to "trim the fat" on our budget.

I find it quite humorous that my neighbor hang drys his whitey tighties and other clothes for all to see. I now however see the importance of saving the extra money and will to dry my clothes on a clothes line this spring/summer season. However, I will not hang my underwear for all to see! ;)

Reading other peoples blogs has brought homemade Laundry Soap to my attention. We always buy the free and clear kind of liquid soap because I can't handle how harsh and strong the others can be. I often wondered how good it really works. If it is good enough for cloth diapers, its good enough for me! I will be making a batch come May.

I now only go into town 1 day during M-F. As hard as it may be, I need to combine my errands and do things wisely as gas prices soar. I often try to car pool as well.

Gardening, Weeding, and Canning. This is how my summer is going to consume me. There is nothing better than home grown food. I plan to have a big garden this year. Corn, beans, tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, onions, potatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini, radishes, carrots and lettuce. I also have a grape vines, blackberries and raspberries bushes. I will make a lot of salsa, freeze corn and beans, can tomato sauce, potatoes, make pickles and zucchini bread. This along with our cow, pig and deer in the freezer should get us through the rest of the year and next winter on a small grocery bill. :)

I also now make our own bread in my bread machine. Rolls, pizza dough and more will be chugging along in that machine. Buying flour in bulk at Sams Club is cheap.

Instead of buying my Easter dress, I made one. It cost half of the price of a new one, and it was fun making it.

I cut Elden's hair instead of sending him the the barber shop and spending $20.00 each time. Remember, hair always grows back! ;)

In Fillmore Township, we are allowed to burn our trash. It saves money not having a Garbage Service.

I hope to find more ways to save money this year. Share some tips with me if you have any!!! :)

Easter and Vacation Frenzy

I am so Thankful for Easter, Not just for the meaning behind it all. But also for Family. It's a time where we all get together.

I loved (still do) decorating eggs, egg hunting, and Easter Basket Finding growing up.My parents went all out. We got up early, put our dresses on and went to Church. After Church, we went back home to find our Easter Baskets. It was always a fun hunt! Later on we would go to my Aunt Bea's house. She would have the best candy jars all throughout the house. Before our meal, we would go outside to hunt for eggs. Uncle Gary would hide them well!

Now that I am married, its hard being the two of us to continue these traditions. Elden grew up not doing most of what my Family did. Instead of throwing my self a pitty party, I came up with other ideas.

Today I colored eggs with Elden's four younger siblings. It was a blast as there are so many different kits now to use. I bought a regular one that has the clear crayon and 5 dyes, and two new kits that have 14 carrot gold paint to sponge on! What a blast it was. We couldn't get the color pink to work, and the gold paint was very watery. Haha.

I went to the store to get some supplies for Elden's Easter Basket. It was fun. I found camouflaged plastic eggs, a green basket, reece pieces, a chocolate bunny, chocolate coins and mini reeces peanut butter cups. I completed the basket and had some of my favorite peanut butter cups left over. Sat down on the couch to watch a movie and enjoy some good chocolate. Or so i thought. I bit in the cup and was quick to discover that this was not a peanut butter cup. It was a yucky Carmel cup. I really don't care for those. What a bummer. Hopefully the will bless Elden!

Thursday we will be leaving for Georgia to go see Angeline and Joseph. We are so thrilled to go see them and the town they live in. Double bonus that it will be Easter while we are there. Always nice to be with family on Easter. I hope we will be able to bless and encourage them while we are there. 80 degree weather here we come!!!!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Me and My Castle

April 2011 has brought new changes for the Brink Family. My primary job is now to take care of my Castle and My Hubby! I left PNC at the end of March and couldn't be happier.

This new transition is wonderful and scary at the same time. I now don't have the stress of selling products, or hoping to not get robbed at the Bank. The most stressful thing for me now would be which product to use to clean the kitchen table.

The scary part of it all, would be self disciplining myself. I would love to sleep in, take a nap, stay in PJ's with no makeup. However, I need to get up on time. Make Elden his breakfast and lunch, tidy up the castle etc.

This past January our new Yellow lab puppy Riley was born. He officially came home on March 26th. We are so thrilled that he is house broken, and full of love. It was the Lords perfect timing that Riley would come home right around the time that I would be home full time. We've become great buddies!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Madly.Truly.In Love.

This weekend Elden and I decided to not only celebrate my birthday, but also celebrate our 2 year Anniversary! Elden planned the entire weekend and kept it a secret without giving away any details. I adore surprises. I had taken Thursday-Sunday off work and was throughly looking forward to our weekend getaway. That Thursday morning I had an early doctor apt and got a flu shot. The rest of the weekend I spent sick. Yep, I got the flu from the flu shot! I was completely bummed. Luckily, God gave me an understanding and compassionate Husband. After much TLC, we decided to try to go away for one night.

Our destination was Ludington Michigan. It was a nice 2 hour drive and gave us a chance to do some much needed catching up with one another. When we arrived, Elden told me that we were staying at a Bed and Breakfast. I always wanted to stay at one and looked forward to this stay. The Bed and Breakfast was built in the 1800's and had a parlor complete with a fireplace and a puzzle sitting on a table near by. How perfect is that?!!! We had supper at my Favorite Pizza place called Spankys! They have the BEST bread sticks!!!!!!! Later that night we watched the Sunset over Lake Michigan. Romantic! :) The next day, we toured the city. Ludington has many cute little shops among cobblestone roads. On our way home we stopped at Silver Lake and went to a Light House. I love Old Light Houses. We had a tour and an amazing view!

Although the weekend didn't go as planned, We are thankful we were at least able to do the things we got to do. I am truly blessed and thankful to the Lord for an amazingly thoughtful Husband.
Here are a few pics. :)