tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post5695329026107454097..comments2024-03-26T19:10:34.328-08:00Comments on The "Make Do" Homemaker: When Life Gives You Lemons...: Frugal Friday: Money Saving Weekly RecapErika, "The Make Do Homemaker"http://www.blogger.com/profile/09303208981550053539noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-76762673976002914872017-05-05T13:04:07.608-08:002017-05-05T13:04:07.608-08:00Erika, this is my first time to comment, but I wan...Erika, this is my first time to comment, but I wanted to share what I do for lunches for myself and my husband. I freeze portions in wide mouth pint jars. Things like spaghetti, chili, stroganoff, soups and stews. They are always ready to go and when you get ready to eat, just take the lid off and microwave right in the jar. Because I don't have always have access to a refrigerator, this food will keep just fine all day in my backpack. If I don't get a chance to eat that day, the food is still partially frozen when I get home and I can take it again the next day. The main thing is to not overfill the jars before freezing or they will break. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-52975643606445274802017-05-04T05:14:49.868-08:002017-05-04T05:14:49.868-08:00Hi Erika. I'm a mother of a 23 year old daught...Hi Erika. I'm a mother of a 23 year old daughter who has struggled the same way you have with your son. Your story sounds almost exactly like mine. A long story short, the meds ended up not helping my daughter much other than putting her in a zombie like state. I'm not saying that meds wouldn't help with your son as they have helped lots of children. Mine however, was a huge no-go. I was totally at my wits end and not to mention, completely exhausted after so many years of this. As a very last resort, I had decided to go to a naturalist who specialized in this sort of thing. He had excellent reviews with a "no fail" practice under his belt. I thought to myself IMPOSSIBLE! I still went to see him. My daughter was 21 at the time. They did tons of different tests which included blood work, xrays, MRI's, mental ect. The results were horrifying! Her brain and her system was overloaded with metals and toxins and had been since she was little. She had allergies due to all of the gluten that she was consuming (she would only eat potatoes, doritos and bread), mixed with the toxins and metals.......put her body through complete chaos. So we started to slowly detox her, very slowly. As time went on I noticed subtle little changes such as she would try a vegetable or fruit (but only tasting it to the very tip of her tongue lol!), she would utter a word hear and there, her skin started getting better, her anger issues became less and less and then it happened.........she uttered the word "Mama" and hugged me. I cried and cried, then cried some more! It's been a year and a half and she is now doing 5th grade work! She is talking, talking, talking! I asked her once if she could remember why she would get so angry at times? She told me "Mama, you would take me to get the shots and I would always feel yucky afterwards but I couldn't tell you. I wanted to eat what you were eating but the only thing that tasted good was the potatoes, doritos and bread. But now everything tastes good! I couldn't tell you that either because I didn't know how, but now I do know how." My heart sank, it sank it so hard to know that I was actually hurting her, when I thought I was helping her. Basically, we slowly started detoxing her (and it is still a work in progress as it takes time and only under a doctor's care), we stopped all allergy shots and flu shots because in my daughter's case, we were actually destroying her immune system. Some kids can handle immunizations and other shots, other kids cannot. Now that I look back, even after getting the flu shot she was still getting sick and the shots didn't lessen the symptoms either. Allowing her to fight off colds and flus naturally helped build her immune system up (this was a tough one for me to do because she would put everything in her mouth). I stopped using commercial cleaning products on my carpet so much and went to using just bleach, dish soap, water and old fashioned elbow grease. It's been a work in progress. It has been a year and a half now and the child is eating everything in sight and experiencing new smells, tastes/flavors, speaking, writing, doing 5th grade level school work and is all around very happy. At this point, we don't know if she will ever be where she needs to be for the age of 23 due to the length of time she has had the metals and toxins in her brain and system (its still yet to early to tell if major damage was done) but I can tell you this, she is a far cry from where she was. In fact, what she has accomplished so far is nothing short of a miracle! And to this day......the girl will not touch a potato, a Dorito or a piece of bread lol! I know that every child is different, I just wanted to share my story with you and to let you know that there is hope. Never give up Erika, our babies need us to fight for them. It will get better :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-51870591067631341472017-05-03T10:02:55.649-08:002017-05-03T10:02:55.649-08:00For my husbands and daughters lunches, they get le...For my husbands and daughters lunches, they get leftovers, if there is any. Or sometimes for my husband I will take leftover meat and turn it into some kind of sandwhich. For instance, leftover roast on a bun with a slice of pepperjack cheese. Then if we are out of leftovers I will make a sandwhich, meat or pbj for the hubby. Sometimes I will buy him those cheap nasty frozen burritos. Sometimes I will do egg salad. Sometimes I just pack the daughter some canned soup in her thermos. Then for my daughter she gets a dairy (yogurt, string cheese, cut up cheese), a fruit or veggie (grapes, orange, cucumber slices, etc.) and then a treat, which is usually something homemade or chips or whatever "junky crap" we have. Sometimes popcorn. The hubby works a hard, dirty, 12 hour shift so I give him a whole lot more junk. Plus he has to eat his salt and sugar so usually his lunch box is very full.Jenn in Indiananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-46763244158165276472017-05-02T17:37:32.772-08:002017-05-02T17:37:32.772-08:00I never feed bought food to my chickens. You can t...I never feed bought food to my chickens. You can throw out a few seeds to get greens for them. Mine have thrived and given me eggs with golden yolks. Take the yolks and put them on a pie pan and put in the oven after you have turned off the oven from baking. Crush well and they have plenty of calcium right there. There is protein in every scrap of meat left from your table. Some greens are very high in protein. You do not need to spend one penny on chicken food! Pull something green from your yard to feed them if you don't free-range them. Keep bartering with the eggs! Wise and frugal! I keep a bowl on the counter to place all peelings, seeds, and cores for chickens. Edges and corners of sandwiches go there, too. I pour a little grease from meat cooking there because chickens need the oils just like people do. Practical Parsimonyhttp://www.practical-parsimony.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-12027302055202217792017-05-02T11:51:06.530-08:002017-05-02T11:51:06.530-08:00For lunches....check out the Shelton house blog. ...For lunches....check out the Shelton house blog. She has some really neat ideas for homemade lunches.<br />I also loved your picture. Good luck with getting help for your son. Marghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11619505657132554516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-6265855034759160202017-05-02T11:03:24.526-08:002017-05-02T11:03:24.526-08:00Erika, you have made the right decision to hold of...Erika, you have made the right decision to hold off on the medications until they were absolutely necessary. Running to pills to solve every little problem always backfires. You have been prudent, wise and cautious especially since your son has allergies. Be proud that you have managed so long without drugs.<br /><br />Only an experienced tightwad would see the bright side of an expensive work cafeteria. It forces a nontightwad to agree to carry their lunch. If it had only been a little bit expensive, they would still spend the money. Sticker shock is advantageous. You will save quite a bit fixing lunches and you will make it part of your everyday routine.<br /><br />What you have accomplished since you have been blogging is amazing. I LOVE THE PICTURE YOU POSTED AT THE TOP! It looks like something from a fancy magazine and to think everything in that basket is something healthy you have achieved for your family for pennies. Good job!<br /><br />Jeannie<br />GetMeToTheCountry.Blogspot.com<br /><br />Jeanniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11333123227073032453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-8762904991423751652017-05-01T08:07:51.014-08:002017-05-01T08:07:51.014-08:00It is wonderful that your husband can take his lun... It is wonderful that your husband can take his lunch to work now. Since there is a microwave where he can re-heat things, left overs are now an option. One way to make sure you have some for his lunch, is to pack a portion in the container before you serve everyone their supper. <br /> My hubby is an over the road trucker, so I pack him a "love lunch" on his first day back on the road after time at home. I make sandwiches with the lunch meat touching the bread and the lettuce & veggies in the middle. This helps the bread not get soggy. "Cuties mandarin oranges travel well, so they are a great fruit to include with lunch (when then are on sale, of course). I also try to throw a surprise candy bar in the lunch bag too, for a special treat.<br />Elliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17837370049854809342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-18740593052713228822017-05-01T03:58:28.342-08:002017-05-01T03:58:28.342-08:00You've had some amazing accomplishments this w...You've had some amazing accomplishments this week, Erika. Way to go! I love how many freebies you have been able to get with the monopoly game. What a great way to stock up the pantry.<br /><br />I love that you were able to trade your eggs with a friend for some goats milk. Trading with people for something they have a surplus of makes a lot of sense to me! It allows both your families to have more variety in your diet without extra expense.<br /><br />Aside from the already suggested leftovers, you could make some homemade potato salad or pasta salad for your husband to take in his lunches. Keep a container of boiled eggs in the fridge to use for egg salad sandwiches, deviled eggs or just a plain boiled egg (can be used for quick breakfast item too). Make a large batch of soup, chili or stew for dinner and use the leftovers to take in lunches. He could take a plain potato to bake in the microwave at work with separate containers of topping. If he doesn't like frequently repeated meals, freeze lunch sized portions of leftovers for him to choose from later on. So many options when he has access to a microwave! Oh, and make sure to bake enough treats for DD, DS & DH to take a homemade goodie in their lunch each day. ;)<br /><br />As for medication for your son, I'm not sure why you are so against medications. If you have a headache, do you not take something to help it? Then why wouldn't you consider meds if it will help your son deal with life? Honestly, once my daughter was on the right meds, it made a huge difference with how she was able to interact with and tolerate the world around her. It just might take some time to find the right combo, so don't be too quick to give up. You won't regret it.Rhonda A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00448188064878559345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-39075287587380571162017-04-30T16:15:16.220-08:002017-04-30T16:15:16.220-08:00I usually make extra of dinner for hubby to take l...I usually make extra of dinner for hubby to take leftovers for his lunch. I find that it works best if I take out his lunch portion before we eat. I will also make up a batch of sloppy joe or taco meat and freeze it in portion sizes. On those nights there aren't leftover I have something to pull out for his lunch. It saves a ton of money by packing his lunch!Wendihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02547001714523524390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-64411297424641174312017-04-30T13:02:30.255-08:002017-04-30T13:02:30.255-08:00I''m sorry your son is having more trouble...I''m sorry your son is having more trouble. I think you are wise to try the medicine route. It really helped some of my kids. You can always stop if you think it isn't working.<br /><br />My husband is really self-reliant in the lunch department. I bought him an insulated lunchbox with an ice pack. He freezes that each night when he empties his lunchpail. There were little plastic containers in the lunchbox, so he fills some or all of them each night after dinner, or in the morning. He puts in leftovers from dinner, or rolled-up lunchmeat, cheese slices, home-canned fruit, a Coke, some chips or crackers, etc. Whatever we have he likes. We put the filled containers in the fridge, and he grabs them, the ice pack, non-refrigerated items and is off in the morning. He makes a Stanley thermos of coffee each morning, and takes that ever day.<br /><br />I hope your week is good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-12282031945984177032017-04-30T09:50:29.599-08:002017-04-30T09:50:29.599-08:00My heart goes out to you with the problems you are...My heart goes out to you with the problems you are experiencing with your son. I pray that the new doctor will have some alternative that is just right for your family. God bless you - as that is not an easy situation.<br /><br />Glad your husband seems to like his new job. Cutting pay and benefits is always rough - but you will get into the groove soon. YAY on him getting to take his lunch. There are always gives and takes!<br /><br />I have to say 1 - 10 were ALL good things that happened in your life this week. So glad to hear it! Great savings.<br /><br />God blessCheryl Kimbleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06485771676254429681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536514511090897212.post-33506290258047830052017-04-30T04:40:51.771-08:002017-04-30T04:40:51.771-08:00Wow!! Lots of food freebies for you! Last week I g...Wow!! Lots of food freebies for you! Last week I got my free mac and cheeze from kroger, but they didnt have the popcorn yet. I won a half gallon of tea, and I chose unsweet so my husband. Could take it for work. My mom gave us a corned beef she couldn't use before she left on a trip, so need to figure that out. Never mind done one before. <br /><br />I pack my husbands lunches 90% of the time. Its mostly leftovers sometimes sandwiches and chips. He doesn't eat fruit. A piece of lettuce on there and it feels more special than meat and cheese. <br /><br />I am sorry you've had it so rough with your son. No matter what happens, you have done an incredible job with him, as loving, unselfish, caring and as patient as a mom could be. If he has to take medicine, no, its not anyone'sfirst choice, but it might help, and even better, may not be a permanent thing. I am sure it will work out well for you all!!!<br /><br />Our week has been ok, my oldest won 2 cakes as the school carnival, so thats been wonderful! We had our biggest yard sale ever, and made more than ever, so that we let ourselves have dinner out, and also it will pay for gas, food and part of the hotels on the way down to flordia this summer. I got sunburned though, even though I put on sunscrean twice. I wont be using that brand again. My youngest is having trouble breathing all of a sudden, and a sore throat so keeping an eye on that.<br />Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09360397522677275215noreply@blogger.com