GIFT IDEAS AND JUST PLAIN LIFE

  Been awhile since I have been on here but hopefully I can slowly add all the new recipes and money saving ideas I have found!  Life just seems to happen and things you enjoy get put on the back burner.  No matter what I still have 8 people living in my house and they all have to eat so I am always looking for new recipes and ways to cut my grocery bill.   The latest thing I have been doing is spending most every Sat. morning at the flea market getting produce at a huge discount.  We can eat a whole lot healthier now. I looked at the farm market and found that if I go to the flea market instead and look around I found better prices cause there wasn't as much competition.  I now found the one I like and go to that one every Sat. !
  Spent 3 weeks visiting family in Michigan.  That was great!  I spent the whole time camping at my Dads with my sister and brother.  We fished nearly everyday since my Dad lives on a lake.  My brother and I cleaned all the fish together every night.  I am so glad to have a family that I am this close with.   Needless to say I now have 5 big bags of filet's from Blue Gill, Perch, Sunfish, and Shiners.  Gonna have us a fish fry soon!
  My sister and I have been brainstorming about what to do that would be fun and frugal at Christmas this year.  We came up with this:  We gave each other a limit of 5 dollars.  We also decided that nothing had to be new.  If you go to Goodwill and find the perfect gift than get it!   We also decided we would hit up all the free sites to gather as many samples as possible and stack our coupons and get things for free at stores to make up themed gift baskets.  You can always find tea and coffee samples and there are tons of coffee mugs at the goodwill to put in a basket that you could spray paint, also from Goodwill.  Throw in a book from the same place and maybe a candle with a pretty candle holder (all still from Goodwill) maybe some homemade cookies or bread, etc. and you have a very thoughtful and nice gift.  I love getting these type of gifts.  I love to wander the  knick knack isle of Goodwill just letting my mind wander.  I grab a nice basket and invision what color it would look good in and then start putting things in it that would go good together.  It is never this fun in a department store if you ask me.  I don't even go to dept. stores anymore.  You get so much more at Thrift shops!   You could also add in a few homemade items like a small crochet lap blanket or crocheted book bag.  So fun!!
  If you have idea's please add them here in the comments.  I would love the help with new ideas for gifts!  I bought some Soup cookbooks while in MI at a .69 cent Salvation army sale so when I get through them I will start putting some of the recipes on here too.  Just in time for fall!    I love fall!  
  Very tired from a very long week of cleaning, catching up, unpacking,  laundry, more laundry, being a referee to children,  cooking,  did I say cleaning!  lol        Off to bed!  Bye