Summer of 7: Food week down

Hey blog-o-sphere.  Long time no post, I know I'm a slacker.  By slacker of course I mean my desktop/air conditioner combo blew out a circuit a few weeks ago and I've had it off since. I turned it back on today to print coupons and send an email for a possible work from home sales gig that I'm really digging the possibility of.  I figured I'd see if I could write a whole blog before blowing the circuit again.  Here it goes...

So, any of you who also follow my hubs probably know that we're doing this Summer of 7 challenge along with a ton of other folks.  It's based on Jen Hatmaker's book 7:An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess.  But instead of going for 7 months, we're all doing it for 7 weeks o the summer.
We've completed week one (food) and we're on to week two (clothes).  I have to say that this week really isn't nearly as much of a challenge for me as last week was.  Wearing only 7 items of clothing for a week (not washing them, I've decided) will totally not be a stretch for me.  As momma of two little ones (3yrs and 10mons) I don't get to shower very often and thus I don't always change my clothes at the start of a new day.
I've chosen the following items to wear this week:
One white tank top with a big flower printed on it.
One pink t-shirt that still needs to get washed from last week.
One pair of jean.
One Purple and green summer dress.
One pair of leggings.
One pair of flip-flops.
One scarf (from Child Restoration) that doubles as a baby sling.
To be honest I could probably go all summer with just these items.  With one simple caveat that I get to switch out my flip flops when I redoubtably wear through these ones in a month.
I'm a foodie so last week was tough. But I found it refreshing and I actually found myself less stressed out about what to make for dinner than I usually am.
On a totally unrelated note, my 10 month old is currently perched on my chest watching the Imagination Movers DVD on behind me for the 3rd time today while chewing on my shoulder.  She has one very mean tooth coming in and she's extra clingy and this DVD is the only thing she'll watch for calming music aside from Danny playing guitar.
My poor baby and her hurty teeth.

I also recently read Homemade Pantry: 101 Things you can Stop buying and start Making and I've been on a homemade everything kick.  I've been making homemade ricotta, goat cheese, English muffins, shampoo, face wash, laundry detergent, granola, fabric softener, yogurt, baby food, coconut milk, teething biscuits and my hubs has been making bread, soup, pie, and arepas.  He's awesome!  It has cut down severely on our food budget and has allowed us to buy more fresh fruits and veggies with our food stamps and we're eating better.  Also, this week is the Post Office's annual food drive I am going to go through my pantry and put some stuff in a box to leave for my mail carrier.
We've been a busy family.  Because... Joey just finished her last week of her first year of school and she's already missing it.  We've had two minor car accidents.  We're still trying to get me my driver's license (thanks DMV for turning me away yet another time).  Danny's started volunteering at a local shelter while still trying to find work.  I'm still working two days a week and I'm trying to pick up a side gig as I previously mentioned.  And we've planted a little garden hanging off our two little porches.
So, that's the haps with this family.  I've got to go finish up some dishes and move my sad baby from the couch to her crib.  Night all!!

The Obama tax compromise

So Danny and I have been on the edge of our seats for a while hoping that Senate would come to some kind of agreement for our sakes.  Since I've still not been able to find a full time job yet and we'd really like to be able to follow God's call for us to CO and our hope is to use about half of our tax refund check to pay off some debt and get in the good graces of our utility companies once again.
Now, since I've not been working much really our income is down quite a bit from last year but I intentionally don't declare all of our exemptions that we're allowed because I always feel that I'd rather be owed a refund then have to come up with a payment last minute.  It also forces me to save my thoughts of wants for big purchases which usually cuts my wants down by half or more.
I'm determined to make the most of our money but at the same time, I don't want to just buy things because I'm getting a good deal.
Danny and I are currently trying to purge the house of all unnecessary 'things' in preparation to move 2/3 of the way across the country.  We're going to be giving things away and selling things of value and in hopes that CO can be a fresh start for us.  A leaner lifestyle for us, learning to repurpose things that either don't fit anymore or things that get damaged, learning to buy less, learning to save more when we do buy.
God says that when we are good stewards of what he blesses us with, He will be faithful and provide.  To me that means, that debt begets more debt and frugalness should beget fruitfulness.  This is of course, is just a theory of mine that I've not known firsthand to be true for a long time now.
I was just moved my the President's address today, and I just had to write something.  Since, I've been waiting in hope that the tax cuts would be extended to provide Danny and I the funds that we're hoping for and today I've been put at ease.  And I talked to Danny on Sunday about my fears on Sunday and we decided that even if this wasn't how God was planning on providing for our move, that he'd provide for us somehow, if this was indeed that move he has planned for us.