Frugal Happenings 4/2

Howdy everyone.  I am running a little late today with my Sunday post.  I decided to brown meat, put together a pot of stew and mow all the yard first!
Now I am ready to sit for a spell and talk with y'all.

Not a lot on the frugal front happened this week.  Didn't go out shopping.

Let's see - the groundhog made his first appearance on March 30th.  Came out, ran around, then went back to bed!

Weather has been off and on this week.  We have had really chilly days and nights, rain and more rain, and open window weather!  I guess that is typical spring weather.

The week was pretty crappy on a personal note.  I got a call Tuesday night that my niece (my eldest sister's daughter), passed away.  She was 2 years older than me (we have a strange family I know), and she and I were so close as kids and teens.  We sure got into our share of mischief as teens! 
She lives in Florida (no other family there).  Her landlord found her and called her older sister in GA.  My niece had passed several days before being found.  How sad is that!
Her siblings have gone down to pack things up, sis just isn't able.  She will be cremated and brought back here to be buried with her dad.
My heart just aches for my sister, and for our whole family.  This was just such a shock to everyone.  I have lost a lot of people around my age, but no one in the family so close in age. 
Crap - mortality smacks you right dead center of your forehead sometimes.  I have been feeling really old this week!!!

My frugal week:

• Heat off - except early mornings
• Windows open a few days to air the house
• Bought gas and saved .20/gallon this week
• Changed out to a spring handbag.  Got out one of the FREE Vera Bradley bags my friend gifted me a couple years ago.
• Spent most of Friday with my sister.  Great talk, free therapy and lots of bonding.  I did stop and buy her a lovely bouquet of bright colored Gerber daisies to brighten her day.
• Sis gifted me a bag of hickory smoked BBQ wings and a bag of French fries.
• I was given a box of 14 books (each has 2 stories)
• Laundry in cold
• All meals from home
• Stayed out of stores (except for flowers)
• Did a lot of raking and picking up sticks in the back yard.  FREE exercise!

 

One type of tulips is starting to open in the back, and the ones in front have lots of big buds.

Meals this week:
Grilled (on G. Foreman) loaded burritos
Breaded tenderloins, dirty rice and mixed greens
Leftover burrito (split), leftover rice and jalapeno poppers
Homemade pizza (2X) with side salad
Wings and fries (compliments of my sister's gift)
Smoked sausage, cabbage, and potato quarters

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Made a pan of brownies, which lasted several days, made pineapple crème whip, and had fresh fruit, all for snacks.

PINEAPPLE CREME WHIP
2 C frozen pineapple pieces or crushed
8 oz. frozen Cool Whip (use frozen)
3 Tbsp. honey OR 2 Tbsp. sugar
and 6 oz. pineapple juice (I drained my fruit before freezing)

Place everything together in a processor and blend till as smooth as you can get it.  Mine still had bits of pineapple through it.  Place in freezer.  We ate off of this a couple times.  First night it was still like soft serve ice cream - 2nd night it was firmer.
I didn't have a full 6 oz. of juice from jar, so I added orange juice to it.  You could also add milk or other fruit juice.
Man oh man was it yummy!!!!!
**I know lots of people HATE the thought of Cool Whip - so perhaps they could use real cream whipped up.  Don't judge me!
I want to try other fruit variations - Mmmmmm peach!


What was your week like?  Did you have any frugal finds?  Give us a shout out.  Love hearing from everyone.

May God keep you in His loving and protective arms and bless you beyond measure this week.
Sending love to you all.