Happy Birthday to You!
("You" being my blog.)
I didn't realize until yesterday (as I was tweeting a reader) that my blog's birthday had come and gone. July 4th is the day, and somehow, I totally missed it this year.
My little ole blog is now five years old.
That's so crazy.
Somehow, five years in, I still have not run out of things to say. This must be a sign that I'm in the right niche. 😉
Thanks for hanging around and reading and commenting and all that jazz. You guys are awesome.
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And now, here's some blog-birthday mish-mash:
Remember my, um, very flat loaves of French bread?
Well, as it turns out, that sort of bread makes veddy decent croutons.
Also? Garlic bread is a good way to disguise overly yeasty, collapsed bread.
Just so you know.
I went and picked up a quarter of a cow yesterday. It was good timing because I was almost completely out of beef.
This beef isn't necessarily cheaper than what you can get in the store (it's a little difficult to compare, given that you get a bunch of different cuts).But even if it is a little more expensive, that's ok with me. I buy it because:
- I like to support small, local farms.
- I like to know where my food is coming from and how it was produced.
- I like that the cows get to live in a grassy field, not in a feedlot.
- I like that it tastes better than what you can buy in the grocery store.
It might not be textbook frugal, but for me, it's mindful spending (spending where it matters, saving where it doesn't). And I am more about mindful spending than I am about saving every last possible penny.
Speaking of mindful spending (or, uh, not.)........I've occasionally bought some sale items for my girls from the Pottery Barn Kids catalog, so I'm on their mailing list.
When the spring/summer catalog arrived and I saw these towels, I died from the cute.
They're just perfect...a turtle for Sonia and a whale for Zoe. And the stripes are so classy.
Mmm-hmm.
BUT.
Sonia and Zoe already owned beach towels.Darn.Sonia's was a princess towel, but princesses are so two years ago in her mind, and she'd been asking for a non-princess-y towel.
Zoe had a towel too, and hers had sea creatures on it, so buying her a whale towel was a very silly idea.
But you know, sometimes, you just decide to do silly, impractical things.
To be fair, we did have plenty of money in the clothing budget, so it's not like I spent our grocery money on unnecessary towels.
And I got them on sale.
And we did give Sonia and Zoe's towels to some young cousins who didn't happen to own beach towels yet, so nothing went to waste.
Plus, the girls love their towels (and I'd be lying if I said the towels' stylishly adorable good looks didn't blow my hair back too.)
Every now and then, it's pretty fun to throw practicality to the wind. You just can't do it all the time. 😉
In fact, I think I enjoy it more because I don't do it all the time.
A very happy birthday to your blog 🙂 I think you've definitely found your niche.
If I remember correctly, you had another blog before this one, and I was wondering how long you've been blogging in total.
I definitely agree...those infrequent impulse perfect purchases, especially on sale, of quality merchandise that will stand the test of time are AOK in my book. And those towels are just adorable!
Happy Birthday to your wonderful blog! Love the towels, too!
Hi Kristen, how long do your meat keep in the freezer?
Thank you.
The rule of thumb is properly frozen meat is best by three months and should be eaten by 6 months. You can keep it later but freezer burn is an issue. Wrap meat in foil and in thick plastic and you should be all set.
The culprits are air, moisture, and temperature changes. The better protected the food is against these, the longer they're be tasty and well-textured. My happy meat provider uses cryvac'd packages and they're still good a year later.
Also, freezer-burnt meat is still safe and nutritious, just not as tasty. You can still use it, it'll just need a little disguising. For example: soup. Or ground or chopped or shredded, and in a sauce.
My husband is a hunter, and when he has a deer processed we have it vacuum sealed in freezer packs. We've eaten it as late as a year later, and it was still as tasty. How long it lasts totally depends on how well it's packaged.
Those are fabulous towels! And hooray for not necessary splurge purchases made possible by frugal living 🙂
happy blog anniversary!!!
the towels are cute!!!
I hope you never run out of things to say, because your blog is the one I've read faithfully since I came across it several years ago. I don't always have time to read it everyday, but I love to sit down and read all the posts and comments I've missed, in one sitting. This is such a relaxed, happy place.
I also love that something as simple as beach towels mean so much to your kids, and you consider it a fun purchase, when most people wouldn't even think twice about buying something like that, and wouldn't appreciate them nearly so much. You always remind me to be mindful of what I purchase and to appreciate and care for what I do spend my money on.
Your blog is a blessing, so happy five years and keep on writing!
I'd like to add that we also purchase our meat products from a local farmer. What we're doing to animals and the environment with these big meat corporations is shameful, and it breaks my heart. It makes me feel better that I'm trying my best not to support those practices. It's also easier for us to budget for one big meat purchase, then have a reduced grocery bill every week. Not to mention how much better it tastes and how much better it is for our health! Since we've given up grocery store meat and dairy products, everyone in my family has lost so much weight, we all need new clothes! It definitely makes a difference.
I'd like to add that we also purchase our meat products from a local farmer. What we're doing to animals and the environment with these big meat corporations is shameful, and it breaks my heart. It makes me feel better that I'm trying my best not to support those practices. It's also easier for us to budget for one big meat purchase, then have a reduced grocery bill every week. Not to mention how much better it tastes and how much better it is for our health! Since we've given up grocery store meat and dairy products, everyone in my family has lost so much weight, we all need new clothes! It definitely makes a difference.
I agree with the Frugal definition from Jeff Smith (aka the Frugal Gourmet*) in that frugal does not mean that you are cheap but you are careful with your time and you don't waste money on sub-par items as well. I think if something truly brings enjoyment to your life or to others and isn't breaking your budget then by all means go for it!
Are those cattle from the farm you got the side of beef? If so, those are nice Angus cattle. Many local farms here have Herefords or Belted Galloways.
*Yes, I know what he was accused of and no, it never went to trial. Wasn't there so I can't say guilty or not. Benefit of the doubt and all that.
Agree.
Congratulations on 5 yrs! Oh and I think the towels are adorable, and as long as you are paying with cash, there is nothing wrong with a splurge now and again.
Congratulations on your blog!
I was wondering how much space a quarter of a cow takes up. I have a 7 cubic ft chest freezer and I'm wondering (before I buy) if I actually have room to store it all.
It really depends. It depends on how your meat is cut and wrapped, ie hamburger in tubes stacks much more tightly than roasts. Chest freezers can usually hold more than their counterpart in an upright 7c. What else is in your freezer? etc.
I do know that we are planning a half of a cow purchase soon and we have a 19.7 cubic ft chest freezer, it will need to be mostly empty to hold all that meat. But I prefer to grind my own meat, so get mostly steaks and packs of "cube" meat to grind as I choose. I also get fat and bones, which take up extra room, as do organs if you choose to take them.
Thanks for the info. My freezer has a bunch of bread and some jars of pesto sauce, but I'm working on eating it down, and I also have the kitchen freezer to move stuff into. Obviously I will need to get it down to empty before purchasing.
Happy Blog Birthday! 🙂
I want you to know Kristen that I really enjoy reading your blog. You inspire me to do the best I can with our resources and to be more purposeful about how I spend my time.
You've also inspired me to start a blog too. I want it to be kind of a "home economics" kind of thing where I can teach people how to do different kinds of things. I am frequently asked to teach how I can, sew, quilt, cook, garden, etc. so I thought I would give it a try. Thank you for being such an inspiration!
I love those towels! I would have been very tempted to monogram them, but that would have made them much harder to pass down. Although I'm not sure I've ever been accused of being practical....
Kristen--Beautiful towels and growing-up girls! Congratulations on the blog anniversary. Swim towels are not a waste: I am still using one my husband brought to our marriage in 1970 for covering from dust a little-used item. My kids first used it as a swim towel for years. They do last! They are effective drop-cloth, too--I use one wee got a bit later--1980's--for that.
Yours are striped--my favorite--and so suited to your girls.
Thank you so very much for keeping at the blog; it is my first read of the day.
Loved the justification of the towels. Nice. :+)
Imagine my surprise to go to my email on the morning of my birthday and seeing the title of this blog! LOL! Happy Blog Birthday, thanks for all you do. I love reading your exploits. 🙂
Can I just say that I LOVE your frugal philosophy?!?!?!!?!! Mindful spending, minimalism, avoiding waste, etc. - with room left over for life! So refreshing, and more practical than any other frugal/minimalism blog I've ever run across. KUDOS, KEEP IT UP && HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!
Happy Blogiversary! Looking forward to the next 5 ........
Happy blog birthday and thanks for all the enjoyment and education over the years!
And that is exactly why we buy local beef!
I've been enjoying your blog for about three years now. Congrats on the five year blog birthday!
Those towels are adorably perfect for your girls! Congrats on the blogaversairy!
I want a towel like that!
Happy Birthday!
I love your blog. I have been a faithful reader for about a year now. I too pray you never run out of things to blog about. Here to another 5!
Happy Anniversary! Thank you for blessing all of us for five whole years!
The towels reminded me of a family story. One year, when my parents were going through a rough patch, my dad decided to actually buy Christmas gifts for all six of us kids himself, as Christmas shopping was generally a task left to my SAHM. We each received a big, fluffy beach towel. (We lived in Southern CA, where it's almost always beach season.) They were just solid color towels, but he chose a different color for each of us. IIRC, it was the only time he picked out, paid for and wrapped gifts for us by himself. We treasured those towels and used them until they were worn to shreds.
Yes, your PBK towels were a wise purchase. The girls will love them until they're used up and then the memory (and the photos) will live on forever. Great decision!
Kristen, thank you for the gift of your blog! Yours is the first blog that I ever read, and will always be my favorite (I found you through the furniture painting post). Congrats on 5 years!
Your website has been such a blessing in so many ways! Today I greatly appreciated the words that it is okay to "throw practicality to the wind" once in a while. I need to hear that. 🙂
Well happy Blogiversary! I think the towels are adorable and as I keep reminding myself - mindful purchases are what we're after, not complete denial of small pleasures. It's all about balance. The towels (and the kiddos) are cute. Cute. CUTE!
~Taylor-Made Ranch~
Wolfe City, Texas
Happy birthday to your blog! I haven't been reading for very long, but I've really enjoyed it.
We also purchase part of a cow from a local farmer. My favorite thing about it (besides the taste, which is definitely better than meat from the grocery store!) is that it is always on hand. I'm still not very good at meal planning, and it is so helpful to be able to go to the freezer and have something already on hand. I know it helps us eat healthier meals.
Congratulations!
Just a note for those who want to make local meat more frugal. If you're not too queasy, you can sometimes kill and process an animal for much less money than if it came pre-processed. My husband and I just processed a pig for less than $1/pound live standing weight. We're looking forward to making sausages and bacon and ham. Yum!
OK, when I first saw this yesterday, I thought, "How sweet! Kristen sent me a birthday greeting!" because it really was my birthday yesterday! Then I read the whole blog entry. Happy Blogiversary!
Happy birthday to your blog!
I've been thinking about buying beef from a farm but I don't think I have enough freezer space 🙁 it would be really nice to make my own ground beef so I know there is no nasty stuff in there
I love the idea of buying a cow. If I had the freezer space I would do it and those towels are totally cool...:)
Happy Birthday to your blog! I remember the day you started!
And the towels look great. Nothing wrong with a splurge now and then 😉
Whoa! You've been around a long time, then. 😀
My mother-in-law recently passed away. This week-end I was with my SIL (50ish) at her vacation home and she and my husband (65) would occasionally say, "remember when mom....." and "when we were growing up.....". I can hear your girls years from now, "Remember when mom got us those cute beach towels ....." Sometimes the memories are definitely worth the money.
I always say everyone should have a little Pottery Barn in their lives....hey that would make a great slogan. Like I said I should work there.
Great post! Congrats.