Goodbye February, Hello March

Spring is definitely in the air and it's lovely to feel.

Today I have been to the stables with my daughter and enjoyed seeing her ride her pony and a friend's pony too.  Following this we all went to the father in laws for a lovely Sunday lunch.  This afternoon has seen me take inspiration from notjustgreenfingers' blog and whip up some chocolate chip cookies, flapjacks and currently in the bread-maker is a dough to make rolls.  Following her advice I will slice them and freeze ready to make up for the packed lunches.  Great idea!

I've been making bread in the BM weekly now when we run out of shop bought.  At the moment, we rely on shop bought to see us through the beginning of the week and I top up with homemade.  Eventually I may get to homemade 100% of the time but for now I'm happy with the balance.

It struck me the other day how far we've come since our journey had it's initial, dim spark.  I say dim as it's taken me a long time to start living a more frugal lifestyle but the fact is, we've come so far.  We don't buy things that we don't need, we make do and mend, make the most of free activities and generally live a happy yet frugal lifestyle. 

So this coming week I have my meal plan done, shopped yesterday to get everything I need for it and have the treats made to fill up the lunch boxes and after tea requests.  I'm going to make some rice pudding later in the week.  I think I will use the slow cooker as I've never done rice pudding in the slow cooker before.  That will be or Friday's soup and pudding night.

Two years time we will have our house up for sale and the farm will be in our sights.

A belated, but Merry Christmas!

Happy December!

How time flies when you are having fun.

I am currently cooking a joint of ham in the slow cooker, simmering a pan of pudding rice on the hob and listening to the sound of my bread maker, which is busily competing with the washing machine.  Right now, I am sat in my cosy chair, with a glass of red wine, thinking what 2014 has given us and what I would like from 2015 whilst perusing the forums that I follow online.

I've taken on a second job in October and it has proved a great thing so far.  I won't lie, it's hard work managing that on top of a normal full time job, husband & children, horses , dog and a house.  However the thought of owing our own piece of heaven (or a bit of countryside in the North East of England as it's also known) is worth the hard work and more.  Some nights have seen me working until 2:30am and getting up at 6:30am but I am coping and dare I say it, enjoying it!  A couple of hundred extra a month is very welcome :)

2015 is going to be the best year yet.  It will see us making great strides into paying off the loan meaning we're ready to start looking for our farm.  It will be the year of make do and mend and really getting back to basics.

Starting off with repairing a pair of jodhpurs that have seen better days and were destined for the bin. 

I am off work until Friday and even then it's just from home for a couple of hours.  I am just settling down and enjoying my time off and it's lovely.