My Thrifty Retirement - Week 3

 

Easter Sunday was fabulously busy for me.  I got up early and was able to get all of the food prepped and ready to go into the oven.  I made homemade macaroni and cheese with a parmesan bread crumb topping (it was a hit, no leftovers), baked beans, ham I had leftover in the freezer (vacuum sealed) from Christmas saved just for this particular meal.  I made a relish plate of olives and pickles to go with it and my daughter made deviled eggs.  I also made a coconut cream pie for dessert.  Everyone seemed to really enjoy the meal.

 

I've been working quite a bit in the backyard garden area

While I waited for my oldest daughter and her roommate to arrive for dinner I was able to get outside for a bit, soak up some sunshine and pull weeds.  I also got our garage swept out and taught my youngest how to change her wiper blades on her car.  It felt really good to get the front of our house raked and cleaned up after all the crazy wind and weather we've been having.

 

This coffeecake was a hit!

Our Easter meal combined with the leftovers from the end of the week prior kept us fed pretty much all week long.  I was able to use a lot of the Easter items, especially the ham, to make more meals.  I used sour milk along with some leftover homemade applesauce I'd saved to make a wonderful coffeecake.  I took leftover taco meat from the freezer so my daughter could make nachos one evening and the last of the ham was turned into a pizza on Friday with plenty leftover for our supper on Saturday.  Some frozen veggies and a can of pineapple chunks I had in the pantry rounded out our meals nicely.  It was a very economical week for us food wise.  We still have apples, cabbage, carrots, celery, potatoes and onions for fresh produce.

 

I embroidered this dish towel I had made last year

I love this vintage transfer - so cute!

My youngest had her first experience with a car breakdown (definitely not a thrifty week for her) that left her stranded.  I helped her out with picking her up and figuring out how to arrange a tow truck to the neighborhood mechanic.  For the most part, I let her handle the majority of the situation she found herself in and she did great.  I let her borrow my car while hers was being repaired and she thanked me by topping up my gas tank.

 

My beautiful daughter

They are both beautiful, inside and out
I am a very blessed mama!

And!  Bless her darling little heart, she didn't want me to spend anything on her for her senior prom, which was Saturday.  She borrowed a dress from her sister, wore the shoes she got at a thrift store to go with another dress she had borrowed from her sister for homecoming last fall, wore jewelry she already had and fixed her hair and makeup herself.  She is thrifty, just like her mama.

 

My mother made both versions of this dress for me
The shorter version I wore to my high school graduation

I remember when I went to the senior prom my mom, who is an excellent seamstress, made my dress from a gunne sax pattern and I wore shoes and jewelry I already had.  We did our own hair, makeup and nails then too.  I never would've thought to go to a hairdresser for that, but that was back in the days when the guys wore tuxes with ruffled shirts and velvet bow ties.

 

I made this tea towel last week from a piece of fabric and bias tape I had on hand

 

I also made this dish cloth out of part of a dish towel I had in my stash

The weather is gradually warming up here so I'm hopeful that spring is truly on its way.  I hope you are all doing well and had a great week too.  Let me know how things are going.