I have a friend who drinks coffee a lot! She loves flavored coffee syrup, like the ones they use at Starbucks, but it is about $7 a bottle where she lives.

I decided that this year, I was going to make some homemade coffee syrup and send it to her as a gift. When my package arrived, she fell in love! She told me that they tasted better than the real thing and that I was now her official Starbucks replacement!

Here is what you need to be able to to do the same:

~Start with a simple syrup. To make a simple syrup, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup white sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until it has reduced by half, which should take about 5 minutes. Now if you want flavoring, you have to add those ingredient(s) at the same time you add the water and sugar.

Vanilla Coffee Syrup: Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla flavoring to the simple syrup. Taste to see if it is vanilla flavored enough. If not, add an additional teaspoon.

Cinnamon Coffee Syrup: Add about a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the water and sugar mixture.

And to top off the flavored syrups, here is my favorite coffee from Starbucks! I don’t go there hardly at all any more since I have been making all my favorite coffee stuff at home! In fact, It has been months since I have been. I think mine tastes much better (I know, I am biased)!

Pumpkin Spiced Latte

2 cups milk
1 cup very strong coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons sugar (or one packet of Splenda)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (plus extra for dusting)
2 heaping spoonfuls of canned pumpkin

Pour all of the ingredients into a pot and heat over medium-high heat until the coffee is steaming hot. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream & cinnamon. Enjoy!

I found a new website that has some really great recipes on it.

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef

Check out the tomato tart post. Think I might make this for supper tonight!

Do you have any neat gluten-free websites that you visit?

This past week while making homemade oatmeal, I began to wonder if making it homemade was a better deal than buying the box of premade packs. Here is the cost comparison, and my recipe, for homemade vs. store bought oatmeal.

Homemade Oatmeal

Ingredients

1/2 cup of quick cooking oats (7 cents)

1 tbsp powdered milk  (2 cents)

1/8 teaspoon of salt (1 cent)

2 teaspoons of sugar  (1 cent)

1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon (1 cent)

1 tablespoon of brown sugar (5 cents)

1 cup of extremely hot water (free)

Directions

Combine all dry ingredients into your bowl. Add one cup of hot water and allow to sit for about five minutes. During that time mix ingredients together occasionally until desired thickness has been achieved.

Now here is my analysis:

The cost of make one serving of homemade oatmeal is 17 cents. Since there are usually 6 packets per box, the cost for one whole box of oatmeal would be: $1.02. However, if you have all the ingredients on hand from making the first batch, you can make several more packets of oatmeal for free. So it is like getting 6 or 7 boxes of oatmeal for the price of one.

Store bought oatmeal can vary in price depending on what brand you buy. Some generic boxes are only $1 where Quaker can be almost $3 a box.

In my honest opinion, homemade tastes SO much better and is better for you because YOU know the ingredients being used and there is nothing hidden in the mix–plus it is easy on your grocery budget as well!

Which do you like better? Homemade or store bought? Do you have any oatmeal recipes using fruit? I would love to hear them!

The winner of the Warmables Lunch set is. . . .

Comment #16 Angela M.

Here is what Angela shared:

My favorite back-to-school lunch would probably be a hot roast beef and cheddar sandwich on a crusty bread roll. Toss some fruit or fresh cut veggies in the bag along with your sandwich, and you’re good to go. (This is a really quick lunch to put together if you’ve just made a roast for dinner the night before.)

Congratulations Angela! You will be receiving an email from me shortly so that I can get your shipping address.

Be watching later this week for another giveaway!

I have used just about every organizer, calendar & planner under the sun. All promise such wonderful things…however, reality is…the author isn’t me, and doesn’t know my family and our life. Sure many are pretty neat, but nothing really just ’fit’ “perfectly” for me and my family. One day, a light bulb went off…..I’ll just make my own!

This binder is just your average 3 ring binder but it has everything in it to keep my homestead in order!

To get started on my binder,  I printed off a cover from another planner that I use some of the pages from, put in the cover sleeve ( I change this on mood and the amount of ink I have in the printer!) and then gathered up some supplies: divider tabs, paper, all those loose sheets of info that needed a home (my children’s homeschool schedules, menu planners, monthly bill schedules, address book pages, etc., etc.) and plopped them all down in a pile. Now, what categories did I need my binder to have? For me, it looked something like this:

Daily Schedule & ‘To Do’s’

Want To Do’s

Seasonal Chores

Menus/ Food Shopping & Pantry Lists

Bills/Expenses

Farm & Garden

Addresses / www.’s

Homeschool

Family Info

Medical

Herbal

Preparedness

I also got out a zippered / 3 ring case to put pens, post-its, letter opener, stamps, sharpies, etc . = Office in a Bag, for my binder too!

I also got out some of those handy dandy page/sheet protectors, for documents, and such that I want in my binder–should I need to grab-n-go—–my auto insurance info, homeschool law and my certificate to homeschool (for my state), you could put birth certificate copies, medical cards, etc., etc–whatever is applicable to your family.

So, now that you have a list of supplies– gather everything up– then ponder what categories you’ll need for your family binder.

Lisa is blessed to be a Wife to Marc, a Mama to 4 blessings, and a Keeper at Home! They live their off-grid, homestead adventure in the mountains of the Northwest. Seeking the trail, ‘off the beaten path,’ that the Father has called them to follow, they homeschool, homechurch & work from home. They operate their family run business, Homestead Originals where they specialize in wonderful handcrafted goodies! Lisa is also the author of the Homestead Simplicity E-book series that focuses on Encouragement for the Homekeeper, Simple Family Living, Natural Cleaners, and Making Everything from Scratch! Come on by and visit Lisa’s Blog for great ideas, tips, freebies and contests too! To contact Lisa, email Lisa@HomesteadOriginals.com

Here are this week’s freebies. Hope you enjoy them!

• Sign up to receive a free guide called “The Windows 7 Guide: From Newbies to Pros”. In this 46 page guide you will be introduced to Windows 7 and what it has to offer. This guide will go over the software compatible issues, you will learn about the new task bar, how to use and customize Windows Aero, what Windows 7 Libraries are all about, what software is included in Windows 7, and how easy networking is with Windows 7 along with other topics. This offer is available to the U.S., U.S. Territories, Canada and Mexico, while supplies last.
• The National Shooting Sports Foundation is offering a FREE Firearms Safety DVD Set and Conservation DVD Set to educators. This offer is available to U.S., U.S. territories, AA, AE, AP and Canada, while supplies last.
• Click here to print a coupon for $0.50 off a Cake Mate Numeral Candle. You many be able to find these for around $1 which would make them free at a store that doubles coupons.
• Get a FREE 8 pc. Cinnastix at Dominos.com with the code EBCS, no other purchase necessary. Your total should come to $0.00 with the carryout option. There have been other codes like this in the past and they didn’t last long.
• Enjoy a free piece of chocolate each month when you sign up for the Godiva Rewards Card. You will also receive a free gift each month you spend $10 or more. Click here to find a location near you.
• Sam’s Club members can sign up to receive a FREE Pampers Dry Max sample. Membership number is required. This offer is available to the U.S. only.
• Request a free sample of Brookie Cookies. Just send your mailing address to info@thebrookiecookie.com. This offer is available while supplies last. They do not mention where they will ship to.
• BlueberryCouncil.org is offering a few blueberry learning freebies. They have classroom activity sheets which are available for download, a free poster and free game sheets. The game sheets must be shipped to a school but it looks like the poster can be sent to a home. U.S. only.
• VantageTravel.com is offering a free 151 Travel Tips Booklet. This offer is available to the U.S., England, Scottland, Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, AA, AE and AP.
• The National Cancer Society is offering a free coloring book “Sammie’s New Mask: A Coloring Book for Friends of Children with Cancer.” This book is available in PDF format OR you can request a copy by emailing sdiekemper@children-cancer.org. This offer is available to U.S. residents only.
• Click here to sign up to receive a free Quick and Easy Work Week Recipes eBook download. After you click the link you will need to enter your email address then complete registration (make sure not to use your primary email address). After that you will be shown some offers which you can skip/say no to before you can download your free ebook. This offer is available to U.S. residents only.
• Recipe For Living has many FREE eCookbooks available for download including desserts, cooking for holidays and special occasions, dinners and so much more. This offer is available internationally.

• Amazon is offering a FREE download of the eBook “Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know” by Hamilton Wright Mabie. You can read this book on a Kindle device or download free programs to read other places: PC, MAC, Blackberry, Android, iPhone or iPad. This offer is available for a limited time only.

About the book: This is collection of well known fairy tales by Grimm’s and others, with an introductory on the history and importance of fairy tales for children. Stories included are The Magic Mirror, Hansel and Grethel, The Story of Aladdin, The White Cat, The Second Voyage of Sinbad, The Golden Goose, The Twelve Brothers, Tom Thumb, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, Blue Beard, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack the, Giant Killer, The Three Bears, The Princess On The Pea, The Ugly Duckling and Beauty and the Beast.

I have to admit I’m getting a bit stressed about heading back to school. In the past I’ve been pretty good about having things all cleaned up, organized and ready to go. This summer seems to have just flown by and left me in the midst of chaos. I have several home projects in progress, the entire place needs a good scrub-down, and I’m not yet organized and ready for school. Yikes!

In case you’re finding yourself in the same bind I thought I’d offer a special Back-to-School Sale to give you some inspiration with meal making, money-saving, Organization and Education. Now, through Labor Day you can use the code MOLLYSCHOOLS to receive over HALF OFF the below items. You’ll get all five downloads for only $15!

Molly’s Organizational Bundle (Reg. $12.90)

This two-part bundle includes the January 2010 Digest, with the theme, Evaluate, Organize, Prioritize. This Digest focuses on helping you prioritize and organize your time, money and belongings.

The second part of this special package is a compilation of ALL the organization related articles from our 2009 Digests. You’ll find articles on cleaning, gift planning, shopping, garage sales, menu planning and much more! This volume is over 60 pages of organization help and encouragement.

Between the two E-Books, you’ll have over 100 pages of information and resources to help you get organized, right at your fingertips!

Molly Makes Combo (retail $12.95)

Another two-part bundle that includes our top selling Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts.

Feeding your family frugally is a top priority these days, and it’s always exciting to sample some of the great tried-and-true recipes others are using. Do you need some ideas for affordable and quick dinners and desserts? There’s a lot to choose from . .

• Pizzas, pastas and pot luck pleasers
• Slow-cooker creations, casseroles and cakes
• Soups, stews, and savory sandwiches
• Breads, biscuits, burritos and brownies
• Peachy pies and puddings

The second part includes my latest release, Molly Makes $7 Slow Cooker Suppers. I’m especially proud of this cookbook as each recipe was taste tested and a picture of each meal is included. The tester comments and photos make this a real treat. Not to mention that these recipes are a HUGE time-saver!

And lastly, my May 2009 Digest : Learning for Life ~ Your Child’s Education.

Whether you homeschool or not, you’ll especially want this real-life learning issue . . . from preschool through high school, college–and beyond!
Molly includes articles about education which show you what learning looks like in real life and just how enjoyable and natural it can be! You’ll also learn about money-saving ideas for college and make small changes for BIG savings, but there’s a whole lot more!

So there you have it! Five wonderful educational, inspirational and money-saving resources for only $15! Remember, use the code MOLLYSCHOOLS to take advantage. Just add all three items to your card and use the code when you check out to receive your discount.

Enjoy!

This week I have been reading a book by Anne Ortlund, Discplines of a Beautiful Woman. The chapter that I just finished talked about your looks. Now I must admit that I am not one to spend a lot of time on my clothing or my appearance.

What Anne shared was very thought provoking, so I thought I would share it with you!

~Her first tip was this: when you become conscious in the morning (meaning waking up fully), get decent. Before she has her devotions or spends time with God, she gets up and gets herself dressed and ready for the day.

She says

I look over the day’s calendar, warm up a little and then stair climb (the fastest way to get in exercise) shower, and put on my face while I talk to God. Hair next, then clothes. Now I am ready for breakfast, meeting God, and all the day’s agendas.

This little bit really struck me because I am one of those ladies who lounges around in her PJ’s until 10 (I do get everything done, but when I do this I tend to feel chaotic and out of sorts.)  I think I might start implementing her suggestion and see what happens.)

~The next thing  she talks about is the Proverbs 31 woman being a worthy woman. She stated that out of the 22 verses on the Proverbs 31 woman, only one of them is about how she looked. Anne had this to say:

Father, I want to give 1/22 of my time to making myself as outwardly beautiful as I can; and I want to give all the rest of my time, 21/22 of my life , to becoming wise, kind, godly, hard-working, and the rest.

~Anne then goes on to share about her clothing. This is what really got me to thinking, because I don’t do this and I honestly should, because I AM TIRED of standing in front of my closet thinking I have NOTHING to wear! She shared that most of her morning hour is spent doing the looks thing–exercising, showering, doing her face and hair. She only spends five minutes getting dressed. Seriously? Five minutes? This is why!

I have SO few clothes to choose from! I keep my closet stripped down to the following outfits: 4 dressy street length outfits, 4 long casual outfits, 6 day pants, 5 day dresses, 2 sandal dresses, 3 at-home outfits, 3 evening and party outfits.

There is NO way that I could use her clothing plan because I don’t even have those types of clothes. My problem is finding something that does not have a stain on it! EVERYTHING I own is stained, so I stand in the closet for twenty minutes trying to decided which item is less stained. I really need to work on getting my clothing updated–and perhaps an apron for the kitchen so my clothes will stop getting stained. Sounds like a trip to the thrift store is in order!

But her organization of her clothes AND her accessories is where I was truly drawn in. Listen to this:

Now when I buy a dress or an outfit, I don’t just buy that alone. I make sure at the time I have everything I need–shoes, bag, jewelry, underthings, scarf–whatever. I stand before a full length mirror when it is new and check the whole outfit. I jot that complete outfit in my notebook. Everything is listed to complete the ensemble. Then it’s ready to go. I never have to dawdle over, “Does this blouse go with this skirt?”, “What beads would look good with this neckline?” I know the whole outfit, and I can fall into it fast and get onto life’s more important considerations.

I guess this just really floored me because I have never considered utilizing a clothing notebook to help with organization in this area.

So what do you think? Would you consider trying this? If you already do this, how does it work for you? Is this just “over the top”?

© Korat_cn | Dreamstime.com

Do you cringe when you hear the words “school picture day”? I know when my kids were in school, I dreaded the day they would bring home the note that said, “Tomorrow is picture day. Please dress your best”. When I got this note, I knew that it would soon be followed by the envelope asking me to purchase photos.

Can I just be real for a moment?

Those. photos. are. outrageously. priced.

I would do my best to buy the smallest package they had just so I wasn’t spending so much money. I felt the kids would be upset if I did not purchase a picture package. One day however, my daughter said to me, “Mom, you take tons of pictures of me already. Why do you keep buying these picture packages if they are so expensive?”

That made me really think about ways to get beautiful photo shots wherever we happened to be. Then I could take these shots, go to the photo kiosk and print my own wallet size prints for family members. I checked out Wal-Mart’s prices and they are very reasonable. You can get a family package for only $20 that includes 4 (8×10’s), 8 (5×7’s), and 24 wallet size prints. They also have a standard package for only $5 that has one 8×10, 2 (5×7’s) and 16 wallets. A package like this from a school would cost you anywhere from $25-$30! (You can check out those Wal-Mart photo packages HERE).

My advice is to shop around for a great package price and ditch the school photo packages! They are less personal and much more expensive. Besides, when taking your own photos you can get creative and really let the personalities shine! (Check out my November 2009 Digest for some creative Family Photo ideas)

You can find more Works For Me Wednesday tips at We Are That Family.

I am so excited to be passing this bit of saving news on to you! The Creation Museum will be offering Back-to-School promotion for homeschooling families the months of September and October.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during September and October adults can get in the museum for only $10 and kids only cost $7! This is an awesome price!

To take advantage of this amazing offer all you need is to print this brochure which is available as a pdf here and show up.
If you have any questions,  you can contact Eddie Lutz at 888-582-4253 ext. 377 or email elutz@creationmuseum.org.

Thanks Tonya at Live the Adventure for posting this awesome deal!