Budget Friendly, Husband Approved, 'Sausage McMuffins' (Video How To Included)

Dustin is not a fan of eating breakfast super early in the morning. He leaves for work fairly early, he prefers to eat his breakfast at his first break.
At first he was eating off of the 'Food Truck'..and not one of those nice food trucks you see on tv. Plus is wasn't very cheap. When I realize how much he was spending on his breakfast, as well as what kind of a food truck it was(Gross and SO unhealthy!)...we decided it was time to come up with a solution.

So, I went to Pinterest!
Yay Pinterest!

That was back in the Summer...I found an awesome breakfast burrito recipe. It made 30+ burritos for a fraction of the price he was spending for the burritos at work. He really liked them. They were quick and easy for me to make. Once I had them made I could sort of forget it for a few weeks..and all he had to do was grab one and toss it in his lunch lox on his way out the door. Once at work he puts in his heated lunch box, and it is piping hot by first break.

 I made those for a few months.

About 2 months ago he started saying that he was getting tired of his burritos. (How dare he mess with my budgeted breakfast system!) He said he would really like some breakfast sandwiches, like Mcd's, only better.
So back to the drawing board I went. It had to be tasty and it had to be cheaper than actually purchasing them from the place with the golden arches. Why?? Because I am just that frugal. ;)

I had some certain parameters to work within.

1. It had to have Bob Evans sausage, But not the premade patties.Because they shrink up like hockey pucks!

2. It had to have Kraft American cheese. (Because, if you are going to have processed cheese product, it had to be the good kind. ;) )

3. It had to be easily freezable and had to go seamlessly from freezer to heated lunchbox to table. If there were any other steps in between...it was a no go.

Ok! Let's get started!

Here is what you will need!

2lbs BobEvans Sausage (I get ours at Sam's Club)

Kraft American Cheese (Aldi)

English Muffins (2 Packs, Aldi)

You will also need

A skillet or griddle

Aluminum Foil 

Gallon Sized Ziploc Bags

A Toaster

Everything you will need to make this amazing Mc Muffins!

Now it is time to get cooking!

Our sausage comes in a 2lb tube. I am not very skilled in the department of cutting them in uniform slices. So I cut the long tube in half. It is easier to work with it 1lb at a time. I divide the each lb into five even pieces. Make sure they are even!

Then form patties and cook. 

Be sure to make the patties as flat as you can.

 

Cook and Drain the Sausage Patties.

While we are at it, take a look at that beautiful griddle! 

I got it for Christmas.

Love it!! :)

While the Sausage Patties are cooking I get all the foil pieces prepped and set up the toaster. 

We are shooting for fast assembly line style here. 

Slice the Muffins

Label the gallon size bag

Now you are ready to......Assemble!!!

Toast a Muffin, Add sausage and cheese.

Wrap up tightly

Repeat 10 times

Freeze in labeled ziploc bag

Now if you are me..you get to forget it about for two weeks..and the husband can happily eat breakfast at his first break without breaking the budget or risking his health.

A Few Thoughts/Tips and Some MATH

(Because, what is the point of all of this if we don't include the math?! You know that is the only reason you came and bothered to read up until this point.)

1. Don't forget to lightly toast the Muffins. 

Someone has continually reminded me that this is the utmost important step..and I must not forget.

Even though I have not forgotten to toast a single one yet.

You would think he thinks I have gotten forgetful after having four children or something. LOL

2. Be sure the sausage is divided evenly, or you might hear about how inconsistent they have turned out.

 I love my husband dearly, but he is pretty adamant about consistency with his meals. I am a free spirit...it is SO HARD to make everything so similar every time I do it. I love him though, so I strive for consistency. However, I like to keep things slightly inconsistent just to keep him on his toes...so.. no two McMuffins are wrapped the same! 

 3. Try to flatten the patties as thin as possible. Because..no matter how flat you get them...they WILL shrink up!

4. You can save even more money on these by using non name brand products. My husband really prefers Bob Evans and Kraft. However, if I was to use the sausage from our butcher it would be SO MUCH cheaper! The American cheese can obviously be purchased for less.

The English Muffins....I have used the good brand (Thomas), and we have used a few of the off brands. I have also made them from scratch before. (That was before Anna. I seriously don't have the time right now.)

The brands do not seem to make too much of a difference in the taste and consistency...and I have found that Aldi has the cheapest price as of this moment in time. 

5. It is best to assemble it all while it is warm so the cheese can melt and everything can stick together in true "McMuffin' form. 

6. You do not have to use foil. Clear wrap or wax paper, parchment paper or some other form of wrapping would obviously be cheaper. We do not have that option because his heated lunch box gets too hot and will melt/burn anything else. So, Foil it is for the THH family!

NOW...For the money!

(Because we all know this is why I even bother with all of this stuff. ;) )

Dustin can get a Sausage McMuffin from McDonalds for $1.

Or he can get something similar from the 'food truck' (Gag) for $2.75 (Highway robbery)

I can make them for roughly $.90.

Like I stated above, you can bring the price down even more with less expensive ingredients.

All of that being said. I'm pretty happy with the price considering the guidelines I had to work with. 

Now for your viewing pleasure, We have started making some how to videos to go along with the blog posts. Because..why not?! I hear we are rather entertaining. But hey, you be the judge. 

 Oh and don't forget to like, comment and subscribe! Thanks!

Be nice! :)

What are your budget favorite budget friendly breakfast ideas?!

Happy Friday!

~Lyndsay 

February 2016....

  Well, February went fast! Or maybe it was painfully slow?! I'm not sure really. I spent half of it severely sleep deprived, with sick kids. Stomach viruses, Rotavirus, Cough/Cold Viruses, Severe asthma attacks, Ear Infection and an epic migraine...yep that was the month of February at the Tiny House!

I don't think I have EVER been so happy to see the calendar flip to a new Month!!!

Since I basically have not blogged for a month...figured I would do  my best to catch everyone up. So you will get a brief over view of our lives...with pictures. (Wow, You are lucky! ;) )

I've sat and tried to figure out the best way to update everyone...and I am thinking it is best to do it by person. So, here you go....a updating glimpse into our tiny world.

Dustin...
 He managed to miss most of the sickness. Lucky Duck!
 He finished up a car flip, worked on the dining room and fixed some totally awesome dinners while I was tending sick kiddos and rocking the baby. He drove to Indiana with his friend Michael to pick up a truck. From what I hear it was quite a trip. One that will go down in the lengthy book of adventures for them...and will be retold at many get togethers to come.
 He also put together our new dining room table. Our dream and plan is for him to make most of the furniture for the tiny house. However, this house is a long term project and we can't go years without certain important pieces of furniture. Such as a table that we can all sit at to eat dinner. We were strolling through Kmart the other day and found this little beauty.  We actually really like it. It has storage in the benches and we can all sit together. (We have lived here 18 months without being able to sit together. I know that isn't a big deal to some people, but it is to us.) It is made of real wood, and it was on clearance. Plus, it fits perfectly in the dining space nook area we had planned.

Also...do you see the paneling on the wall??

 That is your little glimpse of the tiny house update. He has been paneling, mudding, trimming and busting his tail on this room. Can not wait to make a post about it very, very soon.

Since he wont stand still long enough to get picture of him..you get a picture of him holding Anna.

Alex... He got the least of the sickness.
He spent the better part of the month trudging through school (The worst torture of all.), staying up to date on youtube, Playing basketball, playing minecraft, and beating Assassins Creed 4 on the X box . He did get a nice surprise from his Dad. A new BB gun! He has had a blast with it ever since.
I also feel obligated to tell you about the fact that he now has something to lord over me for the rest of his entire life.
He has been complaining off and on about having leg pain and cramps for a while...like 9 months. I put off taking him to the Dr...because he tends to be a bit over dramatic and kind of a whiner. (Said with much motherly love, of course.) So much so that we have a theme song for him now.

I finally get around to taking him to the Dr and turns out there really is something wrong with him. He is VERY flat footed. He has to do exercises and wear corrective Dr Scholl's inserts in his shoes. Nothing too life altering, but he will have to work on it so it will control the pain.

The second that the Dr said that there really was something wrong with him he turned to me with this look on his face and said..... "I told you there was something wrong with me!!!!!!"

Uh huh, never going to live that one down.

I am expecting my 'Mother Of The Year' award to arrive at any moment. 

   

Emma...

 She took the brunt of the sickness. She has not had a very good year in the health department. Poor kiddo.

Emma went to a gymnastics tournament  and had a night away at her grandparents house. Gymnastics is one of her absolute favorite things to do. This was a serious bucket list moment for her. She had such a good time with her Grandma (and Grandpa, of course). 

Sadly though, she spent most of February on the couch or in her bed. She was so sick...the poor child dropped 4 lbs in a week. After the stomach virus moved on she caught an upper respiratory crud and ended up on round the clock scheduled breathing treatments and steroids.

She is finally feeling better and back to practicing gymnastics moves, jumping on the trampoline and playing basketball with Alex.

Addison...
  
  She was the one to kick off our fun filled month of sickness. She started with the stomach bug and then ended up with the upper respiratory crud as well. She actually really scared me with the upper respiratory stuff. Her breathing was so tight one night that I thought she had croup. She did however spend the better part of the month GermXing and telling everyone else not to get her sick...despite the fact that she was patient zero.
When she wasn't feeling yucky she was busy being well..Twirly....which is just how Addison is. She is sweet, fun loving and busy, busy, busy.  She has been trying her absolute hardest at school lately. She finally got to the point in her reading program when she started reading actual stories..She is SO proud! She is also zooming through her math.  She is so proud
Addison has also been very crafty this month! She has been making  from tents to zoo animals out of paper. She also decided two days ago that she had to have a boat made out of paper. She spent hours yesterday gluing paper together to make it. She eventually got frustrated and started asking me for help. Let me tell you right now...Lyndsay, is not a crafty craft person. I am just not once of those science experiment, decoupage project sort of homeschooling moms.Believe me, I have tried..but it is just not in me. 

  However, She asked and how do I say no...so off to Youtube I went. Youtube has saved me on more than one occasion. So we made a paper boat. She decorated it and has been happily sailing her paw patrol figures along the imaginary seas ever since.

 I also have to share with you Addison's most recent little quark, if you will...the fact that she will only wear one sock. *shivers* It gives me chills just typing it. I asked her the other day why she had been only putting on one sock...she said "I did not put one sock on, I took one sock off.'

Her thought process amazes me sometimes.

I also caught her putting her boots on this past weekend without socks. I said "Don't forget socks.' She said "Don't worry, I have one on.' There is more to the conversation...but it ended with me sending her to find another sock. She went off in a huff, because how dare I require two socks of her. She then returned with one hot pink frozen themed ankle sock and a knee high gray hello kitty sock, with stripes.

    She also is a firm believer that a skirt can and should go with absolutely every outfit. (Did you see the red sparkly shirt in the family picture above? Go ahead, scroll back up to Alex's portion, I'll wait.)
Yep, she as her own style. I know she will outgrow it someday, so for now I grin and bear it and make sure she has clean underwear on.

 

Anna...
  Despite having what the Dr said had to be Rotavirus, respiratory crud and an ear infection...Miss Anna made some Big leap and bounds this month. She finally started liking fruit, is sitting up, sat in a high chair, drank from a sippy cup, found her feet and had (A family record breaking) 8 outfit changes in one day. (Thank you Rotavirus!  I am seriously thankful for the Rotavirus vaccine. Anna had a rather mild case of it compared to the older kids, who had it without the vaccine.)
She still managed to smile through it all. She makes us smile every day. 

She has EPIC thighs!

 

           

Me....

  Hmmm...what did I do this month?
   Like I said above..most of it was a blur of sick kiddos and just plain ole craziness. I can tell you that I drank a LOT of coffee, started reading my Bible from Genesis (Again, one of these days I will get all the way through.), disinfected the house endlessly, prayed for these kiddos a lot, made up a totally awesome new garlic bread recipe, started working out again (12k+ steps a day with my fitbit), and drinking 100oz of water a day,  shampooed the living room rug, dumped facebook off of my phone, left most of my social media sites and did my best to keep up with all of these people who call me Mom and this ever changing river we call the tiny house. 

  I have been having quite a few back issues since Anna was born. Back issues are not anything new, I just did a good job at ignoring them until after she came along. I used to use a Mody Wrap for my babies..but it was killer on my back! Plus, Anna is a "personal bubble" type of baby and Hated being that close to me. So, I ordered an ERGO! Love it! Didn't get to use it that much since ordering because it was just too cold..and we were too sick to really get out and about. I've used it more this month and it is a life saver. Can't wait to go to the zoo with it. 

WEAR ALL THE BABIES!!!! <3

I'm also on a mission to lose the last of this pesky baby weight before Summer. (Because I'm too cheap to buy more Summer clothes.) I have kicked it into high gear. Using my Fitbit (Thank you husband, BEST Anniversary gift ever.) and tracking calories. I started out requiring myself to log 10k steps, and recently moved it up to 12k. With 30-60 moinutes of tracked activity, and an estimated calorie deficit of 500-1000. Yes, I am that determined. ;) 

I will make a post updating that as well. (I've lost almost four times the amount I have to lose now, in the past..so it is not like I am new to this. It's it just time to suck it up and get back to it.)

Ergo selfie at the Allergist; Dr visit with zero sleep; I liked my hair, and felt awesome for hitting 7500 steps before 10am. :)

How was Your February??

Here's to March! Hopefully it is Merciful on the Tiny House Homeschool Family!

Blessings!!!

~Lyndsay~ 



*** A couple random pictures that didn't have a place...
  Addison's decorated boat.

Emma reading with Anna. 

 

  Sometime in the midst of all the sickness we had a nice day and the kids had a pic lunch.

The Struggle Is Real (Eating Disorder Related Post)

My husband and I have differing views on eating disorders. (Spurred once again by watching an extreme weight loss show)

He says it is easy to lose weight 'just don't eat the cheeseburger/pizza/etc and exercise more.'

While I do agree with the fact that that is true.(I know it is true because I did it and am continuing to do it once again post baby.) ..I also know what it is like on the other side when there is so much more tied to it than that. It is a mental, physical and emotional struggle.

Even with being in 'recovery' it doesn't mean it is gone. Eating disorders don't just go away. You can learn new mentalities, and train yourself to fall back on different options...but there is still that dark little voice that lingers in the background. It gets quieter over time when you ignore it, but can get louder during times of stress or struggle. If you give in and feed the disorder, the voice and urge grows. It is a seriously legitimate mental, physical and emotional struggle.

I guess, I see it differently because I've been on the other side of the fence and I know it is more than just walking away from the cheeseburger and taking a walk..it is so much more. There is a battle that takes place everyday, that no one else can see.

Maybe it is the fact that I'm exhausted from Anna not sleeping well..of the fact that I'm out of coffee..or a plethora of other reasons...and I am forced to remind myself to be on guard about my disorder every single day at the moment.
Does it mean I am not in recovery?
No, it means I'm still fighting and always will. Sure, I have really good times where I get to ignore the fact that it exists, and other times where it comes knocking.

Because it never really goes away.
It never will.

I realize some people will never understand because they have not felt the struggle and the pain.
Guess we can't blame them. They can't understand something they have never experienced. We can't expect that of them. ..and that's ok.

Eating disorders are real people. You don't have to understand them. You just have to accept them and learn to manage them. They do not define you, but if given the chance they will run your life into the ground. And no one knows because it is the biggest secret you will ever have and attempt to keep.

So, the next time you hear someone mention an eating disorder..don't ignore it or brush it under the rug. Just speaking of it is a big deal for most people. It takes a lot to take your biggest struggle and put it out there for others to see.

So..in the spirit of keeping it real..

Hello, my name is Lyndsay and I have an eating disorder and some days...the struggle is real.

Now I am going to take some Tylenol and attempt to get some sleep before this adorable little girl decides to party it up at Lord knows how early! Lol

** I am copy and pasting(typo's and all) this from my FB page. I have and still do struggle with an eating disorder. Sometimes it is very good and sometimes it is very bad. It is what it is. This post was my thought process about it all from late one night, last week...spurred from a conversation I had with my husband about the subject. I love my husband dearly and accept him for who he is. Just like he accepts me for who I am. Along with that, I also realize he (and others) will never understand the struggle that people truly deal with when they have an ED. ** 

Blessings,

Lyndsay

You want me to eat what??

You want me to eat what?!

Anna went to her four month check up a couple weeks ago. The Dr said she was ready to start eating baby food. I have to be honest, feeding babies solids is one of my favorite things about this stage. The faces, the mess, the excitement. Yes, I am easily entertained and amused.

Apparently the thing to do now (So much has changed since Alex was born ten years ago. Heck, even since Addison was born five years ago!) is to start with green vegetables. We skipped cereal because it is not that nutritious, and if you were too see Anna's thighs, you would agree that she clearly does not need any extra carbs in her diet. They are adorably cute and epic...but still...she does not need the extra carbs from cereal.

So we started with green beans, then sweet peas. She LOVED the green beans! She laughs and MMM Mmm's all the way through it.
The sweet peas were a bit 'Eh' for her. She ate them.

Then I thought I would jump ship and give her bananas. I figured she would enjoy them. The other kids loved them.

Nope! She hates them.

So I figured we would try apples.

Nope! They make her gag and she whines through the whole feeding.

I gave fruit a break and tried sweet potatoes.

Loved them!
(Are you sensing a pattern here?)

After the sweet potatoes we tried Pears.

Nope! Even more gagging!

Carrots?

Serious win!

OK? Seriously?!

Since when does a baby not like fruit?!

This is a new one for me people. I have never seen a baby turn her nose up at fruits.
I'm hoping she gets used to them. Studies show that it can take up to ten times to adjust to a flavor and texture.
So, forward we shall trudge through these tiny jars of fruit.

She serious cracks me up though. She savors every bite of the green beans, sweet potatoes and carrots.(We only tried sweet peas twice , because she had a less than desirable reaction to them. We will be trying those again in a couple weeks.)
However, the moment you give her a bite of fruit she gives you this look of, "Seriously Mom? You expect me to eat this?"
She is such a happy and laid back baby. She takes her dislike of fruits very well. She eats them, gags occasionally and then laughs about it. Then a couple bites later she whines at me about it. Then I tell her, I feel her pain and clearly she is suffering..and she laughs some more.

Have you ever had a baby not like fruit?

I'm curious to see if this carries on into her childhood...

Well it is Friday..which means I have a menu to plan and a grocery list to make. So I had better run...and run fast...because I have been rationing the coffee for the last few days. I literally just drank the last cup! I don't know about you, but that is an emergency level 10 at our house!

I guess I shall loud up the children and trek to Sam's club for a really BIG box of coffee, and some more baby food to torture Anna with. Muahaha. ;)

Happy Friday!

Lyndsay, THHM

How To Save Money On Hair Cuts....

   Not long after we were married, Dustin bought a clipper set on sale at Sears. He had decided to cut his own hair. (He made this decision while standing in front of the sales display in Sears ;).) His first few attempts were less than desirable. The torch was quickly passed to me...because I can actually see the back of his head. hehe.

  Don't get me wrong..I was not exactly a pro at hair or anything..and this was before youtube was a big thing. Sometimes, I was very thankful that he wore hats to work!

  We were flying by the seat of our pants. But it was saving us money. So we pressed forward.

Over time, I got better at cutting hair. I cut Dustin's, trimmed my own and expanded with each new addition to the family.

Am I a professional?...absolutely not.

Have I screwed up everyone's hair at least once? Oh definitely!

Have I accidentally caught the husbands ear in the trimmers? Mmmaayybe...*side glance*

 ...sshhh...I still deny that this happened, even to his face...even though his ear was obviously bleeding. I also may have done this to our son as well. I can't help the fact that the men in this house can not sit still! Anytime I screw up, I am always quick to remind Dustin that I am saving him money and that this was HIS idea about 14 years ago. hehe
 

  Have I saved my family a LOT of money? DEFINITELY! :)  
   
  We have been doing this for over 14 years. I can't even begin to imagine how much it has saved us over the years. At a minimum I would say it saves us $15-30 a month. Between 5 heads of hair, (Babies don't count. At least not my poor, bald headed babies) that's around $180-360 dollars a year. 

  I will occassionally take the kids and get things straightened or refreshed..I did it for myself as well. I do not claim to be a professional, and firmly believe that there is a time and a place to go to a salon. There is something awesome about going and getting your hair done. It feels fresh and crisp afterwards. 

  Recently, I have been going and getting mine cut. Last Fall, I decided to go with a shorter cut..one that requires upkeep. I felt really guilty about the money for a while..then I reminded myself that I'm already saving the family enough money in the hair cutting area....as well as...this is my one thing. I am not high maintenance. Almost all of my clothes are from clearance, or from ebay. I do not wear loads of expensive make up or get my nails done. So I decided my hair is something just for me. :) It even got its own line in the budget. Thank you EveryDollar!

  Last Friday was my scheduled hair appointment. All of my helpers went with me. 
(Have I mentioned how great my hair lady is? She didn't even bat an eye at my crew.) 

   Emma had been on the fence about cutting her hair for months. It was really long and had been that way for over two years. Well, she decided on Friday that 'today was the day' and she couldn't wait another moment to have it gone.
  It had been a long time since I had done a girls short style, and I was nervous! I even tried to talk her into waiting and going to the lady who does my hair. She would not wait. 
  
  So...we cut her hair. Eight inches shorter and lots of layering...and she is happy. I got really worried about half way through with the layers. Once it was washed and dried and I did a little more trimming it was ok. Her hair has a lot more body than it did a few years ago, I was not prepared for that. 
(I am probably going to take her to have it thinned this week. I have thin hair and have never had that problem. LOL We do not have the tools for thinning.)

  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and Emma has been bouncing around like it's Christmas for three days now. ;) You can't deny the wonderfulness of a new hair cut. Even at that age! 
She loves it and I love the fact that we saved some cash. 

  Like I said above...I have absolutely no issues with Salons. I admire the people who do it.
 I dread  cutting hair sometimes...especially in the winter. Hair cuts are so much easier, in the Summer, when you can do it outside. So much less mess! 

  We just feel that this is one of the areas in our lives that we can cut some corners and save a little cash. 

  If you decide to give this a try, there is not much to starting up. 

  The supply list is short.

  -Comb
  -Squirt Bottle With Water
  -Clipper Set (If you have men/boys in the house)
  -Scissors (I usually get a medium priced pair at Walmart)
  -Towel (you should already have that)

 The start up cost is fairly low maybe $30...Then all you need is time, practice and good bit of YouTube!  
This is not for everyone. I know quite a few people who have tried it and it didn't work out. That's OK! There are certain things that I'm not comfortable doing to save money.(Homemade Laundry Detergent, UGH!) It is all in what you feel comfortable doing.

 Do you cut your families hair? 

 If you read this and try it for yourself, I want to hear about it!


Blessings and Happy Money Saving!

Lyndsay..THHM
  
 

 

The Plumbing Disaster

Remember just yesterday, when I was telling you about how cozy and relaxed of a day we were having?

Well...an hour after I posted that post...the main drain in our house backed completely up!

Yep, one minute I am sipping coffee and cuddling the baby after finishing up cleaning the house...the next thing I know, I am watching Dustin cut holes in my utility room floor. *shakes head*

When we got this house..the plumbing was a disaster.

 EVERYTHING was a disaster.

The house before we started.

 That is why we gutted the entire house, including electric and plumbing, and started over. When we were doing the plumbing the main drain looked good. So, we hooked all of our new plumbing to it. Had the septic emptied and checked. Everything looked good.
*Note to self. When the house is that bad, Always tear it all out and start over.*

Then we moved in. We would often hear a gurgling. Dustin looked into it. We kind of figured it was because we had not finished running the vents all the way out of the house yet. We had those finicky vent caps on temporarily. We finished running the vents.

The problem did not go away. It got worse, but kind of came and went. It just wasn't something that screamed 'Serious Problem'. Dustin is a busy man, and it wasn't at the top of his list.

 Until, one day in August, when I was VERY pregnant, the entire thing backed up. The tub was full, both of the sinks, etc.

We called a plumber, because Dustin was stuck at work. They cleaned the main drain from the septic to the house. The 'Brilliant Genius' who update the plumbing,(and the rest of the house before we bought it.) thought it would be a good idea to put the main clean out UNDER the utility room floor.  The plumbers were not very nice gentlemen and seemed to be in a hurry. They didn't bother to come in and check the drains or anything.

They did say that, judging from the amount of build up, it was probably mostly from the last residents. They also suggested that we dig it all up and replace the main drain. I was 36 weeks pregnant. There was no way we were taking that on at that moment in time.

$290 later and we could at least use the toilet again  (Something this pregnant lady was thankful for. ;) )...and things did drain.

Oh, we had the septic emptied also, $125. I was so thankful for our emergency fund that day. 

However, that gurgling never completely went away. It would come and go and Dustin did what he could.

We were trying to avoid tearing up the floor to get to the clean out.  Finding the drain and making an access hatch was on the 'To Do' list...but not until we actually got to finishing the utility room. That room is currently last on the list of rooms to finish.

Then yesterday happened.

We attempted Drano at first, $15.

It did nothing.

Then he started tearing up the flooring.
The stick down tiles that I got on clearance..because it was discontinued. *Facepalm*

Yep.

*Deep Sigh*

He had to cut five holes in the floor before he was able to find the clean out. Then he had to cut a bigger hole to get to the clean out.

 **Deeper Sigh*

AND THEN...he had to go to Lowe's and get one of those BIG electric drain auger snakes, and some very thick and long orange gloves, $430

One very messy hour and $450 later...the drain was officially fixed.

The gurgling is gone. We are pretty sure that the plumbers didn't officially get the problem taken care of to begin with. We are also fairly certain that this was probably an on going issue with the past residents.


 We then did what we always do when this old tiny house throws us for a loop. We laugh about the disaster, give each other a kiss, clean up the mess, praise God for our debt free house and emergency fund...and order pizza for dinner. 


Needless to say, the chilli did not get made yesterday ;) ...and I had to clean the house again today..at least parts of it.

  Dustin filled in the holes in the utility room floor. Thankfully we have a few of the tiles left.
Looks like we will be putting something different in there when we get to finishing that room. ;)
 This crazy house has thrown us for more than one loop along the way. We love it..and we keep moving forward. 
Because...it's worth it.

The tiny house now.

 On the bright day side, the next time we have to clean out a drain...the auger will have paid for itself! ;) 
I don't know about you...but I'm always happy when something pays for itself. LOL

I'm now making the chili, school is finished for the day and the washer is no longer draining into the bathtub...VICTORY!
All is back to Warm and Cozy in the Tiny house. :)

Blessings,
Lyndsay

Winter...

Winter was reluctant to show up in Ohio this year.

The view out of our front door.

Not that I am complaining,
 I'm a warm weather girl.
Winter could stay away until Spring for all I care.
However, if Winter didn't come.... we would miss the absolute best part about this Tiny house of ours.

Our Tiny House Is A Winter House!

The entire time we were tearing down and rebuilding this house we would talk about how wonderful it was going to be on a cold winter day when the snow was flying. We would be all snug in the house not noticing the cold, spending time together, drinking coffee and and watching the snow fly..with a pot of chili on for later in the evening.

 It is just, at its BEST in the Winter.

 It is so warm and cozy in here when the snow is flying outside.
The Winter months are also the cheapest months on our budget, especially the electric...Strange but true. :) We contribute it to the triple insulation, design/layout of the rooms and the super efficient furnace we installed.  
*We put a lot of thought and planning into every aspect of the house, to keep our over all living expenses low and to maximize on every bit of space.

Well, TODAY is the first real Winter day since the house has gotten relatively close to being finished.
The wind is blowing, there is a serious bite to the air and the snow is flying. We are only expecting about an inch...but that's ok.
We are all warm and snug....

See our unfinished dining room walls. Thankfully the dining room is one of the  next rooms to be finished. 

 Including the dog. :)

 The baby is enjoying her Christmas present. (The one I just now got around to putting together for her.)

That is my new 12qt stock pot. It holds so much!

 There are beans on to soak for chili this evening. (I just recently started to make my beans, instead of buying them, for recipes. A post is coming for that shortly.)

 There is coffee and chatting..while the wind blows...and you can't tell because this house is so warm and snug.
*Any other house we lived in, you could tell when it was really cold outside. The house just had a different feel. This house is very different. We planned it that way. No Winter chill is getting into this place. :)

The girls love their new room. It is designed in true tiny house fashion...Lots of storage built in!

And everyone is enjoying their space..in our tiny house.
*The girls room was finished just this week...a post is coming for that as well! Hmm...clearly I have a lot of blogging to do in the very near future. I had better get on it. 


Happy Winter Sunday, from our house to yours!

~Lyndsay

Paleo Cabbage Soup Recipe

 My cousin told me about this recipe.
 In fact she told me about it for over a year before I actually tried it. Because, honestly, just hearing about it over the phone, it didn't sound that great. lol

 I finally agreed to at least just make it to try once.

 I have to admit the first time I made it I was a bit skeptical. Once you put everything in the pot it doesn't look that appetizing. Then it all cooks down.
 The recipe itself is not difficult and the ingredients don't sound all that great together...
But...
Something magical happens once it all cooks down and the cabbage absorbs all the flavors. 
It's absolutely delicious!


This has quickly become a family favorite. Especially with the kids...but what can you expect from kids who eat Brussels Sprouts like they are candy? Addison (5) frequently asks when we are having this soup again...and she is the picky one.
The best thing about this soup..besides the fact that it is delicious, nutritious and fast (about an hour start to finish)..is the fact that is makes a LOT of soup!
  We can eat it for dinner one night, Dustin can take it to work for lunch and the kids and I can eat it two days for lunch. It fills my 12 Quart stock pan almost completely to the brim before it cooks down. Normally, after we have multiple bowls of this for dinner, it is not uncommon to have a gallon of soup for leftovers.

We are not a 'Paleo' family, but I never shy away from a nutritious meal..and Paleo is the place to find a lot of really nutritious, filling meals for my, ever hungry, house full of kids. :)

Paleo Cabbage Soup

Ingredients
1 lb Ground Sausage
1 lb Ground beef
1 Onion chopped
1 heaping TBSP Garlic (minced)
4  15oz cans, Diced Tomatoes (Or two of the big beef steak tomatoes, if you prefer to avoid canned items)
2 1/2-3 cups Carrots(sliced)
2 1/2-3 cups Celery(sliced)
2 cartons Beef Broth
1 medium Green Cabbage (chopped)
1 small Red Cabbage (chopped)

To Prepare

-Brown ground beef and sausage in a skillet, drain.

-While the beef and sausage are browning..chop and slice the onion, carrots, celery and both cabbages. Put all of it into a LARGE stock pot.

-Add the garlic, tomatoes and beef broth to the pot.

-Add the browned meat to the pot as well.

-Bring to a boil, turn heat to medium high and simmer. Let it cook down, stirring frequently, until the carrots and cabbage are cooked through.

Season the soup with pepper and season all salt (Or regular salt)

*We typically serve this with oyster crackers or crescent rolls.

Now that Winter seems to have finally arrived in Ohio, we will be having this in the meal rotation frequently.
One of the reasons I was reluctant to try this recipe, was the cost. It is around $20 to make this soup. However,  we eat on it multiple times..and the nutritional value is fairly high...I feel it is worth the $20.

Enjoy!

~Lyndsay
 THHM

Merry Christmas!!!

~Anna~

 See this beautiful little girl?
 Her name is Anna, and she is 14 weeks old. She is the fourth little blessing to be born into our own little crazy part of the world. :) This little one has taught me so much..well, truthfully, they each have taught me a lot.
But, Anna, she changed me in more ways than one. She was  my first 100% non medicated delivery. She was also my fastest delivery. (3cm-holding her in 26 minutes flat. Pit induced contractions, after my water broke at 38+1, and was born in 3 pushes. The Dr walked up just in time to literally catch her.)
She is also my first bottle fed baby. Due to circumstances beyond my control, she ended up on formula. She is thriving and doing well..so I have let it go and given it to God. I am normally an AVID breast feeding mother..I loved nursing my babies. But, it truly just sometimes doesn't work out. So I let it go...and have just focused on enjoying this happy ray of sunshine that has been placed into our family.

 Anna is such a sweet little thing. She is so calm, and laid back. She has been since the day she was born. She typically sleeps through the night, is always smiling at us and only cries when she is hungry. Also, the Christmas tree is her best friend, she will talk to it for half an hour! Such a precious thing. She is such a snuggler, I'm eating it up!
It is also so fun to watch her relationships that she has developed with her brother and sisters.
She is rotten with her brother, Alex,(he claims her his little buddy in training).
She treats her oldest sister, Emma, like her second Mother(which fits perfectly with that child's love of mothering).
Her older sister (Addison, age 5) only has to glance at her and you can see the excitement in her eyes. Anna just knows that she and Addison will be forever the adventurous duo. Partners in crime. 

 She is never at a loss for arms to hold her. She is a snuggler and also knows that the moment she makes a peep she will have at least 3 faces awaiting to tend to her every whim.

 She thinks her Daddy is the best thing ever invented...and saves her best smiles for him. The moment he walks in the door, her head is craning to the sound of his voice. According to Anna, Daddy hung the moon and stars and makes them glow at night. He also chose her name...

But she knows the best hugs come from Mama. She is my moment of calm in this whirlwind of activity we call our daily lives. She is my reminder to soak it up, because they aren't little for long.(She also knows Mommy is busy, and will sometimes hang onto my shirt for dear life in order to not be put down) She has learned quickly to call out "Ma" when the rest of the world is just too much. We sneak away to our recliner and rock the troubles of the world away.
She is precious, she is sweet, she is the girl with the kissable cheeks...she is Anna. <3

Speaking of, I hear her calling 'Ma' from the living room right now. Time to rescue her from the big kids and all their crazy.

Until next time...
~Lyndsay, Tiny house Mom.