Something to Ponder....

"Becoming Minimalist' is spot on when he wrote this:

"....what would happen if we stopped getting embarrassed over the wrong things and started pursuing the right things?

What if, instead of being embarrassed over the brand of our clothing, we became embarrassed over the size of our walk-in closet?

What if, instead of being embarrassed over the type of car we drive, we became embarrassed over how often we take that luxury for granted?

What if, instead of being embarrassed because our house is too small, we became embarrassed over the amount of unused space within it?

What if, instead of being embarrassed over the quality and quantity of our possessions, we became embarrassed over how much money we have spent on our own selfish pursuits?

What if excess became the embarrassment? And responsible living that championed generosity became the norm?

Maybe then, we could become a little more proud of normal."

Cheesy Ham, Potato and Green Bean Casserole

This is a great recipe - down to earth ingredients and a good dish to take to someone needing a meal. This recipe is probably good for six but can easily be adapted for more. No store bought creamed soups for this recipe - just homemade goodness :-)

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 chopped onion
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
salt to taste (maybe about 1/2 tsp)
3 cups milk
1-1/2 cups shredded old cheddar cheese
5 cups potatoes, diced and cooked
4 cups green beans, cooked
2 cups cooked ham, diced
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cups bread crumbs (I add a bit of paprika)

Melt butter with onion until bubbly and then stir in the flour. Mix well with a fork until well blended. At this point, I take the pan off the heat for a bit and very slowly mix in the milk. Over medium heat, and stirring constantly, heat until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat, add the cheese and stir well.
Put potatoes in greased 9x13 baking dish, top with green beans, and then ham.
Pour cheese sauce over evenly.
Melt butter and stir in bread crumbs with any seasonings you may like. Sprinkle over casserole.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

What is your favorite casserole recipe?

Scanners Code of Practice = FREE

I'm posting this tidbit of information because it appears that not everyone knows about the Scanners Code of Practice. Most grocery stores will refund you the money on an item if it scans through incorrectly.

Keep an eye on the shelf stickers when you are purchasing your groceries. Then check your receipt BEFORE leaving the store. If an item has not scanned in correctly, and if that particular store adheres to the Scanners Code of Practice, you will get the item for free. But you have to mention it yourself. There could be a limit as to how much they will refund.

I have saved a considerable amount of money over the years just by keeping an eye on the prices and checking my receipt before leaving the store. I generally shop at Super Store. Yesterday I purchased a very large container of Purex laundry detergent. There was a large display of them in a center aisle - price was $9.97. I put one in my cart but it rang through the check out as over $16!! I caught this before leaving the store and took the receipt to customer service. They refunded me the $16 that I paid and gave me the detergent for free. If I didn't mention "Scanners Code of Practice" I would have only been refunded the difference.

Praise God

Three weeks ago I went for another MRI to check for regrowth of the brain tumor that was removed 13 years ago. It had been four years since my last MRI and I was a tad nervous waiting for the results, especially considering my ongoing issues with headaches. I just prayed for peace whatever the result would be.  http://joyfulfrugalliving.blogspot.ca/2013_11_01_archive.html

Yesterday, my neurosurgeons office informed me that there was still no evidence of recurring tumor and my next scheduled MRI is in six years! This was such wonderful news. Thank you Lord!

Saturday Adventures....

There are a lot of fisherman along the banks of the Vedder River - if you look closely in one of the photos, you'll see a fish.

Ready for the masses tomorrow - never know how many people will show up for lunch after church.

If you have Air Miles Dream Rewards, this may be helpful....

We have collected a substantial amount of Air Miles (mainly through Safeway) and, even after using some of them over the years, there is still a lot in our account. I was alerted to the fact that, due to new rules, these Air Miles will eventually expire (I think Dec 2016).

I did a search to try and come up with the best way to use the Air Miles before expiry and came across BMO investment certificates. A person can redeem Air Miles for a BMO certificate that can in turn be used for a TFSA and other investments. There isn't any charge from BMO's end so that appears to be a great option! I had no idea until now that this was even an option with Air Miles.

Biking With Crazy Kids

Thanks to my Mom for passing her bike on to me. She has traveled many miles on this bike and I hope to add many more. We are so blessed to be living near many biking areas, both along the river and on the dike.

Heartwarming bit of news

Here is a heartwarming story - made me a bit teary-eyed:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/lost-first-world-war-bracelet-returned-to-arthur-erickson-s-family-1.2679181

Food For Thought

Written by Dr. Dobson

When my daughter Danae was a teenager, she came home one day, and she said, “Hey, Dad! There’s a great new game out. I think you’re going to enjoy it. It’s called `Monopoly’.” I just smiled.

We gathered the family together, and we set up the board. Well, it didn’t take the kids long to figure out that old dad had played this game before. I soon owned everything: all the best properties, Boardwalk, Park Place. I even had Baltic and Mediterranean. My kids were squirming and I loved every minute of it. About midnight, I foreclosed on the last property and did a little victory dance, but my family wasn’t impressed. They went to bed, and they made me put the game away. As I began putting all of my money back in the box, a very empty feeling came over me. Everything that I had accumulated was gone. The excitement over riches was just an illusion. And then it occurred to me, “Hey, this isn’t just a game of Monopoly, this is life. You sweat and strain to get ahead, but then one day, after a little chest pain or a wrong move on the freeway, the game ends. It all goes back in the box.” You leave this world just as naked as the day you came into it.

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” That’s wrong. It should say, “He who dies with the most toys dies anyway.”

Walking By The River

About a six minute walk from our place are wonderful trails along the river - so beautiful. Yesterday we walked about 7 kilometers....just peaceful hearing the river and birds and seeing the fishermen.

In other big news: I relearned to bike!!! So excited about this because I haven't been able to bike since my brain surgery 12 years ago. My balance isn't great and I notice this on the bike but, with practice, things should get better :-) Right alongside the river trails is the dike - a great place for biking as well.

Some pictures while on our walk.

I thought I was going crazy....

The blinds were swaying from side to side a bit and the lamps were also moving....no wonder:

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/6-7-magnitude-earthquake-hits-near-vancouver-island-1.1789964

I'm just surprised that the effects of this earthquake were felt here.

Just when we thought winter was over....

For our Dutch family......winter photos from Feb 23rd. The wind helped the snow to disappear quickly. We had another snow storm yesterday with a lot more snow but forgot to take photos.

 K's little truck missing the box (getting worked on in UFV Autobody class).

Simplicity

A busy life can be an empty life. Full schedules demand our attention day in and day out. The calendar is packed with commitments and we scarcely have room to breathe.

Our homes are equipped with the latest modern conveniences and yet life can still become a fury of hamster wheel activity .... if we let it. That is key! If we let it....

To accept that we don't need the latest electronic gadget, clothing style, vehicle, vacation takes courage in the midst of a world gone mad pursuing material stuff and drowning in debt. It takes one small step at a time to make a change. Why do we crave material goods when so many in the world live in abject poverty? Satan has a way to distract us from thankfulness and on to greed.

Living mindfully...becoming in tune with our wants and needs. And then an amazing transformation takes place. You find out that you really need very little and you experience freedom because less becomes more. The Christian focus on giving and asking God to help us live more meaningfully becomes priority.

I guess a good question to ask, when we think back to our childhood, "Do we remember the latest gadgets or the time spent with those you loved...experiences." Purposely living with less gives more time and freedom to spend on what is truly important.

Another Christmas season has come and gone. People can get caught up in Christmas decorations, meals, gifts and forget what Christmas is all about - the gift of Christ to a lost world. We desperately need to follow Jesus teachings and not what the world teaches, realizing that there has to be a better way to live rather than stockpile possessions here on earth.

I just pray that God gives us the courage to live for Him, to find more joy in living with less, resulting in a more meaningful and abundant life.

Locked out

Wow, it sure is handy having a son studying Autobody Collision and Repair. Our van's driver door was jammed shut since Christmas break and, without the proper tools, we had to live with the problem for a bit.  Couldn't get in or out through that door, so I've been getting some strange looks while jumping in and out through the slider door on the other side.

This morning K took the van to school and his teacher and students figured out what the problem was. Apparently this was a 'first' for the teacher too.  It's wonderful when ones vehicle can be used as a teaching tool and getting fixed in the process without costing anything :-) I may have to bake some muffins for the UFV crew that solved the problem!