People have many different motivations for gardening. For some it is a pleasurable hobby to help relieve the stresses of daily life. Some people are trying to get away from the preservatives and other chemicals contained in processed foods purchased at the grocery store. One often overlooked reason for gardening, however, is for the simple fact of saving money.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables can really put a dent in your monthly grocery bill. What often starts out as a hobby can quickly become a way of life when you realize just how much money you are saving every month. Here are several ways that you can save money by making the most of your garden harvest.

Freezing Produce

Freezing is one of the most popular methods for preserving fruits and vegetables. You do not need a lot of special equipment that is necessary for canning.

Just about anything you grow can be frozen. Some vegetables need to be blanched first (boiled for a minute or two) before frozen, so look up directions for freezing that particular fruit or vegetable. Some produce, like cherry tomatoes, can be frozen whole.

You can place items to be frozen in reclosable freezer bags, or you can purchase a vacuum sealer that will remove the air from the package before you freeze it, significantly extending the item’s storage life.

Freezing is very easy and only requires a little extra freezer space.

Canning

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FREE Blogger Opp! ~ Kiss the Cook Event

May 25th, 2013 user

Mary Walker

Kiss the Cook Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media

Prize: Rachael Ray Cookware Prize Package

Event dates: 6/3 – 6/24

PLEASE TELL THEM PLUM CRAZY

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Weight Watchers Once Again!

May 24th, 2013 user

Mary Walker

Back to Weight Watchers meetings!

I have come to realize that I cannot lose my weight without going to Weight Watchers meetings. I hear people say all the time, “I don’t need to go to the meetings. I can do it on my own”! Well, I used to say the same thing. That is why I put back on 50 of my 80 pounds lost. Because I can’t do it on my own.

There is something about going to the meetings that helps me to stay on track. I don’t know if it’s because I feel that I have to weigh in and I don’t want them to think,”oh, another 2 or 3 pounds up”. Whatever the reason, it helps!

So, last week, I returned once again. My original starting weight was 284. You can follow along with my weekly weigh in’s. Yeah, I’m laying it on the line. Don’t laugh, I know I weigh a lot. It’s not easy, especially when I’m on my steroids. I just want to eat all the time. My husband says to me ~ “I can’t believe you tell everyone how much you weight”! I know, I can’t either, but there it is in black and white.

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White Cloud Sleep Pants #Sponsor

May 24th, 2013 user

Mary Walker

White Cloud Sleep Pants helps protect and make them feel at ease.

Sometimes, kids have a problem with wetting the bed. It can make them feel awkward and embarrassed. But, it’s usually something that can’t be helped. So, rather than yell at them or make them feel ashamed, help them through it. It’s usually just a phase of childhood development that they will outgrow. Bed wetting is usually something that doesn’t get talked about a whole lot because it’s not something you want your friends and neighbors to know about. So, I am glad to have this opportunity to discuss it as part of this White Cloud Sleep Pants sponsored campaign. All opinions stated are 100% my own and may differ from yours.

We really needed these because last year when we stayed over at Grandma’s house, 2 mornings in a row we had to change the sheets. Needless to say, Grandma was not happy and it didn’t make Jay feel very good either because he knew Grandma was mad. We haven’t stayed there since, but now we might be able to once again. When things like this happen, we usually try to change the subject and tell him it was just an accident.

White Cloud Sleep Pants come in two sizes. A small/medium that fits kids 45-65 lbs and a L/XL that fits 60-125 lbs. We got the L/XL and they fit perfectly. Jay is 75 lbs. Sometimes, he likes to go and sleep over his friends house. But because of his bed wetting, he hasn’t until now that we got the White Cloud Sleep Pants. They fit just like underwear with soft, stretchy tear away sides. Jay said they are very comfortable plus they have the leak protection that will give them the confidence to go to a sleep over. And no one can even tell he is wearing them.

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