January, 2013 | Saved By Grace

How to Help a Greiving Loved one

January 30, 2024 By Christine 1 Comment

Let me start by saying, I am by no means an expert on this subject, but as I have been going through my own grieving process, I have had some very helpful things done for me that I wanted to share. Many times, when someone you know loses a loved one, you don’t know what to say or do. You feel helpless, knowing whatever you say will not be enough and whatever you do will not bring their lost loved one back. Some people pull away because of this fear.

One thing that was the most helpful was just having people there to let me vent, cry to and sort my feels out with. They just talked me through my pain and validated it. They didn’t push their “listening ears” on me, but rather let me come to them.

I do what a lot of people do when coping gets hard; I “hole up”. Whether that is healthy or not, I think it is a pretty normal reaction to losing someone you care about. The day my aunt passed away, it felt so unreal. I felt like I was detached and like this was all a dream. My husband just let me cry. He held me and he tried his hardest to make my day good. He took me for frozen yogurt and dinner. He didn’t push me to talk, but he listened when I did.

I have had so many friends (I am extremely blessed!) both online and in person send me their condolences. Just knowing I am not alone and in other people’s thoughts and prayers really helped. A simple, “I am thinking of you..” note on my facebook wall or a message on my phone really made me feel loved and care for.

One thing I think that I should stress: Don’t be afraid to call someone who is in the midst of a personal crisis. I think many times, we avoid the uncomfortable silence of not knowing what to say by making excuses to not call such as, “oh, that person must be tired of hearing the phone ring by now, I don’t want to bug them..” or ” They must be busy, so I shouldn’t get in their way..” Please, just call. If I am busy or I don’t feel like talking, I won’t answer the phone, but let me tell you, the messages I was left in my voice mail mean so much to me. Just knowing that you cared to call is so powerful to a hurting soul.

In conclusion, I think the best thing a person can do for a hurting person in their life is to let your presence be knows. Just let them know you care and are there to listen. It might just g8ive them the strength they are needing.

Filed Under: Christian Living, Homelife

An Update

January 29, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

So, if you normally follow my blog, you will see that there has been a gap in my postings.

I will just be frank.

2013 has not been good to me so far.

I lost my aunt a couple weeks ago and from there it was a downward spiral into bad stuff.

I won’t bore you with all the details, but let’s just say things need to get better soon. I am staying positive by clinging to good friends and the hope my Father in heaven gives me in his word. He said in my favorite verse:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..Plans to prosper you, not to harm you..plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE.

- Jeremiah 29:11

I also started a job outside the home, which is new for me as I haven’t worked in over 5 years. I am enjoying my new job very much and I am so happy it has been there to help me escape and bring me some hope.

I plan on regularly scheduling posts from now on and you can look forward to seeing recipes, DIY stuff, frugal living tips, my favorite products, cleaning tips and of course beauty tips! I haven’t quit blogging, I just needed a break from “life” for a while as the stress was getting to me.

Looking forward to the Lord’s future he has for me in 2013! Hopefully this will be a year of new beginnings!

Filed Under: My Blog

Baked Spaghetti {Recipe}

January 24, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

My family loves all types of Italian foods. Admittedly, we are all carb-o-holics. This is why my diet has been so hard to stick to. (Although, I did lose 5.2 lbs the first week!)

I make this meal on occasion when I need to whip something up quick and hearty. You can even use store bought sauce (not something I usually buy, but it was on sale and I had coupons, so I couldn’t pass it up!)

This recipe is also nice because it is so versatile and can be made vegetarian simply by omitting a meat.

To make Baked Spaghetti, you will need:

1 1/2 jars of pasta sauce, your flavor choice

3 eggs

2 sleeves of spaghetti noodles, cooked

1 small tub of ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Meat of your choice, cooked (I used shredded chicken)

To make Baked Spaghetti:

Start by mixing spaghetti noodles with pasta sauce and eggs. I used my hands or tongs to mix these two well. You would also add your meat if you desire at this point.

Next, add your ricotta cheese and incorporate well.

Then, Add shredded Parmesan to the mix.

Cover with Mozzarella and aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until piping hot at 350 degrees.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes. This helps set it so it is more solid. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, Money Saving Meals, Recipes Tagged With: food, Recipes

Ways to Keep Your Child Entertained at a Restaurant

January 22, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

We have all been there. You go out for a nice family meal and the food is taking a little longer than your child’s stomach says it should. They get antsy, restless and grouchy. The coloring page is no longer entertaining them. You scramble in your purse for a single object and a scrap of paper to keep them entertained just a little bit longer. Your patience is wearing thin.

First and foremost, to have a better dining experience, come prepared, make your expectations clear on behavior and dine at a time when your kids are not too tired.

If you have all that in order, I came up with a list of things to do at the table to keep those little busy bees entertained! In the meantime, you may find yourself creating memories!

Try making a “straw caterpillar.” Simply bunch up the wrapper of a straw, while it is still attached in an accordion fashion and slip it off the straw. Lay it on the table and tell your kids to watch closely as just a bit of water makes the caterpillar come to life! Drip a couple tiny drops onto the wrapper and it will start to unwrap, but appear to be moving. My husband said he used to do this all the time as a kid.

For little ones, try asking them to arrange the items on the table from tallest to shortest.
Play “I spy”
Take your child for a walk while you wait for your food.
Come prepared with small, healthy snacks to keep the “Hungies” at bay while you wait.
If they are just learning to read, try having them read you the menu.
Ask them to tell you a story about how the food is being prepared in the back.
Bring flash cards with you and use this time to teach!
Get them involved in being little food critics. Ask them to tell you one thing on the menu that sounds wonderful and why and one thing on the menu that sounds icky and why. Make it a goal to eat one thing on the menu they wouldn’t normally like and ask them to critique it for you. Ask them to tell you what they like and dislike about the atmosphere at the restaurant.
Play Tic Tac Toe with the silverware at the table and sugar packets. Line up knives to create a Tic Tac Toe board and each player gets a different colored sugar packet.
Bring along simple table games that can be tucked away in your purse such as Pairs in Pears or Bananagrams.

What do you do to entertain your little ones when you are out for a meal?

Filed Under: Homelife Tagged With: Kids

I don’t even know what to title this

January 19, 2024 By Christine 7 Comments

This last couple of days have been a nightmare. I will be honest and say that I have felt like I am living in a personal hell.

My aunt Sharon, whom I have gotten close to this last couple of years passed away on the 17th from ovarian cancer. I feel like I am living in a detached body, just a shell. It’s hard to even function, let alone blog.

While my head knows she is gone, my heart is still searching for this to not be real. I can’t sleep, I can barely eat. The days don’t even seem the same. It is almost like I am walking around in a fog.

My aunt was the kind of person that everyone, even myself, should be. I never heard a judgmental word come out of her mouth, as she welcomed everyone into her life with open arms. She was the most kind, gentle and amazing woman I have ever met. I feel like I could talk to her about anything and she was always there to validate me, lift me up, encourage me and inspire me.

To be completely honest, the days she passed, I was angry at God. I couldn’t understand why he would not heal her from her cancer that she fought courageously all the way to the end. I admit, I am still completely puzzled as to why he chose not to heal her, and I may never understand it, but I have started to realize how precious life is and how I was blessed to even have her to begin with. She was my angel.

I remember the last time I spent time with her, around Christmas, she was not feeling well and my husband and I made the trip 2 hours away without calling because she was the kind of person that didn’t want people fussing over her, so I didn’t want to call and let her know we wanted to see her so she wouldn’t have the chance to tell us no. As I sat there in her kitchen, she cried and told me she was scared. She told me she was afraid to die. I held her hand and prayed with her just as I had when she was in the hospital after her hysterectomy. I then noticed she had some nail polish on her table and asked her if she wanted a manicure. I sat there, at her kitchen table, painting her small fingernails, and told her over and over again how beautiful she was and how much I loved her. My cousin, David, was making chilli and they ran out of seasoning, so I quickly swooped in to try to remedy that with my culinary skills. See, I had promised a while back that I would make her Marsala Chicken and I never got the chance. I wanted to cook for her, even if it was just helping out in the kitchen.

When it was time to say goodbye, I hugged her and didn’t want to let her go. I had a feeling this would be the last time I got to hold her in my arms. All the way home, I cried.

We had her cremated and as a family, we are going to sprinkle her ashes in a favorite outdoor spot in the spring. I love you Aunt Sharon. My heart will take time to heal from the loss of you and the world is missing one of it’s angels, but heaven gained another one.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

What I Love About my Daughter

January 16, 2024 By Christine 1 Comment

Warning! This post is heavy with photos and gushing with love and admiration for my daughter 😉

Aww, my little girl. She is growing so fast. It really is amazing to watch a baby become a little person with a separate identity from you and then into a little person you can carry on deeper conversations with. I am always amazed by what words my daughter uses at her age. Words I didn’t even think she knew! (all good words, I promise!)

My life has changed since I had her, too. I was a scared single mom when she was born. I was overwhelmed and had no idea how I was going to be as a mom. I used to love just laying her on my chest and listening to her snore (yes! she even snored as a baby!) as she sleeps.

I am now married, and my daughter will turn 10 in less than a month. She is an amazing person. I am so proud to call her my own.

My daughter has this amazing giving spirit. She has always loved to see people light up with gifts. I would have a million pictures she colored for me if I didn’t weed them out. Every Christmas, she spends her own money to buy everyone a gift. She loves giving to other people so much and I love that about her.

Another quality she has is she is amazingly independent. I remember taking cat naps on the couch when she was still very little and not worrying that she would get into something she wasn’t supposed to. While a lot of parents struggle to get their kids in bed, I have never had one single night where it was an issue. I remember being astonished when at 3 years old, she would start asking me if she could go to bed because she was tired. Of course I said yes! It allowed me to peek into the kind of independent soul she would become. Even now, I have never had a doubt in my mind that she will be able to handle anything that comes her way into adulthood.

I love that my daughter is creative. She has this mind that can create anything she puts it to. She is a good problem solver and loves learning. There is nothing better than a person who loves learning. That almost guarantees they will never stop growing in mind and spirit.

She has a love for Jesus. While I am a Christian mom, I do not try to shove my beliefs on my daughter. She is allowed to not go to church if she doesn’t want to (although she often chooses to go) and she is allowed to ask questions. I want her to find Jesus and develop a relationship with him on her own free will and I am happy she is doing that. I believe our spiritual selves are able to develop deeper meaning when it is not something that is forced upon us.

I love that my daughter is unique. She isn’t all into girly things (although lately she has started taking an interest in lip gloss and body sprays) and yet, she isn’t a total tomboy either. She has always loved her dolls and science kits equally.

We have so much fun together and have our own special games we play together that no one “gets”.

Being a mom is so rewarding. Its amazing, even.

Filed Under: Homelife Tagged With: Family, Kids

Warm Clam Chowder {Recipe}

January 15, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

I don’t “do” canned soup. I am kind of a soup snob, admittedly. I learned how to make my own soup when I attended Culinary Arts school and haven’t looked back. In fact, the only canned soup you will see me buying is for cooking in other recipes such as cream of mushroom.

I don’t understand why more people do not make their own soups. It really is so simple to do and you won’t believe how amazing it tastes! Plus, its so much cheaper to make. This recipe made enough for about 10 large bowls of soup and it cost me less than $12. So that is a couple meals for us. Maybe you, too, will never go back to canned soups?

One of my favorite soups has always been clam chowder. Of course, a lot of people can’t get past the texture of clams, but I don’t mind them at all as long as they are in soup. Too bad I am on a diet. ( )

Let’s get started, shall we?

For this Clam Chowder Recipe, you will need:

2 cans of clams

About 4-5 lbs of potatoes

2 large cartons of Chicken soup stock

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1 lb of bacon, cooked and chopped

1/2 cup milk or cream

Seasonings: Thyme, chives, salt, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and I like to put curry in mine as well

To make Clam Chowder:

Start by peeling your potatoes and cubing them into bite sized chunks.

Add HALF of them to a pot filled with your chicken stock and simmer for approx 15 minutes or until soft but not mushy.

Add clams to the mix. Do not drain the clams as you want the clam juice in the soup for flavor. Also add the bacon at this time and stir in.

Add the other half of your potatoes to the pot and bring to a low boil. Add seasonings to taste. Try playing around with some new ones. I like thyme, basil, curry, onion powder and garlic powder and always use salt and pepper!

Make a roux out and add it to your soup. ( For a refresher, a roux is equal parts butter and equal parts flour. You add the butter to a pan, allow it to melt and then slowly add the flour and stir until it resembles wet sand. To add it to your soup, add it slowly while whisking it in. This is how you thicken your soup from a broth to a thick soup)

Slowly whisk in your cream/milk. Allow to simmer another 10 or so minutes.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, Frugal Living, Lunch Recipes, Money Saving Meals, Recipes Tagged With: food, Recipes

Ology-New at Walgreens!

January 14, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

I frequently shop at Walgreens because I love how you can get a good bargain on household supplies there (not to mention makeup, toys and food!). I noticed a month or so back, they have a new brand of products there called Ology. The Ology line of products is a green line of paper products, cleaners, laundry soap,conditioner for your hair and even light bulbs!

What really impressed me was the price. As a bargain hunter, I am always looking for a good sale. Ology allows me to buy green products at a very reasonable price and with the Balance Rewards program there, I was able to not only get a ton of great Ology products on sale, but also some FREE!

I decided to try a variety from the Ology line at Walgreens to see which ones I liked best.

I got “paper” towels (made from Bamboo and sugar cane husk!), Bath Tissue (also made from bamboo and sugar cane husk), All Purpose Cleaner, Face Tissues (again, made from bamboo and sugar cane husk) and Conditioner (white pear and cucumber).

All the “paper” products are bio-degradable and bleached with H202, not chlorine bleach.

Pros:

I LOVED the way the conditioner smelled! It was awesome that it was Sulfate ad Paraben free, as well as not tested on animals. The bottle was 100% post consumer waste. This was also a huge plus for me! I absolutely loved the all purpose cleaner! It smelled so nice and I am so happy it is so safe and harmful chemical free yet it cleans amazing! I will be buying this again. It is such a great value.

Cons:

The “Paper” products were honestly disappointing. I don’t use paper towels too often, and opt for reusable rags, but they tore too easily and didn’t absorb much. The toilet tissue was rough on the skin and was used up too quickly. I didn’t find that the conditioner worked any better than the kind I already use and of the other items, it was a bit pricier than I would normally pay.

Verdict:

Stay away from the paper products if you are looking for a good absorbancy or hate rough toilet tissue. Definitely buy the all purpose spray!

To purchase:

Head over to you local Walgreens Store for these products and more from Ology! Some of the items are available online, but many are not.

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Green Living, Product Reviews Tagged With: Green Living

How to Cover a Nasty Blemish {Tutorial}

January 14, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

I am in my 30’s and one would think I am done with “zits”, but for me and a lot of women my age, that is not the case. I don’t get them a lot any more, but every month, like clockwork as soon as the monthly visitor arrives, my skin hates me. I have combination skin, so my skin is oily in the “T-Zone” and dry everywhere else. I rarely get blemishes on my cheeks. They really like to make their appearance on my chin, though. They like to bring their buddies for a party as well and camp out for a week or so.

Since this has been a monthly issue for me, I have gotten pretty good at using makeup to cover a nasty blemish. I would like to share my secrets for not only covering them, but helping them heal faster as well.

As you can see from the picture below, I have a nice big, red jerk of a zit hanging out on my chin currently. You can also see that I am wearing no makeup at all. Yes, my eyebrows really are sparse and hardly there. This is why I have to really fill them in to look right.

I am not impressed with my zitty chin.

To start, I will tell you the products I use. I use from left to right; Rimmel Clean Finish Foundation, Olay Total Effects 7 in one tone corrector, Belleme pressed powder and a mineral finisher.

First, use the Rimmel Clean finish to cover a nasty blemish. Just pat it on with the paddle that comes with it. Use your CLEAN (Your hands should always be clean when applying makeup to avoid more breakouts and avoid upsetting the ones you have more!) fingertip to pat, not rub the foundation on the affected area.

Next, Apply the Olay Total Effects 7 in one to your face to even out your skin tone. This will work best in areas of dryness since it is not only a tint, but also a moisturizer and sunscreen. Make sure to work it from the face down into the neck area until it is blended.

Third, apply a light dusting of Belleme Pressed powder.

Last, finish it off with Mineral Powder finisher to seal in the look.

Finished “pre-eyebrow look”

Final Look

Please note, too, that you should not be caking on each product. If you use each one lightly, you will not feel like you are wearing makeup. It is also important to note that you should change shades of foundation in the seasons. Many people end up with that line around their face. I call it the “foundation mask”. This happens when you don’t change your foundation shade to go with your lightening/darkening of your skin in the summer to winter and poor blending.

To help heal up your blemishes fast, I recommend trying the Clear Rayz device and applying triple antibacterial ointment at night. I always find that the ointment really helps with those big nasty ones that refuse to heal.

So, do you have a beauty secret for treating pimples you would like to share?

Filed Under: Beauty, DIY Beauty Tagged With: beauty

20 Mule Team Borax {Review and Giveaway}

January 13, 2024 By Christine 9 Comments

Until recently, I had always wondered about Borax. I had seen it in the stores, humbly nestled in with the laundry supplies, but had no idea what it was used for. Then I found out you could make your own AMAZING laundry soap with it!

One of the reasons I was so hesitant to try it was I used to be so stuck in my ways. I was not willing to try anything that may deviate from them and I was afraid I would buy something that I had no use for.

If you don’t know what Borax is, it is a naturally occurring mineral from the earth. It happens when evaporation of seasonal lakes occurs. Borax is just another name for sodium tetraborate. If you are worried that 20 Mule Team Borax has extras in it, you needn’t. It has absolutely no added chemicals chlorine or phosphates added. Its as pure as what you would find on the ground. All they do is wash it, dry it and box it up!

Not only can you use 20 Mule Team Borax for making laundry soap, you can also just use it as a laundry booster for removing stains. It works by softening hard water and allowing deposits on your clothing to lift and keeps them from re-depositing on your clothing.

In addition to laundry, you can also use Borax to:

Deodorize your garbage can. Just sprinkle some in the bottom!
Soak Cloth diapers in a solution of warm water and 1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
Cat litter deodorizer. Sprinkle some in with your cat’s litter
Clean rust stains with a paste of lemon juice and borax
Keeps fleas and pests away. Sprinkle of carpet and vacuum
Clean the toilet with it. Add 1/4 cup to the water and let sit for 30 minutes. Scrub it clean!
Help baked on food come off easier with this soak: add two tablespoons to the water and it will come off easier after a bit of soak time.

I highly suggest you check out my Laundry Soap recipe and make some for yourself. You will be amazed at not only have clean it gets your clothing, but also how much money you will save! Check out the Store locator on where to buy 20 Mule Team Borax! It shouldn’t be too hard to find since it is sold in pretty much every store in my area.

Now, you can see the “magic” of 20 Mule Team Borax yourself because Saved By Grace is giving away 3 coupons for a free full sized box of Borax! Just enter on the Rafflecopter form below! This giveaway ends 01/23.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was provided a box of 20 Mule Team Borax for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Giveaways, Green Living, Homekeeping, Product Reviews