Five More YouTubers I Love To Watch

I'm sitting on a very comfy couch resting my back. I was walking my daughter's dog the other day, and whenever he saw his mama leaving for work, he bolted after her. The hard yank and subsequent holding him back so he wouldn't go under her car caused me to throw out my back. I was in some serious pain, but thanks to rest and Advil I'm doing a whole lot better.

In the meantime, what have I been doing? Splitting my time between crime documentaries on Hulu, classic movies on Disney +, and of course, YouTube. I figured I'd go ahead and share five more channels I enjoy watching and wholeheartedly recommend. Without further ado, and in no particular order, here we go.

1. It's A Southern Thing - This Alabama based comedy channel is absolutely hilarious in how it portrays Southern life with impeccable accuracy. There's different playlists to watch, like Southern Certified, Bless Your Rank, Back Porch Bickerin', or my personal favorite, So True Y'all. Proof that the funniest comedy is just real life. They've also got a channel called This Is Alabama that's got some similar content along with tours and stories all about - what else? - Alabama.

2. Old World Home - I've been watching Hilary for years, since back when her channel was called My So-Called Home. I love that her style is classic. She doesn't shop where every other YouTuber shops. Her home is decorated in early American thrift store. She gets her furniture and decor from Facebook Marketplace, garage sales, antique markets and the like. Yet her home doesn't look like a hodgepodge of other people's discarded junk. It's tastefully done and reflects her New England traditional design style beautifully. Her three kiddos (and number 4 on the way) are also dressed in lovely outfits all purchased from thrift stores. Another mom who shows us that you don't need a ton of money to look classy and elegant.

3. Do It On A Dime - Another YouTuber that believes in the art of upcycling and having a high end home on a low end budget. Kathryn's channel has grown to over 1.75 million subscribers, but I've been watching her since she was just a little influencer. Her DIY's made from Dollar Tree pickins are impressive, and her crafts are simple, inexpensive, and nice enough to display in any home. She's also not afraid to pick up some tools and build whatever she wants if it means saving money. Which leads me to my next pick...

4. Momma From Scratch - if I had to pick a DIY hero, Emily would be it. I'm amazed whenever she decides to build something. She has some mad skills, y'all! I've watched her build benches, tables, and beds; she makes signs for her home and has even sold many of her creations. She and her family recently moved into a new build in the Pacific Northwest, and rather than pay a hefty upcharge for add-ons, she has customized her home to her tastes - by herself. Built-ins in the living room, shelves in the kitchen, she does it all. She is the Queen of Construction. And speaking of royalty...

5. Crystal Tara - Crystal is the Queen of Tiered Trays. I personally don't have tiered trays in my home, except for a glass two tiered tray that was given to me years ago by a colleague and friend who passed away, but I only put that one out at Christmas. Crystal decorates multiple tiered trays around her home and goes through them step-by-step. Whenever anyone says they don't know how to decorate a tiered tray, I point them to Crystal. She also decorates her beautiful home in South Dakota in the modern farmhouse style while caring for her four children, two which are adorable twins. I love that she keeps it real; while she enjoys decorating and baking desserts, she admits cooking is not her forte - which is fine. No one is perfect at everything.

I will have an update to post - hopefully this weekend - on our move which, Lord willing, is happening in two weeks. Stay tuned!

Oh, The Goodness of God

Nothing in this life is perfect. Whenever you buy a house, there are concessions to be made. The house I'm purchasing has many of the things my son and I were looking for. It's got 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a large living area that is open to the kitchen, the dining room is right off the kitchen and is more like a breakfast room than a formal dining room (which we prefer), there's a two car garage and lots of space between houses. I could see us enjoying this space that's neither too big nor too small. 

There were a couple of things that we had to consider, though. The current owners of the house stipulated in the listing that they intended to keep their refrigerator, along with their washer and dryer. The sellers are building a new home. They're a family of five with three little ones (one recently adopted), two very large Great Danes and a kitty cat. This house is too small for them now, so they need a bigger space, and they are understandably trying to save money wherever they can. But so am I. Purchasing a new refrigerator, washer, and dryer (plus other items that I will need) is a huge expense, so I offered a lower price than what they were asking, and they agreed. Wonderful! Except now I was gonna have to buy appliances in a market where there's lots of items on backorder due to the pandemic. I didn't want to wait to put my order in for these items; the refrigerator is especially important, since I need to store food as soon as we move in. So, I began scanning stores for deals.

I decided to check out Lowes and Home Depot. Both stores have good selections, good prices, and are near the new house as well as my current digs. I went online and compared what they offered, and it seemed like Home Depot had slightly better prices. Add to that the fact that Home Depot is closer to my daughter's house, and I was ready to place my order.

I went to the store to take a look at the appliances in person. It's one thing to see pictures on the internet; I prefer to take a good look inside and out as well as open and close doors and drawers myself. In speaking to the associate, I was told I could place an order for delivery in a month or more, but they couldn't take an order for delivery so far away. I would have to do it online. That seems odd to me; why is it I can place an order online with Home Depot to deliver to an address in Central Florida but the store can't? He said my only other option was to place my order at a store near my new home, but I didn't want to wait till I moved to get that done, so I told him I'd place the order online whenever I got home.

Before doing so, I thought I should check Lowe's again so I could verify that Home Depot had the better deal. Armed with brand names and model numbers, I looked up pricing, delivery options, and stock. I found one of the refrigerators I'd seen at Home Depot on the Lowe's website for $100 less; that was a pleasant surprise. The washer and dryer were each $1 cheaper on Home Depot's website; not too impressive. And then I saw it. How it had escaped me before I don't even know. It was right there, in plain sight.

Lowe's is offering a Buy More, Save More discount on their website (it's also available in stores) for certain appliances. These include all the appliances I needed to order. The more you buy, the higher the savings, up to $500! To verify, I went ahead and made an order on Home Depot's website as well as Lowe's website. Sure enough, by ordering from Lowe's I would save at least $500. Not only that, but I could order from Lowe's through Rakuten (formerly Ebates) and get 1% cash back - not a ton of money but every little bit helps. Home Depot didn't offer any discounts. At all. 

With tax and accessories, my Lowe's order came to $2,345.50. The same order from Home Depot was $2,800 before taxes and accessories. Y'all, that is a big difference! I believe God spared me of that. I was at Home Depot ready to place my order. I wouldn't have gone back to check pricing again once my order was placed. I only did it because I was gonna have to order online anyway. I know some people will think it's just a coincidence, maybe a lucky break, but I believe God intervened so that I wouldn't be able to place my order in the store. 

Whenever you place your life and your future in God's hands, He shows up in miraculous ways. It may seem insignificant to some people; after all, it's $500. Big deal. But to me it is a big deal. It reminds me that He is there for me, taking care of even the smallest details. I can trust Him with everything because in everything, He is faithful.

Monthly Menu Plan

 It's a special month for menu planning, thanks to Thanksgiving. Holiday time is my favorite time of the year; hurricane season ends, cooler weather begins (though in South Florida that means going from 90+ degree temps all the way down to the 80's), decorating is in full swing, and of course all the yummy food that's part of the season. I add our Thanksgiving dinner to the menu plan and to the budget. This means I have to be diligent with the rest of the month's meals so that I stay within budget. Here's what November's meal plan looks like:

Some of the meals are monthly staples, like baked mac and cheese and sausage gravy with biscuits (our favorite breakfast for dinner). Some are on regular rotation, sometimes once a month, other times every other month. Bourbon chicken, spaghetti carbonara, and burgers with fries fall into this category. I like trying new recipes every so often, but on a month like November where we have a large costly dinner I try to shop my pantry to keep my spending in check. I have all the ingredients to make lentil soup and teriyaki chicken, plus most of the ingredients to make slow cooker cubed steaks, beef stew and bourbon chicken. Adding these items to the menu plan means I don't have to buy as much and we can still eat healthy, tasty meals everyday. 

Menu planning is essential to me. I no longer throw out tons of food because I over-bought, nor do I stand in front of the fridge wondering what I'm going to make because I'm missing all sorts of ingredients. It saves me money, time, and anxiety. I have recommended it time and time again, and everyone I know who has tried it agrees: it is the best and smartest way to prepare and stock the kitchen. Happy planning!