Stop, Look, and Listen

Greetings!

What is it about fall? It seems to awaken and engage all five senses in a way that no other season can. I was thinking of this the other morning as the kids and I scuffed through piles of leaves during our walk. I loved the swishing, crunching sound of them, and the blend of yellows, reds, and browns in the pile was warm and earthy looking. Later a V of geese flew overhead, honking loudly--a sound and sight that makes me feel sad somehow. I'm not sure why!

The sights, scents, tastes, sounds, and feelings of fall seem particularly rich and satisfying. Just think of the satisfying crunch and delightful flavor of biting into a fresh-from-the-orchard, perfect apple. The smooth red skin . . . the crisp, juicy flesh . . . Yum! It's a treat for the senses.

Here's an activity I've done several times with my own kids, and even with teens and adults in a writing class. We'll go outside and just sit, stand, or walk quietly. I'll have them write down, or dictate to me, what they are experiencing with all five senses. It's really an excellent learning experience and exercise in observation. To really shake things up, I've had my kids go around the backyard on their hands and knees and think about what they are experiencing with all five senses from the point of view of a dog, or squirrel!

Indoors or out, take time this week to enjoy Fall's rich tapestry for the senses. In fact, The Old Schoolhouse has a wonderful new unit study available, and it is all about the wonderful sights, sounds, and smells of autumn.

Autumn Treasures

In order to get this fabulous study for free, just visit the store by clicking this link, add the item to your cart, and checkout! It's absolutely free.

Special Announcements

How has Econobusters helped you in the area of frugality? We would love to know! Simply send us an email with your comments about how Molly has helped you along with your permission to reprint it. We would like to share with others how the money-saving tips we offer are helping others. Put "thank you" in the subject line of your email so that it does not get lost.

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Do you have a favorite $7, slow-cooker supper you can share for our newest Molly Makes $7 Slow-Cooker Suppers E-Book? Please contact Elizabeth, and she will let you know exactly what we're looking for. We'll make sure you get your copy of the E-Book free if we use your recipe!

PS. We'd like your slow-cooker desserts too!

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Suzanne Meyers, aka The Hillbilly Housewife, will be stopping by Econobusters all this week as our guest blogger! I am so excited about all that she is going to be sharing with us. Be sure and come back each day, as she will have a new post and a new topic to share about.

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Did you know that we extended our special until the end of October? You can purchase the October Digest and Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts for only $9.95! Add both items to your cart, and then upon checkout, use the coupon code OCTMOLLY.

On the Blog Last Week

With so much going on, we kind of had a slow week on the blog, but the posts that went up were full of great tips and information! Here is a review of what was posted.

Where do you buy your clothing? Read about my tips and tricks in Weekend Wonders.
I found some great giveaways while searching the Internet this week. Did you enter any of them?
How do you wrap gifts? I have found a very frugal and re-purposeful way to wrap my gifts, and that is What Works For Me in this post.
Thrifty Thursday went all out this time with a very thrifty and indespensible book that should be a must have for anyone who likes to save money!
Motivated Moms is having a great sale on their planners, so be sure and stop by and get yours.
Be sure and share your slow cooker recipes while you have the chance. You just might be one of the ones who gets a great incentive for doing so.
This week's freebies has some really good ones in it. Some are time sensitive so if you find one that has expired, let me know.
One of my favorite blogs to visit and find giveaways is My Organized Chaos. You can read my review here.
Get a free WeE-book when you purchase the October Digest! This weE-book is all about The Great Depression. It goes wonderful with the October Digest.

Featured Website

This week's featured website is The Homeschool Lounge. If you are looking for a safe place to connect and chat with other women, the The Homeschool Lounge is just for you.

The Homeschool Lounge is the premier online community for homeschool moms! Share, learn, & laugh with those who truly understand you! Forums, groups, chat, and more!

The Homeschool Lounge is currently celebrating their 10,000 Member Milestone by giving away prizes, gifts, and books by fellow homeschool moms!

Come join the fun. Registration and sign up is FREE!

Recipe of the Week

Almond Bread

With fall days fully upon us now, all sorts of produce are readily available to help us make a complete meal more flavorful as well as economical. I love this time of year!

The following recipe is from my husband's family, and we love it because it is something the children can help make and is very nutritious and versatile as well. I have served this bread as a breakfast dish, fried it up as a hearty french toast, and served it along with a beef roast (when roasts go on sale cheap!). It doesn't matter how I serve it; it is a feast for the senses because it is full of flavor, texture, aroma, and it is beautiful to feast your eyes upon. That's four of the five senses covered in just this one delicious bread! And when your family eats it, you hear "Mmmm's" all around. What a joy to have an aromatic kitchen overflowing with the delights of the season!

Apple-Almond Bread

6 cups half whole wheat, half unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

2.5 teaspoons salt

2 cups milk

1 cup applesauce

2 eggs, beaten lightly

2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract

1 cup coarsely chopped almonds (can use other nuts that you prefer)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (optional, but adds great texture)

2 cups chopped apples (Granny Smith works best to give apples an apple pie texture)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 bread pans (I use glass bread pans and get a wonderful crust!).

Mix first four (dry) ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix next four (wet) ingredients in another bowl.

Blend the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients just until mixed.

Add in the nuts, sunflower seeds, and apples. Mix well, but do not over mix or bread will be tough. Dough will be quite thick.

Pour into bread pans and bake approximately 1 hour, or until a toothpick or knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean (Moist crumbs stuck to the knife are a good thing!). Do not over bake!

Allow to cool around five minutes on a wire rack before cutting.

Serve spread with butter (honey-cinnamon or maple butter would be excellent also, especially if served as a breakfast dish).

Weekly Tutorial

Photo courtesy of Dollar Store Crafts

What better way to use all five senses than to make this gorgeous nature-inspired word art from Dollar Store Crafts. This one could actually almost be considered free to make if you can find the vine on a nature walk through the woods.

From the feel of the wood, to the smell and sounds of walking with your family while searching for things to use for this word-inspired art, to the taste of the hot chocolate you can sip together once you get home--every part of your senses can be involved!

Idea Center

Here are some great ideas for the fall that involve all your senses.

The Nifty Thrifty Homemaker has lots of ideas for family fall activities during the fall season.
Life Organizers has some great organizational tips for the fall.
All Recipes has over 2,000 fall recipes in their database that would make any house smell divine!
Graham Family Ministries has some free fall and winter themed kitchen planning forms available for download.
Lowe's has a great tutorial on how to make a canvas fall themed tablecloth.
Here is a great devotional that will really get you to thinking about the colors that transpire when fall begins to come in season.
A listing of yummy fall treats that you and the kids can make together.
Host a fall carnival for your kids. Here are some tips and ideas.

Just for Kids

We have added a brand new section just for the kids! Here are some wonderful activities I found regarding fall for the kids.

My kids love to color. Here are some fall coloring pages you can print out.
Print some fall type bookmarks to mark your places in those wonderful books you are reading.
Take those beautiful outdoor leaves and make some fall coasters for the house.
Write about what you smell, hear, feel, and taste on this very pretty autumn paper.
Play dominoes with your siblings or friends using these autumn leaf domino cutouts.
Here is a brain buster crossword puzzle to challenge your knowledge about autumn!
Do your own research about autumn using these questions.

Molly's Money-Saving Digest
October--What Can We Learn From the Great Depression?

October 2009

You're not afraid of the big bad wolf are you?

During the time of the Great Depression many people closely identified with the story of the Three Little Pigs. Today, many are comparing that time period with the economic downturn of the present day. Regardless of how accurate the comparison is . . .
"This really is a season of opportunity to re-think our resources and re-evaluate our needs, repair what we can, and rejoice in all that we've been given."

This month's Molly's Digest explores the resourcefulness and ingenuity that are still alive and well in 2009. There's a lot packed into this special issue--practical and creative ideas inspired by stories of the Great Depression era, smart money-saving opportunities to try, and a whole lot more . . . Take a glimpse at the many topics you'll explore:

Reduce Your Food Budget Unbelievably With Coupon Basics: Couponing - Part 2--Amy Howard had read reports of moms just like her, with way more mouths to feed, spending as little as $40 or $50 a week! She was determined to learn all she could. How do sales trends and stacking and couponing all come together? Discover how it can work for your family!
Re-purposing to Supplement Your Income: Gain some great tidbits of knowledge as you begin your research journey into not only re-purposing those -items you find at a great price in garage sales, but also reselling them to make a profit from home. There's much to consider and glean from Amy Howard's expert advice.
Save $ by Feeding Your Family on a Budget: Reduce money spent on your grocery bill by putting a little extra effort into learning how to use a budget. Enjoy a week's worth of frugal family favorite menus-easy on both your pocketbook and on your time. Check out these delicious thrifty-minded meals and recipes!
What Can We Learn From the Great Depression? (October's Feature):
What Exactly Was the Great Depression? By taking an elementary look at a complicated subject, you'll learn some basic facts and develop a context for learning from that era. How does the plot of the Three Little Pigs story parallel the experiences of many families in 1933? Find out!
Plus, many more articles that are filled with useful tips and information! This Digest is 40 pages of frugal, money-saving ideas!

Click HERE to view a sample of this item.

Which little piggy are you? Stop the huffing and puffing--put Molly's Money-Saving Digest for October to work for you today for only $4.95! Order NOW!

Purchase the October Molly's Money-Saving Digest and Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts and save over 20%! Get both for just $9.95!

Place the October Molly's Money-Saving Digest and Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts in your cart and then enter coupon code OCTMOLLY at check out. Offer expires October 31^st.

We Want to Hear From You!

We love to include your stories and ideas in our monthly Molly's Money-Saving Digests.

We're always looking for "goal-getter" stories, examples of up-cycled or re-purposed objects, and frugal decorating ideas. Send me your story--Remember, if we include your contribution in a Digest, you'll receive that issue FREE.

Until next week!