Hello from the state shaped like a mitten. Yep. Michigan. We have four of the five Great Lakes that border us. I have raised three children on our former hog farm with a husband married almost 42 years. We have been through the tough times and have frugal stories that I've not shared, but vividly recall with each of your frugal stories. I started driving school bus to make a few dollars for those things we couldn't raise ourselves back in 1980. I've been touched by many a child with this work. Now I also am working a business from home to take me from that early morning, defrosting a 40 foot vehicle. I have been in a huge remoldeling of over nine years of a 150 year old farm house that would have caved in had we not gotten the "bright" idea to do a huge fixer-upper. My grandkids number eight (#9 due in June) and I think they are the best gifts I've ever received. I credit the Lord for keeping me sane through all these times.
