A Lady in Waiting autumn retreat

Hello, ladies!

I’ve been talking with some different campgrounds here in Virginia, trying to make plans for a retreat this fall. The details haven’t all been finalized yet, but I’ll let you know as soon as they are!

It looks like the retreat will be either October 21-24 or October 22-25, near or in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I’m hoping to keep the cost around $175 - that will include lodging and 8-9 meals, as well as 3-4 Titus Two Workshops.

My mom will be leading one of the Titus Two Workshops - a hands-on whole foods workshop. We’ll also have a Titus Two Workshop on paper crafting and I’m hoping to have someone lead a workshop on making dairy products (cheese, ice cream, etc.) from raw milk.

In addition to the workshops we’ll have devotion times with one another and there will be lots of free time to fellowship, enjoy the beautiful autumn foliage, and relax.

If you have any suggestions, comments, ideas, etc., please feel free to pass them along! You can leave a comment here or send a note to rebekah@aladyinwaiting.com. I’m excited about all the possibilities and getting to meet many of y’all this October!

~Rebekah

Frugal Friday - Using Your Freebies

Laundry detergent, toothpaste, sticky notes, coffee, granola, shampoo, markers, lip gloss . . . free product samples are everywhere! But what can we do with all these trial-sized packs of stuff? Here are a few ideas for using those sample packs:

Use them! You may discover a toothpaste that works well, a cereal you really like, or a laundry detergent that you’re not allergic to.

Save them! Put aside packets of homemaking supplies in an “emergency” box for when you run out of fabric softener or shampoo. Just reach in and grab a freebie to tide you over till you get to the store.

Tote them! Sample-sized products are great for traveling. Use small containers of toothpaste and lotion when you fly. Keep granola and energy bars in the car (along with a few toiletries for emergencies).

Give them! Just imagine the wonderful gift baskets you can put together - using only free stuff! If you have a stockpile of freebies, give some to single moms or other low-income families you know. Or use them as hostess gifts when you go visiting!

There are a lot of possibilities for utilizing freebies, so don’t skip over offers for products you can use in creative ways. Just make sure you really do use what you request!

For more frugal tips and ideas, visit BiblicalWomanhood.

Wedding Photos

Here are a few photos of the wedding I photographed last weekend. (Keep in mind that I shot the wedding as a friend, not a professional photographer - these aren’t photos from a pro! )

Frugal Fridays - frugal wedding flowers

I’m photographing a wedding for a friend tomorrow, so weddings are near the front of my mind right now. Here are a few ideas on not-quite-so-costly wedding flowers:

Friends with large gardens can be great assets here!

In-season flowers and those that are indigenous to the region will be less expensive than those that aren’t typically grown in your area or are out of season. Stick with the color scheme, but don’t be particular about the specific types of flowers.

For tables - single blossoms in bud vases can be just as effective as, and sometimes more elegant than, large bouquets. Shallow bowls filled with water and colored stones with one or two blossoms floating atop are another option. Long mirrors with tealights and flower petals. With a little creativity, the possibilities are pretty much endless.

Bridesmaids don’t have to carry bouquets. They could carry something different such as fans, candles, small lanterns, single blossoms with ribbons, etc., etc.

Corsages and boutonnières aren’t mandatory.

Finding a horticultural student to arrange your bouquets can be cheaper than having a well-established florist arrange them. Or enlist a little help from friends and arrange them yourself!

Hold your wedding sometime other than peak florist seasons…Mother’s Day, prom, Valentine’s Day, graduation, etc.

If you (or a friend or relative) are crafty, you can make gorgeous bouquets with paper flowers. Paper flowers can be simple or intricate, made with a variety of papers and can look quite realistic if they’re done well.

Visit Biblical Womanhood for more frugal tips and ideas. And check back early next week . . . I’ll be posting a couple photos from the wedding!

Dancing the Night Away

I’ve started taking ballroom dance lessons again. It’s been quite awhile since the last time I took classes . . . about 10 years! Since then I’ve done a little bit of swing dancing here and there, but nothing “official.” This class is five Fridays through the summer (but we get to dance for nearly 4 hours each class night!) and it’s an established ballroom dance program run by Christians, held in a church, attended mostly by homeschoolers, etc. It’s especially nice because I’m in the College & Career class with a mixture of people I already knew and folks I’m just meeting . . . so I’m not being overwhelmed with new people, but I do get to meet other Christians around my age.

That Dance Thing (the class I’m taking, also called TDT) has been especially nice since I wasn’t at the dance studio this year. A year with no dancing was rough! I’m looking forward to see what God has coming up for me next in the dance realm. I’m ready to get back into dancing and teaching regularly.

This past Friday was the second night into the class and was just fabulous. So far we’ve gone over the foxtrot, waltz, samba, hustle, rumba, cha-cha, and swing. We’ve learned the basic steps in all six styles and have added some ad libs and turns in most of them. Maybe next time I go I’ll take along my camera and get a few photos to share.

Frugal Friday - Free Floats and Freezes

It’s Frugal Friday! Visit Biblical Womanhood for more freebies and great ideas for living your life frugally.

Call your local A&W to find out if they’re participating in Free Float Day. Participating A&W’s will be giving away free floats (choose your favorite soft drink) from 2:00-8:00 on June 16th.

Print this coupon for a Free Frutista Freeze at Taco Bell, with any size purchase. Get more coupons here and here. Each coupon can be printed twice, for a total of 6 coupons, good until June 19th. (I used one of these last week and really enjoyed the Mango Strawberry freeze.)

It’s almost time for National Flip Flop Day! Wear your flip-flops into any Tropical Smoothie Cafe on June 21st and you can get a free 24 oz. Jetty Punch (strawberry-banana) smoothie.

Learn to Crochet DVD giveaway

Kathy over at Teaching Good Things is giving away a copy of her “Learn to Crochet” DVD. Stop by today and enter to win!