Everything Mommy

Did I mention I'm sporadic?

2010-06-08T11:13:00.003-04:00

If you know me in the least, or even if you have read my blog for any length of time, you know...I'm a sporadic type of gal. I would love to be the slow and steady turtle, but I guess being a rabbit is just so much more fun. (or maybe it takes less discipline?)

And if you know me really well, you know- I have a very hard time finishing what I start. I think I get it from my dad. So I can blame this on genes, right?? :)

Anyway, all that to say I have moved on to a different blogging site.

My new blog is Mylifemyexpedition.wordpress.org.

I was curious as to see what the big deal is about wordpress, as I see other people are switching to them, so I switched to. Maybe I'm a follower and not a leader? J/K ;) And I kinda just wanted some sort of fresh start. So if you are interested in my expedition you can check out the new blog. Hope to see you guys over there! :)

MIA

2010-05-03T19:37:00.003-04:00

MIA-Missing in action. And that is exactly what I have been the last month. Let me tell you, it has been one heck of a month too! It all started when Jonathan caught pneumonia, and then it spiraled downhill quickly. Most of you know how it is when you husband is sick and you are the only one to take care of EVERYTHING. Well, that is how is was, only we did have our in-laws, seeing that we live with them. However, I soon caught bronchitis, and then Elijah caught something. So, you can see, I didn't get much of ANYTHING done for a whole month. On top of our being sick, Jonathan started up a lawn care business, which he had to run, and work, all during his normal job. So I saw him hardly at all. Which made things a little harder, especially when we didn't get yet another house that we put an offer in on.

.....BUT ENOUGH of all that. We are healthy now, and happy.

Updates: I haven't been running (or dieting....eeek!) because of the bronchitis. AND I wasn't able to participate in the MUD RUN either. I will be picking up on the running this week.

There is a lot going through my mind about different things I want to get done, some of it is the same things that I never seam to get right, and some, new. Maybe I can post more about it all later :)

Falling off the balancing beam

2010-03-30T12:45:00.003-04:00

Truly and deeply frustrated. Oh, I guess it's not that bad really. What, you make ask has me all in a tizzy? Well, this whole idea of "eating better." See I have done really well with my work-outs. I've been going to the Y or running around the neighborhood almost everyday. However, I can't seam to say no to the chocolate, or the cookies, or the tea. It doesn't really matter what it is-as long as it's not good for me I will want it. The most frustrating this is I can go with out it. I've done it for weeks at a time. No sweets, not bad carbs, only drinking water. When I do go with out these kind of foods for a week or so, I don't cheat. However when I go off the "diet" and try to stay in moderation I tend to break down. I will decide I can have a small slice of cake. But after having that, I decide that I can have one glass of sweet tea which turns into two. Before I know it, I am back to my old habits. Therefore my work-outs don't do me as much good, because I am just keeping even. ::SIGH:: Will somebody please tell me how to balance this thing out? The thought of never eating anything yummy again sounds terrible. However, I can't seam to "just have one" as the potato chip says. I wish I could learn to have a small something everyday. It just seams that once those taste buds get going, they won't let up. HELP!!

Weight Loss Wednesday, or Saturday.........

2010-03-20T17:46:00.002-04:00

So I forgot to post this past week, but I have been trucking along with my routine. I am glad to say that I have lost another pound!! whop whop. And I am doing a little bit better with my running. I have been reading some training books and they said the best way to train is to run for three minutes and then walk one, then run three again......and keep going for 32 mins.

I did that on Tuesday and it was so much easier than doing it all at once! I did weights on Wednesday and Friday. I ran on Thursday and was able to run a mile in 12 mins! yay. (for those of you who are runners, please don't mock :) Today I ran/walked (I have to walk for a min) a mile in 12 mins outside. It is soooo much harder to run outside than on the treadmill. It was also much harder for me to breath. I have exercised induced asthma, and it is well controlled but I was having a little bit of trouble today. Not that I couldn't breath, it was just harder and I could feel it in my chest a little. No biggie. I wish I could learn to breath through my nose and out my mouth when I run. I know (or at least think...hummm) that you are supposed to do that. I practiced it a little today. I also do some abs after my run. I was sooo tired, that I wouldn't have been much able to do anything else. That is where I am going to have a hard time because in the Mud Run, you have to be able to run and than pull yourself over walls or carry truck tires (as a team). I will write more later about how it went going "vegetarian." For now, I'm going to go enjoy this weather!

Week in Review- Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-03-10T09:28:00.000-05:00

So now that I am going on a mud run, I am trying to well, run! As I shared before, I don't like running. Actually, I hate it. And I have great excuses to not run, -it's hard with kids, lack of time, asthma- but really folks, I can do and I am going to. The thing with running is, IT Kills. It takes everything out of you.

While visiting my parent's this last weekend I got on their treadmill. I decided to measure exactly how long I could run. I started out walking for about five minutes and then started running at five miles an hour. By half a mile I thought I might die. By .75, I wished I'd would. (ok, so not really-I exaggerate sometimes;) I kept thinking "the body always gives up," I heard or read that quote recently but can't remember where. So there I was, breathing hard, feeling like I would fall down and get scrape marks all over me from the moving treadmill belt, but quoting over and over again, "the body always gives up, the body always gives up." I wanted to make it to a mile so badly. And it was great when I finally made it.

I have been challenging myself this week to see how much I can really do. Whenever I have done crunches in the past I have always done fifty. I don't know why, that just sounded like a good number. Then this week I though, "huh, I wonder if I can do more?" I ended up doing a hundred; and have from then on.

I haven't been doing great with food. It is always harder for me when we go see my parents. They typically have every sweet know to man. In addition to that, it was my brother's and my sister's birthday. Can you say cake and ice cream? This week I am going to do a detox. No, not some crazy eat grapefruit and drink pepper water for a week. I am simply eliminating meat and processed foods from my diet for three days. I start today:) I will allow myself to have all the fruit's and veggies I want. I was also allow a small amount of dairy in addition to beans and rice. I think that will help me get some protein. Part of me thinks this won't be too hard. (watch I will be begging for a break by tomorrow!) I actually think I won't have a hard time giving up meat, it's the processed foods that will be hard. No crackers? No fruit snacks? No chips? ugh! BUT I think it will be so good for me. I will also purpose to drink at least sixty-four ounces of water.

If I have time on Friday I will put up a post as to how it is going. If not I will try and remember to post it next Wednesday. Hope you all are having a productive week. :) If you have any running tips, strategies, or stories, I would love to hear 'em!!

31 Days of Clean-Week in Review & Link Up Your Posts

2010-03-06T09:58:00.001-05:00

How did your week go? I actually haven't finished my list to add on to my routine, but I did accomplish something this week. I rearranged my bedroom and gave it a cleaning overhaul.

I'm not sure how it happened. I looked around my messy room and thought. Humm...the bed would look nice over here. And before I knew it I had moved the bed, then the dresser, and then I had to move the bookshelf. And I figured while I was moving it all, it would be a good time to dust, sweep, wash walls, and do whatever else I thought it needed to be clean.

About half way through, I was getting pretty tired. I had moved heavy pieces of furniture by myself, gone through papers, and have taken all the books off the bookshelf. However, all the books, and misc papers were still in piles on my bed. I knew if my husband came home and saw my new "work in progress" he would be less than thrilled. So I persevered and finished. Actually it felt really good to finish what I started. As, I have shared before, my personality is good at jumping into things with a passion but I burn out pretty quickly. This time it was nice that when my husband got home to have it all finished. And he complimented me on my job well done. :)

How did your week go? Did you make a list? Figure out what motivates you to clean? Or did you on the spur-of the moment, decided to rearrange an entire room. :) Whatever it is, consider it an accomplishment and share on the links or comment section below.

Free Menu Planning Lists from MSM

2010-03-05T16:45:00.002-05:00

If you are a menu planner you will want to check out Money Saving Mom's post about her free pack of printable menu planners.

Menu planning is on my to-do list of things that I would like to achieve. I struggle with it because of my spontaneous personality and due to the fact that we are currently living with my in-laws. When we get into a house ( this phrase is beginning to sound redundant to me), I will focus more on menu planning and coupon-ing in general. For now, I will take advantage of sharing the chore of dinner making with my mother-in-law.

Fess Up Friday

2010-03-05T08:47:00.004-05:00

While reading Kendra's post, I realized a Fess Up Friday post of my own.

Alright, to understand this fully you have to know the depth of the story. It starts out with a conversation like this:

Me: Honey, would you put the kids to be for me.

Jonathan: Sure, come on guys time for bed.

Me: You are going to put their pajamas on right?

Jonathan: Why? They are fine. They are just going to bed, I don't sleep in pajamas.

Me: Because....well,....because they would be more comfortable.

Jonathan: How is that more comfortable? They are wearing soft pants and a shirt, their pajamas are pants and a shirt. Liz, come on, they don't HAVE to be in pajamas.

And so for three years, my husband and I had this same conversation. Then about a year ago I was reading a humorous article from Family Fun magazine. In it was the question "What is the WORST thing that could happen if your child sleeps in their clothes?"

"Humm? What IS the worst thing that could happen? Well, they could....I mean, it would...surely it would cause....." I was blank. I had nothing. And so I decided, "who cares?" Why should I nag my husband about this when it really isn't a big deal?

And so the confession is: I let my kids sleep in their clothes.

When ever we are getting ready for bed, I simply ask my four year old if he wants pajamas on. If he does, he changes into them. And if not then I let him wear what he is wearing. With my almost two year old it is a little bit different. I typically do change him, but if he is wearing something other than jeans (my husband and I compromised and decided that we would change them out of jeans) and Jonathan is putting him to bed I let Jonathan decide.

Now, would I prefer both my kids to be in pajamas? Yes. But I have a very good husband, who is an excellent father. If this is the last thing I have to worry about, well then, I don't have much to worry about at all.

31 Days of Clean- Children and Cleaning

2010-03-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

So here is my question? How many of you out their pay your children for the chores they complete? I definitely think my oldest should do chores. It is his house too and he needs to contribute and learn to take care of things. I also think linking money to work is a good idea. And I would agree that you should start teaching them how to handle their money as a child. However something bothers me about paying him to do every chore. I don't want him to think he needs money every time he does work. I sure don't get paid for doing the laundry!!! So why should he get paid to sort the socks? Sometimes things just have to be done. What I am asking is; Does anyone know the balance here? What I am thinking is maybe I should pay him for somethings and maybe he should have a responsibility to some things too. I guess the real question is; which things should he get paid to do and which things should he just do?

I would love to hear thoughts on this!

I'm going on a mud run!!- Weigh Loss Wednesday

2010-03-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have always wanted to participate in some sort of marathon. Why? I have no real idea. I hate running, but something about it sounds so fun. Running with a large group of people, all having the same goal, going through the same thing. Inspiring really, don't you think? Well, I finally have my chance. In May a local hospital is hosting what is called a mud run. This is a " 4-mile obstacle course designed in Marine Corps boot camp tradition". I am so excited! For one, this is a competitive thing so I will want to train. Two, all that training is sure to bring on some extra weight loss and toning. Yay! My husband and a couple of my friends are going to join me because you need a four person team. This is great because we can help each other out. I also like this better than a marathon because it is not just running. So, how do you train for something like this? I haven't a clue!! I know that I need to start running. (duh! :) I am also going to do push-ups, to build some arm mucle, and lunges to build mulce for my legs. I have have to be more commited to going to the YMCA. If any of you have trained for a marathon, please, I NEED your help!

31 Days of Clean

2010-03-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first post of my "31 days of Clean" series. Well, In order to successfully clean you first have to answered the all important question of 'why do it?' Suggest Jeff Bredenberg, author of Clean It Fast, Clean It Right, a book I am currently reading. I've never really thought about it like that before, but it makes sense, doesn't it? So why do I clean? Well..... I don't like it messy :) Really there are several reasons why I clean (or at least try to). I like to know where things are. I don't want to have to buy a new pair of scissors, if I already have one, somewhere. I also want people to feel invited in my house, not like they may trip and die if they misplace their footing. There is also a sense of responsibility to my things and home. If I don't take care of it, Who will?

:::Side note: Some of you know that I currently live with my in-laws, seeing that we have not found a house to buy yet. So when I say "house" it could really mean "space" or "room." Either way, it has to be clean. :::

According to Clean It Fast, Clean It Right, by Jeff Bredenberg, their are four main reasons we clean (or should clean).

Saves us time. (don't want to waste time looking for something)
Saves us money. (don't want to waste money on buying what you couldn't find. Also, if you don't take care of it, it may die, rot, waste away. And it takes less time to clean a slightly messy shower, than one covered in mold.)
Peace of mind, Like it clean
Better for you, keeps you health. (dust, and bugs can make you sick. yuck!)

After you know why you should clean then you want to determind how much time do you have to devote to cleaning each day. Then write down what should be done in each room and how often it should be done. Now comes the tricky part-meshing the two lists together. For example; I know that I have to wash my sheets once a week. (some people do this more, I'm good with once a week) I also know that I don't tend to be home a lot on Saturdays, so this would not be a good day for me to do laundry. However, I watch a friends little boy on Mondays amd seeing that I usually stay home with him and my children on this day, I marked Monday as a laundry day. MommySnacks wrote up post about comming up with a cleaning taks list. To read it go here. To see her task list go to her post or click here.

Another well, know tip form the book is to "take it step-by-step." I am so guilty of jumping into something and not finishing it! Argh! What I usually end up with is a bigger mess, and lots of frustration. Instead, I am going to try to stick with a few new things at a time until it feels more like routine, then start pick up a few more. Seeing that somethings are already part of a routine, like my laundry day, I am ready to add some more things into my routine.

Are you ready to make a list and atart adding to your routine? I will share my list as well as a few more tid-bits of helpful info on Saturday. Look forward to hearing what you will be doing!

A Post Worth Reading-MSM

2010-02-28T21:59:00.002-05:00

I have been following Money Saving Mom for over a year now and I have thoroughly enjoyed her blog. She share homemaking and money saving tips. She is currently hosting a freezer cooking day on Monday and has a great post on how she plans for such an event. If you would like to check it out go here. You can also go to her home page here, if you want to check the site out in its entirety.

Seeing that I live with my in-laws (We are looking to buy a house. I will probably share more of that later), I only have to cook three days a week and my mother in-law cooks the rest. (See, there are benefits for living with your in-laws. ) So, I don't plan on doing any major freezer cooking, but I have great plans to do it once we get settled in a house. Oh the day! In the meantime I will enjoy reading MSM's post's about it. :)

31 days of clean

2010-02-27T20:24:00.008-05:00

I love spring. It's a time of warm weather and new beginnings. Its a fresh start. And as I look around at my messy room, a fresh start is something I desperately need. This is why I am hosting a "31 days of clean" blogging series. Does this mean I will be cleaning for 31 days? NO! (I know some of you that really know me and laughing hysterically at the thought of that!) The "31 days of clean" is just a series of blog entries that I will be posting in the month of march. It is a chance for us to share together all the cleaning secrets, shortcuts, and tips we may have with each other.

Here are a few things that I will be including.

My favorite organizing and cleaning books
A few cleaning tips
A few natural cleaning products
Links to a few favorite blog post about cleaning
What I am actually doing to clean up my space

I would love to hear all of your tips and ideas too! If you have a blog, would consider joining me in this series? I will be including a link up each Saturday for you to share your entries. Please make sure you have a link back to my site if you participate. Feel free also to use my button if you would like. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment sharing your tips with us. Can't wait, the series starts Monday!

Fess Up Friday

2010-02-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

fess up friday final button

Kendra at New Life on the Homestead is hosting a continuance of blog entries admitting her not-so-perfect mishaps to the whole internet world. And…she has invited all her readers/blogging friends to join her. To check out Kendra’s website go here. While I may not join in the fun every Friday, I do plan on trying to chiming in with a few of my *unusual* quirks ie: total mishaps. So without much further ado, here is my first Fess-Up Friday entry.

I actually don’t think I’m too alone in this one, but my first admission is that my car is dirty 363 days out of the year. Yup. That’s right. I just can’t seam to keep that thing clean. Where ever someone sees my car I always have to say “Oh, my car is such a mess.” And what I should really say is “Oh, this is how my car always looks.”

Now don’t get me wrong I do clean my car. I pick up all the toys, get out the vacuum for all the crumbs, and take out the couple of “missing” sippy cups that have spent a few nights in the back seat. However, it’s not long until I have to do it all again.

Last summer my son split his juice on the car floor and didn’t tell me. Because the spill was covered with toys, it wasn’t until after my car smelled so bad that I found it….are you ready for this?...along with the mold it was growing!!! (-eeek, I just had a “did I just tell the whole world that?” moment) It was so gross. Fortunately my brother in law owns a carpet cleaning business and let me borrow his machine to clean up all that gunk. I had had it! There was to be no more eating OR drinking (except water) in my car! And I think I stuck with that for about a month. Not sure why the rule became nonexistent? Oh well, maybe I will start it up again after writing this post. :)

Clothing Your Children

2010-02-25T14:58:00.002-05:00

I like kids clothes. They are so cute. Especially the girls clothes, but seeing that I don't have a girl....I have to stick to camouflage and baseballs. But it's all good, because I love the little bodies they go on. :)

When I first started buying baby clothes I swore by consignment sales. Not the stores, the sales that go on for about a week and usually hold half off days that last day. I totally racked up at these sales and I typically only paid $10-$15. It was awesome. However the day came when my baby turned into a little boy and suddenly my slection at these sales was scarce. "Boy's wear their clothes hard, so you can't re-sell them. " I heard moms say. And they were right, boys DO wear their clothes hard. And so, my happy days of clothing my kid for $50 a year were over. However, I still don't spend a fortune. Why would I? "Boy's wear thier clothes hard" and I am not going to spend a ton of money for something that will be deamed usless after the season. Here are some things that I do (and places I shop) to save some serious money on clothing.

I still check out the consignment sales. -I may only find one or two things but their is a plethera of these sales in my community, so it does help in the long run.

Children's Place- The Children's Place clothing store will have mega sale at the end of each season. I buy ahead for the next season. I just bought a bunch of stuff for my almost five year old, most items were $2.50. If you choose to order online make sure you search for a coupon code, you may save an extra %15 off your total.

I save what I can of my oldest kid's clothing and pass it down to my two year old. -Summer clothes are getting hard because Noah loves to be in the sand box, but I try to remeber not to be so picky about "play clothes".

I garage sale-most everyone else is better at this then me. I don't always have the best of luck. Probabby because I don't even start garage sale-ing until after 9:00. (hehe) By then there isn't as much good stuff to choose from. (another goal to work on for this coming summer)

Wal-mart, Target, and J C Penny. -They all have a table with $3.50-$5.00 items to mix and match. I also check them out at the end of seasons.

That's pretty much it, I think. I don't usually mess with ebay or craigslist with clothing. ( I do use them for many other things though.) Dosen't mean they aren't good ways, I just usually find what I need with the above ways. Well, I hope this helps if you were looking for ways to cut your budget in this area.

Does anyone know of anything else to do to save money on clothing? I would love to hear any other ways I could be improving in this!

Wicked Pics

2010-02-25T07:55:00.004-05:00

I thought I would share some pics of when Jonathan and I saw Wicked.
Here we are in the Lobby. Yeah, for my black dress fitting!

With the program. (and my handsome husband)

Alright, I'm actually not sure what happened in this next pic. I think I was trying to take one so that I could share a pic of my dress. So, please ignore the fact that I am totally looking gloomy. (oh yeah, it's sideways too. Couldn't get it to turn, sorry.)

Roller Coaster Anyone? - Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-02-10T21:57:00.003-05:00

Well, crap. That one word could pretty much sum up what I’m feeling like right now. I haven’t’ posted in a long time and SO much has gone on. Just in case you were wondering, I lost 4.5 pounds before my sweet husband took me see Wicked. (btw, I LOVED the musical!) I was so proud of myself and I was feeling GREAT. I had done well about not eating and sweets or bad carbs. I did the workout that I had said I would do.

And what do I go and do the very next day? I totally screw everything up! Grrr. On Friday I found the Butterfinger that my husband had bought me and decided to take a bite. Then I took another bite. Then I remembered the ice cream that everyone except me was enjoying a couple weeks ago. So, I decided that I would rather have some of that. As I ate the ice cream, I realized that it wasn’t satisfying me. However, instead of putting it down (and this is the critical mistake) I started searching for something that WOULD satisfy my craving. I had an (yes, as in just one) m&m, and then the rest of that Butterfinger and so on all week until I currently write this. I do this every time I loose weight. I get so close, start feeling so good, and then screw it all up.

Lessoned learned, right? I hope so. I can tell you one thing I am NOT giving up.

Here is my next goal: Seven pounds before March 13^th. I am going to schedule some family pics for this date so that I have a good motivation for shedding some pounds. If I have learned anything about my personal weight loss and fitness goals, it is that I do way better under pressure. This is why I set small goals with definite goal dates. My rules will be a lot like before. One thing I was to add is to make sure I take my daily vitamin. I am still pretty frustrated with myself but I need to let go and keep on moving.

How do you pick yourself up after a mistake? What helps you get back on track?

Family Friday- the money edition

2010-02-05T11:19:00.003-05:00

If I have ever talked "money" with you, then you have probably heard me talk about Dave Ramsey. He is a financial counselor who's ideas have helped hundreds of people gain financial freedom. While I don't always agree with his sarcastically blunt/slightly mean attitude, I do think his ideas are great and obviously genius. We have been a fan for over four years now.

When Jonathan and I first got married we had no idea how to run our finances. We didn't have much, and we flew threw what little money we had before we even realized it. I remember the fateful day when everything came crashing down on us. Jonathan and I had just gotten back from a beach trip with my parents. When we left we looked up our account online and saw we had a small amount in the bank. Good, I thought, that will be enough, we are doing ok. However when we got back the amount had grown. Humm? that's weird. Knowing that we hadn't cashed a check, I decided to go to the bank and point out that there was some sort of error. Tears filled my eyes when she said, "You don't have that much in your account. That is how much you owe us. You went into overdraft. " It was then that I looked at the details. Every time we swiped our card, our bank charged us 32.00. We swiped ourselves into over 800.00 dollars (!!!) worth of dept. I was devastated. It would take us forever to pay that back. Neither of us had any idea that when we check our account that an amount in parenthesise meant we were in the negative. (I'm blond, ok-or at least that's what I will blame it on?) We also had no idea that our bank would let us keep "buying" things we didn't have the money for. I remember looking at the balance sheet realizing that my 3.00 dollar purchase at Earth Fare really cost me 35.00 because of the overdraft fee. And that my trip to McDonald's cost around the same. In fact, most every purchase was like that. I felt like I was betrayed by my own ignorance. Something had to change.

This is when we first heard about Dave. We listened to his cds. Read some of his book. (I skipped parts about investing.) And begun to be in charge of our money. It felt empowering. And in a way, it was. Now, I can't really give Dave all the credit. God helped us so much in that time. And He is the true supplier for all my needs. He gave my husband extra jobs, and blessed us with contentment. God is truly wonderful like that.

Jonathan and I have paid over $20,000 of debt off in the last four years. And to tell you the truth, we could of had it all paid off. We have a little over $8,000 to go. (We spent money like crazy people while working for Miracle Hill-how easy it was and how much I regret that now!)

Jonathan and I still don't make that much money, and that's ok with me. If you ask me, I would rather spend time with my husband, than spend money while he works. And I would rather stay home with my children than work to put them daycare. (Disclaimer: I know some people have to work more, including moms. I'm not judging, just thankful that I am so bless in this way. And I do recognize that it is a blessing from my God.)

We aren't great at saving money. We still spend way to much eating out. And there are always those mysterious $50.00 Wal-mart trips. -what do I buy there?!? Much like the rest of my life, there is always room for improvement (or a need of it!).

Here is another cool resource that Jonathan and I have come across. We just started using it last month. Check out Mint.com. They link up with your bank (all secure) and help with budgeting online. You can make out a budget and every time you spend money, it categorizes it for you and then shows you how much you have spent in each category. They even send out an email when you have gone over.

How do you handle fiances in your family? Have you ever had a "oops" moment? Or a financial breakthrough?

Oh and by the way, we totally kick the bank to the curb, after our "incident". I didn't want a bank that would "let" me spend money I didn't have and then charge me for it. No, thanks I would rather forgo the $3.00 burger:)

Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-02-03T14:34:00.003-05:00

Yea! Two more pounds down! I was reading a friends blog here, and she was mentioning that she is a procrastinator. I was thinking, Really?, Me too. I never really thought about it much concerning my weight loss.

I have been at this weight loss thing for over a month now. And even though, I have been sick and the kids have been sick, I have to honestly admit that I wasn't trying very hard at all. That is until last Friday. It was then that I realized that I only had less than two weeks before my husband takes me to see Wicked and that I had only lost ONE pound. Boy, did that get me moving! And to tell you the truth, I secretly love the rush of being pressured to get something done. Addicted to procrastinating, maybe?

I wrote out a eating plan and some exercises that I could do at home (the kids have been sick- AGAIN). I haven't been perfect to my list but having them written out has really helped me to stick to them. Here is what I will be doing until February 11th.

Only drinking water and drinking lots of it
No white bread
No sweets
Eating mostly veggies at dinner
Not eating past 7
Trying to not finish the food on my plate
30 push-ups each day
50 crunches
50 back exercises (I call them little swims, but I don't know what they are really)
50 squats

Overall it has been working good. My husband didn't have to work on Monday (b/c of all the ~~snow~~ ice.-haha, I live in the south, we don't know how to handle it really:) Anyways, he watched the kids so I could go to the gym. I did have a soda once. Someone bought it for me as a treat because they knew I liked this certain kind of ginger ale- Not drinking it would be wrong, right? (At least that is what I tell myself:)

I hope I keep at it for the next week. After then I will once again see where I am at and reevaluate. I am hoping to be able to make the gym part of my routine again. Maybe after this week we won't have anymore sicknesses (fingers crossed).

How was your week? Do you think being a procrastinator can effect you weight loss goals? How do you convince yourself to keep at it, when things get dull or boring?

His name was Bubba

2010-01-30T13:18:00.002-05:00

My husband, myself, and our two children were traveling back to the children’s home (Miracle Hill-where we used to work). It was late and if you have ever been to Pickens, S. C. , you would know, that the streets aren’t lined with lights. In fact, there isn’t much you can see from the country roads at all, except maybe a house here and there, and lots of cows.

“Do you have the lights on?” I asked as I noticed the road ahead getting darker. My husband played with the lighting control and then- the car stopped. Everything went dark, very dark. “What in the world happened?” I asked. “I don’t know. The car won’t turn on. I think the battery is dead.” Great I thought. It was already late and now we wouldn’t get home until much later. It was just about then that a car whizzed passed us and we realized the dangerous situation we were really in. With no lights around, and no lights on our car, we had no way of warning drivers that there was a car sitting in their pathway. We were sure to be hit by a 60 mile an hour vehicle. My husband and I were dumbfounded as to what to do. We could call someone, but because of where we were it would be at least an hour before they could come to us. Another car swerved around us.

Jonathan decides to try and move the car as much as he can off the road without hitting the ditch to the side of us. As Jonathan moves the car a man pulls up in his pick up and starts talking to Jonathan. My fearful mind starts thinking the worst. We don’t know this man, for all we do know he could be a serial killer waiting for his next victim. “Please don’t let us die, Lord.” I prayed. “Don’t let any harm fall on my children.” The man gets out of the truck and looks at the car. I can’t remember exactly what happened next. There was talk of the alternator and somehow they pushed us out of the way into a driveway near by. I kept trying to talk myself out of thinking the worst. The man, who had a teen son with him, hooks up charger cables and makes small talk with my husband. We wait for what felt like forever until they decided to try the battery. The car weakly starts and the men decide the best option is for us to follow the stranger back to his home, where he had a garage. There really wasn’t any other option seeing we were miles from anything else. However I couldn’t help thinking Are you crazy? towards my husband. I prayed again and then tried to swallow my fate.

As we drove Jonathan shared with me that the mans name was Bubba and he works on cars for a side job. Turns out, Bubba was a little fearful of us at first too. A few years ago, when he stopped to help someone, they pulled a gun on him and started shooting. I was amazed that Bubba even stopped to help us at all.

We were greeted by four or five enthusiastic dogs as we pulled into the driveway after driving about 10 mins. I looked around at the home of Bubba. It was typical to most of the homes you would see in Pickens. There wasn’t much grass on the ground surrounding the old metal trailer. There was a chain dog pin, and the garage was large and constructed of white sheet metal. I am ashamed to admit that I wondered why he would choose to live here. I though my standards of living were better and questioned why he didn’t have higher ones himself. Then I stared gathering bits of information that told me of his character. He mentioned that he had his house and his five acres all paid off. Humm, I thought, I wonder what life would be like if Jonathan and I had a house completely paid off and were living debt free? Because of his living standards he was able to spend more time with family and friends. He was able to live simply, something I had been wishing for. Because of the way he chooses to live he was able to help a strange young couple well into the night. I was beginning to think he was the one with higher standards, and I was full of superficial ones.

Bubba helped us get home that night and let us keep our car at his home until we could get a new alternator the next day. Bubba’s wife is the one who helped us put it on! –but that is a different story. God used this to teach me lessons that I hope to never forget. Help others, even when it isn’t convenient, don’t think you are better than someone else, and realized what is really valuable in life. Lessons learned from a man named Bubba.

Famliy Friday

2010-01-22T09:42:00.001-05:00

Rain, Rain Go away
Come again no other day.

I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but here in the good ol' south, we have been getting a lot of rain this year. Rainy days can be hard ones. When the weather is raining and cold, I don't feel like getting much of anything done. Cuddling and watching movies all day is just fine with me. BUT it doesn't really work for my kids. For some reason, four years old's don't like to sit still for long. (go figure?) So what does a mom do when the rain comes "tumbling down"?

Here are some rainy day activities:
*from FamilyEducation.com

Make a fort
Have a scavenger hunt
Play a board game (check out the top ten board games listed here)
Play hide and seek
Color (check out this site for some free printables)

What do you do with your kids when you are stuck inside? I'm looking forward to hearing some of your ides. :)

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

2010-01-21T08:29:00.003-05:00

I had so many goals in mind for this week. Remember my 7 o'clock club? Well, I got sick the same night and haven't been able to get much of anything done in the morning. I will confess that I have only been able to get up before 8 a few of times since then. And the only reason I was getting up is because I either was woke up by my nephews, or I just couldn't sleep anymore (why try and sleep when all you do is cough, anyways?). I guess that is enough of my whining. :/ I have not forgotten my goals and this sickness won't be around forever. So with that said, I will be starting up when I'm over this cough. It is a little bit frustrating. I always have these big plans and goals and then something happens. But that is LIFE. Things happen, we get sick, things break, and life just doesn't go as planned. We have to make lemonade from lemons, right? So that is what I'm doing, gathering my lemons, to make some awesome lemonade.

How are things going for you? What do you do when life hands you the unexpected? How do you stay motivated when things don't go as planned?

Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-01-20T21:38:00.002-05:00

There hasn't been much going on to update in the Weight Loss category. I had big plans of going to the gym each day this week, researching and eating healthy food, and just being overall great. However, LIFE got in my way. Don't ya hate that? I was sick all week and am finally feeling better today. So because I was sick I didn't go to the gym...I didn't do anything. I haven't gained any weight, haven't lost. At least the good thing about being sick is that I never eat as much when I'm sick. Just don't feel like it. Also, I don't eat sweets when I am sick (most of the time), because they make me feel worse. Seeing that I am feeling better now, I am gonna have to step it up a notch. My *wonderful* husband is going to take me to see Wicked (whoo hoo!). I figure this is a good opportunity to push myself to lose some weight before that date. I have about 3 weeks. I am hoping to fit oh-so-nicly into a pretty dress I have. I think I could get it on but I would like it better if it really fit nicely. So, that is how my week has gone. How was yours?

Family Fun Friday

2010-01-15T09:22:00.001-05:00

If you were to ask me what the number one thing I wanted to teach my children is, I would immediately answered you "To love the Lord, with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength." Living this out however, is hard. Life is so busy! So, in this Family Fun Friday, I want to encourage you to ask yourself how you can create a family worship time. I have to admit, we don't really have a family devotional time. We do somethings with Noah, but seeing that Elijah is so young we really haven't included him in any of it. I would like to establish something that would include all of us, but I'm still not sure what. Any Ideas?

Here are some of the things we do.

ATTIC Sunday Nights- this is a time that my church holds on Sunday nights. The focus is getting kids into the word of God through age appropriate Quite Times (bible readings) that they do during the week with their parents. At ATTIC, we praise God through song, have prayer time, and play a Scripture Memory Game (along with various other activities, depending on the night.)

Quite Time- the ATTIC program uses a book put out by Word of Life. The book is broken up into days. This has been really beneficial to us because each book has age-appropriate devotionals that we can do with Noah each night. The other thing that is cool about these devotionals is that each age group works in coordination with each other. So, if you have a 5th grader and a 2nd grader they will both have an age appropriate book but will also be going over the same scripture. Sometimes we choose to read the bible to him with out the book. It just depends on what God is laying on our hears ( or by chance that we have misplaced our book. ;) Go Here to check the books out for yourself.

Prayer-We try to include Noah when we have prayer needs. No, we don't really have a prayer time each week, or night (although we do tend to pray with him each night before bed). We just try to include him when we pray during the day for various things. For example when Jonathan was without a job, we all prayed together for God to provide one. When God gave Jonathan a job, we included Noah to praise God with us. We wanted Noah to see that all things come from God and we need to be thankful for what He gives us. Now that we are house-hunting we ask Noah if he would like pray and ask God what house God would like to give us.

There are other times we try and be conscious of talking about God. For example, when Noah first learned the word "moon" and he would point to the sky and say it. We would reply, "God made the moon."

I don't want to make it sound like we are great at all these things-we aren't. There are several times I forget to pray with Noah before bed, let alone read the Bible to him. My point in this post is to give you some realistic ideas that you can incorporate into your family life, if you choose to; and to share with you what my family is doing. I would also appreciate any thoughts, ideas, or encouragement you may have.

I would like to see us start a Family Devotional Night with just our Family. However, that will probably wait until we get into our own house.

How do you incorporate biblical lessons with your children? I especially would like to know if you have any good ideas for devotional times with kids. We absolutely love the Quite Time books, but I would like to hear what other ideas are out there.

Coupon Preview

2010-01-14T09:52:00.002-05:00

Want to know if the Sunday paper will bring some good coupons? Head over HERE to see the coupon preview for 1/17.

Thanks Southern Savers!

Got Shoes?

2010-01-13T18:57:00.002-05:00

If you are in the need for some cute summer shoes check out 6pm.com. They have a really good sale going on right now with great deals for under $10.

I ate Brussel Sprouts -Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-01-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

I don't like Brussel Sprouts. AND I don't think I ever will. In fact, this week when I did eat them, I almost threw up. THAT is how much I don't like them. However, even with my distaste for them, I knew I had to eat them. Why? Because food had to become something else to me.

Ever since I can remember, I have loved food. The sight, the smell, the taste. I love it all. Recently I head a radio show about a woman who realized she had a problem with food and did something about it. In the program she mentioned that she ate the same turkey sand which for almost a month. Ick, why would she do that? I thought. There are plenty of healthy things to eat. But it wasn't just about finding something healthy to eat to her. It was about breaking a habit; and more importantly breaking a mindset. And this is when I started really thinking. See, she realized that food should not be an issue. It's job isn't to make us happy, to let us enjoy it. It is supposed to nurture our bodies, not our taste buds, and most importantly not our emotions. Certainly we can enjoy food, I'm not saying that it is wrong to do that. What is wrong, is to obsess about it.

So this is the habit I want to break. I want to see food in a different light. I want to ask "what should I eat that my body really needs?" Instead of asking "what do I want to eat?" and then see if it is something that might be good for me. Nutrition from food is supposed to be my motive for eating, not taste. So, here you have it, this is what I learned this week. Hopefully it will be a lesson that I will continue to learn and work on. How are you doing this week? Any struggles? Any victories?

7 o'clock club-Part Two

2010-01-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

So did you wake up a little bit earlier this morning? How did it go?

For the next week, I will be waking up at 7:00am. However, after that I will be starting my day at 6:30. Why earlier? Well, I will tell you how it is I came to that conclusion. First, I thought about my relationship with God. As I mentioned, before, I want to have good quality alone time with my Maker. I also thought about my husband. We have both recently felt a stronger need for a better prayer life. How awesome would it be to be able to pray with him before he goes to work!?! Also, I have been meaning to make his lunches for him, and getting up earlier would make that more possible. And lastly, I would like to be able to take a shower without worrying that the kids are tearing apart the house or waiting until naptime!

My kids get up in between 8:00-8:30am. I decided to play it safe and go with 8:00. If I get up at 6:30am then I will have all the time I need to get these things done.

20 minutes for praying with my husband and making his lunch
30 minutes for Quite time with God
30 minutes for showering and dressing

So, I guess you could say I'm in a "6:30 am club", but then again, the time isn't what's important.

And this is how I came up with my time. How you come up with yours, and what time you come up with may look totally different. You have to do what works for your family and what God lays on your heart.

As I mentioned before, I will continue waking up at 7:00am for the next week and then move to 6:30. My body needs time to adjust.

What about you? I would love hear what time you are committing to waking up at and how you came up with that time. It would also be neat to hear what you have decided to do in that time.

7 o'clock club-Part One

2010-01-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

I'm not really a morning person. However, seeing that I have two little ones, I'm not a night person either. I'm not sure what you would call a person like me. Middle of the day person? Not the same ring to it, 'eh? Either way, I want to be a morning person. How glorious it would be to start the day BEFORE my kids wake up. I want to be able to shower every day (come on ladies, we all know this is a struggle when you have mischievous little ones:). I want to have a real Quiet time; one alone with GOD. My pastor recently asked a group "When is the last time you spent time all alone with God?" I almost laughed "I'm never all alone!!". BUT that is not out of my control. I have had great mornings where I've purposed to get up early and start my day in God's word. I want to get back to those days.

A friend on Facebook recently invited all her friends to join a "7 o'clock club". The meaning behind the club is to challenge yourself by staring you mornings at a earlier time, and get done what God lays on you heart. Things to further you relationship with Him, and to benefit you family. The idea comes from a book called "Shopping for Time" by Carolyn Mahaney (I have not read this book, but plan to when I can get my hands on a copy). In the book it is actually called a 5 o'clock club-but the time isn't what is important it is the purpose behind it.

So, without further ado, will you join me in my attempt to have quality time with God? And to benefit my family by getting things done before the day gets too busy?

Stay tuned to Part Two: I will tell you about my decision as to what time I will be getting up.

Family Fun Friday- Top 10 Family Board Games

2010-01-08T09:26:00.004-05:00

Playing games with your children is not only a lot of fun, it also helps them to learn to share, take turns, and (gasp!), even how to lose.

I admit we haven't played many games with our four year old. I am a task orientated person who likes to "get to the next thing", so it is hard for me to patient and watch someone go back to square one just because they got the wrong color in Candy Land. I also like a challenge; and picking up colors, by chance, doesn't really build any brain power (for me, however I do recognize that all sorts of things can be learned by playing this game for the pre-schooler). But, none the less, playing games is good for Noah (our four year old), and I should really take the time to do it with him. As I had mentioned before, I want to do a game night once a week. It may look different each week. For example, we won't always be doing a board game. I will be incorporating games like hide and seek, and even count going out to our local Middle School basketball game as part of the fun.

Here are the top 10 family games according to the family fun education web site. (By The Way: this seems like a pretty cool website too. Check out for all kinds of family information).

Scrabble
Clue
Sorry
Chinese Checkers
Chutes & Ladders
Life
Chess
Monopoly
Twister
Candy Land

I know some of these games are not very practice for us with very young children. Actually, I am not sure how I am going to involve my 19 month old in. But, you gotta start somewhere, and we will see where it takes us.

What about you? Do you have any favorite games to play with you kids? I would love to hear them!

2010 Resolutions

2010-01-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last night I asked my husband if he had any resolutions. I can't remember exactly what he said but it was something to the effect of "why do people make resolutions in the first place?" "I think it is more like a goal thing to me." I responded. "What do I want to say I did before 2011." Call 'em what you like, having goals is a good thing. After all, "if you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it every time."

With that said, here are my New Year's Resolutions goals :).

Buy a house-Buying a house is really something that only God can do. I can do my best to make it happen but I can't make it happen.
Start some "school time" with Noah-I am not exactly sure what I want this to look like yet. Any ideas?
Write more often (vague, i know) - When I write, it just comes out of me. I don't write because I feel like I have to. There is a purpose to it (just not always the same purpose). When I say I want to write more, it is because I want to put my feelings down on paper and treat it like capturing a picture of my heart. It is something I can't really force. However, It is something that I want to take advantage of, and someday become better at.
Read my Bible more. (all of OT before 2011)- I normally say I want to read the entire Bible in one year, but I always fail. Instead of giving up, I thought I would still try but go about it a different way. (more on this later.)
Lose 7 pounds-read my post on that, here.

Do you have any Goals for 2010? What are you doing to make it happen?

Printable Cupons

2010-01-06T13:11:00.002-05:00

Andrea over at MommySnacks has a great list of printable coupons available. Check it out here.

MommySnacks is another one of my favorite blogs. She is always updating coupons and hot deals.

Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-01-06T12:55:00.000-05:00

As part of my new year resolution I (like half of America), am going to try and lose a few pounds. (sound familiar, anyone?). I really am not sure how much I want to lose. In high school I was pretty fit and very active at 125. Now that I have a "mommy body" (gotta love the stereo (sp?) types-and I am now convinced to never use that phase again! Yuck), I am not sure what 125 will look like on me. Maybe great, maybe not. So I am going to say that my over all goal is 120. I am going about this in a two part session. My first goal is 7 pounds. I would like to reach this by the end of January, giving myself four weeks to accomplish my goal. The second goal will be the same; 7 pounds. This will be putting myself at 124. I will then evaluate and see if I need to lose another four to come down to weighing 120 (which is where I was the week I was married five years ago!). My hope is that after the first seven pounds, I will be motivated to keep going. Another hope is that with the coming of spring I will want to get myself ready for summer. I live in the south, so I have the advantage of being able to start outdoor activities at the end of March. I would much rather ride a bike outdoors, then inside. Then again, who wouldn't?

I have posted a weight tracker above, with the over all goal of 120. Now I just have to get the girl moving!

Free Copy of Betty Crocker Soups, Stews, and Chilies

2010-01-06T12:53:00.002-05:00

Go here to get a download and print a copy of the Betty Crocker Soups, Stews, and Chilies Cookbook.

With the colder months ahead this will be useful.

Thanks Money Saving Mom! (if you haven't checked out her site, you should!)

Finding a routine (and a balance)

2010-01-05T09:32:00.007-05:00

When it comes to routine, well, my family just doesn't have one. Of course we have a basic shell of a routine. We, wake up, eat breakfast, eat lunch, have nap, eat dinner, and go to bed. - And that's our routine. Like it?

Not having a routine in someway is good for us. We can stay late at a friends house every once in a while and our kids can cope. We have a window of time for naps. Elijah doesn't HAVE to go down at 12. I just stick to in between 12 and 2. And I like it that way. This makes it easy to run that last errand, help a friend in need, or just gives me a few extra moments to do something fun with my kids.

However, not having a routine can be really bad. We may (unintentionally) stay out later than bedtime three nights in row, and we all suffer from it. Our children may go a few days, before I remember that they haven't had a bath (eek!). Or we may find ourselves filling our time with movies (we aren't tv people) and end up disappointed that we wasted so much time, again. We may decide to go to the mall at 5:00. No worries about the fact that it's 5:00 and I haven't fixed supper, "we'll just eat out tonight". So as you can imagine, this life-style comes with a price tag. In fact, many "tags". It cost us extra money, it cost us time, and my kids may find themselves being rushed into the bath tub ten minutes before bed .

This is why I'm trying to find a routine. I must clarify, that I am NOT talking about a schedule. In my mind, the two are much different. A routine is flexible. It is an order of events. It is not limited by time. A schedule is focused on time. 8-breakfast, 10-play time, 12-nap. This is how it is in my mind. It may not be like this for you and that is fine, call it whatever you want. The point is, that I want to have a better day to day life.

I am not completely sure what kind of routine will be best for my family. I have a basic idea of some things I want to incorporate. I want to read more, play games with Noah, eat out less. This is what I have come up with so far:

Routine for days:

Monday-Watch a friend's child (work every other Monday)
Tuesday-Work out
Wednesday-Work mornings
Thursday-Library Day
Friday-Church work day
Saturday- *don't have anything yet, and may not*
Sunday- Church

Routine for Nights:

Monday-Reading Night
Tuesday-Band Practice every other week
Wednesday-Game Night
Thursday-*open*
Friday-Movie Night
Saturday- *don't have anything*
Sunday- A.T.T.I.C.

This is a vague routine and I will be adding more things like cleaning, laundry, and of course baths =) , over time.

What about you? Do you have a family routine? What do you feel are the benefits of having one? Are there downfalls? Share your ideas in the comment section below.

Couple of Links for free stuff

2010-01-04T14:45:00.004-05:00

Go here: to learn how to score a free calendar from shutterfly. (a photo company)

Go here: to get a free coupon book from Sav-a-lot. (15$ worth!)

Fresh Wind Fresh Fire

2010-01-04T13:35:00.004-05:00

Ever feel like you are missing something? Like something more is out there and you are almost there, you almost "get it", but then whatever it was vanishes? And, for a moment, you forget all together you were missing something...until the next time it happens. Well, if not then I really won't be making any sense to you in this post. BUT if you know what I'm talking about then go ahead and read on.

As a Christian, that is, as someone who has accepted the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross as a substitute for my personal wrong doings, I know that I am blessed to have a deeper meaning to life. There is a difference, there is a change. BUT even now, I wonder that maybe I really don't know the full extent of all of this (I think we could all say that). After all, the disciples depended on God to the extent of healing people (obviously I know that it was God who did the healing, but they trusted him to that extent) ...to the extent of boldly facing death. Now, I would think that I would, by the grace of God, be able to face death for the sake of his name. However, I do NOT feel bold in any way. And maybe, just maybe, this come for my lack of understanding who God is. I know God loves me....or do I? I mean do I really, really get it? (now, I know I am probably losing some of you!) Let me try and explain it like this. When Jonathan and I first got married we loved each other. (makes sense, right?) Well, now, looking back, even though I know we loved each other then, I know we love each other more now. Not that we weren't trying to love each other less in the beginning because we didn't know we were lacking any love. We have a much deeper love now. Stronger. Well, that is what I'm talking about. I am longing for deeper. Stronger. More. I need to know more of God. I need to know His love more, and I need to learn how to love Him. The bible states that His ways are higher than ours. Boy, do I believe that! I think that I will never have the same understanding that God does, (duh!?!), but I do think I can learn to think differently. More lovingly, less selfishly, and altogether differently.

And all of this to bring me to my title. I am reading a book called "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" by Jim Cymbala. I am only in chapter four, but I am already convinced that 1. I have not seen the Holy Spirit like I should have. and 2. that I desperately need to learn how to pray and depend on that very same Spirit.

Now, some of you may think that I am extreme and so be it. I tend to jump into things heart first. But maybe I'm not extreme; and maybe I will someday find a Fresh wind, Fresh fire.

Combining blogs

2010-01-01T17:33:00.002-05:00

I am combining this blog with my other blog "Gould's journal". Seeing that I am not good an keeping up with either, I figure I should only have one. I am hoping to be more diligent in updating this one.

Here are the old post from my blog I am closing.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Sacrifice

As a Christian, I know what Christ did for me. How he sacrificed his own life because of my sin. The cross. It really is all about the cross. The glory it brought God. The life it brings to us.

Jonathan and I have been working for Miracle Hill as houseparents (taking care of and living with children who have been taken away from their home) for almost the last year of our life. Today the last girl in our care left for college. It was a day filled with mixed emotions. Proud of her and what she will become. Sad that I may not see her again. Hoping she will make the right choices. Glad that I made it through. See, I haven't always enjoyed my job as a houseparent. In fact, some days I hated it. There were days I begged God to give me something new. Just not this. There were days I cried. Days I longed to go back to my former life as a housewife. No one told me it would be this hard. Oh, they said it would be hard, but I had no idea, and when I finally got how hard it was , I wanted out. But God always said "no". Sometimes I think he had to yell it because I was so busy feeling sorry for myself that I wasn't listening.

Then one day it hit me. We were driving down the longest road ever (the one that leads you to the Children's Home) and I got it. Christ gave up everything to be here on earth. He gave up HEAVEN and I'm fussing about my two bedroom Condo. He DIED for people that HATED him, and I'm upset because a teenager yelled at me. I needed to learn what sacrifice was. And by the grace of God, I have a better understanding (and a long way to go). I gave it to God. I stopped asking to leave because I knew the answer. Then later God said "ok, you can start asking again". So I did and I am. We are waiting on God now. There are no more girls at the Children's Home. I feel like Jonathan and I did what God asked of us. Now we are waiting (trying to be patient) for God to tell us what to do next. I have learned a lot living here at the Children's Home. I have learned about sacrifice. Not really about how to, but of how HE did.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Mighty to Save

There are times in life when something just hits you. When you all the sudden have a better understanding of something or it just means more to you at that moment.

Last year I was standing in church during the worship time and a song was played for the congregation to sing that I had never heard before. In that song it says:

Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save
Redeemer, author of the nations,
He rose and conquered that grave, Yes Jesus conquered the grave.

It was about a week since I had found out that I had lost the baby that I was carrying. Singing that, I had one of those moments. An overwhelming feeling of gratitude towards Jesus for conquering the grave. See, my baby had died. I had no chance of living with her or taking care of her. But because Jesus conquered the grave, it couldn't have her either. She was in heaven. And because Jesus conquered the grave, I would get to see her again. In that moment it meant so much more to me that Jesus had died on the cross. That he had rose again. The message was real. More real then it has ever been before because someone I knew, someone I loved, had experience death. Someone, I cared for had benefited from Jesus' death and resurrection. He not only saved me, he saved my baby.

Looking back at 2009

2010-01-01T16:30:00.004-05:00

2009 has been a hard year. BUT it isn't one that I would ever take back. This is because I learned some very important lessons this year. Lessons that I needed to learn.

With my husband not having a job throughout almost the entire year, I had some questions for God. There were times that I thought, "maybe I just don't get it." Yet, by grace, as God does, he brought me through this trial. This trial, wasn't a physical one (that is to say, I didn't have a hard time trusting that God would provide for my physical needs). This was an emotional trial. I was trying to figure out the 'why' of the trial. Why didn't we have a job? Why wasn't our prayer being answered? What if God never gives us a job? The problem was I wasn't just trusting. I wasn't being still and knowing HE was God as we are told to do in Psalm 139. Actually I wasn't still at all. (If you know me, you will see this is something I often struggle with.)

I can't tell you any of the answers to the questions I had. Looking back, I think I was asking the wrong questions. It really doesn't matter why God choose to let us be without a job for a year. What matters is that HE is FAITHFUL. And I believe that.

I hope that next time we go thru a trial that I will remember that:

What God says in his word is true, whether I feel it or see it. I need to trust who HE is.
I don't have to know why I am going thru a trial but believe that God has given me all the strength and grace I need for it. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9.
The questions I really need to ask is "What do you want me to do, God?" and even "What are you teaching me?"

This won't be the last trial I go thru. And I will have to learn these lessons again. (Isn't this funny, about us ?) This year I am planing on getting into God's word more and "hiding his word in my heart". Seeing that God's word is a light unto my feet I want to be ready for the darker times.

What about you? What have you taken away from 2009?

Weight Loss Wednesday- Here we go again

2009-04-08T08:13:00.005-04:00

I know, I know, I have be MIA for the past couple of months. It's my add personality really. I start things with a passion and then don't finish them. Nevertheless, I'm back and so is Weight loss Wednesday. Now, just so you know, even thought I wasn't blogging about my weight loss efforts doesn't mean I had given up the last couple of months. Ok, well, actually I did give up for about a month but started again in late February. AND I have lost 4 pounds. Wohoo! The bad news is I lost those in the first couple of weeks and am starting week two of no pounds lost. I look better but would really appreciate if the scale would work with me and my efforts.

My new goal is to lose ten pounds by the time I go to my cousins wedding, which is April 18th. So I only have a couple of more weeks. The deal is that if I lose the 10 pounds then I get to buy a new dress for the wedding. I have acquired a weight loss partner and it is really helpful to not be doing this alone.

Here is what I have been doing the past couple of weeks:

Trying to drink the 64oz. of water
Trying to watch what I eat- I get one supper yummy dessert a week. This gives me something to look forward to and helps me say no to all the little snacks around the house.

Doing a different exercise:

Monday is walking
Tuesday is various workouts-push-ups, sit-ups, squats, ect.
Wednesday is running
Thursday is various workouts again
Friday is walking again

Having a different thing each day helps me not get so board with what I am doing. It also gives me room to be flexible.

Things that are helping me is to have a partner and my husband who is giving me lots of encouragement. It also helps for my goal to be attached to an event. It's not just some random date that I picked, which I could easily bump if I wasn't doing good. I also like the idea of having a prize attached to my goal.

So here it is, and here I go again!!

Weight Loss Wednesday

2008-12-17T11:52:00.004-05:00

Well, another not so great week. I know, I know most of you guys are probably thinking "She's crazy" or some equivalent. I really do want to get into better shape. I do have to say that I consciously made better choices this week. If I did eat ice cream, (ok...yeah, I did) I limited it to a much smaller portion then I would have had. Also, I did drink a lot more water than normal. I started out strong drinking over 64 oz a couple of days, but I really struggled on Monday and yesterday. However, I know that this is a battle and I have to keep fighting. (I have a big glass of water sitting right beside my computer as I write:) I want to make this a whole lifestyle change. I don't just want to loose the weight quickly, and then go back to my same eating habits and lifestyle. Of course loosing the weight quickly would be nice:)lol. I have mentally come to the conclusion-please don't think I'm giving up- to try and make better choices over the holidays, but not be too hard on myself if I can't stick to everything I had planned. I may not be right in saying this, but it is so hard to have a normal routine during the holidays. Not to mention the fact that my brother-in-law has been in the hospital most of this last week (he is doing much better now), and I have been taking care of his children and mine. Too bad going crazy doesn't burn calories..haha. Anyways, I really wasn't able to do my exercises as much as I had planed. Once when I did get to do them, the kids stood by the couch with confused little faces asking each other "what's she doing?" Because of the craziness of the next week I am changing my goals slightly.

Here they are:

*Drink 64oz of water each day

*Do short sets of working out -I know I won't find the 30+ mins to do my video so I would like to find 10 mins to do some exercises three times each day (I will share some of these exercises later in the day)

*Make smarter food choices. (example: only eat a small piece of pie)

In doing these thing I hope to maintain my weight.

Wednesday Stats

Current pounds lost: 1
Current pounds to go: 13

How are you doing?

A Simple Gift Wraping Idea

2008-12-16T16:21:00.002-05:00

This year I racked my brain at how I could wrap my presents nicely, yet, inexpensively. Wrapping paper has become so expensive, and what happens to it on Christmas day? It's thrown away! That means a not-so frugal purchase. So, instead of buying ribbon, paper, and other decorations, I decided to make my gift wrapping day a craft day for me and my son. I went to Walgreen's and bought a roll of postal wrapping paper (aka kraft paper). It cost about two dollars, but I have seen this also at some dollar stores. I then went to the dollar store and purchased some foam stickers, glitter glue, and paint. To get started I wrapped the presents in the paper first. I then let my son have at it. He glued Christmas pictures and put stickers on the gifts. It turned out to be a fun event for us. He was glad to be a part of the gift wrapping process (only he kept wanted to know where his presents were). The presents turned out cute-not perfect (I have a perfections thing about things like this- but I am working on it:), and it didn't cost me very much money at all. Not to mention an activity to keep a three year old busy for over an hour. This year maybe you should consider cutting costs by decorating your own paper. Even if you don't have children you can easily use scrapbooking material, ribbon, extra buttons, and other various things you find around your house that would look good on a package.

Leave a comment about your frugal wrapping ideas.

Cashbaq - earn money for onilne purchases & a free entertainment book

2008-12-15T10:08:00.006-05:00

Cashbaq is a site that rewards you for using them. It is similar to Ebates.com. All you have to do is sign up with them and go through their site to make any of your online purchases. They each have a list of stores that they promote, and the rewards of each store is different. For example, I just bought a 2009 Entertainment book through Cashbaq. I used a $10 off coupon making the book $15. Because I first signed up for Cashbaq (they are currently giving you 5.00 when you sign up) and then clicked on the entertainment books section on their site, they are giving me $10 for buying the book. Thus making the book FREE for me. I will have to wait for the check in the mail to get my money back, so I did have to "pay" for it first and will be reimbursed. (You can choose to get payed through paypal if you have an account with them)

Here's how to get the book:

1. Sign up for Cashbaq.com http://www.cashbaq.com/?refer=458049 (You will receive a $5 bonus for signing up.)

2. After signing up, go to the pull-down side bar to the left of the site called “Shop by Store.” Select Entertainment Book -10
A coupon page should appear saying save $10, Select, "Use this coupon" on the right of the page. This will direct you to the Entertainment Book website, where you will get $10 off and Free shipping.

3. Purchase the book, (it should come up to $15, with free shipping.-*other areas may be more)

After receiving the $5 sign-on bonus, as well as $10 from Cashbaq for making the purchase, - a total of $15 back, your book is FREE after rebate! (Your rebate will show up later, on the Cashbaq site. It may take a week or two to show up. I haven't gotten mine yet-I signed up today- but I have it on good authority, from a VERY trustworthy person, that it will :)

You can use Cashbaq for other purchases too. Check out their site at http://www.cashbaq.com/?refer=458049

I found out about this great deal from http://savingingreenville.com/ . You should check out her site. I love it!

Family Fun Friday-Budget Friendly Events

2008-12-12T14:27:00.002-05:00

Here are some family fun ideas that won’t break your budget.

Look to see if local churches are offering community activities. -You don’t have to go to a particular church in order to participate in the women’s bible study or moms group. Also look for plays, singing concerts, and VBS.

Look at you local coffee shop. -A lot of times coffee shops will allow local artist to come in and perform to their customers. They are usually free.
Consider going to the park. Easy enough, but when’s they last time you all went?
Barnes & Noble holds children’s book readings and other family friendly events. Look at your local store for their listing.
Libraries will hold children’s events also. Some hold book clubs, language classes, and computer classes.
Check your city’s website for a listing of community events. This is usually more frequent in the summer days.
If you are a YMCA member, check to see if they are holding any special member events.
Love ball games? Consider going to the local High School instead of college. These can be considerably cheaper. Also check to see if they are having any school plays. The acting may not be top-notch but it can provide a fun evening out.
Volunteer as a family. Ministering together is one of the best ways to build family intimacy.

Hope you find an idea you can use this weekend.

Weight-Loss Wednesday- Why Water?

2008-12-10T14:27:00.002-05:00

We have all heard it. "Drink 64 oz. of water a day." But why? One of the main reasons to drink water is that it will help you get rid of some of those pesky little pounds that have attached themselves to you.

You see, it is water that helps the kidneys function properly. If there isn't enough water to help them, then the liver picks up the slack. This creates a problem because it is the livers job to metabolize the body's fat (make it into usable energy). If the liver can't metabolize the fat then the body will, in turn, store it.

Also, if you don't get enough water, your body may store excess water so that it knows it will have some for later. This will lead to bloating and water retention. I am all to familiar with that. Yuck! What a gross feeling! In order to get rid of water retention your body needs to know that it has plenty of water coming. Yet, another great reason to grab a glass.

I know water isn't the most satisfying drink. I have had to get myself accustomed to drinking it (and you just read in my previous post that I am still getting used to it). When I first started drinking it, it would make me feel like I was going to throw up a little. So I took it step by step, trying to build myself up to 64 oz. Yesterday I finally drank 64 oz for the first time in months. It feels pretty good knowing that I am helping my body out. And that it will reward me with a more efficiently run metabolism.

So here's to water! Bottoms up!

Post a comment if you are going to commit to drinking 64 oz of water with me!

Want to read more on water? Check out these sites.

http://www.highvibrations.org/archive3/water.htm
http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/articles/water.html
http://www.inch-aweigh.com/water.html

Weight-Loss Wednesday--Week One Down

2008-12-10T09:47:00.005-05:00

Well, by Thursday morning I was already wanting to give up. “What should I eat for breakfast?? There is nothing here.” I really wanted some toast with butter on it, which I guess isn’t too, bad, but its only the first day. You can’t make compromises on the first day!

By the Friday I realized that the forces were against me. My sweet wonderful husband took me to The Beacon for our date night. The Beacon is a fried food lovers dream. I tried to be good…but it was my first time there and they are known for their onion rings. I have to experience that, right? Then came the weekend. We had three birthday parties to go to. I started out only having four small bites of cake at the first one, but by the third my sweet fighting strength had worn down and I consumed not only a piece of cake but the ice cream they were serving with it.

Amazingly enough on Saturday morning the scale showed that I had lost four pounds, however, by Monday (after my cake affair), they were all back. It makes me wonder if I’m really ready for this. What am I thinking that I can do this during the holidays? I know there is only more good food to come and we are going to my parents for the weekend. This is extremely bad for my diet because my parents are the opposite of healthy. My mom loves chocolate and my dad snacks on popcorn until mid-night. I am doomed. There is a small glimmer of hope in me. After all, there skinny people around at the holidays, so if they can do it, so can I.

There is really more to this then losing the weight for me ( that is a main motive though). I not that big and my BMI isn’t in the overweight category (although it’s very close). I really don’t like my habits and where they are taking me. I don’t like feeling controlled by food. Like I need it. I don’t like it when I eat just to eat, when I’m board, when I’m upset. I don’t like it owning me.

Ahhh…that was just the pep talk I needed.

As far as my goals go, I have done good at my workout and I have come to really enjoy it. I do the step aerobic video that comes with the step system. It took me a while to get it down. I am extremely bad at rhythm and coordination. But I think, after the fifth time, I finally got it down. Drinking the water has been another story. I’m amazed at how hard it is to remember to drink water. I need to start early because the next thing I know its 8 o’clock and I’ve got five glasses to go. Not good for the bladder. I have also been trying to use bigger glasses so that I don’t have to drink so many. If I see that I only have less then half the glass to go I just chug it down so I know that I don’t have to worry about it or carry it around with me.

Wednesday's Stats

Current Pounds Loss- 1

Pounds To Go-12

Goal Date
February 16th, 2009

Coupon Tricks

2008-12-09T21:06:00.003-05:00

If you are new to using coupons here are a few tricks to make your savings go further.

Always match your coupon to the stores sales. --Most coupons last for a month or longer so look for the best time to buy the product. Also, you can combine a store coupons and a manufactures coupon to maximize your savings. (you will know if it a manufactures coupons by looking at the top and seeing if it says “manufactures coupon.”) An execption to this rule would be if the coupon is going to expire soon and/or you would buy the product anyways because you needed it.

Get to know your stores. --Some stores will double coupons so seek out your local grocers coupon policy. Also, look for special times when they triple coupons.

Gather lots of coupons.--The best place to get coupons is from the Sunday’s paper. I have bought more than one if the couponsin it are really good. Other places to look are in the All-You magazine (found only in Wal-Mart) and product sites. Betty Crocker and Pillsbury will send coupons for signing up for their email. If there is a product you want a coupon for check out their website, if you don’t find one there then consider emailing them. I have recently emailed a company that sells baby food asking for coupons and they responding asking for my address so they can send some. Look in the front of stores or near the pharmacy. CVS and K-mart both have a “beauty book” that has coupons in them. Publix has something similar. Also check out sites like hotcouponwould.com , coolsavings.com , and coupon.com.

Pick a good organizational method. --consider using a baseball trading card organizer to file your coupons. This way you can see each coupon as well as put them in a specific order. (can foods, baby products, toiletries, ect.)

Only clip what you will use--if you don’t like Pillsbury cookies then don’t clip that coupon. The only exception to this would be if you wanted to buy for someone else.

Consider if you need a product before you purchase it--there is an art to this, actually. Your family may love cereal so when you see a good deal on Kellogg’s products grab what you can providing your budget allows for it even if you don‘t need it that week. Your goal should be to buy enough of that product to last until the next big sale. However, you want to stay away from buying items just because they are a good deal. If you have already bought enough toothpaste to last you a year then past up the Crest deal, even if its only .50. Another thing to consider is if you have room for the item or not.

Make sure it’s a good deal--Make sure your “with coupon” price is still better than the off brand competitor. Unless you have specific preference then stick with the cheapest product.

Start out small--You will quickly learn that there are a lot of deals to be had out there. Buying each one may cause you to spend even more than what you budgeted for pre-coupon usage. Start with a specific amount of what you will allow for deals and go from there.

Well, I hope that this helps you. I haven’t been at this very long myself, but these are the things that I have learned or read while I was searching for ways to save on my budget. Good luck and happy coupon-ing!

Lots of deals to be had at Bloom

2008-12-05T13:03:00.003-05:00

Here's my recent Bloom trip. Bloom is tripling coupons the 5th, 6th and 7th of this week.

Here's what I got:
Regular prices reflect Bloom's Original Prices before sales

Fresh Express Cesar Salad Kit
Regular Price 7.98 (for 2)
.75 Q used (had two of them)
Final Price - .50 (for 2)

Yo plait Yogurt (6)
Regular Price 4.20 or .70 each
.40 on 6 Q used
Final Price - 3.00 (for 6)

Breyer's Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt
Regular Price .60
.50 Q used
Final Price - Made .90 (this means the price of my coupon tripled was actually more than the cost of the item, therefore I "made" money.)

Knorrs Broccoli and Cheddar Rice
Regular Price 2.90 (for 2)
.40 Q used (had 2 of them)
Final Price - .30 (for 2)

Knorrs Alfredo Pasta Sides
Regular Price 2.50 (for 2)
.45 on 2 Q used
Final Price - .22 (for 2)

Mrs. Dash Seasoning
Regular Price 2.74
.75 Q used (had 2 of them)
Final Price - .49

Sargentino Pre-Sliced Pepper Jack cheese**
Regular Price 3.79
.55 Q used
Final Price - 2.19

Pop Tarts
Regular Price 2.39
.55 Q used
Final Price - .39

Pillsbury Buffalo Chicken Pastry Bites
Regular Price 3.99
.75 Q used
Final Price - 1.25

Del- Monte 50% Less Sodium Sweet Peas
Regular Price 2.34 (for 2)
.30 Q used
Final Price - .18 (for 2)

Wet Ones Antibacterial Wipes
Regular Price 2.10
.75 Q used (didn't triple to 2.25, but still very profitable Q)
Final Price - Made .10

Texas Toast Croutons
Regular Price 3.76 (for 2)
.40 Q used (had 2 of them)
Final Price - Made .30 (on 2)

Betty Crocker Creamy Butter Potato
Regular Price 2.00 (for 2)
.30 Q used (had 2 of them)
Final Price - Made .10 (on 2)

Birds Eye Frozen Green Beans in Steam-fresh Bag
Regular Price 3.98 (for 2)
.35 Q used (had 2 of them)
Final Price - Made .10 (on 2)

**this was the only coupon that I didn't get from a Sundays' Paper. This coupon was on the package in the store.

I also picked up a few other items that I didn't have coupons for but needed. (12.74 dollars worth) I only spent 19.91 total which means I got everything listed above for only 7.17! I saved 32.23!! .....I think I'm liking this coupon-ing thing:)

Hope this inspires you to get out there and grab some deals!!

Swagbucks--Search and Win!

2008-12-04T14:09:00.007-05:00

Ever search on the web? Of course, who doesn't? Now you can start earning prizes each time you do. Swagbucks is a search engine, who rewards you for using them. You "win" swagbucks when you search online (not every time but it is fairly easy to win within your first few searches). You then redeem your swagbucks for prizes. You can get a $5 Starbucks gift card for 50 swagbucks. There are other prizes too, such as amazon gift cards, subway gift cards, video games, baseball trading cards....ect. I'm sure you will find somthing to suit your tastes. I have not been a member long, but I have heard that on average you earn enough swagbucks for one $5 Starbucks card a month.

If that's not enough for you then you can earn even more swagbucks for referring people. You can earn while they also earn. It's a win- win for everyone!

You also don't have to give a lot of personal information. I only gave my name, zip code, state I live in, and year I was born, as well as creating a uswer name and password.

If you do chose to try out swagbucks, do me a favor and use my referral code http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=0 . (click this link)

After all, I love Starbucks!

Bloom Tripling Coupons Again!!

2008-12-04T07:55:00.005-05:00

This sale is my absolute favorite! Bloom is tripling coupons the 5th,6th, and 7th. This is a great time to stock up on pantry items. You can always find several items for less than a dollar and better yet, there are usually two or three for FREE!

Here are the rules:

Only triples coupons up to .99
Limit of 20 per customer (I have heard several people say that they do two separate transactions back to back, however, I haven't tried this.)
I'm not sure if its a rule, but I did notice last time that some of my coupons that would have given me overage only tripled to face value.
I've heard someone say that you can't use more than two of the same exact coupons in one transaction, but didn't see this in the ad.

If you want to take your savings to the extra mile, check out their website at http://www.shopbloom.com/ and match your coupons to the sales. Good luck and happy shopping.

PS...learning from my experience with K-mart, I suggest you go early to make sure everything isn't sold out already.

Weight Loss Wednesday

2008-12-03T19:20:00.003-05:00

For a while I have been trying to lose the weight that I had gained when I was first married. Within my first year of marriage, I had gained 10 pounds. The week I went on a diet was the same week I found out I was pregnant. (Figures!) After giving birth I had a hard time loosing the additional "baby" weight. I had a million excuse....breastfeeding (I needed those 500 extra calories, right?), no time, exhausted, no where to work out,...and on and on it goes. I think I was thinking the extra pounds would just fall off...they never did. After my second baby I did extremely well getting back to the weight that I was before getting pregnant that time. The problem is that my before "2nd baby weight" still leaves me with 16 pounds to lose before I am at my ideal weight. So here I am, ready to go and hoping you will want to come along for the ride.

I signed up with http://www.sparkpeople.com/ and got a few goals established for this week. If you are unfamiliar with sparkpeople, you should go on their site and look around. The are a diet and fitness website with tons of advice and the best part is they are totally FREE!

Here are my goals:

Over all goal
Lose 13 pounds by February 16th

Goals for this week
Make a habit of drinking 8-8oz glasses of water
Make a habit of cardio exercise at least 20 mins a day
No snacking past 8:00

To some of you these goals may sound like no goals at all. They may be part of your routine and that's great! I am hoping that they will soon be part of mine too. (We all have to start somewhere!:)

Each week on Wednesday I will give you an update on how I am doing. I will also be including

exercise tips
recipes
fitness resources

We all know that I am no expert, but I want to share anything and everything that is helping me so that maybe it can help you too!

Wednesday Stats

Current Pounds Lost--0

Pounds To Go--13

Joining me on my journey? Leave a comment and let me know. Your not in it alone!

K-Mart Run Down

2008-12-03T17:44:00.004-05:00

As promised, here are the deals I got from K-Mart. I really didn’t get any really good deals. Anything that would have been free was already gone (crazy couponing people). Also, the cashier wouldn’t accept the coupons I got form CVS, Although they were manufactures’ coupons (crazy cashier).

Here’s the run down:

Kotex Maxi Pads
Regular Price 3.49
With coupon 1.49

Dove Shampoo 12 oz
Regular Price 3.79
With coupon .79

Dove Conditioner 25.4 oz
Regular Price 5.49
With coupon 1.49

Opti-Free Replenish Eye Care Solution
Regular Price 5.49
With Coupon 3.49

Origel Training Toothpaste
Regular Price 3.19
With Coupon 1.19

Scott Soft Double Roll Toilet Paper 6 pack
Regular Price 5.99
With Coupon 3.99

Quaker Granola Bars (2 boxes)
Regular Price 2.99 each
With Coupon 2. 10 each

My total with coupons was 17.62. Paying full price at K-Mart these items would have cost me over 33 dollars! However, I noticed that K-Marts prices are much higher than Wal-Mart's, so I figure I saved about 12 dollars. Still not too bad. I was really bummed about the things that were already sold out. I guess I will have to go Sunday after church next time this runs again.

K-Mart--Double Coupons up to 2$ !!!

2008-12-01T20:50:00.004-05:00

K-Mart is doubling coupons up to 2 dollars! This is a great time to use all your 1-2 dollar coupons. Rarely does any store double coupons above 1.00. K-Mart is not accepting internet coupons (bummer) and won't double beyond the face value of the product (i.e.: no money makers), but all-in-all this is a great deal!

Hear are a few great deal scenarios.
*all coupons are from Sundays paper.

Select Kellogg’s Cereal 4/10$
Use coupon Save 1.00 off any one Selected (coupons names a few) Kellogg’s Cereal
Final Price .50

Gillette body wash for men 4$
Use coupon 2 off any one
Final Price FREE

Dove Hair Care 5.49 (25.4oz)
Use coupon 2$ off any 25.4 oz dove hair care product
Final Price 1.49

Dove Hair Care 3.79 (12 oz)
Use coupon 1.50 off any 12 oz dove hair care product
Final Price .79

I'm not much of a K-mart shopper, so I am not familiar with their prices. I plan on going tomorrow to see what other deals are available. If there are, I will be sure to let you all know!

*Share your K-mart trip by posting your link in the comment section!*

More Than Just Saving

2008-11-29T19:18:00.007-05:00

Sometime into this process of clipping coupons and snagging bargains, I came to ask myself "Why am I really doing this?" “Was I seeking approval?" There is a certain amount of pride that can easily sneak its way into your saving efforts. If not careful saving money can easily become a competition.

Or, "Was I merely seeking to save money on some things so that I can buy more things?" I am prone to be materialistic. It is more than just having a lot of stuff for me though. I don't like clutter so I don't just want stuff. What I was really after was having the money to buy things as I chose. Those $30 dollar shoes from Khols. A new set of pots and pans from Sears. A sewing machine....and the list goes on. It isn't that buying these things would be bad, and saving money so that I could buy them it actually a great idea; But it was that my focus was on me. I was thinking "What can I do with the extra money?" Not, "What does God want me to do?" Knowing that it is God who gives me all that I have forces me to remind myself of two things. First, be the best steward of my resources that I can be, and second to always ask Him what He wants me do with the money I save. Having this focus makes me realize that this is about more than just saving money...it's about being faithful to my God.

Favorite Holiday Recipes

2008-11-28T20:33:00.003-05:00

The holidays are here and we all know what that means- GREAT food. There are a few holiday favorites in my house and I thought I would share the recipes. I would also love to here what some of you will be cooking (or baking) up this season, so leave your favorites in the comment section! Here are a couple of mine:

Sweet Potato Balls

Ingredients
4 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large marshmallow per potato ball

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them. (*hint-Allow potatoes to cool in the fridge until they hold there shape when made into a ball. ) Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, zest and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, toss the coconut with the sugar and cinnamon. Press mashed potatoes around each marshmallow, creating a 2 to 3-inch diameter ball. Roll the balls in the coconut mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully for the last few minutes of cooking; the expanding marshmallows can cause the potato balls to burst open.

Pumpkin Pie
* this recipe is from the Libby's pumpkin can. I think it's the best Pumpkin pie!

Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:
Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.Pour into pie shell.Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Hope you like these recipes. Looking forward to trying some of yours!

Black Firday Overview

2008-11-28T16:43:00.007-05:00

Well, despite my better judgment, my husband and I loaded up our two boys and decided to brave the traffic, mounds of deal-grabbin' crazed people, and mega-long lines, in order to experience "Black Friday." I had a hard time deciding whether or not to shop the "most shopped day in America." I knew that, because of our circumstances, I didn't have a very large budget for Christmas presents. On one hand, this may just be the day that I can snag some really good presents for my kids. On the other, I hate being around large crowds. I went to bed thinking I would probably just stay home, but when my husband asked me if I wanted to go this morning I just couldn't refuse. So off we went. Now, you have to understand, that we didn't end up getting out of the house until 10:30 or so, so my experience is somewhat altered. I expected to wait in bumper to bumper traffic, but was alarmed that was hardly any traffic at all. We only went to two different stores and our trip to Wal-Mart prove to be the most profitable. Here’s what we got:

A V-Tech computer that plugs into your TV for $30. (normally up to $70!)
A stand behind push/walker type toy for $10.
An step aerobic set complete with DVD for $15.
Child size garden shovel and hoe for $2 each.

I am somewhat disappointed that I didn't get a true feeling of the chaotic day. (We didn't even have to stand in a line at Wal-Mart.-When does that ever happen?) But I am really glad that I didn't have to fight any crowds. -Did I mention I hate being around large groups of people? I am not sure if I will ever be a dedicated "Black Friday" shopper, but I am glad we went today.
Share your Black Friday Deals in the comment section.

Much to be Thankful For

2008-11-28T16:22:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, most of American’s took a moment to remember all that they are thankful for. And, despite the economical storm we find ourselves in, we all do, indeed, have much to be grateful for. Last October, my husband and I joined the growing population of the unemployed. It has been hard, yes, but we can not be bitter about our circumstances. God has been good to us. We have a roof over our heads, food on our table, and clothes on our bodies. Because of our circumstances we have been able to spend more time together as a family. This is something that we will cherish forever. One of my favorite things that has come out of our lack of work is that my husband now has a new appreciation for all stay-at home moms.:) I have also been able to spend more time in prayer. Or, I should rather say, I have been forced to my knees because I know that God is the only one who can lead us to the perfect job. ( I say this recognizing how much I still need to depend on God.) Most of all, I am thankful for the wonderful family I have: Two beautiful boys here on earth, a precious child in heaven, and a wonderful husband I adore. I, most of all, have much to be thankful for.

Leave a comment on what you are especially thankful for this year. It is a blessing to hear how God shows his love to each of us.

Dave Ramsey.com- Huge Sale

2008-11-25T15:08:00.009-05:00

All of Dave's Books, CD's, and DVD's are on sale for only 10$!!! Dave is a financial advisor who has helped my husband and I pay off thousands, yes, thousands of dollars of debt with his great advice. He is a great speaker and I really enjoy listening to his advice. If you are unfamiliar with his teaching, I would recommend buying the Total Money Makeover Book on CD to start off with. This way you can listen to him while doing dishes, laundry, ect. Dave also has a radio show, check the website for station and time.

I am not sure how long the sale last so you may want to go on over there and check it out!

Thanks to Money Saving Mom, who found out about this great deal. Check it out at: http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/11/daveramseycom-everything-for-10.html

Great Thanksgiving Deals

2008-11-25T13:45:00.008-05:00

Here are some great deals I picked up yesterday. The prices should be good for the rest of today, so hurry in and see what you can pick up.
*prices will vary by region.

Publix

Wheat Thins- bought two for coupon but forgot to hand this one in:(
Regular Price 3.39
Sale Price with Q 1.20 each- I really paid 1.70 since I forgot Q.

Domino Box of Light Brown Sugar
Regular Price .99
Sale Price with Q .49

Uncle Ben's Rice (Box)-bought two for Q
Regular Price 1.99
Sale Price with Q .52 each

Crisco Vegetable Oil
Regular Price 4.19
Sale Price with Q 1.55

Bi-Lo

Progresso Bread Crumbs
Regular Price 1.87-bought two for Q
Sale price with Q 1.10 each

Suave Deodorant*this item was on closeout
Regular Price 1.78
Price with Q .78

Sure Deodorant
Regular Price 2.56
Sale Price with Q .18

Reddi-Whip
Regular Price 2.55
Sale Price with Q 1.00

Lipton Cranberry Pomegranate Green Tea Bags
Regular Price 3.29
Sale Price with Q 1.94

Coffee Mate Liquid Creamer
Regular Price 2.00
Sale Price with Q .60

Valasic Dill Relish
Regular Price 1.75
Sale Price with Q .50

Blistex Silk and Shine Lip Gloss
Regular Price 2.99
Sale Price with Q .40

Wal-Mart

Stove Top Stuffing-bought two for Q
Regular Price .98
Sale Price with Q .50 each

Chex Rice Cereal-bought two for Q
Regular Price 1.66
Sale Price with Q 1.10 each

Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice
Regular Price 2.50
Sale Price with Q 1.50

Green Giant Steamers Bagged Veggies
Regular Price 1.00
Sale Price with Q FREE-got three of these b/c of great price

Campbell’s Condensed Cooking Soup-bought four for Q
Regular Price 2.20 for 4
Sale Price with Q 1.95 for 4 or .48 each

Total for all these items before tax is only 18.02!! What a great Savings!

I am sorry I didn't label where each Q is from. I am new to this so please be patient with me as I keep learning. I can tell you that all of them were from the Sunday Paper except the Progresso one. It was a printable from the internet.

Hope you can use this information to snag some great deals for your family!! :)

Welcome To Everything Mommy

2008-11-25T07:38:00.003-05:00

Welcome! I'm so glad you found this blog. I’m sure you know by now there are many things that make up a mommy’s life. Moms are (typically) the ones who run the home and that can mean a long to do list. Mom’s cook, clean, shop, go to doctor’s visits, plan vacations (and pack for them!). It is mom who fixes the booboo and comes up with the next great craft idea. A Mom’s life is filled with little bits of Everything! I hope to share some ideas so that you can make your home a sweet and enjoyable place for your husband and children. I am no expert. Ha! I hardly have a handle on "Mommy Life," myself. I have stumbled upon some ways to make "Mommy Life" more fun. I hope to cover topics of:

Saving Money (Who doesn't want to do this!)
Making Money (Ditto:)
Family Fun Ideas
Simple Recipes
Healthy Living Ideas
Inspirational Thoughts

Most of my post will be things that I have heard of, found on the web, or read in a book. I may even post things that I don’t do myself, but think it might work for your family. Each family has their own rhythm and that’s ok. In fact, it’s great! What a boring place it would be if everything was run the same way. Please feel free to leave comments of your great ideas. A Mommy’s job is never done, but a least we can have fun doing it! :)

Everything Mommy

Did I mention I'm sporadic?

MIA

Falling off the balancing beam

Weight Loss Wednesday, or Saturday.........

Week in Review- Weight Loss Wednesday

31 Days of Clean-Week in Review & Link Up Your Posts

Free Menu Planning Lists from MSM

Fess Up Friday

31 Days of Clean- Children and Cleaning

I'm going on a mud run!!- Weigh Loss Wednesday

31 Days of Clean

A Post Worth Reading-MSM

31 days of clean

Fess Up Friday

Clothing Your Children

Wicked Pics

Roller Coaster Anyone? - Weight Loss Wednesday

Family Friday- the money edition

Weight Loss Wednesday

His name was Bubba

Famliy Friday

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

Weight Loss Wednesday

Family Fun Friday

Coupon Preview

Got Shoes?

I ate Brussel Sprouts -Weight Loss Wednesday

7 o'clock club-Part Two

7 o'clock club-Part One

Family Fun Friday- Top 10 Family Board Games

2010 Resolutions

With that said, here are my New Year's Resolutions goals :).

Buy a house-Buying a house is really something that only God can do. I can do my best to make it happen but I can't make it happen.

Start some "school time" with Noah-I am not exactly sure what I want this to look like yet. Any ideas?

Read my Bible more. (all of OT before 2011)- I normally say I want to read the entire Bible in one year, but I always fail. Instead of giving up, I thought I would still try but go about it a different way. (more on this later.)

Lose 7 pounds-read my post on that, here.

Printable Cupons

Weight Loss Wednesday

Free Copy of Betty Crocker Soups, Stews, and Chilies

Finding a routine (and a balance)

Couple of Links for free stuff

Fresh Wind Fresh Fire

Combining blogs

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Sacrifice

Monday, August 11, 2008

Mighty to Save

Looking back at 2009

Weight Loss Wednesday- Here we go again

Weight Loss Wednesday

A Simple Gift Wraping Idea

Cashbaq - earn money for onilne purchases & a free entertainment book

Family Fun Friday-Budget Friendly Events

Weight-Loss Wednesday- Why Water?

Weight-Loss Wednesday--Week One Down

Coupon Tricks

Lots of deals to be had at Bloom

Swagbucks--Search and Win!

Bloom Tripling Coupons Again!!

Weight Loss Wednesday

K-Mart Run Down

K-Mart--Double Coupons up to 2$ !!!

More Than Just Saving

Favorite Holiday Recipes

Black Firday Overview

Much to be Thankful For

Dave Ramsey.com- Huge Sale

Great Thanksgiving Deals

Welcome To Everything Mommy