December 10, 2008

Taking a Break

As most of you have noticed, I have not been blogging for a couple weeks. When I started, I was really sporadic about how I posted and I finally thought that I found my groove. Well . . . I had to get a job and now life is crazy. I need to figure out how to schedule my life and make sure I am getting the basics done before I can do the fun things . . . i.e. blogging. So I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season and hopefully I will be back shortly after the new year!

November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope all of you have a wonderful thanksgiving with family and friends. I am so thankful for so many things this year.

  • My life
  • My family
  • My friends
  • My home
  • Food on the table
  • Working vehicles (this is a big one for us)
  • Church Family
  • Pets (most of the time)
  • That we both have jobs
  • etc., etc. etc.

I could be here all day!

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

November 26, 2008

I Love my Husband!

I love my husband so much! I mean, I always do, but especially today.

I have been having a really hard time adjusting to work and haven't been feeling that good lately. Well today when I got home, Tim had the dishes done (which were sooooooo disgustingly piled up...my fault), the trash taken out (all of it) and dinner made! Really good spaghetti with ground beef in it! I was so hungry on the way home from work and almost stopped! (I don't get home until midnight!) I was so happily surprised! I can't wait to thank him!

I have the best husband ever!

Does your husband ever surprise you like that? Do share!

My Puppy doesn't Listen to Me!

My puppy doesn't listen to me has to be one of the biggest complaints I hear about dogs! Believe me, I'm right there with you!

I love this picture! It's not mine but it looks just like my boxer, Captain! Have I mentioned how much this dog frustrates me! In the same breath I'll tell you how much I love my puppy! Yes...my puppy! My husband always makes fun of me and says that he will always be my puppy even when he's old! True! He ate my work headphones the other day! I wasn't even gone that long! It was when I was taking the van to the shop....which thank goodness we got back today! Not sure exactly what was wrong with it! I'll talk to Tim in the morning! Well, anyways, back to dogs! You leave the house for 5 minutes without him and he's destroying things. We no longer have blinds in our house because of him. We just put blankets up everywhere! I try to put everything up before we leave the house but he always manages to get into something! We can't keep him in the cage anymore. He has tore it up completely and escapes everytime. I don't know what to do. I was so mad at him the other day and Tim asked if I wanted to get rid of him and of course, I said no. I love my puppy! Even when he makes me cry! I never thought I could become so attached to an animal but I have.
So, any advice? I would love to hear your experiences, especially if you've had boxers! Let me know! Thanks!

November 24, 2008

CVS Trip this Week


I love shopping at CVS! It is so much fun! Sunday I realized that in my area, I'm not the only one. We were late getting up that morning and I didn't make it to CVS until 8:30 (the horror! :) ) and they were already out of the contact solution! Darn! And I actually needed contact solution...it wasn't something that I was just buying because it was free. Well I was talking to the cashier and she said that when there is good free stuff, people are lined up at the door! Mental note taken! So since I had $15.99 in ECBs from last week I had to do some quick thinking. I didn't earn as many ECBs as I wanted but I got them down to a more manageable size. 15.99 is hard to spend some weeks to roll them over.

Okay for my shopping trip:

Maybelline Mineral Powder Foundation $8.99 ECB
Dial Soap Gold $1 ECB
Toilet Paper (we needed some)
Newspaper
Coke and Milkyway (to bring my total up)
Tape (donated to the troops and to get my total up)

Coupons

$3 off maybelline foundation

15.99 ECB

Total oop: $0.20!!!!! Such a wonderful feeling!

Now I realize that I spent my money a little foolishly but in my defense I was so hungry that morning and we didn't have time to make breakfast so it helped my stomach stay quiet during church!

I earned $9.99 in ECBs for next week, which I think is much more manageable. I also got a coupon for $2 off any L'oreal skincare and I got an email for $4 off cosmetics which I didn't have a chance to print off yet.

On a different note I was looking at my receipt and total savings so far $107.46 since I started CVS shopping! Wow! That is pretty exciting since I have only been doing this since the end of September! I love CVS!


Go visit Money Saving Mom and Deal Seeking Mom for more CVS deals and scenarios!

November 23, 2008

I Love Freebies!

Wanted to share more freebies with y'all. Please share with us if you know of any!

Free sample of NicodermCQ® clear

Free sample of LACTAID® Fast Act Dietary Supplements

Free sample of Tena® male guards

Free sample of Myoplex®

Free Xtreme X20® Sample Pack

Free One Touch® Blood Glucose Meter

Free sample of ACTIV-FLEX® lightweight cohesive tape

Enjoy!

How to Create a Budget Series

I think that I am going to start a "How to Create a Budget" series. During these hard economic times you wonder how many people even have a budget. We have a budget but are not following it very well. Now that I have a job and we can pay more of our bills, I have created a new budget and plan on following it. Before I start this series, I would like to know a few things.

1) Who has a budget?

2) Do you follow your budget?

3) What are your categories?
-without becoming too personal....I don't need to know that you are paying on an American Express card and a private student loan; just list the general categories

4) What would you like to know about budgeting?

5) How do you handle your flexible expenses (e.g. food, gas, entertainment)?
-do you use only cash, credit cards to track, envelopes, etc.

6) What would you like to change about your budgeting system?

Thanks for all of your help and I will be sharing my responses as well! Hopefully I will be able to help some people out and learn some things from my readers in the process!

November 22, 2008

How to Make Extra Money

Since it's Christmas time, I decided to talk about how to make extra money. With the way the economy is, everyone is looking for extra money.

1. Sell plasma - make sure you find a reputable place. Payment ranges from $10-25.

2. Ebay - get rid of clutter before Christmas and make some extra cash.

3. Side jobs - check out Craigslist for side jobs. It doesn't work for everyone but if you are handy then you should be able to find something.

4. Seasonal Retail job - some people are looking for extra helpers around Christmas time like Walmart.

5. Mary Kay, Tupperware - these companies are not for everyone and if you're not careful you will spend more than you make but if you like to socialize it may be worth it.

These are just a few ideas. Let me know if you have any more ideas.

Rivalry Week!

No, I'm not talking about my kids! I'm talking about football! Hopefully that doesn't make most of you run away! I'll be honest...I love football! How can you go to Ohio State and not? It just doesn't happen! Well anyways, today was the big game! And we delivered! I figured we would, but it doesn't matter how well either team is doing before the big game, it is ususally a very competitive game. Well not so much today! 42-7! We kicked Michigan's butt! On top of that, Ohio State got a new record! First time in school history beating Michigan 5 times in a row! Great job guys! I am so proud of you! Jim Tressel also has a 7-1 record against Michigan which I have to say, is pretty darn good! And it's the 75th anniversary of the first time the Buckeyes have received gold pants for beating Michigan! Weird tradition I guess but hey! It sounds like fun! Now we just have to wait to see what bowl game we get to go to! It's been a great year despite a few bad games....USC and Penn State come to mind. But they are both excellent teams! How I miss Columbus! Maybe I'll get to go to a game next year! Well back to regular programming now!

November 19, 2008

Back to Work - part 2

After an anonymous comment that I received on this first post, I feel compelled to elaborate. Now this is not something that I will get in a habit of but I'd like to put it all out there! Or least most of it! Need some privacy! First of all, my blog is not for debate or criticism. There is enough of that in the real world. I love my blogging world because I feel like I can connect with women who are similar to me, with similar values. I do not get a lot of that in the real world, especially since I have went back to work. That is why I deleted the anonymous comment. It was said in a critical tone, or at least that is the way that I took it. Now, I may have been quick to judge, but I don't want to start a trend of those comments on my blog. This lady's intentions may have been pure, but it may start other people having negative comments towards my blog. Now I know that I can reject them but I don't personally want to read them. Just reading them is enough to bring my spirits down.

Ok. Now that that's out of the way. As you know from my last post I just returned back to the workforce. Not by my choice. I am submitting to my husband on this one. He wants me to go back to work because of financial reasons. He has tried to get a second job but where we live everything closes early. Now right there, I know that there is some controversy. But my standpoint is in line with what I have read in the Bible and very similar to other Christian keepers of the home that I have met online. The man is to provide and the women is to keep the home. Now it is not a sin for a woman to work outside of the home, so if it is her husband's wishes, she should submit. Then pray that your husband will change his mind and make it work on one income. Now, this is of course, if you are being a good keeper of the home. This is not an excuse to be lazy at home and sit on your laurels. You need to be working. To be completely honest with everyone, I was not working as hard as I could be. So my husband had every right to ask me to go back to work. I have major self discipline problems, lack of energy and motivation. And I just don't like to clean! As I think most women don't. I sort of slapped God in the face with that one. It is a blessing to be able to stay home and make a good home for my family. I am slowly learning that. I have asked God to be patient with me as in this area I am a slow learner. I am hoping that he will bring me home quickly and with my husband's approval and understand that this is only a season of my life and I must have patience.

But do know, that I was not fighting my husband the whole time I was home. There are many circumstances regarding it and if you read back earlier in my blog you will be able to figure them out. The past couple months, my husband has been in conflict about it. He wanted me home, but at the same time, doesn't want to lose our home. He hates that I am gone right now (I'm working second shift at the moment) but knows that we need the money right now.

So that's my story. Hopefully it doesn't make everything more confusing. If you have any personal questions, feel free to ask. If it's too personal, I will probably email you instead of commenting on the blog about it!

I hope that you all continue to read my blog and share with me your journeys.

Sears November 22nd - Doorbusters from 7:00a.m. to noon only

Sears Super Saturday Sale

I am so excited about Christmas coming up! There are so many great sales going on to get started with your Christmas shopping! I know that I'm going to head over to Sears this weekend! They are having a great one day only Doorbusters sale! I am so excited about the great sale on outerwear and sweaters for my family.....60% off! That means we can stock up! Kaylin has outgrown all of her clothes and I am in desperate need of some sweaters! My new work is so cold and all I have are short sleeves! I also can't wait to check out the Craftsman C3 19-2 volt 3-pc combo tool kit! Maybe a gift idea for Tim....hmm...we'll see....if he's a good boy! It's on sale for $89.99 and you save $50! That sounds like a pretty good deal for me! He's been trying to work around the house more and he needs some more tools! I better get there early though because these deals are only available while quantities last! At these prices they will go quick! Go check out their weekly ad for more great dealbusters!

I love Sears because they have everything that I need! I can also convince my hubby to go shopping with me because of their fantastic hardware department! Shopping for my hubby is not on his top ten list of things he wants to do when he is off of work! So it's a win-win for the both of us!




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November 14, 2008

Proverbs 31 Bible Study - Manager

I am so excited about the topic of our study this week! I think, right now, this is where I need the most help. If you read my last post, you understand that I have a hard time keeping our home and need help in figuring it out! God really knew that I needed this this week. I have such a struggle with getting things done. I am lazy and unmotivated and get tired very quickly. I also get distracted very easily. Usually once I get in the groove I am good. So it's getting that motivation to start!

Amy says, "We are to succeed despite difficulty and hardship and we already know the only way we can succeed in spite of hardship is to put God first before everything else." I love this statement! But it is so hard to put into practice!

1) God set things up to operate effectively and efficiently and we can learn from his example.

God created seasons and your home also functions in seasons. Amy used the examples that we only shovel snow in the winter and cut the grass in the spring and summer. We are also in seasons when it comes to the age of our children. Right now we do not have kids in our house full-time. When we have a baby life will become much different and our list of things will change.

2) Plan but don't let it rule your life. Use it as a tool.

This is great! A schedule can be very useful but it can also hinder us. What if you have planned to clean the bathroom but it just stopped raining and your children want to splash in the puddles and look at the rainbows? What do you do? Well, I know that I wouldn't miss a chance to splash in the puddles and share one of God's miracles with my children. Don't become a robot and be flexible. Use it as a guideline. A schedule and a plan is especially helpful when your life becomes stressful and you need help putting one foot in front of the other. You don't need to come up with a new cleaning schedule everyday. It's already there. This is where a household management binder comes in very handy. I'm still working on putting one together for my household.

3) A good manager delegates responsibilities accordingly.

Many women have problems with this. I do. Especially since we think that since our job is keeper of the home, it all falls on us. We are allowed to have help. From our children and from our husband. We should take into account though all the work outside the home that our husbands do. So we shouldn't boggle them down with a "honey-do" list. But I'm sure they would be happy to help every once in awhile. And children definitely need to learn how to contribute to a well-ran household. If you don't teach them, then who will. They will grow up and not know how to do anything. I'm sure they will learn, but their learning curve will be significant.

Amy says, "Your job as manager is simply to make sure the household functions and sustains life - to the best of your ability.

Scripture for Memory

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

-2 Corinthians 7:1

For Study Purposes:


Right now, write down the "to do" list in your head. Tonight you are to get a good night's sleep! :) Done!


Devise a plan of attack for your home. It should contain seasonal chores or tasks as well as daily tasks. Will work on this!


Ask God to show you ways to run your home more efficiently. Seek to solve at least one problem area this week. Dishes is a big problem in my house. I hate them! And I don't have a dishwasher (well I guess it's me!). I need to figure out a better way to get them done and realize that they have to be done no matter what!


Questions to ponder: Has housework become a source of validation for you? A source of pride? If so, how do you intend to change that? Housework has become a source of pride for me when my husband praises me on a job well done. I need to work on me not needing his praises for something I should be doing anyways. I am doing it for the Lord and for him.

I hope you enjoyed this week's study! Please go visit Amy to join or view other participants' responses!

Back to Work

Well after 9 months I'm back to work. Let me tell you, it is weird. I've really gotten used to being a wife at home and a homemaker and getting a routine in place before we have children. But we needed the money bad and I'm supposed to be a submissive wife. At least I'm trying. I've been working hard since working on my Proverbs 31 bible study. Well hubby says if we want to keep the house I need to go back to work until we have a baby. So off I am! Well not wanting to complain about my situation or my husband I actually just need some advice. I am working second shift and my husband works first shift. To be exact, he leaves at 4:50am and comes home around 4:15pm and I will be leaving around 2:45pm and get home around 11:45pm. So we won't be seeing each other Monday-Thursday (those are the only days I'm working - it's part time for now). So I was wondering if any of you work the opposite shift from your signaficant other and how do you deal with it? It doesn't help that we're trying to get pregnant right now either! Kinda have to see each other for that. We are also newlyweds. Unfortunately this is the only job the temp agency had available and I haven't been able to find a job on my own. So for the time being it is my own choice. I know that this is only for a season of my life and if God wants me back home he will help me find a way home. We just really need to work on getting the bills paid right now!

I also need advice on how to get everything done around the house when working. It's been awhile since I've been a working woman and was not doing such a great job when I left work. I've always had a problem with keeping the house and organizing and such. Not a very motivated person! But I am trying and looking to the Lord for my strength.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

November 10, 2008

Menu Plan Monday


Yay! Another menu plan for another week! We went off track over the weekend and today (my first day at my new job - I'll get it together tomorrow) so I need to alter some things for this week.

Monday subs from the pizza place
Tuesday SpaghettiLink

Wednesday Mamwiches

Thursday Jambalaya

Friday MacWeenies

Saturday Tacos

Sunday Spaghetti

Hopefully the menu will stay this way. I'm looking forward to Jambalaya and tacos...yummy! Go visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for some more great menus!

November 9, 2008

My CVS trip this week!

I had a fantastic trip to CVS today! I saw some really decent deals and decided to go today before church. That way I can get the free items before the rush. I did notice one other lady that was using her ECB's. So not too much competition! So the fantastic part......I went to coupon machine....and it printed out.....$10 ECB! So excited! That has never happened before and helped me soooooo much! So here's what I got:

Bought

Palmolive Dish Soap
Garnier Fructice Shampoo
Loreal Advance Revitalift
newspaper
pens

Coupons

.25 off Palmolive dish soap
1.00 off Garnier shampoo

Used $17.99 ECB
Earned $14.99 ECB

and the best part....... .75 oop! Can't believe it! And I put it on my giftcard for transferring a prescription. I was so excited! My husband thinks I'm a dork but oh well!

The only problem was that I couldn't get the diabetes book....the pharmacy wasn't open and I was having problems with the water but I think I figured it out. The toothpaste monthly deal was also out of stock. I'll try later this week!

Go visit Money Saving Mom or Deal Seeking Mom for more CVS savings! And let me know how all you did this week!

November 8, 2008

Cold...again!

I miss our Indian Summer! Not a big fan of cold. At least until Thanksgiving and Christmas! Have a great weekend!

November 7, 2008

Clothes for Hubby!


So I found this great new website for pants for hubby! He is so hard to shop for and his pants can get so expensive! Well go visit this website for tactical pants! I found a great pair marked down from $34.95 to $24.95 and they look really sturdy. Here is a list of their features:

A Total of 10 Pockets!
60% Cotton / 40% Polyester
Fade Resistant Fabric
Diamond Gusset Crotch
Cinch Waist System
Cargo Pockets with Organization System
Two D-Rings Per Cargo Pocket
Double Knee Fabric
Airport Friendly, Heavy Duty Hardware
Double Seat
Dual Front Slit Pockets
Dual Front D Rings
Lower Leg Pockets
Built In Blousing Strings
Slanted Cargo Pocket Flaps For Seated Access

Operator Tactical Pants has over 20 years experience in military and law enforcement clothing! Doesn't this sound like a company that you want clothing your big, strong man? I know my husband is really rough on his clothes and I think that these tactical pants would be able to withstand his daily labor. Go check them out!

How to deal with your dog?

I am having a lot of stress over my puppy! We have been leaving him out when we leave the house because he has broken out of his cage almost every time. He does okay but he does pee and poop on the carpet still. He also gets into things if we don't put everything completely out of his reach. He'll tear up bags and boxes. He likes to get the stuff on my computer table. One day (before we were wise to putting everything up) he ate an entire loaf of bread! Well today I was about to cry! I was coming home from the temp agency (getting some information about the assignment I'm starting on Monday) and he broke one of my china plates! My wedding present from my parents! Sooooooo mad! My husband's birthday was yesterday and we had steak and I put it on nice china with candles and wine! Trying to make it special since we couldn't go out to eat. Well I hadn't gotten to dishes yet and told my husband to leave them on the table because I didn't want them to chip in the sink. Bad mistake! Didn't even think of that before I left this money! I was so mad at him! I know we need to be more careful but he is a terror! Any advice?

Cheap Auto Insurance!

You know me! I hate to spend more than what I have to for an item! Especially something that isn't even fun! Hello car insurance! It used to be a really big budget buster in our house! I hate car insurance but sometimes it comes in really handy.....like for example, when I caught my car on fire this past spring! I guess I finally got my money's worth. To get cheap auto insurance you need to compare quotes. One great website is autoinsurance-4u.com! This is a great website to compare cheap auto insurance quotes. Enter your zipcode and autoinsurance-4u.com will give you some of the best companies for cheap insurance. My page pulled up all the really big names so I know it's trustworthy. It makes it so easy because all of the companies are already there for you and then you plug in your information and get the best quote! How much easier can they make it for you to get really cheap auto insurance! Auto insurance can vary so much from company to company depending on their criteria. Why should you have to pay more just because a company has a different standard. Especially if you are getting the same coverage! This is definitely one way to be frugal ladies! I love how easy it is to navigate and there's no pressure of picking a certain company. Autoinsurance-4u.com is really looking out for your best interest and wants to help you get really cheap auto insurance! Now that we've compared our rates we only pay about $125 a month! Much better than the $250 per month that we used to pay! You owe it to yourself to try and save yourself some money. No obligation for a very easy quote. Go check them out!

November 6, 2008

Thrifty Thursday's



Welcome to another week of Thrifty Thursday's! This week's tip is to consider how much electricity you are using and if you can change it. My husband and I are conducting a frugal experiment - go see what we are doing!

We started trying to go without lights this week and it's hard. It's especially hard because it's dark out at 6pm. If I don't get dinner started right away then I'm cooking while it's dark. We have turned on the lights a few times but we are keeping it to a minimum. I'll keep you updated and let you know how much we save!

Go visit Thrifty Jinxy for more Thrifty Thursday's!

November 4, 2008

Go vote!

Please go vote today and let your voice be heard!

November 3, 2008

Menu Plan Monday



I love having my menus planned for the week. That way if things get busy, I have peace of mind when it comes to dinner. My husband likes to know what we're having as well.

Monday Baked Chicken, Baked Potatoes and Mixed Veggies

Tuesday Mamwiches

Wednesday Spaghetti, Salad

Thursday Soup (not sure what kind yet)

Friday Tuna Pea Wiggle

Saturday Jambalaya

I'm very excited for the Jambalaya! I haven't made it in awhile and it sounds yummy!

Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more delicious menus!

October 29, 2008

What if you could get eyeglasses cheap?


I ask myself this question all the time! Eyeglasses are so expensive and insurance companies don't cover a lot of the expenses! Either you don't get the eyeglasses you need or you stay with the same outdated frames because you can't afford them. Forget it if you have multiple children who need eyeglasses! Who can afford that? If I could afford eyeglasses I would buy them for myself (I'm the only one in the family who needs them right now) but also I would buy a back-up pair, just in case.

Well I have found my answer.....Zenni Optical! They have eyeglasses starting off at $8.00!!!! Yes, you heard me right! How can that be, you ask? Well they have no middleman selling only their own manufactured frames direct to you. They also have virtually no advertising budget, which allows them to sell at a low cost to you! It can't get any better than that! If you don't believe me, then read this great article over at the Chicago Tribune! People are spending entirely too much money on eyeglasses!

Please take a look at these eyeglasses! They are really cute! I hate spending more than I have to. When you are resourceful, that frees up money for fun things, like taking your kids to the amusement park! Make the smart choice and consider Zenni Optical for your next eyeglasses purchase!

Proverbs 31 Bible Study - Being a Mother


So on to our next part of the study. This part really interests me because I am trying to become pregnant. I have desired to become a mother for a really long time and am so excited that I am finally getting the chance (well soon at least!). Amy shared some really great thoughts that I would like to share with you!

1) Children are a gift from God.

2) We must parent on purpose.

3) We must allow our children to become who He designed them to be.

Society does not seem to value children these days. It is just horrible! If you have more than 2 or 3 children you are looked at like you are crazy. Women are ridiculed for choosing to marry or have children too early....these are the best earning days of your life...blah....blah...blah! Women are afraid to tell their employers that they are expecting or talking to co-workers about trying to get pregnant. All I have ever wanted to be is a mother. I never knew when it would happen but I knew that I wanted it to happen. Every child is a blessing no matter how it happens.

Also, a little rant of mine. Some people who do have children seem not to want to parent them. They want to be their best friends and induldge their every desire. Now wanting your children to have a better life than you is not a bad thing but you are not preparing them for the future. Disciplining them is a good thing as long as it is does with love. Why are you telling your child no? Is there a good reason? The same goes for when you are telling your child yes. You have to consciously make a decision based on what your child needs.

There are also the parents who live through their children. Or they push their child to become something so hard that their child resents them for it. For example, you were a football star so you think that you're child should be. Or, you didn't get to play college ball so you push you're child as hard as you can even if they don't want to do it. God has a plan for your child. Pray for your child daily that he will lead your child and that he will reveal to you his plan for your child so you can help.

Scripture for Memory

The righteous who walks in his integrity - blessed are his children after him!

Proverbs 20:7

Go visit Amy if you want to join the study!

Please Watch - "I Invented the Internet (Ep. 4: Kill and Destroy)

This is not a political blog nor do I ever intend it to be. I do not like discussing politics with anyone besides my husband and my best friend. But....I watched this video and felt convicted to share it. Do with it what you will but please watch it and pray over it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIdbYjmbFzo

October 28, 2008

Second CVS trip this week!

So I went back to CVS! I had a CVS coupon for $2 off 2 Gold Emblem candies and heard they were on sale for $1. So I had to go get that! I also found another coupon for the Colgate MaxFresh toothpaste. Only bad thing is that the cashier rang up my coupon wrong and I didn't realize it until I left the store. So I paid $1.00 for 2 things of candy....not bad! I didn't use any ECB's for this and got 2 ECB's for the toothpaste so that puts me up to 10 ECB's for my next deals. I'm trying to decide whether or not I should go another time this week. I have coupons for $1 off CVS vitamins and the CVS Vitamin D is for free after ECB so that could be a money maker. I don't need Vitamin D pills....my prenatal vitamin gives me 100% but I could donate them. I guess I'll see how the week goes! I can't wait to figure out my deals for next week! People are right....CVSing is very addicting! My husband thinks it's funny!

October 27, 2008

Menu Plan Monday


I haven't planned a menu in a really long time! And it shows! We have been eating out entirely too much. It's also because I've been boycotting dishes! Not a good motivational time for me! But that's going to change! On Saturday, we got another free box of food from Angel Food Ministries from our pastor! It's so wonderful and we have been so blessed! We also received emergency food stamps from FEMA for the bad windstorm that was caused by Hurricane Ike in September. So we are set on food! So it's very stupid to get fast food right now because we basically have all this free food! Remind me of that, okay? So we are eating much better than usual this week because of Angel Food. I rarely have this many meat meals.
Monday Spaghetti and meatballs
Tuesday Chicken Fajitas
Wed Boneless Porkchops
Thurs Meatloaf
Friday Halloween....not sure, something simple before trick or treat!
Saturday Ribeye Steaks
Sunday some kind of chicken
Go visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more of Menu Plan Mondays!

Fun filled weekend!

Me and my husband had a fantastic weekend! I didn't think it would be very busy but we just played by ear. Friday night we rented movies and cuddled on the couch and ate popcorn! Always a good time! Saturday after Tim went hunting we were going to stop by the local Goodwill store to see if they had any deals. Well, they did! It was 50% off day and I got a really great coat for $15! I got a few other things as well. Then we went to explore the town of Batesville and stopped by a mom and pop store. It was one of those stores that had candy making supplies and fudge and cookies! Then we drove through Oldenburg (sp?), which is an old German town. Not extremely exciting but they had some really pretty churches. I then decided that we should make a roadtrip to Metamora which was very near to where we were. Metamora is this great canal town in Indiana, near Brookville Lake. It has tons of stores and activities to do. They actually have a safe trick or treat and we got to see a bunch of cute kids dressed up. We took the dog which wasn't the best idea but everyone loves our boxer! They think he is so cute! He is a good looking dog, he's just a handful! But I wouldn't trade him for anything. We walked through the town and then walked on a canal trail that passed by the corn maze. Then we were really tired and went home. Had some pizza and watched another movie! Oh and I forgot to mention! My pastor called me Saturday morning and said he was stopping by with something. He brought us over a box of food from Angel Food Ministries! We are so blessed! This is the second free box that we have received from them! Such a blessing with me not working right now! Now on to Sunday! Had a great church service and loved seeing everyone from church. Then we went to a friend's house. Tim's groomsmen and two of their parents got together and wanted to have a dinner for us to give us our presents from the wedding. It was so much fun. I always have a lot of fun when I'm with these people. They are so caring and giving and funny! It was great to see the kids too!

So that was my weekend! Now I'm just playing catchup with the house! Hope you have a great week!

October 26, 2008

I Was Tagged!

Tag! I'm It!

Lee at Frugal Green Mom tagged me this week, which is a fun little thing we have going on in the bloggy world. Here are the rules:
Link back to the person who tagged you and share the rules on your blog.
Share 7 facts about yourself.
Tag seven people and list their links in your post.
Tell those 7 people by commenting on their blog!

1. I got married July 12, 2008....so I'm still technically a newlywed!
2. I bleed orange and black....Bengals fan! (despite the bad season), even though I'm a Hoosier (Indiana) now! Only been in Indiana for one year, spent 24 in Ohio.
3. I have two stepkids (10 and 13), a cat and a dog and want 3 children of my own! Makes for a full and happy home!
4. I went to 3 colleges before graduating with an associate's in paralegal studies....Ohio State (wish I would have stayed there!), University of Cincinnati and Brown Mackie College. If you ask me where I'm an alum from I'll always go with OSU!
5. My goal in life is to be a stay at home mom to my children.
6. I met my husband through my ex-boyfriend.
7. I am a Delta Zeta sorority girl and proud of it!

My seven tagged blogs!

1. http://ccostello.blogspot.com/
2. http://farmhomelife.blogspot.com/
3. http://grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/
4. http://likemerchantships.blogspot.com/
5. http://thriftyinthecincy.blogspot.com/
6. http://jphillips4.blogspot.com/
7. http://thriftyjinxy.blogspot.com/

My CVS trip this week!

So I found out that going to CVS early is a good thing. I went before church at 8am. The Aurora location was not open until 10am, even though cvs.com said they were open at 8am (grr!) but the Lawrenceburg location was open at 8am. I like them better because they're newer and they print out coupons but it is a little bit further! Last week, lots of the free deals were already gone because I waited till, oh my gosh...Monday! Here's a look at my trip:

Bought

4 soyjoy bars $4
1 Bic Comfort 3 Advance Razor (4 ct.) $5.89
Newspaper $0.75

Coupons

Soyjoy Buy 2 get 1 free ($1.00 savings)
$2 oof Bic razors

Used $5.27 ECB's
$2.41 oop (out of pocket)
Earned $8 ECB!

I'm so excited and did much better than last week! I also got a $25 gift card for transferring a prescription so I'll be using that hopefully for a while with my out of pocket costs! Yay me! If you want to learn more visit Money Saving Mom for some advice and see all of the scenarios!

October 25, 2008

Proverbs 31 Bible Study - Being a Wife part 2


This was an absolutely wonderful lesson! I learned so much from it. I first became interested in becoming a submissive wife right before Tim and I got married. We had been going to church for a little while and I was getting more interested. Well then we asked Tim's aunt to do a reading for us and she suggested the submissive scripture from Ephesians (can't remember the exact verse right now). I loved it! That's exactly what I wanted to incorporate into the wedding. Well fast forward to the wedding and some people took offense to that verse! I know why....because we are in this ultra feminist phase where even men find that demeaning! I mean come on! I didn't care because it was my wedding and that's what I wanted put in there but it's just funny. So on to the study!
Amy shared the following thoughts:
1) Although we should have an overall vision for our life and marriage, each day should be focused on with the greatest intent.
We should be serving side by side instead of living in 2 separate worlds while under the same roof. I completely agree with this. All to much husbands and wives seem like roommates more than husband and wife. It's very sad. Marriages often turn into conveniences. They split the bills, the responsibilities, have separate interests. No wonder so many marriages fail. They have to be a partnership. The definition of marriage is: the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc. You have to decide today that Divorce is not an option. Divorce has to be a big scary and dirty four letter word! That's the way that we need to think about it. Amy suggests that you make a new decision each day to show love to your husband. That is because love is an action. Many people say that they fall out of love with their spouses. If only they would try doing something lovingly towards their spouses, I'm sure that they would fall back in love with them!
2) Submission is not a dirty, four letter word.
Some people think it is though. They have completely the wrong idea about submissive. Someone has to be in charge. That's the way it is everywhere. But it doesn't mean that this person is the sole person making decisions. There are checks and balances just like the government. And women are allowed to give their input and disagree with their husbands but they need to know when enough is enough and allow their husbands to make the final decision. At the same time, that means that the man is responsible for that final decision. Amy says that submission is for your protection. She goes on to illustrate that if a soldier told you to follow them, you would. You trust that the soldier is going to protect you. Why not your husband? Maybe he's made some decisions in the past that you didn't agree with or that put you in a bad place. You have to trust that your husband will make mistakes.....you sure do! Your husband will learn from his mistakes. Pray to God for him to learn from those mistakes and pray that he will consult God before making every decision.
3) Be so faithful to your husband that it is reflected in your speech.
Why is it that we are meanest to the people that we love the most? We are so politically correct and thoughtful and think before we speak with the public but that all goes out the window when we talk to our loved ones, especially our spouses. I know that you should be able to tell your spouse the truth...honesty is very important, but so is compassion and kindness. Our spouses fight everyday in the real world, horrible temptations, mean and nasty people. I want my husband to want to come home because I provide him with a warm and kind place to replenish his spirit. Also, don't complain about your husband to your friends. That makes him look like less than a man! If you won't speak his praises, who will?
Scripture for Memory
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Hope you enjoyed this week's lesson, go see Amy for more and to join in!

October 22, 2008

Frugal Experiment!

Generally when you hear the words frugal experiment, you would think that it would come from me! No, not this time folks! My husband is finally joining the frugal journey after many months and years of working on him...well not too many years, we've only been together for 2 1/2. So drumroll please.......he wants to go without lights for the month of November! Of course, not the tv and computer and things like that, but it's a start! The big power outage from September and the other day when we had no lights in the bathroom made him think that it wouldn't be that hard. You know me, I'm all for trying to save money so I'm like okay! He wants to use only candles and we want to try and find a lantern for cooking and shaving, things like that. I am sooooo excited about this! What a great way to save money and what a great mindset change from my husband! His mother is so not frugal (name brand everything) so this has taken some undoing on my part :) The only bad part of this is that we are getting a deep freezer (which in of itself is a great thing) but it will use more electricity. So this may balance it out! I was very proud of us this month. We got our electricity down to $80! This past billing cycle was very mild weather and helped out a lot!

Has anyone ever tried anything like this? If you have what are your tips and concerns? Also, where can I find cheap lanterns? Any advice would be great!

More Freebies!

Here are some more freebies for you! Enjoy!

Free sample of Sani Hands® wipes for kids

Free sample of Fruit Roll-Ups® custom designed snack.

Free sample of PARENTS CHOICE® Formula

Free DVD from Pull-Ups® Potty Training Success DVD

Free test kit for Crypton® Freedom from stains™ spills™ odors™ & bacteria

October 21, 2008

My CVS trip this week!

Well, I have decided that I need to make my CVS trips on Sunday right after church. I went yesterday and most of the free stuff was already gone! And at 2 stores!

Here's was I got:

2 Brach Candy Corn 1.29 ECB each (free after ECB)
1 Powerade 1.69 ECB (free after ECB)
CVS beauty bars (2 count) 1 ECB (1.99 after ECB)

I had to get a bunch of other things too so to much out of pocket (oop). I redeemed 9.27 ECB and earned 5.27 ECB. Not too good this week but I guess I am still learning! I am trying to get all of my coupons organized and I want to separate my trips so I am not buying things that are not ECB earners for right now. Once I start to grow my ECB's then I will start using them to buy other things I need. Otherwise I just lose my ECB's instead of rolling them over.

If you are wondering what the heck I'm talking about and want to know more, go visit Money Saving Mom and check out her guides to CVSing!

Proverbs 31 Bible Study - Being a Wife part 1



I just love how our bible study is coming along! It is really speaking to me and I feel I am learning a lot from it. If you are interested in joining, go see Amy. Here are some thoughts she shared:

1. Our relationship with our spouse is parallel to our relationship with the Lord. God has many times compared His relationship to the body of Christ to the relationship between a husband and wife.

2. Love does not need to be felt in order to exist. It is an action.

3. Prayer is a key to a long lasting God filled marriage.

Scripture for Memory:

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another; God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 4:12

I love all of this. Our relationship with our husband is our most important relationship next to our relationship with God. It is that important! As a newlywed, this is important for me to hear. Right now we are working on making our relationship stronger than ever. This is a constant effort. Love is an action! People talk about falling out of love with their spouses. Well if they started acting lovingly towards their spouses, I'm pretty sure they would fall back in love. We need to stop treating our spouses as a roommate! That can be hard especially when life gets busy. If our relationship with our husband is second only to our relationship with the Lord don't you think we would make time for it. It's just like us making time for the Lord. We spend time in his word and praying and praising to Him, we need to do the equivalent with our husbands. Talk with our husbands, date night, intimacy, learning new things together, worshipping the Lord together, praying together, playing with our children, hobbies, etc. There are tons of things that we can do with our husbands. We have so many choices when it comes to building our relationship with our husband. Amy also talks about praying for our husband. I do this occasionally and need to make it more of a priority. Our husband's face such temptations when away from the home. We need to pray that they can resist. We also need to pray for their safety and things like that.

Amy wants us to ponder if we have ever consulted someone else about our marriage before God? Definitely have. Not proud of it but I am trying to improve. I have discussed my marriage with my mom and my friends. Sometimes complained, just sometimes asking for advice. I used to complain....now when I complain I think it is because I am trying to make my friends feel better when they are complaining about their spouse. I shouldn't do that. One, I shouldn't complain about my spouse to someone else and two, I am enabling my friend to do the same. I would like to work on taking my problems to God instead of other people.

I'm looking forward to part 2 which is about being submissive and other things like that!

October 19, 2008

More Freebies!

Here are some more freebies for you! Enjoy!

Free sample of Dove® hair new therapy

Free sample of O.B® Pro comfort tampons

Free sample of Calvin Klein® Secret Obsession fragrance

Free McGraw® Fragrances newsletter and Promotions

More later....have to take the kids back to their mom soon. Have a great rest of your weekend!

October 17, 2008

Free Samples!

I love free samples! Enjoy!

Free Sample of Sundance® Organic Tea

Free sample of Fiber One® cereals and chocolate bar

Free sample of SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener

Free sample of Fruit Roll-Ups® custom designed snack

Free sample of Warm Delights® Minis

Free Sample of Quaker® Simple Harvest Chewy Granola Bars - got this today! Loved it!

Free sample of Bertolli®™s™ Premium Sauce

Free sample of Country Bobs® all purpose sauce

I'll post more later!

October 16, 2008

Proverbs 31 Bible Study - Relationship with God



Wow! I thought that the last bible study topic was thought provoking! This topic really made stop and think. Two central thoughts that Amy shared was:

1) Our relationship with God is more important than any other relationship we could try to maintain or establish.

2) There is only one priority: God

Amy wanted us to think about whether or not we really knew God. You have to make an effort. You do that through being in his word, worship, prayer and serving his children. I am trying really hard on the first three. I am struggling on serving his children. Even my husband, which is sad. I have been in a funk lately that I have not been able to shake. Also with priorities, there is no priority list. There goes my God, husband, children, home, everything else theory I've been working on. Everything is equally important under God and the key is knowing what should be a priority and when. If the Lord tells you to do something then He will prepare the way. Thanks Amy for enlightening us on all of this. This is hard for me. I have a major problem with priorities so learning that God is my only priority actually makes it easier for me. If I focus on him then everything else should fall into place. Amy lets us know that it helps to be constantly praying over everything. That helps because most women do not have the time to spend an hour in prayer every morning. Praise the Lord for the beautiful day, pray when you need help with a decision, etc. I have been doing this more often and I hope and pray that I will continue this when I have to go back to work. It's actually the only thing that will help me to go on during the months that I have to go back to work.

Scripture for Memory

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

I love this! I pray to the Lord every night that I will begin to rely on him more and that he will direct my ways. Our question to ponder: Have you been following Him or trying to make your own path? I am slowly been following him instead of making my own path. It will take a long time to get where I need to be but I was definitely used to trying to be an independent woman. I am slowly learning to rely on Him and my husband. A true struggle for me is learning to rely on them for everything and not just the things that I am weak with. I say this because I do rely on my husband for a lot of things but their my choice. If I see myself as being more knowledgeable or competent with something than I felt I should control it. I am slowly learning and unraveling those old teachings.

Visit Amy for more insight on the bible study!

Thrifty Thursday's


Well I'm back with some more thrifty tips! My tip today is to get to know your local establishments. My husband is going hunting for the first time and had to get a bunch of hunting supplies. Well our local Wal-mart was lacking in certain areas (as it always is) and we had to drive almost an hour to go to Cincinnati to go to the Bass Pro shop (which Tim loves). I wouldn't mind because I like looking around too but it's kind of expensive and wastes a lot of gas and time. So the other day he was talking to people at work and he found out that there was a local hunting store! Score! It took us about 20 minutes to get there and had exactly what he wanted! I also feel better about stimulating our local economy and the small business owners than the great big corporations! So that was pretty exciting for us.
Visit Thrifty Jinxy for more Thrifty Thursday tips!

October 15, 2008

My CVS deals!

So I tried my CVS deals last week! I got the Always Infinity and got 4.98 ECB, Colgate MaxFresh and got 2.00 ECB and the Vitamin Water and got 2.29 ECB. I had a coupon for the Colgate MaxFresh so I got it for free! So that's a total of 9.27 ECB's and I spent 9.65 oop. I had 1 coupon for $1, 4 ECB and I also bought toilet paper because we were out. I really didn't see anything good for this week, especially because I'm just starting out with coupons so I'll just wait till next week. Thanks to Money Saving Mom for all of her great tips and showing us the good deals. Go visit her if your interested in CVSing or just saving money in general!

Proverbs 31 Bible Study - The True Woman of Proverbs 31


Wow! I have been gone for a long time! Life has been crazy...I haven't been able to focus online and did not want to work on this study until I was actually able to focus. We went to Red River Gorge a couple of weekends ago and had the kids last week. Tim has been really busy trying to get ready for his first hunting season! And we got a deep freezer for $20 today so he'll be able to hunt all he wants! So onto the study. This weeks study is entitled The True Woman of Proverbs 31. There are many different myths about this woman as we talked about in the last part of the study but no matter what angle you look at this proverb from we can come to these conclusions:

1) The spiritual aspect of Proverbs 31 is that this woman is a description of the bride of Christ.

2) She has a pure heart. God sees a clear distinction between a person's actions and a person's heart.

3) She fills her heart with God's word and praises to her King and He will give her the desires of her heart. The desires He placed within her.

This section of the Bible Study was a lot deeper to me than the others, which makes sense that I would feel this way as we progressed into our study. Knowing these qualities about this woman makes me feel better about myself. A question asked by Amy was why we should not compare ourselves to other women? I think that it is clear when we discuss who this woman truly is. We have to follow the desires that our Lord has put in our hearts and not try and be like other women around us. Only God knows what is best for us. It is pointless for us to try and be like the Joneses. I think that we will be more blessed when we do not stray from the plans that the Lord has for us. We also have to be open to these plans. I never thought that I would be a country girl but here I am a year later and I wouldn't have it any other way. I truly believe that God lead me to where I am today and I am glad that I followed. I have taken a lot of slack from other people but I can't compare myself to them and what they have done with their lives. I can only see what I have done with mine and pray for my family's future.
We have learned that the desires of a woman's heart are the following:

She desires to love God with all her heart, soul, and mind. (vs. 31:30)
She desires to be a good Godly wife (vs. 31:11, 12, 23, 28)
She desires to be a good Godly mother (vs. 31:28)
She desires to be a good manager of her household (vs. 31:15, 21, 27)
She desires to be resourceful (vs. 31:14, 16, 18, 24)
She desires to be used by God (vs. 31:13,17, 19, 20, 21)
She desires to be transformed by God (vs. 31:25, 26, 29, 31)


Scripture for Memory:

And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

-Jeremiah 29:13


That's all for now. I should be answering the other two parts of the study sometime this week (I am really behind). Please visit Amy if you want to join the study and for other people's responses.

October 1, 2008

Is Staying at Home a Waste of Your Time?

I just read another wonderful post by Lady Lydia at Home Living! It really speaks to me about keeping the home and how important it is whether you are a mother or just a wife. Please go read it here and tell me your thoughts! I, of course, do not think that staying at home is a waste of time. I agree completely with Lady Lydia's post. Unfortunately we do have to deal with people, women and men alike, who do not value our position at home. I know that my husband loves having me at home but unfortunately, due to our finances, he needs me to go back to work. I am not happy about this but in being submissive to my husband I need to oblige. He only wants me to go back to work until we have our first child (besides my 2 stepkids, of course, but they don't live with us) and then I can come home. He doesn't want anything to come in between me staying at home once we have children and feel that this will help prevent it. Unfortunately our finances are so bad that I need to get a full-time job. We have really been avoiding our finances for the past few months since I quit the lawfirm and it is time to be honest and work on paying our past due bills. We will continue to live our life the same with the low budget groceries and not going out and spending lots of money so hopefully we will be able to make our debt load more manageable. I do feel, that before I get a job outside of the home, I need to organize my life better around here so I am able to keep the house fairly the same as before. It's hard because I feel as though I am just getting the hang of things around the home and now I have to relearn how to prioritize my time. I was not very good at keeping the home when I was working full-time. I will have to rely on the Lord even more now for my strength and patience during this difficult time. I will keep all of you posted!

September 25, 2008

Did My First CVS Deal!

I did my first CVS deal today! I earned 4 ECB! I started off small and purchased 2 Crest Pro-Health toothpastes. I was going to purchase the mouthwash as well but they were out! I know that Money Saving Mom said that there was a coupon available but I haven't started getting the paper yet and I don't have a printer to print coupons off. I am very excited to be starting out but also very intimidated. We don't have very much money right now so I will have to be very cautious when building up my ECB's. Let me know if you have any tips.

If you want some valuable information on shopping at CVS, go visit Money Saving Mom!

Thrifty Thursday's


Welcome to another Thrifty Thursday! I hope everyone's week is going well! My tip today has to do with eating less which hopefully will help you spend less at the grocery store. I unfortunately eat too much and so does my husband so even when it is just the two of us, we can go through a meal made for 4 very easily. Definitely need to work on that! So my tip today is to use smaller plates. Using a smaller plate will give you the illusion of more food and sometimes that is all you need! I tried that yesterday with rice and veggies and it worked! Now if I could only do the same thing with my meatloaf I would be good to go!
Go visit Thrifty Jinxy for more Thrifty Thursday tips!

September 24, 2008

Spending Way Too Much in Gas!

Gas has to be one of our budget busters! I added up what we spent in gas last month (this is an estimation because certain items in my checkbook I wasn't sure if it was for gas or if hubby got a drink and a snack at the gas station or had to buy wiper fluid.....need to start asking if after every transaction!) and it looks like we spent $432.67! And I don't work! So I rarely use the car for anything! Honestly the truck stays parked most of the time because it isn't working too good right now! That is ridiculous! It works out to be filling up about 2 times a week. Doesn't sound too bad I guess. Last month we did drive a lot because my best friend was getting married and she lives in Cincinnati (about 40 miles away). We also have to get the kids every other weekend and where we meet is at least an hour away. So we have to drive that Friday and Sunday every other weekend. The one thing that saves us is that Tim carpools to work. He drives every third week. But where he meets for carpool is like 9 miles away! Living in the country definitely has its drawbacks sometimes! It really scares me because I need to get a job for the time being and I'll have to drive a minimum of 20 miles roundtrip everyday! Our gas bill can't go up anymore! We really don't go anywhere else (now that my friend's wedding is over) besides Tim work, pick up kids, grocery store and church. Luckily our church is 5 minutes down the road! Sorry I'm just ranting but it helps me to see why we are struggling so much right now! I've always had a hard time adding up our gas bill for some reason and figuring out an average. I'm hoping that this is close to right so now we can start working on it and figuring out a more realistic budget. I really wish gas would go down! It makes it such a struggle for the average family! Well that's enough of my ranting for today! Have a great day!

September 23, 2008

Proverbs 31 Bible Study - Shattering the Myths



This week for our bible study we are shattering the myths of the Proverbs 31 woman. She is quite intimidating especially for a young wife and mother. To think that you have to do all of those things....I'd rather crawl back in bed! Just kidding! Amy shattered 3 myths which I would like to share with you.

1. Proverbs 31 was written about a compilation of women.

2. The Proverbs 31 was an actual wife at that time.

3. Proverbs 31 is a set of guidelines or a "to do" list for Christian women.

If you want these myths explained, please go visit Amy.

Next on the agenda was to think about Matthew 6:33 in relation to Proverbs 31. Actually, thw whole chapter but I will only post Matthew 6:33:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

My personal thoughts are that we should not be doing the tasks of homemaking because we want our husbands and children to bless us but because we want to do them for God. A blessing from our children and husbands is a result of our actions but cannot be the reason for our actions. What do you think?

Amy posted a question for us to ponder and that was which verse would you like to accomplish most out of Proverbs 31? For me that would have to be verse 27, "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness". I have a serious problem with laziness and being on the computer. I naturally do not like to work. I promise that I am getting much better but I still have a long way to go! Please pray for me as I pray about this daily.

You can join this bible study by visiting Amy at In Pursuit of Proverbs 31. Tell her I sent you!

September 22, 2008

Menu Plan Monday


I'm sorry it's been so long since I have posted my menus. Life has been crazy and although I've been trying to plan my menus it doesn't always work out that way. I also decided to join Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie for her Menu Plan Monday's. They have tons of great menu plans over there if you need any help with getting started. Menu planning has been a life saver to me especially since we only have about $30 a week for grocery shopping right now! It's been essential! This week Laura is hosting a Family Favorites Edition of Menu Plan Monday! We are to share one of our favorite recipes! Well this is easy for me because my new favorite recipe is for my biscuits! Tim absolutely loves them. He would have me make biscuits every day if I could! I got this recipe out of the Doubleday Cookbook, which I highly recommend! It is very thorough and has cost saving recipes, time saving recipes and healthy recipes marked to help you out! I do a variation of the original recipe to make them extra rich.

Baking Powder Biscuits:

(The recipe says that it will make 1 1/2 dozen but I make my biscuits extra thick so if we have the kids I need to double the recipe. It only makes about 6 biscuits for me but it is worth it to Tim and me!)

Ingrediants:

2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powdeer
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup chilled shortening
3/4 cup milk
Milk, melted butter or margarine (optional glaze)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sift flour with salt, baking powder and sugar into a bowl and cut in shortening with a pastry blender* until the texture of very coarse meal; make a well in center, pour in milk, and stir briskly with a fork just until dough holds together. Knead gently on a lightly floured board 7 or 8 times. Roll 1/2 inch thick** and cut in rounds with a floured biscuit cutter; reroll and cut scraps. Place on ungreased baking sheet - 1 inch apart for crusty-sided biscuits, almost touching for soft. For glistening brown tops, brush with glaze. Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.

* I just use my hands to mix in the shortening
** I make my dough thicker than 1/2 inch but I can't honestly tell you how thick. It just depends. You'll have to experiment until you figure out what works for your family!

I hope you love this recipe as much as my husband and I do! Now for my menu plan this week:

Monday: Rice and Veggies

Tuesday: Shepherd's Pie

Wednesday: Stuffed Green Peppers

Thursday: Rice and Veggies

Friday: Manwiches on biscuits (recipe above) - this is my husband's favorite meal! I make the manwiches from scratch and serve them on biscuits instead of hamburger buns!

Tim gets paid on Thursday so I'll go grocery shopping on Friday for the weekend so I'm not sure what we'll have yet!
Go over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more Menu Plan Mondays.

September 18, 2008

Thrifty Thursday's


So my tip today is for another magazine! I love free magazines! I used to spend entirely too much money on magazines so this really helps our budget. My fee magazine for today is from Above Rubies. This is a really amazing website to encourage Christian women. I just got my first magazine yesterday and loved it! Already done reading it! They mail them out every quarter and have articles about being a wife, mother and Christian. They have great tips sent in by readers and articles from different contributors. Reading this magazine yesterday really inspired and encouraged me and that is definitely what I need right now. So go to the Above Rubies website and go sign yourself up!

Go visit Thrifty Jinxy for more Thrifty Thursday tips!

September 17, 2008

A Good Report is Good for the Home

I absolutely love the blog Home Living and Lady Lydia's newest post is right up there with my favorites. I highly recommend this post and it is exactly what I needed today. Although my staying home for right now is up in the air, my opinion of the worth of a woman at home will never change. Also, while you are visiting Lady Lydia, please read some of her theme articles and let her know that I sent you! You will leave her blog feeling refreshed and encouraged and ready to start your day! I know that you will love her!

September 16, 2008

Got My CVS Card

I am so excited! I got my CVS card yesterday and can't wait to start using it! I'll let you know how I do on my first visit!

Proverbs 31 Bible Study



I am participating in a bible study over at In Pursuit of Proverbs 31. Since getting married I have been very interested in aspiring to become the Proverbs 31 woman. She is a wonderful role model and it takes a lifetime to become like her. But if we are not aspiring and studying her, we will not make progress.

Amy wanted us to answer some questions for the introductory post to the study and I will be updating you on the study weekly. If you would like to join, go here.

"For this introduction post, I would like for everyone who intends to participate to post about it on their blog and answer the following thought provoking questions:

What do you hope to get out of this bible study? I am hoping to become a better Christian, wife, mother and general person.
What, if anything, has prevented you from studying these scriptures in the past? I have just recently become a Christian and learned about the Proverbs 31 woman. I do regularly read that scripture but have not studied it in depth.
What have you found helpful or frustrating about living out these scriptures? I am a lazy person most of the time and have a hard time doing things on my own. I feel that I am finally growing up and accepting my responsibilities even though I have been in and out of the real world since I was 18. It is helpful to read other blogs about women who also aspire to be like the Proverbs 31 woman.

Crazy Wind Storms in Midwest

We got a horrible wind storm on Sunday afternoon all across the midwest! In one part of Ohio, there were winds up to 84 mph. Now I don't think it was that bad around us in Indiana but it got pretty rough. We were in church late that day and the lights kept on flickering. We didn't think anything of it and left church. It was windy but we thought we were getting storms that day. When we got home our outside plastic table was flipped over and broken and our basketball hoop was knocked over! Thank God we were in church, otherwise the basketball hoop would have fell on our car! It got pretty bad over here and we lost electricity for about a day and lost more than half of the siding on our house. But in comparison with a lot of other people we did okay. Kentucky and Cincinnati are saying that this is the worst power outage of all time. At one point, 1 million people were out of power in Cincinnati! They may not have power for the rest of the week! My parents and inlaws still don't have power! We are very fortunate to get our power back so early! I think this storm helped us to see that we need to be more prepared for emergencies in the future. Luckily we had the candles from our wedding a few months back so we had light! Please pray for everyone in our area right now!

September 11, 2008

Changed My Background!

I was bored with my old background so I changed it! Hope you like it!

Thrifty Thursday's


Sorry I haven't posted any tips lately! I have been trying to settle into married life....which I love! My tip for today is for a free magazine! I love magazines and they can get quite costly so this satisfies me for awhile. It is for Kraft Food and Family Magazine and they send them out quarterly. You can sign up at http://kraftfoods.com. They have tons of great recipes and tips.They also sometimes have coupons! Now I'm not big on using brand name items for my cooking but I just take their recipes and switch them to generics and life is great! They also have ideas on how to make the recipes more healthy. This issue is awesome! They have a bruschetta chicken bake and lots of comfort foods for fall! Go sign up!

September 9, 2008

Only Women Can Be Mothers

I found this post by Tami at A Godly Homemaker very interesting. You should go over and check it out!

CVS Shopping

Well I have finally decided to get a CVS card and try to start saving money that way. I have read so much about how women stock up and only spend pennies on their toiletries so I thought it was worth a try. Crystal over at Money Saving Mom does a great job of explaining it. She has deals posted weekly and monthly and a guide here explaining how to go about your CVS shopping. I would highly recommend checking her out before attempting to go to CVS. It'll take me a few weeks to get going (I applied for a card online) so I will let you guys know. Let me know if you use CVS and what works best for you!

September 3, 2008

Struggling While Trusting in God

Me and Tim have been struggling financially for quite a time now. It started before we got married and has continued into our married life. It gets better and worse all the time. Right now we are in a very tight spot. Tim really wants to get a part-time job but there aren't many jobs hiring right now. A lot of the local stores he could work at close at 6pm so that doesn't help. He would really like me to continue staying at home. I have really gotten in the groove of things and he enjoys coming home to a peaceful and clean house and more importantly a happy, sane wife! He also figures that we will start trying to have kids soon so what's the point of me going back to work. I struggle with this. Not because I don't enjoy being at home full-time, because, believe me, I do. I love it! I really think that my job in life is to be a wife, mother and keeper of the home. I think that Tim's job is to be our provider. But it gets so hard when you are struggling and I know how tired he will be if he gets a second job.

This is where my faith in God and his plan comes into place. I have to trust in God and that if we are doing what is right and putting everything in his hands that it will work out someway, somehow. Being a fairly new Christian that is hard for me. I'm sure it is hard for the most veteran of Christians. How do you trust that God will take care of it? We are a society of taking control, especially as women, how do we let it all go? Most women can't even let their husband take control. Believe me, I was one of those women before marriage. My perspective and attitude has changed so much since becoming a married woman. I still struggle however, financially, emotionally and spiritually. I guess I have to learn patience, a little more self-control and a lot of faith!

August 6, 2008

Married Life!

Married life has been fantastic so far! It's been so great being Tim's wife. I have been so busy trying to get our house back in order after the wedding. I haven't been able to get out all of my thank you cards because we don't have money for stamps right now. You wanna know something funny? When we had almost no money, I was able to get groceries for a week for 4 people but soon as Tim got paid I went and spent tons of money on groceries and splurged! Now we have no money again! Exciting thing happened though! We got a kitten! We named it Morgan! Not sure if it is a boy or a girl yet. We ended up getting a kitten because we are having a mouse problem and hoping it will help! More soon!

July 15, 2008

We're Finally Married!

I can officially say that I am a married woman now! The wedding was so wonderful and beautiful. The ceremony was awesome! Very meaningful and exactly the way I wanted it. The reception was a blast! My parents are so wonderful! They definitely gave me the wedding of my dreams! We had a wonderful time sharing this special day with our family and friends. I wouldn't change a thing! Now that the wedding is over, I need to get back to real life! Lots of things to do now....just wanted to update everyone!

June 20, 2008

Fell Off the Frugal Wagon!

Ladies I need your help! I have fell off the frugal wagon and can't get up! LOL! I thought that once I was home it would be easier to be frugal but I am having a hard time sorting everything out! I think that I need to focus on one thing at a time instead of doing everything at once. What is the one frugal thing that you start with? Do you try new frugal things once a month or are you just naturally frugal? I'd love to hear your tips. I feel like I need to get the The Tightwad Gazette and brush up on some of the basics again. It always puts me in a good mindset when I read that book.,

June 19, 2008

Thrifty Thursday's

Hey everyone! My tip for today is to consolidate your trips to save gas. Can you believe how much gas is? We have gas stations that have it for $4.21! That is awful. We need to start changing our driving habits to make an impact. Tim does great and carpools. He only has to drive once every 3 weeks so that helps out a lot. If you are going to the grocery store, take out your money for the week at the bank or make your deposits. Also make sure that you have a grocery list and plan ahead so you do not need to make needless trips. Sometimes you may have to go out to replenish produce and milk but don't make an extra trip to get toothpaste. If you are running low stock up on a few extra. It also helps if they are on sale at that time. Also plan your trips in order. I generally try and go to the farthest place first. Some people do clockwise or counterclockwise but most of our stuff is on the main strip (US 50) or in Milan so we don't get a chance to make very many circles. Try to group your trips too. I generally go to either Milan or Aurora/Lawrenceburg and try not to go to both in one day because it's a very long trip. Planning ahead will definitely help you in your quest for saving gas money! I'd love to hear your gas saving tips as well!

June 18, 2008

Special Attention for My Man

What special little things do you do for your man? Crystal at Biblical Womanhood has a great post about this. I am working really hard to focus more on Tim than myself. He allowed me to quit work and has tolerated my slow learning at cleaning the house. My house is so cluttered and I have a hard time dealing with it. Anyways, I cut the lawn for Tim the other day since he has been away training for work. Believe me, I have a long way to come and enjoyed reading the comment's at Crystal's blog. I want to be more consistent in making his lunch in the morning, making sure that dinner is ready when he gets home, asking his opinion on our dinners, letting him make more of the decisions and letting him wear the pants in the relationship! Much, much more to come but I want to start with the basics! What do you do for your man?

June 16, 2008

Menu Mondays

So I decided that I'll start posting my menu for the week. Maybe it'll help me to remember to plan ahead. It's just me and my stepdaughter for this week and I only have the first 3 days planned:

Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Spaghetti
Wednesday: Homemade Pizza with pineapples and ham (yummy! - kids love this!)

More later!

June 13, 2008

Kitchen Organization: Getting Started and Breaking it Down

Kitchen Organization:

Getting Started and Breaking it Down

The kitchen is typically the most used space in the home and is often referred to as the hub of the home. Just think of how many times you are in your kitchen. If disorganization in the kitchen is a problem, it is probably disturbing you throughout the day.

An unorganized kitchen can certainly create problems. Here are some ways and steps to get your kitchen organized and under control to help reduce your daily stress.


Take a Look Around


First, take some time to ask yourself some questions. What’s not working well in your kitchen? What areas create stress? What activities are taking place when you feel disorganized? What areas seem to be working fine? Your answers will help you identify your problem areas.


Zones


Think about the activities that take place in your kitchen. These activities can be organized into zones. These are the different areas in your kitchen in which you perform certain tasks or store items. Each zone should contain the tools, products, and space necessary to complete the activities.

Some examples of zones in the kitchen are:

  • Cutting and Prep
  • Cooking
  • Seasonings
  • Baking Needs
  • Serving
  • Home Informational Center

Performing certain tasks is easier if complementary zones are close by. For example, it makes sense to have your cutting and prep zone close to the cooking area. The fewer steps you have to take between complementary zones, the better.


Break It Down


Organizing a kitchen is a large project. Break it down into sections and tackle one area at a time. This helps keep you from becoming overwhelmed and burnt out before the project is complete. Organizing a kitchen is a large undertaking. Make sure you have lots of room to sort and adequate time.


Counter Tops


Think of your counter tops as a workspace, not a storage space. Only keep there what you use on a daily basis. If you are short on counter space, store rarely used appliances in either a lower cabinet, a low shelf in your pantry, or other appropriate storage space.

The kitchen is such a central part of our home and so things that don’t belong there can easily take over. Remove the things that just don’t belong there, such as papers, bills, projects to do, junk mail, and school papers. If you can, designate a desk area or counter space for your home information center or zone.

Make use of under cabinet space by mounting clocks, radios and coffee makers. Keep papers out of the kitchen if you can. If you have a desk area in your kitchen, confine the papers to that zone.


Cabinets, Cupboards, Drawers


Take everything out of your cabinets, cupboard and drawers and take time to wipe down the shelves and drawers. Sort like items together. Get rid of the unwanted, broken, duplicate, never or barely used items. Keep only what you use and need. Ask yourself questions like, “when was the last time I used this?” or “how many mugs does our family really need?” Do you have more stuff than can fit comfortably into your space?

Don’t forget to weed through your plastic containers and keep only the ones that you really need. Get rid of the odd-size ones that don’t “nest” nicely. If possible, I like to store plastic containers in a cupboard and the lids organized in a drawer directly below. This allows for maximum storage. Some people prefer to store the lids on the containers to eliminate searching for the match.

After you have sorted everything and eliminated the unwanted, you need to decide were to store everything. Most used items should be stored between the knee and neck height: the bottom shelves of the cupboards, the counter top and top shelves of the cabinets. Less frequently used items will go on top shelf of the cupboards or the bottom of the cabinets.

Utilize a system by determining your kitchen zones (cooking, prep area, serving, etc). Items that go into drawers should be near where you will be using them. Knives next to the prep area, potholders next to the stove, dish clothes and towels near the sink.


Pantry


Take everything out of your pantry area. Wipe down the shelves. Toss the expired items and donate any unwanted and usable goods to your local food pantry. Now, sort like items together into categories. Think of your pantry like a store. Create zones just like the aisle of a grocery store. For example, canned goods, baking needs, pastas and rice, seasoning, cereals, etc are typical zones.

Use containers to keep smaller like items together. Use canisters that are air tight and are stackable. Products like Tupperware are excellent choices. Don’t forget to label! Label containers or the front edge of shelves. This will help make retrieving and returning items a lot easier for all members of your household.


Cookbooks


If you are limited on space in your kitchen, keep your cookbooks on a bookshelf in another area of your home. Keep only the books or recipes you actually use. If you keep a book because of one or two recipes, make a copy of those favorites and donate the book. A simple 3-ring binder with clear page protectors is a great way to store your favorite recipes. Add tabbed dividers to break the recipes down into categories. If you prefer to use index cards, keep them organized in a small inexpensive plastic photo album.


Follow-Up


As always, every organizing project requires maintenance to be successful. On a daily basis load and unload the dishwasher and remove personal items and papers from the kitchen. Tune up your cabinets, cupboards and drawers every few months or as needed. Keeping your kitchen organized on a regular basis will help you to function smoothly and efficiently.


Copyright © 2000-2007 Paula Constable and Stuff 2b Organized, LLC. All rights reserved.


Article Source: http://www.stuff2borganized.com/articles/kitchen-organization.asp

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