Category Archives: Life

Not What I Expect……..

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Today is Saturday, day 3 of a 4 day weekend. I can honestly say so far this has not been what I expect!  Thursday I did enjoy time in Lily’s spring party. I forgot my camera and was using Matt’s phone so I had no clue how to take pictures. After lunch, we took Zach and Kendall to the doctor’s office because they are both sick. Kendall’s is suppose to have an old fashion cold which she has pasted on to myself, Lily and Matt. Zach has a double ear infection. In fact the doctor said that he actually had a blister on his ear drum.  On the way home from the doctor’s office my brother calls and my dad is in the emergency room.  I ended up spending most of Friday at the hospital with my dad.  Thankfully, Dad is home, Zach is feeling much better with antibiotics. The rest of us are praying we can all make it to church in the morning. On the bright side of things, I have been able to work on my project list and have completed several of the items.  The kids and I did dye Easter Eggs today, I took them outside in hopes of some decent pictures. Here is what I got….

Project List

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Today, starts a 4 day weekend for me! I am so excited what is even better, of the 4 days I have 1 entire day with no plans and the other all involve less than half a day!  I am going to share my project list today for the things I hope to accomplish over this weekend. As I complete each project, my plan is to take pictures if appropriate or write a summary of the project for the blog.

  1. Mulch the playground and Matt is planning to hook up a water system for the square foot garden.  I was able to plant the entire garden last Friday and everything is alive and growing today. We purchased 12 bags of rubber mulch for the playground. Between Matt and myself we have been able to apply mulch everywhere else but the playground. This will get us about half way finished with rubber mulching for the playground. We have also been searching for someone to work on our septic system!
  2. Matt will be picking up 80# of chicken on Friday morning. Prior to it’s arrival, my goal is to sort, organize and label all the items in 3 freezers. I will then put together a list of needs for the stockpile. We will begin receiving veggies in mid April from the co-op so I am hoping that this will allow us to drastically reduce our grocery spending for the next 6 months!
  3. Along with the chicken, I would like to cook and freeze a batch of beans for some summer soups such as Taco soup.  I also need to get a batch of chicken cooked and deboned for us in things such as chicken pies.
  4. Finish/ catch up several 10 minute a day projects including: Coupons, Quizzing, budgeting and sorting/organizing the computer files.
  5. LAUGH, SING, DANCE or HOLD 3 very cute children as much as possible! This week along we have had 3 Easter Egg hunt and a school party. Pictures should be up soon.

Different Ideas

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I enjoy reading several blogs, okay I stalk around 20  right now but who is counting?  One of the reasons that I read these blogs is to find new and better ideas.  I am always looking for new ideas regarding meal and of course budget/money matters. Several of the blogs I regularly read, help me stay up to date with coupons and sales, other simply make me realize that my life is not as crazy or mixed up as it can be.  Today I thought I would share some of the most interesting and useful things I have learned lately.

  • The concept of spending 10 minutes a day on projects that seem overwhelming came from The Peaceful Mom. I have been using this concept over the past several weeks to be able to first get and keep my coupons organized as well as stay on top of quizzing and other church responsibilities. My plan is to start trying to organize, delete and combine all the documents and photos that we have saved on the computers in the past 6 years. I am thinking that it will most likely take a month or so to finally get this all done but at least I have a plan for action.
  • Also over at The Peaceful Mom, she is sharing about her family’s challenge of living on 28000 a year. It is so encouraging to read how they are doing. I am still debating the idea of a second checking account to place money for things like clothing and extra irregular expenses.
  • I began to save and use Coke points from Couponing To Disney. One of the awesome new rewards is All magazine. This magazine is only sold at Walmart or via subscription. Currently at Coke Rewards I can earn a one year subscription for 337 points. I need about 30 more points! I have been debating on ordering this for about 6 months now and was waiting for the lowest price of 0.83 an issue again but FREE is so much better.
  • Caring with Coupons, is a lady that is most local for me. She also is the first to announce Harris Teeter triples and Super Double events. We just finished a week of Triples and she is suggesting that Super Doubles will occur in 3 weeks.
  • Southern Savers, is still my first stop for finding coupons and preparing for any deals.  Recently, we were able to go to Vista Print and get the first round of business cards and decals for Matt’s business.
  • My favorite place to find new food ideas is Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures, and we recently tried egg over rice! Simple, easy and filling.

I guess I should mention that none of these ladies know or request that I recommend their sites but it just seem like a good way to share the new things I am learning!

Lots of Thoughts

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Zach is going through a rough time at night..he has begun to wake up at night, several times a night and is currently screaming because I will not open his door!

Zach is asking to go potty at least once a day, he still does not EVER poop in the potty but this is an improvement.

Ruger is still peeing in the house, this is the only complaint I have with him. Otherwise he is so well behaved and lovable, I would have 3

With the unseasonable warm weather we are having, I need to make an effort to store all winter coats and go through all of Kendall’s clothes. We have already been through Zach’s clothes but I am noticing how small most things are looking on Kendall.

I have been work 4 days a week at the hospital so it feels like I never see the kids especially if Matt has a meeting! Please pray that I have more time with the kids….

I actually planted Broccoli in the square foot garden on Sunday. My plan is to plant cucumber and squash this weekend.  This is one of the earliest springs on record for NC.

At the book sale today, I purchased 2 separate book on financial stuff and budgeting. I am hope to get some inspiration! We actually are on track for the month but I want and had planned for some bigger results.

My weight loss is at a stand still, I am going to continue to exercise 4 nights a week and see what happens. I am hoping with it warmer outside I can eat lighter as well.

Haley’s Birthday is Friday, we also have church pictures on Saturday. She has agree to go out and celebrate on Saturday after the pictures as a whole family.

On Friday night, Haley and Matt will be going to see the Hunger Games. Matt hopes to finish the third book in the series prior to that.

Harris Teeter is having triples this week. I am planning a trip tomorrow and hope to spend less than $20 but really have no clue what I will spend. I will only be purchasing items that I have coupons for but still don’t have a clue.

Tuesday Thoughts

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I have spent some time search for a Beach house for us this summer….. just not sure what to do?

For dinner this evening, I tried something new! I made up a recipe using what I could easily unthaw and use out of the refrigerator. It turned out ok, eatable but not a repeat. I am just proud that I tried something new without a recipe.

Haley is tanning on a daily basis now for the prom.

I hope to plant our broccoli outside this weekend in the square foot garden but I need alot of dirt before that will happen.

My work is starting to pick up and I need to learn to manage my schedule a little bit better. This week I am going to stay at home Thursday (my normal day off) even with a meeting. I really need a whole day off because it has been several weeks since I have had one.

I won’t be able to upload cheerleading pictures until the first of April.

My weight loss has hit a stand still. I know part of the problem is what I am eating and not drinking enough water but I am struggling.

I am trying a new method of organizing my coupons, it is from this blog. Basically I use 10 minutes a day and so far it has been going well. In two days, I have sorted through 2 months of expired coupons. My plan is to finish this task this week.

This is still the kids favorite indoor activity….

PROUD

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Yes, I am one PROUD Mom tonight but I am also a very PROUD American!  Today was the third weekend in a row that I have spent several hours in the car. Today, all seven of us traveled to Raleigh to watch Lily in her competition cheerleading. Lily was awesome and the entire team did a great job for their very first competition. They place 6 of 8 even not getting one of their stunts off the ground. Of course pictures will come later in the week!

But I participated in/observed several things today that make me a PROUD American. First, after the national anthem at the competition, all active military and veterans were asked to stand so that they could receive a round of appreciation.  I am so glad and encouraged to know that in our country even if everyone does not agree with the politics in Washington that we acknowledge the sacrifice these folks give!  The next thing, if you know me at all you will appreciate and realize why this was such an awesome event for me. While looking at the program, Matt pointed out that the final two squads were labelled as “Exceptional Children”. We noticed at one point several wheelchairs but I was thinking okay I wonder what is going on.  As the first of these two squads entered the stage, the entire place stood up and cheered! Yes, a standing ovation for this group of girls who were doing the same things as the rest of the kids. This group was awesome, they had stunts and a dance routine each of the exceptional cheerleader had a buddy to keep them moving in the right direction.  I honestly can say I have never heard more cheers for any other group. The finale was two of the girls lifted out of their chairs. As this first routine ended, the announcement came that they won first place and their trophy was given to them!!! Another standing ovation occurred!  As the second group arrived on stage again the entire gym stood up and cheered. The second routine was just as good as the first and they also had lots of cheers. Again as the team finished, “FIRST PLACE” was announced and a trophy present along with a standing ovation. I actually have tears in my eyes as I type this. As a mother, as a therapist, as a person  this makes me proud. This kids were awesome, they have worked harder than any other group I saw and they got the appreciation that they deserved. I am just honored to have been part of this!!!!

A nice reminder in what makes our country special if you ask me.

Snow Day In North Carolina

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Yes, we finally had our first official snow fall in North Carolina last night. We woke up this morning to around an inch on the ground.  Matt took the little kids out to play before 8am because he knew it would be gone by this afternoon.  I had a really easy day at work, so I spent most of the morning at home as well as a large chuck of the afternoon.  Guess how I enjoyed this “snow day”?  I worked on the Square Foot Garden and took some pictures.  The kids have really enjoyed helping me “make” the containers out of newspaper and they really like watching things actually grow.

The small green plants are broccoli that we planted about 3 weeks ago. Today we planted Green Pepper and chilles.

This is the new addition to the square foot garden. The plan is to purchase soil this week and begin transplanting broccoli plants in a week. I hope to be able to get 2 harvest form the broccoli before the heat kills it!

Saving Money- While on the Go!I

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We love to travel, yes as a family!  During any given year, we usually make at least 1 long distance (12 plus hour), 1 short distance (4 or so hours) as well as several day trips.  During the next 6 weeks we are going to be on 4 day trips. The first of which was yesterday but just Haley and I. As I was driving yesterday, I had some extra time to think and plan for the next couple of weeks.  Here is a list of idea to cut down on the cost of travelling. Some of the tips work great for all trips, other are specifically for day or short trips. I tried to include which ones we use for which. Do you have ideas or suggestions? Please leave a comment below!

  • Check gas prices and fill up on a plan. I saw gas at the cheapest $3.53 while grocery shopping on Thursday so I filled up. We travelled east to Raleigh and the cheapest I saw gas was $3.58.  This is not always the case so check ahead and decide which is best.  On long trips keep a watch on prices and if you have less than half of a tank and see gas for 3 or 4 cent less than other places go ahead and make the extra stop.
  • Bring Drinks for everyone! This is the biggest money saving trick we use on any trip. If we are going on a short or day trip, I bring a small cooler with 3-4 drinks for everyone. For Zach, I save water bottles and fill with juice so that he can have a fresh drink when he wants. This is even a bigger saver on long trips, I usually pack the same small cooler and then bring cases of drinks that we rotate in.  A twelve pack of soda can range from 15 to 40 cent a can. This sounds expensive but compared to the $2-3 per can you pay at convenient stores and/or hotels this is really a no brainier. I try to purchase juice boxes for longer trips and squeeze them into Zach cups as needed. In Disney, we froze several bottles of water, then refilled these at fountains in the park.
  • Bring Snacks- This is also important any time you are away from home. Currently, we have a variety of snacks in the diaper bag. For day trips, I try to also pack one meal. One of the things that Lily really enjoys is a picnic. So we have stopped at rest areas and enjoyed our sandwiches for lunch on a couple of occasions.  During the winter or even on rainy days, eating a sandwich while travelling is just as much fun as stopping and grabbing a burger at McDonalds. Just not buying the expensive food at ball games, and/or competitions saves at least $20 a day. I try to carry a small bag of snacks even while running errands because stopping for a drink or small snack can add up quick. With my kids they are hungry no matter the time of day.
  • Pack a small emergency bag including diaper wipes, feminine supplies, lotion, gum, Kleenex, band aids and a small bottle of medicine for headaches and such.  You can easily find a Walmart but save the $10 for a  treat such as donuts!

What We Have Been Up To!

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Things got really busy (read crazy) around here this week. Lily’s cheer leading squad is FINALLY going to try some competitions. The first one will be at the end of the month. They decided to add an additional night of practice so now we have somewhere to go every night of the week. In addition, I ended up working last 3 nights this week and on Thursday, I was at the doctor’s office and pharmacy til 6:15pm.  So here is a quick update on what things are going on around here:
-Our tax refund came in, so we had gutters installed on the house. This finally finishes the addition and is also a nice addition to the rest of the house with matching colors.
– We have re-furbished wood from our previous deck for another square foot garden box and our broccoli plants have started to grown. We only have a success rate of 50% with the seed so hopefully when transplanted they will survive.
-Lily has two new pair of glass from Vision Works and we are extremely happy with them. Kendall will also be receiving two pair later in the week.
-Haley has strep throat and a sinus infection. She has been sick for about 2 weeks  not and has already missed 3 days of school this semester.  I was really surprised by the strep throat because she has not ran a fever. Hopefully by Monday, she will be back at school, healthy and happy.
– I have schedule my surgery for March 5th.  Trust me you don’t want the details but I will be out of work of a week. So this should get interesting.
-At church tomorrow, both the little girls will be playing bells and Matt is taking part in a skit. I am teaching the Beginner’s Childrens Church. Matt and I spent about 2 hours today, cleaning out a room that we have now been moved to. I have lots of ideas to make this a fun, educational experience for this age group and just need to find the time to implement most of them!

Random Thought Tuesday

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-Diet Coke in a can left in the freezer by mistake will explode and make a hugh mess…just in case you didn’t know
– Work is so crazy this week but will be slow again next week.
-Lily’s cheerleading has increased to 3 nights a week… this is going to be a long month
-I am trying a “diet” this week. I will post about it only if I have success
-We had some really good homemade food at our Super Bowl party.
-So far this week, dinner for 2 evening has been made up of left-overs. I think we will be able to squeeze one more meal only
-Cable TV is expensive but a much needed expense in our house