The Intentional Life

House Progress

2012-02-07T12:55:00.008-06:00

We had our second meeting last night with Chris, who is doing the drawings for our new home. The meetings have been kind of grueling, as we've been going over every inch of the future house in painstaking detail. This is good, obviously, because we know exactly what to expect, and can have the opportunity to make changes to anything we don't like. It's been fun, too, to think about all the different options that are available. Here's the latest drawing of our house:

From the front

Left Side View

Left Rear View

Front Right View

Right Rear View

We've seen some pretty great drawings of the inside, too, especially the kitchen, but I don't have digital versions of those at this point. It's so cool to see it take shape. Now I can't wait to see them actually break ground! We're getting closer to that point, but we still have to meet at the lot to decide the placement of the house, septic, etc. Then the land will surveyed, the permits will be applied for, and THEN we can look forward to seeing some progress on the ground. Yay!

Journey to a New Home

2012-01-12T12:28:00.003-06:00

It's been a LONG time since I've made any blog entries here. So much has gone on that it's difficult to know where to begin. Last December we made the decision to move half way across the country from bustling Chicago to the quaint little town in Maine where I grew up. Within a matter of about 3 weeks, we packed up all our worldly possessions and made all the other sundry arrangements that go along with moving. Then, four days before Christmas, we loaded up our trusty little Corolla and my Handyman's work van with our two cats, Sweet Pea, and my mom (who graciously flew out to Chicago just so she could make the LONG drive back with me and Sweet Pea). With two U-haul trailers in-tow, we set out for Maine. My sister and her husband have showed us immeasurable generosity in opening their home to us and allowing us to live life with them for the past year while we got established here. It has been such a blessing, and part of me isn't sure I want it to end (although I'm sure they will be happy to have their house to themselves again!)

Now my Handyman has a new job working for a home building company, and we've begun looking at our options for having a home of our own. We checked out a cute little house that was ultra cheap but in desperate need of renovations, but traditional banks are leery of that sort of thing, so getting financing was an issue. After looking at several different options, we've decided to build a new home on the land we bought from my grandfather several years ago. There are many factors that weigh into that decision, but a major one is the desire to live close to my sister and her family (did I mention we'll be right next door??), across the street from my grandparents, and just up the road from my parents. It's such a blessing to have family close! That's why we made the move in the first place, and it has been so. good. The thought of Sweet Pea living right next door to her three cousins, who have been like siblings to her for the past year, is really exciting.

We've decided to have the company that my Handyman works for build our home for us, and they will allow him to do a lot of the work himself, which will save us some cash. The process of choosing a house plan was 3 parts fun, 1 part overwhelming. There were A LOT of plans that we really liked the looks of. In the end we sent 4 plans to the construction company. They came back to us and very bluntly told us that our number one choice was way out of our budget. That was fine. Actually, we really appreciated their up front communication. Our second pick was ruled out too, since it had a garage incorporated into the design, and our budget doesn't allow for that right now, either. That left us with the choice between a really cute cape or a really pretty ranch. We went back and forth a hundred times between the two, with my Handyman leaning more towards the cape and me more toward the ranch. In the end, this is the one we decided on:

We came to the conclusion that the ranch would give us more finished space than the cape, and it is a lot closer to our target price, as well. And I LOVE the floor plan. I think it's going to suite are family really well. It won't have the garage, which, I know, changes the look of the whole house, but someday we'll be able to add that too.

We just told the builder this morning that we've decided on this plan, so now he will work on getting a contract proposal drawn up. There's sort of a time crunch, because the town will post the roads the first or second week of February, meaning they can't bring in the heavy machinery excavate and dig the basement after that happens. So, if we can get everything together (get the drawings, bank appraisal and all paperwork done) in the three weeks or so, they can start to dig before the roads are posted and we'll be well on our way to a new house! If things don't come together fast enough, then we'll have to wait until April when they open the roads back up. That wouldn't be the end of the world, but it sure would be nice to start sooner rather than later!

It's kind of surreal that this is actually coming together. I'm already having so much dreaming of how to decorate our new home! (You might have caught that if you follow me on Pinterest...)

Stationery card

2011-11-13T17:34:00.001-06:00

Oh Holy Night Religious Christmas Card

Click here to browse our Christmas card designs.

View the entire collection of cards.

Photo Card

2011-06-23T13:23:00.001-05:00

Giraffe Gallery Blue Baby Announcements

Birth announcements & graduation announcements by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Bragging on my Handyman

2010-11-02T08:58:00.006-05:00

Have I mentioned how talented my Handyman is? He can do just about anything with his hands. His boss asked him build a front desk for a new business he's opening. This is what he came up with.

Can you believe he made this? Stunning, isn't it? He really enjoyed doing the project. He'd love to design and make furniture for a living. Maybe some day... Here are a couple more shots.

I think he could sell something like this, don't you?

Garage Sale Bargains

2010-11-01T12:08:00.013-05:00

My Handyman and Sweet Pea went out for a walk on Saturday morning, while I was off for a luxurious visit to the fabric store all by myself. Sweet Pea has it out for that store, and so I dread trying to shop there with her in tow. It was really wonderful to spend a couple of hours wandering around and looking to my heart's content. {ahhhh...}

Anyway, back to the point of this post. While on their walk, my Handyman discovered a moving sale at a home a couple of blocks up the street from us. He liked what he saw, so as soon as I got home he insisted that we go back together and take a look. Here are some of the "treasures" we found.

There was a whole table of Tupperware, most of which was quite old and yellowed, but I picked up this box for storing cookies and bars for $0.50.

I've been wishing for a second loaf pan, and I found these two for $0.25 each.

We bought these three Christmas ornaments for $1. I can't wait to see them hanging on the tree!

We picked up these two thermoses for $0.50 each. They'll be great for picnics and even for my Handyman to take to with him to work.

One of my favorite finds of the day was this sweet little rocker for Sweet Pea. It was only $5, and it's really in pretty good shape. My Handyman plans to refinish it if he gets the time, but even as it is, I'm happy with it. We plan to give it to Sweet Pea for Christmas, but when we brought it home she fell in L-O-V-E with it. I finally hid it away today, and I'm guessing she won't remember it when she receives it for Christmas.

My Handyman's favorite find was a set of china. I've never really been interested in owning a set of china, I'm content with simple, inexpensive dishes that I can use every day, but my Handyman REALLY liked the set that they were selling. They were asking $175 for it, though, and I didn't feel like we needed it at all. The lady saw how interested my Handyman was, and was obviously hoping to make the sale. I told her it was lovely, but I really didn't think we needed it, and she came back saying that they could take $150 for it. I said thank you, no, and walked outside to look at other things. My Handyman asked me if he couldn't offer her $125, and I reluctantly agreed. She came down to $135 and my Handyman couldn't resist. So, I am now the {proud} owner of a set of china. It really is pretty, and when we got it home and unpacked it all, I had to admit I think we got a really good deal.

I like the simple design, and the pretty silver ring around the edge.

The flowers in the center are a very pretty light blue, but you can't see very well from the picture.

The brand is Noritake, and it was made in Japan. I don't know anything about china, but from what I can find online, this is a company that has been around for nearly 100 years, and they still are making china, although this set seems to have been discontinued.

It's a HUGE set. There are 18 place settings, with a dinner plate, salad plate, dessert plate, and tea cup and saucer. Plus there are 6 additional tea cups and saucers (24 total), a tea pot, 3 sugar bowls and 3 creamers. There are 10 serving dishes (various large bowls and platters), and two gravy boats. Many of the dishes are still in their original wrappings and seem to have not been used. In all, there are about 130 pieces, and only one has a small chip.

For now, I don't have any place to put it, so it's all packed way in boxes, but some day, perhaps I will have a bigger home and a china cabinet to display all of these lovely pieces!

Close Call

2010-09-21T14:01:00.002-05:00

I very nearly had to call 911 today. I suppose it was just the first of many close calls I will face in the world of parenthood. Thankfully, no harm was done, and all is well.

My Handyman had mentioned offhandedly several months ago that he hoped Sweet Pea would never lock herself in the bathroom. I brushed the idea off with hardly a thought, because the chances of her being in the bathroom alone, and then finding and turning the the little lever to lock the door seemed pretty remote.

Not so remote. Today I was getting a package ready to mail, and Sweet Pea was playing happily from room to room. I heard the bathroom door shut and should have immediately reacted, but it didn't really sink in until a few minutes later. When I went to check on her, I found that I couldn't open the door. Ok. Deep breath. Don't panic! I could hear her playing happily, and was hoping that the play was restricted to her bath toys, and not the toilet brush which has fascinated her since she was about 9 months old. Then I heard her sucking on a tooth brush. Ok, could be worse. I tried coaxing her to the door to turn the lever back so I could open it, but she was enjoying her private playroom, and wasn't at all disposed to even come to the door.

I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a screw driver. Maybe I could take off the door knob and some how get the lock to open that way. Four screws later, I quickly realized that would do no good. The doors in our apartment are old and wooden, and there's no access to the lock from the outside, not even a key hole. The position of the door jam makes it impossible to jimmy the lock with a knife or credit card, and the hinges are on the inside of the door, so taking the door off it's hinges wasn't an option.

I could hear Sweet Pea climbing on the sink, and did my best not to envision her slipping and crashing to the floor. Yikes. Bathrooms are no place for curious toddlers. I continued to talk to her, and finally got her to come over to the door by wiggling my fingers through the opening at the bottom. That was apparently very entertaining; I got a good squeal out of her. Still, she didn't even reach for the door knob, let alone seem to comprehend my instructions to "turn the little lever by the handle."

At this point I was envisioning the fire department coming and hacking the door in half in order to get her out. I finally gave in to my impulse to call my Handyman. I was really hoping to resolve the issue without his help, but I was running out of ideas. He was surprisingly calm, probably because he could hear the near-panic in my voice. He decided he would come home with his van full of tools, and surely something (drill, crowbar, saw...) would be able to get the door open. There's only one catch - he works an hour away.

By this time Sweet Pea had decided she really didn't want to spend the rest of her life alone in the bathroom, and was starting to whimper to come out. I got off the phone with my Handyman and continued to cheerfully ask her to turn the little lever. I have no idea if she had a clue what I was talking about.

As soon as I had realized she was locked in the bathroom, I started praying that the Lord would guide her little fingers to turn the lock back so the door could be opened. She understands more and more directions all the time, but we'd never practiced those instructions. As I slumped against the wall and prepared to keep her entertained for the next hour by playing with her under the door, I heard a *click*, and my heart leaped as I grabbed the door knob and the door swung open. What a sigh of relief as I swept my little girl into my arms and held her close. She was none the worse for the experience, and seemed a little baffled at my response to seeing her again. Praise the Lord for answered prayers!

Needless to say, there are plans in the works to remove the lock on the bathroom door.

Time for an update

2010-09-12T20:09:00.007-05:00

An update of our living room decor, that is. Here's a picture of our living room before:

It was fine, but I was ready for a change. I found an idea for some fabric wall hangings on this blog, so I thought I'd give it a try.

My handyman made me these lovely frames (it's so handy to be married to a handyman!):

Then I stapled the cloth that I had picked out at JoAnn Fabrics to frames. Here's how they look on the wall.

I plan to hang them all on the same level, but I was so anxious to see them on the wall, that I just temporarily used the existing nails. It was pretty simple to do, and I think it's spruced up our living room nicely!

1,000 Gifts

2010-08-19T14:09:00.002-05:00

46. Plump, red tomatoes, hanging on the vine.

47. Continued health, in spite of little girl's lingering cold.

48. Menu plan hanging on the fridge, making dinner something to look forward to, rather than to dread.

49. Poetry, pure inspiration and enjoyment.

50. Washer and dryer, working hard so I don't have to.

51. Mounds of clean clothes, folded and put away.

52. Tender Father, longing to give good things to His children.

53. Almighty God who hears my prayers.

54. Contentment in the waiting.

55. Connections with sisters and sisters-in-law, even thousands of miles away.

A Little Time = A Big Savings

2010-08-13T09:47:00.003-05:00

I spent about 45 minutes on the phone yesterday, talking to our phone company's customer service. My handyman and I have talked about canceling our home phone line for quite a while, and yesterday I went ahead and took the plunge. I had actually called to cancel two other times in the last year, but each time they offered us some deep discounts if we would keep it, so we did.

A couple of weeks ago we mysteriously started getting FLOODED with phone calls, everything from car insurance quotes to college recruiters, all responding to a request for information that my Handyman had supposedly submitted online. (Which he absolutely did not!) During the first two days we must have gotten 5o phone calls. It was insane! Thankfully, nearly two weeks later we're only getting one or two calls a day at most. I have no idea how they got our number, but I'm very grateful that it's mostly subsided.

The influx of phone calls prompted me to reconsider canceling our home phone line. We use our phone very rarely, anyway, since my Handyman and I both mostly use our cell phones. For a while we kept the phone line just so we could have DSL internet service. Now our provider offers DSL without a phone line, so we're able to make the switch.

The best part of my 45 minute call yesterday was that I was able to upgrade our internet connection to a speed 4-times faster, and we'll pay less than we did before! My former boss once told me that you should call your phone company (or internet provider) at least once a year to make sure that you're getting the best deal they have to offer. She is so right! I'd also add to that that you should check out their website for deals before you call. Yesterday when I made the switch to just internet service, the rep was wrapping things up, and hadn't mentioned any change in speed or price. I had seen online that they were offering a 4-times faster speed for less than we were already paying. When I asked him about it, he said he didn't see that as an option, but he put me on hold so he could check. Five minutes later he came back and "Yes, you are absolutely right! I'll sign you up for that discount." Wow - if I hadn't checked out the online offers, I would have had no idea! That one phone call should save us $276 over the next year. I'd say it was worth my time. Maybe you should try it!

Neck Pillow

2010-07-09T14:31:00.005-05:00

My Handyman and I are preparing for a 20+ hour drive to visit my family in Maine in a couple of weeks! We're so excited to spend time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins!! I'm sure Sweet Pea would be really excited too, if only she knew what is in store!

I noticed the other day though, when I was out running errands, that when Sweet Pea fell asleep in the car seat, her head kept bobbing all over the place. That's manageable when she's only napping 15 minutes here or there, but not so good when she'll be sleeping for hours on end (please, oh please!) on a car ride across the country. So I decided to make a neck support/travel pillow for her. I found the inspiration on the Make It and Love It blog here.

First, I drew a pattern on an old sales flier and cut it out. (The cats are never far away when there's a project in the making!)

Then I cut out two pieces of the material and pinned them, right sides together.

I sewed around the edge, leaving a small opening to turn it right side out and fill it with stuffing.

Then I filled it with stuffing (which I robbed - I mean recycled - from an old pillow) and hand stitched the opening closed. Ta-da! A neck pillow which will hopefully reduce the head-bobbling and make for a more restful trip.

A Bow Holder

2010-06-13T21:26:00.004-05:00

A little while ago I found this fabulous crafting blog, and saw a cute idea for a bow holder. Sweet Pea has lots of bows, which I have usually kept in a little box on her changing table. Lately she's taken to grabbing the box and dumping out all the bows every time I change her though, so I thought it was time to give this project a try. I didn't think to take pictures as I was making it, but here's the final result!

I picked up some pink and green ribbon at JoAnn Fabrics the other day, and for the backing I used a leftover scrap of white cloth that I had used for Sweet Pea's baby quilt. The frame is an extra picture frame that I had laying around the house. I hot glued the fabric to the picture frame backing, then glued on the strips of ribbon, and Voila! A bow holder. Sweet Pea was very fascinated to see all of her bows on display on the wall. I'm really happy with how it turned out, and it makes picking out a bow that much simpler!

My Afternoon Project

2010-06-11T16:44:00.007-05:00

My handyman and I use the cash envelope system for our groceries, eating out, and clothes. Each month we put the budgeted amount in the appropriate envelope, and when the money is gone, we stop spending money in that category. It works really well for us and helps us stay on budget.

Several months ago I stumbled upon a link to a free envelope template on this blog, and have been itching to make some for myself.

Today I finally got around to buying some pretty paper so I could make my own envelopes. I had so much fun!

Here is the paper I picked out.

I cut the paper down to 8 1/2" so it would fit in the printer,
and then printed the template and cut it out.

And repeated times 6, and used a thin bead of glue to hold them together.

They fit perfectly in my envelope system from Dave Ramsey.

I "stitched" the envelopes together with some pretty silver ribbon.
Now that will make paying with cash more fun!

Dreams really DO come true!

2010-06-01T09:52:00.017-05:00

I have dreamt of having a garden ever since I got married. Living in an apartment in the city has not allowed me to do much toward this goal, however. I've tried my hand at growing herbs on my window sill, and even tried some potted tomato plants one year, but I haven't had much luck.

The neighbors in the home just in back our building have a beautiful garden area all fenced off. It has gone untended for several years, and my Handyman and I have eyed it longing, wishing we could put it to use. Well, a couple of nights ago we were outside with Sweet Pea. My Handyman noticed the neighbors out on their back deck and got up the courage to ask them if they would be willing to let us plant some things, and offered to possibly rent it from them. We'd never actually met these people before, but they are so nice!! They were thrilled to have us care for the garden - they actually said that we would be doing them a favor. Can you believe it?!

In the densely populated metropolis we live in, land is like gold. I think we hit the mother load!! The space is about 20' x 30', with a lovely picket fence all around it. It's seriously as big as some people's entire backyard! Oh, the possibilities!!

We're planning to plant tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, zucchini, green beans, and several herbs. Maybe some other things, too. I'm afraid we're a little late in getting things started, so we'll see how we do.

The wilderness of our garden

It's just across the alley from our apartment

The weeds were tall and thick!

The work begins...

Progress!

We uncovered a small patch of rhubarb!

My Handyman did a lot of the work - Sweet Pea was not thrilled with gardening...

She did let us get a cute picture, though!

After 5 hours of work, we'd prepared about 1/2 of the space.

There's still a ways to go...

The robins are thrilled with the feast we uncovered!

The pile of weeds we pulled out was enormous!

The transformation is amazing!

Quick CVS trip

2010-05-18T13:48:00.004-05:00

CVS was not very exciting this week. I did go, and did well with what I got, but it's not very interesting.

Dawn Dishsoap x 2 - $0.84 each
Aussie Shampoo - $2.99
Aussie Hair Gel - $2.99
Lady's Speed Stick - $2.99

Used:
1 $0.25 off Dawn coupon
1 $1.00 off Dawn coupon
1 $0.75 off Lady's Speed Stick
1 $2.00 off Aussie Shampoo/styling product
1 $1.00 off Aussie Gel
$5 ECBs

Total: $1.73 (paid with CVS gift card)
Got back: $6 ECBs
I ended up with $4.27 profit!

A Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-13T09:56:00.002-05:00

My Mother's Day gift arrived last night.

I am one spoiled mama!!

Start the car!!

2010-05-11T15:01:00.003-05:00

Have you seen the Ikea commercial where the lady comes running out of the store, her cart laden with goodies, screaming for her husband to start the car because she's sure that they made a mistake when they rang up her purchase? That's how I felt today as I left CVS.

I haven't done any CVS deals in several months, because I got really frustrated with planning out my purchases, only to get to the store to find that they are out of several of the items I was planning to buy. There were enough deals that I was interested in this week, though, that I decided to give it a try. I was even prepared to try a couple of different stores in order to find the things I wanted - but I didn't even need to! What a positive experience! There were ample supplies of almost everything on my list - even things that were free after the Extra Care Bucks.

Here's what I got:

Transaction #1:

Bayer Glucose Meter - $ 19.99 (I plan to donate this to our church blessing closet)
Kotex U pads - $4.99

Used:
1 $10 off Glucose Meter
1 $1 off Kotex U pads

Spent: $14.94 from CVS gift cards I had
Got back: $19.99 ECBs
Total: $ 5.05 PROFIT!

Transaction #2:

Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner - 2 for $6.97
2 Rightguard Deodorant - $2.99 each
2 Crest ProHealth Toothpaste - $3.50 each
Schick Hydro Razor - $8.99
Reach Floss - $1.99

Pre-Coupon Total: $30.93

Used:
2 $2 off Pantene
1 $3/2 off RightGuard
1 $0.75 off Crest ProHealth Toothpaste
1 $5 off Schick Hydro Razor
1 $1 off Reach Floss

Total after Coupons: $17.18
Used $15 ECB from Transaction #1
Spent: $5.36 (including tax) paid with CVS gift card
Got back: $20 ECBs
Total: $14.64 PROFIT!

Today was so successful, I may just get back into the CVS game!

Good thing for endings...The ending of a good thing

2010-04-28T10:12:00.003-05:00

Last night was the last session of the second Financial Peace University that we've hosted. I am so glad it's done. Not that I didn't enjoy the class, but after 3 months of meeting every Tuesday, it will be nice to have a break.

There were lots of good things about the class. I still love watching the videos and being re-inspired week after week to be wise with our money and careful in our planning. Last night was the lesson on giving, and it was such a poignant reminder that all that we have is not our own, it is our job to faithfully steward it.

This class was not nearly as exciting or inspiring as the first time we hosted, though. There are several reasons for that, but mainly I think because we didn't gel as a group this time. For whatever reason, no one in the group seemed to connect on a personal level. In the class we hosted last fall, we really became friends with the people who attended, and it was inspiring to see each person really latch on to what Dave was teaching and make lifestyle changes because of it.

The people in our spring class didn't seem committed to making change. Partly I think I got this sense because there were one or two people who felt it was their job every week to explain why certain aspects of Dave's philosophy were impossible to live out. It got tiring each week to try to combat the negativity of a few very vocal people, and I'm afraid it soured the experience a little for everyone. Each week it was a task to try to explain how you really can follow Dave's principles without starting an argument or outright saying "you're wrong!"

I know that the idea that you really can go through life without borrowing money, using credit cards, taking out school loans, and worshiping at the alter of the great FICO is counter-cultural. But isn't that the point?? That's what the entire class is about! Yes, most of society uses those things, but most of society is BROKE! I'm perfectly content to be weird, because I actually have money in my pocket.

Anyway, that's not to say that the class wasn't helpful. Several people shared last night about how what they've learned is really making a difference in their lives. One shared about the unity that she and her husband now have that they'd never had in 25 years of marriage. Another said that they have a lot less stress in their lives now. Another mentioned the power of giving every dollar a name, and how doing that has resulted in actually having money left over at the end of the month, which had never happened before.

It was neat to hear the positive feedback, and I'm sure we'll host another class sometime. But for now, it'll be nice to take a break.

Give Thanks...

2010-04-08T14:30:00.002-05:00

36. Cool rain falling, watering grass and turning it green

37. Clean laundry, folded and put away

38. Two new nephews, born just 4 days apart

39. Warm stew slow-cooking on a chilly, drizzly day

40. Strong man who takes pride in his work and does it with excellence

41. Adoring daddy, rising early to spend time with his little girl

42. Anticipation of a treasured visit with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins

43. Leaves budding on trees

44. Delighted daughter, thrilled at the sight of any of God's creatures

45. Afternoon of quiet, time to spend with my Savior

Blessings

2010-03-22T11:12:00.003-05:00

I love that the Lord finds so many unexpected ways of blessing us. Surprise blessings are such a sweet reminder of His tender care for us.

This past Friday we got our taxes done, and boy were we in for a surprise! Ever since my Handyman and I were married, he has handled his taxes as a someone who is self-employed. That means that taxes aren't automatically withheld from his paycheck. So every spring when we file our taxes we know that we're going to owe money. This is fine, we know that it's coming, and we save up to pay it.

Well this year was the first year that we are able to claim Sweet Pea as a dependent. That coupled with the fact that when I was working I had the maximum taken out in taxes, because I knew we always end up owing money anyway, along with various other credits/deductions, resulted in a tax return! For the first time ever! And it's pretty substantial! My Handyman was so incredulous that he came home from the tax man's office and re-calculated everything, just to be sure.

I know it's not a good financial plan to try to get a big tax refund every year, since it isn't that the government is sending us free money, they're actually sending us money that was ours all along, and we just lent it to the government interest-free for a year. That said, however, having gone from always owing money when we file our taxes to receiving money back is a really nice feeling.

We plan to beef-up our emergency fund, and maybe do a couple fun things for ourselves, too.

More Creative Fun

2010-03-05T14:38:00.008-06:00

I had so much fun yesterday making a tote, that I decided to make another one today. This one is smaller, and mostly meant for Sweet Pea to play with. She had so much fun with the tote I made yesterday, carrying it around and, of course, putting the handles over her head and off again repeatedly. So I made one just for her. This one only took about an hour to do, and it was really fun!

I used left over scraps from a quilt I made for my niece.

It's even reversible.

Afternoon Project

2010-03-04T20:34:00.004-06:00

I was feeling crafty this afternoon, so I decided to try my hand at making a tote bag. Sweet Pea is showing more and more interest in books, and I want to start going to the library with her regularly. So I thought it would be fun to make a cute bag to bring the books home in.

I used some scraps of cloth that I had left over from making Sweet Pea's baby quilt. I found this website which gave step by step instructions for making a basic tote.

Here's the finished product.

The lining is an off-white floral pattern, but it's hard to see in the photo.

More Gratitude

2010-03-03T16:01:00.003-06:00

26. Quiet day at home, without obligations

27. Long conversations with my mother

28. A family I long to spend time with

29. New recipe, warm dough rising

30. Warm cup of tea

31. Unintelligible baby talk

32. Mailbox full of samples and coupons

33. Renewed connection with the one I love

34. Encouraging words

35. Weekly meal plans

Blessed be the name of the Lord

2010-02-26T19:48:00.004-06:00

Two times this week I've received news that has made my head spin, heart sink, eyes brim.

This day, I received word that a friend, one I lived with, studied with, is gone. The shock waves have reverberated in my soul all day. She was but twenty-seven. Barely older than myself. But tonight she is gone. Her husband, her lover and best friend, is left to sleep in a cold, lonely bed. Her little girl, just two years old, is left to learn life without her mama. Her baby boy, not yet a year, is left without her tender arms to hold him. In a moment, she was taken. A clot of blood the alleged culprit.

Why God? How can this be? How could you allow this? Cause it? For the second time this week I have asked these questions. My heart aches for the pain of others. As these questions surge in my mind, almost simultaneously the Words of Life rise up from deep within.

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
(Job 1:20-21)

I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them. O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:4-8)

These Words of Life offer hope, consolation. Diving deep into this life-giving book slows the spinning crazy of this life. In it I find stability, as I am reminded of my Father's good intent for all who follow Him.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

And so, I draw near to Him. Cling to Him.
And drink in the promise of hope.

First Birthday

2010-02-24T21:11:00.015-06:00

Sweet Pea is one year old today. How can that be? It surely doesn't seem possible, yet the pages of the calendar tell me that it's true. I think it was a good day for my little one. Here are a few snapshots of moments throughout the day.

Opening one gift before breakfast

"I am a Bunny" - Sweet Pea loves to look at books!

Daddy and the birthday girl

A birthday lunch of potato and cheddar pirogi with broccoli. Yum!

Stylin' new sunglasses

Sweet new baby doll

Time for cake!

First taste of cake. She wasn't thrilled.

It was fun to smear around though. Ice cream wasn't any more exciting than cake,
but boy was it fun to play with the bowl and spoon!

She loves her mama.

All that partying called for a nice, long nap.

One more gift!

Sweet Pea loves her beautiful new pillow from her aunt!

All in all, it was a good day.

New Discoveries

2010-02-23T14:18:00.006-06:00

This afternoon Sweet Pea was playing with my purse, and realized that she could hang it around her neck. She thought she was really clever until she couldn't get it off. I rescued her a couple of times, but she was still so fascinated that she kept putting it back.

A little later she grabbed one of my socks and tried to wrap that around the back of her neck. It was a little small, though, so she didn't have much success. She toddled off, and a few minutes later when I went into the living room, this is what I found:

It was so sweet! She found my scarf and decided to try it on. It made me smile.

Note the black sock also made it into the look. =) I was pretty impressed with how she managed to drape the scarf over her shoulders!

Using Thanksgiving to Combat "One of those days"

2010-02-23T09:57:00.002-06:00

16. Sunlight streaming through a window closed too long to the outside world

17. Hot shower that refreshes and renews

18. First baby doll, awaiting it's wrap in anticipation of Sweet Pea's discovery

19. Surprise package in the mail from an aunt who loves her baby niece

20. The excitement of waiting until tomorrow to reveal the treasure inside

21. Giggles and squeals of delight as smokey gray cat, hungry for affection, rubs against wobbly legs

22. Reminder from the book of Esther, that though He is not always seen, He is always present

23. Many long nights of uninterrupted sleep

24. Little nose to wipe, diaper to change

25. Strong husband melting as he holds his little girl

Continued Thanks

2010-02-18T08:49:00.006-06:00

9. Warm porridge, filling bellies and giving strength.

10. Anticipation of celebration - for mine, a year of life, for another, one just beginning.

11. Quiet, stillness, as baby sleeps and husband labors.

12. A new bag, given by my Valentine. With each trip out the door, a smile lifts my face.

13. The delight of new possibilities, the pleasure of new accomplishment, as wobbly legs slowly grow steady.

14. Growing courage as small feet carry a determined little girl from room to room.

15. New intimacy, as time in the Word draws me closer to my Savior.

Current Projects

2010-02-13T19:04:00.004-06:00

This week I felt inspired to do some projects around the house. My first idea was to build a small shelf to put near the table in the kitchen. One of our goals for the new year is to read some Scripture together after supper every night. Quite honestly, we haven't done very well with it so far. It just hasn't been something that we think of after dinner. So we thought that if we had a shelf by the table where we could safely keep the Bible within reach, perhaps we will do better at remembering. So, here is the finished result:

I'm so pleased with how it came out. My Handyman really is handy!! He made the shelf out of some scraps of wood, and designed it all himself. I did the first coat of stain and poly, and he did the final coat. I am hopeful that this simple addition will help us stick to our goals.

The other project we've been working on is refinishing our kitchen table top. We bought the table six years ago, and there were several places where the finish had worn off, and it really just needed to be sanded down and refinished. So that's exactly what we did. Here's how it came out!

(Note the dust on the side that showed up only with the flash. Guess I have some cleaning to do still. =) ) It is SO nice to have a fresh table top. It's like having a new table, and it really came out beautifully! The stain doesn't match exactly, but it's close enough not to notice unless you really study it.

2010-02-09T08:49:00.001-06:00

There's a beautiful testimony here today, of the joy and sorrow of life's ever-changing seasons. It touched me, and I think it may you, too.

Trusting

2010-01-14T11:47:00.002-06:00

Why is it that just when you feel like you're getting things under control, the unexpected arises, and suddenly you feel out of control all over again. My Handyman and I have really been implementing the teachings of Dave Ramsey for about 6 months now, and we had really found our rhythm. The budget was working well for us every month, it was pretty simple to plan the month's spending before the month begins, and it just felt like things were really starting to roll. We're working on fully funding our emergency fund, and for the new year we set a pretty aggressive goal of increasing the 2 1/2 months worth of living expenses we have set aside to 4 months worth by June.

Then reality hit. It's January. Not a lot of people want to have their homes fixed in January. And my Handyman had first one day, and then another, and another day off because there was no work scheduled. So far he's worked two days in the new year. Yikes! Suddenly I've had to shift my brain from "Let's see how much money we can save" to "Let's see how very little we can spend" so that we don't have to start using our emergency fund, rather than adding to it as we had planned.

It's been a frustrating shift in focus. I'd so hoped to be making progress financially, and now we're just trying not to lose ground. It's been a good exercise for me, though, as I try to be as resourceful and creative as I can with our meals, to try to keep the grocery budget very low. And it's good, too, because I am realizing that it is possible to get by on very little, if I just stay out of the stores. Maybe this time is just a training period for us, to show us where we have been wasting money so that in the coming months when our income returns we can continue to live on little and reach our goals faster.

And our Father is so faithful. Throughout this time I know that He is our provider, and I don't have to worry. I've been readying through Job in the last week or so, and it has been such a good reminder that our heavenly Father is so good, all the time, no matter what circumstances we face. Job's example of humility and reverence of the Lord when he faced unimaginable hardship has been inspiring. It's humbling to know that our great God cares for us, knows our needs, and best of all, is present with us through every circumstance.

And things are looking up - my Handyman has work scheduled for at least the next four work days. =)

Look out fitness! Here Wii come!!

2009-11-19T15:00:00.003-06:00

He he he. My Handyman and I have been throwing around the idea of giving each other a Nintendo Wii for Christmas. After watching my sister and brother-in-law using the Wii Fit regularly for nearly a year, and seeing the fabulous results they've been getting, I got really interested in trying it for myself. I've been working out faithfully for a couple of months now, and while I feel like I'm finally starting to see some results (probably noticeable only to me, but my post-pregnancy belly is finally starting to tighten up!), I'd like to kick it up a notch.

I've been watching intently for a deal on the Wii and Wii Fit, but really hadn't had much luck. The price of the Wii was recently reduced to $199, but I haven't seen it lower than that anywhere. I've even been watching some websites for the Black Friday deals, thinking that someone would offer it cheaper, but to no avail.

Then, a couple of days ago I came across this deal at Amazon. I love Amazon. The deal is if you buy a Wii and a Wii Fit Plus, they'll send you a $50 Amazon gift card. So after subtracting the $50, you end up paying $238 for both the Wii and the Wii Fit. That's by far the best deal I've seen anywhere, and since we do so much shopping on Amazon, especially this time of year, it really is like getting $50 cash. Plus, I have $25 in Amazon gift cards that I've earned through using Swagbucks, so it's almost like getting the Wii Fit Plus for $14.

(Incidentally, if you're not using Swagbucks, you really should!! I've downloaded the toolbar and use it as my primary search engine, and usually earn enough points to get a $5 Amazon gift card every month. If you sign up by clicking this link or the picture in the sidebar, I'll earn a percentage of the points you earn, too. =))

Anywho, back to the Wii. I mentioned the Amazon deal to my Handyman, and he thought we should go ahead and do it, so last night we ordered our Christmas present for each other. =) I am so excited!! It seems a little anticlimactic to be getting our gift for each other so early, so I mentioned that maybe we should wrap it and leave it under the tree until closer to Christmas, but my Handyman scoffed at that idea. He thinks that since we both know what we're getting, it would be silly to just have it sit there unopened. I can't say that I'm disappointed. I can't wait to start my new workout routine!

Oh - one more!

2009-11-11T15:52:00.004-06:00

I forgot to mention one more bargain I got today. Bath & Body Works has their hand soap on sale 4 for $10. I love, love, love their hand soap, but haven't been using it for a while because I had a hard time justifying the splurge. 4 for $10 is a pretty good sale, though, so I decided to check it out. Here's the haul:

I got 12 bottles for $30, and used this coupon for $10 off a purchase of $30. Now I have a year's supply of luxurious hand soap, for $1.84 per bottle. I feel spoiled.

Bargain Hunting

2009-11-11T14:56:00.007-06:00

I've gotten away from doing too many deals at Walgreens and CVS lately. Honestly, I'm still just not that good at figuring out exactly what I'm going to spend and how I'm going to come out ahead. That, coupled with forgetting to use the ExtraBucks or Register Rewards before they expire, and I got a little burned out.

My appetite was whetted yet again, however, a couple weeks ago when Jewel paid me $3 to take 6 boxes of Breyer's ice-cream off of their hands. I bought 6 boxes on sale for about $12, and got $15 in catalina coupons toward my next purchase. I turned around and got $15 worth of groceries that I needed anyway, so I didn't have to worry about the coupons expiring on me.

I also spent the past few days organizing a new system for my coupons. I had been using a system recommended by CouponMom, but I never really knew what coupons I had, and it was time-consuming to find what I needed when I needed it. So now, I've switched to the method used by MoneySavingMom, and have a coupon box which looks like this:

All my coupons are organized in envelopes by category and sub-category, so I know right where to look for whatever I need. I'm loving it already!

So today I ventured out on a bargain hunting adventure. I didn't get any huge steals, but I did get some pretty good deals on things that I know I will use.

Here's what I got at Target:

2 Glade Scented Oil Tins - $3.09 each
3 Glade Scented Oil Refills - $2.50 each
Total: $13.68

With coupons, I paid just $5.46 total, plus I can send in for this SCJohnson Rebate and get $5 back. It'll end up costing me just $0.46 for all these candles! Yay! =)

At Walgreens, I did 3 transactions:

Transaction 1:

2 Nyquil @ $5.99 each.
Used $1.50/1 and $1/1 coupons.
Paid $9.75 and got $5 Register Reward = $2.38 each

Transaction 2:

3 Tylenol Cold @ $4.99 each
1 Sudafed PE @ $5.99 each
Used $3/2, $2/1, and $1/1 coupons.
Paid $15.43 and got back $10 Register Rewards = $1.36 each

Transaction 3 (S'more was happy to get in on the photo-taking action):

2 Gold Medal Flour @ $3.39 each
1 Betty Crocker Warm Delights @ $2.29 each
2 Morton Salt @ $0.99 each
2 Clearasil Face Wash @ $4.99 each
3 Kleenex Tissues @ $2.29 each
Total: $34.62

Used:
1 Wag Q: 2/$3 Flour, Man Q: 1 $0.50/1 Flour
1 Wag Q: $0.99 BC Warm Delight, Man Q: 1 $ 0.50/1 BC Warm Delight
1 Wag Q: 2/$1 Salt
Clearasil was Buy One, Get One Free (saved $4.99)
Man Q: 1 $2/1 Clearasil, 1 $1/1 Clearasil
3 Wag Q: Kleenex $1.09 per box
3 Man Q: $0.50/3 Kleenex
$5 Register Reward

I paid $4.81 for all of that! I still have $10 Register Rewards to use, which makes me nervous - I don't want it to expire before I use it! But I'm really going to be vigilant and make sure I use it up. Ahh, a good day's work.

Meditations on Thankfulness

2009-11-02T12:43:00.004-06:00

Since November is the month of Thanksgiving, I am focusing on thankfulness in my time with the Lord. This morning I read in Genesis of the creation account, how God so generously provided every need for Adam, including a companion in Eve. It's easy to get distracted in life, and focus on what I don't have, rather than the abundance God has so generously provided. But I so much to be thankful for! I don't deserve anything, so the fact that He has given so much is really humbling. Giving thanks for the thousands of blessings I receive from His gracious hand each day doesn't come naturally. It takes focus, intentionality. But the change that will occur in my soul as I choose to acknowledge the many blessings in my life will be so worth the effort!

Free Music!

2009-10-28T17:01:00.002-05:00

I love getting free music downloads! Crystal at MoneySavingMom has a great post with some nice classical music downloads that are available - for free! Definitely worth checking out.

Gazelle Intense

2009-10-14T09:58:00.004-05:00

Last night was week 4 of leading Financial Peace University. That's the Dumping Debt lesson. I've been a Dave Ramsey fan for a couple of years now. I've really enjoyed listening to his radio show, and I've listened to the older version of FPU on CD multiple times. And the first three weeks of the class have been great, we've gotten lots of motivational information with regard to managing our money.

But I have to say, last night's lesson was hands down the best I've seen of Dave Ramsey. Wow. I got goosebumps listening to him. The passion he communicated, the urgency of escaping the clutches of debt, the intensity that is needed in order to live a life of true freedom. It was electrifying. My Handyman and I don't even have any debt, and this lesson offered so much inspiration!!

I love the image that Dave uses from Proverbs 6 of the gazelle, running for it's life to escape the ferocious cheetah.

"My son, if you have become surety for your friend... if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself...Allow no sleep to your eyes no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler." Proverbs 6:1-5

I love that the Bible speaks in such vivid terms about the dangers of debt. Isn't it amazing that our God cares so much about the everyday things we face in our lives? I mean, of course God cares if I'm facing a major health issue, or if my husband's lost his job. But he cares if I'm in debt and can't see any way out, too? And he cares enough to put in his Word an escape plan? I am humbled by the depth of love demonstrated through his Word.

I can't say enough about how well-presented and truly inspiring last night's lesson was. The discussion we had with the group afterward was really encouraging. We are journeying beside a group of people who truly crave financial peace, and last night's lesson offered the hope and inspiration to do the hard work to get there. There are good things in store!

Fruitful Abundance

2009-10-09T20:29:00.006-05:00

So my Handyman came home the other night with a 28 pound box of plums.

Crazy, I know. Who buys that many plums?! I couldn't believe it, and at first I wasn't very excited. Once he told me that he had paid $4 for the entire box, I had a change of heart. (That's only $0.14 a pound!)

My next question was: What do you DO with that many plums? Why, make Plum Jelly, of course!

I made 5 pints of Cinnamon Plum Jelly (I found the recipe here). It tastes really yummy, but I was disappointed that it came out pretty thin. I'm not really sure what caused it, although I did take the suggestion of a reviewer, and left the skins on rather than peeling the plums. I thought it might add more color and flavor, plus it was a lot less work. But maybe that's why it came out runny... It's really pretty though!

I still have lots of plums to work with, so I'm planning to make some more jelly, but I'm going to have to get creative and make some other things too. It could be fun.

Fall Cleaning

2009-10-07T11:16:00.004-05:00

I love the feeling of de-cluttering. We've been in our apartment for 6 years, so we've had a lot of time to accumulate all kinds of things without the benefit of a move to help us weed out the unnecessary. Add to that our new addition who arrived in February, and the amazing amount of *things* that came with her, and I was feeling like we were getting squeezed out of our apartment. So a couple of weekends ago, my Handyman and I spent our Saturday morning organizing our little storage room in the basement. It was stuffed with camping gear, Christmas decorations, and LOTS of empty boxes that we'd been saving for who knows what. We got rid of almost all the boxes, which left lots of extra space - it's wonderful! So last weekend I spent my Saturday organizing our living room, bedroom, a small closet, and Sweet Pea's room. I went through Sweet Pea's clothes and packed away the things that are too small and got out the fall things for her to wear. Then we moved 8 boxes of baby clothes, along with several larger baby items that have already been outgrown, and put them in our storage room. The result is so gratifying! I LOVE not seeing clutter everywhere. I still have our large closet and the kitchen to organize, but the progress is inspiring. I'm off to do some more de-cluttering!

2009-10-05T07:59:00.002-05:00

The frustration is boiling. For two days now it has been simmering, just below the surface, erupting at the slightest bump or jostle. A careless word, a sideways glance, an angry sigh, and it quickly boils over into a flaming mess of wrong behavior. What is the flame that causes the tension to steam? I can't put my finger on it. Are we over-tired? Not any more than normal. Are there outside stresses weighing down on us? Not that I am aware of. So why we are so quick to respond with a sharp word, to take offense at the slightest misdeed? For my part, I can only conclude that I have allowed my carnal flesh to consume me. I have sunk low into the depths of self, and allowed myself to wallow there. Where is the redemption that my Savior has sacrificed all to provide? How have I allowed myself to forget the grace that the Perfect One has extended to me? I shudder to think how I have behaved, how it must pain Him to see me respond, react. The gentle Savior is quietly calling me back. Calling me to calm, to love. "Love is not easily angered..." the Scriptures say. After years of intimate living, day by day, side by side, how is it that I do not love better? Perhaps the greater question, is how after many more years of knowing the Giver of All Good Things, am I so much the same as before I knew Him. He longs to change me, to transform my selfish flesh to reflect His own perfection. Jesus, help me to lay aside myself today, to love as you love me.

Psalm 29 - Strength & Peace

2009-07-29T13:41:00.005-05:00

"Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in holy array.
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;
The God of glory thunders,
The LORD is over many waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful,
The voice of the LORD is majestic.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
And Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire.
The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everything says, "Glory!"
The LORD sat {as King} at the flood;
Yes, the LORD sits as King forever.

The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace." (NAS)

It is humbling to think of His strength. He has complete power over nature; something we can do nothing to control. Simply by speaking He can destroy mighty trees and cause animals to bring forth new life. I love the last two lines. "The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace." With all that's going on around us, the great fear that people have because of the economy, the worries about making ends meet, the concern for where our country is headed, this is such a reassuring promise. The promise was made to God's people, Israel, but it's a promise we can claim today as well. People are feeling powerless, overcome with worry about tomorrow. But our God, the awesome God who ruled over the Great Flood, is ruling still today. And He will give strength to those who follow Him; He will bless us with peace. Isn't that what everyone is looking for? If only we would stop trying to find it in ourselves, and would look solely to the Source of all strength and peace.

A Weekly Plan

2009-07-28T13:19:00.005-05:00

I've been thinking for the last little while that I need to create a weekly schedule for myself. I think this will help me have a more ordered life and home, which is always a good thing! Here's the plan that I've been working off of for the past week and a half or so:

Monday: Cleaning Day! This works well for me, since usually at the start of the week I have the most energy and desire to get things accomplished. And besides that, usually over the weekend when my Handyman is home with us, I tend to let the housework go by the wayside... so by Monday morning, there's lots to be done!

Tuesday: Shopping Day! Since my Handyman bought a work van, I've had the luxury of having my own car during the day for the first time since we got married. It's been very fun to have the freedom to go and do what I'd like to do whenever I'd like. But at the same time, I've found myself going to the store several times a week, usually with a purpose but sometimes just to get out of the house. While its nice to have that option, I've realized that I end up spending money when I go to the store, and if I don't go, I don't spend anything. So, since my Handyman and I are really trying in earnest to be wise with our spending and live like no one else, I've decided to relegate my shopping to one day a week. That way I'll save on gas and will no doubt save money at the same time. Since my local farmer's market is on Tuesday, I've made Tuesday my shopping day.

Wednesday: Baking Day! I have been making various cookies, sweet breads, etc. and freezing them in serving-sized portions for my Handyman to take to work with him. This is cheaper and healthier (and tastier??) than buying packaged snacks, so its a win-win.

Thursday: Laundry Day! I don't have any commitments on Thursdays at this point, so this makes a good day to get everything washed, dried, and put away.

Friday: Cleaning Day, Take 2! After four days, there's definitely plenty that needs to be done again to order the house and let us enjoy a clean home as we head into the weekend.

Saturday: The day is open to doing something fun with my Handyman and my baby girl.

Sunday: A day of rest!

So, that's my weekly plan. I think it's going to help me stay organized, and I won't come to Friday after a week of doing nothing, feeling completely overwhelmed with all that needs to be done.

1000 Gifts

2009-07-16T08:52:00.002-05:00

1. Soft baby coo's of contentment, coming from her crib on this sunshiny day.

2. Green leaves through window, reminders of the gift of life.

3. Silly kitties, rolling and stretched long in contentment.

4. Blue skies full of the promise of a new day.

5. Adoring daddy, delighted by his baby girl.

6. Long walks on warm summer nights.

7. Bright blossoms, given to say "I love you."

8. Soft warmth of babe in arms.

Thank you, Father, for you many gifts...

Trip to the Farmer's Market

2009-06-23T10:40:00.002-05:00

I got some yummy looking veggies at the farmer's market today. I can't wait to have some for dinner tonight!

Great Deals!

2009-06-22T16:03:00.003-05:00

As part of my goal to live life intentionally, I have been making a real effort to be wise with our spending. I've been following some blogs that list the deals that you can get at various stores every week. I haven't done much with it for the past several weeks, but this week I couldn't pass up the deals. Here's what I got:

20 SoyJoy bars at $1 each
Used 1 B1G1 coupon from the 5/31 SmartSource insert
Used $1/5 coupon
Used $2/10 coupon from the 5/31 SmartSource insert
Spent $16.45 out of pocket
Got $20 ECBs back.

That's right!! I got paid $3.55 to get 20 SoyJoy bars. That's what I call a bargain!

Then I also bought 5 boxes of Always Infinity pads. I haven't tried them yet, but I've heard they're amazing! It's an unadvertised deal at CVS this week. They're normally $10.79 a piece for a big box, but they're on sale for $4.99 this week. I used the following coupons:

1 $4/1 coupon from the 6/7 Procter & Gamble insert
1 $1/1 coupon from the 6/7 Procter & Gamble insert
1 $3/1 coupon
2 $1/1 coupons

Total after coupons was $15.51. I used $5.87 from a CVS gift card, and spent $9.64 out of pocket. That's 5 boxes for less than the price of 1 box at regular price! It averages out to $1.93 per box. Yippee!

Update! - Whole Wheat Bread

2009-06-15T18:31:00.004-05:00

Today I made a loaf of bread using the same recipe I posted here, only this time I added wheat gluten to the mixture. What a difference!! The bread is sooo yummy! The texture is great, and it isn't heavy like the last loaf I made. I'm so excited to have found a great way to make my own whole wheat bread. I wasn't sure about adding the wheat gluten, but I found some made by the Bob's Red Mill brand at the store last week, so I thought I would give it a try. I'm so glad I did!

Home-made Jam

2009-06-10T16:49:00.007-05:00

Last night my husband ran to the store to grab something we needed with supper, and found strawberries on sale for $0.50 for a one pound box. He bought two boxes, and they were absolutely delicious!! We ate them all last night for dessert. Mmmm. Nothing beats fresh strawberries. This morning I decided to back to the store to buy a bunch more so I could make my own strawberry jam. I was very disappointed to find that the price had gone up to $0.99 per pound. I'm not really sure what justifies the price doubling over night? Anyway, they were so good, and I was so excited about the prospect of making my own jam, that I bought 10 boxes anyway. And $0.99 doesn't seem like a bad price, anyway. If it is a bad price, don't tell me. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

I've never made my own jam before. I used to help my mom do it every year, but it's been a long time since I've done that. I read about it online, though, it seemed pretty simple, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I did have to go out and buy jars and lids, and I also bought a pair of jar tongs for getting hot jars out of the boiling water. I think this initial batch of jam probably is significantly more expensive than buying store-bought, but it's so tasty, and now I have most of the needed supplies, so it will be less expensive if I do it again.

I wasn't sure how much jam I would be able to make with the amount of strawberries I bought, but after making one batch I think I have enough to make 2 more batches. That will be 12 jars of jam! I am thrilled! I have to take a break from making it, because I ran out of sugar (I had no idea how much it takes!). But as soon as my Sweet Pea wakes up from her nap, or my husband gets home from work, I'm off to the store to get more sugar and finish making this sweet treat. Here's a picture of my first batch. The feeling of satisfaction I get from having worked to preserve my own jam is invigorating!

Farmer's Market!

2009-06-09T12:40:00.007-05:00

I have been eagerly anticipating my first chance to go to a local farmer's market, and today was the day! It wasn't a very great day for it weather-wise. It is dark and gray outside with a cool mist falling. But that didn't stop me! Right after my husband left for work, I loaded my Sweet Pea into the car and off we went. There were probably 10 or 12 different little booths set up by farmers from Indiana and Wisconsin. There weren't too many fruits available, but it was wonderful to look at all the fresh veggies! I bought fresh asparagus, and radishes, and a beautiful head of lettuce. I also purchased some rhubarb so I can make another batch of Rhubarb Dessert, which has quickly become my husband's favorite rhubarb delicacy.

The farmers also had a nice selection of potted herbs, which I was so excited to try. I had just been telling my husband last night that I've looked for a potted basil plant at a few different places, and haven't had any luck. I was thrilled to find one today at the farmer's market - isn't it beautiful?

As noted in another post, we haven't had a lot of luck growing things from seed in our apartment. I've decided that there just isn't a window sill where the seedlings can get enough sunlight to grow big and strong. They always grow long and spindly as they stretch toward the sunlight, but don't develop a stem that is strong enough to hold them upright. So I thought maybe a plant that is already established would fair better. We'll see!

I'm looking forward to supper tonight with some really fresh veggies!

Progress

2009-06-03T13:50:00.005-05:00

I left my Sweet Pea on the floor to play while I was in the kitchen doing a few things.

When I came back a few minutes later, this is how I found her:

What happened to the completely immobile baby girl I had brought home from the hospital a few months ago? Before I know it she'll be running!

A Dirty Deed

2009-06-03T13:30:00.010-05:00

I was out and about shopping this morning, picking up a few things that I needed to make dinner for friends this evening (who, by the way, I am so excited to see! I haven't seen them since last August!!). I got home and put away the groceries, and then it was time to feed my Sweet Pea. When she'd finished eating I went to change her diaper. (That is not the dirty deed to which my title refers, in case you were wondering, although the title would aptly apply to that as well.) When I went to use the changing table, this is what I found:

Note the traces of dirt strewn about all over the changing pad...

Further investigation revealed this:

My naughty kitty had apparently decided to frolic in my husband's flowers while I was out. Flowers that are a long way from blessing us with their beautiful blossoms. My poor husband has tried to grow plants on our windowsill so many times, without success... Hopefully these will survive Charcoal's escapade.

New Recipes

2009-06-01T08:22:00.006-05:00

I've tried out a couple of new recipes recently which use more natural ingredients. The first one is found here.

Grilled Lemon Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
ground black pepper to taste
seasoning salt to taste
2 teaspoons dried parsley

DIRECTIONS

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate. Marinade the chicken in lemon juice for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the onion powder, ground black pepper, seasoning salt and parsley. Discard any remaining lemon juice.
Cook on the prepared grill 10 to 15 minutes per side, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

This was so simple, but surprisingly good! I did find it frustrating, though, to read the ingredients on the bottle of lemon juice that I used. It shouldn't have been that surprising, I suppose, but it contains several ingredients other than lemon juice... I guess if I want to go all natural, I'll have to buy fresh lemons. And the seasoning salt (I used Lawry's) contains "tricalcium phosphate" which is supposed to prevent clumping. ::sigh:: Going all natural is not as easy as it should be! At any rate, its a good recipe that can be made all natural without too much effort.

The other recipe I tried is for whole wheat bread. I hadn't made bread using 100% whole wheat flour before, and I was afraid it might be really dry and/or heavy, but this recipe was pretty good.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
1 1/2 tablespoons margarine
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

DIRECTIONS

Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer.
Select Whole Wheat or Basic Bread setting. Press Start.

I think I'll probably try some other recipes too, as this wasn't "amazing", but it was good. Some of the reviews suggest adding gluten to the dough (apparently you can buy gluten in a jar at the store), which will produce a lighter, fluffier loaf, but I'm not sure if that defeats the purpose of the whole wheat? I'm going to have to research more to find that out.

::Update:: Adding 2 TBLS of wheat gluten to the mixture makes this an excellent whole wheat bread recipe! Also, I don't use dry milk; instead I just use milk in place of the water. So yummy!

That is my first foray into natural cooking. I'll post more recipes I try as I go along. I have a lot to learn!

(By the way, I also have a lot to learn when it comes to blogging - I'm not sure what's going on with my formatting. Apparently copying and pasting text makes things go funky!)

Lost Relations

2009-05-28T07:55:00.004-05:00

I have a hard time keeping up with friends and family who live far away. I am just not very good about writing or calling to keep in touch. It's not that I don't want to know how they are doing, but for some reason I don't often reach out to keep that connection alive. Once I've let months go by without contacting them, it somehow seems awkward to try to re-connect. Our lives go on our separate ways, and the things we had in common, that drew us together, are no longer there.

I know I'm not the only person who struggles with this. I discovered how true this is the other day. I recently added a new friend on a social networking site, actually a friend of my parents who is a missionary and for whom we prayed regularly during family devotions growing up. When she accepted me, she noticed that I was also friends with someone she had gone to school with way back when. Long story short, she asked me how I knew this person, and I replied that I didn't really know her, but since she was friends with my parents, I had accepted her friend request. Come to find out, it was my mom's first cousin. And I had no idea. It's the sad reality of the world we live in today; travel is so easy that friends and family often end up in distant places. That's what happened with my mom's cousin. She lives in another state, and I only remember meeting her once growing up. She has three daughters, one of whom is my age, and yet I have only met them one time. It's sad to think about the relationships that have never been. But it isn't really surprising. It takes a lot of effort to maintain distant relationships. It isn't impossible, though.

Two sets of friends have moved away within the last seven months. They were the closest friends my husband and I have made here, and so it was really hard to see them go. But I am making a concerted effort not to lose touch. We email and call each other with fair regularity, and we'll actually be getting together with both of them within the next month or so! I'm determined not to lose these friends. They are such dear people; it takes an effort, but the rewards are great!

Intentional Eating

2009-05-27T08:38:00.005-05:00

In the spirit of choosing to live intentionally, today I am thinking about making healthy food choices. Early Morning Musings has a great post today that put into words a lot of what I've been thinking. I want to get away from eating packaged foods that contain all sorts of mysterious ingredients. I've watched several shows recently that explain the benefits of eating lots of fruits and veggies and avoiding the types of fats, preservatives, etc. that are in so many of the packaged foods we buy. I'm just beginning to think more about what my family is eating, so I feel like I have miles to go before I really understand how to make the best food choices, but I have to start somewhere. I will be getting Michael Pollen's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" from the library soon, and I am really excited to learn more about what he has to say.

Thankfully I don't think it will be hard to get my husband on board with the idea. He already chooses fresh fruits and veggies when he wants to snack. I'm afraid the person who will really need convincing is me... My natural inclination when I want a snack is NOT to reach for an apple. I am hopeful, though, that if I can retrain myself, my daughter will reap the benefits of a healthier lifestyle as well. Since she hasn't started eating solid foods yet, I haven't had a chance to teach her any of my not-so-healthy habits. Here's to being intentional about choosing healthy foods!!

Living with Intentionality

2009-05-26T10:58:00.000-05:00

I am realizing that good nothing in life happens easily. Growing healthy plants takes time and dedication. Having a baby takes months of development, pains, and stretching. Raising a baby is a whole other world of changing and growing. Winning with money takes careful planning and wise decision-making. Being physically fit takes sweat and hard work. Eating foods that nourish and strengthen requires planning and discipline. Strong relationships never just happen. You have to put forth effort to reap the results. Developing a deep spiritual walk requires dedication to spend time with the One who made me.

I am also realizing that I can easily let the hours of my day, and the days of my week, slip away before I even notice. Thus, I am beginning this blog as a way to keep myself on track. To remind myself to live with intentionality. To live with purpose rather than simply drifting through my days. I'm hoping that writing regularly will serve to keep me accountable and remind me of the many goals that I have for myself as a wife, a mother, and a follower of Christ. Perhaps if I am intentional in this regard, I will be able to live intentionally in the many other areas of my life as well.