Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Spring is Here!

I've been super busy as of late...having guests over, planting a garden, spending time with family, dealing with issues (please pray for my family), and trying to spend less time on the computer and more time focusing on GOD.

I cannot believe next week is Palm Sunday; the year is just going by so fast, I can't believe it! Before we know it, it's going to be the summer season.

With tomorrow being April 1st, I am really going to be sure to document ALL of the money we spend, so we know where every single penny is going & to become better stewards of what GOD gave us.

Hope you all are doing great! The Lord is sure blessing us!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Kohls: Over $119.00 worth of items for $38.00!!!!!

I saved $81.93!!

Yes....I went and picked up some items from Kohls that would've been $119.93 but due to sales and clearance prices I paid $38.00 (incl. tax)! I saved $81.93!!

Since we bought our 1st home back in Jan. 09, we have been trying to find ways to decorate it with nice things but for an inexpensive price. We've been doing pretty good and bought most of the items we already have on sale or clearance. My rule of thumb when entering a store is to go straight to the clearance section. I have been very lucky in that department and I give all the credit to GOD.

Here's what I bought:
Dark wood wall frame that hold 3-5x7's. ~Org. price-$49.99 Clearance price -$9.99
Cocoa & Mug set~ Orig. $14.99/Clearance price -$1.49
Door Hanging decor~ Orig. $14.99/Clearance price -$1.49
Candle~ Orig. $9.99/ sale price - $4.99
Garden Flag~ Orig. $9.99/ sale price $5.99
2 wall inspirational portraits~ Orig. $19.98

Now I gotta find my camera so I post a picture so you all can "see" it.

Enjoy your day!

Emergency Planning...Am I Prepared?

I have been thinking about this for sometime now and it has been tugging at my spirit more and more nowadays. Something is about to happen. I don't know what, but I can feel it. It's very heavy and it demanding I pay attention.

With all the greed/corruption going on in our country, the rate of crime will only increase if more and more bad decisions made by our leaders are made. I trust no man as much as I trust God; therefore, I believe no man as much as I believe GOD. As a result, I will follow his lead.

It seems like our leaders are getting worse and worse. They are cheating, taking advantage of, and have no respect for regular citizens. They already are millionaires but they'll get caught stealing $10,000. It doesn't make sense, but then again it does. The eye of man is NEVER satisfied,, NEVER. Solomon said that and he was and will be the richest man to ever live. Our leaders have to put a stop to being selfish and give to others...but of coarse I can only hope.

As a result, I will be starting to assemble an Emergency kit. I plan to have a detailed, well organized kit that will provide what my family will need to get through a crisis resulting from a revolt, crime, natural disasters, etc.

I have a list of items

1. Water
2. Can food
3. Manual can opener
4. Utensils (fork/spoon)
5. Non-perishable snacks
6. Well stocked Medical Kit
7. Scissors
8. $100 Cash
2. Emergency contact list-written
3. Breathing masks
4. 3 blankets
5. 2 Flash lights
6. Light sticks
7. Candles- a least 2 long candles
8. Tin can
9. Water purification tablets
10. lighter
11. Gloves (work and latex)
12. AM/FM radio
13. Batteries (AA/AAA/9V)
14. Mini sewing kit (needle, thread, safety pins, etc.)
15. Set of warm changing clothes for hubby, daughter, self
16. Extra socks and underwear
17. Extra glasses for me
18. Pen/Pad
19. Whistle
20. Pocket knife
21. Map or atlas
22. Laminated birth certificates
23. Laminated social security cards
24. Passports
25. Credit cards (including copy of front/back)
26. Will (draft)
27. Financial statements/copy mortgage docs.
28. List of passwords - not including
29. Health records for daughter
30. USB drive with important electronic docs.
31. Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer
32. Deodorant
33. Soap
34. Toothpaste
35. Toothbrush
36. Toilet Paper
37. Wipes (moist, sanitizing, disinfectant)
38. Pads
39. Brush, mirror, hair supplies
40. Jumper cables
41. Ice scraper
42. Bible

I know it looks like a lot but in the case of an emergency, I would be able to be at ease knowing there was a detailed emergency kit in place. Now of coarse I have a budget set $100..not including the cash. The good thing is that we have many of these items already!

Do you have a Emergency Kit in place? Feel Free to use the above list, if you like.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

FREE MINI BODY LOTION FROM VICTORIA'S SECRET

You can get a mini bottle of body lotion. No purchase necessary!

This coupon is good until April 12th, so just print it out and take it to your local Victoria's Secret.

I LOVE FREEBIES!

I personally like Bath and Body Works better! Which do you prefer?

Family Fun Time!!

Family Time/Fun is VERY important to my hubby and I. Spending time together as a family can help us create a close knit relationship, especially as our daughter gets older & my hubby and I grow in our marriage.

We try to keep Family Time/Fun relatively inexpensive. We are trying to do something all of us would enjoy. We may play games, like the Wii or board games, order pizza, watch movies, etc.

Tonight we are going to Chuckie Cheese!

We are going here tonight because:

1. It's a Wednesday, so fewer kids and noise.
2. Inexpensive with my coupon: Coupon- for $24.99 we'll get a large 2 topping pizza, drinks, and 50 games tokens (each game takes 1 token)
3. Chuckie Cheeses is great because it tires our daughter out. She's ready to go to bed by the time we get home.
4. Hubby also enjoys himself because he likes playing the games; he wins so many tickets so our daughter can pick out a nice prize before we leave.
5. I like watching our daughter have fun and enjoy herself.

So for $25 we get dinner, drinks, games, and fun!! Maybe next time we'll go bowling!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Planning Our 4th Wedding Our Anniversary!!

The day was Friday, June 24th, 2005.
We were married by 11:30am.
Had a wonderful reception on the lake in a great restaurant.
So many family and friends to share our new life with.

...........it's almost 4 years later and my hubby and I try to make a big deal out of our anniversaries (not expensive, though)because celebrating our marriage is VERY important to us. Besides communication, romance is a MUST to keep a strong marriage going strong.

Every year, thus far, we have tried to do something that must include 3 requirements:
1. We have to celebrate out of the home
2. We have to have fun (isn't that's what celebrating is for?!)
3. Must be affordable.

Our 1st anniversary we went to Sea World and had a blast!
Our 2nd anniversary, we went to Baltimore, MD and stayed in a great hotel and visited the aquarium.
Last year we went out to dinner, since we had a little one (our daughter)

This year isn't much different. I started planning last night because you can never be too early. We have a budget, of coarse. See below.

Anniversary Budget-$250.00

We will be staying overnight (Saturday into Sunday) at a 4 diamond hotel, which is equivalent to 5 starts.

We will have the Romance Package- Cost $183.00
....which includes the over night stay in a luxurious room, dinner for both of us, bottle of champagne (we will NOT be using it though), breakfast for both of us, parking, taxes, and fees. The hotel also has free wifi, a pool, and atrium. My hubby and I both agreed, this was a GREAT deal. We also can choose to be on a high floor, which is what we want; what type of pillows, and even checking in early.

We also will be going to a museum-Cost $28.50

We always try to grab a souvenir- Cost $10.00

We'll also grab some lunch while we are there- Cost $15.00

We'll also budget for cards to give to each other $5.00

Grand Total = $241.50...which leaves us with $8.50 to spare.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

$7.50!!!!!! That was NOT worth $7.50!!!!

Yes, that's how much I made from my clothes at the consignment sale. Well, it really was $15.00, but they took half.

I sold 3 items:

1. Pair of White Kids (Girls)-$5.00
2. Pack of 6 pink Onesies - $5.00
3. Pack of baby blankets - $5.00

I had sent about 32 items and put ALOT of time and effort into getting that stuff ready. I even tried to be really fair with pricing, but to no avail. I spent days and many hours gathering that stuff and for a net of $7.50, just isn't worth it.

Besides, I'd rather give my daughter's old items to a women's shelter or charity, because frankly, that, to me, is worth much more than $7.50.

Even as I am venting, I am grateful that I did sell something, but man, $7.50, wasn't what I was expecting. You can believe though, that I will deposit that $7.50 check with pride...LOL.

Having more company today!

Enjoy your evening!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

I am so......................

BLESSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

......and you are too!

Enjoy your evening!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Happy Spring & Free Water Ice!

Happy Spring Everyone! Don't forget to go and get your FREE Rita's water ice today.
What's your favorite flavor? I love Mango, Cherry, and Blueberry! Yum!

50 Random Facts About Me

Got this idea from Heather over at What What You Have. She is such a real and down to earth person and I enjoy reading her blog very much.

So here we go; 50 Random Things About Me (some of our answers are exactly the same!):

1. I love God, and I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal Saviour.
2. I believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God.
3. I’m passionately in love with my husband.
4. I have one daughter. She is 2.
5. I used to eat the white tips of matches when I was a child..LOL
6. We bought our first home this year and it feels great!
7. I'm addicted to soda....any kind really, except diet.
8. My hubby and I met through a chatroom. Yes, the Lord works in mysterious ways. He spoke to Moses through a burning bush, didn't he?!
9. My favorite color is purple.
10. My favorite number is 4.
11. People say they love my cakes; I LOVE to bake.
12. I used to participate in pageants as a teen. I even won a city and state crown/trophies.
13. I love neatness and order. I can’t concentrate when the house is a mess.
14. I am 24 years old & my hubby is 29; most people think were much older..lol
15. My hubby proposed to me 1 month after we met and I said YES!
16. Been to Orlando twice and I an I'm LOVE with it.
17. I prefer to stay home; although at first I despised it...lol
18. I absolutely LOVE make-up and I wear it often.
19. When I was a child, I was in love with Michael Jackson...not anymore though...lol
20. I've been to London and Romania....I loved the experience.
21. I love sales and couponing.
22. Hubby has been to many cities in the US.
23. I care about me and my family appearance. We represent GOD and we should look and act like it.
24. I’m organized and thrifty.
25. I'm a stay at home wife and mommy; although we plan for me to go to law school in 1 1/2.
26. I LOVE sweet potato pie. My mouth waters up just thinking about it.
27. I LOVE the Christmas season; just everything about it.
28. I love the movie Lord Of The Rings...my all 3 extended version, soundtrack, and behind the scene stuff.
29. I love listening to old gospel. I love the feeling I get from it.
30. I am a quiet person and prefer to keep to myself.
31. I love FLOWERS and plan to start a garden soon.
32. I love everything chocolate; cake, ice cream, regular chocolate, cookies, etc.
33. My favorite stores are Macy's & Target.
34. I love family get together's.
35. My favorite subject in school was History.
36. I have a BA degree in History/Politics.
37. I studied at 3 colleges/universities, starting in the 10th grade.
38. I remember the exact details the first day I met my hubby; what we were wearing, where we went, how shy I was, etc.
39. People say I'm sweet!
40. My favorite junk foods are chips, soda, cookies, pie, and cheese...yes..cheese.
41. I don't like tomatoes, squash, peppers, raw onions, or anything diet.
42. I love water ice, especially mango, cherry, and blueberry.
43. I have 3 younger sisters....19, 16, and 10.
44. I love the show, Everybody Loves Raymond.
45. I love high heel shoes (not the exotic dancer kind)lol
46. My hubby still says he's attracted to me just like when we first met.
47. I like to watch the Food Network Channel.
48. I love to watch Rick Steves' Europe.
49. I LOVE going to church every week and being with ALL my family.
50. I love being married and a mommy; and wouldn't changed it at all!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Oh, how I love JC Penny!!!!

Before Macy's became my favorite store, it was JC Penny. Unfortunately, they shut down and the nearest one happened to be 25min away.

I decided to venture out to JCP to see what sales they had, especially for Home Furnishings; our living and dining rooms are very bare..LOL.

Boy, did I hit the jackpot (Praise GOD!) Here's what I purchased:

2 brown/salmon colored pillow- orig. $20 each, paid $7.99 for each
1-2 photo wall picture-orig. $59.99, paid $6.97 (clearance)
1 walnut/black picture frame- orig. $59.99, paid $6.97 (clearance)
2 sea green window panels for our office-orig. $35.00 each, paid $2.97 each (clearance)
3 photo album gift set-orig. $20, paid $3.97 (clearance)

Paid $42.70 for all this....My receipt said I saved $212.60!!!!! Oh, how I love JC Penny!!

Sometimes being Busy = Less Organization

I have been so busy since Friday of last week.

Friday: My sister came into town for her spring break; she goes to college in the south, so she's up visiting for the week. My mother flew in from St. Louis. My dad, my sister (college), and my daughter went to lunch as well; we had a nice time. I had to drop off some items I was selling at a consignment sale (which I will post about to let you know how I did); in addition to going to a meeting at my church that night, which happens to be in another state. I got home after 10pm.

Saturday: Went to Best Buy with hubby to search for a T.V.; we had been planning to buy one but my hubby wanted to wait until he found the perfect t.v. (he knows ALOT about electronics). Before we left though, I tidied up the house. We got home and I needed to prepare for church the next day.

Sunday: Spent most of our time in church. We got home, changed,& had dinner. We also had my MIL and brother in law over for a few hours.

Monday: Hubby found a t.v. he liked, so he ordered it and it's should be here this week. I also washed a ton of clothes and went food shopping at one of the stores I normally go to.

Tuesday: Cleaned some more. Had to get daughter and myself ready for church that evening.

Wednesday: I went food shopping at my other store, went to the post office, dry cleaners, library, playground, JC Penny (which I saved over $212.00; I will post about), toys r us, and went to lunch. Boy, was I tired last night.

Thursday (today): I will be traveling to my Dad's house, which is a distance away, to visit him, my mom, and my sister who's up here for the week. I also have to prepare for some guests that we might be having tomorrow.

Since I had a lot going on, I didn't keep track of my spending or meals as I should. But I'm glad though that I have a mental ability to retain information, because I always am checking our finances, which helps me avoid OVER spending.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Weekly Shopping Trip

Weekly Shopping Trip- March 17th-March 23rd
Budget - $50 for a family of 3
Store: Acme

Marcel paper towels - $1.99 / Had a coupon for FREE paper towels
2 liter Fanta Orange soda - $1.00
2 liter Dr. Pepper Soda - $1.00
2 liter Nestea Ice Tea - $1.00
Betty Crocker Frosting - $1.50 / had a coupon for $0.55 off
2 cans of Dinty Moore Beef Stew - $2.50 /Had $1.00 off coupon on 2
Total Cereal - $2.00 / had a $0.75 off coupon
Lucky Charms - $2.00 /Had $0.55 off coupon
Cookie Crisp Cereal - $2.00/Had $0.55 off coupon
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran - $2.50 /Had a $1.00 coupon
Box of Tri Color Pasta - $1.00
Hershey Almond Bar - $0.45
Hershey Dark Chocolate Bar – FREE
Box of Ocean Spray Cranberry/Pomegranate Oatmeal - $1.00
½ Gallon of 2% Milk - $2.39
½ Gallon Minute Maid Fruit Punch - $1.00
½ Gallon Minute Maid Berry Punch - $1.00
Frozen Pizza - $1.00
Betty Crocker Cookie Icing – Clearance for $1.00/ Had a $1.00 off coupon = FREE
Perdue Italian Chicken Breast - $4.49/Had a coupon for $1.00 off
3 pounds of chicken Breast - $3.30
Bag of Romaine Salad - $2.50
½ lb of Extra Large Shrimp - $2.74
¼ Turkey Breast - $2.75
¼ Munster Cheese - $1.62

Total BEFORE savings/coupons = $83.63!!
Total AFTER coupons/savings = $34.08!!!!! Saved $49.55 according to my receipt!!!

Leftover money remaining from $50 budget = $15.92!!!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Taxes, etc.

I was busy from Friday Morning until now and we have some guests coming over in a bit. I had a good weekend but since I had time I wanted to put up a post.

My husband got a bonus from his job and a nice one too. He got 10% of his salary but boy oh boy, when the tax man took his share, we were left with about 53% net of his bonus. Yes, the tax man took 47% but to be honest we understand. See, I grew up not having money and was able to use free government programs/services because my mom didn't hardly make any money. We were on welfare and WIC because we could not afford these things on our own. I thank GOD for those programs because they allowed me to go see a doctor, get 2 surgeries, food, and other important items. Some people would turn their noses up on the poor, but because both my husband and I saw how much the government services helped our families when we were growing up, we totally see the need for taxes.

I try and remember how it was not being able to by milk, eggs, or diapers for my sisters. Because of taxes, the government is able to provide these services to families for free. Yes, there may have been people who abuse the system or could've made better choices, but I think about the children. They didn't ask to be in their situation and why have them suffer for their parents bad mistakes.

So..... he got the bonus and first we paid our tithes, saved some, and got computer monitor from BEST BUY of coarse! Thank GOD because he was able to get a nice bonus in these hard economic times, where many people are losing jobs. I want the LORD to continue blessing us and if we turn our noses up and become uppity and high minded, then he wont allow us the have more because of how we look down on others. He would rather have mercy than sacrifice. To have compassion on others! To never forget where you came from!

BTW- our church service was GREAT! Thank GOD for JESUS!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Just Us Girls Tonight!

Yep...my husband is going out to a business dinner with some of his co-workers (company paid) at a very nice restaurant. He wont be home until late, probably not until our daughter is in bed; but I have a fun night planned for my daughter and me.

We ventured out to Old Navy because I had an 30% off coupon and was able to get a shirt, pants, and 2 pairs of socks for our daughter for just $8.75! Amazing, huh?! I then went to a store called Plato's Closet; it's like an upscale thrift store that sells a lot of famous designers like Prada, Guess, etc. I found a pair of really cute brown shoes for just $10.00!

After that we went to the market to grab some groceries. I didn't want to order takeout because it can get really tiring and it doesn't make you full; it's just a temporary fill. We wanted something tasty and healthy. We are having a chicken salad for dinner..yum! Also, I was going to rent a movie from the redbox they have, but red box didn't have any movies my daughter or myself would want to watch, so I just passed on the idea. Maybe, we'll just color or make something from construction paper...lol

We'll that's what I have planned for us girls this evening. I hope you all have a great evening as well!

Instead of ordering takeout, I went to the

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

A New Way To Bring In Some Funds

With so many people losing jobs or seeing a decrease in their pay, more and more thrift stores/consignment shops are seeing an increase in shoppers and as a result their sales. Since we have so many of our daughter's clothes, shoes, etc. just taking up space and collecting dust, I'd thought I would give the whole consignment sale a shot.

I was fortunate to find a church in my neck of the woods that is having one. I had to register a few weeks ago and they sent me tags, an inventory sheet, and other registration materials. The sale starts this Friday and Saturday. It actually was kinda fun being able to price items and writing up an inventory sheet, but it's a lot of work.

Being that this is my first time selling clothes through a consignment, I wanted to start small. I will be selling some of her baby clothes such as shirts, skirts, dresses, shoes, onesies, etc. I have to say that it was bittersweet going through the her old clothing. I was thinking, "gosh, my baby is growing up so fast"! I remember someone telling me when I first had her to cherish these times because they grow up fast, and boy was that person right. I can remember when she was born, exactly! Now, she's going to be 3 years old in a couple months! Man, time sure does go by fast!

The only thing I DON'T like about consignment sales is that you only get 50% profit of your items that's sold. I kept that in mind as I was pricing the items because I do want to make some kind of profit on those things, but not over charge at the same time.

I guess we'll see how my first experience goes. I will drop off my things on Friday evening and whatever doesn't sale, I will pick up Saturday evening. To be honest, I'm hoping not to pick up anything because that means all my items sold!

I'll let you all know how it turns out. Wish us luck!

Enjoy your evening!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Having an Emergencey Monthly Budget

In these difficult economic times, it is NEVER ever to soon to start planning for the unexpected. After all, isn't that's what car/home insurance, wills, and other future planning documents are for. It is to have everything in place, as best as you can, so you and your family would be prepared for the worse.

It's no surprise that more and more companies are laying off workers; and although my hubby's job is pretty secure (works in pharmaceutical/technologically field), you just never know. Even if he received a pay decrease, we would need to have a plan in place to cover our bills; especially with me staying home and having 1 income. It's even more important.

I talked with my husband about having an Emergency Budget in place; to cover our necessary expenses until he found another job, if he got laid off. He agreed and we started working on one.

Here's our Emergency Budget (if something happened)-$2,000 a month. (from our savings)
-This does NOT include unemployment, that would just be extra income.

Mortgage, Taxes, Homeowners Insurance, PMI= $1,143.50
Electricity/GAS/Water (Utilities)= $160.00
Phone (basic service)/Internet (basic as well)= $40.00
Cell Phone (reduce plan to just 1 phone with basic plan)= $40.00
Food/Toiletries/household expenses = 275.00
Transportation ( 2 cars, paid off) = $85.00
Student Loans= $40.00 (get them deferred due to unemployment)
Misc= $100.00
Heath Ins. (Daughter would get FREE coverage from state; hubby and I will get coverage through COBRA)= 100.00
Credit Cards= $12.00 ( they have $0 balance, but company charges $12 in monthly maintenance fees)

Total Bills = $1995.50; so we just rounded up to $2,000 (This may sound like a lot, but it isn't)

These are our basic bills, and we figured after looking over everything, we would need $2,000 to cover everything, especially our house payment (so we don't lose it, were new home owners..lol). It pays to save and be frugal, especially in these times where no one or no job is off limits.

Have you and your family developed a plan in case something happened?

It's never to soon to start.

Enjoy your day!

Monday, March 9, 2009

My First Real CVS Shopping Adventure Was A.........

Success, to say the least!

I saved over $32.00 on my first time there with no ECBs!

Here what I did:
I had a $4.00 off a purchase of $20.00 coupon; so I figured I'd start with that.
I had some items I wanted to purchase such as diapers, wipes, snacks, etc.

Since I already had some regular coupons in addition to the $5.00 off Huggies coupons, I'd thought I try CVS and see how I come out.

I bought:
1 Pack of Huggies Diapers
1 Pack of Pull Ups (Huggie's Brand)
3, yes..3 Huggies wipes
VO5 Conditioner
Betty Crocker Brownie Bowl
Bag of Pretzels
1-2 liter Sprite
1-2 Liter Cherry Coke

I had a coupon for EVERY item listed except for the sodas, shampoo, and pretzels...

Here's what each item cost:

1 Pack of Huggies-9.88 (on sale) -$5.00 (Huggie's coupon) = $4.88
1 Pack of Pull ups-$9.88 (on sale) but it rung up as $17.99 and I got it for FREE!!!
3 packs of Huggies Wipes $7.99 - $3.00 off (Huggies Coupon) = $4.99 for all 3!
VO5 Conditioner = $0.99
Betty Crocker Brownie Bowl $1.66 -$0.55 off = $1.11
Bag of Pretzels = $0.79
Both 2 Liter sodas = $3.00

So my total OOP was $12.47 for all this stuff!!!

Saved $32.81 according to my receipt

And I earned over $16.00 in ECBs (Extra Care Bucks) AND another $4.00 off a purchase of $20.00 coupon for next time! (I think we already had $16.00 in ECBs and just didn't know it..LOL)

I will surely be visiting CVS again in the near future and printing out more Huggies Coupons..LOL!


Sunday, March 8, 2009

Laughter, Fun, Headache = Quality Family Time Together!

What a weekend I had. Hubby is changing our daughter while I'm writing this. Before I started though, I had to use the restroom and who do you think was banging on the door, whining and crying for me?! Just guess! Yep...you got it, my daughter. But I'll open the door and then she goes on about her business. What is with that. I can't have 3 min of private time in the bathroom before I'm become the HUNTED..LOL. At least I can say thank God for door locks...LOL.

Moving on.....We had some family over for dinner to thank them for their help with helping us move. They babysat, painted, help remove wallpaper, move t.v.'s, etc; so we wanted to have them over for dinner to show our love.

I served Chicken Breast and Shrimp Kabobs with yellow, orange, and red peppers; Tomato and Basil Rice Pilaf, and a garden salad (my hubby is a healthy eater...I'm slowly coming around..lol). We also had a nice fruit tray for them and for dessert...Chocalate cake, strawberry cake, and Ice Cream...it was soooo good!

When we were done we talked for a little while and then it was game time! We usually play board games but my hubby bought a WII and we played Guitar Hero and Tennis for 2 hours! Yes, everyone from the young to old. It was so funny watching my mom trying to play tennis with a blanket tied to her back (she gets cold often; very often..lol) or my dad playing tennis and on the first try beat all of us. Yes, we were shocked! LOL

Everyone left around 9:30pm so we could prepare for church the next day; and with day lights savings time, losing an hour would make things harder to prepare for. Even setting my clock right, I still woke up late...I somehow manage to always mixup the daylight savings times every year.

I did go with my hubby to Best Buy like I mentioned in another post and I really tried not to complain; really!LOL. I was quiet for almost 30min...LOL....Then I started the "honey, how long is this process going to be?"...LOL...

We'll that pretty much sum my weekend up. I hope you all had a nice one as well!

Enjoy the rest of your evening!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

What In The Name of Pete is going on here for Pete's sake!

That line is from Pete on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse;

I may never understand my child.

She begs me for Grapes, so what did I, a nice mommy do? I gave her some nice, cold grapes in a little bowl so she can eat them. Well, I guess she didn't plan on eating them because she threw them on the floor and at the cabinets in the kitchen. Maybe the grapes make good sling shots or little cannon balls, who knows..lol.

Or when she only writes on our T.V. with her crayons, not hers, but ours!

Or unrolls all the toilet tissue from the rolls. Yes, she figured how to take it off the toilet roll holder we have nailed on the wall...lol

I guess if I knew the answer to why children do these things, then having world peace wouldn't be some far fetched idea. LOL

What are some crazy things the kiddos in your life do? I would love to hear them.

Gotta loves the kiddies!

Have a great day!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Better or NOT......Gotta get up!!

Today is my last day of rest.

Even though I still have a cold, I have some important errands to run tomorrow. I have been in the house for the last few days trying to recover. I am feeling better, tough...Thank God!

My husband has been a HUGE help. He cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed, changed the baby, got me dinner, tidied up and let me and our daughter have the whole bed to ourselves while he slept in her room. He's just the BEST! I'm thinking of something special I can do for him. He loves Best Buy (the store) so maybe we'll stop by as a surprise and he can pick out something and he can stay as long as he please without hearing one complaint from mommy regarding time!

Anyway.....I just took some medicine and I am hoping I feel much better tomorrow; cause frankly I don't have a choice. My wifely/mommy duties are calling! LOL.

Have a good evening!

Thinking of taking on another bill/expense.....

Update: We will NOT be enrolling her in the class. We found another group that is free and they are also in a great neighborhood. Free sounds a whole lot better than $71...LOL!

....well maybe. I am a stickler for trying to save anyway I can; my husband actually calls me a cheapskate sometimes...lol.

Anyhoo.....My husband and I have talked about different teaching methods for our only child. Since I stay home with her, I do play and read to her; we count, say our ABC's, say sentences, and other things....but after a while..she gets bored with me. How can I blame her. Children feel better and more free when around other children their age and they even learn more. And with the weather being so cold, we cannot go to the park until the weather gets warmer.

We decided that a play group or class would be a great option. This is NOT a daycare!
Rather, it's with a place/company called Gymboree ( the same company with the children's clothing store).

After thinking over it we found a couple of pros and cons.............

Pros:
~ Allows daughter interaction with other children
~Meet once a week
~Held in a church located in a GREAT neighborhood only 7min away.
~Time will be on Fridays; 11:30am-12:15pm (so NO driving in Friday rush hour traffic!)
~If we miss a class, we can reschedule for another class
~They have play gyms where she can play anytime or day FREE of charge since she attends class

Now the Cons:
~$71.00 a month; so that $17.75 a week for one 45 min class.
~Don't want her picking up bad habits from other children!
~To sign her up for more than 1 class at a time is another $78, but they'll give you a discount
~They bill your credit card automatically each month; unless you give them a written notice 2 weeks before hand.
~$35.00 initial registration fee

So..after going over both the good and the bad; we figure that it would be worth it to enroll her in a class, at least for a month and I love that it's just 1 class per week, which will allow me to teach her other things and take her to educational places.

I also LOVE that fact that parents can be in the class too but NOT participate!

I like being present but not involved, so my baby can learn to play and resolve conflict with children her own age by herself. But if she needs me or something happens, mommy is there to come to the rescue!

With this extra expense/bill, I would need to tweak my budget sheet a little but not too much. Besides, we don't mind paying for something if it will be useful, but that's with anything you pay for!

BUT First, they have a FREE Class pass for us to see if it's something good for our daughter. We'll try it FREE first and take it from there!

Any tips/advice/suggestions are welcomed!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

My Baby Is Finally Taking A Nap!!!!

Can I get an AMEN!!!!!

Especially since I'm sick....can I get a double AMEN!!!

And...my hubby can't wait to get home from work so I can get even more rest......can I get a Hallelujah!!!

This is what happens when you go outside without a coat on.................

"Sniff, Sniff"

You have to stay in the bed with a cold, running nose, sneezing, and coughing because of a wrestling match with a 2 year old as we are leaving the mall!

Yes........I'm not feeling well....I absolutely dislike being sick. It's worse than cramps! And now the 2 year old has a cold, which means any rest I'll get is when she's sleep.

Thank GOD for my supportive husband, a laptop, cable t.v., Puff's Plus tissue, a waste basket, hot tea, water, and Vick's 44 cough and cold!

Please pray for me!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Februrary was costly BUT it could've been worse..........

Sometimes we cannot see unforeseen events. Sometimes we just have to roll with the punches. But sometimes (with planning) these "surprises" can be almost done away instantly. February was such a month.

We bought a house, had to renew car insurances on BOTH cars, have homeowners insurance, get BOTH cars inspected, and a host of other things. What we didn't plan on was the battery dying in one of the cars. I guess we could see why since it was the original battery and the car is 11 years old! We had to get a battery from an auto store which cost about $100 including installation. Then a couple of days ago, the same car wouldn't start; we knew it wasn't the battery this time because we'd just replaced it. So my hubby said it could be the starter and he was right. Cost: $435 for part and labor & $55 to tow the car to the auto shop!!! Yes, that's almost $500! But this is another reason why I am a TRUE believer in saving money. Having a savings account allowed us to take care of this issue right then and there. It felt good not having to worry or wait to fix the car. Since we had some extra money coming in this month; we only used $150 of our Emergency Fund and we still have over 4 months of living expenses saved up!!

Also, the same car got inspected and passed but the mechanic "suggested" that we get the filters changed and fix something regarding the fuel injection; needless to say, we didn't want any problems with the car so they were able to fix it for $222 included the inspection, parts, and labor. We took this from our regular savings account the but the money will be replaced by the end of March.

So now we have our homeowners insurance paid up until next year, our car insurance on BOTH cars paid for six months, both cars inspected, we have moved into our new home and are settled, and both cars are up and running. Thank GOD for Jesus!

I'm looking forward to March...warmer weather, no more gigantic bills, hubby's gets a bonus, a promotion at hubby's job is in the works, he will be going to Europe again but just for a week! (we went last year for a month; so we are grateful for a week this time!), and might have to travel to SLC, Utah. I look at this as good news because with so many people losing their jobs, hubby's company trusts & depends on him enough to pay for him to travel to other states/countries to train their staff for them. Thank GOD!

So March/April should be interesting! Am I ready? Is my hubby ready? I guess we'll see!

Enjoy your day!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Saved $56.14 On Groceries for 2 weeks!!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!!!!!!!!

Shopping Trip (March 1st-March 14th)

Budget-$100.00

Acme-$33.13
Wise Garlic Potato Chips $1.00
Canola Oil $2.99
Yeast $0.99
Dora Fruit Snacks $ 1.67
Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats $1.67
Kellogg’s Blueberry poptarts $1.67
Kellogg’s Strawberry Poptarts $1.67
3 bags of Planters Trail Mix $3.00
Box of Rice a Roni $0.99
Fanta Orange 2 liter Soda $1.00
2-2 liter Dr. Pepper sodas $2.00
Nestea Lemon Ice Tea-2 liter $1.00
Simply Orange Juice-1/2 gallon $3.00
Daisy Sour Cream $1.34
2 Sunday Papers $3.00
2 Stayfree personal feminine items $5.00
1lb of Large tiger shrimp $5.13
2 boxes of breakfast sausage $2.50

Total BEFORE coupons/savings = $ 69.80
Total I paid out of pocket AFTER coupons/savings = $33.31
Saved $36.67!!!

Shoprite- $47.44
6-pack of poppy seed Kaiser rolls $1.40
Bag of Tortilla white corn chips $1.89
½ gallon Strawberry Ice Cream $1.99
½ gallon Vanilla Ice Cream $1.99
Kraft shredded cheese $1.99
Pork Chops $4.62
Crescent Rolls $2.50
Bag of plain potato chips $1.89
Nestle Mint Chocolate chips cookie dough $1.68
2 lbs of collard greens $2.18
BIG bag of candy $2.00
2 Santa Fe Salsa Dips $2.00
Large Organic Eggs $2.50
Quart of 2% milk $1.39
Secret Deodorant $4.59
Baking Item $1.00
Chewing Gum $0.99
½ LB Pepper Turkey $4.90
Box of Linguine pasta $0.99
Parmesan grated cheese $1.48
3-Langers Juices $5.00
Box of Super Pretzels $2.50
Dozen Regular Large eggs $0.99
Rice Cakes $1.66
Loaf of Wheat split top bread $1.69
Carton of Strawberries $2.50
1 Onion $0.26
1 Donut $0.59

Total BEFORE coupons/savings = $ 67.09
Total I paid out of pocket AFTER coupons/savings = $47.44!!!!
Saved $19.65!!

Produce Junction - $14.50
Blueberries
Bag of Granny smith apples
Pineapple
2 lbs. Red seedless grapes
Bag of Spinach
Bag of Carrots
Bag of Red potatoes
Bag of Romaine hearts
2 lbs of Broccoli
Total = $14.50
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All 3 stores-----Acme $38.31
Shoprite $47.44
Produce Junction $14.50
__________________________
Total Food Money Spent $95.25

Came $4.75 Under Budget!!!!!!-Coupons are a HUGE help!!!!!!!!