Book Review- Daily Gifts of Grace

Daily Gifts of Grace, devotions for each day of your year. This is a great little devotional so far by Thomas Nelson and Women of Faith. I've read and have several of the Women of Faith Bible studies and I hope to attend a conference in the future, but I enjoy the insight and stories that the ladies of Women of Faith share.

In this brightly colored devotional there is a page long devotion for each day in the year. The devotion starts out with a scripture and then a wonderful written devotion by one of the many authors. This is my first devotional like this (I usually use Upper Room or Daily Bread) and so far I've enjoyed the readings. They are simple and can get to the heart of the topic of the day, and I look forward to using the devotional daily as the new year starts. The book itself is compact enough to throw in my purse to read on the go if need be, and I enjoy the color of the book and the magnetic closure. The pages are easy to read with a good size font. The ladies of the Women of Faith group have such remarkable stories that I'm sure everyone will enjoy using this devotional for a daily devotional. 

BookSneeze® has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for me to review for an honest review.

Guest Post by Poppy Smith- 8 Ways to beat the blues at Christmas

Eight Ways to Beat the Blues at Christmas By Poppy Smith   Instead of a houseful of kids and their little ones running around laughing, crying, playing with toys and sneaking treats, this year my husband, Jim, and I will be home alone for Christmas.  My automatic reaction is to feel sad—but I am glad that all of them will be celebrating the coming of Jesus with their in-laws.  After all, we are usually the ones who get that privilege!   But—it’s easy to be sucked down into a “poor me” mindset and play the blues, unless we decide to change our perspective.  So here are eight simple ways to help you enjoy the holidays whether you’re physically or emotionally alone. Why not join me and let’s beat those blues which aren’t where God wants us at this special time of the year—or at any time! Sing. Play music. Listen to the words and join in praising God. Singing is a guaranteed mood lifter and perspective changer. “Sing for joy to God our strength” Ps.81:1. Smile. Smile at little children. Their harried moms. The older shoppers who are trying to find just the right present. Make smiling your chosen expression (not through gritted teeth, however!). It will make you feel so much better and maybe lift up another lonely soul. Invite. Is there someone you haven’t had time for this past year? Could you suggest meeting for coffee, lunch, or even over to your home? Perfection isn’t needed—only a loving heart that looks beyond it’s own world. Rest. Remember all those too early mornings when you longed to just stay in bed? Now’s your chance. Take time to read a book of the Bible or several psalms. Choose a special book, magazine, or television program. Make or buy some once in a year yummy treats and ENJOY this gift of time! Give gifts to others. Go online and look for simple Christmas recipes. Make peppermint candy or a cranberry loaf and go drop it off at a homeless shelter or place that serves those without a home. Change your perspective from looking inward to looking outward—as God our Savior did when He gave us the most amazing gift of love any one can receive. Write a list of your blessings. Think back over this past year. Even if it has been one of the most difficult you’ve experienced, ask God’s Spirit to show you where He was present, loving and supporting and guiding you through. He will show you something and lift your heart. Go to a Christmas Eve Service. Even if you’re by yourself, don’t miss the presence of God amidst the beauty of this celebration. Let your senses feast on the beauty, your ears delight in the music, your heart be moved to new heights of gratitude and love. Pray about your dreams for 2012. What do you want to see happen in the coming year? Have you thought about changes you want to make? New paths to walk? Write out what comes to mind when you think of taking better care of yourself physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. (See my video: Take Care of Yourself, …….. or check my website on the media clips page). May your “Home Alone” Christmas fill you with joy and a fresh awareness that Christ is with you, whether you’re surrounded by people or peacefully alone.   Author Bio

Poppy Smith With her fun personality and passion for communicating life-changing truths, Poppy Smith inspires believers to thrive spiritually and personally. Poppy’s practical how-to messages (in print or in person) uses colorful examples from her own struggles to be more like Jesus. She encourages women (and men, at times) to grow in every kind of situation—whether joyful or painful! Poppy is British, married to an American, and has lived in many countries. She brings an international flair seasoned with humorous honesty as she illustrates Bible truths. A former Bible Study Fellowship Lecturer, Poppy’s teaching challenges women to look at their choices, attitudes and self-talk. As a result, God’s speaks, changing hearts, changing minds, and changing lives.

Sign up for Poppy's THRIVE newsletter at: http://www.poppysmith.com/newsletters.htm

Guest Article by Dr. Charles Page- He Sees You When You're Sleeping

He Sees You When You’re Sleepin’... By Dr. Charles W. Page   Do you recall trying to sleep on Christmas Eve while waiting for Santa to come to town? The anticipation of Saint Nicolas and all his goodies was just too much—who could sleep? The lyrics of Santa Claus is Coming to Town taunted me. “He sees you when you’re sleeping—he knows when you’re awake…” I tossed and turned trying to fall asleep, fearful I’d miss out on Santa’s visit if he caught me awake. I never doubted Santa’s ability to be aware of my wakefulness. Unfortunately, as adults, the issues that keep us awake during the Christmas season are more complicated than those we experienced as kids. Financial burdens, strained relationships, difficult decisions, brooding regrets and fretful thoughts race through our minds and hinder our rest. There is someone who “sees you when you’re sleeping and knows when you’re awake.” It’s not Santa Claus. The Bible reminds us, God’s eyes never close. Perhaps this truth can tuck us in for the night.     “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:3-4)    We erroneously think that as we “turn in” that God somehow “turns off” or moves on to do more important things. But God doesn’t wait for us to wake up before He returns to work. God is just as active during our sleep—or sleeplessness. Believers can rest assured knowing God is awake guarding our lives. What does God do as we slumber? Psalm 127:1-2 reminds us that God gives to those that He loves as they sleep. What does God give? Understanding God’s generous nature, one rendering would be that God gives to the believer whatever is needed at the time. God can give you wisdom and direction with decisions as you “sleep on it” overnight (Psalm 16:7, James 1:5). Maybe there is a financial need. The scriptures are filled with examples of how God provided for the physical needs of those He loved as they rested (I Kings 19:1-8; Exodus 16:1-8). God’s gifts are good, perfect (James 1:17), eternal (Ephesians 1:3) and purposeful (Galatians 5:22-25). They do not require batteries, warranties and cannot be purchased in stores. But they are available 24/7/365—not limited to one night each year. God’s greatest gift did not arrive under a tree but on a tree (John 3:16). “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) It’s plain to see, God has our back as we sleep. Try this Christmas recipe for rest.   Repent—in areas where we are aware of our transgressions. “A clean conscience makes a soft pillow.” Release—control of problems you’re facing and give them over to God. Relate—connect with God through prayer and meditation while in bed. Rest—allow God to do what you cannot do for yourself as you sleep. Receive—God’s unmerited forgiveness, grace and blessings while you sleep. An English proverb reminds us, “As you make your bed so you must lie in it.” The truth of God’s Word helps us face our situations. Although we cannot change the failures of our past, we can rest with a clean conscience based on God’s gift of forgiveness. Our current circumstances may appear overwhelming, but God gives His presence and His guidance in our hour of need. Our future is secure and hopeful when God’s greatest gift—His Son—is kept in view. A life supported by a vibrant, healthy relationship with the Shepherd of Sleep makes the most comfortable mattress. In childlike faith learn to trust Him as you lie down to sleep and remember: “He sees you when you’re sleeping.”   Author Bio

Charles W. Page, M.D. Dr. Charles W. Page is a sleep-deprived surgeon who completed medical school and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Page is currently a rural surgeon and has taken numerous medical mission trips to South America and the Middle East. He and his wife Joanna live in Texas with their five children. He is the author of Surrendered Sleep: A Biblical Perspective. You can find more information at surrenderedsleep.com.

Surrendered Sleep A Biblical Perspective by Dr. Charles W. Page   PUBLISHER: Camino Real Publishers ISBN-10: 0983138109 ISBN-13: 978-0983138105 PRICE: Paperback: $14.95; Ebook: $10.95   Available at: Amazon Surrendered Sleep

Review of This is Your Brain in Love

This is Your Brain in Love by Dr. Earl Henslin

This book is a totally different way at looking at how we love others, and what kind of lover we are. Using a brain tests and research (SPECT brain-scan research by Dr. Daniel G. Amen), Dr. Henslin gives a different take on how our brain reacts to being in love, being compared to what it might be like to be on drugs. There are tests included in the book so that you can figure out if you a Scattered Lover, an Over-focused Lover, Blue Mood Lover, Agitated Lover, or Anxious Lover. Dr. Henslin even offers ways to help you to try and learn better ways to deal with whatever type of lover you are and resources to improve your marriage and love life.

One of my favorite parts of book is a story about a daughter and mother who were having issues since the husband had passed away and the mother remarried. The way the mother had described why she had remarried “God designed us to couple. We are here to couple and partner on this earth.” I love this description because it is how I feel about the relationship between a man and women. I also love the theory of soul care. “To care for my own soul means to take responsibility for all of who I am.” How awesome is that.

I really enjoyed the new take on looking at how our brain helps us to understand loving others. Being from a psychology background helped to enjoy the book all the more, and with my re-dedication to my Christian beliefs, I plan to use the book long term to help grow and strengthen my marriage.

BookSneeze® has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for me to review.

Wanna read through the Bible in 90 Days in the new year with me?

Have you ever wanted to read through the Bible? The WHOLE Bible? I know it was something that I had always wanted to do. I had made my first attempt in January 2010, but that didn't go well. The stress of an infant and a husband gone didn't get me a lot of time for me. My second attempt was this summer/fall. I was so gun-ho about it, I couldn't wait, this was going to be it. I started on July 11 with Mom's Toolbox and the others who were joining her. There were many obstacles that presented themselves during my journey (illness of both myself and my son, hub's car accidents and underways, a hurricane and the evacuation, etc) but I didn't let them stop me. I'm sure I would have finished sooner than I did if things hadn't happened, but I still finished in 85 days (you can read about it here). And I'm a changed person because of it. So many stories that I had heard growing up, now I can actually say them and know them better because I've read them.

With all that being said, I really want to help others read through the Bible in 90 days. So starting February 6, 2012 (I'm not starting at the first of the year because I have too much to deal with and I want to be there for my readers) I'll be hosting my own Bible in 90 days challenge, with the help and resources from Mom's Toolbox of course. She has helped so many people read through the Bible that she wants to help others help others (yep that's typed right) read through the Bible and is hoping for just as much success when she hosts the challenge. So if you are ready to finally read through the Bible (or read again) join me starting February 6 and read the Bible in 90 days.

I'll be posting lots of the resources that Mom's Toolbox has used, and I'll be checking in with everyone regularly to make sure that you are progressing through your reading. I'll be on Twitter (@Sailorsprincess) tweeting with those that use Twitter with #B90days hashtag and prolly something just for us, and I am going to create a Facebook group so that we can keep in touch along with posting on the blog here. So I hope that you'll consider joining me along a wonderful journey in reading the Greatest Book Ever Written. Please leave a comment here if you are going to join me. I'll be posting more information as we get closer to the start. If the start date doesn't work for you, check out Mom's Toolbox for other bloggers that will be leading their own challenge.

Here is a Google Doc so that if you are interested in participating you can leave me your informaiton. Looking forward to helping people read through the Bible in 90 Days.

Send a Little You to Someone New by Cardstore

Have you ever wanted to send someone you didn't know a card to spread some cheer? Well Cardstore has a new program that allows you to do just that. Check out their Facebook page and this blog here about how to spread some cheer.

Why not spread holiday happiness beyond the confines of your mailing list?
Cardstore.com is excited to announce the Send a Little You to Someone New program. By simply visiting our Facebook page and signing up, you can send holiday greetings across the country and make the day of someone you’ve never even met! Even better? You’ll receive a card in return! What could be better than that? All compliments of Cardstore.com! (Think this can’t be topped? Sign up and see what’s delivered to your inbox!)

IdentityHawk: protection to keep your indentity safe.

Have you ever been a victim of Identity theft? Both my husband and I have, and it's not been a fun time. It wasn't too serious; his was someone getting his debit card info and using the info in another state (that he'd never been to) and purchasing lots of stuff. But it was refunded quickly. Mine, well I clicked on a link that said it was from my bank, and well then someone bought a couple of plane tickets to Peru.There are so many other types of Identity theft/fraud. 

 

There are many different ways available for you to keep yourself and your identity safe. IdentityHawk is one such site that is out there to help you with your identity theft protection. Right now they are offering a free 30 day trial so you can see if IdentityHawk is right for you. IdentityHawk was created to help consumers safeguard their assets, their properties, and their good names. Through our suite of protective benefits, IdentityHawk members can view the health of their identity protection, identify areas where they're most at risk, and take proactive steps to reduce those risks. Anyone can be a victim at any time, and they may not know it till it’s too late. Be proactive about your identity so that you don’t have to spend your hard earned money to clean up a mess and try to get back your good credit, etc.

Guest Post by Linda Rondeau- Close Encounters of the Moose Kind

Close Encounters of the Moose Kind By Linda Rondeau I gasped as the gigantic mound stepped from the woods into our path, heads taller than our compact car. My husband swerved and we missed the animal by inches. “Was that a moose?” my husband asked. I laughed. “What’s so funny?” “My heroine’s life is changed when she runs into a moose.” We both giggled over God’s sense of humor. That we found ourselves on the back roads of Franklin County at four in the morning was in and of itself God’s doing. I hadn’t planned on attending the ACFW Writers Conference in Minneapolis. “If I final in the contest then I’ll go,” I told my husband. I did final, and my words haunted me.  And so once again God changed my plans to fit into His. In rural upstate New York, flight connections often require a pre-dawn departure, and we had taken the country road to save time. I shared my moose tale with a writer friend who laughed her prophecy. “That moose was a smile from God. He has plans for this manuscript.” As time went on, God continued to smile affirmation after affirmation even through a dramatic relocation to Florida. Then, eleven years from the day that I felt God’s call to write professionally, my agent called with the news—a publisher had offered a contract. “It’s for Dawn’s Hope, but the editor wants to change the title to The Other Side of Darkness,” she said. I did agree the alternate title sounded better and trusted the editor’s choice. Yet, it wasn’t until later that God revealed His hand had been in the making of the book long before the first words were typed, long before I imagined my character’s accident, long before He sent a moose to confirm He would soon fulfill a promise made to me over a decade ago.  During a speaking engagement at a local women’s meeting, I shared my journey from call to call, reading a poem I wrote that very day God pulled me from one life to set me on another, one undefined and uncertain. I had obeyed His leading and He immediately gave me a poem, “The Song of Peace.” As I shared the poem with the women’s group, my eyes misted when I read the line, “Praise the Lord when Hope seems foolish…There is light on the other side of darkness.” Could it be that even then, God was smiling on a book not yet imagined? I believe He did. Author Bio

Linda Rondeau Award-winning author, LINDA RONDEAU, writes for the reader who enjoys a little bit of everything. Her stories of redemption and God’s mercies include romance, suspense, the ethereal, and a little bit of history into the mix, always served with a slice of humor. Walk with her unforgettable characters as they journey paths not unlike our own. After a long career in human services, mother of three and wife of one very patient man, Linda now resides in Florida where she is active in her church and community.  Readers may visit her web site at www.lindarondeau.com.

The Other Side of Darkness by Linda Rondeau PUBLISHER: Harbourlight Books ISBN-10: 161116138X ISBN-13: 978-1611161380 PRICE: Paperback: $16.99, Kindle: $5.99 Available at: Pelican Book Group Amazon

"Close Encounters of the Moose Kind" is loaded at docstoc.com. If for some reason you have difficulty copying or downloading the article, we will be glad to email the article in .pdf or .doc format. Russ@kathycarltonwillis.com This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you notify KCWC. All other standard copyrights apply.

Breaking Dawn (there will be spoilers, sorry)

Well it's been a week and a half since I saw it, and I still can't get over it. What am I talking about? Well Breaking Dawn of course. The latest Twilight movie that came out on November 18th. No, I didn't go to the midnite showing, I would have if hubs had been home, but still went to the first showing of the day (that I could get into at my fave theater).

Breaking Dawn is my favorite book by far out of the series. Sure I love all the books, but for Bella and Edward to have the wedding that I dream of having one day and get everything that want and be happy in the end, well sure it's something so many gals dream of. It's a story that can make you believe in love again. (I've always said that my Edward's name is Jacob lol). But the movie made the wedding scene even better that I could imagine in my head, and I can be imaginative if I try. The honeymoon wasn't half bad either hehe. I still hold out hope that one day we'll have a wedding and a honeymoon, but I'll live through the Twilight series for now.

************************SPOILERS*********************SPOILERS************

OK on to the things about the movie that weren't like the book, yet seemed to make the movie work. In the movie, Irina actually attends the wedding, but in the book she doesn't. It's actually Tanya that spends some time talking with Bella and Edward and plays up to Bella's insecurities about her looks compared to Tanya's. But seeing as if you only watch the movies, you may not know the Irina/Laurent incident, and why they weren't helping during the Eclipse battle with the Newborn Army. So at least that part can add to help readers feel a little better about how they are tying it all together. I'll admit it, when I saw stills and trailers for the movie and saw that Irina was going to be at the wedding, I was pissed. I didn't know how it would all play out, but thankfully it fit and worked. So yay on that part.

Another thing that wasn't like the book, was that the wolves communicated in human form more than in wolf form. Well if you think about it, how on earth can you have people/wolves communicating out loud when they use their minds to do it, so it would of course make sense to have them in human form to communicate. But the one scene that the wolves were in that form and communicated was done very well. But I like Jacob as a wolf, all cute and furry, but hey beggars can't be choosers.

I wish that they would have added the part about Jacob and Edward talking about the whole puppy thing. (Letting Jake and Bella, well ya know :) ) But it all works out in the end.

One thing that I really loved was the fight scene with the wolves after the birth. I thought that really added to the story line and even though it wasn't in the book, really helped make the movie better.

And on a side note, I so called how the movie would end lol. There had been discussion between my friends and I about how it would end, and I knew it would end with her opening her eyes. Awesome.

Ok well I would love to know your thoughts on the movie. Did you enjoy it? Was it too far from the book for your liking? Have you even read the books?

Having a one off Thanksgiving and going to the parade

Guest post written by Katherine Harmond

It's so unusual for our whole extended family to not get together for a huge Thanksgiving meal together. I got the idea after our meal last year that this year I would take my husband and kids to go and see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York for this Thanksgiving. At first I was a little afraid to tell me other family members that I wouldn't be able to join them because we would be going off on a trip. But they were all so excited about us getting to go!

One thing about this parade is that I won't have to cook for the holiday and we're eating out instead. I was online a few weeks ago trying to finalize our reservations out at restaurants when I came across some info on Miracle Ear and decided to go and get fitted with some hearing aids. They were something that I've needed for a long time but I'd been putting them off.

I really can not wait for us to get to New York for the Thanksgiving parade! ItÕs going to be such an exciting event!

Proverbs 2 and SOAP

Well it's day 2 of Proverbs in 31 Days with Mom's Toolbox. Are you reading along with us? I hope you are enjoying your reading if you are. I'm learning to use SOAP as I read through the Proverbs, it's been great so far.

S: Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe. Proverbs 2:11 NLT

Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. NIV

O: Knowledge is power and the more you have the safer you can make yourself.

A: I like to be informed of things, I do research on big purchases, things for my son, places we are going to visit, etc. It's important to make sure that you know what you are getting into so that you can protect yourself. You wouldn't go and buy the first TV that you saw just because it was pretty. (Well I use to but now I know better lol.) By knowing God's Word and trying to understand what He wants us to be will help us to have an everlasting life in Heaven when our life on this Earth is complete. And to also live according to His plan while we are on this Earth doing His work.

P: Dear Lord, remind me that I must try to gain understanding in all things so that I can be informed and stay on the right path that leads me to Your will. Amen.

Day 1 in Proverbs in 31 days.

I'm so glad that Mom's Toolbox is doing the Proverbs in 31 days. I've been trying to stay in The Word since I finished Bible in 90 Days with daily devotions, but still wasn't cutting it for me. So I'm going to attempt to use SOAP and go through the Proverbs and see what I can come up with.

S: Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just and fair. Proverbs 1:3

O: While this can be said just about the Proverbs, it can also be said of the whole Bible. The Bible was given to us so that we can know God's will and purpose for us; so we can do things as He wishes, which are supposed to be right, just and fair.

A: If we read God's Word it will help us all live better, more fulfilled lives.

P: Dear Lord, please help me to remember that You gave Your Word to me so that I can live a life for You. Help grow my understand of Your Word in my life. Amen

I'm finished

with reading through the whole Bible that is. I started on July 11th with Amy at Mom's Toolbox and the others who took the challenge and finished in 85 days. I can't say it was easy, but I can say that I was determined. I had several different things that seemed to want to get in my way. Both my son and I were sick for a few weeks, my hubs had two different car accidents within a month, we had to evacuate for a hurricane and drove to my mom's 8 hours away in WV, and there were sometimes when I was just too tried to do reading. But I pushed through. Even when I was more than a week behind (which was after the hurricane), I still pushed through and finished earlier than I had hoped for. The Devil threw in many obstacles, but I wasn't going to give up this time. The first time I had tried to participate in the B90days challenge, I threw in the towel within a few weeks. The stress of a newborn (well he was 2-3 months old at the time) and hubs being underway just wasn't cutting it for me and my heart wasn't really in it.

This time around was different, I was ready to open my heart to God and His Word. I had recently found a church and had started getting involved in bible studies and getting to learn more about my faith that I said I held on to, but really didn't know much about. I use to be a C and E kind of girl ( ya know the ones that only go to church on Christmas and Easter), but even with that I hadn't been to church in a really long time. I felt something was missing in my life and I just couldn't place it. I had a wonderful husband and son, great friends, but there was just something not there. So I found a church and started out slow and then last month we (hubs and I) joined. I was even baptized there in July (which was an amazing event for me). But I still wanted more. I knew that Amy had done the B90days challenges before so I looked when the next one was and made up my mind that I was going to do it. I had recently even bought a NIV Study Bible ( among other bibles that I had recently obtained) and wasn't really wanting to buy another bible (if hubs had his way I'm sure I wouldn't have). But I bought the Bible in 90 days bible, which was great to use since it was a much larger print that the other bibles I have. (Plus I had intended on walking on the treadmill while reading, but that didn't happen).

Like I said before, it wasn't an easy task, but it was something that I wanted to do for some time. And now I can say I read it the whole way through. I finally know some of the stories I had heard about growing up, and got to meet new people (Deborah,  the many kings of Israel and Judah), I learned about the tribes of Israel, (which in VBS I was apart of the Issacar tribe), and learned all the laws that had started with Moses. It's so wonderful to know the histories and to be able to say "Yes I know about that."

As for what I'm going to next, I don't know. I would love to help out as a mentor the next time around. But as for now, I'm going to find a good devotional and keep on reading God's Word every day. I fell in love with it, even if at times it was  hard to read. I encourage everyone who has yet to read the Bible to do so, if takes you 90 days or a year or longer, it is something that can change your life.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

9/11 10 years

10 years. It's hard to believe it's been 10 years. So much happened between then and now. While I'm trying to remember the one wonderful thing that happened 10 years ago (the birth of my BFF's daughter), it's hard to not think about the other event that happened that year (when it's everywhere you look, think, talk).

September 11, 2001. A beautiful Tuesday morning. I woke up with not a care in the world except going to work and getting to my classes that evening. I had been 21 for a month, I had been living away from home for just a few weeks and was starting to get settled into college and my job at Walmart in the Pharmacy while missing home and learning who I was. But the events that would unfold that day made me realize I had no idea what I was in for as an adult.

Looking back over my post from last year, most of what I would say about where I was and what I was doing that day would of course be the same. My emotions would be the same. But I have been spending time trying to remember more about that day, that time and how I felt before and after. The previous year I had experienced a lot of loss during the summer all at once. A friend was killed then my Grams passed away all at once. I didn't deal well it and still hadn't fully dealt with them well by the following September. I was lucky enough to say that I did not know anyone personally that died that September day, but it didn't mean I didn't mourn.

I was a new college student, first time away from home, first time on my own. My roommate, my friends and I sat in our apt watching the news, watching all the crazy stuff happening around us. A friend and I went looking for gas because we heard that it was going to go up in price and that they were going to run out. I didn't sleep well because I lived on the 3rd floor of a building and was having nightmares about planes flying into my building. I wasn't dealing with the attacks well, so what was one of the first thing that I did? I ran home to mommy. Who knew what was going to happen next? There were rumors all the time about more attacks or more events, so I wanted to be with my mom and my friends. I spent a few days at home hiding from the world. (I can only handle so much time with my step-dad so I had to go back to school.) I would come home a few days later to celebrate the birth of my friend's first child. That was a bright spot in all the darkness that had come into the world at that time.

The next few years were still filled with anxiety. I, being the history buff that I am, would watch everything that I could find about 9/11. (I still do that to this day and I think it drives hubs crazy at times). I worried about things happening all the time because you would still hear rumors about things being reported. Heck there was even an event at the local airport that had caused concern because someone had a water bottle that was thought to have explosive residue on it. But those concerns just became a part of daily life now.  I didn't worry about them before 9/11 but they seemed to be everywhere after wards.

I hadn't flown on a plane since 99 (which was also the only time I had flown), but then I had to fly to CT so that I could get married to hubs. I was terrifed to say the least. I worried about who was on the plane and if they would do something. (On a flight that I took a couple of months later was even worse because of a couple of people who I thought were acting odd, but that was all in my head). We had to take our shoes off to go through a scanner now (and of course I only wear flip flops lol) and on the way home I had to go through extra security because I had a knee brace that had metal in it. And the flight was delayed because of a electrical problem and I was freaking out.  As we were flying over NYC I couldn't help but think about that day and what happened and what those people saw as they flew into NYC.

Going to the actual Ground Zero site was an experience. We couldn't really see much of what was going on at the actual site because there were fences all around. But being there I felt like I could feel all the souls that were lost that day. We walked around the area, and we went into a little resturant that had been a place where people had ran into when the dust cloud fell down on the area. We then walked around to Battery Park and saw the Sphere that had been at WTC Plaza. That was an awesome experience to see it.  And driving by the Pentagon a few months ago held the same kind of feeling for me as did walking at Ground Zero.

I still have anxiety about things happening. I worry when they talk about possible attacks, but I've learned that it's just what the norm is going to be for the rest of our lives. Being a military spouse I guess I worry about more attacks because of what that could mean for hubs. I still look up things about the attacks (something on tv or in passing will trigger it). I know that I shouldn't worry about things and just give it to God, but it's hard to do when you want to control everything in your life. I try to figure out what I will tell D when he asks about what happened. I hope that he will not have to go through something like this, but it seems as though every generation has some experience that they go through. I hope that you will spend the day with your loved ones and take some time to honor those that lost their lives that day and that have given their lives since. May they all rest in peace and May God Bless America.

Home from evacuation

Well we got home Monday evening to our home and there wasn't any damage. Thank goodness. It was a heck of a drive with the toddler since we have to travel through mountains and he wasn't happy with the elevation changes (neither was I lol). Hopefully the next time we make the trip hubs will be with us or he'll have a dvd player to keep him entertained. But I'm so glad that we came home to our house in one piece. Yesterday morning I heard a critter of some sort up in the attic so hubs will have to take a trip up there this evening and see if we have a new friend to get rid of. oh the joy

Update of the hurricane type

We are fine. We ended up leaving the Hampton Roads area to come to my hometown (with a couple of friends in tow) and we missed the storm. As of right now I dont know what damage has been done to my house and I'm not sure if there is power at my house, but I'm hoping for the best. Not sure when we are heading back home, either today or tomorrow. I'll update as soon as we have an idea of damage and all that jazz.

Let Me Be Myself Lyric by 3 Doors Down

I was listening to the Music Choice channel last night (I really can't stand too quite) and heard this song and thought it was perfect for how I use to feel. Enjoy

Let Me Be Myself lyrics
Songwriters: Arnold, Brad; Harrell, Todd; Henderson, Chris; Roberts, Matt;

I guess I just got lost being someone else
I tried to kill the pain, nothing ever helped
I left myself behind somewhere along the way
Hoping to come back around to find myself someday

Lately I'm so tired of waiting for you
To say that it's okay

But tell me please, would you one time just let me be myself ?
So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself
Would you let me be myself?

I'll never find my heart behind someone else
I'll never see the light of day living in this cell
It's time to make my way into the world I knew
And then take back all of these times that I gave into you

But lately I'm so tired of waiting for you
[- From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/0-9/3-doors-down-lyrics/let-me-be-myself-lyrics.html -]
To say that it's okay

Tell me please, would you one time let me be myself?
So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself
For a while, if you don't mind, let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself!

That's all I've ever wanted from this world
Is to let me be me

Please would you one time let me be myself?
So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself
Please would you one time, let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself

For a while, if you don't mind, let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself!
Would you one time, ooh, let me be myself and let me be me?

My vent for the day

since I've been in a somewhat foul mood today. Hubs was in a car accident as his way to work today. He happened to be waiting in line to get through the gate and someone rear-ended him. Go figure. You'd think that seeing as waiting at the gate is something that most people have to do in the AM you'd think that they'd be aware, but I guess not. So Ford Ranger met GMC Yukon and lost. Hubs is ok, sore and beat up, but of after his ER trip (our 2nd trip to ER this week), but the truck is totalled. I'm glad that he's ok, I'm grateful that it was more serious and the only thing that was really damaged was the truck. But here comes the venting part.... (I'll preface this by saying this is just what we have experience over our last few years here and with our own personal experiences, that doesn't mean it's the norm or what not, just my opinion)

I don 't understand how some people have driver's licenses in this area. It's very scary to drive on any given day and there are always numerous accidents daily. Seems like every week I hear of someone I know that is involved in some time of accident. And I can't really say that it's VA drivers since I'm sure that most of them are Out of State drivers, but nonetheless there are plenty of careless drivers here. The speed limit on the Interstates is 55. If you go that you are considered to be driving like 'Grandma" and will be show how wrong you are by honking and saluting of a finger. If you don't drive at least 70 then you aren't keeping with the flow of traffic. Plenty of people I'm sure don't even know that they have these wonderfully useful things called turn signals on their cars so that they can let people know before they come into the side of them.

I use to complain back home about the driver's from Ohio. I grew up always hearing that Ohio drivers are bad and they just seemed that way. But they really weren't bad in comparison to the drivers here. I also use to complain about how crazy drivers were in CA. But in Cali, everyone was the same kind of crazy and you just had to learn how to deal with that, which wasn't too hard. But the crazy of VA isn't the same, there is no constant with the crazy, they just dont know (or care) to drive safely. I fear for my life and my son's at times. And don't get me started with the drivers here when it snows. I grew up in the mountains I know how to drive in snow, but so many people here don't know how. So needless to say I don't drive much when it snows for fear of someone hitting me.

Ok that was longer that what I planned, but I have had these thoughts running through my head since hubs called and said he was in accident. UGH. I just hope that the guy actually had insurance since now we have to figure how to replace his truck.

If you were going to get a tattoo that really meant a lot to you, and you wanted to put some effort into planning and preparing for it (not just on-a-whim tattooing) what would you get and why?

Right now I want to get my son's foot print, name and birthday put on my ankle (I think, haven't really picked out the place for it yet).

Ask me anything

SparkPeople Heathly Reflection: The positve cycle of forgiveness

Some thing that I know I've had a hard time with in the past is letting go of things. I learned recently while in my Women's Faith Focus group about my spiritual gifts and that part of my 'gift' is that I have a hard time letting go of things that hurt me since I take them to heart. It's something that I need to grow in, and this email I got today from SparkPeople.com helps to remind me of that.


The positive cycle of forgiveness

OK, be honest. Do you hold grudges? Do you allow old drama to determine your behavior? Is there someone you just can't seem to forgive? Grudges and a non-forgiving attitude do nothing but harm both parties. You might feel like you're "winning" by not letting someone off the hook, but you're only increasing your own worry and stress. Bitterness can lead to hate, which can sour a life. Today, write a letter explaining your point of view to the person you feel resentful towards. Clear the air; forgiving him. Even if you don't send it, it is an excellent way to relieve tension. Forgiving someone does not absolve them of the wrong that you experienced. It can simply free you to live a life that isn't anchored to the hurt and resentment of past events.

Without forgiveness life is governed by...an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.

- Roberto Assagioli 

Being Sick is a Drag

I swear, if one of us isn't sick, it's not a 'normal' day around here. D was diagonoised with another ear infection last weekend and now apparently I have meningitis, which I have no clue how I got it, I really don't go out too much. I mean I go to church, I go to my NWCA events when we have them, I go to the store etc. I'd love to go out more, but thanks to depression along with worrying about a sick boy or the like we don't do much. (I'm working on the depression part still, I think it will be a continued process).  I did go to my first concert (a rock concert) since D was born. It was great minus the fact that I got a headache there and just assume that it was because of the smoke and loud noise, but I guess not lol.

Anyway, so since I'm sick, I chose to cancel my birthday bbq. Yea, I might be feeling better by Saturday, but who knows how long it might actually take. And the ER doc through out the word 'contagious'. EEK I'm not a fan of that word, even though WebMD said I'm only contagious if I kiss a person or cough or sneeze on them (which goes back to how the heck did I get it?)

So thanks to being laid up on the couch or in bed for now the 2nd day straight, I'm behind on my #B90days reading (Bible 90 Days). I've had serious headache and eye pain, but now that I have pain meds, maybe I can make it through some of the reading.

And thanks to hubs being in a school this week, he's been able to get done early and come home to help. Which is awesome so that I don't have to worry too much about getting D sick. Just sucks cuz I can't cuddle with my boys and that's all I want to do.

Alright enough of that, I'm going back to my couch and hopefully do some #B90days reading. I hate being behind because I've so enjoyed my time in His Word.

SparkPeople Healthy Reflections

The dangers of people pleasing

No matter how hard you try, no matter how many hours you spend pondering and planning, and regardless of how hard you try, you absolutely cannot please everyone. It is impossible. So do yourself a favor and stop now, before you drive yourself farther toward insanity. There are many drawbacks to being a people-pleaser. A big one is that you often put yourself in a position of subservience. Sometimes you even put yourself last, which helps no one. Remember that helping yourself and doing what you feel is important should be valued. Find worth in your own opinions and viewpoint, and don't let your desire to please others compel you to keep yourself in the background. Falling short of perfection only proves that you are a normal human being.

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.

- Bill Cosby, comedian 

Compassion

that's the spiritual gift that I was given according to a class that I just finished in my Women's Faith Focus group. It was a very eye opening experience for me to learn more about this and the others spiritual/motivational gifts that are in the Bible (Romans 12:6-8).

Some of the key characteristics of someone who operates in the Compassion gift are:

• Caring
• Sensitive
• Self-sacrificing
• empathetic
• Thoughtful
• Feeling- oriented

Now if you know me, you'd know that I have all of these traits (even if I don't use them all the time).

Some of the areas for growth for people with the Compassion gift are:

• Conflict avoidance
• Taking up offenses
• Unhealed past wounds
• Inability to let go
• Expressions of affections mis-interpreted by opposite sex

Yep, again some of these can describe me perfectly, I'm one who likes to avoid conflicting and fighting at all costs, and I do have a hard time letting some things go.

My secondary gift is that of Teacher. In regards to this type of gift, it's not so much as the ability to teach others, it's more like a scholarly gift. I do love to do research and love learning lol.

This was a great experience for me to learn more about why I can act the way that I do. I'm hoping to get the book that goes along with the study so that I can do more research on to the other gifts.

Day 8 of #b90days

Well today starts the 2nd week of #B90days. I had been keeping up with the reading and there were a few days that I was ahead. But then I had a busy day and just couldn't get into Leviticus last night. But I'm so proud to say that I've finished both Genesis and Exodus. I've been enjoying the reading (until I started with all the brunt offerings and sin offerings and etc.)

My goal is to continue to stay on track with the reading or if I'm lucky I'd like to be a day ahead since life always seems to get in the way lol. Having a toddler and a Navy husband is hard work, but there are so many others that do tons and tons more than I do. Encouragement and support is so important when going on this journey and I'm glad I have a mentor and Twitter friends to keep me in my reading and to discuss it.

How's your #b90days reading coming? If you're not in the bible in 90 day challenge, have you ever read the whole Bible? How long did it take you? What did you think? How did you do it? (cover to cover or start wherever?)

bible in 90 days update

Well it's day 4 of #B90days challenge, and I can say that I'm actually a day ahead. Didn't think I would be but I am. I am so excited to say that I finally finished the book of Genesis. I plan to try to stay a little ahead just because I know that some days I'll have stuff going on. But I am really enjoying my reading. This time is so much different. I've been anxious about reading the Bible, but this time is different. I feel God helping me with my reading. It's so wonderful.

So far I love the story of Joseph. He should have been so angry with his brothers for what they did to him (selling him into slavery in Egypt), but he realized that it was God's will. God had His plan for him and Joseph was meant to save so many. Such a wonderful story.

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/sailorsprincess

How do you choose to motivate yourself? And what extra activities that you want to do for yourself do you find most difficult to motivate yourself to do? (i.e. perhaps you've set a goal for exercising, or even learning something new, etc.)

Right now I really want to say that I've read the bible so I'm taking part in the #B90days challenge. With weight loss its to get healthier (but that seems to be a hard thing to figure out right now)

Ask me anything

Bible in 90 Days, are you in?

So I attempted (and a failed attempt at that) to try and read the Bible in 90 Days last year. I thought I could do it, but the demands of having an infant proved to be too much, and I wasn't in a good place spiritually. I gave up after a few weeks, and regretted it. But now, even though I have a toddler who is demanding and activities that take a lot of time and dedication, I have worked in daily bible reading (and I'm in a good place spiritually, take a look at my previous post about finding a church home). into my schedule. So starting July 11, with Mom's Toolbox and my HR Wives of Faith ladies, I'm going to be reading the Bible in 90 days along with so many others. I just received my copy of the Bible in 90 Days that I ordered from Amazon. I wasn't going to buy another bible, I personally have about 10 (2 of which were my Grams).   I have never read the whole bible yet, but it's about time and I'm ready for it. I finished the Gospels recently and I'm ready for more. Let me know if you are going to participate too so that we can support each other.

Finally I think I've found a home

Well a church home that is. I was just searching the internet one day and came across a Military Spouse Christian Fellowship and Bible study at a church close to my house ( Community United Methodist Church). I had been searching for a church for quite some time. I hadn't been in a really REALLY long time. I was very active while I was in HS, but when college came and I left home I also seemed to leave church. My reason for going at first was because my grams went to that church and she loved it and I did too. But I hadn't been in a long time and wasn't sure what I wanted but I knew that I would like to go to a UMC (United Methodist Church). So I went to the mil spouse group and loved it. Then I was told about a Women's Faith Focus group and went to that group and enjoyed it too. Before long I finally went to my first service, which was Mother's Day, and knew that I finally found a place for me.

I tried a Sunday School class last week (Jacob's Ladder) that was a class on learning about the Bible by studying it and really like the group and the people in it and joined them this past Sunday. I even went to my first circle meeting tonite and can't wait till the fall when they become active again. One of the reasons that I really enjoying going there (besides the people) is that they have nursery (child care) for all of the classes and programs that I want to attend. I'm finally starting to come up out of my depression some and I'm actually working my way through the Bible now, which has been something that I've wanted to do for some time. D loves going to the nursery and playing with the other kids so he's getting something out of this too. I just wish my grams could see what we were up to, but I know she is up in Heaven smiling down, happy that I've finally found a home away from home.

A couple of Healthy Reflections from SparkPeople

I just love LOVE SparkPeople.com. It's such a great site to help get support to lose weight and get tips to live a healthy lifestyle. They send out daily emails of all different types and I love reading the Healthy Reflections. Here are a couple from the past week that I enjoyed.
5/8
Is your worrying holding you back?

Once film negatives are exposed to the light of day, they're ruined. In the same way, once you see your worries for what they are--self-inflicted doubts--their power disappears. If you give your doubts and fears too much development time, they'll take hold and start to color all of your thinking in a negative light. Pessimists have more health problems, are less productive, and are generally unhappier than optimists. People that don't worry as much spend more time coping with the realities of life and less time occupied with would-be problems. To get rid of worry, think more confidently. Know that you can handle anything that comes along. Know that with loss comes opportunity. Know that things generally have a way of working out. Stay out of that dark room and picture something better.
Worry is the darkroom in which negatives are developed.

- Church billboard in Colorado
 
5/15
How do you keep everything in perspective?
The present is what slips by us while we're pondering the past and worrying about the future.

- Ziggy, cartoon foible

Is there anything that Ziggy doesn't know? In the cartooning universe, he's often placed in hopeless situations, pitted against a world that doesn't make sense. He's an agreeable punch line for the quirks of human nature. Yet he's able to brush off his mishaps and focus on the opportunities that today brings. He can also look to the future with hope, knowing full well that more struggles may lie ahead. Most of all, he can look at himself and have a good chuckle. Do you make yourself anxious about things that might happen or stew over mistakes you've made? Don't let a preoccupation with tomorrow or yesterday rob your ability to face that crazy world with a smile. For Ziggy, today is today. It's not a good day; it's not a bad day. It's a day. And he knows that it's important to give that day the value it deserves.


5/14
Gaining the energy to face the day

Every day you have the choice to be a hero or to take the easy way out. Sounds like an easy decision. After all, who wants to let their goals down? The thing is, courage takes energy. To step up to the plate, you first need the strength to carry the bat. Sleep has far reaching effects on your mood and outlook, in ways you may not even realize. Success starts with a belief that it can happen. Sleep debt can kill that optimism faster than an iceberg can sink a ship. It can also make you more vulnerable to the low-down blues that ruin productivity. Most of all, sleep debt crashes your energy level into a wall. Who feels like staring down a challenge when you can't even keep your eyes open?
A light supper, a good night's sleep and a fine morning have often made a hero of the same man, who, by indigestion, a restless night and a rainy morning would have proved a coward.

- Lord Chesterfield, diplomat
5/16
Overcoming obstacles one at a time

Your goals may not come easy. There is no accomplishment without work, and no "win" without something to beat. It's easy to get discouraged when roadblocks appear--in fact, it's only natural. You've invested time and emotion into creating the perfect plan, and then something has to come along and muck it all up. Sometimes, though, all you have to do to beat that barrier is to get back up and move forward again. Obstacles are like the Wizard behind the curtain--they're a lot less intimidating once you see them up close. Next time you take a step back, don't let guilt pile it on top of your previous "stumbles." Just take two steps forward and you're still farther along than you were before. It doesn't matter how many walls you face. You only have to get the better of that last one.
Fall seven times. Stand up eight.

- Japanese Proverb

 

#Mamavation Monday 5/9

Well I finally got a jogger and I love it (thanks to my pal L who hooked me up). It's so much easier to push that the other one I have. It's been beautiful lately and I've gotten out some, but can still get out more. My pals go out on Mondays and do 5 Mile Monday. I'm not ready for that, but I'm sure before long I will.

Restarting my meal planning again, seeing as just pulling things out willy nilly hasn't been so successful.

No loss for me, I've gained a few pounds, but I'm working on getting those off. Since I'm starting to get some motivation back (now if I could just get over being tired all the time and hopefully I hear back from my blood work) it should be easy.

Next week I'll post my game plan and part of my meal plan.

The last week

has been a roller coaster to say the least. It started out wonderfully, my mom was able to visit with us for a few days. While we ate out a lot (my mom only gets to eat out and nice places when she is with us) I still had a wonderful time. Now I need to refocus my work on getting the rest of the weight off. We finally got the treadmill we've been hoping for, and while we have had it for a few weeks, the only time I've stepped on it was to get something out of the room its in. So my goal for today and for this week it to restart the C25K program (since now I'll have access to a treadmill unlike before when I would hope to be able to return to the gym). I'm working on our menu plan for this week, which will be full of chicken meals I suspect and eating from our pantry.

We had a scare with the government with the possibility of the shutdown. It was horrible to stress and stress about if your husband was going to receive his pay check so that we could pay our bills and buy food for ourselves. But at least we know that he will be paid in full on the 15th. Now the 1st of the month is still questionable, since the budget is not finalized yet it is just another extension of sorts. I hope that they are able to come to an agreement and get what needs to be done finished. I'm assuming with that added stress of the last few weeks I've gained some weight, but I've yet to step on the scale, that will be tomorrow morning. I'll let ya know how that goes..........

Progresso Souper You contest ending March 16

Available in 40 delicious flavors with 100 calories or less, Progresso® Soup can help curb your hunger, making it easier for you to stick to your weight management plan all year long. With hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, corn and rice, and flavor-packed vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and peppers, Progresso Soup varieties with 100 calories or less offer a good source of fiber and a full serving of vegetables.

To help kick off a new outlook on the New Year, Progresso is excited to announce the return of the "Souper YouTM Debut" contest! From January 3rd through March 16th, you and your readers can visit Progresso on Facebook to enter for the chance to win a full makeover in New York City.

Three grand prize winners will be awarded a trip for two to New York City from May 20th-22nd. The prize includes roundtrip airfare, a two-night stay in an NYC hotel, a full makeover, a guided wardrobe shopping spree with a personal consultation at a New York City department store, and $1,000 in spending money.

To enter, you´ll need to do the following:

• Go to Progresso on Facebook to learn more and enter the contest
• Submit your essay (200 characters or less) telling Progresso why you love their soups that contain 100 calories or less, and why you deserve a chance to win a trip to NYC for a full fashion overhaul
• In addition, please submit a photo of yourself that visually reinforces the theme of your essay

Once the 10 finalists are announced, you can visit Progresso on Facebook from March 30th through April 13th to vote for your favorite.

Visit the Facebook page to download a coupon for $1.00 off four (4) cans of Progresso Soup and to check out makeover videos provided by MyStyle.com and the Style Network. Be sure to also "Follow" Progresso on Twitter to keep up with the latest news from Progresso. 


Progresso provided me with the free product and information through MyBlogSpark

 

Mamavation Monday 2/28

Wow last Monday of February. I can't believe time has flown so far this year.

No weight loss to report, it's been staying within the same range, mainly because I've not scheduled some time for me to work out very much lately. But I'm reworking my schedule to add all of my new responsiblities so that I can get more workouts in. We are getting a treadmill soon (as soon as the tax refund comes in) so it will be a lot easier. Nap time (time which is usually set aside for working out) have not been working out.

That's all for this week. Hopefully next week I can report at least some loss :)

Valentine's Day has gone

And thank goodness for that. I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day. Haven't been in quite a while. It used to be because I spent so many years alone on the holiday. But then I realized that it's just a stupid holiday that business' such as Walmart, Pro Flowers, Hallmark try to use so that people will spend money to show their affection towards someone else. (Can you see that I was bitter because I didn't receive a Valentine for many years). And I still hold true to the fact. Plus it costs money that plenty of people in today's economy do not have. If you want to tell/show someone you love them, why not do it every day. Why not do it in inexpensive ways? Don't feel like you have to be forced into buying a bunch of pink/red items to tell someone you care about them one day a year, just do it every day.

As I talked with my dear friend on last Thursday's show of Enlisted Spouse Radio about this topic, she mentioned to me about a couple that does a check up of sorts on their marriage for Valentine's Day. I thought this was a wonderful idea. Taking an assessment of how things are going with your relationship would be a great way to see how you both feel about things, and to see if there are areas that need improving. While yes, it is hard to talk about things in a relationship at times, wouldn't it be great to 'look under the hood' and make sure that everything is running smoothly, and if not discuss ways to try to fix it? I know that is something I am working towards. I'm finally going to read Red Hot Monogamy by Bill and Pam Farrel. (I've had the book for years, so I might as well read it). Maybe that can be the maintance for our marriage this year.

But all in all, while I may not be a fan of Valentine's Day, it's still a holiday that many people choose to celebrate. It may help some people to say what they can't say at any other time. I, personally, am not a fan of pink or red, so I really hate going to the store and seeing the colors and look forward to when it's over and Spring and Easter stuff arrive. But I hope that you had a wonderful day with your significant other (if they were home) or that you were told how loved and treasured you are.

My Super Doubles Harris Teeter trip

So this week is Harris Teeter's Super Doubles That means they will double a coupon up to $1.98. So a $1.50 coupon become $3.00. YAY. Here's how my trip went today (for the most part).

Hamburger Helpers 10 for $10. I bought 3, had a coupon for $.75 off 3, so it was $1.50 off 3. I got one and a half for free.
Betty Crocker Potatoes 5 for $5. I bought 4, had coupons for $.50 off two, so it was $1 off 2, so I got 2 for free.
Macaroni Grill box meals 2 for $7. I had a $1 off coupon, so it was $5 for both.
Multi-Grain Cheerios 2 for $5. I had a $.75 off one coupon so it was $1.50 off one box, so it was $1 for the box.
Golden Grams 3 for $6. I had two coupons for $.50 off one. so it was $1 off each. So each box was $1 a box.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch 2 for $5. Had a $.55 off one, so it was $1.10 off  or $1.40 per box.
Totinos Pizza 3 for $5 or $1.67 each. Had a coupon for $.75 off two which was $1.50 off 2, making one of them $.17.
Green Giant veggies 10 for $10. Had a coupon for $1 off 5 to make it $2 off 5, so 2 of them were free.
Activia Yogart 2 for $4. I had coupons for $1 off one, which made it $2 off one, so both were free.
Totinos Pizza Rolls. They were $2.19 each, B2G3 free. I had a coupon for $.40 off two. So they were $.71 each. or $3.58 for all 5.
Ken's Marinade. It was regular price $3.35. I had $1 off coupon which meant $2 off or $1.35.  (I've never tried them but we like to marinade chicken so we'll see. )
Harris Teeter Cheese $2.65 each. B1G1 Free. So it was $1.32 each.
Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls. $2.29. Had a coupon for a free one.
HT soda 5 for $4, I bought 2.

Also they have a special if you purchase 20 items from Betty Crocker/General Mills and you get $6 off instantly.

Total spent $27.73. Saved $73.65.  My total purchase was $101.38, so a savings of 73%. OMG My best one yet. YAY.

Mamavation Monday 2/7

Well it's the day after the Super Bowl.... How did you do? It wasn't the greatest day for me since I had a pretty big lunch (including rolls) but it was better than I thought.

So this past week started out great. I was on track for two days with the Biggest Loser Challenge on Wii, but then I got side tracked since lil D had class and then storytime and then other things came up. But we did get out and walk, but I didn't do as well as I had hoped when I started off strong early in the week. But that week is over, time to focus on this week and the plans that we have.

Our menu plan is going into another overhaul. I've been reading some books about meal planning (and related shopping/couponing ideas) so we are going to add those. Plus I'm getting my menu plan into a Google Document so I can post it and people can see it. Maybe that will keep me accountable. Today is supposed to be the warmest day of the week so hopefully we'll get out to the park and walk out some of our winter blues. And this week I'm planning on walking every day with Biggest Loser, while Lil D plays with his toys (I can make a space in our kitchen and work out there hopefully so that it doesn't get in his way, or he in mine.)

So this week's blogging carnival is sponsored by Chef's Requested. I love their products. We made some of their 100 calorie steaks for dinner a few weeks ago, and they were wonderful. They are sponsoring the carnival and they are even having a Twitter Party on 2/10 with Bookieboo herself. So make sure to stop by Mamavation's website to get all the info.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful week this week. And Congrats to our Moms who have made it through week 3. You ladies rock!! See ya'll on Twitter.

RED movie review

Ok so I am a huge fan of Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman, so to see them in a movie together was wonderful. And throw in Mary Louise Parker you can't go wrong. We watched the movie RED the other day and I laughed my butt off. It was great.



With lots of action and lots of comedy, it was a great movie to watch. The premise is

Frank (Willis) is a former black-ops CIA agent living a quiet life alone... until the day a hit squad shows up to kill him. With his identity compromised, Frank reassembles his old team Joe (Freeman), Marvin (Malkovich) and Victoria (Mirren) and sets out to prove that they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Stand back and watch the bullets fly in this explosive action-comedy that critics call a rip-roaring good time. (taken from Amazon.com)

Helen Mirren kicks major butt with a gun, a nice white dress and some combat boots. She is truly an amazing actress and can pull of any role that is given to her. John Malkovich is a great comedy relief as Marvin, a retired agent who has a fear of 'wires' and knows the government is out to get him (even if they are or aren't).  I don't want to give too much a way, but if you like some action with a good splash of laughter, this is a great movie for you. Red (which stands for Retired: Extremely Dangerous) has violent scenes and is not suitable for all ages. But I had to get a laugh at the amount of bullets that they used. And when wonder where all of the high spending goes.... over use of bullets. J/K (well I don't really know lol)

Budget oh budget

Not one of the words that I'm sure plenty of us like to hear, but it's such an important thing. When you have one income, or even when you have two incomes, you really need to budget. I was very bad with my money before I met my husband. I would go out to eat all the time, and just waste money on food. But when you have a family and a small income you have to set priorities and make sure things are paid. We had a large amount of debt to clear up and I'm happy to say that it's almost all paid (minus my student loans for 5 years of college which once we get everything else paid those will be paid on again). It wasn't easy but it was doable.

I've learned that we have to write everything down so we can see where our money is going and make changes where needed. We went out for lunch one day and we weren't able to complete the purchase because we had no money in our account. (We don't have any credit cards because of our past debt problems so our bank account is the only source of money). From that point on I started tracking where everything went and how much we had so that we wouldn't let that happen again. It's been going great and we've not had any more problems like that since. But we see that we did spend on things that weren't needs, like going out to eat several times a week when we would go to the grocery store and spend upwards of $100. So that has came down. Like I said in my other post, we did get rid of cable for the time being, and may revisit that once again. But it is not a need. Paying our bills, getting out of debt, and buying needs like food and clothing became our priority and building up a savings. We have big dreams for our new house, and that of course takes money. So every little bit we have going toward that end.  I will be posting more about this topic (since my wonderful friend has encouraged me to do so) and I hope to share with you more about our budget and what we do to live with what we have.

The Portable Pediatrician ~Giveaway

The Portable Pediatrician

By: William M.D., Martha Sears R.N., Robert M.D., James Sears, M.D., Peter Sears M.D.

Imagine you are up at three o'clock in the morning with a sick child. Wouldn't it be nice to have expert advice readily at hand to help get you through the night? Encyclopedic in scope, THE PORTABLE PEDIATRICIAN features timely and practical information on every childhood illness and emergency, including when to call the doctor, what reassuring signs can help you know your child is okay, how to treat your child at home, and much more-all in a convenient A-to-Z format. Among the scores of topics covered:

teething; sprains and broken bones; nosebleeds; measles; ear infections; choking; rashes; colic; headaches; eating disorders; fever; hip pain; warts; allergies; obesity; seizures; Asperger's Syndrome; bronchitis; masturbation; sunburns; pneumonia; speech delay; lice; vomiting; asthma; heart defects; blisters; sleep problems; and more.

The Searses guide parents and caregivers from a child's infancy through the teen years, teaching them what to expect at regular checkups as well as how to boost a child's well-being, devise a family health plan, work effectively with their pediatrician, and more. Distinguished by the Searses' trademark comprehensiveness, reliability, and accessible, comforting one, this book is a must-have for all families who want to keep their children healthy and happy.

Giveaway information:

-I have one copy for giveaway
-Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win
-No P.O. Boxes, please.
-Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail. 

Ways to enter(leave a comment for each entry):

 Follow me on Twitter
Become a fan of my blog on Facebook
Follow me on Google Friend Connect
 Follow me by Network Blogs. 

Tweet about this giveaway and link back to this post.

Giveaway will end February 19, 2011.

Disclaimer: I have not yet reviewed this book but I am hosting this giveaway from Hachette Book Group, who will provide the winner with their copy of the book.