My Pot is STILL Boiling!

This blog was started last summer when I was just getting through a bad divorce...and right as I had began a tentative relationship with my Love.  My Beau.  The man who won my heart, the heart of my sons and even my parents.  The man that only GOD could have known I needed right then. 

Most people are so against "jumping" right into a new relationship after a breakup.  I use to be one of those people.  But God changed my heart last summer.  I was in a bad place emotionally and physically. I was divorced, yet my ex was stringing me along and using me and just making my life miserable.  Our entire marriage had really been a sham.  I loved him totally...he used me completely.  It was one sided, at best.  Then, when I was in my worst hour, in walked a man who said to me, "Your husband is a very lucky man".  He didn't know that my husband was now my EX.  

A few months down the road, I was starting to feel a little better about things, yet still, had so much to go through and there that man was again.  Politely noticing the lack of wedding ring.  Politely making sure, and then leaving me the sweetest note with a cute smiley face and his number.  Telling me, no rush, no worries, but to let him know when or if I ever wanted to go out and maybe get to know each other. 

He thought he'd never hear back from me.  He was surprised when he got my text. 

And the rest is history.  

The first couple of months were amazing.  Yet, at the same time, there were some things going on with me that I couldn't share with him that made them miserable.  Then, when the "going got tough", and any other man would have been hurt and upset and walked away, he just stood closer, held me tighter and loved me more. 

He has been my rock.  He has been my angel.  He has been a gift from God.  He has been something and someone I don't deserve. 

And tonight, as I sit here, just a few feet away from him, I am reminded once again why I use to say that he "brewed my tea".  Because he is the most selfless and loving individual I've ever met.  He can be condescending and arrogant and annoying with his intelligence...lol...but deep down, he never means to be.  He's just SOOOO smart!  

Tonight, he is sitting here playing with creating (programming) his own computer game.  And rather than doing something for himself, he decides to create something that our 3 year old son can play.  He is sitting here looking online for graphics and ideas and is, as I type, creating an educational game for our son to play and help him with letter and number recognition. 

How cool is that?  How amazing is it that not only CAN he do that with little to no effort (because he's that smart and TOTALLY rocks) but that he chooses to spend his time doing something for our son? 

I have "felt" for a lot of people in my life.  I've been in love.  I thought I would shrivel up and die when I realized a few years ago how false my marriage was.  Even more pain when I signed those divorce papers.  But until this man...until my Beau...my Lover...my Best Friend came along, I never knew what it was like to really be loved in return. 

His love in return...his unending concern and care for me and my son...his love in so many ways...it makes him the GREATEST love I will ever humanly have in this lifetime.  

And I know...I KNOW that this man was sent to me at "just" the right time by God.  He is all of these things, and so much more.  And for me, having been with someone so discouraging of my relationship with my family and with God, being with him is a breath of fresh air.  He encourages me to work on both.  He pushes me.  He doesn't let me get lazy.  He loves me enough to kick me when I need it and to call me out when I deserve it. 

I am so truly blessed with my Beau.  He TOTALLY boils my water and brews my tea!

Book Review: Pujols - More than a Game

I recently received the book PUJOLS: More than a Game by Scoot Lamb and Tim Ellsworth from Book Sneeze to review.  Although I am definitely not a sports fan and a lot of that "lingo" wasn't my thing, I was really pleased with the book overall.  I also, surprisingly to me, found it to be a very quick read.  (Finished over the course of a few days lunch breaks.)

Yes, it does have a lot of statistical information regarding Pujols game, but it also has a lot more regarding his faith and family life.  It's a good blend of both that makes it easy for someone like me (a NON sports fan) to also enjoy the book. 

For me, reading about a "celebrity" who puts his faith in God first and his family second (rather than career) is nice.  It was also comforting to read how he encourages Bible Study and worship amongst his fellow athletes.  But most importantly for me, was reading about his families contributions to the Buddy Walk events and to various Down Syndrome events and foundations.  Including his family's own foundation (of their name) that was created in honor of their daughter who was born with Down Syndrome.  

It doesn't matter if you know what an inning is or not, this book is a very encouraging read and one I am glad I chose.  Although not one I would have picked up off the shelf for general reading purposes (not my usual genre), I did thoroughly enjoy it and would recommend to many people.  Those that love baseball, those that love reading about solid Christian celebrity families and those who have a family member with Down Syndrome can all be encouraged by reading this book. 

Swan "Lake"

This post is going to be rather pic heavy.  Not something I do often, but I just felt compelled to share with you guys about a couple of recent day trips we made as a family.  (Forgive quality of pictures as they were taken with my camera phone.)

Last week, we had quite a bit of snow in our area.  I shared some pictures from around our home, but late in that week we went about an hour north of our house for an appointment and I took this picture: 

This was a couple of days after the initial snowfall and things were beginning to melt.  This is a small "lake" (more like a pond) in between a grouping of corporate office buildings.  The area has a wonderful little sidewalk and path all the way around the "lake" with benches and bridges.  It makes a great area for the employees of those buildings to take a nice walk at lunch, or for touristy types like me to kill some time waiting for someone (my Beau) while they are in a meeting. 

Exactly one week later, we went back to the same area, and once again, I found the scenery to be beautiful.  This time with temperatures in the high 60's and the snow all melted. 

And as I walked with my son around the "lake" yesterday afternoon, we had the privilege of watching 2 beautiful swans swimming, drinking and eating.  Apparently the habitat has been created and cared for so that they will consider this "lake" their home.  I snickered at the signs posted every 25 feet or so, but I suppose they serve a purpose.  

We kept our distance, but I still got several decent pictures.  They are truly beautiful.  I can't wait to go back again to see them!  

 

These pictures don't do them justice.  They were absolutely gorgeous but also HUGE!  I couldn't believe how large they were.  I'm so glad I got to see them and share them with my son this week!  

That makes my Heart Happy!

I don't know for sure where my son got it - but lately he has had this habit of saying, "Aww, how sweet, that makes my heart happy!"  And he says it in this tone that SOOOO reminds me of my grandmother! 

This weekend, he got a treat bag from Grammy (my mom) for Valentines Day.  We made him wait until we got home from church to open it and see all the stuff she had packed for him.  He had Airhead Extremes (my favorite and one of his!).  There were also Sweetheart candies, bubble gum, individual size box of Fruit Loops (another of his faves) and several little party favor type toys in there.  He dumps it all out - of course picks the food and exclaims over it - but in the end - just declares: 

"Aww...wasn't that nice of Grammy.  It makes my heart SOOOO happy that she got me this stuff!"

I'm telling you...he can be a real ornery little booger - but this cute little red head can say the best things and melt your heart in a second.  

And it's even sweeter still, when you sit down on the couch next to him near bedtime, and pull a throw across your lap...he slips in beside you and reaches for your hand under the throw, leans over and tells you he loves you.  

Yes, being a mommy has it's perks.  And THIS is one of them:

The Reasons I Clip Coupons

(1) FREE STUFF

(2) DISCOUNTED STUFF

(3) It's totally HOT according to my man! :-)

(4)  Keep within our monthly budget and have a stockpile of often used items.

(5) To make sure those cashiers are on their toes at Walgreen's, Target and Kroger

So - since those are my top 5 reasons to coupon - I thought I'd also share a little story about what I got today by combining coupons and sales. 

Today, I went to Target, Walgreen's and Walmart.  I combined coupons, sales and Register Rewards (Walgreen's only) to get all of the above for the low  

OOP (out of pocket) price of: $52.67

2 - 4pack Schick Xtreme 3 Men's Razors: $5.98

Sale $5.99 each

Register Reward $1.00 each

Manufacturers Coupon $2.00 each

Price per Package: $2.99

1 - Venus Razor with 5 refill cartridges: $6.99

Sale $7.99

Manufacturer Coupon $1.00

(This item probably could have been purchased cheaper during better sale/coupon time, but I was given 8 cartridges for free, so I felt the purchase of the razor with this many cartridges would last me for several months and was worth the expense.)

3 - Kotex U Pantiliners: $1.53

Clearance Price $.51 each

5 - Edge Sensitive Skin Shave Gel: $4.95

Sale $2.49 each

Register Reward $1.00 each

Manufacturers Coupon  $.50 each

Price per Package: $.99

14 - Clean and Clear Astringent: $27.66

4 bottles Sale at Walgreen's - $4.19 each

10 bottles Regular Price at Walmart/Target - $3.89

Manufacturers Coupon $2.00 each

Price per Bottle: $1.89 to $2.19

(This item is rarely on sale and is used daily by my Beau.  We got through a TON of it in our house, so finding the $2.00 off coupons on eBay that expired the end of this month, it was time to stock up for the next several months.)

2 - Lysol No Touch Healthy Soap Dispenser: $3.98

Sale $11.99 each

Register Rewards $7.00 each

Manufacturer Coupons $3.00 each

Price per Unit: $1.99

2 - Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner: $1.96

Sale $1.98 each

Manufacture Coupon $1.00 each

Price per Bottle: $.98

2 - Lysol Wipes (35 ct. Pkg): $1.44

Sale $1.72 each 

Manufacture Coupon $1.00 each

Price per Bottle: $.72

2 - Lysol Kitchen Cleaner Spray: $2.18

Sale $2.09 each

Manufacture Coupon $1.00 each

Price per Bottle: $1.09

Plus an additional $4.00 Register Reward from Proctor and Gamble (I believe for the Clean and Clear although not stated on any of the items.  Just guessing that is where it came from.)

For some this may seem like it is still a lot of money spent in one day, but the large expenses were items that we use and I felt were worth it for our family.  Trust me, when you go through 3-4 bottles of astringent a month, getting it under $2 a bottle is a blessing!  A HUGE blessing.

Overall, I got enough of all of the above items to last us until June probably (at least).  That to me is a great deal and a great savings and exactly what I clip coupons and watch sales for. 

Plus, like I said above, my Beau thinks it's pretty hot that I can save money like this for our household needs as well as for food.  That's worth it by itself!

Let's Talk "Love Handles"

Gotcha thinking I was gonna talk about this roll of fat I'm trying to get rid of around my middle huh?  

Sorry to mislead you!  BUT...I am going to talk about something I found that's truly a very cool FREE resource for you and your spouse/boyfriend/fiance/partner. 

Turning Point Ministries (Dr. David Jeremiah) is currently offering a set of LOVE HANDLES Cards to you for FREE.  (They do have a request for donation, but it isn't necessary to receive the cards.)

There are 25 cards with different aspects of your relationship listed and a HERS/HIS/THE PERFECT BLEND section on each.  Some of the items dealt with are: Romance, Dating, Faith, Budgeting, Intimacy and Expectations.  

I wasn't sure what to expect when I stumbled upon the link to get these for free, but I thought they'd be a neat thing to look at.  I was really impressed with the quality of stock they came on.  They are large cards with information on both front and back on heavy glossy card stock.  The ideas and thoughts presented were definitely helpful and informative.  Overall - I loved them!  And to make it even better - they arrived in my mailbox on Valentines Day.  So it was really neat to get to read over some with my Love on Valentines Evening. 

We aren't having problems in our relationship and I feel truly blessed to have such an awesome relationship with my Love, but it never hurts to stay on top of things and have little reminders like this to get our attention and point out areas we may individually need to give or take more in. 

So - because I thought they were so neat - I decided to share the link with my friends.  They are a part of many resources available by Turning Point Ministries that goes along with one of Dr. Jeremiah's recent books and sermon series on the book Song of Solomon.  

So - go HERE and fill in your name and address and get your FREE set of LOVE HANDLES Cards.  If you are inclined and able, donate to their ministry, but that is not necessary.  

Enjoy!

(No - I'm not getting paid or anything of the nature for turning you on to these.  I just REALLY thought they were awesome and wanted to share with my readers!)

Eating Out for 6 under $10

Last week - I put my frugality to the test.  I knew we'd be having my former step-kids and their sister for the weekend, and we don't get to take them "out" very often.  I was determined to do it, but our budget, as always was really tight. 

Well, the answer to my prayers came as we drove by our local Back Yard Burgers one day and saw on the sign that after 4pm every day - kids eat free if you dine in!  We checked with the management and were told it was any kids meal free but limited to 2 kids per adult.  PERFECT! And what was even better was, I had earlier last week stumbled upon a friend posting a coupon for Back Yard Burgers EClub where you get a FREE HAMBURGER with any purchase.  I'm a member of a LOT of restaurant EClubs for this reason.  You generally get coupons once every couple of months for a BOGO or a FREE meal and almost all clubs give you something free on your birthday.  

I decided that even if I went a bit over my $10 limit and had to pay full price for both the adult meals, it was still a great deal for us to all get to eat there.  (Some restaurants won't let you use more than one "special" or coupon per purchase/visit.) So, last Friday night, we pulled into our local Back Yard Burgers with 4 excited kids in tow.

I walked in, and asked if my coupon would be valid with the kids meals being free.  Sure enough, it was!  So, my Love and I both ordered one of the combos (mine being half price due to cost of burger being removed) and each of the kids their choice of kids baskets.  

We sat down at the table with 6 full meals, including fries and drink for...

Drum roll please.....................................  $9.12

Oh Yeah!!!  Now that's the kind of special night out with the kids I like!!!

If you are interested in joining the Back Yard Burgers EClub - click HERE and fill out the form to print your first coupon!

Here's a Picture of the Crew Chowing Down on their Chicken Tenders, Fries and Burgers!

In Honor of Valentines Day - My thoughts on Internet Dating

Recently, one of my good friends dove head first into the world of Internet dating.  She hasn't been successful in finding a "love match" yet, but she's had a few nice dinners, conversations and a lot of entertainment along the way. I know she won't have any problem finding a good man to suit her tastes and needs...any man would be lucky to be with her! 

When she text and said she had tried one of the sites, I was happy for her.  It's become so much more common to meet people who met online these days.  I remember the days of that being so odd, but now, it's almost uncommon to NOT have tried at least one of the websites that help you to find the man/woman of your dreams.

I actually have 2 friends who found success and have been with their spouses now for several years by using E-Harmony.  

I remember when my friend "M" first started using it. I was surprised.  I didn't think she'd be into it...but she met several really nice men and even got rather serious with one for quite awhile.  I thought they would end up together, but I was wrong.  They knew they were better off as friends and still are.  But it didn't stop her - she kept looking, and sure enough, she found "the one".  Within a month of their first connection on E-Harmony, they had their first date and within another month, they were married and have been happily so for quite some time now.  In fact, they actually live a few doors down from me (part of the reason I loved this neighborhood and area so much!).

And another friend of mine, met her husband about 5 years ago using E-Harmony.  They had both been through rough divorces and had tried dating, but just didn't seem to hit it off with anyone in their area.  He lived in the states and she lived in Mexico.  And somehow, their profiles fit in each others requirements, and lo and behold, she found her "gringo" and he found his "Mexican beauty".  It was shocking to both them and their families, but within months, they knew it was for a lifetime.  She moved to the states, they got married and they are now parents to 2 beautiful little girls. 

So, in honor of my 2 friends who met and found true love on E-Harmony, I am sharing with you a special deal currently being run by E-Harmony.  Free Communication Event for the month of February.  If you haven't tried Internet dating, and are "on the prowl" for love...check it out this month!  Free Communication is a great savings and who knows...you too might find "the one"! 

Book Review: The Sacred Journey by Charles Foster

Here I am with yet another Book Review.  I love Book Sneeze and what it offers me.  There is almost always a great variety that includes fiction, children's, romance and spiritual growth.  

This book is the last of the Ancient Practices Series and it deals with one of the lesser known and less common aspects of the Christian walk..pilgrimage.  Charles Foster takes from his own journey as well as others (unknowns and Biblical characters) to give examples of pilgrimages.  He tells of short and long treks both physically and spiritually.   

 He pays great attention to detail in his surroundings on his pilgrimage and is very descriptive in his text.  But...sadly, I just couldn't get into this book.  The author, Charles Foster, comes highly recommended and is highly acclaimed, but for me, I just didn't care for the rambling style he has.  He seemed at times, almost stiff...yet at others...all over the place.  

Or perhaps it was the book itself, the subject that didn't grasp me?  I'm honestly not sure.  Generally books of this nature if not easy to read, at least will grab me and have me intrigued.  I just couldn't get into this one and struggled to get through it.

The book itself, just simply was not my "cup of tea".  It was indeed informative on the subject it was written...but whether it was the writing style of Charles Foster or the subject matter itself, this was not a book I enjoyed. 

Snowed In...Like Everyone Else!

I too, like most everyone else in the nation...have been snowed in a bit too much lately for my own liking.  Being unemployed and stuck at home most of the time anyway, I feel even MORE claustrophobic when I realize we can't even get out of our community due to the weather. 

It looks as if the weather is going to shape up and melt everything tomorrow on through the weekend...but in the here and now..one of the main bridges between us and "civilization" is being closed down and detoured around off and on due to how slick it gets in snowy conditions.  If we wanted to get out - we could...but it would make an already long drive...ten times longer.

So...here way stay...in the snow.

But at least we have a pretty view in our Backyard...

An up close of the Holly Bush that is our Privacy Fence out front...lol

 

And a shot of the bush from the road...

Awesome Deal at Quizno's!

So I'm usually not one on sharing stuff like this...it tends to clutter the blogger reader...but seriously - this is a killer deal.  I use to pay $6.99 for this same sub! 

 

Check it out.  No spam...no gimmicks...just click - put in email and date of birth.  Simple - easy and a great lunch!!!

My AWESOME Deals This Week

I have been a long time couponer and bargain shopper.  But all too often, I didn't take the time to really do the work and I didn't save a lot...over the last several months, with slash in income so drastic, I've HAD to work harder on making our grocery/household budget go farther. 

I tend to do one big "shop" around the first part of the month, getting all staple items needed and then grabbing fresh produce and dairy as needed throughout the month.  So yesterday was my big shop day.  And although I did spend around $200 on groceries and other sundry items, I still feel really good about what I got.  And I know other than picking up some fresh veg and fruit and maybe another gallon of milk - I will still have been able to feed my family of 3 (plus occasional guests) for under $225 for the month.  And a lot of that was staple items that will last a long time and go into next month as well.  And I did stock up on quite a bit of chicken and fish for the freezer.  

But, I am excited about a few items I scored!!!  So - here goes:

Walgreen's: 

2 Full Sized Bags Peanut M & M's (valentine theme)

2 Full Size Bags Hershey's Cookies & Cream Drops

2 Full Size Bags Reese's Cup Minis

4 Bags Sweet Tarts Valentines Lollipops

2 100 count Bottles of Nature Made Vitamin E Soft gels

2 Snack Size Bags Hershey's Milk Chocolate Drops

2 Snack Size Bags Reese's Cup Minis

ALL OF THE ABOVE FOR ONLY $1.00

Between manufacturer coupons, coupons on product, Internet printed coupons, sale prices, Walgreen's in store coupons and Register Rewards from prior trips - I only paid $1 cash for ALL Of this candy!!!  I'm excited because now I can send all my kids a special card with Valentine Candy this year for practically nothing!  Woohoo!!!

KROGER:

2 Boxes Honey Nut Chex - FREE

1 Box Oatmeal Crisp Raisin Crunch - FREE

1 Box Basic 4 Cereal - FREE

1 Box Brown Sugar Oatmeal Squares Cereal - FREE

4 Tubes of Various Colgate Toothpaste - .23 cents each

1 Bottle Dove Conditioner - .97 cents

2 Packs Dannon Light & Fight 4 pack - FREE

2 packs Yo plait Trix Yogurt 6 pack - .40 cents each 

Kikkoman Garlic and Onion Teriyaki Sauce - $1.09

2 Cans Campbell's Select Harvest Light Soup - .50 cents each

6 Totino's Party Snack Pizzas - .25 cents each

These were the best deals I got - along with various other coupon/sale items.  I was really pleased (as was my Love) with all the stuff I got yesterday for the amount I spent.  And all of the above FREE items were also money makers so for non found items, I only spent $1.17 - which really made that conditioner and those tubes of toothpaste free as well!!

Also this week by looking online at coupons and using ones I have received in the mail with sample products and from newspapers, I got free cat food, 2 boxes of Kotex U 18 count Tampons for $1.89 and a bottle of Garnier Fructis Shampoo (Retails $3.89) for only $.89.  And was able to get Clean & Clear Astringent - 4 bottles normally retailed at $3.89 each ($15.56) for only $9.56 with coupons.  $6 off may not seem like much, but when you buy as much of that as we do - it's an incredible deal to be had! 

So this afternoon, we took a walk as a family to the local convenience store and I picked up 3 newspapers and am going to be clipping and comparing coupons once again this week.  My goal being to watch the sales each week for any free or nearly free items available using my coupons...and to stock up on other items as they come along. 

I'm not the type to have a whole room in my house devoted to free or nearly free stockpiled items, but keeping a month or two of common used items at hand (especially if free or nearly free) is definitely a great thing in my opinion!

The Joy and the Sadness...

...of watching your son curl up in your loves lap and tell him he loves him...

...of watching your son pick out clothes to wear because he wants to match your love...

...of watching your son imitate words and actions and even the way your love walks....

...of hearing your son say he wants to be "junior" because he wants to have your loves name too....

All the while sitting back and wondering where the man who donated DNA to this precious child is at...wondering why he has chosen to be so very absent from his life...wondering why in the past year...a handful of visits (the last of which was nearly 4 months ago)...were all he made a priority...and being sad...sad that anyone would willfully chose to let another man raise their child...let another man become Daddy...let another man become his sons hero. 

And finding so much joy...so much joy in the fact that God chose the perfect man for my son to model after...finding joy in every day watching my love and my son together...thanking Jesus for giving my son a Daddy who will love and take care of him, work with him and for him...regardless of whose blood runs through his veins...because my love - he is special.  He follows the best example there ever was...he is truly like Christ.

My love is a real man.  He isn't afraid to love recklessly.  He isn't afraid to step in and do a job that needs to be done.  He isn't afraid of showing emotion...and teaching my - no - OUR son what it means to be a man.  To love, to respect, to care, to put others before himself. 

I don't deserve this man.  Not at all...but I am forever grateful for him.  And I thank Jesus daily for giving me this blessing...but mostly...for blessing my son with a Father in his life when he needs it most. 

I need Routine!

Over the last several months, being at home and not working outside the home, I have discovered how important routine is for me and my son.

Lack of routine has resulted in crankiness for both of us.  Lack of routine has resulted in expansion of my waist line (ugh).  Lack of routine has resulted in some bad habits (my current Food Network addiction).  And even, in relevance to this blog, lack of routine has kept me from being productive in writing or financially.

I am scheduled to work for 2-4 weeks for a friend at her daycare while she is on maternity leave.  I think that having a set schedule of hours and days during this period will help me come back afterward to my home and keep a better routine within my home. 

Sleeping in (I am embarrassed to say I am rarely out of bed before 8:30am any more!) has become quite a habit.  But I have also been staying up much later.  Going to sleep at the earliest 11:30 or midnight but most often closer to 1am.  That's not something I was use to doing, and the later morning sleep is a result of that.  But I don't think it has helped me get into a good routine with my son or my Love either in daily things. 

One day kind of flows into another one, you know?  

I still have certain "chores" I do daily and some on certain days of the week.  Mondays I deep clean bathrooms and vacuum whole house.  Wednesday or Thursday I "had" been doing all the laundry.  That changes according to our other plans (shopping, recent snow and extra clothes, etc.).  We all pick up as we go along...we do dishes daily...or as the dishwasher is full and keep the kitchen and such cleaned as we go.  I or my Love vacuum in between as we see need for it.  We change bed linens roughly same time each week.  

My house is more cluttered some days than others, but overall, we keep things tidy and in place.  So my lack of routine hasn't affected that...but it has left me feeling like I waste a lot of time doing "nothing" and like I could definitely be more productive with educating my son or with doing craft projects or writing. 

So...after my stint at the daycare, I hope to see us going to sleep a bit earlier, getting up a bit earlier, breakfast, dishes, morning routine done, a little schoolwork with me and the boy (and for me as I delve back into medical transcription again) and then afternoon naps.  Although some days I would like to use nap time to take a nap myself, I'd also like to use that for blogging time..."play" time...lol...reading...relaxing...or doing oddball chores around the house.  Putting laundry away, dusting (which is a never ending project when you have a fireplace - EVERYTHING is covered in dust 5 minutes after you wipe it down!!!) 

And mostly, I want to commit to exercising at least 3 or 4 times a week.  Lately we've been taking walks as a family to the park or the convenience store down the road.  It's a nice little walk, gets me moving, but I know I need more.  I need to be steadily increasing mileage.  I need more strength and toning exercises if I ever expect to get rid of these "mommy arms" I've had since high school!  Ugh!  

So...hopefully over the next month you'll see me blogging more frequently/consistently...and those blogs telling how I'm keeping to my routine and being structured and more responsible with my time.