Super Savings Sunday!

I had coupons that expired today for a sale that is going on at Owens (our local Kroger affiliate) this week and next.  And since I didn't get my list together and finalized until yesterday morning (while we were in Michigan), I had to do my shopping today.  So, after church, the kids and I hit the store with my list and coupons in hand.

(Please ignore my kids' toys piled high in the background - that's Jenny's idea of "putting them away".)

The Breakdown:
Non "Special Sale" Items
4 pkgs of Kroger sliced cheese (12 slices) = $.88/ea (savings of $1.21/ea)
2 Folgers Brazilian blend coffee (788g) = $3.69/ea (except that the cashier ran one up at $7.46, savings of $3.77, should have been $7.54)
2 pkgs of Kroger Whole White Wheat Hot Dog buns = $.29/ea (savings of $1.49/ea)

"Special Sale" Items (for every 10 items purchase, $5 taken off total - not included in per item savings)
10 Hungry Man dinners = $2.27/ea (savings of $.85/ea)
4 pkgs of Ziploc containers = $2.50/ea - 2x $1.50/2 Qs (savings of $1.84 on two and $1.64 on two)
2 bricks of Velveeta = $3.97/ea - 2x $1off Qs (savings of $2.00)
4 boxes of FINISH tabs (for my mom) = $3.49/ea - 4x $2.50 Qs (savings of $4.60/ea)
4 SOBE LifeWaters = $.99/ea - 2x BOGO Free Qs (cashier only gave me credit for final price of $.49/ea, savings of $.25/ea, should have been $.50/ea)
12 pkgs of Kraft cheese (8oz) = $1.99/ea - 6x $1.00/2 Qs (savings of $2.00/ea)
4 bags of PF Goldfish (6.6oz) = $1.38/ea (savings of $.80/ea)
4 boxes of Philadelphia cream cheese (8oz) = $1.49/ea - 1x $1.00/4 Q (savings of $.25/ea)
4 pkgs of Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies = $1.69/ea - 2x $1.00 Qs (savings of $1.48/ea on two and $2.48/ea on two)
2 cans of Hormel Chili (w/ beans) = $1.29/ea (savings of $.05/ea)
Savings from "special sale" = $25 (additional $.50 per item)

Total Shelf Value: $185.42
Total Paid: $67.73
Total Saved: $117.69 (63%)

"Songs of Deliverance" by Marilynn Griffith

This book made me really uncomfortable, but not necessarily in a bad way.

First of all, I was in culture shock through most of it. Having grown up in a conservative Baptist home, I still struggle with culture shock walking into some "Community" churches, let alone the culture shock I got from the more "Pentecostal" church setting of this book.

Secondly, the book dealt with the "ugly side of life". The side we all know exists, but most of us try to cover up and hide within our Christian circles. Marilynn Griffith did anything but hide from these issues with her characters.  She forced me, as the reader, to face these issues head-on, along with the grace that comes when the issues are brought to the feet of our Savior.

This book started off "running" and didn't stop until I put it down.  The flow was actually fairly easy to follow, even though the story is being told from multiple first person POVs and in different times (flashback and current day).  The story sweeps up the reader and immersed me fully in the characters and their lives.

Though the writing, story, etc. were done well, I'm not sure if I'd read another book from this author, just due to my lack of comfort with the content and culture.

Thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for providing a copy of this book for me to read and review.

Random Ramblings, vol 130, issue 809

RR#1 - The last 36 hours passed in a blur, and yet I feel like we had a nice visit with J's parents in MI.

RR#2 - Jenny is really funny when she's tired. One second she was asking for me to put on her DVD in the car, and the next, she's bent in half - fast asleep - snoring really loudly.

RR#3 - David was drinking his milk on the way home, and he discovered that if he flicked the lid, milk would spray him.  What he didn't realize was that it was spraying the window next to him, too.  (Hopefully I'll remember to wash that window.)

RR#4 - We tried to buy groceries at Kroger on East Michigan Ave (in JXN) today, and discovered that their prices are about 20% higher PER ITEM than our prices here.  We quickly put the few items in our cart back where we got them from and left the store.  I will have to get groceries after church tomorrow.

RR#5 - I napped a LOT today.  Not very long any of the times, but I definitely fell asleep at least three different times.  Could be due to the fact that I didn't sleep much last night (thanks to Jenny tossing and turning) and ended up getting up at 6am.  I have a feeling I'll be hitting the sack early tonight as well!

RR#6 - We are on the path to kick some major debt butt in the next couple of months.  We're hoping to have our biggest debt completely PAID IN FULL by this summer - possibly even sooner!

RR#7 - That "thing" I keep mentioning I'll tell you about soon is looking like a very real possibility.  I just need to work some of the logistics out before I spill all.

Would love to hear your RRs and/or your thoughts on mine.  Have a BLESSED weekend!

Online Money Making Resources

Less than a year ago, I started trying to "make money online". I signed up for lots of survey sites and tried out different affiliate programs. I decided to check out how much money I actually made over the past year or so with some of these programs and was happy to see some of the results:

Opinion Outpost has been my "biggest" source of online revenue.  I started taking surveys with them on 3/7/09, and as of today, I've earned $57.50 with them.  (Cash out minimum is $5, or 50 points.)

Another source of revenue I've found is selling gently used books on Cash4Books.net.

Swagbucks is another way I've been able to "earn money online".  Using Swagbucks as my main search engine, I'm able to earn points to purchase gift cards for Amazon.com (can also use points to get Paypal cash).


IPSOS i-Say is another survey site that I've had success with.  They also have a $5 (or 50 point) cash-out minimum.


**Please note that affiliate links are included in the post above.  If you have any questions about any of these "revenue sources", feel free to contact me for more information.  I have personally used all of the above sites with positive results, and thus recommend them based on my personal experience.**

"The Silent Governess" by Julie Klassen

Do you like Jane Austen's novels? If you do, you will LOVE Julie Klassen.  This was my first encounter with Julie Klassen's work, but it will definitely not be my last.  She writes with the setting and style of Austen, but without the language barrier.

The secrets at Brightwell Court - home to Lord Brightwell and his son, Lord Bradley - run deep, and they threaten to tarnish the family name.  But when Olivia Keene stumbles upon one of these secrets, she's willing to keep quiet for fear that her own secrets might be brought to light.

The Silent Governess is a story that grabs readers from the get-go and doesn't release them until the end.  Brilliantly written and woven together, the story takes readers back to the early 19th century of England - a time of servants, governesses, Lords and Ladies.  The story is full of mystery and intrigue, love and romance, religion and faith. 

Thanks to Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

Milk on the Floor (a song)

(Sing to the tune of "Pants on the Ground")

Milk on the floor.
Milk on the floor.
I'm getting so tired of milk on the floor.
David threw his cup and then
Jenny dumped hers too.
I'm getting so tired of milk on the floor.

It's been a milky morning at our house this morning.  But the sun is shining and there is snow on the ground!!  I think we'll head outside in a bit to enjoy the white stuff that is supposed to be on the ground!

EDIT: I've linked up at The Finer Things in Life.

Excitement Overflows...

J just brought in the mail on his way back to work after lunch... and his W2 was in it!!!

I can file our 2009 taxes now!!  (I'm a little excited, because I've been working ahead, and we are going to be getting a nice return back - gotta love that child credit!)

Happy Tax Season!!!

EDIT: Taxes are DONE!!  Now the waiting begins for the money to appear in our bank account...

Turkey Pot Pie - Revisited

I had thawed the turkey and the broth for my turkey pot pie last week, but I never made it.  So when I looked at the menu for last night (see my monthly meal plan on the left sidebar) and saw that Stromboli was on it, I decided it would be a good day to make Turkey Pot Pie.

(I don't currently have a hand-mixer, since I managed to kill the last one I had, and I didn't feel like making bread dough with a wooden spoon today, so we could have Stromboli.)

Then I looked in the freezer to figure out what vegetables I had to put in it.  I only had a partial bag of mixed veggies left, but I had a bag of spinach.  I decided to use the spinach in the pot pie.

I decided I wanted to add a can of Cream of Mushroom Soup to the dish, to make it creamier.

Then, I decided I didn't really want to make a pie crust, so I grabbed a box of brown rice out of the pantry.

Here's the recipe for my sort-of-Turkey-Pot-Pie-turned-casserole:

4 cups of cooked turkey, shredded
2 cups of turkey broth
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
3 cups of water
1 lb of frozen spinach
2 cups of brown rice (I used minute rice)

Spray a large casserole dish (13x9) with non-stick spray.  Layer turkey and spinach in dish.  Pour broth, soup, and 1 cup of water over turkey and spinach.  Sprinkle rice on top.  Drizzle 2 cups of water on top of rice.  Cover with foil and cook in oven 3-4 hours at 250 degrees. 

(Could cook faster at 350, but I started at 2pm, and we don't eat til 6-7pm.  Basically, you just want to heat it long enough for the rice to expand and be soft, and you can leave it on a low heat for awhile if you want to "slow cook" it.)

I don't want to!!

I'm really struggling this morning (whoops - I guess it's afternoon, now) to get started on my "to-do" list.

And today was the day that I was supposed to get back to a "normal routine".  Let's just say today didn't start the week off quite the way I'd hoped.

I actually got out of bed (finally) with the desire to tackle my to-do list.  Unfortunately, that desire left when I looked at my sink.

I read a post this morning about eating your frog.  This is my frog today.

It might not look like much, but it's all the dirty dishes since Friday's breakfast dishes.  And I have issues with any dishes sitting in my sink - it drives me nutty.

Feel free to send any motivation my way... I could really use it about now!

EDIT: I did it! I got off the computer, put the kids down for naps (and they're both actually sleeping!!), made dinner, and did the dishes!!
 

Sink and counter are empty (except for the knife I used to make my lunch.)

Strainer bursting at the seams!

Another Late Night Adventure & a Plea for Help

(This, too, is from Thursday night, when I couldn't sleep.)

Why is it, that at 2am, when I should be sleeping, I'm wide awake and my pen won't stop moving across the page?

I have a feeling that even if I weren't writing and draining my brain clutter onto the page, my pen would still find a way to keep moving - sketching, doodling, or mindlessly writing words, letters, numbers, etc.

It's rather annoying, actually. I'd really like to be sleeping. I mean, I'm tired. So why won't my brain shut off and let me sleep? Why is my pen still moving across the page at lightning speed? Why have I managed to fill 13 pages already tonight? Do I really have that much to say?

If only I had a list of topics to write about when the sleeplessness hits and I can't stop writing.  Would you help me? Would you leave me a comment, or send me an email, with ideas for topics you'd like to see me write about?  Thanks so much!

"50 Ways to Feel Great Today"

In my opinion, this book has both pros and cons.

Pros:
*Points the reader to God as the Source of hope.
*Encourages the reader to view him/herself in light of how God views him/her.
*Gives easy tasks to do today to give the reader a new perspective on life.
*Written in five minute chunks - easy to pick up and put down.
*The chapter have catchy titles and are alphabetized in the table of contents.

Cons:
*Often includes too much "research data" in regards to the effectiveness of the tasks.
*Some chapters are "complex" and override the simpleness of the task.
*No real "audience" (or target demographic) can be identified - some chapters seem to target 30yo housewives and others seem to target 70yo senior citizens.

Since the pros list outweighs the cons list, I'll give this book a "3 out of 5" - not a must read, but still a good book to have around.

Thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for providing a copy of this book for me to read and review.

A Late Night Adventure

The other night, I couldn't sleep (after the Savvy Blogging party on Twitter on Thursday night), so I got up and spent some time with my best friend...

Can't sleep tonight. Too much running through my brain at the moment. Nothing that's of any importance, or relevance even, but it's running amuck nonetheless. (Is that how you spell "amuck"?) I laid in bed for over an hour just tossing and turning, trying my best not to wake up J, though I'm not sure how well I succeeded with that - I'll have to ask him in the morning. (He usually manages to sleep through it.)

I wish I knew why I'm so fidgety today. Even earlier, I felt the need to do something creative, so I got out Jenny's crayons and started coloring. I think I'm going stir crazy - no real purpose or task(s) to complete. I need something to do to occupy my mind and my time.

...

I just spent 45 minutes filling 9 pages in my notebook with my oozing brain clutter, and none of it is able to be converted to a blog post. The nature of the thoughts are such that I can't share them with the world. Actually, with the exception of God (& myself, obviously), nobody will probably ever be privy to them.

Yet, without knowing what they are, if you think about it, would you pray with me in regards to them? I know that's a vague prayer request, but I could use the support in putting them at the feet of my Heavenly Father (and leaving them there). Thanks!

It's times like these when I want to be completely vulnerable and shed my heart wide open to the unsuspecting world, and yet I know that too many people could possibly be negatively affected by my doing so.

I do wish, though, that I had somebody (flesh and blood) to share my struggles with. Somebody who could give me perspective from an objective point of view. Somebody far enough removed from my life to help me see what's really going on - to make sense of it all for me.


I wish that this blog could be that for me - that you, the readers, could offer me that objective perspective. But I know too many of you personally, and you are too involved in my life.


Thus, what I want to share, I shouldn't. And I won't. Not here.  This needs to be a safe place for both you & me.


And on that note... is there anything I can pray about for you?

"Jenna's Cowboy" by Sharon Gillenwater

This book was somewhat eye-opening for me - understanding Texas football and PTSD. It also gave me a greater sense of appreciation for our troops and what they do on our behalf.

I didn't love the writing, but the story more than compensated for it.  I was quickly drawn into the lives of Jenna Callahan Colby and Nate Langley.  The author, Sharon Gillenwater, wove the story in such a way that draws you in, taking the story with you when it's over.

The realistic nature of the story opens up a whole new world to those of us not living in western Texas. I actually learned quite a bit about life in Texas from reading this book!

This book is the first in a new series from Gillenwater, "The Callahans of Texas", and did a great job of completing one story while introducing another. I'm excited to read more of this series as it becomes available.

Thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for providing a copy of this book for me to read and review.

There's a lot to learn...

I spent two hours on Thursday night speed reading on the computer.  Why?  Because I participated in my first ever Twitter party.  That's right, there are actual parties on Twitter!  (Want to follow me on Twitter?)

The party on Thursday night was all about savvy blogging.  (If you want to read our tweets, click on the #savvyblogging hashtag.)  Veteran bloggers answers questions for the newbies, helping us to learn exactly what it takes to truly blog for a living.

Don't worry.  This blog isn't going to turn into a "for profit" blog.  I'm trying to get back to the true purpose of this blog - having a place to let my brain clutter ooze out and work on my writing skills in the mean time.

But, I have been thinking about the possibility of blogging as a part-time job (eventually), and Savvy Blogging is a great resource on how to get to that point.  (More to come on this in the days/weeks to come...)

The party was a ton of fun, and I learned a lot about the business side of blogging...
 *I need to keep track of "revenue", even if it's not monetary.
 *How to charge appropriately for ad space, promo-posts, etc.
 *How to use SEO to grow readership.
 *That there's a TON of awesome "mommybloggers" out there that are a wealth of knowledge in this area!

The party was so much fun, that I managed to get myself kicked out.  Well, Twitter kicked me off, saying I was updating my status too much, and I needed to take a break for a couple of hours.  Bummer, too, since they were giving away some awesome prizes at the end.

I'm looking forward to following some of the blogs the ladies at the party host.  It will be nice to have some more "blogging buddies". (If you're here from the party, let me know in the comments!)

Thoughts on going "lo-tech"...

Wednesday, I had a "lo-tech" day.  That means I was online for a total of about 20 minutes total.  I basically got on to check my email (since that's where my devotions for the day are) and did a quick check of Facebook.

Why "lo-tech" days are the best:
*I don't feel like I'm staring at a computer screen for hours on end with no sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.
*I tend to have more face-time with my kiddos, which tends to lower all of our stress levels.
*I tend to accomplish more when I am on the computer, since I'm limited to the amount of time I can take on each task I want to get accomplished (better focus).
*I have more time to read and/or relax.
*I tend to eat healthier (actually take the time to eat lunch).

Why "lo-tech" days are "hard to recover from":
*My reader is FULL and it takes longer to clean it out.
*I tend to "make up" for the time I didn't spend on the computer.

I really liked my idea about having "set times" that I could be on the computer.  Unfortunately, I found that the parental controls were causing me more work than I liked when I actually needed to be able to get on the computer to accomplish something.  I think I need to figure out a different way to handle being on the computer for a long period of time, even if it is only during "nap/rest time".

The Women of Wednesday Nights...

I love how easy it is to get a group of women talking - even if it is impossible, at times, to stop them once they get started.

Last night we started a new "series" in our Wednesday night ladies' Bible study. We are studying the "Beatitudes" this spring, taking them one at a time (one week for each). I wasn't sure how this was going to work, since we'd been "chewing" bigger chunks at a time (as we worked through Colossians this fall). How was one verse going to give us enough to discuss for 30-45 minutes?

I didn't need to worry. The ladies that come on Wednesday nights are awesome women of God. One verse was more than enough to strike up a great discussion.  We discuss its meaning, how it tied in with other Scriptures, its general application to our lives, and its specific application to circumstances on our hearts.

What a great time of fellowship, encouragement, and growth!

I am truly privileged to lead these ladies and learn from their lives!

"The Choice" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Do you remember when I read Amish Peace?  This book is the first in a new series, Lancaster County Secrets, by the same author.  Moving from non-fiction to fiction, Suzanne Woods Fisher tackles the daily life and struggles of the Amish people in Lancaster County (PA).

The book starts off with a twist, followed by another twist, followed by yet another twist.  It seems Carrie Weaver can't catch a break.  Death, tragedy, and disaster seem to follow her wherever she goes.  Yet, she holds firm to her faith and her people - the faith and family of the Amish pull her through.

From the back cover: One moment Carrie Weaver was looking forward to running away with Lancaster Barnstormers pitcher Solomon Riehl - plans that included leaving the Amish community where they grew up. The next moment she was staring into a future as broken as her heart. Now, Carrie is faced with a choice. But will this opportunity be all she hoped? Or will this decision, this moment in time, change her life forever?

A page-turner, this book moves quickly, drawing the reader into Carrie's life.  Fisher has made the transition from non-fiction to fiction flawlessly.

Thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for providing a copy of this book for me to read and review.

My new best friend...

Did you ever wish you could have your best friend with you all the time?  That he/she would never have to go home?  That anytime you had something to talk about with him/her, he/she was sitting right next to you?

Well, my new best friend is all that and more!

I've started carrying around a notebook (actually I've just stashed mini-notebooks around the house).  It's my new best friend.  Now, whenever I start composing a blog post in my head (which happens often), I can write it down real quick (or at least the start of it) and it can have a better chance of seeing the light of day.

Certain things throughout the day often trigger "posts" (like when I'm laying in bed or sitting in church or watching TV, things are said or thoughts enter my mind) and my brain immediately starts to "write", but then when I sit down in front of the computer, I forget all about whatever it was I had thought about before, and I draw a blank for things to write about.  Maybe now I'll actually have something to write about!

On being Narcissistic

Saturday afternoon we were watching "Julie & Julia" and part of the movie talked about how a blog is narcissistic in nature - all about ME.  And it clicked with me that it's true.  Blogging (in general) is all about me.  It's about my thoughts, what I've been doing, what I want, etc. 

And in a sense, that's what it's supposed to be about, after all, it is my blog.  But how does that lead to gaining readers (something the majority of bloggers want)?  Nobody really wants to read all about me, do they?  And how does reading about me help you, the readers?

I've had to reconsider my 2010 goals in relation to this idea and how this blog plays out.  I think I want to keep this blog as being "all about me", as that really gets back to its true purpose - to be an outlet for my brain clutter.  Yet, I don't necessarily want to build a readership based on trying to get people to read about me.  So in that vain, I'm not looking for readers on this blog.  In fact, I'm probably going to be making some major changes around here - possibly even changing some of my 2010 goals, at least as far as they apply to this blog.

I'll be sure to keep those of you who do read this blog in the loop... I have a feeling you'll like the change(s).

Before the day is over...

Since blogging every day is one of my 2010 goals (and I've already "cheated" this week - I actually wrote Saturday's post on Saturday, but didn't get a chance to post it til Sunday, so I backdated it), and I haven't had a chance to post anything yet today, I thought I'd take a quick break from planning my day tomorrow (CVS, WAGS, Kroger) and get something on here... just not sure what's going to come out of my brain tonight... hmm...

Let's do a Random Ramblings post...

RR#1: We had a great time at the waterpark yesterday/today.  We headed up to Shipshewana after church yesterday (came home to change clothes, pack, and grab lunch at McDonald's first) and got to the resort just before 3pm.  We played in the waterpark, had a YUMMY dinner (buffet style w/ Amish home cooking), and enjoyed our hotel room.  This morning we had another yummy Amish style meal and then played in the waterpark til 12ish before heading home.

RR#2: Napping is a beautiful thing!  Jenny and David crashed on the way home - about 20 minutes from home.  We moved them to their beds when we got home and they slept til 4ish.  After unpacking, I laid down on the couch and napped, too!

RR#3: I have a wonderful husband! While the other three of us were napping, J did two loads of laundry (washed, dried, and folded) and the dishes!  What a blessing to wake up to a house that wasn't trashed due to coming home and dumping.

RR#4: I wish every weekend was a five day weekend filled with family and fun!  It was nice to have my family (mom, dad, sister, and her bf) here all day Saturday - especially since they got to stay all night and didn't have to leave right after dinner!

RR#5: I'm looking forward to Valentine's weekend! J & I are probably going to the married couples' retreat at Barakel, and we've invited some friends to go along.  (You can all start fighting for the kids now... we'll need to be able to drop them off along 69 on Friday around 3ish and pick them up on Sunday around 4ish... let the bidding begin!)

RR#6: I really need to get my days back on a "schedule".  We are finally back to "normal" around here, and thus I need to have chunks of time designated to specific tasks/activities throughout the day in order to feel "normal" and not lazy.  Hopefully I'll be able to get this accomplished before next week!

RR#7: Since seven is the number of completion in the Bible, this is going to be the last RR for the night... and it's about the Bible!  I have really been enjoying my 2010 devotions.  I've been "Exploring the OT in 2010" with a group of people on Facebook.  Each morning, I have an email in my inbox with that day's reading - it's been really nice to have a bite-sized chunk of Scripture in an email form.  I've actually done each day's reading "on time" and have been enjoying the accountability and fellowship of doing it with other people.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my thoughts... feel free to comment below or email me!

Happy Sunday!

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad it in. Psalm 118:24

I don't deal well...

... with criticism.  I tend to go on the defense very quickly when faced with the thought that somebody thinks poorly of me (or something I did or am involved with). The "fight or flight" instinct soars through me.f

Most of the time, my first response is to go hide in my bedroom, curl up into a ball on my bed, and have a good cry.  After awhile through, my response becomes "How dare they think that they know anything about me - how dare they judge me."  I am quick to defend myself against the criticism, whether or not the point is valid.

That one little point of criticism can ruin my whole day and send me soaring into the deep dark pit.

Down into the pit I fall, until I listen to the part of me that says "what if it's true? What if the criticism has validity and God is using this person to change an area of my life?" If I'm honest with myself and before God, I can evaluate the critique in the light of the truth. And when truth lights the way, the dark pit disappears. When I lean on the Holy Spirit to illuminate the issues I need to deal with, He is faithful to create a change in my heart and mind.

The last 24 hours have been eye-opening for me in this area. I now understand my reactions to past times in my life where criticism has changed me for the better.

People who you love and respect are the hardest to accept criticism from because you want their love and respect so badly - you hate the thought that you could possibly disappoint them. And yet, when those same people love and respect you enough to point out an area of your life that they see needing improvement, and you're willing to evaluate and deal with it honestly, it will only strengthen the relationship, creating a deeper love and respect for that person.

Thank You, Lord, for people in my life who have been willing to put aside pleasantries and give me an honest assessment of my actions. I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't listened and honestly evaluated their critiques and changed accordingly. Please continue to use people in my life to mold me into a more Christ-like person. And use me in the lives of others to help them become more like Your Son as well.

Stepping back...

One of my 2010 blogging goals was to post each day.  And I've managed to keep it pretty well.  But, some things have come to light over the past couple of days, and I'm feeling the need to step back and reconcile my recent posts against the purpose of this blog.

Originally, the main purpose of this blog was to allow me a venue to work on my writing - mainly to empty my brain and just "put words to paper", so to speak.  I've noticed that recently I've been doing less "free writing" and focusing more on my daily life with my family.  While that's not all bad, I have a separate blog whose purpose is to keep our friends and family updated on the goings on in our family.  This blog isn't supposed to take its place, though that seems to be what has been happening lately.

I've also realized (thanks in part to an email I recently received) that you can't see my face and hear the inflections in my voice when I write.  I tend to write "off the cuff" and forget to include key clues in my writing to communicate to you, the readers, the tone in which I'm writing.  Thus, I'm starting to sound like an ungrateful, complaining mom who can't wait to get my kids all grown-up and out of the house.  I can assure you that this is not the case at all.  I love my children and I feel extremely privileged to be able to stay home with them.  I've just failed to bring that aspect of my life into my posts, using the blog to "vent" instead.

I enjoy the online community of "friends" that I have and the feeling that we're going through life together.  But, I have also realized that I cling to the online friends and fail to find friends in real life.  I live vicariously through the blogs I read and the status updates on Twitter and Facebook, but I fail to connect with the people around me.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all these realizations, but I know I need to do something.  One of the things I know I need to do is to regroup and refocus this blog - staying away from "family matters" and focusing more on my writing.  I'd love some feedback from you, my readers, as to what topics you'd like to see me write about.  I struggle to come up with relevant topics, but when I have a topic in mind, the writing comes much more easily.

Please feel free to leave your thoughts or comments below, or email me at "ashleypichea (at) gmail (dot) com".

Following up...

So I was laying in bed last night when I realized that I never posted the other picture with yesterday's post... you know, the one where David is actually on the bookshelf.

Yup.  He spent most of the rest of the day in his crib (napping) or in the pack'n'play in the living room.  No more open spaces for this child!

(Pause from blogging to pull said child off the dining room table for the ump-teenth time this morning.)

Today is going MUCH better in Mommy-land.  Jenny did wake up before us this morning and helped herself to her birthday Skittles (she got them at Cubbies last night) for breakfast, but our little talk last night seems to be working.

She and I had a talk yesterday about the fact that even though she is now three years old, that Mommy is still in charge and that she needs to ask before doing things.  We also talked about her need to listen and obey.

I know we're going to bump heads a lot in the years to come (as she is so much like my sister was at that age, and she and I bumped heads a lot growing up), but being prepared is half the battle.

God give me patience as I seek to train these children in the way they should go.  May I be an example in both word and deed as to the way they should live their lives.  Forgive my stubborn pride when it gets in the way of living the way You would have me to live.  Thank You for Your grace in my life!

I can't take much more...

I am seriously pulling my hair out this week.  I don't know what it is, but both kids are driving me absolutely nutty.

Jenny is constant in her "I need this" or "I'm going to do what I want to do because I want to do it".  Usually I can cure the constant neediness with some solid one-on-one time.  Even that's not working this week.

David is just getting into everything.  Already this morning he's destroyed one of my throw pillows (while on time out) and I've pulled him off the top of the bookshelf twice.

Let me just demonstrate what it means for him to be on top of the bookshelf...

Yes, my 15mo figured this out all by himself.  I guess I need to move the toys to a lower shelf??

Maybe I'll get some reprieve this weekend with Daddy home, grandparents visiting, and a trip to the waterpark... I'm praying!

Brain is slightly clogged...

I wish I had something intelligent to say today... or just something to say in general.  But, alas, my brain is clogged.

I went to bed early last night (before 9!!) in hopes that I would wake up this morning fully rested and ready to tackle the mess that is my house (complete and utter destruction), but I guess I needed the sleep.  I finally dragged myself out of bed a little after 9, thanks to Jenny.  But, even then, my head felt like it was going to implode/explode/etc.  So, I made my list of things I wanted to tackle and tried to get to work.

Unfortunately, my children decided that Mommy wasn't going to get anything done today.  They decided that they wanted to run my day today, instead of letting my list run it.  And they managed to "win" for a couple of hours.

However, Mommy finally won!  I've managed to get two things done off my to-do list and another thing completed towards my lesson planning.  And, I finally have the kids both quiet and sitting still - LeapFrog DVDs are a BEAUTIFUL thing (educational & entertaining)!

Now, to finish my coffee and work on cleaning out my blog reader...

Spouting from Every Side

I don't really have a whole lot to say today.  I'm currently a little overwhelmed by all the stuff that has accumulated on my counter while I was sick this past weekend.  Maybe if I get through all of that, I can come up with a few good posts for you to read this week.

In the meantime, one of the blogs I read had a great post this weekend on what happens we when die.  Check it out and let me know what you think!

And in other news... I seriously need to start getting up when God wakes me up at 6am.  I could get so much more accomplished in my day and feel so much more put together.  Anybody want to keep me accountable??

I'm currently getting started on attempting to put together some menu plans again.  I do okay with them for a couple of months, but then get bored with eating the same thing all the time, so I don't make them and we still end up eating the same thing all the time, just with a lot more take-out.  I'm getting inspired online and actually printing off recipes I want to try.  Maybe I'll have January's meal plan done before the month is over!

Oh yeah.  And we're back to school this week.  I still haven't planned anything, but Jenny's been doing worksheets the last two days from some of her preschool workbooks.  I really need to get planning, but last week just didn't allow for that!

Sorry if I got a little link happy.  I just want to try to incorporate backlinks more often into my posts - to give credit where credit is due, and to bring new readers to my blog!

On the Mend

Thanks for the well wishes yesterday - I think they're working!

I'm running at around 95% and J was able to go to work this morning. 

I think David got it last night, but the silly boy is a thumb sucker who likes to regurgitate his food most of the time anyways, so he didn't make any messes - just had stinky breath.  He doesn't seems to have the lack of energy that hit J and me, either, so maybe he was just doing his normal thing?

The kids and I stayed home from church this morning, not wanting to spread the bug to anybody else, since we're not even sure how it hit us.  Since we all seem to be doing better now, we might venture out to small groups tonight.

I think the "best" part of this bug is that my stomach seems to have massively shrunk.  I can only eat a small portion of what I previously could.  What a way to start portion control!

Every cloud has a silver lining, right?

Under the Weather

I haven't forgotten my goal of having a post per day on here... I'm just a bit under the weather.

The stomach flu hit our house Thursday night (me first) and then again last night (J).  He's feeling much better, but I'm still only at about 50-60%. 

Tomorrow could be interesting if my body doesn't fully recover quickly since he's back to work tomorrow.

The One Day Way, by Chantel Hobbs

“Today Is All the Time You Need to Lose All the Weight You Want”

Chantel Hobbs' new book, The One Day Way, teaches reader to focus on today. As I read this book over the past week or so, I used yellow sticky notes to mark key ideas, information, and helpful tips. My copy of this book is now quite yellow around the outside.

Chantel teaches her readers to do their best today. Don't worry about yesterday's successes or failures, and don't focus on what you want to accomplish tomorrow. Celebrate whatever successes you have today, and move on to your ultimate success, one day at a time.

The first part of this book was full of “philosophy” - how the one day way works. It seemed to focus on those people who have a large amount of weight to loss and who have tried time and time again to lose it with no lasting results. It speaks to the heart of the matter – what's happening on the inside that's causing the outer results.

The second section of the book focuses on how to eat healthy, both for losing weight and for maintaining a healthy weight. Chantel teaches her readers how to choose healthier options, control portion size, and how to have control over food versus being controlled by food.

The third section focuses on a proper exercise routine. Chantel gives her readers examples of cardio exercises, as well as detailed strength conditioning exercises. She encourages her readers to focus on exercising today, celebrating whatever victories they have today.

I like the concept of the one day way, but I struggle with the “lack” of accountability that it has. It takes the “guilt” out of “failure”, but it seems to allow for more failure through it's focus on only today.

There are sections of this book – like “The Ten Commandments of the One-Day Way to Eat for Weight Loss” - that I plan to incorporate into my life as I look to lose weight and live healthy. I also liked the 14 day eating plan in its simplicity and easiness, as well as the strength conditioning exercises that I want to start.

Thanks to WaterBrook Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

Deconstruction to Duct Tape to Disorientation

Are you like me? Does your brain lead from one thing to another to another until you are so far away from the original that you have no idea where you went or how you got there?

Yesterday, I found myself in such a situation.  One minute I was taking down the Christmas tree (about two weeks later than I would have liked) and the next thing I knew, I was getting off the computer and wondering why there were ornaments still laying on the living floor.

Here's what happened...

#1 - I got the ornaments off (laid them on the floor), took the lights down (laid them on the couch in bundles), and took the tree apart (put back in it's box).
#2 - I went looking for some duct tape to close the box so I could put it in the front closet until next Christmas.
#3 - I found the duct tape in the drawer under the computer... which J left on and had logged me on.
#4 - I forgot about the tree and duct tape and started checking FaceBook, Twitter, email, etc.
#5 - I sent Jenny to her room because she was getting irritating and wasn't behaving.
#6 - I finished getting "updated" online.
#7 - I picked David up to take in his room to rest til supper because he was getting fussy.
#8 - I passed the living room and wondered why the ornaments were still laying on the floor.
#9 - I decided to write a post about my bizarre train of thought rather than finishing up the demolition in the living room.

And that, my friends, is the insanity I live in.  Where I'll go next is anybody's guess!

Upgrading in a MAJOR way!

Yesterday, I spend the afternoon transferring files from my old computer to my new computer.

Since I had purchased a new monitor just over a year ago, I didn't need to buy one with the new computer, so I "shared" the monitor between the two towers while I was transferring the files.

It was quite the set up on my kitchen computer station.  A few times I started typing on the wrong keyboard and used the wrong mouse to try to communicate with the computers.

 

It took a little over three hours to get all the data from the old computer to load onto a flash drive (took two "trips" since the biggest flash drive I had was 4GB and I had a little less than 7GB to transfer).  It took about 10 minutes total to unload the data onto my new computer.  Yup - it's that much faster!

Hopefully I transferred everything I needed.  Time will tell.

Anybody need a computer?  It works - it's just slow.

The Weekend Arrived Early

Since J wasn't scheduled to work on New Year's Day, which is a company paid holiday, he got a paid day off this week to make up for it.  So, instead of having our normal 3 day weekend, we have a 4 day weekend!

Today we are FINALLY taking down Christmas - we just haven't had time since Christmas to do so.  We've got the lights down, the boxes out, and we're starting to get it all packed away.

Today is also "computer transfer day".  I've started working on transferring all the files from my old computer to my new computer, so I can actually access my stuff again!  So far, I've managed to burn 4 recovery DVDs and started loading music CDs to the new computer.  I need to shut down the new computer in order to get the stuff off the old computer, though, since I only bought a new tower, not a new monitor.  Gotta love sharing! :)

Tonight Cubbies and Bible study start back up.  It seems odd that today is Wednesday!  I still need to prep for teaching tonight - we've got two weeks left on our fall study, since we had to cancel a couple of nights due to inclement weather.

So, yeah.  It's going to be a busy, yet hopefully productive, day!

Being Mommy

I often wondered at people when they would comment about how tiring parenting was.  I never understood the tiring aspect of it.  I mean, sure, if your kids don't sleep well, then I could understand it.  But to be tired just from "being Mommy" all day?  Seriously?

I now get it.  I spent yesterday truly "being Mommy".  With the exception of all the errands I needed to run, I let my kids dictate how the day was going to go.  (Jenny especially, since it was her birthday.)  I catered to my kids.  I didn't let my "schedule" or to-do list dictate what I was going to be able to get done.  If the kids wanted to do something, we did it.  On their time table, not mine.  And, wow.  It was exhausting.

Now I know why we do things on Mommy's time table.

But, at the same time, I saw the joy in my kids faces when Mommy got down on the floor to play with them, to read them a book (or five), to go outside and play in the snow with them, to make them a special supper.

No, I didn't get the laundry done (as J just reminded me).  But, I got to watch Jenny's face light up while she made snow angels.  And I got to cuddle with David when he brought me book after book to read.  And I got to enjoy my kids in a way that I don't often get to, since I rarely get down on their level.

Should my kids run my day?  NO.  Should I make time in my day to get down on their level?  YES.  Where's the balance between "being Mommy" and running the household?  How do I get my to-do list done and still find time to read book after book after book?  Where's the happy medium between ending the day exhausted and feeling like I managed to accomplish something during it?

I'm looking forward to the challenge of spending less time on the computer and more time with my kids this year.  I know it's going to be challenging at times, and I may find myself substituting other "me things" into the former computer time, but I want to truly enjoy the time I have with my kids while they're still little, as it is disappearing way too fast!

My 2010 Blogging Goals

Blogging goals for 2010... hosted by SavvyBlogging.net

Major Goal: Increase the number of readers.

   How to accomplish:
   *Have a "real" post (not just a review) each day.
   *Find a meme (or create one) to participate in weekly.
   *Leave 50 comments a week on other blogs to build relationships with other bloggers.

Major Goal: Spend less time on the computer and more time with my kids.
   How to accomplish:
   *Sit down on Saturday or Sunday for 1-2 hours and write posts for the week.
   *Set parental controls on my internet time during the week - one hour increments twice a day.

Major Goal: Redesign my blog to "work" for me.
   How to accomplish:
   *Learn how to layout a blog with xhtml.
   *Design a header.
   *Find ways to monetize.

Ready to recover...

It's been a busy weekend... a busy week... a busy month.  And finally, it's all coming to an end.  Tomorrow is the end of the festivities of the season (at least I think it is), as we celebrate Jenny's 3rd birthday as a family.

I am so ready to have my house "back in order" (if you can ever actually have your house "in order" with kids living in it) and my life back to some sort of "normal" routine.  I finally got the end of the Christmas/birthday presents (with the exception of what Jenny will get from us on her birthday) put away last night, and washed all the kids' new clothes.  (I had no idea they had gotten so many clothes - they just threw them at me as they opened the gifts, and I just made a pile - I had to stuff the washer to get them all in one load!)  Now all I have to do is take down the tree, stockings, and remaining Christmas stuff from the living room.  Then, we'll be back to "normal", at least in our decor.

I think we're going to wait one more week before starting school back up, as this is a "weird" week for us (appointments, birthdays, J off an extra day, etc.).  But, I'm going to take some time this week to try to put together a new unit for when we start back up next week.  We're going to start working on word families and basic addition.

But, today I have to wrap presents, make and decorate a cake, and try to relax some in order to gear up for the week ahead.

Q4U: Are you back to "normal" this week?  What are you looking forward to most about this week?  Least?  Anything I can be praying about for you this week?

Why hair bands are essential at a birthday party...

(Complete w/ pictures...)

Thursday night, we celebrated Jenny's birthday with my family in MI.  My aunt joined my parents and our family for dinner, presents, and dessert.

When it came time to blow out the candles on the birthday cake, I pulled Jenny's hair back behind her shoulders, and then I walked around to the other side of the table so I could take pictures of her blowing the candles out.

She got one candle out on her first try.  The other two proved harder to extinguish.

She blew and she blew and she blew.  Each time she blew, she leaned forward a little more.  Eventually, her hair that had been pulled back behind her shoulder had released itself and was now in danger of catching fire from the candles yet to be extinguished.

And then... FLAMES in her hair.  Not just a little spark, but actually flames.

Thankfully my aunt was standing next to her and was not afraid to reach over and put the flames in Jenny's hair out with her hand.  (Thanks, ADSC!!) 

I then quickly leaned over and blew out the remaining candles before going over to inspect the damage.

Thankfully, it was nothing major.  The flames were just on the ends of a few strands, and the smell of burnt hair was worse than the hair itself.

But, from now on, I am going to insist that all hair is pulled back and secured in a hair band when at birthday parties!