My New Job

Okay, so I don't really have a new job, outside of the house, but I have decided that my new job needs to be as budget savvy as possible and to save as much money as I can. I have started cutting coupons and looking online and in store fliers in order to see what is on sale, but it is still very difficult. I find that I spend way to much money on groceries each month and I honestly do not know where to cut back, but I need to. I also have started to explore making things from scratch. I know that I spend way to much on packaged foods, like special K bars and quaker mini's, but I don't know how to stop. I guess one route would be to truly start eating more fruits and veggies as snacks instead of all of that packaged stuff. So my question to you all out there is: How do you save money each month at home and at the grocery store? Any and all advice is welcome and appreciated!

Wildlife

Since moving into our new house we have been able to enjoy many freedoms and luxuries we did not have at the apartment. I love being able to run out to the mailbox or have packages left on my doorstep. Having a garage again has been amazing and being able to just walk out the door and take a walk is great. Then there is the wonderfulness, is that a word?, of nature. The sun shines in the windows and I have been able to put up my rainbow maker in the living room. It is a glass ball thing that when the sun strikes it, it creates rainbows, the girls and I all love it. We have put up a bird feeder and we hope that soon the birds will find it, because the girls will love it if they do and we have witnessed not only a fox trotting down the path behind our house and into our yard, but also a coyote. Yes, a coyote, we were very surprised, but it is so cool and I love hearing the girls running to the window saying Kitty Cat, it is pretty darn cute. Above all else though it is nice to see trees again and not other houses, cars or buildings. Ah wildlife and nature, need I say more?!

The Joys of getting Older

Sunday was my 28th birthday. Really just another day. I spent a lot of it shopping on my own, which was great and gave me time to just think about the last 28 years and about the future. We celebrated a little with Tom's Mom and Dad on Saturday, dinner out which was really nice and then Tom made me dinner on Sunday. I have joined a new weight loss group, this one is free and I like it a lot more than the Biggest Loser Club to be honest, it has really helped me a lot more, but one thing I found extra great was the e-mail I received from them on my birthday. Here is what it said:




Sorry it isn't easier to read, but it really just made me think and I really hope that I can make this next year count instead of just letting it pass by!

A Child Called "It"

This past weekend I read a book that I think all parents should have to read, A Child Called "It." It is the story of a little boy who was mentally, physically and emotionally abused by his mother and treated like a slave and animal for years. I know you are probably thinking that this would be a horrible read, but it truly opens your eyes and heart into a little boys world. Thankfully this little boy was a survivor who has gone on to not only write this book so that others can learn from his life, but he is out there helping other children who are in the situation he was once in. I think I read the whole book in a matter of 4 or 5 hours, it was that fast of a read and that good and it really has made me think of what kind of parent I am and want to be in the future to the girls and any other children we have down the road. Obviously the mother in this book went way beyond extreme but it leads one to ponder where punishment ends and abuse starts. I am one to not even want to spank our children so I would never really have an issue with physical abuse or any abuse for that matter, but this book has made me think of how I want to handle any form of punishment, even yelling or raising my voice. It has also lead me to think about what I will say in the future to the girls and see how they might take something, I mean even telling one of them that something they are wearing doesn't look good on them could lead them down an unhealthy path. I would highly recommend this book to anyone out there who hasn't read it and if you have I would love to hear your thoughts on the story.

What a way to start the new year

Today has been a day, lets just say I wish it had happened in 2007 so we could move on, but this is how we started the new year. Maddie woke up at 5:15, she has had a cold for about 3 weeks and has been sleeping really weird, sometime sleeping in until 10:00 other times waking between 2 and 6 in the morning, today being an early day. So I brought her into bed and we laid around until 6:30, at this point I was wondering why Tom hadn't come up to shower yet, he usually is showered by this time. So Maddie and I got up and went into our bathroom. I went to turn on the cold water, nothing, Tom's sink, nothing, shower NOTHING...blast our pipes were frozen. So I hauled downstairs to tell Tom, who was having work issues, he is on call this week. So when he was done with that he tried to figure out what was going on. I guess Arbor didn't insulate anything in the garage or where the pipes are in our bathroom...LOVELY. Then I decide I need to take Maddie to the dr. since she has a weird cough and as an afterthought I have them check Natalie. Well, go figure but both girls have ear infections and it is freezing out so we have to run to Target and get them medicine. Finally around 1:00 this afternoon after Tom's dad brought us a heater for the garage the pipes break up and we have water again. Now Tom and his dad have to insulate the garage tonight so it doesn't happen again. Ah, to say the least we are glad it is 2008 but this was not a pleasant way to start the year off. My continual fear all day has been that the pipes will burst and we will be flooded again...I couldn't relive that!

Happy New Year/What Motivates You!?

Happy New Year to all and may this next year bring you everything you have set out to attain and want to achieve! This year I am making no resolutions, I never achieve them so I am not setting any. I am still looking to shed the left over baby weight and the added pounds and to finish the mini, but really I am just looking to have fun and spend time together as a family. With that said, I am looking for help. The other night I spent a couple hours surfing iTunes looking for good music to load on the iPod that would help get motivated and keep running even when I don't want to. I put on the typical Timbaland, Kanye, Missy Elliott and a few others, but I am looking to hear what motivates others and what you have on your iPod or you listen to when you are working out! Happy New Year and I hope those of you that have made resolutions achieve them this year and that you all have a great year.