Petals and Pine

Out with the old, in with the new!

2010-03-25T15:51:00.002-05:00

This blog is done. May she rest in peace! Please visit over here! I look forward to seeing you at my new interwebby home!

What I've Been Up To Lately!

2010-03-16T22:02:00.007-05:00

I made a pan of mint brownies in honor of St. Patrick's Day this afternoon. I got the idea here. However, my small town grocery store did not have the mint brownie mix OR the Andes Mints baking bits. I bought a package of double chocolate and a package of Andes Mints, unwrapped them all and broke them up, and baked according to package directions. I mixed a bit of yellow and blue food coloring in with a container of vanilla frosting to make the pretty pastel green frosting. We all have enjoyed them so far. I also made an Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie for dinner. It couldn't be easier to make, and it is definitely comfort food!

I've been working on personalizing this canvas tote bag that I purchased at Walmart for Jeremiah. This is what I painted on one side. (I know it looks like a child painted it - but I gave it my best shot. It's not like I'm going to expect my poor son to tote this to school or anything!)

And this is the other side. I still need a lot of practice, but at least it's something special I made just for him. It's going to be nice to have around to carry items for shorter trips as opposed to hauling around the gigantic diaper bag!

Last weekend we took a road trip and stumbled across a North American Bald Eagle feasting on a roadkill carcass on the side of the road. I grew up very close to a nesting site and have seen many eagles, but never right by the side of the road! I wish we could have gotten some better pictures but he didn't like us getting too close.

My new baby, CoCo. (That's my other new baby. my Jeep, in the background! Her name is Peep. Get it? Peep the Jeep? LOL) Devan and I have spent a lot of time discussing the hobbies that mean the most to us and have come to the conclusion that I just can't live without a horse in my life. The stable at which I do my riding is a wonderful place, and I can ride all year round because of the access to the indoor arena. So here is CoCo! Isn't she sassy in her pretty pink halter?

She's getting irritated with me now...she just wants to go back to her friends!

Joker, one of CoCo's paddock mates.

CoCo and her boyfriend, Gunnar.

Spring is such a horrible time of year for horses. We are waiting for the pastures to dry up some so the horses aren't stuck in the muddy paddocks for much longer.

CoCo and Gunnar, true love.

Tomorrow is a busy day for me. I have a medical terminology quiz in the morning and then a St. Patrick's Day parade that CoCo and I will be riding in during the evening. I'm very excited for that - I haven't ridden in a parade since I was a kid! I've been keeping very busy with my studies and with Jeremiah. Since the weather has been warming up, we've been outside every single day at the lake or the playground over at the school, or even just hanging out in the yard. I will get some pictures up soon.

This semester I am taking:

Health

Beginning Microsoft Word 2007

Medical Terminology I

Rhetoric & Composition II

Psychology Of Human Relations

The Living Constitution

So this schedule keeps me very busy! But after a meeting with my advisor, we've determined that I am scheduled to graduate next fall! I've been working so hard towards this goal, I can't wait for my dream to become reality.

Walgreens Deals!

2010-03-10T10:16:00.005-06:00

2 Dr. Scholl's Massaging Gel Insoles @ $10.99 = $21.98

2 John Frieda Shampoo @ $5.99 = $11.98

2 Spiking Glue (for Devan's mohawk!) @ $5.99 = $11.98

2 Glade Sense & Spray @ $5.99 = $11.98

2 Pampers Baby Dry Diapers Jumbo Packs @ $10.00 = $20.00

1 Pampers Sensitive Wipes @ $2.00 = $2.00

Clearance package of dog toys = $2.99

Lysol Healthy Touch Hand Soap Dispenser = $14.99

2 Finest Natural Reservatrol @ $9.99 = $19.98

4 Life Saver Jelly Beans @ $2.00 = $8.00

2 Reese's Miniatures @ $2.50 = $5.00

2 Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs @ $2.50 = $5.00

3 Reach Floss @ $3.00 = $9.00

2 Clearance packages of children's activity wipes @ $0.87 = $1.74

Total Before Coupons = $146.62

Earned $12.50 in Register Rewards ($10 for Dr. Schools, $2.50 for diapers)

Total After Coupons = $36.12

You can find coupon matchups many places around the web, but my favorites are here and here.

I had two $10.00 off coupons for jumbo packs of Pampers from writing to the company to complain about some diapers I had tried. This made for a great deal, because they were on sale 2/$20 and earns a $2.50 Register Reward at Walgreens.

Also, I took advantage of BOGO sales - the spiky glue (a must-have for Devan's snazzy new hairdo) was BOGO, as was the Finest Natural Reservatrol. I also had $4 off coupons from Homemade Simple for the Sense & Sprays, so when paired with the $2 off coupon in the March Walgreen's coupon booklet, they were free.

I stocked up on Easter candy because of the coupons in that booklet. I have been planning for some time to purchase the massaging gel insoles for Devan's workboots. He is on his feet all day, so I wanted to see if they might make him more comfortable. Otherwise, this purchase never would have made the cut.

Show Us Your Life - A Typical Day

2010-03-05T11:45:00.003-06:00

I'm participating in Show Us Your Life over at Kelly's Korner.

My day starts at about 6:20a.m. when Devan gets up for work. I am not a morning person, so it takes me til about 7:00a.m. when he leaves to actually get up. Jeremiah wakes up about that time, and then our day begins! After he is changed and dressed for the day (and his hair brushed, which is one of his favorite things to do!) we clean up the bedroom and go into the kitchen to make breakfast.

I usually make fruit and toast or yogurt for us during the week for breakfast. Sometimes I go all out and make pancakes or scrambled eggs, and sometimes cereal. We usually save our big breakfasts for weekends.

After breakfast I set Jeremiah up with his trucks and blocks while I get some housework and laundry done. I usually check email and see if I've missed any deals, possibly do a blog post, and check my college e-mail to see if there's anything I need to turn in that day. After that, I play with Jeremiah for most of the morning til Daddy comes home for lunch.

After lunch is naptime for Jeremiah, and homework time for me.

When Jeremiah wakes up from his nap, we have started playing outside now that the weather is warmer. We drag out some trucks and his four wheeler (just a ride on toy, for now!). Sometimes we put Ares on the leash and get out the wagon and go for a walk, and sometimes we just play in the yard. When the weather is bad, we have "structured" play - by "structured" I mean that I sit down and choose some toys and play with them together.

By this time it's time for Daddy to come home from work and get dinner started. I usually finish up homework and housework while Devan occupies Jeremiah and has some father-son time.

After dinner, Jeremiah has a bath and a story, and then off to bed. I do a lot of my heavier cleaning in the evening after Devan & Jeremiah have gone to bed. It's a lot easier that way, and I'm much more of a night owl anyway. If I have a paper to work on, then I sit out at the kitchen table and work on it in the calm of the evening.

And that's a typical day in my life!

Can't find cake stands? Make 'em!

2010-03-05T10:40:00.003-06:00

Step 1: Find the cutest helper possible. Make sure he's drooling.

It helps if your helper is a ham and loves to have his picture taken. Then occupy your helper by surrounding him with toys and snacks and put your materials safely out of his reach.

I hit the motherload at the thrift shop this past weekend. I walked in and saw these plates on the shelf. I made a bee-line for them. They had navy blue ribbon wound through the holes, and they had been a decoration on someone's wall. The other items are candlesticks. I paid a little less than $10.00 for everything.

A little hot glue, and there you have it. Cake (and cupcake) stands. (I'm not the best photographer, that's why they look crooked!)

And there's a country-fresh project, all ready to hold a good old-fashioned pound cake, or a special cupcake, or a slice of German Chocolate cake with coconut-pecan frosting (my favorite!)

Day 3 of No Dining Out March Report

2010-03-04T09:24:00.002-06:00

I dined out. When I headed off to bell choir rehearsal, I realized I was starving. I'm trying to cut out eating after 8:00p.m. as part of my diet and I realized I would be home much later than that to eat dinner. So I stopped at Subway and had a chicken, bacon and Ranch sub. Not good for the budget or the diet. (Hey, I didn't have any chips, so that counts for something, right?!?!?) According to the challenge, we're allowed to have one slip up, so that's what I'm counting my Subway as. And I did tell Devan about it, so I wasn't being sneaky! :-)

Day 2 of No Dining Out March

2010-03-02T13:16:00.002-06:00

So far, so good. I'm making pork cutlets parmesan for dinner so we won't be going out tonight, either. I am loving this challenge! Granted, it's only day 2. Devan thinks it will be easy, because he could care less about going out to eat. It's going to be much harder for me.

For more info on the No Dining Out March challenge, visit Couponing to Disney. (Today readers are sharing yummy casserole recipes!)

Blast From The Past: The Calm Before The Monkey Party

2010-03-01T20:55:00.003-06:00

The Prince's royal throne. I jazzed it up for him with another mini pennant banner and a balloon. I took him outside before his guests arrived so that he could check out the scenery at his party!

He thought the party hat tasted wonderful.

I found that monkey gift bag at our grocery store the morning of the party. I bought it more for the decor factor. We didn't intend to give him his birthday gift from us until his actual birthday. (We got him a children's tool bench and a few tools).

"A hat and a balloon? This is the best party ever..."

A note about the deck - my father in law and I sealed it earlier in the summer and apparently the product we used wasn't top quality - hence the torn-up looking deck!

Our Budget: Jeremiah's Clothing Budget

2010-03-01T11:44:00.004-06:00

I have budgeted $150.00 per year for Jeremiah's clothing (at least, at this point in time). I am taking this as a challenge. One note, I am not counting the clothing I showed you earlier in the year, because he's got about 4 years until he can wear those things. That was an over-budget purchase.

This weekend I purchased:

2 pairs of shoes (1 pair of dress shoes for his Easter outfit, one pair of tennis shoes)
2 shorts/tank top sets
1 pair of sweatpants
1 hoodie
1 jersey tee
1 Chicago bears jersey
2 long sleeve shirts
1 pair of dark green cargo shorts
1 button up shirt
1 tee shirt
1 outfit - pants and button down shirt and vest

I paid $43.00 for all of these (all Children's Place and Old Navy labels!). I love our little children's consignment shop here in town. They have a rewards program that gives you a coupon on the bottom of your receipt called "Come Back Bucks". I earned $4.00 in Come Back Bucks for my next purchase.

I also stopped at The Children's Place at the mall on Friday and purchased 2 pairs of sunglasses (2 for $5.00) and a pair of flip-flops ($3.50). I paid $9.15 there. That was a bit expensive for accessories, but Jeremiah loves his sunglasses and looks adorable in them.

I'm going to keep track of the clothing budget on the sidebar of my blog, and see if I can do it for $150.00 per month.

Spent to date: $52.15

Left to spend: $97.85

ETA: If I find a good deal on something cute, I'm going to buy it. But to the best of my ability, I'm going to stick with the budget!

Day 1 of No Dining Out March

2010-03-01T11:29:00.004-06:00

In keeping with my renewed spirit of frugality, I'm joining in the challenge at Couponing To Disney to not eat out during March. I know this will be a tough challenge, but I think it's a wonderful idea. I definitely think it's worth a try. Anyone want to join in? Head over to Couponing To Disney for more details!

Day 1: No dining out!

Blast From The Past: Monkey Party Decor

2010-03-01T09:27:00.004-06:00

Today's post is a flashback. I don't want to get rid of all the material that was originally on my blog. Here's the decor from Jeremiah's first birthday party. I went with a monkey theme. I chose blue, green and brown for colors and I think they came together well!

These are the invitations I used for Jeremiah's monkey party. They say "Let's go bananas and have some fun, our little monkey is turning one!" I made seals to match to close the envelopes and return address labels as well.

Party hats. I found shiny green and blue ribbons at Dollar General to dress them up.

Goodie bags and pinata. I filled the goodie bags with assorted candy that I found on clearance after Halloween at CVS/pharmacy. I paid about $5 for 12 pounds of candy. I went with larger bags so that the kids would have something to stash the loot from the pinata inside. I had stuffed the pinata with coloring books, bracelets, bubbles, and other items that I got on clearance after Halloween from Walmart.

Two of the centerpieces. I found stuffed monkeys at Goodwill, three for $0.99. After a run through the washing machine, they look pretty good!

Signs, place cards, and hats...I didn't end up using the placecards.

A birthday banner.

The welcome table. I just took a picture from each month of his first year and clothespinned it to a piece of ribbon. Voila! Birthday banner. (When we move, this table is going to be behind our sofa.)

I framed my favorite picture with a mat so guests could sign it and wish Jeremiah happy birthday wishes.

The birthday boy crown on a cake stand, which I dressed up with a mini banner.

I filled a pint jar with banana candies and made it a guessing game. Whoever guessed the closest won the jar and the monkey that's hugging the jar!

The monkey adoption center. The children could select the monkey they wanted to stuff and there were shirts for every monkey as well. I put the foam monkey masks in a basket and the kids could wear those as well.

I managed to find some brown plastic cups. I ordered monkey doorknob hanger kits from Oriental Trading Company and assembled just the monkey face, then adhered them to the cups. The kids thought they were adorable.

We borrowed two picnic tables and I set up the centerpieces and bags on them. The kids were so busy running and playing that they never bothered to use them though!

I will put up some more pictures of the party throughout the week.

Friday Projects

2010-02-27T19:17:00.003-06:00

I was busy last night crafting and baking. I was approached by a lady from church to make a dish for a funeral luncheon. I'm always nervous about doing this type of thing because I'm not really confident with my baking, but I used the pound cake recipe I found here and I know that we enjoyed it. It felt nice to do something for someone else, even though I don't know the people that attended the luncheon.

My big accomplishment yesterday was this. I found the idea, and the instructions, here. I assembled mine a bit differently, however. This was more because I didn't look at the instructions again after I started. I felt that the cannisters needed a bit more support on the candlestick, so I put the base on top of the candlestick and the cannister on top of the base.

I painted the candlesticks, finials, bases, and cannister lids black. I didn't add the jute featured on the original project.

Assembled pieces. I had to get creative with my weights!

Finished product. I'm going to buy some more bases to put underneath the candlesticks to give a bit more support. I also plan to distress the edges.

There are many more things going on that I want to blog about, but right now Devan and I are going to watch Fireproof. I have heard so many good things about this film, and I can't wait to watch it. I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Some fun things for Jeremiah and budget-friendly Christmas idea

2010-02-17T17:19:00.003-06:00

Everyone who knows me knows how important I think music is, not only in learning and development of children but in everyday life! If you've read my post below, you know I've decided to put our family on a much stricter budget. This does not mean that our family is going to do without!

I've found some free music downloads on Amazon. The songs are purely instrumental versions of children's songs. Some of them are available for purchase, but you can download the following songs for free:

The Wheels On The Bus
Lullaby
Frere Jacques
Jeremy
All The Pretty Horses
Twinkle Twinkle
This Old Man

Go here to download these songs and add them to your music collection! Jeremiah loves to dance, and these are nice for him to have to do his little performances.

Cost of a little family fun: $0.00. (Thank you to Freebies4Mom!)

Next, one of my frugal goals has been to work on my Christmas shopping throughout the year and stay within a very strict budget. I found a wonderful opportunity here to download a PDF version of the original story of Winnie the Pooh and mp3 version of a narration of the same story. There's also a beautiful lullaby (I downloaded that first, and we loved it, but now I can't find it!!). For Christmas I am going to print out copies of the story for my youngest nieces, Taylor and Maya. For my middle niece, I'm going to print out a black-and-white version. I'm also going to burn a copy of the narration. I'll design a little cover for the CD case, personalized for each niece, and BAM! A wonderful, personal Christmas gift at very little cost to me. For Shana, I will buy a package of crayons to include with the gift. I'll wait for the back to school sales, when I can get them very, very inexpensively. (Use the code NAPTIME to get your downloads!)

There is also a Leapfrog Learning Rhythms album download here. Jeremiah loves Baby Einstein! I love having so many opportunities to give him a chance to have fun for free.

These are just a few things to help me get started on our adventure. Children don't have to miss out on anything fun or developmentally appropriate just because of a small budget. I hope you can enjoy these with your children, or pass them on to someone who can!

Winterfest 2010

2010-02-17T13:23:00.004-06:00

These pictures are from a while ago. I'm a member of our local Jaycees and each year we have a town-wide event called Winterfest. The higlights include tricycle races (for adults), a chili cookoff, and fun events out at the lake, including horse-drawn sleigh rides and dog sled demonstrations. I was really looking forward to the sled dogs, but the person in charge couldn't make it because of health reasons. We took Jeremiah for his first horse-drawn sleighride. Here he and his daddy are petting Sam and Sadie.

Pretty Belgians. Growing up, we had Clydesdales, but at the ranch I worked at, we had two teams of Belgians: Jim & Bob and Billy & Josie. I love draft horses of all kinds!

View from the sleigh (we sat right up front!).

Jeremiah's cold face. I'm going to catch this phenomenon on video one day. As soon as he gets outside, he wrinkles his face up to form what is now known as his Cold Face.

I also made these old-fashioned crullers that morning. They really turned out better than I expected (well, they tasted better than they looked!). I think next time I'll make a powdered sugar glaze to roll them in. I found the recipe at one of my favorite blogs, Chickens In The Road.

Hatbox Projects and Jeremiah's new clothes!

2010-02-16T16:04:00.005-06:00

I bought these cardboard "hatboxes" at Hobby Lobby last winter with the intention of painting them. I never got around to it. Yesterday I started some deep cleaning and organization and pulled them out. I took a break so I could paint!

I painted the larger one "Heritage Brick" and the smaller one "Light Mocha."

Here's the finished product! I have plans for these in the armoire that will be near our front door someday. I'm going to stash my ribbon and paints in them!

On to the clothing for Jeremiah...awhile back I purchased a lot of brand-name (Old Navy, Children's Place, Skechers) boys clothing. I paid $40 for these items. They are a bit big, but the clothing was all neutral and would still be fashionable in the future! There were 6 pair of shoes included.

5 pair of shorts.

4 pair of jeans and a pair of khaki pants.

5 miscellaneous shirts.

2 winter jackets.

A formal outfit from The Children's Place. This was never worn! I plan on using this for a future Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Not pictured are 3 Ralph Lauren patterned shirts, a white shirt and navy blue sweater vest, two zip-up hoodies, and a navy blue zip-up Children's Place sweater.

I didn't realize how big the clothes were until I took them out of the box! But none are characters or flashy colors, so I think all the items are perfectly wearable in the coming years. I don't normally make a clothing budget because I make these purchases when I am able. This method allows me to dress Jeremiah in a relatively stylish manner very inexpensively. I don't plan on adding clothing to our budget because its not a regular purchase. I hit up yard sales and Craig's List all spring and summer long to keep Jeremiah in clothing. If I can find neutral items, like the clothing pictured above, then I am inclined to buy things in larger sizes. That way, we have a steady closet!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T10:05:00.004-06:00

Jeremiah didn't take a nap at all yesterday, but I haven't put a pic of him on here in awhile and this one is pretty cute, by my standards! He sleeps snuggled up with one of his giraffes. Normally I take most of his animals out once he's asleep just because I'm paranoid about him sleeping with too many things. A lot of that stems from the Great Diaper Disaster of 2010. We had a difficult time at night keeping Jeremiah dry. Each morning I would end up changing bedding and washing all of the sheets and the blankets, and any innocent stuffed animals that may have been casualties. This went on for almost a month before I decided that we were going to try different diapers. This was definitely a Duh! moment. Normally I try to go store brand on anything I can find, but some things just can't be sacrificed. With my coupons and deals, I am able to buy Huggies for around $3.99 a pack, which is actually less than the store brand. Even if I pay full price, it's worth it to not do a load of sheets every day. I can't stand the thought of my baby sleeping in urine, so there was no way around it. Jeremiah is sleeping through the night now, and staying dry! I still change his bedding every other day, but not because of the urine issue.

(I would like to dedicate this post to the memories of Hal Moose, Glow Worm, and Skater Bear. They did not survive the endless washing machine cycles. Rest in peace, faithful friends.)

My husband spoiled me rotten yesterday. He brought me a dozen roses (there are only ten now because I gave Jeremiah two of them, one to give to his Grandma and one to give to his Great-Grandma, who is in the hospital right now). He also provided me with cookies, and he made breakfast. I felt like a spoiled rotten princess!

I love my family!

I hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day. I know we did! I didn't expect gifts, because my new book, The Backyard Homestead, was supposed to be my present! This is why I say I'm spoiled.

I'm off to work on some homework and some projects. Have a great day!

A frugal Valentine's Day gift, my new evening routine, and a new financial goal.

2010-02-12T11:15:00.010-06:00

I love giving gifts to my nieces, Brooke, Shana, Maya and Taylor, for all the holidays, but I can't afford to buy toys. This is one of the reasons I adore Walgreens. According to Walgreens coupon policy, you need to have as many items as you have coupons. They always have inexpensive seasonal items that I like to purchase as "fillers". These cups were 4 for $1. The pencils were also a filler item at 4 for $1 as well. I purchased the sunglasses in a pack of four at Dollar General for $1. I also bought a small pack of chocolate candy hearts and divided it up among each cup. I put these treats together for $1.00 apiece. I can't wait to give them to the girls!

On another note, I have developed a nightly routine that works well for me. I wait to clean up our house until after everyone is in bed. I wouldn't feel right cleaning up the living room while my father-in-law is relaxing after work or my husband is trying to read the paper. So I wait. After dinner, and Jeremiah has had his bath and is tucked into bed, I finish the dishes, sweep the floor, take out the garbage, and pick up the living room. After that, I take a nice, hot shower, and I make a cup of Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Tea and fix myself a piece of homemade bread, warm with butter and raspberry jelly.

These are my two favorite teas. I am a huge fan of Chai tea. I have several other teas tucked away as well.

Then I settle in with a good book...this is my new favorite, and I've read it through twice. It's a wonderful read, even if you aren't interested in full-on homesteading like I hope to do someday. There are plans for homesteading on one tenth of an acre, a quarter of an acre, and even half an acre. I never realized how much you can do in such a small space.

Here are just a few of the things you can learn about in this book:

~ Milk a goat

~ Prune a fruit tree

~ Dry herbs

~ Make dandelion wine

~ Bake whole-grain bread

~ Tap a maple tree

~ Make fresh mozzarella

~ Brew beer

~ Mill grains for flour

~ Save seeds for next season

Another interesting fact: From a quarter of an acre, you can harvest:

~ 1,400 eggs

~ 50 pounds of wheat

~ 60 pounds of fruit

~ 2,000 pounds of vegetables

~ 280 pounds of pork

~ 75 pounds of nuts

It's a nice, down-to-earth, back-to-basics read. It's written for a beginner, which is what I need! I curl up on the couch with my tea and my toast, my giant puppy curled up on my feet, and read my book until said giant puppy cuts off the circulation to said feet and I can't feel them anymore. Then I'm ready for bed!

As for my new financial goal, I am planning on putting Swagbucks to work for me.

I'm hoping to use my Swagbucks on Amazon to pay for Christmas! It sounds like a stretch...I only have about $5 so far...but I'm going to see if I can pull it off! Wish me luck!

Frugal Shopping

2010-02-11T10:16:00.007-06:00

Walgreens Trip:

2 packages Huggies Little Movers diapers @ $8.99

(3) Three Musketeers Bars @ $.49 each (only 2 are pictured, since I gave one to my father-in-law!)

4 Valentine's pencils @ $0.39

1 box of Runts @ $1.00 (special treat for my sweetie)

1 Walgreens Children's Activity Book @ $0.99 (I buy these so that I can use the coupons and then stash the activity pages in the "rainy day" bin I have started for Jeremiah!)

I don't know precisely how much I spent, but it was around $16. I was disappointed in this trip. I should have thought my transactions through a bit better, and I could have gotten much better deals. Live and learn, I guess.

Walmart trip:

2 Pictureka card games @ $5.24

2 Johnson & Johnson First Aid Kits @ $0.97

2 10-count Diego Band-Aids @ $1.36

2 Dove Ultimate Deodorants @ $2.58

Not pictured: 6 DiGiorno 12 inch pizzas @ $3.97

I paid $3.41 out of pocket at Walmart for over $45 worth of items. The pizza coupons

are from hosting a DiGiorno House Party. I will also be hosting a Sandwich Revolution House Party so I can't wait to see what they send me! I had 6 $4.00 off coupons for any one DiGiorno pizza, and the pizzas were on rollback to $3.97, so I got 6 of them for free!

I printed 2 of the coupons here. I am a firm believer in shopping for birthdays and holidays all year round, and having an extra on hand, purchased for just $0.24, is a great way to keep on top of that!

CVS/pharmacy Trip:

2 boxes Ritz crackers @ $2.00

3 boxes Wheat Thins @ $2.00

2 packages Excedrin Extra Strength @ $4.79

1 package Excedrin Migraine @ $5.49

I paid $0.32 out of pocket after coupons and using the $15 in Extra Care Bucks (ECB's). I also earned $10 in new ECB's to use on my next transaction. CVS is my favorite place to shop, hands down.

The Excedrin was an ECB deal in which you receive $7 ECB's for purchasing $15 worth of Excedrin products.

Every Wednesday evening before handbell choir rehearsal at my church, I stop at the thrift shop here in town (open til 8:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, how convenient is that?). It's a little bit of time for me to have by myself. I found some nice things this time around, but my biggest find was these "Cornerstones of Freedom" books. I found 12 of them at $0.25 apiece, so $3.00 total for a wonderful collection of American history books for Jeremiah! They are well written and fully illustrated, and I'm convinced I found a steal!

Here are the titles I found:
~ The Story Of Mount Vernon
~ The Story Of The Statue Of Liberty
~ The Story Of Monticello
~ The Story Of The Declaration Of Independence
~ The Story Of The Lincoln Memorial
~ The Story Of The Star Spangled Banner
~ The Story Of The Supreme Court
~ The Story Of The Constitution
~ The Story Of The Liberty Bell
~ The Story Of Mount Rushmore
~ The Story Of The Capitol
~ The Story Of The U.S.S. Arizona

2010-02-10T23:42:00.003-06:00

Valentine's Day is within sight. As a teenager, Valentine's Day was never a happy day for me. It seemed like this particular day of the year, the focus was entirely on couples. Flowers, and candy, and having someone to "love". (As much as "love" can mean at such a young age!) Valentine's Day always hurt a little. My main concern at that age wasn't necessarily boys...I lived on a farm, worked three jobs, and had many extracurricular activities that kept me busy, but I still could never shake that sad feeling. I was always single on Valentine's Day.
As I have grown, and matured (somewhat!), it's become more clear to me what love really is. Love isn't having a date on Friday night, or someone to buy me a rose on Valentine's Day. Love is being married to a man that knows exactly how you like your hamburger cooked, that stands up for you, even to his closest of friends, that knows when you're stressed to maximum capacity. My marriage might not be very old, but what it lacks in age it most certainly makes up for in strength. How awful it would have been to marry someone that I had a "crush" on in high school only because they were handsome or athletic or what have you. I can't imagine what it would be like to be with someone who didn't know me inside and out...to know when I just need a moment...to compliment me at the exact second that I need it...to text me on his morning break to say that he loves me...to split the last piece of pie with me!

This is just another example of exactly how God knows what He is doing.

Here are some verses that enforce my belief in my marriange and my faith in the knowledge that God chose my husband for me, and me for him. Please enjoy, and have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones!

The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
~Genesis 2:18-24

Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
~Matthew 19:4-6

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church- for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
~Ephesians 5:22-33

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
~Romans 12:9-21

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
~Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
~ 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

And God is so wonderful in His generosity...He blessed us with a Savior, too:

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
~1 John 9:4-12

Welcome Back!

2010-02-02T13:17:00.005-06:00

I made an old-fashioned pound cake with chocolate glaze. I found the recipe here. One of my goals has been to get back to basics with my cooking, and learn how to do more baking from scratch. This cake was one of my first attempts (I also made this cake, which was delicious hot out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!).

I made a Valentine's Day centerpiece, following instruction that I found here. In an attempt to be frugal, I didn't buy a pretty white urn, but instead recycled the vase that my roses from 1-800-flowers.com came in and tied on some ribbon that I found at our thrift shop for $0.25. The ribbon is only a temporary fix because there was simply too.much.red, so I'm on the lookout for something a little prettier! Still, it brightens up our table with Valentine's cheer!

I was up late baking, cleaning, and working on my centerpiece. Ares stayed up to help me!

This morning I made Jeremiah blueberry pancakes for breakfast, using my favorite buttermilk pancake mix, which comes highly recommended by Aunt Ruthie of Sugar Pie Farmhouse. After giving it a try this morning, it's going to definitely become a staple around here!

So, the blog makeover isn't finished yet, but I'm still working on it. I really liked this background and I didn't want to stay away from blogging too much longer! I missed it. From now on my posts are going to revolve around my domestic adventures rather than a daily journal. I'm going to focus on homemaking skills, crafting, and budgeting. Don't worry though, you will still see plenty of Jeremiah!