Compliments to the Chef

A couple weeks ago I looked out on my back patio and saw a squirrel eating what looked like a Kleenex. I looked a little closer and starting watching wondering why in the world a squirrel would be eating this. As I watched I noticed he was actually eating a brownie and was using the tissue to cover it up. I guess he didn't want all his squirrel friends seeing his great find out of my garbage can.

I'm not quite sure how this brownie made it's way into the garbage can. I would have never thrown a brownie away! Must have been one of the kids. At least the squirrel will eat my baking even if the kids won't!

And, yes, my life is so boring I am blogging about a squirrel.

Proverbs 31 - Week 3

If this is the first you are reading about this challenge you can go here and read more. Then there is week 1 and then week 2. I have to say, I've been doing better than I thought I would, but week 1 definitely went better than week 2. This week will go from today (Sunday) until next Sunday where I will end with verse 31. Then I will spend the next week reviewing. Hopefully I will have it all memorized by then!

Sunday - She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.

Monday - Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.

Tuesday - She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.

Wednesday - She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Thursday - Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her.

Friday - "Many daughters have done will, But you excel them all."

Saturday - Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Sunday - Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Bathroom Update

Just thought I'd share with you how my bathroom is coming along. To see how it looked before you can go here.

Now it is looking like this.

I'm hoping the toilet will be in the beginning of next week. I should have the exact shade of gray picked out this week for the walls. Then I just have to wait for the vanity to come in.

In a couple weeks it should be all back together. I'll post the final pictures then.

Frugal Friday

I've been laughed at because I sometimes save used tin foil. Not all the time, but sometimes you use it to cover something and it is perfectly clean or maybe just has a little moisture on it. So, I will wipe it off and fold it up and keep it.

I am FRUGAL!

Here are some things I do to save a little money.

1.  I wax my own eyebrows. Last time I went to get mine professionally waxed they charged me $12 and I was in and out in about 5 minutes. I realize some people have very bushy eyebrows and this might not be a good idea but I really just need a clean-up. At a drug store you can buy some wax for about $6 (if I remember correctly) and it will last you a long time. I don't remember how much it costs because I've been using the same stuff for over a year.

2.  For a while I would color my own hair. I could buy hair dye (with a coupon) for about $5. I never was all that happy with my hair, but it was cheap. My husband finally said something about my hair and gave me the go ahead to finally get it professionally done. Thankfully I have a friend that will come to my house and then I use Clairol Root Touch-up a few times in between. Saving me from having to pay every month.

3.  My daughter has long hair that is always full of tangles. I bought a small squirt bottle at the dollar store and put a little Suave conditioner that I had gotten really cheap in the bottom. Added some water. Shook it up and now I have detangler! Much cheaper than buying it at the store.

4.  I cut everyone's hair in my family (except for mine). I bought a clippers from Walgreens for $10 about 5 years ago. I has lasted us through many haircuts and has saved me a ton of money!

5.  I make my own glass cleaner. It's really easy and I love it! I never have streaks!

16 oz. water
1/2 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. rubbing alcohol
1 squirt bottle
(you can also add a couple drops of food coloring if you want)

6.  I most recently made my own laundry detergent. The jury is still out on this. It works just fine and was easy to make. The only thing I don't like about it is that it is in a big 5 gallon bucket. I usually just put some of it in an old laundry detergent bottle and then keep refilling it.

If you want the recipe you can find it on Mummy Deals with my friend Clair. I also got the glass cleaner recipe from her site.

7.  If you don't want to go through the hassel of making your own detergent, just use less of the store bought detergent. Some years back when we bought a new wash machine, the store told me that you don't need to use as much as what the bottle says. I only ever used half a capful for each load. Makes your detergent last twice as long.


What about you? Do you have anything you can share that you do to save some money? I'd love to add to my list!

They Make Me Smile

When I started this blog, it was partly because I wanted to keep track of some of the cute things that my kids say that make me smile. I've been collecting things for the last few months, hope you all smile with me.

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The following are some things that Alex has said.

"Mom, is 300 more than 12?" (Just a little)

"How old are you mom, 19?" (She's close)

Alex - "Does Satan trick people?"
Me - "Yes he does."
Alex - "What state does he live in?"
I'm thinking she wants to stay out of that state.

Me - "What do you want for a snack?"
Alex -"Crackers and cheese but I don't want any cheese."
Me - "So just crackers?"
Alex - "Yes."

Alex - "Mom, are we going shopping today?"
Me - "No, the stores are too busy."
Alex - "But it's Black Friday!"
Commercials brainwash your kids more than you know!

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The following are things Amanda has said.

"Mom, did God say 'Let there be paper' and there was paper?"

I was trying to get Amanda to say Yellow with a Y and not a L.
"Y, Y, Lellow!"

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And now for Joshua.

We were watching an show about animals on TV and they were showing whales.
Joshua - "Mom, they said the baby whale needs lots of milk, where does he get the milk?"
Me - "His mom."
After some thought he asks, "Where does his mom go to buy it?"

"Do the bad guys get fired up?" Translation - do the wicked go to hell?

"When we go to heaven do we get to watch God make the rain?"

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And then there is Isaac.

I had a bottle of de-icer sitting on the counter and it had a turtle on the label.
Isaac asked, "Mom, does that kill turtles?"
Apparently he thinks we have a huge turtle problem at our house.

I went away for a couple nights in October.
The next week Isaac asked me, "Can you go away to your friends house overnight again?"
I'm guessing he really missed me while I was gone.

Proverbs 31 - Week 2

I am on Week 2 of memorizing Proverbs 31:10-31. If you'd like to start now, it's not too late! Just start on week 1.

Before I type out the verses I'd like to share a tip with you that has helped me greatly. Ann Voskamp a while back had a post about scripture memorization and then Traci had a post more recently reminding me of this tip. If you convert each verse to the first letter of each word and use it as a cue to help you remember the verse. I have been doing this with Proverbs 31 and it really works! It's been helping me out a lot.

If you go to this online site you can plug in your verse and it will automatically convert it for you. Hope this helps you as much as it has helped me. Also, if you go to http://www.biblegateway.com/ you can search any Bible verse you want and in any version you want. I used this to cut and paste before I converted it.

Here are this weeks verses:

Sunday - She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.

Monday - She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night.

Tuesday - She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.

Wednesday - She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

Thursday - She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet.

Friday - She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Saturday - Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

May you be blessed this week as you write these words on your heart.

Frugal Friday

It's been awhile since I've shared all my deals with you. Today I have some great ones, so if you are looking for some deals I would head out soon!

This afternoon me and the kids went out on an unexpected little shopping spree.

I got these cute placemats at Target for$1.48 each.

I got these Totes boots at Kohls for $17.95. That's the total for both pairs together, not individually.

I got this shirt for my husband at Target for $4.98.

The next 4 pictures are everything I got at Old Navy. The sweater was $7.75. Shirts ranged from $1.23 to $3.49. I forgot to take a picture of the boys hat I got for $.99. The winter coat was $4.99!

My total with everything together was $65.75. Now that's a lot of clothes for that price!

They have 50% off their already clearance prices going on now through Monday!

You know you're an Indiana Hillbilly when.......

You have a toilet sitting on your back patio and when.................

Instead of a window you have a piece of plywood.

Last Wednesday I said goodbye to my bathroom.

And I came home to a layer of dust over my whole house. I gave the kids some dust rags and I vacuumed the floor and we cleaned up some of that layer.

We completely gut the whole bathroom. The bathtub was the only thing that remained and that is because we put that in about 6 years ago.

The toilet actually went to the street this morning and is no longer on our back patio. The bathroom is in the process of being drywalled and hopefully we will have tile by the end of the week.

I will post more pictures as we progress but for now we are living in a construction zone again. This is our last room! Yeah!!!!!

Weeks of Gratitude

 
It's been awhile since I posted my gratitude list. It's not that I haven't been adding to it, I have just had busy Mondays that have kept me from blogging. This list includes items from the past few weeks.

272 ~ Christian friends to laugh and cry with

273 ~ brownie pie with ice cream

274 ~ baking cookies

275 ~ watching football with my son

276 ~ napping with my girls

277 ~ chai tea

278 ~ a hot shower

279 ~ a gingerbread house and the time spent decorating it with my kids

280 ~ flavored coffee

281 ~ hot chocolate

282 ~ spending time just talking with the kids

283 ~ our family advent time

284 ~ each unique snowflake falling from the sky

285 ~ convenience foods that help when I haven't planned supper

286 ~ Hearing the kids play a new game called Bop-It

287 ~ Internet to help make it easier to pick things out for the new bathroom

288 ~ Husband home early so I can run errands by myself

289 ~ a good book

290 ~ eyes to read that book

291 ~ slippers

292 ~ warm clothes

293 ~ my in-laws watching the kids while I run around and pick out things for our bathroom remodel

294 ~ 4 wheel drive in the snow

295 ~ girls screams turned to giggles as daddy scares them

How about you? Have you tried gratitude? It will change the way you look at everything around you. It will help you not take everything for granted. Everything you receive is a good gift from your heavenly Father. Start your own list and be blessed.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord.

Psalm 92:1

Scripture Memorization - Proverbs 31

If you missed my post about memorizing Proverbs 31:10-31 you can go here and read all about it.

If you have decided to join me I will post each week the verses and the days that I will be memorizing them. Feel free to go at your own pace. If you plan to join me in this, I would love to know. I can be an encouragement to you and I could really use your encouragment also!

Sunday - Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.

Monday - The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.

Tuesday - She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

Wednesday - She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.

Thursday - She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.

Friday - She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants.

Saturday - She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.

Now, that doesn't look so tough, does it? As I put all the verses on one sheet for myself with the date that I will be memorizing it, I found that each verse coordinated with the date I would be memorizing it bringing me all the way to the end of the month on the 31st.

Wordless Wednesday

Another Christmas Celebration

Brad's parents were in Florida over Christmas so we celebrated with his family this past Saturday.

Some highlights as far as gifts for the kids, they all got suitcases. So they are all set for camping trips and overnight stays at Grandpa and Grandma's house. The boys also got Legos and the girls got Barbies. There were games, pjs, clothes, robes and the list goes on......

And here is a little brotherly Wii swordfighting.

Scripture Memorization - A Virtuous Wife

A few weeks ago I told you I would be back in January with a Scripture Memorization Challenge that I hope you will join me in. In this new year I want to challenge myself, I want to step out of my box, and I want to know scripture better. This is why I am going to memorize Proverbs 31:10-31. I have always loved this passage and think it is such a huge encouragement to the Christian woman.

I have studied the book of Proverbs twice with a study guide by Dee Brestin titled "A Woman of Wisdom". I did it the first time by myself and then a second time with a group of women. It proved so beneficial both times.

In her study guide Dee Brestin writes this about the Proverbs 31 woman.

The Proverbs 31 woman can intimidate any of us, for she seems like super woman. It is helpful to know she is a composite picture of a bride, and it is lovely to see her as well as "the Bride of Christ." Rather than being overwhelmed by all she accomplishes, look at her attitude. What permeates the chapter is her attitude of eagerness, of strength, of absolute delight in planning, executing, and enjoying the fruit of her labor.

If you read these verses you see that she does her work with eagerness, with joy. She is a generous woman, filled with wisdom and kindness. She does not complain about caring for her family or getting up early. She does it with love. I'm not sure about you, but this is not a description of me at all. I complain a lot, I definitely have no desire to get up early. Just ask my husband, he can confirm these things for you.

I hope that you will join me in memorizing these beautiful verses and be encouraged by them to be a more virtuous woman.

Since there are 21 verses, I am going to really push myself to learn a verse a day and do this in 3 weeks. I will be starting this Sunday, January 10.

Please email me if you plan on joining me and we can be an encouragement to each other.