pigtails and flattops

Giveaway--Thomas Nelson Kids--"cliques, hicks and ugly sticks"

2012-02-11T17:04:00.000-05:00

Drama, whose life isn't full of it? Just when I thought my blogspot problem was fixed something else would happen and I would lose my post for this book again. You would think after typing and losing it three separate times I would have gotten smart enough to forgo the drama involved and type it in Pages and then copy and paste. Oh no, not I. I hand wrote it at lunch one day and guess what? I can't find it.
I've always had drama in my life but I really think it's getting much worse. Maybe it has to do with working with middle schoolers everyday, cause I'm sure having four children of my own has nothing to do with it (insert big smile).

Well, now for what you came here for. "Cliques, hicks, and ugly sticks," is a wonderful middle school aged book about the drama that unfolds in the life of April Grace Reilly. This is the second book in the "Confessions of April Grace," series. As if junior high or middle school isn't bad enough throw in a selfish neighbor, a love triangle involving your grandma, "the snotties," and the news that your mom is pregnant and the drama that ensues is enough to keep you in stitches.

K.D. McCrite has hit right up the alley of most girls this age who can relate to April Grace and the drama that she is involved in. Finding out that at the age of 11 you're going to be a big sister is a huge surprise. Most small children don't take it well, but imagine what April Grace must be thinking. I won't tell you, you'll have to read to find out.

I see the drama that "the snotties" at my middle schools cause everyday and I remember those who could have been a "snottie" when I was that age. Oops, I hope none of them read this post. This is a must read for any tween girl or her mommy that grew up in the 80's. If the cover picture doesn't draw you in the story certainly will.

Click here to read the first chapter! Then come back and let me know what you think.

There are several ways to enter the contest to win your own copy of the book, "cliques, hicks and ugly sticks." Do the things below and come back here and leave a different comment for each. I will choose a winner on Valentine's Day night to win the book.

Good luck!

Here are your 5 ways to win:
1. Share an instance you or your child had that was difficult at the time, but now you can look back and laugh or learn from it.
2. Friend April Grace Reilly on FaceBook and come back and comment below and let me know you did.
3. Like mommyto4mjs on FaceBook and let me know. If you already do let me know that too!
4. Follow mommyto4mjs on Twitter and come back and let me know.
5. Read the first chapter of the book and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: As a Tommy Mommy I am able to review this book that was sent to me. The opinions are mine and I am not paid to write this post.

Bible Islands Free Pass--Educational Christian Website for Kids

2012-01-22T14:08:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited!! I have been selected to stay on as a "Tommy Mommy" with Tommy Nelson Kids. That means I get to give more books away to you my readers.

This month I have a giveaway for everyone. Tommy Nelson and the new faith based Bible Islands have teamed up to provide a website for children. The website characters teach the Bible, Math, Reading, Hebrew and other subjects using a Christian worldview through educational games.

My kids have been checking this website out the past few days and really like it. Now your kids can share in the fun. Click here Bible Islands Free Pass and sign up for your Free Pass. It's simple and fun for kids of any age. If you can get your computer away from your kids, come back and comment below and let me and Tommy Nelson Kids know what you and your kids think!

Look for another giveaway this week, for Tween girls!

Have a great week!!

2012 Week 1

2012-01-08T15:51:00.000-05:00

Welcome to those of you who are new to our family blog!

As the New Year has been around for 8 days now, I've procrastinated about updating the blog. Actually and honestly work and life has gotten in the way and I haven't had time. Anyhow, as it rains outside my dining room window, Mikie is at drill and the kids are in the basement watching a movie and taking naps, I decided to take a few minutes and check in.

I am going to attempt to do better this year in succeeded at my goals. I don't make resolutions because I know I will break them. I set goals, that way I don't have to feel as guilty for not completing them. Not that I feel guilty over much of anything anyway.

My goals for this year, 2012 are,
1. Blog at least once a week. Even if it's an update on our week.
2. Exercise everyday physically and spiritually. So far so good!
3. Send at least one card or letter each week. (I'll be sending 2 tomorrow :)
4. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify! Too much stuff gets in the way of serving God and others.
5. Keep the house company presentable at all times. (Yea, I know that lasts about 15 minutes with 4 kids.)

There they are and other than the cards I haven't failed yet.

So now for this weeks update. During Christmas break Mattie, Maggie and I had some doctors visits.

Mattie's heart murmur was heard by the doctor again a few months ago. She had an echocardiogram and it was discovered that she does indeed have a small hole in between the 2 upper chambers of her heart. She has an appointment with the cardiologist at the end of the month and will most likely have a TEE--trans-esophageal echocardiogram sometime soon. Basically a scope down her throat to make sure there is nothing else going on. At that time will know what we need to do about it.

Maggie visited the allergist for a peanut butter tasting test and PASSED! No more food allergies in our house. Of course she still doesn't like the taste or texture but the pistachios fear her when they see her coming.

I have an abnormally enlarged goiter which is pressing on my vocal cords. It has given me problems since the summer and I couldn't figure out what was causing me to be hoarse and not able to sing. I see the doctor next week to find out what we are going to do about it. Obviously my constant talking wasn't the cause. It was nice to know that my husband was WRONG for once, it's not all in my head.

We've enjoyed time with family and friends throughout the holiday season and look forward to a wonderful year of fun.

Mattie and Maggie have participated in the Director's Writing Contest at school and have placed. Mattie placed third in the poems category and Maggie first in non-fiction. There writings will move on to the next level of competition.

Rec-ball has started and Mattie and Maggie both are looking forward to getting to play this year. Michael and Mollie are justing hoping Paw comes to some games so they can buy some stuff at the concession stand.

I am gearing up for nine weeks of drama. My afternoon school is doing Alladin Jr. My morning school is still in deliberations with me as to what we are going to do. We don't have an auditorium there so staging logistics for a full drama is hard.

Mikie is working all the time either at the air guard or in the workshop or folding clothes. Usually folding clothes. :)

Kellie came over Saturday and played. The kids enjoyed a picnic in the rain in the backyard. It was a day of missing kids and runaways but all is well now.

I'm sure there are really more interesting things I could tell you about our week, but I can't think of any right now.

I'm glad you stopped by and will be praying that you have a fun and blessed 2012!

Giveaway: Heroes and Villians of the Bible

2011-12-30T09:22:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas season. As we have been packing up Christmas and decluttering and reorganizing the house for the new year, I realized I have a book from Tommy Nelson to give away.

Michael, our 6 yr old, really likes this book. I'm sure the girls will too when he gets finished.

Michael has been using Heroes & Villains of the Bible for his daily bedtime devotion. Each of the 50 stories includes an introduction to the story, Bible text and then a section to think about. It's geared toward kids ages 8 to 12. It is very appropriate for our six year old though.

One of my favorites is the story of Miriam and Moses. It begins by telling about the mean king, and uses Exodus 1:8-2:10 to tell the story. At the end there is a something to think about section. This one tells that heroes aren't always warriors, anyone can be a hero. This one touches my heart because it says, "Heroes know that they must stand up for the weak." Michael is a hero because this is his nature. His closet friend at school is a little boy who no one else will play with, he smells and often fills his backpack with the left over milk and cereal at breakfast. But Michael doesn't care he wants this little boy to have a friend.

If your looking for a new bedtime book or devotional this would be a great book. You can purchase it on Amazon or you can leave a comment below for a chance to win.

Enjoy this book with your children and learn more about how to be a hero not a villain.

How to win 2 chances:
1. Leave a comment below and tell me who you would read this book with.
2. Like my Facebook page mommyto4mjs. Then come back and leave me a comment. If you already like it just leave a comment saying so.

Contest will end at midnight New Year's Day. So while you're trying to keep your eyes open New Year's Eve come on over and enter.

Disclaimer: As always Thomas Nelson/Tommy Nelson Kids supplied me with a copy of the book to review and share with you.

5x7 Folded Card

2011-11-27T20:59:00.001-05:00

Merry Doodle Dandy Christmas Card

Quick and easy: Christmas photo cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas Picture Fun -- With a Giveaway!

2011-11-19T11:42:00.001-05:00

Sometimes we need friends, sometimes we need mentors, sometimes we get both in one person.

Back last winter Maggie found herself with a new best friend, Kellie. Their friendship started in Girls in Action at church. By summer break they were inseparable, spending several days and nights a week at each other's houses. They are so funny together and love hosting tea parties, luncheons and teaching all kinds of things. Through their friendship God has blessed me with a friend and mentor her mother, Wendy.

While Kellie is Maggie's age, Wendy's oldest three are college age, so when I say friend and mentor she has been there done that once already and now we get to do it together. I love the idea of having a friend who has experienced things with her kids before and then we get to experience them together with these two spunky girls. I know where Kellie gets her caring, loving heart from. (Sorry Greg.) Both of these Gals are a blessing to our family.

Wendy has started her own photography business, Wendy Iven's Photography this past year and I am obsessed with her photography skills. She is an amazing photographer. Last Saturday evening she came over to the house to shoot our Christmas card pics. We had scheduled and rescheduled on both ends for several weeks and finally got an hour that we could do them. Kellie came along to help and spend the night and we were keeping Ty that night so we had extra hands to help with all the animals.

I decided this was an us picture night, nothing fancy, no matching outfits, just us and some fun. I had put greenery on the mantel and a cheesy Christmas tree. I had wanted to finish it but it didn't happen. Nonetheless, we shot. For an hour we laughed, we cried, we laughed, we were scratched, we laughed, we heard sounds from the cat we had never heard before, we laughed, we were licked by the dogs, we laughed, we chased the bunny, we laughed, forgot the fish, moved the furniture, did I mention we laughed? We had an awesome time!

As Mikie went out to bring our almost one year old dogs, Maximus a Great Dane, Blue Healer mix and Lou Lou an English Mastiff up for their part in the pictures, Wendy asked if Mikie was adventurous. Now if you know Mikie you know when he shoots you the smirky, wide eyed grin he is gonna take what you just said and embarrass you. He asked what she meant and she told him she had brought Christmas lights to tie us up in, before she could say anything else he just grinned really big. Then we both knew where that was going and Wendy quickly said the kids were going to tie us up, gag us and it would be a "silent night."

An aside to this picture: I called Wednesday night to check on Kellie and Wendy since they weren't at church and after 30 minutes of listening to Wendy laugh while trying to tell me about this picture she was working on it popped up on Facebook. I'm thinking if she laughs as hard while she works on them as she did while taking them I may send them out for New Years. :)
I'm joking because she is very punctual and quick with her clients pictures!!! Okay and I have to admit I absolutely love Michael's hilarious expression in this photo. He looks like a little mischievous man.

Back to the photo shoot, Mikie brings the dogs to the porch, Maggie catches the cat and Mattie starts to get the bunny out. When I opened the door the dogs bound in and straight to Maggie where Green Eyes begins to scratch her and jumps out of her arms. Somehow she manages to get her and lock her in the bedroom while we chase the dogs all over the house. Lou Lou dug her claws into the hardwood and Mikie's hollering quit pulling her she's scratching the floor. Maximus is trying to pull the trash out of the can, Ty was trying to get out of the way. All Wendy and I could do was laugh.
Mikie sat in the floor and we finally got Maximus and Lou Lou to sit. Wendy tried to put the santa hat on Maximus but Mikie ended up with it. After licks, laughs and Lou Lou kicking Maggie out of the picture this is the preview Wendy sent.

While we waited on Mikie to put the dogs in the basement and Maggie and Mattie to get the other animals Mollie, Michael and I took a break. Can I just say, "I LOVE this picture." I think it's Michael's only sweet face pic in the whole bunch!

Then it was time to take the pictures with Green Eyes the cat and Mia the bunny and the fish whose tank we cleaned and downsized but forgot to put in the pic. I don't have a preview for those, but they weren't the funniest shots either. After that we were gagged and tied. And the kids tried to figure out how to spell NOEL, and showed their signature expressions. Then there were the friends pictures with Kellie and Ty.

The creepiest picture of the night has to be one of the faves on Facebook and Pinterest. The "Grinch!"

After it was all over, Wendy started packing her camera gear up and Mollie asked her to take one more. Mollie doesn't like to have her pictures made so Wendy couldn't miss it! Obviously I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures and I know Wendy is busily working on ours and other families too.

I know many of you haven't had your Christmas pictures taken yet. Now's your chance! I'm giving away a sitting fee for a one hour session with Wendy of Wendy Iven's Photography with a value of $50. This is good in the East Tennessee area, she is based in Jefferson County but will travel within a reasonable distance. You don't have to use it for Christmas pics, but it would be a great time to get them done.

To win you need to do any or all of the following and come back to this blog post and comment that you did them:
1. Follow Wendy Iven's Photography blog.
2. Follow Wendy Iven's Photography on Facebook
3. Follow Mommy to 4 MJ's on Facebook
4. Follow my blog mommyto4mjs
5. Tell me what kind of pictures you want Wendy to take.

So you have 5 chances to win. You receive one entry for each of the above that you complete and comment about on this blog post. Facebook comments will not be considered.

Contest ends December 1st.

Have fun looking at Wendy's awesome pics and Good Luck!

Disclaimer: This post is my opinion. Wendy Iven's of Wendy Iven's Photography did not provide me anything free only a really great time while she took our pictures. The pictures I receive I purchase and the sitting fee I am giving away is paid for out of my pocket. Wendy is a great friend and I want to see her business flourish so let's help her out.

Giveaway, Tommy Nelson Kids Books

2011-10-29T12:50:00.000-04:00

As October rolls to an end, we all know what is just around the corner, Christmas! Books make great Christmas presents. Tommy Nelson Kids has two new books now available. Our family has been reading these all month for our nightly book time and they love them.

The first Smack-Dab in the Middle of God's Love is Brennan Manning's very first children's book. Not familiar with Mr. Manning, he is the author of The Ragamuffin Gospel. This book tells children of God's endless love and showcases children from several ethnic backgrounds. Children often don't understand how God can love everyone, but we are always in the middle of God's love. This book is written for children ages 4-8.

Sheila Walsh author of the God's Little Princess Series, has a new series coming out titled Gabby God's Little Angel. Gabby is geared for girls ages 3-7 and teaches how God uses His angels to care for us. Girls can even color Gabby's adventures with these coloring sheets.

Both of these books have a great message for children and beautiful illustrations. If you aren't familiar with Tommy Nelson Kids these books are a great way to get started.

Want to win one of these books from Tommy Nelson Kids? You can earn a chance to win by commenting on the questions below, liking me on facebook and following me on twitter. That's 4 chances to win!! Come back and comment that you follow me on facebook and twitter.

Good Luck!!

Ways to enter review:
1. Post a comment below to this question to win Gabby, God's Little Angel"
"When you're not with your kids how do you communicate that God and His angels are watching over them?"

2. Post a comment below to the following question to win Smack-Dab in the Middle of God's Love
"How do you teach your children to show God's love to the world?"

3. Like mommyto4mjs on facebook

4. Follow mommyto4mjs on twitter

Don't forget to comment below that you follow me on facebook and twitter. Remember your comments must be on this post!!

Contest ends Monday, October 31st at midnight!!!

Disclaimer: Tommy Nelson Kids has supplied me with the books for this review. This review is my opinion and I was not paid.

A Hermie Extravaganza!!! and Giveaway

2011-09-23T22:50:00.000-04:00

WOW! What an awesome time to be young and learning to read. Tommy Nelson Kids is releasing a new series of books in October for children ages newborn to eight years. As a new "Tommy Mommy" I'm having A Hermie Extravaganza!

My four children ages five through nine have loved the Hermie, the Caterpillar series by Max Lucado since they were really little. When the package came, for us to review three new Hermie books inside they landed on the couch ready to read.

Mollie, who is five was excited that she could read to her seven year old sister Maggie. Although the book she picked up is a "Read 2 Me" book it is a great beginner reading book for early readers.

You can check it out by clicking on the link to the book here: Thank You God for Blessing Me. The other "Read 2 Me" book is Thank You, God for Loving Me.

Six year old Michael likes the larger book, Hermie, A Common Caterpillar. He found it a little difficult to read as a beginning reader and first grader the first few times. Mattie, his nine year old sister helped him read it the first time. Now this book has become part of the kids 20 minute required reading time each night.

All three books have been here for a few weeks and the kids are enjoying reading them. They mention names of friends at school and church who would enjoy these books. These books are great for any child to learn of God's love.

To honor my commitment as a "Tommy Mommy" and to thank you for reading my blog Tommy Nelson Kids is giving away these three books to one lucky winner. In order for me to choose a winner you must enter by Friday, September 30th.

There are three opportunities to get your name in the hat:

1. Comment on this blog and tell me your favorite Hermie book and who you would share Hermie with. Never read a Hermie book? That's okay just tell me who you would share them with.

2. Like my FaceBook page and share with your friends then come back to this post and leave a comment.

3. Follow me on Twitter, tweet about this giveaway and then come back to this post and leave a comment.

Obviously this is my first "real" giveaway so I'm very excited. If you have any problems with any of the three ways to enter please let me know.

Disclaimer: This post is my opinion. While I have been compensated by Tommy Nelson Kids, with a set of these books, I am not paid by Tommy Nelson Kids.

9-11-01

2011-09-11T21:20:00.000-04:00

When you marry someone in the military it doesn't matter if they are active duty, guard or reserves, their job is your life. As the wife of a full-time Air National Guardsman, I never imagined that something that happened in New York City, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania one day would change my life for years to come.

I had just celebrated my 25th birthday and was eight weeks pregnant with our oldest child. Mikie and I were helping keep the children of a friend who was on a prayer walking trip in Africa with other ladies from our church. That week Amy stayed with us, she was in high school then.

Mikie went to work at 4:30 that morning and I had dropped off Amy and went to school. After my fifth graders left my class, another teacher came to my room and told me, "A plane has crashed into the twin towers in New York. Don't say anything to the kids, no one knows what's going on." By the time I could turn the tv on it was lunch. I was in shock. I tried to call Mikie and no one answered. Sometime before school was out he left a message in the school office that he didn't know when he would be home.

Honestly, the next week was a blur. Amy was so scared, her Mom was in Africa with no way home, Mikie wasn't home and we didn't have any idea what might happen next. That night she crawled in bed with me and we prayed. She wanted to watch the news reports. We watched for a few minutes and cut it off.

Mikie called late that night. I don't think he was supposed to call. He suddenly had went from being an aircraft mechanic with the Air National Guard to sitting on a fence with a machine gun. He came by school the next afternoon for a minute. He was home long enough to shower, change uniforms and pack a bag to go back to the air base. I don't remember how long he was gone before he got to come home again.

Amy's Mom was gone an extra long time, I don't remember how long, 7-10 days I think. Cody called sometime that week and wanted to come stay with us so he could be with his sister instead of with a friend. Church was packed both morning services, just like every other church in America that following Sunday. Life would never be the same.

As I began writing this we were watching the documentary about 9/11. Our kids were asking questions, Mikie and I are experiencing some of the same feelings we did that day. This morning in church, Pastor Bob asked all those who are in law enforcement, fire department, first responders and others in those service jobs to stand. I looked behind me to see our friends Clark and Teresa standing in uniform, their seven year old grandson's face buried in Papaw's leg. Ty, like my kids, doesn't understand. The girls kept asking me why I was crying. Now they know. Michael, whose six, told us, "I wish Adam and Eve hadn't ate from the tree of good and evil cause then there wouldn't be no bad guys."

The past 10 years have been full of deployments, children added to our family, new jobs on base and those typical life changing experiences. I pray my children never face a day like that one. My day wasn't as memorable as others but it has still impacted who I am today.

Following the Lord's Path

2011-08-07T13:27:00.001-04:00

Everything I have known for the last six years, four months, one week and three days changed this past Tuesday. I feel like I have become a traitor. I've deserted the path of life I've known for so long and always wanted to have.

I know that this new path is the Lord's will. He has opened door after door and I have willingly followed. I have no doubts, only curiosity about what else He has in store.

I'm very thankful to have been able to be a stay at home mom for so long to our children. I am very thankful to have a husband who shared my passion for me to be home. He has worked long, hard hours everyday as well as through many deployments to make sure that I can be home and that we have everything we need. Notice I didn't say want. Living on one income has been tough at times. I'm not sure why the Lord has blessed us with the things we have. I have an ideal that it has to do with being faithful stewards with our money and continually giving of ourselves, our time and our money.

My first, before having children, passion was teaching music in the school system. Now as I reenter the workforce I get to do that again. I taught music and chorus for seven years before staying home. As my youngest enters kindergarten, I knew that I wanted to go back to work. I am very thankful for having the opportunity that is set before me this school year. A different school system and a new school for my children. New opportunities for them that they wouldn't have in our previous system, add to the excitement.

Expectations are high for me to succeed, not only mine but those of my administration and the high school choral director. It's nice to have a position where the success of your students is really appreciated and everyone wants to help you succeed. Not to mention all the technology, student keyboards and computer workstations, smart boards, elmo's, overhead projectors. Let's just say I felt like I was in music teacher heaven when I first walked in to my classroom Tuesday.

For many moms, working is their only choice and I have a very high respect for them. I have done both, worked with two kids while pregnant with the third and stay at home. I'm not sure how we are going to make it work, leaving so early for school, pick ups, working late, meetings all the things that come with working. But the Lord will take care of it. It was tough being home, it's going to be tough working.

I won't even go into the guilt that I originally felt about uprooting Mollie and not helping in her class since I did the oldest three. But I know it's best for her. I'm glad the Lord has turned my yellow brick road a different direction. I can't wait till tomorrow when I get to meet my middle schoolers at both of my schools.

The Lord works in awesome ways. What are some ways He is working in your life today?

GiveAways on Frugalissa Finds

2011-07-30T21:53:00.000-04:00

If you haven't checked out local blogger Frugalissa Finds you need to do so today. She has several giveaways running through next week. Not only will you find these awesome giveaways, but also great deals at local stores among just a few of the cool things on her blog. Just click on the link above and find all the contest and great deals!!

My summer of book reviews #1

2011-07-27T20:23:00.000-04:00

This summer I have completed a graduate level course in which I learned about using books in the classroom. During this class I read 21 Caldecott and Newbery Award books. Over the next few weeks I’m going to share those books with you.

Our family loves to read and I have found several new books that are our new favorites. Today I want to share Sector 7 by David Weisner. Sector 7 was written in 1999, is a picture book and therefore was a Caldecott Honor book for the year of 2000.

Since I wrote book reports on each of the books I read I’m going to leave them in semi-book report form for the most part.

Synopsis: This book has no words to tell the story. A little boy takes a field trip to the Empire State building. At the top in the observatory he realizes how cloudy it is. His scarf and hat are blown off. He turns to see them on a smiling cloud. The cloud takes him to the “Cloud Dispatch Center” Sector 7. The clouds give him a tour of how they are made, where they receive their assignments, the design area, the whole sector. The clouds are bored with the same old clouds. The little boy draws them as stars, fish and other fun designs. Then the other humans there discover him and he is sent back on a taxi cloud; while the cloud he arrived on is led away to be punished. As he and the other students return to school they notice all the shaped clouds; clouds the little boy had designed and how were now happy.

Illustrations: The illustrations for this book where done in watercolor. They are very exquisite. The pictures indeed tell the story. The reader is drawn into the book through the emotions of the boy and the cloud. The details of every picture are so perfect. One would feel like they are in “Sector 7” also. Words can’t describe how excited I felt looking at this book, I couldn’t wait to share it with my husband and kids. This book makes me wonder if there really is a “Sector 7” in the sky turning out clouds every day.

This book would be a great asset in the classroom or homeschool science class in teaching about the different kinds of clouds. It would help to pull students in and get them excited about learning about clouds.

Cars 2 Review

2011-07-06T21:52:00.000-04:00

Today, the kids and I took my parents to see Cars 2. We had given Papaw handmade tickets for this movie for Father's Day so we were making good on our IOU. Let me say, we woke Papaw twice in the first 15 minutes of the movie. Of course, bless his heart, he had eaten a tub of popcorn during the 20 minutes that we sat in the theater waiting on the movie to start, so a nap was imminent.

We didn't see it in 3D, although I don't think it would make a difference. The beginning is slow, so slow that I was thinking the entire time of how much money I had wasted compared to if we had just waited and bought it on DVD. I must say, however, after the action started I was pleasantly surprised.

It's nothing like the first movie, so lower your expectations before you go. But if you like suspense, drama, and spies you should enjoy this one. I don't want to give away too much about the plot. Mater is the primary actor in this movie and there are several new cars. There is a lot of action, some of which could be scary for the younger crowd.

It does have two good morals. One, no matter what people say or think about you, what you do and think is more important. You can always do good for others, even if they don't think so. Moral two is that the dents of friendship are more important than being perfect.

The kids talked about how good it was and were glad we had went to see it. I had high expectations for it to be as awesome as the first so I was a little disappointed.

Would I watch it again? Not at the theater. Will I buy the DVD? Of course, cause the kids liked it. Would I recommend you run to the theater and see it? Only if you go during the $5.00 matinee time.

Disclaimer:
This is my personal opinion. I was not given any kind of payment for my review. Actually I paid quite a bit to be able give my personal review. :)

Titanic comes to life

2011-06-19T17:21:00.000-04:00

On June 11th our family had the privilege of visiting the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee as part of the Mommy Bloggers group. Never having been to the Titanic the kids were more than a little excited about our trip. Although I had to repeatedly tell Michael, who is six, we weren't sailing anywhere and we didn't need water for our trip, he still wasn't convinced. Our tour began with the 9:00 AM boarding. We were each given a boarding pass of a passenger that was on the actual Titanic. The boarding pass gave the passengers name, their class status, age and city of residence. Also on the boarding pass is a short story of the person it represents, telling who they were and why they were on the Titanic. The pass also includes a question, such as "Would there be a lifeboat for me?"

After receiving our boarding pass another member of the crew gave us each a listening device that we would use for the new audio tour. Our group was then ushered into the front room where we found out how our listening devices worked. The kids were so excited when we started through the museum. There are two different audio tours you can listen to. There is one for adults and one for children. On the wall there are plaques with numbers on them, blue for adults and red for children. You type in the number and press play. All four of our children loved being able to listen as they wanted to their own "story." Mollie, who is four, let me know real quick she knew what she was doing and needed NO help in punching in her numbers. As you listen to the adult tour you hear the voices of actual survivors of the Titanic as well as First Class Maid Jaynee. I listened to both tours in some areas and only to the kids in others. The biggest reason being that I wanted to be able to talk to the kids about what they were hearing.

As we moved from the first room into the second, there is a large map on the wall. The map showed the route the Titanic took. As we stepped up to the interactive panel in front of the map, Mary Kellogg, who along with her husband John Joslyn, (who led the 1986 expedition to the real Titanic), told how the Titanic left port and its future demise. She shared with our family her husband's desire to never let the Titanic, her passengers and their stories disappear. Her passion for this attraction was very evident in her telling of the Titanic. Personally it was my favorite part of the tour, to hear her passion and know that she is part of this important documentary of history.

We moved throughout the Titanic first seeing how Third Class passengers lived on the boat, visiting the dog kennel, shoveling coal into the furnace and ultimately standing at the bottom of the Grand Staircase.
We ascended the Grand Staircase after a visit with a crew member who told us about the materials used in building the staircase. On the next level we got to see the difference in Third Class living and First Class as we visited and learned of the wealthier passengers on the trip. We learned about three more of the passengers on our boarding passes.

A First Class Maid led Michael to a display to see the grossest thing on the ship. I locket of hair and beard. I can't remember the passengers name but he had cut it and mailed it to his wife. Michael thought it odd, but was more impressed with the maid's British accent, trying to decide if she really talked like that even when she wasn't on the Titanic.

Continuing on we steered the Titanic, touched an iceberg, felt the 28 degree water just like the passengers did that fateful night, sent SOS messages, climbed the deck at differing degrees of sinking and sat in a life size lifeboat. The kids played in the children's area and then we had our pictures made together.

We began to make our way to the end of our tour as we found the names on our boarding passes. Each of our passengers had survived the sinking. We saw pictures that were truly amazing and unbelievable. A room dedicated to the expedition to the Titanic tells of Mr. Joslyn's journey to the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean.

We turned in our audio tour devices and descended the Grand Staircase to make a visit to the gift shop. We purchased a thimble to remember our trip. Our nine year old, Mattie has talked about visiting the Titanic since it was being built. She was very pleased with her "awesome" tour and wanted to go back through. Maggie, our seven year old loved the dog kennel and trying to find Mademoiselle Frou Frou.
Michael was impressed that we had docked in the same exact spot the ship was in outside when we entered. Mollie liked the TotTitanic the best. Mike and I were very impressed with such detail and passion that has went into this museum. We are very thankful to have been able to be a part of this tour and see first hand what the Titanic was all about.

Someone asked me at church what I really thought of the Titanic. It is awesome, everyone should try to visit it at least once. Would I recommend it for small children under four, it depends. Mollie will be five next month and two hours was a little long for her, although the Tot-Titanic couldn't have come at a better point in the tour. If your child is four or younger it would depend on their attention span, but I would probably wait until they were a little older. I wish that I had remembered to print the scavenger hunt from the website before we went, mine would have loved to work on that. The website also has educational things on it and I should have done a little "teaching" before we went. It would have helped with all their questions, but we were able to talk and research more when we returned home. Mike who is a history buff researched about the sister ships of the Titanic and Mattie enjoyed sharing in another bit of history with her Daddy.

With that being said, go visit the Titanic, check out Titanic Museum online, friend them on Facebook at Titanic Museum Pigeon Forge, TN and follow them on Twitter at Titanic USA.

Disclaimer: Opinions in this blog are entirely mine. We received free admission to the Titanic as part of the mommy bloggers invite. Pictures found in this blog are from the Titanic Museum website as pictures are prohibited inside the museum.

Mom's giant, rolling purse, the vehicle, gets organized

2011-05-29T17:36:00.000-04:00

Mom, does your vehicle look like a giant purse? Take a few minutes this week and the following ideas and turn your giant, rolling purse into an organized vehicle of transportation for you and your family. This project requires a trash can, two baskets for returning items to their homes in the house or vehicle, a laundry basket works well, storage totes, a vacuum cleaner, wipes, window cleaner and car wash supplies or money for someone else to clean it inside and out and your children.

Start by taking everything out of the vehicle, younger children love to clean out the car, older kids may need a nudge. Place all items in either the trash or the baskets. Once everything is out of the vehicle you have two choices, if you have money in your budget for a trip to the car detail and wash shop go now. No money in the budget allows for more fun at home, wipe down all leather, vinyl and plastic parts inside, clean the windows inside and vacuum out the vehicle. Don't forget to clean the cup holders and compartments where the kids stash their candy, gum, crayons and lipgloss. Removing the seats will allow you to reach those nooks and crannies where the cheerios and change are collecting.

Now move onto the baskets, place the basket of items that go elsewhere in the house to be emptied later. The basket you have left needs to be sorted. The ages of your children and your families activities will help determine what items to keep in the vehicle. Sort the items that were found in the vehicle by activity or need, than make a list of items you need to retrieve from the house or need to purchase.

Once you have determined the items you need in your vehicle, what will contain them? Check the house for baskets or totes that you can use, if you must make a purchase decide what will be in the tote before purchasing in order to purchase the correct size. As with any organizing project your needs, wants and budget will make the final decision in what will stay in your vehicle.

Here is a list of supplies that you may need or want to keep in your vehicle. The list isn't comprehensive it only serves to get you started.

Everyday use items:

first aid kit
vomit bag
trash can with extra bags
jumper cables
reusable grocery bags
change of clothes for each child and mom
sunglasses and hats
extra diapers/pull ups if you have small children
diaper wipes for spills and dirty faces or hands
activity kit or goody bag for each child
straws or sippy cups
sunscreen
hand sanitizer

Summer items for unplanned fun stops:

picnic supplies: tablecloth, paper towels, forks, cups
flip flops or water shoes
laundry bag with outdoor toys: baseball items, frisbees,

Winter items for breakdowns or weird weather:

coats
blankets
scarves and mittens

Remember proof of insurance, car registration papers and the vehicle owner's manual should always be kept up front in the glove box or other compartment where you can quickly access it.

After the inside is finished the outside needs to be washed if it wasn't earlier. Take it to the car wash or pull out the water hose and have fun with the kids in the driveway. Then enjoy a picnic at the park.

To keep your giant, rolling purse organized remove any trash and unwanted items at the end of each day's trip and clean your vehicle inside and out once a month.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Mom’s giant, rolling purse, the vehicle, gets organized - Knoxville Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/stay-at-home-moms-in-knoxville/mom-s-giant-rolling-purse-the-vehicle-gets-organized#ixzz1NmObDkiT

Who Inspires You?

2011-05-20T12:29:00.001-04:00

We all have those people, besides our parents, in our lives who have really helped us become who we are. When I was in high school my piano teacher encouraged me to teach piano to younger children in my home. I did and loved it! From that experience I knew I wanted to be a music teacher. Because of the love and support of Ms. Omega I majored in Music Education in college and taught public school music for seven years before becoming a stay at home mom. I continue to teach piano to several students and enjoy hearing and seeing their excitement as they succeed one song after another.

As my youngest looks forward to starting kindergarten in the fall, I see another chapter of my life opening up, thanks to my children's kindergarten teachers. My oldest two girls had the same kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McAvoy and my son has had her teaching buddy, Mrs. Duckett this year.

Over the three years that we have been in kindergarten I've come to realize that I will eat my words. I remember my very first day of teaching music. I had three kindergarten classes back to back and I told myself there is NO way I will ever teach kindergarten. Fast forward thirteen years, I'm chewing on those words right now. After teaching kindergarten through eighth grade music, staying home with my children and volunteering in the classrooms of those beloved kindergarten teachers mentioned above, I am proud to announce that I will be adding my K-6 elementary education endorsement starting this summer and praying for a kindergarten position. Although I know it won't be at the same school with these ladies cause that means one of them would have to quit.

I can honestly say both of these ladies have greatly influenced the last four years of my life. Watching as they involve themselves in the lives of each child in their classroom, working with parents, teaching the basics of kindergarten as well as life skills, these ladies can do it all. They have allowed me to step into their lives and considered me a friend, we've shared laughter and tears. We've comforted each other in time of pain and sorrow. We've chopped apples, dressed like pilgrims, dyed Easter eggs, panicked over emergency phone calls from parents, sang silly songs and they've taught me to bite my lip.

As summer break approaches I will miss my Wednesday fun of working in Mrs. Duckett's class with her and her extra special children and spending time with Mrs. McAvoy and her class when they team up for activities. As much as I don't want my youngest to start kindergarten in the fall, I also can't wait to get back into those kindergarten classrooms to learn more from those amazing teachers. I know that all of the kindergarten teachers at our school are as amazing as these two ladies it's just that I've spent more time with these, so please don't think any different.

So as I start the next journey in my life's book, I am thankful for teachers who not only take my children under their wings but also me. Who are willing to be "real" and themselves in the classroom just like they are in their own homes. Who inspire, encourage and believe in all from the youngest to the oldest (me) students in their classes. Thanks ladies for changing the lives of not only the students that you teach but this mother also. As the book by Robert Fulghum says All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.

Has someone inspired you to make a life change? Leave me a comment below and you will be entered to win a copy of the book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Contest ends Friday, May 27, 2011.

Disclaimer:
I have not been paid for citing this book. The book being given away was purchased with my own money.

I have barely touched the ways these ladies have inspired me, writing it all down could be a book.

My girls have had wonderful teachers every year, I've just spent more time in the classroom with these.

One lucky winner will be drawn. Good luck!!!

Chaos in the Sanctuary

2011-05-15T21:46:00.000-04:00

I told myself I wasn't going to do this but it is far too funny to let it pass.

Our two oldest daughters had the pleasure of spending Saturday night with the Worley family. The Worley's have five children ages two through eleven, four girls and that sweet little two year old boy.

When me and the youngest two arrived at church this morning, I sat in our usually pew, (Mikie was at drill), and the kids went a pew back to sit with part of the Linsley family.

The choir made its way through the hall as the Worley crew, plus my two and another young lady shuffled into the pew behind, in front of and beside me. We joked about them beating the choir into their seats.

The worship part of the service was fairly calm, other than sweet J turning her pocket inside out to drop her change in the offering plate. Then deciding that she only wanted to give a dime. I can't tell you who the deacon was at the end of the pew waiting on the offering plate because I was laughing so hard.

As Pastor Bob started into his sermon, I hear this sound, singing, talking, maybe a cell phone, I couldn't tell. I notice my youngest was under the pew and the four kids sitting on the pew where she was supposed to be were giggling. While everyone around was checking their cell phones, I'm snapping my fingers to get her attention. Her stuffed animal that she swore was broken and didn't make a sound had suddenly revived itself with some French love song. Once it was passed to me I realized the switch had been broken off and had to make a not so discrete exit to the hallway to leave the animal.

Back in the sanctuary that sweet little two year boy of theirs got upset and very loudly informed his mom that his dad had told him not to talk. Dr. C. got up to take him to the nursery and my pew of girls and I thought they were going to meet the floor. We still aren't sure what happened but there was a pretty good lunge and sudden straightening.

Michael asked to go to the potty so I let him go alone. In a minute J (same age as Michael and possibly a little too flirty together), needs to blow her nose. So K let her go out to the restroom. Six minutes later Michael and J return with grins on their faces. I asked if they had been in the bathroom together, which I was told no, that she had waited on him in the hallway.

After service Dr. C told me he only needed little C potty trained not J, (Michael has helped potty train 3 little boys in the last year. Were thinking about starting a potty training business.)

Pastor Bob does an awesome job at ignoring the chaos on the first three pews, and so far hasn't asked any of us to move to the back.

And in the words of the oldest Linsley child, "when your family, my family and the Worley's are together, the best you can hope for is a scene."

Disclaimer:
1. I used initials for the other families because I didn't ask permission to pick on their kids.
2. It probably isn't as funny as it was if you were there!
3. Mollie found her singing dog on the table in the hallway. I didn't throw it in the middle of the road like someone had figured I did.

It was a dark and stormy night!

2011-05-05T14:58:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I really wanted to title this post "Oh, Hail!" but I wasn't sure that would go over well with some people. The more I've thought about the storms from last Wednesday evening and night, I want to put some memories down.

Before school that morning I had "informed" my children that Nana and I would be getting pedicures, shopping and having lunch for our Mother's Day gifts. I told them there would be no early pickups from school today, belly aches, head aches and just not feeling good wouldn't get them picked up. I would only pickup early if they were dying. I told Mollie's Parent's Day Out teacher basically the same thing I had told the kids.

Nana and I got our pedicures and were shopping when it started raining and the wind picked up. As we were running in TJ Maxx my cell phone rung. It was Kristi, Mollie's PDO teacher. She had drawn the short straw and had to make the call. "I hated to have to call," she said. I was thinking about just telling her to let her take her nap somewhere else, but as I was thinking, "Oh what a wonderful day," she told me school was letting out early because of the storms.

Nana and I grabbed lunch and went to pick up kids. By this time the sun was shining which I've since learned is not a good thing with wild and wacky weather. As the big storms came closer to town the kids and I debated whether we wanted to go to church. But Michael, being a 6 year old genius, told me, "We are safer at church, because we can hide in the back class room downstairs and God is there. He will protect us." You guessed it, we went to church.

Mikie had decided he was leaving work 30 minutes early to beat the storm, walked to his van and had to return to his office because of a tornado warning in the county where he works. At 5:10 he called to say he was leaving, an hour after he originally tried to leave. He barely made it out of the front gate when another tornado warning was issued.

Church activities were busy that night as usual and there was only heavy rain. We stood around and talked and finally got home about eight o'clock.

As Mikie went out to bring Maximus from his outdoor kennel to the basement I heard a tornado warning had just been issued for our county. I quietly and peacefully told the children to go to the basement. Oh, okay I can't lie, they were upstairs, I was on the main level and I panicked. "Everybody downstairs, go to the basement now. I don't care that you're peeing. Finish in the basement. GO, GO, GO NOW!!!!"

I've always aggravated my Mother (Nana) that it is her fault I'm terrified of storms. The last tornado that went through our little hometown was 34 years ago. She was pregnant with me and working at the White Way. The manager didn't know a tornado was coming through town and told her to hold the front door shut cause the wind was blowing everything in the store. Needless to say when she finally decided she couldn't hold the door shut and took off to the back of the store they realized what was going on. So I'm sure there is some inter-womb caused fear of storms there. Which one day I will think to ask my friend Kristel if that is possible.

Back to Wednesday night, as we went down the steps, I turned them around and sent them for flashlights while I informed Mikie who was now standing in the backyard looking up at the sky what was going on. One of these days the inevitable will happen he will become a lightening rod. I've heard we have other friends who may join him in this same demise.

As Mattie cried uncontrollably about her friends who didn't have basements, lived in apartments and the trailer park, about the cat who was afraid of the dog in the basement and chose to stay upstairs, and the bunny in the cage upstairs that I wouldn't bring to the basement because of the dog, Maggie and Michael discussed what they would do if Momma and Daddy died. This whole conversation was taking place in a very small bathroom which contains a toliet and vanity and at that time, 3 small lawn chairs, 4 very upset kids, one sitting on top of the toliet and a great dane. I shut the door and went outside with their Daddy.

As the first hail storm began, I went to the hallway outside the bathroom and sat down. Michael was deep in conversation with Maggie.

"If Momma and Daddy get killed I'll shoot myself with my new bow and arrow. I can't live without my Momma and Daddy." Me, "Michael your new arrows barely go through the target all you will do is hurt yourself." Him, "Then I'll get out my BB gun and shoot until I die." As much as I appreciate his dying love for me and his Daddy I couldn't help but laugh. Mikie broke up the woe is me and made them go to the sliding door to watch the hail storm. Once it stopped they had fun playing with it. And of course hollering "Oh Hail!"

This whole event occurred within 15 minutes of getting home from church and the power went out in the process. We spent the night in the basement, sat in the bathroom several more times, one included Mikie when he saw a cloud he didn't like the shape of over the lake. At 4:30 the next morning when Mikie got up to go to work we all went to our own beds. School had been canceled and we slept for a few more hours. Once we got up I surveyed the damage, which fortunately wasn't too bad, considering our neighbors got much worse. Pictures on the news and Facebook showed the damage to our friends homes and cars and to our little hometown were an F1 had passed through tearing up the high school and lots of homes.

As the kids and I spent the day doing basically nothing cause we were mentally and emotionally exhausted I thought about how God has blessed us. I don't know why He continually blesses my family. We aren't anything special, we just try our best to follow His will and do what He tells us to do. I pray for those families in my hometown and other counties close by that have damage and have lost loved ones. I can't understand why the Lord lets things like this happen. But I've realized it's not for me to understand or comprehend. Only to trust to Him.

My Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T15:08:00.000-04:00

Ok, I have to admit, I only watched about 5 minutes of the entire Royal Wedding television event of the 21st Century. My girls on the other hand watched longer. They questioned why Prince Philip is not King and how the whole monarchy thing works, and why we Americans care in the first place. None of which I understand either, maybe someone can enlighten us all. Anyhow, we were pleased to see that Kate looked just like any other woman on her special day. Beautiful!

It got me thinking about my own wedding 13 years ago this month. It had been planned for 14 months and had grown from a small, simple affair to a much bigger, longer, more expensive gathering. It would have been much easier to have eloped or gotten married in my parents back yard (where I wanted to). Being the only daughter, my mother wanted everything in my wedding that she didn't have in hers. She and Daddy were paying, I obliged on everything except the dress.

The last few weeks became very nerve wracking. My soon to be husband was on a deployment and cutting it too close for comfort on his arrival back home. But nonetheless he made it home just in time. Our very talented soloist delivered her child early and was still able to grace us with her beautiful voice. The church's new carpet, pew coverings and wall paint were finished the week before our ceremony, a little behind schedule, but done. I appreciated them wanting to have it done before our ceremony, but everyone was a little nervous it wouldn't be. The new electronic grand piano had been ordered to replace the old organ and was late on delivery, so I spent the day before the ceremony playing and recording all of the instrumental music to its computer memory. Papaw had been placed back in the hospital, and bless his heart, promised me he wouldn't die (like he had a choice) until after our wedding if I promised to reserve him a "missing man" position on the pew. I did and he didn't, the Lord took him home to be with Mamaw two days later.

The day of the wedding was pretty laid back thank goodness. We didn't follow most of the wedding etiquette that Ms. Post would recommend in her books. We took almost all the pictures beforehand including the ones of Mikie and I. We let people in the door as they arrived, some out of town guests arrived extremely early. My piano students and the children from the church's children's ministry (where I was working at the time) were honorary bridesmaids and groomsmen. They wore their Easter outfits and sat on the front pew in front of the family, because all children love weddings and should be able to see what's going on up front. No one stood as I walked in or out, because we both had Grandmothers who were not physically able to stand without assistance at length and we wanted them to be able to see.

The maid of honor hurt her foot the week of the ceremony and so she hobbled down the aisle way. Daddy and I slowly walked down the aisle to where my mother and Nana were seated when I realized I had left their roses in the back window of the church. I stopped, turned around, motioned to the wedding director to bring them to me. At this point the flower girl was heading back down the aisle when she stopped and crawled in Mom's lap, so she handed her off to the wedding director when she brought the roses. After giving the roses to Mom and Nana, I took a step and heard this extremely loud, air being sucked out of the room gasp by the 300+ people in the Sanctuary. As I attempted to take another step I felt my dress pulling behind me and thought that the wedding party would be viewing something they didn't need to be seeing. I had managed to get my train caught on the bottom of the candle holder fastened to the pew. As I had stepped the candle holder had tipped and my quick on her toes cousin had managed to catch it before it hit the new, just installed the week before carpet, or my dress.

We made it to the alter, where the Pastor proceeded to preach a 15 minute sermon before Daddy gave me away, he asked me if I took Mikie as my lawfully wedded wife, Mikie plighted me his "trough," I got really nervous and Mikie had to hold my music book while I sang to him (but it kept him occupied), it lasted 45 minutes and we exited to the "Hallelujah Chorus." Mikie let out a big, redneck whoop on the front porch of the church as we went out and half of the Hell's Angel's Motorcycle group must have been passing by.

Yes, it was a wonderful, eventful, hard to forget wedding, that will never be seen on national television or talked about for decades to come, but it was my day of royalty and no one else mattered. Well ok, maybe Mikie did. And my children love to watch the replay with Mom and Dad and have vowed if they get married it won't be anything like ours.

Do you do chores or jobs?

2011-03-18T10:19:00.000-04:00

Do your kids have chores or jobs? We have both. Chores are done daily and pay in hugs and attaboys. Some jobs are daily, some are weekly but they pay commission. We've used chore/job charts for a long time to list what needs to be done, how much it pays if it does and when it needs to be done. We use them for a while and then it seems we get bored with that particular process and I switch to something else.

Even the kids get bored with the commission process. I've noticed lately that we are having more difficulty doing our chores/jobs because of a couple of new shows on PBS Kids in the afternoon. Then one of my piano student's Moms told me she has started paying in electronics time. So for each job/chore done correctly the child is awarded so many electronics minutes with his Nintendo DSi, computer time, TV times, etc.

So for the next few weeks in our house we are going to try this, especially since Spring Break is next week and I won't be letting them lay around and watch TV everyday. Although that's what they will want to do. It will help with getting the work done around here and give them a chance to earn some TV time. They can earn enough time daily to watch a 30 minute show or can save their minutes for a longer time period.

I have typed up a new chore/job chart for them to check off and I think it will bring new excitement to our jobs.

This won't be a long standing process, I plan to use it for 4 weeks. I will then go back to commissions because I get paid in money for jobs that I do for others and I expect my kids to develop a work ethic.

I know that we are going to have a few issues with the payments in minutes process because some of my kids could care less if they don't watch TV and other's will get up extra early to do all the chores/jobs for the day to get all the minutes. So I will have to manage it well as problems arise.

The other problem, and the main reason we will only do this for 4 weeks is that there is no way to tithe our TV minutes. It's hard to turn in a voucher to church for 10% of our time in front of the TV. However we can tithe 10% of our time in our Bible reading before we watch TV.

My hope is that this process will get things done around here a lot faster and without much argument. I think it's a great idea and am thankful for the Mom who gave me the idea.

Our first week starts Sunday, so we will see how it goes.

I can't upload my chore/job chart so if you would like a copy please email me and I will send it to you.

And if you know how to help me get it on my blog, please let me know!

Have a great weekend!!!

Advent 2010

2010-12-08T13:17:00.002-05:00

Two years ago when my children were 2, 3, 5 and 6 years old, their Dad was deployed through Christmas, I purchased an Advent wreath. It was made of different sized boxes. I stuffed each box with a goody or a note for a goody. You can use this same concept with anything that you have 25 of at home, like paper cone trees on the table, 25 mismatched socks, or 25 brown paper bags. Below you will find my gift list for this year’s 25 days of Christmas. Each of the gifts is typically limited to $1.00 per child, since there are four, including the outfits they will receive on Day 1 and Day 12. I purchased those at Belk in February for 98 cents as I have the last couple of years. I budget and buy all year for Christmas so I am able to find really neat gifts for $1.00 or less.

1: Check the foot of Mom and Dad’s bed. (a new Christmas outfit or shirt for each) (put note in calendar)

2: Afterschool trip to Sonic for a half price slush (place 4 $1.00 bills with note in calender)

3: Cadoozles pencils. They're mechanical and have cool colors and decorations. Look for them at office max. The kids got 2 each.

4: Note for Movie Night @ home with popcorn and Pepsi (soft drinks are treats @ our house)

5: Trip to the Air Base and watch Daddy’s plane take off (note)

6: New Board game (I’ll have to check my stash) (note, game on table)

7: Choose gifts to purchase for Samaritan’s Purse (money budgeted in Christmas gift budget)

8: Note of encouragement for youngest 3, eat lunch with Mattie @ school

9: Super Glow Wands, sword, stars. Dollar Tree after Halloween

10: ICEE from Weigels
11: Cookie baking with friends to take to Nursing Home

12: New Sunday dresses and suit (for church Christmas program)

13: Lunch with Maggie, notes of encouragement for other 3

14: Drop, Ring and Run gifts @ Neighbors (dollar tree hand towel, pot holder, etc)

15: Lunch with Mattie and note of encouragement for other 3

16: New Pj’s for Pj day at school (bought @ consignment)

17: Trip To Air Base to pick Daddy up.

18: Veggie Tale’s movie (free with Pre-buy of Sweet Pea Beauty)
19: Coloring Book/Word Search Book

20: Christmas shopping with Daddy for Mommy (yes more than $4 but time with Daddy is priceless)

21: Grammy's 3 day Christmas Adventure with the cousins

22: No gift today, still at Grammy's

23: Ride and look at Christmas Lights

24: New Christmas book

25: Baby Jesus is here and placed in the Nativity set and Daddy reads the Christmas Story

Think about your children and let your ideals come from them and their interest.

We also use a book with a devotion for each day of Advent. Some families read a little bit of the Christmas story each day until Jesus arrives.

Merry Christmas,

Michelle

PS. Since I'm late on publishing I will tell you school was out today, the 8th. So I couldn't eat lunch with Mattie. Instead each child spent 15 minutes with me alone doing what that wanted to do with no interruptions from anyone else. Of course they loved it and Mommy did too. Michael doesn't have a special lunch day because I worked in his room the 2 days before Thanksgiving and ate lunch with him both days.

For more ideals check out my post from last year about the 25 days of Christmas.

Dear Dave,

2010-07-26T18:34:00.000-04:00

Back in January I wrote a letter about our journey to becoming debt free. I've read it at the Leadership Team Meeting one month for Building a Better Future but never published it. When I sent it in to Dave Ramsey the events team asked for a photo of our family and permission to quote from it at live events.
Below you find my letter to Dave, for safety sake I've removed names because I am becoming a little more paranoid for the kids safety online. But I wanted to share it with you. We will be starting another Financial Peace University Class in August. Contact me if you need info. Hope you enjoy!

January 18, 2010

Dear Dave,
This letter has been many years in the making. I grew up in a “tight” family. As a child we lived on the envelope system, only ate at McDonalds if we had a coupon and always took our own cheese for our burgers. Mom never taught me to use the envelope system but she did teach me not to buy if you didn’t have the cash. We used credit cards and paid them off each month.

My husband’s family was just the opposite. His father owns a construction company and they live from house to house often using draws on the business for living expenses.

When we married in April 1998 our financial knowledge, or lack of, collided. We financed furniture for our first home which my husband spent five months building. Then we financed our first computer. Both payments were no interest if paid on time and paid off in a certain number of months. We had the money to buy both with cash and didn’t. We needed to establish our credit right? Stupid we know now. We both were working, spending, and living paycheck to paycheck with not much to show for it.

Five years later we had sold the first house, built a second, had a one year old and pregnant with a second child. The war in Iraq started and my husband was deployed. When Turkey closed its borders to our military personnel, his unit was sent to England to wait with most of the other units. Fortunately, he was home in six weeks. During those six weeks away, he had a lot of time to read, listen to the radio, surf the Internet and think.

We both knew that God had called me to stay at home with our children. My husband was full time with the Air National Guard with a big desire to finish college and take over the family construction business. When he returned home he wanted nothing more than to use a budget. We had tried in the past but always gave up. This time though we knew it would be different.

In June of 2003 we decided to take a huge step, our families thought we were crazy of course. My husband had learned about you and Crown Financial Ministries. We started the Crown 13 week Small Group Study on our own. It took us five and a half weeks. At the same time we were reading and studying your books. We did both because we wanted a Bible study that we could do together that gave us the Biblical reasoning behind what we were doing. But we also knew that we needed to apply your principals to really stick to it.

Fortunately the only debt we had was our mortgage. I was a public school music teacher and hated the thoughts of having to return to work in the fall. Our second child was born in October and then I returned to school after Christmas. I think it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I knew that it wouldn’t be much longer and I would be home full time.

We learned to live on his paycheck and save mine. Every three months we would pay a chunk on the principal of the house and reamortorize. Our mortgage began to shrink and I could see my next career a little clearer.

Our oldest child was three years old and our second was 17 months old when our only son was born. He was born into a debt free family, with a stay at home mom and a dad who at the age of 31 had returned to college while working fulltime. It’s took him six years but he will graduate from Carson-Newman College in May with a Bachelor in Business Administration. We had paid our mortgage off in three and a half years, had an emergency fund of nine to twelve months, and even paid cash for a used, reliable minivan. Fifteen months later our fourth child was born and we knew that our family was complete at this stage in our lives.

During these years we had taught the Crown Small Group Study at church because honestly our church just wasn’t ready for Dave Ramsey. We often had friends over for dinner and conversation usually led to money. I always felt and still do feel guilty talking with friends who have so much debt when we don’t have any. But then I look at the cars they drive, their home, their clothes, their children’s expensive activities and the fact that both of them work to keep up with their lifestyle and I realize I shouldn’t feel guilty. I should feel sorry for them.

In December of 2007 three couples had dinner at our home on separate nights. Each couple had the same mission when they invited themselves over, seeking advice with their money. By January we had registered a new Financial Peace University class for our church. The first class had 17 families. Another couple and I provided childcare free of charge. In the fall of 2008, he taught his second FPU class before being deployed through the holidays.

During his deployment I began promoting the next class. Worried and afraid I would let my guilt get in the way, I prayed and started the class as he returned home. We finished in April. This time he provided childcare.

We met last spring with one of your ELP’s to discuss our retirement and wealth building. He said we were on the right track. Although it had taken us 11 years we can live comfortably when the housing market bounces back, he retires from the guard and begins building houses. Thanks to you and a great military package offered through the Shades of Green we took our then seven, five, four and two year olds to Walt Disney World for the first time last summer.

Friends often ask me if I will go back to work when all the kids are in school. I don’t know, I want to have a flexible schedule so I don’t miss out on anything. What I really want to do is counsel other families and help them with their money, time, and family management skills. But I want to be available where there is a need and I feel led by God. I believe that I will be able to do that thanks to your teachings, our sacrifices and God’s grace.

To close I have a couple of stories I would like to share, the first about our now seven year old daughter. When she was five the compact disc player in the van always played the cd’s from Financial Peace University. One day she heard you talking about the bridge that Jesus built. She began to question her daddy about that bridge. She prayed that day to accept Christ as her Lord and Savior. For our family, Dave, you not only taught us how to manage our money but also encouraged our daughter in becoming a Christian.

The other story is about our six year old daughter. She has had the hardest time with you Dave even though she has known no different. She often makes comments about you when she is upset about not getting something she wants. Our family favorite was during a weekly trip to Dollywood last summer. She wanted popcorn and coke during a show. I told her no that I didn’t bring enough money and she could eat a snack that we brought. She replied with, “I guess Dave Ramsey won’t let me have popcorn, huh?” Sorry Dave, but at least she got it.

Last spring my husband went to church to watch the Town Hall for Hope, I put the kids to bed and turned on the radio. Our second oldest daughter’s asthma was acting up and so she was lying on the bed with me. As we listened, she asked, “Why does Dave Ramsey know so much about money?” I told her that at one time you had a lot of money, then you owed and didn’t have much money and now you have a whole bunch of money. She told me she was just tired of us always talking about money and Financial Peace and Dave Ramsey. I turned and looked at her and said, “You know, because of Dave Ramsey and God, Mommy gets to stay home with you. If we hadn’t listened to Dave Ramsey I would take you to daycare every morning and go to school to teach.” I stopped to let it soak in for a minute. Before I could say anything else she replied, “Sh, Mom, Dave Ramsey’s on the radio.” Thanks Dave. We lived like no other, so now we can began to live like no other.

How Do I Get My Blog Off Facebook

2010-06-23T21:49:00.000-04:00

I don't know what I did to get all my blogs on my facebook notes, but they are all there. I don't want them to be there. Does anyone know how to stop it from sending them to facebook?

How Do You Spend Your Tax Refund?

2010-03-15T21:36:00.003-04:00

I finally filed our taxes tonight. You would think working at H&R Block that I would have done them sooner. But no, I procrastinate. Having four children and the Making Work Pay Credit give us a pretty good chunk of a return. If it weren't for the kids we wouldn't get anything back. We don't have a lot taken out of the paycheck. Better to have the money in hand each pay period than to loan it to Uncle Sam and get it back at the end of the year. Because of the kids our tax liability is low to zero every year which we love.

After I filed I sat down with a notebook and my return and budgeted our refund. Now I'm not going to tell you how much we got back total but I will give you some idea of what we are going to do with it.

Each person who worked this year will receive up to $400 back on their return. If you didn't work or worked very little you will receive up to $400 too. So I decided that since the President wants us to spend some money in this poor economy we should split the amount we will receive and use it as blow money. I have lost 27.5 lbs so far and think that a new spring wardrobe on the government is exactly what I deserve. Well of course Mikie doesn't., so we compromised. I can spend $100 on clothes, he gets $100 for whatever he wants. Hopefully clothes, cause he's lost 2 pants sizes too. But nonetheless the rest will purchase new living room furniture and I can move the money I was saving for it to something else.

The next thing we agreed on was to take the amount we received from the additional child tax credit and split it between the four kids mutual funds for college. It won't be a huge amount but it will help in this year’s contributions.
We received a month's worth of Parent's Day Out fees in the daycare credits so that will be budgeted for PDO. Which will free up some money in the monthly budget.
Then we had about half of the refund left. I was thinking I would use it for school, my teaching license runs out next year and I've only taught 4.8 years of the 5 years that I needed to teach on this license. That's what 4 kids in 4.3 years gets ya.

Anyhow, after talking with Mikie we decided it would go into the used car fund. So I'm keeping my eyes open for a newer Suburban. As for school, Mikie will graduate in May and we still have money saved from his degree. I can also use military spouse options. Now I just have to decide on what classes I want to take.

So I know that most people use their refund for vacation, to pay off bills, or buy a car. But what will you do with your tax refund? Leave me a comment and let me know!

How Do You Carry Your Debt?

2010-01-12T15:56:00.002-05:00

I’ve been asked to speak next week to a community group about our family’s journey to being debt free and to share some ideas that will help others. As I was writing out my speaking plan I noticed my three year old stuffing rocks in her back pockets. She kept saying, “Please turn them sideways mommy.” Her pockets are not wide enough to turn the rocks sideways so they had to go in the best they could. It reminded me of a friend who had started Financial Peace University several years ago when we first started teaching it.

My friend’s family had been in debt for a long time. She was ready to be out of debt but her husband wasn’t ready to get on board. They have several children, in fact they could be the modern day Brady Bunch. She started the class, came the first week, called two days later to tell us she had taken a part-time job and would have to work on class nights. The next time we taught the class she came for a class or two and her second part-time job conflicted with class night. The third time we taught the class she didn’t even try to come because she was doing Financial Peace on her own. She had read the book, listened to the cds and worked out her budget and plan. She came up to me one Sunday night at church. “Here,” she said handing me her purse. I looked at her like she was crazy. Then I dropped her purse in the floor. I didn’t expect it to be heavy so I had just took it from her. Before I realized it had hit the floor she began to laugh.

I asked, “What in the world have you got in there?” “Rocks,” she said nonchalantly. Before I could ask anything else she continued. “Those are my burdens, my debts. Each one represents a credit card, medical bill, student loan, car loan and the mortgage.” She had chosen rocks by size depending on the amount of debt. She had used a Sharpie marker and labeled each rock. By the time I held her purse she had paid off three smaller debts and removed those rocks. Once paid off they were placed in the creek behind her house to be washed away.

I encouraged her as she spoke to hurry and get rid of a few more of those before she messed her back up. I haven’t seen her the last few months, she’s usually working on Sundays. But the last time I ran into her she was working fervently to get rid of a few more of those rocks.

As I watch my three year old trying to carry around her rocks. I watch her pants fall down and she pulls them back up. I think about the debts that people carry. The debts that pull you down like those rocks, sometimes their heavy, sometimes you slip on them. But please don’t let them weigh you down. Use those rocks to your advantage. Carry them not with worry but with confidence that this year you will start to send those rocks down the creek. Start with the smallest ones first.

If you’re a visual person like me fill your purse with rocks. Every time you go through the drive-thru or stop for coffee you will see those rocks. They will be a reminder that it’s the little things that get you out of debt.

I Challenge You!

2010-01-05T09:50:00.006-05:00

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

As the new year begins many people make resolutions. A resolution according to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary is, “solving: the act of determining.” You actually determine what needs to be fixed in your life and resolve to change it.

I’ve quit making resolutions, this year I’m working on challenges. When I challenge myself I’m more likely to complete whatever I have set out to do. I also have an accountability partner that I share with depending the challenge.

I’ve lost weight before but it always seems to find me. By going to Weight Watchers I am accountable at weigh-in. Plus it costs me twelve dollars a week whether I go or not if I want to continue.I am seven pound from my goal weight.

I have been challenged by several people, including myself to read my Bible daily. This is year I am following the Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan. We received a copy from church. You can visit their website www.discipleshipjournal.com and print your own copy. I have three accountability partners my husband and two of my best friends.

Another challenge that I am continuing this year is to spend the 8-9 PM hour, after the kids are in bed, in quiet time. Joining me in quiet time will be my Bible, my book of the week and my journal. I take notes as I read and once I’m finished reading both books I will write about my day and anything God has shown me that day. This is when I hope to write my devotions to share with you.

Our family challenge is to simplify and declutter our lives, not just our home but our activities too. We are starting with clothes. Laundry will be washed each day and put away. When a new piece of clothing comes into the house, an old one must go out.

I think about Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. The serpent came into the garden and tempted Eve. He challenged her to eat the fruit of the tree that God told her and Adam to stay away from. Genesis 3:7 says, “At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness.” Then God sent them out of the Garden of Eden and they were met with challenges every day.

Before you challenge yourself this year, pray and ask God to show you what His “challenges,” plans are for you. Don’t suddenly have your eyes opened because of the serpent only to realize that your naked.

Today’s scripture is Matthew 3:1-12; Acts 3; Psalms 5 and Genesis 12-14. It doesn’t take long to read, but stay focused.

Tell me about your challenges for this year. Have you committed to reading the Bible daily? Leave me a comment below and let me know.

Father God,
I ask you to show me today the challenges I need to pursue this year. Help me recognize them and work heartily for you as I complete them. Because you give me the rewards that I deserve.
Amen

25 days of Christmas

2009-12-01T10:43:00.003-05:00

Last year Mikie was deployed for 10 weeks from October through January. To help get the kids into the Christmas spirit I bought a new advent wreath. Each day is a little round box. I remove the lid and place a small treat, money or note in the box. Last year I filled them all at the same time. This year that won't work. They've already opened them all to see if there is anything in them yet. Last night before I went to bed I placed a note in the #1 box. It said Check Mom's Closet. They visited my closet this morning and found a new outfit for #1 and #4, a dress for #2 and reindeer sweater for #3.
They were excited about new outfits except that when they sing for the tree lighting tonight they are supposed to wear a Christmas outfit or red and green. Their new outfits aren't red and green and they don't think Christmas outfits should be blue or pink.
For the rest of the week they will receive a note of encouragement, couple of quarters, note about something special we will do that day, etc. Some days they won't receive, but will give. For example to Samaritan's Purse or a trip to the Nursing Home. Each Tuesday they will receive another gift like a music cd, movie, or pjs. We aren't doing much candy this year since we are eating healthier.
I have budgeted for these gifts in my Christmas budget so they don't cost me anymore than I would normally spend. Gifts are inexpensive. The girl's outfits I bought at Belk's on Valentine's Day for $.98. Yes, 98 cents each. The kids love getting and giving all year but the excitement builds during December.
I think their favorite day last year was our trip to the nursing home to sing Happy Birthday Jesus for the residents. They've already asked me if that will be one of their "gifts" this year.
You don't have to make your gifts expensive, just make them fun. A new journal for each child and you to write notes in to each other. It could be a simple spiral one subject notebook that they can decorate and a cool pen or pencil. A cheap $2.50 Christmas cd from Wal-mart. A $5.00 movie you can buy out of Red Box at Walgreens. A special lunch you packed them or a lunch suprise of you eating with them at school.
Think about your children and let your ideals come from them. It's not to late to start your 25 days of Christmas. Have fun with it and post your comments and let me know how it works.

Michelle

Random Thoughts from the Looney Bin

2009-09-10T13:46:00.003-04:00

Schools been in session one month and I'm still not in the swing of it. If mj2 wasn't so organized and focused we would be in worse shape than we were already. Between two meetings a week for church not to mention the regular Sunday and Wednesday activities and Mikie's classes two nights a week, one of us is not here at the kids bedtime every night. Tonight we both miss it and Aunt Randa gets to tuck them in.

It's gotten so bad that mj2 wore pink on red day, took boxes of scooby snacks instead of individual packs and we "tossed" four bags of stuff from the girls bedroom floor. No, I didn't throw it away not yet anyway. It is in hiding so that when I decide I will go through it, toss what I can, give back what they need and they will have to earn the rest of it back.

Last night as I waited for my 8pm meeting at church all four kids were arguing in the hallway, something they usually don't do at church, thank goodness. I made the comment to someone in passing that I was beginning to think I needed to be committed to the looney bin. At least it would be quiet there, right? Then I realized quiet isn't what I need. Organization and maybe a wooden spoon is what I need. If we were more organized at home like I am with my volunteer stuff we could find mj2's sandals, that LifeWay receipt from two weeks ago, and my sanity.

After all if momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy. So as I embark on the new me, organized, healthy, learning to say no, I went today and joined Weight Watchers. While I'm writing this blog I'm waiting on the Weight Watchers website to load so I can check it out. Counting points is going to be the easy part, exercise well let's not go there.

I was looking at my schedule the other day and thinking of all the things that I've committed myself to this school year. Here is a list: WMU director, preschool choir director, 1st-3rd grade handbell director, music minister search committee, mission's committee for new building project and that's just church. Then PTO board of directors member for the girls school, classes at Block in case I go back, teaching piano and mj1-3 have joined the local children's choir. Helping Mikie with his classes, not to mention keeping up a home, being a wife and mom to four. WOW, think I need a nap just writing it all down.

Now I know that you really don't care what all I have on my plate. If you're reading this blog in the first place I am thankful but you are probably like me and need to get a life. A life that is more exciting on most days and that is worth the time you spend on it during your waking days.

I thought the other night as I laid in bed about telling mj4 that she has to wait another year to play or cheer for Upward Sports. As a three year old it's hard to understand. But then I got to thinking about all the things we have to wait for in life and how frustrating it is to wait. Then I realized God has waited on me so many times. Especially since I became a Christian in eighth grade. He waited on me to ask Him into my heart. He waits on me to ask forgiveness everyday. When I don't show up to spend time with Him, He waits. I wonder if He ever gets tired of waiting. No, probably not, He waits on me to realize that I can't "do" life without Him. Although I know He should be first in everything I do, He waits until I make Him first at the moment. And He's there. He listens and if I would stop long enough to listen He would talk back. He's there no matter where I am or how crazy it is at home. He just waits and then blesses me with what I really don't deserve. I'm just thankful He knows more than I do.

Thank you Lord, for waiting on me. Help me Lord to priortize and put you first each day so that the rest of my day isn't so crazy. Thank you for the crazy times though and for seeing me through. Amen.

Gotta go, pick up at PDO and school and the crazy continues.

Michelle

(In)Courage

2009-08-12T13:25:00.003-04:00

I've found an awesome new website which is part of DaySpring. There are a lot of great bloggers on this site. They will (in)courage you greatly. Hope you like them. Here is the link. Check it out.

http://www.incourage.me/

Maggie's Bull Frog

2009-08-08T22:24:00.004-04:00

During Vacation Bible School I taught the 2 year old class. I always have a kiddie pool full of sand outside the fellowship hall for the kids to play in. This year was no different. I covered it with cardboard each afternoon. That particular week in June found us under tornado watches and warnings three afternoons. By Wednesday the pool was full of water on top of the sand and the kids couldn't play in it. Friday afternoon during clean up it was still full and I couldn't lift it to empty it. This past week, 6 weeks after VBS, Mikie and our family friend Mark, went to empty the pool. When Mark tipped it to pour this weeks worth of rain out something jumped out at him. I wasn't there but would have loved to have seen Mikie and Mark's faces. What jumped out was a large bullfrog and a smaller one.

Mikie hollered for Maggie to come see what they had found. He picked up the larger frog, the little one hopped away, and handed it to Maggie. She carried it through the parking lot to the pavillion before she headed to the playground to show off her frog. The kids on the playground were terrified of the frog. They were running around and screaming, trying to get away from her. She pretended to kiss it. She was so close that if it had moved she would have kissed it.

Maggie got in the car, Slimy the frog in hand, and we rode home. I told her, "If you let that frog go we won't make it home." I just knew she would let go, Slimy would jump across the seats onto my shoulder or lap, I would panic and we would wreck. Well, fifteen minutes later we unloaded at the house, Slimy still in hand. Everyone of our kids held it. Mattie pretended to kiss it too.
Maggie carried Slimy around to the patio and placed in the plastic pool. It had just a little water and lots of bugs. Frog paradise? So we thought.

The next morning before we went to register Mattie for second grade we went to check on Slimy. Maggie couldn't find him. One side of the pool had fallen over, she lifted it. "Slimy shrunk," she yelled. Out hopped a smaller, bumpy frog. Definetly not Slimy. The look on her face was priceless. She really believed that he had shrunk during the night. She couldn't catch him. So while my eggs burned on the stove I chased Sparkles around the patio. Finally she was back in the pool. We fixed the pool in hopes that Sparkles would not escape. Off to registration to meet Mattie and Maggie's teachers.

When we returned home Sparkles had jumped over the side of the pool and was gone also. Maggie was sad and looked all over the yard for Slimy and Sparkles but neither could be found. An exciting evening and morning, a new pet gone. A little girls heartbroken but ready for another adventure.

Maggie will catch something else one of these days. She's afraid of nothing. For the time being we will keep Green Eyes the cat, and an aquarium of fish and snails. But come Knoxville Fair time we hope to bring home a huge bunny. And to answer Uncle Buddy's repeating question, "Why can't you get those kids a normal pet, like a dog?" Dogs are fun but catching your pets is more fun. I figure I'm going to be catching that bunny a lot in the next few weeks.

How Much Money Should I Spend in each Category?

2009-05-23T10:21:00.001-04:00

Working on a magazine article this week I realized I had never put a budget percentage guide on here. The guide is just that. Your budget may not fit all the suggested categories exactly. The point is to equal 100%.

Suggested Guidelines from several sources.
Charitable Giving 10-15%
Housing 25-35%
Utilities 5-10%
Food 5-15%
Transportation 10-15%
Medical 5-10%
Clothing 2-7%
Insurance 5-7%
Debt Payments 5-10%
Invest/Save 5-10%
School/Childcare 5-7%
Misc. (personal, recreation, vacation, gifts) 5-10%

Our typical monthly percentages for a family of 6 :
Tithe/Charitable Giving 15%
Housing (no mortgage) 6%
Utilities 10%
Food 11%
Transportation (no car payments, mostly gas) 14%
Medical 5%
Clothing 1%
Insurance 3% (medical ins through work)
Debt Payments 0%
Invest/Save/College 15% (pay debts first, then retirement, then kids college)
School/Childcare 7%
Misc. (personal, recreation, vacation, gifts) 13% If you have debt this should be your lowest category.

Remember when budgeting to follow these steps:
1. Track your spending. Write down everything.
2. Priortize your money. What can you cut?
3. Categorize your budget.
4. Make your budget work for you.
5. Don't give up. It will take several months before it starts to work and you will have to tweak it often. But don't give up.

I know it is overwhelming. We tried budgeting off and on for over 3 years before we finally stuck to it. But it is the best thing we could have done for our family. Please leave questions and comments. I know what I'm trying to get across and sometimes I leave things out. Have a great Memorial Day weekend.
Michelle

e-mealz link

2009-05-07T09:09:00.003-04:00

Here is the link for e-mealz if you want to check it out. This link is through their referral program so I get a credit if you sign up and it doesn't cost you any extra.
Thanks,
Michelle

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Lowering your Grocery Bill

2009-05-07T08:58:00.001-04:00

Everyone is tightening their budgets these days, even those of us who have been pretty tight in the first place. One way that I’ve tightened our budget is in the food department. For our family of six the food budget includes not only food ate at home but also fast food, sit down restaurants, school lunch, cleaning supplies, beauty, hygiene, paper products and anything else that I can’t toss into another category.
I try to use coupons when I have them. Although I find that most of the coupons in the Sunday paper are for items that we don’t use in the first place. Food City is the only grocery store in town and that makes shopping a little tricky also. I’m stuck with purchasing there or going 20 minutes to Wal-Mart where I spend way too much money on things I really don’t need. I try to bypass Wal-Mart unless I have no other choice. If you use coupons you should ask the store if they will let you use their store coupons as well as manufacturers. If your regular grocery store provides an item by aisle list use it to make your shopping list. It will keep you from wandering the aisles and picking up items you don’t really need. Check with the grocery store and find out when they mark down meats and produce. You can usually get a really good deal if you just know when to shop. And by all means shop on double and triple coupon days.
I’ve come across several other ways to cut the food budget. Many of you may use these already. The ideals I’ve wrote about today aren’t new, just ones that I’ve come across lately. They may spark another ideal in you. I’ve noticed that Target has printable coupons in their emails. Although I only get to Target once a month at most I check those coupons out to see if there are any I will need. Kroger will let you load your coupons on to your Kroger card through their website. Check it out if you shop there a lot.
You could share meals with other families. Join with a friend who has the same number in their family as yours. You each could cook enough food for three days. Double those three days recipes and swap the extra. If you do this on Saturday or Sunday afternoon, swap on Monday, then you have your three meals you’ve cooked plus your friends three she gave you. Voila, a weeks worth of food and you don’t have to cook the rest of the week. Not only will you save money but time also. Don’t forget you may need to freeze some of those meals for the end of the week.
If you’re up to cooking all in one day, plan and cook the next weeks or several weeks meals before you need them. Or cook once a month and make several favorite recipes and freeze them for a quick meal. If you can go home and just warm and serve you won’t be as likely to pull through the drive-thru.
Speaking of planning, make your meal plan out for the next week when you get the grocery ad for your favorite grocery store. You’ll know what you’re eating when and can plan around the items that are on sale. Or if you really want to save time and money and you can join a new online service I am now taking advantage of. It does cost $15 for three months but I’ve found it has saved me a lot of money and time.
It’s called e-mealz and is run by two moms. When you subscribe you choose a meal plan based on the grocery store or diet you use. After you purchase your plan you will log on each week and download your meal plan for the week along with your detailed shopping list. We’ve been using these meal plans for the last six weeks. We’ve not had any meals that weren’t good. Some we’ve liked better than others but none have been bad. By using the detailed shopping list I’ve saved money and more importantly for me right now I’ve saved time. The first week I spent $51 on the menu plan plus another $60 on breakfast, lunch, toiletries and laundry detergent. I also had not been to the grocery store in three weeks either. On average we are now spending $12-$15 per day to feed our family three meals and snacks each day. Some days it’s even cheaper. I know what we’re eating before supper time rolls around and most of the recipes are quick and easy.
I’m sure some of you have money saving techniques too. Please comment and share with the rest of us.
The link for e-mealz is www.e-mealz.com. Hope everyone has a great rest of the week. If you have a budget or money question let me know and I will do my best to answer it for you.
If you are just now starting to track your spending and use a budget go back and read some of my past blogs for ideals.s

Go figure.

2009-03-05T23:17:00.003-05:00

After I posted all the knoxmoms blogs on here I realized you need to read them from the bottom up for them to make sense. But after you read these the next one will be right.

Envelope system blog for knoxmoms

2009-03-05T22:55:00.001-05:00

I’ve mentioned that our family lives on cash by using the envelope system. I’ll explain our system then you can put your system together in a way that best benefits your family.
My husband’s paycheck is direct deposited every other week into our checking account, which runs statement wise, the 21st through 20th of the month. our monthly budget runs this way too. Since his paychecks are the same each pay period we budget for the whole month, cash a check for the amount needed to fill the envelopes and fill them.
We have a fireproof safe that we keep our envelopes in. I’ve purchased a plastic, medium sized accordion file with 13 pockets. I divided the categories up into the following: auto, house, food, entertainment and recreation, clothing, childcare, medical, property taxes and car tags, insurance and the last one is gifts. In the last two pockets I keep envelopes and index cards. Mike and I get a small amount for blow money each month. There is no envelope for that. It goes straight into our wallets.
In another accordion file, same size but different color, I have categories for charity and church offerings (separate from our tithes), retirement, college savings and we each have a pocket for our spending money and finally a bank pocket. If we write a check we take the money out of the corresponding envelope and put in the bank envelope for deposit.
Within each category there are several envelopes. For example house includes electric, water and maintenance. The phone bill and Internet are taken straight out of the bank by the company. Auto includes gas and oil, maintenance and AAA. Entertainment and recreation has vacation, books, activities, hobbies, magazines and the local newspaper. All except the vacation envelope are filled on an as needed basis. The vacation envelope is filled every month.
As I fill each envelope I label the outside to identify it. I then date the index card and put the amount of money that is in the envelope on that day. This helps me in two ways. I can pull it quickly to see how much is in it. Then the next month when I’m half way through filling envelopes and I have to stop to break up an argument (which happens every month at the exact time I fill envelopes) I can look at the amount already in there and figure out if I’ve filled it already. I try to check the category off as I fill it but it doesn’t always happen that way.
I carry the Dave Ramsey Deluxe Envelope System for my wallet. They come in several colors and styles. My envelopes in my wallet are food, gas, gifts, blow money, church and miscellaneous. I keep $20 in the food envelope at all times. My blow money is always in there as long as it last. When I go shopping I put more money in food and gifts. If I’m buying items for the preschool/children’s department at a place the church doesn’t have an account I take cash to pay for those items. Miscellaneous can carry anything else. I write the date on the misc. envelope, where it is for and the amount of money in the envelope. When I need gas of course I fill that one too.
When the cash runs out in my wallet it is time to go home. If we run out at home its time to eat what is in the pantry and stay home.
If you have a monthly budget the envelope system is a great tool for helping you stick to your budget. It’s not hard to set up or follow. You just have to be willing. If you have any questions or I need to clarify anything let me know. Have a great weekend and keep budgeting.

January 20th knoxmoms blog

2009-03-05T22:52:00.000-05:00

As I hinted in last Thursday’s blog, today I’ll give you some ideas that are free or cheap and fun. These are ideas I’ve picked up from friends, magazines, books, television and my kids. We have tried all of these. I’ll just list them so they are easier to read.

C Cheap- Making homemade playdoh. I’ve got at least 10 different recipes for homemade playdoh. It’s cheap and you probably already have all the ingredients you need. Here’s one to try: 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 2 cups water, food coloring or 1 pkg of koolaid, 2 tbsp cream of tarter, 4 tbsp of oil; stir together and cook, it will take about 5 minutes to form a glob, knead, take out of pot and knead again as it cools, add food coloring, separate for several colors, store in airtight containers. There are other recipes that don’t call for cream of tarter. Google homemade playdoh and you will find a recipe you like. Use cookie cutters and rolling pins to play with it.

C Free- Family game night. You don’t have to buy games, make up your own. Our kids love to take a pack of cards or colored paper and make up their own games. Our favorite board game is Monopoly. We often play volleyball in the den with a soft rubber ball, $1 at the dollar store. Think of your favorite childhood game and teach it to your children.

C Cheap- You have to eat. Let the kids decide the menu from something you already have in the house. They can help you cook it, set the table, and be the servers. This of course depends on the age of your kids. Mine are still little and think this is great fun. Teenagers may not agree. Of course you could always tip your server. Give them the change from your pocket, 15 minutes extra staying up time, an extra story before bed. You could have an indoor picnic, spread a tablecloth on the floor and eat.

C Free- It’s freezing outside as I write this, literally. But the afternoons warm up a little bit. Bundle up and go to a park to play, or let the kids play outside at home. I don’t suggest playing at the mall if you are trying not to spend money. It’s just too tempting.

C Free- Clean out the toys. Kids can pack away toys they haven’t played with in a long time. If you think they may play with them at a later time keep them and pull them out when they are bored with the others. I know the kids won’t think this is much fun, but you will when you see a cleaner, less cluttered toy room. Offer them a reward like staying up late on the weekend.

C Free- Knoxmoms.com- Check out the datebook here on knoxmoms for free and cheap activities. We all know knoxmoms is a great resource.

These are just a few of the things we like to do. If you have other ideals please post them as a comment here or as another post. With four children, three of them at home all day we are always looking for new things to do. And I’m sure others are too.
Have a great week,

Michelle

january 15th knoxmoms blog

2009-03-05T22:48:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year’s! I apologize for the length of time since I last wrote. I hope that everyone has met as a family and set their family goals for the year. As the economy continues to get worse and more people are being laid off families have to learn to be tighter with their money. Depending on your need and willingness to make ends meet it can be done. It may be really, really hard and it may require a lot of sacrifices. It may take several months to see a difference. It may also require asking for help, don’t be ashamed. There are a lot of places you can contact and get the name of someone who can help you with your budget. Below is a few things that may help you tighten your budget.

$ Credit Cards- If you already owe on them you can try to negotiate with the company for a lower percentage rate. If you have the money, pay more than the minimum each month. If you don’t have the money to pay it when it comes due, don’t use it. I’m not sure if you are aware or not but if you negotiate a payoff with the credit card company it can effect your tax return. Depending on the company you may receive a letter or form stating that you paid off a certain amount. The difference in that amount and the amount you still owe may need to be added as income on your tax return. Most credit card companies including store credit cards will turn the difference in as a loss. And you are responsible for turning in the income that they consider you made. Check with your tax professional and get advice on how to handle the situation.

$ Electric Bills- I don’t know about you but my electric bill alone this month was $300. That is pretty average for December and January though. But yet I still only budgeted $125 this month. Why? I called my electric company and asked them if I paid the same amount all year what amount do I need to pay? They looked at my bills for the last 12 months and my average was $125. I could pay that amount every month to the electric company and then at the end of the year if I owed more I would pay the difference. If I had paid too much they would credit my account for the next month or two. Since we use the envelope system and I like having that money at my disposal just in case, I budget that amount every month. We did dip into it the month that gas was $5 a gallon. But I put it back in over the next couple of months as we had leftover money in the gas envelope.

$ Not life sustaining needs- Ok, I know I’m going to catch flack here from some of you. But I would not sleep well if I didn’t remind you what you already know. Satellite, cable television, Internet, cell phones, movie rentals, movie theaters, etc, are not life sustaining needs. Yes, they make life a little happier but they are also very expensive. If you don’t need it get rid of it. We have an antennae with a converter box. No, I’ve never seen Jon and Kate plus 8 except in Today’s Christian Woman magazine; which was a Christmas gift. Yes, we do have Internet and cell phones but it has been in our budget for a long time. And we don’t have to have them so we could get rid of them if need be. The last movie we rented was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe when it came out. The last movie we saw at the theater was The Pink Panther. Only because we chaperoned our youth group trip to the movies.

I know not everyone is willing or can be as frugal with their money. But think about something that you don’t really need or use that cost you every month. And do something about it. I don’t think the economy is going to turn around anytime soon. So we all have to learn to live a little tighter and be willing to help others.
I have another blog ready to go. I will post it at the beginning of next week. It has some free, cheap and fun ideals for family time. Have a great weekend.

Michelle

Answers to my 10 questions

2009-03-05T22:16:00.002-05:00

So I realized that I hadn't posted my answers to my 10 questions from my starting the new year goals. I thought you might be interested in what they were. If you missed the post here are the questions again with my answers. If you and your family haven't answered them yet now is a good time to do that.

1.List the three most important things to you today.
my kids, my husband and God (I know they're not suppose to be in that order. Therefore I am working on that as one of my goals.)

2. If money was no problem, list three things that you couldn’t live without.
a maid, wireless Internet, a maid

3. List three things that money can’t buy, that you can’t live without.
God, my husband and my kids

4. What is your view of money? Your husbands? Your kids?
my view: security, food on the table, clothes on our backs, gas in the car
his view: a tool or responsibility that can be used to provide good (when used properly) or harm (when used selfishly)
kids view: just starting to understand what money is, how it works, think they need it all the time, but end up putting it in the offering plate on Sunday

5. How much money in the bank would make you content?
I'd like to have at least a years worth of living expenses, but am content with just having something.

6. What is your ideal financial situation in 5, 10, 15 years?
5 years: living tightly like we do know but able to splurge a little more often
10 years: still living tightly but able to give even more than we do now
15 years: working just for fun, not needing the money to live on, giving it to those who do

7. If you had $1000, what would you do with it? (This will help you see where your priorities are.) Honestly I would want to blow it all on me but that wouldn't happen. So I'd tithe to the regular budget my 10%, give $50 to a charity of choice, give each of us $25 to blow, $100 per child for ESA's, $200 for retirement and $100 for a fun day out

8. What could you do without if you suddenly found yourself in a financial crisis?
We don't have cable or satelite and live pretty light already. So I would have to say the cell phone, money in retirement each month, Parent's Day Out, Wednesday night dinners at church, buying gifts for everyone just because we like to give.

9. Are you willing to track your spending and work on a budget? Already do.

10. Are your marriage and kids worth it? YES!

2008-12-27T22:45:00.003-05:00

So I've been blogging for the last few months on www.knoxmoms.com as budgetingmomma. I decided that I would also start posting them on this blog also. I hope that it helps someone out. Here is the latest.

When the new year approaches many people will set their New Year’s Resolutions. In our family we set 3 goals per person and as a family for the year. Some are short term like Mike coming home from his deployment. Others are long term, saving for a first time trip to Walt Disney World during fall break, potty training the last of four children.
As you set your New Year’s Resolutions or goals think about your finances and were you want to be financially this time next year. Do you want/need to be debt free? Do you want to purchase a new home or car? Do you need to start saving or paying for college or retirement? Do you just want to have money leftover at the end of the month?
When I read a book or magazine I like to take notes in my reading journal. Below are 10 ideas that I’ve read about or come up with on my own from my journal. You might want to think about them as you set your resolutions and goals. These are great for family meetings.

1.List the three most important things to you today.
2. If money was no problem, list three things that you couldn’t live without.
3. List three things that money can’t buy, that you can’t live without.
4. What is you view of money? Your husbands? Your kids?
5. How much money in the bank would make you content?
6. What is your ideal financial situation in 5, 10, 15 years?
7. If you had $1000, what would you do with it? (This will help you see where your priorities are.)
8. What could you do without if you suddenly found yourself in a financial crisis?
9. Are you willing to track your spending and work on a budget?
10. Are your marriage and kids worth it?

I hope that you will take these lists and answers to the questions and work on getting your financial house in order. We’ve all heard that 2009 will be about change. There is no better way to see change in your own home than through your finances. Less stress, less clutter from materialistic items we don’t really need, more time together, stronger relationships. Hum, maybe some more goals for 2009. See how it all goes together?

I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2009. See ya next year.
Michelle

new to this

2008-04-13T16:03:00.001-04:00

Ok, so I am new to this whole blogging thing. I don't know exactly how everything works. Honestly, I just want to try it all out and see. So here it goes. Let's see what happens.