25 days of Christmas

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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