Garden Update 2

It's been almost a month, and the garden is coming along well. Green is coming up in every square. This is amazing as my primary focus was to get something to grow. I was very worried that I would do all of this work and nothing would sprout. Thanks to a little God water, rain, the garden is making progress, and the progress is much faster than I anticipated. Phase one is complete. Now I have new worries…what happens next? I spent all of my planning time making sure my soil was correct and my box was built to specifications. I chose my vegetable types with care, and have been diligent in my watering and maintenance. I was even worried about the garden when we went to Surprise, Arizona, but luckily God answered my prayers and let it rain while I was gone. Now I water and wait, but how will I know it is time to harvest? What will it look like? How do you harvest it? I guess I will have to go back and reread that part of the book. Please continue to pray for me and the garden. Here are a few pictures and a list of what I have planted.

Note: The last picture shows my "hybrid" plant.  I accidently put two seeds in one square.  Ooops. So I have a basil/pepper plant...they are fighting for the square right now.  We will see who wins!


Squash
Peppers
Lettuce (Romaine)
Lettuce (Green Leaf)
Basil
Oregano
Tomato
Carrots
Onion

Daily Word

About two months ago I confiscated a daily meditation book from my husband. I wanted something to read on the bus that would enhance my relationship with God. It only takes a few minutes, but I have found it to be very helpful. It's called "The Word for You Today – Strength and Guidance for Daily Living" and it is produced by World Hope Ministries. I believe we received our copy for free by making a donation online at http://www.worldhopeministries.org/.

I wanted to share a sample of the word from Tuesday, April 27^th, and I encourage you to request your copy and read along with me. The scripture referenced is Isaiah 40:31 "They will soar…They will run…They will walk." The major point of the reading was that "Faith doesn't exempt us from life's seasons; it just enables us to go through them victoriously." What season are you in? Are you a flier, a runner or a walker?

If you are a flier you are being "blessed by God and experiencing success beyond your natural abilities." If you are a runner you "thank God you are still in the race…your time will come." If you are a walker "Some days pain, discouragement and fatigue make it impossible to fly high or run; all you can do is walk without fainting…Walking counts with God."

I now know I have been through all of the seasons at some point in time, and it is ok. I made it out of the walking stage, kept my stamina up in the running stage, and soared in the flying stage. Every day with the Lord is a blessing. Be encouraged today.

Here is a great country song by Chris Young...love it...just keep moving towards the man/woman God wants you to be.

Someone Should’ve Told Me

Couponing is very interesting to me and has been a benefit to my family and our budget. I have clipped and organized, combed the internet for deals, and submitted countless mail in rebates. I am now tired. I have also realized that most of the things that are on sale, or freebies, I have already purchased. I have come to realize that I don't need another tube of toothpaste, or another toothbrush. I have enough floss to hold me for about a year or more. I have enough bars of soap, good quality soap, to wash my entire family and guests for about a year. I have more cleaning supplies than I have house to clean. Let's just say I am stocked up! After this realization I discovered that couponing, even for couponaholics, goes in cycles. I know that sales go in cycles, but I had no idea that my stockpile would go in cycles too. Couponing is really only fun if you are getting things you need or want for "rock bottom prices," but now that I have all of those things, thank God, what do I do now? Someone should've told me that it is ok to stop "major" couponing for a while.

Yesterday, I went to Walgreens and I did not have the urge to flip my register rewards. This is very unlike me. All I wanted to do was buy something at a good price and use my rewards to get the price even lower. I went to the clearance isle and discovered some great children's toys for 50% off. The toys would go great in my gift closet for birthday parties we are invited to. I also found a great set of books with a read along CD for my daughter. I got them all for $7.55 and I was overjoyed. I was also excited to finally rid myself of the register rewards. Walgreens register rewards are hard to keep up with, which is probably why I have never blogged about them. There are so many rules associated with using them, and it takes a lot of effort to get great deals. Now don't get me wrong, great deals come with register rewards, but you will have to work for it. The register rewards also expire very soon after you get them, much sooner that CVS extra bucks, therefore you are always looking for ways to flip them. Once I realized that the items that were offering register rewards were already in my stockpile in mass quantity, I decided to let the rewards, and the work associated with them, go for now. My CVS extra bucks will probably disappear soon too because truth be told, I think my house has everything a drug store has to offer.

Contrary to my initial thoughts about couponing the theory is not "go hard or go home". It is more like "get what you need now and come back when you need more." I will stop my major couponing for now, but will start again when my stockpile warrants it. I will not post deals on my blog while I am "off" (too tempting), but I do encourage you to build your stockpile as needed. Visit the blogs I used to read with fury and get your pantry ready for battle. I will still shop with coupons, but I will not do all of the grand research I once did until I need too. Sales go in cycles and so does couponing.

Happy Birthday Nay!

Happy Birthday Nay!  We love you.

Happy Birthday Daddy

Happy Birthday Daddy!  Love you.

Surprise...We Made It

We have survived the trip to Surprise, Arizona. All I have to say is WOW. I will take pictures and post them upon my return. At this point in the trip I will have to say Surprise has been eye opening. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. For now...good night. More to come tomorrow.

Video of the Week

OK.  I will admit that American Idol falls short this year, but I just love Crystal Bowersox.  I don't know why the competition continues when she IS the winner.  I will buy her first album.  Take a look.

P.S. - If you saw her performance tonight...oh my...that girl can sing!

MLBC Discussion #4

Let's continue our discussion.

1. In one particular scene where Tee is trying to analyze all her problems, she says "…ignorance is not bliss. It just means that when life slaps you upside your head you can say, 'Where'd that come from?' and halfway believe yourself." How do you interpret this thought? Do you agree that ignorance is simply an excuse?
2. Tee sees herself as a voice from the past whose message serves as a warning to a new generation: "And I'm writing [my story] all down…so I can give my grandbaby a word or two of advice, not that they'll listen. Some things you just have to learn for yourself." What message would you tell the next generation? What warning did your parents give to you that you just "had to learn for yourself" and couldn't take their word for it?

Portions of the questions for this discussion came from the Touchstone Reading Group Guide found at the end of the novel "What Doesn't Kill You."
Leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

Where Have I Been?

I am sure you realize by now that I have been ghost for a few days. I have plenty of good excuses lined up, but the bottom line is I was a little busy. I normally post on my blog at night, but lately I have been too tired to do so. When faced with typing or sleeping, I seem to choose sleeping. I apologize for not keeping up my end of the deal, posting daily, but I do hope you understand and can find it in your heart to forgive me. It was not personal.

For this post, my catch up post, I would like to update you on a few things that have been going on in my life. Perhaps a peek into why I have been so tired lately.

1. My garden. There are many sprouts now. My daughter and I are diligent about watering every day. She is a great helper, a little messy with the water, but if I forget she always reminds me. Every square has something green popping out, and the squash is really growing quickly. I have not surpassed phase one of my garden…making something grow. Now I am nervous about what to do next. I will have to do a little more reading to feel confident that I know how to harvest each crop when it is time. How will I know it is time? I don't want to pick too early or too late. Either way, keep praying for my crops. I am very hopeful and excited about the possibilities.
2. My floors. Saturday we have the carpet in the house cleaning for only the second time since we purchased the house six years ago. The first time was last year, and we committed to continue the tradition in order to keep our light colored carpet in good working order. We use a company called Texas Best, and have been very satisfied. The process is not a steam clean, which puts water into the pad under the carpet and generally just hides the dirt, but a topical cleaning process. Texas Beat has been able to remove all stains in our carpet, and brings life back into our light colored carpet. They are also cheaper than the other companies in the business. (Not like you didn't see that coming. We had a coupon too!) Also, for the last two years they have sent the same person to our house, and the carpet dries in about an hour. Great service which I highly recommend.
3. Our anniversary. Yesterday was our sixth wedding anniversary. My mom came and took care of my daughter, and my husband and I took the night off. It was wonderful. We didn't do anything different than we would normally do with a night out (movies and dinner), but we really enjoyed each other's company. We did see the new Tyler Perry movie at the theater of our first movie date. We didn't buy gifts this year, and I really enjoyed that believe it or not. We are very hard to shop for, and gifts can not accurately reflect what our anniversary means to us. We agreed on a house gift, and used our day to spend time talking without interruption. It was very nice. Just like the old days.
4. Our new appliance. While the carpet was being cleaned my husband installed our house gift…a new energy efficient dishwasher. We realized that we use our loud, contractor grade dishwasher every day, and it was on our list of upgrades for the house. Also, Texas is offering a rebate for upgrading to more energy efficient appliances, so our decision was almost a no brainer. I really like our new Maytag, and I know it will make my dish duty a little easier.
5. Soccer…not yet. Saturday my daughter and I went to cheer on one of her classmates at his YMCA soccer game. I have been researching this activity, but I jumped at the opportunity to see it in action. I was concerned about my daughter's age and her ability to really enjoy soccer at three years old. So her classmate's mom invited us out to see for ourselves. To make a long story short, we will wait until next Spring for soccer. My daughter and her friend were very excited to see each other as both had been waiting for this moment all week. Her friend got out there and practiced before the game, and we watched and cheered. Then the game started, and her friend would not play…under any circumstances (or bribes). My daughter's friend was convinced that they were supposed to play together instead of play soccer. We tried all game to get him to play, but no luck. So they played on the sidelines, his dad coached, and everyone was happy. I am going to apologize to his mom for being distracting; however I have been assured by his dad that his lack of play was fairly normal. We all agree that three years old is just too young.
6. Little Gym. My favorite thing from last week was also on the agenda for Saturday. My daughter had a wonderful time, and another one of her classmates joined her class. They both seemed to really enjoy being in class that day. I also enjoyed having a friend to talk to outside of class. Also, I won a prize for signing my daughter up for the next two semesters…yippie…I never win any prizes.
7. Arizona. Our family is headed out to a mini-vacation this weekend. We are going to support my mom as she plays tennis in Surprise, Arizona. Yes, I had to look it up on the map, but it only about 45 minutes outside of Phoenix. I think we are all excited for this break from the norm. I will take pictures and let you know how it all goes. My daughter loves plane rides!
8. Mopping…not really. So many of you know I have discussed my shortcomings here on the blog, and as an update I would like to address mopping again. Most know that I did not mop, nor did I really know how to mop…so I tried my hand at it. Well, I have not done it again. Yikes. I Swiffer because that is what I am good at, and when I need to have the floor mopped…I ask my husband to do it…and he graciously obliges. I want to do better, really I do, but I will need more prayers on this one.
9. Book Club. Thank you so much to those who have made it through our first book club reading. The book was wonderful, and I have many more discussions planned. Please keep an eye on the blog for our next discussion question. I am researching our next book selection as we speak, and I will let you know more as the time draws near.
10. Family and friends. As you get busier I know it becomes harder and harder to connect with family and friends. I really try hard to keep in touch, but I am not always successful. Just a word of advice if you are in the same boat…just do it. If someone crosses your mind, call or email. Take the first step. You will be glad you did.

Love you all. Have a great week.

MLBC Discussion #3

The epigraph quotes at the beginning of each chapter are just wonderful. I enjoyed reading the chapter searching for their placement within the text.  The are absolutely hilarious at times.

Out of the following epigraph quotes: 1) Which one did you like the most? 2) Which one best describes your life now?  3) Which one best describes your life 5 years ago?  If you so choose...please elaborate.

If you didn't get to read the book, you can join in on this one.  Which quote do you feel best describes your life now? and then?

Options

1. "...all you can do is mop up the aftermath, dump it in a giant personal hazmat container and move on." (Chapter 1)
2. "Ignorance is not bliss" (Chapter 4)
3. "...my turn to get up off my knees and strut my stuff." (Chapter 10)
4. "Some things are worth forgetting" (Chapter 12)
5. "Somebody scream!" (Chapter 15)
6. "...the only thing standing in my way is me..." (Chapter 16)

Video of the Week

So funny.  This baby is really trying to get her point across.  I hope your week has been wonderful.  If not, only two more days to go!

MLBC Discussion #2 - RON (Part 1)

By popular demand it is time to discuss Ron.  When Ron is first introduced, in the hotel with Tee, how did you view him?  Did your view of Ron change as the time progressed?  Do you think Ron is too young for Tee?  Was Tee wrong for going out with Ron and playing the Gerald card when things got too HOT?

If this book were made into a Lifetime movie...who should play Ron?  Any suggestions?

Let's talk.  Leave a comment.  What do you think about Ron?

My Life Book Club - Discussion #1

So the day has come.  It is time to have our first discussion. "What Doesn't Kill You" by DeBerry and Grant was a great read, and will surely offer a lot to talk about in the coming posts.  For our first discussion I would love to hear your overall impression of the book.  How did you like it?  Was it an easy read for you?  Is this book the same or vastly different from what you would normally read? 

To leave a comment click on the title of this post "My Life Book Club - Discussion #1".  Once the post opens, scroll to the bottom of the page to the comments section.  Click on "Post a Comment" and you are ready to go.  You can choose to identify yourself or not.  It is up to you.  If you see a post you would like to reply to, just post another comment and reference a fellow reader's post.

So let's begin.  Tell me your first impressions of the book.  I will post a discussion every few days, and see where it leads.  Thanks for participating. (Remember the authors could be listening...read more here.)

A Few of My Favorite Things

I apologize for the late post.  I was experiencing technical difficulties yesterday.

Here is another one of my favorite things.  (See original post here.)

The Little Gym is one of my favorite things.  It is very hard to find quality acitivities for children that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  The Little Gym does wonders for my child and my budget. My daughter started in parent-child classes, and has now started going to class by herself.  The Little Gym has given taught her teamwork, has boosted her self-esteem, and has given me an hour once a week of peace and quiet.  I love watching her learn, and now I am beginning to see her advance with her gymnastics.  If you are looking for a great place for children, I highly recommend The Little Gym.

Learn more by visiting their website - http://www.thelittlegym.com/

Top 5 - When It Rains

Today it rained in Houston, and no one saw it coming...not even our very experienced weather forcasters.  We were told that it would not rain for the next 7 days, and on day one...it did.  So in honor of today's Spring showers, I present to you the top five reasons I love the rain.

1. Rainbows.  My daughter loves them too.  It is very refreshing to see a rainbow after the storm.  (That could preach, but I will leave it alone.  I am sure you get the picture.)
2. God Water.  My garden loves water from on high.  When it rained the other day the very next day I saw the first sprouts in my garden.  There is something about the water from Him.
3. Sleeping/Relaxing.  I love to here the rain pitter patter on the window...it is very calming. Maybe I should get one of those noise machines programmed with the rain.  Great idea!
4. A good excuse.  You can use the rain as a good excuse if you are running late, or you want to get out of an appointment.  (I am not saying I do this, but it wouldn't be a bad idea.)
5. Wash away the old. There is something renewing about the rain.  It washes dirt away.  When you go outside after the rain things seem clean and refreshed.  Perhaps a clean slate is what you need to get started again.

Honorable Mention - Umbrellas.  I love them, but can't keep up with them to save my life.  I have lost many...and I need a new one as we speak.  The question is should I spend lots of money on a cute one I know I am likely to lose, or should I go cheap.  Hmmmm.

Happy Saturday.

Thrifty Thursday (On Friday)

A constant here at My Life As… is the Thrifty Thursday Deals of the Week. (This week on Friday.)  Here are the rules I try to live by when compiling the deals:

1. I will list the best deal, in my opinion, for each store.
2. I will give you the item and the coupon you should clip and take to the store.
3. I will link back to the website I received the deal from so you can see more matchups.
4. I will try to stick to those items that are free or nearly free.

Happy Shopping!

Kroger – Week of 4/7 – 4/13
McCormick Grill Mates Spices – $1
-Use $1/1 McCormick coupon (Red Plum 3/14)
Final Price = FREE

Read more here.

 Randall's (Safeway/Tom Thumb) - Week of 4/7 – 4/13
Prego Pasta Sauce - $1.25 (Limit 4)
-Use $.50/2 Prego coupon (Smart Source 2/7)
Final Price = $1.50 for 2

Read more here.

Also, grapes are 99 cents per pound finally!

Thanks Shellie.

Sorry...

My mom is here tonight...enough said.  Gotta catch up on Young and the Restless. (Read more here.)

My Square Foot Garden

Here is a little info about my garden.  It is not the normal garden, but it is just right for me.  I learned about it while reading a post on a fellow blogger's website, Erin the $5 Dinner Mom.  (Read more here.)  She talks about her gardening method, and I thought it might work for me.  I checked out the book, read it, and decided to jump in with both feet.  The prospect of growing my own food it so exciting...and frugal.  Here is the info on the book.  (Here is the Amazon link, but it is cheaper and it shipped faster from Walmart.com here.)

Here is a video too...

You should try it!  I will keep you up to date as things grow in my garden.

Video of the Week - Just Pictures

No video this week...just pictures.  The garden is complete and the seeds are in the ground.  Take a look. Also, read my original post here.  I will keep you updated as green appears...hoepfully.

The place where it all started.

My supplies.  Box, dirt, tarp.

The seeds...a lot of them.  Many different kinds.

Mel's Mix

My loving and supportive husband.  Thanks honey.

It's done.  Seeds are in...can't wait to see what happens.

My little helper...yes...in a Snow White dress.  She insisted.

My Guilty Pleasure

Something you might not know about me is I really enjoy watching the Young and the Restless. Yes it is a soap opera, and I have been watching it for years. The stories are interesting to me, and it gives me a minute to think about the lives of fictional characters whose lives are more messed up than mine will ever be. I rarely miss an episode. I DVR it at home, and I watch it online at cbs.com when I need to catch up quickly. When I watch it on DVR I know exactly how many commercial skips to use in order to get to the next segment. I got started with Y&R while watching with my mom, and I think she started by watching with her mom. I guess you can say it's tradition. Anyway, I really enjoy watching it because my mom still watches it too, and if we somehow have nothing else to talk about during our daily chat, rest assured Y&R will give us plenty to discuss. We love chatting about the characters and trying to guess what will happen next. We even say we are going to voice our opinions to the writers for how they are treating our favorite characters. I love Phyllis. She is a little bad, and always in trouble it seems, but I enjoy her character. My mom likes all of the black people, especially since they are the only five in Genoa City. We are very tired of Adam and could do without Gloria and Jeffery. I am always amazed that the writers never seem to run out of stories to tell. As a self-proclaimed writer, I hope to always have something to write about even if it's just my love for Y&R.

Happy Easter

Resurrection Sunday - He is risen!

Today:

Church was wonderful

The Word was honest and right on time

The weather was beautiful

Family time was re-energizing

A great day.  Jesus lives.  Get to know Him...you won't regret it.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Photo from one of my favorite movies - Sound of Music as they sing "My Favorite Things".

If Oprah has a list than so can I.  I would like to share with you my favorite things.  These things may come from various parts of my life (motherhood, wife, employee), but they all rank pretty high on my "gotta have it" list.  This week I would like to share one of my favorite mommy things - the folding travel potty seat.  I talked a little bit about this product in my potty training post (here), but here is a little more information on what it is and how to get it.

Mommy's Helper - Cushie Potty Seat Cover is my favorite on-the-go mommy thing for these reasons:  (I have tried many options for traveling with a potty training child, and this is the only thing I have found to work time after time.)

1. It folds and can fit in a diaper bag.
2. It is soft and cushie (not hard like others).
3. It is sturdy.  (I was concerned about a seats ability to hold my 30 lb daughter.)
4. It is cost effective.  (Walmart.com - can't find it in stores, but it ships fast.)

Here is a photo and a link to the product. (Click here.) For $10 it was worth a shot, and it has been the best money I have spent towards potty training.

Good Friday

Remember...

Thrifty Thursday

A constant here at My Life As… is the Thrifty Thursday Deals of the Week. Here are the rules I try to live by when compiling the deals:

1. I will list the best deal, in my opinion, for each store.
2. I will give you the item and the coupon you should clip and take to the store.
3. I will link back to the website I received the deal from so you can see more matchups.
4. I will try to stick to those items that are free or nearly free.

Happy Shopping!

 Randall's – Week of 3/31 - 4/6
Jimmy Dean Sausage Rolls - $4.29 (Buy One Get One Free)
Use Buy One Get One Free (Red Plum 3/28)
Final Price – 2 for FREE
*You may have to buy three depending on your store, but if you buy three you will get 3 for the price of 1.
There are even more good deals at Randall's this week. Read Shellie's list here.


STOCK UP ALERT! If you need liquid fabric softener, this is the time to get it for a very great price. Here a just a few of the stores with Snuggle deals this week. Read the entire list here.


NOTE: The coupon is regional so everyone did not get it.  However, if you are the lucky one enjoy your stock  up deal.

Target
Snuggle Fabric Softener – $3.99
Use $3/1 Snuggle coupon (Red Plum 3/28)
Final Price = $.99

Walmart
Snuggle Fabric Softener – $3.97
Use $3/1 Snuggle coupon (Red Plum 3/28)
Final Price = $.97

HEB
Snuggle Fabric Softener – $2.99
Use $3/1 Snuggle coupon (Red Plum 3/28)
Final Price = FREE

Thanks Shellie. Read about more great deals by visiting her website Saving with Shellie.