Wisdom from my walk

I went to the Entemanns Store near church this morning and got the following for $18.50:
5 loaves of bread, 2 bags of stuffing mix, 2 boxes of blueberry mini muffins, 3 boxes of donuts, 3 bags of rolls and two bags of bagels!
the total before savings would have been $54.76!!!  that’s a savings of $36.26!!  I am sooo excited! so now we have a deep freezer full of bread and rolls. its the good stuff too, multi-grain or whole wheat not just “cheap” white bread.   So for example I got a loaf of regularly priced bread $3.19 for only $1!

So I’ve taken up a new hobby, couponing!  We have decided to start keeping track of how much money we save when we do so, as a way to prove I am contributing to our family financially. Today I went to Kroger and saved $24.38 and ended up only spending $31 total.   I got two 90 count multivitamins since I ran out for a total of $9.59 – that’s 6 months of vitamins!   I also got 2 boxes of Special K Bars, 2 boxes of Nutrigrain bars and a 2 gallon of milk for a total of just $8.68!!   I had coupons and if you buy 3 kelloggs products like these you get a free milk!   That’s a great deal since one box of those nutrigrain or special K things is usually $3.99!  they were on sale today for $2.67 and I had a coupon for $1 off!   I’m excited to be saving us some money and it’s changing the way I shop.  I was tempted to buy other things but only bought what I needed since funds are short til payday in two days so I got what I needed to last til then and only things that were using coupons and/or on sale.   It makes for a fun trip trying to do coupon shopping w/ kids so I’m guessing when I do our big pay day shopping I’ll go solo and am looking forward to seeing how much we save!! Going to get some great deals at Walgreens this week too…I can’t wait! like toothpaste for just $0.24!!  A full size tube at that!  wohoo!!

I’m nuts I know but I’m excited and I think Dean is too.  he’s going to be starting blogging again to keep track of our “journey to financial peace”  I have been applying for jobs every day but guessing my 7 years of not working doesn’t help.  Today I applied for part time at a coffee shop which I could do evenings and weekends and would be fun.   We’ll see if they call!

When you are young you have your parents to make all the big decisions for you.   They are the ones that are supposed to keep you safe and protect you from the harms of this cruel world.   Tomorrow morning we take Bo to get surgery, it’s something simple, another set of tubes and getting his adenoids taken out.  this is a decision we made for him, something we hope improves his hearing and in turn his speech.  we make these decisions not to hurt him but to help him, and because we love him.

Once your kids up and move out it’s up to them to make their own decisions.  Sometimes, ok, a lot we all make the wrong choices.  We must deal w/ the consequences of those choices, whether they be good or bad.   We’re dealing with some hard stuff tonight as a family and if you could please pray for us.  Dean and my heart’s are broken but we’re making the right choices for our family.   I won’t go in to detail but we are ok, just dealing w/ the hardness of life and trying to protect ourselves and our kids from the harshness of the world.    we’re doing our job and sometimes its hard to do the right thing, and tonight we aren’t quite sure what that right thing is but we’re doing what we can.    wishing we weren’t the ones in charge……………..

our kids went to my in laws to spend the night so Dean and I got all dolled up and hit a friend’s party briefly before going to a speakeasy 20’s party at the theater.   We had fun and ran into some friends so that was nice.   We were able to sleep in, til 9 on NY’s day then headed to get the kids.  We hung out at Dean’s parents for a few hours before going to his sisters house where we stayed for a few hours.  Caleb is still there so the lil’ boys and I will go get him later, and Dean’s at work, hopefully just for a half day!  Tomorrow we’re hosting a game day/night, anyone and everyone is welcome to come!   🙂

more pics up on Flickr.. 

tomorrow night we’re going to a party at the theater.  it’s a 20’s(speakeasy) themed event so today we went and got a costume for me to wear.   no one had the right sized hat for Dean but I’m hoping he can get one tomorrow.   Will get lots of pics tomorrow night but for now here’s my outfit.

went to curves for the first time since my surgeries!  I was in pain before I went so I took some ibuprofen but am still in some pain now, but no pain no gain right!??!   My friend who recently had gallbladder surgery went w/ me and she did great too!  Hoping we can back on track w/ going more frequently!

Well I just completed making a recent resume and sending it off to a job posting.    We are hoping to do the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Seminar classes that starts in a few weeks and we know that money has been tight for too long so I’ve started looking for a part time job to help out.  Now that my surgeries are over and I am cleared to return to work, (ha! as if being a stay at home mom ever lets you not work! ) I’m hoping to pursue something that will help us out and get me back in the workplace.(something I do miss surprisingly!)  I am doing really well healthwise so I’m looking forward to getting back to a normal routine.   I should be returning to my job at the church once the school break is over and back on tech team for the first time since my surgeries in a few weeks.

This weekend the weather was beautiful!  On Friday night we went to the Festival of lights at the zoo and yesterday the boys got to play outside for while.   I aired out the house by opening all the windows, it felt awesome to have the fresh air blowing through the house.  We also went and took advantage of the discounts and got a new Christmas tree for next year 1/2 off!  Our current tree is about 10 years old, at least.  We bought it for our first place I think, which was a long time ago!  I am excited to have a new one for next year!   I also got an advent candle holder that is really nice, also at 1/2 off.  I saw it before Christmas but couldn’t justify pending that much money.   I remember the one my mom had that we used during advent growing up and I wish I could find one like it but the one we got is nice too!    I am hoping the boys will accept the tradition and not find in boring!   I also got them a Veggie tales Christmas countdown wallhanging for 1/2 off.   They were excited about that!

We’re being lazy and enjoying having nothing to do but laundry!  I let Dean sleep in and the boys have been in the playroome enjoying their Christmas gifts.  oddly enough Bo’s favorite thing to do so far is play his DS game, it’s geared for younger kids and he rarely needs our help with it.   It’s strange having him sit in one place for so long at one sitting being quiet!  It’s something I could get used to!