Tuesday, September 20, 2011
prayers
please pray for my friends M&k and their 2.5 children. They are embarking on a wonderful and exciting time in their lives, one that is God blessed, prayerfully sought after and wonderful for everyone. However they have to pack up a 2000+ sq ft house in three weeks time..and their kids are under 5. I just ask a prayer of peace, one of speedy fingers, children that are so good that they shock everyone (they are usually awesomely wonderfully behaved but kids, especially small ones, respond to stress easily) and that they are able to use eyes to see what they 'need' in the future and hands to throw away/giveaway/hide what they don't need. God bless you M&K.. I will miss you my dear sweet friends.
life and its changes
Well life has its ups and downs, for sure. The up part was getting Jersey and Glam gurl, the down was realizing that they were too 'damaged' in their thinking and behaving. Realizing that they needed to go back to the dad, their way of life and get away from the influence over my family (mostly my two kids) was hard, but one once we did send them back, realize that them moving here was one of those decisions that sounded great, but ended up being very wrong. I mean I love them, I want only the best for them, but living under my roof is not an option.
The day before we went to pick them up in Texas we found out that bigbears job was going from ft to pt. Which meant NO benefits, no health insurance and no dental/eye. NOt to mention our shortened budget was going to get shorter! As per our beliefs we knew that God had more of a control over our lives than we imagined. The niece and nephew got sent back April 15th, manbear went 'pt' on March 1st. On June 15th he left his job that he had had for 12.5 years (at the orange box store) and went to work for lets just say a 'govt job'. He was hired as a summer intern without benefits, not much of an increase in pay over what he was making even working PT, BUT the potential was there for future hirings and a better job. Within a month of being there he was offered a FT position to stay there, INCLUDING benefits.. so now he is making almost as much as he was at the orange store, working FULL time, better benefits and better work enviroment. Thank you God for what you are doing in our lives.
I also had surgery on my wrist almost a year to the day after it was broke. The surgery itself was good, however the recovery was long and painful. Or I should say 'is'. I have had PT..and actually finished it up, although I am not sure i was truly ready to finish versus the wrist and hand specialist was leaving and there was no one to 'rehab' me. It is all good though. I am able to actually write now, versus after the surgery, and before the rehad I could barely sign my name. I couldn't brush my hair, tie my shoes or put on makeup. Now I can do those things, even though they are painful at time. I am just ready to get all this behind me and move on! Enough pain and suffering because of this wrist injury.. I am ready to be well again~
Gurl is in her second semester of college and doing well. She also works at the red store as a food ave/starbucks barrista. She loves making her own money, and recently purchased her first car. I am so unbelievably proud of her it isn't funny~
Bigboy recently quit the fball team due to his feelings about some of the coaches. I support his decision totally and just know this.. it is out of respect for my husband that one certain coach still has a job versus a letter of repremand in his personel file. That is all I am going to say but you know what you did Coach.
oh, and a few weeks ago our favorite and first ever fur child passed away. He died in my arms, and after a couple of weeks of being sick, getting better, getting sick again. Out of fear of them putting him down Gurl wouldn't allow us to take him to the vet. We loved you Kitty, God rest your soul. We still have 7 fur cats as in May we added a new one Pixel to the bunch. She was just supposed to be one we kept until we could find her a home, but she has become attached to manbear, and the feeling is very mutual. She is very much a loaner cat and will only hang out in the computer room with him. Gotta love those emotional females~
This is the huge update.. I think I got all the highlights.. niece and nephew acting out and having to be sent back home to Texas, manbears job, my surgery, gurls college and bigboys football decision, kittys death and pixels addition.. yep, that about covers it all! Much love to you all~
The day before we went to pick them up in Texas we found out that bigbears job was going from ft to pt. Which meant NO benefits, no health insurance and no dental/eye. NOt to mention our shortened budget was going to get shorter! As per our beliefs we knew that God had more of a control over our lives than we imagined. The niece and nephew got sent back April 15th, manbear went 'pt' on March 1st. On June 15th he left his job that he had had for 12.5 years (at the orange box store) and went to work for lets just say a 'govt job'. He was hired as a summer intern without benefits, not much of an increase in pay over what he was making even working PT, BUT the potential was there for future hirings and a better job. Within a month of being there he was offered a FT position to stay there, INCLUDING benefits.. so now he is making almost as much as he was at the orange store, working FULL time, better benefits and better work enviroment. Thank you God for what you are doing in our lives.
I also had surgery on my wrist almost a year to the day after it was broke. The surgery itself was good, however the recovery was long and painful. Or I should say 'is'. I have had PT..and actually finished it up, although I am not sure i was truly ready to finish versus the wrist and hand specialist was leaving and there was no one to 'rehab' me. It is all good though. I am able to actually write now, versus after the surgery, and before the rehad I could barely sign my name. I couldn't brush my hair, tie my shoes or put on makeup. Now I can do those things, even though they are painful at time. I am just ready to get all this behind me and move on! Enough pain and suffering because of this wrist injury.. I am ready to be well again~
Gurl is in her second semester of college and doing well. She also works at the red store as a food ave/starbucks barrista. She loves making her own money, and recently purchased her first car. I am so unbelievably proud of her it isn't funny~
Bigboy recently quit the fball team due to his feelings about some of the coaches. I support his decision totally and just know this.. it is out of respect for my husband that one certain coach still has a job versus a letter of repremand in his personel file. That is all I am going to say but you know what you did Coach.
oh, and a few weeks ago our favorite and first ever fur child passed away. He died in my arms, and after a couple of weeks of being sick, getting better, getting sick again. Out of fear of them putting him down Gurl wouldn't allow us to take him to the vet. We loved you Kitty, God rest your soul. We still have 7 fur cats as in May we added a new one Pixel to the bunch. She was just supposed to be one we kept until we could find her a home, but she has become attached to manbear, and the feeling is very mutual. She is very much a loaner cat and will only hang out in the computer room with him. Gotta love those emotional females~
This is the huge update.. I think I got all the highlights.. niece and nephew acting out and having to be sent back home to Texas, manbears job, my surgery, gurls college and bigboys football decision, kittys death and pixels addition.. yep, that about covers it all! Much love to you all~
Friday, March 4, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Shopping at CVS today
I went with gurl and Glamgurl to CVS and rocked it!~ I had to get alot of 'extra' food that wasn't necessarily a great buy but we needed it for a dinner tomorrow night and it was way cheaper than the grocery store. How is it I didn't have any Ragu on hand???
In the pictures you see some body wash, bar soap, hair styling product and some food. YIPPIE~!
I didn't do GREAT but did good..
spent $22.26 saved $63.66
savings of 74%
I just realized that I purchased some gum for the girls that was $3.99 EACH (2 packages) so if you subtract the $7.98 out of the 22.26 then I did great! But they deserved a prize as they clipped most of my three papers coupons. It was a nice treat for them.
Not to bad, but not the best I have done. But considering we needed the Ragu and mayo it was a great deal.
Everyone is settling in and Jersey and Bigboy are starting football practice this upcoming week. Oh the FUN!~
We celebrated Gurl's high school graduation by having a great party for her.. she did receive some awesome presents. She is one awesome girl and I am so proud of her!~
updated total available to spend
$2653.65
Sunday, January 23, 2011
buys today 1-23-11
I took Glamgurl and my gurl to CVS to see my magic... forgot to take pictures before they took all the food and put it up (go girls)...
So at CVS I bought_
2 Emerald nuts
2 Xtra detergent (use it for cat blankets, etc)
hair spray for the girls
wedges for their makeup
2 Dawn hand renewal
10 vitamin waters
3 honest tea
Spent $9.82 Saved $38.17
savings of 87%
Wags I traded in my $10 RR to buy an appetite suppressant spray for .30 oop savings of 97%
Updated total~
with new $750 amount added in for the increased family members...
$2675.91
So at CVS I bought_
2 Emerald nuts
2 Xtra detergent (use it for cat blankets, etc)
hair spray for the girls
wedges for their makeup
2 Dawn hand renewal
10 vitamin waters
3 honest tea
Spent $9.82 Saved $38.17
savings of 87%
Wags I traded in my $10 RR to buy an appetite suppressant spray for .30 oop savings of 97%
Updated total~
with new $750 amount added in for the increased family members...
$2675.91
Saturday, January 22, 2011
so I am also increasing my budget by
another $750 to accomodate the two additional humans in the house...
small update
I haven't really been deal shopping much the last week and half because...
we have two more people in my family...
As probably most of you know my baby sister Nancy died in 2000. She left behind a husband and 3 kids, then age 7, 5 and 4. It was probably the single most devastating thing to ever happen to me and only through lots of prayer and forgiveness have I moved on. Having someone ripped from your life in a senseless and brutal way is sometimes hard to acecpt. In the later part of last year I was on facebook and found her daughter, my neice, I had off and on been searching myspace and facebook for them. I was overjoyed, saved every picture I could of my niece just in case she didn't want to have anything to do with me. We had for many years been told they were put into foster care and split up. Very amazingly my niece accepted my 'friendship' on facebook and we began a real relationship, 1000 miles apart. She is now 15 and an amazing girl. I also found her brothers, one who is 17 and a senior and the other is 14 and a freshman. Her brothers are also totally amazing! Surprisingly my brother in law (their dad) was all for our relationship growing so that was an added blessing. When my sister died my dad and I were the last people to see her before they closed the casket and both of us had our private time. Now I can probably only guess what he leaned down and whispered in her ear but I know what I did. I promised my sister, before they closed her casket forever, that I would make sure her kids never forgot her. I would do anything in my power to help my brother in law raise them and I would never let them forget her awesomeness! She was/is a great mom. She had some beautiful children, all of which have stayed with their dad, and he has raised them together. So imagine my excitement when my brother in law called and asked if we could take the younger two due to hard economic times. I consulted with my family (we are a family of 4, my two kids and a husband and we have always consulted each other on large life changing decisions) all of which knew of my promise to my sister. All readily and quickly agreed to welcome these people into our home. It has been a week of moving rooms around (my craft room is now becoming a room for my 14 yr old nephew) and going through clothes and things trying to make space for these wonderful new people in our lives. My wonderful daughter, who just finished her last semester of high school and started her first year of college within this same time period (she graduates a full semester early on Jan. 19, GO GURL) graciously said, with out a quiver of nervousness or jealously, Glamgurl can bunk with me and has moved half of her clothes either to a yardsale/giveaway pile or 'throw away' pile and given up two of her beloved dresser drawers. Now, if any of you have teenagers, you know how almost amazing and mind blowing this can be. She did this without hesistation, without prompting. I am so proud of her. BigT has lifted many a table, moved many a mattress and dresser this past week as has manbear. I am just so proud of this family and what we have been able to accomplish in just a week. So when we got the phone call things went into motion to get the kids from Texas to Georgia... however things just didn't seem to work for flying them out here (we need to sign papers of guardianship) and for all of us to fly would have been over $2k (OUCH). So the decision was to drive out here. 17 hours each way, in 3 days. Can we do it? Yes we can! Taking glamgurl and Jersey, not only into our lives but our homes, has already been so enjoyable and awesome that to actually have them here, sleeping in the beds, sharing our breakfast table, will be great!~ My beloved and wonderful husband has said that this 'trip' is all about me and what I need. I need to hold these precious children my beloved sister created, I need to help my awesome brother in law when he needs it, and I need to have mercy when mercy is needed. I love God, as all you know, and it is amazing how many people helped us make this happen. My mother in law gave us a bed for Jersey, a complete stranger purchased an used dresser for him and gave it to us. Several people donated clothes for the kids, another family member helped with gas money, my awesome mother in law is monitoring the kids and feeding them dinner and friends have picked my kids up (whom had to stay behind) and take them to various activities or called to check in on them, then to top it all off I wanted to stop by and honor my sister at her resting spot. I ordered some flowers from my favorite flower specialist (Stephanie at winn dixie on altama, tell her Mari sent you) and she did them, exactly how she and I talked about, and then gave them to us FREE since there was a mixup on the pick up time. God just worked it all out!~ Plus we got to a stopping point and got to stay in an awesome hotel with a 4 star rating for only $60! God is greatly blessing us on this trip. One other way he blessed me was by having manbear drive the entire way so far~ I was able to enjoy the scenry, take naps, play on my phone and text to my kids and friends. I am amazed and excited as this journey begins a new chapter in our lives, as another closes for our family. As our daughter creeps into adulthood by graduating from highschool, and starting her college career we welcome two new family members into the family.
So my announcement, BIG news is that we are adding them to the C household for as long as their dad needs us to (they are always in our hearts) so here it is...
Glamgurl and Jersey are moving into our house.
So we will have a 18 yr old, 16 yr old, 15 yr old, and a 14 yr old (of which within the next 3 months 3 of them will have birthdays, so soon it will be an 18yr old, 17 yr old, 16 yr old, and a 15 yr old).
Two boys and two girls~
How awesome is this~
60 hours from start to finish
37 hours driving
2 nights in a hotel room
seeing happy faces of my niece and nephew... priceless~
we have two more people in my family...
As probably most of you know my baby sister Nancy died in 2000. She left behind a husband and 3 kids, then age 7, 5 and 4. It was probably the single most devastating thing to ever happen to me and only through lots of prayer and forgiveness have I moved on. Having someone ripped from your life in a senseless and brutal way is sometimes hard to acecpt. In the later part of last year I was on facebook and found her daughter, my neice, I had off and on been searching myspace and facebook for them. I was overjoyed, saved every picture I could of my niece just in case she didn't want to have anything to do with me. We had for many years been told they were put into foster care and split up. Very amazingly my niece accepted my 'friendship' on facebook and we began a real relationship, 1000 miles apart. She is now 15 and an amazing girl. I also found her brothers, one who is 17 and a senior and the other is 14 and a freshman. Her brothers are also totally amazing! Surprisingly my brother in law (their dad) was all for our relationship growing so that was an added blessing. When my sister died my dad and I were the last people to see her before they closed the casket and both of us had our private time. Now I can probably only guess what he leaned down and whispered in her ear but I know what I did. I promised my sister, before they closed her casket forever, that I would make sure her kids never forgot her. I would do anything in my power to help my brother in law raise them and I would never let them forget her awesomeness! She was/is a great mom. She had some beautiful children, all of which have stayed with their dad, and he has raised them together. So imagine my excitement when my brother in law called and asked if we could take the younger two due to hard economic times. I consulted with my family (we are a family of 4, my two kids and a husband and we have always consulted each other on large life changing decisions) all of which knew of my promise to my sister. All readily and quickly agreed to welcome these people into our home. It has been a week of moving rooms around (my craft room is now becoming a room for my 14 yr old nephew) and going through clothes and things trying to make space for these wonderful new people in our lives. My wonderful daughter, who just finished her last semester of high school and started her first year of college within this same time period (she graduates a full semester early on Jan. 19, GO GURL) graciously said, with out a quiver of nervousness or jealously, Glamgurl can bunk with me and has moved half of her clothes either to a yardsale/giveaway pile or 'throw away' pile and given up two of her beloved dresser drawers. Now, if any of you have teenagers, you know how almost amazing and mind blowing this can be. She did this without hesistation, without prompting. I am so proud of her. BigT has lifted many a table, moved many a mattress and dresser this past week as has manbear. I am just so proud of this family and what we have been able to accomplish in just a week. So when we got the phone call things went into motion to get the kids from Texas to Georgia... however things just didn't seem to work for flying them out here (we need to sign papers of guardianship) and for all of us to fly would have been over $2k (OUCH). So the decision was to drive out here. 17 hours each way, in 3 days. Can we do it? Yes we can! Taking glamgurl and Jersey, not only into our lives but our homes, has already been so enjoyable and awesome that to actually have them here, sleeping in the beds, sharing our breakfast table, will be great!~ My beloved and wonderful husband has said that this 'trip' is all about me and what I need. I need to hold these precious children my beloved sister created, I need to help my awesome brother in law when he needs it, and I need to have mercy when mercy is needed. I love God, as all you know, and it is amazing how many people helped us make this happen. My mother in law gave us a bed for Jersey, a complete stranger purchased an used dresser for him and gave it to us. Several people donated clothes for the kids, another family member helped with gas money, my awesome mother in law is monitoring the kids and feeding them dinner and friends have picked my kids up (whom had to stay behind) and take them to various activities or called to check in on them, then to top it all off I wanted to stop by and honor my sister at her resting spot. I ordered some flowers from my favorite flower specialist (Stephanie at winn dixie on altama, tell her Mari sent you) and she did them, exactly how she and I talked about, and then gave them to us FREE since there was a mixup on the pick up time. God just worked it all out!~ Plus we got to a stopping point and got to stay in an awesome hotel with a 4 star rating for only $60! God is greatly blessing us on this trip. One other way he blessed me was by having manbear drive the entire way so far~ I was able to enjoy the scenry, take naps, play on my phone and text to my kids and friends. I am amazed and excited as this journey begins a new chapter in our lives, as another closes for our family. As our daughter creeps into adulthood by graduating from highschool, and starting her college career we welcome two new family members into the family.
So my announcement, BIG news is that we are adding them to the C household for as long as their dad needs us to (they are always in our hearts) so here it is...
Glamgurl and Jersey are moving into our house.
So we will have a 18 yr old, 16 yr old, 15 yr old, and a 14 yr old (of which within the next 3 months 3 of them will have birthdays, so soon it will be an 18yr old, 17 yr old, 16 yr old, and a 15 yr old).
Two boys and two girls~
How awesome is this~
60 hours from start to finish
37 hours driving
2 nights in a hotel room
seeing happy faces of my niece and nephew... priceless~
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
updated totals
I just plugged them into the handy dandy form my friends husband figured out and she sent to me (thanks mom4).
So far this year I have spent $63.97 and saved $367.46 which is a savings of 85%~
Praise God~
Sorry for the delay
and sadly there are no pictures of these wonderful buys~ But alas... there is yet another shopping day in the world of shopping~ LOL~ I crack myself up.
We are about to have a huge family experience that I can't talk about yet, but when I can you all will be the first to know~
This is Friday nights shopping experience..
CVS spent $4.47 saved 20.23 82% saved~
Wags spent $27.30 saved 134.01 83% saved.
YIPPIE!~
I was able to get some omega factor that the dr said I needed to be taking to lower my tricglerides. So go me~ And wags was starting with no RR. I had let the others expire (shame on me).
Like I said, sorry about the pictures. This week has been crazy~ and we will be announcing our big 'news' on Friday~
$1936.03 remaining balance for the year~
We are about to have a huge family experience that I can't talk about yet, but when I can you all will be the first to know~
This is Friday nights shopping experience..
CVS spent $4.47 saved 20.23 82% saved~
Wags spent $27.30 saved 134.01 83% saved.
YIPPIE!~
I was able to get some omega factor that the dr said I needed to be taking to lower my tricglerides. So go me~ And wags was starting with no RR. I had let the others expire (shame on me).
Like I said, sorry about the pictures. This week has been crazy~ and we will be announcing our big 'news' on Friday~
$1936.03 remaining balance for the year~
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
WHAT a day~ Shopping and school drama
Todays purchases...
Publix spent $4.02 and saved $55.29 94%
Wags spent $4.44 and saved $12.81 73%
WHOOP WHOOP~
I am excited about all the great deals and great items I am able to add to my stockpile and pantry for the family.
Now on to school issues. The last day before school ended for Christmas break, Bigt had a knife pulled on him at school. He wasn't hurt physically or anything and once we came back to school the young man ended up getting expelled for it. The same day (Monday) a girl in bigt's 2nd period class came up to him and kept messing with and picking on him to the point he touched her on the shoulder asking if they needed to talk about it. He ended up getting suspended for 3 days. That is ok, if she receives some sort of punishment for the crap she does/said to him. He isn't being punished much at home other than to tell him he can't put his hands on other people, even if he doesn't mean harm. Those things (hands) are only to be used at home, with loved ones and on the football field.
Just pray he will not take fear into his schooling with these situations. We want him to be himself but not breaking any school rules.
Forgot to add that on top of it all I got my car back last night, only to have it break down AGAIN ~ grrrr~
I am excited about how much money I have been able to save... so far this year.
$1967.80 balance remaining for the year.
January 3rd shopping
My sil busdriver and I went to Harris Teeter and CVS twice today. How much fun it was~ And I saved a TON of money...even splurged with Gurl and busdriver at Starbucks (I used free drink coupon).
total spent $23.74
total saved $142.42
with a savings of 87%~
Awesome~
I will probably start putting up pictures rather than list everything individually.. another day of fun and shopping this morning. Hitting Publix and Walgreens..
Starting out $2000.00
Balance $1976.26
total spent $23.74
total saved $142.42
with a savings of 87%~
Awesome~
I will probably start putting up pictures rather than list everything individually.. another day of fun and shopping this morning. Hitting Publix and Walgreens..
Starting out $2000.00
Balance $1976.26
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year~
Here is 2011.. can you believe it?
I am printing coupons for upcoming sales this weekend. My coupon goal is spending less than $2k for everything, including pet suppplies (and those are most of our budget).
Publix is having a great sale.
Harris Teeter is doing super doubles next week. I actually haven't been to a super double since July of 09. Not that I am boycotting or upset with HT I just haven't been there to shop.
We have some fall brocolli and such in the garden at this time but it seems to be frozen in time. Not sure if it because of all the cold snaps we have been having or what... we will see more about it soon, I hope.
Other family news..the GURL graduates on January 19, 2011 from high school. A full semester early! We are so proud of her.
I just realized that it is 935 am and I have tons of cookies to make and dip to prepare for a party this afternoon.
God bless you all on this first day of 2011.
MMXI
Mari
I am printing coupons for upcoming sales this weekend. My coupon goal is spending less than $2k for everything, including pet suppplies (and those are most of our budget).
Publix is having a great sale.
Harris Teeter is doing super doubles next week. I actually haven't been to a super double since July of 09. Not that I am boycotting or upset with HT I just haven't been there to shop.
We have some fall brocolli and such in the garden at this time but it seems to be frozen in time. Not sure if it because of all the cold snaps we have been having or what... we will see more about it soon, I hope.
Other family news..the GURL graduates on January 19, 2011 from high school. A full semester early! We are so proud of her.
I just realized that it is 935 am and I have tons of cookies to make and dip to prepare for a party this afternoon.
God bless you all on this first day of 2011.
MMXI
Mari
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