My "Not So New" wedding rings

I am so excited! I FINALLY got my wedding rings back! Remember my earlier post about my rings? If you haven't read it, scroll down the page and read it first! It's been forever, hasn't it? Well, we had to wait for my finger heal so we could get an accurate measurement for the new rings. Then we had to wait for the rings to be redone. I went back and forth with keeping them exactly the same, changing them a bit, or changing them a lot. In the end, I decided on changing them just a little bit. They are the same rings, just arranged differently. I am really glad that I didn't change them drastically. I think I would have been very disappointed. Not to worry, the lesson that I learned from having them cut off in the first place has remained in my heart.

My rings BEFORE they were cut off.

My rings, changed just a little!

Our New Home

Ok, here are some pictures of our new home. It is a work in progress, trying to get everything the way we want it. We still have a lot of painting to do and some furniture to buy but we LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our home! The neighborhood is quiet and green, with lots of mature trees, squirrels, birds and geckos! The house is big...well, for us it's big...and comfy! We knew the moment that we walked into this house that it was ours. We thank God every day for giving us our home!

We love the trees!

Gary's Dad made this post for us about 10 yrs. ago. We had it at our first home and when we moved, Gary converted it to a mailbox post. We love it and are happy to have a bit of Gary's dad with us, front and center, at our new home.


Ah, rocking on the screened porch! I plan on doing a lot of that as soon as the weather gets a little cooler! I can't wait!

Purple Sage! I have always wanted sage bushes! Aren't they beautiful?

Back To School!

Hi,

Ok, so it's time for school again. YIPPY! I don't know about you and your family but "floating around" in the unscheduled summer is not for us! Don't get me wrong, I love summertime, sleeping in, hanging out with the boys and taking those spur of the moment trips. But, the only thing we accomplish during the summer is....well, nothing. I am so glad to be back into a routine!

The boys had a great "first day" yesterday at their new schools. Tyler's first day of 11th grade started with a 20 minute wait at the bus stop, in the dark, not to mention the little old lady that drove by, slowed down to a stop right in front of him and yelled, "Have a great first day of school!" hahahaha She must be a retired teacher! Tyler thought it was creepy so I didn't tell him that I could totally see myself doing that! haha He met up with several old friends that he knew from elementary, Jr. High, soccer and boy scouts, which helped him feel "not so alone". Matthew surprised us, yet again! He walked into the cafeteria, found his table, sat down, waved and said, "See you later." Ugh! It tore at my heart! I was proud of the little independent man he is slowly becoming but I was also mourning the little baby that needed his mommy! Oh, being a mommy is tough sometimes! Walking up after school, I saw him standing there with his classmates. He wasn't talking but he was listening to the other children and laughing with them. Again, my heart beamed! He looked up, saw me and came a runnin'! I walked away with my not so little, 1st grade chickadee under my wing and sighed.... All was right with the world again!

I hope everyone had a great first day of school!

I'm Back!

Hi everyone!

I am back! Was I missed? haha What a summer we have had! I am not even sure where to start.... Remember that, in April, we received a letter from our landlord saying that they had to sell the house and we had to either buy the house or move. Well, that seems to be when the chaos began. We debated over renting again or buying, coming to the conclusion that we were tired of paying someone else's mortgage! So, the hunt began! We looked at the "good", the "bad", the "oh so very ugly" and the "so scary we didn't even go inside"! While going around town looking at open houses one Sunday afternoon, we found it!! We knew the minute we walked in that it was our home! So, we went under contract mid May with a closing date of June 1st. Everything was moving so quickly and SO WERE WE! The boys got out of school at the end of May and our summer began with a visit from Tyler's friend. Not thinking, which I seem to do a lot these days, I agreed to pick D, Tyler's friend, up in San Antonio on JUNE 1ST!! Yeah, the same day we were closing on the house!! See, I told you that I wasn't thinking! As it turned out, the closing was rescheduled for the 2nd, and then the 3rd and finally the 4th! The morning of the 3rd brought a big health scare, a trip the ER and an overnight hospital stay. Come to find out, I have atrial fibrillation and have probably always had the problem. So, there I was in the hospital and we were suppose to FINALLY close on the house the next day. No problem! The title company came to the hospital and we signed all of the papers right there in my room on the cardiac floor! Now all I had to do was get out of the hospital, finish packing the house, move, clean the old house, paint the new house, unpack, take Tyler and his friend (remember that he is visiting for 2 weeks) to Six Flags in San Antonio (a trip that was already paid for weeks in advance) and "take it easy" (Dr.'s orders)!!! Amazingly we got it all done, except for the "take it easy" part, of course.

And, things haven't slowed down much since then. We had ants everywhere in the new house! You know, those little tiny black ants that some call sugar ants! They are persistent but not as persistent as Gary was with his sprayer! Waaahhaaahhhaaa! Then, while I was washing clothes for our trip to Six Flags, the pipes backed up and we had 2 in. of water in the laundry room! I couldn't wash clothes or dishes for 2 days!! Then I found out that my stove and oven didn't work properly. It took 25 minutes to boil water on the stove and the oven temp. would vary from lukewarm to surface of the sun no matter what the temp. knob was set at! I think Tyler's friend only had one home cooked meal the entire 2 weeks that he was with us. How sad is that? Thank goodness for our home warranty! Everything is fixed and working fine...for now!

After getting Tyler's friend packed and back to the airport in San Antonio, my mother in law came down for a few days with our niece. Now, don't get me wrong... The visit was great! We love having her visit and Matthew enjoyed his cousin so much. But, I had no down time and I was wore out by that point. Thankfully, after they left, I had a week to work on the house and get things organized. Since then I have had several Dr. appts, a MOPS retreat to help organize and prepare for and a visit from my best friend from college. On top of all of this, one of my dear friends has moved away and I am struggling with panic attacks (since being in the hospital... That's another post altogether!). WHEW! I am tired all over again just typing this. haha

So, all of that to say that I have been a little busy and have neglected my blog. But, things are finally starting to smooth out so I hope to get back on track! I will post some pictures of the new house soon. I hope that you are having a fun, relaxing summer!

Love and Hugs,
Lisa

Breath From Heaven!

Hello? Is anyone still there? I know, I know... It's been SO long since I have posted anything. Let me tell you, things have been super crazy around here. I will write more about that later but in the mean time, here is a post to a blog that I started a while back. I totally forgot about it until a friend reminded me and suggested that I "re"post some things. So...here is the first "re"post for an old blog page. Enjoy!

January 09
A breath from Heaven
"Mommy! You can come fishing with me and Daddy and I can show you how to do it and where to go!" This was the little voice I heard behind me as I was standing at the kitchen counter deciding what to fix for dinner. My first thought was, "I can't go fishing! I am getting ready to start dinner." Then I turned around and saw those big blue / green eyes smiling at me and I couldn't say no. So...off we went to go fishing. Don't get me wrong, I love to fish but only when I know the fishing is good (like in Alaska). Besides, I don't even have my license. During the entire ride to the lake, I was thinking about all of the things that I would have to do when we returned home and fuming a bit that Gary didn't realize how much I had to do and help me get out of going. (I know, silly right?) We pulled up by the water and as I got out of the car, I realized that I didn't bring my jacket and the wind was very cold. Luckily Gary brought his jacket and put it on me. I did remember the camera and took some pictures of Matthew and Gary while they were trying to catch "the big one". I was amazed at how good Matthew was at casting and reeling. When was the last time I actually watched him fish? He looked so grown up backing up the bank and reeling fast not to get hung up in the bushes that he had just casted into. Then my spirit woke up and smacked me on the heart! I forgot about all the things that I had waiting for me at home and just had fun. They fished, we went exploring, we threw rocks, we played in the mud and best of all we laughed. The wind was really cutting into us now and we noticed the cold and even commented on it, but it didn't detour our fun. Finally, Matthew runs to pick up his fishing pole and says, "Come on Daddy, one more cast and then we can go. It's getting dark." As they were making their last attempts at a catch, I was standing behind them watching everything. They were laughing and casting and Matthew was getting very brave and standing at the very edge of the water. There was a duck about 50 yards out that was trying it's last attempt at a catch too. (I didn't realize how long ducks can hold their breath!) Then Gary turned around and said, "Honey, look at the sunset!" It was amazing! I wish that I could describe it for you but the only thing I can say is that it looked like the sky was on fire. We talked about all the colors that we saw and thanked God for the lovely sunset that He painted just for us. Gary commented again on how cold it was getting and that we should be getting home when this amazing thing happened. There was a breeze within the breeze, a very warm comforting breeze that must have lasted 30 seconds. I felt it and looked at Gary. He turned around and said, "Did you feel that?" "Yeah, I felt it. It was warm." Matthew said. Then, in tandem, Gary and I said, "It felt like God breathed on us!" We all just stood there watching the sunset until the colors began to turn purple. We didn't want to leave. God had breathed on us!

Oh No! Oh No! To the grocery store we go!

Hi,

I hope that everyone is having a wonderfully relaxing Saturday afternoon. We spent the morning picking up the house for a showing at noon. Man, I will be so happy when we don't have to do this anymore. It is really tough keeping your home "show ready" all the time. And, I have found that it's even tougher when the home is not yours, but a rental. It's good preparation for getting me back into the "Fly Lady" state of mind though.

So, my last post was about preparing your menu and shopping list. That would make the next step GROCERY SHOPPING! I know, you are thinking, "Ugh, I hate going grocery shopping." But, with some organization and a game plan, you won't mind it so much. And, when you can do it faster and cheaper, you may just start to enjoy it.

Here are some tips to make your shopping day easier.

• Never shop hungry
• Clean out the trunk / back of the van. Nothing can be more frustrating than trying to cram a basket of groceries around the stroller and golf clubs!
• Always use your shopping list and stick to it.
• Stick to your shopping routine. This will keep you from forgetting something and having to back track.
• Don't buy anything on an end cap that ISN'T on your list. They are merchandised to get your attention and your money!
• Look high and low for the good deals. Another merchandising technique is to put the expensive brands at eye level!
• Try not to shop during the store's busy time (ex.- the day / weekend after military payday (if you live near a base, of course), holiday weekends, quitting time).
• Shop alone, if possible. The kiddos and hubby are sure to add more to the basket.
• If you can't shop alone, get the kids either involved or distracted. Have them carry the shopping list and let them check off items, give them items to look for, let them push the basket, give them a calculator to play with, bring something to busy them (something to draw or write on, a hand-held game, music, a snack to munch on).
• Give yourself plenty of time to shop and compare prices.
• Keep your basket organized, keeping like items together. If you are "ad matching", keep those items separate from the rest for an easier time at the check out.
• Unload your basket like you packed it, by like items, so your groceries will be bagged that way. It makes for an easier time putting the groceries away when you get home.
• Buy the reusable shopping bags! You will feel good about helping the planet and they hold a lot more than the plastic bags. That means less trips to the van to unload groceries!!

Ok, now go tackle that grocery store! Let me know how things go! Remember, God will bless those who work hard for their family!

In His Love,
Lisa

More Once a Month Cooking Prep!

Hi there,

What a great day it's been. We got a great inspection report back on the home that we are buying so things are moving forward, and I went to see Fly Lady! If you don't know who the Fly Lady is, you have to check her out. She is an awesome, everyday, regular gal that will help you, in "baby steps", get your home organized, cleaned, and on a schedule. Check out her website, http://www.flylady.com/.

Thanks to all of you that have been reading this blog. I can't tell you how it blesses me to read your comments on here or have you stop me at church or the grocery store to tell me to get to the next once a month cooking step already! I really had no idea that anyone would really care too much about what I had to say or contribute and it's nice to see that I was wrong. You all have blessed me greatly!

So, let's get on with this once a month cooking thing. By now (especially since it's taken me so long to post this), you should have your shopping list, freezer and pantry inventory, family favorites list, and maybe even a family menu planner. Now, it's time to plan your menu.



Planning Your Menu


Find a printable menu chart online that you like, type one up for yourself or just use a piece of paper. My menu sheet only has 2 weeks on it because I make at least two of each meal, which comes out to a month's worth of meals. I have the days of the week listed on my sheet but I don't follow it. You could, just as easily, number the meals 1 - 14, or however many you want to make.

• Family Favorites: Go down your list from your Family Favorites and choose at least two to put on your menu. In my house, we love spaghetti so we have it every week! So, when I sit down to write out my menu, I instantly write down spaghetti twice. That's 4 meals taken care of already!!! See how easy this is!


• Shop at home: Look over your freezer and pantry inventory sheets. Do you have 4 cans of beans in your pantry? Make soup! Do you have some leftovers in your fridge? Can you make a soup out of it? That's another meal on your menu! Do you have some salmon in your freezer? There's another meal! Shopping in your own kitchen is cheap and keeps the freezer and pantry cleaned out!


• Weekly sales ads: Go through the ads, either from the mail / newspaper or online at http://www.mygrocerydeals.com/. Use what's on sale to help you decide on your menu. Are chicken breasts on sale? Make a few meals with chicken; chicken spaghetti, chicken salad sandwiches, grilled BBQ chicken, crock pot chicken....!


• Check your calendar: What's on your calendar for the month? Are you having a special birthday dinner? Going out to eat? A weekend away? Making food for church or your Moms group? Be sure to account for this on your menu. I have a spot at the bottom of my menu page where I note any special days or special foods that I will have shop for and fix.


• Look through your recipe books: I have a recipe "file" that I use as a quick reference to my recipes and cookbooks. (I will blog on this later.) Is there a recipe that you have always wanted to try? TRY IT!

Shopping List

I hope that you have taken the time to create your own personal shopping list. If not, I REALLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO! I promise that it will save you time and money! Now that you have your menu planned out, it's time to get your shopping list ready.

• Go down your menu and gather any recipes that you don't have in your head. I know this can be a pain to have to get out this cookbook and print from this website and grab that recipe card, but it will be worth it and I will, on a later post, show you a way to organize all of your recipes and have them handy.


• After you have all recipes gathered, go through each one and mark what you need to buy on your shopping list. This is where your freezer and pantry inventory sheets are so awesome. If you have them up to date and in front of you, then you don't have to get up every time you aren't sure if you have an ingredient.


• Check off any other items that you will need to buy, aside from your menu.


• Ad matching? If so, mark all items that you are ad matching. I write an "A" and the sale price next to the item on my shopping list. Then, when you come to that item while shopping, you can check it quickly to see if it's a good deal or not. Remember to keep all of your Ad Match items separate in your shopping basket to make check out easier.


• Coupons? Mark a "C" by any item that you have a coupon for. Keep your coupons in the order of your shopping routine so you won't have to waste time digging for them.

One thing to remember...The grocery stores here in town run their ads from Wed. to Tues. So, don't make out your shopping list on Tues. and then shop on Wed. or they will have different specials and ad items than what you have on your list.

Whew! That's enough for today! Next time I will talk about your grocery shopping trip and your cooking plan. Remember, this is a process. It takes a while to get it running smoothly. Be patient. You will figure out what works best for you by trial and error. Just don't be afraid of the "trial" or the "error"! Good luck and let me know how it's going!

In His Love,

Lisa

Wedding Rings, Fat Fingers and Simmering on The Back Burner

Hi,

Life has been crazy around here! About a month ago, we found out that we have to move. Our landlords are selling this house that we have been renting for almost 2 years. YIKES! My planning and organizing nature does not handle surprises well, so I have been a bit frazzled lately. No fear, we have things in order and have been house hunting (That is a blog post all of it's own!!). I will let you know when it's moving day 'cause I KNOW you will want to come and help out! hee hee

I had an interesting experience last week that I thought I would share. I had to have my wedding rings CUT OFF of my finger! I hadn't been able to take them off for some time and it wasn't a problem until I got a bite on my finger, UNDER my rings. Not being a "REAL housewife" (just for you, Gwyn!), I didn't have a jeweler, let alone their number on speed dial in my fancy cell phone! haha So, we went to a jeweler that was recommended by a friend. I was a little nervous about some "detached" stranger cutting away on my rings. I told him what I needed and he, without blinking, said, "Oh sure, I can take care of that for you." He walked to his little jewelers desk and grabbed a tool that looked a lot like a can opener. Now I had serious butterflies in my tummy and asked him if it was going to hurt. He gave me instructions to just relax and hold still. After just a few minutes, he had cut through the rings. No big deal, until he grabbed his pliers and pulled the rings apart so I could slip my fat little finger out. That's when the tears came!!! I was sad for my rings, fearful that my hubby was disappointed and mad at myself for letting it go so far. Let me tell you, it was a HUGE eye opener for me. How crazy is it to let yourself go like that? I have no excuses. So, what did I learn from this? I must take better care of myself! You know what I'm talking about, right? You spend all of your time taking care of others that you move yourself to the back burner, turn the heat way down and let yourself just sit there simmering....waiting. I haven't had a haircut since August!! How crazy is that? Now, don't get me wrong, my hubby is very supportive and often gets upset with me because I neglect myself. This is all self inflicted!! If I received a new car, I would take care of it: wash it, keep the inside clean, take it in for regular oil changes, and fill it up with the proper fuel, right? Why is it so hard to do that for myself? God gave me this wonderfully healthy body and I take better care of my car? How crazy is that? So, this is my prayer for myself and any other Mom who is simmering on the back burner.

Heavenly Father,

Forgive me for not taking care of this perfectly healthy body that you have trusted me with. I have been neglectful and unappreciative and I am sorry. Help me to see that taking care of myself is worship. Give me the strength, courage, and foresight to nourish and nurture MYSELF! Help me to teach my children that caring for others doesn't have to mean NOT caring for yourself. Thank you for all of the wonderful ways you speak to me! And, thank you for my wedding rings! In the name of my ultimate Bridegroom, Jesus. Amen.

In His Love,

Lisa

First Things First!

Ok, so are you ready to start once a month cooking? If so, there are some things that I recommend you do before you actually start cooking. A little preparation will make cooking day go smoothly.

#1 - Create a personalized shopping list!

Think about how you usually shop, your routine! Go to your store and walk your routine while jotting down the isle #s and the items on each. I shop at the old Wal-Mart and this is my routine.
HBA
Household
Pet
Cleaning
Dry Goods
Dairy
Deli
Meat / Deli
Meat
Frozen
Produce
Breads
Check out
Then create your shopping list based on your routine. Remember that your list will always be a work in progress. I just let go of my old list that still had diapers, pull-ups and baby wipes on it! I know it sounds tedious and a bit OCD but a personal list will help you breeze through the store without forgetting anything!

#2 - Create a Menu Planning Folder
This next step is for those that thrive on organization like I do. You can make this as simple or as elaborate as you wish. My folder is fairly simple: a 3 ring binder, subject divider tabs, insertable pockets, page protectors and notebook paper. Are your organizing juices flowing? My folder is divided into the following sections: Menu / Shopping List, Cooking Plan, This Month's Recipes, Family Favorites, Freezer Inventory, and Pantry Inventory. Most of these sections just have several blank copies so I don't have to print them out every time. The recipe section has any recipes that I printed from the Internet that I plan to use that month and the freezer and pantry inventory sections have a copy of my latest lists. I will talk more about the freezer and pantry lists in a minute. Chances are that nobody else will ever see your folder, let alone use it, so make it functional for you.

#3 - Freezer and Pantry Inventory

Make a list of everything in your freezer and pantry. This will come in handy when you are making your menu and shopping list. I use the printable lists from http://www.organizedhome.com/, but a sheet of paper works too! I make a new list (or revise the old one) every month. One copy of each goes on my fridge, another copy in my folder. As I use something in my freezer or pantry, I mark it off my list that hangs on the fridge. I have a huge deep freeze and this list has helped me to keep the freezer cleaned out. I use to throw stuff in there, it would shuffle to the bottom and I would find it a year later and go, "Oh yeah, I remember buying this pork roast. I wish I had remembered it was in there." and then toss $7 into the trash can! So, make your lists! It will save your family money!

#4 - Family Favorites

Make a list of your families favorite meals and update it as you find new favorites. Have a couple of favorites weekly to keep the family happy. There is a great printable at http://www.organizedhome.com/. Can you tell that I love that site?


Remember, once a month cooking requires some time at the beginning to get organized but the joy of serving a home cooked meal every evening will be well worth it!

Go to the ant, o sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer, or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Gotta love mason jars!

Ok, while I was searching for a cool picture to put on the blog, I "re"discovered something wonderful....MASON JARS! I found some of the coolest ways to use them and I thought I would share them with you. I don't take credit for any of these!

The first thing I came across were these cool mason jar lights. I am TOTALLY going to do this in my next home. I love this idea! You could hang them over the kitchen sink, the kitchen work counter, the kitchen table, the dining table.... Aren't they the cutest? Just think how cool they would look with some pine cones or sprigs in them for Christmas....maybe with some pretty ribbons or beads! Of course you would have to use the cool touch light bulbs!

Then I can across this cooking site (I can't remember which one it was and I didn't write it down.) that showed how to use a mason jar to cut biscuits! GENIUS! I don't have a biscuit cutter because I don't make them often (not a favorite around here), but I DO have a mason jar that I can use next time. In the past, I have used a drinking glass but they are so thin that they didn't cut the dough well. They suggested spraying the rim of the jar with Pam to keep the biscuits from sticking to the jar. So simple, and yet it took someone else to think of it for me! haha

Luminaries! I love them at Christmas and I love driving around and seeing a home with them up their walk or down their driveway. I, however, have always been too afraid to use those paper or plastic bags fo fear of starting a fire. Yeah, you can now use those "flameless" candles, but they still don't give off that same warm glow. This year, come to my house and see my pretty etched mason jar luminaras!! How cool is that? Go to http://www.ehow.com/ and search "mason jar luminaries".

This next one I discovered while tagging along with a friend to feed stores while she was shopping for her new chickens. I had no idea that they made these! You can go to the feed store and buy an attachment for a mason jar to make a bird feeder! Too cool! I have also seen this same thing used as a candy or peanut dish.

Who knew that you could do so many wonderful things with an old mason jar? If you decide to try one of these projects, scour the garage sales and junk shops instead of buying new jars at the store. But, you had better hurry or I will beat you there! haha

Have a blessed day and thanks to you all for your input and encouragement!

In His Love,

Lisa

My Actual Pantry

Whew! I finally finished tweaking the blog page...for now. It has been a learning experience, but a lot of fun! When I showed my husband, Gary, my finished product, he said, "It's nice, but that's not your pantry!" MEN! He is right though. So, here are some pictures of my pantry. We are living in a very small house right now and the actual pantry is very small. So, I have divided my "pantry" up into three different areas: the pantry, the spice cabinet and the garage pantry.

This is the little panty in the kitchen where I keep the perishables. There is another shelf on top where I keep the cereal and some cookbooks.

Here is the spice cabinet. I used 2 of those cheap wire three tier spice racks. They fit perfectly in the cabinet. I also used me label maker (one of my favorite things!) to label the spices in the back. I just stuck them to the side of the lids. The shelves above hold my beans, rice, pancake mix, bisquick, and pasta.

Out is the garage is where I keep my canned goods. I recycled an old cabinet that Gary used for his "man junk"! haha Man, I have a lot of soup!

So, there is my actual pantry. Remember, an organized pantry makes cooking easier!

Ok, so I've started a blog.

Hi! Lisa here! I've decided, with some nudging from friends, to start a blog about once a month cooking, being a mom, trying to save money, organization and household tips. I am in no way a pro at any of these but they are a passion for me.

I started cooking once a month about a year ago, I think. I really can't remember. I became interested in the "idea" of it several years ago when one of my friends was a consultant for "Homemade Gourmet". They had a recipe pack, if that's what you want to call it, that showed you how to make 4 freezer meals in 4 minutes. I loved that idea but was not motivated enough actually do it. In the mean time, I was becoming frustrated. I HATE TO COOK and I am not good at it. So, don't ask me to make meals for the family who just had a baby or the couple that just got married because I will refuse!! Only my close friends, who will love me no matter how bad my food tastes, will ever receive a meal from me!! haha Anyway, my frustration was coming from my lack of discipline to actually cook a meal for my family. Yeah, I would go to the grocery store and stock the shelves but there was no preparation or thought put into anything. So, dinner time would roll around and I would stare into the freezer and pray that some marvelous recipe would jump into my head. When that didn't happen, I would close the freezer, pack up the family and go out to eat. It was so much easier! Then every other week when I sat down to take care of the bills, I would hate myself for spending so much money on eating out when I had a pantry FULL of food! This cycle continued for some time until I finally realized that my family was suffering. We were wasting money that we could be putting away for a vacation and I was feeding my family junk almost every night of the week. How could I be the best mom that God intended for me to be if I couldn't find a way to get dinner on the table every night? Once a month cooking or freezer cooking has been a challenge and a journey but I am holding on tight and still up for the ride!