Hello 80+ degree weather!
Our Girl, Happy it is Spring!
Happy Spring to all of you! We hope you all are enjoying the warmer weather as well!
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Spring Sprinkler Fun
Yesterday Mark worked 2 am - 11 am so we headed to his parents for Tuesday evening dinner quite early. Annabeth had a lot of fun playing in their yard and looking at all of their birds and flowers. She and Mark got the hose out to water so Brian and Kristi would not have to when they got off work. Of course watering the plants turned into a lot of sprinkler fun for Annabeth!
Friday, May 16, 2014
Frugal Friday 39
Happy Frugal Friday!
Here is what we did to save money/spend money wisely this week:
- I placed an order with Shutterfly. I had a coupon for a free photo book and my friend Cindy sent me a coupon for a free sheet of address labels. I also had a $20 off $20 purchase so I made three gifts we will give this summer. Saved: $53.98
- Instead of going out to eat or purchasing special food for Mother's Day we enjoyed leftovers at Brian and Kristi's from Cassidy's bridal shower the day before. Kristi and I had purchased quite a bit of food that was not eaten at the party and it was nice to be able to enjoy party food two days in a row!
- Mark and Annabeth surprised me with a real jade necklace and earrings for Mother's Day. Mark reported that they saved 40% by talking down the salesman and saying "Please." :) Some mamas might be offended but I was just proud!
- We gifted our moms and my Momaw with homemade photo gifts. We worked hard to find good deals on printing photos as well as the frames. We think that we made very nice, meaningful gifts without spending a fortune.
- I realized our calendar was open this whole week, so I decided to really dive into potty-training with Annabeth. We enjoyed the week at home and by wearing diapers only in the car and at bedtime we saved around 30-40 diapers*
- I was blessed with FREE Starbucks as the car in front of me paid for my drink. Saved: $5.13
- As we have been able to do each year we have been married, we paid our car insurance in full for the upcoming year (our year starts each June 18). Saved: $150.00
Total Saved: $209.11
Happy Savings to All!
"Buy Used and Save the Difference"
*From the time Annabeth was 1 month to 23 months old we used cloth diapers. However when our washer broke last fall, we did the laundry at Mark's parents and I washed the diapers on the incorrect cycle and shredded them. As Annabeth was almost two, I thought potty training would be complete in those next few months and decided to just buy diapers for a few months as that would be less than rebuying cloth diapers. More than 6 months later, we are still buying diapers! If I would have known how long it would be, I may have bite the bullet and purchased cloth diapers again as we could have at least sold them at the end of potty training. Oh well, we live and learn*
Here is what we did to save money/spend money wisely this week:
- I placed an order with Shutterfly. I had a coupon for a free photo book and my friend Cindy sent me a coupon for a free sheet of address labels. I also had a $20 off $20 purchase so I made three gifts we will give this summer. Saved: $53.98
- Instead of going out to eat or purchasing special food for Mother's Day we enjoyed leftovers at Brian and Kristi's from Cassidy's bridal shower the day before. Kristi and I had purchased quite a bit of food that was not eaten at the party and it was nice to be able to enjoy party food two days in a row!
- Mark and Annabeth surprised me with a real jade necklace and earrings for Mother's Day. Mark reported that they saved 40% by talking down the salesman and saying "Please." :) Some mamas might be offended but I was just proud!
- We gifted our moms and my Momaw with homemade photo gifts. We worked hard to find good deals on printing photos as well as the frames. We think that we made very nice, meaningful gifts without spending a fortune.
Annabeth helping Nana open her Mother's/Nana's Day gift
- I realized our calendar was open this whole week, so I decided to really dive into potty-training with Annabeth. We enjoyed the week at home and by wearing diapers only in the car and at bedtime we saved around 30-40 diapers*
Her first day in cloth diapers - 11.09.11
- I was blessed with FREE Starbucks as the car in front of me paid for my drink. Saved: $5.13
- As we have been able to do each year we have been married, we paid our car insurance in full for the upcoming year (our year starts each June 18). Saved: $150.00
Total Saved: $209.11
Happy Savings to All!
"Buy Used and Save the Difference"
*From the time Annabeth was 1 month to 23 months old we used cloth diapers. However when our washer broke last fall, we did the laundry at Mark's parents and I washed the diapers on the incorrect cycle and shredded them. As Annabeth was almost two, I thought potty training would be complete in those next few months and decided to just buy diapers for a few months as that would be less than rebuying cloth diapers. More than 6 months later, we are still buying diapers! If I would have known how long it would be, I may have bite the bullet and purchased cloth diapers again as we could have at least sold them at the end of potty training. Oh well, we live and learn*
Monday, May 12, 2014
Happy Mother's Day!
Yesterday, Annabeth and I celebrated and enjoyed our 4th Mother's Day.
(Yes, we celebrated the year I was expecting)
I woke up to Annabeth and Mark's gift for me: a beautiful, real jade necklace and earring set! I have loved jade and wished for real jade since a trip to Chinatown, San Fransisco in 2008 and this year my family made it happen! It is so beautiful and I am so blessed that they remembered something I had asked for.
Mark got called out to a rather serious scene around 9:00 so I anticipated spending the day just with Annabeth. We showered and headed to church.
After church, we ran over to Mark's parents for lunch and to give Nana her Mother's Day gift. Mark ended up being able to come around 2:00 so we spent a lovely afternoon in the backyard planting roses and enjoying the sunshine!
Annabeth was pretty tired and grumpy so we left around 6:00 and she fell asleep in the way home - A Mother's Day Miracle! When we got home, I carried her in and sat in Mark's chair. She stayed asleep so I received the most precious gift, being able to hold my sleeping baby in my arms.
Happy Mother's Day to all the Mamas - Mamas with babies here on earth, Mamas with babies in heaven, Mama with babies both places, and Mamas who are still waiting for their babies. May the Lord bless you and keep you as you seek to do His Will.
(Yes, we celebrated the year I was expecting)
I woke up to Annabeth and Mark's gift for me: a beautiful, real jade necklace and earring set! I have loved jade and wished for real jade since a trip to Chinatown, San Fransisco in 2008 and this year my family made it happen! It is so beautiful and I am so blessed that they remembered something I had asked for.
Mark got called out to a rather serious scene around 9:00 so I anticipated spending the day just with Annabeth. We showered and headed to church.
Since Mark was gone, I tried to take one of us girls by myself.
There were a ton of not-so-desirable ones but then I found this one.
I realize it's not centered but I love us laughing.
After church, we ran over to Mark's parents for lunch and to give Nana her Mother's Day gift. Mark ended up being able to come around 2:00 so we spent a lovely afternoon in the backyard planting roses and enjoying the sunshine!
Annabeth was pretty tired and grumpy so we left around 6:00 and she fell asleep in the way home - A Mother's Day Miracle! When we got home, I carried her in and sat in Mark's chair. She stayed asleep so I received the most precious gift, being able to hold my sleeping baby in my arms.
Thank you Sweet Nanners for this perfect half hour of holding you and staring.
Happy Mother's Day to all the Mamas - Mamas with babies here on earth, Mamas with babies in heaven, Mama with babies both places, and Mamas who are still waiting for their babies. May the Lord bless you and keep you as you seek to do His Will.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Last Day of 2013-2014 School Year
We made it! Today is our last official day of homeschool for the year!
In this last week of school, Mark and Annabeth refinished her new school table. We were able to do some rearranging of the school room just in time for summer crafts!
Annabeth posed in the same outfit and same place for her last day of school picture as her first day of school picture.
Last Day of School Questionnaire:
Annabeth knows her letters A-Z and numbers 1-20!
Annabeth knows how to say "Please," "Thank You," and "No Thank You."
Annabeth knows how to tell the difference between letters and numbers.
Annabeth knows the letter sounds.
But most importantly,
Annabeth knows how to share the Gospel. She can tell you that Jesus died on the cross, was raised from the dead, for the forgiveness of our sins, that we may have Eternal Life.
If she never learns anything else we are so happy that she can share His Word and has even done so - rather loudly during Library Craft Time. :)
My favorite Bible verse is Acts 20:24
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."
I have been working with Annabeth on getting her to memorize this verse. I would love for her to write it on her heart and then live by it forever.
We began this homeschool journey unsure of quite a few things:
Would she like it? Would I like it? Would I be able to teach her? Would she be socialized? Would this work for our family? Would this glorify God in our home?
We end this year, the first of many we pray, sure that:
She seemed to like it. I loved it. I feel that she learned quite a few things. We had many wonderful library classes and field trips with other kids. It does work for our family. And we pray, daily, that this glorifies the Lord.
We start back to school August 11 using Alpha Omega Publication's Horizons Preschool for Threes. Until then we are looking forward to a summer of play and informal learning.
May ALL we do glorify the Lord, the one from Whom ALL blessings come.
In this last week of school, Mark and Annabeth refinished her new school table. We were able to do some rearranging of the school room just in time for summer crafts!
Before Picture.
Our school room has been my craft room/sunroom/homeschool storage.
After Picture.
We are slowly moving our things out so that she
can have a full-fledged school room.
Annabeth posed in the same outfit and same place for her last day of school picture as her first day of school picture.
Our Little Bit is getting taller and taller each day!
Last Day of School Questionnaire:
Annabeth knows her letters A-Z and numbers 1-20!
Annabeth knows how to say "Please," "Thank You," and "No Thank You."
Annabeth knows how to tell the difference between letters and numbers.
Annabeth knows the letter sounds.
But most importantly,
Annabeth knows how to share the Gospel. She can tell you that Jesus died on the cross, was raised from the dead, for the forgiveness of our sins, that we may have Eternal Life.
If she never learns anything else we are so happy that she can share His Word and has even done so - rather loudly during Library Craft Time. :)
My favorite Bible verse is Acts 20:24
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."
I have been working with Annabeth on getting her to memorize this verse. I would love for her to write it on her heart and then live by it forever.
We began this homeschool journey unsure of quite a few things:
Would she like it? Would I like it? Would I be able to teach her? Would she be socialized? Would this work for our family? Would this glorify God in our home?
We end this year, the first of many we pray, sure that:
She seemed to like it. I loved it. I feel that she learned quite a few things. We had many wonderful library classes and field trips with other kids. It does work for our family. And we pray, daily, that this glorifies the Lord.
We start back to school August 11 using Alpha Omega Publication's Horizons Preschool for Threes. Until then we are looking forward to a summer of play and informal learning.
May ALL we do glorify the Lord, the one from Whom ALL blessings come.
Frugal Friday 38
Happy Frugal Friday!
Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money creatively this week:
- Our friends, the Love Family, gave Annabeth a new camping chair. They had purchased it for their daughter but it was too small so it came to our house. Annabeth loves it. Thank you!
- We sold the Disney Princess table and chairs that were in Annabeth's room. They came to us from Kati and Elli as Jenn cleaned things out before their move to SD. We have enjoyed having them but the table is not sturdy enough to do schoolwork on and we have many other chairs. When the new camp chair came this week we knew it was time to let the others go. I put it on our Facebook Garage Sale site and sold it in less than 20 minutes. Made: $15 for Jenn
- We VOTED in our Local Primary Election. It is free fun and our civic duty.
- Mark was off work for Primary Election Day so he and Annabeth planted flowers for the front porch.
- Mark and Annabeth are working on refinishing a table for our schoolroom. It was a gift from Mark's aunt but after sitting in storage for a bit it needed refinished. Mark sawed the legs off because the table was quite tall. It is now a nice size that Annabeth can either stand or sit to work at. Mark also let Annabeth pick out new paint colors and painted it beautifully for her.
Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money creatively this week:
- Our friends, the Love Family, gave Annabeth a new camping chair. They had purchased it for their daughter but it was too small so it came to our house. Annabeth loves it. Thank you!
- We sold the Disney Princess table and chairs that were in Annabeth's room. They came to us from Kati and Elli as Jenn cleaned things out before their move to SD. We have enjoyed having them but the table is not sturdy enough to do schoolwork on and we have many other chairs. When the new camp chair came this week we knew it was time to let the others go. I put it on our Facebook Garage Sale site and sold it in less than 20 minutes. Made: $15 for Jenn
- We VOTED in our Local Primary Election. It is free fun and our civic duty.
- Mark was off work for Primary Election Day so he and Annabeth planted flowers for the front porch.
Planting their flowers
Taking the flowers out front to the porch
These two love to do projects together!
- Mark and Annabeth are working on refinishing a table for our schoolroom. It was a gift from Mark's aunt but after sitting in storage for a bit it needed refinished. Mark sawed the legs off because the table was quite tall. It is now a nice size that Annabeth can either stand or sit to work at. Mark also let Annabeth pick out new paint colors and painted it beautifully for her.
Mark and Annabeth showing off their latest project -
Annabeth's new school table!
- After last week's post, a college friend and reader, Lauren, asked us if we would like to meet her and the girls she nannies at a new park. We met the three of them as well as another nanny and set of girls at the Zionsville Lion's Park for an afternoon of fun. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and hours on the playground. We look forward to playing again!
We hope you all have a had a fun and frugal week as well.
We also hope that you voted in your Local Primary Election. We were saddened to read in our Wednesday paper that less than 10% of registered voters in our county voted. Please vote!!
Happy Savings to All!
"Buy Used and Save the Difference"
We hope you all have a had a fun and frugal week as well.
We also hope that you voted in your Local Primary Election. We were saddened to read in our Wednesday paper that less than 10% of registered voters in our county voted. Please vote!!
Happy Savings to All!
"Buy Used and Save the Difference"
Monday, May 5, 2014
140th Running of the Kentucky Derby
This past Saturday, we enjoyed our Annual Derby Party at my Momaw's house.
Each year we enjoy taco dip, salsa, and cheese dip with chips before the race. Those who drink alcohol also enjoy a Mint Julep. We do some light betting on the races with enough pots that most families win most of, if not, all of their money back. Then the race is run - the fastest 2.5 minutes in sports! After the race, my Dad tallies all of the winnings and during an Old Hickory BBQ dinner the winnings are distributed. This year's big winner was 8 year old Kaleb who picked the best Win-Place-Show ticket and won $75! The prizes for "Best Hat(s)" are also handed out.
I have won "Best Hat" the past two years so this year I just wore my prize horse earrings and decorated my hat with my prize horse scarf. BUT Annabeth's Mama-made horse hat did win "Most Creative!" Success in the craft department!
Each year we enjoy taco dip, salsa, and cheese dip with chips before the race. Those who drink alcohol also enjoy a Mint Julep. We do some light betting on the races with enough pots that most families win most of, if not, all of their money back. Then the race is run - the fastest 2.5 minutes in sports! After the race, my Dad tallies all of the winnings and during an Old Hickory BBQ dinner the winnings are distributed. This year's big winner was 8 year old Kaleb who picked the best Win-Place-Show ticket and won $75! The prizes for "Best Hat(s)" are also handed out.
I have won "Best Hat" the past two years so this year I just wore my prize horse earrings and decorated my hat with my prize horse scarf. BUT Annabeth's Mama-made horse hat did win "Most Creative!" Success in the craft department!
Riley Hat Ladies
After a week in Kentucky,
Annabeth felt right at home on a John Deere tractor
Receiving her prize for "Most Creative" hat
She loves being with her Aunt Lu too!
Happy 140th Running of the Kentucky Derby!
Friday, May 2, 2014
Frugal Friday 37
Happy Frugal Friday!
Here is what we did to save money/spend money wisely:
- I mended a skirt of mine and pants of Annabeth's. We love to repair and reuse as much as possible.
- We enjoyed a weekend at my parent's lake house. Annabeth and I enjoyed lots of free fun such as hiking, geese watching, and throwing rocks into the water. We did spend money in town buying overpriced groceries at Bernie's Market but at least we were overspending locally.
- We enjoyed Starbucks as a family twice this week thanks to a giftcard from Mark's parents! It was fun to have special coffee treats and cakes. Thank you!
- We enjoyed Smother's Park in Owensboro, KY not just once but twice so far this week. It is by far one of the biggest and nicest parks/playgrounds I have ever seen.
- We spent a morning at the Owensboro Museum of Science and History. It was just $3 for Annabeth and myself.
- I found Annabeth's favorite yoga pants on sale (finally!) at Children's Place. I have been waiting for them to go on sale since she received some as a gift last fall and loves them. I was only able to find one pair in the next size so I scooped them up. Saved: $11.99
- I decorated our Derby Hats with supplies we had on hand. For my hat, I reused my same brown hat from past years and wrapped my prize from last year's "Best Hat" win around the hat - a horse scarf. Annabeth's hat was an Easter/Derby gift from Momaw. We used tulle and a toy horse from last year's hats to decorate. (I will do a Derby post after this weekend and include pictures)
What have you been doing to save money? What parks do you enjoy?
Happy Savings to All!
"Buy Used and Save the Difference!"
Here is what we did to save money/spend money wisely:
- I mended a skirt of mine and pants of Annabeth's. We love to repair and reuse as much as possible.
- We enjoyed a weekend at my parent's lake house. Annabeth and I enjoyed lots of free fun such as hiking, geese watching, and throwing rocks into the water. We did spend money in town buying overpriced groceries at Bernie's Market but at least we were overspending locally.
Relaxing morning spent on the dock.
- We enjoyed Starbucks as a family twice this week thanks to a giftcard from Mark's parents! It was fun to have special coffee treats and cakes. Thank you!
- We enjoyed Smother's Park in Owensboro, KY not just once but twice so far this week. It is by far one of the biggest and nicest parks/playgrounds I have ever seen.
Posing with a turtle at the park
- We spent a morning at the Owensboro Museum of Science and History. It was just $3 for Annabeth and myself.
- I found Annabeth's favorite yoga pants on sale (finally!) at Children's Place. I have been waiting for them to go on sale since she received some as a gift last fall and loves them. I was only able to find one pair in the next size so I scooped them up. Saved: $11.99
- I decorated our Derby Hats with supplies we had on hand. For my hat, I reused my same brown hat from past years and wrapped my prize from last year's "Best Hat" win around the hat - a horse scarf. Annabeth's hat was an Easter/Derby gift from Momaw. We used tulle and a toy horse from last year's hats to decorate. (I will do a Derby post after this weekend and include pictures)
What have you been doing to save money? What parks do you enjoy?
Happy Savings to All!
"Buy Used and Save the Difference!"
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)