Re-doing My Kitchen

You know, DIY projects always sound so great in the planning stages. You start dreaming and suddenly you can "see" the finished project. It is really exciting and motivating. That lasts usually about 2 days for me. Then you are left with a kitchen that has the wallpaper off, ugly walls, exposed blemishes that you have to spackle and sand. I am sick of my kitchen now!! I don't last very long sanding. It is SOOOOOO boring!!! I am ready to paint and see the new!!! ARGH!! So, what am I doing? I am sleeping in, getting on facebook, and writing on my blog. I MUST get up now and go work. I will get there, and when I do? It will be a thing to behold.
Until next time,
Mrs. M.

Yellow

She burst out the door into the sunshine. The cool breeze of September swirled around her as she danced down the sidewalk. An onlooker earlier would have seen a very different woman go inside the building. She was holding her hip, and the concentration on her face belied the anxiety she felt. She clung to her husband as they walked down the sidewalk. Something happened inside the building. Something that changed her life. At least for today.

We all long for these days in our lives. Days in which the load we carry is lighter, or taken away, even if for just a little while. We long for the yellow, the sunshine in our lives and dread the dark days that inevitably come. But I find that I live my life somewhere in between most days. On a continuum between dark and light, I live somewhere around the middle but closer to the light. I realized today that I so rarely am living in this bright yellow, that I am giddy, dancing with joy. I wish for more of these days, I am greedy. Yet, if all my days were this bright...then I wouldn't appreciate them.

On an entirely different note. Dishrag tag has started. You can see my progress bar on the right. I think I am one person away from getting the box. I bought my yarn and picked out my pattern! I am excited!!!

Well, I hope today you will take time to appreciate the yellow in your life. I hope you experience your share of those days.
Until next time,
Mrs. M

And Here Comes the Sun

Okay, I have had several cries and one FABULOUS talk with Mr. M and I am better. I think I have been missing something. I have mistaken bucking up and having a stiff upper lip for acceptance and making the most of my life. In reality, I am still living as a victim. We all have obstacles, mine just happen to be physical, yours may be money, time, family, emotional, etc. So instead of reacting to my obstacles, I will celebrate and use them. Or something like that. I guess I will be reading this over and over!!!

So I have started my kitchen renovation. I have started with the wallpaper. Here is the before photo.



And here is the after look after 3 hours yesterday:



I hope to post daily photos to keep me motivated!!! :-)
What is keeping you motivated today?
Till next time,
Mrs. M

SPOILER ALERT - or should I say WHINER ALERT?

Okay, sorry, but today is probably going to be all whining. You know I live day to day with what amounts to the stomach flu. You know how you feel when your stomach is crampy and you have to go every 30 minutes to an hour? Well, that is my "normal". On top of that I have constant pain in my hips, feet, knees, shoulder. I can't stand for too long, I can't sit for too long. It is really frustrating. I won't even go into the lack of energy! I take this though. I, most days anyway, put on a happy face, laugh, joke, clean house, grocery shop, cart kids around and make the most of my not so full days. But some days it is too much. I get gripey, I get angry, I get sad, I get mad. I am TIRED of my body. I want to be in my kitchen right now taking the wallpaper off the walls. But what am I doing? I am sitting and squirming in my chair because yesterday I went to the bathroom too often and the hemorrhoids came back. Oh yes! On top of the "illnesses" I have, I also get to deal with the side effects of said illnesses!!!! Oh joy!! Lucky me!!! So I am sitting here wondering if after last night being off my feet if that was enough. Or should I tempt fate and try to get up and at least clean the kitchen because there was no way in hell I was doing that last night. Hell, I don't hardly remember last night I was in so much pain. Yea, my kid's first day in high school and I hardly remember the afternoon and evening because I was in bed or sitting on a sitz bath!!! Yea, me! I am sure I am up for Mommy of the Year!! Crohn's SUCKS! Ankylosing Sponidlytis SUCKS! Being ill SUCKS! I want a do-over!!!! I want it NOW!!!

Okay, enough, I probably went overboard here.....but it felt good. I feel a little lighter. Hopefully most of you read the alert at the top and skipped this post.

If you were brave enough to keep reading, thank you. Thank you for listening and knowing that sometimes a girl just has to vent.

Until next time,
Mrs. M

Time, Aging, Freedom

Missy starts high school today. Well, technically it is an orientation day, but it counts as a day of school. So we will all go together and learn more about the school and pay money. This means I am a mom of 2 high schoolers. This means I am officially middle aged. I am pondering that this morning as I lallygag and put off getting up and started on my day.

I remember looking at the parents for whom I babysat and thinking, wow, you are an adult. You are old. Now, I realize they were looking at me thinking, wow, I still feel your age, how did I get here? I have that feeling at times when dealing with my teenagers. I have to remember that even though I have been there, done that. They have not. This is all new to them. And it feels original, even though it SOOOO is not. I want to be understanding and not condescending. I want to be open. But sometimes I get so angry. I am not very patient with the adolescent behavior.

But back to me, for let's get real, this is really all about me. I feel like I am at an interesting place in my life. I can now see in the not so very far off future, a time when it is just me and Mr. M here at the house. I see a time with more freedom for us. I see a time when my days will truly be more about me. I will no longer have to schedule my "doings" around my kids' schedules. How exciting! I am beginning to think about how I will fill my days. What activities do I want to be engaged in? What things can I go ahead and begin now? Art lessons? Pottery lessons? Tutoring? Story time at the library? I am not sure. I hope to spend this year exploring possibilities. It is exciting. I no longer feel like I am in a holding pattern. This is Buddy's last year and honestly his schedule is the one that drives the family. When he is gone, Missy's schedule is much more laid back. I will actually be able to begin thinking about my days as MY days.

Of course, there is one obstacle. That is my health. But that has been an obstacle for over 25 years now. So...except of course, every year it gets worse. So......enough! Don't really want to go into that right now. I feel pretty good today. I want to enjoy that. I will deal with the other later today when the energy is all gone like around 2!!! Ha!!!

So it's Monday, a new day, a new week...what new things are going on in your life? What new things are in your horizon? Share!

Till next week,
Mrs. M

Blogging

I have noticed that many bloggers come and go with their blogs. Some write daily with such diligence, it embarrasses me. Some write 3-5 times a week with regularity. Others write VERY infrequently. I seem to go in seasons. When I get started writing, there is no stopping me. It consumes me. Everything I do, I consider, should I blog about this???? But when I stop...I STOP. I don't even think about it and I hardly even read my friends' blogs. I make a complete break. But...I miss it. I miss writing about my days. I think that one day...maybe my kids will get a kick out of reading my thoughts. Maybe not...but I enjoy writing. It fills my soul. So...here I go again.

I have signed up for Dishrag Tag again this year. This is the one knitting online communities I stay in touch with. I don't think I have missed one yet. I have met some very interesting people doing this. Some I'm still in touch with, others who have gone by the wayside. I look forward to what this year will bring. Stay tuned to see which pattern I choose and see the final product.

One distraction from blogging has been facebook. I have really enjoyed getting back in touch with many lost friends on this network. I have enjoyed being nutty and crazy with them. I have enjoyed exploring the preachers' wife role with them, I have enjoyed seeing how their lives have played out. I am inviting several to come visit me here. So watch out for some CRAZY comments.

I have also begun to explore art again. While in Asheville before the mother/daughter camp out, I went into an art store and invested in a good sketch book, pastels, a good pencil, some colored pencils and a sharpie! I have gotten such a kick out of drawing and coloring. Last night I simply drew with a black sharpie, several items of clothing and then colored them. It was amazing the high I got from that simple outlet of my creativity. Whew!!! Maybe I'll find a way to share those on here.

Okay, that was a pretty good start. I may try to catch everyone up later......or maybe not! You'll have to stay tuned to see.

Until next time,
Mrs. M

Faith

When I sit in my place of worship, I feel safe. Not always emotionally safe, as I am the preacher's wife and with that comes some vulnerability. But physically safe. I never worry about my safety or that of my kids. Yes, we have people of all walks of life in our building, but we are safe together. As I listened to NPR this morning, I heard a story of yet another mosque in Palestine being bombed. Fifty people are known to be dead at this time. It made me think about faith. During this Lenten season, we are remembering Jesus' walk during this time. He was heading toward his death and resurrection. He KNEW what was coming, or that is what the Bible says. But even if he didn't know with the certainty of omniscience, he had to know something was up. He was not the most popular person in his area. Yet he kept on. Jews and Muslims in the Middle East are at war with each other. Each time they enter their place of worship, they know they are targets because of their faith. Yet they keep going. I am wondering....if someone bombed a church in my city or state, would I keep going? Especially if it was not just one but two, three, fifty churches? Would I want my teens to in anyway "let on" to their faith preferences? Would I hide my faith? Would I keep going? Would you?

Swagbucks

Okay, I know, I haven't posted much except when I am promoting stuff. I am trying to work on that, but the body is not really helping me. I just started a new drug, so hopefully, my energy level will increase drastically in the next few weeks.

So on to the promotion. I have finally succumbed to the Internet pressure. I have read about swagbucks for some time. I am hesitant to join the bandwagon or add something new to what I already have to do everyday. BUT, this is different. You simply download the swagbucks toolbar and use it to do your searches. (you don't have to download the toolbar, but I find it helps me to remember to use it.) I have instructed my whole family to use it when using the computer (1 account per household). In 2 days I have earned 11 "bucks". Now, what do you do with these "bucks"? You save them up and then trade them in for gift cards to places like Amazon.com or Starbucks. So, if you are interested, please sign up by clicking on the link below. By signing up under me, you help me earn more points. Let me know in the comments if you have used swag bucks or if you sign up!!

http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=407606

Thanks,
Mrs. M

Writing

I started a novel about a month ago. I have thought about doing this for a long time, but never put pen to paper so to speak. So this idea came into my head and I actually sat down and started writing. It was an amazing feeling. The words just poured out of my head, it was really thrilling. I could hear the main character speaking to me. (not like God or anything weird) She even made different choices as the story moved along than I had planned. Then it just stopped. No voices, no writing, no words. I want to blame it on the other "voices" in my head. Other priorities took prominence over the novel. I am seeking to find a way to write. I need quiet. I need order. I went to hear a author speak and she said she had writing pajamas. When she was in those pjs, it sent a signal to her brain that it was writing time. But how is that any different from any other time of the day for me??? Ha! Just kidding. I may try to go to the beach by myself and see if I can jumpstart the story again. I hear once you really get going, you just can't stop. We'll see...
Until next time,
Mrs. M

March

It is March. It is March and there is snow on the ground. Now, in the north, northeast, I realize that this is not such a big deal. In the south, this is BIG news! It was predicted we might get as much as 6 inches, but luckily it was more like 2 inches. It is pretty, I do love snow, but I had turned my attention to spring. My bulbs are sprouting, Forsythia is blooming and baseball starts this week. So, how can it snow????? Oh well. It did and here we are.

I have been busy clawing myself out of the doldrums for the past 3 weeks (probably why spring is sooo appealing). I have typed up daily chores. I have planned menus for the month. I have started a new plan for recording money and working on a new attitude for money. I feel I am being active and have thrown off the cloak of victim. I hope to keep it up!

Part of my new routine is to write more. So I hope to see you again here real soon,
Mrs. M

Healing

Last Friday started a week from hell. My soul, my psyche, and my heart would take a beating by Thursday. Blows came from all directions. Blows from teens and friends. I was finally pushed over the edge and Thursday I spent freefalling into the abyss. I wallowed. Yes, I did. I allowed myself that luxury. You know sometimes, I think we have to wallow around in the pain and self-pity to begin the healing process. So, I wallowed. Friday I declared as a day of pleasing myself and Mr. M. We deserved it as it was not only me who had been hit, but Mr. M as well. We took our time and did what we wanted that morning (other than driving Missy to school), I watched a movie, knitted, played Scramble on Facebook. Mr. M took a bath, read, watched a video. We had lunch here at home and decided to go to a movie. It was then that Mr. M had a brilliant idea (have I mentioned how Mr. M is a genius and how I am so in love with him?) we would splurge and go to dinner and a movie and pay FULL PRICE!!! OMG! That doesn't happen in our household much. But he declared that if ever there was a time we needed to splurge, it was now. So Mr. M and Buddy took me to dinner and a movie. It was nice to sit between the 2 men in my life. We went to see Slumdog Millionaire. If you have not seen this movie, RUN do not WALK to the nearest theater and see it immediately. It is incredible! Then I came home quit struggling to read a book I wasn't really in to and began a new exciting book and was asleep by 10:00.

I feel so refreshed this morning. It is like a new week, oh! It is a new week. The temp is supposed to rise to 70 today and I am going to get out and enjoy it, after I get through the mound of laundry that piled up during the week from hell.

Thank you my friends for your kind words, and your deep concern for me this week.

Until next time,
Mrs. M

A Heavy Heart

As a child I used to envision my dad tied to a totem pole with Indians (sorry, but that is what I called them when I was 4) dancing around him (much like in the cartoons of the 60's), when he would be unable to come home for lunch because he was "tied up". Now as I read the title and realize that is the correct description of my heart right now, I envision my heart so full of pain and sorrow that it actually weighs more.

Sometimes I wonder how much pain and sorrow can fit in a heart. Does the heart just keep expanding to accommodate more and more pain? Or is there a release valve that eventually lets some pain escape to make room for more? Is there a breaking point? Can the heart truly break?

I am not sure of the answers and not really sure it matters. My reality right now is that I am in a place of sorrow.

I was recently introduced to the artist - Christine Kane. She is a musician from Asheville, North Carolina. I really love her soothing style. She has some very funny songs and some really deep songs. The one that comes to mind right now is "I'm With You" Click here to find it to listen to if you would rather.

"In the streetlight
Out from under shadows
I am waiting for you
Among the ashes
And the broken arrows
There are pieces of truth
After all is said and done
And there's nowhere left to run
I'm with you
I'm with you
I have wondered
When the mystery will end
And what the answers reveal
But I am learning now
It's less about the answers
And more about how we heal
When all the awful of your past
Brings you to this place at last
I'm with you
I'm with you
What would happen
In the time it takes your hand
To reach out and beyond
To touch the twilight
Feel the warmth of firelight
Turn a stone in your palm
I can't make this world be kind
But you can put your hand in mine"

This has so many meanings to me. It completely depends on where I am on my journey when I hear it. Today it is a two-fold meaning.

First, my God is with me. Even though I am hurting so bad and feel that nothing is going right and that I am the worst mom in the world, the worst friend in the world, the worst person in the world, God is with me. She is right there. All I have to do is lean and She will hold me up. I simply hold out my hand and put it in hers.

Second, is my feeling for my children. I want them to know that I am right here. I will be here for them whenever they need me. When every where in their life feels unsafe or insecure, I am here. I won't try to "fix" it, I will simply be here and help the healing. My hand is reaching out.

So, as I love my children, so am I loved. It is in this that the release valve is activated and the heart feels less heavy, still sore, still sorrowful, but a little less.

Until next time,
Mrs. M

Bloggie Giveaways - A FLIP CAMERA

I just found a new blog. This one is perfect for me! It is A Cowboy's Wife. She is currently giving away a Flip Camera. Have I ever mentioned how much I would LOVE to have a Flip Camera???? They are amazing. I just can't afford one right now. But think of all the ways you could use it! I could have it in my purse so when Missy and her friends are doing something funny...BAM! I could video it! If Buddy is pitching....BAM! I could video!! Oh boy, cross your fingers and hope I win!!!

Addictions

Hi, my name is Mrs. M, and I am a Facebook addict. Yes, I said it out loud. I am addicted. I love seeing what my friends and family are doing. But here is where the real addiction comes into play. I am addicted to playing Scramble live. Oh I can rationalize, it is helping my brain. I have noticed that my memory is not the greatest lately and with Alzheimer's in my genes, I need to do some kind of word puzzles every day to keep it sharp, right? Well, this is my drug of choice. You are saying but most addictions you do in private, well, I push the button that says I am offline, so nobody can bother me!!! SEE!!! I have a problem!!! Is there Scramble Anonymous for people like me? Cause let me tell you, LOTS of people are on playing this game. In the room that I frequent there are at least 30-50 players every time I go in, no matter the time of day. Oh! The other indication that this has become an addiction? I think of words all the time. SERIOUSLY! I start with one word and think of other words with those letters. It is starting to ruin my life!!!

Until next time, you can find me over on fb playing Scramble!
Mrs. M

GIVEAWAY

Jane is having yet another giveaway. This one is even more fantastic!! I love using reuseable bags to grocery shop. I try to get cute ones, but honestly, I use what is free. I got some at the State Fair one year from the cable company. They were free and I made my whole family walk through and get one. They are flimsy though and really only good for chips or bread. Of course, I still use them. I got a nice free one from Kroger that has a bottom and sturdy sides. These hotSACKS look very chic and they are different sizes and look sturdy! So, Jane is giving away a set of 5 bags!! Plus the produce bags. Now, that I don't have!! I really need those. I buy a lot of produce and those bags bother me! So much plastic and what a waste! So, go on over there and get your name in the drawing! I hope I win and get the Lime Scream!! Wish me luck!!



Until next time,

Mrs. M

It is cold, cold here. Not nearly as cold as in other places, but still, cold. When I have Meinere's I get really dependent and scared to go out. I have been pretty low. So today I got my hair cut. It is cute and edgy. Just what I wanted. I wonder what my family will say, Missy will probably not like it at all! But I do. It makes me feel flirty and alive. What? You want to see? Okay, now keep in mind I had to take these photos myself. So first the short sassy side.

Now for the softer, more feminine side. A little longer, but still a bit sassy!

And now 2 different views. It was hard to get a good full on photo. But you get the idea here.

In fact, I feel so alive that I finally tackled the baking cabinet! I wrote about it back in November, click here to see the before.

Here are the after shots:

I changed the shelf paper and labeled the baskets and shelves. Hopefully now the teens will actually put things where they belong! You think? I was on such a roll I went ahead and organized the spice cabinet as well.

And you know the thing about organizing is that it makes you feel so productive. I am now ready to get back to baking my own bread every day, anything to have an excuse to open that cupboard!!! :-)

So, what about you? What needs organizing in your house? Just set aside 15 minutes and clear out the cabinet. The next step is to put like things with like for instance in the spice cabinet, the middle shelf has all baking spices on the turntable. The bottom shelf has all cooking spices. The very top shelf has a basket with all decorating supplies in it. Then throw away old spices and empty bottles. Combine the 2 bottles of Basil that you have because it was so messy you didn't know you already had some. Then start putting back in the cabinet. And in 15 minutes you will have an organized cabinet. (If you choose to change the shelf paper, like I did, you might need a little more for measuring and cutting.) Hope you will give it a try. Leave me a comment and tell me about your experience!!

Till next time,
Mrs. M

Upside Down, Boy You Turn Me, Inside out and round and round....

Yea, well I'm not singing. This morning at 6:40 the floor was on the ceiling and the ceiling on the floor and it kept rolling and rolling around. Yea! Meinere's is back. This is a wonderful condition of the inner ear. It has been gone for 8 years, and decided Thursday to rear its ugly little head. So, I had an episode on Thursday but luckily I was home and near the bed AND my neighbor was home. (I have to take Xanax quickly or I'll throw up till kingdom comes) Then Saturday while outside taking Christmas decos down, BAM! It hit again. I was outside alone, and if the neighbors saw me, well.....I was weaving all over the yard. I was afraid that if I laid down in the yard (getting down flat is the only thing to do) that my teens might never realize Mom hadn't come back in!!! :-) I got in and medicated and all was well. I took Sunday off to rest and hopefully get the fluids in my inner ear settled down. But no! This morning it strikes again. ARGH!!

Think Destiny's child had Meinere's????

Until next time,
Mrs. M

Dreams

About a year after I had Buddy, my friend Elaine got pregnant with her 2nd child. Late in her pregnancy she discovered that there was something different with the baby. The legs were too short, and I think there were other "differences". This started a flurry of activity. More sonograms were done, research was done, and finally the drs. said the baby had a form of dwarfism. The form they feared she had was one that would not allow the baby to live much past her 1st birthday. Elaine, who had done her own research as she is in the medical field herself, was devastated. This news absolutely turned Elaine's world upside down, topsy turvy. She became incredibly depressed, not getting out of bed, not eating and becoming extremely lethargic. The drs. finally had to go in and take the baby because Elaine simply could not sustain the baby. She was beautiful. Yes, her legs seemed short and crooked, but she was "normal" looking. Inside the bones were telling a different story. The drs.' diagnoses changed every time they saw her. It was a difficult time in Elaine's home and heart. When talking she said something that has stuck with me. She said that she had to change the picture in her head. She and her husband were very active people. The picture she had was her family of four going on bike rides and hikes together. But now that picture would have to change. Her dreams for this child would not look like the ones she had in her head when she was first pregnant.

I had just gone through a year of almost losing my first child and not even really beginning to dream for him. And within a year of Elaine's pregnancy, I gave birth to a daughter with a vascular disease that affected her face. My dreams for my daughter were dramatically changed.

This is not unique to me or Elaine. My friend, Joy, has also experienced this shift in our dreams. She has even written a book about that process, Involuntary Joy. But now that I am in the company of parents with teens, I am realizing that although many parents were able to keep their dreams intact to this point, they are now having to let them go now.

When our children begin to become independent beings and able to make choices that can alter their futures, our dreams are often shattered. Many is the parent whose child chose drugs and ended up in jail, dead, or lost from the family. Many is the parent whose child chose a lifestyle opposite of the parents' and is now not willing to come "home". Many is the parent whose child chose to drink and drive and ended of losing their child to death or the prison system. You get the idea.

I am not even sure that we are aware of these dreams we have for our children until we see them not realized. I think we all want our children to grow up to be independent, contributing members of society and to really know love in their lives. I think without realizing it, we predetermine the path to this outcome. But our children often surprise us by taking different paths. We fear this path will not lead to the same outcome but it often does.

We have to let go. We have to trust. We have to simply love.

This post is somewhat disjointed as are my thoughts this morning. I am standing in a place where I have done all I can as a parent. At least all the teaching I can do. Now it is time to let go, trust, and love him. The rest is up to him and God. Trust....ah....how this keeps coming back to bite me in the ass!!!!!

Til next time,
Mrs. M

I am trying to have a new attitude about cooking for my family. It has always been a chore for me. I have never looked forward to it, and feel that I am not very good at it. I want to change that. My inspiration came from an interesting place. Missy and I love to watch Jon and Kate Plus 8. We love the reality of their life and how they argue and yell, just like real moms and dads. Recently we were at a bookstore and found their book, Multiple Blessings. I had heard Kate talk about how she loved cooking for her family. She felt it was a gift she gave them every meal. So she works hard to make it good and healthy. For some odd reason, it struck me. I had never really thought of it that way. All I saw was the energy expended and the dirty dishes.

So, I am changing my attitude. I am trying new recipes, and adding a surprise every night. Monday night it was some grapes, Clementine sections, and a strawberry sliced and spread out on the plate with our dinner. Last night it was candlelight on the table during dinner. I am not sure what it will be tonight. I think music. But inspiration may hit me later. And you know, I haven't dreaded making dinner yet. I actually look forward to it.

The first step for me was organizing. I sat down and planned meals for 4 weeks. I wrote out the meals that I have been looking at in Healthy Cookbooks. I xeroxed the recipes and clipped them to that week's menu. Then I wrote out a shopping list. I put all of this in a page protector. I have a clip on my fridge where I keep the current week's menu and recipes. When it comes time to make a recipe, I can put it in front and keep it clean by leaving it in the page protector. I am also making notes on the recipes about changes I would make next time.

It is a new adventure for me. My family is eating healthier (and vegetarian), we are eating together, and I am not angry and tired every night. But most of all, it gives me something to look forward to everyday! That is important!

So, since I didn't do Monday Menu, I will go ahead and put this week's menu up. I don't currently have my recipes in the computer, but if you see one you want, let me know! I'll work on publishing those as well!

Monday: Roast Turkey (Quorn turkey)
Sauteed Green Beans
French Bread

Tuesday: Salmon
Tomatoes and Spinach
Brown Rice

Wednesday: Corn and Black Bean Bundles
Quesadillas
Chips and Salsa

Thursday: Penne w/Roasted Veggies

Friday: Pizza
Salad

Saturday: Veggie Picadillo
Brown Rice
Peas

Until next time,
Mrs. M

The First Full Week in 2009

So tonight ends the lazy, sleeping in days of the break. Tomorrow starts a new week. I am looking forward to it. I hope to incorporate some new habits. But before I do anything, I must make my way over to my friend, Allison. She had a new baby over the holidays and I was too sick to visit. I look forward to holding baby Grey and soaking in his newborn smells! I'll try to take photos to share.

So organization will be on the top of my list tomorrow. I will be looking into how to organize my week. I will share the results tomorrow!

Till next time,
Mrs. M

SmartShopper at Jane's blog

OMG!!! I just scrolled over to a blog I have been reading for some time. It is Jane4Girls $800!! It is a single mom who budgets $800 for groceries for the WHOLE year!!! And, she did it!! It has been amazing to watch. I began reading her blog in the beginning before she was on TV and became a local legend!! She is funny and very educational. Stop over and she what she is up to. On her blog yesterday she introduced the Smartshopper. It is an amazing tool! I SOOOO want one of these!!! So of course I signed up. If you are a couponer, or an organizer, you may want to pop over and sign up as well!!!! Good luck!!!

As for me? I will be spending the day finishing up packing up the Christmas decos. Mr. M and I worked yesterday afternoon on getting everything down. I think it might be the first time he has ever helped! It was nice! He built a fire and we got everything down. Now I just need to organize the boxes. Then, we will need to sweep, vacuum, and dust. I look forward to the clean unchaotic look!!!

Oh! Before I forget. Looking for a good book to read? Try Home and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. The books occur at the same time from 2 different perspectives. She is an amazing writer!! These are not hurry through books. They are not about the end result, but about the process. Really amazing!!!! A must read for both books!!!!

Okay, well, until next time,
Mrs. M