JustMe

Be back soon.

2008-02-23T04:56:00.000-08:00

I will be updating soon. We were just knocked out with the stomach flu for a couple weeks. Yuck!

Weather

2008-02-05T05:38:00.001-08:00

Picture 1: Last Friday morning

Picture 2: This Tuesday morning

Hello sinus infection.

Busy

2008-02-04T17:35:00.000-08:00

Wow, I have been so busy lately! I have so much to write about but no time. I had some really great deals this week ,thanks to a un-advertised super double coupon day at my Kroger.There was way to much in one trip to list but I will highlight a few of the deals in the order:

Dove deodorant sale 2/4$ + 1/1coupon doubled= 6 FREE

Degree deodorant same sale and coupon doubled= 6 FREE

Quacker oatmeal sale 1.88 + 1/1 coupon doubled= 12 FREE

Dannon smoothies 4 pack sale 1.98 + 1/1 Coupon doubled= 6 FREE

Yoplait yogurt 4 pack same sale and coupon doubled= 5 FREE

Muir Glen organic canned tomatoes sale 1.50 + 1/1 coupon doubled= 5 FREE

Heartland Pasta sale 1.39 + .55/1 doubled = 7 For .29 each

Orville redenbacher popcorn sale 1.27 + 1/2 coupon doubled=10 for .27/box ( I also had buy 2 Orville R. popcorn get a 2 liter Free coupons = 5 FREE 2 liters)

Sundown spiderman vitamins sale buy one at 6.99 get 1 Free + 2, 1/1 coupons doubled = 2 bottles for $3.00.

There was tons of great deals. Everything in the picture is what I got in one trip.

Total # of items =129

Total price before coupons= $278.00

Total after coupons =$52.20 !!!

Homeschool news

2008-01-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

When I started out planning my first year homeschooling, I did not factor in the incredible time demand our ailing families would be. With my mom in the nursing home, Grandma with breast cancer, and Grandmother-in-law with recent hip replacments our schooling (and my guilt) has been a sruggle. However last week I stumbled upon a website I had researched before but forgotten, it's called Time for Learning. What an incredible blessing to find this! For twenty dollars a month my son can get so much quality learning time in without me having to plan for hours. It's just a supplement but has given me some room to focus more on our family issues. Thank you Jesus! I am still amazed by answered prayers;)

Checks

2008-01-31T08:58:00.000-08:00

Keeping up house with three children five and under can be challenging .When we added homeschooling to my growing list of duties this year I new something had to give. Through planning how I was going to teach my children phonics and math, I thought hmm... maybe I could teach them about housework too. I guess I always assumed they were to young to actually contribute. We did lots of playing "helpers" but I had never given them specific tasks. Then I thought there had to be some kind of reward system too, and that was how "Checks" was born.

They each have there own wipe off board on the front of their door, and there are about 15-20 things each of them can do to earn a check. My five year old can actually do laundry! I separate it and always start the loads in the wash, but he can switch it for me and bring the dry clothes, which helps so much. My three year old loves to vacume and dust. I only had to show her one time the way mommy does it and now it gets done well.

They also earn checks for things like brushing teeth, getting dressed, keeping rooms tidy, putting away their laundry, all the little things that can overwhelm my day. The checks change sometimes to go along with our character studies too. Recentley we have been learning about perseverance, and they get a check if they worked through something that frustrated them. there is also a block at the bottom for extra-special checks. For instance, if they went out of their way to be kind to someone, but basically anything generous they did without our prompting.

Before you think I'm some kind of horrible slave driver let me get to the rewards part. We have a little notecard box held to the door with velcro, it's called the prize box. Once the have earned thirty checks they get to pick a card from the box. There are prizes like going to the library with Daddy to pick out a movie, earning a dollar and getting a trip to the dollar store, or even extra computer time. Let me tell you, my kids eat this up! They love racing eachother to get the next prize or trying to find ways to earn extras. Of course I love it because it means so much more is getting done without me having to nag and nit pick at them. So if your struggling with little ones and responsibility, give checks a try. It works for us.

Deal Talk

2008-01-29T12:15:00.001-08:00

I had a second to do a quick grocery run. Here are the deals I put together...

Tyson's trim and ready chicken was on sale for 50% off. I dug out my stack of chicken coupons I've been holding on to for just such an occasion. I got one 2lb bag of single serve garlic herb chicken for 5.00 - 2/1 coupon= 3.00

-Thin sliced breasts- four packs.

.89lb 2.62$ - 2/1 coupon= 1.62
1.04lbs 3.06$ - 2/1 coupon= 2.06
1.10lbs 3.25$ - 2/1 coupon= 2.25
1.01lbs 2.97$ - 1/1 coupon= 1.97

-Boneless skinless chicken thighs- five packs

1.67lbs 2.15$ - 1/1 coupon= 1.15
1.36lbs 1.75$ - 1/1 coupon= .75
1.31lbs 2.41$ - 1/1 coupon= 1.41
1.44lbs 2.65$ -1/1 coupon= 1.65
1.35lbs 1.67$ - 1/1 coupon=.67

-Orville Redenbacher was on sale for 1.27 a box. I got six boxes.

one box 1.27$ - .75/1 coupon=.52
one box 1.27$ - .40/1 coupon+doubled=.47 (did this one for five boxes)
I had 3 tear pad coupons for buy two boxes, get 1 free two liter of soda.= 3 free 2 liters

- One Colgate toothpaste 1.47$ - 1.50/1 coupon= +.3

-Reese's whips sale 3/1$, I bought 8. Plus 4 buy get one free coupons= 1.32

TOTAL: Before coupons = $42.32

After coupons = $20.72!

I have a lot of cooking to do. I will put the chicken thighs in the crockpot for shredded chicken. I keep this in the freezer for quick dinners. I know $1.25 a pound is not the best chicken deal in the world, but I LOVE the trimmed and ready stuff. Trying to cook dinner with three little ones in my tiny kitchen is not easy. Especially when I have chicken goop on my hands,baby is pulling on my legs crying, and older ones are screaming and fighting with each other. Can anyone relate? So this stuff is great but usually out of my price range.Thank you coupons!

I did It!!

2008-01-27T13:14:00.001-08:00

I did it! I gave my testimony in front of two-hundred and fifty ladies on Friday night. Well I should say the Lord did it because I was completely terrified. I just took that step of faith, opened my mouth, and the Lord completely took over! Praise God! So many lives were touched (not just by my testimony), the whole program for the night was so powerful. Our Masters Commission students did this amazing human video, and the other testimony by Jen was just Wow! I feel so blessed just to have been a part of it.I'm so thankful to the Lord for taking the junk of my life and turning into a treasure.

Junk for Joy!
Originally uploaded by thejoyof

2008-01-23T04:48:00.000-08:00

My goal for today: Get three children dressed, teeth brushed, snotty nose's wiped, and all bundled up in there winter attire. In the middle of that process I must get dressed, put on makeup, pack snacks, pack diaper bag, make lunch, change diapers, figure out dinner, pick up the house, find my shoes,start the car and keep adventurous one year old in sight at ALL times.

What I'm doing here is attempting to go to a get together at my pastors wife's house for the testimony tea at 11:00. There will be lots of prayer and encouragement which is much needed considering I am giving my Testimony in front of hundreds of people in three days! Three days people! Let's hope we make it there.

The best part of being frugal

2008-01-22T08:31:00.000-08:00

We live on a very limited income for a family of five. We're usually unable to give any extra besides our time. However since the Lord blessed us with some new ways to be frugal that has changed! Not only have I been able to drop our grocery budget to $130 every two weeks, but through "Couponing" I will be able to fill up a box every month to give to the church. This is this month's box so far. I have spent approximately $5 out of pocket for this.

-10 Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems (Pastor will probably take them to Haiti)
-5 Boxes Bayer aspirin
-8 Bottles Dove shampoo/conditioner
-2 bottles Suave shampoo
-1 box electrasol dishwasher tabs
-2 right guard deodorants
-1 Blistex chap stick

PLUS
- I was able to make up these little bags for my Mom, Grandma, Grandma-in-law. They have some Dove proage products, different lotions and things.
-With the free plant coupon from Lowe's, I was able to give my elderly neighbor A large peace plant and home cooked dinner.

Praise the Lord!

It's Tuesday.

2008-01-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

Today is Tuesday. Which means DH takes Issac to art class at the museum. Ruby works on the letter N, baby takes nap and I scale Mt. Laundry:)

More Nursing Home Struggles

2008-01-21T09:51:00.000-08:00

My mom received a certified letter the other day, saying they were going to release her to her home and continue to look for care. First of all she is way beyond living on her own, as stated by her doctor. Secondly, it is illegal for them to do this without having found a set placement for her. I don't know why they would try this, even the Ombudsman warned them not to. I just hope this isn't some kind of trick. Our Ombudsman Kreesha says we file an appeal and go from there. I just feel so bad for my mom, she is so depressed and scared. She has not had the easiest life, and now being 52 and ready for long term care, it's just rough. I would take her in with us but that must not have been the Lord's plan. Our house is two story with the bathroom on the second floor (She is in a wheelchair). I trust the Lord, whether I understand what He is doing or not. It is just trying to get my mom to, when she doesn't know Jesus. I always wonder though maybe this is just part of His plan to bring my mom to Him.

Yeah Target!

2008-01-19T09:36:00.001-08:00

EDIT: Okay this deal grew and took over my living room! My husband went out to run errands and found more .75/1 peelies.So he can home with 5 more 12 packs for .....$2.66! He then send me out to do the deal two more times . So total for 20, 12packs of Pepsi = $12.16! The best part was he got really excited too. Now I have a partner in crime;)

Today's target deal. Pepsi 12 packs sale 4/11.00$. I had one peelie target coupon(off the box there) for buy 4 get one Pepsi max 12 pack free.Then I used 5 - 1/1.oo Pepsi target coupon that expire Today. Plus I found 4 manufacture peelies for .75/1 Pepsi max. So five 12 packs of pepsi for.......

$4.18

If you go out today you could do this too. Here is where I print out all of my target coupons http://www.afullcup.com/upload/cmps_index.php?page=coupon_generator. Good Luck.

Blessings

2008-01-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

So I stopped at Kroger's tonight to pick up these deals: Ragu sale 1/1 + 5o./1(doubled) Q's. Got six =3.00 Chex mix sale 1/1 + 1/1 Q's Got three= Free. Yogurt smoothies sale 1.98 + 1/1 Q= 1.00

5lb potatoes sale 1.oo

Muir glen organic canned tomatoes sale 1-1.39 +1/1 Q's got four = .80

softsoap sale 1.00 + .35/1 (doubled)= .30ea. Got three =.90

And was blessed to find these clearances:

Dove shampoos 1.75 + 1.50/1 Q's= .25 each, Got 10= 2.50

Vaseline intense body butters 1.38 + 1.50/1 Q's= +.12, got three =.36 overage

Infusium 23 3.25 + 3/1 Q's = .25 each , got three= .75

Sunsilk beyond brunette 2.00 +1.50/1 Q's= .50 ea. got three = 1.50

Degree deodorant w/ trail size attached sale 2.00 + 1/1= 1.00

Suave products .50-1.00 + 1/2 Q's = .50 - Free, got four =1.50

Vive 1.90 + 1.50/1 Q = .40

Dove pro age 2.83 + 2/1 Q = .83

Dove curl shine 2.00 + 1.50/1 Q = .50

Dove proage mouse 1.98 + 1.50/1 Q = .49

Dove proage hand lotion 1.98 + 2/1 Q = FREE

Possible some things missed, its late

Grand Total: 26.91$

water +cornstarch

2008-01-17T08:52:00.000-08:00

Today we are learning about solids, liquid, gases. You can't teach that to a kindergartner without Goo Yuck! Doesn't he look excited. They were though, and they played for hours with the stuff. My three year old covered herself from head to toe. These our the times I pray "Lord, help me to see past the mess. Let me see the joy in their eyes & recognize childhood in the making" I definitely can not get to that place on my own.

Struggling

2008-01-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

We have a lot of struggles ahead of us this week. My mom has been put into a nursing home for long term care, and there have been a lot of problems! These people are cruel and conniving with no sense of human decency. After two separate meetings ending with my mom in tears (and these administrators saying things like"Well it was just me, you and your mom in the room how are you going to prove it"?). I have had to call the Ombudsmen back again but this time get a lawyer. I have been in constant prayer. Only the Lord can bring justice to my mother, and guide us through situation like this that well exceed our own understanding. I have been in pure shock at the blatant immorality of these people, but He is our comforter, or shelter, and our protection for all things in life. I will just keep my eyes on Jesus, and seek his guidance for every step we take. I've learned the hard way, picking up our own burdens does not end pretty.

Giving it the old college try.

2008-01-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

Hello blogging world. Here is my attempt to keep up on something, for once in my life post children. Hmmm... things and randomness about me. I am twenty five, with three little ones 5 and under. Been with the husband for almost ten years. That would mean I met him at 16, we ran away to California together, bad stuff, bad news. But all is well now thanks to the Good Lord. I attend an Assemblies of God, Pentecostal church. With a fairly large congregation, whom I am giving my testimony to in two weeks, for our annual Testimony tea. Very nervous about that. Lets see, we live on a very tight income, so frugality is one of my favorite past times. Just look what I got for thirty dollars yesterday.That is a combined total from Meijer, target,rite aid, Walgreen's, and a freebie poster of my chubby baby in the mail when we got home.(sorry picture difficulties)