Small steps

After checking out some of the websites a few weeks ago, I was inspired to make some changes in our toy organization.  They’ve actually stuck!  We started by pulling out all the toys one evening after the kids were in bed and sorting with a vengeance.  Two huge boxes were filled for either a yard sale later this summer or donation.  With the remaining toys, we pulled out a slew of “preschool” skill ones.  Alphabet puzzles, number cubes, lacing sets, beads for stringing, etc. all went into a special box to only emerge under parental supervision.  This should help keep all the pieces intact as well as ensure that they’re not eaten by little brother.

That left a much more manageable set of toys, which we then assigned a specific place.  The shelf in this picture has containers for a train set, cars & trucks, bean bags, blocks, and small animals.  In the other room we have containers for play food, kitchen utensils, stuffed animals, musical instruments, and zoo animals.  Puzzles, DVD/videos, and extra books are kept in a small closet.  Legos and a few other toys are kept in the bottom cabinet of the entertainment center.  We have a small basket of books in the bathroom for potty training reading, and a small basket of toys in the living room to entertain Scooter.  Bedrooms just have one small basket of toys, larger basket of stuffed animals, and a shelf of books.The kids do a much better job keeping things picked up when there are fewer toys in general, and when I can direct them to a specific “home” for the toys when they are done.

 

Walgreens trip

This was my second try at Walgreen’s deals.  Since I’m just starting out with no coupon stash or rebates earned, this required a little more out-of-pocket.  I was pleased to stock up on lots of things, though.  We don’t have a dishwasher, so we go through lots of dishsoap.  I did try out ordering some coupons from The Coupon Master to use towards some of the rebates.

 We needed several of these things, and I would have been buying them  anyway.  Some of the others I’ll use for gift packs.

Rebate #13:

• 4 Palmolive @ 1.99 = 8.06
• 3 Colgate (with toothbrush) @2.79 = 8.37
• 3 Colgate (clearance) @ 1.44 = 4.32
• Total for rebate = $20.75
• Minus:
• WG 1.99 colgate coupon =  - 2.40
• WG 2/1.89 Palmolive coupon =  - 4.18
• 4 $1/1 Colgate coupons = -4.00
• After coupons:   $10.17
• Rebate earned:  $10.00
• Final cost:  $0.17!

For the Schick Quattro razors, they were:

• 4 packs @ 6.99 = 27.96
• Cost of ordering coupons: 1.04
• Total = $29.00
• Minus:
• ES coupon $2 off = - 8.00
• BOGO coupons = - 13.98
• Total for 4 packs of razors: $7.02, or $1.75 per pack

 

 

Bzz………

Several months ago I joined Bzz Agent  and have had the opportunity to try out several new products.  Today I received a package in the mail that I’m really excited to try, Ziploc Twist ‘N Loc Containers.

Somehow my collection of storage containers is woefully small right now, so this was perfect timing.  The lids on these twist on for a (supposed ~ I’ll be testing this out!) no leak seal.  I see that they also have measurement markings clearly labeled on the side, which is nice for keeping track of how much I’m eating.

I don’t receive any compensation for trying these, and I’ll be sharing what my honest opinion is in a couple weeks.  I’m just happy to get some new containers!   I do have $1.00 off coupons to share, so if you’d like one leave me a comment. : ) 

Am I ……..a dabbler?

It came up in a discussion last night that a certain someone dear to my heart views my everchanging interests as dabbling, as phases. Should I be looking for a “hobby” that will last for always? I have to admit, it has been a pattern for me to go completely gung-ho into something for a time, then drop it. The dropping usually isn’t planned, and I’m not even sure how it happens. Perhaps it begins with disillusionment that this new venture will turn me into the person that I want to become? Or another one comes up and takes it place?

Over the past years, my “dabbling” has included:

knitting

race walking

anthropology (as a college major)

too many diets to list

gardening (I still hold hopes that this one will continue)

teaching? (DH isn’t sure now if this was just a phase, since I’m at home with kids now)

I’m concerned that I’m just a flavor of the week type of person, but have no idea how to change that.

Busy . . . . in a good way

South yard

Originally uploaded by sfgmom

When we moved into our house a few years ago we inherited a big yard just filled with flowers, plants, berries, fruit trees, and garden space. The previous owners loved nature and spent much time working on the yard. I loved the yard because it had a little bit of so much “nature” that I remembered from my childhood ~ lilacs, daylilies, daffodils, blackberries, strawberries, tulips, a cherry tree, garden space, roses, peonies, and crocuses.

The actual upkeep of the yard has proven to be challenging, especially with little ones. Despite having grown up around so many plants, I’ve discovered that my knowledge of how to actually care for those various blooms and berries is very minimal. Thank goodness for the Internet!

Now that it has warmed up, I’ve been trying to get out to work in the yard more. Even if it’s only for 15 minutes or so, it makes a small dent. Sweetpea and I go out in the morning while the little one naps and enjoy the sun and fresh air. How I’ve missed it during the long winter! Just that brief respite into God’s creation does my soul a world of good. Even the dandelions (weeds, to most) have burst into a brilliant yellow display.

All this means that I’ve spent less time on the computer, and more time tapping into the wonderful world that God created for us.

Freeze frame

Ever since we got our digital camera a few years ago, I’m really bad at getting prints made.

Walgreens has an offer today for 15 free prints either online with the coupon code TAXDAY or in-store with the coupon from the weekly ad. Time to print!

Back on track

After too many months of emotional eating, I’m jumping in again.  The scale has reached that magic number, the one that I promised myself I wouldn’t exceed.  So it’s time to scale back and start making healthier choices.

1. Started tracking my food.  I’m using WW points as a guide.  If I’m not writing down what I’m eating and counting either points or calories it’s far too easy to overeat and eat without thinking.  Tracking forces me to measure quantities and actually think about what I’m eating.
2. Making healthier choices.  For  snack today I had a nonfat peach yogurt and 1/2 oz of wasabi/soy flavored almonds.  It was lower in points that something like chips or cookies would have been, but still had a lot of flavor and was more nutritious.
3. Get some exercise in daily, even if it’s just 5 or 10 minutes.  I have a bad habit of thinking that if I can’t do a full workout it’s not even work getting started.  With small ones in the house, that kind of thinking leads to going weeks or months without doing exercise.
4. Stall tactics!  When the urge to eat hits:  clean something, chew gum, brush teeth, do a couple minutes of exercise.  One thing that works for me is to say:  I’ll eat it after I _______.  Often I end up forgetting all about it by the time I’m done with whatever it was that I started to do!

Stay tuned for my progress.

Walgreens shopping, round 1

Looking for the cheap yogurt post? Find it here.

A few years ago, pre-kids, I subscribed to the Grocery Game. We lived in a large metropolitan area where there were several stores that doubled coupons and had loyalty programs. It wasn’t long before we were saving lots, and had a stash of personal supplies to last several years. Fast forward to now: two children, living in a small town with just a Hy-vee that doesn’t double coupons, Aldi, and Walmart. I’d pretty much given up on couponing as anything more than an occasional help.

Then a few weeks ago I ran across Money Saving Mom’s guide to getting great deals at places like CVS and Walgreens. We’re in a small town, but a Walgreens did open up last year. I’ve been salivating over the great deals, and finally took the plunge today. Since we haven’t gotten a newspaper in a long time, my stock of coupons was very limited. I was able to print off a few coupons, and hit the coupon exchange at our local library where I found a couple more.

Then it was off to Walgreens for my first foray into major savings, coupons sorted and list in hand. It all went very smoothly, and here’s what I ended up with:

5 large packs gum

1 Aquafresh advanced toothpaste

1 Colgate 360 toothbrush

4 boxes aluminum foil

10 packs of seed for the garden

3 Soy Joy bars

2 6 oz cans flavored almonds

2 bags of Hershey’s dark chocolate

1 can Plantar’s cashews

Grand Total: $19.30

Rebates earned: $8.00

Out of pocket: $11.30

For a first try, with no coupon stash, I was pleased. The nuts and chocolates were on clearance/BOGO sale, so those were last minute additions that drove up the total price. I’m looking forward to my next trip, and strategizing which paper will have the best coupons.

If only . . . .

I was googling toy organization today, and found my dream setup.  Oh my!  The neatness!  The organization!  The way it all matches coordinates!  Every toy has a place, and they are neatly ensconced in each room.

Sigh……………..

Off to try to come up with the mismatched thrift store version.

The Contented Soul, chapter 2 thoughts

This is a really thought provoking book, and very timely for me right now. Chapter 2 of The Contented Soul is titled “Seeing the Self as Soul.” The soul is made to belong to God, but in our current society we often forget that, and seek instead to “belong” to something bigger than ourselves, often marked by our habits of consumption.

As we grew increasingly able to manipulate our physical environment, we replaced the long-held belief that contentment comes from inside our soul with the idea that it comes from controlling our circumstances.

I am guilty of this far too often, this desire to have it all under control so that I’ll finally be content. That won’t happen, of course. I may be able to eradicate any foul odor in my house with a variety of different air fresheners, neutralizers, or scents or relieve my pain and aches with an assortment of medications, but I won’t find contentment there.

McMinn gives an overview of the change in history from people being referred to as “souls” in medieval times to the current labels of “consumers”, “buyers”, and “owners.” The change in concepts of freedom from serving God to serving self is a big part of this. When we subscribe to the belief that we are responsible for our own pleasure and happiness, this self-determination doesn’t leave much room for God or contentment.

How do we move beyond the search for fulfillment in buying the right things or controlling our world?

McMinn suggests that it is in remembering God and serving others that we begin to find contentment.

When we look to things and accomplishments as our sources for happiness, we undermine a longstanding Christian understanding that happiness is linked to and emerges from knowing and loving God, which takes place in our soul. From that place of contented rest we can engage, love and serve others.

She goes on to relate how she has discovered that the best cure for discouragement isn’t pampering oneself, but blessing others. This is something that I have been trying to incorporate more and more into my daily life. Focusing less on what I’m getting than on what I’m giving.

She ends the chapter with the statement that when we belong to God, we are freed from trying to manipulate a perfect world to find contentment. This freedom is something that I need to embrace fully.