Big Enough

In nearly 48 hours from now, my little brother will be getting married. His bride-to-be is a wonderful young lady, who happens to share my exact first and middle name! I have had the privilege to get to know her over the last several months and will proudly stand beside her {in my guava colored bridesmaids' dress} as she marries the love of her life, my little brother.

I pray that He restores my joy and infuses my heart with happiness before Saturday.

Because life just doesn't stop. My brother will get married. My bestie from high school will wed her man only a few weeks from now. Another BFF is pregnant and is due only 10 days before I was. We shared only one day of joy and giggles over being pregnant together, which I am truly thankful for. She hesitates to share happy news, knowing that my heart is still broken.

But I think I am big enough.

Big enough to know that the world keeps on turning even when we're hurting.

Big enough to love & put other people first and be happy for them, even if I am only smiling on the outside. Because grief and joy do mingle.

Big enough to remember that I will not always feel the way I do today. Time will pass. My heart will heal. I will hope and laugh again. Joy will be restored.

Big enough to believe that He is BIG ENOUGH for all my sorrow, even if my heart forgets it sometimes. He is BIG ENOUGH to handle it all.

And that's the most important big enough of all.

Hospitality: Part 3

I dug up this old post that never got completed, but I tweaked it and think it still reflects my thoughts on the subject. So without ado...

This weekend I had the privilege of serving a family in need by delivering some meals....and a refrigerator too. They have been living without a fridge at all for the last several months. Can you imagine? Anyhow, here are some ideas for taking your hospitality skills "on the road"..

Idea #1: Split up the work! I put my head together with another fabulous gal and we worked up a menu together, then divvied up the work. I made bread, she made soup. I made Easy Baked Ziti,. Oh, and some cupcakes too! This also works if you're joining someone for a spontaneous meal. My friend S and I have done this before....we both rummaged through our cabinets/fridge over the phone and talked about what we could contribute to a joint impromptu family meal. Don't shy away from the "last minute" get-together!

Idea #2: Add something unexpected or over-the-top! Not everyone has the time or inclination to cook or bake, but there are some great pre-made items that would add an extra dose of love. Make the family's favorite meal or dessert. Add some home-made milkshakes to the mix. Serve up some make-your-own pizzas or a do-it-yourself ice cream bar!

Idea #3: If you are bringing a meal for a family in need (circumstance, new baby, grieving, etc), consider bringing something that can be or already is frozen. Make sure you check with the family first, but many people deliver large meals with lots of left-overs and a meal that can be made later is usually greatly appreciated. I like to use disposable pans or even just a gallon sized ziploc bag. A batch of cookie dough that has been scooped into balls & frozen makes a tasty, thoughtful addition to a menu. Don't forget to include cooking/reheating instructions!

Idea #4: Use a cooler! This is fairly obvious to keep cool things cool, but it'll also keep hot things hot! Foil wrapped baked potatoes, loaves fresh from the bread machine, or that tasty casserole just out of the oven can all be kept HOT while in transit to your destination. This is especially helpful if you have other errands to run or if it will be a bit of time before you are able to deliver your meal.

You can see the first two parts of this series here and here!

Real?

I do, sometimes, loathe the internet. Now that that's out of the way, I'll go on to explain myself.

I think I might've been born in the wrong era. I like face-to-face conversations. I like being able to read another person's facial expressions instead of having to infer them from an email or emoticon. I do appreciate online ((hugs)), but can anything really replace the feeling of having another wrap their arms around you in a heartfelt embrace? I love getting personal emails (no forwards please!), but there's just something about a stamped letter arriving in my mailbox, with a scrawled message in the unique handwriting of a friend, that just can't compare.

I marvel at the ability of instant communication. Email, texting, INSTANT messaging, pm-ing. Our family has been enjoying the benefits of IMing, which I will share tomorrow in another post. Sometimes I wonder though, if this ability is actually enabling us to not put as much effort into "real" relationships. Do we make as much time for actual people as we do for our inbox? It's not as easy, but I think it's more rewarding.

We all have busy lives and responsibilities that demand our time, energy, and attention. Real relationships are a sacrifice and something that we need to allow room for in our hectic lives. I can't remember the last time I mailed a hnad-written letter, but I make time for phone calls. I make time for house-to-house visits. Whenever I'm in the town where several of my friends live, I try to stop-by and say Hello as much as possible. I plan get-togethers.  I'm not sure if these gestures go unnoticed or if a quick 3-line email is appreciated just as much. 

I'm the kind of girl who loves to curl up with a hot cuppa something in a quaint coffee shop and spend a few hours chatting about life. Let's sit on your front porch with a cold glass of ice tea while we watch our children play. Let's turn off the hard drives and at least put the cell phones on vibrate for just a little while. I realize that with far-flung family and friends, sometimes this just isn't possible. And email is useful for so many things. It's just that it's so much easier to see the pain, buoy the hope, roar with laughter, share the tears when you're sitting by my side instead of in front of your monitor.

Be blessed,

The Great BIG Good News Post

As if my post the other day wasn't great news enough, there's more!

At the beginning of the month I celebrated my 32nd birthday. Birthdays are pretty special around our house and even more so now that we've really given deep thought to the privilege of having a birth day. One of my dearest friends from high school, along with her boyfriend, took us out to dinner. We found a babysitter on the spur of the moment and we were off to enjoy some hibachi-style cuisine. It was fabulous! (But catching up with an old friend was equally great!) 

"...a time to be born..."

That same weekend another of my bestest girls celebrated a birthday and I made some treats.

 

 

I also made some chocolate cupcakes with whipped chocolate ganache which tasted, if I do say so, really divine. But alas, I failed to get a picture of those. Since we're on the topic, should I start referring to myself as the Cupcake Queen? Cupcake Diva?

"...a time to embrace..."

And more.....

Four years ago my mom promised my oldest daughter a trip to Disney World when she turned eight. We never worked out what the exact details would be, who would go, etc. Well people, the time has come. Yesterday marked the start of a three-month countdown to our all-girls trip to Disney! If you do the math correctly, we will be leaving only 3 days after the date Olivia was born. I am sure I will be mournful around those days, but am praying that I will be able to have this special time of celebration as well.

"...a time to weep and a time to laugh..."

And still more....

Guess whose children must've turned on the outside water hose when they built a snowman back in December? And so guess whose water bill was about 3 times what it normally is for the month of January? And shortly after I received said bill, guess who received a spontaneous donation of money from a gal in my mom's small group which was just enough to cover the bill? Amazing, huh?!!!!

"...a time to gather stones together..."

And yet more....

Since I'm sure you're tired of guessing from that last paragraph, I won't make you guess anymore. The Husband received not one, but two great job offers last week. Two!! After two years of our little business struggling through, we have decided to accept a full-time job as an employee and continue to do small contractual jobs on the side. We are all sad to see Daddy leave our family as he heads back to work, but are happy for the respite that this steady income will provide. We know that God has His perfect timing and just feel so blessed that we have arrived at this point still clinging to His promises.

I don't think I'll ever forget the year that the Husband got a job for my birthday!

"...a time to weep and a time to dance..."

And now, my friends, I feel like dancing.

Feel free to do a little jig on my behalf!

For the Love of Pumpkin

And here you thought that Thanksgiving was over.

I had 'the girls' over for dinner the other night and casually mentioned 'pumpkin milkshakes'. I guess I can't just casually mention something like that without sparking the curiosity of all the taste buds that were present.

I warned them that I only had enough ice cream to make ONE shake.

They were not deterred.

I scooped. I blended. I tasted. I served.

It was a measly 1/3 cup portion at best.

But I guess the loud  sssslllluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrppppppssss that came when the straws hit the bottoms of the cups were evidence enough that 'the girls' approved. We all couldn't help but giggle. We waited until the last little drops of milkshake melted and then sluuurped some more. Delicious, indeed.

For the recipe that induced all this slurping, click here.

I served mine without the graham crackers and with dollops of whipped cream on top.

It's better than pumpkin pie and much faster too!

A Thanksgiving Photo Timeline

 Wednesday, 8:16 pm

The turkey has been brined. I am looking mean and ready to break in my new kitchen shears by attacking preparing my turkey. This will be my first attempt at a high-heat butterflied roast turkey.

8: 57 pm

After fretting, chatting with a friend for a few minutes, lots of consulting with a cookbook (and Google), I finally was able to successfully hack out the turkey's backbone. Good Lord, what have I done? Now this gobbler goes back in the fridge, uncovered, so that the moisture from the brine can evaporate from the skin.

10:06 pm

Well, if my roasted turkey doesn't turn out and we end up ordering pizza at least the kids will have these cute little gobblers to play with. (I have Martha Stewart to thank for the template!)

Thanksgiving Day, 8:32 am

Roll out of bed. Since my high-heat turkey will only take about 2 hours, I don't have to worry about starting the oven at the crack of dawn. I spared you from having to see what I look like when I first wake-up.

10:45 am

Show Tatiana how to make pretty stamped napkin rings. I am intentionally trying to teach the girls how to 'practice hospitality' and am internally thanking myself for not planning a crazy-complicated menu.

10: 48 am

Sienna is given the task of counting out the silverware. I want to make even my small children feel like they are a part of hosting The Big Day.

11:06 am

Nice little napkin rings are complete!

11:28 am

Sienna is bored. I take out our Fun with Fingerprinting book to keep her entertained while I tidy the house.

12: 31 pm

Call Mom to see how her Thanksgiving Day is going. She nearly has a coronary when she hears that I haven't even turned on my oven yet. She says she's heard about this fandangled high-heat method on the radio. Well, if it was on the radio, then it must have some validity right? My confidence is boosted.

1:12 pm

Husband has me watch the intro and first 10 minutes of the movie Up, which he rented for the kids. After those first several scenes (if you've seen it, you'll know what I mean), I go and shut myself in the bathroom and have a good cry. I think to myself that at exactly this time last year, I was discovering that I was pregnant with Olivia and had cried on the very same bathroom floor. I contemplate just canceling my Thanksgiving dinner. But I dry my eyes and decide to forge ahead.

1:45 pm

Start the dough for World's Best Rolls. With a recipe name like that, I have pretty high expectations. The last time I tried a recipe that said "Best"-whatever, it did not live up to the promise. I hope this one will be different.

3:18 pm

My turkey goes in the oven 3 minutes late.

3:33 pm

Why do I feel like I am already behind my pre-planned timeline even though I've barely started cooking? I decide to move a little faster than I had planned. Good thing I have a lot of kitchen experience and many of my cooking skills can go on auto-pilot.

4:20 pm

Sienna is bored. Again. She decides to write out a dinner menu. So, in between mixing, measuring, recipe-checking, timeline consulting, and stirring, I am dictating words to her and pointing out which letters on her letter chart are for each word. Yes. Homeschooling to the core. Plus, I couldn't resist how cute she looked. First thing on her Thanksgiving menu? Hot dogs. Um, I don't think so, sweetie.

4:29 pm

My guests are on their way. Due to some family issues, we decided to keep things low-key and just invite a family of dear friends over for dinner. No turning back now!

4: 33 pm

My timer goes off. A fully-cooked turkey in just 80 minutes seems too good to be true. Will we be ordering pizza?

4:39 pm

Success!

4:56 pm

Guests arrive! I am busily attending to the stove & can't 'meet and greet' like I wanted to. Please know that I spent time today praying for you, my guests. I think that is more important than arranging the perfect centerpiece.

5:21 pm

I set out several side dishes and finish up the rest. I had to have Sweet Potato Casserole and Tatiana requested macaroni and cheese.

5:26 pm

I complete my Thanksgiving meal 4 minutes ahead of schedule. I really only spent about 2 1/2 hours cooking. Amazing.

5: 32 pm

My wonderful Husbands says grace. I get choked up. Despite the trials of this last year, we really do have a lot to be thankful for.

6:48 pm

We all ate at the same table. I love that. No 'kiddie table' here. The World's Best Rolls lived up their name. They were soooo yummy. My new simpler recipe for cranberry sauce was even good. I love when something done more simply is just as good as something complicated. We have tidied up, packed up leftovers, and moved into the family room so the kids can play and the adults can relax.

7:11 pm

What's that Sebastian? You don't want Thanksgiving to end? I guess he's too young to understand what I have been telling the kids all day, "Thanksgiving should be everyday". It's not just one day a year; we should strive daily to have thankful hearts.

7:25 pm

The kids are all in their jammies & have an impromptu 'build-your-own-sundae' for dessert.

7:51 pm

Even though she creates a small fuss, I take a picture with Stephanie anyways.

7:52 pm

The Husband (right) and the best man at our wedding (Stephanie's husband).

10:46 pm

The littlest boys are passed out and our guests get ready to leave. I almost thought it was gonna be a sleepover for a minute there! This little fella looks how I feel. Happy First Thanksgiving Davis!

10: 58 pm

I am lying in bed and trying to figure out the funny feeling that I have in my face. It finally occurs to me. My cheeks are sore from smiling and laughing so much. And that, my friends, hasn't happened in a really long time.

11: 06 pm

I drift off to sleep feeling happy that I decided not to cancel Thanksgiving afterall.

Just In Case

It was a Thursday and my brother was visiting. He rarely ever visits. Holidays mostly. But he had some things to bring me on behalf of my grandma, so he was spending part of the morning with us. I put our homeschool lessons on hold, just so that we could visit and enjoy each other's company. My brother, like me, has had a rough year. We both were in need of our faith to be strengthened, I just never thought that the strength God would send was coming via the United States Postal Service.

I'm sure this story began several years ago, although I'm not exactly sure when. A young couple out West purchased a supplemental medical insurance policy. You know, just in case. {I don't think we ever plan on using just in case, do we?} Fast forward to this summer and you will find that their firstborn daughter was born too early. At a little over one pound, she spent many days in the NICU. And that just in case insurance policy came into effect. They actually were paid money for every day that their daughter spent in the hospital.

I had followed their journey through the NICU, encouraging them as I could. I don't actually remember who found who, but we stumbled upon each other, nonetheless. I now realize that it was God, writing our stories so that our chapters would overlap. My anonymous friend had wanted to do something with the extra funds they had accumulated from their daughter's hospital stay, she just didn't know who to give it to, until she read my recent post on my family's financial struggles and God spoke to her. She then asked if she could send me something.

Please God, let that something not be money. I mean, receiving graciously when you are in need is one thing. But money from a perfect stranger?

I steeled myself against the thought that maybe my friend would send me $25 or $50. I felt humbled at the mere thought. And then came that Thursday, I opened the package in front of my brother; a journal was inside. Phew. And then, there it was. A check, paper-clipped to the inside of the journal. As I quickly scanned it, I could see that the amount is was written for included a comma. What?! The actual amount really doesn't matter; suffice it say that it was for considerably more than the $25 I was feeling humbled about. I could not contain my shock and had to read the letter she had written out loud to my brother, the rest of the mail on the floor in the middle of my living room.

I am still shaking my head. 

The part that stands out is when she says that she thinks God gave my portion to her, so that she could deliver it to me and that she and her husband were faithful to do as God prompted them. At the end of the note, my brother pumps his fist in the air and declares, "See! God provides!" I'm not sure any eloquent explanation could say it any better than that.

Although I have said it on many occasions, both to myself and to others, that "It all belongs to and comes from Him", I fail to actually believe it sometimes. And so He chooses to use some amazing circumstances to remind me and hopefully, to remind anyone else who reads this. How intricate His plan is. How extraordinary it feels to be a part of His story. How it really does all come from Him.

How many of next month's bills will be paid because of an insurance policy that was purchased years ago, just in case.

Amazed,

Trisomy 21

Lately I have found myself thinking a lot about Trisomy 21 and wishing Olivia had IT, instead of Trisomy 18. What would she be like, what would our life be like, if only the 21st chromosome were affected instead of the 18th? Do you know the common name for Trisomy 21?

Down Syndrome.

Is it a coincidence that out of the last handful of books that I have read, two of them (The Memory Keeper's Daughter & Just Beyond the Clouds) have centered around children/people affected by down syndrome? I have been privileged to read about the special lives that that T21 families lead, like Emmie and Bennett , and I've followed a journey through the NICU for Fiesty Kaelyn. For some strange reason, more and more, I am feeling a kinship with families like those and others who have been touched by Down's. Maybe because, although Olivia is in heaven, our lives were touched by a Trisomy, albeit not the exact same one. In honor of October being Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I've added a button to the sidebar of my blog. If you feel so inclined to raise awareness, you can add one to yours too, but visiting this post. Stop by some of the families I've mentioned and show them some love too!

Talk About It: Close-up

A child photographer frequently sees things differently through the lens than I would. For example:




Everything is a close-up. When I discovered these pictures on my camera, it reminded me of the trip I took last week and this special mirror that was in our bathroom at the inn. I believe it's for applying make-up or other facial treatments and allows you to see all the minute details of your face, close-up. I'm not sure I appreciate being able to see every little hair, crease, and pore! I started thinking about my relationships and relationships in general. How often do I let people get really close? Not physically, mind you, but emotionally close enough to see all the my flaws and imperfections. Nearly everyone looks great from a distance and I'm sure that's true in relationships too.

What about you? How close do you let people come? Always at arm's length? Allow a few close friends in close enough to see your nitty gritty? Too scary to let anyone see the 'real you'?

Anticipating a good chat,


P.S. I'll give my proper response in the comments section....

P.P.S. Yep. That's me smiling in the first picture. That does happen more often these days....

Let ME Help YOU

I have heard some of my dear friends express feelings of helplessness during the last few weeks. Sometimes they tell me point-blank that they don't know what to do or what to say. Sometimes the expression is a little more subtle. Sometimes I wonder if people are avoiding me because my grief makes them uncomfortable or because they just don't know what else to do. I came across a series of ten posts on How to Help Your Grieving Friend written by Molly Piper. The series doesn't take long to read through and it's well worth it. I have read each and every post & can say that they offer excellent insight into how grief upends someone's life.

Let me know if you find something particularly insightful.

Proud to Call You My Friends~

My Cupboard Overfloweth!

The world's best mom showed up for a visit yesterday with nearly 12 bags overflowing with groceries! Since she knows I'm not up for cooking from scratch very often, she filled the freezer with nuke-n-eat things like Kid Cuisine, Lean Cuisine, Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets and frozen pizza. Knowing my bent towards trying to stay healthy, she included Kashi GoLean cereal, Kashi oatmeal, WW Progresso Soup, and lean lunch meat. She treated the kids by buying chips, Cheetos, cookies, pop tarts and more....things I rarely ever buy. I was careful to only put a few "special" items in our cupboards, while the rest of the things went downstairs to my storage shelf, lest my little loveys eat all the goodies in a week or less.

Aren't moms the greatest??

Friends are pretty great too. Besides lots of encouragemnt from my nearest & dearest, I received an awesome gift basket not too long along from an uber-wonderful family. Not only did it have an envelope containing about ten {10!!} various gift cards, but the basket was filled with things I love. Lotsa Trader Joe's stuff. Even some TJ's orange chicken {so yummy & good on POINTS}! I was touched not only by the spirit of giving, but at the thought that went into considering the things I really like. I'm inspired to remember this act of kindness the next time I want to give of myself or give an actual gift.

I did manage to get my "Slim Down Sundays" post up on my other blog. I know. It's already Monday, but I'm doin' the best I can.

More soon...

Not One

But many.

I'm glad I decided to share about my financial situation. I hesitated, believe me, for many reasons. My prayer, now, is that my God would glorified for all the ways that He has taken care of us through the willing spirit of others. And although I had one large Christmas miracle in mind, please enjoy with me the many miracles He has graced me with:

• My mortgage is paid for January, along with my credit card payments, thanks to the best mom ever. I was also able to perform some "creative financing" with my mortgage payment, which I had been specifically praying for.

• My sister-in-law paid for $100 worth of groceries for us and also passed along an extra $100 to use for bills.

• My other sister-in-law will be paying my heating bill.

• A Christian friend at my sister-in-law's work, someone whom I only met once briefly, gave us a Wal-Mart gift card, along with the message that "this is only the beginning". I could've hardly imagined a near perfect stranger opening her heart & pocketbook to us.

• A friend called to say that even though she has very little, as her husband is out of work as well, she will be sending us $40. You are like the widow in the Bible who gave two tiny coins, recognizing the need to hold money lightly, willingly & lovingly giving it away.

• Many people, perhaps even some of you, have been praying for us. This means more to me than you can know. Specifically, you can pray for Hubby to get his CDL quickly and for our business to obtain more customers. Also, pray for His specific will as it relates to Hubby getting another job. We are asking Him for a second shift position which would allow our business to continue. For me, I sporadically feel well, but more often than not, I am plagued with nausea. My spirits are lifted though, knowing that I will be able to continue to live in my home, even if it will be for only another month. I have applied for several forms of government assistance, so I ask that those would come to fruition quickly.

I am blessed beyond measure this holiday season, more so by the loving hearts of the people I know, whether only in the blogosphere or in real life, than by any amount of money or help you could ever give. No amount of thanks could express my gratefulness. You are storing up treasures in Heaven. Be blessed!

Why the tears?

I read these memes/quizzes/get-to-know-your-friends-better type things and it asks when the last time was the person cried. The responses are frequently something like "yesterday, last Tuesday, over the weekend, etc."So I just have to ask:

why is everyone crying all the time?

I get teary-eyed once in awhile {maybe a couple times a month}, but can't say that I have an all-out flood more than once every few months. The last thing that got me cryin' real good was receiving a notice that our mortgage payment is going up $400 per month. That deserved a good cry to me.

Are you crying over happy things? Frustration? Pain? Please shed some light on this mystery.

**edited to add: I just want to clarify that I am sincerely curious about why women cry frequently. I didn't mean for this to come off crass or to insinuate that there is something wrong with crying. Maybe I am just not as emotional as some or maybe I just have many really emotional friends!**

Tagged!

Stephanie tagged me with an I Love Your Blog award. I am supposed to answer the following questions with one word each & then tag 7 other people. She already has tagged many of the people I would have and I usually don't pass these types of things along, but I've love to answer these, nonetheless. Here goes!

The questions are as follows:
1.Where is your cell phone? Charging
2.Where is your significant other? Out
3.Your hair color? Dishwater
4.Your mother? Strong
5.Your father? Smart
6.Your favorite thing? Creating
7.Your dream last night? Strange
8.Your dream/goal? Godliness
9.The room you're in? Play
10.Your hobby? Crafting
11.Your fear? LOSS
12.Where do you want to be in 6 years? Wiser
13.Where were you last night? Home
14.What you're not? Timid
15.One of your wish list items? Vacation
16.Where you grew up? LITH
17.The last thing you did? Chat
18.What are you wearing? Sweats
19.Your t.v.? Forgotten
20.Your pet? None
21.Your computer? Dell
22.Your mood? Joyful
23.Missing someone? Little
24.Your car? Old
25.Something you're not wearing? Socks
26.Favorite store? Woodmans
27.Your summer? Quick
28.Love someone? Surely
29.Favorite color? Pink
30.Last time you laughed? Yesterday
31.Last time you cried? ??

I loved the One Word Answer concept. Really made me think hard about what I wanted to say!

Something I've Never Heard

Somehow the "sickies" decided to pay a visit to my home. You know the ones: runny nose, body chills, head-feels-like-its-in-a-fog-and-gonna-explode. Of course, my body is the place where the sickies decided to throw their party. Hubby keeps sayin' that he is starting to feel run down too, to which I respond that that just isn't allowed. Only one of us is permitted to be sick at one time. Period. What's worse is that my weekend is chock full of plans, with very little wiggle room to allow for sickness. I'm still not sure what/if I will cancel anything. We did have plans with another dear family for this morning for friendship & fun. When I spoke with the wife the other day to give her a heads up that I wasn't feeling well and would feel terrible getting her family ill {especially her 6 week old baby}, she said something I've never heard before.

Don't let that stop you from fellowshipping with us.

HUH?! EXCUSE ME?! Don't you mean, "Thanks for letting me know because I wouldn't want to come within 20 feet of a sick person lest they spread their germs to my kids," ?? She continued to say that as long as I was feeling up to the activities we had planned {I wasn't} that I wasn't to worry about such things. Even as I type this, I am still left feeling deeply loved and humbled by the kind of perspective that she would have to have to make such a statement. I know many friends whose children are perhaps more susceptible to illness, so please don't feel as if I'm passing judgment on that. I simply thought it remarkable {albeit unusual} to hear such a response. I. felt. blessed.

Deals for the Week

I got so many good deals this week, I've actually lost track. Here is all my loot from Monday, when I went shopping with my good ole' friend Michelle.

::Goodies from Target, CVS, and Hilander::

I think I've found a new shopping buddy, *wink, wink*.

Total OOP {from 3 different stores}: $11 and some change
Total ECBs received at CVS: $14

So even after going to 3 different places, I was still $3 ahead! I tried to show Michelle the ropes at CVS. Easier said than done as 1) even though it was still March {the 31st} some of the March deals weren't printing ECBs and 2) even though it was only Monday, they were completely sold out of the Softsoap Spa Radiance {checked two different CVSs} 3) nobody had any April flyers available even though the stores were already changed over for their April deals. Grrrr. We did get manage to get in on the Essence of Beauty deal {three little goodies for free after ECBs} and some free {after coupons & ECBs} Lady Speed Stick deoderant. One of my favorite finds though was the Ken's Dressing at Target for $1.87/bottle. I had 3 $2/1 coupons so I let Michelle get a free bottle & then I got two free bottles. I also got some free cat treats for my mom's cat. I had coupons for the AirWick & for the frozen veggies {which came to $.50 per box after double coupons}.

I hit the Target mid-week when I discovered the Target coupon generator over at A Full Cup. The Nature's Valley bars came out to $.86 after stack the Target & manufacturer's coupons. I hear that some of their organic Archer Farms cereal is on clearance for $1.68. There is a coupon on the generator for $1/1 = $.68/box of organic cereal. Now that's a sweet deal!



Last night, I hit the Hilander for Kroger's Mega 10 event.

::Hilander Goodies ~ 2 Minute Maid OJs not pictured::

In hindsight, I wish that A) I didn't go so late at night B) I knew where everything was located C) I had more time to shop leisurely and D) they would've accepted my Excedrin coupons. {Although, I see that next week CVS has Excedrin on sale for $1.99, which with the $2 coupon makes it free, plus you get $1 ECB. Sweet!} All in all, I got $55 worth of groceries for $18, so I guess I can't complain. I guess some of the best deals were the $.50 bags of Goldfish crackers, the free French's mustard, the nearly free Nature's Way rice mix {not part of the deal, but the regular price is $1.07 and there are online coupons for $.50 when doubled = $.07/box}, and the free Pillsbury rolls.

To see what deals other bloggers have snagged, visit this post at Money Saving Mom!

I never realized shopping and deal-grabbing could actually be a hobby! It is so much more fun when you do it with a friend too. Wouldn't you agree? Do you ever deal shop with friends?

I Want to Be the Kind of Friend....

...who you can call any time, day or night, and not feel guilty.
...who will tell you the honest truth, peppered with lots of love.
...who doesn't mind if you didn't shower today or haven't vacuumed in a week, but still want to visit with you anyway.
...who would rather call than email and rather meet for coffee than call.
...who sharpens your iron, makes you want to be a better mom, a better wife, a better person.

I want to be the kind of friend....
...who can discuss hard topics together & still leave each other smiling.
...who wouldn't let you go down the road where the bridge is out.
...who loves you despite your curves.
...who makes you laugh & keeps kleenex in their purse for when you cry.
...who goes to your grandmother's funeral, even if I've never met her, just to be there for you.

I want to be the kind of friend...
...who will not tolerate if our relationship is broken.
...who understands that relationships go through different seasons.
...who asks for your forgiveness when I've wronged you.
...who gives forgiveness when you've wronged me.

...who hurts when you hurt, who rejoices when you rejoice, who is down on their knees for you, who loves you with a Holy kind of love.

Not only because I believe that is the kind of friend I AM has called me to be, but also because that is the kind of friend I want you to be for me.

Aw, Shucks

I have been feeling really blessed by all my friends this week, who rallied around me for various reasons, including turning 30 and hubster losing his job last Friday {more on that to come}. Old friends, new friends, small group friends, internet friends. I have really been striving to be a better friend myself, so I'm feeling very loved in return. Thanks guys! Seriously. I also was surprised to learn that Jeanette has nominated me as her blogger of the month. Aw, shucks. *blush* I am glad that I could use this venue to offer some inspiration and helpful ideas, whether it be for crafts or for domestic engineering or womanhood in general. Thanks for the nomination!

Have you been blessed by a friend this week?