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Money Saving Mom

Money Saving Mom®

Saving Families Money Since 2007

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List.

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Shared Feb 22, 2020 comment

We Spent $68.24 at the Grocery Store This Week (+ our dinner menus)

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We Spent $68.24 at the Grocery Store This Week (+ our dinner menus)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to see what we bought for this week’s $70 grocery budget? I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

I was excited to find some great deals at Kroger, be able to stock up on a few things, and stay under budget. Here’s what we bought this week:

Kroger Shopping Trip #1:

  • 4 boxes Creamette Pasta — $0.49 each with the Kroger digital coupon
  • Duncan Hines Microwave Cakes (I thought these would be fun to have for a movie night!) — marked down to $0.39 each
  • Kroger Hashbrowns — $1.79
  • Fresh Salsa — marked down to $0.99
  • 1 bag of apples — marked down to $0.99
  • 3 jars Kroger peanut butter — $0.99 each after Kroger digital coupon
  • 1 jar natural Kroger peanut butter — $1.79
  • Kroger cheese (16 oz.) — $3.99
  • Pillsbury Pie Crust — marked down to $0.99
  • 3-lb bag of Gala apples — $3.99
  • 2 lbs ground beef — marked down to $1.99 each
  • 3 bottles Odwalla juice — marked down to $0.99 each
  • 2 boxes Kroger cereal — $1.49 each
  • Milk — $2.79
  • Half & Half — $1.99
  • Total with tax: $38.38

Kroger Shopping Trip #2:

  • 2 boxes Kroger cereal — $1.49 each
  • Hostess Cupcake Dessert Mix — marked down to $0.39
  • 2 cans Chef Boyardee — marked down to $0.19 each
  • Simple Truth Refried Beans — marked down to $0.39
  • 4 bags Kroger Frozen Veggies — $1 each
  • Lemi-Shine Dishwasher Tabs — marked down to $0.89
  • 5 packages of Pampers wipes — $0.99 each with Friday-Saturday digital coupon
  • 2 Stayfree pads — $1.69 each when you buy 5 participating items, used $3/2 Kroger digital coupon = $0.19 each
  • 2 Suave shampoo/conditioner — $0.99 each when you buy 5 participating items, used $1/2 Kroger digital coupon = $0.49 each
  • Kellogg’s Raisin Bran — $1.79 when you buy 5 participating items
  • Milk — $2.99
  • Simple Truth Eggs — marked down to $1.49
  • Total with tax: $29.86

 

Our Menu Plan This Week

Note: When you see the meals below, please remember this: I buy ahead often. Which means that when I find a great deal on something I know we’ll use, I buy as much as I can afford in our budget to have on hand.

This means that you aren’t going to see all of the groceries my shopping trip that I used to make all of the meals we ate.

Please also remember that I’m putting this out there and it’s not a perfectly balanced menu. This is just really what we ate — and I hope that it encourages you to see the real-ness and lack of perfection here.

Breakfasts: Cereal

Lunches: Leftovers, Salad, Apples/Peanut Butter, Mac & Cheese, Yogurt, Cookies, Chips, Random other markdowns/sale items 🙂

Dinners: 

Sunday: Leftovers + Mac & Cheese

Monday: Breakfast Casserole (recipe sent to me by a follower)

Tuesday: Fend for yourself + leftovers

Wednesday: Tyson Anytizers, Broccoli, Brown Rice

Thursday: Chicken Tetrazinni, Green Beans, Bran Muffins

Friday: Pumpkin Waffles, Bacon (Jesse & I went out to dinner with a gift card we were given by his parents — we’re trying to get in some dates before the baby gets here!)

Saturday: Dinner out (Kathrynne had an out of town basketball tournament)

Shared Feb 20, 2020 comment

Three books I read last week (+ the classic movie we watched)

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Three books I read last week (+ the classic movie we watched)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly book update post where I share what books I read this past week + my honest thoughts and star ratings of them.

A Word on My Star Ratings

The star ratings I give the books I read are based on a 5-star rating system. I rarely will ever give a book a 1-star rating (maybe never?), because my philosophy is that if a book is only worthy of one star, I’m more than likely going to quit reading it. 🙂 In the same vein, you’ll also notice that I’ll rarely give a 5-star rating as I reserve those for only my very, very favorite books.

Want to see all of the books I’ve read so far this year? Check out my Good Reads page.

Here are the three books I finished last week…

Counterfeit Gods

The premise of the book is such a needed topic: we all have things we worship and this worship drives our decisions and actions. So often, we don’t even recognize that we are worshipping at the altar of success, money, power, approval, or lust. We often spend so much time trying to fill the holes in our hearts with things that will never satisfy. Only Jesus can satisfy.

I really, really wanted to like this book. It’s one that one of our pastors has recommended over and over again in our Discipleship Program in our church. Unfortunately, while some of the content is fantastic, I felt like the writing fell short. I haven’t read much by Timothy Keller before and I’m wondering if maybe he’s just a better speaker/preacher than writer?

Verdict: 3 stars

Eat That Frog!

I read this book back in 2011. I remember it being a worthwhile read, so when I saw that it was available to download on the Libby app, I was excited to listen to it again.

It’s a quick read, but it packs a punch. If you are looking for some actionable tips and suggestions for how to get more done and enjoy your life more, I definitely recommend this book.

One of the key takeaways is if you start the day out by doing the things you like least first, you’ll get them out of the way so you can enjoy your day more and be more productive and fulfilled.

Just for fun, I thought I’d share what I wrote about this book way back in 2011:

Eat That Frog is an excellent read and it challenged me to go into my day with the goal of doing the hardest things first. When I get the most dreaded things out of the way right off the bat, it gives me so much momentum for the rest of the day!

I’ve been trying to apply this idea to my laundry pile. Instead of letting it sit and grow to an overwhelming size, I’m trying start a load of laundry first thing in the morning, switch it to the dryer before breakfast, and then fold and put it away mid-morning. So far, I’ve not been successful at doing it this way every day, but on the days that I have done this, I’ve been amazed at how well it works.

And honestly, when I just do one load a day, I’m able to stay on top of the laundry, it never gets out of hand, and it really takes no more than 15 minutes a day to keep up with. Why has it taken me almost nine years of running my own home to figure this simple principle out?

Verdict: 4 stars

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids

I have very mixed feelings on this book. On the one hand, I think it’s a book that every parent should read. It’s packed with food for thought and insightful research and perspective.

On the other hand, I felt like it was missing so much because it’s not from a Christian perspective. I agree with much of the author’s suggestions to focus on discipling your kids and loving them well instead of constantly saying no and punishing them. (This is something we talked about a lot in our foster care training and I thought it was a very valuable focus.)

However, without an understanding of the Gospel and the reason for why we teach our kids to make good choices and model wise responses, I think there’s a big gaping hole in this message.

In addition: the author takes a pretty strong stance against sending your kids to daycare, which could be discouraging for moms who truly have no other choice but to work.

These cautions aside, I do believe it is worth reading — just take what can encourage you as a parent and leave the rest!

Verdict: 3 stars

Classic Movie We Watched Last Week

The kids decided — all on their own — that they want to start watching one old classic movie per week together as a family in 2020. They are helping me choose the list of movies and I’ll be reporting here what we watch each week and their thoughts on it.

I plan to do a big classic movie round-up post at the end of the year with their verdict on the best and favorites of the ones we watched. (Thank you for all the great suggestions for must-watch classic movies!)

This past week, we watched the old version of Yours, Mine, & Ours. The kids were skeptical about it, but we all really ended up enjoying it and some of the parts were genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. They said it was one of their favorite classic movies so far.

Do note: I was surprised at how much vague innuendo was in the plotline, there is some drinking in it, and there are a few raunchy photos on the wall in a few places (you couldn’t see much; but the insinuation is there.

What did you read this past week? Any books you think I really need to add to my long to-read list??

Shared Feb 19, 2020 comment

My Honest Review of the Master Your Money Super Bundle

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My Honest Review of the Master Your Money Super Bundle

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Interested in purchasing the Master Your Money Super Bundle? I spent hours going through all of the resources in the bundle and I am sharing my completely honest review with you, including what I liked and what I didn’t like.
What's inside the Master Your Money Super Bundle!

The popular Master Your Money Super Bundle is back for two days only, through February 20, 2020! We haven’t see this deal in almost a year and this is $10 lower than last year’s price! If you’re curious about the bundle or wondering if it’s worth purchasing, keep reading for my completely honest review of this bundle!

Should You Purchase the Master Your Money Bundle?

If you have been considering buying the Master Your Money Super Bundle, I am here to provide you with a completely honest and biased review. I say biased because we all have bias. Which means that you are free to agree or disagree with my conclusions.

But I want to share this honest review of the Master Your Money Super Bundle for those of you who are on the fence as to whether it is worth purchasing or not.

So many of you loved my honest review of The Ultimate Productivity Toolkit and begged me to do honest reviews for each of the bundles from Ultimate Bundles. While it takes a lot of time and effort to go through each and every product in a bundle, because I love to help you spend your money wisely, I am happy to prioritize the time to do so.

Master Your Money Super Bundle Products

Why I Am Not a Contributor

First off, I need you to know that I did use my affiliate links throughout this post. I am an affiliate for the Ultimate Bundles this time around, not a contributor.

A contributor is someone who has included a product of their own in the bundle. As a thank you for the time and effort that you put into creating your product and allowing it to be part of the bundle, Ultimate Bundles pays you 70% of every sale made through your link. They also split a small percentage of the overall sales amongst all contributors. (This is usually a few hundred dollars or less).

I have been a contributor to other bundles in the past (and will likely be one in the future!) I love the folks at Ultimate Bundles and love their heart for what they do.

However, when they approached me about being one for this bundle, I decided against it because I felt that the price point of $37 was a little on the high side for my audience — especially since this bundle was on the topic of saving and investing money.

I am typically only a contributor for a bundle if I feel like it is going to be a really, really good fit for my audience and something that you all will be super excited about. I just felt like many of you would not be excited about a bundle on money that cost $37, so I decided to decline the opportunity.

Instead of being a contributor, I am an affiliate, which means I earn 40% of every sale through my link. I just wanted to put that out here in full disclosure. If you click through any of the links in this post and purchase the bundle, I will earn 40% of the sale.

Be the boss of your money.

My Honest Review of the Master Your Money Super Bundle

I spent hours going through every single ebook, video, and course in the bundle in order to bring you the most thorough and honest review that I can. Again, I’m biased, so please know you can wholeheartedly disagree with me.

But whether you agree with my assessment of the bundle or not, I hope this is helpful to you as you think through whether purchasing the Master Your Money Super Bundle is worth it for you!

The Negatives:

  1. Some of the products had an inflated price tag. I will say that I felt like many of the prices on the products in the Master Your Money Super Bundle were very realistic and fair for the value, I felt like most of the videos that had a value of $19 weren’t really a $19 value and about 5 other products in the bundle felt over-priced to me. With this in mind, even though they say the bundle is a $1200 value, I’d say that for the products I would use and felt were worth what they were priced at, to me the value would be more like $350 to $400 maximum.
  2. I didn’t like the videos at all. Okay, I sort of said this above, but I’m going to say it again: I just really didn’t like the 11 videos they offered as stand-alone products in this bundle. I know it was something new they were trying and I think it fell flat. In many cases, there was poor audio and the content didn’t seem like it was super valuable — at least for what I was looking for. Honestly, I barely watched any of all of the videos. (I watched a little bit of every single one just to do this review, but I found myself skipping ahead and quickly turning them off because I just wasn’t jiving with them at all. Maybe it was just me.)
  3. Some of the products were poorly designed. I know that we don’t always have the highest quality design on things we offer because of various reasons and I know sometimes you just do the best you can do, but I found that at least 30% of the ebooks were poorly designed and hard to read. I know that “content is king”, but if your ebook is hard on my eyes and unprofessional, it makes it a lot harder to really enjoy soaking up the wisdom in the content.
  4. There is quite a bit of overlap. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing as we need to hear things more than once and different people are going to resonate with different types of teaching styles, but for some people, the fact that there is quite a bit of overlap — especially in the areas of learning to budget and cutting expenses — could de-value this bundle.

The Positives:

  1. I loved that there were so many different aspects of money management covered. This bundle covers everything from investing to paying off debt to how to make more money to ways to practically cut expenses to starting a side hustle to retirement. The bundle was very comprehensive and had a lot of valuable resources with actionable tips.
  2. Most of the products were more by everyday people instead of professionals. While some people would prefer to only get financial advice from certified professionals, I prefer to learn from people who aren’t just talking in theory, but who have actually lived what they are teaching (not to say that all professionals haven’t experienced some of what they share, but I think you understand what I mean). Instead of a theory on how to pay down debt, I much prefer to hear your story of how you actually did it. There’s a lot of that in the resources in this bundle and it makes it feel very accessible and doable.
  3. My bottom line opinion is that this bundle — if you buy it and actually go through the resources and take them to heart — could save you WAY more than the $37 price tag. I had prepared myself to be underwhelmed with the content, especially since I have been blogging and studying money and saving and making money for years. But I learned a lot of new things, loved how so many of the ebooks and courses were presented, and just overall felt that this was worth purchasing, if you will USE it and have the money in your budget to pay for it. (Please, for the love of all that is good and right, do not spend money you don’t have to buy the Master Your Money Super Bundle, okay?)

an image of Budgeting That Works by Caroline Vencil

My Favorite Resources

Budgeting That Works — I love Caroline’s style of teaching and she breaks everything down step-by-step. She also has a great voice on audio that is interesting to listen to. In this course, she gives you the tools you need to really set up a budget and follow through with it. She comes across as a fun cheerleader. I loved her 30-7-30 rule that she outlines and she has some great printables at the end of the course, including a 160 Ways to Save Cheatsheet which I thought was very valuable.

Fancy Serial Numbers For Fun & Profit — I had NO idea that people would pay big bucks for cash bills that had fancy or special or limited serial numbers. Did you know this? I kind of hand my mind blow by this one! It would be a really fun way to make extra money. (I can just see it now: “What do you sell on eBay?” “Oh, I sell money!”)

Marriage & Money Bundle — This was a beautifully put together series of workbooks that had so many different valuable ideas and encouragement to help you get on the same page with your spouse when it comes to your finances.

30-Day Money-Saving Challenge — Looking for someone to give you some really actionable and simple ways to cut your expenses so you can save more money? I loved this 30-day download that offered a realistic and doable money-saving project for each day… and it could add up to a lot of savings over the course of the 30 days and beyond!

Great Ways to Make Money in Your Space Time by Angie Nelson

Great Ways to Make Money in Your Spare Time — I’m constantly on the lookout for ways moms can make some extra money in little pockets of extra time they have throughout the week. This book had so many fantastic ideas — and many were ones I had never heard of before. This ebook alone could help you make back the cost of the bundle in just a day or two!

The Budgeting Binder — There were a few different printable budgeting worksheets. One of my favorites was The Budgeting Binder because it was clean, colorful, comprehensive, and… wait, what’s another C word that would work? 🙂

Side Hustle Starter Kit — If you are thinking of starting a side business, this is a valuable resource to go through. It walks you through everything you need to think through, plan for, and prioritize as a brand-new business owner. I also feel that going through this could help you prevent a lot of mistakes upfront.

The Ultimate Money-Saving Guide — This is a beautifully-done ebook that walks you through different areas of your home and life and offers lots of practical ideas of ways to save. If you are looking for some really actionable tips and ideas, check out the 250 ideas in this little ebook. (By the way, this was one that I felt the price listed was inflated on, but I still really liked it!)

How to Be Frugal: A Guided 10 Unit Course That Will Teach You How to Be Frugal Online, In the Store, and In Your Home — I have gotten to know Jennifer online a little in the last few years and truly loved this course of hers. Jennifer is a mom of 7 and she knows her stuff! She makes you feel like you are just sitting with her in her living room with her and she’s downloading all of her hard-won money-saving tips and tricks to you. Definitely worth your while to sign up for this one — and if this is the only course you go through, this one alone might make the $37 price tag worth it.

If You’re Ready to Purchase:

Click here to order the Master Your Money Super Bundle for $37!

P.S. Any questions on anything about the Master Your Money Super Bundle? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to help answer it! I want to make sure you only invest your money in something that is truly going to make a difference in your life!

Shared Feb 18, 2020 comment

“How do you stay so positive?”

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“How do you stay so positive?”

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

“How do you stay so positive?”

I’ve been asked this question by multiple people in multiple ways recently so Jesse and I decided to devote a podcast episode to the topic.

I thought it would be insightful for us to both talk about this, because I tend to be more of glass half full kind of person while Jesse is more of a glass half empty person.

But it’s been so cool to watch Jesse intentionally work to develop more of a positive outlook on life. He shares how he has done that and how it has impacted him.

We also talk about what it looks like to choose our attitude, practical ways we seek to do this, why gratitude can make such a difference, how to feed your souls with good things, and practical things we do to uplift our souls.

In addition to talking about staying positive, we also talk about dry shampoo, Thin Mints, our kids’ thoughts on how read alouds have benefited their lives, why the kids want to limit the baby’s exposure to screens, the flu, and the Enneagram. As usual, it was quite a diverse array of topics!

Powered by RedCircle

In This Episode: [00:25] Greetings from the flu-infested Paine house.

[01:53] To keep himself fortified, Jesse decided to get some Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies. 😉

[02:44] A listener asks: Are you trying to hold on to your kids’ childhoods through bringing back read aloud time?

[05:41] All three of our kids have very strong opinions and plans for investing in the baby’s life.

[08:12] My book for this week was The Path Between Us. This opened up some new methods of communication for Jesse and me.

[11:14] Dry shampoo is saving my life. Learn why.

[13:32] How can you stay positive when things are hard? Is it easier for some people? 

[15:53] Jesse feels like he may be wired to be more negative, but you get to choose your attitude.

[18:23] Even with the week they’ve had while being sick with the flu, the kids still try to see the positive as well. It’s an intentional choice to be positive.

[20:36] If you’re not a naturally positive person, you have to work that muscle and it’ll get easier.

[23:02] Counting your blessings and being intentional about taking them in and naming them helps bring positivity to the forefront.

[25:06] Keep in mind that someone else likely would love to be in your shoes for any number of your blessings. 

[26:00] An important word on when to seek professional help.

Links and Resources:

How to Listen to The Crystal Paine Show

The podcast is available on iTunes, Android, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can listen online through the direct player here. OR, a much easier way to listen is by subscribing to the podcast through a free podcast app on your phone. (Find instructions for how to subscribe to a podcast here.)

Ready to dive in and listen? Hit the player above or search for “The Crystal Paine Show” on your favorite podcast app.

Shared Feb 17, 2020 comment

This Week’s Goals (+ an update on Flu B)

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This Week’s Goals (+ an update on Flu B)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Whew! So last week was nothing like what I had anticipated going into it.

I had looked at the calendar and had seen that we actually had three free evenings — which was a big deal as we rarely have more than two free evenings per week. So I had expected it would probably be a little bit quieter and slower-paced week.

Little did I know that all three kids would come down with Flu B and we would be completely quarantined, cancel everything, have no one come over, and stay home from for an entire week (Tuesday through Monday)!!

I cannot recall any time in recent history that this has ever happened and it was so weird to just have all of us home all day every single day with no one even coming over to our house! (Other than two trips to the doctor and Jesse running out to the store a few times.)

The kids’ attitudes through all of this were so incredible. They felt awful and usually had high fevers (102-104), but they were still their funny, witty selves. Since I couldn’t be around them, we Face-timed or texted and they were constantly making me laugh with their comebacks and the funny memes they sent.

While I never got full-blown Flu B, I did feel yucky for at least 5 days, so I took it very, very easy, rested a lot, and generally just focused on staying healthy. I did work on my book some, get caught up on email, read some, walk on the treadmill, and watch quite a few shows. But that was about it!

I’m so grateful that I am feeling so much more energetic and back to normal today and that we have two kids who are doing a lot better and one who is doing somewhat better. I’m hoping (maybe) everyone will be completely healthy by Thursday. We’ll see!

Here’s an update on my goals for last week + this week’s goals:

Last Week’s Goals: 2020 — Week 6

Personal Goals

1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) (As mentioned above, since I wasn’t feeling that great much of this past week, I spent a lot of time resting! I did walk on the treadmill 6 days, but that was the extent of most of my walking!)

2. Finish reading Counterfeit Gods. Listen to Eat That Frog! and Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids.

3. Go to bed by 10:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Home/Family Goals

4. Read 30 more pages of Carry a Big Stick aloud as a family.

5. Research strollers, baby carriers, and car seats. Decide what we’re going to purchase.

6. Complete 4-hour Foster Care Training. (We had to cancel this because the kids all had the flu and I wasn’t feeling that great.)

Work/Blog Goals

7. Finish editing chapters 1-3 and finish the rough draft of chapter 4 of my manuscript.

Word of the Year Goals

8. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.

9. Go to a movie with Jesse. (Since the kids were sick and I wasn’t feeling well, we didn’t get out to go to a movie, but we did catch up on multiple episodes of This is Us together.)

This Week’s Goals: 2020– Week 7

Personal Goals

1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Read Raising Worry-Free Girls, I Choose Brave, and Get Your Life Back. Listen to Things You Save in a Fire.

3. Go to bed by 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Home/Family Goals

4. Read 30 more pages of Carry a Big Stick aloud as a family.

5. Clean and disinfect the house from flu germs (as soon as the kids are fever-free!).

Work/Blog Goals

6. Finish the rough draft of chapter 5 of my manuscript.

Word of the Year Goals

7. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.

8. Go out to dinner with Jesse. (If everyone is well!)

What are YOUR goals for this week? How did you do on last week’s goals? Tell us in the comments!

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

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Shared Feb 17, 2020 comment

Gretchen’s $74 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

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Gretchen’s $74 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

5 pkg Strawberries – $0.99 each

1 loaf White Bread – $0.95

1 loaf Wheat Bread – $0.95

2 bags Frozen Peas/Corn – $0.79 each

1 bunch Asparagus – $1.79

1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.85

1 bag Frozen Broccoli – $0.99

2 Half & Half – $1.55 each

3 dozen Eggs – $1.07 each

1 bag Sugar – $1.57

1 can Black Beans – $0.48

1 container Cottage Cheese – $1.59

1 box Crisp Rice Cereal – $1.45

1 canister Quick Oats – $2.39

1 Pineapple – $1.39

1 gallon Milk – $2.39

1 bag Tortilla Chips – $0.89

1 pkg Flour Torillas – $1.25

0.94 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $0.89

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.95

1 bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.75

1 bag Powdered Sugar – $1.29

Total: $43.55

Kroger

1 Bisquick Baking Mix – Marked down to $0.99

1 Nature’s Path Cereal – Marked down to $1.49

1 Kroger Popcorn – Marked down to $0.89

2 Nature Valley Granola Bars – Marked down to $0.99 each, used $0.50/2 e-coupon – $0.74 each after coupon

1 pkg Kroger Ground Beef – $8.37

2 pkg Nabisco Oreo Cookies – $1.49 each after e-coupon (no longer available)

1 pkg Kroger Flour – $1.59

6 pkg Annie’s Mac & Cheese – $0.79 each, used 2 $1/3 printable – $0.45 each after coupon

3 pkg Kroger Cheese Slices – Marked down to $1 each

1 Love Good Fats Bar – $2.49, used Free Ibotta rebate – Free after rebate

4 Ragu Simply Sauce – $0.89 each, used 4 $0.75/1 Checkout 51 rebate AND $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.07 each after rebates

1 Malt O Meal Cereal – $2.99, used $1/1 e-coupon AND $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $1.74 after coupon and rebate

1 bag Apples – Marked down to $0.99

2 pkg Philadelphia Cream Cheese – $1.49 each

2.36 lbs Bananas – $1.39

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.69

Used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt

Total after coupons and rebates: $31.31

Total for both stores: $74.86

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Eggs, Toast, Oatmeal

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches x 2, Turkey Sandwiches, Tossed Salad Bar, Mac & Cheese, Cheese/Crackers/Fruit/Veggies, Papa John’s Pizza (using a gift card)

Dinners

Barbecue Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Biscuits, Asparagus, Oreo Cheesecake

Lasagna Casserole, Homemade Bread, Steamed Peas

Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit Salad

Tacos, Sliced Strawberries

Hawaiian Haystack Bar

Homemade Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks, Tossed Salad

Leftovers

Shared Feb 16, 2020 comment

Life update: Pregnancy (week 29) + our brand-new hedgehog!

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Life update: Pregnancy (week 29) + our brand-new hedgehog!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

29 weeks!! And what a week it’s been!

Highlights

Well, this week has definitely been different than what I anticipated! Silas woke up with a high fever on Tuesday morning and all three kids ended up coming down with Flu B over the next two days.

So we’ve been quarantined at home all week and Jesse has been playing round-the-clock nurse to all three kids. He’s been a saint and it’s been so hard for me to not be able to help do much to take care of the kids (it’s dangerous for a pregnant woman to get the flu).

The kids have never all been this sick at the same time, but they’ve been such troopers. Jesse has them on this regimen of elderberry, vitamins, homeopathics, and baking soda baths + lots of fluids/rest + Tylenol/Motrin every time their fever spikes.

They’ve all had such good attitudes despite being miserable. We’re so hopeful that they only have a few more days of fevers before this runs its course.

So none of that was about highlights or pregnancy, but it’s where we are at this week. That said, the highlight has been that I only got a touch of a fever and between rest, fluids, and elderberry, I seem to be dodging the flu bullet so far. And also, I am SO grateful that Jesse has stayed well!

Notable

The baby has had the hiccups multiple times this week. I kept waiting for it to happen because I remember all my other babies often having them!

Also, the movements are getting more pronounced and it seems like there’s constantly some baby body part poking out underneath my skin. It has made it that much more real and helped me connect with this child even moreso.

Cravings

Um, should I admit that almost all I’ve been craving is cheeseburgers?? I have no idea where *that* came from, but Jesse ran to Burger King last night because the cravings were getting pretty ridiculous and for some reason I really wanted a Burger King cheeseburger.

Here’s the crazy thing: I don’t even know if I’ve ever had one before. I can’t even remember ever going to BK in the last decade, but man, the cheeseburgers (yes, I ate two!) tasted SO good!!

Weight gain: 21 pounds

Meet the newest member of the Paine family – Theodore Quiller. (AKA Theo.)

We’ve taken at least 90 videos/pictures of him since we got him and he’s so active that he was basically a blur in most of them. So this was the best we got!

We already love him so much and are excited to have another hedgehog again!

(Theo’s middle name is in honor of Quill, our first hedgehog who died in December from Wobbly Hedgehog Disease.)

Shared Feb 15, 2020 comment

3 Quick Ways to Earn 89 Swagbucks

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3 Quick Ways to Earn 89 Swagbucks

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to earn some free gift cards to give you some wiggle room in your budget? I highly recommend signing up for Swagbucks.

Swagbucks is one of my favorite ways to earn free gift cards to Amazon, Walmart, Target, and more! There are lots of ways to earn — printing coupons, watching videos, signing up for offers, taking surveys, and more.

Go sign up for Swagbucks here. And then be sure to check out my Swagbucks review for more info on the program, plus tips & tricks on how to use Swagbucks and how to make money on Swagbucks.

Looking for ways to earn more Swagbucks? Three ways I earned 89 Swagbucks today were by doing the:

Sam’s Club Offer —  Find this under the Discover/Rev Universe Tab. I only had to type in my email address on the first page and it credited me 40 Swagbucks pretty much immediately.

GrubHub offer — Look for this under the Discover/Rev Universe tab. Sign up and get $10 off from GrubHub. I just had to input my email address and it credited my 14 Swagbucks almost immediately.

Weight-Loss offer —  This was advertised on the homepage and it offered 35 Swagbucks for signing up. You did have to jump through a few hoops and it took me probably two minutes (I just said no to all of the offers.) but the pending credit is showing up.

A few other offers to look for, if you haven’t already done them:

The CareDash Hospital Review is a simple review you fill out about your experience at a hospital. If you’ve had any experience at a hospital in recent years, you should be able to do this. It was easy to fill out and my 50SBs showed up as pending as soon as I confirmed my email.

The HomeAdvisor offer is great if you are considering or want to price the cost of home repair or renovation work from local contractors in your area. It credited as soon as I filled out the short form.


Also, if you have not joined the Swagbucks Swaggernauts Group on Facebook, I highly recommend requesting to join. I check it out periodically to get ideas for new offers to do that credit quickly.

Do note that many of the people on that board are hardcore Swagbucks users and seem to have a lot of time on their hands! But it is still a wealth of great tips for quick wins on Swagbucks!

How many SBs did you earn today? What are your favorite ways to earn SBs?

Looking for more ways to earn free gift cards? You can earn free gift cards from Fetch Rewards. And here are 15 More Ways to Earn Extra Money.

Checkout 51 gas rewards
Shared Feb 15, 2020 comment

Checkout 51 Gas Rewards (A New Feature!)

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Checkout 51 Gas Rewards (A New Feature!)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

You can now get Checkout 51 Gas Rewards on the popular rebate app!

Checkout 51 gas rewards

Checkout 51 — the savings app that offers lots of great grocery savings — is now offering cash back on gas at participating gas stations when you pay with a debit or credit card!

Here’s how to get your gas rewards with Checkout 51:

  • Sign up with Checkout 51.
  • Make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of the app on your phone.
  • Go to your offer list and view gas offers by clicking on the carousel under the bonus section.
  • Activate the gas offer by adding it to your list at your desired location.
  • Once activated, you must make your fuel purchase within 4 hours of activation and pay with a debit or credit card.
  • Upload your receipt right away
  • Wait for your cash back!

Checkout 51 Rebates

It’s that simple!! Have you tried earning Checkout 51 gas rewards yet? Let us know in the comments how it worked for you!

Go here to sign up for Checkout 51.

Shared Feb 15, 2020 comment

Brigette’s $92 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $92 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.


Aldi

1 gallon 1% Milk – $0.97

1 gallon Whole Milk – $0.97

1/2 gallon Unsweetened Almond Milk – $1.65

1 canister Quick Oats – $2.36

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk – $1.09

1 3-lb bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.85

1 pkg Frozen Broccoli Florets – $0.95

1 pkg String Cheese – $1.99

2 pkgs Sliced Deli Meat – $5.70

2 pkgs Fresh Chicken Drumsticks ($0.69/lb) – $9.35

1 pkg Deli Sliced – $1.33

1 2-lb pkg Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $4.19

1 2-lb pkg Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $4.99

3 cans Green Beans – $1.12

2 pkgs Fresh Broccoli Crowns – $2.58

2 pkgs Zucchini – $3.98

1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.99

1 bunch Bananas – $0.59

3 bags Fresh Asparagus – $4.17

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 Cauliflower – $1.99

1 pkg Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.19

2 3-lb bags Pink Lady Apples – $5.78

1 carton Raspberries – $1.39

3 cartons Strawberries – $2.97

1 box Corn Flakes – $0.99

1 box Crispy Oats – $1.15

1 box Rice Squares – $1.49

1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.95

1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65

1 pkg Chocolate Chips – $1.29

1 can Baking Cocoa – $1.79

1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust – $0.85

1 32-oz carton Egg Whites – $2.95

1 dozen Eggs – $0.98

Total:$85.22

Harris Teeter

2 jars Peanut Butter – $1.98

1 tub All Natural Harris Teeter Ice Cream – $1.97

1 Eggland’s Best Eggs – $1.84, used $0.50/1 EggLand’s Best Eggs, exp. 2/17/20 (SS 11/17/19) (doubled) – $0.84 after Coupon

5 Yoplaits Yogurts – $1.85, used $0.50/5 printable (doubled), plus receive 35 points from Fetch Rewards ($0.35) – $0.50/5 after Coupon and Rebate

1 jar Barilla Pasta Sauce – $1.44, used $1.00/1 Evic – $0.44 after Coupon

4 boxes Nature Valley Granola Bars – $5.88, used 2 $0.50/2 printable (doubled), plus receive $2.00 catalina wyb 4 – $1.88/4 boxes after Coupon and Catalina

Total: $7.61

Grocery Total for the Week: $92.83

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfasts. Choices include:

Oatmeal, Cereal, Toast, Fruit, Yogurt, Scrambled/Fried/Boiled Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Smoothies

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Apples, Cucumbers x 3

Cheese Quesadillas, Bananas/Strawberries, Grape Tomatoes/Carrots x 2

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Barbecued Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Heart-Shaped Biscuits with Strawberry Jam, Strawberries. Asparagus, Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Pie (Valentine’s Dinner)

Spaghetti, Tossed Salad, Green Beans

Grilled Chicken Drumsticks, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes, Butterhorns, Grilled Peppers/Zucchini/Onions, Ultimate Double Chocolate Brownies and Ice Cream (Company for Dinner)

Crockpot Italian Chicken, Broccoli, Tossed Salad, Easy Italian Breadsticks

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Asparagus, Broccoli

Date Night Out (Kids eat Grilled Cheese, Broccoli at home)

Leftovers

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!
Shared Feb 13, 2020 comment

2 Books I Read Last Week, 1 Book I Didn’t Finish (+ the classic movie we watched)

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2 Books I Read Last Week, 1 Book I Didn’t Finish (+ the classic movie we watched)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly book update post where I share what books I read this past week + my honest thoughts and star ratings of them.

A Word on My Star Ratings

The star ratings I give the books I read are based on a 5-star rating system. I rarely will ever give a book a 1-star rating (maybe never?), because my philosophy is that if a book is only worthy of one star, I’m more than likely going to quit reading it. 🙂 In the same vein, you’ll also notice that I’ll rarely give a 5-star rating as I reserve those for only my very, very favorite books.

Want to see all of the books I’ve read so far this year? Check out my Good Reads page.

Here are the two books I finished last week…

The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships

If you enjoy all things Enneagram, I definitely recommend this book. It’s an in-depth at each number on the Enneagram and how that number relates and differs with other numbers.

I found it insightful, enlightening, and just downright interesting. And while I’d studied a lot about the Enneagram, I learned quite a few new things — especially when it comes to how to better relate with other numbers, communicate with them, and help them to feel seen and valued.

It also definitely, definitely confirmed what I already knew to be true: I’m an Enneagram 8 through and through! Also, it sparked some great conversations between Jesse and me about how we interact, how certain things I do can make him want to shut down (he’s a 5), and how we’ve both grown so much healthier as people in the last 10 years.

The only thing I will mention is that if you’re new to the Enneagram, I wouldn’t recommend starting with this book. Instead, I’d start with a book like, The Road Back to You.

Verdict: 4 stars

Building a Story Brand: Clarify Your Message

I’ve been to one of Donald Miller’s Story Brand workshops before and it made an indelible mark on how I approach marketing and communication with customers in our business. This book was a good refresher to listen to.

If you are a blogger, a business owner, an online entrepreneur, or have any say in the marketing or oversight of the company you work for, I would highly recommend this book. It will likely challenge the way you think when it comes to marketing and change the way you approach doing business.

The best part is that this book gives you a really clear-cut action plan and walks you step-by-step through out to implement it. So you don’t just read about the great ideas; you actually know how to put them into practice in your business!

Two things I did want to mention: 1) I think this book would be better to read a physical copy of than to listen to as it’s more hands-on and has projects for each chapter. 2) I was a little turned off by the multiple promotions for Story Brand products and services. I understand that the goal was likely to get people to want to invest into some of the higher priced products that Story Brand offers, but I found it to be a turn-off — and it almost merited me bumping the rating of the book down to 3 stars.

Verdict: 4 stars

Book I Didn’t Finish

The Atomic City Girls — Unfortunately, this book was a big disappointment to me. I had high hopes for it, but within an hour or so of listening, I quickly discovered it seemed more focused on the romantic story and details of that than the actual historical details of Oak Ridge. Yes, there were some historical details, but the book continued to sound more and more like a soap opera or tabloid and started going into details about the character’s loves lives that felt too edgy/raunchy for me… so I ended up quitting it. Does anyone have a book to recommend about Oak Ridge that is interesting but also much more historically rich?

Classic Movie We Watched Last Week

The kids decided — all on their own — that they want to start watching one old classic movie per week together as a family in 2020. They are helping me choose the list of movies and I’ll be reporting here what we watch each week and their thoughts on it.

I plan to do a big classic movie round-up post at the end of the year with their verdict on the best and favorites of the ones we watched. (Thank you for all the great suggestions for must-watch classic movies!)

Last week, we watched the 1950’s Disney version of Treasure Island. Both girls had read this book in school, so they found that made the movie more interesting.

It was a little slow and long (even though it was only 1 hour and 35 minutes, it felt long), but overall we mostly enjoyed it. I will say it’s probably been one of our least favorite classic movies so far.

What did you read this past week? Any books you think I really need to add to my long to-read list??

Shared Feb 12, 2020 comment

How I Read 15 Books in January

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How I Read 15 Books in January

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

“How did you manage to read 15 books in January?”

I’ve gotten this question over and over again the past two weeks. Truth be told, I had to stop and ask that question myself when I got to the end of January and realized I had finished 15 books in the first month of the year!

As I reflected on the last month, I realized that there are 4 tweaks I made in January to how I approached reading that made a big difference… even though they were really minor tweaks.

How I’m Fitting In More Reading Time

1. I stopped answering Instagram messages (or getting distracted on Instagram) while on the treadmill and instead I use 20-30 minutes of my walking time each day to read a book.

2. I began setting weekly reading goals that I’m posting on MoneySavingMom.com. This has been highly motivational for me to set weekly goals instead of yearly goals.

3. I started listening to audiobooks again and try to get in at least an hour of audio listening while cleaning, cooking, getting ready in the morning, or driving by myself.

4. I revived family read aloud time again — something that we’d let go of in recent years.

In this episode, I share more about how I’m making each of these tweaks happen and the way that they are making such a difference in our life.

Powered by RedCircle

In This Episode: 

[02:46] I’ve been reading Originals by Adam Grant and had several takeaways.

[07:38] We recently got a couple of suggestions from our listeners. Listen in!

[09:16] Jesse has been geeking out on our new soundboard.

[11:15] My Spalding leggings have been saving my life.

[13:01] I dive into how I read more. Specifically how I read 15 books in January.

[15:53] How reading instead of scrolling Instagram has made such a difference.

[17:32] My practical suggestions for fitting in more audiobook listening.

[20:12] Why (and how!) we started prioritizing family reading time again.

[22:55] The difference that tracking my reading and setting weekly reading goals has made for me.

[24:27] Bonus tip: How reading multiple books at once allows me to read more quickly too.

Links and Resources:

How to Listen to The Crystal Paine Show

The podcast is available on iTunes, Android, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can listen online through the direct player here. OR, a much easier way to listen is by subscribing to the podcast through a free podcast app on your phone. (Find instructions for how to subscribe to a podcast here.)

Ready to dive in and listen? Hit the player above or search for “The Crystal Paine Show” on your favorite podcast app.

Shared Feb 10, 2020 comment

My 9 Goals For This Week

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My 9 Goals For This Week

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

(All dressed up for Silent Disco Night at camp!)

I could look at last week’s goals list and be discouraged at how little it feels like I crossed off. But then, I look at all that actually happened last week and I can remember that maybe it doesn’t look like I got a lot done, but I focused on people versus projects and being present versus being productive… and I realize that it was a really good week.

Last week’s goals:

Personal Goals

1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Finish reading The Path Between Us and Counterfeit Gods. Listen to The Atomic City Girls. (I decided to stop listening to this book because it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. More details on that on my book review post this week.)

Home/Family Goals

3. Read 40 more pages of Carry a Big Stick aloud as a family. (I only ended up reading aloud once and we made it through 10 pages. Hey, that’s something, right?)

Work/Blog Goals

4. Finish editing chapters 1-3 and finish the rough draft of chapter 4 of my manuscript.(I only got a chance to work on the book a few times last week between my friend’s funeral and being out of town helping at Youth Group camp all weekend. Here’s to hoping I make more progress this week!)

5. Run a book giveaway on Instagram with some books I’ve already read.

Word of the Year Goals

6. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family. (We watched Treasure Island. Review coming later this week!)

We have what looks to be a calmer week this week. We are actually home three evenings out of seven — I can’t remember the last time that has happened! And we don’t have any big things happening this week… well, anything that I know of yet! 🙂 So I’m planning 9 goals and we’ll see how it goes!

2020: Week 6 — Goals

Personal Goals

1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Finish reading Counterfeit Gods. Listen to Eat That Frog! and Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids.

3. Go to bed by 10:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Home/Family Goals

4. Read 30 more pages of Carry a Big Stick aloud as a family.

5. Research strollers, baby carriers, and car seats. Decide what we’re going to purchase.

6. Complete 4-hour Foster Care Training.

Work/Blog Goals

7. Finish editing chapters 1-3 and finish the rough draft of chapter 4 of my manuscript.

Word of the Year Goals

8. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.

9. Go to a movie with Jesse.

What are YOUR goals for this week? How did you do on last week’s goals? Tell us in the comments!

Shared Feb 10, 2020 comment

Gretchen’s $77 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

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Gretchen’s $77 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 loaf Bread – $.0.95

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.85

1 bag Spinach – $1.39

1 pkg Hot Dogs – $0.79

1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.85

2 bags Shredded Cheese – $2.75 each

1 can Pineapple Chunks – $0.95

1 gallon Milk – $2.15

1 pkg Fruit & Grain Bars – $1.35

1 pkg Flour – $1.15

1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $1.25

1 pkg White Tortilla Chips – $0.89

1 pkg Chicken Drumsticks – $4.83

1 lb Oven Roasted Turkey Breast – $3.99

1 pint Blueberries – $1.29

1 dozen Eggs – $0.98

1 Grape Jelly – $1.29

1 can Black Beans – $0.48

1 Half & Half – $1.55

1 Frozen Peas – $0.79

1 pkg Tilapia Fillets – $3.79

Roma Tomatoes – $0.86

1 Deli Cheese Pizza – $4.99 (not pictured)

Total: $46.45

Kroger

4 Post Cereals – $0.99 each after digital coupon

1 Zone Kidz Bars – Marked down to $2.57, used $0.20/1 Ibotta rebate – $2.37 after rebate

1 Core Water – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

4 Danimals/Go-Gurt Yogurt Packs – $1.99 each after digital coupon

2 Kroger Mac & Cheese – $0.50 each

3 Ronzoni Pasta – $0.49 each after digital coupon

1 Kroger Peanut Butter – $0.99 after digital coupon

2 pkg Strawberries – $1.67 each

1 bag Apples – Marked down to $0.99

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.69

1 bunch Bananas – $1.87

1 jar Pickles – $1.99

4 cans Chicken of the Sea Tuna – $0.50 each after digital coupon

1 Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks – $0.99 after digital coupon

1 lb Jimmy Dean Sausage – $1.99 after digital coupon

Used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt

Total after coupons and rebates: $31.36

Total for both stores: $77.81

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Eggs, Toast, Yogurt, Cinnamon Rolls

Lunches

Turkey Sandwiches, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Salad Bar, Mac & Cheese, Fruit/Crackers/Cheese/Veggies, Leftovers

Dinners

Deli Pizza from Aldi, Popcorn, Apples

Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Steamed Broccoli

Homemade Chipotle Bowls, Chips

Grilled Tilapia and Chicken, Biscuits, Mashed Potatoes

Lasagna Casserole, Steamed Peas, Tossed Salad

Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit Smoothies (from fruit I frozen last week)

Meat Potato Quiche, Fruit Salad

Shared Feb 9, 2020 comment

Life Update: Pregnancy update (28 weeks) + Camp No Boys Allowed

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Life Update: Pregnancy update (28 weeks) + Camp No Boys Allowed

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

28 weeks! Third trimester, baby!!!!

Highlights

This week I felt quite a bit better than last week — and I had a good week last week so that was unexpected to have an even better week this week!!

Last week, mentioned having a lot of pelvic pressure. To my big surprise, the pressure was almost non-existent this week — I think maybe the baby moved up some + I sat on the exercise ball a lot and went to the chiropractor??

I still can’t believe I’m 28 weeks pregnant and feeling as great as I am!

Notable

I had my last monthly appointment with my OB. Now, I’m moving to every 2 weeks until I get to 36 weeks and then it will be every week until the baby arrives!! My appointment went great and I’m measuring right on track.

The weeks are still going by quickly and I’m so grateful! Some days, I do miss the pregnancies when my kids were little and I could spend a lot more time resting because our life was much quieter.

But most days, I’m so grateful to be in this season with multiple activities every day and people coming in and out of our house + full-time work I love so much, so many opportunities to pour into people, hang out with friends, & be involved in our church.

Cravings

My appetite has picked up even more again — it feels like baby is going through a growth spurt! Since all of the third trimester is a growth spurt, this might be par for the course for the next number of weeks… until I completely run out of room for my stomach.

Weight gain: 20 lbs.

Kaitlynn and I spent Friday night through Sunday afternoon at our church’s girls’ youth group camp called Camp No Boys Allowed. (I co-lead one of the 8th grade girls’ groups.)

We spent the weekend laughing, having deep conversations, listening to messages, more late-night talking, eating too much junk food, a Silent Disco Night, a Musical competition, and lots of games.

I came home tired, but so, so happy I get the honor of helping to lead and pour into these girls. I love them and their hearts and their personalities so much!

They performed a song from The Sound of Music for the competition. Aren’t they beautiful??! Their hearts are even more beautiful!