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Shared Jun 25, 2018 comment

What I Read & Watched This Past Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 25, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Book-ish post where I share what I’ve been reading and watching recently. If you missed it, you can see my Reading Goals for 2018 and 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year.

(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

We saw Incredibles 2 as a family. We had really enjoyed the first movie and were excited to see the sequel.

Overall, we enjoyed it. There were some genuinely fun and funny parts.

However, I thought it was a little long and seemed to drag in some parts. I also was surprised that there was so much action and violence and some language in what was clearly a kid’s movie. I felt like the language was unnecessary and could have easily been cut. Our kids agreed.

That said, if you are okay with a little language and enjoyed the first movie, you will likely enjoy this movie, as well.

This week, I also finished listening to This Life I Live. As I mentioned last week, it wasn’t what I expected and I almost didn’t keep listening, but I’m glad I did because there have been so many parts of it that have really made me stop and think about how choices make such an impact on your future and how your choices as a parent really affect your kids.

I’m also almost finished with At Home in the World and have enjoyed it — especially as I gear up for two international trips in the next two months! As I mentioned last week, it makes me want to do a LOT more traveling as a family!

Did you see my list of 15 Books You Should Read This Summer? I also have a free printable Summer Reading Challenge Pack that you can download here.

When I Find Time to Read

People are always asking me how I find time to read. Honestly, it’s because I love to read, because I’ve chosen to prioritize it, because I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, and because I can’t not read. Also, when you love something, you usually can find ways to get creative to find time to fit it in — even if it’s in the little nooks and crannies of life.

I wrote a post on 3 ways to find more time to read — even when life is busy. And here are 7 more ways to find time to read.

What did you read and watch this past week? Any books or movies or shows you really think I need to read or watch?

Shared Jun 25, 2018 comment

A Peek Into Our Week (+ an update on our goals for 2018)

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 25, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly post I share a peek into our lives, talk about things I’m loving, share links to interesting articles or helpful ideas I’ve collected throughout the past week, and just talk about whatever is on my heart! ?

Kaitlynn has been hard at work perfecting her macaron recipe. This week, she made multiple batches and had one batch that was a WINNER! She’s excited at the progress she’s making here — and we are, too!

These two couples have been such a gift to Jesse and me. Our husbands went through Men’s Discipleship together and we women went through Discipleship Group together and were in the same small group.

Over the past year, our friendships have slowly developed and blossomed and has grown into something incredibly beautiful. They are the answer to many, many prayers we have prayed for close couple friends and we are so grateful. We have a standing couples’ night out every Tuesday night and we look forward to it all week long!

Of course this week was also full of lots of family games! Because that has become our thing this summer! 🙂

And I went back to Sprouts for the first time in a long time and was super impressed with the deals after being unimpressed when I checked them out a year ago. I think it’s safe to say that this store is going to be part of my weekly rotation!

Amazing strawberries for $0.98 per tub? Yes, please!

My parents came into town for one day and we enjoyed getting to have them here. My mom and I stole out for an hour to get pedis together.

The kids got to play games with Grandpa and we all enjoyed having dinner together and swimming at their hotel pool.

This girl turned 11 this past week!

It’s hard for me to believe she’s *only* 11 as her creativity and ability and the maturity of our conversations together make me feel like she is well beyond her years.

She brings so much to our lives… beauty, artistry, sarcasm, sass, fashion, great cooking/baking, an endless supply of creativity, and a confident, can-do attitude.

She constantly pushes herself to do more than I might believe she is capable of — and she usually manages to pull it off with ease and success. I’ve learned that when she’s made her mind up that she is capable of something, it’s best for me to step out of her way and cheer her from the sidelines.

She’s a whirlwind of wit and spunk and fresh ideas. She’s always working on learning something new — whether it’s a new skill, a new baking technique, a new recipe, a new hairstyle, a new craft idea… she never lacks for new ideas she wants to experiment with.

And after years of so.many.messes and me having to learn to love and embrace that as part of what makes her heart sing, I am thrilled to report that she is learning to clean up after herself! I’m so grateful I didn’t hold her back — because now it means that I have an in-house hairstylist, manicurist, makeup artist, go-to fashion expert, macaron maker, bread baker, home decorator, and organizer.

She got hurt and rejected in some big ways a little over a year ago. It about wrecked her. And we walked through a dark season with her that we didn’t know if she would recover from. But changing her environment, showering her with love, and finding a great counselor and a few true friends who have loved her well, has changed her life.

We love you, amazing girl! We are so proud of you for being so courageous and such a fighter… and for coming through a dark time so much stronger and healthier. You inspire us daily! ❤️

She and I went on our mother-daughter birthday date to a local ceramic studio (my first time!) to paint ceramics.

I was all, “Why don’t you just create one and I’ll watch you?” And she was all, “Oh no, Mom, you are totally painting one, too!”

She constantly pushes me to be more creative and to challenge myself to do things I don’t feel like I can do or am good at. And I’m so grateful she does, because it’s good for me to not hold myself back saying, “I’m not creative and artistic.”

We had so much fun together on our date — and I even think I’d like to go back and do it again sometime!

I can’t wait to see what these look like after they are glazed and fired and we get to pick them up at the end of this week.

We went to the pool with friends again this week and then invited them over for Breakfast for Dinner. All the kids came back and took showers and put on their jammies and we parents whipped up the pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

This is such an easy idea for hospitality that requires almost zero prep. Plus, who doesn’t love Breakfast for Dinner?

Kaitlynn invited her best friend for a fun birthday outing — including shopping at the mall!

They are both fashionistas and I had fun watching them find so much joy in shopping!

I spontaneously took the girls to Goodwill on Sunday after church.

They had all orange tags for $0.99 so we dug through racks and racks of dresses and found four dresses with orange tags that fit us — two for Kathrynne, one for me, and one for Kaitlynn. Our total was less than $4 for 4 dresses!!!

It was kind of like a treasure hunt and I loved getting to hang out with the girls and have so much fun shopping and laughing and trying on things together! I think we’ll likely do it again soon!

2018 Goals Update

Personal Goals

1. Read 100 non-self-help books that will build me up/encourage me/inspire me/recharge me. (Fiction/story-driven/biographies/inspirational living books/devotionals.) See the list of 44 books I plan to read this year.

**Progress: 26 books read so far this year

2. Read through the entire Bible.

**Progress: I’m using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan and am all caught up— yay!

3. Write one handwritten note to someone every week.

**Progress: 28 notes written so far this year

4. Run 500 miles.

**Progress: 236 miles run so far

Marriage Goal

~~5. Go on an overnight trip with Jesse without the kids.~~Jesse and I went to NYC together in January.

Family Goals

6. Read 10 books aloud with the kids.

**Progress: I’ve finished one book so far and we’re halfway through another book. (I have a plan for how we’re going to incorporate more reading into our schedule once school starts and we’re all driving in the car to school dropoffs every morning. For now, I’m just happy that we’re fitting in a little family reading a few times per week when we’re all in the car together driving to the pool or somewhere else. Something is better than nothing, right??)

7. Take the kids to South Africa.

**Progress: I can’t believe this trip is almost here! We’ll be gone July 7-17.

8. Go on a family road trip.

**Progress: We’ve been researching some options for this. Stay tuned!

Financial Goals

9. Save up to pay cash to finish off an office for me and workout room for Jesse and me in the basement in our new house.

**Progress: The workout room is almost done and we’re starting on the office!

10. Replenish our Emergency Fund (we dipped into it to replace my car when it got totaled because of the carpet beetle infestation.)

Business Goals

11. Increase our gross income from the business by 8%.

~~12. Launch 5 new courses.~~

**Progress: We launched 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched in January, Content Creation 101 in February, 4-Week Blog Coaching Program in March, Email List Setup 101 in March, Make Over Your Mornings LIVE in April, the Facebook Live Masterclass in May, and we’re launching Build Your List 101 this week!

Shared Jun 25, 2018 comment

Brigette’s $78 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on June 25, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

2 boxes Honey Crunch Oats – $2.58

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.36

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

2 pkgs String Cheese – $3.30

2 16-oz bags Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $4.15

2 8-oz pkgs Deli Sliced Cheese – $2.38

1 canister Raisins – $1.99

1 bag Gluten Free Pretzels – $1.49

5 individual cartons 100-calorie Greek Yogurt – $3.25

1 3-lb pkg Frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts – $5.29

1 3-lb bag Hamburger Patties – $8.89

1 16-oz pkg Sliced Deli Meat – $3.09

1 jar Marinara Sauce – $0.85

1 16-oz jar Organic Apple Cider Vinegar – $0.99

1 16-oz jar Extra Virgin Olive Oil – $2.69

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.19

2 Avocados – $0.98

2 cartons Blueberries – $2.98

1 carton Blackberries – $1.19

1 pkg Radishes – $0.49

1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.35

1 3-ct pkg Fresh Garlic – $0.79

1 box Elevation Bars – $3.99

2 boxes Applesauce Squeeze Pouches – $3.38

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.15

1 loaf White Sandwich Bread – $0.65

1 loaf Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread – $0.85

1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.65

1 large box of homegrown Zucchini and Summer Squash – gift from a friend

Total: $66.32Harris Teeter

2 pkgs Romaine Hearts – $3.48

1 pkg Mini Cucumbers – $1.99

1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99

1 pkg Tortillas – $0.99

1 Cauliflower – $1.99

1 pkg Broccoli, reduced – $0.99

1 carton Strawberries, reduced – $0.99

1 bunch Bananas (2.21lbs @ $0.49/lb) – $1.08

5 jars Wishbone Dressing (B2G3) – $5.58, used 2 B1G1 Wish-Bone Dressing – 5-13-18 SS; Includes 15 oz Only; Maximum Value $2.99; DND (exp. 06/24/18) – FREE after coupons

Total after Coupons – $12.50

Grocery Total for the Week: $78.82

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

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

Oatmeal, Cereal, Fruit, Yogurt, Toast, Fried/Scrambled/Boiled Eggs, Zucchini Bread

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Apples, Carrots x 2

Peanut Butter on Rice Cakes or Pretzels, Bananas

Build-Your-Own-Salad Bar (Romaine, Chopped Fresh Veggies, Shredded Cheese, Craisins, Hard Boiled Eggs, Nuts), Applesauce Pouches x 2

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Hamburgers, Roasted Parmesan Zucchini, Watermelon (leftover from last week)

Cheese Pizza, Raw Veggies with Dip

Burritos, Mexican Rice, Fruit

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Summer Squash Side Dish, Make-Ahead Butterhorns

Leftovers

Pasta with Roasted Veggies and Zucchini (I’ll use this recipe and add some diced ham), Fruit, Homemade French Bread

Grilled Chicken, Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole, Fruit Salad, Roasted Broccoli, Swirled Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Shared Jun 23, 2018 comment

Slow Day: Week 26

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 23, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Slow Day post, inspired by Monica from The Homespun Heart. My Word for 2018 is Slow and, in the spirit of that word, I’m taking one day each week (Wednesday) off — I’ll be unplugged and offline and plan to move at a slower pace, take time to do things that refresh me, and just really focus on being present and savoring the moment.

Each week, I’ll be sharing a photographic peek into my Slow Day. Enjoy a little peek into our lives!

(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

Jesse has almost finished the flooring in the workout room and he got the climbing rope up! This is where my morning starts almost every single day — a warmup walk on the treadmill while I read my Bible and then my run while I pray over my day.

Some friends invited us and some other friends over to swim in their pool. So this is where we spent a lot of the day!

The weather was a little overcast — but it was great because it meant that it wasn’t blazing hot! But it was still plenty warm for swimming.

We couldn’t believe that the kids all swam for as long as they did! Us moms were mostly able to just oversee and hang out and talk. It was so nice!

We brought snacks/lunch to the pool and ended up staying for quite a bit longer than I was expecting we would because the kids were enjoying themselves so much!

And I enjoyed getting to hang out with this adorable little friend for quite awhile. We picked leaves and watched birds and ate snacks and talked about the sounds that animals make… all the things that most little boys love doing! 🙂

I came home and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and then made a quick dinner and Turmeric Milk for myself before leaving to hang out with my Discipleship Group Small Group for an evening of sharing our hearts and stories.

You’re supposed to heat the Turmeric Milk up on the stove, but I just mix it in the Vita-mix and let it blend for about a minute longer so that it is frothy and warm. I also add in a pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt.

It’s so yummy — and so good for you! And I can tell a difference in how I feel by drinking it!

When I came home, we capped out the evening with a rousing family game of Dutch Blitz.

Shopping at Sprouts on a $70 weekly grocery budget?! I never knew Sprouts had such GREAT deals!!

Shared Jun 21, 2018 comment

I may have changed my mind about Sprouts ($0.98 strawberries!!!) + what I got at Aldi & Big Lots

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 21, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery 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.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

Well, I may have changed my mind about Sprouts! You see, I had checked out Sprouts maybe a year or two ago when we first got a Sprouts here. I had heard from so many people that they had these “amazing deals”… but when I checked them out I was under-whelmed and un-impressed.

So I had written off Sprouts. Because they had great food and fantastic produce, but their prices seemed significantly higher than what I would pay.

Last night, a friend sent me a text telling me that Sprouts had $0.98 strawberries this week. And you all know I can’t pass up a deal like that — especially since I was excited about Aldi having strawberries for $1.29 recently.

So I got myself right over to Sprouts this morning and I was really impressed. Not only did they have LOTS of strawberries available, the strawberries looked like super high-quality and fresh strawberries. I didn’t even really have to pick through them to find the best ones — because almost every package looked so good!

(Psst! There’s a Driscoll’s rewards program and you can earn free coupons here. I was told that Sprouts takes coupons, too!)

I’m going to start checking out the Sprout’s produce deals every week. I’m hearing from my followers on Instagram that Sprouts typically has one or two produce deals every week that are really good. And if you go on Wednesdays, they have Double Ad Day — which means that the ad from the week before and the ad for the next week are valid. So you can double up on the good deals!

(Speaking of Instagram, are you following me there? That’s always the best place to get first-word news… because I often share deals as I find them in real-time on Stories! Click here to follow me on Instagram — and then click on my circle profile to see my latest video clips of the day!)

So I picked up 5 packages of strawberries and I might go back on Tuesday to get more, if we eat these up before then. (Or I might freeze some for smoothies!)

I also got two dozen cage-free eggs to use to make scrambled eggs tomorrow night because we invited friends over for Breakfast for Dinner after we hang out at the pool.

Total with tax spent at Sprouts: $10.97

I also stopped by BigLots to check out their clearance cart and bread racks. I picked up two loaves of Thomas Swirl Bread to stick in the freezer. This bread is SO good toasted with butter! I paid $1.40 per loaf for it.

Total with tax spent at Big Lots: $2.99

And I also stopped by Aldi because it was right there and I needed to get a few items that we are out of or running low on:

Thursday Aldi Shopping Trip — $11.71

Gallon of water — $0.79
Eggs — $1.17
Oats — $2.39
Milk — $2.69
3 boxes Mac & Cheese — $0.33 each
Cantaloupe — $0.99
Pure Cane Sugar — $1.95
Total with tax: $11.71

Total Spent This Week

You’ll notice that I went $0.25 over this week on our $70 budget. I knew I was cutting it close but I didn’t realize how close I was cutting it — and that I’d be a little bit over. But considering the fact that I’ve been under budget for the past number of weeks, I’m totally okay with it.

That’s why we have the extra “padding” in the budget from all those weeks of being under budget! But next week, I’ll definitely double-check my numbers better ahead of time!

Total spent this week: $70.25

Rebates: $2.75 for submitting two receipts to Ibotta & for buying the Fage yogurt and croutons, $0.77 back from Fetch Rewards for scanning four receipts (If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards, you can sign up here and use code WW7XJ and you’ll get a bonus 2,000 points = worth $2.)

See our menu plan for this week here.

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Jun 20, 2018 comment

How I Made $1,000 in 3 Days on Etsy!

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 20, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Dezaree of Charmed Memories:

“Life is like a turtle…you don’t get very far unless you stick your neck out.”

And that’s exactly what I did!

My parents home of 20+ years was in trouble. Their property taxes were three years passed due and their home was going to be put up for auction if the $936.00 bill was not paid in full. They had less than one month to pay it.

Due to my mom’s disabilities and my dad’s cancer, they have a very limited disability income. There was no way they could come up with the money in that short amount of time.

My husband and I started saving everything we could in an effort to help them, but I was scared we wouldn’t be able to help enough — after all, we had our own bills to pay too.

I had to get creative…

I made a few little bracelets with crafting stuff I had laying around, hoping I could make $100 to go towards my parent’s bill.

I was hesitant to list them on my Etsy shop… would people actually pay $5 for something so simple? They aren’t my normal work for my shop. Could I really sell enough to matter? I am just waisting my time?

Even though I didn’t think anything would come of it, I “stuck my neck out” and listed the bracelets — along with the story of why I was selling them.

To my surprise, I sold $1,000 worth in just 3 days!

THREE DAYS!

People. Are. Amazing!

I was so shocked and so very grateful! I was able to pay my parents bill in full just from the sales of this simple little bracelet!

My parents were definitely shocked and in disbelief when I told them! My Dad almost passed out! They asked me how was it even possible?! All I could say was, “there ARE amazing people left in this world after all!”

I kept the listing, the story, and a special message to anyone that happened to click on it…

“I hope that this little turtle is a reminder to anyone that wears it that:

* Even though you are small, even though you’re just one person, you ARE capable of BIG accomplishments!

* Even when you think something is impossible, STILL TRY.

* Even if the journey is slow, it WILL be worth it and you CAN do it!

Every time you look down at your wrist and see this tiny turtle, remember theses things!

Maybe it will encourage you to do your own “fundraiser”. Maybe it will encourage you to try something different. Maybe you just need a little reminder that it’s ok to stick your neck out once and a while!”

Etsy can be intimidating, but I’ve found that it’s more than just a site to sell handmade things. It’s a community. A community of people with creative minds and big hearts.

It cost me less than $0.25 to make each bracelet, but by sharing my personal situation with everyone, I was able to create an amazing fundraiser. I also used my personal Facebook page and a Facebook Etsy group to share my listing and story.

It might not work for everyone, but if you need to do your own “fundraising” for a special reason, I would encourage you to give Etsy a try.

My name is Dezaree and I own Charmed Memories, a memorial jewelry Etsy shop. I was afraid of listing something that wasn’t what I normally sell and afraid of sharing my very personal situation. But, I took the chance and was amazed at the outpouring love of complete strangers!

Shared Jun 19, 2018 comment

Cake Mix Bars, Turmeric Milk, & This Week’s $70 Menu Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 19, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery 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.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

Kroger had some more weekend deals that were worth picking up this past Saturday. (Psst! If you loaded the Ketchup or Mayo coupons onto your card, Kroger extended the date on those through June 30, 2018!)

Saturday Kroger Shopping Trip — $24.36

1 bag of limes — marked down to $0.99
2 cantaloupe — marked down to $0.99 each
1 bag of peppers — marked down to $0.99
Eggs — $1.09
Pickles — $1.49
5 packages of Hillshire Farms Sausage — $1.88 each with the Weekend Digital Coupon Deals
Milk — $2.69
2 Fage yogurts — marked down to $0.59 (got $0.75 back per cup from Ibotta making them essentially “free + overage” after rebate)
2 bottles of Heinz Ketchup — $0.99 each with the Weekend Digital Coupon Deals
1 jar Mayo — $0.99 with the Weekend Digital Coupon Deal
3 boxes of Aunt Jemima pancake mix — marked down to $0.99 per box (these were on the Scratch & Dent table at Kroger) — I bought these so we can have our friends over for more Breakfast for Dinner nights after going to pool! We did this last week and it was such a hit & I’m hoping it will work out again this week, too!
Total with tax: 24.36

So many of you asked for the “Unhealthy Cake Mix Bar Recipe” that I mentioned Kathrynne was going to be making. These were so yummy — and turned out beautifully!

Get the recipe here.

In healthier news, I have been making a cup of Turmeric Milk (or tea or whatever you want to call it) every day. This stuff is so good — and so good for you!

I hit the jackpot of great markdowns today at Kroger! Here’s what I got:

Tuesday Kroger Shopping Trip — $20.22

3 packages of Frigo Cheese — $1.99 each when you purchase 6 participating items, used $0.75/1 Kroger Digital Coupon, used 2 $0.75/1 Frigo Cheese coupons = $1.24 each after coupons
Bananas — marked down — $0.87
Bag of 3 cucumbers and a pepper — marked down to $0.99
Big bag of clementines — marked down to $0.99
4 bottles of Cream Soda — marked down to $0.39 each (+ I got a 10% off discount at checkout on these — not sure why, but I’ll take an additional $0.14 off!)
3 boxes of cereal — marked down to $1.19 each
2 bottles of Organic Agave nectar — marked down to $1 each
1 Lifeway Kefir cup —marked down to $0.89
2 yogurts — marked down to $0.39 each
4 yogurts — marked down to $0.49 each
3 bags of Mrs. Cubbinson’s Croutons — $0.89 each when you buy 6 participating items, used 1 $1/2 coupons (+ submitted for $0.25 Ibotta rebate per bag)
Total with tax: $20.22

This Week’s Simple Menu Plan

This menu is subject to change a little if I find some great deals or markdowns! ?

Breakfasts

Fried/Scrambled Eggs, Baked Oatmeal, Cereal, Fruit, Toast, The Best Ever Bran Muffins

Lunches

Mac & Cheese, Cereal, Cheese/Crackers, Fruit, Veggies, Leftovers, Eggs, Yogurt, Salad

Snacks

Marked Down Yogurt, Fruit, Ice Cream Bars, Cheese/Crackers, Granola Bars

Monday: Peppers/Onions/Sausage over rice, Fruit

Tuesday: Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole, Fruit

Wednesday: Grilling out — Sausage & Corn on the Cob, Fruit

Thursday: Dinner out with my parents (they are coming into town for a day!)

Friday: Ziti (from the freezer), Peas, Fruit

Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner: Pancakes, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Fruit

Sunday: Snack-y Dinner

Total Spending So Far This Week

Total spent so far this week: $44.58

Total left to spend: $25.42

Rebates: $2.50 for submitting a receipt to Ibotta & buying the Fage yogurt and croutons, $0.37 back from Fetch Rewards for scanning two receipts (If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards, you can sign up here and use code WW7XJ and you’ll get a bonus 2,000 points = worth $2.)

Shared Jun 19, 2018 comment

Gretchen’s $48 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on June 19, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 pkg Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $3.29

1 pkg Cream Cheese – $1.29

1 box Chocolate Pudding – $0.49

1 pkg Green Peppers – $1.39

1 pkg Frozen Tilapia Fillets – $3.39

1 pkg Green Grapes – $1.49

1 loaf Bread – $1.49

1 pkg Corn Chips – $1.29

1 pkg Mini Cucumbers – $1.79

1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.29

1 pkg Lettuce – $1.29

1 pkg Sweet Corn – $1.49

1 Pineapple – $1.29

1 box Trail Mix – $3.79

1 lb Butter – $2.45

1 box Crisp Rice Cereal – $1.49

1 box Cereal Bars – $1.79

1 jar Spaghetti Sauce – $1.39

2 Half & Half – $1.99 each

1 gallon Milk – $1.88

2 dozen Eggs – $1.18 each

1 Grape Jelly – $1.39

1 pkg English Muffins – $0.99

1 pkg Chicken Breasts – $5.99

Total: $48.77

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal Bars, English Muffins, Cereal, Eggs, Fruit

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks x 2

Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies

Cheese Quesadillas, Sliced Cucumbers, Grapes

Leftovers

Lunch at my mom’s house

Out to eat with my husband’s family

Dinners

Pizza & Breadsticks

Dinner with Lifegroup (We do a rotation of different families bringing dinner and this is my week off!)

Grilled Chicken & Tilapia, Corn on the Cob, Homemade French Fries

Chili, Corn Chips, Sliced Veggies

Chicken Taquitos, Tossed Salad, Chocolate Pudding

Spaghetti, Biscuits, Green Beans

Leftovers

Shared Jun 18, 2018 comment

What I Read & Watched This Past Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 18, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Book-ish post where I share what I’ve been reading and watching recently. If you missed it, you can see my Reading Goals for 2018 and 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year.

(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

This week, we went and saw two movies in the theater — and I’m happy to report that our MoviePasses worked again!! (They hadn’t worked two weeks ago when we tried to use them — our cards were declined — and we were thinking to cancel our accounts.)

We saw Oceans 8 and Adrift. Oceans 8 was like I expected having seen the other Oceans movies. However, since it had Sandra Bullock in it, I expected it to be funny… and it just wasn’t funny. It wasn’t terrible, I’d say it was just so-so. Not terrible, not amazing.

Adrift is a movie that I’m still mulling over. The whole story line is pretty incredible and inspiring… and it’s based on a true story, too. I read that it is fairly accurate other than one big plot line (which actually ends up not being at all what you think and which is then actually accurate. I won’t say more so I don’t spoil anything).

That said, I was surprised and bothered by how much skin was showing for a PG-13 movie. There wasn’t anything sexual or explicit, but there was a whole lot more skin than I expected and I think it ruined what could have been a pretty inspiring movie for me.

In addition, the movie developed quite slowly — almost as if they were trying to stretch out the story to make it fill a full two hours. Despite these two things, I still think the story line is really inspiring and I’ve thought about it a lot and talked about it with others since watching it.

But I don’t think I can recommend the movie and would highly suggest reading reviews before seeing it.

I’m currently reading At Home in the World and am enjoying it — especially as I gear up for two international trips in the next two months! It makes me want to do a LOT more traveling as a family!

And I’m also listening to the audiobook of This Life I Live. It wasn’t what I expected and I almost didn’t keep listening, but I’m glad I did because there have been so many parts of it that have really made me stop and think about how choices make such an impact on your future and how your choices as a parent really affect your kids.

Did you see my list of 15 Books You Should Read This Summer? I also have a free printable Summer Reading Challenge Pack that you can download here.

When I Find Time to Read

People are always asking me how I find time to read. Honestly, it’s because I love to read, because I’ve chosen to prioritize it, because I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, and because I can’t not read. Also, when you love something, you usually can find ways to get creative to find time to fit it in — even if it’s in the little nooks and crannies of life.

I wrote a post on 3 ways to find more time to read — even when life is busy. And here are 7 more ways to find time to read.

What did you read and watch this past week? Any books or movies or shows you really think I need to read or watch?

Shared Jun 17, 2018 comment

A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week (+ an update on my goals for 2018)

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 17, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly post I share a peek into our lives, talk about things I’m loving, share links to interesting articles or helpful ideas I’ve collected throughout the past week, and just talk about whatever is on my heart! ?

One night this week, we had a Clean Out the Fridge sort of dinner. The kids asked if we could eat in our formal dinner room and when I said yes, they set the table, turned down the lights, and added candles.

It felt all fancy, despite the fact that we were mostly eating leftovers! We’re definitely going to be doing this more often — especially since it maybe requires one extra minute to pull off!

(Step 1. Set the table in the formal dining room instead of the breakfast nook. Step 2. Turn down the lights. Step 3. Add candles. And you have yourself a “fancy dinner” in one extra minute! ?)

We played so many rounds of Dutch Blitz this week. And we invited some friends over for Breakfast for Dinner and taught them how to play, too.

I know I keep posting pictures of us playing this game — but I guess it’s become our summer thing. It’s rare that a day goes by that we aren’t spending at least some time playing it!

This boy got his very own library card this week! He was so excited! And I love that he is slowly starting to fall in love with reading.

If you’ve been around here for awhile, you probably know that it’s been a long and frustrating and discouraging road and he’s worked so hard to get here and it makes me so happy to find him reading multiple times per week — without me even encouraging it!

Kaitlynn’s school held a Yard Sale on Saturday morning and we enjoyed getting to help price stuff on Friday evening and help with the sale on Saturday morning.

I’m not sure what Kathrynne is doing here! 😉

One of the moms made Yard Sale signs based upon an idea she found on Pinterest. I thought these were the BEST!

Kaitlynn has been working on perfecting the art of making macarons and was so excited when she had a batch turn out almost perfectly this week! We had friends over on Saturday evening who had just returned from France and we spent a few hours getting to see all of the pictures of their trip. Her macarons were the perfect accompaniment to our evening!

“You should smile more in your pictures and videos…” “You always look sad and insecure…”

I got many comments like this for many years as a blogger. They were often sandwiched in the middle of a lot of other negative words and it would be easy to write it off as just being a negative critic I shouldn’t pay attention to.

But remember how I said that my approach is always to check critical comments to see if there’s any truth in them? Well, there was definitely some truth here and I knew it.

I had to do some deep heart work. I had to face a lot of fears. I had to take risks and unearth insecurities and cry a bucket of tears and work through old wounds and stop stuffing down all sorts of things and learn how to find my worth in Christ instead of in my work.

I had to believe that I was enough and stop living under the lie that I was broken and unworthy and not chosen.

Y’all… it’s been a journey. A long journey. But it was worth the fight. It was worth the pain. It was worth the tears. It was worth digging up stuff that I’d rather keep buried. It was worth feeling terrified as I faced fears.

It was all worth it. Because see that girl there? See the smile on her face? That’s genuine and real. She fought hard for the deep joy and wholeness.

And she’s grateful for truth from those critics and negative commentors that inspired her on this journey to joy. ❤️

Links You Should Check Out:

Doing a $70 Grocery Budget Challenge — I was honored to be featured on Jami Balmet’s podcast all about our current grocery budget challenge!
Fetch Rewards: Earn Money Scanning Your Grocery Receipts — Watch my video with all the details here.
6 Simple Secrets to Inspire Entrepreneurship in Kids — So many of you loved and resonated with this guest post.

2018 Goals Update

Personal Goals

1. Read 100 non-self-help books that will build me up/encourage me/inspire me/recharge me. (Fiction/story-driven/biographies/inspirational living books/devotionals.) See the list of 44 books I plan to read this year.

**Progress: 25 books read so far this year

2. Read through the entire Bible.

**Progress: I’m using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan and am all caught up— yay!

3. Write one handwritten note to someone every week.

**Progress: 28 notes written so far this year

4. Run 500 miles.

**Progress: 225 miles run so far

Marriage Goal

~~5. Go on an overnight trip with Jesse without the kids.~~Jesse and I went to NYC together in January.

Family Goals

6. Read 10 books aloud with the kids.

**Progress: I’ve finished one book so far.

7. Take the kids to South Africa.

**Progress: We bought our tickets & are planning our trip in July!

8. Go on a family road trip.

**Progress: We’ve been researching some options for this. Stay tuned!

Financial Goals

9. Save up to pay cash to finish off an office for me and workout room for Jesse and me in the basement in our new house.

**Progress: The workout room is almost done!

10. Replenish our Emergency Fund (we dipped into it to replace my car when it got totaled because of the carpet beetle infestation.)

Business Goals

11. Increase our gross income from the business by 8%.

~~12. Launch 5 new courses.~~

**Progress: We launched 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched in January, Content Creation 101 in February, 4-Week Blog Coaching Program in March, Email List Setup 101 in March, and Make Over Your Mornings LIVE in April.

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

Click here to download!

Shared Jun 16, 2018 comment

Slow Day: Week 25

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 16, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Slow Day post, inspired by Monica from The Homespun Heart. My Word for 2018 is Slow and, in the spirit of that word, I’m taking one day each week (Wednesday) off — I’ll be unplugged and offline and plan to move at a slower pace, take time to do things that refresh me, and just really focus on being present and savoring the moment.

Each week, I’ll be sharing a photographic peek into my Slow Day. Enjoy a little peek into our lives!

(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

We’ve instituted a technology chart this summer where the kids can earn computer/movie time by doing certain things. It’s been the best and has eliminated so much whining and frustration for everyone! And you better believe that the first thing the kids do when they wake up is start working on earning their minutes for later in the day! 🙂

These kids! 🙂

This is my current treadmill setup — in the gym that is so close to being finished off! Every day I just dust it off and run! 🙂

Kathrynne spent the day with a friend so we took Kaitlynn and Silas to Soar — a ropes course. It’s usually insanely expensive to go to but I found that Groupon was offering a 4-person deal so we scooped it up and surprised the kids.

Isn’t this a great picture of real life… Kids all like, “Mom, why are taking yet another picture??” (They are never convinced by my statements of how I want to document these moments so I don’t forget! I’m sure they’ll understand someday!)

I promise I actually did go across a ton of parts of the course — Jesse just happened to only get pics of me standing and watching the kids! 🙂

It was so fun — a little scary and hot and tiring. But so fun! And the kids always love it when I get out there and jump right in with them!

After we went to the ropes course, Kaitlynn and I had chiropractic appointments.

Then we came home and I made Haystacks for dinner while Kathrynne made Homemade Guac.

And then we played a few rounds of Dutch Blitz before I needed to head out. We are addicted to this game right now and love that it’s something we can all do together and love. We have been playing at least a few rounds every night… and some evenings, it’s more like a few hours of this game! 🙂

The kids and Jesse kept playing while I left to meet up with my Discipleship Small Group at Frothy Monkey. We had such a great time together — and everyone was able to make it but one. I love these ladies so much and am grateful that even though our group will be going in different directions this fall, the relationships and deep friendships we’ve made will hopefully will last for years to come!

Shared Jun 16, 2018 comment

Brigette’s $89 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on June 16, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 box Honey Crunch Oats – $1.29

1 box Rice Squares – $1.79

2 gallons Whole Milk – $2.72

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

2 16-oz cartons Heavy Whipping Cream – $3.10

2 32-oz cartons Half and Half – $3.18

1 pkg String Cheese – $1.65

2 pkgs Deli Sliced Cheese – $2.30

1 16-oz pkg Deli Meat – $3.09

1 pkg Pepperoni – $1.95

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.15

3 dozen Eggs – $3.72

1 can Whipped Dairy Topping – $1.99

1 large tub Pretzel Sticks – $3.29

1 jar Natural Creamy Peanut Butter – $1.15

1 loaf Honey Wheat Bread – $0.85

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.15

2 pkgs Blackberries – $1.98

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.19

2 4-ct pkgs Sweet Corn – $2.38

1 pkg Baby Lettuce – $1.99

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.59

1 bag Red Onions – $1.09

1 bag Zucchini – $1.09

2 3-lb bags Pink Lady Apples – $6.98

1 Seedless Watermelon – $2.89

2 cans Chicken Breast – $3.10

5 single-serving size 100-calorie Greek Yogurt – $3.25

1 32-oz tub Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt – $3.29

1 Pork Butt Roast – $8.67

Total: $77.24

Harris Teeter

3 pkgs Hamburger/Hot Dog Buns – $1.41

2 pkgs Sargento Shredded Cheese – $3.79, used $0.60/2 Sargento Shredded Cheese- 4-29-18 SS (exp. 06/24/18) (doubled) – $2.59/2 after coupon

1 can Coconut Milk – $1.49

1 16-oz pkg Shredded Coconut – $1.49

1 bag Peaches (1.93lb @ $0.99/lb) – $1.91

2 12-ct boxes Community Coffee K-Cups – $7.99, used 2 $2.00/1 Catalina coupon, plus receive $3.00/2 from Checkout 51 – $0.99/2 boxes after coupons and rebate

1 5-lb bag Bread Flour – $3.39

1 box Luzianne Tea Bags – $1.24, used $0.60/1 Luzianne Product – 6-10-18 SS (exp. 08/15/18) (doubled), plus receive $0.75/1 back from Ibotta – $0.71 MM after coupon and rebate

Total after Coupons and Rebates – $12.56

Grocery Total for the Week: $89.96