No matter how hard life is right now, remember that no one can take away your ability to choose your attitude in the middle of your difficult circumstances.
Choose joy. Choose love. Choose gratitude. Choose hope. Choose courage.
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My 10 Goals For This Week + My Progress on Last Week’s Goals
Last week, we made some fun memories prepping for and celebrating Easter.
On Friday, our friend, Tam, invited us over to decorate eggs and have lunch with her.
As you can tell, the kids had SO much fun coming up with all sorts of creative ways to color their eggs and I felt incredibly grateful for the gift of friends who love my children like this. It’s a beautiful thing!
And then, Tam and her husband, Brent, invited us and some other dear friends over to celebrate Easter. She had made Easter baskets for all the kids and a special Easter egg hunt — complete with specially marked eggs for each child with notes they had written to each child, money, and candy.
I’m blown away by the way these families have loved us and welcomed us here in TN since we’ve moved. It’s humbling, heart-warming, and it teaches me so much how to be better friend and to love others well.
We were so blessed by attending our church’s Good Friday Service. You can read more about it here.
Then, Sunday dawned a beautiful day! Not only was it a time for celebrating the true meaning of Easter, but we also loved the opportunity to serve in our church’s café together. We had fun shopping for food and supplies on Saturday and then we all worked together to get up and around and out the door by 7:30 a.m. in order to be at church in time to serve at all three services.
We opted to go for use-what-you-already-have-in-your-closet Easter Dresses this year. (Kaitlynn wanted to wear her green dress, Kathrynne didn’t care, and I looked briefly but couldn’t find a dress that I liked enough to actually pay money for!) I didn’t even realize until we all got dressed that morning that all of us girls were wearing green and polka dots!
{I was kind of proud of the fact that I watched a YouTube tutorial for this Dutch Braided Bun hairstyle and actually pulled it off… As a girl who typically can never replicate anything from a YouTube video without a major fail, this is pretty epic!}
Here’s an update on how I did on my goals last week:
Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals
1. Decorate Easter eggs with the kids.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Continue working on developing the habit of obedience in our home(I attended the Laying Down the Rails workshop at the recent homeschool conference and it’s really motivated and inspired us in our parenting. We’re choosing the habit of obedience to implement in our home for the next 6-8 weeks. Just a week of working on this and it’s already made a big difference. Watch this video here for a snippet of the workshop.)Personal Goals
4. Exercise at least 5 times.5. Finish at least two books.
6. Listen to at least two inspiring audios/podcasts while working/driving.(I’ve recently been challenged to do a better job of using those little cracks of time throughout the day to fill my mind up with good things and things that make me think and analyze life.)Local Ministry/Hospitality/Friendship Goals
7. Research how to make the best coffee with the new commercial coffee machine we got for our church’s café.
8. Host a Dessert Night at our house.Business Goals
9. Outline/write 3 substantive blog posts for next week.
10. Finish all final edits for the Make Over Your Mornings course.
This week’s goals:
Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals
1. Take the kids on a field trip to the Nashville Zoo.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Continue working on developing the habit of obedience in our home (I attended the Laying Down the Rails workshop at the recent homeschool conference and it’s really motivated and inspired us in our parenting. We’re choosing the habit of obedience to implement in our home for the next 6-8 weeks. Just a week of working on this and it’s already made a big difference. Watch this video here for a snippet of the workshop.)
Personal Goals
4. Exercise at least 5 times.
5. Finish at least two books.
6. Listen to at least two inspiring audios/podcasts while working/driving. (I’ve recently been challenged to do a better job of using those little cracks of time throughout the day to fill my mind up with good things and things that make me think and analyze life.)
Local Ministry/Hospitality/Friendship Goals
7. Have a lunch date with a friend.
8. Have friends from out of town over for dinner.
9. Finish reading a friend’s manuscript & writing an endorsement for it.
Business Goals
10. Outline/write 3 substantive blog posts for next week.
How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives! You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
Help! Looking for the reader who wrote this comment!
I have kind of a crazy request, but I’m trying to track down the reader who emailed me this tip about Cooking Clubs in 2008. If that was you or you know who it was, could you email me?
All You magazine would like to use the example in their print magazine, but I need to connect them with the reader so they can get written permission to use it.
If you didn’t write that comment, but you have participated in a Freezer Club or a Cooking Club and you’d be willing to share about your experiences and possibly be quoted in All You magazine, can you email me, as well?
My email address is: crystal @ moneysavingmom.com
Thanks so much!
How I Made Money Redecorating My Home
Guest post from Jennifer of The Intentional Mom
I love the change of seasons because it provides me with the opportunity to dress up my home in a whole new way as I accessorize with the colors and themes that each new season brings.
This past year, I found myself getting bored with the same accessories, but with a tight budget, there was just no wiggle room to allow for anything new, no matter what kind of deal I could find.
Determined to still make this happen, I decided to weed out decorations that I was tired of in hopes of selling them to earn the extra money that would allow me to turn around and buy some new and “new to me” things, too.
My plan worked like a charm!
I went to town weeding out things that I didn’t love, and if I hadn’t displayed it during the prior season, it went, too. At first it was hard, but as I got going, it was rather freeing to clear things out. I got rid of some cool wall sconces and a Pottery Barn wrought iron wall decoration in addition to candles, flowers, tablecloths, and pictures.
I sold some of these things in my garage sale, others I sold on Craigslist, but the bulk of what I sold was done on Facebook garage sale pages.
It took some time, but over a few months I had sold it all, leaving me with a little cash to play around with. Altogether, I had $174 to spend on new treasures!
In looking for new decorations, I knew the kinds of items and colors that I was looking for. With this in mind, I just waited patiently until I found things on Craigslist, the Facebook garage sale sites, and in stores that I got on sale and combined with a coupon.
I scored some amazing deals. I got a huge amount of “bang for my buck” when I bought someone’s former bridesmaids bouquets of artificial green and pink hydrangeas, orchids, and some greenery along with a bunch of tulle. I paid just $20 for over 75 stems altogether plus the tulle! I used what I needed in three different arrangements and then turned around and sold the extras I had left.
Among my other treasures were some handmade rustic items like a dining room table decoration with jugs, a large FAITH sign, and a fun hanging picture frame for a grand total of $40. I bought a new picture for my bathroom and some other hip vases and things, but the most amazing purchase was two brand new chevron chairs from Kohl’s for $25 each on clearance with a sale and Kohl’s cash during the holiday season!
Over the course of about six weeks, I had everything I needed and wanted. With all of my selling and buying done for now, I still have about $32 left over to spend on some new things for this upcoming summer or fall.
Had I never purged my home of the old things, I wouldn’t have had the resources to give my home a whole new look. The old saying, “out with the old and in with the new,” paid off for this frugal girl in a major way!
Jennifer is a busy, homeschooling mom of seven who enjoys keeping a home, living a frugal and active lifestyle, and loving the little and not so little people in my life. My mission is helping other moms find contentment in living intentionally every day over at her blog, The Intentional Mom.
My Monday Morning Plan + Today’s Cleaning Project
Good morning! I hope your day is off to a great start!
After a full and wonderful weekend, my cleaning project for today is to just get our house back in order and to get back on top of our laundry. I let both slide in favor of time with friends, family time, memory-making, celebrating Jesus at church, and taking time to just rest.
Here’s my plan for this morning:
- Bible reading/journaling
- Blogging/Business work
- Breakfast/Morning Time — start a load of laundry
- School with Silas
- Morning chores/pick up the whole house — switch the laundry
- Get girls started on their independent work
- Fold & put away the laundry — wash bedding
- Run/shower
- Ready to go — lunch made — head to work at our office space
- Tonight: finish all laundry, remake beds, & go to bed with a clean house! 🙂
This evening, I’ll share a post about how our day went and give you an update (with pictures) on my progress on our house and the laundry pile. 🙂
Need some motivation? Check out my post on 10 Ways to Make Cleaning More Fun.
Want to join me? Leave a comment to let us know you’re participating! If you have time, tell us what your morning plan is, too.
The Top 8 Most Popular Posts From This Past Week
A Day In My Life: Flooded Bathrooms, Leaking Ceilings, and Entrepreneurial Kids
When You Feel Like You’re Failing at Everything (6 Things to Do)
Make 10 Organic Freezer Meals From Costco in 60 Minutes
How to Make a Homemade “Latte” in Less Than 2 Minutes
How a Family of 4 Happily Lives in a 700 Square Foot Home
How to Become a Successful Blogger (video)
12 Goals for 2015 + the Progress I Made in March
There will be no coupons in Sunday’s paper
Gretchen’s $42 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan
Walmart
1 Cantaloupe – $0.99
1 pkg Strawberries – $1.29
1 bag Halos – $3.75
1 Pineapple – $1.29 (Price matched to Aldi)
Broccoli – $1.31
Bananas – $1.29
Total with tax ($0.75): $10.67
Dillons
1 dozen Kroger Eggs – $1.79, used $0.25 Snap rebate and $0.50 Ibotta rebate – $1.04 after rebates
1 pkg Pecan Pieces – $2.57
1 bag Kroger Chocolate Chips – $2
1 Red Leaf Lettuce – $0.99
3 Chobani Yogurt – $1.25 each, used $1/3 printable – $0.92 each after coupon
1 C&H Brown Sugar – $1.49
1 gallon Dillons Milk – $2.59
2 Brut Deodorant – $1 each, used 2 $1/1 coupon from the 3/22 SmartSource insert – Free after coupon
1 Kroger Salt – $0.57
1 Orowheat Bread 24 oz – $2.50, used $1/1 printable – $1.50 after coupon
1 pkg Chicken Thighs – Marked down to $3.30
1 Johnsonville Sausage Links – $2.50 (I thought I had a coupon on my Dillons card for these but it turns out I didn’t. Oh well!)
Total with tax ($1.99): $23.29
Homeland Trip #1
2 cans Peanuts – $1.69 each, used $1/2 printable (doubled) – $0.69 each after coupon
1 pkg Honey Buns – $1.25, used $0.95/1 printable (doubled) – Free plus overage after coupon
1 Keebler Crackers – $1.99, used $1/1 printable (doubled) – Free after coupon
2 Birds Eye Steamfresh Veggies – $0.79 each, used $1/2 coupon from the 2/22 SmartSource insert – Free plus overage after coupon
2 Kraft Shredded Cheese – $2 each, used $1/2 coupon from the 3/29 SmartSource insert (doubled) – $1 each after coupon
1 McCormick Vanilla Extract – $2, used $0.75/1 coupon from the 3/15 RedPlum insert (doubled) – $0.50 after coupon
1.89 lbs Tomatoes – $2.17
2 pkgs McCormick Brown Gravy – $0.50 each, used $0.50/2 coupon from the 3/8 RedPlum insert (doubled) – Free after coupon
Total with tax ($0.92): $6
Homeland Trip #2
1 Honey Buns – $1.25, used $0.95/1 printable – Free plus overage after coupon
2 pkgs Kraft Cheese – $2 each, used $1/2 coupon from the 3/29 SmartSource insert (doubled) – $1 each after coupon
1 pkg Kraft Chipotle Cheese – $2, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.50 after coupon (I now have 15 packages of cheese in my freezer after getting such great prices the last few weeks! I’m so happy to be stocked up for a while.)
2 Birds Eye Steamfresh Veggies – $0.79 each, used $1/2 coupon from the 2/22 SmartSource insert (doubled) – Free plus overage after coupon
1 McCormick Vanilla Extract – $2, used $0.75/1 coupon from the 3/15 RedPlum insert (doubled) – $0.50 after coupon
Total with tax ($0.15): $2.19
Total for all grocery items: $42.15
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal x 2
Toast & Eggs x 4
Biscuits & Gravy, Pineapple
Lunches
Cheese Quesadillas, Fruit
Cheese/Crackers/Fruit/Veggies x 2
Peanut Butter & Jelly on Ricecakes, Oranges
Baked Potatoes, Steamed Carrots
Oven Fried Chicken, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Butterhorn Rolls (Easter Sunday lunch)
Leftovers
Spinach Smoothies x 5 (for me)
Dinners
Homemade Cheese Pizza, Smoothies
Venison Burgers, Steamed Peas, Cantaloupe
Spaghetti, Biscuits, Green Beans, Tossed Salad
BBQ Venison Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Fruit, Steamed Broccoli
Salad Bar
Leftovers
Dinner with family
Snacks
Double Fudge Banana Muffins, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Choc Chip Cookies, Banana Protein Shake, Applesauce, Yogurt
Reader Tip: How To Give Yourself A Weekly Raise
Tshanina from Thrifty T’s Treasures emailed in the following tip:
I always cringe when I hear friends share their excitement about getting a tax refund. It’s as if they’re getting an unexpected bonus every Spring.
What they might not realize is that their tax refund is actually their very own money and the government’s been keeping it all year! Yes, you heard me right, the government has been earning interest on your hard-earned money!
How would you like to give yourself a raise?
If you consistently receive a tax refund every year, with just one simple step you can give yourself a weekly raise. All you have to do is change the withholdings on your paycheck.
Talk with your H.R. person at work and take a few minutes to change your withholdings. If you’re not sure what your withholdings should be, ask your tax person or accountant.
The Tiniest Apartment I’ve Ever Seen (just 86 square feet!)
So, I guess I’m on a small house posting kick this week, but I just couldn’t help but share this tour of an 86-square-foot apartment!
I was blown away by how minimalist it was and how functional it was. You have to watch the video and then let me know: would you love to live in a space like this? Why or why not?
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
Shared Apr 3, 2015
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Brigette’s $52 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $52 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
2 8-oz canisters Parmesan Cheese – $4.98
2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.98
1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $1.99
1 32-oz pkg Spaghetti – $1.59
1 bunch Bananas (2.28/lb @ $0.35/lb) – $0.80, plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51 – $0.55 after rebate
3 16-oz bags Baby Carrots – $2.07
1 Cucumber – $0.49
1 large bag Kale – $1.99
1 24-oz pkg Zucchini – $1.99
1 container Artisan Baby Lettuce – $1.99
1 3-ct pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99
1 Pineapple – $1.79
1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.17
1 3-lb bag Yellow Onions – $0.99
2 pkgs Pepperoni – $3.98
1 24-oz jar Gourmet Pasta Sauce – $1.79
Total: $33.31 after rebate
Harris Teeter
2 20-oz pkgs Sara Lee Butter Bread (B1G1) – $2.79, used 2 $0.55/1 Sara Lee Bread, exp. 6/1/15 (SS 03/01/15 R) (doubled) – $0.59/2 after coupons
2 16-oz bags Mahatma Brown Rice – $2.00, used 2 $0.50/1 Mahatma or Water Maid Rice, exp. 4/30/15 (RP 01/25/15) (doubled) – FREE after coupons
4 5-oz bags Mahatma Rice Mix – $3.00, used 2 $0.75/2 Mahatma Rice Mix, exp. 4/30/15 (RP 01/25/15 R) – FREE after coupons
2 8-oz pkgs Sargento Sliced Cheese – $5.00, used 2 $0.55/1 printable (doubled) – $2.80/2 after coupons
2 8-oz chunks Kraft Pepper Jack cheese (B1G1) – $3.79, used 2 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.79/2 after coupons
2 16-oz boxes Land O Lakes Half Sticks Butter (B1G1) – $5.49, used 2 $0.50/1 printable – $3.49/2 after coupons
1 gallon Milk – $2.99, plus receive $0.25 rebate from Ibotta – $2.74 after rebate
1 container Truwhip – $1.74, used $2/1 printable – FREE plus overage after coupon
Total: $10.15
Walgreens
4 pkgs Walgreens Diapers (B1G1) – $8.99, used 2 $1.50/1 printable, plus receive $0.25 back from Ibotta – $5.74/2 after coupons and rebate
5 dozen Eggs – $4.95 (this may have been a local price), plus receive $0.25 back from Snap by Groupon – $4.70 after rebate
Total after Taxes, Coupons and Rebates: $11.07 (Note: I did not include the diapers in my weekly grocery total, but I left them in the Walgreens picture in case anyone else is interested in picking up a couple of packs of diapers for a great price!)
Weekly Total for all Groceries: $52.16
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Cereal x 3
Eggs and Toast x 2 (Veggie Omelettes for me)
Oatmeal x 2
Lunches
15-Minute Parmesan Pasta, Oranges, Carrot Sticks
Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Apples
Perfect Oven Sweet Potato Fries, Bananas, Cucumber Slices
Build-Your-Own-Tossed Salad, Boiled Eggs x 2
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Spaghizza, Homemade French Bread, Tossed Salad, Buttered Broccoli, Fruit Salad (Company for Dinner)
Fried Egg and Cheese Sandwiches (meatless), Green Beans, Fruit
Chicken Fried Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Leftover French Bread
Scalloped Ham and Potatoes (from the More With Less cookbook – we still have lots of ham in the freezer from generous friends!), Easy Whole Wheat Bread (recipe coming soon), Tossed Salad
Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes, Make Ahead Butterhorns, Buttered Carrots, Ultimate Double Chocolate Brownies (Easter Meal)
Leftovers x 2
Snacks
Healthy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (for me), Popcorn, Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothies, Ultimate Double Chocolate Brownies, Fresh Fruit, Carrot Sticks
12 Goals for 2015 + the Progress I Made in March
March was a full month, but a good month. And we made a LOT of headway on our goals for this year… which was so encouraging to realize. Here’s an update on how I did on my goals for 2015 in March:
My 12 Goals for 2015
Marriage
- Read 1 book per month on marriage.
- Read in January: 52 Ways to Wow Your Husband
- Read in February: From This Day Forward
- Read in March: For Married Women Only
- Write at least 1 love note to Jesse each week.
- Done in January
- Done in February
- Done in March
Motherhood
- Read at least 1 book aloud to the kids per month.
- Read in January: James the the Giant Peach
- Read in February: The Imagination Station Book 15, The Cricket in Times Square
- Read in March: The Imagination Station Book 16, Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
- Write 1 love note to each child every month.
- Done in January.
- Done in February.
- Done in March.
Myself
- Complete all She Reads Truth 2015 Bible Studies + memory work.
- Done in January — I absolutely loved the John study.
- Done in February — I really enjoyed the Esther study.
- Done in March — I’m almost finished with the Lent study — so, so good!
- Read 1 fiction book per month.
- Read in January: What Alice Forgot
- Read in February: The Cricket in Times Square (read aloud to the kids)
- Read in March: Lizzy & Jane
MoneySavingMom.com
Hire a local personal assistant.
- Done! And I’m so grateful! My new assistant, Ashley, is amazing!
- Launch 2 courses (we’re planning one for spring and one for fall — stay tuned!)
- In March, we did all the filming for the first course, Makeover Your Mornings. We’re currently finishing up post-production and I can’t WAIT to share this with you very soon!
- Launch our new product line (slated to soft launch in the summer).
- Release my third book (slated to come out November 2015).
- I finished copy edits in March and now we’re working on all the graphic design.
Money
Increase last year’s overall giving totals by 10% in 2015.
- Part of my going to South Africa was to investigate the possibility of our family personally supporting the work of Take Action. After coming home, we both felt this was the direction we were supposed to take and our partnership with them will allow us to meet this goal. We’re so thrilled with what God is doing there in South Africa and, for those who have joined us in this through the #TenDollarTribe.
- Finish funding our Rental House #3 Savings Account.
- Yay! We moved from 35% to 44% this past month. So excited to see some significant traction here this month!
How are you doing on YOUR goals for 2015?
If you set goals for this year, I’d love to hear how you are doing on them! Leave a comment telling us about your progress on them or leave the link over to your blog post about them. Here’s to a year of living with purpose, intentional, impact, and meaning!
How to Become a Successful Blogger (video)
I wish that I could come and have coffee with each of you on a regular basis, but since that’s not possible, I thought I’d share this video that I recently filmed with Kelsey Humphreys.
She came to Nashville and sat at our kitchen bar and we talked about my blogging journey, the lessons I’ve learned, the struggles I’ve experienced, and some key takeaways I’ve found through many mistakes along the way.
As you’ll discover if you take the time to watch it, this is not a highly edited video but just real, authentic footage of me sharing my heart… kind of like I would if we could sit and have coffee together.
If you’ve ever wondered how I got started blogging or ever thought about starting your own blog or ever wished you could talk “shop” with me over coffee, I think you’ll enjoy this video.
And feel free to comment and ask any followup questions you might have — about blogging or anything else we talk about on this video — and I’ll do my best to try to answer them.
Thinking of starting a blog? Be sure to check out this page where I share How to Start a Blog & Make Money Blogging.
Shared Apr 2, 2015
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Toluna: Take online surveys and earn cash, gift cards, and prizes!
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How a Family of 4 Happily Lives in 700 Sq. Ft. Home
After I posted the guest post on Why I Like My Smaller House, Roni left a comment talking about how their family of 4 lives in a 650-square-foot home. I was intrigued and asked if she’d do a post on it sometime.
I loved the post she put together giving us a very thorough walk-through of their small home and how they make it work. It’s inspiring and if you are currently living in a small space or you are thinking of downsizing to a smaller space, be sure to read it here.