Money Saving Mom®

Classic View

Grid View

Shared Feb 10, 2013 comment

A Peek into Our Week & Freezer Cooking

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 10, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

My week was full with a lot of wonderful blessings. One of the biggest things is that first draft of the manuscript for my next book — all 69,000+ words — is DONE! Well, at least the first draft is. 🙂

A book is never truly done until it’s published. And then, once it’s published, there is still a long list of things that you must do to market and sell the books.

But the first draft is off to the beta test group who is reading and critiquing it right now. Then, it’ll be back to another round of edits before I submit it to Thomas Nelson on March 1. Then, it’s another extensive round of edits through their publishing house.

Truthfully, I much prefer edits over crafting the outline and “bones” of the book. In fact, it’s a fun process to see how much better you can make the finished product.

So I’m quite excited to have this much work done already. And I can hardly wait until I can tell you more about the topic. It’s a message that has been years in the making, so I’m really thrilled with how it is coming together.

It was also nice to be home all week this week after a busy few weeks of travel. I spent much of the week catching up on sleep and projects, wearing lounge pants, and hanging out with my family. I love the opportunity I have to travel and speak right now, but I also love being home, too!

Our kids are at such a fun age right now and we’re trying to soak up every minute we have with them. The weather was beautiful this week, so they spent hours outside on their bikes and on the rip stick. They’ve been highly motivated to get all of their school projects finished in a timely manner so they can have more time to play outside.

We also had a playdate with some of Kathrynne and Kaitlynn’s favorite friends. It’s so fun to see them developing close friendships with others — and seeing as I’m an introvert by nature, their more extroverted personalities help ensure that we have lots of social engagements. 🙂

I also did the freezer cooking session — finally. I didn’t get too many pictures of it as I was sort of fitting it around dinner prep and some other things, but this picture is proof that we were busy bees in the kitchen.

How was your week?

Shared Feb 8, 2013 comment

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Pie

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 8, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake Pie is SO simple to make and is wonderfully delicious! It makes a fun (and frugal!) fancy dessert you can whip up for special occasions.

Recipe by my sister, Brigette

Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake Pie Recipe

This is my go-to favorite Valentine’s Day dessert!

You can serve it anytime of the year, of course, but the combination of rich cream cheese, smooth indulgent chocolate, and tangy red raspberries makes it absolutely perfect for this holiday.

This “cheesecake” is much less intimidating to make than a “real” cheesecake. No worries about it cracking or falling apart. It is super easy to put together, but it looks impressive and always wins rave reviews. Most importantly, it tastes amazing!

Slice of Raspberry cheesecake on floral plate

My family first discovered this recipe in October of 2000 (I called my mom, the Queen of Numbers, to ask about where this recipe came from – and she passed on that little tid-bit of information!) on the inside of a store-bought Keebler pie crust.

Since then, we have served it countless times (actually, my mom might know how many times… but I forgot to ask!) to probably hundreds of people. We’ve used it for banquets, dinner parties, and even our family Thanksgiving celebrations.

People LOVE it!

Raspberry Cheesecake Pie Ingredients

For the Cheesecake:

1 (8-inch) store-bought graham cracker crust – chocolate or regular*
1 cup frozen or fresh raspberries
6 ounces cream cheese
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Topping:

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (I use 1/3 cup chocolate chips)
¼ cup whipping cream (or milk)

*NOTE: If making your own graham cracker crust, keep in mind that this recipe is designed for an 8-inch pie pan (and many pie pans are 9-inch). If you use a 9-inch, you will probably have to adjust the cooking time (and obviously, the finished product will be slightly thinner).

ingredients for Rasbperry Cheesecake Pie

Can I use frozen raspberries?

Yes, frozen raspberries work wonderfully well in this recipe — just make sure they are fully frozen (not defrosted) or they will get the crust all soggy.

How to Make Chocolate Raspberry Pie

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Arrange raspberries on the bottom of the crust (if using frozen raspberries, do not thaw; if using fresh, make sure they are not wet).

Fresh raspberries in pie crust with filling on side

3. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.

4. Beat in egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix well.

5. Carefully pour on top of the raspberries.

Raspberry cheesecake pie ready for the oven

6. Bake in preheated oven for for 30-35 minutes, or just until set.

7. Cool completely.

8. After the cheesecake has cooled, melt the semi-sweet chocolate and whipping cream together over low heat, stirring often (I do this in the microwave).

9. Pour melted chocolate over the cheesecake.

10. Chill several hours before serving (it’s best to chill overnight).

Raspberry Cheesecake Pie with slice cut out

How to Decorate Raspberry Chocolate Pie

I love to drizzle a little white chocolate over the top of each piece, and then top it with fresh raspberries and mint leaves. However, you can do whatever you like.

Whipped cream is always delicious, sprinkled with a bit of chopped chocolate.

A raspberry glaze or jam would also be extra tasty.

Recipe

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Pie

Author Brigette

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 18

Cook Time 30

Chill Time 5

Ingredients

For the Cheesecake:

1 8" graham cracker crust store-bought
1 cup raspberries fresh or frozen
6 ounces cream cheese
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Topping:

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup whipping cream or milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º.
Arrange raspberries on the bottom of the crust (if using frozen raspberries, do not thaw; if using fresh, make sure they are not wet).
In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Beat in egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix well.
Carefully pour on top of the raspberries.
Bake in preheated oven for for 30-35 minutes, or just until set.
Cool completely.
After the cheesecake has cooled, melt the semi-sweet chocolate and whipping cream together over low heat, stirring often (I do this in the microwave).
Pour melted chocolate over the cheesecake.
Chill several hours before serving (it’s best to chill overnight).

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!

Pin Recipe

What are your favorite Valentine’s Day desserts?

Shared Feb 7, 2013 comment

Stop Saying “I Wish” and Start Saying “I Will”

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 7, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Yesterday, three-year-old Silas decided he wanted to learn to ride his bike without training wheels. Since we’re the type of parents who never want to hold our children back (or maybe you could term us “relaxed parents” since we’re okay with letting our children do things that might possibly result in some scrapes and bruises?), Jesse took off his training wheels, we suited him up with his bike helmet, and we helped him get up on his bike and try riding without training wheels.

Of course, he didn’t succeed yesterday and it was a whole lot harder than he thought it would be, but his determination to do this has been inspiring to me. How many times in our own lives do we wish we could do something, but we don’t just go try it, because we’re scared of the falls and bruises that might result from going out there and trying?

Facing My Public Speaking Fears

I’ve been learning this in my journey to become a public speaker. At first, public speaking absolutely scared me beyond what I can express. And no, I am so not exaggerating. Even though I had a lot of passion and a lot of things I wanted to share, I would avoid speaking opportunities like my life depended upon it.

This went on for years, with me turning down opportunity after opportunity because I didn’t want to stand up in front of a crowd and make an utter fool of myself. Now granted, I’m really, really glad I didn’t do public speaking back when I thought I pretty much knew everything.

Falling Down and Getting Up and Trying Again

God has been gracious to teach me a lot about grace in the last few years and to help me realize how far I have to come and how much I have to learn. In the process, He’s been challenging me to step outside my comfort zone and share some of my passion for financial stewardship and intentional living as a public speaker.

The first few speaking engagements I did were really downright awful. In fact, I pretty much read my talks word-for-word with a shaking voice. {If you were in attendance at one the aforementioned speaking engagements, thank you so much for your kindness to actually sit through the sessions!}

But as I kept putting myself out there, kept making mistakes, kept getting back up and trying again after falling down, public speaking has more and more become something I’m truly loving. And I’m excited that I can actually stand up in front of a crowd and ad lib with passion — something I never would have dreamed would be possible a few years back.

Turn Your “I Wishes” Into “I Wills”

If I had given up after those first few abysmal speeches, I never would have discovered how much I actually enjoy speaking to a crowd. And I certainly never would have had some of the opportunities I’ve had in recent months to get to meet and become friends with such amazingly dear people.

I’m far from where I want to be in honing the craft of public speaking (I was telling someone just last week, “I’ve got the passion, I just need to work on the polish!“), but I’m so excited at the progress I’ve made. Instead of running from critiques, I now welcome them because I know this is one of the best ways to improve. In fact, I’ve been making a few honest friends critique me after every speech and I’m getting ready to start working with a speaking coach who will likely take critiquing to a whole new level.

This is how you learn anything in life. You stop saying “I wish” and start saying “I will”. You jump out of your comfort zone and face your fears. You watch and learn from people who are much more experienced. You practice, practice, and practice some more. And you get back up and do it again when you fall down.

You might not succeed at what you’re hoping to and you might not end up where you plan to, but I promise that if you turn your “I wishes” into “I wills”, your life is going to be much more rich, fulfilled, and exciting. And you just might far exceed what you ever imagined was possible!

What are you going to stop saying “I wish” about today? Tell us about it in the comments.

Shared Feb 7, 2013 comment

MySurvey.com: Earn cash or rewards for taking surveys

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 7, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for another survey company to sign up with? Definitely check out MySurvey.com. This is a survey company I’ve used myself and my readers have also recommended.

Find more legitimate survey companies to sign up with here.

(Note: The link in this post is my referral link. Read my disclosure policy here.)

Shared Feb 6, 2013 comment

Ask The Readers: Low-Carb Freezer Meal Ideas

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 6, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Amanda:

I love all of the freezer cooking posts that you have! However, I’m wondering if you or any of your readers have suggestions for low-carb freezer cooking meals?

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Feb 6, 2013 comment

15 Ways To Fit More Reading Into Your Day

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 6, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

As you well know, I’m an avid reader. Not only do I love to read, but I find that a steady diet of good books challenges my mind and inspires and motivates me as a person.

If you’re a full-time college student, a busy professional, and/or a mom of a few children, you might feel like there’s no time in your day to fit in more reading. Well, I disagree.

Head on over to The Better Mom where I’m sharing 15 of my favorite ways to find more time to read. Have any great ideas to add to my list? Leave them in the comments!

Shared Feb 5, 2013 comment

52 Different Ways to Save $100 Per Year: Make Your Own Homemade Cleaners {Week 5}

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 5, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

At the beginning of every week in 2013, I’ll be sharing a different way you can save $100 this year. If you do all of these things, you’ll be able to save over $5,000 this year alone! Many of these things will likely be things you’re already doing, but hopefully all of you will pick up at least a few new ideas or some inspiration from this series.

One of the easiest ways to cut your spending is to stop buying stuff you usually buy.

Let that brilliant {ahem!} remark sink in for a moment.

While it might seem like it’s the most basic of basic statements — and it is! — we sometimes forget to apply it. Or, as is often the case, we don’t even consider an alternative to paying for what we normally buy.

Homemade cleaners are one such example. None of us wants to live in a dirty home (or, at least I certainly hope none of us do!). Because of this, we buy cleaners because, well, that’s what everyone else does.

Here’s the thing: commercial cleaners are often pricey. And the manufacturers are smart. They play on our desire to have clean homes in the most efficient manner so they create products for every single cleaning project known to man.

Whenever possible, they make super slick gadgets that require refills so that you have to constantly be spending even more money to purchasing refills so you can keep cleaning your house. Before you know it, you are literally washing hundreds of dollars down the drain each and every year.

This is why I’m a fan of homemade cleaners. Unless I can get some amazingly sweet deal on a cleaner by paring a coupon code with a sale, I just plain don’t buy commercial cleaners. In fact, after making many of my own cleaners, I’ve come to believe that almost every commercial cleaner on the market is a rip-off.

Baking Soda & Vinegar Are Your Best Friend

Instead of spending tens of dollars each month on special cleaners that are designed for one specific job, go to the dollar store or Aldi and buy some vinegar, baking soda, and spray bottles. These are just about all you’ll need to clean almost every item in your home. Seriously.

You can get a little fancier and make actual homemade cleaner recipes if you’d like. But you don’t have to. You can just spray on vinegar and water and wipe off or scrub most tough stains with a little baking soda and elbow grease.

Earth Easy has a long list of how to clean your house using just baking soda, vinegar, soap, borax, washing soda, alcohol, and cornstarch. You might have to make a trip to Walmart to pick up a box of washing soda or borax, but I bet you already have all of the other items on hand already.

How Much Can You Really Save By Making Homemade Cleaners?

How much you can save by making your own cleaners is going to vary widely, depending upon which cleaners you make, how much you usually spend on cleaners, and how many people you are cleaning up after!

But let’s say you have an initial upfront investment of $30 to purchase the supplies listed above and let’s estimate that these supplies last you for 12 months. That’s like paying around $2.50 per month for all of your cleaners. If you only use baking soda and vinegar, it’s going to be significantly less than this.

If you typically buy commercial cleaners on sale, I’d say there’s a good chance you are purchasing an average of 4 cleaners of some sort each month, at around $2-3 per cleaner. At this rate, you could easily save $100+ per year.

Now obviously, your situation might be completely different. If you’re typically only buying cleaners for pennies each by pairing coupons with sales, it might not save you any money at all to make your own cleaners. However, you will for sure be using fewer chemicals in your home and you will also not have to worry about chasing down deals and pairing them with sales.

But Doesn’t It Take a Lot Of Time to Make Homemade Cleaners?

Actually, most homemade cleaners can be made in less than a minute. And if they save you $1-$2 per minute of time invested to make them, that’s like making an hourly wage of $60 to $120 — and it’s tax-free money.

In my book, that’s definitely worth the return on investment. And some cleaners don’t even require that much time because you just spray the vinegar on or dump some baking soda on and scrub. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Where To Find Good Recipes

I’ve linked to a number of homemade cleaner recipes below, but the internet is truly a goldmine of homemade cleaner recipes. Honestly, you can find a recipe for just about any and every cleaner you usually use.

Just Google it or type it into the search engine on Pinterest. Now, I can’t guarantee that the first recipe you try will be a home run success. But if you keep experimenting, I bet you’ll find a good homemade recipe to replace just about every one of your favorite cleaners — all for pennies on the dollar!

Recipes: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Here are links to homemade cleaning recipes I have tried or want to try. My honest reviews are alongside those I’ve tried. Not all homemade cleaners are all they are supposedly cracked up to be, so I hope to save you some effort by letting you know which ones I didn’t find to work well.

If you have amazing recipes for some of the ones I found to be “meh”, I’d love to have you link them in the comments!

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner — This looks like it would work well!

Homemade Window Cleaner — This one works really well.

Homemade Soft Scrub Cleaner — This works great for cleaning tubs, tiles, sinks, and toilets!

Homemade Shower Cleaner — I’ve heard rave reviews on this one and hope to try it soon.

Homemade Scrubbing Bubbles — I found out after I made this that the two ingredients cancel each other out so it wasn’t really effective at all.

Homemade Dishwashing Detergent — This was was okay. Not stellar. Just okay.

Homemade Laundry Soap — This one worked decently, though I found that I had to wash my clothes in hot water for them to get clean and, even then, some of the stains didn’t come out.

Homemade Foaming Hand Soap — This is the easiest recipe ever and works SO well!

Homemade Oxiclean — This one worked alright but didn’t work quite as well as Shout.

Homemade Miracle Kitchen Cleaner — I can’t wait to try this!

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner — This one is simple to whip up and worked pretty well!

Homemade All Purpose Lemon Powder Cleaner — This one worked fairy well but had a very strong lemon scent.

Have you made your own homemade cleaners before? What are your favorite recipes? Share the links or details in the comments.

Shared Feb 5, 2013 comment

2013 Goals: January’s Update

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 5, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

As I mentioned in my 2012 Goals Final Tally post, I’m trying to be much more specific and simplistic in my goals this year. I not only want to keep in mind what is realistic, but also make sure that all of my goals are clearly measurable.

If you’re brand-new to goal-setting, be sure to read my post on How to Change Your Life By Setting Goals.

Here’s my list of 25 Goals for 2013 and an update on how I did in January:

Personal Goals

Read through the Bible in a year using this plan. {I’m on track with this so far.}
Run in at least one 5K race.
Complete the Couch to 10K program.
Memorize Romans 1 and 2 with Jesse. {Memorized five verses from Romans.}
Wake up by 6 a.m. and exercise, shower, and dress by 8 a.m. every day. {I didn’t do as good of a job as I would have liked to on this goal, but I made some good progress and am hoping that February is even better!}
Read 150 books/ebooks {See my list of 48 books I’m for sure planning to read here — I’ve read 18 books so far in 2013, so I’m on good track to hit my goal!}

Marriage Goals

Read 3 marriage books.
Finish reading through the Psalms together as a couple.
Have overnight stay (sans children) at least every other month. {Done in January.}
Go on at least one date per month. {Done in January.}

Mothering Goals

Continue Grace and Truth memory book.
Ice-skating lessons for all three children during the first quarter of 2013. {Started these in January.}
Swimming lessons for all three children during the summer.
Finish at least 37 read-aloud books. {We finished 2 books in January and we’re almost done with a few more, so we’re on pretty good track here.}

Ministry/Friendships/Extended Family Goals

Begin weekly accountability meetings with my friend Jerica.
Get together with friends for a playdate or lunch at least once a month. {Done in January.}
Continue being involved in our local church, couple’s group, and blogging accountability group.
Continue with weekly get-togethers with both sides of our extended family.

Financial Goals

Use a portion of the proceeds from my next book project to fund a well project.
~~Fund our Child Survival Program for 2013.~~ {Done — yay!}
Buy a new bedroom set.
Invest in another rental property.

Business/Blogging Goals

Release two new ebooks.
~~Attend one speaking conference.~~ {I attended the She Speaks Intensive in January.}
Finish and submit the manuscript for my next book.

photo credit

Did you set goals for 2013?

If so, tell us how you’re doing in the comments or leave a link to your blog post update below. Let’s encourage one another to live lives of intention and purpose!

Shared Feb 5, 2013 comment

10 Goals for This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 5, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Well, last week wasn’t as productive as I’d hoped, but at least I’m chipping away at things slowly but surely. And I have high hopes for this week! 🙂

Last week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read two chapters of Vinegar Boy: Encounter Christ Through the Dramatic Story of Vinegar Boy aloud at lunch. Read two chapters of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh at dinner. ~~Read two chapters of The Amazon Stranger with Kathrynne, read two chapters of Little House on the Prairie with Kaitlynn, read two chapters of Farming with Father to Silas.~~

~~2. Birthday outing with Kathrynne.~~

Personal Goals

3. Memorize Romans 1:7-8.

~~4. Exercise 4 times.~~

5. ~~Finish reading The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears, Making Room for Life: Trading Chaotic Lifestyles for Connected Relationships~~, Love Has a Face: Mascara, a Machete and One Woman’s Miraculous Journey with Jesus in Sudan, Lessons at Blackberry Inn: Adventures with the Gentle Art of Learning, and The Pursuit of Elizabeth Millhouse.

Homemaking Goals

6. Do a Freezer Cooking in an Hour session.

7. Finish 30 rows of the scarf for Kathrynne.

Business Goals

~~8. Finish first draft of final chapter for my book~~ + do a thorough read-through of all other chapters.

~~9. Create slides & practice talk for BEECH Retreat.~~

~~10. Attend & speak at the BEECH Retreat.~~

This week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read two chapters of Vinegar Boy: Encounter Christ Through the Dramatic Story of Vinegar Boy aloud at lunch. Read two chapters of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh at dinner. Read two chapters of The Amazon Stranger with Kathrynne, read two chapters of Little House on the Prairie with Kaitlynn, read two chapters of Eloise Wilkin Stories to Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Have friends over for lunch.

Personal Goals

4. Memorize Romans 1:7-8.

5. Exercise 5 times.

6. Finish reading Love Has a Face: Mascara, a Machete and One Woman’s Miraculous Journey with Jesus in Sudan, Lessons at Blackberry Inn: Adventures with the Gentle Art of Learning, and The Pursuit of Elizabeth Millhouse.

Homemaking Goals

7. Do a Freezer Cooking in an Hour session.

8. Finish 30 rows of the scarf for Kathrynne.

Business Goals

9. Finish editing the final draft of my manuscript and send it out to those who are critiquing it before I turn it into the publisher.

10. Begin working on tweaking my talk for the MAPS event later this month.

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.

Shared Feb 5, 2013 comment

Do It Yourself: Brown Paper Valentines

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 5, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

iCanTeachMyChild.com shows you how to make homemade Brown Paper Valentines.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

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

Click here to download!

Shared Feb 5, 2013 comment

Nominate Your Favorite Book Blog for the Top 10 Blogs for Book Lovers Contest

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 5, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m so honored to be on the panel of judges for the Top 10 Blogs for Book Lovers Contest hosted by Story Cartel.

Head on over to Story Cartel to nominate your favorite book blog. Here are the details you’ll want to know:

Nominate your favorite blog in the comments section, and make sure to include a link to the blog so we can find it.

Explain why you like the blog.

You only have one vote, so use it wisely.

Nominations close March 1, so get your nominations in quickly.

You can nominate your own blog, but you may want to trade nominations with a friend. Also, a blog must be nominated more than once to be considered for the award.

Shared Feb 4, 2013 comment

A Peek Into Last Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 4, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We started the week off by celebrating Kathrynne’s birthday. She picked to have friends over for two different playdates and go out on special outings with Jesse and me. I took her to her favorite toy store and she had fun picking out some things.

And no birthday is complete without a trip to Coldstone Creamery!

I headed to Florida early Thursday morning for the BEECH Retreat. This was on the drive to Captiva Island. It was breath-taking!

I met so many amazing people and had so many incredible experiences on this trip. I hope to blog more about things I learned in the future, but in the mean time, here are a few pictures from the weekend…

The view from our first night’s dinner on the lawn. It was cold and windy but oh-so-beautiful!

Two gals I got to meet and know: Jill from Blessed Beyond a Doubt and Tabitha from Meet Penny.

This is me with Victoria — a sweet and spunky friend of mine who I’ve been inspired by for a very long time. It was wonderful to finally meet her in person. Check out her blog at Snail Pace Transformations.

We had a luau on the beach on Friday evening. It was warmer that night, so it was truly beautiful.

One of the highlights of the weekend was meeting John G. Miller. My husband and I have both been blessed by his books and his encouragement to be personally accountable instead of looking for someone else to blame. His keynote on Saturday morning was extremely inspiring!

And in real life, he’s amazingly generous, gracious, and warm-hearted. You can follow him on Twitter at @QBQGuy and if you’ve not read QBQ, it’s a must read!

It was fun to get to meet and hang out with Ashley from Ambient Promotions. She does my ebook marketing and oversees the daily running of my other site, eReader Girl. She’s hilarious in real-life — just like I expected her to be! — and we stayed up too late laughing over all sorts of funny stories.

This was the view from my room balcony. I couldn’t believe how loud the ocean was lapping up against the shore at night!

Brianne was Compassion’s representative and she and I just hit it off. She’s spunky and full of life, and she and I both bonded over our love for giving. She blogs at Our Savory Life.

A second big highlight of the retreat was getting to meet and spend a little time with Michael Hyatt. He’s everything I expected him to be: engaging, humble, energetic, a good listener, and full of wisdom. If you’re not following his blog, you should be.

When I arrived home, Kathrynne was very excited to show me her new moves on her rip stick. She’s becoming quite a pro at it!

And Kaitlynn was so excited because she learned how to ride her bike without training wheels this week!

Shared Feb 4, 2013 comment

This week’s menu plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 4, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, and/or Fruit

Lunches

Mac & Cheese, fruit
Snack-y lunch
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks
Scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit
Marinated chicken, veggies, fruit, crackers, and hard-boiled eggs
Leftovers x 2

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Peanut Butter Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

Freezer Cooking in an Hour (stay tuned on Thursday when I’ll share a play-by-play on how this goes!)

Peanut Butter Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Brownie Waffles

Dinners

Chicken & Broccoli in the Slow Cooker, rolls, fruit
Oatmeal Pecan Pancakes, fruit, scrambled eggs
Chicken Enchilada Casserole, green salad
Twice Baked Taco Potatoes, green salad, broccoli, fruit
Spaghetti Pie, steamed veggies
Dinner with extended family
Dinner out

What’s on your menu this week? Share details and/or your link to your menu plan in the comments.

Shared Feb 4, 2013 comment

The Key To Changing Your Routine: Don’t Think, Just Do

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 4, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Tessa of TessaHardiman.com

This is a first for me — my first new haircut, that is. Typically, my hairstylist can go on autopilot while trimming my usual ‘do. I haven’t changed it up much over the years… until recently.

I debated whether or not to get bangs for a few weeks. I noticed many of my favorite celebrities wearing the style. I thought, that really looks good on Taylor Swift, but I don’t know if I could pull it off or not.

Then, I stumbled upon a picture in a magazine. The model looked eerily similar to myself. It was a sign! I tore it out and headed to the design studio.

Getting a new haircut may not be a big deal to many of you, but I abhor change. Variations of any kind scare me. I prefer things to stay in their nice, neat order, so I know what to expect. I absolutely cannot stand it when something doesn’t go according to plan. I know… I have issues, but that’s just who I am.

So, for me to decide on a different hairstyle is somewhat of a miracle. Changing a hairstyle that you’ve had for years is a lot like trying to modify other habits we have.

Similarly, it’s difficult to change a routine.

Whether it’s starting a new diet, beginning a new career, or altering your spending in order to pay off your debt. Any change is hard.

The best way to change something is this: don’t think… just do. The first step is the hardest, but it gets easier if you don’t over think it. You trick your psyche into thinking you can do it when you take immediate action. There’s not enough time to prepare excuses.

When you take that first step forward, you empower yourself to keep pushing forward. Not over-thinking the first step is the easiest way to start doing.

Tessa Hardiman is a teacher by day and word slinger by night. You can get a free copy of her new book when you visit her website TessaHardiman.com.

photo source

Shared Feb 2, 2013 comment

4 Ways to Save On Airfare

Published: by Crystal Paine on February 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post by Abby of Mother on a Mission

I enjoy thinking big when it comes to saving money. Getting a great deal on a large purchase, like a plane ticket, can often surpass the savings you’ll see from a month of clipping coupons for the grocery store (don’t worry, I do that, too).

With countless websites promising the deepest discounts on airfare, it would be entirely possible to spend hours upon hours in search of the lowest rate. Instead of wasting time doing that, you can follow a few easy tips to save yourself the hassle and headache of an hours-long search.

1. Use an airfare search engine.

My personal favorite is kayak.com, because it really just facilitates your search of hundreds of other sites, both individual airline sites, like Delta, and discount airfare sites, like Expedia. Just use whatever website you’re most comfortable with, since most offer similar features.

2. Be flexible.

Typically, the cheapest days to fly are in the middle of the week, and the most expensive days are Friday and Sunday. So, if you want to get the best price on a plane ticket (and if you have wiggle room in your plans) select the “flexible dates” option when you search. This will allow you to select a date, and then search up to three days before and after.

You can also choose to search nearby airports. I recently bought plane tickets for my husband and I to fly to Florida for a friend’s wedding. I listed a larger city as the destination airport, but I also opted to search nearby airports. I ended up booking flights into a smaller airport that is actually closer to where we’ll be staying. Not only are the departure and arrival times ideal, but the price was about $50 less per ticket.

3. Consider Southwest.

Southwest sometimes gets a bad reputation for their no-frills approach to flying. By cutting costs, though, they’re able to pass their savings on to the customer. In addition, Southwest consistently receives top scores in customer service. The thing to remember about Southwest is that the only place to find their airfare is through their own website; a search at an independent travel site will not include results for Southwest.

Southwest allows each passenger two checked bags for free, and they’re one of the few remaining airlines to do that. Most other airlines charge at least $25 per checked bag; depending on your travel plans and your potential need to check luggage, this is a savings that should be taken into account when booking a flight.

4. Use a coupon.

You can’t clip a coupon for a discount on airfare the way you can for toothpaste, but there are still ways to save. If you work for a large company, you might get travel discounts through your employer. Don’t forget to do a quick internet search for a coupon code before you purchase.

And remember, the savings don’t end when you book your flight. Keep looking for ways to save money once you reach your destination!

Abby is a work-from-home wife and mom who recently relocated from Oregon to Mississippi. She enjoys baking, front-porch-swinging, and road trips. Abby blogs about southern living and saving money at Mother on a Mission and runs the Etsy shop, Three Thousand Miles, with her sister-in-law.

photo source

2hr Cleaning Checklist

2hr Cleaning Checklist

FREE DOWNLOAD: 2-Hour Cleaning Checklist!

How was your week?

Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake Pie Recipe

Raspberry Cheesecake Pie Ingredients

Can I use frozen raspberries?

How to Make Chocolate Raspberry Pie

How to Decorate Raspberry Chocolate Pie

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients 1x2x3x

For the Cheesecake:

For the Topping:

Instructions

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

What are your favorite Valentine’s Day desserts?

FREE One Week Menu Plan!

Facing My Public Speaking Fears

Falling Down and Getting Up and Trying Again

Turn Your “I Wishes” Into “I Wills”

What are you going to stop saying “I wish” about today? Tell us about it in the comments.

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

One of the easiest ways to cut your spending is to stop buying stuff you usually buy.

Baking Soda & Vinegar Are Your Best Friend

How Much Can You Really Save By Making Homemade Cleaners?

But Doesn’t It Take a Lot Of Time to Make Homemade Cleaners?

Where To Find Good Recipes

Recipes: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Have you made your own homemade cleaners before? What are your favorite recipes? Share the links or details in the comments.

Personal Goals

Marriage Goals

Mothering Goals

Ministry/Friendships/Extended Family Goals

Financial Goals

Business/Blogging Goals

Did you set goals for 2013?

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

Breakfasts

Lunches

Snacks

Freezer Cooking in an Hour (stay tuned on Thursday when I’ll share a play-by-play on how this goes!)

Dinners

Similarly, it’s difficult to change a routine.

1. Use an airfare search engine.

2. Be flexible.

3. Consider Southwest.

4. Use a coupon.

Footer

Sign up for myHot Deals Newsletter

Ingredients