It's been exactly a week since I wrote my last post and here I am again on the "eve" of a big day. This eve, though, I'm not thinking of Christmas, I'm looking back and reflecting on all that has taken place in our lives over the last 12 months.
Looking in the rear view mirror I see:
Entering into the last year of homeschooling Ted (but not the last of teaching him).
A trip to Florida
David's company being bought by a larger company
David gaining a third office (3 hours away)
A fence job that I thought would never end
Our family acquiring two horses to love and FEED
Too many divorces in the family of God
My wardrobe getting worse
A master closet that I love
The diningroom table I've always wanted
My "baby" turning 11 and not looking so much like a little boy
My taller baby being a young man and taking on a 40 hour a week job
My sisters having babies
My dad getting sicker with Celiac
My mom coming for a visit for the first time in 4 years
Falling MORE in love with my awesome husband
Falling in friendly love with a few new friends
Realizing that sometimes you have to let go of people who bring negativity to your life
Realizing that church is one of the most legalistic places to be
Realizing that just because a child comes from a Christian family, doesn't mean anything anymore
Realizing that Sarah Palin is an awesome strong woman and she scares the pants off liberals (yay)
Loving my savior even more and trying to learn to rest in Him for the big and little things
These are just some of the things I can remember that seem bigger, but tucked inside my heart are the little things like: 10am casual talks with my 17 year old who still shares his heart with me over a smoothie in the kitchen on a school day. Or late night hugs that he gives me when he comes in for the night. Or silly, Jerry Lewis type things that Collin does on an every day basis that make us laugh so hard. And the fact that he's only an inch away from being taller than me. And the fact that his favorite thing to do is watch classic tv shows with David and I. I have tucked inside the knowledge of all the small gestures David does on a daily basis that tell me he loves me, like making up the bed every morning, no matter how rushed he is to get to work. And turning down the covers every night when I'm about to go to bed. These are the things that you treasure, that you "ponder in your heart".
As always, I am looking forward to the new year with excitement (I like new beginnings) but also with a little fear and trembling. Ted will graduate and turn 18. Collin will be 12 (legally a pre-teen). David will be working under a new corporate office in Atlanta instead of Dallas (farther away). And I have to get a handle on my horrible wardrobe!
But, as with every other year that's gone before, Christ is my anchor, my guide, my hand-holder, my security, my shelter, my teacher, my friend, and my comforter. "Wherever He leads, I'll go."
I pray that 2011 will be wonderful year, full of blessings for all of you. Thanks for sharing this life with me!
Until "next year"......
Debbie
Friday, December 31, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
It's a Wonderful Life
It's been a wonderful week!
Monday morning Collin and I headed to a friend's house, thinking we would stay a few hours visiting. We got there at 10:00am and didn't leave until after 7:00pm! We had a great day just talking, eating, and making some Santa Surprise cookies, that are amazing!
Tuesday, I think I was recovering from being gone all day Monday, as I had to tackle the laundry and other parts of the house that needed attention. David started his vacation on this day, so I had company. He spent the day mowing (if you can believe that!) and taking care of things outside. My friend Lora (who I spent Monday with) came by for a "few minutes" to pick up something, and we talked for about an hour. That was fun:)
Wednesday was fun. David and I took Collin and my mother-in-law (Meme) to see the new Narnia movie. We also went to Barnes and Nobles for a cup of coffee, then over to Fuddrucker's for a delicious hamburger. We had a great day and it was nice having Meme along.
Thursday Meme returned the favor and watched movies with Collin, while David and I did some last minute shopping. We really only had one special gift to find, which we did, so we had plenty of time for Mexican food (of course) and a visit to David's uncle who is in a nursing facility right now.
Today will be filled with me frantically trying to prepare for tomorrow! I've got 13 people coming for Christmas lunch. I was so happy to realize we could use our new table and everyone could sit together. But then David burst my bubble by reminding me that we didn't have that many chairs! So we will be scrounging around for chairs today.
Tonight we will attend the Christmas Eve service at church, then hopefully, take Collin to see a few special displays at some local churches. One is a live nativity scene and the other is a musical light display.
We always let the kids open one gift on Christmas Eve, so we'll add that into the evening, once we get home. "White Christmas" is on the schedule for tonight's viewing. I hope I can make it that long!
I can't wait for Christmas morning. No matter how old my boys get, I love seeing their faces when they unwrap the gifts.
My Christmas Day Menu:
Breakfast
Sausage Balls, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Lunch
Ham, Corn Casserole, Baked Beans, Salad, Rolls, Tea, Cake, Pecan Pie
(And, my sister-in-law is bringing tamales and some sides to go along with that. It will be an interesting meal, to say the least. )
Monday morning Collin and I headed to a friend's house, thinking we would stay a few hours visiting. We got there at 10:00am and didn't leave until after 7:00pm! We had a great day just talking, eating, and making some Santa Surprise cookies, that are amazing!
Tuesday, I think I was recovering from being gone all day Monday, as I had to tackle the laundry and other parts of the house that needed attention. David started his vacation on this day, so I had company. He spent the day mowing (if you can believe that!) and taking care of things outside. My friend Lora (who I spent Monday with) came by for a "few minutes" to pick up something, and we talked for about an hour. That was fun:)
Wednesday was fun. David and I took Collin and my mother-in-law (Meme) to see the new Narnia movie. We also went to Barnes and Nobles for a cup of coffee, then over to Fuddrucker's for a delicious hamburger. We had a great day and it was nice having Meme along.
Thursday Meme returned the favor and watched movies with Collin, while David and I did some last minute shopping. We really only had one special gift to find, which we did, so we had plenty of time for Mexican food (of course) and a visit to David's uncle who is in a nursing facility right now.
Today will be filled with me frantically trying to prepare for tomorrow! I've got 13 people coming for Christmas lunch. I was so happy to realize we could use our new table and everyone could sit together. But then David burst my bubble by reminding me that we didn't have that many chairs! So we will be scrounging around for chairs today.
Tonight we will attend the Christmas Eve service at church, then hopefully, take Collin to see a few special displays at some local churches. One is a live nativity scene and the other is a musical light display.
We always let the kids open one gift on Christmas Eve, so we'll add that into the evening, once we get home. "White Christmas" is on the schedule for tonight's viewing. I hope I can make it that long!
I can't wait for Christmas morning. No matter how old my boys get, I love seeing their faces when they unwrap the gifts.
My Christmas Day Menu:
Breakfast
Sausage Balls, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Lunch
Ham, Corn Casserole, Baked Beans, Salad, Rolls, Tea, Cake, Pecan Pie
(And, my sister-in-law is bringing tamales and some sides to go along with that. It will be an interesting meal, to say the least. )
I pray that everyone of you has a wonderful Christmas
and that we all would be mindful of why we do this every year.
Christ is the reason for the celebration.
Without HIM, there truly would be nothing to celebrate.
Merry Christmas,
Debbie
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Book Review - Everything Christmas
Everything Christmas is probably one of the most delightful books I've reviewed so far.
Although the package is small, the content is huge!
Beginning on December 1st with the History of Christmas, instructions for making Scented Applesauce-Cinnamon Ornaments, recipes for Chestnut Dressing and Roasted Goose, and the words to O Little Town of Bethlehem, this little book offers Christmas treasures for the 25 days of Christmas.
Each day's chapter is filled with recipes, songs, stories (old and new), Christmas traditions and gift-giving suggestions. Of course, ending on Day 25 with the story of Christ, His birth, and the promise that he brings to humanity.
Everything Christmas is a book you almost hate to put away until next year. In fact, I think I'll create a special place for it, right on my bookshelf, so I can pull it out anytime and get a feel for Christmas.
*This book was given to me by WaterBrook Press in order to read and review. For FREE books to review, go to www.waterbrookmultnomah.com.
Although the package is small, the content is huge!
Beginning on December 1st with the History of Christmas, instructions for making Scented Applesauce-Cinnamon Ornaments, recipes for Chestnut Dressing and Roasted Goose, and the words to O Little Town of Bethlehem, this little book offers Christmas treasures for the 25 days of Christmas.
Each day's chapter is filled with recipes, songs, stories (old and new), Christmas traditions and gift-giving suggestions. Of course, ending on Day 25 with the story of Christ, His birth, and the promise that he brings to humanity.
Everything Christmas is a book you almost hate to put away until next year. In fact, I think I'll create a special place for it, right on my bookshelf, so I can pull it out anytime and get a feel for Christmas.
*This book was given to me by WaterBrook Press in order to read and review. For FREE books to review, go to www.waterbrookmultnomah.com.
A Christmas Hangover
Why the title? That's what this Sunday morning feels like, which is kind of humorous to me. We don't drink, so no real hangover going on, but I think we had a little too much Christmas yesterday!
David and the brass section of our church orchestra played for several hours yesterday at three different retirement centers. Starting with practice at 11:00, then lunch, then driving to the first location, setting up the instruments, playing, breaking down the instruments, and driving to the next location - three different times!
It was alot of fun and the residents seemed to really enjoy the music.
After getting home about 4:30, we had just enough time to get recharged and be at a friend's Christmas party by 6:30.
It was a great time of visiting with friends, eating alot of food and singing around the piano.
We rolled into the driveway at 11:30 and after showers, etc., didn't have the lights out until 1:00am!
So today, as we drag ourselves out of bed on this very cold Sunday morning, we are moving kind of slow and feeling the effects of our Christmas hangover. Was it worth it? Yep!
And we still have a week to go!
Merry Christmas Y'ALL!
David and the brass section of our church orchestra played for several hours yesterday at three different retirement centers. Starting with practice at 11:00, then lunch, then driving to the first location, setting up the instruments, playing, breaking down the instruments, and driving to the next location - three different times!
It was alot of fun and the residents seemed to really enjoy the music.
After getting home about 4:30, we had just enough time to get recharged and be at a friend's Christmas party by 6:30.
It was a great time of visiting with friends, eating alot of food and singing around the piano.
We rolled into the driveway at 11:30 and after showers, etc., didn't have the lights out until 1:00am!
So today, as we drag ourselves out of bed on this very cold Sunday morning, we are moving kind of slow and feeling the effects of our Christmas hangover. Was it worth it? Yep!
And we still have a week to go!
Merry Christmas Y'ALL!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Book Review - Max Lucado's "Outlive Your Life"
When I see a title by Max Lucado, I immediately know it's a book I want on my "must read" list. Outlive Your Life is no exception.
True to his form, Max tells a story like he's sitting across from you in a coffee shop; talking about the characters as if they are the neighbors next door. His writing style is so casual that you almost feel as if you're reading a letter from a relative, and yet, all the while, he's bringing to life some principle from God's word that challenges you to be a better person.
In Outlive Your Life, Max focuses on the book of Acts. He recounts the stories of how God used ordinary men like Peter, John, Steven and Paul, to reach into the lives of hurting people and show them the face of God. But, while doing that, he also tells fascinating accounts of modern day people; likening them to the characters in Acts and showing how God is still at work, even now.
Max's challenge in Outlive Your Life is to open your eyes and look for opportunities to be used by God. Crawl out of the box, get your hands dirty, go places you've never been and give yourself up to be used for something bigger than yourself.
He encourages us all to offer hospitality on a regular basis, meet needs, reach out, and serve. But beyond those things, he challenges us to go even further by "unshelling" ourselves. Getting out from under our protective shell and partnering up with God and making a difference in the world. Discovering which part of the "body" we are and focusing on what we can do for a lost society. Giving without getting the credit and preparing for persecution, because we know it's coming.
At the end of the book Max reminds us of the all-time, most important thing that we can do in making a difference in this world. The simple act that wages war and brings down strongholds. The action that requires no special talent, no mighty building, no fancy titles. The thing that moves the heart of God - prayer. When we pray, God listens, and things start to happen. When we have been a partner with God, we have outlived our life.
It's a must read.
*This book was given to me by BookSneeze to read and review. For FREE books to review, click the button for BookSneeze on my sidebar.
True to his form, Max tells a story like he's sitting across from you in a coffee shop; talking about the characters as if they are the neighbors next door. His writing style is so casual that you almost feel as if you're reading a letter from a relative, and yet, all the while, he's bringing to life some principle from God's word that challenges you to be a better person.
In Outlive Your Life, Max focuses on the book of Acts. He recounts the stories of how God used ordinary men like Peter, John, Steven and Paul, to reach into the lives of hurting people and show them the face of God. But, while doing that, he also tells fascinating accounts of modern day people; likening them to the characters in Acts and showing how God is still at work, even now.
Max's challenge in Outlive Your Life is to open your eyes and look for opportunities to be used by God. Crawl out of the box, get your hands dirty, go places you've never been and give yourself up to be used for something bigger than yourself.
He encourages us all to offer hospitality on a regular basis, meet needs, reach out, and serve. But beyond those things, he challenges us to go even further by "unshelling" ourselves. Getting out from under our protective shell and partnering up with God and making a difference in the world. Discovering which part of the "body" we are and focusing on what we can do for a lost society. Giving without getting the credit and preparing for persecution, because we know it's coming.
At the end of the book Max reminds us of the all-time, most important thing that we can do in making a difference in this world. The simple act that wages war and brings down strongholds. The action that requires no special talent, no mighty building, no fancy titles. The thing that moves the heart of God - prayer. When we pray, God listens, and things start to happen. When we have been a partner with God, we have outlived our life.
It's a must read.
*This book was given to me by BookSneeze to read and review. For FREE books to review, click the button for BookSneeze on my sidebar.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
An Innocent Observation
"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple:
loving others.
Come to think of it,
why do we have to wait for Christmas
to do that?"
(Bob Hope)
I came across this quote yesterday, in a delightful little book called "Everything Christmas." It was perfect timing in that I had just been asked by my 11 year old, what I thought, was a profound question and a great observation.
We were driving through the Kohl's parking lot and Collin and I were discussing gifts that I still needed to buy, when he said "why does it seem that everyone gets nicer at Christmas?"
Wow! Great Observation!
It caught me by surprise, so it took me a minute to think of what I should say. I finally replied by trying to explain the certain feeling "in the air" around Christmastime. I will tell you that I didn't do a very good job at giving him an answer, but it made me think of the truth of that statement.
Benevolence does seem to get greater around the holidays. People become more generous and it really does seem like we've all stepped into this bubble for about a month. All of a sudden we are giving and hosting and doing things that we might not do during the year. We might even be reaching out by serving the homeless, caring for kids who are needy, and even giving change to the man on the corner.
It is hard to explain that "Christmas spirit" that comes over us, when the rest of the year we are focused on life - mostly our own.
I'll admit that Collin's question kind of shamed me and made me think. I don't want him to have that perception of people; that we're only loving and kind and helpful once a year.
It's definitely something I will try to be more aware of - giving and loving all year round - not just in December.
What about you? Have your kids made any observations lately that have made you think? I would love to hear about them!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Learning Along the Way
In case you didn't notice - I changed the title of my blog from Our Country Home to Learning Along the Way. This was not by any great revelation; I just felt like the original title was a little misleading. You see, we're really not in the country. We have a little farmhouse, nestled back in the pines, but we're actually just a block off the interstate and minutes from Main Street. We are blessed to have the privacy of trees surrounding our 9 acres, but equally blessed (in my eyes) to have civilization just minutes up the road!
Learning Along the Way is actually a better description of my view of life. It seems that this life is always teaching us something. You've heard the term "Life's a journey" and that is so true! I also love the saying "It's not about the destination; it's about the journey." God is always taking us somewhere; always teaching us something.
I think when we view life as a journey, we are better able to make it through the hard times. Each challenge that comes our way can be viewed as a small piece of the puzzle that makes up our entire existence. Not any one event has to be a stopping point. Each event can be just a bump in the very long road of life.
When I look back at the bumps along my journey, I am amazed at how small they seem in the rear view mirror of life. Not that they were small at the time! When we are in the midst of life, it can seem huge and never-ending. But, truly, when I look back to some of the most challenging times God has placed before me, I realize that His hand was so much bigger. For that, I am eternally grateful to have a mighty God who carries me through the rough spots. But, even as I write this, I realize that so far, I have been sheltered from tragedies that rip your heart out. I have not lost a parent, a child, or a spouse. These are not just bumps; these are mountains and I have not been there yet.
Things that I have learned along the way have had an impact on my walk with the Lord. Job layoffs, losing friends, changing churches, moving. These are all things that have challenged my faith. Some of these things have taught me the provision of God; that we should rely on Him and not companies and bosses. Some of these things have taught me that walking with Christ is not about rules and regulations, checklists and schedules. Life with Christ is about resting in Him, trusting in Him, loving Him and Him loving you back. It's about a relationship with the One who saved my soul from the pit of this world.
Other things this journey has taught me is that friends are fickle. Friends come and go and some can't be trusted with your heart. But, every now and then, God blesses you with a friend who shares the heart of God with you and you feel so blessed to know her. These are the ladies that I long to share my heart with, drink coffee with, share lunch with, and tell my story to. These friends are few and far between, but they are treasured along the way.
The biggest thing I've learned along this road of life is that having a husband and kids is all about giving. Giving of yourself, even when your self doesn't feel up to it. It's about sacrificing your own wants and needs, in order to meet the needs of someone you love. And you do it day in and day out - just because the love you have in your heart for them is huge and you can't see not doing it. You count it a privilege to be needed and loved. This is my favorite part of my journey.
This post turned into much more than I intended today, but I'm glad I could share my heart with all of you. I pray your journey is accompanied by the ultimate guide - Jesus - and that you are blessed along the way.
Until next time.......
Be blessed!
Learning Along the Way is actually a better description of my view of life. It seems that this life is always teaching us something. You've heard the term "Life's a journey" and that is so true! I also love the saying "It's not about the destination; it's about the journey." God is always taking us somewhere; always teaching us something.
I think when we view life as a journey, we are better able to make it through the hard times. Each challenge that comes our way can be viewed as a small piece of the puzzle that makes up our entire existence. Not any one event has to be a stopping point. Each event can be just a bump in the very long road of life.
When I look back at the bumps along my journey, I am amazed at how small they seem in the rear view mirror of life. Not that they were small at the time! When we are in the midst of life, it can seem huge and never-ending. But, truly, when I look back to some of the most challenging times God has placed before me, I realize that His hand was so much bigger. For that, I am eternally grateful to have a mighty God who carries me through the rough spots. But, even as I write this, I realize that so far, I have been sheltered from tragedies that rip your heart out. I have not lost a parent, a child, or a spouse. These are not just bumps; these are mountains and I have not been there yet.
Things that I have learned along the way have had an impact on my walk with the Lord. Job layoffs, losing friends, changing churches, moving. These are all things that have challenged my faith. Some of these things have taught me the provision of God; that we should rely on Him and not companies and bosses. Some of these things have taught me that walking with Christ is not about rules and regulations, checklists and schedules. Life with Christ is about resting in Him, trusting in Him, loving Him and Him loving you back. It's about a relationship with the One who saved my soul from the pit of this world.
Other things this journey has taught me is that friends are fickle. Friends come and go and some can't be trusted with your heart. But, every now and then, God blesses you with a friend who shares the heart of God with you and you feel so blessed to know her. These are the ladies that I long to share my heart with, drink coffee with, share lunch with, and tell my story to. These friends are few and far between, but they are treasured along the way.
The biggest thing I've learned along this road of life is that having a husband and kids is all about giving. Giving of yourself, even when your self doesn't feel up to it. It's about sacrificing your own wants and needs, in order to meet the needs of someone you love. And you do it day in and day out - just because the love you have in your heart for them is huge and you can't see not doing it. You count it a privilege to be needed and loved. This is my favorite part of my journey.
This post turned into much more than I intended today, but I'm glad I could share my heart with all of you. I pray your journey is accompanied by the ultimate guide - Jesus - and that you are blessed along the way.
Until next time.......
Be blessed!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Do You See What I See?
It's Christmas time. It's the time of year that has many emotions swirling around. We all become a little more sentimental; some in a more giving way and some in a sad way. Some are dreading the season and some are ecstatic. So what does this Christmas have me thinking about? The hustle and bustle and the craziness that surrounds us all this time of year and how I wish things were different.
Do you ever step back and take a look at your church campus? If you were looking through a time machine that allowed you to see from day to day, over the entire month of December, what would it look like? Would you see choir and orchestra people coming and going several times a week? What about the nursery workers and children? How many days out of 7 are they sitting in a classroom, for hours, while parents do their thing at church? How many kids are sick and tired (literally) because they've been at school all day or daycare and then dragged to church multiple times in one week?
What about the shopping centers? From inside my car, on the busiest street in Beaumont, I see people getting impatient, as they hurry here and there, spending money they might not have. I hear cars honking, eyes glaring, people getting mad because they didn't get somewhere fast enough. I see the parking lot full, the stores busy, even though the economy is supposedly "slow". I guess we'll deal with that in January.
As if the world wasn't crazy enough, what about your home? Have you looked at your calendar lately? I was so excited when December rolled around. "Oh, good! I have a whole month before Christmas!" Really? Just about every week is crammed full of activity.
I literally have a headache trying to decide what's important and what can wait; what invitations to accept and which ones will have to be canceled.
What is my heart saying? "Slow down! Wait, December, don't go so fast! I want to sit with my kids on the couch at night and watch Rudolph! I want to sip cocoa with my husband and let the night go by really slow. I want to bake and cherish the memories!" But, it just keeps going and going.
I looked at my calendar today and saw that the week before Christmas is the ONLY week, out of this entire month, that doesn't have something penciled in each day. I plan to keep it that way. A respite to look forward to.
What about you? What do you see when you look around at your December? What would you change, if you could?
I hope you get the December you're looking for. Remember, it's not about how fast you can go, but what kind of memories you make along the way.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
A New Table Can Make all the Difference
For years I have been dissatisfied with my diningroom. No matter what I would do to it, it just never looked complete or right. Of course, living in a small farmhouse is a challenge anyway, as you only have so much space. Because of this fact, I've tried to fill up every corner of every room; utilizing my space to the max. The diningroom has been no exception.
Being that we live in David's grandparent's old house, we've also inherited a few pieces of her old furniture. Normally this would be a great blessing and I would be thrilled. With most of the pieces, I am. But the diningroom table has always been a thorn to me and I would (very) often find myself wishing (and vocalizing) my desire for something different. Well, I finally got my way (thanks honey) and Saturday we bought a new table!
David and I had a little get-a-way for the day, and traveled to Houston (just 1 1/2 hours) to IKEA. Let me just say "I LOVE THAT STORE"! I had shopped online to make sure they had what I wanted, which was an old looking farm-style table. The one I saw online was big enough for 6-10 people, when the leaves were added, which was great. That was always a problem when we would have people over, is that we never had a big enough table. So we went to IKEA (after stopping for Mexican food, of course) and found our table. And it was HUGE! We were a little shocked that it was so big, so we looked around a little more, just to make sure there wasn't anything better (and smaller). But, the table was THE perfect one for us (we hoped), so we brought it home.
David put it together,(as everything at IKEA comes in a box), with perfection, like he always does. We turned it over and gasped! Without the 2 extra leaves it was huge! With the 2 leaves it's a conference table! The awesome thing is that it seats 8 without the leaves and 12 with them, so we have plenty of room now for guests.
The great thing is that it changed the entire look of my diningroom. Now the room only consists of the china hutch, the table, and an antique dry sink, and it has finally found it's purpose! It's ONLY a diningroom and it works! Not 1/2 dining - 1/2 school room (with a desk in the corner).
This has been a long struggle to find the perfect look for that room and whadyaknow? All it wanted to be was a diningroom!
Being that we live in David's grandparent's old house, we've also inherited a few pieces of her old furniture. Normally this would be a great blessing and I would be thrilled. With most of the pieces, I am. But the diningroom table has always been a thorn to me and I would (very) often find myself wishing (and vocalizing) my desire for something different. Well, I finally got my way (thanks honey) and Saturday we bought a new table!
David and I had a little get-a-way for the day, and traveled to Houston (just 1 1/2 hours) to IKEA. Let me just say "I LOVE THAT STORE"! I had shopped online to make sure they had what I wanted, which was an old looking farm-style table. The one I saw online was big enough for 6-10 people, when the leaves were added, which was great. That was always a problem when we would have people over, is that we never had a big enough table. So we went to IKEA (after stopping for Mexican food, of course) and found our table. And it was HUGE! We were a little shocked that it was so big, so we looked around a little more, just to make sure there wasn't anything better (and smaller). But, the table was THE perfect one for us (we hoped), so we brought it home.
David put it together,(as everything at IKEA comes in a box), with perfection, like he always does. We turned it over and gasped! Without the 2 extra leaves it was huge! With the 2 leaves it's a conference table! The awesome thing is that it seats 8 without the leaves and 12 with them, so we have plenty of room now for guests.
The great thing is that it changed the entire look of my diningroom. Now the room only consists of the china hutch, the table, and an antique dry sink, and it has finally found it's purpose! It's ONLY a diningroom and it works! Not 1/2 dining - 1/2 school room (with a desk in the corner).
This has been a long struggle to find the perfect look for that room and whadyaknow? All it wanted to be was a diningroom!
This is a picture of our table without any extra leaves!
Check back soon!
Merry CHRISTtmas!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Coupon Day
I had a great coupon day yesterday! I saved $163.00 by using coupons!
I matched my coupons with the CVS flyer that came out this week and only chose things that I actually use. These were things like deoderant, toilet paper, paper towels, medicine and shampoo. The bonus was that I had iTunes gift cards on the list for Christmas, and CVS happened to be giving $10 free money, just for buying $50 worth of iTunes cards. So, something that I needed anyway, gave me $10 free bucks! I bought those first and used the $10 to help purchase the other items, along with my coupons. I bought $60.93 worth of product for $25.61!
Then I hit some other stores and did basically the same thing.
We have needed a new computer printer for a while now, so I took a coupon I had for Office Depot, along with a credit gift card (I get these for using their rewards program when I buy ink), and I bought a printer that was already on sale. I also bought ink for the new printer, plus ink for my photo machine, and some sticky notes. Results: $170.44 worth for $$97.63!
Then I went to Kohl's with $40 "Kohl's cash" in hand, along with a 15% off coupon. I needed new king size pillows and wanted to buy them at JCPenny's but since I didn't have a coupon for JCP, I bought them at Kohl's. Results: 4 King Size Pillows worth $99.95 for $55.15!
I needed to buy a gift at LifeWay, but their coupon sale didn't start until today. But, they were having a special where you buy a $25 gift card and get a $5.00 gc free. SO....I went in and bought a $25 gc and got $5.00 free, and today I will take that gift card, plus my coupon (that can be used starting today) and buy the gift I need. I love it!
I also saved money at Joanne's Fabrics and Petco yesterday.
Got any coupons? Don't leave home without them!
I matched my coupons with the CVS flyer that came out this week and only chose things that I actually use. These were things like deoderant, toilet paper, paper towels, medicine and shampoo. The bonus was that I had iTunes gift cards on the list for Christmas, and CVS happened to be giving $10 free money, just for buying $50 worth of iTunes cards. So, something that I needed anyway, gave me $10 free bucks! I bought those first and used the $10 to help purchase the other items, along with my coupons. I bought $60.93 worth of product for $25.61!
Then I hit some other stores and did basically the same thing.
We have needed a new computer printer for a while now, so I took a coupon I had for Office Depot, along with a credit gift card (I get these for using their rewards program when I buy ink), and I bought a printer that was already on sale. I also bought ink for the new printer, plus ink for my photo machine, and some sticky notes. Results: $170.44 worth for $$97.63!
Then I went to Kohl's with $40 "Kohl's cash" in hand, along with a 15% off coupon. I needed new king size pillows and wanted to buy them at JCPenny's but since I didn't have a coupon for JCP, I bought them at Kohl's. Results: 4 King Size Pillows worth $99.95 for $55.15!
I needed to buy a gift at LifeWay, but their coupon sale didn't start until today. But, they were having a special where you buy a $25 gift card and get a $5.00 gc free. SO....I went in and bought a $25 gc and got $5.00 free, and today I will take that gift card, plus my coupon (that can be used starting today) and buy the gift I need. I love it!
I also saved money at Joanne's Fabrics and Petco yesterday.
Got any coupons? Don't leave home without them!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
A Million Thoughts
Ever have a day (or 2 or 3) where your brain is going faster than your body can? I'm having one of those days! I have a jillion things on my mind - Christmas (of course), regular household things - groceries, menu planning, laundry, organizing, etc., I need to get quotes from a new insurance company, organize my coupons for shopping, AND keep Collin on somewhat of a school schedule.
Hope my mind doesn't blow a gasket!
Tune in tomorrow..........
Hope my mind doesn't blow a gasket!
Tune in tomorrow..........
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)