Creating my hectic home into a Haven

I love to follow other bogger's Making Your Home A Haven series. So this week I am hoping to check in each day and let you know how my Haven-Making is going. This is a good week to do this for me since I was away this weekend this will be one of those weeks that could be crazy, stressful, OR I can try to create a sense of peace and order and still get it all done- little by little.

In case you forgot the 5 starter steps of Making Your Home A Haven are:
1) 5 minutes of quiet- first thing in the AM
2) Do your Daily Routine- choose a few things (no more than 5) that you will do every morning.
My Daily Routine: Coffee & quiet time, Wake Kailtyn, Put a load of laundry in, Make breakfast & pack lunches, Load the dishwasher before leaving for the day
3) Make a quick To Do List for that day (weekdays I limit myself to 3 things)
4)Start right away by spending 15-20 minutes on one of the items on your To Do list
5) Keep a positive attitude.

So each day I am hoping to jump in here and let you know how I did that morning. I plan to let you know:

• if I got 5 minutes of quiet and completed my Daily Rountine
• what my 3 things for that day's To Do list
• what or even if I got 15 minutes of something done right away,
• if I completed my to do list for that day.
• And did I keep a positive attitude! :-)

Since I am still catching up from being away over the weekend many of my To Dos for the early part of the week would normally be done on the weekends. After that I have some holiday things to get done later in the week.

If it helps anyone who is following this blog (anyone, anyone.. Buler? Buler?) I will give each day a theme- so if you want to follow along with me to Making Your Home A Haven, Monday's theme will be "Catching Up" - pick something this weekend that didn't get completed and make sure that is one To Do on your list for tomorrow!

As I check in each night, feel free to comment on your progress each day also!

Feminism on Vacation

I thought I would share a 10 minute view of my life in the hopes of inspiring a friend who a bit blue on marriage. I have been married almost 10 year and I have learned not to expect to much, in the way of daily help, from my husband. Don't get me wrong, he is great in times of stress. And because I don't ask much him when I do ask- he does help. Once in awhile I will leave him a Honey-Do List, and he does it. What he misses are the daily things (picking up arond the house, dishes, disciplining kids)- these things he always seems to miss.

So back to my 10 minute blip..

We get home from our Hershey Park trip late Saturday night. I (yes, I)have just driven for 3.5 hours home. And we get out of the car and all 3 kids are awake enough to walk themselves inside. So I head to the door to unlock it. I had the keys since I had driven. We all walk in to the house- the older two crash on the couch with coats and shoes still on, while the little one says she has to go pottty. So I take her into the bathroom and she says she needs privacy. So I left her there and told her to call me when she was done.

As I head back throught the living room I asked the older two to take thier shoes and coats off and put them in their cubbies and to go put PJ's on. I then head out to the car and preceed to take totebags, stuffed animals, the snack bag and my pocketbook from the car and into the house. I again ask the older two to move, get shoes off and PJs on. I then head back outside to the car for a second trip and bring in the suitcase, our coats, and two bags from the gift shop. Realising I have the last of the stuff from the car, I lock it up and head inside locking the front door behind me. As I move like a "pack-mule" up the stairs and into the kitchen I hear the little one crying. I drop all the bags in the kitchen and head to the bathroom. She was ok- but had been calling for me and I hadn't answered her back. So I got her all situated and as she and I left the bathroom just as my husband comes out of the bedroom in his PJs!!! (I still have my coat on!) OOHHHH! I could only give him an evil look and continue with all that needed to be done as he sat down and turned the TV on.

Moral to the story... Men need training and you need to pick your battles.
I have 3 kids to train- so the husband , generally, goes untrained.
And this was just easier, at that late hour , to do it myself. No point is arguing with him when I still had a dozen things to do before I could sit down.

So if you are soured to marriage- realise that all marriages have good days and bad days- good minutes and bad minutes. And you really do need to pick your battles or you could fight constantly if you nit-pick thier every action.

So my feminist feeling is I am SuperMom and I will try to do it all!! It may not all get done- but I will try.

Hershey Park is Going Green

We were out of town for the holiday weekend, visiting Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. Something I noticed while we were walking around the park was signs posted which talked about how they were "going green" . One sign said they changed all of thier lights to CLF bulbs. I wasn't really sure I believed them. Then while waiting in line for the Speedway, as the sun was setting, the lights came on all around. You could clearly see the curly-cue lights inside and I must say I was impressed. Another sign that said for all the lights they used for the candylane and sweet lights were LED lights and that they use 75% less electricity than your average Chrismas light.

I am not sure anyone else noticed these things, but I was impressed- Go Hershey!!

What I am Thankful For in 2008

Thanksgiving is a few days away. I have so much to be thankful for this year, so here is a quick list of the thingsI am thankful for...

1) My Family (immediate and extended)
2) Our Health
3) Our Income (since in 2007 ,for a few month, we didn't have any)
4) That we both LOVE our jobs (not many people can say that!)
5) Our House - even if it is falling apart- we love this house!
6) Our Friends.

There are many more tiny things, but I'll keep it short and simple.
After the last 18 months we have had I am so Thankful for everything I have, and appreciate it all the more knowing how quickly it can all be gone.

God Bless!
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Frugal Christmas: Staying under budget

A frugal Christmas does not have to mean you become the Grinch, but it does mean not spending in excess. The TV reports have us all fearing this "bed economy" and for some that may mean not spending anything on Christmas. But other reports say to "Spend, Spend, Spend"-that this is the way to strenghten the economy- keep the money moving. I think everyone's situtation is different and you need to do what is right for your situation.

If, like me, money is tighter than normal this year you may have to take a long look at your Holiday budget and make some cuts. My usual budget would be $1200 and that is for everything.. gifts, parties, pictures, cards and stamps, gift wrap, everything. I am hoping to stick to a budget this year of $900. At this point I have already spent $510 and if I stick to my "left to buy" list I should only spend another $300. So all is looking good for staying under budget. (about $90 under budget to be exact!)

So how did I cut out over $300 from my previous year's budget? Maybe you can steal some of my ideas and apply them to your own holiday budget.

First, I cut out things that were "not necessary" for the true holiday spirit. Some of these things included- Holiday parites. My school has a holiday party and everyone brings a grab bag gift for about $20-$25,and also brings a "dish" to the party. Although this is a fun night, Ican also enjoy time at home and one more night free to work on other Holiday things. I have choosen not to attend this year and that saved me $25.

Second, my husband and I will not be exchanging gifts this year. In years past we have not exchanged large gifts, just a few small things, and possible an item for "the house". This year we will not even exchange small gifts. which is fine with both of us. (And this year the kids have a dog-walking job, so they will be asked to "go in" together on one gift for each of us with thier own money) Not exchanging gifts saved us about $125.

Third, we will not be having the kids pictures taken at Sears. Last year we took some at-home candid shots of the kids in front of our Christmas tree and then downloaded then to Kodakgallery.com and had cards printed. They looked great and with discount codes ordering the cards online wasn't expensive. At Sears we would order "by sheet" with a coupon and just buy an 8X 10 for our family frame and then 6-8 sheets of wallets to put into regular cards (cards are purchased the year before significantly reduced after Christmas). Doing our own pictures and photo cards saves us about $50.

Fourth, we looked closely at how much we were spending on those we had on our "Giving List"and to see if we could lower a few of those amounts. We also cut out some more distant relatives that we haven't seen in years and always keep that "just in case" gift in the closet. Everyone gets a card, a pic of the kids, and a heartfelt Holiday wish, and for most that is all they need. So from lowering our budget numbers and cutting out a few small gifts, we saved another $100.

These first four ideas got our budget from $1200 down to $900, but if my calculations are correct I will only end up spending a little over $800- so where does that difference come from?

This is the last but I really think the most important change, and the one that truely reflects my change in attitude towards money and spending. This year if my "virtual envelope" for grandpa has a $50 budget but I am able to use coupons, store discount or shop sales and purchase a $50 item but only pay $35- I AM DONE! I have purchased this person a $50 items- it's value has not changed and the person will appreciate it the same, and in most cases they will never know I didn't pay $50 for it. This is a big change from my outlook in the past. Normally I would have though I only spent $35 on that person and I still have $15 to go get them a little something else. I have decided this is CRAZY! If something is $50 and my budget is $50 and I can get it for $35- then I am done with that person and I cross them off my list. So my last savings tip is use coupons, discount codes, and sales and buy everything discounted! Then stick like glue to your budget for each person based on "regular price" not the "sale price". This should save me that additional $90 I am under my 2008 Christmas Budget.

Total saved: $390 -- Go Frugal Christmas!!

Making Your Home a Haven

First, I have a follower! Yea- someone is out there! Hello Follower!

I was thinking back to last year at this time when Crystal over at Biblical Womanhood (www.biblicalwomanhood.com/blog) started her series on making Your Home A Haven, and how peaceful her posts were (and many of the comments people left were very motivating) as we head into what can be a crazy busy holiday season. I just went over there and reread some of them for inspiration.

She started the series with some simple reminders that our home should be a haven and that simple routines can help make it a haven. Our home should be a place that you enjoy, find comfort in, and look forward to returning to -to get away from the hectic world outside. As I thought about this last year, I really began to think "My house is not a haven". Coming home after work to a mess in the living room of coats, backpacks, shoes and reminants of "afterschool snacks", only to go into the kitchen and see the piles of dishes left from that morning's breakfast and packing of lunches. And to then feel overwhelmed with all that still has to be done in the next several hours (HW, making and cleaning up after dinner, kids baths, bedtimes.. oh and cleaning up that mess I came home to). I realised my home was not a haven- it was a place I wanted to run away from (the house and the mess, not the people who live there).

As I followed Crytal's series I was truely inspired to make changes. I started small, as she suggested. First YOU must feel calm and receptive if you what your home to feel calm and welcoming. I started each day with these 5 activies:

1)Five Minutes of Reflection (quiet time): With a cup of coffee, before any kids are up. Just sit and relax, find calm inside me that would help me through the day.

I am SOO NOT a morning person- so this is a great way for me to really wake up before the kids come at me fighting or whining. When my day starts with kids screaming, I tend to start screaming. When I start my day with quiet, I find it easier to keep quiet.

2) Create and Follow a Morning Routine. This should be no more than 5 things you will plan to do in the same order every morning.

My five things are:
Enjoy coffee and 5 minutes of quiet
Wake Kaitlyn for school
Throw a load of laundry in the washer
Pack lunches while making breakfast
Load dishwasher after breakfast

3) Take time to Plan. Take just a few quick minutes and make a To Do List for the day. The list should contain no more than 10 items, and should be things we really want to/need to accomplish that day.

On weekdays- I keep my To Do List to 3-5 things, there just isn't time to get 10 things done on a school day.

4) Do Something! Take 15 mintues, right away and get one thing done off your list. This shouldn't take more than 15 minutes, so if all your To Dos are time consuming, choose one that you could "start" and work on that for 15 minutes.

My Do Something is usually a quick-clean through the house before we leave for the day. I run around opening blinds, staightening comforters, picking up PJs off the floor, straighten the bathroom and living room after the morning rush.

5) Head into your day with a positive attitude!


Now, I realise none of this directly cleans up my messy living room or washes the dishes, but these 5 SIMPLE STEPS ease me into the day, and in fact they do clean up my messy living room and get the dishes done too! Step#2, for me, includes loading the dishwasher after breakfast. So those dishes shouldn't be waiting for me when I get home. And step #3, my 15 minute Do Something, sometimes is to do a quick- clean of the living room, so when I get home there is less mess. And step #5- the positive addittude can do wonders! As we leave for school each day, a positive reminder to the kids to put their stuff in their cubbies after school, can keep the living room clean.

Is your home a haven? What about it is preventing it from being a haven? Think about what simple changes you could make that would make (and keep) it more a more welcoming space.

Happy Homemaking!

The Evolution of My Grocey Budget

Two years ago I went grocery shopping.

There wasn't much to it. I looked in the kitchen cabinets, saw what was missing, made a shopping list and went to the store. I bought the stuff on the list and then some other stuff and came home. Not alot of thought went into it. The list was a guide but not the "be-all, end-all". I generally spent about $150/week on groceries.

When I began reading about the frugal lifestyle I converted to "All Things Frugal" that went with Grocery shopping. I began watching the sale flyers, meal planning, keeping a price book, stocking up, using coupons, making a list and sticking to it, paying with cash only (so as to not overspend), and even did the CVS/Drugstore game. At first it was fun! It was like a game to see how much I could buy with how little an amount of money. But all of this takes time, and time is valuable, and when there isn't enough time, it causes stress.

When I first began "working" the frugal grocery games it was May or maybe June. And I was able to do all this very well for awhile. "Summertime and the living is easy...." especially for a teacher. I was spending an average of $100/week on groceries. But when the Fall came and school started (not just for the kids but for me too) there wasn't as much time to spend "working" the sales,coupons, meal planning etc... I began to take a good, hard look at what saved me the most money, on the things we need & use the most, and what took the least amount of time to get the best deal.

The first thing to go was the CVS/Drug store games... yes, they can save you tons of money and you can really get things for free. (I once got $156 of stuff at CVS for less than $3-- no kidding, ask my husband!) But since I had "stocked up" on all kinds of medications and toiletries over the summer, this part of the frugal grocery plan did NOT fall into the "things we MOST need" category. It also took ALOT of time. Many blogs say as you do it- it will take easier and take less time. It did get easier to put the deals together but it still took alot of time and usually several trips per week to get the best deals. So out went CVS/Drugstore games.

The next thing to go was reading all the sale flyers. I liked the idea of stocking up, better than planning my meals for the week, around what was on sale that week. I didn't completely give up sale flyers. But I only quickly scan the front page (where the store print their best deals, called loss leaders) and only if there is a "really great deal" on something we use alot of, then I put it on a "short list" and may run out to just get these few items on a really quick run to the store. And unlike my earlier days, I stick to my lists!

Just this past summer I discovered Bulk Buying. I joined BJ's, with my sister. I love this!! After over a year of watching prices , I have found that bulk buying gets me the best price, or close to it, for the items we use most often. And BJ's takes manufacuters coupons plus they have their own coupons. The biggest thing to me is the TIME I save. I can get really good prices, use coupons, and stock up on the things we use most often, but now instead of shopping for about 1 hour each week; I "bulk shop" about once every 3-4 weeks and it only takes 1 hour. I do run to my local grocery store once or twice inbetween these bulk trips, but just to buy some fresh fruit, bread (which is cheaper than BJ's), Soda (generic soda cheaper than BJs), and Cat food (Bjs does not sell the type my cat needs). All in all , one bulk trip per month with 2-3 small trip to the other grocery store, cost me an average of $85/week!! And saves me, literally, 3-4 hours each month.

Our Grocery Evolution:
Early 2007-- no plan-- spent about $600/month on groceries
Summer 2007-- frugal all the way!-- spent about $400/month on groceries
Current plan-- bulk buying w. coupons and occasional sale flyer deal-- $340/month on groceries.

Amazing! At each point I was thinking this is the least amount of money I need to feed my family. And yet, each time I have changed things up to make better use of my time and our money, we have been able to spend even less!

As the economy gets tighter and food prices rise, How has your grocery shopping evolved?