Spices Organizer

I have to say I absolutely LOVE these new organizers.

February goals 2012

February goals and priorities:

Read The mom factor
Continue the 30 day challenge to encourage your husband.
Take pills daily
Complete 1-2 school projects
Buy at least 2 outfits
Make financial plan to fund garden
Budget meeting with Ken
Organize my cookbooks, recycling, coupons, addresses, and meal planning.
Read a new scripture daily.

January goals results

The results:


Read Money and Marriage book
Take my medications daily (made big improvement)
Take the 30 day encourage your husband challenge    I still have a few more days that will carry over to next month, but I did complete the days I was supposed to. 
Complete at least 1-2 school projects
Buy at least 2 new outfits
Make plans for garden
Budget meeting with Ken on financial goals for the year. (Failed! Ken didn't realize there was a deadline for this one) 
Organize kitchen counters, drawers, cabinets, pantry, refrigerator and freezer.


I also read The money saving moms budget which was on my reading list for the year. Not on my reading list but I did read The Simple Dollar, and I Surrender All which was still along the lines of the personal development I am working on this year. I still struggle with taking my pills daily but it's getting much better. I had the additional challenge of getting everything out of Kaiser as well back to CVS but Ken told me my pills are now ready. Encouraging my husband daily is really hard for me because saying encouraging things is something that really takes effort for me. This was probably the hardest thing I had to do, and I think when I am done I am going to do it again. It sounds terrible to say that, but words of encouragement is not my love language but it is my husbands so I have to try hard at it. I completed 1 project but it felt so good I hope to do at least the same this month or better. I asked for help from a friend of mine and it was so encouraging for me along with setting the goal. I would not have done it otherwise. I bought 8 new blouses for my new office job, I went to Goodwill so it only cost $24! I met with a friend who is a master gardener who gave me advice on planning my garden, so I have a better idea of what to do. I met all my organizational goals and I can't tell you how excited I am about the spices. I will post pictures on that later. The big disappointment was the financial goal meeting because my husband just didn't understand there was a deadline! He is new to the monthly goal project but he promised to meet with me on Friday. All in all it was a productive month! 

Save Mart store closing

Store in McKinley and Fruit is closing. Everything is 50% off. Hurry, not much left!

Save Mart Menu's Jan 26th

This is a day late. Please forgive me. I had an emergency this week.

Crockpot Lasagna and green salad
Honey orange chicken, carrots, rice pilaf
Sausage Jambalaya
Ham and Broccoli Bake
Tomato corn soup with Tex mex cornbread salad
Eggplant Parmigiana and pasta
Chicken and Asparagus bake
Please email me for recipes and shopping list.

Kmart to double coupons

Kmart is doubling coupons every wednesday and Saturday up to $1. Minimum purchase requirement in grocery and drug of $25. Limit 5 doubles per day. FYI- It's only for "Shop Your Way Rewards" members so make sure you sign up for the card.

This weeks recipes:

Rosemary chicken legs, Asparagus, rice pilaf
Zucchini Tostadas
Fish and chips with fresh coleslaw
Tangy braised country ribs, Broccoli, rice pilaf
Maple apple chops with egg noodles, fresh salad
Garlicky roast chicken, potatoes, cucumber salad
Mushroom Lasagna, Fresh Salad.
Email for recipes

Pork with cornbread stuffing $6 dinner

Pork chops with Cornbread stuffing

Pork rib chops $4 (on sale)
Cream of mushroom soup .35 (on sale with coupon)
1/4 cup melted butter .40
16oz pkg frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots $1
1 bag of mrs cubbins corn bread mix .65 (on sale with coupon)

Stir together soup, melted butter, vegetables, and stuffing. Transfer to lightly greased crockpot. Brown pork chops in skillet and place on top of stuffing mixture. Cook 5-6hrs on low, or 2 1/2-3 hrs on high.

Fresno Family Resources

Fresnofamily.com is a great site to find out all kinds of local information for families. It is loaded with all kinds of free information on fun things to do with your kids, resources for pregnancy, parenting, homeschooling, etc. Check it out, and pass it on to your friends!                                   

Save Mart Menu's

What if I told you by meal planning I could help you save some money? What if I told you it could be done for under $100 a week with using NO COUPONS? What if I gave you 7 days worth of meals based on the weekly sales for Save Mart? Would you be interested? I have an idea of planning weekly meals using fresh healthy ingredients to make life easier and less expensive. I'm going to offer a free 30 trial to see what you think. Of course you can always use coupons to make your savings even greater if you want to. In fact you can even print them straight off the Save Mart website. Either way I promise by sticking to the sales, and planning your meals it will be a big savings. Here is a sample menu for this week.  If you are interested send me an email and I will send you a shopping list with recipes. Every Thursday I will send out your shopping list with recipes attached that are simple, and easy to make. After your 30 day trial if you love it, you can continue it for $2 a week or 3 months for $20. 

Stuffed green bell peppers and green salad
Tri tip roast, baked potatoes, and fresh zucchini
Chicken sausage pasta, and garlic bread
Shrimp and rice casserole, with fresh green beans
Chicken and garlic vegetables
Hungarian goulash, and spinach salad
Bratwurst and peppers, pasta

The 99cent store dinner

You can make a great inexpensive dinner almost entirely from the 99cents store for under $10!
Here it is:

Beef Stroganoff Casserole

1lb ground beef $3 (costco)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
8oz fresh mushrooms $1
2tsp minced garlic .10cents
1/4 cup beef broth .20cents
1 can cream of mushroom soup $1
1/2 cup sour cream .50cents
1 tbsp dijon mustard
4 cups cooked egg noodles $1

About $7 total for all ingredients. Reduce your cost even more by making it a vegetarian meal by using more mushrooms in place of ground beef. I purchased all above ingredients except for the ground beef at the 99cent store. You can add frozen vegetables to round out the meal for another $1, or I also found cole slaw mix and salad mix for $1 making your total $8 that will easily feed a family of 4.

Preheat oven to 350. Place beef in skillet and add salt and pepper. Cook over med high heat until brown. Remove beef from skillet and set aside. Add mushrooms, and garlic till mushrooms are tender. Add beef broth, reduce heat to med low for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in soup, sour cream, and mustard. Return beef to skillet. Place noodles in a 13x9 baking dish lightly greased. Pour beef mixture onto noodles and stir until well coated. Bake for 30 minutes.

Free entrance to Yosemite on Jan 14-16

In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Yosemite National Park will offer free admission into the park starting Saturday, January 14 through Monday, January 16, 2012. The fee free waiver is for all visitors in honor of the holiday weekend.

Fees being waived for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend include the fees associated with entrance into the park only. All other fees associated with camping, lodging, or activities within the park are not waived. The fee waiver is good for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend only.

Visitors coming to the park over the fee free weekend are urged to be aware of the possibility of changing weather and precipitation. Ice on the roadways may be present throughout the park. For updated 24-hour weather and road information please call, 209-372-0200.

Free seminar on Oneness for mariage January 14, 2012

New Beginnings   "Life transformation through biblical guidance"                              

 “Therefore a man will…hold fast to his wife and they will become one flesh”  (Genesis 3:24)

  Oneness in marriage is God’s desired design. It is the mystery of blending two lives into one for the purpose      of reflecting the image of God.  Oneness is more than being in love…it is becoming united in purpose, heart,     and in spirit that creates a strong unbreakable force like a well twined rope of three strands. 
  Oneness is not experienced much in our culture and marriage satisfaction statistics prove it. Families are          suffering because “Oneness” is neither understood nor sought.  New Beginnings can help you find greater       oneness in your marriage.
 As a pastoral care ministry we provide: 
      *  Biblical guidance   
      *  Relational assessments
      *  Practical insights and Resources 

      *  Referral services (if needed)
 Our Emphasis is with:

      *  Premarital Preparation
      *  Marital Enhancement
      *  Conflict/Resolution issues
      *  Relational Mentoring
      *  Grief Guidance 

Don’t settle for a marriage that just works... make it extraordinary and thriving.

Click HERE

January goals and priorities

Read Money and Marriage book
Take my medications daily
Take the 30 day encourage your husband challenge
Complete at least 1-2 school projects
Buy at least 2 new outfits
Make plans for garden
Budget meeting with Ken on financial goals for the year.
Organize kitchen counters, drawers, cabinets, pantry, refrigerator and freezer.

Free National Park entrance days

Free National Park Entrance Days:
April 21 - 29
June 9
September 29
November 10-12
Many of the parks never charge an entrance fee. Get more information here:
http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm

2012 Goals and Priorities

I have spent a lot of time of time thinking about my goals and priorities for the year. My goal is to set a workable plan for myself so here it is.

Personal Development:
Deepen my relationship with God by reading at least 1 new scripture daily.
Build at least 6 new good habits.
Read at least 3 new books

Health and Fitness:
Complete Dental work
Cut back on soda and increase water
Take pills daily
Eat more fruit

Career and Work:
Spend at least 1 day a week on school projects
Spend 20min a day studying
Complete degree
Find a new job
Increase Jaide Billiard Service business

Fun and Recreation:
Attempt gardening
Plan 2-3 vacations

Managing Technology:
Increase computer skills on imac
Read tutorials on word press
Read tutorials on blogging
Read tutorials on website building

Home:
Improve organization using 52 week plan
Organize pictures

Personal Presentation:
Improve wardrobe

Strategies for happiness:
Use encouraging words daily
Life Group weekly

Money and Finance:
Read at least 3 new books
Build a workable budget with financial goals
Monthly budget meeting with my husband Ken

Relationships:
Read at least 3 new books on marriage
Read at least 3 new books on parenting
Spend at least 15 minutes a day with my children alone
Honor my husband by encouraging him daily.

Time management: 
Use Calendar for scheduling

Family:
Help my son Zach plan for new baby.

Clipping off the coupons of life

There are some coupons that can only be collected by faithfullness.  Clipping off the coupons of life. Read here.  for the full blog post by Matthew Barnett pastor of the Los Angeles Dream Center.

This blog is not what you think it is. When you read the heading I’m sure you were thinking, “Oh no, he’s not one of those guys on the airplane that scatters magazines on his tray table and cuts out coupons, is he?” No, even though everyone loves a good sale this is not what this blog is about. I’m talking about clipping off the coupons of life. You see, there are some coupons that only can be collected by faithfulness.

Free ebook 21 days to a more disciplined life

Thanks MoneySavingMom

In 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life, you’ll learn:

::How and why to develop good habits.

::How to choose which goals you should work on first and how to break those goals into bite-sized pieces.

::How to pace yourself and be realistic with your goals.

::How to resist negative thought patterns.

::How to find an accountability partner.

::How to stay focused while working on your goals.

::How to set yourself up for long-term success.

::How to be on-time and even early instead of always late and behind (something I’m working hard at improving in my own life right now!)

::And much more!

Free money management program from Mvelopes

Manage your Personal Finances Online!

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Books I plan to read in 2012

I have chosen a list of books to read for 2012 that highlights the things that are important to me, or that I want to work on this year. I spent a lot of time thinking about what the priorities in my life are which is my relationship with God, my children, my marriage, our finances, and of course my personal growth. Books are a great way to help me stay focused and grow. I can't wait to see what I learn, and what I learn about myself. Click on the link below to see my list for more details.

http://astore.amazon.com/destin0a-20