Challenge Update - Week 4

Read HERE, HERE and HERE if you are lost or behind.

So, I have failed the task at hand.  I went to the store today and I got $60.39 worth of groceries.  I only had $9 to spend for the rest of the month, which means that I went roughly $51 over.  Not too bad, considering this crazy month, and way better than if I wouldn't have done the challenge=)  I spend around $60 a week in groceries which would have been around $300 for the month, but instead I spent about $176 this whole month!  Not too shabby for a 5 week month=)

Reasons why I went so far over:

1-I wanted to keep my stockpile going.  I truly think I could have pulled off the challenge but then I would have absolutely NOTHING left in my pantry and would have paid more next month working up my stockpile again=(  This would NOT have been smart. 

2-I got groceries for the remainder of the month so $60 is pretty good for 2 weeks worth of groceries!

3-I did start the challenge AFTER I had already gotten the first week of groceries, which just happened to be one of my most expensive weeks.

4-I got a TON of meat for $15 today which I didn't expect.  It was all clearance meat so I got a bag of chicken breasts, 3 pork chops and 3 packages of other meat for stir fry and/or stew that was marked WAY down.  Now I should be set for meat for several weeks.

I had fun trying to meet this challenge and it really did save us a lot of money this month.  I also met some good bloggin' friends while keeping up with the challenge.

The 19th Of July

Apparently this is a day to celebrate...at least in our neighborhood.  Someone must have gotten a good deal of fireworks this weekend because they put on quite a show that we could see AND HEAR from our backyard.  My kids loved the fireworks on the 4th, but could have done without all the noise.  So, when the show started up around 9pm last night I was just waiting for my kid's reaction.  After a good 20 minutes or so I heard a scared whimper coming from their room.  I walked in and Areyna, looking a little scared herself, said that Zeke was scared of the fireworks.  I asked if he wanted to sleep with Rainy and he didn't have to think about his answer.  He curled up really close to Rainy and she kept him safe all night.  It was SOOO cute.  They slept all night like that.  This morning when I got them up for church Areyna told me that Zeke wasn't scared anymore because God was with him=)

Well, round 1 was at Weddington Church this morning and I'm off for round 2 at Ridge Church!

Lost

Okay, so I have temporarily lost my mind, among way too many other things!  I CANNOT seem to keep up with anything.  No, we're not pregnant, so there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for me!  Like my other post said, I am a clean freak and keep pretty good tabs on my stuff and the places they belong...but not this week though.

Here are just a few things I have spent absurd amounts of time looking for:

1-The small screw driver set that sits on the shelf in the bathroom next to the kids room.  It is so close to their room because their door happens to randomly lock and if they shut the door they get locked in, and YES they locked themselves in their room the other day and I couldn't find it ANYWHERE!!!  I ran around like a mad women trying to find it until I happened to come across it in the kids play room on the floor.  That's a really SAFE place for it to be=)  Don't worry I got them out safely.

2-My Basil thermometer.  Still can't find this one...

3-The kids eraser to their chalkboard.  I know, not a huge necessity, but I swear, I looked EVERYWHERE, several times, and could not find it.  I think that's why it bothered me so much.  Well, during cleanup time we found it.  It was wedged between the wheels under Zeke's spiderman car.  Sure, exactly where it should be.

4-A check.  I'm not even gonna tell you where I finally found this one.

These are just a few things that I have been losing my mind over looking for.  Am I alone in this?  Is this just a phase?  I sure hope so, HA!

Not The Average Prayer

Most of the time when I pray for my children it is for future decisions they will be making down the road.  For example, Josh and I continually pray for their salvation and for their future mate.  We pray that our Areyna Joy will bring Peace and Joy like her name means and that Zeke will be a strong leader and hold strong to His faith!  

But, while I was having my quiet time this morning I realized that NOW is the time that I should start praying my children through their sinful desires and struggles that they are going through today.  No matter how "little" they seem.  I guess I just never thought about praying about Areyna's bossy and selfish tendencies.  I never thought too much about lifting up Zeke's bad temper.  I don't want to wait until those pre-teen or teenage years when the "tough" times come.  My kids need my prayers now, more than ever, because they still have yet to KNOW our Heavenly Father and the power of prayer, so it is my job to pray them through these struggles they are going through today.  

So, today I prayed a different prayer for my children.  

"God, please help Areyna to somehow see that she needs to give to Zeke instead of take away.  Give her a sensitivity to Zeke and his creative ideas for playing.  Help her to obey her mommy and daddy so that it will go well with her.  Thank you for her tender spirit.  Thank you for her sensitivity to emotions."

"Lord, thank you for Zeke's strong will.  I pray that you will funnel that in a positive way.  Help me not to quench his spirit but guide it.  Give him patience with the tasks he tries to do and help him realize that I am here to help him if he can't get something the first time."

What a blessing my children are.  I hope I never forget to pray for the little things that they are going through.

With Me

Aunt Joy is very brave today.  I had to finish up my stuff in the studio so she took my kids to work with her.  I think she was pretty excited about it=)

Anyway, Josh and I were gone by the time the kids woke up this morning but Joy told me the cutest thing.

Areyna to Joy...

"I heard noises last night when it was dark in my room and I was scared, but I didn't cry and I didn't call for you because God was with me."

Challenge Update - Week 3

You can go HERE and HERE to see how I've been doing thusfar or just to find out what the heck this post is about=)

I always forget to mention that I go to CVS every week, but I hardly ever get edible groceries or have to pay much OOP.  So far nothing has counted there.

I have to start this off by rationalizing a little bit.  While I am trying to stick to this challenge, I refuse to let my family starve.  I have been trying to cook the same kinds of meals I would cook otherwise.  PLUS, we have had company every weekend plus a few more days this month, not to mention the cookout and birthday party.  Okay, I feel better getting that off my chest=)  That is another thing, I don't want to deny friends, family or our "Open House" policy just to meet the challenge.

All that being said, I went out to the grocery store and spent a whopping $20.01 for the week. 

I SAVED $20.28 today (I keep forgetting to post my savings which are almost always the same as the total spent!)

Yeah, I'm still in the game.  Cutting it close.  I have roughly $8 left for the month!  But even if I don't make it I'm sure saving much needed money around here.  What were we thinking a book, a new CD, a mission trip?!  What a summer.  God is so good!

What Have I Become!

If you know me at all you know that a full sink is a pet peeve of mine.  At least a full sink in my house.  I also despise piles.  That's just me in my house though.

Well, take a look at what we walked home to after a full week in the studio.  And it's MY doing, HA!  I am just now getting caught up with my domestic up-keeping=)  I did manage to get a meal going in the crock pot everyday.  That was definitely a lifesaver!

The kids got home on Thursday night. We missed them so much and I knew I had a very important hair appointment that took priority over any other household duties of mine=)

Ashlyn Hunter - Her Fight, God's Grace

This is the story of our sound engineer's daughter, Ashlyn Hunter, as she fought leukemia last year.  Grab a box of kleenex and Praise The Name Of Jesus!  She's been cancer free since October!

H.T. Bagger

Josh and I stopped by Harris Teeter on the way home from the studio because the kids are on their way home, yay, and we needed a few "kid" essentials.  Josh's parents took them to VA for the week so I could get some good studio time in.  

Anyway, I got up to the checkout and I saw the strangest thing.  The manager was standing at the next lane with a stop watch in hand looking at a very nervous teenage boy.  They were just staring at each other.  Then, the manager yelled, "go", and the boy started frantically, but gently, bagging the groceries.  Apparently there is some kind of national competition with Harris Teeter stores.  The manager came over and started telling me about it.  If they win in the region they go to other states and then to the finals in Nevada.  The winners get tons of money and prizes.  It was so fun to see.  The boy that I watched was the first to get it in under a min.  Way to go buddy!