K-Mart Doubles again!

How did I miss the announcment that K-Mart was doubling coupons again? The catch, it was for 2 days only. Thank goodness I caught it in time.

Here is what I got:

Want to know how much I paid? $7.03!

Clip you coupons!! It is worth the effort!

I'm about to be sick

I let $19.00 worth of ECB's expire.

How does one do that????

I really want to cry!!! WAHH!!!

I've got to get better organized!

My Lord Spot

Not to long ago, Tabitha over at Roots and Wings questioned her blog readers about thier "inner room".

Our house is an older starter "ranch style" house. We don't have big closets. But, the more I read on Tabitha's blog, the more I found that you don't actually have to have a "closet" or a whole room in order to have my inner room, prayer closet or Lord Spot. You need a space. So I've dubed my space "My Lord Spot" And here it is:

It's bare. I know. The first time I used this space, I realized a "Lord Spot" is just what I needed. A place with purpose. I have to admit, I'm a bit energy challenged (okay, LAZY). I'm not one to take out things, put them up, only to take them out again the next day. It just seems like too much. So this spot has everything I need for my time with the Lord. I have my chair, my bible, post-it's, pens, highlighters, the book I am reading and my journal. I even have a candle. Not that the candle has any significance other than I think it smells pretty. I told my Aunt Michele that I wanted the Lord to feel at home when He and I were together ;)

Here are the items I have available:

I really love my Lord Spot. I think it will be key in keeping me in prayer and studying His word daily.

Do you have a Lord Spot or a prayer closet?

Pray without ceasing ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Who says dog's don't smile? Bread and Po'boys..OH MY!

That's my boy dog Hook. He is a wonderful, packed with energy chocolate lab. I just love him. I swear he is smiling!

Over the weekend I was a DOMESTIC DIVA!! I made homemade bread. I was so proud of myself. My first attempt at homemade bread was just bad. It came out like a hard brick that you could use for the beginning of a foundation for a house. That was many, many moons ago and I just thought that bread making was not for me.

I decided to give it another chance when I cam across this recipe over at Tammy's Recipes. It was easy to follow and the bread came out great!

Here is my yeast a'risen: Here is my final product: Not to shabby, eh?

I also made shrimp po'boys for dinner. And this is how they turned out: What you will need:

40-50 medium shrimp

all purpose flour

oil (for frying)

2 eggs

garlic powder, salt and pepper to season flour

Heat oil to 360 degrees. Beat eggs together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, garlic and pepper in the flour. Cover each shrimp in the eggs, then cover in flour. Place each in the hot oil. Fry them for approximately 4 minutes. Do not over cook. Drain well on a paper towel lined plate.

We used hoagie rolls for the bun. We also had lettuce, tomato and onions. For our condiment we made a "shrimp paste" but I didn't particularly care for it. Next time, I will go for a garlic and herb type mayo or something like that. Let me know if you try this recipe and what you think.

Next time I'm going to try to grill or skillet the shrimp instead of frying to save on some calories.

My best trip ever??

ALL THIS FOR $30.20!! My receipt says my savings at Publix was $69.24!!

Here is how I did it:
~Raisin Bran (rain check 2/$4.19) $8.38 -$2.10 in coupons (3 @$.70)=$6.28 or $1.57 per box!

~Juice=BOGO ($3.49) = $1.75 each x's 9 = $15.75 - (9)$1.00 off coupons = $6.75 or $.75 cents ea!

~Yogurt $.50 per cup x's 18 cups =$9.00 - $4 in coupons = $5.00 or $.28 cents each!

~Cheerios=BOGO ($4.30) = $2.15 ea x's 5 = $10.75 - $4.55 in coupons = $6.20 or $1.24 each box

~Granola Bars= 2/$4.00 - $.65 coupon = $3.35 or $1.68 per box

~BBQ sauce = BOGO $2.29 or $1.15 each

~ Gum = $.99 each x’s 7 = $6.93 - (7) $1.00 off coupons = FREE!!!

Keep your coupons, and USE them. Publix always has AWESOME deals. Give it a try! You'll thank me for it!!

Amanda

Meet Tracie

Meet Tracie:

Tracie has been my cousin since she was born. HA! I have jokes! We have a HUGE family and for whatever reason, we were never really close or talked all that much. Maybe it was the slight age difference or reasons out of our control. Who knows! Through a series of events, we connected again. It's so funny to say that because we live like 15 minutes from each other. I just cannot thank the Lord enough for our "reunion".

Things have been a little stressful for me lately. Tracie and I email frequently, okay scratch that. We email ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. Except for Sunday's when we see each other at church (when I manage to get up and make it). Anyway...Tracie has become a huge confidant for me. She's a great listener, a great motivator, a huge source of support and just very caring. I talked to her about some things and a week or so later I came home and found this: Through our conversations, she managed to put together a gift from her heart to cheer me up. Scrapbook paper so I can scrapbook and glue to put the pictures on the scrapbook paper. Cinnamon disks because I'm addicted to them. Sharpie's because I'm addicted to those too. A prayer journal, and a candle. Last but not least the WW cakes so I could "have my cake and eat it too". I read the card, and cried and read the card again, and cried (you get the picture). Through many things that happened that week, I was humbled. I know that I am a lucky girl.

I'm so lucky to know that even when I'm beating myself up, or stressed beyond all get out, there are people that love me and support me. There are people who want nothing but the best for me. I have a wonderful support system starting with my savior Jesus, an amazing husband, then Tracie, other aunts and cousins and other friends. WHY AM I SO SAD? Sure, I may not have everything that I want right at this moment, but I think God is trying to make me see a bigger picture.

I've tried a 90 day challenge before and I got no where. But, I really feel like I'm in a different place now. I'm ready to move on and let go of all the unnecessary baggage. Over the next six months, I am really going to surrender to God and seek His face, and get myself healthy. Emotionally and physically. I want to drown myself in His word and really delight myself in Him.
I'm humbled that the Lord has brought me to a place of surrender, and allowing me to acknowledge all of His blessings in my life. I'm a lucky girl!!!

Thank You Tracie! I love you!

Publix 03/04/09. Last weeks Publix and KMart double coupons

It looks like Publix is going to have a pretty good sale this week. Here is what I am planning on getting:

-Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice - BOGO ($3.59) -$1.00 off coupon = .79 cents each

-Smuckers Uncrustables 3/$6.00 or $2.00 each - $.55 off coupon = $1.45 per box ($.36 per sandwich). These will be 5 WW points, and paired with some carrots it should make good low cost lunches.

-Frosted Cheerios - BOGO ($4.59) -$.50 off coupons (they double at Publix) = $1.29 per box. Will make for a great snack!

-Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce - BOGO ($2.29) = $1.15 each. The Vidalia Onion sauce is GREAT!!!

- Yoplait Yogurt- 20/$10.00. I will get 18 cups. I have various coupons for these and will end up spending around $.32 per cup.

-Publix Milk - 2/$5.00. It has been a long time since milk was this low!!!

That pretty much sums my trip up. Unless...Can anyone tell me if you can freeze the pre-made cookie dough from the refrigerator section?

Be sure to check out:

Money Saving Mom

Sarah (this girl has skills)

And, my new favorite (and I'm so lucky that I actually KNOW her) Trisha at Spend Freely Mama

What will you be getting this week?

Before I forget. Here is what I got at Publix last week for $22.30:

And I got all 7, yes SEVEN deoderants for $2.25

Check out this AMAZING GIVEAWAY!

Her blog is an interesting read as well.

Check it out here...

SQUAT!!!

SQUAT is what I lost last week.


But, I'm happy! I was expecting a gain.


So it's back to the grind. I can do this!!!


What keeps you motivated? Rather it be lose weight, keep your home clean, stay on a budget.

Drum Roll Please.....

I weighed in tonight and I lost 1.8lbs this past week. Not the best, but it's a loss and I'll take it!

And, I got a flash for the D60 tonight. I'm so stoked!

I love coupons!!!

Sunday I was able to hit Publix and Bi-Lo with my coupons. In using the coupons with the sale, I really got some great deals! Be sure to check out Sarah, she has a great site for Publix and coupons!

I got all that you see here for $61.97. I think the best deal was on the Hefty Ziplocks from Bi-Lo. I got them for about $.20 per box. You can't really tell but there is 20 cups of yogurt there as well as 6 cans of tomatoes. Is anyone hitting the Harris Teeter Triple Coupon Days? I really want to!

Weight Watchers has been going well. Yesterday was stressful, but it's over and today is a new day!! PS, the Arnold Sandwich Thins that I talked about last week were awesome as hamburger buns! Give them a try!

I'd like to thank Jessica over at Our Family Highlights for hosting a giveaway that I won! I can't believe it, I never win anything. Jessica was also kind enough to offer several ideas for healthy snack options, and I'm so grateful. Thanks Jessica!! If you have not checked out her blog, do so. It's so refreshing to see a family love they Lord as they do and strive to honor Him in every area of their life. Here are her snack ideas:
*fuji apple slices
*plain yogurt w/ a small amount of honey stirred in, plus a little homemade granola sprinkled on top
*Berries or or sliced banana with homemade whipped cream
*raw or dry roasted almonds (small amount can be quite filling!)
*slice of toast with peanut butter
*cashew chocolate smoothie. (the recipe is on her blog)

I'm still working hard to organize my home, decorate on the cheap and make it the comfortable palace it should be. It's a lot of work, but I know it will be worth it in the long run! I wish I would have taken before pictures, but that would just be a shame to post for the entire blog-osphere to see. My momma taught me better than that!

Please keep us in prayer as we continue to try to follow God's lead as to pursuing fertility treatments or adoption.

Take care,
Amanda

I'm losing the same weight over and over...

Finally, I made weigh in at my local Weight Watchers. I was so sad to see that I'm right back where I started at the beginning of 2007. Pretty much...I'm sick of losing the same weight over and over again. So, do something about it you say? Well, I AM!! Things have been going well since Wednesday (I know it's only Friday)but with weight loss every consecutive "good day" is a good thing.

Has any one tried Arnold's Sandwich Thins? They are really good and only 1 point. Tonight I am going to try them as a hamburger bun. I'll let you know how that goes.

This past week I have had a HUGE blessing fall into my lap. My sister-in-law, Freddie came for a visit on last Friday. Here is a picture of Freddie and I at her first Clemson game, she's the skinnier one! :)
On our way home we got into this conversation:
Amanda~"Freddie, if you want to stay with us next week, I'll pay you $50.00 to vacuum, mop, clean the bathrooms and the baseboards."
Freddie ~"OKAY!!" {rather quickly}

She has done such a great job all week, we have given her extra money, and the best part is she is staying all next week too!! Its been so nice to come home to a clean house, and I've been able to focus on organizing and purging my home. Praise the Lord and thanks Freddie for all your hard work!

Now Sunday, I get to do school work all day......

But, at least the house is clean!

Responsibility...Accept It!

Today, I accept responsiblity for me. Period. Weight Watchers, here I come. What is it about losing weight that is so hard? Why hold on to the baggage? That wasn't meant to be funny, but if you found it amusing...I'm glad I could make your day.

I probably will no go to an actual meeting until Wednesay, so until then I'm going to try to do it solo. It's 3 days...honestly, there would be serious issues if I can't do this for three days, right?

Anyone interested in a challenge? Anyone even reading this blog that needs to join a weight loss challenge? I'm all ears!! For right now, I'd like to pose the question, what are your most favorite point friendly, easy to prep lunches and snacks?

I got two responses on painting the hutch, one yes, the other no. I'm really leaning towards painting it, but that project is a ways off. So, it will stay in its current state for a while.

Later,
Amanda

Great deals! What do you think of spray paint?

This afternoon I hit Lifeway Christian Store to look for a book. They didn't have the book I was looking for, but they had Christmas Clearance items for 75% off! I was stoked! Here is what I got:

The yellow box contains a book and CD titled "Happy Birthday Jesus" reg 9.99, paid $2.50. We don't have children yet, but I'm BELIEVING!! The cookie jar says "Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus", was $24.99 paid $6.25. The little Christmas Tree Nativity Tea Light thing was $9.99 and I paid $2.50. And last was the brown picture plaque with scripture. It was 19.99 @50% off, so I only paid $10.00 for it.

Not too shabby, eh?

I'm going to put the book and CD into my hope chest. I used to call it my "hopeless chest" but when I thought about calling it that today, I felt bad about it. All my hope is in Christ alone, there is NOTHING that is HOPELESS with Him...can I get an AMEN?

The brown plaque is for my bedroom. I want to do brown and green in there. Since I'm a blue FANATIC, I'm trying to go with different colors. The walls I'd like to paint a shade of green and I'd like to get chocolate brown sheets, and a green waffle type coverlet for our bed. I like this one from Ikea. But, the closest Ikea is in Atlanta. Soon there will be one in Charlotte which is closer. I'm not sure if that's the shade green I want either. I'm so wishy washy! Also, I think I'm just looking for a reason to take a trip to Ikea.

Also, I'm thinking since I LOVE blue, but I'm trying to stop using it EVERYWHERE, I thought it would be nice to do something in a muted blue tone. With that said…would you paint this hutch black?

I could put it in the dining room, instead of leaving it in the kitchen. Also, I could put the other table in my kitchen with no chairs and in desperate need of refinishing in the dining room after painting it black to match the hutch. The walls could be painted a soft robin egg blue. Sounds so Pottery Barn, doesn't it? Pretty much, that’s where I got the idea. So imagine, black furniture, soft robin egg blue, white crown molding. I'm gonna have to turn my charm on to convince the husband about this one!

So much to do, I’m getting overwhelmed. I probably won’t start anything now!!!

Pray for Baby Harper!!

Kelly has an amazing blog of encouragement for Chrisitan women especially those stuggling with infertility. Please pray for Kelly, her husband Scott and baby Harper.

God is still in the miracle business!!!

Amanda

Sanctus Real

Have you heard this song? "Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly)"?
This morning as I was driving to work, I heard this song for the first time. This line of the lyrics caught me:

It feels like chaos but I believeYou're up to something bigger than me

Larger than life something heavenly

Honestly, the more I listen to the lyrics of the song, the more I relate. He questions if he is surrendering to Gods will or his own. I can honestly say, the past couple of years, I've surrendered to my own will only to find out I don't like the place I'm in. Then, I have the NERVE to be angry at God. I have so many blessings in my life, my husband, my home, my job, etc...yet I still felt like something was missing. I know that something I'm missing is Jesus!

You see, once you've had that personal relationship with Him, no other relationship compares. Too often we try to go through the valleys of life alone. Everyone's valley is different, some have relationship issues, financial issues, fertility issues, or even friendship issues. However, one fact remains. We don't have to go through it alone. In the quiet hours when your spouse is asleep, and your friends are unable to talk to you because they are also asleep and you feel like you could just pop and scream at the top of your lungs...do it! Well, maybe you should go in the other room so you don't wake the peaceful sleeping spouse. Jesus loves for us to curl in His lap and lay all our worries and cares upon Him. That's what He's there for.

DUH!! I'm not in control!

What was I thinking? So many days, hours, minutes and seconds wasted on trying to completely control EVERYTHING!!

While it's hard to surrender control, it's also refreshing. For so long, I've tried to fix our fertility issues, or come up with the next best solution only to find they don't really make sense and I hit a brick wall. I've fought and resisted releasing our baby situation to the Lord to the point of physical sickness about it. I'd cry, scream, be sad and allow my pain to block the miracles of babies for others I'm close to. I won't sit here and say there is no sting, and I refuse to sit here and say I'm unaffected by the whole thing. However, I'm making a choice today to fully and totally TRUST God and His word. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

I love to sing, do you think singing to Him is delighting myself in the Lord? How do you delight in the Lord?

PS, I went to the auction this week and got some awesome stuff. I'll post about that later! I will tell you that I got a few things for cheap to help with the decorating process of my home.

Note to self...

I need to start taking the Metformin. If you've ever taken Metformin, you know how easy it is to conveniently "forget" to take your dose, or how you contemplate taking it as if you were debating on running for public office. The stuff is horrible I tell ya...HORRIBLE!!! But, the reproductive endocrinology community seem to be impressed with the wonders it does for the PCOS ridden body and conception. It even has benefits for PCOS patients even if they are not trying to concieve.

Do you have an Aunt Michele? You know, the Aunt that you can go to at anytime with a question and her response is "Well, the bible says...". I LOVE MY AUNT MICHELE. She is such a godly woman and her wisdom just amazes me. I talked to her about a lot, and she gives me lots of advice. Lately, in discussions with her I've discovered I've got a lot of junk in my heart that I have got to get cleared out. I've become so bogged down in craziness that I cannot hear the One who makes everything clear...Jesus. She suggested that I start reading the bible, daily. She said "read it everyday, make it a habit to where if you forget to do it, it hits you like you forgot to put shoes on". She's great I tell ya! She said start with 1 John. I started last night. I love 1 John 1:5 ... God is light; in him there is no darkeness at all. God is truth, need I say more?

So often, I get so distracted by the ememy, and I lose sight on the awesomeness of God. His supremecy and that even when I fail to see it, He is still my champion, and He wants whats best for me, and ready to give that to me but I've got to do my part before He can move. My prayer is that I can remove my flesh (my emotions, wants, etc...) and hear Him and move to be able to fully grasp His will for me. Essentially, I want to be His chess piece.

Weight: Yesterday was a bust. I didn't make it to the WW meeting. I've GOT to get there. They are closed today, and I will not be able to make it tomorrow since I have to sing at a funeral.

Home: WOW. A bomb has gone off again! LOL!!! I've still got lots of purging to do! My husband is an amazing man. I really could kiss his face off.

School: Tonight is home work night...NICE.

Craftiness...nothing. Too tired!!

Over the Christmas holiday, I finally met my cousin Rob's wife Trisha. What a cool chick. We have lots in common and it stinks she lives so far away. Trisha, do you think ya'll are moving to Charleston anytime soon?? LOL!! She and I were robbed of the "Red Spatula" at the "First Fipps Family Bake Off" by our cousin Amy. It's on next year Amy!!!

That's all that's new on this end. We are still praying as to rather we should persue adoption, or fertility treatments. It's all so scary with no guarntee in the end. I'm confident that if we listen to God's voice in it all, whatever route we take will be His will, and we will be parents.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him."1 John 5:14-15

Go check out this blog. Nancy has some cute ideas!!!

Out with the old, in with the new...again!

It's 2009. One question. Where did 2008 go?



Well my 90 day challenge is bunk, but I determined to bring my intentions of the 90 day challenge to pass.



2009 New Years Resolution(s):

- Closer relationship with Christ

- My home

- Health

- Craftiness

-School

Christ- I'm committing to praying, hard. I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing. But, I'm sure effective praying is just like baking a cake. You get better with lots of practice.

Home - There is so much to do, I'm not sure where to start. Please pray as we begin to investigate adoption agencies and possible fertility treatments.

Health - I started WW today...again. YAY, me! I lost 1.5 pounds. Just kidding. I'm going tonight to officially join.

Craftiness - I just completed my first card. I made a birthday one for a co-worker. I'm going to this weekend to take some pictures at a local auction to work on my photog skills.

School has started off rocky. I don't care for my teacher. But, I only have 4 nights left then it's over.

That's all for now!
Amanda