Frugal Friday

Friday's are my day for sharing tips on being frugal!  I am big on saving money and anything I can do to help others do the same is great!

Found this idea on Pinterest! I love my meal board!

 Today I am going to share on meal planning. This is one thing that will help you save a TON of money!

Every week usually on Friday or on Saturday morning I plan the seven meals that we will make the following week.  Sometimes we end up having leftovers so I will have one or two meals that didn't get made.  I keep those on for the following week. 

I have this handy meal plan frame that I copied from pinterest.  This holds the meals for the week.  That way we know what we have to make.  It also helps because on the cards I have put the ingredients needed for the meal on the back.  That way when I go to make my grocery list I know all of the ingredients that I need to have.  That in it self saves me a ton of time!  As I add meals I make a new card for each meal with the ingredients on the back.

front of the card 

back of the card

I love how handy this is!  It has made meal planning easy!  

We don't eat out very often.  It is expensive!  Eating out is a special treat that doesn't happen very often. Most of our meals are easy and fast.  We are a big family with a schedule to keep.  Complicated meals usually don't get made very often for the very reason that we just don't have time for that! LOL  

Do you have any frugal tips that have helped you and your family keep on budget and have made your life easier?  If so please share!  

That's all for now!
~April

I think I can... Getting Organized... To do List

Good Morning!
I had a pretty productive day yesterday!

• I made my posts! :-)
• Went to Cody's Back to School Parent Meeting
• Made Squash Casserole
• Checked Caelan's Grades
• Filled out Wrestling Form
• Went to Bank and Store
• Cleaned Kitchen
• Started list for Registering

Pretty productive!

Today's To Do:

• Call Caelan's Dentist
• Mail Cody's Thank You's
• Book shelf in play room
• Laundry
• clean kitchen... some of chores got done but not all...
• List and plan on registering
• posts
• dates in calendar
• clean frig
• meal plan
• gets coupons together
• do bills

So there is a lot to do today and one of the kiddos I watch isn't feeling too well so probably won't get a lot done, but here's to hoping!

That's all for now
~April

Throwback Thursday... or just catching up on some old posts!

It's Throwback Thursday... or at least for a while just a catch up day on old posts that I missed when I didn't have time to post all the time.

Today I am going to catch up on items that I didn't get to post about that happened in March 2013.  

St. Patties Day!

I love St. Patrick's Day and I had seen this on Pinterest and thought it was cute, easy, and had to be made! So, I put this together for the boys as a surprise on St. Patrick's Day morning.

 They are Climbing The Walls!!!
Caelan had been training for Wrestling, and was showing off for us one night. He can do push ups while doing a handstand against the wall!  Impressive!  Very impressive to little boys who want to be just like their big Bubba!  So, this is the boys trying to be like their big brother!  LOL was funny to watch... then I put a stop to it.  They were certainly having too much fun!  NO!  that's not why... I didn't want anyone to end up with a concussion!  LOL Boys will be boys!

Garrett giving it an attempt!  Our sweet puppy Kira is there for moral support!

OK so he went like this and then like this... We can totally do this!

Look at me MA!

 Caelan the night before braces!
This sweet boy with a sweet smile!  We will see that smile new and improved in a few years!

Easter!

Coloring Eggs

Look at me!  I'm making a huge mess!

We decided the old fashion way is way better than these new ways... they didn't work that great!

Was not that impressed... we won't be doing this new kind again.

Easter Table

Look at the huge bunny Lollies that the Easter Bunny brought us!

I love this one!

and this one!

My little boys and I

Cody taking pictures!

haha I wish my eyes didn't look weird in this one!

Sweet boy!  I love you!

Let the Easter Egg hunt begin!

Garrett look over there!

Go Cody Go... leave some for your little brother...OK!

Garrett my boy... What has happened to your pants!

Garrett my sweet baby!  He's too cool for pants!  Fireman boots and a diaper... I'm good!

Not a care in the world... just loving life and having fun!

  Garrett... where are you.... Ding!  He's done!

LOL no I did NOT put him in the dryer... I was calling for Garrett because he had gone suspiciously quiet and I hadn't seen him in a few minutes... Ah I found you!  

Silly boy what are you doing in there?  Just playing!

Silly little boy!

Oh how he cracks me up some times!

 Bring your bear to school day!
Cody loves his bears!  He got to bring a bear to school and he had to make sure that he was safe on the ride there.  :-)

Cody and his bear!

That's all of the catching up for now!

~April

I think I can... Getting Organized... To Do List

Howdy!
So, yesterday was one of those weird days where I felt like I was struggling just to keep up with the flow of the day.  

What did I get done?

• I cleaned up the kitchen
• Called on the CPR and First Aid Class
• Didn't make it to the Life Group Meeting Last night :-(  I was so wiped out at the end of the day... there just wasn't any way...
• Made my posts! :-)
• Did not make it to the Bank
• Did not finish, but started putting away clean clothes
• Did not clean the bookshelf in the playroom

So didn't get much done, on the to do list...

Today's To Do List:

I have way more to do today than I am going to be able to get done.  HMMM 

• Posts
• Bills
• Cody's Back to School meeting for parents tonight 
• Start Squash Casserole in the Crock Pot
• Check Caelan's Grades
• Fill out Caelan's Wrestling Form online
• Go to the Bank and the Store
• Mail Cody's Thank You
• Put all dates for school and upcoming into Google Calendar
• Start Laundry and finish putting away clothes
• Clean bookshelf in playroom
• Finish cleaning bathrooms
• clean kitchen (I made the announcement that Caelan is back on chore duty tonight)  I gave him a break after his dental surgery, but he is feeling better so he can help again.
• Make list of Registration stuff that needs to be done

So as you can see I have A LOT to do today, but the good news I am feeling "with it" so maybe... I think I can... get it all done! 

Wish me luck!

That's all for now!

~April

A Few of My Favorite Things!

Happy Wednesday!  Hump Day is a GREAT! Day! 

So I am going to make Wednesday my day to share on the random things I love... photography, books, music, movies, TV shows, crafty crafts, you know a few of my favorite things!

So today random favorite thing that I want to share is the TV Show Game of Thrones.

Over the summer my little boys went to visit their Dad and during that month each night my Hubby and I sat down and watch anywhere between 2 to 3 episodes every night.  We don't have cable we just do Netflix, Hulu, and in this on the computer (We have a computer hooked up to our TV) we watched HBO episodes of Game of Thrones.  

I had gotten the books Game of Thrones a while back but hadn't had time to sit down and start reading them, but was pretty sure I would like the story line.  I was very right great story!  WARNING this is very mature content so you don't want any kiddos around... I even did not feel that our 15 year old really needed to be around.  Good thing he didn't want to be.  Now you may ask why watch a show that is so mature? It is not overly bloody or gory, but there is nudity and some language.  I am just a stickler for not letting my kids watch anything I do not feel is appropriate for their age.  

So, if you are looking for a great series this is a really good one.  Picture Kings, Queens, Princesses, Princesses...  also picture lots of weaving the story line around to keep you guessing and make you love and hate certain characters.  Great story, great actors, and a great entertainment experience.  I can not wait until the next season starts!!!!!

That's all for now!
~April

I think I can...Getting Organized...To Do List

Howdy everyone!  So, I a little late getting this posted today... sorry about that I just haven't been able to get in gear today.  Oh, well better late than never!

What I got done yesterday:

• Caelan's Dentist Paperwork
• Clean up Kitchen
• Cleaned all but tub in one bathroom
• Posts

So not really great at getting it all done yesterday... hmmm

Today's To Do List:

• Clean up kitchen
• Call on CPR and First Aid Class
• Life Group Meeting tonight
• Posts
• Bank
• Put away clean clothes
• Finish cleaning bathrooms
• Clean bookshelf in playroom

It's pretty far into the day and I have gotten a decent amount done today... hopefully I can finish up being productive!  

That's all for now!

~April

Tuesday Testimony

Tuesday Testimony

I have decided that Tuesday will be the day I share a little about myself.  Tell a little of my story and how I have gotten to where I am today.  Everyone has a story.  My story just has some dramatic twists and turns.  I hope that by sharing some of what I have gone through I can encourage others that might be going through a tough time.  Life is not easy... but, with God all things are possible.

I am just a country gal who until a few years ago lived a very simple and normal (well what I thought was normal) life.  I grew up in a small town in Southeastern New Mexico. I was a City Girl so to speak... I lived in town.  I loved being outside though!  

I fell in love the summer of my Senior year of High School with a fella who was the grade ahead of me.  We had known each other for a while, but I hadn't let myself get close to him.  I knew... I could feel that there was something special about him and it scared me a little.  We fell in love and decided to try the long distance thing.  He was going off to college.  

He came back every weekend to see me and by the end of the year I was sure he was the one.  I was ready to spend the rest of my life with him.  I went to the school he was attending the next year.  We were married 2 years later.  

I would have grown old with him.  Would have spent my whole life with him no matter what if that had been an option.  A little over 3 years ago my whole world came crashing to the ground.  The conversation that we had as young people that we would be the ones to break the odds and not get divorced became null in void the day he came to me and said it was over.  

At the time I was entering into my 3rd trimester for our second child.  I held it together by sheer will power and a fear that if I let myself really fall apart that I might not be able to put the pieces back together.  I ran to the Lord... for comfort, and with questions of how could this be happening to me.  Why was this happening to me?  The answers still continue to trickle in.  I did find peace, and an amazing strength.  I know 100% that I would not be where I am or who I am today if I had not run to the Lord to shelter and protect me.  

When you find yourself falling apart God is up to something.  I read this not that long ago and it is so true!  I am a stronger person and I believe, a better person for what I have and continue to go through.  No, it is not how I thought my life would end up.  No, I am not 100% ok with it.  There are still days that are really hard, but I know that God is in control.  I know that things happen for a reason.  I know that my best interests are in mind, and that I can have peace in knowing that even if it doesn't make sense to me it does make sense to him.  

That is all for today on this... I do promise to share more next week.  If any of you have questions or comments please don't hesitate to post below!

May you have a blessed day!
~Love April

I Think I Can... Getting Organized... This is the way forward!

Well, here we go with take 2... I just typed out this whole post and then some how deleted it!  Darn! LOL I have no idea how I managed to do that!

I've been a busy bee the past couple days and haven't posted anything... so I am going to get us caught up!

Friday:

• I  called and rescheduled baby appointment
• cleaned out frig
• Made chore list and check off list
• Started Laundry
• Blogged! :-)
• Posted pics to Facebook - sorry didn't get them posted to blog

So I did pretty good on Friday getting stuff done!  Only didn't get 2 1/2 things done

Saturday:

• I made the grocery list
• Went to the bank
• Went to the grocery store with my two youngest kiddos - for those of you who have kids or have had kiddos you know that this was quite the chore especially being prego.  I was one tired Mamma when we got home.
• We came home and put all the groceries away and I vegged out for the rest of the afternoon.

Sunday:

• The little boys and I cleaned the fish bowls. (We have 4 Beta's 1 for each of the boys)  The boys had fund doing it and so did I 
• We went to church
• After church we came home for lunch and rest time.

Monday:

• We got a whole lot of cleaning done!
• The boys cleaned their rooms
• Cody helped me with Laundry and Vacuming
• Caelan mowed the yard and did some clean up stuff that was needing done outside
• Brian was fixing my computer
• I swept the kitchen floor
• I cleaned up the kitchen 
• Brian grilled and we ate a delicious dinner!

My To Do for Today:

• Fill out Caelan's Dentist paperwork ( he goes this afternoon so this is already done)
• Clean up kitchen - run dishwasher, unload, and reload - I have a feeling that my kitchen cleaning helper is not going to be up to helping me later today.
• Go to store and get "easy to eat" food for Caelan - I don't think he is going to be able to eat anything but soft stuff for the next couple of days.
• Post Tuesday Testimony
• Post pics to Blog
• Call on CPR and First Aid Classes
• Clean bookshelf in  playroom
• If time clean bathrooms.

Well here is to a busy, productive day!

That's all for now!

~April