Bittersweet!

Our 2009 season of football has come to an end~ bittersweet! No playoffs this year but I am so proud of the team! I hate it for my coach, but I must admit that I love having him back! We actually went on a date, kid free, the first time in months! And even better, he woke up on Sunday and fixed breakfast!

Football Prep "Game Day Bags"

Our first scrimmage is today and I am so excited to get the ball moving! We have decided that before each season begins, we are going to start the tradition of getting our cheerleader prepped for the games! We are going to make a "game day bag" for her.

I found a black and red (our school colors) tote bag and we took a trip to the dollar store to let the cheerleader pick a few toys to stick in the bag. The "game day bag" will stay in the trunk of my car, the contents designated as "special game toys." This will relieve some of my game day frazzled-ness by having one less thing to worry about. Once the season is over, they all get donated!

Why don't we pack a bag with what we have, you ask?! We want our cheerleader to be as excited about sporting events as we are, but at the age of two, she has very little interest in sitting in the stands for hours. My coach hates seeing children running all over the place at events, so the "game day bag" is a win, win, win. He does not see cheerleader running around (Coach is happy), I can enjoy the game without correcting or chasing her the whole game (BBB is happy), and she is entertained for an hour or two(Cheerleader is happy).

When the season is over, Cheerleader will help take all the toys to be donated. This is a great lesson about giving, the toys (hopefully) will only be slightly used, and we will not have more toys cluttering up our home turf!

This year our "game day bag" consists of markers (no crayons!), spiral notebook (no flying artwork), color books, reading books, a baby doll, and an etch-a-sketch. Fortunately and unfortunately, we have also agreed to let her take her portable dvd player (not up for donation ;)!), on occasion. Our stipulations for this privilege: cheerleader must do all of her chores and be well-behaved for the week.

We are off, "game day bag" in tow, ready for a great season! See you there!

Football Family

Two-a-days are in full swing and I am sitting in a clean and very quiet home! It is amazing how clean things stay when my coach is not at home distracting me from wanting to vacuum! This summer we spent every moment that we possibly could snuggled up to our coach, so sending him off to coaching school (where it all really begins each year) was bittersweet. We are all eager to get this football season underway. Their is just something about the fall air and fresh cut grass that gets our competitive juices flowing!

This summer we were very blessed to attend three weddings to help welcome new coaches' wives to our group! I am excited to sit next to these ladies in the stands during the upcoming season, as we cheer on our team together.

Unfortunately, we had a horrible tragedy this summer as well. Our head coach lost his wife to acute leukemia. The loss was very sudden and shocking, to say the least. We are resting in our wonderful memories of her. She was a proud coach's wife, dedicated mommy, patient teacher, joy filled friend, and most importantly, she was a loyal Christian. She will be greatly missed but we rejoice knowing we will see her once again!

In the midst of this tragedy, I saw something so beautiful. The hospital waiting room and the funeral were cram packed, standing room only, full of past and present friends, mostly coaching families. People drove from all over Texas to show their love and support for this family.

What an awesome reminder that although we often give up spending time with our own extended families for the coaching lifestyle, we have a chance to add to our family at every stop!

It is my hope that we do not wait for more tragedies to express these feelings of family love and appreciation to one another! Go out and hug the next coach's wife you see (or two) and invite her to ride with you to the game or for coffee. You won't ever regret it!

In loving memory of Kiana Lock!

Frugal Wedding Gifts

Over on money saving mom they are discussing frugal wedding gifts. I thought this would be a great topic to cover being that coaches usually have tons of wedding invites each year. Many coaches, teachers, and alumni pass through our lives and we love sharing these special times.

My favorite frugal gift to give is a A Gardening Mix.

What is needed:
~A garden flower pot, clay or plastic, any size.
~Flower seeds, fresh or fake flowers, or/and gardening tools, gift cards, just about anything to do with gardening!
~Paint, paint pens, markers, or stencils.

If you are feeling adventurous, customize their flower pot. Try adding their initials, a scripture, or just creative designs on the pot. Let your imagination run wild!

Fill the dried pot with tissue paper. Add all of your goodies. Finish off with ribbons and bows.

Gift baskets are full of limitless possibilities and can be very practical.

A few other favorite gift ideas are scrapbook starter pages, "go green" home product gift baskets, handmade thank you card sets, recipe card box with your favorite recipes added, or for the frugal newlywed, try a coupon binder and add a copy of your beloved price book too!

What is your favorite frugal gift to give?

Helpful

The coach has been home for two days straight because of bad weather. (Ain't Texas great! Canceling school because of 35 degree weather!)

Anyhoo.
I am happy.

I (okay, he) rearranged all the furniture. Actually vacuumed under most of it. Hung pictures on the wall. Cleaned the tops of cabinets, shelves, and the fridge.

He's tall. I'm not.

He's strong. (I am but please don't tell him that. It could damage his self image.)

I begged him to push all the furniture around. And then back. And then over there. Never mind. Just put it back in the original spot. It was fine.

He smiled. He feels more manly now. I can tell. And thank goodness he loves me or he may have quit half way through. (I have a somewhat annoying bark. I am aware. I am working on praying to get that removed. I'll let you know.)

I also let him wash and dry all the dishes too.
Nothing boosts the self esteem more than seeing a task out through it's entirety, right?

So basically, his vacation days are my vacation days!
And I have built up his self esteem along the way. (Like many coaches need help with that!)

I am happy.

Tone-Up Tuesday

Tuesdays are now "Tone-Up Tuesday" at Bleacher Bottom. I will make a list of creative activities to do throughout the week to help tone and tighten things.

I am starting at square one. No previous workout stamina or serious in-shape-ness necessary! We must all start somewhere. My somewhere is at the bottom!

Tuesday: Fifteen minutes of continuous: skipping, shuffling, jump rope pretend, grapevines, knee high steps, and jogging. Completing the initial test for the one hundred push up challenge. Both will make your audience laugh, really hard!

Wednesday: Push ups for week one. Dancing continuously to The Wiggles Wiggledancing. I try to imitate the performers or add my own grove. Try your favorite music or dvd.

Thursday: Crunches. Yoga Stretches~two sets of beginner poses.

Friday: Push ups for week one. Walk around the neighbor for a minimum of fifteen minutes, pulling cheerleader in her wagon.

Saturday: Crunches. Family fun activities! Weather permitting, we are headed to the lake for some trail walking after the coach is done with work.

Sunday: Push ups for week one. Five minutes of basic stretching.

Monday: Crunches. One hour of dancing to the wiggles again (this is my favorite exercise to do with the cheerleader)!

Join me for some toning, tightening, and tons of laughter (at least from your cheerleaders)! Remember, burning means progress!

Feel the burn baby!
If your not burnin'- your not earnin'!
Burn to bind!
Behind burn, skinny jeans earned!

okay. I'll stop.

favorite things today

In January (wonderful Texas!)... decorating our driveway with customized art, gazing at the clouds from an ant's perspective, discovering the neighborhood's character, backyard snacks of chips and salsa... a few of my favorite things today!

What are your favorite things about today?

Menu Planning Monday, January 12, 2009

This week we are continuing to eat from the freezer. I had to purchase cheese so the coach would not revolt on me!

Dinners: Texas Taco Salad, Turkey burgers with mushroom gravy, Potato soup, Poppy seed chicken casserole, Tuna casserole, Nachos, Roasted chicken with scalloped potatoes

Lunch: Leftovers, Tuna sandwiches, chicken salad on crackers, pb&j sandwiches, english muffin sandwiches

Breakfast: Cereal, oatmeal, boiled eggs on toast, pancakes, freezer muffins

Snacks: yogurt, popcorn, chips and salsa, jello, pudding

For more menu ideas go here! Happy planning!

Hit the track running!

My first challenge of the year was admitting "we are fat". We must get back on TRACK*! You can read all about it here!
*Please excuse the sport puns! I just can't help myself sometimes!

1) Fill up our $1000 emergency fund and cut up credit cards.
2) Pay off our credit cards by April.
3) Add 5 months of living expenses to emergency fund by October.
4) Open a mutual fund for our cheerleader and invest $80 per month.
5) Put any extra money towards paying off student loan debt (our goal for 2010 is paying this off and being debt free!).

This is the year of action!
Lace up those frugal shoes, hit that pavement (coupons in hand), and take off! Let's run our best race! (Hey, I just can't help it, it's just so fun!)

For more inspiration, check here!

Being naked... hold me!

Facing all the cellulite, bulge, and flabbiness on my booty and pocketbook!

Pocketbook flab:
Over the holidays, we are going to re-listen to Total Money Makeover on audio book. (Coach is very hesitant to read anything not directly sports related! The audio book turned out to be just long enough for the drive to grandma's.)

Looking in the mirror stinks! Taking a snap shot here so I can face reality!
Where our fat is...
Student loan debt total: $22002.96 Ug! Will we ever get rid of them? Someone suggested that we not pay them off early because if you die, they are cancelled. Well, geeezzzz! I hope I out-live the payments for many years!


Our first paycheck in 2010 will:
finish off our emergency fund, just over four months of living expenses and then we will start beating the crap out of the student loans to finish off the debtsnowball!

Now the body fat!
I ordered a scale in November and demanded my husband take it to work so I did not have to use it. Well, he brought it home.

Gulp!

Okay, get my body type in your head... 5'2" on a good day. I will compare my body to a stuffed sausage or a really overgrown pear! So I finally stepped on the cold, unforgiving, heartbreaking, scale of reality... 140 lbs. Only 3 lbs less than I weighed at full term with cheerleader 3 years ago.

The plan:
Cry.
Drink water before everything. before breakfast, before drinking anything not water, before snacks, before bed, before blogging. Lots of water.

Okay that is it for now. Baby steps people!

How did we get this flab?
Stay tuned!

Menu Planning Monday

On the cheap until payday (3 more weeks)~ we are feeling the Christmas grocery overspending we did!

Breakfast: Oatmeal, biscuits and gravy, breakfast pizza, pumpkin muffins, peanut butter and banana bread, and pancakes.

Lunch: Salmon patties with corn on cob, tuna lettuce wraps with potato wedges, chili stuffed baked potato with mixed veggies, poppy seed turkey casserole, pulled pork bbq sandwich with salad, and leftover mexican stew.

Dinner: Mexican stew with cornbread, pinto beans with cornbread, spaghetti bake with homemade Italian bread, beef and noodles, hamburger patties with green bean casserole, and pork tenderloin with stir fry rice.

Snacks: Ants on a log, jello, pumpkin muffins, fresh bread with butter and honey, pudding, and oranges.

I will be pulling from the cabinets and freezer for two whole weeks. No shopping until my freezer is bare. Next week's meal plan might be oddly interesting!

365 Days is both...

365 days is both a long time and "a twinkling of an eye!"

I love starting a new year because it encourages new goal setting. My coach is usually a little resistant, although compliant, when it comes to "family changes."

Our first change is a bit hard to swallow, intimidating, and "what the heck am I thinking" kinda goal...
365 days of buying nothing new except food, toiletries, and medical stuff.

Goal two is living by our written budget. period. We picked this because our family has a written budget every month but we struggle to follow it.

The last thing we are doing is 15 minutes a day for self improvement. Walking, practicing something useful, praying, reading, pedicures, anything. Just something that makes "me" better. (Coach wants to use his 15 minutes to "decrease his stress level" with video games! I vote no for that one to count!)

Wish us luck!