Bleacher Bottom

Frugal shopping

2010-01-03T15:10:00.005-06:00

I think frugal, almost always. I seem to be offering up advice on savings to everyone, both willing and unwilling alike. So maybe instead of frugal living ideas being thrust upon our close friends and family, I will leave them here. Maybe I will actually reach an audience that wants a few tips and well, save myself a friend or two in the process.

I love post-Christmas time because of the frugal shopping opportunities. A little preparation will save you money in the long run. Before and during shopping, I always remind myself that a deal is only a deal if I can afford it. Also, if I don't need it or have not wanted it for many months, it stays there for someone else. I give myself an overall limit and bring cash. I also lug in my coupon binder just in case I find a great deal that can be combined with coupons.

This year I searched a little and found neutral wrapping paper and gift bags, to use for birthdays and special occasions, marked 75% off (make sure to check roll length for max savings). I also bought a few rolls of matching Christmas paper (only the short rolls so they will store nicely in my Christmas bins)and boxes of cards to use next year.

Check the whole store for bargains. Tucked away in the decor section of Target was a set of bronzed train stocking holders that were $24.99 but rang up $7. Also look for items that are holiday packaged. Storage bins, ziplock bags, cookies, snacks, and toys are often marked way day just because of the holiday packaging. We scored moon sand for more than 70% off because of the santa mold included. My little ponies were marked down to $1.99, regularly priced at $5.65, because they had snowflake clips included. I stocked up on both of these items to add to my gift box for birthday presents.

I love bargain shopping and I hope you are encouraged to fight the small crowds and score some deals as this holiday season wraps up. In the comment section, let me know what great deals you find. Off to make some post-Christmas Santa cookies, $0.59 a roll when combing a coupon and sale!

Bittersweet!

2009-11-09T19:20:00.002-06:00

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"

2009-08-15T08:28:00.005-05:00

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

2009-08-12T22:11:00.007-05:00

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

2009-01-28T18:31:00.004-06:00

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

2009-01-28T18:08:00.002-06:00

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

2009-01-13T11:52:00.007-06:00

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

2009-01-12T14:46:00.004-06:00

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

2009-01-11T15:48:00.004-06:00

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!

2009-01-09T14:33:00.008-06:00

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!

2009-01-05T20:39:00.007-06:00

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

2009-01-05T02:00:00.002-06:00

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...

2009-01-01T15:32:00.002-06:00

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!

Chuckie Cheese Memories and Meltdowns

2008-09-08T16:17:00.007-05:00

Saturday night we made a family visit to Chuckie Cheese, with full intentions of spoiling our little cheerleader with unlimited fun.

After purchasing the 100 coin coupon deal, we discovered it cost only 1 coin per game. Oops! Why did the attendant not ask us if we were supplying a birthday party?

As we started to spend our large bucket of coins, we discovered our little cheerleader enjoyed only the sit and honk car ride.

While depositing, what seemed to be the 49th coin into the car ride, I witnessed lots yucky kid stuff. The place was full of snotty noses and in particular, gross me out fashion, I witnessed a child peeing in their pants. As it ran down their leg, they tried quickly to walk off, knees together, as not to let anyone notice. I then was fixated on the gazillion floor stains, potential uh-oh moments. I am sure (well hopefully) most of these stains resulted from spilled sodas and whatnot, but it defiantly had me wondering. I then questioned every knob, seat, button, and coin we touched. Where are my lysol wipes?!

Our cheerleader was eventually over the honking, so I ended up spending the remaining coins trying to beat the coach at all the games.

A wonderful thing happened in the midst of our competition. The cheerleader's job was to collect the tickets, after the coach and I were finished playing at each machine. Then, she would trade the tickets for a new coin to put in the next machine. A curious (unsupervised) little girl walked up to our little cheerleader and stood, starring. Without a word spoken, little cheerleader handed off her tickets to the curious child and watched her run away. As the coach and I stood both stunned and amused, the cheerleader whispered "your welcomed", smiled, waved her hand in the air saying "peesse," anxious to dig a new coin from the bucket. It was a great moment for us and her, even though she did not know it.

The coin bucket was finally empty, my defeat against the coach was evident, and the cheerleader was restless.

On our way out, we took a family picture in the cartoon booth. While we anxiously awaited printing,(okay, just me because I want the cheerleader to grow up thinking her mommy is cute. We took 2 pictures so I could re-pose.) the cheerleader found a sucker half eaten on the floor and started chomping away! Horrified, I screamed (yes, a little over dramatic but between the pee and snot in that place, wouldn't you?)!

Swiftly the coach escorted me and our little cheerleader out, as she started smacking down the 4 pieces of (new)candy she won from the 200 tickets turned in.

If you can see past the pee, snot, unsupervised children running a muck, and the horrible tasting pizza, you too may find a great moment to cherish at good ol' Chuckie Cheese (lysol wipes not included).

What great moment do you have hidden among chaos?

Menu Planning Monday

2008-09-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

Between e-mealz, flylady, and the grocery game my inbox is full of recipes, tips, and great deals to keep our meal times both frugal and easy. Using these resources have helped reign in our grocery bill, keep the coach happily feed, and satisfy my needs to both cook from scratch and make a quick meal.

This week...

Breakfast~ steel cut oatmeal with fruit, strawberry pancakes, cereal, and homemade egg mcmuffins.
Snacks~ yogurt parfaits, crescent rolls with honey, carrots with ranch dip, rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins, and granola.
Lunch~ poppyseed chicken casserole, chicken fajita salad, tuna sandwiches, broccoli and cheese soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
Dinner~ pork roast with mixed veggies, chicken cordon blue, broccoli lasagna, and salsa spaghetti.
We will be eating leftovers on some nights and on game night we will be eating our fair share of nachos and frito pies!

What's going to be on your table this week? Check out Org. Junkie for more ideas!

Dating During the Season

2008-09-07T15:33:00.007-05:00

Photo by: cjdalusio at photobucket
Football season is here! Not only is my coach rarely home, when he is home, he is doing one of two things, sleeping or watching football.

The thought of a date night gives me a chuckle. Honestly, if he was home at a reasonable hour, I would probably ask (barter)him to watch our daughter so I could grab 30 minutes of quiet reading time at the local Starbucks.

A dear friend, who happens to be a coach's wife, encourages date nights, especially now! She recently made plans to drop the kids off at the grandparents' and catch a bite with her coach, as they made their way to scout a game. This is what we, as coach's wives, would refer to as "a date night". I applaud her effort and her "take what you can get and enjoy it" attitude.

Although I grumble at the thought of sitting through yet another football game, I too will make an attempt to seek the "goal" of a winning marriage, even if it means I will be taking one for the team. I smile at the thought of my coach seeing things from my view (the bleachers) and you never know, maybe he will even teach me a thing or two about his beloved mistress, football.

I am off to convince my coach to lug me along (without complaint)on his next scheduled scouting trip.

Have other date night tips, chime in!

2008-08-11T11:18:00.001-05:00

I am back on track, starting with Menu Planning Monday, hosted by Org Junkie. It helps keep me organized in the kitchen and disciplined at the grocery store. I am now actively participating in the grocery game and e-mealz so menu planning is a breeze!

On our table this week:
Breakfasts: cereal, strawberry smoothies, oatmeal, granola bars, sausage and biscuits
Snacks: Yogurt, cottage cheese, gram cracker sandwiches, fruit pops, trail mix
Lunch: PB&A sandwiches, BLT salads, shepherd's pie, Squash casserole, Lazy Chicken
Dinner: Vegi lover-no-noodle lasagna, Hotdogs, Green salsa chicken, Vidalia onion with tomatoes Pizza, Taco Soup

We are going to make an effort to eat at home much more so hopefully these recipes will be a hit!

What will be on your dinner table?

Update

2008-08-11T11:00:00.005-05:00

A quick update on Summer slow down tasks!

Baby girl's scrapbook! (I have only 4 or so months until the 2nd birthday is here and I have 0 pages finished!)Baby shower, hospital, and first weeks at home FINISHED! Only about 30 more pages to go!
Work on this blog by making at least 4 entries per week As you can see, this has not happened but I am back in the saddle as they say!
Exercise routine! Still a work in progress
Pay off 1 of the 2 credit card debits we have YIPPIE! Done! Last one to go! Thanks Dave Ramsey! And my husband for making sacrifices!
Master my bread machine Yummy! This one has been the most rewarding so far!
Sew a jean blanket (I have been saving old jeans for this project since college, it's time!)Changed my mind, now I am thinking aprons?!
Fully research and plan for a car purchase We have been blessed by my dad! He is letting us use an extra car he has, so we can put off our car purchase and save up to pay with cash!

Refreshed

2008-08-11T09:52:00.009-05:00

I celebrate each new school year as if it were a New Year's celebration, filled with resolutions and this year, a feeling of refreshment.

I am feeling refreshed because I just returned from a visit with my wonderful family, as we welcomed a new nephew! I miss them deeply, but I am happy to be here, away from the hustle-and-bustle of a bigger town.

I am also returning from a "me only" trip to Las Vegas, where my best friend from college was married. Beautiful, exhilarating, and expensive... worth every cent!

During this "me" time, I compiled yet another list of goals and the road maps to accomplishment.

Pay off the remaining credit card (yippie!):
-Control your eating out (goal 3 will help this area)!
-Reserve gift buying for designated times of the year (August, January, April)
-Stick to our budget

Establish and implement a solid work-out plan (get myself back in-shape):
-Write down the work-out assignment for each day
-Find an accountability partner, anyone interested???
-Complete the 100 push-up challenge
-Set 5, 10, and 30 day specific goals with rewards

Eat at home 6 days a week (this will help the money and work-out plans):
-Write a clear and detailed menu plan
-Make meals in advance for freezing to help cover the "i'm tired" evenings
-Clean the dishes before going to bed
_Stick with the grocery game and e-mealz

Okay, I am ready...

push-ups here I come!

Season Starter

2008-08-07T17:19:00.004-05:00

Photo by: sandandsea1127, Photobucket

2-a-Days are in full swing and this household is ready for the season!

I have received our daughter's cheerleading uniform (ordered a used suit online for 1/3 of the regular price!), bought some totally cute football party supplies, and I have a new outfit, perfect for homecoming.

I am anxious to welcome the new coaching families, meet the school staff and parents, and most of all, getting to know the new team. I love meeting people, making great friends, and watching our community come together for the football tradition.

I have been racking my brain to create some sort of family tradition before the season kicks off but I have yet to implement one.

Does your family have any traditions to kick off the season?

How To Cope...

2008-07-21T14:39:00.005-05:00

Over on eHow I ran across an article about Coping with Being a Coach's Wife. I thought it would serve as a great starting point for a regular series I will be starting called "the Ups and Downs". Check out the original article here. I have used the main points and added my thoughts and experiences.

1) Communicate with your spouse ~ We share a car so communication is key! I usually have to communicate that I am going crazy being in the house all day. He communicates only when and where he needs to be (mostly).

2) Get to know the game~ I know little about his main sport, football. I am competitive enough to enjoy the game in person, but please, do not make me watch film!

3) Acknowledge his commitment to the athletes~ I do acknowledge his commitment and am often annoyed that the parents don't! I love that he is a positive role model for those kids and that he is fulfilling one of his callings.

4) Be there~ Rain, sleet, snow, or heat (in Texas, sometimes all in the same night)we are there- smiling, cheering, and chatting with the other coaches' wives (my favorite part)!!!

5) Don't knock the traditions~ "Ya'll are doing WHAT pre-game? Uh, okay that is weird but whatever works!"

6) Talk beforehand about the "feelings" of wins and loses~ Getting my coach to talk about feelings is not going to happen. I know our plan... Get him in a "not happy but at least be polite mood" after a loss involves lots of bribery (food mostly) and never ever volunteer us for anything after the game, in case we lose. A win means an extra long kiss after the game, but right back to the field house to start up for next week.

7) Fulfill your needs~ I agree! I agree! I agree! Enjoy yourself! I am a stay-at-home mom, so getting involved in something "just for me" has been a necessity. I love having a coffee night with my girlfriends (i.e. other coaches' wives), being in a book club, and movie nights!

8) Develop tough skin~ Over the last two seasons, we have had to develop this tough skin everyone talks about. Between whispers, rude comments from passing strangers, and outright yelling, in both the stands and at grocery stores, you have to learn to leave it on the field, in hopes they will too.

9) Bite your tongue~ I learned this lesson when fans sitting next to me were cussing directly at my husband as he refereed a 7th grade B team basketball game. Yikes! I was out of there! Possessing a somewhat short temper, it took everything I had to pack my things up calmly. (Only to move to the opposing team side, which was even worse!)

Overall, I enjoy this lifestyle and I look forward to the "lessons." I think "coping" sounds a little more like an illness than a job. I do believe being a coach's wife is a blessing! I have the opportunity to support my coach in fulfilling his dreams, I get to be a positive influence on kids, and I love the tradition behind sports.

Menu Planning Monday July 21st

2008-07-21T13:59:00.002-05:00

I love Menu Planning Monday, hosted by Org Junkie. I have been an off line participant for months now. It helps keep me organized in the kitchen and disciplined at the grocery store. I usually make the menu according to what is on sale that week. Then I search Allrecipes , my favorite recipe site, for new ideas.

This week we will be having: (drum roll please....)

Breakfasts: cereal, protein smoothies, egg burritos (w/ homemade salsa!), oatmeal and banana pancakes
Snacks: Yogurt drinkables, veggie stix, strawberries & creme, fruit jello, chips & salsa
Lunch: BLT sandwiches, poppyseed chicken casserole, spicy chicken roll ups, turkey melts, bacon and shrimp couscous
Dinner: Italian chicken w/ black eyed peas and salad, Soft beef tacos w/ black beans, Green salsa chicken, Spaghetti with homemade bread, Mama Kathy's Minestrone

We usually eat out a time or two each week so I leave the weekend for "make-up meals" or just through something on the grill.

Any recipe ideas?

Clearing the Clutter

2008-07-15T17:54:00.000-05:00

I am on a mission!

Our home is cram-packed with furniture, clothes, and toys. We have been very blessed through family and friends over the years! I have decided that this week was the beginning of blessing others.

I had been saving lots of stuff for months in our small storage room, for a potential garage sale. Although my frugal side screams "have a garage sale!" to raise money to put towards debt and savings, I decided the best thing I could do is rid our home of these things, immediately. I feel so "stuffed" with things right now and do not want to feel this way for another moment.

I loaded up our car with 16 trash bags (yes! 16) full of our unneeded clothes and my husband took them to our local Goodwill. I then proceeded to give away an extra bed on Freecycle. I am in the process of sorting toys to give to family members that have smaller children, the local hospital, and our women's crisis center. (Most of the toy sorting must occur when the little one is sleeping because the toys have a way of sneaking themselves back into the main toy box.)

Next week, I will be reorganizing the furniture and getting rid of stuff too! I hope to find a new use for some of it, but most of it just has to go!

I feel so much better already! And what a feeling to know I have blessed someone else rather than filling up our home or landfills.

Join me in clearing your clutter and tell me about it!

Summer Slow Down

2008-07-09T13:55:00.006-05:00

So the summer is here and we are getting back into a routine of some sort. We always have a few weeks (or months) of adjustment between sports and school breaks. I usually feel somewhat adjusted just in time to start all over again.

The coach is still at the field house two times a day for a couple of hours, keeping the summer workout going and working out himself. Quite frankly I think he goes just because I am driving him crazy with new chores and tasks! It is nice to have him home to help entertain our daughter. I feel like it is my break as well! I have a long to-do list for personal projects I would like to work on. I am taking advantage of his "free time" while I can!

To help keep me on task I will posting my want-to-do list here. Maybe this will help keep me on task.

Baby girl's scrapbook! (I have only 4 or so months until the 2nd birthday is here and I have 0 pages finished!)
Work on this blog by making at least 4 entries per week
Exercise routine!
Pay off 1 of the 2 credit card debits we have
Master my bread machine
Sew a jean blanket (I have been saving old jeans for this project since college, it's time!)
Fully research and plan for a car purchase

I better get to work!

Start

2008-03-31T14:52:00.011-05:00

When my husband graduated from college, I was so excited when his first-ever teaching and coaching contract came in the mail. I thought that giving up every Saturday for the past five years, while I watch him play college football, would be the end of my "attendance support." I thought "coach" just meant a few extra dollars added onto the paycheck.

Wow! I was so wrong!

Although I was in no way prepared for this professional lifestyle, I am adjusting nicely. I love learning about new communities, making new friends, and watching my husband grow into the man God wants him to be!

I have found joy in attending the sporting events, not just to support my husband but the students too. I believe that no matter win or lose, rain or shine, 15 minutes or 4 hours away, my husband and the students will appreciate at least one smiling face in the stands.

Yes, their are a number of downsides to this all, but I will save that for another day!

Why Blog?

2008-03-31T13:26:00.008-05:00

I want to share our journey of coaching and family life with you.

I need a place to regularly refresh my attitude for this lifestyle.

I need an outlet of creativity while I stay at home with our beautiful 17 month old daughter.

I miss writing!

I love hearing, sharing, and swapping tips on things like organization, frugal living, books, and so much more.

Why not?!