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Archives for April 2011

My journey to becoming a work-at-home mom

April 30, 2011 by Sandra Leave a Comment


Hi guys,

For one of my classes, I had to create a podcast on the subject of my choice, so, I’ve decided to share how I became a work-at-home mom. Enjoy! And if you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear them. πŸ™‚

Podcast Powered By Podbean


Filed Under: Blogging

My Testimony…

April 30, 2011 by Sandra 6 Comments


God's creation

I was asked to write up my testimony for our church. I think I may have to share it in front of the congregation in the future. :-0 (I know I’ll be fine.) But I thought I’d share it with you guys, too.

I was first introduced to God by my grandmother at an early age, and from there I grew up in the Catholic religion. My grandmother would take us to church, make us memorize prayers, and had us complete other regular Catholic rituals – like our first communion and confirmation. I would say at this point that I had a knowledge of God, and I certainly believed that there was a God and His name was Jesus, but I didn’t truly KNOW GOD.

By the time I was about 17 years old, I was no longer attending the Catholic church or any church for that matter until I met the person who is now my husband, Ruben. He invited me to attend the Christian church his family attended, and from the first time that I attended, I loved it. The worship was vibrant and alive, and the preaching was biblical and unlike anything I’d ever experienced in the Catholic religion. Ruben and I stayed in that church for about three years thinking that we were both Christians. He thought that he had been converted at a young age, and I thought that I had become a Christian while attending that church for some time.

It wasn’t until the early months of 2003 that we’d come to realize we were not truly saved and truly were not converted all of those years. It happened during a trying time in our lives where we began to pray and ask the Lord if He was real and if so…to reveal Himself to us. We prayed this over and over, and in this time, we also committed to reading the book of Revelation together.

Well, after reading Revelation, you can imagine the questions that we had. That’s when Ruben happened to pick up a book he found at his mother’s house that was written specifically written about the book of Revelation.

We both decided to read the book….and that was the beginning of God opening our eyes and removing the veil. Besides finding out the meaning of some of the difficult scriptures in Revelation, the Lord showed us through that book that we were not truly saved, we were living for the world, and our lives did not reflect a desire for God or a true knowing of Him. From that time on, my life has been forever changed. I repented of my sin and put my faith in Jesus Christ. I began to pray regularly and seek the Lord and His will for my life. He, in turn, began to radically change my desires by His Holy Spirit, and we started on the journey to living a holy life for the Lord.

After finishing the book about Revelation, we quickly started reading God’s Word and have not left it since. Why would we? πŸ™‚

And that’s my testimony. To God be the glory.


Filed Under: Things in General

Super Savings Saturday: Walgreens & Jewel!

April 30, 2011 by Sandra 2 Comments


Walgreens Trip

We took a walk to Walgreens this week (I love having a Walgreens within walking distance.), and here are the deals we got:

$0.69 each for Walgreens aluminum foil with in-ad coupon

$1.99 Crayola Color Explosion (we chose this one because it had 5 sheets in it for the kids to share)
-$1.00 mfgr. cpn. from 4/3 Smart Source insert
=$0.99

$2.99 Nexcare Bandages
-$3.00 Mail in Rebate on the box
-$0.55 mfgr. cpn. from 4/3 Smart Source insert
=FREE plus overage after rebate!

$4.99 Luster White Toothpaste (I won’t use this because we try to keep our toothpaste fluoride free, but it’ll be perfect for a gift bag.)
-$4.00 Register Reward when you buy one
-$1.50 mfgr. cpn. 4/3 Smart Source insert
=FREE Β plus $0.51 overage after Register Reward!

I had register rewards from previous to keep my out of pocket low, and we may take another walk to Walgreens later today for a couple more things.

Update: I made a trip to Jewel this morning. Here’s what I picked up.

Jewel 4/30

I ended up paying only $15.18 for everything. Here’s the breakdown:

$1.00 for blue Chicago Bears bath sponge (50% off)

$0.99 birthday table cloth (50% off – Nathan’s b-day is coming up and while we don’t have parties, a table cloth will make the occasion a little more special for him)

$1.69 Organic saltine crackers (on clearance)

$1.99 for 5lb. bag of potatoes

$2.50 for Donkey chips tortilla chips (so good!)

$2.99 Schick Quattro Titanium Trimmer
-$3.00 mfgr. cpn. from 3/20 Smart Source insert
=FREE (I found this on the clearance shelf, and if I can find more coupons, I may go back later for more.)

$1.99 Xtra Laundry Detergent
-$0.50 mfgr. cpn. from 3/6 Smart Source insert
=$1.49

$5.00 for Marcal toilet paper
-$1.00 mgfr. cpn. from 4/17 Red Plum
=$4.00

Did you get any great deals this week?


Filed Under: Super Savings Saturday

Frugal Friday: How to Prepare for the Grocery Store

April 29, 2011 by Sandra 4 Comments


It’s no fun going to the store without a plan. Seriously, that can be a recipe for stress – if you are taking your kids along – and for overpaying for things you KNOW you could have gotten cheaper if only you had a plan and prepared before stepping foot into the grocery store.

In order to keep from going to the store without a plan and walking out frazzeled, here are some simple things you can do before leaving the house:

::Β Make a list. Look at the store(s) weekly ad, find out what is on sale, read blogs (My Favorite thing) with your stores deals, and then create a plan. Make a menu for that week based on what is on sale, what you already have, and what you will pick up at the store.

::Β Prepare your coupons. Go through and get out or clip the coupons you know you will be using based on what is on your list. You don’t want to find yourself in the middle of a grocery aisle trying to corral children and sort through coupons at the same time. No fun.

::Β Print any online coupons. This is a big one for me since I shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes for items that you don’t normally find coupons for in the Sunday newspaper inserts. When I use coupons at those stores, they’re normally internet printable coupons that I’ve found by reading blogs that share the deals for those stores. Also, check your store’s website to find out if they offer coupons that you can print off of their site. You can also checkΒ Coupons.com andΒ Smartsource.com to find out if there are any printable coupons there you could use. And make sure to find out if you can combine your stores online coupons with manufacturer’s coupons for more savings. For example, I can combine a Whole Foods store coupon with a printable manufacturer’s coupon.

::Β Load coupons onto your store loyalty card. There are a number of different online websites that allow you to load coupons onto your stores loyalty card so that when your card is scanned, the coupon comes off your total bill. The nice thing about loading the coupons is that you will probably only do it once a month, and those coupons are good all month. Just register with the site that has e-coupons available for your store, and load them onto your loyalty card. Here are a few I know of:

Shortcuts.com

Cellfire.com

P&GeSaver

Upromise

Meijer mPerks

Target Mobile Coupons

:: Pack snacks for the kids. This will help to keep your child happy and help you to avoid opening up that bag of snacks before you pay for it.

::Β Make sure you have everything before you leave the house. List, coupons, snacks for kids, and a plan for which stores you are going to shop at.

::Β Shop and save. Save time by having a plan and money by being prepared. πŸ™‚

How do you make your grocery trips easier to manage?

For more Frugal Friday tips and ideas, please visit Life as Mom.

 


Filed Under: Frugal Friday

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We've had lots of great tomato harvests this year We've had lots of great tomato harvests this year but our cucumber harvest was pretty weak. How did your garden grow?

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Transform and filter your tap water with the @vita Transform and filter your tap water with the @vitapodworld machine πŸ’¦  This is what I'm talking about #ontheblog today 😁
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We're transitioning to eating a more plant-based d We're transitioning to eating a more plant-based diet this year and we love it 😁 I'm slowly losing weight and my whole family is experiencing so many benefits to eating plant-based. I'm sharing about @wayfare_foods plant-based puddings on my blog today. They come in 3 delicious flavors: vanilla, butterscotch and chocolate. I'll post the blog post link in the comments.
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We went strawberry picking today.😎 The weather We went strawberry picking today.😎 The weather was perfect and the berries were plentiful but I was surprised to see SO MANY PEOPLE picking berries on a Wednesday afternoon. Apparently, we all decided today was a great day to pick. Anyway, we had a fun time and came home with lots of berries and strawberry donuts for later.😁
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Making dairy-free vegan chocolate chip cookies for Making dairy-free vegan chocolate chip cookies for my family today 😁 We started going to a new doctor and found out that my oldest son is actually allergic to dairy. I don't know why none of his other doctors ever thought to check for the most common types of allergies in him especially since he has struggled with eczema and that's a common symptom when you're allergic to dairy products. Anyway, I'm glad to know for sure now. #delicious #plantbased #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree #cookies #chocolatechip #chocolate #sweets #family #dessert #treat #delish #delicioso #mmm #yum #sweet #baking #allergies #momlife
Enjoying the Benihana Vegetable Hibachi Rice meal Enjoying the Benihana Vegetable Hibachi Rice meal for a late lunch today 😁 I found it in the freezer section at Target and it's great for a super quick and easy meal. I have two more in the freezer that I think I'll bulk up even more with some riced cauliflower next time I eat oneπŸ‘#yum #complimentary #mealtime #BenihanaFrozen #BenihanaAtHome #BenihanaFrozenFood @influenster @influenster.eats #lunch #frozenmeals #vegetables #rice #meal #quick #easy #quickandeasymeals #quickandeasyfood #freezermeals #veggies #mealideas
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Beautiful day at the zoo #familyfun #familytime #o Beautiful day at the zoo #familyfun #familytime #outdoors #family #zoo #simpleliving #spring #funtimes #remember #memories #wisconsin #wisconsindells #outside #fun #momlife #vacation #vacationmode #makingmemories #animals
I'm sharing how we manage our family's screen time I'm sharing how we manage our family's screen time and keep our kids safe online with the Circle Home Plus device and App on the blog today! 😁  Seriously,  there are SO MANY great features about the Circle and it gives you so much power as a parent to keep your kids safe. Check it out! #ad @meetyourcircle @momsmeet #momsmeet #safe #safetyfirst #meetcircle #snoozeonscreentime #digitalparenting #bedtime #screentime #family #power #control #online #internet #router #homelife #giftideas
I'm really enjoying these chewable tablet pre + pr I'm really enjoying these chewable tablet pre + probiotics 😁 I've been taking them consistently and they've been so gentle on my system. They're the @kyo_dophilus Pro+ Synbiotic chewables that you can take anytime with or without a meal. I wrote about my experience in a recent blog post that I'll link in the comments below. Do you take pre or probiotics?
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#ad #momsmeet @momsmeet #prebiotics #probiotics #microbiome #gut #bacteria #health #berrysmoothie #tablets #chewable #momlife #blogger #plantbased #benefit #easy #healthylifestyle #healthyliving #guthealth #immunesupport
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Thank you @calsangels for the fantastic care packa Thank you @calsangels for the fantastic care package full of toys and activities for my three youngest kids! 😁 They had no idea a package was coming and loved getting new toys and games to play with. I truly appreciate it! πŸ’› For those not familiar with Cal's Angel's, they're a fantastic organization that grants wishes for kids who are sick and fighting for their lives. They granted a wish for our son, David, when he was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. #thankyou #calscares #aplasticanemia #survivor #bmt #bonemarrowtransplant #live #blessed #blessings #saa #toys #family #surprise #love #wow #calsangels #severeaplasticanemia #wishes
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Just peeked πŸ‘€ at the pork roast for dinner and Just peeked πŸ‘€ at the pork roast for dinner and it's looking goodπŸ‘I'm cooking it low and slow and going to shred it and make barbecue pulled pork sandwiches 😁 What's for dinner at your house? #inthekitchen #momlife #weekend #mealideas #dinner #dinnertime #mealtime #meal #pork #porkroast #weekendfun #marriedlife #whatsfordinner #dinnerideas #mmm #yum #delicious #delish #sogood #food #foodstagram #meat #delicioso #flavor #sabroso #tasty #tastyfood
We went to IKEA and picked up a new dresser for me We went to IKEA and picked up a new dresser for me. I ❀ it. We have a super small bedroom because we gave the master bedroom to our 3 boys, and the dresser fit perfectly in the spot next to our bed. It's tall, yes, but not too tall.πŸ‘ My old dresser became hubby's because he gave his dresser to my oldest daughter. Lol - It's musical dressers around here.πŸ˜‚ #yay #momlife #ikea #new #dresser #white #furniture #bedroom #ikeahome #dressers #bedroomideas
I haven't shared a #cleankitchenatnight picture in I haven't shared a #cleankitchenatnight picture in ages so here's my kitchen tonight. Dinner is done, the kitchen is clean and I'm about to make myself an iced coffee.πŸ‘ #momlife #cleaning #kitchen #marriedlife #momof5 #simpleliving #simplelife #clean #inthekitchen #inspiration #mom #motherhood #tired #cleankitchen #motivation #blessed #thankful #done
Mexican Meatball (Albondigas) Soup is one of my ve Mexican Meatball (Albondigas) Soup is one of my very favorite soups and takes me back to my childhood 😊 Is there a soup that brings back childhood memories for you? #remember #memories #soup #meatballs #meatballsoup #albondigas #albondigassoup #momlife #mexican #inthekitchen #food #foodstagram #eat #eats #dinner #delicious #delicioso #delish #tasty #tastyfood #flavor #yum #mmm #mexicanfood #comida #comidamexicana #childhood
Mango smoothie made with frozen mango chunks from Mango smoothie made with frozen mango chunks from @costco and sparkling water 😁 I made it in my little Magic BulletπŸ‘ #easy #momlife #mango #yum #smoothie #smoothies #delicious #healthy #simpleliving #simplelife #snack #snacktime #drinks #mangosmoothie #inthekitchen #magicbullet #healthysmoothies #costco #funtimes #mmm #drink
I can only have these Costco praline pecans in the I can only have these Costco praline pecans in the house once or twice a year because it's so hard to be self-controlled when they're around. They're so sweet and delicious that I can't eat just one or a couple. 😱 Lol - Hubby knows this so he bought me some for Valentine's Day and the container is already halfway empty.😳 Oh well! I'm enjoying them! 😁 Do you have a favorite food you can't keep in the house much? #pecans #delicious #snacks #sweets #sogood #yum #selfcontrol #valentines #valentinesday #love #praline #nuts #momlife #snack #delish #delicioso #eatsandtreats #treat #eats #costco #kirkland #good #foodstagram #pecan
Homemade m&m cookies 😁 My daughter, Breanna, ma Homemade m&m cookies 😁 My daughter, Breanna, made these for homeschool this week. I found the m&ms on clearance after Christmas hence the red and green πŸ˜‰ #cookies #homemade #homeschool #homeschooling #baking #inthekitchen #sweet #treats #delicious #delish #delicioso #yum #eatsandtreats #momlife #homeschoollife #home #simpleliving #simplelife #sweets #christmas
I did my taxes this week and I'm so happy to have I did my taxes this week and I'm so happy to have that task done! I was pretty happy to see that we finally didn't owe the State this year and instead we're getting back $1. Lol πŸ˜‚ I'll take it! I love doing my taxes using @turbotax It's super easy and not intimidating because the TurboTax program is so intuitive and walks you through everythingπŸ‘ Seriously, I've used TurboTax MANY times and it keeps getting better. Do you use TurboTax? πŸ€“ Thanks to @influenster for a #complimentary code they sent me to try out #TurboTaxLiveExperts #contest #taxes #momlife #selfemployed #tax #taxtime #turbotax #money #todolist #refund #taxseason #simpleliving #simplelife #breakfast #done #coffee #taxrefund
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