The Adventures of MomLady

A Simple Devotion

2008-07-17T16:03:00.004-04:00

It's been on my heart for weeks to share this, but like so many other things the Lord calls me to, I've dragged my feet about it. (Am I the only one that does that? Is there hope that I'll ever grow out of it?) I know that my reluctance comes from fear. Fear that if I share what God says to me through His Word, someone out there will say, "Well, that's not right, Wendy, you've got it all wrong and here's why..." Fear of rebuke.

I'm not the best person in the world at memorizing Scripture. My children know more verses than I do. Oh sure, I know a few by heart. Like John 3:16, or Romans 3:23...you know, easy ones like that. But what I'm finding out now, so late in the game at my age, is that the more I read, the more certain passages start to bury themselves in my heart. I know, that seems like such an obvious, "Well, duh!" thing, but for me it's just huge. For someone that didn't grow up in church and never knew what "meditating on the Word" meant, it's nothing short of awesome to find out. And it's one of these passages that I want to share with you now.

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land." Psalm 37: 3-9

I'm sure that the first time I read this, I didn't really get it. I was a spiritually-young Christian, still feeding on "milk" and trying to get in the habit of reading daily. Back then, my mindset was probably dealing with the facts that 1) there sure are a lot of Psalms to get through, and 2) I much preferred the narrative sections of the Bible, where there's lots of action and story-telling going on. (I just love the part where Elijah tells the prophets of Baal, "Maybe your god's on vacation, or sleeping. Try yelling louder!")

But I thank God regularly now for opening my eyes to how rich His Word really is. Because when I read this through again, I was just amazed at what He's saying. Look over it with me again, and let's break it down a bit.

"Trust in the Lord and do good..." What happens when we trust in Him? We get to "dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture." In my mind, I can imagine Beth Moore's voice saying, "I need to know that if God's gonna be my Shepherd, I can trust that He's gonna put me in some good pasture, don't you? God's not gonna give us some scraggly piece of land to graze on, He's giving us something RICH to feed on, and that's His Word! We need to know that!"

Verse 4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." I was discussing these verses with my daughters the other night for our family devotion time, and I asked the girls why would the Lord give you the desires of your heart if you delight yourself in Him? Bless her heart, Rebecca answered without a moment's hesitation, "When you delight in Him, you want what He wants. So the desires of your heart become His desires. It's not like you're gonna say, 'I love Jesus' and He'll give you a million dollars or something!" You know, I thought my heart was going to burst with joy to hear her. She totally got it.

Verse 5: "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." This one seems almost to need no explanation, it's so plainly stated. Commit your way to His way, and this is what the Lord will do...

But perhaps the question here is, why? Why should committing our way to the Lord result in shining righteousness? Didn't Isaiah say that our righteousness is "as filthy rags"? (Isaiah 64:6)

It's true, our righteousness is filthy. But when we give ourselves to the Lord, when we commit ourselves to Him, when we give up our way and follow His way, when we finally say, "Not my will, but Thine," we are no longer clothed in the rags of our sins, but clothed in the glorious beauty of HIS righteousness. Talk about the most extreme makeover you can imagine, and up it to the nth degree! We don't have to be bent and beaten down by the sins of our past any longer! "Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." (Psalm 34:5) It's a beautiful thing.

Once we trust Him, delight in Him, and commit our way to Him, what happens? Well, if my own journey is any example, you can pretty much be assured that you're going to come under attack. "You're not good enough for God to love." "Look at what a terrible person you've been." "You're never going to be any good." "You don't really believe in all that, do you?" "If God really loved you, why hasn't He made this or that better for you?" "If you want to get ahead in life, you've got to take matters into your own hands." "God helps those who help themselves." "It's a dog-eat-dog world, you've got to look out for number one because no one else will."

And what's God's answer to this? "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." That's it. Just be still and wait. Don't get in a tizzy because someone else got the promotion when they didn't deserve it. Or when someone slanders you. Or spreads malicious gossip about you. Be still. Wait. And don't fret.

In fact, if you look at the passage, you'll notice that He says not to fret twice. "Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil." (emphasis mine) When we fret, we engage our negative emotions. We feel slighted. Used. Abused. We want justice. And retribution.

And revenge.

We want to hurt the way we've been hurt. We want to make someone pay.

But the price has already been paid. By Jesus. And paybacks belong to Him. "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

So, what are we to do? Trust Him. Delight in Him. Commit our way to Him.

And after all that, stand still and wait patiently for Him. God is so much bigger than any troubles that come our way.

And He knows how to handle them a lot better than we do.

Just Another Frenzied Friday

2008-07-11T10:21:00.003-04:00

Not much time to write today. Not much time for anything, really. I've got an entire house to clean, and not many hours to clean it in.

The in-laws are coming for dinner.

Sorry for the lack of content today, but here's an interesting little something you might enjoy. Take a look.

I wonder what would happen if I served that for dinner tonight?

Wordless Wednesday - Lunch Time

2008-07-09T00:33:00.005-04:00

"I'm a big girl now. I can pick my own lunch."

"Soup sounds good..."

"MMMmmmm!!!"

Satisfy your appetite for more wordless fun at 5 Minutes for Mom or Wordless Wednesday!

No Sibling Rivalry Here, I Swear!

2008-07-07T21:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'm the first to admit that I'm one of those "emotional" females. I can get excited about some of the least, silliest things. Like when I buy $150 worth of stuff at CVS for four cents. Or get a really cute pair of new shoes. Or find out that I'm two sizes smaller than I thought I was. (Stupid bathroom scale, doesn't it know that the poundage it's telling me I am simply CANNOT fit into the jeans I'm wearing? I swear, there's something wrong with it.)

So you can imagine how flipped-out-of-my-gourd I am over what I'm about to tell you. I'm JUST SO EXCITED I CAN'T STAND IT!!!

Oh, sorry, no, I'm not pregnant. I'm still on the fence about that.

Well, yeah, I DID do something different with my hair and it DOES look cute (most of the time). But that's not it, either. (I'll tell you about that later. Unless my hair turns traitor on me again. Which it probably will. Soon. In which case, we'll just pretend I never mentioned it, okay?)

Oh, the exciting thing? Oh yeah...

My sister is blogging!!!

Oh, you thought I was going to say that I'd won the lottery and was getting ready to start visiting all of you with checks? Ummm...sorry about that. Didn't mean to get your hopes up.

But seriously, this is exciting stuff to me. My sister April is my bestest friend in the whole wide world (not counting my husband of course...cause, you know, that's just a whole different category) and the fact that she's blogging now means I can talk to her about blogging and not feel like a complete geek-loser! Isn't that great?

In fact, she's not only started a blog, she's started TWO! One about her new life of domesticity (and the endless to-do lists that go with it) and one to share all her BBQ recipes. Which would make it very easy for me to say that she's being an over-achieving show-off, but since I don't suffer from sibling rivalry anymore I'm not the least bit threatened. (Besides, I had two blogs first, so there...pppbbbbbt!)

Oh, so you want to know where her blogs are so you can visit them? I see how it is...now that April's blogging, you'll go fall in love with her and forget all about me, huh? She just comes along with all her fun, wit and charm and I'm tossed to the side like yesterday's newspaper. Just like Mom and Dad, she'll be YOUR favorite, too. Everyone always likes April better...it's just not fair...

April, April, April!!!!

Ahem...

Sorry about that.

Seriously, though, I'd love it if you'd stop by my sister's blog, Honey-Do Honey, and give her a warm welcome to the blogging community. With a no-holds barred look at domestic life in middle-class suburbia through the eyes of a former corporate workaholic, I think you'll be glad you did. And if you want to pick up some delicious recipes from a member of an award-winning barbeque team, check out her food blog, HoneyDo BBQ.

And, April? You know I love ya. You're the best big sister in the world, and I wouldn't trade you for anything.

Welcome to my world, Sis.

Mmmm...Fruit!

2008-07-06T13:15:00.000-04:00

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23

Freedom and Fireworks

2008-07-04T19:52:00.002-04:00

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." -Ronald Reagan

May we always be thankful for those who are willing to stand up for freedom. Happy Independence Day, America.

And enjoy the fireworks!

Out Of The Mouths Of Tweens...

2008-06-20T10:32:00.004-04:00

A snippet of our breakfast conversation this morning...

Me(musing aloud): "I can get diapers cheaper at Target, but it's far away. If I hit the CVS near there, since they won't be out of what I want, will it be worth the trip?"

Eric(cheerfully): "That'll work. We can ALL go pick up Rebecca from church and head straight up there!"

Me: "But that'll be during the babies' naptime."

Eric: "Well, I don't see much way around that, do you?"

Emily(helpfully): "Daddy and I can stay here with the babies while they're sleeping."

Me(teasing): "Yeah, but Daddy never wants to stay home when Mommy goes out."

Eric: "That's not true."

Emily: "Dad, you just say whatever Mom wants to hear."

Eric(startled): "What?!?"

Emily(matter-of-factly): "You heard me."

Snugglebug

2008-06-19T18:17:00.001-04:00

Emily and Rebecca, pretending to be the Mario Bros.

There they are, my big girls. Emily and Rebecca. They're almost three years apart in age, but from the way they act, you'd think they were twins. Yes, they're that close. And practically inseperable.

Except for this week.

Rebecca left Sunday morning for summer camp at the beach with the youth group from church.

And since Eric has worked evenings pretty much all week, it's been just me, Emily, and the babies for the most part. Which has given Emily and I the chance to do something together we haven't gotten to enjoy much of lately. We get to snuggle.

Emily became my "snugglebug" practically from the start. I remember when she was still an infant, I was stuck with the difficult task of working outside the home to support the family while still trying to maintain the ability to nurse. Every night when I finally got home, I'd greet her sisters, whisk her up in my arms and hurry off to my bedroom. We'd curl up together on my bed, on our sides facing each other, and settle down to our "snuggling". We'd stay like that, drifting in and out, for at least a half hour or more. It was a peaceful, bonding experience that I always cherished.

Over the course of her toddlerhood, and well on into her little-girl years, the desire to snuggle never diminshed for my little Emily. I can't tell you how many nights I'd wake up beside her at three in the morning, curled around her sweetly sleeping self, and reluctantly drag myself off to my own bed so I could hear my alarm to wake up on time come morning.

For the first time in years, I've gotten to fall asleep again with my snugglebug. I'm glad to know she still enjoys it, just as much as I do.

Wordless Wednesday - Ben Busts A Move

2008-06-18T00:07:00.001-04:00

With Love And Thanks

2008-06-17T00:25:00.002-04:00

I don't know how I've managed to deserve this, but two incredibly sweet women have bestowed some bloggy-love on me.

This first is from Marye of Baking Delights (THE best food blog I know!) Thank you, Marye, for all the love and prayers you've sent my way. In turn, I'm passing this on to some women that I simply love to pieces.

Amy of Oh Me, Oh My, My Wonderful Men - Her sweetness shines out like a light. (And not in a sugary-sweet, make-you-want-to-retch kind of way, either.)

Diane of Meyers on the Hood - She makes me laugh...and cry...and then laugh some more. When I grow up, I want to blog like her.

Janice of Chasing Myself - She always gives me hugs and understanding. And she's got that kind of wry, sardonic wit I often admire and can never pull off myself.

Ashley of Looking Out The Window - Aside from our gender, we have practically nothing in common. She's beautiful, young, and a college graduate that travels the world and often volunteers her time to make the world a better place. We've known each other several years now, since my earliest days of blogging, and I'm blessed to call her my friend.

Angela of Roses and Brambles - Angela is another woman I've been lucky enough to know for several years now. I love that we can jump right in to catching up with each other, no matter how long an absence we've had...which to me is the hallmark of a friend. I'm glad she's one of mine.

Thank you, Amy for this next award. Proverbs 11:16 says, "A kindhearted woman gains respect..." Each of these women have my respect and admiration for who they are, what they do, and the lovingkindness they share, just being themselves.

Laura of A Day in the Life of a Mom of Six
Steph of Adventures in Babywearing
Gina of An Unpink Life
Nell of Casual Friday Everyday
Hoggards Mom of Four Little Penguins
Stacey of Jamee Forever
Jen of One Mom's World
Birdie of Scenes from the Crooked Maple
Steph of The Daily Grind
Elexis of The Stuff I Live For
Stacey of Vader's Mom

Thank you for sharing the love, and making my world a better place.

Fun With Fives

2008-06-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

Laura tagged me for a meme I haven't seen before, so let's have some fun with it, shall we?

What were you doing five years ago?
Beginning a whole new life...I received Christ as my Lord and Savior, and got engaged to my beloved Eric.

What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order)?
Give my son a haircut
Catch up my coupon clipping and organizing
Plan my next ~~pillage and raid of~~ shopping trip at CVS
Write and mail a congratulatory note to a friend who just completed her doctorate
Get caught up with my favorite blogs! (Absolute must!)

What are five snacks you enjoy?
I love food, period, so picking favorites is always tough. As far as snacks are concerned, I guess I'd go with...
Cheez-Its with cajun-flavored smoked salmon dip
Egg Rolls or Pizza Rolls
Dove or Bliss Chocolate
Nuts (Smoked Almonds, Cashews, or Deluxe Mixed)
Grapes (Well, I've got to have something healthy in there!)

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
A lot more than just FIVE things, that's for sure. But after all the "usual" things (like setting up trust funds for the kids, buying our farm and building our dream house on it, getting new cars, spreading the wealth amongst some of the family, etc.) here are a couple of ideas I have.
1) Set up a fund for ongoing charitable contributions to places like Compassion, Samaritan's Purse, North American Missions Board and others.
2) Set up a college scholarship fund for homeschooled students.
3) Give away 10,000 copies of Facing The Giants and The Business of Being Born.
4) Travel to meet all of my blogging friends.
5) And present each of them with a check to pay off whatever bills they have.

What are five of your bad habits?
1) Procrastinating
2) Staying up late too often
3) Sleeping in too often
4) Biting the skin around the sides of my fingernails (but at least it stopped me from biting my nails!)
5) Procrastinating (yeah, it's a big problem of mine)

What are five jobs you’ve had?
1) Waitress
2) Office clerk at a used car lot
3) 10+ years of various banking positions (teller, customer service rep., wire transfer clerk, check processor, teller supervisor, etc.)
4) Bookkeeper
5) Mother (The best job on earth!)

So, what do you think? Has your life changed much since five years ago? Have you ever tried Cheez-its with salmon dip?

And most importantly...aren't you glad you're friends with me now, just in case I do become a billionaire someday?

"And the actual retail price is...."

2008-06-09T13:54:00.003-04:00

Some of you really have a lot of faith in my shopping abilities! As much as I'd love to tell you that I only spent a dollar or less, I have to admit it cost me a little more than that for all those diapers and baby wipes. My actual out of pocket cash total came to $4.39.

Which means that Cindi is the big winner, with a guess of $4.07. Congratulations to her, and thanks to everyone that joined in my little version of "The Price Is Right".

Sorry about this, but I've got to keep it short and simple today. This week is Vacation Bible School at our church, which means I really have to cram my daytime schedule so we can have dinner early. Especially since I'm in charge of the nursery, and it would be extremely un-cool for me to show up late.

See ya tomorrow!

Sarah, My Precious One Year Old

2008-06-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

I almost can't believe it, but today is my sweet little Sarah's first birthday. In honor of the occasion, I've decided to share her birth story here, but not in the usual way. Instead of telling you what happened, I'm going to share the event as it was originally recorded in my journal.

June 1, 2007
Dear Journal,
Here it is, June, and I'm still pregnant. I honestly thought I was going into labor yesterday, but halfway through the morning the contractions petered away. I spent the rest of the day (and evening) getting an occasional "squeeze" every hour or two until midnight. I didn't tell Eric this, but I felt totally devastated. I've never had that happen before! I just don't understand. When I go into labor, it's always been a done deal at that point. I may take a long time before I finally start, but once it does...BAM! But not this time.
I've got this mental image of what having this baby is going to be like. Picture me in a small watercraft (canoe, raft, whatever) lazily traversing my way down a long river. No hurry, no rush, just meandering along in the slow-moving water, downstream, past bend and curve, on and on. Out of nowhere, I hit rapids, and before I can truly adjust to the sudden change, I plunge over a waterfall. That's it, end of story.
Secretly, I'm a little scared. I'm not showing it, but I am. The biggest things keeping me calm right now are 1)my faith in God, 2) my trust in Eric and 3) that I was scared about Ben, too, and everything came out fine. There's no reason to suspect anything is going to go wrong. I guess most women get this way when it gets close. I'm just being patient and praying everything comes out fine. Time will tell soon enough. At least I was right about one thing. I said this baby wouldn't be here before June. So, there you go.

June 2, 2007
Dear Journal,
I'm still having contractions off and on, sometimes every fifteen minutes and sometimes hours apart. I haven't felt the baby move for hours, and the last time, it was pretty feeble. I don't know what I'll do if this baby doesn't make it.
Eric's being very supportive, telling me that all these "warm-ups" are a good thing, for me and the baby. I pray he's right.
I just want to see the baby, to hold her or him and know that everything is okay. I want to see my baby healthy and alive in my arms, smart, beautiful and sweet.
Another contraction, and it couldn't have lasted more than fifteen seconds. There's nothing to do but wait. And pray.
P.S. And I just felt the baby move again. Not a lot, but enough to let me know they're still okay.

June 3 2:29am
Looks like I'm really in labor this time. Contractions between 5-10 minutes for nearly 60 seconds each. Thank You, Father.

3:00am
Then again, maybe not.

2:00pm
We didn't go to church today. After being up most of the night (and keeping Eric up most of that time, too) it just didn't make sense to even think of trying.
The good news is my mucous plug seems to definitely be out. The bad news is, contractions still haven't picked up or remained regular. I'm feeling better mentally about everything, thanks to a good nap, and letting Eric get some much needed rest now. So, there's nothing to do but stay the course and keep waiting. Wouldn't it be something if I had twins though?

June 5, 2007 1:10am
This is the first chance I've had to write, and I must keep it short for now. Sarah Ruth was born at 8:36am, Monday, June 4th in our bedroom. Eric caught her, Rachel assisted, Emily videotaped, and Rebecca babysat Ben. She's 7lbs. 6oz. and 19 inches long, with brown hair and brown eyes.

June 10, 2007
Dear Journal,
About our little Miss Sarah...
She's so tiny! That's just about the first thing we all thought after she was born. It's hard to believe she's only 3 oz. smaller than Ben was at birth.
Remember that mental image I had about going down a slow river and over the waterfall? Pretty accurate. Right up until 30-60 minutes before she was born, the contractions were still being very weird and irregular. (I wonder how many women who've had c-sections for "failure to progress" would've came out fine if they'd been let to wait like I did. I know a doctor and hospital would've taken her out if I hadn't had her at home.) The best we can figure is that she was posterior, and all the contractions (and a lot of them were strictly back labor) were turning her around. Of course, once it was time to push (which came almost immediately after transition) it took about 5 minutes and 3 pushes. She crowned on the first two pushes, and Eric said he could see that she was still in her water bag both times. Then the water broke just before the third push, and when she came, her head was only out for half a second before the rest of her shot out all at once. No "one shoulder at a time", no extra pushes or anything. I wasn't even pushing once her head came through. Both shoulders and all the rest of her, straight into Daddy's hands. He said it was one of the most amazing moments in his life, to catch his own child. And I didn't tear or anything. (And I knew she'd be tiny.)
One more thing about the contractions; it's amazing how easy some of them were to deal with. I don't know if it was due to the different positions I was in (sitting, standing, etc.) or what, but if I ever get to have another baby I'll definitely try that.

Happy birthday, my dainty little princess. You were worth every moment.

Happy June...Let's Have A Giveaway!

2008-06-02T12:23:00.005-04:00

I've decided that, since I'm starting off June with my 201st post, what could be better than to have a little giveaway!

For the lovely handful of you that are regulars here, you know all about what a CVS-freak I've become. But when you can walk into a store, get bunches of stuff you actually like/want/need and pay practically pennies for it, how can you NOT love that?! Just look at the jackpot I hit yesterday.

To sum it up, here's what I got: Four jumbo packs of Pampers (I could only get three Pampers Cruisers in the right size, so the fourth is a Baby Dry.)
Five Pampers wipes
Two Listerine Smart Rinse
Two Purell hand sanitizer
Three packs of Duracell batteries
Eight bags of Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix (There are only seven in the picture...Eric snarfed one down before I could grab the camera. Can't really blame him, either. It's sooooo yummy!)

When I first started "CVS-ing", it took awhile to get the swing of it, mostly because I didn't have any Extra Care Bucks to work with. But now that I've got it working, I've decided to give someone else a little extra help getting started saving their family money.

So, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to give away a $10 CVS giftcard to one lucky person. It doesn't matter where you're from, and you don't have to have a blog to enter. All you have to do, between now and midnight Friday, is leave me a comment here on this post with your guess as to how much I spent out of pocket for everything listed above. The person who comes closest without going over will be the winner. You can only guess once, so think carefully. Oh, and make sure I've got a way to contact you in case you win.

Of course, if you just want to ooh and ahh over what a smart shopper I am without leaving a guess and getting entered, you're more than welcome to do that, too.

Happy June!

Sugar Honey Iced Tea

2008-05-31T15:45:00.000-04:00

When I started writing in this blog again last fall, I wanted everything I wrote to be positive in some way. Even if I felt like I was being overwhelmed with children and housework and life in general, I didn't want to start writing a lot of "Oh woe is me, I've got it so hard!" type posts. Keeping it real is one thing, but there's nothing attractive about whining or complaining.

Depression doesn't paint a pretty picture, either. But sometimes, life doesn't give you much choice.

Two weeks ago, my family and I took off for a weekend at the beach. Before we even left the house, we had problems. Major problems.

What should've been the perfect family getaway turned into a facade of smiles and politeness covering a mass of tension and near-hostility. After we got home, it only took a few more days for everything to finally fall apart.

The end result is that my oldest daughter, Rachel, so recently home from college, packed her things Wednesday night and left while Eric and I were taking the girls to Awanas at church. We came home to an empty house. No note and no goodbye.

She's living with her father now.

I've spent the past two weeks coming to terms with what happened. And as much as I wanted to write it all down here, my emotions were still so raw I could hardly face the thought of putting it into words. I've run the gambit, emotionally. Everything from hurt, sad, broken, ashamed, angry, used, abused, enraged and bewildered. And depressed. A whole lot of depressed.

The hard reality I'm facing is that I am now estranged from my own daughter. What a strange word that is...estranged. What a strange relationship to have with a child you've given birth to, loved, nurtured, worried and prayed over for so many years. Estranged.

This has been the hardest post I've ever had to write. Even harder than when my mother died. It's just not the sort of thing you expect to happen in your life someday. I expected Rachel to move out eventually. But not like this.

Life, as it always does, has continued. Eric continues to work hard to provide for us. The girls and I have finished our "official" homeschool year and are in the process of setting a new summer routine. Benjamin and Sarah continue to amaze me with the leaps and bounds they each make in their development. (Sarah is walking further distances on her own, and Benjamin is learning his letters.) And every day, God blesses us in more ways than I can count.

And today, as I write my 200th post, I decide to make a few changes and set a few goals in my life.

I will not hold myself responsible for the actions of others.

I will not beat myself up for not being "perfect".

I will not allow others to beat me up for not being "perfect".

I will not feel guilty for taking time out for myself.

I will not let depression control me.

And I will write at least one post every day in June. Even when "sugar honey iced tea" happens.

Thanks for sticking with me this far.

Weekend Getaway

2008-05-15T13:15:00.004-04:00

Since the trip got cancelled, my husband decided we needed a family getaway, even if it's just for a weekend. So, we put our talked it over and decided to head down to the coast. Since I've become the "super-hero of money-saving" around here, it was up to me to find the best accommodations at the lowest rate.

Well, here's what I found.

I was lucky enough to come across a two-room suite complete with a galley kitchen and oceanfront balcony. Since the sofa is a pull-out, we're going to have Ben and the big girls share the double beds in the bedroom while Eric and I take the couch, with Sarah in a playpen nearby us. Falling asleep to the sound of the waves is going to be so soothing.

AND...the suite is in a resort with two lazy rivers, two pools and four hot tubs. So when we're not playing on the beach or exploring the beauty and history of nearby Charleston, we'll be hanging out poolside and enjoying the good life. Yeah, baby!

AAANNNNDD...I got the last deal before the summer rates kick in. Which means we can afford the all-you-can-eat seafood fest we've all been dying for. Do you have any idea how many pounds of shrimp and crab legs my family can put away? It's staggering, I tell you. My gratitude for the men on Deadliest Catch is profound, to be sure.

I really love little weekend jaunts like this. It doesn't have the pressure or expense of a full-blown vacation, but it creates memories that last a lifetime. And Eric really, really needs this. Goodness knows he's earned it. (And, not to sound selfish, but I think I have, too.)

I'll be back next week. Have a fantabulistic weekend, everyone!

Wordless Wednesday - Tomorrow's Rock Star Today

2008-05-14T12:02:00.004-04:00

(My 13-year old on Guitar Hero 3)

The Mother's Day Gift

2008-05-12T15:21:00.006-04:00

First off, I've got to thank all of you for your kind and encouraging words on my last post. I was pretty bummed about not going to Kansas City this year, although I did get to have a wonderfully romantic date with Eric one night last week, which helped a lot. We finally got a Thai restaurant in this town, and it was fantastic.

But I still felt down about the cancelled trip. You see, not only do I not get to visit my sister (whom I really, really miss) or my father (whom I'm a little worried about) or my brother (especially since neither of us have seen each other's newest daughters) or Nell (which would've been totally cool), I don't get to visit my mother's grave, either. I was looking forward to taking her some flowers on Mother's Day.

Since that became out of the question, I spent Mother's Day determinedly ignoring the fact that it was Mother's Day. As far as I was concerned, it was just another Sunday. No cards, flowers, candy, pampering, etc. In fact, I got downright un-Mother's Day-ish and decided to clean out some of my dresser drawers.

And I wound up with one of the best Mother's Day gifts ever.

Tucked into a drawer where I've kept various cards and notes, I found the following letter.

Dear ones, Wendy, Eric, Rachel, Rebecca, Emily
Thank you so much for Thanksgiving weekend in SC. This was wonderful except for my sickness. I am very sorry for that. I missed work for six days after I got home. This was due to my being ill. We hope you have a wonderful merry Christmas. Also a blessed happy New Year. Give the kids hugs and kisses for us. Also one for yourselves too.
Love you always.
Love, Mom

Mom wasn't much for writing letters, so it's the only one I've got from her. She wrote that after our last Thanksgiving together, the only time she got to visit us out here.

Sitting there on my bedroom floor with tears in my eyes, I wished again that I could've been there to put flowers on her grave. And in the stillness of the room, it was as if I could hear my mother's voice. That sweet, happy voice of hers that still had a hint of her Tennessee roots. Ah, Sissy, that's sweet and all, but you don't need to do that. You just enjoy your day. You're a Mommy too, ya know. Give the babies a hug and have some fun with 'em.

I spent the rest of the evening making cookies and homemade bread with the kids. We played music and baked and laughed. Everyone had a good time.

And I know that my mother is somewhere in heaven, being happy.

Best Laid Plans

2008-05-06T16:29:00.005-04:00

Well, my big trip to Kansas City this summer is off. Due to an unexpectedly large auto repair bill for my husband's car, we can no longer afford the trip. Considering the cost of gas as it is, I was already beginning to think this was an iffy proposition. (I mean, it would've cost at least five hundred dollars just for the gas to get there and back!) Yesterday's report from the mechanic clinched it.

My daughters were very excited about going to Kansas (as they always are) but they took the news gracefully and with a lot of understanding, which I'm deeply thankful for.

After talking to the girls, I called my father and sister to let them know. My sister was disappointed, but took it well. Dad's only real comment was, "You're paying how much??...well, I guess Eric's not mechanically-inclined. That's too bad."

I do believe he meant it's too bad Eric couldn't have fixed it himself and saved us the money. I couldn't explain to him how far-reaching and serious the problem was...there are some things Dad will just never understand. Men who don't work on their own cars is one of them.

So, that's that. Some things just aren't meant to be.

Six Little Words

2008-05-03T14:54:00.003-04:00

Elexis at The Stuff I Live For has tagged me again. This time it's a six word memoir.

Only six? As wordy as I am? Gee, that's tough, but here goes.

"Love, live, laugh...dishes can wait."

So what are your six words?

Go To The Poll, Please!

2008-05-02T17:56:00.003-04:00

Please take a minute to cast your vote in the poll in my sidebar. Sorry I can't pay you for participating, because your answers are valuable.

Thanks!

"Free" Time

2008-04-29T18:20:00.004-04:00

Back at the end of February, I wrote that I was learning how to get more bang for my buck by shopping stores like CVS and Walgreens. It took a little time and effort to reach this point, but as of this week I think it's safe for me to say that I finally know what I'm doing.

Now, before I get into all the details, I want to say that I don't normally go more than once a week. Typically, I only go to CVS once every two weeks. I've been working hard this year on becoming more frugal and more organized, as well as a more conscientious shopper (I'll share some thoughts on that at the end of the post), so it's only right to plan out my shopping to take as little driving and time as possible. Having said all that, let's get to the fun stuff!

Here's what I got on my first trip.

Anyone want to take a guess at how much that cost?

How about four dollars and four cents. Really! Don't believe me? Well, I'll prove it.

Transaction #1: 1 Bic Soleil Razor @5.99
2 Essence of Beauty products @2.98 (buy one get one 50% off)
1 Garnier Nutri-Pure scrub @5.99
1 Garnier cleansing towelettes @0.00 (free w/scrub)
1 12-pack Scott toilet tissue @5.99 (this had been on sale previously, but the store was out and gave me a raincheck)

Subtotal: $20.95
Minus: 20.95 (coupons and Extra Care Bucks)
Final Total: .28 out of pocket

Transaction #2: 1 Bic Soleil Razor @5.99
2 Essence of Beauty products @2.98 (buy one get one 50% off)
1 Garnier Nutri-Pure scrub @5.99
1 Garnier cleanser @0.00

Subtotal: $14.96
Minus: 12.00 (coupons and ECBs)
Final Total: 3.45 out of pocket

Transaction #3: 2 Softsoap hand soaps @1.94
2 Palmolive dish soaps @1.39 (buy one get one free)
2 L'Oreal Vive Shampoos @4.99 (buy one get one free)
4 Essence of Beauty products @5.96 (buy one get one 50% off)

Subtotal: $14.28
Minus: 14.20 (coupons)
Final Total: .31 out of pocket

I walked in with $17.98 in ECBs and left with $16, so for the $4.04 I paid in cash and the $1.98 in ECB, I paid for the toilet paper and basically got everything else free.

Now here's what I got on my second trip.

And how much did all that come to? Less than $20? Less than $10??

Three dollars and forty-two cents!!!

Again, this was multiple transactions during the same visit, so bear with me while I break it down for you.

Transaction #1: 3 Colgate 360 toothbrushes @11.97
2 Aquafresh toothpastes @5.98
2 Speed Stick deodorants @2.99 (buy one get one free)

Subtotal: $20.94
Minus: 20.00 (coupons and ECBs)
Final total: 1.43 out of pocket

Transaction #2: 1 Huggies diapers @11.49
1 Aquafresh toothpaste @2.99
1 Dove dark chocolate @.79

Subtotal: $15.27
Minus: 15.27 (coupons and ECBs)
Final total: .13 out of pocket

Transaction #3: 1 Huggies diapers @11.49
2 All detergents @6.49 (buy one get one free)
1 Eclipse gum Big-E pack @1.99

Subtotal: $20.47
Minus: 19.47 (coupons and ECBs)
Final total: 1.86 out of pocket

I started with $16 in ECBs and ended with $9.97, so between that difference and the cash out of pocket, you could say that I got one package of diapers for $9.45 and got everything else free. I'm not worried about the decline in my ECB take-home amount because 1) there will be plenty of other opportunities to replenish it back up and 2) they're meant to be spent, not just accumulated.

In the past couple months, as I've learned how to "play the CVS game", I've had to come to a few decisions about what kind of "player" I want to be. Getting stuff for free (or almost free) is a pretty heady feeling. Especially when you've spent as much time being dirt-poor as I have, where frugality isn't just a choice you make, it's simply a fact of life, period. The temptation to jump in on every deal is certainly there, up to a point. But it's "that point" that makes the difference between a deal-shopper, and conscientious one, I think.

When I look over the ads, I always ask myself, "Is it really something I'll use? What good will I actually get out of it?" And I can honestly say that I have a use for every single item in both of those pictures.

Yes, even the make-up applicators. Because, you see, I'm driving to Kansas City in a week to visit my sister. I haven't seen her in two years, and she's taking a week's vacation just so we can spend some time together. For the first time in I don't know how long, we'll be together on Mother's Day. And after we put flowers on Mom's grave, I'm going to treat her to a day of good old-fashioned, spoil-ourselves-silly, in-home spa and beauty treatments. Mud on our faces, pedicures...whatever I can come up with. We need it, we deserve it, and by golly, we're gonna have a blast doing it.

And if she's lucky, I'll still have the dark chocolate bar to share with her.

We Have Winners!

2008-04-26T14:48:00.003-04:00

First up, the winner of Debi Pearl's Created To Be His Help Meet is...Katy from The Country Blossom! Congratulations Katy! I'll be emailing you shortly to get your shipping info.

Now, for the Haircuts For Little Men...

But before I announce the winner, I'd just like to say a quick something.

Apparently, after reading the comments, there are a lot of women out there that don't know what to do with their son's hair other than buzzcut it. I don't blame you. Before I got this ebook, I didn't have a clue myself. That's why I just wanted to say that if you're not the winner, I strongly urge you to consider getting a copy for yourself. As a frugal shopper, I love to find a good deal, and this is one I personally couldn't pass up. Right now, Nancy is offering Haircuts for Little Men for $11.99. Between the cost of a "professional" cutting your son's hair and the gas it takes to get there, you'll be saving time and money doing it yourself right there at home. And the satisfaction from all the compliments you'll get on how cute your son is with his new haircut? Well, that's just priceless. And honestly, if I can learn how to cut my son's hair without making him look like the victim of a bad lawn-mower accident, anyone can.

With that said, the lucky winner is...Tara at Tara's View of the World. Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone that played along!

Who, Me?

2008-04-25T20:16:00.004-04:00

A funny thing happened at the grocery store...

I know, that sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but bear with me.

Last night, I had to make a quickie trip to the store to get some diapers. I swear, it wasn't because my in-laws were having dinner with us that I accidentally overlooked the fact that my son was running low and didn't find the time all day long to replenish the supply. Honest.

Ahem.

So, I ~~leisurely strolled the aisles trying to kill as much time as possible~~ hurried to get in and out as quickly as I could. While I was ~~wondering how I could milk another ten minutes out of this trip~~ getting my coupons out of my purse, I wasn't paying any attention to the cashier until he said, "Hey, how've you been? I haven't seen you in awhile." Not one that likes to be caught embarrassingly off-guard, I came back with a quick, "Fine, thanks, how are you?" while I tried to figure out just who this guy is. His face wasn't familiar at all, and the name on his badge sure didn't ring any bells. As he continued his chit-chat, I wondered if maybe this was one of my daughter's old high school friends, but I'm really sure he's not. Eventually, my business was done and that was that.

Now normally, I might've pondered this a bit more. After all, as the locals would tell you, "I ain't frum arownd hee-yah." And usually, this sort of thing only happens when I'm visiting back home in Kansas City and run into someone I went to grade school with way back in the day. (How they recognize me is always a mystery to me. I mean, surely I don't look that much like I did when I was five...do I?) But I let it go in lieu of getting home and finishing out my evening with the in-laws.

Right now, if you've stuck with me this long you're probably wondering if that was the funny thing. Or you may be wondering if I have a seriously deficient sense of humor to think that this story is funny. Or you might even be wondering who's going to get cut next week from American Idol, I don't know. But that wasn't the funny part. It's coming soon. I promise.

Tonight I took dinner to my husband at work. I do this every night that he works the closing shift. Oh, and did I mention that he works in a grocery store? Specifically, the grocery store I always go to?

And, oh yeah, he's one of the managers.

So, now that you're up to speed on that, let's continue...

Well, it just so happens that my son (who's the biggest yogurt fiend I've ever seen) starts begging for yogurt while I'm giving my husband his dinner. And since he was a good boy and ate all his dinner, I decide to be the nice mommy and get him some. So, we head to the checkout. Me, four children, and my manager husband. And guess whose line I end up in?

Yep, that guy. My "new friend".

Who makes the mistake of saying, "So, you came back to see me."

Okay, maybe he really was just trying to be friendly or something. I don't know. I'm not vain (or stupid) enough to really think he was trying to...you know, hit on me or anything. Not likely.

But I do occasionally get a particularly wicked sense of humor.

(Here's the funny part you've patiently waited for.)

I turn to my husband...

...and say...

"Honey, your cashier is flirting with your wife."

I'll never have to wonder again what's the fastest way to get my husband's attention.

Footnote: 1)My husband knew I was joking. 2)The cashier knew I was joking. 3)No, no one got fired. It was all in good fun and everyone had a big laugh. But that cashier's face sure did turn red for some reason.

Another Day, Another Giveaway!

2008-04-23T13:18:00.007-04:00

Update: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered!

I don't know about you, but I'm having a blast with all the great giveaways going on at the Bloggy Giveaway carnival. In fact, it's so much fun...I'm having another one. Up for grabs today is your very own copy of Haircuts for Little Men by Nancy Baetz.

Do you have a little boy whose hair grows faster than yours? Do you think that the only thing you're capable of handling with a pair of scissors is coupon-clipping? Well, I used to be that way until I got Haircuts for Little Men. Nancy gives easy-to-follow instructions, complete with pictures (for those of us that have to see it to get it.) You'll save time and money, and learn a new skill to boot. How cool is that?

Want proof of how easy this is? Check out my own son's before and after pictures.

Before: An unkempt mess (even without butter and jelly on his face).

After: That's one handsome little man, don't you think?

So, are you ready to learn how to cut boys' hair? Here's what you've got to do. Simply leave a comment on this post. That's it, no hoops to jump through, no questions to answer. And here's more good news...because this is a downloadable e-book, this contest is open to everyone! Just make sure you leave me a valid email address in your comment. (I recommend using the following format: barefootmomlady at gmail dot com, just in case their's a nasty spammer lurking around.)

Good luck!

Edited to add: Nancy has informed me that she's currently offering a discount, too! So, if you don't win, you can still get it at a great savings (and believe me, the money you'll save will more than recoup what you pay.) Thanks Nancy!