Future Coupon Mama?

   Ok, so a few weeks ago, I watched a TV show called extreme couponing and it really intrigued me. They introduced three extreme couponers(one who even dumpter dives for them, talk about whack job....lol), who go on shopping trips and save literally thousands of dollars in product.They all had stockpiles of grocery and toiletry items that they literally get for pennies on the dollar. At first I thought that this was a bit cukoo, but alot of times they donate the stuff to food banks. And its always good to be prepared.
  Couponing is always something I have wanted to try, but it just seemed like too much of an effort to me. Clipping out all of those coupons,etc. But I think I am going to go for it, and for the next month, I have vowed not to go to the grocery store unless I have at least 8-10 coupons to use. I went to coupon clippers and ordered a bunch of coupons to get me started. My next step is to get some sort of organizer, and you know me, it will be a pretty crafty one..........
   In the meantime,check out Hip2Save   for some awesome deals. Future coupon mama? eh, maybe.

From Messes to Masterpiece

I have a dear friend who is an amazing artist. The things she creates on canvas , if you saw them, would literally take your breathe away.She takes no credit for her works of art,she simply holds the brush,and lets God do the rest.Painting can be a messy hobby, as with any artistic sort of hobby. I imagine the paint often gets spilled, and maybe she has even gotten it on her clothing a time or two. But after the mess has been cleaned, here sits this beautiful work of art, a masterpiece, for her and others to enjoy.
     Art and painting are alot like life. We all start with a blank canvas,filling it as we go with the various events of our lives.The brush is a representation of what controls us,whether it be other people, our own thoughts, wants or desires,various situations in our lives, you get the idea .As long as we, not God, are in control of the brush, we will be left with alot of messes to clean up. Its only when we allow God to take ahold of the brush that he can take our mess,whether it is created by ourselves,others, or just life in general, and turn it into a masterpiece for us to enjoy.That is also where his restoration comes in,after all he does have to restore what we ultimately screwed up
       This gets me to thinking about other types of art in general.Anyone that knows me knows that I am crafty. But what alot of people dont know is that I like to take things that would normally be thrown away in the trash, like cans, old boxes,records,and the like, and make altered functional pieces out of them. I like to give something that which otherwise be discarded new purpose and meaning,and make it beautiful.This is what God loves to do for us. He gets such pleasure and joy out of picking us up, molding and fashioning us into a beautiful piece of art. But we have to be willing.
   My friend, if you are hurting, carrying around your past mess ups and wrongdoings, or maybe troubled by something someone else has done to you, well, you dont have to be.It was never intended to be our burden to carry. Give it to God so he can create something beautiful out of it. A Masterpiece.



Rachel =)

Hap Hap Happy New year

Wow. January. Can we just slow down already?This month is always the craziest. Its always the month I feel the most hopeful, yet the most down. Its the one month you just wish would hurry up,but then again dont want it to go too fast because that would make it February and who is ready for that? Im not. Something soo refreshing about "starting anew" and yet soo scary about the uncertainty of whats to come. Yep, thats january for you.
  So, this year my motto is "No regrets",and my goalis to do everything I have "thought about" doing the past several years. Getting a part time job, and going back to school to name just a few. I am finally starting to realize, I think that things truly are possible if you just put your mind to them.I am looking into medical transcriptioning as well as a few other things.There are ways and methods and systems. You just have to find your way around them or through them.
   A Little weight loss update, I didnt win the competition, I got 2nd place(sigh). I ended up losing 24 pounds in 6 weeks which is pretty stinking good. After the competition, I decided to pout a little while and just kindve get off course a little bit, and gained like about 8 of it back. I really need to get back on track. It has been soo hard to get back on track after the holidays.
  So, thats just a little bit of an update.Happy New Year everyone.May this be the best year ever for you and yours.May you make lemons out of lemonade and learn and grow from each experience life throws at you.

My Grown Up Christmas List

Gosh, I have been soo busy I have barely had time to sit down and blog.My plan is to write a Christmas one every day next week, we shall see how that goes.Being that it is Christmas, I thought it would be fun to write a blog on what has been catching my eye this year. Chances are I wont be getting any of it,but I thought it would be fun to dream a bit. I always try to keep in mind that the true gifts we receive are the ones which cannot be wrapped, the gifts of friends and family,the gift of Gods son. These are all gifts that keep on giving.I dont have a materialistic bone in my body,so this post is a little strange for me. You know how we moms tend to be, its usually about the kids, and then whatever is left over, that is what we get =)  . I much prefer it that way.  So, here we go:
Number 1: Toms Shoes
I have always admired these shoes from afar,and I like the concept. Every pair you purchase,they will send a child a pair. It is a good thing he is doing.I really want the burlap classics or the silver glitters.

Number 2:Amazon Kindle

My friend Jamie, who is a very sweet devout Christian lady came up with the term Book Whore.....lol.I think it is funny. Well, I am not a book whore, but I would consider myself a book hoarder.I have a ton, I am especially a Christian fiction junkie of the amish persuasion.I dont think actual books could ever be replaced, but  I think of all the room it would save in my house,and the thought makes me happy.Maybe someday, but then again by the time I get one, they will have probably already invented holographic readers(If they havent already done so).

Number 3:Harajuku Lovers

I cannot help it, I may be thirty, but I am still in love with cutsey type things. Is that wrong? I feel kindve guilty ,because I dont know if "motherly" types should enjoy stuff like this,but then again, its not like Im an 80 year old grandpa wearing ninja turtle pajama pants....lol. Heres a pic, so you will get the just mentioned visual out of your mind: 

I love Gwen Stefanis line, especially the purses and the fragrance.If I get nothing else this year,I am hoping a purse like this will be in my stocking(some toms wouldnt hurt eiether).

Number 4:Wii Games

I was blessed to have received a wii a couple of years back for my birthday, and a wii fit for Christmas last year. I am very much into the active games, never been much into maRIO,etc. Here are a few games that have caught my eye recently(the first one for my daughter)    (or any game by Golds gym, and pretty much any active wii game that doesnt stink.....lol)

Number 5:Fashion Bible Cover

Welp, thats about it =) Whats on your Christmas wish list this year?

Life a life with no regrets

Where did November go? Where did this year go? Is it just me or the older you get, the quicker the years fly by..........December is always a tough month for me. I love Christmas, but I often find myself reflecting the moments of the past year. What I did wrong, what I did right, focusing more on the wrongs than rights. I cant help it. I am soo hard on myself, I am my own worst critic.Last year was a good year for me. I have a bucket list of things I want to accomplish in my lifetime, and I accomplished like 5 of them. This year I havent accomplished any.I had a sweet friend point out to me this morning that I should just take two of them from last year and apply them to this year....lol. I just might have to do that. I want to live a life of no regrets.Some opportunities came my way this year,and i felt like, due to my current circumstances financially and our current situation that I shouldnt follow through with it. As the famous Mark Twain once said" I seldom realized opportunity until it ceased to be one". Here is my kindergarten like illustration,please dont laugh

As this picture illustrates, the things going on around can often seem soo big and consuming,that we cant see the opportunities just on the other side. That is why we have to step out of the realm of our circumstance, and grab ahold of what is there, because if we dont it will go away.I want to encourage you to live a life of no regrets for the rest of this year and the coming year. You'll be glad you did.

Gobblle Gobble

Wow, where did this month go?Did someone say it was December? You would think it was with all of the Christmas trees put up, lights strung,etc.Oh, its not? What?!?! Its still November? Well, you could have fooled me...........
I find myself in the same situation every year. I spend most of November agravated.People are too worried about December and Christmas, that they forget what Thanksgiving is all about.It truly doesnt get the credit it deserves.I am not putting Christmas down by any means,it is one of my favorite holidays. I just wish people paid more attention to Thanksgiving, thats all. Next year I am determined to put up a thanksgiving tree in my house, complete with Turkey lights, or something to that effect.To me, Thanksgiving is the foundation for the Christmas season.Well, actually Christ is the foundation for Christmas, but you get what I am saying.
       Anyway, so here I am tryin to plan a low fat thanksgiving. should be fun.So far apple cider brussel sprouts, crustless pumpkin pie, and a green salad are on the menu. and of course turkey.I think I just gained 5 pounds typing that....lol..Maybe I will just have turkey salad.
  Whatever you eat, wherever you spend this turkey day, I hope you have a blessed one. And please take the time  to be thankful.Make a list.Count your blessings

Its Turkey Butt Kicking Time!!!!!!

*Sigh* Its November. The busyness is over. For the time being that is. I have only one goal this month: To kick Thanksgiving in the boo-tay......lol.








 I am participating in a weight loss challenge with a group of friends at church,and so far I am doing fairly well. I have been drinking a ton of water, which is a miracle in itself, because normally it makes me terribly sick. My goal is to lose 42-45 pounds in 42 days. we will see. I realize a pound a day isnt really healthy, but I am pretty big and........The winner gets alot of money. I am hoping I win because i really want a pea coat......lol. Among other things.Ive long come to realize there are alot of things i cannot change but there are some things I can and its high time I start to change the things I can. This is one of those things.So, I am going to try to post weekly updates. There is one thing I know. eating healthy is soooooooooo expensive.I am most definately going to try to grow my own garden in the spring.Should be interesting, I tend to look at plants and they die , so we will see how that goes.....lol.Here is a horrifying before picture for all to see:

me at 260 pounds(obviously I am being very goofy in this pic) Thats all for now, will write more soon.............