Photo A Day 3-5

Photo a Day #3-Hands

My husband loves to paint so I took a picture of him painting a figurine.  He is so talented and can paint the finest, tiniest details.

Photo a Day #4-A Stranger

How often do we have people who live within steps of us but we don't really know them.  I have 2 neighbors who I know really well (the ones who wil help you into the house when you have locked yourself out by using a credit card), a few neighbors I know as acquantainces, and a few who I do not know at all.  We are strangers who pass in our cars or while we are on walks. 
 
Photo a Day #5-10 a.m.

This was my 10 a.m. today-taking care of my sweet little boy who was not feeling well at all.  He just wanted to have his blanket, paci, his favorite chair and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. 

Photo A Day #2-Words

Things in life.
Things are busy.
Things are blessings.
Things can be happy.
Things can be sad.
Things can be family.
Things can be friends.
Things can be co-workers.
Things can be seen.
Things can be unseen.
Things can be confusing.
Things can make sense.
Things can be important.
Things can be unimportant.
Things happen all day every day all around us. 
How often do we stop to think about the good things in life? 

Photo A Day-Your View Today

PHOTO OF THE DAY:  YOUR VIEW TODAY

My view for the day is seeing my sweet boy in my rearview mirrow. 

February Photo Challenge-A Photo A Day

For the month of February, I am going to take part of a challenge from Fat Mum Slim http://www.fatmumslim.com.au./  For each day of the month, you will take a picture that reflects what you have been asked to take a picture of on that day (see list below).   I am excited about this challenge because I have wanted to start taking more pictures and this will encourage me to pick up my camera and take some fun pictures.

My Wedding

Happy New Year!  I am linking up with http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ to share about wedding ideas and businesses that I used.  My husband Jamie and I were married on December 27, 2008 at Crosscreek Baptist Church in Pelham, Alabama (reception held at the church as well).  

My Wedding Party (photo by His Hands Photographs:  http://www.hishandsphotographs.com/, 205-862-3374).  All dresses were from David's Bridal in Hoover, Alabama and the men's tuxes were from Men's Wearhouse in Hoover, Alabama.  I loved my dress because it had red across the top and down the back.  I got the dress during one of David's Bridal $99 sale.

Our photographers were a husband and wife team from Birmingham, Alabama.  His Hands Photographs http://www.hishandsphotographs.com/ 205-862-3374 did our wedding photos and after-session photos.  They took phenomenal pictures and we had our photos back within a few weeks.  For planning your wedding, do a lot of reseach for your photographer.  Ask for references and examples of pictures.  Our photographers met with us before the wedding so they could get to know us and what we like.  They asked us to provide them with a list of "must-have" photos which was important to me because I did not have to worry about the pictures and if they were getting the ones I wanted.  They knew in advance so they ensured that I got the photos I wanted.  The photos above are after-session photos.

Our rings were from Diamonds Direct http://www.diamonds-direct.com/ in Mountain Brook, Alabama. We had phenomenal service and we have loved our rings. We have been back several times for other purchases. They asked us about our budget and showed us rings that would meet our budget. They did not try to sell us anything outside of our range.

My flowers were from Publix http://www.publix.com%20in/ Hoover, Alabama. I was very happy with all of the flowers but my bridal bouquet. It was way too big but Publix still did a great job on the flowers. The bridesmaids flowers were used in vases on the tables for the reception following the wedding.

For the reception, we used a catering company located in Hoover, Alabama. They did a great job with the food and the most popular item at the reception was the chocolate fountain. Everyone had fun dipping different food items (marshmallows, fruit) in the chocolate. It was so popular that we only had 3 pieces of the fruit leftover for us.


 

 The bride's cake was from Publix (like the flowers). The cake was delicious (vanilla cake with vanilla icing)and they did exactly what I asked. I did provide the ribbon and the cake topper. The cake topper was an S that I purchased online. I still have the S on a bookshelf. The ribbon was purchased at Michaels'.  The tablecloths were provided by the catering company.

The groom's cake was from Louise's Cakes and Things in Hoover, Alabama and it was a huge hit. The cake was a Star Wars Stormtrooper and it was chocolate cake with vanilla icing. I surprised my husband with the cake since we were originally going to use the chocolate fountain as his "cake" but I didn't feel right now having a cake for him. http://cakes-n-things.com/  205-823-6799.

We provided a picture frame mat for the guests to sign.  Most of our guests signed the picture and it is now hanging in our bedroom.  The picture frame mat and frame were purchased at Bed, Bath and Beyond http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/

 The programs were printed on my personal computer.  The program designs were purchased from Target http://www.target.com/.  We used Microsoft Word to print the programs.  We spent about $50 on the programs (well, technically more because I printed the programs on a different type of program and realized that I had switched two numbers so I had to buy new programs.  I ended up liking the 2nd set of programs more).  Both sets were purchased from Target.

For the guests, we provided bubbles purchased from Walmart and a CD that we made. The CD contained the #1 song for the year of each person in our wedding party. To cut down on costs, we burned the CD's on our computer. We spent about $20 on the bubbles and about $30 on the CD's (CD's, I-Tunes cost, printed covers on the home computer).  On the table, I put out a scrapbook of photos from our time of dating to the wedding.  The book was "Our Story". 

 Photo by His Hands Photographs

In addition to surprising my husband with the Stormtrooper cake, I also surprised him by providing our wedding party with lightsabers that we walked under as we left the reception.  We had bubbles and lightsabers.  The lightsabers were purchased at Toys R Us http://www.toysrus.com/ for about $10 a piece.

Our wedding was memorable and there are only a few small things that I would change if I had to do it over again.  If you are trying to do a wedding on a budget, shop around, ask around and do a lot of internet shopping and research.  We were on a  tight budget but we were able to do almost everything we wanted to do.  A great resource to use is http://www.theknot.com/ - great resources.  Have fun with your wedding planning and remember that it is a special day.  Don't stress the small stuff, enjoy every moment and keep a camera with you all the time.    



Christmas

I am linking up with kellyskornerblog.com to show my Christmas decorations.  Due to having a 19 month old, the decorations are minimal this year because he thinks he has to play with every ornament.  Here are a few pictures of some of my decorations.

One of my favorite decorations.  I played Secret Santa to my grandmother one year and I put this tree outside her door.  She is gone now but I put this tree out to remind me of her.

A great reminder on my mantel of what the season really is about.  Believing in Christ!

I have always wanted a Charlie Brown Tree and this one is on my kitchen table.

My husband decorated this gingerbread house.  I can't wait until my son James can help with the decorating.

My favorite ornament..my sweet little boy's handprint.

I used my drink containers for ornaments.  I have two containers and they are on my kitchen counter.

My Christmas tree is sad this year because the top half has ornaments and the bottom half is empty.  My 19 month old takes off all of the ornaments.  I plan on having a tree full of ornaments next year when he is old enough to understand to not remove the ornaments.

I have a sports theme tree upstairs outside my sons' room.  I plan to add to this tree every year.

A Struggle with Guilt and Balance

Laughs, playing, fun….laundry, dishes, dinner…. studying, research, emailing….working, wife, mother….exercise and sleeping (what are those).   I struggle every day with finding a balance between all of these and along with the struggle comes the guilt that I am not doing enough or maybe I am doing too much.   

My sweet 19 month old is growing up before my eyes and I want to hold on to every moment that I can.  I don’t want to miss his laughs, seeing his face the first time he discovers he can do something new, hearing him laugh when he is caught doing something he knows she shouldn’t be doing (ex: taking ornaments off the Christmas tree), the temper tantrums, racing around the house trying to “get” him as he giggles, tickling his toes, blowing raspberries on his stomach, watching him “reading” a book, listening to him laugh as he begin to understand the funny parts of his favorite show Mickey Mouse, watching him climb on and off the couch, learning to make his fire truck sirens go off again and again and again, playing in his pool of balls and throwing them all over the den, racing his trucks around the floor, watching him splash in the bathtub, rocking him before he goes to bed, and saying his prayers.

On the other side of my non-playful life, the loads of laundry seem to never end, the dishes overflow onto the counter, the dishwasher always seems to need to be loaded or unloaded,   my computer is always screaming at me to work on my thesis so I can be officially done with my master’s, the carpet needs to be vacummed on a daily sometimes hourly  basis, my thoughts sometimes go to thinking about work and how I can make a change or thank my teachers more,  how I can be a better wife, how I can be a better mother, will I ever lose weight because I can’t keep blaming the pregnancy, and what is sleep and how can I get it.

How does someone find a balance between working, being a wife, a homemaker, and a mother?  I keep thinking that the struggle and guilt will get easier but I have come to realize that I don’t think it will get easier so I have to find the balance between everything.  How have you found a way to balance all that life brings?

Dinner-Mexican

Dinner...one of the hardest meals for me to make.  Do you ever find yourself, like I do, struggling to come up with healthy, quick and easy to do dinners?  I feel like I feed my family the same meal over and over again although James loves macaroni and cheese, green beans, corn and spaghetti so he is the easy one to feed.  As for the rest of my family, one of the favorites in our family is a Mexican Enchilada dish.  It is easy to mix up, not too expensive and all it needs is a little bit of Spanish rice.  Here is a quick and easy recipe:

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Healthy Request Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Pace Picante Sauce
2 tsp chili powder
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican 4 cheese
6 flour tortillas (6"), warmed
1 small tomato, chopped (optional)
1 green onion, sliced (optional)

Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl (Picante Sauce Mix).

Stir 1 cup Picante Sauce mix, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.

Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas.  Roll up the tortillas and place them seamside up in an 11 x 8" shallow baking dish.  Pour the remaining Picante Sauce mixture over the filled tortillas.  Cover the baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling.  Top with tomatoes, onion and extra cheese. 

Enjoy!

I Am Thankful For...

 
....my relationship with the Lord
... my husband
... my sweet James
... my old job at CCR
... my new job at BH ELC
... my family
... my friends
... my church (Hunter Street and Brook Hills)
... the ups and downs of the last year
... the ups and downs of the next year
... a roof over my head
... food on my table
... my health
... everything I have in my life.

Extreme Couponing

Extreme couponer I am not but a wanna-be extreme couponer I am.  In an effort to cut out costs and cut down on trips to the grocery store, I have a set weekly amount for groceries and I attempt to come up with a 2 week menu based on the coupons I have and the sells in the stores.  I shop at Publix (love the BOGO's), Walmart and Target (use my Target redcard which saves me 5% on every purchase).  Saving money using coupons has taken me a long time and I am still working on saving more than 50% per trip.  I buy papers at the Dollar Tree in bulk (4-10 papers), use the internet for coupons, buy coupons through http://www.thecouponclippers.com/ and through ebay, use my Target redcard for savings, use CVS for Extracare bucks and shop at Publix for the BOGO specials.  In the 18 months since my son was born, I have never paid full price for a pack of Pampers diapers.  I spend an average of 3-10 hours per week cutting out coupons, organizing and making my shopping lists.  I am also working on developing a stockpile of items that do not expire or go bad quickly including toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels, canned goods, bath soap, diapers, etc.  I have a long way to go but I love saving money.  If you have ever wanted to save money, stock up on papers from the Dollar Tree (yes, they are only a $1) and start clipping.  Give it time.  Even if you only save $2 the first time, you will save more the next time.

                        My Coupon Book and examples of inserts I use

On this trip to Publix, I had a total of $100.68, saved $45.90 and paid $54.78 (almost a 50% savings).