Weekly Online Exclusives

Here is this weeks online exclusive for today only, May 13th. If you want any of these baskets go to www.longaberger.com/brendareeks.

Decorating...Painting...Again

The downstairs room, scrapbook room, is in desperate need of remodeling. But that is just not going to happen yet. We have other things we would rather do first.

So I decided to ahead an give it a coat of paint. Paint makes anything look better, right?

As you can tell, the downstairs room is the same gray that the laundry room and garage are painted. So I don't really feel like it is part of the house, although it is.

So I have the doors painted going into the laundry room, the window paint (the blue blinds have to go), and now I am working on all the holes in the walls. As you can tell from the picture with the plaster, there is a lot of holes. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I hope to see everyone tonight. I am looking forward to see you guys. Have a great day.

At it Again

Our household budget for groceries is $300.00 per two weeks (this includes food, health and beauty, and household stuff, light bulbs, bags air filter, etc). Before, I started all of this I was actually spending between $450.00 and $500.00 every two weeks. Now I am buying things I would not have bought before (ie, chocolate milk, cereal, easymac, new razor, fresh vegetables, etc.). I am currently staying inside of my budget by about $30.00 to $40.00 per two weeks, and looking for room to store everything in my house. Example, I have 14 boxes of cereal that I maybe paid $25.00. I know I can't bye anymore cereal for a little while, I just hate to pass up an $.88 box of cereal. The Hubby told me last night that he truly appreciated it, even though it takes a lot more time to shop this way.

This is my Kroger stop today. I got 3 boxes of cereal, 4 gallons of milk, 2 dozen eggs, 2 packages cheese, 4 bags Dixie Crystal sugar, 2 green peppers, 8 ears of corn, onions, 2 packages of pudding, and 2 packages of hotdogs. Out of pocket, 36.17.

Here was todays Target trip. I got 2 boxes of Fiber one cereal (Kid-O loves this stuff), lunchmeat, sour cream 2 packages Fiber one yogurt, large jar of peanut butter, 6 easy mac (Little Man loves these for lunch), Dannon la Creme yogurt, 3 boxes of Eggo waffles and a Shick (sp) Qauttro razor. Out of pocket, 23.08

Pick up a Pork Loin at Sam's also and fresh salsa that the hubby and I love (thanks to the mom-in-law) to have it and no one has put it on sale. Out of Pocket, 24.82. I get about six meals off the pork loin.

Cake Deorating

I had an order for a Mother's Day cake. The catch: it had to be allergy free, wheat, egg, soy, gluten, etc. For a Mother's Day cake, I wanted flowers.

Well you can't use the meringue powder required to make the flowers harden on an allergy free cake because it contains egg whites. So my idea was to us silk flowers.

What do you think?

Random...

My parents minister gave the Hubby a book a while back. We we both finished the books we were working on, so we swapped books. I read this last night and thought it wonderful and worthy of sharing with others.

"If a random sample of one thousand American Christians were taken today, the majority would define faith as belief in the existence of God. In earlier times it id not take faith to believe that God existed-almost everybody took that fr granted. Rather, faith had to do with one's relationship to God-whether one trusted in God. The difference between faith as 'belief in something that may or my not exist' and faith as 'trusting in God' is enormous. The first is a matter of the head, the second a matter of the heart. The first can leave us unchanged, the second intrinsically brings change."

"Any church that will not accept that it consists of sinful men and women,and exists for them, implicitly rejects the gospel of grace. As Hans Kung says, 'It deserves neither God's mercy nor men's trust. The church must constantly be aware that its faith is weak,its knowledge dim, its profession of faith halting, that there is not a single sin or failing which it has not in one way or another been guilty of. And though it is true that the church must always dissociate itself from sin, it can never have any excuse for keeping any sinners at a distance. If the church remains self-righteously aloof from failures, irreligious and immoral people, it cannot enter justified into God's kingdom. But if it is constantly aware of its guilt and sin, it can live in joyous awareness of forgiveness. The promise has been given to it that anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.'"

"There is a myth flourishing in the church today that has caused incalculable harm-once converted, fully converted. In other words, once I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord ad Savior, an irreversible, sinless future beckons. Discipleship will be an untarnished success story; life will be an unbroken upward spiral toward holiness. Tell that to poor Peter who, after three times professing his love for Jesus on the beach and after receiving the fullness of the Spirit at Pentecost, was still jealous of Pauls' apostolic success."

These are three separate paragraphs in "The Ragamuffin Gospel" So far it is an excellent read. I will keep you updated on this book.

I finished "The Shack". I thought is was an excellent work of FICTION.
Some of the authors thoughts are thought provoking, thereby making it a good book in my opinion.


****Hope everyone is planning to come to the house Monday.****

Open House

Okay, here is the deal. I want my friends to come see my house, experience fried bread, and help me get my Longaberger foot off the ground. Fried bread you ask. Well, it is homemade bread dough that is then fried and served with your choice of toppings. I always eat my with butter, some use sugar, Kid-O says honey and syrup is good, and I think my sister always used cinnamon sugar.
So Monday, May 11th at 6:30pm, I want all my friends to come to the house. I will send out an email as well since not all my friends read my blog. Hope to see you here.

Stay as long as you would like, and eat fried bread. Some ladies and I went out last week for dinner and I mentioned the fried bread I made for the kids. That is how this whole thought started with open house, fried bread and Longaberger.

If you would like to order a basket (free shipping until May 15th) or book a show to help me out that would be fabulous as well. I decided to start selling Longaberger to help contribute to the family. I thought it would be a great way to save for a vacation every year. So that is my goal. Plus you can always order online at www.longaberger.com/brendareeks.

So if you want to come to see the house, and eat fried bread email me for directions.

Ceramic Painting update...

If you remember, a few weeks ago (April 2nd post) I posted that I was going to start trying to ceramic paint. Well, the general outline for the plate is done. It has been fired one time.

I still have lots of work to do on this plate, darking, highlighting, and adding all the filling leaves and buds. Anyway, I will keep you posted on how it comes out.

I am making homemade strawberry jelly today. The boys and I went and got our strawberries from the farm yesterday. Yeah.

Saving Again...

Okay, I think I might be addicted to saving money. This is great. Anyway, here were my finds for this week and the amounts that I spent.

This was my Target trip: two boxes Special K berry cereal, two boxes of the kids soap, Lysol kitchen cleanup, Bandaids, Fajita dinner kit, refried beans, taco seasoning, and two Easy mac singles. Out of pocket, 7.10.

My Publix trip was good as well: two boxes of Go-Gurts, bottle water, Al foil (50ft), and Cascade actionpacs. Out of pocket, 7.79.

Kroger was fabulous: 3 lbs ground pork, two packages boneless skinless breast, four packages tilipia fish, 5 zucchini, 2 green pepper, 2 boxes strawberries, 2 bags rice, 3 bags frozen vegetables, hot dog buns, ProVive shampoo and conditioner, 2 cans diced tomatoes, Al foil, 1 eye round roast. Out of pocket, 45.53

Walgreens: Nivea body wash, Arm & Hammer laundry soap, Tresemme shampoo and conditioner. Out of pocket, 6.72

Books

So Friday night, at our scrapbooking crop/party, we ladies got into a conversation about books that we are reading or have read. I brought the discussion up, because I picked up "The Shack" to read. Not knowing when I picked it up that it was controversial. Anyway, I don't agree with everything that the author has to say, but as a work of fiction, it is a good read and thought provoking. Anyway, we thought we should do posts on good books. So Going Goofy and I has put bookshelves on our blogs. It would be great if others would do that as well. Especially for those that enjoy reading.

Sleeping on the Job...

Have you ever fallen asleep at the worst time? In church, at work, during a meeting,

or

better yet on the toilet?










Well Mini-Me is not taking well to this whole potty training thing. Yesterday, he pooped in his pants again, so I went to put him on the potty. After ironing two shirts, this is what I came back too.

Notice he is holding on for dear life?

I got him off the toilet, put him on the floor, cleaned him up, all the while he was sleeping.

When he woke up, he told his Sissy, "I fall off potty." Yep, that is what he thinks happened. So I was hoping for something funny to blog, I think I got it. This is when kids are just down right fun.

Praise God in the Storms...

I ran across this site today. This little boy is a fighter, and God has his hand on him. Check it out and then pray for Stellan and his family.

Question of the Day...

The words of a four year old...

"What happens to you when you die?"

"What happens to the gray stuff in your head when you died?"

Little Man's questions never stop amazing me.

Wow...A Week has Passed

Wow. I did not realize a week had passed since my last post. I will post tomorrow, something funny maybe, who knows, I don't. I know that I have had an exhausting Emmaus weekend. But WOW, did the Spirit move on the men of walk number 58. Praise God. I think from Thursday night until last night I got 14 hours of sleep, yeppie. It was great. Loved every single moment of it. Will do it again and again and again, as long a God continues to ask.

I went and got the boys today up in Tennessee, met my mom halfway, stop at unclaimed baggage on my way home, got Kid-O from school, cooked dinner, went to the store, now blogging. I am exhausted and ready for bed. Maybe I will have some funny dream to share in the morning, or better yet what God tells, and shows me in the morning in his Word.

By the way, saving money on groceries is going fabulous. Potty training, well that just sinks. Go figure.

Good night.

Yesterday I saved $100.00 on groceries with coupons and advertised savings.
Today, I went CVS and Walgreens. These four things I picked up from CVS and paid $3.23 and saved $15.07. I thought it quite a savings. These are the things that I picked up from Walgreens and paid $5.06 out of pocket. I saved $8.99.

Just for Fun...

Have fun with this.
copy and paste this list into your own blog and bold the items that you have done.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (Monte Sano Hiking count?)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (riverboat cruise)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (kinda sorta)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

My Fun for the Day...

Okay, you say fun. I say yes. Get this. I got all this stuff for $77.41. I saved $52.39 with coupons and advertised savings.

5 dozen eggs
2 boxes Wheat thin crackers
2 boxes Excedrin miagraine
Creamer
Kotex tampons
2 Kraft cheese
Cooking Spray
Air Wick freshmatic
3 lb bag of red potatoes
Container for coupons and cards
Dawn soap
3 pasta roni
2 3x All mighty detergent
3x Gain detergent
Macroni
Life Savers
1 lb carrots
3 12pks of Coca-Cola
Dried mustard
2 boxes Eggo waffles
5 boxes Johnson's soap
Pantene shampoo
Pantene conditioner
Caress Body wash
envelopes
6 Breyer's yogurt
6 Yoplait yogurt
Twin pack au gratin potatoes

Man's Plan, God's Plan

I find much comfort in this scripture today.

Micah 2:1-3 "Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance. Therefore, the Lord says: "I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity."

Since Floyd's death, and knowing what was done to him out of greed, I have been angry and unsettled. However knowing all along vengeance is God's not mine; therefore, just keeping my mouth shut. Well, this morning during my study time, God lead me to Micah 2. What comfort He has given me, but yet heartache for what He will do.

Did not know this....

So, the hubby said that the dogwood is an Easter flower. Never heard that before, but it makes sense. The flower is shaped like a cross, the brown spots on the flower looks like blood drops, and the buds that are currently green, about Easter will open up and look like a crown of thrones. Go figure. I did not know that. I like it though.

Beautifying

Saturday was a very labor intensive day. First, I cleaned out this flower bed, the planted new azalea plants and laid the pavers the way I wanted them. I still have work to do on this flower bed. Mulch for starters, but of course that is not a necessity of life so, that will wait a week or two.

Unchartered Waters

So my mom thought that I should try my hand at china painting. I tried pansy to begin with because that is what I had to look at. Mom then told me that is the hardest flower to start with, go figure.

Anyway, this is the first go at the pansy. I have to put leaves on the plate and other green fill in, then it can be fired for the first time. Mom says for china painting, you fire two to three times. So you start light and work up to the dark, because you can always goes darker, but you can't go lighter.

So what do you think? Double click to see a bigger picture. Can you tell they are supposed to be pansies?

Worm Bed

Worm bed you ask? Well, Kid-O has grown fond of worms since we moved into the new house. She asked us if we would look up how to build a worm bed. So we did, come to find out it is pretty easy. Kid-O then asked us to build one for her.
When she discovered that she could then sell her worms, she decided to invest in this project. She purchased the peat moss ($9.95), and will be purchasing her starter worms (approximately 1000) for $18.00. Within two months, she can begin to harvest her worms, selling them 25 for $2.00. We will see how this business adventure goes. We figure we are close enough to the river that we can find convenient stores to purchase the worms.

As you can tell, we are not finished yet. We still have to dig out the ground down about 12 inches, then fill the bed with newspaper, dirt, peat moss, egg shells, etc, and off we go. Can you say FUN?