No time to workout? Try this today!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wellness Wednesday: No Excuses Workout
I came across this SUPER fast workout on Pinterest a couple weeks ago. My favorite excuse for not working out is...I just don't have time. This workout totally eliminates that excuse. It is fast. It is hard. It is well worth it.
No time to workout? Try this today!
No time to workout? Try this today!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tip-Worthy Tuesday: Grocery Shopping without Coupons
I had a difficult time deciding what I wanted to write about for my very first "Tip-Worthy Tuesday." The options are limitless. I come across all sorts of amazing "tips" every day, and obviously, I am not the best with decisions.
I finally decided that I would write about something I actually do (instead of something I just want to try).
We all know that couponing and even extreme couponing have become all the rage. I am not against coupons, but I do think some people are taking it a little too far. It seems that some people have turned it into more of an obsession than a money-saving strategy. If couponing works for you...awesome! However, if you're NOT the coupon queen (like me), I have some tips for grocery shopping on a budget without coupons.
1. Plan your meals and make a list - Whether you plan your meals weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly really does not matter, but making a meal plan can help you save money. I do weekly meal plans because that works best for me. When making my meal plan, I take into account what I already have on hand...what's in the freezer? the pantry? etc. I try to plan meals that make the most of the ingredients I already have. Then, I make a list of everything I need (NEED being the key word here), and I stick to my list.
2. Write your list by aisle - I am very familiar with the places I normally grocery shop, and I'm sure you are too. So, when I'm making my list, I walk through the store in my mind and write down what I need aisle by aisle. Sometimes I'm off a little, but it's usually pretty close. This keeps me focused while I'm in the store, so I go down only the aisles I need (there's that word again!). By avoiding other aisles, I avoid throwing extra items into my cart. If I don't see it, I don't buy it. Making my list in this way helps me stick to just the items I actually came to buy.
3. Pay attention to prices - I always look at prices and make mental notes of them in my head. I suppose you could actually write them down if you wanted to. Then I sort of know what things cost at each place I shop. If I know something is much cheaper at another store, I'll make a special trip for that item. If I know I'll only save a few cents, I don't waste my time. Being aware of prices at the places you normally shop can help you make good decisions on future shopping trips.
4. Pay attention to sales ads - Know what stores have on sale and plan accordingly. If a certain item (or items) you know you'll use have been marked way down, buy them...even if you don't necessarily need them right then. This goes back to paying attention to prices. If you are aware of what things normally cost, you will be more aware of when they are on sale. I also try to limit the number of stores I shop at each week (another reason I'm not a fan of couponing) and paying attention to the sales ad helps me decide which place would be best to shop that week.
5. Limit the amount of processed foods you buy - People always complain that eating healthy is too expensive. I agree...IF you are buying all of those so-called "diet" products. It is true that buying things marked low-fat, fat-free, reduced calorie, or any of the pre-packaged meals or 100 calorie snack packs can get very expensive. My solution? Stop buying them...along with lots of other processed foods...and buy fresh, whole foods and ingredients to make your own food. Buying fresh produce can get expensive, but if you buy it in place of processed foods you are buying, it can drastically help your spending, and you eat healthier, too! Have fun in the kitchen and see what "packaged" foods you can make yourself.
6. Don't be afraid of generic brands - I rarely buy name brand anything. Generic brands are usually just as good and sometimes, they are even the exact same foods processed in the exact same manufacturing plant! Don't let the plain packaging scare you away. Of course, there are some things where the generic is just not as good. However, most things, especially the basics (frozen/canned veggies, flour, sugar, pasta, etc.) are just as good and cost much less. Don't pay for the pretty outside when you're getting the exact same thing on the inside.
7. Make the most of what you buy - In general...don't waste! Use what you buy and only buy what you will use. Buy products that you can use or store before they expire. Don't stock up on something just because "it's a good deal" if you know you won't be able to use it before it goes bad. Sometimes, buying in bulk can save you tons. Sometimes, it just creates tons of ways. Get creative and figure out how to use up everything you buy. This makes your food and your dollar go further.
8. Use coupons when it makes sense - If you have a coupon for something you are planning to buy...use it! Like I said, I'm not against couponing. Every cent you can save helps. I always try to find coupons for the items I need or items I buy frequently. I don't go out of my way to clip coupons for products I never buy, never use, and don't need 100 of. Coupons are good, but you can shop wisely without them.
I hope these tips are helpful whether you're a coupon lover or not. What tips do you guys have for saving money at the grocery store? I'd love to hear your suggestions!
I finally decided that I would write about something I actually do (instead of something I just want to try).
We all know that couponing and even extreme couponing have become all the rage. I am not against coupons, but I do think some people are taking it a little too far. It seems that some people have turned it into more of an obsession than a money-saving strategy. If couponing works for you...awesome! However, if you're NOT the coupon queen (like me), I have some tips for grocery shopping on a budget without coupons.
1. Plan your meals and make a list - Whether you plan your meals weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly really does not matter, but making a meal plan can help you save money. I do weekly meal plans because that works best for me. When making my meal plan, I take into account what I already have on hand...what's in the freezer? the pantry? etc. I try to plan meals that make the most of the ingredients I already have. Then, I make a list of everything I need (NEED being the key word here), and I stick to my list.
2. Write your list by aisle - I am very familiar with the places I normally grocery shop, and I'm sure you are too. So, when I'm making my list, I walk through the store in my mind and write down what I need aisle by aisle. Sometimes I'm off a little, but it's usually pretty close. This keeps me focused while I'm in the store, so I go down only the aisles I need (there's that word again!). By avoiding other aisles, I avoid throwing extra items into my cart. If I don't see it, I don't buy it. Making my list in this way helps me stick to just the items I actually came to buy.
3. Pay attention to prices - I always look at prices and make mental notes of them in my head. I suppose you could actually write them down if you wanted to. Then I sort of know what things cost at each place I shop. If I know something is much cheaper at another store, I'll make a special trip for that item. If I know I'll only save a few cents, I don't waste my time. Being aware of prices at the places you normally shop can help you make good decisions on future shopping trips.
4. Pay attention to sales ads - Know what stores have on sale and plan accordingly. If a certain item (or items) you know you'll use have been marked way down, buy them...even if you don't necessarily need them right then. This goes back to paying attention to prices. If you are aware of what things normally cost, you will be more aware of when they are on sale. I also try to limit the number of stores I shop at each week (another reason I'm not a fan of couponing) and paying attention to the sales ad helps me decide which place would be best to shop that week.
5. Limit the amount of processed foods you buy - People always complain that eating healthy is too expensive. I agree...IF you are buying all of those so-called "diet" products. It is true that buying things marked low-fat, fat-free, reduced calorie, or any of the pre-packaged meals or 100 calorie snack packs can get very expensive. My solution? Stop buying them...along with lots of other processed foods...and buy fresh, whole foods and ingredients to make your own food. Buying fresh produce can get expensive, but if you buy it in place of processed foods you are buying, it can drastically help your spending, and you eat healthier, too! Have fun in the kitchen and see what "packaged" foods you can make yourself.
6. Don't be afraid of generic brands - I rarely buy name brand anything. Generic brands are usually just as good and sometimes, they are even the exact same foods processed in the exact same manufacturing plant! Don't let the plain packaging scare you away. Of course, there are some things where the generic is just not as good. However, most things, especially the basics (frozen/canned veggies, flour, sugar, pasta, etc.) are just as good and cost much less. Don't pay for the pretty outside when you're getting the exact same thing on the inside.
7. Make the most of what you buy - In general...don't waste! Use what you buy and only buy what you will use. Buy products that you can use or store before they expire. Don't stock up on something just because "it's a good deal" if you know you won't be able to use it before it goes bad. Sometimes, buying in bulk can save you tons. Sometimes, it just creates tons of ways. Get creative and figure out how to use up everything you buy. This makes your food and your dollar go further.
8. Use coupons when it makes sense - If you have a coupon for something you are planning to buy...use it! Like I said, I'm not against couponing. Every cent you can save helps. I always try to find coupons for the items I need or items I buy frequently. I don't go out of my way to clip coupons for products I never buy, never use, and don't need 100 of. Coupons are good, but you can shop wisely without them.
I hope these tips are helpful whether you're a coupon lover or not. What tips do you guys have for saving money at the grocery store? I'd love to hear your suggestions!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Starting Fresh
So, instead of trying to catch up...again. I'm just going to start fresh. And this time, I have a plan. Taking the lead from several other bloggers, I decided I need a schedule (you all know my love for schedules!). I think this will help me decide what to write about each day and keep me more consistent in my posts. I'm sure I will still miss a few days every now and then because that's just the way life works. Hopefully, this will help me post a little more regularly, though.
Here's the schedule:
Mommy Mondays - On Mondays (other than today) I'll share my own mommy stories and other helpful tips, articles, and other mommy-related things I might come across.
Tip-Worthy Tuesday - I'm always finding great tips for saving money, being organized, DIY projects, etc. On Tuesdays, I will share some of my favorites with you.
Wellness Wednesday - Wednesdays will be related to health and wellness. It could be any kind of health...physical, spiritual, emotional...you name it. I hope to include things about fitness and healthy eating, but I want to throw in some other types of wellness too. We'll see.
Random Thought Thursday - This day is for all the things I want to write about that don't fit into any other category. Trust me. I have plenty of random thoughts in my head at all times. This day should never be difficult to find something to write about.
Foodie Friday - On Fridays, I'll feature a recipe or a restaurant/food review. I'm hoping to start posting A LOT more recipes. I've tried some good ones recently!
Then, I'll take the weekend off to spend time with my family and to do some computer detox. I could really use it!
Since today is Mommy Monday, I'll just mention that I officially have a crawler. He is an awkward crawler, but a crawler nonetheless. He makes his way around the house, dragging that poor left leg behind him. But, he gets where he needs to go and lots of places he doesn't! I'm loving that he can get around all by himself, but I'm noticing that the word "No" comes out of my mouth a lot more frequently. It is so much fun to watch my little guy explore his surroundings. Everything is so new and interesting to him, and you can just see the curiosity on his face. I love each new stage and this one certainly is a fun one.
Happy Monday! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Here's the schedule:
Mommy Mondays - On Mondays (other than today) I'll share my own mommy stories and other helpful tips, articles, and other mommy-related things I might come across.
Tip-Worthy Tuesday - I'm always finding great tips for saving money, being organized, DIY projects, etc. On Tuesdays, I will share some of my favorites with you.
Wellness Wednesday - Wednesdays will be related to health and wellness. It could be any kind of health...physical, spiritual, emotional...you name it. I hope to include things about fitness and healthy eating, but I want to throw in some other types of wellness too. We'll see.
Random Thought Thursday - This day is for all the things I want to write about that don't fit into any other category. Trust me. I have plenty of random thoughts in my head at all times. This day should never be difficult to find something to write about.
Foodie Friday - On Fridays, I'll feature a recipe or a restaurant/food review. I'm hoping to start posting A LOT more recipes. I've tried some good ones recently!
Then, I'll take the weekend off to spend time with my family and to do some computer detox. I could really use it!
Since today is Mommy Monday, I'll just mention that I officially have a crawler. He is an awkward crawler, but a crawler nonetheless. He makes his way around the house, dragging that poor left leg behind him. But, he gets where he needs to go and lots of places he doesn't! I'm loving that he can get around all by himself, but I'm noticing that the word "No" comes out of my mouth a lot more frequently. It is so much fun to watch my little guy explore his surroundings. Everything is so new and interesting to him, and you can just see the curiosity on his face. I love each new stage and this one certainly is a fun one.
Happy Monday! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
7 Months Old
No check up this month, so I don't have an official weight, but according to our bathroom scale he weighs about 16 pounds. I can also tell he's getting longer because all of his onesies are too short! Right now he wears mostly 6-9 month onesies and rompers and 3-6 month shorts. The kid has no waist or butt, and unfortunately, he comes by that quite honestly. He is still wearing size 2 diapers, but I think we'll be moving up to size 3 pretty soon.
One of the major developments this month was his ability to be much more mobile (say that three times fast). He wants nothing to do with the traditional method of crawling and has established his own unique combination of crawling and scooting. It looks like he's going to crawl, but then he pulls his bottom forward and scoots. As soon as he reaches his desired destination, he rolls over to his back and then pushes himself back up to a sitting position. The great thing for me is that he really doesn't move around too much unless he needs to get something (a toy, a bug, a piece of paper, etc.). Once he gets what he wants, he is very happy to sit there and play with it until his mean mom comes to take it away (only the bugs and sometimes the papers). He gets very frustrated when he can't get himself back up to sitting, but he is getting much better at it.
He has also started pulling up on things. He loves standing up, and even though he thinks he can stand by himself...he can't. He will pull to standing and let go of whatever he pulled himself up on. This has resulted in a few falls and minor crashes, but hopefully he's starting to get the message! He still loves to jump, and I truly believe he might hop instead of walking. No joke.
Will got to swim in the big pool for the first time this month. To say he loved it is an understatement. He was content in his float for quite awhile, but I wanted to really let him play in the water, so I got him out. He thought it was the best thing ever! He kicked his little legs as fast as he could, and he could not get enough of splashing. I'm not sure who was more worn out at the end of swimming...me or him. Either way, I can't wait to go again.
Eating and sleeping are still going great. We haven't met a food he doesn't like. He also started eating finger foods this month, which is nice for both of us. Right now he is mainly eating Cheerios, Little Puffs, and small pieces of banana. I love it because this is a great activity for him while we're eating or while I'm trying to cook. His sleep schedule hasn't really changed, although, we're starting to phase out the third nap. Some days he takes it...some days he doesn't, and he seems to do fine either way.
Will really loves to "talk," especially in the morning. Right now his favorite thing to say sounds like blah...blah...blah, which absolutely cracks me up. He has thrown in a few mama's and dada's, and even though he doesn't know what he's saying...we still love it!
He is a little bundle of energy and his sweet personality comes through more and more each day. I can't get enough of his hugs and his slobber-filled kisses. His sweet smile absolutely melts my heart.
Happy 7 months Will Cooper Stoltzfus! I love you more than you'll ever know!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Last Week
You might have noticed I was totally M.I.A. last week. It was a very busy week to say the least! It was a good busy, but busy nonetheless.
Last week was our church's Vacation Bible School. I love VBS, and even though I'm always completely exhausted by the end of the week, I'm always amazed at the way God works through little children. I taught in the completed 1st grade classroom, and they were so much fun! I love that age because they're still little enough to love you, but they're big enough to pay attention and behave (at least most of the time!).
Our VBS theme was the "Big Apple Adventure." We spent the week "touring" New York City and learning how to connect through faith, with love, with trust, with others, and with life. Each day the kids got to hear about Christ's love for them regardless of their family, economic situation, previous bad decisions, or anything else!
It was also Will's very first VBS. Although it technically doesn't start until kids are in pre-K, the workers kids get to attend no matter how young they are. I somewhat dreaded this week because I knew we would get WAY off our schedule, but I was interested to see how it would all play out. Let me just say this...getting off our schedule is NOT the end of the world, but I still don't want to do it very often. :)
If VBS wasn't enough, my brother-in-law's wedding was Friday night with the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Thursday night. This meant not only were our mornings crazy...our nights were crazy too.
The wedding was beautiful, and we are so excited to have a new sister (in-law) in the family! Theron and I were both in the wedding, and it was so special to be included in Brock and Emily's special day. We are also excited that that they will be living right down the road...and not just for the free babysitting. We are really looking forward to being able to spend time with family on a regular basis.
Despite the busyness of last week, it really did teach me some valuable lessons. I think it is important to try to learn lessons from our day-to-day experiences and last week was full of them! So, here is what I learned:
- I am MORE than grateful to be a stay-at-home mom. Major props to all you working moms out there. I don't know how you do it! It was quite a challenge getting both of us up, ready, fed, and out the door in time! I truly can't imagine doing it every day. It also hurt my heart to drop Will off in the nursery every morning. I know, I know...we were still in the same building, and I was only away from him for a few hours, but I missed him so much! I am very thankful that is not something I have to do on a daily basis. I will try to remember this every time I complain about doing housework or the fact that Will is driving me absolutely crazy that day. It is a sacrifice to stay at home with him, but it is the greatest blessing!
- I really can be flexible. Like I said....this week got us WAY off our schedule. Like our schedule didn't really even exist. By the end of the week it was like, schedule...what's a schedule? BUT, we both survived. I won't say there weren't any consequences...because there were plenty! It's not that I don't like waking up 4 or 5 times a night, it's just that I really prefer to sleep ALL.NIGHT.LONG. Will's nighttime sleep still hasn't recovered, but I can tell we are getting there. In the long run, we missed some sleep, I had a cranky child from time to time, I was a cranky child from time to time, but we all survived and that's all that matters.
- Garage doors break at the most inopportune times. I forgot to mention...our garage door broke. When we got home from the wedding (around midnight....Friday night....Saturday morning...whatever you want to call it), our garage door wouldn't go up. One side tried to go up, but the other side wouldn't budge. Since I was in a really good mood at this point (note my sarcasm), I was very excited about this. We parked the car in the driveway and decided to worry about it in the morning. After taking a good look, Theron concluded he couldn't fix it on his own, so we had to have someone out to fix it. Of course, they couldn't come until Monday. We were just so thankful our car was out when it broke! It is now fixed, and all is well. I just wish the garage door would've known what a tough week it had been. Oh well. All's well that ends well, right?
Last week was our church's Vacation Bible School. I love VBS, and even though I'm always completely exhausted by the end of the week, I'm always amazed at the way God works through little children. I taught in the completed 1st grade classroom, and they were so much fun! I love that age because they're still little enough to love you, but they're big enough to pay attention and behave (at least most of the time!).
Our VBS theme was the "Big Apple Adventure." We spent the week "touring" New York City and learning how to connect through faith, with love, with trust, with others, and with life. Each day the kids got to hear about Christ's love for them regardless of their family, economic situation, previous bad decisions, or anything else!
It was also Will's very first VBS. Although it technically doesn't start until kids are in pre-K, the workers kids get to attend no matter how young they are. I somewhat dreaded this week because I knew we would get WAY off our schedule, but I was interested to see how it would all play out. Let me just say this...getting off our schedule is NOT the end of the world, but I still don't want to do it very often. :)
If VBS wasn't enough, my brother-in-law's wedding was Friday night with the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Thursday night. This meant not only were our mornings crazy...our nights were crazy too.
The wedding was beautiful, and we are so excited to have a new sister (in-law) in the family! Theron and I were both in the wedding, and it was so special to be included in Brock and Emily's special day. We are also excited that that they will be living right down the road...and not just for the free babysitting. We are really looking forward to being able to spend time with family on a regular basis.
Despite the busyness of last week, it really did teach me some valuable lessons. I think it is important to try to learn lessons from our day-to-day experiences and last week was full of them! So, here is what I learned:
- I am MORE than grateful to be a stay-at-home mom. Major props to all you working moms out there. I don't know how you do it! It was quite a challenge getting both of us up, ready, fed, and out the door in time! I truly can't imagine doing it every day. It also hurt my heart to drop Will off in the nursery every morning. I know, I know...we were still in the same building, and I was only away from him for a few hours, but I missed him so much! I am very thankful that is not something I have to do on a daily basis. I will try to remember this every time I complain about doing housework or the fact that Will is driving me absolutely crazy that day. It is a sacrifice to stay at home with him, but it is the greatest blessing!
- I really can be flexible. Like I said....this week got us WAY off our schedule. Like our schedule didn't really even exist. By the end of the week it was like, schedule...what's a schedule? BUT, we both survived. I won't say there weren't any consequences...because there were plenty! It's not that I don't like waking up 4 or 5 times a night, it's just that I really prefer to sleep ALL.NIGHT.LONG. Will's nighttime sleep still hasn't recovered, but I can tell we are getting there. In the long run, we missed some sleep, I had a cranky child from time to time, I was a cranky child from time to time, but we all survived and that's all that matters.
- Garage doors break at the most inopportune times. I forgot to mention...our garage door broke. When we got home from the wedding (around midnight....Friday night....Saturday morning...whatever you want to call it), our garage door wouldn't go up. One side tried to go up, but the other side wouldn't budge. Since I was in a really good mood at this point (note my sarcasm), I was very excited about this. We parked the car in the driveway and decided to worry about it in the morning. After taking a good look, Theron concluded he couldn't fix it on his own, so we had to have someone out to fix it. Of course, they couldn't come until Monday. We were just so thankful our car was out when it broke! It is now fixed, and all is well. I just wish the garage door would've known what a tough week it had been. Oh well. All's well that ends well, right?
Monday, June 13, 2011
Prom!
So, Friday night, we went to the prom. What kind of creeps are you, you might be asking...but we really are not creeps at all. Our young adult Sunday school class had a "prom" party for our monthly class party night, and it was so much fun!
We all got dressed up in our formal wear and headed to our friends' house to party the night away. Not to brag too much, but I was awfully proud to still fit into my prom dress from my senior year of high school...trust me, a new mom needs to feel good about her body sometimes! Most of the night was supposed to be spent outside, but thanks to some wonderful Oklahoma weather, we stayed inside instead. (We really didn't feel like battling the strong, gusting winds, rain and lightening!). Despite the change of plans, we still had a great time.
Each couple brought food to share, and it was all so good...lasagna, fettucini alfredo, plenty of bread, salad, and of course, dessert! My favorite dish of the night, though, was this awesome bowtie pasta with a gouda cheese sauce. I'm hoping Tiffany will share her recipe with all of us!
We all voted on the "most likely to...", and tallied all the votes to select a prom king and queen. We also played a version of the Newlywed game, which is always good for stirring up some good arguments between couples, :).
We absoultely love our church and so many of the things it is a part of, but the thing we love the most is our Sunday school class. We have so much fun together...laughing and joking and always having a good time. But we don't just have fun together, we share life together. These are the people who are my best friends. They're the ones I know I can count on in difficult times. The ones I can call, text, or email with a prayer request, knowing they will be in prayer immediately. The ones I go on playdates with and that I can call with a last minute babysitting request.
I feel like this group truly exemplifies what it means to be the body of Christ. Each person has their own strengths that they bring to the group, and they use them to benefit everyone. They are the first to volunteer when something needs to be done around the church, and they're constantly giving of themselves to meet the needs of others. I am so thankful to be a part of this group...they are the best!
Prom was so much fun, and I can't wait for all the fun times ahead.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary to my wonderful hubby! 4 years ago I married the love of my life and looked forward to what the future had in store for us. We had both just graduated college and had lots of changes and transitions ahead of us. A lot of people say that the first year is the hardest, but I thought the first year was so much fun. Each year after has only gotten better and with the blessing of our first child, I can only imagine the best is yet to come!
I am so thankful for my husband and all he does to provide for our family. I'm thankful for his spiritual leadership and his dedication to the Lord. I am thankful for his hard-working, disciplined, and determined personality. He is an amazing husband and father, and I know I am so blessed.
The past 4 years have had their share of hard times, petty arguments, and disappointments. But those times don't even begin to compare to the amount of joy, fun, and laughter we've had. I can't wait to see what the next year has in store!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)