Inspiration

I often find myself getting inspiration from lots of things. Such as: God, Nature, my family, friends, my kids, and small or large gestures of kindness. But, Lately, what I have being most inspired by are people who I really don't even know, or know in real life. I don't know if many of you know this, but I make youtube videos and watch lots and lots of people on youtube daily! I got started doing this back when Wayne and I started trying to conceive Edison. The ladies that I got support from were amazing and it was great to have people to talk to about such a personal topic. Well, due to some nasty people that found out I made videos that I used to be friends with, I stopped making them when we found out we were pregnant and didn't start again till I was half-way through my pregnancy! But, to make a long story short, I started watching several people that truely just captivated me. The way they lived their lives, the meals they cooked, the activities they were so passionate about.. I just was amazed by their lives. I don't want to come across like I am weird or something, but it's hard to explain how someone you don't know can inspire you, but they just do. I saw how they raised their children and grocery shopped. I even saw some of them find out they were pregnant. Wow, often you feel like you know things about them that they don't share with their family and friends as freely. I think a lot of people feel comfortable behind a camera and are able to share things and become more outgoing people on youtube, when in real life they aren't really like that. I have actually meet a few of the ladies I have gotten to know on youtube and they have become great friends. Such a precious gift friends are, even if they aren't in your life daily, I know I could call them and they would be there for me! But, my inspirations from them have been eye opening. First, It has made me value simple things. Such as healthy meals for my family. I pride in that and didn't before watching one awesome mommy! Second, documenting my family through pictures and videos. Those memories are so precious and having them on film is priceless! And third, how important friendships are no matter what form or fashion you obtained them! These people have caused me to add so much to my "TO-DO one day List"!I am constantly inspired by all sorts of things and I often feel silly by how much I challenge myself with so many new things, but it is such a welcomed emotion and act that I try daily to think, "Can I do that?", "What can I do for others?". Rather that deed for others be making a video on how to cook lasagna or a product review for a baby item.. that will help someone obtain knowledge to help them and their families!

Wayne and I recently had a challenging time with paying something and by God's amazing Grace a friend offered to pay it for us. Wow, what an inspiring gesture. When I told her thank you many many times, and told her that I wasn't sure when we could pay her back but we would, she simply told me to pay it forward. That if I ever saw someone in need to please do something nice for them no matter what that need may be! How awesome of an idea! I now think to myself each day, What can or have you done for someone else today? Just like Jesus, I need to put others needs before mine! Example being, my amazing husband today spent 6 hours, yes SIX, cleaning out my moms van! I'm not talking about just a small job, Nooo.. he detailed every inch of that Honda Odyssey! He didn't have to do that for her. We had so much at home to do to prepare for the week and heck, my car is filthy!!! But he took time out of his day to do something that wouldn't mean anything to someone else, but meant so much to her! I am so proud of my husband and the amazing Christian man he is becoming. God is really doing lots of amazing things in my family right now, and for that I am truely humbled. Yes, there is a lot of bad/challenges in the world and in our lives, but the good BY FAR out weighs the bad! And for that, I am truely INSPIRED by so many things, and a lot of them are from people that don't even know it! <3

New routine...

Just when I thought I had gotten my routine normalized after having Edison, I went and got a job! :) I am very excited but extremely apprehinsive as well! Edison is at that age where he is doing something new everyday and the thought of missing that makes me sick. But, my family needs me to work so I am doing it with a smile and loads of optimism.. And coffee too! :)

A new way for me to save...

About 4 months ago Wayne and I were talking and decided we had to do something to start saving some money! We were about to have our 2nd child and the bills would only get more expensive! After seeing the series on TLC "Extreme Couponing" I decided that I would try that. Not to the extreme that they go to, but just to try and save more than half on our grocery bill. I was already pretty great a bargain shopping and saving us money. Our average grocery bill a month was less than $200 bucks, and that was for everything. But, I wanted to cut that in half. Is that even possible?? It is! I do have to say that if you aren't good at this couponing thing.. you will end up spending more each month. Just because you do typically go shopping more and at a few different places and if you don't understand ways to save, you spend a lot more in the long run! You have to know what you are going for, budget for it and get only that! Ok.. here are a list of a few tips to remember when you are first starting:

1. Buy at least 5 newspapers! I personally get 4 Houston Chronicles and 4 Beaumont Enterprises! Note* There are a few times a year there are no coupons in papers and that is typically around holidays! Also, because there are so so many people trying to coupon, papers get sold out QUICKLY on Sunday morning! My hubby goes around 7 am and never has any issues!

2. Save the sales adds. The ones I always save are Walmart, Target, Kroger, Market Basket, HEB, Walgreens, and CVS! These will be key to finding your deals!

3. Get a binder and baseball card holders. I tried couponing with out a binder and its just too messy for me. This helps you organize your coupons and makes them very easily accessible!

4. Set out an allotted amount of time each week to prepare your shopping trips. You will spend more if you don't plan! And, you will spend too much time away from your family if you are constantly trying to clip and prepare! I clip my coupons and update my binder on Sunday afternoons after church. Then, on Sunday too after everyone is in bed, I go through the sale adds, circle what I am needing and what is on sale that I know I have a coupon for. Most grocery store adds are from Wed. to Wed. and stores such as target and walmart and Sunday to Sunday! So make sure and plan accordingly for those sales! On Monday morning I always make my list, match it up with coupons I have, or print ones I need, and that is really all the preparing I do. Sometimes this is altered by new sales that are posted, or I find additional things, but for the most part I do stick to this each week! I do most of my shopping On Monday's and Friday's!

5. Do not buy what you don't need or what you won't need within the next 6 months! This not only takes up product from others who actually need it, but it also makes you spend more money than you have to. That being said, If it something like toothbrushes or BBQ sauce that doesn't go bad and you can get for FREE, use all of your coupons on it! I never have more than 8 of a coupon, so that is the most I typically buy!

6. Always read your coupon carefully and read the stores coupon policy carefully before going shopping! Also, make sure you read the sales add too. For instance, Market Basket may have a great deal on pork chops, but in fine print it will say "With a $10 or more food purchase"! Not such a good deal anymore unless you need other things!

This is just what I do, and it has really saved our family so far. I do love saving us money and am proud when my total goes down. I do have to say, that I am still learning too and I do make mistakes! For instance, yesterday I went to HEB for Miracle Whip, went to check out, and I had read the coupon wrong. It was $1.00 off of 2, not 1! Oopps! Now in my case, I still purchased it because that's all I was getting and we use a lot, But if you were doing a huge haul and this happened, it would mess up your calculations and totals!

<3Alana