WonderGirl and the Sift's February 2008 Archives

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February 29, 2008

ING

Ya know, I think I started this meme. Seriously! I've seen it a few other places since I did it, but maybe we just have a collective genius, I don't know. Anyway, here's where I did it, and here, and here, and here, and kinda here.

'Bout time for another.

Today's ING:

Reading: The Sunne in Splendor.
Drinking: Sweet tea.
Listening: Someone Like You, Safetysuit.
Feeling: A bit lazy.
Watching: Reruns of The Office.
Snacking: Olives.
Humming: Bluegrass.
Wearing: Jeans and an Ocoee river tshirt.
Cooking: Homemade pizza.
Paying: for fabric.
Dreaming: of sleeping in.
Smelling: a rasberry candle.
Loving: my life.
Anticipating: a mac computer!

Posted by WonderGirl at 11:47 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Missy Miscellaneous

Oh, sweet Friday. I could kiss you. (If you had lips, weren't a day of the week, and I was that kind of girl.)

So how's everybody this morning? Making it okay? Are you as glad for the wekeend as I am? This has been one busy week for me- not bad, just FULL. I'm loving that tomorrow is Saturday, and I have nothing on the agenda. Just an easy, at-home kind of day. It might even be a do-nut morning. Oh yeah!

I've got the urge to ramble. I'm gonna go with that for a minute.

I got my sewing machine back this week, hallelujah! It's working great. I've sewn a few more slings. I've slowly and steadily built up my stock, and I'm chomping at the bits to get my store up and running! It's nearly ready- just have to put the finishing touches on the brochure and get my business cards. There are actually some other 'behind-the-scenes' kind of details to finish up, too, but I'm getting to them. It takes me about three times as long to do things around here, because I'm chasing after four kids, homeschooling two, and just maintaining the household. That's a lot. It's a challenge for me to be patient with the time frame on things, because I'm a bit impulsive. When I want to do something, I want to do it RIGHT NOW, and that just doesn't work all the time.

That isn't always a bad thing though. Sometimes, if a little time passes, what seemed like a very good idea at the moment, doesn't later. So I avoid the pitfalls of being impulsive on occasion. This has saved me from many a tragic haircut in recent years.

Okay, rambling on...

Lost last night-- anyone? Wasn't it fantastic? I finally feel like a few questions were answered! And did you catch the shadow of a city at the very end, on the Lost island logo? Have I been missing that all along or something? I hadn't noticed it before, but there were some very distinct shapes there, that made it look like some ancient civilization. Atlantis? I'll have to go check out Lostpedia on this one. Anyway, very satisfying episode.

Well, that's enough rambling for the moment. I can only stay in my pjs so long, and leftover minipecan pies are calling my name. Hope you have a lovely weekend, and I'll post later if I'm not too busy taking it easy!

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:17 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 28, 2008

The Coupon Train

Whooo, whooo!!

(Okay, I've officially met my corny quota for the day.)

So here's the deal. You know how I've been doing the Grocery Game. Part of the fun is the coupons. Finding them, clipping them, and of course, using them! And since I have some obsessive tendencies, I have of course, gone a bit overboard. I have decided to start a coupon train. This is how it works. We'll start with 50 coupons. I put them in an envelope, and mail them to you. You take out the ones you want, add your own coupons that you don't want, and mail it to the next person on the list. It generally works best with about 50 coupons moving along, and no more than ten people riding each train. We can start multiples if there are lots of people interested.

So whatcha say? Anybody interested? You don't have to be playing the Grocery Game to get in on this.

Come on, free coupons- and a letter addressed to you in the mailbox that's NOT requesting money? You can't beat that. Leave a comment if you're interested, and I'll get us organized.

And, yes.

We must all wear conductor's hats.

Sorry, just the rules.

Posted by WonderGirl at 9:35 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack

Brunch is Better

We've been in Pineville for two months, and we know four people. That's actually not too bad, considering we've been in a different church every weekend, and we only have one car. This whole friendmaking process is just a longgggg one.

-sigh-

Anyway, one of these friends I sort of borrowed from another friend. She's Emily's mother-in-law, (stay with me - it doesn't get any more complicated than that) and she's a dear. She's made us very welcome here. This woman saved my life by loaning me a coffeemaker when mine was lost in boxes. She's good people. Tomorrow, she's coming over for an old fashioned Southern brunch. We'll have coffee (huzzah!), fruit, mini-ham puffs, and mini pecan pies. I don't know why all the mini. It just seems right for a brunch, doesn't it? Anyway, the pecan pies are scrumptious! And you need this recipe. So get a pen, or hit "print", and prepare to host a brunch just to serve them.

February 26, 2008

Caribbean Jerk

Chicken, that is.

Okay, some of you have been after me for this recipe, and since I have it out at the moment for dinner tonight, you're in luck.

This is top-secret. It came from my mother-in-law, bless her soul, and it's the tastiest dish to serve company. Seriously, I only get raves when I make it. (We're having our neighbors over for dinner tonight, so I get to relive the culinary pleasure all over again!)

Okay, mon. Here it tis.

Caribbean Jerk Chicken

Uncooked chicken, bite-sized pieces
1 can chicken broth
Smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized chunks
4-5 potatoes, peeled and bite-sized
Garlic pepper
Caribbean jerk seasoning

Salt and garlic pepper chicken. Place in a large casserole dish. Arrange sausage and potatoes around chicken. Sprinkle seasoning on top, and pour in broth. Cover and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

That's it. Seriously. It's the easiest dish in the world, and so easy, you could cry. Careful with that garlic pepper though, it's what makes the dish spicy. The c.j. seasoning is good, but not what gives it the real kick.

So, try it! Lemme know whatcha think.

Posted by WonderGirl at 4:22 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Birthday A La Mode

Today is my sister's birthday.

Let me tell you why my sister is so special (besides putting up with me, obviously).

Ashley is a good friend. She calls, she listens, she cares. She remembers birthdays and special times in your life, she is always there when you need her. She is kindhearted, always has been. She has the gift of empathy, seeing the needs in others and feeling them acutely. She befriends the friendless, in a quiet way, with a natural instinct to bring people into the fold. I have always admired this about her.

Ashley is a wonderful mother. I always knew she would be. Adler is a happy, well-adjusted little fella because he has a mother who loves him and nurtures the best in him. I see her earnest desire to do it right, to do everything right, and I know her children (for there will be another soon, I'm sure of it!!) will count her as the biggest blessing in their young lives. I love seeing her as a mother, sharing in the joys and trials of it together.

Ashley is a great daughter. She has stuck by my parents during some difficult years. She really cares about them, wanting the very best for them, but she also is the least demanding child they have. She has been gracious, and giving, not withholding her affection when she probably slipped into the middle-child slot more than she liked. She has been a steady force in their life, and I think that was more encouraging than she can ever know.

Ashley is a terrific person. She is witty and fun, intelligent and real. She is entertaining, with just a smidge of sarcasm to spice things up. She can be serious, she can be lighthearted, she can be spiritual, she can be just what the moment calls for. I always enjoy myself anytime I am with her, and I am always sad to say goodbye.

Ashley is a lovely sister. She was my first sibling, my first friend. She's put up with a lot from me, and loved me anyway, and I appreciate that. She's a pillar in my life, one of the things that holds me up, though I don't know if she knows that. She represents my entire childhood, sharing the memories, sharing the clothes. (ha) I don't know who I'd be without her today.

I thank God for her.

Happy Birthday, Ash.

Posted by WonderGirl at 11:07 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

February 25, 2008

Grocery Game Request

By the way, guys... if you decide to try out the GG because of my experiences, please put me down as your referrel! With three referrels, you get 12 free weeks, and I'm all about FREE!! Ha!

(Let me know if that's the case, and I'll shoot you my "real" email address, cause that's the one I used to sign up.)

Posted by WonderGirl at 4:20 PM | TrackBack

Pursuit of Happiness

So, do you Facebook? Have you given in to peer pressure yet? Well, you should. I don't know why you're resisting, you stubborn-headed thing! It's great. It's leagues ahead of myspace!

Anyway.

There is an application that you can add to your page that is really cool. It's called "Define Me", and despite being a bit narcissistic, it's a neat tool. People can leave anonomous words that describe you. The more one word is repeated, the larger it grows in your box. It's gotten me to thinking about how I want people to see me, not just how they see me.

Above all, I want people to see me as joyful. I want it to be in large print, obvious in everything I do, everything I say. I want joy to underline everything else in my life.

For that to happen, I must actually BE joyful. Which is not something that happens accidentally. Joy is the result of purposeful action.

Are you depressed? Sad? Are you angry? Are you stuck in the past, unable to forgive hurts and neglects? Are you tired? Weary of the everyday tasks before, that stretch out as years of endless labor? Stressed, overwhelmed?

Are you unsatisfied? Do you feel short-changed? Do you have regrets that you can't get over? Do you daydream yourself into another life?

Are you bitter? Or are you just empty? Doing what needs to be done because it must be done? Do you see that life is rich and good for other people, but not for you?

Okay, well hang on to your seats, boys and girls, 'cause here's the magic formula. It's so easy, you won't even believe it.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances , for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Yup. That's it.

If you answered yes to any of the above questions (and haven't we all at some time and point in life?), then you are now equipped with the solution to your lack of happiness.

BE JOYFUL. Simply, be. Smile. Laugh. Enjoy. Be cheerful, lighthearted! Don't fight it. Drink from the cup of delight! It's an action verb- it's not something that randomly rains down on you, it's something that you DO. You know how to do it, because you were created in God's image, and He is a joyful God. It's innate. Look for the joy, it's the molecular structure of life. It is the natural state of things-- the way He intended it.

PRAY CONTINUALLY. Are you praying every day? If not, then you shouldn't be surprised at your unhappiness. Are you praising God in your prayers? Try it for an entire prayer, don't ask for anything. Just marvel at Him. Recount to Him all the amazing things He's created, the wonderful things He's done. You cannot help but lead into #3, which is, I think, the real zinger in this formula...

GIVE THANKS. Start counting your blessings. Literally. Start with the easy ones, your family, your children. And let them pour out. The more you thank God for, the more you see to thank Him for! It will build and build until you are pressed on every side with the abundance of a God who loves you. Discontentment, self pity, bitterness- these things can't stand in the face of a thankful spirit. You cannot be thankful and unhappy at the same time. Try it if you don't believe me. It is simply not possible.

Sadly, being the weak vessels we are, these three simple things are monstrously difficult at times. And the farther we are away from joy, the harder we fight coming back to it. It's human nature. But there's no exception clause in the verse-- not when tragedy strikes, or in poverty, or when flames lick our feet. Circumstances don't dictate joy, we can't wait for everything to align up in our life to produce it. That's not the way it works. And joy doesn't dictate circumstance, either. Just because you are doing these things doesn't mean that it will remove adversity from your life. But as Paul says, I have learned to find contentment in want, and in abundance. Isn't that a beautiful thing? I want that to be said of me. That I have a peace that passes all understanding.

Today, be joyful. Pray. And thank God.

Then tomorrow, be joyful. Pray. And thank God.

And life will not be merely the pursuit of happiness. It will be happiness.

It really is just that simple.

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:36 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

February 24, 2008

Sunny Daze

Czarina and Chipmunk:� The way things are between them is beautiful to me.

Continue reading "Sunny Daze"

Posted by WonderGirl at 5:59 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Money in the Ice Box

I'd just like you all to know...

With the money I've saved so far playing the Grocery Game, I bought a small deep freezer yesterday.

Yeah, baby.

Let the real hording begin!!

PS. I can't help opening it every time I walk past, to peer down into the depths, where two big, beautiful hams, ten packages of frozen veggies, and some plump chicken breasts, wait patiently for their moment in the sun. Oh luxury!

Posted by WonderGirl at 5:25 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

February 22, 2008

Imperfect Words

Oh founder of my soul,
Great author of my life,
Who breathed a holy breath in me,
And brought this dust upright;

Glory to thee for all thy works,
Those without and those within.
Thy hand moved across the cosmos
To stir my heart from sin.

Keep me at thy feet, Oh God
In fearful awe of thee.
Thy praise forever on my lips,
Humble and bend my knee.

Make me to know thy goodness,
Cause sin to grieve my soul.
Teach me to love thy law each day,
And find strength in thee alone.

Oh kind and faithful God of old,
Who knelt to earth for me,
Make this servant truly thine,
From hence to eternity.

-insufficient words for a sufficient God, imperfect words for the perfect God- but still we try and try we must, for that is what He asks of us.

Posted by WonderGirl at 4:42 PM | TrackBack

February 21, 2008

Naughty Charlie

TOTALLY yanked this from Jeremy's blog, but it was so stinking cute, I couldn't help myself.

"Charlie Bit Me"

Posted by WonderGirl at 3:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

I Heart Y.N.

Last night at dinner, Czarina was regaling us with the day's happenings, and she was especially tickled with one pretend game she and HeroBoy had played earlier in the afternoon.

"We pretended that we got on a bus," -giggle, giggle- "and we road it all the way to our own house in You Nork!"

"You Nork?" we ask, barely able to contain our laughter.

"Yeah! You know, You Nork City!"

Yup. I've been there. It's nice this time of year.

(P.S. Say it to yourself. It's kind of addictive. Much better than the original!)

Posted by WonderGirl at 11:28 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Little Bit of This

I'm over my temper tantrum from yesterday, thank you. It's amazing what a bottle of PineSol will do! No, I didn't drink it. Or sniff it. I just used it to mop with, and I tell ya, it has miraculous rejuvenating properties. I don't know why, but I can't possibly be in a bad mood when I'm mopping with PineSol.

Weird. Maybe I am sniffing it.

My days seem strange lately without my sewing machine. (How obsessed does that sound?) It's being serviced, and I just have to wait patiently for it to come out of the shop. I have actually found myself at a few points during the day, with a few minutes of wondering... well, now what? I don't have anything to do! I didn't realize that I am literally every second of the day, DOING SOMETHING!! I am not complaining, I actually really love it. My only complaint is that there isn't MORE time in the day, because I'm still not doing even half the things I'd like to do! Do you find that to be true? It's not that life is so stressful that I can't juggle it all, it's that I have a hard time prioritizing my 'extra curricular' activities. I think this is a result of the joy I feel in my life right now. There is an abundance of creativity in my spirit right now, and deciding how to distribute it into my life is one of the most fun problems I've ever had! So much life, so little time!

I'm going to write on that soon... about joy, about where it comes from and how to nurture it, because I think it's elemental for a Christian, especially women. And it doesn't just happen by itself.

Anyway, that's another post.

For now, I need to stop eating raisenettes and get out of my pajamas. Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:52 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

February 20, 2008

Hotmail Can Kiss My Grits

Anybody else as sick of their MSN account as I am? It's so unreliable! Half the time I can't sign in, or it times out, or some other craziness. I have a yahoo account for this blog stuff, and a gmail account out there somewhere, and my bohobabyslings address for business mail. But I can't let go of the hotmail address. -sigh- I used it for all my genealogy research over the years, and it still generates a response from old message boards and whatnot. So I can't close it.

But oooooh, if I could. I'd dump it right this instant!

Mkay. Composing myself.

Moving on.

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:56 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 19, 2008

Christian Lit

Hi, my name is WonderGirl, and I don't like Christian fiction.� (Should I be ducking the firing squad now?)� I occasionally come across a sweet, pioneer love story that holds my attention for a while, but generally speaking, I am not a fan.� Especially the post-apocolyptic, second coming of Christ, angelic/demonic warfare.

It just doesn't do it for me.�

Maybe I'm not reading the right ones, but I find them too sensationalistic.� They feed on the anxieties of today's Christian, the mysteries of the second coming, the abundance of evil in the world.� Things that I just don't think God intends for us to focus on!� There is a temptation there to wallow in despair at the sin around us, to believe there is no hope, no redemption, for a people so lost.� But the Bible says, where sin abounds, grace abounds even more!� I wince when people talk about how "bad" the world is, and that it can't be long before Jesus comes again.� Like the only solution is to wipe the slate clean.� There is nothing new under the sun-- sin has always been this bad, people have been this bad!� Cultures rise and fall, some better, some worse than ours.� We have not invented a newer, more evil sin in our lifetime. It's exactly the same as it's always been.�

It doesn't mean sin isn't bad and we shouldn't repent as a culture.� But is God still working in your life?� Of course He is.� Is He still blessing you, guiding you, shepherding you?� Yes.� Is He able to do all things He wishes?� Yes.� So why not revival in this land?� Why do we feel irredeemable, abandonded, doomed?� Are we not taught that we serve a God who is almighty and sovereign?� One that delights in doing the impossible? Healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead?� The more broken people are, the more glory to God in their salvation.

Judgement waits for the unrighteous, this is true, but no one, and no culture, can go so far from God that His hand can't reach out and save them.� Should we look up at the sky, waiting for the brimstone to start raining down upon our heads?� Or instead, look down, at our feet, and our hands, and see that they are doing the work of the Lord? Faithful in every step, in every motion, living daily with the hope of Christ.� Our optimism and happiness should be a beacon in this world!� We should not be wringing our hands in worry over the second coming, or Armageddon, or the rise an antichrist.�

I'm not saying to live in a shroud of denial, with a fake smile pasted on your face, even as the walls come down around you.� I'm just saying, don't forget who we serve.� When people look at us, they should see the joyful expectation of Christ.� They should see it in the way we treat others, in our ministry to the needy, in the way we raise our families and run our homes. Even in the books we read.

But that's just my opinion.� Thoughts?

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:13 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack

February 18, 2008

Listenin' But Not Feelin' the Blues

So, there are a million and one things to do this Monday morning, but for a moment, I'm just sitting. Watching the golden finches at the feeder through the window, smelling my new rasberry candle, and listening to the smooth lope of Rosco Gordon's blues. Indulging the senses for just a few before this week kicks into high gear. All I need is a big, juicy glass of red wine to top it off. Come on, 5 o'clock!

We spent the weekend in Monroe with King Pen's folks, though I drove over to Vicksburg for my sister-in-law's baby shower Saturday. Sunday, we had an early 5th birthday party for HeroBoy (WAH!!) and got back last night. It was a busy, but fun weekend. I have pics, and will post them shortly.

This week, sewing, finishing BohoBaby business stuff, baking some Thank You bread for our neighbors (who have been so exceptional lately), a haircut tomorrow (whoohoo!), and the Grocery Game, of course. Lots to do, but really, nothing that's not Life.

I like Life.

I'm happy. I'M HAPPY. I'm glad to be able to write that.

Right this minute, before the top of the sippy cup comes off, and a diaper leaks, and the dryer breaks, and a matchbox car gets flushed down the toilet, Life is Exactly Perfect.

There's nothing like fifteen seconds of perfection to make the world seem bright.

Posted by WonderGirl at 12:21 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 15, 2008

Venting is Good

Tell me, how many dirty diapers can one baby produce in a two hour period? Seriously? Cause we're up to FOUR stinky packages for me so far. Enough with the poo already!!

(This is not counting one from my 2 year old also. His days are numbered, by the way. I am OVER the diaper changing thing... which I have been doing daily for the last 5 YEARS! 5 years of poo, people. That does something to you.)

Okay.

Thank you. Just needed to get that out of my system.

And apparently, so does he.

*groan

Posted by WonderGirl at 11:56 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

February 13, 2008

Stacks of Life

Morning, all.

Well. I'm sans sewing machine today, because it is off to the repair center to be serviced. I am in mourning. I really hate "losing" a day, and I know it'll be several before I get it back. But, in the meantime, I'll cut and iron, which will be nice later on when I get my machine back. I can just get right back to sewing.

Things are going well, if a bit slow. I guess there's no way around it, getting a business started is a lengthy process. Especially if you have four kids. I'm eager though, to get this thing off the ground!

I'm almost at the end of my fabric supply, which means the hunt begins anew. And I am reminded again, of how very much I LOVE fabric. If I could eat it, I'd gorge myself. There is simply not enough opportunity or time in my life to use all the gorgeous prints I'd like to. Amy Butler, Micheal Miller, Robert Kaufman, Alexander Henry, Moda... oh my! I have literally gotten tears in my eyes over some of the prints. (I realize this is not normal, thank you very much.) The only problem is finding fabric with the 3% lycra that makes for such a nice sling. I can use 100% cotton for the reversible slings, but the lycra is a staple I must have, and struggle to find in cool prints!

I think a trip to Paris is in order. I'm certain I could find what I need there. Any rich benefactors willing to step up and send me on a little excursion to the fashion capitol of the world? No? Aren't I important to you? Don't you care if I succeed? Come on, cough up a first class ticket to France. I'll even stay in a hostel.

/whine.

Another note about BohoBaby, I have recruited a seamstress! Moriah, at Please Pass the Salt, will be punching the timecard for me when things pick up. It's fun to have someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to email at 2 in the morning about french seams. You're gonna see us on Oprah one day, just watch. Hopefully, it will be that episode where she gives stuff away, cause that would be AWESOME.

I have a feeling that Oprah looks really weird in person. Don't you just get that? They're doing all kinds of creative makeup and lighting with her face for the camera, but I bet she's kinda "off" in person.

Okay, enough rambling, I really need to change a dirty diaper. I can't breathe through my mouth anymore, and you know, the longer you wait, the worse those things get. Gross.

Have a happy Wednesday, folks. Maybe I'll post again lata.

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:30 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBack

February 12, 2008

Ice Cream in February

Reminds me of the Wonder Years for some reason... exaggerated this picture to fit those hazy childhood memories I hope they have of this place and each other in this time of their lives.

and now for the ice cream...

Continue reading "Ice Cream in February"

Posted by WonderGirl at 3:50 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 11, 2008

Grocery Game Update

Okay, Amy. Settle down. I know you're excited about this post, but let's not get carried away.

So, you wanna know how I'm doing, right?

Well, first I need to explain how the GG works. This is important, so you understand how these savings make sense. Basically, you have two lists. Your NEEDS list, which will include items you must have to cook planned menus, and stuff you've run out of, like toilet paper, that kind of thing. Gotta have it. And the second list is Teri's List, which you get off the GG website on Sundays. Teri's List is, well, it's a little bit of manna sent from heaven. It has every item that will go on sale for your particular store during the week. It includes unadvertised sales, too. It's very thorough. What she's done is taken those sales and combined them with coupons that you clip from the paper, from mailouts, from EVERYWHERE you can find them. She knows the monthly cycle of sales items, telling you exactly the best moment to use your coupon to maximize your savings. This is one smart cookie. It's all laid out and organized so that you know how much you're saving. It was intimidating the first time I looked at, but then suddenly, it just clicked with me.

Anyway, so the whole idea behind GG is stockpiling. You buy what you must on your NEEDS list, and you buy as much as you can off of Teri's list for items that you know you'll use and want. So you may buy ten bottles of ketchup for .80 a piece, rather than paying full price later on when you actually need it. You are building your own little store in your home to shop from. And as you do that, your NEEDS list will get smaller because, well, you've already got it. (and you paid a fraction of the cost!) I realize that pantry/freezer space could be an issue here, but I think the savings would cause me to be creative. If I have to hide spaghetti in the closet, I'll do it.

Last week, I saved $29 just using the GG methodology- no coupons. I didn't have many to work with.

This week, I did my first real coupon excursion at Walgreens, and I got 4 bottles of dishwashing liquid, 3 rolls of Bounty papertowels, 2 boxes of Cheerios, and 2 cans of Progresso soup. My total was $22. After coupons, it was $12. Now, I didn't have to go to Walgreens, I just wanted to cut my teeth on it first, before taking on a big grocery store. So I swung by, was in and out in ten minutes. (Well, let me include my embarassing moment- I was so nervous about actually using the coupons, that when the cashier told me how much I had saved, I cheerfully said, "Thank you!" and started wheeling away, and she said, "Oh, ma'am, you forgot to pay." D'oh!)

So on to my grocery shopping, which I planned to do at Kroger. I got a crazy amount of stuff. Way more than I would need for this week, and tons of multiple items. My bill was $147. After coupons and sales, it was $99.

My total savings this grocery trip was $58. I have everything I need for the week (with a little juggling of menu planning this time around so I could buy more items that were already on sale). PLUS, I have additional things I will not have to buy again for AGES, so my NEEDS list just got a little smaller.

So each week, I will buy less items at full price, and more at a reduced one. Does that make sense? Do ya follow?

My suggestion, if you want to try it, check out the website, and make sure it's offered in your area*. You can get a trial membership for a month for $1, with access to unlimited lists to the stores in your area. After that, it's $5 per list. (I think I'll stick to Kroger and Walgreens, though there are others offered in my area.) Then, DON'T SIGN UP YET. Spend a few weeks building up your coupon pile. Get an expandable file to organize it so you know what you've got. Get as many copies of the newspaper as you can, and cut out mulitples of the coupons you want. THEN, sign up for the free month. I sorta wish I'd waited until I had more to work with!

Anyway, so that's it. Just thought you'd appreciate a detailed report on my adventures into Couponology. Thanks, Amy, for being a little nuts about savings. Your obsession has served me well.

*If it's not offered in your area, you can get a Field Guide that explains how to improvise and still use the GG concepts.

Posted by WonderGirl at 9:59 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack

Better Late than Never

Tagged a million years ago by Moriah. It's just now made it's way up the "to do" list, so here ya go. Look, you beat out brushing my teeth for the day!! Ha.

1. How do you take your coffee? Whole bean, freshly ground Starbucks Breakfast Blend. A ridiculously big lump o' sugar, two, count them- TWO creams, and a side of "HUSH until Mommie's had her coffee!"

2. What is your restaurant genre of choice? Seafood!

3. If you had to eat the entire cake, what kind would it have to be? Italian cream cheese. Yummy.

4. What kind of cook do you consider yourself to be (i.e. gourmet)? The Family Chef, which basically means, I don't get to cook very many interesting things because my children have the most sensitive gag reflexes known to man.

5. Eggs for breakfast? No. But for supper occasionally.

6. Are you an adventurous eater? Yes. But, I'd say my 11 month old holds that title in this house.

7. Would you consider yourself a food snob? Well, I won't eat vienna sausages, or red hotdogs. Does that make me a snob? I think it does in Pineville.

Now, tagging RevJATB, Ashley, Vickie, Teri, and Denise.

Posted by WonderGirl at 6:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Overload

Oh, people. There is a very real possibility my head is going to explode if I try to cram anything else in there. At the very least, my eyes are going to pop out. (Ew.)

I need to upgrade to WonderGirl 2.0.

Posted by WonderGirl at 12:09 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Overload

Oh, people. There is a very real possibility my head is going to explode if I try to cram anything else in.

I need to upgrade to WonderGirl 2.0.

Posted by WonderGirl at 12:09 AM | TrackBack

February 8, 2008

It's Still Hamma Time

I wanna know... how you break it down when "Can't Touch This" comes on, and nobody's around.

'Cause you know you do, too.

Posted by WonderGirl at 6:07 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Important Lessons

On several occasions, Czarina has been heard grumbling after being told to do (or not to do) something. So I had a talk with her about it, and let her know that was unacceptable. That she should respond to those moments with a cheerful spirit even when it's not her favorite thing to do (or not do). That God doesn't want us to complain, etc. etc. I went on for some time about this, seizing the moment for some spiritual teaching, and so forth. I was quite pleased with the whole thing, actually.

Anyway... so later, when we hit that stressful time of the day, and I was fussing at HeroBoy for the very same thing, and perhaps a little less calmly and logically, because there was a lego lodged in the side of my head and fourteen glasses of spilt kool-aid on the floor- (How DID that happen?), I heard Czarina pop up with some advice for HeroBoy. (apologies for the run-on sentence, btw.)

Czarina: "I'll tell you one thing I learned today!"

My ears perk up, thinking to hear my words of wisdom from earlier passed down from child to child... and I warmed a bit at God's grace.

HeroBoy, using his cranky voice: "What?"

Here it comes-- oh, the spiritual growth in my children is such a blessing, I am thinking, such a balm to the mother's heart-- then

Czarina, with great conviction: "Do NOT mess with Momma!"

Well. That's not exactly the lesson I was trying to impart. Maybe I need to rework my delivery.

But hey, if it works, I'll take it for now.

As a matter of fact, I might have a t-shirt made up with that one.

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:37 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

February 6, 2008

Adult Content

(but it won't get you fired)

Continue reading "Adult Content"

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:31 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

February 5, 2008

I Quit

Forget this whole babysling business thing. I'm going into professional Stuffed Animal Photography.

World, meet Houston, Czarina's little buddy:

And here's Kena. He's a little shy, mostly because he has a girl's name, but HeroBoy insisted:

A little sniff for hello:

And the playing begins:

There was a (stuffed) bunny here just seconds ago, they're sure of it.

Then, naptime:

Slings-schmings. This was much more fun.

Posted by WonderGirl at 3:16 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

February 4, 2008

Revisiting Forgiveness

Forgiveness is an inescapable force in our lives. You will always need it, and someone will always need it from you, because we are fallen creatures who can't help but hurt each other.

When we give forgiveness, it is a mirror we hold up to Christ. It is baffling to the world, because it is an otherworldly act. It doesn't compute here. How do you know the wrongdoer is really sorry? How do you know they won't do it again? How can they know just how badly they've hurt you, if you forgive them? How many times do you forgive someone? We put requirements and limitations on forgiveness... and what should be a free gift, becomes expensive and exclusive, and not really forgiveness at all.

We can't understand giving forgiveness until we truly realize our need for it. For those of us fortunate enough to have grown up in a Christian home, we can be at a disadvantage here. If you spend your whole life doing pretty much the "right thing", then there is a real temptation to be morally superior. We don't want to admit it, but you know it's true. You reap what you sow- life is generally good, and because YOU are generally good. We may not say that outloud, but there's a part of us longtime Christians that leans to that occasionally. I may struggle with some little sins, but hey, I'm not out there killing people.

Wrong.

I'm glad you're not murdering folks. That's great. People like to live. But just because someone is out there doing something worse than you are, doesn't make your own sins any less damning. Sin is not a comparitive science here. My mother likes to say, "there, but for the grace of God", and she is totally, absolutely right.

Is there a sin you swear you'd never commit? Do you say, Oh, I'd just never do that? Be careful, because that's a point of pride for you. That's an area where you are depending, at least somewhat, on your own strength. The scary thing about doing that, is that this Christian walk is a refining process, and sometimes that pride must go through the fire, which hurts like the dickens.

I think to "get it", for this whole Christianity thing to click, we've got to hate our sin. We've got to realize how black it is, how it grieves God, how it isolates us. It is destruction, and death, even the smallest sliver is poisonous. We live in a society that candy coats sin-- we swallow whole that pleasant pill. Feels good, tastes good, looks good. But once we've ingested it, it corrupts. It contaminates us from the inside out. It separates us from God, it is offensive to Him. We reek of it. And it's been that way since we swallowed the fruit in the Garden.

That's uncomfortable, isn't it? But that's what it is. It should make us uncomfortable. It is the darkest of dark, the most evil of evil. Let that thought soak in, that YOUR little old sin of gossip, or sloth, or that itsy bitsy granule of lust... is so unbearable to God that He can't even LOOK at it.

And when you feel it, when you cast your eyes about in panic, knowing you can't undo it, that there is no way you can escape all this sticky sin, then remember! This is where the story gets good! This is when the Hero charges to our rescue- bridging that gap with forgiveness, leaping over that black, stinking chasm, to us. He swipes through the slimy cords of sin that bind us, His own blood the sword that saves. Not because we were really sorry, not because we won't ever do it again, not because we've earned it or we deserve it, not because we made our sin any less foul in His eyes. He did it because He loves us, and doesn't want us to be apart from Him. Wow! He did it, and because of that, who are we to withhold the same thing from each other? What an opportunity we have- we, who were so mired in sin and have been plucked from the clutches of death-- to mimic our God, to copy his actions like children, forgiving one another as we have seen Him do for us.

All sin is equal. But, people who have been forgiven for something really big like murder or adultery, will tell you that it changes them. It becomes a diving board for compassion. They dive headfirst into forgiveness, splashing everyone around them, giving that gift, whether it is squandered it or treasured, regardless of the outcome. They just can't help it. Self-righteousness is smashed by shame, and slowly rebuilt into a quiet humility. Not a pious humility, but a humbleness that comes from being broken, exposed, from being low, from hitting rock bottom. They know the worst in themselves, know just what they are capable of, and how desperately they need God in their lives.

Those people, they "get it". They can tell you how bad sin is, how great God is, and how much He loves you and wants to forgive you. But it was a lesson they had to learn the hard way. Woe to the man who must be dashed beneath his sin to be sorry for it... be wise, be humble now. Be forgiving now.

It's an amazing, complicated, challenging thing, forgiveness. Whether you give it, or receive it, it changes you. And when it is withheld, it also changes you. You become a little harder, a little tighter. You miss a moment, and that is a sad thing.

Forgiveness is the fertile ground that good things grow in. Be generous with it, spread it far and wide. Not because it's cheap, not because it is the magic fix-it-all, but because it was poured out for you first.

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 KJV)

Posted by WonderGirl at 12:32 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

February 3, 2008

This and That

Urgh.

Man, I am so behind on stuff. I feel like a chicken with it's head cut off these days! I have so many little details of things swimming around in my head- or not, I guess, if I'm the chicken with no head.

See? I'm mixing metaphors. You know it's bad when that happens. This may be an indication of permanent drain bamage. (ha)

BohoBaby is coming along, slow and steady. I set up my light studio for taking pictures of each sling. That was pretty fun. I have never been all that interested in photography, but I can see the allure. As an aside, for those of you with photography as a hobby- do you find yourself with a mild urge to wear a beret as your working? Just wondering if that's normal at all.

Anyway.

It was fun. I have A LOT to learn about that, and really, only a limited amount of time, and cranial space, for extra stuff. So, in with photography, and out with.. um... physics. Haven't used it in ages anyway. Just taking up space. As a matter of fact, calculus can go, too.

-subject change-

We rented "Stardust" last night- I've been wanting to see it for ages. I finally recovered enough from my husband's "Lord of the Rings" taunting to risk renting another fantasy-themed movie. And, I will confide in you, dear reader, that even King Pen liked this movie. He may not speak to me after that revelation, but it's true. My man liked this movie. I know because he only made two snide, MST3K-like remarks. If you have ever watched a movie with King Pen, then you know, this is progress. As Dolly mentioned the other day on her blog, it had a "Princess Bride" flavor to it. (And it's common knowledge that you can't be a decent human being and not like PB. It's simply mandatory.) So, go and rent, and be prepared to wish you were Claire Daines again just a little bit. (She's so loverly.)

Grocery Game update-- got my first Sunday paper to clip coupons out of, and I realize, two things. Number one, this is yet another thing for me to obsess over. Yay. But, I could save gobs, so there ya have it. At least it's a productive obsession. And number two, I like to cut things. I really do. Is that weird? The thinner the paper, the better... and the fact that I have a preference is a bit worrisome. Anywho, I'll go shopping tomorrow, so I'll letcha know how it goes.

And lastly, here are a few pics I took, playing around with lighting and whatnot. I shamelessly stole the picture frame idea from Dolly (whom I seem to be stalking these days, apparently). I'm doing the whole family, and if Dolly doesn't like it, she can just... uh... send me an email. Cause I'm stealing it, and that's that. I ain't a'skerred of her. I could take her.

(Sorry, Dolly. This is a direct result of the limited neuro-processing thing I was talking about earlier.)

(By the way, Czarina BEGGED me to straighten her hair, so don't panic, Mom. The curls are still there. My little comedian dramatically wailed after I had finished, "Oh no!! My curls are gone! That's where I get all my ideas-- now I can't think of a single thing!" I don't know where she comes up with that stuff.)

Oh, and here's a picture of a sling I took in my "studio".

Fancy, huh?

Posted by WonderGirl at 7:00 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

February 1, 2008

Status

King Pen: recovered, returned to work today, a little draggy but fever-free.

Chipmunk: fever, a little grumpy, but otherwise okay.

WonderGirl: headache. Paranoid.

HeroBoy, Czarina, and the Duke: well and ready for fun.

And now for the inanimate:
Laundry: sky high.
Dishes: clean, waiting to be put away.
Beds: unmade.
Slings: few more done.
Diapers: changed.
Breakfast: eaten.
TV: off.
Coffee: gulped.

Posted by WonderGirl at 11:06 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack