is it holy?

Justin and I spent this weekend at a United Methodist Youth Conference called WinterBlitz with the youth group from our church.  What an amazing time of spiritual renewal! Our speaker was Justin Lookadoo and Addison Road led us in worship.  What a moving experience! What a blessing it has been to move from going to WinterBlitz as a youth to now being a leader and working with such special kids that have a heart for their Savior.  Our speaker focused on the story in Hebrews 5:11-14 about spiritual feeding and challenged us so deeply....kids and leaders alike.

"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

-Hebrews 5:11-14

This scripture pierced my soul.  I was convicted this weekend.  I was convicted of doing exactly what God's word warns us about.  I have been "slow to learn" relying on others to teach me all the time.  Yes, I give of my time to reach out to others.  Yes, I read my bible.  But I can't say that I have been feeding on solid food as a Christian.  I haven't been reading scripture as a book completely diving into the teachings before me.  I haven't been reading my bible as God's love story to me and treating it as relevant as I know it is.  I have been lazy.  There, I said it.  Lazy in my faith.  I don't want to be there anymore.  I want to be mature in my faith, training myself through God's help and wholeheartedly learning what exactly holy is. 

Which leads me to the next thing....

A question Justin Lookadoo challenged us with is "Is it holy?"  Three simple words that have changed my life as a Christian.  These three words challenge us to move completely away from the thought of what is right and wrong in God's mind.  God calls us to be Holy....set apart from the world.  Battling with what is right and wrong is an endless battle.  There are so many gray areas and places where the world strays us from the truth.  Yet, if we seek out what is holy....we are seeking out exactly what God wants us to.  He defines everything that is holy right in his Word.  His word is relevant.  It is true.  It is life-changing.

So your life...your actions...your thoughts....your decisions...are they Holy? Do you truly desire to be set apart and mature in your faith? No matter what your answer to those questions are....God loves you so incredibly much.  He is waiting for you....waiting for you to come into His arms so he can embrace you and move you to the next level in your faith whether it be the first step or the one-hundredth step.  Allow Him to move in your life.

Sand art image from this weekend 

decluttering bug

I have the decluttering and organizing bug. 

When I get in this mood....I better utilize it! I love to organize and declutter, but the truth is...I'm not always in the mood.  (Especially in this cold weather when I just want to be a couch potato.) Well the bug hit....one, because the winter weather pretty much traps you in your home with a deathgrip and two, I get inspired by lovely bloggers that I find in this world of blogging.  (Bless you, ladies!) So I did the big project a few weeks ago....the hubby's closet.  (Boo me for not taking a before picture.)  The "after" is still evident.  You'll just have to take my word on this one.  I am thinking positive on this one but my unorganized free-organizational-spirit husband doesn't always keep a space decluttered.  So get excited...you may just get a glimpse into that closet before and after...um...let's say this spring or summer.  (I think he can keep it clean...I think he can keep it clean...)

Now onto the little projects that may seem so silly and trivial to you....but they were driving me crazy! These little projects are three cabinet spaces in our kitchen.  Blah.  You know how you sometimes have to "learn to love" something....well that's me with our kitchen cabinets.  I am grateful for what we have...but it takes creativity to make it work! :)

This is our lovely top cabinet over our awkwardly tall cabinet space that we use as our "pantry".  This houses our lunchboxes, bulk bags of chips (Side note...I'm not a "bulk" shopper, but they were cheaper unit-price wise this week at the grocery store...hint, hint), our George Foreman, tea maker, grill tools, etc.  I look at this and cringe.

Before

After

(Not perfect to you organizing queens...but this works great for us.  Accessible and simple.)

Tupperware......

Really?! I let it get to this?!

(please don't tell Martha Stewart)

Before

After

I matched lids to bottoms, recycled the oddballs, and as you can tell, moved the contents to one of our big drawers.  Ahhh.  I can breath easier...this makes so much more sense in our kitchen.

Where the tupperware was now holds oven mits, new sponges and napkin rings (in the white basket), and my aprons.  (Again, it makes sense.  Oven mits directly next to the oven.  Duh, Cait.)

So no longer can my hubby sit in the living room and crack up as he hears me saying some unpleasant words to the tupperware as they topple out of the cabinet and I shove them back in with one hand while closing the door with the other.  Oh darn.

So there you go....hopefully I'm spreading the decluttering bug to you.  Start little....it'll make your progress so much more rewarding as the projects snowball....(like that Dave Ramsey talk?) 

....Now what else can I declutter and organize?

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p.s.  I moved my 2010 coupon savings running total to my sidebar.  Follow me through the year as I pinch pennies with coupons.  Call me a nerd if you want to...but it's so much fun.  Hope it will inpsire you!

the exact moment

"All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 

-2 Timothy 3:16

Oh how I wish I could type this blog all about how I have read my bible daily since the beginning of the new year.  However, I'm not perfect.  Period.  I set a goal at the end of last year to spend more time with God. Being that Christmas is a time where we think so much about giving because God gave His son completely for us, I started to think about what it was I could give to God.  For some reason...this was the first Christmas that I truly thought about this. I pondered this so much during the Christmas season, finally deciding it was time. I am the queen of multi-tasking. So I decided that with the new year beginning, my gift to God was my time. Completely focused non-interrupted time with God.  One-on-one time.  Time to just focus and center my heart solely on my Creator.  Although it hasn't happened every day...it has happened a lot more than I was diving into scripture last year.  I let the stress of the first year of teaching completely drain me.  Although the bible was exactly what I needed on those evenings where I just came home and melted in frustration, tears, whining and complaining....it was what I pushed further from me.  I have learned through so much trial and error that if you put God first in your day...everything else will completely fall into place.  God knows exactly what you need in the exact moment you need it.

Flipping through my bible recently (oh the precious joy in flipping through the pages of your familiar bible), I noticed pages highlighted, underlined, and even notes jotted down here and there.

I am such a reflector.  So I mark the pages of my bible like crazy.  I have found it so neat lately to flip to a certain passage and find some verses on the page highlighted or marked somehow.  Immediately my mind starts to ponder what was going on in my life on that specific day in that exact moment that I was moved by that specific scripture.  Sometimes I am able to think back and remember exactly what was going on or what bible study I was in when I was moved by that scripture.  Yet, it doesn't stop there.  Not only can God touch your heart with a specific scripture in the exact moment you need it, but he can use it in a completely different way to pursue your heart at a different time and in a different way.  Amazing.  And some people wonder if He really loves them.  The proof is right on those pages.

So I challenge you.  Pick up your bible.  Dust it off if you have had it sitting on a shelf.  Center your heart on your Maker and He will lead your heart exactly where He wants it.  He loves you and longs for you to learn more about Him and the relationship He longs to have with you.  Go out on a limb.  He'll be there...exactly where you need Him.

free tissues and a thrifty discovery

So this post is random.

I have a couple things I have done recently that I wanted to share, so I'm combining them into this one quick post.

Use or lose.

Lets start with the tissue box. For some reason I have had in my mind since moving into our little bungalow that our tissue box has to match the hopefully soon-to-be remodeled decor in our master bath. (Yes, I am that person sometimes...please don't judge.) I always worked hard to find a cutesy floral earthy-tone patterned box of tissues. Well, this time around I ripped the top of the tissue box as I was removing the little flappy thing. I looked at that torn part of the box for a couple days.....and it drove me nuts. Not only did the box not match, but the the ripped part was sticking out like a sore thumb. Like the hole in the wall from where my hubby started our tile removal doesn't... Anywho...this led to a wonderful discovery! Tissues free from the confinement of a box.

Check it out...

This is kind of embarassing...but I will share anyway. I yelled for my hubby to come into the bathroom just to see this. He acted very amused......whether he was acting or not, I don't care...he provided the response I hoped to receive! :) This may make you cringe...but it works for us and we heart the idea. (If this suits your fancy....I just used a long skinny basket that I have had in our house.)

Next random idea....

This idea came from the fact that I am a tad bit tight with money. There are few things I splurge on and one of those is my Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer. I usually tend to go for the off-brands or whatever I have a coupon for...but this stuff is great and one of my must-haves. This makes me look like I'm actually awake to teach those little kiddos at 7:30 in the morning. Well....this stuff isn't cheap. At least not on my terms. And I was at the point where I could not possibly squeeze another drop outta the bottle. So I decided to do something I used to laugh at one of my college roomies for doing.......I cut the tube in half. Yep, that's right. I took scissors and cut it in half like this.....

And look what I found...

Turns out my roomie wasn't as crazy as I thought! That's right! Enough daily moisturizer to last me over an entire extra week...I'm still digging some out! (I'm easily amused as you can see.) I just threw both parts into a snacksize baggie.

Pinching pennies? I highly recommend this! Shampoo and conditioner bottles, body wash bottles, concealer, etc.

So what thrifty ideas steal your heart? Do share!

blessings, Cait

what makes your heart happy?

So what makes your heart happy? Well....you would be surprised just how deep those little 3rd and 4th grade minds can take this question!

I just changed my Christmas bulletin board over to a valentine's day theme. Usually I have some great moms come in and help put this together, but I wanted a quick change (and I'm one of those "I'll just do it myself and get it completed faster" types). I kept the same border, same background and same kiddo pictures from our Christmas bulletin board that read "Tis The Season To Be Jolly". My great teaching partner that is next door to me at school gave me the idea of changing the words to "What Makes Your Heart Happy?" Perfect! So I quickly took down the christmasy letters and decorations, cut out 21 hearts from the die-cut machine, and whipped this up during the beginning of my planning yesterday. (To all of you teacher-folk out there...you know the sweet joy in a simple bulletin board that looks great and can be changed over from season to season.)

Right before they went to music I wrote on the whiteboard, "What makes your heart happy?" I gave them no restrictions...just to use their "best handwriting and spelling".

What this created is precious.

(finished product....not bad for a quick bulletin board season swap during planning....their cute little faces are blurred for obvious safety reasons...but those faces are definitely the best part!)

"When I spend time and have fun with family and friends." Aw. :)

"I have God in my life! John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son for that whoever believes in him shall not parish but have eternal life!" ---love this little girl that boldly proclaims the love of God on a public school bulletin board...you go girl!

So as we say in our emails to each other at school when we share ideas...use or lose. :) Even for those of you non-teachers...what a precious idea to have your kiddos do as a memento each Valentine's Day season to see just what it is that captures their little hearts in that moment.

Happy Friday..whoo hoo!

blessings, Cait

a mess of cuteness

Well I am taking a break from my grading of 3rd and 4th grade algebraic thinking (yes--you heard the words "third and fourth grade" and "algebra" in the same sentence) pre-assessments and Writing to Demonstrate Learning papers (sounds fun, huh...) to show you a glimpse of what our living room rug looks like.

pulling out every ounce of stuffing in search of the squeaker (can't say he gives up easily!)

the end result (defeat)

This is what a little 40-some pound beagle/lab mix (or "blab" as Justin likes to call him) can do to a stuffed chew toy. We don't usually buy him stuffed toys for obvious reasons. We tend to stick to the Nylabone goodies (which we highly recommend to those of you parents of "tough -chewers"...well worth the money). However, his sweet dog-cousin Molly, shared a few of her inherited toys with him the other day. He literally hunts out the squeaker by chewing on the toy for a few seconds...strategically places his paws on the toy to pull out the stuffing...gets the squeaker out and destroys it...and then leaves it everywhere on the carpet. Our little Boone would be one heck of a hunter. (Good thing those bunnies and squirrels run for their lives when he ventures into the yard.) We brag on how smart our little boy is.....now if only I could train him to use the vacuum cleaner. ;)

Do you have a "tough chewer" that goes through toys like it's his or her job.? Please share if you have some toy ideas for our own little tough-chewer "blab".

blessings, Cait

mini-makeovers with pillows

I am a little pillow-crazy. I love how a simple pillow can add so much coziness to a room. So, I have recently completed some mini-makeovers using pillows within our home. Check out the befores and afters.

This fall I changed out our dreary dark red pillows on one of our couches to light, cream colored pillows. I'm not sure if it was the changing seasons or the thought of the creamy, white snow of winter. Whatever it was that inspired me, it's amazing how the new pillows lighten up the room! (Each white pillow was $9.99 at Target.)




Just today I was at Kohl's and found a pair of these great floral pillows for $4 each on super clearance. I could not pass up a deal like that! It really helps cozy up this wicker chair in our living room. (The matching pillow found a home on our extra bedroom bed as I did a little re-arranging with the pillows that were originally on that bed.) See below...



So you may have recently heard the newly coined phrase by thrifty desingers called "shopping your home". We all have that extra "stuff" lying around that we aren't using or that could simply be used in a better way somewhere else in the home. This is a great way to refresh your rooms withouth dishing out any cash from the budget! Well that's exactly what I did...I shopped my home and found these great pillows on the bed in our guest bedroom. Think outside the box...these pillows go with the set from out guest bedroom but look just as great (maybe even better...) with our master bedroom set.
Lastly, you'll see no before pic because we've had this little basket of pillows in our living room since we moved in. I had these pillows but didn't know where to put them...had the basket but nothing to put in it. I loved them both and didn't want to store them in the basement...soooo they become a floor accessory. :)
So you think a room or a few rooms need some refreshing in your home...add (or rearrange) some pillows! You'll love the result!


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2010 Coupon Savings Running total:
*I saved $5.79 with coupons on my $8.83 Target bill today.
*2010 savings so far....$16.89
(Tip...I had a "buy one get one free" coupon and used a dollar off coupon on the same item. Don't be coupon shy at the store!)


I've linked this post to Thrifty Decor Chick's Before and After Party.

easy chicken tortilla soup...made with love

I am very excited to post about a little something my hubby did. He made dinner! He didn't just make dinner...he planned it all out...got the recipe and even met me at the grocery store after work to get all of the ingredients while I grocery shopped for the week. I love him. This recipe was delicious...and knowing he did this out of pure sweetness made it even better.

I have talked about Justin some, I have mentioned our wonderful life together, but I haven't mentioned just what kind of man I'm married to. This is a guy that persevered through my many "no's" and "I don't have the same feelings" kind of talks to get to this point. When we moved on from our Elementary school crush on each other (yes, we met in Kindergarten) and let the years turn our relationship into "just friends", he came back, pursuing me in college in a way that would make any girl's heart melt when they heard the whole story. (I'm talking flowers on Valentine's day when we weren't even dating.) I love this man with all my heart. He is my best friend (our romance blossomed out of this friendship) and he is my strength on days I feel I have none left. He rubs my back even though I ask him a million times a week and he is my encourager. His faith encourages mine and he loves until he has nothing else to give.

Now that you know a little more about this guy....check out what he made for dinner. Chicken Tortilla Soup.....yummmm.

Want this recipe?! Simple and delicious.

What you need:
-2 boneless chicken breasts
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1 can chick broth
-1 can cream of corn
-1/2 packet of Bloomer's Chili Powder (or any chili powder will do)
-2 to 3 shakes of garlic powder

For soup dressings:
-Shredded Monterrey Jack/Cheddar Cheese (or any shredded cheese of your liking)
-Sour Cream (we use lite...just as yummy)
-Tortilla Chips (to crumble into your soup)
-Salsa (Justin loves to dump some of it in his bowl)

To make:
-Boil defrosted chicken 30 minutes
-Remove chicken and tear into pieces
-Drain broth...save for later use on something else if you wish
-In same pot you boiled chicken...add tomatoes, 1/2 can of the chicken broth, 1/2 can of water, garlic powder and chili powder. Simmer 15 minutes.
-Add 1/2 can of chicken broth and cream of corn. Simmer 15-20 minutes longer.
*This makes about 5-6 bowls.

Dress with goodies and enjoy!

(Giving credit where credit is due. This recipe was passed down by Justin's best friend's mom.)

organizing coupons--coupon album

Early in my first year as a newlywed I was going through the grocery store and saw this amazing lady weaving into the aisle next to me. In her hands was something that would change my budgeting life! :) It was the most creative and sensible way to organize coupons. I have been through just piling them in my wallet and using one of those silly small pocket thingies that you can organize the coupons into sections. No offense if that works for you....I just hated flipping through the coupons in the sections. Check out this amazing invention.....

Purchase a small flimsy picture album.

(You can purchase these for under $1 at places like Wal-Mart).

Cut your coupons out and simply slide them into the pages where you would normally place pictures.

I like to organize mine with food coupons in the front, Boone's dog food and treat coupons next, then household item coupons (dish detergent, toothpaste, etc.), and finally department store and restauraunt coupons in the back.

Yes, GENIUS! This has made my coupon organization so easy that I use a coupon almost everywhere I go. I am never without my coupons because this light album fits right in my purse. Go for it, you'll be amazed by how easy it is to access your coupons!

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2010 Coupon Savings Running total:

*I saved $7.60 with coupons on my $74.00 grocery bill today.
*2010 savings so far....$12.10


I'm linking this post to Thrifty Decor Chick's So Fresh and So Clean Party

trading the new for the....old?

Justin and I have been married about a year and a half next week. Goodness, time flies! We purchased our little home a few months before we got married, worked on it a bit during our engagement (what better way to dream about your future together...), and then moved in when we got home from our honeymoon. Although I am not the perfector of design, I do enjoy nice things for our home and enjoy making all the knooks and crannies cozy. I would like to say our tastes are sorta traditional, ecclectic, country. Well being blessed with wonderful family means being blessed with some of their wonderful hand-me-downs and they have helped us to turn our little house into a home. My encouragment for you....instead of trading the old for the new, be bold....trade the new (or in our budget case...the idea of the new) for the old. :) Try something new...head out to a local flea market (Traderbaker's is a great one in LaGrange), antique shops (Crazy Daisy and Goss Avenue Antiques are great ones in Louisville), local auctions, and even Goodwill. Take a look at how we've placed a few older pieces through our house to make this new home of ours "pop" in a special way.

This piece was found before we got married and I HAD to have it. An antique country style table that invites you into our foyer. --Begged for it for Christmas. Cost...$0 (gift)

Check out this little two-tiered antique table that sits next to our entertainment center. PERFECT for holding my Real Simple and Country Living magazines and our favorite picture albums. Given to me by my fellow flea market lovin' aunt as a gift. :) Cost...$0 (gift)

This coffee table was part of a three piece collection (coffee table and two end tables) my parents found at an auction. They couldn't pass up the deal. ($20....for all 3 pieces) They hauled it by our house, we said yes....meet our living room collection. :) Cost....$20 for this piece and two end tables. (See pic below)

Yes, this is an old style end table. Our goal is to change hardware and possibly update the wheel pieces on each leg. However, I LOVE the little compartment that the baskets fit in. A modern touch for an old-timey piece. So Pottery Barnesque.

A closer look at the basket...a perfect storage option for books, remotes, and camera cords.

This four-post bed was a hand-me-down that I treasure. My parents had it handmade when they first got married. Cost....$0

Enter our extra bedroom. This iron bed is a family antique that has been passed down from generation to generation. LOVE IT! There is nothing a fresh coat of white spray paint can't help! Cost....$0

What about you? Are you like me and you value the old over the new? Or does the thought of antiques in your house make you cringe and think of cobwebs and dust?

There is just something so special in having those antique pieces that are passed down in the family or those one-of-a-kind budget-friendly finds that just "fit" your home. Try it...let those new furniture catalogues inspire you. But let the old pieces you treasure hunt for find a way into the heart of your home.

a home for your heart

I LOVE the Christian author Max Lucado. His way with words and God's truth that he reveals through His work is an awe-inspiring thing. I'm a sucker for those profound quotes and statements that just sting your inner being....that stick with you and that you can't let go of. The kind of words that stop you in your tracks and you can't help but be changed from the inside out. Well I woke up and without even getting out of bed, grabbed my iPhone to read his latest email. (I have signed up for email devotionals that come every few weeks. Each are from a work of his.) Go to www.MaxLucado.com/subscribe to subscribe.

This morning, God had something completely in store for ME. Yes, He can do that. He can provide an email that touches the hearts of His children in the specific way they need it. (Wow....on a side not, that is what I try my hardest to do each day as a teacher...send this one specific message in various ways to reach my students in the way they need to be taught. Jesus is SO good!)
Anyways...With the new year, and my newly refined passion for my blog and reaching others, I have been a tad bit consumed with thoughts on our little bungalow and our little life as husband and wife. What is it God wants me to share with others? What is it that makes our little home so special that I can spread ideas to others? And those thrifty ideas God has created my mind to contain...what do I share with those reading my blog? Well, I have also been struggling with finding balance between these thoughts and what God wants me to do with them...and God provided some insight!

Max Lucado so eloquently wrote in the email:

You were intended to live in your Father’s house. Any place less than his is insufficient. Any place far from his is dangerous. Only the home built for your heart can protect your heart. And your Father wants you to dwell in him.

Wow! God brought me right back to where he wanted me. I was like a fluttering butterfly with new wings, trying to decide where to land....and God said, "Land on me. Dwell in me. Your home is with me. Nothing else matters."

Not only did he provide me those words, but I also have a bible verse app on my iPhone. You hit the refresh button and it provides a random verse from the bible. Well, right on my iPhone screen popped up, John 1:14.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Another reminder to not worry...just to dwell in him.

So maybe this all sounds a little random to you. Maybe it sounds like I am talking in circles...but I hope that through this message you can be as refreshed as I was on where my concentration and focus needs to be. God tells us not to worry....he tells us to lean on him. Well that is where I find myself today. Completely reminded that only God knows what He has in store for me. So I continue with my passion of creativity and writing...I continue with my passionate love for Grace and Joy and the creator of these things. He will lead me to the ideas to write on this page. He will provide the place in which I should dwell. Sigh....what a precious God we serve!

You are His. Be inspired by His words and enjoy this day He has provided us with.

xoxo, Cait

snow day...numero dos

Our bungalow amidst the Winter Wonderland

Boone tracking the stick

Loving the snow


Just bein' cute

Well all of those little cuties in my class had their dreams fulfilled. Not only did we get one snow day....but the Lord blessed us with two. :) Yes, all of you non-teachers are GAGGING right now because of your lack of snow days. But come chill in my class or another teacher's class for a day...and you'll get the idea QUICKLY on why us teachers deserve those sweet days of peace. Plus, those little ones deserve a break from their hard work....they should be able to play in the snow without someone saying, "Using your schema on weather, who can infer why we would have snow today instead of rain?" (That's teacher talk, for "Why is it snowing?")

Anyhoo...

I have spent my days wisely because they are so precious. (Check out the top of this post for a few glimpses into our snow day yesterday.)

Yesterday--
-Took down the Christmas tree, check!
-Rearranged a few things in the living room.
-Finally hung our wedding momento...a framed picture where all of our guests signed
-Perged a little...Got together a bunch of items to take to my mom's booth at our local antique/flea market
-Worked on the ol' blog
-Played in the snow!
-Took pictures of us playing in the snow
-Joined an online forum as "theblessedlife" and posted to a forum on "Money Saving Tips" for the first time giving my two cents on "cutting back"

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/saving/msg0119442927332.html?16

-Added my blog to blogged.com

Today--
-Slept in...maybe a little too late...the kind of sleeping in where you wake up to get ready for lunch
-Enjoyed lunch at a local, delicious Bar-b-que hole in the wall in our little downtown with my hubby and padres
-Took all the items to our local antique/flea market
-Found three deals there at the same place...this month's edition of Better Homes & Gardens for $.78.....yes, that's 78 cents...not the $3.99 you pay in the stores, this season's Better Homes & Gardens special edition mag on home makeover ideas for $1.00 instead of the $5.99 it is in stores, and finally, a gift for my aunt for next Christmas or her upcoming bday in march (in case you didn't catch that.....I saved $8.20 on two magazines....makes my heart happy)
-Cleaned up our master bedroom
-Moved Boone's puppy bed from the corner of our room to under our bed. I'm always thinking of the little ways to his heart....for some reason he loves sleeping under our bed. (yes, i'm proud to say we have NO junk under our bed...so there is room for our little beagle/lab mix to lay his sweet head at night)
-Pondering the rest of my day...

Being that there is over 70% of the US with snow on the ground...chances are, you have snow....so enjoy your snow day. Whether it's from your work window or your own backyard.

Happy Friday!

"SNOW!!!!"

Wow. That's all I can say about my last three days.

Not only are the kiddos CRAZY after getting back from Christmas....ahem....Winter Break, but we are now expecting the largest amount of snow we've had this season. That makes for craziness among the younger bunch! :)

A glimpse into my day....
(Soft, quiet music playing in the background in hopes that it will soothe their little, busy minds)
As we're packing up to go home I hear these shouts...and yes, SHOUTS.
"You know, we're going to have a snow day tomorrow."
"Yeah, at first it was supposed to come in on Friday, but now it's coming in overnight."
"I'll call you if we have a snow day. I CAN'T WAIT"
"I don't want a snow day. I'll cry."
"Have you heard of Costco? Well, we got a new sled at Costco."
As teeny, tiny...maybe you could see with a magnifying glass...snowflakes spit in the sky....
"Mrs. Gentry...it's already SNOWING!"

I go back to my original word to sum up the day....Wow.

Hehe, gotta love those little cuties though...they make the day so fun and eventful.

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Oh yeah....I'm starting a coupon savings running total for 2010. This is because I'm curious as to just how convenient my coupon commotion truly is.

I have only spent money at Kroger so far in 2010 (wow, really?)....my total savings, $4.50.

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Whew....after not blogging over my entire "Winter" Break....I have so much to say! I've always been a wordy writer...big plus for college!

Anyways...
Final thought for today....think about how your actions affect others. truly. in every aspect of your day....God only promises us today. Make the most of it and love on others.


xoxo, Cait

oh..and ps...I got an iPhone for Christmas and iAm oh so lovin' it! more on the helpful, very useful, and just plain fun apps.