Thursday, September 30, 2010

Overdue

So I know I am overdue for blogging, but I am completely hitting writers block I guess. So much going on in our household, but where to start. I am starting to feel overwhelmed with all of the changes coming, but so excited at the same time. I will share soon enough about what is coming, but for now, I think I will stick with yet another random post:

1. My house is cold this morning. I love when I have to get under a blanket and snuggle up with a hot cup of tea.

2. I made some homemade bread yesterday, and I must say, I turned out pretty stinkin good. Here is the recipe I use, simple and easy. The best way to eat it: I heat it up then spread some good ole Sue Bee Honey and Butter on top, alongside my tea, It is a lovely way to start my day.

3. My house is a wreck. I sit and survey the disaster and try to decide where to start, but am completely unmotivated. Do you ever do that, where it gets so bad you just don't even feel like you have a fighting chance. It doesn't help to have a certain 2 year old follow you around and for every item you put in it's right home, she gets something else out.

4. I have been working on some fun little things for our upcoming craft boutique, have you checked out Their website, and since I like to have too many projects going on, I thought I would add knitting to the list. I got Nana to teach me and now I am working on a scarf (Supposedly easy beginner project). I will share pictures maybe once it is done. At the rate I am going, it will be sometime around next Christmas :)

5. So here is my struggle lately. I want to be real on this blog. I want to have a life of transparency. There are days when I am not okay with this life and I don't understand where God is working in stuff, but I don't share it. I am going to venture to say that I am not the only one here that does this. I put up happy stuff on here and cute pics and all, but in reality I am struggling and hurting. Don't get me wrong. This isn't everyday, but there are days that just stink and days that are incredible. Days that I truly feel the Lord comforting me and blessing me, and then days I feel so far removed from Christ. So on poopy days, I don't blog. I don't have anything good to say, so I don't say anything. I want so badly to get to a place where I can say Christ is enough, but instead so many days I tell Christ through my actions that He isn't and his work on this earth was not sufficient. So that is where I am at. I want to be open and honest and maybe with that you can relate (whoever actually reads this blog). So maybe you will start to see more of that on here.
Still doing some of the same stuff too. So still having coupon stuff and Sarah kate stuff, but i just want to be real. I struggle with that. So, here is the first step. I said it outloud so to speak.

So maybe this didn't turn out as random and light as I first thought it was going to be today. Sorry, just sharing what is on my heart lately.

Hope yall have a lovely day :)

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Wordless "kinda" wednesday!

Spent $16 for all of these goodies :)

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Publix trip 9/15--good freebies!


Yesterday, Sarah Kate and I headed to Publix for a quick trip.

Totals: $14.48 spent/$46.64 saved

The freebies/really cheap included:
9 boxes of zataran's rice mixes (had peelies on the boxes for .50 cents off and they were b1g1 at $1.99 making them free!!
6 boxes of glory corn muffin mix (there is a .90 cents coupon here that is awesome!--they were .75 cents each, so each box was a .15 cents moneymaker!)
5 Phili cream cheeses ( $1.25 each on sale, used the $5 off 5 coupon that I told you about, so that made them .25 cents each!)
3 V-fusions--on sale b1g1 paired with a $1 coupons making them $1 each!
& Publix Coffee was the penny item
other stuff:
eggo's--b1g1 so $1 a box (couldnt find a coupon to go with them)
eggs
and splurged on some good Moz. cheese for the Lasagna I posted about earlier this week!
Love me some freebies!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Happy Birthday, Daddy!!!

Today is a very special day around here. Daddy's Birthday!

So, today, I give you a list of why I am the luckiest girl in the world....

1. Michael loves me even when I am not a very loveable person.

2. I love the way he loves our Sarah Kate. The way I see his heart melt every time she wraps her arms around his neck for a hug, I can see him melt and time stop. He loves her so much and that does my heart good.

3. He takes care of so much for me and Sarah Kate. Not many daddy's will willingly go change the amount of stinky diapers my hubby has changed. Even after working a long day at work, he comes home and finds ways to serve me, even in the simple ways like fixing my plate at dinner or helping clean up from dinner, or getting Sarah Kate ready for bed.

4. The way in which he leads our family where he feels the Lord's direction and how I can see his top priority after his relationship with the Father is taking care of his 2 girls :).

5. I love how he desires time to be just us as a family and have that quality time together.

6. I love to see him share Christ with our daughter. Whether it be through reading scripture together, reading Bible stories, or even through his disciplining with her I can see him showing her of her deep need in a Savior.

7. His patience.

8. The way I can see him encourage me when I need it. So many times lately, I have been encouraged to Trust the Lord with His timing and His ways. I am the type that wants to know everything now, but Michael reminds me continually to trust and wait on the Lord.

9. I love how each night I get a kiss and "I love you" before we go to sleep.

10. I love how he doesn't take lightly the calling God has put on his life as head of our household. I didn't really know what that looked like growing up. My father did not take that job as important and seeing what a beautiful picture it is of how Michael loves his family the way in which Christ loves the church really impacts me.

Thank you, Michael for loving me and Sarah Kate and puting up with our whining :)

We love you so much and hope your birthday is incredible!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Menu Plan and a good coupon!

Well, since I know so many of you are sitting on pins and needles to see what the Davis family is eating this week, here you go :). So, really, who cares what we are eating, but maybe it will give you some ideas for meals around your house. I know I steal ideas from friends blogs all the time for dinners around our house. So without further ado (how do you spell that???)....

Monday: We ate out in Anniston--I was teaching a couponing class out there to a great group of ladies and so we met Michael after work and ate then he took Sarah Kate home and I headed to the class.

Tues: This Tilapia Recipe, cheesy mashed potatoes, field peas

Wed: (DADDY'S BIRTHDAY!) Daddy's Favorite Chicken Casserole, rolls
1 lb. Cooked Shredded Chicken
1 small container of sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup cooked rice
2 cups cheese (I think I have mild cheddar, but use whatever you have on hand)
Mix all of the above up and spread in casserole, top with crushed ritz crackers (With melted butter--1 stick) and sesame seeds.
Bake at 350* for about 25-30 minutes and that's it!

Thurs: This Chicken recipe for the crockpot served over rice, blackeyed peas

Fri: New Recipe for the week: The Pioneer Woman's Lasagna, Garlic toast

Sat: We are watching the game with Michael's parents (Nana and Pop) and Aunt Lala and Jeremiah---celebrating my wonderful husband's birthday! Menu plans include: Chicken Kabobs, mashed potatoes, green beans, and I am sure there will be some snacking during the football game as well! And of course some yummy desserts :)

Sun: Lunch--Leftovers, Dinner--prob. will be eating with Community Group (so not sure what that will be yet).

Just a side note, have you seen this coupon for cheese yet? It is for $5 off 5 Kraft cheese or dairy products. Great coupon! I used 1 last week to get 5 Breakstone's sour cream (made by Kraft) for free! The were on sale for $1 each, so with the coupon, they became free! The coupon recently reset, so I was able to print more, which I saw starting Wed. that at Publix, the Philidelphia cream cheese will be on sale 4 for $5--so with the coupon I will get 5 cream cheeses for .25 cents each!

Off to get SK ready for MDO! Hope yall have a lovely Tues!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Menu Plan and more...

We first have to start out with a big "ROLL TIDE!!" Sarah Kate had a blast on Sat. going to Lala and Jeremiah's to watch football and play with a new friend! We got quite creative for fun things for the girls to do to be entertained, including building a tunnel and house with the dining room chairs and blankets! This weekend we are taking Sarah Kate to the great city of Tuscaloosa to tailgate! Now on to the menu:

So this week's menu plan:

Monday: We had leftover White Chicken Chili

Tues: Mimi took us to get some good ole Charley bbq

Wed.: Breakfast night: scrambled eggs, some turkey bacon, hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy, and maybe some fresh fruit thrown in too :)

Thurs.: Soup, not sure the real name of this soup, but one of my lovely friends shared this recipe with me and we love it at our house! (Recipe at the bottom of the post)--Thanks Laura!

Fri: White Pizza with Chicken and Alfredo sauce

Sat: We are headed to the great city of Tuscaloosa to tailgate and cheer on the tide!

Laura's Soup:
1 Large Onion
Smoked Sausage 2 lbs.
1 Tbsp. Worchestershire
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 can rotel
1 can lima beans, drained
1 can kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans

brown onion and sausage with olive oil. Dump everything else in and cook on low 2-4 hours in crockpot.
**I don't measure, this recipe is great because 1. it tastes amazing and 2. it is easy and 3. it is cheap!
**I always alter this recipe each time I make it depending on what we already have here at the house: sometimes we leave out the onion or only use 1 lb. of meat, and sometimes we change the beans depending on what we have here. It always turns out great though!



I headed to do grocery shopping yesterday while SK was at MDO and had a big stack of coupons armed and ready! Totals from Publix: Spent $39 and some change, saved $65 and some change!


Freebies and the best deals include:

Kraft Shredded Cheese: $1.50 each (so not the best deal ever gotten, but pretty good since we needed some)
Thai Kitchen Noodles: Free
Newman's own pasta sauce: .35 cents each
Oreo's: $1 each
Reddi Whip: $1.30
Dayquil and Nyquil: free!
Breakstone Sour Cream: Free!!
Greek Yogurt: Free!!
Banana's: Free!!
Apples: $1
Breyer's Icecream:$1.75
Mahatma Rice: Free!!
Dixie Sugar:$1.70
Hefty Trash Bags: $2.45

A few other things thrown in and we are within our budget for the week!


Now off to play some dress up with the Princess!!

Ways she melts my heart....

Sarah Kate has become very talkative lately. Well, i guess she has always been a talker, but she is starting to hold more conversations and join more sentances together. She tells me what is on her mind and is starting to get quite the imagination. The last couple of days she has melted my heart with her sweet words. Here's a glimse into some of our conversations lately:
**SK--"eat lunch, mama?"
**me--"ok, baby"--go fix lunch and we sit down at the table
**SK--"I love you, mama!" as she leans over to me to hug and kiss :)
(This is a new beautiful thing, that she is saying I love you to someone without it being a response to someone saying it to her).

**me--"hey SK, what did God make?"
**SK--"EVERYTHING!!!!" with her hands out wide and her eyes light up so bright!

At bedtime, we routinely go brush our teeth after reading a bedtime book and get baby and "maddy" (that is what she calls her blanky), then we go to our rocking chair and say night night prayers with mommy and daddy. She always wants to pray first (She has been doing this for a couple of months now) and then directs who she wants to pray that night, either mommy or daddy. Most nights her prayers are exactly the same.
**SK--"Dear God, had a great day!, Amen"
Last night, we came home from spending time a friends "farm house" and SK got in the rocking chair and we got ready to pray:
**SK--"Dear God, Thank you God for Farmhouse friends. Dear God, Thank you (for) Mama. Thank you (for) Daddy. Thank you friends at Farmhouse. Had a great day. Jesus watch over you. Amen!"
It was so sweet :) Then she looks at me:
**SK--"Mama, don't be scared. Jesus watch over you!"
(We always tell her that Jesus is watching over her as she sleeps so she doesn't have to be scared or cry, that God is right there protecting and loving her and she wanted to make sure mommy didn't cry when she went to bed, to know that God was watching over mommy too!)

Now here's a funny one. SK woke up yesterday morning and got in bed with Mommy and Daddy. We layed around in bed playing and chatting for a few minutes, then somehow we got on the subject of mommy's name. SK knows that Mommy's name is "Michelle". She cracks me up as she is telling daddy that Mommy's name is Michelle. Then it went like this:
**Daddy--"What is daddy's name?"
**SK--"Daddy!!!!"
We haven't quite figured out Daddy has another name too :) I guess she has just heard other people refer to me as Michelle, that she thinks it would be cool to occasionally do that too. She is figuring out that she will call me Mommy and not Michelle though :) It is pretty cute I must say.

So that is all the cute stories I can think of right now. She is such a cute kid and cracks me up with her personality too!