From There

I got this idea from Callie and thought it made for a really interesting post!  So here goes..this is where I'm from....

I am from a little 'hollow', from Mr. Bubbles bubble bath and walking on railroad tracks. I am from the the rolling mountains, peaceful, quaint, and country folk. I am from the rhodedendron, the pink, white, and yellow spring flowers. I am from Christmas spent at home and brown hair, from Grandpa Jones and Elam and Paul. I am from the talkative and also quiet and big hearted. From the tooth fairy riding in a cadillac and Santa coming down the chimney that didn't exist. I am from a Christian home. Growing up going to sunday school and witnessing God's saving grace as a teenager. I'm from Madison and German, jackie cakes and hot dogs with chili and slaw. From the time I backed into my dads truck with moms car, the tears I cried because I was sorry for not being more careful, and the stern lecture but forgiving hug my dad gave me despite it all. I am from the coalfields and a long line of hard workers.  Hard hats, steel toed boots, and dirty work clothes were the norm. I am from mason canning jars, from Big League bubble gum and ivory soap. I am from the white house sitting all alone, quiet yet bustling from the train when it passes, warm, and inviting.  


PS ~ There is a great giveaway going on at Sweet Southern Prep!

Recipe Swap?

In the middle of cooking dinner this evening, I thought to myself I wonder what some of my fellow bloggers out there are fixing for their families.  I thought it might be a wonderful idea to host a recipe swap here at Country Roads here in the near future. 

Anyone interested??

I'm thinking I'd pick one day and we'd all post one (or more!) of our families favorite recipes..maybe something you make that could be unique to your area (thinking..tex-mex..southern cuisine..etc)..or maybe your on a new health kick for the new year and found an exciting new low fat recipe you'd love to share with everyone. 

Basically..anything would go!

So if your interested..leave me a comment on here and we'll see if we get enough people interested to do something like this in the coming weeks! 

Sore Hands, No Naps, Dirty House

That pretty much describes my situation right now!  The last 2 nights I've been putting down tile in our bathroom...hence the sore hands.  I used up the last of it last night only to be 4 tiles short of completing the job.  Don't you hate it when that happens?  Oh well..next trip out I'm headed to Lowe's first thing to get enough tiles to complete the job.  I'll have a big 'reveal' post on that when its complete..its looking so awesome!! 

Since I've been busy working at nights (yes..this is when I've been doing the tiling..between 11pm-2am) on our master bath..my house cleaning has suffered.  A dirty house is what I'm left with.  Hopefully tonight if all goes well..I'll get to clean.  My house will be thankful.

And right now Miss Makayla is refusing to take her afternoon nap.  Oy.   Hopefully she'll take a nap in a few when we get in the car and go for a ride to grandmas.  We'll see. 

Gotta run!!

Tightwad or thrifty??

I was reading an article in our sunday paper about what tightwads will and won't splurge on.  The title alone just grabbed my attention!!  After reading alot of the analysis the author had mentioned (which I'll get to in a sec)..it made me think..what makes a person a tightwad..can't you just be referred to as 'thrifty'?  Tightwad just seems harsh..unless that is of course your anything like the people I read about in said article.

Appartnely Jeff Yeager who is the author of "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches" and "The Cheapskate Next Door" says he was considered to be 'splurging' when a cheapskate neighbor of his was totally blown away that he spent around $85 every couple of years to have his septic tank cleaned out.  To his neighbor..that was a splurge!  Said neighbor apparently cleans out his own septic tank himself, by the bucketful.

GROSS!

I think someone like that mans neighbor would definately be in a class of tighwads!!  I would never want to clean out my own septic tank! 

Anyways...they had some really unique examples of what different people considered splurges and things they would never buy and/or buy in a more thrify way.  Some of the splurges were as follows:

high quality flower bulbs
Dewalt power tools
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Apple Mac laptop
Crossfit gym membership
Child safety stuff (think BPA free sippy cups, organic food, having lead removed from house)
shoes--good ones
traveling abroad

Some things people would never buy and/or would buy something in a more thrifty way listed were:

cellphone
bottled water
gym membership
green household cleaners
cars
clothes
kids clothes
organic milk


So this got me to thinking..what are some of the things I would never buy and what are some things I would buy..in relation to 'thriftyness'..because some of the things in each category I was reading thinking..seriously??

I have no use for a cellphone.  Probably one of the very few in the world like this..but we have no cell phone reception where I live.  If we did..that would be different.  But I'm just not a phone person..so I have no need to have one with me at all times.  Think I would probably pull my hair out if I did.

I can relate to kids clothes.  Having a 7 month old and seeing how fast they grow out of clothes..I frequent consignment sales and yard sales (weather permitting) though I buy new clothes too because well lets face it.  You can't shop at consignment sales year round.  But I do love to save money this way.

I like making my own cleaners..but not everything of course.  I haven't bought windex in probably 5 years..so I'd definately put on my list of never bought things..windex.

I would splurge on a car..nothing like a $50,000 car though.  For us..we like to have a good car for the family.  Damons truck..well he's never owned a new truck.  It just isnt feasible for him for many reasons..one being cost..two being he's so rough with a truck (not driving wise..think more on the lines of throwing stuff in the bed of a pickup without worrying about scratching it up) having a new one it would look old in about 6 months time.

I definately buy store brand foods instead of name brands when I can. They taste the same and cost less.  Enough said.

And last but not least.  Baby food!  My gosh..when Makayla started eating solids I was buying tons and tons of baby food. Then realized how much it was costing and thought ok..I'm gonna give this homemade baby food thing a try.  Wow..I didn't think I'd be able to save that much just buy making a few batches of food..but its already adding up and I've just been doing it for a couple weeks now.  Plus..it gives me another reason to be creative in the kitchen. 

:-D

What are some of the ways you save?  And do you consider yourself a tightwad or just plain thrifty?

Twilight, anyone?

I mistakinly bought a dvd of "Twilight" while out shopping last week..forgetting I already had a copy at home!  So..this is one bloggers lucky day (or night depending on when you read this)!  If you don't already own "Twilight"..be the first to leave me a comment saying so and its yours!!!!  If I don't get any responses within the next 48 hours I'll just return it to the store..but I thought it would make a nice giveaway!



Things I've learned from being a mom...

I was thinking this morning how many things I've learned since becoming a mom.  Thought I would share with y'all my 'thoughts' on the subject..you might find some amusing! 

• You soon learn every squeaky place in your floors
• If you have to use the bathroom and its going to take more than 30 seconds..wait it out
• Bouncy chair + cartoons = enough time to get ready!
• Pacis are a great invention
• You never loved yard saleing as much as you do now
• Nothing makes you smile bigger than when your child smiles back at you
• The best comment you can receive is when someone tells you how well behaved your baby is
• There isnt ANY baby thats cuter than yours!
• You hate shots worse than your baby
• You never thought you'd research poop online..but you have (probably more than once)
• Who knew diaper bags could be so stylish?
• You can never take enough pictures
• If your a blogger..posts are usually random (and contain at least one tidbit about your baby..especially in the first 6 months)
• Socks never stay on..unless they have REALLY good elastic and your child is under 2 months and doesn't have the strength to pull them off yet
• You've never prayed harder
• This time in your life = priceless

Its the little things

You ever notice that the little things are really the big things?  Here are some examples...

• A childs smile
• A strangers kind action or words
• Getting a card
• Someone saying 'thank you'
• A hug

But unfortuantely..also some of these....

• Someone speaking before thinking and thus feelings getting hurt
• Forgetting to give a small gift that would have meant more than a big gift
• A stranger being rude
• Making someone feel inadequate by a few small words spoken
• Brushing off a loved one because your 'too busy'

You notice alot of these things involve the tounge?  Just like the Bible speaks about the tounge in Proverbs 21:23...

"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."


When you read the Bible and all the many scriptures that reference the tounge..its amazing.  To me anyways.  Something that small can really make a huge difference.  In both good and bad ways.  All the more reason to be careful when we speak..to speak out of love and not bitterness.  To speak to uplift..not bring down. 

Its the little things we both say AND do that can make a big difference in someone else's life. 

Think about it this way.  The last time you were at the mall or a store..you can probably remember the person who held open the door for you.  Out of ALL the people who you saw that day (probably hundreds)..that one person stuck out the most..because they showed you a random act of kindness.  You can also probably remember the last time you had a rude waiter or waitress at a restaurant..or when you received bad service at any particular place.  Out of all the times you've been out doing something..that one person/situation sticks out amongst ALL the other times. 

I hope in the year 2012 I can do more to stick out..in all the good ways.

:-)