Sisters and Best Friends

Yesterday I picked up my sister from the airport. She was using a buddy pass which means she only had to pay the taxes on the ticket. In exchange she could only get on the plane if there were empty seats. Her day started at 4:27 am to try for the 6 am flight. It was full. Bummer! So this changed the days plans. We were going to try fitting in the zoo. That didn't happen.

I recieved a call from a friend in the mean time. I was so glad to have a good friend to visit with while waiting. If any of you have a sister and love her you'll know how hard it is to be away from each other let alone waiting to see each other. My friend needed help shelling peas and had another friends kids over (which she didn't need help with :) ) It was a lot more fun shelling peas with other people. I have done it alone myself, yelling at the kids to help...then letting them run off because it is too hard to keep them busy.

My sister called at 3 pm to let me know she was getting on the plane. Hurray! Off we went. At 4:30 pm I picked up my sister and her daughter at the air port. What excitement. Oops, I forgot my hubby's supper. Thankfully the friends whom I spent the day with were able to get some food to him and let him know I was safe...as I did not leave him a message about the change in plans. Oops.

Now my sister and I are together making plans. See this post to see why my husband has reason to be afraid. :) I think we will begin with recovering our couch or tearing off the back porch.

Shopping Day

Yesterday I started writing and never got to the reason I started. I've been asked where I shop. I like to go to the nearest super wal-mart 15 miles away, but this is becoming less practical with the rise in gas.

I realized the economy of small towns will get better with the rise of gas prices. People often run off the the nearest large town/city to buy in bulk, but those savings are becoming a thing of the past. Local merchants are still able to bring things to our homes and tables for cheaper than we can go get it (@$4/gal).

Thankfully we have two of each kind of store. The competition with sale prices helps the budget a lot. It just takes a different kind of mind set and work that we are not accustomed to.

On to the point. I have made my grocery list from my menu. I try to buy one of each every week to stock up: flour, corn meal, oil, sugar, salt and any other storeable basics. You can freeze you flours for two weeks then store in a cool dry place. No, it doesn't get 'wet' or rancid after thawing. I've yet to have a problem. It kills any bug larvae that naturally comes in the flours. At this point it will last on the shelf for years.

By the way, my menu is only of supper. My husband gets leftovers for his lunches and we eat oatmeal/grits with eggs and home made bread for breakfast. Tired of oatmeal? Try this recipe.

Grocery Shopping

Why do we dislike it? I think it is due to the multitude of decisions that have to be made. Which brand? Is it healthiest? Can we afford it? I'm getting the cookies any way, because the kids are driving me nuts! Which cut of meat? Good ol' bacon or Canadian bacon? What is that any way? Canned is easier, but fresh (though better) will be no good to us after it has rotted in my fridge. How do I keep my kids and husband happy with food and still save money?!!!! Ahhhhh...!

We all know the drill. Run in, grab the favorites, some thing for a special dinner and order pizza out for supper that night.

For the past year I have been "playing" with our menu. I don't like things complicated, but I do like structure. How about calling it structured chaos or flexible structure. Whatever!

Here is what is working for us for the time being. View my menu.
Here is another one.

1. I've planned to have every ones favorites once a week. Some husbands don't like this, ask hubby what he thinks about every other week. I just wanted to make my grocery shopping experience easier on myself and the budget. And if he says he doesn't care...he really doesn't. Lucky you!

2. I have a soup and bread night and a bean and rice night every week regardless of complaints. If the children in India or Africa are starving and would be happy with rice or bread, I think my kids and husband can deal with it. (Go through the photo essay in the link above).

3. One meal a week is based on sale prices. Maybe I should do this more often, I just don't think I can get cheaper than rice and beans.

I don't know it all. These are just things that have helped me stay in a budget and keep every one happy for the most part. What is working for you all?

I have liked every thing from Kraft foods. They have great time saving recipes that the whole family likes.

What is the Point?

That was my question as I rolled out of bed this morning. Ugh, why is life so hard? Why, why, why? The funny thing is that I have always known the answer to these questions, I've just never experienced the question.

So, here we are. Crawling out of bed every morning to start the day. I know some of my friends are going to get upset with me for this next confession, but I will explain myself. Nearly every morning I get up with my husband to make his breakfast, prepare his lunch and send him off with a kiss and a hug. Real "susie home maker", right? Oh, I can feel the heat of anger. Why do I do this? Three reasons are obvious.

1. My mother, bless her!!! @#$%^&! Don't worry, she is truly blessed and she would say the same thing about her own mother. Ugh, if my mother wasn't such a nice person, I wouldn't have to be. I am doing what I have seen my mother do for the past 30 years. With out fail she has served my father by rising in the morning with him and being home in the evening to receive him.

2. My husbands own words. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you get up every morning." "My day goes so much better when I've seen you first thing." As we as wives have the need to be loved, our husbands have the need to be respected. Remember, God never said anything about the husbands earning our respect, just as God told our husbands to love us even when we are unlovable. The point is obedience.

I have seen so many blessings God provided when I obeyed HIS instruction book (the Bible) for HIS Creation (us).

And so, I drag out of bed, telling myself, "I don't have to wake up, I only have to move my feet." With a sleepy smile I pour his coffee and pack his lunch. He has asked me to read the Proverbs to him/us as he eats. Wow, a devotional! I didn't know where to fit time with God into the busy schedule HE has given me. But, here it is in loving my husband. And, it is pretty funny when I mumble the text wrong saying, "blessed are the wrong doers." I get a raised brow from my husband and he asks me, with a wry smile, to read it again. Oops! :)

No, I haven't always or will always honour my husband this way or with the right attitude. It's really hard when I am mad at him. When the babies were little, he would tell me to go back to bed. PRAISE GOD!!! But the time of new babies made us cherish the morning time with each other all the more. I have found that we both miss each other when we don't get that time in the morning.

OK. How long is this post....blah, blah, blah.

In obedience to your Creator (who knows best), find a way in which you can convey honor to your husband and do it. Don't even talk it over with any one to get approval or "no, you don't have to do that." Just trust God to lay some thing on your heart to do for your husband and do it. WARNING: Expect it to be some thing you really don't want to do. AND it has to be done with joy. Remember the point is joyful obedience.

3. In the name of Jesus, our Redeemer and friend, Love HIM by following HIS commands. John 14:15

My First Motorcycle Ride

I am terrified of motorcycles. Not so much of their speed, but more of the pain when we crash. Not that we ever have, did or will. But, I've got it in my head. My husband thanks me for my vote of confidence in his riding abilities.

We have been looking forward to using the motorcycle on a date. I told him I would when he was official with his license. Well, he's official and I am scared. I'll not go back on my word. Last night I asked him for a ride. He had just finished working on the bike and it was all set to go. The baby was down for the night, the kids were watching a movie. Just a quick spin up and down our dirt road. What a perfect night for riding. There was still sun light, the air was warm and slightly humid. Yet, it was refreshing over the hard heat of the day. Could I enjoy the speed (very slow) of the motorcycle whipping up my hair? Only for a short time. My husband decided we would extend this little jaunt to the hard road and one street over that was paved. Yikes! What about the kids? I squealed. "We'll call social services on ourselves when we get back." he replied. (Disclaimer for all who are worried -Our oldest child is quite capable of managing for 10 min.)
As we accelerated on the hard road, I could only hold on tighter, hoping the brakes would work. These are silly fears, and only because I have never experienced a motorcycle in the past. I don't know what it feels like to go fast on one, to know that the brakes work, that the gas can wont blow up just because I am riding. etc. How about arriving at a destination safely? We did get back home safe. That counts.

We had discussed the day before where we would go on our first date. I said "Johnny's", the local bbq 5 miles away. He said some place up in Georgia! We compromised with Starke, 13 miles away, after trying to get me to go to Palatka, 27 miles away. After last nights ride he agreed with "Johnny's."

Over Burdened

How many of you have felt the pressure to earn an income to supplement your husbands? As the eldest in my family or the nature of my personality, I have felt the burden to make ends meet...above and beyond all the things I do to save money.

This past weekend God showed me I was sinning in my anxiety. There is nothing wrong in wanting to earn more or work more. But, there was a whole lot wrong with my worrying about it. My husband also reminded me (renewed to me) his promise to take care of me no matter what. Boy, did that make me feel better. God gave a curse to the man and the woman. How is it as women, we feel the need to take on the man's curse along with our own?

I certainly was trying to bear the burden that was not mine to bear. What a relief to let it go. Praise God for His loving kindness. God forgive me for sinning against you in being anxious. One it should be enough for me to obey you when you said, "Be anxious for nothing." Two, as I read you word, I realize the reason you tell me not to be anxious. You are our Creator and you've got every thing under control. May I always remember, "All things work together for good, to them who love God, the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 AMEN

Aproval of Angel Food Ministries

Recently I previewed Angel Food Ministries. We purchased a basic package for $30. After carefully calculating the cost it was time to sample the food. YUM!!! We were pleasantly surprised at the quality, quantity and name brands.
If you are interested e-mail me wardtravel4@msn.com and I will pass your message along. My friend Katie goes to Orange Heights Baptist Church cooperating with Angel Food Ministries. She is my contact. If you are interested the money is due this Sunday, June 15, 2008.