Has Anyone Ever Done This Bible Study?

I just found this bible study, From Busy to Beautiful. Has anyone ever been through this? I'd LOVE to hear about it! I think this sounds FABULOUS and I would love to go through it. It says they will e-mail a sample lesson for free... I think I might try it out. If you've been through it, PLEASE let us know more about it. I got all excited reading about it, lol!

Yummy, Fast, and Frugal Weeknight Meal

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Freschetta. All opinions are 100% mine.

We all have those nights that we don't want to come in and cook. We are often tempted to grab something on the way home, and be it fast food, pizza or whatever, those are usually not very wise financial choices. One option is frozen pizza, but I'll be honest, it is just not the same as restaurant pizza in my opinion. I always held to that until my husband and I were dating a few years back and my future mother-in-law fixed Freschetta Pizza for supper. I was AMAZED. I was, hands down, THE BEST frozen pizza I had ever eaten! Fast Forward several years and it is still my fave. Some would argue I could get cheaper frozen pizza, and that is true. However, if I know that is what I am having, I am more likely to skip it all together and order in. Freschetta is definitely cheaper than a pizzeria. My family's favorite is the pepperoni. It is addictive! Right now you can get a coupon for $1 off here.
They have also recently come out with a new Freschetta FlatBread . I have wanted to try it but the stores around here do not have it yet. I can't wait until they do! Check out Freschetta today, I am sure you'll LOVE it!

Her Husband Lacks Nothing of Value....

Yes, it really does say that. The Proverbs 31 Woman has a husband who lacks nothing of value... because she is a helpmate to him as God created her to be. I really struggle with this. My husband lacks lots of "value." It may be clean towels one week, or it may be a home cooked supper one night. Most recently it is a deer feeder. Do you know what that is? It is something you put in the woods that throws deer corn around to encourage the deer to come eat there. My husband is a hunter you see. He recently went to check his feeder and discovered it wasn't working properly. He took the motor out, sent it back to the company and they fixed it. We got it back Monday. He set it on the bar. Yesterday I got in my new crockpot from CSN Stores to review. I set it on the bar and could not get it out of the box, so I turned it over. That is when I heard it... the crash. The deer feeder motor hit the floor. It is gone... he is ordering a new one as we speak. Not very careful or frugal of me. He took it like a champ, and I am thankful we have the funds to replace it, but I am un-naturally accident prone and it gets very frustrating sometimes. All the minor car accidents, bills paid to the wrong people, keys locked in the car, etc., etc., etc., gets very old for everyone, but no one more than me. How do I deal with it? I just try to remember, even when no one else does, I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Then I continue to try to be the helpmate to my husband I was created to be.

A cheaper alternative to satellite and cable

My husband and I splurged for our Anniversary and bought a ROKU Digital Video Player. I was concerned about spending the money at first. Along with the box, we had to buy a new modem as well. In all, the total cost for us was about $200. However, it is a one time expense. We have the cheapest Netflix package there is. We got this so my husband could stream video to his laptop while he is traveling... he travels a LOT. The Roku allows us to stream Netflix directly to our tv. We have 100s of movies and tv shows we can watch whenever we want, as well as the option to have one DVD at a time for about $10 a month. I am so glad I agreed. Now my next step is to convince him to actually cancel the satellite... we'll save about $70 a month! If you can save up the money, or you get some for a give, I highly recommend the Roku... Netflix also has a huge selection of family friendly and children's movies and shows, and they add new stuff quite often:)

One thing, we do have DSL. I am not sure how well it would work with dial-up. Does anyone use this with dial-up?

"Made to Crave" by Lysa Terkeurst

Part of being a Proverbs 31 Woman is taking care of yourself so you CAN do all the things you were created to do. I am NOT good at this. I have been known to skip meals, as well as PIG OUT on very, very unhealthy food. Healthy for me is not a way of life. Of course I make sure my kids and husband are healthy, so the family meals I prepare, and what I have on hand for them at lunch, are generally healthy options. However, I do enjoy a Sonic Vanilla Dr. Pepper (Rt. 44) more than once a week usually, or a Moolatte from Dairy Queen. These are things that should be luxuries, not the norm. Not only are they bad for my pocketbook, but for my waist line and my overall health. I have a hard time making a change because I am very blessed to not have a weight problem. Therefore, I tend to just enjoy what I want.

I have been feeling the Lord speaking to me for awhile about making a change, and then a few days ago I received an invitation from "In the Loop", something I had signed up for on a blog I follow by Christian author Lysa Terkeurst. She has written a new book called "Made to Crave." She was looking for 30 people to go through the book and follow it's advice for six weeks before it is released to the public. Wow, talk about something from God! I responded and was accepted. I have to go ahead now and choose whatever healthy eating plan that I want to follow while reading the book. It is not a diet book, it is more of a "why should I do this?" from what I understand. We'll see. I'll let you know when I get it, when I start, and keep you updated during the six weeks. I'm excited and scared. I have to find time to read 3 chapters per week. It is going to take LOTS of prayer... I really want to do this right! I'm supposed to recieve my book before the middle of July, so there will be more to come then. Check out Lysa's blog... and her other books, I just know you'll love her:)

I Signed Up for Social Spark

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I signed up for Social Spark. What is that? Well, I'll tell you. It is a place where advertisers can go to look for blogs that are a good fit for advertising their product. Hmmm, I can hear it now. How does that fit in with the purpose of this blog? I mean, I have made it abundantly clear that my purpose in this is to provide women with resources to aid them in their journey to become more like the Proverbs 31 Woman. Well, here it is. This blog is part of MY journey, in that as well as helping other,s I am being fiscally wise by using it to provide extra funds when possible. Also, I will not advertise or review anything other than those things that can be used as a resource in the spirit of this blog. For example, I might review a food product or a household product, but only if I really believe it can be a practical resource for our purposes. Also, from all appearances this is a very family friendly company as can be deduced from their Code of Ethics.The other thing I really like is that they do NOT want your blog to be all about advertising. You can only post 3 sponsored posts per day per blog and each one has to have an original, non-sponsored post above it and below it. Awesome!

That being said, the sign up process was super easy. There were step by step instructions on how to sign up your blog, and they e-mail you when it is approved. Then you wait. I am in the waiting process now. That is, I am waiting for someone to invite me to accept an advertising opportunity. Obviously this hasn't happened yet, and might never, but hey, you gotta try, right?

The Proverbs 31 Woman was always prepared and was financially wise. One way I try to do that is to have a nest egg, and this is one way I plan to build that, as well as inform others of great new products!

Think you might be interested? Check out SocialSpark now:)

Musical Beds

Do you guys play musical beds at your house? We do at mine. Son (5), lays down with dad while I put baby (18months) to sleep... in her crib. Then we move son to his bed and have "mommy daddy time," which is usually watching a show of the non-cartoon variety that we both enjoy. Then, sometime after mid-night, a child wakes up, if it is son, he gets in our bed... no biggie... if it is daughter, she gets in our bed, unless son is already there, then myself and daughter get in son's bed. Sounds complicated but it is really not and it works for us. We move ALOT, so I have no problem seeing how our son might need the extra security of mom and dad at night.
However, times they are a changing. Son will be starting Kindergarten in the fall, and he is becoming increasingly difficult to get to sleep. Often is it after 10:30 before he falls asleep where ever he is. Also, he no longer stays asleep when we move him to his bed. Within 3 to 4 minutes he is back in our bed. So, though I have ALWAYS been the one saying our kids deserve to know we are there at night since we are at work during the day, and they do not even have the stability of knowing that their house will be their house for long ( since we move alot), a good mother knows children need to be asleep before 10:30, and mommies and daddies need time together. So hubby and I are prayerfully seeking the best, least tramatic way to introduce son back to going to sleep in his own bed.
He is old enough now that he knows we love him and he is not abandoned. I am thinking something like this:
8:30- Brush teeth, use bathroom, etc.8:40- Devotional, prayer, bedtime story (if teeth were brushed in a timely manner)9:00-15 minutes of a video IN BED... I know TV is supposed to "rev up" the brain, but I am trying to wean him off tv with his daddy in bed.9:15- lights outLet the screaming commence. I am POSITIVE this will not be smooth or easy. He will cry, he will scream, he will throw a fit... but now it is about his health. He HAS to get more sleep than he is getting. If he wakes up during the night, he will still be welcome in our bed. I am thinking of telling him if we wakes up and the tv is off in our room, then he can get in our bed, if it is not, it is too early.
I have not run this "schedule" by hubby yet. I have a feeling he is going to be more of a "go to bed, turn the lights off, and go to sleep" kind of guy...
Have any of you been through this? With an older child I mean, like my 5 yr old, not a baby. What were your experiences? What worked for you? Was everyone miserable?

It's a Social Parade!

Friday again:) (almost, ha!) Anyhow, getting this done early. Social Parade time. Can't wait to see what new bloggers I meet this week! Get the details and join up by clicking above.

Update on making my home a haven goals

I stated in my post here that there were some habits I needed to redevelop, and I need some accoutability. I won't report EVERYDAY, but what is accountability without reporting? So, for the first morning... I did it all except (I told you this would be my downfall) the beds. I thought about it at least 3 times before everyone was up, then when the last bed was empty I got rushed and completely forgot. I guess I'll try again tomorrow:)

What's for Breakfast?

One thing I have struggled with in managing the home God blessed us with is providing breakfast for my family. Sure, we do cereal, frozen pastries, even frozen biscuits and sausage, and these are GREAT. But sometimes I feel they need ( deserve) something a little more special. Well, RecipeLion is offereing a free ecookbook download filled with easy breakfast recipes. I had never used RecipeLion before, but since I collect recipes, I thought I would check it out. I will definitely be going back and I am super excited about "29 Easy Breakfast Recipes." I am sure my family will be too:)

Upcoming CSN review

It is my desire to provide you with practical resources to aid you (and me) in our journey to being more like the Proverbs 31 Woman. One blessing I have been given as a way to do this is the opportunity to review certain things. If they are a valuable resource for our purposes here, I will let you know. Soon I will be doing a review for CSN stores. I had never heard of them before jumping into the blogging world, honestly! However, after browsing their website this afternoon, I am hooked. They have everything from dinning room tables, to coffee pots, to laundry hampers at GREAT prices. These guys could be extremely useful for those times that you HAVE to get something new... the leg breaks on your dinning room table, your coffee pot goes out, your toddler needs a "big kid" bed. The prices looked really good. They have an awesome gift department as well.

One thing I noticed that makes their website unique is that you can filter your search on a more defined dollar amount than most, as well as different shipping needs!

Check back soon and see what I found out!

Making Your Home a Haven

As I have said before, I really mean for this blog to be a place to come to find practical resources to aid us in becoming more like the "Proverbs 31 Woman." One of these resources that has been INVALUABLE to me is the devotional book "Making Your Home a Haven" by Cyndy Salzmann. It gets to the heart of why we need to make our homes peaceful and chaos free, and offers PRACTICAL advice on how to do this in the midst of life. As I was searching for a link for this post, I found out that is it is on a GREAT discount at christianbooks.com. What a great bonus! I hight recommend this as a study guide for your quiet time with the Lord.

Since reading this book over 2 years ago, I have had another child. She has Cystic Fibrosis, and it has rocked my world. I say all that to say that my God given role as the heart of the home has not changed because of this, but I have become slack. I need to get back on the ball, but I am going to have to start small, and I need some accountability ya'll... below I am listing 3 goals that I am hoping I can develop into habits. Getting these things done usually depends on my dear daughter's mood at night, but she is getting older, and these things really do not take that much time. Also, my husband deserves this and more. (I read a quote one time that said that your husband may not notice that there are clean towels when he takes a shower, but he will sure notice if there are NOT any!)

Here they are:

• I want the sink to be empty and the dishwasher to be full every night before bed. It should be turned on in the morning before leaving, and the breakfast dishes should bein it. (How can I complain about dishes when I have a dishwasher?)

• There should be at least 1 load of clothes washed, 1 load dried, and 1 load put away every night.

• I want to make up the beds every morning.

I am sure you all think I am a TERRIBLE housekeeper now. These things should be a given, right? They are ALL things that I know should be done, but I truly struggle with actually getting them done. Am I alone? What are some of the basic housekeeping issues that you guys struggle with, if any?

Really quick, I have one more thing to say. My last post said how I feel about the deals I post here. I stand by that. If I think it is a practical, valuable resource, I will post it. The same goes for reviews. I plan to be picky, but if it can be a resource for our purposes here, I think there is a place for it:) The Proverbs 31 Woman was frugal and resourceful, and we should be too:) Stay tuned for my first review!

One of my worst nightmares, and a blessing in disguise

One of my worst nightmares has come true. I have struggled with this, truly, since I began this blog. I recieved a comment from potential reader that reads as follows:

"I was so excited about your blog when I read your header; I NEED guidance in being a Proverbs wife, big time. But then I saw that all your posts were about sales and deals, which is great. But I was really hoping for sage advice about being a Godly woman. So I'm not going to follow because there are so many other blogs that post about these deals. Good luck, though! And let me know if you change gears at all! I'd love to read about true Proverbs advice."

OUCH! I was seriously afraid this was going to happen. Here is my response. I do post deals. That is part of the "financial wisdom" in my description. I want this to be a place to come to to find resources to help us be more financialy wise women. That is PART of being a Proverbs 31 Woman, and as an accountant, it is my natural bent. However, generally, I just carry buttons for tons of the other blogs out there that do this... as, like I said, resources. When I come across an exceptionally good deal, I make a post, sometimes I get paid when someone clicks on it (financially wise of me I think) and sometimes I don't... but they are still good deals. For example, the download of "Radical" that I posted about yesterday... I just wanted you guys to know about it.

The problem is, there does tend to be more of these "deal" posts as they are quick and easy to post, and I work full time. It takes a little more time to get another type of post together. I do mean for this to be a place of discussion and encouragement for all of us trying to be "Proverbs 31 Women." I have apparently failed and I vow NOW to do better... I am going to start small... with one "devotional thought" post a week, at least. I am going to commit this issue to prayer even more so, because I was lead to do this several years ago... and finally got up the guts to do it! I believe I am MEANT to do this.

This comment, however, is a true blessing. I have been VERY discouraged lately in the belief that no one was reading the "real" posts, and what was the point? I have been proven wrong... in an unfortunate but effective way. So, to those of you coming here for more than deals, I pray I can give you what you are looking for... and maybe you can enjoy the deals too?:)

Now, how about this... any questions or discussion points you would like to see written about? I have SO MANY that it is difficult to determine what to post about first. What do you guys want to talk about?

Rite Aid's Wellness Rewards

I do not have a Rite Aid near me, but I sure wish I did. I would DEFINITELY be signing up for this:) Sign up for their Wellness Rewards program and get all kinds of deals as well of $50 worth of coupons! Check out the details and sign up here.

Free Adress Labels at Vista Print

Okay, so they're not TOTALLY free, you have to pay shipping... but it is not much AT ALL and they regular price is almost $8, so this is an OUTSTANDING deal. I looked around yesterday and they have some really cute options too. They work great for stuff otherthan evelopes also. I've seen them used on dishes taken to potlucks, funerals, etc. Looks much nicer than masking tape! I thought about putting them on my baby girl's sippy cups, ha:) Check it out here today:)

David Platt's "Radical" for only $2.49

For the next 72 hours, Christianaudio.com is offering David Platt's Radical for only $2.49. They have a deal on almost all of their audio books. Get the details here.
Thanks Bro. Matt!

Shoppers Voice for Coupons and Freebies

I did this a few weeks ago and got some REALLY GREAT coupons in the mail. I don't post these that often, but when I find a really good one, how can I resist? You fill out a survey and get some cool stuff, as well as getting your opionion out there:) Check it out here.

New Resource! WeUseCoupons.com

Okay, so I have discovered a new money saving resource that I think some of you might enjoy. I haven't fully explored the sight yet, but what I have seen looks great! Check it out here:)

Father's Day Special at christianaudio.com!

Check this out for last minute Father's Day gift for ANY dad you know. Right now, through Father's Day, Christianaudio.com has Don Whitney's Family Worship available for download for only $2.49!!!! Go here for all the details... and look around Bro. Matt's blog while your there, it's FULL of useful information and resources.

Earn cash and prizes online with SWAGBUCKS

I discovered Swagbucks just a few short months ago and it is by far the BEST way I have found to supplement my income online. Seriously ya'll, you CANNOT beat this. I personally choose to use it to supplement my "gift" fund. Here is the lowdown. You earn swagbucks by searching online as you normally do. The way I do this is I "search" through swagbucks for any website I would normally visit (facebook, yahoomail, etc.), as well as for any other searches I need to do. Randomly, I win a few here and a few there. You can also earn through special offers, surveys, and some other ways. Then you cash them in. You can cash in for all sorts of stuff, but the best deal by far is the $5 Amazon gift card for 450 swagbucks. I have only been using Swagbucks for 3 or 4 months and I have already earned enough for $30 in Amazon cards. You can use these to stock up on gifts for kids birthday parties, Mother's Day, Father's Day, or whatever! It's free money! For 700 you can get $5 in paypal cash, which might work better for some. The point is, it is money for doing what you already do EVERYDAY! Check out Swagbucks today! I promise you will NOT be sorry:)

Social Parade!

Wow, it's Friday again. I'm ready to meet some new friends, how about you? Link up! It's a Social Parade, hosted by Smart & Trendy Moms:)

My thoughts EXACTLY!

So, Breastfeeding Mama just posted on her blog something that explains 100% my feelings on raising a baby. I have always practiced "attachment parenting," aka "spoiling" to some people. This post explains why to a "T". Check it out here.

How freebies can get you in trouble

I really like freebies. I like trying new things, I like that they save me money, and of course I like that they are free. The problem is, they have a purpose. They aren't free because the manufacturer is just being nice. They want you to get hooked and buy their product. I not usually brand loyal AT ALL. I am loyal to my check book, lol! I won't use it if I don't like it, but I will choose the cheapest I can get away with. I feel this is part of being a good steward with the financial blessings the Lord has blessed us with. I have gotten my self in a predicament though. I recently received two free sampls of Aveeno Nourish shampoo. I really, really liked it! So much I even ran water in the little packet to get out the last little bit! Not only that, I have had compliments on my hair on days the only thing I did differently was to use that shampoo, so obviously it really is good for my hair if other people notice. Problem is, it is WAY more expensive than I normally spend, and more than I CAN spend. So now I am waiting as paitiently as I can for a great sale to pair with a couple of coupons I have (hoping they don't expire) and wishing for more free samples in the meantime. I'm afraid I might break down and actually pay for it though... see, freebies are great, but they can get you in trouble:)

Great Father's Day Deals at Red Envelope

If you've never visited this website before, your missing out. They have some really unique gift items, and a TON of great stuff for Father's Day. Right now they are having 20% off, so check it out here and order now for that special guy in you life:)

10% off at Home Depot!

This is an exciting deal:) Sign up here and get 10% off your home depot purchase!

Free Cookbook!

I LOVE recipes... I love to read them, try them, and eat them! What makes them even better? Getting them for FREE. Go here to download your free copy of a dessert cookbook from Mr. Food.

Great book, great blog, and a neat use for freebies!

One of the Blogs I follow is written by Karen Ehman of Proverbs 31 Ministries. She has written some neat books on creating memories for your family, hospitality, and organization. All things a wife of noble character should do, right? Sooooo, I wanted to give you a link (here) to check out her blog, and also let you in on a neat little tip from one of her books. I read "A Life that Says Welcome" several years ago. I have tried to incorporate several of the tips into our lives, and in many areas I have failed MISERABLY! However, one of the tips I have actually used is to create a "hospitality box." How often do you have overnight guests that might forget a toothbrush, razor, shampoo, whatever? Well, the idea is to have a container full of that sort of stuff, extra toothbrushes, shower gel, razors, lotion, whatever, ready to go when that happens. I like to keep it stocked with necessity and "luxury" items in trial sizes and just leave it out in whatever bathroom or bedroom the guests are using so they can help themselves. Sometimes you want to try a new shower gel or lotion just because it smells good and it is different! I am all about saving money on the things my family needs daily, but I have found that another great use for some of the freebies you can get in the mail or with coupons is to keep this little box stocked. I probably spent about $10-$15 stocking with trial sizes to begin with, and truly, if I had been taking advatage of all the deals I can find around the web, I probably wouldn't have had to spend ANYTHING!

I don't usually post freebies, but I have all the resources I use right here on my blog for you... click around the buttons and check them out, follow them, and check back here for more resources often:) (And when I find a REALLY good deal, I'll try to bring it to your attention.)

I LOVE doing these. I really enjoy meeting new friends and finding new blogs to follow. Of course it is always exciting when someone decides they want to follow me as well:) So click the button above to find out how to join in the "Social Parade." If you are here from Social Parade, look around. I'm new to this, but I'm loving it. I try to add one or two posts a week. Sometimes they are deals, sometimes they are random thoughts. Mainly I am trying to create a place to gather resources to help us in our journey to be "noble women" in the footsteps of the Proverbs 31 woman. Also, a place for us to discuss ways to do this, and just to "do" the Christian life together:) Ways to have fun, be the wives and moms our families need us to be, and most of all, be the women God has called us and created us to be!

New link for Quiznos Coupon

Update: This is gone now. I hope you had a chance to print it! :)Here is a new link for the Quiznos coupon! This is for a small sandwich, drink, and chips for $2.99. GREAT deal:) Go here to print yours.

Cheap lunch from Quiznos!

Update: Apparently this is gone now... I'll post again when it comes back:) Go here to print a coupon for any small sub, chips, and regular fountain drink for $2.99! I really like the turkey bacon guac... wish we had one more accessible around here. Ours is on the college campus:)

Dealing with disappointment and anxiety

Okay, so this is a blog about becoming a woman of noble character. So, I want to put a question out there. How do women of Godly character deal with disappointment and anxiety? One way, the only way, His Word. Of course, that is obviously easier said than done. I am missing a fun trip with my husband this weekend due to a sick baby... and another child who was drinking after her soon before her illness was make known...so of course we are praying our other child doesn't get it, my husband doens't get it (he still had to take the trip.. if was work related), and that I don't get it. Praying hard! The disappointment over the trip is no fun, but the hardest part for me to deal with is the anxiety. Worry about my son catching it, and worry about my husband, and yes, me, catching it. I hate to throw up... but also, who takes care of my babies if I'm sick? So, a large portion of my prayers today have been for peace, the kind that transcends understanding that is promised in His Word. I can feel it, I even heard Him whisper, well, really shout, it will be okay! So why am I still worried... I am human. How do I deal with it I have just been keepin' on reminding my self of His promises, and the promise He has made to me. I would love to hear your thoughts...

Home Depot Garden Club

This one is new to me, but I am so excited about it! Sign up for their free newsletter and get great tips and money saving offers! Check it out, here, today:)