The end of 2009 brings to another end my well-worn friendship with one particular saucepan, namely a Wolfgang Puck 5-quart nonstick saucepan with a glass top.
To the saucepan: You have served me/us faithfully and tirelessly to the end! You represent a myriad of blessings in my life, and I shall never forget you!
(But, alas, your end has come as we suspect you may secretly be poisoning us as your "nonstick-ness" is shaving off into our food.)
Before the rest of you think I'm being absolutely ridiculous, let me explain:
The story begins in the summer of 2005, when I found myself suddenly in need of a new place to live. I spent considerable time in prayer over this decision, talked with many possible roommates, and searched the city for houses for rent. Would you believe that God led me to the house directly next door to the current one I was renting? That was the first blessing, and one of many during this time that comforted me with God's love and provision.
In addition to the all-important decisions of finding a roof to put over my head and a roommate (or two) with which to share it, there was another small matter that echoed throughout my prayers. "Lord, will you really provide all I need? What about the many additional expenditures that come with getting my own place? ....like pots and pans, for example? I don't currently own any....and I'd have to buy them in order to eat...really, can I do this? Is this move the best decision for me?" At 23 years old, these were big issues!...rooted in fear, doubt, lack of courage over promises, etc. And so, I prayed. Over all of it.
What does this have to do with the precious, treasured Wolfgang Puck 5-quart nonstick saucepan with a glass top? I found this little guy waiting in my new house for me! Before starting to cart my few belongings across the lawn on the night of the move, I was poking my nose around my beautiful, new kitchen and gasped when I opened a cupboard absolutely full of shiny pots and pans in every shape and size!!
I'm sure I cried, actually. I melted onto the tile floor and praised the Lord for so generously and graciously caring for my every need.
This pan is the only one still in my possession. I blessed friends and family with the others in the cupboard that night, but have been unable to part with this one until now.
Who could believe one little pan could bring so much joy? It did bring a lot of joy! A thousand meals have been cooked in that pan over the past four years - for girlfriends catching up, for neighbors stopping by, for missionaries seeking respite, for new friends and old friends, for family and "like-family", for friends who just had babies....the list continues. And of greatest joy, this pan even traveled with me into marriage, with which I have cooked at least 80% of my husband's dinners!
Now...am I being ridiculous? You could never convince me so. It's not the pan, per say, that I love, but all that it represents!
And so I say....goodbye, old friend. You represent a beautiful time of blessing and growth in my life, and I thank God for it.
A casual stroll through Macys the other night happened upon the finding of a new 5 (and a half!) quart saucepan just in our price range. We proudly brought it home and eagerly look forward to the thousands of meals it will serve many more wonderful friends and family around our table. (maybe the extra half quart we gained in this pan is a foreshadowing of future needs! ;)
Wednesday, December 30
Tuesday, December 1
$5 Magazine Alert!!
I know I need to update you on the final numbers of November's grocery budget....but this is TOO GOOD to pass up today!
Check out the $5 magazine subscriptions at Amazon! Good through today, December 1st.
I'm getting a few as Christmas gifts!
Check out the $5 magazine subscriptions at Amazon! Good through today, December 1st.
I'm getting a few as Christmas gifts!
Monday, November 9
$30 Challenge: Week 2
Week 2 Meal Plan:
Sunday - out at Mom & Dad's
Monday - Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday - leftovers (Bec out)
Wednesday - London Broil with broccoli & mashed potatoes
Thursday - Grilled chicken over salad
Friday - Pork tenderloin with grilled veggies and rice
Saturday - Spaghetti
Shopping:
Publix $ 28.86
Overall, I'm still under budget, but with a mere $3 in my cushion fund :), how exactly will T-giving fit into my budget?? Still working a few angles on that challenge.
WA-HOO!! So excited to have actually met my challenge this week...$29 and holding. :) As long as I can stay away from the grocery store for the rest of this week, I'm good. My basket was surprisingly full for such a small bill. I bought a lot of fruits and veggies (Publix had some good vegetables on sale this week), eggs, sour cream, and just two of the B1G1 deals that were good items for my pantry.
One tip that I want to note for my future reference: the "stock-up" list this month included meat, bread, sandwich meat, and pasta. (The bread and pasta only made that list because they were B1G1.) Some other items would be good to include on that list, like a few back-up cans of veggies, dairy products, sauces, baking supplies. I'm going to consider a standard list, and leave out a few of the meat items that I might find later on sale.
Ideas? Opinions?
Sunday - out at Mom & Dad's
Monday - Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday - leftovers (Bec out)
Wednesday - London Broil with broccoli & mashed potatoes
Thursday - Grilled chicken over salad
Friday - Pork tenderloin with grilled veggies and rice
Saturday - Spaghetti
Shopping:
Publix $ 28.86
Overall, I'm still under budget, but with a mere $3 in my cushion fund :), how exactly will T-giving fit into my budget?? Still working a few angles on that challenge.
WA-HOO!! So excited to have actually met my challenge this week...$29 and holding. :) As long as I can stay away from the grocery store for the rest of this week, I'm good. My basket was surprisingly full for such a small bill. I bought a lot of fruits and veggies (Publix had some good vegetables on sale this week), eggs, sour cream, and just two of the B1G1 deals that were good items for my pantry.
One tip that I want to note for my future reference: the "stock-up" list this month included meat, bread, sandwich meat, and pasta. (The bread and pasta only made that list because they were B1G1.) Some other items would be good to include on that list, like a few back-up cans of veggies, dairy products, sauces, baking supplies. I'm going to consider a standard list, and leave out a few of the meat items that I might find later on sale.
Ideas? Opinions?
Wednesday, November 4
$30 Challenge: Week 1
Week 1 Meal Plan:
Sunday - leftovers
Monday - Pot Roast
Tuesday - out for Korean food! Yum! Dad's Bday
Wednesday - Chicken Cacciatore
Thursday - Baked Potato Soup & Salad
Friday - Italian Beef Sandwiches
Saturday - leftovers (after a long day at Kennedy Space Center)
Stock-up:
Sams Club $75
Publix $36
over-budget by $11
Shopping:
Sams $21
Publix $25
over-budget by $16
At this point, the "over-budget" amounts have eaten into my cushion fund, but I'm technically still under my monthy budget. I'll be mentioning this overall update weekly.
NOT a good start! HA! (At least you know I'll be honest.) Hoping this will even out as the month goes along... But here's to show that we're not planning on eating beans and rice every night. I love cooking yummyness.
Sunday - leftovers
Monday - Pot Roast
Tuesday - out for Korean food! Yum! Dad's Bday
Wednesday - Chicken Cacciatore
Thursday - Baked Potato Soup & Salad
Friday - Italian Beef Sandwiches
Saturday - leftovers (after a long day at Kennedy Space Center)
Stock-up:
Sams Club $75
Publix $36
over-budget by $11
Shopping:
Sams $21
Publix $25
over-budget by $16
At this point, the "over-budget" amounts have eaten into my cushion fund, but I'm technically still under my monthy budget. I'll be mentioning this overall update weekly.
NOT a good start! HA! (At least you know I'll be honest.) Hoping this will even out as the month goes along... But here's to show that we're not planning on eating beans and rice every night. I love cooking yummyness.
New Month, New Challenge
This post is an update to my earlier promise to let you know how our financial class is going. Well...we're not so crazy about it, actually. The principles are excellent, but we're finding that the underlying values of this particular program do not exactly match our own. Nevertheless, we're learning and implementing a lot.
An obvious part of the monthly budget that I have the most control over is the food budget. What's the best way to manage this money? I've been reading blogs, talking with others, and trying a few different grocery-budget-strategies. (oh, and we've added another mouth to feed this month; now i'm cooking for 3.)
If I have any readers that might, in the least, be interested :), I've decided to share this month's experiment with you! We're trying to keep the grocery bill at $250 a month (doesn't include eating out), so here's the lowdown:
Stock-up. As much as I love shopping weekly sales, I really don't think Sams Club meat prices can be beat. So, I started the month there and gave myself $100 to "stock-up." With my leftover money, I grabbed a few of the B1G1 items at Publix this week like bread and pasta.
Weekly. Here comes the challenge: now I'm allowing myself $30 a week for the remaining items I need. Eeek! This money is primarily for buying fresh fruits and veggies. Other items on the list might include what I need for a specific recipe or great sales. :) I love the unexpected sales!
Cushion. If you've done the math, that only leaves me a $30 cushion. It's nice to have a cushion, but a mere $30 won't go far. I'll need to choose wisely and be willing to pass up on a good sale if my meal plan doesn't necessitate it.
This is IMPOSSIBLE without a meal plan! Call me crazy, but I currently have our meals planned for the next 3 weeks! Yep, there's a calendar on our fridge all penciled in. I started by looking at the meat I bought and the items already in my pantry, and then started filling in the boxes.
Don't ask me why I'm doing this now, the month of Thanksgiving, the year of which I'm hosting. Won't that be a budget-breaker?! We'll see!
For any PI readers, you should know the Yoons are gearing up for the Turkey Shoot with intensity. I told Joe we have to win the turkey if we're going to stay under budget. :) (ok, so my strategy is not to practice, but to bring more people to raise our chances! ha)
I'll keep you updated!
PS: This is actually fun for me. Of all the domestic duties, cooking for my family is on the top of my list! And shopping for said cooking is also part of the delight. I could go on and on about that....
An obvious part of the monthly budget that I have the most control over is the food budget. What's the best way to manage this money? I've been reading blogs, talking with others, and trying a few different grocery-budget-strategies. (oh, and we've added another mouth to feed this month; now i'm cooking for 3.)
If I have any readers that might, in the least, be interested :), I've decided to share this month's experiment with you! We're trying to keep the grocery bill at $250 a month (doesn't include eating out), so here's the lowdown:
Stock-up. As much as I love shopping weekly sales, I really don't think Sams Club meat prices can be beat. So, I started the month there and gave myself $100 to "stock-up." With my leftover money, I grabbed a few of the B1G1 items at Publix this week like bread and pasta.
Weekly. Here comes the challenge: now I'm allowing myself $30 a week for the remaining items I need. Eeek! This money is primarily for buying fresh fruits and veggies. Other items on the list might include what I need for a specific recipe or great sales. :) I love the unexpected sales!
Cushion. If you've done the math, that only leaves me a $30 cushion. It's nice to have a cushion, but a mere $30 won't go far. I'll need to choose wisely and be willing to pass up on a good sale if my meal plan doesn't necessitate it.
This is IMPOSSIBLE without a meal plan! Call me crazy, but I currently have our meals planned for the next 3 weeks! Yep, there's a calendar on our fridge all penciled in. I started by looking at the meat I bought and the items already in my pantry, and then started filling in the boxes.
Don't ask me why I'm doing this now, the month of Thanksgiving, the year of which I'm hosting. Won't that be a budget-breaker?! We'll see!
For any PI readers, you should know the Yoons are gearing up for the Turkey Shoot with intensity. I told Joe we have to win the turkey if we're going to stay under budget. :) (ok, so my strategy is not to practice, but to bring more people to raise our chances! ha)
I'll keep you updated!
PS: This is actually fun for me. Of all the domestic duties, cooking for my family is on the top of my list! And shopping for said cooking is also part of the delight. I could go on and on about that....
Friday, September 25
Christmas....it's not too early
Yes, I've already started thinking about Christmas. Christmas is expensive, lets be honest. I'm determined this year to not let it get ridiculously out of hand, financially speaking. SO...I've set a budget for each person, I've started scouring the clearance racks, and I'm probably at least 1/3 done by now! It's been fun.
Here are a few ideas - please share yours!
1.) Both Joe and I thoroughly enjoy gift-giving and have dreams of giving extravagantly. But as we've talked about it, we've had to convince ourselves that it's not about 'the gift' or the amount of money that we spend. The meaning lies behind the gesture of giving, which we would rather focus on. Practically, that means we've lowered the amount we normally spend on family members this year.
2.) I set an individual budget for each man, woman, and child. This has helped me both cap my overall budget and set a shopping limit for each gift.
3.) Within this budget, I still cut corners! For example, if I find something on sale, I count a reasonable amount for the item toward the overall person's $ limit, even if I spent less. Does that make sense? Like, I might choose an item that at full price was out-of-the-question. Whatever I spent on it (30, 50, or 75% off), I choose a reasonable price for it in my head and count that toward their budget. Translation: I end up spending less than my set budget in the end.
4.) I'm considering doing joint gifts for the married folks in the family. This would slightly lower the overall budget and give more money to spend on a bigger gift. Another idea is to combine $ with siblings to get a specific gift someone requests.
5.) Even though we've lowered the amount of money we're spending, it's important to me that I still give something useful and enjoyable. I don't just want to give everyone a new T-shirt because it's cheap...you know what I'm saying?
6.) Starting early gives me more time to scour the sales and spread out the bills. (One person's gift was bought in July...at 80% off with a gift card! super duper score!)
7.) Is this getting boring? Okay, I'll keep going...at least for my sake.
8.) Our financial class says 'make gifts'. I am totally for this, but totally out of ideas this year! Feel free to share if you've got any!
9.) I want to send Christmas cards this year. Don't forget to include the price of stamps into your Christmas budget! Those babies can a-d-d up!
10.) Joe and I will probably do our one-year-old traditions this year (ornament, stockings) and probably not much more. We're toying with the idea of planning a cheap vacay for Jan.-Feb. as a gift to each other instead. Otherwise, we're saving money!!
We hope that early shopping and a decreased focus on how much money we spend will simply serve as tools to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the Advent season! So many distractions slave for our attention during this holy, peaceful time of year. Let us truly worship!
Here are a few ideas - please share yours!
1.) Both Joe and I thoroughly enjoy gift-giving and have dreams of giving extravagantly. But as we've talked about it, we've had to convince ourselves that it's not about 'the gift' or the amount of money that we spend. The meaning lies behind the gesture of giving, which we would rather focus on. Practically, that means we've lowered the amount we normally spend on family members this year.
2.) I set an individual budget for each man, woman, and child. This has helped me both cap my overall budget and set a shopping limit for each gift.
3.) Within this budget, I still cut corners! For example, if I find something on sale, I count a reasonable amount for the item toward the overall person's $ limit, even if I spent less. Does that make sense? Like, I might choose an item that at full price was out-of-the-question. Whatever I spent on it (30, 50, or 75% off), I choose a reasonable price for it in my head and count that toward their budget. Translation: I end up spending less than my set budget in the end.
4.) I'm considering doing joint gifts for the married folks in the family. This would slightly lower the overall budget and give more money to spend on a bigger gift. Another idea is to combine $ with siblings to get a specific gift someone requests.
5.) Even though we've lowered the amount of money we're spending, it's important to me that I still give something useful and enjoyable. I don't just want to give everyone a new T-shirt because it's cheap...you know what I'm saying?
6.) Starting early gives me more time to scour the sales and spread out the bills. (One person's gift was bought in July...at 80% off with a gift card! super duper score!)
7.) Is this getting boring? Okay, I'll keep going...at least for my sake.
8.) Our financial class says 'make gifts'. I am totally for this, but totally out of ideas this year! Feel free to share if you've got any!
9.) I want to send Christmas cards this year. Don't forget to include the price of stamps into your Christmas budget! Those babies can a-d-d up!
10.) Joe and I will probably do our one-year-old traditions this year (ornament, stockings) and probably not much more. We're toying with the idea of planning a cheap vacay for Jan.-Feb. as a gift to each other instead. Otherwise, we're saving money!!
We hope that early shopping and a decreased focus on how much money we spend will simply serve as tools to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the Advent season! So many distractions slave for our attention during this holy, peaceful time of year. Let us truly worship!
Thursday, September 24
Graduation!
Praise God! I graduated from the University of Central Florida on August 8, 2009 with my Masters Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
More good ideas for this Saturday - FREE!
Saturday, September 26 is Free Museum Day, courtesy of the Smithsonian.
Some of the participating venues in the Orlando area are:
Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens
Bok Tower Gardens
Maitland Art Museum
Florida Air Museum
...and many, many more!
Check out more information here and find a full listing of Florida venues:
http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/about.html
PS...We did Bok Tower Gardens on July 3 and couldn't have loved it more! Highly recommended by the Yoons.
Some of the participating venues in the Orlando area are:
Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens
Bok Tower Gardens
Maitland Art Museum
Florida Air Museum
...and many, many more!
Check out more information here and find a full listing of Florida venues:
http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/about.html
PS...We did Bok Tower Gardens on July 3 and couldn't have loved it more! Highly recommended by the Yoons.
Wednesday, September 23
this just in....$5 Science Center on Saturday
ORLANDO, FL - (September 10, 2009) - The Orlando Science Center, in partnership with the Walmart Foundation, has announced the next “Walmart $5 Day” will be Saturday, September 26 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thanks to Walmart’s generous support, all guests to the Science Center on September 26 will enjoy exhibits, films and live programs for the significantly discounted price of $5. General admission fees are usually $17 for adults and $12 for kids (ages 3-11).
Anniversary Weekend
If you have read any of my much earlier posts, you might remember that Joe proposed to me at the beach. My mom's family has a house in New Smyrna Beach FL that has been so special to me all of my life. Good choice for a proposal!
We also returned to that beachhouse for our first anniversary celebration. It was a fabulous weekend! Saturday was a little grey, so after a walk on the beach, we went out to lunch and to catch a movie. Then we headed home for our anniversary steak dinner. Yum-O! We packed most of our groceries and really enjoying eating at home. (tip o'the hat to saving money!)
Sunday was gorgeous and we got some wonderful beach time in. But Sunday afternoon was definitely the highlight of our weekend! The next post will be about our little Sunday trip to Jacksonville for a very special event.
We came back to spend one more night and half of Monday back at the house. It was such a relaxing weekend and I can't say enough how much we enjoyed being together and celebrating our marriage!! Love you hubster!! Happy One Year!
Saturday, September 5
Walgreens Register Rewards
I live about 10 minutes from civilization, except for my Publix and Walgreens, so you'll hear a lot about deals at these particular stores. It's not easy for me to run up to Target for some household need, so I'm at Walgreens a couple times a week. (sadly...I call Walgreens my "target" because if I have an itch to shop or just need some time alone, I can wander around Walgreens for an hour...you know, like normal people do at Target :))
Anyway, I have found the Walgreens Register Rewards to be very useful. Scratch what I'm about to write if you won't use the Walgreens money! For heavens sake, don't lose it! :)
Every week, the Walgreens circular (in your paper or easily read online) advertises several items that, once purchased, will print out a coupon in the form of Walgreens money. I don't think much about a lot of their items, but I always look to see if (1) it's something I use reguarly or (2) it's free! Yes, they have at least 3 -4 items weekly that once purchased, the money is fully refunded to you in the form of a gift card.
Here's an example of what I've gotten free:
-a toothbrush
-feminine products
-Softsoap NutriSerums Body Wash
-large bottle of Jergens handsoap
-and more...
Just a tip to look in the paper and see if you find anything fun to treat yourself to! I go back and use the money on a variety of other things. I know Walgreens can be more expensive than say Target or Walmart, but they also have great weekly coupon sales that I can usually double up with manufacturer coupons.
One final note: you cannot use a register reward coupon to purchase an item that will spit out another register reward. BUT, you can purchase one item, get the register reward, and immediately use it on anything else. You don't need to wait for another day.
Questions? Just leave a comment. I hope I explained that ok.
Anyway, I have found the Walgreens Register Rewards to be very useful. Scratch what I'm about to write if you won't use the Walgreens money! For heavens sake, don't lose it! :)
Every week, the Walgreens circular (in your paper or easily read online) advertises several items that, once purchased, will print out a coupon in the form of Walgreens money. I don't think much about a lot of their items, but I always look to see if (1) it's something I use reguarly or (2) it's free! Yes, they have at least 3 -4 items weekly that once purchased, the money is fully refunded to you in the form of a gift card.
Here's an example of what I've gotten free:
-a toothbrush
-feminine products
-Softsoap NutriSerums Body Wash
-large bottle of Jergens handsoap
-and more...
Just a tip to look in the paper and see if you find anything fun to treat yourself to! I go back and use the money on a variety of other things. I know Walgreens can be more expensive than say Target or Walmart, but they also have great weekly coupon sales that I can usually double up with manufacturer coupons.
One final note: you cannot use a register reward coupon to purchase an item that will spit out another register reward. BUT, you can purchase one item, get the register reward, and immediately use it on anything else. You don't need to wait for another day.
Questions? Just leave a comment. I hope I explained that ok.
Friday, September 4
Free Food!
Check it out:
www.schwans.com/free
This is a home-delivery service that has been around a long time. I guess they're hurting for business, because I've taken advantage of this offer twice in the last three months. Anyway, you can get one item for $10 or less for free! The delivery is free, if you're home. You have to pay for a small cooler ($5) if you're not going to be home when they deliver it.
A few ideas:
---big bag of 4-cheese tortellini....I got this last time and it was delicious! It serves at least 6!
---desserts....I ordered some chocolate carmel ice cream bars this time
---gourmet coffee...my mom ordered a bag of coffee
---frozen veggies or twice baked potatoes....most of this category is under $10
Enjoy!
www.schwans.com/free
This is a home-delivery service that has been around a long time. I guess they're hurting for business, because I've taken advantage of this offer twice in the last three months. Anyway, you can get one item for $10 or less for free! The delivery is free, if you're home. You have to pay for a small cooler ($5) if you're not going to be home when they deliver it.
A few ideas:
---big bag of 4-cheese tortellini....I got this last time and it was delicious! It serves at least 6!
---desserts....I ordered some chocolate carmel ice cream bars this time
---gourmet coffee...my mom ordered a bag of coffee
---frozen veggies or twice baked potatoes....most of this category is under $10
Enjoy!
Thursday, September 3
FPU
i'm back. for real. thats all i'm going to say.
--
The Hubster and I recently started a class at our church that we really want to plug: Financial Peace University. I personally think the name is a bit cheesy, but oh well. It's all about how to manage your money through a Biblical lens. We are learning so much! ..and boy, are we quick to apply it! We officially started last Sunday and already we have an envelope system and have moved to all-cash purchases. (the greenbacks literally - sans the debit card!)
Both Joe and I experienced the pressure of credit card debt as singles. Endless swiping of the plastic is a terribly easy temptation and we cringe at the memory of it. So, as soon as we got married, we started looking around for some kind of class to attend together so we could be on the same page in regards to our finances. Here we are and we are really thrilled.
The class is taught (via DVD) by Dave Ramsey, who also has a nationally-syndicated radio show. (For those of you in the Orlando area, it's from 3-6 daily on 540AM) He has a lot of wonderful advice. As you can imagine, his major platform is getting rid of all debt except your mortgage, and he advocates paying cash for everything.
All this to say - (1) I'll keep you updated about what I'm learning and how it goes. Our goal is to save, save, save for a house and for babies. :) and (2) I'll keep you updated on the deals and steals I find around town. I'm addicted to coupons and sales and good deals. Can I share? I read a couple of money-saving blogs daily, but even they sometimes either go overboard (who really needs 20 bottles of salad dressing?!?!) or miss some of the tips I find most useful.
Hope to see you around a little more often! ;)
--
The Hubster and I recently started a class at our church that we really want to plug: Financial Peace University. I personally think the name is a bit cheesy, but oh well. It's all about how to manage your money through a Biblical lens. We are learning so much! ..and boy, are we quick to apply it! We officially started last Sunday and already we have an envelope system and have moved to all-cash purchases. (the greenbacks literally - sans the debit card!)
Both Joe and I experienced the pressure of credit card debt as singles. Endless swiping of the plastic is a terribly easy temptation and we cringe at the memory of it. So, as soon as we got married, we started looking around for some kind of class to attend together so we could be on the same page in regards to our finances. Here we are and we are really thrilled.
The class is taught (via DVD) by Dave Ramsey, who also has a nationally-syndicated radio show. (For those of you in the Orlando area, it's from 3-6 daily on 540AM) He has a lot of wonderful advice. As you can imagine, his major platform is getting rid of all debt except your mortgage, and he advocates paying cash for everything.
All this to say - (1) I'll keep you updated about what I'm learning and how it goes. Our goal is to save, save, save for a house and for babies. :) and (2) I'll keep you updated on the deals and steals I find around town. I'm addicted to coupons and sales and good deals. Can I share? I read a couple of money-saving blogs daily, but even they sometimes either go overboard (who really needs 20 bottles of salad dressing?!?!) or miss some of the tips I find most useful.
Hope to see you around a little more often! ;)
Monday, May 4
Tuesday, April 28
what a cutie pie!
I just have to share this photo, which I stole off my SIL's blog, http://www.hansennews.blogspot.com/. Check it out for more pics!
He is CUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!
My nephew, the incredibly handsome and charming Jacob Nels....
Monday, April 13
my new favorite friend
wait, another post?! so soon?! I know, I know.
But this is SO worth sharing!
Let me introduce my new favorite friend....drumroll please....
Arm & Hammer pure Baking Soda! That's right, folks, I am hooked!
It all started with a fateful evening several weeks ago. After work, I came home and started multi-tasking on all my housework - spray this, scrub that, throw in some laundry. However, I let the mildew remover stay a little bit too long on the shower tile and by the time Joe got home from work, the whole place stunk. Bad. So bad, that Joe said "we're leaving" and we had an impromptu date night of dinner and the movies. (not a bad trade!) Joe gently asked me to consider another cleaning alternative, so I began some research.
And now, a few weeks later, I've decided to "go green" on all my household cleaning. ENTER: the Baking Soda. Turns out, this thing is a screaming, cleaning machine!!
Here's what I've tried, so far....
--shake into the toilet bowl, spritz with some vinegar, swish with the toilet brush, and flush
--my ceramic stovetop used to cause me so much stress, that it became Joe's job to clean. It was a black crusted nightmare. A little baking soda solved the problem, though, with an arm movement you could barely call a scrub! I could NOT believe it.
--Joe cooked some ribs last weekend and a foil leak caused the pan to also become completely covered in blackness. I read somewhere to pour baking soda in the pan and add hot water, then let it soak for 15 minutes. I bet you can't guess what happened! :) With one wipe, that pan was completely clean! It was like a cleaning commercial! I actually stopped mid-way through to wait for Joe to come in and see the magic. (yes, it was very exciting :)
--did I mention the bathroom sink?
Okay, I won't go on...but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you try it! Forget diamonds, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda is what a real housewife needs!
More to come on my new "green" pail of cleaning products!
(preview: my 2nd favorite thing to use for cleaning now is a lemon)
But this is SO worth sharing!
Let me introduce my new favorite friend....drumroll please....
Arm & Hammer pure Baking Soda! That's right, folks, I am hooked!
It all started with a fateful evening several weeks ago. After work, I came home and started multi-tasking on all my housework - spray this, scrub that, throw in some laundry. However, I let the mildew remover stay a little bit too long on the shower tile and by the time Joe got home from work, the whole place stunk. Bad. So bad, that Joe said "we're leaving" and we had an impromptu date night of dinner and the movies. (not a bad trade!) Joe gently asked me to consider another cleaning alternative, so I began some research.
And now, a few weeks later, I've decided to "go green" on all my household cleaning. ENTER: the Baking Soda. Turns out, this thing is a screaming, cleaning machine!!
Here's what I've tried, so far....
--shake into the toilet bowl, spritz with some vinegar, swish with the toilet brush, and flush
--my ceramic stovetop used to cause me so much stress, that it became Joe's job to clean. It was a black crusted nightmare. A little baking soda solved the problem, though, with an arm movement you could barely call a scrub! I could NOT believe it.
--Joe cooked some ribs last weekend and a foil leak caused the pan to also become completely covered in blackness. I read somewhere to pour baking soda in the pan and add hot water, then let it soak for 15 minutes. I bet you can't guess what happened! :) With one wipe, that pan was completely clean! It was like a cleaning commercial! I actually stopped mid-way through to wait for Joe to come in and see the magic. (yes, it was very exciting :)
--did I mention the bathroom sink?
Okay, I won't go on...but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you try it! Forget diamonds, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda is what a real housewife needs!
More to come on my new "green" pail of cleaning products!
(preview: my 2nd favorite thing to use for cleaning now is a lemon)
Saturday, April 11
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
O Sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.
What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee!
-words by Bernard of Clairvaux, 1153
Happy Resurrection Day, dear friends! What hope and joy we have in Jesus!
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.
What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee!
-words by Bernard of Clairvaux, 1153
Happy Resurrection Day, dear friends! What hope and joy we have in Jesus!
Friday, February 20
waaaaaaaay overdue
yeah.....i know. sorry.
But here's a summary of Yoon Life for the past 5 months. We've been married for five months!! yay! It's hard to believe we're almost at half a year! But we're loving it and grateful for every day together. <3 We've been super blessed by people who have invested in our marriage.....a counselor, Dr. W, who we met with a couple of times pre-engagement; both pastors who married us, Tom and DL, who met with us for pre-marital counseling; the books that have ministered to us; and now a wonderful young marrieds group at our church that we are so excited about! Because of these investments, we believe, we are doing quite well and adjusting to marriage fairly smoothly. We're learning a lot about each other and about being a team, to be sure. But we feel a lot of peace. :) So far, this first year of marriage hasn't been as bad as we were told!
....wait....did you hear me say "our church"?? Yes, praise God, we have prayed for so long to discern His best for us and we feel He's leading us to St. Paul's! We are looking forward with expectancy for all that God will do in and through us as we fellowship at St. Paul's. And we're praising Him for providing such a warm church family to join together. Joe's planning on starting a membership class soon.
Work has been a roller coaster ride for me. I started with a lot of hours in November, lower hours in December, nearly nothing in January, and the craziest schedule possible now in February. I'm not sure how long the Lord will provide work for me at this school, but He has been teaching me about 'living for today' and making the most of everything He's given me, including my time around these fabulous colleagues. Please pray for boldness to proclaim Christ in this part of my life. I'm the only Christ-follower who can reflect His character there, and I pray I will do it joyfully and faithfully.
I do love teaching! My students are a lot of fun! Here was my day today: (you can skip reading if you're really not interested.... :) From 8-9 I have a planning hour, then from 9-12 I teach a Speech & Pronunciation class. I'm passionate about teaching this course, but my students this session are less than enthused, which makes for a long morning. I do have one strange student who surprises me each day with off-the-wall questions like the free mason movement, the origin of rock and roll, the organizational structure of sororities and fraternities, and more. ?? I have no idea why he starts off on these questions, but I often have to remind him what class he's in. (Obviously, I have the advanced level students to be having these discussions.)
Anyway, I drop from levels 9 - 11 in the morning to levels 3 -4 in the afternoon in my reading and writing course. But those guys are awesome! These 7 students average about age 19 and they crack me up everyday. I was feeling a little crazy today (friday), so I decided to give a pop spelling quiz. ha-ha-ha (is that bad that I like giving pop quizzes?) It was for extra credit, actually, and all of them gained at least one point, so they were happy.
Thankfully, Friday is an easy day. This month I've been teaching on Wednesdays until 5, and back Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30pm to 9pm. It's a lot of hours!
Okay, enough about work...
Other news? We got a new motorcycle. And a new nephew, Jacob Nels Hansen. He's a cutie! We're going to see him again this weekend so I'll post pics in a few days. Valentines Day was sweet, time with friends has been great fun, and I'm looking forward to my birthday in five days. :)
Hugs to you all from the Yoons!
But here's a summary of Yoon Life for the past 5 months. We've been married for five months!! yay! It's hard to believe we're almost at half a year! But we're loving it and grateful for every day together. <3 We've been super blessed by people who have invested in our marriage.....a counselor, Dr. W, who we met with a couple of times pre-engagement; both pastors who married us, Tom and DL, who met with us for pre-marital counseling; the books that have ministered to us; and now a wonderful young marrieds group at our church that we are so excited about! Because of these investments, we believe, we are doing quite well and adjusting to marriage fairly smoothly. We're learning a lot about each other and about being a team, to be sure. But we feel a lot of peace. :) So far, this first year of marriage hasn't been as bad as we were told!
....wait....did you hear me say "our church"?? Yes, praise God, we have prayed for so long to discern His best for us and we feel He's leading us to St. Paul's! We are looking forward with expectancy for all that God will do in and through us as we fellowship at St. Paul's. And we're praising Him for providing such a warm church family to join together. Joe's planning on starting a membership class soon.
Work has been a roller coaster ride for me. I started with a lot of hours in November, lower hours in December, nearly nothing in January, and the craziest schedule possible now in February. I'm not sure how long the Lord will provide work for me at this school, but He has been teaching me about 'living for today' and making the most of everything He's given me, including my time around these fabulous colleagues. Please pray for boldness to proclaim Christ in this part of my life. I'm the only Christ-follower who can reflect His character there, and I pray I will do it joyfully and faithfully.
I do love teaching! My students are a lot of fun! Here was my day today: (you can skip reading if you're really not interested.... :) From 8-9 I have a planning hour, then from 9-12 I teach a Speech & Pronunciation class. I'm passionate about teaching this course, but my students this session are less than enthused, which makes for a long morning. I do have one strange student who surprises me each day with off-the-wall questions like the free mason movement, the origin of rock and roll, the organizational structure of sororities and fraternities, and more. ?? I have no idea why he starts off on these questions, but I often have to remind him what class he's in. (Obviously, I have the advanced level students to be having these discussions.)
Anyway, I drop from levels 9 - 11 in the morning to levels 3 -4 in the afternoon in my reading and writing course. But those guys are awesome! These 7 students average about age 19 and they crack me up everyday. I was feeling a little crazy today (friday), so I decided to give a pop spelling quiz. ha-ha-ha (is that bad that I like giving pop quizzes?) It was for extra credit, actually, and all of them gained at least one point, so they were happy.
Thankfully, Friday is an easy day. This month I've been teaching on Wednesdays until 5, and back Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30pm to 9pm. It's a lot of hours!
Okay, enough about work...
Other news? We got a new motorcycle. And a new nephew, Jacob Nels Hansen. He's a cutie! We're going to see him again this weekend so I'll post pics in a few days. Valentines Day was sweet, time with friends has been great fun, and I'm looking forward to my birthday in five days. :)
Hugs to you all from the Yoons!
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