Frugal Living...

I know that everyone has their own definition of frugal living. Lately, I've been trying really hard to cut back on spending and finding resources to use to help us in this endeavor. I have found some great tools and blogs out there that have really helped me. I thought since I have found them helpful, maybe you will as well. So I would like to share some websites I have been using:

http://www.thriftyandchicmom.com/

http://mommainflipflops2.blogspot.com/

Even though I am not a mom, I have found some great giveaways, coupon deals, and offers on these sites. They have some great reviews on products.

http://theprudentpatron.com/

This site has really helped me to get freebies, as well as great deals for great prices. She shares freebies, coupons, weekly store deals, etc.

Swagbucks has been my recent tool to use online. It is a website where you earn points to cash in on prizes by mostly just doing your everyday searching. I thought it might take a lot of work, but it really doesn't. In particular I really like the gift cards, i.e. amazon, that you can use your points towards. I'm hoping this will help with my Christmas shopping this year. If you are interested in joining swagbucks for free. Click the image on the side of my page.

http://www.listia.com/

Is a site very similar to ebay, but it is free items. You earn points to list things, and then you can bid on other items. Some items do have shipping charges. It is a great way to get rid of items you don't need anymore, and get items you do need.

Well these are just few of the resources of have been using lately. Does anyone else have any they would like to share?

The Missing Piece...

I really enjoy putting together puzzles. So about a month ago, Josh and I dug out a puzzle that was in our closet that we bought probably a year ago. As you can see in the picture, it is fall themed, so I decided to give it a try. Josh started to work on it with me to get the border accomplished, then of course time got away. Work has been busy and so the puzzle has been sitting there....with the only changes being made to it by Mara, our cat. Today I decided it was a much needed day of rest. We have just been busy lately, and I needed a day to myself. I've relaxed today, did a bit of cleaning, and I decided it was now or never with the puzzle. So tonight, I worked really hard at finishing it. I got towards the end and realized that I may be missing a piece. Nothing worse than the feeling of missing just one puzzle piece. Luckily after doing some searching in the other room where I was working on it, I found it just under the couch!!! Hurray!!! The puzzle is now complete.

It made me think about though that sometimes in our lives we feel like we are missing a "piece". There are times, when I just don't feel right or I'm missing something. Sometimes as we are searching for the "missing piece" it can be a challenge, but I think that we always end up stronger when we do find it. Lately, I've been feeling like I'm missing something, but I'm comfortable with the feeling, not empty. I think it is just a transition in life for something better....so now I just wait and search for that missing piece. I know that once again my puzzle will be complete!

Alarm Clock...

In Liberia, we had an automatic alarm clock called the rooster. He would give us his call every morning, and we got so in the habit of it, that we didn't have to use an alarm. Until it came to Liberia's Independence Day, and the rooster was no longer around.

Now, that I am back from Libera, our cat Mara, has decided to do something new each morning. She comes into our bedroom about 10 mins before the alarm is to go off, and she meows. Now, I'm not talking about just a simple, sweet, soft meow. This is a loud, you need to be out of bed now, "meow"! I'm not sure why. We do not give her any attention when she does it to encourage it. She is not neglected in anyway. She is just one needy cat. :) She meows for a while. Then when I get out of bed to shower, she waits by the bathroom door, until I get out, meowing and pushing on the door. Followed by her waiting by my feet, giving me love, until I feed her and give her water for the day. I love my cat.

Hoping that Mara decides to take a break in the morning, because I sure would like to sleep-in.

Anyone else out there have a pet with a morning routine?

Bookworm...

(one of my all time favorites from elementary school)

Our librarian at our school does some really great things with our students! She is encouraging the students to read all the books from the following list before they finish elementary school. I think is a fabulous challenge for them. I have decided to take the same challenge. The list has more than 100 books on it, but I sure hope this school year, I can finish reading all the books on the list. I love to read! It is one of my favorite hobbies, but what is so great about this list is that it has challenged me to read books that I never thought of picking up to read because it didn't interest me by the title. There have been a couple of books from the list, that I had to force myself to get through the first few chapters. After I began reading it though, I began to appreciate the book and the writing, even if it wasn't a type of "genre" that I would read normally.

Here is the list posted by the National Education Association in 1999.

http://www.teachersfirst.com/100books.cfm

From this page I found a newer updated list from the NEA from teachers in 2007. I hope to read these books as well.

http://www.teachersfirst.com/getsource.cfm?id=8498

Maybe this will encourage you to enjoy picking up a children's book or young adult's book, and enjoy the world of reading once again!

"NO TV?!?!" why/how do you do it?

Josh and I had been discussing getting rid of our tv service for a while now. We hardly watched our basic channels from DirecTV, and if we did it was mostly for background noise. As we were looking at trying to get rid of our debt, we decided that TV was not necessary for our lives. So I made the phone call and canceled it. DirecTV must be desperate though, they begged us to stay as customers, even going as low as giving us 5 months free (we only paid around $30 a month) I still declined the offer. I just stated that we have changed our priorities in life, and TV is not a priority for us. I think he fell off his chair, as there was a long pause after I finally said it the second time. Yes, we do still have a television or 2 in our home to watch movies. We are big Netflix fans, but we don't find it necessary to be connected to channels of TV. Now the fun part is telling people we don't have TV. They kind of give you a funny look like....you do know it is the 21st century. I don't mind though because these are the things I have enjoyed since we haven't had TV for 2 weeks.

1. The quietness to destress when I get home.

2. I can actually have a conversation with my husband without yelling over the TV.

3. I have finished reading a book, and looking forward to all the reading I will do in my "spare" time.

4. When the internet gets boring, I don't have the TV to rely on now to avoid doing housework, so I have noticed that I have been doing a bit more of it lately.

5. Working on a fall themed puzzle. I love putting together jigsaw puzzles! I've missed doing it.

6. Playing board games or card games with my husband.

7. No distraction while I'm grading papers!

8. Spending more time with my favorite cat Mara.

9. We've done more work outside our home.

10. Loving that I don't have to look at all the Ads on TV to try to get me to buy things.

I still can get my news streamed live on the internet, watch our favorite episodes of the few shows we enjoy, and still like the fact that we are not addicted to the big tube!

Life is good.

Dreaming...

So after my dreamed filled night, it made me think why do I dream so much?

It just so happened that when I thought to blog about this topic, I found an article about dreaming on yahoo's page today. http://health.yahoo.net/articles/womens-health/8-things-you-didn%E2%80%99t-know-about-dreams

My husband and I have had discussions about dreaming a few times, and he always says that he doesn't remember his dreams most of the time. I am the opposite though, every morning when I wake up I remember at least 1 of my dreams, if not more. Most of my dreams are not pleasant either. It seems like my brain never shuts down at night. I wake up in the morning and wonder if I really fell into a deep sleep at all. I'm sure it is because I don't know how to just let things go... I'm either thinking about work, finances, life stresses, friends' concerns, etc. It isn't so much that it bothers me that I dream because I know we all do; it is more the fact that I remember them clearly.

On a positive note, after reading the yahoo article it says that dreaming can help you learn. So I guess dreaming isn't half bad, huh?

Maybe I'll try counting sheep tonight...

Labor Day...

Since I was reminded by my husband the other day, that I hadn't blogged in a while, I thought I better post.

I want to share that this weekend's weather has been fabulous!!! I absolutely love it. No excuse to stay inside, and it has encouraged my husband and I to get outside and do some yard work. Perfect weather for a three day weekend.

Labor Day is a holiday I have always looked forward to, but not usually because of its purpose to be honest. It usually is a sign for me that fall is on the way: trees changing, cooler temps, high school football games, hoodies, pumpkins, apple cider from the farm, etc. All the goodness that fall brings to my life. It also means that we are back to regular 3 p.m. dismissal which is nice to be on our regular schedule, and the students are settled in for the year.
Speaking of my students, I always tell them when a holiday comes up that we do not attend school, that they should be mindful of the meaning of the holiday. Not just "another day off from school" attitude. As I do have basic understanding of the Labor Day holiday, I figured I better take my own advice and research more about the history of Labor Day. I encourage you to check it out for yourself at http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm Hopefully as I'm enjoying another day of sleeping in and this beautful weather, I too will be mindful of the reason I am blessed to have this day off from work. Happy Labor Day!!!