February Goals wrap-up

Today is the last day of February. I wish I could say that I am sad to see February go, but I really am not. This was NOT a good month for me physically (was sick for more than half the month), mentally or emotionally. I have a lot on my mind and am really just not in a good place. I am really trying hard not to let myself get depressed. It is hard though.

One of the things that I am just trying to let go of is my lack of progress on some of my February goals. I did so well in January, then this month everything kind of took a back seat.

For the final update for February, here is how I did.....

FINANCIAL GOALS:

• Spend no more than $300 on food. ~I don't have an exact figure, but I am sure it was close to $360 spent on food.
• Spend no more than $150 on household supplies (trash bags, diapers, etc.)~ I spent right around $130 
• Look into cheaper auto insurance~ NOPE
• File 2012 taxes~ DONE
• Open new checking account at a different closer bank (as ours has decided to start charging us fees of $18 a month for the same service we have been getting for free.)~ Opened account, but have not been able to transfer direct deposits, etc. so will have to pay one month of fees at the old bank.

　 DECLUTTERING GOALS:

• Take pictures of and list baby items on Craig list (swing, bassinet, jumper, etc.)~NOPE
• Declutter our master bedroom~NOPE

　 PERSONAL GOALS:

• Work up to drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day ~ Working on...gave up pop for Lent so am working on replacing with water
• Menu plan each week from pantry first, then around sales ~NOPE
• Lose 4 pounds ~ I am actually down 6 lbs from the last time I weighed myself.
• Give up pop and sweets for Lent ~ Ongoing. Gave up pop, fast food, and chocolate and candy.

So there you have it. Out of 11 goals, I accomplished 4. That is not okay with me. March is tomorrow and it will be a new month with new goals. I will do better in March.

Did you make any goals for February? Care to share how you did?

Girls with Swords (book review)

Girls with Swords: How to Carry Your Cross Like a Hero

From the inside cover:

If there ever was a time for women to be armed, it’s now.

Yet the Word of God is a sword we often are more comfortable studying than wielding. It’s time we give girls swords and watch them connect heaven to earth. Worldwide, women are the targets of prejudice, sex trafficking, abuse, and even gendercide. Lisa Bevere writes that these attacks say more about who women might be in the future than who they have been in the past. In Girls with Swords she explains a spiritual enemy is seeking to disarm women on every level. It’s time women become the heroes God created them to be and stand—courageous, discerning, forgiving, and wise.

Creatively forging the imagery of swords, the Word of God, and the Cross, Girls with Swords will teach you:

• How to speak the language of heaven on earth
• What it means to intercede
• What it means to carry your cross
• What it means to be discerning
• How to disarm the enemy
• Why women are the enemy’s target—and why God needs them to be heroes

It’s time to take up your sword and be a hero.

My thoughts:

The premise of Ms. Bevere's book is that as women we are called to be warriors for Christ against the devil. She argues that as the offspring of Adam and Eve we are the ones that the devil has targeted and there are plenty of examples in today's world about how he is getting us away from Jesus. Bevere uses MANY biblical references, terminology that has to do with swords and fencing, and combines these with today's issues to show us how we as women are called to be warriors for Christ.

I felt like this book would have worked better if it were a speech given by Ms. Bevere, rather than a 200 page book. To me the message was repetitive throughout the book and took away from the imagery and the urgency of the message.

I tried. I really did. I tried to like this book. I tried to read it and not think that I have heard all of this before. I tried reading it and not fall asleep. I really did. But it didn't work. This book was not for me. It felt like a Religion text book that I would have read for a class during my undergraduate days (yes, I majored in Religion) rather than a book I would choose to read as a 30 something mother who is trying to strengthen her religious beliefs in this time in my life.

Disclaimer:
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All opinions are my own.

Pocket Your Dollars (book review)

Pocket Your Dollars: 5 Attitude Changes That Will Help You Pay Down Debt, Avoid Financial Stress, and Keep More of What You Make

From the back cover:

When it comes to money, attitude is everything

Carrie Rocha, founder and owner of Pocket Your Dollars.com, one of the most popular sites on the web, shares the secrets that will help you change the way you think about money. Seven years ago she and her husband were surprised to discover the mountain of debt they'd accumulated. They knew they'd have to make big changes. Thirty months later they were debt free and have stayed that way ever since.

How did they do it? It wasn't through a step-by-step financial program or spending plan. It turns out, budgets can't fix everything--real change takes an attitude adjustment.

You too can triumph over the pitfalls that lead to financial stress. With practical help in every chapter, including real-life examples and easy-to-use self-assessment tools, you'll soon understand what Carrie discovered: Lasting change can start today.

My Thoughts:

Pocket Your Dollars: 5 Attitude Changes That Will Help You Pay Down Debt, Avoid Financial Stress, and Keep More of What You Make by Carrie Rocha is the first financial book that really makes sense to me and seems to offer ideas and philosophies that I can actually put into place. Often when I read a financial book it seems to be written for people with LOTS of money and LOTS of debt. My husband and I live paycheck to paycheck and do have some debt that we would love to be able to pay off, but we need a plan in place and some assistance in how to do this. Pocket Your Dollars is one of those tools that we need.

I think my favorite part and the part that really hit home was Rocha's writing about the "WHY" she personally was in debt at one point and not the I am in debt and I don't know why cycle that so many other authors seem to write about. I love how she identifies the 5 attitudes that have to be identified and dealt with before you can begin your own journey to financial freedom. For me the 2 that hit home the most were "If Only I Had More Money" and "I Deserve a Treat."

The first part of the book explains the "Why" behind our going into debt. The section that follows offers advice and skills that we need to change our attitude that are the whys we got into debt. I love the idea of changing your self talk to reflect what your goals actually are. Instead of saying you deserve a treat for example, you can change that to " I work too hard for my money to have it go toward a leak in my budget."

The final part of the book, Rocha lends us some budgeting advice that makes sense. These include hints and tricks to make your expenses lower and while she offers suggestions she does not advocate one method above others. She knows that her readers are all different and that different methods work for different people. I love that she acknowledges this.

I LOVED this book. I think it has a lot of practical advice and really speaks to the why so we can do something about it. I will be using this book a lot during the next few months as I try to lower our budget and make a plan for getting out of debt!

Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sunday Night Chit Chat

Time once again for Sunday Night Chit-Chat...hosted by our friend Carla! 

 

To play along simply start your post with a photo or quote... Copy and paste the starters and link up to Carla so she and others can visit you and see what you've been up to!

SO HERE GOES:

 



Crazy kiddos!







What are you.....

Reading?

 

 

 

Watching?

 

Last night I kind of, sort of watched "Dark Knight Rises" with hubby. He watched it and I was working on the computer getting taxes done. Hubby has hockey on and Jacob is not happy because cartoons are not on.

 

Listening to?

 

The sounds of the household. Benjamin is crawling around playing with a car. Jacob is crying. Bill is explaining to Jacob that there are no more cartoons tonight. And Rebecca is splashing around in the bathtub. It is a normal Sunday night around here. LOL....Music to my ears.

 

  

Cooking/Baking?

 

Today I made pumpkin muffins! YUMMY!!! I also have been making 2 cakes each week for Rebecca's schools Friday night fish fry each week during Lent.

Happy you accomplished this week?



 

New bank account was opened. Checks are ordered. Taxes are completed and filed.

 

Looking forward to next week?

 

4 day work week (one good thing about working in a school, you get teacher in-service days off). Shoe shopping next weekend with a friend of mine for a dinner auction that we are going to in a few weeks. I have a dress, just need shoes and maybe a purse.   

 

Thankful for today?

 

The health of my family. Seeing a friend's husband having a near death experience with e-coli this week has really put my health in perspective to me.   

Bonus question: What item is currently on the *TOP* of your wish list right now?

Right now there are 3 things that I would like to get soon... new glasses for me, a new computer chair with a back on it and a new comforter set for our bed.

 

So there you have it. A little glimpse into my world on this Sunday night! Hope everyone has a wonderful week and remember to link up to our wonderful chat host Carla! :)

Goodbye to Yesterday (book review)

Goodbye to Yesterday: Part 1 (The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga)
is book 1 of an exclusive 6-consecutive-month release Amish serial novel.

From the back cover:

When Luke Stoltzfus loses his job at a furniture store in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, he is given an opportunity to learn a new trade from his uncle who lives in Indiana. Despite his wife's reservations, Luke jumps at the chance and makes plans for a quick trip to Middlebury.

Along the way, Luke meets with tragedy, and life as he knew it will never be the same.

Despite all odds, will the faith and love Luke and Meredith share be enough to bring them back together again? Or will Meredith begin a new life with another?

My thoughts:
The storyline is great and the most positive aspect of Goodbye to Yesterday: Part 1 (The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga) It is engaging with just enough drama to keep the reader engaged and wanting to read more. I fell in love with the sense of reality that is being faced by Meredith and Luke as they face life with unemployment and a shrinking bank account and the ups and downs of newlywed life. I felt that I could relate to their story.

There were parts of the story that took away from the storyline though. There were several bouts of dialogue that felt repetitive and were dull and just didn't feel like they fit.

The other thing that took away was the story was the format. This was the first time that I had read a novel that has been published in parts. To be honest it kind of caught me off guard, as most books that I read have a definite ending, even when they are part of a series. Goodbye to Yesterday: Part 1 (The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga) is not like that. There is no definite ending, instead there is a cliffhanger ending that is supposed to lead the reader to buy and read the second book. And to me that was a major flaw in this book. This "book" seemed more like something you would read in a magazine each month or watch in a mini series on TV. For me it does not work in book form. Because of this I am not sure if I will actively seek out the other parts of this saga. I don't think it is that worth it for me.

Disclaimer: This book was provided free of charge by the publisher and Handlebar Marketing in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Our Valentine's Day 2013

Life has been super busy so I am finally getting around to blogging about our Valentine's Day.

This year, both Bill and I had to work.

Bill had to work in the morning. Then I had to work in the afternoon. That night, my sister came over so she could go to the movies with her friends, as they did not have school the next day.

As soon as I got home from work, Bill had to leave to go do an interview for a story he was writing.

So what did we do together for Valentine's Day?

Well, we ordered Chinese food for takeout (Bill picked it up on his way back from his interview) and we ate by candlelight in the dining room, while the kids played and watched cartoons in the living room.

Bill and I, Valentine's Day 2013, taken by Rebecca

The kiddos playing and watching cartoons while Bill and I enjoy our dinner by candlelight in the next room

Yummy Chinese food!

That is how we did our Valentine's Day this year. It worked for us! And as parents of 3 kids ages 6 and under, I think it was kind of romantic and low key, just like us!

Then as another surprise, on Saturday, I woke up to a dozen roses and a card! Thoughtful and lovely from dear hubby!

So, what did you do for your Valentine's Day? How do you show your love for your significant other?

Guess who is crawling??

Benjamin is 10.5 months old. He is a big kid. He weighs close to 35 pounds. That is big for his age.

I think because of his weight he is a little behind in his gross motor skills development. He was a little late to sit upright and stay upright on his own.

Well today he has decided that it is time to crawl around and get into everything. Just out of nowhere he decided to start going around getting into papers and toys that he really, really wanted!

It was really exciting to watch him as he realized that he could get where he wanted to go.

So now that he is mobile, I have to be extra diligent about what is on the floor, etc. Hard to do with a 3 year old that just likes to drop stuff as he goes....After the boys went down for their naps I cleaned the living room floor and sorted toys and swept the floor under the couches and chairs. I even took the rugs out and dusted them.

So Benjamin is on the move! This should be a fun ride!

What I have been up to...

I finally have a moment to sit and blog for a minute....

Sorry I haven't been as active lately. Life is going on and I have been trying to be more diligent about spending quality time with the kids rather than on the computer...

This week has been busy, busy (as it is every year, when it becomes the end of a sporting season. Hubby's schedule gets super busy. I get super busy at work and with volunteer stuff that I need to do, and just having 3 kids 6 and under makes any day busy.

Monday I had the day off of work but spent part of the morning in the walk in clinic, as I had had a sore throat for 7 days and my ear started hurting again. Strep throat was negative, but she said I had a weird sinus infection thing going on. Probably never got rid of the ear infection in January, so it just transformed into an infection in my throat. Another round of antibiotics (this time azithromicin (z-pack), and $100 later I have my meds. That night I went to bed early and laid on a heated rice bag all night as my ear was throbbing. By Tuesday mid morning my ear finally stopped hurting and by Tuesday night my throat stopped hurting completely! YAY! Yay for medicine that works!

Tuesday night I also received word that one of my friends at work (the Pre-K teacher) had to rush her husband to the hospital and that he was in a medically induced coma and was being life-flighted to a hospital in Columbus. After a couple of days, he is now stable but still fighting for his life on life support. The doctors finally figured out that he caught a super bug while he was on a business trip to Nigeria. This parasite has attacked his organs and immune system, causing some organs to begin to shut down and a fever of over 107. They were finally able to get his fever down to 101 as of last night and they had begun dialysis to help his kidneys. It is going to be touch and go so any prayers would be greatly appreciated.

This means that work has been crazy as one of my main closers is very good friends with that family so she had to leave early Tuesday, and today is not working at all so she can drive her mom to the hospital to be with the family. That leaves me juggling lots of work things.

Yesterday, Jacob woke up with a fever and not feeling good. Last night his fever was gone and today he seems fine so I am hoping it was a fluke.

Work is crazy busy. Life is crazy busy. But each day I am trying to live in the moment and enjoy the blessings I have been given.

Hope everyone has a great day!

February Goals update

How is it that it is already February 17th?? Time is flying by....but I guess that is how life is when you are busy!

I thought I would take a moment to update my progress, or mainly lack thereof, on my February goals....So here goes....
FINANCIAL GOALS:

• Spend no more than $300 on food. ~Through today I have spent $267 on food. I am ready to give up on this goal as food prices are skyrocketing....:(
• Spend no more than $150 on household supplies (trash bags, diapers, etc.)~ So far I have spent  $100 so right on track... 
• Look into cheaper auto insurance~ NOPE
• File 2012 taxes~ NOPE
• Open new checking account at a different closer bank (as ours has decided to start charging us fees of $18 a month for the same service we have been getting for free.)~ Have started this process. Hubby opened an account, but still need to get my name on it and get direct deposits from work transferred.

　 DECLUTTERING GOALS:

• Take pictures of and list baby items on Craig list (swing, bassinet, jumper, etc.)~NOPE
• Declutter our master bedroom~NOPE

　 PERSONAL GOALS:

• Work up to drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day ~ Working on...gave up pop for Lent so am working on replacing with water
• Menu plan each week from pantry first, then around sales ~NOPE
• Lose 4 pounds ~ I am actually down 6 lbs from the last time I weighed myself.
• Give up pop and sweets for Lent ~ Ongoing. Gave up pop, fast food, and chocolate and candy.

So there you have it. Haven't really done a whole lot for my goals this month. I have been super busy but that should not be an excuse. Need to step it up and work on those goals.

Did you make any goals for February? Care to share how you are doing?

Busy, Busy, Busy

This week is a busy one.

Saturday started out early. I was at Walmart at 7am to get a b-day present for a friend of Rebecca, then went and did grocery shopping. Home at 9:15 to put groceries away, etc. TV died. Took Rebecca to her b-day party, went to Walmart and bought an entertainment center, went to Kmart and bought a new tv, picked Rebecca up. Back home. Spent 5 hours putting together entertainment center with Dear Hubby.

Sunday Rebecca and I went to church, came home and picked the boys up. Went to breakfast/lunch with my parents and siblings. Came home and started cleaning the house, doing laundry, etc. Watched a movie and stayed up way too late.

Monday, I was very productive. Took Rebecca to school. Came home, threw dinner in the crockpot. Made homemade applesauce with some apples that were going bad.  Did more laundry. Went to work and came home and made biscuits with dinner.

Today, I took Rebecca to school, came home and went back to bed. Got up went to work and came home. Bill and I took the kids to Burger King for dinner because as a family we are giving up fast food for Lent (starts tomorrow). Took Rebecca to her school for science/knowledge fair night. Back home for baths/ bed time.

Tomorrow I have to volunteer at Rebecca's school for jump rope for heart in the morning and work in the afternoon. Then Bill will probably go to work at some point.

Thursday is Valentine's Day and I have to make 2 cakes to take to school on Friday.

Friday I have to volunteer again and work.

Busy, busy, busy. It is what it is.

Sunday Night Chit Chat

Time once again for Sunday Night Chit-Chat...hosted by our friend Carla! 

 

To play along simply start your post with a photo or quote... Copy and paste the starters and link up to Carla so she and others can visit you and see what you've been up to!

SO HERE GOES:



Today is Chinese New Year!
 



What are you.....

Reading?

Nothing right now.

Watching?

Hubby is watching "The Dark Knight." I am kind of paying attention, kind of not.  

 

Listening to?

The TV is on. The dryer is running.  

  

Cooking/Baking

Haven't really cooked anything special this week.

Happy you accomplished this week?



Survived a crazy day/weekend. Got the van cleaned out. Cleaned and fixed our bathtub drain!!  

 

Looking forward to next week?

Bill is off work for 3 days for a mini vacation. I have a busy week, with work, volunteering, knowledge fair at school, etc.

 

Thankful for today?

For my husband, who has stepped it up and is helping more with the housework. I love that man!  

Bonus question: Are you musically gifted/talented? Do you play any instruments? Sing?

Not really. I can carry a tune, but can't read music, etc.
 

So there you have it. A little glimpse into my world on this Sunday night! Hope everyone has a wonderful week and remember to link up to our wonderful chat host Carla! :)

It has been one of those days....

So today has been one of those days where you just want to hit the start over button.

It is not even 11:30 am yet and yet it feels like it should be 7:00 at night.

Couldn't sleep again last night. Was awake every 2 hours.

Woke up at 6:00 am with a huge headache.

Got Rebecca ready for school, then went to call Bill only to find out his phone was out of service.

Called Straighttalk as we are supposed to have service through 2/9 and he still had over 600 minutes left as of yesterday morning (according to my acct online and a text we got yesterday), only to be told their customer service hours start at 8am.

Receive a phone call from my boss...she has pinkeye and a cold and won't be in today. She is trying to find a replacement, but if she can't then she will come in for the last hour. She knows where she got it (one of our preschoolers) and I worked with her for several hours yesterday so this should be interesting to see if I get it.

Back on the phone with Straightalk. After 15 minutes or so explaining the problem the woman said she would credit the acct 500 minutes and 500 text and 29 mb of data because it was a glitch on their end. Phone changed to say 1 service day left. Can I make calls and text right away? Yes she says. Hang up with her. Try to make a call on hubby's phone...doesn't work. Call back. This time the CSR tells me that I have no minutes, etc. After going around and around with her, I ask to speak to a supervisor. Again after another 15 minutes going around and around, she suddenly agrees to credit our account. Then she tries to get off the phone. I said can you tell me how many minutes, etc. was added. She sent a text to the phone to show what she added.

Get off the phone with her and the school calls. Rebecca fell and hit her head on the table, cutting her ear in the process. So pack the boys up to go look at her ear. She is more upset because she thought I would make her go home. Thankfully the principal got the bleeding stopped, so I just had her butterfly bandage it and she was able to stay at school.

Come home and was supposed to have a friend come over to observe Ben for her infant development class. She is late coming over.

At this point I realize I have had nothing to eat or drink so make myself a quick smoothie. Bill calls and wants to know what is for lunch. I said fast food.

After eating, I had to make 13 cans of spaghettios for work and splattered it on me while I was transferring it to my crockpot to take to work.

At work, I go to get the Kindergarten and Rebecca's teacher tells me that during gym class in the afternoon, Rebecca ran into another student causing a cut under her eye from her glasses and her cheeks were starting to bruise up from the run in with the table....

Today is one of those days I just want to hit the restart button on and just do over....

Have you ever had one of those days? What do you do to counteract the day?

To Honor and Trust (Book Review)

To Honor and Trust (Bridal Veil Island)

From the back cover:

Callie Deboyer arrives at Bridal Veil Island to spend the winter working as a governess for the Bridgeport family. However, she finds she can't fully enjoy the beautiful resort because questions about her future weigh heavily on her mind: Should she continue in this job she enjoys, or is God calling her to join her parents in their missionary work?

When she enrolls young Thomas Bridgeport in golf lessons, Callie meets instructor Wesley Townsend, who urges Callie to take lessons, as well. During their time together, Callie comes to care for Wes- until she discovers that he's been hiding something very important from her.

Then expensive pieces go missing from various homes around the island, and suspicion is aimed in Callie's direction. Callie wonders if this is a sign she should leave it all behind and join her parents in Africa. Considering Wesley's deceit, will he ever be a man Callie can honor and trust for the rest of her life?

My thoughts:

To Honor and Trust is the second book that I have read by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller. (The first was To Love and Cherish, which I reviewed here. ) I was delightfully surprised by this story.

The main characters Callie and Wesley are both very likable, even if a little naive. They play off of each other well and off their respective circumstances.  The story line kept me engaged with just the right amount of humor (including the new nanny Maude), mystery (theft of jewelry and accusations of thievery), action (the daughter getting bit by a deadly spider) and with love and craziness that you come to expect when children are involved.

I felt that the story flowed beautifully and left you wanting to read more and to get more information on the lives of Wesley and Callie. And there was just enough surprises that it left me guessing what would come next.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and one that I would highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

I was thinking last week that I had a ton of things pinned on pinterest and yet I haven’t really tried any of them.

Then I have seen going around on the blog-o-sphere that different bloggers are trying to do one or two pinterest experiments a month.

That gave me the shot in the arm that I needed to try one or more of the things that I have pinned.

I decided that the easiest thing for me to do was to incorporate a new recipe into our menu planning…

so I searched pinterest and found one that I had pinned a long time ago and had not tried…..

Oven baked chicken fajitas!

I made these and I will say that they were a big hit with hubby and I. Simple and yet delicious. Will definitely be making these again.

Have you tried any recipes off of pinterest?

The 5 Money Personalities (Book Review)

The 5 Money Personalities: Speaking the Same Love and Money Language

From the back cover:

Every couple argues about money. It doesn't matter if you're raking in the cash or barely getting by, if you've been married for forty years or dating for four months. Money touches every decision you make as a couple- from the $5 cup of coffee to the $50,000 car. And when the tow of you don't see eye-to-eye on how much to spend or how much to save, that's when arguments turn into ugly, toxic fights that leave both of you feeling hurt and angry. That's why money has become the number one cause of divorce in the United States. Obviously, something needs to change.

Are you both ready to take our Money Personality Profile? Once you know your Money Personalities, you can get to the root of money arguments and start working together. You'll discover what has an impact on your loved one's money decisions. You'll learn how to talk about money in a way that's actually kind of fun. And you'll figure out how to put an end to money secrets and lies once and for all.

That's a big promise. But tens of thousands have adopted The Money Couple's methods and enjoyed a while new way of living with love and money. You can be on the way to building something beautiful together today.

My Review:

In their book, The 5 Money Personalities: Speaking the Same Love and Money Language, The Money Couple (Scott and Bethany Palmer) talk about 5 money personalities….saver, spender, risk taker, security seeker, and flyer. However, I was never able to get a clear understanding of what mine would be or how it would work with what might be my husband’s money personality. They told many examples of what different couples’ situations were but they basically said this was their money personalities, they worked at it and now they are better. It did not get into the nitty gritty of how the personalities worked together or against each other and how we could really work on money issues.

The whole book felt like an advertisement for their website… TheMoneyCouple.com.   I was disappointed in that when I read a section they would refer you to their website to learn more info or for more clarification. It was frustrating because I don’t want to have to go to different resources. That does not serve the purpose of the book.

I cannot recommend this book as a financial help book; however it may serve a purpose as a marriage book. Just wasn't for me.

Disclaimer: The publisher (Thomas Nelson) has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through BookSneeze® in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

God Gave Us Easter (book review)

God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Tawn Bergren

From the back cover:

"God loved us so much he wanted us to always be with him too. That’s why God knew he’d need to give us Easter.”

As Little Cub celebrates Easter with Papa, Mama, and her brother and sister, she begins to ask her papa questions about this very special day of the year. Papa lovingly explains God’s plans for his children, while taking Little Cub on a memorable walk through her stunning Arctic world, and he shares how Easter came about in clear, simple terms that even the littlest cubs can understand.

Show more

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My Thoughts:

Once again Ms Bergren gives my children a book to cherish.

With a lovely story line, absolutely stunning artwork and the adorable polar bears that we have come to love in her “God Gave Us…” series, God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Tawn Bergren is a great addition to our library.

The book is lovely and my children enjoyed listening to the story that is gentle and give a nice perspective of Easter that does not include the blood and gore that many associate with the death of Jesus at Easter. Instead it focuses on the meaning of Easter as explained by Papa Polar Bear to his young cub as they are walking along through the forest.

This book is a treasure to add to our home library.

Disclaimer:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All opinions are my own.

It has been snowing here all day....

It has been snowing here all day long. Not the heavy, fluffy, fast accumulating snow but the light but steady all day snow that can be an annoyance.

It started right this morning around 7 am and I would say we have a good 4-5 inches on the ground and it is still coming down.

Our weatherman kept saying on facebook that there might be 1-2 inches, but nothing of any effect, etc. I think he was wrong.

Any hoo, because of the snow, the after school care program where I work was shut down so I essentially got a snow day. Bill got Rebecca from school and now we are just enjoying an afternoon at home with no pressing obligations.

Instead I surprised Bill and Rebecca with fresh baked cookies when they came home from school...They are chocolate chip, but with red food coloring added to make them more special for Rebecca since her fave color is red! 

and Rebecca has been having fun painting while her brothers are down for their naps/quiet time.

Bill is off down in his man cave cleaning up/ messing around or doing whatever it is he does down there.

I think I will write some book reviews (I have 4 I need to do!) and then think about dinner.

I hope everyone has a relaxing day!

What is the weather like where you live?

Fraud on my credit card

On Wednesday when I came from work I had the urge to check my email before getting dinner. On a typical day I try NOT to check email as when I get home it is time for dinner and then spend time with kiddos---getting baths, cleaning up, etc. But I told hubby to not turn the computer off. Boy am I glad I checked my email…

I got an email from my bank that my credit/debit card had been blocked for fraudulent activity and to call the number on the back of the card to find out more information. Now I have gotten emails like this in the past and it is an attempt to get my information. However, there was no link or anything to press in the email. I decided to try to log onto my online bank account to see if I could.

I went to my bank’s website, tried to log on and nope it was blocked.

I then took my debit card out of my wallet and called customer service on the back. I explained about the email and the customer service representative said that yes there was a block on it, gave me the number to the fraud dept, and transferred me.

After asking some identification questions, I was asked if I had made a $487 purchase at Walmart.com that day?  Ummm…that would be a NO! I had not used my card at all that day anywhere. He then asked when the last time I used the card was. It was the day before at Walmart (in store, not online) for $30.xx. He said that the card would be blocked and that I would get a new one with a different number in 5-7 days.

Immediately after getting off the phone with him, I logged onto Walmart.com and my credit card info and hubby’s info were stored in my account. I deleted both card numbers off the account thinking that the person had probably hacked that account and that is how they got my number.

Yesterday, I received an email from Walmart.com that I had left things in my shopping cart. I logged on to my account and there were 2- $200 email gift cards and an expensive Lego set left in the cart. I deleted these and then changed my password on my account. Now I know what the thief was trying to get away with.

I have a lot of mixed emotions about all of this.

I am so thankful that they have fraud alert procedures in place. If this would have went through I would have been out $500 which would mean several bills would have bounced and we cannot afford to lose that amount of money.

I feel sorry for whoever tried to do this. What makes people think that taking money from someone else is okay?

I am frustrated that because of someone else’s actions, I am now inconvenienced in not having a debit/credit card for up to 7 business days.

I feel like I need to be more vigilant in my online doings and hope this doesn’t happen again. I have been checking my bank account balance several times a day since this happened to make sure nothing else looks suspicious.

I am hopeful this will never happen again.

February Goals

Last month, I focused on 2 main goals…a decluttering goal and a finance goal. I felt that this worked out well for me and helped me maintain focus for the month.

This month, I want to continue to do this but have smaller goals under the decluttering and financial categories.
So for the month of February my goals are:

FINANCIAL GOALS:

• Spend no more than $300 on food.
• Spend no more than $150 on household supplies (trash bags, diapers, etc.)
• Look into cheaper auto insurance
• File 2012 taxes
• Open new checking account at a different closer bank (as ours has decided to start charging us fees of $18 a month for the same service we have been getting for free.)

　 DECLUTTERING GOALS:

• Take pictures of and list baby items on Craig list (swing, bassinet, jumper, etc.)
• Declutter our master bedroom

　 PERSONAL GOALS:

• Work up to drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day
• Menu plan each week from pantry first, then around sales
• Lose 4 pounds
• Give up pop and sweets for Lent

So there you have it. My goals for this month. I think they are attainable and I hope that I do well on them. Doing well on the goals in January, made me feel great about my ability to do this.

Did you make any goals for February? Care to share?