Before I get started - I want to share a website with you.  - 
A Holy Experience

This website authored by Ann Voskamp is full of resources.

Please take the time to swim around on her site.  The inspiration for this post, and really a new perspective is Ann's study titled A thousand Gifts. You can view the first lesson in her study here: http://youtu.be/JvHK2qe1LWU.

I am going to be happy. From now on - that's all there is to it. With your help(and Ann's),I won't look back.

Today I was thinking through the things that make me happy.  In the process, I realized so many little things frustrate me.  Why do I let those things that frustrate me take over?  They are such little things. So I am sharing a photo journal with you today.  Photos of the little things that make me want to scream. You will understand how this leads to joy....just bear with me.  

Number one: 



This work space - or "work space wannabe"





Number two: 



This porcelain sink - so hard to keep clean!





Number 3:

These 1970's inspired shelves - I have no cupboards!




Number 4:

Do I really need to caption this?






This is just a few of the things that cause me small anxiety attacks in the course of a Saturday morning. You can relate can't you?  

But here's the thing.  Why do I have these little icons of frustration?  Where did they come from?  Let's start with the work space.  That desk - it came from my mom and dad.  The fabric is to make pajama bottoms for my daughter.  She loves music! What a blessing! (you can't really tell, but it has music notes all over it.)  On the right side sits my sewing machine - a gift from my in-laws.  And if you look closely in the lower left-hand corner - there is a photo of my daughter waiting to land on a scrapbook page.  So many blessings in a corner of my humble home!

Let's do the next two together. That sink! It is impossible! But the bleach on the counter?  Such a blessing! And those shelves - well I hate them.  But look how full they are!

The last one - a picture of endlessness. Does laundry multiply in your house?  But oh the people that wear those cloths...the life they live that causes them to need washed. Nothing can replace the blessing in that. It's priceless.

So you see - the next time I ask my daughter to take her shoes to her room because she has 6 pair in a pile on my dining room floor, I will pause first and remember that someday - I will miss those shoes. And I will think about how precious the feet that walk in them are!

Try finding blessings in the things that pile up on you; the things that make you just want to pull your hair out. Sometimes it's hard to see the silver lining, but it's always there!   

Make this Valentine"s Day all about him.

Check out this marriage challenge and let me know if he notices.

I'm going to try it but I am guessing if he notices - he will wonder what I want from him.. ha ha.


Let me know how it goes!  Here's the link.


http://womenlivingwell.org/2013/01/be-my-valentine-marriage-challenge/

Couponing is fun! Here's how to start......

The first thing to do is friend "Passion For Savings" on facebook. This site is awesome. She does coupon matchups each week based on the upcoming Sunday inserts and sales at each store. Look for a coupon database and see what inserts will be available in the paper (some weeks there are NO coupons and some weeks there are tons). If you want to get extreme - buy more papers. Here is a link to this week's coupons (this is a good week to get a couple papers!) Passion For Savings also has a Couponing 101 class for free on her website. http://www.sundaycouponpreview.com

The other facebook page that I use is "Heavenly Steals". She is really good about posting freebies and deals. Both of these pages also allow you to subscribe to newsletters to be delivered via email. There are a lot of couponing pages on facebook - just look for what works for you. With Heavenly Steals I have scored free panties - free razors, free lotions, lots of stuff - and not junk - good brand name items! She will also post Facebook deals that pop up - just be sure to jump on them as soon as you see them because they usually go fast.

Go to the websites of your favorite brand names (Olay, Shick, Campbells......) Often times they will have promotions and printable coupons available on their site. Printable coupons are all over the internet - just do a google search for them. I use Redplum, Smartsource, and Proctor & Gamble. These sites are the same companies that produce the Sunday inserts - so I know that their coupons are not fraudulant.

I do not stock pile due to space and the fact that I don't see a reason to do that. But I have been able to get one product ahead of our toiletries so that I know we will never run out of anything.

Phew! That's a lot of info - but there is a lot more. Just ask me anything - I will help you all I can!

Keep watching for more posts on couponing and organizing!

I'm baaaack!

Well, it has been close to a year since I have posted a new update on my blog. I guess time has just gotten away from me. Did you ever notice how the faster time goes, the faster time goes? It's crazy!

I am thinking about changing my blog a bit to suit my current ambitions and interests. Most likely - I will be blogging about parenting. It seems most of my world - other than work hours - revolves around making wise decisions when it comes to our daughter's future. In the last year - (which is only her first year as a teenager), we have dealt with more issues than I think I dealt with my whole career as a teen; But times have changed - and now more than ever we parents need to share our concerns, share our thoughts, and basically allow each other a good scream once in awhile.

So that is the direction I am going. I will warn you before I scream - I promise.

By the way - I am open to suggestions for a clever title for my new parenting blog. Stay tuned!

Differences Part 2

There were so many little things that were different in Europe. Here is a list of things that we compiled over the course of our trip.

They don't use mustard.

Driving 220 mph on the Autobahn.

We heard church bells at noon and 6 p.m. everyday - from all directions.

Restaurants only serve lunch until 2 p.m. - after that it's just beverages and snacks - no meals.

Ice is not common - you have to request it in your beverages.

No free drink refills anywhere.

You pay for a glass of water.

Windows open in.

Air conditioners are very uncommon.

Windows do not have screens.

Most cars are compact.

Roofs are made with a lot of different materials (ie: sea weed)

There are wind turbines every where.

Woman cover their legs and show more cleavage.

Weird bug bites

A pharmacy is only a pharmacy - no Walgreens or CVS type stores.

Men wear capris & carry bags.

Grocery stores do not provide bags (ever been to Aldis? Same thing everywhere in Europe.)

Fountain pens are used regularly.

Pornographic materials are right out front for all to see.

There were solar panels everywhere.

You have to pay to use most public toilets.

Light switches are buttons that you push.

Toilets have two buttons to flush - one for little stuff - and one for BIG stuff.

Europeans don't wear white sneakers unless they are exercising.

They have Mercedes taxis!

The birds sound different.

They have alot of bike paths between towns.

Sparkling water (like club soda) is a common beverage - most homes keep it on hand.

Plastic bottles can be redeemed for euros almost anywhere. They have a special machine that you put the bottle in - and it spits your euros out.

Now that you have information overload - I'll finish by saying that Europe has a lot of customs we should adopt here in America, especially the conservative ones. They do everything they can to save energy including having different toilet flushes for different size loads! No wonder their economy is - well - not like ours.

Differences

When we boarded the plane in Detroit - there were three customs agents standing there. They were picking people at random and frisking them. Ashley was so scared they were going to pick her. She clutched her stuffed dog and her bag and proceeded through the line of people. When we got to where the customs agents were - one of them (a lady) looked at her with a straight face and said, "may I see that dog please?" Ashley turned pale white - looked at me - and handed the lady her dog. The agent frisked the dog, handed it back to Ashley and winked at her. As we were walking away - the other agents were laughing. Apparently they like to freak kids out.

When we got to Germany - we walked off the plane. We got our luggage. We looked around. We actually asked a security guard where we should go. He pointed to the exit. No frisking, no declaring, no customs anything! We were dumb founded. We had prepared for anything and everything - and nothing happened. NOTHING! Until we came home - to our country of citizenship - where we have lived our entire lives. I tell you what - this country does not mess around in the airports. We should feel very safe.

When we walked off the plane - we entered a large - empty room. The only thing in there was 5 customs agents and 3 dogs. We were instructed to form a single file line against the wall. Every single person was looked up and down from head to toe. The dog sniffed every single person. If the dog sat down next to you - it wasn't because he liked you. We only saw this happen to one person. He was asked to step forward - the dog sniffed him again - and this time the dog moved on. PHEWWWWW!

When we got done with that - we got in a line to declare our purchases. We had everything itemized just like we were supposed to. We handed the papers to the customs agent - they stamped it - and we moved on..... to the next check. That went just as smoothly. So after three customs checks - we were able to leave the airport. Quite a difference from just a few short years ago when we pretty much just got our luggage and left.

There were a lot of other things that were different too. Look for part two of this post for that. My fingers are getting tired!

I'm taking a little break from sharing our trip to share this slide show. Ashley just turned 13. She is my pride and joy and she is turning into a beautiful young lady. Enjoy.