What would you grab?

If your home caught on fire and you could only grab one thing (knowing that your children and husband are out of the house) what would you grab?

I would grab the quilt that my grandmother made me. When we found out that I would be moving to Missouri she started making it. I had picked out the fabric and she did the rest by hand. She hand stitched every detail. I love this quilt! It is so beautiful. And when I am feeling a little homesick I will wrap myself in it and think about all the wonderful times I have shared with my grandmother-Nanny. I strive to be like her everyday. She has battled so much and she keeps on going. When I go to visit we can sit and just talk about anything. I love her so much.

Jealous

Do you ever look at pictures on Facebook or on a blog and think man they have it together! Or how can they afford that house. I recently became friends with my second cousin and I was looking at her pictures and I was a little jealous. She has a big, beautiful home and 3 cute kids. Please don't get me wrong I am grateful for my home and family, but when you see others with more it really makes me feel like I don't have it together. I don't have my dream house or the 2 kids that I want. Now, I know that possibility of me having another child is very slim and getting my dream home is not going to happen anytime soon. So why do I feel this way? Why can't I be content with what I do have? Am I just not happy with myself or is it the material things in life that desire? I sit here and think that I need to be thankful and improve what I have. I have a vision of what I want my house to look like, but we just don't have the money right now to do the things I want. We are in the process of paying off 2 credit cards, 2 school loans, a car and both of our moms. Which I figured it out will take at least 2-3 years. Why couldn't I have started this getting out of debt thing earlier in life? For those that are just starting out in adulthood please don't go in debt, it is so not worth it!

Important Info for those in Saint James

Jim has started an alert system for the city of Saint James. You can sign up to get email or text alerts when something is going on in town-traffic, community, street closing and weather alerts.

Please go to http://www.nixle.com/

Enter the city name (you will need to spell out St.)

Then in the right hand corner is sign up now.

Click in it and fill out the info. make sure that you read the info below the I Accept.

Also make sure that after you sign up go under setting there might be some stuff you don't want like Homeland info etc. And go under account, I had to change my timezone.

He would really appreciate if you would sign up and pass the information along to family members and friends.

Jim

This time of year

This time of year I usually start cleaning out the office. Meaning I go through paperwork and reorganizing my files and get ready for taxes. This year was no different, however I wanted to move the full size bed out of Bailee's room and put it in the computer room. In doing so I had to get rid of the file cabinet, it is just a 2 drawer cabinet but with everything else in the room it had to go so that the bed would fit. I was pleasantly surprised that our desk had a drawer that you can hang files in, but I had to clean out that drawer that is full of paperwork. Have I mention that I hate filing paperwork? Anyways, 3 hours later and I am done. I got all the paper work that was in the file cabinet condense to one drawer. Jim even went through some of his stuff and actually got rid of some. And Jim moved the bed into the room. We also moved Bailee's crib and now I just have to wait for our toy box. I love the feeling of accomplishment. I also love the fact that we have a guest room now, well sort of. I wish that we could move the computer and desk out of the room, but there is no where else to put it. I finally feel like I am getting my house the way I want my home to be.

What is your Crutch?

I was watching T.V. and I commercial came on about medicine to quit smoking. And they talked about how smoking was her crutch. It got me to thinking, we all have crutches. Don't we?

I mean we all lean on something that is not the best for us and we know things we should do it in moderation, but it makes us feel good. Examples-Overeating, drinking, smoking, too much computer/TV, too much soda, etc...And yes I know that some of these things are very harmful, but my point is this. If we get rid of an addicting behavior how do we stop from gaining another?

If anyone has an opinion or comment I would love to hear them.

Sorry if this post is poorly written.

Secret Shopping

I do secret shopping. I am sure that some of y'all have heard about it, but think it is too good to be true. Well, it is true, I get paid to go to McDs!

I do a lot of retail merchandising jobs and I happen to find this company that list secret shopper jobs. I figured I don't have anything to lose, so I applied. The jobs are mostly for McDs and some Panera Bread. They have some store retail jobs but usually not in my area. They pay you for going to the store and pay for some of your purchases. They give you a limit or tell you what you have to order. All you have to do is report back on your experience. And if you wait long enough and no on else has picked up a job they offer more money for you to go. Yes I got paid $20 to go to McDs in Owensville plus I got 2 breakfast paid for. This job is great for me, because I go to so many different towns in the area for my 'real' job that it is worth it. It gives me a little extra blow money. I have cut back on doing secret shopper jobs for a while but I do try to fit them in when I can.

If anyone would like information about this company, please let me know I would love to pass it on!

Welcome 2010!

This last week Jim went to a Blues game which I wasn't to crazy about him going, because our house is falling apart. Before he left I told him that this weekend he has to stay home, not go into the office and work on this house. He agreed and told me to make him a To Do List. (BIG mistake on his part) So 2 pages later he has his list.

As usual Jim worked New Year's Eve night. So I went to bed around 10. He got home really late, so I decided that Bailee and I are going to Washington. I figured he could sleep in and at least start on the list. The biggest To Do was to fix our back door. For some reason the door knob was stuck and he had to take the door completely off the hinges. I knew having Bailee and me there would not be a good thing. We went to Target and Kohl's. I got the new Wii Fit Plus game. And other stuff clothes, hairspray, etc. When I got home he had 4 things completed! I was just hoping for 2 things. We have been working on the rest of the list today. Which makes me so happy! I love marking things off. Speaking of marking things off I bought magnetic Weekly To Do List tablet. I have cleaned off my counter top and thrown away tons of stuff. I really feel sorry for the garbage man, you know that everyone reorangize and throw stuff out during the coldest part of the year.

Anyways here is my To Do List for 2010:

1. Keep going to Weight Watchers.

2. Keep working on our debt! We are so close

3. Start training for the 5K in June! Yes I am going to do this, even if it kills me.

4. Eat at home more. We have been eating more at home, but I would like to see that we only go out 2-3 times a month and that includes fast food.

5. Make weekly to do list. I know that if I can make the list it gets done!

6. Potty train Bailee! (I am really nervous about this, so any suggestions would be appreciated!)

7. Help Jim get his crap organized!

8. Enjoy outside more! Hopefully we will be getting a fence, which will help out!

9. Buy new clothes!

10. Be a better friend and mom!