I just went ahead and posted a new thread.

Post your week two spending here :D

Well, I made collard greens for the first time the other day. And I promptly promised my family (and myself) that I would never subject any of us to that again. Hmm...oh, I also made some coconut/chocolate candy that is so good. (It is just toasted coconut, coconut oil, cocoa powder and sweetener) I need to unearth my desk as well, but it seems pointless. It never lasts more than a few hours. My desk is right next to the back door AND in the main traffic area of our house. It's just a magnet for everyone's stuff! My dd Sarah is sick with a fever and upset stomach. Here's to hoping I don't wake up to vomiting tonight. And, my cat is kind of giving me the creeps. She's an outside cat, and she's standing at the aforementioned back door staring a hole through me. (how's that for random conversation?)

*I* am always the younger friend in relationships. Most of the people we know with kids the same age as ours are around 10 years older. I entered a the workforce at a rather professional place of business at 16. I'm so thankful that the women in my life didn't pass me over as a friend because I was so much younger. I have had some wonderful relationships with people 10, 15, and 20+ years older than myself, and have learned so much.

My rough estimates: 19% - housing 24% - food 6 % - gas for cars 3% - cell phone 3.5% internet 5% - Electric and water 4% - Car and home insurance 10% - tithe 4% - co-op for the kids 2% - misc. school supplies 1% - pet/animal food 1% - preventative meds for dd That leaves roughly 17% of our income for things like doctor bills, frivolous spending, eating out, saving, etc. Somehow I spend all of that. I'm hoping to change.

That is what I'm going for myself. Staying within MY budget, which is hard enough!

9/4 $9 for an unplanned purchase of underwear :lol: 9/5 $0 so far, with $0 planned 9/6 $8.95 for coconut oil and a chocolate bar (since my coconut oil was cheaper than I had planned I got the girls and I a bar to split :) ) 9/7 $99.68 for groceries and $50.32 for gas. Then $7 for milkshakes for dh and I after we went to a funeral last night. (It was SO hot and crowded...the urge hit us) 9/8 hopefully nothing today. 9/9 $0 (other than our tithe which I take out of our bills budget) My personal win for today: There is a book I really, really want to read. Instead of buying it on Kindle, I put a hold request for it at the library. Delayed gratification wins. ;)

:grouphug: I'm sorry. I will definitely keep that in mind from now on. :grouphug:

"Dead fish" handshakes from women are common here. I told my dh once that it made me feel like the person thought I was gross and didn't want to touch me! lol. I have never noticed about the women having to go first. :confused:

The two of my pregnancies that were viable were both VERY different. I knew *something* was different with my twins, but really I just thought it was a boy..lol. I was SO nauseated and tired. I think I slept for about 8 weeks straight. I lost about 15lbs at the beginning. But, we were also in the middle of a huge move and my dh was living in another state. (stress much?) I had no idea that it was twins and was beyond shocked at my 9 week ultrasound when two babies popped up.

It is just too hard for me to be anonymous, so I don't even try. I have had blogs and websites for around 10 years. Art, scrapbooking, photography, and homeschooling have all led to a rather public face for me. I always keep that in mind when I post anything online. I try not to say anything that I would not announce to our local community :lol: But my family and I are pretty open books. We have nothing that we desire to keep from public knowledge and try to be real, no matter what the setting.

9/4 $9 for an unplanned purchase of underwear :lol: 9/5 $0 so far, with $0 planned 9/6 $8.95 for coconut oil and a chocolate bar (since my coconut oil was cheaper than I had planned I got the girls and I a bar to split :) ) 9/7 $99.68 for groceries and $50.32 for gas. Then $7 for milkshakes for dh and I after we went to a funeral last night. (It was SO hot and crowded...the urge hit us) 9/8 hopefully nothing today. I am at about -$65 from what I had budgeted for these two weeks, with most of a week left to go :glare:

I've read parts of "Wheat Belly". My dd and I went gluten free for about 6 months in 2010/11 while we were trying to straighten out some of her allergy issues. I lost 30lbs and felt SO much better. More energy, better moods, etc. Then, I let it creep back in. Dh was very ill for a while, and it just wasn't worth it to maintain (or so I thought) We went back to eating bread and pasta, etc. I gained ALL the weight back. My energy level dropped. My moods were all over the place. I have decided to cut it all back out again. I've been off of it for almost 2 weeks. I already feel better. My mind is clearer. Crampy/bloatedness is decreasing. I've lost about 2lbs. I wish I could get the rest of the family to go along with it, but I cannot.

:D Our first fridge was hot pink. It didn't work worth a dime, but it was cute..lol.

Yes! Actually a couple of them, although I didn't stay long. The worst was working as a secretary for a small family owned business. The dad and two sons worked there, and I was pretty much the only one there that wasn't family. I was also the only woman. The two brothers didn't get along well, and were always in a tiff over something. They would constantly give me opposing things to do. Then the dad wanted me to be his personal secretary too (like making his proctologist appointments for him :glare: ) There was zero organization in that office. I left after about 3 weeks.

On Monday I get a 4 year old preschooler added to our little homeschool (Yay!!!) My youngest are 12, and they went to PS up until the 3rd grade, so I haven't "taught" little ones before. She is so excited to start "Apryl's school" as she puts it. My girls are excited too. One wants to be a teacher when she grows up, and is looking forward to helping ;) Anyway, I have a question about teaching the alphabet. Is it better to teach lowercase and uppercase separately or together? (I really cannot remember what we/the school did with my girls)

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I'm so sorry for your loss.

Yep. Also unfair: Zits, grey hair, and wrinkles.

We had this for lunch today. It freezes great too! http://www.oneshetwoshe.com/2012/01/black-bean-soup-10-minute-delicious.html

I've had problems with irregular heart beat/rapid heart beat off and on for around 17 years. I have a mitral valve prolapse that causes some of it. MOST of the time, I completly forget about it...until I have a problem. I get flutters all. the. time. I usually ignore them. Today I had a bad episode, in the middle of a store. Felt like my heart caught and would not restart. I was near passing out, tons of pressure on my chest and I couldn't breathe. Freaked a poor saleslady out. Obviously it resumed it's normal rhythm again. But as par for the course, I've felt like poo on toast all evening. I do have a DR appt. scheduled (although it isn't until next week :glare:) I was supposed to have a new EKG and Echo done last year as a routine check, and I just never did. Dh's surgeries kind of put it on the back burner. Got a big fat reminder today I guess.

Well, I just told dh that the 20th anniversary is the IKEA anniversary. :D

I have learned not to compare our schedule to other people's schedules. My 7th graders get finished very quickly. But they still do more work than most ps kids. They just work fast (they want to get it over with!). Your friend would be shocked to hear that they are often done by lunch as well. They do start fairly early...but it just doesn't take them long.

Yes. I'm no beauty queen, but I do feel like I look better. I know how to take care of myself better, dress better, and I feel like I grew into my face..lol. I would feel even better about it if I could get about 30-40lbs off.;)

:001_huh::lol::lol::lol: I hope you don't mind my giggle, but I literally LOL'd when I read that.

We always offer less than we are willing to pay. That is a lot less, but you never know what is in the mind of the buyer. (or seller for that matter) Definitely counter her offer. It is what is expected in this market.