What, it's FRIDAY!?!

Tomorrow We will have been in our new apartment for 7 days. We still have boxes EVERYWHERE and haven't even full packed the other apatment to move it over here. So horrible of me!

I really like the new place but it does have it's... lets call them highlights, just to be nice.

On the first night, there was a shooting in front of the building we live in. Seven shots fired and no one was hit that we know of (at least no blood). I didn't even know that someone was shooting, I though someone was just knocking on someone else's door very enthusiastically.

The next day we found out our washer didn't work (Well it worked but it didn't shut off the water so it overflowed...). Maintenance came and fixed that problem as well as the leaky basin. We also met a few neighbors and was asked if I smoke pot... I turned them down.

Day three was uneventful, but I was mostly at the old place packing.

Day four I just unpacked stuff.

Day five the washer broke again and they decided to just replace it. (the maintenance workers are super nice!)

Today I discovered that the bathtub in the back bathroom doesn't work (no hot water...). I am NOT calling it in until we are more settled though.

Advertising spots

So you want to advertise on my blog? I use Project Wonderful ads. My 125 by 125 pixel ad spot with them is the upper left box. I also have a footer ad which is standard banner size. I do reserve the right to not approve your ad for whatever reason.

Like the new look?

So I really revamped my blog today. I have been wanting another column for a while and so today I made one! Woot! It was REALLY easy too. Literally, anyone can do it. In fact they have A LOT of really cool stuff. So check them out.

I need a new header...

And a great friend of mine is doing a header contest. She is REALLY good at graphic design too so go check her out!

Brita coupons!!!

You might be wondering why I would even want a Brita water filter, well, having just moved we are now drinking WELL WATER. That is right, 3 miles in from the ocean and we have well water, meaning that it is SALTY to the taste. YUCK! Anyway, Brita here we come.


Ok, so it is really easy! You take the pledge and you get money off Brita stuff. Good stuff.

Sharing... 2 year old style

Well the little lady has decided to share her illness with the rest of the family. So she is better and Mommy, Daddy and little brother are now all sick. It is a virus. We ache all over.

Right now she is in her room crying (not real tears, the fake type, which is really more like loud whining) because *she* isn't tired (she slept a bunch while sick) and wants to play (even though all of her toys are IN her room) and mommy is sick and needs a nap. Will I get one, VERY unlikely because every 10 minutes or so she will open her door and peak out to see if I am awake. If I am not, she will destroy the house if I am awake she will go back into her room and "cry".

Well, that isn't fun...

Well, the little lady has an ear infection (what 2 year old doesn't get these?). So we have been having fun nights. Since hubby is a doc we are waiting the 2 weeks to see if she gets over it herself. We have also been popping her ears for her (A doctor trick, makes them SCREAM BLOODY MURDER when you do it, but completely drains the ears for 5 or 6 hours... making it so she can sleep).

Anyway, I have decided, 100% to let my esty shop die out. This blog will then just revert back to my mommy blog that tries to find time for knitting. I am actually excited to have the yarns expire. I really want to get my needles into them. (If you by chance like ANY of the yarns I have for sale and are hoping for a deal after expiration, tough! I didn't buy one sweater that I personally didn't want the yarn from, just in case I got stuck with it!) The washcloths will be sold, but I will most likely make it into one big ole set and sell for cheaper. I might go into soap making (I can make soaps out of the home a lot easier than trying to go to Goodwill and find sweaters to recycle with 2 little munchkins underfoot!). I don't know, we will see and do more research. (I have been making handmake soaps as gifts for a while... so soap making isn't a huge jump, just need to keep better records of what materials I use.)

I do intend to still advertise and promote Etsians (they are a nice group and usually on top of things).

Etsy?

I am thinking of just letting my etsy shop die out (meaning I will not be putting the items back up after they expire.) I might do something else with the shop, but give me a year or two.

Oh the Blessings come pouring in!

Blessings I have gotten recently:

*Got a call earlier today and we have the apartment I was hoping for! We sign on Saturday at 10 am and get the keys then. Oh-yea!

*This apartment needs a stackable washer and drier set and I got an Email for one in town for 200 dollars. Great!

*I have been really wanting an interchangeable knitting needle set and I got an incomplete Boye set from a Ravelry member for 5 dollars (shipping costs). AWESOME!

*I wanted to have a complete set of Boye needles so I Ebayed and got an unopened set for less than 13 dollars... and it included a Crochet Master as well! AMAZING!

Needless to say, I am dancing around the house and praising God. The little 2 year old is dancing too... and singing. At least she was before she went to bed a few hours ago.


... I just noticed that the knitting related blessing got all caps... Te he.

$200 a month feeds a family of 4

As I said before in some other post, I feed my family on 200 dollars a month. For those just googling and finding this, that includes, my hubby, me and 2 kids (one is 2 and a half with the other just being born early last May). I will also say that I use cash only to pay for food, this guarantees that I do not go over our budget.., ever. This 200 also covers diapers and personal care items. (wonder why my kids are in cloth diapers? Now you know. Same goes for why I don't shave my legs.)

I ALWAYS ask myself if something is a want or a need before I buy it (or eat it). Then I ask myself how can I get it cheaper. An example of this is milk. Having small kids makes milk mandatory, but you can drink dried milk, or at least cook with it. This can cut a huge chunk from you how much you spend. I also weigh my eggs and see which is the best price per ounce. I know that seems extreme, but those little bits do affect the way your family eats when on a tight budget.

I also don't buy foods we really don't need. Anything convenience is just a big NO. This goes for sodas, bottled water or even crackers and chips. In fact buying foods based on the vitamins and other nutritional need is good to do.

Over eating is seen in my house as wasting food. You don't need that food right now, you could wait until tomorrow to eat it. For small children that means making them beg for more. Kids under the age of 5 will not overeat unless urged to by an adult, so as the adult not wanting food wasted only put one piece of each type of food on the child's plate. when they eat what is there let them ask for more and only put one more piece on the child's plate. This goes on the whole meal and helps train the child to be healthier in not overeating or wasting food.

Another way to eat cheap is to make EVERYTHING from scratch. If you don't have a lot of time to cook this can be harder but still possible. You can make a casserole and freeze it for a few days down the road or you can go to allrecipes.com and do a search keeping times in mind.

If anyone has questions please post.

Aunt Kathy: Baby is sleeping a lot (and growing too). Makes me happy that I knit up small size soakers and not newborn! I am still tired but that is because my little 2 year old is an over flowing well of energy!

Well, there goes that...

The apartment we thought we were going to live is seems to be stringing us along. So I am now looking for somewhere else to live... and praying a lot... Yea.

Friday's thing

Well, military/military spouses won on the poll, so now to find them. If anyone knows of a mil/mil spouse that owns an online store tell me. I am going to want to look over the store...