Friday, November 12, 2010

Check out the KraftMaid Define Your Style $50,000 Dream Kitchen Contest



Check out the KraftMaid Define Your Style $50,000 Dream Kitchen Contest

KraftMaid has a neat, fun contest going right now. To enter, you simply make an inspiration board of your dream kitchen. Although we just did lots of kitchen updates in the new house, it was fun to think about what I would do with $50,000 to redo a kitchen!

Here is my board....


Now go design your own...and have fun!








Monday, November 8, 2010

Money Saving Madness

I'll admit we've had a good/bad situation lately...
Good news- We feel so blessed to have a beautiful new house that we love! And I promise, once I start seeing more progress and finish up a few rooms, I'll post pictures!

Bad news- Our old house still hasn't sold. It is such a great house but as many of you know, the housing market just hasn't been doing so hott lately.
This has put us in a money crunch lately. We knew the new house we bought wouldn't be around for long though being a foreclosure so after lots of discussing and prayers, we put in a bid and got it! Do I like the situation it has put us in? No. Do I LOVE how God uses hard times to teach you so much? Yes! His provision always amazes me! We really have had to reexamine what is important in our life financially and what we can live without.


The one thing we have had to cut out the most would be this....

Dining out! It is amazing how much you can save by eating at home more! Do I cook a super healthy and delicious home cooked meal every night? No, but we do our best.


So what have been my secret weapons for saving?

One would be here. Kroger now lets you go online to 'click' coupons and print to your home computer AND add digital coupons to your Kroger Plus Card. All you have to do is register your Kroger Plus card and start clicking. The other day I saved nearly $15!! If you're a Kroger shopper, you've got to check this!


Another site I love...
I know this is one of many coupon sites out there but I just love this one. I print my coupons and the savings start happening. If you watch for the items you have coupons to go on sale or combine them with your digital Kroger card coupons, you can get stuff for little to nothing or FREE! I got a Febreeze candle free the other day at Kroger after my paper coupon and digital.
So moral of the story...when life gives you lemons, cut out a coupon for sugar to make some lemonade!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

I'm new to this blogging thing...

Okay- so maybe I have been 'blog stalking' all you bloggers out there. I race to my computer each day to find out what is going on in your life, what recipe is new, or what your kids did that was too cute. Then I decided I needed a blog too. As you can see, I am very new to this (in case you couldn't tell from my hott-mess design which I assure you I will fix soon when I figure out all this!).


So what will I blog about? Anything. Warning- I will be random! I will blog about my new 'project' which consists of my dream house my husband and I just bought. We absolutely love it but it needs LOTS of work which we will be doing as finances allow. I also hope to share some yummy recipes and share on one of my favorite topics...SHOPPING! You see, I have become a coupon CRAZY! Jonathan laughs at my obsession but I have been saving some serious money lately! And lastly, I will be blogging lots on these subjects of coarse...


By these I mean "our children" which consists of our two spoiled dogs, Lucie and Huck, and my cousin/godson Kaden and that cute little diva in pink- my sister, Abby! (PS- This may be my new favorite picture! It was taken on Halloween and they happened to be our first trick-or-treaters at our new house. Aren't they the cutest?!?)

So follow my randomness if you will as I begin getting on board with the 'blogging' thing. And anyone who wants to help me give my blog a makeover, THANK YOU!