August's Food Bill

For the entire month of August I spent $400.66 on grocery and saved $163.01.  I only saved 29% but I am really focused on what I spent!

Last August I spent $550
Last Month I spent $442.70
My budget this month was $450 but my goal was $425 (baby steps is my game)
Next month's budget is $425 and goal is $400

It's really working, all the hard work, some good coupon sites, and support from my friend Brittany, I am really saving money!

Stay safe east coast

I haven't slept in over 36 hours, so please forgive me for an error and grammer, plus I'm ok my phone so I can't really pre-read before i click post. Anywho, we had plans for a few months to drive to Charolette NC this weekend. Now with the crazy weather we had to options, leave jersey asap or stay in jersey. We left asap and made it down without any problems. We took a longer route bc we drove as far as west as possiable then went south. But we r here and this area is so far west that's it's not effected by this hurricane. Strange to say that we are safer in NC than NJ. Ok this random post is longer than I wanted and I can't edit so all I wanted to say was everyone on the east coast is in my prayers and please be safe.

Ps, it took us 11 hours to drive down..Monkey only slept for 2 hours! He didn't fall alseep till after 4am then woke up at 6am!!

Who am I?

Who am I

Just to make it a little more fun, I asked my sister to answer a few questions about me. Their answers are in a different color so make things a little more clear.

How would you describe yourself? 

I am a passionate sensitive person who loves to have fun and enjoy a good laugh. I don’t have any problem laughing at myself and talk to myself ALL the time.  It takes a long time for me to open up, I have trust issues, but once I open up your world will change lol.  Once I trust you, you will find me demanding, only because I care and want the best for you that I want you a part of my family.  I have a hard time taking NO as an answer.  My closest friends are my family, and once you are in, you can never leave lol just kidding. 

I asked my sister’s to answer this question about me, her answer: I would say you’re a very hard worker, you like your life organized and you take care of everyone around you.

What do people most often criticize about me?

I felt it wasn’t right to answer this question personally so my sister said some would say you can be a little too organized.

What are your pet peeves?

Two things, first I hate drama.  I know it’s part of our lives and everyone has them but some people make and need drama.  My second pet peeve; I truly don’t judge anybody nor their drama.  I find myself finding close family and friends wanting to be judge, they feel they don’t hold up to my standards, but I have very low standards and that drives me crazy.  I know it’s a crazy pet peeve but it’s mine.  The only thing I want from my family and friends is for them to be in my life if they REALLY want to be. That’s it.  I don’t care about money, status, lifestyle, choices.  Don’t get me wrong I want everyone to be happy but what makes me happy could be something completely different. And I am truly ok with that, that’s the way God made us.  Everybody is on a different path and I embrace that.

What are you passionate about?

Church, family and friends are on the top of the list, if they are not happy I am not happy.  I am also passionate about cooking for my family and friends and taking pictures of them. One of my favorite things to do for fun is just to hang around home (we have a sports bar in the basement) with great company and good food.  Even my friends will call me up and say “I need some lounge time” I will call up the crew and we will eat, share, laugh, and drink. 

I only give my opinions on the things I am passionate about; I go with the flow with everything else. Everything else is just “details” to me, I don’t care about how, when, where, I care about WHO. Therefore I am not controlling actually I rather somebody else make all the decision on all the details.  

What are your priorities?

My priorities might be different than some, church and family come first.  And to keep it that way we have some house rules.  We eat dinner together every night, there is no work or shopping to be done on Sundays, that’s a day for church and family only. We try are best not having to work overtime to pay the bills. Which means to reduce the financial stress in our house and to live under our means we are making it a priority to live a simply life.  My number one priority right now is to raise a well rounded child; I want him to have fun, to love, to learn, and to be sweet.  My second priority is my husband, next is the rest of my family and friends, then the house, finally and defiantly last… work.

What do people most often criticize about you? How do you handle stress and pressure?

These two questions I feel have the same answer if you ask my husband. I like to make lists and I take baby steps with everything. I am not a risk taker, I will to research, plan, and have a backup plan with lots of prayer all over. I don’t like stress, I hate conflict, and the whole thing makes me sick.

What is your greatest weakness and strength?

I have a horrible short term memory when it comes to details and I am a great listener. I feel the two go hand in hand because when someone wants to tell me their problems they really don’t want to talk about it again in the future which is great because I don’t remember all the details.  My one best friend calls me “the vault”; because she tells me everything and I will never bring it up again and never tell another soul.

Another weakness I have is if I trust you I really believe everything you will tell me (my DH hates this) I just don’t know why someone would lie to me.  I see this as a strength because I am never looking for people flaws or holes in their stories.  However I have to trust you firs.  It does take a lot for me to trust someone, without trying I study people’s behaviors and reactions, I am very observant person, I don’t miss a beat. (Fun Fact: When DH and I go out to dinner, we pick a couple and try to find “their” story based on body language) I can pick out a trouble maker/ liar; I have excellent judge of character.  But I never try to change a person, if they want to think the world is flat, let them.  I won’t argue with a person; I’ll nod my head and walk away, to me that’s just details.  Thank the lord that I never ever fell for peer pressure, I know the world is round but I never seem the point in arguing with someone or calling out their lie.  What good would it do? 

My sister said my strength is “Your willingness to help everyone, to work hard for what you want and that you keep your eye on the prize.”  And weakness is “I don't think you take enough time to just go with the flow, you might be missing something you would really enjoy.”

What motivates you? What are your goals for the next five years / ten years?

Another two questions one answer.  My mother always says that I am a very highly motivated person.  I just try to see the big picture and stay on the right track, sure I have taken a few turns but I always get back on that dirt road which leads me to the only thing I want, my family to a happy healthy future. The only goal I see in our future is more children.  I don’t want material things, sure now and then I see something and will be amazed but the next morning I remember what my family needs and don’t need.

What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them? If you know someone is 100% wrong about something how would you handle it? My biggest problem is dealing with other love ones.  I hate conflict but that’s part of life. I’m not a drama girl but I will stand up for myself and for a love one.  I have strong beliefs and values plus I’m from Jersey.  I can have a temper and get a little unrashable (can’t believe this isn’t a word).  However when I get in a disagreement with someone I love, I learned to walk away, pray, then talk about without getting my emotions too involved. 

When was the last time you were angry? What happened?

It’s been a tough month for me lol.  I have been upset with my boss and husband (totally in need for confession) With my boss, it’s about control issue, but I remember myself, it’s just details and it really doesn’t affect my life.  However with my husband, I felt he wasn’t paying attention to me and I felt unappreciated. I was dealing with a lot of emotions (you might have noticed the lack of post in this month) after a few days of prayers and talking to my best friend who always reminds to me see if from another light. I was reminded that men and women are different and that we are still growing as a couple and new parents of an active toddler. I talk to my husband and we are better, still working on the issues but back on the right track.

How do people misjudge you?

I can be very quite not because I am shy but because I don’t want to say something stupid or something I will regret (I have been known to talk before I think).  I don’t talk about people, when someone is gossiping; you can tell I get very unconformable.  I also can’t tell I good story, that’s something my husband hates too.  You may have notice, I don’t complain or like talking about myself, I rather give a Monkey story than anything about me me (I meant to double that on purpose).  But I feel you all should know who I am.

BookClub: The 19th Wife

I need a little mystery in my life so I am reading The 19th Wife , this has been on my must read list for over a year and since I am visiting family next week I thought it would be the perfect time to borrow it from the library. Hope it's a good one because this is the only book I am bringing.

Here are some Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. This sweeping epic is a compelling and original work set in 1875, when one woman attempts to rid America of polygamy. Ebershoff intertwines his tale with that of a 20th-century murder mystery in Utah, allowing the two stories to twist and turn into a marvelous literary experience. With such a sprawling tale to relate, a few narrators (Kimberly Farr, Rebecca Lowman, Arthur Morey and Daniel Passer) divide up the roles and deliver a solid, professional reading, true to Ebershoffs prose. A Random House hardcover (Reviews, June 23). (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From The New Yorker

This ambitious third novel tells two parallel stories of polygamy. The first recounts Brigham Young's expulsion of one of his wives, Ann Eliza, from the Mormon Church; the second is a modern-day murder mystery set in a polygamous compound in Utah. Unfolding through an impressive variety of narrative forms—Wikipedia entries, academic research papers, newspaper opinion pieces—the stories include fascinating historical details. We are told, for instance, of Brigham Young's ban on dramas that romanticized monogamous love at his community theatre; as one of Young's followers says, "I ain't sitting through no play where a man makes such a cussed fuss over one woman." Ebershoff demonstrates abundant virtuosity, as he convincingly inhabits the voices of both a nineteenth-century Mormon wife and a contemporary gay youth excommunicated from the church, while also managing to say something about the mysterious power of faith.
Copyright ©2008

Taking questions

I am preparing an interview post, looking for questions, will answer all, you don’t have to leave your name.

Thank you for the past year!

I have been blogging for one full year plus two days !

Here are some fun stats:

All time page views 3,470 (average about 10 a day)

I wrote 195 post

Top Five Posts

1) The Help (that’s because of the movie)

2) My only goal today (thanks to Matushka Anna)

3) Memorial Day Prayer

4) Perfect shirt for Monkey’s Safari Party (don’t ask me why)

5) Introduction

I have been awarded for "Keeping it real" award (thanks to Matushka Anna)

I am really happy to see people from all over the world reading my blog;

Canada, France, South Korea, Germany, Slovenia, India, Romania, Denmark, and Greece..plus all 50 states!

Some measurable changes in my life from the last 12 months

1) I pray more, in fact thanks to reading The Help, I keep a list of people to pray for and what I need to pray for ( I have horrible short term memory)

2) A little embarrassed to say but this time last year I didn’t fast on Wednesday but now I do :)

3) My grocery bill has dropped $50 a month, plus we aren’t eating out as much and I am baking more!!

4) I lost 10 pounds since last year (ok that’s not really blog related just wanted to share lol)

5) Monkey is still not potty trained but he knows some of his colors, he kinda can count, write the letter T, O, M, and W (I didn't focus on ANY of these letters, lol kids)

Ok but here is what I am really happy and thankful for, the great relationships that have been created through this blogging world.  A year ago, I didn’t know how to connect with people who have the same values and beliefs as me. I belong to a church where it’s more of an older generation than younger, and our family isn’t Orthodox (or really Christian) so it was a struggle at first but I am so happy where my family is at today. It might have taken me a little longer but I am here.  It’s tough and tired but that means we are on the right track.

When I first started this blog, my main goal was to be a better Orthodox Momma, and thanks to your support, tips, and advance, I am 100% better at my main job. I always said it takes a village to raise a child, I never imagine it takes the whole world :)

THANK YOU and I can't wait to see what this year will bring!

I'm not ready for the summer to be over

I always hate when people say "summer is over" what about the next 10 days, whats that? I'm just not ready for summer to be over *stomping my feet as I walk away*