Frugalicious Friday No. 14!

Tough Decisions.
Not really tough per se. But sometimes the toughest stuff is in the day to day decision making (wow, what breakthrough thinking Gillian!).
John and I had the blessing of time to ourselves this week and when you rarely get just time together during the week it is almost overwhelming to choose from all the options.
Overwhelming in a good way.
But there's this thing called a budget that we strive to adhere to and that helps!

So we came up with some date tips so we wouldn't go hog wild. Maybe these can help some other couple out there like us who trying to pay off debt and not go insane from lack of fun in that journey...

1. No sit-down eating! Meaning, a place where you have to tip. Thankfully you have more options these days: Freebirds, Mission Burrito, etc. where you can avoid the cost of tipping a server. Sorry servers, but you understand, right? And we like to frequent places where if you frequent them enough you can totally score free stuff- i.e. Freebirds. I can't tell you how many free burritos I've eaten... However, we did splurge on Chili's, which might seem like a deal, but only if we can eat for under 30 if we are going to sit down.

2. Do you REALLY want to see that movie? Or is it a renter? We were all ready to Cinemark it like it's hot with free drink coupon in hand (sign up for weekly email coupons for concessions via cinemark.com) and it just hit me: I don't really have to see this movie. Just because we had the time we didn't necessarily have the cashola to spend on a movie. Well, we did actually but we are saving for a will (I know I say that all the time). So instead, we discovered that it was free day at the Art Museum and if you don't mind parking in a far away, albeit free, parking lot then you are good to go!

3. Figure the gas costs! I've said it again, but it bears repeating for all the Aggies like myself out there- you might think you are saving in not buying a ticket somewhere or spending, but don't waste that momentum on gas! It does help to have a fuel-efficient vehicle though! :) Hooray for Hondas and Toyotas!

Things That Bring Me Joy! No.3

Red Doors!!!!

What Christmas Means to Us.

It means letting the kid (and the hubby) help decorate the tree because it brings them sheer joy.

While mom cries over all the ornaments that are filled with past pictures of sweet, chubby cheeks…

It means that sometimes magic and innocence can go together to create just plain, good fun.

(Leelah reading Santa’s letter and how Santa is so proud of her decision for Jesus this year!)

It means that in receiving presents, you can actually feel the future fun to be had with each other.

And that mom needs to stock up on safety goggles…

It means that we learn we have been enjoying the best gifts all year long.

JESUS!

And family to love on!

May the joy that Christmas brings bless you with the Happiest New Year – no matter what the circumstances may seem like!

Merry Christmas to you!

and may your year be blessed too!

Things That Bring Me Joy No.2!

Staring at a Christmas Tree with all the lights off.



Yes you can put Star Wars on your tree. That just happened.

Today it's a 4 pic special! Usually it's a solo deal, but I couldn't resist!

Things That Bring Me Joy. No.1

Since Thursday is such a jerk for getting in the way of the ever so Glam-tastic Friday, I have decided to start a "Things That Bring Me Joy" weekly post on the said day of jerkyness- Thursday.

It will only be a picture and a title. Because I'm a photographer and it's fun.
Here's the first one:

"Puzzle Trees" Nature so fine it should be on a puzzle!
That's SOOC (photog speak for "Straight Out Of Compton- I mean Camera, Camera!AKA: unedited).

Still alive

Just editing photos for my photo business! But I will return with thoughts on shopping yuckiness and on just lovin' em anyway...

Lemons into Cherry Limeade

So glad that I get to share my testimony with the Joy of Living Ladies tomorrow! God has made my life's lemons into Cherry Limeade- which tastes waaaay better than plain old Lemonade.
Say a prayer that people won't see my sweat leaching from my body! Thanks!

Frugalicious Friday No. 13!

How to live in your means and then some tip for the day...
Group-couponing!!!!
With websites like:
Groupon
Houston On The Cheap

We no longer pay full price for food or events. Way to get smart local businesses! Dewberry farms for instance- we saved $24 by purchasing a groupon for them.
Our Christmas cards- I paid $25 for a groupon for Picaboo worth $75. I saved big time with that one! The custom-made ink stamp that I will be putting on said cards- $20 instead of $40 because I got a deal on Groupon!

You can go to Groupon right now and check your city, I have Houston on here, for daily deals in everything: restaurants, events, electronics, spa stuff (beware you see a groupon for some kind of waxing treatment daily), vacations, etc.

It's great! I really like the HoustonOnTheCheap.com website. That site has a compilation of deals throughout Houston which is how I knew where to get my Tom's shoes early bday gift for myself at 20% off at Whole Foods Market! And I like that it also tells me what's going on that weekend in Houston as well as giving me a discount for whatever event at the same time. Oh and through December they are doing a 12 days of giveaway stuff and their prizes are all Houston-specific.

And I was in no way paid or asked to do this post for either site. I just thought I'd share some scoop with you guys that haven't gotten on that group coup train!

But You're Supposed to Be This Way.

Blog it out. I've just got to blog it out.
Thursday + Sprinkles of Rain + Memories + Dramatic Music (Pandora's Fault!) = Reflectionary Introversion Blogging.

Forgive my melodrama, but it's my blog and I can be melodramatic if I want to.

I didn't know it when I awakened, but in my house today there is a Fog Advisory. And I mean a pure mental fog. While driving back home from dropping off the kid, I came upon a beautiful sight on the sidewalk:
There was one of my favorite friends walking alongside her dad. Just a dad and daughter pair. Probably talking about childhood memories or the weather or frivolous things which are sometimes the best subjects. I noticed they walked the same. My dad and I walked the same too. People always mentioned that.

Well being a Thursday (which should be called "Jerkday" for getting in the way of Friday), and being that it's December 1st the day when you realize Christmastime is near and being that I have lonely moments: I let those tears come right down.

Sweet friend, you know who you are. Please don't feel bad about this. I'm so grateful for your moment. And I did hear Jesus speak to my heart- You can walk with Me.

And then I went to Starbucks and had some coffee with my Sweet T. It was great. I have no words to express the way God's blessed my heart with my sister-friends. We talked about what was eating Gillian Grape and I told her what it feels like to have the linchpin of your family go home to Heaven.

It's like a bomb. Every holiday that explosion site and wreckage becomes visible again. Relationships become scattered and the place where you went and did your normal family thing for the holidays is a hole and no longer there. People get weird. They get distant after the linchpin goes and it's just not the same. You begin to cling to whatever family you can find. God blessed me with in-laws turned in-loves. So blessed.

I'm going to be honest. How many of us have a relative that didn't get the memo on how to be towards their loved ones? That's what I thought. If you breathe oxygen, you are raising your hand in allegiance at this question.

Well, I got that situation going on in a big way. It has broken my heart. Decimated it. And has taken years to be rebuilt with the correct glue of Jesus Christ. Oh and loads of Christian Counseling (my 2 appts have been made and you're welcome!).

WHY ARE YOU STILL NOT HOW YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE ROLE THAT YOU HAVE, RELATIVE!? I KNOW YOU KNOW HOW TO BE RIGHT, BUT YOU INTEND TO LIVE YOUR LIFE OUT WITH ONLY YOURSELF IN MIND.

And then, I'm reminded Biblically to not expect to have a healthy relationship with an unhealthy person.
"Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning." Prov. 9:8-9.
In other words, pick your battles folks.
You think you can talk sense to someone that doesn't want to hear it and win? Nope. But you can get crazy from doing that!

So when faced with relative, I mentally re-read Boundaries by Dr.'s Cloud and Townsend. I respect the position they have in my life. I keep a smile on my face, but not in my heart. I pray to the Lord for the words to say and for them to get it one day for their sake. NOT mine. I get that I may never see the fruit for myself and I don't want to, but I do want that fruit for them.

And then I go home, stare at the wall for 30 minutes, eat a healthy amount of Blue Bell Peppermint ice cream, hug the sweetest husband and daughter ever made, and watch Parks and Recreation streaming on Netflix so I can end the day with the emotion that causes laughter. And then wake up in a fog and blog about it the next day in hopes that someone who has a similar situation will take comfort in knowing they are not alone. No matter how alone feeling it might seem.