Tuesday, March 31, 2009

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens...brown paper packages tied up with strings... NOPE... jamming to music on my daddy's ipod!
We'll ask "Madelyn, what are you listening to?" and she'll say "A Song!"
(very matter of fact!
cooking up a storm,

and playing "backtitball" with daddy!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Our Saturday...

This morning we all woke up a little after nine! I guess we slept in because of the rain... It was wonderful! Shane got up and made breakfast which Madelyn thought was good enough to lick her plate! We had waffles and bacon (and eggs for Maddie). She is an egg gal!

After breakfast we decided to get yard work done. Madelyn came out to play while we worked. She LOVES it outside! She ask to go "outside" every time she walks past our back door.
Shane mulched in the front flower beds while I mowed the back yard. We all looked fabulous afterwards. Madelyn also had her first experience with drinking from the water hose. She got her entire body wet though and was not happy about it...
and we wanted to tell Nana "Happy Birthday"!! We LOVE you!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Favorite Things Friday!



Three months ago my friend (Brooke O) and I decided to attend one of the Faithful Provisions Grocery Workshops! It was amazing and very uplifting! In a time when everyone is discouraged, she has found a way to make it and does so by hard work but she does it! She starts off by saying "I bet you thought all you would be eating is potatoes and rice, NOT true!, Last night our family had shrimp and grits!" The way she works is using the sale aids for certain grocery stores and coupons and works her weekly menu into it! She also stock piles. She talks a lot about where to find the coupons and what policies each store has about using them. (ex Kroger doubles when the coupon is $.99 or higher) She also gives handouts that I find to be VERY useful! Like giving price amounts on items when they are a "great buy"! She has cut her monthly budget from $1,100 to $250! Amazing. She updates her website to let you know what deals are going on. She also gives you yummy recipes that I have found very useful!
This is what her grocery list looks like:
Kroger

2 - Covergirl eyeshadow (FREE)
2 - Triscuits ($1 ea)
3 - Mott’s Applesauce
2 - Lysol cleaner
Simply Orange
Cantelope
2 - Stubbs
Strawberries
2 - vinegars
2 - tortilla chips (penny item- free)

Total Groceries: $54.08
Total Savings: $ 29.80 (55% savings)
Total OOP: $ 24.53

Publix

organic potatoes
2 - organic milk (mgrs spec. for $1/ea)
2 - organic eggs (mgrs spec. for $1/ea)
baby spinach ( mgr spec. $1.25)
bananas (marked down $.28/lb)

Total Groceries: $ 28.99
Total Savings: $ 21.24 (73% savings)
Total OOP: $ 7.75

Mission Statement

Founded on the principles of Luke 12:24, Faithful Provisions is dedicated to showing you how to save money by encouraging and empowering you to be a good steward of your finances.

My Story

My name is Kelly and I am a wife to the most amazing and wonderful daddy in the world, and mommy to a boy and a girl under the age of 3. I love to cook, shop for amazing deals and share what I do with others. God has faithfully provided for our family to allow me to stay home and raise our children and make the most of the income my husband brings home. I love to teach and encourage others who want to do the same!

The following verses in Luke were my inspiration for the name of this blog!

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ” - Luke 12:22-24

The first question I always get when I meet someone or teach a class is “How did you start doing this?”.

So, here is my story…

About 3 years ago, after our first child was born, I had a great job working for a big Fortune 500 company. After she was born, I immediately felt God tugging at my heart to walk out in faith and leave my great paying job. This was not an easy decision, I was bringing home half of our income and without it, and we were barely going to get by each month. As excited as I was to stay home, I really dreaded the financial impact on our lives… especially knowing that over 50% of marriages end in divorce due to financial troubles.

So, after returning to work for 2 months, I gave my 2 week notice. From that day on I was able to clearly see God’s hand in our finances and his deep care for us in our day to day lives. We did our first budget and were floored at how much money we were actually throwing away each month on non-essentials! It is amazing what you can live on, versus what you THINK you have to have to live on.

I was first introduced to this way of saving by my dear friend Bekah. She had always shopped this way; her mom had taught her to use coupons and shop sales. So, one night in January, she had me and my little sister over and taught us this new way of shopping. It was like a light bulb went on, and that was the beginning!

Over the next few months I got better and better at it and after 1 year, had reduced our grocery and eating out budget from $1,100/month to about $250/month! As I began to get better at it, I had friends asking me about how I did it and we taught my first class in my friend Christina’s home, with about 30 women. From there, we began to teach a class monthly in her home and they were always packed; we were starting to turn people away for the next month’s class.

From that, I began to start an email list of about 200 people who wanted to receive frequent updates on deals and coupon matchups. After about 2 years of doing this, I decided (after much urging from my awesome hubby!) that I needed to learn how to make a living off of what I could do, by starting this blog and charging for classes.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without believing in God’s word and how He will faithfully provide for those who believe in His son Jesus. Through our faith in Him, we have been abundantly blessed and shown a way of life we didn’t know existed. My hope is that in seeing our journey, you will be encouraged to step out in an area that God is calling you too… to trust Him!

God Bless!
Kelly


Her website is www.faithfulprovisions.com


Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Ava's Birthday Party!!

Ava turned 6 years old while we were in Kosy! So we went and celebrated with her at her birthday party! It was SO much fun! All of the guest painted piggy banks! I helped Maddie with hers...

Madelyn loved Anna Graces dress!



Lala and Chap

Friends

On Friday Madelyn and I went over to Whiteny's and Tanners house. From there we walked to the square to have lunch! We had so much fun! It was good to catch up! By the time we walked back Tanner and his cousin Ally were fast asleep!

Pops is SO Funny!



Fun at the Farm!

Playing by the pond. She wanted SO badly to jump in!!
The horses came running over it eat apples!

who knew playing in rocks was SO much fun!
Lucy checking out the rocks!
Madelyn fed Toby an apple all by herself!





Addy Grace and Chap chilling!

Easter Pictures!











Spring Break Visit to Mississippi

While we were in MS mom decided to have her annual Easter Egg Hunt! It was SO much fun! Madelyn was able to find eggs this year too! She did a great job too! The only problem she had was when her basket was filling up she would reach down to pick up another egg and about 5 or 6 would spill out! It was funny...
"O-NO! My EGGS!"
"There's one!"

After the egg hunt the kidos decided to eat a few of the died eggs! Madelyn thought this was the greatest thing in the world! She ate three by herself and would have continued but it was almost dinner time!
swinging with Sophie!
This was Maddies favorite thing to do at mom and dads house!





We stayed outside all day long! The pollen was awful but we manged!
Sophie giving Madelyn a hand!