Life has been wonderful lately. Though, I say that most days, it doesn’t make it any less true. I decided to throw together a blog post while the little one naps. She was in desperate need of a nap for some reason. She has this new cry where she is unconsolable unless I put her in the crib and close the door to let her nap. Kyla is much more active at this age and requires a few cat naps– dog naps around here– to get through the day. She will be a year old next month and I cannot believe how time passed so quickly. I learned so much about God, my hubby, and myself in the past 2 years and more specifically 11 months and a week. I’ll be thinking of twelve profound lessons for a special post next month in celebration of her first birthday. We take the car on April 6 for repairs. I scraped the side from the passenger side back door to the bumper when pulling around a turn in our narrow alley. I still feel foolish that me, a frugal nut, has to spend $500 on a deductible to repair our car. I understand that life happens even when we are careful and mindful of our surroundings. The Lord has given me much peace about the situation and has provided for us time and time again– this time included. That may mean no Wendy’s after church this week and next, but we’ll make it work and fit in the budget!

Great frugal find: last.fm If you are looking for a great internet radio with amazing music selections, scoot on over. At the moment, I have an Andrea Bocelli station playing. Your playlist revolves around an artist that you enter. Most [okay, 99%] of the music played is something that I enjoy. Thanks to hubby for finding this station.

Oh, yes, last but not least, our dear Komet had her spay on Wednesday. She is pathetically needy, but so sweet.

Yesterday Kyla and I shopped at Kroger, Walmart and our neighbor’s front yard! We found great deals at each place.

Kroger has baby diapers $6.99 5.99 for their Jumbo pack. 40 diapers for size 3. I had a coupon for $3.00 ANY size package. We walked out with diapers for $2.99! Also, Doritos were on sale for $2.48 for their 12 oz. package. I had a coupon for $1.00 off two bags. Since they are usually $3.19 or so a bag, I saved $2.40 on something that I buy weekly. Both products were cheaper this week in Kroger than Walmart. In all, groceries for 1-2 weeks for 36 dollars.

Frugal tip of the day: Keep a sneaky eye on Walmart. Many times their products are more expensive or tricky– less in the package for the same price. Another tip: Use your Kroger card EVERY time. They print out register coupons for products you buy most often. Or, in my case, print formula coupons. I give them to a good friend. They are currently $5.00 off any can of Enfamil. A few weeks ago, I saw YoBaby for $2.19 on manager special. It was a steal at half off. My mom and I both got coupons for $2.00 off any YoBaby package a few days later. Next trip, I got YoBaby for $0.19. That’s right…19 cents.

Walmart had some great deals. They had educational car games for Kyla or church kids for $1.00/piece. Wonderful deal for homeschool mommas.
Lastly, some great neighbors of ours– wonderful foster parents– had an Evenflo infant car seat w/base and matching playpen[yard] for $25.00 each. Both were in EUC– excellent used condition. I couldn’t pass it up. We were wanting another playpen and someone might need a carseat. I got to meet nice people while I got two great deals. I made sure the car seat wasn’t involved in a car wreck and they were not recalled.

Pics of my find– only in a navy plaid:

I believe that I have heard that about 1.5 million times since Kyla’s birth. Actually, I think most asked me that question while I was 9 months pregnant. The ignorant [sorry for a lack of better word] majority of America and the world, for that matter, think that dear hubby will look at me and PRESTO! my womb is filled with 18.84 children overnight. While it is encouraging that people think that I will make a good momma to the aforementioned 18.84 children, it’s is discouraging that it isn’t that easy. However, God did not promise that it would be easy. He did promise that He would see us through it, and better yet, carry us through it. Can you remember your momma or daddy carrying you when you were so weary and tired and sick and could not carry on? Looking back, not too far , I know that our parents and God, for that matter, desire and provide the best for us. Mom didn’t want you to go out with so and so because she knew he was bad news. She was right. Absolutely right. Back to the original topic, We have tried since July 2008 [when PPAF showed] to extend the size of our family, yet this is not God’s plan YET. I am finally okay with that. I had taken me until last week to get to that point after I was teased with 3 positives. After two early losses [ 4w and 4w3d], it’s still not easy to not be upset with God, yet He is sovereign. This cycle I’m avoiding temping, checking cm, and all of the other behaviors that I become so easily obsessed. They are all natural means, but not necessary. I have given my all to God– now that includes my womb. A quiverful begins with a willing heart, even if that quiverful includes one baby. We have been blessed beyond measure with Kyla and we could not ask for more and that includes not coveting another blessing from the Lord. I ask the Lord to bless us, but one cannot be mad and angry at God for withholding that blessing. It will happen in His time. I even threw out those tests and have moved on. It doesn’t mean that you forget those tiny, tiny miracles, it simply means that you treasure what you have and not envy what you do not. When God told us not to covet our neighbor’s things that meant babies, too.

If you haven’t heard, the newest craze [albeit awesome, lasting] hitting churches around the USA is AngelFood. It is a great ministry focused on feeding a person’s soul by feeding his belly. For $30, one can easily purchase enough food for a family of FOUR to eat for a WEEK! Now, if you’re like me and have only two adults, this food can last for a long, long time! There are other packages available such as amazing meat packages with lots of steaks, chicken, pork. Oh, I am salivating just thinking about it. We have purchased a few packages through our church and were very pleased. The only thing we didn’t like were a set of tortillas sent a few months back; they had lime in them and we aren’t accustomed to such. I would recommend heating them thoroughly and adding fajita chicken with lots of cheese and sour cream. I am sure if prepared correctly, they would have been tasty, as well. You can even purchase the packages online with debit, credit, and SNAP and pick it up at a local distributing church. Hop on over to the site and check out this great ministry of Godly people who are devoted to serving their fellow man! You know the serving and giving kick I’ve been on lately. Okay, so it’s not a kick, but I think it is my heart just one step closer to God. Okay, Kyla is awake, so I must get her!

Before I forget, if you live near me and I know you, of course, I’ll be happy to make an order for your through the church and pick it up/drop it off for you.

3/3/09 is the third square root day of our century.

There are 9 days total that can be named square root days.

The first day was 1/1/01, second was 2/2/04 and the following are 4/4/16,  5/5/25, 6/6/36, 7/7/49, 8/8/64, 9/9/81. This day is very neat for me and my fellow math nerds. Enjoy this fun, not so serious day.

Search your high school [or elementary] math book for more information on squares. Squares are fun! I wrote a formula for finding squares in college, but I lost the paper. My professor wanted me to publish the theory/ formula in a math journal. I guess God had a different idea beacause I don’t remember what I did. I think it may have gotten me an A on an assignment, though.