My first blogger award!!!

I received an award from Lisa at Easy Frugal Living . How exciting. Thank you!!! I recently stumbled upon her blog, and have really been enjoying her posts! Take a moment and check it out!

I love this type of award because it spotlights some of your newest blog finds that you are loving! This is the chance to share some of my new finds with you all!

There are 4 requirements in accepting this award:
1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

7 Things About Myself:

1. I am a scrapbooking addict.
2. I am a Christian.
3. I almost always have my nose in a book!{yep, a bookworm}
4. I am a gardener.
5. I love black teas and vanilla lattes.
6. I enjoy "treasure hunting" {thrift store shopping}
7. I love to save money via coupons, sales, clearance aisles....

I don't have 15 blogs that I read. I sent the award to blogs that I read and enjoy everyday. Some I recently found, and some I have been reading for a while. I hope that you enjoy them as well!

1.My Frugal Fun Life
2.Blessed Simplicity
3.Homemaking On The Homestead"
4.Premeditated Leftovers
5.Cozy Seaside Homestead"
6.Girl Savors Life
7.The Big Red Barn
8.My Freezer Is Full
9.The Frugal Girl
10.The Thrifty Chicks
11.Dirt Under My Nails

I messed up...

I went to get some groceries today and to run errands. Well, next to one of the stores is a Mardel Christian store. I went in "just to browse". That "browsing" made my checkbook $42.00 lighter! Dang. Stupid 90% off Christmas sales!

What did I get?

For 90% off:

1 Veggie Tales Christmas DVD- $0.99

6 books- $1.00 each {actually more than 90% off. Some were $16.99 and higher}

3 Christmas statues/decor- $2.22, $0.99, $1.99

for 50% off:

1 t-shirt- $9.99

1 mens's t-shirt $12.99

The shirts will be gifts as well as 2 Christmas statues. The books, DVD, and light up Nativity were for us. In all, I saved $117, if I paid retail for the items. {which I never would have, but it makes me feel better to note that}

I will stay away from after Christmas sales.....I will stay away from after Christmas sales....

shopping after Christmas sales

I was in Borders yesterday and found some great deals. They have their boxed gift sets for about 75% off. I bought 6- $20 gift sets for less than $5 each! I'm super excited about these, as they will make great gifts. I plan to use some in Easter baskets as well as for friends' birthdays.

I don't go out looking for sales after the holidays, but if I stumble upon a sale, and there are items I can use, then I just go for it. Since I'm trying to simplify and declutter, I really think about each purchase. Do I have a recipient in mind, or will it just sit in the closet just in case? In the past, I bought stuff like crazy, but I just ended up with too many gifts and not enough people to give them to.

"refried" beans

Blacked eyed peas give you luck? Really? I've never eaten one, so I've never had them on New Year's Day. I was going to get some, just to try it out, but forgot. Sigh. I guess I don't get any luck this year. =)

What I did make was "refried" beans. They are super easy and very cheap! A 15 ounce can of refrieds can range from $0.89 to $1 or more. I bought a pound of dried pintos for $0.50, and made the equivalent of about 4-5 cans of beans. NICE!

Refried Beans

1 pound of dried pinto beans
4 cups water
1/4 cup bacon grease {optional}
1 T garlic powder
2 T chicken bouillon
2 T chili powder
2 T butter

Place beans and water in a large stock pot. Soak overnight. Drain beans in a colander and rinse thoroughly. Add 2 cups fresh water to pot, stir in grease and next 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally. Beans are done when soft. Mash with potato masher or fork and serve.

At this point, you can add more seasoning or salsa, if desired. Yummy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I pray that you have a very happy 2011, and that all of your hopes wishes and dreams come true!

I send you God's blessings

2011 wrap up

This blog has done wonders to help me stay accountable to my goals. Seeing my thoughts and hopes right here, on this page, have a way of keeping things real. I may not have achieved every goal, but I had fun. It was a good year. There were ups and downs. Good times and bad. Happiness and sadness. Same as most years.

I had a lot of fun with this blog. I learned so much. I'm hoping to blog more, and keep up with not only annual goals, but monthly ones as well.

Although we didn't reach our set debt reduction goals, we did pretty well. We are starting the new year with about $2000 in debt that we had hoped would've been eliminated. Our new goal? Tighten the budget and stick to it. Live well beneath our means. We can do this.

I failed in my quest to become healthier. I'm not extremely overweight, but I do want to be more fit. I would like to lose 5 pounds and be able to ride my bike for longer periods. I'd like to run up the stairs and not be winded! I'd like to increase my strength. I currently lack the discipline. I will work on this.

Discussing my sidebar goals:
2011 personal goals:

Financial:
Pay extra on mortgage: $667.36 {goal- $1200} no excuse, we didn't make it
Pay student loans $13,204 {goal- $15,805} again, poor planning
Pay extra into savings $2330 {goal- $1200} made this!
Pay extra into IRA $440 {goal- $600} another failure

Personal:
20 minute workout every day I will step this up, for certain!
eat out only once per month we did cut our eating out budget from the previous year!
expand veggie garden this was a success
preserve more foods from garden although I did lose my garden, in a summer storm, I was able to regrow and preserve some veggies!
spend more time with friends a success!
new grocery budget...$525.00 per month! this is still a challenge, but better than the $400 that I started the year with!
Spiritual
20 minute devos daily: this is still challenging. I admit that I don't take time for myself everyday. I need to prioritize. I have a new daily devotional that I will start today!
read the Bible in a year: a success! I finished with about an hour left in the year! ha ha

New Years goals

So many people are talking today about their New Years resolutions. I don't like to say resolutions. How long do resolutions last anyway?

I make goals. I seem to keep up with my goals. {somewhat}

I am keeping track of some of my goals on my side bar. I have my financial and some personal goals.

For financial goals, I really hope to pay off student loans this next year. I am going to look for a part time job to assist this goal! I really want them to go away. Badly! Next year, we will attack the mortgage.

For personal, I hope to get in even better shape than I am now. I lost 18 pounds recently, and hope to lose 5 more. I also want to run a 5K or 10K. I walked my last 10K. It felt great, but I want to at least run a 5K!

Spiritually, I aim to read the entire Bible this year. My church is emailing us the daily scriptures to read. Having someone there to remind me should help keep me on track. {I've tried this before, but life got in the way and then I was so far behind that I gave up} I also plan to spend 20 minutes per day on my devotionals. I want to really strengthen my daily walk with the Lord.

I wish for everyone a very happy new year!