Organization Topics are coming!

I promise! April will be the month that we all get organized together!

Leave comments on topics and I will add them to my list.

Also, over there on the side you are beginning to see links to other blogs that I visit. It will be a great set of resources for all of you once I am done. Hope to add more tonight!

Lastly, thanks for your patience in my journey to figure out what this blog is all about. It's just like me a work in progress!

Can't be everything to everyone.

As true as this is in life, it is also true here in blogland. As I try to decide what my focus should be in blogland, I keep questioning myself because of what others (my readers) might miss. While in reality, that doesn't matter does it? I honestly feel if I can narrow my focus, I can be a better blogger. So, slowly this blog will be taking on a new face lift. I hope you stay around for it and find something that keeps you coming back. If not, I understand.
Also, coming up will be another book study. This will be similar to The Mission of Motherhood Posts. (Link) It will be on the new book Not A Fan. I am looking forward to this adventure with all of you - more on that to come later this week.

Another thing, I am feeling called to share is great healthy recipes for your families and the kids lunch boxes. So, look for more of those posts. Don't worry they won't all be vegan.

If you happened to noticed, the pages have changed to Faith, Fitness & Health, and Family. That will be where the focus is for right now.

Under family, you will find a lot of things. That's where the Mom stuff will be, the crafts, lessons, money saving, do it yourself type of things. I of course will be throwing in random fun stuff every now and again as I feel called. Oh and you can still find the photography links under there as well. So stay tuned as the blog gets a tune up.

Why?

I often wonder why I blog. The thought comes to my mind to say, just stop it's not like you get a million hits a day or make any money doing it. But, then in the back of my mind, I remember why I started and those facts don't seem to matter anymore.
I started as a way of possibly helping others. Helping people who I don't even know or perhaps a few I do know. Realizing that I get to share my voice on here and that people in other countries whom I have never met are reading it. That is pretty cool.
I've kept my eye on the poll over there. Thanks to those of you that took the time to answer the question.
I have no idea where this little blog is going to go in the future and you know, I am finally OK with that. If I all of a sudden decide the blog is done, it's done. But, for now, I am taking it one post at a time and allowing my heart to lead the way.
Until next time...

Thursday Full of Ideas...

These are all ideas gathered from browsing the web or my new favorite place pinterest! I will be back with Holiday ideas--Thanksgiving is up next. I won't skip it like the stores do. :) Although as you can tell from idea number one, I am already thinking Christmas! :)

Found on Pinterest

Take their wedding invitation and cut into strips, place in Christmas Ornament and give to them their first Christmas. Sweet idea!

http://www.bakersroyale.com/cookies/banilla-sandwich-cookies/

Too cute! I love stuff like this. Link

Jello in straws = Worms

It feels good.

I've been missing in action from the blog and you know something, it feels good. It feels good not to be blogging every weekday. It feels good to not have the time and not stress over the fact that I don't.
You see I started this blog to be helpful to others, to offer a small spot on the web where people were welcome to come along and learn with me. But, I started to wonder if blogging was taking me away from doing more to be helpful to others. So, I've let blogging slip and picked up the more face to face kind of helping.

TRAINING:
For those of you still wondering, I am still training for the marathon. It's coming up in less than 50 days. Whew. My training is going up right now (meaning longer training sessions). But, it's going to slow down the closer I get to the big day.  I've come back from many training sessions drenched in my own sweat.  Disgusting, I know. But, it feels great! Going out hitting the pavement and having that time to just think or not think. I usually do a lot of thinking and praying while I am out there. Yes, I am doing almost all my training alone. Little Man is in school and he was my coach (on his bike) over the summer. He pushed me. But, he still does when I think about things he would be saying to me.

BLOGGING:
I don't want to make any promises or any quick hits of the buttons to delete this blog. So, I am going to let it sit and when I feel inspired--I'll post. But, I am not planning my posts or anything anymore. You'll hear from me when something is weighing heavy on my heart that I have to share.

Until then, enjoy this crazy, wonderful life we have all been given.

Back after being "away" for over a week!

We were not physically away for over a week. But, we did escape for a magical weekend as a family. It was truly a memorable weekend with a once in a lifetime experience.
I have to admit, it's been great not blogging for a while. I needed the break. I needed to feel like I had a fresh set of ideas to come back with and take time to decide the direction the blog would take in the future.

Do you know what I realized in that break? I realized that the only thing I want to do is share. Share the journey of life with others. I want to offer a place where you can come for tips on things (saving Money, fun things to do with the kids, recipes, inspiration, faith, etc.). But, instead of worrying all the time about what my readers want me to share, I decided that it's best just to share what I feel I am compelled to share. You see the goal of this blog was to help others and to offer a small, tiny space where you could come to feel welcomed as you are and leave feeling a bit inspired or refreshed. So, what's going to be happening? Here is the short of it:

• If you came to find the money saving tips--great. I'll still be doing that because that's part of helping others.
• If you came for inspirational stories, songs, ideas. Awesome, there is more of that to come for sure.
• If you came for the recipes. Great, I will share more of that. I like sharing recipes with others. it's fun. Plus, you get the bonus of knowing if I can cook it you certainly can!
• If you came to read my marathon posts. Yep, I'll kick some of them in here too. Did I mention, I just added another kind of race to my bucket list? So, the fun will continue. What on earth am I thinking?!? 
• If you came for the guest blogger and his photography, that will be coming back soon. Can't wait to share his eye with all of you again.
• If you came for something else perhaps a reason you are unsure of but something keeps drawing you back. Welcome and know you are in good company because I sometimes don't know why I am posting anyway! :)

I don't publicize this blog, yet somehow it has reached many other countries and I am always wondering how. I am not on facebook--I know I am in the stone ages here. So I wonder, how do people find this blog? Care to share? Leave a comment. That's one thing I am always happy to get, comments. A girl needs to know she isn't talking to herself. And if you feel this blog is worth sharing, pass it along.

I will be back again soon with more. But, for now, I wanted to let everyone who is still here and looking for a post know that I am OK and I am ready to start posting again.

Have a super day, everyone!

The Blog this summer and a website for you to check out

I need to know what makes you all keep coming back to the blog.

I am serious.

As I ponder how to blog this summer with more limited time, I'd like to know why you come back. (As, recently, I have considered taking the summer off from blogging.) I know that some come for the Money Saving Ideas. But, since there are many that visit here that are not from our state or country for that matter (Welcome by the way) and read this dinky little blog, I want to know why you keep coming back. I know my writing is not that entertaining so there must be some content that I cover that makes you come back again and again. Perhaps, my dull life makes yours feel exciting? :)Whatever the case is, I am happy to have you visiting and I look forward to hearing why you come back so that I can better post for the future.
Now for those that come here to find great links to other places around the web that will inspire you. I share this website that was passed on to me by a friend.

Love Food Hate Waste This is a great site for recipes for leftovers. A quote from the site: "Top chefs, the Women's Institute, our own cookery advisor Caroline Marson and Love Food Hate Waste supporters make economic use of all the odds and ends that invariably get leftover from previous meals or forgotten in the fruit bowl or the back of the fridge... and they all taste delicious! We've added lots of new fruit and vegetable recipes from smoothies to simple risotto." I tell you it's a must check out site! I've made it a favorite in my bookmarks now.

Happy Day, everyone!

Summer Blogging and Sharing a Goal...

I will be blogging over the summer although I have no set plans except Monday Saving Tips on Mondays. Waiting to hear what everyone really comes here for, but more on that later this week.

However, one thing I am considering to include on the blog (well, if anyone is interested in reading it) is my journaling though marathon training. Yes, you read that correctly. The training has been underway for just over a month now. It was on my list of life goals and I am honestly trying to remember at what delusional moment I set that goal.  The only thing I know is that I was much younger at that time.

Anyway, I have been journaling offline and thought that maybe, if you all are interested, I'll post online as well. Should be entertaining to say the least. I'm not training to run the whole thing instead right now I am training to walk it. Now, I am not talking Sunday stroll walk it. I am talking walk with a purpose walk it. :) Trying to figure out the race walking technique to speed up my time. Any tips out there?

Anyone interested in this online journal of sorts? I'll need at least 8 heck yeahs in comments to share this online. So, let me here you who is ready to laugh at me with me on this journey. I promise to put the good, the bad, and the ugly in the posts.

April 26th--The Future of the Blog

If you missed the money saving deals, check yesterday's late post. Sorry for the delay! BIG weekend here!!! :)
This blog is a huge work in progress and I am not sure where it is headed some days. Some days I am not even sure that keeping it up is worth it--just being honest.

Obviously, the money saving tips are a hit with people. I am still trying to figure out how I can serve everyone better in that respect. What stores to post, what to cover, how to cover it (links, lists, etc?) So many people do this so well, that I can keep pointing you all in that direction or would you like lists here?

Photo tips? I can see the stats rise on those days, so I think they are a hit. :) I hope to get even more tips, etc on there for all of you! My list is growing of things to cover there!

This blog is for my readers, so chime in and tell me what you come over here for and what you want to see continue on the blog. What do you want me to start doing more of, etc, etc. I am listening! Please chime in.

Thanks and Where is this blog going...

Thank you all for reading this little blog! I am amazed at how many people are actually reading.  I am thankful that my words are proving helpful for you. Humbled that you are sharing this with your friends and well, just amazed that you tune in to read. My stats tell me it's not just USA people reading, but there are others. WOW and WELCOME to all. (Feel free to leave a comment-I do love hearing from you all.)

Now, where is this little blog going?
I know these plans can be altered and moved around and most importantly changed when I am being lead to post something else. But, what I hope is that when you come here daily or weekly you will see; money saving ideas, meal ideas, organization ideas, photo tips, inspiration and some good old helpful Mommy stuff. With this plan in mind, I am going to be planning the blog posts for the weeks. Putting a theme to the random posts and rambles. Any suggestions?  Ideas you want covered?

Ideas that are coming up:

Money Saving Mondays--continue to follow my mission and find deals and share the tips with all of you.
Spring Clean with Me--the task of having an organized home by summer. Even if you are an organization nut, we can always spring clean and declutter even more, right?
Recipe Round Up-Sharing new recipes and meal ideas
Inspire Me- words of inspiration, songs, links, etc.
Mom Time- The Mission of Motherhood- read along with us via online discussions, other Mommy topics (suggestions, please?)
Capture It- Photo Tutorials, Guest blogger posts, posts from local photographers, and ideas

What do you all think? Anything else you want me to cover? I figure I can cover one topic per day per week. This means 6 blog posts a week. However, you are also able to submit ideas and I will be looking for people to guest blog besides Little Man.

Let me know your thoughts!!