Happy Thanksgiving!

#1 and #2: Thankful for my Heavenly Father and my Family

Without #1 I would have no life and without #2 my life would not be as wonderful!

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Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was as great as ours! We spent the day, at home, just us seven. A very first for the Youngs. Usually Thanksgiving Day is full of driving and eating with different family members: my grandmother's for early lunch, Alan's parents, here at our house for late lunch, and then my mom's for dinner. This year we celebrated with my grandmother this past weekend (due to my aunt having surgery, which she made it through perfectly!), Alan's parents stayed in Florida, and my mom went to St. Louis.

I do have to say it was very relaxing, although I miss my grandmother's dressing, my MIL's mac & cheese and my mom's asparagus casserole...Oh, well, there's always Christmas!

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So, what's next for me? Well, making my list for Black Friday shopping and getting to bed early, of course! I'm not quite as enthused as I usually am because there just doesn't seem to be a lot on sale that I want to get. I'm sure while I'm standing it a line at 5 a.m., with a warm caramel macchiato, I will change my mind!

my thankfulness continues...4-3

#3: Thankful for knowing that God is in control and he has a purpose for my life. Before He gave me life, He knew each and everything I would do. By believing in Him and letting Him lead me, He will guide me to where He wants me to go.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

#4: Thankful for my home and nice warm bed to sleep in each night...even if it only gets slept in a few hours each night. I have no idea what is wrong with me, but I cannot seem to go to bed at a reasonable time! You would think with 5 kids I would be pooped at the end of the day and just want to crawl into my bed...nope.

Holiday Pictures

Wow, my kids have grown so much in just 1 year!

Not too mention we have added a new addition!

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My bf Mel came over tonight to photograph the kids for our christmas cards. She took some wonderful pictures of the kids! Well...of the girls atleast. Ethan hates having his picture taken. Luckily, she was able to get just a few with him in the picture and he would not let her take any of him by himself. He's so hard-headed (I have no idea where he gets it from :O)

There were so many great pictures of Emma Kate! I just can't choose my favorite! She cooperated so well! I wish all my kids were like this!

Enjoy the pictures!

Thanks again Melanie for taking these pictures for me! And for letting me tinker with your camera...I so have to get one of those!

#16 - #5

I've been really busy lately...but not too busy to get back to my challenge!!

5: Thankful for my family: brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews...Speaking of aunts...Please put my Aunt Cindy in your thoughts and prayers. She will be having surgery (she was diagnosed with breast cancer about 3 months ago) on Tuesday morning.

6: Thankful for having the opportunity to spend time with my grandmother before she passed away. She was the one that taught me to sew and I thank her all the time for it!

7: Thankful for good friends that make me laugh and let me cry

8: Thankful for a Caramel Macchiato...makes me happy and warm every time I drink it!

9: Thankful for my front loader washer and dryer...If I have to do laundry, I'd rather do it with these...half the time and it saves water..(which means saves some green)!

10: Thankful for the Internet....what else would I be doing in my free time??!!

11: Thankful for all the things that happened in the past that has gotten me to where I am today, whether it was bad or good...like that song.."Thank God for unanswered prayers"...

12: Thankful for my husband's random thoughtfulness (and his inability to keep secrets!) My Christmas present arrived early and he just couldn't keep it to himself so he gave it to me! Wait, wonder if that means I won't get anything on Christmas morning??!! Maybe I should give it back!

13: Thankful for my excellent health

14: Thankful for Thanksgiving break....I need a break from tests! I've had at least 3-4 a WEEK since October!!

15: Thankful for my crock pot! We wouldn't have a healthy dinner some nights if it weren't for it! One recipe I wanna try...crock pot lasagna...Wonder if it would be good???

16: Thankful for my decision to go back to school...I know it will be tough in so many ways for the next 2 years, but it will so be worth it!

Giveaway Galore!!

In celebration of Christmas, Tip Junkie is holding "12 Days of Junkie" giveaways sponsored by the moms who are a part of the Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon hosted by Tip Junkie.

There will be 12 Days of Giveaways and TWO winners everyday!!

I sure hope my luck is up and I score some gifts!!!

If you haven't visited Tip Junkie before, DO IT NOW!!! Wonderful tips and ideas on just about everything!!! And be sure to visit all the Mom-preneurs and support their businesses this holiday season!!

#17

Thankful for the men and women who fought

in order for us to have freedom.

Thank you to my husband, who is a Army Veteran, who fought and was injured while serving our country.

#18

Thankful for the words "I Love You"

Ethan has started making two or three word sentences and it's just so sweet to hear him say "I love you, mommy". I walked out to go to class tonight and he started banging on the front door, crying and screaming for me. I walked back in to give him a hug and he said "Bye, mommy, love you!!!"

It just melted my heart!

#19

Thankful for being woken up at 6 am by 2 little girls!

Why you ask? Because it just means that God has graciously blessed me, Alan, and my children with one more day on Earth.

After telling them to go watch t.v for a little bit, we slept for about another hour and they came back saying they were starving and needed food! So I made eggs, pancakes, and bacon. Oh, I bought the bacon at Mistletoe Marketplace on Saturday. The BEST bacon I've ever cooked! The company is Bear Creek Smokehouse out of Texas. Fairly reasonable prices for the amount you get. Oh, the jalapeno sausage is good, too! We had it in red beans and rice Saturday night.

Mistletoe Marketplace was fun this year! I was sorta disappointed with the decorations. I'm not a big fan of purple and gold. It just doesn't seem like Christmas without red and green! However, it did get me in the Christmas mood! I'm hoping to put up decorations this weekend! I've gotta get the house clean and do the floors! And furniture rearranging...I have no idea where the tree is going to go this year????

#20

Thankful for moments like this...

#21

Thankful for "mommy-daughter conversations" with my girls...

A.M. convo with Hannah while she was getting dressed...

Me: "Hannah, I just LOVE those leggings you pick out yesterday!"

Hannah (putting on leggings): "Me, too!

Me: "I sure wish I had a pair like that. Maybe you could let me borrow yours."

Hannah: " But I wear an extra small and you're like an extra big Mommy. These won't fit you!"

I just laughed it off! I didn't realize it, but she left the hanger they were on sitting on my bathroom counter...

P.M. convo with Morgan while we were getting ready to blow dry her hair before bedtime (she didn't hear our conversation earlier that day)...

Morgan (picking up the hanger): "Mommy, why is this hanger in here? It says extra small and you don't wear that size...You're like an extra big!"

Me: "Oh, I know, Hannah already let me know!"

Don't you just love how children just nonchalantly tell you the truth! I just wanted to say..."You know, Emma Kate is ONLY 8 weeks, I haven't lost all the baby weight just yet!!!

#22

Thankful for my sanity

As a mother of a child going through his terrible twos, I am thankful for the fact that I haven't lost all of my sanity! I have finally figured out that Ethan just loves sitting in his time-out chair all day, everyday! I get on to him, send him to time-out, wait 2 minutes, make him apologize and we hug, and I kid-you-not, no more than 5 minutes later he's right back in!

Our catastrophes this week...

1. he broke the lid to the toilet tank

2. he took his diaper off and peed on his bedroom floor

3. found him standing ON the counter in the bathroom, elbow deep in the turtle tank trying to catch the turtles, while Spongebob is swimming in the tank

4. he learned how to unlock the deadbolt and open the door (thank goodness for the alarm!)

Don't let this sweet, innocent little face fool you!

**Did you notice that bruise on his forehead??!! Jumped from the top bunk and hit his head, along with a gash in the other side of it...I about flipped my lid! LOL!! And he tried to get back up there and do it again! Boys...where do they learn it from? I am convinced it's in the genes!

#23

Just being thankful for it...You never know how long it will last! :)

#24

Thankful that the election is FINALLY over!!

I am not one that talks politics, that's my husband's job! LOL! Nor have I really had any interest in politics. I registered to vote when I turned 18, but have never voted. I didn't pay attention enough in school to really know the major differences between the two parties.

Until this year. I know, I'm from Mississippi. A Republican state. My parents, grandparents, family, and friends are Republicans. So should I be a Republican, right? After doing hours of Googling and hearing it daily from Alan (who is from Pennsylvania, and is a die-heart Democrat), I learned about the parties and made my OWN decision. It's not easy to go against the norm. But everyone is allowed their own opinion and that's what is so great about this country.

Thankfully, the bad-mouthing, negative campaigning is over! But I'm sure I will still receive those emails of why Obama is not what God wants, as so on, and so forth! I will read them. It doesn't mean I don't think you should have your own opinion.

I just may not agree with it!

#25

I am thankful for:

My parents and grandparents for my values and morals they instilled in my while I was growing up. I am taking Sociology class this semester and one thing we were discussing a few weeks ago was the breakdown of the family and how things have changed in the last 50 years. Alan and I both agree that teaching our children about respect and responsibility is important. We try as much as possible to eat dinner together and have family time. Although, at times, this is difficult to squeeze in with every one's activities, we try.

I also want my children to respect others, as well as themselves. In this day and age, it's very easy for children to be exposed to things we feel are wrong and immoral. Television, video games, and toys often send wrong messages and it is our responsibility as parents to be there to teach them the difference between right and wrong. Take this toy for example:

Am I the only one that thinks this is just totally wrong? I am not a big fan of Bratz dolls to begin with, but when I saw this at Wal-Mart the other day, I just couldn't believe the company's audacity to market this to children. Would you want your daughter to play with this "Nighty Night" doll, dressed in a slinky nightgown? Just look at the doll posing on the front of the box! I know Barbies are known for the provocative clothing also, but this just takes the cake! I just want my girls to stay young for as long as possible and enjoy their childhood.

Ok, I will get off my soapbox! Thank you again, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and PawPaw for teaching me all you did!!

#26

Coupons!Before I started using coupons, we were easily spending $150 a week on groceries a week! That's a lot, even for a family of six at that time. After finding several, wonderful money saving websites, I started paying attention to sales and using coupons. I've learned to plan my menus by what's on sale and I try not to buy something unless I have a coupon. So now you're probably saying (just like I did), I don't buy the stuff from the coupons that come in the Sunday paper. Right? Well, here's a compilation of company websites with lots of coupons. They keep this list updated regularly. I've also learned you can't just go to the grocery store without planning. Sunday is my shopping day. I get the Sunday coupons, check all the sales, plan my menus for the week, and make my list of what I need. I've been price matching at Wal-Mart with sales from other stores, but I tried something different tonight. I had store coupons from Kroger and I decided to make a list for Wal-Mart and one for Kroger. I saved the most today than I have all year.

Wal-Mart: Before coupons-$52.78, After coupons: $36.93 SAVINGS: $15.85

Kroger: Before coupons: $72.21, After coupons: $41.27 SAVINGS: $30.94

Total savings of $46.79

$78.20 for the week for a family of 7!!!

Not too bad, but I'm not going to lie. It wasn't easy going to two places, but it was worth it in my book! My advice to those of you wanting to save, check out the websites below, save your coupons (don't forget to ask friends, family, and neighbors for the ones they don't use), and keep your coupons organized! I went about 4 weeks without cutting them out of the paper and filing them, and it was horrible! I spent Saturday night clipping and organizing them. What a FUN way to spend a Saturday night, huh!? I'm so cool! LOL!!

A few of my Favorite Money Saving Websites:

MoneySaving Mom

Centsible Sawyer

SlickDeals

Southern Savers

Common Sense with Money

Have a wonderful week!!!

Happy November! #27

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day." ~Robert Caspar Lintner

I am thankful everyday for what God has graciously blessed me with. In honor of Thanksgiving, I will be posting things I am most thankful for. Twenty-seven days til Thankgiving, twenty-seven things I am thankful for! My countdown to Turkey Day, so to speak!

**In no particular order, of course!**

#27

Daylight Savings Time-ending!!

Is it just me or was this the longest dailylight savings time ever? After babysitting this weekend, I am thankful for that extra hour of sleep I will be getting tonight!