Extreme Couponing?

In the past few months, I've started reading a few blogs that teach you how to grocery shop using coupons. It doesn't seem like something that would be that hard, but it does take some strategy!

My desire in using coupons is to steward our resources well and be thoughtful about how we spend our money. I am by no means incredibly skilled at using coupons, and I read some blogs where the women are AMAZING! They go to the grocery store and get most of their groceries for free. One of the blogs has a writer whose grocery budget for a family of five is $100 a month. That is impressive.

There is a new show on TLC that is all about extreme couponing...multiple transactions, buying many of the items on sale, clearing the shelves of all 50 jars of mustard, etc. I am not interested in that.

I have a few things I think about as I go to the store:

• What is on sale? I make my meal plan based on what I already have or what is on sale that week.
• Do not buy any item just because I have a coupon for it.
• Don't buy more of any one item than we could use before the expiration date.
• One rule I almost always break is...only buy what can fit in the freezer. Usually what happens is we have to do the "freezer puzzle" once I get home from the store. Good thing Cliff is so good at it!

Today, without much planning, I grabbed my coupon envelope and the weekly store ad and headed to Safeway. I bought everything pictured below for a little more than $9. I saved 67%! It was my most successful shopping trip yet! It was actually fun!

My $9.50 Safeway purchase today!

Field Trip

Yesterday the sun was shining and the weather was the nicest it has been in months, so I decided to let the girls experience the great outdoors for the first time.

At first, they were quite reticent to leave the cardboard box I brought them out in, but after I put Blanche in the grass, the rest followed suit. They were nervous to be sure, and understandably so as all they've experienced is our guest bedroom! Apparently, they found me to be comforting, which means we've "bonded" and they saw me as a safe place. They all sat in my lap for quite a few minutes until I forced them out into the wild.

Once they realized they could eat the grass, dig in the dirt, and run around, they were off. They chose a small garden to scamper about in, but did not stray from one another or from me.

They are going to LOVE being outside. Once the temperatures will allow, we'll move them out to the coop. We have probably about 3 weeks until that can happen.

Struggling to leave the safety of the cardboard box...

Seeking safety on my lap...my jeans were a bit of a mess after this "snuggle time."

Outside for the first time!

Happy Birthday!

Today is Cliff's birthday! I am so thankful that I have been able to spend the last 10 birthdays with this amazing man. I am immensely grateful that I get to be his wife. We celebrated today with a breakfast on Alki and then worked in the yard for a few hours. 

Happy Birthday! I love you, babe!

Cliff and his new drill

Chick Update: Week 4

We're nearly a month into chicken ownership...can you believe that?! It has been really fun and completely amazing to watch them grow and change. Considering how big they already are, it is hard to imagine them living in our guest room for another month. Maybe by some miraculous turn of events, we'll have consistently warm weather and they can go out earlier...a girl can dream.

Check out their growth progress:



Blanche Katherine



Amelia Estelle



Bethula Jo

Delaney Elizabeth

All the girls!

Coop Update

At this point the coop is about 90% complete. I just need to install the doors on the far side where the nesting boxes are, as well as the storage space beneath them. It looks like we might actually have a few sunny days in a row this week (finally!), so hopefully I'll get a chance to finish the coop this week. The chicks are getting big so fast, they might need to move in ahead of schedule.

(side weather note: We've yet to break 60 degrees this month and if that remains the case, it'll be the first time in history for the month of April.)

added cedar siding

faithful "helper"

side view (Can you spot Gunner's friend in the pic?)

one more side to complete

nearly complete

Chick Update: Week 3

Okay, so by now, we know most of you are sick of hearing about chickens...but we just can't help ourselves! We really are having a great time with them.

Right now, they're approaching an "awkward stage" much like we all experienced in middle school. Their feathers are coming in and replacing their beautiful, soft down. At this point, they're all able to fly up to the ledge of the brooder. Sometimes they'll overestimate their strength and come flying out of the brooder all together. Such fun!

Here are the pictures of them at the end of their third week.

Blanche

Amelia

Delaney

Bethula

 

All the girls!

Commissioned at MHC West Seattle

About a month ago, I had the honor and privilege of being installed as a pastor of Mars Hill Church at our Ballard campus. As Pastor Bill shares in the video, I was then sent out to serve as the Pastor of Biblical Living at our West Seattle campus.

Two weeks ago, I was officially commissioned at the West Seattle campus, and prayed over by the other elders there. In the video below I had the opportunity to share my heart for West Seattle, my call to this particular role, and how the people at the West Seattle campus can be praying for Mackenzie and me as we pursue adoption.


Pastor Cliff Ellis Commissioned from Mars Hill Church | West Seattle on Vimeo.

Personal Retreat - Reflections

I had my first ever "Personal Retreat" this morning. I enjoyed about two hours down at the Tully's on Alki in front of the fireplace with an americano, listening to Mumford & Sons on Pandora, watching the ferries go by, and writing. To begin, I created a document based on the questions and verses listed in Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT Be Overwhelmed. This helped guide my prayer and reflection.

It was an amazing time to reflect on my life and assess how I'm doing in the following areas:

• Growing in Godliness
• Loving my family
• Serving in my church
• Building relationships
• Attending to my work
• Caring for my physical health

I not only spent time praying and thinking about what God would have me see that is and isn't working in my life, but also putting a few plans in place to grow in each of the areas above. I was blessed by my time this morning and look forward to a quarterly personal retreat. As I'm not inclined to regular times of reflection, I pray this intentionality will help me grow in this area.

Have you ever done anything like this? I'd encourage you to give it a try!

Personal Retreat

Today I read a book by Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters called Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT be Overwhelmed. It was an extremely quick read, but contained some very helpful suggestions and opportunities for reflection.

Like many people, I feel as though I have to do it all...I definitely have my days where I sinfully attempt to be all things to all people. The reality is, I can't be. In fact, that desire is rooted in sinful pride and self-sufficiency. This book was a good reminder that God has called me to very specific priorities, and helped me see the benefit of periodically checking in to see if I'm living in light of those.

The most significant "take away" I had after reading this book, was the concept of a personal retreat. I am not good at taking a focused time to reflect, journal, assess, and seek God's plan my life. Cliff and I do this with our calendars and our finances, but I haven't taken time to do this individually; to pray over the past few months, assess specific areas of life related to my priorities, and plan for the coming months.

In the book, Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters suggest taking a few hours, a day, or even an overnight to get away, pray, plan, journal, reflect, and set specific goals and next steps. I can't remember the last time I did something like this, and to be honest, I'm not sure I ever really have. Conveniently, this is my spring break, so I'm planning to get away tomorrow morning. I'm going to get up early, head to a local coffee shop, and spend some time with a journal and my Bible. 

I pray this time is helpful and beneficial for me and honoring to God. I'm excited to see how He will use this to grow and develop me.

"Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
2 Corinthians 3:5-6

Chick Update: Week 2

Our chicks are now two weeks old. Thankfully we've yet to identify any of our lovely hens as roosters!

At this point, I'd estimate they've pretty much all doubled in size in the past two weeks and are losing their soft, fluffy down and gaining their feathers. You can see Blanche and Amelia are developing much faster than Delaney and Bethula. It is amazing to go to bed and then wake up and be able to notice differences in their feathers, size, and personalities. At this point, they're all attempting to fly...some with more success than others.

Here are some updated pictures...


Amelia...becoming bolder as the days go by!

Blanche...her feathers are amazing.



Bethula...little girl, but starting to give her wings a try.





Delaney...developing slowly, but is as pretty as ever.



All the girls! You can see who rules the roost.

Gunner and the Girls

Gunner is VERY interested in the chicks. He's not agressive, just fascinated. I think they'll be good friends, but right now he and Blanche are just beginning their relationship. Take a look at this video from the other night...the last few seconds are our favorite!

Coop Update

The chicken coop is really starting to come together. Here are some pictures of the progress I've made the last two weeks.

door

nesting boxes

roost

frame for the chicken run

side view

coming together