Archive for March, 2009

Top on my list of people that do good in our community is those at the Lifeline Pregnancy Care Center in Nampa!

Going thru rough times means some walk in when others walk out.  That’s what the Pregnancy Care Center is all about.  About 11 years ago my girls dad decided he didn’t want to be married anymore.  I had a 3 year old and was pregnant and on bedrest.  Hard times.  How I WISH there would have been a Lifeline Pregnancy Care Center where I was living. How Good God is to provide people to be there for us!

If you are going thru hard times, give them a call.  Or, check out their website www.lifelinepcc.org

Here’s some websites that can help you save some money!

www.couponmom.com

www.athriftymom.com

www.craigslist.com

Have another one?   Tell us about it!

We knew that living in the White House meant some adjustments were going to have to be made for the Obama kids and the White House itself.

Well, the biggest add is a swingset on the White House lawn!  Melia and Sasha were surprised yesterday when they came home from school and saw the huge wooden swingset on the lawn.  And, the best news, Dad can watch them play from his office!  The swingset is viewable from the Oval Office so that President Obama can try to still be a part of his kids lives!

A dad that is trying to balance running the country with being a dad!  Now THAT is some good news!

Did you know you could prepare and file your return on line for free?  Where have I been?  :)

Apparently if you use a basic return you can go to EZtaxreturn.com and prepare and send your return.

I’ve also heard that turbotax.com has a return also.
Keep these great ideas comin’!

Great idea that my husband actually told me about.  Last night he took me to dinner at Applebees.  We usually try to go as cheap as possible as we want to be debt free.  Right now they have a special:  It’s called ‘2 for $20′.  You pick an appetizer and two dinner plates from a great selection.  Even my vegetarian husband found stuff he could eat!  So…for whatever it’s worth…  :)

$20 may seem like a lot, and, it is.  But, when I think about how much we used to blow?  WOW!  What a bargain!
Michelle

From Carleen–
re: cost of food.  Grocers stage their stores so that the most expensive stuff is at eye level, especially at children’s eye level!  So, look for cheaper, healthier stuff on the bottom row, and the top rows.  I try to only buy bagged cereal, but calculate the price with a calculator I keep in my purse.  (I just read the book: Prosumer Power that talks about this.)
For meat, I only buy the reduced meat a Winco – early in the morning around 8 a.m.  It must have a reduced red tag on or we don’t buy.  I may have to divide the meat in smaller units and freeze, but well worth it.  Your girls would be able to help you divide, wrap with foil or freezer paper, date and put in the freezer.
We’re planning on growing a ton of berries and freezable veggies this year.  Berries for cereal (frozen or canned) are very expensive but so delicious.  I had enough left in November to do the Thanksgiving pie!  Just rinse and freeze in zip locs.
I’m 61 and remember when the kids were small and our rent and oil bill totaled over 600 a month (winter) and my husband was barely taking home 800!  So, I know how to take inventory of the all cupboards and make it last a week!

Great ideas from lots of friends!  I’ve listed them here in case you are looking for an idea.

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Why not take Addison by the doctor’s office so she and her staff can see how well he’s turned out with their help. –Jim

I heard you talking about trying to find a way to thank the doctor and nurses that helped with Addison.  My thought would be sending them a collage of photos of Addison that you have taken up until know.  That way it is something that the doctor could keep in her office, and it’s more tangible than sending flowers which will eventually die.–Angela

Take a picture of Addison. Make a homemade frame of cardstock for it and stamp it, decorate it, whatever. Send it as a Thank you card. The picture card makes it more personal! The hospital staff will enjoy it and you will have killed two birds with one stone!–Elisa

Hi.  I took brownies on one visit to my orthopedic surgeon and cheesecake bars on another visit!  The office staff and doc were so appreciative.  I have a home-made brownie recipe that I have baked countless times for church/school and get nothing but raves…  For Christmas I made homemade fudge, peanut clusters and chocolate (white and dark) dipped pretzels.  (Tight budget year)  My internist and her nurse was so appreciative.  Now that my boys are gone, I do not bake very often and so when I do I like to share it.  Once on a whim, I made Ho Ho bars and that was also a hit.  Yes, they do taste like Ho Ho’s! –Carleen
Make sure you don’t take the easy way out and just buy something.  Make something from your heart.  –Lori (paraphrased from call)

Bake a favorite chocolate chip recipe or brownies.  Home made goods make them feel loved. –Lisa (paraphrased from call)

Thanks for the great suggestions!  If you have anymore…feel free to leave them here.  :)

Only Good News to be Reported by Local Evening Newspaper

06/02/2009

For the second time in three years, local evening newspaper, the Edinburgh Evening News, is to devote one of its editions solely to the reporting of ‘good news’.

Today’s edition of the paper has been billed Good News Day, and is to comprise only ” the positive aspects of life”.

Says editor, John McLellan: “The first Good News Day was a great success, but that was back in June 2007 when everything was still rosy. Now that times are tough I think people will appreciate a Good News Day even more.

“With the banks in free-fall, the pound plunging, house prices falling, jobs being slashed and angry unions taking it out on foreign workers, there is no shortage of bad news. And while no-one wants to put their head in the sand I do think that we all need to rediscover some sense of optimism and for just one day we’re guaranteeing to bring Evening News readers nothing but good news.

“No-one can accuse the Evening News of shying away from bad news, far from it, but if we can help cheer people up in these worrying times then it will have been worth it.”

Good News! It’s amazing what happens when young people are given leadership roles. We just finished a series of meetings at Gem State Academy where young people stood up and shared the Gospel of Christ everynight for 3 weeks. Many people from the community renewed their committment of following Jesus and some accepted Him for the 1st time. Praise God for young people who love Him!

One of our KTSY family members called in and said Guy Fieri is in town!  He is one of the Food Network stars and hosts Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  Guy travels all around the US and visits various restaurants that specialize in home cookin’.  He visited a Basque place in Boise and will be traveling to 6 other restaurants in Boise.  The best part is that they may be featured on the Food Network!  Our little Boise!!!  How cool is that?  If you find out where else he’s going, let us know!

That was fun news!  Thanks for the call!