A Prayer Request

We are asking for prayers for our Bloggy (and Cas's Words with Friends) Friends Laura and Erik!   Laura's Dad has been having some medical issues that you can read about here. Laura is pregnant so we hope is gets better real soon because he will have a new Grand Son soon to spoil!  Please say prayers for Laura's Dad and the rest of the family!

Wishful Wednesday~Wedding Gowns

This week is about wedding gowns. Ahhhhh  When I saw this I had to join in. Well since I am getting married in Septemeber I need to find one soon!  I have tried on a lot and they range from average prices to higher end and plain to not so plain.  I do know I do not like the ones that tie in the back and I do not like the ones that are fitted in the hips, but I do know that I want strapless and something with some sort of the vintage looking lace on it.  After trying a bunch on I do know what I do not want!  I am running out of time and I am afraid I am just going to have to settle on something.  I really have found a lot that I really like but I do not feel that I will be able to wear it for 8 hours (the church does not have air conditioning in it) and be able to sit or dance in many of them! I really hope I find something soon!  I can not wait to read all of your posts for some inspiration!

Real Fast

I went in the house today and when I left after 9 tonight they were still working like crazy and had a fair amount to get done!  I saw Michael Malone in the house, one of the designers.  I met a guy that works for Disney that works for the show Handy Manny.  

I am tired so very very tired. I have to get in the bed so I can do it all again tomorrow.  I have VIP passes for the reveal tomorrow along with tons of other people.  This should be interesting.

Here is the latest on the money they are trying to raise........Day Six. They are still a long way away from what they need.  Even $1 adds up if you feel like donating $1!

Thank You LG for donating after I blogged about it!!!!!!

It has been an awesome experience this week.  I am so tired and I know as I am getting ready to head off to bed there are people working around the clock tonight, many have not slept but a few hours here and there.  Every person that I have talked to that works for NationWide/Palm Harbor will tell you they have had no sleep and it has been exhausting but they would not trade it for anything.  That says a lot about what an undertaking these builds are.  

Hopefully I will have more to share and some pics after I get to sleep.

Good Night!

HELP

As you all know I have been out volunteering the past couple days at the site of the Extreme Makeover Home Edition and I am headed back early in the morning.  I was able to go up and view the house today (don't have pictures of that because you are not allowed to take pictures).  The family is being blessed with a beautiful new home that will meet their needs.  The one need that has not been met yet is that they need a wheelchair accessible vehicle that can have a wheelchair lift installed for their son Jacob who has Spina Bifida.  The wheelchair lift has been donated already so Palm Harbor and Nationwide Homes are trying to make this a reality.  I was in the tent this evening when Dan came down, he is one of the higher ups on the project....I have been told his exact title with the company but for fear that I will give him the wrong title I am just letting you know he is of great importance to this project!  Anyways he shared with us that they have set up a fund for this and are trying to raise the money by Saturday which is reveal day.  So many people have brought it items and given of their time but they do feel this vehicle is a big thing that would drastically help them.  The family does not have a vehicle to support their needs for their son.  They are also trying to pay off their mortgage!  When Dan was speaking about this I told him I would go home and get to the blog, facebook, and email with this.  I know so many of you contribute to so many things but as he pointed out if you tell 10 friends and they each donate even $1-5 and then they tell 10 friends then the money will start to add up quickly to help this family out with one of their greatest needs.  If any of you are able to just do a few dollars that would be awesome.  If you are able to donate leave me a comment and there will be a surprise in it for you!  

Go to this site here and there is a paypal link to the right.  Dan is in that video above the paypal link.  He is the guy on the right.  

Here are a few pictures to share with you!

 

Dan with Nationwide Homes

This lady was donating this laptop to the family!

 

The two ladies are from Nationwide Homes and the guy on the right is with Extreme!  He is the man that brings down the blue shirts.  I am sure that is a job of many he does!

 

  

  

The Columbus Cottonmouths

Extreme Update

I have not been home long and will be going back to Pine Mountain at 8 am in the morning folks so I am making this a short one.  Long story short I ended up heading to the house after driving halfway through half of the Georgian counties because they did not need help at the high school because they were laying floor so other people really could not get in to do any work right then.  So when I got there they asked if I would like to help them in the tent?  SURE!  It is the main tent.  No one enters without going through the tent to receive their t-shirt, hard hats, badges and fill out release paper work.  So I get to go back tomorrow and Friday to work up their with some fun ladies and the ladies from Nationwide and Palm Harbor.  Not sure about the weekend though.  We have a party to go to Saturday night although I would like to go to the "Move the Bus" Saturday.  The Columbus Cottonmouths came through tonight to come help.  It is really awesome to see all the people that have come out to support them and donate of their time and skills.  One lady came in today and dropped off a bunch of toys for the kids.  Her kids and nieces and nephews all pooled their money together to buy them for the daughter and son that will move into the house!  How great!  Good Night!

You can go here to read about the family and what all is going on!
 

Extreme News

 

I get to go help on the Extreme Home Makeover this week!!!!!  Yep I do!  I saw where they were coming to our area and needed volunteers.  I volunteered Cas (him the days he is off) and I both a couple of weeks ago starting today through next Sunday but they had so many volunteers in the end that I received and email to come Wednesday.  They did not email me back about Cas though.   I guess they had all they needed after the media coverage over it.  We have been looking for ways to give back and when I heard about this I immediately got online and signed up!  I will not be at the house site I will be at the "other" site.  You know how many times they have another project going on.  The Dad works at the local hogh school and is a coach and the athletic director so I am thinking that they are doing something at his school.   I recieved the email about the family today and I will share it later this week.  The design team and Ty always travel to the "other" site as well so maybe I will get to see them or the celebrity that is working with them.  If not that is o.k. too because it is all part of giving back and "paying it forward"!  The rules say that you can not take pictures inside the house but I don't know if you can take "general" pictures or not?  I can not wait until Wednesday.....what Extreme fun!

We Are Around

We have been so busy and it has seemed non stop since Thanksgiving.  I have not forgotten about blogging!  I have a lot of things to post when I get a chance this weekend!  Happy Friday to you all!

Marriage Mondays

 

#964 (Dealing with a Man) ~ You need to know if you come to him with a problem, he will tell you how to solve it, then get back to watching t.v.  He will think his work is done.

I can't even get him to stop watching the t.v. while I am spilling my problem!

#199 (Marriage and Happiness) ~ You need to know men who marry are less likely to be arrested.  They're busy doing chores.  And that makes wives happy.

If he got arrested he would be there a while!  I don't do cops or jails!

#800 (Dealing with a Woman) ~ You need to know she secretly believes that if you use her razor on your face, you will give her a staph infection.  Somehow though, your razor is perfectly safe for her legs.  

Amen.....he has the good razor and I have the cheap disposable so I use his often!

Wedding Wednesdays

Not much to report this week.  I have just been online looking at ideas.  I do have two main colors and some ideas in the works and I will post those later for ya'll.  We are going to Birmingham again this weekend so I can go look for a dress.  I have found two that I really like but I want to try on more to find "the one"!  I have always loved the Melissa Sweet dresses (not just because of the name) but I know that I am not getting one! Ladies who was the designer of your wedding dress and your bridesmaid dresses?  Also what stores did you find your dresses at? A small shop or a chain store?  Did you have a certain style in your head and then when you tried it on decided it was not "your style"?  Where did you have the best luck?  Tell me your stories, Bride to Bride!
Here are some rather interesting selections! LOL

 

  

 

Tips Tuesdays~Grocery Shopping

Leslie over at Lamberts Lately is doing a new blog hop about tips and this week it is about grocery shopping.

I have blogged about this many time and it can be really fun to grocery shop once you realize how to get the most for your money and  it is super fun when you are walking out with numerous bags and you hardly paid anything for them.  It is kind of like legally stealing!  Last night I saved over $90 at Publix.  I had not done to much shopping lately since we have been gone so much since Thanksgiving so therefor I had not blogged about any fabulous deals.

* I learned in a coupon class that you should buy a paper for ever person in your house, so I buy two each week.  Even if you live alone I think you should get a minimum of two papers or print out two coupons because when they have a BOGO sale and the coupon is for a % of of one item then you can use both coupons off of the cost of one item since the second one is already FREE!  That is when you start saving a lot!

* You should make your menu off of what is on sale and not make your menu and then grocery shop because it is really hard to save money that way.

*If you go once a week (I Puffy Heart Publix so that is where I try to do most of my shopping) and use your coupons and get the non perishable items that you use anyways then in no time you will have a good amount of food to choose from.  Then you are not always running out to buy an item here and there.
* I have many saving cites listed on the right side of my blog and I refer to them often especially when they are notifying me of FREE or close to free things.  I do like iheartpublix.com
* I also have a very organized coupon book that is split up by categories.  I have found that it is better to make your own list of categories depending on your needs and the easiest way for you to file things and find them!
*I try to get on the website of which ever grocery store I am going to and make a list of the things I need that are on sale and then I try to pull my coupons before I go to the store so that way I know if I have coupons for the item.  The best way to save money is to get items on sale and BOGO and then use coupons on top of them!
* I buy a lot of our meat at Sam's (much to the dismay of my Father because he likes better quality meat...ha) because it is much cheaper and I can break it up and freeze what I am not getting ready to use.  I also buy the large items there as well such as rice.  Milk and eggs are super cheap there too!  My tip for the best thing to buy at Sam's is the hoagie rolls that they bake fresh there.  It is a little more than three dollars for 6 loafs and we use them for sandwiches and also use them as french bread with meals.  They are so much cheaper than buying regular french bread and you can freeze it as well.
* I also am better at shopping alone so that I do not get sidetracked.