A Little Update

Since I haven't posted in awhile, here's a quick update about what I'm up to. I'm working at a preschool in Bryan, and here are a few pictures of my room....it's a work in progress. I will be putting leaves on the tree soon! This month we're talking about taking care of pets, so we made little fish aquariums with water, food coloring, and stickers and also read a story about Jonah.

Our Valentines party is this Friday, and I made these for the kids. It was super easy and a lot of fun! All you have to do is break up pieces of crayons, put them in a heart mold, and bake at 250 degrees for 10-15 minutes. The hardest part was cleaning up.

Last week I went to get a trim and right before I went into the salon, a friend called and told me I could donate my hair if I cut 6 inches off....so I did! Short hair is much easier to take care of, so I'm loving this style right now.

I have lived in my apartment for almost 5 months with oh so many problems. The first 3 months I didn't have hot water, last week I got locked out while my roommate was simultaneously locked in (details here), and the other night I opened my closet to find this. The part that holds the bar in place decided to break off. Awesome.

Well that wraps up my last couple of weeks, and I'll try my best to post again in the next two months!

2-0

For the last month I have been playing “The Grocery Game,” which is a guide to buying groceries at rock bottom prices, and the general idea is to buy what’s on sale while also using coupons. Since I love organization, I put myself in charge of keeping the coupons in order and making the grocery list then my roommate and I split the cost. It's so much cheaper to buy stuff together. Anyway, I have been averaging a savings of $30 a week but yesterday was different. I could just feel it. I went into Kroger with my crazy long list, a pile of coupons, and I’m not going to lie…I was nervous. If I didn’t shop correctly, I would end up spending way too much money.

My total bill came to $188.11 after my 50+ items were rung up. I started to stress out a little when that number popped up on the screen because our entire monthly budget is $200. I just had to remember that my Kroger card and coupons hadn’t been scanned, and once they were, the final cost came to $78.46!!! That’s right. I saved $109.65 for this week’s worth of groceries. I think I secretly expected the cashier to congratulate me on what a great job I did and for confetti to fall on my head, but instead she just handed me my receipt.

Well I get really excited about saving money, so before I knew it, I had walked out of the store, raised my arm in the air and yelled, “I beat Kroger!” Yes, my roommate made fun of me. Yes, I probably got some strange looks. No, I didn't care. It felt great saving almost 60% on my groceries, and the people in the parking lot needed to celebrate with me.

After grocery shopping and my annual Monday night dinner with friends, I had a softball game to play. My team (who loses more often than not) ended up winning 16-1. It was like having batting practice without the hassle of having to field your teammate’s balls and was a fabulous way to end my day.

I’m 2-0 and loving it!

Find the Time

"An international art dealer and a modern-day slave from Louisiana become friends after the art dealer is roped into volunteering at a homeless shelter by his saintly wife." - Marcia Z. Nelson, Publishers Weekly

I wish everyone would take a couple of days and read this book. It really draws the reader into the lives of these two men and sends you on a (sometimes emotional) journey through their friendship. I started reading this at the airport on my way to visit Alyssa and Michael in Arizona, and sitting on the runway coming back to Texas, I couldn't stop crying in order to finish the last chapter. I would read a little bit, put the book down, hold back tears, read again, and finally decided I couldn't continue without causing a scene. People around me probably thought I was scared of flying, and I half expected a stewardess to walk by and offer me some comforting words before takeoff.

The chapters alternate between Ron and Denver sharing about their childhood, adult life, and eventually their lives after crossing paths. I appreciate the honesty and openess of the authors in telling about their struggles, thoughts, and responses to situations and to each other. Our thoughts are not always pleasant, but they refuse to make themsleves look good and instead just tell the truth. Same Kind of Different as Me is highly entertaining yet challenging. It made me consider my priorities and left me in awe of how God orchestrates people's lives, always knowing what's best for us even when we don't see it.

No Worries, I'm Fine

Ever since I got back from England, my teeth have been bothering me. I convinced myself I had cavities because I drank so much tea while I was there, adding two scoops of sugar to each cup can’t be beneficial. Since I just don’t do cavities, I started flossing, listerining, drinking more water and less Dr. Pepper, and have really cut back on sweets. (If you know me, that’s usually my preferred choice of food.)

So yesterday I went in for my dentist appointment and was horrified to be told that it had been 22 months since I came in last. WHAT?! I honestly had no idea that much time had slipped away, and I’m usually very dedicated about checking in every six months. Well here’s what happened:

Good news: I am cavity free!

Bad news: My younger brother who went with me came out with one cavity and an appointment for 9 a.m. this morning to have his wisdom teeth pulled. Ouch.

He’s doing great and apparently kept waking up during the surgery asking the dentist if he needed any help. I wish I had that on video, but since I don’t, I thought this one would be entertaining enough. I can’t find the one without ads, sorry!

God's Pharmacy

I received this in an email my dad forwarded to me. I think it's pretty amazing how creative God is, and we don't even realize it sometimes.

1. A sliced Carrot resembles the human eye including the pupil, iris, and radiating lines. Science indicates that carrots help protect the vision, especially night vision.

2. A sliced Tomato can have four chambers and is commonly red. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and help prevent heart disease, prostate cancer, breast cancer and more. Tomato juice can also reduce the tendency toward blood clotting.

3. Grapes hang in clusters that resemble the shape of the heart. The stronger the color the grape is, the higher the concentration of phytonutrients. Grapes prevent heart disease and reduce platelet clumping and harmful blood clots.

4. Walnuts resemble the brain, mimicking the wrinkles and folds of the neocortex. Research suggests that walnuts may reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. The high concentration of omega-3 fats in walnuts promotes healthy brain function.

5. Kidney Beans, true to their name are kidney shaped. They provide nutrients that are helpful to the human kidneys. Kidney beans contain molybdenum, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfates.

6. Celery has a bone like appearance and is rich in silicon and Vitamin K, which are needed for healthy joints and bones.

7. Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers.

8. Figs are loaded with seeds and increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

9. Oranges, Grapefruits and other Citrus fruits have been compared to the appearance of female mammary glands. These fruits contain nutrients that are helpful in the fight against breast cancer.

10. Sliced Onions resemble skin cells and contain quercetin. Studies have shown when treated with a combination of quercetin and ultrasound at 20 kHz for 1-minute duration, skin and prostate cancers show a 90% mortality within 48 hours with no visible mortality of normal cells.

11. Sweet Potatoes resemble the pancreas and have a low glycemic index count, which is beneficial for diabetics.

12. Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.