Keep Climbing, cash for (fill in the blank....)

Somedays, you just have to keep climbing...know what I mean??? Here's a shot from along Knife's Edge at Mt Katahdin this summer....we all climbed this bad boy....can't even tell you how blessed I was to have all 4 of my kids stand at the top with me! When I think about that, other stuff seems rather trivial. So just keep climbing whatever mountain God has you on right now...

Here's a question: Is it ever moral to save money at someone else's expense? We've always taught our kids that if only one person pays for the salad bar, no one else can have even a bite. That the guy who keeps a cup from every fast food place in his car so he can get "free refills" any time is as much a thief as a bank robber. That if you are given too much money back at the grocery store, you should make a trip back to turn it in....you get the point. So when the government says they'll give cash for energy "defficient" junk (cars, now appliances apparently), with money that doesn't even exist, we teach our kids that it's wrong to save money at the expense of their grandchildren. It's just not the right thing to do. I'll keep my 80s fridge till I can save enough to buy a new one myself. I'll just trust God that doing the right thing will pay off in the end. Even if that's not in this age....

end of summer, back to school, Biltmore

Ahh, summer....here I am with my sibs and Mum in Maine...but as nice as this was, reality is, right now, I am back in NC and the kids are already back to school!

So lets tackle b2s supplies. First of all...have you seen these lists that schools put out??? (Have to be careful here, my husband is the principal...and I really do love my school.!!!!!)Not just "dry erase markers" but "Expo brand, bold color, chisel tip, low odor dry erase markers." Wow. When I was in school, I bought a spiral bound notebook, and a pack of pens and pencils. Go figure....but I digress...what's an uber-mom to do? I mean, my kids get points off their grades if they don't have all 90 plastic page protectors turned in by a certain date...so I have to get them. First of all, I shop ahead. And when Staples has paper for 5 cents...I buy tons!!! But mostly, I reuse...yep, my kids use the same colored pencils and markers year after year. They've had the same LL Bean back packs for 5 years now (free with LL Bean coupon points from the credit card) and I always scrounge. When my daughter needed 90 page protectors, I tore apart my boys NC notebooks from previous years. No going out and spending $10.00 for me!! My son needed tabbed dividers. I found the ones I had 25 years ago in HS. I'm big on the "reuse" part of the three Rs. And of course, I shop around. As always, however, if I just gotta have...I go to Wal-Mart. Happy Shopping!!

And the Biltmore...OK, here's how you save on spending:)! For Christmas last year, I bought year passes for hubby and I @$99 each. For this, we get unlimited admission for a year, kids get in free and we get 10% off at the restaurants and gift shops. If I recall without looking it up, the cost for one adult admission is $37.00. We plan to go once a season. Yesterday, he and I had a great day-long date. We'll go again with the kids at Christmas.

Where have you been????

Well , hello blogger friends...sorry to leave you hanging in cyberspace. There really have been deals out there, I've just been trying to figure out what to do with my computer life...and, as usual, the summer has been crazy, but really grand!

As promised, I will send gift cards to 2 of my faithful followers (one for July and one for August)...I used a very reliable scientific system, I pointed and clicked So the winners are:

July, $10.00 Dunkin Donuts card: Jen Gaskill
August, $10.00 Target card: D Walters (who I'm assuming is Dave, let me know if I am wrong!)

I know where you worship...you will get your cards!

Some have suggested that this blog become more devotional/thoughtful....or at least a combination of that and "frugal stuff..."as I mentioned, I'm still trying to figure out what would be best....BUT I'M BACK!!! Suggestions please...

Had a yard sale Saturday so the kids could earn money....made $248.00, which was way more than we thought we would make. People will buy the strangest things!!

Kids start school next Tuesday and our Korean student flies back on Friday. We are frantically trying to finish "her" bathroom...Mike is, as I write, cutting trim and getting ready to plumb the sink and toilet. Best money save I have is my husband!!

Pictures soon....