Couponing and Care Packages

So I've ordered myself a coupon binder to keep all of my coupons organized and to help get myself more serious about SAVING MONEY!!! I'm still a newbie at this and haven't gotten a ton of things yet (nothing for free yet, that's for sure) but I am slowly building my coupon collection and will be organizing it soon for my next shopping trip. I have to remind myself that I need to start small. I need to utilize coupons that will help me save money and if I don't need something, I don't need to buy it (whether or not it is 80% off haha).
If YOU have any couponing tips-PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE feel free to share them via comments. Lord know I appreciate them!
I'm off to bed now. Gotta continue to get rest - this "single" mama (only cuz husband is deployed, not a permanent thing) has been working out and I need to recover at night.



ALSO---If you know anyone who is deployed or in basic training or is somewhere doing training or workups, please send me their address or contact information. I have teamed up (via my group Love From Home) with my church, Coastline Church in Carlsbad, to send letters and cards as well as care packages to our men and women in uniform and we need addresses:) There is a contact form that you can fill out on the website and either send the contact information for a service member or volunteer to send a card or letter or care package. Thank you ahead of time for stopping by the website and sharing it with friends and family and for sending in addresses!!!!!!

My Life as a Navy Wife

This life, the one I live when my husband is deployed and I have to get up and do EVERYTHING, is the hardest thing I have ever done. Not knowing where he is or what he is doing or when I will be able to talk to him next (when and if I will see him again). It's tough. AND...we are on the other side of the country from our families. 

But I wouldn't trade it for the world. 2 months with Pat in a year (that's not how long his deployment is--not posting that online...just an "estimate") is better than 12 months with any other man. I know just how blessed I am to have a husband like I do. I love that our housing is paid for (and it covers most bills) and that my insurance is so great (lord knows that this T1 Diabetic needs insurance). And my favorite part is... GOING ON BASE haha. I feel like I'm in a secret club as I pull up and show my ID. I love the commissary and the NEX. I love the opportunity to travel and live in places we never would. I mean, come on! There is no way we could afford to like in California (or even really visit) if we weren't a military family. I have friends who live in Hawaii and Italy and Germany as well as many, many places in the continental US. I love all of the people I have met and the friends I have made. (There are always gonna be "problem people" where ever you live and, for the most part, I haven't really met anyone like that-though there are some cray-cray drivers out here haha).

I'm so proud that my husband has chosen such a respectable and admirable job. I am so proud of how strong he is and of how hard working he is, waking up every morning to go to a physically demanding job and he doesn't complain (much ;) ). Not only is he physically strong, but he is kind and gentle and loving and he takes care of me and Ryder.

I am so blessed to be a military (Navy) wife and, though I know we won't be one forever, I am absolutely loving it! (Honestly, I'm praying for a re-enlistment because of INSURANCE-JOB SECURITY-INSURANCE-EXTRA INCOME and there would be no deployments for a few years). It won't happen so I am cherishing every moment I am living here with people who I have come to cherish and hold near to my heart and will truly miss when we leave. 

I love you, Pat. Thank you so much for the life you have given me and the family you have given me. I am looking forward to many, many more years with you (where ever we end up ;) I will follow you).

God is Good...

All the the time! Prayers answered overnight and bills are gonna get paid. See what happens when you place your trust in God? ;)

Look At The Birds...

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to Him than birds." Matthew 6:25-26

I am reading this over and over tonight. I have come to find out the more I trust in God, the more He delivers. However, I still go through trials and times of extreme stress and worry. Like tonight. (This is not a blog complaining about anything...Just letting you in on my worries right now so that in a few days, I can share how God got me through it).
As you all know, I am in school and not working so I'm not bringing in a paycheck. My husband is the one who takes care of us and provides and all of the money runs through his account first and he then transfers enough to me (determined by our budget) to get through 2 weeks at a time. This plan has been AWESOME... up until now. He was on land and I knew he would be getting back on the ship, heading to their next port, on the 30th or 31st of last month. There is 1 computer on the ship that he has access to and sometimes they don't have internet or phone access due to security reasons (I believe). Usually not a big deal as I can handle the time apart-I'm a military wife and I prepare --and I prepared for this. The reason it is a big deal now is that I haven't heard from hubby in a few days (so I'm thinking they're in a 'black out') and today is the 1st. One a pay check to pay check budget-that means the money ran out (ish) yesterday and we have bills coming up this week. Hubby did not prepare. (I will say I told him to create a scheduled transfer to happen at midnight tonight so we wouldn't have to worry about this exact scenario and he said "Oh, don't worry. I'll be able to do that from the boat."---I think I gave Satan an idea by saying it out loud haha-shoulda kept my mouth shut ;) ) Anyway...right now, I am sitting and waiting, unwilling to spend any extra gas or money on anything than I have to. Praying that I will hear from my husband 1) because I miss him and 2) because I need the monay!!! haha. (but seriously).
Though I am worried and slightly anxious, I am handing this to God. My worrying will not lift any "black out" (not sure what they actually call it) or cause him to be able to get to the computer faster. I am waiting in faithful anticipation expectation that God will provide for me, like He ALWAYS does.
No matter what happens, Satan will not get the best of me. I will praise Him. I have a roof over my head and food on the table (and scrubs in my closet haha) and I have exactly what I NEED.

I'll let you know what happens :)

This Weight Loss Journey

...has been so frustrating. I joined a local gym ($9.99 membership- HOLLA) with a friend and we were doing great! I have lost about 10 lbs and was seeing definition in my stomach (the top) and my bi/triceps, calves and thighs....
Then came a 12 day break from school. I went to visit my family in Orlando. My mom use to be really strict about what we ate so I thought it would be easy to stick to clean eating...it wasn't. There was 4Rivers BBQ (TWICE) and other unhealthy things that I found excuses for (THAT is the real problem). I gained 6 lbs back :(
My sister came into town this past weekend for her birthday (25th one) and we went out to eat a lot and got root beer floats in Old Town..."We're on vacation" is what she was saying and I used it as my excuse, too...and gained 6 more lbs...SOOOO- I lost 10lbs but gained 12 back so I'm 2 lbs up from the beginning of my journey. I am heartbroken and so disappointed in myself. All my hard work and egg whites and chicken and spinach, etc was all a waste because I made excuses for momentary gratification THAT WASN'T EVEN WORTH IT. (I did bring my resting heart rate down 10 bpm's though...thats good)
Beginning anew again tomorrow-feel free to join me in getting healthy and getting fit and down to my goal weight of 115lbs!!! (I'm not letting you know my starting weight haha but I will update on how much I've lost, and when I hit my goal weight, my total weight lost so, if you MUST know, you can do the math yourself)
You don't have to have a gym membership to join me...start with me tomorrow...go for a walk, go for a run, left plastic shopping bags of cans or gallons of milk...just get moving and get healthy! Let's go!


(PS-there's a new app called Gym Pact that I downloaded for free. Holds you accountable to your workouts by charging you money when you miss one and rewarding you with MONEY when you make them....)

Free Military Care Kit Package

Not sure if this is still working, but I used it when Pat was deployed last time... FREE SUPPLIES!!!

Since Priority Mail® supplies are the packaging of choice for families and friends preparing care packages for service members overseas, the post office has created a “Mili-kit” based on the items most frequently requested by the military. This kit is available for free to military families.

The contents of the kit change from time to time. Right now, each kit contains:

• 2  large priority mail flat-rate boxes
• 2 medium priority mail flat-rate boxes
• 2 medium shirt box priority mail flat-rate boxes
• 6 priority mail labels
• 1 roll priority mail tape (yay!)
• 6 customs forms and envelopes.

Request your FREE Military Care package kit by calling 1-800-610-8734. Select your language (1 is English, 2 is Spanish). Select option 1 (it states it is for Express Mail®, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed® products).

When you reach a live agent, request CAREKIT04, the “Military Kit.  Allow 7-10 days for delivery. You can request up to 4 kits.

You will also be issued a customer ID number to make it easier for you to reorder supplies next time.

YOU CANNOT ORDER THIS KIT ONLINE – This Military kit is only available via the phone number.

Mail sent to APO and FPO addresses overseas require special customs forms. All mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to certain conditions or restrictions regarding content, preparation and handling.

The cost to mail the large flat-rate box to APO/FPO is $12.50

Love From Home

SOOOOOO...as most of you know, my husband is in the Navy and currently deployed to SHHHH for SHHHH months. In fact, a lot of men and women I know are away from their families right now and they could all use some love and encouragement from back home. As a Navy wife, I send letters and postcards and treats to my hubby whenever I can, and I know his Navy mama does, too. But sometimes, it's nice to know other people remember your service. That other people are praying for your safety and protection.
That in mind, I would like to start a group to send care packages, large and small, to our boys overseas. (Can you believe that some go entire deployments WITHOUT A SINGLE LETTER?!?!) It breaks my heart. But we can do something about that. In fact, it doesn't even have to be a 15lb box of treats and magazines, but a simple card/post card saying "Hey, I'm praying for you. Thank you for your service," could change a soldier/marine/sailor/airman/coastie's day.
Please pray about this, I mean REALLY PRAY, and ask God if He would like you to join in and send some "Love From Home" to our boys overseas. If this sounds like something you would like to do, leave a comment with your email and I will get an address of a military member.

If you're on Facebook, you can find us at https://www.facebook.com/luvfromhome