April Books

Here are the books I have read this past month and/or are reading now.

I am reading this book, because as I need some courage!  As mentioned in a previous post, life has thrown us a curve ball we didn't see coming and we have a huge medical bill to pay.  I love Ms. Orman's books and this one is reminding me to plan, budget and execute.  There is hope for all to be out of debt.

I think I am about the only person who didn't enjoy Hunger Games.  I read it for the book club I am a part of.  Though I didn't like it, I do like reading books I wouldn't necessarily read on my own. Yeah for book clubs!  My book club read all three books in the series, but I didn't go to the meetings for the other two books.  Yep, a coward.  But I'll be back next month.  I am about to start Mocking Jay so I can see if a) the books get better and b) to see how the world all ends.  ( I do want to watch the movie, Hunger Games, if nothing else to see Katniss' dress on fire.)

My light reading this month comes for a Reader's Digest Condensed Book-- but they don't call them that any more. It is Select Editions.  I just finish Crossfire -- a murder-mystery-blackmail-suspense among horse racing. I just started Sweet Misfortune --  which so far is a delightful romance. The protagonist owns a chocolate shop.  It reminds me of when my mom used to make homemade chocolates at Christmas time.  I have never done it, but I am being inspired to open up my own chocolat de Jenny Shoppe!

 

I was reading this book last month, but needed a break. I enjoy reading of life on the Mississippi and the working of the grand old boats, but sometime Mark Twain rambles on and on and on.  So after Mocking Jay, I will get back to it and finish.

And reading books, my friend, is

Favorite Movies-----

I love movies!  I love going to the theater. I love the smells, the large screen, the yummy treats.  All of it.  It is a favorite.

I don't get to the movie theater much anymore, but I do enjoy renting videos.  We have gotten on to BlockBuster online because my sweetheart and I love to watch independent films. And ordering movie online gives us a wonderful selection of independent movies. 

Yes, we watch Hollywood movies, but often, we get tired of good story lines filled with random sex scenes, graphic violence and profanity. It isn't our cup of tea.  We have found that a lot of independent films have great stories without the extra junk.  

While we are always on the look out for good entertainment to bring into our homes. I remember reading about Kirk Cameron being in an independent romantic movie.  Mr. Cameron, or can I just call him, Kirk, was my boyfriend while growing up.  Really! We had a standing date. Each Thursday I made sure I was home to watch him on Growing Pains.  All my friends did. We knew, as 13year-olds, that in our heart of hearts, he would end up marrying one of us.  sigh!  So when I heard of him new film, I was curious.  

It took me a while to a. remember to look for it at the video store and b. remember to look for it at the video store.  When I finally remembered, the clerk gave me the name, FireProof, but it was rented.  When the movie was available, I snagged it up.  And, what can I say, Mr. Cameron looked great. sigh!  But more importantly, the story line was beautiful!  

The movie is about a firefighter who is in an unhappy marriage.  As the couple heads towards divorce, the firefighter's dad challenges him to 40-day Love Dare.  And thus, the makings for a good movie.

As I read more about the movie's beginnings, I learned that the movie was produced by a church who feels it is their ministry to make good movies.  What a great concept for a ministry!!

We have since watched, Courageous which is a powerful movie about the importance of fathers in their child's live.  We are now waiting to rent their other movies, Facing the Giants and Flywheel.  I am sure we will be entertained and uplifted with these two. 

Along these same lines, here is another inspiring movie, and a new favorite of mine, Faith Like Potatoes.  In fact, that is my new thought to keep me going. You will need to watch the movie to understand the power behind the phrase.  :)

These films are distributed through AffirmFilms, a subsidy of Sony Pictures.  AffirmFilms' goal is to provide entertainment that inspires & uplifts.  Who knew?  And how exciting!!

And, watching great movies that inspire and having faith like potatoes, my friends, is

Money

Today my sweetie and I celebrate a momentous occasion that we have been working on for quite a while.  Other than our mortgage, we are debt free with 2 months' worth of income in savings.  And we are on track with our mortgage to pay it off many, many years early. It is a great feeling.

I wrote this a couple of months ago and saved it as a draft for an upcoming blog post.  We were just a few weeks away from meeting our financial goal and I was anticipating the joy of paying off our last bill.  Last summer we just had our mortgage and a car payment. The fall and early winter brought a huge increase in some bills and a temporary deduction in our incomes.  It was a small bump, but we were quick to get back on track in paying off the last of our bills and had a plan of paying the car off quite a bit early-- by March in fact.  We also had some money saved to redecorate the kitchen-- it is stuck in the 60's, complete with orange, white, yellow, red and black carpet. Uggh!

But instead of celebrating being out of debt (besides our mortgage) and paying cash to redo the kitchen, life has thrown us a curve ball. We now have a huge medical bill, as in tens of thousands, to pay. yikes! My husband's son is coming to live with us, which we had to put his $1200 plane ticket on a credit card. ouch!

So, we begin a new chapter of paying down a humongous bill. We will welcome my husband's son with open arms. And, well, I have lived with my 60's kitchen for 7 years, what's another year or two??

My new motto comes from a line in a church hymn reads, "Gird up thy loins, Fresh courage take."

And, that, my friends, is

books!!!

I love to read! In fact, one of my favorite activities is to curl up in my chair on a stormy/cold/snowy day and while in my pjs, wrapped inba warm blanket, read an old  favorite.  Here a few of the books I have read lately:

Reading now:

And from the last month:















What are you reading?

Because, reading, my friend, is

Clearance sales

Another way my family stretches our dollar is the shopping of clearance sales. My two cousins got me on to this great idea.  Most familes get together and discuss politics, religion and life in general. We discuss that too, but we also talk about money! Who got great deals, who has cheap insurance rates for similiar coverage, how much we save and debt.....  yikes! That is a dirty word in our family. It is justified to have a mortgage ('course we talk about ways to pay off the mortgage early).  And cars--well, that's iffy. Several family members have paid cash for cars, even brand new ones!

But back to clearance sales-- it works like this: you buy now for things you will need next year in the appropriate size for next year. Which means for kids, you purchase clothes a size or two bigger, depending on how fast they are growing.  So, I bought Miss M's school clothes this past month to be saved for her school clothes next fall.

And when spring and summer come around, I will go down to the basement to get out the items we bought last fall when summer items were dirt cheap.

Miss M currently wears a size 6/7, so I am purchasing size 8 for next year. 

I bought:

    1 light weight pj

 + 3 pants

 + 4 shirts

  ----

   $32.00

I already bought underwear (there was a coupon I used on the buy 1 get 1 free sale, so I bought (last winter) a package for her to wear now, and the 'free' package is for next year.)  I just need to find a pair of jeans, a pair of heavy winter pj's and socks.  Then she will be ready for her new school clothes next year.

I haven't had much luck with purchasing shoes ahead of time as her feet grow in funky spurts---but she has a grandma who loves to buy shoes as gifts!

One of my cousins shops for 3 kids.  She recently spent $250 for their clothes, but saved over $1000!  A friend of mine who I find is the QUEEN of clearance sales hasn't paid over $3 for a piece of any of her kid's clothing.

And Miss M is ready with her dresses too. I have 3 boxes for this coming year full of hand me downs from family and a couple of co-workers.  And those were all free, which is even better.

For her last few items, I will be checking out garage sales, thrift store and a favorite children's consignment store.  Ooohhhh it is almost time for garage sale season and I am excited thinking about the great finds that will await me.....

And that, my friends, is