Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Army guy

So on one of our many trips to Sheetz, my husband is slightly obsessed we saw some men and women dressed in their uniforms. My 3 year old son was in aww. He would not stop looking and gazing. So we said to him you can go say hi or give them a high five. He opted for the wave. 

After leaving the store my husband said we should have bought their lunch. I agreed we should have and we will next time.

My son however is still talking about seeing the "Army guys" 3 days later. We could all take a lesson from him.So many times we are oblivious to their sacrifice and it takes a 3 year old to remind us of the aww that our military personnel should bring.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

I am back

I am finally back. It was a long summer and fall, but now my life has started to settle down, at least for now. I have not been faithful with writing and even have not been focusing on the food pantry. Sometimes life comes at you and just when you think you are through it God reminds you that He is charge. When that happens all anyone can do is pray and have faith that there is a purpose for all the struggles. 

My summer and fall were not all struggles, I had some great times too. My plan now is to focus on my faith, family and using my recent experiences with life to help others.

Thanksgiving just passed and I was able to spend a lot of time with my family. A relative was asking all the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up. The kids were all saying the typical answers, not sure, cheerleader ( my 7 year old daughter), teacher and then it was my son's turn. My 3 year old without hesitation said loud and proud "I want to be an Army guy!!".


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Memorial Day weekend

I had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I was able to spend a lot of time with family. I took my kids to the Memorial Day service at Beechwoods Cemetery, where my relatives are buried. We had many conversations about what Memorial Day signifies. I know that my kids won't really understand yet, but it is important to start having conversations. I also walked with my family for the wear blue:run to remember in honor of my cousin Michael who was killed in Iraq. This weekend I learned a lot about my heritage. I took pictures of tombstones of my relatives that are Veterans. Here are a few pictures.



This is me and my kids all dressed and ready to walk in honor of my cousin Sunday night. It was rained out so we actually walked Monday.





My Great-Great-Great Grandfather James Welsh served in the Civil War.


My Grandpa Billy Preston was a WW2 Veteran. 


 My cousin Michael's tombstone. He gave the ultimate sacrifice in 2007.



My Aunt Nancy and my mom walking on Sunday for the memorial walk.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Memorial Day

This weekend is Memorial Day.  To some it is the start of summer, to others it is a weekend full of fun going to picnics. To me it is more than that. I will enjoy family for a picnic and enjoy the great weather, but I also will be honoring those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. Growing up my mother would drag me to the cemetery every Memorial Day to honor those that have fallen for our country. I never really understand the significance and meaning behind it until I was older. If it is not for those soldiers that leave  their families, their comforts, everything about their lives we could not enjoy those same things. So this Memorial Day I will be dragging my own kids to the cemetery so they can start honoring those that made the ultimate sacrifice for them.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Wear Blue

Will you be running this weekend to remember the fallen. I will be. I pledged to run in honor of the fallen soldiers at my local cemetery, some of which include my relatives. I pledged through an organization wear blue: run to remember Check out there website and read about how it was started. Then pledge to run/walk in honor of the fallen and help wear blue to reach their goal.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Adopt a brigade?!?!

So I decided that I needed to adopt another soldier. I am hopeful that some day I can adopt many soldiers but my husband gave me a budget. I still need to be able to feed my own family. Well I signed up to adopt another soldier through Herobox and to my surprise that one soldier turned in the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade. I have already been contacted by the SGT, who informed me that they are in the most humid part of Afghanistan. I am so excited that I can help out these troops. I am also thankful for my family who has been buying items and donating postage. I could not do it without you. I almost done for the first round of boxes. Today I was able to get 28 razors for them. I spent $9.80, but saved $40.82. I feel God working though me and I hope that the troops feel that through the boxes.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Run for a Hero

I am so proud of my husband. My husband, Greg, is running on a relay team in the Pittsburgh Marathon this weekend. He informed me a few days ago that he signed up to "Run for a Hero." Through the U.S. Army he is running in honor of a military hero.  Today he picked up his race day information and received his army band, which he will wear with pride on race day. He is running in honor of hero Robert Bishop of the U.S. Army. I am so proud that he did that on his own and was telling others about it.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Air Force wife

My best friend growing up is an Air Force wife. I was thinking today that I do not tell her enough, or have ever told her, how much I appreciate the sacrifices that she is making. Bre has been my little sis since we met when I was 9 years old. We have been there for each other through graduations, weddings and babies. Sadly I do not get to spend much time with her because she lives in Texas where her husband is stationed. She will faithfully follow where ever the military sends him and she will do it with pride. I see first hand how hard it is for her and her husband to be so far from family in Pennsylvania. It is easy to forget to thank your close friends and family for their sacrifices. I am thankful for my little sis and am grateful for what she and her husband are doing for our country.

Monday, April 2, 2012

proud moment

I was in the car with my 6 year old daughter after picking her up from gymnastics today. We started talking about Easter and the upcoming Easter egg hunt. We were talking about what is usually in the eggs, candy. She started to get upset because she is not able to have sugar, which breaks my heart. Then she stopped and said its okay mommy we can just send my candy to the girl that fights for us. She won't have an Easter egg hunt.

I was so proud! She is so thoughtful. She is my inspiration for wanting to do more to help those that are sacrificing time with their families to protect and serve our country.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Adopted Soldier box

I wanted to post a picture of some of the items that I sent to Linda my adopted soldier stationed in Kuwait. My kids also drew pictures to put in the box.  My daughter was so amazed that a "girl" could be in the Army. I told her that she could do what she wanted to do as long as she worked hard. She thinks it is so awesome and said that she is happy to be sending stuff to her. My daughter is 6. My son is 2 and he wanted to draw a picture of a tractor for the "Army girl". I am so proud that my kids are honored to be involved. I think it is important to teach kids to respect and honor those that serve our country. I hope Linda feels the love and appreciate, well as much as she could from a box of stuff.
  Thank you to Save and Share with Coupons & Hobbies with Heart for donating items!

If you would like to donate to my soldier or adopt your own soldier check out the Adopt a Soldier page for more information.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

CANDY

Thanks to the wonderful volunteers at the West Hills Food Pantry I was able to obtain this candy for .25 a piece. The volunteers donated coupons for me to be able to do that. This candy will be used to make Easter baskets for the children that their families come to the food pantry. 

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Gift Card Giveaway



How much time do you spend on Amazon perusing the random sales and items?
Well I have partnered with Deal Searching Mama and fellow bloggers to offer you a chance at a $50
Amazon Gift Card! Save and Share With Coupons, PA Coupon Family,
Carra Cares with Coupons and Couponlicious are awesome for participating in this
giveaway!

Get a jump on some holiday shopping, buy birthday gifts, heck buy yourself
something for all that work you've been doing!



Monday, March 5, 2012

Adopted soldier

After being sick for the last few weeks I am excited to finally send out a care package for the soldier I adopted in Kuwait. I will be posting items that you can contribute, if you are local. I send out a care package once a month. I will also post the link to the website where you can adopt a soldier of your own. I hope to adopt more soldiers in the next few weeks. 
free coupons

Sunday, February 19, 2012

$25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Save and Share with Coupons has reached her goal of 7500+ fans!! So in honor of that she is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. Carra Cares with Coupons wants to celebrate with her so see below for a chance to win the gift card.




To thank you for helping me reach 7500+ this month,
I am having a $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway to one lucky fan!
Your support of my facebook page and website is incredible
and this is my way of saying Thank You!
(Keep your eyes out for a big 10,000+ Giveaway in the future!)
SOME amazing bloggers WANTED TO CELEBRATE WITH US TOO
HOBBIES WITH HEART

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

food pantry

Yesterday I helped in the local food pantry that is run out of my Church. I have to admit it was my first time actually helping while the clients were shopping for their items. I have been reflecting on this experience ever since. 

It was humbling to see so many families come and request food. They prayed together and genuinely were thankful for what they were receiving. God was working through all the volunteers there.

Watching the process it motivated me to want to tell others. As a community we need to do more. Picking up a few extra rolls of toilet paper, or a tube of toothpaste, or a box of pasta would make a difference. Go and help at your local food pantry, even if for one hour or even if just once. It made me truly appreciate what I have.

Tell everyone. You are helping your neighbors.

Donate to your local food pantry!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The war in Iraq might be over but there are plenty of soldiers still deployed in other places. Don't forget about the families that live in your community that have someone deployed. Valentine's Day is coming up so send a valentine to a deployed soldier or maybe send some candy to a child of a deployed soldier that lives near you. The smallest gesture can mean so much to someone that is away from a loved one.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

dietary restrictions

My daughter has dietary restrictions. We have only been dealing with this for the last few months. Grocery shopping used to be so much easier. There are just not any coupons for healthy food. I am not sure why that is. Everyone talks about how important it is to eat healthy yet it is hard to afford it. I do save money on health and beauty products and I buy other things that I have coupons for and donate to the food pantry or the military. I actually started to contact some companies to inquiry about it and most gave a generic answer. Maybe more companies will give coupons for the healthy stuff until then I will donate what I can and save on health and beauty products.

Friday, January 20, 2012

FREE

Who doesn't love free items. saveandsharewithcoupons has a list of all the freebies this week at Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. Check it out.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

journals

My mother in law wrote journals about my husband and he has really enjoyed reading them.  She passed away several years ago so it is even more precious. I have decided to start journaling about my kids. I have a journal for each of them. I write funny things, cute things, milestones anything that I am feeling that day. I hope that when they grow up they can appreciate my thoughts on them growing up.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

books

Don't forget to look for books this week. I will be collecting books until the end of the month. The books are going to soldiers stationed in Afghanistan.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

exchange

Thank you to everyone that came out to the coupon exchange. As always it was fun exchanging coupons and chatting. I look forward to the exchange all month. Thanks also for the expired coupons I hope to get them organized and shipped soon. The troops appreciate it!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

coupon exchange

Tonight is the monthly coupon exchange. Please consider bringing a book to donate to the soliders or a note of encouragement. If you can't make it message me about how you can help.

Monday, January 9, 2012

weekly menu

I posted my menu for this week .The total cost for my dinners this week is $27.00, not including eating out one night.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Menu

So I am finally starting all the projects that I have been wanting to do. Next week I will be starting to post my weekly menu. I like organization. I have a child with diet restrictions so it is easier to plan ahead. I make a weekly menu and try to base it off of what is on sale for the week. I will be posting my weekly menu. I hope that it will help others. 

Monday, January 2, 2012

Books

This year I am going to start sending care packages more often. I am working with Operation Forgotten Soldier to send packages to soldiers that do not receive much. So for the first care package I am requesting books. The soldiers are stationed in Afghanistan and are requesting books that are adventure, suspense, horror, thriller, or Bibles. Everyone check your house we all have books that are taking up space that we do not need any  more, if you have any books that you can donate please contact me. If you do not have any books in these categories you could also send a note or card of encouragement. The soldiers would greatly appreciate either. I will be sending this package the first week in February so please all donations need to be received by the end of January. Thank you!