The winner of last week’s $500 Target gift card is: Melissa (richnmissy1@)
Welcome back to the Say Goodbye to Survival Mode Book Launch Party! Over the next five weeks, we’ll be giving away one BIG giveaway every single week. And trust me, you’ll want to enter to win each and every one of them!
I’m so excited about releasing this book — writing it was hard but oh-so-good! And I believe the message of the book is going to change lives in powerful ways.
The book shares my story of pulling out of the pit of survival mode and the practical steps I've taken to be living a life filled with meaning and purpose. It's raw, vulnerable, and authentic — and it delves much deeper into my story and personal journey than I've had the space to do here on the blog.
I poured hours, days, weeks, and months into this project. And I'm truly thrilled with the final product — and I believe wholeheartedly that you will be blessed and encouraged by reading it.
Here’s more on it from the book description:
Calling the super busy, the stressed out, the overtired.
You know you’re made for a more fulfilling life. With this book, you'll know where to start.
You wake up tired. Your to-do list is too long. The commitments—and the laundry—are piling up, but your energy keeps dwindling. You feel like you’re simply making it through the days, not living or enjoying any part of them.
In Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, you’ll find both practical ideas and big-picture perspective that will inspire you to live life on purpose. As a wife, mother of three, and founder of the wildly successful blog MoneySavingMom.com, Crystal Paine has walked the road from barely surviving to living with intention. With the warmth and candor of a dear friend, she shares what she’s learned along the way, helping you:
feel healthier and more energetic by setting priorities and boundaries
eliminate stress with savvy management of your time, money, and home
get more done by setting realistic goals and embracing discipline
rediscover your passions—and the confidence to pursue them
Packed with straightforward solutions you’ll use today and inspirational stories you’ll remember for years, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode is a must for any woman who’s ever longed for the freedom to enjoy life, not just survive it.
We’re Celebrating You!
You all have been my cheerleaders on this journey. Your comments and emails have been the catalyst for so much personal growth in my life. And you all have inspired me to become something I never believed I could be — a writer.
You all show up here every day. You listen, you share, you comment, you inspire… and you keep showing up, even when I don’t always get posts up in a timely manner and even when it takes me longer than I hope to finish series. You keep showing up. And you tell your friends. And you leave beautiful comments. And you send me emails of encouragement.
This book deal never would have happened without you. So months ago when we started dreaming up ideas about a book launch, my heart’s desire was to bless you all and knock your socks off with giveaways and other fun things — as a small way for me to express how grateful I am for each of you.
Enter to Win a $500 Amazon Gift Card
We’re giving away a $500 Amazon gift card this week. You don’t have to do anything to enter other than leave your name and email address — just like all our other giveaways.
If you wanted to do something to help us launch this book, we’d love that. But know that it’s not required.
2. Sign up for the FREE 7-Day Say Goodbye to Survival Mode Course(see the orange banner at the top of the page here or click the check box in the giveaway form below). This course is packed with encouragement and practical tips to help you live with more purpose and joy.
Again, if you don’t have time to do any of these three things, just skip straight to signing up for the $500 Amazon gift card below. One winner will be chosen and posted next Tuesday. I hope you win!
Please note that the price of these ebooks is currently $0.00, but that could change at any time. Be sure to verify before checking out that it is still free.
Unless otherwise noted, these ebooks are specifically for Kindles, but you can go here to download a free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
Today, we’re talking about Christmas decorating. I encourage you to find some way to add a little Christmas decor or Christmas spirit to your home today — even just lighting a Christmas-scented candle, playing Christmas music, or making Homemade Christmas potpourri.
If you need some ideas, you might enjoy scrolling through the Simple Christmas posts I shared last year.
What are your favorite quick and simple ways to decorate for Christmas?
2. Find one simple way to add a little Christmas decor or Christmas cheer to your home today.
3. Come back tonight around 8 p.m. and share about your Christmas decor or ways that you can simply add some Christmas cheer to your home. I’ll share some pictures of our Christmas decor, too.
Old Navy is having an in-store sale today only where you can get 60% Off items throughout the store. You can also get a great deal on Cozy Sweaters for the family for only $10 each.
This 60% off sale is good today, Decebmer 18, 2013, in stores only.
Here are some of this week’s best grocery & household deals from Amazon.com, courtesy of Terry and Mandi from Jungle Deals & Steals. Many of these prices are higher than what you'd pay by combining coupons with sales, but they may be good deals for you if you live where there aren't many stores or deals are scarce:
Colgate: Get this great deal on Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste. The 6-ounce tubes are on sale for as low as $1.62 each ($3.24 for the twin pack).
Hershey’s: Now’s a great time to stock up on Hershey’s Cocoa. You can get the 8-ounce cans for as low as $2.29 each ($13.72 for the pack of 6).
Kraft: The great deal is back on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. The 7.25-ounce boxes are available for as low as $0.65 each ($9.77 for the pack of 15).
Terry & Mandi are a busy mother-daughter team that look for ways to save money without sacrificing a lot of time, and they share their love for all things Amazon.com at Jungle Deals & Steals.
Here’s a wonderful gift idea, and this is a unique deal that I have only seen a few times before!
Order a one-year subscription to Hobby Farm Home Magazine for only $7.50 when you use coupon code MONEYSAVING at checkout. This magazine gets excellent reviews on Amazon and this is the lowest price that I have seen on this magazine.
About Hobby Farm Home Magazine: Hobby Farm Home celebrates traditional farm life with modern flair. Articles include cooking with home-grown produce and farm-raised meat, the decor of the farmhouse, reviving farm traditions, and the handmade creation of objects-bringing the farm indoors.
This offer expires tonight 12/18/13 11:59 PM EST.
Are you looking for other magazine titles? You can use coupon code MONEYSAVING to save 20% off of most titles at DiscountMags!
Janine (Kaleb.janine@) Jonna (Brixius@) Kay (kaykelly00@) Casey (caseyburkholder@)
Each winner should have received an email with further instructions on claiming your prize.
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Are you giving something away on your blog this week? If so, post your link below and let all the readers here know so they can get in on the action! Your giveaway must be family-friendly and no-strings-attached. In addition, to make it easy to navigate, your link must go directly to your giveaway post. Links going to the homepage of your blog or any other part of your blog besides the direct link to your giveaway post will be deleted. Links left solely for the purpose of promoting an affiliate link will also be deleted.
Here are the best deals at Walmart right now with thanks to Heather from Passion for Savings for her help in compiling them. The prices below are based on Northwest Arkansas region. Please keep in mind that Walmart deals vary by region so the prices listed here will not be valid at all stores.
Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes – $1.25 Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 12/15 SmartSource insert $0.75 after coupon
Goldfish Mac & Cheese Pasta – $0.98 Buy 2 and use $0.55/2 printable $0.71 each after coupon
Hinode Heat & Serve Fragrant Jasmine White Rice – $1.98 Use $1/1 printable $0.98 after coupon
Gas-X 10 ct. – $2.44 Use $1.25/1 coupon from the 12/15 SmartSource insert Or buy 3 and use $10/3 coupon from the 10/13 SmartSource insert Or buy 2 and use $5/2 coupon from the 10/13 SmartSource insert As low as Free + $2.68 Moneymaker after coupon
BIC Sensitive Disposable Razors – $2.68 Use $2/1 coupon from the 12/15 SmartSource insert $0.68 after coupon
Benefiber 3 pk. Sticks – $1.97 Use $1/1 coupon from the 12/15 SmartSource insert Or buy 3 and use $10/3 coupon from the 10/13 SmartSource insert Or buy 2 and use $5/2 coupon from the 10/13 SmartSource insert As low as Free +$4.09 Moneymaker after coupon
Did you find a great deal at Walmart? Just post about it on your blog and leave your link below. To make it easy for everyone to navigate quickly through the links, your link must link directly to your Walmart deals post. Links going to the homepage of your blog or any other part of your blog besides the direct link to your Walmart deals post will be deleted.
“You’re a bad mom,” the anonymous blog comment read. And it didn’t stop there. It went on to detail just how I was failing as a mother and how this person was so disappointed with me.
After I read the comment, I felt crushed and discouraged. Maybe it was true. I started questioning my mothering abilities and quickly began feeling like a big failure.
Before I sunk into a state of utter discouragement, though, I decided I should probably have Jesse read the comment to see if he thought there was truth in it.
After Jesse read the comment, his response was: “That anonymous commentor may be disappointed with you, but they don’t know what goes on in our home. I’m not disappointed with you and that’s what matters.”
This experience reminded me of the lesson I’ve been learning over and over as a blogger. I am always going to disappoint someone. It’s inevitable. As much as I wish I could please everyone all the time, I realize that it’s impossible.
When I say yes to playing with my kids, it might mean that I don’t get as many blog posts written and I disappoint my blog readers. Or, when I say yes to spending time with my husband, it might mean I don’t have time to respond to as many comments from readers as I’d like to get to respond to — probably disappointing someone that I didn’t respond to their question or kind comment.
No matter what I blog (or don’t blog) about or what I do (or don’t do) as a blogger, someone is going to be disappointed.
Some would love me to write more on a certain subject or share fewer of a certain type of post. Some wish I were more real and messy. Others wish I were more perfect and put-together. And just when I think I’ve finally found a way to strike a great balance, someone comes along and says that I’m totally missing the mark.
Whether you’re a blogger or not, you’ve likely experienced the same in your own life. You just can’t please everyone. You’re never going to measure up to everyone’s expectations for you. And no matter what you do, you’re always going to be disappointing some people — usually without meaning to do so.
So what do you do when you disappoint someone? Here are some suggestions I’ve learned from my journey out of living my life as a people-pleaser these past few years (it’s still a journey, and I’ve far from arrived!)
1. Don’t Beat Yourself Up
When you find out that you’ve disappointed someone, don’t immediately do what I did in the scenario above and start berating yourself. This never accomplishes anything good. Instead, nip this in the bud and make yourself think objectively (see step #2).
2. Step Back & Consider Their Perspective
Ask yourself (or a trusted friend or family member): “Is there merit in this person’s disappointment?”
Did you do something offensive that you need to ask forgiveness for (see step #3)? Is this a person who knows you well and has your best interests at heart? Or is this someone who is just making a false accusation?
3. Graciously Admit When You’re Wrong
I make mistakes. I struggle. I fall. I fail. I’m a work in progress and I’m learning right along with the rest of you.
When I make mistakes and it disappoints someone, I want to own up to that, admit that I was wrong, and ask forgiveness. Justifying my wrong behavior and/or pretending it never happened are never the right ways to respond — even if it wasn’t entirely my fault.
4. Determine Your Personal Priorities
What’s going to matter in 25 years from now? This question really helps me to figure out my priorities and what matters most. It also helps me to be okay when I’ve been a disappointment as a blogger if I know that my more important priorities (health, family, relationship with the Lord, etc.) are thriving.
Note: In my book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, I talk about how determining my Personal Priorities and creating what I call a “Best Stuff List” has revolutionized my life. It’s helped me to have much clearer focus and given me confidence to say no to things that aren’t the most important priorities in order to say yes to what’s really going to matter years from now. If this is an area you struggle with, I encourage you to pre-order a copy of my book as I think you’ll be encouraged by my journey and the struggles I’ve had and the lessons I’ve learned.
5. Stop Living Your Life to Please Other People
You can’t please everyone or make everyone happy. But you can sure exhaust yourself trying.
Wrap your life around your personal priorities, be confident in the things you are called to do, be as gracious as you can, but accept that you will disappoint some people along the way. And that’s okay.
How do you deal with people who are disappointed with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!
Today, I did some Christmas Freezer Cooking. I was planning to make three different recipes, but we spent all afternoon at the ice-skating rink, so we ended up only having enough time to make two recipes while we were making dinner tonight.
Both recipes were a big success — which made me so happy!
Did you do any Christmas Freezer Cooking? If so, tell us what you made in the comments or share the link to your blog post (if you’re blogging about the challenge).
I keep seeing you put on your goal list to write a love note to your hubby and am curious as to what you choose to write about? -Emily
Since this is one of the most-asked questions on my blog, I figured it was high time I answer it in a post.
Why Love Notes?
First off, some of you may wonder why I write love notes and am intentional about trying to do it every week. My husband and I have been married for almost 11 years and the thing I’ve learned over the years is that a good marriage doesn’t just happen; it’s something you have to intentionally work at.
And you don’t just work at it a little bit and that tides you over for months. No, you keep investing in it day in, day out. It’s work. But it’s oh so worth it.
Writing love notes is just one of the little ways I seek to invest in our marriage on a regular basis. It’s simple, it doesn’t require much time, and it doesn’t cost anything, but my love notes often are a huge boost to my husband’s day. They let him know that I care, that I appreciate him, and that I’m thinking of him as I go throughout my day.
What Do You Write About?
The love notes I write to my husband are about all sorts of different things. There’s no set “right” way to write a love note. What matters is that Jesse feels loved when reading it.
Sometimes they are short and sweet. Sometimes, they are long and mushy. Depending upon what mood I’m in, they might be funny, serious, deep, or goofy.
Can You Give Me Some Examples?
Many women have written in to say that they’d love to write love notes to their husband, but they don’t know what to say. And they feel like they’d quickly run out of things to write.
The sky is the limit when it comes to love notes. Once you start thinking of ideas, I bet you’ll find they are a lot easier to come up with than you think.
Remember this: a love note doesn't have to be long — and it doesn't even have to be hand written! You can send a text, type up the note, write an email, or use a dry erase marker to write on your bathroom mirror.
Your method of writing it doesn't matter as much as the fact that it comes from your heart.
To get you started, here are some suggestions to spark your creativity:
Thank him for something he’s done for you recently.
Praise a character quality.
Reminisce about some adventure you had together.
Write about something you’re looking forward to doing with him.
Express gratitude for the everyday things he does.
Flirt with him.
Write an acrostic for his name and come up with something you’re grateful for that starts with that letter.
Create a secret code and write your love note in that code for him to decipher.
Write a poem.
Share something you’ve been reading/learning about recently that would interest him.
Send him a text out of the blue to tell him you’re thinking of him.
Share with him what you prayed for him that morning.
When you begin to look for things to be grateful for, I guarantee you’ll see things you never noticed before! And your little notes of gratitude and love could mean more to him than you ever could have imagined.
to download a free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
Are you giving something away on your blog this week? If so, post your link below and let all the readers here know so they can get in on the action! Your giveaway must be family-friendly and no-strings-attached. In addition, to make it easy to navigate, your link must go directly to your giveaway post. Links going to the homepage of your blog or any other part of your blog besides the direct link to your giveaway post will be deleted. Links left solely for the purpose of promoting an affiliate link will also be deleted.
Here are the best deals at Walmart right now with thanks to 
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