I've figured out the secret to saving money: waiting. Lately we've been trying to teach Eleora a little bit of patience as she waits for her food by having her say, "Lord..." "LORD!" "...give..." "Give." "Me..." "ME!!!" "Patience."

"Payshen," she says finally, with a firm nod downward. Why is she waiting for her meal? Probably because Mommy is cooking it from scratch, which saves money over foods that are quick and easy (and unhealthy). A lot of times I have to have patience when I enter the kitchen and see a complete wreck, filled with my dishes from the last several days, because a) we don't have a working dishwasher (before we didn't even have one) and b) a lot of those pots and pans I use to cook with aren't dishwasher safe anyways and c) we rent our home instead of buying to save our future money and keep within our budget, which usually means renting a place that doesn't have a dishwasher, or, as is the case now, has one that is 15 years old and just doesn't do the job.

I have to wait for that house I want someday, when I can get all the decent appliances I want (at least, that's how it goes in my fantasies of home ownership). But even this week I've experienced more waiting for the sake of saving money, when I THOUGHT spending money was going to get me what I wanted right away. We bought a brand new washer and dryer for a great deal, after--yes, waiting--until we had shopped around several times and talked to several salespeople. We had to wait for the dryer at the place we actually purchased it, because they were the ones who originally offered the amazing price although their dryer was on back-order (unlike Best Buy and Home Depot, who had the full set right there, ready and waiting, but wouldn't match the price unless we had it in writing from said first dealer).

Upon moving here we opened up a local bank account, but in order to save money we opened up an e-checking account instead of a regular account, which would have required that we keep at least $500 minimum balance at all times--something we could possibly do but have not tried yet. And so we took the e-checking, but we're still waiting for those debit cards to come in. We had to wait to transfer money from our old account so that we could have money to buy the washer and dryer, even after we'd decided which ones we wanted and had the deal we wanted. We don't buy things on credit, and so we have to wait for the bank to open to even get money to get food or other things--and we have to wait for the right time since we don't buy everything, all at once, at Wal-Mart, but try to shop at local stores, or at least stores that we believe execute business in a less monopolizing fashion and which are cheaper, like Aldi. (Yes, there are places you can buy cheaper food than Wal-Mart, believe it or not). This means, "Oh, I want a tomato. I guess I'll wait until the farmer's market, which is local and has better tasting and cheaper tomatoes oftentimes than I'll get right here at the grocery store." Or perhaps waiting until that particular fruit or vegetable I want is in season and therefore cheaper. Or even, "Man, I'd really kill for a smoothie right now," but instead I wait until I get home and have juice and frozen fruit and yogurt in the fridge on hand and then I make one myself for like 2% of the price (well, close enough). More waiting comes when you don't get the super-speedy internet or regular cell phones. We have to wait to get home to call our friend instead of dialing them right then and there in the grocery store, or texting so I don't have to talk to them while in line. I had to wait to get the phone and internet...oh, and that brings me to more waiting, because setting up a regular phone line would be quicker than waiting for internet to be set up so that we can have a super-cheap phone line with Vonage, which requires internet connection first.

How about this? Waiting for that best-seller or popular book at the library to make it down the hold list so I can read it instead of buying it right now at the bookstore? It means waiting until the movie comes out at a cheaper theater or on DVD to watch it, or waiting until I can get to a computer with a higher speed so I can watch my friend's latest video because my computer is a hand-me-down, lovingly rebuilt by friends for free to save me some money. Or waiting for my tax return several weeks later because I don't have a printer and I didn't want to fork out the money required to do it online. A lot of times it means waiting and waiting so long that I eventually forget I ever even wanted it, whatever 'it' is, in the first place.

All that said, a lot of these things, when looked at from a higher perspective, are silly and not really necessary. But it's easy for me to forget that when everyone around me seems to be able to have access to or get everything they want or need at lightning speed. And don't get me wrong: Ross and I are very much a part of the typical American way and get plenty of things we want much, much faster than the rest of the world. I'm just gonna say it out loud: I don't like the waiting game. I am totally a spender, and completely impatient. I want what I want right now, thank you very much. And I know full well it costs me sometimes over 100% to be impatient and actually get what I want right this instant. And sometimes I go for it anyways, and suffer the buyer's remorse to a degree of intensity that a lot of people would collapse from.

So today I'm going to go all prairie-girl and hunker down and hand wash Eleora's clothes, because she' s completely run out of them since we haven't done laundry in over two weeks. And, while I do it, I'm going to try, really hard, to say, "Lord, give me patience."

Here it is...a year has been reached. My baby girl is growin' up. She's walking all over the place. I swear her little body doesn't look like it should be able to walk yet! It's 12 :52 a.m. and why am I still up, when that little one will probably be waking me up in an hour or so for her nighttime snack? Well, her big birthday bash is tomorrow, and after a disastrous incident with the blueberry tart (one of three I decided to make for our guests) I ended up having to stay up this late to make her little cupcake/muffins for her personal cake. It's sugary...but it's not a chocolate cake or something with icing on it. It's cardamom-apple cake, baked in muffin tins. Oh man, they are GOOD (of course I ate one, are you kidding?). I mean, I guess I didn't have to stay up this late, but that's what you do when you're crazy and take on too much to do to make your baby's party a good time. Or at least something you can be proud of, without the $57.95 party supplies in some sort of theme. Eleora's theme? Blue, yellow, and red. Primary colors...her premiere annee (I think that's how you'd say it)--first year...get it? At least friends will be proud of me for not doing the complete rainbow thing, like I'm sure they'll expect. Some friends gave Eleora some rainbow-ey pants last weekend and said, "Just what you love, Ele! I mean, just what your MOM loves!"

She's so beautiful. I'm thankful for the opportunity to go nuts for three days in preparation for her party. But the most important thing? I need to remember HER through it all. This isn't about me. It is about her. Lord, help me focus on my daughter always, and especially tomorrow, and let her know how special she is to me and how much I love her.

Those of you that have known me for a while know that I am a "treehugger," "greenie," or whatever you want to call it. My dad just says I'm a plain 'ol hippie. Whatever moniker I may go by, the basic point remains: I have always cared about "saving the planet" or, since becoming a Christian, being a good steward of the earth. I am a midwestern granola girl. I can name several things from my childhood that probably contributed to my concern about my impact on the environment. One of the best teachers was simply growing up in the country, with seven beautiful acres that my parents lovingly maintained and let us roam free upon. When it was groomed, our yard(s) looked like a park. My parents planted over 200 trees, my mom loved gardening, and we even had our own vegetable garden for a few years. Another teacher was one of our money-making chores: my mom or dad would have us line up all of the beer cans and pop cans on the driveway. We would smash them--one, two, three pounds of my dad's heavy sledgehammer--and then gather up giant bags of them. My mom took us to the recycling center where we would get some money, which she would then let us use however we wanted. Often we chose to go to a gas station that had some awesome frozen yogurt flavors. The funniest memory I have in relation to recycling is a concert (yes, a concert) we performed in fifth or sixth grade, during which we sang a song I still remember called, "Recycle Now." Went a little something like this:
Recycle, recycle, recycle now!
There's nothin' to it if you just know how
so tell your momma, and your daddy, and your sistah, too!
Recyclin' is the thing to do!

Yeah...astonishing really. I still can't believe that happened. But anyway, the damage is done, and I am proud of who I've become. I've gotten most of my roommates sold on recycling and other green habits. So today I wanted to share some ways that I live that just may help you be more green, or at least think about it. I also want to share some of my green goals for this year. Happy Earth Day (in two months)!

• When going out to eat, if I don't use all of the napkins I took, I stuff the unused ones in my purse for later use. Same thing with hand wipes you can get at Buffalo Wild Wings or other messy places.
• I wash and reuse my Ziploc bags, and any other zippie baggie I get. I haven't bought a box of baggies in years! Of course, when they are disgusting I throw them out...after washing them.
• I use paper bags at the store. I've heard people debate which is better, but I like to save the paper bags to use for my paper recycling. That way I can just throw the entire bag in the bin instead of dumping out a plastic bag.
• I recently went to www.ftc.gov and signed up to get myself removed from junk mail lists.
• I shower every other day, unless I worked out or swam or otherwise got really dirty. This is also good for my hair. This is hard for me to do in the winter because sometimes a shower is the only thing that will really warm me up!
• I pay my bills online and have removed myself from most of my paper bills. I still have checks, but I don't use them much.
• Biking! I obviously don't do it much anymore, but I'm getting excited about this spring and when Eleora is old enough (in a year or so) to ride with me. It is so excellent in so many ways: riding home from work becomes a relaxing, calming affair; your heart gets pumping; your legs are strong; you feel that childlike freedom again. A short trip to the store becomes a way to sneak in some exercise and feel the fresh air on your face. Nuff said.
• We cloth diaper, and it's fun! Sometimes it's gross...and I know once she starts eating solids it will only get worse. But it was worth a try and we're still at it nearly six months later.
• I am learning various natural cleaning methods. Did you know vinegar is an awesome cleaner? Baking soda is too. Just go online and type "home made cleaners" to find all kinds of neat ways to clean without using icky chemicals.
• When I'm at the grocery store I don't usually use those baggies for my veggies. I also have several canvas bags and am getting better at remembering to bring them to the store when grocery shopping. I also say, "I don't need a bag," to the clerk when I don't need one. Easy as pie.
• Another eating out tip: When with a spouse or family member, just use ONE large or medium cup and share. Don't use a straw or lid. You don't need those--come on, isn't a paper cup sanitary enough? Plus, I've heard straws can give you gas 'cause they make you gulp more air, and who wants that? I also try to bring my stainless steel water bottle with me to fill up when I can, or an old plastic bottle.
• I never buy bottled water. Get a Brita water pitcher.
• One funny thing I did for only a year was with roommates Mandy and Jill. We wouldn't flush the toilet if we just peed. Bet you wanted to know that!
• Goals I have for this year include: getting a good showerhead to reduce water consumption; making sure I turn off the water when I brush my teeth; lowering the thermostat in the winter and leaving it higher in the summer; growing my own herbs and maybe some tomatoes; getting better at making my own leg wax out of honey, lemon, sugar, and water; learning how to make my own laundry detergent or buying natural, homemade stuff from etsy; using natural body sponges so I'm not throwing out a plasticky one every few months; and any other tips you or friends may have for me.

When all is said and done, I may not be doing much, but at least I'm doing something. And that makes me feel pretty good.

Yes, if I can find the opportunity to make fun of her, I will: Miss Martha Stewart, connoisseur of all things "good" and perfect, gardener, cook, designer, and organizer extraordinaire. But recently a friend let me borrow several recent issues of Martha Stewart Living that she had borrowed from a friend, and...I was hooked. There were so many incredible tips! I learned so much I never knew about cranberry-colored glass and shell art and peonies and cleaners! And most of all, it was the recipes. Pure, unadulterated, non-low-fat recipes; creative, delicious-looking, and with photos put together like the food was a work of art--in fact, it is a work of art. So I tackled what seemed to be a popular "star" of her magazine--a tart. A cranberry-almond tart, in this case. The biggest task for me was to perfect the crust of the tart--the "patee sucree." The sugar pastry.

I have to admit, I am not good at making crusts. I want to get better at it. But this one did exactly what every other crust has done, though I followed the instructions to a "t." It collapsed and melted from the sides, there was so much butter in it! This has happened to me so many times before...

Yet, reader, the end result is always the same--you're pretty much guaranteed it if you use lots of butter--even though the crust didn't look like the picture (never does), the flaky, buttery texture and taste was to die for. And I hope that someday I can say I made almost every single Martha Stewart Living recipe that ever enticed me with it's gorgeous name and photo.

Lately I have been reading a lot of magazines...breastfeeding creates a lot of time to think and/or read. And all I can think is how badly I someday want to own my own teahouse/bakery or bed and breakfast. Ross and I talk about that a lot...how we want to do that when we retire or grow old. He always lets me know my cooking that qualifies for our future B&B. How I want it to be a tiny little cozy place. Somewhere along the way for travelers from far away and a haven for locals. I almost feel like I am losing every other dream to this one, because every time I read about someone who owns and runs such a place, I'm filled with extreme jealousy! Why do they get to live that out, and not me? I try to remind myself of the hard work...especially as I learn as much as I can on my own of the "pastry arts"--working out a pie crust, trying to get it just right, is hard enough in my little kitchen, for one single pie! I remember the stress and hustle and bustle of working in food. And I think to myself, "Would I be up for getting up that early every morning just to make a bunch of croissants and scones?" But, I feel that as long as the location is right, and as long as I can get the training I need and have money to decorate and create as I want...I would love it.

My friend Kristi and her redhead daughter, Celia, a bundle of amazement...
My friend Anna's new baby Mourlea...
Talking to my little sister nearly every day and hearing about her baby, Daphne the Shi Tzu...
My friends Kris and Sevo's baby Imani (almost 6 months old now I think)...
Being married to the best man in the world and carrying his baby girl in my tummy...



...these are just some things I am currently loving. Thank you, Lord, for the many, many blessings in my life. More to come soon!

I just read a post by friend Josh Goeke about how gloom is 'in.' It is in, it seems...and has been for a some time. I read my friend Mat's response--"...I just wanna scream, 'Ever been to a third world country?'" It really is ridiculous...the whole 'gloom' and 'me, me, me' thing is why I'm not so into this stuff anymore...Xanga and related(mostly) depresses me. I find myself disappointed with peoples' posts...so much so that there are many, many sites I deliberately do not look at because it will sadden my heart so much (though I rarely look at anyone's anymore...only those that are uplifting or just simply random and real and fun).

With all that said...I don't really know why I decided to write something today. Maybe I just wanted to communicate some thoughts to Mandy Moo, who is probably the only one that will see this. Or whoever.

I am so eternally blessed, no matter how bad I am feeling. I can't believe the changes that God has done in my heart in just the span of one year. It is crazy how I feel so much closer to Him, yet still SO far away. This morning in Sunday School we talked about how it will take eternity to get to know God, because He is so much, and has so many attributes. I am still learning just how utterly selfish I am. And those moments I am not are the grace of God in my life. It is such a blessed thing to LOVE someone...to get outside of yourself, for a moment, and really CARE about what he or she is going through, and to want the glory of God to be reached in and through his or her life more than you want any thing or any benefit from it or the 'success'--or whatever--for yourself. To simply want the very best--but God's best, for someone. To stop just praying for 'needs,' but start praying more for their ultimate, true need, which is a real, vital, daily relationship with the resurrected Jesus Christ--a trust in Him that surpasses all understanding in the peace it brings. I am learning that God is so good...so much more so than could I ever know, or am even aware.

Anyways, time to go home and get on with life...I have extreme lazy tendencies. Oh! and one more thing...I noticed that my boyfriend posted about me on his website...so I figured I should mention him as well! Like you don't know already if you are reading this. But anyways, Ross is an amazing, incredible person, full of character and integrity, and I respect and admire him so much. He has been a great friend for a long time, and now, in our dating relationship, we are growing closer and our friendship is growing stronger. He is a true blessing in my life and I am so thankful for this season, and I want Jesus to receive all of the glory, no matter what happens. Okay...see ya!