Work On It Wednesday - Exercising

I have been working myself on exercise again! I started 2 weeks ago on my treadmill. I have decided to start slow so that I do not injure myself (like I have before) trying to do too much too fast. I have never run in my life. But I have made a goal of trying to run 1 mile by the time I turn 50. That is next March. I know it sounds like a really lame goal to many of you...especially you that have the goal or who do run marathons. But for me it is a big goal.
Like I said I am starting slow. I am walking 1/4 mile to warm up. Then I am starting with just 1/10 runs and then walks. I am up to two 1/10 runs and working on a 3rd one.
I am just hoping I can do this.
Come join us for Work on it Wednesday. Add your name and what item you are working on. Then you can pick up this button off the right sidebar and post it on your Wednesday blog so we can help encourage you!

Wordless Wednesday

The kids on our spring break at Devil's Den in Gettysburg, PA.

I am not very good at being Wordless! For my Work on it Wednesday Followers, I haven't given up on it, but just going to alternate this in every other week.
Thanks and "keep working on it".

Work On It Wednesday - Stepping out of the Box

I have to admit that I have been working on stepping out of the "box". I did my first Webcast on MomTv.com I was very nervous. I haven't played it back because I don't want to see that I messed up. I will pick it apart I know. (plus something is wrong with the volume on my computer and I can't hear it!) But I felt glad that I did it and I am excited for next week. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The people who were watching were great and making comments. That really helped.
I have started going to Tastecasting by myself and meeting new people that way. This is a great program! Dan Harris from right here in Columbus came up with this brain child in Feb. of this year and it is already going Nationwide. Social Networkers pair with restaurants or Bakerys, coffee houses etc. They bring in our group to have a "tasting" of some of their products. They tell us about their establishment and products...we get to try and see all these new places for free. Then we tell others about it on Twitter, Facebook and our Blogs. It is a "win-win".
I have to show you where we went last night. (I will be doing a posting on my Review blog hopefully tonight, so there will be more pictures...but here is a preview.)

This is SugarDaddy's Bakery. Their speciality is luxury brownies. They call these their brunettes. I could go on because it was all so good last night, and I will on my Review site soon...so check it out.

But Stepping out...it can be hard to do, it is hard for me. Is it for you? Do you hold yourself back from experiencing more and going further in your own business because of not stepping out of your box?
Join us for Work On it Wednesday! Click Here for full instructions.

Work On It Wednesday - Dehoarding Diary Works it out!

I have to send you to Chaotic Kittens - Dehoarding Diary
She is awesome. She was overwhelmed when it came to her kitchen. She didn't know where to start. She had several things blocking her. Old food in the cupboards, so she didn't want to put in new food. She had too many piles of other things in the kitchen and can't get around in it. She had clothes from the laundry and bags of new food on the floor. There were so many stumbling blocks that prevented her from doing anything. Does some of that sound familiar? I bet it does. Things can get so bad that you don't know where to start...so the easiest thing is to do nothing. And then of course the mess keeps growing.
You need to read this post of hers to see how she breaks down the problem and knows what she must do to begin the process. It also becomes clear to her that the problem is workable and it became much less overwhelming once she thought through the process. Wonderful!

Join us for Work On it Wednesday! Click Here for full instructions.

Work on it Wednesday

I am still working on transferring the winter to summer clothes for the kids. I got most of it done on Monday, but I still have bins upstairs to finish going through.
I am working all week between the Doctors office and my organizing clients - so will have to work on it a little bit at a time.
I am finished with my daughters. With the 8 year olds I have theirs almost complete. I still have to get into the 15 and 16 year olds room and work on theirs. But I really need them to help me.
I let them do the transfer themselves last transfer summer to winter. It didn't go so well, so I am going to be doing more of it this year.
Join us on Wednesdays with any project that you need to encourage yourself with.
Just add your name to the Mr. Linky. Then each Wednesday use the Work on it Wednesday button and tell us how you are doing.

Work On it Wednesday - Getting rid of a "favorite"

Getting rid of something that has been well loved, is super comfortable or is hard to replace is very hard to do. There comes a time that for many items it needs to be done. Chaotic Kitten who writes Dehoarding Diary is working on a challenge today of throwing out a favorite pair of shoes because they have come to the end of their shoe life. She says that she doesn't own a lot of shoes and these are her favorites...so it is going to be hard to do.
Keep in mind if you have followed my Work on It Wednesday...that Chaotic Kitten is a hoarder and as she has been on this very difficult journey this year to dehoard her home...getting rid of things is much more difficult for her than the average person. Be sure to check out her blog. She is very inspirational!

So how do you get rid of something that is hard to give up...but has worn out and serves no purpose (other than taking up space)?
I wrote a comment to her to be funny....but in all reality it is true. You can take a picture of that special item, so you have a visual memory of it. But the actual item and the space it takes up is gone.

Work On It Wednesday - Algebra Teacher with Declutter a Little Each Day

This week I am going to give my Gem of the Week award to Algebra Teacher with her blog Declutter a Little Each Day.
She does exactly that. She tells of what she works on each day and takes pictures. I think this is great! Go further on her blog and find the entry way/desk area before and after pictures. It looks great.
She actually has 4 blogs altogether, so get your recipe/savings hat on or algebra questions ready after you have read her decluttering blog.

Join our Work on It Wednesday group! Decide what you need to work on (it doesn't have to be organizing)and work on it on Wednesdays. Add your name to Mr. Linky, pick up the Work on it Wednesday button for your post about it. You may win the Gem of the Week Award also!

Work On It Wednesday

Donna from Zookeeping 101 (formerly Stop and Visit the Zoo) has been keeping up with Work on It Wednesday and I wanted to recognize her efforts! She has already won my Gem of the Week Award (but consider this x2!!)
She is taking a small task each week and doing her best to work on it. They aren't entire rooms or a whole house make over in 5 hours. Last week was having a stuffed animal hospital day and mending her childrens torn stuffed animals. (She is better than I, if they have a hole in them...all the better reason to toss them in my book. But if it is a favorite that is really special I wouldn't do that.)
This week she is working on clearing off her dresser! This is great.
If you take smaller tasks that are manageable you will have success and be more motivated to keep going.
There will always be organizing to do, kind of like laundry...even if you get the big organizing done, there is maintenance to keep up with.
I have a bathroom closet that is dying for reorganization. Since I have started couponing, I have a few (yes I will say the word) stockpiled ...no, how about "extra" items to store and need to make some room.
Go check out Donnas blog. Oh...and look at her basement pantry pictures. This is how you feed a family with 9 children!

Add your name to Mr. Linky if you would like to participate in Work on it Wednesday.

Work On It Wednesday - Coupon Workshop

I attended a couponing class given by Thrifty & Chic Mom. We met at a Panera Bread and filled the little back room. She said that 29 people told her they were coming and it was probably very close to that.
She gave us her tips on how to make the most of our coupons.
It is a different way of shopping. You buy when the sales are good on that product AND you have a coupon for it. Then if you have accumulated several coupons you buy as many of that item as you can.
Again...stockpiling is a very negative word for me...but saving money is not, and to a point I can make a place for these items.
I have been having several difficulties starting out. I don't really know what a "good price point" is yet on each item that says...."BUY IT NOW...YOU WON'T GET IT FOR LESS!!" Of course if it is free I understand that. But, one tip she gave me was that she never pays more than a $1 for a box of name brand cereal. So that helps me. So I see when a deal ends up that a box of cereal is going to be down to $1.69, I wait because it will go lower. (Or others will go lower than that)
If you have a chance to go to a couponing class where you live, I suggest that you go.

What are you working on? Add your name to the Mr. Linky and pick up my Button and keep in touch weekly.

Work On It Wednesday

I have to admit, this couponing business has been bigger than me. I have been good about clipping them out, but not as good at getting them in the notebook. I think it is a time thing. I just haven't fully worked it into my schedule. I am going to the store now and thinking, "Oh, I need that..but wait, I know I have a coupon at home for it, so I don't want to get it now, I am going to wait."
That can be a good thing and a bad thing. Decreases "impulse" buying, but there may be a lag in some of the things we could use that I am not getting. So maybe I am saving anyway? LOL
I am going to sit down and work on a list today and get it all together. This Saturday I am going to a class given by Thifty & Chic Mom on couponing. So I am hoping to pick up some more tips.
It gets overwhelming to me. I know that sounds really silly, but when you are looking at 3 or 4 store ads and you see the same product for sale, but one may be "buy one, get one free". Then another one is a certain amount off...etc. It is just getting it all coordinated and trying to figure out which is the best deal. Then deciding if it is a good deal to go to "that" store instead of "this" store because of location.
Share what you are working on with me. Add your name to the Mr. Linky and put the button on your Wed. posts and we can share along with you.

Work On It Wednesday - Coupon Offers

As I am working on Couponing and finding ways to save money I thought I would pass on some of these to you. I have some coupon offers already on my sidebar so that you can download and print these off. I think it is a great way to get some coupons easily. I only get one newspaper myself and I am all about convenience.
Here is the newest form of getting coupons. I am excited to try it myself. You can download coupons directly onto your shopping card. So even if you carry coupons with you to do your shopping, you may have an extra on your card. Better yet, if you are out and aren't expecting to stop at a store, so you do not have your coupons with you - then you may have the coupon you want right on your store discount card. Cool huh? Look for Cellfire on my sidebar to take advantage of this.
Ok...I just downloaded my first coupons onto my Kroger card. So easy!!
I am also just beginning to investigate some of these survey, reading e-mails and clicking for point sites. Already I know of a couple I really like, and at least one that I don't.
I will be working up a page that you will be able to access by a button on my sidebar if you want to also take advantage of this. That should be coming within the next couple of weeks.






What have you been working on?
Share it with us, so we can follow on your journey. You may win my Gem of the week award.

Work On It Wednesday - Still working on couponing.

I am continuing to try learning how to really make these coupons work for me. I went to Krogers and CVS today. I just wonder...does the longer the receipt mean you are doing better? LOL They are longer because you have all the extra Kroger discounts and coupons off.
I spent $119.55. I had a total of $39.63 off my bill. $15.48 of that was from manufacture coupons. The rest from Kroger discounts. So is that good? I am getting some name brand items. I always make sure that I am getting that name brand item for less than I would be paying if I was buying the same thing in a generic brand.

For CVS I know I did good.
I bought 2 things of CVS brand contact solution. It was on sale for $4.99. Normally it was I think $6.99. I also bough a thing of acne wash for the boys that was on sale for $3.49. Then I bought some hair color. I normally pay about $9.99 on sale for it. It was on sale for $6.99.
Now I had a $2.00 coupon for the hair color. I also had a $2.50 off of $12.50 coupon on CVS products.
Then I had a total of $9.98 in extracard bucks from my last visit.
So I paid a total of $6.54 for $28.96 worth of products.
I think that is good!! I was excited about that one.
Join me to let me know what you are working on. Add your name to the Mr. Linky. You may win my Gem of the Week Award.

Work on it Wednesday - My Day off

I am taking off today as it is my birthday. I had to share with you the cake my husband had made for me. (by a dear friend of mine who does an awesome job on cakes).
We celebrated on Monday night since we had Hubby's kids that night. Isn't it so cool!! I had to share it with you.

But not to forget Work on it Wednesday because we can't always take days off:
I do want you to all go back to Chaotic Kitten's blog the Dehoarding Diary and see how well she is doing with her dehoarding project.
Would love you to join us on picking a project you need to work on and add onto the Mr. Linky. Grab the button and put on your blog. Click here for more information.

Work On It Wednesday

I am going to share some of the "before" and "after" pictures of Foster Mama's closet make over! It looks so awesome. She decided that she really needed to do something after one of their shelves fell down. Having it done for them was out of the budget (as it is with most of us), so she and her Big Daddy did it themselves. You need to read the whole story yourself on her blog Postcards from Insanity. She is a hoot!

This is the "before" picture

This is "during" picture when you are thinking..."Oh my gosh, what have we done and can we do this?"

Finally the wonderful "after" picture when you think, "why didn't we do this a long time ago?...it wasn't so bad...right honey?"

Add your name on the Mr. Linky if you have something that you need to work on and need some support from your readers. Pick up the Work on it Wednesday and join the carnival! (Click on the Work on it Wednesday button if you need more instruction)

Work on it Wednesday

I would love to see "before" and "after" pictures of a project you might be working on or decide to work on! It may be organizing a room, craft project etc.
Sent them in and I can post them.

What are you working on this week? What is it that has been in your "crawl"? Driving you crazy because you haven't been doing it? Making you feel like a big "loooossser" because you can't keep it up? (Like me...my weight has not been going down..actually up another pound. Blah!!)
Well...that is what Work on it Wednesday is about.
Share it and talk about it on your blog. Get your readers to follow your struggles and encourage you. Pick up my button and link it back here. Then on the Mr. Linky sign up and your blog will be linked from this one!
I love to pick a Gem of the week to give an award to. Maybe it can be you!

Work On It Wednesday

It is Work on it Wednesday and I sit here and think about how many things I really need to be working on.
*I need to be working on making some money (budget is getting tight)
*I need to be working on exercising (I haven't been doing very good with that.)
*I need to be working on spending more time reading my Bible.
*I need to be working on really deep cleaning this house.
*I need to be working on cooking healthier and better meals.
*I need to be working on changing over my blogs from blogger to wordpress (scares
me to death to think about that. I have been told its important...but I don't want
to.
*I need to be working on losing my weight.

I can really over whelm myself. I can start to get depressed thinking....what the heck good am I anyway? But then I have to sit and think about the positives.
*I have been working very hard at building my Organizing business. As people have
cut back on having me come to their homes...I am working on new ways with my blogs
to help our income. (plus I work at the Dr. office part time)
*I do leg lifts when I am brushing my teeth...does that count for exercise? LOL
*I went to a ladies mini retreat and did spend some time in the Word.
*I vacuumed and dusted yesterday along with the laundry. Today I am going to work on
the upstairs.
*Tonight we are having Chicken Devan with chicken breast and broccoli.
*I am going to research the Wordpress vs. blogger thing and see what is involved.
*I didn't eat too bad yesterday (it was just the weekend that wasn't so good.) I
just have to remember to start fresh today and behave myself.


We are really good at beating ourselves up for the things we don't do. But we need to be better at giving ourselves a pat on the back once in awhile.
Please visit the ladies below to follow their progress. Add your name to the list and let us know what you are working on this Wednesday.

I am giving my Gem of the Week award this week to Zee Maid of In the Mommy Trenches . She has taken on a big task of organizing and cleaning several rooms of her house. She has taken some pictures of the "before" earlier this week. Go visit her and cheer her on!!

Work On It Wednesday - Join me!

Working on our "problem" areas is never easy...and usually not much fun. What area have you been really trying to work on? Trying to get under control or feel better about? Maybe it is a daily Bible reading, weight (like me trying to lose my last 10 pounds) or organizing that laundry room?
We have to just take it one step at a time and make the effort each day. I have to say I am no guru in doing all the things that I really want to do. I want to be a fantastic cook, I want to never have a toy out in my house and sparkling sinks all the time! I want to get down to my goal weight and then never gain another pound back! But I am human, and as most of you...have to work on everything. Organizing for me is not a chore most of the time, unless I just don't have the time...I enjoy it. But exercising...that is another story! Cooking...another story again.
Ok....I gained 1/2 pound this week. I know...I am supposed to be losing...being the example so that all of you will be inspired....but at least I am honest? LOL
Join me as we work on our "problem" areas together.





My Gem of the week button goes to Donna this week of Stop and Visit the Zoo. She is working on organizing. Last week she had a post that she had plans to work on her kitchen pantry. Then she ended up with sick kids and a visit to the Doctor, so her plans got ruined. Isn't that how it works so often? But ladies....get this, Donna has 9 living children (she has one cute little guy who is living in heaven and we aren't going to forget to add him!!) And are you ready for this? She has 2 sets of triplets!! Two sets!! So for this woman to get anything done is beyond me...more power to ya!! Go visit her site and see what a mom of multiple multiples is doing today!

Work On It Wednesday

How has your week been on what you are working on? Have you put forth some effort in reaching your weekly goal? Well, if you haven't, don't give up. Just start from here and start new.
I didn't do great on my weight lose goal. Actually I didn't lose at all. I stayed the same. I guess since I gained 3 pounds over the weekend at Blissdom conference...I can't say too much now can I? Does it count that I took that 3 pounds back off (or should I say most of that water weight from all the salty foods that I ate?)I would like to say that it could have been much worse. If they had provided luscious brownies and cookies like I have had at other conferences..then I would have been in more trouble. Instead they had really good Little Debbie 100 calorie snacks!! Isn't that cool? I loved it. I did have some, but felt like I was satisfied with one.
So here is the down and dirty....I didn't lose any weight. I stayed the same. But I will keep going and work on it for next week...hopefully I can have a weight lose to brag about.
(I finally got Mr. Linky figured out...so please add your name on even if you posted it in a comment before...thanks!)

Work On It Wednesday

My week has been not the greatest for losing weight..but not the worse either. At one point I was down 1.5 pounds, but then I was back up 1/2 pound. We celebrated my son's 21st birthday Monday night and yes I had some hamburger pie and a piece of cake.
My bigger worry is this weekend. I am going to Blissdom '09. It is a conference in Nashville, TN for bloggers. I don't know about you but I always have a harder time when I am on any kind of vacation. I usually start out pretty good with really good intentions, but then I usually give in to the "good stuff" while I am there. I will try my hardest.




This weeks Gem award goes to The Chaotic Kitten for her blog Dehoarding Diary. You guys she is on a very difficult journey to declutter her home. Hoarding is not just a little messy for those of you familiar with it. It is a real life problem that has to be dealt with most times with counseling and many times medication. (I do not know if this is the case with the Chaotic kitten of not, I am speaking on my knowledge of hoarding). For people who think that someone is just a slob and needs to pick up their stuff...they need to learn there is a lot more to it. It is like telling someone with severe depression to just be happy. There is a lot of research going on with it and it is just coming to light for many people who never knew what was wrong. They just knew that they couldn't let go of stuff....lots of stuff. To the point that you can't have people in your homes. To the point that they can't even walk into a room, to the point that some have to make tunnels through the trash to get around their homes. There are several different levels of hoarding from mild to very severe where the homes can be condemned.
I am so proud of the Chaotic Kitten. She is on an adventure and she is going to conquer this thing....one little step at a time. One chair cleared off to be able to sit on...one desk cleared off and all the stuff out from underneath at a time. Please visit her site and help to cheer her on. You may be shocked at some of the pictures....but look at the positive side of the fact that she is working to make the change. (guys this is very difficult....it's not just about cleaning up.) but please look at her wonderful "after" pictures of what she has accomplished so far and please help support her!!!