Last night, something really exciting happened.
Something that YOU all made happen…
My book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, hit #8 on The New York Times Best Seller’s List!!!
If you’re not an author, that might not mean much to you. But as an author, that’s a HUGE honor… and something I still can’t believe actually happened!
It didn’t happen because of me. It happened because of YOU.
You all rallied around this book. You pre-ordered the book. You asked your libraries to carry it.
You celebrated my launch week last week by sharing about my book on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, and word-of-mouth with your friends. You went to your local bookstores and bought the book. You wrote reviews on Amazon.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for believing in this project. Thank you for celebrating with me. Thank you for sharing your excitement with others. Most of all, thank you for being readers here.
I wish that I could invite each and every one of you to my house for coffee and cookies and tell you face-to-face how much you all mean to me. I am humbly grateful for the opportunity I have to write here each day, to learn from your comments and emails, to interact with you all on the MSM Facebook Page, and to get to meet you all at speaking events.
But there’s something that means much more to me than hitting the NYT list… You see, last week, on my Book Launch Day, Kaitlynn (6) brought some brownies and a sign that read:
That sign speaks volumes of what I want for my life.
I’m thrilled to have made The New York Times Best Seller’s List, but what matters much more is that a six-year-old girl calls me “#1 Mom”.
The opportunities that have opened up as a result of this blog in the past few years are exciting. It’s my heart’s desire that I use the platform I’ve been given to influence as many lives as possible. I am passionate about challenging women and families everywhere to live all of their life with intention and purpose.
However, in the midst of this, I don’t lose sight of the opportunities to nurture and love the four people (my husband and three precious children) right in my own home. At the end of my life, those four people matter much, much more than any accolades.
So yes, we celebrated last night with cake and pancakes — two of my very favorite things! We hugged and hollered and called and texted our closest friends.
But it’s back to real life today. Back to the homeschooling and cleaning and cooking and the everyday things of life.
It’s messy, it’s often loud, and it’s sometimes exhausting, but I want to love and savor every minute of the everyday-ness of life in this home with these four wonderful people. Because that’s what’s going to matter most at the end of my life.
The post What Matters More Than Hitting the New York Times Best Seller’s List appeared first on Money Saving Mom®.
Aldi
3 Cucumbers – $0.29 each
1 Honey Wheat Bread – $1.29
2 Chunk Cheese – $1.79 each
1 Cotton Swabs – $1.39
1 Mini Marshmallows – $0.89
1 Italian Dressing – $1.39
1 gallon Milk – $2.88
2 Broccoli Crowns – $0.99 (I only bought one package but they charged me for 2 broccoli crowns and there were 2 inside the package. Does anyone know if they normally charge per broccoli crown that is inside each package?)
Total with tax ($1.02): $15.29
Dillons
I had one of those shopping trips at Dillons this week where you just want to forget ever using coupons again after checking out. They wouldn’t allow me to use the Buy One Get One Free coupon on 4 boxes of Cheerios that I had purchased as part of the Mega Sale (Buy 6, Get $3 off). I didn’t end up buying them, which meant I had to take out 2 more items from my groceries so that it would make the number of Mega items I was buying divisible by 6. In the end, there was a huge line waiting behind me, my cashier didn’t take off all 6 items and I ended up paying $1.99 extra. Oh well…
Items a part of the Mega Sale (Buy 6, Get $3 off instantly):
2 Starkist Tuna – $0.99 each, used $1/2 coupon from the 1/5 SmartSource insert – $0.49 each after coupon
4 Hefty Storage Bags – $1.49 each, used 2 $1/2 coupon from the 1/5 RedPlum insert – $0.99 each after coupons
2 Velveta Cups – $0.49 each, used 2 $0.75/1 printable - Free after coupons
1 can Green Chilies – $0.69
1 can Refried Beans – $0.69
1 Barilla Gluten Free Pasta – $1.99, used $0.75/1 mailer coupon – $1.24 after coupon
1 bag Golden Puffs Cereal – $2.99
2 Jose Ole Nacho/Taquito Bites – $2.50 each, used $3/2 printable - $1 each after coupon
1 Tyson Frozen Chicken Breasts – $7.49
3 Red Baron Frozen Pizza – $2.49 each, used $3/3 printable – $1.49 each after coupon
Other Items
1 Jimmy Dean Sausage – $3.59
1 Dillons Eggs (dozen) – $1.25
2 Rice Dream – $2.19 each, used 2 $2/1 printable - $0.19 each after coupons
2 Angel Soft Bath Tissue – $1.25 each, used 2 $0.45/1 coupon from the 1/5 RedPlum insert – $0.80 each after coupons
1 Kroger Tortilla Chips – $1
2 Ramen Noodles – $0.20 each
1 Kroger Potatoes (5 lbs) – $2.99
1 Kroger band aids – $1
1 Romaine Lettuce – $1.49
Total before coupons and sales: $84.40
Total after coupons and sales: $44.42
Total for all grocery items: $59.71
Menu Plan for this Week
Breakfasts
Cereal, Homemade Granola, Toast
Lunches
Macaroni and Cheese, Tuna Sandwiches, Cheese and Crackers/Fruit and Veggies, Leftovers, Peanut Butter Quesadillas
Dinners
Chicken Enchiladas, Brown Rice, Broccoli
Deer Roast, Potatoes, Carrots
Chicken and Rice Casserole, Broccoli, Tossed Salad
Sausage, Eggs and Biscuits, Fruit Salad
Southwestern Roll Ups, Cornbread, Steamed Cauliflower
Upside Down Pizza, Tossed Salad, Steamed Broccoli
Snacky Dinner (Frozen Pizza/Nacho Bites, Chips and Dip) for Super Bowl Sunday
The post Gretchen’s $59 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan appeared first on Money Saving Mom®.
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