The fun times out on the farm

Money Crunch

2008-10-11T21:13:00.005-06:00

Hello...

I am sure you all are like me & feeling the money crunch these days. It seems as if we have been hemorrhaging money. I have had to ignore the price of gas just so I can get to work everyday.

I have been searching & reading on the Internet lately a lot of saving money. One thing I keep hearing a lot about is clipping coupons. I used to do that every week, but I never used them. It seems that the grocery store brands were always much cheaper than the name brands. Also I had never heard of "Stacking." That is where a store like CVS or Walgreens has store coupons & then you clip manufacturers coupons & use them together on one item.

Well, I read where it has worked at Walgreens & CVS stores all over the country- but the question of the day is- Will it work here at my local stores???

So I spent the week Googling to get tips & tricks on how to get this to work for me. I found out that to get "Stacking" to work at Walgreens- you must have the cashier scan manufacturer coupons first then scan the store coupons.

After spending the day clipping & going over the sales ads & making a game plan.

I went to Walgreens first- I had more to get there, plus they are the best, because there is no card to show.

Well, I bought all of this stuff:

Yes, I know it doesn't appear to be a lot of stuff, but it is brand name stuff- which is rare in my house. Ok, as this stuff sits on the shelf would costs me a total of $34. Well, after I used all of my coupons I only spent $8.67!!!! I am now a convert to the coupon clipping world.

After going to Walgreens, I stopped at CVS. Now they have a reward card system.

So I bought these items:

On the shelf this would have cost me about $13 total. With all the discounts & coupons & rewards- final price was $5.10!!!!!

So for a little under $14 I brought home almost $50 worth of items! That will really add up over time.

Ok, So I am ready for a new week of coupons and discounts!!!

This week I am going to tackle the grocery store.... I will let you know how that turns out.

Where have I been?!?!?

2008-02-16T23:48:00.003-06:00

Well, my goodness!! Look here!! Where have I been?? I have been swampped with school & work & life. But I would just like to update everyone with what has been happening & to let you all know I am still hitting the books.

Well this I am in year number 2 of school. I talked to my scholarship advisor & she told me that I am at the end of my scholarship. If I want to continue to go to school to get my Pre-Pharmacy (associates) degree I would have to reapply as a new student, or pay for it myself. She told me there would be no guarantee that I would recieve the scholarship again, and I sure don't have the funds to pay for it. So I went to Rose & told my advisor my dilemma. He told me that I should just get my Liberal option associates. He told me that I could walk (graduate) THIS May if I do that!!! I will only need 2 more classes that I can take this summer. I am so excited!! So I am currentlhy taking 17 credit hours. It is a killer load along with working & all. But, most of my classes are online. I only go to the school to take Yoga.

I am reapplying for the scholarship so I can get my bachelors and then my masters degree- I am thinking Health Care Management- It is more in the business field & the money can be very good. That would be doing something like running a hospital or clinic.

So I have marked my calendar for May 2. That will be graduation day. I will post photos & keep you all up to date on my plans next...

Hugs Ya'll!!!

Hello Old Friend, Hello

2007-06-24T18:14:00.000-06:00

So I survived the Spring semester of school. It was so hard. I am glad it I passed. My grades were awful. I made a D in psychology. I love psych, but the professor was not very good at getting his point across. I hated his class. I did not think I would pass. Right after I took my last final we headed out on vacation for so much needed r&r. We went to Montana. We had a blast. I loved the scenery. When we hit Wyoming, it reminded me of a cowboy movie. A lot of the people we talked to only live in Montana & Wyoming seasonally. They would only work for 5-8 months each year & then they would vacation the rest of the time. Perfect!! I could easily handle that.
We were unable to dig for sapphires because it snowed 19" over night & closed down the town we planned on going to to dig, but we did dig for garnets (my birthstone) I found a lot of them. It was really cool.

I had 3 weeks off of school & now I am back in session. I am taking Intermediate Algebra which is the same as high school Algebra II. Which I aced over a decade ago. I remember all of the stuff the professor is talking about, but I hope I can remember it when it comes to taking a test.

I am looking ahead to the Fall Semester. I have already enrolled in my classes. I am taking English Comp II-3 credits, Humanities I -3 credits, College Algebra -3 credits & Zoology -5 credits. I am taking 14 credit hours this fall. I am scared I will not be able to keep up. This is the only combination of classes I can take to keep my scholarship. This is the only semester I will have a heavy load, so if I make it through, then it will be smooth sailing after that.
I will be in class Mon-Thur nights. I will only have weekends to get homework done. In the spring I plan on taking General Chemistry I & Lab -5 credits, Microbiology -5 credits and a Health and Wellness class - 2 credits. This will be pretty challenging. But I know if I can make it through the Fall, I will be fine.

I need to get some photos up from our vacation. I will try to sort through them soon & get them up. We had a blast. I am looking forward to out next vacation. I need to think of something cool to do next May.

Watch My Corn Pop Up In Rows

2007-03-31T20:36:00.000-06:00

Well, It has been a very long time since I have updated. I am still in school. I am hanging on. I am ready for summer break. We are planning our yearly vacation. We always go camping on our anniversary. We have it perfectly planned. We miss the crowds by going the week before Memorial Day. We can just about get any campsite we want. We are looking forward to this year's vacation.

My favorite show on T.V. lately is Cash & Treasures on the Travel Channel. They had a show where the host went to Montanta to to dig for sapphires. I am ready to pack my shovel & my bucket & go to Montana to find my fortune in sapphires. I will let you know how that "pans" out.... hee hee.

Well I started my garden. I planted the seeds in my little planters. I planted corn, spaghetti squash, regular squash & spinach. I planted them less than 2 weeks ago.

Here is what they look like today. I am going to plant them in the morning. I am so excited to watch my corn grow. I love driving by and seeing corn in the field growing. It really grows fast. I have chose red corn. I hope it grows & nothing eats it before I get see the corn. I will try to take more photos as it grows.....

I hope everyone is doing well..... Enjoy your spring!!!!!

Babies, Babies & More Babies!!!!!!

2007-02-03T20:24:00.000-06:00

I also took some pics of the other goats....

Two more of our female goats had babies last week!!! So we now have 6 BABIES!!!!

They are so adoreable! I wanted to get a pic of me holding them all, but they are so wriggly & the mommas get so upset. So I had to settle getting a pics of them twins at a time & them in their lil' goat house. Enjoy the cute pics......

It's 2 Boys!!!!

2007-01-16T18:14:00.000-06:00

Well--- we had 2 boys. We were really hoping for 2 girls, but the boys are so adoreable too!!!! After the initial shock of being held for the first time, they were amaizingly calm. they even fell asleep on me. Terri was even brave enough to get aquainted. =)
Stay warm & safe!!!!

Make a Wish

2007-01-16T11:33:00.000-06:00

Well..... today is the big day. The big 3-1...... Another birthday. Last year I had all of these things I had planned on achieving. I started off by getting up early & going to the gym.... that lasted a week, maybe....

The one thing I had not planned on was going back to school. I am about to start my 2nd semester. I am excited. I am once again taking all of my classes online. I was told that I could take Native American History instead of Humanities I. This will be more interesting to me & it looks good on my transcript--- Hopefully I pass... hee hee hee..... So on this 31st year of my life I resolve to complete at least 12 more credit hours of college. Lets hope that I can do more than that......

We have had another winter storm this past weekend.... But instead of snow we had sleet & ice.... Luckily yesterday was a holiday & I did not have to go to work. But the sun came out & melted the sleet & then last night it froze into a solid sheet of ice.... So today I am still in my PJ's.

Yesterday Joey went down to feed the goats & he called me & told me that they had left me a birthday present... He said that one of our goats had twins!!!! Sometime today I will try to skate down there & get some first photos of them. He said they are adoreable. =)

Oh by the way -- Also born today in 1976 Trisha Stillwell, Miss USA-Oklahoma (1997, top 10) and on my 15th birthday, I remember watching on TV as US & 27 allies attack Iraq for occupying Kuwait (US time).

Hopefully today is uneventful. I like peaceful days..... I hope everything is easy going for you.....

<3

Time, Time, Time.... See what's become of me......

2006-12-21T18:28:00.000-06:00

Holly, Tony & lil' Max stopped by for a visit this last weekend. It was so good getting to visit with them for a little while. It seems like yesterday we were at Holly's mom's house listening to the Chipmunk's Christmas & watching the muppets. Where does the time go? Every time I hear Alvin & the Chipmunks, Kenny Rogers or Dolly Parton I think of Holly.... =)

While out looking for gifts and stuff for the family, I came across a little yellow tractor & I knew just the little boy that would like that. So I put it in a little bag & put it under the tree. As you can see Max was all smiles when he saw it. Holly said he even sleeps with it. Awww!!! He kept looking in the bag to see if anything else would come out of it. Maybe he was hoping we would refill it. LOL!

The Emig family met Terri, our crazy lil' round dog. She loved meeting them - she just wanted to lick them all. Then after I gave Holly a grand tour of the House of Bowers, we visited for a while. Before we visited the goats, I got a pic of Max by our tree. He is a photo pro. He flashed a very cheesy smile, but I was laughing too hard to get the photo, but I ended up getting this great one. Then we had to get a photo of Max Blue on a Blue Tractor....... As you can see-- ADOREABLE!!!

Then Max & his parents got to meet our extended "smelly" family--- the goats. They were very curious about him..... I enjoyed feeding George out of my hand (See Emig Family Blog for photos from that "enjoyable" time.) Our time was over & they had to go. It was time for them to go to a Christmas party. I know Max will be excited to see what Santa is going to leave him. He is a good boy, so I know Santa will leave him lots of goodies.

Merry Christmas to all & Happy New Year too!!!!

Whew!

2006-12-15T08:50:00.000-06:00

I took my last final last night. It was in Government. While I was taking the test, I thought to myself, "hey this isn't so bad," When I was finished with the test, I looked at my study guides & I got a lot right, but I did get some wrong, and there was 2 questions about the House of Representatives that I didn't study. I did not know at all the answers to that question. Hopefully I did well enough to pass. I am so glad this semester is over.

I was watching Andy Griffith this morning & it was the episode called Opie the Birdman. This is where Barney helped Opie make a slingshot.
Andy warned Opie to be careful. Opie, says he is only going to shoot tin cans and stuff. Opie shoots all kinds of stuff, then he sees something in a tree, he aims for it & shoots.
A little bird falls onto the ground. Opie pleads with the bird to fly away. He finally realizes it is dead & he killed it he runs inside the house crying.
The bird he killed was a mother bird. In doing so, he oprhans several baby birds.

He asks his Pa, Andy what should he do? Andy says he should take the place of the mother. So he gets all of the birds in a cage & he dutifully cares for them.

Then one day the birds are grown and not babies anymore. Andy tells Opie that it is time for the birds to be set free. Of course Opie has become so attached to his little babies.

So they are outside, and Opie asks, "Pa, do I have to?" Andy says yes, and explains that these are wild animals and they need to be able to fly around. So Opie sets one of the birds free & it flys away up into a tree. Opie asks again before he sets the second bird free, "Pa, do I have to?"

Once again, Andy looks at him and nods, so the second little bird is set free and flys away into another tree. All now that is left in the cage is the last little bird. Opie's eyes are full of tears & he looks at Andy and begs once more to keep the last bird in the cage.

Andy says no & that he must let it go..... So you see the last little bird fly away from his cage.

Opie says "The cage sure looks awful empty, don't it Pa?" Andy says, "Yes son, it sure does. But don't the trees seem nice and full?"

*sniffle*

FINALLY FINALS!!!!

2006-12-12T22:01:00.000-06:00

WHEW!!! It is finals week. I am so so so so so glad. I had to go to the college on Saturday to a study session & to take the final... but when I got there, the professor said that the final was not ready yet. :(

So I will take it tomorrow. I had a History & Nutrition final yesterday and I had a Computer final today. I am so glad to be finished with 3 of my 4 classes. My math class starts tomorrow. :(

It will be good to go through it even though I don't want to. I have to finish & make it through the spring semester.

Well, Joey bought a Trackloader. He is going to use it to clean up the property & build a bigger pond. A semi truck delivered it. I have posted some photos of it being delivered. I just wish the driver would have left the black Hummer that was on the truck too. Andy was so excited to see it. (Me too)

SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW!!!!!

2006-11-30T22:17:00.000-06:00

I just love snow!!!! Especially when it is bad enough to not go to work!!! It is so rare that I get to enjoy a good snow fall here. It usually starts snowing while I am at work & then I have to drive home in it & by the morning everything is ok to drive in. I was so excited that I have my camera so I could take some photos of it.

This is a photo of our pond. You can see it while driving up our driveway. As you can see, the top was almost frozen.

This is a photo with our pond on my left looking down our drive way. This photo is deceptive, where they cleared the brush to put up our electric poles looks like part of the drive.... actually before you get to the first pole you turn to the left & go on down the hill. I was going to get a photo of that, but I was frozen solid by this point.....

These are the trees just north west of our house. I can see this view from the bedroom windows. These trees seem to just go one forever. It is like our own personal forest. By late spring I will not be able so see very far into the woods because all of the leaves and vines.

Here is a photo looking up toward our house. The pond is on my right. When we get the trackloader we will be able to clean up a lot of the brush in front of the pond & we will be able to landscape it....

I opened the door to let Terri out & this is what I found. A snow drift!!! I know it is not much of a snow drift.... There was about an inch on the threshold. You can also see where Terri romped in it on her way out & in.

I am going to stay home again tomorrow. It is not worth wrecking my Jeep to get to work.

We are planning on putting up our Christmas stuff tomrrow. I will post the photos....

Stay warm & safe.... =)

Hugs!

-SB

Photo Finish

2006-11-28T21:59:00.000-06:00

Well, I started working half days in my new job in training. I think it will be a piece of cake. I cannot wait to do it full time.

On Thanksgiving day I got online & checked out the online deals... Well I looked on Circuit City's website & the camera I have been eyeing was on sale a day early... So I bought it right away.. YIPPEE!!!! The estimated delivery date was Dec 1-11th.... So I have been patiently waiting for it to arrive---- when I arrived home, my camera was by my front door!!! YEAH!!!! So I charged up the batteries & I started clicking away... The only thing hanging around was my lil dog Terri.... So She started posing... I posted some of the photos.... As you can see she was getting very tired of all of the extra attention... Me too Terri-- I am sleepy & ready for bed.
I cannot wait to get more of friends & family... I will post more later.....

Hugs!!!
Enjoy Terri at her best.... =)

Thanksgiving

2006-11-18T09:12:00.000-06:00

I know it has been a while.... I am beginning to think I am too old for the whole school thing... I am doing ok considering I haven't cracked a book in months, I have just been reading just enough to understand and answer the assignments. I have an 84% average on all 4 classes. So that is not bad. I really need to work on school work this week, because I have some very large assignments due the first part of December. I have a dissertation due for government. I need to look up that word, because I don't even know what that means exactly... it sounds like lawyer speak to me.... oh well. I would not be in school if I knew everything, right? LOL!
I should be finished with this semester by Dec 12. I cannot wait..... Then I start a 6 week course on De 13. The teacher will release 2 assignments a week.... Yikes!!! It is a math class... I really need to do well in it. I have a lot of math to take & chemistry & physics & calculus..... zzzzzzzzzzz I must be crazy....

In the midst of all of this craziness, I am starting a new job.... I was "recruited" to a new job. I just can't stand to leave my current job, I really like my boss, he treats me like an adult & lets me make my own decisions & he is so nice. We have the same personality type... we really get along well. I will be be the training poc for about 2500+/- folks. It will be a great experience for me, as well as a little more cash. I have always wanted to do that job. I am not very secretarial, but I have given it my all the past 2 years. I am not one for policies and format & attention to detail--- I just do entirely too many little jobs & I cannot remember to follow thru in all the different directions. This new job will just be training. One direction & I have a lot people I delegate everything to -- WONDERFUL!!! I am great at delegating!! I will manage 3 different training systems. I will start this new job on the 27th. The lady I am replacing retires on Nov 30..... So I have a lot to learn in a very short time.

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!! And be sure to stay out of my way on Black Friday!!!
I am wanting to get a digital camera on Friday.... I think I found the perfect one..... I will find out when all of the ads actually come out. Then I can post more photos.... Eat lots of turkey & enjoy your families!!!

--SB

HAPPY FALL, YA'LL!!!!!!

2006-10-13T22:22:00.000-06:00

Happy Fall!!

I am loving this weather. Yesterday it was a lot cooler & it has really got me in the holiday mood. I have started my Christmas shopping. I only have a few more items to purchase & I will be done. I cannot wait. I love getting my shopping done early. I also love buying things online. It is so wonderful to get packages in the mail, it really pacifies my wanting to get actual gifts in the mail & the best part is that the items will take up space here at my house only for a little while, then they move on to some one else. =)

Well, I have mid-terms next week. My grades are pretty good, but I am pretty tired. I really hope I can sustain this for another 3 semesters. I know it will be extremely difficult when I actually have to physically be in class. But in the end it will all be worth it.

Well, that is all I know on this Friday the 13th.

Hugs!
-SB

I Pity the Fool!

2006-10-03T17:31:00.000-06:00

Well here I am .... It is almost time for mid-terms. I am kind of thinking I am insane.... But I think I should leave that up to the professionals.

My sister in law, her son & her hubby stopped by on Sunday afternoon to see our new/old house. We are settling in very well. She called me Thursday evening & said she was going to be in the neighborhood & I freaked out..... For the last month we have been living out of boxes & plastic totes. I have been so busy with work and school I have not had a minute to spare. And definitely no time to unpack & straighten up. So this was a perfect opportunity to straighten the house up.

So I became a mean cleaning machine. We whipped most of the house (the visible rooms) into shape. Joey's nephew brought his bb gun. He was wearing a little Mexican hat (he could not find his cowboy hat). We had a blast.

My stepmother in law is dying to have a house warming party. I would love to. Now that I am getting everything on track, maybe it will be soon. I like parties...

Work is going fine. We have a company picnic on Oct 20. We have to be at the park at 645. I am afraid it is going to be cold. I guess we will survive.

So Far So What....?

2006-09-10T19:09:00.000-06:00

Well, so far so good. I have exams all this week in all of my classes. That will be the true test of exactly what I have been learning. I have been doing very well in all of my class assignments. I hope that will help keep my GPA up. All of my classes are online, which is extremely convenient. I can get on anytime & view my class notes & assignment info. I am going to try to take online classes next semester also.
Well I guess I will get back to the grind... I will let you know how I do on all of my exams.... Pray for me... =)

Latr-

The First Step is Always the Hardest....

2006-08-20T18:09:00.000-06:00

Well class starts tomorrow..... I am really nervous. But I think I will be fine. The phone company is supposed to come out tomorrow & hook up our telephone & DSL. I cannot wait until we get it all done!! I have had to go over to mom's house to get on & check my mail & stuff. I will let you know how everything goes.....

Have a great week & I will chat soon!

I'm too cool in school

2006-08-14T17:43:00.000-06:00

Greetings!!!

Well, guess what? I GOT MY SCHOLARSHIP!!! I am so excited!!!!!!!!!! I just enrolled in all my classes & I will send off my acceptance paperwork, pick up my books & turn in my scholarship paperwork tomorrow. I just cannot believe that I got it!! I am SO excited & nervous too. My job is not too happy, but they will have to just get glad in the same pants they got mad in. I am just taking 12 hours. I don't want to be overloaded. Classes start Monday. I will be so busy, but it will only be for a few years. I am nervous, but I know I can do it. This past year I have been taking a community class. I have been learning Choctaw language. It has been pretty easy to me. It is similar to Japanese. So sometimes I will mix the two up. LOL!
I will let you know of how it is going as I return to school.

Keep me in your thoughts & prayers.

Hugs.

As Garfield says... "I Hate Mondays"

2006-07-24T20:46:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning thinking to myself, "This is going to be a great day."
As I walked in to the building, I thought to myself, "This is going to be a great day."
As I printed off the charts & calendars for my bosses, I thought to myself, "This is going to be a great day."

As I put a paper in to the shredder to shred, my badge, which I was holding in my hand, slipped out & it shredded it to bits & pieces...... I flipped out..... No badge = no entry to work. Also, means that I was going to be wasting my day getting a new one.....

I wound up wasting my morning getting a new one made. I was kind of sad-- I liked my blonde hair badge..... Now I have a boring brown hair badge, not to mention in my blonde hair badge I was a little thinner. Oh well I really need to be skinny by 2009 (when I have to get a new one made)

Also... tick tock tick tock.... Still no news on the scholarship. I called the local contact in OK & she has no idea if I made the cut. I kind of knew she would say that. So the wait continues.

I looked at the college schedule. I was thinking that I could just go to school on Tue & Thur.
Then I could be off on Mon Wed & Fri. That would be a nice change & I would save on gas.

Ok I guess I will go to bed now. Hopefully tomorrow will bring news. I will take any news at this point. I have got to quit thinking about all of this.... It is going to drive me insane.

I will chat more later.

A photo of my kids

2006-07-22T17:58:00.000-06:00

I thought I would add a photo of our latest addition... These are my twin kids. We have a few goats- they have really helped clean up the brush around this place. The one with the black on his face is a boy & the other is a girl. They are so cute at this age!!

Waiting is the hardest part

2006-07-22T10:59:00.000-06:00

Well, I am still waiting on word from IHS - for the scholarship I applied for back in February. I would first go & get my Associates, then I would be off to Pharmacy school. I would go full time & the IHS would pay me a monthly stipend to go, also I would keep my job at the base & still get paid, even though I do not actually show up for work. What a great deal that would be...
I am kind of looking forward to going, if accepted.
No one will tell me if I got it or not & school starts in less than a month. I still need to get my job up to speed & get someone who I can train to replace me. I really love my job & I am finally getting the hang of things.... But I sure would like to continue my education & work for the tribe. I think it would be a more rewarding career than what I am doing now, plus I would get paid a lot better =)

I received an email yesterday & it was like a newspaper article talking about why it is a great time to go into the field of pharmaceuticals. But it was from the head guy at IHS, so I replied back to him & explained I had not heard anything on whether I got it or not. Of course it being Friday means that I will have to wait until next week to hear anything back from him..... This is driving me crazy. I promised myself I would not let this do that to me, but they have made me-- because of all of this waiting. So I guess I will just daydream for now about being the other Dr. Bowers in the family ( My stepmother-in law is the first).......

I will keep praying that if this is the step God wants me to take he will open the door.
I will let you all know when & what I find out.

---SB

Freedom

2006-07-03T15:52:00.000-06:00

Well I just joined so I could keep in touch with friends & family.

Last month I had LASIK. I am so glad I finally took the plunge. LG (Life's Good) in 20/15. Freedom.

I also got the hubby to do it too -- but he had PRK. He has had to spend the long weekend sleeping off the procedure. So I have been taking care of him... Today he finally emerged from his slumber.... He goes back to the eye Dr Wednesday to get cleared to drive. Freedom.

Freedom is a great thing-- it is also so easy to take for granted in this day & time. But as I watch the evening news- I see folks in other countries not able to feel the freedom we experience. This is my 2nd favorite holiday, second only to Christmas- the celebrating of Christ's birth. The celebrating of our founding father's hard work, perseverance, sacrifice & divine intervention to lay the foundation of the great country is such a wonderful privilege that I am so thankful for.

Hopefully soon I will get pics posted... I hope everyone has a wonderful & safe 4th of July Holiday!!!!