family

When Life Gives you lemon 🍋

There are definitely times when bad things happen so good things can come your way.
I’m a true believer of ” Everything happens for a reason. ” Either it’s a good or bad one.
Last year I was living a life that I would come home every day shower and sleep. To wake up in the morning and do the same thing over and over.

I liked what I was doing. Just not how it was happening. Working over 48 hrs. a week I started getting sick again. And ended up having a lot of doctor’s appointment etc.

as I was getting all these appointments, I was no longer able to put all my effort into my job.
One of the days I had to call out because of being sick. I got asked by my manager to find another job.

I couldn’t agree more with him that I needed something else.

Me and Chris always had this dream of working a Monday – Friday. 9-5pm paid holidays. And able to take time off.

The job I had obviously wasn’t allowing me to do so. And not to remind you it made me sick all over again due to stress and long hour days.

I decided to post my resume online. Hoping and praying for the best.

I decided to give my two weeks at my current job.

I remember feeling sad, annoyed and stressed.
I do have a lot of bills to pay. So, I was very worried I wouldn’t find anything.

I sent out a few applications that day.
To my surprise, I received a phone call that morning (when I had just given my 2 weeks).
It was this amazing lady (very friendly) looking for an office manager. I set the appointment for an interview.

I left that company that day in tears. I couldn’t believe what just happened.

I was so amazed. And happy I could have left there jumping up and down in joy.

I got offered a job as an office manager.
Working Monday – Friday 9-5pm. Getting paid holidays. Time off as I need it. With an amazing family. That knows how to be a boss and actually care for their employees.


True I don’t know them yet. But I have a feeling this is going to be a lifetime relationship.
I thank God daily for this opportunity a dream that came true without me even deserving it.
Ok I might deserve it 😂, but you all know what I mean? I didn’t expect it to work so fast.
I’m sitting at my desk this afternoon and all I can think about is how grateful I am. 🙂

Isaque has started a new job and it’s a great opportunity for him.

Joshua will start a new job Monday.

Gabe is doing great at his job.

Chris also got offered a job and opportunity that made him very happy. Now we have time to work and enjoy our lives.Couldn’t ask for more.

Devotion · family · kids · love · mom · motherhood · reeding · World VS Life

“An Undeserved Love” #MomBlogger

I watched the sippy cup leave my hands and had an “out of body” moment. Out-of-body me stood there looking at sippy-cup-thrower me with that judgy-side-eye thinking “Really, you’ve stooped this low?” The sippy of juice splattered across the kitchen wall and my kids stood there as dumbfounded as I was when I realized I had just lost my ever-lovin-junk in front of them. Everyone was afraid to blink, breathe, cry, or laugh. Because what do you REALLY do in those moments? If you don’t laugh, you just cry.

Oh, motherhood. You bring out the best and unfortunately, the worst in all of us. I can’t remember what it was that made me lose my temper, throw that cup, and probably scare my children half to death. But what I do remember? My three-year-old walking up to me not moments later, hugging my leg (as I was sobbing on the kitchen counter at this point) and saying “I love you, Mommy.”

That, my friends, is a picture of grace and unconditional love. If we learn anything from our children, it’s forgiveness, grace, and love. I was hitting rock bottom, exhausted with three children under the age of three and losing it every second. But a little squeeze from a three-year-old reminded me of God’s love for me in those moments. He whispers to us through our children, “I love you.”

In our weakest, ugliest moments – He embraces us. When we have sore throats from yelling at our kids, when we can barely put a sentence together to talk to our husband because we’ve let our marriage fall apart. When the loneliness takes over because we’ve broken every relationship in our lives.

His grace, His love covers every inch of us – especially the ugly, weak parts. Redemption is such a gift, and every part of our life can be redeemed because He showed us that when He gave His life for us. He could walk away, and leave us crazy people to our cup-throwing ways – but He always welcomes us in and shows us His love.

Thank you, God, for not throwing our sippy cups against the wall and going to the cross for us instead.

Romans 5: 1-11

From a Devotional Study. By Thrive Moms.

Family Share

10 cancer symptoms that most people ignore

10 cancer symptoms that most people ignore

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Are you ignoring these warnings your body is giving you?
  • Medicine has developed fantastically in recent years, finding new drugs that help with the control of various diseases that once haunted, and even killed.

    But despite medical advancement, prevention is key to maintaining our health and fighting diseases early.

    Good use of medicine is another important factor. Misuse of it can also cause harmful symptoms.

    Cancer, a disease that scares many people, has a greater chance of cure when treated early. It stops being so scary when we periodically take preventive tests.

    We must carefully watch every day, as different symptoms may indicate that something is not quite right, and there is need for medical help.

    Because cancer can attack various parts of the body, it is crucial to pay attention to our bodies. Below are 10 cancer warning signs.

  • 1. Frequent cough

    Frequent coughing can simply be a sign of allergies — but when the cough is very persistent you may want to consider seeking the opinion of a specialist. Even non- smokers can develop throat, larynx and lung cancer. Therese Bartholomew Bevers, MD of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, said that “Most coughs are not cancer, but a persistent cough needs to be evaluated because it can be a symptom of lung cancer.”

  • 2. Weight loss without dieting

    Though losing weight is the dream of many women, without dieting it can be the indicator of a disease. Look out for sudden weight gain as well.

  • 3. Frequent pain in the joints

    Joint pain is one of the symptoms of bone cancer, whether it is frequent or not. Getting headaches does not mean you have a brain tumor, but it’s always nice to closely evaluate them. Many ovarian cancers are diagnosed after persistent abdominal pain. And lung cancer can be spotted from chest pains.

  • 4. Fatigue without apparent cause

    Being overly tired for no apparent reason can be a sign of the blood cancer Leukemia. Being aware of changes like this in your body can save your life.

  • 5. Jaundice

    When jaundice, the yellowing of skin most commonly seen in babies, appears in adults, it may be a sign of liver problems, including cancer.

  • 6. Dark spots and freckles that change color and size

    It is never a bad idea to have freckles and moles checked periodically. Also, all new dark spots on the skin should be examined. Skin cancer can be detected precisely from these spots.

  • 7. Eye pain that persists

    Pain in the eye, a symptom of eye cancer, can easily be mistaken as a result of being tired. If pain persists, consult a doctor immediately.

  • 8. Discharges with or without blood

    Discharges of different color and odor should also be investigated. Vaginal bleeding outside the menstrual period may indicate cervical cancer. Check in with your gynecologist at least once a year.

  • 9. Hoarseness

    Hoarseness can be started by the swelling of the vocal cords caused by a more serious problem, and could be a cancer indicator.

  • 10. Diarrhea and bleeding

    A diseased intestine can cause bowel changes.

    Do not be terrified every time you notice any symptoms, such as those mentioned above. Remember that many of these things are also common symptoms of other illnesses and things we encounter on a daily basis. However, if any of these symptoms persists longer than normal, it is always smart to check it out. It could save your life.

    This article is a translation and adaption of the original article “10 sintomas de câncer que a maioria das pessoas ignora”
brazilian · Budget · budgetwithelly · family · Family Night · food · Friday · fun · mom · motherhood · Recipes

Hot Dog In The Oven #Foodie #brazilian

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Dough:
5 eggs
2 cups milk and 1/2
3/4 cup oil
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons grated cheese

Filling:
500 g of sausage ( or meat of choice )
200g mozzarella cheese
1 can tomato sauce
Grated cheese
Oregano

Blend together all the dough ingredients
In a large bowl place the half of the dough and then put the sausage, tomato sauce, mozzarella and cover with the remaining dough
Sprinkle over the grated cheese and oregano Bake for about 30 minutes or until stick with a fork and comes out clean
Serve it hot

 

blackandwhite · family · kids · love · Niche · photography · Style · women · World VS Life

5 issues to be addressed in Premarital Counseling

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Planning your wedding is stressful enough, but it’s a piece of buttercream-frosted cake compared to the day-to-day reality of actual marriage.

Indeed, so often couples get caught up with everything involved in prepping for their Big Day and romanticizing the concept of marriage that they forget to (or don’t realize that they should) address all of the less-romantic issues that will inevitably arise when two people commit to sharing their lives together.

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Premarital counseling is an excellent way to confront these issues upfront and establish a stronger, healthier relationship moving into matrimony.

1. Money
Finances are a common cause of contention between those about to be married.

2. Time
Time can also be a big problem in a relationship. One may feel neglected if their partner is often away at work, school or other functions. Conversely, a partner may value their space and wish they could spend more time alone.

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3. In-Laws
When you marry someone, you’re not just marrying them – you’re essentially marrying their family as well. It’s important for you to learn how to get along with the whole family, especially if at this point you’re already on shaky ground. It’s also helpful to establish what sort of boundaries as a couple you will put in place. Some family members may be in the habit of just dropping by for a visit. This may upset your new partner. Also, it would be helpful to discuss how you plan to spend time with both sets of in-laws during holidays.

4. Resolving conflict
All couples disagree sometimes. What’s less important than the frequency of conflict (though frequent fighting is a serious issue that must be addressed, of course) is how a couple reacts to said engagements.

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5. Religion
Again, now is not the time to sweep lingering issues under the rug. Statistically, couples that share the same faith (or lack thereof) are more likely to stay together than those that don’t. If your partner is of a different faith, you need to decide whether this is something that will bother you long-term or not. This can be a critical issue.

Be sure to discuss these critical issues during premarital counseling. Ultimately, it all comes down to honesty and respect.

If you’re able to be honest with your partner and respect their traits and beliefs even when you don’t like or agree with them, and if your partner can do the same, then the future of your marriage looks bright.

 

dad · Devotion · family · Family Share · fatherhood · kids · love · mom · motherhood · teens · Wordless · World VS Life

5 tips on fighting fair with your teen

5 tips on fighting fair with your teen

Fights with your moody teenagers are inevitable, but here are a few things to remember when a battle breaks out.
  • Teenagers can be terrors, and battles are bound to break out. But not every argument has to be a free-for-all fight. It may seem fitting to make sure your little one knows who’s boss in your home, but it’s important to remember that your kids are still growing, and how you handle arguments with them will teach them how to handle arguments with others. You are a model for your son’s behavior, and you’re teaching your daughter what to expect from the world. So when frustrations rise and tensions boil over, remember this important advice about fights:
  • 1. Words hurt, and cannot be taken back

    You can’t un-ring a bell; and you can’t take back hurtful words you say to your child. You may instantly forget what is spewed in a fray, but the worse it was, the longer your child will remember. No matter how bad the conflict seems, your son or daughter needs to know you’ll still be there for him or her once the battle is over and the smoke has cleared. That bond and trust can easily be broken when he or she has to forget something terrible you’ve said to rebuild your relationship.

  • 2. Your child will remember things you forget

    It’s not just words you must be careful of in fights; your actions can also speak loudly. Acting aggressively toward your son or daughter – lunging, chasing, grabbing or raising a fist – is unnecessary. And needless to say, making contact in this manner is entirely inappropriate. If your teen loses control and attacks you, your job is to restrain and de-escalate — never to retaliate. Likewise, leaving your child in a fight, either at home or stranded somewhere, will leave him feeling abandoned. Be present and available, even in conflict. And see your fight through until its resolution.

  • 3. You are the adult, and you are in control

    Not of your son, but of yourself. He is growing into an independent person with a mind of his own, and no amount of punishment, rage or belittling is going to turn him into who or what you want him to be. He has to find that for himself. But the best way to encourage this is to show him how to be someone you would want him to be; especially in times of crisis.

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  • 4. You are a role model

    How you respond in times of stress says a lot about you and your parenting. Show your child how a mature adult responds to the world when things are not going your way. You may feel justified in blowing up and getting into a shouting match, but nothing gets heard or resolved over yelling. Make change at indoor volume.

  • 5. Yours is not the only valid opinion

    It may be time to sit back and actually listen to your teen’s point of view. Yes he may lie, and yes she may be manipulative, but somewhere deep down your teens are learning to navigate the world, and there is likely some structured and logical thinking. Acknowledge what actually makes sense, and build on that.

    Fights with your teens can be stepping stones into adulthood, so make sure you’re laying a good foundation. Teach your sons and daughters to resolve conflict and face an argument with good skills and goals so everyone comes out unscathed and no worse for wear.

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Georgia D. Lee seeks to empower, inspire, enrich and educate anyone with an open mind, heart and spirit through her most treasured medium – black and white!
Website: http://authorgeorgiadlee.weebly.com
Anxiety · Causes · Depressed · Health · Mental Health · mom · motherhood · women · Wordless · World VS Life

One year ago

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One year ago, today I was feeling miserable not knowing what was wrong with me. Everything I ate, I wanted to put back out or it felt like it was stuck in my throat. I ended up like that laying on a hospital bed awaiting my doctors to begin my surgery. I was feeling miserable. I had been at that hospital for about 2 1/2 weeks just doing all kinds of tests till they finally found out what was wrong with me and decided to operate.

Turned out I had what it’s called ” Achalasia of the esophagus” and what is that? You might be asking. That was the same question I was asking all the doctors there. ” What the heck is that?” As they started to explain to me what it was.

Achalasia is a rare disease of the muscle of the esophagus (swallowing tube). The term achalasia means “failure to relax” and refers to the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter (a ring of muscle situated between the lower esophagus and the stomach) to open and let food pass into the stomach.

What can cause the esophagus to close?
A thin area of narrowing in the lower esophagus can intermittently cause difficulty swallowing solid foods. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Damage to esophageal tissues from stomach acid backing up into your esophagus can lead to spasm or scarring and narrowing of your lower esophagus. Eosinophilic esophagitis.
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What is the surgery for achalasia?
The most common surgical technique used to treat achalasia is called the Heller myotomy, in which the surgeon cuts the muscles at the end of the esophagus and at the top of the stomach. In the past, this surgery was performed through a large (open) incision in the chest or abdomen.
I didn’t think twice and said go ahead do it. All I knew was I was tired of living the way I was. I couldn’t handle it anymore.  So off I went to surgery.
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With all the support from my husband by my side, I was very confident I would survive another surgery, another battle, another obstacle in my life.
Not only him, but my boys too. My family has been my Rock. My everything in time of need.
I wouldn’t be able to go on without their help. I’m forever grateful.
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After my surgery when I thought things would finally be better and my life would turn around. I became depressed. Didn’t want to leave my room. My life was from my downstairs to my upstairs. I didn’t want to do anything. Not because of the way my life was or my family. I love my life and my family. But my sickness just kept on coming and never went away. This surgery was to make me feel better and nothing changed. I was angry. Angry at the doctors, at a lot of things.
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Then I decided to turn things around. I sought help (professional)
Today I’m still very sick as far as my Achalasia, blood clotting disorder, Fibromyalgia,etc..etc..
In between this one year, I changed my mind about being miserable and decided to live my life.
Regardless of how I feel, I will still live on. when I don’t want to get up, or do anything, I will still do it. Just because I need to do so.
I put my faith and hope in the Lord the only one who can give me my daily strength.
I’m not 100% but I try every day to do better than I did yesterday. With God’s help I’ll slowly get to a point where I can at least cut down on medications. 🙂
Praying for a better tomorrow.
Thank you for reading.
Budget · budgetwithelly · coupon · coupons · family · food · free · frugal · fun · mom · motherhood · savings · women · World VS Life

How to coupon like a Boss

It’s been a while since I’ve been here. Not because I didn’t want to blog but because I haven’t had the time.

I’ve been sick, had a few visits to the ER and to my PC and it’s a pain when you are so busy and have to keep up with social media.

Sometimes I just need that space and time apart. I apologize to the followers, Friends, and family that comes here to read what I blog. It’s frustrating not having an updated blog. My sincere apologies.

The other reason is that my oldest son graduated high school and we had a party 🙂
What a Stress 😮 planning and organizing a party is so much stress.
My middle child graduates next year I promised I’m already planning and starting to buy things now hahhaha.

Plus every other mother/wife duty

In this post, I wanted to share some of my couponing with you guys.

I’m only a beginner and I’m just learning. Please keep this in mind. 🙂

When you’re a stay home mom and your husband is the only one working, you need to make due whatever way you can to help out.
I found out about couponing not too long ago when I saw the show on tv, and I decided to give it a try. I follow a few ladies on youtube and they post almost weekly what they go buy and the deals they go out and do.

As far as best deals out there you have to  make your own judgment. Prices also veries based on region.
The deals and sales are absolutely amazing!
I’ve been saving hundreds of dollars with things we use at home every week.

I don’t do stream couponing, I don’t buy what we don’t use, and I don’t buy more quantity than we can consume in a short period of time. The reason why is.

1- Because I don’t want to have a huge stockpile.
2- I don’t see the need for me to do that. (Not criticizing anyone that does I’m just saying it’s not what I want to do.)
3- I’m fine the way I’m doing things now Thank You! 🙂

Some people will go out and buy 20 bags of sugar just because it was on sale for $1.89 and we had a $.75 off coupon on top of that.
I, on the other hand, I went out and only got 2. That was fine for me I had 2 at home and felt that 2 more bag was enough.

A lot of people think ” Well it’s on sale, great price, why not buy 20? If you can spend that $Money and you want to. Go ahead and do it. I’m just saying I don’t do it. 

It’s a choice many people make, and a lot are criticized just because they use coupons.
(Not that’s anyone’s Busyness Anyways. What you do it’s your life.)

Here are a few deals from this week

At this supermarket ( Shaws ) I got
6 boxes of General Mills Cereal
4 Boxes of Puffs Tissue paper
4Nut Exactly Snack

merchandise total was – $41.68
I paid a total of $8.05 after coupons and store discount

And I received a $5.00 stores credit so basically, I got it all for $3.05

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My second one was at CVS 

I LOVE CVS they always have great deals 
2 Xtra Laundry detergent
3 Persil Laundry detergent
2 Gillette Fusion razor
2 Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream
1 Hershey Snack Mix
4 Colgate toothbrushes
2 Colgate toothpaste

All this came out to Merchandise Total – $102.75

I paid $23.61 after Coupons and store discount

and received $26.00 Extrabucks (CVS Money)

So basically, I got it all FREE 🙂

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book · Challenge · family · mom · motherhood · review · women · Wordless · World VS Life

“Sure Foundation”

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“Sure Foundation”
Insecurity is probably the worst feeling in the world. It robs you of confidence, rest, and freedom. Just talking about the word floods my mind with so many memories. Being a little girl, afraid of the dark, peeking my eyes just above the covers to see if there really was a monster in my room. As a new kid at school, not knowing a soul, wondering if I would ever find a friend. Auditioning for a musical, nervous and afraid I would forget song lyrics. Picking an outfit for a date, hoping to impress and hold his interest. The day we purchased our first home, wondering if we were grown up enough to handle the responsibility. The way I felt the day we brought home our first baby and the overwhelming reality that we were responsible for his very life. Each of those moments all caused me to feel unsure, and creating a deep desire for something solid to stand on and keep me steady no matter what.

So often, I set my feet upon my circumstances. It’s easy to do because we naturally make agreements with what we can touch and see. For example: If our child has behavior problems in school, it would be easy to then label him a problem child or yourself a bad mom. If a dream falls apart, it would be natural to feel lost and lose sight of your identity. But we’re not called to live by human nature. We are called to walk by the Spirit, and in order to do that, we have to stand on a sure foundation. One that’s been tested and approved. One we know won’t ever be shaken by the quaking and shifting of life. If we stand on what we can see with human eyes, we will constantly shift with an ever changing world. That’s not a life anchored in Jesus. In fact, the bible calls that childish. We are called to grow up into Christ in all things. He is the security we are called to build our lives upon.

What are you standing on today? What are you building your life upon? When the world is afraid of the dark, hiding under the covers, you can be unshakable; shining like a beacon in the night. You can walk through uncertain days because He is your sure foundation.

So this is what the Sovereign Lordsays:  “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,  a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;  the one who relies on it  will never be stricken with panic.  Isaiah 28:16
Source A 6-day devotion
Devotion · family · love · Lyrics · mom · motherhood · Poem · reeding · sunday devotion · women · Wordless · World VS Life

There are no perfect mothers, there are many great ones. #MothersDay

 

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BEST MOTHER’S DAY GIFT EVER 

 

Mothers are full of various traits that the adults and children of the world need. Often, mothers are nurturing, loving, kind, comforting and leaders. Mothers protect their children, or those close to them, from harm. Teaching either intentionally or by example is what mothers do best. The eyes of a child are always watching and observing and learning from the mothers around them. Every mother has a special blend of attributes that she can use to lead, guide and lift others.

No two mothers are alike

Moms have a tendency to compare themselves to seemingly “perfect” mothers and then proceed with negative self-talk about what a terrible mother they think they are. Stop it! The “seemingly perfect mom” has strengths, but she also has weaknesses. And you have weaknesses, but you also have many strengths that are perfect for your family or those you mother. Some moms have one child while others have several. Some homeschool and others use public schooling. Avoid the “mommy wars.” One is not better than the other; they are just different.

Mother’s Day is a day to be celebrated

Though we as moms may not like Mother’s Day all that much, the people in our lives want to show their love for us. Every day, moms selflessly cook, clean, nurture, lift, inspire and a myriad of other duties. Remember to enjoy and be grateful to those who want to celebrate YOU. Likewise, tell the women in your life how much they mean to you. There is nothing like witnessing the joy on the faces of a small child, a spouse or friends as they do something kind for you to show their love and appreciation. Be grateful and let them shower you with love this Mother’s Day.

Whether you are a mom with no children or many, an empty-nester or a new mother, a loving aunt or friend, Mother’s Day is for you. Your nurturing and caring ways qualify you as a mother. Mothering is a special gift designed to help and comfort others who need your strength. Regardless of how we mother, we are all doing our best with the circumstances and strengths we have. Though there are no perfect mothers, there are many great ones.

 

 

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MY BEST FRIEND, MY MOM

Mom’s smiles can brighten any moment,
Mom’s hugs put joy in all our days,
Mom’s love will stay with us forever
and touch our lives in precious ways…
The values you’ve taught,
the care you’ve given,
and the wonderful love you’ve shown,
have enriched my life
in more ways than I can count.
I Love you Mom!