Tonight, is a big night in the Heller house. Tonight is the night we start our new years budget. Its going to be crazy, its going to be intense. BUT, we can see what will come of our hard work and we are ready to take on the money...make it work for us, not against us...but it just might not be pretty for a while...I will try not to whine and get all emotional about it when it gets hard ( because it will be)
HOWEVER, I am determined to not look at a glass half empty before I have even enjoyed a nice BIG swallow of the cucumber mint water..its like being on a budget right? you get to feel good about not over doing it or being unhealthy, but at first you just might not feel full or heck, lets just say it you might not be satisfied with your good choice! Instead, you crave the sugar sweetness of a pop. Its only with time you come to learn to enjoy the mint and cucumber and its MANY benifits. so it is with a budget and money smart living. only with time tested benefits that bring peace are you satisfied...=) there you go. my first money analogy of 2011, I am sure there will be more to come.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
gluten free-dairy free-beef free- corn free...everything free? for under $10.
the beginning of every week comes and here I am again, trying to meal plan. I have to admit this may be me beings wimpy here, but gosh I get so frustrated every Monday! here's an example of why:
dinner for tuesday:
gluten free chicken salad "sandwiches" for five:
Chicken: 4.00
Lettuce for wraps:2.00
bell pepper: 1.00
almonds: 2.50 ( SMALL bag)
Vegenaise: 8:50 ( DAIRY FREE, EGG FREE MAYO)
Craisens: 3.00 ( you need a few ingredients to off set the celery jack can't have)
Total?? $21.00
All other ingredients ( onion and seasonings) we have around the house.
Now to be fair, I only have to buy vegenasie every other meal when mayo is a key ingredient and the crasins we will use for more then one meal. BUT this is a good idea of how we eat from day to day. pork chops are really common in the heller home, since they are all the right specifications and honestly we get tired of chicken. So I am at my end whits and my sweet husband calls me back to chat before I head to the store. after discussing our budget and my frustrations, he volunteers to shop and cook this week, hopefully he can show me a better way, but we both figure if he can't feed us cheaper, at least from here on out we can be on the same page..because while I believe in what we are doing with and for our kids, its exhausting! and I just need a reset button sometimes.
dinner for tuesday:
gluten free chicken salad "sandwiches" for five:
Chicken: 4.00
Lettuce for wraps:2.00
bell pepper: 1.00
almonds: 2.50 ( SMALL bag)
Vegenaise: 8:50 ( DAIRY FREE, EGG FREE MAYO)
Craisens: 3.00 ( you need a few ingredients to off set the celery jack can't have)
Total?? $21.00
All other ingredients ( onion and seasonings) we have around the house.
Now to be fair, I only have to buy vegenasie every other meal when mayo is a key ingredient and the crasins we will use for more then one meal. BUT this is a good idea of how we eat from day to day. pork chops are really common in the heller home, since they are all the right specifications and honestly we get tired of chicken. So I am at my end whits and my sweet husband calls me back to chat before I head to the store. after discussing our budget and my frustrations, he volunteers to shop and cook this week, hopefully he can show me a better way, but we both figure if he can't feed us cheaper, at least from here on out we can be on the same page..because while I believe in what we are doing with and for our kids, its exhausting! and I just need a reset button sometimes.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
the unknown secret ingredients..
Today as I run my scentsy, listen to calming music and clean my house at a snails pace, I feel a calm sense of peace and with that reflection. I thought about my life and what I really want, what we all want. In the end, I think a lot of life and the searching that comes with it, is in search of happiness- happiness now, in a week in a year, in ten years and after this life. I thought about my personal search for happiness, and the things I know bring me to find it. I contemplated many of the amazing people I am surrounded by, as I look at their lives I can see this is their every day search too, some seem to be more successful at finding peace and happiness then others.
I know that when I see some one who appears to have a greater amount of happiness it causes me to go into auto pilot mode, "how are they finding happiness easier then me, they don't even seem to be searching for it, it looks like it just finds them!? what and I doing so wrong?I will never be able to achieve that level of______" of course this is totally a negative out look, of course its not what I should do...but its just so darn natural!
SO as I contemplated life and my search for happiness along with all those I know, I found my self thinking about those who are struggling, I Wondered how I could help them feel how I feel RIGHT NOW. Happy, peaceful and safe in the knowledge of my Heavenly Father and his love for me. I want that most in my life all the time and I want it for those with in my reach ( if your reading this that includes you). So here is my thought for your finding happiness and I realized it works for me too.
Happiness is like the unknown secret ingredients of your favorite dessert. It seems so complex or hard to figure out, almost as if there recipie that would show you how to create it, and that recipie will include ( OF COURSE) the special secret ingredients you seem to be missing... but thats just an illusion, the ingredient is unknown. The reason its unknown is because YOU have to find it. Your happiness recipe and mine do not look alike, there fore you and I have to search for our secret ingredients on our own. which is why when we look at each other and can't figure it out...well there there is a reason for it. I also found that try as I might I can not find happiness for my friends and loved ones, its not possible for me to figure out any one secret ingredient....only the ones we have in common.
Because, we all have common ingredients. I believe with all my heart those common ingredients include following the Lord and his commandments, understanding how much he loves you and then sharing that love with every one around you. But beyond our common ingredients we each have tiny little secret ingredients that help us each to be happy, that make life taste just So So good! Maybe the ingredient is a good smelling home, a walk on a cool day, TIME with the ones you love most, for some it maybe the sounds of the rain out just out the window with a soft blanket and a good book. Life can be so good if we choose to do whats right and learn to look for our small secret ingredients that help us to feel peace, putting our focus on those things more then on other random unimportant things in our life. Because we are all different our happiness and how we achieve it is different, our paths while all headed the same direction, are just different.
I might add that its o.k to mix it up! I can almost certainly say that my favorite dessert changes from time to time and if you had told me 10 years ago that a nice 5.00 smell, some soft music and slow methodical cleaning would make be feel amazing. I might have laughed. But right now, it works for me! I am guessing in ten years it will be different.
Take the time, look around, enjoy what you have because the very things in front of you MIGHT just be your small secret ingredients that make all the work and trying to be good and get where we need to be feel worth it...and give you hope that the end goal is actually obtainable.
I know that when I see some one who appears to have a greater amount of happiness it causes me to go into auto pilot mode, "how are they finding happiness easier then me, they don't even seem to be searching for it, it looks like it just finds them!? what and I doing so wrong?I will never be able to achieve that level of______" of course this is totally a negative out look, of course its not what I should do...but its just so darn natural!
SO as I contemplated life and my search for happiness along with all those I know, I found my self thinking about those who are struggling, I Wondered how I could help them feel how I feel RIGHT NOW. Happy, peaceful and safe in the knowledge of my Heavenly Father and his love for me. I want that most in my life all the time and I want it for those with in my reach ( if your reading this that includes you). So here is my thought for your finding happiness and I realized it works for me too.
Happiness is like the unknown secret ingredients of your favorite dessert. It seems so complex or hard to figure out, almost as if there recipie that would show you how to create it, and that recipie will include ( OF COURSE) the special secret ingredients you seem to be missing... but thats just an illusion, the ingredient is unknown. The reason its unknown is because YOU have to find it. Your happiness recipe and mine do not look alike, there fore you and I have to search for our secret ingredients on our own. which is why when we look at each other and can't figure it out...well there there is a reason for it. I also found that try as I might I can not find happiness for my friends and loved ones, its not possible for me to figure out any one secret ingredient....only the ones we have in common.
Because, we all have common ingredients. I believe with all my heart those common ingredients include following the Lord and his commandments, understanding how much he loves you and then sharing that love with every one around you. But beyond our common ingredients we each have tiny little secret ingredients that help us each to be happy, that make life taste just So So good! Maybe the ingredient is a good smelling home, a walk on a cool day, TIME with the ones you love most, for some it maybe the sounds of the rain out just out the window with a soft blanket and a good book. Life can be so good if we choose to do whats right and learn to look for our small secret ingredients that help us to feel peace, putting our focus on those things more then on other random unimportant things in our life. Because we are all different our happiness and how we achieve it is different, our paths while all headed the same direction, are just different.
I might add that its o.k to mix it up! I can almost certainly say that my favorite dessert changes from time to time and if you had told me 10 years ago that a nice 5.00 smell, some soft music and slow methodical cleaning would make be feel amazing. I might have laughed. But right now, it works for me! I am guessing in ten years it will be different.
Take the time, look around, enjoy what you have because the very things in front of you MIGHT just be your small secret ingredients that make all the work and trying to be good and get where we need to be feel worth it...and give you hope that the end goal is actually obtainable.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
when you google your name....
this is a fun thing to do sometimes...google your name. I found all sorts of interesting things...such a a woman named Bridgette Heller, one little letter differece but she seems to be doing big things with her life since she's every where. it was interesting to realize that even with a public blog and profile page ( not public) there were not any pictures of me. on a side note, I would not reccomend only googleing my first name, apparently its fairly popular amongst a crowd of people who take pictures....that shouldn't be looked at. so in all my looking, I found a barbie type doll named after me. I thought it was funny! heres the link. have a great day!
http://www.lollipopgirlpower.com/dolls/mini-brigette.cfm
http://www.lollipopgirlpower.com/dolls/mini-brigette.cfm
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
I think A good ones a comin'....
HAHA, this is why I love to blog. I can show off my ridiculous personality and no one needs to read it or care what I am writing but me. I just want to say I feel the brewing of a really good blog coming..I just need to take two pictures to go with it....are you on the edge of your seat?? you should be! LOL
here I am with 15 minutes till piano starts a closet to rearrange, then off to the store to buy a b-day present, then a church meeting...when are we suppose to eat?? I don't know! but don't worry because I just needed to write about the good blog I may some day write.
In the mean time, a quick update on the kids:
Olivia: happy, her hair is getting SO long and she refused to cut it, loves to read, play star wars, and do anything the involves goals and collecting things. right now she is obsessed with the disney rewards program. she is my little mommy and I am so grateful for the help she often gives me. she is currently going gluten free and it seems to be helping with her stomach aches in the morning and her hair. shes not loosing TONS every day any more. her skin rashes have also disappeared.
Jack: SO happy, he LOVEs school, he is very social. love to play anything electronic. and is very curious. he thinks his sister is the coolest thing since dairy free ice cream and gf donuts. hes so loving and when he relaxes and watches movies he leans back and buts his little hands behind his head. its so cute! he sings loudly and obnoxiously on purpose. hes one crazy dude.
Joey: busy...busy and .....busy. yesterday I found him al sorts of funny places because he is SO bored with the kids back in school. he destroyed the game closet and right now is taking apart the movie shelf. he is funny as heck and we laugh at his goofy personality all day long. he learned how to go to bed like a big boy on saturday night. after coming out of his bed a little over 100 times saturday he only tried once sunday..and not at all last night. He loves his family and is always quick to tell you what he wants and give big hugs...I wish he wasn't getting so big!
so that's the kids. happy, healthy and enjoying every moment we can.I hope your day is fabulous and you get every thing done you need to.....cause I am probably not going to, so some one should . =)
here I am with 15 minutes till piano starts a closet to rearrange, then off to the store to buy a b-day present, then a church meeting...when are we suppose to eat?? I don't know! but don't worry because I just needed to write about the good blog I may some day write.
In the mean time, a quick update on the kids:
Olivia: happy, her hair is getting SO long and she refused to cut it, loves to read, play star wars, and do anything the involves goals and collecting things. right now she is obsessed with the disney rewards program. she is my little mommy and I am so grateful for the help she often gives me. she is currently going gluten free and it seems to be helping with her stomach aches in the morning and her hair. shes not loosing TONS every day any more. her skin rashes have also disappeared.
Jack: SO happy, he LOVEs school, he is very social. love to play anything electronic. and is very curious. he thinks his sister is the coolest thing since dairy free ice cream and gf donuts. hes so loving and when he relaxes and watches movies he leans back and buts his little hands behind his head. its so cute! he sings loudly and obnoxiously on purpose. hes one crazy dude.
Joey: busy...busy and .....busy. yesterday I found him al sorts of funny places because he is SO bored with the kids back in school. he destroyed the game closet and right now is taking apart the movie shelf. he is funny as heck and we laugh at his goofy personality all day long. he learned how to go to bed like a big boy on saturday night. after coming out of his bed a little over 100 times saturday he only tried once sunday..and not at all last night. He loves his family and is always quick to tell you what he wants and give big hugs...I wish he wasn't getting so big!
so that's the kids. happy, healthy and enjoying every moment we can.I hope your day is fabulous and you get every thing done you need to.....cause I am probably not going to, so some one should . =)
Monday, January 10, 2011
a new year
well, its back to blogging. I have more thoughts then I know what to do with, so back to blogging therapy! =) today I have been in the strangest mood, so I sat down to play the piano, like always, and I played this song and I remembered how much I love it and the message I get every time I sit down and sing it at the top of my lungs ( poor jack must have been embarrassed since he had friends over, and I wasn't holding back, and I haven't sang, I mean really sang, in a while... but....oh well)
Like the sunlight falls on me,
Light from heaven helps me see.
and when the mist arise to blind my eyes,
the the truth shines upon me and I see,
Fear is a lie.
Fear is Like the clouds that veil the earth from the sun,
Faith is like the morning rays that break when night is done.
and when the fear inside me says that all me hope is gone,
Faith in heaven lifts me up and shouts, I've just begun.
and then I sing a song of praise,
for the hope with in me raised. from the heights above,
Faith and hope are mine.
The clouds that covered me and kept me down, are far behind!
Fear is like the clouds that veil the earth from the sun,
faith is like the morning rays that break when night is done
and when the fear inside me says that all my hope is gone,
faith in heaven lifts me up and shouts, I've just begun.
Believing leads to truth and light,
fear can turn the day to night,
but even in the dark the way is clear,
always follow faith and never fear!!
Fear is like the cloud that veil the earth from the sun,
faith is like the morning rays that break when night is done,
and though the fear inside me says that all my hope is gone
faith in heaven lifts me up and shouts! I've just begun......I've just begun
This song is so happy and gives me a solid reminder that faith is where its at! I am so grateful for the power of music in my life and the change that just one song can make.
Like the sunlight falls on me,
Light from heaven helps me see.
and when the mist arise to blind my eyes,
the the truth shines upon me and I see,
Fear is a lie.
Fear is Like the clouds that veil the earth from the sun,
Faith is like the morning rays that break when night is done.
and when the fear inside me says that all me hope is gone,
Faith in heaven lifts me up and shouts, I've just begun.
and then I sing a song of praise,
for the hope with in me raised. from the heights above,
Faith and hope are mine.
The clouds that covered me and kept me down, are far behind!
Fear is like the clouds that veil the earth from the sun,
faith is like the morning rays that break when night is done
and when the fear inside me says that all my hope is gone,
faith in heaven lifts me up and shouts, I've just begun.
Believing leads to truth and light,
fear can turn the day to night,
but even in the dark the way is clear,
always follow faith and never fear!!
Fear is like the cloud that veil the earth from the sun,
faith is like the morning rays that break when night is done,
and though the fear inside me says that all my hope is gone
faith in heaven lifts me up and shouts! I've just begun......I've just begun
This song is so happy and gives me a solid reminder that faith is where its at! I am so grateful for the power of music in my life and the change that just one song can make.
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