First off, I'd like to say shame on Nana's. No not anyone's grandma in particular. Its a cookie company that put a big fat no wheat sign on the front of their delicious looking chocolate chip cookie. I purchased the luscious island of oasis to satisfy my soft chocolate chip cookie craving in hopes of soothing away my troubles. Only to take a small bite, decide it is super yummy and then start reading more thoroughly the ingredients. Sure there was no wheat flour, but wheat/gluten hides under different names...malted barley...just so happens to be a wheat product!!!! :-( Devastated I brought the expensive cookie home to feed to my husband. He is now about to be off to the store to purchase me some chocolate chips so I can bake my first batch of gluten-free cookies. I hope they don't disappoint too.
Yesterday I had been extra careful about not eating gluten products until it came down to making dinner. As I was cooking my stir-fry and pouring some oyster sauce into it, I glanced at the side of the bottle. It contains wheat. Say what?? Last place I would have expected it. So I read a little bit closer, yep contains 7.3% Wheat flour. So I thought to myself, its only a little bit... So I made my stir-fry went to bed and woke up feeling like a semi-truck slammed into me, one on each side. I told myself to just move it along, cuz work won't stop for me to have a belly ache.
I decided to eat some breakfast of granola and vanilla yogurt, that should help right?.... Headed off to work. As my day continued on my tummy started to feel worse and worse. Only to discover the granola also has malted barley extract but doesn't list wheat on the label. FML or stomach at least.
So I'm now home laying on my couch after a day of feeling yucky only to be disappointed by that redonkulous chocolate chip cookie, and feeling like my belly is bloated up like a Macy's Day Parade balloon. *sigh* No seriously, I'm certain Snoopy's nose is going to pop right out of my belly button. Either that or someone tomorrow is going to ask when the babies are due. Yikes.
Well tomorrow is a new day, and in a few days my tummy will feel better. I've just got to stop poisoning myself. :-/ Happy eating everyone! LOL
Monday, March 5, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
New Adventure
Although many of you reading this title might think of a new adventure as having a new addition to the household, buying a new home, or even embarking on a new relationship. Well this "new adventure" is about embarking on a new relationship with food.
Last year I got pretty sick with an infection that was pretty serious. I feel thankful that I am living in a day and age with technology and medicines to make people better. Although the first infection went away, it decided to come and pester me a second time. Through all of this I had been on 3 different antibiotics twice. So 6 antibiotics were infesting my body over a 6 month period. If that is not enough to make someone feel extra yucky, we added pain medicine and muscle relaxants.
This experience only made my chronic gut problems become worse. Yippe!!! :-( It finally came to a point where the Dr decided it was time to do an exploratory surgery into my abdominal cavity to see if all my organ were "looking alright". Thankfully and sadly at the same time he found out that everything on the inside was healthy and in the right order. So gave me more drugs for the pain and told me to continue to take it easy, keep up with the physical therapy, and if its not better in 6 more weeks to see him again. Oh and that I needed to figure out my chronic gut problem because it may be making me worse. No kidding buddy! Between the drugs, antibiotics, anesthesia, inflammation and pain that my body was being racked with I am certain my gut was on the way to shut down mode.
Finally the drugs stop having the pain reducing effect that they are intended for...so in my logic, if its not working there is no point in taking them. Seriously. Little did I know how that would affect my body. I definitely list that under a dumb decision. Stopping cold turkey left my systems freaking out for two whole weeks! Hot and cold....hot and cold...cold and hot at the same time...sweats. crankies. and other things invaded my already off-balanced homeostasis. So my next move was to temporarily cut everything but fruits and veggies and a few grains. It still took two weeks for my stomach to react to the change. Then everything started to move better, I gained incredible amounts of energy for a sick and in pain person, some of the extreme bloating went away and all my random stomach cramps disappeared.
Once I thought my stomach was better I started trying to eat some of the normal things I used too.. well... that left me curled in a ball in my bed with intense stomach cramps. Who would have thought. Well apparently, my stomach has decided we must not be eating wheat anymore. I have been in an experimental mode on it for the last month and investigating what the diet change would involve... and not to mention the expenses if I were to buy everything instead of making it from scratch. This week has been the final straw... On Saturday after a few days of eating no gluten at all, at work I decided to try a sample of some of our new pastries. Seriously, 3 small bites, and I was in pain for two days!
"That's it", I thought to myself, enough is enough. And thus starts the new adventure.
My wonderful husband is willing to go along with almost anything as long as our food includes a lot of meat, because "He's a man and must eat meat." So no vegetarian adventures in my future, just lots of protein, healthy fats, fruits, veggies, and experiments with new kinds of flour.
This morning I found a recipe for waffles, no flour at all. Well, they were good for the most part, but only containing almond butter(instead of peanut butter), eggs, vanilla, honey, and yogurt...they were too dry and unfluffy. So that is one out of a million internet recipes weeded out. The search is on! :-)
Last year I got pretty sick with an infection that was pretty serious. I feel thankful that I am living in a day and age with technology and medicines to make people better. Although the first infection went away, it decided to come and pester me a second time. Through all of this I had been on 3 different antibiotics twice. So 6 antibiotics were infesting my body over a 6 month period. If that is not enough to make someone feel extra yucky, we added pain medicine and muscle relaxants.
This experience only made my chronic gut problems become worse. Yippe!!! :-( It finally came to a point where the Dr decided it was time to do an exploratory surgery into my abdominal cavity to see if all my organ were "looking alright". Thankfully and sadly at the same time he found out that everything on the inside was healthy and in the right order. So gave me more drugs for the pain and told me to continue to take it easy, keep up with the physical therapy, and if its not better in 6 more weeks to see him again. Oh and that I needed to figure out my chronic gut problem because it may be making me worse. No kidding buddy! Between the drugs, antibiotics, anesthesia, inflammation and pain that my body was being racked with I am certain my gut was on the way to shut down mode.
Finally the drugs stop having the pain reducing effect that they are intended for...so in my logic, if its not working there is no point in taking them. Seriously. Little did I know how that would affect my body. I definitely list that under a dumb decision. Stopping cold turkey left my systems freaking out for two whole weeks! Hot and cold....hot and cold...cold and hot at the same time...sweats. crankies. and other things invaded my already off-balanced homeostasis. So my next move was to temporarily cut everything but fruits and veggies and a few grains. It still took two weeks for my stomach to react to the change. Then everything started to move better, I gained incredible amounts of energy for a sick and in pain person, some of the extreme bloating went away and all my random stomach cramps disappeared.
Once I thought my stomach was better I started trying to eat some of the normal things I used too.. well... that left me curled in a ball in my bed with intense stomach cramps. Who would have thought. Well apparently, my stomach has decided we must not be eating wheat anymore. I have been in an experimental mode on it for the last month and investigating what the diet change would involve... and not to mention the expenses if I were to buy everything instead of making it from scratch. This week has been the final straw... On Saturday after a few days of eating no gluten at all, at work I decided to try a sample of some of our new pastries. Seriously, 3 small bites, and I was in pain for two days!
"That's it", I thought to myself, enough is enough. And thus starts the new adventure.
My wonderful husband is willing to go along with almost anything as long as our food includes a lot of meat, because "He's a man and must eat meat." So no vegetarian adventures in my future, just lots of protein, healthy fats, fruits, veggies, and experiments with new kinds of flour.
This morning I found a recipe for waffles, no flour at all. Well, they were good for the most part, but only containing almond butter(instead of peanut butter), eggs, vanilla, honey, and yogurt...they were too dry and unfluffy. So that is one out of a million internet recipes weeded out. The search is on! :-)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
"Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there...."
Today after I had picked Brian up from the max station we were on our merry way home when....
Our happy conversation was rudely interrupted by the sound of shattering window glass.... shanoobie!!!!!!
The front passenger window shanoobied into the back of my head ( had turned my head at the right moment to look at Brian) and the inside of our little green golf. What in all the world of goodness happened?
Well, and few months ago... Well actually....quite a few months ago, the pulley-mechanism thingy (yes, that is the technical term...in Renee's dictionary. I knew what it was called long enough to find the part.lol) broke causing us some dismay over where to find the money to fix said problem. So we (I mean Brian) jury-rigged the window to stay up. This worked fine until...well...two hours ago. When it shattered...
Yes, the world will be glad to know that your Batista will be fine and at work tomorrow. No Batista was harmed in the making of this blog event.... And the world will be even happier to know the window fragments completely missed my "beautiful" face. With that disclaimer out of the way (*whew*), I can continue my story.
Brian, driving at the time, freaked-out as the glass shanoobied into the car. "Renee what happened are you okay!!?!!?????" Me: "............(speechless/searching for the answer myself)......" Racing thoughts of did I get shot...am I hurt...what the...just happened....what the...just happened???!!!?? Brian, a "bit" (A LOT) more urgent, "RENEE ARE YOU OK!!!?" Me: "Ummmm....yeah I think sooo..." As I turned frantically to look over my shoulder to see if I was impaled by something or shot dead... "yeah...yeah...I'm ok..." Brian: "Did something hit you, or the window...." He's rushing to stop the car "safely". I was still flustered, and not really even sure that I wasn't actually hurt... Me: "I don't know..."
So we stopped the car (This did not happen on the freeway, thank goodness!!), I quickly jumped out of the car, amongst hearing Brian declaring my need to be careful...
I started to inspect the window and move the pieces of glass still in the window frame out... as Brian wandered up the street to where the window shanoobied to see if something did hit the window...or anything else that may have happened.
I was still working on the glass thinking and grumbling to myself about what we were going to do...when suddenly I broke out into song.... "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there...." and poof Paul Jefferies from State Farm appeared beside me...
Ok ok ok I didn't sing and he didn't appear... But I took out my phone and dialed (503) 614-8564 (yes the actual number)... And guess what happened... HE ACTUALLY ANSWERED THE PHONE! :-)
I didn't expect it to be him, although he doesn't have a massive office, he does have a few friendly people who answer his phones, man the front desk, and other really important things...
So I started off... Chipper of course, and laughing a little (no really...I was!)
Paul: "Thank you for calling State Farm. My name is Paul, how can I help you?"
"Hi, this is Rene'e, my husband and I have insurance through your office and I have a funny story for you... and uhhh...wait is this Paul Jefferies? You actually answered your own phone? *laugh*"
"blah blah blah window shanoobied blah blah blah...what should I do?"
Paul: (Something to the effect of... ) "Wow, let me look at your insurance coverage...Well...Rene'e it looks like your insurance will cover the cost of the window replacement without a deductible..."
Me: *Life-saving-enormous sigh of relief...* and 20 other questions involving the window fixing and the mechanism... and a shop that could do both at the same time... and answering yes, I understand we have to pay for the mechanism fixing ourselves... Then asking so what do I do with the window in the meantime....? And finally an question more rhetorical then anything...how the heck do I get all the glass out of the car?"
And he had answers for all of them! I could not be more impressed. The window will be replaced tomorrow at the cost of our insurance...we found a replacement part for the window thingy, and SpeedyGlass will put that part into the window at a reduced cost because they will already be in there. :-)
Our StateFarm agent, Paul Jefferies, has saved our car lives many times! We have had multiple car accidents, a stolen car, a car that ended up propped-up on a rock (another-story, another-time), and now an act-of-God shanoobie-ing our window. They have consistently taken good care of us... They are really a company I am glad to have on my side!
If you are in the Beaverton/Hillsboro/Tigard area or really anywhere in Oregon check out my insurance guy!
Paul Jefferies
(503) 614-8564
3000 NW Stucki Pl
Suite 170
Hillsboro, OR 97124-7272
*This blog has not been paid for or endorsed by State Farm Insurance or anyone affiliated through employment by the company. The opinions expressed here are solely the thoughts of the consumer.
Our happy conversation was rudely interrupted by the sound of shattering window glass.... shanoobie!!!!!!
The front passenger window shanoobied into the back of my head ( had turned my head at the right moment to look at Brian) and the inside of our little green golf. What in all the world of goodness happened?
Well, and few months ago... Well actually....quite a few months ago, the pulley-mechanism thingy (yes, that is the technical term...in Renee's dictionary. I knew what it was called long enough to find the part.lol) broke causing us some dismay over where to find the money to fix said problem. So we (I mean Brian) jury-rigged the window to stay up. This worked fine until...well...two hours ago. When it shattered...
Yes, the world will be glad to know that your Batista will be fine and at work tomorrow. No Batista was harmed in the making of this blog event.... And the world will be even happier to know the window fragments completely missed my "beautiful" face. With that disclaimer out of the way (*whew*), I can continue my story.
Brian, driving at the time, freaked-out as the glass shanoobied into the car. "Renee what happened are you okay!!?!!?????" Me: "............(speechless/searching for the answer myself)......" Racing thoughts of did I get shot...am I hurt...what the...just happened....what the...just happened???!!!?? Brian, a "bit" (A LOT) more urgent, "RENEE ARE YOU OK!!!?" Me: "Ummmm....yeah I think sooo..." As I turned frantically to look over my shoulder to see if I was impaled by something or shot dead... "yeah...yeah...I'm ok..." Brian: "Did something hit you, or the window...." He's rushing to stop the car "safely". I was still flustered, and not really even sure that I wasn't actually hurt... Me: "I don't know..."
So we stopped the car (This did not happen on the freeway, thank goodness!!), I quickly jumped out of the car, amongst hearing Brian declaring my need to be careful...
I started to inspect the window and move the pieces of glass still in the window frame out... as Brian wandered up the street to where the window shanoobied to see if something did hit the window...or anything else that may have happened.
I was still working on the glass thinking and grumbling to myself about what we were going to do...when suddenly I broke out into song.... "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there...." and poof Paul Jefferies from State Farm appeared beside me...
Ok ok ok I didn't sing and he didn't appear... But I took out my phone and dialed (503) 614-8564 (yes the actual number)... And guess what happened... HE ACTUALLY ANSWERED THE PHONE! :-)
I didn't expect it to be him, although he doesn't have a massive office, he does have a few friendly people who answer his phones, man the front desk, and other really important things...
So I started off... Chipper of course, and laughing a little (no really...I was!)
Paul: "Thank you for calling State Farm. My name is Paul, how can I help you?"
"Hi, this is Rene'e, my husband and I have insurance through your office and I have a funny story for you... and uhhh...wait is this Paul Jefferies? You actually answered your own phone? *laugh*"
"blah blah blah window shanoobied blah blah blah...what should I do?"
Paul: (Something to the effect of... ) "Wow, let me look at your insurance coverage...Well...Rene'e it looks like your insurance will cover the cost of the window replacement without a deductible..."
Me: *Life-saving-enormous sigh of relief...* and 20 other questions involving the window fixing and the mechanism... and a shop that could do both at the same time... and answering yes, I understand we have to pay for the mechanism fixing ourselves... Then asking so what do I do with the window in the meantime....? And finally an question more rhetorical then anything...how the heck do I get all the glass out of the car?"
And he had answers for all of them! I could not be more impressed. The window will be replaced tomorrow at the cost of our insurance...we found a replacement part for the window thingy, and SpeedyGlass will put that part into the window at a reduced cost because they will already be in there. :-)
Our StateFarm agent, Paul Jefferies, has saved our car lives many times! We have had multiple car accidents, a stolen car, a car that ended up propped-up on a rock (another-story, another-time), and now an act-of-God shanoobie-ing our window. They have consistently taken good care of us... They are really a company I am glad to have on my side!
If you are in the Beaverton/Hillsboro/Tigard area or really anywhere in Oregon check out my insurance guy!
Paul Jefferies
(503) 614-8564
3000 NW Stucki Pl
Suite 170
Hillsboro, OR 97124-7272
*This blog has not been paid for or endorsed by State Farm Insurance or anyone affiliated through employment by the company. The opinions expressed here are solely the thoughts of the consumer.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Inconsistency
I always want to find myself as someone who is conscientious in every aspect of my life. But, a few weeks ago, I blew it. I knew that I had blown it and it was going to stay under my skin and broil itself there. Unless I did something about it.
For Operation Christmas Glory, we had just finished our first fundraiser which turned out to be more successful than we had thought it would be. We spent two days outside an Alberton's talking about what we have been doing. We were doing a fundraiser at Panda Express, so we had expected to be handing out fliers for it and inviting people to go eat there. Well, as we were out there talking about what we were doing, people didn't want to go to Panda and eat they just wanted to donate for us to be able to get our boxes sent out. The main goal of the "Panda Express" fundraiser was to get our name out, and rally up some local knowledge for fundraising ideas and the like. We never expected to get such a great response for our efforts. It was exhasting, but amazing!
So after having such a success, we went our separate ways... Jenny went home with Dadu and Leanna, and Brian and I headed to grab some sandwiches from the Safeway deli. On the two block drive to Safeway, both Brian and I were irritable. A snippy word was said, we got even more grouchy, and then our attitudes were toast. Or well, mine was.
We were walking down the laundry isle, I was looking for salad area. But, I was also angry and frustrated, and mostly growling inside myself. As we walked down the isle, (I think) I made eye contact, and slightly smiled. The lady stopped, looked at me, and said, "Thank you for your smile, that's exactly what I needed!" I didn't even stop and wonder until I had walked away. I just looked at her as I stomped by and said, "Your welcome!", and continued to walk away with an enormous grumpy storm cloud over my head. I got half way down the next isle, and suddenly it dawned on me how much energy I had put into being angry.
Then I started to analyze my reaction to the situation. How on earth could my angry, half-way, crooked, smirk of a smile be something that made someone's day! How awful her day must have been! Why did I have to be so stuck into myself and not stop to ask how a fellow person was!
I had to go back and find her! I had to go and find out if there was possibly something, somehow that I could make her day better than what it was! My heart was so upset about the situation that I just hoped...that there was a way she could possibly still be in the store!
After much time agonizing over the situation...I found her in the check out lane. I just had to be sure she was actually ok. She was. And somehow she really was blessed by my "angry, half-way, crooked, smirk of a smile".
Although I may have agonized over this situation too much. But, what if someone else just needed some kind of extra-loving human contact. Just someone to stop and really ask them how they really are.... I want to be that person. I want to be the one who is conscientious about reacting to others. Next time I will try to be more aware.
For Operation Christmas Glory, we had just finished our first fundraiser which turned out to be more successful than we had thought it would be. We spent two days outside an Alberton's talking about what we have been doing. We were doing a fundraiser at Panda Express, so we had expected to be handing out fliers for it and inviting people to go eat there. Well, as we were out there talking about what we were doing, people didn't want to go to Panda and eat they just wanted to donate for us to be able to get our boxes sent out. The main goal of the "Panda Express" fundraiser was to get our name out, and rally up some local knowledge for fundraising ideas and the like. We never expected to get such a great response for our efforts. It was exhasting, but amazing!
So after having such a success, we went our separate ways... Jenny went home with Dadu and Leanna, and Brian and I headed to grab some sandwiches from the Safeway deli. On the two block drive to Safeway, both Brian and I were irritable. A snippy word was said, we got even more grouchy, and then our attitudes were toast. Or well, mine was.
We were walking down the laundry isle, I was looking for salad area. But, I was also angry and frustrated, and mostly growling inside myself. As we walked down the isle, (I think) I made eye contact, and slightly smiled. The lady stopped, looked at me, and said, "Thank you for your smile, that's exactly what I needed!" I didn't even stop and wonder until I had walked away. I just looked at her as I stomped by and said, "Your welcome!", and continued to walk away with an enormous grumpy storm cloud over my head. I got half way down the next isle, and suddenly it dawned on me how much energy I had put into being angry.
Then I started to analyze my reaction to the situation. How on earth could my angry, half-way, crooked, smirk of a smile be something that made someone's day! How awful her day must have been! Why did I have to be so stuck into myself and not stop to ask how a fellow person was!
I had to go back and find her! I had to go and find out if there was possibly something, somehow that I could make her day better than what it was! My heart was so upset about the situation that I just hoped...that there was a way she could possibly still be in the store!
After much time agonizing over the situation...I found her in the check out lane. I just had to be sure she was actually ok. She was. And somehow she really was blessed by my "angry, half-way, crooked, smirk of a smile".
Although I may have agonized over this situation too much. But, what if someone else just needed some kind of extra-loving human contact. Just someone to stop and really ask them how they really are.... I want to be that person. I want to be the one who is conscientious about reacting to others. Next time I will try to be more aware.
Friday, March 25, 2011
A Baking Blunder
A few months ago, my husby decided that he wanted to take some treats into work. So he decided he wanted to take in brownies and I suggested rice crispy treats as well. I told Brian that he would have to make the brownies by himself, and I would make the rice crispies. Everything went fine, the rice crispies came off the oven just in time for the brownies to come out.
So Brian placed the brownies on top of the stove. Between the front burner and the back one, everything seemed to be fine. A few minutes later, out of the spot where we had checked for the peak of perfection of the brownies, a billow of smoke came exploding out. It was like watching smoke come out of a volcano, rapid and leaving me wondering if it would suddenly explode. My heart started to pound out of my chest, and my mind raced trying to figure out what on earth was happening. The smoke alarm started blaring in the background, and I examined the brownies in a state of confusion. Staring at the stove, for just a little too long. Suddenly my brain clicks and realizes that I need to get the brownies outside (yes, my brain reacted just a little too slowly.). I grabbed some kitchen towels and rush toward the balcony door.
When I returned inside, I once again examined what had just happened on the stove. Brian and I had both made a baking blunder. When I took the rice crispys off of the stove, I forgot to turn the burner off! Brian when he set the brownies down on the burners, the back half of them were over the oven vent and the front on the hot burner. In effect, we both burnt the perfect, beautiful, fudgy brownies. With the apartment fire alarm crisis behind us, we brought the smoldering brownies back inside the house. I was ready to trash them, but Brian said, "Wait maybe they're still o.k..." At this point it is like a chocolate brick, and he took a crunchy bite out of one. He looks at me with as much of a serious tone as he can muster and chokes out, "Their o.k...." At this proclamation I decide what the heck, and take a little taste of my own... It was very...smokey... crunchy... with a side of charcoal. Brian still wanted to take them to work. I told him he couldn't. He then of course demanded to know why... I told him that everyone at his work was going to think that I have made this atrocity that we were going to call brownies. I couldn't have that! I couldn't stand that embarrassment! And to his dismay half of the treats that he wanted to take to work went into the garbage.
For one thing, it is of course always the brain dead, easy things that I can't seem to make. But, of course things that have a gazillion steps to making, no problem, it turns out every-time. However, this was my first box brownie mishap. I still can't make rice on the stove. I haven't even been able to master brown rice even in my rice cooker. I have never been able to make no-bake chocolate cookies.There is one other thing that I can't make, but I don't remember.
But I am glad to say the brownies that I made last night have turned out to be fantastic.
So Brian placed the brownies on top of the stove. Between the front burner and the back one, everything seemed to be fine. A few minutes later, out of the spot where we had checked for the peak of perfection of the brownies, a billow of smoke came exploding out. It was like watching smoke come out of a volcano, rapid and leaving me wondering if it would suddenly explode. My heart started to pound out of my chest, and my mind raced trying to figure out what on earth was happening. The smoke alarm started blaring in the background, and I examined the brownies in a state of confusion. Staring at the stove, for just a little too long. Suddenly my brain clicks and realizes that I need to get the brownies outside (yes, my brain reacted just a little too slowly.). I grabbed some kitchen towels and rush toward the balcony door.
When I returned inside, I once again examined what had just happened on the stove. Brian and I had both made a baking blunder. When I took the rice crispys off of the stove, I forgot to turn the burner off! Brian when he set the brownies down on the burners, the back half of them were over the oven vent and the front on the hot burner. In effect, we both burnt the perfect, beautiful, fudgy brownies. With the apartment fire alarm crisis behind us, we brought the smoldering brownies back inside the house. I was ready to trash them, but Brian said, "Wait maybe they're still o.k..." At this point it is like a chocolate brick, and he took a crunchy bite out of one. He looks at me with as much of a serious tone as he can muster and chokes out, "Their o.k...." At this proclamation I decide what the heck, and take a little taste of my own... It was very...smokey... crunchy... with a side of charcoal. Brian still wanted to take them to work. I told him he couldn't. He then of course demanded to know why... I told him that everyone at his work was going to think that I have made this atrocity that we were going to call brownies. I couldn't have that! I couldn't stand that embarrassment! And to his dismay half of the treats that he wanted to take to work went into the garbage.
For one thing, it is of course always the brain dead, easy things that I can't seem to make. But, of course things that have a gazillion steps to making, no problem, it turns out every-time. However, this was my first box brownie mishap. I still can't make rice on the stove. I haven't even been able to master brown rice even in my rice cooker. I have never been able to make no-bake chocolate cookies.There is one other thing that I can't make, but I don't remember.
But I am glad to say the brownies that I made last night have turned out to be fantastic.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
My Current Adventure 3
As Jenny's room started becoming filled to the ceiling of name brand products of shampoo, conditioners, deodorants, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and the big and most amazing deal was the laundry soap. She and I sat down one Sunday and chatted, we had to do something with all of the product. There was no way we could use it all ourselves! So we brain stormed about what we could do. We started talking about finding somewhere to donate it, and we left it at that for the day.
The next week, I see her and she is extremely excited, she had discovered where it all was going to go. She had discovered a website: www.anysoldier.com Not only had she found the website, but she had already found contacts with the soldiers in need, and taken ALL of the large flat rate boxes from our local post office. She had begun filling the boxes; and the boxes were stuffed full to the brim. Our goal is to fill the boxes full of everything we can. Why waste money on shipping costs, when it costs the same amount if we put in two products, or 50?
Currently we have over 30 contacts! What do I mean by contacts... What it means is, each contact is a troop leader or Chaplin, who we send boxes to and they distribute the products to people within the troop. Our 30 contacts that we have reach a total of 1,700 troops. So we are attempting to send as much as we can to support them.
The boxes that we are sending out are going to our troops who are in the middle of the desert. These troops are far from the PX's (basically a grocery store of supplies). So our soldiers in these places are going without the basics which we take for granted. The people whom are out there giving of their lives to keep ours comfortable, and also working for the greater good of helping other countries are going without? That is simply wrong! The way we see it is that it is the least we can do to reach out to them and support them in whatever way we can.
It doesn't matter if you support the wars, or support what our government is doing. This isn't about that. It is about giving our "neighbors" aid. They enlisted to the different branches of the military for many different reasons, but in the end it is all for the same cause, serving US! No matter how I look at it, it is more than the right thing to do!
Currently, we are sending out about 30 boxes a month, with still 30 or more just sitting and waiting to be shipped. Our goal is by 2012 to be sending out at least 300 boxes a month! Still just as full as we have been! It is going to be amazing to see how God blesses this and continues to move it forward! I will keep you all "posted" about what is going on!
The next week, I see her and she is extremely excited, she had discovered where it all was going to go. She had discovered a website: www.anysoldier.com Not only had she found the website, but she had already found contacts with the soldiers in need, and taken ALL of the large flat rate boxes from our local post office. She had begun filling the boxes; and the boxes were stuffed full to the brim. Our goal is to fill the boxes full of everything we can. Why waste money on shipping costs, when it costs the same amount if we put in two products, or 50?
Currently we have over 30 contacts! What do I mean by contacts... What it means is, each contact is a troop leader or Chaplin, who we send boxes to and they distribute the products to people within the troop. Our 30 contacts that we have reach a total of 1,700 troops. So we are attempting to send as much as we can to support them.
The boxes that we are sending out are going to our troops who are in the middle of the desert. These troops are far from the PX's (basically a grocery store of supplies). So our soldiers in these places are going without the basics which we take for granted. The people whom are out there giving of their lives to keep ours comfortable, and also working for the greater good of helping other countries are going without? That is simply wrong! The way we see it is that it is the least we can do to reach out to them and support them in whatever way we can.
It doesn't matter if you support the wars, or support what our government is doing. This isn't about that. It is about giving our "neighbors" aid. They enlisted to the different branches of the military for many different reasons, but in the end it is all for the same cause, serving US! No matter how I look at it, it is more than the right thing to do!
Currently, we are sending out about 30 boxes a month, with still 30 or more just sitting and waiting to be shipped. Our goal is by 2012 to be sending out at least 300 boxes a month! Still just as full as we have been! It is going to be amazing to see how God blesses this and continues to move it forward! I will keep you all "posted" about what is going on!
My Current Adventure 2
I did not want to overload any of my readers about my current adventure all in one post so in effect this is part two of "My Current Adventure".
To recap for anyone randomly picking up this blog: I have found myself involved in the beginnings of making a non-profit with my best friend, Jenny. She is clearly the brains of the operation. She is the one who got this all started.
Here is the "short version".
Jenny is the world biggest Coupon Queen when it comes to figuring out how to get hygiene type products for practically nothing. I am still not sure how she does it. But she makes me look silly for getting excited about saving 40 cents off my laundry soap. Instead of saving 40 cents on a product she is more likely to pay only 40 cents on a product, and most often she is grumbling about paying the 40 cents. Most of the products we purchase, it is more likely that we will be paid back for the product. If any of you are as bad at math as I am, you can still imagine this a really good deal.
Just for example. This morning she sent me a text message telling me that in her Sunday morning shopping she was able to get a ton of toothbrushes for nothing, and in return was basically paid $200 by RiteAid for her purchase. We do all of our shopping at RiteAid. Until she started doing the couponing I NEVER purchased anything from RiteAid except my occasional prescription and maybe a candy bar as an impulse item on my way out. But, somehow with her amazing super-human couponing skills, the Plus-Up rewards program, and rebates, our products come out to being nearly nothing. It makes it possible for us to spend $100 out of pocket on any given Sunday, and get over $1000 (sometimes it is closer to $2000) worth of product. Jenny is someone who cannot resist a good deal, and especially when the manufacturer is going to essentially pay you for your purchase. Who would not take advantage of it.
So as you can imagine with taking advantage of these amazing deals, it quickly became a problem finding something to do with it all. So what do we do with all this product? Well, that is what we all started asking ourselves once Jenny, the mastermind of the operation, figured out this system.
To recap for anyone randomly picking up this blog: I have found myself involved in the beginnings of making a non-profit with my best friend, Jenny. She is clearly the brains of the operation. She is the one who got this all started.
Here is the "short version".
Jenny is the world biggest Coupon Queen when it comes to figuring out how to get hygiene type products for practically nothing. I am still not sure how she does it. But she makes me look silly for getting excited about saving 40 cents off my laundry soap. Instead of saving 40 cents on a product she is more likely to pay only 40 cents on a product, and most often she is grumbling about paying the 40 cents. Most of the products we purchase, it is more likely that we will be paid back for the product. If any of you are as bad at math as I am, you can still imagine this a really good deal.
Just for example. This morning she sent me a text message telling me that in her Sunday morning shopping she was able to get a ton of toothbrushes for nothing, and in return was basically paid $200 by RiteAid for her purchase. We do all of our shopping at RiteAid. Until she started doing the couponing I NEVER purchased anything from RiteAid except my occasional prescription and maybe a candy bar as an impulse item on my way out. But, somehow with her amazing super-human couponing skills, the Plus-Up rewards program, and rebates, our products come out to being nearly nothing. It makes it possible for us to spend $100 out of pocket on any given Sunday, and get over $1000 (sometimes it is closer to $2000) worth of product. Jenny is someone who cannot resist a good deal, and especially when the manufacturer is going to essentially pay you for your purchase. Who would not take advantage of it.
So as you can imagine with taking advantage of these amazing deals, it quickly became a problem finding something to do with it all. So what do we do with all this product? Well, that is what we all started asking ourselves once Jenny, the mastermind of the operation, figured out this system.
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