Is God testing me or punishing me?

I'm sitting here trying to decide which one God is doing? Is he testing me or punishing me? Since December things have just been nuts!

First my son was born and this of course was a GREAT thing for us! We love him and so do his sisters. Since his birth though things have just gone nuts!

My father had a massive stroke and passed away 10 days after my son was born. I have to go to Georgia alone with all six kids because our van isn't big enough for us all.

Get back home and have Christmas and then our heater is dead one morning. Thankfully a friends husband comes over and fixes it!

Hubby goes back to night shift at work. Not his choice, something they do every 2 years. So he will be on night shift for the next 2 years:(

His first night back my 4 yr old slams my 15 month old finger in the door. Not to mention 4 out of 6 kids are just going nuts that night. Showing out because Dad's back at work? Maybe.

Then hubby hurts his back on Monday leaving me to be a single mom this whole week. I honestly think I'm going to lose my mind. I know they say God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but I'm thinking to myself "God, how much do you think I can handle"?

To top things off my husband made an appointment that I asked him not to make at the moment. It's an appointment for him to have the big "V" done next week. I've not forgiven him for scheduling this appointment, nor will I have anything to do with this appointment. I asked him to hold off until we were both 100% sure we don't want anymore children. Well I guess he is 100% sure since he has the appointment made. Yet, I'm still on the fence. Yes I know I'm at the point that I'm about to lose my mind this week. I go back and forth daily, so it's not a good time to make the choice at the moment. I'm just not ready!

So why do I feel like I'm being punished? Why is God throwing so much at me?

First shopping trip for week of 1/16/11

This shopping trip was to CVS and Harris Teeter! $343.84 worth of groceries for $140.06. I saved $203.78 or 59%

Items in the picture are

12 pack of paper towels
16 rolls of TP
1 battery charger
1 33.8 oz bottle of shampoo
1 33.8 oz bottle of conditioner
1 bottle Listerine
1 nail polish
1 eye liner
1 eye shadow
1 jar Peter Pan peanut butter
6 boxes hamburger helper
6 packs of yeast
10 bags of Goldfish (one actually isn't in the picture)
2 packs of Stayfree Pads (one was FREE)
2 bottles of All
2 boxes of dryer sheets (FREE)
4 packs of kids yogurt
2 boxes of granola bars
1 box of Planter Nutrition bars
4 boxes of fruit snacks
10 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios
5 boxes of Reese's Puff cereal
14 boxes of fruity/cocoa Pebbles
2 boxes of Capri Sun
1 pack of crackers (FREE)
9 packs of Grand's biscuits
2 packs of stew meat
1 8 can pack of Diet Coke
1 8 can pack of Coke

Shopping trip #3 this week!

Yes, I'm addicted to shopping! Break down of this trip $171.04 worth of groceries for $55.56. I saved $115.48 or 68%.

3 boxes of pasta FREE
1 box garlic bread FREE
1 2 liter FREE
1 Parm cheese FREE
4 packs of yeast FREE
2 packs (6 bags total) Ziploc Big Bags FREE
12 cans of Spaghetti O's .35ea
3 boxes of Special K
19 packs of snack puddings
4 Baker's Joy cooking spray
10 Ziploc containers .25ea pack (packs had 2-6 in each pack)
2 Large jars of pasta sauce
7 pounds of ground beef

Grocery trip #2 this week

Ok so here is my second grocery trip this week.



That's $197.95 worth of groceries for $62.65. I saved $135.30 or 68%.

In the picture..

5 boxes of dishwasher tablets
2 Finish Quantuma dishwash things (good for 12 dishwasher loads)
2 packs string cheese (most expensive thing I bought)
1 pack of birthday candles
1 bottle of baby shampoo
1 bottle of pancake syrup
4 V8 Fusions
10 V8 Splash
3 packs of yeast
1 pack of TP
5 packs of pudding snack cups
2 100 count ziplock sandwich baggies
6 bottles of Lysol wipes
1 bottle Lysol bathroom cleaner
1 bottle Lysol floor cleaner
9 bottles of coffee creamer (some I got for .39 cents a bottle)

Shopping trip today!

Ok so it's a new year and it's time for me to get back into my shopping. I didn't shop much the month of December!

Here is a picture from today's shopping trip.



That's $224.83 worth of groceries and I paid $110.09 a saves of $114.74 or 51%. Oh and I got $19 worth of Extra Care Bucks from CVS! Here is what is in the picture since it's not that great of a shot.

1~32 load bottle of Wisk
2~packs of Quilted Northern
2~8 roll packs of Sparkle
2~toothbrushes
1~toothpaste
1~36 count of Tampons
1~energy saving light bulb
1~36 count of Huggies Diapers
6~bottles of hand soap
5~boxes of oatmeal
2~boxes of Kashi cereal
8~boxes of Special K cereal
4~bottles of children's vitamins
1~parchment paper
4~boxes rice Krispies treats
2~boxes Special K breakfast bars
4~boxes of pancake mix
1~box whole wheat pasta
1~roast
1~pack tortilla shells

Not my greatest shop, but a good way to start off the year.

Yes I know I've been slacking!

I know that I'm WAY behind on updating my blog! Life just got a little...well crazy!

First off I had my sweet little man. Michael James was born on December 5, 2010 at 10:15pm. He was 7lbs 1oz and 20 1/2 inches long. Here are a few pictures of my little man.







The week my sweet baby turned 1 week old and my oldest daughter turned 13 years old, my Dad had a massive stroke and passed away 3 days later. I miss my Dad like crazy and think about him every day. He is greatly missed.

Then we had Christmas which made our house look like Toys R Us threw up in our living room.

Now my baby boy is a month old today! I can't believe he is already a month old, it just seems unreal to me.

I'm going to try to do better this year with my blogging. Today I went shopping and I'm going to keep track this year of how much money I save, and try to get pictures of my shopping trips to show what I got for my money. First blog post of this year to follow!

Knitting projects

I've been working hard to finish up a hat for baby boy before he gets here. Here is the finished hat.



I was hoping he would be able to wear it while he is little. Even though the pattern said 6 months. It fits my 1yr old. So I believe I'm going to make another and try to make it smaller.

I also have been working on a girls hat for my 1 year old. I made it to fit 24 month old because my children tend to have big heads. I say that out of love:) Well here's the hat.



Here it is on my 6yr old. With the brim rolled.


Here it is on my 4yr old. With the brim unrolled.


I believe the pattern runs big! What do you think??