What Makes Me Happy

I am starting September with a blogging challenge to break out of my blogging rut (eek, it’s true).  As a blogger I struggle with finding my voice and my passion.  As a frugal blogger it is hard to write personal pieces that give you a glimpse of who I am since I feel like you are here for deals and ways to save.  However, I want you to know more about me and why I do this whole blogging thing.  It will make me happy to type more than ad match ups and great deals.  Over the next month look for more personal pieces in addition to deals, freebies, and other money saving tips.  I know that is not what everyone is here for….but I hope you enjoy the more personal posts.

What Makes Me Happy (in absolutely no order)

SAVING MONEY makes me incredibly happy.  Paying full price for things when there are discounts, coupons, and cash back rebates available is just silly.  I love finding a good deal….like a really, really good deal that saves our family a lot of money.  By saving money on essentials like tooth paste and shampoo our family is able to spend money on fun activities including vacations!  Life is finite and I want to make sure we have fun and make memories without going into debt.

Helping Others warms my heart.  I blog to teach people how to save money and it is one form of helping others.  My goal is to volunteer at the food bank both with my girls and without them.  My local food pantry comes to our house to pick up our food donations on a bi-monthly basis and I always have something to give to others in need.  Teaching coupon classes in my area is also on my list of ways I can help others.  There is probably a reason why I chose to pursue a teaching degree in special education and it is because I love helping.

Salted Caramel is one of the most delicious foods in the world.  The first time I had slated caramel was at Disney World when I ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon in a tutu.  I have been hooked ever since.  Seriously, it doesn’t get better than salted caramel – especially in some sort of ice cream form.

My husband is completely awesome.  He works an 8:00 to 5:00 job and battles the horrendous Atlanta traffic during the week and on the weekends he builds tables and scales extension ladders to paint the inside of our house (with a two story great room and a two story foyer).  He changes the oil in our cars and has changed brakes and even the radiator.  There are very few problems that he cannot solve.  Did I mention that he is incredibly funny as well?  He also loves a saving money.  We both grew up poor and know the value of hard work.  Saving money is definitely a form of hard work!

My girls make me smile every day.  Sometimes parenting is tough and it takes all of my patience but all those things melt away with a hug, smile, joke, or compliment.  Kids say the funniest things, and my girls are no exception to that rule.

Running is my favorite form of exercise.  I have logged hundreds (maybe thousands) of miles on our local Greenway Trails.  I have received some of the most amazing advice while running beside some absolutely wonderful people.  Running is the best for of therapy. And going back to Salted Caramel….there is a Salted Caramel GU that I absolutely love.

Cross Fit is a close second in terms of my favorite exercises.  I have gotten so strong by attending the X-Fit class at my local YMCA.  I am pushed to do things that I never imagined possible (like a hand stand push up) and have set goals to make myself better.  One day I WILL be able to do a pull up.

Direct Instruction and Applied Behavior Analysis are scientifically based programs that are proven to help children read and achieve.  Over the years we have used Direct Instruction to teach the girls to read (Big Sister is almost 8 and just finished the second Harry Potter book and Little Sister is reading Junie B. Jones chapter books at the start of first grade – I am telling you – it WORKS!) and the principles of behavior modification always come in handy.

90’s Alternative Music is the BEST! Everclear, Offspring, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Blink 182…..and my list goes on and on!

What about YOU?  What is something that makes YOU happy?