Assessing Strengths

Recently, the place that I work sponsored a leadership development training program for the staff. I work at a private university and they are continually challenging us to grow in our positions, our education and as people. The assessment they took is called the CliftonStrengths Assessment. I was unable to attend the professional development seminar but was interested in finding out what my top five strengths were and learning how to use my strengths to best achieve the goals I have set for this year.

My top 5 strengths are:

Catalyst

"Your objective is to act and to initiate action. You cannot wait until the discussions are over, wondering when we can actually start doing something. Undoubtedly, sometimes the progress could be achieved in a meeting room, but deep down in your heart you know it’s the action that leads to tangible results. If some can be resistant to act because they don’t have full information, for you - acting is the best teacher and the best source of information. How can you know something does not work if we haven’t tried it? You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. As the result, you are impatient for action and, if not managed, it can lead to confusion of your team members. However, this talent of transforming intangible ideas into tangible actions is invaluable in every team. It’s all because you believe that you will be evaluated by what you get done, not what you say or what you think."

Believer

"Your objective is to believe and to do ‘the right thing’. Of course, ‘the right thing’ differs from person to person, but one thing is true - you have a certain set of values that you are not ready to compromise. Moreover, these values are like a compass guiding you, providing a direction and giving your life meaning and satisfaction. You believe that money is not the ultimate measure of success. Some people call you the person of purpose. Correspondingly, you choose people you spend time with and companies you work for with respect to the alignment to these values. It makes you very trustworthy and reliable in any environment. Your team members will always value your consistency."

Optimist

"Your objective is to bring positive spirit. If there is someone believing that the glass is half-full instead of half-empty - then it’s you. Whether it’s a work project or a daily situation - you always manage to find a way to make everything more exciting. You inject enthusiasm into people and that’s why they love to be around with you. Sure, there are people who don’t buy your positivity - but could it set you back? No way! Your optimism simply would not allow it! In a team environment, you are generous with praise, grateful for people and circumstances, and quick to find positive in every situation, which is key in motivating people and mitigating conflicts."

Brainstormer

"Your objective is to come up with new concepts and ideas. It’s not even your objective - it’s your way of life. You are constantly on the lookout to connect unconnectable things and to find new perspectives on familiar challenges. Whenever a new idea comes into your mind, you literally lit up like a light bulb. New angles, approaches and perspectives no matter how contrary or bizarre give you an endless source of energy. As the result, the others might see you as an innovative person willing to turn the world around and resort to you if they need some “out of the box” ideas. You are a clear source of creative juices in any team."

Coach

"Your objective is to develop people’s potential. Contrary to what others might think, you believe that every person has the potential for development. None of the people have achieved the ultimate level of excellence - there is always space to grow. You perceive it as a personal mission to help others utilize their potential and to experience success. As the result, you look for ways to facilitate their learning process - from challenging their thoughts in a discussion to creating environments which would facilitate learning process. You are one of those leaders that really care about the development of team members and they really appreciate it."

If you want to find out your top 5 strengths you can find the link I used here.

None of my strengths came as a real shocker. I want to learn how to take these strengths and use them to make me a better Christian, spouse, parent, friend, worker, and student. How can I take what I'm naturally inclined to do and use them to transform my home, my finances, and my life?

Often times I let my tank of positive energy and coaching empty while I'm at work. If I can take that enthusiasm and channel these ideals into my children I think it would change my outlook. The monotony of keeping home, chores, and life can sometimes break down my positive disposition. This is something I need to be aware of and work on. maintaining a positive attitude at home is almost more important than at work.

Seeing these strengths reminds me that my weaknesses are not following through, finishing a task, and sticking to a plan. These are the things I need to work on. I hope to grow in these areas by tackling them one small task at a time. If others have unlimited potential that means I must have it as well. How can I continue to grow as a person?

What is your top strength? How can we challenge each other?

Thank you for reading my blog. I greatly appreciate all of your support, kind words and ideas. I look forward to growing and moving forward on this journey with each of you.

A New Direction

Good Afternoon,

I have been struggling with keeping to a schedule this year but I want to re-kick off my year. I had set some goals in January and had a pretty good start but got off the train. 

My goals I set in January were three fold:

1) Run/walk/bike 2018 miles.

I have a great desire to be healthy and fit especially since my diagnosis two years ago. I want to make my fitness a priority to my goals this year. This was and is a great way to do that. 

How I fell off track: 

I just have not prioritized nor can I seem to find the time to get these miles in. I've been attempting to tackle everything this year and not focusing on one or two things and this lack of direction has caused all my balls to fall out of the air. This is certainly still a priority for my life that I am going to make happen this year.

How will I get back on Track:

I am purchasing a fitness watch to track my miles. I was depending on tracking my miles via what I ran/walked at the gym but I realized this was letting me down in a big way. I lost motivation because I realized how many more miles I was getting in and they were not being tracked. 

Another way to help get back on track is to stick with a workable schedule. I cannot do everything and it is time for me to cut myself some slack. I'm going to work on planning a schedule that allows me to maximize my time with my kids, homework, and still allows some time to work out.

2) Lose 100lbs in 2018. 

I have a great deal of weight to lose and between my cancer diagnosis and my eye disorder it is imperative I lose weight. However, this particular goal is getting thrown out. Instead of focusing on the numbers I'm going to focus on eating healthy for the entire family and getting in my work outs. If this goal happens great if not that's okay as well. The stress and sorrow of not hitting a certain number on the scale has been more detrimental then helpful.

3) Get out of debt. 

This is a goal I find to be incredibly important. However, I have noticed I don't seem to have a great plan for accomplishing this. Basically, whatever happens happens has been my plan. 

I recently applied for and was offered a job at a local retail location on top of my full time job. After careful thought and consideration (they low-balled me with pay and already attempted to violate my schedule we discussed in the interview) I think I need to go in a different direction. 

Plan for getting back on track:

Step 1: Budget -- We have tried budgeting for a long time but it seems something always gets in the way. We lack the will power to remain in our budget guidelines. 

Step 2: Meal Planning and Shopping Sales -- I'm pretty good with shopping sales but I think it is time to take this to the next level. This is where I plan on bringing all of you along with me. My blog is taking a semi-new direction. I want to be transparent and share how I can cut down a grocery bill for 8 people, cook healthy meals and enjoy a positive lifestyle while becoming financially accountable.

Along with blog entries I am planning on creating a YouTube diary with recipes, grocery shopping hauls and workout vlogs. I already have an Instagram where I share some of my recipes, workout motivation and food stories but I want to get all of these social media platforms on a schedule. This is also how I'm hoping to bring extra revenue in for my family as well to not only pay down debt but improve our home. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I want to encourage everyone to leave comments and participate in the dialogue. If you have suggestions for videos, blogs, recipes, or resources be sure to chime in. 

Thank you for reading my words. I want to be better more frugal and better at life. This journey is difficult to go alone but I am grateful for the support and love from each of you.

Edit: I realize I mention my cancer and eye disorder in this blog and haven't told the general public about these two things. They are nothing to worry about. I need to lose weight to help with my pseudo tumor (although they are unsure about their diagnosis) and I have a rare form of inoperable cancer that has most likely been with me all of my life. Both are under careful observation and as long as I have minimal symptoms the plan is to wait and see. 

I did not mention these things sooner because a dear friend of mine was dying of cancer and I couldn't talk about living with cancer while she was dying from it.

Greetings,

It's hard to believe the year is almost over. 2015 is almost done and in the books. 

2015 hasn't been the year I anticipated. It hasn't been awful but not amazing. I had these visions and goals for 2015 and while I met some of them most of them fell by the way side. 

2015 was a year where I failed myself. Life didn't really throw me to many unexpected twists but my personal choices certainly did. I think poor choices, lack of self control, and laziness are the worst way to fail because let's face it there is no one else to blame but myself.

For the first time since I had Little Bear I'm ending my year at a higher weight than I started it. I have 30lbs to drop in order to make it back to the weight I started the year. While my weight isn't the all important factor I certainly want my fitness level to be back to where it was. I still have my endurance but the extra weight isn't good on my body.

I have yet to see the doctor, dentist, or any real health professional this year. I'm horrible about going to see them. I did make it into the eye doctor (first time in 5 years) and had a new prescription. I also saw the chiropractor a good amount this year. I need to make appointments and go though. I need to be consistent for both myself and my family. After all I'm the example I want my kids to follow. I want them to understand their health is important. They don't necessarily need to be running to the doctor for everything but check ups and health screenings are imperative. (I did have a health screening through my husbands work and all my levels are great.)

Our finances are not amazing. We haven't stuck with a budget. I did open a savings account in 2015 but I haven't taken advantage of it as I should. 2016 will mean more financial accountability. 

I had a job I loved in 2015 but because of some awful situations I had to leave. I was however able to become a Jamberry consultant. I'm in love with this product, this company and the fact I get to work for myself essentially. If you want any information about Jamberry please be sure to check out our website and send me a message. 

chloeandmommyjamberry.jamberry.com

We enrolled the kids into school this year for the first time. (We homeschooled up to this point.) I'm pleased with how it is going. Still some kinks to work out but the kids have adjusted well and so have we. Having more schedule has been good for all of us. 

2015, you were a year that will register as blah in my book. 

I look forward eagerly to 2016. I cannot wait to make my vision board and set my goals for the upcoming year! It is going to be a great one!

Until Later,

Mary

How did your 2015 go? Were you disappointed, excited, encouraged, challenged? 

Fatherly Fridays

Evenin'.  This is Kyle, ramping up for day thirteen in a row at work (of nineteen - we get Thanksgiving, or rather the night before since I work graveyard shift, off).  It's model year change-over for the automotive industry, and as a supplier, we're swamped.

Fridays'll be my day to post - an eclectic collection of reflections on life, cooking, theology, joint locks, and cooking.  Today, we discuss planning the spread for Turkey Day.  This year we're hosting another family, whose traditions and expectations we hope to achieve, and I'm working extended shifts every day of the lead-up.  Practically, I know my wife's going to have to shoulder the load of cleaning in addition to our normally hectic schedule, so I want the meal to be doable in the event she needs the morning to recover.

Turkey

• 1 pound per person, figuring half as bone weight and soup fodder, and anticipating sending a bunch to work for the post-feast leftovers potluck (hey, may as well soothe interrupting our family lives with stress eating, right?), since I've been bragging on the perfect turkey recipe to my coworkers.  10 people x 1 pound each x at least .5 for leftovers = a 15 or so pound turkey.  This is good, since most families tend to prize the 10-12 pound turkeys, and the grocers tend to try to push much larger ones, there ought not to be too much demand for our turkey.  
• This is totally doable in 2.5 -3 hours of cook time, and the hinge upon which all other things will move in and out of the oven on Thursday.  
• Being a giant lump of iced meat, we'll start the thaw sometime on Sunday, and the brine before I go to sleep Wednesday morning.  
• I need at least a five gallon bucket.  Buy a foil roasting pan that fits your bird (it helps to size check at the grocer, and DO NOT buy a standard strength roaster - either spring for a heavy-duty one, or pick up three standard ones, and expect to put holes in them.  I'll need ice and brining supplies by Sunday. (PRO TIP - store associates look far more charitably on stuffing turkeys inside of buckets in hardware if that turkey belongs in their store and hasn't been bought yet.  Also, if you don't physically put the bird in the bucket when you pick it out, it will not fit later - Murphy's Law)
• Rest the bird!  If you cut it hot, the bird will be dry.  Instead, let it sit on the counter for fifteen minutes before you think about cutting it.  However you prep the bird, this step is not to be skipped.
• Eat nothing out of the bird!  Treat that thing like a pariah until it hits 161 degrees Fahrenheit. Know that neither the inner parts of the bird nor the stuffing inside would ever . . . EVER reach that magical number, and would therefore always potentially have salmonella.

Mashed Potatoes

• Yukon Gold, butter, and heavy whipping cream are ideal.  They're also more expensive. In their absence, you can still get good results off of a blend of russets and reds, margarine, and milk, but if you're willing to pass on the best ingredients, you're probably better off going instant.  It will save you hours of prep, and give you a really forgiving way to get that perfect consistency by just dumping in more flakes, as necessary.  There are a lot of upscale options for potato flakes, also,  I know a lot of folks that balk at the idea of anything but homemade, but you might sneak in a taste test this week while everything's on sale to help you decide - the drop in quality is insignificant, and this is the single biggest time-saver in all of Thanksgiving prep.
• 1 pound of potatoes per person.  Seriously.  Never less than this.
• If you're doing this for the first time in a long time, don't underestimate the amount of lead work.  Scrubbing, peeling, cutting, boiling, draining, mashing, doctoring, whipping - very time consuming.
• Do not stop the cutting process until your spuds are in the pot, covered in water.  They can swim on your countertop for a couple of hours, but if they are exposed to air, they will grey.  In timing everything out, I recommend starting potatoes just after the turkey prep is done, and timing the boil so they finish cooking when the bird starts to rest.

Sweet Potatoes

• If you're way behind on prep, just foil them and throw them in the oven (with enough time left to cook, obviously).  A baked sweet potato is noticeably more fibrous than a white potato, but it's not a bad way to go, and a common side for steaks.  also a great way to cut down the calories (same goes for white potatoes, above).
• If you're doing sweet potatoes and don't quite know what you're doing with them, just treat them exactly like white potatoes that are taking forever to boil.  Prepare them identically - mash, butter, milk, salt, pepper.  Just don't add garlic, chicken broth, bacon, or cheese.
• About candying them: NO.  Just no.
• If you must have SWEET potatoes, the best option is to mash them up, transfer them to a baking dish, cover them in a single layer of the half-inch-around size marshmallows, and cook on the top rack the whole time your turkey's resting so they melt and brown.  I've had sweet potatoes a million ways, and this is the only way I'll eat them sweetened.
• Whatever you do, people simply won't eat as much sweet potatoes as white.  It's hardwired or something.
• Instant sweet potatoes aren't.  Just don't bother.  They're a bizarre amalgam of white and sweet that makes no sense and just tastes off.

Croissants

• Somehow, these have supplanted cornbread, biscuits, and any other sort of bread at our Thanksgiving table.
• Don't be silly.  I couldn't make French pastry to save my soul.  Just try to avoid low quality generics.
• The closer to serving you can cook these, the better.  We try not to start them until the turkey's resting.

Corn

• With all the other carbs at Thanksgiving, corn's gone the way of the dodo, but if you must, this is the right way to cook corn.  Simple, natural, and quick.  Thanksgiving could use more quick.

Cornbread

• If you're from the deep South, I'm sorry.  I grew up with Jiffy cornbread, and my mom's family is from Indiana by way of Texas.  I say that to say cornbread should be sweet, and more like cake than hardtack.  I realize in the South cornbread can be, but it isn't worth it to track down good cornmeal up North.
• We were gluten-free for a good while, and discovered a really simple substitution for any cornbread recipe (I used the one on the bag of Meijer cornmeal): use Mush!  Just add together the recipe's requirement for cornmeal + flour.  Mix this amount of cornmeal, and an equal amount of boiling water.  Give the water and meal about ten minutes to cook, then proceed with the recipe, but treat the mush like a wet ingredient (don't mix in the leavening when making the mush!).

Heading to work now; more later!

Cool Stuff by CG ;)

Hi guys, it's CG and I am a geek who loves to play LOTS of games (when my mom lets me).

Here are my top 5 video games:  

1. Minecraft (PC version)  

2. Pacman Arcade

3. Sonic Dash

4. Super Mario Brothers U

5. Plants vs Zombies (not version 2 demo)

There are a few other games I like. I will give you 2 more: Minecraft storymode, and My Little Pony Matching Game. 

I also like to play games that are not video games. Here are my top 5 non-video games.

1. Munchkin Series 

2. Othello

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

4. Magic the Gathering 

5. Beyblades

That's all for now! Dun... Dun... Dunnnnnnn

Thanks for reading. Leave a friendly comment down below. 

If you would like me to play one of these games on our you tube channel (Coming soon!) comment down below on which one you would like me to play!

Question of the week:

Do any of you play any of these games? 

--CG

Greetings,


Welcome to the Frugal Family!


This blog is all about family, fun, friendship, and living frugally.

What does living frugally mean? Well it means living within our budget. Having the most fun for the best value and enjoying life while we do it.

This blog is going to be a place to find great budget tips, meal plans, recipes, fun day trips, family moments, attempted pinterest projects, product reviews and more.

Let's meet the family!

Kyle (Dad)

This is our hard working papa bear. He's our strong support system. He wrestles, draws, writes, reads, and plays with the crazies. From time to time he may post on here with a fatherly perspective on budgeting and raising a family. Many of our photos get Dad credit since he's a fantastic photographer/ He's our go to guy for everything philosophical and we absolutely love him.

Mary (Mom)

This is  me. I'm the planner, behind the camera, get messy and hands on Mom. I try to make sure we have a healthy dose of fun in our educational ramblings. When it comes to crafts, cooking, planning, getting people ready, and house work you will find me. I run, play, climb and love to go on adventures. I absolutely love my kiddos and work hard to make sure they learn valuable lessons about life, love, and responsibility.

CG

Meet CG. When it comes to all things Minecraft, video games, reading, drawing, and rpg related he's your guy. Brilliant and goofy with a pinch of attitude he is the oldest of our crazies. CG is 9 years old, in 3rd grade and he will try almost anything once. He brings and intellectual spin to every conversation and always is asking why or how things work. Look for him to do how to posts, video game posts and all kind of creative, exciting videos along the way.

Little Miss

Little Miss is our fashionista. At 7 years of age she loves to go thrifting and search the clearance racks for great deals. She can tell you what looks cute, loves to play with make up and has a heart of gold. Her compassionate heart makes her a friend to all people and animals. She loves to cook, bake, and create lots of crafts with her Mama and will be very happy to share in all the fun things she does here on the blog and on our vlog. 

Little Bear

Little Bear is the craziest of our crazies. He runs, plays, climbs, jumps and gets into everything he can. He tries to keep up with his brother and his imagination runs wild. Every stick is a sword, every stump is a stage. He sings and performs every chance he gets. He's 5 and in kindergarten! What a fantastic age. He's Mama's little helper and loves to do everything he can to be a part of the action.

Malcom

Last but not least is our crazy rescue puppy. Malcom is 2 years old and he's is just as much a part of the family as every human. He loves to walk, jump, snuggle, cuddle, chase, play fetch and tug of war. He wakes the kids up, guards our house from squirrels and keeps us on our toes. He's the baby of the family and absolutely spoiled. 

We welcome you to our journey and we can't wait to share this with you. We have so many great things planned for the years to come and this website is our way to keep our memories and share them with all of you!

In the near future we will also have a vlog on you tube and as soon as we have some videos up we will link them to here! Thanks for joining our journey.