Sunday Inspiration: April Showers

A Spirit of Gratitude: April 26

I Am Thankful For:

Watching reruns of Parks and Rec

Days that are beautiful despite being chilly

Feeling cute

Pajama pants with little bees all over them

An afternoon Starbucks pick-me-up

Funny puppy videos

All current orders are complete

Sunday morning coffee

Remembering that I still have an Amazon gift card!

Skyping with the Man of the House

A beautiful new visitor to the bird feeder

Prayer that calms an anxious heart

Sunshine after days of rain

Getting a lot done before 9 AM

My Feathered Friends

I love the little bird feeder that hangs outside my kitchen window.  Some mornings I could stand at the sink and watch the chickadees, sparrows and titmouses (titmice?) for hours.  I also have a pair of cardinals that regularly visit.

This year the feeder seems more popular than ever.  There's a very pretty House Finch that has come calling.  And a beautiful bright Goldfinch is now a stopping by on most days.

Tuesday morning I glanced out the window to spot this handsome fellow

A search in the Merlin Bird ID app from Cornell revealed him to be a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak.  A bird listed as "uncommon".  What a wonderful surprise to have him at my little feeder!

As if that wasn't enough - when I went out to bring the dog in I heard a loud bird call from the trees across the street.  I looked over just in time to see a pileated woodpecker swoop from one tree to another and then off into the woods.

It was quite a treat to see two such beautiful birds in one day!

How I Save Money Without Giving Up My Starbucks Habit

It's no secret that I am crazy for coffee.  A sweet, creamy, delicious cup of caffeine is essential to my every day existence.  Know what I mean?

A trip to Hobby Lobby or running errands is even better with a Starbucks break.  But at an average of $5 or more a cup - that can really start to add up.  What's a girl to do?

That's where some of my favorite reward/rebate programs really come in handy!  If I can earn gift cards or coffee money just by doing my usual activities - it's a win/win for me!

At this point you may be thinking:  "OK.  So, what are some of your favorite reward programs?" 

I'm so glad you asked!

I had this app a few years ago, but then never downloaded it on my new phone until about a month ago.  And I'm a tiny bit obsessed with it. 

One of my favorite things about Ibotta is that I earn rebate-type rewards just by doing my regular shopping!  You search for offers at the stores which are available where you usually shop, add any rebate offers that interest you to the Ibotta app, shop, then scan your receipt for credit.  They have a wide variety of stores participating, including brick and morter as well as online retailers. 

You can also earn bonuses for things such as redeeming more than one offer for a certain category or brand, or by cashing in a certain amount of offers in a month. 

Once you have earned $20 or more, you can redeem it in for PayPal cash or gift cards. (some giftcards may have higher minimums)  

If you join now using my referral link, you can receive a $10 Welcome Bonus! 

https://ibotta.com/r/mljetqm

With MyPoints, I earn points just doing the kinds of things I already do online - reading emails, searching for different topics, and shopping. 

You can also earn points by answering surveys, watching videos and more!  Once you accumulate enough points you can redeem them for gift cards or online certificates to a wide range of MyPoint partners, including restaurants and department stores.

If you sign up using my "Refer A Friend" Code, you'll earn an extra 1750 points when you spend $20 or more:  https://www.mypoints.com?rb=22337403

Very similar to MyPoints in to my points in that you can earn points (aka: SwagBucks) for online shopping with partner businesses, answering surveys, web searches, and watching videos.  

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With SwagBucks, you can also find "SwagCodes" which you input on the website to earn additional Swagbucks.  These codes can be found in places such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  If you have the app on your phone you can turn on notifications to alert you with clues when new codes are available. 

You can join Swagbucks at: http://www.swagbucks.com/

And of course, the list wouldn't be complete until I mention that Starbucks has it's own rewards programs! 

Pay for your purchase using the Starbucks App (or a registered gift card) to earn 2 stars for every $1 you spend (instore or online).  Once you reach 125 stars, you earn a FREE drink or menu item. 

There are often double star days, and you can join "member only" promotions to earn extra stars for purchases to help speed up the star-earning process!

You are also eligible for free refills on brewed coffee or tea refills during a single visit, and a treat on your birthday! 

Join here:  https://www.starbucks.com/starbucks-rewards

Do you have a favorite rewards or rebate program that helps you save money or earn fun rewards or treats?  Share them in the comments!

**I was not financially compensated for this post. However, I might receive bonus referral points, if you register for these reward programs using links included within this post.  The opinions included in this post are completely my own. **

Sunday Inspiration: Encourage Others

"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT

A Spirit of Gratitude: April 19

I Am Thankful For:

Clean drawers

Delicious tuna fillets

Mr & Mrs Cardinal at the bird feeder

An afternoon with the grand kid

Sunshine on my face

Puppy dog eyes

The sound of lawn mowers on a Saturday morning

New t-shirts

Dinner and a movie with the Man of the House

Thunderstorms

Wet little chickadees at the feeder

Coffee with the Female Offspring

A lunch invitation from my dad

An entire display of bee items at Hobby Lobby

Finally getting a little sleep

Filling the hummingbird feeders for the first time this season

Saving a bumble bee

The Male Offspring making dinner

The Man of the House bringing me Oreos

What are you thankful for this week?

Sunday Inspiration: Show the Truth

A Spirit of Gratitude: April 12

I Am Thankful For:

A beautiful goldfinch at the feeder

Busy days

British sitcoms

Saturday nights out 

Bath puff orders

Bible study time with the Man of the House

Planning for the week and month ahead

A yummy dinner made by the Man of the House

The pear tree in bloom

Waking up feeling rested, despite tossing and turning all night

Lilacs in bloom

New additions to my Etsy shop

When what you worried about was nothing

Taco Tuesday

Singing along with the music in the car

Sunday Inspiration : Be Kind

A Spirit of Gratitude: April 5

I Am Thankful For:

The start of a long weekend

Dinner at Culver's with my guys

Phone calls from the Female Offspring

Watching the cat clean his face

Easter prep and baking

Help with dinner

Cinnamon rolls

Family gatherings

Laughing over card games

Getting more steps in per day

Open windows to let in the fresh air

Easter dinner leftovers

Organized buttons

Meeting all of my daily goals

Wild violets blooming in the yard

What are you thankful for this week?

Currently... April 2018

April has arrived!  Easter is being us. The  days are getting longer. The weather is getting warmer.  The boys of summer are back at the ball field.  It's time to sweep out the cobwebs of winter and welcome in the fresh air of springtime.

Reading:  I just finished The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin.  Which was just OK.  It has so much promise, but the story never really went anywhere.  Now I am on to Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood.  I am eager to watch the miniseries now showing on Netflix, but decided I should read the book first.  I am also reading/studying my way through The One Thing by Gary Keller.

Enjoying:  Watching "Call the Midwife".  I know... I'm late to the game on this one.  I've seen a random episode here an there, but finally made the decision to sit down and watch all the series available on Netflix.  After one or two episodes I was completely hooked.  I also kind of want to move to England just so I can meet and become best friends with Miranda Hart.  (Which I am aware sounds a teeny bit stalker-ish. I promise it's not... )   

Working On:  Trying to create some healthier meal plans.  Now that the weather is finally warming, I'm starting to think toward some lighter dinners to match the season. If any of you have favorite recipes you'd like to suggest - I would love to hear them!

Anticipating:  I'm still waiting on some good hiking weather  With the exception of this past Easter weekend, every single weekend in March seemed to be either cold or rainy.   I'm eagerly awaiting more warm and sunny weekends, so the Man of the House and I can get out there and hit some trails!  I want to do more than just look at the cute hiking shoes I received for Christmas!

Feeling:  As if there just aren't enough hours in the days.  Or days in the weeks.  This leaves me feeling "antsy".  And maybe a little overwhelmed also.  There are so many tasks and projects I want and need to do right now.  None of which seem to be getting accomplished.  Which is probably what caused me to gravitate to the book by Gary Keller mentioned above.

What about you?  How is your April looking so far?

Sunday Inspiration: Happy Easter!

"He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed."  - 1 Peter 2:24 (NLT)