I don't subscribe to all the reasons or methods to become more environmentally conscious, but I would like to add another reason to the list: for your own health and well-being. Go to YouTube and search "Naples Trash Crisis" or watch this video.

Scary, huh?

I would be frugal until I'm blue in the face if I could travel for 6 months every 3-5 years. I want to live overseas. Jared, where should we go first?

We pay less for gasoline in the US than they do in any other country besides Mexico. And gas cost about the same in 1922 as it does today, when you take inflation into account.

Fascinating!

I also have a subscription to All You magazine, which has great coupons in it. Single issues can be purchased exclusively at Walmart, in the checkout lanes where they have the tabloids. A single issue costs 1.77.

In the May 30 issue of All You (pink & yellow cover), there is a coupon for a FREE Adidas Action 3 product, up to 4.99. So, you can get the deodorant, use the coupon to get it free (you may have to pay tax), and then get 4.99 in extra bucks - a $3.22 profit if you bought the magazine for the coupon! I bought 2 extra copies of this issue to take full advantage of this moneymaker. Too bad CVS doesn't carry the magazine!

For a thorough explanation of the extra care program, go to Money Saving Mom here.

This month they are giving away "The Man Who Was Thursday." All you have to do is add it to your cart and enter the code APR2008 at checkout, and you will be able to download it for free.

In more cheerful news:
The wrist stitches and knee stitches are out!
Jared can finally take a shower, hooray!
He exchanged his wrist dressing / cast for a brace!
He is allowed to put as much weight on his knee as he wants!
He is allowed to bend his knee up to 30 degrees when walking!
The titanium plate in his wrist looks CUTE in the x-rays!

But Jared is not allowed to drive until he is able to bend his knee 60 degrees, booooo. And the Dr won't let him try until after his next check-up in 3.5 weeks, booooo. And his work doesn't need him back until he has a dr's note saying he can drive, booooo.

Current prayer requests:
Continued healing
Guidance on Jared's job situation
Sleep, energy, and a cheerful attitude for me
TRUST that the Lord will provide for us in the next few months, and open eyes to see other ways we can make ends meet

Get 15 free prints from Walgreens tomorrow to celebrate. Enter TAXDAY online and pick them up at your local store!

Things I am thankful for:
-Jared is healing faster than I expected, and can take care of many of his basic needs during the day
-My job is flexible - they allow me to bring Luke into the office and work what hours I can
-Friends and family who babysit, bring meals, and provide cheerful company
-Jared and Luke have both been very cheerful and calm during the past three chaotic weeks
-Our COBRA letter finally came, so while we have to pay the astronomical premiums, we don't have to face the canyon of medical bills without insurance
-I know how to shop at CVS and Walgreens without spending any "real" money, so I haven't had to pay cash for first aid supplies, milk, TP, and various other household needs. Hey, sometimes CVS even sends me home with their products AND more store credit than I walked in with! Now if they would only start selling fresh produce and ground beef. And when will the electric company start accepting Extra Care Bucks as payment?

And, I'm VERY glad this did not happen 6 months ago, when I was 8 months pregnant.

Jared was able to leave the hospital last Thursday (March 20). We stayed at a friend's parents' house through the weekend because they do not have stairs. After attending a very crowded Easter service in a wheelchair and eating a delicious ham dinner provided by our gracious hosts, Jared managed to get up the stairs and into our apartment.

He is allowed to unlock his leg brace and bend his knee only when doing exercises or using the physical therapy machine. At all other times, he has to drag his leg around with a walker, sit in a wheelchair, or lounge on the sofa.

Jared is getting a little more mobile and independent every day. Luke and I have gone to work almost every day this week, and Jared feels comfortable at home on the sofa by himself for up to three hours. However, he is stuck in the apartment unless a tall, strong friend comes over to help him down the stairs. Even then, I can't take him anywhere because Luke takes up half of the back seat, and Jared can't fit in the front seat of the car!

He has an appointment on April 14 to determine if his knee has healed enough to bear more weight. If so, he will be allowed to start bending it, and he will be able to start building his strength back up. If we can fit him in the car, he might even feel ready to go back to work.

If you do any kind of shopping online, ebates is a nifty way to get a little cash back for purchases you would normally be making. You simply have to remember to log into ebates and click on the website you are going to shop at from the link ebates provides.

www.ebates.com/refer-a-friend/bonusoffer/index.htm?id=34365231
If you sign up for ebates through this link, and make an online purchase by March 31, you will get $10 and so will I.

We don't buy a lot of stuff online, but I signed up in February and am getting a check for 18.28 in the mail. $10 of that is just from signing up. $6 is from purchasing the Entertainment Book (which I DON'T recommend, by the way), and $2.28 is from the business cards Jared ordered through Vista Print.

I wouldn't recommend doing it if you don't ever shop online, or if you only shop on ebay or Amazon, as they do not participate. But if you order things off of Walmart.com, Target.com, or just about any other big website, you might get special discount codes and you will get 1% - 10% of your purchase as cash back.

And if you want to buy something off of Amazon, log into your ebates account, go to the Target website, and search for the book you want, and buy it from Target. Amazon is the one who ships it! I was so excited when I discovered this, because I realized I can use Target gift cards to buy books from Amazon!

Prayer requests:
- that Jared would have some relief from pain
- that his knee will heal quickly so he can walk, and get up our apartment stairs
- that our health insurance situation would be resolved and no claims be denied