About Happy
I am a God fearing, military wife, stay at home (schooling) mom, to seven kids ages 5 months to 15. I love to read, sew, bake, recycle, and bargain hunt.
Three years ago my husband was injured during a deployment. We spent the next two years moving and going from doctor to doctor in hope of restoring his (and our) lives back to normal. We thought his military career of 19 years might be over. In fact, even the doctors gave us little hope for a full recovery. Thankfully, I believe in miracles and am happy to report that since the summer of 2008 he has been completely healed. After months of therapy, a variety of medications, and lots of prayer he is once again able to drive, read, work, and live a normal life. Well, as normal as life can be living in a houseful of kids.
In the summer of 2007 we heard about a man named Dave Ramsey. We quickly read his books and became committed to living a debt free life. On October 26, 2007 we called the Dave Ramsey show and screamed, “We’re Debt Free!” on the radio. It was a milestone moment in our lives. We continue to live a debt free life and hope to help others do the same.
Feel free to read along about the story of my life, ups and downs, my quest to save more money, eat healthier, get organized, and raise my kids to the Glory of God.
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Toni – I wish I knew how to email directly! Thanks for the help on the ortho savings! I am from WV – where you said you used to live! Neat! I know what it is like going from WV to an expensive area as we are in the most expensive spot in the west! I love it here though. I will pray for your husband’s recovery. Sounds like you have been through a lot in recent months. Your kids are the cutest! We also homeschool – I have 3 children (one and twins that are 17 months apart). Take care – I’ll keep checking in for tips!
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I just found your site, and I love it! I’m also a homeschooling mom, albeit to only three kids. I love what you have to say about frugal living. I put you on my blogroll as I’ll be checking back often!! Keep up the good work, and hang in there!
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love your site!
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Great blog — I homeschool our children too! It’s encouraging to find a blog like yours here at Wordpress.com.
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Looking forward to keeping up with the going-ons of you and yours.
KP
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I was reading bits and pieces of your blog. Very nice. Then about you and your dh. I hope he gets better soon, or at least things settle down a bit.
I also homeschool my 3 kids ages ds almost 15, dd 11 1/2 and dd 4 1/2.
Karie
http://www.kariesplace.robertcity.com
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Great website. I enjoyed reading some of your posts and admire your budget management skills. Keep up the good work. God Bless you and your family.
http://www.jonesview.wordpress.com
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Loved looking through your site and learning heaps!
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I too am a military wife, though not a homeschooling mom.
I wish your family the best through the recovery process….it isn’t always easy or fun, but it sure makes us stronger.
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I just stumbled upon your blog today, and have spent waaay too much time reading it for one afternoon. Our family also lives on my husband’s income, so I appreciate your tips. I homeschooled for a while, but then my husband started teaching at a great Christian school, so we decided to send our son there. We still try to provide enrichment over the summer though.
Just wanted to let you know that I’m enjoying your blog, and said a little prayer for your husband and your family!
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I found your blog today – I am not even sure how!!. I just wanted to let you know I am putting your family on my prayer list. I am also a military(army) wife. I have not been able to read everything on your blog but what I have read is fantastic!
Breanne
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How refreshing to read through your website! I am also a homeschooling mom of 4 and in full time ministry with college athletes. I love the food tips because we feed a lot of big people! I am especially encouraged by your blog and your honesty. I can relate to soo much, as I try to be organized and healthy (make my own bread, but take kids out for ice cream
and raise Godly kids. Thanks for taking the time to post!!
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Hi, I too am a homeschooling mom from WV and I am still in WV. I have lived in CT and MD before. I use to have some affiliations with the Coast Guard so I know a little about being married to a military man. I love the make over in your school room and the info you gave on your curriculum choices. I will say a prayer for your husband. Nice meeting you!
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We are a like in some ways. I have enjoyed read your blog and will we back. have a great week. Becky
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Hi! I’m a Christian military spouse and soon to be homeschooling mom as of next week to a 13 yo and 9 yo. Love your site! Praying for your husband and your family.
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I just found your site tonight from a link on another frugal website…I’m also a military wife to a man who was injured (back in 2003). And I also grew up in WV…
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Just found your site and it’s so fun and interesting!! You’re giving me a ton of ideas re: meals and organizing and kids! Thanks for all the fun encouragement and info! Adding you do my blogroll!
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So here I am, first time on your site, listening to John McCain and the story of his service in the military and everything he went through for our country, and teetering on the edge of tears.
Now I read this, and can I just say, thank you.
I thank you and your husband very, very much, for your sacrifices are very great.
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I found your blog though another site and I really liked it. It seem as though you and I have a lot in common. I am a home schooling, stay at home, Christian mother and also a Military Spouse. I would love to add your blog to my links page! I will be following your blog. Thanks for sharing such great info on here.
Hugs,
Jessica
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Your web site is so refreshing! My son told me about your organization. I am a home school veteran. I homeschooled for 21 years. I am the mother of 7, and lived a frugal life. I am now reaping the continued blessings of a job well done. God is good and faithful. I pray God’s blessing on your work and the lives you are touching.
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I hope your husband gets better soon! It sucks when bad things happen! God bless!
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I’ve just come across your website through Homespun Heart and read your profile. God Bless you and your family and what you are enduring. Thank you and your husband for the sacrifice you give to our country to ensure our Freedoms. It’s a few days late – but I hope you had a good Veteran’s Day and prayers that your husband will heal.
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Please pass my thanks along to your husband for his sacrifice on our behalf.
BTW, I don’t see any way to follow you on here so I am going to list you on my blog as one I read. Hope that’s o.k. Love your blog!
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I’m lucky to find your site and like it very much,
Do I have the honor to have link exchange in the blog roll with you?
If you agree, pls let me know and I will add your site within one day. Following is my site info:
URL: http://www.ladycoupon.com/
Site Name: coupon codes, promotion, discount for lady
Thx and have a nice day.
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Your Twitter says: “I am addicted to stumbling sewing sites, trying to find some cute ideas… :
Have you visited SewForum.com? Lots of great ideas there for sewing for kids.
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My husband found Dave Ramsey a few months ago and we’ve since embarked on this weird, aiming-to-be debt free life! We can’t wait until we’re also able to call in and announce to the world that “We’re DEBT FREE!” We have a little ways to go, but we’ll do it, we’re committed…even if some around us don’t quite “get” it. And we’re getting ready to get even more drastic…
Thanks for the encouragement and reminding me how great it’ll feel to yell that phrase when we’re finally there!
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I enjoyed looking around your site! It’s great!! I look forward to reading more!
We homeschool, too! We’ll begin our 12th year in a couple of weeks!!
God bless!
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I just found your site and am loving it so far! We would love to homeschool in the future, so would love to scour your sight for info. Also, Dave Ramsey rocks!
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Hi,
I’ve read a little of your blog and I love it so far! I also have 7 kids about the same age as your kids. We homeschool, we are just starting Dave Ramsey’s program, and we trust God too. I wish I lived near so I could get to know you. I do not have any friends like me! But, I subscribed by email to your blog. Well, I guess it is time for bed-my 2 month old precious baby boy is going to wake me at 3 am!
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Hi, I found you through an “Itch to Pitch” link and have enjoyed reading…I’m joining the “Itch” gang with my HomesteadBlogger page. I have another blog at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/plans4you as well, but the ‘Stead page is where this one will live! I am really excited to pour through more of your posts, tips, and words of wisdom. I homeschool my 2 teenage sons, 16 and 17.5 y.o.. This year is a huge, busy one for us, and I need to keep the clutter under control or I’ll go under, rapidly! Thanks again, I’ll be in touch!
Lori
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HI great to read about another homeschool mum. I am from New Zealand, I am married and have 10 children, 3 of which I homeschool at present. I am also excited to read you did Dave’s getting out of debt program, we are trying to, but struggling.
Blessings
Sandy
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I found you on Twitter. I’m still amazed that you are doing so well with that many kids.
Bless you and your family,
Tami
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you got to scream on the dave ramsey show??? awesome. maybe we will someday too. got two vehicles to go.
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
October 14th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Oh yes I did! It was one of the best days of my life!!! I wish we would have been able to record it. We were the last call of the day on a Friday! My husband, mom, myself and 4 of the kids yelled it at the top of our lungs. WE’RE DEBT FREE!!!!!!!!
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Ah! Dave Ramsey! We took the Financial Peace University class this year, and are working our way to be debt free… to someday be debt free…can’t wait!
BTW, love your blog!
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Seven kids and you still have time to blog? You make me feel completely incompetent.
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I found your blog today and just started reading. I loved your story of how you met, thanks for sharing. I have been wanting to write my story about Dave Ramsey and getting out of debt. We became debt free the first time about 6 years ago, house and everything. It changed our life, so much so that we decided to move to another state and get out of the small town a.k.a. middle of nowhere. We sold everything, got new jobs and bought a house on the lake in the Ozark mountains. We borrowed 50,000. for a for a fixer up and spent the last 6 year renovating and paying off that debt. We became debt free for the second time in October of this year. Feels great. We are enjoying life on the lake in our debt free house. Thanks for sharing your story.
Rhonda
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AMEN sista! We’re living parallel lives: raised 7 children to adulthood, am a Dave Ramsey follower as well. Congrats on your hubby regaining his health and life – that’s a major accomplishment in and of itself!
Thanks for dropping by my blog and ’signing on’ – I will be back to visit you often – sounds fun over here!
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I just found your blog and I can’t wait to start reading all through it!
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Happy,
Just wanted you to know we tried your guacamole recipe tonight & it was great! I’m grateful for the video on how to kill & skin the avocado… I’d never done that before. Very helpful. Did not cut my finger. Hope you don’t mind that I didn’t follow you to the letter…
Sherri
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I just stumbled on your blog and what a great one it is! I am getting ready to embark on Dave Ramsey, have started doing daily devotions and trying to live stress free (as much as possible with 3 kids). We are also a military family so it is nice to read about others as well!
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Congratulations on your debt-free lifestyle. We, too, live debt-free, but without the help of Dave Ramsey. We have the Lord, Ron Blue, Larry Burkett and our parents to thank.
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I am not from a military family/lifestyle but commend you for your perseverance. God Bless you, your husband, and your 7 children!
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Wow Amen sista!! We have been following dave ramsey plan ( along with the Lords help) for about a year now..and can’t wait till we can scream “DEBT FREE” lol!! Thank you for blogging such great ideas and tips!! May the Lord Bless you and your family!
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You have a great website with fantastic ideas. I admire how you’ve raised your children and the family atmosphere of your blog. Keep up the great work and God bless.
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I said it before, and I’ll say it again: you are my hero. I am very inspired by you, and I hope to become a homeschooling SAHM this year after the birth of our third child. I have faith that we can do it!
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I said it before, and I’ll say it again: you are my hero. I am very inspired by you, and I hope to become a homeschooling SAHM this year after the birth of our third child. I have faith that we can do ti!
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Love your site! I will be checking back alot!
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I honestly think I heard you when you shouted that out on the Dave Ramsey show ! My husband watches that show al the time and I remember sitting there sewing one evening and hearing a call just like that go thru on his show, unless he does that alot I bet it was you, whats the odds now I follow your blog, and a wonderful one at that. Well, I praise you for many things one is the military issue you faced or still face, we too went the full 20 years in the navy so I know what you have & will go through being away from eachother it is hard but rewarding too in many ways so I hope his last year until retirement will be a blessful one, now a granny to my only 5yr old grandson I can say it was all worth it and we would not change a thing in our 33yrs together so those 20 yrs in military life spent set our path here to back home where we started out in tenn. And I praise you as well for your strenght & determination to home school your children you are both blessed with. I wish I had done that 28 years ago with my only daughter, I feel its a safer/stronger way to help raise your kids while God is steering you all the way there. I love your blog and getting your newsletter, may many blessing follow you each day ahead.
sewitupjulie at gmail dot com
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
March 16th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Wow- that would be awesome if you heard us shout, it was one of the best days of my life!
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