The Good Life

Free Pictures!

2009-06-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

Head over to www.seehere.com and sign up to receive 100 free prints!

Free Ice Cream This Saturday!!!

2009-05-27T14:49:00.001-07:00

All Cookeville residents, head over to the Jefferson or Algood Wal-mart Saturday, May 30th from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. for free ice cream! Click Here for details and to check if your Wal-mart is participating (if you do not live in Cookeville).

My $55 Shopping Trip

2009-05-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ventured out for my weekly grocery shopping trip with list and coupons in hand. I was able to get my groceries for the week for $55!!! That total also includes 2 packs of diapers...woo hoo!! I am trying to re-work my blog, so stay tuned for some new posts coming soon!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-03-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

Here is our menu for this week!

Monday: Chicken Santa Fe (click here for recipe)

Tuesday: Taco Ring

Wednesday: General Tsao's Chicken, Broccoli and Rice

Thursday: Pork Tenderloin and Veggies

Friday: Spaghetti

Saturday: Chicken Crescent Rolls (click here for recipe with pictures)

Sunday: Leftovers

Head Over to Orgjunkie.com for more menu ideas!

Frugal Friday

2009-02-27T07:05:00.000-08:00

Taking Our Own Pictures

Since we have had a baby, and I have become a stay at home Mommy, we have had to find creative ways to save money. About a year ago, I saved my money and invested in a good digital camera, lens, and flash because photography has become a hobby of mine. My husband also recieved a version of photoshop for his birthday. When it came time to have our daughter's 6 week pictures taken, I decided to make my own "studio" in our living room and take them myself. I wouldn't be out any money if they didn't turn out good. I ended up being very pleased with the results and we ordered all the pictures we needed for us and our family for $27.oo!! I also spent $4.00 on black fabric for the back ground. I was very proud of my pictures, and incredibly proud of the price! Here are a few of the ones I took!

I am already searching photographer's blogs and wbsites for more picture ideas for her 3 month shots! Don't be afraid to try this yourself. There are lots of ideas out there and great technology to make your pictures look professional and save you money!

Check out Biblical Womanhood here for more frugal ideas.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-02-23T18:50:00.000-08:00

This week I am trying to use up some things I already have so I can plan ahead for next week and get some good deals on food!!

Monday: Leftovers from the weekend

Tuesday: Pancakes and Sausage

Wednesday: Beef and Pasta meal (frozen meal from Blake's Mom)

Thursday: Salmon, rice, and broccoli

Friday: Chicken and rice

Saturday: Dinner on the road

Sunday: Baked Ziti (frozen from last week)

Check out orgjunkie.com for more menu ideas!

Headlights and Taillights

2009-02-17T19:36:00.000-08:00

The right tail light on my car has been out for several months now. I went to Auto Zone to purchase a bulb and have them install it; however, they could not get to it to put it in. So, needless to say, I've been driving around without a brake light (praying I don't get pulled over when a cop is behind me) for a while. (Of course I did have a plan to pull out the bulbs I had purchased and plead my case with a new baby and all if I did get pulled over). Well, last week some time, my left head light went out. I decided it was time to take some action and get my car back in order. I went back to Auto Zone and purchased the bulb for the head light. Big shock... they were unable to put it in! I broke down and called the dealership and was told that I have to bring it in because they have to take the entire bumper off to replace the head light! How ridiculous is that??? But, I need to see when I drive at night, so off we go to Nissan. Do you know how much it costs to replace both headlights and brake lights? Eighty-four dollars!! I went ahead and had them replace both of them so I wouldn't be back in a week with another light out. On top of that, they informed me that my rear brakes are down to 10% and my A.C. line is leaking. Ughhhhh!!! There goes some money out of savings!! That took most of my day today. I did manage to cook dinner tonight and do a couple loads of laundry while DH held my baby girl and watched the Kentucky game. So, a pretty productive day! Now, I'm hoping for some sleep tonight!

A Successful Day!!!

2009-02-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I am officially considering this a successful day! I was able to clean my bathroom, bedroom, and a good portion of my kitchen today! This is the most cleaning I've been able to do on my own since my little girl arrived! I'm hoping that I can clean a few more rooms tomorrow, and maybe have a clean house by then end of the week!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-02-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

Here is my menu for this week. Hopefully I will be able to stick to it sice basketball season is now over and my hubby will be home after school instead of after practice! He should be able to help watch the baby so I can cook!

Monday: BBQ Chicken Pizza
Tuesday: Salmon and veggies
Wednesday: Sandwiches
Thursday: Chicken Casserole, green beans, and carrots
Friday: Baked Ziti
Saturday: General Tsao's Chicken, Broccoli, and rice
Sunday: Leftovers

Head over here to orgjinkie.com for more menu ideas!

My House Is Out Of Control!

2009-02-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

I really thought that I would have all the time in the world to keep a sparkling home after I quit my job. Instead, my days fly by, and by the time 5:00 rolls around, I've managed to accomplish the following things: feed my baby, change diapers, and play with my baby. Where does the time go? Needless to say, my home is starting to drive me crazy! I know the most important thing is to take care of my baby, but there has to be a way for me to make some progress toward a clean home. I have decided to go back to Flylady. If you haven't heard of her, check her out at www.flylady.net. The first baby step is to keep a shiny sink. She also has the concept that you can do anything for 15 minutes. So, my goal for the next few days will be to keep my sink shiny and to set my timer for 15 minutes and clean something in my house. I will be posting my list of things I wish to accomplish for each room in my house! Check back for my progress!

Frugal Friday

2009-02-12T21:19:00.000-08:00

Since I quit my job to stay at home with my baby girl, I am really trying to focus on ways to be frugal. One thing I am trying to work on is a way to bring in a little money for our family. When I can find some extra time, I am working on a way to bring in some extra money and declutter our house at the same time. I'm not sure I have the time to organize a garage sale, so I am working on listing some of our items to sell on Craig's list and Local Sales Network. This way I can make a little money on the things that we no longer use and are cluttering up our basement! Hopefully, I can post my progress as I take on this project!

Check out Biblical Womanhood for more frugal ideas!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-02-09T20:18:00.000-08:00

Monday: Baked Chicken, Creamed Corn, and Baked Beans

Tuesday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Wednesday: Sandwiches

Thursday: Salmon and veggies

Friday: Out with hubby for Valentine's Day (using a gift card)

Saturday: Grabbing something at the basketball game

Sunday: Grab something on the road

This week is pretty basic since we have a lot going on! Head over to Orgjunkie for more menu ideas!

2009 Financial Goals

2009-02-04T10:27:00.000-08:00

I've been reading some other's financial goals for 2009, and have decided that is something I should set for us this year. Since we recently had a baby and I quit my job, it is important that I budget our money well. I have great motivation to do this because I want to stay home with our precious baby girl as long as I can. I feel like I am getting the hang of motherhood, so I can be on top of getting good deals and spending less on food now. So, here are some of my goals for 2009. They are pretty basic right now, but I will work on them through the year!

Spend only $300 a month on food / groceries (this includes eating out)
Save $1,000 in our Christmas Club account (this is an important time of year for us and I enjoy being able to do things for others)
Have a "no spend" month. We will only spend money on bills, gas, and milk. I haven't decided which month this will be yet. I will need to pick a month with no birthdays and nothing major planned for us. The money we save will be used to pay off some debt and beef up our savings a little more for emergencies.
Work on a budget for all spending and stick to it!
Start consistently putting money in our daughter's college fund. (not sure the amount yet)
Find a creative way to provide some extra income each month (I am looking into opening an Etsy store and selling some things on Craig's list / Local Sales Network)

These are just a few of my goals for 2009. I'm hoping to be able to stay home all year with our daughter. We'll see how it goes! Head over to Money Saving Mom to see what other's 2009 goals are!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-01-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

I'm back to cooking!! I think I am finally mastering things with a new baby and am able to get some meals together. Of course, we were very blessed with meals for five weeks from people from church and our families! Here is what I have planned for the week! (Its pretty basic, but at least I'm cooking!)

Monday: Chili

Tuesday: Spaghetti

Wednesday: Leftovers after church

Thursday: Salmon and veggies

Friday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Saturday: Baked Ziti

Sunday: Beef Pasta Dish (frozen meal from Blake's Mom)

In case anyone was wondering, this is the reason I've been so preoccupied! She is already 7 weeks old, I can't believe it!

Check out orgjunkie.com for more menu ideas!

Joining the October Procrastination Challenge.

2008-10-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

I've decided to join the procratination challenge again this month hosted over at Virtually Organized (click here to check it out). Last month the challenge really helped me get some projects completed around the house. This month, I'm going to start with one...my scrapbook desk. As you can see from the picture below, it has gotten way out of control. I didn't even take a picture of the floor around it! My goal is to get it back in order so I can start working on my baby scrapbook and handmade thank you notes for my baby showers. Its amazing how bad I procrastinate when things are not organized!!

Finished a September Project.

2008-10-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

I finally finished one of my September projects last night. My spare room is now clean and my non-maternity clothes are all stored in the closet. I still have a bag of clothes to take to Goodwill and a comforter to wash to put on the bed, but for the most part, this room is finished! It feels so good to walk in to a clean room! Here are a few after pictures. Click here to see the before pictures.

Panic Update

2008-09-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

So, it has officially been a week since I went into "Panic mode"! I just thought I would post a little update on how things are going. I worked last week to get some things ready for our little girl's diaper bag for the hospital. I'm sure I am going overboard, but I like being prepared for anything. I have a couple burp cloths (I will be buying a pack of cloth diapers to add to these), some travel size bath products, a bottle, two pacifiers, and a travel pack of wipes ready to go. I am going to add some newborn diapers (thanks to a purchase from my Mom) and some simple onsies. I will also add a couple "going home outfit options" to the bag. I am still in search of her going home outfit, but hopefully I can find what I want after a trip to a larger town. I do have the blanket picked out (it is hanging in the closet) that I will use to wrap her up in when we bring her home as well. So, I do feel a little better about having a few things ready for her.

In other news, we are almost completely finished with the nursery! We got the paper lanterns hung over the crib and a couple frames on the wall. I bought the shelves this morning for the other wall, and will hopefully finish the letters for her name that will hang over the changing table in the next day or two. After that, we will just be waiting to fill it with all of her stuff (and her of course)! It feels good to know it is almost finished. I should also be finished organizing the spare bedroom this week. That project was necessary because we will have some people staying with us leading up to and after our little girl arrives! I'm sure I will start to panic again soon, but as of right now, I'm feeling a little better about how things are progressing!

Starting to Panic!!!!

2008-09-23T12:53:00.001-07:00

I've been slowly realizing that this pregnancy is flying by!!! It really hit me in the last couple days when I started thinking that I have 10 weeks...10 WEEKS until my due date! That is a short amount of time (especially when I look at my to do list). So, I guess you could say that the nesting is beginning. I am starting to look around and see all the things that need to be organized, cleaned out, or thrown away before our little girl arrives. Not to mention, I have some lofty goals of making all my thank you cards and having a scrapbook up to date to show at my baby showers that start in three weeks!! Whew!! I guess I need to start breaking everything down into daily tasks to accomplish. My goal for this week is to get everything I need for the diaper bag for the hospital. I know this is a little ahead of time, but I need to feel "ready" to go. I will also be working on my list of things for my suitcase so I know what I need to purchase and what I need to start packing! Hopefully, I will blog about my progress, and be able to sit back and relax a few weeks before our baby arrives!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-09-22T13:46:00.001-07:00

This week over at orgjunkie, it is family favorite week. I am posting three of our favorite recipes!

Monday: Chicken Sante Fe (click here for recipe)

Tuesday: Chicken Crescent Rolls (click here for recipe)

Wednesday: Baked Spaghetti (will be making enough for two meals and taking one to a family that just had a baby)

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Birthday party (we will be eating with family)

Saturday: Family reunion (we will eat there)

Sunday: Grilled salmon and veggies

Head over to orgjunkie here for more menu ideas!

Chicken Sante Fe

2008-09-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

This week over at orgjunkie's Menu Plan Monday, it is family favorite week. The recipe is on of our favorites, especially in the fall. It is easy to make, and makes enough to freeze half and have leftovers!

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds chicken cubed
2 cans light red kidney beans
2 cans dark red kidney beans
2 cans chili beans
2 cans black beans
2 cans corn
1 jar southwest black bean and corn salsa
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese

Directions:
Cook chicken in a pan until brown. Add all ingredients in a large pot (or crock pot) and cook for 30 minutes until hot. We serve this over tortilla chips and top with our favorite shredded cheese. Yummy!!

Another Project Completed!

2008-09-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

I get to mark another project off my list! I managed to get the basement steps cleaned off, and here is the really sad part... it only took me 10 minutes! I have been procrastinating a whole year for 10 minutes of easy work! Its amazing the things I put off because I think it will be too hard to complete.

Here is a before picture:

Here is the after picture:

Head over to Virtually Organized by clicking here to check out more projects and some great tips!

Update on the September Procrastination Challenge!

2008-09-17T08:40:00.001-07:00

One down, several to go!!! I managed to organize under my kitchen sink last night. As you can see from the before picture, I had stuff thrown anywhere and everywhere. I had a couple plastic CD storage baskets that gave me the idea for storing some of the things under the sink, and I really liked how it turned out!

Here is the before picture:

Making Some Progress
All Finished!!

Close Up of the Left Side.

Close Up of the Right Side.
I did manage to throw a lot of things out that were empty or I did not use any more (plus I found a stash of dish rags - I never seem to have enough of them). I also downsized my vase collection. I have 8 vases for sale on our local sales network in our town so I can hopefully get rid of them. I hate to just throw them away. If they do not sell, I'm going to take them to a florist to see if they want them for free!

Head over to Virtually Organized to see what others are getting accomplished!

Working more for 15 minutes.

2008-09-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Last night I spent another 15 minutes in my spare bedroom. I managed to get two more storage containers stored in the closet (thanks to dear hubby again), which cleared off some of the bed. I also started working on getting the t-shirts back in the hanging organizers in the closet. All in all, it was a productive evening in the spare bedroom. I didn't take any pictures, but will try to take some of my progress tonight!

September Procrastination Challenge

2008-09-16T09:16:00.001-07:00

I ran across a great idea over at Virtually Organized! They are hosting a September procratination challenge. The goal is to pick a project you have been procrastinating on and tackle it this month (and you are allowed to have more than one project if they are small). I looked around my house at the things I have been procrastinating on, and this is what I have come up with for my challenges!

The first thing I will try and tackle is the large pile of magazines in my living room. As you can see in this picture, I have a large canvas tote full of them and they are now stacking up on the end table as well! My goal will be to purge the magazines I am finished with, and go through some of them and tear out the pages that I find interesting and keep them in a notebook for future reference. Hopefully, this project will not take me too long to complete!

The next project I plan on tackling is under my kitchen sink. It has really gotten out of control! There is just stuff thrown in anywhere, which makes it difficult to find what I need. I am also going to go through all my glass vases and clean them out. I have so many of the same vase from where I have gotten flowers over the years from my Dad and my husband (which is not a bad problem to have)! I am going to keep the ones that are different and sell the ones that are duplicates. I have some ideas for organizing everything under the sink as well, but I will need to purchase a couple plastic baskets to make it all come together!

This is a pile of stuff that has been sitting in the basement floor for quite some time now. My goal here is to get everything in its place and have some free space in our basement floor!

These are the stairs leading up from our basement. This stuff has literally been sitting on the steps for over a year. I think it is time to get the steps cleaned off, especially since we will be carrying a baby up and down the steps soon! This should not take long, I just have to be motivated to put the stuff where it belongs.

I have another project that I will be slowly working on this month as well. Check out this post and this post to read more about it! I'll do my best to post my progress as I go along!
Head over to Virtually Organized here to check out what other people are doing and find some great organizing tips!!

You Can Do Anything For 15 Minutes.

2008-09-16T06:49:00.000-07:00

I finally began my "15 minute sessions" of cleaning and organizing last night. The first place I decided to start is the worst... our spare bedroom. This room has become the dumping ground for clothes that I cannot wear due to my growing belly. I've been slowly working on storing them in storage containers, but haven't made much progress. Last night I made a small dent in my 15 minutes. I did manage to get some clothes off the bed, some stuff in a bag to take to goodwill, and got a few things organized in the closet. I have to say that I'm embarrased to even post the before pictures, but I am doing it anyway. I'm hoping that gives me extra motivation to post after pictures!! The first three pictures are before and the last two are some of the progress I made around the closet. Hopefully, tonight there will be more progress made! The Bed full of clothes.
Storage Containers that need to be put up.
The closet that has "exploded"!
Storage Containers made it to the top of the closet. (I did not lift them, my husband did it for me)

The Empty floor in front of the closet.

Menu Plan Monday

2008-09-15T07:54:00.001-07:00

Monday - Salmon, sweet potatoes, and brocolli and rice
Tuesday - Chicken stuffing bake
Wednesday - Baked Ziti and bread
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - fend for ourselves (we both have previous engagements)
Saturday - fend for ourselves
Sunday - fend for ourselves

We will also be having chocolate cake and fruit with fruit dip for desserts. Go here for the fruit dip recipe!

We have a lot going on this week, so I've had to simplify the menu, plus we both have separate engagments this weekend, so we will be eating separately.
Check out orgjunkie for more menu plan ideas!

Fruit Dip

2008-09-15T07:46:00.001-07:00

I found an awesome and easy recipe for fruit dip and thought I would share it. I made this fruit tray and dip for a baby shower this weekend and it was a big hit!

Here is the recipe:

1 7 oz. container marshmallow fluff
1 8 oz. container sour cream
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 oz. cream cheese softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice

I put everything in my bowl for my Kitchenaid stand mixer and put it on medium for 2 or 3 minutes until everything was smooth. I made mine the night before so it would be nice and cold for the shower. I will definitely be using this one again!

Good Old Fashioned Pancakes

2008-09-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a recipe I found for pancakes that uses ingredients I always have on hand. I use powdered milk to save on our drinking milk. I also usually have some frozen fruit in our freezer, so it makes a good little breakfast or dinner that is quick, easy, and frugal!!

Good Old Fashioned Pancakes (I believe I found this at allrecipes.com)
INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Head on over to the Grocery Cart Challenge for more frugal recipe ideas.

Frugal Friday - Using What I Already Have

2008-09-12T09:24:00.001-07:00

Since most of my posts are centered around the baby, I thought I would continue the theme. We've been working on the nursery and are almost finished with it. I have been wanting a white shelf to go on the wall for pictures and cute knick knacks, but did not want to spend a lot of money on it. One day I was walked down to our basement and noticed the beautiful shelf that my husband built for me while we were dating sitting there collecting dust. It hit me that I could sand this and paint it white (it is stained right now) and have the perfect shelf for our little girl built by her Daddy! How great is that, and it will only cost me some time and a small can of white paint!! That is my "frugal revelation" for the week! Check out Biblical Womanhood for more frugal ideas!

Feeling Overwhelmed

2008-09-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

The past few days, I have had a terrible time of feeling completely overwhelmed. I'm not sure what the main cause is (of course some of it could be the fact that I am 12 weeks away from my due date for my first child). I have a long list of things I would like to accomplish before my sweet little girl arrives, and have great intentions every day of working on some of the things on my list. However, something always seems to get in my way of getting these tasks accomplished. I am trying to come up with a plan to accomplish some of the things on my list without wearing myself down each night after a full day of work. The plan I keep coming back to is Flylady's mantra "you can do anything for 15 minutes". Having said that, I am working on a goal of setting aside 15 minutes each night to work on something on my "baby to do list". I am hoping that will give me a sense of accomplishment and help me not feel so overwhelmed. I am also going to try to post my progress on here (to keep me accountable), so check back for my 15 minute sessions!

Works For Me Wednesday - Saving Money on Crafts

2008-09-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love to make handmade cards and have recently started scrapbooking. (Check out my card and scrapbook blog here). The prices of the materials involved in these projects can get pretty high. I have learned that Hobby Lobby runs sales on craft supplies every week. Since watching their sales and online coupons, I have not paid full price for crafting supplies in a long time. You can check out their website for their weekly specials and online coupons here. Saving money on crafts works for me! What works for you? Head over to Rocks In My Dryer for other ideas!

Frugal Friday

2008-08-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

I wrote last week about trying out several ideas to save money to be able to not work full time after we have our first child in December. One of the things I have been really focusing on this week is food. One way I am using to save on food is to be organized. I have come across a website called organized home. One of the things this website focuses on is having a household notebook to keep your home organized. I have been working on my notebook this week and have been making some progress. The first section I worked on was the meals and menu section. I have already planned my menu for next week and am working on my menu for the month of August so that I can plan ahead with food in the freezer and using coupons. There are lots of free printable forms on this website to help you start your own notebook and have an organized home. Check them out here.

For more frugal ideas, head over to Biblical Womanhood!

Works For Me Wednesday

2008-07-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

I began clipping coupons at the beginning of this year, and bit off way more than I could chew. I decided that in order to get the best deals at the grocery stores and CVS that I needed to clip every coupon. Well, between doing that and searching the weekly ads for deals, it would take up 3 – 4 hours of my Sunday afternoons. Since I work full time outside the home, my days off are very precious to me. Needless to say, I suffered burnout very soon into this process and gave up. Not to mention, I found out I was pregnant and began suffering severe morning sickness all day! But now I have devised a system that works for me. I have put together a notebook with month dividers and sheet protectors. I clip the coupons that I will use immediately, then slip the insert into a sheet protector behind the corresponding month. This also helps when I browsing money saving blogs like moneysavingmom.com. Most of these blogs tell you which insert the coupon you need was in. Now I do not have to dig through a big pile of coupons, I can just flip to the week I need, pull out the insert, and clip the coupon!! My coupon notebook works for me! What works for you? Head on over to Rocks In My Dryer to see other great ideas!

Feeding The Freezer

2008-07-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

In an effort to try and save more money on food, I have been reading several blogs and articles recently. I am learning a lot of good tips, but one that I am really liking is freezer cooking. I watch many times and we dump leftovers out of the fridge because we are not very good at eating them. So, I’ve decided to try a new twist on cooking. When I make a dish that would normally give us a good amount of leftovers, I am going to split the dish in half and freeze part of it. I know this may not be a new concept to everyone, but I really like it. Sunday night we ate baked ziti. Normally, I would have made a 9 x 13 pan, but I split it between 2 8 x 8 pans. We had plenty to eat for dinner (and for me to bring for lunch 2 days) and I wrapped the aluminum pan up tightly and stuck it in our deep freezer. We were blessed to be given a large deep freezer, so I am excited to be utilizing it a little more. I should be able to freeze three meals this week from my menu plan, which will cut the next grocery bill dramatically! I also think this is a wonderful idea for me to use closer to December when our baby is due. I’m sure our church and family will provide some meals in the beginning, but that will end at some point, and it will be nice to have a fully stocked freezer to choose from! I found a wonderful article here at organizedhome.com that gives some great tips for once a month cooking. The once a month cooking is a future goal, but I believe I will start out small first so I do not get overwhelmed. There are also some places in larger cities that are actually set up for you to come in and create your own meals to freeze. I have some friends who have done this as a girls night, and I think it is a wonderful way to utilize your time! Not only do you get to spend some quality time with friends, but you are stocking your freezer with some wonderful meals! I am definitely going to try this one at some point. But, in the mean time, I will be feeding my freezer one meal at a time!

Frugal Followup

2008-07-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

After my ambitious post on Friday to be more frugal, I thought I would start following up on how I was doing. I did plan out our menus for the week. I also went grocery shopping with some coupons in hand to try and get a lower price. I did spend more than I wanted to, but I had to buy lunch stuff for my husband who started back teaching today and likes to keep sandwich stuff at the school for his lunches. I also purchased some small storage containers to portion out some fresh fruit and veggies and leftovers for me to take to work. I have been eating out way too much for lunch, and that tends to put a dent in the budget as well. It was nice this morning to just open the fridge and have everything portioned out and ready for me to just grab and go! It took some extra time yesterday to get it ready, but I’m prepared for the entire week and have no excuse to not take my own food from home! I did look into purchasing a drying rack for my clothes, but didn’t. It looked way too small to handle a full load of clothes out of the washer. So, I started looking at clotheslines. I really do not want a big permanent contraption in my yard, so I’m still looking for the best option in that area. As Dave Ramsey says, “Baby Steps”! We will get there, and I’ll keep updating along the way!!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-07-28T07:14:00.001-07:00

Monday: Cheesy noodles and chicken bake with veggies
Tuesday: Ravioli Lasagna
Wednesday: Potato soup in bread bowls
Thursday: BBQ chicken with veggies
Friday: Chicken Pot Pie
Saturday: Bean soup with corn muffins

I will work on getting some recipes posted to go along with some of my meals. I tried to make this an easier menu this week to keep me motivated to eat at home every night! Considering I still spent more than I wanted to on groceries, I definitely do not want to spend more money eating out!

Check out more menus at orgjunkie.com!

Super Savings Saturday

2008-07-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

I do not have any good deals on food to post about this week; however, I did score some major deals on some clothes for my sweet little girl who is due in December. There is a big consignment sale going on in our town this week, so I hit it up on Saturday. I got one red sweater and one Christmas onsie that she can where during the holidays. I also got a pair of maternity pants and capris. My total at the consignment sale was $18. Today, I hit up JC Penny because I was told they were having a good sale. I also had a coupon for 15% off my entire purchase. I was able to get 7 summer outfits for next year for $17.57! One of the outfits alone was regularly prices at $17. I was very excited to get some clothes for my baby and me at a great discount!

To see what others are saving, check out Money Saving Mom.

Recipe Swap

2008-07-25T13:23:00.001-07:00

The Grocery Cart Challenge is hosting a frugal recipe swap today, and I thought I would contribute my recipe for Chicken Crescent Rolls. By using store brand crescent rolls and cream of chicken soup, these are relatively inexpensive to put together because you only need one piece of chicken. I actually got this recipe from a roommate of mine in college. We used to make these a lot at our house, and I am still a huge fan of them! Click here for the recipe (complete with pictures and directions). Head over to the Grocery Cart Challenge for more frugal recipe ideas!

An Organized Christmas

2008-07-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

I know it is July, but since it is the 25th and we are 5 months away from Christmas, I wanted to share a great website I have come across! It is called Organized Christmas and it is wonderful!! Since my little girl is due on December 5th, I am having to be super-organized and prepared this year for Christmas. This website is going to help me get there! It has detailed lists that you can print and wonderful ideas for getting ahead and not being stressed out over the holidays. (My kind of site!) I hope that it can help others out there to have a stress-free holiday this year! I am going to be printing my lists and adding them to my notebook this weekend to get a jumpstart on planning!

Frugal Friday

2008-07-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

In one of my recent menu plan posts, I mentioned that I am expecting my first child. The pregnancy is going well except for occasional sickness and aches and pains, so I have been very blessed! The thing I have recently started being concerned about, is what to do after the baby arrives. Should I stay home, work part time, or continue working my full time job and pay for daycare? My dream is to stay home, but the reality is that we may need a little more income to be able to eat and make the mortgage payment! I'm not opposed to working, I just want to do what is best for our family. I've been brainstorming some ideas on ways to cut back so that I could at least go part time (considering daycare would take half of my full time paycheck) and work somewhere with an onsite daycare. So, here are some of my frugal ideas:

Run the dryer less (I'm going to look into buying a collapsable drying rack or some type of clothsline that isn't permanent)

Be diligent about planning menus (We have been eating out more since I have a harder time cooking when I'm nauseous, but if I would plan and have easy meals on hand, I could do a better job of eating at home)

Clip coupons (I started this, but it is almost a second job to search the sale papers and coupons to come up with good deals. I am going to try to dedicate more time to doing this to save us money on groceries)

Utilize CVS (I started this as well, but lost interest when I was really sick)

Stockpile (I am making a list of what I use regularly (laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, etc.) and am going to try to have a 6 month supply on hand when the baby arrives. I'm hoping this will help cut down on some grocery spending at the beginning, and give me time to find good deals on the brands I use)

Any other frugal ideas would be greatly appreciated! I'm hoping to start using these ideas next week to try and get in the habit before December!! Head over to Biblical Womanhood for more Frugal Friday ideas!

Menu Plan Monday!

2008-06-16T07:17:00.001-07:00

Well, I am finally back to blogging (hopefully more consistently). I am 15 and 1/2 weeks pregnant and have been horribly sick, so cooking has been completely out of the question for about 8 weeks! Since, it seems to cost way more to eat out, I am trying to plan some meals at home this week. So here goes:

Monday: General Tsao's Chicken, Rice, and Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday: Breakfast for Dinner (pancakes and fruit)

Wednesday: Frozen Meal (Blake will eat out because of his class)

Thursday: Eat at church (Teenside Devotional)

Friday: Hamburgers (We will be camping with my Mom and Dad)

Saturday: Chicken Low Country Boil (Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Sausage, and New Potatoes)

Head on over to orgjunkie to check out more menus!

Chicken Crescent Rolls

2008-04-14T09:22:00.001-07:00

Here is my recipe for Chicken Crescent Rolls. My husband loves these, and so does everyone I've shared the recipe with!

Ingredients:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 can crescent rolls

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup shredded cheese

The first step is to take one good size boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut into cubes. Next brown it in a skillet on tkhe stove. Once you have done that, you can begin to stuff your crescent rolls.

After you have placed the chicken on the crescent roll, you can roll them up.

Place each stuffed crescent roll in a baking dish.

Mix 1 can of cream of chicken soup with a half cup of milk.

Pour the soup mixture over the crescent rolls.

Sprinkle 3/4 cup of shredded cheese over the crescent rolls and soup mixture.

Bake Crescent rolls at 350 degrees until soup mixture bubbles and cheese is golden brown.

Menu Plan Monday

2008-04-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Monday: Bertolli Chicken Florentine Frozen Meal with bread and salad
Tuesday: Noodles, Chicken, Black Beans, and tortilla strips
Wednesday: Baked Spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad
Thursday: BBQ Chicken, Corn on the Cob, and Broccoli
Friday: Tacos and Chips and Salsa
Saturday: Eating out for birthday celebration
Sunday: Baked Chicken and Veggies

Encouraging Words...

2008-04-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

I've fallen behind on my posts for my letters of encouragement, but I am still sending them out!! I will actually be ahead of the game this week because I have 4 birthday cards, 1 sympathy card, and 2 "hi" cards going out this week! You know what really makes me smile? Thinking of the look on someone's face when they get an unexpected letter in the mail! I love it!! I encourage anyone who may be reading this blog to send a random letter this week to someone who may need some encouragement!!

Monday Meanderings

2008-03-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

Bible Study: continue studying and developing lessons for retreat

Must do: Finish taxes! Get house "company ready" for Thursday. Make birthday cards for upcoming April birthdays.

Blessing my home: I'm starting my spring cleaning this week, so my goal is to get two rooms (my bathroom and spare bathroom) sparkling and organized!!

Broadway Boutique: I was able to get 15 new cards in this weekend, but I would like to get 10 more in this week. I also need to get some signs up for the card party I will be hosting at the end of April.

I also must finished graduation invitations that I am doing for a lady at work. Her daughter is graduating this year from high school. I need to have them finished by Wednesday.

I have a busy week ahead of me! My husband's birthday is Wednesday and we have friends coming in from Nashville on Tuesday, and college students coming over on Thursday! I will have to make good use of my time to get everything accomplished this week!

Check out more Monday Meanderings here!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-03-31T13:42:00.001-07:00

Here is my menu for this week!

Monday: Salmon, broccoli, and brown rice

Tuesday: Out with friends from Nashville

Wednesday: Bertolli frozen meal (these are on sale at Kroger, plus I have a coupon)

Thursday: Grilled Panini sandwhiches and chips (cooking for a group of college students)

Friday: Baked Spaghetti and garlic bread

Saturday: Birthday dinner for Blake

Sunday: Leftovers

Head over to orgjunkie for more menus!!

Works For Me Wednesday

2008-03-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

What has worked for me recently is flylady. I'm not sure how many of you have stumbled across this fabulous site, but I have to recommend it. I do not do all of what it teaches, but it has taught me that I can do anything for 15 minutes. It is amazing the sense of accomplishment to finish one task in your home. It motivates me to keep going and accomplish more!! So, head on over here and check it out for yourself!

Check out more at Rocks In My Dryer!

Monday Meanderings

2008-03-24T20:06:00.001-07:00

Here are my goals for the week!

Bible Study: Continue studying for the retreat in April
Taking care of my home: catch up on laundry and start spring cleaning
Must do: File taxes!!!
Reading: get to page 150 in "Perfect Match"
Broadway Boutique: get 20 new cards in my booth and get the word out for my card class

I have a busy week ahead with birthday parties and visiting friends, so I'm trying to be realistic with my list this week.

Check out here for more Monday Meanderings!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-03-24T19:52:00.001-07:00

Here is my menu for the week. I finally got pictures of my chicken crescent rolls, so I will be posting the recipe after this!

Monday: Chicken crescent rolls and veggies
Tuesday: Salmon and veggies
Wednesday: Grab something (a friend will be in from out of town)
Thursday: Pizza (and the NCAA tournament with friends)
Friday: Baked spaghetti and garlic bread
Saturday: Out with family for birthday celebrations
Sunday: Chicken Santa Fe

Head over to orgjunkie for more menus.

CVS Success!!!

2008-03-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

I saved $45.03!!! How great is that!!

It has been a while since I have posted my CVS shopping trip experiences. I have had some success, but had my most successful trip by far yesterday. I am a big fan of dove products, so I was really excited to see ECB's for dove! Plus I had lots of coupons. Here is what I got:

Dove Volumizing Shampoo $4.99

Dove Voluminzing Conditioner $4.99 (B1G1)

Dove Body Wash $3.99

Dove Ultimate Clear Deoderant $3.49

Bic Soleil Razor $5.99

Gilette Mach 3 Disposable Razors $7.99

Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush $3.47 (markdown)

Grand Total $43.80

Coupons I had:

$1 off dove body wash

$3 off dove shampoo

$0.75 off dove deoderant

$3 off mach 3 razors

$3 off $15 CVS coupon

$5 off $15 CVS coupon

$8.99 ECBs

$6.00 ECBs

Total Out of Pocket: $1.33!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ECBs earned: $13.00!!!!!!!!!!!

Not bad!!

Letter of the week!

2008-03-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

I mailed my letter for this week today. I'm really excited about this one. It is not hand made, but it has a cute little gift in it. Since I'm saving lots of money these days, I am trying to pass it along to others. A friend of mine just had a baby, so I sent her a note full of diaper coupons! How fun!!

Monday Meanderings

2008-03-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

I'm also behind on this post, but here are my goals for this week!

Bible Study: continue reading my one year bible and begin study for April girl's retreat

Must do: menu plan (below), pay house payment, mail one letter

Taking care of my home: clean entire house (it is out of control), catch up on laundry, and work on basement

Reading: my goal is to finish "Plain Truth" (only 70 pages to go)

Broadway Boutique: I have a great idea for selling some cards, my goal is to get several cards finished to get my booth stocked up!

Cruise scrapbook: I got a few layouts done last week, but need pictures. My goal this week is to print pictures for my scrapbook.

Menu Plan Monday

2008-03-18T14:12:00.001-07:00

I'm a little behind this week, but here is my menu:

Monday: Grab something

Tuesday: Chicken parmesan

Wednesday: Sandwiches

Thursday: Salmon and veggies

Friday: Baked spaghetti

Saturday: Eating at my Grandparent's for Easter

Sunday: Baked chicken and veggies

The menu is a little plain this week, but we have a lot to do so I need something I can throw together fast!

Monday Meanderings...

2008-03-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here is my first attempt at Monday Meanderings. I am loving this concept because I am a "list maker" and do not feel complete until I can mark something off!!! I am hoping this will help hold me accountable to accomplish everything I should this week!

Bible Studies: I started a one-year Bible in January, but am ashamed to say that it has fallen by the wayside. My goal this week is to pick it back up and read some every day.

Must do:

Plan menu for this week (see here)

Mail check for "Close to my Heart" merchandise

Mail one letter to a friend (my weekly goal)

Pay electric and water bills

Taking Care of My Home:

Monday: wash 1 load of colors, unpack suitcase from this weekend, clean our bedroom and bathroom

Tuesday: wash dress clothes / delicates, clean living room, and clean out bunny cage

Wednesday: wash 1 load of whites, clean spare bedroom, and clean spare bathroom

Thursday: wash puppy blankets, clean kitchen, clean laundry room, and pack for weekend

Reading:

I am currently reading "Plain Truth" by Jodi Piccoult. My goal is to read to page 200 by Friday.

Broadway Boutique Booth:

I have a booth at Broadway Boutique Mall where I sell handmade cards. My goal is to make 10 individual cards and 2 sets this week to go in my booth.

Cruise Scrapbook:

I am trying to finish a scrapbook for our cruise we took in October. My goal this week is to complete three layouts.

Check out more Monday Meanderings here.

Menu Plan Monday

2008-03-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Monday: Baked Pork Chops, creamed corn, roasted green beans

Tuesday: Chicken, rotini noodles, and black beans

Wednesday: Hot dogs, potato chips, baked beans

Thursday: Salmon and veggies

Friday: Fend for ourselves

Saturday: Fend for ourselves

Sunday: Soup and Sandwiches

Letter of the Week!

2008-03-05T06:34:00.000-08:00

So, this week I finally made my goal. The letter I am sending out is a handmade card! It is very basic compared to what I have made, but I'm very proud of myself for sitting down and putting it together. I do have a couple other cards going out, but I wanted to share this one!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-03-03T16:49:00.000-08:00

Monday: Homemade Pizza (my husband made an awesome homemade whole wheat crust)
Tuesday: Chicken Crescent Rolls (recipe coming soon)
Wednesday: General Tsao's Chicken (I get this from Sam's, it is probably terrible for us, but it is delicious!), rice, and broccoli
Thursday: Baked chicken and veggies
Friday: Pork chops (we will be in Gatlinburg with our family)
Saturday: Fajitas (still in Gatliburg)
Sunday: Chicken Parmesan (I use an awesome marinade for my chicken, and bake it instead of breading and frying it. If you can find Annie's Naturals Roasted Garlic and Balsamic, it is well worth it! Check it out here.)

Check out orgjunkie.com for more menus!!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-02-25T09:03:00.001-08:00

Monday: Leftover tacos

Tuesday: Pita Pizzas

Wednesday: Sandwiches or soup

Thursday: Salmon and veggies

Friday: Fend for yourself (Blake is a chaperone for the jr. high dance and I am hosting a scrapbooking party)

Saturday: Baked chicken and veggies

Sunday: BBQ chicken pizza

I will have to do a little shopping this week, but my goal is to keep it below $50! Head over to orgjunkie for more menu plan monday!

Frugal Friday

2008-02-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share something my husband and I did to live frugally for two years. We had only been married for a year, and were really wanting to buy a house. We looked around at some houses and found one we loved, but when we got the good faith estimate, we were surprised at what the payments would be. Even though we could have afforded them, it would have made things tight. We looked at the difference it would make to put 10% down on the house. We liked what we saw, so we started figuring out a way to save that money. We had an opportunity to move into an apartment complex and be the managers. In return, we would get to live there for free (including cable and water). It really was a difficult two years, but we were able to save 10% for our house and have a little extra left over. It was a creative way for us to live "frugally" and save for our house. We were incredible busy because we had to clean the apartments, repaint them, and do any maintenance on them. We were also in charge of collecting the rent and depositing it and showing empty apartments to rent them. In then end, we were able to buy a house just like the one we had first looked at!! God is good and does provide!! Head over to biblical womanhood to check out some more frugal ideas!

CVS deals

2008-02-21T06:40:00.000-08:00

Well, here are the CVS deals I've managed to get since I learned about the CVS game.

Week 1: Maybeline eyeshadow $5.39 out of pocket
Earned $5.39 in ECB's
I had to start somewhere!!!
Week 2: Venus Embrace Razor $9.99
Gatorade G2 drink $1.29
I used the $5.39 I earned in ECB's and only paid $6.98 out of
pocket
Earned $7.29 in ECB's
Week 3: Easter candy $0.99 per bag (I bought 2)
Colgate toothpaste $2.99 used $1/1 coupon
Colgate toothpaste $2.99 used $1/1 coupon
I had forgotten my ECB's and didn't realize it until I went to pay
so I spent $6.54 out of pocket
Earned $4.00 in ECB's

I now have $11.29 in ECB's and am gearing up for next weeks deals. I was really trying to figure out a way to make the $30 in product and earn $15 in ECB's work for me, but couldn't make it work. Maybe there will be some awesome deals next week and I can really do great!!!

Letter for the week...

2008-02-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

My goal this week was to send a letter with a handmade card. Well, I wrote my letter last night, but had to use a notecard I already had. We had a busy weekend at Winterfest with our youth group, so I didn't have a chance to make a card. The great thing is that I've kept up with writing my letters for three weeks!!!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-02-18T17:04:00.000-08:00

Monday: Pizza (I am spending the day planning my 10 year high school reunion, so I will not feel like cooking)

Tuesday: Baked Salmon, brown rice, and asparagus

Wednesday: Soup

Thursday: Tacos (we will have a group of college students over for dinner)

Friday: Baked chicken, potatoes, and green beans

Saturday: BBQ chicken pizza

Sunday: Chicken parmesan

I'm trying to stretch what is in my pantry this week. I should only have to shop for milk and stuff for Tacos Thursday night.

Head over to orgjunkie.com for more menus!!

Wow!!!!!

2008-02-15T13:47:00.001-08:00

I have to take some time to brag on my husband for last night. First of all, you must know that he is not very fond of Valentine's Day (the word "hate" has been used). I, on the other hand, love everything about it. I don't care if it is commercialized, and think it is a day to show someone how much you love them. Yes, I do understand you should be doing that all the time, and I strive to do that in my life, but I get caught up in all the hoopla just the same. I knew we had reservations for my favorite restaurant in our town, but had no idea that he had other surprises up his sleeve. When I got home from work, there were paper hearts cut out leading up from our basement to the laundry room. On the back of each heart he had written a reason he loved me. Yes, this made me cry. It was incredible to see on paper things I didn't realize meant so much to him. When I finished reading the hearts and walked in upstairs, he handed me a bag with the new Colbie Cailiett CD in it. I had mentioned that I really liked her two songs on the radio, and he ran with it!! We then get ready and head over to Mauricio's for our dinner reservations. I had dropped off a gift for Blake to be left on our table, but little did I know, he had done the same thing. The owner of the restaurant walks over with a rose and a card and gives them to me!! The card was the sweetest. Even though, he didn't spend much money (he thinks things are way over-priced on Valentine's Day), it was the perfect gift!! I've added some pictures of what he did for me to brag a little more! I hope you enjoy them!

Encouragement for Today

2008-02-12T10:46:00.000-08:00

One thing I am enjoying about this blog is that it keeps me accountable. Last week I posted that I would be sending a hand-written card out each week to someone. So, Tuesday is the day I've picked for my cards to go out. I've been using some cute notecards that I purchased, but my goal is to start sending out hand-made cards. Check out my other blog to see some of the cards I make. I actually sell them at a boutique store in our town, so I rarely make any for me to use anymore! My goal next week is to use a handmade card (and post a picture of it here)! Check back to see if I make my goal!!

Dinner Last Night...

2008-02-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

I stuck to my menu plan last night and make the teriyaki salmon, and it was delicious!!! I'm not sure Blake liked the mandarin oranges on top of it, but it made a great presentation. It was super-easy to put together too! I highly recommend trying this recipe!!!

A Cute Idea

2008-02-11T12:33:00.001-08:00

I got this idea from a baby shower I went to, and I copied it for a baby shower at the bank where I work. I think it turned out really cute. The colors were blue and brown, and the baby's name is going to be Will. I made a great mocha punch which matched perfectly because it was chocolate! I thought this was a great little way to dress up a punch bowl!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-02-11T10:54:00.000-08:00

This weeks menu will be a little out of the ordinary. We have a lot going on this week (plus Valentine's Day), but I'm planning it out anyway!

Monday: Roasted Teriaki Salmon, Roasted Potatoes, and Green Beans (Thanks to something I watched on Food Network this weekend)

Tuesday: Bake spaghetti and ziti, salad, garlic bread, and various cookies (we are having about 20 teens from our church over for dinner and Bible study)

Wednesday: Soup and Sandwiches

Thursday: Dinner at Mauricios (a great little Italian restaraunt in our town, we go there on special occasions)

Friday: Dinner on the road (we will be on our way to Gatilinburg for Winterfest with our youth group)

Saturday: Dinner out in Gatlinburg

Sunday: Baked chicken and veggies

I can't wait to try the Salmon. I can get a good deal on frozen filets at Wal-mart ($3.98 for 4 which makes two meals for my husband and me)! Hopefully next week, we will not be so busy! Head over to orgjunkie.com for some more menu ideas!

CVS Update

2008-02-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

Since I went on a ranting fit yesterday after my CVS experience, I feel compelled to post an update. I went to the CVS across town on my way home from work and they had one item that I needed and was able to get for "free" after ECB's! So, now I'm ready for next week. My goal is to get one item that I can get for free after ECB, but is less than what I have in ECB's (make sense?). This way I can grow my ECB's and work toward getting groceries for free!!

My first attempt at saving money.

2008-02-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a lot of information on saving money through CVS, so I thought I would start small and give it a try. I found one thing in the sale paper that I needed that would have been free after the ECB's. So, I lunch today, off I go to begin my wonderful journey of saving money and being a smart shopper! I was so proud of myself for researching this all out and making an informed decsion on saving our hard earned money. Well, apparently everyone else in this town has the exact same idea because the one product I went in to buy was completely gone! Does everyone know about the CVS deals? Am I the last one to catch on, so I'm out of luck?? I'm assuming that people buy more than the one thing they need and stock up on like a one year supply so that those of us who want to buy one thing haven't got a chance. Well, I'm not going to give up yet! I'll be there the first day the sale flyer comes out next week!! The one good thing I am learning is to look for coupons, and I did manage to get my foundation (that I was out of) this morning for 40% off!! I never looked for things to be on sale before. I've always been a Wal-mart girl, but I'm slowly learning that I can get some better deals if I search it out!!

WFMW 02-06-2008

2008-02-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

Here is my first works for me Wednesday post!! I really enjoy photography, and have recently upgraded from the Canon tii film camera to the Canon Digital Rebel XTI. What worked for me was buying it online at beachcamera.com. I only needed to body of the camera because my lenses for the Rebel film camera worked on the digital XTI. This site had some of the best deals (that were real and not a bait and switch like some sites I came across). So, if you're in the market for a good deal on a camera, check it out, it worked for me! For more ideas, head over to rocks in my dryer.

Encouraging Tuesday

2008-02-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

So, I've been trying to decide on a main topic for my blog. You know, something I really enjoy and can share with others (if anyone is even reading this). This is what I have come up with...letters. No, not the alphabet, but hand-written letters mailed to friends and family. I was told once that I had a gift for writing encouraging letters (long time ago, and still not sure if that is true). Whether it is true or not, I think anyone can be encouraged by getting a letter in the mail. I truly believe it is more personal and thoughtful than sending an e-mail or message on myspace or facebook. One of my goals for the new year is to be more encouraging and try to mail at least one hand-written letter a week. Maybe this can be something that spreads over the blogging world!?!? How incredible would it be to know that each Tuesday, dozens (maybe hundreds) of letters were being mailed out to friends and family for no reason but to simply encourage one another!! I guess I better be thinking of who my letter is going to today! So I will stop typing and start writing!!

My first Menu Plan Monday

2008-02-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

I think this is a wonderful idea!! So, here goes my first time at Menu Plan Monday!

Monday: Baked chicken, baked sweet potatoes, brown rice
Tuesday: Chicken Santa Fe
Wednesday: Soup and Sandwiches
Thursday: Chicken Pot Pie
Friday: Homemade BBQ chicken pizza
Saturday: Chicken Parmesan
Sunday: Leftovers / fend for yourself

So, I got a great deal on chicken this week at Kroger. In an effort to spend less on groceries, I'm making what I have already in my pantry work this week. Hopefully next week I will be able to have a little more variety. But hey, not bad for $32 this week!! For lots more menu plans, check out orgjunkie.com

Is $50 possible???

2008-01-29T10:07:00.000-08:00

So, I've been reading these blogs about these amazing women who only spend $50 (or $35 in one case) a week on groceries and household items for their families! I'm afraid to even look at what Blake and I spend on groceries a week!!! So, here is my challenge to myself...figure out how to spend less on groceries. How am I going to do that??? Well, for starters, I am clipping coupons now and checking out the sale fliers that come out for certain stores. I'll try to keep my progress updated on here to see if I can manage to save a little money on everyday necessities!

The Next 25

2008-01-25T15:10:00.000-08:00

Here are the next 25 things I'm thankful for...

26. Flowers from my Daddy on Valentine's Day (love it and will never get tired of being Daddy's little girl)
27. A day with nothing to do (rarely happens, but I try to grab hold of them every chance I get)
28. 2 pillows on my bed (bad neck pains with just one)
29. New curtains in our bedroom (now it stays dark even when it is light outside!)
30. Chocolate!! (This probably should have been higher on the list)
31. Mother's Day Luncheon 2007 (this was a great time with my Mom, grandmothers, aunts, and cousin last year)
32. Rubber stamps (Have I mentioned I love to make cards!)
33. My Camera (Canon Digital Rebel XTI - greatest ever!)
34. The softest Bunny Rabbit ever (yes, I have a pet bunny)
35. Flylady (helped me realize that I can do anything for 15 minutes - even clean!)
36. Sunrises (and being able to be up to see them almost every day thanks to my little puppy and his small bladder)
37. Poets (small local coffee shop)
38. Being able to give to others
39. Christmas traditions
40. Seeing the world from 37,000 feet (most incredible thing I've ever seen)
41. 34 mile bike ride with my husband
42. Fall (everything about it, it is my favorite time of year)
43. The feeling I get when I hear a song from my past
44. Basketball
45. Wal-mart (for those of you who know me, I'm addicted)
46. The first sign of buttercups
47. Decaf coffee (so I can still drink it!)
48. UCSC
49. Teenside
50. Lylewood Christian Camp (so many wonderful memories)

My boys!!!

2008-01-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

Quest for Contentment

2008-01-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

Well, here is day 2 of blogging (I’m doing good so far)! I pulled out an old book that I started to read several years ago titled “Calm My Anxious Heart”. It is a book about being content. Can that really be the answer?? Read a book, and voila, you’re a content woman! Surely not. So far, I am finding some good nuggets of material in the book. I also believe that one way to be content is to focus on your blessings, count them or name them one by one if you will. I’ve seen something similar to this done on other blogs, so bear with me as I roll through 100 things I’m thankful for in my quest for contentment! (I’ll break it up into 25 at a time.)

1. A house that I can come home to every day, call my own, and work on to make it what I want.
2. A husband who loves me and is willing to spend hard hours working on our house.
3. A job that I can go to every day (even when I want to stay in bed) to make money to pay for the house, food, clothes, and fun stuff.
4. Being greeted by an excited puppy when I get home from work (everyone should experience this once)!
5. A car that is paid for.
6. A truck that is paid for.
7. The perfect parents (I could go on and on here, but I’m trying to keep it as short as possible)
8. My husband’s family accepting me like one of their own.
9. A mother-in-law I get along with (from talking to lots of my married friends, this is a big one!)
10. Scrapbook paper (I love this stuff, and could be addicted to buying it!)
11. A basement (the junk is out of sight, and I have a place to go in a storm)
12. Rocking chairs on my front porch (there is no better place to be when it is raining)
13. Starbucks (marble mocha macchiato and a peppermint mocha during the holidays)
14. Facebook and Myspace (I have found so many people I haven’t seen in a long time, it’s a great way to keep in touch)
15. Anniversaries (I love celebrating marriages)
16. A supportive church family
17. My huddle group (new and old)
18. Sitting in the window at Poet’s drinking coffee watching it snow on the square in Cookeville (nothing better!)
19. My booth at Broadway Boutique (I find so much joy in making cards)
20. The ability to write letters (so much better than e-mail)
21. My space heater under my desk (I had to go without it yesterday, so I’m very thankful for it today!)
22. Books I get lost in.
23. The time I get to spend with my girlfriends from high school and college (I don’t see them much, so I treasure every moment)
24. Hot showers
25. The cruise I got to take with my husband in October 2007.

Entering the world of blogging

2008-01-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

So, I have officially decided to enter the world of blogging. I've always thought I would keep a journal or something similar, but have not been disciplined enough to continue my dream! I think I can keep up with blogging because I'm always around a computer! So, here goes my attempt at the blogging world! I hope you enjoy!