tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86709224922007565002024-03-05T00:08:49.103-05:00At My SinkKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-15630774774335654972020-02-11T23:25:00.001-05:002020-02-11T23:25:56.673-05:00Meal Plan 2/9-2/15Sunday- <a href="https://recipeteacher.com/best-damn-instant-pot-pulled-pork/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=581243570_21704530_140378" target="_blank">Pulled Pork Sandwiches</a>, Cole Slaw, French Fries<br />
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*I make my cole slaw by mixing chopped up cabbage with mayo and sugar to taste.</div>
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Monday- <a href="http://findally.co/honey-butter-chicken-recipe/" target="_blank">Honey Butter Chicken</a>, Mash Potatoes, Corn<br />
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Tuesday- Hamburger Gravy, Egg Noodles<br />
*Tuesday is dance so I go super easy here. I put browned hamburger in store bought gravy and we eat it over whatever noodles I have on hand.<br />
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Wednesday- <a href="https://laurenslatest.com/crockpot-smoked-sausage-hash-brown-casserole/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+laurenslatest/yMlk+(Lauren%27s+Latest)" target="_blank">Cheesy Potato Casserole</a><br />
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Thursday- Asian Chicken, Rice, Broccoli<br />
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Friday- Pizza, Strawberry Shortcake Waffles, Doughnuts, Cookies<br />
*We do Pizza Hut pizza and all kinds of snacks for Valentine's Day supper. The Strawberry shortcake waffles are simply these super yummy Eggo vanilla Belgium waffles I bought at Sam's Club topped with strawberries and whip cream.<br />
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Saturday- *dinner out for mom's birthday*<br />
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Sunday- BBQ Pork Chops, Broccoli & Cheese Rice, Fried radishes<br />
*Nothing fancy here. I throw the chops in a glass pan with store bought BBQ sauce and bake until done. The broccoli and cheese rice is simply a $1 pack of Knorr rice.<br />
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Alternate Meal ideas-<br />
<a href="https://www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com/2012/01/chicken-rice-roni-casserole.html" target="_blank">Crack Chicken & Rice Casserole</a><br />
Spaghetti & Meatballs, Salad<br />
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Asian Chicken Recipe<br />
1c brown sugar<br />
1/2c soy sauce<br />
2T ketchup<br />
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs<br />
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Put chicken in a 9x13 pan. Mix sauce and pour over chicken. Cook at 375* for an 1-1.5hours.<br />
Flip the chicken thighs half way through<br />
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Here is last week's meal plan as well.<br />
Sunday- Pot Roast, roasted potatoes & carrots<br />
*I put my roast in the Instant Pot with a cup of beef broth and a packet of french onion soup mix.<br />
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Monday- Keilbasa, Green Beans, Potatoes<br />
*Dice keilbasa and brown in a frying pan. Put keilbasa, cans of green beans, and diced potatoes in a pot with spices and water to cover. Cook until potatoes are done. Alternatively I've used canned potatoes when I'm in a hurry and just cook it until everything is nice and hot<br />
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Tuesday- We had KFC for my daughter's birthday<br />
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Wednesday- Chicken Pastry, Yams, <a href="https://www.findingzest.com/so-easy-drop-biscuits-recipe/" target="_blank">Drop Biscuits</a><br />
*I follow the directions on Anne's pastry but I believe this may be a regional brand.<br />
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Thursday- Ham Mac & Cheese<br />
* I used this <a href="http://thingsicantsay.com/mikes-farm-mac-and-cheese/" target="_blank">mac & cheese</a> recipe and added diced ham<br />
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Friday- <a href="https://thesimpleparent.com/hot-dog-chili-recipe/" target="_blank">Chili Dogs</a>, Tater tots, baked beans<br />
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Saturday-<a href="https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/slow-cooker-beef-and-potato-au-gratin/" target="_blank"> Crockpot Beef & Potatoes </a>Mrs. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15155635339373539659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-23118011513758304052019-10-29T10:26:00.000-04:002019-10-29T10:26:02.687-04:00HalloweenHere we go again. LOL Another attempt at blogging. Any bets on how long it'll last this time?<br />
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It's almost Halloween. Man, this year I've majorly slacked. My house looks like we've boycotted all holidays, aside from one stray plain turkey that is on the mantle waiting to be painted by my 6yo. Hobby Lobby 50% special waiting to make a school day a little more fun and holding out for any glimmer of hope that I might pull the rest of the fall decorations from the attic.<br />
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So, what are our plans for this year? The costumes have been acquired, but no plans have been made. I'm not feeling the trick or treating this year, though I'm sure my kids will drag me out to a few family members homes just to say they went.<br />
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However I did have a good idea that we'll see if I can actually pull off. LOL A fun filled day of no school, homemade cookies, popcorn, and Halloween movies. I've been making a list, trying to find movies that will hold both of my kids interests while not being too scary for the little one and too babyish for the older one. Thankfully we own Halloweentown 1 & 2 on dvd and those are the best Halloween movies ever, so we're covered for a few hours anyway.<br />
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I'll check back in on Friday to see if we actually accomplished a fun filled day or if my kids go crazy and don't cooperate.<br />
Now, if there's anyone out there that actually reads this, what are your plans for Halloween? Are your kids dressing up and going trick or treating? I'd love to hear all about it!<br />
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Mrs. BMrs. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15155635339373539659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-38916161230919061532017-08-08T14:37:00.002-04:002017-08-08T14:37:56.938-04:00Aldi Experiment and meal planI've decided to make a change. Our tiny little town has very few shopping options and the main one is Wal-Mart. Up until this point, well since having 2 kids anyway LOL, I've done 90% of my grocery shopping there bc it's easier. But I've noticed I'm spending way over my budget every single week. Aldi is nice and so much cheaper but it's so far away that it's never been convenient for every week shopping. But now there's a new one on an easier side of town. It's still 30 minutes away but with the new location is much more convenient as far as traffic goes. So once a week I make my meal plan and grocery list and off I go! I've done this for 3 weeks and the difference it's already made is amazing. I get most of my groceries from there and then go across the road to Food Lion to get my meats and I'm done. Generally I've been shopping on Monday so I meal plan from Monday-Sunday. HOWEVER up until this experiment I haven't meal planned for the weekends and we just eat out on Friday and Saturday. I'm trying to cut back on that so I'm making a point to plan for the weekends now.<br />
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So here's what I bought this week and our meal plan. Some of the things on this menu are freezer or pantry items as well.<br />
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Monday- Hot Ham & Cheese, Hashbrowns, Chocolate Pudding with cool whip (4yo's request)<br />
Tuesday- Roast, Potatoes, Carrots<br />
Wednesday- Sloppy Joes, Mac & Cheese<br />
Thursday- Fried Chicken tenders, potato salad, green beans<br />
Friday- Quesadillas<br />
Saturday- Hamburger Rice a Roni<br />
Sunday- *out of town*<br />
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Aldi- Total $45.47- $5 coupon= $41.43<br />
Chicken Tenderloins 5.49<br />
Whole Milk 1.96<br />
Whipped Topping .69<br />
20ct Tortillas 1.79<br />
Onion soup mix .69<br />
4lb sugar 1.39<br />
Vegetable oil 1.49<br />
2 cans of pumpkin .79ea<br />
2 boxes mac & cheese .25ea<br />
1 box mac & cheese .95<br />
Block cheese 1.49<br />
Sliced swiss cheese 1.49<br />
Sliced ham 2.39<br />
Pickles .95<br />
Chocolate syrup 1.39<br />
Shredded cheese 1.69<br />
2 boxes Rice a Roni mix .69<br />
Peanut bars 1.39<br />
Gummy snacks 2.99<br />
Fruit rounds 1.09<br />
Peanut butter 1.25<br />
PB Cookies (knock off Girl Scout cookies that were amazing!) 1.39<br />
2pks Hamburger buns .65ea<br />
2lb carrots .85<br />
Red apples 2.69<br />
10lb potatoes 3.49<br />
Bread .83<br />
Pretzels .89<br />
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Food Lion- I screwed up my budget here, but still stayed under my limit. $30.62<br />
2- 12pk can pepsi 3.33ea<br />
12pk coke 3.66<br />
Fritos 3.29<br />
Doritos 3.49<br />
FL brand Chex mix 1.49<br />
2 Chef Boyardee .88ea<br />
FL brand chips 1.49<br />
3 Slush puppies .50ea<br />
Ground beef 3.51<br />
Ground beef 3.35<br />
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<br />Mrs. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15155635339373539659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-64618864335742066882017-01-22T14:06:00.000-05:002017-01-22T14:06:11.957-05:00Supper timeNo matter your season of life we all have one thing in common. Food. The most stressful time of the day for most moms is when it comes time to feed our beloved families. It doesn't matter what is going in Mom's day, those kiddos still need to be fed. There are various ways of dealing with this. Meal planning for the whole week, once a month cooking, stopping at the grocery store on the way home for work, or trying to throw something together at the last minute from whatever odd bits and pieces are in the freezer and pantry because you haven't felt like going to the grocery store in 3 weeks. And it's often the question that is asked the most often "What's for dinner?". In fact as I'm sitting here writing this my husband asked that very question. I don't have an answer today. I used to be so good at meal planning and actually sticking to it. As life has gone on I've gotten away from the strict plan and have a more casual plan. Unfortunately that plan doesn't work for us. We end getting take out way too often or I'm stuck scrambling to make something work at the end of the day. Granted the arrival of the Instant Pot has made those last minute scrambles much easier now that I no longer have to worry about if I have anything thawed or not. But it's time to get back on track. It's time to make meal time simple again and have fun with food.<br />
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So what's the point of all this? What's the plan? How are we going to make meal planning simple?<br />
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Well that's easy! Have you ever really thought about what you cook for supper? Chances are its the same meals over and over. It's not a bad thing, we know what our families like, what is easy, and what works. So why stray from that? Let's make that work in our favor.<br />
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The first step takes time. You will start with recording your meals for 2 weeks. Print a blank calendar for your current month, use a piece of notebook paper, or even your family calendar. Every night for 2 weeks jot down what you had for supper. Or if you have a great memory you could just go back over the last 2 weeks and write down what you had and just use that. Personally I do not LOL<br />
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Now when your 2 weeks are over, take some time and sit down with your list of meals. Were they all well received? Were they all easy for mom (or whoever cooks in your home)? Mark out any nights that were take out and replace those meals with other family favorites that may not have made the list.<br />
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Are you satisfied with the 14 meals you have left? Don't make it complicated. There's no need to replace a night you had hot dogs with pot roast because you'll set yourself up to fail. There's nothing wrong with hot dogs for supper if that works for your family.<br />
Once you have your list, that's it. You're done. There is your meal plan for the next 2 weeks. And the 2 weeks after that, and the 2 weeks after that.<br />
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Tack this list somewhere in the kitchen you'll see it. Now you'll know at a glance what is for supper. But don't be afraid to move meals around. Maybe a night you have spaghetti written down, you're home all day and want to fix something more elaborate from the list. Go for it. Do what works for you. This list is just a guide line.<br />
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But not only does this make meal planning easier, it makes grocery shopping easier. If you see something on sale that goes along with one of your meals you'll quickly know how many you need to stock up on until it goes on sale again.<br />
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Give it a try. See if it works for you.<br />
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Until next time. <3Mrs. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15155635339373539659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-81130370309267853322016-04-11T10:54:00.000-04:002016-04-11T10:54:07.729-04:00Meal Plan Monday- And my IP is here!It's time to meal plan once again, but this week I get to plan a little differently! Why you ask? Because my Instant Pot is here! I'm already in love with it. So let's talk about IP before we meal plan shall we?<br />
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I received my IP on Wednesday. I admit I've always been intimidated by pressure cookers. I was nervous about using it. According to the manual the first thing to cook in it is water. Yep, just plain water. So I jumped in and boiled water in my IP. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. LOL After that I cooked some eggs in it. I hate peeling eggs. These eggs were the easiest eggs I've ever peeled. Win!<br />
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But I knew it was time to upgrade to actually cooking a meal. First up I did pork chops. I seasoned some boneless pork chops with Mrs Dash Lemon Pepper and sauteed them in the pot. Did I mention you can saute in the IP?! You can, and it's amazing. Then I made a gravy using water, cream of chicken soup (yea yea I know, canned cream soups. Don't hate me LOL), and a pack of onion soup mix. Cooked for 18 minutes on high pressure and did 15 minutes of NPR (natural pressure release). Served it with instant rice. The pork chops were so tender. Here's where I got the recipe, I added the onion soup mix. http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/easy-pork-chops-in-mushroom-gravy/<br />
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Sunday's we usually order pizza delivery and watch Once Upon a Time. But I wanted to use my Instant Pot again so I made Salsa Chicken. I took 1# of chicken breasts and put them in the pot with a jar of chunky salsa. Hit the Poultry button, added 5 more minutes and let it go. I did NPR while I made some homemade guacamole and got all the taco stuff ready. Then I shredded the chicken and we ate it on tacos and nachos. It was so simple and saved us around $20. </div>
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Now let's get down to meal planning for this week. I'll add IP to the end if I'm cooking it in the Instant Pot. </div>
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Monday- Spaghetti (IP) </div>
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Tuesday- Sloppy Joes, Mac N Cheese</div>
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Wednesday- Mississippi Chicken Thighs (IP), Mashed Potatoes</div>
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Thursday- take out or leftovers</div>
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Friday- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup</div>
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Saturday- Baked Potato Bar (IP)</div>
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Sunday- Roasted Whole Chicken, Potato Salad, some kind of other veggies LOL Chicken and potatoes will be cooked in the IP </div>
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<br />Mrs. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15155635339373539659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-46430440739502192522016-04-04T10:52:00.003-04:002016-04-04T10:52:40.238-04:00It's time to meal plan! Here we go again! Meal planning Monday. I've been a bit off of my meal planning game since I started working. But we've been eating out entirely too much so I need to get back to it. Plus I just ordered an Instant Pot and it should be here tomorrow! I've been stalking the tracking info since it shipped.. haha. This should help a lot with our eating out. I haven't named her yet since I haven't met her, so we'll just call her IP for now.<br />
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So here's the plan for the week.<br />
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Monday- We'll be having BBQ chicken, homemade potato salad, and mac and cheese since I have one kid who hates potato salad! Imagine that.<br />
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Tuesday- This is a long work day for me, so we'll be having grilled cheeses<br />
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Wednesday- I'll have my IP! So I'll be experimenting and making one pot spaghetti<br />
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Thursday- Leftovers<br />
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Friday- Pork chops in the IP, rice, and green beans<br />
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Saturday- My mr and I will be celebrating 10 years of marriage on Saturday so we're spending the day at the beach!<br />
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Sunday- I haven't gotten this far. haha. I'll probably make a whole chicken in the IP and we'll have some veggies and rolls to go with it.<br />
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Enjoy your week!Mrs. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15155635339373539659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-73223272517407188272015-12-07T13:25:00.001-05:002015-12-07T13:34:26.813-05:00Toddler Size Hooded Cowl Crochet PatternAfter searching and searching for a simple, free hooded cowl crochet pattern and not being able to find one I liked, I decided to just do it myself. Here is what I came up with. It's very simple. Can be adjusted by doing a longer chain or adding more rows. I made 2, one with less rows to fit a little more snug (12 rows for the hood) and one with more rows to be looser (20 rows for the hood). This is a quick work up, it took a couple hours total to make and used less than 1 skein of Vanna's Choice (3.5oz, 170 yard). My 2yo won't model for me, so I had to improvise. Hopefully this pattern is easy to understand. Feel free to leave questions or concerns in the comments.<br />
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Hooded Cowl</div>
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Toddler Size</div>
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Yarn: Vanna's Choice</div>
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Hook: J/5.75 or 6mm</div>
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Any yarn will work. You can adjust the size by changing the hook size. </div>
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Cowl-<br />
Ch 60. Join, making sure your chain isn't twisted. * Add more chains here for a longer cowl *<br />
Row 1- ch 1. DC around. Join in the top of 1st DC. (60dc)<br />
Row 2-7- Repeat Row 1. (60dc)<br />
*Add more rows here for a wider cowl.<br />
Fasten off at the end of row 7.<br />
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Hood-<br />
Count 20 stitches on each side of where you fastened off and mark with stitch markers.<br />
Join your yarn in the first stitch you marked on the right side.<br />
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Row 1- ch 1. DC across until you get to your 2nd marked stitch. ch 1. Turn. (40 dc)<br />
Row 2-12- DC across. ch 1. Turn. (40 dc)<br />
*Add more rows here for a looser hood<br />
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Turn inside out. Fold top of the hood in half and slip stitch through both sides across to join.<br />
I work a 2nd row of slip stitch back across so I can make my edge without fastening off and rejoining. If you don't want to do an edge or prefer to fasten off and rejoin, you don't have to do the 2nd row of sl st.<br />
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Edge- Work sc evenly around the opening. I worked 2 rows. You can do however many you'd like.<br />
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** Alternate Hood ** If you prefer you can simply not fasten off when you finish your cowl and work the Hood part from there. However I prefer the seam to be in the back, hence why I fasten off. If that doesn't bother you, you do not have to fasten off and rejoin, you can just keep working from where your yarn already is.<br />
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<br />Mrs. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15155635339373539659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-43904461375882218082015-07-29T13:21:00.000-04:002015-07-31T16:31:04.579-04:00School Year 2015-2016 3rd Grade <br />
It's always exciting to get a box full of brand new books. Yesterday I received my order from CBD which contained most of what we'll be using for CJ this year. Here's a quick run down of what we'll be doing for CJ's 3rd grade year. As I get the year planned and we get into the school year I'll post what we're doing each week with both kids.<br />
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Math- <a href="http://teachingtextbooks.com/" target="_blank">Texting Textbooks Math 3</a><br />
Language Arts- <a href="http://www.easygrammar.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html" target="_blank">Easy Grammar </a><br />
Science- We'll be studying the human body using the <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/human-activities-experiments-investigations-observations-grades/sue-carothers/9780887249532/pd/49535" target="_blank">Human Body</a> book from CBD as a guideline and hands on activities from Pinterest.<br />
History- Unit Studies on US History. I couldn't find a good us history curriculum that I liked so I decided to put together unit studies.<br />
Spelling- I'll be putting together spelling lists based on what we are studying in science and history that week.<br />
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Another thing I'll be doing this year is getting CJ in the kitchen more. I have found several resources on Pinterest for cooking lessons for kids. He enjoys helping to cook but often times it's easier on me if he plays with his little sister while I get supper done. I want him to have all the real life skills he needs though, so I'll be making a bigger effort to get him in the kitchen and teach him how to cook.<br />
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<br />Mrs. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15155635339373539659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-32897077986644505412015-07-27T12:08:00.000-04:002015-07-27T12:08:00.567-04:00Menu Plan Monday 7/27/15-7/31/15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's Menu Plan Monday at <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2015/07/menu-plan-monday-july-2715.html">OrgJunkie</a>!<br />
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So far this summer I haven't been cooking. On the 2nd of June I fell and broke my ankle in 3 places. Which then resulted in surgery and not being able to walk for several weeks. I'm finally able to walk on it a little bit, so I've been slowly getting back into the kitchen. This week is actually my first week back to menu planning since my fall so it's fitting that I started back blogging and am able to do Menu Plan Monday again. I'm not planning meals past Thursday for this week because we have a busy weekend and I know we'll be eating out.<br />
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Monday- Spaghetti and Salads<br />
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Tuesday- Sloppy Joes and Mac n Cheese<br />
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Wednesday- Chicken Tacos<br />
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Thursday- Chicken, rice, and broccoli Bake with biscuits<br />
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Chicken Tacos<br />
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3-4 frozen chicken breasts<br />
Rotel Tomatoes<br />
Taco seasoning (equivalent to 1 packet)<br />
can of diced tomatoes<br />
Onion, cut up<br />
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Add everything to your crockpot and cook on low until chicken is done and falling apart. Shred the chicken and serve on tortillas, rice, or salad. Sometimes I'll add a little cilantro near the end if I have it on hand. That's it! Super simple and so yummy. You can also customize it however you like by adding more veggies to the crockpot depending on what your family likes.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-62165836511593094302015-07-26T14:56:00.001-04:002015-07-26T14:56:29.959-04:00Here we are againWell it's been over 4 years since I've blogged, it doesn't seem like that long ago. I've missed it! A lot has changed since 2011 when I published my last post. Most notably, our family grew! In 2013 I gave birth to our daughter, Rebekah. CJ is 8 now and about to start the 3rd grade. It's strange to think that he was only 4 when I stopped blogging. We still homeschool and love it. I'll be adding Rebekah into our homeschool routine this year. Up until now she's just played near by while I worked with CJ, or colored at the table with us. However I want to be more intentional about setting up activities for her to do. I'll post ideas and activities that we do together here to give others ideas.
I know this is short but I plan to get back into blogging regularly so I'll be back soon!
Until next time.... Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-995479989087947922011-05-09T18:40:00.002-04:002011-05-09T19:07:20.226-04:00The ins and outs of Couponing. Part 2Now let's talk about actually getting out and putting those coupons to work!<br /><br />Before using a coupon read it carefully. Some coupons have limits on them, some require you to purchase another item in order to get the discount, etc. All P&G coupons have a limit of 4 coupons per transaction. Always go by the wording on the coupon. <br /><br />Each week your stores will put out a sales paper. Use that ad to match up with your coupons for greater savings. Some stores also put out store coupons. You may find these in booklets in the store or on their website. It's important to check these out because some stores will actually let you "stack" their store coupons with your MQs. (manufacturer coupons) Check with your individual store before trying this as some stores do not allow it. Food Lion is one store that does NOT allow stacking. However Dollar General and Family Dollar do. Most of my examples in these couponing posts will be using the Food Lion policies and sales as a guideline since that's my main store. Most coupon rules are universal though. <br /><br />Once you've looked through your ad you can begin clipping the coupons you need and preparing for your trip. You may also want to check out sites online for additional matchups for your store. www.WeUseCoupons.com have wonderful matchups done by great forum leaders each week so most of the work is done for you.<br /><br />I know what you're all thinking! This is all well and good but let's get to the good stuff! Actually using your coupons. <br /><br />This is why it's important to stack coupons with store sales. Kellogg's Cereal is on sale at Food Lion this week BOGO. The boxes are usually $3.50-$5 each. At Food Lion, BOGO items ring up half price. So you could only purchase 1 and still get the sale price. There are printable coupons (IPs) at Kellogg's website for $1/3 boxes. Without a sale 33c off a box of $5 cereal doesn't seem great. But if you take the BOGO sale which bring the cereal down to $2.50 and subtract the coupon it brings your final cost down to $2.17. You must buy 3 boxes in order to use the coupon. So if you purchase 3 boxes at $2 each (after the BOGO discount) that's $6-$1 IP=$5.00 or $1.67 each. Pretty good for Kellogg's right?<br /><br />By now you're probably wondering how you can get free groceries I'm sure. It is possible. Maybe not cart fulls, but definitely some. Let's go back a few months. Bestlife margarine was on sale for $1 a tub. A couple weeks before the sale there was a $1 off any Bestlife margarine product coupon in the paper. See now why it's important to hang on to those MQs? Paired with the $1 sale and you've got yourself free margarine. Another week Propel water was on sale 2/$1 and there was a $1/2 coupon issued a few weeks before that. That means free flavored water! <br /><br />Some important closing notes before I go. <br />If the store is having a 10/$10 sale, you do not have to purchase all 10 to get the items for $1 each. If you only buy 1 you'll still get it for $1. Always check the fine print under the item though because sometimes there are limits on how many you can purchase or other qualifications in order to get the discount.<br /><br />Again, know your stores coupon policy. But never stand there and argue with the cashier. Chances are they are simply doing how they were trained. If they refuse to take your coupons for any reason, check out the coupon to make sure you did indeed meet the requirements of the coupon. Then politely ask for the manager. Most of the time they know the policy and will know if there was a problem with the register or something that the cashier missed. Try to never lose your cool. It's important to stay focused on the situation at hand rather than let your emotions get in the way. This is also when it's important to have a copy of the policy with you, in case the manager also wants to argue. <br /><br />If you have any stores in your area such as Food Lion, Rite-Aid, CVS, Harris Teeter, etc go to the store or to their website and sign up for a loyalty card. These will give you additional discounts, points, etc. <br /><br />OK Let's that for now. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section and I'll be back soon with more about the wonderful world of couponing!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-34462503543549070452011-05-09T18:10:00.003-04:002011-05-09T18:39:36.566-04:00The ins and outs of Couponing. Part 1Since so many people have expressed an interest in learning how to coupon I thought I would make a post about just that. Couponing is something that takes time. If you don't want to invest the time and energy into researching the deals, clipping the coupons, etc then stop reading right here. LOL It's worth the time if you're willing to do the work. <br /><br />Let's start with a couple of common misconceptions.<br />#1 is that you have to be surrounded by stores that double. This is not true. You can have only one store that accepts coupons and still get great deals. Will it take a little more work? Maybe, but you'll soon learn their sale cycles, the staff, etc and it will actually work in your favor. <br />#2 is that you can start out getting loads of stuff for free. This is more of a half truth than a complete myth. Depending on the sales that week and what coupons you have to start with you might get some items for free/almost free from the beginning. If you've watched the show Extreme Couponing I can tell you this show is not reality. The people on that show do not shop like that every week. In fact most will tell you that they've NEVER done a shop like that before the show and it was simply done for entertainment purposes. <br /><br />Now on to some basic information. We all know what a coupon is and where they come from. Money off certain item "certificates" that come in the newspaper or are printed from the internet. Using them alone will save you a few cents on the dollar, which is OK any savings is good. However if you pair them with sales, store coupons, clearance, etc you'll save much much more. <br /><br />The number one rule is to start small! Don't rush into this buying a ton of coupons online or a million newspapers your first week. Pick one store in your town and start there. First item of business, go online to their website and print their coupon policy. Read it, learn it, and most importantly keep it with you. You never know when you will get into the store only to have them argue with you over your coupons. <br /><br />Now, you MUST get the newspaper every single week. (rule of thumb, unless it's a Holiday there will be at least one insert in the paper, you can find insert schedules online to make sure each week if you want to) The location of the papers will differ in each town. Generally you can find them in the newspaper box out front or inside at the register. Get the paper for the biggest city that is offered. Small local papers have less coupons, if any at all. Important note: if you get the paper from the newspaper box, DO NOT take out more than you pay for. You are not hurting the newspaper company, you are hurting the person delivering the papers because it will come out of their pocket. If you want 2 papers, get one then close the box and put more money in. When you get your papers, take them home and remove all the inserts. Write the date on the front of each insert. When you look up coupon matchups online they will say something like "5/1/11 RP". This means it's from the May 1st Red Plum. Now you can easily go and find the coupon you need. Some people prefer to clip all the coupons from the insert and put in their binder/envelopes or just clip the ones they need and get rid of the rest. Any of these methods will work. <br /><br />Don't buy an item at full price simply because you have a coupon for it. If you get a coupon for 50c off toothpaste and you don't need the toothpaste right then, leave it. Chances are it will go on sale before the coupon expires. <br /><br />Part 2 coming soon!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-43768469368409162942011-03-05T13:21:00.002-05:002011-03-05T13:33:05.324-05:003.5.11I rarely remember to post my shopping trips to my blog. But this week I actually remembered. LOL I didn't use many coupons this week since most of what I bought was Food Lion brand as part of their Private Brand Super Sale. But I'm pleased with what I got. <br /><br />First I went into FL with my list. I had 2 detailed lists on items I wanted to get so I went early before they could get busy. I did trip #1, took those items to the car and then went back in to get the items from list #2. <br /><br /><br />Trans #1<br />20oz Mt Dew 1.69 (no sale LOL I was just thirsty)<br />FL hamburger buns 1.27<br />2x FL Pudding packs 1.98<br />2x Propel 1.00 (cost after Q- Free)<br />FL muffin mix .69<br />FL seasoning pack .89<br />FL gravy mix .89<br />FL bread 1.29<br />2x FL cereal 2.79 (bogo)<br />3x FL 2lt drinks 2.85<br />FL can pineapple chunks .79<br />FL can pineapple rings .79<br />2x FL Ketchup 2.00<br />6x FL yogurt 2.70<br />FL fries 2.00<br />Digiorno Pizza 5.00 (after Q- $3)<br />2x FL biscuits 1.38<br />2x FL biscuits 1.98<br />FL gallon milk 3.88<br />Home360 straws 1.29<br />Marcal paper towels 1.19 (after Q- $.19)<br />Home360 trash bags 2.19<br />Home360 travel baby wipes 1.69<br />Home360 plates 1.79<br />Home360 bleach 1.39<br />Pampers Easy-ups 7.99 (after Q- $5.99)<br /><br />Qs used-<br />$1/2 Propel <br />$2 Pampers Easy Ups<br />$1 marcal<br />$2 digiorno FLIP<br /><br />Got $8.25oyno<br />OOP- 49.56<br /><br />Trans #2<br />FL cherry poptarts 1.79<br />FL strawberry poptarts 1.79<br />FL salt .47<br />FL 1lt Sparkling water .79<br />3 cans peas 1.80<br />FL mashed potatoes 1.69<br />Bananas .99<br />FL frozen corn 1.59<br />FL frozen broccoli 1.25<br />FL waffles 1.99<br />FL frozen okra 2.39<br />FL shredded "taco" cheese 1.67<br />3x FL shredded cheese 5.00<br />Pampers Easy Ups 7.99 (after Qs- $5.99)<br />2x Home360 tin foil 2.78<br />Marcal paper towels 1.19 (after Q- $.19)<br />2x Colgate Toothpaste 2.79 (on sale BOGO. after Qs- $.79 for both)<br /><br />Qs used-<br />$2 pampers easy ups<br />2x $1/1 Colgate<br />$1 marcal <br />$8.25oyno Cat<br /><br />Got $4.50oyno<br />OOP- 26.14<br /><br /><br />Then I ran into Dollar General. I needed some items that are generally a little cheaper there. Normal grocery stuff that I have to get. Coffee, juice boxes, etc.<br /><br />Maxwell House coffee 4.25<br />Gain Fabric sheets 2.75 (after Qs- -$.25)<br />2x Pedigree Dentastix 4.00 (after Qs- Free)<br />Gillette body wash 2.75 (after Qs- $.75)<br />Sugar 2.25<br />Honey buns 1.50<br />Koolaid Jammers 2.00<br />2x 2lt mt dew 2.50<br /><br />Qs used- <br />2x $2 Dentastix<br />$3 Gain fabric sheets<br />$2 Gillette bodywash<br /><br />OOP- $14.25Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-77675207868430232502011-03-03T13:11:00.004-05:002011-03-03T13:20:38.488-05:00Chocolate Delight for 1One of my favorite desserts is a little baby called Chocolate Delight. It's basically chocolate pudding, cool whip (mixed with cream cheese I think) and graham cracker crumbs layered in a pan. Well recently I found pudding cups at Food Lion called Kozy Shack. Super yummy and healthy! That's a rare combo with prepackaged snacks. <br /><br />I was inspired to try out a snack for 1 using the pudding after a friend created a <a href="http://successful2gether.blogspot.com/2011/03/strawberry-pudding-pie-for-one.html">Strawberry Pudding Pie for 1. </a> And so, Chocolate Delight for 1 was born.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlRtxiN004XbI40XKEXDnP2sSwwHurUAMGDwX8mZLF0-7qw9v9uxwlYUxDf1gyuVKmoOE-c9RpIhWHUlaPuBk6JBTnpPMwQOI_2AiBfNheqDJTqGuibu83JU0mYir2MNAEjyKLyr5y8c/s1600/100_3607.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlRtxiN004XbI40XKEXDnP2sSwwHurUAMGDwX8mZLF0-7qw9v9uxwlYUxDf1gyuVKmoOE-c9RpIhWHUlaPuBk6JBTnpPMwQOI_2AiBfNheqDJTqGuibu83JU0mYir2MNAEjyKLyr5y8c/s320/100_3607.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579919321127937266" /></a><br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 Kozy Shack pudding 100 calories<br />2tsp graham cracker crumbs 16 calories<br />1TBS cool whip 13 calories<br />(total 129 calories)<br /><br />Put the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of a small dish. Pour one entire cup of pudding over the graham crackers. Sprinkle the top with some graham cracker crumbs and top with cool whip. Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRghXPKjFh4-O4JsZTaYhhvxEi1Q4_tKY3Ftow0smk8etnRi24Af7z3fX-NniRwJL6nHMThLaGcQviWxAwJiLZZ39XDnvCf3iuOqH3naahr9lIaof61iEWqdCEMJMAmjfFte6o08xeWQ/s1600/100_3609.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRghXPKjFh4-O4JsZTaYhhvxEi1Q4_tKY3Ftow0smk8etnRi24Af7z3fX-NniRwJL6nHMThLaGcQviWxAwJiLZZ39XDnvCf3iuOqH3naahr9lIaof61iEWqdCEMJMAmjfFte6o08xeWQ/s320/100_3609.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579920131797832978" /></a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-68794688274478319302011-02-25T16:41:00.002-05:002011-02-25T16:54:20.405-05:002.25.11What? Another blog post only 2 days after the last one? <br /><br />So snacks. We go through a lot of snacks around here. It's a big part of our budget, which I hate, and it encourages mindless snacking. I need to start keeping some healthier snacks around the house. I want to take the money I usually spend on snacks and put it toward fresh fruits, especially with the spring and summer coming up. But my husband does like something sweet to snack on after dinner. So I plan to start making cookies, brownies, etc and freeze them in individual portions to pull out for dessert. I can also do things like chocolate pudding and Jello for dessert with just enough leftover for a snack for CJ the next day.<br /><br />One of my friends Angie posted a recipe for a Crustless Apple Pie snack. It would make a perfect quick dessert that can be easily tweeked for someone that isn't watching their weight by topping it with whipped cream or putting it on top of a graham cracker crust. <br /><br />Recipe: <a href="http://successful2gether.blogspot.com/2011/02/crustless-apple-pie-snack-version-10.html">Crustless Apple Pie Snack</a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-16155699358654792612011-02-23T13:43:00.002-05:002011-02-23T13:55:54.261-05:002.23.11I can never thing of a good title for my posts. So I've decided to start titling them with the date instead. LOL The weather has been up and down here. I don't think we've ever had as much snow in one winter in my whole life as we've had this winter. But finally we're starting to see some warm days. And so, we've been taking full advantage of it. Monday it was supposed to be in the mid-70s so I dressed CJ and we headed out to the park/zoo with my best friend and her little girl. It was a little chilly when we first got there but it warmed up quickly and best of all the kids had an absolute blast. We saw goats, sheep, llamas, geese, buffalo, turkeys, peacocks and more. The peacocks had their feathers opened and they looked so beautiful. We also spent a couple of hours playing on the swings, slides, merry go rounds and monkey bars. It was so wonderful to get out and enjoy some warm weather.<br /><br /><br />I've also been trying to come up with some ideas on foods to make with CJ to make lunch time a little easier, more fun and get him away from eating the same foods over and over. He loves to help in the kitchen so Tuesday we headed to the kitchen and made some corndog muffins. They don't taste exactly like corndogs, but they are much cheaper and we loved them<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MeQajjGUxaweCMLRrwQecyb4tprbmSncOaAoFlgwm9TTZEPTstcQIS0JKMZp2jvAGnMEa7Fz_V4-ilwChdTxp109uEZc5yUZV2TLJ_4Xs3W3m394VEAAvaRTeIDciPIddkbjj5YDEZw/s1600/100_3492.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MeQajjGUxaweCMLRrwQecyb4tprbmSncOaAoFlgwm9TTZEPTstcQIS0JKMZp2jvAGnMEa7Fz_V4-ilwChdTxp109uEZc5yUZV2TLJ_4Xs3W3m394VEAAvaRTeIDciPIddkbjj5YDEZw/s320/100_3492.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576958100855502050" /></a><br /><br /><br />We mixed up a box of Jiffy cornbread mix and cut up a couple of hot dogs. CJ did all the mixing and dumping himself while I cut up the hot dogs. Then he helped dip the mix out into oiled muffin cups. Stick one of the pieces of hot dog in the middle of the cup and bake until they are done. So simple and yet so yummy!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-61055455851944413902011-02-14T15:23:00.003-05:002011-02-14T15:38:21.897-05:00Man I am a slackerI am such a slacker blogger. LOL I have good intentions of blogging but then I just forget or I don't have time. But I would love to make a goal of blogging 3-4 times a week. So I'm going to set that goal and we'll see how it goes. LOL <br /><br />So yesterday we celebrated Valentine's Day as a family. I put my burgundy and off white tablecloth on the table, the closest thing I had to V-Day related LOL, and put cut out hearts all over the table. Our meal consisted of NY Strips, baked potatoes, salad, toast and chocolate chip cookies. It was much better than trying to go out to eat and not to mention cheaper. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuP90-eLTxsxhEVcShU7vMdMV619cbPo202fk9qjjP9r60vyxzh3EYZiJwDEz4Wr-WTaieKj5KhuHs7LQx_Mzb_2kthAYnBtbwCdZhGDwgGaaaTFwuYXOdHZcKvrrDgdD0whWl2HT360/s1600/100_3418.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuP90-eLTxsxhEVcShU7vMdMV619cbPo202fk9qjjP9r60vyxzh3EYZiJwDEz4Wr-WTaieKj5KhuHs7LQx_Mzb_2kthAYnBtbwCdZhGDwgGaaaTFwuYXOdHZcKvrrDgdD0whWl2HT360/s320/100_3418.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573646982113293346" /></a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-87447610539776126382011-01-18T12:17:00.004-05:002011-01-18T12:34:05.778-05:00My little stockpileI've been collecting a nice little stockpile of items through couponing. Most items I got for free or close to it. I didn't pay more than $2 for anything in my stockpile, including the laundry soap.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaBIO76ey_gtz7ped8JqXt7e8RGGoK3svD2H-HdZo9EZTFvg-eQcxI4BTOjt6qmzMKn0GKwMGOLCi5PzJIXchOHpQPy3PD6-cNsJmKwD0k2iB3uppFwhTMwgYeI11880avz1kDo-uJLI/s1600/100_3393.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaBIO76ey_gtz7ped8JqXt7e8RGGoK3svD2H-HdZo9EZTFvg-eQcxI4BTOjt6qmzMKn0GKwMGOLCi5PzJIXchOHpQPy3PD6-cNsJmKwD0k2iB3uppFwhTMwgYeI11880avz1kDo-uJLI/s320/100_3393.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563578488313294066" /></a><br />Guest bathroom sink- 5x Laundry soap and 4x toilet bowl cleaner<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeZyFPeJHRdOJeOWZo_NabecgmN3wvyhKHNtl29uH97CD2P7lK6BgI1P2ZYDBHTKJe_eA28M6FKbg_NZL4lNyhcMIwlKA9rEsQt-0tY5eTeD_HJxeNk1ptrRte57bUZm0sCOZy4YfOP4/s1600/100_3390.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeZyFPeJHRdOJeOWZo_NabecgmN3wvyhKHNtl29uH97CD2P7lK6BgI1P2ZYDBHTKJe_eA28M6FKbg_NZL4lNyhcMIwlKA9rEsQt-0tY5eTeD_HJxeNk1ptrRte57bUZm0sCOZy4YfOP4/s320/100_3390.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563578464282964242" /></a><br />Kitchen Sink- 6x Lysol wipes, 4x Lysol spray cleaner, 2x Fantastik, 1 Window cleaner, various kitchen cleaners in the back<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGeJnq80flFmdf0hEeij0Qr05EaHl3ikklPa3Hzn4P1u2QrIOybC1ADSh1MhiVcB-zKohw9mzdlwH9r8dG2Z_V9MZdVw_OCfw_TnEjKXUZPh6n-Bktui76bp5AF3Kb936zL4ZFwRGeAQ/s1600/100_3389.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGeJnq80flFmdf0hEeij0Qr05EaHl3ikklPa3Hzn4P1u2QrIOybC1ADSh1MhiVcB-zKohw9mzdlwH9r8dG2Z_V9MZdVw_OCfw_TnEjKXUZPh6n-Bktui76bp5AF3Kb936zL4ZFwRGeAQ/s320/100_3389.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563578451009090386" /></a><br />4x Glade candles, 3x Lysol Neutra Air, 1x Glade spray, 2x Febreze, 1x big bottle of Joy, 1x Dawn dish soap (and an empty bottle I put soap in for the hubby to use outside), 7x Gain dish soap<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99KG6vAilzobwGCj_1YdTNtTbuZxwz4-ZLzBCRqi1ef-FFa6hVPlJu0xjWP6iMYy9Hx5k8DXJmUUzgcwsQ2WqwAFKLhnontDEf5owVpKMFlu7NctP-mgN55pr_fOqm4L31GgQFRFYO2E/s1600/100_3388.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99KG6vAilzobwGCj_1YdTNtTbuZxwz4-ZLzBCRqi1ef-FFa6hVPlJu0xjWP6iMYy9Hx5k8DXJmUUzgcwsQ2WqwAFKLhnontDEf5owVpKMFlu7NctP-mgN55pr_fOqm4L31GgQFRFYO2E/s320/100_3388.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563578446060332562" /></a><br />9x Axe body wash, 9x Olay body wash, 3x Colgate, 2x Olay soap, 4x Sauve shampoo/conditioner, various half empty bottles of shampoo and conditioner LOL<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlH1MiBOmsBsdn1_5YabOr_ena_4Vs9ezIRhgvOgUYGPRBsFTArPVey0Ha2jqDllijofXI6geWmKDTkfiWDD-AjI56k88xlRupigpx37rZ5gm6ltvm_eT9WJ557dRmIWlOvCNjYAfoS8/s1600/100_3387.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlH1MiBOmsBsdn1_5YabOr_ena_4Vs9ezIRhgvOgUYGPRBsFTArPVey0Ha2jqDllijofXI6geWmKDTkfiWDD-AjI56k88xlRupigpx37rZ5gm6ltvm_eT9WJ557dRmIWlOvCNjYAfoS8/s320/100_3387.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563578437029762482" /></a><br />2x Sauve, 4x Skintimate, 2x Pantene, 20x deodorantKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-56729600569459134622011-01-12T11:35:00.003-05:002011-01-12T11:49:33.660-05:00Wordless WednesdayI love Wordless Wednesday :D <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumSBNMO0zU6VKDwGrRazi5Zr1A3ER4sY6C8w_a4SJSJmkkfNHc5tFQyA28jHO6wXTxLL5K10kBF_g0yBtpvTkVxA9NBCp7LdGNKutKk5o1IX5D80RK4mG2MpLBNdWL2_ZJzElBM3PH6A/s1600/100_3369.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumSBNMO0zU6VKDwGrRazi5Zr1A3ER4sY6C8w_a4SJSJmkkfNHc5tFQyA28jHO6wXTxLL5K10kBF_g0yBtpvTkVxA9NBCp7LdGNKutKk5o1IX5D80RK4mG2MpLBNdWL2_ZJzElBM3PH6A/s320/100_3369.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561341427458468738" /></a><br /><br />This is my cleaning bucket. I keep specific cleaners in the room where they belong, oven cleaner in the kitchen, toilet bowl cleaner in the bathrooms, etc. But I have this bucket with all my general cleaners in one basket so I can take it around with me when I'm cleaning. It has my all purpose cleaner, window cleaner, air freshener for a quick spritz when I get done cleaning each room, disinfecting wipes, furniture polish, Comet, gloves, trash bags, a duster, a Mr Clean magic eraser and paper towels. Everything I need to get a room all clean.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-79997746802139408472011-01-10T13:16:00.002-05:002011-01-10T13:20:56.901-05:00Menu Plan MondayIt's time for menu planning at <a href="http://www.orgjunkie.com">Org Junkie</a>!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyM89n0-pLy5JIWQahrQy4Y67pdJuHXFQyJ2G_7nHUSTqXdyWPIkgPOQc7IRvtmB401oDoCUmkTlYxcmazuOJCGPG8uSKVJ2QDsKHOZAjpA6p9kIpRWG96UkefO4c3bvpjRM8_kmw5VY/s1600/mpm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 315px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyM89n0-pLy5JIWQahrQy4Y67pdJuHXFQyJ2G_7nHUSTqXdyWPIkgPOQc7IRvtmB401oDoCUmkTlYxcmazuOJCGPG8uSKVJ2QDsKHOZAjpA6p9kIpRWG96UkefO4c3bvpjRM8_kmw5VY/s320/mpm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560623072741337650" /></a><br /><br />Monday- BBQ Chicken Legs, Mashed Potatoes, Peas<br />Tuesday- Pot Roast<br />Wednesday- French Toast, Bacon, Eggs<br />Thursday- Chicken & Rice<br />Friday- night off. Will probably grab a chicken & sides from Food Lion since they have an awesome deal on Fridays<br />Saturday- Sloppy Joes, Mac & Cheese<br />Sunday- Chili, CornbreadKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-51655747125856529392011-01-10T13:11:00.002-05:002011-01-10T13:16:42.872-05:00Update on Week 1OK so the fridge didn't get done yet. I did however tackle a smaller project like my baking station. It looks so much better and I have my workspace back again.<br /><br />Before:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGkvAoTeaAFD4rNnMOnoXxAUhO-2lQPbo3D1iy3jKdG17YNqxhx_7xno2Sn44n6qjqs5G4pRst_GF30mwv-KEBF2B2WFItcEINKcvctQNIxmsMzTf0upmywuLw1tyRWVYZi69npxbgkI/s1600/100_3364.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGkvAoTeaAFD4rNnMOnoXxAUhO-2lQPbo3D1iy3jKdG17YNqxhx_7xno2Sn44n6qjqs5G4pRst_GF30mwv-KEBF2B2WFItcEINKcvctQNIxmsMzTf0upmywuLw1tyRWVYZi69npxbgkI/s320/100_3364.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560622650904132098" /></a><br /><br />And after:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1lL4ioK65K2o-LNFHD2qf3Ax1hU7Fl5vcmG-7APoNoyovAgZ6adW60M5oEKWtgG2ZbdVPZpN0HHFbT8GyUcJebzSiy0O8qt4yW6qM0DivzcGgbyf1hcl7u3Hd_7QTscEry0Xfp-NB_hM/s1600/100_3365.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1lL4ioK65K2o-LNFHD2qf3Ax1hU7Fl5vcmG-7APoNoyovAgZ6adW60M5oEKWtgG2ZbdVPZpN0HHFbT8GyUcJebzSiy0O8qt4yW6qM0DivzcGgbyf1hcl7u3Hd_7QTscEry0Xfp-NB_hM/s320/100_3365.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560622651266924818" /></a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-46021906166505432532011-01-07T09:26:00.002-05:002011-01-07T09:33:40.331-05:0052 Weeks of OrganizingLaura over at Org Junkie, same fabulous lady who does Menu Plan Monday, is doing a 52 week Organizing Challenge. You can read all about it <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2011/01/52-weeks-of-organizing.html">here</a>. I'm still working on my list of 52 places/items I want to organize but I have enough of a start to get me through the next few months while I think of more. <br /><br />And today is Week #1. My first order of business is organizing my fridge. It needs to be cleaned out and organized. <br /><br />Some other things I want to get done is all my kitchen cabinets and drawers, one at a time, our closet, our dresser drawers and both bathrooms. <br /><br />Keep checking back to see how it goes and check out this <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2011/01/52-weeks-1-where-will-you-start.html">post</a> to watch other bloggers progress with the challenge as well.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-56486119478205402872011-01-05T10:53:00.003-05:002011-01-05T10:59:11.413-05:00Wordless WednesdayThese are actually from the snow we had the day after Christmas but I've been meaning to share them so what better day to do it? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmwwlbtlkoByRY8o9kEsYHkfKUjf8XWejlzi0fkcw8HZ4fbVSmvv7OZZgdV3734j-xNvAKUxw5RAF27_cojK3_R2CxBjnfwHy65T0KkZtsWdOui71N5Xswp77fgdUGqFBX3OlUnBRQX4/s1600/100_3281.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmwwlbtlkoByRY8o9kEsYHkfKUjf8XWejlzi0fkcw8HZ4fbVSmvv7OZZgdV3734j-xNvAKUxw5RAF27_cojK3_R2CxBjnfwHy65T0KkZtsWdOui71N5Xswp77fgdUGqFBX3OlUnBRQX4/s320/100_3281.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558731818638417794" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiRmZ-JMnOxYrmmsgX_TQ54-gr0cHvwfOm8hm7g06s8k41pxCJLtmiQJfECjzM9QBclSmjdDcVha1icoaJ8_11qdHLsCRk0nRgL6vS8g4zOlUwQYvYmhWqNOLe6D6gkZ3owSgXFFPUjw/s1600/100_3308.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiRmZ-JMnOxYrmmsgX_TQ54-gr0cHvwfOm8hm7g06s8k41pxCJLtmiQJfECjzM9QBclSmjdDcVha1icoaJ8_11qdHLsCRk0nRgL6vS8g4zOlUwQYvYmhWqNOLe6D6gkZ3owSgXFFPUjw/s320/100_3308.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558731817065866834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTr7tNmbnHtOM4_tQQKzsKREVOI7l0R3AptZfq1cNysOIE6CDT-4Dtw8mtQptZEzfUvrf8e2UqXhesLpsJ9-Tv2g2fwkNiirH0yEeAU31lkznQjxV4Vusi_MwN_aP_cEZNnwS-5mnUXw/s1600/100_3314.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTr7tNmbnHtOM4_tQQKzsKREVOI7l0R3AptZfq1cNysOIE6CDT-4Dtw8mtQptZEzfUvrf8e2UqXhesLpsJ9-Tv2g2fwkNiirH0yEeAU31lkznQjxV4Vusi_MwN_aP_cEZNnwS-5mnUXw/s320/100_3314.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558731811790501346" /></a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-16111638671230363512010-12-29T15:56:00.002-05:002010-12-29T16:04:35.353-05:00Flylady round 5,895OK not really but I have done Flylady more times than I count. It is a wonderful program that does do wonders for you if you stick with it. I just have issues sticking to anything for more than a couple of weeks. But with a little poking from a friend who is starting Flylady for the first time I decided to give it another go. I need structure and a plan for my house so I'm looking forward to getting started. I have held on to some of the ideas from Flylady even during the time I wasn't following her program so I should be able to just fall right back into place without too much trouble. <br /><br />And since it's Day 1, it means my first task was shining my sink. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoakirHmg309VA-BIrOrAr7nyOpShkaog4FtQmbgsjAy52XsrF10y35R1o4V0LKqRhEEsAeQIW6jb4qIEMiw80_J1eADaDPaToRSSWH7KGw4Ttjx8Y0UEBt80WHyhkY2SJQsZ-GozuEig/s1600/100_3333.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoakirHmg309VA-BIrOrAr7nyOpShkaog4FtQmbgsjAy52XsrF10y35R1o4V0LKqRhEEsAeQIW6jb4qIEMiw80_J1eADaDPaToRSSWH7KGw4Ttjx8Y0UEBt80WHyhkY2SJQsZ-GozuEig/s200/100_3333.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556213001200328194" /></a><br /><br />All done :-)Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8670922492200756500.post-65956309885470534852010-12-28T14:45:00.003-05:002010-12-28T15:03:28.155-05:00Planning for next yearChristmas isn't even over for us yet, we celebrate Old Christmas with my parents on Jan 6th, but already I'm getting in gear to plan for next year. Christmas comes on Dec 25th every single year, so why aren't we all better prepared for it? Did you know that if you set just $5 a week aside until the first week of November starting the first week in January you'll have $215. That's a nice little chunk of money set aside to your Christmas shopping. If you can spare $10-$20 a week instead of just $5 you can double or even quadruple your Christmas budget. You can also start with the after Christmas sales to start your shopping for next year. Get a plastic tote and set it in your closet, spare room or somewhere else in your house where you have an empty corner. As you pick up little things put them in your tote and come Christmas you have a nice stockpile of gifts already! Make a list of all the people you normally buy for and keep it in your household binder, Holiday notebook, etc so you can jot down gift ideas, gifts that you pick up for them, etc. <br /><br />Remember, gift sets on clearance now can be taken out of the packages and put in a nice basket or other container next Christmas and you have a super cheap gift that looks expensive. <br /><br />You can also buy your Christmas cards on clearance this year so you're prepared for next Christmas. Same goes for wrapping paper, tape, gift tags, etc. It takes a little organization but with some planning you'll be on top of the Holiday season before it even gets here. And don't forget about those stamps! Purchase a couple books of forever stamps throughout the year so you'll be ready to mail those cards without having to make a special trip to the Post Office. <br /><br />What else can you do now to get ready for Christmas 2011?Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04996409412857105344noreply@blogger.com0