Modern Homemaker: Making the Bed

I don't consider myself much of a homemaker.  I mean I am mama, and I am wifey, and I do stay home and make sure things run smoothly here.  But I am not making my own lotions and soaps.

With that being said - part of making our home is making our beds.

A few nights ago my husband had mentioned how we needed to change the sheets.  Which was true, it was laundry time.  I realized that in order to have clean sheets I have to do all the wash from the bed and get it back on all in one day.  I was tired of all that work so I said, "Can I just go buy new sheets.  Then we will have a back up set."

Let make this clear -- I have had one set of sheets for my bed.

So I went out.  My original plan was just to head to The Bulls-eye - where I get EVERYTHING.  Target.  I am driving over there and I am thinking.  You know if I go to Garden Ridge I might be able to get a whole bed for only 10 to 15 more than what I was expecting to pay for just sheets.  Won't hurt to check.

I head to the bedding department - by the way this is the WORST store for me to go to by myself.  I could spend SO much money there!

I find some I like and decide this is what we are going to do.  It was $15 more than I thought I was going to spend, but worth the extra.

I take these pictures and send each one to Hubs.  I let him have the final say.  I liked them all so it didn't really matter.  Besides, it is his bed too.

He picked #4.  Now, I was completely expecting to pay full price for this bad boy!  I start walking around my store (yes I own it.  It is MINE!) and I see something out of the corner of my eye.  OH THE PICTURE I ADORE.

Here, enjoy!

I notice it is RED LINED!  50% off!  Really?!? I text Hubs and he tells me it is up to me.  Well while I am debating I look down and notice the bedding he picked ... SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! 50 % off Red Lined.  I scored!  I was going to get the painting until I saw it was scratched up and I really had no where to put it.  We decided we would recreate it as a family which will make it mean so much more.

So for $12 less than what I would have spent for just sheets I get to go to bed in this!

What is your latest SHUT THE FRONT DOOR find?

Hickman Five Adventures: Touch A Truck

Driving to pick Daddy up from work one night we saw a sign.  What I was able to read on the sign as I was barreling around the corner ... "Touch a Truck Monday, June 6 or 9 Sharonville Convention Center".  That was enough for me.  It was a Monday in June and It was at the Sharonville Convention Center.  I hop on the site and get all the real information.  

I am thinking I will find a playdate for Little Miss and take Little Mister for some great Mommy and Mr time.  Couldn't find a playdate so Little Miss came with us.  We all had a great time.  We even met up with a friend from church and her little boy.  

Little Miss was in on the secrets of the day.  But I surprised them both with breakfast out before the event.  

Once we arrived we started on the Metro bus.  By far the cleanest Metro bus I have ever seen! Mr. didn't understand what was going on at first.  It didn't take him long to figure out he was getting to climb on EVERYTHING!

They are really into taking "PHOTO BOMB" pictures right now.  
And yes we are really just that silly!

Garbage Trucks

Construction Equipment

Fire Trucks

National Guard Equipment.  (The giant tow mater!)

Even a helicopter.

Little Mr. could not wait to tell Daddy all about his day.  Little Miss did great making the day about her little brother.  

I had posted the pictures on Facebook and the comments that I received prompted me to look up some more dates.  In my search I found this site that has some listed throughout the country.  

If you live in Southwest Ohio like us.  There are 3 more scheduled so don't miss out!

I love making memories with my little ones!

{Feed Me Friday} - Healthier Cake

Last year several pins and blog posts were circulating about 3 ingredient pumpkin cakes.  I cannot believe how good these cakes are.

This is what you do - dump a can of pumpkin, the eggs called for on your cake mix and the cake mix in a bowl and mix together.  Bake according to the box.

I glazed our cake, but I don’t always.  The glaze was 2 tablespoons of powders sugar 2 tablespoons of cocoa and some milk to get it to the right consistency.

The cake didn’t even last 24 hours.

I made this 2 weeks ago.  This past week I made these again.

2 ingredient zucchini muffins

Instead of muffins I made it into a loaf pan.  I am glad we did get a piece of it because the dog loved it!  She ate over half of it!

{Make It Happen Monday} Week 2 Update

How did you do on your goals this week?  Are you staying on track to reach your big goals?  I want to print my big goals out and keep them in my planner.  That way I can look at them in a moments notice.  

Here were my goals from last week:

Wife 

- watch a movie with Hubs before Friday.

- make a meal that Hubs wants.

It was really starting to seem that Hubs and I were each doing our own thing.  Like right now, instead of doing something together he is playing the Wii and I am writing.  So we really needed to connect.  The same night that I made something he wanted we Redboxed the new Ice Age movie.  It was a good movie.  

Homemaker 

- living situation has me cooking for more people than before, but that is okay I guess.  Continue to eat at home the rest of the week. (We have already eaten at home Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  We went out for lunch on Tuesday, but we had a gift card to where we were going and spent NO MONEY)

We at dinner at home every night this week.  We even had the option to go out to eat on Thursday, but choose to stay home and try to get back to a normal life.

Mommy 

- help Little Mister adjust to our new living situation, love on him instead of get annoyed with him.

Little Mister is doing much better when he is spending time with just Daddy.  When Mommy is around he is crying and wants to be held just to squirm out of my arms.  Not sure what is going on there.  

Sara 

- take time to read for me

Making sure to take time for me to read has helped with my stress level.  I am even reading a pretty heavy book, but it's working.  I am reading "Case for Christ".  It makes me sleepy when I read it so I think it is going to have to be my out of bed reading book if I am ever going to get it read.

Faith 

- post the Online Bible Journey on Sunday and keep up with reading plan.  

- Read 3 more chapters in Isaiah.

I am excited about the Online Bible Journey I am leading here on the site.  Sunday's post is ready to go and scheduled.  

Friend

- 2 messages to 2 different friends on Facebook or Text.

- Return phone calls and texts from last week when phone is working.

Each week I have found that I am wanting to start the conversation with friends, but it falls aside.  I have also found that I am not the best at responding when things come through.  That is more important than being the one to initiate, responding to the initiation.  Goal for next week.

{Make it Happen Monday} Week One Update

I know it's not Monday - I have yet to update my goals from last week.  To be honest, I haven't even made any for this week.  

I could say that it is because I am letting life get to me, but that is not exactly it.  One, we moved this past weekend, so I am trying to get us all settled into our temporary home.  Two, this adjustment is causing a lot of behavioral challenges with my youngest.  

This is getting written on Wednesday because, I have us as settled as I can right now and I have two napping children.  Hallelujah! 

Here were the goals from last week:  (I was taking it light knowing what was happening that week)

Wife
- Sign us up for the Alpha class at church.  This gets to be crossed off even though I have not registered us for it yet.  1. I went to do it and the first class doesn't start until March.  We need to know what work schedules are going to look like before we sign up.  So although the exact goal was not met it was because we need more information at this time.  I consider it a success. 
- 3 Facebook Posts  A thank you, a prayer and a shared picture directly to him.  Woot!  

Homemaker
- Get us moved and settled without too much commotion and up-heaval. The too much commotion and up-heaval is still questionable, but we are mostly settled.

Mommy
- Enforce wake up time and naptimes better. {Post-poned until we have some more answers.  I think they are needing their schedules back, but things are difficult right now.}

Sara
- rest as much as possible and heal. The as much as possible was little, but I did.  

Faith
- 2 Chapters in Becoming a Woman of Freedom Bible Study - changed, starting an Online Bible Journey here on the blog.  This particular study might come back this year.  Check out what we are doing here.

Friend
- 2 Facebook Messages/Wall Posts - I am going to say no, only because I can't remember.  Since I can't remember I am thinking I probably didn't.  

Looking at the goals I had set for and the week we had I think I did pretty good over all.  One thing that I didn't have a goal, but is really the over-arching goal of this year is to just lean into God more this year than ever before.  Really surrender, really learn who God is, really give my life to my savior.  I found myself praying much more and not just for us, but for friends.  Praying more that His will is done and when when I think we are trying to force something to happen that is my clue that I am not leaning.  I step back and pray.  

{Make it Happen Monday} Week 1

I am taking it light on the goals this week for two reasons.

One:  We are moving from our own place and having to move in with my in-laws. We could be there for up to 15 months and that is going to take a lot of work and adjusting.

Two:  I am still recovering from a hospital stay and I am supposed to be resting as much as possible.

I know those two reason are quite opposite from each other.

But none-the-less here we go.

Wife
- Sign us up for the Alpha class at church.
- 3 Facebook Posts

Homemaker
- Get us moved and settled without too much commotion and up-heaval.

Mommy
- Enforce wake up time and naptimes better.

Sara
- rest as much as possible and heal.

Faith
- 2 Chapters in Becoming a Woman of Freedom Bible Study

Friend
- 2 Facebook Messages/Wall Posts

{Make it Happen Monday} Big Picture 2013

So in July I started thinking about being intentional. Usually I journal in a notebook, but for some reason this particular concept, idea, train, notion ended up spilling from my fingers into a document here on the computer.

Over the last few days I have been thinking about 2013 and how we need things to change.  So this idea of living intentionally came back into my head.  I read over the journal entry and decided this was something that I was really going to carry into 2013.  Now, I refuse to say these are my "New Year's Resolutions" because I really don't like that idea.  The fact that they are "NYR's" gives you an excuse to not keep them.  Because we all think it, "Who really keeps NYR's?"

Hubs and I both feel that 2013 has got to be the year that we get back on our feet.  2012 is a year that we just want to write off.  But we really need to look at the year and find the lessons God was trying to reveal to us.  The biggest being that we can't do it without Him.

2013 is the year of the "New Us." {us = Hubs, Me and God}

Living intentionally with and on purpose.  Becoming a better Wife, Mom and Woman all by the grace of God.

I picked priorities.  They are the same priorities of last year with one slight change.

Wife:
Our marriage is already important, but we have not gone on a date in a long time.  We need to make time for each other.  The stress of the past 5 months has really worn us out.  Since we are moving we need to make sure that this is our number 1 priority.

1. One Date Night per month
2. Take the Alpha Class together.
3. {ABD} Every Friday or Saturday Night - have Hubs plan some of them too.
4. Real reasons I love you several times throughout the week. {Re-institute our daily post-it notes}


Homemaker:
As my position of the Chief HelpMate it is my job to take care of the things here at home. 

1.  Meal Plan - still in effect, eat at home Monday through Friday.  Step up the couponing and planning in order to keep budget tight, health a priority and family meal time. 
2.  Encourage monthly family dinner with whole family.
3.  Cleaning Plan - will be developed over time. 
4.  Seeing that Daddy currently works from home, we will be implementing and enforcing a strict schedule with the kids to ensure full time hours get put in with work.
5.  If Hubs starts working out of the home, 1 day a week when he gets to eat lunch out.

Mommy -

1.  Adjust current reward chart, rules and consequence.  Needs to be more consistent.  Listening to Mama must be a component.
2.  Intentional playdates - at least once a week.
3.  Intentional outside the house playtime - at least once a week.
4.  Enforce wake times and naptimes - religiously.
5.  Preschool type activities at least 3 times a week.

Personally -
Sometimes I forget that I am more than a wife, a helpmate and a mommy.  I need to remember that I am Sara. 

1.  My health and weight are a priority this year.  Seeing that we are moving to my in-laws things are going to be a little up in the air.  I will be going to the gym 5 times a week. 
2.  Make-up will be worn 4 times a week for my husband, not for anyone else.
3.  I will be sure to dress for him 4 times a week.
4.  I will read 7 books by June 2013, I will even create a reading plan for the year.  My theme this year is “A New Us - Living Intentionally with and on Purpose. Becoming a Better Mother, Wife and Woman all by the Grace of God.” These will be books on marriage, relationships and our faith.
 
Faith -

1.  Participate in the Alpha Class in “winter 2013”
2.  Complete 2 bible studies.
3.  Read and Study the Word 5 times a week - I have found this easiest when I wake up before the rest of the family.  Getting up even just 1 hour before they do - 6:30 am.
4.  Pray at the beginning of each day - even if it is just, “Thank you God for another day.”
5.  Do my best to follow God’s plan for our family and seek God first in all things. 
6.  I am going to start a prayer list.  It will be as specific as it can.  When prayers are answered they will be marked with the date of when it was answered and how.  This list will be right in my planner so that I have easy access to it at all times.

Friend -

1.  My friends and family are fuel to my life - especially that all of my friends are Christians.  I will put forth the effort to spend time with them once a month - a dinner or a game night. 
2.  Seeing that my friends are also friends that have kids, I can take time during the day and make playdates - more for us mommies, but get the kids involved too.  Great for me and great for the kids.
3.  As different friends come to mind I will either pray for them, write them, or send them a quick message on Facebook. 
4.  I will make more of an effort to maintain and develop my friendships because they are important to me.

5.  There is a lost art of birthday cards and hand-written notes.  I will do my best to send my friends birthday cards this year.



All of these priorities are the same from when I started (and didn't keep up with it) in July.  The change is that I had Blogger and Writer broken down separately.  I am changing that to Career since I am adding a marketing consultant position to my already busy plate.  Those goals are not yet set, so I will post them at a later time.

These are the big goals and the big picture plans for 2013 (til June).  Each week I am going to break down the goals on little steps to get the big goals accomplished.  I will also update you on how I did the week before.  How is that for some accountability.  

Belly Ballot Website

I have heard so many mommies tell me how they had such a hard time deciding on a name.  I understand completely - the name you give your child constantly speaks over them.  You want their name to mean something.  If you are having a boy you don't want them to hate you down the road for giving them such a cute name that was "trendy".  It's just a hard decision.  Well there is a website that will come to the rescue, Belly Ballots. 

This is just a fun site.  How did I find out about Belly Ballot?  Well, I had agreed to review this product.  The marketing company sent me an email about the site, so I had to go check it out.  

I love that the site was "born" at a baby shower.  She was having a hard time deciding on a name and enlisted the help of her friends and family.  Using a Belly Ballot Box - idea, born!

While poking around the site I found that you can search by lists.  These lists include top decades, last names for first names, bad boy names and my 2 personal favorites ... 

COWPOKE NAMES and BRAINIAC NAMES

They give you so much information about the name too!  I mean just look at all this about my name or hubby's.

How does the site works, you register and put in your due date info.  Choose up to 5 names and have your friends and family cast their votes.  The site even gives away some great prizes.  I wish I would have known about this when I was expecting!

Recap: Make it Happen Monday -Week 2

Does it surprise anyone that I am already behind on things this week. I will figure out how to stay on top of things sooner or later. So ... how did I do last week?

Wife: 5
"Post It's" (in quotes because facebook messages also are applicable). {Missed it, I only got 2 in.  I will be better this week.}
{ABD} - Movie Date, possible ideas at Dating Divas {This was a mutual skipping, we have some big things going on and made a different decision for Friday and Saturday night.}

Homemaker:
Stick to our meal plan of the week. {also a miss, although with my feelings last week I think we did pretty good - we ate out twice and lunch once.}
Work the daily clean plan Monday, Thursday, and Friday. {Yeah, this needs to be changed.  It makes it seem like I don't keep a clean house I do, I just don't do it on plan.  I am okay with that, I think I am more of a To Do List type person over a schedule person}
Hall Closet, clean and organize. {moved to a later week}

Mommy:
Play outside 2-3 times this week. 
Schedule playdates {missed}

Me
Only one pop this week. {BIG EPIC FAIL! Yes, it was just one of those kind of weeks}
Make it to the gym Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday or Sunday. {Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday- because Hubs got out of work early}
Shower before 3pm everyday - I know what you thinking ... I am stay at home mom of 2 under 3. Showering is sometimes a luxury. {ummm... I know there was at least one day that I didn't get the chance, but MOST days I was showered before 3.}
Even more of a luxury - make up. Do it 3 times before Hubs gets home this week. {where is my makeup?}

Blogger
Have a content plan for the next 2 weeks. {I have a plan!}
Post topics in as many of the daily idea plans as possible each week. {This needs adjusting.}
Market, Market, Market {?- I don't think I did ... which means I can do more!}
Share tweets and posts of others. {I did, but I can do this more}
Utilize Pinterest to share posts. {Same here, I pinned, but not with purpose of sharing the fun stuff I find}
Find MeMe's and Hops for everyday. {Still need to do this}

Writer
Work on eBook 5 hours this week, get all typing done. {oh yeah, so done ... reason why I missed out on some other things - we are to editing stages!}

Friendships
Set date to see Hope Springs with one of my besties. {In process, we did talk about it though}
Email two friends and set up times to hang out. {fail}

Faith
Read or listen to the book of John {got to book 14}
Journal 15 minutes {fail}
Register for the Joyce Meyer Battlefield Mind Bible Study at church {fail}

Our House
Prioritize our debt and set up a plan to keep paying it. {purposely avoided - prayed instead}
Start the envelope system.{purposely avoided - prayed instead}

It is no surprise looking at the kind of week we had around here that I missed out on oh... 90% of my goals this week.  Dust off and try again.  Thank God that His grace is new everyday!  Read this week's HERE.

Make It Happen Monday - Week 2

While on a date recently Hubs and I went to look at the house he wants to buy.  If we are supposed to have this house it will be available when we are ready or a better one will be.  The house we love is four houses from this.

We are working on living more intentionally and living with more purpose in our lives.  So I have started Make it Happen Monday.  I am putting my goals up and then I am updating you on how we did next week.

So here they are! 


Wife:
5 "Post It's" (in quotes because facebook messages also are applicable).
{ABD} - Movie Date, possible ideas at Dating Divas

Homemaker:
Stick to our meal plan of the week.
Work the daily clean plan Monday, Thursday, and Friday.
Hall Closet, clean and organize.

Mommy:
Play outside 2-3 times this week
Schedule playdates

Me
Only one pop this week.
Make it to the gym Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday or Sunday.
Shower before 3pm everyday - I know what you thinking ... I am stay at home mom of 2 under 3.  Showering is sometimes a luxury.
Even more of a luxury - make up.  Do it 3 times before Hubs gets home this week.

Blogger
Have a content plan for the next 2 weeks.  Post topics in as many of the daily idea plans as possible each week.
Market, Market, Market
Share tweets and posts of others.
Utilize Pinterest to share posts.
Find MeMe's and Hops for everyday.

Writer
Work on eBook 5 hours this week, get all typing done.

Friendships
Set date to see Hope Springs with one of my besties.
Email two friends and set up times to hang out.

Faith
Read or listen to the book of John
Journal 15 minutes
Register for the Joyce Meyer Battlefield Mind Bible Study at church.

Our House
Prioritize our debt and set up a plan to keep paying it.
Start the envelope system.

Now I have a cake to get done and cleaning to get to.  Mondays are tidy up the whole house and finish any left over chores from the weekend.  However, laundry will be waiting until tomorrow since I do have A LOT of cooking/kitchen stuff to do.

Make it Happen Monday {goals update}

Last week I mentioned that I have been going through this whole live intentionally thing.  Making an effort and living with a purpose.  I also mentioned that I am an over-achiever and I might set some pretty out there goals for myself.  

These are the goals I set last week and how I did.

Wife:
7 days of post its - specific things that I love about Keith {Only got 3}
After Bed Date Friday - Olympic theme, little games, and snacks.  Post coming soon
Make his lunch twice this week. {His office provided lunch 3 times this week and we met up for lunch on Friday, so I ran out of days}
Make sure he has paired socks to get him through the week.  {this really does make or break his day} 

Homemaker:
Follow my cleaning schedule. {The stuff got done but not according to the schedule}
Eat dinner at home Monday through Friday. {Missed Friday}
Create Meal Plan for August  

Mommy:
Begin our reward chart. {yeah, forgot this one was even on here}
Be strong on keeping consequences {DVD's were taken away this week} YEAH!
Play more between 9 and 11. 

Personal:
No more than 36 ounces of pop this week.
3 nights elliptical, 2 nights walking (minimum 2 miles) - weights and abs each night at gym {This didn't happen this way.  One night bike, One night elliptical ... did I seriously only make it to the gym twice last week?!? Not acceptable.}
Reading Plan {outside of review books} {oops}
Lotion daily and self pedi {half}

Faith:
Turn off TV after Doc and journal 15 minutes. {only made it one day with this one.}
Pray throughout the day - out loud.  When someone crosses my mind or a worry, or I feel the nudge - speak it!
Listen to 1 book from the bible on Bible Gateway this week. {oops}

Blogger:
Intentionally work my marketing and content plan. {the In-House stuff was really busy this week and I this didn't happen}

Writer:
Finish the how to's of the upcoming eBook. {see previous goal}

Friend:
Thank you notes to the friends that attended Hope Springs Party. {Darn it!}
Email 3 friends I have not talked to in over 3 weeks.
Schedule parties for the rest of the year.  Once a month get together. {December needs some adjusting for the events, meaning I need to talk to some others for final dates.}
Schedule August playdates. {oops}

Family:
Newsletter about upcoming events {birthdays, gift ideas, sizes}
Plan and schedule big events for the rest of the year.
Plan a fun family day with a free event for us four. {Third Sunday Funday 19th, It's a Zoo at the Taft}

House/Finances:
Reset our budget to reach our goals and get it in writing. {moving to this week}
Grocery Plan and Budget. {half}

I have found that I need to have these in a more visible place.  I wrote it into my planner write near my content plan for the week.  I knew it was in there, but I don't remember even looking at the second page of it at all this week.  Yeah, where all that opps stuff starts!

I think I also need my to-do list like (more visible) because I really don't think I marked off anything last week.

Seeing that I made a change in my planning day I didn't get to much planning yesterday.  To make my life easier (or so I thought and I am going to keep at it so it get better and faster at it) I am preparing thing for the week, chopping and baking and what nots.  Then I just have to throw things together on the day we are cooking it.

This means that I am going to need to take some time to do the planning today.  I will post this week's goals later today.

Lunch time!

Make it Happen Monday {goals}

Recently read several posts about living intentionally and setting goals.  Without going into everything that lead up to this.  I have decided life is going to be more intentional.

I determined where my priorities are.  I picked:  Wife, Homemaker, Mommy, Personal, Faith, Blogger, Writer, Friend, Family, House and Finances.

Since I have always had a hard time setting goals, keeping them, and accomplishing them I thought adjusting every 6 months would be a great place to start.  I set up some bigger goals and then made some smaller goals to reach these bigger goals by the end of the year.

I have also decided that I need some sort of accountability so I am going to blog my weekly goals on Mondays and share the previous week's progress.  I am also going to extend myself grace when I miss the mark.  I am an overachiever and have perfectionist tendencies.  This means I sometimes set unrealistic goals.  I also need to remember I am a mom of 2 under 3.  Life is going to happen.

I figured who else to help keep me accountable than you.  My lovely bloggy friends.

Here we go!

Wife:
7 days of post its - specific things that I love about Keith
After Bed Date Friday - Olympic theme, little games, and snacks.
Make his lunch twice this week.
Make sure he has paired socks to get him through the week.  {this really does make or break his day}

Homemaker:
Follow my cleaning schedule.
Eat dinner at home Monday through Friday
Create Meal Plan for August

Mommy:
Begin our reward chart.
Be strong on keeping consequences {DVD's were taken away this week}
Play more between 9 and 11.

Personal:
No more than 36 ounces of pop this week.
3 nights elliptical, 2 nights walking (minimum 2 miles) - weights and abs each night at gym
Reading Plan {outside of review books}
Lotion daily and self pedi

Faith:
Turn off TV after Doc and journal 15 minutes.
Pray throughout the day - out loud.  When someone crosses my mind or a worry, or I feel the nudge - speak it!
Listen to 1 book from the bible on Bible Gateway this week.

Blogger:
Intentionally work my marketing and content plan.

Writer:
Finish the how to's of the upcoming eBook.

Friend:
Thank you notes to the friends that attended Hope Springs Party.
Email 3 friends I have not talked to in over 3 weeks.
Schedule parties for the rest of the year.  Once a month get together.
Schedule August playdates.

Family:
Newsletter about upcoming events {birthdays, gift ideas, sizes}
Plan and schedule big events for the rest of the year.
Plan a fun family day with a free event for us four.

House/Finances:
Reset our budget to reach our goals and get it in writing.
Grocery Plan and Budget.

That seems like a really, really long list.  But it also seems totally accomplishable.  Sure I am running behind on things already this morning, but that is the rolling with the punches part.  I will update on Monday!

That explains it!

I have been on Facebook a lot over the last week.  I have needed to because of a review I was doing.  (I will be telling you about it soon - get excited!)

Anyway ... I found a great new blogger - Conversations with Carolyn.  One of the posts she shares is that there have been arrests because of coupon fraud.  This caught my eye because of a recent grocery shopping trip that gave me a straight up headache!

Go here and read her post.

But now I know why I get so frustrated when 'extreme couponing' doesn't work for me, they are breaking the law!  I will get the best savings I can, pay $100.00 for my $150.00 worth of groceries and be happy with that.  I will buy my groceries legally and stay out of prison.

If you are an extreme couponer and you follow the laws - buying the product listed, not photocopying coupons, and not working the system (I guess there is a way to read bar codes) - I am proud of you.  I do all the tips and tricks - double up store coupons, sale and manufacture coupon.  I try to buy things at the rock bottom price.  I will stock-up a little, but if it doesn't fit in my tiny pantry it's too much.  I get excited with my "great deal of the week" too.

BUT I do get upset when 'extreme couponing' is causing stores to change coupon polices and now it is a pain in the butt to just use my 1 store coupon with 1 manufacture coupon - that is for exactly the products listed.

Feed Me Friday: Fail

Cookie Cup Fail

Feed Me Friday: 2 Ingredient Zucchini Muffins

Yes, 2 ingredients that is all you need for these AH-MAZE-A-LICIOUS muffins.  

Ready for your ingredient list:

3 medium zucchini squashs

1 spice cake mix

Step One: Chop up the zucchini into 1 inch chunks and steam.  (I did this in the microwave in 1 minute increments until they were soft when pierce with a small knife.)

Step Two: Send those puppies through the Magic Bullet - that is what I use to get a super smooth puree, but any blender or food processor will work.

Step Three: Open cake mix and put in a mixing bowl.

Step Four: Add zucchini puree and mix.

Step Five: Put in muffin pans and bake 350 for 12 to 17 minutes.  

You can eat them warm but the flavor gets better as they cool. 

Feed Me Friday - Skinny Edition: Banana "Ice Cream"

More Pinspired Eats!

From Greenlitebites.com

Okay so I saw this and glanced at it, but didn't go to the site before I attempted this.  The caption of the pin read "Frozen Bananas = I SCREAM"  So I throw some bananas in the freezer and attempt to make "Ice cream" with them.

It was really good - throw some ready whip on there with some fresh strawberries and a little chocolate sauce an excellent alternative to ice cream.

WELL - in getting ready to give credit where credit is due for this post (I just like to link to the actual sites not my pins) I find out that you can add 2 tablespoons of vanilla to it to give it a vanilla taste.  She also gives tips on how better to puree up the frozen bananas.  Tips like chop them up before you freeze them and use over ripe bananas.

Husband tested and approved.

Feed Me Friday - Skinny Edition: Protein Cookies

Recently you may have read that we are on a weight loss adventure in our household.  We are eating healthier.  This means that we are eating more protein, vegetables, fruits and drinking more water.  We are eating less junk, simple carbs and carbonated beverages.  

Well, when you eat cookies and sweets for 30+ years.  It is darn hard to cut those babies out cold turkey.  We have tried numerous times and failed miserably each time.  

So this pin is floating around Pintrest. 

Cookie Dough Cookies from Disney Family Fun 

So, I go and look at the recipe.  Being the daughter of a chef, I don't necessarily follow recipes well.  I like to improvise and make them my own.  I am not afraid of the "what if it doesn't turn out" like I used to be.  My thought now is if it turns out horrible from my doctoring I can do two things 1. follow the recipe next time or 2. realize that I was not meant to put that into my body in the first place.  (I tend to lean more toward the latter.)

Anyway, I digress. 

These cookies seemed simple enough, I had most of the ingredients and I could doctor where I was missing things like ... oh chocolate chips.  HAHA, no not important for chocolate chip cookie dough HAHA

This is what I turned out.

So nothing like what you see in the Pintrest picture.  That is because these cookies are pinspired.  So I halved the basic recipe from the Pinspired cookies.  I added chocolate protein powder and used half regular flour and half oat flour (old fashioned oatmeal ground into flour using the magic bullet.)

I mixed up a glaze with protein powder, powdered sugar and milk.  And covered them with ground almonds.  

Well, I tasted them and hated them.  I tried baking them for 12 minutes at 350.  I didn't think it helped all that much, but Keith loved them!

Let me know if you want the exact recipe for what I did.  I can send it to you.

"Ice Cream" Dots - Potty Training Tool

Although this is not a "Feed Me Friday" post I guess it could be since I am posting about food.  We have started rewarding Kaitlyn for using the potty (#2) using "Ice Cream Dots".

This is mainly for making a #2, but that girl will sit there for a long time and try just to get it to come out.  So if she has truly tried for a long time she will get one for trying.

These are guilt free - even to reward my 2 year old.

I took a container of White Chocolate Strawberry Yoplait Light and dumped it into a pastry bag with a tip in the bag.  Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and squeeze out a whole bunch of dots.  Freeze.

When frozen pull off wax paper and store in a food storage container in your freezer.

Yes, I know I should not reward with food, but several places tell you to use candy while potty training.  I figured fake ice cream would be a much better idea.

Enjoy rewarding your child with a super alternative to ice cream.  Then enjoy the giggle when you are reminding her that if she can go she gets ice cream dots when she gets home and you hear your nephew say green with envy - "They have dipping dots at home!"

Importance of a Meal Plan

We talked to a mortgage broker not that long ago.  We now have a plan.  Part of that plan - all of that plan has to do with finances.  So that means, we have to eat in more and plan better.  Let me just put this out there.  

WE ARE NO WHERE NEAR PERFECT!  

In fact we fail - a lot!  

This is what I have found out about having a meal plan.

1. You can plan your shopping better and get the most out of your grocery budget.  

We are spending easily $100 over what we want to be spending.  Part of this has to do with the fact prices went up.  Part of this is we are not planning. Part of this is we are lazy.  2 of 3 of these things we can fix.  

2.  I get the most out of sales and my grocery budget if I have a plan for more than just this week.

For example, barbecue sauce is on sale this week.  I have coupons for the barbecue sauce.  We are not planning on having anything with barbecue sauce this week.  I miss the sale and extra coupon savings.  Next week we decide to have something needing barbecue sauce, now I only have my coupons savings.  

3.  Plan all meals, snacks and sides - not just main dishes.

This will aid in keeping the family out of a rut.  Even though Hubs eats something different than we do at lunch time it still helps to plan it all out.  You will then have everything you need on hand.  Money will not be spent in vending machines.  

4.  Take your meal plan with you to the store.

This also relates to #2.  If you have your plan with you and you find unadvertised savings you will have your ideas with you.  

5.  Make your meal plan work for you.

I like things that are cute.  Therefore I need my meal plan to be cute.  This particular plan isn't really working for me because it seems to be too big.  But I like that it fits right into my coupon planner for shopping purposes.  - needs to be tweeked.  

This is what I am using this week and I am thinking this might be what works well.  I have this notebook on me pretty much all the time.  I like markers and can doodle on it.  I can keep track of our activities on it and plan meals accordingly.  Like when all of a sudden I get a text ... "Demo at 5 today."  This means that I am picking up Hubs an hour later.  :) 

Meal planning and couponing is a work progress.  These are some of the things I have found that works for me.  Maybe they will help you too.

Extreme Couponer I am NOT!

So this is what my coupons used to look like.  

The binder itself was not sturdy enough and I was finding that it would be very helpful if I had pockets in the binder somewhere.  

I also felt that maybe my form of organization was contributing to my lack of savings on our grocery bill.  So I did some research.  I found that I was organizing like many of the couponers out there.  I found a few places I could tweek, but for the most part it was the like others.  

But I needed to update my binder.  

I recycled a binder that I was no longer using.  It had pockets in the front and back and a sturdy cover.
I put the dividers in the binder.

I made a list of the different categories.

 I cut out a bunch of divider labels and wrote the categories on the pieces of cardstock.

I divided the categories as needed.  This means that this section is for "Drinks" - the first page is water, 2nd page juice and you can read, but you get the idea.  I then removed all the previous tabs.  

I have used it a few times since I made it and I like it better than what I was using before.  I have found a few places where I still need to tweek - like a table of contents listing the categories in order.  Especially since I am using multiple stores.