Everyday life of a housewife

What a crazy few days

2010-11-15T19:18:00.002-05:00

I have had the most crazy hectic few days.

It started with my youngest getting sick in the car from dropping my husband off at the airport. Let me say that this is no fun! It was so early I could not stop to help him or even clean him up. My poor baby.
1 day later he is back to his normal loving self ;)

Not one day later my second son is sick with the same nasty bug and working his way to getting better. I hope tomorrow he will be back to his normal loving self.

then to hope that no one else gets this nasty germ. I just cannot afford to get sick and I am worn out from 2 sick kids.

Grateful

2010-07-10T12:20:00.001-04:00

It has been ages since I have updated my blog. I just didn;t have the drive or the time to do so.

I think with this entry I am going to make it simple.

What I am grateful for:

My kids
My husband
My house
Having a wonderful hobby that I can do each day and get paid for
The sun
The pool
Lounge Pants
Hard Wood floors
Great friends
Great family

Homemade Sugar Cookies

2010-03-15T13:28:00.002-04:00

Anytime I can bake something from scratch I do. I think making something at home tastes so much better and saves you a ton.

The best part about doing this is the reward of seeing someone eat your food and love it. Great memories.

I called my mom up and asked her to send me over a recipe from one of her old recipe books. I find these to be so much better then the fancy new recipes out there. Old fashion is really the best way to go.

I made these same cookies with my mom as a kid so I knew they would be yummy.

Traditional Sugar Cookies:

3/4 cup shortening (part butter or margarine for taste)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 Tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 lemon extract

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tsp Baking powder

1 Tsp salt

Mix thoroughly shortening, sugar, eggs, and flavoring. Blend in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover: chill at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough 1/8 inch think on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 6-8 minutes or until light brown.

Makes about 4 dozen 3 inch cookies

Line drying

2010-03-09T10:51:00.003-05:00

The weather is getting a little warmer and the sun is shining bright. So this is the best time to get the line hung up so I can start hanging the laundry out to dry.

I love fresh clean clothes that have been hung up on the line outside all day. Basking in the light, with the cool breeze drying them. The sun is great for getting your whites even whiter.

This is the best time to use my batch of Homemade Laundry Detergent. I hope that it keeps the clothes smelling good while hanging out in the air outside. Sometimes, living near a house that runs a nasty old water fountain makes your clothes smell like old water. But if the breeze is right my clothes are just fine.

Laundry detergent

2010-03-07T15:34:00.007-05:00

I decided to start making my own Laundry Detergent. This way I know what's going in the detergent I am using on my clothes. No harsh chemicals, cheaper and a lot more.

This took very little time and ingredients to make.

Here is how I made it:

Homemade Laundry Detergent

2 cups Hot tap water
1/2 Fels-Napthat soap bar (grated)
1/2 cup Washing Soda (not baking soda)
1/2 cup Borax

Add grated Fels-Naptha bar soap to saucepan with 2 cups pf hot water. Stir over medium heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket half way with hot water. Add melted soap, washing soda and borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with hot water. Stir and cover. let it sit overnight to thicken.

This is how it should look when you are you uncover it the next day.

Just be sure to stir this every time you go to use it.

For top loading machines us 5/8 cup per load

For front loading machines use 1/4 cup per load

Project to finish up

2010-03-06T09:12:00.002-05:00

I have 2 orders to fulfill and then working on another for a customer who is looking for a apron to be made with a embroidery design to match a tattoo she put on a customer. Very interesting and I love a challenge.
I hope to get both projects done, one is simple, a handkerchief with initials embroidered on and then a mother daughter set with a superwoman fabric print, really cute.
Today is very chilly, so working outside on the backyard or playing with the boys, most likely will not happen. I am still getting over with having a sinus infection and possibly strep, so no getting sick again for me.

Sorry for being MIA

2010-03-03T17:00:00.003-05:00

I promise to come back to my blog and try and post daily.
I started my business a few months back and all of the sudden it took off. So I have been quite busy with that, remodeling my home and just being a mom. All of those take quite a bit of time up.
I will hopefully have a new post up tomorrow about the remodelind we did the past few weeks.

Christmas Decorations

2009-11-29T11:47:00.003-05:00

I love to make decorations. I feel they represent my taste and gives my home a warm feeling.

I have learned to make quite a few things over the years and have come up with many ideas. This is the best time of the year to try something new. My head is swarming with ideas and now it's just finding the time to make them.

Here is a simple and inexpensive centerpiece for your table or counter.

Just take a big glass bowl, any shape and size is fine.

Then fill it up with different size ornaments. Any color and shape. I chose different shades of red and green in different sizes.

I use mine in the middle of the dinning room table. Great little centerpiece to add some color to the room.

Christmas Decorations and House Cleaning

2009-11-28T13:00:00.005-05:00

I love Christmas. I love the atmosphere, the feeling, the decorations, food, family, you name it I love it.

I normally get started on pulling out the Christmas Decorations and slowly put them up. A little here and there and I have most of it done by the 1st or 2nd of December. I hope to get a real tree this year, never have had a real one. We will see. If we do I want the biggest we could fit on top of our van and get through the door. I have vaulted ceilings so a huge one would look so nice.

Here are some decorations I have made in the past. I prefer handmade over bought. I feel it adds more of a personal touch and so much fun to make.

I have decided to tackle the master bathroom. I had it really nice and clean and no clutter but I swear one thing gets left out and it multiplies like crazy. I really need to clean under the sink and get things out of there that are not needed or old and organize what I have so it is easier to find and use.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T10:29:00.002-05:00

I want to wish all my friends and family a Happy Thanksgiving.

This year like many of the other years we will spend Thanksgiving without Chris. As much as we would love him here with us, this makes it possible for him to be home Christmas. So if I had to choose I rather it be this way and him be home to celebrate Christmas as a family.

I have the Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes cooking as I write this, this is my contribution to the family dinner we have every year at my parents home. (We do Christmas here) So as soon as I am done with that we will be on our way there to spend this day with family.

Stay safe and enjoy this special day with the people who mean the most to you.

Husband gone, got to keep busy

2009-11-09T16:34:00.004-05:00

I tend to hold off on all the cleaning (major stuff) while husband is home. I want to spend every minute with him while he is home, seeing that he is gone 1 month at a time.

So since my husband left today :( I got busy with the major cleaning that needed to be done.

My list of things to do included 2 of the 3 bathrooms and doing some laundry. I know not a lot but small steps works better with me since I have 3 kids and a few other things planned today.

I took about a hour of my day to walk up to the school to watch the Veteran's Day program they have each year. I enjoyed it and the weather was great. To top it off, Nic was awesome there so that helped.

After I got home from getting the kids at school I started baking some Peanut Butter cookies for the kids and myself :)

Football and Buffalo-Style Chicken Wings

2009-11-08T15:48:00.003-05:00

Chris watching the game

Today was Football day in the Young's' House. I thought since this was Chris' last day at home I would make him something special to eat during football. I have never made Chicken Wings before so I searched for a recipe. I did not find any that I liked, so I made one myself.

I must say it turned out real good. served these with some waffle fries.

Ingredients:

2lbs chicken wings (assorted)

1 stick of unsalted butter

3 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup hot sauce

2 tbsp White Vinegar

1/2 cayenne pepper

Directions:

Heat deep fryer to 375 degrees F

Season wings with salt and pepper

Fry for 10-12 minutes, be sure to do them in 1-2 batches

In a large saucepan, heat butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, cayenne pepper and white vinegar.

When wings are done, pour over cooked wings and serve hot.

Spooktacular at the Zoo

2009-10-24T13:00:00.003-04:00

We took the boys to the Spooktacular at the zoo. This is the 3rd time we have gone and every year it gets better. This time was great since I had Chris there to help me, much easier with 4 hands then 2 when you have 3 kids.

We got there pretty early so the parking was easy. We went right on in and had to wait about 10 minutes for the gates to open.

The town was called Pumpkinville. They had over 300 carved pumpkins if not more. Very pretty at night.

We got our pictures taken half way through with a choice of background. I do not have it scanned yet to show but it was really cute. Too bad Andrew looked at his silly brother when the picture was taken.

We went through a abandoned Mine field, saw Trolls fighting, fairies, tree monsters, jesters and even frog royalty.

Then at the end we went through Pirates Cove where the kids got gold coins, pirate tattoo's and lots of candy.

Busch Gardens Trip

2009-10-19T17:10:00.004-04:00

Chris and I took a opportunity to go on a early vacation for our Anniversary coming up. It was a month early but with his job time never works out for us. With my mom graciously offering to watch all 3 boys so we could go alone, we went for 2 days and without the kids (gasp).

We had a awesome time. Going on a weekday really worked out well. No lines, no crowds, almost empty.

We started off the trip with riding a roller coaster. Let me say that I HATE roller coasters! And I mean HATE them. The one we rode looked nice from the outside until we got in the line. It looked worse as soon as we started up the ramp to get going. The roller coaster was wooden and long as heck. I think it took a total of 4 minutes from start to finish. I almost lost my glasses as soon as we took off lol and the whole ride was shaky and bumpy. I yelled "I hate you Chris" the whole ride... He made me get on. Curse that man.

When then got on the train and took it around half the park. That was relaxing and fun.

Our next stop was at the Congo river rapids. I remember going on this in High School when our school band took a trip there. Always seemed longer to me when we rode it back then but this time it was fast but just as fun. I got soaked! I almost made it through but right at the end the tube turned and under a waterfall I went.

While walking the park we happened to stop by a booth offering Safari Tours. It was a great price and since we didnt have the kids we decided to jump on the oppurtunity. I didn't really know what we would do or see but let me say that it was so worth it and tons of fun.
As soon as we got onto the open land we were greeted with about 8 giraffes. We were able to feed them and take pictures. They were so huge and in our faces the whole time. One licked my face lol It was a great experience.

The next day we had about 3 hours before we had to make the 4 hour drive home. So we watched a show on oldies music and dance. Then we walked the park and check out the monkey exhibit and took the sky rail to the end of the park so we could ride the log ride.

It was a great trip and we enjoyed the time alone. We have not been alone like that in a long time. being with the kids has always been important to us and we love going on trips with them to gain great memories as a family. I still cherish the ones I had with my family as a kid. But this was great and we really savored the moments we had with each other on this trip.

Next time we go, it will be with the kids :)

Halloween Crafts

2009-10-04T14:36:00.007-04:00

I love making things during Halloween time.

I decided to make the pumpkin witches that I have made for the boys to give to their teachers. I have been doing this for the past 4 years and love making them. Its easy and cheap to make.

This is what you will need:

* 2qt plastic container (round)

* Bag of assorted candy

* Gummy Body Parts

* Black Liquorice

* Pin needles (used to sew or quilt, small)

* Small pumpkin

Put the eyes, mouth and I put some ears on there :)
Then put one peice of liqurice at a time around the top of the head to make hair.

Then put the finished pumpkin on top of the jar filled with candy.

Loving the free stuff!

2009-10-02T16:55:00.003-04:00

I got ALL of this for free and then some!

Here is what I got and how I did it:

* 3 Ziploc bags (50ct each)

Used $1.00/2 and a $.40 coupon

Paid $4.54

But I have a rebate form here for $5.00 when I buy 3 Ziploc products

So I make a total of $.46, not bad for 3 free bozes of ziploc bags

* 2 Glade Fragrance Collection Candles

$ 2.99/2

Used 2 coupons for free candles

After coupons FREE

* 1 Palmolive Pure + Clear dish liquid

$ 2.99

Used $.75 coupon

After coupon $ 2.24

Used Try Me Free coupon in 9-27 insert

After coupon and try me free rebate I made $.75

Dont forget to check out my new Store Custom Aprons and More

www.customapronsandmore.com

Publix Shop 10-02-09

2009-10-02T16:45:00.005-04:00

I had a great shopping trip at Publix. Walked away with some great deals.

Here is what I got:

* 2 General Mills Lucky Charms

2/$3.99

Used $1.00/2 coupon

After coupons $ 2.99/2

* 2 Ragu Sauces

2/$ 3.49

Used $1.00/2 coupon

After coupons $ 2.59/2

* 2 Toll House Cookies

2/$ 3.59
Used 2/$1.00 coupons

After coupons $ 1.59/2

* 2 Lysol Disinfectant Sprays

2/$ 3.19

Used 2/$ .75 coupons

After coupons $ 1.69

After sales and coupons I walked away with only spending $8.66

Love FREE Coffee

2009-09-30T12:59:00.003-04:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE coffee. Starbucks is my preferred choice :)

But when I saw that I got get 3 boxes of coffee that you choose and a Stainless Steel coffee mug for $3.00 shipped, I was all over it.

Go here and sign up, choose your coffees and the mug and that's it.

I do recommend canceling your account after you get it if you are not interested in buying more from them. You will get monthly shipments if you do not.

I just got mine today and as soon as I did, I called their customer service and canceled my account. It was easy and fast and I have 3 boxes of coffee and a mug for $3.00 :)

CVS Shop 9-29-09

2009-09-29T11:00:00.003-04:00

I had a great time at CVS today. I knew I would be getting some good deals.

I found a $5 off $25 coupon here and clipped coupons for the rest. There were a few things I grabbed without coupons, but they were having such a great deal on them that it was worth it.

Here is what I got:

* 10 Back To School items (highlighters, pens, pencils, sticky pads)
$12.00
All items were 90% off!
After sell $ .99 , not even a dollar!

Here I bought $25 worth of PG products and get $10 ECB

* 2 Tide Liquid Detergents
$12.00
Used 2 $1.00 coupons
After coupons $10.00

* 2 Dawn Dish Liquid
$2.00
Used 2 $.25 coupons
After coupons $1.50

* 2 Tide Stain Releasers
$ 8.00
Used 2 $1.00 coupons I found right at the shelf
After coupons $6.00

*1 6pk of Bounty Paper Towels
$ 6.00
Used $.25 coupon
After coupon $5.75

Bought $28 worth of PG Products for $23.25
After ECB $13.25 (Not bad for all that)

* 1 Xtra Liquid Detergent
$1.99

* 1 Cascade Dishwasher Liquid
$ 4.49
Used $.75 coupon
After coupon $ 3.74

* 1 Swiffer Duster Spray
$ 3.99
Used $.50 coupon
After coupon $ 3.49

* 1 Scope Mouthwash
$ 3.49
Used $1.50 coupon
After ECB and Coupon $ .49

* 1 Reach 2pk Toothbrushes
$3.99
Used$ 2.00 coupon
After ECB and coupon .99

* 1 Vaseline Sheer lotion
$7.99
Used $1.00 coupon
After ECB and coupons $.01 profit!

After all my ECB and coupons

$21.77

Be sure to check ouy my site

Custom Aprons and More

www.customthreadandneedles.com

101 post and busy as a bee

2009-09-27T17:31:00.003-04:00

I cannot believe this is my 101 post. I would have had more by now if I had not been so busy.

I am keeping busy with apron orders and making things for myself. I also had the task of making 3 costumes for Halloween and now have mine and my husband's to make. They came out really good and the boys love them.

I had a website being designed for me professionally, but that did not work out and I was disappointed. I am trying a different route but will not be upset if I am stuff with the one I did myself.

My oldest has been sick for well over a week. That was no fun. I hate seeing my child suffer and to top it off the dr not doing anything about it when I asked him to. Knowing something was wrong with my son. A mother knows best! But the good thing is he is doing much better.

Only a week or so before my husband comes home. I miss him so much. The good thing is he will be home for Halloween. This will be the first in almost 5 years! So we are super excited about that.

Her Southern Charm giveaway

2009-09-16T15:55:00.001-04:00

A blog I visit often is having a giveaway worth checking out.

Go here and be sure to enter to win!

CVS shopping trip

2009-09-01T12:56:00.004-04:00

I have taken a leave of absence from CVS for the past 2-3 weeks. There was not really anything I needed or could get at a good price.

But since my ECB were due to expire today I went and grabbed some things I could use.

I did well for not having many coupons or deals lined up when I walked in.

Here is what I got:

* 2 Welchs Grape Jelly

Used 2 $.75 coupons

After coupons and ECB $2.50/2

* 1 Aquafresh whitening foam

After ECB $1.99

* 1 Sensodyne foaming gel

After ECB $1.99

* 1 Dawn dish liquid

Used $.25 coupon

After coupon $.72

* 1 Wet Ones (for the car)

$1.99

* 1 Clairol Hair Dye

Used $4.00 coupon

After coupon and ECB got back $1.00!!

* 1 Colgate 2 pack toothbrushes

After ECB $2.99

* 2 Old Spice Ever Clear deodorants

After ECB $ 5.98

* 2 legal pads

B1G1 free

$ 3.49

I used all of my ECB that were due to expire and a GC that had $1.00 on it

After ECB and GC I paid $2.95

For all those coming to look at my site, be sure to check out my store for Custom aprons and more

www.customthreadandneedles.com

Remodeling and a great buy

2009-08-22T21:12:00.006-04:00

I have been so busy with opening up my new store (Thread and Needles) and getting some orders made that I have not been posting as much as I hoped.

We remodeled the pantry in the kitchen. It was quite boring and plain, with little shelf space that my wonderful husband remodeled it to have some color and more room.

I am very proud of the work he did and very happy with how it turned out.

Before

After and our Dog Chocolates new home lol

We bought a nice washer and dryer set awhile ago and almost bought the storage units for underneath but they ran about $200 a peice (ouch) so we decided not to buy them.
We happen to spot 2 black storage units on clearence at Lowes for $20 a peice. What a great steal. Even though they did not match, we had plans to change that.
My husband bought spray paint that matched the color of our washer and dryer and changed them from black to silver to match. You cannot even tell the difference from the washer and dryer and the units.

Weekly menu

2009-08-21T13:35:00.002-04:00

Here is our weekly menu for August 21- 28
I find that planning a week at a time helps us save money and prepares us to use what we already have if possible. Checking the cabinets and pantry and planning around what I was able to get for free or almost free saves us a lot in the end.

Friday
Pasta Bake

Saturday
Fried chicken
Mashed potatoes
Hawaiian bread

Sunday
Chicken and Rice
Garlic Bread (Homemade)

Monday
Lasagna
Garlic bread (Homemade)

Tuesday
Tuna Helper
Bread

Wednesday
Chicken breasts marinated in Sun dried Tomatoes
Rice

Thursday
Bacon
Eggs
Toast

Tote/ Shopping Bag

2009-08-16T21:29:00.002-04:00

I finished a tote/shopping bag that I have listed for sale on my site "xStitchesx"

Check it out and if you would like to order, let me know

http://xxstitchesxx.blogspot.com

Weekly Menu

2009-08-14T16:54:00.002-04:00

Friday
Oven Roasted Chicken
Green Beans
Bread
Stuffing

Saturday
Fish and Chips

Sunday
Cincinnati Style Chili
Oyster Crackers

Monday
Homemade hamburgers and Hotdogs
Beans
Chips

Tuesday
Spaghetti
Homemade Meatballs
Garlic Bread

Wednesday
Chicken Marinated in Sun dried Tomato Dressing
Rice

Errands and Food

2009-08-13T09:46:00.002-04:00

I love Thursdays. I get to plan the weeks menu and I like to go shopping for food. The best part is the challenge of getting the best deals and spend the least amount. Always fun.....

I need to get the floors vacuumed and mopped today. Who knows if it will get done. Everytime I get started to do it I have 3 kids running around or a dog and my husband . I also hope to get the bar cleaned off of all the junk that has found its way there. I hate clutter but my counters always seem to be a magnet to that kind of thing.

Christmas Apron

2009-08-11T16:39:00.003-04:00

Christmas apron ready to be ordered.

They are $16.00 each (shipping included)
It is a reversible apron. One side has a green background with candy canes and the other side has Peppermints. The neck strap and ties are red and white striped.

If you would like one let me know by emailng me at mom2andrew@hotmail.com

Is it Monday already?

2009-08-10T14:33:00.003-04:00

Today started off a little late. Hubby let me sleep in till 9am. I hate to sleep in but it was nice considering I didn't get to bed till after 1am last night.

Need to get started on a apron for a friend and get that done and mailed off by Wend. I also have a new pattern to try out and bought some Christmas fabric.

Thinking of buying another puppy to add to the family. It is a 12 week old Golden Retriever... just adorable and I think would make a great addition to our family. Not quite sure if this will happen. A lot to think about when getting another dog who will grow up to be huge like our other dog.

Here is a picture of the cutie pie..

Well off to finish what needs to be done before my oldest sons Orientation tonight for school.

Slacking

2009-08-09T11:27:00.002-04:00

I have been slacking on this blog and on my duties as a housewife. Since my husband came home sick it has been crazy around here. Dr visits, cleaning the bathroom and bedroom all the time to keep it sanitized. It take s a lot of work and time.
I am happy to say that my husband is doing better and in less then 10 days should be recovered 100%. That is such a relief, I was worried about him for a bit there.

I did make it to the fabric store yesterday with my mom and got some great deals on fabric. I also picked up a new pattern to make aprons in a retro old fashion look.
I grabbed some Christmas themed fabric and some supplies to add to my new sewing room.

With all that I had time to get to American Eagle and getting a shopping fix. I LOVE that store and find such cute clothes and I must say they last a good while. When it comes to clothes I am not thrifty, I think that when you buy good quality you have to pay the price. But I did walk out with a lot for not a bad sum :)

Today I have a few things planned on my chore list. I am not going to do too much cause I know I will get burned out and quit...

* Lowes to grab parts to fix the toliet seat
* Walmart to get some first aid items for hubby to take with him to the boat
* Vacuum dinning room and kitchen
* Mop the kitchen and dinning room floor
* Clean up the cat tree for the person who is coming by to buy it
* Start a apron for a friend

What a day

2009-08-04T21:42:00.002-04:00

Been quite busy lately. With Chris being sick and the dr appts for him and caring for him have sucked the last few days up.

Today was spent buying the kids their school supplies and last minute things.

We bought the 2 oldest laptops and IPOD's. My second son is so cute walking around the house singing. I love to sing so this makes me happy to see my kids loving it too.

We had open house for the 2 oldest. Got to meet the teachers and the classrooms. I am excited for them as well as scared and sad. My oldest will be in 5th grade and my second son is going into Kindergarten. Where has the time went?

Sick husband and Transformers Pillow Case

2009-08-01T13:21:00.004-04:00

My husband was suppose to be home in 5 days but he called me yesterday saying I needed to come pick him up at the airport. That's not good....

He ended up getting a bad infection on one of his legs. It started off small and turned into something really nasty. He is on 3 different meds and having to remain in bed. The dr says its very contagious. I am really worried about him and hope that Monday hurries up so he can go back to the dr, cause he refuses to go to the ER.

But while I have had some time after taking care of him, I decided to go ahead and make a Transformers Pillow Case for my youngest. The fabric was only $3 and I thought what a simple project to sew and get some experience.

When it was done it fit perfectly and my son has not let it out of his sight since, so that's a good sign right lol

New apron

2009-07-31T16:20:00.004-04:00

I bought a table to sew on, its old and I love it! Reminds me of my moms sewing table.

I thought since I did so well on the last apron I would try another one on my own and make it a Halloween theme since October is right around the corner.

One side has spider webs in different colors and the other has witches and black cats.

If anyone would like one made, I can make it for the cost of the fabric and shipping. Let me know.

New hobby

2009-07-29T20:11:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. I have been busy with a new hobby. I have decided to learn to sew.

So I have been running around buying fabric, a sewing machine, material and supplies. Then it was off to find a small and simple project to start with.

My mom has been sewing for years. She sewed all of our clothes growing up, so who better to teach me.

I decided to sew a simple apron. This one is a reversible apron so even better. I could make one side a certain fabric design and then make the other different. So it's like making 2.

I have had so much fun that I now have many projects in my head to start with so I can gain some experience.

CVS shop 7-26

2009-07-26T12:33:00.004-04:00

I did my weekly CVS shop today. They had more of the school supplies for free so I wanted to grab some of those. They also had some great deals on other items I was running low on.

Here is what I got

2 Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergent
Used 2/$1.00 coupons, got $2.00 ECB
After coupons and ECB paid $2.99/2

4 Palmolive dish liquid
Paid $3.52

1 Colgate toothpaste
Used $1.00 coupons, got $2.00 ECB
After coupon and ECB I got $.13 back

2 Caliber composition books
Got $1.98 ECB
After ECB FREE

1 pack of 15 erasers
Got $.99 ECB
After ECB FREE

2 Caliber pencil holders
Got $1.98 ECB
After ECB FREE

2 BIC pen packs
Used 2/$2.00 coupons
After coupons and sale FREE

2 Pilot 2pk pens
Got $1.98 ECB
After ECB FREE

1 tot stapler
Got $.99 ECB
After ECB FREE

1 2pk sticky notes
Got $.99 ECB
After ECB FREE

2 Neutrogena Lip Boosts
Used 2/$3.00 coupons
After coupons and sale paid $1.99/2

1 herbal Essences shampoo 1 herbal essences conditioner
Used 2/$1.00 coupons
Also bought 1 styling product at $5.00
Used a coupon for a free product
Got $2.00 ECB
After coupons and ECB paid $1.98 for 3 products

I also used a $5.00 of $30 coupon. I paid $.34 for all of this after ECB and coupons

Sorry for the absence

2009-07-18T20:41:00.002-04:00

About 4 days ago I had to turn in the laptop to the store to have the charger area fixed. It would not charge and this would be the 3rd time to get that specific place fixed. I had to take my sons PC hard drive and hook it up to the TV to get on. Not really a good thing when you have so much space to move from the tv with the keyboard.

I thought it would be a good time to buy a new laptop. My old one still has a good year of a warranty left on it but I cannot go 3 weeks at a time without my computer when this happens again. I use my laptop to pay bills and other important daily things.

I found one at best buy that fit my needs. It is white ( I wanted Pink but they did not have one) Its HP, I refused to buy another gateway (nothing but problems) It has enough options for me, I am not really into the fancy laptops since I do not use most of what it comes with.

Here is what I ended up getting.....

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9370548&type=product&id=1218093001786

Its white, which was okay since I wanted to get away from the typical black laptop, something to stand out. So far so good.

My oldest will get the old laptop since he really wont be on it much and if it needs repairs again it wont be missed.

Furious

2009-07-15T13:19:00.002-04:00

My 2 oldest boys wanted to go to the "summer camp" the rec center had. It read in the paper that there would be movies, crafts, swimming.... so I thought, that would be fun, cause some of those things I would not be able to do with 3 kids of all ages... They wanted t go and so I let them.

Well, the first day I was concerned that there were "kids" watching the children and addressed that right away. I was told some were and that most were over 18 and just looked young. So I thought, ok, we will see how that goes.

That same day my kids lost heir socks, my youngest had some kid knock his drink over cause he just felt like it and my kids were red in the face and all over their bodies from the sun. I asked if they put sunscreen on them and was told they did as best they could?? ok......

Well the second day I asked the "teachers" to make sure they got sunscreen on their faces cause of how burnt their skin was. Asked them to just make sure they kept their clothes in the bag o no more got lost.

I picked them up and my son had no underwear, it was lost or stolen (who knows) my kids faces were so red it was crazy!
My oldest was saying he was cold and didn't feelgood. He was burning up.... My youngest said some kid hit him in the face with a towel and that no "teacher" was around to tell. What??

They allowed my children to swim for hours in the pool without supervision, much less notice they were sick and red. That they were getting hit and lost their underwear!

I quickly called them to complain but f course by then they had left for the day. So I get a call this morning and I tell them my children will not becoming back and how upset I was at how they watched my children and how they were treated!

It is very hard for me to allow anyone to watch my kids. I am strict and very protective of them. I want the best and expect fr anyone who does watch them to take care of them as best as I would. This is the reason for why I am like this. Cause as soon as I trust someone they prove me wrong. I am made but glad they are okay.....

Summer camp and cleaning carpets

2009-07-14T12:00:00.002-04:00

The boys had their first day of summer camp at the Rec center. I am not impressed at all. The "counselors" are young, not even 18...they don't watch the kids well, and I heard them yelling at some of the kids.
I would yank the out but they like it ad say that they are not being yelled at and are having a good time. They know all they have to do is call me and I will come get them. This is purely for fun.

I deep cleaned the carpets up stairs and in the living room last night. That was fun. They needed to be clean do to a mess made but really they needed to be clean cause of having a puppy lol Dong it only 3-4 times a year is not plausible. More like 6 times a year might work well when you have 3 kids, a dog and 2 cats.
I must say, just having clean carpets makes you feel better and makes you want to walk into the room cause it is so clean.

Pirates at the library and Lowes workshop

2009-07-12T17:01:00.003-04:00

I did not have time yesterday to post about our fun day yesterday.

As soon as we woke up yesterday we ate breakfast and headed out to Lowes for their bi-weekly workshop for kids. Yesterday it was Treasure Chests. This is the first time I have dared to take all 3 boys alone to a place where there will be hammers, nails and just me :) But we had a good time. The two oldest did really well with their project. Dalton needed some help here and there but did quite well. Nic was good as he sat in the cat and watched (thank goodness).

After Lowes we headed up to take a break. I did some chores and worked on a special something for a friend.

Then at the last minute I decided to take the boys to the local library for their pirate craft day. They had a great time. Got swords, hooks, colored some pictures, put together fishing poles with fish, made some hats and played in the boat and had pirate fights....

CVS shop 7-12 $2.83 plus $19.98 ECB back

2009-07-12T11:48:00.003-04:00

I did quite well at CVS today. There was not much that I wanted but they did have great deals on school supplies. So since the boys will be headed back to school in less then a month, might as well grab some things. I like to give supplies to the past teachers the boys have had, so extra is always good.

Here is what I got and what I paid for it and how:

2 Caliber subject notebooks FREE

3 packs of pens FREE

2 Caliber kid scissors FREE

2 5oz glues FREE

2 rulers FREE

3 boxes of 20ct Electrsol tab $4.47

2 Gillette Fusion power razors 3.99

Not pictured was a gallon of milk I got for $1.79, can't beat that!

After sales, coupons an ECB I paid $2.83 and got $19.98 ECB for my next visit

Ran Rain go away, Rearranging Living room

2009-07-10T15:28:00.003-04:00

I did not get a chance to Rearrange the living room like I planned to yesterday. As soon as I got done blogging I got a horrible migraine. One that was so bad that I could not see for 1 hour. ended up laying down till my vision came back. By then it was time for dinner and I really didn't want to start a project that could take a few hours.

I ended up getting to it this afternoon. I had a vision of what I wanted to do but my living room is a room that is not easy to decorate. I have walls that make it hard to put furniture in certain places. Always been a problem for us, no matter what furniture we have.

Here is what it ended up looking like. No what I had planned but it will do. I can't stand for something to be the same for too long.

Before After

I did get some other housework done. Dusted the blinds and moved a table to a different part of the room. The cats were using it as a resting place in front of the windows and knocking over the picture frames every 5 seconds.

I think now I am going to rest before its dinner time. I am worn out :)

Stupid laptop

2009-07-09T15:54:00.002-04:00

Sorry I have not been keeping up with the blog. I really would like to be more detailed on what I do daily but my laptop is not working well, and it's hard to charge it. So I have to use my laptop time wisely... I have ordered a new charger but I fear this is not the reason, it might be the laptop itself. So we will see. I might be without a laptop for a few weeks if it is the laptop itself.

Dalton, my second son, started swim lessons today. I was afraid he would hate it and not go, but I asked him to try it and see how it was and he ended up loving it and cannot wait to go back. I was so proud of him, he did quite well for someone who has not swam in a "big" pool before. I hope that by the end of the 3 weeks he can go alone and feel confident in himself.

I really wish it would stop raining everyday. We cannot go to the waterpark, I cannot hang dry my clothes and we have to be in the house almost all day unless we have to leave. It gets boring and frustrating being in a house all day with 3 kids and they hate it. I hope for sunny days for the rest of the summer, or at least during the day.

Well, off to rearrange my living room. I can never keep things the same for too long, just a bad habit of mine.

A little rant and then on to my day

2009-07-07T20:29:00.002-04:00

Ok, I got a message the other day from a person who came to my blog after stalking another persons blog. They came to my blog to "inform me and warn me" about a blog I follow.
First off, I am not into drama. I don't look for it and I do not want it. I have 3 kids to take care of, a house and a husband. My time is too short to worry about someone and their issues with other people.
Now if this is to warn me I am friends with a murder or pervert then please do tell me, but if it is not important, then I do not care.
The person who sent me this message obviously has nothing better to do with their time then to waste it on petty things. They also have no life and enjoy causing trouble. So they wasted their time on me. Feel sorry for them.
And also, the person who they were warning me about it a great gal. She is smart and a nice friend. I can see why they would be jealous of her. Her blog is great and her food is yummy. I enjoying going to see her new posts and find nothing wrong with her blog.
So, now that I have addressed this, I hope not to get anymore posts from this person and if and I hope not, that I get followers of this stalker then I hope that if they read this blog and move on.

Now on to more important things.....

I took the boys to the weekly summer movie at the theater, we saw Kung Fu Panda. It was great even though we had seen it. Nothing is better then to go see a movie on the big screen with coke and popcorn. The kids enjoy going once a week and they behave so well.

The movies take up about half the day, so when we get home I do not have much time to get things done around the house before dinner.

I did manage to clean the downstairs bathroom and get laundry done. Maybe tomorrow I can work on my list for today.

CVS shop 7-5-09 $0.00!!

2009-07-05T14:45:00.003-04:00

I had a great day at CVS. I did not sed a dime OOP and I also earned quite a few ECB for my next trip back. I did have about 15 in ECB to spend this trip as well as a $3.00 off coupon so this helped me not spend a dime today.

Here is what I got and how much it cost me before ECB

* 2 Dawn Dish Liquid $1.50
* 3 Febreeze Noticables $7.50
* 2 Frbreeze Air effects $0.00
* 2 Febreeze Fabric spray $10.00
* 1 CVS panty liners $0.00
* 3 CVS transparent tape $0.00
* 2 Head and shoulders $4.99
* 1 Colgate toothpaste $ 2.49
* 1 CVS pencils $0.00

I earned over $28.46 for my next trip

I know it looks like I paid a lot but after coupons and the ECB I had from my last visit, I did not pay anything for all ofthis.

4th of July parade and lazy Sunday

2009-07-05T12:12:00.003-04:00

Yesterday the kids and I and my sister and her 2 kids went to the parade downtown. I met up with a good friend her kids and we watched the parade. The kids had a blast. Got lots of necklaces and candy and also some really nice toys and flags. We made our way almost to the end of the town to see the food and crafts but it was just too darn hot for the kids and I just was not interested right before we got there. We must have walked a mile before we turned around....

Today is not going to be filled with too much to do. I have already hung out the laundry to dry. Made the boys some pancakes for breakfast and ran to the store to get my coupons for the week.
Now I need to get my list and coupons ready for my trip to CVS today and then take the res of the day off. I have not been sleeping well and I am actually tired today and don't feel like I have the energy to do too much.
.

4th of July shirts

2009-07-03T20:33:00.006-04:00

I thought it would be fun for the kids to make some 4th of July shirts for the parade tomorrow. We try and make it each year to the festival downtown, and being a small town, it is quite nice. Food, parade and at night the fireworks.

So this year I bought the kids shirts and some paint and they went to town on each one of their shirts with their own ideas. They came out really good and I am very proud of them.

Daltons' shirt

Andrews' Shirt

Nicholas' Shirt

New color and look to the master bedroom

2009-07-03T15:43:00.003-04:00

I love my bedroom, but it has been that color for 6 years and the bedset is a few years old. I was thinking of making the color lighter and going with a white bedset (Feathered down comforter). It's just too dark in that room for me.... So I need some suggestions or opinions.

Here are the colors I have picked out

And maybe a bedset like this

Here is what my bedroom looks like right now, don't mind the cat, he refused to get off :)

6th photo

2009-07-02T21:57:00.004-04:00

I saw a post on another blog about posting the 6th photo in the 6th photo album on your computer... I thought, why not....

Here are the rules:

1) Go to your photo folders on your computer

2) Select the 6th folder

3) Select the 6th photo in that folder

4) Write a story about it and post it

5) Select 5 blog friends and tag them

6) Let them know they have been tagged

So here is my 6th photo in my 6th photo album

This photo was taken this year at the beach. Nic is such a copy cat. Anything that his brothers do he is right behind them doing just that. Here he is showing me a toy because just moments before Dalton was showing me a shell he had found in the sand. I find it very amusing that he is just like them in almost every way.

Errands, grocery shopping and excited about Kmart

2009-07-02T14:11:00.003-04:00

Today I ran some errands that needed to be done and then headed to the stores to get food for the week.
I am going to rant a little about my trip to Walmart. I am truly starting to hate shopping there and going to have to agree with my husband on how white trash that place is becoming. The people who work there are rude, the people who shop there are dirty, rude and just nasty.
The whole atmosphere is not what I want to be in when having to bring 3 kids into a store and spend 1 hour shopping. Just not worth my time and money. I rather spend more to have a better shopping experience.
I went to grab some meat for the meals I planned to cook this week. Took one look and threw that stuff right back into the bin. The ground beef was brown! Almost to the point of being grey! It had 3 more days before it was even suppose to be expired. How sick and gross is that? I refused to even grab ones that were "normal" looking, fearing that it too would turn that way and could make us sick if we ate it.
I guess I am going to have to spend more money on the food budget just to feel safe on what I am buying and to actually have a pleasant shopping experience. I am spending money and expect to have good food and environment.

Now I am excited about Kmart. they are going to be having their double coupon deals going on this Sunday. I can save up to $4.00 on items! I normally walk away paying less then a quarter for some things if not a penny. I stock up on shampoo, body wash and other hygiene items there for the price I can get it. I know, I'm a dork, but hey, my husband works very hard to make his money and I plan to do everything I can to spend it wisely.

Public shop July 2, 2009

2009-07-02T13:40:00.002-04:00

I am very happy with my shop at Publix today. Found a few extra deals going on when I got into the store so took advantage of it when I got there.

Here is what I got:

2 bags of Lays potato chips $2.99

4 Publix 2 liters $2.00

4 Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauces $2.58

4 Bush's Baked Beans $2.58

2 A-1 sauces $.19

2 Kraft Mayo $2.69

4 packs of Hi-C drinks $4.70 (Great for school lunches)

8 Kraft Macaroni and chesse boxes $2.58

2 Kraft dressings $1.99

2 McCormick seasonings $.99

2 Reynolds Wrap $2.39

I paid only $25.68 after coupons and sales for all of this!!!!!

Sick kids and catching up to do

2009-06-30T13:18:00.003-04:00

I awoke this morning to my second son saying his stomach hurt. I had a feeling this would turn ugly so gave him some Ginger Ale and had his lay in my bed while I id a few things. Sure enough, the next thing I knew he got sick all over my bed. Thank goodness the bathroom was not far from the bed.
He seems to be feeling better. I hope it was just a upset tummy and not the flu (Crossing fingers) Nothing like sick kids when you are all alone.....I find no joy or humor in 3 sick kids while hubby is away, been there and done that and hoe to not have to for a long time.

Now that things have slowed down and he is feeling better, I have some catching up to do. Laundry needs to be done and I have some leaning and organizing to do....

Hubby is gone, time to get busy

2009-06-29T10:30:00.002-04:00

My husband has left yet again for about 4 weeks. It has been crazy with his job, he has been home less then 2 full weeks in 3 months. But that is just the way it is.
I tend to be busy when he is home with projects I cannot do while he is away. This time around we painted my oldest son's new room, put up some fans in the bedrooms, tinted the windows and other small projects.
Now that he is gone its back to the housework that was neglected while he was home and we were so busy with outher things.

Things to do today:

* Sweep kitchen and dinning room
* Mop kitchen and dinning room
* Move the last bits of my sons stuff in his new room
* Clean playroom
* Organize hand me down clothes

Family Cookout and Early 4th of July

2009-06-28T12:15:00.004-04:00

Chris happens to be gone every year on the 4th. I do not dare touch fireworks, so this year we decided to buy some and do a early celebration so he could be home when we do it.

We invited family over for a cookout. It was yummy, had steaks, homemade hamburgers, hotdogs, beans, and baked potatoes. Too bad the grill decided to go up in flames while cooking lol I hate that grill sometimes. You buy a expensive one and still have issues. ither way the food came out really juicy even though it did not look that way :)

The fireworks were not what I expected for how much we paid but the kids seemed to enjoy them. Even though the huge box of sparklers I bought were more exciting to them.

Sangria

2009-06-27T16:00:00.003-04:00

I LOVE Sangria, but I only like it if it is made fresh. It is so much fun to make and doesn't cost a lot. I only make this for special occasions or when we have family over for a cookout.

Best Party Sangria

1 bottle of Red Wine (I use Merlot)

2 lemons cut into wedges

2 limes cut into wedges

1 orange cut into wedges

2 Tbsp of sugar

Splash of Orange Juice

2 shot of Gin

1 cup of Strawberries

1 can of Pineapple chunks with juice

4 cups Ginger ale

Pour wine into a large pitcher. Squeeze the juice frm the lemons, limes and oranges into the wine. Toss the wedges into the pitcher. Add pineapple,sugar, orange juiceand and gin. Chill over night. Before serving, add Ginger Ale. Serve right away.

Seaworld and busy week

2009-06-24T21:47:00.003-04:00

Hubby called to say he was coming home a week early, so we decided to plan our summer SeaWorld Vacation early. It was cheaper to fly him into Orlando then Jacksonville, so this was a good reason to just swing by Orlando while there to pick him up.

The kids and I left early Friday and got to the park at 1pm. Did some walking, checked out some shows and passed the time while waiting to get hubby.

Got a hotel reservation about 6 miles from SeaWorld. It was nice. Had 3 heated pools with slides and a put put golf right on the property. We spent all 3 nights at the pool and playing golf :)

The kids were awesome and not too much trouble. Dalton even rode Journey to Atlantis for the first time and said he was not scared, but I have a feeling he won't be going on again anytime soon.

We also went to Aquatica for the first time and I was not impressed. Andrew and I stood in line for the Dolphin plunge for almost a hour and it took 20 seconds to go down and I didn't see a thing, but Andrew liked it....

I LOVE going to Seaworld. We go 2-3 times a year. We decoded to get passports for 2 years and it has been so worth it. Free admission anytime of the year, free parking, discounts on food and we get special seating right in the front :)

As soon as we got home we were busy with shopping for food, since we did not have much for being gone 3 days. Then we took the kids to the summer movies at the local theater.
Today was waterpark day and we were there a good 3 hours. It was just right as far as the temp and weather but the water was way too cold for me.

Walgreens shop and savings

2009-06-18T16:37:00.004-04:00

I was suppose to clean the house and do laundry, but found some great deals I could snag from Walgreens, so that's where I went.

Here is what I got:
2 Schick Razors $ 1.49

3 Oreo Cakesters $ .57

3 John Frieda Root Awakening $ 1.00

I paid $3.06 after coupons and RR for all this

Savings Thursday

2009-06-18T15:29:00.003-04:00

I LOVE Thursdays. This is the day I do all my grocery shopping and go to some local stores like CVS or Target to grab some last minute deals.

Today I went to CVS for a few extra things I didnt grab the past 2 times I went and then went to Publix.

CVS Shop:

1 box of Rice Krispies $.88

1 Schick Razor $ .99

2 Style Science cleaning cloths $1.98

After coupons and ECB I actually made $8.00!!!! And I have a few ECB left for my next trip.

Publix Shop:

2 Honey Maid crackers $ 2.99

4 Bic razor packs $ 2.98

2 Perdue Breaded chicken nuggets pack $ 2.39

4 Starbucks Ice Creams $ 2.58

6 Edward Pie Slices $ 5.25

After all coupons and sales I paid $16.19. Not bad for all of that.

Now that I am done with shopping, I have some cleaning to do around the house.
Here is what I need to do before dinner time:

* Laundry
* Mop kitchen and dinning room floor
* Unstack Dishes
* Organize junk drawer

Onward kids! To the movies we go

2009-06-16T13:50:00.003-04:00

Took the boys to the local movie theater. It's $1 movies, and some we like or have not seen yet.
Thank goodness Nic is at that age to behave. He does quite well and does not get up as much as I thought he would, but he is very vocal in some parts o the movie lol

Since yesterday was full of drama and chaos, I did not get much done. I have a lot of catching up today.

Here is what I have planned to get done before dinner time:

* Sweep living room
* Laundry
* Replenish my fridge since the meltdown ruined all the food
* Knit a hat
* Organize and clean out drunk drawer

What a day

2009-06-15T17:57:00.002-04:00

I swear when it rains it pours... I woke up to see my fridge was not working. The temp was flashing and all the food was warm or slightly cold. I thought I had left the door open a little and waited to see if it would get cold again. Well, no such luck. As soon as I finally broke down and called the appliance place the fan was making horrible noises.

The service man came out said it was yada yada and that it would be a week before the parts would come in!!! UGH I cannot live without food in the house for a week. I am lucky that my freezer is run on a different fan.

I then decided to go and buy a small fridge so we would have milk and stuff for the next week. All of my other items are shot and had to be thrown away (Bummer) But with a small fridge I could get the things we use eferyday and just buy here and there with all the rest when we needed.

Well, when I got home from getting the mini fridge, the main fridge was working Hmmmmm. Not sure whats going on, maybe he fixed it when he went in there and played around.

Since I have the small fridge I am going to wait on buying parts to fix the main fridge and see if it keeps up with the normal temp. Maybe he fixed it?

The only good thing about this whole ordeal was the box that the mini fridge came in lol Kept the boys happy for a good 1-2 hours

Now the good part for me was my 2nd CVS shop. Grabbed a few extra things today that I did not get yesterday.

I grabbed:

3 3-1 Purex complete

1 Schick Razor

1 Dial body wash

1 Excedrine Migraine

All this for $4.00 (I used coupons and ECB)

CVS shop June 14

2009-06-14T14:00:00.003-04:00

I had some ECB leftover from my last shop, so since I saw sme things we could use, I went shopping.

Here is what I got:
5 boxes of cereal
1 Crest toothpaste
1 2 pk of CVS toothbrushes
2 Dry Idea Deoderants
2 Excedrin Migraine

All of this for $2.71 after ECB and coupons.... I also got $8.00 back in ECB for my next trip.

10 year Highschool reunion

2009-06-12T14:06:00.002-04:00

I cannot believe it has been 10 years since High school. Those days were good and bad for me. I had a awkward 4 years. I was not popular and didn't have many friends....
I was bullied by a few other girls, and that has stuck with me till this very day.

Our high school reunion is this weekend. I am going... but it took a lot of yes and no's before I decided to go.

One reason I was not sure if I should go is due to the bad memories I have of the place and the people whom I went to school with.
I know I was not pretty, didn't dress the best, did not have a lot of friends in school. But we do with what we have growing up and make the best of it. My parents didn't buy me designer clothes, expensive haircuts, nice shoes, and so on.... but I was loved.
Unfortunately I think in high school, those petty things matter the most to people and that ultimately decides how popular or liked you will be.
I do not think I was a bad person. I tried to stay out of trouble, went to school, made okay grades, never tried to start fights or drama..... I know I did make some bad choices when it came to friends or boyfriends or enemies, but hey, we all do that. But I did the best I could at that age and with what I had.

Second reason for the yes and no was due to me not even graduating from the school. I ended up getting pregnant at age 18 and in 12th grade. My pregnancy was horrible and I missed lots of school because of it and had to make a choice and it was to leave school. I am going cause I feel that since I put all those years in going, all of my friends went there that I wanted to go so I could see those who I have lost touch with and still remain friends with....

I am excited and nervous at the same time. I do not do well in these types of situations. I am not shy but I am not outgoing either. I do not drink and do not go to clubs....

I guess we will see how this turns out. Either way I am glad I will be able to see those whom I miss and have such wonderful memories of and with.

Publix shopping trip 6-11

2009-06-11T11:45:00.003-04:00

I did my weekly Publix shop today. Here is what I got after coupons and sales:

4 boxes of Velveeta Cheese dinners $2.96

2 Chex Mix party mix $1.13

2 boxes of Cheerios $3.29

2 Keebler Sandies cookies $1.99

4 Ragu Spaghetti Sauce $3.18

2 Wishbone dressing $1.79

All this for $14.34

Happy 3rd Birthday Nicholas

2009-06-11T08:54:00.003-04:00

It was only yesterday that I woke up and felt that it was time to have our youngest son. My husband drove me to the hospital and 6 hours later Nicholas was here. Almost 9 lbs! The biggest baby I have had :) From te moment he was born he was such a good baby. Only crying when hungry, sleeping well, just beautiful.
Where has the time gone??

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bathroom before and after

2009-06-10T16:26:00.003-04:00

I tackled the Master Bathroom. It needed it badly. This is one of the rooms that gets neglected and put on the back burner cause I have 2 other main bathrooms and other main rooms that need it more all day every day.

Now don't judge me lol It was bad. I hate walking into a dirty cluttered room. But time is only so long and this is just a room that is last on the list :)

With all the free things I get, under my sink gets cluttered and unorganized real quick.

Before

After

Busy as a bee

2009-06-10T14:08:00.002-04:00

From the moment I got up this morning, I have been busy busy.

After getting the kids fed and dressed, we headed to CVS to grab a FREE 8x10 I ordered online. I took a Black and White picture I took of them and used that for the free picture. I normally do not print pictures but since it was free, why not have one of the boys to frame.
Then headed to PetSmart to grab some food for the bottomless pit dog we have. Picked up a few toys for him as well since he has gotten so big and chews all the toys up in a matter of days. UGH

The big store we stopped at was Old Navy. Was eager and excited to use the $50 off $100 coupon I got online Monday. I used it to buy my husband some clothes. He needs some and since it was 50% off all men clothes, couldn't resist. I picked up some shoes for the boys and clothes for my oldest since he is the only one who does not have clothes for he next season.
I walked away with 3 bags full of clothes :)

I am exhausted. Shopping wears me out lol

Now its time to get on the list of things to do today before it's dinner time

* Deodorize Living room
* Vacuum
* Clean Master Bathroom
* Laundry
* Get trash ready for tomorrows pickup
* Clean Master Bedroom

Waterpark and Movies

2009-06-09T15:20:00.002-04:00

Took the boys to the waterpark at the last minute. We got a good 1 hour there before tey closed due to bad weather (When will it end??)

Today was Summer Movies in town. This is the first year I have gone with all 3 boys. I was worried Nic would not behave and sit, but he did quite well. I think we will do it again soon, just not right away lol

I am working on a speacial project to celebrate my youngest 3rd birthday.
I cannot believe he will be 3 in 2 days! The time really has gone by fast and I wish it woul stop now.... I am so proud of him and how smart and sweet he is. He really has been a blessing to us.

Kmart shop part 2, Old Navy and one tired chick

2009-06-08T11:22:00.002-04:00

I was determined to get a good coupon at Old Navy. Last week I missed out even though I stood by the computer all day. Dissappointed was a understatement!
So this week, I took my time here and there, was not going to waste my day for a coupon, but I was lucky and this morning was there when it was time to search. I was one of the lucky ones to get a $50 off $100!!! I am so stoked.

I made another shop to Kmart today. This time I had enough coupons to be able to grab 10 items worth (this is the limit) I found most of what I was going for and did really good.

I got all of my stuff for $7.00!!!

CVS shop

2009-06-07T15:40:00.003-04:00

I decided to go ahead and d a CVS run, due to doing it later in the week, they have less of the items I am going for.

I spent $7.47 for all of this

2 Dawn Dish Liquid

1 Gillette power razor

3 Colegate toothbrushes

2 Dove Body Washes

1 Dove Lotion

I used a $5.00 coupon given to me by CVS and then coupons and ECB.

I am quite happy with the result of my shop.

Kmart Deals and babysittng

2009-06-07T12:36:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I babysat a friends son. He is such a cutie. He was one of the best babies I have ever watched. The problem was my kids lol They had to be in the livingroom or out of it, causea gate had to be put up for the baby. This was tiring. I had to lift tem in and out all day! The dog had to be in the crate or he would have licked him to death.
I decided not to watch him anymore. Just was not fair to the kids. We would have to stay in the house for the whole time. I felt that it was selfish of me to offer to watch him and not think about the kids and how this would effect them.
I feel bad that I offered to do it and then it turn out not to work well for us.

Today I hit Kmart for their double coupon days! They will double a coupon up to $2.00. Thats $4.00 off! did great. You can only do 14 coupons so I am taking it a day at a time. I got few items today to get started and plan to go through all my coupons for the next 6 days. The shop I did today only cost me $2.28.

Here is what I got

2 Right Gaurd for men
1 bottle of Clearasil facial scrub
1 pack of dog treats
1 pack of disposable cleaning gloves

List of things to do today:

Clean upstairs bathroom
Put laundry away
Mow lawn
Go through coupons

Victoria Secret Score!

2009-06-05T17:52:00.002-04:00

I don't buy expensive Bras and Panties. But I do like VS stuff, so when I can get it free or dirt cheap, I go for it.
First off, I went to VS today and used a coupon I got online for today only, and got 1 free Underwear. It was nothing fancy, but hey, it's VS and FREE.
Then I went online and looked up coupon codes for a great deal.
Found one for 25% off a clearance Bra or Panty, so I found one I liked and used the code, think the bra ended up being $14.99 Originally $30!
Then I used a code for a free Panty. On top of that I used a code for $10.00 off a purchase if you use your VS card. I did not have one, but applied for one and was approved. I plan to pay off this purchase and then cancel it.

The total for 1 bra and underwear was $11 shipped! This would have been easily $30 plus if I had not used these great codes and deals.

So for 3 items from VS for only $11, I am thrilled.

Here are the codes

25BRAPTY for 25% off 1 clearance bra or panty
SP918301 $10 off a order when using the VS credit card
PASS0609 Free panty The item code for this panty is 189-720 Its a certain style but you
can choose the color

Pantry Project Finished

2009-06-05T16:39:00.004-04:00

I got both Pantries done yesterday just did not have time to post the after pictures.

I was sad to see so much food wasted just because we did not notice it in there or it got pushed back.

Publix shopping trip

2009-06-04T13:27:00.003-04:00

I did well this trip. Planned my trip and got my coupons ready and out we went....

I got the following:

1 bag of Bertolli Skillet dinner

2 4 packs of GE light bulbs

2 boxes of Rasin Brand Crunch

1 14lbs of Fresh Step litter

2 packs of the Nestle Tollhouse refrigerated cookie dough

All of this for only $9.22!!

Fridge Project and Pantry job

2009-06-04T10:33:00.007-04:00

I decided to paint part of my fridge with Chalkboard Paint. I have been wanting to do it for some time and since my fridge is not brand spanking new, why not.

I envisioned it a bit different but it will still work the same no matter how it looks.

The best part is i can use it for notes, calendar, reminders and even a list of things I run out of n the fridge.... It wipes off easy and does not have to be permanent if you have some paint remover around.

My project for today is to organize the pantry in the house and in the garage. It has been neglected and I am sure some things that got pushed back are no good anymore.

I hope to work on my list of food needed and look at the circulars for local stores online before I head out

Here is a list of things I need to get done today if possible:

* Clean dog crate ( Vacuum and wash sheets)

* Laundry
* Grocery list

* Organize and clean out pantry

* Mop Kitchen and Dinning Room floors

Fridge done

2009-06-03T14:38:00.003-04:00

I was happy to be able to clean the fridge before it got dark outside. I am pretty sure rain is not too far away.

After cleaning it I thought about a project I have been wanting to do with our fridge. Its about 6 years old so I am not too worried about doing this and ruining it... I will post more about it tomorrow after I am done.

Here is a before and after picure. ot a noticable difference, but it is to mee since I could see up close on how dirty and cramped it was in there. I love when things are cleaned like this. Makes me want to go and open up the fridge to see it now lol

Before After

Just not going to happen

2009-06-03T12:53:00.002-04:00

I had all hopes to get to the fridge today and clean that baby out, head to toe, top to bottom, but it seems it will be raining soon and I do all the cleaning of the shelves outside... I will try and get some of it done but who knows....

Ran some errands today after my oldest got home from his friends. I loveto keep busy but with 3 kids under 10, its a challenge to stay sain and do it.

Got some really great items for FREE. I love free things, it's a mission of my mine to get as much free things as possible.

Here is what I got:

2 cans of Campbells soup

1 pint of Starbucks Ice Cream

1 pack of Oscar Hotdgs

I did have a coupon for free kitty litter and a free candy bar but they did not have the litter I had to get and I didnt get the coupon for the free candy bar till after I got home :)

Well, off to finish what needs to be done today before I loose motivation or become too tired (didnt get much sleep last night due to the dog oving around ALL night long)

I just have to say.....

2009-06-02T19:15:00.000-04:00

AHHHHHHH

I love when the kids have been fed, bathed. The dishes are being washed. Laundry has been folded and put away. Coffee is being made and the day is almost done.

Another great day

2009-06-02T16:57:00.002-04:00

My oldest went to the beach and over a friend's house to sleepover, so decided to take my other 2 boys to the waterpark. We got there, went in and sat down and boom, thunder lol Then we waited a few minutes till they allowed the kids back in. Got to playing for about 10 minutes and then we had to get out. There was a dark cloud so they freaked out :) But after about 10 minutes waiting they opened the park back up and the kids had a good 1 1/2 hours of playing. I must say, today was quiet, not crowded and just the right temp. We all had a good time. Too bad the rest of the week it will be raining.

I have been slacking in the cleaning department. Every year around this season, I have trouble breathing. Not sure if it is seasonal allergies or asthma. But I get worn out real quickly and then at a certain time of the year it just disappears...
I do hope to get my fridge cleaned out. A god scrub and get all the old food out to make room for the new.

Here is a run down of this weeks menu, not set day for this, just as I go and how busy we are.

* Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn and bread
* Chicken and Rice
* Spaghetti and Meatballs with homemade Garlic bread
* Grilled chicken marinaded in Sun dried tomato dressing with rice
* Pizza (I get a good deal for 2 large pizzas that we used for lunch the next day)
* Eggs, bacon and toast
* Pasta Bake (recipe to follow)

Pasta Bake

1lb ground beef
3 cups whole wheat penne pasta, cooked and drained
1 jar (26oz) Spaghetti Sauce
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown meat in large skillet, drain. Add pasta, sauce and 1/2 Parmesan cheese, mix well. ( I do this in a big bowl before I put it into a dish)

Spoon into a 13x9 inch dish, top with remaining cheeses.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Waterpark and Lazy Day

2009-06-01T15:16:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I took the boys to the local Waterpark. We had a good time. We were there a good 2 hours. Which is plenty when you have 3 kids going in 3 different directions and only one parent to supervise :) I'm just glad we got out and did itthis time. So many days plannedto go but never made it either because of rain, them not behaving or me not wanting to.

Today has been pretty lazy. Went and got food, then the kids played outside while I pulled weeds. I swear they grow faster then I can pull them. Today would have ben a good day for some water and fun, but I'm too tired from being up till after 12am. Old Navy reset their coupons and I wanted to snag the $75 off a $100 order!

Now off to put laundry away, organize some bills and relax and knit if I can manage it all before dinner.

Yard Sales are so much fun

2009-05-30T17:00:00.002-04:00

I have had stuff piling up in the garage an felt that since this was the first Saturday with no rain in quite some time, what better day to have a yard sale :)
I got rid of a lot but still have leftovers, which I plan to just give away to Salvation Army orto the community.
I am happy to have cleared up the huse of things we didnt need or want anymore and the extra cash is nice :) I do plan to save the $ and use it for something we need.

I think tomorrow I a treating myself to a day at the Waterpark haha

The past 2 days

2009-05-28T17:23:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was ok. Was able to let the boys play on the Slip N Slide. They also got to play with the bubble maker I bought for them. They had more fun with that then the slide. Thank goodness we did it when we did, cause 1 hour later it was thundering, hard rain and lightening. I am also happy we did not waste the time going to the water park. Already a mission to get 3 kids ready to go, would have been upset to have went all that way to leave a hour or two later....

After all the rain wen away, a beautiful bird came to the bird feeder we put in the front yard. I love looking over there and seeing them eat. We also have a Hummingbird feeder and one day we had about 4-5 different ones feed off of it. They came 1 after another about 5 minutes apart for a hour straight, so pretty.

Today I took the boys to Chuck E Cheese. Last minute thing. Was going to take them to the Sprinkles Museum in Jax, its a great museum just for kids. All miniature version things, like dr, gym, grocery store, you name it. Well, found out it closed :(

So my mom suggested CEC. The boys had a good time and we ended up using all the tokens I had saved for months lol

Finally there is sun!

2009-05-27T09:25:00.002-04:00

It has rained non-stop for the last week. I was happy at first cause my grass needed it, then it got to be too much lol The good thing is my grass is green and plush, and I didnt have to pay to water it :)

I had plans to take the boys to the local waterpark, but I just do not have the motivation for it. I think I am going to let them out on the slip and slide. That way we don't have to go to far and I can get some things done in the yard while they play. If it does not rain tomorrow , we are for sure going to the waterpark.

Here is what I have planned for my to do list:

* Sweep kitchen and dinning room
* Clean game room
* Laundry
* Put laundry away
* Clean dog bedding and crate

Old Navy, Family Pictures and a Baseball Game

2009-05-25T10:48:00.004-04:00

We went to Jax yesterday to go to a Baseball Game and get pictures done of the kids.

I figured we would stop by Old Navy while there and look at their clearence stuff for the boys.

I was happy I did. All items were a additional 50% off! I got 2 huge bags full of boy clothes, some winter, some summer, for $50.00!! I am so stoked on how much I saved. All 3 boys will be set for next year on top of the hand me downs of the oldest. My oldest was the one who needed the most since he does not get hand me downs and grows like a weed.

We also went to the Picture People to have pitures done of the kids. My mother wanted ones of all the grandkids. I must say they all came out wonderful! I was so happy how my boys pictures turned out. I picked out 2 of the 3 taken. Was hard not to get them ll, all of the kids came out really good.

After pictures we headed to my moms for a early Memorial Cookout. Chris had to leave this morning so we wanted to celebrate before he left. Then it was off to the Baseball Game. We have gone this day for the last 2 years, and we get pretty good seats.

They had fireworks at the end which the boys loved. Oh, and out home team won :)

My childhood friend Kellie

New Vacuum and Game Night

2009-05-24T10:58:00.003-04:00

I am so happy to say I saved $200 on my Dyson! I bought mine from Lowes. Got the Animal version, since we have 2 cats and a dog, it was needed!
Well, while at Lowes I saw that they would be anyone else's price plus 10%! So I was on a mission to find the same vacuum at another store cheaper.

Well, low and behold, Best Buy had their's for 20% off. So I printed up the advertisement and brought it to the store and my reciept. They were happy to give me the difference in price and then 10% off that. So I saved 30%. I am so happy. I got a $600 vacuum for $400. It's the same price as thecheapest Dyson but the most expensive brand. Whoot! I am a Happy Housewife for sure!

Then last night I decided to make a Spaghetti Dinner. All the way from Homemade Sauce, to Homemade Meatballs. I thouht well, a nice meal, so why not invite some guests over.

I asked my sister, her 2 boys and her boyfriend over.

We had a good time. Some wine, games and food. MMMMM

Me and my sister

(Andrew took this one, hence me not really being in the picture lol)

Back from a small break

2009-05-21T16:17:00.004-04:00

I know it has almost been 2 weeks since I have updated my blog. Lots have been going on here. Some good some bad....

My husband called me last Monday to inform me he would be coming home early from work. That they had no more work for him. This was 2 weeks before he was due home, so not good. The bad part was not knowing if they would have work for him in 2 weeks, when he ran out of pay.

When he got home we hurried to get his resume and documents out there in the Merchant Mariner world. With lots of hard work and determination, he got a call yesterday and has a new job.

This is kinda scary for us. New job means new experiences... new pay schedule and also not knowing much of what the future holds.

The good thing is he will be going to a more family friendly job, better pay, better outlook on th future as far as job security.

But I have faith that this was meant to be and will be good for us.

On a good note, my 2 oldest boys had their end of the year awards. Very exciting for them both. This is the first for my second son who is in Pre-K at the school.

My oldest got the highest award given at school, the Superintendent award. This is for having a A average in all subjects throughout the school year. He made straight A's all year. I am so proud of him!
He also claimed top AR (Accelerated Reading) in his grade and almost #1 in the whole school.

My second son, received a award for most improvement in Handwriting :) He has done very well writing his name. I just cannot believe he will be in Kindergarten next year. Where has the time gone?

Happy Mother's Day to me

2009-05-11T13:38:00.009-04:00

This Mother's Day was a good one. Even though my husband was gone, yet again, the boys and I had a good time.

First, my 2 oldest came home with a cake they made just for me. They were so cute. I just enjoy getting these each year. Then I got a paper with a poem and Dalton's handprints on it, he even signed his name. Andrew made me a bracelet and also a few cards.

Then Saturday we went to the beach with another mom friend who's husband was also away. That was a blast.

Then afterwards ate dinner with my wonderful sister.

Sunday, I awoke to my kids wishing me a Happy Mother's Day. Now that made my day. No gift could have made me as happy as that.

Then we decided to go to the local WaterPark, with my friend and her kids.

We had a great time. Spent 3 hours running around in the water and sun.....

My goals

2009-05-08T12:25:00.002-04:00

I took a day off from the computer, because I felt being on here or the easy access of it being on all day took away from what I really should be doing. Cleaning, cooking, taking care of my kids and animals. Also taking time for myself to read or knit, things I enjoy doing.

While I was gone for that short period, I thought about some things, even though it was a day, you can sure think and do a lot in that time when you do not have the distraction of a tv or computer. I fond it sad how this technology has taken some of the best pleasures in life away.

I have wrote down some of my goals from this point on, now they might change, add on some, take away some that just are not practical, but I hop to keep to it and also add more as I go.

* Do no buy anything that is not needed or cannot afford. If I do not have the "cash" then wait on it or think hard on if I really need it on the time it takes me to save for it. I have found impulse shopping is one thing I regret in the end. I realize after I have bought it that it was just not a need but a want, and a expensive want at that.

* Pay on all the credit cards, starting with the one with less balance and get it paid off and cut up and also, if I can, cancel the account. Make a list of what I owe, the interest and amount owed. I think this will put into perspective on how much we have spent and how silly we have been about our money.

* Make a schedule of things needing to be done around here. A chore list. Keep things clean and not put it off. Keep to the schedule so I do not get behind.

* Spend less time on the computer and TV. Only get on when really needed or when I have time for me. I think I am going to allow 1 hour a day for computer time. I think I send too much time just doing things that I really don't need to be on for. What a waste of time for what I could really be doing.

I hope to add more, because I believe there are more things I could improve on for my family and myself.

Happy Tuesday

2009-05-05T09:05:00.003-04:00

The start of the day came slow. I was awaken first by that darn alarm and then my oldest coming in and popping his head up from the side of the bed, talk about being scared to not being able to go back to bed :)
Got the kids dressed, off to school. Then it was off to watr the front yard, I fertalized it yesterday, so hopefully this helps the lawn. The dog has runied parts of it when he went potty.
I still have quite a few things to do even before lunch time, so I better get up and going...

Here is my to do list

* ~~Water lawn~~

* ~~Vacuum dinning room/ kitchen~~

* ~~Visit a friend at her store~~

* ~~Pick up some things at the store for dinner tonight~~

* Pick up a free 8x10 picture at Walgreens ( I got this by going online and entering the code MOTHER, got a free 8x10) TOMORROW

* ~~Clean out oldest sons room, now that will be a challenge lol~~

My vision and dreams

2009-05-03T11:16:00.002-04:00

Looking back 15 years ago, I would have never seen myself where I am now. I had no intentions of having kids, getting married, was far from my mind then.
Then looking back 10 years ago, I would have never thought I would have a baby and be married at 18. But when I met my husband, it all was meant to be. I LOVED him so much. So when I got pregnant, it was a blessing. Meant to be..... And it was.
Fast forward to now....
I never thought I would be a sahm and housewife. I started being one 8 years ago, more because I needed to for my son. Chris was gone all the time and I just could not leave him without one parent home for his needs....
Now that I have been home and have 3 kids now and married over 10 years, I am sooooo happy with my choice. It was not easy at first, I was alone, sad, depressed. I had only my son and I was a young mom. My husband was gone almost 10 months out of the year.....
I think everything is meant to be, our choices will soon become clear if they are not at the time we make them.
I love being home with my kids, at home when my husband is back from work, I love cleaning my house, taking care of the animals, I love being here for my husband and his needs, he works so hard for us and deserves all my attention when he is home, cooking for my family. Being home for them when they get home from school, helping with their name or homework, holding them when they are sick....
I am just so glad I am able to be home to take care of my home and my family, what a great choice and privilege that is!

To do list 5-2

2009-05-02T10:48:00.002-04:00

I have not posted my to do list in quite some time, but don't let that think that I have not been busy lol

* ~~Clean walls and base board in kitchen~~

* ~~Scrub all doors in kitchen~~

* ~~Clean oven~~

* ~~Hang dry 2 loads of laundry~~

* ~~Clean kitty tree in game room~~ (that thing is full of cat hair, ugh)

* ~~Vacuum dinning room and kitchen~~

* Clean and purge cupboards in kitchen

Yesterdays post today

2009-04-30T13:46:00.003-04:00

I got so busy yesterday with the house, dinner, playing outside with the kids and then a night out with a girlfriend, so I am posting what I was going to yesterday, today.

We got a lot done on the house, had to hurry cause Chris was leaving for his monthly trip to work today.

Added some decor to the porch, not too much to notice but makes things pop out a little bit now.. We also enclosed the AC units in the back with lattice, the dog was digging a hole in between them and also tearing up the insulation on the wire and vent. Just need to spray paint it white to match the house.

I cooked a great meal last night with out new Deep Fryer. I am not a seafood person but I love Fried Fish, so we bought a few pounds of fish and fried them.

Here is the recipe: (Very simple)

1 pound of fish

1/2 cup flour

Salt and Pepper to taste an 1 teaspoon Paprika

Cook at 375 for 5-6 minutes, flip in between

Then my KitchenAid came in the mail last night so I whipped that baby out of the box, cleaned it and made Sugar Cookies. I saved the dough to make them today cause it needed to chill for 2-3 hours and it would have been too late.

I will post pictures and the recipe later on today.

House Makeover

2009-04-27T22:04:00.005-04:00

Let's just say, I have always hated the way my house has looked. We bought brand new and had it built, but I had no style or sense of what I liked then, this was a long time ago :)

We have gone through many changes over the years and I finally am starting to have my house look the way I want. It won't be done tomorrow but slowly. I sure takes a lot of time and money to make your dream in your head happen.

But for the last few days we have been working on the yard and house............

I know its far away pics, but we have added a bird house to the front, changed the black shutters and door to a ash blue (which I love) Added a screen porch, hung flowers over the porch, added some plants to the patio and also planted some lattice flowers on the side.

Oh and the fun part was the boys helped out and had fun.... maybe cause they thought they were going to get paid LOL Already on their way to being Millionaires.....

Here is a before, maybe a few yeas ago, to now.

Before

During

After

Quick Post

2009-04-25T10:13:00.001-04:00

I LOVE my family and eveything we have and everything we have to look forward to.

Homemade Sweet Pretzels

2009-04-19T16:44:00.004-04:00

I made Homemade Pretzels for the family. I thought I would give it a try and see if thhy are better then the expensive boxed ones.
Personally I think the box pretzels are like plastic and just not worth the money and taste no where near the kind you can buy in the mall.

Here is the recipe I used to make mine:

1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups Warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
to taste coarse salt
4 tablespoons butter (melted)

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope* (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in 450 oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter. I used Sweet Cream butter. This gives it the sweet tatse. If you really want a great taste, dip the whole pretzel into butter and then let it drip on a cooling rack.
Top with Kosher Salt and or Cinnimon for a different taste.

My son was in the news

2009-04-18T09:57:00.003-04:00

He has loved Star Trek forever. He has been going to shows and conventions since he was a baby, maybe 1 month old. Has won multiply costume contests.
So when something related to Star Trek came into town, I knew he would love to go.
He had a blast and was lucky to have been picked to be on the news.
He always was featured in 2 different newspapers in Jacksonville and here in town.

He can be seen on the news by following this link...

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?playerId=newsmaker&maven_playlistId=6d956fb18503371af2eeca8d1349a6209a152994&maven_referrer=mrss&maven_referralPlaylistId=6d956fb18503371af2eeca8d1349a6209a152994&maven_referralObject=1096620772

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T12:16:00.001-04:00

We have decorated the eggs, opened our Easter Baskets and hunted for eggs. Now time to relax and enjoy our Easter Dinner later on.
I hope everyone enjoys their day today and has a Happy Easter.

Cleaning under the sink

2009-04-07T12:44:00.003-04:00

I follow a awesome blog to help with cleaning and great tips.

I am a few days behind from being sick, but I am back in the swing of things and hope to get my house back in order.

TodayI cleaned out under the sink. t needed it too. I dn't know when the last time I cleaned under there.

Go here or great tips of cleaning under the sink.

Here is the before and after of my chore for the day.

Before

After

Being sick sucks

2009-04-02T08:50:00.003-04:00

I have been sick since Monday. I went to the dr and they said it was a Upper Respiratory Infection but I think it' the flu.
I am still sick but not as bad. I think the fever broke last night.
No Chris is sick, so I have to play dr while being sick. So much fun lol
I hope to get back on here and start being more active.

Saturdays are suppose to be fun right?

2009-03-28T17:21:00.003-04:00

I was quite tired this morning after being out till after 12am with a good friend. Went and saw Duplicity. It was ok. Kind of slow in parts and didn't seem to get anywhere till the end, and I had it figured out way before the middle of it.
Had Chris go and get us Doughnuts. They were a treat. I like the Entenmanns', actually really the only ones I will eat. So I was happy to have it for breakfast.
Then after breakfast I decided to get some laundry hung on the line. I love when it is warm enough to hang dry clothes. I love the smell of the laundry, the feel, and also how much it saves me with electricity lol Its also just a great thing to pass the time doing. Call me old fashion.
Also cleaned up the backyard, which needed it. I had mowed the lawn the day before so today I cleaned up where the swing set had been and got it looking like a normal part of the yard. The kids were happy to be able t play back there. Seeing we have a huge backyard, its a good place to play and be able to relax and watch them play.
After 2 loads of hanging laundry, cleaning the backyard, cleaning the highchair and cleaning up in the house, I am wiped out. It has been some time since so little has made me tired.
I am making spaghetti and homemade meatballs, with garlic bread. After dinner I hope to sit and relax reading a book I just bought and then call it a night.

Sorry for being MIA

2009-03-26T15:53:00.002-04:00

When my husband comes home things get busy around here. The few days following his arrival is tied up with cleaning, laundry you name it, so he actually thinks I do something around here while he is gone a month lol
He is now home after being gone over 30 days! I swear it feels longer each time. He came in last night at 11pm, so we were all tired and slept in this morning.
Now it's time to tend to him and love all over him and spend time as a family. I will try and get on more to just keep up with the blog, if I can.

Publix shop

2009-03-24T11:01:00.002-04:00

I did quite well today at Publix.

Here is what I got and how I did it:

2 Del Monte Whole Kernel Corn $.79 each
Used 2 $.75 off coupons found here
$.04 each after coupon

6 boxes of Hamburger Helper (Tuna, and Hamburger) $1.95/2
Used 2/$1.00 off 3 coupon here
$3.85/3 after sale and coupons

2 A&W Rootbeer 2/$1.70

After all sales and coupons I paid $5.63