Monday, March 22, 2010

Grocery Challenge

I feel like I totally rocked Gerbes tonight.  I got all this stuff, yes 8 boxes of that yummy wheat Ronzoni pasta, all for $23.15.  I totally love how the bottom of your receipt tells you how much you've saved. What I really love is when that amount saved is a whole lot more than the amount I spent.

Okay, not quite as good of deals at Target on groceries. The fruit snacks are a necessary evil of a kid in public school, sending a prepackaged snack each month.  The Poptarts I had coupons for along with a sale and with buying those four products the Yogo's were free.  Total spent, $6.52.

sig-1

Room Challenge 2010 - Office

Okay, here it is . . . the office. Lots of books, many of which I will probably never use again, so I keep wondering why I have them. A stack of things that need to be filed, along with more that is stashed away in a tub in the basement. A printer that needs to be set back up, but first, room made to set it up. More stacks of papers on top of the file cabinet, stacks under the desk and stacks probably somewhere else that belongs in here and put away.


This is my next challenge. Organize and deep clean the office.









So, who else is up for a challenge? Do you have an office or home school room or area that needs organized? If so, I’d love you to join me. If you have a blog, please post the link in the comments so I can see and read about your progress as well.
sig-1

Freebie in the mail




sig-1

Menu Plan Monday



Monday: Pizza Night
Tuesday: Biscuits & Gravy
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Chicken & Dumplings
Friday: Meatloaf & Mac 'n Cheese
Saturday & Sunday:  the boys are fending for themselves.  I'm guessing something from the freezer and lots of grilling.

Also on the plan this week is to make a big batch of cinnamon rolls for the freezer as well as see if I can freeze my homemade biscuits and then bake them from the freezer like the kind you can buy at Walmart.
sig-1

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Room Challenge 2010 - Master Bedroom

My corner of the room before:
My corner of the room after:

Isn't it pretty????  Annie's kennel is in that corner.  I like that its a little less intrusive in the room tucked back there.


TV wall before:

TV wall after:

I havent' taken the little cardbord protectors off of the corners yet until I get the final thumbs up from the hubby, but I really like the pictures.  You can't really tell but there is some red in it that is a great match with the quilt on the bed.  I also tacked the extension cord for the tv up along the door frame where it is much less noticeable.


Notice the cute covered photo boxes.  One has blank tapes and other tv/vcr stuff in it, the other has Annie's treats that we give her when she has to go in the kennel when we leave.  I used spray adhesive and scrapbook paper and I really like how they turned out.

My closet before:


My closet after:

I cleaned out a lot more clothes that I didn't need anymore, I also hung all of my jeans and capri's on pant hangers on the top row.  Those, along with a few other things that found new homes in the smaller dresser over in my corner had been in the wardrobe that is now in the basement and ready to hold all of my scrapbook and craft stuff.  The tubs on the top hold things that are only needed a couple of times a year, like long underwear.


My room looks so big and beautiful  now.  I love it!!!

The past couple of weeks not only saw me decluttering but deep cleaning.  the cobwebs are gone, the ceiling fan clean, the baseboards scrubbed and the marks on the wall magic erasered.

I am very happy with the outcome.  Now on to the next room to get the room challege treatment.

Coming soon . . . the office!

sig-1

Freebie in the mail

I'm really excited about the pen, it writes very smoothly!

sig-1

Monday, March 15, 2010

Freebie in the mail

I'm a little behind in posting my freebies from the last week.
Munchkin number one snarfed these down as soon as he saw them.

This included one coupon for a free box, so it feels like a double freebie.

One free garbage bag.

A full size bottle of shampoo.  How cool is that!!!
sig-1

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Pizza Night


Tuesday: Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Eldest Munchkin is cooking dinner. Not sure what his plan is yet.

Friday: Nachos

Saturday: Grilled Cheese & Soup

Sunday: Grill out


sig-1

Monday, March 8, 2010

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Sitter Night - Pizza.  I made some frozen individual sized pizzas. I hope they work well so I can make a bunch more to use for sitter nights.

Tuesday: Deer Steak and Fried Potatoes

Wednesday: Waffles (making extra to freeze)

Thursday: Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

Friday: Roast, Potatoes & Carrots

Saturday & Sunday:  Mama's at Hearts At Home.  I'm leaving lots of leftovers for the boys, that and Daddy is very good at fending for himself.  I married a wonderful man.

sig-1

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Grocery Challenge

To finish off my grocery shopping week I picked up pizza sauce and caramels.  I've been looking for the caramels for a while to make Caramel Rice Krispy bars.  I've found the little caramel ball thingies that are made for melting but they haven't worked right in my recipe.  I can't wait to make them with the real, have to unwrap each one, caramels. 

I spent $5.76 and plan to make some individual pizzas this week to freeze for sitter nights.

This puts my total for the week, and since its the beginning of the month, my total for the  month at $19.40.

I'm feeling pretty good about that!


sig-1

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Grocery Challenge

I'm trying REALLY HARD to just buy the basic staples this month and do a lot of pantry and freezer meal planning. Of course, you can't pass up a buy one get one free Oreo coupon, and then had to get some ice cream so we can use the Oreos and milk to make milk shakes. Those are necessities right? At least when Daddy is on a weeklong trip, milkshakes are necessities. Also, not a bad way to celebrate the younger munchkin getting his casts off after 7 loooong weeks.




Today at Walmart I got 3 5lb bags of potatoes for $0.97 each, two things of ice cream, a gallon of milk and two packages of Oreos for only $13.64. I’d say it was a successful shopping week!


sig-1

Monday, March 1, 2010

Room Challenge 2010 - Master Bedroom

A few friends and I decided to challenge each other to work on a room a week to organize and clean. We’re starting in our master bedroom. Our goal is not only for some good deep cleaning, from ceiling fan to baseboards and everything in between, but also to help make that room a sanctuary. My bedroom usually becomes the place that things get stashed and I don’t want it to be that way.


I’m posting some before pictures, and at the end of the week I’ll post some after pics to see the difference. My bedroom is usually actually worse than these pictures show, but having the house on the market it stays a little better than usual.

This is my corner.  I need to organize the top of my dresser and nightstand, as well as clean out the magazine and book basket that is between the bed and nightstand.  The wicker hamper next to the dresser has stuff stashed in it, I haven't decided if I'll clean it out and use that for something else, or keep it as a place to stash things like the cheap DVD's that I buy and save for long doctor appointments.  The toddler bed should be leaving this week since the little munchkin gets his casts off tomorrow and should be able to go back to his room!!
Close up of the corner that I stash things that need put away.

I need to find better homes for the things stashed under the wardrobe, and maybe move the kennel to where the toddler bed is, haven't decided yet.  I also want to get some baskets for the shelf under the tv to hold the doggie gotta be stuck in the kennel treats and empty tapes for taping stuff.
Not my side of the room.  Not much I can do about this part except ask my dear sweet husband to organize his area. 
My closet.  Not bad but I need to get the laundry basket off the top shelf and put away all the stuff I stashed in it once when we had a short notice showing. I'm sure there are more things I can get rid of that I don't wear often enough to need to keep.





Okay, let’s get this party started! Who’s with me? If you want to join in on the fun please comment and share what you’re doing and if you have a blog, share a link so we can see your before and afters!
sig-1

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Pizza night


Tuesday: Cast off day!!! Drive thru on the way home.  Woo Hoo! Celebration!

Wednesday: Chicken Lo Mein

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Fried Dog (fried bologna)

Saturday: Chicken & Dumplings

Sunday: Church Pot Luck


sig-1

Freebie in the mail

I received several freebies in the mail over the last couple of weeks.


First I received a freezer tote from Sams, a degree spray sample and sweetener from Sweetleaf:


A few days after that I got my Busy Mom’s Bible in the mail.


Today’s mail had a free sample and coupon for Cream of Wheat.

 
 
Free is so cool!
sig-1