Weekend Update

Dave went caving this weekend with a group of students from school. While we was gone, the kids and I went to Molly's house for the night. Molly and I celebrated my birthday while we were there.

Here are my presents, a lap top bag and a small tote to match the purse I bought last week. So fun!


Once Nick got home from work to watch the kids, Molly and I went out for a yummy dinner at Ippolito's, the same place we went for her birthday in November. Then we went to the mall to use a coupon that she had received in the mail from New York and Company.

I got this outfit plus a purple shirt that is currently in the laundry.

After we got back from the mall, we watched Nights at Rodanthe while playing on our laptops. It was okay, but not great. The book and movie both have a horrible ending.

This morning, Molly and I went to a consignment sale near her house. Then the kids and I headed home, and Dave got home around lunchtime. I know two kiddos who were happy to see their daddy!

Grocery Totals for February 22-28

Grocery Store Spending - $89.90
Grocery Store Savings - 66%

Drug Store Spending - $0

Total Amount Saved - $172.35

Publix Deals and Steals

I normally do my Publix run on Monday. But this morning in my e-mail, I received a $5/$20 purchase coupon from Rite Aid, which I can use as a competitor's coupon at Publix, so I decided to go today. I like to us $/$$ coupon like this to purchase things that I need/want but don't have a coupon for. While I was putting my stuff on the belt, the lady in front of me handed the cashier her two coupons. He commented to her that the lady before had a huge pile of coupons and only paid like $4, so he was glad she only had two. I told him to get ready because I had a pile of coupons for him. I ended up spending $15.24 and saving $55.80 or 79%.

Here's what I got with prices listed after sales and coupons -

1 lb asparagus - $1.49
2 Bird's Eye Voila frozen meals - $1.50 each
1 roll Mentos (not pictured) - $.79
2 6 packs Yoplait kids' yogurt - $.90 each
1 package strawberries - $.67
1 box Velveeta shells - $1.00
2 jars Classico pasta sauce - $.74 each
1 Sara Lee pound cake - $3.99 (No coupon or sale. This is for chocolate fondue next weekend.)
1 container Publix ricotta cheese - $1.00
1 package Oscar Mater beef hot dogs - $3.00
1 box animal crackers - free
2 boxes Mueller's Ziti - $.38 each
2 boxes Pop Tarts - $.20 each
1 bag shredded cheddar - $1.67
1 box Kraft macaroni and cheese - $.19
9 cans Del Monte diced tomatoes - $.05 overage each
2 cans Muir Glen tomato sauce - $.11 overage each

And can you guess what I am making for church lunch Sunday based on my shopping list?

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Baked Ziti! Yumm!

One of My Favorite Things

I love this time of year, not just because the weather is getting warmer, but because my favorite flower, the daffodil (or the jonquil as it in the city where I grew up) is blooming all over the place. When we moved into this house, we had no way of knowing if there were any planted in our yard. They grow from bulbs and come back every year, but it was the wrong season for them when we bought our house. Unfortunately, there were not any already planted, so I planted some under the mail box at the first opportunity. I am not much of a gardener or a landscaper as clearly evidenced by our yard, but I definitely had to plant some daffodils to make my house feel like a home.

Kid Funnies

Alexa is such a little bookworm. She loves to sit in this chair, surround herself with library books, and "read" them one by one VERY loudly. I want to get a video sometime, but she is not very cooperative.

And in Caleb news, we were sitting at the table eating lunch today, and this is the conversation we had. He's too funny sometimes.

Caleb - "What should we do NOW, Mommy?"

Me - I think we should eat our lunch."

Caleb - That's a great idea, Mommy!"

Me - Thanks, Buddy.

Fondue Fun

Inspired by Molly's fondue post last week, I decided to put cheese fondue on the menu this week. We had grilled chicken, apples, carrots, broccoli, and bread for dippers. I gave each of the kids a small bowl of cheese to dip in. Dave, Alexa, and I enjoyed it, but Caleb wasn't so sure about it, which was weird to me since he loves dips and cheese. Oh well.

Partners in Crime

Yes, that is whole a pile of (clean) cloth diapers. I guess it was about time for me to fold them anyway.

Happy Birthday to My Favorite Brother...

...who also happens to be my only brother. Hope you have a great day!

Another Birthday Dinner

Dave, the kids, and I went to Macaroni Grill for my birthday dinner tonight. The food there is fantastic, and they bring out yummy bread with olive oil for dipping (although the bread was a bit salty today for some reason). But, the real reason I wanted to go there for my birthday is the large piece of chocolate cake which they bring you for free. As you can see, the kids enjoyed the cake, too.

Boxes, Boxes, and More Boxes

Three boxes arrived at our house today via UPS and the US mail. Lest you think I got lots of birthday presents, they were all things that I had ordered for the kids.

First up, the kids Easter outfits. Aren't they adorable? I can't wait for them to wear them! (Yes, Caleb will wear pants with his, but I plan to get some for cheap at a consignment sale.)


Next, Caleb's new game. This is used in the new preschool curriculum we will be starting in 2 weeks, and he also just loves games. We've already played it 3 times.


Finally, some books I ordered for Caleb for preschool. The kids dug right in and started "reading."

Super Savings at Publix

We headed out for our regular errands this morning, but we completely skipped CVS because there were no good deals this week. I did get some great deals at Publix, though. I spent $25.89 and saved $70.06, which is a savings of 73%! I used a $5/$30 coupon that I got in the mail from Publix.

Here's what I got with prices listed after coupons and sales-

1 bag Publix tortilla chips - $.01
2 packages Lenders frozen cinnamon raisin bagels - $1.00 each
1 package Lenders plain extra large bagels - $1.59 (grabbed the wrong package, oops)
1 loaf French bread - $1.29
2 bags Sargento shredded cheese - $1.20 each
1 bag Sargento sunbursts cheese - $1.20
1 half gallon Publix ice cream - $3.00 (for Dave)
6 boxes Green Giant frozen vegetables - free
2 bottles Glass Plus cleaner - $.25 each
1 bottle Smart Balance oil - $1.50
2 bottles Wishbone Italian dressing - $1.05 each (forgot to use one coupon, oops again)
2 bottles Clorox bleach - $1.49 each
.62 lb broccoli crowns - $1.05
5 cans Progresso soup - $.25 overage
1 can Muir Glen tomato sauce and 1 can Muir Glen diced tomatoes - $.61 overage
1 dozen eggs - $1.39
1 package Clorox wipes - free
6 bottles Juicy Juice - $1.25 each

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Out to Macaroni Grill for my birthday (and there was even a coupon in yesterday's paper!)

Tuesday - Cheese fondue with grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, bread, apples, and carrots

Wednesday - Filet Mignon for Dave, stuffed Sole for me, potatoes, green beans

Thursday - Voila meal, cheesy garlic bread, Caesar salad

Friday - Out with Molly for my birthday

Saturday - Homemade pizza, carrots and dip

Sunday - Lunch at church

Sunday Lunch

Molly and I made a yummy and cheap lunch after church today. We had BBQ sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, Caesar salad, and lemon cake. You can see the price details and some pictures on her blog.

A New Smoothie Recipe

Friday night for our movie night, I made a new smoothie, or drink blender as Caleb calls them, to go with our popcorn. It turned out very yummy, so I thought I would share the "recipe."

2 frozen bananas
1 1/2 cups milk
2 4 oz cartons Jello chocolate pudding (or you could use the equivalent amount of instant pudding)
2 large spoonfuls creamy PB (probably 4-5 TB)

Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Caleb's Number Book

Each week in school when we learn a new number, we add it to Caleb's Number Book. I write the number at the top of the page, and then he puts the correct number of stickers on the page. Fortunately his grandparents and Aunt Molly have kept him well-supplied with stickers. He likes to "read" each page, telling the number and the type of stickers. We have Cars, Thomas, Bob the Builder, Mickey Mouse, and Pooh stickers and more. Today he read his book to Daddy and Alexa. We are almost finished with the preschool curriculum that I have been using, so I plan to start a new one in two weeks to get us through the rest of the school year.

Birthday Dinner

We went out to dinner tonight with my parents for my birthday (We missed, Phillip, though. His birthday is the day after mine, so we usually share a birthday dinner). We don't go out to eat THAT often, but we did go to Chili's a few weeks ago. When we pulled into Chili's tonight, Caleb said, "Oh! It's so good!" And we did have a good dinner and a fun time. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

For Your Viewing Pleasure

My babies. Caleb is pictured on the left at nine days old, and Alexa is on the right at three days old. Sigh, they are getting so big!

Growing and Growing and Growing

When Molly and I went to the mall earlier this week, I took the kids to the shoe store to have their feet measured. Caleb's feet had not grown (fortunately), so all his shoes were fine. Alexa, however, walked into the shoe store wearing a size 6, when she already needed a size 7. I had stocked up on shoes from sizes 5-6 for her at last season's consignment sales and some clearance racks. But I didn't think her feet would grow THAT fast, so I didn't have any size 7 shoes around. So, I bought her three pairs. 'Cause a girl needs to have options, right? She has quite the shoe fetish (like Mommy), so she loved trying on several pairs. And she even got to wear the brown ones out of the store since her other ones were a whole size too small. Oops!

Grocery Totals for February 15 - 21

Grocery Store Spending - $75.20
Grocery Store Savings - 56%

Drug Store Spending - $11.40
Drug Store Savings - 75%

Total Amount Saved - $131.42

Please Pray...

...for the Sisler family. Nancy's mom will be going home to meet her Lord very soon. Please pray God's peace for their family during this difficult time.

Kroger Shopping Trip

I went into Kroger yesterday with the goal of spending less than $50. I ended up spending $39.28 and saving $42.08 or 52%. I managed to get everything on my list plus a few items that were on Manager's Special! I didn't snap any pictures as my little helpers were a bit antsy. Here's what I got with prices listed after coupons and sales.

4 bottles Mott's apple juice (raincheck) - $.99 each
4 bottles Kroger OJ with calcium (raincheck) - $.99 each
2 6 packs Yoplait kids yogurt - $1.00 each
1 4 pack Yoplait Fiber One yogurt - $.25
1 box Multigrain Cheerios - $.67
1 package cubed ham - $1.79
3 slices bologna - $.60
1 package Kroger bacon - $2.24
1 round steak for London Broil - $2.67
2 1lb packages Kroger butter - $1.68 each (These weren't on my list, but I couldn't pass up that price. I threw them in the freezer for later.)
3 loaves Kroger wheat bread - $.69 each
1 package Lean Pockets - $.79
2 4 packs Cottonelle toilet paper - $.25 overage
2 packages Kroger hotdog buns - $.59 each
2 packages Kroger hamburger buns - $.59 each
1.4 lbs ripe bananas - $.55 (My store reduces ripe bananas to $.39/lb. Since I am planning to freeze them for smoothies anyway, buying ripe ones works for me.)
.50 lb broccoli crowns - $.85
3 rolls Kroger paper towels - $.68 each
2 pairs No Nonsense panty hose - $.24 each
2 boxes Kroger mac and cheese - $.50 each
1 package Kroger diapers - $3.49
1 carton Kroger salt - $.39
1 box Kroger trash bags - $2.50

Another Kind of Bargain Shopping

I post most often about my bargain hunting at the grocery store and drug store, but I rarely pay full price at other stores or online either. Molly and I went to the mall this week, and we were eying some Vera Bradley purses. Neither of us got one, though. They weren't on sale, and the one she liked was $56.

So, yesterday, I got a check in the mail for my birthday from Dave's parents (Thanks!). So, I hopped online to see if I could get a good deal on a purse (I plan to use the rest to go to Macaroni Grill for my birthday dinner on Monday). And then I called Molly to help me decide which one to get. I ended up buying this one -


It was $20, plus I ordered through Ebates to get 3% cash back on my purchase. And apparently it was such a great deal that Molly had to get in on it, too.

Bad Hair Day

Alexa tends to have a lot of bad hair days. I know my mom has shown pictures of Alexa's hair on her blog at least twice. It's more like a bad hair life, really. Here are some pictures from last night when she took her ponytail out at dinner. I think the ketchup smeared on her face really adds to the look, don't you?

A Meal for my Honey

It's not like I don't make Dave dinner almost every night, but last night we had a dinner that I made especially for him. I even got to use the new tongs and thermometer that his mom gave me for Christmas.
And here's the finished product - Rib Eye steak, oven fries, and roasted asparagus. It turned out pretty well if I do say so myself, and both kids even ate some asparagus (with their hot dogs).

Potty Training Success

Potty training has been going very slowly around here. Caleb is resistant to the whole idea and seems confused by the fact that I want him to continue to go potty every day of his life. I have the week off of school, so I'm planning to work with him some this week.

Last night, I was going potty (TMI, I know), and a child walked in the room, undressed (with some help), sat down, and peed on the little potty. Too bad it was Alexa not Caleb! Yes, I might possibly be able to potty train my 19 month old and 3.5 year old simultaneously. I praised Alexa and gave her a Valentine's heart for her treat for going potty. I asked Caleb if he wanted to go potty so he could have a piece of candy, too, to which he responded with a resounding no. Oh well!

Happy Valentine's Day, Grammy

Alexa (with Dave's help, of course) made Grammy this beautiful Valentine's card. She was actually more into the coloring and decorating than Caleb was. When Grammy stopped by yesterday, Caleb ran up to her, said, "Happy Valentine's, Grammy," and gave her his card. It is not pictured since she took it home with her. Alexa, however, showed Grammy her card, pointing to heart on the front and babbling nonsense about the stickers inside. It quickly became apparent, though, that she didn't want to give Grammy the card, just show it to her. And being the nice Grammy that she is, Grammy politely thanked Alexa for showing her the card and went home without it.

70% Saving at Publix

Today at Publix I spent $21.98 and saved $50.78. And that even included buying steaks.

Here's what I got with prices listed after coupons and sales -
1 lb of asparagus - $2.49
3 Betty Crocker cookie mixes - $.54 each
2 Rib Eye steaks - $10.00
3 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers - $.11 overage each
1 package strawberries - $2.50
4 8-packs Juicy Juice juice boxes - $1.00 each
1 Cover Girl lip gloss - $.41 overage
3 International Delight coffee creamers - $.01 overage each
1 2L Publix gingerale - $.01
1 bunch bananas - $1.20
3 tubs Betty Crocker frosting - $.01 overage each

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Orange Teriyaki chicken, rice, broccoli
Tuesday - Steaks, baked potatoes, asparagus, rolls
Wednesday - Asparagus, chicken, and penne pasta, garlic bread, salad
Thursday - BBQ ribs, macaroni and cheese, fruit, green beans
Friday - Crunchy chicken fingers, oven roasted potatoes, salad
Saturday - Out to eat
Sunday - BBQ sandwiches, baked beans, coleslaw

Bowling and Pizza

Our exciting Valentine's date tonight consisted of taking the kids bowling with some other families from church and then out for pizza with Molly and Nick. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. Caleb was so excited today that we were going bowling. On the way there, I asked him if he knew what bowling was, and he answered no. Too funny that he was so excited even though he really had no clue what we were going to do. The bowling alley had a neat ramp for little kids. They could just push the ball down it, and it made the ball roll fast enough to actually knock down some pins. And we had bumpers in the gutter as well. Everyone had a good time, and I think Caleb even beat me on one game (sad, I know). Caleb managed to put away 2 pieces of pizza, 2 bread sticks, some carrots and dip, and some ice cream at dinner, and Alexa ate almost as much. I'm sure both of them fell asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows. Happy Valentine's Day!

ETA: Molly posted some pictures here.

Happy Valentine's Day

Grocery Totals for February 8 - 15

It was another good week.

Grocery Store Spending - $80.14
Grocery Store Savings - 61%

Drug Store Spending - $13.05
Drug Store Savings - 87%

Total Amount Saved - $216.76

Kroger Deals

Kroger was having an 8 hour sale today, so I went straight there as soon as the kids were in bed. I mean that quite literally. I was saying goodnight while walking down the stairs to get my jacket. Anyway, I got there before 8:00 when the sale was over. Unfortunately, the sale was so great that everyone wanted to get in on it. I was able to get Caleb's favorite blueberries, which were the main thing I wanted. I had to get rain checks for everything else.

I spent 44.19 and saved 47%. While that may not sound fantabulous, I did save a considerable amount in several cases by purchasing Kroger brand items that are way cheaper that the name brand and/or are cheaper than Publix or Aldi. I'll point out these items in my list. Anyway, here's what I got tonight.

2 6oz packages of blueberries - $.99 (Part of the 8 hour sale. This is a GREAT price)
2 half racks of pork baby back ribs - $8.50 (They were out of full racks, so I had to get 2 half racks)
1 bag Kroger tortilla chips - $.91 (Compare to $2.79 or so for Tostitos)
2 packages No Nonsense panty hose -$.24 each
4 Reesees whips candy bars - free
2 4 packs Yoplait Yoplus yogurt - $.50
1 lb bag of carrots - $.89 (Purchasing the baby carrots would have cost $1.49, so I saved $.60)
1 package Hormel pepperoni - $.80
1 head romaine lettuce - $1.68
2 dozen Kroger large eggs - $1.28 (Cheaper than Publix or Aldi this week)
2 bags Kroger shredded mozarella - $1.50 each
1 package Kroger tortillas - $1.25
2 loaves Kroger Value bread - $.88 (Publix brand bread is around $1.69, and Aldi's is $1.19.)
5 pouches Starkist tuna - free
1 package Kroger salami - $3.49
1 half gallon Kroger skim milk - $1.25 (A whole gallon is $2.99 at Kroger and Publix this week or $2.69 at Aldi, so buying by the half gallon was cheaper.)
1 gallon Kroger orange juice - $2.99 (Name brands are often $3.00 for 1/2 gallon.)
2 4 packs Cottonelle toilet paper - free
5 lb bag Gold Medal bread flour - $2.79
1 can Kroger black beans - $.79
2 bags Kroger value chocolate chips - $1.26 each (Aldi brand is about $1.69, and name brand is around $2.79.)
1 bottle Kroger soy sauce - $1.09 (Even with a coupon I had, the name brand would have been more expensive)
1 box Kroger pudding - $.52 (This is for a recipe I am making. Store brand was cheaper than Jello.)
1 bottle Suave kids's shampoo - free
3 Hallmark cards - $3.29 total for all 3

I got rain checks for -
$.99/lb red seedless grapes
$.99 1/2 gallons Kroger orange juice
$.99 64 oz bottles Motts apple juice (I'm hoping a coupon will come out for these before my rain check expires.)

Great Day

Dave had a great day today because I had to teach, and he didn't. He had a teacher workday today and gets tomorrow off.

I had a great day because I enjoy teaching, but also because today is the beginning of winter break. I now have the next 2 weeks off of school.

The kids had a great day playing with Grammy. You can check out her blog to see the details.

Works For Me Wednesday: The Library

The kids and I go to our local library 2-3 times a week. In no apparent order, here are the top ten reasons that I love the library.

1) Free entertainment. Caleb loves going to the library, and I can often bribe him to be good while shopping with a trip to the library afterward. It's also a great place to go to get out of the house when we have cabin fever.
2) Story time. The kids and I go most Wednesday mornings, and they love it.
3) Proximity. I left my house at 9:54 this morning, and we still made it to the library in time for story time at 10:00.
4) Putting items on reserve. I look for books online at home at my convenience, click a button to request them, and then pick them up at my local branch.
5) Movies. Our library has a great selection of kids' DVDs, and their adult DVD collection is getting better.
6) Friendly librarians. Several of the librarians at my branch know the kids and I by name and make a point to speak to the kids.
7) Magazines. I can check out magazines from the previous month. I especially like to grab several magazines before a vacation.
8) Good selection of Christian books. I used to buy a TON of Christian fiction because buying it was the only way to get to read it. Now our library carries many Christian fiction books, which I love.
9) Down loadable kids' videos. Our library has several video version of kids' books for download on their website. They can be watched on the computer.
10) Cookbooks. There is a great selection of cookbooks at my branch. I have been grabbing one a week or so to try new recipes.

Using the library works for me!

Cooking and Shopping

Alexa that is, not me (although I did do some of both today).

Every good cook knows that in the absence of an apron, you can just use your blankie.

Ready for shopping. She even has her credit card.
Putting her baby in the shopping cart

This Week's CVS Haul

I got everything in the picture (minus the cute little hand of my helper) for $13.05. That is a savings of $78.96 or 86%.

I got:
2 jumbo packs Pampers diapers
3 12 packs Coke
1 12 pack Barqs root beer
1 Madagascar 2 DVD
6 boxes Ritz
2 boxes Wheat Thins
2 packages Stayfree pads

Fun at the Park

This morning the kids and I met Molly, and we drove together to a friend's house to deliver some meal we had made. They recently welcomed baby #6. Then we met another friend at a park while we were in the area. It was a great park for little guys. The whole area was fenced, and the equipment was pretty low. After dropping Molly back off at her car, we went home for naps, which unfortunately ended very soon today despite running off lots of energy at the park.