Looking Foward to My First Garden

I have been inspired by the lovely weather here in Houston to revisit my hopes and dreams of starting my very own vegetable garden. (This is another great money saving opportunity.) This will be my first one, and to be honest, I am nervous.  What if I don't plant the right types of vegetables?  What if some stray animals eat them up?  What if they die?  Oh my.  However, if I lived my life based on "What If" scenarios I guess I wouldn't get very far.  So I am going to do it.  I went to the library today and checked out some gardening books, and my friend from my daughter's school has agreed to share some of her wisdom. (She has a garden in her backyard.)  Please pray for me.  I will keep you up to date on my progress.  (I am hoping I inherited some of the good gardening genes from my grandmother, father and aunts.  We shall see.)

Do you have a garden?  Why types of vegetables?  How was your first year?  Any books you suggest I read?

Saturday Savings

It's time to go shopping. You have you coupons in hand, and you are ready to use them. The next step is to determine WHERE you should use them to maximize your savings. In Houston we have several stores to choose from when it comes to grocery shopping, but this is not the case in other cities. Here we can select from Randall's (Safeway), Kroger, HEB, Wal-Mart, Target, Whole Foods, Sams Club, Rice Epicurean, Fiesta, Big Lots, Food Town and Costco just to name a few. The hard part about having so many choices is understanding the coupon policy of each store. Today I will try to simplify how I determine which store to grocery shop when using coupons. This will be a two part post.

Before we get into the store by store discussion, there is a shopping method we have not covered that will be discussed in this post – price matching. Price Matching is the process of using one store's sales ad at another store to receive the competitor's price. For example, if your HEB sales paper shows Wolf Chili on sale for $1.00, at some stores you are allowed to take that HEB paper to the cashier or customer service desk to receive wolf Chili at their store for HEB's price. There are some guidelines that are generic across all price matching policies:

1. The item must be advertised in the printed ad, and not by word of mouth or an internet print out.
2. The ad must be presented in its entirety, and not just the page the item you want to purchase is on.
3. The item must be on sale during the week you are attempting to purchase it and not from an old ad for the previous week.

Other than that, each price matching policy is different.

NOTE: Most grocery stores do not price match (i.e. – Kroger and Randall's), and this is mostly because of their coupon policy which I will discuss further in next week's post.

The reasons you would even want to price match vary by person, but the most popular response is location and coupon usage. Some areas only have access to Wal-Mart or Target stores, or their access to these stores is much easier than the grocery store. The best advantage is coupon usage or participation in a promotion (i.e. – gift cards) at a particular store.

The most popular price matching locations are Wal-Mart and Target, and these are the two I will focus on for this discussion. You can read much more about each price matching policy by visiting the store's website.
Wal-Mart is a very easy place to price match because their cashiers have the power to change your price at the register. You just present your item and then your ad, and presto your price change is reflected on your bill. I use the Wal-Mart price match for convenience mostly. The location of Wal-Mart is on my way to pick my daughter up from school, and I am a much faster shopper when I shop alone. I also use Wal-Mart price match when I see an item I have a coupon for on sale at a store that doesn't accept coupons (i.e. Big Lots). My best Wal-Mart price match came when Big Lots had All laundry detergent on sale for $2.50. I had a $1.50 coupon for all (actually I had 8 $1.50 coupons for All) and Big Lots does not accept coupons. I price matched at Wal-Mart, and received the All for $1.00 each, which is well below my stock up price. It was a great day at Wal-Mart! (If you know me, I don't say I like Wal-Mart often. If you ask my daughter, we are Target girls!)

Target is also an easy place to price match, but it requires one extra step. When at Target you must purchase your items at the register and then take you receipt and items to customer service to price check. You can also try checking out at customer service on a slow day. (Anyone remember my cereal deal at Target? That was a price match too.)

FYI – Good price match opportunity is coming up for All laundry detergent if you get the Big Lots paper on Sunday. Check your coupons for All. Get a sneak peak at the ad on the Big Lots website. (Enter your zip code when prompted.)

As for other coupons, the best place for using those with a value of .50 or less is Kroger or Randall's. This is because these stores double and triple coupons. To learn more about where to use your coupons, check out part 2 of this post next week. Happy Shopping.

Private Practice Pickle

A new segment on My Life As is the Private Practice Pickle (or the Pickle of the Week).

I have always been a fan of the ABC hit drama Private Practice, a spinoff from Grey's Anatomy. The show highlights the lives of doctors in a private practice and the cases they receive. I have noticed that each episode comes with a life altering decision that must be made in about 1 hour. Every week I watch the show and follow up with a discussion with my co-workers to ask the question "What would you do?" This water cooler type of discussion is becoming something we look forward to in our week.

Starting this week, I want to know "What would you do" in response to the Private Practice Pickle dilemma of the week. To be sensitive to those, including myself, who do not have the time to watch the show the day it airs, Thursday night at 9 pm Central, I will not pose the Private Practice Pickle until the week after the air date. For example, the Pickle of the Week will cover the episode that aired last Thursday, February 18, 2010. I will try my best not to spoil the outcome, but if you are not caught up and the episode is stuck in your DVR then please refrain from reading the post. I will also try to give enough information for you to participate if you are not a fan of the show, but beware, you may become one. Also, if you are interested in watching the show, you can do it for free online by clicking here.

Pickle of the Week (Episode: "Til Death Do Us Part" - Show Aired Feb. 18, 2010)

You and your spouse have been trying to get pregnant for a very long time, and you finally find success through a fertilization process. You are now 25 weeks pregnant, and you go into labor well before the 36 week threshold for a baby to survive outside of the womb. Due to complications your baby must be born, but is born with many medical difficulties to overcome. The baby cannot see and will probably be blind. The baby's digestive tract is compromised. The baby is suffering. The doctors see a future of multiple surgeries for the baby, and do not hold out much hope that the child will have a good quality of life if it does survive. Your baby has been in the NICU and you have not been able to hold the baby since birth. After a failed surgery to correct one of the baby's medical issues, the doctor's offer you the opportunity to hold your child, but inform you that it will probably be the only and last time you will hold the baby because it may not survive without assistance from machines.

My question to you is – What would you do? Would you take the opportunity to hold your child knowing it might be the last time?

I understand that being transparent and offering your opinion on "touchy" subjects is often very frightening. You may wonder what people will think of you based on your reply, especially if it is not the "popular" reply. I am using My Life As to open minds and hearts, and I want you to feel comfortable sharing your opinion.

Therefore, I offer you the following options to share on the Pickle of the Week post:

*You can leave a comment at the bottom of this post stating how you would respond to the dilemma in three ways:

1. With your name
2. Without your name
3. With your name, but ask me not to publish on the website

NOTE: I have to accept all comments before they show up on the blog, and will honor your request not to display your comment if you desire.

Please respond with respect and in love.

As for me, I believe I would take the opportunity to hold my baby. (However, it would take me longer than an hour to make that decision.)  I think about my daughter, and as much as I would love to do all I could do to keep her alive, I know her suffering would hurt me more. I would hold her to let her know I am here for her. I would then pray for a miracle. Perhaps God would spare her life and she would breathe on her own in my arms. Maybe He has a greater plan for her. I don't believe in playing God. I once heard a saying that I think would apply here…Let God do His job, and you worry about doing your job. I think our job is putting our trust in Him. I would try to find the strength to listen for His answer.

Thrifty Thursday

For those who have reclaimed their love for couponing, or for those just starting since reading my blog, I am going to offer my suggestions for the best deals of the week here at My Life As. I will comb the blogs and compile a list of the best deal for each store. This week, being sensitive to those just starting and attempting not to overwhelm, I will highlight two stores – Kroger and Safeway (Randalls or Tom Thumb). I will give you the item and the coupon you should clip and take to the store thanks to Shellie at Saving with Shellie and Stephanie at Couponing 101. If you wish to read further and get additional matchups, please feel free to click on the link before the matchup and journey over to the websites for more information. I will try to stick to those items that are free or nearly free. Look forward to my post on Saturday for our discussion on where you should use your coupons to maximize your savings. Happy Shopping!

My Kroger Pick (Week of 2/24 to 3/2)
Stephanie's List (here)

Blistex $1
- 35¢/1 Bistex Coupon (1/17 SS - Smat Source)
- Coupon triples at my Kroger
= Free

My Safeway Pick (Randalls/Tom Thumb)  (Week of 2/24 to 3/2)
Stephanie's List (here)

Select Jimmy Dean Products $1.99 – Saturday & Sunday ONLY
- $1/1 Jimmy Dean Coupon (1/31 RP - Red Plum)
= 99¢

Leave a comment. How did you do with your coupons this week? Did you try the deals of the week? What other stores would you like to see included in the Deal of the Week post?

If you need a laugh...

If you need a laugh take a look at this.  I know I need one.

It is amazing what makes children giggle.

Happy Wednesday!

I Can Bleach and I Can Mop

As an update to my previous post about my cleaning abilities (read more here), I am pleased to inform you that I did it - I mopped my kitchen floor without the Swiffer!  I also took it one step forward...I bleached clothes.  This is something I neglected to tell you in the earlier post, but bleaching was a foreign activity and was a non-existent part of my laundry routine. This week I was adventurous and I decided I could do it – bleach and mop.

 

 

I first attacked bleaching. Now I am sure many of you think this absolutely ludicrous that I have not bleached clothes in my entire life, but it is true. Growing up we did not bleach clothes, and I thought washing them was all that was required. I remember reading tags on clothing with bleach recommendations, but I am sure I didn't think the recommendation pertained to me. What does bleach do anyway? I know about its cleaning and disinfecting powers because I use it to clean my daughter's toys, but what does it do to clothes? At my husband's suggestion, I decided to try bleaching to make our whites whiter. (That's what the commercials say.) My husband talked me through the process, and I tried my first load. However, before I could do this, I had to further sort my already sorted clothes. Whew. Determining who should get bleach and who shouldn't isn't a cakewalk either. I made a few incorrect suggestions, which my husband helped me correct, and NOW I was ready to go. I took my load to the washer and let the water run in, then I followed the directions on the bottle of bleach. When I took the clothes out of the washing machine, I must admit, they were indeed whiter! Who would've known? I was very proud of myself, and so was my husband who I believe was secretly hoping I would master this bleaching task.

On to round two - the dreaded mopping chore.

 

Keep in mind I do mop my floors, but not with a traditional mop and mop bucket. I believe the Swiffer is the greatest invention since the wheel. Where would I be without my Swiffer? I guess the answer is – a really dirty house! I started by evaluating my task, and realized that my biggest concern with mopping is the dirt on the floor that will get all tangled up in my mop. So I heard somewhere that you should sweep well before you mop. Therefore part 1 of this task is sweeping the floor. Then I realized that I want to mop the entire floor, therefore I would have to move a few things. I am a bit embarrassed to share that there were many locations in my kitchen that it was obvious had not been mopped since my former housekeeper's last visit. Oh boy! So part 2 of the task is clearing the floor. Then I wondered, what do you put in the water to clean the floor? I have Swiffer solution, but I am sure with all of the cleaning products I own, something could be used for mopping. Ah ha! I realized that I have cleaning products that were given to us when we purchased our water treatment system, and one is a disinfecting cleaning solution that is good for mopping (says the label). Yippie. So now I have one last hurdle to overcome – I realize there are scuff marks on the floor from our shoes and I am not sure that the mop will get them up. Ok, improvising I decide to try the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on the scuffs before I mop, and it works. Now I am ready. I have cleared and swept the floor, chosen my solution and filled my mop bucket, and removed the scuffs from the floor. I begin to mop. I even mop the foyer and bathroom while I am at it. When I am done, I sit back and admire my work. I think I have done a good job. My husband later passes by the kitchen floor and comments positively on the floor. I have completed the task of mopping!

I have to say it was a lot of work in my book, but maybe after doing it often I can get faster at it. Truth be told, I will probably still Swiffer sometimes, but I will add "real" mopping to my cleaning routine.

Leave a comment. Do you have any mopping tips for me? Do you have a favorite mopping solution?

UPDATE: My daughter and I stayed home from work and school today, and I think the bug is finally gone. Thank you for all of your prayers and kind words.

Happy Birthday Grandmother

A quick note for today.  It is not like me to do multiple posts in a day, but I thought this one deserved special consideration.  Today would have been my Grandmother Marie's (my father's mother) birthday.

Happy Birthday Grandmother.  We miss you.

Sick Child = No Post

I am sorry for not posting anything yesterday.  My daughter has a cold (we hope...it looks like a cold...I need it to be a cold), and the fever has been trouble since Friday night.  Special thanks to my sister-in-law for providing advice and guidance as always.  My little one is spending the day at her grandma's house, and I am attempting to work with little sleep and worry on my mind.  Please pray for us. 

Discussion for today - White Shoes...why do we buy them for children, and how long do we actually expect them to stay white?  This is a picture of my daughter's new white tennis shoes.  They looked so pretty in the store on the shelf. I will update the post when they are not so white.  Let's see how long they last.

Leave a comment.  How do you keep tennis shoes white?  Talk to you soon.

Saturday Savings– Organizing Your Coupons

So now you have all of these coupons…what do you with them. Shellie, over at Saving with Shellie (http://www.savingwithshellie.com/), has developed a method I have learned to love. However, I did not always organize this way. I was once a coupon clipper. Here is a little history.

When I met my husband he was a self-proclaimed couponaholic, and honestly, I didn't understand what the fuss was all about. However, after many trips to the grocery store with him, and seeing all of the money we saved, I was willing to give it a try. I started by clipping every coupon I thought I would possibly use out of every Sunday paper. This was great when it came to going to the store because I could just take my binder or accordion file with me, and I was never faced with leaving a coupon that I might need at home. My husband and I would have a coupon shopping day, and spend about two hours in the grocery store looking for all of the best deals. This worked out well until our lives became busy, and we didn't have the time to shop for two hours and we certainly didn't have the time to clip every coupon out of the Sunday paper. The booklets of coupons kept adding up, and they were being clipped at an increasingly slower pace. Then the printable coupon reared its ugly head.

One day I looked at my accordion file full of expired coupons, my stack of unclipped coupon booklets, and the pile of unclipped printed coupons I had accumulated, and I soon lost all hope in my couponing future. I asked myself how it got so bad, and how could I ever dig myself out of this hole to find the savings I knew existed in my pile of papers? Enter Shellie. My feeling of hopelessness was cured when I read my first blog, and Shellie was the author. She spoke of her coupon organization method, and it was so easy. Read about it here.

So I began by doing just what Shellie advised. I took each coupon booklet, which is labeled on the spine with the date, (this was new to me) and placed it into a file box in a hanging file labeled with the publication title (Red Plum, General Mills, Proctor and Gamble, and Smart Source). I put them in date order, and printed the listing of what is in each booklet from Sunday Coupon Preview (http://www.sundaycouponpreview.com/). I highlight the coupon with the latest expiration date and place it before the booklet(s) in the file. This helps we know when I can recycle the entire booklet because all of the coupons are expired. I then leave them all resting in the box (no cutting necessary), and read my blogs. I follow many blogs (see them to the left of the screen) and they all refer to the coupons in the same way. They tell you the location of the coupon by booklet and date (i.e. – RP 1/10/10 meaning Red Plum booklet released in the January 10, 2010 Sunday paper), and where to buy the item at a cheap price.  I then locate the booklet, and clip the coupon(s) I need. I make a list per store of the items I will purchase, and head to the store.

Now I know you are wondering what happens if I get to the store and notice something I think I have a coupon for that will make it a great deal, but I don't have the coupon with me? I follow Shellie's advice on this as well by carrying a small tablet with me and making a note of that item and price. When I get home I check my coupons and return to the store the next day to get the item. The other problem is if the sale is set to end the same day or if it is a clearance item. For a sale ending the same day, you should return home and get your coupon then return to the store. (or send your husband back to the store) If it is a clearance item, you have to ask yourself how good the deal is. If it is a must have, you should return home to get your coupon and go back to the store. If it is a must have and the quantity is limited, you may have to get creative. My husband is known to hide an item or two in the store until he returns. Like taking the clearance lotion and placing it on a back shelf and behind something in the pet department. Or you can try to ask the cashier or customer service to hold it until you return. Try any creative method. You may be able to buy the item, then go home and get your coupon, go back to the store and return the item, and re-buy it with your coupon.  Great deals cause for drastic measures!

I also use the tablet to record the "buy price" for an item. The "buy price" is the best price for an item when you actually need the item. I start with the Sam's price, which is a price I am willing to pay if I had to buy it that day, and update as I see the prices lower at other stores. For example, my "buy price" for laundry detergent is 13 cents per load or $14.84 per 110 load/170 oz bottle. This is the Sam's Club price for Member's Mark laundry detergent. If I know this price, determining my "stock up" price is easy. The "stock up" price will be anything lower than the "buy price". So when I see laundry detergent priced at 12 cents per load with a coupon and I need laudry detergent, I buy laundry detergent. If I see it at 7 cents, or 50+ percent lower than my "buy price", I buy lots of it or stock up. I may even buy coupons on Ebay if it is an item really need or like.

Now back to the organizing. I also made a folder for printable coupons, and I keep them in order of expiration date. I also have a store coupons folder to keep those Target type coupons I spoke about last week. (here)

Whew!  That should get us to next week.  Try to organize your coupons this way or let me know about your method.

Read more about Shellie's couponing tips here. The key is to JUST DO IT!

Next week we will discuss where you can use your coupons to save the most money.

The “My Life” Book Club - MLBC

As my love of reading has increased, so has my desire to talk to others about what I am reading. I was chatting online with my sister-in-law, who has been very supportive of my blogging adventure, and we thought about the idea of having an online book club. Today's post is about sculpting the book club to be what we want and need it to be. So I need your ideas.

I was thinking we could select a book and allow ourselves two weeks to read it. (I realize that life happens, and not many of us have the time to read a book in a few sittings. Also, two weeks is the length of time you can have a book checked out from the library.) I will then post a question or two to begin our discussion about the book after the two week period, and all you have to do is post a comment on my blog to enter your thought into the discussion. There could also be a teaser question after the first week just to see if you have been reading. I can also include prizes…I love games…and I love prizes!

What ideas do you have for the MLBC? Would you like to be a member? Reading is fun, but it can be more fun if you do it with friends.

Leave a comment. Would you be interested in the MLBC? Do you have any book suggestions? How can I fashion the club and questions to entice you to read with us?

Book Signing

Monday my daughter and I were blessed to attend a book signing with Erin Chase the $5 Dinner Mom. I follow Erin's blog at http://www.5dollardinners.com/, and I was excited to hear about the book signing in Houston.

When blogging you get to a point where you feel like you know people because you read their words every day, but you don't really KNOW them. I found out about Erin's blog and book through Tricia's website http://www.onceamonthmom.com/, but I had never met her. This outing was also special because it was my daughter's first trip to the main library in Houston. We frequent the library in our area, but rarely come into town for a library visit. My daughter loves visiting the "tall buildings where mama works".

I really enjoyed meeting Erin, and finally getting a copy of her book. If you know me, I am sure you are aware of my family's frugal nature and desire to save money. Erin has given me hope that I can transfer that mentality to the dinner table. During the book signing Erin graciously allowed us to ask any questions about cooking, couponing, saving money, shopping, etc. The dialog with her and others was priceless. More than anything, the ability to talk with others who are just like you is comforting. I guess that is what blogging is really all about, talking and sharing with those who have like interests.

The book is also fascinating in that pretty much all of the meals are made from scratch. This will surely help me as I strive to be a card carrying member of the Whole Grain Movement.

My daughter and I really enjoyed the experience, and encourage you to head over to http://www.5dollardinners.com/ and check out a few frugal recipes.

Leave a comment. Are you willing to try a $5 dinner? Hop over to Erin's site (here) and try a recipe. Let me know which one and we can try it together. Do you have your own frugal dinner you cook for your family?

Video of the Day

Welcome to Wednesday.  You can make it.  Friday is only two days away.

Watch this video...gives you something to think about.

Palindrome. Lost Generation.

Leave a comment. Let me know what you think.

Someone Should’ve Told Me…

Yesterday, my husband came across video of my daughter during her first few months of life, and I was overwhelmed with emotion as I watched it. The memories of that time came flooding back, and I realized how much she has grown. Now that she is three I often think of the things I wish someone would have told me about parenthood. When I dropped my daughter off at school today I was reminded of a very important "someone should've told me" moment…the first day of school. I was under the impression that the first day of school blues referred to the first day of kindergarten - the special day when you watch your now six year old walk into the halls of elementary school, with their backpack and lunch kit, ready to face the world. I thought, looking into the future, that this would be the most difficult day for me, but little did I know, the first day of school blues starts with the first day of DAYCARE. Someone should've told me.

I remember my daughter's first day of daycare like this:

I had prepared myself for the last four months to hand my child over to "the school". Finding a school was not easy, and convincing myself that I was ready was not a piece of cake either. I remember spending the night before the first day packing her bag, and going over the hand written instructions I would present to her new teacher. (Type A people!) I was able to rest that night knowing that I had sufficiently prepared for the next day – the handoff. The morning came, and I got her dressed. I told my boss I would be late just in case things went haywire. I packed her into the car, she was so unsuspecting, and began the short drive to her new school. We arrived and entered her new class ready to greet the teacher, and she was not there. The lady I had spoke to and told my every concern and need was not there. I started to panic. I sat my daughter down as they told me the teacher would be out today. How could she be out on our first day? I tried to unpack my daughter's things and prepare for departure, but as I was getting everything organized in her new space I realized I forgot something – the pacifier. OH NO! This was a bad sign. She had to have her pacifier. I knew for sure this was a bad idea. I couldn't leave my child. I just couldn't do it. The very nice lady at the school probably assumed I was losing it because at that moment I announced I had forgotten the pacifier and I would have to take my daughter back home to get it. The teacher looked at me with concern and offered to keep my daughter at school until I returned with the pacifier. I told her that was not a good idea and I wanted to take her with me. So right then I did an about-face with my daughter in hand and bolted through the door back into the comfort of my car. I left everything at the school except my child, and I was not confident of my return. I just knew I had to get out of there. I felt the walls closing in. I had no teacher, no pacifier, and no guts. I sped out of the parking lot of the school with tears in my eyes. I had no hope of being able to complete this transaction. (NOTE: My daughter is completely clueless and enjoying the ride.) While I drove towards home with a goal of retrieving the pacifier, I called my mother. I remember my exact words, "Why didn't you tell me it would be THIS hard." Tears were streaming down my face at this time, and all I remember my mother saying is that I needed to pull over and I should not drive in my condition. I pulled over into the middle school parking lot by my house and got it all out. I cried and tried to explain what happened, as not to completely terrify my mother who was across town. I am sure if she could have teleported herself to my location she would have done so. My mother's words in response to my question were, "I could not have told you how hard it was going to be. You were going to have to experience it for yourself." Her words comforted me, and I was somewhat pleased that I was not the only one who had this type of experience. At that point I collected myself, returned home, retrieved the pacifier, and returned to the school. When I returned the very nice lady no longer had a concerned look on her face, yet she had the "It's her first time" caring look on her face. (I am sure someone filled her in after I ran out with the child.)

I had done it. I successfully dropped my daughter off for her first day of daycare.

Now the rest of the day, if told by my co-workers, was not good. I arrived at work with my sunglasses on, and I asked them not to talk to me much. It was a hard day.

Looking back three years later, I learned a lot from the process. Here are the things I wish someone would have told me.

1. It WILL be hard handing your child off for the first time – not just hard - REALLY HARD.
   
2. You will make it…it will take about two weeks…but you will make it.
   
3. It is normal that you feel this way, and you are not the only one.
   

Here is something I am glad my mom told me…you will have to experience it for yourself. She was 100% right. Words could not have prepared me for the experience of the first day of daycare, and I am not sure I would have believed it was going to be that bad. I am sure of one thing…the first day of kindergarten will be BAD too, and I am ok with that. It's natural.

The Whole Grain Movement

Yesterday I had an epiphany regarding food – I want to eat healthier. We are eating much better these days since I have started cooking a lot more, but I am often curious about what is next. What can I do to make our meals healthier? I began reading healthy cookbooks after our trip to the library last week, and I noticed a few things about all of the recipes.

1. Whole wheat (breads and pastas)
   
2. Whole grain/multi grain
   
3. Wheat germ
   
4. Brown rice
   
5. Vegetables
   
6. Fruit
   

After reading the recipes and looking at our pantry, I realized that wheat and whole grains are lacking in our household. I think the primary color of our starches is WHITE. (White bread, white rice, white potatoes, white pasta) What would happen if I made changes to the type of pastas, rice and breads we buy? In the recent past I have made changes to the way we cook instituting a no frying rule (unbeknown to my hubby), and an eat out less rule. We have seen success in my opinion. Therefore, I have set out to change our lifestyle again by revamping our pantry. Now a special note is required here because if you read my post on Saturday you know I am a couponaholic, and with all couponaholics comes STOCKPILING. The art of stockpiling involves buying things when they are super cheap or free, and buying a lot of the item. I have done this with toothpaste, soap, dishwasher tablets, and food. Our pasta and rice supply is abundant, and I will therefore have to slowly build our pantry.

My goals to institute the Whole Grain Movement are:

1. Only buy whole grain wheat bread
   
2. Add more fresh fruit
   
3. Add brown rice to our pantry
   
4. Add whole grain pasta to our pantry
   
5. Limit the "artificial"
   
6. Add sweet potatoes (not just at Thanksgiving)
   
7. Discover wheat germ
   

My biggest fear is that our taste buds will notice the change in ingredients. So I need your help.

Leave a comment. Let me know how what changes you have made, or intend to make, to join the Whole Grain Movement. Most importantly, share your favorite recipe with whole grain ingredients. I will try them all and write a post about it. Also, what is wheat germ?

Happy Monday!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day.

Let's consider the ultimate giver of love - God.  He gave His only Son so we could live eternally.  I am blessed to experience a love like that on this day.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is...

• Patient
• Kind
• Not envious
• Not boastful
• Not proud
• Not rude
• Not self-seeking
• Not easily angered
• Keeps no record of wrongs
• Does not delight in evil
• Rejoices with the truth
• Always protects
• Always trusts
• Always hopes
• Always perseveres
• Never fails

http://www.crosswalk.com/

Leave a comment. Let me know what you think.  Do you feel God's love?  How do you know He loves you?

Saturday Savings

This is my first post pertaining to my new favorite hobby – saving money and couponing. I am going to try to contain myself, and not share too much in this first post. Couponing can appear overwhelming if you don't get the information in doses and in the right order. Over the next few Saturdays I will cover the basics in hopes of persuading you to try your hand at saving money and couponing too.

I will give you various links to the sites that helped me get started during this process. Take it slow. If you develop the right plan that works for you and your family, you just may have a new hobby too!

Post 1 – What are coupons and where do I find them?

The first step to understanding couponing is to always keep this in mind – A COUPON IS A FORM OF PAYMENT. This will become very important as we learn more about this process, but it is something my husband taught me early on that has helped me in many situations.

Coupons come in many forms, but for this post we will cover two types:

1. Coupons offered by the manufacturer
2. Coupons offered by the store

Coupons that come in the mail have two distinctions – manufacture's coupon and store coupon. Manufacture's coupons are the norm, but as stores desire to build their shopper base, the store coupon is becoming more popular. Manufacture's coupons are just that, coupons that, when you use them as a form of payment, the amount shown on the coupon is reimbursed to the store by the maker of the product. It is their way of promoting a product, just like a commercial. Some people see using a coupon as stealing or not paying, and once you read this post by A Thrifty Mom (click here), you will know that all are benefiting from the use of the coupon.

Benefits

1. The manufacturer (i.e. – Johnson and Johnsons or Ziploc) benefits from you using the coupon to try their products. There are many items that I will not try unless I have a coupon. Rationale behind that is the same as why Sam's Club offers you a taste test while shopping in the store. They want you to try it for free, determine if you like it, and finally purchase the product from their store.
2. The store benefits because they receive your business to use the coupon as well as a processing fee for organizing and mailing in EACH coupon back to the manufacturer that you submit.
3. Finally, and most importantly, YOU benefit by saving money on products you already use or products you want to try.

Coupons are also offered by the store. The major difference is who reimburses for the coupon. For your use, it doesn't matter who reimburses because what you would like to know is store coupons can be used WITH manufacturer's coupons in most stores. The couponing term for this is stacking. Here is a scenario. You have a Target store coupon for Oreos allowing you to take $1.00 off the price of a pack of Oreos. You also have a coupon from Nabisco allowing you to take $1.00 off the price of a pack of Oreos. If you go to Target and the Oreos are 2/$6 or $3.00 each, you are allowed $2.00 off the price, which makes the price you pay $1.00 for a $3.00 pack of Oreos. Here is a photo of how the differentiate a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon. Here is how you can tell the difference.  Look at the top of the coupon below. It clearly states manufacturer's coupon.

Now look at this coupon.  It is a store coupon. 

You should know that a store logo does not make a coupon a store coupon.  Some manufacturer coupons have store logos, but can be used at any store. More on that in a later post.

Tip: Try your best to use coupons for items that are on sale giving you a greater savings. If you just have to buy an item at regular price, try your best to add a coupon as a form of payment.

Finding coupons is becoming easier by the minute. Here are some options:

1. 
   
   Newspaper – The old fashion way.
   Benefit – You can access the Sunday newspaper easily, it won't cost you much, you can have it delivered to your home, and if you really need a coupon you can buy multiples (or ask a friend to save their paper for you.) I will explain why you need multiples in the next post.
   
2. 
   
   Online – Printable coupons are the new way to obtain coupons.
   Benefit – You can print them whenever you want to, but you have to jump up them because quantities may be limited.
   
3. In the stores/on the product (peelies)
4. In the mail – Sign up for coupons to come directly to your house via the manufacturer.
5. Ebay – You can always buy them from people who flip them for you.

That's all for today. I know that is enough to think about for now. For additional reading, and to brush up for the next post, check out this link from my coupon organizing mentor Shellie (click here), as she covers how she organizes her coupons. I have adopted her method with a few tweeks. (I will share those next week.)

Leave a comment. Let me know what you think or if you have any questions. Are you a couponaholic? My name is Laura and I am a couponaholic. I am on my way to Target now! (This is also my daughter's favorite store.)

Clean Sweep

Up until two months ago we had a wonderful housekeeper coming into our home every other Saturday to clean the house. It was wonderful. I never had to scrub toilets, mop floors, or change bed sheets. She did everything, and I loved it. We were blessed to have someone pick up the slack as our lives appeared to be busier than ever. Every other Saturday morning she would come at 7:30 am, and I would happily rise to answer the doorbell to begin our clean sweep. We had this relationship for about 8 months, and about 5 months ago I started assisting with the clean sweep. I would gather items and put them away ahead of her "real" cleaning. This became a way of life because we constantly had problems finding things after she left. No, she was not stealing, but she was putting things away in places we would not normally put them. We had a saying around our house when we looked for things after she cleaned…where would Tracey (name changed) put this? We always found the item, but sometimes it was a few days later or a few weeks later. This prompted me to start putting things away ahead of her. After about 2 months of participating in this fashion it began to dawn on me that maybe I was doing the actual cleaning and she was just "using the chemicals." As the months rolled on, and we looked for ways to adjust our budget because we just purchased a much needed new car, I decided it was time to try my hand at cleaning. I noted two major challenges to this project:

1. Time
2. Level of Difficulty

Time was my greatest enemy. Being that I work outside of the home, my time is already limited. I can barely find enough time in the day to work then come home, play with my daughter, interact with my husband, cook, wash clothes, give baths, prep for the next day, and have some ME time. How was I going to take on cleaning this whole house? Now you may be thinking, "Laura, what did you do before the housekeeper?" The answer would be…and I am a bit ashamed to say…not much. I did the minimum and sometimes less than minimum. I would change sheets when they seemed dirty. Toilets were not really my thing. Mopping…what is that? I would tidy and put things away to give the appearance of clean. I did not do this out of laziness; however I had convinced myself that I had no time to deep clean my home. So when the housekeeper became an option I was overjoyed and amazed at how clean our house could really be if I just had the time.

My second enemy was level of difficulty. I had again convinced myself that cleaning like the housekeeper was too hard. I do not really know how to mop. I have seen it on TV, and honestly I think using my Swiffer with the spray in it is actual mopping. I didn't even own a mop bucket until about two years ago. Sad, I know, but true. I knew I could not do windows, and toilets just grossed me out. I don't do well dusting because the dust gets in my nose and makes my allergies act up. I can't make the pretty vacuum lines in the carpet like my husband and the housekeeper. I just knew I was incapable of getting this task done on my own.

Now at this point I was disgusted with my own thoughts, and I decided to revert back to the teachings of my mother and grandmother. I picked myself up, and realized I am a child of the only true and living GOD. If I want to clean my house, then I can clean this house. So, I began to scour the internet looking for assistance with these parameters:

1. An organized process (pretty much tell me exactly what I need to do)
2. A timely process (let it not take all night long)

My first find was the Household Cleaning Tasklist at MommySnacks.net. This list is well organized and it seems to include everything possible one can do while cleaning ones house. It is categorized by day and room/zone. It has what I am looking for – something or someone to tell me exactly what I needed to do. My only concern is I would have to work very hard in the beginning to adapt the style of the list to my lifestyle, andit proved to be a very time consuming process. Now I am feeling like the enemy is trying to win because I have chosen to believe God will provide, and at that very moment, God steps in, and I find my clean sweep. Through a comment by a reader of a blog I was following, I found the website that has changed my house cleaning life forever. (See why comments are so helpful. You may have the bit of insight that will help someone just stopping by.) MotivatedMoms.com's Printable Chore List is a wonderful tool that has met and continues to meet all of my needs for house cleaning. It is a very organized process and it is adaptable to my time and lifestyle. I even get Bible verses too! I am able to print out my weekly chore list and put it in my planner. It just blends in with my everyday life.

Now, I know that one checklist cannot change my feelings on cleaning, God has done that. I now take pride in my home and the cleanliness of it. I actually realize that I do have time for cleaning and I can do it well, even better than my housekeeper. The Motivated Moms method makes all the things I should be doing within my house visible and therefore attainable. It even puts items on the checklist for my daughter, like clipping her fingernails, which I needed to be more consistent in doing. For a nominal cost of $7 (with coupon code from RetailMeNot.com), I am able to clean my house and stay on top of the project all year long. To be completely honest and transparent, I slip up at times and fall behind on my "chores", but I have learned to forgive myself. My goal is to make this type of cleaning a way of life so that it becomes second nature. I am well on my way.

Let me know what you think. Leave a comment…it just might help someone.  Have you mastered mopping?  Teach me, please!

Snow Day

To my family and friends on the East coast who are stuck in the snow...we remember.  Greetings from Texas.  This is my daughter playing in the snow in New Jersey over the Christmas holiday. This was her first real snow, and she enjoyed every minute of it.  Stay warm.

A Bit of Laughter

Here is a little something to make you laugh.  I know it makes me laugh every time I see it.  As we make it over the hump today, let us laugh and enjoy the rest of our week.

Let me know what you think. Leave a comment. Have you ever had to make this face? Who was the recipient of your "evil eye"?

Cooking – My New Therapy

Cooking is my new therapy, and I figured this out one "not so good day". The "not so good day" left me overwhelmed and confused. I felt defeated and all used up, but when I got home I started cooking and things slowly began to change. Now for those who know me this may be a surprise. I have displayed a moderate joy of cooking in my life, but not to the extent of being calmed by it. That "not so good day" I cooked until my problems went away. My new favorite cooking is freezer cooking, which I learned from Tricia over at Once A Month Mom. (A blog I follow of course. Click on the link and see for yourself. http://www.onceamonthmom.com/) Tricia makes everything so easy, and now by using her method (modified to fit my family's needs) we always have something available to eat. We eat out less and we eat far less in portion size. I try to cook one freezer meal a week. My first week on the freezer program I cooked quite a few meals to stockpile the freezer, but now I am just replenishing. My favorite Once A Month freezer meal is Baked Ziti, but I add meat to mine, ground turkey of course. I generally have all of the ingredients at home, and I just whip it up and toss it in the freezer for a later date. Another great Once A Month freezer meal is Apple Streusel Muffins. My daughter loves them, and I can just thaw one out the night before, zap it in the microwave for a few seconds while I am putting her in the car seat, and drop it in her bag for breakfast at school. Very easy, and she loves the ability to have a breakfast cupcake.

With therapy comes equipment, and my new favorite piece of cooking equipment is the slow cooker with the removable, washable dish on the inside that my Mother- In-Law graciously passed on to me. I have become a chicken master with my slow cooker, and I even cooked chicken on the bone. Crazy I know. I even touched the bone. Absolutely amazing.

A special shout out to my Sister-In-Law for passing on the peach cobbler recipe from Thanksgiving, which is now her brother's number one potluck request. Also, thank you to my other Sister-In-Law for showing me around the kitchen when I used to practically live at her house. We were there so much that something good must have rubbed off on me.

I know I may have a problem when a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond is the absolute highlight of my day.  My honey took me there yesterday and I got to get a new OXO measuring cup, new kitchen tongs (the kind with the thing you push in at the top to make it stay closed - two of them), a silicone cupcake pan, and a citrus zester.  I was so excited...presents...for me...the new chef!

Let me know what you think. Leave a comment. What is your favorite recipe? Do you do any freezer cooking?

Bookworm

Mondays are generally the day we visit the library. My daughter is a book lover, and now that I am not reading for education but reading for leisure, I am a book lover too. This month my daughter's preschool is collecting books for charity, and we will gather books from our home library to donate. It is amazing how many children do not have access to books, and I would like to challenge you to find a way to donate a book to someone who doesn't have one. Perhaps through your church or other organization you may be able to organize a book drive/event to pass on the love of reading. I read to my daughter daily, and last year, as a two year old, she completed the summer reading program at our local library. Now it was a lot of work for me being that I was the actual reader, but when I realized we read over 100 books in three months I was encouraged to keep up the good work. Reading is fundamental, and my daughter's love of reading has pushed me to love reading again. I have taken to African-American fiction authors, and have fallen in love with Kimberla Lawson Roby. I am on the waiting list for her new book "Be Careful What You Pray For" at my local library.

As we prepare for Read Across America Day, March 2, 2010, let's curl up with a good book, find a way to give a book to another, and spread the love of reading all over the world.

Let me know what you think. Leave a comment. What book is on your night stand right now? What book did you have to read to your son or daughter EVERY night? (We really love Silly Sally)

Welcome to “My Life As A…”

Welcome to "My Life As A…" This blog is meant to be a compilation of thoughts and a catalyst to discussion. I suppose the concept of blogging has always appealed to me, but I have never had the courage to follow through. I want this blog to be honest…transparent…loving…educational…inspiring. The birth of my daughter has taught me a lot about life including patience and unconditional love, and with those thoughts in mind I started "My Life As A…" This blog is also a part of a larger goal which is my Project Life photo a day challenge. Thanks to Becky Higgins I am able to scrapbook without all of the "stuff", and I am able to maintain organization, which is so necessary for my type-A personality. My Project Life challenge, a wonderful birthday gift from my wonderful husband along with "this here laptop", allows me to journal and take a photo daily of my daughter's life. I will use this blog to "keep up" and stay on task. I will use this blog to document my life and the life of my daughter during her 3^rd year of life, which happens to start TODAY. Happy Birthday baby!

Currently, we are headed to a live performance of Sesame Street with our family and friends. (This day is also Super Bowl Sunday, which is something I did not realize when I selected this birthday event three months ago. (Thanks to my type-A, super-organized, anticipatory personality). It is my hope that all of our guests will arrive to their Super Bowls viewing destination prior to kick-off, and we apologize for any inconvenience Sesame Street may have caused. Additionally, we thank you for choosing to celebrate with us, and putting the Saints and Colts on hold for Elmo. (Thanks Daddy.)

Another great achievement for the week was a successful "school birthday" on Friday, being that her birthday falls on a weekend this year. (NOTE: School birthday celebration is a must being that all the other kids celebrate their birthday at school with cupcakes and children singing loudly. Perhaps it's a rite of passage. My daughter has been waiting patiently through everyone else's turn for 364 days!)
Why a blog Laura? I am glad you asked. I am all about "keeping up" with family and friends. (I know many of you are aware of my Shutterfly.com and picture taking addiction.) I wanted to do something different than make Shutterfly books all the time, and something more personal than a photo album webpage with monthly updates. I want to talk to all of you.

My blog experience started because of couponing. ( I have yet another confession – I AM A COUPONAHOLIC!) I am in love with saving money and I learned a lot of what I know about couponing from my husband. He is Mr. Frugal. (Family, please stop laughing.) However, I have taken his ART and turned it into my OBSESSION. I read my first "thrifty" blog, Saving With Shellie, and I was hooked. I saved so much money just taking Shellie's advice in the first month, and I was so excited to talk to others who are like me. Now I follow about 15 thrifty blogs with my RSS Feed account at Google Reader. (A later post will explain how I ventured into this century and learned about RSS. Don't worry. I came fighting and you can too!) This led me to my love of blogging, and now I want to share that love with you.

My goal for this year is to post at least once daily, and provide content that is transparent . I welcome you to comment on my thoughts because they are just thoughts. I will share my ups and down as well as my successes and failures as a mother, a wife and a friend with you.

Leave a comment. Let me know what you think. Welcome to "My Life As A…" Enjoy.