25 Grocery Challenge

I don't have a picture today because we've got friends coming over this morning, I have to go read to the kids around lunch, etc. Busy day today!

Here's what I got...
(2) bags New York bagel chips
(1) bag Ruffles potato chips
(1) box Kellogg's Special K
(2) boxes Uncle Ben's Boil a Bag rice
(2) boxes of Ritz crackers
(2) bags of Pepperidge Farm goldfish crackers
(1) package of Publix stick butter
(3) Stouffer's Easy Express skillet meals
(1) bottle Publix rubbing alcohol
(1) bottle Publix cocoa butter lotion
(1) bottle Publix hand sanitizer
(4) packages Tai Pei frozen dinners
(1) carton of Publix eggs
(2) ears of corn
(1) package of strawberries
(4) cans of Old Orchard frozen juice
(1) package pork sirloin cutlets
(2.41) lbs. bananas
(1.87) lbs. Fuji apples
(6) cartons of Yoplait yogurt
(1) 1/2 gallon Publix milk
(1) 8pk. Powerade
(2) packages Kraft cheese singles

Total before sales and coupons: $110.47
Total after sales and coupons: $48.58

Decent week...I had to get yogurt, stick butter and cereal even though they weren't great deals. I was glad to get some frozen dinners for those nights I just don't feel like cooking. I was able to get some free stuff with my Publix Baby Club coupons and we're stocked up on crackers for Finley. Obviously, I went way over my $25, but I'm won't be shopping next week so that's how I'm justifying it ;)

Here's what we're having this week...
Oven-roasted pulled pork sandwiches with grilled corn on the cob
Yankee pot roast (Stouffer skillet meal)
Parmesan crusted chicken in philly cream sauce with rice and salad
Skillet lasagna
Leftovers

I'm trying out some new recipes this week. If they turn out good I'll share them.

Happy Couponing!!!

Lately...

Lots going on lately...

1.) Joey did great on the GMAT!!! He'll start his MBA courses at UAB in the fall. I have a feeling I know what Joey is most excited about. He's most excited he'll get to eat those sandwiches out of the vending machines in the business building.

2.) The 10k will be here on Sunday! I'm really excited, but also ready to have this under my belt and marked off my "Goals for 2011" list. I decided running wasn't my passion, but somehow I was talked into running another 10k in May. Thanks Leighton ;) Actually, I'm looking forward to it :) She's running the 10k on Sunday with me so we are officially running buddies. I think we need a name to make it official.

3.) Finley's birthday is April 2nd and as if I wasn't excited enough already, I picked up her birthday outfit this weekend.



My friend Katie over at Stickyfingerz Boutique made the shirt and pants. I love them! She does great work so check her out. I can't get links of my blog to show up so look for her on Facebook. The bow is from a really cute boutique in Pensacola called Ty & KC.

4.) We went to our niece's talent show at church on Friday night. We had no idea we had such a vocally gifted niece. She did great! How an 8 year old has the guts to get on a stage in front of her friends and sing is beyond me. Way to go AG!!!

Here's a pic of Anna Grace, Finley and Drew before the show.



5.) I'm headed to the beach for a week!!! Finley and I will be chaperoning Spring Breakers with a friend of mine. Being around 19 year olds in bikinis won't be too depressing. I think now is the time to try that Daniel Fast.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Lie Berry

First thing this morning Finley and I went to the library. I'm reading to some of the kids in the WAY program on Dr. Seuss's birthday (which is March 2nd if any of you were wondering) and I needed some books to take with me to read. After I got what I needed I realized that Finley had been sitting quietly at one of the computers for about 10 minutes. I think she thought she was actually playing the Dora computer game that was on when really it was just playing the intro over and over again. While she was busy doing that, I started looking through the children's books. So many titles looked familiar, but when I came across these two I had to get them.





My super creative photography skills blow you away don't they?

I definitely want these two books for Finley's library someday. Don't those old covers take you back? I'm feeling very nostaglic ;) I can picture the library at Cahaba Heights Elementary like it was yesterday.



Finley was nice enough to pose for this one even though she dropped the book immediately after I took the picture and grabbed old faithful...The Very Hungry Caterpillar.



Finley enjoyed storytime for a few minutes and even chimed in with "car" when the reader pointed to a picture of one and asked what it was. Now that I know storytime is on Thursday mornings, we might have to make it a date each week.

Joey's bringing home Momma Goldberg's for lunch so I'm thinking we'll take a nap after lunch and then go to the park to swing. I love it when the house is clean, dishes and laundry are done and those pesky little to dos are finished. The day is ours to enjoy :)

25 Grocery Challenge

Here's what I got...
(1.70) lbs. baking potatoes
(1.25) lbs. apples
(1.83) lbs. grapes
(2.72) lbs. bananas
(1) bagged salad
(2) Softsoap hand soap
(4) Edge shave gel
(3) Pam cooking spray
(2) Kellogg's Crunchy Nut cereal
(1) 1/2 gallon milk
(1) box Nabisco animal crackers (Free)
(1) Jennie O turkey bacon
(1) Publix cheese singles
(5) Juicy Juice 64 oz.
(1) Glass Plus cleaner
(1) Pepperige Farm bread

Total before sales and coupons : $76.94
Total after sales and coupons : $30.69

This week I splurged on turkey bacon and cheese singles, neither of which were on sale or had a coupon, but I needed cheese and I've been craving turkey bacon for a week. I did have two $1 off coupons for fruit, but it was still $7 of my budget. I see now why the kids in these poor counties I visit are so overweight. Those parents are broke and fresh fruit and vegetables are expensive! I only buy enough fruits and veggies for a family of 3 (we don't eat a lot of vegetables) and it usually takes up about 40% of my budget.

This week we're having...
Chicken and rice casserole
Breakfast pizza and cheese grits casserole (I miscalculated dinners last week. Joey went out of town so I didn't make this)
Grilled chicken, broccoli and mashed potatoes
Leftovers

Happy Couponing!

Facebook Saves the Day!

Some of you may have seen a post on my Facebook profile about a deal from Groupon for a 16 x 20 canvas print for $45 including tax and shipping. It was an awesome deal. The least expensive one I have found was $89.99 not including tax and shipping. The day the deal came out I bought 2 of them so I could hang them on either side of my dining room buffet. Unfortunately, one of the pictures I sent them to put on canvas wouldn't fit right as a 16 x 20 so they made it a 16 x 24. They did email me, but it was one of those emails where you can't respond and I got the email late at night so I couldn't contact them to say don't do that because I want to hang them side by side so they need to be the same size. So here's what I got...



They are beautiful and I am so pleased with them, but I can't hang them side by side. I was so upset. Today I found Canvas on Demand on Facebook and commented on their wall asking if there were any Groupons and there was one for Ocala, FL!!! Yay!!!!! I was thrilled!!! So I ordered 1 more and all is well. I can't wait to get them framed and on my wall. I'm so thankful for Facebook!

8 years ago today...

8 years ago today Joey and I went on our first date! It was February 22, 2003, a week after Valentine's Day. I actually don't remember where we went on our first date :( I'm going to say it's because I was so swept off my feet by his charm that I was completely unaware of what was going on around me ;) Happy First Date, Joey!

Just for fun, here are some old pics of us.

Such a shame...

I'm not the least bit surprised it happened. It's been a long time coming that someone would get so riled up about a stupid football game that they would snap and do something so destructive. It's such a shame. I hope no one retaliates. I really do. I hope somehow the trees will survive and I hope they catch the guy that did it and punish him. The person who poisoned the trees is delusional, angry and obviously has nothing to lose. He knew it was a crime and he said he didn't care. When a person reaches that point he is a danger to society. What was done to the trees is terrible. I feel bad that it has come to this. Those trees are beautiful, historic living things that have been poisoned in hopes that they will die, all in the name of football. Al from Dadeville poisoned those trees because he was pissed that Auburn won the Iron Bowl. Simple as that. He doesn't give a crap about Bear Bryant. Bear Bryant probably rolled over in his grave when he heard Al say he did it because people were celebrating Bear Bryant's death in Toomer's Corner. Puh-lease!

To me the bigger picture is what's behind the act. Here is a simple fact. Football is a game. That's why it's called a football game. The dictionary defines game as a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators. A lot of people are commenting that the rivalry has gotten out of hand. I agree, it's not fun anymore. It's not about the sport or the skill required to play football, it's not about the hours of practice , the dedication, the dream, the discipline, the tradition or any of that good stuff that comes from being involved in team sports.

Let's back up to this past football season when I wished football would just go away because I was sick of all the insanity surrounding the sport. The people who play college football are usually ages 18-24. They are kids. Wishing or hoping that they will get hurt, fail or make a mistake or bad decision just because they don't play for your team is SICK! Tim Tebow comes to mind. We worship these college players who have been in jail, do drugs, cheat and lie, etc., but we make fun of Tebow who cried after a game because he had worked so hard to achieve a goal and came up short in the end. I don't mean to offend anyone, but if you found that amusing you need help. People treat these kids like they are seasoned professionals who can deal with the ridicule. They aren't. Can you imagine what it would feel like to have so many people hate you when they don't even know you? That cannot be good for the psyche. Don't even get me started on the whole Cam Newton thing. I have never seen more effort to bring down a human being in my life. Geez! He's a college football player not the President. If Auburn hadn't been a winning team, no one would have cared about the computers or what his dad supposedly did. Players on other teams have done much worse. It was part of a great American tradition of bringing down whoever is on top and this year Auburn was on top. Next year, someone else will be on top and those people will be scrutinized, interrogated and hated. I don't know what can be done to cool the fans down, but maybe this incident will help open people's eyes. We have the nerve to say how insane it is for people in other countries to riot in the streets, but at least they are rioting for important issues. We are hating on each other because a group of men ran across a line with a ball more times than another group of men. Pathetic. I think, for spectators, football is meant for entertainment. I think it presents an opportunity to get together with friends and hang out. It's fun to wear your team's colors and cheer for them. I think it's great to have a team you believe in and support them in any way you can, but football is way to high on some people's priority list. Why do people like to do that? I don't get it and I'm glad I never will. Just because you love your team doesn't mean you have to hate other teams. Just love your team and let that be the end of it. Oh and world peace ;)

I'm curious...am I the only one who blocked friends from my newsfeed for being obnoxious during football season??? What's sad is that those people I blocked have stayed blocked because I haven't missed them (there was even an Auburn fan in there). Sorry folks, I just want to see pictures of my friends babies, birthday parties, vacations and funny status updates. I don't give a crap about your nasty football smack talk.