2011 Goals

Here are the 2011 goals.

2011 Goals

Make more of my own food (breads, muffins etc)
Preserve more of the garden bounty
Dehydrate more food from garden and herbs (dehydrator on wishlist at Amazon.com & saving up my Amazon codes for one)
Do more work with Herbs – I have Lavender for some potpourri
Do volunteer work
Coupon more wisely for our home, donations and gifts
Sew/craft more
Continue to blog
Get out of the house more for walks (even if just to walk up to the carry out with Greg)

Some are repeats from last year because they needed improvements.

Blessings and may you and your family have a Blessed New year.

Laura

2010 Resolution review

Its that time of year again, what to do about the coming new year? I guess I have to start with a review of my 2010 goals

make your own bread - did but not on a regular basis.
dehydrate some food - didn't do unless you count the parsley and celery leaves
Can more food(pressure canning) - well I did can.preserve more food but no pressure canning.
Cooking more from scratch - I've done this and I hope that I have made us happier, healthier people.
expand the garden(it will almost double) - yep did that and it will grow again this year
grow & use herbs - grew 2 different ones Chives (which I do use) and Lavender (that I didn't use)
buy local (looking for a co-op for next summer)- couldn't find a co-op since we don't drive but I did buy more from the Farmers Market.
Improve my blog - I keep trying I may have to hire my son or my nephew to change anything :)
Do some volunteer work - didn't do the amount that I wanted to
Organize a home diary - its an on-going work in progress but put it this way if our home is blown away by a tornado I have an emergency bag packed that I stuff my purse in and grab with me. Greg laughs at me when they mention Tornado watch and I grab the bag and put it in the bathroom but hey I am prepared.

So I guess I did pretty good, I'm happy with what I did.

Come back tomorrow and hopefully I will figure out what to do for 2011.

Blessings, Laura

Christmas with Greg, Sam, AJ, Kelly and Tom

Some of my gifts the kids gave me a new grocery cart, this one has a security shelf that will put a shelf between my bags and the open air.


Tom's gift a new t-shirt called Ghostbusters. I used a gift certificate that earned from one of my reward programs and paid like $3 for it. It was a hit.


The new couple shot - he tickled me just as Kelly took the picture.

My candy dish brought out the fun of the party. What do you get when you eat a handful of sour candy?

Only a face a mother could love :)


Its been my tradition to enjoy a special Christmas get together with my very special people. This year I served finger foods (that I must have missed taking a picture of), a deli tray with ham and turkey with cheeses and crackers, homemade brownies, macaroni salad, deviled eggs, and a beef and onion cheeseball. And at Greg's suggestion I served the sausage stars that I had made for dinner the night before.

I hope that your Christmas was as nice as mine.

Blessings, Laura

Recipe review

Country Woman Christmas 1999
Savory Onion Cornbread (page 19)

Ingredients
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 cup cream style corn
1/3 cup milk
2 drops hot pepper sauce
1 package (8 1/2 oz) corn bread/muffin mix AKA Jiffy mix
1 cup[ (8 oz) sour cream
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dill weed

Directions
saute onions and butter until soft, set aside.
In bowl, mix egg, corn, milk, pepper sauce. Add muffin mix and mix until just mixed. Pour into greased 8 inch square pan.
Combine sour cream, 1/2 cup of cheese, salt, dill and sauteed onions
Spoon over the bread mix.
Bake in 425 oven for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Serve warm and serves 9.



Results and my changes
Pretty good but kind of strange with the topping. I used 4 drops of hot sauce and you could not taste it. I didn't have dill weed so I used dill seed. I suggest you leave this cool for 5 minutes - I didn't and I was hungry and my topping did not set up so it was messy. Good but messy :) and it went so well with my yummy chili

So what can you buy with 50 cents?

I bought a new microwave.

I paid 50 cents cash and $65.95 in Amazon gift codes. I like to turn in my reward program points for Amazon gift codes. So I had 3 codes (2 worth $5 from Swagbucks and one worth $10 from Freeride). Then Coinstar (the green change counting machine) ran a deal if you turned in $40 in coins (or dollars) you got a $10 code for your choice of like 10 different places. One of them happened to be Amazon.com. We had been saving our change in a big Planters plastic canister for a couple of years plus we added some extra change to make sure we were at $40.

Just a mere 4 days before this started we found out that we needed a new microwave. So here is what 50 cents bought us.

Blessings

Friday - this is on my mind

We hung up for outside Christmas lights. And we have changes for 2011 in mind already.

Blessings, Laura

Big brown (UPS) brought

me a little brown box.


I just received my Christmas gift from Quadreaders Club a really nice tin of cashews!!!


Thank you for reading now I'm off to work with stops at Walgreen's and Rite aid first. Blessings

Frugal bee today

Today has been a very frugal day for me. First I am sitting around the house in the dark. I am only turning on lights when I need to read something or like now when I need to be able to see my keyboard.

Tonight I have an Eastern Star meeting and I volunteered for refreshments. Pumpkin bars made with a marked down Halloween cake mix, a free can of pumpkin and free walnuts. Granted I paid for the remaining ingredients but not much just a couple eggs, some milk and spices.


Then for the same meeting we are collecting toys, gloves and hats for lower income families. So knowing this was coming up 3 weeks ago when they (the games) were on sale at work I bought 5 different games, used my employee discount (gotta love that!) and then mailed in the rebate for them.

The gloves were bought on sale for 49 cents a pair at KMart.

Trying to think of more ways to be frugal tomorrow.
Blessings and thank you for reading.

November freebies

November free stuff
Garnier Fructis anti-dandruff sample
15 stick pack of Extra gum
2 free cans Whiska cat food
trial size Tide
2 cans Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1 doz eggs (meat market)
Kroger coupons - Free doz eggs coupon
10 first class stamps (Quadreaders)
Barilla pasta coupons (including one for a free box) from Vocalpoint
$10 gc from Mypoints for Walmart
$3 Pinecone payment
2 cans Campbell's Chicken noodle soup
4 bottles Honest Abe Tea
4 boxes of pasta
Box Ritz crackers
roll of Scotch painters tape
sample Tom's toothpaste
$30 Settlement check Danactive
sample of Dove shampoo & conditioner
$1.50 Kandoo coupon
No Nonsense sock (1 pair)
coupon roak
Free Kroger Big K 2 liter coupon
2 Renuizit adj room freshners (Facebook coupon)
chuck roast (store sale BOGO)
coupon free bag of vegetable chips
sample bag of Purina One catfood
sample Vaselline lotion
5 pound bag of potatoes

This is on my mind Friday

I'm planning my holiday baking.

500 pound food pantry challenge - final donation

Here is the final list of what I turned in

12.6oz Pantene conditioner
2 – 42 count Pull Up wipes
2 – 2.6 oz Degree Deodorant
7 Reach toothbrushes
5 Reach floss
15 trial size various health & beauty items
1 – 8ct Walgreen’s tampons
4 - 11 oz Gain dish detergent
9 ct Tampax tampons
4 Reach dental floss
40 ct Tampas tampons
2 (8 ct) Quaker Hearty oatmeal
2 - 13 oz boxes of cereal
2 cans chicken noodle soup
2 Oral B toothbrushes
1 Reach toothbrush
2 packets Star Kist Tuna
42 ct Cottonelle Wipes
Boudreaux’s baby kisses
16 ct Poise pads
3 cans Campbells’ chicken noodle soup
3 boxes Ronzoni pasta

I didn't have a final weight total. When I saw that I was not doing as well as I hoped I didn't bother buying a scale. I am a little disappointed that I didn't do better but I'll just turn around and keep gathering for this months donation.

Blessings

First snow of 2010/2011 season

When I left work last night we had a few big fluffy flakes as I walked across the parking lot and then it ended. But when we woke up this morning there was actually white stuff on the ground. Actually you see it better on the neighbors black car.


A view of the field behind our place


The garden, while it sleeps, is collecting future ground water to grow big strong vegetables next summer.


Ok I'm ready for Spring the rest of the snow can just float over us and land somewhere else.
Blessings

This is what I call Black Friday shopping

Yes after work I did go to Walgreen's and do some of that shopping. rite Aid did not open until 7am and trust me I am old and was not going to wait for 45 minutes in close to teens degrees with the blowing wind.

But I was surfing (in my pj's by the way) and checked in on the Facebook page for Home Depot. They are running really sweet specials and look what I got!!!

Order Confirmation: W116025800
Order Date: Nov 26, 2010 7:30:48 PM EST

Billing Address:
Laura Logan Beadle


Shipping Method: Standard Delivery
---------------
Shipping Address:
----------------
Laura Logan Beadle


Qty Ordered Product Unit Price Amount
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1 4 Piece Steel Sling Chair Set $99.00 $99.00
FBNov4943 -$89.01
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Merchandise Subtotal $9.99
Shipping $0.00
Estimated Sales Tax $0.67
Order Total $10.66


Yes folks that is 4 outside chairs for $9.99 plus the tax. Hot dog perfect since our current pair are not holding up all that well. I can now recycle them and not feel guilty or have to sit on the ground next Spring.

Hope your day was good and thank you for reading.

Scary thought but my plans for Black Friday

Black Friday shopping plans

Yep I am one of “those” shoppers. I will be leaving work at 6am and heading right across the street to Rite Aid and Walgreen’s.

Here is the plan
Rite Aid
I have the following to use $6 in uprewards, 10% off shopping pass for 250 wellness points and a $5 off $25 Rite Aid coupon.

5 (hoping for 5 at least) can of Planters $3.99 - $2 up reward and when buying 5 I will get a bonus $5 upreward. Will equal somewhere in the area of 5 cans for $4.95 (my math is probably off cause I can’t figure out the cents)

Nature Bounty vitamins are BOGO. I need multi vitamins since I am using my last bottle. I have a $2 off Your Life multi vitamins and a $1 off any Nature Bounty vitamin.

Motrin PM $4 - $2 manu coupon and $2 single check rebate

Listerine $3.99 - $2 manu coupon for Zero (I have 4 coupons) = 4 for $1.99 a piece

Lindsay olives 2 for $3 - $1 off 2 manu coupon and $1 upreward for buying 2 (I have 2 coupons) = 2 for $1

Across the old mall lot to Walgreen’s with a stop at McDonald’s for breakfast

Lots of free stuff
Planter’s nuts $3.49 - $3.49 rebate that will print at the register

Gillette Fusion skin care (hoping that is shave cream) $5.49 - $5.49 register reward

Nivea for men shower stuff $2.99 - $2.99 rr - $3 manu coupon = profit  And I am buying 3 and I don’t care if I get the rr’s for all 3.

2 liter soda 99 cents – 99 cents rr. Depends on what brand I didn’t see that on the preview

Colgate toothpaste $2.99 - $2.99 rr - $1 manu coupon = $1 profit. I am out of toothpaste for my stash. I either used what I had for my Christmas shoeboxes (and I had to buy one for that) or for my 500 pound pantry challenge.

Scrunci $1.99 - $1.99 rr (will be part of a gift for one of my nieces I think)

Gum EZ flossers $2.25 - $2.25 rr – 75 cent IP = profit. I love these things I can grab them real quick when there is something between my teeth.

Advil PM 99 cents – 99 cent - 99 cents rr - $1 manu coupon = $1 profit

I read somewhere that they are having the jar candles that Greg and I love on sale 3 for $8.95!!! We will stock up on those bad boys!!!

Check this out

I found this great sheet of scrapbook paper in my stash. I'm going to save it for next Spring and cut the butterfiles out to put on some cards. I may also use some as accent pieces on a couple of pages in the scrapbook.

Surprisingly sad about this

The 2010 season of our garden is over. Greg cut out the cabbage and covered the plot with leaves for the winter. Even the chives and Lavender are cut back and about to go to sleep for a long cold winter.


Blessings

October freebies

Wow what a great month for free stuff

October freebies
Kroger coupons (no freebies)
2 packets of Star Kist Tuna
5 cans of Meow Mix cat food
3 boxes Totinos Pizza Rolls
8oz block of Philadelphia cream chees (Kroger kick off game)
coupons from my regular trader
coupon for free tub of Cottenelle wipes
10 postage stamps from Quadreaders
coupon enveleope from a coupon train
2 pink ducks from Race for cure
coupon train envelope
1 can Meow Mix cat food
coupon for free bottle of Advil (20 or 24 count)
$3 Pincone survey payment
$100 Home Depot gift card (turned in checking acct points)
single use Wisk (Costco sample)
trial size crest for kids toothpaste
3 Gain dish detergent
3.5 oz Wonka bar (Kroger game win)
Large Bag Doritos
packet Taco seasoning
coupon envie from train
contest win socks from No Nonsense
$10 gc WalMart (turned in Mypoints points)
coupon for free can Pringles Extreme (facebook)
Visine rebate check
Johnsonville Deli bites sample
coupon envie from train
$3 Pinecone payment
$5 Amazon code (swagbucks)
free can of Wolf chili (kroger coupon)
$1 off coupon Kandoo wipes
Vaselline hand lotion sample
Zebra pen - looks like for a teenage girl very cute
Sure for women rebate check
Shout color catcher sample
8 ft ladder
6 ft storage shelves
circular saw
pair of socks (forgot name of them and the promotion)

Bartering with my Dad

My dad asked me to help him close out his old business this week. I was unemployed and my Dad helps me so much that I was quite happy to say sure. Today was day 2 of 3 days and man oh man that father of mine works like a dog. Of course watching him at his age (he's only 64 not old really) makes me work just as hard. But honestly he keeps thanking me for helping and I am having a blast!!! Here are some of my efforts
I have no idea what these things are but they sure were fun to play with. Good thinkg you can't see how dirty my hands are - they looked like I had been playing in mud puddles.

I was thinking about buying this set from him but changed my mind.


But I am taking this set


See the empty shelves and the full boxes? I emptied the shelves and all those boxes are paper to be recycled.


Oh and the bartering part? he has already given me an 8 ft ladder that I needed. :)

Thanks for reading and blessings, Laura

Busy weekend

Wow what a weekend. Yesterday our Eastern Star chapter had its annual installation. My Stepmom and Dad were installed as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron, in a nutshell they will lead the Chapter. As I had been hoping to enter nursing school I did not accept an office, I'll be a protem.

Then at church today Miss P was alone (Mr W is out of town with his parents) so we had a tea party and we did crafts!!! The tea party is fun I just sit on the floor and tell her no ketchup in my tea please. She dumps some in anyways. But today she spotted some glue in our cupboard and wanted to make a picture. Beautiful words to my ears!!! so we got some pretty construction paper, some foam pieces and went to work. Next week we will do something with feathers.

Then tonight, while I was on the computer earlier I heard thunder (yippee!!!) and had to go outside to check it out. We all know that I love thunderstorms and this one was beautiful. It knocked out our electric for about 10 minutes. At first the storm was just a little thunder boomer but it got worse. I just grabbed my camera, the flashlight, a towel (for cover the rain was blowing on me) and sat on the steps to enjoy Mother Nature's show. I only took 1 picture the others would have been the same as I posted before.

Blessings

The bird and the cat

I guess the 2 are not bothered by the other anymore. I took tweet out to the Kitchen so I could clean his cage. All Simba did was wake up from a nap, yawn, stretch and rub on Tweet's cage.
Tweet stood very still in the middle and just watched.

A little light to cook by

The one fault that I have with my kitchen is that the light by the stove/oven is not enough for me to cook by. I don't remember if I have mentioned but I am visually impaired, I only have about half of the sight left in my left eye. Basically its real dark in my world when its dark!!! So since we moved in here I have been complaining that I need extra light over the stove. Well I went to Home Depot and amongst other things I bought my light and Greg hung it today.
Before

After

The reason I can see.

Now to get the bottom cupboard fixed the way I want.

Our first bartering experience

Back view

Front view sorry it doesn't show how light the trim is.

Greg did some bartering recently. He spent some time helping the park manager (Bill) paint 3 Mobile homes; in return he got the paint to paint OUR home. I chose white as the base overall paint and a Herbal tea green for the trim.

I like this bartering.

Blessings, Laura

Can you hear the music??

The woods across the field from our home.

Miss Maple - I was trying to show how her colors have started to change

And I don't mean music from the usual sources.

Nightime
I can hear the crackling of the fire, the planes overhead, the crunch of something (we hope are deer) in the woods, the neighbor 6 doors down talking around their fire. Of course Greg & I talking with our new neighbors around our fire.

Daytime
The wind gently blowing through the woods, the squirrels in our apple tree then they head across the electric lines to the roof our home, the kids playing in the field. Little LaLa (the neighbor girl across the street) singing her combination of 4 different nursery rhymes. Greg breaking up the fallen branches from Miss Maple.

Sometime just sit quietly and listen to the music that God provides.

Blessings, Laura
This man pulled out of McDonald's with his lunch and chose to sit under the tree to enjoy it.

End of the season (in more ways than one)

I'm not to sorry to say that Summer is over. I will miss the sunshine, the fun storms and playing in the garden but not the heat. Here is the garden a few tomatoes, the cabbage, the crowder peas are still fighting to grow. Gone is the broccoli and watermelon. Even the green peppers appear to be giving up hope.


And in case you think I am being melodramatic (cause I am) even the farmer has decided that the corn has to come in. Hopefully that will make lots of cows and little farm animals happy for the winter.


Well Fall has arrived and its time to start planning next years garden. Hum what to plant, what to plant?

Thanks for reading and blessings to you and yours.

Its been a year already

One year ago today Greg & I got married. Wow this year has gone by quickly. No
presents but I did buy this arrangement for the church services today. And because I don't like to "kill" flowers I requested a live plant to keep and remember the day.

Blessings, Laura

October 1, 2010

Good morning friends I'm off to do battle with everything today. It just seems to be one of those days. A couple friends are taking us out for an anniversary dinner tonight and then we will come home and have a fire in the pit.

Here is my list of September freebies:
September freebies
3 Gain dish detergent 11oz
130 ct Bufferin
$18 gc from BustedTees (using Myview survey points and going to be a Christmas gift for my brother)
4 reach floss
tube Colgate toothpaste (Kroger coupon from a friend)
10 first class stamps (Quadreaders always looking for new people just email me for information)
Alive vitamins
sample your life vitamins
Precise heating wraps
Nivea for men body wash
2 boxes cereal (13 oz)
2 boxes of elbow macarooni
4 Aqua Mist
12 pack bath tissue
bottle 12 oz pop
bag of chips snack size
keychain
9 hot peppers from neighbor
$5 Amazon gc from Swagbucks
$10 Kmart gc (used Coke reward points)
sample of Downy and 4 coupons
free bag of M&M's (coupon)
issue of Taste of Home (free subscription)
coupon envie from a regular trader
sample of Wisk
notepad from Artscow
4 cans of Whiskas cat food
Little Crow coupons
2 packages of Ball Park franks
5 snickers bars
$10 Rite Aid gc (oral care rebate)
Rebate check for Aug from Rite Aid

Good day and blessing to you and yours, Laura

The poor grocery cart

Hello everyone and thank you for standing by and waiting for me to be inspired.

I made a trip to Walgreen's and Rite Aid today
6 bottles of Tide detergent
2 bottles of Downy
1 box of Downy sheets
3 Dawn dish soap
and various other little things.

My grocery cart broke!! I was walking across a parking lot to Rite Aid and the wheel fell off!!! Right there on a parking lot!!! Clean fell right off. And it was a big wheel, do You have any idea how hard it is to push a cart with that much detergent in it? It wasn't easy.

Greg has his work cut out for him. Luck its an easy fix - Just a new pin to hold the wheel on.

Blessings from the clean laundry home, Laura

9-11 tribute

My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of the nearly 3000 people that died in New York, Shankesville and the Pentagon 9 years ago today.

August freebies

20 free prints from Snapfish (TLC/facebook contest)
4 banana peppers from neighbor
eggplant from neighbor
4 Whiska cat food cans
bag of Doritos (Kroger special)
bag of Kroger brand chips (e-coupon/sale price)
Kroger coupons (freebie for mini carrots)
$5 Amazon gift card (Swagbucks)
4 Sobe drinks (game wins)
1 lb bag of mini carrots
packet Old El Paso taco seasoning
Photo calendar (coke rewards)
3 Reach floss
pint of cherry tomatoes
1-12 pk Pepsi (kroger special)
3 cans cat food 2 Whiska,
1 Fancy Feast
8 SOBE BOGO game coupons
$3 Pinecone payment
3 bell peppers (neighbor)
cookbook (farmers market)
free 12 pack Coke (coke reward)
bag of boneless,skinless chick breasts
1 bottle Sobe
can Whiskas cat food
$10 Walgreen's gc (Mypoints)
8 ct Walgreen's tampons

September 1 - time to start a new challenge

I seem to do better if I have a challenge to motivate myself. Here is one to take us to the end of the year.
500 pound donation challenge

I recently read about a fellow WUCkie (We love coupons forum member and I have a link over to the right in the links section) who’s Pastor challenged his whole church to donate the total family’s weight in food for the local food pantry. I already donate to my church’s food pantry but I admit I have been slipping lately. So this has motivated me to do the same so here I am to proclaim Greg & I will donate 500 pounds of food and health & beauty products to our church pantry BY CHRISTMAS. And of course I will do it as cheaply as I can.

Here is the running list but I don’t have weights yet. I need to buy a scale for that

12.6oz Pantene conditioner
2 – 42 count Pull Up wipes
2 – 2.6 oz Degree Deodorant
7 Reach toothbrushes
5 Reach floss
8 trial size various health & beauty items
1 – 8ct Walgreen’s tampons

Stay tuned to see how well we can do on this challenge.

Thanks for reading and blessings, Laura

My frugal husband

After bringing home 2 more bottles of Dawn, my husband decided that they were a little messy under the kitchen sink.



He said he needs another box and someplace nice and neat to keep them - there are more under the sink.

Blessings, Laura

Why is it?

That I go to Costco (my first time) and Simba gets the toy? I asked my sister Vickie to take me so I could buy a new refill bottle of hand soap. I actually got 2 (a bundle pack) and a 8 pack of Campbells Cream soups. Here is Simba's new toy.

This weeks shopping plans Aug 22, 2010

Wow what a great week for both Walgreen’s and Rite Aid.

Walgreen’s
I have a $3 register reward to use and a raincheck for free multivitamins.

Dawn dish soap 99 cents – 25 cent manufacturer coupon = 74 cents. Plus if I can find the specially marked bottles they will donate $1 to help oil soaked animals.
Glade candles 2 for $5 - $1 off 2 coupons in today’s paper = 2 for $4. Greg loves to burn candles and trust me right now he is burning incense candles will be better.
Glade scented oil candles 2 for $5 same coupon deal as above.
Uniball pens $2.49 - $1.50 walgreen’s coupon – 50 cent man coupon = 49 cents.
Listerine and Reach Toothbrushes $2.99 each - $1.00 in ad coupon – lots of various manu coupons including $2 off for the new Listerine Zero rinse. I’ll pay between nothing or around $1 depending on the coupons.

Rite Aid
I have $4.50 in up rewards to spend plus a couple more for like $1 off $10 back to school etc.
Pilot Pens 3 for $3 - $1 SCR (single check rebate) - $1 up reward when you buy 3 – (2) $1 manu coupons from internet = 3 free
Maxwell House coffee $2.99 - $1 manu coupon - $1 up reward = 99 cents
Coffee Mate creamer $2.99 – 75 internet coupon - $1 up reward = $1.24
Splenda $2.99 - $1 up reward - $1 manu coupons = 99 cents. These are 3.8 oz bags and I plan to a good bit of baking for Christmas so they won’t last long.
Plus my raincheck for Purex 3n1 sheets from last week $4.99 - $3 man coupon. I have to wait until Wed for this, the truck comes Tuesday.

Blessings, Laura

Farmers Market

Greg & I went to the Farmers market this morning. Guess who got her pickeling cucumbers??!!! Look at these big things. Now I just have to get the Dill - all the stands had sold out of it.

Stay tuned pictures will follow in the next couple of days.

Blessings, Laura

Young lady go to your room and

write your name until you run out of ink!!! The past 2 days I have gotten some wonderful deals on Bic pens. 4 came from Kroger's today 79 cents each - (2) $1 off 2 coupons came out to 29 cents each pack.
4 yesterday at Rite Aid $1.99 each - BOGO - (2) $1 off 2 coupons and a $1 up reward when you spent %3 = 98 cents for all 4.

All will be given to my church but don't worry I am keeping 2 other packs here in case I am bad and need to spend some time writing my name.

Blessings, Laura