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

The sad decline of our garden

Its sad but the garden is coming to an end. The tomatoes still have some green and varying shades of red on them. The cabbage are rather small. The crowder peas are still growing and doing well. The lettuce and cucumbers are gone. The collard greens are growing kind of slow but still growing. The broccoli is growing but I am not getting any heads, the same thing happened last year. I wonder if its just too hot for it to flower??



Can you guess what this mess is???? How about watermelon gone wild, green peppers fighting to survive and somewhere the collard greens are in there also. We learned an important lesson this year - the watermelon needs it own plot. Yeah without trying hard I won the battle to expand the garden for next year!!! Greg wants to put the watermelon in its own plot and I'm working on a second place to put more crowder beans in.

We are very happy with the garden, except the broccoli. So far the 15 tomato plants have produced a wonderful display of canned tomatoes!!! And I am not done yet!!!

How did your garden grow this year? where you able to put in one? any idea what's up with my broccoli?

Thanks for reading and blessings, Laura

The value of a smile

I am generally a happy person but yesterday I was treated to a special smile. It was one of those days I had to get up early, little caffeine and a 9:30 am visit to the doctor. After all that, and we all know that I am not a morning person, I was feeling a bit down.

I was waiting for the bus, leaning on a light pole and happened to look up at a car. In the passenger seat was an older lady and when she caught my eye she gave me the sweetest kindest smile and nodded her head. That kind smile lifted my spirits and made me aware of how much a smile can lift anyone’s spirits.

Well that led me to pay attention to others and their smiles. The smile from the old man I let go ahead of me at Walgreen’s, the cashier who checked me out, the guy at the bus stop that I talked to, my Pastor when I got to church and especially my Dad.

So share your special smile with everyone you see today. You could be the one good thing that happens to that person.

And in case you haven't had a special smile here is one from my brother Tommy



Blessings

Scary thought

We need to clean out our freezer.



That's just way to scary right now so I will take it in small steps. This week at the store it was necessities only - no meat. So we are eating out of the freezer. Dinner tonight is BBQ cups (using hamburger from the freezer) and one night will be mac & cheese with ham either mixed in or on the side.

Wish me luck
Blessings to you

What is so interesting????

Tweet is in the bedroom raising such a fit. So I went in to see what his problem is - nothing until I look out the window.







Now I am left to wonder what they were so interested in? That part of the filed had not been cut today.

Recipe review

Seafood & cream cheese stuffed shells
Taste of Home magazine Aug/Sept 2010 page 31

Prep time 50 min + chilling time
Makes 3 doz

Ingrediants
1 pkg (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I used Miracle whip)
2 tsp sugar (I used Splenda)
1 ½ tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp coarse ground pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cans (6oz each) crab meat, drain
½ lb frozen cooked salad shrimp, thawed
12 green onions, chopped

Directions
Cook pasta following directions. Drain and cool to room temp. You also want to make sure they are dry – trust me.

Mix everything but the crabmeat, shrimp and green onions. Make sure everything is mixed well then gently add in crab, shrimp and onions. Stuff the shells with about 2 Tbsp of stuffing. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Results and tweeks: This stuff was great and I am not a fish eater!!! Stuffing the shells was bothersome as they were slippery!!! This mix would also be great for just plain serving with crackers and not bothering with the shells. Greg liked the shells. Don’t be afraid of the Cayenne its not noticeable just adds a small bit of zing. I also did not use cans of crab meat I found a 18 oz bag at the store and used that. I do recommend chopping the crab and shrimp up before adding the large lumps were a slight pain.

July freebies

July freebies adding to the list of freebies I will also mark down anything that I get for free from the stores, by mail or any person that gives me something.
coupon bogo fire ring
2 - 16 ct Stayfree pads
tube of Crest Pro-health toothpaste
Sobe BOGO coupon
Crystal Light Pur samples plus 3-$2 coupons from Vocalpoint
Purina Pro life dog food sample plus coupon (Simba the cat is NOT impressed)
16 oz bottle BBQ sauce
2 coffeemate sticks 20 ct
gal of Clorox bleach
sample Old WI sausage snack
Bounty $2 coupon
10 stamps Quadreaders
single load Tide detergent
tube of Cover girl mascara and coupons (Bzagent)
sample Propel water mix
Black & Mild smoking jacket t-shirt
Bi-monthly Taste of Home magazine (1 year free with cookbook purchase)
20 oz Diet Coke (Kmart contest)
2 Reach toothbrushes
tube Colgate toothpaste
2-3 pks Rite Aid scotch tape
3 Lady Speed stick
TN Pride sausage gravy
3 Kitten chow bags
Ace sportswrap