Question?

How do all you "cute" bloggers get music on your blogs? I sooo want some music.

Ah Man!

Darn! I didn't qualify for that survey! I can kiss that $5 goodbye! Pickles!

Deal Alert

Free Biscuits!! I just got back from Kroger and can confirm that Kroger is giving "Money Off your Next Purchase" catalinas for the $1 Grands Biscuits.

Buy any Pillsbury Refrigerated Baked Good Between 2/23 and 3/22:

• Buy 3 and Get $1.50
• Buy 4 and Get $2.00
• Buy 5 and Get $3.00

Best Scenario: Use 2 $0.50 off 2 coupons here

Final Price: $2 for 4 cans of biscuits then get $2 back making them FREEEE!

I am personally really excited about this deal because we have biscuits and gravy day every Friday Morning!

Kroger also surprised me with another interesting Catalina tonight: A "Give us your Opinion and We'll Pay you $5" catalina. I have never received anything like this before but I am soo going to take that survey and put that $5 back into my grocery budget! What a gift!

Sonday Confessions

Yet again I feel led to confess that I have been very hit or miss with my daily quiet times. If it wasn't for Sonday Sunday devotionals, I am embarrassed to say, my Bible would have stayed on my bedside table a couple of weeks last month. The days I find quiet time to "Be Still" with the Lord- I am able to approach the day with a more Christlike perspective. I find I am more patient and loving with the children, more empathetic with my clients, and better able to keep my actions in line with my priorities. Days I hit the floor running without so much as a glance at my Bible or Whispered prayer to the Giver of Time- I find are much more chaotic, less fulfilling, and I lose site of what is really important. Why do I do this?!?! Can't help but think of Romans 7: 15


I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.


Therefore in March priority #1 is going to be daily rejuvenation with the Lord!

Project of the Month

Well I didn't exactly accomplish my February Project of the Month: Repaint the Hall. BUT we did repaint the master bath or at least did touch ups. So I am gonna count that.

My March Project is going to be to get ready for the local Spring Consignment Event. I hope to sell enough of the boys old clothes and toys to pay for their Spring wardrobe. We'll see....

Familytime Friday

Ok, I have really been slacking in this area the last 2 weeks. I have let "busyness" take priority over familytime. My lack of sleep and never ending to-do list have left me short tempered and impatient with the boys on what is supposed to be "Mommy Days-" days devoted to just me and the boys. In March I must do better about not letting other things crowd out my familytime. After all, the whole reason I started this blog to begin with was to hopefully replace my income so I could eventually be home more with the boys!!! I think the quote on my friend Kelly's blog says it best (Kelly has one of those cute blogs I was telling you about earlier)

"You're gonna miss this, you're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days, hadn't gone so fast

These are some good times, so take a good look around...

You may not know it now, but your gonna miss this"

I tear up every time I read that! How many times have I been told that "they grow up so fast" and yet I take my time with my children for granted instead of treasuring each moment. My ultimate goal this month is to slow down and just spend more time "playing" with and enjoying my family.

Refill Envelopes Reminder

For those of us following the envelope system of budgeting- it's time to refill our envelopes for the month.

Thrifty Thursday

Thrifty Thursdays in March will continue to host the DRS Couponing 101 Lessons for the next couple of weeks. I hope someone out there has found the lessons helpful!

My personal goal for the month is to get back on track with my budget. I am officially nervous about meeting my annual $5000 goal because I truly thought I would be caught up by now. And I'm almost out of all that chicken I bought in January! BUT I'm NOT giving up! The good news is I have almost $60 coming my way from Walgreens' rebates so that will really help the budget if I spend it wisely.

I do love hearing about all your savings success stories so keep me updated!

Wellness Wednesday March Goals

One again I have to confess that although I have dished out the Wellness advice faithfully I have not been taking care of my own wellness.

• I have yet to follow through with my January Wellness Goal to schedule a doctor's appointment for my back. Goal: Call next week- REALLY!
• Although I did much better on my sleep as a whole, I still broke my midnight curfew at least 2 times a week. Goal: This month I am going to move my bedtime goal down to 11:30pm. We'll see......

What about you? How are you doing on your own personal Wellness Goals?

Day Task Reminder

Day Tasks are weekly chores or activities, not included in the zone work, that are assigned to specific days of the week.

Monday: Library Day, Pay Bills and Office Filing

Tuesday: Vacuum or Swiffer floors throughout house

Wednesday: Clean inside Microwave and Mop Kitchen Floors

Thursday: Date Night (in my dreams!), Swish Toilets (swish v. 1. the action of inserting the toilet brush into the toilet bowl and swirling it around thus cleaning the toilet bowl)

Friday: Errand Day, Project Day, Feather Dust House

Saturday: Change Bedsheets, Family Fun Day, Clean out Refrigerator, Grocery Shop (if grocery game posts early enough)

Sunday: Cut up fruit and vegetables for snacks, Iron clothes for coming week, REST

Daily Routine Reminder

Morning Routine- usually 7am - 8am (Please note I am NOT a morning person, therefore I try to keep my morning routine as light as possible):

• Quiet Time
• Breakfast
• Take Vitamins
• Get dressed for day
• Get kids dressed
• Dishwasher emptied and refilled
• Clothes in dryer
• Crockpot turned on (if applicable)
• Kitchen and Bathroom counters wiped down

Afternoon Routine- usually take 1-2 hours (this is done during rest time for boys or after work on days I work)

• Zone Work (Flylady says to spend no more then 15 minutes on this)
• Day Tasks
• Fold laundry
• Prepare Dinner
• Straighten up all rooms
• Return phone calls and check emails

Bedtime Routine- this starts after supper

• Clean up supper
• Pack lunches, backpack and diaper bag for next day (only on work days)
• Start Dishwasher
• Boys bathtime
• Start load of laundry (I do one load a day and alternate between permanent press and regular- but NEVER take laundry advice from me- I am horrible!!!)
• Wipe down toilet (this is done everyday because I live with 3 boys), sink, counters and Spray Shower Cleaner
• Bedtime routine with boys
• Gather up stuff for next day ex: phone, planner, etc.
• Lay out clothes for next day (work days only- I totally wing it on days I am home:)
• Plan for next day
• Reading time

March Cleaning Schedule

Effective Dates (Tuesday - Monday); Zone; Supplies

March 3 - 9, Office and Playroom, Windex, Dusting Spray, Electrical Appliance Cleaner, All-Purpose Cleaner or other Sanitizer, Swiffer Wet and Dry or mop and broom, vacuum, paper towels

March 10 -16; Outside, Garage, Laundry Room; All-Purpose cleaner, broom, mop, leaf blower (optional), windex, coins for the car wash, vacuum, trash bags, containers to sort: donate, garage sale, keep, etc., paper towels

March 17 - 23; Kitchen and Dining Room; Windex, All-Purpose cleaner, Oven Cleaner (I have an older oven with no automatic oven cleaner), Turtle Wax (to shine sink), broom, mop or Wet Swiffer, vacuum, paper towels. Dusting Spray or Furniture Polish (ex. Pledge)

March 24 - 30; Bedrooms and Closets; Windex, Dusting Spray, vacuum, Wet and Dry Swiffer (we have stained concrete in our bedrooms), paper towels

Remember to check out flylady.net for the ultimate cleaning plan.

Tidy Tuesdays in March

I continue to have HIGH hopes that one day I can conquer the house. Although there are many days I just want to wave my white flag and surrender to the clutter. It really does make a world of difference when I follow my morning, afternoon, and bedtime routine- I just have to do it!!! I did best when I held myself accountable with Mr. Linky.

Anyone out there up for some Tidy Tuesday in March?

Coming up soon.... Master Cleaning Schedule and Daytime Routine Reminder

March Month of Meals

Here is the March Line up of Meals!

Week 1:

• Salmon-Potato Cakes with side salad and Honey Dijon Sauce
• Chicken Quesadillas with salsa
• Pork Pineapple Tenderloin (crockpot) with rice
• Spinach Calzones with marinara sauce
• Chili

Week 2:

• Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa and side salad
• Greek Chicken Pasta with side salad
• Crockpot Rotisserie Style Chicken with Baked Potatoes and green beans
• Black Bean Burgers with tomato salad
• Breakfast Casserole

Week 3:

• Salmon Teriyaki with Vegetable Stir fry and rice
• Blackened Chicken Salad
• Roast with carrots and potatoes (crockpot)
• Vegetable Pizza
• Mexican Casserole

Week 4:

• Spicy Grilled Shrimp with rice and stir fry broccoli
• Chicken Squares with green beans
• Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken with Mango Lettuce Wraps and rice
• Vegetable Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Cream Tacos

March Mealtime Mondays

How is everyone doing on their meal planning? Are you ready for some new healthy recipes? Well your March Month of Meals Menu is coming soon!!!

Remember that I have decided not to provide a master grocery list for the month. If you have any specific questions about ingredients prior to the actual recipe posting just let me know!

Ultimate Long Term Blog Plan- Phase One

Aaaaand I'm BACK! Sooo I was just about to tell you about phase one of my Master Plan to Make this Blog profitable:

In a word.... CUTE! That's right- I think it's my blog's lack of curb appeal that is holding me back from making the big bucks (even $1 per day would be nice). From my statcounter website I have been able to click over to other DRS readers' blogs, and let me tell ya- they have got it going on! No generic blogger templates there- nothing but genuine CUTENESS! I'm talking Pizazz! Being on their sites just make me want to smile and stay awhile. Then I come back over to DRS and if it wasn't for the picture of Donna Reed herself, I think I would fall asleep!

Therefore, in order to create a more enjoyable DRS experience for you dear readers, I am going to invest in a new Blog template that better reflects the DRS personality. In the redesign I also hope to accomplish a better layout for the blog that will enable easier navigation around DRS. However, my "Ultimate Long Term Blog Plan- Phase 1" plan does not allow me to go forth with the redesign until I have had 50 return visitors for 5 days (does not have to be consecutive). My goal is that this will happen by April 30th (my birthday) and I can relaunch the "New Face of DRS" that weekend! So tell your friends and tune in often! please

I do realize that this is extra dorky that I have guidelines for when I will allow myself to "cutify" my blog- But does it surprise anyone?! All you cool people out there with your cool blogs- cross over to the nerdy side- I dare ya!

Ultimate Long Term Blog Plan

Well you know I can't do anything without a plan, and here lately I can't make any plan without telling you about it, so here it is......... I'm going to let you in on my Ultimate Dream for this here Blog........... Now don't laugh.................

My Ultimate Goal for this blog is not only to educate the world about DRS, a disease that so often goes undiagnosed, but also to eventually make a little money off the process. Now I have been told by a number of professional bloggers that this is a far fetched dream BUT they don't understand the power of a DONNA wannabe with a PLAN!

You will notice on my sidebar I have a couple of different ads. As of right now, that is my only source of income from DRS. Every time someone clicks on one of those ads or purchases something from amazon from this site I get a tinsy portion. Let me give you an idea of how this is working for me: As of February 27th I have made a total of $5.95 for the Year! Woo Hoo!!! If you break that down to an average profit per day I am racking in a whole $0.10 per day! So you can see I'm a loooooong way off from being able to quit my day job. BUT my DRS makes me think that this whole dream could still work..... with the proper plan, of course.

I am not ready to present the full master plan of how I plan to launch this whole DRS business (partly because I haven't yet figured that out myself) but I do want to let you in on the first phase of my plan............................................. AFTER I COME BACK! Cue music. (Sorry I just got done watching the DVRd American Idol's Result Show- Go Kris Allen!!)

Super Saturday!!!

It's that time again! Time to roll out the master plan for the NEW month. Each new month brings hope and a fresh start to the DRS afflicted. Through our DRS tinted glasses we see the new month as our opportunity to get it right, to get it all together, to get reDONNAfied. For those of you that have practiced safe blogging and have avoided catching DRS- you know that in reality there is no way this side of Heaven any of us could achieve full Donna Reed Status but ain't it entertaining watching us try!

Stay tuned for a post packed day here at DRS central!

Deal Alert

This just in: $5 off 1 coupon for Huggies Gentle Care Diapers here !!!! WOW, this kind of deal doesn't come around very often! Hurry and print 2 off before the print limit has been reached!!! This deal will not last long.

While there, go ahead and print a couple of $3 off 1 coupons for Huggies Natural Fit Diapers.

Then go here to learn about an upcoming Walgreens deal that will score you some really cheap diapers!

Thanks Common Sense with Money!

Deal Alert

Don't forget to check out the coupons.com sidebar. There are some great new coupons including several organic food discounts and even a $10 off LeapFrog product!

Deal Alert

I have not personally tried "Naked" Fruit Juice but I have had several patients tell me about it. Go here to print 2 $1 off 1 coupons to possibly get some FREE Naked Fruit! Thanks Thrifty Mama!

Deal Alert

We don't have any pets in our family BUT for those that do, Money Saving Mom told me (and everyone else that looks at her blog) about a $3.50 off 1 coupon for Purina Brand Pet Food. Sounds like a good deal to me! Go here to fill out a brief questionnaire and print your coupon.

Deal Alert

ABC or A Bright Child Toys in Downtown Conway is having a 50% off sale this Friday and Saturday. The ENTIRE store is 50% off. This would be a great time to stock up on future birthday and even Christmas gifts for the kiddos.

PS Tell them Donna sent you. They won't have a clue what your talking about but tell em anyways- just for fun. (I'm so weird)

Familytime Friday

TGIF! Guess what I'm doing right now as this post hits the blog? SLEEEEEPING! Sorry to rub this in, BUT my Mom is down visiting and she insisted I sleep in today while she watched the boys. And who am I to disrespect my mother- right?! So I am going to do what normal people call "wing it" today and not plan out our day of activities. I know- what a rebel!
If we do anything extraordinary I'll let you know. Talk to you soon!

Deal Alert

Go here to print a Buy 1 Get 1 Free (B1G1) coupon for Glade Sense and Spray Automatic Spray OR Glade Plug-ins Scented Oil Lasting Impressions.
If you can catch a B1G1 store sale that could equal 2 FREE products!

Change in Plans

Ok folks, it was a hard decision but for my sanity and health I have decided NOT to provide a master grocery list for the month of meals. I do apologize to those that utilized this list in the past. To make it up to you, I will try to give you deal alerts for ingredients you will need for the month of meals to help you with your stockpile. I WILL still be providing the Master Menu on Super Saturday so you will have an idea of main ingredients (ex. chicken, beef, fish etc.) I'm just looking for ways to make this blog more manageable so I don't get burned out. Don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying the blog world it is just that it is taking over my life (or so I've been told). I hope you understand. I'll go ahead and throw up a Mr. Linky for any of you that have a strong opinion on the matter- you know I always love comments! Thanks and Love!

Annual Budget Countdown

As I mentioned last week I shopped at 4 different stores last week. You can read about my Walmart, Target, and Walgreens run here. My total from the first 3 stores was $64.15 out of pocket (does not include rebates).

On Sunday I made my weekly Kroger run:
Total Spent: $61.57
Total Saved: $41.49

Total for week Spent: $125.72 (OUCH!!!!) (By the way this use to be my weekly budget B.C.(before coupons) and I ALWAYS went over)
Total Saved: $41.49 (this is not accurate because I saved a lot of money at Walmart, Walgreens, and Target I just did not figure those numbers in)

Total Spent for 2009: $828.85
Total Saved for 2009: $616.79 (Kroger only)
Total $ left for year: $4171.15

I am about $60 over budget BUT I should have around that amount coming back in rebates. Still I have got to do better. No more Walmart!!!

Deal Alert

Looking for fiber? How about FREE fiber! Go here to print off a rebate form for a FREE All Bran product up to $4.99 value. Choose from:

• All Bran Strawberry Medley cereal
• All Bran Fiber Bar
• All Bran Fiber Drink Mix
• All Bran Rolled Fiber Wafers

Deal Alert

How about some free formula? Go here for a free sample of Parent's Choice Formula (not sure of sample size). My babies are past this stage of life but I am sure we have friends who would love a FREE sample of Formula so you betcha I signed up!

Walgreen's deals of the week

Here are my favorite deals of the week:

Reynolds Wrap on sale for $0.89 with Walgreens weekly flyer coupon (limit 2)
Use $1 off 1 from 2/8 SS
Final Price: FREE + $0.11 overage

Stayfree Maxi Pads 16-24 packs on sale $2
Buy 2 and use 1 B1G1 coupon from 1/4 RP and use this coupon for $1 off 1
Final Price: $0.50 each

Register Reward Deals (RR)

Buy 1 Excedrin 20 or 24 count at $1.99 get $1 RR
Use $1 for 1 from 1/4 SS
Final Price: FREE after coupons and RR

Gillette Fushion Razor on sale for $8.99 get $6 in RR
Use $4 off 1 from 2/8 PG
Final Price: FREE plus $1.01 after coupon and RR

Gillete Embrace Razor on sale for $8.99 get $6 in RR
Use $2 for 1 from 2/8 PG
Final Price: $0.99 after coupon and RR

This week Easy Saver Rebate Offers

Walgreens Brand Nutritional Drink 6 pack on sale for $4.00
Submit for $4 Rebate in EasySaver Catalog (Rebate #14)
Final Price: FREE

Theraflu on sale 2 for $10
Use 2 $2 for 1 here or 2 $1.50 off 1 from 1/4 SS and Submit for $6 Rebate when you buy 2 (Rebate #12)
Final Price: FREE or $0.50 each after rebate and 2 coupons

Oust Air Sanitizer or Surface Disinfectant on sale for $2.99
Buy 2 and Use B1G1 from 1/4 or 2/8 SS and submit for $2 back (Rebate #31)
Final Price: $0.50 each after coupon and rebate

Glade Scented Oil Refill pack on sale 2 for $5
Use $1 off 1 from 2/1 SS and submit for $1 back (Rebate #31)
Final Price: $0.50 after coupon and rebate

February Free after Rebate Items (last week to take advantage of ES savings)

Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves Shampoo, Conditioner or Styler up to $4.29
Use $1 off 1 from 1/4 RP
Final Price: Free plus $1 overage after coupon and rebate

Revlon Age Defying Spa Concealer or Spa Foundation up to $10
Use $2 for 1 from 1/11 SS
Final Price: Free plus $2 overage after coupon and rebate

Revlon Creme Lip Gloss up to $10
Use $2 for 1 from 1/11 SS
Final Price: Free plus $2 overage after coupon and rebate

Thermacare Trial Size Neck, Shoulder and Wrist Heat Wrap up to $2.49
Final Price: Free after rebate

Walgreens Multi-Purpose No Rub Solution 4 oz up to $1.99
Final Price: Free after rebate

Zucol Cold Care Lozenges 18 pk up to $7.99
Use $2 for 1 from 2/1 SS
Final Price: Free plus $2 overage after

Deal Alert- Kroger

It's Dollar Days at Kroger!! Sounds like fun huh. Go here to see a copy of this weeks Kroger Flyer to see a complete list of $1 items. Following are the items I am most excited about:

Martha White muffin mix for $1
Supposedly (have not confirmed) there are $0.55 off 2 peelies on select Martha White Baking mixes
Final Price: $0.90 for 2

Cameo or Braeburn Apples on sale $1 per lb

Dorritos, Lay's, Funyuns, or Cheetos (2-5oz bags)on sale $1
I plan on getting some Cheetos for the boys (No there is not some hidden nutrition secret found in Cheetos- my boys will just think I'm really "cool")

Dole or Kroger canned Pineapple on sale $1
(Pineapple is an ingredient I will need for next months menu!)

Hunts Tomato Sauce or Paste on sale $1
Use $0.40 off 2 from 1/18 SS (expires 2/28)
Final Price: $1.20 for 2


Knorr Rice or Pasta Sides on sale $1
Use $0.50 off 2 from 1/18 RP
Final Price: $1 for 2

Kroger Frozen Vegetables on sale $1

Pillsbury Homestyle 10 ct. or Grands! 5 ct. Biscuits on sale $1
These coupons are found in almost all the SS most recently use $0.40 off 3 for the homestyle or $0.50 off 3 for the Grands in 2/8 SS or go here to print 2 $0.50 off 2 coupons for Grands! Biscuits.
Final Price: anywhere from $0.50 to $0.73 per can depending on coupon
PS There is a rumor that a $3 catalina will print when you buy 5 Pillsbury products but has not been confirmed in our area!

Colgate Toothbrush on sale $1
Use $0.75 off 1 from 2/22 SS
Final Price: $0.25

Dole Cole Slaw on sale $1
(If you decide to make that yummy Pork BBQ this would make a great side!)

Fresh Express Garden Salad on sale $1
Use $1 off from recent Kroger mailer
Final Price: FREE

Kroger mini Carrots on sale $1

Other Deals:

Pork Loin on sale $1.97/lb

Sanderson Farms Whole Fryer on sale $0.67/lb
(normally I would not be interested in a whole chicken but I have a rotisserie chicken on my March meals so I am going to stock up now!)

Healthy Choice Entrees or Steamers on sale 5 for $11 (you don't have to buy 5!)
There is a $0.50 off 1 cellfire coupon but it had to be loaded by 2/23 and use $1 off 2 Healthy Choice Steamers from January All You Magazine
Final Price: $1.45 each for 2 with both coupons

For those of you still using Baby Formula: Comforts Baby Formula on sale for $8.99
Use $3 off 1 Kroger Mailer coupon
Final Price: $5.99

And my favorite deal: Morning Star Farms Meat Free products on sale $2.50 (Awesome deal for Kroger!)

And there you have it. Not as much FREE stuff as I like but anyways.... I'll let you know if I find any other great deals when I actually shop Saturday night.

DRS couponing 101- organizing coupons

So last week we started our basic couponing class with learning where and how to collect a nice coupon stash. This week we are going to look at ORGANIZING your coupons. That word just makes me smile. I LOVE everything about organizing: brainstorming and development of the organizational plan; shopping for organizational products; using my label maker (double smile); implementing the plan; and seeing the final product. (I know- more conformation of my nerdyness- I accept it)

Anyways... I want to share with you my method of coupon organization and then give you some additional ideas that might work for you.

At first, when I was just a casual couponer, I would go through the weekly newspaper inserts and just clip coupons I thought I might need and file the clipped coupons in my handy dandy coupon organizer notebook that I bought at Walmart- see pictures.

As you can see it had little pockets for different coupon categories such as: baking, beverages, breakfast, canned goods, cleaning, dairy, frozen, meats, paper products, pasta, personal care, etc.

Pros: Very portable. I was able to slip the little organizer in my purse to take with me to the grocery store.

Cons: Clipping coupons is very time consuming. Because I only clipped coupons I thought I would need I often threw out coupons that I later wished I had. Plus there is no way this little organizer could have held all my coupons once I became a hard core coupon addict.

Once I became a hard core couponer my method of coupon organization changed:

As many of you know my true couponing addiction began with "The Grocery Game." This service matches weekly store savings (Kroger and Walgreens in our area) with manufacturer coupons to help gamers purchase products at "rock bottom prices." The game references coupons by type of insert (RedPlum, Smart Source, Proctor and Gamble, etc) and date (date the insert was in the newspaper) Therefore, I revamped my coupon organizational system to help me better locate the appropriate coupons when the game suggested I use them. I did this by implementing a coupon file box in which I would file coupons by date and insert type. Even though, these days, my weekly deal hunts extend way beyond "The Grocery Game," I still find that this method works great for me.

I knew I would be storing my coupon container on an open shelf in one of our main living areas so I chose to spend a little more money on my container to make it blend in with our decor. I started out with just one file box and then within 2 months of collecting coupons I went back to The Container Store to purchase my second box. I could easily go for a third, but I don't have room for another so I just try to do better about throwing out expired coupons and inserts. If your coupon container is not going to be "on display" you could use a cheaper filing box or plastic filing container. (The more it will hold the better, if you ask me)

Inside my coupon box I have hanging files that are labeled by date. Inside each hanging file I have folders labeled "SS," "RP," and "PG" for SmartSource, RedPlum, and Proctor and Gamble. Every week when I get my collection of newspapers all I have to do is pull out all the coupon inserts and place them in their appropriate file folder and I'm done. This takes seconds verses the hours it might take me to clip all of the coupons. Often I don't even take the time to look in the inserts until a coupon is referenced on one of the many couponing sites I watch. I keep all inserts filed for at least 4 months (by then most coupons are expired).

For my printable coupons I have file folders labeled: "Food," Self-Care," "Cleaning," and "Medicines." When I print off a coupon I file it in one of these folders. Because the printables are often not referenced on the couponing sites I make it a habit to go through each of these files once a week before I head out to the grocery store. I also store my Kroger Mailer coupons, Catalinas, and unused coupons (coupons I thought I would use at the grocery store and then didn't and now I have no idea what file they came from) in this section. I also have a hanging file for Restaurants, Clothing, Home Improvement, and Walgreens (this is where I store my EasySaver catalog)

Pros:

• Time Saver! Don't have to take all Sunday afternoon clipping and filing individual coupons
• I can easily find coupons when "The Grocery Game" or other couponing sites reference them by date.
• Saves all coupons. Who would have ever thought I would buy "Bald Head Cream" but last year when this was going to be a money maker at Walgreens I was sure glad I hadn't thrown out this coupon!

Cons:

• Sometimes hard to find coupons if it is not referenced by one of the coupon sites. For example, if we are out of soap and soap is not on sale this week the couponing sites are not going to reference soap so now I have to go digging though all my files until I find a soap coupon.
• Not very portable. Depends on the filing box you use, I guess, but there is no way I could take my coupon boxes with me when I shop. This means I might miss out on special deals that were not necessarily advertised on any of the couponing sites. For example, lets say "our" Kroger has placed Ragu Tomato Sauce on the clearance aisle (Did you know there was a clearance aisle? There is, it is over near the razors and self-checkout aisles), I know that I have a coupon for this tomatoe sauce but because this sale was just true at our Kroger I didn't know to bring this coupon. Soooo if I want to take advantage of this sale I will have to go home dig through all my coupons until I find the Ragu one. Does that make sense?

There are lots of other methods for coupon organization. Below I have provided links to other ideas for coupon organization. The best tip: Find the method that works best for YOU! And then come back to DRS and share it with me!!!

Money Saving Mom's Coupon Box

Out of the Overflow's binder method

If you have found this lesson helpful let me know. If you have additional questions let me know that too!

Thrifty Thursday

Yea! It's Thrifty Thursday. There is some pretty good deals out there this week ladies! After my Walmart debacle last week I have decided I am not going to take the time to write up a bunch on Walmart deals because there is a good chance they are not accurate for this area. So if you want to see "possible" Walmart deals go here courtesy of Deal Seeking Mom.

Coming up later this morning another exciting lesson in the DRS Couponing 101 series!

Let me know about the deals you have snagged this week!

PS

I have not written in about the condition of my house lately- total disaster. So there you go, your up to date. Good night.

BBQ Pork- Verdict

Well I think I told you that I was a little nervous about the BBQ because I used a pork loin instead of pork roast. Well fear no more- it was capital Deeeeelicious! I will never go back to a pork roast again. Cohen (America's pickiest eater) even liked it! Highly recommend it! And guess what- pork loin is on sale this week at Kroger! More on that tomorrow!

Deal Alert

Go here to print off 2 $5 off 1 coupons for Glucerna cereal. Glucerna is a brand that is marketed toward people with diabetes; but would be a healthy choice for anyone. At $5 off 1 this should make for some FREE cereal. I have seen this cereal at Walgreens near the diabetes testing supplies (not with the food).

Product of the Week

So I went to my fridge looking for inspiration for today's product of the week, and what did I see- Reddi Wip! It made me smile just looking at it. As a child I never liked the stuff- weird I know; but I tried it again after Bob kept squirting the stuff on everything from sugar free hot cocoa to fat free pudding on "Biggest Loser." Thank you Bob! That stuff is Yuuuuummmmy! And as Bob frequently tell us- only 15 Calories per serving. Those are calories well spent if you ask me. And guess what else? Reddi Wip, unlike cool whip, is made from real cream and NO hydrogenated oils.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 2 TBS

Meal Plan: FREE at recommended serving size!

Wellness Wednesday- Dental Health

The topic of this "blog" is not rocket science, it's quite simple in fact. But you must learn to crawl before you can walk. Flossing.

The one thing I preach about, more than anything, in practice is the importance of flossing. I have many patients that don't understand why they continue to get cavities when they brush 2-3 times a day. The fact is that when you brush only, there is about 20-30% of your tooth that is never being cleaned. This plaque that is left in between your teeth, given time and the right oral environment, can result in cavities.

Now, I will tell you that I used to simply preach "floss more," until a recent incident at home. One night my wife and I started flossing at the same time but she was done flossing before I had flossed like 5 teeth. (Disclaimer: it takes my longer than most to floss because I'm getting every nook of the tooth i can reach(about 15 min.), that's probably the Donna Reed Syndrome in me). I asked her to show me how she flossed (this was because i am very competitive, and there was no way she could have beat me at flossing doing it the right way). She popped that floss between each tooth, gave the string a little wiggle, and moved on to the next tooth as quickly as she could go. This was the moment I realized the importance of educating people on proper flossing technique, because I'm sure this is how most of my patients floss their teeth.

The key with flossing is the same as to most things in life....know why you are doing what you are doing. You are flossing to clean in between your teeth where no tooth bristles, or toothpicks can go...only a thin piece of string. You are using that string to scrape away all the food and plaque the day has brought. Now here is the second key, when that floss is between the teeth, there is not just a space to clean, there are TWO teeth to clean. So this is the technique I would use to properly floss:

1. Brush your teeth for two minutes (all the new latest and greatest power tooth brushes will have a timer for you). Do this to clean off the majority of plaque from your teeth.
2. Get the floss out.
3. When you pop that floss in between your teeth, pull that floss tightly against one tooth (like you are hugging the tooth with the floss), and move the floss up and down from the top off the contact of the teeth, to under the gums as far as comfortable. Do this motion several times and then remove the floss.
4. Pop the floss between the same teeth and floss the other tooth. Remember there are two teeth to floss between each contact.
5. Now, observe your floss. You will notice that when you first begin flossing, plaque will be present on the floss. You will know you are done flossing between each tooth when the floss comes out clean (plaque-free).
6. Continue on throughout your mouth.
7. Finally, when you are done flossing, rinse with some water or mouthwash to wash away any loose plaque or food that you might have dislodged.

Man, just typing this all out makes by teeth feel clean! I hope this simple topic has helped at least one person out there. If I am so privileged as to be asked to write again, I will try for a more exciting dental topic. Thanks for your read.

Guest Post Introduction

I am so excited to tell you that my brother- Dr. Randy Lenderman DDS, has agreed to help me out by writing a brief Wellness Wednesday post on Dental Health for today. Randy is the perfect Dentist to write for this blog because #1) he is an excellent Dentist and #2 (and most importantly) he too is a victim of DRS.

All those nights I sat in front of the TV watching Nick at Nite reruns of "The Donna Reed Show"- Guess who was sitting on the couch right next to me? That's right- the future Dr. Lenderman. Now the male version of the disease presents different symptoms then the female. Instead of "becoming" Donnaesk they simply have a deep longing for the Donna Reed lifestyle and believe that the "mother figure" in the home is the Sole party responsible for making that happen. Now please don't get me wrong- A male with DRS is NOT chauvinistic- NO! not at all they have a deep respect for women and are extremely appreciative of all the roles a woman plays; they simply have a warped view of how the world really works. Let me illustrate.


It was DRS that made my brother think the secret to becoming rich was for Mom to quit her job and stay home with us kids. Because you see through Donna Reed tinted glasses Randy saw that all the "rich kids" at school had stay at home moms- therefore to become rich one needed to have Mom at home. Poor kid.


It was also the disease that made my kid brother question my Mother's love and care for him because she did not have milk and cookies waiting for him the second he walked in from school. Poor Mom.


While the male version of Donna Reed Syndrome can be quite disabling during adolescence there is good news! Unlike the female version that often goes into full blown DRS activity the day she says "I do" The male version, more often then not, will go into remission once the marriage vows are exchanged. So I am happy to report Randy has been symptom free since 2007.



PS The nerdy gene skipped Randy. He is way cooler then his older sis. For all your dental needs I highly recommend Dr. Lenderman.

Wellness Wednesday- Accountability

Let us know what steps to wellness you are taking this week!

Deal Alert

Did you enjoy your FREE pancakes today! Would you like more FREE food! How about a roastburger from Arbys. Don't ask me what a roastburger is- I don't know. But I do know that if you go here you can print off a coupon for 1 free roastburger with the purchase of a drink valid till March 9th.

Please note: I pass this deal on NOT as your nutritionist but simply as the barer of good deals!

Tidy Tuesday- accountability

Big thanks to Carri for reminding me to put out a Mr. Linky for Tidy Tuesday. Here he is ladies- sound off about your Tidy Projects here!

PS Be sure to check out Carri's comment under today's Tidy Tuesday post. You go girl!!! Inspiring!

Deal Alert

One of my favorite coupons in all of America (right up there with the cottonelle TP) is available again! Go here to print 2 $1 off Laura Lean Beef. Use code 08LLB03 (the 0's are zero not the letter O) This rarely goes on sale at Kroger. Big thanks to Money Saving Mom for passing the code along!

Zone 3- bathrooms, living room, entryway

Day 1- Tuesday

• Clean Tub and Showers
• Wash Rugs
• Wash Shower Curtains

Day 2- Wednesday

• Clean Mirrors
• Clean Toilets
• Clean Sinks and Counters

Day 3- Thursday

• Organize and Clean Bathroom Cabinets and Drawers (inside and out)
• Dust Living Room Furniture
• Dust Entryway Furniture

Day 4- Friday

• Dust Bathroom, Living Room and Entryway Baseboards
• Vacuum/Swiffer Bathroom, Living Room and Entryway Floors
• Clean all Windows and Fans in this Zone
• Vacuum under coach seat cushions

Day 5- Saturday

• Organize Bookshelf
• Update Pictures in Frames
• Clean leather furniture

Tidy Tuesday

It's Tidy Tuesday Time!!! Time to reenter the bathroom zone- always fun. Plus, I added to the living room portion of this zone. Just the other day DH stated that "we really need to clean under the couch seat cushions" meaning "I, Niki, really need to clean under the couch seat cushions." Evidently he had gone digging in the couch looking for the lost remote and found more then he bargained for- I don't even want to know! Soooo I added "vacuum under couch cushions" to the zone. My vacuum hose sucked up a banana a couple of months ago and hasn't worked as well since; therefore I will be looking to borrow a vacuum for this zone event.

Super Saturday is Coming!

Well it is already that time again.... Super Saturday! The day I role out the next months "Master Plan." As always, this takes a HUGE amount of preparation so I am spending every spare second trying to get everything ready for Saturday. The most time consuming, by far, is the month of meals and the master grocery list. I could sure use some encouragement- Does anyone out there on the www find the month of meals and/or the master grocery list helpful?!!!
Anyways.... I want to apologize in advance that I might not have as many posts as usual second to the preparations. Thanks for stopping by DRS- come again soon!

Have you heard the news? Tomorrow, February 24th, you can get a FREE short stack of pancakes at IHOP from 7am to 10pm. IHOP will be taking donations to benefit Children's Miracle Network. Sounds like a good night to take the family out for breakfast!

Deal Alert- redbox code

Sorry so late getting this out to you. The Free Monday rental redbox code is: S39XKT

Remember this code is good until midnight tonight. And you must return your rental in one day or you will be charged $1/each additional night.

Mealtime Monday- Accountability

Ok ladies let me know what's on your menu this week.

Eggplant Parmesan

This will be a first for me. First time to make Eggplant Parmesan AND first time to eat Eggplant Parmesan. Can I just tell you that I found the eggplant to be a most peculiar vegetable. I can not believe (please correct me if I'm wrong) that there is no eggplant vegytale character- it could have been a dandy! I am very anxious to try this recipe. I'll be sure to let you know!

Go here for the recipe.

Eggplant Parmesan

Take my advice- I would seriously just buy 2 eggplants instead of the three. And instead of the 16 oz of cheese, I barely used 8 oz. I also used egg substitute for the eggs.

Nutrition Information (based on unmodified recipe)
Serving Size: 1/9th of recipe
Meal Plan: 424 Calories; 2 meat; 2 vegetables, 3 starches, 1 fat

Calories, Protein, and Fat would be less with modifications.

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Normally I make these with a lean pork roast but I was not able to find a lean cut at Kroger this week so I am going to attempt this with a pork loin. I am doubtful it will shred like the roast but it should still be tasty. I'll let you know.

BBQ Pork Sandwich

Lean Pork Roast (something with less then 12g of fat per 4 oz serving)
Favorite BBQ sauce
Whole Wheat Bun

Place pork roast in crock-pot. Coat roast with BBQ sauce. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Pork should shred when done. Place cooked meat on bun. That's it folks.

Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 4 oz meat on bun
Meal Plan: 420 Calories; 4 meats, 3 starches

I am going to serve this with baked beans and coleslaw. I was sad that I was not able to find a light coleslaw dressing- next time I'll make my own.

Cherry Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This will be the second time I have made this recipe. It was a big hit last time. The cherries are a nice addition. It makes a huge serving so last time we turned the leftovers into a salad the next day.

Go here for recipe.

Instead of cooking the chicken on the stove top, I chose to marinate in a sauce made of soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and ginger and then bake.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
Meal Plan: 283 Calories; 3 meats, 1 fruit, 1/2 starch, 1.5 vegetables, 1/2 fat

I will serve this with rice

Hashbrown Casserole

Even though this is not "the original" recipe- I have to thank Jamie R for introducing hashbrown casserole to my family many moons ago at a recipe exchange party. I have misplaced the original recipe but this one looks pretty close. This makes a huge serving so feel free to half the recipe! I made one recipe for two families.

To lighten it up a bit I use 98% fat free cream of chicken soup, reduced fat sour cream, 2% cheese, and light butter. (I have left the butter out all together before and it was... ok, but at the request of both families I cook for- I added it back in this time.)

Hashbrown Casserole

Nutrition Information (as printed on unmodified recipe)
Serving Size: 1/10th of recipe
Meal Plan: 274 Calories; 1 meat; 1.5 starches, 2 fats

The recipe modifications I used would significantly cut back on the Calories and Fat but unfortunately I did not look at all my labels before tossing in the trash so I am unable to give you the exact nutrient breakdown.

Crunchy Oven Fried Tilapia

I have made oven fried fish before but this is a new recipe to me. It looks yummy.
Go here for the recipe.

Crunchy Oven Fried Tilapia

Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 4 oz fish
Meal Plan: 209 Calories; 3.5 very lean meat, 1 starch

I will serve this with the hashbrown casserole (recipe to follow) and green beans. Good down home cooking. Yee Haw!

Mealtime Mondays

Well if you saw my previous post you know I busted my time budget. I did, however, prep for all 5 meals and 1 side dish (x2). The following describes the prep steps I took and how I plan to store each meal until final preparations:

Monday Night: Crunchy Oven Fried Tilapia and Hashbrown Casserole with green beans. I completed both the Tilapia and Hashbrown recipe steps up until the actual baking. I placed foil on both and will store in fridge until tonight. The two dishes call for two different baking temperatures, however, I will just meet in the middle at 400 degrees and let the hashbrowns get about a 30 minute head start on the fish.

Tuesday Night: Cherry Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I baked the chicken and placed the whole chicken breasts into a ziplock to let it cool in the fridge. I could have went ahead and chopped the chicken but I personally like chopping a cold chicken instead of a warm chicken. I find the chicken tends to "shred" instead of "chop" when I cut it up warm. I placed the shredded carrots, green onion, and almonds in a storage container, and mixed the liquid sauce together in another container (both stored in fridge). Tuesday night I will simply chop the chicken (using my handy dandy Pampered Chef food chopper) and toss the carrot mixture, chicken, and sauce mixture together.

Wednesday Night: BBQ Pork. All I did to prep for this meal was dump the pork into a freezer ziplock and pour the BBQ sauce in to marinate. I then stored in fridge. Wednesday morning I will transfer pork and sauce into crockpot and cook on low all day.

Thursday Night: Eggplant Parmesan. I prepared this meal up until the final baking step. I then stored in Freezer. I would have not stored this dish in the freezer (second to raw egg substitute) had not the recipe called for baking the eggplant chips prior to casserole assembly. I will do my best to remember to transfer this dish from freezer to fridge on Thursday morning so it will be partly thawed before baking Thursday night.

Friday and Saturday Night: Out or Left-overs

Sunday: Mexican Chicken Pizza. I fully prepared this recipe up until the final baking. I then placed foil around pizza and stored in the freezer. I have baked this pizza straight from freezer to oven before and it worked out fine so I am not worried about forgetting to transfer from freezer to fridge before baking.

Mexican Chicken Pizza

This is one of my all time favorite recipes. I always include this recipe when I do cooking demonstrations and it is a regular at recipe exchange parties. Hope you enjoy!

Mexican Chicken Pizza

4 oz Skinless Chicken Breast
2 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Garlic Pepper

Thin Pizza Crust
15 oz black beans (drained)
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Jalapeno Peppers (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400◦. Marinate chicken with Worcestershire sauce, cumin and garlic pepper. Bake until done.
While chicken is baking, spread beans evenly on pizza crust. Next, top with cheese, followed by peppers. Once chicken is fully cooked, cut chicken into thin slices. Place chicken slices evenly on pizza crust. Bake until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/4 of pizza
Meal Plan: 395 Calories; 3 starches, 2 meats, 1 fat

This is great alone, or you can top with salsa and/or light sour cream!

Mealtime Monday Preview

Boy am I pooped! It's Sunday night and I just finished my marathon meal prep for the week. I am sad to say that I did not meet my 1.5 hour time budget tonight. It took me 2 hours and 10 minutes to complete meal prep for 5 meals and 1 side (x2 for 2 families). Now I will say that part of the reason it took me so long to complete meal prep tonight was.... well really it was three-fold....

First- I attempted to keep a neater kitchen while cleaning. I tried my best to put up ingredients as I went; and to sort garbage from recyclable between meals; I even had a sink of hot soapy water ready to soak dirty dishes. I really thought I was doing a good job until at one point I looked up and just laughed...... this was my "neater kitchen"? Scary to think what it would have looked like if I hadn't been cleaning as I worked!

Regardless, I'm claiming at least 6 minutes of my overtime was due to extra clean-up.

Secondly- Drama! Around the 1 hour 22 minute mark I was on the home stretch with only 1.5 dishes to complete. That's when my family got home from Awanas. While DH served the Chicken Tortilla Soup to Colby and himself I got Cohen's dinner ready and served up on his high chair. No biggy- just another 5 or so minutes used up. But then.... While I am hard at work dipping the eggplant slices into the egg substitute, then into the breadcrumbs, then onto the cookie sheet, repeat (over and over and over again) Colby is sitting at the bar talking a mile a minute. Well, I guess he forgot that he was sitting on the counter height bar stool instead of his chair because the next thing I know I hear a splat and Colby is laying flat on our concrete floor. After his initial shock the wailing begins. Colby is crying too. I'm a little freaked out about the fact that he has hit head first onto concrete floors but I try to stay calm for his sake.

I was instantly transported back 20+ years to the time I was dropped on my head and hysterical because I just knew my brains would fall out. Two lessons learned from that traumatic event in my childhood 1) I did not appreciate that my parents got such a kick out of the fact that I thought my brains would fall out during my moment of crisis; therefore I did not laugh when Colby said that the only way he would "feel better" was if he stayed up all night and watched TV. 2) My brains did NOT fall out; therefore I felt pretty confident Colby's brain would stay intact too. Drama over!

Of course I did NOT get a picture of the event. I mean what kind of Mom would I be, if I had asked Colby to just "hang tight" until I was able to get a picture of him laying on the floor. But..lucky for you, Cohen decided to recreate the scene later that evening. He did not actually fall and hurt himself he just decided to lay on the kitchen floor to see if Mommy would jump around and act crazy if he was on the ground too (anyways that's my best guess why he was striking such a dramatic pose).

Drama accounted for at least 20 minutes of my overtime.

And last, the third reason I feel I went over my time budget was because of those darn eggplants. I prepared double the recipe so that was a whole bunch of eggplant chips to make. I will say although the recipe calls for 3 eggplants you could easily get by with just two or even one in my opinion. I normally don't feel like my cooking for two families slows me down BUT this meal really did take double the time. We'll see if it was worth it!

My guess is that the double Eggplant Parmesan dishes cost me around 14 minutes.

So there you have it... I can easily explain away my overtime bringing me back to my 1 hour 30 minute deadline. TA DA! I know... excuses! excuses!

Sonday Sunday

By now anyone who has spent any amount of time on this DRS blog knows that I am a little bit of a control freak. I have to have a plan for EVERY aspect of my life and "my plan" goes best when I am the developer and implementer of the plan. I have issues with delegation because deep down I believe no one will do it as good as me- there, I wrote it out loud for the world to see. I am not proud of this fact. But I believe that every woman who suffers from DRS has some issues with control and remember I am in the late stages of the disease. Anyways.....

God is sooo good in that he sprinkled lessons about "control" throughout the Bible just for us DRSers. I ran across one such verse this morning....

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps! (exclamation point mine) Proverbs 16:9

Now I know ultimately I should be letting God make the plans (and we're working on that) but I LOVE knowing even when I do try to take the wheel,* God is right there ultimately "IN CONTROL" determining my steps. I pray that those steps lead me far away from "my plan" IF my plan does not match "His Will." Thank you Jesus!


*If I knew how to play music on this here blog I would so be playing Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel."