DRS Couponing 101- collecting coupons

Before you can utilize the money saving power of coupons- you got to get coupons! For that reason I have decided to kick off this series of posts with tips on how and where to collect a nice stash of coupons.


First and foremost-Newspaper Inserts. Most Sunday newspapers will have coupon inserts tucked inside. There are only a few Sunday's out of the year (mostly holiday weekends) with no coupon inserts. You can click here for the 2009 newspaper coupon insert schedule.


The 3 most common newspaper inserts are SmartSource (SS), Redplum (RP) and Proctor and Gamble (PG). Occasionally you will have other special inserts included by specific manufacturers. For example I can remember one time last year when Kelloggs put out a great insert full of coupons for Kelloggs specific products.


HINT: Our local paper does not have the RedPlum! To get the RedPlum I recommend "The Democrat- Gazette."
Another HINT: I have the most success with getting all scheduled inserts with a home delivered paper. Sometimes even the Gazette is missing coupon inserts when I have picked one up at the store.
Best HINT: Ask your Mom, Grandmother, Friends, Neighbors etc for their newspaper coupon inserts. Multiple inserts mean you have multiple coupons to really stockpile on products when they go on sale!


Internet Printables. Most of our local stores- Kroger, Walmart, Target and Walgreens do accept printable coupons at this time. (WARNING: there are always rumors floating around the internet that certain stores are starting to decline printables!) Internet Printables are found all over the internet. A lot of times manufacturers or specific products will have special offers and coupons on their website. For example when I went to YoPlus.com to research information for the "product of the week" I noticed there was a $1 off coupon.


Other sites that are ALWAYS a great destination for coupon printables:

Coupons.com (go directly or access through my DRS sidebar)

SmartSource.com



HINT: Most printables only allow you to print two coupons per computer!



Loadable Coupons. At Kroger you can load coupons onto your Kroger card from 3 different sites: P&G eSaver; Shortcuts; and Cellfire.

All three can be accessed through kroger's website. Once at Kroger.com click on the "In Store" link. A drop down menu will appear- click "coupons." From this page you can register with all 3 coupon vendors. Remember you will need to have your Kroger card available when you register so you can link your card with each site. Then once you have loaded your card your discounts will automatically be credited when you check out using your Kroger card.

HINT: Loadable coupons do not double! But you can stack your loadable coupon with your paper manufacturer coupons for really awesome savings!
Another HINT: Each coupon is only redeemable one time.
And Another HINT: Don't forget to add new coupons to your card at least once a month.


Blinkies. These are the coupons that are dispensed from cute little machines that stick out of the aisles in our grocery stores.

HINT: Go ahead and take 2-3 coupons from each dispenser whether your ready to use it or not. Then save to use when that particular item goes on sale.


Magazines. Most magazines, especially Women's magazines, will have advertisements that offer coupons. One magazine that I subscribe to specifically for the coupons is ALL YOU magazine. This magazine even has a coupon index to help you locate the different coupons found throughout each edition.


Peelies. Peelies are coupons that are found on products that you can "peel" off to hand to the cashier for immediate savings.

HINT: some products also have coupons printed on the inside packaging of the product. For example, there are a lot of cereal boxes that have coupons printed on the inside of the box to use for future purchases.


Catalinas. Catalinas are the coupons that print out after or attached to your receipt. Many times specific items purchased trigger certain catalinas. For example you may notice a catalina for baby formula if you purchased diapers. Sometimes a coupon will print when a competitor brand was bought. For example if you purchased a Kelloggs cereal, you might get a catalina for a General Mills cereal. And then sometimes catalinas print for $ off your next purchase- those are my favorite!


Kroger Mailers. If you have a Kroger card you should be getting coupons mailed to your house. These are some of my favorite coupons because Kroger sends coupons tailored specifically for me based on my past purchases. Many times they will even mail me a coupon for a FREE product. If you are not getting these mailers, contact Kroger. Forever I kept reading about these great coupons and wondered why I wasn't receiving any in the mail. So I called Kroger's headquarters and they fixed whatever the problem was and I now receive Kroger coupons all the time (at least twice a month!).


Walgreens EasySaver Catalog Each month Walgreens has a new EasySaver Catalog that is full of Walgreen specific coupons and rebates. The catalog is found at the entrance of the store on the same stand as the weekly Walgreen Flyer. The great thing about all Walgreen coupons is that you can stack them with manufacturer coupons for double the savings.


Coupon Swaps I have never participated in a coupon swap or trade but I read about them all the time. I'm sorry I have no words of wisdom on this particular method because I have not figured it out for myself quite yet. I'll have to get back to you.


Ebay Ebay is another resource for coupons that I have not taken advantage of. (I know your not suppose to end a sentence with a preposition "of" but I can't figure out another way to write that last sentence,) Anyways... Supposedly this is a hot market and you can bid on bundles of coupons for a great deal.

Thrifty Thursday

This week I am going to begin a series of Thrifty Thursday posts on how to get started couponing. Please note: I am not an expert in this subject, I have only been a couponer for a little over a year myself. But I have learned some valuable tricks along the way and I want to pass them on to you. Stay tuned the first edition of DRS Couponing 101 will post soon!

Use the Mr. Linky below to tell us about your favorite deals of the week!

SCREAM!!!!

Woo Hoo! I just popped over to thethriftymama to check out the latest deals and guess what was there....... my guest post!!!! I had nooo idea it would post today. Go here to check it out! I'm so excited!!!!

Product of the Week

Speaking of Breakfast! This is one of my favorite choices for breakfast these days. Quaker High Fiber instant oatmeal packs in 10g of dietary fiber in 1 packet!

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 packet

Meal Plan: 160 Calories, 2 starches

I like to make this oatmeal with 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 banana, and 1/4 cup egg substitute*! Wow what nutrition! And talk about tasty- yummy! This is the perfect power breakfast to get this sleep deprived mama going- Give it a try!

Go here for a $1 off 2 coupon for Quaker oatmeal.

*Thanks Shannon for the egg substitute tip! I'm always looking for ways to sneak some extra protein in my diet.

Wellness Wednesday

You've heard it before- "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." But do you eat breakfast? Breakfast is important for a number of reasons but one reason I ALWAYS encourage my patients to eat breakfast is because it jump starts your metabolism.

Patients tell me all the time "Niki, if I don't eat breakfast I can go all day and I'm not hungry BUT if I do eat breakfast I'm starving by lunch." They tell me this as though they think being hungry is a BAD thing. Well, I'm here to tell you the fact that they are hungry proves my point! When you eat breakfast in the morning it revs your body up, gets your engine going thus burning more fuel (calories) therefore, YOUR GOING TO GET HUNGRY by lunch. Whereas if you skip breakfast your body stays sluggish, it moves slower, burning less calories therefore your less likely to get a refuel signal (hunger). Make sense?


For more reasons to eat breakfast visit the American Dietetic Association here.

Wellness Wednesday- Accountability

You got a wellness goal to which you want to be held accountable? Sound off here!

Sample Happy

Boy, I don't know what has come over me lately but I have been sending off for samples right and left. My mailman is just going to love me!

I just saw on thriftymama that goody is giving away free hair barrettes for the first 1000 people to sign up. I, of course, quickly clicked to sign up, it was only after I went back to get the link for you that I saw that the barrettes were actually little pastel pink flowers. The fact that we ain't got no little girls to dress up around here shows that I was a little hasty in my signing up. Oh well!... Go here to get your cute barrettes before they're all gone!

And then I found out that Viva paper towels are giving away samples here. Now this might seem silly to some to send off for a paper towel sample, BUT paper towels are a luxury item around here now that I am on this annual budget challenge so I was pretty pumped about some FREE paper towels. Plus with samples usually come COUPONS!

Deal Alert

You can go here to receive a FREE sample of Starbucks VIA ready brew coffee. Might as well!

Tidy Tuesday

This week we are back to Zone 2- Bedrooms and Closets. Time to see how many dust bunnies have hopped back under my bed in only 5 short weeks. Remember those dust bunnies?

Zone 2- Bedrooms and Closets

Day 1-Tuesday

• Dust Master Bedroom Furniture
• Dust Master BR Fan
• Clean Master BR Windows and Blinds

Day 2-Wednesday

• Dust Kids Bedroom Furniture
• Dust Kids BR Fans
• Clean Kids BR Windows and Blinds

Day 3-Thursday

• Organize all Master BR drawers
• Organize Master BR closet

Day 4-Friday

• Organize all kids BR drawers
• Organize Kids BR closets

Day 5- Saturday

• Mop/Vacuum All Bedroom Floors including under bed
• Clean Bedroom Baseboards
• Flip Mattress (Odd months only)
• Organize Hall Closets

Tidy Tuesday- Sound-off!

Anyone up for a Tidy Bedroom this week? Sign in here if you want the added benefit of accountability. Try it you might like it!

Day Task Accountability

While I'm at it, I might as well seek accountability for those darn day tasks I'm suppose to be doing too! In theory all of these routines and schedules I've got mapped out are suppose to make me more efficient and productive thus freeing up loads of TIME! So far it ain't working- but my DRS makes me believe if I keep working "the plan" one day it will all "click" and I will be the mom that never loses her patience, the wife who always has dinner on the table when DH walks in from work, who has a perfectly kept home that practically runs itself, and who always looks refreshed and put together (haven't even started working on that part of the plan yet!)- in other words -I will be Donna Reed!!!

Until then- here is my Mr. Linky!

Daily Routine Accountability

Ok I am officially dependent on you, my blog groupies. Last week the ONLY day I did my daily routine was the day I told you I would. Sooooo here is my plan... Everyday I am going to use my own Mr. Linky to check in when I complete my daily routine. I am going to pretend that someone out there will be coming back to this post daily to make sure I have done it- thus I am held accountable. You feel free to use the Mr. Linky too!

Deal Alert

Dillyo.com is offering another free gift card until midnight tonight. This time for $5. Since signing up at dillyo.com I get a daily email regarding "the deal of the day." Now so far nothing has caught my eye, but the gift card is free so I went ahead and registered for it; therefore if the deal of the day happens to be a new shiny label maker I'll have a $5 gift card to help pay for it. From what I understand, once you register for the $5 gift card a "gift card code" will be emailed to you for you to use toward future purchases. The catch: The gift card code expires February 22!

Snacktime

Today I fixed the boys and myself one of my favorite childhood snacks. My favorite babysitter, LaFrane, use to make us popcorn and cheese dip after school while we watched He-Man and She-Ra "Masters of the Universe". Weird combination- I know; but to this day I never have popcorn without thinking "where's the cheese dip?" So I decided to introduce the snack to my boys - well actually just my big boy (baby was napping and popcorn would be classified as a choking hazard for him).
So I just took half a block of 2% Velveeta and 1 can rotel and microwaved it until ready; then I popped the popcorn. Snack Done! Got to say brought back great memories and Colby really liked it too! Plus what a great way to have cheese dip- the popcorn packs in lots of fiber!

Give it a try- and let me know what you think.

Come to think of it, LaFrane use to also make us no-bake cookies...............maybe another day!

Deal Alert

This is fun! Have you ever wanted to try those Crest Whitestrips, but just couldn't shell out the money for a product you didn't even know would work? Well now you can. Go here to the P&G sample page and request your free sample plus $7 coupon. While there, you can also request a sample of Head & Shoulders and Pantene Pro-V Expressions Shampoo and Conditioners. Won't it be fun to get these surprises in the mail in a couple of weeks!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have tried many different Chicken Tortilla Soup recipes and this one is my favorite. The recipe makes quite a bit so it is a good dish to share with another family or to have as leftovers!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Go here for recipe.

Recipe Modifications: The recipe calls for cooked shredded chicken. I like to prepare the chicken for this dish by putting the chicken in a crockpot with a can of rotel. From frozen- it took the chicken about 3 hours to cook in my crockpot on high. I then transferred the chicken with rotel into the soup. I also like to add a can of chili beans and a can of black beans to the recipe- to beef up the fiber! We use baked Doritos instead of the corn tortillas.

Nutrition Information for original recipe:
Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
Meal Plan: 267 Calories; 2 meat, 1.5 starch, 1 veg, 1/2 fat

Spaghetti Pie

This is a fun spin on traditional spaghetti! Makes great leftovers too.
But the real reason I included this recipe in my week of meals: I needed a recipe that called for cream cheese because all that cream cheese I bought months ago expires this week! Honesty's the best policy... right?!
PS anyone else in need of cream cheese, I have about 3 blocks left!!!

Spaghetti Pie

Go here for recipe.

Recipe Modifications: I used reduced fat sour cream, lite cream cheese, whole wheat pasta, and 2% cheese.

Nutrition Information with modifications:
Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
Meal Plan: 490 Calories; 3 lean meats, 3.5 starches, 1 veg, 1 fat
(little heavier of a meal then usual but still has significantly less Calories then most pasta dishes served at Italian restaurants.)

I will serve with side salad.

Pinto Beans, Cornbread, and Greens

Can you call dumping some beans in a crockpot, filling with water and tossing in some spices a recipe? If so- here it is in all its quick, easy, thrifty, and fiberous glory!

Pinto Beans

at least 2 cups Dry Pinto Beans
1 TBS Ham Bouillon
1 TSP Cumin
1/4 cup jalapeno peppers (optional)

Rinse desired amount of dried beans and place in crock-pot. Add enough water to cover beans by at least 1 inch. Add bouillon, cumin, and peppers. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours. (All crock-pots are different so you might have to experiment with settings and time.)

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Meal Plan: 125 Calories; 1 starch, 1 lean meat

I am going to serve this with green chili cornbread (jiffy mix with a can of green chilies) and a can of Margaret Holmes Seasoned Collard Greens (found at Kroger).

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Big thanks to Leah for introducing this recipe to me at our recipe exchange party. I would never guess 4 little ingredients could pack in sooo much flavor!

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

2 Tbs Lite Soy Sauce
1 Tbs Canola Oil
1 Tbs Honey
1 Pound Shrimp (peeled, deveined, raw)

Mix soy sauce, oil, and honey and pour over shrimp. Marinate at least 1 hour. Place on skewers and grill or broil 4-5 minutes until cooked through and browned.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 3 oz shrimp
Meal Plan: 161 Calories; 3 very lean meats, 0.5 fat

I will serve this with rice and an asparagus packet.

PS I drizzled a little olive oil and soy sauce on the asparagus before wrapping them in foil. I will let the asparagus packet cook on the grill for a little longer then the shrimp- maybe 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender.

Squash Casserole

I discovered this recipe last summer when we had squash coming out our ears from my DH's vegetable garden! This was one of our favorite ways to cook up the squash. Must say it was a lot thriftier of a dish when it came from the garden! Squash is expensive in the dead of winter- sorry!

Squash Casserole

Go here for the recipe.

Recipe Modifications: I used reduced fat Ritz crackers, 2% cheese, egg substitute, I used buttermilk (only because I had it leftover from the chicken recipe) and left out the butter! I will use some spray butter to top the dish once cooked.

Nutrition Information with modifications:
Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
Meal Plan: 130 Calories; 1 veg, 1 meat, 1 starch

Oven Fried Chicken

This is one of the most requested meals I get from the other family I cook for. I hope you enjoy it too. Great way to get that fried chicken taste without the fat!

Oven Fried Chicken

Go here for the recipe

Recipe Modifications: I used low fat buttermilk instead of the milk, egg substitute, and boneless skinless chicken breasts. I also omitted the butter altogether.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 4 oz chicken
Meal Plan (using my modifications): ~250 Calories; 4 lean meats, 1 starch

I will serve this with squash casserole (recipe to follow) and my green beans.

Mealtime Mondays

2 Oven Fried Chickens

2 Squash Casseroles

2 Green Beans

2 Marinating Shrimp Bags

2 Asparagus Packets

2 Spaghetti Pies

2 Chicken Tortilla Soups

1 Trip to Kroger

1 Destroyed Kitchen

______________________________________

Less then 1.5 hours

I decided I really like getting my prepwork done on Sunday nights so I don't have to use any of my "Mommy Day" in the kitchen on Monday; therefore I knocked it out last night while the boys went to Awanas. I'm not positive on the exact time it took to do all the prepwork because I had to stop midprep to run to Kroger to pick up 3 important ingredients I had forgotten on my big grocery run. I am positive the actual prep time was less then 1.5 hours and honestly think it was probably closer to 1 hour. I chose not to do any preprep for the beans, cornbread, greens meal because all I will have to do is throw the beans in the crockpot with a few spices the morning we plan to eat them- shouldn't take 3 minutes. Plus I like my cornbread hot out of the oven- yummy!

As always, Here is the schedule for storage and final preparations:

Monday: Oven Fried Chicken with Squash Casserole and Green Beans. All three were fully prepared up until the actual cooking step and then stored in fridge until tonight.

Tuesday: Shrimp Kabobs with rice and Asparagus Packets. All I did to prep for this meal was to toss my frozen peeled and deveined raw shrimp in a ziplock bag with the other ingredients to marinate while thawing in the fridge. I also went ahead and prepared the asparagus packet. Tuesday evening I will place shrimp on skewers to grill.

Wednesday: Spaghetti Pie and Side Salad. I fully prepared the spaghetti pie up until the final cooking step and then placed foil over the top to store in fridge until Wednesday Night. I will still need to put together a side salad on Wednesday night to complete this meal.

Thursday: Beans, Cornbread, Greens. I will do my best to remember to put the beans and spices in the crockpot on Thursday before heading off to work. I will prepare the cornbread and open the can of greens on Thursday night.

Friday: Out or leftovers

Saturday Night: Sunday School Social

Sunday: Chicken Tortilla Soup. I placed all ingredients in a freezer ziplock bag and stored in freezer. I will transfer ziplock to fridge on Saturday morning to start defrosting. Then I will place contents of ziplock in crockpot before heading off to church Sunday morning. It should be ready to eat by noon on Sunday!

I don't know why I always feel I must show you my destroyed postprep kitchen. I think it just makes me feel better knowing you know my dirty little secret- I am a very messy cook! Thank goodness I just cook once a week!

Mealtime Monday- accountability

I have really enjoyed hearing about the meals you are cooking for your families. Thanks for sharing with me!

Hi Everyone!

Sorry so few posts today- I took a nap!!! I also prepped all our meals for the week tonight. You'll get the full report on that tomorrow. Hope everyone had a nice relaxing weekend with their families and is fully rested and ready to start another week in this crazy thing we call- Life!

Sonday Sunday

As many of you know- last week my family spent a lot of extra time in prayer. (Don't you hate it that sometimes it takes a crisis to really bring us to the Lord- but that's a whole other lesson) Anyways... Not by chance, the Lord used my Sunday School teacher last Sunday to remind me of the most perfect verse for our circumstance. It just so "happened" that the class lesson was on prayer, and one of the first verses we looked at was Romans 8:26-27.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. Romans 8:26-27

Wow! Oh Lord-glory! That is exactly what I needed to hear! I was struggling so much with how to pray for my little niece. Selfishly, I wanted to beg the Lord (and I did) for a miracle that he would give my brother and his wife a perfectly healthy baby and that they would be spared any heartbreak. But I knew I was suppose to pray for "His Will" and although I knew God would bless whatever the outcome was, I just did not want to have to go through the valley to get to the mountain top. So oh how this verse ministered to me. Once again Jesus was right there to give his mercy and peace. He said all I had to do was be obedient to turn the situation over to him, and he would go to the Father for me! Wow what a God!

So that is what I did. I remember excusing myself from class because I was so overcome by the magnitude of the gift that was just presented to me. I went to the bathroom and just cried. I looked up to the Lord and said- "Take it!" "I don't know what I'm supposed to say, so Spirit you know my heart and the situation- take the message to the Father." What peace!

I want this verse to be embedded in my heart so I can call on this powerful resource whenever I don't have the words to pray.

In the meantime, I am going to ask the Holy Spirit for just the right words to express my thankfulness to the Lord for His answer to our prayer!

Sonday Sunday- Scripture Accountability

Let us know what scripture you are hiding in your heart this week!

Deal Alert- kinda

Just wanted to let you know that there will be NO coupon inserts (Smart Source, RedPlum, or P&G) in this Sunday's Newspapers. This only happens a couple of times a year and for some reason this weekend is one of them.

Worth the Effort

Notice the heart shaped Pepperonis- what a nerd!

Ok, the pizza crust was a lot more timely than I was originally thinking. But... Oh so yummy! I followed this recipe but modified it slightly to use ingredients I already had around the house. I used 1 package of rapid rising yeast, I replaced the brown sugar with 1 tsp of sugar, and I added some garlic and fresh rosemary. I also baked the crust for about 10 minutes before adding the sauce and toppings. For toppings I used turkey pepperonis (70% less fat then regular pepperonis). The crust was very thick and filling. I can't say I will always opt for the homemade route but it was fun and the results very rewarding.

And yes... I did try throwing the dough in the air.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Hope everyone has a "lovely" day today! Mine started out great. The boys all went to breakfast this morning and let me sleeeeeeep!

Tonight we are going to steal an idea I learned about from a Doctor I work with at the Med Center. I overheard him talking about how he and his wife celebrate Valentines every year by spending the night at home and making homemade pizzas -even down to the homemade pizza crust. Now homemade pizzas are a staple dinnertime meal around the Thompson home, but we have NEVER attempted a homemade (from scratch) pizza crust. And I thought to myself- Donna would so make her own pizza crust, and gosh how much cheaper would it be if I could learn to make my own pizza crust vs the $4 premade crust I am accustomed to buying. Plus if those weren't reasons enough- with us making our own crust we could even shape it like a HEART- instant theme dinner! Challenge on!

Once I scout out a good pizza crust recipe I'll be sure to pass it on.... stay tuned!

PS If your not up to making your own heart shaped pizza. I noticed that Papa Murphey's Pizza is selling a heart shaped pizza in honor of Valentines Day.

Ooh La La

Oh my goodness! You guys have to try the chocolate covered strawberries and bananas. So easy! And oh sooooo yummy! I ended up melting the chocolate in my mini crockpot instead of a double boiler. We sprinkled the fruit with crushed pecans and sprinkles. Great way to get the kids to eat some fruit. And talk about an inexpensive valentines gift. Daddy/DH is going to love it!

Cohen loved it too! He knows Mommy doesn't like to show his face on the blog, so he kindly smeared a chocolate beard on for a disguise.

Learning Time

At bedtime for the last couple of weeks we have been reading Dave Ramsey's Children's Series on financial planning. I know what your thinking... BUT can we really start too young teaching our children to be responsible with money. Anyways... Most of the books focus around the importance of designating earned money into "GIVE," "Save," and "Spend" envelopes. DH developed a chore chart a couple of weeks ago for Colby to earn a few nickles and dimes for helping out around the house. Were talking $0.05 for making his bed; $0.05 for making sure toys are in the toy box; and $0.10 for playing with Cohen in the bathtub at bath time.

Anyways... today I am planning on helping Colby make "Give, Save, and Spend" envelopes and we will go ahead and divvy up his earnings into the appropriate envelopes.

For Cohen, we continue to work on body parts and learning how to talk. He is quite confident with his belly button and facial features but just refuses to say a word! There is NO doubt he knows what we are talking about because he can follow commands. He just seems to have no interest in trying to communicate back, other then pointing and grunting. We have been spending a lot more time reading books and purposefully describing all actions and things to him- but so far no change! I would love any tips you have to offer!

Devotional Time

For Devotional Time I focused on the verse of the week.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not lean on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5

Before we went inside for "devotional time" I blindfolded Colby and attempted to lead him on an obstacle course by having him follow my voice commands. I had envisioned that this "life application" lesson would leave a lasting impression on him when I sat down to explain how "trusting the Lord means we have to follow him even when we don't understand where he is taking us." However, I did not take into account that at 4 years old he does not know his left from his right. We both just ended up getting frustrated at my futile attempt to lead him around the backyard. I think the verse that more appropriately applied to this "life application" was Col 3:21 Parents don't exasperate your children....

Live and Learn!

Craft Time

Today we are going to have a playdate with one of our good friends and make chocolate covered strawberries and bananas for our Daddy for Valentines Day.

I found this recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberries at allrecipes.com

Should be fun, and YUMMY!

Familytime Friday- accountability

Alright ladies here is your chance to tell us about some of the fun activities you are doing or are planning to do with your kiddos or families. I'd love to know how you are going to celebrate Valentines!

Annual Budget Countdown

I have two receipts for the countdown this week- Kroger and a Local Meat Market. I am very picky about my meat and so I opted to spend a little more for the ham I will need for our ham and cheese sandwiches.

This Week Kroger:
Spent: $104.33 for 62 items
Saved: $69.00

Meat Market Spent: $9.15 (ouch!)
Saved: $0

Total Spent this week: $113.48
Total Saved: $69.00
Total Spent to date: $614.77
Total Saved to date: $546.53
Budget left for 2009: $4385.23

Ok this is getting ridiculous! I am STILL about $38 above budget for the year! I am going to really buckle down this week and try to catch myself up by at least $15!! Surely with my $5 Entertainment Book coupon AND my $15 rebate Mastercard I can do it... right?

Go Niki, Go Niki- you can do it!!! Sorry, sometimes I'm my number one and only fan!

Deal Alert- Kroger

Got to say I'm not too impressed with the Kroger ad this week. But that's ok, I'm hoping this might be the week I get myself back on track with my annual budget.

Of course I will rely on the Grocery Game and my weekly menu to help me compile my final grocery list for the week but here are the best deals I was able to find floating around the internet for Kroger this week (2/11 - 2/17)

The Daytona Event is still going strong this week. Buy 10 participating items get $3 off your final bill. Remember to watch your receipt to ensure you get the discount! Go here to see all participating items.

My favorite participating item is the General Mills Cereal that is on sale for 3 for $5
Best Scenario: Multigrain cheerios on sale 3 for $5

Use $.75 from recent coupons.com printout and $0.75 from Cellfire loadable coupons PLUS $0.30 off from the Daytona promotion

Final Price: Free plus $0.13 in overages!!

Florida Strawberries are on sale for $1.97

Blueberries on sale for $2.50

Otherwise the only other exciting news is they are having a special one day sale on February 13 (Friday) from 9am to 9pm.

Most of the savings for this one day sale are for sweets; but as your RD I wanted to tell you about some of the healthier choices:

The best deal of the event if you ask me is for the $0.99 sweet red seedless grapes!

Although I am not a big fan of juice (little to no fiber) my boys do enjoy an occasional OJ in the morning so I will take advantage of the $0.99 Kroger OJ on Friday.

Just this week one of my friends was telling me that she only likes to buy Motts Apple Juice. So she is going to want to really stock up at the one day sale.

Motts Apple Juice on sale for $0.99

That's it folks. If you see any other great deals at Kroger please leave us a comment.

Walmart Deals

Here is a first for the DRS Blog- Walmart Deals. Kinda feel bad that I chose this week to debut Walmart deals in light of the massive corporate layoffs that will surely negatively effect our regional economy. But, the deals must go on....

This is just a sampling of my favorite deals, you can see a more complete list complete with printable coupon links at centsible savings

Johnson's Buddy Bar Soaps on sale for $0.97

Use $1 for 1 from 1/18 RP

Final Price: FREE

Kotex pantiliners on sale for $1

Use $1 for 1 from 1/11 SS

Final Price: FREE

KY Jelly 2 oz on sale for $2.59

Use $3 off 1 from 1/4 RP

Final Price: FREE

Suave Hand Lotion 3 oz for $0.97

Use $1 off 1 from 12/14 RP

Final Price: FREE

Beech-nut Let's Grow Microwaveable Meals on sale for $1.06

Use $1 for 1 from 1/4 SS

Final Price: $0.06

Benefiber drink mixes on sale for $2.50

Use $2 off 1 from 11/16, 12/14, or 1/4 SS

Final Price: $0.50

PS I have not been to Walmart to check out these deals. I am just assuming our Walmart has the same prices as those found in the deals above! Let me know if you find something different!

Deal Alert- Walgreens

You are in for a treat this week- LOTS of great deals at Walgreens this week!

Don't forget to pick up the new February EasySaver Catalog that is at the front of the store near the weekly ad. Not only will you find some great Walgreens coupons that you can stack with your manufacture coupons you will also find a ton of Walgreens Rebate items.

This Weeks deals:

Revlon Foundation, Powder, Concealer, Blush or Eye Cosmetics on sale for $3 off original price

Best Scenario: Revlon Matte Eye Shadow- original price: $4.99 - $3 sale would be $1.99

Use $2 off 1 from 1/11 SS

Final Price: Free

Bounty Basic Paper Towels for $0.89 with walgreens weekly flyer coupon

Use $0.25 from 1/18 PG

Final Price: $0.64

Ensure 6-pk on sale $6.99

Use $3 for 1 printable here

And send in for $6.99 manufacturer mail-in-rebate here

Final Price: Free plus $3 in overages after coupon and rebate

(thanks Thrifty Mama for this deal!)

Progresso Soup on sale 4 for $5 with walgreens weekly flyer coupon

Use 4 $1.10 off 1 coupons here (if you have access to 2 computers!)

Final Price: $0.15 each with 4 coupons

Register Rewards RR

Gillette Fusion or Venus $8.99

Use $4 off 1 for Gillette Fusion in 2/8 PG or $2 off 1 for the Venus from the 2/8 PG

Will get back $6 in RR

Final Price: Free for Gillette plus $1.01 in overages or $0.99 for venus after RR and coupons

This week Rebate Offers found in EasySaver Catalog

Glade Sense and Spray Air Freshener for $9.99 each

Use BOGO coupon here and $4 off 1 from 2/8 SS

Submit for $6 EasySaver Rebate #28

Final Price: FREE plus $0.01

The following deals will work with Rebate #30 in the EasySaver Catalog

Rebate #30 will give you $1 back for each qualifying item up to a total of $4 (or 4 items) so choose your favorite 4!

Note: All the printable coupons come from the same site below!

Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair on sale 2 for $7

Use $2 off 1 from here

Submit for $1 rebate

Final Price: $0.50 after coupon and rebate

Scrubbing Bubbles Wipes or All Purpose Cleaner on sale 2 for $5

Use $3 off 2 here

Submit for $2 rebate

Final Price: Free after coupon and rebate

Windex Spray on sale 2 for $5

Use $1 for 1 here

Submit for $1 rebate

Final Price: $0.50 after coupon and rebate

Windex Wipes on sale 2 for $5

Use $1.5o off 1 here

Submit for $1 rebate

AND submit for Windex Manufacture rebate from 1/11 SS for $2.50 back!

Final Price: FREE plus $2.50 in overages after both rebates

February Free after Rebate Items

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 coupon and rebate

The FREE TP just keeps coming!

SmartSource.com now has a $0.50 coupon available for our favorite toilet paper!

You know the drill: Print your coupons (each computer will allow you to print 2) and then take them to Kroger to purchase the $0.99 Cottonelle 4 pack. Once the coupon doubles- that means FREE TP for you! WooHoo

Thrifty Thursday

It's Thrifty Thursday time! Today you can look forward to Kroger, Walgreens and even Walmart Deals to post throughout the day. I look forward to hearing about some of the deals you have found around town.

My house never fails me!

I am so grateful to my home- it keeps my life interesting and gives me great material for this blog! Although my family has asked me not to share what I'm about to tell you, I felt you must know............

Tonight while doing my zone work.... gulp.... I found several packages of molded bread behind my microwave. Now let me explain- I often store our bread on top of the microwave which sits on top of my double oven inside a cabinet- oh wait, I'll just go take a picture so you can see what I'm talking about, be right back......

So you can see from the picture above how easy it would be to let things go unnoticed behind the microwave for... well months (maybe even years!) The fact that I have NEVER (not once in the 3 years we have lived here) thought to remove the microwave and clean behind it makes me quite nauseous to think about how old the petrified bread could have been. Do you know what color comes after green during the molding process? I do. I'm just not sure the color I saw was directly after the green stage or if it was several stages past green! Uck! You know it must have been bad if I didn't even take a picture to post. Your Welcome!

As always, thanks for letting me share!

HUGE PRAISE!

Wow! God is good- no make that AWESOME! The level 2 ultrasound showed NO hints of Downs Syndrome, Trisomy 18, or Spina Bifida-Praise God! These were the three that we were most fearful of after last week's ultrasound and then this week's lab results. The only thing the doctor did find were 2 cysts on my niece's brain, but he felt confident they would go away in a couple of weeks.


Again I am reminded of Emily's very timely devotional last weekend and the verse she shared that I have clung to for the last 6 days "You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the people.” Psalm 77:14 I truly believe that God performed a miracle in this little girl's life. Going into this appointment today all signs pointed toward bad news but the report they got exceeded all expectations!

While I pleaded with the Lord for a miracle. The Holy Spirit did not let me forget this week's verse of the week. "TRUST in the Lord with ALL of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in ALL your ways acknowledge HIM and he WILL make your paths straight." Although I was not ready to let my brain take me to the "what ifs" my heart knew that the Lord was IN CONTROL and He had a plan no matter what the outcome. I have no doubt the Lord would have and will use this child to bless all of our lives. No matter what- God is AWESOME!

I can not thank you enough for your prayers and friendship!!!!

Product of the Week

I'll admit I am not a big yogurt fan. I want to like it, so I buy it and let it take up valuable real estate in my fridge until it reaches its expiration date and then it occupies my trashcan. Well last week I tried yogurt once again- well, because it was FREE! And guess what? I liked it! I liked it!

I am so excited about this find because yogurt is such a great source of calcium and this particular yogurt also contains Probiotics and Fiber.

According to the Yo Plus packaging "the unique blend of priobiotic bacteria and fiber work together to help crowd out the unfriendly bacteria in your system and promote digestive health."

Nutrition Information

Meal Plan: 110 calories, 1 milk and 3g Fiber

Yoplait challenges us to "Try it for 10 days and See how different you feel!" With such a great taste- I'll gladly give it a try! You can learn more about Yo Plus yogurt at www.yo-plus.com

PS: I highly recommend the Blackberry Pomegranate. Yummy

PSS: If you didn't already print your 2 $1.50 off 1 coupons you can do so here. Remember to also load your Kroger card with an additional $1 savings to make this product FREE or nearly free at Krogers. I think there might be an additional $1 off coupon at the coupon.com link on my sidebar to the left.

Wellness Wednesday

In honor of Valentines Day I want to focus on the Heart! One of the best ways to get a healthy heart and keep a healthy heart is by participating in regular physical activity- especially cardiovascular or aerobic exercise.

Are you an exerciser? Surveys show that 24% of Americans over the age of 18 are not active at all. Scary!!

If your one of the 76% who don't exercise here are some tips to get started:

• Get medical clearance. As your RD I feel an obligation to advice this, ALTHOUGH I'm sure the majority of my readers can bypass this step unless there are known physical limitations.
• Pick an activity that you enjoy. You're going to be sooo much more likely to stick with it if you don't dread the activity. Try out a fun aerobics class, go swimming, how about Wii Fit, or download my playlist and go for a walk or just dance!
• Start slow. Don't go gang busters when you first start your exercise routine- your more likely to injure yourself or simply burn out.
• Make it routine. Don't just say your going to exercise "sometime" today, have a set exercise time. Your less likely to let other things crowd out your exercise time if you have a set appointment with yourself.
• Set a goal. Most times we are more motivated it we have something to work toward. Maybe you could have a goal to walk a 5K by the end of summer or to master all the Yoga Poses on the Wii Fit in 2 months. (I do caution against a weight loss goal as your motivation- although weight loss is often a side effect of exercise it SHOULD NOT be your only source of motivation- more on this topic in the future!)
• Set up a Reward System. How about buying a new workout outfit after one month of exercise or treating yourself to a massage after your able to swim 5 laps.
• Get an exercise buddy. Not only will a workout partner make you more accountable to show up but it will also make the exercise so much more enjoyable. I know I burn so many more calories when I workout with my exercise buddy because she keeps me laughing the whole time.
• Just get started!!!!! The hardest part of beginning an exercise program is just getting started. So no more excuses, step away from the computer, and GO!!!

Wellness Wednesday- Accountability

You got a Wellness Goal you want to share? Do so here!

Morning Routine Done!

Wow getting up after only one snooze button really makes a big difference! I had most of my morning routine done by the time I usually roll out of bed. I even remembered to put dinner in the crock-pot. And never before would I have had time to sit down at the computer to jot down a post before work!

Bedtime Routine Done

Well I broke my pledge to you, myself, and the cottonelle toilet paper puppy to get in bed by midnight BUT I did get my bedtime routine done! Good Night!

Daily Routine-update

Just feel I need to confess something to you...... I can't remember the last time I did any part of my morning, afternoon, or nightime routine!!! Ok I feel better just writing that out loud.

I mean really- why don't I do these routines! My day flows so much better when I do! So here is what I'm going to do:

Tonight I am not going to bed until I have done all of my bedtime routine. Then no matter how tired I am, I am going to get up without even hitting the snooze one time, ok maybe just one time- Yes! I am going to get up and start my morning routine after just hitting the snooze one time tomorrow!

Thanks for letting me share my plan with you- it always makes me feel better. If you are new to DRS you can read about my daily routine plan here.

Hey! I know.... you can join me- wouldn't that be fun! Just for kicks I am going to throw out a Mr. Linky to see if anyone will bite.

Spinach Lentil Soup- Verdicts In

Although every bite I took of this soup was jam packed with awesome nutrition (fiber, iron, folic acid etc, etc, etc) it was lacking in flavor. Adding the cornbread to my bowl of soup did help but if I was to make the soup again I would definitely add more spices- even a packet of low sodium taco seasoning would have helped. So there you go!

Prayer Reminder

I just wanted to remind you dear readers to please continue to pray for my brother, sister-in-law and future niece. The blood work did come back positive for Downs Syndrome BUT there is quite a margin of error for this test. Tomorrow we should have more answers after their level 2 ultrasound. I feel so blessed knowing that you have blanketed this family with prayers. I will update you as soon as we know more. Thanks again!

Mail Call!

Mail time is like Christmas around here. I don't care if it is $20 or $0.75 it is always fun to get money in the mail!! Just this week I got a $15 mastercard from Olay (sent off before DRS blog existed) and that Free Dt. Dr Pepper coupon I told you about a couple of weeks ago. Fun times! That $15 is going to go toward my $5000 annual budget! So now I am closer to being back on track.

Valentines Craft

I was going to save this craft to post on Familytime Friday but I thought some of you might want to do this project with your kiddos in time for their school Valentines Day Parties. I found this idea at the Family Fun website and thought it would make the perfect Valentines goodie to pass out to Colby's class- instead of the classic CANDY laden card!

Go here for the official instructions to make the Heart Shaped PlayDough.

Hint: One of the crafter comments was to use a packet of cherry flavored Kool-Aid for the coloring for a less messy option to the red food coloring. I thought this was a brilliant idea, but didn't have any Kool-Aid, so I stirred in a packet of Strawberry Kiwi Benefiber...... didn't have the same effect! We ended up using red food coloring- my hands are still a lovely shade of pink!

This PlayDough recipe required us to cook the ingredients on the stove-top and then kneed the food coloring into the dough once stiff- messy!!! It is worth the trip to the store to try the Kool-Aid idea.

Instead of using a heart shape cookie cutter we (meaning I) just molded the dough into hearts- just call me Picasso (no idea of Picasso sculpted I just know he did something with art... right? I probably should watch more "Little Einsteins" and less "Imagination Movers")

I know you can't read the card from the picture- but it says "Dough you want to be my Valentine?" Cute huh! Could have also read "I kneed you" but I thought that was a little much for 4 year olds!

Zone 1- Kitchen and Dinning Room Even Months

Even Months
Day 1- Tuesday

• Clean Fridge inside & Out
• Clean Kitchen Door
• Shine Sink (I use the turtle wax to shine my sink)

Day 2- Wednesday

• Clean and organize all cabinets
• Clean and organize all drawers
• Clean outside of cabinets

Day 3- Thursday

• Clean oven
• Clean stovetop
• Clean all knick knacks (everything that sits on top of the counters ex: coffee pot)
• Clean Microwave

Day 4- Friday

• Clean and organize pantry
• Clean Floors
• Clean behind Fridge
• Clean baseboards

Day 4- Saturday

• Detail highchair
• Dust and organize Buffet and Cookbooks
• Clean inside and out china cabinet
• Dust or polish table

Sunday and Monday- OFF

Tidy Tuesday

Well, we are back to the kitchen this week (not soon enough by the looks of my kitchen!) Won't it be fun to peak behind our fridge this week and see that all our hard work last month paid off. Instead of the heaping mounds of collected debris from months of neglect like we found last month we should be greeted by only a few respectable and even recognizable crumbs (shouldn't even be molded yet). Last week a grape rolled under our fridge- I didn't even bother going after it because I knew it would be captured within a weeks time- don't you love a plan!

Tidy Tuesday- Sound-off!

Anyone up for cleaning your kitchen this week? One of my newly diagnosed DRS friends emailed me yesterday to tell me she had just cleaned out her fridge; well you know me- I just had to clean mine out too! Sick, I know- but at least I got a jump start on my zone work!

Southwest Eggrolls- Illustrated!

I was a little intimidated the first time I attempted the eggrolls so I wanted to give you a step by step illustrated guide.

first hint: I have learned that it is very important to let the dough defrost before you try to unroll it- otherwise it flakes. Last night I just set the dough our for about 1.5 hours. But you could also just let it thaw in fridge for a day.

Once thawed, you will unroll the stack of dough sheets. I usually work off of wax paper.

I then take about 2 sheets of dough off the stack and place it on the wax paper. Then scoop about 1/4 cup of vegy/meat mixture onto center of dough.

Next I fold the ends up over the mixture, so that the mixture won't fall out the ends
once rolled up.

Then I roll up from one end to the next. Warning: the dough sheets are pretty delicate. It is normal for the dough to tare a little!

Don't forget to brush with a little bit of light butter before baking so they will golden!

Won't your family be impressed!!!

This will be the first time I have attempted to freeze the premade eggrolls, so I'll let you know how it turns out on Thursday!

Deal Alert

Want more FREE TP!

I know you do! So go here, make a pledge and then print 2 of our favorite coupons!

Hot Ham and Cheese

Although, a simple "hot ham and cheese sandwich" would have sufficed, I opted to fancy it up a bit with this recipe. My Mom use to make a similar sandwich that was so yummy- so I'm hoping this recipe measures up! I'll let you know.

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Go here for the recipe.
I will be using only 2 TBS of lite butter instead of the 1/4 cup, I'll also use 2% swiss cheese, whole wheat hot dog buns, and I decided to use dried onion flakes over the fresh onion.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1 sandwich with 2 oz ham on each sandwich
Meal Plan: 300 Calories, 3 meats, 1.5 Starches, 1 Fat

I will serve this with baked beans and a fruit salad.

Southwest Eggrolls

If you love Chili's Southwest Eggrolls but you don't love all the Calories and Fat they pack in- your going to love this recipe. I went ahead and attached a picture of the Athens Fillo Dough so you would know what to look for when shopping. I will warn you the box was $4.39 at Kroger! Not cheap but you will still come out ahead over paying for them at Chili's.

Southwest Eggrolls

1 bag of shredded cabbage and carrot mix (coleslaw mix)
1 lb ground chicken, turkey, or extra lean ground beef
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 can black beans well drained
1 can corn well drained
25-30 Athens Fillo dough sheets
3 Tbsp butter melted

Preheat oven to 425

Spray a deep pan with Pam, toss in cabbage, carrots, and 1/2 of taco seasoning. Put a lid on it, stir as needed. Meanwhile, combine meat with remainder of spices and brown. After the meat is cooked, combine it with the vegetables including drained corn and blackbeans. Make sure Fillo dough has thawed (otherwise very hard to roll out) Place 1/4 cup of meat/veg mix on top of Fillo sheet and roll up like an egg roll (illustration to follow) I usually use 2 Fillo sheets per eggroll. Brush the top with butter for browning and flavor. Makes about 22 eggrolls!

Meal Plan
Serving Size: 1 egg roll
Meal Plan: 140 Calories, 1 starch, 1 meat, 1 vegetable

I am going to add a little bit of the taco seasoning packet to some light Ranch dressing and use this as both a dip for the egg rolls and a dressing for a side salad! I got an avocado to add to our side salad-yummy!

Spinach Lentil Soup

This will be the first time I have made this recipe, so I'll be sure to give you my honest review after we have tried it. I could not find dried lentils when I went to the grocery store so I just got a bag of 15 different beans- might put a slightly different spin on the recipe but same concept!

Spinach Lentil Soup

Here is the recipe.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
Meal Plan: 215 Calories, 1.5 Starches, 1 lean meat (beans), 2.5 vegetables (lots of fiber at least 9g per serving!)

I am going to serve this with cornbread.

Cranberry Spinach Salad

This is a good salad anytime, but I especially love it with the Pecan Encrusted Salmon!

Cranberry Spinach Salad

Click here for recipe. I am going to use Splenda instead of the sugar, olive oil and reduced fat sour cream.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe (this assumes 100% of the dressing is used over 6 portions- you probably will use less)
Meal Plan: 235 Calories, 1 veg, 1/2 fruit, 4 Fats (again I bet you will actually consume a lot less!)

Pecan Encrusted Salmon

Doesn't this recipe just sound yummy! And it is! This is one of my favorite Salmon recipes. And don't forget the Cranberry Spinach Salad- it's a perfect compliment to the meal!

Pecan Encrusted Salmon

Go here for the recipe.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 4 oz Salmon
Meal Plan: 375 Calories, 4 meats, 1 starch, 2.5 fats (good fat!)

I am going to serve this with a Cranberry Spinach Salad (recipe to follow)

Chicken and Dumplings

A couple of months ago the couple I cooked for requested chicken and dumplings. Although it is a stretch to call the selected recipe "healthy," this is the best way I could figure out how to have this classic "comfort food" without breaking the Calorie and fat budget. And talk about easy!!!

Chicken and Dumplings

4 skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs Lite Butter
2 cans 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
1 onion, finely diced
1 16oz can Grands Reduced Fat Biscuits

Place chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover. Cook for 5 - 6 hours on High. About 30-45 minutes before serving, place torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until dough is no longer raw in the center.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
Calories: 300
Meal Plan: 2 oz meat, 2.5 starches, 0.5 fats

I'm going to serve this with my spicy green beans.

Mealtime Monday

I'm pretty excited about this week's meals. If you read my late post from last night you know that I actually cheated and cooked last night because I have a busy day planned for today. So I am happy to report to you with confidence you can prepare all but 1 meal in 1 hour and 9 minutes. I think I could have been done a lot sooner but I got distracted (see earlier post "Busted). Here is the schedule for storage and final preparations.


Monday: Pecan Encrusted Salmon with Cranberry Spinach Salad. I think this would have froze nicely but I wanted to go ahead and have it tonight. I went ahead and prepared Salmon and salad dressing so tonight all I will need to do is take Salmon out of fridge to bake and toss salad.


Tuesday: Spinach Lentil Soup. I put all but the water and olive oil in a freezer gallon size ziplock bag and placed in fridge. Tuesday morning I will add water and olive oil and let cook in crockpot all day on low.


Wednesday: Chicken and Dumplings. To prep all I did was place frozen chicken in a freezer ziplock and added all but the water and biscuits. I will store in fridge and then transfer contents of ziplock into crockpot Wed morning, add water and go.


Thursday: Southwest Eggrolls. I decided to have these this night because I wanted to experiment with freezing them. I followed recipe up to the "brush with butter" step. I placed in baking dish with foil over the top and placed them in the freezer. Thursday morning I will transfer to fridge and then brush with butter before baking.


Friday Night: Date Night- Valentines with DH


Saturday Night: Out Valentines with family


Sunday: Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches. I thought the bread would get too soggy if I went ahead and prepped the sandwiches. So, I plan to put these together on Saturday night- that way all I'll have to do is pop them in the oven after church. I don't think it will take longer then 5-10 minutes to make.

Mealtime Monday- accountability

Post your comment or link here if you are participating in Mealtime Monday this week!

Busted!

Ok, I decided last minute (were talking 10:30pm) to go ahead and do all my meal prep for the week tonight. Tomorrow is just packed full and I probably would have ended up robbing time away from the boys if I tried to fit the cooking in tomorrow. Soooo.... I had the kitchen to myself!!!

My whole family was sound asleep so I decided to make the most of my time alone and I dug out my ol' MP3 player so I could "listen" to music while I worked. I should have known better.....

One thing you should know is that I am not very technologically advanced so I only have 6 songs downloaded on my off brand MP3 player. I have listened to those 6 songs over and over for the last 3 years. My playlist includes:

• Adonai by Avalon (Christian)
• Pray by CeCe Winan (Christian)
• Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts (Country)
• Yeah! By Usher (Not Christian- I promise I don't sing along)
• Shackles by Mary Mary (Christian)
• Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts (Disney's Cars Soundtrack)

What a mix, I know. Well let me tell you- something happens to me when these songs play. I don't care if it is Pray or Yeah- I dance! I even do a ballet number to Adonai. You must remember, I was a very sheltered kid growing up and scared of boys so I never went to any school dances nor was I allowed to watch MTV- so I have no idea where my moves come from- but I get down!!! Now in my head, I belong on Dance Party but the few times I have actually performed my moves for myself in front of the mirror- let's just say I scare myself. For this reason I only perform when I'm alone or when I'm in the car. (Although I have never been able to see myself in the car- I think I actually have more rhythm when I'm sitting down). I have been caught a number of times by DH- needless to say my moves do not turn him on- I think he gets a little scared too!

So tonight- I was pumped to have the house to myself so I could dance uninhibited. And let me tell you I was teaching myself some pretty cool moves if I do say so myself- not sure "Usher" would want me for any of his music videos but I'm pretty sure I could do back-up for "New Kids on the Block". Unfortunately, I did not realize that I was also singing along with the music. I'm not sure how long DH stood in the doorway laughing at me before I finally noticed he was there, but once I did notice him I think I jumped 6ft off the ground and nearly dropped the salmon. Evidently he had been trying to get to sleep for the last 45 minutes and my singing was keeping him awake. Funny thing was I didn't even know I was singing!! Oh well.

Kroger Report

Grocery Game didn't post until after 9:30 last night so I didn't make it to Kroger until this afternoon. I wanted to pass on some of my favorite deals.


I did go ahead and get the case of Kroger Peanut Butter. Although it did have 3g of Saturated Fat it had zero trans fats- this was the same as the Jiff I already had it my pantry. Also had 7g of monounsaturated fat- that is GREAT! Final Price: $12 or $1 a jar.
My general rule is I don't like to pay over $1 for peanut butter.


I also got the case of cornbread at $7.92 or $0.33 per box. Although I have seen it priced this low before, I have never seen it lower. What in the world am I going to do with 24 boxes of cornbread!!!


I also did the Nascar promotion- If you buy 10 participating items you will get $3 off your bill. Make sure you watch for this because I noticed that I didn't get my $3 off although I had carefully calculated exactly 10 items so I just took my receipt to the counter and they happily refunded my $3. Always double check your receipt!!!


Grands Reduced Fat Biscuits (needed some for our Chicken Dumplings this week) on sale for $1.27 Used $0.25 from 12/14 SS and got $0.30 off for the Nascar promotion Final Price: $0.47
(if you do not have the 12/14 SS there has been other biscuit coupons for like $50 off 3 in other inserts)


Multigrain cheerios on sale 3 for $5
Use $.75 from recent coupons.com printout and $0.75 from Cellfire loadable coupons PLUS $0.30 off from the Nascar promotion Final Price: Free plus $0.13 in overages!!


Yoplait YoPlus Yogurt on sale $2
Use $1.50 printout from recent deal alert or go here to print if you haven't already, and use $1 from cellfire and shortcut loadable coupons! Final Price: FREE plus $1.50 in overages if buy 1 or $.50 overage for both if buy 2!


Oh and don't forget to use your $5 off February coupon in your Entertainment book!


I bought a lot more but these were my best deals. Come back Thrifty Thursday to see my final grocery bill and savings!

Sonday Sunday- Scripture Accountability

I'm so excited about how many people wanted to be a part of the scripture memorization accountability group! I am looking forward to reading the scriptures that you all have chosen. Thanks again for sharing and I can't wait to hear your stories about how the Lord has used your verse to speak to you throughout the week.

Sonday Sunday

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not lean on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5

I love the words ALL in this passage! Trust in the Lord with all your heart... Did you ever play that game where you had to close your eyes and let your partner lead you through an obstacle course? That is what I think about when I read this verse. My desire is to be so in tune with the Lord that I could just close my eyes and let him direct my every path. I want to have that kind of trust and faith that I could just walk blindly without trying to understand why He is taking me in the direction I'm going.

Seek his will in all you do.... I have no doubt I have walked down many a wrong path because I have not sought His will in all, or everything, I decide or do. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit would whisper this verse throughout my week at even the most seemingly insignificant crossroads so I can get in a habit of seeking His will in all I do. Just imagine how much more time I'll be spending in prayer and in His Word!