Here are some pics of our thanksgiving!
This is the turkey!And here is the cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing, green beans and rolls. (Couldn't keep them out long enough to get a picture! LOL)
Here is the baked goodies.I try to do something that particularly appeals to each one. My hubby LOVES his pumpkin pie, there was a coconut-lime cake (9 yr. old loves anything with lemon or lime), and a peach pudding bread (for me!). Then we made up a variety of cookies for us and to pass out to friends and neighbors in sugar, chocolate chip, honey ginger, and chocolate drops. My daughter was sooo proud of the sugar cookies because she did them all by herself! This was her first cooking adventure without my guidance. Aren't they beautiful!

And then I made up this strawberry shortcake specially for my 7 yr old and my daughter because they both LOVE strawberries!


And here is the blessings I got to see enjoy all this cooking! That is one of my most very favorite things to be thankful for! I know this may seem like a lot of food, but believe me, it won't go to waste here! There is no better feeling to me than seeing your loved ones enjoy something you made!

Here are some pics of our Thanksgiving!

Blessings!

• 3 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

I have been so eager to share my last shopping trip. Day before yesterday was my grocery day. Most times I do a month of shopping in one trip and supplement here and there things like milk, ect. I usually hit Walmart, Safeway, and a place called the Grocery Outlet.

But, it is my trip to Safeway that I wanted to talk about. I have been studying Crystal's (Money Saving Mom) SUPERMARKET SAVINGS COURSE and it has helped me understand how to be really frugal with our dollars.
So, I decided to put it into practice this shopping trip and guess what?! I saved us a total of $173.17!! I did this by combining the sales for that week with coupons I cut from the Sunday paper and printed from coupon sites. Then, I added those to Safeway's double coupons in their ad. And finally, by looking for the mark-downs Safeway had.

There is no way to list everything I got, but here is some ideas: (two) 5 lb sugar, (six) 5 lb flour, (two) boxes Bisquick, (five) boxes cereal, 10 yoplait yogurts, (three) half gallons of organic milk, a 24 lb. turkey, varying baking supplies, juice, (two) jars Bertolli sauce,ect., for a total of 113 items.

Now, I don't normally buy organic milk because it is out of my price range. But, I will show you an example of one of the transactions I did that made it a frugal buy.

Safeway has one coupon you use to double up to four more. So, I broke my groceries into three transactions so I could double 12 coupons. On one of those transactions I bought 2 jars of Bertolli Pasta sauce- regular price $6.38, they were on sale 2 for $4.00. I also purchased two of the half gallons of organic milk-regular price was $7.58 but these two half gallons had five 75 cent mark-down stickers on them which brought them to $3.83! Now, I had printed off the internet two $1.00 off each coupons on the sauce and the milk. I used a Safeway double coupon to double them to $1.50 each.

In summary, I got 2 Bertolli Pasta Sauce and 2 half gallons organic milk- original price $13.96 for $1.83!!!!!! Yep, I said $1.83!

I spent a total of $146.90 for 113 items. That means I paid $1.30 per item including the 24 lb turkey!!

I am writing this because I hope to encourage someone out there who needs to cut grocery cost to look into Crystal's course and try this out. It really wasn't hard and it was such a blessing to me.

Click here to check out this course!

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

 I wanted to share that in this Albertson's ad on page 8 is a REALLY GOOD deal!

 If you buy 4 boxes  of Post cereal which  are on sale for 2 for $4 you get TWO Jet-Puffed Marshmallows  (10.5 oz) PLUS FREE  MILK (up to $4.00). It includes soy or organic half gallons or larger. You will have to use your Albertson's card.

 And, you can print a coupon from Smartsource.com  for a $1.00 off of 2 boxes of Post cereals. You could use two coupons and get the cereals for $1.50 a box.

Anyone with an Albertson's nearby should check out this week's ad (runs Nov. 7-13) for quite a few good deals.

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

AT DAWN
This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use it as I will.
I can waste it, or I can use it.
I can make it a day long to be remembered for its job, its beauty, and its achievement; or it can be filled with pettiness and ugliness.
What I do today is important, for I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes this day will be gone forever, but I shall hold something which I have traded for it.
It may be no more than a memory; but if it is a worthy one, I shall not regret the price.
I should like it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil; success, certainly not failure.
So here is a day and here am I.
God will not expect more of me than I am capable of giving, but He will expect my best.
There will be beauty and I must not miss it.
There will be cries of people in distress, and I must hear and answer.
There will be moments of temptation, but I must not yield nor be impulsive.
There will be opportunity for good, and I must be ready.
And then when night comes, may I look back without regret, and forward with a radiant spirit and a thankful heart.
By Samuel Pugh

• 1 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

 

Here they are!! This is my crew, hubby, my 11 yr old daughter Jessica, my 9 yr old son Triton, my 7 yr old son Vinnie, and the one getting the ride on daddy's shoulder's is my 2 yr old son Zarek. This picture was taken a couple of months back so the baby has more hair and is taller. They are my blessings and my life.

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

I have a favor to ask. For all who would like to participate, I am feeding a family of 6 and I need some ideas on getting my grocery bill below $100 a week. Hubby's job is entering a season when they tend to cut hours. I am looking for weekly menu plans and grocery lists that do not include canned (yourself) items since I have not been canning. And does not include having alot of things already on hand. Even though I do keep staples, a few weeks of cut paychecks can lead to staples being used up quickly.  Leave me a comment,  or you can direct me to a post you have done or send an email to

amaddiex0439@charter.net

I have big eaters (hubby, 11yr old, 9yr old, 7yr old, 2yr old) so servings on meals usually need to be 8 or so ( I also like to send the leftovers for hubby's lunches). Lots of from scratch type foods welcome since I love to cook, but not time too consuming.

Hoping you guys can give me some great, frugal ideas!

Blessings! 

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

I have no idea if anyone has been here since yesterday but if you have and if you were unfortunate enough to see my cbox I can only pray you did not click on it. Seems some sick person out there put something sick on my box. I have permanenetly removed the box since I don't know how to delete things from it and I sincerely apologize to anyone who saw it. I am still horrified. 

I have heard of this happening to others but I had not had it happen to me before. I can't say how much it bothers me.

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

I would like to say thank you to  Rashel for posting this on her blog. Alot of women have been faced with this challenge. My husband lost a dearly loved aunt to this. And it is far more common than we would like to believe. So, let us get together and do what we can! Start clicking ladies!!

This is from Rashel's post and I also have placed the link button on my sidebar. Two minutes tops and you could be helping save someone's life with a free mammogram. 

"I will be posting a button (link)  on my sidebar for you to visit the breast cancer site and help a woman receive a free mammogram.  It is FREE to you, all you have to do is visit the site and click on the pink "Click Here to Give - It's Free" button.  That is all.  The sponsors of the site are paying for mammograms for women that cannot afford them based on the number of clicks on the site. AND if they get 500 clicks in October, the site's premier sponsor will pay for an additional 150 mammograms! You can visit and click on the button everyday.  How easy is that to help with the fight against breast cancer!!  Here are some statistics for you: (taken from the above mentioned site)

Early Detection: Do You Know The Facts?

Each year, 182,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 43,300 die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In addition, 1,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 400 will die this year.

If detected early, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer exceeds 95%. Mammograms are among the best early detection methods, yet 13 million U.S. women 40 years of age or older have never had a mammogram.

The National Cancer Institute and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that women in their forties and older have mammograms every one to two years. A complete early detection plan also includes regular clinical breast examinations by a trained medical professional. Monthly breast self-exams are suggested in addition.

So, let's all do what we can do help with early detection and the fight against breast cancer.  What are you waiting on?  Go click that button!!!!"

• 1 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

I decide to follow Scarecrow's  lead. Your next! 

...You could live anywhere in the world you wanted to, what place would you choose?

Scotland

...You could permanently delete one color from the 64 pack of crayola crayons, what color would you give the boot to?

Mustard Yellow

...You finally saved up enough money to buy that something special you have dreamt about, what is it?

I have to go with Scarecrow on this one- a BIG log cabin house in the middle of a dense birch grove with 50 acres of surrounding land

...You could have the world's biggest collection, what would it be a collection of?

Books

...You were asked to share something as a kid and you didn't want to, what did you out-right refuse to share?

Truth is I don't remember not sharing what I had ( but then, I had brothers so there wasn't much they wanted) but I would probably say cheesecake

...You could do something you always wanted to do since childhood, what would that something be?

Write a book

...You were stranded on a deserted island and you could only take one thing with you, what  would you take?

My Bible  

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Grandma Rosie has a post on her blog (see my link list) about two books that are on the market called Conversations with God and Conversations with God for Teens, written by Neale D. Walsch. Here is some of what she says on these-

"They sound harmless enough by their titles alone. The books have been on the New York Times best sellers list for a number of weeks, and they make truth of
the statement, "Don't judge a book by its cover or title."
The author purports to answer various questions asked by kids using
the "voice of God". However, the "answers" that he gives are not
Bible-based and go against the very infallible word of God. For
instance (and I paraphrase), when a girl asks the question "Why am I
a lesbian?" His answer is that she was 'born that way' because of
genetics (just as you were born right-handed, with brown eyes, etc.).
Then he tells her to go out and "celebrate" her differences."

Please go read the rest of the post. It really pays to be informed.

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

In the spirit of Keeping the Home's (see my links) post today on creating a quick meal menu here is a recipe site I just came across that could help with that. It is called SparkRecipes. It apparently specializes in healthy meals, and in alot of cases, very quick meals. Here is the address- check it out. :)

http://sparkrecipes.com/

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

This is the easiest, and tastiest mac & cheese I have come up with. I make this and my kids inhale it! It does not need to be baked. There is a WORLD of possibilities with this too. I usually make as is for a quick lunch and then I will make it with add ons for dinner (i.e. hamburger/ mixed veggies, olives/diced tomatoes, ect). ENJOY!!

QIUCK COOK MAC & CHEESE
3 c. cooked macaroni (about 1 1/2c. uncooked)
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese
After cooking macaroni, drain and rinse with cool water and return to pan. Add evaporated milk and cheese. Cook and stir gently until cheese melts.
for a thinner sauce, add a little more milk.
You can use any kind or combination of cheese. Makes 6 servings (about 2/3 c. each) I usually double it for my family of 6. :)

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

 I just finished reading Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola. I LOVED THIS BOOK!! It is a mixture of a story based in the 1930's and a nature study guide. It is written in a journal entry type of way by a new to homeschooling mother of two. They are your simple everyday type of family and as the story progresses you learn about their trials and feel like you are sharing the concerns of this mother. It is a beautiful story. I decided to read the book thru the first time myself to glean the ideas for the nature studies but I loved it soo much that I plan to reread it to my children. The little boy in the story starts out self conscious about his nature drawings and the mother talks about how she and her husband tried to help. This was so perfect because I have the same problem with my 9 yr old son. He has such an awesome talent for drawing that comes naturally to him but he is always comparing himself to others and gets down when he feels his drawings are not as good.
If you want to read a simple sweet story, and especially if you are or are planning to incorporate nature studies, this is truly a must read. :) ENJOY!!

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Hello!
Well, we have begun our weekly nature studies. This last Saturday my hubby took us to a local park like habitat for our first outing. It was a lot of fun. We saw fish and frogs, dragonflies and beetles and spiders. It is an interesting thing, I have always looked at spiders as a yucky sort of creepy crawly when I find them in my house, but when you look at them in nature as another one of God's creations doing what they do they can be pretty interesting. LOL I still refuse to pick one up though. :) I think that the most memorable moment (beyond watching my children run around trying to show me fifty things at once and having a blast) was that we saw a huge hawks nest on top of a big light pole. Well, sitting on a tree branch not too far away was one of the pair of hawks. Suddenly it let up a screech and flew to the nest. We noticed that it was apparently carrying dinner. That is also when we realized that there was hatched babies in the nest. It landed and began to feed them and in moments the mate came in and landed there too. It was just so amazing to watch these two parents working together to care for their babies. Then, after a while one flew off and the second went back to her (his) branch over the pond. We picked wild blackberries and my son found a four leaf clover before we left. A truly awesome day. This is why I homeschool, to be with my kids like that. :)

• 1 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Ok, I have decided to take up a new blog here on homeschoolblogger and I have NO IDEA what I am doing.   I would be most grateful if anyone out there could help. How do I add graphics (blinkies,ect.)? Things like that. Until I get all this figured out you are welcome to visit me at my other blog

http://meekquietspirit.blogspot.com/          

Would LOVE to hear from you guys (GALS)!!!!!!!!!!

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link