weather rant

The weather here in Northern Indiana is for the birds! Every time I decide to have a yard sale the weather here takes a turn. Could it be mother nature is telling me something? I could have had it last week and it probably wouldn't of been nice like it was. UGH! No, this isn't the first time this has happened. This the kinda thing that happens every year. Now, let me tell you the way the days have been. While we have been setting up the sale it was windy and drizzly.We set up the tent 2 times. The first time it flattened and broke and ripped more of the screening. We fixed and set it up again and then came the drizzle and dampness. Yuk! everyone going in and out of the house, wet, mud, and the whole shabang. We all took our shoes off at the door but it still was a mess and I have light tan carpet. Okay, no problem, I will just have to shampoo it. It was no ones fault really. This morning we open up the sale. We have early birds! but, we are still trying to set up because I have so much stuff and we were afraid to set out some stuff because maybe of rain and having to cover it. We got a few people but, just when I thought it would be good. Here comes the rain!!!!UGH! So, my sister and I are trying to cover things fast! We can only go so fast so some things got well.......wet.........including ourselves. By now I am getting very aggravated. There were some people trying to come see and I had to tell them I was closed because of the rain. Some people still wanted to see and I made a few bucks. All in all I made about $130 just this morning, in spite of the rain and the wind and the mud. If the weather had been nice I know I could have done very well. Tomorrow morning we now have a camping tent that we are selling needs to go back up as of tonight it has flattened. I would cry now but, that would just add more water!!!!

MENU PLAN MONDAY

This is going to be a very crazy week and a very busy one. I have tried to make our meals as simple as possible. I am not going to have alot of time and probably pretty tired by the end of the day especially, the days of the sale. Some of the help I was going to have with the sale will not be able to help now. My sister Deb is starting a new job today and my son even got a job. Yup, starting today. Praise God! They both need a job and I am excited for them! Here is my attentive menu for this week........

MONDAY- beef and noodles, fresh asparagus ( from our own asparagus bed) YUMMY!

TUESDAY- sloppy joes, raw veggies and dip, fruit

WEDNESDAY- hot dogs, chips, baked beans

THURSDAY-Pizza ( takeout)?

FRIDAY- Pork steak on the grill, broccoli and cheese, potatoes ( do not know how they will be fixed yet)

SATURDAY- going out?

SUNDAY- on our own!

I Am Still Here!

I am still here! Sorry, You are still stuck with me! Hee- Hee! I have been busy, busy, busy This weekend was birthday party's, sorting and cleaning and pricing for my yard sale. My hubby's job is cleaning the shed and mine was inside the house. My son came over tonight and and helped set up a very large tent. Yes, my sale is going to be a biggie! hubby bought 2 more tables at another yard sale for $5.00 each. We are going to need the tables that's for sure. This is always so much work for me since we have no garage. But, somehow I enjoy it. I haven't figured it out yet. So... pray for good weather. This yard sale means alot to me this time. I can hear my new computer calling out to me! Our grandson turned 1 years old Saturday and little Jocelyne has turned 3. They just grow up so fast. Please bear with me this week. Next week should be back to normal again.

The 30 Day Challenge!

I am joining the 30 day challenge with http://dailyessentialsanddeals.blogspot.com Oh yea, for me its going to be a challenge! Diet and excercise has been on my mind now for some time. I have gotten quite lazy this winter and I wonder why I do not feel as good as I used to. This should be fun. I am going to find 10-15 minutes a day to excercise. That sounds simple enough hugh? It can be walking or crunchers, riding a bike whatever, it doesn't matter as long as its excercising. If you want to join me, just leave a comment and let me know! I will post each week my success and my hope, not too many failures. Here's my plan: excercise everyday! Keeping it simple!

Walk! and when I can't walk...

Stretch(this is very important, even before walking)

50 leg lifts

50 side to side crunchers

50 crunchers

Remember Drink lots of water 8-10 glasses everyday(this might be a hard one for me)

Let's have fun and encourage one another!

Let's Go Krogering!

I stopped in Kroger this afternoon for a couple of things. This is what I bought.... Now keep in mind our Kroger triples coupons up to 50 cents!

2- 32 0z. powerade $2.00


2- 4 pack of angel soft toilet paper $2.00


2- suave deoderant $2.00


2- sobe waters $2.00


1- diet coke 20oz $1.49


1- reeses peanut butter cup candy $.50 total Paid oop 16 cents!!!!!!!!! Hey, thats about 100% savings!!!! It can't get any better than that!

total # items 10
coupons $10.25
kroger plus savings $ 3.29
total savings $13.54

MENU PLAN MONDAY

No major shopping this week! This should not be a problem. With just my hubby and I anymore, keeping it basic and good is what we enjoy. This time of year and throughout the summer with the husband's long hours at work and us being on the go constantly, it is hard to plan meals sometimes. So.... the simpler the better yet keeping meals nutritious.

MONDAY- leftover ham and beans

TUESDAY-Pot roast with potatoes and carrots

WEDNESDAY- Homemade veggie soup, grilled cheese, fruit

THURSDAY- we eat out on this day

FRIDAY- *Salsa chicken,corn souffle, tossed salad

SATURDAY- goulash, cottage cheese, blueberry cobbler

SUNDAY- On our own ( usually eat leftovers)

*Salsa Chicken ( Quick and easy to prep and Delicious!)

servings: 4

ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

4 tsp taco seasoning mix

1 cup salsa

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 Tbls. sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle taco seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts, and pour salsa over all.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is tender and juicy and its juices run clear.

Sprinkle chicken evenly with cheese, and continue baking for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with sour cream if desired, and serve.

CVS shopping trip 4/19

My shopping trip to CVS today was alright. I am not going to complain. There were a few good deals I couldn't pass up. Sorry I don't have any pictures at this time. It is something I plan to have more of once I get my new computer. So today's scenario was.....

2 Act Rinse $3.79 each=$7.58
1 Crest pro health rinse $2.88
1 Pro health toothpaste $2.88
1 Edge infused shaving cream $2.89
1 Bayer crystal 4 ct. $2.00
1 giant bat and ball $4.99 ( hubby picked this up to play with granddaughters with, he wants to teach them how to play ball)
1 Hostess frosted chocolate doughnuts $3.19
1 Just for men hair color $ 8.99
1 therm0s water bottle $3.33
TOTAL: $45.40
Total MQ"s: $16.18
Total CVS Q"s $5.00
ECB"s used $12.89
Subtotal=$4.57
Tax=$1.23
Total 00p= $5.80 That is an approx. 95% savings!!!! Received $12.89 ecb's back!

Curb Crawling

This week is our citywide cleanup and garbage pickup. It is where the city will pick up your junk and garbage, You just set it out by the curb and they, the city will pick it up. It is also a great opportunity for us curb crawlers to drive around and check out what others are throwing out. I have been curb crawling for a few years now. Oh yea, I can say a pretty darn good one (curb crawler) also. Some of the best stuff has come from the dumpster or curb. Like for example, a pair of ladies boots from bass, these boots looked brand new when I found them lying in the dumpster. I still wear them. They are the most comfortable winter boots, and my favorite pair. I love them! Last year, my friend Becky and stepdaughter Amanda, and I made several trips and returned with full carloads just full of stuff. Stuff that was still decent and usable. The things we didn't keep we turned around and sold at our yard sale. Yes, and they sold! amazing hugh? This year however, after driving around I don't see nothing yet that impresses me. The junk that is thrown out is really truly junk. Perhaps, with the economy the way it is people are getting wiser? That would be a good thing. Not so good for us curb crawlers or dumpster divers though. I believe us Americans are far too wasteful anyways and its a shame so much good, usable stuff usually ends up in the landfills. With the economy, maybe people are holding on to their stuff instead of throwing out and buying new, or perhaps waiting the last minute to set it out? Whatever the reason, this year for me, wasting gas to curb crawl with no potential benefits except for moving the gas tank from F to E well, probably not going to happen. Maybe next year?

Loving My Husband Friday

John is amazing! He is my best friend. I love my husband very dearly. We have fun together, and I truly enjoy spending time with him. I know he feels the same. I feel so blessed to be married to someone who loves me as much as he does. If anyone can make you feel special he can. Although, my husband doesn't accept Christ in his heart (yet) I don't ever stop praying or believing that John will one day share my faith, but in the meantime, I pray that God will love him through me, thus enabling me to be the very best wife I can be. I honor him as my husband. I feel so blessed and I trust God to fill those places that John cannot. I believe that is what we should do whether our husbands share our faith or not. No man, or other human being for that matter, can be everything we need them to be. Only God can do that. We need only to ask. Share why you love your spouse and don't forget to head over to http://dailyessentialsanddeals.blogspot.com for more loving my husband Friday. Hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a fantastic weekend!

Cutting back or ditching those paper towels

I used to buy, use and throw out paper towels like there was no tomorrow. I decided after the first of this year, I was going to switch over to more green living and cleaning. The change has been rather easy for my husband and I. We still have purchased paper towels but, a roll will last us 1 1/2 - 2 months now unlike every week -2 weeks before. This change has cut down on the grocery bill considerably. How do you do it you ask? It's simple, use cloth rags that are tossed out after one use, I use holey socks, t- shirts etc. that are in poor shape and unlikely to find a new home. So I cut them into rags. I use these rags to clean the bathroom and they are tossed out when I am finished, although not ideal, this is still more Eco friendly. We also use inexpensive cheapy dishrags and washcloths for wiping up most kitchen messes like cleaning the counter top and wiping down the table. These can be washed and reused. If you have a husband like mine who would rather reach for a paper towel to blow his nose with, because I'm told they are bigger and stronger than Kleenex. Consider buying the hubby handkerchiefs. They also can be washed and reused. My husband uses and loves them. If you prefer a more attractive replacement for paper towels check out http://www.hyenacart.com or http://www.etsy.com they both have links that sells all kinds of paper replacement products. Switching to cloth instead of paper towels doesn't have to be an all or nothing decision. I still keep a roll tucked away in the cupboard for those really messy messes like raw chicken juice or whatever. What about you? Are you a paper towel addict?

Indian Winter??

Where is the warmer weather? When will spring start and decide to stay around?? Is this what we call an Indian winter? After all, they call Indian summer an unseasonably warm and sunny patch of weather during Autumn when the temperatures have cooled down so.....Could it be the opposite-"Indian Winter"- a period of unseasonably chilly weather during Spring?!! April has been crazy this year. I am ready to kiss my winter jacket and gloves goodbye for good. Today as I sort through and get things around for my yard sale this year, any glimpse or hope of having this sale soon is very iffy. I don't have a garage so for me, its the routine of dragging everything outside, setting up a huge tent and tables outside. The weather has to cooperate all week as I setup for the sale and days of the sale. Most importantly it has to be half ways warm outside. I know I don't want to sit outside all day in cold damp temperatures. Perhaps, May will be a bit kinder to us. I can only hope. Anxious for my yard sale? No, not me!

Wordless Wednesday

Chicken Zombie Award

Yaay! I won my very first zombie chicken award from Rita over at http://following31.blogspot.com/ Thankyou Rita, I love it! For those of you that have never heard of this award, these are the rules: The blogger who receives this award believes in the tao of the zombie chicken-excellance, grace, and persistance in all situations even in the midst of a zombie apocolypse. These bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read the inspiring words. I am passing this wonderful award to 5 other worthy bloggers as to not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all CONGRATS to........ http://tatersmamatakeonthings.blogspot.com/
http://amysmusings.blogspot.com/
http://teresagrammygirlfriend.blogspot.com/

http://dailyessentialsanddeals.blogspot.com/

http://mominin-thepeerreview.blogspot.com

Menu Plan Monday

Hope all of you had a good Easter. We had a very nice one. I enjoy this holiday very much, after all Easter is the holiday in which we celebrate Christ's resurrection. Easter is so special indeed. I believe I made way too much food but, that is okay because I was hoping for some leftovers. It will be an easy week of preparing dinners for me now. I will probably freeze some of the ham for future use later. This is my menu for this week-

MONDAY- ham sandwiches, pea salad, leftover cake

TUESDAY- chicken and noodles, leftover green bean casserole

WEDNESDAY- pork chops, leftover scalloped potatoes, corn

THURSDAY- we are eating out

FRIDAY- sausage and cabbage, mashed potatoes

SATURDAY- ham and beans, corn bread

SUNDAY- on our own!

4 more giveaways!

Yes, more giveaways! frugal mommy of 2 girls at http://www.frugalmommyof2girls.blogspot.com is giving away to one lucky person some more goodies. The first one is from the natures paradise at http://www.naturesparadiseorganics.comThese are organic skin care products for the whole family. They sound awesome and best of all they are USDA certified organic. The contest ends April 17th at 9pm EST. Check it out!
frugal mommy is also giving away a UV blocking swim shirt. These are lightweight and fast drying shirts from Solaroos http://www.sunfriendlyproducts.com these are specifically designed for swimming and are 98% UV blocking Pretty neat hugh? These are good for parents who want to protect the kiddos from sunburn. They give you reassurance that they are protected. This contest ends April 17th at 9pm EST.
Oh yes, Pedoodles giveaway! You can win a pair of shoes by Pedoodles!http://www.pedoodles.com These little shoes are so cute! I want to win a pair for my granddaughter! They are all leather and supposed to be soft and flexible. Perfect for the little ones developing toes and feet! Contest ends April 18th at 9pm EST and last but not least you can win a Lucky me tee by Demi Bella from http://www.demibella.com I am trying to win one for my stepdaughter. Contest ends April 16th at 9pm EST. So there you have it....Go to http://www.frugalmommyof2girls.blogspot.com and enter!

Loving my husband Friday

I am taking the time every Friday to focus on my husband, what I may love about him or what he has done to encourage me this week, or perhaps just a tip on how to keep our marriages strong. Don't forget to pray for your husband and let him know your bragging about him. Just go to http://mominin-thepeerreview.blogspot.com Let's pray for all marriages and for one another. Let's keep them strong!

I love my husband for his little surprises that he surprises me with!

I love him for his understanding and lending ear when I need to vent!

I love him for his willingness to give to others, even if it means he goes without!

I love him for the great Dad and Papa he is to his children and grandchildren even his stepchildren, treating them all equal and loving his stepchildren and grandchildren as if they were his own flesh and blood!

I love him for the hard worker he is! Never complaining! I don't think there is a lazy bone in this mans body!

Okay, its your turn!

It's a grooming time!

Yesterday was that time again! Sassafrass had an appointment at the Dog Parlor. This is Sassafrass before her grooming. You can see her hair is way out of control and matted. She definitely needs a haircut.

Is this the same dog? She is so cute! We had a bit of a problem getting after pictures as she was really excited to see us!

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Okay so this is what happened.... Sassafrass got her hair cut, bathed, toenails clipped and sprayed with doggie perfume. Then she was dressed in her new dress and pink polka dot collar. Susan got a new shirt from walmart for spring....Hubby got well....I guess a much thinner wallet now!

Thankful Thursday

God has given us so much to be thankful for! I am thankful for precious time to reflect on the good God gives us each week. I am thankful this week for a new day. For Christ my Saviour, who willingly gave himself up to be ridiculed and beaten and put to death on the cross so I may have eternal life! How blessed we are that he would die for us! I am thankful Jesus is Alive and is coming soon to take us with him to live in his kingdom forever and ever! I thank God that this Easter Hubby and I can celebrate Christ's resurrection at church and afterwards with family this year. Last year was horrible. I was working for our local paper and some carrier decided to dump their route on Easter Sunday morning. Seeing how I was assistant manager, I was made to go out and deliver the papers. It made me angry. It was a very long route. Hubby helped me but, there was no church and barely an Easter dinner with our children. It took most all day that day to deliver all those papers. People complained of course of their paper being late. How rude! I do not have that job now. I am thankful God provides our needs and has showed me how to save and be a good steward with our money, which allows me to be able to stay at home now, and that I can reflect on Easter and be with my family this year. There is alot of things to be thankful for don't you think?

Another Giveaway!

http://dailyessentialsanddeals.blogspot.com is giving away 1 small soy candle. I love her blog and let me tell you she has some pretty neat stuff! Give her a visit if you can and enter her giveaway. We all love good smelling candles right? Give away will end Saturday April 25th at 8pm.

GIVEAWAY

Hey everyone! Hop on over to http://teresa-grammygirlfriend.blogspot.com This lady has an awesome blog. You will be touched. She is giving away a card box every month. These card boxes are very nice. All comments from the month of April that she receives will go in the April card box drawing at the end of the month. Every comment you leave is entered in the drawing. Also if you link to her blog telling of this giveaway, your name will be entered 10 extra times! How neat is that?

MY BEAUTIFUL GRANCHILDREN

Since I have talked about my family and my grandchildren in general. It only seemed fitting to show them off! In this first picture is my stepdaughter Maria and grandkids Reese and Dalton. In the second picture is our Jocelyne, Jasmyne and Abigail! Aren't they Beautiful?

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Menu Plan Monday

This is Easter week as we all know. I plan on a rather large meal on Sunday. So, for the most part this week I will be simple and really cheap! Because of $50.00 stolen out of my husbands wallet Saturday at work.. It has put a damper on things. Our grocery money just isn't there. We will be eating on what we have in our pantry except for our Easter dinner which I am still keeping the same as I had planned.

MONDAY-chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, fruit

TUESDAY-venison and noodles, steamed asparagus

WEDNESDAY-Baked potatoes(loaded with whatever you like), tossed salad

THURSDAY-kraft mac and cheese, salmon patties

FRIDAY-(breakfast for supper) blueberry pancakes, sausage

SATURDAY-ravioli, garlic bread

EASTER- Ham, scalloped potatoes, greenbean cassarole, pea salad, dinner rolls, deviled eggs, relish tray of pickled beets, cheese, olives, and angel lush cake for dessert

Ranting on.....

Pooh! Here in Northeast Indiana winter won't give up! I put away my winter coats last week in favor for a lighter weight springy jacket. I guess it was too soon. The rain here will change into the dreaded word yes, SNOW, overnight, blustery conditions and possible accumulation. High in the low 30's, POOH! nothing like that to put you in a bad mood. Oh yes, and to top it off I just found out (hubby kept it a secret because he knew I would be upset) that he got $50.00 stolen out of his wallet at work yesterday. UGH! My husband had his wallet hidden in his lunch cooler and the person had to have been looking and I mean really looking. Johns boss is investigating the matter. This isn't the first time hubby has had his money stolen neither. Last year, someone stole his entire wallet. That meant getting a new social security card, new wallet, ect... I don't care who you are...Stealing is wrong!!! My husband is one of those guys that would take his shirt off his back to help others. He is trusting and kind. Somehow, I don't know why he always gets attacked. I hope they get the culprit and he gets his just desserts!!!!!! Okay, I feel better now!!!!!

Thankful Thursday

It can't really be Thankful Thursday again already! What happened to the week? I am constantly amazed by how fast time passes. I will start this Thursday off with being thankful for my health- many people seem to be having serious health issues and I thank God that I am healthy.
Fresh spring air- Yes, after a long winter, spring is very welcome. A time of rebirth and renewal, just like we are new in Christ because of his redeeming love, his death and his resurrection. and not to mention, the sound of the birds make my heart sing also. They seem so happy to be out and about!
My hubby's job! With the struggling economy, I am very thankful he still has his and that God continues to provide for us beyond our needs.
For comfy pajama bottoms and m&ms! (This week my hormones are going nuts!)
Every Thursday, come here to post what you're thankful for...its not too much to be thankful, for just one day a week.

consider a garden

Growing veggies will make you wealthy....okay, I'll admit this ones a stretch, but a veggie garden will definitely help. Did you know that planting a garden with just $50 in seeds and fertilizer can produce $1,250 worth of groceries? Amazing hugh? Slash those costly grocery bills! Start a garden this spring. Besides, if the prices of organic produce continue to rise and food safety issues persist, maybe one day you will be able to turn that backyard veggie factory into a real money maker. Your veggie garden won't necessarily make you self-sufficient, but its nice to know that your own hands can put food on the table, reduce your dependency on produce from the supermarket which by the way, is not that fresh or good,or has high pesticide content, and go ahead and provide quality fruits and veggies for your family's enjoyment. Growing your own garden is an excellent way to save money if you have the time and space. I've had a garden for many years. I'm so spoiled. The taste of store bought tomatoes and other veggies isn't even close to what I can grow.There just isn't nothing better than eating a veggie that you just picked! Man! I wish it was summer right now!