The Couponizer


Looking for an easy way to coupon?

Check out the Couponizer. A great tool!

Thrift Stores ??

People that know me well know that I make no apologies for where I do most of my family's clothing shopping... Salvation Army.

Why? Well, my mantra is "NEVER, never ever pay retail again!". And I don't. I have a 13 yr old boy that has grown 4 inches in 6 months. As you can imagine, this causes complications for pants specifically.

I often find jeans for him at Goodwill on Santa Fe for $4.99 each. Name brands- Levis, Tommy Hilfiger, FUBU and others. So, for the price of ONE pair of brand new jeans, I can get 8 pair!

Salvation Army has better price points, however. Here is a run down on their special deals (Kansas City region):

M-T-W 50% off all clothing
Fri 50% off children's clothing
3rd Monday of every month, 75% off all clothing- next one is 12/15/08- next Monday
1st Monday of every month 75% off ANYTHING in the store (age 62 or over)

The clothing items I pick up for myself are name brand, often with tags still on them. AND they are the clothing items people make comments on. I found a great vintage zebra trench that gets raves... price paid? $2.75!!

Happy Shopping!

What do you forget to buy at the Holidays?

You search to buy the perfect gifts, decorate your home to your beautiful standard, watch the children openening gifts with a fever and then panick sets in ... you have forgoten something... what is it?

OHHHHHHHHHh NOoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

It was the BATTERIES!!!

SO, here is your friendly nudge....with savings of course.

Rayovac batteries, various sizes, are in the Target Dollar Spot, for- you guessed it- ONE DOLLAR. Good deal in itself, right? true

BUT, I have here a link to a Rayovac coupon for $1 off... making them free (you pay the tax on it though). There were also $1/2 coupons in a recent coupon insert, too.

Get your Rayovac oupon HERE. (does not expire until 2/28/09!!)

Amazon ::: Great Deals on Toys

Amazon is amazing during the holidays. Check out these deals just up today... remember to check for 'fillers' to get you to $25 for free super saver shipping.

enjoy

Amazon has dropped prices on more toys. Thanks everyone who contributed

Items of interest

(go to Amazon.com and do a search for item name below)

Xtreme Water Blaster 2 pack $3. [Discuss]
Littlest Pet Shop Digital Pen - Monkey $5. [Discuss]
Tonka Real Rugged Dump Truck $5. [Discuss]
Tonka Real Rugged Front Loader $5. [Discuss]
Tonka Real Rugged Steam Roller $5. [Discuss]
Barbie My House Table Set $6. Thanks loca [Discuss]
My Little Pony Ponyville Starsong's Stageshow Bus $7. [Discuss]
Littlest Pet Shop VIP Dog $7. [Discuss]
Playskool Easy Dunk Basketball $7. [Discuss]
Playskool Cherry Blossom Produce Stand $8
Playskool Rose Petal Cottage Stew & Simmer Veggie Set $8
Playskool Deluxe Rose Petal Birthday Celebration $8
Polly Pocket Ultimate Party Boat Playset $8. [Discuss]
My Little Pony Crawling Newborn Pinkie Pie $8. [Discuss]
Hasbro Indiana Jones Sound FX Whip & DVD $8. [Discuss]
Barbie® Luv Me 3 Tricky Triplets Playset $9. Thanks loca [Discuss]
Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Cuddle & Coo Doll $9. [Discuss]
Manley Art-tastic Magic Beads Deluxe Playset - 1200 Beads $9. [Discuss]
Playskool Rose Petal Cottage Cuddle Nursery Set - African American $10
Hasbro Dream Town Rose Petal Cottage: Rose Petal Lounge Chair $10. Thanks mom2two [Discuss]
Littlest Pet Shop Electronic Diary - Cat $10. [Discuss]
Littlest Pet Shop Electronic Diary - Dog $10. [Discuss]
Iron Man N.R.F. 425 Blaster $10. [Discuss]
Baby Alive Baby Go Bye Bye $10 [Discuss]
Littlest Pet Shop - 10 Pack of Pets Asst 1 $11. [Discuss]
Playskool Rose Petal Cottage Cuddles Nursery Set $12
Jakks Pacific Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker $12. Thanks mom2two [Discuss]
Jasman HALO 3 Covenant Plasma Pistol Laser Pursuit Gaming 2 Players Set $12. [Discuss]
Littlest Pet Shop Digital Electronic Interactive Organizer Green $13. [Discuss]
Barbie® My House $14. Thanks loca [Discuss]
My Little Pony Anniversary Set $14. [Discuss]
Matchbox Power Scouts Skull Mountain Playset $14. [Discuss]
Leapfrog Fridge Words Magnetic Word Builder $14 [Discuss]
Playskool Dreamtown Rose Petal Table And Chair Dinette $15. Thanks mom2two [Discuss]
Trivial Pursuit Digital Choice $15. [Discuss]
Iron Man Rocket Blast Launcher $16 [Discuss]
Fisher-Price Amazing Animals Sing and Go Choo-Choo $17. Thanks olivadolce [Discuss]
Hasbro Dream Town Rose Petal Cottage: Rose Petal Nursery $19
Fur Real Friends Tumbles My Roll Over Pup Beagle $19 [Discuss]
Baby Alive Learns to Potty $20. Thanks mom2two [Discuss]
Sawblade Thrill Ride $20. [Discuss]
Transformers Animated Supreme - Roll Out Command Optimus Prime $20. [Discuss]
Playskool Cherry Blossom Market $21
Mega Bloks - Struxx Robotrixx - T-Rex $21. [Discuss]
Barbie LUCY® Doll and ETHEL® Doll Giftset$26. Thanks mk1234 [Discuss]
LeapFrog® Learn & Groove® Musical Table - Pink $27 [Discuss]
Fisher-Price Fun-2-Learn Computer Cool School $33 [Discuss]
Hasbro Playskool Dream Town Rose Petal Cottage $34
Fisher-Price Smart Cycle $65 [Discuss]

Thanks *Slickdeals*

Menu Monday

I started teaching a class not long ago on how to get the best deals on groceries, clothing, gifts, etc. I told the classes, if you want to cut costs but don't want to cut coupons, STOP eating out... plan your weekly/monthly menus. You will save immediately by doing this... shop for your weekly or bi-weekly menu.

More info on this coming soon!

As for now, here is our weekly menu:

Mon Spaghetti
Tue Nacho Corn Chowder and ham sammies
Wed Dorito Casserole
Thu Leftovers
Fri Baked Potatoe Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup- having friends over for a Christmas get-together...they are bringing either appetizer or desserts.
Sat Maybe out to eat (with a gift card, of course!)


I came across a Suhhh WEET deal on a Foodsaver. The orginial, high quality brand.

Here are the details:

For a Limited-Time Only, purchase the FoodSaver v2830 for $59.99 (originally $169.99) + Enjoy Free Standard Shipping at FoodSaver.com! Use code L8FAV28 at checkout. This offer is valid Dec 1-31, 2008, or while supplies last.

Foodsaver

20 Energy Saving Tips

Close the fireplace flue. Don't let heat go up the chimney. Make sure the fireplace flue is closed when not in use.

Turn off the pilot light. A pilot light typically costs $3-$5 per month to keep lit. If your heating system has a pilot light, turn it off during the summer.

Fix that leaking faucet. A faucet leaking a single drip per second can waste 400 gallons of water a year. Besides being a tremendous environmental waste, if that water is heated it will cost you about $8 if you heat with electricity, $4 if you heat with natural gas - plus the cost of the water itself.


Replace old shower heads
. According to federal regulations, new shower heads can pass no more than 2.5 gallons per minute. By replacing old shower heads with new ones, a family of four can save around 15,000 gallons of water per year, which amounts to savings of over $150 and $60 for electric and gas heated water respectively.

Keep the refrigerator door closed. Shut the fridge! Opening the refrigerator door accounts for $10 - $20 of a typical family's electrical bill each year based on 40-60 openings per day.

Provide adequate circulation for the refrigerator. Allow at least one inch of space on each side of the refrigerator for good circulation. Poor circulation can increase electricity consumption by 10%.

Keep your refrigerator cool. A 5° F difference in air temperature can impact your refrigerator electricity consumption by 20%. To reduce your refrigerator's work, keep spare refrigerators in the coolest part of the house, like the basement.

Turn your computer off. You could be spending well over $100 per year on electricity by always leaving your computer on! Turn it off when it's not in use.

Set your thermostat at 78° F. The breeze from a fan can provide you with the comfort of temperature that is 6° F cooler. Also, during the summer, each degree that you raise the thermostat on your cooling system typically saves 2% on your cooling bill. Energy experts recommend setting your thermostat at 78° F or higher.

Keep your light fixtures clean. Dirt can absorb as much as half of the light given off by fixtures, tubes and bulbs. Keep your light fixtures clean and use less electricity.

Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Use light bulbs that produce the most light using the least amount of electricity. Energy-efficient bulbs, such as compact fluorescent bulbs, use 75% less energy than typical incandescent bulbs.

Turn the lights off. Don't just leave the lights on. Lighting controls provide security lighting when you are not home - with clock timers you can turn lights in your home on and off automatically at preset times. Timers, motion sensors and photo sensors are all ways to save electricity use.

Plant some trees. Deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in the winter, can help you reduce your energy costs during the summer because their foliage provides shade. And in the winter, after their leaves have fallen, the sun's warmth passes unobstructed into your home. Strategically placed shrubs and vines can also reduce the effect of the sun's heat.

Leave the thermostat alone. If you must use air-conditioning, don't turn the thermostat lower thinking it will cool your home faster. It won't.

Keep your thermostat cool. Keep appliances that give off heat, like stereos and televisions, away from your thermostat-the hot air will persuade your cooling system to work harder.

Insulate your attic. Adding fiberglass insulation to your attic is one of the most effective and easy savings measures you can take yourself. Also, insulating air ducts or pipes can conserve up to 10% of their heat.

Keep your kitchen cool. Use a fan to draw hot air out of your kitchen when cooking. The savings in your cooling costs far outweigh the electricity use of the fan.

Keep your dryer clean. Don't overload your clothes dryer. And make sure you clean the lint filter after every load. An overloaded dryer and a dirty filter, which reduces airflow, make the dryer work harder. Dry loads consecutively to take advantage of heat build-up. If possible, line dry clothes.

Run a full dishwasher. Cut out pre-rinsing, load dishes according to the dishwasher manufacturer's instructions, and use only recommended amounts of dish washing detergent. Only run the washer when it's full - your dishwasher uses the same amount of water regardless of how many dishes are in it. Air-dry dishes when possible.

What are your tips?

Menu Planning Monday

For lots more menu ideas (and the easiest way to save on your grocery bill- Planning!), go to Org Junkies site.

Here is our menu this week

Mon- loop sausage & mac/cheese
Tues- leftovers/sandwich night
Wed- Taco Loaf
Thu- Leftovers
Fri- Homemade Pizza and Big Salad
Sat- Boneless Pork Chops and Scalloped Potatoes
Sun- Ritzy Chicken Casserole

What's on your menu?

CVS Deals week of 11/16/08

Courtesy of Penny Pinching Diva


This is a weekly feature on my blog that I am running to tell you all of the best ECB deals for the upcoming week. I won't list all of the ECB deals that are put into the weekly sales paper, but I will list the ones that I feel are the most useful and will earn you the most ECB's. I will post this every Saturday. I will also try to include as many online printable as well as magazine and newspaper coupons as possible. By matching coupons with ECB products, you get more for your money.



2 DAY SALE - SUNDAY AND MONDAY ONLY!

BOGO free Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce.


BOGO free Gold Emblem Nuts.


BOGO free Gold Emblem spices.
BEST ECB DEALS FOR THE WEEK OF NOV 16 - NOV 22

Duracell batteries - Spend $20 and get $15 in ECB back. (LIMIT 3)
- $.75 off coupon on Duracell Copper Top, Power Pix, Ultra Digital, or Ultra Photo Lithium Batteries in Sunday's 11/16 coupon insert.


Milani Cosmetics - Spend $10 and get $5 in ECB back. (LIMIT 2)


Vasaline body lotion, body butter, gel oil or clinical therapy lotion ($5.99) and get $2 in ECB back. (LIMIT 5)
- $1.50 off coupon on Vasaline Clinical Therapy product in Sunday's 11/16 coupon insert.


L'Oreal Age Perfect Pro-Calcium Radiance Perfector Sheer Tint Moisturizer ($15.99) and get $15.99 in ECB back. (LIMIT 1)


Right Guard Sport, Xtreme, Soft & Dri or Dry Idea ($2.99) and get $2 in ECB back. (LIMIT 5)


Zantrex-3 Insta Shot 2 pack ($4.99) and get $4.99 in ECB back. (LIMIT 1)


Glade products - Spend $10 and get $5 in ECB back. (LIMIT 5)

Glade Plug Ins Twin Pack- $3.99

Glade Glass Scents or Jar Candle - 2 for $5

Glade Plug Ins - $2.99
BEST NON ECB DEALS FOR THE WEEK OF NOV 16 - NOV 22

BOGO free Nature Made vitamins.


BOGO free ALL Revlon lip or nail products.
-$1.00 off coupon in Sundays 11/16 coupon insert.


BOGO 50% off ALL Sally Hansen cosmentics or La Cross beauty tools.


Suave products - 3 for $5.
I just wanted to remind y'all that these are my opinions of the best sales each week at CVS. This doesn't mean that there aren't any other deals that you couldn't combine with your coupons to make it work for you.

FREE 8x11 Photo Book from Snapfish!




Overwhelmed by what to do with growing piles of your child's art projects? Peter has a great solution! "Take digital photos of their artwork, upload them to Snapfish.com, and they will send you back a beautiful, bound book of the kids' artwork. So, over time, you can build a library of your children's artwork—let the pieces go, but keep them in this form forever."

To help you get organized, Snapfish.com is offering The Oprah Winfrey Show viewers a free 8" x 11" custom-cover photo book! *

Create a Snapfish.com account now or log in to your existing account to receive this special offer. Get your free book!

* This offer is only good for one standard 20-page 8" x 11" custom-cover photo book per household. Coupon dispersal ends at 11:59 p.m. PST Friday, November 14, 2008. Free photo book must be redeemed by 11:59 p.m. PST Sunday, November 16, 2008. Offer does not include customary shipping and handling changes or additional pages. Offer applies only to mail-order delivery to U.S. customers. Offer cannot be combined with other coupon codes. Coupon cannot be resold or otherwise transferred and is void on the earlier of redemption or the offer end date.

Due to heavy demand, you may experience some slowness navigating to the website. Please be patient and try again later.

Class is Back in Session

DUE TO THE HIGH DEMAND FOR ANOTHER CLASS DATE, PLEASE SEE DETAILS BELOW:

CLASS ANNOUNCED FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH 2P-5P


If you have attended a Centsible $avings class in November, you are welcome to come again for FREE!!! Bring a couple of friends with you!

How to save at the Grocery store and get the best deals and bargains!! I'll show you how!

It is, in one sentence, how to cut your grocery bill in half, save on your everyday expenses, and live within your means. Giving people tools on how to save, where to save, get the best deals etc.

Do you want to get $300 in groceries for $35? I can show you how!!

Space is limited to the first 75 people. Refer 4 friends and your registration is FREE! Please bring your own drink with you as refreshments are not provided.

You will walk out of the class with information and know-how on skirting the rising prices of groceries and other items.

I will have a list of 40 things that I will not pay for anymore because I get them FREE!

Perfect time to get to the class with the holidays coming up. We'll go over gifting and when/how to get the best deals!!

$20 for 3 hour class

Contact Tonya for details on payment and registration information!

To register, contact Tonya at tonyavernon@yahoo.com and put COUPON CRAZY in subject line.

Sign up today!! Space is limited. Class will be held at Gardner's Senior Citizen Center. Minimum 20 people for class to commence.



Pay Here by check, debit card:






E-Mealz

I signed up to try this menu planning tool linked up to grocery and big box stores. Looks interesting.

Click here for more information:

SAVE TIME AND MONEY WITH E-MEALZ MEAL PLANS

Menu this Week

I'm tempted to post my entire November menu... maybe I'll do that for December and see how On track I am during the month.

Here is what we have had/are having this week:

Mon- Spaghetti & garlic bread
Tue- Sandwiches- quickie night
Wed- Tortellini
Thu- Meatloaf & mashed potatoes
Fri- Homemade Pizza
Sat- Dinner with friends- chicken enchiladas - at their house
Sun- Ritzy Chicken casserole

What are you having??

Menu Monday (ok Tuesday)

I actaully have the WHOLE month of November planned. Of course, there will be changes down the road, but this way- if something goes on cheap, cheap sale in week one for week 3, I'll be ready to buy!

Enjoy

Monday: Fajita Rotini Chicken Casserole
Tuesday: Quickie Night (get your mind out of the gutter)- leftovers/sandwiches
Wedensday: Tacos & Mexican Rice w/ cheese
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday : Out of Town
Saturday: Out of Town
Sunday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

:::CENTSIBLE SAVINGS CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT :::

CLASS ANNOUNCED FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH 6:30P-8:30P

How to save at the Grocery store and get the best deals and bargains!! I'll show you how!

This is a class that I have wanted to teach for quite sometime. It is, in one sentence, how to cut your grocery bill in half, save on your everyday expenses, and live within your means. Giving people tools on how to save, where to save, get the best deals etc.

Do you want to get $300 in groceries for $35? I can show you how!!

Space is limited to the first 75 people. Refer 4 friends and your registration is FREE!

You will walk out of the class with information and know-how on skirting the rising prices of groceries and other items.

I will have a list of 40 things that I will not pay for anymore because I get them FREE!

Perfect time to get to the class with the holidays coming up. We'll go over gifting and when/how to get the best deals!!

$20 for 2 hour class

Contact Tonya for details on payment and registration information!

To register, contact Tonya at tonyavernon@yahoo.com and put COUPON CRAZY in subject line.

Sign up today!! Space is limited. Class will be held at Gardner's Senior Citizen Center. Minimum 20 people for class to commence.


FREE REGISTRATION Refer 4 people and receive your registration FREE (with 4 paid registrations)
Now that's a DEAL!!
Offer Expires: 11/1/08

Menu Monday

On an actual Monday!

Monday- Brats, Corn on the Cob, Steamed Veggies

Tuesday- BBQ shredded pork sandwiches

Wednesday- Fajita Chicken Pasta Bake (sooo good)

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- take out- mom photographing a wedding

Saturday- Homemade Pizza

More School Supply Deals! @ Walmart

Walmart =.05 spiral notebooks

.22 Crayola crayons (24 pk).22 Elmers white glue

.22 Elmers glue stick (2 pk)and there's more!!!

HOT ::: School Deals @ Staples

~*~ . 1 cent ~*~OfficeMax Wooded Ruler .1 centlimit 3~*~

.5 cent ~~OfficeMax Compass And Protractor Compasslimit 3~*

~ .25 cent ~*~School Von Hoolio 2 Ton UV Coated Folderlimit 10~*

~ .29 cent ~*~Color Copies Self Service 8.5x11 20/24# paper only~*

~ .30 cent ~*~Schoolio Von Hoolio Colored Pencil, 12 count limit 3

~*~.15 Cent Item ~*~Staple Filler paper,150 Sheets ~*

~ .20 Cent Item ~*~2 Pocket Plastic Portfolois,Assorted~*

~ .33 Cent Item ~*~Swinglineine 5" Sissors 2 Pack~*~ .

50cent Items ~*

~Staple Clear Glue Stick

4 PackStaple Composition notebook,100 Sheets

Limits on #s you can purchase will apply unless you are a teacher (and show credentials), you can get more!

Make sure to buy extras to donate!!!

Freepeats NOW in Kansas City

Freepeats Kansas City and Freepeats San Francisco are now open!

Free Freepeats Philadelphia membership through 7/16.What's Freepeats? Freepeats lets you be green with your old blue and pink! Members pass on gently-used baby, kid and maternity stuff for free to local families who can use it. That means FREE baby stuff like clothes, toys, books, dvds, formula, gear and more near you!

San Francisco and Kansas City-area members who sign up before July 16 get free lifetime membership. Sign up after that and get lifetime membership in Freepeats for a one-time membership fee of $4.95.Free lifetime membership in Freepeats Philly continues through July 16. Philly was one of our first groups, and we thought we'd give folks a second chance to join for free.You'll find Freepeats groups in 21 major U.S. cities now with more than 4500 members. Look for new groups in up to 20 more cities this year. Who's next? Freepeats Portland and Freepeats San Diego open July 16 and then we're back home to the South. Freepeats Birmingham and Freepeats Raleigh open August 1. Fill out this form and we'll let you know when Freepeats comes to your town.

Don't be Frugal with your Health!

Stroked Out

When you are young (35) with 2 kiddos at home and relatively healthy, you would never imagine something as aging and scary as a stroke debilitating you. This happened to me… Father’s Day 2008 (6/15/08). The night before, I was on the internet researching why I was having such massive, wretched pain in my upper left calf. The muscles felt pulled or strained. I thought that perhaps I had overdone working the past few days.. wearing high heels and walking up stairs to the office or squatting down to take photographs of toddlers and newborns that weekend.

That Sunday morning, I heard “mommy”, “mommy” coming from the adjacent room of my 3 year old toddler, who happens to be about 45 lbs. This was usual routine in the morning for me and the peanut. I went in to get him out of bed, lifted him out to go to the usual a.m. potty time. I tugged on his little superman boxer briefs, which are so stinkin’ cute!! And proceeded to trip or slip on the bath carpet outside the tub, landing on my left side. I tried and tried to get up, to no avail. The peanut went to tell daddy, “daddy, time to get up. Mommy fell… Daddy, Daddy, time to get up!” My husband jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom to find me lying on the floor still trying to push up on my left side. He proceeded to pull me into the living room and ask me questions and talk to me. He said my speech was slurring. I don’t remember. I felt no numbness and had no vision problems.

I was worried because I knew I could have a blood clot in my leg and was hoping that was not the cause of my issues. Turn out it was! So, when the ambulance pulled up, peanut said, “the fireman are here”! My husband had called 911 soon after pulling me into the living room. Because of his quick action, I owe my life to him. The paramedics began assessing the situation. Then I heard a familiar voice… my friend, Valerie. My husband ha called her right after the ambulance to see if she could come pick up the peanut since we had no idea how long we would be at the hospital.

She came right away. Her hubby and my hubby are 1st cousins, but we consider them some of our best friends!! So, the paramedics were asking me all kinds of questions, none of which I remember. They were definitely taking me to ER at Olathe Medical Center. UGH!!! This was one of many firsts I had over the past week. First time to be transported by ambulance- I remember zero of the ambulance ride. I was certainly NOT trying to make history!!!

Once in the ER, the doctors and nurses did the necessary assessments. Of course, they were unaware that Sunday was my hair removal day. So, my legs were a bit hairy… so embarrassing!!!! The rushed me into the CT Scan to assess my brain. For all of you who were wondering, I do have a brain!! Woo hoo!! There it was, a clot in my brain!! Deep in my brain. Not sure what the difference is from a deep one to a not deep one?? UGH! So, what does that mean? That means that the Neurologist is called in along with the CATH (catheter) Lab team to get me “straight in the brain”. A nice young man pulled out a hair trimmer and proceeded to trim hair over my groin area (lovely though I know). I did ask him to even everything up, but I guess my insurance doesn’t cover that?! I was hoping to get rid of the clot and ready for bikini season all in one swoop. No avail.
The neurologist proceeded to make an incision in my groin, ouch, and ran a catheter up through a vascular point to my brain. Through the catheter, the shot medicine right at the pesky clot in my brain to dissolve it. TPA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) ) is the medicine, which for full effectiveness, must be administered within 6 hours of symptoms showing. So, we were within the time window. Wooh!!

From there, I was admitted to ICU for a few hours to recover from the procedure. Once my time was “up” they sent me to CCU- critical care unit, where I was for 2 ½ days. I had pressure cuffs on my calves, similar to blood pressure cuffs, which helped circulate the blood in my legs. Also I was hooked up to a blood pressure cuff that seemed to go off all the time. As well as, a pulse ox monitor to monitor oxygen levels.

Supposedly, the stroke affected my left side. Not too much though. I am typing this with both my left and right hands!! I started Occupational/Physical Therapy right away… four times day, and got to use a commode for my bathroom. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to wipe myself… nice, I know. The first couple of PT appts were hard. I had not been out of bed, except to use the commode. So, I had o start walking again, using stairs, walking in the grass, showering, etc.

I was started on Heparin, which is a blood thinning medicine, along with Coumadin, another blood thinning medicine. Also, I have high cholesterol, so Zocor was added. AT this point, I think I am falling apart… holy crap, what else?

To get out of the hospital, I had to have favorable feedback from Therapy and my INR level of my blood had to be at 2.0 or higher. This measured the ‘thinness’ of my blood. So, not only am I thick headed, but also thick blooded… figures.

I was also privy to another interesting procedure. An echocardiogram, which I get to repeat in one year. This is to take an internal sonogram of my heart. Please not the word INTERNAL. They Ecco team sprayed a numbing agent into the back of my throat to numb any gag reflex. Once numb, they proceeded to stick a camera down my throat. UGH… worst thing ever!!!!

Days kept strolling slowly by… sssslllloooowwwwllllyyyy. Missed my kids soooo much!!!! I wanted to go to J’s baseball games and put jammies on the peanut.
My hubby stayed with me every night sleeping in some quite complicated positions in the chairs available in the room. He is the absolute best!


I received so many cards, flower, plants, meals, etc. It was overwhelming to see the kindness and prayers from everyone. On the 5th day, they moved me to the 4th floor, where I was most definitely the youngest person on the floor. It is a cardiac floor. I had a nice spacious, newly renovated room. Although, without a shower head or shower curtain, but it was roomy!! Perhaps they forgot to inspect that one?


After being in my luxurious suite of a hospital room, I was again moved to the 3rd floor, which was a semi-private… ok, let’s be real… not private at all room. There is something in the hospital rooms’ bathrooms called a ‘hat’. A funny plastic, inverted hat-like item that you place underneath the toilet seat to capture how much liquid ‘output’ you have. Super fun. I never wanted to pee in my own bathroom so bad as I did when I stayed in the hospital. Amazing what you miss. I missed my children (of course!), my own bathroom, my razor, and being able to lay on my left side to sleep without being hooked up to all kinds of wires, lines and IVs.

I was finally released on Monday morning, a mere 8 days after admission. I breezed through Occupational Therapy. They even had me wearing high heels with my hospital gown an IV pole walking down the hall. Lovely vision, I know. The thing I was most worried about doing post-hospital was driving. Just nervous… I didn’t want to screw up driving and hurt myself or anyone else. Turns out, I remembered how to drive, signal for a lane change, which is more than some of those yahoos on the interstate!!!

A lot of people want to know what side effects I have. I say none. No, I’m not drooling or paralyzed on one side. I do get tired easy and can pretty much cat nap anytime of the day. Walking two flights of stairs to my office will wear me out for the day so I take the elevator with the onlslaught of evil eye look by people who, I’m sure, think that with the size of my behind that I should be taking the stairs. When I do walk any sort of distance, my right hamstring gets overworked as it overcompensates for the left and feels as though it is “pulled”. I try not to lift up my 45lb toddler, but I still manage to get him up in bed.
I’ve gone back to photography the same week I left the hospital. That makes me feel whole again.

I have to take Coumadin, a blood thinner for 6 months, and aspirin another 6 months after that. I have to see a cardiothoracic surgeon in July for follow up on my heart issue. Fun, fun.

So, hopefully this answers questions that many of you have asked. If it hasn’t, feel free to contact me via email or give me a call.

Again, thank you so much to everyone for your well—wishes!


Definitions & explanations
The kind of stoke I had:

Ischemic Stroke
> click for a larger mage" type="#_x0000_t75">An ischemic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain becomes blocked.
What is it? Ischemic ("is-skeem-ic") stroke occurs when an artery to the brain is blocked. The brain depends on its arteries to bring fresh blood from the heart and lungs. The blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain, and takes away carbon dioxide and cellular waste. If an artery is blocked, the brain cells (neurons) cannot make enough energy and will eventaully stop working. If the artery remains blocked for more than a few minutes, the brain cells may die. This is why immediate medical treatment is absolutely critical.
What causes it? Ischemic stroke can be caused by several different kinds of diseases. The most common problem is narrowing of the arteries in the neck or head. This is most often caused atherosclerosis, or gradual cholesterol deposition. If the arteries become too narrow, blood cells may collect and form blood clots. These blood clots can block the artery where they are formed (thrombosis), or can dislodge and become trapped in arteries closer to the brain (embolism). Another cause of stroke is blood clots in the heart, which can occur as a result of irregular heartbeat (for example, atrial fibrillation), heart attack, or abnormalities of the heart valves. While these are the most common causes of ischemic stroke, there are many other possible causes. Examples include use of street drugs, traumatic injury to the blood vessels of the neck, or disorders of blood clotting.

What is an Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is a test in which ultrasound is used to examine the heart. The equipment is far superior to that used by fishermen. In addition to providing single-dimension images, known as M-mode echo that allows accurate measurement of the heart chambers, the echocardiogram also offers far more sophisticated and advanced imaging. This is known as two- dimensional (2-D) Echo and is capable of displaying a cross-sectional "slice" of the beating heart, including the chambers, valves and the major blood vessels that exit from the left and right ventricle

An echocardiogram can be obtained in a physician's office or in the hospital. For a resting echocardiogram (in contrast to a stress echo or TEE, discussed elsewhere) no special preparation is necessary. Clothing from the upper body is removed and covered by a gown or sheet to keep you comfortable and maintain the privacy of females. The patient then lies on an examination table or a hospital bed Sticky patches or electrodes are attached to the chest and shoulders and connected to electrodes or wires. These help to record the electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) during the echocardiography test. The EKG helps in the timing of various cardiac events (filling and emptying of chambers). A colorless gel is then applied to the chest and the echo transducer is placed on top of it. The echo technologist then makes recordings from different parts of the chest to obtain several views of the heart. You may be asked to move form your back and to the side. Instructions may also be given for you to breathe slowly or to hold your breath. This helps in obtaining higher quality pictures. The images are constantly viewed on the monitor. It is also recorded on photographic paper and on videotape. The tape offers a permanent record of the examination and is reviewed by the physician prior to completion of the final report.

Information you should read and know!!!

Stroke is a medical emergency. Know these warning signs of stroke and teach them to others. Every second counts:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Menu Wednesday?

Here is our menu for the week. Let me know if you would like to post any recipes!!

Monday- Pasta Chicken Alfredo

Tuesday- Grilled Cheese/Tomato Soup

Wednesday- Make your own Taco Salad night

Thursday- Brats & Chips

Friday- Out with the hubby

Saturday- Homemade Pizza

Sunday- Sausage Ziti Bake (can't remember who's site I saw this on, but it sure looks yummy)

Free Apparel Under there! Macy's

Saw this on Sisterly Savings site...

Starting May 31st, you can get a pair of Jockey Ultimates Panties, a $9.50 value, for free with this printable. No purchase is necessary! Coupon is valid May 31st to June 6th, in stores only.

Free undies... woo woo!

Ummmm... can you say absent?

Holy Moly, have I been busy. Sorry to anyone that checks in on occassion.

I have been photographing people like crazy. To see what I've been up to, go to www.tvernon.blogspot.com . I have 5 sessions this weekend, a couple of wedding consultations and we are leaving next Thursday for Vail, CO, so I can photograph a wedding/mini vacation... yikes!

So, I am updating a bunch of fun stuff today and tomorrow.

Thanks for putting up with me!

Menu Monday

Well, Menu Tuesday.

Here is our plan for the week:

Monday Taco Bake

Tuesday Spaghetti w/ Garlic Bread

Wednesday Leftovers

Thursday Chicken & Rice with Crescent Rolls

Friday Homemade Pizza

Saturday Boys get to eat out- mom shooting a wedding

Sunday Burgers/Brats on the Grill & Mom's Roasted Potatoes

Holy Moly Dillons...

Wow... made the trip to Dillon's for their Mega Sale and Mega it was... You are not going to believe the amount of items I got at the store. A guess?

Here's an image of EVERYTHING... yes, one trip!


I had a hard time finding room for everything to photograph. Have a guess yet on how much all of this was?

Let me break it down for you!

Transaction #1


6 New York Garlic Toast
11 Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls
12 Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
2 Pillsbury Pizza Crust

Shelf $61.33

OOP $5.11

Savings 94%


Transaction #2

3 French's Yellow Mustard
3 French's Spicy Brown Mustard
8 Lipton Side Rice
1 Cheezits box
3 Pepperidge Farm Gold Fish Crackers
5 Hot Pocket Calzones
2 Kraft Shredded Cheese Bags
1 Kraft Cheese Slices
1 Kroger Toaster Pastries
3 Peter Pan Peanut Butter

Shelf $65.43

OOP $9.40

Savings 88%

Transaction #3

3 Oust Air & Sanitizer Spray
1 Hillshire Farm Deli Wrap
1 Purina One Puppy Food Bag
10 Gatorades
1 Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix (yum!)
4 Shout Stain Remover
2 Windex
7 Windex Antibacterial
1 Gallon Milk
1 Sandwich Bread Loaf
7- 4 pk Cottonelle
4 Healthy Cat Chow Pouches
5 Cat Tempation Treats
3 J&J Buddie Bars
6 Keebler Fudge Shoppe Peanut Butter Cookies
2 Puff Pastry boxes

Shelf $146.83

OOP $25.70

Savings 85%

Holy Moly... do you see what I mean???

Here are a few more images

GRAND TOTAL $38.XX for more than 100 items!!!

WOOH HOOOH!!!

My New Favorite Store?

After a long day of work on Monday, I ran by Hen House after my last work meeting to see if I could check out deals at Hen House.

Wow! I was pleasantly surprised. If Hen House has a great sale, they have a great sale!

Here is a picture of what I bought tonight... any guess on how much it cost?

$18 dollars for ALLLLLL of this!!!!

Hen House has an interesting coupon policy. They do double coupons up to $1, but it does appear their policy states they will only do 2 like items per order. I tested it... they will do more than 2 per order.



Generally, I do NOT go overboard with coupons no matter what store I am shopping to be fair to other shoppers and to NOT create attention to myself. I drive past enough of my favorite deal stores on the way home (CVS, Target, and now Hen House) that I can do multiple trips per week on the way home from work.

The items I ended up with for FREE (my favorite word) are:

(4) French's Mustards

(4) Betty Crocker Frosting

(1) Betty Crocker Muffin Mix (wasn't sure if my Q would make it free, it did)

The awesome deals of this trip:

(4) Birds Eye Steam Fresh Veggies... 7 cents each

(4) Betty Crocker Potatoes ... 26 cents each

(3) Daisy Sour Cream..... 48 cents each

(4) Pillsbury Grands Frozen Biscuits... 98 cents each (lots of great flavors)

The Totino's Pizzas were a pretty good price... 84 cents each.

I'll be going back on Tuesday for more of these great deals before the sale ends. I think I have a new favorite store!! The cashier was commending me on my total. I did this in 2 transactions, fyi.

Target Deals... Week of 3/16/08

Here are some deals I am hoping to get in on this week at Target:

Market Pantry Saltine Crackers .97
TQ. 50= .47
Market Pantry Orange Juice (frozen) .89
TQ .50 = .39
Nabico Cookies/Crackers... looking for the Barnum Animal Crackers @ .50 ea
TQ $1.00/2= free!
All Small & Mighty Laundry Detergent Trial Size $1.00
MQ $1= free!
Green Giant Frozen Veggies- price tbd
TQ $1.00/2 and MQ .55/1- should be good end price

To get Target Coupons, go here. You can 'stack' at Target, meaning you can use ONE Target coupon and ONE manufacturer coupon per item.

If you have any grief from your Target store, let me know and I will forward you the Target coupon policy. I keep it in my binder with me.

Menu Monday


Another week is already here... sheesh. Where does the time go?

As it is Easter week, we will have a light menu. Here is goes:

Monday- oldest DS has basketball pizza night to wrap up his team's season

Tuesday- Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Wednesday- Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- out of town

Saturday- out of town

Sunday- Baked Potatoe Bar with all the fixins'

Here is the recipe for Chicken & Sausage Gumbo (made a double batch)

Chicken Sausage Gumbo Recipe

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 lbs chicken parts, skinned
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup each chopped celery and sweet green pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups cold water
1 lb andouille or other smoked sausage, cut diagonally into 1/2" slices
1/2 tp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2 cups okra, cut into 1" pieces, or a 10 oz package sliced frozen okra
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
hot red pepper sauce to taste
4 cups cooked long grain rice

In a heavy 6" skillet, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 min or until it is deep brown. Remove from heat. In a 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 each of the black pepper and the salt. Brown the chicken for 4 minutes on each side or until golden, then transfer to a platter. In the dutch oven, add the onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic. cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or tender. Stir in the roux and heat until bubbly. Gradually whisk in the water, mixing until smooth. Add the chicken and the sausage, the remaining 1/2 tsp of black pepper, the cayenne pepper, and the thyme. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, skimming the surface occasionally. Stir in the okra and green onions; cook for 10 min longer. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with the red pepper sauce. Ladle the gumbo over the rice. Should make about 8 1 1/2 cup servings.

CVS... Easter Week

Can you belive this coming weekend is Easter?? I haven't picked up anything (until today) for the kiddos for Easter... yikes!!

CVS has a few items that are on sale with ECBs only today (3/16) and tomorrow (3/17). After a photo session today, I zipped by a CVS on my way home. They had all of the items that I need to kick out the ECBs.

Easter Eggs- plastic 6ct XL .99 Limit 2 ... ECBs .99 ($1.98 in ECBs received)
Jelly Beans .99 Limit 2... ECBs .99 ($1.98 in ECBs received)
Herhey's Pot of Gold 4.98 Limit 2... ECBS $4.98 ($9.98 in ECBs received)

Total $15.01
Used $5/$15
Made my pre-tax balance $8.92

added Orbit gum and Rolos (not pictured, because I was really hungry)

ECB used $10
oop 9 CENTS

ECBS received $13.94

Wrapping CVS for the Week

Since I has a bit of time to myself after photographing an engagement session, I decided to stop at CVS on my way home. Of course, they didn't have any stock of the items I have yet to find... however, I did find a bunch of things 75% off and even had coupons for some.

Here is what I picked up this afternoon:


Crest Nature Expressions Clean Citrus Mint .82 x3 (75% off) (mq .75 each)
Stridex $3.99 BOGO x2
Garnier Hair products $2.99 X2 (earned $2 ECB each) (mq 1.00)
Revlon Root Touch Up .82 (75% off)
Animal Cracker Bags .50 x 3 (75% off)
Animal Cracker Boxes .30 x 3 (75% off)
Starburst .60 x2 (needed for a filler)

Used
$5/$15 coupon
Crest .75 x3 mq
Garnier 1.00 x2
ECB $8.97

oop 14 cents!!!

generated $4.00 ECBs from the Garnier products

Free Kindergarten Dental Kits **EXPIRED**

3/14/08 ** Now a DEAD deal** sorry!

http://kindergarten.colgatebsbf.com/order/sign_in.php

This year Colgate-Palmolive will offer the Dr. Rabbit and The Legend of Tooth Kingdom™ early literacy oral health classroom kit. Your kit includes: Dr. Rabbit and The Legend of Tooth Kingdom™ VHS or DVD (choose below) Dr. Rabbit and The Legend of Tooth Kingdom™ Teacher's Guide2-Sided Classroom Wall Poster My Bright Smile Read-together Storybook (Available in English and Spanish) New! Bright Smiles at Home Family Booklet (Available in English and Spanish) New! Kid's Toothbrushes Kid's Toothpaste samples
***********************************************************************************

I got this kit about 3 weeks ago and it is AWESOME!!! Really, anyone can order this. Get it for your school, daycare, yourself and friends, domestic violence shelter, church pantry... and so on.

Chicken (Pork) Laredo Recipe

I will be posting a recipe from one dish each week that is on our Menu Monday list. We had Pork Laredo Monday night. It was pretty good. I did adapt it to use shredded pork instead of chicken since I had leftover crockpot pork from Sunday.

So, here is the recipe...

From Dinner Doctor cookbook

3 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 TB vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion (med size onion)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 can (15 oz) chili with beans
1 can (15.5 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel
8 oz (half of a 16 oz pkg) Mexican-flavored Velveeta, sliced in thin slices

1. Preheat Oven to 375 F

2. Scatter the chicken evenly over the botton of a 9x13 " (3 qt) glass or ceramic baking dish & set aside

3. Heat oilin a 7-in skillet over medium heat and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft... 3-4 minutes. Scatter the onion and bell pepper mixture evenly over the chicken. Top with the chili, pinto beans and rotel, spreading each evenly into a layer before adding the next. Cut the Velveeta into thick slices and arrange them over the tomato layer.

4. Bake the casserole until it bubbles around the edges and the Velveeta has melted, 28-32 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

We ate it with tortillas, too.

Super yummy!

Walgreens Fun

Stopped by Walgreens tonight to take Walgreens up on their fabulous Jane Makeup BOGO sale. It seems that Jane has been BOGO'd a few times since the first of the year. Tons of cool, free makeup in my stockpile.

Here is what I got for 42 cents oop as I used one of my $4 Register Reward coupons:



I'll be going back a few times to Walgreens this week to get more free Jane Makeup. I have a 13 year old niece who will enjoy my extras.

Plus, I met the awesome cosmetic supervisor in G-town (where I live in the KC Metro), Bre. She was fabulous. It certainly pays to have the cosmetics counter check you out. Remember, they make commission on their sales... so they are VERY helpful!!!

Another Trip to CVS

I was getting really disappointed that I was never going to find some of the March monthly deals at CVS. But, I guess you just have to hit the right store.

Here is a picture of what I picked up for FREE today at CVS:

(2) Venus Embrace Razors ($4 MQ x 2)- still need to get 3 more as this is a Limit 5 deal for March

(2) Crest Pro Health Night Rinse ($1 MQ x 2)

(3) Lypsyl balms (this was all they had... I wanted 5) ($1 MQ X 3)

(5) Life Fitness patches (to help aches & pain)

Total $47

$5/$15 CVS Q

and balance was $22.30

paid with ECBs

23 cents (tax balance)

...Menu Monday...

Hey everyone, I can't believe it's Monday already. Today has been a bit crazy. I came home early as our oldest (nearly 13) was under the weather and decided to stay home from school. Now, please note, this is the FIRST day all school year he has missed... for anything.

I had a gut feeling something was wrong... way wrong. I decided to take him to the doctor. Appt was at 3:15p, but due to the enormous amount of people in the lobby, I knew it would be at LEAST an hour wait... I was wrong... 1 1/2 hours.

They took J back, weighed him, etc. Took his temp... I about fell on the floor. 104 F temp
Oxygen levels were dangerously low... nasal swabs... and the diagnosis... Influenza B... the nasty, dangerous flu that is making it's way around the country. Poor kiddo... he is just miserable. He is laying on the floor in front of me as I type this with a big comforter and giant body pillow. His fever finally broke about 8:15p. AND he can't go back to school until Thursday, minimum. Plus, it's State Assessments this week. UGH!

So, tonight J had soup. Little brother R had to have what big brother had instead of what was on our plan... so R had soup. But daddy and I had the Pork Laredo... pretty good! Thank goodness for stockpiling. I had tons of soup, gatorade and Aleve/Tylenol. I did have to pick up Sprite and popsicles for him though. Say a prayer for J to get better soon.

Menu for the Week

Monday- Pork Laredo (using leftover crockpot roast from Sunday... recipe actually calls for shredded chicken, but this worked great)

Tuesday- Sloppy Joes & Chips

Wednesday- Chicken Fajitas

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- Making pizza at a girlfirend's house... as hubby i going with her hubby for boy bonding time

Saturday- Lasagna

Sunday- Beef Stroganoff

Savings Success ::: CVS & Walgreens

I'm trying to get better at taking pictures of my super savings finds. It can be hard to remember to gather everything to put on the table (after I've cleaned it off, of course) and take a picture of all the great stuff!!

But, tonight, I DID IT!!

Here is what I got for 90 cents tonight... more to come tomorrow

CVS

(2) Crest Pro Health NIGHT Rinse
(5) Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste (need this like a hole in my head--- donating)
(2) Oral B Cross Action Toothbrushes
(1) Gillete Power Fusion Razor
(1) pk Orbit Gum (filler item)

Used $15 ECB
OOP .62
And rolled my next set of ECBs
Have $16 in ECBs still

Walgreens

(3) Visine products
(6) 2 pk Oil of Olay bars (not pictured)... generated $12 in Register Rewards

OOP . 28

The Visine products are $2.99 this week and I have $3 coupons, so free. The Oil of Olay bar soaps were 2/$4... had $2 Qs for each = free. (wish I had more of these Qs).

Woo woo... going to CVS again tomorrow (a different one- cuz the one I went to today was out of a few things... shocking) and to Walgreens to pick up the rest of my Oil of Olay bar soaps (they get a truck tomorrow and crossing my fingers they are on there) and (3) more Visines... all free.

Volunteer Work

Some of you know that I volunteer for an organization called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS). This organization has more than 3200 volunteer photographers and graphic artists all across the world. Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep provides bereavement photography to families facing the impeding loss or sudden loss of an infant/newborn. Every baby should be remembered and honored.

I have the honor of photographing little angels in the Kansas City area. I also serve as the Area Coordinator for Kansas City, which means I generally get the call first from the hospitals to request a photographer's services. If I am unable to serve this family, I find another photographer in the KC area, of which are fabulous.

The Today Show on NBC showcased an affliate NILMDTS photographer and a family in the Minnesota (?) area yesterday. If you are work, be cautious to watch this video link as it may stir emotion (ie mascara running). Click on the TODAY show logo link below to view.



If you know a photographer or graphic artist that you believe would like to volunteer with NILMDTS, please have them contact me. If you have a friend or family member that may go through this type of event in the future, please consider suggesting the FREE services of NILMDTS. Please contact me with any questions or comments.

Thank you for letting me share this very important work for families. Say a prayer for these families and squeeze your babies tonight.

Thank you...

Menu Monday


Monday- Tatertot Casserole
Tuesday- Leftovers (maybe... unless they eat all of the casserole Monday...if so, grilled cheese/tomatoe soup)
Wednesday- Italian Chicken (see recipe ** coming soon)
Thursday- Tacos & Mexi-rice
Friday- Homemade Pizza (I don't even like take out pizza anymore!!)
Saturday- Chicken Corn Chowder
Sunday- Crockpot Pot Roast, Potatoes & Veggies... mmmm

Recipe- Stacked Enchiladas!

I have had quite a few ladies ask me for this recipe, so I thought I would just post it here.

We had this recipe this past Sunday and the kiddos and hubby LOVED it!! So good... We omit the green bell pepper because it doesn't agree with hubby.

Enjoy!

Stacked Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 pouch taco seasoning mix
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel chopped tomatoes with chiles
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
6 flour tortillas (6 in. diameter)


Directions:

In large skillet, cook ground beef, onion and pepper until meat is no longer pink. Break up any large chunks. Drain fat. In same skillet, add pinto beans, black beans, tomatoes with chiles, taco seasoning, and water according to seasoning package directions. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Combine cheddar and jack cheeses. In 5 qt. crockpot, place one tortilla on bottom. Place about 3/4 cup beef mixture on tortilla, and 1/3 cup cheese mixture on top of beef mixture. Top with tortilla. Keep going until you've stacked 6 tortillas. End with beef mixture and more shredded cheese.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

:::Menu Monday:::



Monday- Pasta Carbonara
Tuesday - Boys Eating Out- Mom having friends over
Wednesday- Chicken Corn Chowder
Thursday- Leftovers
Friday- Homemade Pizza
Saturday- at a Birthday Party- eating there
Sunday- Stacked Enchiladas (in the crockpot)

Target Deals... Week of 2/24

It's a hot week at Target!! Here are some fabulous deals that you will just be C-R-A-Z-Y not to get in on!

Market Pantry String Cheese 24 cents each (exp 3/1)
Go here to print off a Target Q for 50 cents off 2 Market Pantry Cheeses
** I purchase 32 at a time... freeze them in a gallon ziploc freezer bag! The kiddos love them**

Morningstar Farm products $2.99 (YMMV)
Go here to print the Target Q for $2 and use the recent Manf Q for .75
There has been folks that have got these for free to .54 each
Morningstar Farm products are vegetarian, BUT I here they are really, really good!
I have been told the corn dogs, sausage patties and veggie burgers rock!

Pop Tarts $1.52 (YMMV)
Target Q here for 50 cents off and there are Manf Q for 50 cents off of the whole grain or splitz varieties or 85 cents of 2 regular pop tart varieties.
End result... around .55 cents a box (I bought 16 boxes... they are a 'staple' at my house)

Cauliflower or Broccoli
Target Q $1 off!!
Watch for sales... you can usually get these on sale for either $1.50 or 99 cents... free to 50 cents!

Bananas
Get a coupon for .50 off 2 lbs of bananas
Make sure you weigh out your bananas so you have at least 2 lbs
end price will vary

Eggo Frozen Pancakes or Waffles
No manf q's on these right now (bummer)!
Target Q is $1 of 2
These are on sale this week for 2 for $3...
$1 each... end result

Lots of other Target Qs out there, but these are the best deals this week.

Next week (Sun, 3/2) we will see NEW Target coupons. Target updates their coupons every other week. Go to A Full Cup to generate as many of each current coupon as you would like.

And the Winner is..... Jane Makeup

The BOGO Jane Makeup will be shining it's award winning sales again at Walgreens the week of March 9th. Make sure you go here to print off as many $2 coupons from the Jane Makeup website as you choose.



(this post brought to you as inspired by tonight's Oscars)

Peter Rabbit is Coming to Town

Easter is fast approaching. Exactly one month from today (March 23rd is Easter). Although growing up, my brother and I dyed some eggs and got a bit of candy... I have been thinking about different ways to have fun with this generally sugar intoxicating holiday.

Of course, we celebrate the true reason for Easter... the rising of Christ... but we do enjoy holidays to create a bit of magic with the kiddos. We have a 12 year old and an almost 3 year old. Different ages, hobbies, likes/dislikes.

I'm looking for fun ideas from you! Here are some thought starters

J- 12 yr old
likes baseball
legos
anything he can put together
movies

R- almost 3
Thomas the Train
Bob the Builder
Elmo
Mickey Mouse
Play Dough
Bugs

I thought about maybe a fun "movie" basket for J... movie popcorn, theatre sized candy, movie theatre gift card (maybe $10), etc.

For R, I had thought about a bug collecting kit. Butterfly net, bug house, tweezers, etc. I know they sell these pretty inexpensively in the toy departments this time of year.

I am TOTALLY open to other ideas. Would like to keep these baskets around $15 each. I have baskets/filler already.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

CVS- (80) Free 4X6 Prints

I came across another great Frugal Blog, All Things Frugal, today. She has posted a great tutorial on how you can get (80) free 4X6 prints at CVS.

Go here to read her post!! It works!

CVS Venus Razor Coupon

At CVS, you can use one CVS coupon and one Manufacturer coupon (MQ). Here is a link to a CVS coupon that just came out!

Go here to print away!

CVS Coupon $3 off Photo Book

Save $3.00 on any in-store Photo Book 6" x 8" or larger at the CVS/pharmacy Photo Center with your ExtraCare card.*

Valid thru: 2/24/08

Print your coupon here. Multiple prints available!

CVS Tutorial Series

I have had many people ask me how the whole "CVS thing" works. So, I decided to do a series of tutorials. Like many things, until you know how it works... it can seem overwhelming because of the layers involved.

Also, I will be posting various scenarios of how you can maximize savings and ECBs (Extra Care Bucks). I will also be posting a glossary of acronyms you might run across different sites or this one so you are 'in the know'!

Feel free to leave me comments or questions... I would love to hear from you!

Buca Di Beppo... free entree... BOGO


Go to Buca Di Beppo's website to fill out a quick survey and they will send you a certificate in about a week for a free entree when you buy an entree.

That would make for a cheap date!

Coffee Mate Creamer::: Full Size Free!

I was talking with a few ladies I work with today, and I realize I forgot to post the free Coffee Mate Creamer link! Go here to sign up and receive a coupon for a free bottle/container of dry or liquid Coffee Mate Creamer up to a $4.50 value!!

Free Tree Seedling from the National Arbor Day Foundation



When we lived in Omaha, I found it sooo humorous that my husband had the day off... PAID. He was a State of Nebraska employee. You see, Arbor Day started in Nebraska and is a state holiday.



If you go here, you can register your mailing information and they National Arbor Day Foundation will send you a free tree seedling!



Enjoy

Jane Cosmetics::: Hot, hot, hot

Jane Cosmetics are on sale B1G1 at Walgreens this week.

There is $2/1 coupon here from the Jane website which can be printed multiple times. Many Jane cosmetics are priced around $3.99, so if you buy two and use two $2/1 coupons, you'll get both free!

In addition, there is a $2/1 store coupon on the Jane mascaras in the EasySaver booklet. This can be stacked with the above coupons for an even better deal. (Make sure that you buy other items in your transaction if the coupons will cause your total to be negative. Also many Walgreen's computers are set up so you must have as many items as coupons. Throw in something inexpensive--like a pencil--if need be.)

Most Walgreens will allow you to use two coupons on a B1G1 purchase, especially if you are buying other items in your transaction. If your Walgreens allows this, it is a great deal! And if they don't allow it, it's still a pretty good deal for $1 each on mineral make ups.

:::Victoria's Secret Hot Tip:::

Fabulous hot tip for Victoria's Secret swimsuit deal. I paid $6.46 with tax for a 2 piece swimsuit (in red), beach tote and flip flops... also got free shipping and return shipping if needed. Watch out Mexico!


Get a free tote, free flip flops and free pink VS dog (not sure of this). Review the next few lines... the promo codes are BOLDED.
SP89781 * FREE BEACH TOTE WITH ANY BEACH SEXY SWIM PURCHASE

SP89793 * FREE FLIP FLOP WITH ANY BEACH SEXY SWIM PURCHASE ADD ITEM:8X225050

SP89841 or PUPLUV FREE PINK DOG WITH ANY PINK PURCHASE

SP89829 * FREE SHIPPING AND RETURN ANY SWIMWEAR PURCHASE ..EXP:3/12
SP89145 * $5.00 OFF FIRST PURCHASE

You can use up to FOUR promotional codes. I bypassed the pink dog... what would I do with that?
Here are a few awesome deals on the swimwear. Go to Victoria's Secret and paste in the following item #s:
First set...

Triangle String Bikini $5.99 for the SET
Item # 8S-219-044





OR CHOOSE THE NEXT SUIT
2nd Set Polka dot adjustable bandeau top
$6.99 for the top and $6.99 for the bottom

Top 8S-219-558
Bottom 8S-219-633



Here are the Flip Flops and Beach Tote that you will end up getting for free!


Menu Monday






  • Monday Lasagna w/ Homemade Garlic Bread
  • Tuesday Chicken Bacon Rice Casserole (soooo good)
  • Wednesday Dinner w/ friends for their oldest's bday (Steak & Crablegs)
  • Thursday Tacos... 'ole!
  • Friday Homemade Pizza
  • Saturday Leftovers
  • Sunday Crockpot Chicken & Noodles w/ Mashed Potatoes (STILL have not made this from the past 3 weeks of menus)




I'll be posting the Chicken Bacon Rice Casserole recipe a bit later today! It is sooo yummy!

Free Appetizer- Longhorn Steakhouse

Sign up on Longhorn Steakhouse's website HERE and receive a complimentary appetizer. Have a spouse?? Sign them up, too, for 2 appetizers.





Enjoy!

Target Dollar Spot & Global Bazzaar

The red dot items in the Dollar Spot are now 50% off and the Global Bazzaar (Pier One-like items) are 30% off.

If there is something you have been wanting in the Global Bazzaar, I would ask the service desk when the next mark down for this area will be... with Easter coming up so soon, they will be making room for Easter items and moving at the Bazzaar sooner than last year!

Free Money at Moneying

Wow, came across this blog this morning. This guy is getting married this weekend AND giving away $1500...

Go HERE to read more and sign up!

Free Gift for the First 10,000 People!!

From Clean Home Journal

Fresh Sart Gift Pack

Give spring a warm welcome with the Fresh Starts Gift Pack. Each gift pack is thoughtfully designed with helpful Glade® and Ziploc® Brand products that we think will quickly become family favorites.Just 10,000* available—be sure to respond now!

The first 10,000 people* to respond will receive a Clean Home Journal™ Fresh Starts Gift Pack, which includes the following FREE full size samples:Glade® Air Infusions®Ziploc® Brand Zip 'n Steam™ Microwave Steam Cooking Bags (one pack of 10 medium-size bags) And more!

Each gift pack also comes with coupons—with a total value of $20.00—for some of your favorite SC Johnson products. Use the coupons yourself or share with a friend. We've included coupons on products that are sure to freshen up your home and add some zip to your table.

Dove Coupon for CVS

Here is a great CVS coupon to use with existing Dove candy coupons circulating now.

Dove Coupon valid through 2/10/08 only...

must make a trip to CVS today!

Menu Monday

It's Monday... already.... here is the menu for this week!





Monday Tater Tot Casserole





Tuesday Manicotti w/ Caesar Salad





Wednesday Taco Loaf





Thursday Italian chicken





Friday Homemade Pizza





Saturday Crockpot Chicken & Noodles (or leftovers)





Sunday Dinner with friends

Free Yummy Chex Mix

My friend, Valerie, sent me to this link... thx Val!

Get a free sample of Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix.

Enjoy!

Menu Monday



Geez... our menu last week went wonky! More leftovers that we expected. Soooo, that means that this weeks menu will be much like last weeks, AND we have all the ingredients... this means our grocery bill should be lower!!

Monday Manicotti, Salad, Garlic Bread

Tuesday Ritzy Chicken Casserole

Wednesday Beef Rice Casserole

Thursday Leftovers

Friday Homemade Pizza

Saturday Crockpot Chicken/Noodles & Mashed Potatoes

Sunday Superbowl Party @ Friends' Home- Sausage/Cheese Balls (see recipe below)


From Betty Crocker Website


Sausage-Cheese Balls `
These little appetizers make a big hit with any crowd. They continue to be one of our most-requested recipes!
Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:45 min
Makes:7 1/2 dozen appetizers
497 Ratings119 ReviewsRead ReviewsRate/Review Recipe

3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (16 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
Barbecue sauce or chili sauce, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x2x1 inch. 2. Stir together all ingredients, using hands or spoon. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.


High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Heat oven to 375ºF.

Decrease Bisquick to 2 1/2 cups; stir in 1/2 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour.


Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Free Chocolate Fondue @ the Melting Pot

Here is a sweet treat for two!!

Go to the The Melting Pot’s Club Fondue!

Club Fondue offers fantastic fondue features, including wine tastings, food samplings, invitations to special events and advanced holiday reservation privileges. As a member of the Club, you’ll receive a free Chocolate Fondue for two when you sign up! Join Club Fondue

The Melting Pot

Be Happy! This Valentines

Surprise someone special with a fun little trial of Clinique Happy, the wear-it-and-be happy fragrance favourite. You can even add your own personalized message—and we’ll get it all there in time for Valentine’s Day.
It’s totally FREE—but only here for a short time, so don’t miss out!*
Clinique Happy

Frugal Homemade Cleaning & Food Items

I recently came across a post on a message board of The Grocery Game about homemade/cheap cleaning solutions and food mixes. I found it very intriguing. I never knew there were so many uses for vinegar and baking soda.

So, I started to do a search of more frugal recipes, if you will, with common and inexepensive household products. I was amazed!!! I've decided on many products, including cleaning ones, that I will not buy them unless they are under a certain price... ie, dish soap for me has to be free, general cleaning items around 50 cents or less. If not, I will use the homemade items!

Here is a huge post of many...

Homemade Furniture Polish

1 tbsp oil1 tbsp lime juiceMix well. I make it in a small spice jar. Apply to furniture w/ soft cloth and then wipe with a clean dry cloth.

Homemade Dryer Sheets

Pour 1-2 tbsp fabric softener on wash cloth and throw in dryer. Wash occasionally.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pancakes

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk (I just used milk 1 cup & 1TB vinegar to 'create' buttermilk)

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients, in another bowl, beat the oil, egg & buttermilk. Stir into dry ingredients until moist. Pour batter by 1/3 cupful onto a greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles from on top, cook until second side is golden brown.

Taco Seasoning

2tablespoons chili powder
5 teaspoons paprika
4½ teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons onion powder
3 teaspoons salt
2½ teaspoons garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a bowl, combine seasonings and store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.

Yield: 3 batches

Tile Floor Cleaner

1/4 cup ammonia
1 gallon hot water
1 tsp Dawn Dishsoap

Mop as usual

Hearty Whole Wheat Muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk mixed w/ tbsp vinegar)
3/4 cup flour (I use whole wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter (you can sub apple sauce here too)
1/3 cup raisins

1. Combine the oats and buttermilk and let stand 30 minutes.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
3. Stir the eggs into the buttermilk mixture, then add sugar, butter, and flour mixture.
4. Stir until just combined.
5. The batter will be lumpy.
6. Fold in the raisins.
7. Spoon into a muffin tin about 2/3 full.
8. Bake at 400º F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Homemade Shake & Bake

4 cups flour
4 cups soda crackers crushed (I've also subbed panko bread crumbs, dried bread crumbs, crushed cornflakes..or a mix of any)
4 Tablespoons salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
3 Tablespoons paprika
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix well and store indefinitely in the refrigerator in a covered container. Moisten chicken pieces with milk or water. Pour about 2 cups of the mixtures, or more if needed into a plastic bag and shake until evenly coated. Bake coated chicken in a greased shallow pan at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Do not reuse extra coating that has come into contact with raw chicken.

Homemade Spray Cleaner Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water

In the kitchen, use vinegar-and-water spray to clean countertops, lightly soiled range surfaces and backsplash areas.

In the bathroom, use vinegar spray cleaner to clean countertops, floors, and exterior surfaces of the toilet.

For really tough bathroom surfaces such as shower walls, pump up the cleaning power by removing the sprayer element and heating the solution in the microwave until barely hot. Spray shower walls with the warmed generously, allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse. The heat helps soften stubborn soap scum and loosens hard water deposits.

Undiluted White Vinegar
Undiluted white vinegar straight from the jug makes quick work of tougher cleaning problems involving hard water deposits or soap scum.

Use undiluted white vinegar to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl. Before you begin, dump a bucket of water into the toilet to force water out of the bowl and allow access to the sides. Pour undiluted white vinegar around the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush to remove stains and odor. Use a pumice stone to remove any remaining hard water rings.

Clean shower heads that have been clogged with mineral deposits with undiluted white vinegar. Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar in a plastic food storage bag, and secure the bag to the shower head with a rubber band. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then rinse and buff the fixture to a shiny finish.

Add one cup of undiluted white vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle instead of commercial fabric softener. White vinegar softens clothes and cuts detergent residue--a plus for family members with sensitive skin.

Baking Soda
Baking soda's mild abrasive action and natural deodorizing properties make it a powerful replacement for harsh commercial scouring powders. Put baking soda to work in your organized home:

Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to tackle grimy bathtub rings, scour vanities, or remove food deposits from the kitchen sink.

For tougher grime, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to the tub or sink, and allow to stand for 10 to 20 minutes. Dirt, soap scum and deposits soften and are easier to remove.

Slow-running drains? Keep bathroom drains running freely by pouring 1/2 to 3/4 cup baking soda into the drain, and dribbling just enough hot water to wash the solution down. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then flush thoroughly with hot water. The deodorizing effect is an added bonus! [Do not use this method on blocked drains.]

Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe
Mix in a sprayer bottle:
1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol1 cup water1 tablespoon white vinegar

Homemade Downy Wrinkle Releaser

Fill a spray bottle with distilled water; add 1 teaspoon liquidfabric softener (go ahead and use Downey and you’ll even duplicate thefragrance).

Directions: Spray the wrinkled garment using a sweepingmotion from about 8 inches away until slightly damp. Tug and smoothaway wrinkles. Hang until dry. Use more spray for heavy fabrics orsevere wrinkles. For a pressed look, spray fabrics while ironing.

Strong Glass Cleaner Recipe
Mix in a sprayer bottle:
1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol1 cup water1 tablespoon clear, non-sudsing ammonia
Strong All-Purpose Recipe
Mix in a sprayer bottle:
1 T clear, non-sudsing ammonia1 T clear laundry detergent2 cups water

Furniture Polish Recipe
Mix in a sprayer bottle:
1 cup olive oil1/2 cup lemon juice
Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry.

I will be making this a weekly post. Leave your frugal homemade items in the comments section to get posted!! Thanks...

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