new blog added

nickels n dimes has been added to the delightful blog section. she is awesome and has the most thorough list i have seen for the drug stores. check it out for tomorrows sales.
~type to you soon~

walgreens and CVS for March 1st

thanks to Mommy Snacks for all this information early...
http://mommysnacks.blogspot.com/2009/02/cvs-snack-week-of-march-1.html
http://mommysnacks.blogspot.com/2009/02/walgreens-snack-sale-week-of-march-1.html
i follow this blog each week. she is a wonderful christian woman and has information for the sales up really early. she might be a good one to add to your favorites or google reader.

huggies diapers

go here for some great huggies coupons
http://print.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=13927&zid=ym31&nid=10

saturday morning cartoons IV

i have been looking around all week for something exciting to post for saturday morning cartoons. with much regret i tell you there are no wonderful freebies that i felt were post worthy. so here is the mornings excitement. ask me anything that you want. i don't care what you ask as long it is not totally inappropriate. it can float on the fine line of funny without total embarrassment. i will answer the questions and they can be about anything. gardening, cooking, cleaning, coupons, my life, whatever. not that anyone cares about any of this. i just thought it might be fun. here is the little catch. whatever you ask me, you have to answer the question for yourself in your comment. i am looking forward to seeing what you want to know and what i can learn about you.

~type to you soon~

companion planting

here is a link for plants that are excellent and not so excellent companions for one another.
http://www.minifarmhomestead.com/gardening/companionplant.htm

gardening

the plans are underway. i am so excited about the garden that we are planting this spring. i am really looking foward to learning the craft and watching the kids work the land. i worked on the plans last night and did alot of research. the new information that i learned about last night is "companion planting". i had never heard about this but apparently it has been around since moses (just kidding). the idea behind companion planting is that certain vegetables, herbs, and fruits do best when they are paired (companioned) with others. for example, lettuce and carrots are excellent for one another. some of these vegetables even ward off pests when companion planted. we are going to build 4 raised beds in the garden this year. most of the beds will house lettuce, carrots, and asparagus. i may be pulling my hair out come july but right now at the end of February it is a source of excitement. who out there gardens? what are some tips that you think are crucial? do you plan to have a garden this year? what is your favorite vegetable to grow?

~type to you soon~

picture credit: north conway

TT2

denise is back this thursday with some amazing advice for us. i just love this woman and her wisdom. here is her nugget of gold for us this week...

Sometimes I get tired of hearing myself talk...
pick up your clothes
hang up your coat
put your school stuff away
clean up your toys
clean up your room
be kind to your sister
stick up for your brother
stop complaining
fix your attitude
Do you feel like you repeat yourself more than you have an original thought? I know you do because a lot of moms talk about it. And I hear my Mom talking when it's my mouth moving!
Two things to help with that.

***WARNING***

It's constant and will never be mastered, but it's worth the work.
First, be/do what you're telling them to be/do.
"Clean up your room" ... Is your room clean?
"Be kind to your sister" ... Do you speak kind to them?
"Stop complaining" ... ???????
Second, don't just bark commands. Give them the reason why. It needs to be really brief - NO SERMONS! And if you're trying to raise them to bring glory to God, the reason should be a moral one when it's a moral action (for example, riding a bike is not a moral action). Then follow it up with instruction on how to do it right. The whole thing should take about 30 seconds.
"Clean up your room" ... not a moral action, although the behavior associated with it may be! :)
"Be kind to your sister" ... Be kind to one another.Eph.4:32
"Stop complaining" ... Do everything without complaining and arguing.Phil.2:14
God's Word is living and active (Heb.4:12) and is better than our constant talking/nagging!
Find some verses that work for you and your family. There's a Book full of them!
~type to you thursday~

TT2

training thrusday coming later today or this evening. have a wonderful day!
~type to you soon~

commenting and google reader

i have had a few requests to share how to comment on the blog so i am going to walk you through a couple of steps to make you life alot easier when it comes to blogs. the first thing that you need to comment is a blogger account or a google account. i am going to walk you through creating a google account because that is what i use and am most familiar with the features.
1. http://www.google.com/
2. in the top right hand corner click sign in
3. in the bottom right hand corner click create account now
4. fill in the information on create an account now, accept the terms and create the account now
5. after you have set up your account you are ready to comment on any blog.
6. if you click on the comments (usually seen with a number and then the word comments) under each post.
7. after you type in your comment in the box provided you will have to put in your user name and password. this is the user name and password that you created for your google account.
your comment should appear after you enter the information.
8. the other feature that i would like to tell you about is google reader. google reader is an excellent way to follow the blogs that you enjoy reading without having to type in each individual blog address and do a search. the principle behind google reader is basically an update list for the blogs that you read or follow. if the author of the blog makes a new post and you have the blog listed on your google reader your list will be updated with the new post. heres how to set the google reader account.
9. on the google home page in the top right hand corner you will see "my accounts" written in blue letters. click it.
10. under MY PRODUCTS on the page that appears you should see the option of "reader"(it has a blue and red diamond like icon next to it)
11. in the top left hand corner you should see a rectangle with "add a subscription". click it and type in one blog address at a time that you follow.
12. once you add the blogs to your google reader you will see all the latest posts that the author of the blog has made. once you read the blog entries mark the blog as read in the top middle section right above where the blogs are listed.
13. this is an excellent way to follow all of the money saving blogs because they update so often and you sometimes have to act fast to get the deals.
14. i usually check my google reader in morning during a cup of coffee. at naptime real quick and in the evening after the kids go to bed. all told it takes about 15 minutes a day for me to read around 20 blogs that i follow. it is really good for time management and keeps me on task.

i hope this information helps. please comment with any questions. i will be happy to walk you through whatever you need!

~type to you soon~

dinner winner (ha that rhymes)

soccermom you won. when i saw your post i knew you would be the winner unless someone was replicating fillet tornadoes from brio. i wanted potato soup. but my dear love wanted barbecue chicken. so i relinquished my desire for the soup. i will bring you some fun material trimmed cleaning gloves tonight:)
~type to you soon~

this weeks coupons

these are the week of March 1st. look and see if you think that you need more than one paper.
~type to you soon~
http://littlemissknowitall.net/this-weeks-qs/

what's for dinner?

whatcha havin'?

tell me all about it...

we are having bacon wrapped barbecue chicken, baked potatoes, corn muffins, brocolli, and apples (honeycrisp, talk about heaven on earth. these are the best variety of apples ever!)

~type to you soon~

ps...there could be a little something for the dinner that sounds the best to me:)

picture credit: in home dining

peroxide...who knew

this is from an email i received from my mom. thought you might be interested in these tips...
1. Take one capful and hold in your mouth for ten minutes daily, then spit it out (I do it when I bathe). No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash.
2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs. (good one!)
3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counter. (Wouldn't it be nice if restaurants would do this?)
4. After rinsing your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.
5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.
6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.
7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.
8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue. (really good one!)
9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.
10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide-burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually, so it's not a drastic change. (hmmm!)
11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.
12. Add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary. (I'll try it!)
13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.
~type to you soon~

Clean Winner

RKG you are the winner! Congratulations. I will bring you your clean basket tomorrow:)
~type to you soon~

giving and needing

what coupons do you need from the paper today?

organization oasis-ugh kitchen drawers

obviously not all of my utensils match like these, nor do i have those lovely wood butcher block organizers (although sadly i do find myself coveting them) these organized kitchen drawers show how to minimize the amount of clutter that needs to be in a drawer. my rule of thumb for a kitchen utensil or gadget is, if i haven't used it in a month i don't need it(other than items like corn on the cob skewers that are used seasonally). there is not much that you can't do with a nice paring knife, santoku knife, and serrated knife. I only own those three and never find myself wanting more. i have a few (3) spatulas for big baking days, 2 whisks, tongs, an ice cream scoop, a tomato corer which i use to hull out strawberries, a basting brush, a bottle opener, a can opener, measuring spoons and cups, a plastic and metal spatula and a few different types of peelers for veggies with thick and thin skin. i am not insinuating that this list is perfect for everyone. the point that i am trying to make is, get rid of those things that are in the back of your drawer that you rarely to ever use. if another tool in the kitchen can serve the same purpose or task, keep one and rid the other. you will be amazed at how much easier cooking a meal is when your drawers are organized and you can easily find the tool you need. i would love to see pictures of the organized drawers once you have finished. take before and after. you will be amazed and i am sure i will as well!
DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FROM EARLIER TODAY!
~type to you soon~

picture credit: kitchens.it

everybody loves to be clean

here is today's giveaway... a basket with the following items:

2 buddies soaps

2 bottles of shampoo

1 tube of toothpaste

2 bars of soap

1 hand soap pump

1 deodorant

1 bottle of lotion

3 razors

comment with the following idea...

i love to clean_________

i hate to clean_________

i feel the best when this is clean________

~type to you soon~

*picture credit: acclaim images

saturday morning cartoons 3

restaurant.com is offering $25 gift certificates for $2 right now. i have bought these certificates before for our adventures in SW Florida and they offer some GREAT places to eat. even if there are not restaurants that you care for locally, check the places that you plan to visit or go home too. this is an excellent way to save money!

~type to you soon~

giveaway coming later this afternoon:)

the giveaway...

it is going to have to happen tomorrow! i am beat my friends. i don' think i can write more than 7 more words.
~type to you soon~

TT1 (Training Thursdays 1)

My name’s denise and I’m just like you. I’m doing my best to raise these kids the best I can. I have 4 boys (12, 8, 5 and 3) who are very sweet and pretty compliant, but we all have our moments. Le asked me to share what I know and to share what has worked for me, so here goes.

I can’t start this ‘series’ without telling you the most effective parenting tip I know. PRAY.FOR.YOUR.CHILDREN. It’s really that simple.

When I was growing up, Mrs. Sayers was a church lady who prayed for me and my family every day. Miss Schober is a lady I worked for in high school (cleaned her house, worked in her garden) who still prays for me on the 7th of every month (my birthday is on the 7th). My Mom and Dad pray for me and my 5 brothers and sisters EVERY DAY. Do you know what this does for me? There are no words to describe the gratitude I have for these people.

We all know we should do it, but mothering is BUSY. The urgent takes over and then you realize it has been days (more?) since we’ve prayed for them. Pray for them when they are walking to get on the bus or when you drop them off at school. Pray for them when you’re folding their laundry. Pray for them when you check on them before you go to bed for the night and see them sleeping so soundly. It just takes a second. Pray for them.
When my older ones were smaller, they had these light-up sandals. At the end of a summer day I would be cleaning up and pick up these sandals. As I would throw them in the shoe bucket or in their closet, they would start to blink. It just made me smile. And I would pray for them. Find a trigger like that. Find something that makes you pray. It’s the single most powerful thing you can do for your kids.

~type to you on thursdays~

picture credit: ntnu

tomorrow

two exciting events tomorrow...
1. a new giveaway
2. a guest author will be sharing with us some great information on training and raising Godly children. the precious friend that is writing tomorrow is one of my favorite people on earth. she has helped prepare me since before we had children to hold(w was in my belly). i really cannot express to you the ways in which she and her husband have so graciously mentored my husband and me. i am certain you will enjoy her creative suggestions and advice. i am hoping that she will join us each thursday for "training thurdays." she has a wide range of expertise for parents with children of all ages.
~type to you soon~

nice morning

i am sitting here drinking my coffee (my pleasantmaker), reading my favorite blogs, and watching it sprinkle rain, inside a nice warm cozy house. it is so nice! what is your favorite "morning thing?"

~type to you soon~

picture credit: michael tallm

french breakfast muffin

2 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar 2.5 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 egg

1 cup + 2 TBSP milk

2 TBSP melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients all at once. mix until blended. bake at 375 fo 15-20 minutes. while warm dip in melted butter and cinnamon sugar mixture.

~type to you soon~

cube steak

ok, so we bought a 1/4 of a cow in late summer and i am now trying to figure out what to do with the "cube steak" part of the cow. who knows what to do with cube steak because what we ate tonight was as tough as my tennis shoe.
~type to you soon~

the best-laid plans of mice and men

well my full intention was to go krogering, but

a) the list didn't come out until 10:30 and b) i forgot i was making a breakfast goodie for our prayer time for "w" school in the morning.

tonight i realized the true benefit of the stockpile (not that i questioned its usefulness before). it was so nice when i remembered the forgotten breakfast goodie to need nothing from the store. i am smiling!

~type to you soon~

picture credit: dessert comes first

let's go krogering

i am off to the grocery in just a few. when do you like to shop?
~type to you soon~

i want this...

i know that i should not want, but i really do! i am planning on trying to duplicate this somehow. i will see what i can come up with. i just love this. what do you think?~type to you soon~

no coupons in the paper

no coupons today! don't waste your money on the paper unless you just want to read it.
~type to you soon~

saturday morning cartoons III

From Newport on the Levee’s website:
Aquarium lets kids in FREE this winter with every full-price adult admission Jan. 7 – Feb. 29
Newport, KY – Back by popular demand, Newport Aquarium’s Winter Family Days will perk up your dull winter routine.
From Jan. 7 to Feb. 29, up to two kids can get in to the Aquarium free with each adult paying full price. And this year: Each kid will get a voucher for a FREE Kid’s Meal from participating Bob Evans Restaurants.*
Winter Family Days takes place all day, every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. while the event lasts. Like the Aquarium’s popular Summer Family Hours, there are no coupons to cut, and strollers are welcome.

~type to you soon~

*thanks to little miss know it all for the tip

i "heart" you

tonight we had a valentine's day meal for dinner. the kids had valentine's parties today at school so i thought we should continue the festivities into the night.

first i used my everyday china to create some heart plates. this is another great way to use a simple versatile design and make it seasonal (organization oasis 2/12).

the hearts are just stickers that i found at hobby lobby(reduced to sell since v-day is almost here).

next i added some "heart food"

everyone had a great dinner. while we were eating everyone shared something that they loved about each member of the family.

the best part of the night was when i found this at my place at the table after i finished the dishes.

a sweet note from "w" our oldest, making the scalded fingers from cutting the pizza out with a cookie cutter all worth while. honestly, this is what it's all about.

by the way...you can only cut out so many hearts from a round pizza. so if you are going to do this you should just plan on eating crust or some very small triangular parts:)

~type to you soon~

fancy coffee drinker

the winner is LouAnn
7
Random numbers generated Feb 13 2009 at 16:25:54 by www.psychicscience.org.
Congratulations! What colors and monogram would you like?

organization oasis-get rid of it

i learned a few years ago that keeping around many of things that i used to decorate with was really "junking up" my storage cabinets. since then i have really tried to purchase versatile items that can be made to meet a seasonal need for style. here is what i mean. instead of buying a vase that has a valentine theme, instead purchase a simple line glass vase and fill it with cupid mix m&m's. then when easter rolls around instead of having a valentine vase that you can do nothing with you have a simple vase that you can put some lovely brown eggs in. whala. that's how you organize your decorating cabinets, get rid of clutter, and create a lovely atmosphere in your home. try applying this theory to all of the decor items that you purchase from here on out. you will love it!

the picture above is my favorite versatile decorating piece

don't forget to comment on the weekly giveaway post. it expires tomorrow at 4pm.

~type to you soon~

valentine giveaway

alright all you silent viewers out there. here is another give away to taunt you to comment. i want to hear from you! i am starting to think that i am typing stuff that is of no interest or the number of hits that i am getting is just me wishfully thinking that someone out there wants to comment on one of my posts. although i did get over 100 hits the other day, so i know that you're out there. this weeks giveaway is a monogrammed coffee mug. choose your color, font, and initial or initials. all you have to do is leave a comment and tell me:

(choose one or more from below)

a. your most savings "story" so far

b. how you intend to impact your family with your savings

c. your favorite place to shop (for whatever, not just groceries) OR

d. why you like http://www.thedomesticchick.blogspot.com/

this giveaway will end on Friday afternoon at 4:00. so make sure you comment before.

by the way...if anyone does not know how to comment email me at domesticchick@yahoo.com and i will be happy to walk you through it!

~type to you soon~

valentine for your valentine at family christian store

go here to get it...
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/

cvs freebie

go here for a great deal:)
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/02/cvs-makeup-remover-moneymaker.html

walgreens freebie & cheapie

1. altoids are BOGO this week for 1.99. some of the tins have $1 coupons. buy 4 that is your limit at the store and peel 4 coupons off 4 tins and they are free.

2. hershey bars are BOGO for 1.99 (the larger size) and there is a rebate for $5 off a $10 purchase. so these are not free but a very good deal. if you buy 6 bars you should only be out $2 once the rebate kicks in. SORRY THIS IS ONLY FOR BAG CANDY. JUST READ THE FINE PRINT.

~type to you soon~

helping hope

ok ladies and gentleman(if there are any of you manly folk out there), hope ministries is in need. i figure with all of the free items that we are getting we can check our stockpiles and give. our heavenly provider will honor our gifts and we should be so more than willing to help out. i know that we are all more abundantly blessed than we can ask or imagine. so get in those pantries and find what you can part with and give. thanks so much. for those of you who do not attend FBC and want to participate i would be happy to deliver anything that you are willing to give. love to you all!

~type to you soon~

picture credit:mansfieldtickets

breakfast cookies

i made these for the first time a couple of weekends ago. they are yummy and we are still eating on them because of the mass quanitity that i made. i chose to freeze about 2 dozen and i am so glad that i did. it is really nice to whip out some at night before i go to bed and they are ready for the kids in the morning. here is the recipe. i tripled it because i had some severly ripe bananas:)

i also substituted liquid milk for the powder milk

Nonstick cooking spray
1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened) or regular chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries.
Using a 1/4-cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2 3/4-inch round, about 1/2-inch thick. Once baked, each cookie will be about 3-1/2 to 4 inches in diameter.
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

~type to you soon~

giving and needing

i really would like anyone's breathe right strips coupon if you are not using them. these little suckers really aid in my sleeping, and i am not the one wearing them. any ideas who is? who needs what from this weeks paper?
~type to you soon~

my favorite vegetable-right now

these yummy asparagus were devoured by my family on thursday night. we had taco potatoes, fresh fruit, and these bad boy spears for dinner. i prepared them using olive oil, salt, and pepper. chop the bottom off (the best way to determine where to cut is to take each end of a spear and snap it. where the spear naturally snaps is close to the location that you should chop. you can usually chop about 1/2 in. closer to the bottom). anyway back to the prep...chop, place a on cookie sheet with sides. generously drizzle with olive oil. salt and pepper to taste. place in the oven on broil for 5-7 minutes. watch it. your oven may be different than mine. asparagus is 99 cents a pounds today at kroger. get some for tonight. yummy!
~type to you soon~

fun freebies

Go here for 100 bonus points on your Hallmark Gold Crown Card

https://portal.goldcrowncard.com/HMKConsumerWeb/appmanager/cmw/hmkbrowse?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=CaptureEmail

Go here for a free $25.00 lip gloss (seriously, who would pay $25 for lip gloss?)
http://www.napoleonperdis.com/subscribe.cfm

~type to you soon~

more mercury information

http://smallnotebook.org/
read the latest post here for the information that i posted earlier on the mercury. apparently it is found in the HFCS (high fructose corn syrup).
~type to you soon~

wipe yourself

for free.

more coupons here

http://www.cottonelle.com/add_pledge.aspx

and here

http://www.cottonelle.com/redpkcoupon.aspx

hit the back arrow and print them twice.

for some reason wiping my rear for free seems so much better than when i had to pay to wipe it:)

~type to you soon~

poison anyone?

would anyone care for a coke? which by the way is my favorite. and we thought fillings, deodorant, and shots were the only things we had to worry about.
http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refID=105040

remke's cont.

please call your remke's before you go. the super double coupons may only be at the hebron location. just check before you plan on it:)
~type to you sooon~

finally organic coupons

huge list of organic coupons here. http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/02/huge-list-of-organic-coupons.html

remke's super double coupons

apparently at remke's until this weds. they will double coupons up to $2. they are normally more expensive than kroger or meijer so be careful on your purchases. i am sure that you can save some money on some items. especially coupons that are $1 and are doubled to $2. just an FYI.

~type to you soon~

i am my own barista

i realized today just how much i enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. to say that i am addicted would be an overstatement. to say that i miss it when i happen to not have a cup would be the understatement of the day! so i am having my cup right now. i ran across a suggestion on a blog the other day, unfortunately i cannot find it to reference it. the lady that was a guest blogger said that a way that she saves money on her coffee is to mix a folgers(for example) with a starbucks. you yield twice as much for 1/2 the cost of the double quantity of starbucks. so just for kicks i tried it. it works. can't tell a bit of difference. i used folgers house blend in the big red container and mixed it with one starbucks bag of the breakfast blend and it is delish! i am sure that the cream that i add helps but you may want to try it and see what you think. it is smooth and silky as i drink and type to you.

~type to you soon~