It's Cyber Monday!

I've got more sales and codes for you from great stores and Mom businesses! Check back through the day as more codes come in! Have a code you want me to add - just let me know!

Baby Vagabond, an Etsy shop who makes cute little girls dresses and tops, has a free shipping sale through Monday night! I think the munchkin needs this frock:



Twinkling Tees, who makes adorable custom rhinestone clothing and accessories, has 30% off with the code BLKFRI08 I'm currently drooling over these custom Converse sneakers!

Ahhhh... The Beautiful Sound...

of SILENCE! Well, close to it, anyways. DH is back at work after being home the last three days - and I am thrilled. (Is that bad of me?)

You'd think I'd be happy to have him home, so he could help me out, but he literally stared at the TV between DVDs and games. the. entire. time. he. was. home.

No, wait - he did bring me in a box of Duraflame logs from the shed after I begged for a few hours. And he did slice the turkey and helped me clean it in the evening.

So now it's back to finding hidden candy wrappers, stashed soda bottles, and the overwhelming pile of laundry calling my name. (I feel like I run a laundry business. Seriously! When I was single, I did one load a week of clothes, one of sheets and towels every other week - now look at this! LOL)

Who's In A Food Coma?

Is everyone stuffed beyond belief from the last few days? ;)

I spent several hours processing the leftover turkey on Thursday. I made some turkey salad, and threw a bunch into the blender to shred for casseroles, freezing them into separate portions. I also made some turkey meatballs and froze those for meals too. I was surprised at how much leftover meat we ended up with! We will really be getting our money's worth out of the turkey.

What did you do with your leftovers?

Fred Meyer Deals 11/30 - 12/6

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*USDA Select Beef Loin Boneless New York Steak $4.99 lb (family pack)
*Wild Jumbo Snow Crab $4.99 lb
*Texas Red Grapefruit 4/$1
*Healthy Choice or Marie Callenders Dinners 5/$10
*Kroger Brick or Shredded Cheese 16 oz 2/$6 (first 4)
*FM Yogurt 10/$4
*Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk $2.39
*Country Oven or VitaBee Bread 3/$5
*FM 100% Cranberry Juice Blends or Grape Juice 2/$4
*Santiam Canned Vegetables 3/$2
*Nutra Nuggets Dry Dog Food 40lb $21.99
*Kleenex Facial Tissue 10/$10 ($0.35 MC on 3)
*Bounty Basic Towels 10/$10
*Doritos 2/$4
*Coke 12pks 2/$10
*Pantene or Head & Shoulders $5.99 ($1 off Pantene MC)
*Olay Total Effects or Regenerist Skin Care $15.99
*Finesse or Pert Plus 2/$5
*Fusion, Fusion Phenom, Venus Embrace or Breeze Razors $6.99 ($4 MC on Fusion)
*Dial Bar Soap Body Wash or Refill 2/$7
*Kroger Omeprazole $19.99
*Kroger Vitamins BOGOF
*Butler Gum Oral Care BOGOF
*Broccoli Crowns or Cauliflower $0.88 lb
*Jumbo Artichoke 2/$4
*Barlett Pears $0.98 lb
*Tomatoes on the Vine $1.68 lb
*Radishes or Green Onions 2/$0.88
*Peeled Mini Carrots 2lb bag 2/$4
*Mayan Sweet Onion $0.98 lb
*Organic Raspberries 6 oz 2/$5
*Organic Janoagold or Gala Apples $1.48 lb
*Organic Fingerling Potatoes 1.5lb bag $3.98 lb
*Organic Squash $0.79 lb
*Organic Avocados 2/$3
*Private Selection Organic Salad 5 oz 2/$5
*Litehouse Organic Dressing 2/5 ($1 off 2 MC)
*Save 40% on Bulk Beans, Rice & Pasta
*Nature's Path Select Cereals & Waffles Save 25%
*Vitasoy Organic Non-Dairy Beverages 32 oz 2/$4
*Green & Black Organic Chocolate 2/$6
*Stonyfield Farm Yogurt Quarts 2/$5 (printable coupons here)
*Health Valley Canned Soup or Chili 3/$5
*Schiff Select Supplements Save 50% ($5 off MC)
*FM Morsels 4/$5
*C&H Sugar 1lb Brown or Powdered $0.69
*FM 5lb Flour 2/$3
*Private Selection Dozen Large Eggs 2/$4
*FM Peanut Butter $1.99
*Pillsbury Cookies or Grands! Cinnamon Rolls 2/$5
*Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts $1.99 lb (sold in 4lb bag)
*Fresh Lean Ground Beef $2.49 lb
*USDA Choice Beef Chuck Roast $3.49 lb
*Foster Farms Fresh Fryer Drumsticks or Thighs $1.28 lb
*Pork Loin Assorted Chops $1.99 lb
*Jumbo EZ Peel White Shrimp $4.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Fillet $7.99 lb
*NW Reserve Traditional or Italian Roast Beef, Corned Beef or Smoked Pastrami $7.99 lb (deli)
*Chicken Tenders $5.99 lb (deli)
*Fresh Made Deli Salads $5.99 lb (deli)
*Private Selection 14" Pizza $7.99 (deli)
*Colgate Toothpaste or Plus Toothbrushes BOGOF w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Depend or Poise $10.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) ($1 off MC)
*Big K 12pk soda 6/$10 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
*GM Cereals 2/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Hot or Lean Pockets 6/$10 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
*Kraft Macaroni & Cheese 2/$1 w/ in ad coupon (limit 10)
*Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry Detergent 2/$7 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) (coupons here )
*Hillshire Farm Rope Style Smoked Sausage 2/$4 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*FM Deli Meat packages 3/$7 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Seasonal & Basic M&Ms $1.88 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)

All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price!

Don't forget to use your reward coupons - you should have already received them! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Friday's Featured Etsy: MaruMaru

Welcome to my Friday's Featured post, in which I showcase Etsy stores and small businesses from folks like you and me. Recession, smession! ;)

This week's feature is an Etsy store called MaruMaru.

From the beautiful state of Hawaii, MaruMaru makes fun vintage inspired jewelry that makes the perfect stocking stuffer gift! Right now you can even receive free shipping when you purchase two or more items from her shop - now that's an awesome deal!

Look how cute this handpainted Green Owl Charm Necklace is!


Or how about these wonderful Exotic Blue Asian Inspired Earrings?


And one of my personal favorites, a Jimi Hendrix Gold Cabochon Necklace! (seriously, go snatch this one up!)


Stop by MaruMaru today and have a look around! If you'd like, you can even follow her on Twitter or be her friend on MySpace so you know when her new pieces are listed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a wonderful (and safe!) Thanksgiving all! May annoying relatives not be so annoying (lol), may your meal be delicious, and may every moment of this day spent with friends and family be incredible!

I have so many wonderful things to be thankful for this year - this house that is ours (even if it's falling apart, we are not homeless), my DH (who even though he drives me crazy some moments, truly is my soul mate), my little miracle, the furkids, and all you wonderful people I have met in the blogging world (even if you just lurk through my blog!)

For those hitting up Black Friday sales offline, I hope you score fabulous deals!

Remember: all calories consumed today, don't count! Enjoy all the wonderful dishes!

I Have TOTALLY Lost My Mind!

I haven't been able to figure out where one of my whisks went the last couple of weeks. I had pretty much begun to think maybe I had thrown it away accidentally.

And then I began to think about it some more, and a spatula was missing too. And we seemed to be running out of knives if I didn't do the dishes after each meal.

I just figured out why.

Yes, the genius that I am, hadn't finished unloading the dishwasher the last time I used it! *smacks forehead*

(in all fairness, I rarely use the dishwasher because it's as old as this house, and it's usually easier just to hand wash them)

Santa, if you're reading this, could you bring me a few new brain cells to replace the ones that I have apparently lost along the way of this journey called life? Thank you!

No, Really? You're Kidding! Tidbit Of The Day

I was perusing the November 21st issue of All You magazine (can't miss out on any good coupons, now I can I? *wink*) and I stumbled onto this tidbit of the day:

Being married creates an extra seven hours of chores for women a week.

No, really? Imagine that... I never could quite figure out where my day was going... /sarcasm

(Just seven hours a week? Methinks its a DAY! lol I wonder how many hours each child you have adds to the mix!)

PS. I'm cutting this out and placing it on DH's pillow tonight. Let's see if he spots it before he goes to sleep! LOL!

Tote And Tee Black Friday Sale!

Hurray! Tote And Tee is having a Black Friday sale!


I've bought from Amy before and I want one of everything from her site! :) The black and white striped knee socks are adorable, and super soft! I'm thinking the Pirate Felt Birthday Hat might have to make it into my BF cart. ;)

I've Been Tagged!

The fabulous Sandra tagged me, so I'm playing along. :)

The rules are simple to play......

Rule #1 ~ Link to the person that tagged you.
Rule #2 ~ Post the rules on your Blog.
Rule #3 ~ Write 6 random things about yourself.
Rule #4 ~ Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
Rule #5 ~ Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their Blog.
Rule #6 ~ Let the tagger know your entry is up.

Alright, so here you go - random and weird things about me:

1. I'm a transplanted Buckeye. (and I was very gleeful over this last win! GO BUCKS!)

2. I can't stand the sight of anyone else's hair in the shower. It gives me the heebie jeebies!

3. My favorite movies are Labyrinth and The Nightmare before Christmas.

4. I'm always cold when I eat. I have to take a hoodie or sweater with me when I go out to eat.

5. I cannot resist a pinball game at an arcade. The Addams Family is one of my favorites! (One day I will own my own!)

6. I dip my fries in mayonnaise. And no, not because of Pulp Fiction, I already did that before the movie!

I TAG:

1. Frugal and Fabulous
2. God Gave Me You
3. My Life As A Trailer Park Mom
4. Crunchy Green Lovin' Mom
5. My Sailors Mistress
6. Not The Usual Ticking Clock

Black Friday Online Shopping Codes!

Here they come - online promo codes for your Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping pleasure! I'll add as they come in, so be sure to bookmark this post and check back! If you have one you want me to post, let me know!

Too Faced Cosmetics Take 25% off your entire order. Use code TFFriends at checkout. Good through 12/03.

The funky BUST Boobtique Take 20% off everything until 11/30 with the code GIMMEGIME. Can I suggest the Wonder Woman Cami Set? :) (BTW, a portion of their proceeds go towards the fight against Breast Cancer)

Twilite Moon has free shipping on all orders over $150 through the holidays - no code needed. Check out this AWESOME mouse ride on toy named Prince Lionheart. I think we need him under our tree!

The Land of Nod has free shipping on your entire order (excluding furniture) now through Monday. Use promo code REINDEER (I'm hitting this one as soon as I post this!)

Things That Make Scents has 30% off your order, starting Friday through Sunday. Use promo code BFS30 at checkout. Check out her POOF! Fairies! (anyone want to buy me the Poof! Your house is clean! fairy? LOL!)

Izzy and Ash has 35% off their entire Fall 2008 collection this week. Use code thankyou at checkout.

Belli Skin Care has 20% off of all Belli products now through December 1st. Use code GETSAFE 20 - you can also receive free shipping with your purchase of $75 or more.

The Honest Kitchen (a Pudgy Princess approved site!) has several different coupon codes to choose from, all valid now through December 5th. Receive a free stainless steel Honest Kitchen storage container with any order over $70. Enter coupon code GIVINGTIN at checkout. Receive a free 4 lbs box of Keen Turkey and Oats dog food with any order over $100. Enter coupon code THKFREEK4 at checkout. Receive a free 10 lbs box of Keen Turkey and Oats dog food with any order over $150. Enter coupon code THKFREEKR at checkout.

Kuuru Shoes is offering a 40% discount on all styles and colors of their classic little kids shoes on Friday November 28th and Saturday November 29th. Use code BLACKFRIDAY

Here's some from Just Another SAHM (thank you!):
STUFFING gets you free shipping over $49 at JCPenny or 44FS25 for free shipping over $25!

HOLIDAY235 gets you $5 off $50 or more at Home Depot thru 12/1

833551 gets you 15% off at Hickory Farms

M8H7N3F will get you 15% off one item at Barnes & Noble plus free shipping on $25 or more!

BAP1127A gets 20% off any single item purchase at Borders


At Petsmart, you save $5 off a purchase of $35 with the code PERKSFIVE now through December 10th. You can also get free shipping instead on an order of $60 or more with the code FLAT

Nomie Baby, who makes car seat covers, has 15% off your next purchase now through December 31st with the code THANK YOU

Nina And Tom has free shipping on ALL orders for a limited time!

Another one of my personal favs, Mairzey Dots, has 25% off your order from now until December 5th with the code holiday25 at checkout.

Wordless Wednesday

Preparedness Tuesday: Car Emergencies

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

This week I am talking about being prepared in your car in case of emergency. I learned my lesson on this a few years ago when my best friend and I were traveling out of state. We were in the middle of nowhere, with no cell phones, and her car broke down in hot weather. She panicked, and I had enough brain cells to grab the bottle of water I had been drinking and our purses. We were INCREDIBLY lucky that a father and his son picked us up a few miles down the road and took us to call a tow truck.

Here's a couple of things you should always keep in your car just in case:

* container of Fix-A-Flat (I've seen this in action, and it's great! For the few bucks it costs, it can really save you)
* first aid kit
* state map and regional map (even if you have a GPS - what if the service is out?)
* a cell phone - remember, you don't have to have service to call 911, as long as the battery is charged! You can often find older phones at thrift stores for around $5, or even off Freecyle
* flashlight with extra batteries
* blanket or sleeping bag - I've seen lots of nice promo blankets that fold up and take very little room. In fact, the one we carry was free with our Costco membership - it's a nice black fleece one.
* extra gas canister - empty! (don't take a chance with a full canister - if you are in an accident it could get ugly)
* empty 2ltr that has been refilled with drinking water in case you need it. Also, several small refillable water bottles just in case you need to walk somewhere.
* bottle of Purell in case you need to clean your hands
* towel in case you need to wipe your hands from grease
* an umbrella. If you have the space, you may want to carry a large one.
* a road flare
* collapsible/travel shovel and a small bag of kitty litter (not the scoopable kind, the old clay litter) if you have the space
* rope to tie things down and a knife or scissors to cut it
* and the old stand by that fixes almost everything - duct tape!

I also suggest if you are wearing heels or expensive dress shoes, that you keep a pair of shoes made for walking in case you have to walk somewhere. Better to lug an old pair of sneakers around (hidden under the seat or in the trunk if you have to) than to ruin a really nice pair of shoes!

For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.

Black Friday Sale At My Precious Kid

My Precious Kid is a child safety and baby gear store. The Black Friday coupon code will be valid from Thursday, November 27 through Sunday, November 30th. Get 25% off your first purchase at My Precious Kid with coupon code BLACKfriday08 at My Precious Kid - and you don't have to beat the crowds! :)

I'm eyeballing the White Noise Sound Machine!

Recipe: Slow Cooker Applesauce

It's super easy to make applesauce in your crockpot - slow cooker!

First, get all your apples ready by washing them. I used apples from our tree outside - it didn't cost me a thing but time to pick them, and I know they are chemical free!


Next, start chopping them. You can peel them if you want, but I didn't, since there are plenty of nutrients in it. If don't want it chunky, definitely take the skin off! I am chopping it with a paring knife as you can see, because these apples were too small for an apple corer. If your apples are big enough, use the corer! It will save you time.


Make sure your pieces are the right size. Make them smaller if you want your applesauce more like puree, I use chunks because I wanted mine chunky.


Once your crockpot is full, you'll want to add sugar. My slow cooker is medium sized, so I used about 3/4 cup of sugar. If you like it sweeter, add at least a cup. You can also add 2 tablespoons of cinnamon if desired (I skipped this for this batch)


Make sure the sugar is coating all the apples! Add half a cup of water now.


Just turn your crockpot on low and let it simmer for 8-10 hours! You'll want to stir everything in there at about the 8 hour mark and see how it's doing.

Here's mine - I made mine a little chunky, and with the skins, hence the color. Yours will be a bit lighter if you took off the skin and skipped the cinnamon.

Menu Planning Monday

Nothing special this week other than the Big Day - just working on cleaning out the freezer. If you're stopping by my blog this week and this is your only visit this week, I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving. May the annoying relatives not drive you insane, may your good china not get broken, and may any journeys be a safe one! :)

Monday: Steak & garlic roasted potatoes

Tuesday: out to the casino for a *gasp* date, eating there!

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Bake

Thursday: Thanksgiving goodness! (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, and sweet potatoes are on the menu so far)

Friday: Cheesey Green Bean & Sausage

Saturday: Chicken Cacciatore

Sunday: appetizer night

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

I Confess...

I'm really not looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. I think I might if I wasn't the one doing all the cooking and cleaning. ;)

Seriously, every time I open the fridge and see that turkey taking up half the fridge, I want to hit it! I know it's going to take forever to cook, and while it smells great, I know the whole time I will be eating - I'll just be thinking of the clean up!

Anyone else cringing at the thought of the holiday mess?

Hollywood Video DVD Sale!

Again, YMMV, but our local Hollywood Videos have ALL their used DVDs originally marked $12.99 or less at $3.99! Another great stocking stuffer - I saw lots of great titles at ours. Don't forget the Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, and Playstation 2 games are all also $3.99!

Don't Forget - Free Dr. Pepper!

Don't forget, today is the day you can request a free Dr Pepper - hit up their website, or call 1-800-696-5891 and press 2 to request your coupon - you can request one per person! :)

(Have patience if you really want to get in on this deal... the website is slow and the phone line busy)

Fred Meyer 11/23 - 11/29

The free turkey deal with $150 purchase after all other discounts is still on, so if you didn't have a chance to take advantage of it last week and wanted to, hurry in! You MUST have the in ad coupon in order to take advantage of this deal.

BTW, you can earn double rewards points by paying for your purchases with a gift card right now.

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Clementine or Sastuma Mandarins 5lb box $4.77
*Fresh Butterball Turkey $1.99 lb
*Fresh Foster Farms All Natural Turkey Breast Bone In $2.49 lb
*Save $5 off Foster Farms Fresh, or Norbest assorted turkeys w/ in ad coupon
*BOGOF FM Large 18ct eggs
*FM Hash Browns 3/$5
*Tropicana Orange Juice 64 ox 2/$6
*Jell-O Pudding or Gelatin Mixes 10/$10
*Libby's Pumpkin 15 oz $0.99
*Ocean Spray Juice 2/$5
*Tillamook Butter 2/$5 ($0.75 MC)
*FM Frozen vegetables 10/$10
*Chocolate Cordial Cherries 4/$5
*Kroger Wipes or Swabs $1.99
*Mucinex Save $1
*Halls Cough Drops 10/$10 (BOGOF tearpad MCs out there)
*L'Oreal Preference Hair Color $5.99 after in store MC
*BOGOF L'Oreal assorted Moisturizers ($1 MC)
*Dove Hair Care $2.49 after in store MC ($1.50 MC out there are better)
*Crest specialty Toothpastes 2/$5 ($1 MC)
*Dove or Degree Deodorant/Antiperspirant $1.99 after in store MC
*Airborne $3.99 after in store MC
*Sally Hansen products BOGO Half Price
*Asparagus $1.98 lb
*Yams or Sweet Potatoes $0.58 lb
*Braeburn or Cameo Apples $0.98 lb
*Celery Bunch $0.48 lb
*Leaf Lettuce $0.98 each
*Hothouse Bell Peppers 4/$5
*Brussels Sprouts $1.48 lb
*Knudsen Sparkling Crisp Apple Juice 2/$3
*Kettle Deluxe Mixed Nuts or Cashews $5.99 lb
*Pacific Foods Organic Broth 2/$4
*Naturally Preferred Organic Vegetables 2/$3
*Organic Farmer's Market Canned Pumpkin 2/$3
*Kettle Chips 3/$5
*Bulk Walnuts or Pecans $6.99 lb
*Bob's Red Mill Flour 5lbs 2/$5
*Beef Loin T-Bone Steak $5.99 lb
*USDA Choice T-Bone Steak $6.99 lb
*Flame Crafted Spiral Sliced 1/2 Ham Save $10 w/in ad coupon
*Boneless Pork 1/2 Loin In The Bag $2.99 lb
*USDA Choice Beef Cross Rib Pot Roast $3.49
*Wild Alaskan Whole Sockeye Salmon $3.99 lb
*Medium Cooked or Raw Shrimp $4.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan True Cod Filler $5.99 lb
*8" Fruit or Pumpkin Pie $3.99
*Private Selection Fruit Pie or Homestyle Pumpkin Pie $7.99
*Jennie-O Turkey Style Rotisserie, Sundried Tomato or Pepper Turkey $7.99 lb (deli)
*Fresh Made Deli Salads $4.99 lb
*Mach 3 or Venus Disposable Razors BOGOF w/ in ad coupon (limit 4) (BOGOF MC out there)
*Mrs.Smith's Pumpkin Pie or FM Whipping Cream 3/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Dreyer's Ice Cream 2/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4) ($0.50 blinkie out there)
*Tillamook medium cheese $4.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) ($0.75 MC)
*Swanson Broth 2/$1 w/ in ad coupon (limit 8) ($0.40 on 4, $0.50 on 4 MC's)
*Bulk Kivu Coffee $5.99 lb w/ in ad coupon (limit 4 lbs)
*Fletchers Stak Pak Bacon $3.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2)
*Jimmy Dean Roll Sausage 2/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Nestle, Hershey or cadbury Large Bars $0.88 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)


All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price!

Don't forget to use your reward coupons - you should have already received them! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

I Have A Shoe Fetish...

I always have. So, it's been easy to accumulate a collection of munchkin size shoes. ;)

Aren't these Robeez winter themed soft sole shoes darling?


Robeez has free shipping going on right now with the code Robeez8 - and if you send an e-card right now, Robeez will donate $5 worth of product to K.I.D.S. - what a great cause!

In True Murphy's Law Form...

Now if you are following me on Twitter, you already know that last night I burned my hand making dinner (trying to make butter pats and forgot about the burner still being warm)

Now tonight, since I am trying to use up the stuff I forgot didn't realize was in my freezer, I was chopping veggies to go into the crock pot. I was making beef broth from bouillon cubes, so I started boiling water on the back burner for that.

Except, I didn't turn on the back burner - I turned on the FRONT burner. Which wouldn't have been a problem, except my plastic chopping board was sitting on top of the front burner. When I smelled something funny, I realized what I had done - yuck!

Now my kitchen is stinky, I'm down a chopping board (hey, wait - there's an excuse to hit up Ikea!) and I'm beginning to think I really am losing my mind!

This Is Why...

If you own a deep freezer, especially a chest freezer, you should go through it once a month.

I found a few items towards the bottom I didn't even remember buying! Oops! It must have been a good deal, if I bought it, and since my freezer is less than six months old, it's not old enough to throw away (but if I hadn't been making room for another turkey, it sure would have been in the garbage when I finally found them!)

So, slight change of dinner plans for the next few days so I can use it up!

Printable Coupon For Smart Ones!

You can print a coupon for $1 off any 5 Weight Watchers Smart Ones when you join their new The Morning Express Breakfast Club. And, Weight Watchers Smart Ones donates $1 to Share Our Strength for each new member that becomes part of the club, so you're helping out and feeding hungry kids on top of saving money and receiving new tips!

Friday's Featured Etsy: Classic Candles

Welcome to my Friday's Featured post, in which I showcase Etsy stores and small businesses from folks like you and me. Recession, smession! ;)

This week's feature is an Etsy store called Classic Candles. Debra has been making candles for over four years, but she's just started stocking her own Etsy store. Each candle, tart, and body cream is hand poured - no mass marketing here! She supplies 27 different stores in Alabama with her wonderful candles as well as doing different events! Classic Candles designs, customizes, and make the labels for each and every product that is produced.

Classic Candles will even do custom orders like a special photo or sayings on your candle or tarts - what neat baby shower or wedding favor!

One of my favorite items in her store right now are these yummy Gingersnap Cookies Tarts In A Jar. There are 30 little gingerbread men in the jar, all smelling like a spicy gingersnap cookie!


Another wonderful item perfect to have on hand for Thanksgiving, is this Apple Cinnamon Mug Candle. This candle is environmentally friendly - once it's burned, you can boil it in a double boiler and use it as a drinking mug!


Classic Candles has a flat rate shipping if it fits in the box for just $9.80 - you can combine whatever you choose (I vote the Gingersnaps!) She also does a free sample with every purchase.

Stop by Classic Candles today and have a look around!

Thrifty Thursday: Black Friday Shopping!

This week's Thrifty Thursday post is about Black Friday shopping!

Many people are getting ready to rumble and score a great deal for their Christmas shopping. Are you one of them?

Over the next few days, the Black Friday sale ads for almost all the "Big Stores" should be out. Remember, many ads have already been leaked online at sites like Black Friday and Black Friday.FM Take your time, looking through each store's ad carefully, and make sure you are finding the best deals - don't forget to add the cost of gas (which, while lower at the moment, is still something to think about if you're talking just a couple dollars difference in price!)

Also, a several of the "Big Stores" will be having online-only deals starting on Thanksgiving day itself, so be sure to check them out!

And of course, many of the non-electronic deals can be found online! Check your favorite online boutiques - many will be having specials for the holiday season starting this coming week! Why freeze in the cold when you can shop in your pjs and stay toasty warm? ;) (plus, you are usually supporting WAHM's and small businesses too!)

Bugaloo Baby Shoes

Now I now these are boys, but tell me, aren't they just adorable?

(Pssst... head on over to Bugaloo right now, with the code WONDERFUL - you'll get 15% off your order, and if you purchase 3 or more pairs, your shipping is free!)

Survey Loot!

(oops, the enter button got hit!)

Just a reminder, keep at those surveys! I currently have three different product tests going on right now! I've also just received in the last week:

* a check for $8.80 from Opinion Outpost
* a $20 check from MySurvey
* the $100 check I told you about here! (whoo hoo! It was a smaller invite only panel, so I won't post the name. But none of the surveys from them were paid - just drawings only)
* Bewitched Season 4 DVD set from Zoompanel
* Two books from the Tell Harlequin panel
* a $30 Target GC from a Zoompanel focus group

Anyone else getting some good stuff from the surveys lately?

Printable Glade Coupons!

Right @ Home has several different coupons you can print at their website at the moment:

*Save $1 on one Glade candle
*BOGOF on Glade PlugIns Scented Oil Refills
*Buy 2 Scented Oil Candle Refills, Get One Free!

These should help keep your home smelling great when Holiday visitors arrive! :)

Deal On Betty Crocker Potatoes!

Both Wal*Mart and Target currently have the Betty Crocker potatoes in a box on sale for $0.79. There was a coupon in the Sunday paper for $0.35 off any BC potatoes, or head over to coupons.com to print off a coupon for $0.40 (and you can print it twice!)

There's also another $0.40 coupon you can print over on the Betty Crocker website. You'll have to register if you haven't already (if you receive any of the Dinner Made Easy newsletters, or signed up for the free pouch of Betty Crocker potatoes, you should be able to log right in and print them!)

The Cheddar and Garlic mashed potatoes get our two thumbs up - DH loves them. This is a quick cheat that's cheap for Thanksgiving leftovers (there's two packets in the box of mashed potatoes - so for 34-39 cents, that's a pretty great deal!) not to mention super easy to prepare! They make a great last minute side dish option for dinner as well.

Jumping On The Twitter Bandwagon!

I finally broke down and joined!

Want to follow me so I'm not so lonely? ;)

WalMart Summer Clothing Clearance Deals!

Another YMMV, but when I was wandering around WalMart earier, they had an entire rack full of Summer women's and junior clothing marked at $1 - this included tank tops, swimsuit seperates, denim shorts, and nice t-shirts - in sizes XS- 3X.

They also had a rack of capris at $3 - also sizes XS - 3X.

I ran out of time to see if the kids and men's department also had markdowns at the price point, so if you are close by, you may want to check out your local WalMart and stock up for next Summer!

Hollywood Video Games Deal!

YMMV on this one, but our local Hollywood Video has their used PS2, XBox, Gamecube games marked down to $3.99 - no matter their original price! You may want to call ahead and see if your local Hollywood Video is doing this as well. They also have 25% off the price of their used Wii, PS3, and XBox 360 games.

This is a great stocking stuffer deal!

Preparedness Tuesday: Germs, Just Go Away!

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

This week I am talking about the cold and flu season that is already starting (yikes!)

You'll want to have a package of cold and flu medication already in your home so you don't have to go out once you feel it beginning, or notice your kids or spouse are starting to get sick. I recommend having at least one package of the cold and flu meds, as well as cough syrup and drops on hand - this way, you'll be able to start it right away and hopefully diminish how bad your symptoms are.

Make sure everyone in your home has proper hand washing techniques. The first thing you want to do when you walk in the door after putting down anything you are carrying, is head straight to the sink and start washing your hands.

Carry a bottle of Purell or similar disinfectant in your purse or coat pocket, and get in the habit of using it after every time you touch something or open a door when out shopping. Take advantage of the fact that many grocery stores have free Clorox wipes at the door and wipe down the cart thoroughly.

I always carry a washcloth in my purse, in case the rest room is out of paper towels or so I can open the door without touching it, if there's only a hand dryer (remember, you wash your hands, but a lot of people don't - ewww!) If you do this, remember to take it out and wash it after each trip!

Lysol all doorknobs in your house on a frequent basis, especially the front and back doors that get the most heavy traffic. Don't forget to wipe down items that also get heavy use, such as the refrigerator door handles, game controllers, and remotes!

If there is ever a bad flu outbreak (look how quickly it can spread through schools!), hopefully following these tips will help keep the yucky germs and viruses away from your home.

For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.

I Need This In My Stocking!

I admit it, I have a thing for the Pillsbury Doughboy. Now, he totally doesn't match my red and black kitchen, but when I come across goodies in the store with him, his cuteness almost always come home with me. (Not to mention, Pillsbury items in my shopping cart as evidenced by half the recipes I post here!)

Check out this counter coupon holder that I just found! Perfect to hang out for the coupons I clip from packages. ;)

Nothing More Wonderful During The Fall...

than the smell of your own applesauce cooking throughout the whole house! It's better than any air freshner, that's for sure! ;)

Now if I could just get this dratted fire to stay going...


(It's a different recipe than I usually use, so I'll wait to post it until I know it's a two thumbs up worthy recipe!)

Free Del Monte No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes!

Del Monte is giving away a free can of their new No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes to the first 50,000 who sign in (or create) to their Del Monte account. Hurry!

If you miss out on it, don't worry, you will still be offered a coupon for 50 cents off your next purchase (which if your store will double it, it will be free or close to it!) And if you don't usually purchase canned tomatoes, think about signing up for it and donating it to your local food pantry.

Printable Barilla Sauce Coupon!

Barilla Pasta Sauce has a coupon you can print to save 75 cents off your next purchase of any Barilla Pasta Sauce. (It's a Bricks coupon for those of you having trouble with the SmartSource ones)

It's available in ten different flavors! Need a new recipe to try with your purchase of Barilla? How about Baked Ziti with Italian Baking Sauce?

Menu Planning Monday

I think DH has a normal schedule this week so I shouldn't have too much problem sticking to the menu. I am torn between take out for Tuesday and cleaning out some space in the freezer for Thanksgiving leftovers next week!

Monday: pasta & garlic bread

Tuesday: up in the air - possibly take out or frozen leftovers

Wednesday: orange chicken & rice

Thursday: Breakfast for dinner - waffles, eggs & bacon

Friday: BBQ chicken bake

Saturday: All In One Pork Chop Bake

Sunday: Thrifty Mommy's Best Roast ever


Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

Recipe: Cheesy Rice 'N Tomatoes

If you're a couponer, you've probably got most of this stuff on hand (yes, you with all the Muir Glen tomatoes! lol) The original recipe calls for instant rice, so I put it down there, but I usually make regular rice in my rice cooker using the broth and mix things together, skipping the boiling part (2lb bag of rice at Dollar Tree for just $1!) You can also substiture brown rice if you desire. This is a great side dish for Thanksgiving!

3 tablespoons Italian salad dressing
3 cups instant white rice, uncooked
1 can chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
1/3rd package of cream cheese
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
fresh or dried parsley, added as a garnish as you desire

Heat Italian dressing in small saucepan on medium heat. Stir in rice, broth and tomatoes, while bringing to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Next, add in cheeses and stir until blended. Remove from heat and garnish with parsley as desired. Let stand (covered) for 5 minutes before serving.

I Confess...

I hate clutter. I mean absolutely, HATE it.

My DH is a clutter magnent. It drives me INSANE. Seriously, my blood pressure goes through the roof!

There are two types of clutter:

A) baby/kid/other assorted clutter that just can't be helped

B) lazy clutter

When I was sick last Spring, I really had no choice but to let a lot of chores slide... and that answered the question of whether DH would get annoyed with the clutter and start to do things on his own (answer: no)

Any time he's had a day off, I always have to spend the next day putting DVDs back on the shelf, getting all his clothes into the laundry basket (yesterday he wore three different outfits!), picking up empty soda bottles etc (Today it's picking up a trail of Halloween candy wrappers! lol)

I can't blame my MIL, because this is something he's picked up since we've been married. (This is a moment I recognize the good part of living together before you get married - at least you folks know what you are getting into! lol)

I love my DH dearly, but geeeeez! I wish the clutter fairy would come visit for me! ;)

Fred Meyer Deals 11/16 - 11/22

The big deal of the week at Fred Meyer is: Purchase $150, receive a 10-20 lb Private Selection Turkey free! You must have the in ad coupon in order to receive this deal. As of this moment, I am not sure if it is before or after other manufacturer's coupons. I would suggest if you will be using any other coupons, to hand over the turkey one first.

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Fresh Express salad kits or blends, BOGOF ($0.75 MC)
*Ricola Cough Drops 10/$10 (Save $1 off 2 MC)
*Campbell's Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken Soup 3/$2 ($0.40 off 2 MC)
*Pillsbury frozen biscuits or rolls $1.99
*Marie Callender's pies 2/$9
*Dole Pineapple or Fruit 10/$10
*Daisy Sour cream 16 oz 2/$3
*Nestle Refrigerated cookies 2/$5
*Cool Whip topping tubs $0.99
*Nabisco Snack Crackers $1.99 ($0.75 off Wheat Thins Fiber Select here)
*Lay's Chips 2/$5
*Coke 12 pk or Dasani 12pk 2/$10
*Country Oven or VitaBee bread 3/$5
*Kroger bag candy $0.99
*Ghirardelli chocolate bars 2/$3 ($0.75 off 2 MC)
*Aussie Hair Care $2.69
*L'Oreal Excellence Hair Care $5.99 after in store manufacturer's coupon
*Dial Body Wash, Liquid Refill, or 8 pk Bar Soap 2/$7
*Sonicare Healthy White Power Toothbrush $99.99
*Kroger Undergarments $8.99
*Nature's Bounty vitamins BOGOF ($1 MC)
*Osteo Bi-Flex vitamins BOGOF ($5 off MC)
*Large Navel Oranges $0.68 lb
*Fresh Cranberries 12 oz 2/$4
*Large Avocados 2/$3
*Jumbo Pomegranates 2/$5
*Parsnips, turnips, carrots or rutabagas $0.59 lb
*Organic Celery $0.79 lb
*Organic Fuji or Gala Apples $1.48
*Organic Prairie Frozen Turkeys $2.99 lb
*Imagine Foods Organic Broth 32 oz 2/$4
*Knudsen Sparkling Juice 2/$5
*Frito-Lay Natural Chips 2/$7
*Javatopia Organic Coffee $7.99 lb
*Naturally Preferred Cage Free Eggs $2.39
*Stove Top Stuffing or Heinz Gravy $10/$10
*FM Cranberry Sauce 16 oz 3/$2
*French's French Fried Onions 2/$6 ($0.50 off MC)
*FM Yams 29 oz 2/$3
*FM Cups, Plates or Napkins 3/$5
*FM Aluminum Foil or Plastic Wrap 2/$4
*Foster Farms Coastal Range Organic Turkey $2.99 lb
*Whetstone Valley Goose $4.99 lb
*Maple Leaf Whole Duck $2.49 lb
*Tyson Game Hens 2/$5
*Private Selection Frozen Turkey Breast $1.99 lb
*Butterball Frozen Turkey $1.29 lb w/in ad coupon
*Pork Loin Assorted Chops $1.99 lb
*Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.99 (sold in 4 lb bag)
*Fresh Extra Lean Ground Beef $3.49 lb
*USDA Choice Beef Bottom Round Roast $3.49 lb
*Beef Loin Petite Sirloin Steak $3.99 lb
*USDA Choice Beef Loin Petite Sirloin Steak $4.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Steak Fillet $7.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Colossal Red King Crab Legs $11.99 lb
*Wild All-Natural Bay Scallops $2.99 lb
*Rotisserie Chickens $6.99 each
*Artisan Breads 2/$7 (bakery)
*Jennie-O Turkey or Fletcher's ham $4.99 lb
*Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk 2/$5
*FM Butter or XL Eggs 3/$5 w/in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Folgers Coffee $5.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) ($0.25 off MC)
*Tillamook Ice Cream 2/$6 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*FM Vegetables or Broth 3/$1 w/ in ad coupon (limit 9)
*Hormel Black Label Bacon 2/$5 w/in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Johnsonville Ground Italian Pork Sausage 2/$6 w/in ad coupon (limit 6)
*Hershey's holiday Packaged Candy $1.88 w/in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Tums $2.99 w/in ad coupon (limit 4) ($0.75 off 2 MC)
*Listerine $3.99 w/in ad coupon (limit 4)

All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price!

Don't forget to use your reward coupons - they expire next month! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Printable Progresso Soup Coupons!

Take the Progresso challenge, and decide for yourself whether Progresso is better than any other brand. Visit the site to print a coupon for $1 off 2 cans, and $2 off 4 cans!

(Pssst... Safeway has a sale this Saturday and Sunday only - Progresso soup is just 97 cents each, limit 8! Stack these coupons with the sale for a couple of cans of free soup if you buy 8! And the total before coupons counts towards your $25 purchase needed for sale turkey prices!)

Thrifty Thursday - Turkey Time!

This week's Thrifty Thursday post is about turkey!

Tis the season for turkey, as we all know. As soon as you get all the grocery store ads for the week, you will want to sit down and look through each store that is in your general driving distance, and look for the best deals. For instance, this week Safeway has a turkey for 27 cents a pound if you also purchase $25 (before coupons!)

If you have a deep freezer, or room in your freezer, and you usually serve turkey around Christmas, you should take advantage of the sale pricing now - turkey will be cheapest this time of year. If you wait, you'll be paying twice as much in December.

If there are any leftover turkeys at your store, they'll be marking them down usually the day after Thanksgiving. But get there early - by noon they will probably be gone!

What do you do with all that leftover turkey? Lots of great stuff! You can run the meat through a food processor and freeze it for use in casseroles and soups. Cooked turkey that you have frozen can be kept in your freezer for two to six months if it is stored properly - that's plenty of time to recover from Thanksgiving day turkey overload! ;)

If you keep an extra frozen turkey in your freezer, turkeys can be stored for a year! So you could even have turkey at a great price for Easter if you desire, and have the room in your freezer.

There's some great leftover turkey recipes you can try this year. How about some Turkey Shepherd's Pie? Or Turkey Enchiladas?

Now You're Talking...

In a fit of boredom last night (OK, I admit it - sheer claustrophobia caused by this awful rain!), DH took us out. We hit up WalMart, since it's one of the few things open past 9 pm here. Actually, I didn't even know they were open until 11 - I thought they closed at 10.

Much to my delight, they had most of their leftover Halloween marked down to - 10 CENTS! We I was like a kid in a candy store! Halloween napkins! Decorations! Trick or Treat favors! They even had costume stuff at a quarter (the dress up box benefited from that one!) I walked out of there with 4 stuffed bags for $7.71 - and the most expensive item was 50 cents.

I'm sure anyone who walked past that aisle and the clerk ringing us up thought we were nuts, but I enjoyed myself! ;)

Free Sample Of Nutrasweet!

Sign up for a free sample pack of Nutrasweet featuring three different kinds/flavors!

Even if this is a product you don't normally use day to day, it's great little sample to have on hand for any guests who might stop by and do use it in their drinks!

More Printable Arm & Hammer Coupons!

Arm & Hammer wants to remind you that changing your baking soda in the fridge every 30 days helps keep food fresh - especially with the holiday leftovers! To help you out, they are offering a printable coupon for $1 off your next purchase of two Arm & Hammer Baking Soda products. Even better, when you purchase Arm & Hammer products right now, you are helping to feed America's Hungry this holiday season. Each purchase helps fund a $50,000 donation to Feeding America™ and every dollar of this donation helps them deliver 20 pounds of fresh food to those in need.

Wheat Thins Fiber Select Printable Coupon

Kraft has a printable coupon out for their NEW Wheat Thins Fiber Select crackers! You can save 75 cents by printing it and redeeming it at your favorite grocery store. (This is a Bricks coupon, for those who also have problems with the SmartSource site)

If you get a chance to try them, let me know how you like them! They sound great for upcoming holiday appetizers.

Horizon Organic Butter Printable Coupon

Horizon Organic is offering a printable coupon for $1 off your next purchase of organic butter from their company. Just enter your name and email address, and you'll be able to print it!

There's also a link to print a coupon for their Milk Plus DHA Omega-3!

Nintendo Wii Giveaway At Noobie

Noobie is a technology company that specializes in teaching beginners how to use their technology gadgets, like Ipods, digital cameras, etc. To help promote their company, they are giving away a Nintendo Wii!

This is a great idea with upcoming Holiday gifts, especially when gifting to older folks. If you decide to enter the contest, good luck! :)

The 2009 Toyota Venza

Be still my heart! I received this email this morning and I actually swooned reading about it. And for me to swoon, tells you something, because I don't even drive! LOL!

The 2009 Toyota Venza is going to come with lots of options for dog owners!

The new Toyota VENZA has a line of canine-friendly products sure to generate a howl of approval from even the most finicky of dogs. They are designed to help increase the comfort and safety of your furry companion and will be available through Toyota Associated Pet Products.

Dogs and even cats can look forward to more than a dozen VENZA-compatible creature comforts, the most ever available through Toyota dealers. Some of the available products include a rear-hatch pet ramp for easy loading and unloading, a leash tether for securing pets in the vehicle, a pet booster seat with harness, a first/second-row or cargo-area pet barrier, pet seatbelt buckles and rear-seat zip-line-style harnesses.

They'll be releasing more about the pet products with the launch of the Venza at the end of the year. My household will be waiting impatiently, since we take the Pudgy Princess with us most of the time, and it looks big enough to accommodate everything else we seem to drag around with us! If it gets good mileage (please let there be a hybrid!), we just may have to go test drive this one. Our car is a '94 so we're going to be due for a new (or new to us) car eventually.

Preparedness Tuesday - Safe Spots

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

This week I am talking about having plans in place if certain events happen. This is something we realized the other day that we haven't done anything on. On top of making plans for yourself if you are at work or home, also remember to keep in mind the location of your kids or any other family members if an event could happen.

For instance, if there is a fire in your house, where will everyone in your family meet once you get outside? We're going to be using the neighbors tree across the street as our meeting point.

If there's an earthquake while your spouse is at work or the kids in school, do you have a place to meet? Write down on a slip of paper instructions to carry in their backpack, especially for younger children. You may even want to laminate it, in case something spills in their backpack.

Don't forget to try to place your pets in your plans! (I suggest keeping up to date vet records taped to any crates you plan to use in this case, as any emergency shelter will not take a pet without current records)

If you have school age kids who are home before you are from work, do they know where to find shelter in case of a tornado? What do they do if it happens while you are gone - do you want them to stay in the shelter until you come home, or get out of the house and find a safe spot?

If there's an explosion at a plant in the area and no one can get home, where will you meet? Can you find each other, in a sea of faces, if others are choosing the same location? (Remind any young children in this case, to be wary of strangers!)

You'll want to practice "drills" here and there if you can. Test windows to see if they open in case of fire. Time how long it takes your family to get out of the house. Or run a practice route out of the neighborhood to your preferred meeting area.

For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.

I Think I Have Found...

something worse than cleaning a dirty toilet.

Know what it is?

Trying to find a cheaper car insurance policy! I know they say you should shop around every few years to look for a better deal, but for how many people is it really worth it? All it did was annoy me - and no, we didn't find a policy with the same amount of coverage for any cheaper. Argh - there's a half hour-hour of my life I will never get back!

(Speaking of car insurance, does that silly little lizard annoy the living daylights out of anyone else??)

Menu Planning Monday

Nothing special this week, I'm working around DH's schedule where he won't be home on time a lot, so things need to be cooked in the time it takes him to get home. Hopefully next week his schedule will be more normal!

Monday: nachos & quesadillas

Tuesday: spagetti & meatballs with garlic bread

Wednesday: steak, mashed potatoes, green beans

Thursday: chicken & rice a roni

Friday: grilled cheese & tomato soup

Saturday: salmon & steamed veggies with rice

Sunday: meatloaf & grilled potatoes

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

What On Earth Is Going On?

I can't decide whether there's just something in the air, or what!

Yesterday, we went out for brunch as a treat. (we're not talking cheap here, either) We were there just when the place opened, and they stuck us clear back in a hidden corner. No one else was there. No, I'm not kidding. So after looking at my DH in shock for a few minutes and us whispering whether they were trying to hide us from their other customers (It wouldn't be the first time for us), I spoke up. We finally ended up with a different table, but I think we would have been better off just leaving, as the food was terrible. So much for a nice treat!

Now today, my mother decided it was Girls Day Out for just us girls, so we loaded up all the needed stuff into her car and went thrift shopping. At one of the small charity ones, I picked up a couple of books for the munchkin, and I found a CD for DH, and a record as a gift for a friend. Both the CD and the record were clearly marked 10 cents. I've bought stuff that cheap there before, it's the norm. At the counter was a clerk I had never seen in there before. She started ringing up my stuff and tried to tell me the CD and record weren't that price - that the 10 part was the month they arrived in (since when? so the stuff I bought back in September with the 10 cents tag came in October too?) Next, she started charging me 75 cents for books that were 25 cents. At that point I had ENOUGH. I said look, you're changing all the prices on me as I get up to the counter, what gives? Are you doing this on everything people are trying to buy today? I ended up walking out the door.

I mean, honestly, what is going on? Now that I think of it, it's been happening a lot lately. I've been overcharged on a lot of things the last few weeks too and have had to go back and get a refund. (maybe I should just take it as a sign and stick to shopping online, lol)

Is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

(On the bright side, I did score a breadmaker at Goodwill for a whopping $1.29. It looks brand new! And an adorable pair of black Old Navy boots for the munchkin that should fit next winter for $2.99.)

Recipe: White Chocolate Fudge

A holiday recipe to make you drool as you read it ;) :


2 packages (of about 6 squares each) white chocolate (Baker's is a good brand)
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries (I use Craisins)
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan and set aside. The easiest way to do this next part is to microwave the chocolate and milk in large bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted (make sure the bowl is microwave safe!) and then stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Add in the almonds, cranberries and orange peel, and then stir again until well blended. Next, spread the chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.

To finish, lift fudge from pan, using foil handles. Cut into roughly 48 pieces. You can store these in a tightly covered container in your refrigerator up to 3 weeks. (It's great to have on hand for unexpected company this time of year, or it makes a great homemade Christmas present!)

Free Costco Kirkland Brand Diaper Sample!

Costco is giving out samples of their Kirkland Signature diapers, and you don't have to be a member to receive it. Simply click on the Free Sample button, and fill out your information to receive a sample of their diapers in 4-6 weeks. You can choose between sizes 1/2 on up to size 6! (This is great to add into your Baby Bag kit I talked about in the Preparedness Tuesday post here to keep it low cost!)

Fred Meyer Deals 11/9 - 11/15

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*USDA Select Beef Loin T-Bone Steak (family pack) $4.99 lb
*USDA Choice Beef Flat Iron Steak $4.99 lb
*Broccoli crowns or Cauliflower $0.68 lb
*Suave Shampoo $0.79 ($1.50 off 2 MC)
*FM Deluxe Ice Cream 4/$10
*FM Dry Dog Food 40lbs $11.99
*FM Cranberry, Grapefruit Cocktails, Apple Juice 64 oz 3/$5
*FM Saltines $0.97
*Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk 2/$5
*FM Yogurt 10/$4
*Doritos 2/$5
*Quaker Chewy Granola Bars 5/$10 ($1 off 2 MC)
*Pepsi products 12pk 2/$9
*Smuckers Jam or Preserves 2/$5 ($0.35 MC)
*Skippy Peanut Butter 2/$5 ($0.35 MC, $1 off 2 Skippy Naturals MC)
*Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 3/$5 ($0.35 MC, $0.35 printable here
*Sara Lee Bread 2/$5
*Pantene Hair Care 3/$10
*Clairol Natural Instincts Hair Color $6.99
*L'Oreal assorted products BOGOF
*Always or Tampax $6.99 ($1 MC)
*Old Spice or Ivory Body Wash 3/$10
*Tylenol 100 ct $5.99 ($1 MC)
*Ricola cough drops 10/$10 ($0.55 MC)
*Colgate Toothpaste or Plus Toothbrushes 10/$10
*USDA Choice Beef Chuck Pot Roast $3.49 lb
*Boneless Pork Loin Top Loin Chops $3.99 (family pack)
*Fresh Lean Ground Beef $2.79 lb
*Fresh Boneless Skinless Fryer Breasts $2.99 lb (family pack of 4lbs or more)
*Wild Alaskan Whole Sockeye Salmon $3.99 lb
*Medium Cooked or Raw Shrimp $4.99 lb
*Wild Colossal Mexican White Prawns or Florida Pink Prawns $9.99
*Hormel Cure 81 Boneless Ham $2.99 lb (deli)
*Fresh made Deli Salads $5.99 lb (deli)
*Texas Red Grapefruit 3/$1
*Honeycrisp Apples $1.98 lb
*Private Selection Organic Packaged Vegetables 2/$4
*Organic Bartlett Pears $1.48 lb
*Large Hothouse Tomatoes $1.48 lb
*Mayan Sweet Onions $0.98 lb
*Traditional Medicinal Teas $3.99
*Nature's Way Vitamins Save 30%
*Kettle Packaged Cashews or Deluxe Mixed Nuts 1.25 lb $7.49
*Westsoy Non-Dairy Beverages 3/$5
*Nature's Path EnviroKids Cereal or Bars 2/$6
*Health Valley Cookies or Bars 2/$6
*Imagine Rice or Soy Dream 64 oz 2/$6
*Nancy's Yogurt 2/$4
*Dove Ice Cream 2/$4
*Tony's pizza 5/$10
*Banquet frozen meals 10/$10
*Active Lifestyle Orange Juice (frozen) 4/$5
*Bertolli dinners $6.99
*FM Frozen Vegetables 10/$10
*Bandon 2lb Medium Cheddar brick $4.49 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2)
*Big K soda 12pk 6/$10 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
*FM Canned Tomatoes or Variety Beans 5/$2 w/ in ad coupon (limit 10)
*Tide 2X Liquid Laundry Detergent $5.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) ($0.50 MC)
*Cottonelle 12pk double rolls Bath Tissue or wipes $5.49 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4) ($0.25 MC on bath tissue, $0.50 on wipes)
*Carl Budding Deli Meats 2/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Hillshire Farm Rope Style Smoked Sausage 2/$4 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Holiday M&M/mars candy $1.88 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)

All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price! Halloween clearance is 75% off.

Rewards coupons should start to arrive this week!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Halloween Clearance

Are you like me and still hankering for more Halloween clearance?

WalMart still has Halloween at 75% off. I saw lots of clothes (including adult size) at the local one, plenty of costumes and some decorations.

Fred Meyer still has some at 75%. YMMV per store, but ours still had a good selection of housewares (I scored ceramic spider sushi plates for $4.99!) and a rack of costumes.

If your local Target still has anything left, they should be 90% off through the end of the day. Target's usually goes the fastest because hey, 90% off is a killer deal.

And so the countdown to next Halloween begins...

I Confess...

I broke down.

The lure of half gallon milk for $1 and a dozen eggs for $1.50 lured me back in.

Yes, I went back to Fred Meyer's. (if you don't know what I am talking about, this post explains why)

I made sure the nasty clerk was not working the self checkout lane before I went through (I actually even scoped out to make sure she wasn't anywhere near) and I had no problems with my small stack of coupons.

I missed you Fred's. I really did. But one more incident, and this time I won't come back. Understood?

BTW, the FM brand soups, including Tomato, Chicken Noodle, and Cream of Mushroom are all still hidden priced at 50 cents a can. The Tomato and Chicken Noodle isn't a killer deal, as Campbell's is often that price this time of year and you can use a coupon, but the Cream of Mushroom is a pretty good deal. You might want to go snatch a few to keep in your pantry.

Winner Of The Chex Mix Pampering Basket

The winner of the oh so divine pampering basket with Turtle Chex mix bars is....

#8 Chelle, who's extra entry for subscribing to my blog is what random.org picked!

Congrats Chelle! Please get back to me by Monday night at midnight.

To everyone else, thank you for stopping by Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife, and look for another giveaway coming up, in the blink of an eye! ;)

Great Deal At Coleman's!

I just received this email in my inbox and I wanted to share it with you. Coleman's has a great Hurricane Preparedness Kit on sale at the moment for $9.99 plus shipping. The items in the kit would be great for a Tornado Preparedness kit as well, or really any bad weather situation. It's all essential prepardness items.

Take a peak on the site, there's some great stuff on sale to make great gifts if you camp or do other outdoor activity. Plus, you can get free shipping on your purchase of $50 or more with the code: 8HGFS11

Free 8x10 At Walgreens

I think this is all over the blogosphere by now, but just in case you missed it, Walgreens has a promo for a free 8X10 print of your choice (plus tax). Just upload the photo you'd like to have printed, and pick it up the next day at the closest Walgreens location to you. Use code FREEPIC at checkout, but hurry - it's only valid through tomorrow!

This is a great present idea, especially for grandparents. Or perhaps you have a Halloween photo you'd like to have printed up, or your pet doing a silly trick. It's a great promo to take advantage of!

Friday's Featured Etsy: Simply Happy Designs

Welcome to my first Friday's Featured post, in which I showcase Etsy stores and small businesses from folks like you and me. Recession, smession! ;)

Simply Happy Designs is a great little Etsy shop specializing in digital designs. She has different designs for you to choose from, and she will work with you to create a final proof that says YOU. One of the best things about Simply Happy Designs is that you don't have to wait for your purchase to arrive in the mail - once the design is finished to your liking, you'll receive a full quality file for you to print at your own leisure.

One of my favorite designs Cathy has featured at the moment is the Totally Square Christmas Photo Card. You can change the wording to whatever you'd like, and you can even change the main colors to match your family's photo!


Anyone with pre-teen girls probably has been subjected to the High School Musical craze- there's even a design you can have customized for your own viewing party! How neat would that be to have to announce a viewing party to your kids friends when the movie is released on DVD in a few months!


Stop by Simply Happy Designs today and have a look around, or stop by her blog!

The Tornado Of Terror

No, not a natural disaster... a man made one! And no, I'm not talking about a two year old tornado terror - though, it looks like a two year old tore through my house.

It was my DH! He was on the hunt for a necklace of his that apparently, was too much work to put back into one of his designated spots the last time he wore it (Mind you, I have a basket for him on the counter in the kitchen, one by the front door, one in the bathroom, and one in the bedroom.) He dug through EVERYTHING. I now have an extra load of laundry because he mixed dirty in with the clean stuff I had folded (he actually threw it all on the floor - grrr!) A pile of totes that hold off season and bigger baby clothes got moved out of place, and he threw things around in the bathroom - I found a toothbrush in with my first load of laundry? WT?

And my kitchen counter? I think it exists somewhere under the pile of the stuff that he left on it. And even better - his brand new electric razor that I bought him and gave as his early Christmas present and I paid way more than I ever thought I would for something like that, he managed to drop one of the blades down the bathroom sink! I now have to wait until Monday for a family member to visit and help us take apart the sink so we can try to save the blade! (I am feverishly hoping it didn't go into the septic tank but just got caught in the drain!)

I would take a photo of some of the ransacking to show you, but I am actually too embarrassed - it's that bad! (it would be funny if it was a two year old terror, not when it's a grown man!)

And no, he didn't find the necklace he was looking for. (go figure!)

Anyone else ever have their DH do insane things like this? I would be drinking right now if I could!

I Confess...

I am really sick to death of political and election talk. I actually have barely read any blogs the last few days to avoid coming across it. :(

Please don't take that as I have my head in the sand and am ignoring things, because I don't. And no one needs to get offended and think I am singling them out, because I'm not. Really. I'm just tired of hearing the same old thoughts over... and over...

Politics and religion: to each his own. Standing on the corner, waving a sign with a name on it, isn't going to make me vote for your candidate. On Tuesday, I would have rather watched folks stand on the corner waving that beautiful American flag of ours - because no matter who you vote for, the United States of America is a wonderful place that many brave men and women have died to allow us to have the freedom to vote.

(Is it safe to read the usually non-policital blogosphere again?)

WalMart Cutting Prices For The Holidays

The big WalMart shoppers must be rubbing their hands in glee!

I am curious to see what ends up on sale and how they drop their prices, since they are saying items will be slashed every week. I am personally happy to see that they are including essential holiday food items in their list as well instead of just gift items - that should help out some folks that mainly shop at WM.

Preparedness Tuesday: Baby Bags

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

This week we are going to talk about being prepared with babies and toddlers. Many of us receive more than one diaper bag as a gift. Instead of returning one, or hiding it in the closet to be forgotten until your little one is 3, prepare both of them.

Pick your favorite one as your "every day" bag. Have the usual things you need it in for day to day trips, such as diapers, wipes, a change of clothes (and everything but the kitchen sink if you are me! lol)

Your second bag, you'll want to keep stored in the car at all times, only taking it out if you've forgotten your diaper bag (in which case you'll want to replace whatever you've used) or you are changing out sizes/seasons. This will be the bag that goes with you if you are evacuated for hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Some folks may say, but I don't live in that kind of area that gets that kind of weather? Wait, don't dismiss that yet - do you leave near any kind of plant that could have a fire? Or near a major highway that could have a hazardous spill? Then you really should have an extra bag ready to go. The last thing you want to worry about is whether you'll have enough diapers, etc.

For your extra bag, even if you are a diehard cloth diaper user, I recommend having several disposables available. You never know if you might not have enough water for several days to rinse cloth diapers out before putting them away to be washed. And if nothing else, it's always nice to have a spare that you can share with someone else in a similar situation.

Good things to have in your spare bag:
*blanket
*extra changes of clothes, including a sweater or light jacket (even in the heat of summer, AC in some places can be freezing!)
*diapers or training pants, in the size you are in now and the next up
*sippie cups and/or bottles
*formula samples if you use formula
*age appropriate toys
*a copy of your little one's current vaccination lists and/or medical history
*a picture that can be used for ID and a copy of the birth certificate

You'll want to check up on the extra bag every time you hit a change of scenery or a growth spurt - I'm sure you don't want to be carrying around newborn size once you've hit 12 months size! ;) I don't recommend carrying snacks or liquid formula in this bag, since items could be frozen or baked depending on the weather. Hoping you'll have some of these items or access to them in your other bag if needed.

For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.

Recipe: BBQ Chicken Bake

2/3 cup biscuit mix
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (about an 8 oz packet)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Heat oven to 400°F, and spray a 9-inch pie pan or 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. In small bowl, stir together biscuit mix, water and egg. Spread in bottom of pan then sprinkle with 1 1/4 cups of the cheese. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil, stirring occasionally, until lightly done (make the chicken white or lightly browned at the most) Stir in barbecue sauce and heat just until BBQ is hot. Spoon over the batter in pan to within 1/2 inch of edge. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes or until edge is dark golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Place in the oven and bake 1 to 3 minutes longer so the cheese melts.

You can quicken this up by pulling out a can of Pillsbury Grands (or similar brand) biscuits. Roll out the biscuits (or simply place side by side in a baking dish) and add the chicken mixture. It takes about 20 minutes to cook, just the same as the biscuit mix.

It should serve 6. (unless your DH or teenagers eat like my DH, in which case, all bets are off LOL)