the cracked pot

My Grocery Trip

2013-01-12T17:14:00.000-05:00

I so enjoyed saving money today while shopping! I went to Bilo and I want to share a few of the deals that I got. With coupons and buying on sale, I saved over $95 dollars! Whoo Hoo!

Bounty Basic paper towels - on sale for .88 limit four. I had four .25 coupons. Bilo doubled these for .50 each and so I paid 1.52 for four!

Bag of baby carrots for .99 (BOGO)

Gallon of milk for $2.99

Del Monte Canned tomatoes - 1.00 per can

Weight Watchers snack cakes on sale for $2. I had a .40 coupon so I paid $1.20

Smart ones BOGO. (printable coupons online - I had save $1 on 3.

Bought two bags of Tostitos scoops (BOGO) then got a 24 oz. jar of salsa for 1.99 which had a coupon that gave it to me free after buying the chips!

This are just a few examples. Many of the coupons I printed on - line. I planned this by scouring the sales paper and using Southern Savers. (www.southernsavers.com)

My next trip was to the Dollar General. I had my coupon to save $5 on $25. I got some Flintstone Vitamins for $4.50 and some Finish Dishwashing gel pacs for $2.85 (25 in box). I always purchase our Sunny - D from there for a $1 a jug. Then I used my $5 coupon on my total purchase.

It was a great day! Looking forward to getting my newspaper tomorrow.

2012-03-04T21:24:00.001-05:00

Outing

2012-01-29T15:25:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I decided we should get out and do something. We headed to a children's museum/activity center.

Projects delayed for a fun day!

2012-01-22T18:26:00.000-05:00

The last two weeks have been extremely busy! I haven't had much time to work on any of my projects. I joined Weight Watchers and so far have lost 4 pounds. I weigh again tomorrow and I am afraid of the numbers. I am a stress eater and well last week was stressful.

I did continue my work on my bathroom this weekend. I tackled the cabinets in the bathroom.

WHAT A MESS! The next cabinet is where I store my coupon purchases.

I decided to switch them around. My husband was so nice and added another shelf in the top cabinet. Here are the results.

I removed a lot of washclothes and towels that now will have a second life as cleaning rags. Much better!

Hope you have a great week. Coming next: under the sinks!

Lori

The make-up drawer

2012-01-03T19:16:00.001-05:00

Today my project is the make-up drawer. So you know what should really go, here is a link that covers the shelf life of cosmetics. http://makeup.about.com/od/facefundamentals/qt/TossMakeup.htm

Here is a link on cleaning your brushes (do when you have plenty of time for them to dry)
http://www.sassybella.com/2011/03/how-to-clean-your-makeup-brushes/

I took everything out of the drawer and cleaned each bin. I then tossed what was either old or no longer wanted. I placed the most frequently used items up front.

Only took about 20 minutes and this drawer is looking good!

Before

After

Getting organized little by little

2012-01-02T18:57:00.001-05:00

I am reading The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman. One thing that she says, that I already knew, but am now trying to live by is "don't put it down, put it away". This is one of my huge problems! I want to get my house in order so I have more time for my family and for fun! I don't have a lot of free time, so I will be tackling small projects. Today was the bathroom counter. I know that clear counters look so awesome, but I know that it is not going to happen with me. I like my most used items handy.

I removed everything and gave the counter, mirror, and sinks a good cleaning.

I then went through everything to decide what could stay. I bought some baskets and added ribbon to pretty them up a bit.

I felt so good after finishing this project. One drawer, one counter at a time!

Wipes Deal

2011-12-30T18:44:00.001-05:00

From the krazy coupon lady:
Amazon has an 8 pack of 72 ct Huggies Natural Care Wipes on sale for $15.76. If you select the Subscribe and Save option, this price is reduced to $12.61. When you choose the Subscribe and Save option, it also gives you Free Shipping. This makes each pack of Wipes only $1.58, Shipped!!!

Subscribe and Save gets you a 15% discount on your order when you subscribe to periodically receive shipments of a specific item. You can choose how often you get a delivery, and you can cancel your subscriptions at any time.

Thanks, For the Mommas

Happy shopping- sign up for Amazon mom too.

Almost

2011-11-27T16:42:00.000-05:00

Well I didn't get things completely decorated before Thanksgiving, but I was close. I cant believe how fast my few days off went. I included some ornaments that have been on our tree since I was a child. The fruitcake ornament came from my grandma's. She always made fruitcake at Christmas.

Something Different

2011-11-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

I usually wait until Thanksgiving to start decorating for Christmas, but this year I just wanted to start early and be able to just enjoy my days off at Thanksgiving. I am loving deco mesh this year. The tree is not completely finished so here are the beginnings. Still want to add a few more things tomorrow .

2011-11-11T20:27:00.001-05:00

Including the kitchen sink

2011-08-24T22:25:00.000-04:00

God works in the strangest ways. I dropped off items yesterday at a kids' resale and saw a play kitchen that I really wanted for Ava. Many shoppers would have their chance at it before me. A friend said she would grab it for me. I had my plan in place. Before I left work she called and told me that seconds before she reached it someone else had claimed it. I was very disappointed that it was gone. Oh well I thought. Maybe I can get another one. As I am driving to the sale she calls me back. The lady changed her mind. The kitchen was mine! I am so thankful to my friend and to God. I know He was totally involved. He is always looking out for us! It is so wonderful to know he cares about even the small stuff.

Lori

Couponing!

2011-04-14T17:57:00.000-04:00

Stopped by CVS this afternoon. I scanned my card at the coupon machine, and it gave me $8.50 in Extra Bucks! What a nice surprise. I wanted to get the Jergens moisturizer to try because I am so pale. I need some color! They are on sale 2 for $15. I have a $3 coupon, plus the $8.50, and $5 in ECB that I already had. I picked up some batteries, BOGO. I ended up paying $3.33 and got back $5 in ECB. Love it!!! We are getting a new store in May. I am really looking forward to it. I just love getting things for so little money!

Happy Shopping!

Lori

Dedication

2011-03-20T16:58:00.000-04:00

Today was Ava's dedication at church. We are so thankful to God for blessing us with her. She is definitely an answered prayer!

Prayer

Her first Bible.

We pray that God leads us as parents and that He will always be the guiding force in our daughter's life.

Lori

Party!

2011-03-19T19:08:00.000-04:00

Ava went to a friend's first birthday party today. She was so good. Ava loves looking and interacting with people. I think she gets that from her dad. We had a great time.

It was an honor to help SJ celebrate her birthday!

Ava was sitting up so well today!

We are looking forward to celebrating lots more firsts!

Lori

Monday, Monday

2011-02-28T17:45:00.000-05:00

My daughter is recovering from the flu. Today I think is a turning point. She hasn't had fever today and this afternoon was giving out a bunch of smiles!! I was able to get a couple of loads of clothes washed and the dishwasher emptied. That is progress!

I have a question though : what can you do with all the empty baby food jars? I know I can recycle them, but any clever ideas? Post a comment about your favorite re-use. Pics are great too! Thanks.

Lori

Reality Check

2011-02-17T21:31:00.000-05:00

Well, I had some blood work done this week. I found out I have an overactive thyroid, Vitamin D is low, and my triglycerides are high. Overall, nothing earth shattering, but it has really made me think. To be there for the ones I love, I must take care of myself.

Loosing a few pounds wouldn't hurt anything, so I am back on Weight Watchers. I haven't had a soft drink all day and that is a feat for me! I went grocery shopping today (saved fifteen dollars in coupons :) ) and tried to purchase some healthy foods. My goal is to form new healthy habits that I can teach to my daughter.

Ignorance is not really bliss...knowing and being able to do something about it is much better.

To your good health,

Lori

Loves

2011-02-14T19:52:00.000-05:00

Here are some of my loves.

Family and friends - what life is all about

In & Out of Time by Maya Angelou

The sun has come.
The mist has gone.
We see in the distance...
our long way home.
I was always yours to have.
You were always mine.
We have loved each other in and out of time.
When the first stone looked up at the blazing sun
and the first tree struggled up from the forest floor
I had always loved you more.
You freed your braids...
gave your hair to the breeze.
It hummed like a hive of honey bees.
I reached in the mass for the sweet honey comb there....
Mmmm...God how I love your hair.
You saw me bludgeoned by circumstance.
Lost, injured, hurt by chance.
I screamed to the heavens....loudly screamed....
Trying to change our nightmares into dreams...
The sun has come.
The mist has gone.
We see in the distance our long way home.
I was always yours to have.
You were always mine.
We have loved each other in and out
in and out
in and out
of time.

Lori

Finally

2011-02-06T19:29:00.000-05:00

Well I have been wanting to try and make Ava a "pillowcase dress" for quite some time and today I finally got it done. I haven't sewn in years. It definitely isn't perfect, but I am going to keep trying. I have a few adorable patterns I want to try. Here is my first dress:

The arm holes were the most difficult for me. I want to learrn to use bias tape too.

Have a good week!

Lori

Rambling

2011-02-01T21:59:00.000-05:00

Haven't posted in a while. I've been very busy between work and home. My mind is constantly spinning! A lot of us are stressed at work. I will pray that we can get our enthusiasm back! I do have to remind myself that I really don't have any reasons to complain. God has blessed me tremendously! I truly have more reasons to smile than frown. I'm starting to feel better already! Hoping to start a project this weekend. Keep you posted.

Lori

Under the sink

2011-01-14T17:21:00.000-05:00

Well, I haven't been exactly keeping up with the organization challenge. Lucky for me, some areas haven't needed it! I did straighten up under the sink and here's the proof.

At least now I can see what I have. Good luck to those of you trying to organize and de-clutter.

Lori

Cutting Costs

2011-01-10T13:13:00.000-05:00

Using Southern Savers.com, I planned out my CVS trip. I had some extra bucks going in. Here are my two transactions:

1. cottonelle wipes - $2.00 (saved 1.89)
     3 pack kleenex - $3.00 ( saved 1.49)
     2 packs of Huggies - $19.99 each (saved 4.80 each)
     18 pack cottonelle - $10.00 (saved 3.49)
     10 pack Scott papertowels - $10.00 (saved 3.99)

Total - 64.98 (total savings from sale items - 20.46)

Now here comes the good part

- 10.00 CVS Coupon
- 3.00 Huggies Coupon
- 1.00 Scott coupon
- .50 Cottonelle coupon
- 9.50 Extra Bucks
- 9.00 Extra Bucks

= 31.98 paid

Transaction Number 2

All Free and Clear Deteregent - $4.99 (saved 2.50)
Dunkin Donuts Coffee (2) -$5.99 Each (saved 2.80 each)
Herbal Essences Shampoo - $2.99 ( saved 1.30)
Clairol Root Touch Up - $5.99 (saved 1.40)

Total - $25.95 ( total savings from sale - 10.80)

Extra Bucks from Transaction 1 - 13.00
Dunkin Donuts coupon - 2.00
Herbal Essences coupon - 1.00

Total paid - 9.95

Total savings of 82.88!!!

I love saving money!

Organizing Challenge

2011-01-04T21:41:00.000-05:00

Well I have started the organizing challenge from a bowl full of lemons. Day one was your junk drawer. I just by chance cleaned the junk drawer before Christmas. Day two was clean just the surface of your desk. I have two desks and I must admit I chose the lesser of the two evils.

Before:

After:

Now can I keep it that clean? Well I am sure going to try!

Today's challenge was the Tupperware cabinet. I have always tried to keep these containers to a minimum so I was good. Which was helpful because I just did day two today! Oh well, I think any effort to remove clutter is positive.

Good luck to all my fellow "clutter bugs"!

Lori

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T21:24:00.000-05:00

Well it is the beginning of a new year. I like to think it is a time you can just wipe the slate clean and start over. I have a lot of goals for the future. Some out of necessity, like getting myself organized. We will see how it goes. Last year will be a year I will always remember. It was the year God blessed us with Ava. Our lives will never be the same. I pray in 2011 I follow His will and walk closer to Him while being the best mother, wife, daughter, and friend that I can be.

Best wishes! Lori

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T21:55:00.008-05:00

I have never had so much to be thankful for! First I am thankful for God's grace and salvation. I am thankful that He gave me to loving parents that support me and taught me morals and values. I have a great brother and sister-n-law that are always there for help and support. Michael, sorry for the times I got you in trouble when you were totally innocent! :) I am thankful for my "Bop" and for my grandmother that is no longer here with us. They have taught me so much.

I am thankful for my wonderful husband. He takes such good care of me. I have wonderful friends that I frequently get in and out of trouble with! We stick together through thick and thin. They make going to work so much more pleasant. I am extremely grateful for Ava. She is such a joy. It was very hard for me to imagine my life without having been a mother. Just a little over a year ago, I found out I was pregnant. It was such a shock! We had almost given up, but God had His plan for our lives. We just had to be patient.

God has placed such wonderful friends and family in my life. I hope that I can be as much of a blessing to them as they are to me.

Something I learned today: this is the proclamation George Washington made declaring the first Thanksgiving. I think our nation would be such a better place if we still held these values. Food for thought!

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

Happy Thanksgiving, Lori

Trunk or Treat

2010-10-30T19:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday afternoon we took Ava to her first Halloween event, the Trunk or Treat where I work. She looked so adorable in her costume! She was so good. She was just looking at all the children.

Everyone did a great job on the trunks!

The Hillbillies

The Witches

We are looking forward to more family outings!

Lori