My Jacuzzi!!

I LOVE to lounge in a large garden tub and read a book.  However, we don't have a garden tub, so the next best thing is a jacuzzi/spa tub.  This week, my dream came true!  Here I am lounging in my jacuzzi, reading a book in MY OWN BACKYARD!!

It is so refreshing and relaxing!  Now, mind you, I DON'T have the heater on at all because it is 110+ degrees here right now and I don't know if I am going to be able to keep the temp down in my jacuzzi, but I am trying:-)  Then, when it cools down, I can crank up the heat and enjoy it, too!

Just thought I would share my wonderful blessing of relaxation!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (June 23 -29, 2010)

Sorry about missing the last two weeks, however the deals weren't so great anyway after Memorial Day sales.  So this week there are some good deals,  you won't want to miss out!

Albertsons

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts  $1.67/lb
Strawberries 4 lb $3.88
Breyer's Ice Cream $1.88 w/in ad coupon
Crystal Geyser Water 24 pk 16.9 oz $1.99 w/in ad coupon
Yoplait Yogurt 4-6 oz. $0.38 w/in ad coupon
Gatorade 32 oz. $0.59 w/in ad coupon
Skippy Peanut Butter 15-16.3 oz. $0.99 w/in ad coupon
Post Cereal $1.47 w/in ad coupon
Freschetta Pizza $3.77 w/in ad coupon
Popsicle Ice Pops 12 ct. $0.88 w/in ad coupon
Cheez-It or Keebler Chips Deluxe Cookies $1.67 w/in ad coupon
Ground Round 5 lbs or more $1.77/lb
Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tune $0.44 w/in ad coupon
Heinz Ketchip 40 oz. $1.27 w/in ad coupon
Fritos or Cheetos 3/$5
Gold Peak Iced Tea $0.99 (green tea is my favorite:-)

Bashas

Split Chicken Breasts $0.77/lb
2 FREE 1/2 gallons of milk when you  buy 4 General Mills Cereals at $1.77 each
Powerade 2/$0.99
Maruchan Ramen 8/$0.99
Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns or Bar S Meat Franks $0.99
Angel Soft Bath Tissue (4 roll) or Brawny Paper Towel (single roll) $0.99

Food City

Peaches 3 lbs/$0.99
Valencia Oranges 4 lbs/$1
Jalapenos 2 lbs/$1
Chicken Leg Quarters $0.39/lb (10 lb bag)

Fry's

Fresh whole frying chicken  $0.49/lb (4)
93% lean ground beef $1.97
Blueberries 6 oz. $0.88
California Sweet Corn 5/$1
Buy 10, Save $3:
Coke 2 liter $0.69
Gatorade 32 oz. $0.49
Totino's Pizza Rolls $0.69
Capri Sun 10 ct. $1.47
Brown N Serve Sausage $0.69
Oscar Mayer Meat Franks $0.88
Breyers Ice Cream $1.77
Bounty 6-8 rolls or Scott 12 roll $5.99
Kraft BBQ Sauce $0.69
General Mills Cereal $1.99
Grands Biscuits $1.19
Country Time Lemonade $0.99

and MUCH more!!

Pro's Ranch Market

Bone-In Sirloin End Pork Chops $0.98/lb

THURSDAY:

Chicken legs or thighs $0.68/lb

FRIDAY:

Bar S Jumbo Franks $0.67

SUNDAY:

Lechera (sweetened condensed milk) $0.99

Safeway

80% lean ground beef $1.79/lb
Cantaloupes $0.88/each
Sweet Yellow Nectarines $0.99/lb
Fresh Express Spinach or Green & Crisp Salad $0.99
Barilla Pasata $0.99
Lucerne Cream Cheese $0.99
Lucerne Butter $1.99/lb w/in ad coupon

SATURDAY/SUNDAY ONLY:

Goldfish Crackers $0.88
Freschetta Pizza $3.99

Sprouts

Red or Green Seedless Grapes $0.69/lb
Asparagus $0.97/lb
Gala Apples $0.88/lb
Yellow Peaches or Nectarines $0.88/lb
Raw Almonds $3.99/lb
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.97/lb

Here are a couple great books that may help you with your endeavor to reduce your grocery spending:

"Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey" is by the Krazy Coupon Lady whose blog I follow daily.

Also, The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half is another great book to assist you in reducing your spending.

And don't forget to check out Bargain Believer's blog to get more detail grocery lists of weekly deals.

And just a note, if you buy any of these books through these links, it helps me out a little, too, since I am now an affiliate for Amazon.com.  Thanks!

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Great OLD Spanish Curriculum Find

I was recently trying to find a good Spanish curriculum to use for  a co-op class that would really help the kids learn to communicate in Spanish in a short period of time.  Both of my kids are fluent in Spanish, but since they have to take 2 years of foreign language, we thought we would take this opportunity to use our fluency to help others.

Well, I was digging around at Amazon.com to see if there was anything that would help me with just that and came across an old book from the 50s entitled Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish.  I read through the description and reviews, deciding I needed to see this book for myself.  After not having any success with finding it at any libraries, I decided to purchase it.  It is very reasonably priced, especially as far as Spanish curriculum goes.

The book arrived yesterday and I have spent a great deal of time looking it over.  I have to say how impressed I am with the method and sequence of how Ms. Madrigal approaches learning to speak, read and write Spanish!  She begins by telling the student that they already know thousands of Spanish words, referring to all the words that are literally the same in both languages, plus those that are recognizable enough to figure out the meaning.  She also starts right out with a Pronunciation Key right at the beginning so that students can begin pronouncing Spanish correctly from day one.

I am very excited to use this curriculum for our co-op classes, and since it such an unknown and quite old book, I thought I would share about it with you just in case you, too, might be looking for something a little different to teach your student Spanish.

Happy Father's Day!

Even though the holiday is just an excuse for card companies to make extra money, I will not pass up the opportunity to honor and cherish the man who has enriched my life, loved me through thick and thin, and been the best dad to our children - Joe! He is the love of my life, my very best friend and has walked with me through over 30 years of my life!

Thanks, Joe, for all that you do for us! Thank you for working at a very boring and thankless job just to provide for us! Thank you for all the little things you do around our house that help to make it a wonderful home for us and our kids! Thank you for being the man of God He is calling you to be and transforming you into through this adventure of living for Him! Thank you for always being there for me, whether to just listen as I vent or to discuss the deep things of God (and everything in between)! Thanks for always supporting me in whatever new thing I come up with to do:-)! Thanks for being the kind of dad who wants to support his kids in whatever they do, and for being willing to take time out of your schedule to always make time for the kids.

I love you immensely and could NOT imagine life without you in it! Thanks for walking this road with me! Happy Father's Day!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (June 2-8, 2010)

Well, the deals look a little slim this week, but there are a few things you might want to pick up.

Albertsons
10/$10 Sale Mix & Match:
1/2 gallon milk
18 ct. eggs
8 oz. chunk cheese
Farmer John Breakfast links
Suddenly Salad
Hefty EveryDay Plates 50 ct.
Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce or Albertson's Pasta
Albertson's Cream Cheese
Simply Potatoes Hash Browns 20 oz.
Calidad Corn Tortillas 30 ct.
Calidad Flour Tortillas 10 ct.
Butterball Thin & Crispy Turkey Bacon 6 oz.
Yoplait Greek Yogurt
Old Orchard Frozen Juice
Ro-Tel
and MUCH, MUCH more!
Write Your Own Coupon:
$2 off any 2 lbs bagged shrimp
$2 off any Johnsonville Sausage
$1 off Classic Cake
$1 off any frozen item
$1 off any cereal item
$1 off a pound of any slicing lunchmeat or cheese
$0.50 off a pound of any fresh deli salad
$0.50 off any shampoo, conditioner or hair care product

Bashas
Sanderson Farms Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts or Tenders $1.67/lb
Strawberries 16 oz. $0.99
1/2 gallon milk $0.88
Dozen eggs $0.88
Classico Pasta Sauce $1.49
Buy 4 boxes Kellogg's Cereal for $10 and get 1/2 gal. milk, sandwich bread and eggs FREE!

Food City
Beef Back Ribs $0.99
Bananas 3 lbs/$0.99
Tomatoes 3 lbs/$0.99

Fry's
Pork Sale 50% off
Kroger Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts 3 lbs bag $4.99
Cantaloupes $1 each
Hot House Grown Tomatoes on the Vine $1/lb
Milk Gallon $1.68

Fresh & Easy
F&E OJ $1.99 64 oz.

Pro's Ranch Market
Potatoes 10 lbs $0.79
Manila Mangos 5/$0.99
Jarritos Sodas 1.5 liter $0.79
Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce $1.99
THURSDAY ONLY:
Marinated Chicken Fajitas $0.98/lb
FRIDAY ONLY:
Romas 4 lbs/$0.99
Cherries $0.79/lb

Safeway
BUY 8, SAVE $4 PROMO:
Hunt's Pasta Sauce or Anthony's Pasta $0.88
2 liter Pepsi products $0.83
Tostitos Tortilla Chips $1.77
and MUCH, MUCH MORE!!
Rancher's Reserve Boneless Beef Round Steak $1.57/lb
Chicken Leg Quarters $0.69/lb
Dole Juice Blends 100% Juice $1.88 w/in ad coupon
Snyder's Flavored Pretzels $1.50

Sprouts
6 oz raspberries or 4.4 oz. blueberries $0.99
Navel Oranges $0.49/lb
Mangos $0.49
Romas $0.69/lb
Bulk Granola $2.49/lb
Peanuts $1.79/lb
Oats 2 lbs/$1
Honey 3 lbs $7.99
Vitamins 25% OFF

Happy Grocery Shopping!