The Sojourner

Final Match of Regular Season

2012-01-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

This is Cody's final wrestling match of the season - and he WON!! He has progressed and grown so much during this wrestling season. He wrestled in 4 weekend tournaments in addition to the regular season matches. He had a winning season and will go to Sectionals next weekend, and then hopefully to State.

I am so very proud of him and how hard he has worked! He has had to work through injuries incurred during football season that have hindered and haunted him throughout the wrestling season, but he has pushed through and been an overcomer. He has shown that he has the potential to be great. He has worked hard and improved immensely. And through it all, he has shown that he is a man of great character.

He's my son and I'm a very proud momma!

Rising Prices....Gas, Groceries and More!

2012-01-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have noticed, if you have bought anything in the last couple months, that prices are on the rise. It has been predicted, but I was sure hoping it wouldn't happen. We live in the most competitive grocery market in the country, so our prices are probably still good compared to other areas, but we live on a very tight budget and I am having to increase the amount we spend on groceries and basic supplies. I am feeling the pinch in our budget. There just aren't as good of sales, not as many good coupons, and even on sale prices are higher than in the past. I am very thankful for the past several years where we have been able to eat really well on a small budget and I know that God will provide all that we have need of, but I am sad that I am having to increase my "buy" price on so many items. That just means that there will be less "extras" all around. Plus, our costs have increased because we have more people living in our home for now. I am hoping that our extra family member will soon be able to contribute some to the household budget by way of a job - that will certainly help!

And gas prices have just jumped from $2.99/gal that I paid a week and a half ago, to $3.23/gal being the lowest that I can find around here! That is a 24 cent jump in just a few days! How come the media is not all over that? Why are people protesting and raising a ruckus about the huge jump in gas prices? I guess we have been lulled into believing that it is inevitable. Well, we are going to have to begin getting creative in ways to decrease our use of gasoline, too. Perhaps bicycling will become necessary -couldn't hurt my personal "bottom line"! LOL My husband already bicycles to work most days, so he is definitely doing his part.

So have you begun to feel the crunch of rising prices? Share your ideas for saving money on groceries and gas. We can all learn from each other and help each other out during this belt-tightening time!

When You Don't Know What Gift to Get

2011-12-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

I have several nieces and nephews of all different ages that I don't know exactly what to get for Christmas or birthdays. Amazon.com has such a wide variety of things, that I have found that a gift card for Amazon.com is the perfect gift! Then they can just go online and select exactly what they want. It is delivered to their door very quickly and so hassle of waiting until mom or dad can run them to the store. You should try it!

Shop Amazon's Gift Cards - Perfect Anytime

Cody's First Wrestling Match of the Season

2011-11-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would share the video of Cody's first Varsity Wrestling Match of the season. This match was an intersquad scrimmage so he wrestled a teammate who weighed at least 10 lbs. more than him. He has improved SO much since a year ago! It should be a great wrestling season and the next match is in a few days.

Preparing for Thanksgiving

2011-11-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is in a few short days! This year has sped by and is almost coming to a close. These last few weeks of the year are filled with holidays and get-togethers...so much fun!

So today I needed to plan out our meal for Thanksgiving so that I can make sure to pick up all the ingredients over the next few days and prepare the desserts ahead of time. Here is our menu:

Turkey (Jennie-O 39 cents/lb - I got 5 this year)
Stuffing (I like Mrs. Cubbison's cubed herbed doctored up a little)
Mashed Potatoes (88 cents/10 lbs at Albertsons)
Sweet Potato Corn Pudding (our family favorite tradition)
Green Bean Casserole (already stocked up except for fried onion rings)
Gravy
Cranberry Sauce (on sale at Frys)
Horseradish (meal not complete without:-)
Pumpkin Pie (baking and pureeing the pumpkins today)
Pumpkin Roll (my son would never forgive me if I didn't make this)
Key Lime Pie (my daughter REALLY wants this)

That is our menu. We just skip the salad type dishes to focus on the main events. So what is on your menu for Thanksgiving dinner? Are you hosting or going to someone else's home? Feel free to share any family favorite recipes, too!

Salmon Patties

2011-10-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to make these for a long time, but I finally did make them today. I had bought some chunks of salmon from the Mexican market a couple months ago. I made some salmon chowder with them, but nobody liked it. So I still had several pounds in the freezer and decided to take some out and try these salmon patties. They turned out SO delicious and were quite easy to make.

I chopped up about 1 lb of salmon into little chunks and mixed with 1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs (Italian seasoned), 2 eggs, 1/2 finely chopped onion, 1 T of Worcestershire Sauce, 1 teaspoon Chalula hot sauce, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, salt and pepper. I mixed that all up and made into patties which I then coated in more bread crumbs on a little plate.

I fried these in about 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet - several minutes on each side until golden brown.

They are very yummy!!!

The Sports Saga Continues

2011-09-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my son had an MRI and then an appointment with his Orthopedic Surgeon. Although they are still not absolutely certain what his injury entails, they believe it is a bruised nerve in his shoulder. He has regained almost all of his range of motion, however, there is a lot more pain. He also has diminished strength in his deltoids and triceps. Every few days, his shoulder does seem to improve, but there is still a good deal of pain - it just comes about 5 minutes AFTER moving or using it a lot. After reading some more information, I still believe it is a bruised nerve and that the nerve gets "riled up" when he uses it and then responds by flaring up with pain.

We go back to the ortho in 2 weeks, at which time he is hoping to be cleared to play the last 3 games of the season. Right now, he is in too much pain to play, but we are hoping two more weeks will see that pain eased.

So, what do we "sports moms" do? We support our children even through their many injuries, we encourage them as much as possible, provide the nutrition they still need even when sidelined, and be there for them when they need us. Our role doesn't really change, just the different ways we fulfill it. We love our kids and want them to fulfill their dreams, whatever they may be!

Would you like an opportunity to help fulfill some of those dreams with a $100 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card? I thought you might, so go over to my main "Sports Mom" post and leave a comment for your chance to win!

More Ups and Downs of Being a Sports Mom

2011-09-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

I though I might update you all on our sports journey these last couple weeks. My son's MCL injury to his knee healed pretty quickly and he only missed one game. He played the second half of the next game and all but a few plays of the third game. However, near the end of that game, he got hit hard on the shoulder. He experience pain for a few minutes, but it went away and he continued to play. After the game, he realized that he could not lift his left arm at all. There was no pain, but he couldn't lift his arm. It took until Tuesday afternoon to get him in to see the orthopedic surgeon and he was completely perplexed. The lack of pain made it impossible to diagnose the injury. So he has ordered an MRI. Unfortunately, it takes 7-14 days to get insurance approval for an MRI, so we are waiting.

I am happy to say that in the meantime, he has slowly regained used of his arm. He can now lift it up over his head, still with no pain. It is not quite normal -he says it takes extra effort to lift it - but we are greatly encouraged with the progress. He has another appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Thursday and we are hoping he is released to play for this Friday's game, which is the Homecoming Game. Perhaps we will be able to forgo the whole MRI.

If you haven't yet entered, go to the original post here and leave a comment for your chance to win $100 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card.

If you are a sports mom.....

2011-09-13T11:24:00.000-07:00


Cody is #56

If you are a sports mom, you understand the ins and outs of injuries.

If you are a sports mom, you are excited and worried every time your child has a game.

If you are a sports mom, you try very hard to make sure to provide your child with the nutrition he/she needs.

If you are a sports mom, you sacrifice your time to help with team activities.

If you are a sports mom, you will understand the frustration I am experiencing because my son is AGAIN dealing with an injury. Doctors visits today to find out why he cannot lift his left arm. Praying for something simple, that they can "pop" back into place or something like that.

If you are a sport mom, you need to come over and comment on The Ups and Downs of Being A Sports Mom to get your chance to win $100 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods!!

Don't Miss Your Chance to Win $100 to Dick's Sporting Goods!

2011-09-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am giving away a $100 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods over here. Come read about The Ups and Downs of Being A Sports Mom and enter to win!!

Our First Varsity Football Game

2011-09-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Last night, Cody played in his first official Varsity Football game!! Wow, how much different the varsity games are from the Freshmen and JV! It is SO much more exciting with the bands and cheerleaders, as well as the huge difference in attendance, even at an away game! We didn't get the win, but the game was still fun!

This was actually the second game of the season, but the first game Cody was able to play because of his knee injury a few weeks ago. He didn't play much in the first half, but he played most of the second half and did a good job on both defense and offense. He even recovered a fumble by the other team for his team!

He came away from the game with a swollen and bruised elbow, as well as an extremely sore knee - so we did lots of icing last night and this morning. Still sore today, but better. He had practice this morning to review the film from the game and to do some running. Now he can rest and relax the rest of today and tomorrow. However, he still has practice on Monday - even though it is a holiday!!!! Just doesn't seem fair, but I know the coaches are serious about getting their team to a place where they can win a game.

Such is life for the serious athlete!

The Ups and Downs of Being a Sports Mom and a GIVEAWAY!!

2011-08-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

As those of you with children in sports know, these sports can become all-consuming, especially as they advance into high school sports. To read more and to enter the giveaway for $100 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods, click here.

A Great Use for Pillsbury Refrigerator Biscuits

2011-08-18T17:59:00.002-07:00

As you should know by now, I try to make everything from scratch as much as possible. There are some things I just can't keep up with to make from scratch. One of those things is biscuits. I am not a great baker (except for bread and I never mess with the recipe:-), so things like biscuits take me too much time and hassle to make from scratch. I have done it several times, but the results just aren't worth the effort. Perhaps if I had someone who could come and show me how to do it, I might have better success than just reading a recipe.

So I watch for sales on Pillsbury Grands Biscuits and use coupons to get them for $1 or less each. However, I just found out that you can make donuts, like the ones at the Chinese buffets, with these biscuits. All you do is heat up about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of oil in a saucepan to 350 degrees and then drop the biscuits whole or cut into 4 pieces (cook more quickly this way) into the oil. Turn them over when you see them begin to brown and wait a few more moments. Remove from oil, drain on paper towel and then toss in a paper bag with some sugar in it. Oh my, these are SOOOOOO good!

We decided they were WAY too easy to make - might become a problem for our waistlines!! And there are none left to take pictures of since they were eaten so rapidly. I like to use the Grands Jr. biscuits for this and just cut them in half.

Have you come across any novel uses for Pillsbury Grands Biscuits? I would love to hear your ideas!

Football Season in Full Swing

2011-08-04T11:07:00.001-07:00

This week marks the "official" beginning of football season. I put that in quotes because they have been practicing almost daily since about the first of April!!! I have been very impressed with some of the changes the coaches have made this year and am excited for the games to begin! Yes, I am a FOOTBALL MOM!!! I get out there and scream with the best of them:-)

This week, as they have begun wearing helmets and then full pads, the temperatures have once again risen to over 110 degrees, even reaching 116!! It is amazing to me that these boys are so used to the temps that they are able to practice full out for 2 1/2 to 3 hours in this blazing heat! THAT is good conditioning! However, hydration is ALWAYS a concern and now more than ever. And the amount of calories that need to be consumed is very high as well - somewhere around 6,000-7,500 per day. Ok, that is ALOT of cooking that I need to do:-)

I believe they have their first scrimmage either tomorrow or next Friday and the games begin on August 26th. Yes, it will still be scorching hot for the first 6 or so games and sitting in the bleachers is a test of our heat endurance, too:-)

Cody is #56 this year and is starting as Defensive End and also playing backup Center on offense. He is in the best shape of his life and can run like never before in his life. So this should be an exciting season! Plus, we get the extra entertainment of Marching Band and Cheerleaders - woohoo! GO WARRIORS!!!

Football Camp Time

2011-07-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, my son was off to his first varsity football camp! They are up in Snowflake, AZ where the temps are beautiful (70s-80s) and the elevations is between 6,000-7,000ft. They are planning to hold 3-4 practices each day!!! I sure hope they have ALOT of good, nutritional food to feed all those boys!!

Ok, I am having a hard time not worrying about him:-) But I guess that is a mom's job! I sent some granola bars and Powerades with him, but I worry that he will not eat enough, drink enough, get hurt, etc. I just keep on praying for him and putting him in God's hands....again.

If you have a son who is into football or another high intensity sport, you need to be sure that he takes in enough calories to sustain the level of activity. I read a fantastic article a while back that really helped me to see how high his caloric intake should be and what it should consist of as far as protein, carbs, etc. Here is a link to Fueling for Football, if you are interested.

A New Year with TOS Crew Reviews!!

2011-07-22T11:10:00.001-07:00

A new year is about to start - check this out for more info about upcoming reviews!!

Tote Bags from Recycled Pet Food Bags

2011-07-14T18:18:00.001-07:00

I made one of these from a dog food bag a while back, but today I finally got around to using my chicken feed and cat food bags. They are lined and ready to use!

What do you think? Do you think these would sell? Or are they just something I appreciate with my frugality? I'm curious to know your opinions.

Honeydew Agua Fresca

2011-06-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know what agua fresca is, so I am going to share. Agua means water and fresca means fresh....but agua frescas are something totally different. In Mexico, they sell these on the street corners from large glass or plastic containers and they come in a wide variety of flavors including melon, honeydew, strawberry, mango, pineapple, jamaica (hibiscus flower) and more.

Yesterday, my hubby wanted a melon agua fresca so we stopped by Pro's Ranch Market (local Mexican grocery store) where they make and sell them fresh. He enjoyed it so much that today I thought I would try to make some out of the cantaloupe or honeydew that I had sitting on the counter.

First, I decided just to throw the cut up melon into the blender with a little water. However, it didn't taste quite right, so I decided to look up some recipes for aguas frescas. Well, guess what the secret ingredient is? LOTS of sugar!!! Oh no! That makes them not so healthy! So I just added A LITTLE sugar and it turned out very yummy and refreshing.

So, now you have learned something new about life in Mexico!

Spanish Grammar In Review

2011-06-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

This is the book we will be using for Spanish 2 this year. It looks like a great tool for mastering the rules of Spanish grammar and increasing fluency for the kids.

Homemade Whole Wheat Pasta....Yummmmm!

2011-06-09T21:56:00.000-07:00

Now that summer is officially here:-), I am doing some things that have been put off for far too long. I still have to run my kids to things almost every day, but since we are down to just a little Geometry and History for school (have to finish some things that we got behind on), I have several hours of time that I am not used to having each day. So one of the things that I really wanted to do for a long time is to make pasta.

Several years ago, I bought an Italian pasta machine (hand crank variety) with spaghetti and fettuccine cutters at a thrift store for about $4. I have wanted to use it many times, but I have never had a large enough time slot to get it all done (takes 3-4 hours). So today I pulled out my pasta machine and looked up a good whole wheat pasta recipe and began. It took me a few tries to get the hang of the pasta machine, but I figured it out and made a huge batch of pasta!! For lunch, I just boiled some of the noodles and tossed with some spaghetti sauce. And for dinner, I cooked some more of the pasta and tossed with some Chipotle Chicken Sausage, broccoli, onions and olive oil. It was very yummy - even my kiddos said it was awesome!

Here is the recipe that I used for the pasta:

3 cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground, of course)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
8 eggs
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of olive oil
water (I used about 1/2 cup)

Since I have an awesome Bosch mixer, I just threw all the ingredients (except water) into the mixer and turned it on. Then I added water about a tablespoon at a time until it came together as a stiff dough. I wrapped it in a damp towel and just took off about a fist full for each batch of pasta (more than that got too long to handle).

I ran the dough through my pasta machine once on each setting 1 through 6 and then sent it through the cutters. Then I laid it all over my table to dry, turning it as the top got dry so that the other side would dry, too. I need one of those clothes drying racks to set on my table to hang the pasta on. Note to Self: watch for one at yard sales and thrift stores:-)

I still have enough for about one more portion of pasta and it is thoroughly dried now, so I can just throw it in a ziploc and keep until ready to use.

All in all, I would say it was a great success! I will definitely do it again sometime soon! And I want to make gnocchi again soon, too.

June Already???

2011-06-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, this year is really flying by! I can hardly believe it is already June. For the most part, we are done with school for the year. Just a little Math and History to wrap up through the summer.

Summer football weight camp has already begun and next week begins wrestling weight camp and summer dance intensive for my daughter. So summer will still be busy, just a little less so without school to do.

It is hot already, but I know it will get much worse:-) This week is right at 100 degrees for the high - not too bad yet.....

We don't have any big plans for the summer this year, but we may try to make another trip to PA to help move Joe's mom into his brother's house. Don't know if that will actually happen or not.

So what do you have planned for this summer? Anything fun and exciting? Please share!

Awesome Snake Cake for Biology Co-op Final Class

2011-05-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, we met for our final Biology Co-op Class of the school year and I wanted it to be a celebration. So, Alissa and I made a snake cake! We made it from 2 bundt cakes cut in half and placed together to give the wiggly snake form. Then I carved the head and tail and we decorated it with orange, green and yellow frosting. The tongue is a stick of gum and the eyes are Smarties.

I think the students enjoyed the snake cake and we had a Sponge Bob pinata for the Spanish Co-op Class celebration complete with some Mexican candies, as well as some regular pinata filler candies.

TOS Review: Yesterday's Classics

2011-05-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be—
I had a mother who read to me. —Strickland Gillilan

I believe that homeschoolers can never have too many books and there will always be a list of books you wish you had had the time to read with your children. Just looking through the list of the 225 ebooks from Yesterday's Classics has given me a long list of books that I wish I had known about when my children were young.

To read more, click here.

TOS Review: Nutrition 101

2011-04-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

If you know me or have read my blog for very long, you know that I am very into healthy eating and living. Over the past 10 years, I have tried to move my family towards eating whole foods, eliminating refined sugar and cooking from scratch. I also make all of my own cleaning products and many of my health and beauty products, including soap and shampoo bars. To read more, click here.

The Beauty of Spring in the Desert

2011-04-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

My husband has been working diligently on the yard and getting all the greenery "tamed" (trimmed, watered, etc.) And this is one of the prettiest times of the year when so many things are blooming, so I thought I would share.

The archway is covered in a vine they call cat's claw and it has beautiful yellow flowers all over it right now.

This is the bloom on a plant that just appeared and has huge leaves (almost like elephant's ear). We don't know what it is, but it sure is large and interesting!

Here are a few pics of our roses - we have yet to prune them and get them all in shape, but they bloomed nonetheless and are beautiful.

Simple Stockpile - Week of April 13 - 19, 2011

2011-04-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

This week there are a couple of good deals to do some stocking up.

Sprouts has brown rice in bulk for only $0.69/lb!! That is certainly a "stock-up" price - I think I will buy 20 lbs. (I have buckets to store it in).

Over at Basha's, there are a few good deals. First, they have round steak on sale for $1.97/lb. This would be good price to buy some for the freezer. There are so many good recipes you can make with round steak. It is very versatile if you marinate or slow cook it so that it is tender. On Saturday ONLY, they will also have Ground Chuck on sale for $1.99/lb. I bought 10 lbs. last week at Albertsons - same price - but think I will buy another 10 lbs. for the freezer this week, too. On Monday ONLY, Basha's has Food Club pasta for $0.50 per pkg/box, including whole grain. Also, for those into sports/exercise, they have Powerade on sale for $0.50 each for 32 oz. size when you buy 15 of them.

At Fry's, they have a dozen eggs on sale for $0.99, but you might get an even better deal next week right before Easter. Also, they have Steamfresh frozen veggies on sale for $1 and there is a coupon in SmartSource 3/20 paper that will make these even cheaper.

Well, that's all that I came up with for my stockpile. If you come across any other great deals, please share!

Make Your Own Peanut Butter

2011-04-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

My tip today is to make your own peanut butter. It will save you money AND be much healthier since you control the sweetener. Here is how I make mine:
2 cups of roasted, salted peanuts (you can use raw, roast them yourself in the oven and use unsalted, add your own salt to taste, if you prefer)
Olive oil (not sure exact measurement - till texture I like)
1 Tablespoon of honey

Put the peanuts in your food processor with the blade attachment. Begin processing and drizzle oil in until the peanuts start to look like peanut butter. I would estimate about 1/4 cup maximum. The more oil, the thinner the peanut butter (however, it does firm up some in the refrigerator, which is where you need to store this). Then add honey and continue processing until you get the consistency that you like. It is not possible to get anything but slightly crunchy (smooth style is not possible:-) doing it this way, but it is VERY yummy and NO SUGAR!!

I would post a photo, but the peanut butter is all gone right now and I have to make some more today!! We all LOVE it!

Simply Homemade: Yogurt in a Crock Pot

2011-04-04T17:05:00.000-07:00

I first posted this several years ago and wanted to share the recipe again because this homemade yogurt is SO wonderful! I have since bought a yogurt maker at a yard sale for $3 and it makes the yogurt in little cups. Almost the exact same process, just in the small cups and the yogurt maker heats it at a very low heat for exactly the amount of time needed. But for you who don't have a yogurt maker, here is a really simple and wonderful way to make homemade yogurt!

Well, I finally did it!! I made yogurt in a crockpot. I have been wanting to do this ever since I first read about it on a blog (can't remember whose, so if it was yours, please remind me so I can give you credit!!) It is SO yummy and inexpensive and wholesome! I am very excited at how simple it was and that it worked on the FIRST try:-) and is nice and thick and creamy!

Here is what I did:
I put 2 quarts of milk into my crockpot (you can do 1 quart, but I wanted to make alot) and heated it on low setting for three (3) hours (the directions I read said this time was very important). Then I turned the crockpot off and let it sit for 2 hours (you can leave it set for longer, but it was midnight and I didn't want to stay up any later). Then I put about 1 cup of natural plain yogurt (from the store or from a previous batch) into a jar and added an equal amount of the warm milk. I mixed this very well, then began adding it, a little at a time, to the crockpot milk, stirring well after each addition. When it was all mixed together, I wrapped my crockpot in a big towel and left sit overnight. This morning when I opened it and checked it, it was nice and thick. I chilled it in the fridge for a couple hours and then had it with homemade granola cereal and blackberry jam for breakfast. YUMMMMMMY!!!

Sorry for the bad photo - don't know what happened and I only took one (it was very early this morning:-).

Simple Stockpile - Week of March 30-April 5, 2011

2011-03-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

This week doesn't look like too great of a shopping week. There are a couple of items for pretty decent prices that you might want to stock up on:

Fry's
Chicken of the Sea Tuna 2/$0.98
Kroger Canned Vegetables $0.49

Basha's

Tillamook Cheese 7-8 oz. 3/$5 ($1.67 each)
McCormick Grill Mates Seasoning $1.50
$1/1 McCormick Product 3/13/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/24/2011)
Final price: 50¢
Crest Toothpaste (6.4oz) $1.50
$0.50/1 Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gel 3/13/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/30/2011) (worth $1)
$0.75/1 Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gel 2/27/2011 PG Insert (exp 3/31/2011) (worth $1)
Final price: 50¢

Safeway

Anthony's Pasta $0.79

So, like I said, not such a great week for stocking up. Milk is best price at Safeway this week (Dairy Glen $1.79 gallon).

Simply Homemade: Yummy Granola Cereal and Hot Cocoa Mix

2011-03-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

These are a couple of staples that I have been making for a little while and now my kids get upset when we run out. So I thought I would share the recipes in case anyone would like to try them, too.

Healthy Homemade Granola Cereal
4 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup slivered almonds (or chopped pecans)
1/2 cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
4 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups whole grain flakes
In a large bowl, combine the oats, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, almonds, sucanat and salt. Mix well and then toss in the whole grain flakes. In another bowl, mix the oil, honey, water and vanilla. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well. Spread over a jelly-roll pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake at 300 degrees for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. If you desire, you can add raisins for the last 15 minutes. You can also add banana chips or dried cranberries. The granola will brown as it cooks. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Hot Cocoa Mix
2 3/4 cups powdered milk
1 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
dash of salt

Whirl in blender and store in airtight container. Use 3 Tablespoons per cup of hot water.

Simple Stockpile - Week of March 23-29, 2011

2011-03-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

In Simple Stockpile, I am going to share with you each week, what items I feel are the best price at the grocery store and that I am going to buy a bunch of to put in my stockpile. I will share the store, the item, the price and if there are any additional coupons or catalinas that make this an especially good deal.

For this week of March 23-29, 2011, the best deals I see and will be stocking up on are as follows:

Fry's

All of these items are in their Mix & Match March to Savings Event - this price when you buy 10 items:
Powerade 32 oz. $0.38 I keep these for my son who is VERY active in sports. I have already bought about 15 and will probably buy 20 more - this is a GREAT price!!!

Annie's Mac N Cheese $0.49 (found in the Health Food section) My daughter LOVES mac n cheese and these are healther than Kraft. I will probably buy 10 of these to have on hand for quick lunches.

Kraft Singles $1.49 My kids love grilled cheese sandwiches and prefer this cheese, even though I would prefer something more natural. I will probably buy 3-4 - they have a pretty long fridge life.

Basha's

Eggs $0.88/dozen (limit 2, so I will visit several times:-) You can stock up on eggs - they last 3-4 weeks minimum and I like to make frozen breakfast burritos and keep hard boiled eggs on hand for snacking, too.

Challenge Butter $2.69/lb I have printed off several coupons which will be worth $1 each this week, so a final price of $1.69/lb for butter - yeah!!! At this price, I will buy as many as I can and keep in freezer.

So that is what I am stocking up on this week. Are these "stock up" prices for you? Are there any other items this week that you will be stocking up on?

Simply Homemade - Mayonnaise

2011-03-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I now make from scratch and would never go back to buying is mayonnaise. It is very easy and quick to make and the taste is SO much better than anything I have ever bought! The only downside is that when we run out, I have to make it again:-) I make so many things from scratch these days that there is always something needing to be made. But I am happy to do it and love knowing exactly what we are eating!

So here is the recipe I use for making mayonnaise:

1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups oil (you can use olive oil, veg oil, canola oil, whatever you prefer)
1 Tbl. cider vinegar

I put the egg, yolk, mustard and salt together in a container that came with my stick blender. Then I use my stick blender to blend those and begin slowly adding the oil. As I keep blending with the stick blender, it begins to emulsify the oil, making mayonnaise. It only take a couple minutes with the stick blender. You can also use a regular blender, but it will probably take longer. Just add the oil a little at a time and keep blending until it begins to emulsify (look like mayonnaise:-). After it is done, I stir in the cider vinegar and have fresh, ready-to-eat mayonnaise.

With the stick blender, it takes about 5 minutes total. I have heard that with a regular blender it can take as much as 15 minutes or so.

I would love to hear what condiments you make from scratch.

Revamping My Blogging Habits With Regular Features

2011-03-17T15:37:00.000-07:00

I have been contemplating what exactly I would like to do with my blog for a few weeks and have decided to do three different weekly features that are a little different than just posting whatever I feel whenever I feel like it (which is what I have been doing). I am hoping to have them come out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday/Saturday and since I have alot of material to glean from, I should be able to get ahead in my writing.

Once a week, in Simply Homemade, I would like to feature a post on making something from scratch, whether it be something from the kitchen like homemade mayonnaise, or something like making your own facial cleanser or cleaning products. There are so many things that I make from scratch, I thought this might be a feature that would be of interest. I will try to have lots of pics showing the steps and the end products and I will also link to some other sites that feature similar products/recipes.

I would also like to feature each Wednesday in Simple Stockpile, a "heads-up" about a particular grocery item that is at a great price that week for stocking up. Almost every week there is a great deal on something that I like to stock up on. And I would like to share that with you each week in order to help those who are trying to build up their pantry stockpile.

Lastly, in Homeschooling High School Helps, I would like to write a post each week about homeschooling high school where I may feature a particular curriculum I like or a resource that has helped me. I have many friends who are currently homeschooling high school or will be soon, so I am hoping to be a help by sharing details about some of the things that have made homeschooling high school easier for us.

So, if you are new here, stay tuned! It's going to get better! And if you have been following me for awhile, look for these new weekly features and please let me know what you think!

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow?

2011-03-15T15:04:00.000-07:00

This is an update on my aquaponics garden, because I have received a number of requests for updates and pics. I am not sure how many goldfish I have gone through, but there are 6 healthy ones in the tank now. I lost a number of them early on because it just got too cold at night. Now, the night temps are fine and they seem to be doing well.

My basil and cilantro seem to be thriving pretty well. And the lettuces that I planted as seeds have begin to grow like crazy! I can recognize the romaine and several different varieties in the gourmet mix. They are about 1 1/2 inches tall now and growing very well.

I haven't had any problems with chlorine or nitrates/nitrites, but our water is SO hard that I have had to lower the pH. I used a little white vinegar - don't know if that is really approved, but I know that it isn't harmful to people and NOW I know that it isn't harmful to fish:-) I need to talk to the experts at the hydroponics store to see if they now whether it will harm the plants at all. So far, seems just fine and it lowered the pH perfectly. I figure now is the time to experiment:-)

Viewing the International Space Station

2011-03-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

This evening, at 7:20pm, we were able to watch the ISS (International Space Station) pass overhead! It was very cool to see. It looked like a very bright star but was moving across the sky in just a matter of a couple of minutes. You can see it for yourself - just check out this Satellite Tracking site to see exactly when it will fly over at night when you can see it.

Beginning Aquaponics

2011-03-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

Last month, I went on a tour of The Garden Pool, which is located near where we used to live. I had just received a number of plants for my birthday and was hoping to find someone who could help me grow a garden - like a mentor. I came across the website for The Garden Pool and was intrigued. There was a public tour the very next day with one space left, so I signed up and went!

The Garden Pool is a large in-the-ground pool that a family has turned into a greenhouse, complete with tilapia pond and chickens! They grow enough eggs, fish and veggies to sustain their family of four. They use aquaponics, which is a combination of hydroponics (growing with water) and aquaculture (growing fish). The beauty of this system is that it waters and feeds itself and there are NO weeds!! Well, those are two of my greatest challenges with gardening, so hope sprouted in my heart that I COULD successfully grow a garden.

Earlier that day, they had taught a class on a small aquaponics system using a shelf that they call "shelfponics". I missed the class (didn't know I would be interested:-), but they put the video online the following Monday. So I watched it and thought this would be a great way to being to learn about aquaponics. They include step-by-step instructions and a list of items needed, so I went to work rounding up what I would need. It took less than an hour to get the whole thing ready to go and I bought some goldfish to begin with until I can get some tilapia fingerlings.

I planted cilantro and basil in the top shelf, romaine lettuce in the middle shelf and a gourmet lettuce blend in the bottom shelf. In about a week, I had LOTS of lettuce sprouts and my herbs are growing well. I lost some goldfish due to cold nights, but I bought some more (only 28 cents each) and now have 10 healthy larger goldfish in my 10 gallon tank. They seem to be doing really well and the biofilter of the growing medium (hydroton) seems to be working very well since my pH levels are good after 2 weeks.

I am anxious to get some tomatoes going in another small aquaponics setup this week! There are lots of websites where you can learn more about aquaponics. If I can be of any help, let me know, but I am just beginning this journey. I have BIG ideas for another area of my yard where I am hoping to put in a large tilapia pond and many growing beds to grow all kinds of fresh food for my family. It makes me SO happy to grow fresh stuff for my family:-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

My husband is the sweetest! He brought me these beautiful roses last night for Valentine's Day! He doesn't usually bring me flowers (I'm not that big into them), but sometimes a girl just wants something frivolous and pretty! And he blessed my heart so much by bringing me these!

And he also made sure we had all the heart candies covered!! He bought special treats for each of the kids and a variety of candy hearts for all of us!

Valentine's Day is all about love and I hope that your day is filled with love from your friends and family, and from you to all of them! God is love and He loves each of us more than we can ever comprehend. Here's hoping you have a love-ly Valentine's Day!

VocabAhead Review

2011-02-07T15:37:00.004-07:00

Since we are getting very near to those dreaded SAT/ACT testing times, I was pleased to receive VocabAhead's SAT Vocabulary: Cartoons, Videos & MP3s to review. Read more here.

Fry's is Taking Competitors Coupons Again!!!

2011-01-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

Beginning today, Wednesday, January 26th, Fry's is once again accepting competitor's coupons (like Fresh & Easy $5 off $30 or Safeway's "when you spend $10" ones). They are also back to making all coupons equal $1, including those that say "Do Not Double or Triple"!!! The only "rule change" to note is that the $5 off $30 (and others similar to that) will be taken off AFTER all coupons and VIP discounts are taken.

For those of us couponers, this is fantastic news! I can once again limit most of my shopping to one store again, instead of running from store to store to get the best deals!! I was very sad when they discontinued this at the end of December, but they were making so much $$, I guess they realized their mistake and are bringing it back again. There is no word on how long they will do this, but I suspect it will be on and off throughout the year. Take advantage of it when you can and reap the blessings!!

Also note that they are running a pretty good stock up sale that is $5 off when you buy 10 items. Check it out and stock up on those items you use regularly. Make sure to keep track of the number of items as you shop so you don't get messed up. I like to tally mine on my shopping list as I go. Then if I am an item or 2 short, I can just grab one or two more of an item to make up the difference. And if you use your coupons along with this sale, you can get some really great prices!!

True Treasures: A Gabby Moms Review

2011-01-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

I have had the pleasure over the last few weeks of reading True Treasures: 10 Years of TEACH Magazine. And trust me when I tell you that I read it from COVER TO COVER!!!

Click HERE to read more!!

Yummy Chicken and Dumplings

2011-01-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

I think I have only made chicken and dumplings 2 or 3 times in my life and I have probably followed a different recipe each time (I can't remember.) However, this time I read a few different recipes and decided to "wing it" myself. I have cooked for almost 35 years (yes, I started when I was 2:-) and figured I have a good feel for what will taste good. So here is how I made these delicious Chicken and Dumplings the easy way.

I put about 4 quarts of chicken broth into a big pot and brought it to a boil. You can use water with the powdered chicken broth, or used homemade or canned/boxed. Check the seasoning and add whatever you think makes it taste the best (I used Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute). While waiting for that to come to a boil, I chopped up some onion (about 1/2 of one), carrots (4), celery (2 or 3) and I had some broccoli I wanted to use up, so I chopped it up, too. When the broth was boiling, I added all these ingredients. I also chopped up 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts that I had (I got these from Zaycon Foods - 40 lb. for $1.49/lb and they are HUGE!!!) and added them to the broth. I let that boil/simmer for about 30-40 minutes.

Then I took out a can of Pillsbury Grands Biscuits. I flattened each biscuit a little and then just cut them up into strips about 1 1/2 inches long and dropped them into the pot a little at a time. Stir occasionally just to make sure they don't stick together. After letting that cook for about 15 minutes, I took a little of the broth plus a little milk (total about 1/2 cup) and mixed in about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of flour. I have one of those Tupperware shakers, so it is really easy to prevent clumps. Then I poured that into the big pot and watched it thicken a little into a nice gravy for the chicken and dumplings. And that is it - it was ready to eat!!!

It got rave reviews from my kiddos and I will DEFINITELY do a repeat on this one!!

Great Deals at American Discount Foods

2011-01-18T15:08:00.002-07:00

I briefly stopped at American Discount Foods today in Mesa to see what they had. I came away with some great deals (and I only went into two of the rooms!)

First, they had some smoked turkey for slicing for lunchmeat for $0.99/lb!! The whole thing is just under 10 lbs. and will make for alot of turkey sandwiches!

They also had big hunks of mild cheddar on sale for $1.99/lb, so I bought 2 big ones (Alissa has been craving mac n cheese, so that is a great savings!)

They had Shamrock Farms Buttermilk for $1.49 for the half gallon - that is about 1/2 price and I LOVE buttermilk!

They also had Breyer's Ice Cream (many different flavors) for $0.99 (1.75 qt) for the first 1 - so I only bought 2 - Vanilla and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

They had alot of bread from a natural bakery (can't remember the name, but local) for $.99 and $.49, so I splurged and bought 2 round artisan loaves that are some kind of herb sour dough and very yummy for $0.49 each.

Well, that's all I bought this trip, but they had TONS of other great deals there, too! If you get a chance, you should probably stop by and check it out, too. They are located at 308 S Extension Rd, Mesa, AZ 85210-8497, just north of Broadway. Here is a link to a map showing the location.

Homemade Cinnamon Chipotle Rub

2011-01-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

I used to be able to buy McCormick's Cinnamon Chipotle Rub at a "dented can" store in Yuma for really cheap. And I tried it on grilled pork chops to the rave reviews of my kiddos. But, since moving to Mesa, I haven't been able to find it, let alone at a cheap price.

So I decided to find a recipe that would duplicate this wonderful rub. Here is my version of the rub recipe:

Cinnamon Chipotle Rub

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup cinnamon
dash cayenne pepper (to taste)
few grinds of fresh black pepper
2 T crushed chipotle pepper seasoning

Mix and store in a jar. Rub liberally on ham, pork roast, pork chops, chicken, etc. and grill, roast, bake, etc. Note: on chicken, place run under the skin for best flavor.

Yummy Pumpkin Pasta

2011-01-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

I have been reading recipes and contemplating making this dish for a couple months - since the beginning of the "pumpkin" season. So tonight, I was hungry for some pasta and had some of the fresh pumpkin puree in my fridge. I decided to give it a try. My daughter was not so optimistic.

However, it was really easy to make and tastes delicious! Here is the recipe I began with, however, I tweaked it a little by adding a little more hot sauce to taste and some extra seasonings that I felt it needed as I tasted it along the way:

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (or fresh pumpkin puree)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 dash hot pepper sauce
2 pinches ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (8 ounce) package shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the pasta, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, pumpkin puree, and both creams. Season with hot pepper sauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes. Toss 1/2 parmesan cheese into pumpkin sauce and heat through. Serve over pasta sprinkled with remaining parmesan cheese.

It's a New Year - Welcome 2011!

2011-01-01T12:08:00.001-07:00

Wow, I can hardly believe 2010 is gone and a new year has begun!

2010 has been an interesting year for us. We were able to finally buy our home and move in April, Cody played a full season of JV football with no serious injuries, Joe transferred to a different WalMart and moved in Asset Protection, Alissa began taking Hip Hop/Krump dance classes, Cody turned 16 in September....whew! Alot happened! And God was so very faithful to provide everything that we needed throughout the entire year!

I enter 2011 knowing that whatever it holds, God has a plan for us. He has our best in His heart and will carry us through all the things that await us this year. He will provide all that we have need of when we need it. He will bless us above all that we can imagine. He will guide us and give us wisdom through the challenges we will face. He will hold our children safe in His loving hands, no matter what comes their way this year.

I am resting in peace today because I know who holds my future and I know He holds my hand!!

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Happy New Year to you and your family! May you be richly blessed by God's amazing faithfulness this year!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been a very busy last month! Time has flown by and too many things have happened to even recount here right now.

However, we are enjoying the holiday season and making preparations (like baking cookies, decorating, shopping for food and gifts, etc.) to celebrate Christmas this Saturday. We took several weeks off from homeschooling and have enjoyed some nice times together as a family. With the kids being teenagers, it is hard to find Christmas activities that are not geared towards little kids. It is hard to believe how much my kids have grown up! I am going through another transition in how I deal with them because of how mature they are getting. And change is always hard!

I truly enjoyed decorating our home this year! There were so many decorations that I haven't been able to us for many years because of space limitations. However, this house has so many places that can be decorated that I was able to use almost ALL of my decorations and even had to buy a couple of things to supplement! I am very happy with how the house looks, except that our 6 1/2 foot tree now looks like a table top tree! Hoping to get a 9 foot one for next year!

Here is hoping that you have a warm, peaceful holiday season - celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!! He IS the reason we celebrate this season!

Pumpkin: Fresh vs. Canned

2010-11-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

This year, I decided to try making my own pumpkin puree from a fresh pumpkin. However, I didn't want to have to find a "sugar pumpkin" or "pie pumpkin", so after much reading on the internet, I determined that I could use the pumpkins I bought for fall decorations. You know, Jack-o-lantern pumpkins. We didn't carve ours, so they were still fresh. Plus, I just couldn't bring myself to spend $2.50 for a can of pumpkin (on sale, but I only spent less than $1 for the pumpkins I had:-).

So, I cut the pumpkin open, scraped out the seeds and stringy stuff, and then cut the pumpkin into about 8 large pieces and placed in a big pot with a steamer basket. I steamed them for about 30 minutes until they were nice and soft. After cooling, I used an ice cream scoop to scrape the flesh off the skin. This I then pureed in my food processor and had about 6 cups of nice fresh pumpkin puree. Since I had read that this type of pumpkin can be more watery than "pie pumpkins", I put the puree into a strainer to sit while I was finishing up the other puree (my food processor is pretty small.) A good bit of water did strain out.

Then I used the fresh pumpkin puree for my pumpkin pie (I use a recipe that calls for sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk and sugar). The recipe not only made one beautiful pie, but I also had enough filling left to make 12 little mini pumpkin tarts using a mini muffin pan and another refrigerated pie crust. That was a good thing, because we would not have been able to wait a whole day to find out how it tasted:-)

Tasting has brought about the conclusion that fresh is much lighter and you can certainly taste the difference. You can also see the difference because fresh pumpkin is more yellow than the canned, which I have learned is mostly butternut squash. Yes, canned pumpkin is mostly made of butternut squash which is much more orange in color. So that may account for the difference in taste also.

I do believe that after trying it this way, I may never buy canned pumpkin again. Plus, I have two more large pumpkins still waiting to be cooked up and made into pumpkin puree, so I will have quite enough to get us through the holiday season and winter. I will be making pumpkin muffins, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin stew and many more dishes that include fresh pumpkin puree.

Have you ever made fresh pumpkin puree? What is your conclusion?

Tasty DNA and Spudoodles!!!

2010-11-12T16:24:00.000-07:00

We are in the last couple of weeks of our Biology Co-op classes before holiday break and last week the students made Tasty DNA out of colored marshmallows, toothpicks and Twizzlers.

Then this week, we were studying Mendelian Genetics and in order to more fully understand the effects of the parents' genotypes on the offspring, the students created Spudoodles! They are sort of like a version of Mr. Potato Head using a random selection from the mother's genotypes and the father's genotypes. However, they really turned out cute, so I thought I would share.

Edible Cell Project

2010-10-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

This past week in our Biology Co-op class, the students made Edible Cell replicas. They could replicate either an animal or plant cell, using all edible components. I thought I would share their very creative projects.

Ciara made a plant cell out of cake and candies. She won for Most Accurate model.

Dylan made an animal cell out of cake with fondant for the organelles.

Jonah and Kerena made their plant cell out of cake with various treats used for the organelles. They won Most Creative Use of Ingredients award.

Aubrianna and Chennady made their animal cell out of chocolate pie crust and icing, using nuts and candies for the organelles.

Cody made his animal cell out of pumpkin pie, pudding and candies. His replica won for Tastiest Cell.

Alissa made her plant cell out of cake, pudding, fruit and candies.

Emmalee made her plant cell out of cake and candies.

I was very proud of all of their Edible Cells and hope that they had fun doing this educational AND tasty project!!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (Oct. 13-19, 2010)

2010-10-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't been consistent with these deals, but I had a little time today, so I thought I would post them (and I got the sales ads in YESTERDAY'S mail - woohoo!)

Albertsons

Asst'd Pork Loin Chops $0.97/lb
Ground Chuck 5lbs or more $1.59/lb
Gold Medal Flour 5 lbs. $1
Barilla Pasta $1
Driscoll Raspberries $1 6 oz
Lay's Chips and Doritos $1
Old Orchard frozen juice $1
Rotel $1
Buy 8, Save $4:
Totinos Pizza Rolls $0.99
BC Cookie Mix $0.99
Green Giant Mushrooms $0.99
Reese's Puffs $1.99

Basha's

Cross Rib Roast $1.77/lb twin pack
Fresh Ground Sirloin $1.97/lb value pack
Strawberries $0.99/lb
Red Seedless Grapes $0.77/lb
Welchs 100% Grape Juice $2.99

Buy 10, Save $5:

Hunt's Pasta Sauce, Barilla Pasta, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce $0.69
Tyson 1lb bacon $1.99
Coca Cola or Pepsi 2 liter $0.69
Kleenex Facial Tissue $0.99

Food City

Avocados 4/$0.99
Large Tomatoes 3 lbs/$0.99

WEDNESDAY ONLY:

Cucumbers 6/$0.99
Green Bell Peppers 5/$0.99

THURSDAY ONLY:

Chicken Drumsticks $0.59/lb
Bone-In Country Style Pork Ribs $0.99/lb
73% lean ground beef $0.99/lb

FRIDAY ONLY:

Valencia Oranges 5 lbs/$1

Fry's

Large Eggs 1 dozen $0.84
Simply Potatoes $1.49

Buy 10, Save $5:

Coke 2 liters $0.79
Nabisco Snack Crackers, Ritz $1.99
Philly Cream Cheese $0.99
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers $1.49
Oreos $2.49

Pro's Ranch Market

Bone-In Country Style Pork Ribs $0.98/lb
Boneless Beef Bottom Round Steak or Roast $1.88/lb
Fuji Apples 3 lbs/$0.99
Yellow Corn Tortillas 50 ct. 2 /$3
Cucumbers 6/$0.99
Cabbage 5 lbs/$0.99

WEDNESDAY:

Red Potatoes 4 lbs/$0.99
Tomatoes 4 lbs/$0.99
Oranges 5 lbs/$0.99
Jalapenos 3 lbs/$0.99

THURSDAY:

Chicken Fajitas $0.98/lb
Tilapia Fillets $1.99/lb

FRIDAY:

Brown Onions 7 lbs/$0.99
Springfield Long Grain Rice 5 lbs/$1.39

SUNDAY:

Hefty Foam Plates 50 ct $0.89

Safeway

Fresh Ground Beef - 80% $1.29/lb, 93% $1.99/lb
Roma Tomatoes 3 lbs/$1
Fresh Express Spinach, Shreds or Green & Crisp Salads $0.99
Campbell's Condensed Soup Tomato or Chicken Noodle 2/$1
Welch's, V-8 and V-Fusion juice $2.99

Sprouts

Strawberries $0.97/lb
Cluster Tomatoes $0.88/lb
Acorn, Butternut or Spaghetti Squash $0.49/lb
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs $1.47/lb

AND REMEMBER, last week's ad is still good TODAY!

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Sweet Baby Girl's Birthday Today!

2010-09-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today, my sweet baby girl turns 14! She has been an amazing blessing in our lives these 14 years. She was only 1 day old when we brought her to our home and our lives have never been the same. It took alot of cuddling that first year to help her overcome her total independence, but she has blossomed into a loving young lady who will often come to me for a hug. She always is full of laughter and giggles. All her life, she has been able to make new friends in an instant. When we would go to the beach every week in Myrtle Beach, she would make a new friend within 5 minutes of arrival. She is sensitive to others and a very caring friend to her friends.

She loves music and has an incredible voice that I am sure God will use for His glory in her future. Roller skating is another passion of hers, as well as dance - right now she is taking Hip Hop/Krump at a Christian dance studio.

She is a strong and independent young lady, not afraid to be herself with others. Although extremely shy as a child, she is full of self-confidence and comfortable with herself and others. I don't know what her future has in store, but I know that God can and will use her for great things in her life. My prayer for her is that she will continue to grow in the Lord, draw near to Him and learn to know His voice above all others. I pray that she will walk in His footsteps as He leads her on a great adventure for her life!

Happy Birthday, Alissa!

My Baby Boy's 16th Birthday

2010-09-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

Today my baby boy turned 16 years old! Wow, I can't believe it! His arrival in our lives was SO very momentous! We had tried and waited for 12 years to have a baby and God brought this beautiful little boy into our lives to change us forever! From the day we received him (he is adopted), we knew that God had an incredible call on his life and that has been confirmed prophetically many times.

He is an incredible man of God with a heart to help people. We have been so blessed by him over the years and watching him grow and become the man God has called him to be has been an awesome journey! He is full of passion for God, music and football! Everything he does, he does with all of his being. He is an encourager and a tremendous helper (that's what his name means:-).

I wish my son all the multitude of blessings that God has in store for him this year and in the years to come as he follows his Savior on the path He is leading him. Love you, Buddy!!

Earning $$ with SwagBucks

2010-09-14T13:00:00.002-07:00

I have been earning Swagbucks for several months now, and have accumulated $30 in Amazon.com gift cards so far! All this just for using Swagbucks for my internet searches and keeping an eye out for Swag codes which give you extra bucks. I installed the Toolbar, which gives me one buck each day just for using it and I do all my searches via Swagbucks, which is on the top of my screen as my search engine anyway, so very easy!

If you want to earn some $$ just for searching, sign up for Swagbucks and download the toolbar. Then do your searches via Swagbucks (especially on Fridays - they give some big bucks on Fridays:-) and you, too, can earn $$ for searching.

Calories Needed to Sustain Football Player

2010-09-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago, my son told me he was not recovering adequately from practices and games like he was accustomed to in the past. He was concerned that something was wrong with his metabolism. he was dragging and not feeling the energy he needed for his grueling schedule of 1 hour weight lifting/wrestling practice and 2 hours football practice each day.

So I did some research online and found out that there is no way he is consuming sufficient calories each day to sustain himself with this kind of schedule. My son is going to be 16 years old next week, about 6 feet tall and weighs 195 lbs. He is not a very big eater. In fact, most days he only eats twice a day and not huge meals at that. However, I discovered after some research that he should be consuming between 3300 and 4500 calories per day to sustain his body!! Well, I am SURE he has not been eating that many calories per day. We eat pretty healthy here, but I just didn't realize how many calories he was burning each day and what his caloric requirements were.

So the very next day I began taking charge of his diet and cooking more food for him to eat. Amazingly, he had no trouble increasing what he ate and in just one day he felt SO much better! I make sure he eats a good breakfast, then I prepare him a banana whey protein smoothie before he heads to school for wrestling/weight lifting and football practice in the afternoon. And when he comes home, I make sure he eats a good dinner, plus a snack later in the evening. We may even add another snack late morning or early afternoon to get his calorie count up to what it needs to be.

I just figured he would eat what his body needs, but apparently he is just not a big eater unless I make it happen. So I got a wake-up call about my son's diet and will make sure he gets what his body needs.

If you have a child in sports/athletics, you may want to read this great article called Fueling for Football by Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, LDN, is Director of Sports Nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and serves as a consultant to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pitt athletics, and several area high schools. She discusses the importance of carbohydrates, fluid intake, pre-game meals, post-game snacks and weight issues. I was very impressed with the information shared and will follow her suggestions in order to keep my son in top performance mode during the football season.

And just a side note: even though they did not win their game last night, my son played REALLY awesomely!! Even the coaches said so - not just Mom:-)

Make Your Own Ice Gel Pack

2010-09-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

It seems we are constantly in need of an ice pack in this house - between my son and my husband, they are almost always using one for some kind of pain or another. And we had two of the gel ice packs until recently when one mysteriously disappeared. So the two of them were having a hassle over sharing one ice pack (and one of them seemed to forget to put it back in the freezer when done:-).

I knew I had seen directions online sometime back about how to make your own and save money, rather than buying another one. So I did a search today and made one. It came out great and cost only pennies!!

Here's what you need to do:

Get 2 ziploc freezer bags (one sandwich size and one quart size)
Mix 3 parts water and 1 part rubbing alcohol together
Add a little blue food coloring (or whatever color you like:-)
Put the water mixture into the smaller bag and seal, getting out all the air that you can.
Then put the smaller bag into the larger one and seal, again getting out all the air that you can.
Place in freezer for a couple of hours and it is ready for use!

You can make a larger one, too, if you want to. We mostly had hand and feet needs, so the small one works for now.

This is better than using frozen peas (especially when your guys forget to put them back in the freezer when they are done:-) and so easy to make! Now, if only we could avoid the injuries that create the need for the ice packs.....NOT gonna happen with a son playing football and a hubby who works out hard all the time!!!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (Sept. 8-15, 2010)

2010-09-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is a day late - football game yesterday! There are some good deals going on this week and there are quite a number of catalinas running, but I can't get all that info together just yet. I may add to the post later when I can sit down and gather the catalinas. So here's what I see as the best deals this week:

Albertsons

Milk $1.67 gallon
Malt-o-Meal Cereals $1
V-8 and V-Fusion Juice 2/$5
Seedless Red, Green or Black Grapes $0.79/lb
American Beauty Pasta or Hunt's Pasta Sauce $1

Basha's

1/2 gallon milk $0.87
Ground Round (5 lbs or more) $1.67/lb
Utah Peaches or Gala Apples $0.77/lb
Fritos or Cheetos $1.19 w/in ad coupon (limit 4)
Coca-Cola 2 liter $0.88
Cheez-It $1.88
Challenge Butter $1.98

Food City
Peaches 3 lbs/$0.99
Cantaloupe 5 lbs/$1
Large Tomatoes $0.39/lb
American Beauty Pasta or Hunt's Pasta Sauce $1
Granny Smith or Red Delicious Apples or Bartlett Pears $0.59/lb
Red Bell Peppers 3/$0.99

THURSDAY ONLY:

Chicken Thighs $0.59/lb

FRIDAY ONLY:

Strawberries $.99/lb
20 lb. bag of Blue Ribbon Rice $4.99

Fry's

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.67/lb
Gala Apples or Bartlett Pears 2 lbs/$1
Gallon Milk $1.77
Cascade or Dawn Twin Pack $3.99
Wesson Cooking Oil 48 oz. $1.99

Pros Ranch Market

Tomatoes 4 lbs/$0.99
10 lb. Bag Potatoes $0.89
Farmer John Link Sausages $0.98
Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks $0.68/lb
2 liter Coca Colas $0.75
Bartlett Pears 3 lbs/$0.99
Peaches 2 lbs/$0.99
White Onions 4 lbs/$0.99
Cabbage 6 lbs/$0.99
Celery 2/$0.99
Carrots 3 lbs/$0.99
Radishes 4/$0.99

FRIDAY ONLY:

Red Grapes $0.69/lb
Tilapia Filets $1.88/lb

Safeway

London Broil $1.99/lb
On the Vine Cluster Tomatoes $0.99/lb
Ragu Pasta Sauce $0.99 when you buy 6
Welch's Healthy Start Juice $1.99 w/in ad coupon
Lucerne Large Eggs 18ct. $1.99w/in ad coupon
Mission Tortilla Chips $1.29 w/in ad coupon
Barilla Pasta 5/$5
Minute Maid OJ 2/$5
Jimmy Dean Sausage Rolls $1.99 w/in ad coupon

SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY ONLY:

Oreos $1.99
2 liter Pepsi or 7Up $0.77

Sprouts

Yellow Peaches or Nectarines $0.49/lb
Gala Apples, Bartlett Pears, Vine Ripe Tomatoes or Cantaloupe $0.77/lb
Fresh Green Beans $0.88/lb
Stash Tea 2/$4

Well, that's what I see for this week. Couple these with some coupons, and there are some great deals. Don't forget to load your digital coupons onto your shopping cards from Cellfire and Shortcuts, as well as on Fry's and Safeway's websites. These can be combined with paper coupons for extra savings.

Happy Grocery Shopping!

The Math Tutor Review

2010-09-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

To read more about an interesting and helpful Pre-Algebra and Texas Instruments Calculator DVD Tutor, click here.

My Access! Home Edition by Vantage Learning Review

2010-09-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

To learn about an incredible online writing program, click here to read my review!

Lovin' the Pride Card!!

2010-09-01T18:48:00.000-07:00

My son sold these discount cards for his football team and we ended up buying 2 of them (still have one other one to sell, just in case....:-). They were $20 each, but are good until July 31, 2011. So we thought that ought to be long enough to get our $$ worth.

Well, let me just tell you....I am LOVIN' this card! We were able to go out for Blizzards at DQ the other night and saved over $8. Then tonight, I didn't know what to cook for dinner, so we decided to try Filiberto's. A friend who bought one of the cards recommended it, saying they ate there alot. Some of you know that we are VERY particular about Mexican food, having lived in Mexico for 6 years. So we try new Mexican restaurants with reluctance because it is hard to find "good" Mexican food around here. But, Filiberto's is AMAZING!! We had to buy burritos, because that is what is on the discount card - buy one burrito and drink, get one free! So we each ordered a different one - Adobada, Green Chile, Extreme and Chicken. They were HUGE!! AND DELICIOUS!!! The total came to only $12 and that was 4 large burritos (my daughter could only eat 1/2) and 2 big drinks (their mediums are BIG!).

Can I just say WOW!! We will be using our discount card at Filiberto's ALOT over the next 11 months:-) We have already saved $17 of the $40 we spent on two cards, so it won't take long at all for us to come out ahead.....with many months still of use, too!!

I just LOVE a great bargain....AND great Mexican food!!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (Sept. 1-7, 2010)

2010-09-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting these deals much lately. I get my mail SO late in the day, that the days just seem to get away from be before I can get this done. But I am going to start posting just the main grocery stores early, and then ad the ones I get in the mail later. So here goes:

Albertsons

Whole seedless watermelon $1.88 (limit 2)
Pork loin baby back ribs Buy 1, Get 2 FREE ($6.99/lb)
Lay's Chips or Nabisco Snack Crackers 3/$5 (limit 3 each)
Blue Bunny Ice Cream 56 oz. $1.88 (limit 2)
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts $1.77/lb
Gatorade 32 oz. $0.69 (limit 10)
Hot dog or hamburger buns $0.88
Cool Whip $0.88
Rosarita Beans $0.88
Popsicles 12 ct. $0.88
Kraft BBQ Sauce $0.88
Hebrew National Beef Franks $1.97 (limit 4)
8 piece fried chicken $3.99
Mt. Olive Whole Kosher Dill Pickles 80 oz. $2.49 (there is also a coupon SS 8/1)
Clorox Bleach $1.99 (coupon SS 8/22)

Bashas

Ro-Tel 10/$10
Rib Eye Steak $3.98/lb (first 2 value packs)
Split Chicken Breasts $0.98/lb (first 2)
Colorado Olathe Corn 6/$1
Watermelon $0.15/lb
Haas Avocados 2/$1
Blue Bunny Ice Cream $1.67 (w/in ad coupon - limit 1)
Bar-S Meat Franks $0.47 (w/in ad coupon - limit 2)
Lay's Potato Chips $1.77
Gatorade $0.77 32 oz.
Food Club Cheese 6-8 oz. $0.99 (first 4)
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks $1.88 (there is a coupon on coupon.com)

Fry's

Hebrew National Beef Franks $1.97
Lay's Potato Chips $1.77
Dole Salad Blends $1
Red Seedless Grapes $0.77/lb
Popsicles 10/$10
Kroger Cottage Cheese $1
Kraft Cheese 50% off
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce $0.97
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts $1.77/lb
Steamfresh Frozen Veggies 10/$10
Doritos $1.99
American Beauty Pasta 10/$10
Kroger American Cheese Singles 4/$5
Heinz Ketchup 40 oz. $1.47

Safeway

Lay's Potato Chips $1.79 w/in ad coupon
Bar S Franks $0.88 w/in ad coupon
Hot Dog or Hamburger buns $0.89 w/ in ad coupon
Kraft Cheese $1.69 w/in ad coupon
Lucerne Slices 12 oz. $1.49

Well, that's it for now! Some good deals on hot dogs and bbq sauce, for sure. Can also load up for that last hot weeks with some Popsicles! I will come back later tonight with the other ads and their deals for the week.

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Riparian Preserve Field Trip

2010-08-31T08:00:00.002-07:00

Our first field trip with the Biology class was to the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert. We needed to collect some pond water to grow different microorganisms in and there are not a lot of natural ponds and/or lakes around here. So when several moms told me about the Riparian Preserve, I went to check it out. It is really beautiful and educational. There is a main lake where you can actually fish. And we saw many ducks and a turtle in the water. The Riparian Preserve is a place where they reclaim groundwater and pass it through several different marsh-like bodies of water in order to clean it. Then it is used for all different purposes. We also saw a great blue heron and many white egrets, as we explored the area.

The kids seemed to have a good time, as they found a pool of water with some fish left in it. They caught 2 of them and decided to return them to the lake. Not sure if they both made it into the water, but....

We did collect the water we needed for the experiments that we will be doing this coming Friday and the kids seemed to enjoy the time. The weather was perfect - cloudy with a nice breeze - very odd for the middle of August.

We are also talking about going to the Botanical Gardens when we are studying the Plant Kingdom, and Biosphere 2 during our holiday break. So far, this Biology Co-op is going well and we all seem to be enjoying it.

Set....Hut.....Here We Go!!

2010-08-30T17:20:00.000-07:00

Football season has officially begun in the Burgan home! This last week was Cody's first football game of the season playing JV football. He started as center, and also played alot of defensive line (which is what he prefers).

Now, he has been practicing and doing weight camp almost every day since early April. But now the games have begun! It is very exciting to see him doing what he loves, and doing it quite well! He has a game almost every week for the next two months. I am helping to feed the boys each week before their games and my hubby is going to be video taping all the games. We definitely like to be involved in helping with things that our kids are doing:-)

And I KNOW that we will be watching ALOT of football games on TV, too, as the NFL and college season get underway. So.....football season, here we come!!

TOS Homeschool Planner

2010-08-15T13:02:00.001-07:00

This is NOT your average homeschool planner!

This is a

LIFE PLANNER

for

HOMESCHOOLERS!!

To read more, click here!

Cupcake Wars?

2010-08-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Several days ago, I was craving cupcakes. Ok, if you know me very well, then you know that I don't even particularly LIKE cupcakes, or any cakes for that matter. However, I have been watching some episodes of Cupcake Wars on TV, so maybe that caused this unexplicable craving for cupcakes. As I thought about making cupcakes, I decided I really wanted carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. So I looked up a recipe on Allrecipes.com and found one for Maple Carrot Cupcakes, which sounded a little like something you might see on Cupcake Wars.

They were quite simple and quick to make and since there wasn't a ton of sugar, that made me feel better. The icing was a little strange in that it had NO sugar in it - I have never seen icing without powdered suger! It used maple syrup as the sweetener, along with butter, cream cheese and vanilla.

Well, the cake portion got rave reviews, but the icing got mixed reviews. I liked the icing and most of my family did, but my son HATED it! He said it was the most disgusting icing he had ever tasted and made me take it off his cupcakes (so I left some un-iced for him). However, it makes a nice combination, in my opinion. However, next time I will probably make my normal cream cheese frosting and leave it at that.

Oh, I would show you a pic except that someone tilted the cupcake holder on its end and all the cupcakes are messed up now:-) Thankfully, they still taste good!

TOS Travel Kits Review

2010-07-22T08:00:00.002-07:00

I have once again joined the TOS Crew to review homeschool curriculum and related items for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I was given a free copy of the ebook The Old Schoolhouse Travel Kits for the purpose of this review and found that it is a delightful book with great ideas to get you inspired to help others by putting together creative and fun Travel Kits for your friends and their children. It is 93 pages filled with ideas and motivation for a very nominal cost of $12.45.

At first when I received this ebook, I was a little puzzled as to the purpose of such a book. However, after spending time reading through the ideas and looking at the beautiful photos, I began to get inspired! If this book was just about making Travel Kits for your kids to keep them occupied during a trip, it would fall a little short in my esteem. However, the fact that it REALLY inspires you to think of opportunities where you can bless someone else with such a myriad of ideas is really phenomenal! Reading through this ebook made me want to think of people I could bless by making them a fun and really useful Travel Kit. It even gives you great ideas on where to find items for very little money to include to make your Travel Kit exciting for the recipient. They encourage you to wrap each item so that it is a continual surprise to look forward to throughout the trip, thus increasing the child's (and adult's) anticipation of the next "gift".

So what is a Travel Kit? Well, it is a bag, or box, or basket, or whatever filled with individually wrapped "presents" for the recipient to open along their journey. These "presents" can be anything from snacks to toys to games to books to whatever item you can think of that the recipient would enjoy. The possibilities are practically endless! But the inspiration to begin is the blessing of this ebook!

This made me think of all the family trips we have taken and how much quicker the time could have passed if I had made Travel Kits like these for my kids. You can make Travel Kits that fit into any budget, any length or type of trip, any age range of recipient and any theme you would like to come up with. I believe the strongest aspect of this ebook is that it is the spark that starts a flame of inspiration and creativity in your mind so that you can come up with all kinds of ideas and ways to bless others with this project. You can get your kids involved in blessing others in a very fun and creative way, too. No matter how young or old your children are, they will really get into the spirit of blessing others when you enlist their help in planning, shopping, and assembling these wonderful Travel Kits. And think of the joy of giving they will learn along the way!

I know that some of you are thinking, "I am creative. Why would I need this book when I could come up with my own ideas?" Yes, that is what I was thinking....until I read through this book! I don't know if I can adequately express the blossoming inspiration that flowed through my mind as I read this book. I thought of people I would love to bless this way and ideas of items I could include in different Travel Kits for different folks. It made my heart brim so full of wanting to bless others with these kits! It really inspires you to think of ways to be a blessing to others. THAT is what makes the price of this ebook such a great bargain. For only $12.45 (and since it is an ebook, you don't have to wait for it to arrive in the mail) you, too, can be inspired to bless your friends and family in so many different ways that they will be remembering and talking about for a very long time.

Great Sirloin Steaks for CHEAP!!!

2010-07-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went to Basha's and bought a whole sirloin tip in a bag for $1.59/lb. Then I went over to the butcher and asked him to cut it into thick steaks for me (yes, that is free!!). I got 9 super HUGE steaks plus the end cuts for under $20 total! I think I am going to marinate the steaks in something yummy and grill them next Friday when my brother and his family are visiting. With baked potatoes and a veggie/salad, we can have an awesome steak dinner for about $25 for 8 people!!! That sure beats eating out, even WITH a certificate from Restaurant.com (the only way I eat out:-)!

I do believe I will go and buy another one before the price goes up!!LOL

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (July 14 - 20, 2010)

2010-07-14T16:25:00.001-07:00

This week, to find the best deals on groceries, you just need to go to Fry's!!! They have a great $5 off when you buy 10 items promotion that you can couple with coupons and get some GREAT deals!! There are so few items at good prices elsewhere, that I hate to even take the time to delineate them:-)

Albertsons

Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts $1.77/lb
Strawberries $0.99/lb
Whole Pineapples $0.99 each
Fritos & Cheetos 4/$5
Kellogg's Cereal $1.99 limit 4
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Buy 4, Save $4 = $2 each

Basha's

Pork Chops $0.99/lb
Sirloin Tip (whole in bag) $1.59/lb
Blueberries $1.27 12 oz.
Large Eggs $0.99/dozen

FRIDAY & SATURDAY ONLY

Bananas 4 lbs/$1
Rotisserie Chicken $3.99
Ground Sirloin $1.77/lb

Food City

Cantaloupes 6 lbs/$0.96
Valencia Oranges 6 lbs/$0.96
Roma Tomatoes 3 lbs/$0.98
Avocados 4/$0.99
Green Onions 5/$1
Cilantro 4/$0.99
Green Bell Peppers 4/$1
Chicken Thighs or Drums $0.88/lb
Bone-In Country Style Pork Ribs $0.99/lb
Dole OJ $1.99
Jarritos, Sangria or Sidral 1.5 liter sodas $0.79

THURSDAY ONLY:

Boneless Chicken Thigh Meat $0.99/lb

FRIDAY ONLY:

Red Delicious Apples 3 lbs/$0.99
Old Orchard Healthy Balance Cocktail $0.99

Fry's

Boneless skinless chicken breasts $1.77/lb
93% lean ground beef $1.97/lb
Red Cherries $1.37/lb
Mangos 2/$1
Top Flight 70 page Notebook $0.15
Crayola Crayons 24 ct. $0.25

WHEN YOU BUY 10, SAVE $5

Gatorade 32 oz. $0.49
Kraft Shredded or Bar Cheese 8 oz. $1.38
Philadelphia Cream Cheese $0.99
Pepsi 2 liter $0.75
Tombstone Pizza $2.49
Rice A Roni $0.49
Dole 100% Juice Blends 64 oz. $1.49
Breyers Ice Cream $1.97
Hunts Tomatoes $0.49
Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies $1.49
Welch's 100% Grape Juice $2.49
Simply Potatoes Hash Browns $0.99 (by the eggs!!)
Dixie Plates or Napkins $1.49
Boulder Chips $0.99

(Lots of these items have coupons!!)

Pro's Ranch Market

Romas 4 lbs/$0.99
Mangos 4/$0.99
Cantaloupes 5 lbs/$0.99
Bone-in Split Chicken Breasts $0.98/lb
Powerade $0.47
Red Delicious Apples 2 lbs/$).99
White Onions 3 lbs/$0.99

THURSDAY ONLY:

Chicken Wings $0.98/lb

FRIDAY ONLY:

Kool-Aid Kool Bursts 6 pack 2/$1
Bananas 4 lbs/$0.99
Corn Tortillas 60 ct. $1.49

Safeway

Dairy Glen Milk $1.88 gallon
Breyer's Ice Cream or Klondikes $1.99
Ziploc bags $1.49 w/in ad coupon

Sprouts

Watermelon, seeded or seedless $0.09/lb
Cluster Tomatoes $0.77/lb
Navel Oranges $0.88/lb
White or Yellow Peaches or Nectarines $0.88/lb

Happy Grocery Shopping!

How to Cook a Meal Without Melting!!

2010-07-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it is 113 degrees here today and climbing still higher the next 2 days! Yikes! We are having company for dinner, so I HAD to cook a meal. So here is how I did it without melting (or running my oven for very long).

First, I put a whole chicken (that I got for $0.49/lb) in the crock pot over night to cook. This morning I simply unplugged it and turned it off. A little later when it was cool, I picked the meat off the chicken. Then I prepared my Enchilada Casserole which is simply layers of green enchilada sauce, tortillas, chicken and shredded cheese. Later, I will simply put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (while I run my daughter to roller skating - I won't even be here while the oven is heating the kitchen:-). And dinner will be served with a little salad and sour cream and hot sauce to top it off.

And I made two of them so I can put one into the freezer for another day when I don't feel much like cooking.

That's how I cooked a meal without melting today!!

How about you? Do you have any tips on meals you can make without heating up your kitchen?

Blackberry Freezer Jam

2010-07-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of freezer jam until lately and several blogs have posted about their freezer jam. Well, I just had to try it because my husband LOVES blackberry jam and I don't like the stuff in it. Blackberries are still REALLY cheap here, so I bought $4.00 worth (8 cups!!) and made 8 jars of blackberry freezer jam. It is SO yummy and SO easy - I can't believe I never did this before! I bought the pectin that you don't have to cook for $1.69 each (needed 2) and used a total of 2 1/2 cups of sugar for 8 cups of berries. Seems a much better ratio than some of the other pectins require.

Now the question is, how long will 8 jars last??? Probably not until next year's blackberries. Oh well, it is a great way to make the best of the harvest while it is here!

Crazy for Cantaloupe!

2010-07-01T17:14:00.002-07:00

I don't know about where you live, but here in Phoenix cantaloupes are selling for SO cheap!! 3 cantaloupes for $0.99 or even 8 lbs. for $0.99!! I have been eating a whole one for my lunch or breakfast - they are SO yummy! But at these prices, I wanted to have some for my fruity drinks long into the fall. So I bought a bunch of cantaloupes and cut them up and froze them!! Just put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer until they are frozen, then pop them into a ziploc freezer bag and you will have yummy ripe cantaloupe for your fruit smoothies!

Baking Soda and White Vinegar Really ARE the Wonder Products!!

2010-07-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed in my previous posts, I just got a jacuzzi/spa for my backyard. Well, it was used, so came with no manual on how to care for it. So, I was reading online to find out the best chemicals and products for testing and keeping the water sparkling clean and guess what??? The best products to use for pH balance is.......drumroll, please......baking soda and vinegar!! REALLY!!! If your pH is high, you just add a little white vinegar. If it is low, you just add some baking soda. Yeah, it is that simple! You also need some chlorine, too. Dichlor is the best kind and the folks that sold us the jacuzzi gave us some with it, so we are all set for a while:-).

I am SO glad I went ahead and bought 3 of the HUGE bags of baking soda last week at Sam's. I just knew it would come in handy (besides all the OTHER cleaning uses I already have for baking soda:-). And SO much cheaper than all those pH Minus and Boost products!! Yeah for baking soda and vinegar!! AGAIN!!

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Sale

2010-07-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

1776 was a spectacular year, and it's a smashing, save-more-money price! Grab your subscription to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine during their four-day Fourth of July sale, and check out the craziest price on July 1 only! Receive a 2-year subscription, free Homeschooling with Heart tote bag, and five FREE E-Books for just $17.76! While supplies last. U.S. and Canadian residents. July 2 through July 4 the unprecedented savings continue. The sparks are flying at TOS Magazine . . . join in the celebration and savings! Get the details here.

My Jacuzzi!!

2010-06-30T11:43:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-06-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-06-20T10:40:00.003-07:00

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)

2010-06-03T13:31:00.002-07:00

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!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (May 26-,June 1 2010)

2010-05-26T12:46:00.003-07:00

This week the deals are all about Memorial Day picnics: BBQ Sauce, paper plates, cups, napkins, hot dogs, buns, etc.

Albertsons
Pork Baby Back Ribs or Petite Sirloin Steaks Buy 1, Get 2 FREE ($6.99 lb)
Sweet Corn 6/$1
Dreyer's Ice Cream $1.99
Lay's Potato Chips or Nabisco Snack Crackers $1.77
Hefty Plates, Cups, Bowls 4/$5
Ground Round 5 lbs or more $1.77/lb
Kraft BBQ Sauce 2/$1
Hebrew National Beef Franks Buy 1, Get 2 FREE w/in ad coupon ($5.99)
8 piece Fried Chicken $3.99
Bulls Eye BBQ Sauce $0.75 w/in store coupon

Bashas
Kraft BBQ Sauce $0.99
Lay's Potato Chips or Nabisco Snack Crackers $1.77
4-DAY SALE:
White Corn 8/$1
80% lean Ground Beef $1.67/lb
8 piece Fried Chicken $3.99

Fresh & Easy
Mixed Grill Pack, or Quarter Pounder 80/20 Beef Patties or Chili, Citrus & Cilantro Chicken $5.99
Milk $1.68/Gallon
Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns $0.88
Hansen's Soda 6 pack 2/$4

Food City
Chicken Leg Quarters $0.39/lb 10 lb bag
Hefty Plates 50 ct. $0.99
Avocados and Green Bell Peppers 4/$1
Mangos 5/$1
WEDNESDAY ONLY:
Red Potatoes 5 lbs/$1
FRIDAY ONLY:
Watermelon $0.10/lb
Rosarita Refried Beans $0.99
Big G Cereals 2/$3

Fry's
Bar S Franks $0.58 (first 4)
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce $0.88
Popsicles $0.88
Split Chicken Breasts or Whole Chickens $0.77/lb
Nabisco Snack Crackers $1.88
Lay's Potato Chips $1.77
Dixie or Solo Tableware 2/$4

Pro's Ranch Market
Watermelon 7 lbs/$0.99
Cherries $0.99/lb
Romas 3 lbs/$0.99
Green Onions 4/$0.99
Apricots $0.89/lb
Muenster Cheese $1.98/lb
Powerade $0.38 when you buy 15
Kraft BBQ Sauce $0.79
WEDNESDAY ONLY:
Avocados 4/$0.99
Cucumbers 6/$0.99
Oranges 5 lbs/$0.99
THURSDAY ONLY:
Boneless Chicken Tenders $0.98/lb

Safeway
93% lean Ground Beef $1.99/lb
Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts $1.88/lb
4-DAY SALE:
Johnsonville Bratwurst or Italian Sausage $2.99
Lay's Potato Chips $1.77
8 piece Fried Chicken $3.99

So stock up on your BBQ Sauce, hot dogs, potato chips and other items that are good deals this week! And have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Happy Grocery Shopping!

My Mexican Sink

2010-05-26T08:19:00.002-07:00

Last week we were in Mexico doing some work at Hope House, our mission in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. Hope House is a home for teen girls and single moms where they can find refuge in time of crisis, or to stay for an extended period to learn skills by which to support themselves and their children. A group came from Bedford, PA, to do some work that needed done at Hope House. They poured a concrete pad/porch for the washing machine, taped, spackled and painted the ceiling, and helped tile one of the bathrooms. It was a great week and we got even more accomplished than we had hoped.

While we were down there, we took the group to Algodones, which is a town on the border that has vendors of every sort for tourists to buy "souvenirs" from. One of the things I was interested in looking at was a Talavera sink for my Master Bathroom. Next year we are planning to remodel it and I was curious to see if they had any sinks that I would like for my bathroom. I have seen some with sunflowers or calla lillies, but the backgrounds were always blue. Blue is not my favorite color:-) So I was curious to see if I could find something with green that I would like. I had looked at these online and they were very expensive. So I thought perhaps if I found something I liked and the prices were better, then I could get it on another trip to Mexico in the future (closer to when we are planning to remodel).

Well, I found ONE sink that I really liked. I was NOT prepared to buy that day, but if you know anything about these vendors, if you like something, they will NOT let you get away if they can help it. The starting price was $180!!! There was NO way I was going to pay that much, even if I did really like the sink. He kept coming down on the price because I kept telling him I couldn't buy it today anyway. When he got down to $80, I told him I had to get my husband to talk to him. He followed me all the way to where my husband was waiting for us. By the time we got back to the sink, he had gotten his boss involved. My husband made an offer of $60 and they took it!!! So, we bought a sink. It is a very large sink and that is a really good price! I really like it and now I am hoping to remodel part of the bathroom a little sooner:-) I will just have to keep my eyes open for a good deal on a vanity or antique chest.

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (May 12-18, 2010)

2010-05-12T12:14:00.005-07:00

This week I am also going to link to Bargain Believer's links for each store - she has a great new blog with coupon details that will help you in your shopping! So just click on the PURPLE name of each store to see more details on the deals from Bargain Believer.

Albertsons
93% lean Ground Beef $1.77/lb (5 lbs or more)
Hormel Pepperoni or Canadian Bacon $1.88

Basha's
80% lean Ground Beef $1.39/lb
Chuck Roast $1.39
Tomatoes on the Vine $0.97/lb
Green or Red Leaf or Romain Lettuce $0.97
Basha's Milk $1.68 gallon
Ocean Spray Drinks $1.99 64 oz.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY ONLY!
Kraft Singles $1.99
Land O Frost Deli Shaved Meats 10 oz. $1.99

Food City
Cucumbers 5/$1
Valencia Oranges 5 lbs/$1
Kiwi 10/$1
Beef Back Ribs $0.88/lb

Fry's
93% lean Ground Beef $1.97/lb
Yoplait Yogurt $0.40 when you buy 10
General Mills Cereal 2/$4
Milk gallon $1.79

Pros Ranch Market
Oranges 5 lbs/$0.99
Romas 3 lbs/$0.99
White Onions 2 lbs $0.89
Cucumbers 6/$0.99
Kiwi 6/$0.99
Carrots 3-1 lb bags $0.99
Green Onions 4/$0.99
Chicken Leg Meat $0.88/lb
WEDNESDAY ONLY:
Manila Mangos 5/$0.99
Pinto Beans $0.39/lb
California Cherries $1.29/lb
10 lbs Potatoes $0.89
THURSDAY ONLY:
70% Lean Ground Beef $0.98/lb
FRIDAY ONLY:
Bananas 4 lbs/$0.99
Avocados 4/$0.99

Safeway
Cereals (General Mills, Kellogg's, Kashi, Quaker select varieties) buy 4, Save $4
Dial Liquid hand Soap $0.99
Bar S Franks $0.99
In Ad Coupons w/$10 Purchase:
Kraft Singles $1.99
Arm & Hammer Scoop Litter $5.99
Palmolive Dish Detergent 10 oz. $1.99
Yellow or White Corn 5/$1
Extra Jumbo Raw Gulf Shrimp $6.49/lb
Lucerne Shredded or Chunk Cheese $0.99/8 oz.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY ONLY:
Cheetos or Fritos $1.29
Breyer's Ice Cream $2.29
Frozen Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts $1.79/lb

Sprouts
Blackberries 6 oz. clamshell $0.88
Romas $0.88/lb
Apricots 2 lbs/$3
Mild Cheddar $1.99/lb
Organic Beef 40% off

According to Bargain Believer, you can get FREE Corn Flakes and Fruit Loops at Safeway this week using coupons and a catalina deal. But the catalina ends Friday, so don't wait too long to check it out!

Happy Grocery Shopping!

My Mom

2010-05-09T11:04:00.004-07:00

In honor and loving memory of my mom, I thought I would share a poem that I wrote about her way back in 1989.

The Things My Momma Taught Me

When I was young my momma taught me all the things a momma should.
But as I grew and watched her life, the lessons really began.
I watched my parents dedicate their lives to God in everything
And stand for Him and teach of Him to others every day.
I learned that every decision, whether critical or small,
Was placed in God's hands, for ours are far too small.

When I first fell in love and thought my heart was gonna break,
My momma taught me how to love in spite of circumstance.
And when that love had blossomed and was nurtured by a man,
My momma taught me how to be a woman in love.
She taught me how to "fight a good fight" and come thru more in love,
And momma taught me how to love when emotion isn't there.

When my daddy died, my momma taught me how
To be strong in God, to reach out to others when your world seems to fall apart;
To love so deeply and cherish the memories that no one can replace.
On the brink of losing everything, my momma still gave anything she could.
She provided refuge for another family in need,
While all around her things were crumbling down.

And when she lost the house that she and daddy built,
My momma taught me how to trust in God for everything -
To lean on Him, not earthly things, for my security.
And still my momma always kept on giving of herself.

When I ventured out in life, became a married woman,
My momma taught me how to really find myself.
She taught me how to be who I really am deep inside,
To show the world the "real" me, no matter what the price.
She taught me and encouraged me to follow God's leading no matter what others said,
And trust my heart when decisions became too hard to make.

And through adversity or calm, smooth sailing, my momma taught me how to laugh.
No matter the circumstances around us, she always had joy in her heart.
So many silly times we spent giggling and laughing together -
Enjoying life, God and others with all our hearts - together.
Together - that's what really counts in this life.
The time that's spent together is the most precious time of all.
No matter whether good times or bad, we were always there for each other.
Together - that's what mattered.

Much too soon the lessons started coming to a crescendo
As disease attacked and weakened momma so.
But still she stood stronger than anyone I know,
And faithfully served and shared her God to any who would listen.
As people came to visit as her body lay in bed
She touched their lives and ministered to them, not they to her.

Not many people understood her strength and hope in God,
Some people even criticized her faith - how small their God!
I know my momma's God and He is greater than we can imagine.
He planned her life, her every hour, He even planned her death,
As she followed His footsteps one by one by one.

Her eyes never strayed from His face as her strength began to ebb away.
I couldn't always be by her side in person those last days,
But it was OK for my momma and me, our love kept our hearts entwined.
My thoughts are never far away from the things my momma taught me,
I use theme very day I live - a living dedication,
To a lady who lived totally for God and loved completely.

In the final chapter of her life on earth (only the beginning of eternity, though)
My momma taught me the greatest lesson, the hardest lesson of all -
My momma in her quite, strong and loving way -
My momma taught me how to die to live with God for eternity,
To leave behind a legacy in family, friends, and love ones,
A banner to a single life lived wholly, totally for God!

I love you, Momma! And I miss you so very much!!
Your loving daughter,
Erica

Blackberries!!!

2010-05-07T12:16:00.002-07:00

God is so awesome - He even cares about our little desires! I LOVE blackberries and we even talked about getting some blackberry bushes and planting them at our new home. But it takes a couple years before they start producing, so it would surely be a delayed pleasure. And I have a friend in Yuma whose dad has a blackberry farm and would let the homeschool families come and pick several times in May and get to keep 10% of what they picked for helping. I have done that for several years and LOVED it, but this year it doesn't seem as though I will be able to do that.

So....God planted a little surprise (well, a really big surprise really) in our backyard long before we moved into this wonderful new home!! There is a huge blackberry bush in our backyard that is full of unripe berries!! There are going to be a bunch of berries in a few weeks! My husband discovered it while he was trimming back the overgrown vines around our outdoor fireplace to get it ready for the teen game night we are hosting tomorrow evening. He called me out there to see and I was SO excited!!! God is so amazing and cares about even the littlest things! This is a great Mother's Day present for me - directly from God!! I love Him SO very much! And I know He loves me more than I can imagine! (You, too, BTW).

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (May 5-11, 2010)

2010-05-05T17:25:00.003-07:00

There are some good deals this week, especially if you use some of the recent coupons. I will try to note some of them for you, but I recommend that you visit Grocery Smarts to help you find exactly the right coupons to match with the deals. There is a great deal on juices at Safeway, especially with coupons. Also, a great Kellogg's deal at Albertsons with coupons and catalina. So here are the best deals as I see them:

Albertsons
Effective through 5/11/10, Albertsons will double manufacturer coupons with values up to and including .50, triple manufacturer coupons up to and including values of .33, and quadruple manufacturer coupons up to and including values of .25!
California Sweet Corn 5/$1 (limit 10)
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.77/lb
London Broil $1.77/lb
Albertsons Gallon Milk 3/$5
Simply Juice 59 oz. $1.99 (limit 2)
Breyer's Ice Cream 1.5 qt. $1.99 (limit 2)
Lay's Potato Chips $1.99

Basha's
Bashas' doubles up to 3 like coupons every day. This means that any coupon is doubled, with maximum value equaling $1.
Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts $1.69/lb
T-Bone Steak $3.99/lb
California White Corn 4/$1
Doritos, Ruffles and Herr's Chips $1.99
Yoplait Yogurt $0.40 each when you buy 10 w/in ad coupon
Old Orchard Healthy Balance Juice $2.00
Boulder Canyon Chips $1.79
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY ONLY:
Milk Gallon $1.68
Tomatoes on the Vine $0.97/lb
Hamburger Buns 8 ct. $0.99
80% lean ground beef $1.69/lb
Basha's Buck Coupons:
Breyer's Ice Cream 2/$5 and $1 off 2 coupon
Klondike Bars 2/$6 and $1 off 2 coupon
Ragu Pasta Sauce 2/$4 and $1 off 2 coupon
Skippy Peanut Butter 2/$4 and $1 off 2 coupon
Lipton Tea (includes 40 ct. green) 2/$5 and $1 off 2 coupon
and more....

Food City
10 lb potatoes $0.88
Key Limes 3 lbs/$0.99
Avocados 5/$1
Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce $1.89
FRIDAY ONLY:
Malto O Meal Cereal $0.99 (limit 2)
Hunt's Tomato Sauce 8 oz. 4/$1 (limit 8)
Valencia Oranges 5 lbs/$1 (limit 10 lbs)
SATURDAY ONLY:
Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns $0.89
Guerrero Flour Tortillas 10 ct. $0.99

Fry's
All Manufacturers' Coupons worth $1: .10 coupons and above = $1.00.
Fresh Chicken Sale Buy 1, Get 1 Free
Cook's Spiral or Half Ham $0.99/lb
Blackberries $1
Farmer John Bacon $1.77
Gallon Milk $1.68 (limit 2)
Pepsi 2 liter $0.84
Kroger Peanut Butter 18 oz. $0.99
Fry's Macaroni & Cheese $0.39
Kellogg's Cereal $1.97
Mini Peeled Carrots $0.88/lb

Pro's Ranch Market
Watermelon 8 lb/$0.99
Manila Mangos 4/$0.99
Avocados 4/$0.99
Cilantro 5/$0.99
Baby Carrots $0.89/lb
Cabbage 4 lbs/$0.99
Shamrock Cottage Cheese 16 oz. $0.99
WEDNESDAY ONLY:
Corn on the Cob 5/$0.99
Cantaloupe 4 lbs/$0.99
Roma Tomatoes 3 lbs/$0.99
Potatoes 10 lbs/$0.89
Oranges 6 lbs/$0.99
THURSDAY ONLY:
Sliced Cooked Ham $0.98/lb
FRIDAY ONLY:
Bananas 3 lbs/$0.99
Strawberries $0.89/lb

Safeway
Strawberries $0.88/lb
Fresh Express Spinach, Shreds or Green & Crisp Salads $0.99
Dairy Glen Milk Gallon $1.68
BUY any 5, Save $5 Juices:
Tree Top, Mott's, Capri Sun $1.49
V-Fusion, V-8, Welch's $1.99
Lucerne Large Eggs 18 ct. $1.49 w/in ad coupon
Safeway Frozen Potatoes $1.99 w/in ad coupon
Jimmy Dean Bacon or Breakfast Sausage Rolls Buy 1, get 1 Free
Safeway Peanut Butter $0.99 w/in ad coupon
Lay's Kettle Cooked Chips $1.88 w/in ad coupon
Ziploc $1.49 w/in ad coupon

Sprouts
White Corn $0.19/each
Blackberries $0.99
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs $1.99/lb
Chicken Sausage $2.99/lb
Colby Jack Cheese $1.99/lb
Chicken Tenders $1.88/lb

Happy Grocery Shopping!

When Life Gets Busy

2010-05-03T10:44:00.002-07:00

The month of May is a rather busy month for us. Spring football practice begins for my son (and continues through the fall with only a few weeks off here and there). The band that my kids are in has their first concert the end of this month, so there are extra practices and the stresses that go along with that. We are taking a 4-5 day trip down to Mexico to work with a group that is coming from Pennsylvania to help out at Hope House (our mission work in San Luis Rio Colorado).

I had a very hard time trying to fit in a few teen homeschooling group activities like roller skating and game night, but we did get a few squeezed in. We are still running full speed with school and will be going until sometime in June or July (we take our breaks in the winter when it is nice outside, rather than during the brutal heat of summer:-).

But, still, I don't like to be "busy". I don't mind having a lot of activities and for my kids to be involved in lots of fun stuff, but I believe "busy" is more an attitude of the mind than a state of your life. I have found that so many homeschool moms are "busy, busy, busy"! Too busy to take time for relationships and relaxing with a friend over a cup of tea. Too busy to plan an evening out with a friend. Too busy to handle the pressures that come with living life.

If my 6 years in Mexico taught me only one thing (and it taught me many), it is that I NEVER want to be "busy". I always want to be flexible enough to take time for a friend. I always want to have time for a cup of tea and a good book. I always want to spend time each week with girlfriends. I always want to be able to have a casual conversation with each of my children when THEY feel like talking. It is true that I don't fill up our schedule needlessly with lots of stuff to do, but even when our calendar and schedule look "busy", I never want to feel "busy". I never want to be too busy to accept an offer of going to yard sales with a friend. I never want to say "I don't have time right now" to a friend in need when she calls. I never want to be too busy to cook from scratch and make healthy foods for my family. Sometimes that means planning ahead and even cooking ahead and freezing some casseroles or dishes, but that is ok. I never want to be too busy to sit down at least once a day with my family at the dinner table to share a meal together. Many times this has to be breakfast since my husband works most evenings, but that is ok.

I want to challenge you, especially those homeschool moms out there, to take time spend with a friend. Make sure you are not "too busy" to be there for someone, especially your family. Even when your schedule and calendar are full, make sure that your attitude is not "too busy" for the things that really matter!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area This Week (April 28 - May 5, 2010)

2010-04-28T13:28:00.003-07:00

Now that things have settled down a bit, I am ready to resume my grocery helps postings. So here are the best deals I see for this week:

Albertsons
Cantaloupes 10/$10
Mission Soft Taco Flour Tortillas or Tortilla Chips $0.99
Blue Bunny Ice Cream $2.50 each when you buy 4
Fritos or Cheetos 4/$5 with in ad coupon
Tony's Original Pizza $1.57 with in ad coupon
Donald Duck OJ $1.27 with in ad coupon
Kraft Mac N Cheese $0.39 with in ad coupon

Basha's
10 lb bag of Russet Potatoes $0.79
Dole Classic ICeberg Salad $0.79
Kellogg's Cereal, Fruit Snacks or Pop Tarts $1.99
Mission Soft Taco Tortillas or Tortilla Chips 10/$10
Barilla Pasta or Hunt's Pasta Sauce 10/$10
Challenge Butter $1.29 8 oz.
Milk $1.99/gal.
Hansen's Soda 6 pack $1.99

Fresh & Easy
Guerrero White Corn Tortillas 30 ct. $0.99
Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce $1.99
Sangria Senorial or Jarritos Soda $0.99

Food City
Chicken Leg Quarters 10 lb bag $0.37/lb
Cucumbers 5/$1
White Corn 5/$1
Watermelon $0.10/lb
Bartlett Pears 2 lbs/$1
Iceberg Lettuce 4/$1
Kiwi 10/$1
Lemons $0.50/lb
Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts $1.69/lb
FRIDAY ONLY:
Bananas 4 lbs/$1
Juicy Juice White Grape Juice 46 oz. $0.99
Mazola Oil 40 oz. $1.79

Fry's
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts $1.77/lb
Red Seedless Grapes $0.87/lb
Freschetta Pizza $3.99
Mini Seedless Watermelons 2/$3
Gatorade 32 oz. $0.79
Kroger cheese 2/$3 (6-8 oz shredded, bar or sliced)
Mission Flour or Corn Tortillas $0.97
Green Giant Vegetables w/ sauce in box 10/$10
Kroger Cream Cheese or Bagels 10/$10
Kroger Cottage Cheese 10/$10
Kellogg's Cereal 2/$5
Yoplait Greek Yogurt 10/$10
McCormick Grill Mates Spices 4/$5

Pros Ranch Market
Bananas 3 lbs/$0.99
Tangerines 2 lbs/$0.99
Cucumbers 6/$0.99
Grapefruit 3 lbs/$0.99
Celery 2/$0.99
8 oz. Mushrooms $0.99
Green Onions 3/$0.99
Chicken drums or thighs $0.48/lb
Tilapia Fillets $1.98/lb
Bar S Franks $0.69/lb
Powerade 32 oz. $0.38
Blue Ribbon Rice 5 lbs/$1.50
WEDNESDAY ONLY:
Oranges 7 lbs/$0.99
Limes 4 lbs/$0.99
Romas Tomatoes 2 lbs/$0.99
Green Chiles 4 lbs/$0.99
THURSDAY ONLY:
Beef Shank $0.98/lb
Marinated Chicken Fajitas $1.29/lb
FRIDAY ONLY:
Avocados 6/$0.99

Safeway
Avocados 3/$1
Mangos 4/$1
Yoplait Yogurt 10/$5
SATURDAY & SUNDAY ONLY:
Whole Seedless Watermelon $2.99
Tropicana Pure Premium 89 oz. $2.99
Cheez-It Crackers $0.99 (limit 4)
Kraft Salad Dressing $0.99 (limit 3)
Papa Cantella's Italian Sausage 16 oz. $1.99
Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tuna 2 cans/$0.88
WITH IN-AD COUPON AND $10 PURCHASE:
A&W or Sprite $0.69
Mission Soft Taco Flour Tortillas $0.99
Sargento Shredded Cheese $1.69
Deli Counter Salsa $1.49
Kleenex Facial Tissue $0.99

Sprouts
(will be added later - online ad not working)

Well, it's a great week for Mission Tortillas and Chips!! Stock up if you like them - you can freeze the tortillas. Also, don't forget to check out Superstition Ranch Market for the best prices in produce on Main Street between Greenfield and Higley. I got artichokes last week 3/$1!! And much more!

Happy Grocery Shopping!

I'm Back!!!

2010-04-28T13:26:00.002-07:00

Now that things have begun to settle down and I am feeling more normal (after moving, etc.), I am ready to get back to blogging. So look for the regular weekly grocery helps, as well as other posts about family life, homeschooling, cooking and frugal living.

And let me just say again - I LOVE MY NEW HOUSE!!! It is such a huge blessing and we are feeling very "at home" here!

Our New Home

2010-04-19T12:24:00.003-07:00

Well, we are all moved and working on unpacking and settling into our new home!! I really like it and God has blessed us SO very much in so many little ways through all of this. Our home is very comfortable for us and the more time I spend here, the more I like it! I am hoping to get back on my regular posting in the next week or so, but just wanted to update you all on the fact that we have actually closed on our home, moved and are now in the unpacking process.

We are also beginning school again after about a month sabbatical, so that will be interesting:-) It is hard to get back into routines, but we are starting out slowly (like after summer break) and working into it. Perhaps I might need to add a field trip or something fun this week just to help with the transition.Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts during this time of stress, frustrations and transitions. God is faithful, as always! Why do we default to worry when He has ALWAYS taken care of us and provided for everything we have need of in our lives? He has a perfect track record - I wish I could just learn to lean on Him always and trust in Him in every little thing.

Big Baking Day

2010-04-06T10:34:00.003-07:00

Since we are still waiting to close on our home (any day now:-), I decided to do a big baking day today to get things stocked up so I don't have to worry about it for the next week or two. So here is my lineup: 4 loaves of bread, double batch of granola cereal, breakfast burritos for the freezer, breakfast biscuits for the freezer. I am also considering pizza dough for the freezer, meatballs for the freezer and muffins (not sure what kind yet). Those extras will depend on what happens today - like whether or not we get the call to sign papers!!

I will try to remember to take some photos and post the results of this baking day, for you viewing pleasure:-) But don't hold me to it - my mind is a little random lately with all the stress.

Have a Blessed Resurrection weekend!

2010-04-01T11:35:00.002-07:00

While we are still dealing with the frustrations of trying to close on our new home, I didn't want to neglect to wish you all a very blessed Resurrection weekend! Without the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our faith would be useless and there would be no hope for an abundant life after this one, worshiping God forever!

Take a moment to remember just what He suffered for YOU, so that YOU may have everlasting life in relationship with the Father! It was horrible, terrible, painful - way worse than anything you can imagine. It puts the "trials" of this life in perspective, doesn't it? We get so upset about little things that really mean nothing in light of eternity, yet we let them sidetrack us from our love for the Father and His dear Son! If we could just keep our perspective and focus, the things of life would "grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace!"

He is awesome, He is worthy and He loves you more than you can imagine! Remember, Papa is especially fond of you!! (from The Shack)

HALLELUJAH! HE IS RISEN!!

Some More Woes of the Foreclosure Market

2010-03-25T10:08:00.003-07:00

The reason I have not been posting many blog updates is that we are in the process of closing on our new home and moving. However, it has been a very long and drawn out affair since we are buying a foreclosed home. This puts us at the mercy of the selling bank, who, in this case, has dragged their feet and done many things that have caused great delays. We are down to the final details of closing, but with a title company/escrow company in another state!! This makes it all the more complicated and time-consuming.

I know it says in the Bible that God will not give us more than we are able to handle, so I trust Him to be in control of all of this, but my patience is stretched thin and my frustration level is so high I have had a dull headache for three days now. This coming weekend was our last weekend to move before running into an issue with our landlords. Now we are not going to be able to move until next week, and we have to face this issue and pray for an amicable resolve with them, since we are not going to be out until probably the 4th of April.

My husband is trying to see if he can get switch his off days at work to Wednesday/Thursday and/or Friday, but that is a very difficult thing to work out for him. So we will see!

If you are in the market for a house, please be aware that the process is completely at the mercy of the selling bank if you buy a foreclosed home. This can be a good thing in that you will probably get a great price for your house, but a bad thing if they drag their feet and cause delays like we have been experiencing. They can even choose a title company/escrow company in another state to complicate the matters even further!

We are very anxious to be in our new home and trying our best to survive these last few weeks/days/hours until we can make that a reality. God IS faithful and we trust in Him for His timing and to work it all out.

I will be back to posting more regularly in April, after the move and we get settled. Sorry for not being able to help with posting the grocery deals, but that is just more than I can handle right now. Looking forward to getting back to regular posting again soon!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

2010-03-10T16:19:00.002-07:00

This week resembles last week pretty much - many of the sales are continuing. Great prices on corned beef and cabbage for your St. Patrick's Day meals.

Albertsons
Ground Round 5 lbs or more $1.77/lb
Asparagus $0.99/lb
Carrots 5 lb bag $1.99
Tomatoes, large hot house $0.99/lb
Pork Chops $0.97/lb
Quaker Sale: Buy 7, Save $3 = all items $1.57 when you buy 7

Bashas
Cabbage $0.33/lb
Whole Chickens $0.59/lb
Corned Beef Brisket Point Cut $1.27/lb
Del Monte Vegetables 13.5-15.25 oz. cans $0.59
Post Cereal $1.99
Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables $1.00

Food City
Chicken Leg Quarters $0.37/lb 10 lb bag
Russet Potatoes 10 lbs bag $0.99
Doritos $1.99
1-2-3 Cooking Oil 1 liter $1.50

Fresh & Easy
80/20 ground beef $1.59/lb
F&E OJ 64 oz. 2/$3
Hunt's Pasta Sauce $0.99
Nestles Semi-Sweet Chips $1.99

Fry's
Cabbage $0.25/lb
Mini carrots 1 lb bag $0.88
Strawberries $1.50/lb
Corned Beef Brisket Point Cut $1.27/lb
Ribeye Steak $4.88/lb

Pro's Ranch Market
Chicken drumsticks or thighs $0.88/lb
1-2-3 Cooking Oil 1 liter $1.49
Monterey Jack Cheese $1.99/lb
WEDNESDAY ONLY:
10 lb Russet Potatoes $0.89
Manila Mangos 3/$0.99
FRIDAY ONLY:
Hass Avocados 5/$0.99

Safeway
Cabbage $0.25/lb
93% lean ground beef $1.99/lb
Corned Beef Point Cut $1.27/lb
Barilla Pasta $0.88
Mix & Match Sale: Buy 5 items, Save $5
Red Potatoes 5 lb bag $0.99
Minute Maid OJ $2
Frozen Food Promo: Spend $25 BEFORE coupons, get $10 coupon towards next purchase

Smart & Final
First Street Cooking Oil $1.99 48 oz.

Sprouts
Cutie Clementines 5 lb box $2.99
Asparagus $1.49/lb
Sharp Cheddar Cheese $2.50/lb
Juice Sale 20% off

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Patience is a Virtue....

2010-03-10T16:15:00.002-07:00

I keep telling myself to be patient. Every day. Several times each day. But the waiting is getting ridiculous! We have been waiting for almost 2 weeks now to hear back from the selling bank about our house. The appraisal came in $10,000 under our offer, so we have sent an addendum to the sales contract requesting they reduce the sales price to match the appraisal. I am told this normally is a no brainer - that they are stuck with that appraisal for 6 months, so if they want to sell the house, they will accept. But due to them having a lousy real estate agent representing them and them being slow in responding, we have been waiting and waiting....

And so we proceed to pack and organize for the move, but still don't know when it will be. Such are the joys of buying a house in this crazy market....

This Week's Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

2010-03-03T18:00:00.002-07:00

This week, and month really, is Frozen Food Month. So, if you buy frozen foods of any sort, this would be the time to stock up your freezer. And don't forget to look for coupons - there are LOTS of them right now, too. You can get some incredible deals if you coordinate your coupons and sales on frozen food. Also, generic store brands are on sale this week at alot of stores. And the meat of the week is skinless, boneless chicken breasts - as low as $1.49/lb.

Albertsons:
Petite Sirloin Steak $6.99/lb Buy 1, Get 2 FREE= $2.33/lb
Chicken Breast, Drumstick, Thighs or Leg Quarters $0.88/lb
10 for $10 Sale:
Cantaloupes
Fresh Express Garden Salad, Cole Slaw Kit or Shredded Lettuce
Albertsons Cereals
Green Giant Steamers Vegetables
Albertson's 1/2 gallon Milk
Albertson's dozen eggs
16 oz. Sour Cream
Old Orchard Frozen Juice
Crunch N Munch
Sobe, Lifewater or Aquafina FlavorSplash
and MUCH, MUCH MORE!!!
10%-15% OFF Frozen Food

Basha's
Blue Bunny Ice Cream $1.99 (w/in ad coupon)
Tombstone Pizza $1.99 (w/in ad coupon)
Top Sirloin Steak $1.97/lb
Green Asparagus $0.87/lb
Basha's Milk Gallon $1.88
Powerade 32 oz. $0.50 when you buy 15 (w/in ad coupon)
Dole Classic Iceberg Salad $0.99
General Mills Cereals $1.99

Food City
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.69/lb
Tilapia Fillets $1.99/lb
Bananas 3 lbs/$0.99
Mexican Key Limes 3 lbs/$0.99
Dole Orange Juice 64 oz. $1.99
THURSDAY ONLY:
Iceberg Lettuce 3/$0.99
Green Chiles 2 lbs/$1
Kale, Mustard, Turnip or Collard Greens 2/$1
Cilantro 4/$1
Navel Oranges $0.59/lb
Avocados 2/$1

Fry's
Gold Medal Flour 5 lb $1.77 (use coupon = $0.77)
Betty Crocker Pouch Cookies 2/$3 (use coupons = $0.70/each)
Nature Valley Granola Bars $1.88 (use coupons = $0.88)
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.49/lb frozen in 3 lb bag
Red Seedless Grapes $0.77/lb
Progresso Soups (full line!!) $0.99 (use coupons = $66 each)
Ragu Pasta Sauce $1.67 (use coupons = $1.17)
Green Giant Steamers Vegetables $1.28 (use coupons=$0.28)

Pro's Ranch Market
10 lb bag Potatoes $0.89
Bar-S Jumbo Franks $0.69
Malt-o-Meal Cereals $2/$3
Avocados 3/$0.99
Cilantro 5/$0.99
Black Beans (dried) 2 lbs/$0.99
Lentils 2 lbs/$0.99
Jalapenos 2 lbs/$0.99
Country Style Pork Ribs $0.98/lb
70% lean Ground Beef $1.29/lb
Sangria or Sidral Sodas 1.5 liter $0.89
Maruchan Instant Lunch 24 packs $5.99
WEDNESDAY SPECIALS:
Asian Pears 3 lbs/$0.99
Bananas 3 lbs/$0.99
Red Delicious Apples 3 lbs/ $0.99
Mexican Limes 3 lbs/$0.99
Oranges 5 lbs/$0.99
THURSDAY SPECIALS:
Pork Cushion Meat $0.98/lb
Bone-In Sirloin End Pork Chops $0.98/lb
FRIDAY SPECIALS:
Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs $0.68/lb
Iceberg Lettuce 4/$0.99
Pinto Beans (dried) 2 lbs/ $0.99

Sprouts
Blueberries 6 oz. 4/$5
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs $1.49/lb
Honey Tangerines or Minneola Tangelos $0.88/lb
Hass Avocados 2/$1
Green Leaf, Red Leaf or Romaine Lettuce $0.88
Pinova or Braeburn Apples $0.88/lb
Bunched Spinach or Sweet Onions $0.88
Hansen's Natural Soda 6 pack 2/$4
Ground Meats Sale 40% off
Bulk Sale - bulk bin, bulk spices and bulk coffee items 25% off
Bolthouse Juices 32 oz. 2/$5

So those are the best deals I see this week. I got a great deal on frozen foods at Safeway today, bought $25 worth, used $6 coupons, used $10 catalina from previous purchase, paid $10.41 and got another $10 catalina to use on another great frozen food deal!! That really only $0.41 out of pocket for 11 frozen items (mostly vegetables:-).

And there are some great deals at Fry's if you use coupons. So get out there and stock up this week!!

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Another Football Win

2010-03-03T16:55:00.002-07:00

Last evening, my son played the last of his winter season schedule footballs games and they won 18-15. It was a very close game and they won by holding the other team at the 4 yard line on the 4th down with less than a minute in play time!! Needless to say, it was a very stressful game to watch! Finger-biting, to say the least!

Cody played extremely well - was involved in quite a few tackles, as well as playing several different positions on both offense and defense. He is learning to be very versatile, and the coaches have learned that his greatest strength is the defensive line, so when things get tough, they put him in there (even though he starts as tight end on offense:-). I am very proud of him and how he has worked hard to learn many different positions. I appreciate that he puts all his effort into every game and always plays hard, doing his best for the team.

He has overcome his fall injury that sidelined him from Freshman football, and has proven to himself that he is healed. This Saturday, they begin playoffs. Don't know how far they will go (they were 3-4 in the regular season), but they have gotten better each week, so I will be there cheering them on for every game they get to play.

It is such a joy to see my son doing what he loves so much - playing football! It is nerve racking being the mom and worrying about injury, but it also does my heart good to see him pursue his passion.

This Week's Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

2010-02-24T16:07:00.003-07:00

Not a great week for grocery deals, but there are a few. My favorite deal of the week is on Welch's 100% Grape Juice and V-8 Fusion at Safeways - I got 3 of each for $1.49 each!! THAT IS A GREAT PRICE FOR JUICE!!

Albertson's
Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts $1.67/lb
Pork Loin Chops $0.99/lb
Clementine Tangerines 3 lb bag $2.50
Fresh Baked Cinnamon Rolls 4 ct. 10/$10
Skippy Peanut Butter 10/$10
Albertsons Eggs 10/$10
Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce or American Beauty Pasta 10/$10
Mix & Match 10/$10 - some good deals so check it out!
In ad coupon for Kellogg's Cereal $1.75 each when you buy 4

Basha's
In ad coupon for Kellogg's Cereal 3/$5
Pork Chops $0.99/lb
Drumsticks, thighs or leg quarters $0.77/lb
Iceberg Lettuce 2/$1
Russet Potatoes 5 lb $0.79
Food Club Butter $1.99/lb
Sheet of Coupons - some ok deals

Food City
Bone-In Sirloin Cut Pork Chops $0.99/lb
Whole Chicken Fryers $0.79/lb
Roma Tomatoes 3 lbs/$0.99
Pagasa Pasta 5/$1
Green Onions 3/$0.99
73% lean ground beef $1.49/lb
THURSDAY ONLY:
Bananas 3 lbs/$0.99
Green Cabbage 4 lbs/$1
Red Delicious Apples 2 lbs/$1

Fresh & Easy
80% lean ground beef $1.49/lb
1/2 gallon F&E Orange Juice $1.99

Fry's
Fry's Canned Vegetables 2/$1
Kroger Butter $2/lb
Fresh Pork Butt $0.97/lb
Asparagus $1/lb
Kellogg's Cereal 4/$10 PLUS 2 FREE Gallons of Milk
Manwich $1
Pepperidge Farm Cookies $2
Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tuna 2/$1
(lots of items on their Dollar Days promo)

Pro's Ranch Market
Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast $0.78/lb
Roma Tomatoes 3 lbs/$0.99
Mazola Corn Oil 40 oz. $1.99
Special Value Tomato Sauce 8 oz. 5/$1
Malt O Meal Cereal 2/$3 (use coupons for great deal)
D'Anjou Pears 3 lbs/$0.99
Loose Potatoes 7 lbs/$0.99
Green Onions 3/$0.99
Lemons 2 lbs/$0.99
Jennie-O Turkey Franks $0.69
THURSDAY SPECIALS:
Boneless Chicken Leg Meat $0.99/lb
Bone-In Beef Shank $0.99/lb
FRIDAY SPECIALS:
70% lean ground beef $0.98/lb
Nectarines $0.79/lb

Safeway
7-Bone Chuck Pot Roast $1.47/lb
Pork Country Style Ribs $0.99/lb
BEST DEAL OF THE WEEK:
Welch's 100% Grape Juice $2.49 (in ad coupon PLUS manufacturer's $1 coupon=$1.49!!)
V-8 Fusion $2.49 (in ad coupon PLUS manufacturer's $1 coupon=$1.49!!)

Sprouts
Navel Oranges $0.19/lb
Roma Tomatoes $0.67/lb
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.97/lb
Walnut Halves & Pieces $3.99/lb
Chicken Parmesan Sausage $2.99/lb
Colby Jack, Monterrey Jack or Mild Cheddar Cheese $2.49/lb

Well, there is the best that I have seen. If you need info on where to find the coupons, let me know!

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Soup In A Pumpkin Recipe

2010-02-23T14:27:00.003-07:00

Today, after 5 months of waiting, I finally used my pumpkin to make Soup in a Pumpkin! I really love it and have only made it a couple of times, usually for Thanksgiving. But this year, for some reason, I just never got around to it. So today, finally, I made it. I use the basic recipe from CDKitchen here, but I used a larger pumpkin and for my bread crumbs, I used pumpkin rolls left over in the freezer from Christmas. It is a very rich and creamy soup, but oh, so yummy! And on this cold day, it hits the spot.

God Made the Best Storage Containers!!

2010-02-23T13:48:00.002-07:00

Do you know how long you can keep an uncut pumpkin? Well, I bought 2 pumpkins BEFORE Halloween and I just cut them today and they are STILL fresh as can be!!! I am so surprised! I was afraid they would have gone bad inside or dried out or something. I bought one in order to make Soup in a Pumpkin, and the other was my daughter's to carve. Well, neither of those things happened around Halloween or Thanksgiving:-) So today I decided to cut into them and see what we had. That was over 5 months!!! And they are fresh and beautiful! The seeds are still good for roasting and I am going to make Soup in a Pumpkin today. Just thought I would share how wonderful the storage containers that God made are:-) Have a wonderful day!

This Week's Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

2010-02-18T11:04:00.002-07:00

There are some deals this week, but not tons. Lots of stores are advertising deals on fish for Lent, but, in my opinion, they are still not great prices. I am hoping that they will get better as time goes on during Lent. However, if you like tuna, several stores have it for 2/$1 or less!! That is a "stock up" price and can be FREE if you use coupons. Fry's is still running their Daytona 500 Buy 10, get $3 off promo that can snag you some good deals. So here are the best deals that I see this week:

Albertsons
Whole Fryers or Chicken Drums, Thighs or Leg Quarters $0.77/lb
Country Style Pork Ribs $0.98/lb
London Broil $1.77/lb
Broccoli $0.68/lb
Cantaloupe 10/$10
Blue Bunny Ice Cream $2
Roasts are on sale Buy 1, Get 1 FREE
Tilapia Fillets Buy 1, Get 2 FREE w/in ad coupon

Basha's
Boneless Pork Loin $1.88/lb
Dole Bananas $0.39/lb
Bumble Bee Tuna, Stokely's Vegetables or S&W Beans 2/$1
Large Eggs $1.29/dozen
Angel Soft Bath Tissue 4 oll $0.69 w/in ad coupon
Quaker Cereal, Oatmeal or Granola Bars Buy 5, Save $3=$1.39 each w/in ad coupon

Food City
Chicken Leg Quarters $0.49/lb
Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna 2/$1
Cucumbers 4/$1
Cilantro and Green Onions 4/$1
THURSDAY ONLY:
Potatoes 10 lbs $0.97

Fresh & Easy
Bagels 6 ct. $1.99

Fry's
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.67/lb
Boneless Beef Bottom Round Roast Buy 1, Get 1 FREE ($4.99/lb)
Roma Tomatoes $0.77/lb
Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tuna 2/$0.88
Still running Daytona 500 Buy 10, get $3 off promo:
Grands Biscuits $0.89
General Mills Cereal $1.99
Kroger American Cheese Singles $1.19
Ragu Pasta Sauce $1.29
Breyer's Ice Cream $1.99
Gatorade 32 oz. $0.69
and more......

Pro's Ranch Market
Large Raw Shrimp (26-30 ct.) $3.99/lb
Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna 2/$1
La Moderna Pasta 7 oz. 6/$1
Oranges 5 lbs/$0.99
Hass Avocados 4/$0.99
Green Cabbage 5 lbs/$0.99 (these last a long time and St. Patrick's Day is coming!)
Cilantro 5/$0.99
General Mills Cereals 5/$10

Safeway
93% lean ground beef $1.99/lb
Boneless skinless chicken breasts $1.88/lb
Fresh Express Spinach, Lettuce Trio or Green & Crisp Salads $.99
Green or Red Seedless Grapes $0.99/lb
Whole or Sliced Button Mushrooms 8 oz $0.99
Campbell's Condensed Soups 2/$1
Campbells Select Harbest Soups 10/$10 (use coupons for FREE!!)
Progresso Vegetable Classics 10/$10
Lucerne Butter $1.00 w/in ad coupon (limit 2)
Powerade 32 oz $0.60 w/ in ad coupon (limit 10)
SATURDAY & SUNDAY ONLY:
5 lbs Idaho Russet Potatoes $0.68
Nature Valley Granola Bars 2/$3 (use coupons for great deal)
Rice or Pasta Roni $0.75
Nabisco Premium Saltine Crackers $1.29
Crest or Colgate Toothpaste $0.99
Kraft Singles $1.49 w /in ad coupon
Proctor & Gamble Promo:
Buy $25 of participating P&G products, get $10 off coupon

Smart & Final
10 lb bag Russet Potatoes $1.49
Dole 100% Juice 64 oz. $1.99
10lbs First Street Long Grain Rice $3.99

Sprouts
Asparagus $0.97/lb
Large Vine Ripe Tomatoes $0.77/lb
Bulk Granola Bonanza $2.49/lb
Leaf Lettuce Red, Green or Romaine $0.88
Hot Pepper Jack or Hot Pepper Cheddar Cheese $2.99/lb
Boulder Potato Chips 2/$3 (use coupons!!)
Bone-In Chicken Breasts $0.97/lb
Oats 2 lbs/$1

Well, there you go - the best deals I see for this week.

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Watching the Olympics

2010-02-17T11:29:00.003-07:00

The Winter Olympics are my son's favorite. He has been waiting expectantly for 2 years for these Winter Olympics. We enjoy all the downhill events, as well as snowboarding. My daughter loves figure skating and I can't help but be fascinated by curling. I know, it is a strange sport, but it is alot like playing pool and for some reason I can sit and watch a whole match (IF the USA is playing:-). I have read to learn more about the rules and the stones used. Strange, I know!

We are looking forward to watching the Flying Tomato tonight (Shawn White) do his new signature move on the half pipe. Since we are in a close time zone to the Olympics and they are airing during the day and evening, I decided we would watch the Olympics for school this week. My kids have to watch at least 3 hours of Olympic events each day and they have to select a sport to write a report about by Friday. Are you using the Winter Olympics in your homeschooling? If so, what are you doing? Would love to get more ideas - there is a second week of them after all:-)

This Week's Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

2010-02-11T11:46:00.002-07:00

I took yesterday off for my birthday, so this is a little later than usual. This week there are alot of deals on Valentine's Day stuff, but there are still some good grocery deals to be had. Here is what I found:

Albertsons
Gallon of Milk $1.88 (limit 2)
Breyer's Ice Cream or Klondike Bars $1.99 when you buy 3
Ragu Pasta Sauce 2/$3 (Buy 2, get a free pasta)
Green Giant Vegetables and Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna 2/$1
Propel Fitness Water 28 oz. or Gatorade Sports 32 oz. $0.88
Ribeye Steak $3.97/lb
Red or Green Seedless Grapes $0.88/lb
Yoplait Yogurt 20/$10
Albertsons Chunk or Shredded Cheese 16 oz. $2.99

Bashas
Pork Country Style Ribs $0.89/lb
Red Seedless Grapes $0.99/lb
1/2 gallon milk $0.99
Del Monte Pasta Sauce $0.99
American Beauty or Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta $0.99

Food City
Boneless Chicken Breasts or Thighs $1.69/lb
Medium Eggs 5 dozen $4.99
American Beauty Pasta $0.99

Fresh & Easy
T-Bone Steak $3.99/lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.97/lb
Vegetable Oil $2.39 48 oz.

Fry's
93% lean Ground Beef $1.88/lb
Gallon Milk $1.88
Dole Premium Classic Salads $1
Buy 10, Save $3 Sale:
Gatorade 32 oz. $0.69
Grands Biscuits or Banquet Brown N Serve sausage $0.89
General Mills Cereal $1.99
Campbell's Chunky Soup $0.99
Kroger American Cheese Slices 12 oz. $0.99
Breyer's Ice Cream or Klondike Bars $1.99
Coke 2 liters $0.89
Fresh Whole Frying Chicken $0.88/lb
Softsoap Liquid hand Soap 7.5 oz. $0.88
Kraft BBQ Sauce $0.69
Country Time Lemonade or Tang Drink Mix 6-8 qt. $1.99
Ragu Pasta Sauce $1.28

Pro's Ranch Market
Fresh Bone-In Chicken Breasts $0.98/lb
Iceberg Lettuce 4/$0.99
Jazz Apples 3lbs/$0.99
70% lean ground beef $0.98/lb THURSDAY ONLY
Bone-In Sirloin End Pork Chops $0.98/lb

Safeway
Ribeye Steaks $3.99/lb
Split Chicken Breasts $0.99/lb
Gala or Granny Smith Apples $0.88/lb
Asparagus $0.99/lb
Yoplait Yogurt 10/$5
4 DAYS SALE (Sat - Tues)
Navel Oranges 3 lbs/$1
Starbucks Coffee 12 oz. $4.99
Pepepridge Farm Cookies $1.88
Gatorade 32 oz. $0.88
Oreo Cookies $1.99 w/ in ad coupon and $10 purchase
Minute Maid OJ $1.99 w/in ad coupon and $10 purchase

Sprouts
Yellow Peaches or Nectarines $0.88/lb
New York Steak $3.99/lb
Roma Tomatoes $0.77/lb
Braeburn Apples or D'anjou Pears $0.77/lb
Cantaloupe $0.99 each
All Bulk Chocolate Candies 25% off
Roasted Mixed Nuts w/ peanuts $3.99/lb
Extra Large Eggs 2/$3
Chicken Sausages $2.99/lb

Have a Happy Valentine's Day this weekend!!

And Happy Grocery Shopping!