Classic Olan Mills Shots

If you need a good laugh, you have to check out this blog! Let me know if you spot some of your kin... If you read Ree at Pioneer Woman, she is the last photo! What a hoot!

I also wanted to mention that my funny Daughter #1 had her letter to Santa published in the local paper! I knew it was cute, but I am her mother!

Sick in Bed

I spent Saturday morning at the Doctor's office. I have not been seen at his office since 2005. I have a bronchial infection. Too much fun in the snow.
Since I had to get a prescription filled I got a $25 gift card from CVS for a new Rx. My consolation prize for being sick! I have read about some great bonus deals CVS has starting for week of 1/6/08. Lots of ECB items, but I'll post about that on the other blog!

This is the second time I have been sick this winter and it is not even January. Husband and I are going to do the Daniel Fast for 21 days in January. The Daniel Fast will lead to spiritual insight. “As for these four boys, God gave them knowledge and skill.” (Daniel 1:17) The application of a Daniel Fast is longer than one day. These young men fasted for at least ten days. (Daniel 1:12, 15).
This is only a partial fast. Daniel and his friends ate only vegetables and drank only water. (Daniel 1:12).

Our church is fasting as a whole in January. I have specifically written out ten or more prayers I am fasting for. One of my prayers is to alter my families eating habits. Our plan is to change our eating style once this is over.

Husband is going to have a much rougher transition I think than myself because he does not like beans. I plan on eating them over whole grain rice and calling it a meal. I will keep you posted on the progress of our eating habits.

The original plan for Sunday was to take the tree down since we are having friends over for New Years... I think they will have to see our house still completely decorated. I think I remember my Mom saying it was bad luck to keep your tree up past New Years? I am going take my chances this year and go with the man down the street from us who keeps his three trees lite well into February...

Saturday Review

I hope you had a beautiful Christmas with your family! We had a lot of fun with family!
I have a couple of new money saving ideas on my Savings $$$ blog - Enough Cents 2 Save.

On Friday we cleaned out the girls room, again! This time we moved their beds around and made a "desk" out of their vanity. Hopefully the new look will inspire them to keep it clean. They told my Grandmother their room was not clean because they were messy. They seem to be fine with it, but it make me NUTS.
We finally brought all of the goodies upstairs and cleaned out the den. Now I need to take down all the Christmas decorations. That is always so sad to me. I love decorating the house, getting everything all festive. Breaking it all down is depressing. We are hosting our HomeTeam over New Years Eve, so at least I have motivation to get it all down.

Today is one of my Mother-In-Laws birthday and we will be celebrating Christmas with them. Happy Birthday!!!!

I have not posted about the ski trip yet. We had an amazing trip! The children were naturals on the slopes. I on the other hand chickened out. Who was going to care for our family when I was laid up - big sissy! I am not complaining! I had a wonderful trip! We went sledding, ice skating, swimming in a hot springs and shopping!! :) There was so much to do! They had a free gondola that took you from one side of the mountain to the other. Our place was in walking distance to everything. The children were in heaven with all the cousins! We cooked dinner several nights at each others place and gave all the parents a night to go out on a date! One night we had sitters come and keep all 11 children and the adults went out to eat. We played the Dirty Santa game and had a great time!

The trip was definitely a Christmas memory we will all never forget!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

I hope you had a beautiful day celebrating Jesus' birth!!


All of the children had a great two-days! We visited my Mom on Christmas Eve and Husbands family for Christmas lunch! It was hard to get the children ready for bed! All they wanted to do was play!

Husband got Guitar Hero for the new Wii and the children have cried all day "because Daddy won't give them a turn." Not really, but he sure has had fun with it! Look at him go!


The Wii is definitely a hit! They each got a new webkin and spent about an hour trying to log on. My children and about two million other children were also trying to log on! I keep thinking this is just a phase, but we are still in it!

Husband had a set of shelves made for my new den! I love them! Even more than that, I can't wait to decorate them! Once again Husband has out done himself with the perfect gift! I love you!!

Merry CHRISTmas to all and to all a good night...

Merry CHRISTmas

I hope you have a very Merry CHRISTmas! I have to HoHoHo and will be taking a break!
THANK YOU for being such a loyal reader!
Remember WHOSE you are this season when you are at WalMart and Belks.......those people need to see our light at all times, even when they "steal" your parking space or take to long in line with all their coupons (grin)!!
Love you all!!

Where Have You Been?

Every day has been jammed packed! Today I went to the worse place ever - Wal-Mart. I promised myself I would not step foot in there after Thanksgiving and I did today. It was crazy. The parking lot alone should have stopped me from entering the store.

I did find myself at Jaque-Penney's using my $10 off any purchase of $10 or more! Lucky me, my Mom had given me two additional coupons and I got $30 for FREE!! I know this blog is not about savings anymore, but it is about ME and I like to save money!!! SO, what did I buy? Socks and Underwear for a family that my HomeTeam is helping for Christmas! Not real exciting, but good quality for very little money!!!

We celebrated Christmas tonight with our Church! It was a great meal and lots of fun games! They hosted off site and everyone had a great time! I laughed so hard at our table! My hometeam characters are great!

Last night Husband came home real early and we ate dinner then celebrated his birthday! I scored big!! I got him a fancy weather-clock (that we currently cannot get to work, but it sure looks neat). He got a great sweatshirt, a new razor and a sweater! Hopefully I made up for a lousy anniversary gift. Actually anything would have beat that since I did not give him anything. I know...what was I thinking? Obviously I was not.

My Mom is coming down Thursday to help me fold laundry and get caught up. Plus I have been such a bad daughter and I have only seen her once in the last two weeks since her surgery.

Today I went on a field trip to our local museum. I will get to do the same field trip on Friday with my other daughter!!!!!! I can't wait. Times like these make me want to put them in the same class.

We have our house decorated and we are actually enjoying the Christmas season. I wrapped up 24 Christmas books on November 30Th and every night we have opened a book and read it! The girls have really gotten in to this. We have made homemade breads and started some baking. It has been so warm, it does not feel like winter yet!

You will have to read my post about the Spa Rewards! I cannot wait! Did you get yours?

Enough Cents To Save

I DID IT!

I know all six of my daily readers may not be as in to coupons as I am, so I have started a second blog. Yes, I now have two!

Enough Cents to Save

Ain't i purdy!

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Drama Mama will now be all about my family, recipes and photos!

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor and sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my child's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I will find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy and/or toy aisle at Walmart and/or Target.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year - I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.


On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother, "because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food that is warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back.

Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet, because yours truly will be the one to have to clean up after you - and if you haven't noticed - I have enough on my plate.

Yours Always,

MOM...

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.


I received this as an email and had to share. Author-Unknown

Re-Gifting

I have never been a huge fan of re-gifting because my memory is so short! I'd probably re-gift to the same person. Besides the fact that my family is great at gift giving. I am the one who is severely challenged in gift giving!

Anyways, look at what Husband came home with last night! Don't think we won't be giving over half of that bad boy away! Teachers gifts, mailman, choir teachers... Need I go on? I don't know how well you can see the picture, but the basket is amazing! Not quite sure what I will do with it yet!
Here is the description of the "Sky's the Limit Gift Basket" Bold items will be consumed by the receiver of the basket!! :)
Wow them with this vast array of gourmet Wine Country fare. Portlock smoked salmon, Nonni's roasted garlic crackers, caviar, over two pounds of Godiva chocolate including dark and milk chocolate biscotti, dark chocolate covered almonds and pretzels, assorted Godiva chocolate bars, Italian tiramisu chocolate, caramel walnut cookies, chocolate graham crackers, Ghirardelli milk chocolate and Twilight Delight dark chocolate, lindt truffles, serving dish and items too numerous to list make this one of the season's most magnificent gifts. Gift Size 34" x 13" x 11"

By the way, I guess I should thank the Gift Giver - an Ad Agency! Maybe we should say thank you for the gift that keeps on GIVING!!!!

dear santa, i want a ...

My first daughter is really funny! Always saying something to make us laugh! I was going through her Tuesday-Signed Paper folder and found a note to Santa that was addressed to him and she said mailed off.



I do not know if you can read all the items well, but look at the last two sentences. "You get the idea." and then she said "I hope you come." I think she is doubting herself here. Has she really been good?@!#?!@??? Oh she is a hoot!

While I am posting about her I thought I would include her Thanksgiving Journal entry. "If I were a turkey" She says "would you go into the woods and get a dog and kill it? Like ,God made turkeys just the same as other animals... What if someone ate you for Thanksgiving? I bet you wouldn't like that would you?"

Don't you like the valley-girl talk going on! Like, what are you thinkin', like who are we to eat the bird, like...I don't know where she gets it... Like, Do You????

Happy Birthday Baby Boy

Okay, so he is not a baby anymore. We are eye-to-eye these days and I know, that is not saying much since I am only 5'2".

Today you are eleven years old. It is hard to remember Rock Hill eleven years ago. That seems like lifetimes ago, yet I can still remember that sweet smile! Oh you are my precious boy!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Hard to believe this picture was taken in July - I still had at least an inch on you 6 months ago - not anymore!

Kroger Three Day Sale

Starting Thursday, Dec 6th, Kroger has
2liter Cokes for $.59 (limit 10)
Ground Beef $.99/lbs
24 count water bottles $2.99
Bananas $.29/lbs

I was in there today and that is from memory, please do not quote me, but I know it is close!

PUBLIX has some great items Buy one Get one items this week!
Cheez-its, Peter Pan Peanutbutter, Grands Biscuits, Motts Apple Juice...

You can use two coupons if you buy two items and they double them if it is under $.50.
Pillsbury Grand Biscuits
$1.50 each
- .35 x 2 (doubled)
-.35 x 2 (doubled)
That is $.05 cents per can!

OR
Betty Crocker Cake Mix
$1.79 per box
- .35 x 2 (doubled)
-.35 x 2 (doubled)
That is $.20 cents per box

Do you see why I clip coupons! I can't afford not to!

Don't miss another Christmas Special!

I found this great site has a TV listing of Christmas Shows, Movies, Cartoons, Concerts, Parades, etc... all suitable for the Family throughout the months before Christmas ~ December 25th, 2007!

If you have a DVR or Tivo This is a valuable site!

Tuesday Drama

I picked up my long-legged friend for lunch Monday. We were meeting Saggy-Boobs and Muffintop at a sweet little tea room for my birthday! I had a great salad with dried cranberries and banana chips served with a poppy seed dressing! It was wonderful!

When I picked LongLegs up, I had my new CHRISTmas cd playing. The song was by Montgomery Gentry, Merry Christmas from the Family . It is a HOOT! It does not really sound like my family, but they sure sound like fun! I found the lyrics and if you have time read them, but it is much funnier listening to him sing it! Here is the end that reminds me of National Lampoons Christmas! "CLARK...We sold the house..."

Fran and Rita drove from Harlingen
I can't remember how I'm kin to them
But when they tried to plug their motor home in
They blew our Christmas lights
Cousin David knew just what went wrong
So we all waited out on our front lawn
He threw the breaker and the lights came on
And we sang Silent Night
Oh Silent Night o' holy night

Carve the turkey turn the ballgame on
Mix Bloody Marys cause we all want one
Send somebody to the Stop 'n Go
We need some celery and a can of fake snow
A bag of lemons and some Diet Sprite
A box of midol, some Salem Lights
Hallelujah everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas from the family

OKAY, so I am insane! Daughter M fell down the front steps tonight while I was talking to one of my MIL's. She is complaining of her back...we'll see if we make it through the night. She already has a Doctor's appointment at 9 am in the morning for her digestive system. Son went to Alabama to see a civil war reenactment. He hurt his calf in an acorn fight yesterday in the neighbors yard. He is so sore today. I had to get him out of the tub so I could put his sister in after she fell. Husband called at 6 (during the fall-drama) to let me know he was on his way. He was stopping off to buy some OJ and meds...he does not feel good. He thinks he has a cold coming on. Daughter C and I are leaving for the night. Anyone want to take us in?

Actually it is not even eight PM and I have them all in bed and I am blogging! :)
I will keep you posted on our status!

Happy Birthday To You!

We had a wonderful weekend! Husband and the children were very creative in their gift giving and wrapping!
My husband travel with a group of men three times a year to "compare notes" and trade tips. He emailed seven of them and asked them to send him the Sunday edition of their newspaper. He received The New York Times, Midland Michigan, Seattle Post, Shreveport, LA and others. He also bought a new coupon organizer for me to organize all those coupons.
Well let me explain how this turned into a valuable teachable moment with the children. 1. It is the thought that counts. 2. It is better to give than to receive.
I tell you that to explain that three times a year the Sunday Paper does NOT have coupons in it. Well, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of those Sundays. I was heart broke for him. Not because I did not rack up on coupons, but because of all the thought that went into this precious gift! I love that man! He is always so creative and so thoughtful!
I do not know if you have ever read 5 Love Languages, but it really changed our marriage. When we took the quiz one of his top three was Gift Giving. Sadly Gift Giving is last on my list which means I have to work hard at coming up with ideas for him. His birthday is coming up in 18 days, I'll let you know what I come up with!
They also gave me a BEAUTIFUL coat! It is so soft! Thanks you for the BEST birthday!

Birthday Blessings

Tonight I took a long hot bath while I listened to my Ipod my sweet sister gave me for my birthday on my Ipod docking station my sweet Mama gave me. I downloaded Hear Something Country Christmas 2007 album from Itunes with birthday money from my in-laws. I did all of this while my Husband and children were wrapping a gift for me! I could hear the faint whispers and giggles and occasional shouts and I just sat and praised my Heavenly Father for the blessings in my life.

At breakfast the other morning my friends and I laughed at "where we could have been" had we stayed in our hometowns and life not worked out so beautifully as it has. God has a plan and so often when it is not our plan we fuss and cry because we did not get our way. I want to publicly thank Husband for bringing me into his life and sharing the best gift of all time - Jesus Christ. I know our road was rocky this past year, but I will travel down that road with you as long as we are together! We go on the 10Th for a three month check up for cancer. I know God is working in your life and feel His mighty presence in our life.

There are some things money cannot buy and our love for each other is one of them! Thank you Husband for loving me! That is the best gift of all! I Love You!

Organizing Coupons

I saw a good friend at the DQ today! Seeing someone at the DQ - doesn't that sound like a country song :)!

I showed her my "Dorthy-Basket" and thought I would share it with you! I also read a great post on a real cheap organizer!


I took small invitation size envelopes from WalMart and made categories. I file all food items in the front A-Z then I file all toiletries, medicines and cleaners (A-Z). I am not sure where the basket came from, but I know it was from a gift somewhere along the way (meaning I did not buy it).

When I get the sales flyer's I sit down and collect all the coupons for that store and place them in the blue file-pack. I take the file pack into the store and leave the basket in the car. I always take my basket in the car (I treat it like my purse, taking it everywhere). If I get into the store and find a clearance item and know I have a coupon, I have been known to leave my buggy and go out to the car for a coupon. May sound extreme to some, but would you throw a quarter in the trash, I think not!!! Since I am showing pictures, I thought I would share my big comfy chair where I clip and watch Oprah and eat bon-bons! I love my chair, I call it my-space!

I also wanted to share two websites that I check all the time COUPON MOM and REFUNDCENTS. You have to subscribe to Refund Cents, but I felt it was worth it!! Coupon Mom is just like the Grocery Game, but free! I hope this helps you with your coupons! I love saving money!

Deals of the Day

What a beautiful Saturday morning! We do not have anywhere we have to be!! No sports, birthday parties, no NOTHIN'! I am so relieved! This was a crazy week spent mostly on the road! Today I am praising God for soft pj's and lazy mornings!
UPDATE: I knew it was too good to be true! Daughter C just so sweetly asked if we could go to Home Depot this morning to make the Serving Tray. How do they remember this stuff? I told her we would go closer to noon...

Here are some of the best deals I can find!

At Rite Aid in the Christmas candy section, they have their Hershey's Hugs, Kisses, Dove bags on sale 5 for $10. If you buy 5 you can mail in the receipt and get $5 back, making them 5/$5. Sometimes in the circular ads you can find $1.00 off 2 coupon and if you use 2 you could get 5 bags for $3. My sister said they also have all of their TIDE detergent on sale (100oz

FamilyChristian Get .99 shipping on all orders right now, no code needed.
Also at FamilyChristian, get 40% off bestselling Christian books through this link. Dave Ramsey "The Total Money Makeover" book is $12.49 (Reg 24.99)

Redbook one year $3 after instant $5 deduction! Ships free.

$5 off $5 at FamousFootwear with code 1207593.

I met my prayer partners at Chick Fil A yesterday! They have a promo - Buy $20 in gift cards and get the calendar FREE! I got four $5 cards for the bus driver, Sunday School Teachers and the mailman!!! I will keep the calendar!
Here are the coupons in the new Chick Fil A calendar:
Jan-free chick-fil-a sand
Feb-free break. chick. bisc or soup
Mar-free 4pc kids meal w/ purchase combo
Apr-free chargrilled cool wrap w/ purchase side & coke
May-free milkshake w/ purchase
June-free water w/purchase salad
July-free 8ct nugget w/ purchase lg sprite
Aug-free chick fila salad sand
Sept-free break mini w/ purchase hash brown & coffee OR free lg pot fries w/ purchase Med coke
Oct-free 4ct chick strips w/purchase med tea
Nov-free lg coke w/ purchase sand
Dec-free gal tea w/ purchase lg nugget tray, free lgr coke

Finally Friday!

Thank you for all of your prayers and calls about my mother. She came through the surgery great. She is recovering much better this go round! She will come home from the hospital today in a neck brace. The doctor said it did look pretty bad, but that is "good" hopefully she will not be in pain anymore!

My sister and I took advantage of being in Atlanta for the day and did some light CHRISTmas shopping. Wouldn't you know there was a craft show going on at the hospital - 1 day only! Lots of cinnamon potpourri and pound cakes...

She is frantically looking for baby doll that "swims"... we hit several toy stores and Target, but did not score. Of course we found ourselves at WalGreens! Wouldn't you know, when we walked in with my "Dorthy-Basket" of coupons and her coupon pouch the cashier said "If you purchase $50 today you will receive a $20 gift card!" Enough said! The hunt was on! You can run up a $50 bill quickly with diapers! We found two bottles of Excedrin Migraine and tension headache medicine 2 for $5.75 and of course I had $2 off coupons!! She got a free roll of wrapping paper that she climbed to the top of the store to get, and a great deal on batteries for her camera (that she is getting for Christmas - hint, hint to Sister's Husband).

I finished shopping for the children and even found wool socks and long johns for the ski trip! Target has cute Footie-pj's on sale this week for $8. Son got a pair of camo (they will be mine one day soon if he keeps growing so fast!) and the girls got skiing monkeys! Too cute!! Sister and I had a lot of fun picking everything out together! I got home around 10 pm last night and was exhausted.

I got the children up early this morning and we studied for their spelling, vocab and social studies test! Husband earned his stripes last night by taking them to the Parade! We have always gone (9 year tradition) and they were adamant about going, so he packed a picnic and blankets and away they went! I was so proud of him for going! Cold weather, screaming kids and a large crowd...I can't think of anything else he loves more! :) Thank you honey for taking one for the team last night! Momma, Sister and I thank you for your sacrifice!!!!

A couple from our home team was asked to enter an ornament into the Downtown Development Contest and they WON FIRST PLACE! WOW!! What big fun! They spent so much time on the project! It looked great! Well Done! They won a $100 gift certificate to the Downtown Restaurants that I think they are going to give to Pastor and his wife!! Maybe next year we will enter the parade and have the choir and the ornament on the float!!!

CVS has a great sale on photo enlargements:
Add two 5x7 or two 8x10 to your shopping cart, use promo code NBOGO, and you will only pay for one 5x7 or one 8x10!

Sunday's coupons!!

Many of you have asked how I find such great coupons - Sunday's paper!! This Sunday there will be three packs of coupons! Grab your neighbors if they do not clip!!!!
UPDATE:
SO MANY of you gave me a hard time about listing the coupons, I took them off! NO, I did not type all that - cut and pasted from one of my websites...that I will not be sharing with you anymore. :)