Sunday, February 28, 2010

Burnt Birthday Cake, Hot Peppers and Blackbirds

Have you ever had one of those days that you plan out but, it had a mind of it's own?  The plan was to bake a cake for Dad, have coffee with Jessie, see Mom and Dad (for his belated birthday) at 1:15ish, a few odd errands and return home.  Nick missed the school bus, my cake burned and I wisked into Marshall's for a kiss and a coffee to go from my daughter's roommate.  Thank God for Publix.....

Lunch was great (again, thank you Publix...we LOVE your hoagies, and your coconut cake was a success too.)--So in the end everything turned out great, but driving out of my parents subdivision I was engulfed by a flock of blackbirds.  I love that!  I actually just sat there in my car for a moment and grabbed the camera to try and film that rush, of them flying all around you....I didn't do it justice but here is a glimpse....
I gave Dad his birthday hot pepper seeds, between Jim's from Valentines day and Dad's we should have an unusual crop of a variety of hot peppers.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Baby Cilantro

Oh we are going to have cilantro!!  My seedlings have taken off and I am anticipating all the yummy black bean dip, soups, and salsa we are going to enjoy!  I need to get my other seeds planted....just 5 weeks to go before this nasty winter goes away.

Opticle Illusions....

So many people send me funny jokes, pictures, emails etc....I love them!  Here is a favorite couple of opticle illusions.....

THE LADY IS GETTING READY TO ENTER A PUBLIC TOILET IN HOUSTON.....



Now that you've seen the outside view,


Take a look at the inside view...



It's made entirely of one-way glass!


No one can see you from the outside, but when You are inside it's like sitting in a clear
Glass box!











A PAINTED BATHROOM FLOOR!!!
Tenth floor of a hi-rise building......
IMAGINE YOU ARE AT A PARTY ...
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO VISIT THE BATHROOM.....
You open the door...
NOW, REMEMBER THE FLOOR IS JUST A PAINTED FLOOR !

IT TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY......


THIS IS A CEILING MURAL IN A SMOKER'S LOUNGE.

Joke of the Day....

An Amish woman was driving her buggy to town when a highway patrol officer stopped her.
"I'm not going to cite you," said the officer. " I just wanted to warn you that the reflector on the back of your buggy is broken and it could be dangerous."

"I thank thee," replied the Amish lady. "I shall have my husband repair it as soon as I return home."

"Also," said the officer, "I noticed one of the reins to your horse is wrapped around his testicles. Some people might consider this cruelty to animals so you should have your husband check that too."

True to her word, when the Amish lady got home she told her husband about the broken reflector, and he said he would put a new one on immediately.

"Also," said the Amish woman, "The policeman said there was something wrong with the emergency brake."

BBQ Roasted Chicken with Parmesan Potatoes

BBQ Roasted Chicken with Parmesan Potatoes


What You Need!
1 lb. small red potatoes (about 8), quartered
1/4 cup KRAFT Italian Vinaigrette Dressing made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder, divided
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/4 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It!
HEAT oven to 400ºF.
TOSS potatoes with dressing in 13x9-inch nonstick pan; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. chili powder. Bake 25 min.
STIR potatoes; push to sides of pan. Place chicken in single layer in center of pan; sprinkle with remaining chili powder. Drizzle with barbecue sauce.
BAKE 20 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF) and potatoes are tender. Transfer chicken to platter. Stir potatoes to evenly coat with pan drippings. Spoon around chicken on platter; top with Parmesan.

Kitchens Tips
*Using one pan to roast the potatoes along with the chicken makes for speedy cleanup


This recipe came from the KRAFT kitchens......obviously you can use any brand.  Easy, looks good and I say it's gonna be dinner!

Dental Appointment

Today I am taking Nick for his dental cleaning....at our new Dentist.  Since we moved to Loganville, I have been using our regular Dentist, Dr. Cavola.....but driving to Conyers for an appointment was getting old.  I hate change, but this is realistically necessary.  So a few months back, on a Conyers jaunt, I stopped by Dr. Cavola's office and asked for our records and latest X-rays.  How I found our new Dentist was serendipity.....thier office is right next door to our local bowling alley.  Last November on Nicks birthday, the family all met at the bowling alley to play and celebrate.  My daughter's purse was stolen while we bowled.  Long story but it ended happily enough....the Dentist office next door called us to say they had found it in thier front yard!  They were so nice, so I checked them out and decided to adopt them as our new family Dentist!  So here is another great tip:

 **Cut down the time you spend in a doctor’s waiting room by having the office fax or e-mail any forms before your visit. Some offices have thier forms on thier website which you can download and print.  Bring them with you to the appointment, completed.  Along with any medical records, or in this case latest x-rays, your insurance cards and drivers license.

You just breeze in and everythings done!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

PARENT - Job Description

PARENT - Job Description


POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging,
permanent work in an
often chaotic environment.

Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!

Travel expenses not reimbursed
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

The rest of your life.

Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.

Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.

Also, must possess the physical stamina of a
pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat
in case, this time, the screams from
the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.

Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers.

Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.

Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.

Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute,
an embarrassment the next.

Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.

Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.

Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.

Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and
janitorial work throughout the facility.


POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.

Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.

A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.

When you die, you give them whatever is left.

The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love,
and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

** AND A FOOTNOTE "THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!!

I Believe In Miracles!

I do.  I believe God shows us miracles everyday -small and large.  A friend sent me this in an e-mail last year and every once in a while I look at it and...... it still makes the hair on my arms stand up.


Look at the picture and you can see where this guy broke through the guardrail, right side where the people are standing on the road (pointing). The pick-up was traveling from right to left when it crashed through the guardrail. It flipped end-over-end, across the culvert outlet, and landed right side up on the left side of the culvert, facing the opposite direction from which he was traveling.


Now look at the 2ND picture below...


More Tips! Other uses for dryer sheets....

1. It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them. It also repels mice.


2. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from          entering your vehicle.

3. It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.

4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.

5. Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) screen.

6. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.

7. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.

8. To freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.

9. Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.

10. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.

11. Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.

12. To freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.

13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan.

14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.

15. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the lose hairs.

16. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.

17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.

18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.

19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight.

20. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.

21. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.

"I Need A Pig Here!"

Alice In Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp! I seriously want to see this, with the company of my sister Lori, tortilla chips, plastic cheese dip and lots of jalopenos! My favorite new pig line : "I Need A Pig Here! I love a warm pig belly for my aching feet." That was said by Helena Bonham Carter playing the Queen of Hearts. Watch the trailer HERE.

My previous favorite pig line was from The Lion King - Watch the "Hula Song".
Well, OK, I still love it, so now I have two favorites... Makes me smile every time!!


If you’re hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat,

Eat my buddy Pumbaa here because he is a treat,
Come on down and dine,
On this tasty swine,
All you have to do is get in line.
Are you aching:
yup yup yup
For some bacon:
yup yup yup
He’s a big pig:
yup yup
You can be a big pig too!
OY!


- Disney’s The Lion King

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The “Jones’” Have Nothing On Us

We’ve all heard the saying “Keeping up with the Jones’”. Every one of us knows that particular family or individual who, no matter what, seems to need the biggest home, best “tricked out” SUV or sports car, largest plasma screen TV, and all the best toys money and credit can buy. Our society as a whole is bombarded with television commercials, marketing ploys, random sales calls to our homes with the hope that we are convinced we cannot live without whatever service or product they are selling. This is the greatest financial and mental trap we can fall into. What pleasure do you receive if you are working overtime, or maybe a second job and avoiding the bill collection calls? Is that purchase or service increasing the quality of your life or draining you financially and physically? Are you a slave to your own lifestyle?
With some changes in your thinking, habits and work ethics you can create and shape the life that suits you, soothes you and enhances your world.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Scrapping With Jessie

What is it about doing things together with your children that just feels so fantastic???  I sometimes just gaze at my daughter in absolute worship...and words just do not come that justify.  And sometimes I just want to smack her over the head.  Not often, LOL! 
Jessie came over to scrapbook with me yesterday and we had so much fun!  She made a picture montage for her boyfriend, JD.  It turned out great.  Isn't she great?

Be the kind of woman that......When your feet hit the ground each morning, the devil says, "OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!

I Love This!

Lifetime Goals

This is my "United States" ongoing list of things to experience......
I am still updating the rest.  I love to travel and experience what this world has to offer!  Right now my family and I are deliberating on where we want to go for summer vacation.  We are leaning towards South Carolina...
LIFE GOALS


To see, do and experience….


VISIT EACH STATE AND SEE SOMETHING OF INTEREST
Updated 12/2009

Alabama
Alaska
      • Glacier Bay National Park/Preserve
         o Glacier Bay Cruise
      • Denali National Park
         o Mount McKinley
         o Wonder Lake
      • The Kenai Peninsula
      • Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
      • The Alaska Highway
      • The Northern Lights
Arizona
      • Flagstaff
        o Grand Canyon
      • Painted Desert
      • Petrified Forest
      • Hoover Dam
      • Lake Powell
Arkansas
      • Hot Springs National Park
California
      • Death Valley
         o Artist’s Palette
      • Redwood Nat’l Park
      • Yosemite Nat’l Park
         o Giant Sequoia Trees
         o Yosemite Falls
         o El Capitan
      • Beverly Hills
      • Hollywood
        o Hollywood Blvd Walk of Fame
      • San Francisco
        o Ride Trolley/cable cars
        o Golden Gate Bridge
        o Alcatraz
      • Baja
      • Monterey Peninsula
      • The Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1)
Colorado
      • Pikes Peak
      • Aspen
      • Red Rocks Amphitheatre
      • Mesa Verde National Park
        o Cliff Dwellings
Connecticut
      • Mystic Seaport
Delaware
Florida
     • Kennedy Space Center
     • Disney World
     • Florida Keys
     • Everglades
     • Sea World
        o Penguin adventure
     • Alligator Farm
     • Marineland
     • Kissimmee
     • Weeki Watchi
     • Destin
     • Daytona Beach
     • St. Augustine
     • Panama City Beach
     • Ft. Lauderdale
     • Ft. Myers
     • Cocoa Beach
     • Spring Hill
     • Miami
       o South Beach
       o Eat at Joe’s Stone Crab
     • Amelia Island
     • Silver Springs
     • Homosassa Springs
     • Sanibel Island
     • Captiva Island
Georgia
     • Fernbank Museum
     • Callaway Gardens
     • Atlanta
        o Underground Atlanta
        o Eat at “Down the Hatch”
        o Eat at “The Fish Market”
        o Eat at “Baccanalia”
        o Walk around Little Five Points
        o Atlanta Aquarium
        o Eat at “The Abbey”
        o Omni
        o Dave and Busters

        o World of Coca Cola
        o Six Flags
        o Sundial – Westin Hotel
        o Centennial Olympic Park
     • Jekyll Island
     • Savannah
     • Helen
     • Warm Springs
     • Chateau Elan
     • Braselton
       o Cabbage Patch Doll Hospital
     • Warner Robbins Flight Museum
     • Stone Mountain
     • Tallulah Gorge
     • Warm Springs
     • Plains
       o Grinning Goober/Jimmy Carter High School Museum
     • Amicola Falls
     • Okefenokee Swamp
     • The Golden Islands
     • Providence Canyon State Park
     • Radium Springs
Hawaii
    • Oahu
    • Kilauea
    • Kauai
    • Maui
    • Molokai
    • Volcano (helicopter flies into)
Idaho
    • Lake Coeur D’Alene
Illinois
    • Chicago
       o Visit Blues music scene
       o Chicago boardwalk
       o Eat a “Chicago Dog”
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
     • Mammoth Cave
     • Echo River
Louisiana
     • New Orleans
        o Mardi Gras
        o French Quarter
        o Eat at the Napoleon House
        o New Orleans Zoo/ride Ferry boat
        o Jackson Square
Maine
     • Acadia Nat’l Park
     • Maine Lobster Festival (late July – early Aug)
Maryland
     • Baltimore Harbor
     • Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Massachusetts
     • Cape Cod National Seashore
     • Martha’s Vineyard
     • Nantucket
Michigan
    • Detroit
    • Greenfield Village
    • Henry Ford Museum
Minnesota
Mississippi
     • Biloxi
Missouri
     • Gateway Arch
Montana
     • Glacier National Park
Nebraska
Nevada
    • Mojave Desert
       o Lake Mead
    • Las Vegas
    • Reno
New Hampshire
    • Franconia Notch National Park
       o “Old Man in the Mountain”
    • Mt. Washington
New Jersey
    • Atlantic City/Casinos
    • Wildwood
    • Ocean City
    • Cape May
    • Liberty State Park – Ellis Island
    • Delaware river tubing
New Mexico
    • Carlsbad Caverns
    • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta (Early Oct)
    • Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (Fall) Chama, NM – Antonito, Co
    • Roswell
    • Santa Fe
       o Santa Fe Opera
       o Inn of the Inasazi
       o Ten Thousand Waves Spa
New York
    • New York, NY
       o Statue of Liberty
       o Empire State Building
       o Big Onion Walking Tour
       o Times Square
       o Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
       o Brooklyn Bridge
       o The Cloisters
       o Grand Central Terminal
    • Niagara Falls
    • Adirondack
    • Coney Island
    • The Catskills
    • Cooperstown
    • East Hampton
    • Finger Lakes
    • Hudson Valley
North Carolina
    • Biltmore Estate
    • Kitty Hawk Island
       o Wright Brothers Flight Museum
    • Great Smokey Mountains Nat’l Park
    • The Outer Banks
       o Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
    • Eat at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, Oklahoma City, OK
Oregon
    • The Oregon Coastline
    • Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, OR (June through early Nov)
    • Crater Lake Nat’l Park
Pennsylvania
   • Valley Forge Nat’l Park
   • Philadelphia
      o Independence Nat’l Park
      o Liberty Bell
    • Longwood Gardens
    • Altoona
    • Reading
    • Allentown
    • Bowmanstown
    • Hershey Park
    • Bird-In-Hand
    • Mutter Museum
    • Gettysburg Nat’l Military Park and Cemetery
    • Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Rhode Island
    • Block Island
    • Cliff Walk, Newport, RI
South Carolina
    • Myrtle Beach
    • Beaufort and the Low Country
       o Coastline and “Sea Islands”
       o Beaufort
    • Charlston
       o Bowen’s Island Restaurant
       o Low Country Oyster Festival (late Jan/early Feb)
       o Spoleto Festival (Memorial day Weekend through 17 days)
South Dakota
    • The Black Hills
       o Mt. Rushmore
       o Crazy Horse Memorial
    • Badlands Nat’l Park
Tennessee
    • Nashville
    • Tennessee Aquarium
    • Lookout Mountain
    • Ruby River Falls
    • Memphis
        o Elvis/ Graceland
    • Train Ride up Smokey Mountains/white water raft down
    • Chattanooga
        o Incline Railroad
        o Aquarium
Texas
     • Cadillac Ranch
        Located in a cow pasture off Interstate 40 in Amarillo, Texas, the Cadillac Ranch is a bizarre roadside attraction. Created in 1974, it consists of a row of half-buried Cadillac cars. Spray-painting graffiti or other messages on the cars is encouraged by the Ant Farm art group, which created the monument, so is has a colorful and ever-changing look.
      • Padre Island National Seashore
      • San Antonio
         o The Alamo
         o The Riverwalk
Utah
     • Bryce Canyon National Park
     • Moab and Red Rock Country
        o Arches National Park
        o Canyonlands
        o Raft along Moab’s stretch of the Colorado River
     • Monument Valley
     • Mormon Tabernacle (Salt Lake City)
        o Mormon Tabernacle Choir (Free admission to rehearsals)
     • Zion National Park
Vermont
     • Manchester Village
     • Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage Festival (last Sunday of September for a week)
Virginia
     • Blue Ridge Mountains
        o Skyline Drive
        o Luray Caverns
      • Colonial Williamsburg
      • The Natural Bridge
      • Bushe Gardens
      • Great Adventure Amusement Park
      • Arlington National Cemetery
      • Manassas National Battlefield Park
      • Alexandria’s Old Town
Washington
      • San Juan Islands
         o Whale watching (mid-May thru Aug)
      • Seattle
         o Pike Place Market
         o Eat at Rays Boathouse
West Virginia
      • White Water raft on the New River
Wisconsin
      • Apostle Islands
Wyoming
      • Cheyenne
         o Cheyenne Frontier Days (10 days in late June)
      • Grand Teton Nat’l Park
      • Jackson Hole, Jackson,Wy
      • Yellowstone Nat’l Park
        o Old Faithful
District of Columbia
      • Washington DC
         o Smithsonian’s
         o White House
         o National Monuments
         o Walk through Georgetown
Canada
      • Alberta
          o Banff, Jasper, and Yoho Nat’l parks
          o See the Canadian Rockies by train(late July – early Sept)
       • British Columbia
          o Heli-Hiking (early July – mid Aug)
          o Vancuver, Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
          o Eat at Tojo’s and Granville Island
          o Pacific Rim National Park
                Broken Group Islands – (Sea Lions!)
          o Stubbs Island
                Telegraph Cove
                Wale watching
           o Royal British Columbia Museum and the Museum of Anthropology
      • Manitoba
           o Polar Bear Safari
      • Bay of Fundy
           o Fundy National Park
           o Alma Beach
      • Gros Morne National Park
      • Cape Breton Island
      • Ontario
          o Niagara Falls – Horseshoe Falls
          o Ride on Maid of the Mist
      • Quebec City
          o Carnival in the Heart of New France

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Getting Ready For Spring!

Bring it on Spring! I am sooo excited that winter is almost over. It's time to start getting ready. I pulled my portable greenhouse out of the garage and am now starting my seedlings. So far I have Cilantro, Sweet Peas, Calendula, Shasta Daisys and Butternut Squash seeded. I will soon be planting the pepper seeds I got Jim for Valentines day. The predicted last frost for my area is March 28th. Click here to find your area. HAPPY PLANTING!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Tips!

I love TIPS!  Tips are cool!  Here are a few new tips I just read from Real Simple magazine:

Use White Bread to: Dust an oil painting. Gently dab a slice of white bread over the surface to pick up dirt and grime.  Also picks up broken glass, dust/grime in the corners of your hardwood floor and baseboards.

Use Ketchup to: Remove tarnish from copper and brass cookware. Squeeze ketchup onto a cloth and rub it on pots and pans. They should go back to their coppery color in minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel.

Use Oatmeal to: Scrub very dirty hands. Make a thick paste of oatmeal and water; rinse well.

Use Rice to: Clean the inside of a vase or a thin-necked bottle. Fill three quarters of the vessel with warm, soapy water and add a tablespoon of uncooked rice. Cup your hand over the opening, shake vigorously, and rinse.

Use Tea to: Scour rusty garden tools. Brew a few pots of strong black tea. When cool, pour into a bucket. Soak the tools for a few hours. Wipe each one with a cloth. (Wear rubber gloves or your hands will be stained.

Use Glycerin to: Remove dried wax drippings from candlesticks. Peel off as much wax as possible, then moisten a cotton ball with glycerin and rub until clean.

Use Cornstarch to: Clean grease spills on carpets. Pour cornstarch onto spots and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes before vacuuming.

Use Rubbing Alcohol to: Erase permanent-marker stains from finished wood floors or solid-surface countertops. Pour rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and apply.

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman

My son, Nick loves to read.  (He gets this from me! :-)  It's amazing to see him get so excited about a book and over the past couple of years, I read pretty much everything he reads.  That said, he has been bugging me to read his current favorite, "Unwind" by Neal Shusterman.  Curling up with a highly recommended book seemed the appropriate thing to do yesterday, since I was all grumpy and fat, and bloated.....
\
It was an awesome book!  A very quick read, perfect for a sluggish afternoon!  Here is a review by the NY Times:


"What keeps Unwind moving are the creative and shocking details of Shusterman's kid-mining dystopia. First, there are the Orwellian linguistic tricks. People who have been unwound are not "dead"—they are "in a divided state." Then there are the rules and rituals. Before being unwound, Lev is honored with a lavish "tithing party," which bears a strong resemblance to a bar mitzvah. The most terrifying scene is devoted to the unwinding itself. The author's decision to describe the process is a questionable one—a book's great unknown can leave the strongest impression on a reader—but he executes as precisely as the surgeons who perform the unwinding. Ultimately, though, the power of the novel lies in what it doesn't do: come down explicitly on one side or the other."



INTRODUCTION TO COUPONING

You may want to get another email account and use it specifically for couponing. Your email box will be filled with newsletters, shopping updates etc.. Most email accts are free.

TIME SAVING HINT:

Use Google toolbar *AUTOFILL* button to create your form fill information (name, addy, phone #) and from now on all you have to do is click AutoFill in your menu bar and it will automatically fill in your information so you don't have to type it in each time you have a form to fill.

In the beginning, signing up is tedious, but once you've got the main stuff, it's pretty easy because it all comes to you. I designate time in the morning to cruise through my inbox and Sunday mornings to get my Q's matched up with the weekly sales ads.

I use envelopes for my shopping, each envelope dedicated to a particular store, to hold my savers card, shopping list and Q's. Envelopes labeled and filed in a recipie box, binder, folder, whatever works best for you to put all my "use later Q's"

Ways to get Q's


  • Kroger,CVS, Kmart and Ingals all have frequent shopper discount cards. Get them and keep in your designated store envelopes.
  • Sign up on your favorite manufacturers websites for emails, special savings.
  • Don't forget to look by the sales fliers at the entrance of each store, for in-store coupon booklets (Publix, Rite aid, Walgreens), free mags (most of which have Q's)
  • Sunday paper. I have a sub. to the Sunday paper only! PS: Publix runs a "mystery gift" Q for .01/with the purchase of $10.00 or more each Wed. It ONLY is available in the Wed. paper.  I have gotten everything from Ballpark Hot Dogs, 1lb of coffee, tortilla chips, bleach etc. Good deal!
  • "Blinkie" machines or in aisles by product. Even if you aren't buying the product now, you might later during a sale.
  • Always check each purchase (check your cupboards!) for a "peelie" (coupon peels off front of package) or a coupon inserted in product or inside box....before throwing away.
  • Always check your receipts for "RR"s (registar rewards), or Q's
  • Friends, Family
  • Printable Computer Q's usually allow (if they don't it will say in the fine print of the Q) you to print TWO of each Q. Use your back arrow to reprint after you have printed once. If you have more than one computer in your house you can print two more Q's from each computer. They track the IP address of each computer so as to limit you to 2 printings each.
  • Become "fans" on facebook with your favorite manufacturers to get Q's and special orders. Again, you may want to set up a facebook acct specifically for couponing. I just use facebook for keeping up with my son and couponing, so I only have one acct, but it fills up daily.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

No Shower, Car Trouble And I'm On My Period.

"Ohhh... OH! Well....yeah. Of course you've had a bad day. Yup, you're on your period!".

OK, I admit that the statement, the tone of voice that implies the statement, or even the THOUGHT of the statement above makes me momentarily cringe and become somewhat rabid cranky. I mean didn't you notice the car trouble...the no shower???

I have come to the conclusion that it's not really "the period" that's so awful, it's the menstrual bad JuJu. The once-a-month visitor that brings tidings of hormonal miscontent. Not Joy. There is no joy. I am a joyless lightening rod for all good things to go sour. I have lost my MoJo. Plus, I have cramps.

With that said, yesterday morning I made the breakfast bake. I figured, good hearty breakfast for the boys before our college adventure. And it was good! I figured that between my son (who would eat the vacuum cleaner if I put it between two slices of bread) and my nephew, Sean (the pickiest eater I know) I would get a fair assessment. It was deemed "good", and devoured. I will definately make this again.



While I cleaned up from breakfast I sent the boys off to shower and get ready.
So far, so good...and right on schedule. My turn for a shower and wait for it......no hot water. What is it about the "no hot water" we don't get? Standing there, cold and naked, with the shower going full blast while you shove your hand in and out repeatedly? Nope, still no hot water. Minutes pass, maybe...no. No hot water. It finally sets in. Now it's decision time...cold shower or cold sponge-bath? Geez, well we are running late now, so no time for a shower anyway. Decision made. Icy sponge-bath it is. Hair won't behave, I feel gross and I'm running late. Bad Menstrual JuJu.

Once in the car, balance is restored. Directions, well-groomed boys, gas, and I even remembered to bring gator-aids for when I got the "Hey, can we stop and buy a coke....I'm thirsty." Mental pat on the back and we are off to the college.

The trip was 37 miles long. Of those 37 miles the last 15 were spent in quiet panic with soaring blood pressure, and a cold-sweat of indecision. My car seems to be stuck in high gear (the screaming whine of the engine heard over the radio is indicating something is amiss). Definately something is WRONG. Wait, lets turn off the radio so we can hear it better. Maybe if I concentrate on the pitch of the screaming I will be able to instantly diagnose the problem and make a decision AS TO WHAT TO DO. "What's that noise, Mom/AuntLinda?" Oh, well guys, that's the sound of lightning striking out at my hormonally charged, dark aura.....never mind. Wait, I notice that as I lift my foot from the accelerator the screaming stops. Completely. Testing it I apply my foot to the gas...instant scream! Scream , scream (playing with it like a tongue with a sore tooth). What does this MEAN? I shift my concentration to take inventory as to where we are exactly (actually...looking for a SIGN to help me decide what to do.....if a Pep Boys appeared...THAT could be a "sign".) My engine scream has settled into a consistant, loud "emergency-vehicle" sound and we are just a mere couple of miles from the college. Decision made. We scream up to the college and (Oh Thank you Lord!) there is one, just one parking space left in this tiny, metered parking lot. I slide my car in, shut the engine off and ask the boys...Do we have change?

10 minutes for a quarter, 4 minutes for a dime and 2 minutes for a nickel! After scouring the boys pockets, the car floor and my purse we have 1 hour and 44 minutes. I can actually feel the bad JuJu gathered around my unwashed head like rainclouds, just waiting to bust loose.

The college tour was blessedly uneventful. The highlights for me were the(very good and strong) coffee and watching my nephew during part of the tour. He was standing off to the side of the group, completely engrossed in finger-combing and flipping around his glorious mane of hair. My sister had previously told me of this phenomenon, but I had never witnessed it before. (It truly is great hair. I envied his glorious, clean hair.)

After the college tour ended, we drove off whined away with 30 min left on the parking meter, and a car waiting for our spot. (My random act of kindness for the day......did I tell you that today was the first day of "Acts of Random Kindness" week? Huh.) See how the days glow has just tarnished away? Just get us home, you stupid car. You piece of junk.

We screamed all the way home, but we were home. And safe. So now we just wait for my husband, fixer of all things broken, to come home and we can figure this out. He test drives it and ...it drives fine. Evil, two-timing hunk of crap. Jim looks at me kindly, searching for just the right words....(no rash movements, here) and states it must be an "intermittant problem".

I'm tired, unvalidated and ...I'm on my period. End of story.

Monday, February 15, 2010

"Death of a Snowman"

It lasted only one day but it was a GREAT day.........

Sean and Nick take on "The Man"

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Spicy squid, Snowmen and Bad Paprikash

GOT SNOW?  We do!  Yesterday was a fabulous day.....my Dad took all "his girls" (which also included my brother, ha ha) out to a great Thai restaurant for a pre-Valentines lunch.  Yummy!  I got the Spicy squid salad...whoo hoo!  While there it started to snow...those big, wet,  picture-perfect flakes.  It was beautiful!
In the evening, Jim, Nick and I played and played.  We made a snowman, snow-angels, had a snowball fight and just generally had a blast!  Our snowman turned out to be taller than our son, who is 6'6! 

For a Georgia-boy this is BIG snow!

As for the paprikash...well while I was putting it together I realized I didn't have enough regular canned tomatoes...so I used a can that had jalepenos in it.  We like it spicy anyway, I figured.
HOT!  Very hot!  Jim had to come to the rescue and fix it so we didn't incinerate the linings of our mouths.  Oh well.. after much "tweaking" it finally simmered down.  Delicious, but definately not quick and easy, as I had hoped!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Shopping and tackling a Beef Briskit

So, yesterday was my monstrous shopping extravaganza. I gathered my list, coupons and off I went to Kroger, Publix and Ingals. Last week I came up with an idea to stock my sister up on grocery items while shopping for myself each week. She works full time at our local newspaper (my personal coupon resource!) goes to school full time, as well as being a single mom to my nephew, Sean! She NEEDS a personal shopper! This is what I got ->


Not bad, and with the hamb. helper and ground beef, she has 4 emergency meals for $1.75 each! The 22 bags of dog food was a major score.....free except tax. I'll be getting more of those coupons (Smart Source 1/31 Purina Pro-Plan...redeemable only at Petsmart).

Once home it was time to tackle the beef briskit................
My husband is in charge of all the meat purchases 'cause he gets GREAT buys at the Kroger near his work. One night last month he brought home a beef briskit for $4.35....where it was promptly banished to the garage freezer since I had never cooked one before. I found this recipe and decided to try it out. Had to dig out Jims Momma's old, cast iron dutch oven from the "hasn't been used in years or ever" pile of stuff, on the floor in our pantry. It was under the wok.... and I realized as I was doing this, that pack rats all over the world were nodding and going "uh Huh....yep,.... told ya!....you'd need that someday! And they were right.

Final result: Success! The onions and sauce cooked down to a thick jazzy sauce and the beef is falling-apart tender. We are having it for dinner tonight (it didn't finish cooking until 8:30 pm last night). Yea! So now as I put the pot back into it's hole in the pantry....it knows it will be back to cook another day.

Today I am boiling chicken thighs in preparation for chicken paprikash, which we'll have Friday night. I add a can of diced tomatoes and serve over egg noodles. So easy and delicious!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Blogging.....something new!


It's cold, wet and dreary outside today.  Housebound, I decided to take the leap into the blogging world.  I have been following others blogs for a couple of years now and have really enjoyed and implemented a lot of tips, ideas and information from them.  Putting a blog out there into the world has been one of those "I'd like to do...someday" things.  So today is the day!

Now what exactly is the theme of this blog???  I'm not quite sure....as I am a pretty random person, I suppose it will be rather random itself.  We'll just see how it evolves.