Confessions of a Real Life Mom.

CIPJS (can I please just say) that every time I write a 'Confessions' post, the Usher song comes into my head?  Ev-er-y time.

Anyways, these are my confessions...

Confessions of a Real Life Mom

Tonight, I am home alone.  Well, Bella is here, but she is quite the napper.  Big & Little Steven are at the lake for the night; when they are home, I sometimes just want alone time but can't have it.  Then they leave me, I miss them and want them back home.  I am so difficult!

I am supposed to be critiquing 3 presentations as well as my own and studying for a big time anatomy lab test tomorrow.  Instead, I have painted my toe nails and finger nails, browsed some fantastic blogs, and made myself some coffee at 6:30pm.  Don't worry - caffeine is at my beck and call; it works when I want it to and turns off when I don't.  I will have zero trouble sleeping tonight.

I confess that I am a procrastinator.  Though not quite at the level of procrastination awesomeness as my cousin, Twitty Whitney, I have gotten the hang of it.

I confess that I am impossible.  I always want the opposite of what is, i.e. I want my boys here when they're gone and I sometimes want them to leave me alone when they're here.

I confess that I am PALE!  It's okay because pale is def. the new tan, but look at me!  I am practically transparent!

I confess that my 'dinner' will probably be a pot of coffee.

I confess that I still love the Redskins (note the Skins calendar) and I am still a season ticket holder, though it's quite possible I will be demanding my money back by the end of the season...again.

I confess that I haven't showered today.  OMG!  I can't believe I confessed that...

Harris Teeter Super Doubles - Trip 4!

PS.com: I know that making the picture super big makes it look all funky on my page, but I think it helps you see more!

I was very happy to see that the Kraft Homestyle was restocked!  That was awesome!

What You See:

6 Steamfresh Frozen Veggies
2 pks Pork Chops (1.25 lbs each)
2 Wacky Mac Veggie Spirals
2 Buittoni Pasta
2 Maurchan Yakisoba
4 Hillshire Farm Sausage
2 Fuze Drinks
2 Deer Park 1L H2O
1 Secret Clinical Strength
1 De Wafflebaker's Frozen Blueberry Pancakes
3 Hidden Valley Salad Kits
3 Homestyle Kraft Mac & Cheese
1 HT Italian Dressing
2 Crab Classics Crab Meat

Total OOP: $33.29
Total Saved: $64.54

I have TOTALED at $107.69 for Super Doubles.  I have SAVED $234.67.

Because I'd planned to only spend $100 for the month of May, I will not go grocery shopping for the month of May, with the exception of Milk (for Stevie) and Bananas.  If I can get free stuff at CVS, I will, but otherwise - no moolah OOP for groceries in the month of May.  This is going to be a real test for me!  I love grocery shopping!  I may make another trip tonight or tomorrow to use my last coupon for Kraft Homestyle Mac & Cheese and my Hidden Valley Salad Kit coupons (they are FREE with coupon).  I will keep you all posted on what else I spend.  I am pretty happy about how stocked up I am on meat, veggies, & sides - I have 5 pks of sausage, 4 pks Ground Beef, 2 pks Cubed Steak, 2 pks Pork Chops, 4  pks Crab Meat, Frozen Fish, and lots of Chicken (from the last deals I got); I also have a crap-ton of Frozen Birds Eye Veggies and Steven has our Veggie Garden growwwwwwwin' out there!

Happy Super Doubles!  I would love to see the deals you all got!

Harris Teeter Super Doubles - Trips 2 + 3!

What you see (sort of - I must have been too tired to realize how terrible this picture is!):

2 Crab Classics Lump Crab Meat (FREE WITH THIS COUPON!)
1 Uncle Ben's Ready Rice
2 HT Shredded Cheese
2 pks Cubed Steak
4 Cream of Chicken
1 Smart Balance Milk (FREE if you have the $1.50/1 Coupon)
1 HT Yeast Rolls
9 Dannon Greek Yogurt
10 Light and Fit Yogurt
3 Aunt Jemima Frozen French Toast
2 Aunt Jemima Frozen Confetti Pancakes (B2G3 FREE this week - go here, watch the video and print the coupon.  Use 2 of them to get 5 boxes for only $1.70!)

Total OOP: $19.56
Total Saved: $46.55

What You See:

2 DanActive 4pk (FREE with $1/1 coupon)
4 Power Bars
2 Buitoni Refrigerated Pasta (FREE WITH THIS COUPON!)
4 pks Ground Beef (1.25 lbs each)
2 Uncle Ben's Ready Rice
2 Simply Potatoes
6 Maurchan Yakisoba (FREE with $1/3 coupon)
1 Tysons Mini Chicken Sandwiches
2 McCains Frozen Potato Products

Total OOP: $22.07
Total Saved: $36.71

Honey Mustard Baked Chicken. NOM NOM!



still working on learning all the cool settings on my camera...bear with me!

You Will Need:

1.5 lbs Boneless Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Honey
1/2 cup Butter

I know what you're thinking - "that's a LOT of butter" - yes...yes it is.

Preheat the oven to 375.

I cheated because my Chicken wasn't thawed all the way, so I melted the Butter in a skillet and browned the Chicken on both sides - about 7 minutes each side because they were pretty thick Breasts.  Then, I transferred the Chicken into a baking dish and poured the Butter from the skillet over it.  In a bowl, stir the Honey & Dijon together and pour all over the Chicken.

Bake for 25 minutes, occasionally spooning or basting the sauce over the Chicken.

NOM NOM!

The Thursday Push? Maybe?

Warning: This post is trivial.

To be honest, this week has gone by pretty quickly, so I am feeling okay today!  I've slept in until 5am for about 3 weeks now, haha, so I even feel refreshed.

The warmer weather makes me VERY happy because I am cold-natured.  What doesn't make me happy is the allergies and tornados that have come with this gorgeously delicious weather.

I started getting these seasonal allergies a few years ago, but this is the worst I have ever felt!  My nose is stuffy, my throat itches, and my eyes are burning - I can't wear mascara (GASP!)!  I love having the windows open, but I've had to close them (much to Big Steve's dismay) because I feel so crappy.  When I wake up, my eyes are like swollen and red and I generally feel like I've been hit by a giant bus.  I am not a fan of anti-histamines because my body generally becomes immune to the effects and I have to keep taking more, plus it's really not great to block histamines because that's your immune system's reaction to protect your body from pollen; if you block them, you're essentially allowing harmful crap into your body.  Not a fan of that!  This weekend, I want to do some research on natural ways to appease the allergy symptoms so I don't have to pop a pill every day to get through it and every night just to sleep.  I'll keep you posted on any success!

The tornado warnings and watches have been scaring the you-know-what out of me.  Last night, I went to Harris Teeter at about 9 pm without even realizing that storms were a brewin'.  Trust me, I love Super Double trips, but I am not a complete looney who would chance being caught in a storm to make them.  When I got home, the lightening and thunder started and the wind was INSANE!  I was so scared!  I thought Big Steven was in bed, so I carried all of the groceries in with one trip (this included 2 gallons of milk!).  My brother then called me and told me to watch the news and find a place of shelter without windows.  The only place in my house without windows is the master closet, so I grabbed my Little Steven out of his crib, a comfortor, and a pillow and went into the closet.  Meanwhile, Big Steven is laughing at me.  WHATEVER!  I just kept thinking 'what if a tree falls through my baby's window and I can't get to him?'  So, it was better safe than sorry and I stayed in there until the rain stopped.  Yes.I.Did.

I am all out of deep thoughts this week.  My mind has been dedicated to a presentation I have tonight, a test on Sunday, and another test Tuesday night.  I am fried, ladies and gentlemen.

I hope you make it to tomorrow!  Haha.  TGIAF!

CVS - Transaction #1 4/24-4/30

Transaction #1

2 Lysol Wipes (80 count!)
1 Softsoap Body Wash
2 Softsoap Hand Wash
1 Blink Gel Tears

Used: (2) $1.50/1 Lysol, $1/1 Blink, $1/1 Softsoap Body Wash, $1/2 Softsoap Hand Wash, $7.99 EBs
Total OOP: $13.91
Got: $10.99 EBs

My second transaction was a mess because I got the wrong product and had to return it, so I will post that one later!

Harris Teeter - Super Doubles Trip #1!

I had no idea that a tornado was in the midst when I decided to leave my house to go shopping last night.  I love super doubles, but I am not that crazy.  I carried this all in in one trip because the lightening and wind was freaking me out!

What You See:

6 Dannon Greek Yogurt
2 Kraft Homestyle Mac & Cheese
3 Aunt Jemima Frozen Waffles
2 Aunt Jemima Frozen Confetti Pancakes
2 Hillshire Farm Sausage Links
2 HT Shredded Cheeses
1 Kraft Big Slice Swiss Cheese
1 Cream of Wheat Cinnabon Oatmeal
2 Half Gallon Smart Balance Milk
1 Gallon Vitamin D Milk
5 Gatorade
6 Fuze Drinks
4 Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaners
6 Lysol Wipes
1 Band Aid (Sponge Bob!)
1 Neosporin To Go

Total OOP: $32.77
Total Saved: $86.87

Because I so didn't know Super Doubles were coming up, I am going to take all the money I spend out of my Grocery Budget for May, so there is no extra spending just because of Super Doubles.  Right now, I have $67.23 to spend in May.  That will, of course, go lower because I have planned another trip this week, possibly two more.  I may just go ahead and get all my meat out of the way, too, so I can just relax in May!  Hopefully I can really stick to this because it's so important for me to establish a budget and have it be as low as possible.

Country Fried Steak

Since I've decided to go veg for a month to jump start some more weight loss (replacing meat with veggies), I didn't get to try this, but it got rave reviews from the handsome, meat loving Big Steven.

You Will Need:

1-2 lbs boneless Steak (I used Round Steak)
1 Egg, beaten
1 cup Flour
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Shortening or Lard (I prefer Shortening, TYVM)
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large skillet, add Shortening over Medium heat and allow to melt.

While that's all happenin', mix together Flour, Cayenne Pepper, and Pepper (we LOVE Pepper, so I usually go a bit overboard).  Dredge Steak in Flour, then in beaten Egg, then in Flour again.  Add these to the pan and fry for 5-6 minutes on each side.

When you remove your Steak from the pan, use the greases/juices to make a brown gravy.  How?  Lemme tell you...

First, mix together Milk and remainder of Flour used for dredging.  S L O W L Y pour into frying pan with the Shortening and 'juices' from the Steak.  Wisk constantly.  If the gravy is not thin enough, add more Milk.  If it's too thin, keep over heat for a bit longer.

Gravy is best poured immediately on the Steak, so it doesn't get too thick or paste-y.

Saving Star: Stackable E-Coupons!

Thanks to Ashley at Become a Coupon Queen, I was able to sign up for Saving Star.  These electronic coupons don't come out of your shopping trip, but they get added to your Saving Star account.  Once you have $5 in your account, you can choose to have that money direct deposited into your bank, deposited into a Paypal account, given as an Amazon Gift Card, or you can donate to American Forests.

Why this is cool:

-Though your grocery bill itself won't be smaller, you will still be saving money. 
-The coupons at Saving Star are high value, so they'll add up quickly.
-First time couponers can quickly see the effects of a coupon here and there.

Moolala.com - $19 for $70 Taste of Farm Sampler Box

Thanks to fellow bloggers, I discovered a new site today called Moolala.com.

Today's deal really made me fall in love.  Get $70 worth of Fresh Herbs and Veggies for only $19!

Who said you can't find ways to save on fresh produce?

NEW Coupons at Coupons.com!

Two new awesome coupons to add to your deals:

$2/1 Wisk Laundry Detergent

$1/1 All Laundry Detergent

These are both on sale for $3.99 this week at Harris Teeter (through 4/26).  Starting 5/1, All will be on sale at CVS for $4.99 and you get $1 EB!

My CVS Plan 4/24 - 4/30

Because I used EBs on my last trip to CVS without getting any back, I have $7.99 to work with.

I have a LOT of coupon clipping to do tonight, so I haven't completely thought the whole week out, but here is my plan for today:

Transaction #1

Blink Gel Tears $7.99, use $1/1, get $7.99 EBs

Total: $6.99

Use: $6.99 EBs

Total OOP: Tax only

Get: $7.99 EBs

Transaction #2

Buy $15 in Clean & Clear Products, Get $5 EBs

3 Clean & Clear Face Wash - $5.49 ea (3) $2/1 coupons - go here and sign up to print the coupon twice.  I have two computers to use, so I get to print it 4 times!

There was also a B1G1 Free Body Wash Coupon in the paper - I already used mine and I think I only got 1 set of coupons that week :(  If you use that, you will be at a real advantage!

Total: $10.47

Use: $7.99

Total OOP: $2.48

Get: $5 EBs

They also have a pretty good deal on Lysol wipes this week, but no EBs involved.  They are 2/$10 (80 ct.) and I have two $1.50/1 coupons.  If I use my EBs from Transaction #2, I'll pay $2 OOP, but will have no EBs to work with next week :( 

Decisions, decisions.

What's On Suzie's Menu?

WHAT'S ON SUZIE'S MENU?

Happy Monday!

Here's what's cooking this week...

Country Fried Steak
Baked Chicken w/ Hashbrown Casserole (still haven't made it yet!)
Easy Peasy Cheesy-Beefy Biscuit Cups
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
Sausage & Creamy Egg Noodles
BBQ Chicken Pizza


Have a wonderful week!

Easy Peasy Tuna Casserole

You will need:
3 cans Tuna
1 box Pasta (I used Penne this time, but I like Shells better)
1 bag Frozen Mixed Veggies
2/3 cup Milk
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
5-6 crushed Saltine Crackers
S & P to taste

Preheat the oven to 350.  Boil and cook the Pasta until al dente.

Mix the drained Tuna and Cream of Chicken Soup together in a medium bowl.  Add Salt & Pepper to taste - I am obsessed with Pepper, so it gets a lot of that!  Add Milk and Veggies and mix it all together.

Drain Pasta and pour into a baking pan.  Pour Tuna mixture over top and stir it all up again!  Add crushed Saltines to the top and bake for about 20 minutes (or until slightly brown on top).

Back in Action - Harris Teeter Trip.

Total for the month of April, I spent $177.85 with this trip.  More than I'd anticipated, as usual, but my goal for the month of May is now $100 for the entire month.  I'm pretty sure I can do it.  I went a little wild with last night's trip because I missed Harris Teeter terribly :).

I bought the flowers last night - spent $8 on those and that adorable balloon cost $5!  I know that's a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a balloon, but I greatly look forward to seeing Little Steve's face tomorrow when I give it to him with his Easter stuff.  He LOVES balloons.  As for the flowers...they were just beautiful and my kitchen was craving some Spring color.  Yet another reason I need to make a real committment to gardening this Spring/Summer.

What you see:

5 cans DelMonte Green Beans
1 Folgers Coffee (LARGE canister)
2 Kraft Singles
2 Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti
2.5 Dozen Eggs
1 Philly Cream Cheese
2 Beechnut Arrowroot Cookies
1 No Yolk Egg Noodles
1 HT Rice Crispies
2 8pk Lance Crackers
5 lbs Bananas
2 Dole Frozen Fruit
2 Jimmy Dean Breakfast Bowls
1 Mr. Wafflebaker Blueberry Waffles
1 Mrs. Schubert's Rolls
1 Tyson Dino Nuggets
2 Voila! Garlic Shrimp Frozen Dinner
2 Pillsbury Grands
1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust
1 Pillsbury French Bread
3 Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
2 Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls
2 Pillsbury Sweet Moments
1 Simply Hashbrowns
2 Tropicana Orange Juice
1 Gallon Vitamin D Milk
1 Smart Balance Milk (half gallon)
1 Lenders Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
1 6pk Danonino Yogurt
1 Large Bag of Ready-to-Eat Spinach
1 Kids Hand Sanitizer Wipes
1 Easter Ballon
1 Bunch of Spring Flowers
1.5 lbs Ground Beef
1.5 lbs Steak Rounds

TOTAL OOP: $97.74
Total Saved: $76.75

Scratch That...

Okay, so I made this tentative menu for you and we didn't go with it.  Are you surprised?  Me either.  Of course, life happened again.  Monday, we went to pick up my Explorer and that took way longer than I'd anticipated.  Tuesday, I had class, so the boys had to fend for themselves.  Wednesday & Thursday, it was just way too nice not to grill out!

Here's what we had on Wednesday - thanks to my love.  He is a master griller!

 

Grilled BBQ Chicken w/ Rice & Veggies



Big Steve enjoying the fruits of his labor



 

All I had to do was rub some BBQ spice on the Chicken and Big Steve added some BBQ Sauce as a glaze.  I made some Rice and mixed it together with some Veggies and it was that easy.  Clean up was a BREEZE!

Sausage Chilli Dogs

This is an altered item off my menu.  I'd planned just to make Sausage Chilli and serve it over noodles or with cornbread - depending on my mood.  My mood switched things up again, as it so often does, and because it was nice enough to grill, I went with Sausage Chilli Dogs!

served w/ Little Steve's fav M&C and corn

You will need:

1 bag Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles
1 can (about 26 oz) Tomato Sauce
3 tbsp Chilli Powder
Dash of Garlic Powder and Basil
1 can Black Beans
1 pack Hot Dogs

How you grill your dogs is your business.  Here is how you do the chilli:

Add Turkey Sausage to a pan and heat through.  Then, add half of the Tomato Sauce and stir.  Add Chilli Powder, Garlic Powder, and Basil.  I say 'dash' of Garlic because I know everyone has different feelings about Garlic; personally, I LOVE it.  Add the rest of the Tomato Sauce and Black Beans.  Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

TA-DA!

Quick CVS Trip Last Night

Hey folks!

I went to CVS last night to pick up a few things for Stevie's trip to his Grandma's today and to accommodate for my altered menu.  I decided it was okay since I had EBs to spend and I only ended up paying taxes :)

What you see:

4 Jars Basic Mixed Fruit

1 Can Hunts Tomato Sauce

1 8pk Wonder Hot Dog Buns

2 Macaroni & Cheese

1 Basic Teddy Bear Cookies

1 Basic Creme Cookies

Total OOP: $.82

Used: $9 EBs

Got: No EBs :(

Left Over EBs: $6.99



The Thursday Push!

TGIAF!  Thank God it's almost Friday!

I often hear people talking about how much life sucks, but life is what you make it.  When I find myself feeling super frustrated with something, all I want to do is blame someone else for the way I'm feeling; then I give myself a reality check.  If a particular something is making me unhappy, then I need to take the initiative to change it. 

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

If you've come up with a solution to a problem that doesn't actually solve the problem, it's time to think of a new solution - clearly.

If you find yourself making comments like, 'drama loves me' or 'drama follows me,' then I'm willing to bet that you're letting drama take over your life.  When negativity show it's ugly face, whether it's negativity from another person or our own thoughts, ignore it.  My fav Reba episode (yes, I watch Reba when I can) tells us to 'LETITGO' - it has a bigger effect when it's just one word.

Over the last 6-7 years, my faith has been tested.  I have had some really low moments in my life that even my family is unaware of.  These moments have been strictly between me and God.  In these bad moments, I remember praying to God, yelling at God, and begging Him to solve my problem.  The problem didn't go away.  I started to wonder what I did to make God so mad at me and what I did to deserve the life I had.

It took years of this pain until I finally just quit.  I basically threw my hands up and said "FINE, GOD!  Have it Your way."  And so He did.

I started to take baby steps to a better life.  I began to round-house kick negative thoughts (think Chuck Norris) and, most importantly, I started taking responsibility for my own actions.

My healing wasn't immediate; to be honest, I didn't even know God was working in me.  I'd given up on Him, but the cool thing about God (among a million cool things) is that He never gives up on us.  He's there, we just have to give Him a chance.

It may seem like I'm a bit off track here - sometimes my mind does do crazy things - but I'm trying to show the relationship between faith and action.  Though prayer is necessary, we've also got to be willing to take the steps with God toward healing.  As a result of all of this, I've started to pray differently, too.  Instead of asking God to 'take it away,' I ask Him to lead me to healing.  Likewise, when I pray for someone I love, I don't ask God to 'fix it,' but to use me and help me love everyone just as they are.

The moments in my life that bring me sadness just thinking about them also give me great joy.  Had I not given up on trying to control my life, had I not gotten mad at God, I would not have the peace I have now.  I am not saying I'm never sad/hurt- you've all read my blog enough to know that I constantly have lows - I am just saying that I've learned to trust God a LOT more.

The most influencial Christian in my life is an old youth pastor of mine.  Jimbo loves people unconditionally, trusts God, and never, ever, ever, ever, ever passes judgement.  I got a message from him yesterday that made me look up an old favorite passage in the Bible.  Many of us know Philippians 4:13, but he reminded me to read the verses leading up to that one:

Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)

¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

This, my friends, is what has gotten me through some rough times and continues to keep my spirits  high.

Let's not forget to thank God it's almost Friday :)

I LOVE Coupons.com! New Printables!

Here are some of my new favs:

B1G1 Power Bar

$1/1 Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs

$2/1 Triple Cream Paste

$1/1 Garnier Moisturizer or Cream (Often gets you EBs at CVS!)

$1/1 Folgers Coffee

$1/1 Newman's Own Pizza

$.75/1 Kraft Singles (still there!)

Go snag 'em!

Confessions of a Real Life Mom.

Confessions of a Real Life Mom

Mornings are tough, my son hasn't had a bath in 2 days, and sometimes it takes 2 Starbucks Double Shots to get me going...

View this picture, please:

No, this is not a guest post and that is not a 12-year-old boy.  And this is a perfect example of make-up doing wonders.  I went make-up-less this morning because it was a tough one.  I have class on Tuesday nights, so I got home around 9:30ish.  I put Little Steve to bed (without a bath because he just looked so peaceful and tired!) and noticed some ants in the kitchen.  I decided this would be the perfect time - 9:45pm - to get on my hands and knees with Lysol wipes and scrub the kitchen floor.  That'll show the ants...

Waking up is becoming more difficult every morning and Little Steve's mood is generally unpredictable.  It's either a really good mood or a really bad mood when he first wakes up - never anything in between.  This morning, he was NOT happy with me.  In his defense, I did have the audacity to try to give him a cold bottle of milk.  How dare I?!  He threw it on the ground and proceeded to throw a giant fit!  I took him to our bed and laid him down, turned on the T.V., and put his (now warm) bottle next to him so he could have it when he was in the mood.  After making sure he was content and had a dry diaper on, I jumped in the shower.  About 3 minutes into my shower, I hear him banging on the bathroom door.  Evidently, I didn't close it all the way, so he took that opportunity to play peek-a-boo with me from the other side of the shower curtain.  At one point, he tried to hop over the edge of the tub and get in with me...

Hey, at least his mood was better!

My eyes were a hot mess this morning (TYVM, allergies!), so I decided against eye make-up.  And, thus, I look like a 12-year-old boy.

Some days, I just need something to get me going:

A QUADRUPLE SHOT!?!  Please and thank you!



My CVS Plan 4/17-4/23!

I get to start this week with $20 EBs!  I had only $15, but went in for a quick trip yesterday to get a couple liters of soda and got surprised with my $5 Beauty Club Member Reward!

Only through today (Tuesday), CVS has FREE Easter Grass and a FREE Easter Egg Decorating Kit.  I probably missed out on the freebie, but I will plan for it anyway!

The Green Bag Tag is also FREE this week - every 4th scan at CVS, you get $1 using this tag.

Transaction #1

Easter Egg Grass: $.99, get $.99 EB

Easter Egg Decorating Kit: $1.99, get $1.99 EB

Schick Intuition: $8.99, get $4 EB use FB Coupon $3/1

 

Total: $8.97 + tax

Use: $9 EBs

Total OOP: A few pennies :)

Get: $6.98 EBs

Total EBs left for additional transactions this week or to carry over for next week: $17.98!!!

Lysol Wipes = One of My Fav Things!



Head over to Lysol's Facebook page and 'Like' them to get this super awesome $1.50/1 Lysol wipes!  I am seriously obsessed with these (admittedly, I use Clorox when it's cheaper); I use them on the counters, the high chair, the floors, toys, etc., etc., etc.  I go through them like crazy, so I was SUPER excited to see this coupon this morning.

Thanks, Become A Coupon Queen!  I owe you big!

Momspired.

I wanted to share with you all a post that has 'Momspired' me today.  Heather over at Family Friendly Frugality is beginning a new series called 'Make a Change Monday: You Don't Deserve It' and I strongly encourage you all to read it.

I've definitely noticed over the last few years the growth of self-entitlement, even in myself.  Rationalizing why we 'deserve' something, i.e. a brand new car, a new pair of Uggs, food, etc. leads to over-spending.  I know this to be true because I've done it.

To be honest, sometimes I still do it - I usually 'allow' myself one Starbucks trip a week, but some weeks (like last week!), I convince myself that I 'deserve' to have it more than once because I've done such a good job saving money and I had a tough week.  Plus, it's only $6. 

But what's the point in trying to save money on my grocery budget if I'm just gonna blow it all on Starbucks?

Telling ourselves we deserve something often leads to the Onlys.

The Onlys are the worst to be stuck in- I hear it all the time!  It's only $100/month.  If you took that $100/month and put it into savings instead of something you don't really need, you'd have $1200 to pay down debt, pay for an emergency car repair, or even take a nice vacation with your family or your honey next year.

I'm not just challenging you guys to make these changes, I'm challenging myself, too.  We all do, indeed, deserve a nice treat sometimes, but if you've got other bills to be paid, it's important to prioritize.  'Only' adds up.  $10 here, $10 there, and before you know it, your tiny little onlys have become a much greater expense at the end of the month than you'd anticipated.

So, either stop making excuses for spending or stop complaining about being broke.

What's On Suzie's Menu?

WHAT'S ON SUZIE'S MENU?

Happy Monday!

I had an interesting week last week!  This Grocery Hiatus hasn't been quite what I expected seeing as we've spent money on food eating out.  My Explorer has decided to crap out on me, which is okay because I expected it, but it's made the last week of our lives very hectic. 

I am proud of myself for going with the rational purchase of a 2000 Ford Explorer with around 88k miles on it rather than a nice, new prettier one with significantly more miles.  Saving money is all about making sacrifices.  Would a newer car be nice?  Of course.  Do I need it?  Nope.  Does it benefit my family to get it?  Nope.  I believe I spent the least amount of money possible for a reliable vehicle, so I will pat myself on the back!  No car payment and no additional gas expense.  We'll pick up Dora III after work today, so who knows what our menu will be like tonight, but I will be tackling some of the meals from last week considering I only cooked once:

Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie
Baked Chicken w/ Hashbrown Casserole
Turkey Sausage Chilli
Tuna Casserole

My Grocery Hiatus technically ends this week, but I only plan to buy the bare minimum since money was shelled out elsewhere with working around all the car stuff and birthday celebrations.

I hope you all have a great start to the week!