Sunday, February 28, 2010

"If you spend $100 a week...."

Is it just me, or does anyone else cringe when they hear this on the WalMart commercials? I know a lot of people do spend that much a week at the grocery store, but I would have a heart attack if my final bill was that high. If it were every week, well, I just wouldn't be here. My heart couldn't take it.

I guess I have been using coupons matched with sales for so long, that spending that kind of money on groceries is a foreign concept to me. Now, I am far from a super couponer and never get those huge carts of groceries for $2.50, but we manage to live quite well on $50 - $60 a week for groceries, household items, pet stuff and HBA. Even when the kids all lived at home, I rarely spent more than $75 a week.

I just don't think I could do it! (I am in no way judging anyone that does spent that at the grocery store. I just can't imagine us doing it.)

Friday, February 26, 2010

My hubby is so sweet!

Hubby went camping about a month ago, in between surgeries. LOL! While he was camping he lost his cellphone. (That is not the sweet part.) We have Tracfones, since we are not big cell users and he has had his for 3 or 4 or maybe more years. Oh, and it was free, so it is not like he lost an expensive phone. I don't think we can recover the minutes, since he doesn't remember how many he had on it, but we don't keep a ton of minutes on either phone. And we can recover the number. He said he doesn't care if he gets the same number, but I told him it would be easier for his mom. And I don't want to learn a new one, either. LOL!

So, Tracfone had a great deal last week. A Samsung T301G - it has a camera and web browser (refurbished, but looks brand new), double-minutes for life to double the minutes we add, a 60 minute card and free shipping for $18.XX (I had a coupon code.) It was a great deal!
So the phone arrives and it is REALLY cool. I kinda want it, but don't say anything. I show it to Hubby and tell him I will get it activated and transfer his number to it, then I will enter all the numbers he wants to put in it. Hubby likes a phone that you just pick up and use. None of this programming stuff.

I told him I thought it was pretty cool and he said, "Do you want to trade?" Huh? I like my phone, it is a little Motorola and kinda cool, but nowhere near this one. But I just got it a year ago, so don't plan to replace it soon. I told him no, that I got the new phone for him. And I did NOT say it in a whiney-I-wish-I-had-the-new-one way. LOL!

Then he said, "No, really, I like yours better. Can't we just trade?" I told him we could think about it. I could have my number transferred to the new one, then his number transferred to my old one, but I just feel kinda mean making him have an old phone and me get a new one when I just got a new one a year ago. He really doesn't use his a lot. I don't use mine much more, but I do always have it one, so people that have the number can always reach me.

So, I have to figure out is Hubby just being sweet letting me have the new cool toy, or does he really not care one way or the other. Either way, he is a sweety-pie.

Happy weekend to all my bloggy friends!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

McVal is 300 today!!!

No, no, that's not it.



McVal posted her 300th post today!




Congrats to Val at Sew Not My Day! In celebration she is having a giveway! So, go on over and sign up and maybe you will win!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls Giveaway! Winner!

McVal is the winner of my Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark giveaway! Congrats, McVal!

I sent you an email!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Don't lose all respect for me....

See this:

This is the wagon I fell off of this week. Yes, I fell of the "Not spending money for takeout breakfast" wagon. I was doing so well, too! Here is how I did for 3 weeks:

Spent:
Week of 01/25/10 - $0
Week of 02/01/10 - $3.01
Week of 02/08/10 - $0

So I did really well for 3 weeks.

Then Hubby had surgery last Friday. I discovered, since then, just how truly spoiled I am. Though Hubby is in a wheelchair and is pretty self-sufficient, I have been having to do a lot of stuff that I don't normally have to do. Like running all the errands, getting the mail, picking up prescriptions, washing dishes, doing laundry, etc. It doesn't sound like that much, but I leave home at 7am and get back from work at 6 or 6:30pm. (9 hours a day and 1 hour commute each way. Though, part of my commute IS waiting at the bus stop.)

I really, really, really appreciate how spoiled Hubby has let me become and I can't wait for him to be back on his feet. LOL!

Oh, yeah, the wagon. This week, I bought breakfast 3 mornings, just because I didn't think to fix something to bring from home. I DID bring my lunch every day, so I didn't fall UNDER the wagon, just off of it.

I will be baking this weekend so I can get back to saving money.....that I will then have to pay for medical bills. Ah, such is life.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls Giveaway!

To start the week off right, take time out to create a sweet Sunday morning moment with your family with Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls. Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls are warm, fresh, and ready to serve in just minutes. With an ooey-gooey texture and a delicious orange icing, Orange Sweet Rolls have a mouth watering aroma that is sure to bring your family together like no other breakfast!

Packed with the love and flavor of a treat made from scratch, but without the time and cleanup, Orange Sweet Rolls are the perfect addition to your family’s Sunday morning traditions.

That is from MyBlogSpark. I received a great "Sweet Sunday Morning Moments" from Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark. Last night. It included a coupon for a free package of Pillsbury sweet rolls and a really great photo album to capture the sweet moments shared with family.

How, you ask, can I tell you about a product when I only got the coupon last night? Surely I did not run to the store last night and bake orange rolls this morning. Well, you are right. However, I have made Pillsbury Orange Rolls on many, many occasions, as they are one of my family's favorite sweet rolls. With their delicious orange flavor, I can't think of a more deliciuos way to start the day.

Sure, I could make orange sweet rolls from scratch. And I actually did....one time. LOL! I decided Pillsbury Orange Rolls were much easier to bake and just as delicious as my homemade.

Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark are giving one of my readers their own "Sweet Sunday Morning Moments" gift pack! For a chance to win, tell us about a sweet moment you have had with your family (or funny, or goofy!). That's all! No tweeting, blogging or following required. You can, however, enter more than once! One entry per story you share.

I will have Hubby pick a number Saturday night, February 20. If he picks your post, you will win your own gift pack from MyBlogSpark. (He doesn't read my blog, so there will be no cheating. It will be totally random.) I will announce the winner on Sunday and send you an email.

Good luck!
NOTE: I just can't help responding to comments, so if Hubby picks one of mine, I will have him pick again. LOL!

Monday, February 15, 2010

My Valentine's Day

Okay, so I am a few days late, but I have been busy....very busy. I was off on Friday, since Hubby had his surgery. He spent Friday afternoon and evening resting and letting the anesthesia wear totally off. I spent the afternoon and evening waiting hand and foot on him. LOL! I didn’t mind, since he usually waits on me.

We had stopped on the way back home from the hospital and picked up chicken sandwiches and tacos at his request. Since it was later in the afternoon, I didn’t make formal dinner, we just warmed up some leftovers from the fridge.

Saturday, I had t run a TON of errands. I don’t know why I have not learned the lesson before, but I learned to NEVER, EVER go to the grocery store the day before Valentine’s Day. UGH! It was crowded and busy. I was only buying deals, so didn’t even need to be there! I did buy Hubby flowers. His favorite, Oriental Lillies, and some matching carnations to make the pretty arrangement below. He loved them! (So do I!)
Saturday evening I did make dinner, but for the life of me, I cannot remember what I made. LOL! It must have been good, right?

Sunday, Hubby and I both got to relax. He is in the wheelchair again and is pretty self sufficient, though he cannot do stuff like laundry without getting up, so I did that this weekend. I DID make Valentine’s Dinner, though Hubby told me I didn’t have to go to all the trouble since I had been so busy all weekend.

I still made the requested manicotti. This is it:
It turned out great and I didn’t even use a recipe! I just mixed up a large container of Ricotta cheese, 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and a 12 oz bag of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained). I stuffed that mixture into 14 cooked manicotti shells. I made 8 with Alfredo sauce (Ragu) and 6, in a separate dish, with red sauce, which I put in the freezer for another dinner. I sprinkled shredded mozzarella cheese on each.

I still have about a cup of the filling left over, so will add that the next time I make baked pasta. Yummy!

I had been racking my brain for days about what to make for dessert. Hubby said he wanted cupcakes. Cupcakes!! So, that is what I made. I did make them a little festive, though.
We put most of the m in the freezer, so we would not eat them all. LOL!
It was a good Valentine's weekend.