What's Cooking
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
I didn’t get a post up last week with birthday celebrations and Thanksgiving taking up extra time. I sent Jake to the store with a list of items to pick up and he came home with a few “extras” and I was told that they were for my birthday so they shouldn’t count in the normal weekly budget. He did get everything on the list and the few extra items were delicious (shrimp, corn on the cob, etc….) . I am back to a more regular routine this week. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Walmart and Ingles Walmart Groceries:
- $21.40 at Walmart for 2 packs Yeast, 1 gallon of milk, 1 bag Purple Grapes, 1 bag Apples, 2 bottles Ocean Spray Juice, 2 bags Bread, and 1 bag Chicken.
Ingles Groceries:
- $7.74 at Ingles for 2 containers Strawberries, 1 box Wholly Guacamole, 1 container Mushrooms (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance except the strawberries because they were for a new Mom’s dinner I was delivering this week.)
Groceries from BiLo and Walgreens BiLo Groceries:
- $3.27 at BiLo for 1 gallon of milk. (Somehow my family managed to drink a whole gallon in a day this week so I had to go back and get some more!)
Walgreens Groceries:
- $0.18 at Walgreens for 2 boxes of Brown Sugar after coupons.
This week I spent $32.59 on groceries. Even though I was only a little under on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on some items and to recover a little bit from last weeks birthday and Thanksgiving celebrations. This week I had the privilege of taking meals to two new Moms and meet their little ones, what a blessing children are in our lives! I hope that next week is better week and we can come under budget!
It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks! As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me. I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too. The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Family Recipe: Cream Cheese Candies
My cousin Rachel shared this recipe with me many years ago. These are perfect for holidays, weddings, showers, birthdays, or any special celebrations. You can make them any color to match the theme of the party.
Cream Cheese Candies:
- 1 package Cream Cheese, softened (8 oz)
- 1/3 teaspoon Peppermint or Almond Extract
- 3 cups Confectioners Sugar
- Food Coloring
- Colored Sugar, optional
In a small mixing bowl combine cream cheese and extract. Beat in 1 1/2 cup Confectioner’s Sugar. Knead in remaining Confectioner’s Sugar until smooth. Shape into 1/2 inch balls. Roll in colored sugar if desired. Place in ungreased baking sheets and flatten with a fork or form into the shape you want. Let stand 1 hour to harden and store in airtight container in the refrigerator. Yields – 6 dozen
Photo by Jo Naylor
Life Can Be Sweet – S’mores Brownies
Our family loves brownies! The nice thing about making brownies you can add in all kinds of goodies and it still tastes awesome. You can also add items on top of the brownies after they are baked or use them as a base to sundaes! As you may already know not all my brownies turn out perfect like my Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies I made for our church Community Group, but for the most part they turn out delicious.
I had some extra items on hand so we added them to the brownies. I cooked the brownies to almost done added some marshmallows, chocolate and butterscotch chips finished cookies then drizzled chocolate syrup over the top. The results delicious brownies to share with family and friends! 🙂
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of November 30 – December 6, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. You can start stocking up on some great deals for upcoming Holiday cooking. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Sugardale Bone In Hank Potion Ham – $1.19 per lb
Chicken Leg Quarters – $0.49 per lb
Beef Eye of Round Roast – $3.99 per lb
Cooked Cocktail Shrimp (41 to 50 count) – $4.99
Hickory Springs Sliced Bacon (12 oz) – $1.99
Farmington Pork Sausage, Hot or Mild (16 oz) – $1.99
Fairgrounds Sliced Lunchmeats, Assorted Varieties (16 oz) – $2.99
Fairgrounds Jumbo Hot Dogs (16 oz) – $0.99
Portside Fish Fillets, Tilapia, Perch or Flounder (16 oz) – $3.99
Matlaw’s Shrimp Ring with Sauce (10 oz) – $4.99
Portside Imitation Crabmeat (16 oz) – $1.99
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Coburn Farms Cream Cheese – $1.00
Land O’ Lakes Spreadable Butter (8 oz) – $1.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.30/1 coupon from insert 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
As low as $1.49 each after couponBanquet Family Size Entrees (26 to 28 oz) – $2.00
Tropicana Orange Juice (59 oz) – $2.99
Chef Antonio Rising Crust Pizza, Pepperoni or Cheese – $3.49
Eggo Waffles (10 count) – $1.79
World’s Fair Vanilla Ice Cream (56 oz) – $2.79
Mrs. Smith’s Pies, Pumpkin, Apple or Cherry – $2.99
Use $1.00/2 coupon from pamphlet Target booklet (Expires 12/30/11)
$2.49 each after couponGold Leaf Deep Dish Pie Shells – $2.33
Coburn Farms Sour Cream (16 oz) – $1.59
Morning Delight Crescent Rolls – $1.69
Save A Lot Today Orange Juice (59 oz) – $1.99
Curly’s Pulled Pork or Beef (18 oz) – $3.99
Produce
California Navel Oranges (4 lbs) – $2.99
Mixed Bag of Fruit (4 lbs) – $2.99
Idaho Potatoes (10 lbs) – $2.99
Tomatoes (6 pack) – $1.99
Red Grapefruit (3 lbs) – $1.50
Sunburst Tangerines (3 lbs) – $1.50
Household
Tide Powder Laundry Detergent (20 oz) – $3.99
Use $1.00/1 coupon from Ebony magazine (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 10/23 Red Plum (Expires 11/30/11)
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 11/27 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 12/31/11)
As low as $2.99 each after couponWrightware Foam Plates (40 count) – $1.39
Poly Steel Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil (37.5 sq ft) – $1.99
Wrightware Napkins (250 count) – $1.69
Chenard Plastic Cutlery, Knife, Fork, Spoon Assortment (48 count) – $1.69
Max Force Alkaline Batteries, Assorted Varieties – $1.99
Grocery
Folgers Classic Roast Ground Coffee (22.6 oz) – $6.99
Use $1.00/1 coupon from insert 11/6 Red Plum (Expires 12/3/11)
$5.99 each after couponCrisco Vegetable or Canola Oil (48 oz) – $2.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 11/6 Red Plum (Expires 1/31/12)
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 11/6 Red Plum (Expires 1/31/12)
$2.49 each after couponCap ‘N Crunch Cereal, Assorted Varieties (12 to 14 oz) – $1.99
Kraft Deluxe or Velveeta Dinners (9 to 14 oz) – $1.79
Use $1.00/2 coupon from tearpad found in some stores (Expires 11/30/11)
$1.29 each after couponRitz Crackers, Assorted Varieties (14 to 15 oz) – $2.50
Prego Pasta Sauce, Assorted Varieties (24 oz) – $1.50
Use $0.75/2 coupon from 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $1.00/3 coupon from 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.50/2 coupon from 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
As low as $1.13 each after couponPregresso Traditional Soups, Assorted Varieties – $1.50
Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Assorted Varieties – $2.49
Welch’s Chillers Juice Drinks, Assorted Varieties (64 oz) – $1.99
On the Border Tortilla Chips (12 oz) – $2.00
Grissom’s Brown ‘n Serve Rolls ( 12 count) – $1.19
Monet Entertainment Crackers (8 oz) – $1.69
Lofthouse Snickerdoodle Cookies – $2.79
Cafe Valley Fudge Bundt Cake – $3.39
Portmann’s Mayonnaise – $2.49
J Higgs Saltines – $1.19
Wylwood Chili Beans – $0.75
Hargis House Beef Stew (24 oz) – $2.39
Hargis House Sloppy Joe Sauce (15.5 oz) – $0.99
Mantia’s Alfredo Sauce (15 oz) – $1.99
Crisp Cranberry Lemon Lime Soda (2 liter) – $0.79
Coburn Farms Evaporated Milk (15 oz) – $0.79
Ginger Evans Cake Mix – $1.35
Ginger Evans Ready to Spread Frosting – $1.49
Ginger Evans Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (12 oz) – $2.29
Morning Gem’s Frosted Flakes Cereal (17 oz) – $2.29
Morning Delight Complete Buttermilk Pancake Mix (32 oz) – $1.89
Morning Delight Country Style or Buttery Syrup (24 oz) – $1.89
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Last week was an enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday. Our schedule was a little different from regular but we all had fun spending some extra time together. We are back to our regular schedules this week plus a few extra events on top of it including Parent Teachers Conferences, delivering meals to new Moms and more great activities. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef Entree): Green Bean Tator Tot Casserole, Salad
- Tuesday (Seafood or Pork Entree): Ham Pizza, Fresh Fruit
- Wednesday (Chicken Entree): Chicken Noodle Soup, Fresh Vegetables
- Thursday (Pasta or Vegetarian Entree): Vegetarian Chili, Cornbread
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef entree, Tuesday a seafood or pork entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Our family had a blast spending some time together for Thanksgiving last week. I was beginning to wonder what kind of week it would be when we started the week tired and with a little one throwing up. Thankfully we didn’t have any big travel plans and have gotten past that little spurt of sickness now everyone seems to be on the mend. Over the Thanksgiving week together we laughed, snuggled, read books, worked on projects, ate delicious food, went shopping, put up the Christmas tree, and just had fun relaxing as well as doing stuff around the house. I am thankful for a wonderful family and an opportunity to spend some extra time together.
Here is the update on last weeks goals:
Family Goals
Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everydayRead a book to the girls everyday- Have the girls read 1 book to me 5 days this week – didn’t make do it 5 days
- Do devotions with the girls every night (sometimes it gets late and we rush to get them into bed) – not quite every night
Spend extra time with my family over the Thanksgiving Holiday
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week – the first half of the week went well
Go to bed by 10:30 or earlier on Monday and Tuesday
Home Management Goals
Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by MondaySpend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the houseDinner on the table by 5:30 PM (Monday through Wednesday)All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayPut up the Christmas Tree
Business Goals
- Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk – my desk was buried by the end of the weekend, time with the family took priority
Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
Ministry Goals
Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requestsMeet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4 – ahem….this one didn’t happen with birthday and Holidays, my sweet husband did a trip for me which brought it up as well.
- Pay off remaining debt – working on it
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – on hold until the debt is paid off
Here are my goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
- Read a book to the girls everyday
- Have the girls read 1 book to me 5 days this week
- Do devotions with the girls every night (sometimes it gets late and we rush to get them into bed)
- Get the girls passport pictures taken
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
- Go to bed by 10:30 or earlier on Monday and Tuesday
- Finish reading The Money Saving Mom’s Budget: Slash Your Spending, Pay Down Your Debt, Streamline Your Life, and Save Thousands a Year by Crystal Paine who has a blog called Money Saving Mom (VERY excited about the opportunity to preview this book by a blogger I have been following for years and thankful to be featured on her blog weekly with the Save A Lot Deals!)
- Listen to the next section of Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (I am going through this book with my Community Group)
Home Management Goals
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
- Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
- Dinner on the table by 5:30 PM (Monday through Thursday)
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- File the receipts and coupons for the last couple of months.
Business Goals
- Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk
- Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Review my 2011 Business Goals and start planning ones for 2012
Ministry Goals
- Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Make at least $25 towards my Creative Cash goal this week so I can give more to others.
- Deliver a meal to a new Mom.
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Pay off remaining debt
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
Family Recipe: Spinach & Chicken Casserole
I came up with this recipe several years ago when I was trying to use up some items we had on hand and it has been a family favorite since that day. My husband mentioned this recipe in passing conversation with someone this past weekend which made me think that it was time to make it again. So it is on our Menu for this week! It is easy to put together too!
Spinach & Chicken Casserole
- 1 lb Chicken Breasts
- 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 can Spinach (drained)
- 1 can Mushrooms or Fresh Mushrooms
- 1 cup Provolone Cheese (you can use Swiss or Mozzarella)
Spread the chicken breasts out in a baking dish so they are touching but not overlapping. Mix the can of mushroom soup and spinach together and spread over the chicken breasts. Put the mushrooms on top of the spinach and mushroom mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the casserole and bake for another 10 minutes.
Layer of chicken, spinach, and mushrooms
Family Recipes: Quick Breakfast Smoothie
A few months ago Jake got me a new blender….ahem…..after I wore out the second Kitchen Aid blender in our 11 years of marriage. I LOVE smoothies, even on cold days. Some days I don’t have time to sit down a long breakfast and I like being able to whip up a delicious breakfast drink that I can sip on as I am working.
The girls are hooked on smoothies too. Anytime I have the blender out their first question is “Are you making us a smoothie?” Meaning can you make me a smoothie first, ha! 🙂 Just ask Jake if they are already fed, playing in another room, or otherwise uninterested in what I am doing they are immediately by my side when the blender turns on! We have many smoothie variations but I wanted to share a healthy breakfast one that I enjoy (and yes it contains food I normally don’t get excited about eating in it).
Quick Breakfast Smoothie:
- 3 Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1o Grapes (fresh or frozen)
- 8 oz Milk
- 1/2 cup Ice
- 1 hard boiled Egg
- 3 tablespoons Strawberry or Vanilla Yogurt (optional)
Put all the ingredients in the blender and mix together. You have a healthy mix of protein, fruit, and dairy for your morning breakfast.
We keep frozen strawberries and grapes (as well as other fruit) in the freezer and a batch of hard boiled eggs in the fridge so this smoothie takes a minute to put together and is ready. I was hesitant to add the egg at first but you really cannot taste it in the smoothie and it adds a boost of protein. Sometimes I will add a pack of Chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast for the girls for an extra boost. You can in a variety of other fruits that you have on hand or enjoy for your smoothie as well.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of November 23 – 29, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. You can start stocking up on some great deals for upcoming Holiday cooking. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Sugardale Bone In Hank Potion Ham – $1.19 per lb
Chuck Wagon or Old Farm Bacon (16 oz) – $1.78
Farmington Pork Sausage (16 oz) – $1.99
Fresh Whole Chicken – $0.79 per lb
Portside Cooked Shrimp (60 to 70 count) – $3.99
Matlaw’s Shrimp Ring with Cocktail Sauce (10 oz) – $4.99
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Home Churned Butter Quarters (16 oz) – $1.99
Buyers Best Shoestring French Fries (12 oz) – $0.79
Imperial Spread (45 oz) – $2.50
Coburn Farms Cream Cheese – $1.00
Cool Whip (8 oz) – $1.00
Totino’s Pizza (9 to 10 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/4 coupon from insert 9/11 General Mills (Expires 12/3/11)
Use $1.00/4 coupon from insert 10/2 General Mills (Expires 12/24/11)
Use $1.00/4 coupon from pamphlet Kroger’s My Magazine Giving Hope a Hand (Expires 12/4/11)
Use $0.60/3 coupon from insert 10/2 General Mills (Expires 12/24/11)
As low as $0.75 each after couponResers Salads (16 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/1 printable coupon from Coupon Web
Use $0.75/1 coupon found on a tearpad in some stores (Expires 12/30/11)
As low as FREE each after couponMrs Smith’s Pumpkin, Apple or Cherry Pies (27 oz) – $2.99
Use $1.00/2 coupon from pamphlet Target booklet (Expires 12/30/11)
$2.49 each after couponCoburn Farms Aerosol Whipped Cream – $1.79
Ginger Evans Ready to Bake Chocolate Chips or Sugar Cookies – $2.29
Take and Bake Cheese Pizza (33 oz) – $5.49
Take and Bake Supreme or Pepperoni Pizza (33 to 36 oz) – $5.99
Wylwood Broccoli Normandy (16 oz) – $1.29
Morning Delight Buttermilk Biscuits – $0.59
Wylwood Shredded Hashbrowns (24 oz) – $2.39
Produce
Celery – $0.79
Sweet Potatoes – $0.49 per lb
Idaho Potato (5 pounds) – $1.89
Mini Carrots (1 pound) – $1.00
Household
Poly Steel Heavy Duty Aluminum (32 sF) – $1.79
Starware Food Storage (assorted variety) – $1.49
Wrightware Napkins (250 count) – $1.69
Ajax Dish Liquid (16 oz) – $0.99
Luster Facial Tissues (85 count) – $0.79
Grocery
Stuffing on the Side – $0.89
Coburn Farms Evaporated Milk – $0.79
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix – $0.45
Kool-Aid Jammers (10 count) – $1.88
Harvest Select Grape or Cranberry Cocktails (64 oz) – $1.69
Musselman’s Apple Sauce (46 to 48 oz) – $2.50
Velveta Cheesy Potatoes – $1.79
T.G.I. Friday Snacks (5 oz) – $1.00
Progresso Bread Crumbs (15 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 11/13 General Mills (Expires 1/5/12)
$0.50 each after couponSwiss Miss Hot Chocolate (6 count) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 11/13 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 11/13 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
As low as $0.66 each after couponKaskey’s Chicken Broth (14 oz) – $0.69
Ginger Evans Cake Mix – $1.35
Ginger Evans Ready to Spread Frosting – $1.49
Ginger Evans Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix – $0.89
Tipton Grove Cranberry Sauce – $0.99
Crisp Cranberry Lemon Lime or Save A Lot Exclusive Soda (2 liter) – $0.79
Grissom’s Brown and Serve Rolls (12 count) – $1.19
Theodoro Dollar Rolls (12 oz) – $1.99
Mantia’s Elbow Macaroni (16 oz) – $0.99
Rapid Rice on the Side Instant White Rice (28 oz) – $2.79
Kaskey’s Onion Soup Mix (2 pack) – $0.89
Westcott Cooking Spray (6 oz) – $1.69
Ginger Evans Big or Mini Marshmallows (10 oz) – $0.99
Libby’s Pineapple (20 oz) – $0.99
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 8/28 Red Plum (Expires 12/30/11)
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 11/13 Red Plum (Expires 3/31/12)
$0.49 each after couponPortmann’s Seafood Cocktail Sauce (12 oz) – $1.29
Kurtz Worcestershire Sauce (10 oz) – $0.99
Nature’s Grain Cinnamon Raisin Swirl (16 oz) – $2.49
Bakery
Bakery Fresh Pumpkin Pies – $2.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Family Outings: SkyTop Apple Orchard
We made it to SkyTop Orchard this year! We surprised the girls one Saturday morning by taking a road trip to SkyTop Orchard in North Carolina. Several friends had told us that it is a great place to go apple picking so we decided to check it out!
Too busy watching everybody and everything around them to look at the camera! Pausing for a moment to take a picture by the Sky Top 2011 Apple. There were so many people and activities going on that they girls were just mesmerized.
Hey MOM! Is this a good one? Karlie loved picking the apples straight from the tree. It didn’t take us long with four people picking to fill up our baskets!
Looking for juicy apples to pick! Karlie and Brina looking through all the apples on the branches for the ripe and juicy ones to pick. They got pretty good at picking out the perfect apples!
Brina pleased with the apple she found. Brina found a good one! She was so excited when she found a perfect apple to put into the basket.
Walking with Daddy through the apple orchard There were a lot of apples on the ground. Some of them were whole while others were turning into mush. If you stepped on a mushy apple you feet would slide. The girls held our hands when we were walking longer distances to help prevent them from sliding around so much on the slick apples.
Girls - Look Daddy there's a good one up there! Daddy - You want which one?! You know the saying “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence” well the same thing applies to apple picking. The perfect apple is always at the top of the tree out of reach!
Daddy gave the girls a few boosts to get some of the "perfect" apples at the top of the trees! Thankfully with a little boost from Daddy the girls were able to get some of those pretty apples up on top. They thought it was neat that they could reach the apples without climbing the trees.
Brina and Karlie playing on SkyTop's playground Another highlight for the girls was playing in the houses and on SkyTop’s playground. They had a blast checking out all the fun houses, slides, and fun activities.
Two sweet girls peeking through the playhouse window at me! As I was watching them play I caught them peeking at me through the window. Cute! Love those two girlies so much and thankful for an opportunity to go on a family adventure together. Great memories!
Brina Bee climbing up the wall Brina proudly climbed up the climbing wall. She came over to me and said Mom that is a lot easier then the ones that you have to get buckled into. Brina loved seeing all the babies and little kids at the orchard. Glad she had a great time!
Karlie Kook Kat peeping through the window. Sweet picture of Karlie peeping out the window. It is amazing to see how much they have grown up over the last few months.
Giant haybale spider The girls thought this giant spider was hilarious! They had fun climbing all over it!
Our family at SkyTop! We had a blast together picking apples and playing at SkyTop Apple Orchard!
One bushel of apples We picked one bushel (approximately 42 pounds of apples)! These apples were delicious! It was a lot of fun to eat them plain and in a lot of dishes from apple crisp to apple pie to applesauce to apple smoothies and more!
