Before You Speak – THINK….
Book: “Dash” by J. Elizabeth Mills
Even though our girls are twins they have very different personalities. One of the few things they have in common is their love of horses! Both of them absolutely love anything about horses. Lately I have been noticing that more and more horse books have been pulled off the shelf to read and when we go to the used book store they are always on the look out for new “horse” books.
The other day I noticed that Karlie had been carrying this Scholastic book Dash by J. Elizabeth Mills around for several days and reading it over and over. I asked if she would be willing to read the book to me and she did! It is still hard to believe that my girls are old enough to be reading me books. Granted this one isn’t a huge book but it does have four short chapters.
The story is about a little girl named Jenny who wants to participate in a barrel racing competition. She and her horse Dash train really hard for the big day. Both of our girls love this book. If your child loves horses and is starting to read independently this would be a great book to add to your library.
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
I apologize it has been so long since I have posted my $40 for 4 grocery update! It has been a fun, amazing, wild, memorable several months with a trip to India, Charleston, Disney, Kennedy Space Center, Sea World, family staying with us on and off for a month as well as many other wonderful activities! I have been doing my best to stay within budget but having you alongside of me and reading my regular post definitely keeps me more accountable because I have blown the budget several times since I last posted! Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Save A Lot | RiteAid and Ingles
Save A Lot | RiteAid Groceries:
- $4.87 at Save A Lot | RiteAid for 1 gallon Milk and 1 bag Brown Sugar (ran out of milk and used the rest of my brown sugar for the homeless dinner our Community Group hosted on Monday evening so had to restock these items)
Ingles Groceries:
- $11.79 at Ingles for 2 loaves Bread, 1 gallon Milk, 1 Yellow Sweet Onion, 1 container Pina Colada Yogurt (on clearance & so delicious I almost didn’t share it), 1 bag Fresh Green Beans (clearance $0.99), 1 bag Fresh Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Carrots (clearance $0.99), 1 container Mushrooms (clearance $0.99), 1 container Dill Veggie Dip (clearance $0.99), and 1 package Wholly Avocado Dip (clearance $0.99). Everything was marked down, on sale, or on clearance at Ingles.
Groceries from Ingles and Save A Lot | RiteAid
Ingles Groceries:
- $7.77 at Ingles for 1 container of Dill Seasoning, 1 loaf French Bread, 1 container Peach Yogurt (on clearance), 1 container Fresh Pink Lemonade (clearance $0.99), 1 container Veggie Dip (clearance $0.99), and 1 container fresh Chicken Salad (on clearance) Everything was marked down, on sale, or on clearance at Ingles.
- Save A Lot | RiteAid Groceries:$17.33 at Save A Lot | RiteAid for 1 package Flour Tortillas, 2 multi-packs Trident Gum (clearance $0.74), 2 Ham & Cheddar Lunchables, 1 bag Chicken Breasts, 6 packs Sandwich Creme Cookies (clearance $0.69), 1 pack Powdered Donuts (clearance $0.84), bags of Cheddar Cheese Balls, and 1 Watermelon.
I was able to get a few great items this week. Thankfully, I was able to make it by the store and pick up some items that we’ll need over the next couple of weeks even if a couple of unexpected items got added to the list. Thanks for helping keep me on track even in the midst of this busy season! I don’t anticipate life slowing down too much though since the girls will be getting out of school next week and we have a lot of exciting adventures planned for their summer break.
This week I spent $41.76 on groceries. I was bummed that I went over on my budgeted amount for the week again but thankful I was only $1.76 over! I would have made it but I was asked to provide snacks for the girls field day so it was extra items I wasn’t planning on for the week that helped me slide past my goal. I was happy to find a few items marked down on clearance and provide snacks (watermelon, cookies, and cheese balls) for 20 students while staying pretty close to my budgeted amount. I hope that next week 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.
Dinner Time – Change of Scenery
Have you noticed that sometimes when you add a slight twist to a normal activity it can make it super special for the kids? Occasionally we mixed things up a bit around our house just for fun. Our girls don’t watch a lot of TV so when they do watch a movie or show it is a special treat for them. We have found that after a busy week sometimes all you need to do is have a quiet evening with your family to unwind and relax.
It has been a crazy few months around our house so Jake & I decided to make up some of the kids favorite foods, put them on their TV / travel plate and eat while watching a movie together. The girls were super excited! Typically, we stop what we are doing for a family meal but as a treat every couple of months we’ll switch it up a bit and eat in front of the TV. While this meal may not be the most well balanced ones we have made it does have variety, it was simple to put together, we used up some items we had on hand, and most importantly the family enjoyed it.
On the Menu:
- Cheesy Noodles (as the girls call them) Mac & Cheese
- Yogurt Stick
- Canned Peaches
- Fresh Clementine
- Slices of Summer Sausage
- Cashews
Travel & Vacation: Trip to the Pirate Park & Charleston Creamery
Stopping to refuel…..so thankful the girls both travel so well!
We have been on some long trips with our kids (over 40 hours of drive time) which makes us very thankful that they both love to travel. They get excited when we tell them they will get to “sleep” in the van. The girls love it when the road trip is more than 5 hours because that means Daddy will put in the DVD player for them to watch movies while we drive. They stay entertained when we we take the 2 or 4 hour trips as well with books, games, music, and more. It is always an adventure no matter where we go and the girls love exploring different areas as well as going back to our favorite parks or places we have visited in the past. The pictures in this post are from our winter trip to Charleston, South Carolina. Love seeing their smiles, watching them play, and thankful that they had a chance to relax for a few days.
Karlie relaxing on the bench and blowing some bubbles.
Brina checking out the pirate treasure chest full of sand at the “Pirate” Park on Daniel’s Island.
Karlie (she is wearing the black shirt in the middle of the ship) is checking out the big sunken pirate ship
Brina climbing the lighthouse at the pirate’s park
Look out…..here comes Karlie!
Look out BELOW!!! I can hear Brina giggling as she comes zipping down the slide.
Getting ice cream from their favorite ice cream store – Charleston Creamery! In this picture Karlie is choosing her 1st topping. After they select their ice cream flavors and toppings a robot puts it together for them. The girls LOVE it!
The robot is getting ready to make the ice cream.
Mesmerized by the robot making the ice cream!
Ta….Da……the ice cream treat is now ready to eat! Thanks Robot! 🙂 The robot only serves soft serve ice cream but you can get one of their many homemade flavors in a cup, cone, or shake!
Charleston Creamery has a place for the kids to sit and play with toys while you enjoy your treat too. It’s a great family owned ice cream store. It is one of the girls favorite places to visit while in the Charleston area. For more information about their store, location, upcoming events, specials, or their newest flavor of ice cream you can find them on Facebook!
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
FREE Hot or Cold Beverage at Pilot & Flying J Travel Centers
Pilot Travel Centers has a coupon you can print on their Facebook Page for a Free 16 oz Hot Beverage or Free 32 oz Cold Beverage at Pilot and Flying J Centers .
- Go to Pilot Travel Centers Facebook Page
- Like their Facebook Page
- Click on the Coupon Section
- Print the Free Hot or Cold Beverage Coupon (the coupon is below the $1.00 off any large combo coupon and the “print” button is a link directly beneath the coupon)
- The coupon is good through August 31, 2012 .
If you are traveling soon or have a Pilot or Flying J Travel Center nearby this is a great deal. We used a couple of their coupons last month when we were traveling and plan to use some in on our upcoming trips this summer!
Travel & Vacation: Hanging Out on Daniel’s Island
One of our favorite places to visit….Daniel’s Island (near Charleston)!
Happy Brina Bee, she loves our trips to Daniel’s Island!
As I was going back over some of our pictures from the last several months I realized I didn’t share with you our winter trip to Daniel’s Island. The beautiful part about going to Daniel’s Island in the winter time is the weather is awesome. Majority of the time you don’t even need a jacket. The only thing the girls were disappointed about our winter visit is that the pool was closed (but that was only for a split moment)!
Karlie thrilled to be back in Daniel’s Island at the “turtle” park
Brina and Karlie hanging out in the white boat at the park
Oh boy……Karlie caught something and is bringing it over to show me, love the silly smile on her face as she brings the surprise!
Some serious discussions going on about how to take care of their big turtles
Brina and Karlie put together mini pizzas for our lunch together
Delicious Pizza! I snapped a picture before she wiped the pizza sauce off her face, but she’s all smiles after lunch!
Caught Brina doing twirls around the room after eating lunch….I think she’s ready for our next adventure!
Karlie loves spotting all the USA Flags. She insisted that I take a picture of the one flying over the tennis stadium.
Brina and Karlie standing in front of the “astronaut” in TGI Friday’s!
Brina played so hard today on Daniel’s Island she crashed instantly
Karlie is asleep with a smile on her face after a fun day
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of June 6 – 12, 2012
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Ground Beef – $1.99 lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – $1.69
Grilling Steaks – $6.99
Assorted Pork Chops – $1.69
Eckrich Bologna or Frank (12 or 16 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.55/1 printable coupon from Eckrich
$0.45 each after couponButterball Turkey Bacon (6 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/2 coupon from June All You Magazine (Expires 8/5/12)
$0.50 each after couponJohn Morrell Sausage or Links (9 oz) – $1.00
Carolina Ground Turkey (12 oz) – $1.00
Fairgrounds Hot Dogs (12 oz) – $1.00
Boston Butt – $1.69 lb
Chicken Drumsticks & Thighs – $0.99
Hickory Springs Bacon (12 oz) – $1.99
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going! Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts or types of meats, vegetables and more. Here are a few of the specials they have going on with the Pick 5 for $19.99 this week (each item approximately $3.99):
Fridge and Freezer
Oscar Mayer Lunchables (4 oz) – $1.00
Reser’s Potato or Macaroni Salad (16 oz) – $1.00
Totino Pizza Rolls (15 count) – $1.00
Fisher Boy Fish Sticks or Shrimp Poppers (4 – 6 oz) – $1.00
Minute Maid Lemonade and Fruit Punch (59 oz) – $1.00
Popsicle Novelties (13 oz) – $1.00
Tony’s Crispy Crust Pizza – $1.00
Blue Bonnet Spread (15 oz) – $1.00
Buyer’s Best Crinkle Cut French Fries (32 oz) – $1.00
World’s Fair Ice Cream (56 oz) – $1.99
Eggs (dozen) – $0.99
Mantia’s Pizza – $1.99
Produce
Head Lettuce – $0.79
Vine Ripened Tomatoes – $0.69
Red or Yellow Peppers – $1.00
Avocados – $1.00
Mini Carrots (1 pound)- $1.00
Cabbage – $0.25 lb
Cucumbers – $0.29 each
Green Peppers – $0.39 each
Onions (3 pounds) – $0.99
Strawberries (1 pound) – $1.99
Whole Seedless Watermelon – $3.99
Russet Potato (8 pounds) – $2.29
Assorted Apples – $0.99 lb
Grocery
Crystal Drinking Water (24 pack) – $1.99
Hormel Sandwich Sliced Pepperoni or Hard Salomi (3.5 oz) – $1.00
Sundia Fruit Cups – $1.00
Pringles Potato Crisps (4 oz) – $1.00
Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta (14 – 15 oz) – $1.00
Kurtz Ketchup (32 oz) – $1.00
Woeber’s Yellow Mustard (24 oz) – $1.00
Hunt’s Manwich Sloppy Joes (15 oz) – $1.00
Sunflower Seeds (8 oz) – $1.00
Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding Cups (4 count) – $1.00
Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper – $1.00
TGI Friday Snacks (3 – 4 oz) – $1.00
Duke’s Mayonnaise (32 oz) – $1.00
Save A Lot Soft Drinks (12 count) – $1.99
O Day’s Mac n’ Cheese – $0.39
Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce (24 oz) – $1.69
Ginger Evans Sugar (4 pounds) – $1.99
Kraft Salad Dressing (8 oz) – $0.88
Ginger Evans Flour (5 pounds) – $1.69
Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese or Velveeta Shells & Cheese – $1.99
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.
Gift Giving: Kids Two Liter Surprise Gifts
Kids Two Liter Surprise Gifts
Are you looking for a unique birthday or fun gift for someone? These gifts were a big hit with our family! I had a blast brainstorming and coming up with these fun gifts for my nieces and nephews. I wanted something fun, unique, and easy to send in the mail. I recycled 2 liter bottles, stuffed them with all kinds of fun items as well as colorful shredded paper and mailed them! The kids absolutely LOVED them! 🙂
I was super excited to hear that my nieces and nephews overjoyed at getting these in the mail! I sent one 2 liter surprise gift to each family, so these four bottles were actually for 12 kids in all. This is a great way to get something special for a group of kids because they all have fun opening and discovering all the goodies in the bottle. Every bottle had a variety of items that all the kids would enjoy from candy to markers, erasers, glue sticks, paper clips, colored pencils, bouncy balls, stickers, and so much more!
View of the back of the bottles, you can see a lot of the fun items inside the bottles
I originally did these gifts for my nieces and nephews as their Christmas presents but since I have been asked by several people to duplicate these gifts I thought I would share them with you too. If you need to send a gift for an upcoming birthday, graduation, Christmas, congratulations, baby, wedding or for any occasion these would be fun to put together and bring a smile to the person receiving it! One lady in the post office wanted to know if I could put together one for each of her grandkids! 🙂 As you can see from the pictures above I did four at one time but it would be very easy to do one at a time too. The gift is unique, memorable, fun, and very affordable!
After cleaning out the 2 liter bottle I filled it with colorful shredded paper and all kinds of fun items then stuck bows to the lid, taped the address on the outside, and mailed them. They cost less postage then a box, were super fun to put together plus I got raving reviews from both those that seen them in transport and on the receiving end. I even had a postal worker from another office contact me to comment on the awesome gifts!
Once you get started and your creative juices get going the possibilities are endless with this two liter surprise gift. Here’s how I did it:
Empty and clean 2 liter bottle (I used clear and tinted bottles both worked well)
Everything you put into the bottle must got through the top opening where the cap screws onto the 2 liter. Put a little bit of colorful shredded paper in first to get some color and padding in the bottom of the 2 liter.
Gather a bunch of items that you think will fit through the 2 liter opening at the top. I like to have a lot of variety in my Two Liter Surprise Gift so here are some of the items that I put into mine. I used what I had in my stockpile from shopping sales, clearance racks, and using coupons so the entire gift was very affordable. Here are some of the items I used to get you started:
- Twist Lollipops
- Markers
- Glue Sticks
- Color Pencils
- Erasers
- Paper Clips
- Post-it Notes
- Crayons
- Highlighters
- Paint Brushes
- Mechanical Pencils
- Tattoos
- Pencils
- Stickers
- Magnets
- Balloons
- Ink Pens
- Binder Clips
- Bouncy Balls
- Small Toys
- Small Notebooks
- Decorative Bags
- And MORE!
Twist Lollipops were the surprise in the middle of the 2 liter bottle with all the other items and shredded paper packed in around them to protect them. I was glad to hear they did really well in shipping!
Filling the two liter bottle with surprises! The lollipops are wrapped inside the blue (with candy canes) tissue paper and put in the middle of the two liter for extra protection.
Packing the bottle full of goodies (another example). You can “stuff” a lot of fun items into a 2 liter bottle
I added the ribbon to the bottle and put a couple pieces of wrapping tape on it to help secure it to the lid. This bottle is a green Mountain Dew bottle with blue shredded paper in it.
Last step is to put on a label with your address and the recipents address and take it to the post office to mail out. (The addresses in the photo have been distorted on purpose for the protection of the kids to whom the gifts were sent to).
Every kid (who I am kidding every person, young & old) loves to get a special surprise in the mailbox. You will put a smile on the face of a family member or friend even though miles may separate you with this great, fun, and affordable gift!
Song: “By Your Side” by Tenth Avenue North
When days get busy and life picks up pace we tend to fill our lives with activities and things that will make feel better or complete us. This song is a great reminder of where my focus should be. Here is a glimpse at the song:
Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don’t turn awayAnd I’ll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don’t fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you
