Tuesday To-Do List

I thought I'd start something new today. Not original, mind you, just new. New to me, that is. You probably already have one of these.

A To-Do List.

I've always had a To-Do List. It's just that it's usually been scribbled on a crumpled up piece of grey matter and tossed into the dust-bunnied corners of my cerebral cortex. Keeping a To-Do list in your head is a quick and easy route to Nutsville. It's hard to scratch items off the list when the pencil will only go so far into your ear before causing considerable amounts of pain. As a result, you have to remember what's been taken care of and what remains left to do. This is where I fall short. Remembering.

Now, knowing me and my ability to start new good habits, I'm taking this one slow. I'll just be To-Do'ing on Tuesdays.

Baby steps.

And, yes, I know it's 9 p.m. on Tuesday so, really, this is more of Wednesday's To-Do list. I'll just have to remember to start this earlier next Tuesday. I don't suppose one of you would be willing to remind me?

TO-DO:

1. Begin work on Savvy Mommies stuff.
2. Buy scrap paper for August & September pages.
3. Check out new Bissell steamer on HSN.
4. Craigslist mattress set.
5. Read several chapters of "40 Days of Community" Bible study.
6. Deliver Tupperware.
7. Email Athena.
8. Have London draw a "Thank you" picture to the sweet couple who sent her a book.
9. Take Kettleball out of box!

Okay, now the fun of this is to see how much I can actually get done! WooHoo! I'm like so excited I'm almost not falling asleep in my chair anymore. Yeah!

Oh, and while googling the To-Do list picture above, I came across this little gem:

Now you may laugh but years ago when I worked at the sheriff's office I found it quite handy to write things down on my hand so as not to forget. It works, people! Try it! Just ask Fred.

What's on your list today?

19 Minutes, huh?

I came across this article from Shine.Yahoo.com that details how to clean your house in just 19 minutes a day.

The article gives a lot of great advice. Basically, just keep up on the basic stuff before it gets out of hand. When I'm on my game, I'm pretty good at doing just that. The only problem is I haven't been on my game in so long I'm missing a few pieces and the instruction booklet.

Plus, no one else really wants to play with me.

Then there's the fact that I can take a 20 minute catnap and be completely refreshed for the rest of the day, so if I've got 19 minutes on my hands you can guess what I'm going to do with it!

A Mom's Gotta Do What A Mom's Gotta Do.

This little comic strip was cut out by my beloved several years ago and has remained posted either on the refrigerator or a bulletin board ever since. Never in the history of comic strips has one nailed a real person more accurately than this. They even got my name right.

Though I just have to say, is there anyone out there that actually likes brussell sprouts? I mean really?

I'm really more anti-peas to tell you the truth. Why some people eat these grotesque little balls of green goo is beyond me. Yet, for some reason I have yet to fully examine, I insist upon forcing my daugther to eat them. Why would I do that?

Because they're good for you is the refrain often sung by parents around the globe. But, really, they aren't that good. Two-thirds of a cup of peas only nets a body 10% of their daily Vitamin C, 8% of their Vitamin A and 6% of their necessary daily iron. I'm just not impressed. And though while I admit, the little buggers pack a mighty 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein, I must say, I can get that from a Zone bar and actually enjoy the experience of eating.

But as a committed and dedicated parent, I will willingly continue to follow the rules set down in the Official Guide to Parenting The Way Everyone Else Does It But We're Not Sure Why handbook and periodically threaten my child with the loss of her bedtime snack if she doesn't choke down at least two spoonfuls of peas every now & then. The only problem is, I'm supposed to be setting an example. Yep, says so right there in Chapter 7, They See Hypocritical People of the official handbook.

So that means I'm choking down at least two spoonfuls of peas every now & then. Yuck. The good news is, I know how to disquise the taste and I'm here to share my secrets with you.

Secret #1: Alfredo sauce. The next time you make pasta with alfredo sauce, dump a small can of peas in with the sauce. I'm not kidding - you can't even taste them!

Secret #2: Cream of chicken soup. Add a can of mixed vegetables to a can of cream of chicken soup and heat through. Not only am I not kidding about this but, truth be told, this is actually pretty yummy!

Secret #3: Get a dog and hope that he likes peas. Kidding!

Any other tips on choking down peas or any other vegetable for that matter would be greatly appreciated. I'd hate to lose my bedtime snack.

My New Favorite Blog

It's A Shabby Thing

Check out Erika over at www.itsashabbything.blogspot.com She's just getting started on this blog and is already off to a great start!

She's got some great craft ideas you're sure to love. Go check her out!

If I Tell You About It, Then I'll Have To Do It.

You may remember my previous post about taking my friend, Katie, up on her weightloss challenge. Katie challenged anyone who had 35 lbs or more to lose to a little bet. Everyone had to ante up $20 and the first to lose 35 lbs won the pot. I was so excited because I just knew I was going to win big!

I already had a scale but the dang thing was not very reliable so I couldn't trust it to give me an accurate reading. After I realized that popping in on my neighbor 2 - 3 times a week to check my weight on her scale would probably be bothersome to us both, I decided to fork over the money for a new one.

Turns out this was a very good idea. I was rather shocked, yet very pleased, when I discovered from my new scale that I actually don't have 35 lbs to lose! I wondered why I was feeling as though I had plumped up yet I can still get my jeans on. Okay, so it's a funny sight to watch me get my jeans on but, hey, at least I can still get them on!

That's not to say that I don't have some extra padding around the mid-section or various other sections. I most certainly do and it needs to go! But I can't participate in Katie's challenge because for me to lose 35 lbs would just not be healthy and I think I've done the unhealthy thing long enough. So I've decided that it's just 20 lbs that I need to lose.

A little infomercial caught my eye awhile back so I decided to go ahead and put my order in for this thing:
It's a kettleball and it promises to be my new best friend. We'll see. I ordered it through GetKBells.com and it came in last week. We have yet to formally introduce ourselves to each other. I am a bit shy around new work-out equipment having been burned in previous relationships with other work-out equipment so I'm taking it slow. Maybe next week, I'll take it out of the box and ask it if it wants to share an Oreo Blizzard with me. That should get us off to a good start.

Then, after that, I'll have to find the time to actually use it! And, from what I understand, working out isn't really effective unless you do it multiple times a week so I suppose I'll have to find the time to use it more than once. Oi!

So I've decided to challenge myself by putting my weightloss goals and progress up on this blog for everyone to see and sit in judgement against me. No, I'm kidding! I know you wouldn't do that. But I am hoping that you'll offer me up a bit of encouragement now and again and also include me on your weightloss endeavors if you so have them. We can get healthy together and together become the people God created us to be! Sound good?

Okay, so know that I've told you about it I have to actually DO IT, huh? Okay.

Bye-bye Oreo blizzard. Hello Kettleball!

I'm Amazed At What He Understands.

The Boy after getting ahold of my

make-up once before.

The other day, I walked into my bathroom and caught The Boy, as I often do, red-handed getting into my make-up drawer. He gave me that sweet, hard-to-resist, innocent smile and willingly handed over two of the three items he had commandeered but then quickly turned and made a run for it with the last remaining item.

His escape plans are not yet to that "thinking it through" stage as The Boy ran straight into the closet and found himself up against a wall. Burrowing his still smiling face into the wall and clutching his prize possession tightly to his chest, I gave him the opportunity to make the right choice and hand over my jar of mineral foundation.

I prefer to only use brute force to pry something out of a child's hand when absolutely necessary - like when one of them grabs the remote and changes the channel during the last few minutes of Lost - otherwise, I prefer to use these times to teach about making good decisions.

He chose not to make a good decision and continued to hold tight to the make-up jar. I asked him two more times to give me the make-up jar but he was having none of it. Because he's so stinkin' cute, I find it difficult to get mad at him. To be honest, I find it hard not to laugh sometimes.

So I resigned myself to sit on the floor and cross my legs at which point The Boy promptly sat down in my lap. I wrapped my arms around him and spoke gently in his ear, "You know, a mother shouldn't have to fight with her son over make-up".

He quickly hopped up, turned around and gleefully handed me the jar. I think he was afraid word might get out.

Please Help This Willy-Nillier!

I have come to the conclusion that in order to be the person God created me to be, I must get my act together! I'm a pretty go-about-my-day-willy-nilly kind of a gal but, as it turns out, one really doesn't accomplish all that one must when they willy-nilly about. Go figure.

I have wonderful ideas about getting myself organized: start a load of laundry each morning, run the dishwasher each night, groceries on Wednesdays, clean the floors on Fridays, bathrooms on Saturdays - you get the idea. It's just that sometimes, okay a lot of times, I find myself not realizing what day it is, running out of milk long before Wednesday comes along or making certain things a priority (like reading a really good series right now) over other things that really are a priority.

I'm in awe of people who have a schedule or solid routine and wonder how they do it. So I'm asking you - how do you do it? Do you have a written schedule posted up on the wall SuperNanny style? Do you designate certain days for certain tasks? Or are you a willy-nillier too but somehow manage to get it all done? Does anyone get it all done?

I'd love to hear your tips and trademark secrets. Please share them with me. Of course, I am beginning to think motivation has a bit to do with it. I'll have to work on that aspect of it.

I know! I'll put it on the schedule!

Photo courtesy of sonoma.edu

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It's the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

Super Savings Saturday

I haven't really been in the CVS game for quiet sometime except for a few trips here & there. I have found myself getting low in supplies so it's time to crank it up a notch. Starting over with CVS is not very fun when you have to start out with ZERO ECB's but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

CVS this week:

I got $98.56 worth of stuff for $40.84 OOP. Not the best I've done but, again, I'm starting over.
$17.32 saved with coupons
$40.40 saved with sales prices & clearance markdowns.
Received $16.00 in ECB's for next time!
Baby, I'm back!


Walgreen's:Head & Shoulders: $9.00 minus $2.00 mfg coupon, rec'd $3.00 in RR.
Garnier Conditioner: $16.98 minus $6.00 mfg coupons will receive $10.00 back in rebates. (I actually have to buy one more bottle of Garnier to qualify for the rebate. Luckily, I have more coupons).
Crest Toothpaste: $2.99 minus $.75 mfg coupon, will receive $2.99 back in rebate.

The best part was I paid for everything with my Walgreen's gift card loaded with $$$ from my previous rebate purchases. Nothing like using the same money over & over again to buy more necessities!

Garage Sale:

I stopped by a couple of garage sales last Saturday. One happened to be at a friend of a friend's house. I got there just as she was ready to close up. I ended up with this Little People garage for FREE because she knew me and she just wanted to get rid of it! The Boy LOVES it! At another, I found several little cars for him for $2.00. Eight of them actually but he made off with a few before I could snap a picture.

Head over to MoneySavingMom.com for more great Super Savings Saturday!

Frugal Friday - Fabric Softener

This week, for Frugal Friday, I'd like to share a few tips for saving money on fabric softener.

1. Dryer sheets: For starters, you simply do NOT have to buy the name brand dryer sheets. The store brands work just as well for less money. You can also stretch your pennies by cutting your dryer sheets in half thereby doubling the amount in your standard box. You won't notice a difference, trust me!

2. Liquid fabric softener: Here's how to get the most out of a bottle. You'll need a container, liquid fabric softener, water, and a couple of sponges.
In the container, mix together 1 part liquid fabric softener with 2 parts water. Drop in your sponges and store this way. Each time you run your dryer, toss in a sponge (squeeze out the excess first). I've been doing this a couple of months now and it works wonderfully!
3. Dryer Balls: I bought a pair of these at CVS months ago. I'll admit, at first I was a bit skeptical but I have to say, I've been rather impressed with these things. I go back and forth using these and the liquid fabric softener. They run about $9.99 but worth the investment especially if you're interested in getting rid of fabric softener altogether.

4. White Vinegar: I haven't tried this one yet. A friend of mine told me it's a natural fabric softener and to add it to your wash water. Anyone tried this? I'd love to hear your experience with it. I also understand it's a great rinsing agent for the dishwasher.

Well, that's it for my contribution to Frugal Friday. Head on over to Crytal's place at BiblicalWomanhood.com for more great ideas on stretching your dollars!

9/11

Words cannot express what this day means to the American people. My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one on this tragic day. My prayers are with you and also with those of you who survived and still live with the horror of it all in one way or another.

My eternal gratitude to the brave men and women who, without hesitation, rushed in to save those they could and continue to mourn those they could not - including their own.

My heart, before this day but especially after, belongs to The United States of America and all of the genuine souls that make up this great country.

May God Bless you all!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

Awhile back, I was in the grocery store having a conniption fit about the cost of a very small box of Bisquick when it suddenly dawned on me that the pioneers crossed this rugged land in covered wagons and making flapjacks for breakfast all along the way.

They didn't need Bisquick back then I decided and I don't need it now!

So home I went, and much like a modern-day pioneer, I crossed the internet looking for a scratch pancake recipe. There are TONS, by the way!

I picked one out and I'm happy to say that me and the kid-folk are mighty happy with it.

Then, a few days ago, I remembered that my husband has a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that calls for a packet of Jell-O Instant Pumpkin Spice Pudding mix. If you could add it to chocolate chip cookies, I pondered, why not pancakes?

And, for the record, my husband is indeed the chocolate chip cookie baker in the house.

So, I gave it a shot and the result was a yummy one. Here's the recipe I used:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 1/2 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp salt (I actually don't use this much)
1 Tblsp white sugar
1 1/4 C. milk
1 egg
3 Tblsp butter, melted

I then added one box Jell-O Instant Pumpkin Spice Pudding mix and an additional egg. I also added more milk until I liked the consistancy.

I was very happy with the result and will continue to make these through the fall. I hope you enjoy them as well!

Frugal Friday - Decorating Tip

Today, I'd like to share a frugal decorating tip with you. This one I discovered out of frustration. I had an idea to do a floral arrangement using colored sand in the base of a clear glass vase. When I went to the craft store to buy the colored sand, I couldn't believe they wanted over $3.00 for a tiny bag of sand! This was just NOT going to do.

So I came up with the idea to buy a large bag of sandbox sand from Home Depot (I can't remember exactly but I think it was a 25lb bag) for a little more than $5.00. I scooped a little of the sand into a large Tupperware container, added several drops of food coloring and mixed it together.

Wah-la!

Pretty and practical. It worked like a charm. I still had a ton of sand left-over for other projects.

Here's what the entire floral arrangement looks like:

I bought the vase using Michael's 40% off coupon. The sunflowers were on sale for $1.00 each and the rocks I bought at the Dollar Store. The only thing I paid full price for were the twiggy things in the back. If I had a little more patience, I would've waited for another 40% off coupon.

Head over to BiblicalWomanhood.com for more great ideas this Frugal Friday!

Like The New Header?

I have been wanting to snazzy up my blog for quite sometime now but I just don't have the technical know-how to do it. It's a good thing I follow some of the links on other people's really cute blogs. As a matter of fact, some of those blogs happen to be the cutest blogs on their block.

But there is only ONE Cutest Blog On The Block and I highly suggest you skip on over there to check out just what Ashley and Becky can do for you.

www.thecutestblogontheblock.com

I'll Be Back...

Whew!! Words cannot express how mega-swamped I am right now with all things home & church. I don't know how some of you mommy-bloggers do it!

Next week, all should be settled down and I'll be back to posting just about everyday. I so appreciate your patience!

I'm hoping to get to CVS and Walgreen's this week so I'll at least have something to write about this Saturday. Oh! And I do have something for Frugal Fridays, too!

Here's something to wet your whistle - today I got to make my very first 911 call! Yes! You read that correctly. But don't worry, it didn't involve me or my kids, really. I'll tell you about it later.

I just wanted to let you know - I'll be back.

Get it? I'll be back? Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Get it? *sigh* Okay, maybe it's not really that funny but it's the only picture I could find. So sue me.