Frugalista Farm Life

I Hosted a House Party!

2011-06-23T16:16:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen hosts for a Breakstone's Sour Cream Flavor Lovers House Party! What does this mean exactly? It means that I received a Party Package full of goodies to help me host a party for all my friends and family to try the new Breakstone's Sour Cream Products.

The two new type of products that I got to try include Breakstone's Zesty Blends (flavored sour creams) and Sour Cream based dips. I purchased Breakstone's Zesty Blends Roasted Garlic and Herb Sour Cream, Zesty Blends Chipotle Sour Cream, French Onion Dip and Ranch Dip.

I set out the Ranch dip with lots of veggies and the French Onion Dip with Potato Chips. They were both delicious and would definitely purchase them again. I took the opportunity to make a couple yummy recipes with the Zesty Blends.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 can Grated Parm Cheese

1 can Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup Breakstone's Zesty Blends Roasted Garlic and Herb Sour Cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Pour into 9-inch pie plate. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

The dip was yummy but very garlicky!!

Aunt Peggy's Taco Dip

2 lbs ground beef

1 can refried beans

2 bottles Taco Sauce

1 16 oz container Breakstone's Zesty Blends Chipotle Sour Cream

2 cups cheddar cheese

Brown meat, drain. Mix in beans and taco sauce. Put in 9x13 pan. Pour on sour cream and cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.

This dip recipe never fails to please and the chipotle sour cream enhances the yumminess!

A special thanks to Breakstone's for letting me try all their new products!

Growing Like a Weed

2011-04-06T14:48:00.000-04:00

Farming is a Lifestyle

2011-02-18T16:27:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot going on during my absence from the blogospere. JJ is almost 19 weeks old! During JJ's first week of life, my family started talking about the possibility of my husband joining the family grain operation. This is a big deal! How fantastic would it be to be around family? JJ could grow up with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

However, there were a lot of options to weigh. Farming is not an easy occupation. Even though grain prices are high right now, input costs are also expensive. There is always the weather that cannot be controlled. I know how it is to grow up with a farmer and their moods. Too much rain, too little rain, etc.

After many sleepless nights, my HHBL (hunk a hunk a burning love) and I decided that this would be the best move for our family. We were lucky enough to have a house waiting for us at home. My Grandmother passed away in May and her house has been sitting vacant. We are also lucky enough to have great parents who helped us fix up the house in the past three months. The carpets and wallpaper were removed, the bathroom gutted, etc etc etc. Between working long weeks at the potato chip factory and working on the house on the weekend, we have been exhausted. Did I mention that this house is only a couple miles away from my parents and only about 1/4 mile from two of my three sisters?

Last weekend, we finally made the big move! I can't believe how different our life already is after less than a week. At our old house, the closest family was 1.5 hours away. It was just the two (eventually three) of us living in our own little world. JJ has seen her grandparents and at least one aunt, uncle, or cousin every single day since we have moved.

Our future in farming may not be easy but it is the lifestyle that we have chosen. Thank goodness that farming is a family business!

I have to send out a special thanks to my uncle who made this opportunity available to us. How lucky we are to have such a wonderful family!

BRRR It's a blizzard out there

2011-02-03T19:17:00.000-05:00

I am sure you have all heard about the monstrous storm that swept through the country this week. Our county was in a blizzard warning. The wind was blowing out of the east which just happens to be the side of the house where our bedrooms and living room sit. It was FREEZING in our house...ok not quite freezing but it sure felt like it. The thermostat read in the low 50's most of the evening and night.

JJ looked like she was getting ready to play in the snow, but really she was getting ready for bed.

Four layers later, she was nice and cozy and ready to snooze the night away!

Happy Winter

2010-12-22T15:26:00.000-05:00

Thank Goodness for Snow Boots

2010-12-14T11:01:00.000-05:00

Dear Aunt Mee Mee,
Thank you for my adorable snow boots. They kept my tooties nice and toasty on my way home from Mamaw and Papaw's house. I really love them because they are pink, Daddy's favorite color.

Love,
JJ

Dress Rehearsal

2010-12-07T09:46:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is a big day for JJ. She is going to get her pictures taken at JC Penny. These are her first professional pictures since the ones at the hospital when she was just one day old.

Momma decided that we needed a dress rehearsal. I wasn't sure if her new special Christmas dress fit and if it is the outfit I want her to wear for the pictures. What do you think? Do you think the dress is too much for her 1st pictures? Do you like the hat?

Yummy in My Tummy: Thanksgiving Leftovers

2010-11-30T13:59:00.000-05:00

This frugalista had one busy morning. I took my leftover turkey and ham from our Thanksgiving feast on Sunday and turned them into a variety of casseroles to fill my freezer. I have come to realize that I will most likely rather spend my evenings after work playing with my lil girl as opposed to cooking dinner.

I made three different casserole recipes. Each recipe made two family-size servings. This leaves me with dinner for tonight and five other meals for when I go back to work.

The first recipe I made is called Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole. This used my leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing mix and created a yummy casserole. It has a really nice sauce that holds it all together. I enhanced the flavor by adding thyme, rosemary, and sage to the sauce. I did some quality control when it came out of the oven, and I give this 2 thumbs up.

I used the rest of my leftover turkey to make Turkey Tetrazzini. We are going to eat one of the casseroles for dinner tonight. I also taste tested this one when it came out of the oven....YUM! It is creamy and cheesy and loaded with fat and calories. I lightened mine up with skim milk and margarine.

The last casserole I made is mimicked after one of my favorite meals of my Mama's. It is Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole. I don't actually follow a recipe for this one. All you do is boil some potatoes, mix them with chunks of ham, drench it in a cheese and milk sauce, and bake. It is always a hit.

I am definitely going to appreciate these casseroles in a few weeks!

Happy Friday

2010-11-19T12:14:00.000-05:00

My Lil Bitty Girl is Getting BIG

2010-11-10T15:41:00.000-05:00

Today, we had JJ's 1 month doctor's appointment. I knew that she was growing just from lifting her every day. My suspicions were confirmed today! At her last appointment two weeks ago, she weighed 6 lbs 15 ounces. Today she weighed in at 8 lbs 12 ounces. She has gained almost 2 lbs in 2 weeks. JJ also has grown a half inch since birth and is now 21 inches.

I cannot believe how much she has grown and is changing. I now fully understand what everyone was saying about how they grow in a blink of an eye. Here she is...my beautiful baby girl!

A Weekend of Firsts

2010-11-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was a very eventful one for my baby girl, JJ. We traveled home to visit both sets of family for the weekend. While we were home, JJ experienced several first time events.

For example, she rolled over for the very first time...yes, it is true. My 3 1/2 week daughter rolled over!!! Those legs start moving and there is no stopping her. Grandma and Daddy were both there to see it and can confirm that it did indeed happen.

We also took her out to with us to eat a restaurant for the very first time. Daddy and I have yet to go out with JJ with just the two of us; however, we did make a trip with our family to The Fireside Inn in Enochsburg, IN to eat their tasty fried chicken. All in all, she was great seeing how we had to wait for quite a while to get our food.

Another milestone happened at Grandma and Grandpa's house this weekend. JJ's umbilical cord FINALLY fell out. YAY! You know what this means? JJ finally got her first real bath when we got home. She did great during her bath, and I really think she enjoyed it. Check out these pictures...

Happy Halloween!!!

2010-10-31T17:03:00.000-04:00

Priceless...

2010-10-18T10:25:00.000-04:00

Introducing Jocelyn Jane

2010-10-14T20:07:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! As you can see from my sister's guest post from earlier this week, I have been busy with the arrival of my beautiful daughter Jocelyn Jane. She is by far the best baby in the entire world (not that I am biased or anything).

She proved to be just as stubborn on the day of delivery as she was the day of her ultrasound. It took 3 hours of pushing and the use of a vacuum for her to arrive, but it was all worth it. My HHBL (hunk a hunk a burning love) keeps telling people that I got "hoovered." She weighed in at 6 lbs and 13 ounces and was 20.5 inches long!

Anyways....here are a few pictures of Jocelyn's first 4 days of life! Enjoy!

Guest Blog: Welcoming My Beautiful Niece

2010-10-11T11:23:00.002-04:00

Note:

Barbara has had a very busy couple of days, so she asked me to write a blog entry in her place.

Megan from Gal in the Middle

Please welcome my beautiful niece to the world. She arrived just before 8 p.m. on Sunday, October 10, 2010. 10-10-10 is her birthday, isn't that cool?

Her name is Jocelyn Jane (Jane is for her maternal grandma) but we are calling her JJ.

She is truly gorgeous. Her grandmas claim that she looks like her daddy. I think she looks like herself.

Sitting in the hospital room holding her in my arms, I reflected back almost 25 years ago when I sat in another hospital room holding my baby sister for the very first time. Today I held my baby sister's daughter. How wonderful is that?

I am now an aunt five times over. This beautiful little girl is my very first niece (the second will be here in February). I love being the aunt of four active, funny and loving boys, but I can't wait to spoil this little girl with all things pink!

I captured a few other photos tonight.

Enjoy!

Megan

The Count Down is On!

2010-10-01T17:35:00.002-04:00

I had my weekly doctor's appointment this morning. My blood pressure was still high so the bed rest continues. I am running out of things to keep me busy. I have done a 1000 piece puzzle this week, read baby books, magazines and Nora Robert's books, watched numerous episodes of the Baby Story, watched movies, and browsed the Internet (only a little since my Internet is crappy). If you have any ideas of other things to keep me occupied, please let me know.

It doesn't help that my HHBL is in the field for harvest which means he gets up around 5:30 and doesn't get in until after 10 every night. It makes for some long and lonely days.

The Dr. went ahead and scheduled an induction date for October 10, as long as she doesn't arrive prior to then. I highly doubt she makes an earlier arrival. Someone pointed out that October 10 is 10-10-10. That would be pretty cool and easy to remember. However, there is always the chance that the induction takes forever and she isn't born until the 11th.

So anyways, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 9 days until induction! Can't believe that I will be a mommy in a little over a week!

Goodbye Summer...Hello Fall

2010-09-27T12:04:00.001-04:00

I meant to post this on the first day of fall last week; however, I had a very busy week until it came to a screeeeeching halt. Yes, that is right, my last minute TO DO list for the baby has been put on hold. I went to the doctor on Friday and learned that I have Pregnancy Induced Hypertension. What does this mean? It means that I have high blood pressure that can only be solved by having the baby. However, the doctor isn't quite ready for me to deliver (18 days until my due date), so she has put me on bed rest. BED REST!!! Sigh...boring. Luckily, I have wonderful friends and family who have been keeping me company.

Anyways...here are a few memories from the summer.

Wordless Wednesday: More nursery updates

2010-09-22T06:49:00.001-04:00

Yummy In My Tummy: Easy Taco Bake

2010-09-20T15:24:00.000-04:00

A while back, I posted a recipe for Italian Pizza Bake. I decided to shake it up a little bit and make a Taco Pizza using the same basic recipe.

First off, make the crust using 2/3 cup Bisquick, 1 egg, and 3 Tbsp of water.

Now for the sauce...I substituted salsa for the normal pizza sauce.

Add a healthy layer of leftover taco meat (another great way to use leftovers).

Now you can add all your favorite toppings. I used tomatoes, peppers, and onions. YUM!

You can't forget the cheese!

Bake for 20-23 minutes in a 400 degree oven!

Now how is that for an easy weeknight din din!

Nursery Update...Continued

2010-09-19T06:19:00.002-04:00

There was one piece of very important furniture missing from the nursery. I didn't have anyplace to contain her toys and books. We all know that this child is going to be spoiled and her toys will be endless. Lucky for me, I found this adorable piece that matches the colors in the nursery.

As you can see, it is already stuffed with all the gifts from the baby showers. I still haven't found homes for all the baby's necessities. It is most definitely a work in progress. I better get a move on...less than a month to go!

These Boots Were Made For Walking

2010-09-17T10:18:00.000-04:00

This past week, I was lucky enough to have not one but TWO baby showers. One was thrown by my sisters (you can read all about it at Gal in the Middle) and the other by my co-workers at the chip factory. I will have to say that I am totally blessed to have such giving friends and family.

These was most definitely a couple common themes at the baby showers. I would have to say that people love to buy baby girl clothes because between the two showers, I received over 65 outfits for the baby. HOLY COW! This baby is going to be one well dressed child. Good thing that I loved playing dress up with my dolls growing up! Here is picture of what the closet in the nursery looks like post-baby showers (there are more clothes in the changing table).

Another common theme from the showers was boots. I think it must be the farm thing. All farm girls need boots, and this child is no exception. Check theses out...

These were a gift from GAL. The funny thing is that my HHBL hates when he sees grown women wearing these types of boots. Good thing he isn't in charge of dressing the baby. She is definitely going to be showing these off.

These were a gift from my partner in crime (PIC) at work. Can you believe it...pink and John Deere combined into such ultimate cuteness. Daddy has to love these.

Another pair of incredibly cute boots. Daddy is happy because these have no pink on them whatsoever!

She did get a few pairs of other types of foot wear; all of which are super duper cute. If only they made shoes these cute in Big Momma sizes!

Nursery Update: Getting Closer

2010-09-13T10:48:00.000-04:00

We had this cheap bedside table in our spare room at the house. Since my HHBL is so handy, I asked him if he would sand it down and refinish it to match the rest of the furniture in the baby's nursery. Of course, he obliged and here is the final result.

Now I have the perfect place to put a lamp and baby monitor for the room.

Stay tuned...we have done a lot of work lately in the nursery!

Random Shots: One Pathetic But Cute Dog

2010-09-08T17:21:00.000-04:00

I was looking through all the pictures on my digital camera from this summer and found a bunch of random shots of my doggie Zuma. My sis, Gal, inspired me to share with you all these random photos. I guess it won't be long until these random shots of her are replaced by ones of the baby (my due date is just 37 days away).

The Great Garage Sale: Baby Stuff Galore

2010-09-06T19:32:00.000-04:00

The majority of the items that I bought when I was at the garage sales were for the baby. I got several onesies, bibs, and other little outfits for between $.25 and $1.00 each. I probably spent about $12.00- $15.00 total on baby clothes. Off the top of my head, I got at least 4 sleepers, 8 onesies, 2 hats, 2 bibs, a jean jacket, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 fleece zip-up sweaters, and the cutest pair of boots in the world!

Total Spent: $1.00

Total Spent: $3.00

Total Spent: $.25 each

My momma was looking for a spare Pack-N-Play for all her grand-babies. She already has one but decided it might be a good idea to get another spare. Guess what? I found one at the garage sale!

Total Spent: $20.00

It has definitely been used but with a good wash down and a new cover for the mat, it will be good to go! I would have to say that it was all money well spent!

The Great Garage Sale: Items for the Nursery

2010-09-02T06:54:00.000-04:00

I ended up getting some super cute curtains for the nursery when I was hitting the garage sales last weekend.

Total Spent: $3.00

These curtains match the nursery perfectly! They are from JCPenney, so I am sure they were orignally much more than the $3.00 that they cost me! My HHBL even ended up liking them, and he normally hates curtains!

Total Spent: $1.00

This little basket is being used right now to hold the baby's barrettes and head bands. It was too cute to pass up!

Can you see a theme? There seems to be a lot of pink going on in the nursery!

Frugalista Shopping: Week of August 29

2010-08-31T05:44:00.000-04:00

I made a couple quick stops this week at....you guessed it, Walgreens and CVS! Here is my loot!

Walgreens

Total Spent: $8.24

Total Saved: $3.23

Total Earned: $7.00

Best Buys:

Softsoap Body Wash: 2/ $7.00 minus $1.00 coupon= $6.00 + earned $5.00 RR

Colgate: On sale for $2.99 minus $.75 coupon= $2.24 + earned $2.00 RR

CVS

Total Spent: $13.39

Total Saved: $27.13

Total ECB Earned: $5.00

Best Buys:

Crest Toothpaste/ Floss: On sale for 3.97 minus $.75 coupon= $3.22 + earned $2.50 ECB

Oreos: On sale for $1.00 minus $.75 off 2= $.63 each

Tide: On sale for $5.97 minus $1.50 coupon= $4.47

Pampers: On sale for $8.88 minus $1.50= $7.38

The Great Garage Sale

2010-08-30T14:36:00.000-04:00

This past Friday, I took off work to hit up some garage sales. A co-worker took me to Rossville Indiana which is a small, quaint town of about 1500 people. It was the town's Summers End Festival, and the town was packed with garage sales. I had so much fun and got so many great deals! My only regret is that we didn't reserve a golf cart to ride around the town. Most people use the golf carts to prevent all the congestion from the cars.

Over the next couple weeks, I am going to chronicle all the great deals I got.

Exhibit A

Total Spent: $.50

This little bread pan makes the most adorable loaves of bread. I had to rush home and make zucchini bread to try it out.

The pan makes the perfect personal size bread loaf! Don't these look yummy? Believe me, they are!

Yummy in My Tummy: Canned Peaches

2010-08-25T08:45:00.000-04:00

Here is another easy canning recipe! Do you have a bundle of fresh peaches and don't know what to do with them? Go ahead and can them so you can enjoy them later on in the year.

Give your peaches a 30 second bath in boiling water.

Transfer them to an ice water bath! This will make the skins easy to remove.

Peel the skins and remove the pits. Add the peach halves or slices to a saucepan and make a simple syrup. I used 1 cup of sugar and 2 1/2 cups water to make my syrup. I boiled the mixture for about 5 minutes.

Add to jars and process for 25 minutes.

YUM! Use these as you would store-bought canned peaches!

Yummy in My Tummy: Zucchini Relish

2010-08-23T04:01:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, I had a two day Zucchini Fest at my house. I had oodles of zucchini so I spent the weekend making 2 types of zucchini bread, zucchini cake, and zucchini relish. Since I am participating in Ott, A's Canning Week Party, I will share the recipe for the relish.

Take clean zucchini and cut into chunks. Pulse in a food processor until it appears to be a tiny dice. Be careful not to process too long or it will become too mushy! Do the same with 2 onions.

Mix the zucchini and onions with pickling salt and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, rinse the mixture with cold water and drain well!

Add green pepper, sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, turmeric, celery seed, and pimento and simmer for 30 minutes.

Put into jars and process for 10 minutes in a water bath.

YUM! This relish can be substituted anywhere that cucumber relish is used!

10 cups coarsely ground zucchini

2 large onions

5 T. pickling salt

4 C. sugar

2 1/4 C. vinegar

1 t. dry mustard

1 t. turmeric

1 t. celery seed

1 chopped green pepper

1 small can pimento

Yummy in My Tummy: Applesauce

2010-08-23T02:40:00.004-04:00

My parents have a cute little orchard that my dad planted a few years ago. I really enjoy getting fresh apples and peaches from them. I decided to make and can some applesauce from their apples. My HHBL likes to eat applesauce with his lunch and the baby might enjoy it here in a few months.

It was really a rather simple recipe! All you need is apples, water, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

First, start out by peeling and coring your apples. My recipe calls for about 6 cups total. Take the apples and put them in a saucepan with 1/2 cup water.

Bring the mixture to a boil for about 10 minutes or until the apples are soft.

I used a potato masher to smash the apples to the right consistency. If you want yours really smooth, you can use a food processor.

Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 t. cinnamon, and 1/8 t. nutmeg. Boil for about 2 minutes.

Now, follow normal canning guidelines. Put the applesauce in sterilized jars. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

YUM!

Nursery Update

2010-08-22T17:00:00.000-04:00

My HHBL has been at it again. He just finished this changing table for the nursery. He built the entire piece by hand using some plans from a book he bought. He stained it dark to match the expresso-colored crib.

I got to choose the hardware for the table. I picked the butterfly knob for the door and flower-shaped handles for the drawers. I think it gives it just enough girliness! All we need is a changing pad for the top.

Less than 2 months to go until we will get to use the nursery! Can't wait!

Frugalista Shopping: Week of August 15

2010-08-18T04:52:00.000-04:00

I hit my favorite stores of Walgreens and CVS this week and ended up with quite a few items for very little out of pocket. Last week, even though I didn't blog about it, I got some great deals that earned a lot in Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards. I started this weeks trip with $20 Register Rewards from Walgreens and $18 Extra Care Bucks from CVS.

Here is my loot:

CVS

Total Spent: $2.00

Total Saved: $29.00

ECB Earned: $7.00

Best Buys:

Purex Complete: On sale for $5.99 minus $3.00 coupon= $2.99 + Earned $2.00 ECB

Crest Pro Health Toothpaste and Floss: On sale for $3.49 each minus $.75 coupon for each= $2.75 each + earned $5.00 total

Walgreens

Total Spent: $1.98

Total Saved: $32.03

Best Buys:

Purex: Walgreens coupon for B1G1 at $5.99 minus $.35 coupon= $2.82 each

Right Guard Deoderant: B1G1 at $2.99 minus $1.50 coupon= $.75 each

Like I said, I spent very little out of pocket this week but earned very little in ECB and RR. Anyways, it still feels good to walk out of the store with so much stuff for so little money!

My Beloved Wine Cooler

2010-08-17T06:49:00.000-04:00

I would like to take a moment of silence for my deceased wine cooler! (Pause)

You were once so happy and cool! You gathered all my tasty bottles of vino in one spot and cooled them to just the right drinking temperature!

You must have been depressed from the past 8 months of neglect. You had to sit there on the counter all lonely and abused. The stress must have gotten to you. You lost all energy; you couldn't even run the fan that cooled you down.

This is our official goodbye Mr. Wine Cooler! Thanks again for all those chilled favors you did me. RIP!

Yummy in My Tummy: Grilled Summer Veggies

2010-08-16T05:08:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite parts of summer is all the fresh produce available from my garden. I honestly think that foods taste better if you grow them yourself. I have discovered that one of my favorite ways to use up the veggies is to throw them on the grill. This is a quick and healthy side dish for any meal!

Start off with your favorite veggies. I use cherry tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant in my version.

Dice up the veggies into large chunks. I leave the cherry tomatoes whole!

Give your veggies a health dose of the good stuff...olive oil and seasonings. You can use any type of seasoning blend that you have available. I tend to try a different blend each time I make this recipe.

I put my veggies on a grill pan over medium to high heat for about 10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on these bad boys because they char very easily. Flip your veggies half way through!

YUM! I served mine with barbecued chicken from the grill. Be aware! These are addictive!

Enjoy!

Yummy in My Tummy: Pigs in the Mud

2010-08-14T17:08:00.000-04:00

During my annual visit to the Indiana State Fair, my nephew and I were walking down the midway when we saw this intriguing sign! My nephew's curiosity was sparked so he convinced me that we needed to try one of these interesting fair treats.

So what is this "Pig in the Mud" you might ask? Well it turns out that it is chocolate covered bacon! Yes, you read that correctly. Seeing how it is the year of the Pork at the fair, I couldn't resist trying one of these!

My nephew absolutely loved these critters. I wasn't so easily persuaded. The bacon was just a little limp for my liking; however, with the right type of thick and crispy bacon, it could be a winner in my book!

I would highly recommend making a trip to the Indiana State Fair to try these and many other interesting foods! It's a great way to spend a day with the family!

Thanks again to the Indiana Soybean Alliance for the tickets to the fair and to Indiana Dairy and Indiana Beef for providing our meals for the day!

Indiana State Fair: MILKing the Experience

2010-08-12T18:18:00.000-04:00

My nephew and I had a great time at the Indiana State Fair this week! We took a tour through the dairy barns to learn about the milking process. Did you know that a dairy cow produces between 8 and 10 gallons of milk each day?

We also learned that there are six different types of breeds of dairy cattle.

If you get the chance, head to the Indiana State Fair to pet a calf from each of the breeds. My nephew's favorite was the Brown Swiss!

Thank goodness for the dairy cows! Without them, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy my favorite foods from the fair! Head to the Dairy Bar at the fair for some mozzarella cheese sticks, grilled cheese sammies, and chocolate milk!

Special thanks to the Indiana Soybean Alliance for the tickets to the fair and to the Indiana Dairy for the yummy food!

The State Fair Ticket Winner...

2010-08-11T05:25:00.000-04:00

It's that time you have all been waiting for! The winner of the 4 tickets to the Indiana State Fair courtesy of the Indiana Soybean Alliance goes to Windi Hornsby! Windi, please be sure to email me as soon as possible with your mailing address so you can get your tickets and enjoy that great fair food.

Stay turned this week for some of my own personal experiences at the Indiana State Fair!

It's Getting a Little CORNy Around Here

2010-08-05T19:48:00.000-04:00

If you follow my sister's blog over at Gal in the Middle, you have most likely read about the Shuckfest that happens each year at my parent's house. Since I am the long lost sister that lives away from home, I have my own little Shuckfest at my house. Mine doesn't involve the large amounts of corn and multiple helpers for that matter, but I would say we did pretty good.

I invited the White Trash Hillbilly Neighbor over for the afternoon to share in the festivities. It was fun teaching her how to use the electric knife to simplify the whole process. We both ended up with around twenty baggies of corn to use the rest of the year.

Here is our starting point...

So how did we turn that into this??

It was simple, just follow these easy steps. Shuck, clean, boil, cool, cut, freeze! Shuck the corn. Clean the silks by washing it in the sink. Boil the ears for a few minutes. Toss the cooked corn into cold water to cool. Cut the kernels off the ear with an electric knife. Scoop into freezer bags and freeze for future use.

The hard work is worth the effort!

I'm Feelin' Blue!

2010-08-03T20:16:00.000-04:00

Who knew that Indiana had so many wonderful blueberry farms. I stumbled upon a U-Pick farm a couple years ago in the area. If you are looking for something to do with your family, I highly recommend finding a U-Pick farm in the summer.

As a ten year 4-H member, I was able to use the skills I learned in in my Food Preservation projects to savor these beauties all year long. This method freezes each berry individually so that you can enjoy a few berries at a time. I scoop out a few berries each day to add to my yogurt. If you try to put them all in a freezer bag at once to freeze, you will end up with one big clump of berries.

Step 1: Give these babies a good rinse.

Step 2: Spread the berries out of a dish towel to dry completely. It is important that there is no residual water. This is a good time to remove any stems or bad berries that you missed before.

Step 3: Spread the berries out in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Step 4: Put into freezer for a couple hours or until each individual berry freezes.

Step 5: Put the frozen berries into a freezer bag and put back into the freezer to enjoy!

The skills I learned in 4-H sure do come in handy. I can't wait to go to the Indiana State Fair to see all the projects from this generation of 4-Hers!

It's That Time of the Year! INDIANA STATE FAIR!

2010-08-02T09:05:00.002-04:00

Doesn't this look like fun! These pictures are of yours truly and my HHBL back when we used to participate in 4-H. This is just ONE of many sights you might encounter at the Indiana State Fair!

I love the Indiana State Fair! It is a family tradition to go at least one day each year to sample the tasty food and see the exhibits. This year, the Indiana State Fair runs from August 6- August 22.

You can look forward to some Family Fair Days with GOODEness Gracious 'N Friends at the Indiana State Fair! So what is this all about? My bloggy friends and I will be personally visiting the State Fair and then blogging about some amazing activities sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance!

To make things even better, the Indiana Soybean Alliance has given me and all of my bloggy friends 4 Indiana State Fair tickets each to giveaway on our blogs to our readers! Woo Hoo! This Frugalista loves anything FREE!

Here is how you enter:
* Each person is eligible for 2 entries: 1 entry for following this blog and 1 entry for commenting.
* Please leave a separate comment below for each entry. (If you are already a blog follower, please just post a separate comment to let me know!
* On August 10, I will choose a winner of 4 Indiana State Fair Tickets courtesy of the Indiana Soybean Alliance.

Guess what? You can check out these other participating blogs for additional chances to win!

2 Maids a Milking

3 Kids and Lots of Pigs

Alarm Clock Wars

A Latte With Ott A

Beyer Beware

Fence Row To Fence Row

Goodeness Gracious

Gal in the Middle

Going Jane

Lifes a Highway and Mine's Surrounded By Corn

Off the Cuff and Indypendent

Another Special Birthday

2010-08-01T16:32:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday To You! Happy Birthday To You! Happy Birthday Dear Gal in the Middle, Happy Birthday to You.

Believe me, I'm sure Gal appreciates my rendition of Happy Birthday over the Internet as opposed to over the phone. We were not blessed with the the gift of harmony or rhythm in our family.

Anyways, today is my sister's birthday. Be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday over at Gal in the Middle.

You might notice that it has only been a few days since my own birthday passed. Gal insists that she enjoyed her first 7 birthdays best because she didn't have to share them with her bratty little sister. However, I am sure that her 8th birthday was the best of all. I mean what could be a better birthday gift than a little sister to pick on?

Happy Birthday Sis!

Happy Birthday!

2010-07-28T07:51:00.001-04:00

Today is a special day! Twenty-five years ago today, this little baby girl was born. Yep, she's a cutie. Guess I am biased since this is a picture of me! So what exactly am I hoping for my birthday? I guess I have two bithday wishes. 1. I hope that I am a good momma when the day comes. 2. I hope that the baby girl growing inside me is as blessed as I am!

Be sure to wish Cris over at Goodeness Gracious a Happy Birthday as well!

Frugalista Shopping: Week of July 25

2010-07-26T16:43:00.000-04:00

I stopped at my usual places this week. Found a few good deals, but I'm still waiting on one of those amazing weeks. I had to spend quite a bit out of pocket at CVS, but I got several Extra Care Bucks for next week. At Walgreens, I got a lot of clearance and sale items but didn't earn much back in Register Rewards.

CVS

Total Spent: $27.67

Total Saved: $25.15

Total ECB Earned: $16.99

Best Buys:

Pampers Diaper: On Sale for $21.99 minus $2.00 coupon= $19.99 + Earned $10 ECB

Palmolive Dish Soap: On sale for $.98 minus $.25 coupon= $.73

Kotex Pantie Liners: $4.99 minus 1.00 coupon= $3.99 + Earned $4.99= BETTER THAN FREE

Arm and Hammer Laundry Soup: On sale 2/ $7.00 minus $1.00 coupon= $3.00 each + Earned $2.00 ECB

Walgreens

Total Spent: $13.45

Total Saved: $28.80

Total RR Earned: $2.00

Best Buys:

Softsoap Refill Jugs: Buy 1 Get 1 @ $7.99 minus (2) $.50 coupons= $3.50 each

M&M's: On sale for $.49 minus $.75 coupon= $.12 each

Men's trouser socks: On clearance for $1.29

Cheez-its & Austin Crackers: 5 for $5 + earned $2.00 RR

Nutra Grain Bars: On clearance for $1.99 minus $.75 coupon= $1.24

Dr. Scholls Skin Smoother Cream: On sale for $6.99 minus $5.00 in store coupon= $1.99

Nursury Update: Gliding in Style

2010-07-25T06:31:00.001-04:00

Our friends were nice enough to pass along this glider for the nursery. The only thing better than buying a glider is getting one for FREE! Guess that is the Frugalista in me! The fabric matches the room perfectly! I can see many nights being spent with our little lady here in this glider!

D-Day is quickly approaching, and the whole family is excited! Zuma Girl has found her new favorite place in the house! It is a perfect spot to watch over the crib!

Yummy In My Tummy: Zucchini Pie

2010-07-23T18:30:00.000-04:00

I have oodles and oodles of zucchini. This week alone, I have picked approximately 20 zucchini, all being on the large (slightly obese) size. I ran into this problem last year. I gave away dozens from my garden. Did I learn my lesson? Nope, I think I even planted more this year than last. In the past week and a half, I have made 5 large and 8 small loaves of zucchini bread, 2 zucchini pies, roasted zucchini for dinner, 11 pints of zucchini pickles and this doesn't include the 9 zucchini that I am taking home to give away to my family this weekend.

Last year, I had a co-worker pass along this Zucchini Pie Recipe! It is phenomenal if you like a good cream pie. It is a mix between a sugar cream and pumpkin pie, if you can imagine that.

This pie freezes extrememly well! Just wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil, toss it in a plastic zip lock freezer bag, and throw it in the freezer.

The blogosphere has been full of talk about weight loss and diets! Well YOU are in luck! This pie can be made with fat free evaporated milk, splenda, and without a crust for a low calorie treat.

First off, you need to cook your zucchini. Follow these easy steps!

Start off with some peeled zucchini or bare-naked ladies as I like to call them!

Dice up the bare-naked ladies into large chunks.

Boil them in water until fork-tender.

Strain the zucchini. I press the excess water out of the chunks with a paper towel.

Now for secondary ingredients. (Disclaimer: Only one egg was harmed in making this recipe. It landed with a lovely splat as it hit the kitchen floor!)

Mix all the ingredients in a blender! It is almost as fun as making margharitas (almost I said)!

Pour into a deep dish pie shell!

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon!

Zucchini Pie

1 cup cooked zucchini

1 can evaporated milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 Tbs melted margarine

1 cup sugar

2 Tbs flour (heaping)

1 egg

Bon Appetite!

Lets Get Snappin...Green Beans That Is!

2010-07-21T16:52:00.001-04:00

Have you ever met someone who you very quickly knew you could be friends with? Well it just so happens that we got a new manager a few months ago at the potato chip factory. At the time, I wasn't too thrilled with having to train a newbie. Give me a little credit: I had just gotten pregnant and wasn't feeling so hot, AND I was still trying to learn my new job, let alone train someone else.

Anyhow, she was assigned to me and luckily, she turned out to be sown from the same seed. I often refer to her as my partner in crime (PIC) at work, and just recently she has become my canning buddy. I am pretty sure that all the other managers make fun of us for talking about gardens and canning and these sorts of things all the time, but that is ok because we enjoy it!

Believe it or not, I hadn't ever canned green beans before so my PIC (pictured below) invited me over after work for just that reason. Oh boy, did she work me hard. I believe that we snapped around 13 pounds of green beans!

That is one large bowl of green beans!

Lets heat it up...for about 5 minutes in boiling water.

The pressure is on..10 pounds for 10 minutes!

We ended up with 12 quarts total!

Did I mention that we also canned bread and butter pickles! Canning is definately easier and funner if you find a canning buddy!

Nursery Update: The Rug is Here

2010-07-20T17:19:00.000-04:00

So what do you think? How did I do?

Frugalista Shopping: Week of July 18

2010-07-19T20:48:00.000-04:00

To be quite honest, I haven't been all too impressed with the deals and coupon match-ups at my usual digs. Last week, I even skipped my mainstays and headed to Aldis to purchase some basic baking goods to use with all my garden treasures. This week, however, I did stop by CVS and Walgreens and jumped back into the swing of things.

CVS

Total Spent: $13.90

Total Saved: $31.19

Total ECB Erned: $7.00

Best Buys:

Maxwell Coffee: B1G1 Free at $5.19 minus $1.00 coupon= $2.10 each

Huggies Diapers: On sale for $8.99 minus $2.50 coupon= $6.49 + earned $3.00 ECB

Schick Intuition Razor Refills= On sale for $8.99 minus $4.00 coupon= $4.99 +earned $4.00 ECB

Walgreens:

Total Spent: $9.12

Total Saved: $7.88

Total RR Earned: $4.50

Best Buys:

Colgate Toothpaste: On sale for $3.50 minus $1.00 coupon= $2.50 + earned $3.50 RR= Better than FREE

Drano: On Sale for 2/$6.00 minus (2) $.55 coupons= $2.95 each + earned $1.00 RR

Yummy in My Tummy: Golden Harvest Bread

2010-07-13T07:51:00.002-04:00

I found this amazing recipe in a magazine last summer. In the magazine, they call it a cake but I think it is more like a bread. The star of this recipe is the zucchini! I love planting zucchini in my garden. They are so versatile; they can grilled, roasted or baked, and they are wonderful in desserts. My momma always made zucchini bread in the summer. Actually to be more specific, she made Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread (we wouldn't eat it as well without the chocolate chips).

So here is my take on an old favorite...

I started off with these gorgeous zucchinis.

I love any recipe that allows me to break out the food processor! Well it just so happens that the grating tool on my food processor is perfect for grating zucchini for bread.

Time to work on the dry ingredients! Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Add the shredded zucchini. I sometimes add half carrots and half zucchini for a spin (not today).

Now lets focus on the wet ingredients. Mix together buttermilk, vegetable oil, and eggs. (I happen to use the same trick that they do over at the pig pen. I mix together regular milk and a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to make buttermilk).

Now it is time to mix the wet and the dry ingredients together.

Now, it's the time you have all been waiting for! Lets add the chocolate chips. I mix mine in flour to prevent them from sinking from the bottom of the pan.

I made a triple batch this time. That way, there is plenty to share. I'm sure our white trash hillbilly neighbors would enjoy some! I like to use both regular loaf pans and mini loaf pans. Be sure to spray them with cooking spray!

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30-35 minutes for the mini loaves and 45 minutes for a regular loaf.

Bon Appetite!

Golden Harvest Bread

1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 1/2 cups zucchini

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

A Bountiful Harvest

2010-07-12T11:05:00.001-04:00

Check out what I harvested from my garden this morning!

Here is what I have up my sleeve for today: Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Eggplant Parmesan from Ott, A for dinner, and Golden Harvest Bread for dessert (more on this later in the week)!

Looks like I have a fun and relaxing day ahead of me. I think I will put in my James Taylor CD and get started!

Nursery Update: We are Making Progress!

2010-07-11T15:27:00.000-04:00

We have made some real progress to the nursery this weekend. Although, you probably can't tell by just looking at it.

It looks....empty! Yes, this is a good thing. We finally got all the extra furniture out of the room! It looks so much bigger without the spare bed, dresser and all my extra junk! My HHBL also spent today cleaning the carpet. It really did make a big improvement! He actually cleaned the carpet throughout the entire house. What a stud!

I also ordered a beautiful rug online from Target. It is a paisley floral pattern that has green, pink, and a touch of lavender in it. Hopefully, it arrives within the next couple weeks!

To Do List:

Decide on window treatments: either curtains or some fabric to make a valance
Find replacement cushions for a glider

I am still taking any suggestions you might have for decorating the nursery!

FREE Deli Bites from Johnsonville!!!

2010-07-10T20:21:00.000-04:00

Johnsonville is having a great FREEBIE right now! Click here to fill out a quick and easy form to receive a free package of Deli Bites! I signed up earlier today, and have already gotten an email saying that they will be shipped the week of August 2!

I would hurry though...they usually only give out a certain number of samples!

Enjoy!

Nursery Decorating Step 1

2010-07-01T15:17:00.001-04:00

The first step to decorating the nursery is complete! The crib is bought, and my HHBL assembled it the day it arrived!

Check out the green paint! I painted this room just last year and am not wanting to do it again. I think we can keep it as is and still make it "girly." Any suggestions on completmentary colors??

TO DO LIST

Clear out the rest of the furniture!
Look at crib sheets and sets!
Find a rug to hide the not so great carpet!

Garden Update: I can taste the veggies!

2010-06-29T14:54:00.001-04:00

With all this rain and hot weather, my garden has been growing at a rapid speed. I am lucky that my garden is a "raised" garden so the heavy rains haven't hindered it as much as some other gardens.

I harvested my first cabbage today! This beauty is going to be used to make a Chinese Cabbage Slaw recipe!

I will be eating fresh broccoli by the end of the week as well! YUM!

This is my first zucchini that is setting on! It won't be long until my freezer will be filled with Zucchini Bread and Zucchini Pie!

My tomato plants are a bushy mess; however, they are starting to fill with blooms. Better mark my calender for canning days full of tomato juice and catsup!

At first glance, my second planting of green beans are looking good...

It turns out that dirty rotten varmit has been back. I decided that it can have my green beans as long as it leaves everything else alone. If you have extra green beans this year, I might know someone who you can share with!

My cucumbers have a long way to go since I had to replant them as well. However, I am already looking at pickle recipes to try out. Let me know if you have a good one!

I hope you enjoyed this garden tour! I bet you can taste the veggies already!

Frugalista Shopping: Week of June 27

2010-06-28T14:54:00.000-04:00

This Fruglista had a busy morning shopping. I was prepared with three piles of coupons: one stack for Meijer, CVS, and Walgreens. I would say that I had a very successful day. I was able to stock up on some pantry and freezer staples to last me for a while. I also stocked up on a lot of drinks to keep my HHBL hydrated during these hot summer days!

Meijer

Total Spent: $46.01

Total Saved: $43.84

Number of items: 44

I got a ton of stuff so I will just name a few of my favorite deals from this week.

Best Buys:

Ronzoni Pasta: On sale for $.99 minus $1.00 coupon= FREE!! I found these coupons in several different magazines such as Parenting and Rachel Ray.

Sara Lee Cheesecake: On sale for $2.49 minus $1.00 coupon found here= $1.49

Heluva French Onion Dip: On sale for $.99 minus $.75 coupon= $.24

Old Orchard Juice: 2 for $1.99 each minus B1G1 coupon minus (2) $.50 Meijer coupons= $.50 each

Oscar Meyer Hot dogs: (2) On sale for $.99 minus $1.00= $.50 each

CVS

Total Spent: $16.32

Total Saved: $58.04

Total ECB Earned: $11.00

Best Buys:

Spend $10 on Select Cleaning Items, Get $5 EBC

Pledge: On sale for $2.50 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.50
Windex: On sale for $2.50 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.50
(2) Pledge Fabric Sweeper: On sale for $2.50 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.50 each

I spent $6 out of pocket and earned $5 ECB= $.25 each for the cleaning supplies

Spend $15 on Clean and Clear items, Get $5 EBC

I spent $15.97 + used (3) $2.00 coupons found here= $9.97 out of pocket + earned $5 ECB= $1.65 each

Stayfree Pads: B1G1 at $6.99 minus (2) $2.00 coupons= $1.50 each

Deans Milk: On sale for $2.69 + earned $1.00 ECB= $1.69

Walgreens

Total Spent: $18.61

Total Saved: $28.00

Total RR Earned: $7.00

Best Buys:

Pepsi 12 packs: 4 for $13 + earned $5 RR= $2.00 each

Huggies Wipes: Walgreens coupon for 2 for $4.00 minus (1) $.50 coupon and (1) $.75 coupon= $1.38 each

Purina Dog Food: On sale for $5 minus $2.00 coupon= $3.00

Colgate tooth brush: On sale for $1 minus $.75 coupon= $.25

Twizzlers: On sale for $1.50 each minus $1.00 coupon + earned $2.00= $.50 each

I spent $80.94 total this week for 68 items total! Not so shabby. I think I will take a nap now as my reward!

Why I Married a Farm Boy

2010-06-23T05:17:00.001-04:00

This past week, my HHBL and I celebrated our two year anniversary. His gift to me was a beautiful desk that he has been building for the past couple months. I absolutely love it. He actually has only been working with wood since this past Christmas. It all started with a 12 in compound miter saw that I gave him as his Christmas gift. I want to share with you all the goodies that he has built for me in the past 6 months.

He built these pedestals for my new washer and dryer to set on. I wasn't about to spend $250 for each of them at the store.

This handy dandy box keeps all my plastic sacks contained in one spot.

This lovely bookcase shows off my numerous cook books and his WWII books.

He built these shelves for my new laundry room. They even have a bar so I can hang up freshly laundered clothes. (Pretend you don't see the junk up there. I haven't gotten around to putting pretty things up there yet!)

This bench also adorns by laundry room. It is a perfect place for my HHBL to sit down at the end of the day to take off his dirty work boots!

Last but not least...the masterpiece of his short career! This is my gorgeous anniversary present.

Can you believe you has built me all this stuff in just six months? I better get a bigger house someday so because I see no end in sight. This is just ONE reason I married a farm boy; he can do anything he sets his mind to!

Yummy In My Tummy: Oven Roasted Chickpeas

2010-06-22T05:26:00.002-04:00

During our fun-filled family vacation in Florida, I must have flipped through twenty-five different magazines throughout the week. My favorite part of magazines are the variety of new recipes and pictures that go along. One of the recipes that caught me eye was this one. I am a big fan of using beans in recipes. They have multiple health benefits, and they are relatively cheap.

The star of this recipe is chickpeas which are also known as garbanzo beans. Each half cup serving of these beans contain 6 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein and only 2 grams of fat. They also have 110 calories in each half cup. Hope you enjoy this easy snack!

Drain 1 can of chickpeas. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Drizzle the chickpeas with a healthy amount of olive oil. Season to your own taste. I just used salt and pepper but you could use whatever spices and herbs you prefer. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Bon Appetite!

Frugalista Shopping: Week of June 20

2010-06-21T16:26:00.000-04:00

I will have to admit, I had a pretty fun time shopping this week. Maybe that is just because I got some GREAT deals. So lets cut to the chase already...

CVS

Total Spent: $7.53

Total Saved: $26.40

Total Extra Care Bucks Earned: $16.00

Best Buys:

Gallon of Dean's Skim Milk: $2.69 + earned $1.00 ECB= $1.69

Colgate Toothpaste: On sale for $2.99 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.99 + earned $2.00 ECB= FREE

Box of Huggies Diapers: On sale for 19.99 minus $3.00 coupon from CVS Coupon Center minus $1.50 manufacturers coupon= $15.49 + earned $10.00 ECB= $5.49

(2) Power Bars: $.99 each + earned $1.00 back for each= 2 for FREE

Walgreens

Total Spent: $1.41

Total Saved: $16.28

Total Register Rewards Earned: $5.50

Best Buys:

Lysol Wipes: On sale for $2.99 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.99 + earned $1.00 RR= $.99

Old Spice Body wash: On sale for $4.49 plus used coupon B1G1 men's deodorant + earned $4.50 RR= FREE body wash and FREE deodorant (Shhh I did it again!)

Happy Shopping!

Busted!

2010-06-19T19:53:00.000-04:00

After my post this week about my frugalista shopping trip, fellow blogger and friend Hoosier Farm Babe pointed out that I seem to get great deals on men's body wash quite frequently. GUILTY AS CHARGED!! I knew that I had some body wash for my HHBL stockpiled in a couple different spots, however, I didn't realize the full extent of this issue.

Go ahead and count them. Yes, there are ELEVEN bottles of men's body was just chilling in my cabinets waiting to be used. This doesn't include the full bottle that my HHBL just put in the shower this week.

Lets do the math! If he uses one bottle a month, I have enough body wash to last a year, but that is being pretty conservative. I bet a bottle lasts more like two months meaning I don't have to buy any body wash for TWO whole years. Not bad since I am positive that I got every single one of these bottles for free from either CVS or Walgreens with Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards.

But let's face it, if there happens to be any more good deals on men's body wash, I probably won't be able to resist. Looks like all the men in my family are getting body wash for Christmas this year.

Shhh don't tell anyone but I have just as many bottles of women's body wash as well!

Frugalista Shopping: Week of June 13

2010-06-17T20:28:00.000-04:00

I know it has been a couple weeks since I've filled you in on my frugalista shopping trips. That is because I have been playing it low-key. This doesn't mean, however, that I haven't been clipping coupons. This is an activity I rarely miss; I have, on the other hand, taken a couple weeks off from shopping.
I did make a couple quick stops this week at CVS and Walgreens. Here is the damage:

CVS

Total Spent: $11.67

Total Saved: $88.62

Total Extra Care Bucks Earned: $8.00

Best Buys:

Old Spice- On sale for $4.00 + B1G1 coupon= 2 for $4.00 + Earned $8.00 ECB= SWEET

Several bottles of wine & 1 bottle of vodka 90% off....I won't be pregnant forever, right?= GREAT DEAL

***I also used a $4 off a $20 purchase coupon that came from the coupon center in the store. Love it!

I felt kinda strange buying alcohol while I'm prego, but my white trash hillbilly neighbor assured me that I didn't look pregnant in the outfit I had on that day. What a relief!

My wine cooler was looking pretty lonely prior to my shopping trip...

But that lone bottle of wine now has some friends to chill out with...

Walgreens

Total Spent: $22.75

Total Saved: $17.50

Total Register Rewards Earned: $9.00

Best Buys:

Nivea Body Wash- $5.99 + B1G1 coupon= 2 for $5.99 + earned $6.00 RR

Nivea Chapstick- On clearance for $1.59 + B1G1 coupon= $.79 each

12 packs Pepsi/ Mt. Dew- 3 for $11= $3.67 each + earned $3.00 RR

Overall, I spent quite out of pocket; however, the Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards that I earned should help me in the next couple weeks to spend less.

How I Love to Make New Friends

2010-06-16T06:49:00.000-04:00

I have complained many times about my lack of new friends. Well as it turns out, I made two new ones in a very unlikely manor this past weekend. It happened on Saturday while I was at work. On Saturdays, I am usually the one and only manager at work. This means that I am in charge of many different areas of the potato chip factory. It all started with me being paged over the intercom system.

It turns out that there was a semi-truck that arrived unexpectedly to be unloaded. However, we do not normally have receiving technicians there on the weekends. One of my team members offered to unload the truck so that the truck driver wouldn't have to sit there until late Sunday night. So there I was on my way to talk to this truck driver.

I headed outside and made my way up to the semi. As it turns out, the truck driver was Polish. You see, this gave us common ground since my sister, Gal, studied abroad in Poland while she was in college. I actually went to visit her in the 7th grade over Spring Break. In my mind, this made me fast friends with the truck driver. He must have agreed.

Before I knew it, he was offering me Polish candy. I tried to refuse, but he wouldn't hear of it. So I ended up with some cherry coconut Polish Candy.

At this point, a little Polish woman popped her head out of the back of the truck. She must have also agreed that we would be friends because before I knew it, I heard the word sausage. Yes, that's right...SAUSAGE. This is how I ended up coming home from work with the longest Polish sausage that I have ever seen. I once again tried to refuse but I really didn't want to hurt their feelings so I finally accepted.

So this is the story of my new Polish friends and the world's longest sausage. Hope this brings you some laughter because I know it certainly did for me!

Yummy In My Tummy: Italian Pizza Bake

2010-06-15T07:00:00.002-04:00

I modified this recipe from the back of a box of Bisquick. It is quick and easy and could be made in a thousand different variations. I am already dreaming up a taco-inspired pizza for next time.

Mix 2/3 cup Bisquick, 1 egg, 3 Tbsp water, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder together.

Spread into the bottom of a sprayed loaf pan. Sprinkle with an Italian herb blend.

Spread a generous layer of tomato or pizza sauce onto the dough.

Sprinkle with your favorite toppings (whatever you have on hand). I chose ground beef and green peppers.

Top with a generous handful of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20- 23 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Bon Appetite!

2 Years of Wedded Bliss

2010-06-14T15:08:00.001-04:00

Happy Anniversary to my HHBL (HUNK A HUNK A BURNING LOVE)! It has been two amazing (and quick) years since we said our vows. So in his honor, here is our story!

Handsome single farmer meets ...

Crazy Senior Girl from Purdue...

Boy and Girl's first official picture together! Lovely self-portrait!

Boy introduces Girl to the "other" woman in his life!

Boy spoils girl...

Boy and Girl have tons of fun...

Boy and Girl fall in love...

Girl graduates from Purdue...

Boy proposes after 7 months....

Boy and Girl get married....

Boy and Girl travel...before kids...

Boy and Girl travel some more with baby #1 on the way...

And they lived happily ever after....

Vote on the Latest Baby Girl Names

2010-06-13T17:09:00.000-04:00

Since we found out that Baby McFarland is indeed a GIRL, my HHBL and I have been talking about baby names quite a bit. In fact, some of the names in the running have changed.

Ruth- This is the name of one of my grandmothers. It has been in the running since the beginning. We would call her by Ruthie while she is younger and then she could grow into her name. I like the thought of an older name as to something more modern.

Kathryn- This is the name of my grandmother who passed away a few weeks ago. I am actually named for her. My name is Barbara Kathryn, hers was Kathryn Barbara. We were extremely close, and I spent a great deal of time with her growing up. I thought it would be a nice tribute since she recently just passed. We would most likely call her by Kate.

Taylor- This is on the top of my HHBL's list of names. At the ultrasound, the technician said our daughter has long legs so he thinks this name would fit her for that reason!?!

Morgan- This is also from my HHBL's list. It has been in the running since the beginning as well.

Melissa Gayle- Just this week, my HHBL's papaw called and suggested this name to us. Gayle is papaw's first name, so this was his choice. My HHBL started to like this name as well.

Please take the time to vote again. It is a totally new poll since there have been additions and subtractions from our first list.

The Calm After the Storm

2010-06-12T21:38:00.000-04:00

Tonight, we got a pretty hefty storm here at the farm. There was heavy rain, high winds, and lightning. However, there was a beautiful reward waiting for us afterwards. It must be God's message to us. It can be interpreted in a thousand different ways. I think he is reminding us that if we can wait out the hard times, it is worth it in the end.

My HHBL and I both agree that is rainbow was the most pronounced and complete rainbow that either one of us as ever seen. It was so big that I couldn't capture it in one frame on my camera.

Even though these pictures don't do it justice, I hope you enjoy them!

That Dirty Rotten Varmint

2010-06-10T21:20:00.000-04:00

While we were away on vacay at the most magical place on Earth, my white-trash hillbilly neighbor was kind enough to water my garden. This may sound easy enough, but it really is a pain in the rear. Unfortunately, the closest place to hook up a hose is in my laundry room. This requires great talent and skill. The hose really isn't long enough, so it takes precision and accuracy not to knock the utility sink over during the process. I think she finally got the hang of it by the end of the week. I really owe her one...maybe I can find some moonshine to pay her with.

I was very excited to return home to see how much my veggies grew while I was away. As soon as we pulled into the drive after a grueling 17 hour drive, I ran over to the garden. At first, all looked swell. But then, much to my dismay, it went downhill.

Here was what I saw first...

But then...

It appears that some type of four-legged varmint ate all my green beans, cucumber, and zucchini plants. At closer look, it also nibbled on my cabbage and broccoli plants.

These are the remains of a cabbage plant that once looked like this..

The pesky varmint even nibbled at my broccoli. But, I think it might still pull through.

Last night, I went ahead and replanted my green beans. I will have to get some more cucumber and zucchini seeds this weekend. Until then, I will just have to look at the verdant part of my garden.

My tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and onions are looking great. I can't wait to start making some delicious summer treats.

Even Zuma has taken it upon herself to catch that dirty rotten varmint.

Yummy In My Tummy: Tuscan-Style White Bean Soup

2010-06-09T17:38:00.001-04:00

A good friend of mine passed on this easy and delicious soup recipe a while back. I know that this isn't the typical season for soup but it still tastes yummy on a cool summer day. I was even inspired by Cris's freeze-o-ramas over at Goodeness Gracious, so I decided to double the recipe so there would be enough to freeze for a second helping.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 cloves chopped garlic; cook 1 to 2 minutes until onion is tender. (I didn't have any onions so I substituted onion flakes.) Stir in 1/4 cup flour.

Gradually stir in 1 can each of evaporated milk and chicken broth.

Cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Add 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage that has been cooked and drained and 1 can cannellini beans, aka Great Northern Beans. (I added more sausage and 2 cans of beans since I doubled the recipe. I also only had 1 can of cannellini beans so I used a can of pinto beans as well.)

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Hope this becomes one of YOUR family's go-to recipes on a busy night!

Bon Appetite!

Let the Spoiling Begin

2010-06-07T17:59:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know...it has been 2 weeks since I last blogged. Time just got away from me. First, there was vacation prep and all that goes into that coupled with my HHBL being under the weather. Then there was an entire week spent in Florida with my fam! I wasn't as productive as Gal over at Gal in the Middle. She kept everyone updated on the status of our vacay! I was just enjoying the time off.

I love vacations...relaxation, food, swimming, ultrasound! Yep, that's right, I had ultrasound #2 in Orlando. Gal also happens to be very organized and helpful in many different ways. After my last ultrasound breakdown, she found a pregnancy boutique in Orlando that does ultrasounds for a small fee. I scheduled an appointment for our last day of vacay. This appointment, the baby was turned in the opposite position, perfect for determining the sex.

Drum roll please.........and the survey says....it's a GIRL! Mommy and Daddy sure were happy to find out that we have a little princess growing in my belly. I love my FOUR nephews; they sure are rambunctious and a lot of fun! However, it will be a nice change of pace for my family to have a little girl to spoil. Papaw is already drawing up plans to build doll houses and cradles for her baby dolls. Let the spoiling begin.

Exhibit A

The baby's aunties decided that she needed this adorable outfit from Disney! They also suggested the name Minnie for the baby...yeah right!

Exhibit B

Aunt B is a die-hard Purdue fan. She wants to be sure that the baby is going to be one too!

Exhibit C

Daddy thinks that the baby already has too many pink clothes. He picked this outfit out so she would have a little variety!

Exhibit D

And this one of course was picked out by Mommy!

Frugalista Shopping, Week of May 23

2010-05-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

Today, I made my typical stops at CVS and Walgreens. I was spoiled the last two weekends since I got to do my shopping with my big sis Gal. This week, however, my HHBL was along for the ride. In many ways, my HHBL is worse than taking a child shopping. I always feel rushed when he is with me, and his questions were starting to get on my nerves. "Do we REALLY need another thing of toothpaste?" "I'm thirsty, I need a Coke." "If we hurry, we can be home by 3:15." Anyways, I made it through it and came out with a few good deals.

Here is the breakdown:

CVS

Total Spent: $1.19

Total Saved: $10.98

Total Care Bucks Earned: $8.00

***Note: Not pictured is the $1.59 Coke that I also had to purchase for my HHBL.

Best Buys:

Old Spice Body Wash: On sale for $4.00 + coupon for Buy 1, Get 1 Free= $2.00 each plus earned $8.00 ECB= Better than FREE

Walgreens

Total Spent: $3.88

Total Saved: $17.30

Total RR Earned: $13.00

Best Buys:

Reynolds Wrap: On sale for $.89 with coupon from ad minus $1.00 coupon= Better than FREE

Carefree liners: On sale for $.99 with coupon from ad minus $1.00 coupon= FREE

Colgate toothpaste: On sale for $2.99 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.99 + earned $2.00 RR= FREE

Goody Hair Clip: On sale for $2.99 + earn $3.00 RR= FREE

Complete Contact Solution: $7.99 + earn $8.00 RR= FREE

Tips on How to Maximize Savings at Meijers

2010-05-22T19:39:00.000-04:00

Typically, I am able to save the most money by grocery shopping at Meijer. Now don't get me wrong, if you take time to scour the ads and clip coupons, you will be able to save a great deal no matter where you shop. Today, however, I am going to highlight the best ways to save at Meijer. These general ideas can be used at other stores as well.

Here is a picture of my loot from today's trip to Meijer.

Total Spent: $36.34

Total Manufacturers Coupons: $26.73

Total Meijer Coupons: $5.00

Total In-Store Savings: $28.11

Grand Total Saved: $59.84

It is hard to tell from this picture, but my loot includes 3 bags dog food (1 large, 2 small), 4 quarts ice cream, 5 gallons apple juice (for my adorable nephew), 4 boxes pasta salad, 3 frozen meals, 1 bag Pampers, dog bones, butter, salad dressing, Ginger Ale (been craving this), 2 packages hot dogs, 4 packages bologna (for the freezer), 2 Tic Tacs, and some barbecue sauce. That is a lot of groceries for only $36.00.

Now, I bet you are wondering how I worked my magic!

1. Manufacturers coupons: I used a coupon on every item that I purchased except for the Ginger Ale. At Meijer, they will double any coupon $.50 or lower. This is great info to know. Make sure you check out the coupon guidelines at the grocery store of your choice.

2. In-store coupons: Meijer has a great website called Meijer Mealbox that has in-store coupons. These coupons can be combined with manufacturers coupons for a double whammy of savings. Many times, they will post coupons for items that are on sale that week.

3. Sale Items: Check the weekly ads for items that are on sale and stock up! Most items have a long shelf life or can be frozen for several months. On Saturdays at Meijer, they usually have even better one day deals.

4. Catalinas: These are the coupons that print out with your receipt at each transaction. Most store have advertised catalinas such as Buy 2 Kraft Pasta Salads, Get a coupon for $1 off your next visit. These can be money makers if combined with coupons.

Hope this inspires your inner Frugalista!

Got Leftover Sloppy Joes?

2010-05-21T08:00:00.003-04:00

Got leftovers? I know my ~~ice box~~ fridge certainly has them. I really don't mind eating leftovers; I usually take them in my lunch the following day. My HHBL is a leftover HATER. It is really annoying. I blame his mother (Sorry Karen) for not force feeding them to him. We would have starved at my house growing up if it weren't for leftovers.

I have become quite good at "tricking" my husband into eating leftovers. Here is one of my favorite leftover recipes. All it takes is three simple ingredients: leftover sloppy joes, a can of biscuits, and shredded cheese.

Step 1: Press the biscuits into the wells of a muffin pan.

Step 2: Put a scoop of sloppy joes into the biscuits.

Step 3: Add a pinch of shredded cheese.

Step 4: Bake in the oven according to the directions on the back of the can of biscuits.

Bon Appetite!

Frugalista Shopping: Week of May 16

2010-05-17T11:00:00.001-04:00

This weekend can be summed up in one word...tears. As you have read, I had my first breakdown after Baby McFarland decided to be stubborn and not show Mommy it's special anatomical parts at the ultrasound. Well as it turns out, this was minor compared to the next news that I was about to receive.

My Grandma, 94 years young, made her journey up to heaven to be with my Grandpa on Friday night. This, of course, has caused many more tears to fall. So after all this blubbering, I really needed a kick-ass shopping trip to cheer me up. No fear, I really outdid myself this week at CVS and Walgreens. I may even become the next Internet sensation! My HHBL disagrees, but one can always dream!

CVS

Total Spent: $1.67

Total Saved: $37.61

Total Earned: $7.00

Best Buys:
Digiorno Frozen Pizza: Buy 1 @ $6.99, get one for $.01 = 2/ $7.00 minus (2) $1.00 coupons= $2.50 each
Maxwell House Coffee: Buy 1 @ $4.79, get one for $.01= 2/ $4.80 minus (1) $1.00 coupon= $1.90 each
Aussie Hair product: $2.99 minus (1) $1.00 coupon= $1.99 plus earned $2.00 ECB= FREE
Colgate Pro Toothpaste: $3.99 minus (1) $1.00 coupon= $2.99 plus earned $2.00 ECB
Lady Speedstick Deodorant: $2.99 minus $.50 coupon= $2.50 plus earned $2.00 ECB
3 Musketeers candy bar: $.49 minus $.25 coupon= $.24

Walgreens

Total Spent: $1.86

Total Saved: $21.00

Total Earned: $4.50

Best Buys:

Old Spice Body Wash: On sale for $4.49 + (1) Buy 1, Get 1 Free Coupon= $2.25 each + earned $4.50 RR= FREE

Oscar Meyer Deli Creations: On sale for $1.99 with Coupon from ad minus $1.00 coupon= $1.00 each

Post Honeycombs: On sale for $1.00 minus $1.00 coupon off 2= $.50 each

These deals coupled with the Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards I earned last week= Total Domination

One Stubborn Baby

2010-05-14T19:32:00.000-04:00

Today was supposed to be THE day. After my ultrasound today, I was going to start picking out nursery colors, bedding, clothes, etc. I have been thinking about today for the past four and a half months. This would be the day when we found out whether Baby McFarland is a girl or a boy. I was all hyped up! I even had a list of people that I was supposed to text to let them know the sex of the baby. And then...the inevitable happened.

The ultrasound technician started off the appointment by reminding us that she isn't always able to tell the sex of the baby. Of course, I disregarded this comment. I mean really how often does that happen? Don't get me wrong, it was amazing seeing our little one on the screen. The baby definitely has a lot of energy. The technician was getting slightly annoyed by how much the baby was squirming around.

All the measurements came out normal. We counted the toes and fingers, saw the kidneys, and even watched the heart beating. It turns out that Baby McFarland is currently 8 ounces...the size of a glass of milk my beautician pointed out. Today, the baby's heartbeat measured 145 bpm. The 4D pictures that the technician took are fascinating. You can actually see what the baby's face looks like. Obviously, I think the baby looks like me (even if my HHBL disagrees).

So it was almost over and I was expecting the technician to tell us which parts she spotted. And the IT happened! Since the baby was curled up with its legs crossed up by it's head, she was never able to determine the sex of the baby. WHAT? How could this be? What about all the shopping that I was prepared to do? And then...my first baby momma hormonal breakdown started. Before I even left the office, the tears started rolling. Tears always dry and life always goes on.

In the end, I am happy that my baby is healthy and growing as expected, and I'm sure this won't be my last tearful day during this pregnancy. I did learn one thing today...this is one stubborn baby, just like it's father.

A Stop at the Farmer's Market with a Side of Roasted Asparagus

2010-05-12T19:35:00.001-04:00

I finally did it! I have been wanting to check out the local Farmer's Market here in West Lafayette for quite some time (a couple years actually...yes years). With my previous work schedule of working nights, I never felt like heading into town before work. Lucky for me that I am a day shifter these days. I took a detour off Interstate 65 on my way home from work and made my way through all the lovely booths.

There were plants, pastries, and people, oh my! I loved it. I made sure to check out every individual booth before making a second round to make my purchases. I settled on a bag of asparagus and a bottle of REAL Maple Syrup. Now the prices of these purchases really didn't fit my frugalista style, but I am willing to take one for the team in order to support the local community!

It didn't take long to figure out what we were having for supper tonight! If you have never tried roasted asparagus, you are missing out. Just follow these simple steps: wash, break, drizzle, season, and roast.

Step 1: Give your little green friends a good wash down in the sink.

Step 2: Break the woody ends off.

Step 3: Drizzle with olive oil.

Step 4: Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Step 5: Roast in a 425 degree oven for 10 - 12 minutes depending on the thickness of your asparagus.

Bon appetite!

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

2010-05-11T10:00:00.002-04:00

If you checked out my Mother's Day post, you would know that I learned how to perfect the chocolate chip cookie from my mother. It really is just a basic recipe that you find on the back of any package of chocolate chips except for one minor substitution. Instead of using butter or margarine, you have to use butter-flavored Crisco. It is the magic ingredient! These are so good that my HHBL eats an entire pan right out of the oven every time!

For those of you who haven't mastered this cookie yet, follow these simple steps.

The star of this show is Katrina, my Kitchen Aid Mixer. She really loves to mix it up. Nothing I love more than to let her do all the work! Meet Katrina:

Cream together 3/4 cup of sugar, 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup butter flavored Crisco.

After it is nice and creamy, add 2 eggs; it is best to incorporate 1 egg at a time. Also add 1 tsp. vanilla!

Looks good already!

Meanwhile, sift together 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking soda.

Slowly add the dry mixture into the creaminess!

My favorite part...mix in 1/2- 3/4 of a bag of chocolate chips (butterscotch or peanut butter chips work well too).

Scoop into yummy little balls and put onto a cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 8 1/2 to 9 minutes or until the top is crackly and golden brown.

Place onto cooling racks until you absolutely can't resist one!

Bon appetite!

Frugalista Style Shopping

2010-05-10T15:42:00.000-04:00

This week I had even more fun gathering my freebies than usual. I spent Sunday morning with my sister who also happens to be an ultimate frugalista. Hence the fact that I love shopping with her. She always has extra coupons, and she is always willing to share them with me! (Check out her blog at http://www.galinthemiddle.blogspot.com/)

Here is the breakdown of my super savings:

Walgreens

Total Spent: $4.16

Total Saved: $18.49

Total Register Rewards Earned: $8.00

Best Buys:

Infusium Conditioner: On sale for 3.99 min $3.00 coupon= $.99

Shave Cream: On sale for $2.99 + earned $3.00 Register rewards= FREE

Schick Razor: On sale for $7.99 minus $5.00 coupon= $2.99 + earned $5.00 Register rewards= BETTER THAN FREE

CVS

Total Spent: $21.03

Total Saved: $27.03

Total Earned: $17.50

Best Buys:

Carefree liners: On sale for $1.00 minus $1.00 coupon= FREE

Crest Pro Health Toothpaste: On sale for $3.50 minus $.75 coupon= $2.75 + earned $3.50 Extra Care Bucks= BETTER THAN FREE

Huggies Diapers: On sale for $8.49 minus $1.50 coupon= $6.99 + earned $2.00 Extra Care Bucks

Kotex Tampons: On sale for $4.99 minus $1.00= $3.99 + earned $4.99 Extra Care Bucks= BETTER THAN FREE

Zyrtec: $18.99 minus $4.00 coupon= $14.99 + Earned $7.00 Extra Care Bucks

NOTE: Be sure to scan your CVS at the Coupon Center at the store because it prints out extra coupons to use. For example, I scanned my card on Sunday, and it printed out a $4.00 off a $20.00 purchase. SWEET!

If you want to become a frugalista like yours truly then you need to have a game plan BEFORE you enter the store. Just a few quick steps each week will get you started onto the path of frugalness.

Step 1: Cut out coupons and buy an organizer to make them easier to find. I organize my coupons by sections of the grocery store such as frozen foods, breakfast foods, refrigerated items, etc.

Step 2: Browse the weekly ads to look for good deals that match up with the manufacturers and/or store coupons that you have.

Step 3: Make a list of the sale items and put it with the coupons you have for these items. That way you don't forget which items are on sale and you already have the coupons out and ready.

Good luck and happy shopping!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T21:27:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day Momma Kuhn! Thank you for teaching me the following lessons: knowing right from wrong, how to respect my elders, the importance of an education, how to navigate in a foreign country, and most importantly how to bake a perfect chocolate chip cookie! I really could go on and on....

Happy Mother's Day Mom McFarland! Thank you for teaching your son the following lessons: an emphasis on a strong family life, the importance of a good sense of humor, a strong work ethic, and most importantly how to treat a lady!

And yet another way to save some dime!

2010-05-05T12:00:00.002-04:00

This weekend was actually quite eventful for my HHBL and me, more eventful than most weekends. Sunday night, we reunited with a long lost friend. He invited us over for supper, and grilled us a fantastic meal of steak, rice and an array of many different veggies.

Meet the Grillmaster...

Not only did the Grillmaster fill my belly with a delicious meal, he also passed on another great money-saving tip. He discovered an Aunt Millie's Bakery outlet right here in Lafayette! YAY!

If you haven't tried any of Aunt Millie's bread items, I highly recommend them. They have several varieties of whole grain bread, many of which are fat free. At the regular grocery store, these breads can be quite pricey. The only reason I have tried them in the past is that they do offer coupons in the local paper every once in a while.

I decided that I must make a trip over to Creasy Lane in Lafayette to check it out. Boy, am I glad I did! I got 4 regular loaves of bread, 1 loaf of Cranberry Apple Specialty Bread, and a package of English Muffins for a grand total of $6.14. What a great deal! Of course, we won't eat all that bread immediately, I just throw most of the loaves in the freezer for later.

Thank you Grillmaster for yet another way to save some dime!

Got any money-saving tips of your own? Be sure to pass them along!

Grocery Shopping...Frugalista Style

2010-05-04T12:00:00.001-04:00

This week I was slightly disappointed with the lack of amazing deals available. Since I really was not in dire need of anything in particular from the grocery store, I decided to take the week off. (GASP!) Yes, it really kills me to pass up any deals at all but sometimes, it really isn't worth my time. I did, however, stop at Walgreens for some great deals! Here is the run down:

Walgreens

Total Spent: $9.81

Total Saved: $37.29

Total Register Rewards Earned: $12.00

Best Buys:

(2) Kellogg's Little Bites- On sale for 2/ $5.00 minus $2.00 coupon= 2/ $3.00= $1.50 each + Earned $2.00 Register Rewards for next purchase

(3) Nivea Body Wash for Women- On sale for $5.59 each = $16.77 minus (1) 4.00 coupon and (1) Buy 1 Get 1 coupon = $7.18 or $2.39 each

(1) Nivea Body Wash for Men- On sale for $3.99 minus $3.00 coupon= .99 + earned $5.00 Register Rewards for spending $15 on Nivea products

(8) Hallmark cards- $10.92 + earned $5.00 Register Rewards

Basically, I earned $2.19 to go shopping today at Walgreens! You gotta love it!

Yum, Italian Inspired Pasta Salad

2010-05-03T14:35:00.001-04:00

I don't know if this can be considered a craving from the baby or if I just had a hankering. Sometime last week, I started creating a new pasta salad in my mind. The beautiful thing is that I had almost all the ingredients already at home in my stocked up pantry and fridge; all that came from my great grocery shopping deals no doubt.

I love the versatility of pasta salad, especially in the summer. It makes a great side dish for any cookout or regular weeknight meal. This recipe could be modified in a hundred different ways. It is a very quick dish to make as well which makes it that much better. I actually whipped this recipe up in about 15 minutes on Saturday night, right before we headed over to the campfire.

Ingredients:
1 box tri-colored rotini or any other pasta that you have handy
1 bottle of Italian dressing
2 diced tomatoes
1 package salami (pepperoni would be wonderful too)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbs dried Italian herb blend

Directions:
Boil pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Meanwhile, chop up tomatoes and salami into bite size pieces. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Note; you probably won't need the entire bottle of dressing, use only as much as you prefer! Chill until ready to serve.

Bon appetite!

A Visit with our Hillbilly White Trash Neighbors

2010-05-02T15:59:00.002-04:00

Anyone that really knows me well has heard me complain about something or another. Yes I admit it, I am a whiner. I think it must have something to do with the birth-order theory. I am the baby of a family of four girls, and I guess I never really outgrew my whininess from childhood.

Since I graduated from Purdue three years ago this month, one of my most common complaints is that I really haven't made any new friends around Brookston. Not that I don't love my HHBL, but sometimes a woman needs a close girl friend to do girly things. I have three sisters and a bunch of close bosom buddies but none that live within a hundred mile radius. Now some of this can be contributed to the fact that I worked third shift for the first two and a half years since I graduated college. Most normal people don't keep these kind of hours and the times that I was awake with the rest of the universe, I was still tired, whiny and crabby. The good news is that I have been on a normal schedule since the beginning of the year.

With a rejuvenated spirit, I have been on the lookout for new friends. Corny, I know. I mean how are you supposed to meet friends after college. You can understand then why I was so excited when we were invited to a campfire at a neighbor's house. This neighbor just happens to be a co-worker of my HHBL who I have gotten to know that last few weeks.

The invitation came with the following warning: It might get crazy because our relatives are here from Tennessee, and they brought moonshine. We were not deterred; so we took our chances!

It was a lovely night for a campfire, and everyone was super friendly. It was nice to get out of the house and meet new people. They even convinced my HHBL to try his first swig of moonshine. No worries, I was just a spectator for this event. To commemorate this first, I even got these lovely pictures of my HHBL and our hostess! And yes, moonshine really does come in a mason jar.

You might be wondering where the title of this blog came from. Well our hostess was quite concerned that we would leave the party thinking that they were hillbilly white trash neighbors. So I titled this blog in her honor; however, the truth is that I am quite happy to have such down to earth neighbors that can be called my friends.

Oh Baby, I have some GREAT News!

2010-04-30T18:33:00.000-04:00

Today I had my 16 week doctor appointment for the baby! Everything went great! It was a relatively uneventful. I went in. I got weighed...only gained 2 lbs since my last appointment a month ago which called for a celebration and a stop to Dairy Queen on the way home! I took a pee test to check the sugar in my urine. Last but not least...hearing the heartbeat. I heart this part of the day! Baby McFarland's heartbeat was 150.

The most wonderful news from the entire appointment was finding out that I don't have to wait 4 more weeks to get the ultrasound. The doctor said that we could schedule it anytime now! YAY! The big day is May 14! 2 weeks until we find out if Baby McFarland is a boy or a girl!

In order to celebrate this great news, I am posting a poll of all our favorite baby names so you can give me your opinion. NOTE***This is not however a way for anyone to post anything negative or unpleasant about the names on our list. That is a pet peeve of mine! Please feel free to vote on your favorite boy and favorite girl name!

A look into the future of parenthood!

2010-04-29T18:52:00.000-04:00

Sometime in the last 24 hours, my normally carefree doggie Zuma has developed a phobia about walking across our laminate floor in the kitchen. I think it is the sound of her nails scratching the floor that bothers her. Now this is not the first time she has acted like this. The last two times she has been to my parent's house, she acted in the same way. However, this is the first time she has ever done it at our house, and we have had this floor for over a year.

Tonight after discovering the phobia, my HHBL and I both attempted to cure her of this hideous disease.

My tactic involved bribing her with her favorite snack of all time...Kraft cheese. Normally, just the sound of the plastic opening is enough to bring her to my side. I tried to slowly ease her into it by dropping small bites of cheese at the edge of the kitchen floor. She slowly placed one paw after another onto the floor...BUT all she did was grab the cheese and ran like a mad man. My next step was to hold a big piece of cheese out so she could see it and give her kind words of encouragement. This didn't work either. In the end, I was really pissed off.

At this point, my HHBL enters the picture. His solution to this problem was force. He picked Zuma up and physically put her on the kitchen floor. My oh my, now this was a sight to see. Zuma freaked out and tried to make a run for it. The two of us tried to corner her, but all the ended up happening was Zuma scratched her way out of it (literally, you can check out my foot). At this point, my HHBL was pissed as well. With that, we both gave up on the subject for the time being.

All of this made me think of the two of us who are months away of becoming parents. There is no doubt about it that there will be many times in our lives when we are faced with parenting challenges. What will my first move be...will I try to bribe my child to get what I want. I guess only time will tell.

Grocery Shopping...Frugalista Style

2010-04-27T12:00:00.001-04:00

Monday is typically my grocery shopping day. This works out perfectly since the new coupons come out on Sundays which gives me a day to get my game plan together.

This week I hit up Meijer and CVS. I really wasn't in dire need of anything so I just stocked up on good deals! I did get some chili and tomato sauce to use in a recipe for Beefy Mexicali from the blog from a GOODE friend. Check it out at http://goodenessgracious.blogspot.com/.

Here is a run down of both stops...

Meijer

Grand Total: $15.54

Total Saved: $31.96

Best Buys:

Lysol toilet bowl cleaner- 1/2 price at $1.19 minus $.50 coupon that doubled to $1.00 = $.19

Coffeemate coffee creamer- on sale for $.99 minus $.75 coupon = $.25

Snuggle Dryer Sheets- $3.48 minus $3.00 coupon = $.48

DanActive yogurt- marked down to $1.20 minus $1.00 coupon = $.20

CVS

Grand Total: $.47 + received $2.00 Extra Bucks for next purchase

Total Saved: $4.74

Best Buys:

Colgate Pro Clinical- $3.99 minus $1.00 coupon= $2.99

Palmolive Dish soup- $.88 minus $.75 coupon = $.13

I also used $2.99 worth of Extra Care Buck coupons from last weeks purchase.

Hope this inspires some of you to become frugalistas yourselves!

Ruby the Rhubarb Plant

2010-04-26T17:20:00.001-04:00

This is a story about my Rhubarb plant named Ruby.

Meet Ruby...

Ruby has been very prolific this year so I decided to experiment with a new recipe to use her bounty. I found a recipe on allrecipes.com for Strawberry Rhubarb Jam that looked very tasty.

The recipe is very simple. I started out by harvesting some of Ruby's stalks. Her leaves are poisoneous so be sure not to use them. Rinse off the stalks to remove all the dirt and soil.

Next, chop up the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces until you get approximately 6 cups.

I was very excited about the next step. I got to get out my food processor which is always a good time. Pulse the 6 cups of rhubarb with 2 1/2 cups of sugar (or splenda).

Take the mush that is left and boil it for 5 minutes on high heat.

Almost done! Remove from heat and add 1 (3 oz) box of strawberry gelatin.

Last step...place in a tupperware container and refrigerate!

Bon Appetite! Ruby never tasted better!