A Few Deals

Super One has had some buy x get $x off the last couple of weeks, and March is frozen food month, so my freezer has lots of frozen veggies stocked up. Here are the best deals:

The new Honey Bunches of Oats with Raisins: $2.50-$1.00 coupons=$1.50 each
Kellogg's cereal: 3/$8-$1/2 coupon-FREE milk wyb 3 ($3.79)=3/$3.21, or $1.07 each, since I would have bought the milk anyway

FREE Pulls Ups with coupon from House Party

FREE Coffeemate creamer with Facebook coupon
FREE Orbit gum with coupon from magazine

Birdseye frozen veggies: $0.99-$1/3 coupons=$0.66 each
The next week Flavorite veggies were 50% off, or $0.64 each

And cheap meals--everything in this picture for $5.00
Peter Pan peanut butter 2/$3, get free Taystee bread (the only time I'll buy white bread is when it's free or nearly free)
Hunt's spaghetti sauce 3/$3, get free Creamette pasta

Not pictured--Kraft buy 10 items, get $5 off
I got 2 Planters dry roasted peanuts for $1.99 after promo
2 Capri Sun for $1.99 after promo
Oscar Mayer hot dogs for $1.49 a.p.
Kraft American cheese for $1.94 after promo and coupon
2 Kraft shredded cheese for $0.99 after promo and coupon
2 Kraft block cheese for $1.49 a.p.

Nabisco crackers were $1.25 each after promotion for $3 off 4 and coupons for $1/2.

2011 Goals, March Update

Time for another update!

Spiritual Goals:
At the end of January, I was through chapter 4 of Proverbs. At the end of February, I was on chapter 17. A couple verses I've found especially interesting:
16:31--Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.
17:1--Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
17:12--Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
As a family, we started reading the Family Bible I got a few years ago. The stories are straight from the Bible and are long enough to be a substantial reading, but short enough to keep the kids' attention.

Marriage
Same as February's updated: it's Barry's busy time of year for work, so I don't see a weekend getaway in the near future. Probably in the summer, when I can send the kids to grandma's for a night or two!

Family
I played Boggle with Jackson, Zingo with Remy and Guess Who? with Raina and Jackson. It's hard to have a dedicated family game night when the kids play at different levels.

Personal
The first part of my 40 by 40 list is posted below!

Financial
My coupon jar had $55.06 at the end of February. I'm using the money to buy things that contribute to a healthier lifestyle. In February I bought Kashi cereal at full price without a coupon (most cereal I buy is on sale with a coupon), natural peanut butter (made without partially hydrogenated oils) and quinoa, a grain that is a complete protein.

Health and fitness
I exercised 9 days in February. I was sick the better part of one week and didn't exercise at all that week. I did not lose any weight. Therefore, my goal for March is to exercise a minimum of four days per week.
Still working on the sweets, trying to find the balance between moderation and depriving myself and then going overboard.
Have been doing pretty well eating fruits and veggies.
Not losing hope! Just trying to make lots of little changes that will eventually lead to a healthier lifestyle.

Cleaning/organization
I followed the JustMommies task calendar and did many of the same jobs as I did in January--wiped down kitchen cabinets and pantry, swept entrance ways, wiped down kitchen chairs, wiped down baseboards in living room, cleaned the oven and stove top, cleaned toaster, coffee maker and small kitchen appliances, dusted kitchen light fixtures and cleaned refrigerator and microwave.

Forty by Forty, Part One

Somewhere in my blog-hopping I came across a blogger who had a forty by forty list of things to accomplish by the time she turns 40. I have since written my own list to work on in the next four years. Some items are inexpensive and easy. Others I'll have to save up for--either money or courage. My overall goal is to live life with intention, so I don't get to 40 and wonder what I've done in my life.

New food to try (most are things I see on cooking shows a lot and that I've never eaten before):

1. Lamb

2. Scallops

3. Fried calamari

4. Sushi

or make:

5. Quinoa (done March 2011)

6. Artisan bread

7. A great pizza dough recipe

8. Steel cut oats

Health/fitness goals:

9. Complete the Couch to 5K program

10. Run a 5K

11. Lose 40 pounds

Smells Like Boy

Sometimes I just have to laugh at what kids come up with. The other day, Remy washed off his Spiderman guy in the bathroom and then asked me to smell it. I told him it smelled good, like flowers. He looked rather disgusted with me and told me no, it smelled like boy! I asked him what boys smell like, and he replied, "Motor oil." Okay, then!

It felt great to be outside earlier this week with the temp above freezing. The boys had so much fun playing in the snow, falling knee-deep into drifts, and sledding down the tiny hill in the backyard.

We tried quinoa for the first time this week. I made a recipe for Quinoa with Carrots and Raisins. It was okay, but kind of a strange flavor combination. Next week I think I'll try making some for breakfast.

My parents were here this week, before/during/after their stay on the Gunflint Trail north of here. They got to see Jackson's band concert on Monday night.

Raina's class did a play on Thursday during school. Unfortunately, Raina did not get to participate as I got called to pick her up early after she got sick at school.

Barry will finally be home in a couple days after being on the road to New Mexico, Texas and Tennessee for nearly three weeks. We're all ready to have him back again!



Sorry for the sideways videos--apparently I need to hold my phone differently when video taping.

Empty Fridge

The fridge was looking a little empty,

so I packed up the kids on Friday to go grocery shopping at Super One. Overall I saved 37% or $123.38 by shopping the sales and using coupons. Here are the best deals:

Propel Zero: FREE with catalina coupons that printed out during earlier shopping trips

Quaker Oatmeal Squares: $2.50-$1 coupons=$1.50 each
Quaker Instant Oatmeal: $2.50-$1 coupons=$1.50 each
And I got a $1 catalina to use on my next shopping trip

Pillsbury cake mix: On sale for $0.66

Pringles: 2/$3-$1/2 coupon=$1 each

French's mustard: $0.99-$1/2 coupon=$0.49 each

Pepperoni: $1.99-$1/2 coupon=$1.49 each (regular price is $2.99)

Yellow onions: $0.44

Activia $1.99-$1 coupon=$0.99
Dean's Dips: $0.99-$1/2 coupon=$0.49 each

New Kraft products--Super One had coupon to save $2 when you buy 4 new Kraft products

Planters Nutrition mix: $3.99-$1.00 coupon-$0.50 promo deal=$2.49
Planters Flavor Grove almonds: $2.99-$1 coupon-$0.50 promo deal=$1.49 each
Philadelphia cooking creme: $2.49-$1.50 coupon-$0.50 promo deal=$0.49

I also ordered organic quinoa from Amazon. It was $19.23 for six packages when I used the subscribe and save option. I used $15.71 in gift cards earned through Swagbucks, and only paid $3.52 out of pocket. I've never tried quinoa before and am looking forward to finding some great recipes!