What happens to the weekend?

Some Monday's I have a great sense of accomplishment about the weekend. Unfortunately, this past weekend wasn't one of those. I think the weekend just completely got away from me. Nothing was sewn and nothing was baked. No creativity. We're going to have to work on that.

Grocery Shopping Review

I was a little disappointed with my grocery shopping trip this week. I expected to spend just about $60 because there were very few deals this week. I did a pretty good job of staying on list for the trip with just a couple of extra items. I ended up spending $76 which surprised me. I only saved $30. Not a really great percentage.

I can say that for that $76, I picked up a large rump roast and two pounds of ground sirloin. The sirloin is going in the freezer. I picked up two jars of spaghetti sauce for only $1.29 less a .55 coupon each - net of .74 each! (We've really got to start eating more spaghetti. Ha!) I picked up three packages of Chinet beverage napkins for only .19 each. Great deal after a coupon. Also, Publix had their L'Oreal Preference color for only $6.99 and I used a $2 coupon.

I've mapped out the menu plan for this week and I'm working on the menu for all of September. I want to utilize more of my freezer and pantry items through the month of September.

Menu Monday

Sunday - Steak House Noodle Soup and Baked Potatoes
Monday - Breakfast (Bacon, eggs)
Tuesday - Cubed Steak with homemade Mac & Cheese
Wednesday - Salad with homegrown Tomatoes
Thursday - Crockpot Roast Beef with Potatoes, Carrots
Friday - BBQ Sandwiches and Grillin' Beans
Saturday - Left over Roast Beef

Mmmmm!

New Recipe: Steak House Noodle Soup

We always enjoyed the Steak House Noodle Soup that was served by O'Charley's restaurant. Only problem is, they never had it when we went in. Solution, make up your own recipe, use leftover steak and pantry ingredients. Cheap and delicious, 2 servings, perfect with baked potato or salad.

8-12 ounces left over grilled steak
2 cans beef broth (store brand)
1/2 c chopped onion
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 carrots sliced
2 Tbsp steak sauce (A-1)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
pinch of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp corn starch
2 servings of egg noodle pasta, dry

Saute onions in butter until translucent, add carrots - cook until just tender. Add one can of broth and one can of water along with leftover steak. Add steak and Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer until beef is tender. Add second can of broth and another can of water. After broth boils, add noodles and cook over medium heat until noodles are tender. Mix corn starch with 2 Tbsp of water and add to thicken. Kitchen bouquet may be added to improve appearance. (Left over baked potatoes can be chopped and added instead of noodles.)

The Time Traveler's Wife

I finished this book and found it to be entertaining and enjoyable. It is very difficult to get started because the story, although intended to be a chronological tale, jumps back and forth through time travels. After you finally understand that he's not imagining things and he really is time travelling, it begins to make a little sense.

Overall, it's a sweet love story with the typical twists and turns of a time travel piece. I was disappointed that the author sporadically employs very adult themes and language in an unexpected manor. I found that some of the references were crude.

In the end (SPOILER ALERT) I was disappointed with the ending (although you could see what was coming by the story and the clues you learned all through the book). I was left wondering what happened to those Henry left behind.

Ted's, Here we come!

Restaurant.com is currently running a special for 80% off their gift certificates. I picked up two $10 coupons for only $1.60! A $10 certificate usually sells for only $4. That's a 60% discount right there but with the 80% sale, they become only .80 each making it a 92% savings. Did I do that math right? Woo Hoo!

Stop by Restaurant.com and see if there's something you could use. The coupon code is TASTE. I'm not sure when this offer expires, so hurry!

Yummy! Savannah Red Rice

Tonight we had Savannah Red Rice with Smoked Sausage for dinner. This will be one of the recipes in my cookbook. I pulled this recipe from Food Network to get the basic idea for ingredients and method. I'm in the process of tweaking the ingredients and cooking method.

The recipe as written is very tasty but it turns out more like a risotto than how I remember Red Rice from my childhood. I find that when cooking it, I have to add water and stir every 10-15 minutes just to keep it from burning and getting too thick.

After thinking about it, I think there's too much rice for the quantity of water that is called for in the original recipe. Next time, I'm going to try reducing the amount of rice by 50% and see how this works. As it's written now, the ratio of rice is 2 cups to less than two cups of water. That's way too high.

This is the process I'm going through with this whole cookbook process. While I might be able to adjust a recipe on the fly, I want to write the recipe so they are predicable each and every time, within reason.

Notice the new placemats and napkins. They look nice, right?

Menu Monday

I created a menu earlier in the month for the remainder of August. We're pretty much going to stick to that with a couple of changes:

Saturday (22nd) - Homemade Pizza
Sunday (23rd) - Roasted Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Assorted Vegetables
Monday (24th) - Smoked Sausage and Savannah Red Rice*
Tuesday (25th) - Leftover Turkey and Fixins
Wednesday (26th) - Cheese Quesadillas with Pico, Chips, and Salsa
Thursday (27th) - Lasagna with Salad
Friday (28th) - Undecided, perhaps BBQ sandwiches
Saturday (29th) - Leftover Lasagna
Sunday (30th) - Steakhouse Noodle Soup and Baked Potatoes

Breakfast Potatoes:
For breakfast Sunday morning, I prepared my own home fries. Usually I just buy that little green bag but if it's not on sale, it's $2.59 per bag and sometimes they're not very tender. To find an alternative, I roughly peeled and washed a few red potatoes and boiled in the microwave for 12 minutes while I prepared the bacon and got the table set. I drained the potatoes and fried with a little chopped onion and green pepper (a little vegetable oil, too). After my bacon was finished cooking, I added a tablespoon of bacon drippings to the pan. It was the best breakfast potatoes we've had in a while and it surely cost less than the $2.59.

I might be going just a little green, or I could be cheap

I get tired of buying paper napkins each and every week. Why do we use so many napkins? While there are some coupons out there, they are few and far between compared to the frequency of purchases.

DH and I have decided to increase our use of cloth napkins, especially for our week day dinners when it's just the two of us. I've tried to purchase some cloth napkins but unless you can find these deep discounted on clearance, it's really no cheaper than the paper napkins.

To solve this problem, I purchased two yards of fabric off the clearance table at Walmart. It was $2 a yard. I also picked up two fat quarters in a contrasting color for $1 each. I've made two napkins from the fat quarters and used the scrap materials to accent two placemats. After I finish the two placemats, I'll use the remaining fabric to create as many napkins as possible. Probably 6-8 blue ones plus the two red ones. So I estimate for $6 and a little of my time, I made two placemats, and 10 napkins. Not a bad deal for $6 and a few hours of simple sewing. DH and I should be able to enjoy all our weekday meals with these.

Saturday Project

DD and I went to a consignment sale last weekend and purchased a Graco Stroller (it's not a current model but it is in the Quattro line). It was in good condition except for being dirty and the wheels were well worn. She paid $45 for a stroller that probably retails for $90 or more. It will lay flat for infants and accept a Graco car seat.

My job today is to clean it. I removed all of the cloth parts by unsnapping, unvelcroing. and removing two small screws. I washed all these parts in my washing machine on a high water level. I currently have them drying in the bathroom with a fan blowing on them to speed up the process. I may put the padded parts in the dryer if they do not dry thoroughly in a couple of hours. While these were washing, I completely wiped down the metal areas with 409 and removed and washed the trays and storage pocket. (For those items, I added a small amount of a bleach containing cleaner along with the Dawn detergent to eliminate any possible germs or bacteria since these are the areas most likely to be "touched by small and large fingers."

After it's all dry, I will re-assemble and store until we need it. Since the "rookie" is staying with me today and his carseat is a Graco, I will also try to see if it will attach and how that works.

I'm still not sure how the carseat function works but it cleaned up very well, smells great and is ready to go.

Weekly Shopping

I did my weekly shopping early this morning at Publix. I really like going during the off times (early morning, weekday nights, etc.) because I find that prime shopping times (Saturday afternoon) the store is too crowded and I really can't take the time I need to get my deals right. When the store is quieter, it is easier to concentrate of net prices and figure out what is really a good deal.

Here's my summary: $59.80 OOP, Saved $55.77

Best Deals:
Luigi's Italian Ice .50 per box after rain check and coupons
Uncle Ben's Country Inn Rice .25 per box after sale and IP coupon
Edwards Singles .30 for two servings after sale and IP coupons
Cole's Garlic Bread .40 after sale and IP coupon
Cheese Its .79 each after sale and coupons (Target and IP)
Luzianne Tea .55 after sale and coupons
Kotex .60 after sale and coupons
Shout .75 each after sale and Publix coupons
Ragu .99 each after sale and coupon

These prices are good through the middle of next week. For coupon locations or a breakdown of prices, leave a comment with your questions.

All in all, I did a pretty good job of sticking to my list this week. I picked up a few extra things that amounted to about $19 but they are all standard items that I buy that were on sale or things I needed.

Stop the Presses: DH saves big bucks!

He's done it again. Really.

Last time DH tackled a DIY project, he replaced the power window motor in his car.

Now, he's servicing his own bike. It was time for DH's motorcycle to have an oil change and get a tune up. He also wanted to "put the baffles back in his exhaust." OK, I really don't expect that everyone will understand that one so let me help. Put simply, this just means getting the mufflers back to original condition. It will be quieter and should run just a little better.

Done in a motorcycle dealership, we estimate that this would cost somewhere in the $300 range because of the materials and labor required. As a DIY project, it cost about $50 for oil and filter and a friend welded the baffles back in. That's a pretty good savings.

Friday Freebie

Einstein Brothers Bagels is offering a Free Bagel on Friday's through the end of August. Since I have one on the way to work, I stopped off and picked mine up this morning. I had them add butter and toast it and my OOP was only .64.

Now you may ask, why would Einstein Brothers offer free food. I can explain. The guy behind me got a free bagel and ended up spending over $5 after he added a "shmear" (cream cheese) and a coffee. So much for a free bagel!

DH also stopped off this morning for a free bagel. He added butter also and got a small coffee. His total was $2.40 (approximately). I think for him, $2 Tuesdays would be a better deal. On Tuesdays (through the end of August) you can get a bagel, shmear and a coffee for only $2. If you like bagels and can get one of these coupons, venture on over to take advantage of these deals.

New Project - A Cookbook

I'm working on a cookbook. I really didn't think it was going to be a big deal but it is very time consuming. Usually everything I cook is by memory and taste. I know how things should look and what they should taste like. What's difficult is to quantify those ingredients and describe the cooking process in definitive terms.

So far, I have two recipes mostly quantified and written down. I want to also take photos of the process and finished dishes but I've found that this needs to be a separate process. Once I get the recipe written, I will make it a second time to ensure that the instructions and measurements are correct and during that second preparation, I will have photos taken by DH.

Most of the recipes to be included are our family dishes that the children (grown) really like. I will also select some recipes that may not be on their list but hopefully, it will be some items that round out the collection so anyone can enjoy it. If it turns out as well as I hope, and it is well received by DS and DD, I will offer it as a e-book for a small fee. What do you think about this? Would you be willing to pay for a downloaded e-book or would you rather pay more and have a printed, bound paperback book? Your feedback is appreciated.

What I'm reading...

It amazes me how little there is to watch on tv. For all the money we pay every month to have cable service, many nights have only repeats and junk to offer. I don't watch reality tv, with the exception of Dancing with the Stars. I'm looking forward to the new season but until that starts, I've decided to start my reading again.

After seeing the movie previews for Julie and Julia and The Time Traveler's Wife, I decided that they would be good entertaining reading. I contacted my local library and placed the books on reserve. I'm 100th in line. It will likely be next year before either of them are available.

With that in mind, I decided to purchase The Time Traveler's Wife last weekend. It was a little hard to understand in the beginning since the story is not chronological. As I continue to read, it's making a little more sense and I feel a connection with the characters. I'll provide more information and a review as I get further along.

In addition to this light reading, I'm also reading "The End of Prosperity" and "Common Sense."

Works for me Wednesday - Leftovers

In my opinion, there are three key ways to save money on groceries and feeding your family.

The most effective way to cut costs is to eliminate or severely cut back on eating out - breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you average one dinner each week and a trip through the drive through, you could spend $40 or more EACH week, depending on your tastes.

The second most effective way to cut cost is to carefully plan your grocery shopping and meal planning around what you have on hand and what's on sale - use those coupons and build a stockpile. (I find this also reduces stress because I always know what I am cooking and I have alternatives if needed.)

The third most effective way to cut cost is to use your leftovers. I know, some folks won't eat leftovers. Personally, I find this curious and can't quite understand what the problem is. You can save a great deal by using that food instead of tossing it out. Just re-purpose it a little, change the presentation, or simply skip a day between the original meal and the leftover.

For example, I'm preparing individual beef pot pies for dinner tonight. I'm using leftover Roast beef from the freezer. My crust will be a store bought refrigerated kind. (I'd make from scratch but that's difficult when you work all day and come home to get dinner on the table.) I'll add a can of green beans, some brown gravy mix and heat up the leftovers. While the pies bake - just enough to bake the crust and keep the filing hot, I'll get a small green salad together and set the table.

My second favorite use for leftovers is my lunch. I usually eat a PB&J for lunch (I rarely go out) and some cheap chips. If I can take some leftovers, I find that I don't get hungry as soon and I'm much happier and I'm saving money.

Awesome Deal from Target

DH and I had to go to Target tonight to pick up a needed item.

While DH was shopping, I checked out the clearance spots - my favorite places at the Target. Unfortunately, school supplies aren't on clearance yet and I didn't find but a few toys at clearance price.

I was going to get two packages of the Rayovac batteries from the Dollar Spot but I found an even better deal. Over in the electronics section, I found 12 packs of Energizer Max batteries on clearance. They were originally $7.98 marked down to $3.98. I was able to use a $2 coupon on each making the net price only $1.98 for 12 batteries. I picked up two. We're set for AA batteries for a while. Almost everything is AA now.

I also scored a bottle of Delsym (12 hour cough syrup) for half price at $4.14!!!! We're ready for those winter colds now.

Finally, there were hang tags on the 2 liter cokes by the checkouts. Buy two, get one free. Additionally, these were priced at $1.25 each which is a bargain compared to the regular price of $1.79 at the grocery store. We got three bottles for only $2.50.

On the home front, I was able to get about half of my household (laundry, dishes, paper goods, cleaning, etc.) coupons organized and into the holder. I found quite a few that had already expired. (That's how far behind I am.) I'll tackle the other half tomorrow and work on the tally of savings for 2009.

Tackle it Tuesday

I want to be able to update my savings amount year to date. I'll be working on that with the goal of posting a new total by Sunday evening. I've saved most of my receipts so it will be close but not totally accurate.

Edited Wednesday 8/19/09 - I added in some of my receipts and have come up with $2345 so far this year. There are more receipts to come.

Free Stuff

Schwann's dropped off my corn dogs tonight. Just think 16 corn dogs - FREE. Dropped off at my door. S.W.E.E.T. Who says' there's no such thing as a free lunch.

About a week ago, Schwann's was running a special for new customers. One item, up to $10, free with your first order. I checked out the website and thought the corn dogs would be a good place to start. They are $7.99 for 16. After we eat these, I will share my opinions here. I will say that I was impressed with the delivery service and delighted to find out that you can request a late delivery if you work.

Also free - an 8x10 from Walgreens (ordered Sunday, August 16th) and picked up today. The Walgreen's special today was 25 4x6 prints for only .25. I spent $3 plus tax (I bought a second 8x10) and got two 8x10s and 25 4x6 prints. Woo Hoo.

Check the Walgreens site tomorrow, rumor has it that they will be running an exciting special every day this week.

Menu Monday - Long term, tentative menu

Monday (17th) - Mexican Fiesta (tacos and rice)
Tuesday (18th) - Ham Slice with mashed Sweet Potatoes
Wednesday (19th) - Beef Pot Pie (from freezer leftovers)
Thursday (20th) - Pepper Steak and Fried Rice
Friday (21st) - Salad and Cheese Quesadillas
Saturday (22nd) - Homemade Pizza (dough from scratch, freezer toppings)
Sunday (23rd) - Turkey (freezer), Dressing and the Fixins
Monday (24th) - Smoked Sausage (freezer) and Red Rice (pantry)
Tuesday (25th) - Leftover Turkey
Wednesday (26th) - BBQ Sandwiches (freezer)
Thursday (27th) - Lasagna and Salad
Friday (28th) - Eat out?
Saturday (29th) - Leftover Lasagna
Sunday (30th) - Steak House Noodle Soup and Baked Potato
Monday (31st) - Breakfast

This menu may change as necessary to effectively use leftovers and accommodate schedule changes.

I may need an intervention....

I had intended (as I mentioned in a prior post) to reduce my grocery spending to $50-70 per week. My trip to Publix Saturday resulted in a purchase that was WELL over my intended budget. My OOP was $108. (I was surprised.) Although I did save $59 through sales and coupons, my trip was too spendy.

Best deals: Free Cascade Rinse agent and Glass Plus for .25 each. Good deals: .50 package of Sharpie highlighters and Blue Bell Ice Cream for $2.50 after sale and coupons.

On the good side, I was able to pick up ground beef, pork chops, deli ham, two kinds of bacon, two kinds of cheese, lettuce, cukes, bell, two kinds of tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, onions, potatoes, and broccoli.

I also picked up items specifically for a couple of the meals I have planned for this week. I think that's the downfall. I let the menu drive the purchases instead of letting the sales and pantry drive the menu.

To rectify this overspending, I've developed a tentative menu plan for the rest of the month. Most of these meals are driven by items already on hand. This should allow me to purchase only sale items and perishables each week. This is a trial-and-error to see what works best.

Simply stated, I've not really reduced the amount of money I spend on grocery every week but I have been able to stock my pantry and freezer WITHOUT increasing my spending. In that sense, I'm ahead of the game. Check my next post for the tentative menu...

Waaa!

I stopped by my neighborhood Publix this evening to pick up a few more great deals. I wanted to get a couple more Chex Mix - we really like the new Barbecue flavor. Also, I read that the Lugi's Italian Ice was super cheap at .50 each after sale and doubled coupons. Finally, I found that the Chinet luncheon plates were also .50 after sale and the great $2 coupon in last Sunday's paper. I did pick up one Uncrustables for my daughter. $1.25 after sale and coupon.

Unfortunately, they only had one Lugi's left (I had 10 coupons!) and none of either the Chex mix nor the Chinet plates. I'll check back tomorrow night since they are supposed to get a delivery tomorrow.

I may check out the Publix near work tomorrow as well.

EDITED Wednesday night: Last minute run to Publix netted four bags of Chex Mix. I was concerned that the BBQ Chex Mix did not have a sale sign but did ring up at the sale price. Each of the bags has a peelie for $1/3. My cashier immediately pulled one of these and rang it up. When I gave her the four coupons I had, the register wouldn't allow it. (I obviously had too many coupons.) The cashier supervisor came over and said it was ok and for less than $2, I got four bags of Chex Mix and three $1/3 coupons for next time.

They still didn't have any Luigi's Italian Ice so I got a raincheck.

Menu Monday

Saturday - BLTs and Potato Soup (garden tomatoes)
Sunday - Low Country Boil (shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes) and Savannah Red Rice*
Monday - Spaghetti
Tuesday - Beanie Weenies over RIce, Sliced Cucumbers
Wednesday - Salad with garden tomatoes, peppers, feta cheese
Thursday - Chicken and Dumplins*
Friday - Leftover soup or TBC

* recipe for my cookbook

Menu Planning Challenges

Sometimes, I find that menu planning can be challenging. Sometimes, it's downright hard. The upside is that once the menu is planned, I rarely come home and find myself stumped as to what to fix for dinner. I may swap nights out or completely change my mind, but I always have options.

Monday night - If we're going to have a roast that week, this is the night we have it. I can stick it in the crockpot before I go and by the time I get home from work, it's already cooked and just waiting for accessories. If there is a crockpot roast, Wednesday night means we eat any leftovers.

Tuesday night - Joker's wild. Usually something odd that will have no leftovers.

Wednesday - typically out mid-week meatless. Favorites include Beanie Weenies, Salad, Pasta Salad, Breakfast, etc.

Thursday night - Hmmmm. This one takes some thought. Usually DS and his family (including two toddlers) join us for dinner on Thursday. It has to be something that is quick and easy to prepare, can be completely ready in less than on hour, and makes enought to feed 6. Pasta is a favorite. This week it will be Chicken and Dumplins at DS's request. To make this happen, the chicken will have to be cooked Wednesday night and just heated and assembled Thursday.

Friday is a real challenge. I'd love to go out every Friday night. I'm always tired and ready for the weekend. With out current budget restraints (I sound like a corporation, don't I?), we'll be eating in. Out go-to meal for Friday is usually chicken fingers with mashed potatoes, frozen or homemade pizza, or some other "fast" to make food.

Saturday - This could be anything from the simple to the elaborate depending on what's going on and who's eating.

Sunday - Traditional Family Dinner night. Meat, potatoes, vegetable. You get it.

A little behind but on the right track.....

I posted earlier in the week about new priorities. I had hoped to jump on those coupons that very night but atlas that did not happen. I was able to address this issue last night. First, I pulled all the coupons that expired on or before today. (It's amazing to me just how many coupons are out there. I don't think I've even bought a newspaper in the last month nor did I print many internet coupons so most of mine came from the FREE neighborhood newspapers.)

Next, I will focus on getting the new grocery coupons into the right spot in my organizer. And still later, get the cleaning products and health/beauty items into their spot.

I did take my Publix and Kroger ads and matched up the coupons for my grocery list. I'm also going to checkout the coupon database on www.hotcouponworld.com to see if there are any additional printable coupons for the items on sale this week. As I discussed in that previous post, my goal is to reduce my grocery spending by at least 30% this month. Since I've been spending an average of $90-$100 a week, I'm looking at only having an OOP in the neighborhood of $65 each week. I believe I can attain that this week. I'm not purchasing much meat this week with the exception of some sausage, shrimp and hotdogs.

I've also discovered that DH likes variety in his lunch sandwiches. A deli ham or turkey is a favorite but at nearly $A10 a pound, it can get a little pricey. He also likes pimento cheese and Boar's Head olive loaf. I can get enough of either on of these for $3 or less for the week. Since he eats these choices on plain white bread, that also saves me money because I don't have to buy a separate loaf of bread for sandwiches.

Deal of the Day

First, I've not printed many IP coupons lately because our main printer needs a black ink cartridge. It's an HP printer (we love it) but the cartridges are rather pricey. We've discovered that the black ink refills from Walgreens do a great job. (We were not pleased when we tried the color refill.) I've been putting off getting a new refill because they have not been on sale. I've gotten them for as little as $5 before but they are currently priced at $12.99.

Secondly, I have many, many pictures that I want to print from DD's wedding and "ta-da: Walgreens is offering a deal through Saturday for 75 4x6 prints for only $9.99. In case you're interested, the coupon code is PARADISE.

Now, if I combine the ink cartridge, the prints and a small item, I can use the $5 off $25 Walgreens coupon on this deal as well I will net an ink cartridge, 75 prints and some filler item for about $20. (I'd still like to see those $5 refills back but this isn't too shabby.)

If you're going to take advantage of this deal, do it soon - the photo coupon expires 8/8 as does the $5/$25 coupon.

UPDATE ON THIS DEAL: I stopped by Walgreens Friday evening to pick up my prints and get my ink cartridge refilled. Unexpectedly, the clerk had a coupon for me that discounted the ink refill at 50%. My OOP was 9.99+6.50 plus tax. I decided against purchasing more to use the $5/$25 coupon. Instead, I'll try to use this at Publix Saturday.

New Month, New Priorities

With the wedding festivities over, it's time to refocus our priorities. Unfortunately, I've been remiss in my couponing, budgeting, organizing, etc. in the last month or two. Now, it's time to turn that around. My money needs to start working for me.

Saving Money:

1. My first task is the organize my coupons and purge all expired coupons. I have seven weeks of coupons that need to be added to my stash. I want to use items we already have in the pantry and freezer and supplement with a few perishables and necessities for the month of August. This should cut our grocery budget by 30-50% over the next month.

2. I also have some ECBs that need to be utilized. Along with some gift card balances, I should be able to minimize drug store expenses.

3. It may be time to transfer some prescriptions. This will generate some more gift cards. Does anyone know of any current deals?

4. I'm going to continue my quest to continue to limit eating out. (I've been able to limit my lunches out to just a couple of times during the last two months when it was really necessary. Since Ted's is no longer offering their great coupon deals, we'll be looking for some new opportunities for substantial bargains on dinners out. Any ideas?)

Organizing:

1. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but my closet really needs some attention. It's time to purge some old items and really evaluate how to use this storage space effectively.

2. I'd like to get all my sewing/craft items in one spot. Since I now have a "Nana's Workshop" (guest room), that would be the ideal spot for these items and possibly have the sewing machine set up and at the ready.

3. My computer desk also needs some organization. I have a little space and a lot of stuff!

I have some other items I want to focus on but this is a good start. I'll let you know how this goes.

Menu Monday

Sunday - Spaghetti and Meatballs, Green Beans
Monday - Ham Slice with Pineapple, Mac & Cheese, Steamed Broccoli
Tuesday - Veggie Dinner
Wednesday - Breakfast (Waffles, Bacon and Eggs)
Thursday - BBQ Chicken (Grilled), Potatoes and Onions, Salad
Friday - TBD
Saturday - Low Country Boil (Shrimp, Sausage, Potatoes and Corn)
Sunday - Chinese Chicken with Fried Rice

What a beautiful day...

Yesterday, DD and her fiance were married. We fretted with the rain most of the day and at one point watched the dark clouds pass over us. By 6pm, the skies had cleared and the temperature had fallen enough to be bearable. It wasn't until the dancing was in full swing that the clouds burst forth with a strong shower.

Everything turned out nicely and I think the party was enjoyed by all with good food and dancing. When we first started planning this event, we made the decision to have the ceremony before school started since we could concentrate on the wedding and then DD would be able to focus on school. (DD is an elementary school teacher.)

We chose Rosabelle Manor (Adairsville, Georgia) as our venue. DD liked the look and size of the facility and the fact that their price structure was a all-inclusive package was beneficial to us since we had only seven weeks from decision to date. Rosabelle's package (the one we choose) included the facility, food, photographer, dj, flowers, cake and favors (bubbles and truffles). We decided that I would do the cake and along the way, we also decided to make cookies as favors as well. Rosabelle does not serve alcohol so we provided the bar service.

As it turned out, the food was wonderful and the flowers were simply gorgeous and still have my house smelling sweetly. The DJ kept the party moving (with a little help from the bartender) and the photographer and his assistant stayed busy - we'll see his official photos in a couple of weeks. Thanks to Bridget for keeping us on time and things running smoothly.

Our little grandgirlies (3 years) were the flower girls and they were perfect at their jobs. As their reward, they were allowed to wear their CareBear costumes later in the evening. That's a sight you don't see very often. That, and your 95 year old grandmother dancing to Pump up the Jam.