Harris Teeter Super Doubles 8/11-8/17

Sorry to just be posting this but I hadn't seen confirmation about this until I was on my way home from the beach last night.

HARRIS TEETER IS HAVING SUPER DOUBLES 8/11-8/17!!!

I have posted my tips previously for how to manuever Super Doubles but since I can't seem to copy and paste, I will share them again.

Tips for Harris Teeter Super Doubles:

Plan ahead - Go to SouthernSavers.com to find the deals and click the ones you want and print out a list. Find, clip, and organize your coupons for your trip.

Get there early - The deals start at 7:00am so if you really want to get first dibs, be in the checkout line at 7:00am. Now I know that isn't realistic for everyone, but the earlier you get there the better.

Go for the FREE stuff first - These are the deals that go first obviously, so go straight for those when you go in the store. Things that tend to go first outside of the FREE stuff are non-perishables (especially personal care items).

You can only double 20 coupons per day per VIC card - Since you can only do 20 per day per VIC card, get the things you want most first and then go back the next day.

Bring more coupons than you plan to use - Usually you won't get all 20 items/deals you want, so bring backup coupons. I recommend at least 30.

Don't use your coupons that are less than $1.00 unless it is an absolutely awesome deal - Since Super Doubles is so special, don't use your lesser face value coupons until you have used up your $1.00-$1.99 coupons. Those coupons will still double any other time.

They will only double up to the total cost of the item - If you buy something for $2.50 and the coupon is $1.50 off, they will only take $2.50 off (it will show up as $1.50 and $1.00). They don't give you money back.

GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, GET SOME GOOD DEALS, AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, SHARE WITH ME SO I CAN POST ON THE BLOG. ;)

Morning Routine

One of the most helpful things I have found is having a morning routine. It can have one thing, say making your bed, or a few things. Either way, it is a great way to get your day started as it is consistent, starts your day with at least something clean and looking great, and gets you going.

My morning routine has a few more things on it as I am home most mornings and don't have to rush out of the house. Plus I really don't like doing a ton of stuff at night minus cleanup from dinner and help Luke clean up his toys. Since being pregnant and getting further along, I pretty much crash on the couch after dinner and just leave any clutter or cleanup for the next day.

Here is My Morning Routine:
Wake up, brush teeth, take a shower, and get dressed
Make our bed
Straighten up our bedroom
Start a load of laundry
Straighten up living room
Straighten up kitchen
Dishes/dishwasher (load/unload)
Wipe down kitchen
Make breakfast

It might look like a lot, but it really isn't. Making the bed takes all of about 2 minutes. Straightening up rooms takes a few minutes as we don't leave our house that cluttered. Starting a load of laundry takes a couple of minutes. There may be a few dishes to take care of (if any) and unloading/reloading the dishwasher takes a couple of minutes. Wiping down the kitchen takes a minute or two as there isn't usually a mess since we clean up after dinner. We keep breakfast really simple at our house - cereal, oatmeal, fruit, milk, so it takes hardly any time to make breakfast.

I would say the entire morning routine including a quick shower and getting dressed takes less than 30 minutes. The best part is it makes my house a little easier to manuever all day. When I go to the kitchen, there aren't dishes in the way or yucky counters. When I go to the living room, there are places to sit and room for Luke to play. A load of laundry is going and ready to be put in the dryer early in the morning. It's really nice.

Harris Teeter - Kellogg's Deal

I blogged about the Kellogg's Deal at Harris Teeter the other day. Basically between 8/1 and 8/14, if you buy 10 Kellogg's cereal, poptarts, or cereal bars, Eggo, or Morningstar products, you get $10.00 back to use the next time you shop at Harris Teeter. Well the deal is sweeter because this week from 8/4 through 8/10, Kellogg's products are 50% off. If you match that with coupons (which there are a ton of in the papers), it gets even better. And if you really want to make it better, buy the boxes that have Toy Story 3 movie rewards on them and you can get free stuff like movie tickets, concession bucks, and more on the Kellogg's website.

Well, I decided to go crazy. I don't have a picture because 1/2 of my stuff is still in the van and I am waiting for Lee to get home and unload it. But I will write what I did. It's pretty sweet.

I got 30 boxes of cereal (Raisin Bran, Special K, Cocoa Krispies, Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks), 3 boxes of NutriGrain bars, and 8 boxes of poptarts (yes I know it is 41 items because of how my coupons worked out). I divided this into 4 transactions because you can only get 1 $10.00 off per transaction. I also saved my $10.00 coupons to use on regular groceries. I don't recommend using one to buy another deal since it might cancel it out.

All of it would have cost $129.91.
Since everything was 50% off, there was $64.96 in store savings.
I used $18.75 in coupons.
I spent $46.20.
I got back $40.00 to use on another Harris Teeter trip.
I also went on the Kellogg's website and entered the codes I got from 6 boxes of Froot Loops and got $10.00 in concession bucks for the movie theater.

AWESOME DEALS!!!

Quick CVS Trip Today

So I went to CVS today since I had $10.00 in ECBs to use and needed sunscreen. I had a handful of sunscreen coupons and figured I could find a good deal. If nothing else, I wouldn't have to "pay for" the sunscreen. ;)

Well I went in and looked for things I had coupons for. Ironically none of them were on sale. I saw Coppertone was on sale from $10.99 to $8.99, but the best part was it had a $2.00 ECB. So, I decided I would get the Coppertone and some candy to use my $10.00 ECBs and get the $2.00 ECB and use that to buy a Banana Boat which I had a coupon for.

Transaction #1 -
Coppertone - normally $10.99, on sale for $8.99, got a $2.00 ECB
2 candies - normally 89 cents each, on sale for 50 cents each

Total $10.77, used $10.00 ECB. Paid 77 cents. Got back a $2.00 ECB AND a $3.00 off $15.00 purchase coupon.

When I got the $3.00 off $15.00 purchase coupon, I decided to get a few more snacks for our beach trip since they were virtually free.

Transaction #2 -
Banana Boat - $10.99
2 Pretzels - 99 cents each
2 Pringles - $1.00 each

Total $15.71. Used the $3.00 off and the $2.00 ECB as well as a $1.00 off Banana Boat coupon. Paid $9.71.

So I would have spent $29.25. I saved $18.77. I spent $10.48. I saved 64%.

Not bad for a quick trip into CVS to get some sunscreen.

My First Rite Aid UP! Rewards Transactions

So like I said in my previous post, Rite Aid has a new program called UP! Rewards. It is kind of like Register Rewards at Walgreens in that you can do it multiple times during the week as long as you don't try to get more than one per transaction. They do this program in addition to the Single Check Rebate (SCR) program which is where you buy something that has a SCR and enter your receipt on their website, and they send you a check once a month. I always loved the SCR program, but when you combine it with the UP! program, it is amazing savings.

Here's how to use coupons, SCR, and UP! Rewards program:

#1 - ALWAYS look for a $5 off $25 purchase. They are printable and require a little bit of searching sometimes, but are great (basically 20% if you get $25 exactly).

#2 - Go to SouthernSavers.com to find the deals, figure out where the coupons are, and plan your trip.

#3 - Get a Rite Aid Rewards card (if you don't have one) - you have to have one to get the sales and the UP! Rewards.

#4 - Get exactly what you need to total $25 if you have the $5 off $25 coupon.

#5 - Ring up. Use the $5 off $25 first!!!! If not, your coupons will bring your total down to below $25 and they won't take it anymore. Then use your coupons. Pay. Get your UP! Rewards. Repeat! ;)

Here's what I did:

Transaction #1 -
31 count Pampers diapers - normally $11.99, on sale for $8.99, SCR of $2.00, UP! Rewards of $2.00, used a coupon for $1.50 off
72 count Pampers wipes - normally $3.49, not on sale, used a Buy 1 Diapers, Get 1 Wipes Free coupon
26 load Tide detergent - normally $9.99, on sale for $5.99, UP! Rewards of $1.00, used a coupon for $1.00 off
Herbal Essences 2-n-1 - normally $4.49, on sale for $2.50, UP! Rewards of $1.00 (when you buy 2 HE products)
Herbal Essences mousse - normally $4.49, on sale for $2.50, UP! Rewards of $1.00 (when you buy 2 HE products), used a Buy 1 HE Shampoo or Conditioner, Get 1 HE Styler Free coupon = FREE
Aussie shampoo - normally $4.69, on sale for $2.50, UP! Rewards of $2.00 (when you buy 2 Aussie products)
Aussie leave-in conditioner - normally $4.69, on sale for $2.50, UP! Rewards of $2.00 (when you buy 2 Aussie products), used a Buy 1 Aussie Shampoo or Conditioner, Get 1 Aussie Styler Free coupon

So I would have spent $43.83, I saved $15.36 in store savings. I used $15.99 in coupons. I had $5.00 in UP! Rewards. I had a $2.00 SCR.

Transaction #2 -
31 count Pampers diapers - normally $11.99, on sale for $8.99, SCR of $2.00 (let my sister get it as it is one per household), UP! Rewards of $2.00, used a coupon for $1.50 off
60 count Pampers wipes - normally $3.49, not on sale, used a Buy 1 Diapers, Get 1 Wipes Free coupon
2 Skippy peanut butter - normally $2.99 each, on sale for $2.50 each, UP! Rewards of $5.00 (when you buy $15.00 in Skippy and/or Ragu), used 2 60cents off coupons
4 Ragu spaghetti sauce - normally $3.49 each, on sale for $2.50 each, UP! Rewards of $5.00 (when you buy $15.00 in Skippy and/or Ragu), used $1.25 of 3 coupon

So I would have spent $35.42. I had $7.94 in store savings. I had $16.44 in coupon savings (I used some of my UP! Rewards from Transaction #1). I had $7.00 in UP! Rewards. I had $2.00 in SCR.

Transaction #3 -
2 26 load Tide detergents - normally $9.99, on sale for $5.99, UP! Rewards of $1.00 (you can only get one per transaction but I didn't care since I was just wanting to use my UP! Rewards from other transactions and get the Tide on sale, plus if I forget to go back, I am only out $1.00), used 2 $1.00 off coupons = $8.98

So I would have spent $19.98. I had $8.00 in store savings. I had $11.00 in coupon savings (I used some of my UP! Rewards from Transactions #1 and #2). I had $1.00 in UP! Rewards.

So in total, I spent $24.23 (subtracting out the SCR). I would have spent $106.17. I saved 77%.

Awesome Kellogg's Deal at Harris Teeter

Harris Teeter has the best deal on Kellogg's this week. All Kellogg's cereals, cereal bars, and poptarts are 50% off. As if that is not enough, if you buy 10 of any of them, you get a $10.00 coupon for your next transaction at Harris Teeter.

Poptarts are $1.09, cereal bars are $1.77, and most cereals are between $1.50 and $2.00.

If you use coupons (which there are usually a ton of cereal coupons in the paper), it sweetens the deal.

Today I got 10 boxes of cereal, 8 boxes of poptarts, and 3 boxes of cereal bars (yes that is 21 but it made sense with my coupons) and after coupons and the $20.00 I got back, it was roughly $1.50.

Tips:
You can only get 1 $10.00 per transaction. Don't buy 20 of them thinking you will get 2 $10.00 coupons. You won't and you will end up with a mess.
Don't use the $10.00 coupon to do the next Kellogg's transaction. I fear it might override your Catalina and you won't get another $10.00. Not worth the trouble. Just save it for your other shopping trips.

New Program at Rite Aid

I am soooooo excited to share the new program at Rite Aid with you guys. Some of you may already know all about it, but I have been in hibernation a bit lately and haven't couponed at my normal level. Anyways, I thought I would share it with you and explain the details I have figured out.

#1 - You now have to have a Rite Aid card (much like a VIC card or CVS card) to get any and all deals.
You just apply and fill out an application. It takes about 30 seconds. Each time you use the card, you have to tell them the phone number you applied with so don't forget. ;)

#2 - They have a new program called UP Rewards.
It is a lot like Walgreens Register Rewards in that when you buy certain things (ie 2 Aussie hair products) you get a coupon on the bottom of your receipt that is so much money off (ie $2.00 off) your next order courtesy of that manufacturer (ie Aussie). They expire roughly 2 weeks after you get them.

Here are some tips about UP Rewards:
#1 - You cannot get more than one per transaction (ie buy 4 Aussie hair products and get 2 $2.00 off coupons).
#2 - I don't know if you use one coupon and buy the same product if you can get another coupon (at Walgreens you cannot). I didn't try it because I didn't want to risk it. Try to use them on different products and go back and forth (ie buy 2 Aussie, get $2.00 off, use the $2.00 off on Tide, use the $1.00 off on Aussie again...).
#3 - You can use coupons on the items that give you UP Rewards.
#4 - You can get Single Check Rebates (SCR) on items that have UP Rewards if they are eligible for SCR.
So you can match sale + coupon + UP Reward + SCR and get some crazy savings.

An example I have for today is:
I bought 1 pack of Pampers diapers and 1 pack of Pampers wipes. The diapers would have been $11.99 but were on sale for $8.99. The wipes were $3.49. The diapers had a SCR for $2.00 and an UP Reward for $2.00. I used a $1.50 off Pampers diapers coupon and a Buy 1 Pampers diapers get 1 free pack of Pampers wipes coupon. So I paid $7.49, got $2.00 Up Reward got a $2.00 SCR, so I paid $3.49 for the wipes and diapers (THE DIAPERS WERE BASICALLY FREE).

#3 - Like I said, they still have SCR and it works the same.

Rite Aid might just be my favorite drug-store now. It might sound complicated but once you get the hang of it (it only took me one day), it can add up to some amazing savings.

Relax, Let Things Go, and Let Others Help Out

I have been feeling this post for a while and didn't quite know how I should write it. This is going to be a very transparent post which I hope my readers appreciate. As a lot (if not all) of you know, I am pregnant with twins that are due in roughly 10 weeks. It has been one of the biggest blessings in my life and I am thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. The hardest part hasn't been the morning sickness I had for 9 weeks, the aches and pains, or the expanding belly.

The hardest part has been putting away my tendency to 1) be a perfectionist and 2) not want other people to have to help me. I am a very self-sufficient person and generally like things to be as perfect as possible. While I know that this isn't the healthiest way to be, it's easier said than done to relax and let people help me. I have had to rest a lot and that puts other things (like keeping a perfectly neat home, cooking every night, keeping up with the laundry, and all the other things I do on a daily basis) on the back burner at times. It's been very difficult for me to look around and see clutter or mess.

The other hard part has been letting Lee help me. He is the kindest person in the world and will chip in and do things to help me out without complaining. It is just hard for me to let him do the things I feel are my responsibility. He goes to work full-time and then has to come home and help me out. I must admit that there has been a lot of guilt on my part.

I have really had to get out of my comfort zone to get comfortable. It's kind of ironic. I just wanted to share that there are seasons in our life that require us to just relax and either let things go or let others help out. There is nothing wrong with it. As I journey through the last 10 weeks of pregnancy, deliver two babies, recover, and adjust to having two newborns, an almost 5 year old son that I homeschool, a husband who needs attention, and a million other things that I have to do, I am going to remember what I have learned in the past few months. It's okay to relax, let things go, and let others help out. Please pray that I will stay in that mindset and not beat myself up or feel guilty.

I hope this has helped others.

Do the Easy Things First

I've read countless books and articles on home management and organization and they all have great ideas, but sometimes differ on their thoughts on things a bit. The biggest thing is, "What should I do first - the easy stuff or the hard stuff?" By this I mean, should you do the simple tasks and then do the tasks that are a bit harder (take more time/energy) or do it the other way around?

I know a lot of people might disagree with me, but I have always found that doing simple tasks is better as you can mark off a lot of things on your To-Do List and it won't make it seem so crazy. Also, it gets a lot of things done so you have a clean and straightened area to work on the bigger projects.

An example of this is doing all the little things before you move onto the big projects you have for the day/week/month. Make your bed, straighten up rooms, put things where they go, wipe down surfaces, etc before you go and pull stuff out to re-organize cabinets and closets. If you don't, you will have a huge mess on your hands. It will motivate you to complete your projects so you can have everything back to being neat and tidy as well.

Cleaning the Living Room/Family Room/Den

Here's the 2nd installment in my detailed cleaning posts. Whatever you call it, the living room, family room, or den, it's one of the rooms that needs to be cleaned the most, as you "live" in it the most (outside of your kitchen). I have a few rooms that have to be clean/organized in order for me to function - my kitchen, living room, and guest bathroom (all 1st floor).

Here's how I clean and keep clean my living room:

Step #1 - Straighten up
Go around and put things (magazines, books, remote controls, blankets, toys, pillows) away. If you find things that don't belong, put them where they go (or at least in a basket to take back soon). You can't clean until everything is straightened up.

Step #2 - Dust
I like to grab my Swiffer duster or a cloth and dusting spray (if it is bad) and go from top to bottom around the living room.

Step #3 - Glass clean
I go around with glass cleaner and paper towels and get the mirrors, windows, and anything else that has glass.

Step #4 - Vacuum
I start with the main carpet area and then take the hose and do the couch, followed by taking the edger and doing the edges, baseboards, and window sills.

It takes very little time to get the living room clean.

How to keep it clean:

If you get stuff out, put it back. Keep things straightened up. Vacuum when it needs it (just the middle of the room). Have a weekly time to dust, glass clean, and deep vacuum.

The Power of the Planner

One of the biggest things to organize is time. I will confess that I have struggled with this off and on for my whole life. I am the type of person that needs to have everything on a list or in a chart to almost be able to function. I can't just wing it all day and get everything done. I also could forget appointments and when I am supposed to do something with someone if I didn't have it written down.

Over the years I have read tons of books on time management and they all say the same thing - YOU MUST HAVE A PLANNER. I have also spent hours looking at different planners, calendars, PDAs, and other organizers for time. I have loved some and hated others. After all of that, I finally found what works for me. I have to have the monthly calendar view as well as a weekly/daily view with time slots. I like to be able to see birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, bills that are due, and big things on the monthly view and also like to be able to fill in specific time-oriented things on my weekly/daily view so that I can plug in things I need to get done. Sometimes my day just has the big things and other days I like to plug in everything that I need to do (even shower/get ready, workout, cook, clean, etc).

Here is the planner I am currently using:

Of course everyone is different and some people can remember everything. I don't know how they do it especially the more responsibilities they have. If you are a person who just wants to know when big things are going to happen, you could just post a calendar in your kitchen and write things on it. If you like to have some space for each day to write a list of what is happening and maybe have a little room for a To-Do List, then having the time slot style might not work as well. There are planners that have monthly views and then each week with blank space for the day. Some people prefer to have a ton of space for each day. For that you can get a daily calendar which gives you a page or two for each day.

Whatever method you choose to use, the key is to use it. Write things down and keep your planner handy so you know what things are coming up and where your time is going. It really helps.

Glazed Carrots

I love glazed carrots, especially the kind you get at Cracker Barrel. I have tried various ways and it just never tastes right. I looked up another recipe tonight and tried it and it was tasty. I thought I would share it with you guys.

Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:
1lb baby carrots
Water
2-3 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:
Put carrots in pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil and cook until tender (roughly 1 hour).
Pour off most of the water - just leave a little in the bottom of the pot.
Add butter and brown sugar and stir until melted.
Let sit so the flavors absorb into the carrots.

Cleaning the Kitchen

So if you have followed my blog for any extended period of time, you know that on Mondays I clean my first floor. That includes the living room, powder room, dining room, and kitchen. I thought that I would write a post completely devoted to cleaning the kitchen today. I am thinking about doing a series where I write about how I clean each room of my house.

Here is how I clean my kitchen:

Step #1 - Take anything and everything that doesn't belong in the kitchen and put it where it goes
If you guys are anything like me, your kitchen table and adjacent areas can become a dump zone for mail, papers, kids' work, etc. If you go through and put all the stuff where it needs to go, it will clear the way for cleaning.

Step #2 - Unload your dishwasher if it is full and needs it
This is definitely a task that can be overlooked and can cause a major pileup in the kitchen. It's pretty crazy how it happens. No one unloads the dishwasher so no dishes can go in, so the sink starts overflowing to the counters. I can say that this happens at least once a week at my house (usually over the weekend as I don't clean as much on weekends). It only takes a handful of minutes, but is a big help.

Step #3 - Wash all dishes and load dishwasher (run again if needed) or dry them and put them away
Dishes make the kitchen look so dirty. They clutter the kitchen and mind. If you get them into the dishwasher or cupboards, it really makes the kitchen easy to clean.

Step #4 - Wipe down every surface
I go around with a cleaning wipe or cleaner and sponge and clean from cleanest area to dirtiest (ie less used counter space to more used counter space to stovetop). If you need to wipe cabinets and your kitchen table/chairs, this is the time to do it. I also like to wipe down the exteriors of my appliances.

Step #5 - Wipe out appliances
I go around with a cleaning wipe or cleaner and sponge and clean from cleanest area to dirtiest (ie microwave to fridge to oven).

Step #6 - Sweep floor

Step #7 - Mop floor

Now if you need to do a deep cleaning of your refrigerator (I do this every few months unless it gets really dirty as I am a freak about throwing stuff out and wiping my refrigerator down a lot), here's a great way to do it.

Step #1 - Go through and toss out anything that needs it.

Step #2 - Work one shelf/area at a time and pull everything out, wipe down, and put everything back. If it is dirty enough, pull out the shelf, take it to the sink, and give it a good scrubbing.

To me having a clean kitchen is my #1 priority as so much in our lives centers around our kitchen. Most of us cook at least one meal a day in there, not to mention snacks, drinks, etc. If your kitchen is dirty, it really affects everything. I know that if I have to go in there and clean before meal prep, I get annoyed (even though it is at myself) and think, "Pizza sounds good tonight." ;)

Organized Vacationing

I don't know about everyone else, but I know that for me a vacation is not truly a vacation. As a wife, mom, and homemaker, I spend hours preparing and packing for our trip, hours in the car keeping everyone sane (putting on movies, handing out snacks, and entertaining Luke), hours setting up shop for the week (putting away food, kitchen supplies, clothes, and toys), hours still cooking meals, cleaning up, and getting everyone whatever they need for each outing, hours cleaning up the place when we are done, hours in the car again, and then hours unpacking, doing laundry, and getting us ready for life when we get home. Does that sound familiar to any of you guys?

Well because I am so OCD and have to have order no matter where I am - home, hotel, or beach house - I have to be really organized. It does make things run a lot smoother and I do get a little more down time as the crew knows where everything is and can [sometimes] fend for themselves.

It all starts a few days before we leave for our vacation. I do all of the laundry and clean up the house. It makes things a lot easier when you have clothes to pack and a clean house to go through and get what you need. I also have a packing list on my computer that I print each time we go somewhere. I print it out the day we pack and tweak it. I add things that need to be packed in addition to all of our regular stuff. That saves me so much time and headache. There is nothing worse than getting somewhere and not having underwear or a toothbrush.

Then when it comes to packing, I use lots of different bags and bins. I like to organize things so that we can put bags or bins in their respective spot when we arrive at our destination. I use one bag for Luke's clothes and personal care items, one bag for my clothes and personal care items, one bag for Lee's clothes and personal care items, one bag for towels and sunscreen - my pool bag, one bag for beach toys as they get sandy and I like to keep them in a mesh bag to carry down to the beach, one bag for Luke's toys, one bin for dry food, one bin for kitchen needs, a big cooler for food when we get there, a small cooler for drinks in the car, and one bag for snacks and toys for the car. Yes, it seems like a lot, but it really isn't. It's more organized than cramming stuff in a bunch of bags.

I pack each area/bag/bin and bring it all to a certain spot so that Lee can load it all in the car. This way he sees how much we have and how he should load everything up. If you have stuff all over the house, you might have something heavy that ends up on top or have to take stuff out and reload. This saves time and frustration.

When we get to our destination, we can just put each person's bag where they are sleeping, they toys/entertainment in the area where we will be hanging out/playing, the beach/pool stuff near the door so we are ready to go at a moment's notice, and the food and kitchen stuff in the kitchen. It is really nice. It also makes it possible to not have to unpack as stuff is where you need it.

When we get done with our vacation, we just load everything back up, repack the car, and when we get home, we just put stuff back where it goes pretty efficiently. One note - when we are packing to come home, we pick a couple of suitcases to put all the dirty stuff in and one to put all of the clean stuff in (inevitably we pack too much). The dirty suitcases go to the laundry area and the clean suitcase is unpacked. Super easy.

I hope this helps. Enjoy your vacations. :)

To-Do List

Anyone who is busy, and who isn't these days, could benefit greatly from using a To-Do List. It's a great way to keep up with what you have to get done, and even better, you get to mark stuff off and feel really good about yourself. ;)

A To-Do List can be made on many different things:
- A notepad
- A sticky note (or series of sticky notes)
- A scrap of paper
- Written in your planner
- Typed up on your computer

It all depends on the user. When I was in college, I used sticky notes. I would put the due date/date of the test on the top and what the thing was (ie Math Test, Spanish Homework Due) and line them up across the top of my desk in order of importance/due date. Then I could throw them away as I finished them. It was a great system.

I like to use a notepad or piece of paper now for daily tasks. I can write out what needs to be done and carry it around with me during the day marking things off as I go.

If you want to keep a master list of things to do like projects, appointments, etc you could write them in your planner. Some people write their to-dos on the day they need to be done in their planner. That is a great idea.

If you are techie, you might like putting your to-do list in a Word document, on an online calendar, or on a sticky note on your desktop (thanks Windows 7 for that neat feature).

The key is to put it where you will see it as it will remind you of what you need to get done.

Some people like to write out their to-dos each day, while some people prefer to make a gigantic list at the beginning of the week and work through it to give them more flexibility. I prefer to know what I need to do each week and then plug things in on my daily to-do list. If I don't get something done, I scratch through it and put it on the next day's list. That works for me.

The key is to write down what you need to get done. Be realistic. There are only 24 hours in a day and you need to sleep, eat, relax, and rest.

Yummy Green Beans Recipe

My sister gave me this recipe and canned green beans have never been the same to me. It's simple, but it makes a huge difference in your green beans.

Ingredients:
Canned green beans (as many as you need to feed your crew)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Mrs. Dash Original

Directions:
Put your green beans in a pot.
Add some olive oil, the salt and pepper, and Mrs. Dash.
Cook on high for 30 minutes (or until soft).

They are sooooo good!

How to Fold and Organize Sheet Sets

I came across this and thought it was awesome so I figured I would share it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0Ql1se4Gc0&feature=player_embedded

Pool Bag

If you guys are anything like me, when the temperature hits 90, you live at the pool. I can't stand to be outside and not be in the water. We usually go almost everyday. This year since I am huge, pregnant, and super hot even in air conditioning, we are going a couple times a week. I figured out a great time saver for being ready for the pool anytime you want to go.

A pool bag. Well, it's not really an original idea, having a designated bag for the pool, but more the philosophy I came up with. Here it is:

You get a waterproof bag big enough to hold all of your pool essentials (pool towels, bathings suits, sunglasses, sunscreen, pool toys, pool shoes), and keep it packed by the front door so anytime you want to go to the pool, you have it all ready to go.

The secret to this is right when you come home from the pool you wash all dirty pool clothes and towels, fold everything up, and nicely repack the bag. This keeps your nasty pool clothes from stinking up the house and when you want to go, you aren't searching for bathing suits, towels, and other pool needs.

Harris Teeter Super Doubles - Trip #1

Here's my first trip to Harris Teeter Super Doubles today.

I spent $13.44.
I would have spent $62.34.
I had $4.93 VIC savings.
I had $43.97 coupon savings.
I had $48.90 total savings.
I saved 78%.

6 Ziploc freezer bags - $2.55, not on sale, used 3 $1.00/2 qs (Super Doubled) = $1.55 each
3 Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce - normally $3.59, on sale for $2.69, used 3 $1.00 qs (Super Doubled) = 69 cents each
French's honey mustard dipping sauce - normally $2.49, on sale for $2.00, used $1.00 q (Super Doubled) = FREE
3 Pert Plus for Men - $3.69, not on sale, used 3 $1.50 qs (Super Doubled) = 69 cents each
3 J&J baby bars - $1.99, not on sale, used 3 $1.00 qs (Super Doubled) = FREE
3 Sure for Men deoderants - normally $2.79, on sale for $2.50, used 3 $1.50 qs (Super Doubled) = FREE + made 50 cents on each one
3 Sure deoderants - normally $2.79, on sale for $2.50, used 3 $1.00 qs (Super Doubled) = 50 cents each

So basically I got 10 things for FREE. Not bad! :)
I got a total of 22 items for $13.44 (61 cents per item).

Packing List

We all do it. A few days before (or the day before if you like to procrastinate like me) a vacation, you sit down with a piece of paper and write out a list of everything you need to pack for your trip - toiletries, clothing, food, entertainment, extras. Sometimes writing the list takes longer than packing your stuff. After doing this a handful of times, I thought, "Why not type this up in a Word document and that way I can just edit and print and be done in a minute?" So I did. I thought of everything that we would normally pack for trips and made a column for each person or category. Then when we go to pack, I don't spend time thinking of what needs to be packed or worse, forget something because I couldn't think of it. It has changed over the years (ie diapers for Luke became underwear for Luke, bottles became sippy cups, etc), but overall the general list is pretty usable. We just hand write a few of the extra things we might need (ie food for meals, specific snacks we want, movies we want to bring, etc). Easy breezy.

If you would like to see my packing list, I would be happy to email it as a Word document attachment. Just e-mail me at ashley-webber@hotmail.com.

Super Doubles at Harris Teeter 6/23-6/29

It's Super Doubles time at Harris Teeter again. It starts Wednesday, 6/23 at 7:00am and runs through Tuesday, 6/29 at 11:59pm.

You can find my tips for Super Doubles under the Couponing - Harris Teeter label and scroll down until you see it. I can't copy and paste the link or info for some reason.

Homemade Chicken Salad - My Mother-in-Law's Recipe

I love chicken salad, especially my mother-in-law's, and since I need lots of protein to grow two healthy babies, I decided to get her recipe and make it. I thought I would share it with you guys. It is so fine, you could put it in those little quiche shells and make a yummy appetizer. In fact, I might have them at my baby shower. ;)

Becky Stroud's Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken tenders
2 eggs
4 stalks celery
Pickles
Salt
Pepper
Mayonnaise

Directions:
Boil chicken until cooked. Let it cool.
Hardboil the eggs. I did a post on this previously. Let them cool.
Wash and dry the celery.
Finely chop chicken, eggs, celery, and pickles.
Add salt, pepper, and mayonnaise to taste/consistency desired.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday - Italian balsamic chicken, flavored rice, veggies.

Tuesday - Baked ziti.

Wednesday - Sloppy joes, french fries, and veggies.

Thursday - Something with ground beef/turkey. I am thinking Goulash.

Friday - Angus Barn for our 6th wedding anniversary.

Saturday - Not sure yet since we are going out fancy Friday night. I will either cook a freezer meal we won't have during 4th of July weekend or do a cheap dinner out.

Sunday - Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn.

The Payoff of Freezer Cooking - Week #2

Sunday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn. I just had to thaw, top with ketchup, and bake the meatloaf. I made a bunch of mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn. We had enough for leftovers Monday night and Tuesday night for Lee.

Monday - Leftovers from Sunday.

Tuesday - Lee had leftovers from Sunday.

Wednesday - Spaghetti. Super easy. I just thawed and heated it.

Thursday - Chicken pot pie. Super easy. We just had to thaw it, put the topping on it, and bake.

Friday - Cookout at mom's house.

Saturday - Eating out night.

Sunday - Pork sandwiches, french fries, peas, and corn. I just thawed out the pork, heated it up, and added it to some buns. I cooked up some frozen french fries and heated up the veggies. Dinner in under 25 minutes with barely any trouble.

Meal Plan Monday

I am going to try to start a new series called "Meal Plan Monday" in which I write out what we are having for the upcoming week. Since I have freezer cooked, this will be pretty easy because I have a monthly meal plan right now with only a little variance. I am hoping to continue this after the babies are born because I think it will be easier to know what we are having for dinner each week rather than try to come up with it each day. I would love to see your meal plans for the week as well. :)

So here's the meal plan for this week:

Monday - Leftover meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn

Tuesday - Chicken pot pie

Wednesday - Spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread

Thursday - "Fried chicken", rice, gravy, and veggies

Friday - Cookout at mom's house

Saturday - Date night with my wonderful hubby (hopefully) - if not, date night with both my boys ;)

Sunday - Baked ziti, salad, and garlic bread

The Payoff of Freezer Cooking - Week #1

Well after that marathon of organizing, shopping, prepping, cooking, and freezing meals, we got to enjoy our first week of freezer eating.

Sunday - Baked Ziti - Thawed, added mozzarella cheese, baked, and ate. The best part was it was in a throw-away container. Just a few dishes in the dishwasher. :)

Monday - Honey Baked Pork Chops - Thawed, cooked, and ate. Just had to add some flavored rice and canned peas and corn. A little bit of work, but the pork was already had all the fat off and was marinated.

Tuesday - Chick-fil-A - We were supposed to have Chicken Stuffing Pie which only required thawing, adding stuffing from a box, baking, and cooking up a couple of cans of green beans. Easy peasy. Luckily a friend of mine had a baby and we took that meal to her.

Wednesday - Stuffed Peppers - Thawed, added a can of tomato sauce, baked, and ate. They were really good. It was the one dish I was concerned about, but they were awesome.

Thursday - Ate at Durham Bulls game. We just switched out our eating out night from Saturday night to make up for it.

Friday - Eating out night.

Saturday - Chicken Meal. The chicken had been frozen in a 1 lb bag of tenders that had all the fat cut off. I just thawed it out and made Buffalo Chicken Tenders and frozen veggies. Super easy.

Sunday - Meatloaf - Thawed, added ketchup, baked, and ate. I made mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and corn. It required more work (which is why I chose Sunday to have it), but we have a whole meal for tomorrow night.

I am really glad I did the freezer cooking. I am planning to do more of it after we run out and the babies and I get through the first few months. I am thinking about doing batch cooking in the future rather than marathon cooking since I will have two babies and not as much ability to just work all day.

Freezer Cooking Adventure (Pictures)

The fridge

The pantry

Onions, peppers, and garlic

Crockpot and freezing/baking pans

Clean-up station

Recipe and labelling station

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Spaghetti

Meatloaves

Sloppy Joes

Salisbury Steak

Garlic Beef Bake

Stuffed Peppers

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Stuffing Pie

Chicken Noodle Soup

Baked Ziti

Freezer

Freezer Cooking Adventure

So the freezer cooking adventure has come to an end. Let me just say a big, "Hallelujah!!!!" In case you can't tell, I am glad to be done. It was a ton of work, physically exhausting, and at times a little stressful, but it is totally worth it when I look in my freezer and it is fully stocked and we have 6 months of meals (or at least the main dish) done (minus a few nights of prepped raw meat to make an easy meal).

Here's what I made:
13 Meals of Baked Ziti (we are eating one tonight before we officially start the 6 months of freezer eating)
6 Meals of Spaghetti
6 (12) Meals of Meatloaf (each meal yields 2 nights)
6 Meals of Sloppy Joes
6 (12) Meals of Salisbury Steak (each meal yields 2 nights)
6 Meals of Stuffed Peppers
6 Meals of Garlic Beef Bake
6 Meals of Chicken Pot Pie
6 Meals of Chicken Stuffing Pie
6 Meals of Chicken Peppers Pasta
6 Meals of Italian Balsamic Chicken
6 Meals of Pulled Pork Sandwiches
6 Meals of Honey Baked Pork Chops

We also prepped (cut fat off, cut into tenders, and put into 1 lb bags) 18 lbs of chicken and 6 lbs of ground beef or turkey. This will be one meal a week of cooking. This will be for stuff like Chicken Parmesan, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, Chicken with Skillet Gravy, Ginger Chicken Stirfry, Chicken and Dumplings, Goulash, or Homemade Pizza (things that wouldn't freeze well).

With all of this done, I won't have to cook some meals (at least not more than reheating or baking), only will have to make a couple of sides for some meals, have meat prepared to make a full meal once a week, and won't have to grocery shop for meat at all or most of the other ingredients (thus making grocery shopping easier for a big fat pregnant girl).

I am going to post pictures of the process in the next entry.

Freezer Cooking Day #1

Okay so I am exhausted and ready for bed but really happy with what I was able to get done today. I completed 6 meals worth of spaghetti, meatloaf, salisbury steak, sloppy joes, BBQ pork, stuffed peppers, and garlic potato beef bake. This is 54 meals - the meatloaves and salisbury steaks will last two nights once cooked. WOW! That is pretty insane. It was a long day. I started at 10:30 and took a couple of short breaks and a couple of long breaks. My feet and back are aching and I think I could fall asleep right now if I laid down. The kitchen is clean and ready for round 2 tomorrow. I took pictures and will chronicle the whole thing at some point this week when I am not too tired at the end of the day. I will update what I got done tomorrow. I hope this helps others as much as I am praying it will help my family over the next few months.

Freezer Cooking Shopping Trip

After I went through all the recipes and figured out how many I wanted to make (6 full meals of each recipe), I multiplied the ingredients. I went through all of the ingredients and totalled up how many of each I needed overall (ex. 6 lbs of chicken times 10 recipes = 60 lbs chicken).

I then went through my kitchen to see how much I already had and figured up how much I needed from the store. I made my list and we headed to Kroger since they had most of what I needed on super good deal. When we got to the store everything we needed was pretty much on sale (most for a great price).

We started in the produce section:
45 bell peppers, various colors (luckily they were on sale for $1.00 each)
53 onions (on sale for 99c a pound)
2 2-lb bags baby carrots
5 heads garlic

Then we moved onto the packaged stuff:
10 boxes Barilla whole-wheat pasta (on sale for $1.25 each)
6 bags egg noodles (on sale for $1.69 each)
21 jars pasta sauce (on sale for $1.91 each)
1 box instant mashed potatoes (on sale for $1.75)
9 cartons chicken broth (on sale for $1.89 each)
24 cans Cream of Chicken soup (on sale for $1.00 each)
6 cans Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic soup (on sale for $1.50 each)
Breadcrumbs (on sale for $1.39)
Giant thing of honey (on sale for $7.49)
2 Heinz ketchups (on sale for $1.49 each)
6 Heinz beef gravy (on sale for $1.39 each)
Parmesan cheese ($2.37)
Apple cider vinegar (on sale for 79 cents)
Soy sauce (on sale for $1.19)
Balsamic vinegar ($3.39)
2 Kraft BBQ sauces (on sale for $1.00 each)
14 3pk aluminum baking dishes (on sale for $1.00 for 3pk)
4 2pk stuffing mixes ($2.29 each)
1 1pk stuffing mix ($1.29)

Then we went to the cold stuff:
2 18pk eggs (on sale for $1.19 each)
7 bags mozzarella cheese (on sale for $1.50 each)
7 giant bags frozen mixed veggies (on sale for $2.00 each)
44 lbs 93% lean ground turkey ($3.19 a pound)
14 pounds pork chops ($3.79 a pound)
8 pounds pork loin ($1.99 a pound)
62 lbs chicken breasts ($1.99 a pound)

We spent about a hour and a half at the store including a marathon checkout, 3 carts, and help out to our car. When we got home, we spent about 30+ minutes unloading and piling stuff into our fridge and pantry. It was insane. We even had to take stuff up to the mini-fridge on the 3rd floor to make room. It is all ready to go tomorrow. I will blog about how I did it. I might take pictures if I am not too overwhelmed.

In case anyone was wondering, we spent $600 and saved $220 plus the fact that Kroger has decent prices anyways. We also earned $6.00 in a coupon for another trip. So by my calculation if we make 120 meals (a good amount will give us leftovers - some a whole 2nd meal) plus 6 pots of soup for lunch, we are under $5.00 a dish. Not bad. Of course some recipes will still require starch and veggies, but that will keep them under $7.00 with couponed items.

Recipes for Freezer Cooking

Spaghetti

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pepper, chopped
1 jar spaghetti sauce
8 oz pasta

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Cook ground beef, onion, and pepper in a little olive oil until brown.
Heat sauce (add seasonings) and add beef mixture to sauce.
Add sauce to pasta.
(Freeze here if desired - after it cools - in ziploc bags or containers).
(To serve after frozen, thaw and reheat).

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
2 egg whites
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup water
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp parsley
2 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
3 cups pasta sauce
12 oz pasta
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven broiler.
Combine turkey/beef, egg whites, breadcrumbs, water, onion, garlic, parsley, basil, & pepper.
Mix thoroughly and shape into meatballs.
Arrange meatballs on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 10-12 minutes turning occasionally until browned on all sides.
On a large saucepan, combine pasta sauce and cooked meatballs.
Simmer over low until warmed thoroughly, about 20 minutes.
While pasta sauce is simmering, cooking pasta.
Serve sauce and meatballs over pasta.
(Freeze here - after cools - if desired - in ziploc bags or containers).
(You could freeze the meatballs and sauce and cook pasta fresh the day you want it).
(To serve after frozen, thaw and reheat).

Baked Ziti

Ingredients
8 oz pasta
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pepper, chopped
1 bag mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if cooking today - omit if freezing).
Spray pan with cooking spray.
Cook and drain pasta.
Cook beef, onion, and pepper in a little olive oil until brown.
Mix pasta, beef, and pasta sauce and put in pan.
(Freeze here if desired - after it cools).
(To serve, thaw if frozen, cover with cheese, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes).

Meatloaf

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 package onion soup mix
1 egg
1 /2 onion
1/2 pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup breadcrumbs or rolled oats (I prefer rolled oats)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if cooking today - omit if freezing).
Mix all ingredients and put in loaf pan.
(Freeze here if desired - I mash into loaf shape in a freezer bag to save space).
(To serve, thaw if frozen, and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until done throughout).

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 tsp chili powder
Dash hot pepper sauce (I omit this)
4-6 buns

Directions
In a large pan, combine ground beef/turkey, black pepper, and onion.
Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.
Combine tomato sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, chili powder, and hot sauce.
Stir into meat.
Simmer for 10 mnutes until mixture thickens.
(Freeze here if desired - after it cools - in ziploc bags or containers).
(To serve, thaw if frozen, reheat, and serve on buns).

Salisbury Steak

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 pkg stuffing mix
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 egg whites
1/4 cup water
Beef gravy (I like the thick kind)

Directions
Mix meat, stuffing mix, onion, and water until well blended.
Shape into 4-6 patties.
(Freeze here if desired).
Cook patties in olive oil until cooked throughout flipping once.
Cover with gravy and serve.
I love this with mashed potatoes but it would also be good served over rice.

Garlic Potatoes Beef Bake

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey or beef
1 can Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic soup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bag (16 oz) frozen veggies
3 cups cooked mashed potatoes

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (if cooking today - omit if freezing).
Cook meat.
Combine meat, 1/2 soup, veggies, and Worcestershire sauce.
Put into baking dish.
Mix 1/2 soup and potatoes.
Pour over meat mixture.
(Freeze here if desired after it cools).
(To serve, thaw if frozen, bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees).

Stufffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients
12 large bell peppers
3 lb ground beef or turkey
3 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp paprika
3 cups cooked rice
48 oz tomato sauce

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut off tops of peppers and remove seeds.
Cook beef/turkey, onions, and garlic.
Mix beef mixture, rice, spices, and tomato sauce.
Stuff mixture into peppers.
Place in roasting pan.
Bake covered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Cool.
Wrap individually in foil and freeze in a freezer bag.
(To serve, unwrap peppers, place in roasting pan, pour tomato sauce over peppers, and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees).

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients
1 cup cooked chicken (2/3 pound of chicken)
1 bag (16 oz) frozen veggies
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Bisquick mix
1 egg

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (if cooking today - omit if freezing).
Mix chicken, veggies, soup, and milk.
Add to baking dish.
Mix Bisquick, milk, and egg.
Pour over chicken mix.
(Freeze here if desired).
(To serve, thaw if frozen, and bake 30 minutes).
(You can also freeze the casserole without the topping and do that after it thaws).

Chicken Stuffing Pie

Ingredients
1 box stuffing mix
1 lb chicken, diced
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup boiling water
1 cup uncooked rice

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if baking today - if freezing omit).
Boil the chicken.
Wash and drain rice and line the pan.
Mix soup and water and stir into rice.
Lay chicken on top and season.
(Freeze if desired - after it cools).
(To serve, thaw if frozen, top with stuffing mix, and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees).

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients
1 lb chicken, cut into tenders
3 egg whites, beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
8 oz pasta
1 jar pasta sauce
1 bag mozzarella cheese (if desired)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (if cooking today - omit if freezing).
Beat egg whites with a fork in a bowl.
Mix breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish.
Dip chicken in egg whites and then in breadcrumb mixture.
Bake 12 minutes on one side, flip, and bake 12 minutes on the other side.
(You can also cook in olive oil in a pan instead of baking - I prefer that method).
Cook pasta while chicken cooks.
Put pasta in dish, put chicken on top, and cover with pasta sauce.
(Freeze here if desired).
(To serve, thaw if frozen, top with cheese if desired, and bake until cheese melts).

Maple Glazed Chicken

Ingredients
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb chicken, cut into tenders
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees (if cooking today - omit if freezing).
Combine dry ingredients and rub on chicken.
(Freeze here if desired).
Combine maple syrup, butter, and Dijon mustard in saucepan and cook until it melts (freeze in a small container and put with chicken if desired).
(To serve, thaw if frozen, and bake in upper 3rd of oven for 15 minutes, heat glaze again, brush glaze on chicken, bake 5 more minutes, brush glaze on chicken, and bake 5 more minutes).

Chicken Breast with Honey-Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into tenders
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp honey

Directions
Combine dry ingredients and rub on chicken.
(Freeze here if desired).
Mix vinegar and honey and put in small container with chicken.
(To serve, thaw chicken and sauce, saute chicken until done, add sauce, and simmer 1 minute stirring constantly).

Italian Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb chicken, cut into tenders

Directions
Combine everything in large ziploc bag.
(Freeze here if desired).
(To serve, thaw and cook until done).

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
8oz baby carrots, chopped
Pepper
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 lb chicken, diced
1/2 lb egg noodles
Parsley and dill

Directions
Saute onions about 4 minutes.
Add carrots, pepper, chicken broth, and water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add chicken and bring to a boil.
Add noodles and simmer until tender (about 8 minutes).
Reduce heat to low.
Stir in parsley and dill.
(Freeze here if desired - cool first).

Chicken Noodle Dumpling Delight

Ingredients
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup carrots, sliced
3/4 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper
Parsley and thyme
1 lb chicken, diced
5 oz egg noodles

Directions
Put soup, carrots, onions, water, salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, and chicken in pot on high.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cover.
Cook 10-20 minutes until chicken is done (stirring a lot).
Cook pasta while chicken mixture is cooking.
Mix pasta and chicken mixture.
(Freeze here if desired - cool first).
(To serve, thaw and heat).

Chicken Peppers Pasta

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked pasta
1 lb chicken, diced
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 onion, chopped
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Cook chicken in olive oil in pan for 2 minutes.
Add peppers and onions and cook for 7 minutes or until chicken is done and veggies are crisp tender.
Drain pasta and add to chicken-veggie mixture.
Add spaghetti sauce and cook 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, cover, remove from heat, and let cheese melt for 2 minutes.
Top with parmesan cheese.
(Freeze here if desired - cool first).
(To serve, thaw and heat).

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients
2 lb chicken, diced
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 onion, chopped

Directions
Cook chicken in olive oil in pan until almost done.
Add veggies, cover, and simmer until veggies are done.
(Freeze here if desired - cool first).
(To serve, thaw and reheat. Serve in wraps with cheese and salsa).

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients
2 lb boneless pork loin
2 onions, chopped
3/4 cup soda
3/4 cup BBQ sauce

Directions
Combine all ingredients in crockpot.
Cook on high 5-6 hours until meat is very tender.
Drain and shred.
(Freeze if desired - cool first).
(To serve, thaw, heat, and serve on buns).

Honey Baked Pork Chops

Ingredients
2 lb pork chops
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if eating today - omit if freezing).
Mix honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce in blender.
Pour over pork chops.
(Freeze here if desired).
(To serve, thaw and bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees).

Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 lb pork chops, cut into 1-in chunks
1 onion, cut into 1-in chunks
1 pepper, cut into 1-in chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup water

Directions
Cut pork chops, onion, and pepper into 1-in chunks.
Mince garlic.
Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and vinegar.
Stir in water, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper.
In a small bowl, beat egg.
On a plate, put the rest of the cornstarch.
Dip pork in egg and cornstarch.
Saute pork.
Remove from pan.
Add onion, pepper, garlic, and 2 Tbsp water.
Saute for 1 minute.
Add sweet and sour sauce.
Cook until sauce boils and thickens.
Remove from heat.
(Freeze here if desired - cool first).
(To serve, thaw and heat).

A Crazy Pregnant Woman's Freezer Cooking Idea

So I am almost 18 weeks into my twin pregnancy (which is almost halfway to my goal of 37 weeks gestation) and I have been thinking about freezer cooking. Well a few weeks ago, I went on Craigslist and found an upright freezer for $75 and it just so happened the guy lived in my neighborhood. I went to check it out, it worked, I paid him, and he delivered it in about an hour (faster than a pizza sometimes) ;). Now I had no excuse not to do it since I have a huge freezer sitting out in our garage waiting for me to put stuff in it.

I thought about when I should do the freezer cooking and how many meals I should plan to do. I figured that I should definitely do it in the 2nd trimester and crazily thought, I could do it for a few months. Well a few months has turned into 6 months of meals, that way I don't have to cook for the rest of my pregnancy or the first 6 weeks of the babies' lives.

I decided to try and find as many tried-and-true recipes as I could that would freezer cook so we wouldn't be having the same meals over and over again. I came up with 20 recipes using chicken, ground turkey, and pork that were in all genres (pastas, casseroles, baked marinated meats, and other yummy things) and figured I would make 6 of each. That way we have 5 nights of freezer dinners, a night of leftovers, and order in or go out to eat one night (much like what we do on a normal basis).

I am going to do separate posts with the recipes, shopping trip, and how we did the process of prepping and or cooking the meals for the freezer. I don't want this blog post to be too long. I hope you enjoy seeing it done and glean some tips for your first (or next) freezer cooking experience.

Chicken Noodle Soup

One of my favorite homemade soup recipes has got to be chicken noodle soup. It's awesome on a cold or rainy day, when you are sick, or just when you want something hot and yummy.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Onion, diced
2 Carrots (or a couple cups of baby carrots), diced
Pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 lb chicken, diced
8 oz egg noodles
Parsley and dill

Directions:
Saute onions in olive oil for 4 minutes.
Add carrots, pepper, chicken broth, and water and bring to a boil.
Add chicken and bring to a boil.
Add egg noodles and boil 8 minutes.
Bring down to low and add parsley and dill.
Enjoy! :)

I pray that my kids will remember this yummy soup when they get older and remember mommy making it for them when they were sick, cold, or just because. I hope your family enjoys it as well.

Perfect Hardboiled Eggs

I think I got this "recipe" from Martha Stewart. Lately, I have been craving egg salad sandwiches. The weird thing is that a month or two ago I couldn't stand eggs and now I love them again. So anyways, I thought I would share how I make hardboiled eggs for egg salad or deviled eggs.

Get a pot big enough for all the eggs and water to cover.
Put in the eggs and cover with COLD water.
Put on high heat and bring to a boil.
Take the eggs off the heat, cover with a lid, and set a timer for 17 minutes.
As soon as the timer goes off, pour the water of and cover with COLD water.
Fill a bowl with ice and COLD water.
Put the eggs in and let them sit there for a while.
Peel them and enjoy.

You have to use cold water so the eggs cook a little as the water heats up.
You can't overboil because they will be overdone.
You want to put them in an ice-cold water bath so they stop cooking and it makes them easier to peel.

I eyeball everything when I make egg salad or deviled eggs, but I put mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper into the eggs (or egg yolks for deviled eggs), and do a taste test and add stuff accordingly.

Harris Teeter Triples Trip #1

Here is my first trip to Harris Teeter Triples this week.

I spent $7.17.
I had $5.08 in VIC savings.
I had $31.69 in coupon savings
I had $36.77 in total savings.
I would have spent $43.94.
I saved 84%.

2 Ziploc quart freezer bags - $2.69 each, on sale for $1.99 each, used B1G1 and 40c q (tripled) = 79c for both
1 Ziploc gallon freezer bags - $2.69, on sale for $1.99, used 40c q (tripled) = 79c
3 Frank's Red Hot - $1.25 each, used 3 50c q (tripled) = FREE for all
Croutons - $1.85, used 50c q (tripled) = 35c
No Yolk noodles - $2.29, used 75c q (tripled) = 4c
4 Barilla pastas - $1.50 each, used 4 55c q (tripled) = FREE for all
2 Dole frozen fruit - $3.75 each, used 2 75c q (tripled) = $1.50 each
2 Birdseye frozen veggies - $2.50 each, on sale for $2.00 each, used 2 50c q (tripled) = 50c each
2 Yoplait greek yogurts - $1.25 each, used 2 30c q (tripled) = 35c each
2 Oscar Mayer turkey bacon - $3.49 each, on sale for $2.50 each, used 2 75c q (tripled) = 25c each

What I've Learned from Being Pregnant with Twins

First of all, let me apologize for not having posted for a couple of weeks. I would love to be able to post daily or every other day, but like I said, my posts usually come straight from my life that day and things I think you guys might enjoy hearing about. I occassionally think of something and post about it, but I generally get inspired from life. Well that is what this post is all about.

Since being pregnant with twins, I have seriously had to slow down, sit down, calm down, and try to keep food down. It's been interesting. When I was pregnant with Luke, I wasn't sick a single day, could pretty much do most things, and would just be tired at night. With this pregnancy, I have been sick and exhausted since before I found out I was pregnant, and since I found out they were twins, I have really had to let myself sit down and relax, which for those who know me, know that is not how I like to be. It's harder for me to relax and "do nothing" than to clean my entire house, run errands, and do everything everyone needs.

Well I have figured out that life will not end, my house will not turn into a dump, and everyone will still manage if I don't do everything. It's not going to be like it normally is, but we will still manage. It's been a great revelation. My husband has been awesome. He has picked up the slack, picked up dinner, and picked me up when I feel awful. I can honestly say if it wasn't for him, our house would be way worse and things would be a lot harder. I have had to let go of my guilt and let him help.

I know that the rest of my pregnancy and when the twins are newborns, I am going to have to let go of my anal standards at times and also be willing to let other people help me. That is really hard for me as I am the type that likes to take care of things. I am praying now that I will realize letting others help me is actually a sign of strength not weakness. It's going to be a good learning experience for me.

The Art of Multi-tasking

Women are multi-taskers. We are very capable of getting many things done and usually all at the same time. We can be on the phone, make dinner, and help our kids with their homework. It is an art that really keeps our homes running and our kids alive. I thought that I would post a few tips that I have found on being a successful multi-tasker.

1) Try to keep the multi-tasking in the same room or area (especially if you are multi-tasking while cooking dinner or bathing your children). If you have a pot of water you are waiting on to boil, you can unload or reload the dishwasher or set the table for dinner. If you are bathing your children, while they are playing in the tub, you can wipe down their sink, toilet, and mirror. While you are waiting for something to download on the computer, you can quickly balance your checkbook or check over your calendar. When you are in the car waiting for carpool, you can make a grocery list and/or meal plan for the week.

2) Include the kids in the tasks. If you are straightening your island while you are cooking dinner, have them take things that belong in another room back to that room. You don't want to be running all over the house when you have hot pots on the stovetop.

3) While you are watching a movie or TV, do a chore that you really don't like during it. I find that if I am watching a show or movie I really enjoy, it doesn't make ironing or folding clothes seem so bad.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Please share your ideas for great multi-tasking.

Why I Must Be an Organized Homemaker

Okay, so I haven't felt like doing much of anything for the past 5+ weeks. Being pregnant with twins flat wears me out and the other symptoms make me not want to do what I usually do. I am the type or person that has to be organized or things either a) don't happen or b) happen but at the last minute and definitely not in the manner I would like.

Case in point that I must be organized:

I normally keep up with our checkbook a few times a week. It takes little to no time, but whenever I write a check, I enter it in and do the math. If we have an automated bill, I enter it in and do the math. If we get a paycheck, I enter it in and do the math. It is a very simple process and helps us know where we are at.

With my computer breaking over a month ago and then Lee's breaking this month, we didn't have access to our excel spreadsheets. I thought it would be fine since I physically pay (write a check or submit a payment online and have to reconcile the checkbook) on the first of the month as all the other bills are automated and we have the funds to cover it.

Not thinking about the fact that I haven't updated the checkbook in at least three weeks, I went to pay bills this morning. Like most people, the biggest percentage of our bills (mortgage, van, credit card, and a couple of other little things) happen on the first of the month. I paid everything but the credit card.

When I went to pay the credit card bill, I was short $200. I was freaking out. "How could we be short $200??? I mean we can move funds, but how is that possible? There should be about $1,500 not accounted for somewhere." Well I pulled up my bank account and saw lots more funds than what my checkbook showed.

It was then I realized I hadn't factored in a paycheck or about 3 weeks worth of bills. OOOOOOPS! So, I spent about 15 minutes entering in everything that I had missed and reconciling the account to find that I had a $1,300 extra after paying the credit card. I felt like a complete dummy, even though I knew the money had to be there, I couldn't find it.

Lesson learned:
Stay organized, especially on big things, like checkbook and bill-paying. It will save you time and a major headache. :)