Sunday, March 30, 2014

3-30-14

8:25pm


This afternoon we did our grocery shopping at Meijer
for the next two weeks or so.
This evening we went to Kroger to get pop and bread.
I can get them both cheaper at Kroger than at Meijer.
If you shop grocery stores in the evenings
you can usually find bakery items marked down
at a fraction of their original cost!!
Don't expect to find Kroger's marked down items
near the bakery.  Look in the dairy section.
Don't ask me why they do this but
I have seen this trend in several Kroger stores.

2 packs of Italian bread .25 cents each. (was $1.00 each)
2 six packs of cheese bagels .75 cents each (was $3.49 each)

Total before mark downs $7.98
Total after mark downs $2.00
TOTAL SAVINGS $5.98

I also found other bakery items marked
down to use for snacks and breakfasts.
I'll repackage them in freezer bags and put in the
freezer until needed.
Warm in microwave, yummy!

3 dozen doughnuts .99 cents each (was $2.99 each)
Cinnamon coffee cake rolls .99 cents (was $4.99)

Total cost before mark downs $9.16
Total cost after mark downs $3.96
TOTAL SAVINGS $5.20


Kroger and Meijer have or will quit doubling coupons.
That's ok, I still know how to shop for the best deals
and where to find them to feed my family
with a limited income without coupons!

Tonight supper is Tuna & Noodles.

2 boxes double cheeseburger hamburger helper $2.00
1 box mac n cheese .40 cents
2 cans tuna fish $1.40
1 can peas FREE
Bread & butter .50 cents

TOTAL COST $4.30
for 7 servings or .61 cents a serving.


9:05pm


Time to give my one child a hair cut before his shower.
This is another way we save bunches of money each year
by doing the hair cuts myself.
My 2 boys have never seen a barber shop
or have had anyone other than me cut their
hair for 13 - 14 years!
I've been cutting hubby's hair since we first got together
almost 15 years!

3-29-14

11:00am


It's the weekend so that means time to make
a menu and grocery list for this coming week
and the next week after that.
So a 2 week menu.
I think this week's groceries will come from Meijer
since they will be having their $1.00 sale.
Buy 10 sale items for $1.00 each get the 11th free.
I have figured $62.50 for groceries for the next two weeks.
Or $31.25 for groceries each week.
Plus the cost of any extra milk, pop, bread etc during those weeks.


BREAKFASTS

Waffles
Sausage & egg sandwiches
Pop tarts
Cereal
Juice

WEEKEND LUNCHES

Chicken patty sandwiches with mac n cheese
hot dogs with french fries

SUPPERS

1.  Beef stew
2.  Chicken pot pies
3.  Stir fry
4.  Chili dog casserole
5.  Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans
6.  Chili
7.  Entree? with baked beans & pasta
8.  Scalloped potatoes with smoked sausage
9.  Pork chops with apple stuffing 
10.  Homemade pizzas
11.  Chicken parmesan spaghetti
12.  Tuna & noodles, peas, bread & butter
13.  BBQ chicken legs, mac & cheese, corn
14.  Chili dog casserole


SNACKS

Pizza rolls
Chex mix
Carrots with ranch dip
Caramel brownies
Cheez Its
Jello
Pudding


3:20pm


Went out and about and it's pretty rainy out!
I'm used to having my truck underneath the carport
and now it's sitting in the driveway because
hubby's been working on the TA under the carport.
My little leak in my windshield seal has gotten worse
so I found out today after getting in the truck
and sitting in a wet spot, ahhh.
It's pretty much leaking all across the top of the windshield.
Now upon returning home I have put a tarp across
the top of the truck and windshield.
Looks so lovely but I won't be walking into
any stores later on looking like I peed myself
because of a wet seat!
Sometime during warmer weather
I'll pull of the windshield trim and caulk it.


6:15pm


Sitting here watching the news and the follow ups
about the mumps cases at OSU
which seems to be spreading.
I worry about it because hubby's apartment complex
houses a lot of OSU students.
Hubby tells me that there's a possible
2 cases in the complex from OSU students.
We've all had our mumps shots.
Hubby can't remember if he had mumps
when he was little or not.
Very rarely if you've had mumps do you get them again.
The kids have had the second MMR booster
when entering 8th grade.
They say if you've only had one dose that
you should get the booster dose.
Always something to worry about
especially if you don't have a very good immune
system like myself with Crohns.

Friday, March 28, 2014

3-28-14

12:15pm


I got two offers to go thrift store shopping this week 
and I didn't even have to ask!  That never happens.
Usually I'm asking for someone to go with me.

I found some cheap food to stock the pantry with.

4 cans tomato soup .39 cents each.
(about .80 cents each at Kroger)

2 cans ravioli .39 cents each.
($1.00 each on sale at Kroger.)

1 pound spaghetti .59 cents.
($1.00 on sale at Kroger)

16 ounce salsa .59 cents.
($1.00 on sale at Meijer)

2 three in one acne body wash .59 cents each.

Bath & Body Works mens body spray $1.99.
($12.00 from Bath & Body)

2 Avon Naturals body sprays .99 cents each.
($9.00 each from Avon)

Moonlight Way body mist .99 cents.

2 boxes Purex all in one complete 22 loads each .99 cents each.
(reg. $4.97 each at Walmart)

100 make your own address sticker labels .99 cents.

And my biggest splurge was a
LCD HDTV with DVD for $9.99!!




Here's a hint/tip for using cheap body sprays...
body spray of course lol,
room air freshener,
linen spray (spray on sheets & pillows on the bed)
& car deodorizer.


3:15pm


We don't have much.  We struggle for what we have.
We don't have an overflowing bank account
and watch every penny spent trying to make the best of it.
But yet I still feel guilty for living the high life.
How can I have a high life living this lifestyle you ask.
When you take your child to a friend from schools
apartment and they return and say,
"mom, there are so many people living in that
2 bedroom apartment you could hardly move.
And also, they don't hardly have any furniture,
they don't even have any beds!
If ever you think you've got it bad,
there are people out there much worse off than you!!!






Thursday, March 27, 2014

3-27-14

11:50am


Went to the thrift store yesterday to pick up
a couple of shirts for my son.
They grow like weeds and everyday it seems
like I am tossing an article or two of clothing
aside because they say it is too small.
2 of the shirts I bought were half price
and only .50 cents each which is a good price
at the thrift store.  The others were $1.99 each.
That was all I got from the thrift store.
They were pretty much cleaned out from
having a half price sale the day before.
Remember they have half price sales at
different thrift stores the last
Tuesday or Wednesday of the month
depending on the store.


Today for supper I am making 
I will be using some of the chicken from
the 10 pound bag of chicken leg quarters
that Kroger sells for $6.80.  You can't
beat .68 cents a pound for chicken at the moment!
In that bag you get about 9 chicken leg quarters
which is 9 legs and 9 thighs.

Chicken & Dumplings

3 chicken leg quarters cut up
1 carton chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can carrots
2 celery ribs diced
chicken seasoning 

The recipe didn't call for potatoes but I had
3 potatoes that needed used up so I
chopped them up, boiled and tossed them
in the soup also.

Cook in crock for about 2 - 3 hours.
Place canned biscuits on top on chicken soup
about 30 - 40 minutes before serving.
Cook til biscuits are done.




---


Monday, March 24, 2014

3-24-14

3:15PM


Well St. Anns just called again for the second
time in a couple of days.
It appears that you have to apply multiple times
for financial assistance for different hospital stays
even though they were a month apart from one another.  
Even though the income hadn't changed and it
will be the same income verification as the first one!
AHHHH!
Do they not know how hard it is to get income
verification through hubby's work?!
The last income verification hubby brought home
from his boss was a disaster.
He only put where he worked and for how long
and what pay he made an hour.
Helloooo, I think the hospital would want to know
how many hours per week he worked
to get an idea of how much he made.
Sooo that paper got wadded up and threw into the trash
and never got turned in for another doctor bill.
OK carrying on trying not to get a headache
with this whole ordeal.


Onto other things.
Did anyone read in the Columbus Dispatch
this past Saturday
where they might be going to totally free lunches
for everyone.  Right now they have 
free breakfasts for all students.
The reason they want to go this route is because
72% of Columbus students already
qualify for free lunches.
Another 8% qualifies for reduced lunches (that's us)
and the other 20% either don't qualify or
haven't filled out paperwork to probably qualify.
I think elementary students pay $2.25 for lunches
and middle and high school pay $2.75.
Reduced lunches are .40 cents a lunch.
I pay .80 cents a day for my children or $4.00 a week.
That's roughly $144 a year spent on lunches
at a reduced rate.  Give or take because
I didn't account for school days off.

With all the talking of food I heard on the news
that the cost of groceries will be going up.
They say to expect to pay an extra $100 each year or more now.

And onto even more other things.
Tonight hubby's taking me to check out a
like new mattress left behind by a resident.
Totally being inspected if we should bring it home!
We've been needing a newer mattress.
We've had ours about 9 years
and it was given to us from my brother who had
it for I don't know how long.
Too bad it doesn't have a head and foot board
because we need a newer one also.
We bought it new and it's 9 years old as well.
It's one of those iron ones with scrolls on it
and the foot board metal scrolls have broke
and we have just dealt with it being broken.
We have not had any luck in finding 
a head and foot board but keep looking.


9:20PM


It has been a very interesting night to say the least.
Me and hubby went over to his work and
I got to check out the mattress set.
I didn't think it would work for us because
it felt too firm.  I guess I'm afraid of getting
a "new" mattress and backaches again.
Anyways, I mention to hubby about getting
a memory foam mattress topper from another
vacant apartment.  This is the apartment
we got the free food out of this past weekend.
It was an eviction and that is how it came to be vacated.
So we get to this apartment and it's dark outside.
A few street lights shined on the backside of the 
apartment that was near a parking lot.
We entered the apartment through the patio door.
I went first and slid open the door.
Almost complete darkness inside the apartment
except for some light shining in through the windows
from outside.  I had taken a couple of steps into
the dark apartment with hubby right behind me.
I immediately smell a strong smell of something
that wasn't there the other day when I was here.
Before I could even ask hubby what the smell was
I hear this high pitched "Hellooo" coming from one corner of
the living room..  I about jumped out of my skin!!
I could somewhat make out two girls sitting there in the dark.
I said to hubby is this the right apartment,
knowing it was but was kind of stunned and didn't
know what else to say or do at that moment.
He says yes and we walk out immediately and close the door
to gather our thoughts about what just happened.
We walked back to our truck and
called the maintenance guy on emergency call
who lives on the property.  He came over.
We told him that there were people in a vacant 
apartment smoking dope.
He called the police.
I stayed put in the truck while hubby and
the other guy went around the building.
I was so scared, stressed out and really felt like
opening my truck door and puking.
They were gone too long and every bad thought
was going through my head.
I kept an eye out for the police but I guess
they had parked on the other side of the building
where I could not see them arrive and
entered the building with guns drawn.
I guess by the time the police got there
the people had left.  I think there was up to 5
maybe more.  
I now have a headache and a neck ache from the stress
of this evening and took a few ibuprofen.
I keep reliving in my mind walking into
that apartment and someone saying hello
from the darkness.  That totally freaked me out
knowing no one should even be there.
Didn't get the mattress topper.
I think I'll wait til another day to get it.
In about 20 years of being around or employed at
 apartment complexes I can say I've
never had that happen to me before.




Sunday, March 23, 2014

3-23-14

10:55am


I haven't done much this past week
other than get my hair cut this past Tuesday.
I don't get it cut but maybe once a year if that.
It's been needing it especially after being sick
and going through lots of medicines in the hospital.
My hair was falling out there for awhile being
on my medicines.  I still haven't taken my regular
prescription medicine for Crohn's and have been doing
fine without it.  Now I've been trying to decide
which color to color it.  I've been wanting to try
a red color to do something different and then
maybe change back over to blonde by this Summer.
I haven't been able to bring myself to do the red just yet, lol.
I do have the hair coloring in a medium auburn color.

Hubby's been on call all week.
During the week we've only had like one call
then the weekend hit and we spent about 6 hours
or so at his work yesterday doing
emergency maintenance.

Today it's the usual, tidying house,
getting ready for work and school tomorrow,
laundry and grocery shopping.
Oh FYI, Kroger will be running sales ads
from Wednesday to Wednesday instead
of their Monday to Monday.

Part of this weeks menu will be from food 
found in a vacated apartment from hubby's work-
spaghetti sauces, gravy, green beans, tomato soup,
2 bags of Omaha Steak brand meatballs,
6 Omaha Steak brand hamburger patties,
hash browns.
These meals are made for a family of 4 with leftovers
for hubby's week day lunches at work.

Here's the menu I whipped up for this week...

BREAKFASTS

1. - 2.  Doughnuts. (marked down)
Watch for bakery doughnuts to be marked down
later in the evening at stores!
3. - 7.  Sausage & egg sandwiches.
Maple sausage patties have been on sale for $2.50.
One package of 8 will make the kids
breakfast for 4 days.

WEEKEND LUNCHES

1.  Frozen Kroger pizzas (on sale $3.33 Kroger rising crust pizzas)
2.  Leftover tuna & noodles

1.  Chicken & dumplings.
Chicken ($2.25), Canned carrots (.60 cents)
1 can cream of chicken (.80 cents), chicken broth (free),
canned biscuits ($1.00)
TOTAL COST $4.65

2.  Meatball subs with a side of macaroni & cheese
meatballs (free),  sauce (free), 8 hoagie buns (.80 cents) 
velveeta style cheese on top ($1.00),
macaroni & cheese (.40 cents)
TOTAL COST $2.20.

3.  Spaghetti ($1.00) Sauce (free)
& meatballs (free) with garlic bread ($1.69)
TOTAL COST $2.69

4.  Fried potato hash browns (free) with smoked sausage ($1.00)
TOTAL COST $1.00

5.  Corn flake chicken with mashed potatoes, 
and creamed mushroom green beans
Corn flakes (free), Chicken ($2.25), 
Mashed potatoes (free), Green beans (.70 cents),
Cream of mushroom soup (.70 cents)
TOTAL COST $3.65

6.  Scalloped potatoes 
(3 packages $2.40) & smoked sausage ($1.00)
TOTAL COST $3.40

7.  Goulash with a side of bread & butter.
2 boxes macaroni & cheese (.80 cents)
1 can tomato soup (.70 cents)
1 can diced tomatoes ($1.00)
bread & butter (.75 cents)
TOTAL COST $3.25

8.  Sloppy joes
1.5 pounds hamburger (free), sloppy joe sauce ($1.00),
bread (.50 cents)
TOTAL COST $1.50

9.  BBQ chicken quesadillas (makes 10 so some
can go towards lunch the next day)
with a side of taco rice.
Chicken ($2.25), BBQ sauce ($1.20),
Tortillas ($1.50), taco flavored rice (free)
TOTAL COST 

AFTER SCHOOL SNACKS

Spam toasted sandwiches
Pizza rolls
Carrots with ranch dip
Celery with peanut butter


Whelp gotta go.  The emergency pager just went off.
Was trying to time our trip to the grocery store
when going out on call.
Hmmm, that worked out well don't ya think lol.
Get paid to drive to work and the store.


1:30pm


Back home.
Managed to get some mark down items
on my grocery list like celery, hoagie buns
and not on my list but got to put back for
a Christmas or birthday present,
an Old Spice gift set with full sized
body wash, body spray and deodorant.
Was $10 marked down to $3.00.


Once home we got the groceries put away
and I got 10 pounds of chicken leg quarters
put in my crock pot trio.
I'm going to cook them up ahead of time
and freeze them once deboned and skinned
so it takes less time to make meals out of them
later on.





Sunday, March 16, 2014

3-15-14

1:15pm


The day is going by too fast.
Got up and went to the scrap metal place.
Made $80 and some change.
From there we headed to the thrift store.
I had to buy more things for the diaper cake
like little toys and what not to decorate it.
From the thrift store we went to Jegs to get
hubby a torque converter for the TA.
Something he's been wanting and asking for
for quite awhile.  He deserves a splurge because
he works his butt off for us!!
Stopped by Little Ceaser on the way home
because we have the one kid spending the night
with us and that's an extra mouth to feed.
I got 2 large pepperoni pizzas for $10 PLUS
I used 2 coupons for 2 orders of FREE
crazy bread and 2 orders of sauce!
I saved $5.00.


6:00pm


For supper I made chili dog casserole.
Wrap hot dogs with canned biscuits.
Spoon canned chili, in my case it was chili no beans,
into bottom of casserole dish.
Place hot dogs on top and bake 350
until biscuits are done.
Remove from oven and top with a 
package of shredded cheddar cheese.
Return to oven for about 5 more minutes 
until cheese has melted.
I did up a double batch with 
2 packages of hot dogs, 2 cans chili,
2 cans biscuits and 2 cups of cheese.
There was enough leftover for lunch the next day.



---


Saturday, March 15, 2014

3-14-14

4:00pm

Ok this tornado can stop anytime now
meaning all this crazy wind we've been having.
It's not been putting me in a good mood.
For starters I'm tired of this new recycling program
the city has.  Sure it's a wonderful idea and all...
IF they would pick it up!!
City trash has no problem picking up trash
so why is there a problem with picking up our recycling can?!
Numerous complaints later and there is still
a problem with them picking up the side streets.
I mean week after week, month after month, complaining
of not dumping the recycling bins.
Today just pissed me off royally.
If my recycling had been picked up this morning
like everyone elses then I would not have been
outside cleaning up the recycling bin that the strong winds
blew over and the shit that blew everywhere.
I was told they would come back to pick
up the ones they missed and that is why
my can was still out there.
I'm just pissed at the mess I had to clean up
that should of never happened to begin with!!
I'm tired of their promises of picking it up,
coming back to pick it up, blah blah blah.
I think I'm just going to throw everything
in the trash can from now on.
Screw this recycling program.

Then with this wind I look like I'm trying to
do a magic trick with my double gates across the driveway.
I'd grab one side to close, walk to grab the other gate
only to have the other gate blow back open.
Then when I can finally grab them both
I look as though I just tamed a lion saying
A HA victory!
People driving by looking at me weird.



Thursday, March 13, 2014

3-13-14

1:45pm


I've been in Spring cleaning mode.
Going through things, dusting, cleaning windows and screens
(the ones removable from the inside of the house).
Fun fun.


---

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

3-12-14

Ok this Ohio weather sucks.
This was yesterday 24 hours ago
69 degrees and sunny.

And today- rain, sleet & snow
and 31 degrees.

These last couple of days hubby has been doing
a side job of shower tile repair.
Had to rip out the tile, part of the wall
and replace it all with new.
Tonight we grout and are done.
3 day job considering it is done in the evenings
and we had to go shopping on the second day for supplies.
Day 1
 Day 2


---

3-10-14

1:05pm


Worked some on the diaper cake this morning making flowers.
Now I'm working on a couple of sheet cakes
made with a white cake mix and about
a half pound of cut up strawberries.
Will make some cream cheese vanilla pudding frosting for the cake
and then top with some sugared strawberries.


3:00pm



Monday, March 10, 2014

3-7-14

3:15pm


I survived me and mom's shopping trip today.
Went to 2 thrift stores, Ollies, Buybacks, Kroger
and Captain D's.
I spent about $5.00 on things from the thrift store 
for the diaper cake.
like baby socks (both boy and girl since we don't know the sex)
a pair of booties, rubber bands
and some decorative butterflies.
Tomorrow I'm on the hunt for a wicker basket
and basket filler and a stuffed animal and then
hopefully I'll have everything I need to make it.
Right now I'm in a lot of pain.
Not saying it wasn't there earlier but it's
getting uncomfortable now.
I take ibuprofen during the day
and a pain pill before bed.
I keep chalking it up from my cough which
seems to be getting better which doesn't make
sense as to why the rib pain, which is now
going into my back, is not getting better.
Oh well I complain about it but deal with it
and trudge on because I don't want anymore doctor bills.
Working on getting paperwork from hubby's work
still to try and get his one doctor bill waived or reduced.

9:50pm


We had our auto mechanic come out tonight
to check out hubby's car to see what may be 
wrong with it smoking out the tailpipe.
We didn't know if we should sell it, scrap
it or try to fix it.  The smoke is blue which tells me it's oil.  
I'd really hate to loose this car because it
still runs good if that makes any sense.
It just puts out lots of smoke from the tailpipe which can't be good.
Anyways the guy said it was the manifold gaskets
or something to that affect as my head feels like
I got a good buzz going because of taking a pain pill
and probably aren't thinking too clearly at the moment.
He's charging us $120 to take apart the top half
of the motor to replace the gaskets and spark plugs.
I thought that was pretty good for that kind of labor.
That won't happen til tomorrow morning though
as it was too dark out tonight for him to do it.
He guessed it would take about 3 hours.
I'd of hate to of seen how much this would
have cost at Goodyear to have done!
Well I'm gonna jump off here and probably head to
bed soon.   Pain pills are making me woozy.