I think my blog died. I seriously thought about putting this post off until later this summer to celebrate my one year break from blogging! I figured I’d forget to blog about it then.

My husband asked if I wanted to get rid of my blog. I considered it. I rarely even look at it. It’s no longer my homepage. I don’t even read many blogs at all anymore.

I decided against ditching it though. Even my frugal self could handle the $10 a year it cost to keep it.

Besides, I’m sentimental. My then boyfriend, now husband set it all up for me. It sort of chronicles our meeting, dating, engagement, and the beginning of our marriage. I met many good friends here. I used it as a hobby, diary, photo album…

Even though I look back and almost cringe sometimes at what I’ve written, I still really like a lot of it. It was all me. It shows things I thought about, things that were important to me, things that are still important to me, and ways I’ve changed.

Once when I was in high school, I found an old journal from middle school. In middle school, I fancied I’d like to become a novelist. When I found the old journal and read some of my entries I was horrified at my writing. It had several over the top adjectives in front of every single noun!

The enormous glorious live oaks gave splendid shade from their gnarling, moss covered limbs, to the ever winding, old fashioned dirt road.

Yeah, it was bad. So, I did what any reasonably thinking teenager (oxymoron, I know! ) would do. I destroyed it! I ripped it into shreds and disposed of it.

And now I miss it. I would love to have it and read over my silly little fancies.

So this little ol’ blog will be hanging around still. And who knows? One day, in a calmer sort of life, it may become my hobby again.

There are some pretty nice coupons available for printing right now. I though it might be nice for my Redeeming Lives friends to have them all in one place for printing. Thanks Common Sense with Money and Coupon Cravings for the links!

$1.50/1 half gallon of Bluebell ice cream

$.50/1 Bic Wite-out correction product (save for school supply sales!)

$2/1 Tucks products (Walmart possibly has a take along size for $2.64)

$1.50/1 Blue Bunny 6 pack Champs cones

$10.50 worth of Beech-nut coupons

$1.00/1 Cottonelle (you have to take a pledge first) (it’s been reported that the 4 pack is on roll back at Wal-mart for $1…I haven’t been able to find it at the Gulfport Walmart.)

$1/1 Vasaline aloe (supposedly a trial size at Walmart for $.97)

$1/1 Kotex (you can find these for $1 at Wal-mart and they are often ECB or RR deals at the drugstores)

I hope you find some useful coupons here. Also, don’t forget to check for coupons at Coupons.com and Smartsource.com. There are always lots of great coupons there.

I have a facebook group called Redeeming Lives, mostly made up of family, friends, and people from my church who know me in real life and are trying to get the hand of this couponing thing. I’ve offered to list CVS deals and realized Facebook Wall posts have character limits! My husband suggested I move the deals here and link to them…

This is a pretty good week at CVS so you’re gonna wanna go! Don’t forget to ask for rainchecks if they are out of anything you want! Especially if it’s free!

These are not all the deals, but it’s some of the best. If you follow my directions you should spend less than $5.00 out of pocket (OOP). You will want to do at least two transactions.

Transaction #1

(3) Post Trail Mix Crunch cereal 3/$10.00 (earn $5.00 ECBs)

Subtotal: $10.00

Use:

(3) $2.00 Post cereal coupons (should be a limit of three on this coupon)

New total: $4.00 (earned $5.00 ECBs!)

Transaction #2

(1) Caliber or CVS Transparent or Invisible Tape $1.49 (Sun/Mon deal only) (earn $1.49 ECB)
(2) Caliber or CVS no. 2 pencils 10 ct or double blade pencil sharpener $0.99 each (earn $1.98 ECB’s)
(1) CVS brand pantiliners 22 ct $0.89 (earn $.89 ECB)
(2) Dawn dish liquid 10.3 oz. 2/$2.00 (earn $1 ECB)

Subtotal: $6.36

Use:

(2) $.25 Dawn coupons (in 7/5 Proctor and Gamble insert in Sunday’s paper)
$5.00 ECB’s from Transaction #1

New total: $.86 (earned $5.36 ECB’s)

Summary:
Total value of products: $16.36
Total OOP: $4.86
Total ECB’s to roll: $5.36

Carly is not our dog. Anyone who knows me well knows that I really am not much of a pet person. I consented to two cats, that stay outside, that I never, ever have to take care of myself.

Shiloh is my polar opposite, I sometimes believe. We are about as different at two people can be. That being said, she adores animals, has plans on being a zoologist, veterinarian, rancher, breeder, humane society volunteer and all other vocations that involve dealing with animals. She happily takes care of the pets and the idea of mucking a stable is intriguing to her (yucko!)

Carly is my mother-in-laws doggie.

Shiloh loves Carly.

On Thursday, Rebekah was invited to a birthday party for another little girl at our church. It was going to be a dress-up tea party. I was so excited.

I adore my oldest daughter, but I’ve missed out on quite a bit of the girlie parts of having a daughter since she’s absolutely horrified by the thought of painting her fingernails and wearing a tiara.

Bekah, however, has no problem with any of this. In fact, she quite enjoys it!

We got up early to get her ready. We painted nails and added little flower stickers. We tried on a few dress up outfits before deciding the tutu with a tank top was the coolest option. We even tore the house apart looking for her princess high heels. And miraculously, we found both of them. Not true for her tiara, we found that after the party. We did wear a nice girlie, pink, butterfly headband though. It worked in a pinch.

The party was adorable. There were four little two year old girls, running around in dress up shoes, tutus, and all sorts of fine dress up items. They had their own little table with a cake and sandwiches!

And I got to hang out with a group of mom’s for awhile as our kids destroyed someone else’s house. (Sorry Kim!) It was grand fun. I am really looking forward to more girlie days with my youngest!

When I started blogging about four years ago, I was a great blogging friend. I visited all my favorite blogs, every single day. I commented frequently. I read the archives of new blogs I found and enjoyed.

Now, four years later, I look at my blogroll. That’s it…look at it, wonder what those girls I used to know everything about are doing and then scamper off to do whatever it is that is filling my former blogging time. This summer, for the first time in about a year, I’ve been revisiting some of my old favorites! While I haven’t been much of a commenter (hey they may come back here and see this blog I’ve let the life dwindle out of…) I have been relishing some really great reading. I remember why I loved reading others blogs so much!

My blogroll still needs a bit of updating…there are bloggers listed who no longer blog, or have changed blog addresses. But some of my favorites are still doing their thing and doing it well.

So, if you enjoy great writers from real life mothers, who have a lovely knack for putting things into perspective, I highly recommend you read the following blogs! I have been enjoying revisiting these ladies this past week and wonder why I stopped visiting. They are fantastic!

Beck @ Frog and Toad are Friends

Mopsy @ Lifenut

Veronica @ Toddled Dredge

Kristen @ We are THAT Family

Hope you enjoy reading as much as I have!

Because, what’s more fun than having a cannon blast water into your chest?

I received my new flip video today and I’ve had a blast playing with it! It is so easy to use! The kids loved “making movies” for me. Here’s Landon showing how cultured he is by reciting a lovely poem entitled, The Goops. He learned this in first grade from his very cultured teacher, my mother.

Enjoy!

Last week’s menu plan really helped a lot. I didn’t stick to it perfectly, but it helped me not do the stare at the pantry/freezer trying what to decide to cook at 5:00 p.m. It worked out great with softball games going on this week…

So here’s the plan for this week. (I’m just posting dinners this week.)

Monday – BBQ ribs, fresh corn on the cob, cucumber slices
Tuesday – french toast, sausage
Wednesday – pizza
Thursday – lemon pepper chicken, Brussels sprouts, fruit
Friday – chili dogs

Lunches will mostly be sandwiches or soups, salads, crackers, and fruit. I may substitute a Mac-n-cheese one day!

And dessert for the week…blueberry pie!

I’m getting to the end of my meat stockpile, so I need to shop pretty badly. I’m hoping my menu will become more interesting after a grocery store trip. That won’t be until next week though!

For more Menu Plan Mondays check out I’m an Organizing Junkie.