Look what I found!!!

I found this at the Goodwill today for $5.00! A coffee table, for $5.00!!I just happened to see it just moments after someone put it out. I wasn't thru shopping yet, but I went directly to check out before someone else got it.

I have darker funiture in my living room, and this new table helps lighten things up! I wonder what Jason will say? Well, he usually just likes to see me happy and this find makes me really, really happy!

Seasoning

My mom made me this jar of seasoning for Christmas. We use it on everything. It is called House Seasoning by Paula Deen.

She even put the recipe on the back:She aslo gave me these cute measuring spoons:

Beef Stew...

I found an easy recipe in a Publix magazine for beef stew:It turned out great!

Since we haven't been eating out much I have been craving grease! So I made french fries tonight, and they were gooooood!

I think that I am going to start baking more. I made these cookies last night and we have already eaten them all!

My new Hutch

I have wanted a hutch like this for awhile. I have been looking for one on Craigslist for months. I saw a lot of hutches for sale. But I really liked this style. We did not have much to spend on it, so I waited and waited and waited. I also checked the listings daily. I saw this one only 35 minutes after it had been posted for $50!!! I jumped on it. I almost got a different style for $65 but I am glad that I held out.

I am not sure what I will do with it. I don't really like the oak. I will eventually re-paint it all white or all black. I am leaning towards white. We will see.

This will be our last big purchase for awhile. This was a late Christmas present.

Weekly Grocery Trip/Dinner

Here is what I bought at publix this week: I spent a total of $67 dollars and had $10 in coupons. I am new at coupons so this is very exciting for me! My total saving at publix this week was $44.02!!!

We did stop at publix after church to pick up sandwich meat and a double paper. We used the mystery coupon and got a role of paper towels for .1! Then when I went back to stock up for the week, I got another roll for .1 (since I had two coupons from the double paper). I did forget butter and cat litter and I need contact solution, so I will have go to Walmart this week.

I used to never make a list, or use coupons. Now I do.

I have changed the way I do things to save money. For example:

I now but whole carrots and cut them up myself. I got a 3 lb bag on sale for .87! Much cheaper than buying the precut ones.

I also make Marley peanut butter crackers for her snack at school using saltines instead of buying premade crackers.

I love the buy one get one free sales at publix and I get excited when I can use a coupon too.

We only eat out once a week now, on Friday nights. The last two Fridays we were at birthday parties, but we did count them as eating out. I used to eat fast food at least two times a week, sometimes three. Now I have only had it once in two weeks.

I am not buying Coke products anymore. We are drinking more sweet tea and I have found a few store brands that I like (Dr. Publix).

I loved eating out on Sundays after Church. But now we stop at Publix on our way home and buy deli sandwich meat/cheese. I am getting used to it.

For dinner this week:

Sunday - Shrimp and pasta
Monday - Beef Stew
Tuesday - Pasta and Salad
Wednesday - Baked Chicken with Rice and Broccoli
Thursday - Country Fried Steak (deer) with Potatoes and Green Beans
Friday - eat out!!!
Saturday - we will cook something in the freezer

Red Fox

On our way home from Church this morning we decided to take the "deer loop" (a detour past several fields where we might see deer). We knew that we would not see deer, because I had my camera! But we were lucky to see this red fox. We watched him for about 1 minute before he saw us and ran off. He was pretty big and had a big bushy tail. He was about to lay down in this picture:

New Background

Marley has been begging me to add a background to our blog. She often sits with me while I view other blogs, and she loves all the colorful backgrounds. I was overwhelmed by all of the choices, so I let the girls pick out the design. Claudia really wanted the strawberries and she jumped up and down when she saw it!

My Cuddle Bugs

This is Marley and Claudia watching Sponge Bob last night. They both wanted "the spot" on the couch, so they shared it. I am so glad that they get along so well!

100 Book Club

Marley's school had the 100 Book club celebration today. All the first graders had to read 100 books by December 1st. All the kids got t-shirts and certificates. Malrey was very excited!

Misc.

Cheerleading is finally over! We had a banquet on Thursday. Marley took this picture of her trophies, and you can see the slide show in the background. Jason made a mini shrimp boil for dinner tonight - a little something to help cure the winter blues!

I went to publix today, used a coupon for all but two thing and this is what I got for $35:

I know it doesn't look like much, but I worked really hard gathering all the coupons and searching the weekly ad, I am proud of myself!

Biscuits

Marley and I made biscuits the other night:

I also used the left over dough to make her and Claudia a special treat with cinnamon and sugar. Mom do you remember doing this for me? I do.

They turned out great! I love bisquick!

Cheer Nationals

Happy New Year!!!!

Christmas

Mom- I know you have been waiting to see Christmas pictures, sorry it took me so long to post them!

We had a busy Christmas: Christmas Eve Lunch with the Crabtree Family, Christmas Eve with the Frets Family (minus 1/2 the Frets'), Christmas Eve night the elves were hard at work putting together bunk beds, Christmas morning at home, Christmas afternoon with the Russell Family, Christmas with the other 1/2 of the Frets on Saturday.