"Ketchup" blog #1: Our first big Publix shopping trip!

November 19-20th

First dose of very cool weather.

Saturday, Georgia Bulldogs football game, seats on the 50 yard line, my first trip to Athens. This adventure was long awaited, but a surprise when the day finally came! (I know you are thinking what has a GA football game have to do with a tale about a Publix's Run? Hold on, I am building up to it....imagine....)
My husband called me and said he had tickets to the GA game on Saturday if I could see if the kiddos could visit the grandparents at the lake. Extended visit with the grandkids was welcomed. So on the long but exciting drive to Athens, I had my treasured coupon binder, note pad and the Publix sales paper. My Hubby and I talked about many different topics (much needed adult conversation-because during November & December I see him even less due to the peak season for UPS.) When there was a lull in the conversation, I opened the Publix ad and started taking notes on all the B1G1 opportunities. As I did so, I flipped through the binder and took out the matching coupons. What is wonderful about Publix is that if it is a B1G1 deal you can use a coupon on each if you have them and if you follow the rules.

I ended up with 1 1/2 pages of items to purchase (or walk out with for FREE), an envelope of coupons, and my courage. But then, I looked at the sales paper and found that the sales in that particular paper ended that night. There was a slim chance I would make it back home after the GA game in time to go shopping.

DAWGS WON! We stopped in Gray, GA for some celebratory bbq at Old Clinton BBQ, yum! Needless to say, I did not make it Publix before it closed. Sigh. But it was a wonderful vacation from the normal everyday routine!

Sunday morning (very early), I went to Publix to buy a couple of the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspapers. When I got out to my car, you would have thought I was Charlie from Willy Wonka opening the last chocolate bar and finding the Golden Ticket!!! The new Publix sales paper had even better deals and steals in it than the one the day before!!! I went home to ready for church, while my head spun with the possibilities of the upcoming challenge.

Sunday afternoon, Vicious and I went back to the lake to get the kids only to deliver them to their dad for a few days. While on the road, Vicious drove and I developed the battle plan.

We arrived at Publix, binder and courage in tow, just minutes after 8pm. We took our time going down every aisle, examining the merchandise and checking and double checking our list and coupons. Vicious keeps the binder, the list, and checks things off after they are in the cart. She also acts as my back-up brain. Although I have meticulously written out the list, the coupons being used, the money being saved and spent and it all makes sense, I can't make sense of it once I am in the store. I started getting a little panicky. Heart-racing, jitters, cold sweat, hot flashes, my goodness you would have thought I was menopausal! HA!

By the time we got to the end of our list there were only a few items left and no room left in the cart. I nervously walked back to the front of the store for a second cart. As I am returning to Vicious, I noticed the store manager eye-ing me closely, and not in the flirty way either;) I am sure he was thinking: "Okay, these two ladies have been in here almost two hours; what are they up to with a second cart?"

Stacks of toilet paper and paper towels, coffee creamer, cheese, shampoo, and deodorant fill up the second cart. Before we staked our place in a line, we pulled off to the side and went through our list again, checked and double checked each and every coupon, and then said a little prayer. As we neared the check out, I was nauseous. The manager spied that we were heading to the front and kindly open another lane just for us. A sweet little girl, looking barely over 16 years old, smiled and greeted us. A chatterbox bagger came to her rescue and for our entertainment.

"Are you ladies Extreme Couponers like on the tv show? Where is the camera crew?"

"Us? Ha! No. Not quite. Just trying to save some money."

"Wow! Look how much you have saved so far! That's pretty good. How long have you been couponing?

"Not long, this is actually our first BIG trip. (Under my breath, I think I am going to be sick. Where is the panic button?)

As the checker kept swiping the items, the rising total flashed before our eyes on the convenient display screen by the debit machine. As the cost went up we noticed a second total of what we were saving and it was almost matching the the amount we were to spend. After all the items were scanned, the coupons thoroughly examined and scanned, our grand total saved was...$202.57! Our total cost was $203.32 before taxes!(Pictured above is all of the items that were FREE!!! Now double this and add a few other items and you can see why we needed the two carts. Praise the Lord for our bountiful pantry!)

With two carts full of bagged groceries, a huge sigh (from holding my breath as the last few coupons were approved and scanned) and a lighter step, I thought to myself. This is going to be do-able! I like going home saving 50% on my groceries. We had purchased multiples of many items that before I would only purchase one, and then return the next week for the same item. By purchasing multiples, I can go weeks maybe even a month without purchasing the same item until it is on sale again.
Until next time,
Mama D

"Ketchup"

Ever had one of those days? weeks? months? year? where you feel all you are doing is playing "ketchup"? Now I am not referring to the condiment but the southern accented expression for "getting caught up on everything that needs to be done" (disclaimer on the picture: #1 why is this woman sitting down? Don't we do most of our "ketchup" standing up running from one thing to the next? and #2 Is the martini necessary? maybe some would think so. HA!)

Since my last post (if the date wasn't on it, I wouldn't remember when it was posted) two weeks ago, so very much has happened! From interviewing a new family for the school, to learning new skills domestic and artistic, to scrambling up (& gobbling up) Thanksgiving meals, to Black Friday deals, to extremely successful shopping trips, to packing up Fall decor and putting out winter and Christmas dainties, to enjoying my husband and babies (my ever growing & maturing brood of young'uns my own & those of other mothers) the fun never ends and the chores never stop multiplying.

So I am playing "ketchup" with everything. Vicious so gently reminded me that I needed to blog about the wonderful things that have happened with our many new experiments around here. So I plan to do so, one day at a time.

I am sure this idea of "ketchup" is not foreign to many of you. Especially around the holiday season, we somehow find ways to fit in extra chores, visits, trips to town, baking, gift wrapping, etc. It is a good thing teachers have the Christmas vacation time to play "ketchup," but what about everyone else that works through the season?

I pray that as you find yourself swimming in "ketchup" that you will RISE above it all and rejoice that you have family, friends, and health!

Merry Christmas!
Mama D

Breaking the Cycle of Self-Deception

Good Morning! Although it is dreary outside, I rejoice for the promise of LIFE in God's Word! (I must warn you that today's topic is as deep as it is long. I hope you have a little extra time to invest.)

A particular sweet routine has developed over the course of the last week or so. My husband's alarm sounds at 6:30am, he leaves the bedroom, returns five minutes later and then starts his morning grooming ritual: shower, shave, dress, check the weather, shoes, and then disappears again. (All this is going on while I am still in bed, a small blessing from starting the school in my home.) At promptly 6:55am, my husband returns with a yummy cup of coffee for me (which translates: I love you), says his goodbye, and then he is off to work and I won't see him until 4pm. As I drink my coffee, I contemplate the day, check the weather, shower (I don't take the coffee in the shower with me only because the shower is not equipped with a cup holder:), dress, wake kids, then sit down to hear from God, whether through Bible reading or a tv evangelist.

Today's message (on tv) sparked an interest with me especially. This past Sunday in children's church the lesson was on Cain. Not the typical story I grew up learning, but one of self-deception. As you may recall, our downward spiral throughout history has been one of deception, thanks to the serpent that beguiled Eve in the garden. Because of Eve & Adam's sin of doubt(self-deception) and/or disobedience, death entered into our world. Think about it. Doubt is self-deception. Eve knew she wasn't suppose to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil, but the ole' serpent raised a question that sparked doubt...Eve began to think God was holding out on her, she began to question, she began to doubt. She was deceived into thinking God was keeping something from her. Adam-well that's a whole other story all-together. We may get to him at another time. What I want to share with you is what I learned from a children's story on Sunday and had it confirmed today by a minister in Missouri on tv.

Cain. What do you remember about Cain? He murdered his brother, right? Imagine if you will, that Cain decided that he wanted to change things up a bit with his sacrifice of a gift basket of fruits and veggies (since he was a farmer) instead of the required animal sacrifice (which God had initially taught them was acceptable). When God favored Abel's obedient sacrifice over Cain's, that may have stirred a bit of resentment that grew into self-deception. Have you ever had someone choose someone else over you? Maybe being last picked for a team, or your BF choosing someone else to go to the movies with, or someone else getting the promotion for which you have worked so hard.

To Cain, God bypassing his offering may have been offensive, but it wasn't God who was in the wrong. Cain didn't follow God's plan. Can you imagine the bitterness and thoughts flowing through Cain's mind at the time. What thoughts run through your mind when you think you have done good but find out it wasn't accepted?

Self-deception. I don't know about you but I talk to myself. A lot. I even call myself by my full name sometimes. Strange, I know. Besides God, I am usually the only one that listens to me anyway, so no harm-no foul. LOL Problem is, I tend to listen to myself rather than to God. That is where my self-deception takes center stage.

I imagine Cain grumbling and complaining, maybe even pouting about God not liking his sacrifice. That God showed Abel favor. Abel was God's favorite. Why does everything have to be about Abel? Can't you hear the whining tone? ( You can if you are a parent.) It says that Cain got angry, and his countenance fell. I see Cain skulking away, head hanging down like my kids do when they don't get their way. God comes to Cain like a parent and gently corrects him. (I am going to paraphrase here:) "Cain, why are you so upset? Why are you pouting? You know that if you do right and good you will be accepted, but if you choose to do otherwise, sin is at hand. You should control yourself better and not let things (sinful thoughts) get to you."

After hearing what God had to say, Cain goes to his brother to talk. Maybe he went to his brother a little too soon (I have learned from my husband that when you are angry with someone always wait at least a day to confront them; give yourself time to cool down). I think he didn't hear all God was saying about self control and the dangers of sin. They are in the field talking over what was bothering Cain and something may have been said that set off Cain's temper again.

What do boys do when they feel they have to compete? What do boys usually do in order to show that one is better than the other? My boys? They fight. They wrestle. Mind you Author is 5 1/2 years older than Tigger and double him in size. It doesn't matter. They battle it out. Well, let's say, that may have been what happened here with Cain and Abel. A wrestling match gone awry. Then, oops, someone got a little too rough and the other got hurt. Really hurt. Hmmm....

The first homicide. What did Cain do? I think he hid. His parents did when they disobeyed. When God came to him and asked him where Abel was (of course God knew, don't most parents know what happened before they confront their children?). Cain denied knowing and immediately God asked him, "What did you do?" (sound familiar?) God prescribes a disciplinary measure ("grounding") for Cain because of his sin, the thing he loved most to do, farm, would no longer be an option for him. The ground would bring nothing forth from his hard work. (Brown thumb?) To Cain this restriction was a heavy weight. He, also assumed his punishment would be even harsher in that he believed when others saw him, they would want to kill him out of revenge. God assured him that they would not kill him.

I guess I grew up thinking that Cain was someone evil and wicked, vile even. But what I see today is that Cain was just like the rest of us. We pout when we don't get our way, we complain when we aren't chosen or favored, we think thoughts that lead to us deceiving ourselves and believing in the worst. We forget what God has done and how gently He corrects us. God could have killed Cain right then, but he didn't. He wanted Cain to learn from his mistake and to correct his thinking.

I allow deception to control me sometimes. I fear. I fear the worst. (Worry is what we call it today) I fear what people think of me, what I say, what I do, how I am dressed. Growing up I never thought I could do anything right. I wasn't good enough. Things I attempted were either ignored or criticized. I sought acceptance and approval. When I didn't get it, I felt I was worthless. Still, I strive to attain acceptance and approval and end up depressed because I imagine the worst. My self-deception of "I am not good enough" has kept me bound for years. It magnifies my fears, paralyzes my efforts, and keeps me in a depressed frame of mind.

So, how do I propose to break my cycle of self deception? Listening to God. Choosing each day (and each moment as necessary) to do the right and good thing. Choosing to trust God instead of worrying. Choosing to be myself no matter what I think people will think of me or do think of me. Choosing to believe the best instead of imagining the worst.

Life is full of choices. Eve had a choice. She chose to give in to deception and the human race was hurt. Cain had a choice; he chose to give in to deception and his brother died. You & I have a choice. If we allow ourselves to be deceived, we bind ourselves to sin and people get hurt. Sometimes it will be others. But an important lesson to learn here is: Self deception hurts us personally; it causes us to resent ourselves and others.

Breaking this cycle of "I'm not good enough" is not going to be an easy one. Especially one that has been forged for nearly 4 decades. But I have faith, that the destructive thoughts I think will no longer have a hold on me. God gently reminds me that HE is in control and when I give Him the control of my thoughts and life, things are always better than I imagined. God puts before us Life & Death. HE desires that we choose LIFE so HE can show us great and mighty things!

Hoping that today, you choose LIFE and God's blessings be richly poured upon you!

From Scratch

Hello All,

I am a member of Just A Pinch Recipe Club. A while back I came across a doughnut recipe and thought, "this would be neat to try one day." Well, as it is with most things, two months passed, and I had yet to try my hand at it. Well, last week I got the very same recipe in an email from the Club, and felt it was a message from above. The recipe made 3 dozen doughnuts plus holes! Let me just say, there were none left for dessert after dinner! I promised you all a doughnut recipe and here it is!!!

Homemade Doughnuts submitted by Peggi Anne Tebben (club member)
Ingredients:
DOUGHNUTS
1/2 c warm water (not hot)
2 pkg active dry yeast
3/4 c milk, lukewarm
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp salt
4 c all-purpose flour, sifted
1/3 c shortening
2 eggs

GLAZE
1-3 tbsp warm water (as needed, more to thin, less to thicken)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 confectioner's sugar, sifted

1. Soak yeast in 1/2 c warm water for approx. 5 minutes. Tip: throw in a 1 tsp sugar to kick it in the butt to get it going.
2. Warm the milk and shortening together.
3. Pour milk over sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir until dissolved. Make sure mixture is warm, not hot.
4. Add 1 cup of flour, eggs, and yeast mixture. Beat until smooth. Add remaining flour to make a soft dough. When the dough leaves the sides of the bowl, turn out onto lightly floured board.
5. Knead until dough becomes smooth and elastic. Place in lightly oiled bowl and cover wax paper or plastic wrap. Allow to rise in warm place until doubled. (I turned my oven onto 100 degrees F/warm and sat it in there for 1 1/2 hours.)
6. Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut circles with a clean, empty vegetable can or 2" diameter cup. Use a water bottle cap for cutting holes.



7. Let rise on board for 40-60 minutes. (I placed them in the warm oven to rise and cut the time in half.)
8. Heat Cooking oil to 325-350 degrees F. (I heated my oil up on high, then moved it off the eye to cool down.)



9. Drop into hot oil and turn when doughnuts are just barely brown. (It takes less than a minute, so keep a close watch on them.) Turn once and lift to drain.





10. Let doughnuts drain and cool on paper towels.

11. Mix glaze in a bowl. While doughnuts are warm, roll in the glaze and set to dry.



12. Watch them disappear!


ENJOY!
Mama D

I claim this, MY weekend! =)

Hi Everyone!

I am so excited! This is my first FREE weekend! No outside responsibilities! Of course, the usual home chores are piling up, but I chose to take a break and do something for me for a change! HA!

I was deliriously happy last night that such a very long and trying week was over and I could do whatever I wanted. I am sure the kids were wondering what was up with me and probably wondering what I was putting in my coffee! :)

To start my weekend off right, I snatched Vicious away from home to go rent a movie she has been "fit-to-be-tied" to see. While out and about we stopped in at the only Piggly Wiggly we have here to get a sales paper and their coupon policy. Wow was I surprised to see how pricey their products were. But I was not too disappointed. I am sure one of these days I will walk out with some deals and steals;) I am learning to bide my time.

The kiddos requested Pizzones for dinner, so our next stop was at the PizzaHut. I quickly placed my order and was told that it would be ready in 20 minutes. So instead of sitting there staring at perfect strangers, I thought it would be a good idea for Vicious and I to check out the Rite Aid down the street.

Only planning to look around, we walked in, snatched up the sales paper and the rebate paper. We canvassed the store. Looking,"oooh-ing" and "ahhhh-ing" at anything that glittered or danced to a little tune. (i.e. dancing ginger bread man that I believe I absolutely must have for my collection:)) As I walked through the store, I scanned the sales paper for anything that might be good practice. (My sis, Mrs. L, suggested starting small, so I looked for something easy.)

Toothpaste! On the front of the sales paper they have listed Colgate Total Care toothpaste, marked down from $4.19 to $3.50 and when you purchase it the store gives you back $3.50 in +UP rewards (meaning the store paid me what I paid for the toothpaste! HA! Do they know what they are doing??? What a steal!) So with the $3.50 in +UP rewards (remember store $) I turned around and purchased a gallon of milk ($3.59) for 9 cents!!! You can't beat that! WOW! I think I need more toothpaste and milk!

So our first Rite Aid Experiment was a success! I was floating, my mind spinning. It was such a high to save money for a change! Yay!

Today, I am taking my time. I have made pancakes. Savored my Peppermint Mocha Coffee. I even tried out a new recipe. Homemade Doughnuts! From Scratch. I imagined I was the inventor of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts=) I will have to share in my next blog how the doughnuts turned out, but in the words of my fam, YUM!

Check out your Rite Aid Sales Paper, enjoy some "YOU"time, and have a terrific Weekend!
MAMA D

No More Roach Motels for Me!

I have stayed over night in a myriad of places.

I must give my hubby kudos here. Since I have known him, I have not stayed overnight anywhere shabby or undesirable! Thanks honey!

Hubby is a whiz at using Priceline.com for hotel accommodations! Vicious and I had to attend an educator's conference this past Friday and we absolutely fell in love with our room he got for us! It was a residence suite; complete with full working kitchen, living room, internet on the TV, etc....I could go on and on. Easily $130 a night stay. It was amazing and only under $70!

I have stayed in some disgustingly, awful places in the past that I call Roach Motels. Once on a church missions trip, I shared a Motel 8 room (in Texas or Mississippi) with 4-5 teen girls. (My sisters, Mrs. K and Mrs. L may remember this particular room.) I don't think any of us got sleep that night. It was really late when we got the room and this was the only location with a vacancy that would fit our groups size. This particular spot is the "runner up" for the absolute worst place I have ever stayed. What made it so bad? Well, blood smeared on the walls and sheets is a start. We wrapped in blankets we brought or bought on the trip or snuggled down in our jackets. The bathroom, mirrors, and windows were all filthy. And let me not forget the awful orange, dirt-matted shag carpet! We all felt dirty when we left this location. No one, that I can remember, wanted to attempt a shower there. In my memory this was a literal "roach motel. And I can only imagine the things that happened in that room in order for blood to end up on the walls (someone probably hurt themselves racing to get out of that awful room:), but what really boggles my mind is why the blood was still there, and how long had it been since the sheets were changed.

Another really awful hotel experience was in California. It was a Senior trip, I was one of the two chaperons. There was only one SR girl, so we shared a room together. She is a good sport, but if I were to mention this trip to her, she would remember this room vividly! Again, due to poor planning on the part of the trip coordinator, we were looking for a hotel room after midnight and everywhere else was booked up. The only two rooms available were in this very very dark corner of a very dirty city. It wasn't even a hotel. It was a row of shacks! I am serious! If the wind had blown that night, I am afraid I would not be here to tell you this story.

Upon entering our room, we observed its size. Extra small. Big enough for two people to stand in mostly. The majority of the space was taken up by a full size bed. Nothing was new or neat. Worn out carpet, end table had a broken drawer, and the closet, missing a doorknob, was scary. It smelled. Ratty curtains hung on the windows. Upon venturing in the bathroom, we noted the filthy toilet did not have a lid and you flushed the toilet by pulling a string attached to the mechanism inside the tank. There wasn't a shower or a tub. The sink had a bar of dirty soap and the looks of years of grime growing around the faucet. The window in the bathroom had a crack in it, the curtains didn't cover the entire thing and the lock on the window was broken. I think we even found a hapless rusty wrench or tool of some sort to use as protection in case of emergency. Needless to say, I didn't sleep this night either. I counted the ceiling tiles and those that were missing.

I have stayed in some precarious places. I think sometimes that I may have missed my calling. I should be a hotel inspector. Don't get me wrong, I am not high maintenance at all, but I prefer a clean, well-kept hotel room. If I am going to sleep where others have slept possibly the night before or even that same morning, I want to know that the place is clear of any germies, bugs, or nastiness.

A hotel has won my favor IF: the sheets are clean and bed is made neatly; floors vacuumed; towels are folded in a decorative way; no hair on the sink, tub, toilet, or floor; wall paper is not pealing, pictures are hung straight and match the decor, grout in the bathroom is clean and not missing; no stains on the ceiling or rugs, trash cans are empty. It is a bonus if the hotel has gift packages for the guests. I especially like the classy soaps, shampoos, lotions, shower caps, night masks, lavender scented sprays, coffee, popcorn, & chocolate mints.

So, I am thankful for a wonderful husband who takes really good care of me even when I am out of town. Our brief stay at the Residence Inn at Marriott in Duluth, GA was a 10+! When you have stayed in the worst of places, it makes you REALLY appreciate the decent ones!

Here's hoping you don't ever end up staying in any "roach" motels!

Mama D

SURPRISES!

I love surprises! Well, most surprises.

A bug crawling across me, bad surprise.
Guests showing up when my house is a total wreck, bad surprise.
A pile of poo left on my doorstep by our mentally challenged cat, Ms. Thomas, bad surprise.

Husband going to the bedroom before me, only to jump out to scare me as I walk in, fun surprise.
Husband leaving hidden messages for me, fun surprise.
One of my talented kids making up a silly rhyme or funny song at dinner, fun surprise.

Husband waking me with a cup of yummy coffee, nice surprise! (a wonderful way to wake up:)
Kids doing the dishes without being asked, wonderful surprise! (a very rare occurrence)
Free stuff in the mail, packages delivered, or an unexpected phone call from a friend or mom, sweet!

Yesterday:
Finding out at the last minute that Friday's Educator's Conference, which I thought was in Macon, is in Atlanta; bad surprise.
A phone call from my husband saying that he booked Vicious and me a hotel room, so we wouldn't have to get up so early to travel; nice surprise.

Finding out that Netflix just released some of my favorite movies for me to add to my list; awesome!

Being asked out on a date by my 15 y/o son, Author; sweet surprise.
Going to the movies with Author to see Hugh Jackman in Reel Steel; nice surprise. :)

Husband being proud of Vicious and I for tackling an unexpected plumbing project and doing an awesome job, shows up with a brand new toilet for our next plumbing project; interestingly confident surprise:)

Today: (so far)
Before Husband left for work, he left me a surprise on my dresser that made me smile and laugh out loud.

I want to give a shout out to my loving husband who loves surprising me in many different ways, and to my son, who surprised me yesterday by how mature he is becoming and how fast he is growing up.

I hope your Thursday is full sweet, nice, awesome, and fun surprises!

Mama D

Tackling Tuesday

Good Morning All!

Yes, I know today's title is Tackling Tuesday on a Wednesday. Well that is how it is sometimes...a day late and a dollar short (as the saying goes). Really, I was trying to give my Vicious a chance to post. But I cannot wait any long to share this with you!

It was a rough Tuesday, but there was a bright spot at the end of the day. I will not bore you with the difficult details of school yesterday, just imagine, it's the end of the quarter and everyone is under pressure to get finished before report cards. The bright spot came, when I actually got to get out of the house. Vicious and I grabbed our battle plan (shopping/sale list), coupons, money, Thinking Caps (ridiculously silly hats), and keys and headed out of the door. The destination: Winn Dixie.

Let me be clear, this is not my favorite store, although I enjoy the deals & steals. Why don't I like it, you might ask. Well, I am slightly OCD (or CDO for my friends with the same challenge) :) The store isn't set up the way my mind works. And all the Winn Dixies here are the same. So, what would have only taken 20 minutes in a more organized store took us an hour. Maybe your Winn Dixie is like mine: frozen stuff in the middle, pasta stuff with the toiletries, pet food next to the cereal. I don't get how or why it is set up that way, but you would think that it would be set up logically. Nope. Guess they hope we will buy more or see more to buy if we wander around lost. :/

Anyway! On to the good news. (Pause a second to take a look at the picture above! All that was free!) Winn Dixie usually has Buy One Get One FREE deals (B1G1 or BOGO). This is what I love about Winn Dixie. Tuesday was the last day to get the wonderful deal & steals on their BOGO meat products. Chicken, pork chops, ribs, steaks! Oh Yes!!! That's what I am talking about. I usually only buy ground turkey, hot dogs, or chicken when it is at its lowest price. So our menu has become quite boring. Until I saw the BOGO meat list for Winn Dixie! Steaks at $9 lb I would quickly pass up, but when they are BOGO it is like get steaks at half price. Needless to say, we stocked up.

Winn Dixie also has two other great buy deals: Meal Deal & What-a-Deal. Last Week's Meal Deal was Buy two Large Red Baron Pizzas, and you would get ice cream, 2 liter 7up, Totino's Pizza rolls, & Tyson Chicken Fingers for FREE! The What-a-Deal special was: buy two 25 oz Pantene shampoos or conditioners and you would get cotton balls, Ivory soap, Secret deodarant, and Crest toothpaste for free.

There were other items (not on our list but I knew we needed) that we found BOGO while wandering around lost. We got funny looks from some nosey shoppers when we rolled our cart passed them filled with feminine hygiene products. Guess they don't have a lot of girls at their house. :)

Although, I spent more than I intended, I still felt excited about our savings! $68+ FREE! A savings total of 42%! We are nowhere near being extreme couponers, but we are loving learning how it works and sharing it with others! If you are curious how you can be a Shopping Ninja and do this too, try www.southernsavers.com or www.coupondivas.com. (below are the receipts from our first two shopping savvy trips.)
Get out your silliest hat and go to town!
Mama D

Making Sense of Monday

Here we are week # 2 of our blogging project. I obviously had more to say last week than Vicious did. (LOL) I am surprised at how this new endeavor has given me a new perspective on my daily living. Projects that have been needing to be done for months, now have a new status: bloggable! Projects that I have been wanting to try and just haven't "gotten-'round-to-it" are now a lot more interesting and do-able!

Never did I imagine (when I was small) that I would ever reach the big 4-0. But it is here, and I survived. A few tears were shed last night once my head hit the pillow. How silly is that I got emotional over being 40? Or is it normal? I don't feel 40. Some say I don't look 40. But I look over all that I have accomplished and it seems so small in comparison to what I would like to achieve in the next 40 (if God allows).

My husband asked me yesterday what I thought about my turning 40. My response was, "I see this as an opportunity to re-invent myself." Not that I want to change who I am exactly, but to go at my life with more purpose and determination. Even on Mondays!

My students all came slumping into school today, some half asleep, others just dreading the fact that it was Monday. I tell you it is no easy job to cheer up a group of teenagers when they decide to be grumpy because of which day of the week it is. I even told them they could come in costume today just for fun. So imagine the sight I saw as they stumbled through the door half asleep dressed as imaginable creatures!

Oh well, back to the "Make Mondays Magical" drawing board!

We all have a choice as to how we take on Mondays. You can choose to think negatively and dread the responsibilities before you OR you can face the day as a clean slate, rejoicing in the Lord (for HE is responsible for creating and planning your path for today), and be thankful for the opportunities set before you!

So I lift my cup of coffee to you and what you have to do today! Make sense of your Monday!

Mama D

Our First Attempt at Really Couponing

It's Mama D again! I hope you are having a wonderful Saturday afternoon. I am thankful for the extra few minutes of sleep I got this morning, but still had to get up early. My little darlings work Saturdays at a farm not far from here. They mostly help two elderly (70+y/o who believe they are 30y/o) plant thousands of flowers.

We stopped at the gas station for a few minutes, while paying for gas I noticed the iced Coke box was full of bottle caps. Vicious and Diva told me the other day they needed bottle caps for a project they wanted to try. So, feeling brave, I asked the clerk if I could have them. What a blessing! They gave me all they had and would have given me more but couldn't find the full box they kept behind the counter. (Reminder to self: stop by this store to check on bottle caps, often.)

The burst of adrenaline I received after claiming the bottle caps carried over into my grocery planning. For a few weeks now, Vicious and I have been studying the wonderful world of extreme couponing. My youngest sister and her friend are really inspirational with their couponing stories. My sis stopped by last week to give us a brief tutorial while she was in town for the day. Today, I planned to only focus on one store. Harvey's.

I am currently following www.southernsavers.com (SS) and their step-by-step couponing suggestions. I made my shopping list based on what SS had listed as Harvey's best deals and I sorted out the coupons (also suggested by SS) to match with those deals. My oldest baby girl, Diva, helped me cut and sort and prepare our couponing notebook. Then we planned how we were going to hit the store :) I felt slightly devious planning to get FREE stuff from one of my favorite shopping haunts.

First stop in Harvey's was the store's salespaper rack to make sure we got the right products. (I hate being embarrassed at the checkout.) Then Diva practically raced to the store coupon kiosk to swipe our savings key. Tickled about the savings that printed out, she punched in our phone number and got a second copy of the coupons. (She probably shouldn't have done that, but she was having fun.) Putting Diva in charge of the notebook helped me to stay focused on staying calm and not being overwhelmed. I had hoped we would only take 30 minutes, but considering we double-checked the deals and products AND prices to make sure we had everything right, it took us one hour.

We pulled up to the check out and the manager personally assisted us. He noticed our notebook and asked if we were extreme couponers. I quickly replied with a devilish grin, "Not yet, but we are working on it. Give us a couple of months!" So, that opened the conversation of the Extreme Couponing show on tv, and a variety of other shows on the same channel. Then as he finished closing out our purchases, I asked him for the total. $216 and some change. Then I handed him my savings key, the coupons that needed to be doubled, and then the other coupons. My savings key alone saved us $70+!!! then the other coupons brought our savings total to $82.66!!! This is the most I have ever saved in one shopping trip! I was ecstatic!!

A gentleman behind me was ribbing the manager for taking so long with my large order. (He is a very talkative manager.) The older lady also behind me, whom I recognized from the laundry mat in the same shopping center, asked where I got all of my coupons. I gladly shared with her www.southernsavers.com.

So, although I did not walk away with $216 of merchandise for $10 or less, I did walk out of the store with a lighter step, confidence that I can coupon like a pro, and almost $83 in free groceries!!!

I look forward to my next shopping trip. I hope to be savings-savvy soon! Good luck on your own couponing attempts!!!

Defining Mediocre

me-di-o-cre (me'de o'ker), adj. neither good nor bad; of average or lower than average quality; ordinary; a mediocre book, a mediocre poet. [Mediocre comes from Latin words meaning "halfway up the mountain," not high or low.]

Good morning! It is Friday and I love the relief that comes with Fridays! (The instant reminder that the weekend in near; a chance to sleep in an extra 30 minutes or so, opportunity to do or not do whatever you want. )

I want to share with you why we chose, or I chose, the title for our blog Rising Above Mediocre. I was pondering over Proverbs 31 the other day. It states in verse 1 that it is the words of King Lemuel repeating the prophecy his mother taught him. So I can only imagine that his mother sat him down at one point and shared with him what a good woman looks like.

I have two sons. I watch the girls of today. There are very few I would approve of for my boys. Honestly, what mother wishes ill for their son? The verses from other chapters in Proverbs talk about a brawling, nagging, & complaining woman and how it is better to live else where or "hang out in the man cave until she is done ranting..." I do not wish that for my boys or my husband. Not that I am nagging or complaining, but there may be a few times that it would probably be best not to be around me...haha. (insert "oops" face here.)

I would like for my boys to find a Proverbs 31 woman to be their spouse one day. So, in order for them to know what one looks like I must tell them, but more importantly I must show them. And in the process of learning to be one myself, I can teach all my daughters the importance of the 22 points of the Ideal woman in Proverbs 31.

I read in my Study Bible that the final section of this chapter was written as an acrostic; that is each of the 22 verses (10-31) begins with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Written like a poem it introduces the 22 points of the excellent wife or the perfect wife, A-Z.

Here is the list I found and thoughts that I now ponder. How do I measure up? What would my report card look like, if I were graded on these very points? How do you measure up?

vs. 10-rare
vs. 11-trustworthy
vs. 12-constant in her love
vs. 13-industrious
vs. 14-thrifty
vs. 15-self-starting
vs. 16-enterprising
vs. 17-willing to do hard work
vs. 18-willing to work long hours
vs. 19- willing to do monotonous work
vs. 20-compassionate
vs. 21-prepared for the future
vs. 22-a good seamstress
vs. 23-married to a leader/looking to marry a leader
vs. 24-entrepreneur
vs. 25-not swayed by circumstances
vs. 26-wise and kind
vs. 27-duty-conscious
vs. 28-blessed by her family
vs. 29-not satisfied with mediocre
vs. 30-a woman of God
vs. 31-praiseworthy

What a list! I find that I am mediocre in some of these areas. And it is in these areas I wish to improve! I don't want to be mediocre. I know some of these points may seem far-fetched, but there is a reason they are in the Word of God. A young woman matching this description would definitely have my approval for my sons.

Here's hoping you find yourself above-mediocre, and if not, feel free to join us on our journey. I hope you all have a wonderful, God-filled weekend!

Mama D

No Mediocre Pumpkin Pie

Good Morning, Y'all! I must first admit that my youngest sister is amazing and has inspired me to be creative. She and her bf have conquered the challenge of "extreme couponing," and they are a bit crafty themselves. Reading her blog is like having coffee with her. I don't get to have coffee with my lil sis because she lives 4+ hours away. But I can enjoy my coffee as I read about my niece and nephew, scroll through the newest craft project, or ponder a delicious recipe. So, I publicly want to thank my sis for sparking this in me. Thanks Love!

Like I mentioned earlier this week, my birthday is Sunday. Every year at this time I crave my grandma's pumpkin pie. It is not the usual pumpkin pie. So, this year instead of asking my mom to make me one of grandma's special pumpkin pies, I asked for the recipe. Although I could keep this treasure to myself, I choose to share it with the world. YOU!



Grandma's Special Pumpkin Pie

Important step: Use light/pale pumpkins. (I was a little overzealous and bought two the size of basketballs. We ended up with plenty of pumpkin.) You must first cook your pumpkin before you can make your pies.

Here's how: Cut pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds and strings (as my kids call them, guts.) Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 degrees F until good and soft. You will find that a lot of water will be collected in the hollow of the pumpkin, so be careful when you remove the pumpkin from the oven. Pour out the excess water. (We celebrated our pumpkin cooking by tasting the pumpkin water...pumpkin tea. It's okay. Tastes like pumpkin. :)) Let the cooked pumpkin cool. Once it is cool enough to touch you should be able to just peel the rind/skin right off with no trouble. Put your freshly peeled pumpkin in a strainer and let the rest of the water drain off. This may take awhile. (We cooked the pumpkins one day and baked the pies the next.)

Pie filling ingredients: 3 cups cooked pumpkin (light/pale orange pumpkins only) 3 eggs 2 cups sugar 3 tbsp butter (not margarine) 1/4 c self-rising flour 3 tbsp lemon flavoring Blend all ingredients thoroughly, may be slightly lumpy. Set aside.

Crust ingredients: (you can use regular frozen pie crusts, if you prefer.) 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour 1 cup of butter 1 tsp of salt 1 tsp of sugar 6-8 tbsp of ice cold water. *I use self-rising flour and omit the salt. Mix ingredients together until dough forms. Pour out onto a floured surface for rolling. (Make sure your hands and rolling pin are floured, too.) Roll dough out in the desired shape. (Some people like the traditional pie crusts, I prefer rolling it out like a pizza crust, more pie that way.) You want your crust to be thin, maybe 1/8-1/4 of an inch thick. If you are making a pumpkin pizza pie, be sure to roll up the edges to hold the pie filling.

Pour in pie filling and smooth out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees F until crust is golden brown. (if you have a thicker crust, make sure to bake it longer to ensure proper "done-ness." I enjoy my pie slice right out of the oven, but it is delicious cold, too. Hope you enjoy this recipe like I do. A little bit of heaven on earth :) YUM!

Day one

Hi y'all! (insert southern accent here) Mama D here. Welcome!

Day one of our "Rising Above Mediocre" journey has had me overwhelmed with thoughts for our first blog. There are so many things Vicious & I want to try and accomplish this year! Home improvement plans, cleaning clutter projects, baking experiments, arts & crafty goals, and overall personal growth for ourselves. But before I can go much further I must explain a little about myself and Vicious will introduce herself, later. I think I have adult ADHD, so if I go off the trail, you will know that a squirrel ran across the yard in front of me, one of the children came into the room, or I forgot where I put my glasses (usually on my face). It probably isn't ADHD, I just have tens of thousands of ideas flooding my head at the same time so I may get a little side-tracked. I am turning 40 on Sunday. I am trying to tell myself that it doesn't matter, its just another day, no big deal. I am done with birthdays. I feel like I am still in my twenties, although my body reminds me constantly that I am not. My kids keep me young and laughing! All is right with the world when Mama D is laughing and laughing loud! I have a degree in teaching and I have been teaching since 1994. I ventured out on faith this summer. I resigned my position at the school where I have spent the last 8 years of my life. I am in the process of starting a private school in our community. Currently, it looks like we are home-schooling. I love to read, experiment while cooking, sing along with the radio, laugh out loud, cuddle with a cozy blanket and a cup of coffee, watching movies with the kiddos, and spending time with my hubby. Times are difficult for most people these days. We are no different. Are you familiar with the phrase "one step forward, two steps back"? This often seems to be our theme song. If life was a musical.... I am not going to finish that thought. I look forward to what Vicious and I can discover and create this year. This will be a great 'bonding' activity for us. We invite you to tag along with us, and Rise Above Mediocre!