Pictures of CJ

Here's CJ today in his new Waddle Wades diaper. I'm trying to decide which one to use for the WW Photo Contest.

Redecorating

We have acquired some new items for our house recently. One being a really comfy new couch.

My best friend gifted us this couch when they purchased a new living room set about a month ago. This couch is pretty new its self so we were happy to give it a new home.

On a recent trip to Michaels we found that they had some super deals that night. The pictures were $3 and on sale for 30% off!! And the frames were around $6 and also on sale for 30%off. The shelf was on sale for $9.99. It has pegs that will be perfect for stockings come time for Christmas. :D Ignore the wire going up the wall. It belongs to Mr B's stereo. :)

I got a new to us cupboard for the kitchen also to put some of Mr B's Grandma's China on but I still need to take new pictures of that. Right now it is holding supplies, product, and things like that for my business, which is doing very well I must say. :) At least one new order a day coming in so far. :D

Also I made another ring sling. This one was for a friend in WI. :) It has metal rings since I was out of my rings from SlingRings. Its made from an all natural cotton material that was around $2 a yard.

And a recent pic of CJ.

MrsB

58 days and Counting

Today its cold outside. Its the first real fall like day we've had and I relished in it. Fall and Winter are my ABSOLUTE favorite time of year. We went to Walmart today and the garden center is full of pansies and all the Christmas stuff is out. The Holiday Season is creeping up on and us and I couldn't be more happy. This year is so exciting. It will be the first holiday season that our house really feels like home and I plan to decorate and celebrate to my hearts content. Its CJ's First Christmas and its so exciting. We have already been buying gifts for him. :) I shop for Christmas all year and its that time of year to pull them all out and see what I've bought to see whats left to buy. Soon it will be Thanksgiving. And then Black Friday. :) The day I plan to shop shop shop and put up all my Christmas decorations.

We took CJ down the Christmas aisles and we played with all the singing animals. If only we as adults could be as easily pleased as he was watching them sign. dance and light up. The joy in his eyes was simply wonderful.

MrsB

How to Run Your House Without Letting It Run You

I received a new book from Paperback Book Swap yesterday. :) This books is filled with neat tips about homekeeping.

Some examples are:

~Put a dot of red paint or nail polish on the "off" marking on your stove and oven knobs so you can tell at a glance if they are off.

~When baking, break eggs into your measuring cup first, dump them out, and them measure the shortening. the shortening won't stick to the cup, but will slip out easily. (Note from MrsB- I do this to make sure no egg shells accidentially get in my food)

I had some time to do some sewing during CJ's nap today also. So I worked on a project I've been wanting to do but hadn't gotten around to. I made a new Ring Sling. :) It is really comfortable and CJ loves being in it. I can't wait to try it out really good on Friday at the State Fair.

MrsB

Free Bath Salts!

Right now I am offering a FREE 4oz Bath Salt with ANY purchase at www.butterflyscentsations.com

To recieve your free gift visit our specials section and add the free bath salts to your shopping cart along with your purchases.

Also anyone how makes a purchase before 10am est tomorrow will be entered into a drawing for a free bath set and suprise coupon code.


And don't forget to use the code blog to get 5% off your order!


MrsB

Baby Food

CJ is eatting solids now and he can eat!! Those little plastic containers of organic baby food at WalMart is pretty expensive too. So a good friend pointed me to a great website about making your own baby food. http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ She makes all of her sons baby food and he loves it. I can't wait to try making our own baby food for CJ. Here are a couple of example recipes.

Apricot Puree
(using dried un-sulphured apricots)
6-8months+
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium

1. 1 pound dried apricots
2. 2 c. white grape juice or apple juice.
Plain water is ok but the puree may be a bit bitter. Some babies actually like a bitter taste however. Consider using ½ water or ½ juice if you disagree with the juices or if baby cannot have juice. You can always mix in another fruit such as peaches or bananas and leave out the juice entirely!
3. Bring liquid and fruit to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Reserve any left over liquid to use for the puree
5. Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
6. Add the reserved liquid as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin puree or
7. Add cereal (if desired) to thicken up
8. Note: puree will not freeze solid, but into slightly soft/slightly frozen cubes.

Have you ever Baked Fruits? If not, we highly recommend it! Baked fruits are naturally sweet, soft and oh so very yummy!


Apples/Applesauce
(Use Gala, Braeburn, Rome or Macs)
(4)6 months+
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium
This recipe is written so that you may use any amount of apples you wish!

1. Peel, core and cut apple into slices/chunks
2. Place slices or chunks into a pan with just enough water to slightly cover apples
3. Boil/steam until tender; be sure to check on the water level and stir, T hat's It! Easy Peasy!
4. Apples may be mashed with a potato masher to achieve a smooth applesauce consistency. If your masher will not achieve a puree type of consistency, then follow steps 5 - 7
5. Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the apples
6. Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
7. Add the reserved water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin puree
8. Add cereal (if desired) to thicken up the9. Ask your pediatrician about adding some cinnamon for new tastes!

HINT! You may also buy an "Adult" jar of Natural applesauce from your local grocers! Make sure you buy Natural Applesauce however! Read the labels if you are unsure. The only ingredients should be apples and water or just apples! A few companies may add ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or citric acid to their Natural Applesauce; this is fine!

Why do you suggest peeling fruits and veggies; Nutrients are found in the peels right?


Another friend, that also makes her own baby food, suggested the book Super Baby Food. I'm looking for a cheap copy now. :)

MrsB

America Christmas

In houses all around the country it will be an All American Christmas.....all American made toys under the tree and its about time! Unforunately the reason for this is the millions of toys being recalled due to high levels of lead. And now its Baby Einstein. :( We bought CJ a set of the soft, textured blocks as a Christmas present b/c 1) they are Baby Einstein so they have to be safe right? ha! wrong! and 2) they aren't plastic, they are fabric.
http://www.cpsc.gov/

Luckily our blocks were not part of the recall. But I'm still not sure I trust them.

You can see all (I think) of the recalled toys at the link above.

There was also a massive crib recall. http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml07/07307.html

It looks exactly like the crib CJ has. :( Thank goodness he doesn't like to sleep in it. I need to check the model numbers tomorrow.

MrsB

Showing and Telling

I'm so excited to show off my kitchen table. This is the first time in our own house I've been able to decorate for fall. My wonderful hubby bought me the placemats, napkins and leaf shaped bowls which I'm using as candle holders. I bought the pumpkins and gourd on a recent grocery shopping trip with Sis and the plant was a birthday gift from my oldest brother.My kitchen now has a more homey feel.

Head on over to Theres no Place like Home for more Show & Tells.

MrsB

Christmas Ideas

Did you know there is 81 days until Christmas???? Its coming fast! So I thought I'd share some gift ideas.

The first is a Spaghetti Basket. Get a colander (you can get them fairly cheap from the dollar store or Big Lots) and add a box of spaghetti (or you could use some other pasta), a can of tomato sauce, a container of parmesan cheese and a packet of homemade Spaghetti Sauce Mix :)
1 tbsp. instant minced onion
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. green pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. instant minced garlic
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
Combine all ingredients. Makes 1 package.

Add a nice recipe card with the following recipe written on it.

SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT SAUCE:
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
2 c. water
12 oz. spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese

Brown beef in skillet; drain off excess fat. Blend in spaghetti sauce mix, tomato paste and water; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti; drain. Serve topped with meat sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 6.

And now you have a wonderful Christmas gift that will actually get used :)

This recipe as well as more wonderful recipes can be found at http://members.tripod.com/~MaryMae/box.htm


MrsB

Its Backwards Day at Rocks in my Dryer

OK Its Backwards Day for WFMW over at Rocks in my Dryer which means instead of posting a tip I get to ask for tips. :) It was hard to decide on just one thing to ask about.
So my question is for the blogging mamas. :) How do you find time to post and make your blog successful? CJ is such a handful and then with housework and the new business I'm having a hard time finding the time to blog. So how do you do?

MrsB

Baby Deals

Weekend before last me, MrB and CJ went to a baby sale. The first day we got there late, 15 minutes before they closed, so I didn't get to look around much and only got some burp clothes and nursing pjs. Sunday we went back since it was 50% and we did so good! Here's what we got: :-)

6 prefold diapers for less than $3


A nursing gown for $4, nursing pjs for $3 and a nursing tank for $1.50


A Diaper Genie for $2.50 and a brand new refill for $2

A Boppy pillow (yes it looks just like ou other boppy. lol) for $2.50 and a Boppy play center for $5

I also got 2 pairs of training pants for 25c (together!!) and some burp clothes for around 25c each. :)

A CJ Update: He is 6 months old now and growing so fast!! He is sitting up sooo great! And says bye bye like nothing else! He also says mama and dada when he wants to. He absolutely loves his baby food and Yo-Baby yogurt, but refuses to eat cereal. :) My wonderful photographer sister took his 6 month pictures the other day so I'll post them soon :)

MrsB

Spicy Oven Fried Potato Wedges

Spicy Oven Fried Potato Wedges
A Maggie recipe


2 pounds potatoes, about 4 large
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 450º. Measure the oil into a 9 by 13-inch rectangular baking pan. Swirl it around so that it covers the pan evenly. Set aside.
Scrub the potatoes and cut each into 8 wedges. In an empty bread bad combine the flour and seasonings. Shake to blend. Place the potatoes, a few at a time, into the bag. Close the top and shake the potatoes to coat them with the seasoning mixture. Arrange the coated potatoes, skin side down, in the oiled pan. Continue until all of the potatoes are coated. Bake the potatoes at 450º for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.
These are similar to the ones available at some fried chicken places. They are nice and spicy, crunchy and tender all at the same time. We love these. I've only recently developed the recipe, but they are quickly becoming a family favorite. We serve them with oven friend chicken or oven friend fish. Yummy

GRAND OPENING!!

I'm proud to announce the Grand Opening of my new store BUTTERFLY SCENTSATIONS on Friday Sept 28, 2007!!!

Visit my website www.ButterflyScentsations.com and use the discount code blog for 5% off of your order for my readers. :)

MrsB

Random Ramblings

Just some random ramblings from a tired, but not sleepy, mama. :-) My little one has mastered rolling from tummy to back. Its so sweet. He is working hard one back to tummy rolling, but he's not quite there yet.

I've decided on a business name. Butterfly Scentsations. I'm working on my product line and website now. I can't wait to officially unveil my products.

I also did some sewing today. I made a super cute blankie for CJ. He loves it. :-) I have some cute duckie material that I plan to make a changing pad/blankie/catchall for the diaper bag next. I had originally bought both pieces of fabric to make diapers, but I don't forsee that happening anytime soon.

We bought these pretty Christmas candles at Big Lots for $1.50 for the whole set! They are Home & Garden Party, so I'm not sure why they were at Big Lots. But I bought them nonetheless. :D

MrsB

I got a new light!

Awhile back the motor in the ceiling fan in the kitchen burnt up so we had to take it down. Well since then theres been nothing there but the cover. So yesterday MrB bought a beauitful new light fixture for my kitchen. I forgot to take a picture of the cover before he took it down. So I took a picture of the ceiling after it was off and the cover itself laying on the floor.

And here is my new light fixture! Its got a marbled glass bowl on it. And it puts out such beautiful lighting.

These are the beautiful carnations I got yesterday also. The red ones were bought for me, and the purple and white ones were bought for Mama but the vase was too small to hold all them them. So I added the extras to my vase. :-) The vase, by the way, is a tall cookie tin wrapped in tissue paper. :D They smell wonderful and are something pretty look at when I'm on the computer.

MrsB

Sunday Ramblings

Well today is Grandparent's Day and of course I forgot the cards. Oh well, CJ is too little to sign them this year anyway. But I wanted to say HAPPY GRANDPARENT'S DAY to any grandparents that happen to stop in. (and my Mama who drops in occasionally :-D)

I also wanted to post a Maggie recipe since I hadn't done that in awhile. I love Maggie's recipes. yum yum!

Fruit Smoothie

Fruit, any kind
Juice, any kind
Milk or yogurt, optional
Ice cubes, optional
Sweetener to taste (optional)

This is more a method than a single recipe. You do need a blender to make smoothies. Food processors won't blend the fruit finely enough to make a good beverage.
After you have a blender you need fruit. I use leftover fruit, like that half a banana or half eaten apple left over from lunch. Fresh fruit which is ripening faster than it can be eaten is custom made for blender drinks. Canned fruit, with the juice from the can, works well too. I often use canned pineapple, peaches, pears, applesauce or fruit cocktail which has been sitting in the fridge for a few days, and doesn't look like it will be eaten.

Fresh fruit, cut into chunks, like apples (with the peels, but not the cores); peeled bananas; oranges,peeled and seeded; or any other type of prepared fresh fruit can go into the blender container. One exception to this is grapes with seeds, I only used them once. The seeds were very time consuming to remove, and then some wound up appearing in the smoothie anyway, no matter how meticulous I was about removing them. A few stray orange seeds don't seem to bother me the way those grape seeds did.

Fruit juice, especially any which might turn into cider or vinegar in the next couple of days, is really good in a fruit smoothie. The slightly sour taste adds a nice zip to the finished product, although you might want to add a little more sugar than usual for sweetness. Most of our juice is from frozen concentrate. Any time I use a recipe which calls for part of a can of frozen juice concentrate, I use the remainder, diluted somewhat casually with water, to make smoothies. Regular flavors at my house are orange juice and apple juice. Grape juice is good in a smoothie too, but it isn't quite as versatile as apple or orange juice, because it is so strongly flavored. When I have extra grape juice to use up, I usually mix it with unflavored gelatin to make real grape gelatin. The kids prefer this to grape flavored fruit smoothies.

Next add some milk, or yogurt if you like. I prefer to use yogurt, because to my taste buds it mixes very nicely with fruit. I do use milk sometimes though, depending on my mood, and the contents of my fridge. Lastly add sugar or honey to taste.

The procedure goes like this: Put a cup or two of fruit juice, or syrup from canned fruit, into the blender. Add fresh and/or canned fruit (cut into chunks if necessary). Use about a cup or two of fruit. Next add yogurt or milk if you are using it. About a cup or two will be sufficient. Put the lid on the blender and whirl it around until it is all smooth. When it seems smooth, turn it off. Take the lid off of the blender and taste the mixture with a spoon. If you think it needs sugar or honey, now is the time to add it. Usually 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sugar is plenty. Blend briefly to dissolve the sweetener.

If the blender isn't too full, I often add a few ice cubes, especially in the summer time. Put the lid back on the blender, and whirl it around until the ice is finely chopped Now it is done. Pour the mixture into 6 or 8 ounce size cups or glasses. I recommend this size because Fruit Smoothies are pretty filling as a rule, and the kids won't drink as much as they think they can, unless they are in a growth spurt, in which case, they will eat you out of house and home for a good week or two.
If you have any leftovers, this mixture makes very nice frozen popscicles. Pour it into popscicle molds, or into small paper or plastic cups (3 ounce size). When it is partially frozen, shove popsicle sticks down into the centers of the cups. Popscicles made this way are almost better than the Smoothies.

Tuesday night CJ and I rode in the big truck with MrB to keep him company since he has been working so many nights. Here are a couple pictures of CJ's first big truck ride. And of course in the first picture we were still in the driveway when I took the picture. It was late at night when we left so the pictures are kind of dark and I couldn't take anymore because CJ went to sleep. :-)

MrsB

Show and Tell Friday

Its been awhile since I participated in a Show and Tell at There's No Place Like Home. But I have quite a few pictures to share so I thought this would be the perfect time. :-)

CJ in his new walker :-) and CJ sitting up on his own! :-)

Me and CJ doing laundry with my homemade Ring Sling :-)

Daddy and CJ reading a book

OK thats all for now. Be sure to check out Kelli's for more Show & Tell.

MrsB

Shiny Sink and Grocery Shopping

I've been trying to get CJ into bed earlier and its finally working! The past few nights he has been asleep by 9pm. yay! That means I get to spend some time with MrB and get my bedtime routine into swing. I've been trying to do a pick-up of the living room and kitchen at night before I go to bed. Well. Last night I had all my dishes done and decided to shine my sink. It was alittle dingy from where I mopped the kitchen floor the other day. Boy did my kitchen smile at me this morning when I got up! It felt so nice to come into a clean kitchen with a nice, shiny, smiling sink!

Today I went to the grocery store because my poor freezer was crying for food! I know I've been terrible about posting my totals from my regular grocery shopping so here are the totals from today.

Sirloin Tip Steak .69# ($2.99/#) $2.06
Sirloin Tip Steak .62# ($2.99/#) $1.85
Boneless Pork Chops 1.12# ($2.99/#) $3.35
Boneless Pork Shops 1.09# ($2.99/#) $3.26
2.55# Bananas $1.01
BBQ Sauce $0.79
1# Bass Farm sausage $2.50 (Man! I'm just looking at my receipt for the first time and I see this rang up $2.99 which is the reg price! They ALWAYS do that and yet I continue to forget to look.)
Lipton Tea Bags 24ct $1.69
Mac & Cheese $0.99
1# Baby Carrots $1.19
Del Monte Sweet Peas $0.79
Total: $20.37

Also got milk, cheese, cereal and juice with my WIC.

Then to Dollar General to get my sugar since its cheaper there and right across the street.
(2) 4# Sugar $1.65 each

Off to get the clothes off the line. :-)

MrsB

Happy...

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!

I hope everyone enjoys their day!

MrsB

Cool breezes, Good deals, Great movie,

Wonderful times.....Life is great!



Friday night, MrB, CJ, and myself met my friend Hayley, her hubby and their 2 kids at CiCi's pizza for a nice night out. We had a coupon for 2 adult buffets and 2 drinks for $9.99, not a bad deal for us to eat out.


Then last night MrB, CJ and myself enjoyed a wonderful Hallmark movie called "What The Deaf Name Heard" lent to us by Mama and Sis. It was funny, it was sweet, and best of all it was a nice clean movie that the whole family can enjoy. If you get a chance check it out.


Today we woke up to nice cool day with a wonderfully delightful breeze! So of course, off went the a/c and up went all the windows! I love it when I finally get to open my windows! MrB took me to Wal-Mart today to get my WIC and we found some great deals on toys for Christmas presents! :-) And some caramel apples as a treat for me and MrB.



Playskool Busy Elephant with 8 activites reg ?? sale $11


(2)4pc Puzzle Blocks reg $2.44 sale $2


(3)Stacking Activity Blocks reg $8.44 sale $4


4 pk Caramel Apples with nuts reg $2.98 sale $1 these "expire" tomorrow :-) But I think we'll enjoy them tonight.







Then I had some coupons I wanted to use so I got:


Huggies Natural Care baby Wash reg $2.82 after coupon $0.82


Huggies Naturally Refreshing diaper Wipes reg $2.53 after coupon $1.53


Huggies Shea Butter Disposable Washcloths reg $2.82 after coupon $1.82


Huggies Clean Team flushable Moist Wipes reg $2.57 after coupon $1.57


I also picked up 2 green rubber duckies for $0.97 each. One is a new one for CJ who loves playing with his rubber ducks and the other for our nephew who is turning 1 on saturday.

Ha! I didn't realize one of the elephants ears is folded back. opps! I really should get better about checking those kinds of things. Oh well.

Have a great Labor Day!
MrsB

Eight Things About Me

I don't usually do Memes But Nancy tagged me for this one so I thought I'd do it. :-) All I have to do is list 8 things about me. Easy enough.

1) My favorite color is Orange! I don't know why but has been forever! My aunt says its because my Grandma "brainwashed" into believing it was my favorite by standing over my crib with an orange ball and saying "orange. This is orange, Kelly. See the orange ball?"

2) My favorite food is Mashed Potatoes with Garden Peas on top!! Yummy!!!

3) I eat ketchup on everything!!

4) I wanted 2 or 3 kids but CJ will be our only b/c I had hyperemesis, unless of course God has other plans.

5) I'm addicted to Chocolate and Mt Dew and raw chocolate chip cookie dough.

6) I dip my pizza in french or catalina salad dressing.

7) Apparently I'm hungry because all my answers have to do with food!!

8) I'm married to the most wonderful husband in the world!! I'm mommy to the most wonderful son in the world!! And I have the most wonderful family in the world!!


MrsB

Giveaway

My buddy Drea is having a giveaway at her blog Fina'Drea. Stop on over and read out the wonderful new blankie from Poppy Dots Designs. These Taggy Blankets are so cute!!



Go enter to win at Drea's!

MrsB

Works for Me

Its time for Works for Me Wednesday!! My tip for this week is about laundry baskets and trash cans! :-) The other night MrB, CJ and I went to Wal-Mart in search in of something to put CJ's dirty cloth dipes in as well as something to store his clean dipes in. Sometimes storage and organizational needs take thinking outside the box. So what did I find? A 36quart tall kitchen trash can for under $4 that fits perfect in my bathroom and is think enough that our dirty clothes fit beside it. I'm thinking of getting a couple more for the rest of our clothes and labeling them so I don't have to sort clothes when it laundry time. :-)

Now to store his dipes I bought a plastic rectangle laundry basket for less than $3. There's not quite enough room in it for all his liners, but I think I can put the extras in his dresser or closet.

Another laundry basket idea is to keep one in the trunk of your car. Then when you go shopping just put your bags into the basket as you're loading them in the car and then its just one trip into the house! Although I wouldn't put heavy items in the basket so that might add an extra trip. :-)

Check out Rocks In My Dryer for more WFMW tips!

MrsB

Big Big Plans

I don't even know where to begin! A guess with some background. When I lived at home I owned my own business in which I made and sold soap, lip balm, and various other toilteries. It was quite fun and I did fairly well. As you know life happens, things change and the business went away. Well I've been trying to think of some way to bring alittle extra money in. I thought of all kinds of direct sales companies but none were really for me. Then it hit me. I've been itching to get back into soaping. I had even rejoined a Yahoo group that I was once very big into that is about soapmaking. SO I sat down and wrote down the things I would like to start with. There are so many great options out there for this business. I had such a hard time chosing just a few scents to start out with. I've decided that I will be selling at a booth at my grandparents flea market once I get my tax stuff straight again. And I also plan to set up an Etsy shop soon after that. I'm so excited to get back into this.

But first I need some help. :-) I've posted this to the 2 forums I go to the most as well.
I need a new business name. :-) I want to start completely fresh with a new name and everything. My logo/signature is going to be a butterfly. Sooooo help me name my "new" business! If I choose a name that someone suggests I will send them a package of bath salts in my "signature" scent, Cherry Lemonade.

Thank you!!

MrsB

Middle Name Me

I was tagged by Drea

Here are the rules:

You have to post these rules before you give the facts.Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

A-- Ann --- Most of the females on my mom's side share this name in one form or another.

N-- Noodles --- I love noodles/pasta in any shape or form! Yummy!!

N-- Natural --- My haircolor is all NATURAL red! :-)


OK I have to tag 3 other blogs.

A-- A Bibliomane Amidst Butterflies
N-- No Place Like Home
N-- Nancy's Place

Geez. This was so hard! You would think with my middle name only being 3 letters it would've been easier.

MTC,
MrsB

Deals galore!

Today has been a busy and wonderful day. CJ and I ate lunch with Mama, Sis, A (our brother, 9), and the 2 little girls that Sis has been babysitting for all summer at Pizza Hut. It was a nice treat out for all of us. After that CJ and I went to Hallmark with Mama and A. I didn't buy anything (yay!) but I do love to look around that store and smell all the yummy candles. Mama offered to take CJ home while I did some grocery shopping, so of course I took her up on the offer!



First I went to Bath & Body Works where they were having a sale on all hand soaps and anti-bacterial hand gels. I picked a birthday gift for my SIL, a "just for" gift for Mama, and some hand soaps for the house. MrB has decided he LOVES BBW's Country Apple Foaming hand soap, so I thrilled when it was on sale.
This is what I bought:
8.75oz Country Apple foaming hand soap reg. $5 sale $3
8oz Kitchen Lemon anti-bacterial moisturizing hand soap reg. $5 sale $3
8.75oz Sensual Amber foaming soap reg. $5 sale $3 *sil b-day gift*
12oz Lavender hand soap reg. $6 sale $3 *Mama just for gift*
3oz Sensual Amber anti-bacterial hand gel reg. $4 sale $3 *sil b-day gift*
2oz Sensual Amber body lotion $3.50 (not on sale) *sil b-day gift*
2oz Irrestible Apple body lotion reg $3.50 sale $2
Total: $20.50 (w/o tax)
Regular Price: $32 (w/o tax)

Then at Wal-Mart I had a couple of coupons to use so I got:
16oz French Vanilla Coffee Mate creamer reg. $1.73 FREE after coupon
15oz Gerber Grins & Giggles Oatmeal Baby Wash reg. $2.47 $1.47 after coupon *nephew b-day gift*
15oz Huggies Mango, Coconut and Aloe Baby Wash reg. $2.82 $0.82 after coupon
64pk Huggies Supreme Diaper Wipes reg. $2.53 $1.53 after coupon
Toddler Bath Pouf $0.48 (no coupon) *nephew b-day gift*
Total: $4.30 (w/o tax)
Regular Price: $10.03 (w/o tax)

Tonight MrB had to run back to town so I made another stop at BBW since I had a coupon to use that I left at home during the first trip.
During this trip I got:
8.75oz Fresh Pineapple foaming soap reg. $5 sale $3 *CJ/guest bathroom or gift closet*
8oz Sparkling Peach hand soap reg. $4.50 sale $3 *gift closet*
8oz Mango Mandarin hand soap reg. $5 sale $3
3oz Midnight Pomegranate anti-bacterial hand gel reg. $4 sale $3
2oz Sparkling Peach anti-bacterial moisturizing hand lotion reg. $4 sale $3
1.7oz Midnight Pomergranate anti-bacterial waterless hand foam reg. $4 sale $3
8oz Sensual Amber Body Cream reg. $10.50 FREE after coupon
Total:$18.00 (w/o tax)
Regular Price: $37 (w/o tax)

Then to Wal-Mart (again! yuck. but MrB had to go) Mama had told me there was some great clearance but somehow I missed to baby toys today when I was there. They moved them from the spot Mama had told me they were.
So I got:
First Years keys $0.40 *gift closet*
(2) First Years Teething Bead $0.50each *1 for gift closet and 1 for CJ*
Baby Einstein Teethe and Tug Pal (turtle) $3 (marked $4) *CJ*
Munchkin Play 'n Pat Water Mat $5 *CJ Christmas*
Fisher Price Tabletop Playmat $7 *CJ Christmas*
Infantino Shake a Tune Rattle $2.50
Adidas anti-perspirant reg. $2.13 FREE after coupon
Total:$18.90
I'm not sure what the regular price of any of the baby items were.

All in all I think it was a good shopping day. We spent alot but I got 2 birthday gifts done and some items for my gift closet for Christmas. :-) We don't need much as far as groceries go this week, so I was able to spent some extra on gifts. :-)

MTC,
MrsB

My big surprise weekend!

I know I'm late in posting this but I wanted to share something from Sunday. MrB decided to take CJ with him to Wal-Mart to pick up some things he needed for work and take back our movie from Friday night. I had some great "mommy" time and MrB enjoyed some "daddy and CJ" time. When they returned home MrB had a BIG surprise for me!

A SEWING MACHINE!!!!!!!!!!!

Its a Brother LS-2125i and I'm so excited! I've been borrowing my mom's but gave it back so Mama and Sis could do some things they wanted to do. I asked MrB to please get me one for Christmas. :-) I guess its Christmas in August! :-) I love it! I took a picture but its still on my camera.

MTC,
MrsB

More great finds!

CJ is down for a nap so I thought I would take a minute to post. We went for CJ's 4month well baby visit yesterday and he weighs 16lbs 6oz and 26inches long. :-) We went to a new doctor and so far I really like him. He was great with CJ and didn't get impatient when CJ wouldn't stop crying during his exam. For some reason CJ only crys at the dr's office while we're in the exam room, thats it!

Saturday I scored some neat finds at my grandparents flea market/family yard sale. All of the items were left over from my cousin's 4H yard sale and they donated them to the family yard sale part of the flea market (all of our family's stuff they want to sell outside of the flea market booths).


First is a shelf that I'm going to re-paint and hang it in my bathroom.





Next is this cute Noah's Ark figurine that I sat on CJ's dresser. (The little "John Deere" guy off to the side was MrB's and already sits on CJ's dresser. I didn't realize he had snuck into the picture until I went to post it)







This cute little plaque I think I'm going to hang in CJ's room as well. Or maybe in his bathroom. I haven't decided yet.

This beautiful coblat blue glass "vase" type thing is gorgeous sitting in my bathroom. :-) Its a whooping 22" tall!

This is a close-up of the neat wave pattern on it.


I also got this neat little "bassinet" type deal. It will still hold CJ for alittle while, but we're only going to use it for naps in the living room when I'm in the room, not for all night sleeping. Afterwards I think I'll use it to put his stuffed animals in.

Here's a close-up of the teddy bear print. The shadows make it looks like its stained, but really its in brand new condition!


And last is this walker I got for CJ as well. His feet don't quite touch the floor yet but he likes to sit in it and let me pull him toward me and then push him arms length out from me. Great excerise for me! And keeps him happy.

MTC,

MrsB

Romance on a Budget

In the post I did recently, frugal tips was the #1 thing that readers want to see. Theres not much we do around here to be frugal that most people aren't already doing, but I'll try to post some of the them no and then. I'm always searching the web for more things I can do to save money. One of the things I'm always looking for is creative ways to show MrB that I love him and cheap dates. :-) In my search I found a great list over at Frugal Village.


Mail your loved one a card or letter.

Keep a journal of clippings/ideas of things your significant other has shown interest in. You will always have a handy reference for gift ideas.

Make a collage of sentimental memories and have it framed. As a surprise you could just hang it as a surprise or give it as a gift.

Post an ad to your sweetheart in the personal column of the newspaper.

Love coupons. These are so easy to make. It can be anything from a hug to a favorite meal. (or use your imagination)

Start a love calendar of important happy sharing moments, or events that are yet to happen.

Make a love tape of songs that you both enjoy. What a sweet surprise to find a tape in the cassette player in the car.

Find out your sweeties favorite foods and keep a little cookbook handy. Consult his/her family for childhood favorites.

Hide love notes in their pockets, in the fridge, on the windshield wipers. Get creative. Remind that person that they are special.

Do a chore that they normally do and hate. Choose something that you normally don't do. Does she always vacuum? You do it. Does he always take out the trash? You do it instead. May seem silly, but doing something surprising keeps that little element of spontaneity in arelationship.

Does your sweetie love something like M&M's? Or ice cream? Or anything? Don't just buy a small package. Buy a huge package. It is sure to get a smile and be enjoyed in the larger size even more.

Place a surprise on your sweetie's pillow. It is always nice to end the day on a romantic note. You could add a card or anything special.

Get out the chalk and you and the kids write a big love message to your sweetheart on the driveway as a surprise.

Start a restaurant/movies ratings book together. This is something fun that helps create lasting memories.

Get a special key-chain engraved for your loved one.

Read a book together. (Written by their favorite author)

Put a together a puzzle.

Plan a mystery night out. Plan a surprise outing.

Are dinners out getting expensive? Try breakfasts out.

Clip funny comics to post on the fridge.

When dining casually, sit together booth style.


One of my favorite cheap dates is one we actually had this weekend. I'll pick up a frozen pizza from the grocery store if they happen to be on sale for around $3 (I also like these for a cheap supper when I don't feel like cooking). And then on a friday or saturday night we want to do something but don't want to spend alot we'll go rent a movie ($4). Then I'll cook the pizza and we'll enjoy our "date night" at home for $7. This weekend though we picked up supper at Wendys for $9 instead of eatting pizza.

MTC,
MrsB

Oh what a beautiful morning!

Oh what a beautiful day!

This morning I woke up well rested and very please that CJ only woke once during the night and that was my fault. My house is nice and neat thanks to a quick clean up yesterday when I thought my MIL was coming over. *blush* (she didn't btw) And my hubby took CJ to town with him so I could have some "me" time and he could get some daddy and CJ time, which was very nice. Well he came home with a new sewing machine for me!!!! Isn't he so sweet?? I've been borrowing my mom's machine but her and my sis needed it back to do some neat projects of their own (if you are reading Sis, I'm ready for my dish washing gloves! lol) I had asked MrB to please get me a sewing machine for Christmas instead of other things and he surprised me with one early! :-) *swoon*

It is so sunshiney outside today. Very hot but there is a really nice breeze. So I hung a load of towels on the line to dry and the breeze felt so wonderful and the sun was like a warm hug. :-) I'm wearing my flowy denim skirt today and the breeze was making it blow around. It made me feel......so homey and very much like the wife/mom/homemaker I'm trying to be.

Supper is done for tonight, its leftover picnic cooked on the grill and potatoes from my grandparents anniversary party on Saturday. All that needs to be done is washing up a few dishes that are left from last night.

God is so great you guys! I'm so happy for this beautiful day. :-)

Off to play with CJ,
MTC,
MrsB

Building your Pantry

I'm working on building my pantry but I don't have alot of room for storage until the spare bedroom/office/craft room is decluttered and organized. Anyway, I found this great list on Frugal Village of the staple items you need in your pantry. This just a list to get you started. Add and remove items based on what you use.

pancake mix
biscuit mix
cornbread mix
muffin mix
salad dressings
peanut butter
pasta
rice
season mixes
jelly
soy sauce
teriyaki sauce
spaghetti sauce
oils
cooking spray
vinegar
herbs and spices
canned fruit
olives
canned tomatoes-crushed, diced, sauce, paste, puree
evaporated milk
tuna
sweetened condensed milk
canned beans-kidney beans,navy beans, chili beans
canned soup-cream soups
chicken and beef broth/boullion
all-purpose flour
bread flour
cornmeal
muffin mix
granulated sugar
confectioner's sugar
brown sugar
baking soda
baking powder
yeast
cornstarch
unsweetened cocoa
chocolate chips
vegetable shortening
oatmeal
cereal
crackers
dried breadcrumbs
barleylentils
split peas
dried onion soup mix
pie fillings
worcestershire sauce
mustard-yellow, dijon
canned vegetables-cream of corn, garabanzo beans, peas, etc
pickles
olives
hoisin sauce
salsa
corn syrup
pancake syrup
honey
vanilla
flavored extracts
hot sauce
grated cheese
puddings
jello
ketchup
mayo
creamer
powdered milk
apple sauce
marshmallows


MrsB

I got an award!

Yay!!! I'm alittle behind buttttt I received an award! Happy Hearts at Home passed along the Frugal Subversive award! How sweet and such an honor! :-)

http://happyheartsathome.blogspot.com/2007/08/blog-awards.html

I promise to pass it along as soon as I get a chance. :-)

MrsB

Life Happened

When we got internet at our house last week I assumed that would let me be able to post more on my blog. Unforunately I seem to have less time than ever. CJ is requiring more and more time as is my house. I'm tired of living in CHAOS (can't have any over syndrome....flylady.net) My house isn't terrible. Seriously I could have someone over and they not have to step over things. I would just be embrassed at the papers on the counter and coffee table and the kitchen floor not swept you know general housekeeping things that are/were lacking. So I have to choose most of the time....write on my blog about things I've done and want to do or play with my baby, spend time with my love and take care of my house. Soooo CJ's naptimes are when I get online, and that means I have to split my time between emails, my message boards, researching cloth diapers and blogging. Sooooo if I go a few days without posting please forgive me. I'm living my happy little life and I promise I'll post again!! Just please be patient and keep checking in.

OK I need to go for now. I promise to write again very soon!!!

MrsB

Yard saling!

OK I know its a couple days late to be talking about what I got at the yard sales this weekend but it was a busy weekend! :-)

Friday night we went to see my brother play baseball. His All Star made it to the State Championships!! They ended up losing but it was big accomplishment to make it that far! :-) It was nice to watch him pitch and see all my little brothers and sister. :-) AND my brother hit a home run! yay!

So Saturday morning I got up to go yard saling and MrB went with me! :-D It was a wonderful morning out with my hubby. There was only a few yard sales around here, but we live in a small town. At the first we got a onesie for CJ and Joan of Arc on DVD for a total of 50cents.

At another I got myself a shirt for 25cents (too small, will probably be passed to Sis) and MrB got a Ninetendo 64 to put in his 18 wheeler for $10

At the next yard sale, I scored CJ the book "Guess How Much I love you" there are some pencil marks inside but I think I can clean it up to look almost brand new. Also got Sis a Nancy Drew book (copyright 1934) and a Hardy Boys book (copyright 1966) and myself The Silent Bell (copyright 1975 and signed by the author!) and The Herford Aesop (copyright 1921) for a total of $2

Since my new hobby is sewing, I picked up this plastic container of fabric for $3

At yet another yard sale, I got 8 pairs of jeans for me and a pair of Nauctica shorts for my brother for 25cents each!!

And this beautiful water fountain. I've wanted this fountain since it came out in the Avon books, but it was pretty expensive. This one is missing the power cord, but it works perfect and I only paid $2. :-) Plus I wouldn't plug it up anyway. lol

And of course we can't forget Max! He's the new pup MrB got from the yard sale where I got the books and fabric. The girl was giving him and his sister away b/c they found them on the side of the road and couldn't keep them. So we got Max. :-) He is part chow and maybe part lab? He's so little! Looks barely over 6 weeks old and already listens so well! He comes when MrB whistles and stays right at his feet from the first day we brought him home.

Let's see what else..... Thats all from the yard sales. But yesterday was a good day too. :-)

I received 3 packages of cloth dipes from mamas off of diaperswappers.com I'll post pics of them soon. They're drying right now. And my first book from Paperbackswap.com "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding". :-) So far I've sent one book (pd postage $2.81) and received one book (rec'd free!) and have another book on the way. :-) Sooooo if you decide you to join, and you SHOULD! Please use me as your referrer. :-) My id is cjsmommy. :-)

OK I better go. CJ is napping and I have a ton of things that need to be done!

MrsB

18 years :-)

Happy Anniversary to my parents!!! 18 years and still going strong!! Love ya!!

Its World Breastfeeding Week and MommyBabble has a wonderful post about getting your breastfeeding relationship off to a good start.
Also as part of WFMW over at Rocks in my Dryer (I know I'm a day late! I forgot it was WFMW!) there's a beautiful post at Musings of a Housewife about enjoying your baby.

One last link before I go... Amy at the Motherload is doing 30 days of savings. Every day for the month of August she will post a savings tip. Yesterdays was about getting discounts. :-)

Enjoy!
MrsB

Finding what works for us

My son is asleep taking a much needed nap from our trip to the doc with daddy and then lunch with my grandparents. I have clothes going in the washer so I have a few free minutes until its time to start supper and finish up the laundry.

If you've visited me before you know I post often about something new I'm trying in order to save us money and/or time. There was the $40 a week challenge, menu planning at the beginning of the week, and the No Spend Month Challenge. For 2 months I wrote down in my binder every single cent I spent and what we had for supper that night. But as usual some how it got pushed onto the back burner along with other failed attempts at setting up a budget. I think it was a mixture of my son who is now very active and doesn't sleep or nurse as much so there's not alot of time to keep detailed accounts of our day and my new found hobby of sewing. (Thanks Mama for letting me borrow your sewing machine!! It'll come home eventually! *smile*)
So I'm trying to decide what works for us. Right now I'm really not sure. I have a hard time picking something and sticking to it. I'm frugal, I shop the sales, I watch my spending, and all those things. But when it comes to putting it on paper or setting up a budget it goes haywire!
Sooo what are your feelings about a budget? How did you pick your system and stick to it?


MrsB

Tip Tuesday

I've been introduced to a website call Paperback Swap. Its a place to list your paperback books that you want to get rid of and get books you want. If someone requests one of your books then you pay to ship it to them which is around $1.60 if you use PBS's labels. But the books YOU request are FREE for you! :-)

And while you're at it, check out Meredith's list of Living Well on Less books for some books you might to check out. :-)


Let's see...today is also Kitchen Tip Tuesday at Tammy's Recipes so my tip for today is to hang hooks above your stove (mine are actually beside my stove above my countertop) and use them to store your pot holders and/or over mitts (I have 2 hooks, one for each). Now when you're cooking you never have to look to far for your mitts. :-)


MrsB

Homemade Cleaners

There's a ton of great advice over at Momadvice! Here's one of the articles on making your own household cleaners by Amy Clark.

A great place to save money is to make your own household cleaners. If your house is anything like mine you have invested at times a small fortune into household cleaners. What many people don’t know is that household cleaners can be made, you don’t need very many ingredients (most found already in your home), and these cleaners are less toxic so they are better for your family. As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts -- and that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils and concentrated, all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes.

Today, the cleaner is frequently more dangerous than the things we are trying to clean up. Common household products contain alcohols, ammonia, bleach, formaldehyde, and lye. These substances can cause nausea, vomiting, inflammation and burning of the eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory system, and are linked with neurological, liver and kidney damage, blindness, asthma, and cancer. If you have children, this is very scary to have these kinds of things in your home. Why not save money and protect your environment by using earth-friendly cleaners? If you have already bought a lot of your household cleaners use the remainder of the bottle so that you don’t have to feel guilty about throwing away perfectly good cleaners and then begin making your own.

To continue saving money buy your ingredients that you need in bulk and try to buy your spray bottles in bulk. You should not reuse spray bottles because it is not safe to reuse bottles that had commercial cleaners or chemicals in them.

The number one most important thing that you need to be aware of is to NEVER mix bleach and ammonia- this is very deadly! You should always read labels before mixing to make sure that you do not cause yourself or anyone in your home any harm. In addition, when making your own cleaners make sure that you label your own containers clearly so that you don’t mix these with other potentially harmful ingredients.

Below are a few recipes for making your own cleaners. If you are interested in researching the topic further I recommend that you visit care2.com for more information on how to make your home a toxic-free home.

All-Purpose Cleaner
1 teaspoon Borax
½ tsp washing soda
2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice
1 liquid soap (vegetable oil based if possible)
Combine with 2 cups very hot water and use in a spray bottle. If you want a bucketful, use 1/8 cup each of borax, washing soda, and vinegar and combine with 1 tablespoon liquid soap and 2 gallons of water.

Window Cleaner
½ teaspoon liquid soap (vegetable-oil based soap recommended)
3 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
2 cups of water spray bottle
Mix ingredients together and pour into a spray bottle.

Unclogging Drains
Pour one half cup of baking soda and one cup vinegar down the drain, plugging the drain immediately until the foaming stops. Then rinse with hot water.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Mix a solution of water and vinegar. Recommended proportions vary from three tablespoons vinegar in one quart water, to three tablespoons vinegar in two cups water, to a 1:1 mixture. Some recipes add a drop of detergent.

Oven Cleaner
Scrub with a paste of baking soda, soap and water. Also, add borax and salt to the paste. Salt is very abrasive so it will help to get the grime off of your oven.



MrsB

Blogging Poll

I've posted a poll on the left hand side of the page asking what would you like to see more on this blog. Please comment here if you pick other. :-)

Thanks!

MrsB

Babytalk & Veggies

Its harvest time! And I loooove it! I don't have a garden per say. I have a Roma tomato plant that I've gotten one mater off of as well as a green pepper plant that has produced flowers but no peppers. My grandaddy how ever also plants a huge garden! And they share the love with everyone since the garden always produces more than they can eat/can. Friday we visited them for awhile and they gave me a wonderful gift of canned maters, strawberry jam, string beans, squash and cucumbers! Yummy!! I can't wait to have a supper of fresh string beans, squash and Rice & tomatoes! Yum! (With meat for my hubby of course! lol)

My dad works on a farm that grows potatoes as well as other things. I received this bag full of wonderful bakinig potatoes fresh from the field from him.

Thank you Babytalk Magazine! I love Babytalk! Its a free magazine (click link to get a free subscription!) that I receive in the mail. This is one of the best baby magazines out there. So I just wanted to give a shout out to Babytalk for its current issue (Aug 07) about Breastfeeding as well as having mentioned babywearing TWICE! Yay Babytalk!

MrsB