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