I know, I know...  I've been away for a while.  I did plan my meals the past few weeks just didn't post about them.  So I'm trying to have meals with a more bland pallete this week since we have a bout of upset stomach in our house.  We'll see if we stick to it or if we crave spice before the week is over.

Monday - Chicken Ravioli Carbonara, salad
Tuesday - Salisbury Steaks, Mashed Potatoes, Cream Corn
Wednesday - Chicken Broccoli Casserole - Side TBD (new)
Thursday - Chicken Cordon Bleu, Green Beans, Carrots (new)
Friday - Meatball Pizza

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com for hundreds of other menu plans.

I'm sitting here today watching the coverage from 9 years ago and my heart is truely saddened.  I cannot get over the changes that have happend in our lives as a country since that tragic day in 2001. 

My daughter wanted to snuggle with me and I let her until she fell asleep and then left her in my arms even longer taking the time to reflect on those events and keep my most precious treasure close to my heart.

Today as we prayed we prayed for the leaders of our nation and for the military members at home and abroad and for those that lost their lives and their loved ones.  My heart aches for them all.

I will always remember.

Well, my daughter's first birthday has come and gone.  I've been kind of MIA while planning for that and a surprise baby shower I was throwing for a friend of mine.  My party planning days are done until Thanksgiving!

Everything went very, very well.  For the baby shower we didn't know the gender so we did a beachy theme.  I used sand buckets for the chips and shovels to scoop them out with.  I put a beach towel down as a runner and decorated with random sand toys.  The cake (not made by me) was simple but oh-so-yummy yellow cupcakes with white icing and crushed graham crackers sprinkled on top to look like sand.  She also used a sand castle mold and packed it full of vanilla ice cream and then turned it out onto the platter and sprinkled it with crushed graham crackers too.  Sorry I didn't manage to get any pictures with my own camera.  I'll have to hound my friend to send me the ones we took with hers.

On the menu was:
Seven Layer Dip
Lindsay's Dip (My friend Lindsay always makes it so I worked hard to come up with the name)
Pillsbury Savorings
Watermelon Baby Carriage (prepared by my hubby)
Punch

Now on to the birthday girl's party!

A girlfriend of mine convinced me that I COULD make her cake myself rather than buying one at the store so I did...  I stressed over that more than anything for the party and it really turned out cute!  I was very surprised with myself.

Smash Cake

Party Cake

 I had another good friend that loaned me some decorating bags, icing tint, and tips and I made the icing from scratch.  The cake was just a boxed yellow cake mix.  I printed out a butterfly in the size that I needed from clipart and cut it out.  Then laid it on the cake and traced the outline with a toothpick and then filled it in with a start tip - Wilton cake decorating 101 style.

For the food I wanted to go simple because I knew I was going to be so stressed about the cake because I tend to be a teeny bit of a perfectionist.  So we had a nacho bar and I just had all the fixin's laid out in the kitchen.  For the little kids I made cheese quesadillas.

For the guest of honor's attire I made a tutu to match the 'birthday girl' shirt that my girlfriend bought for her.  I was inspired by Busy Working Mama when she made a tutu for her daughter.  I used these instructions and it was a SUPER easy task that received lots of compliments.

Modeled by a left over baby shower bucket.

Modeled by the Birthday Girl!

We had a great time with our family and friends at the party and everything went over very well.  My daughter even played in the cake!!  I couldn't have asked for anything to be any better.

I'm trying to really get the hang of couponing.  I've been clipping coupons and using them at Publix and Kroger for a few months now and only saving about $20 per week and still paying around $100 every week.  I know - not very good...

Well, the past couple of weeks I've been shopping at Publix instead of Kroger and I've been better.  I don't know if it's the change in store or that I'm trying to be more strict in sticking to my list.  Right now I spend entirely too much time preparing for my trips but I think that will decrease soon now that I'm finally getting the hang of it.

Today was BY FAR my best savings day yet.

I took advantage of the +UP Rewards program at Rite Aid.  If you are not doing this then you are really missing lots of savings.

Here is what I bought:




Transaction # 1
-2 Dial Body Wash - Regular $5.49
        On Sale for $3
        (2) $1/1 Manufacturer's Coupons
        $2 +UP wyb 2
-2 Gain Dish Soap - Regular $1.49
        On Sale for $0.89
        (2) $1/1 Manufactuer's Coupons
     Total Due $5.53



Transaction # 2
-2 Nivea Men's Body Wash - Regular $4.99
        On Sale for $3.50
        $4/2 Manufacturer's Coupon
        $2 +UP wyb 2
-$2 +UP
     Total Due $0.18!!


Transaction # 3
-1 Nivea Men's Body Wash - Regular $4.99
        On Sale for $3.50
        $1/1 Manufacturer's Coupon
-$2 +UP
     Total Due $0.36

Total of all items before Sales & Coupons = $28.93
Total OOP Expense = $6.07!!!
Total Savings = 79%

Well, I have chickened out on my running for a while now.  Probably somewhere close to 2 months because of the heat and humidity.  It's been truely horrendous!  But my favorite weatherman said that the lows were going to get down into the 60's last night so what did I do? 

I opened my windows!!

And when I woke up this morning to the sound of music (literally) I decided that it felt amazing and I should be a trooper and get back to running.  So, I fed the baby and off we went. 

I didn't know quite where to pick up so I jumped back to week 2 and accidentaly did day 2 instead of day 1.  But that doesn't matter this week because all of the runs are the same.  It's 6 repitions of 90 second runs followed by 60 second walks.  I did pretty well.  I didn't get to totally finish the last run because the baby threw her pacifier down to say, "Hey Mom, I'm DONE!  Let's go swing."  So, we swang in order to preserve the peace at the track.

It felt really good to get back into it today.  I just hope the temperatures stay like this!!  We'll see.  There's a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving that a friend of mine asked me to run in with her so I'd like to be able to be finished by then.  My original deadline was in 2 weeks but that's not gonna happen.

Okay, I gave baking in my crock pot a shot yesterday and I have to say I was rather pleased with the results.  I made Chile Relleno Casserole. 



From what I've read in order to bake in your CP you put your food in a separate dish then place that dish in the CP and make sure it's elevated.  I guess this is for even baking.  I placed mine on top of some foil balls.  Then, since the foil didn't get dirty I threw them in the cabinet in an unused pitcher for use again at a later date, perhaps today.

It takes a lot longer to bake in your CP than it does in your oven but you have the added benefit of not having to heat your house up.  And any of those casserole recipes you have you can prepare in the morning and throw them in and dinner will be ready when you are.  I had mine on low for 2 hours then bumped it up to high for another 2.

Here are some pics.  Now, keep in mind that the casserole kind of looks like mush, but don't most casseroles?  And I am in no way a professional photographer.  I like to EAT food, not photograph it.  It doesn't usually sit still long enough for that.

Okay, the next two weeks are going to be busy for me.  I'm having a baby shower this weekend and my baby turns ONE next weekend so we're having her party for that!  I'm doing appetizers/finger foods at both so I have to figure out recipes for that.  Also, I'm crazy and decided to make the cake for my daughter's birthday.  I've never decorated a cake before so this should be interesting.  I'll post pics afterwards.

I heard last week that you could bake in your crock pot.  Now, I use my CP frequently in the winter but never thought to bake in it.  Today I'm trying it!  Why don't I use it more in the summer when I don't want to turn on the oven??

Monday - Chile Rellenos Casserole, black beans, mexi rice
Tuesday - Heavenly Hamburger Casserole
Wednesday - Sandwiches (Mommy's not cooking)
Thursday - Creamy Burrito Casserole
Friday - Pork Chops Yum Yum, Green beans, another side TBD

For my apps and finger foods I'm thinking of a few different things:

Spinach Artichoke dip (frozen, I know...)
Pepperoni Pizza Dip
S'mores Pops
Tortilla Pinwheels
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Whew, that's a ton of recipes!  If you have any appetizer recipes to share that would be great!! Post a link in the comments section or post the recipe there.  I would be eternally greatful...  Now, go on over to orgjunkie.com for tons of other meal plans.