~ Breast Cancer Awareness Month ~

This is an important month and one that I try to do everything I can to honor breast cancer survivors which include my own older sister who is a survivor of stage 3 breast cancer that included mastectomy, chemo and radiation treatments. That was over 5 years ago and she is doing well!

I always collect the pink Yoplait lids which when sent in contribute 10 cents per lid to Susan G Komen charity which is just one cancer curing cause out there. I already have 6 lids saved and it is only October 1st! Go me! :)

Last month hub got a post card coupon from a local Italian Restaurant for buy one get one entree (up to $14) free during his birthday month. We decided to use it last night as that was the last day of his birthday month (mine too). The dinner was good. My hub loved the Lobster Ravioli he had and my meal was tasty too. I was shocked when we got the dinner bill though as we each had ONE draft lager beer and the total was $10 for drinks! Cripes! We could have bought a case of domestic beer for that price! Lesson learned. When we go back, which I'm sure we will, I'm getting WATER, and no, not the bottled kind which is probably $5.00 too!

Well, we may be dealing with more sleepless nights ahead as there is a forecast for overnight rain the next few days. My hub jokingly said maybe we should give the dogs the Advil PM. :)

Good news! My youngest is coming home for the weekend again. Yay! She is not driving this time so she won't have to do that part. I'm sure it will be laundry weekend too.

Gotta go...

~ Tired Tuesday ~

I'm just popping in, still working. For those of you that know me that is no suprise. Just dragging today. Storms last night got me up first around 12:30AM with the dog that whines when it storms. Got her settled down and myself back to sleep. Awake again around 4:30AM when it was storming so bad the thunder even scared me! Tried to calm dogs down, but after had 4 on the bed decided to give up at 5:00AM and just got up. So...I'm running on fumes right now.

Back to finish work..

Crazy Coupon Clipping Cutter

Yesterday afternoon I spent some time clipping coupons, looking at the ones I had and writing out a menu for the next 3 weeks. Yes, I went grocery shopping this morning and got 3 weeks worth of meals! Woo hoo! I don’t know if I could have done that when the kids were still living at home or not, but I probably could. After all, my hub eats enough for a family of 4 on his own, although there are some aisles that I can skip nowadays, like the cereal aisle. I eat oatmeal or cream of wheat in the morning and the containers I get last a while. My occasional urge to indulge in Sugar Smacks is not enough for me to clip that cereal coupon out as I would have to buy two boxes of cereal and that would just be a waste.

As I was sweeping through the coupons I already have, I had to toss so many of them that had JUST expired! Didn’t they use to have a longer expiration dates on coupons, or is it just my imagination? I saw a few that were really good deals - $1.00 off that just expired last week. Ugh! I also hate when I come across a good one that I can use until I read the fine print that it is only for the ‘Light’ brand. Drat!

Then there are the coupons that I have painstakingly cut out and folded with my grocery list that just do not make sense to use when I’m standing right in front of the product selection. Although I might save 50 cents on the brand name juice, I can get the store brand of grape juice for 1.00 cheaper. There goes another wasted coupon clip.

And don’t forget the coupons that cannot be used because the store just doesn’t carry that product. I had a $1.00 off coupon for some salad dressing and needed specifically Italian dressing for a recipe, but they did not HAVE that brand in Italian dressing on the shelf…that coupon got shoved back in my purse. That’s okay though because the store brand Italian dressing I found was cheaper. I was particularly proud to have in my possession a $1.00 off coupon for a sleeping aide that my hub uses now and then. Turns out the box itself had a $2.00 coupon right on it! While I was happy with that, I’m sure I will not be using that coupon I cut out before it expires.

I decided to search for a coupon exchanging group and am going to give that a try. So I cut all of the coupons that were in the Sunday paper out so that I would have plenty to offer to anyone that can use them. I have no need for cat items, diapers or baby products, etc.

My husband told me last night I was a coupon clipping crazy lady. He wanted to know why I was cutting out a denture gripping product when I still have my own teeth? I told him about the coupon exchange group I was planning to join. He just shook his head and said “Let me understand you correctly. You are spending hours clipping every coupon you see, and waiting for a bunch of coupon rejects that nobody else wanted to come in the mail, only to add your new ones to that you spent time clipping out so the next person can use them?" Well that’s not exactly how it is suppose to work. I am suppose to get the last person’s new ones that they can’t use. Maybe they don’t have dogs or don’t use my brand of cleaner, etc. Anyway I’m giving it a shot and will see how it goes.

So…is it really worth it all, cutting coupons?...I see posts at different places where one woman saved so much by using coupons, another saved over $100 by using her coupons. I especially like the ones where they get something on sale, get doubled coupons and actually get money BACK at the check out counter. I’m not there yet and probably won’t be. I don’t have enough hours in my day to search all over for coupons. But I’m doing okay. ..my grocery savings today was $20.43 !

The Differences....

The differences of not having my youngest here all the time are becoming more apparent now that the fall season is here. I was used to attending all the high school Home football games to catch the half-time show featuring the school dance team which my daughter was on. She was even an officer last year and got special recognition each game with an announcement of her name and rank. I was so proud watching her strut her stuff with the rest of the girls in their glittery uniforms. And the splits! I could never do a split like her or my other daughter for that matter. A one-handed cart wheel was about the fanciest move I could ever do in high school.

As I hear the football game scores on the nightly news it feels strange that I haven't been to a game yet. I almost feel guilty...but not enough to go to a game. Those bleachers are hard!

I was doing laundry today too and I had only done one load I think since the girls were visiting last weekend. I did 4 loads and am nearly caught up already! Used to be, I had to do laundry every other day just to keep up with all the layering , practice outfits, uniforms, just from having one teenage girl at home.

I also mentioned last weekend when everyone was visiting how the kitchen counter stays clutter-free, just as I leave it! I love that part! It used to be a daily routine that a purse, car keys, books, jacket, school project always got strewn all over the counter and I always had to move them when I was getting dinner ready. Yes, I suppose I could have yelled upstairs every day to tell her to put things away but half the time she wouldn't hear me unless I went upstairs because her music was so loud. Just was easier to do it myself! Something I'm sure every mother can relate to.

As much as I give the impression how much easier life is without kids living at home, it still is hard to adjust to. Sometimes the quiet is deafening. Luckily my dogs can keep a secret though. Nobody has to know that I am holding conversations with myself as of late! :-)

~ Anniversary ~

I meant to write yesterday but had a lot of work to do so didn't get to this until now. Yesterday was our 10th year wedding anniversary. Originally the plan was ,(up until about a year ago when reality set in), to go back to Vegas where we tied the knot back in 1999. Instead, I lit the candle that I forgot to light at my daughter's engagement party in August while we ate macaroni, queso and cubed ham - a recipe we sort of created by accident. It was simple and we chatted a little about the past and the future and we toasted (with milk and beer -not combined), to ten more years times four.

Maybe we'll get back to Vegas some day. I am not trying to make anyone feel sorry for me though, we really don't do much of anything for any holidays or birthdays for each other, partly due to money issues but also due to not being materialistic as in years before. The need for new 'things' to junk up my house are just not tops on my list these days. I enjoy having an uncluttered house and uncluttered closet (which honestly could fit three times the amount of clothes it now has). I have a total of three purses and less than 6 pairs of shoes (most of which haven't been worn since we moved here).

I would rather try to strive for enough money to do a bigger project like our bathroom which really needs a remodel. :-)

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It has been raining here the last several days which was badly needed. I was quickly reminded how muddy the floors get with 6 dogs who like to run along the fence chasing squirrels, deer or birds....ugh. The hardest part for me about this weather though is after having nearly record breaking 100 degree days (over 60 for the last few months), it is only 61 out right now! Brrrrr....quite an adjustment for sure!

Kodak Moment..

I know it has been a few days since I've blogged but when any family is in, I won't be writing. After all, this blog is my solace for when they aren't here...so when they are here I would rather spend quality time with them and NOT on the computer.:-)

We celebrated every one's birthday but my oldest daughter and our 10th year wedding anniversary which is tomorrow, by going to Red Lobster on Saturday. Eating out has become a rare treat around here since tightening the belt, and the times when both girls will be home are rare for sure. So we had a good time and I felt more like a tourist than a Towny snapping a bunch of pictures. This one is my daughters and I while waiting for our table. The men ate the endless shrimp meals while the girls and I had something different. I of course had to get something with lobster tail included with it, yum! Two of us had enough leftovers for doggie bags too.

It was so quiet on Sunday after they left. My oldest seems to like her new 'old' car well enough and I hope once the alignment it needs is done, there will be no major repairs for at least a few years! Here's hoping that by that time she can afford to pay for it herself!

Yesterday was back to routine day but also an agonizing day of trying to decide if we want to get the RAV fixed as there is still some major issues with it and try to put it on craigslist for $3k or so, or sell it to a friend of hub's who does cars as a hobby and thought his wife would like it. He offered $1.5K as is. Although I'd love to get more than that, I have no desire to put any more money, which I don't have sitting around, into fixing it on the hopes we'll get more...I am just going to cut my losses and be done with all vehicle dilemmas (I pray) for a while!

~ Time to Celebrate! ~

The girls are both home this weekend, well one is on her way with her fiance' as I am writing this. We are all gathering together to give my oldest her new 'old' car to replace her RAV, but also to celebrate this month of events. 4 of 5 of us have birthdays this month and it is also hub and mine's 10 year wedding anniversary. That is a biggie for me! I have not been married this long before! It wasn't me, don't ask! :) I will take my camera and snap a few pictures at dinner.

Spent the first half of the day deep cleaning the first floor. I think I have cleaned up enough dog fur to make a coat out of! Shelties sure do shed! No wonder my allergies have been horrible lately. I have decided I am skipping my exercise routine tomorrow since I had a work out scrubbing the floors. :)

I'm going to make this short, so I can have a snack and watch 'Harry Met Sally' with my youngest daughter. Have a great evening everyone~!