Thrifty Third Avenue Gal

Cleaning

2011-07-02T17:32:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to document what I did today, cleaning wise...I washed the 2 red valances (and the 2 black valances in Mitchell's room) for the kitchen windows. I washed down the wall over the kitchen sink and washed the wood (with Murphy's oil soap) around that same kitchen window. I also washed the cupboard to the right of the sink and the outside of the closet door. I then took the blind over the kitchen window out and rinsed it on the drive-way with the hose, wiped it down with a rag and hung it over the truck bed to drive in the sun. Then I washed the window over the sink, re-hung the blind, steamed the valance and hung it back up. Then washed the knick-knacks that sit on the little shelfs, washed the bottom of the dish drainer and cleaned the sink!!!

General update

2010-05-08T11:14:00.003-05:00

Emma's been sick (sinus infection) the last few days but I took her to the doctor yesterday morning and got her an antibiotic. Hopefully that will fix her up quickly so she can go back to school on Monday! She's been a really good sport about it this time around.

In other news, it's only 42 degrees here today (May 8!) and it's supposed to FREEZE tonight! :( I've got to bring in my flowers...

2010-05-08T11:11:00.003-05:00

Last night was fun! Steve & I went down to a local establishment to celebrate Friday :) and ended up talking with Mitchell's confirmation mentor and his wife. We ended up having a great time talking and playing pool. My team won!!! :)

Taco Soup Recipe

2010-05-08T11:02:00.001-05:00

Here is a delicious soup recipe!

Taco Soup
2 lbs hamburger, browned
1/2 onion, diced
1 large can chili (no beans)
2 cans pinto beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 pt. sour cream
1 lb. Velveeta, cubed
1 pkg. Fritos

Can be placed in a crock pot on low. Stir often until cheese is melted. On the stove, add all ingredients (except Fritos) and cook on medium-low. Stir often and serve over chips. Serves 10-15 people.

I love me some freebies!!!

2010-05-03T20:39:00.002-05:00

I am absolutely into registering for freebies online! I love getting the samples in the mail. It's like shopping without spending any money... Freebies 4 Mom is the best site, while Surviving the Stores and Northern Cheapskate are also great for freebie links.

May 1 & 2, 2010

2010-05-02T21:48:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to document this weekend...I'm going to TRY to do this more often so I can chronicle our lives.

This weekend was gorgeous, weather-wise. Sunny and 70's. It doesn't get much better than that in Iowa. Saturday, May 1, Steve, the kids & I headed to Waverly around noon so Steve & I could attend Josh Dean's Surprise 30th birthday party at the Fainting Goat. We dropped the kids off at Applebee's to eat on their own, which they later told us they enjoyed. Emma said she had the best dessert EVER! :) Anyway, Steve & I sat with Kady & Jason Korbel and Mark & Keanna Wackwitz and Josh was very surprised when he walked in. He also liked his "Horny Goat Weed" vitamins that we gave him :) We only stayed until 2, then picked up the kids, headed to Hy-Vee to get beer for the Crawfish Boil and then returned to Charles City to be here when Joe got here. He arrived, we chatted and then got ready to leave. We headed to Rockford to pick up Alex and then went to Paul & Kelly's. The party was really fun this year! Spent a lot of time talking to Darla & Gary Pyle, and of course, Joe, Alex & Steve. We headed home around 11 but had a great time!

We sleep in til 10 then I made breakfast. We hung out for a while and then Mitchell, Emma, Joe & I took the short drive out to Stillwater's Greenhouse WHICH WAS CLOSED! :( But it was a beautiful day for a drive. Then we headed to DQ for a treat, showed Joe the salon and then went to Bluhm's Greenhouse where I got 2 hanging floral baskets. Then we came home, talked to Joe for a little while, then he left and then Steve & I worked in the yard. We ended the evening by watching The Simpsons, having a couple pizzas and then watching "Back to the Future II".

All in all, a great weekend. We are all in better moods now, thank the Lord! :)

I'm back...and making homemade treats!

2009-11-22T17:17:00.002-06:00

Hi again! After a VERY long, unthrifty period of time...I'm back and ready to be thrifty again :) I made several homemade goodies today and wanted to document them so I remember to do it again! This afternoon, I've made chocolate chip muffins, rice krispie treats, ranch oyster crackers and homemade honey wheat bread! I'm trying deperately to avoid the grocery store in between paydays...I've made it 8 days and want to stretch that to 13, if possible.

On a related side note: Generic crispy rice cereal is NOT as good as Kellogg's Rice Krispies! Guess I'll wait until the next time that Rice Krispies is on sale and I have coupons to stock up :)

God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Happy Birthday to my sweet little peanut :)

2009-04-08T08:28:00.004-05:00

My baby girl is officially a teenager today. The last 13 years have gone by so quickly....it's seems like just yesterday we were bringing our little pink peanut home from the hospital. I am very fortunate that my daughter and I have a terrific relationship (at least up to this point). Most of her friends, as she tells me, greatly dislike their mothers and think their moms are stupid. My daughter tells me at least 20 times a day that she loves me and that I'm her best friend :) I know what they say, you shouldn't be best friends with your children...but we've always treated them like equals and have valued and respected their opinions and it has made us a very close family.

So I'm thanking God today for blessing us with this beautiful young lady! Thrifty Gal

P.S. The thrifty side of me is thankful too because I called the local radio station to have her birthday announced on air and she won a Dairy Queen ice cream cake! Yippee! :)

Thrifty birthday celebration? NOT!!!! :)

2009-04-03T20:00:00.003-05:00

Well, all my plans to try to curb my spending after spring break have gone awry. As I'm typing this, I'm watching my almost 13-year-old daughter and 2 of her friends swim in a hotel pool. In a hotel in the town where I live. And I'm paying to sleep at the hotel that's in the town I have a home in. Not very thrifty, huh? But there isn't much to do for a 13-year-old's party in our small town. And she only turns 13 once, right?

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe/Waffle Iron Help

2009-04-02T10:25:00.003-05:00

I've been looking a long time for an easy, whole wheat pizza dough recipe and I just found one in the latest issue of "Taste of Home" magazine. I thought I'd share it!

Perfect Pizza Crust
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Cornmeal
Pizza Toppings of your choice

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt, 1 cup bread flour and the whole wheat flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down; roll in a 15-in. circle. Grease a 14-in. pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. Transfer dough to prepared pan; build up edges slightly.

Add toppings of your choice. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and toppings are lightly browned and heated through. Yield: 8 servings

I'll update this post with my review once I get the chance to make it! :)

Also, I wondered if anyone out there could recommend a good waffle iron. My son eats premade, pop in the toaster chocolate chip waffles every morning and I would love to start making them from scratch, freezing them and pulling one out every morning. I've been researching waffle irons but just can't decide on what kind would work best. Any help would be appreciated :)

Enjoy your day and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Future Shopping Destination: Walgreens

2009-04-01T13:33:00.002-05:00

From a public relations stand-point (I have a PR degree from UNI '89), this was a brilliant move by Walgreens:

Demonstrating their commitment to families during tough economic times, Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems today announced the launch of the Take Care Clinic Take Care Recovery Plan – an offer of free health care services at Take Care Clinics throughout the remainder of 2009 to all current and future Take Care Clinic patients, and their families, that suffer a job loss on or after March 31, 2009 and have no health insurance benefits.
“Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems will not stand idly by as individuals are forced by the hardships of the economy to choose among basic necessities such as health care, housing and food. Quality, accessible and affordable care should be the right of every individual,” said Walgreens President and CEO Gregory D. Wasson. “For that reason, we are announcing the offer of the Take Care Recovery Plan, so that families finding themselves without employment and health insurance benefits aren’t forced to make this tough decision.”

I can't tell you how much this makes my heart smile :) My nearest Walgreens is about 40 miles away but I can guarantee you that I will be making that trip at least once a month to give such a conscientious company my business. I encourage those who have a Walgreens near them to do the same. (You can read the entire article here)

Thanking God for my blessings including good health care insurance ~ Thrifty Gal

I'm a winner! :)

2009-03-31T15:21:00.006-05:00

I have to tell myself that every once in a while, just to make myself feel better.... :) But today, it's TRUE! I was one of 10 winners in the http://www.momadvice.com/ Twilight DVD giveaway! My teenage daughter will be so happy when she gets this in her Easter basket! BTW, MomAdvice is a great place to read all kinds of articles on frugal living, saving money, inexpensive recipes and organizational tips. And who doesn't need help with those things?!!!

Have a WINNING day and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Hello...again...

2009-03-27T16:52:00.003-05:00

Wow. It's been awhile. I haven't been posting on this blog because of it's name...."Thrifty Third Avenue Gal". Guess what? I haven't been thrifty lately :( During my daughter's illness (she's fine now, thank the Lord), I spent unnecessarily on things to cheer her up (which it did but I didn't HAVE to spend to make her happy). Then we went on a little Spring Break trip (nothing extravagant just a couple nights in a hotel not far from home) including lots of eating out and some shopping. This week, I've been getting back into our 'normal' routine but haven't been able to get out of the eating out mode that we got into last week. So now, it's time to rein in the spending. We do have a couple of very expensive months coming up. My daughter's dance pictures and recital. Her participation in track (including 2 kinds of shoes & uniform). Gas to get to track meets and eating while we're there. Her 13th birthday. Easter. A trip (just me & my sis) out to Dresden, Ohio (a birthday present from said sis but I will need spending money). Travel to high school track meets (husband is a coach). Son's 15th birthday. Property taxes due. Graduations (we get invited to a lot because my husband is a high school teacher). The list goes on and on. How am I going to get through this and not completely overspend? Any help would be appreciated? If I can get all this under control, then maybe I can start writing under this blog title again...honestly :)

Thanks in advance for your help and God bless ~ "Thrifty" Gal

Idol Update

2009-03-04T16:31:00.003-06:00

I actually don't have an AI update this week...while the show was on last night, I was on the phone with Ask-A-Nurse trying to decide what to do about my daughter who had a 103.4 degree temperature. Sometimes things are more important than Idol :)

BTW, I took my daughter to the doctor and she has the B strain of Influenza. She'll be in bed for a week or more, my poor little peanut :(

Who wouldn't want a $10,000 shopping spree?

2009-03-01T16:51:00.004-06:00

This is a great new sweepstakes from HBO called "Sex in the City: The Movie ~ Girls' Night In Sweepstakes" and you can win the ultimate $10,000 shopping spree! :) Just pop on over here and register to win. There's also the chance to "play in Carrie's closet" for the chance to instantly win daily prizes, create your own Sex and the City Fashionista and more! You can register daily now through April 13th.

Good luck and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

A Very, Merry Un-Birthday to Me :)

2009-02-28T09:19:00.005-06:00

To quote the Mad Hatter, it is my "Very, Merry Un-Birthday" today. Yes, I was born on February 29, Leap Year. And since there is no February 29th this year, we are celebrating my "Un-Birthday" today with a visit from my sister & her husband. We are heading up to one of my favorite restaurants for lunch and toasting my 45 years. Wow. Where did the time go? Wasn't I just 25?!!!! :)

Enjoy YOUR day and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Deals of the Day

2009-02-27T17:10:00.002-06:00

In a recent issue of O magazine, I read that every woman over 40 (ahem) is supposed to have a few certain things in her closet including 2 brightly colored v-neck cashmere sweaters. Now, I don't know about you, but generally cashmere sweaters are WAY out of my price range. So lately at our Kmart store, I've been watching a certain lilac Jaclyn Smith 2-ply v-neck cashmere sweater with interest as the price has been going down...from $69.99 (original price) to $49.00 (on clearance) to today's price....drumroll please... $9.99!!! I'm so excited!!! Now I can cross ONE of the 25 MUST HAVE items off my list! :)

My other two finds of the day were at the thrift store in town, the book "French Women for All Seasons" by Mireille Guiliano (the follow-up to her best-seller, "French Women Don't Get Fat") and motivational book, "Fish Tales". I got them both for 25 cents. Not apiece. Together :)

A good day, I'd say! :) Enjoy your day and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Mr. Clean 3X the Cash Sweepstakes

2009-02-27T11:31:00.003-06:00

Be sure to click on this http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/3xthecash/home.do?src=pgeds and enter the Mr. Clean 3X the Cash Sweeptakes. You can win $3,000!!! Who couldn't use that right now? You don't even have to sign up for a newsletter...just your name, address, email address, birthday & if you use a dishwasher ~ I don't :(

Anywoo, go ahead, enter & good luck! Thrifty Gal

AI Wrap-Up...then on to the good stuff :)

2009-02-26T11:22:00.004-06:00

WARNING! Massive negativity ahead... :)

I'm going to give you the shortest American Idol wrap-up ever....12 young people sang last night, they were critiqued by a panel of 4 judges, then we, as Americans, were instructed to call and vote for our favorites. Guess what? I had no favorites. No one that sang last night even remotely spurned me into picking up my phone. I'm so disappointed in this year's Idol contest so far. I WILL be anxious to see who moves on from this group. I still think Danny Gokey is the bright spot this year :)

Now on to the good stuff...

Most of you probably already have a favorite Crock Pot Roast Beef & Vegetables recipe that you like but I'd like to pass along my favorite, which I have cooking on my countertop right now! :)

Pot Roast with Gravy and Vegetables

3-4 lb. bottom round, rump or arm roast
2-3 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup cold water
1 tsp. kitchen bouquet, or gravy browning seasoning sauce
1 garlic clove or 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
4-6 medium potatoes, cubed
2-4 carrots, quartered
1 green pepper, sliced

1. Place roast in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Make paste (it's actually more liquid-like than paste-like) of flour and cold water in a small bowl. Stir in kitchen bouquet and pour over roast.
3. Add garlic, onion, potatoes, carrots, and green pepper.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or High 4-5 hours.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

I've tried many a crock pot roast recipe and this is by far my favorite. And it's from my favorite slow cooker cookbook, "Fix It and Forget It" by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good.

Enjoy and God bless :) Thrifty Gal

Free Food!

2009-02-24T19:56:00.004-06:00

Pop over to http://www.kashi.com/ and claim your coupon for a free Kashi frozen entree! And while you're there, register to join the Kashi Community and you'll be entered to win a year's worth of Kashi foods. You'll also receive future exclusive coupons and info on giveaways!

A couple things...

2009-02-23T21:23:00.004-06:00

Is it a coincidence that I got my ENTIRE house cleaned today....when my laptop was under-the-weather? I think not. But now my computer is fixed (the repair man was here 3 1/2 hours!) and I plan on getting caught up on all my online stuff...while sitting in my fresh-smelling house! :)

On another matter, I saved $54.89 yesterday at Kmart during their 'Super Double Coupon'
promotion!!! Yippee!

God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Kmart Super Double Manufacturer Coupons This Weekend!

2009-02-20T11:23:00.002-06:00

This is such a big deal for me! We live in an area that does not have many shopping options (2 grocery stores ~ Hy-Vee & Fareway ~ and Kmart) and NONE of them have EVER offered to double coupons. I'll be scouring the Kmart ad today and matching up my coupons, that's for sure!

Is your local Kmart participating? Here's how to tell:
1) Enter your zip code to find your local Kmart circular. Look for the "Super Double Manufacturer Coupons" red rectangle on the front page. Inside that rectangle you'll find all the fine print. If the rectangle isn't there...
2) Your store may not be participating, but you can still use this great coupon code on kmart.com. Enjoy!

God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Deals of the Day!

2009-02-18T16:31:00.004-06:00

I went not once, but TWICE, to Hy-Vee today to get stocked up on these awesome bargains:

Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate ~ Clearanced ~ $2.00 a bag with $1.00 off coupons for each

Yogo's Snacks ~ On sale ~ 3 for $5 with $1.00 off coupons for each, making them 67 cents a piece

Cool Whip in a can (I've never seen this but we use these for hot choclolate) ~ Clearanced ~ 69 cents (I would have purchased more of them at this price but you can't freeze them and I knew we wouldn't use more than one before they expired)

Oscar Mayer South Beach Diet Variety Pack Lunch Meat ~ Clearanced ~ 99 cents each

Oscar Mayer Smoked Turkey Breast and Ham Lunch Meat ~ Clearanced ~ 99 cents each

HUGE bags of Land O'Frost Sliced Ham ~ Clearanced ~ 99 cents each

Suave Body Wash ~ FREE with my Suave coupon from their Recession promotion

and the best deal, Lloyd's Ready to Eat Beef Brisket BBQ Meals (feeds 3) ~ Clearanced for 99 cents!!! With 75 cent coupons for each, making them.... 24 cents a piece!!!! I bought 10 of them and put 8 in the freezer ~ we're going to have 2 of them tonight!

GOTTA LOVE THOSE BARGAINS!!! :)

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

And the journey begins....

2009-02-18T11:01:00.005-06:00

Last night was the first night of voting for the new American Idol and, while I love this whole, long, drawn-out journey to May, yesterday's show had me shaking my head and questioning my commitment. And while I completely appreciate someone like fellow blogger, Boomama, for being so positive about these youngsters, I just can't do that! :) It was seriously hard for me to watch! BUT, I will say, there were 3 stand-outs that I hope will go on ~ Ricky Braddy, Alexis Grace and Danny Gokey. We didn't see one second of air-time of Ricky before last night's show and, after hearing him sing, I think that is a shame. He had a rich, beautiful voice and seemed to nail the song he sang (although I didn't know it). Young mom Alexis Grace was the best female vocalist of the night and she looked glammed up and funky. Danny is obviously a FOX favorite as he has been shown in every audition show to date. He sang the heck out of Mariah Carey's "Hero" and ended the program on a high note, which was FULL of low ones. Case in point....poor, young Stevie Wright. I really like this sweet girl but she was so out of her element. I just wanted to reach out and hug her. Likewise with Casey Carlson who butchered "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic". She's such a doll but I just don't think it is in the cards for her. The surprise of the night was the subdued Tatiana Del Toro. This girl DROVE ME CRAZY in the audtions and I was not happy to see her again tonight....BUT she has reined in her emotions and really sang much better than I anticipated. Still, I hope last night was her last time on stage.

I can't even muster the courage to discuss anymore of the performances because they just didn't do it for me AT ALL! So, in my opinion, the 3 that will go on after tonight...Ricky, Alexis and Danny. I'm hopeful that next week's 12 will learn from the first group of 12 and pick better songs...OH, and sing them better :)

Make a FREE donation

2009-02-17T11:49:00.004-06:00

Click on over to a great, money-saving blog ~ Freebies 4 Mom ~ and check out this post http://freebies4mom.blogspot.com/2009/02/donate-1-free-to-fight-ovarian-cancer.html . My mother-in-law passed away from ovarian cancer 8 years ago so this fundraiser is special to me :)

God bless ~ Thirfty Gal

Fragrance Sample

2009-02-13T11:56:00.002-06:00

Here's a link to request a sample of Sarah Jessica Parker's new 'Lovely' Fragrance Collection www.sarahjessicaparkerbeauty.com . Just click on the "Request a Sample" tab!

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Happy Friday the 13th!

2009-02-13T11:43:00.007-06:00

I'm not a superstitious person so this day holds no particular hold over me...in fact, after today's grocery shopping trip, I LOVE this day! Hy-Vee had a 'Friday the 13th' sale today and I got all kinds of goodies at GREAT prices! Here's my haul:

Palermo's Classic Frozen Pizza ~ 6 for $10 ($1.66 a piece)

Tony's Pouches ~ 5 for $5

Hy-Vee Macaroni & Cheese ~ 29 cents a box (I'll be donating these to charity as my kids have 'outgrown' mac & cheese)

Hy-Vee Taco Seasoning ~ 3 for $1 (I normally make my own but couldn't pass these up)

Pillsbury Family Size (9 x 13) Brownie Mix ~ $1.00 a box

Hy-Vee Cereal (Crispy Rice, Tasteeos, Corn Flakes) ~ 99 cents a box!!!

Hy-Vee Bakery Buns ~ $1.13 a package (usually cost $1.99 ~ I know, I should make my own as I make my own bread but I'm lazy about this...)

Hy-Vee Butter (4 Quarters) ~ $1.39

I should clarify that even though I know it is much cheaper to cook EVERYTHING from scratch, I just don't have the time when I'm trying to work a lot on Ebay. These pre-packaged items come in VERY handy! :)

My newest frugal obsession

2009-02-12T20:23:00.003-06:00

My husband and I have discovered a great new FREE online matching game called 'Mahjong' that we play at http://www.freegames.ws/games/boardgames/mahjong/freemahjong.htm

I currently lead our little 'tournament' by 4-1, which doesn't make him very happy :) heeheehee

Goodwill deals on Summer Footwear

2009-02-11T12:44:00.006-06:00

I recently found these AWESOME sandals at Goodwill for $3.49 a pair!!! The brown ones are Born sandals and would cost between $60 and $70 in a shoe store ...and they look brand new! The 2nd pair have a retro cherry design on them and are by Chinese Laundry ~ and run between $50 and $60 a pair.

Now if it would just get warm enough to wear them! :)

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Yummy Free Sample

2009-02-10T20:11:00.003-06:00

I stumbled upon a free sample site for a Quaker Dark Chocolate Raspberry True Delights at https://smartsource.wufoo.com/forms/get-your-free-sample/ . It's a whole grain, chewy granola bar combined with dark chocolate chunks, luscious fruits and whole nuts. I wish I didn't have to wait 4 to 6 weeks to try one! Yummy! :)

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Answered Prayers

2009-02-09T13:32:00.003-06:00

Praise God for healing baby Harper ~ read her story & update at http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ ~ she and her loving parents are now home after 20 days in Intensive Care! Alleluia!

God bless Harper and all of you ~ Thrifty Gal

Fruit Roll Sushi

2009-02-05T13:26:00.003-06:00

This recipe is for all those sushi lovers out there....and their kids, who may like to look like they are eating the 'big kid' stuff but don't really like the taste of raw fish :) I saw this recipe today on our local newscast at noon and found it on the Mr. Food website http://www.mrfood.com/ . Here's the recipe that makes about 30 pieces:

1 tablespoon butter
12 marshmallows
2 cups crispy toasted rice cereal
4 (4-1/2-inch) square fruit roll-ups (1/2 ounce each)
6 assorted licorice or fruit twist sticks, cut in half crosswise

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until completely coated.
On a flat surface, unroll the fruit roll-ups. Spread equal amounts of the cereal mixture over each roll-up, covering the entire surface and packing the mixture flat.
Place 3 different-colored licorice or fruit twists in the center of each and roll tightly into a log, sealing where the edges meet. Squeeze the rolls gently to secure. Trim the ends and slice with a serrated knife into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

TIP: To give your snacks the most variety and color, use different-colored and -flavored fruit roll-ups and licorice or fruit twist sticks. And if you can’t find different-colored licorice, you can even use gummy worms.

I think these are just adorable! If my kids were younger, I would definitely be making them :)

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

GREAT giveaways!

2009-02-04T08:58:00.003-06:00

Thanks to one of my favorite bloggers, Boomama at http://boomama.net I have been introduced to an awesome singer, Dave Barnes. He has a new album coming out and to celebrate, he is giving away an Ipod Touch! All you have to do is register on his website at http://davebarnes.com . He is also giving away copies of his new album on Boomama's website so go and register for that too!

Good luck and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Disney Vacation Sweepstakes!

2009-02-03T12:33:00.003-06:00

I received an email this morning informing me of a new Disney Magical Celebrations sweepstakes and I registered right away! There is nothing I'd rather do than take my family to Disney World again (we went in 2007)!!!You can win one of five magical Disney vacations specially designed to celebrate your family's milestone.The winner will work with a personal itinerary planner to help arrange vacation celebration activities, including:

Limo transportation to and from the airport
Special guided tour at either Walt Disney World® or Disneyland® Resort
Disney's PhotoPass PhotoBook and PhotoCD
$200 Disney Gift Card
And more!

You can enter every day in February at Disney.com/Celebrate. In addition to being entered into the vacation sweepstakes, you'll instantly win a different new digital prize every day ~ today's was a Ratatouille Recipe Card that you can print, cut out and use for your favorite recipes! You can also enter daily by texting MAGIC to DISNEY (347639). Standard carrier fees apply. And finally, you can also get an additional entry by sharing a celebration story at http://www.disneyfamily.com/.

Also, don't forget to register at www.roomadaygiveaway.com for a chance to win a $25,000 room makeover from Kimberley-Clark. You can register for this daily too!

Good luck! ~ Thrifty Gal

Stuffed Green Peppers

2009-01-31T15:39:00.002-06:00

Here is a healthy and frugal recipe that my husband, daughter & I LOVE (my son, not so much...). I fix this when green peppers are 4/$1 ~ I usually have the rest of the ingredients on hand:

2 medium sized green peppers

1 lb 90% lean ground beef

1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)

2 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut into small wedges

1/2 cup long grain rice

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried basil or oregano, crushed

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup shredded lower-fat natural cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Halve peppers lengthwise and remove stem ends, seeds, and membranes. Immerse peppers into boiling water for 3 minutes. Invert onto paper towels to drain well.

In a large skillet cook meat and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in the tomatoes, uncooked rice, water, Worcestershire sauce, basil or oregano, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes or till the rice is tender. Stir in half of the cheese. Spoon meat mixture into peppers. Place peppers in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Spoon any remaining meat mixture into baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven about 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes or till the cheese melts. Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Recession Recipes

2009-01-30T13:05:00.004-06:00

There is a thrifty thread on CNN.com right now on their ireports link. It is called Recession Recipes and it's from viewers all over the country writing in with their best, low cost recipes ~ GREAT for us thrifty gals! :) Here's the link.... http://www.ireport.com/ and then click on Recession Recipes in the left hand box.

I'll post again tomorrow with my own recession recipe... :)

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

The downside of self employment

2009-01-22T17:21:00.004-06:00

I'm very lucky...I'm my own boss. The downside of that is motivating oneself when that self doesn't feel like doing anything. As I laid awake in bed this morning, I decided that I needed to be a little more aggressive in my business because we can ALWAYS use the extra money :) When I list, I make money. When I don't, I don't make money. Doesn't take a genius to figure this out, does it?!!! Anyway, I'm looking for some suggestions on self-motivation. What gets you up and doing when you don't feel like it? Any comments would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance and enjoy your evening! God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Another way to save!

2009-01-21T15:37:00.004-06:00

We live in a small town (pop. 9,000) that has two grocery stores, Hy-Vee and Fareway. Both are midwest chains that started in Iowa and, without any other choices, these are the stores where I do the bulk of my grocery shopping. They each print a new ad on Tuesday that runs through the next Monday. I shop once a week ~ usually on Friday ~ after spending Wednesday and Thursday evenings matching up the ads for the week with my stash of coupons. Yesterday's Hy-Vee ad was a sight for this thrifty gal's eyes! It said at the top of the ad, "Introducing another way to save!" and explained in the front page paragraph that Hy-Vee now has TWO new ways to save money, "This HOT deals printed ad and our new exclusive online ad located at http://www.hy-vee.com/." And the prices in the HOT Deals ad are AWESOME! Skippy Peanut Butter for 99 cents! 80% Lean Ground Beef $1.49! Green Peppers 59 cents each! Kleenex 88 cents! Pillsbury Crescent Rolls $1.66! and it goes on and on. These are great deals for around here and, if I combine them with coupons, I will be paying less than when I make the 80-mile round trip to the nearest Aldi store! So, if you are in my area, check out the new deals and happy shopping! :)

God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

A great day to be an American

2009-01-20T09:41:00.004-06:00

No matter what side of the fence you are on politically, there is no denying that this is a historic day in the United States of America. I'm thankful today for a new beginning, a peaceful exchange of power and the right to vote in free and public elections.

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

What to do on a cold Saturday afternoon

2009-01-19T16:03:00.006-06:00

GO BOWLING! We had been cooped up in the house for four days and needed to get out and since there are only 2 things to do in our little town (go to a movie or go bowling and we already saw the movie), we hit the bowling alley! I thought I'd share some pictures from our little activity...

This is DS making his grand approach:

This is Thrifty Gal (me) giving my DD all kinds of bowling advice (I AM Qualified since I have bowled AT LEAST 12 times in my life... hehehe):

We played boys against the girls (we brought along my DD's best friend) and the girls won the first game! Here are the winners:

And the boys (my DH & DS) won the second game:

All in all, a fun ~ but not thrifty! ~ way to spend the afternoon. Even with a coupon and limiting everyone to 1 treat a piece (pop or a bag of chips), we still spent $34! Ouch! But, since we don't do it very often I guess it's ok :)

Enjoy your family time and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Please pray for Harper

2009-01-19T15:36:00.004-06:00

There is a sweet little newborn girl in Tulsa, Oklahoma, right now fighting for her life. She is the first born child of a fellow blogger, Kelly. You can read her entire story by clicking on the "Praying for Harper" link on the sidebar. Please keep this lovely family in your prayers...

God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

A few clarifications...

2009-01-18T15:06:00.004-06:00

...regarding my post yesterday. I went to the http://www.cosmeticssettlement.com/ website and discovered that you can only get ONE product per person, not per store as I was thinking (and hoping...). Also, the products that you can choose from are products specified just for this settlement. The list appears on the above mentioned website. I plan on asking for the Boucheron Femme Eau de Toilette (1 ounce/30 ml) ~ it is the largest of the perfumes that they are offering and also the most expensive :) I plan on taking a copy of the settlement information to the Younkers store that I will be going to, just in case there is any trouble or confusion.

Oh, and here is why Target does not have to participate: Cosmetics and fragrance products sold through mass distribution channels, such as drug stores and warehouse outlets, are not Department Store Cosmetics.

Cosmetics Giveaway Info

2009-01-17T12:37:00.003-06:00

I just read the following story online and wanted to share it with anyone who might be reading that likes make-up as much as I do:

Boston Store, Macy’s, among stores in cosmetics giveaway settlement

The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Lisa Biank Fasig, Cincinnati Business Courier

Boston Store, Macy’s and Saks_Fifth_Avenue, among other chains, will be giving away free cosmetics, skin care and perfumes on Jan. 20, as part of a five-year-old settlement involving price fixing on beauty products.

The giveaway stems from a February 2004 class action settlement filed on behalf of consumers who purchased cosmetics between May 1994 and July 2003, according to a the settlement’s Web site (www.cosmeticssettlement.com). Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus and Target also were named on the suit. The retailers have claimed no wrong doing.

As part of the settlement, $175 million in cosmetics will be given away, one per person in a first-come, first serve basis. Consumers will be able to choose one item per person until supplies last. Brands include Estée Lauder, Clinique, Lancome, Clarins, Guerlain, Givenchy, Chanel, Boucheron, Cody, Calvin Klein, L’Oréal and Christian Dior.

The products involve mascara, skin care, moisturizers and fragrances, said Macy’s spokeswoman Sharon Bateman. “None of the product comes from the store’s regular inventory,” she said. “I think these products were created specifically for this give away.” The offer will last until all of the products in a particular store are distributed.

Consumers are not required to show proof of purchase at Macy’s stores, which has a location at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa, though its customers will have to sign a certification sheet acknowledging they purchased the products.

Stores participating in the settlement include Bon-Ton Stores Inc. chains, Boston Store, Younkers, Carson Pirie Scott, Bergner's and Herberger's, in addition to Parisian stores, which Bon-Ton operates in the Detroit area. York, Pa.-based Bon-Ton which has significant operations in Milwaukee, was not named in the suit; the settlement predates Bon-Ton's acquisition of the stores from Sak's Inc., of Birmingham, Ala., the operator of Sak's Fifth Avenue,

RETAIL DEFENDANTS
The following is a list of stores participating in the cosmetics giveaway:
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergner’s
Bloomingdale’s
Boston Store
Carson Pirie Scott
Dillard’s
Gottschalks
Herberger’s
Macy’s
Neiman Marcus
Nordstrom
Parisian
Saks Fifth Avenue
Younkers

Maybe some of you out there still have receipts from 1994 ~ but I don't ~ so I'm just going on memory here....I KNOW I purchased cosmetics from many of these stores during that time frame (I was HUGE into Clinique at one time) so I'm going to head out to Dillard's and Younkers on Tuesday and pick up my FREE items!

P.S. I'm not sure why Target isn't participating in the giveaway, even though they are listed in the settlement. I'm going to do a little research on that and if I find anything out, I'll let you know!

Enjoy and God bless :) Thrifty Gal

Working on my financial situation

2009-01-15T14:57:00.005-06:00

I've been on the quest for financial security for many years now. I've read books, blogs, watched experts on t.v. and the internet in the attempt to gather as much knowledge as possible to help me change my ways. Nothing has worked :( I've continued to spend, spend, spend and procrastinate on bill paying because I haven't wanted to admit that I couldn't afford what I wanted (throughout this post, when I write "I", I really mean "we"). I'm the financial manager of the family. In fact, my poor husband never sees a penny of his paycheck. So, it really is all up to me how this family survives. I know, all the experts say that your partner MUST be involved with the finances to make things work. But, truely, my husband doesn't need to be involved because he doesn't spend any of the money. He NEVER writes checks or uses the ATM, and, if he needs something, he gets it from me. ANYWAY, I have decided that THIS is the year to get our financial situation into shape. I'm currently reading Suze Orman's new book "Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan" that I downloaded FREE from Oprah.com. And I've realized that the first thing to do is get caught up on our bills. Stop paying them late! I mostly do this on credit card bills because I pay the necessities first. We do have 6 credit cards BUT we no longer charge on them. SO, I've been starting to get caught up on paying everything on time and that is affecting the way I do other things.

In my effort to get caught up, I made several choices this week that are vastly different than I would have made in the past and I want to celebrate the fact that I'm starting to think differently! The first decision I made this week surrounded around a Christmas gift for my son. He had asked for a certain soundtrack for Christmas. I ordered it online but was told it was back ordered until January 11. I told him this before Christmas and he was ok with that. Lo and behold, Jan. 11 rolls around and the company I ordered it from emails me and tells me that the soundtrack is no longer available :( My son said he saw a copy of the soundtrack at Barnes & Noble at Jordan Creek Mall in Des Moines on our last trip to visit my sister. My son wants to head down to Des Moines (a 2 hour trip - one way ~ we usually end up staying overnight at my sister's) this Saturday. Now, in the past, I would have giving anything to 'get away' on Saturday and see my sis. BUT, the new me decided that I should just call the store at Jordan Creek Mall and see if they would be willing to send it to us, saving us the cost of gas, eating out and probably finding a few 'extras' at the mall that we didn't need. Not only would they send it to me, but there was no shipping charge because it was over a certain amount and qualified for FREE shipping! Cha-ching! I just can't tell you what a triumph that is for me....silly, I know, but HUGE for me! :)

The second smart financial decision I made has to do with my online business. Normally, I rack up seller fees for a month at a time and then take the money to pay the fees out of my husband's check when he gets paid. I use the money I make online for 'fun' money ~ things for myself, the kids, the house or to go "do" things that cost money). Well, this month, when I made the amount of money in sales that would cover the cost of the fees, I PAID THEM! Another HUGE step for me!

The third smart financial decision I made happened today...and it's similar to the first in that I needed a new printer cartridge for my computer. I initially told the family that we were all going to load up the car and head over to the nearest Target (40 miles away ~ the only store anywhere near us where I can buy that kind of printer cartridge). This would mean lunch out for the four of us, plus those darn "extras" that none of us needs! Instead, I got online and ordered the printer cartridge. Shipping was $10.50 but still A LOT cheaper than eating out, etc.

I'm not posting this just to pat myself on the back, I'm posting it as a reminder to myself that I CAN do it and I want to continue to make good decisions like this to get my family's financial situation in better shape.

God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Deal of the Day!

2009-01-13T14:07:00.005-06:00

I was at our local Kmart today (it's the only "big box" store we have in town), getting a prescription refilled (with a coupon for a $10 Kmart Gift Card with a new or transferred prescription) and I found their Christmas items on clearance for 75% off. PERFECT! My husband has been wanting some icicle lights to hang on our house for next year so I cruised to the light section and, sure enough, they still had 3 full shelves of lights left. I got 8 boxes of commercial grade icicle lights for $24.42 Enjoy your day and and then used the $10 gift card for a grand total of $14.42!! Yippee!

...I'm SO easily amused... :)

Enjoy your day and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Snow Day!

2009-01-12T15:12:00.005-06:00

Yes, today was another Snow Day in the beautiful land of Iowa (which means 'beautiful land' in Native American). The kids have been entertaining themselves (for the most part) and dirtying every dish they can find (we don't have a dishwasher besides me...). They did enjoy walking around outside for awhile and then came in for some hot chocolate, which I enjoyed with them :) I've been trying to get some of my ebay work done and here is the view from my office:

and no, it's not a black and white photo ~ that's just what it looks like! :)

So, enjoy your day (in whatever weather happens to be in your part of the country) and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

FREE shampoo!!!

2009-01-11T19:57:00.004-06:00

In today's paper, there is an ad for a FREE Suave hair product! :) You must register on http://www.suave.com/ between 12:00:01 a.m. ET on January 14, 2009 and 11:59:59 p.m. ET on January 14, 2009, and you will receive a coupon for one (1) bottle of Suave Shampoo, Conditioner, Hair Spray, Styling Aid, Body Wash or Body Lotion (good up to $3.00) by Mail. It's open to all legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, 14 years or older. Limit one coupon per household.

I love me some FREE stuff!

Enjoy and God bless :) Thrify Gal

Long time, no type

2009-01-10T15:57:00.005-06:00

Wow! It's been over a year since the last time I wrote a post for this blog. My how time flies when you're having fun :) Anyway, I hope to get back at this on a (nearly) daily basis again. My kids are now 14 and 12 (going on 21) and my husband and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary this year! God is GOOD! I'm still selling quality used clothing on Ebay http://stores.ebay.com/Denim-Recycled and trying to balance a budget and pay bills on one full-time income. And it's hard! But I have gotten better at reducing my expenses at the grocery store and will try to share info on how I do that in a future post. Other changes include my interest in scrapbooking, which I'll also talk about in the future. Well, I don't want to get to wordy on my first post back so I'll go for now and wish you all an enjoyable Saturday evening!

God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Homemade Pizza and Spaghetti Sauce

2007-12-13T10:20:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share this recipe with you because it has come in handy for me and is much cheaper than buying pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce in the jar. And it's quite tasty!

15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
4 teaspoons tomato paste (I usually add more of this if I'm making the sauce for pizza to thicken it a bit)

Mix together in a bowl and use as needed. It can be frozen too!

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

And after a long respite....

2007-12-12T08:57:00.000-06:00

... I'm back! :) Our last 10 days have been filled with sickness and some stressful situations but things are going better now (Thanks be to God!) and I feel like "reconnecting" with the bloggy world again! I have taken some time to rethink my priorities in life and wanted to post them to my blog to have a written record in the hope of keeping me on track.

My list of Daily Responsibilities (in chronological order):
1. God (including daily devotions and service)
2. Family (includes daily care and uplifting of immediate family, stuff like laundry, cooking & dishes, and weekly correspondence with family members near and far
3. Friends ~ AT LEAST weekly correspondence with close friends by email, telephone, hand-written notes
4. Financial Tracking (including paying bills, budgeting, etc.)
5. Job (Ebay business) ~ currently being replaced by Christmas responsibilities
6. House Work (other than above mentioned daily duties)
7. Blogging

I'm bummed that blogging comes last on the list but I just really feel like the 1st 6 steps need to be completed before the 7th. So I may not be posting every day but will try to post a least a couple times a week :)

I am inspired and encouraged by this paragraph from Lucy Swindoll's Daily Devotions, "There is always enough time to do the will of God. The great thing is to make our planning subject to God's perfect plan, laying our agendas at His feet and asking Him to help us choose wisely. All of us have duties. How gratefully and calmly we carry them out will indicate how we have obeyed Him."

Enjoy your day and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Under the Weather

2007-12-02T16:21:00.001-06:00

I'm a little under the weather today so I guess I'll take the day off. Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow....enjoy your Sunday and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

We have a Winner!

2007-12-01T10:05:00.000-06:00

The winner of the Rachael Ray cookbook is....Lydia! She was the 10th person to comment and my assistant ~ who is sick :( ~ drew the number 10! Congratulations Lydia and Happy Cooking! :)

Tortilla Beef Bake

2007-11-30T14:30:00.000-06:00

I just realized that I haven't posted a recipe for over a week! Well, I think it's time to pass on a recipe I found in a Taste of Home magazine (don't cha just love that magazine!) ~ it's called Tortilla Beef Bake. It's so easy (and I'm all about ease)...so here it is!

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Celery Soup
2 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips, divided
1 jar (16 oz.) salsa
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain; stir in soup.
2. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips in a greased, shallow 2 1/2 quart baking dish (love the Pyrex white oval dish for this)
3. Top chips with beef mixture, salsa and cheese.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.
5. Sprinkle remaining chips on top and bake 3 minutes longer or until chips are lightly toasted. Makes 6 servings.

Be sure to have a dollop of sour cream on hand for extra yumminess!
Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Michael W. Smith's "It's a Wonderful Christmas"

2007-11-29T14:12:00.000-06:00

During the midst of our Christmas decorating bonanza last Saturday (see post below), we had the pleasure of listening to the new Michael W. Smith Christmas cd entitled "It's a Wonderful Christmas". And my opinion of it? It's a wonderful cd :)

My first impression came during the opening chords of the first song, Christmas Angels. It sounded like an old fashioned music box, which I have loved since I was a child when I played one every night before I went to sleep. You can hear a children's choir in this first song and in many of the songs throughout the cd, which is just precious. The title song is next, followed by The Promise, and then A Song for the King ~ all of which glorify our mighty Lord so beautifully. My favorite song is next ~ his duet with American Idol's Mandisa, easily one of my favorite contestants ever on that show. Her magnificent, powerful voice just booms out of this song and she and Smith sound great together. The songs A Highland Carol, Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah and Son of God follow. Then comes the only cover song on the cd ~ the beautiful Christmas classic "What Child is This?" in which Smith puts a fresh sound to. The cd wraps up with "Audrey's Gift", ~ special to me because I have a great-niece named Audrey ~ and "All Year Long".

This cd, which is full of original songs penned by Smith, showcases his skills as a composer. And as I was listening to it, I thought how AWESOME it would be to hear in concert! Smith is apparently touring right now to promote this cd but, unfortunately, no where near Iowa :)

Since I knew Smith to be a Christian music artist, I expected this cd to be filled with religious, sacred Christmas music and I was not disappointed. It would be a great gift for any true Christmas music lover! :)

Enjoy the sounds of the season and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Thought for the Day

2007-11-28T20:15:00.000-06:00

I have to learn that the aim in life is God's, not mine. God is using me from His great personal standpoint, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him, and never say -- Lord, this gives me such heart-ache.... He simply asks me to have implicit faith in Himself and in His goodness.
Oswald Chambers

Cookbook Giveaway!

2007-11-27T14:36:00.001-06:00

It's the HOLIDAY season and I'm feeling generous....so...I'm going to give away a NEW Rachael Ray Cookbook! It's the 'Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8 Great Meals for Couples or Crowds Cookbook' and consists of GREAT recipes for 30-minute meals. Just leave me a comment on this post ~ I'll accept comments until 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. I'll match your comments to numbers (chronological order) and have my able assistant (my DD) draw at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1). I'll post the winner's name on my blog but will also email the winner so be sure to leave your email address IF you don't have a link to your blog. This giveaway is open to all my U.S. readers ~ I will mail out on Monday, Dec. 3, via USPS Media Mail. This would make a GREAT Christmas gift.

Good luck and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Walgreen's Thrifty Deals

2007-11-26T19:21:00.000-06:00

Last night, I studied the Walgreens ad. I've read so many of my thrifty sisters' posts about the great deals they get when using the Walgreens ad, their rebates, and coupons combined, that I thought I'd give it a try. My biggest 'get' of the day was the Dove Skin Vitalizer on sale for $9.99 with an additional $3.50 coupon ~ so it cost me $6.49! I would have never purchased this product at full price but for that amount...it's going in my stocking from Santa! :) I also purchased 2 bottles of Dove Pro-Age body lotion ($7.99 each - ouch!) but it was Buy 1, Get 1 50% off plus I had a coupon for $1.00 off. In addition, the ad flyer said that if you "buy any 2 Dove Pro-Age products, you will get 'Register Rewards' at the check-out ~ Buy 2, get $2". Ideally, this should have come out as a coupon at the register. Unfortunately, the Walgreen's I went to wasn't "programmed" to print this coupon out, so I had to get (after about a 15 minute wait) a mail-in 'rebate' type thingy. I'm just hoping the company will honor it because it's a copied form. Wish me luck with that one! I was also able to pick up two bags of Hershey brand Christmas candy at a dollar apiece which is a great price! And they had Andes mints for 99 cents a box ~ another deal! And last but not least I purchased jane Be Pure Mineral Makeup Powder for $5.99 ~ and with the mail-in rebate... FREE! Overall, I was happy with my purchases but I don't know how often I'll be driving the 36 miles (one way) to do this. Today I had lots of other errands and shopping to do so it was worth the drive. Does anyone else have experience with Walgreens' deals and their rebate program? Let me know if you do...thanks in advance and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Back from a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving Holiday

2007-11-25T16:21:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to check in and say HI! We're back from a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving holiday...we went to my sister's house (about 2 hours from our home) and stayed for 2 nights. We had a lot of fun....and A LOT OF FOOD! Wednesday night we went out to a great family-owned pizza restaurant in their city (I love to frequent FAMILY owned businesses, don't you?) and ate and ate and ate. Then on Thursday, I spent the morning and 1/2 of the afternoon making Christmas bows for my sister's holiday decorations (I've been fortunate enough to take a floral design course and learned how to make "professional"-looking bows) and then we sat down to an OUTSTANDING, traditional Thanksgiving meal ~ turkey, ham, mashed potatoes & gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, rolls, pumpkin pie and turkey-shaped sugar cookies! OH! The Lord is good! Then my husband, our two kids and my adult nephew and I did the most OUTRAGEOUS thing....we went to the Jordan Creek Town Center (a shopping mall in West Des Moines, Iowa) at 12:01 a.m.! It was CRAZY! Supposedly there were 30,000 bargain shoppers there!!! It was unbelieveable ~ the lines to check-out wound clear around the stores. We did get to my DD's favorite store ~ Limited Too ~ and she managed to pick out a few things for her Christmas presents. Then we high-tailed it out of there at 2 a.m. After a long morning of sleep :) , we took off for my father-in-law's home. We visited with him for several hours, then went out to eat for supper (a Chinese All-You-Can-Eat buffet ~ just what we needed!) and then headed home. We slept in yesterday morning and then put up the Christmas decorations! It is always such a fun day around here ~ we crank the Christmas music (including the new Michael W. Smith cd, which I will blog about in the next day or two) and make it a whole day of decorating. I'm getting ready for Boomama's Christmas Tour of Homes, you know! :) Today we're back to our routine of Sunday School, Church, working on various projects around the house and then, tonight, we'll be watching our 1st Christmas movie of the season! I feel so blessed and grateful for it all ~ including my two helpers below. Enjoy your Sunday evening and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Scripture for Today, Tomorrow and Always

2007-11-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

Psalm 100
(from the New King James Version)

A Song of Praise for the Lord's Faithfulness to His People
A Psalm of Thanksgiving

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves,
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

God bless and Happy Thanksgiving! Thrifty Gal

Thrifty Christmas Presents

2007-11-20T20:55:00.000-06:00

I found these great Christmas presents recently at Dollar General and I thought I'd share them with you. I got this classic Memory Game ($7) for our 3-year-old great-nephew...do you know how hard it is to find gifts for little ones under 5 that are NOT made in China? Anyway, the Memory Game is MADE IN THE USA! :) The other two items in the picture are from the Olde South Candle Company... they are fragrance diffusers, which I think is an awesome gift for a teenage girl. So many of them (my DD included) like their rooms to smell good but many parents (like myself) do not want them burning candles. So I thought these were a great alternative and were only $6 each! They come in three different fragrances: Tahitian Vanilla, Pomegranate Pear and Citrus. I'm giving one to our 14-year-old niece and the other one was given as a birthday gift to a 14-year-old friend of the family.

Now I'm gearing up for Black Friday in the hopes of getting more names crossed off my list ~ good luck to all of you who are doing the same! Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Homemade Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

2007-11-19T13:36:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite thrifty cookbooks is the classic "Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with your Slow Cooker" by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good. I've had this cookbook for 6 years and I probably use it at least once a week, if not more. Tonight's crockpot selection is one of my DD's favorites ~ Scalloped Potatoes & Ham ~ and she thought I should share it with you!

6 cups raw potatoes, cut into small cubes

1 medium onion, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound cooked ham, cubed

4 Tablespoons butter

4 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Layer potatoes, onion, salt, and ham into slow cooker.

2. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until bubbly. Gradually add milk. Cook until smooth and thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted. Pour over potato-ham mixture, stirring lightly.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, or High 3-4 hours.

Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Pre-Thanksgiving Thoughts (It's never too early to be grateful)

2007-11-18T14:35:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life…a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year ~ and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God.

~ Ray Stannard Baker (David Grayson)

Thrifty Decorating

2007-11-17T17:10:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite thrifty, leisure-type activities is to check out decorating books from our local library. I love to just flip through them until something catches my eye...then I try to figure out how I can cheaply copy the idea! :)

I just checked out a great book entitled "For the Love of Old ~ Living with Chipped, Frayed, Tarnished, Faded, Tattered, Worn & Weathered Things that bring Comfort, Character, and Joy to the Places We Call Home" by Mary Randolph Carter. It is a large, coffee-table type book with big, beautiful photos. Although the author's love for all things old goes above and beyond what I would use to decorate, I did find a few of her ideas interesting enough to try to replicate. Something I saw that I really liked was an antique maple syrup tin that was shaped like a log cabin. I just loved this tin and was so surprised and excited THE NEXT DAY to find one of my own! (for $1, no less). While it is newer than the one in the book, it actually matched up better with the colors in my retro kitchen where it now happily resides! :)

I also loved her chapter on decorating with old books, entitled "Tattered Tales". My husband (an English teacher) and myself (a journalism major) love to read and to use old books throughout the house. In fact, we have several large, leather-bound 'record' books under our lamps on our two end tables. We scrounged the books from the dumpsters at our local Masonic Temple when they disbanded the chapter and sold the property. They are beautiful old books (from the 1920's) and add a very warm and distinguished look under our clearanced Kmart lamps! :)

My decorating style, in general, is to use what I have inherited from grandparents & parents, thrift store finds I've picked up in my many searches, and sentimental items given to me by friends and family. My husband and I have never gone into a furniture store and bought a whole roomful of new furniture. And I really have no desire to! My home is filled with things I love including our antique dresser from my husband's grandmother, our antique trunk (turned coffee table) from my grandparents and our antique Singer sewing machine from my husband's relatives. They all just seem to make our home so cozy, warm and inviting. At least I hope so anyway... :) God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Chicken Caesar Wraps

2007-11-16T21:45:00.000-06:00

I almost forgot to post my incredibly delicious, gourmet, hard-to-make recipe for Chicken Caesar Wraps! Ok, really they're very easy to make and definitely NOT gourmet but they are delicious! :) I always plan on making these a couple of days after we've had either grilled chicken breasts or chicken in the crock pot. Here's what you need to make 4-5 wraps:
At least 3 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced or cubed in bite-size pieces)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Romaine lettuce
Caesar salad dressing
Wheat tortillas
Throw ingredients together in wrap anyway you like, roll-up and eat! Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Can you hear me singing Alleluia from here?

2007-11-15T14:13:00.000-06:00

I'm on cloud 9 and singing praises to God today! Why, you ask? Because I won a Kodak EasyShare Picture Printer from Shannon's AWESOME blog, Bloggy Giveaways!!!! I've never won anything so big (and expensive!) in my life! I have about 400 digital photos saved on my computer's hard drive and had no idea how I was going to get them printed. I still have dial-up and it takes WAY too long to download to anyone else's website to get them printed. This is an answered prayer! Praise be to God and thanks to Kodak and Shannon! :) God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

HELP!

2007-11-14T15:36:00.000-06:00

Per my "not so thrifty" post a few days ago, I have been busy planning menus, making shopping lists and TRYING to set up a Price Book. Has anyone else done this? It's proving to be much more time-consuming than I thought it would be. If anyone has any advice for me, I'd be more than happy to accept your help... :)

Homemade Taco Seasoning

2007-11-13T14:39:00.000-06:00

I don't usually post two cooking-type posts in a row but I'm mixing up ingredients for homemade taco seasoning this afternoon and thought it might be a good, thrifty recipe to pass along. I printed this from someone's blog...and I'm so sorry but it was so long ago that I don't remember whose it was! Please forgive me for the lack of acknowledgement ~ I do want to thank whoever posted this because it has been a lifesaver for me! I was always planning tacos on a night when I had forgotten to buy taco seasoning. Then I looked this up and decided to make up pouches ahead of time and just store it in my cupboard. That way I don't have to mix up the ingredients every time we're having tacos! :)
2 Tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground oregano
Combine seasoning mixture and keep tightly sealed in storage bags until needed. Then, mix with 1 pound browned, drained ground beef and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Crock Pot Greek Chicken

2007-11-12T12:24:00.000-06:00

I have the most delicious aroma coming from my kitchen right now...it's Crock Pot Greek Chicken! It's what's for dinner tonight and I wanted to share the recipe with you.
4-6 potatoes, peeled & quartered
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large onions, quartered (I actually only used one, which is enough for us)
1 whole bulb garlic, minced (I used minced garlic from the jar in the frig)
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Place potatoes in bottom of crock pot. Add chicken, onions and garlic. Sprinkle with seasonings. Top with oil.
2. Cover. Cook on High 5-6 hours, or on Low 9-10 hours.
I plan to use the leftover chicken in Chicken Caeser Wraps later this week. I'll post that 'recipe' then. Enjoy! and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Scripture for the Day

2007-11-11T13:11:00.001-06:00

This is the Day which the Lord has made;

Let us Rejoice and be Glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

My first meme

2007-11-10T10:00:00.000-06:00

Alexia from The Mommy Rambles has tagged me for my first meme. So, here I go!

I give you money and send you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments.. what is it?1. Produce: banana 2. Bakery: cinnamon raisin bagel 3. Meat: boneless, skinless chicken breast 4. Frozen: ice cream 5. Dry goods: wheat crackers

Let's say we're heading out for a weekend getaway.
You're only allowed to bring 3 articles of clothing with you. So, what's in your bag?1. bra 2. mid-length, comfy dress 3. underwear

If I was to listen in on one of your conversations throughout the day, what 5 phrases or words would I be most likely to hear?1. "Holy Buckets" 2. "You're my sweetie pea" (to my DD) 3. "Hi Bugsy" (to my DS) 4. "So, anyway..." 5. "I love you" (to my DH, DS & DD)

So, what 3 things do you find yourself doing every single day, and if you didn't get to do, you'd probably be in a pretty irritable/bad mood?1. Eat 2. Take a shower 3. Pray

What are 3 things that you have in your room that have been with you for the longest amount of time?1. Our "Bluebird of Happiness", given to us for a wedding present 18 years ago 2. My "February Girl" porcelain statue, which I received as a child 3. My grandmother's wedding ring, reset with my birthstone, given to me at my high school graduation

If you were only allowed to listen to 5 of your CDs for the rest of your life, never adding anything else, which 5 could you listen to & be content with?1. Boz Scaggs "Silk Degrees" 2.Various Artists "Hymns of Gold" 3. Josh Turner "Long Black Train" 4. Various Artists "Super Hits of the 70's" 5. Josh Groban ~ a mix I compiled myself

You're driving down the road, and suddenly you're hit with this sense of road rage. What 3 factors probably contributed to it?1. I know you readers are going to groan when you read this but I just don't get road rage...now my husband, that's another story :)

You just scored a whole afternoon to yourself. We're talking a 3 hour block with nobody around. What 5 activities might we find you doing?1. Reading blogs on-line 2. Reading a book or magazine 3. Watching a movie 4. Watching a tv show 5. Calling friends

We're going to the zoo. But, it looks like it could start storming, so it'll have to be a quick visit. What 3 exhibits do we have to get to?1. The gift shop ~ that's it because my family and I don't really care for zoos... :)

You just scored tickets to the taping of any show of your choice. You can pick between 5, so what are you deciding between?1. The Oprah Winfrey Show 2. The View 3. American Idol 4. The Young & the Restless 5. The Rachel Ray Show

You're hungry for ice cream. I'll give you a triple dipper ice cream cone. What 3 flavors can I pile on for ya?1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough 2. Chocolate Chip 3. Cookies and Creme

Somebody stole your purse/wallet…in order to get it back, you have to name 5 things you know are inside to claim it. So, what's in there?1. My black leather checkbook cover that says "Tastefully Simple" 2. My cloisonne pill box 3. Pictures of my DD & DS 4. Hand Sanitizer 5. My tape measure

You are at a job fair, and asked what areas you are interested in pursuing a career in. Let's pretend you have every talent and ability to be whatever you wanted, so what 4 careers would be fun for you?1. Interior Designer 2. Sports Information Director 3. Fashion Designer 4. Photographer

If you could go back and talk to the old you, when you were in high school and inform yourself of 4 things that you should or should not do what would it be?1. Don't worry about what you want to be when you grow up 2. Don't think you always have to have a boyfriend 3. Realize the things that happen in high school will not really affect the rest of your life 4. Have more fun!

I'm tagging:1. Mrs. Elliott 2. BooMama 3. Meredith ~ Have fun and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Cheap, easy and tasty! Ramen Noodle Salad

2007-11-09T16:26:00.001-06:00

I would have to say that of all of my recipes, this is the one that I get asked for the most. It is so easy and it can be thrown together in a matter of minutes! I often take it to church when I'm called to provide a salad for a funeral because I usually always have the ingredients on hand. So, without further ado, here it is:
1 package cole slaw mix
1 cup slivered almonds (may omit, which I do)
1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
2 packages beef ramen noodles (just the noodles for the first part)
1 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
2 packs of the beef ramen noodle flavoring (that comes with the noodles)
Mix the first four ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside. Mix the remaining four ingredients together ~ to make the dressing ~ in a smaller bowl. Pour dressing over cole slaw, seeds & noodles right before serving. YUM!
Just a hint ~ this salad, unfortunately, does not taste nearly as good the next day. Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Beauty Bargains II

2007-11-08T14:28:00.000-06:00

In an effort to spend less on groceries and tolietries (see previous post), I bought the Sunday paper this weekend so I could cut out the coupons. And the paper has already paid for itself! Today, I went to Kmart in town (it's the only discount store we have) and saved $8.10 on my total! I had a Cover Girl coupon that was "Buy any Cover Girl Foundation, get ANY powder, bronzer, or blusher for FREE". Well, Kmart had their Cover Girl Foundations at 40% off so I bought the cheapest one ($2.99 ~ a kind I like to use) and got a full size powder ($5.99 value) for FREE! Then I bought the Aussie brand Shampoo & Conditioner (on sale for $2.99 each with an extra 25% more in each bottle) and I got a free Aussie hair styling product(also $2.99)! My final deal was a 24-oz bottle of Dove Body Wash, on sale for $5.29, with an additional $1.00 off coupon and a trial size of Dove Energy Glow (which I've always wanted to try but never wanted to spend the money)!

...obviously it takes very little to impress me...as I re-read this post and realized how excited I was with my savings!!! God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

A "Not-So-Thrifty" Gal After All...

2007-11-07T13:09:00.000-06:00

I'm very embarrassed and I'm thinking of changing the name of this blog. Why, you ask? Because apparently, on paper, I'm not a thrifty gal :)

It had been a long time since I last wrote down all expenses for a period of time. On Oct. 19, I began again just to see where all of our money was going. In these last 19 days, I have spent $461.49 on groceries and tolietries!!!! If you divide that number by the number of days (19), it equals $24.29 A DAY! If you times that by the number of days in a month (30 for November), I will have spent $728.70 in one month! OH! MY! WORD!

I've got a lot of work to do so I'd better get done with this post and get to work planning. Does anyone out there have any suggestions? I'd be happy to hear them ~ I'm going to need all the help I can get. I'll let you know how things are going in the next couple of days...God bless ~ Thrifty (ahem) Gal

Thought for the Day

2007-11-06T08:49:00.000-06:00

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

~ Author Unknown

Taco Dip

2007-11-05T13:05:00.000-06:00

First things first...this is NOT a low-fat meal and we generally only enjoy it once or twice a year. But, when we do, it is Oh-So Good! :) It serves 6-8 and should be made in a crock pot. You will need:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 green pepper, cut into small pieces
1 medium onion, cut into small pieces
1 large bottle of taco sauce
1 tomato, cut into small pieces
1 jar green olives, cut into small pieces
1 package shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef, green pepper and onion in a skillet. Drain. Put into crock pot and add taco sauce, tomato and green olives. Stir and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over top and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes ~ it's best if you don't stir the cheese in. Then it's all melty on the top ~ YUM! Spoon into bowl or on plate and eat with tortilla chips. Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Good (thrifty) vs Evil (definitely NOT thrifty!)...

2007-11-04T21:03:00.000-06:00

This is what I wanted to do today after Sunday School & Church:

1) Road trip with my family to a larger town about an hour from here

2) Eat lunch at Panera

3) Go to the mall and buy my DD a new pair of shoes (doesn't really need), buy my DS a book from the bookstore (want, not need), buy my DH a new winter parka (definitely doesn't need ~ already has twice as many clothes as me but that's for another post at another time) and buy myself a new pair of pants to wear to church (I DO only have 1 pair of black pants and I wear them every Sunday)

4) Come home after hours of spending, spending and more spending = EVIL

This is what we did:

1) Came home and made sandwiches for lunch

2) Did the dishes and 3 loads of laundry

3) Watched the Colts get beat by the Patriots :(

4) Made Taco Dip (I'll post the recipe tomorrow) in the crock pot for supper

4) Started wrapping Christmas presents with my DD :) We used plain brown wrapping paper that I got at Kmart for 21 cents a roll on clearance. We then stamped the paper using rubber stamps and ink that I've had for years and they still work fine ~ then we wrapped pretty ribbon around them that I have purchased throughout the year at thrift stores and on clearance = GOOD

It was a GREAT Sunday and I feel blessed...

And the winner is....

2007-11-03T09:56:00.000-05:00

Comment #272 ~ April from Question the Culture! Here is my able assistant DD doing the drawing (we did it the old fashioned way because we thought it would be more fun) :) I assigned each comment a number and then put the 357 numbers in a basket and drew the winner! Congratulations to April and thanks to everyone for checking out my blog and my ebay store, Treasure Trove Clothes! God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Homemade Chocolate Chip Muffins

2007-11-02T08:53:00.000-05:00

Can you tell what kind of goodies my family likes? Yes...anything homemade WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS! Here is my recipe for 12 Homemade Chocolate Chip Muffins (thanks to the Creative Chocolate of Vermont website):

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line or grease cupcake pan. Combine all ingredients and pour into cupcake pan. Bake for 17-20 minutes.
That's it! Easy, huh :) Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Thought for the day

2007-11-01T11:29:00.000-05:00

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow ~ Melody Beattie

Homemade Lasagna

2007-10-31T13:31:00.000-05:00

I realize most of you already have a 'favorite' lasagna recipe but I thought I'd post mine since we just had it last night and it's easy and was delicious as always. The recipe is actually my sister's, who is an awesome cook! I will be featuring several of her recipes (including Ramen Noodle Salad, Ham Balls and Wassil ~ a hot Christmas drink) in the future as they have all become favorites of mine. For now, here is the homemade lasagna recipe:

1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (1 lb., 10 oz) of spaghetti sauce (Prego, Ragu, whatever is on sale) :)
8 lasagna noodles
12 oz. cottage cheese
12 oz. mozzerella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 beaten egg
1) Brown ground beef in skillet; drain; add spaghetti sauce and simmer (with lid on to prevent splatters)
2) Cook noodles in boiling, salted water for 8-9 minutes; drain and rinse in cool water
3) Mix cottage cheese, mozzerella cheese, parmesan cheese and egg in a medium sized bowl.
In 13" x 9" pan (I use a Pampered Chef Stone Baker and I don't have to grease), layer noodles, then beef mixture, then cheese mixture, then repeat.
4) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

I usually serve it with greens and breadsticks. Enjoy and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Free Reads for a Good Cause

2007-10-30T14:27:00.000-05:00

We are fortunate enough to get away a couple of times a year and stay in a hotel. We generally stay at Country Inn & Suites because we have found them to be clean and quiet and they have a great FREE hot breakfast (remember, I'm thrifty)! :) They also have a great program called "Read It and Return" Lending Library. You can borrow any of the books (usually paperback) that they have on display in their front lobby, take it home, leisurely read it and return it upon your next visit ~ to any Country Inn & Suites in the U.S. With each book returned, a donation is made by the hotel chain to a literacy organization.

I was able to pick up several new titles this summer on our vacation to the South. I just started reading Sue Grafton's "R is for Ricochet". Others I've borrowed and read include "The Perfect Day" by Richard Paul Evans, "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie and "Good Hope Road" by Lisa Wingate. As mentioned on the Country Inn & Suites website, other books currently available include: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson; Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte; Stuart Little by E.B. White; Cinderella Man by Marc Cerasini; Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson; The Ant Bully - Movie Novel by Judy Katschke; Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie; Riding the Bus with My Sister by Rachel Simon; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl; The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd; Big Fish by Daniel Wallace; Super Fudge by Judy Blume; Charlotte's Web by E.B. White; The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People by David Niven; The Sugar House by Laura Lippman; and The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket. As you can see, there are some classics and kids' books available in addition to recent releases. I love the idea of getting a book to 'borrow' and then having a non-profit organization benefit from it! (And no, I did not get paid by Country Inn & Suites to post this blog....not even a free nights' stay! :)

It's here! The Fall, Y'all Bloggy Giveaway!

2007-10-29T11:58:00.000-05:00

I'm participating in the Fall, Y'all Bloggy Giveaway being hosted by Shannon here and I'm so excited! I think it's going to be HUGE and there will be lots of great products up for the taking! I haven't mentioned this yet, but I own an Ebay store, Treasure Trove Clothes, and because I want to support the 'landlord' of my business, I've decided to giveaway a $25 Ebay Gift Certificate ~ PERFECT for buying Christmas presents! It does not have to be used on my auctions or at my store but you CAN, if you like :) All you'll have to do is leave a comment on this post (just one comment per person please ~ no duplicates). I will leave the contest open until 9 p.m. Central Time, November 2, and then I will randomly draw a winner from the comments I receive. I will post the name of the winner on my blog at 10 a.m. Central Time on November 3. I will also notify the winner via email AND deliver the gift certificate via email so you can use it immediately! The contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike from all over the world! HAVE FUN!

Answered Prayers and Thankfulness

2007-10-28T21:08:00.000-05:00

I've been praying this past week for my nephew, his wife and their two daughters (2 and 1). They live in Ramona, California, and were driven out of their homes last Sunday by the 'Witch Fire', which spread throughout Southern California. They had spent 6 days living in my nephew's office on base at Coronado (he's a Navy Seal). They got to return to their home Saturday night and PRAISE BE! Our prayers were answered and their home (and animals) were SPARED! They are making due with bottled water and will have to wait until city water gets restored (could be up to a week or two). Prayers will continue, however, for many of their friends who lost everything and will be rebuilding. Makes me very thankful for all my blessings ~ a warm and comfortable home, clean air to breathe, homemade popcorn and t.v. watching with my loving family :) I'll be back tomorrow with information about the Fall, Y'all Bloggy Giveaway! God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

A 'Not So Thrifty' Day

2007-10-27T21:28:00.001-05:00

I took my DD out of town today to get her fitted for toe shoes for her ballet class (she's been dancing for 7 years!) and the total cost for shoes, pads, covers, elastic and ribbons.... $85!!! But she's worth it :)

Yummy Pumpkin Cake!

2007-10-26T14:23:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I did not develop a taste for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bars or anything pumpkin flavored for that matter, until I was (ahem) older. But now that I do enjoy a pumpkin thing or two around this time of year, I've been looking for easy, made-from-scratch recipes to satisfy my sweet tooth. I found this great Pumpkin Cake recipe at one of my usual blog stops, Unfolding Grace, and decided to bake it yesterday afternoon for my husband's football potluck (he's an assistant varsity coach at our high school here in town). You can find the recipe here. It turned out terrific and was quite tasty! Thanks Mrs. Elliott :)

God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Beauty Bargains

2007-10-25T14:37:00.001-05:00

I have tried every skin care regime there is and, in fact, have sold both Mary Kay and BeautiControl. And while I loved the products made by these companies, I just couldn't justify the amount of money I was spending. So I began my quest for less expensive products with a rich feel and all I had to do was hit the Dollar General store down the street.

The items pictured are my two favorite ~ the moisturizer costs $2 a bottle and the cleanser costs $3 a bottle. I use the cleanser twice a day and the moisturizer just in the a.m., under my make-up. It says on the bottles to compare to Oil of Olay products and I did... and they are just as good and make my skin feel wonderful. God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Homemade Honey Wheat Bread

2007-10-24T12:50:00.000-05:00

My wonderful, gentle dad was unusual in that he liked to cook ~ which he realized in the Navy during World War II. He was a cook on a minesweeper and once told the story of having to peel over 100 pounds of potatoes in one day! Following the end of the war and the return home, he gave up cooking large quantities and became a back-seat chef to my mother, who cooked most of the evening meals. But for some reason, every Christmas, he received the most recent "convenience" appliance or Ronco gizmo ~ most of which ended up at the local Goodwill. But one such gift, a bread maker, was given to me upon his passing and I've been using it ever since to make this delicious homemade honey wheat bread:

1 2/3 cups water

2 teaspoons butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons salt

2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups bread flour

2/3 cup toasted, silvered almonds (I do not include these because we don't care for them and the recipe turns out just fine without them)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Here are the assembly directions for my bread maker. Please check your bread maker manual for proper order of ingredients:

1) Measure and add liquid ingredients to the bread pan.

2) Measure and add dry ingredients (except yeast) to the bread pan.

3) Use your finger to form a well (hole) in the flour where you will pour the yeast. Yeast must never come into contact with a liquid when you are adding ingredients. Measure the yeast and carefully pour it into the well.

4) Snap the baking pan into the breadmaker and close the lid.

5) Select appropriate buttons on your bread maker for "whole wheat bread" setting.

This makes a 2 pound loaf. It is outstanding toasted for breakfast ~ we eat it every morning! ENJOY and God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

A Treasure Chest of Values

2007-10-23T16:27:00.000-05:00

I'm lucky enough to live in a small town that has an AWESOME thrift store which we locals call 'Treasure Chest' (well, that it's actual name ~ I just thought it sounded cool saying 'we locals') :) The store is staffed by elderly volunteers and the donations are readied for sale by residents of Comp Systems ~ a non-profit organization which provides housing and employment for the mentally and physically challenged. There are two outlet locations ~ one in my town and another in a town about 20 miles away. I try to frequent the local store at least twice a week ~ they are always putting 'new' merchandise out so every day there is something to see that I haven't seen before. Every month, there is a calendar published of the special sales for every day of that month. The most popular clothes shopping days are the $1.00 Bag Sale days. They count 10 items as a 'bag' so you can pick up 10 items of clothes for 10 cents a piece! That goes for everything ~ including jeans which are sometimes new with tags! Today was 50% off Linen & Draperies Day and while I wasn't able to find any vintage fabrics that I couldn't do without, I did manage to pick up some great deals!

(sorry, I'm going to have to get better at this picture-taking thing!)

Anyway, my finds are a grapevine tree ($2), an Oneida Buffet Caddy ($2 ~ looks new!), two golden decorative pears (25 cents a piece), 1 package of orange cocktail napkins (25 cents), 1 package of silvery gift wrap (50 cents) and one beautiful antique letter opener (25 cents). I have been looking for an antique letter opener for a long time and couldn't believe my luck today! This is nice and heavy and the inscription on it reads "Floraine ~ Sheffield, England" and I do love on any thing British! I plan to decorate the grapevine tree with white Christmas lights to use out on my back steps this holiday season. I will use the buffet caddy to hold my serving pieces when I serve Christmas dinner to my father-in-law and sister-in-law & family. The gift wrap is in a new unopened package ~ just like I like it :) I only use thrift store-purchased gift wrap and I'm able to find so much of it that I never have to buy any at retail price. I will use the pears in my cornucopia display for Thanksgiving and finally, the cocktail napkins will be saved for a future Halloween get-together. All this for $5.50 ~ Yippee!

I'll be back tomorrow with my bread machine recipe for our favorite Honey-Wheat Bread. God bless ~ Thrifty Gal

Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

2007-10-22T09:33:00.000-05:00

When I decided to quit my full-time job and be a stay-at-home wife and mother, I decided I was going to have to start cooking from scratch in order to save money on our grocery bills. My husband, a school teacher, is a creature of habit ~ he has eaten the same lunch for over 16 years: a ham or turkey sandwich, a small container of strawberry applesauce, a flavored water and a pre-made chocolate chip granola bar. The price of pre-made granola bars has risen sharply since he first started teaching so I knew this was one item that I wanted to learn to make from scratch. I finally found a recipe out of a magazine, I tweaked it a little bit to suit his tastes...and I've been making these ever since. They are delicious! Here's the recipe:

2 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked (you can use quick oats but they are better with the old fashioned variety)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark, doesn't matter)

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup (too expensive for me!) OR maple-flavored syrup (much cheaper)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (real or imitation)

1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Grease 13 x 9" metal baking pan. Line pan with foil; grease foil.

2. In large bowl, with spoon, mix oats, flour, chocolate chips, sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, salt, oil, syrup, vanilla, and egg until blended. With wet hand, pat oat mixture into prepared pan.

3. Bake 25 mintues or until edges turn pale golden. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

4. When cool, invert pan and remove foil. Cut length-wise into the size of strips you would like and then cut crosswise in half. Then wrap each bar in plastic wrap.

These are good for at least a week if properly wrapped. I plan on giving these away for Christmas and will wrap in red or green plastic wrap. ENJOY and God bless :) Thrifty Gal

And so it begins...

2007-10-21T19:54:00.000-05:00

Well, I've finally decided to leap into the bloggy world after reading so many wonderful blogs written by my 'thrifty sisters'. I will attempt to pass along some of my deal-finding expertise, my experience in cooking from scratch and the many ways I try to stretch the 'almighty' dollar. I hope to begin with a YUM-inspiring post tomorrow about my husband's favorite homemade granola bars...but I have to go bake them now so he can take them in his lunch :)
God bless ~ Thrifty Gal