thrifty tip tuesday

Nothing too exciting this week, but here are the deals I've found....

Deals:
Get 50 photo prints for just $5 shipped from Snapfish (just 10 cents a print) by using the coupon code 50PRINT4U at check out

80% off gift certificates at Restaurant.com using code TASTY at check out (exp 8/31)

Best CVS deals this week    (from Deal Seeking Mom)

Best Walgreens deals this week    (from Deal Seeking Mom)

Freebies:
Free sample of Kashi layered granola bar  (and boy are they yummy!)

Free collapsible water bottle from SaveMore.com   (See details of this deal on this post at Money Saving Mom)

Free sample beauty bag from Target

2 free Blockbuster Express $1 rentals using codes: 38RMAQ2 and 57TPLD3  (exp 9/5)

what we're eating this week...

I haven't been great at blogging lately. It seems whenever I have a free moment I'm either sleeping or wishing I was sleeping :) This pregnancy is making me SO sleepy, way more than with Sydney. But, I still have time to enjoy some good 'ol cooking and of course some eating :) Here is what we're eating this week....

Monday: Alfredo Wraps (didn't get to this last week)
*I went the frozen dough method and these were good but need a little something else flavor wise, not sure what.
Tuesday:  Rotisserie Style Chicken in the Crock Pot
Wednesday: Meatloaf   (haven't had meatloaf in a long time and going to try a new recipe and some tips I learned this weekend while watching America's Test Kitchen....LOVE me some PBS cooking :)
Thursday: Chicken and Noodles and Mashed Potatoes
Friday: ?? We have family coming so I'm making no dinner plans for the weekend....we'll figure it out as it comes :)


Chicken and Noodles recipe (adapted from my sister Holly's recipe)
Leftover chicken from Rotisserie Style Crockpot Chicken, shredded (watch for bones!)
1 bag frozen Egg Noodles (must be the frozen kind, not dry egg noodles!)
2 cans chicken broth
Boil Egg Noodles as directed but use chicken broth instead of water. Half way through the boiling time, add shredded chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Eat over mashed potatoes and be prepared to be amazed :)

SO thankful....

Today I am so very thankful to share some big news in the Boozell family. A lot of you may already know our news but I wanted to wait a little while before we went internet public but......

We're having a baby!!!  :) :) :)

The three of us could not be more excited to welcome this new addition to our family. It is a huge blessing in our lives and we praise God daily for this new life growing in my belly. Here is a picture from my 9 wk ultrasound (a few weeks ago, I'm 12 wks tomorrow).

You can see the arm bud, umbilical cord, and leg bud
(in that order from left to right)

thrifty tip tuesday...

Freebies:

Free Oikos Greek Yogurt (printable coupon) *also a coupon in this past Sunday's Parade

Kids eat free at Chili's  (TODAY ONLY!)

Five FREE custom photo cards from Snapfish. Just use promo code TRY5CARDS at check out (expires 8/31) and you just pay $2.49 in shipping

Free sample and coupons from Zantac heartburn relief

Free 20 oz candle at Value City Furniture  (Facebook offer: "like" them and print coupon)

Free Grandparents Day Card from Paper Snaps. Just use promo coed GDAY11 at checkout

***Update...a few more freebies I just found

Free sample of Downy Unstoppable (Facebook offer)

Free Blockbuster Express Rental Codes: 27PGAR6 (exp 8/29), 48KRVF2 (exp 8/29), and GORACETRAC (exp 8/31)


Deals:

40% off any one regular priced item at Michael's

Buy one get one free breakfast entree at Mimi's Cafe  exp. 8/25    (they have AWESOME breakfast!)

Best deals at CVS this week   (from Deal Seeking Mom)

Best deals at Walgreens this week   (from Deal Seeking Mom)

Household tips.......
We have a clogged drain so instead of buying drain-o, I'm going to try this home remedy tomorrow since I already have all the ingredients on hand :) ....

A Simple Recipe for Unclogging Drains

• Remove all water from the sink or tub and pour about 1 cup baking soda down the drain.
• Then pour 1 cup vinegar down the drain, plugging it immediately (if you’re unclogging a double sink, plug both drains).
• When the bubbles have died down (about 30 minutes), chase them down the drain with some hot water.

Source: Green Living Ideas (http://s.tt/12GnB)

what we're eating this week...

I'm feeling a bit more inspired this week. I was watching the season finale of Master Chef (love that show!) last week and it motivated me to look up some new recipes to try. They aren't too fancy but just meals that sounded yummy and stuff I haven't made in a while (or ever). So here they are...

Monday: Pan Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Country Gravy (mmmm, comfort food :)
Tuesday: Tortellini with Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and cream sauce
Wednesday: Chicken Divan
Thursday: Brats :)  
Friday: Alfredo Wraps  (can't wait to try this one!)

And a couple snacks/desserts I'm going to try this week...
Homemade Fruit Leather   (like Fruit Roll-ups)
S'mores Cups
Chocolate Lava Cakes

week in photos...

Here is a little of what we've been up to this week....

Syd had a Polly Pocket pool party

a little playground time

and Sydney made a button necklace

thankful thursday

so very thankful....

1. for fabulous weather the past couple weeks which has meant lots of time outside enjoying it!!!
2. for Sydney's easy going personality. We experienced the other side of her personality last night with lots of tears and tantrums, but those times are few and far between and it makes me SO thankful for how she is just generally happy and goes with the flow. We're pretty lucky :)
3. for a car that gets us where we need to go. We had a scare a couple weeks ago when I got stranded with a dead car, it magically fixed itself and works like a champ again. We got such a killer deal on our little Volvo wagon and I am thankful every day that it proves to be reliable.
4. for bubbles....the simplest toy that brings hours of entertainment and enjoyment :)
5. for this recipe for Broccoli and Cheddar soup. I wasn't planning on making it until later this week but had a hankering for it yesterday and we were NOT disappointed. It was probably the best Broccoli Cheddar soup I've had!
6. for these verses in Psalm 34. An awesome reminder of the Lord's kindness, of how God loves us, delivers us, and doesn't leave us on our own to face our fears.
"I sought the LORD, and he answered me;  he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant;  their faces are never covered with shame. "   Psalm 34:4-5

words of encouragement...

I had my ipod on shuffle the other day and this song came on. It's one of my favorite Waterdeep songs and God used this song as an incredible reminder of how BIG God is and how BIG his love for us is.

Below are the lyrics...
Big Enough to Hold Me by Waterdeep
The space in my mind is too small for You
The space in my heart is too small for You too
And all of things of the earth that I know
Are too small for all of the greatness You've shown
But in all of this I'm still facing my needs
And I'm scared of how big they feel to me

I know You, You
You are big enough to hold me
I know You, You
You are big enough to hold me
I know You Lord, yeah You
Will carry me through

The space between stars is billions of miles
The space for the famous and millions of eyes
But not all of the stars in the Heavens and Earth
None can compare to Your infinite worth
And I still get lonely and wonder out loud
If anyone notices me in a crowd

I know You, You
You are big enough to hold me
I know You, You
You are big enough to hold me
I know You Lord, yeah You
Will carry me through

How great, how high
How deep, how wide is Your love

Nothing can separate from the love of Christ
All heights and depths, things past and things to come



"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39

thrifty tip tuesday...

Deals:
Great coupons from Quiznos 

$5 off $20 at O'Charleys printable coupon   and   "like" them on Facebook and get coupon for a free appetizer with purchase of entree

Best Deals at CVS this week   (from Deal Seeking Mom)
**The coupon machine is printing out freebie coupons for some this week. Some are getting free coupons for Hershey's Carmello Bar, CVS brand bandages, and Carefree Pantiliners

Best Deals at Walgreens this week   (from Deal Seeking Mom)

80% off Restaurant.com gift certificates with coupon code HOT  (Expires TODAY!!)

Freebies:
Free sample pack of Eco Garbage Bags

Free full size body wash from CVS (available again)   *Facebook offer, "like" them, fill out form and they will email you coupon!

Free Appetizer or Dessert at Chili's with printable coupon (expires tomorrow)

Free $1 rental from Blockbuster Express Kiosk with codes 26PBCG2  or 68TTDR5 good through 8/22

Around the House...
If you have WD-40 lying around, it can do a lot more than just solve the problem of your squeaky door. On the WD-40 website they have a section dedicated to it's multiple purposes...all 2000+ of them!!

what we're eating this week...

I'm feeling incredibly uninspired this week as I plan our menu....hopefully we actually eat what I plan this week :)

Monday: Ravioli with Homemade Sauce
Tuesday: French Dip Sandwiches  (Didn't get to this last week)
Wednesday: Bistro Chicken   (Didn't get to this, once again...we will eat it this week!)
Thursday:  Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
Friday:  Broccoli Cheese Soup
Sat/Sun: Leftovers :)

thankful thursday

I'm so very thankful for family time and a camera to capture it! So, here are some long over due pictures from our trip to Pennsylvania a couple weeks ago!

Sydney and her cousin Quinten playing dress up

Josh's bro Dave and his daughter Calli in an awesome
dress up outfit

our niece Rylyn hanging out with us outside

loved this princess lawn mower combo :)

she mastered floating in the pool!

lots of fun in the garage with cousins Quinten and Sedelle

and an awesome dino costume
we found while in PA :)

thrifty tips tuesday....

Freebies:
Free Activia Yogurt (Facebook offer, "like" them and fill out form. They will email coupon)

Free Moisturizing Body Wash from Minute Clinic at CVS  (Facebook coupon)

Free Travel Pillow from Sleep Number Store   (Facebook coupon)

Free Sunscreen Wipes from Sephora in JC Penny  (printable coupon)

Free P'zone from Pizza Hut  (like them on Facebook or sign up for emails and get free P'zone with any online order)

Deals:

Best Deals at CVS this week    (from Deal Seeking Mom)

Best Deals at Walgreens this week    (from Deal Seeking Mom)

*Update: just found anoter good deal
Through Wednesday (8/10), use promo code MENU on Restaurant.com to get 70% off any dining certificate. A $25 dining certificate valid at local restaurants is usually $10 at Restaurant.com, so with this promotion you can grab one for only $3. Often you need to dine-in to use the certificate, so be sure to read the fine print.

Around the house....
Another every day item with multiple uses is toothpaste, and we all have that in our home!!  Toothpaste can be used to remove scuff marks from leather shoes (just rub with a soft cloth), to clean gunk off the bottom of your iron (use the non-gel kind, apply when iron is cool, and scrub with rag), to deodorize baby bottles (just put a little dab on bottle scrub brush and rinse thoroughly), to defog a mirror (rub some non-gel on the mirror and wipe off before getting in the shower), to remove crayon marks from the wall (scrub with a dab on a rag and rinse), to fill holes in wall (just put a dab in and paint over it), and even as a deodorizer in your car (just put a dab in between pieces of paper towel and place under car seat). So besides cleaning your teeth, you can solve a lot of household problems :)

what we're eating this week...

The last couple weeks have been full of activity it seems. So, this week, my goal is to blog better :) Here is what we're eating this week and a couple recipes I've found the last week that I can't wait to try.

Sunday: Leftover Pulled Pork from Josh's bro's birthday party...and it was YUMMY!
Monday: Crescent Wrapped Lasagna
Tuesday: Taco Salad
Wednesday: Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches (recipe below)
Thursday: Bistro Chicken (I keep putting of making this, not sure why!!)
Friday: Wraps  (recipe below)
Saturday: Leftovers or Breakfast for Dinner

Recipes....
A couple that I cannot wait to try:
Crispy Peanut Butter Cups

Crock Pot Cinnamon Coffee Cake

And some we're eating this week:
French Dip Sandwich:
I just cook a small Beef Roast in a Crock Pot (w/o vegetables) any way you would typically do a pot roast. Here is what I put in it....
-small Chuck Roast
-Med Vidalia Onion, sliced
-2-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 can Beef Broth or Stock
-1tsp Worcestershire sauce
-salt and pepper to taste
Slice meat and put on Hoagie bun and top with provolone cheese. Put sandwiches on cookie sheet and place in oven (at 300 degrees) for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Ladle out some of the juice from the Crock Pot into small bowls for your Au Jus dipping sauce!

Wraps:
We get any kind of tortilla and use any kind of dressing (or sometimes, like this week, veggie cream cheese) and pile on the meat and veggies. This week we're going to do baked chicken strips, avacado, spinach, carrots, cucumbers and whatever veggies we have in the fridge :)

words of encouragement...

Good old Oswald Chambers challenges me again :) In yesterdays devotional, He is talking about adversity and the role it plays in our lives. He talks about how as Christians we can be confused that believing means we are going to be delivered from all adversity, but it in fact means we are going to be delivered IN all adversity.  It was such a good reminder of how present Jesus is when I am at my lowest. I don't always know it or sense it in those times, but looking back at a tough time there is no doubt in my mind he walked through it with me and gave me the strength to endure. I liked this part especially...

"God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength....If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God."

So encouraging to be reminded of what God CAN do and what he DOES do in times of our adversity. We just have to trust that He's there, He's giving us the strength we need....whether we can see it or not.

"In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"  —John 16:33

thrifty tip tuesday....

Freebies:
Free Coffee Sample from Ava Coffee

Free sample of Splenda Essentials (plus coupons)

Free Atlantis Pen from Bic (Facebook offer)
*There will be 130 pens given away each hour (between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST), so if you don’t get one right away, you can always try again.

Free sample of Huggies from Walmart

Free sample of Kashi cereal or granola bar

Kids eat FREE at IHOP all of August (from 4 pm to 10 pm, every day)

Free sample of Zantac Maximum Strength (heartburn medicine)

Free sample of Super Sticky Post-it Notes

Deals:
Get a personalized Friendship Card or Thinking of You Card for 99 cents!!! Go to Tiny Prints and use the coupon code FRIEND99 (offer expires today!!)

Best Deals at CVS this week   (from Deal Seeking Mom)
**And don't forget to scan your CVS card at the Coupon station when you arrive. Yesterday when I did my weekly CVS trip I scanned my card and got a coupon for free Kotex Liners and $2 off Gold Emblem snacks (which were under $2 and that made them free!!)

Best Deals at Walgreens this week   (from Deal Seeking Mom)

Around the house tip...
Another object with mulitiple uses is the good old dryer sheet. Here is a link to Real Simple Magazine's suggestions for lots of ways to get the most out of your dryer sheets!!

what we're eating this week...

My goal this week is to hit up some produce stands...not sure why I haven't already taken advantage of summer foods but better late than never :)

Monday: Ravioli and Homemade Tomato Sauce with Yeast rolls and Salad
Tuesday: Crock Pot Sloppy Joes (recipe below)....we didn't end up having these last week
Wednesday: BLT's (with farm fresh tomatoes!)
Thursday:  Bistro Chicken and Linguine Pasta
Friday: Marinated Chicken (still looking for a good marinade, any suggestions??) and farm fresh sweet corn, yummy!!

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes (I took a recipe from a cookbook and made it my own and they are YUMMY!)
-1 lb ground beef or turkey
-1 sm Green Bell Pepper chopped
-1 Sm Vidalia Onion
-2-4 cloves garlic minced or through garlic press
-1 cup ketchup
-1 Tbsp + 1 tsp mustard
-1 Tbsp + 1 tsp vinegar
-1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-1 Tbsp + 1 rounded tsp brown sugar
-1 tsp chili powder
-salt and pepper to taste
Brown meat with onions and garlic. Mix all other ingredients in Crock Pot. Add meat/onion mixture to Crock Pot (if it looks to thick add up to 1/4 cup water, too thin add up to 1/4 cup more ketchup) Cook on Low for 5-6 hrs or High for 3. Makes about 4 servings