In a rut....

I am in a rut and cooking rut that is.... Cooking the same go to meals like tacos, spaghetti, bbq steak and chicken etc. Ever since my positive test for Celiac I have been eating gluten free and for some reason I have it in my mind that the only recipes I can eat are mexican food.... I don't know why but maybe it is  not being able to use soy sauce, or any other gluten products??? But I am so tired of Mexican let me tell you ( I am sure my family is too :) 
My kiddos are quiet picky so when I do spend hours in the kitchen with a new creation I am so discouraged when I bring the meal to the table and hear moan and groans from the peanut gallery. Our table becomes a battle field to simply get them to eat.
However despite this I am now on a mission to find new recipes that the whole family will love. (I would love to hear some of your kid friendly recipes)  I think a 30 day challenge is in order... I know if I say I will cook 30 new recipes in 30 days would be WAY too ambitious for me. So I think I would be safe to say I could cut that goal in half and do 15 new recipes in the next 30 days....

This week is Mat's  vacation therefore I am not getting a very good start at my goal. We were kid-less for 2 days ( thanks so mush mom we really enjoyed it!!!) and then Kaitlyn's birthday was yesterday. I don't know about you but when the honey is home in my house a schedule doesn't seem to exist, the house looks like the disaster monster threw up and I completely lose whatever little desire I might have had to cook.  But I set a goal and  here are 2 new recipes that I have got around to trying!

                                                                 Braised Balsamic Chicken
This was very good and Very easy! I served it with wild rice and a salad. 2 of my 3 kids really liked it while the other one ate it but wasn't too thrilled.Mat when he heard what I was cooking wasn't so sure either however after trying it  said he really liked it. I on the other hand loved it and hid the leftovers for myself to enjoy the next day :)

I also made BLT's for the first time. Why haven't I made those before.. they were so quick and easy I have no idea?? And guess what... the kids even loved them. I couldn't eat them but I had the leftover Balsamic Chicken so it was all good :) I made them on sandwich thins and instead of just mayo I made a mixture of cream cheese and mayo. *Note the kids just had bacon lettuce and bbq sauce on theirs but hey that was an easy change.

I don't know why but I have it in my head that a recipes that takes under 30 minutes isn't going to be good.. Well looks like I have a lot to learn!!! And I am so encourage because I am learning that at the end of the day when my brains are fried from homeschooling all morning, all I want to do is clean my house and not spend an hour in the kitchen just making more of a mess for me to clean up later.. that I CAN make a good dinner in 30 minutes or less!!!
All in all my 1st two attempts to change up our family menu were a success! I am off now the see what new recipes I can add to my list... We are BBQing at the beach tomorrow ( hopefully we won't get rained on.. it is almost June already right??)!!! Food always tastes so much better outside. Happy Weekend Everyone!

Dear...

Dear  Kaitlyn Marie,

  I sit here remembering back to May 24^th 2009…. I was at Kaiser Hospital in labor. I had Daddy, Nana, Auntie Tays and Auntie Jennie there with me. It was 2 weeks before your expected arrival but I think you wanted to make sure you could meet Uncle Jay Jay before he left for South Africa for the summer. Mimi and Papa were on a plane flying here.. and your brothers were spending the night at our friends house.

Let me tell you it was a party in the delivery room…  All my “coaches” were having fun eating and watching a movie.. Uncle Jay Jay came for a visit to share some crazy jokes with us and get everyone laughing. Your mommy….. well she was in labor having a BABY!! I guess my coaches thought the invitation said… come for a party in the delivery room… food and drinks will be served :)

 

After the party ended and everyone fell asleep (except me :) I guess they thought the invitation said slumber party too?? I was too busy having a baby to sleep. All the hard work was worth it because at 4:20am on Memorial day May 25 you made your grand entrance weighing in at 6lbs and 19 ¾ inches long. Daddy and I were speechless as we beheld a precious gift from God. It was love at first sight!!!

The moment you were born daddy started making plans of when and what kind of shot gun he will be buying in about 15 yrs and I beheld my new best friend for life.... a my daughter!! I also was hit with the reality that you my daughter were going to be looking to me as an example of what it is like to be a godly wife, mother and child of God. God had given me a special responsibility to lead you by my example but I am so glad that He didn't leave me to do this on my own because baby girl if you don't know it yet (which I am sure you do :) your mommy is a sinner in need of much daily grace and forgiveness. My prayer is not that you look to me but that you look to Jesus.... Heb12:1&2  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." I pray that you fix your eyes on Jesus baby for it is in Him alone that you will find fullness of Joy and Peace.





 You are a lucky girl to have the worlds greatest grandparents too :)

 

This day last year you took your first real walking steps... On your 1st birthday!!!

 You turned 2 today!!!  And in 2 short years you have learned to walk, talk, count, and say your ABC's.

You have also developed some character qualities that I pray you will use for the glory of God.

You are strong willed- I pray that you become strong in the fear and the knowledge of God
Deut 31:6 "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He [is] the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." I pray you find your strength in the Lord Kaitlyn

 You are very smart- I pray you seek for wisdom where true wisdom comes from
Pr 2:5 " Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth [come] knowledge and understanding;

You are loving and kind-  I pray that you come to realize that we can only love because He first loved us.. Even while we were still sinner Christ died for us... that is you u too baby girl... Jesus loved you Kaitlyn enough to suffer and die for you so that He might make you His special blood bought daughter.. that is true love baby and it is only when you realize this that you will truly be able to LOVE others!!
 Gal 5 :22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

 

 

 

When I asked you how old you were this morning after we all said Happy Birthday and gave you your presents you said "2" in such a sweet little girl way with such a sweet little girl smile. Now that you are 2 you can go to the movies. We took you today.You got a bit  scared when we walked in and wanted mommy to hold you but after we sat down and gave you your popcorn you LOVED it and lasted almost the whole movie :) 

 

 

Things that you are interested in right now are... Elmo!! We are having an Elmo party with all our friends and even an Elmo jumper next week... now if we could just get daddy to dress in an Elmo costume.. Wait a minute that was a scary thought :)

You LOVE are obsessed with SHOES... You get that from your Mimi and that isn't all you get from her... you also look just like her :) You change shoes at least 3 times a day and not only into your own shoes but the boys, mommy's.. any shoes it doesn't matter. When you look at someone you even often look at their shoes first :) And when you get a new pair of shoes you love to just stare at them when you walk :)

 

 

When you wake up in the morning you think that we need to included into the morning routine.... TV... you wake up and the first thing you often ask for is TV... and then you say your "hunree" ( hungry :) You would love instead of breakfast in bed.. breakfast and TV :) And guess what this morning for your birthday you got just that.

You are starting to want to pick out your own clothes.... We are in trouble now :)

Whatever your brothers do... you think you can do too and most of the time you can!

Your favorite foods are chicken, spaghetti,  hot dogs and pizza.

  I am so excited for this next year of your life Kaitlyn Marie! To watch you continue to learn and grow.  You bring some much joy to our lives even if you get up and want to come into mommy and daddy's bed cuddle at 2am in the morning!
  I love you my dear daughter and wish you a very Happy Birthday!!!!

Call me crazy.....

 Crazy.. Coupon crazy!!! It has been about a month in the making.... A lot of my friends are doing it and kept telling me about the money they were saving. Then they started a facebook coupon group where they post pictures of what they were paying or not paying for things as well as a few links to coupon blogs where they show you the "how-to's of couponing " :) Then TLC came out with the show Extreme Couponing... that show is crazy.. While watching it I was thinking to myself... I will NEVER do that :) I love saving money and have in the past asked to speak to a manager when a tent we were going to buy didn't ring up at the advertized price ( $70 cheaper than what it rang up!! ). I even chased the manager lady with Kaitlyn on my hip when she tried to go and pulled the ad tag they "forgot" to take down and hide it in her hand ( how dare she :) Yes Mat was with me and wanted to go and hide in the car.. but hey we ended up getting our tent for $130 instead of $200!! I am sure you would have done that too right??? :)
Well I guess I couldn't resist any longer, I figured  I would  give couponing a shot..... I mean who doesn't want free toothpaste, a cabniet full of cereal that was only $1, dirt cheap laundry detergent????  for the past month I have been cutting coupons. I first put them in envelops in categories and had them in a ziplock bag that I kept in my purse... I was also stocking the blogs learning all the couponing lingo ( man it is a whole language in itself.. ever heard of catalina?? blinkies???... bag tag???? Up Rewards??? OOP??? See what I mean :)
 A few weeks ago I was at target with the kids and they were "being kids" as soon as we set foot in the store. Do your kids have alerts like mine  that when you enter a store walking slowing means to gallop like a horse or be kind means "oh this store looks like a get wrestling ring"... I mean really!!!
Anyways, while shopping  I had found a toothpaste on clearance so I busted out my baggie of coupons and while trying to find the one colgate coupon that I knew I had in there somewhere the boys start fighting and Kaitlyn is pulling everything in her reach off the shelves. Guess what...  my coupons then start flying everywhere (why do we seem to make a scene everywhere we go???)  Yet I did FINALLY find the coupon and I got 2 free tubes of toothpaste and free floss.. was it worth the humiliation??? Still not sure about that yet but one thing I did know I had to get me one of those binders all my friends had because what I was doing wasn't going to work for me... So the next day Mat watched the boys and Kaitlyn and I went and got my baseball card sheets, dividers, and a binder.... Now to organize all the coupons.... This took me about a week.

With homeschooling I am trying to limit the time I spend on this so I don't forget my priorities :) I did my first really suggessful transation last week.  I am still a newbie and am learning a lot but guess what.. I am hooked.. and I even hooked my dear husband I think :) He helped me yesterday morning by getting up at 5 and getting my newspapers (4)  then even helped me clip and find the deals... So what would have taken me 4 hrs only took me 2.. Because of Mat's help I think that we can stick to this.... Here is what couponing has done for us the past 2 weeks.... 

                                                         I had spent a total of $8 on this purchase... It was my first coupon transaction and now looking at it I didn't get that good a deal but it was still better than nothing

Before Coupon and Wellness card total- 42.91

After card and coupons I paid OOP (out of pocket with tax) $6.59 but I got back $6 in rewards so my total was .59!!!!!!

Wow learning from my wonderfully experienced coupon friends and collecting coupon for a month really work!!!

Total before card and coupons - 

30.94 After wellness card and coupons- 10.26 OOP (with tax) but then I got $6 buck backs so total is $4.26!!!!

This was this week and has officially got me hooked on couponing...

 Rayleys- total 79.76.... after $29.27 it would have been less but I went to the store hungry so I bought a bag of pop chips that weren't on sale :) but I got all the cereal for $1 each, free Salami and the rest was all around $1.00 each! Now I just need to find out where to put all these boxes :)

Safeway..... Total $84.85... after everything $21.07.... 72% savings!!! 

Wow that was so much fun and nerve wracking at the same time :)
4 12 pack soda- on sale b2/g2 plus 2 free boxes of crackers, 2 ragu with just for u and coupon were .59, 2 lipton rice sides were on sale for .99 then used a .50 off 2 coupon and got them for .64, both boxes of crackers were free, the toothpaste was on sale for a dollar and I had 2 $1.00 off coupons so they were free, hot dogs were b1/g1 and I used 2 .55 coupons they ended up being 1.44 each, gogurts were on sale and I used a coupon on both so they were 1.47 each!

CVS- Total $19.80.. 

after sale and coupons and bucks back.. $2.48!!! plus I got a free green bag tag which means after four shopping trips there I will get $1! One thing you learn is that all those $1's really add up :)  Before this I would have NEVER shopped at CVS or Rite Aid..  :)

So my total before sale, wellness card and coupons was $41.56..

I ended up paying out of pocket 7.29( tax included) but got 3 buck back plus a 3 off $15 so a total of 6 bucks back so my grand total was... $1.29!!! The buck back are like money to shop with at that store on future purchases on anything.. Last week we bought milk with our bucks back.. This week I saved them :)

So that is what is stocking my pantry right now. The only place left to look this week is Target and it is only Monday... So it really doesn't take that much time I am finding out once you get going and you have an amazing helper :) I have the rest of the week to enjoy Mat's vacation and my baby girls 2nd Birthday!!!

If I have intrigued you in the slightest to try couponing I would suggest looking at these sites...

http://thefrugalfind.com

 

The Krazy Couponing Lady 

 

http://moneysavingmom.com/

Hamburger Farm

We had soo much fun today going to Hamburger Farm in Wheatland!!! The youngsters group that I lead through our homeschool group all met there this morning and after a bit of miss calculations on my part everything got straightened out and we were all loaded onto the very cute little train and hauled off to the section of the farm where the kids learn where everything that is in their hamburger comes from... ( sorry I don't have pictures of the train as I was loaded into the cattle car with the kiddos :) this is where the kids first learned about wheat and even got to grind their own grain and made a bit of flour!!

 Kaitlyn loves when Nana comes along because she always brings the "goodies" That is what Nanas and Mimi's are for right :)

 For a homeschool group I have to say that we did a good job lining up today :)

 At this point Zack had learned enough about all the ingredients in a hamburger... he wanted to go and eat one!!

 Jayden "milking a cow" it was actually fake but at least they got the idea of where cheese comes from :)

 Kaitlyn trying to listen like the big kids

 Theses are bees!!

 Jayden in the old train box car.. It was so nice

 After the tour they provided us with a hamburger lunch with all the fixings :)

Then it was off to the petting Zoo!

 Look at this baby... I wanted to take one HOME.. but SHH don't tell my husband that because I might just end up with one in my backyard :) He is a farmer at heart I am coming to find out :)

 Isn't it so precious though :)

 This baby is sucking on Tayler's finger

 Love you MOM!!

 Kaitlyn wanted to see what daddy feels like at work all day :)

 This was in a big hay Silo.. The kids had the best time yelling and hearing it magnified to an obnoxious noise level :)

What a wonderful day spent on a farm... the Hamburger Farm... Can't wait to go back for pumpkin season!!