Frightful Friday deals from the Diva : )

Another week is coming to an end and I once again have been neglectful in posting on this blog.  Truthfully I spent most the week trying to readjust to taking my b/p meds, which I have adverse side affects from (only one I am not allergic to),  Even felt to puny to knit much!  Feeling overwhelmed about finishing some projects for my next craft show.  Also had another follow-up on my root canal.  That seems to be over with now, for another 6 months - yippee!

 

So did local shopping today, which means not so many big deals.  But I was pretty well stocked up on reduced meat bought earlier in the month.  I was looking to find all the ingredients for my special Halloween food that I prepare every year.  Really thought I was going to strike out and have to journey into the 'boro before next Thursday, but was pleasantly surprised to find my unique items at the local Piggly Wiggly.  Things like blue cheese and salsa Verde are not staples in this little 'bury - LOL

 

 

Welcome!  Come on in to the insane asylum : )

 

 

 

These are my Goblin Eggs, and I will start Halloween breakfast with these and twin dd famous monkey bread - yum!

 

 

 

Lunch will bring bloody worms and bat wings - he, he, he.

 

 

 

Rows and rows of monster eyeballs waiting to be served at dinner  Somewhere in here I will also make my pumpkin shaped cheese ball, bloody Mary  soup and other wonderful scary food!  What a fun day!

 

 

 

It wasn't all fun and games.  I scored a ton of mark down meat at the $GM, including  more of these baby back ribs.  You know what that means?  Dr. Pepper ribs!!! NO, hubby grabbed root beer by mistake - LOL  Children got to drink the mistake at lunch.  Guess hubby will have to go back and try again, but some time this week there WILL be Dr. Pepper baby back ribs in this house and that is how we do it down here in the south!

 

Blessings, Beth Ann

End of the week update

Wow!  That week went by fast!  Only something like 68 more days to Christmas : )  I have about 3.4 of my shopping done, but still feel unprepared and like it's coming at me like a speeding bullet.  Sigh.  Anyway, mostly a slow week= Praise the Lord!  So I thought I would share with you in pictures:

 

 

Twins finished up North America this week, and on to South America - Adios' Amigos!  LOL

 

 

 

Tuesday was my 16th. anniversary of my 29th. birthday!  One of the cool gifts I received was this portable speaker for my MP3 player (yes I like red).  I can listen in the kitchen, take it in the car, and Bre swiped it and used it in the bathroom.  Think she might get one for Christmas : )

 

 

 

Finished a knit baby blanket and 3 beanies.  I have a tote bag, prisim scarf and crochet baby blanket yet to finish for the craft show I am doing Nov. 2.  Need a helper, anyone want to join me at 5 a.m.?

 

 

 

Had to get more anti-fungal shampoo for doxie and corgi.  Said good-bye to $28 : (

 

 

 

Had to go to doc for b/p meds.  Said good-bye to the rest of my budget.  Budget?  Budget?  We don't have no stinkin budget!  LOL

 

 

 

But . . .

tomorrow is pumpkin patch day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We haven't missed a year yet since moving here.  Told army son about it and thought he was going to cry.  Family traditions are soooooooo important.  Not so much for the activity, but for being there together as a family - united. 

 

Feeling blessed, Beth

Deal Diva~ Bacon

Running late on my deals, but didn't do my 'big' shopping this week.  I stayed local and found this great new treat at the local Save -a lot.  Trying to eat more high protein, so spending my money more on this than chips : )

 

 

This is sooooo yummy!  I have even added it to my scrambled eggs for breakfast.  Kids gave it a thumbs up!

 

 

 

Pretty lo in carbs too.  The Save A-lot also got a new meat tank.  Looks great and keeps the meat nice and cool.  They are also doing a great new family pack on boneless/skinless chicken breast and tenders.  Good price.  My new place for buying meat local.

 

 

 

Staying local, I spied this guy at the Dollar General Market entrance - LOVE it!  It made me smile and that is almost unheard of for me in a store - LOL

 

 

 

Reminded me of this guy, we found on Sullivan Island, SC.  Pretty cool what distributers can do with soda cases : )  Too pretty to buy from though.

 

Blessings, Beth Ann

Hump day Happenings

Been an up/down week here at the funny farm.  Didn't make it to the pumpkin patch due to bad weather on tropical storm Karen's shirt tails.  Bummer.  Then I had a migraine, many of those lately, usually something I ate : (  Then my back went out.  Just when I thought it couldn't get worse . . . I felt my back move again, and then my sciatic nerve acted up.  Whew!  Things are a bit better, Praise the Lord!  Other happenings were that army son called home to share the story of his first convoy.  He had to drive 200 miles in the rain, couldn't see anything in front of him and said that S. Korean's don't know how to drive - LOL  It was 11:30 at night there, he just got back and was still stressed out.  Bless his heart.    He also needed some gaming info from online, he still uses my email as it is the only one he can remember : )  Miss him soooo much.  As fot the other children; Bre stepped in to help with art class.  She has always been crafty, like me and like me is also a Libra.  Coincidence?  Hmmmmmmmm.

 

 

 

 

The twins are going around the world this year, in school.  We are on North America, specifically Mexico.

 

 

 

Making dried suns out of clay, to paint later.

 

 

 

Tissue paper flowers - 'ole!

 

 

Just another typical week around here, and it isn't over yet.  LOL  Many blessings came my way, and if I hadn't been forced to slow down I might not have had the chance to appreciate them.  Like my older child stepping up to help the younger, or dear friends stopping by to fill me in on what I missed at book club and sharing the goodies she had baked.  I believe God is in everything, good or bad.  You just have to choose to look for him.  Did I enjoy my stretch of bad health?  NO.  Can I pout about it?  Absolutely.  But I would rather glorify God, as we are directed to in the bible, in bring me opportunities no matter my condition.

 

Blessings, Beth Ann

Deal Diva: Week 1/Oct.

Warm weather greetings from middle Tennessee!  Can you believe it, first Sat. of Oct. and it is currently 88 degrees outside - whew!  Praise the Lord for air conditioning ; )  

 

The children and I have been watching " 19 and Counting", on Netflix steaming.  This is the TLC show about the Dugger family, whom I met at a homeschool conference in Cincinnati two years ago.  We watched an episode about their grocery shopping and budgeting.  Looks like they enjoy Aldie's too.  Once again, am I the only one who doesn't?   Anyway, it left me once again rethinking my budget and what I could do different.  Seems to get tougher and tougher each week to make ends meet!  I fear the problem is that most grocery items (food and paper/pet) keep going up, and my husbands pay does not : (  I know we are not alone, but it makes me feel guilty about buying good/healthy food and not living on noodles 24/7 to stay in budget.  Sigh.  What do you all do?

 

Lets take a look at what I did find.  First stop as usual is United Grocery Outlet:

 

 

 

Picked up a butternut squash and the $1 bread, but the best deal  was this Sara Lee Roasted Chicken chub.  This is how it comes to the deli dept. for slicing.  By buying it whole and slicing it at home I save about  $2 a pound and will get about 4-5 meals for a total of $13.  These will be high protein choices instead of typical lunch fair such as burrito's , chips or anything breaded.

 

 

 

Kroger was a little less exciting.  However they did have their organic, low mercury tuna on special.  It is the only tuna I will eat.  I really don't trust fish anymore, from anywhere.  I also found a one pound deli container or fresh salsa reduced.  That will go into tonight's chili.  Lastly, my laundry soap was also on special, $2.99 instead of the reg. $5 I pay.  I have tried cheaper laundry soap, but this is the only thing my dong is not allergic to : (

 

 

 

 

Life is about compromise and that is what I do in the meat dept.  I always go to the store with a menu plan, but the meat is not always available at a good price or it just doesn't look edible.  I then chose from what does look good and is reduced, to stay on budget.  Sometimes that means some fast thinging and quick menu rewriting (sans coffee I might add) but that is what I get paid the big bucks for - LOL Seriously, it is my job, just like a 9-5er, and I take it that seriously; as God dictates.

 

 

 

OK, just for fun I picked up theses holiday candy jimmies.  And yes, all the stores are putting out their holiday baking items.  This is a 4 split with gingerbread men, candy canes . . .

 

 

 

white snowflakes, green trees and red balls.  Sooooooo cute!  Santa will love these on his cookies.  I chose to purchase them now based on a bad experience two years ago.  I actually waited to closer to Christmas (two weeks before) and all the stores were wiped out.  Not just local, I also traveled 20 miles into the 'city' and they were empty too!  Reminded me of 4 years prior to that, the great wax paper outage of Christmas 2007!  So now if I see something for the holidays I get it then, it won't be there latter - LOL  Planning ahead is cool anyway right?