Thankful I live in the South!

I know sometimes I complain about living in the south, especially mid-July through August but this time of year you will hear no complaints from me! Yesterday was the perfect day I cleaned out my Iris bed and separated the plants and replanted my daffodils...I can't wait till Spring I doubled the size of the bed it is going to be sooo beautiful! The week of Thanksgiving and the temp is 74 degrees, give thanks for that!

I talked to my mother in law and she told me that our family in Montana have already gotten 12inches of snow and the temp there is....wait for it...8degrees brrrrrrrrr. I love Montana it is breath takingly beautiful and unless you've visited you don't really understand why it is called Big Sky. I really fell in love with the simplicity of Montana and sometimes romanticize about living there, but slap me back to reality with 8 degrees the week of Thanksgiving! I can't imagine surviving temps like that and surviving is all you do.

So today I am thankful I live in the South!

Couponing Week 2

So far since I've started couponing I have not used any coupons, weird I know but all the sites say you have to start by saving up coupons to match those to the sales. What I am seeing is if I make a menu, shop the best price for those items we don't spend nearly as much as if I don't have a plan. Last week I spent $129.45 for our weekly groceries and this included a splurge at Whole Foods for cheese. These numbers are strictly for groceries I don't include any cleaning supplies or dog food, I have just wanted to get a good idea on how much of our money we eat.
So far I have spent $4.00 on news papers and saved $0. Another major problem I have is I can't print coupons off the Internet, I think I have to change my security settings...when I say I have to change of course I mean Dano;)

EAT like the Loudon's

Wow so here it is the beginning of a new week, I can't believe we are already at the half-way point of this month. I can already tell this is going to be a busy week with school programs and such and then oh my goodness next week is Thanksgiving!
So here is this weeks menu

Monday: Black Bean Soup with Quesadilla
Tuesday: Chciken Jambalia
Wednesday: Leftover Meatloaf and mashed potatoes and broccoli
Thursday: Pasta..haven't decieded exactly what just yet I'll keep you posted ;)
Friday:Pizza
Saturday: Oven Smoked Boston Butt
Sunday: Beef Bourginon

Great Site

For those of you like me new to couponing this site is great and has tutorials on how to coupon along with printable coupons and match ups to local stores.

EAT like the Loudons

Monday: Pork Tenderloin stuffed with apples and cranberries, mashed sweet potatoes and corn pudding
Tuesday: Mini Thanksgiving for our friends from Belieze
Wednesday: Panini and Soup
Thursday: Mini Meatloaf with potatoes and green beans OR leftover thanksgiving
Friday: Pizza
Saturday:Baked Grits with ham, mushrooms and thyme and salad
Sunday:Mini Meatloaf if we did not have it on Thursday or Turkey Tetrazini

Savings update

Ok for those of you following this couponing experiment today I did save big with some coupons. This week at Walgreens...I know buying groceries from a drugstore seems wierd..has butter for $1.99 with in store coupon which is a great savings it runs about $2.75 everywhere else. The butter will be a stock up item for me as I use a lot of butter. You can get 4 at a time until the 17of Nov. Also got all my canned pumpkin for Thanksgiving for $0.99 which is great because it is at least $1.49 at Wal-Mart.
I also found the Rite-Aid in my neighborhood so I can get my cheap hair color :)

Couponing week 1 update

Spent $124.92 on groceries saved $0 with coupons
This included the menu http://liketheloudons.blogspot.com/2010/11/eat-like-loudons.html below plus I made freezer food for 1 family and fed 1extra person on Sunday so it works out $91.42

Last week I announced my couponing experiment and it began with little success. After buying the paper, cutting out the coupons, deciding which ones I might actually use I came up with very few. I was excited about being able to get my hair color for $3 instead of $8 until I realized it was only good at Rite Aid and there is not one anywhere in my neighborhood. Last week I said I had a few requirements for coupons 1) that we can use the same products we always do 2) that I am not going to buy products I normally would not just because I have a coupon unless I really want to try it. I forgot to add the other one 3) I'm not driving all over town to use a coupon especially for 1 product. I know I have put alot of regulations on my couponing but for this to work for me these are the rules.

Last week all the couponing blogs said it was a bad couponing week, so I'm hopeful for this week. I haven't gotten a paper but have asked some of the neighbors if I could have their coupon pages...am I turning into a couponing freak?
The following was last weeks "deals" from Publix according to Money Saving Mom...the problem I don't use any of these products. Yea I can get Shedd's Spread for $0.15 but ICKY we only use butter you rarely see a coupon for that

Shedd’s Spread Country Crock, Regular/ Churn Style, or Twin Pack (2 pk) – $0.95
Use $0.40/1 printable
$0.15 after coupon

Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks – $1.50
Use $1/1 printable
$0.50 after coupon

Welch’s Essentials Juice Cocktail Blend – $1.63
Use $1/1 coupon from the 10/31 SmartSource insert or printable
$0.63 after coupon

Nature’s Own Bread – $1.45
Use $0.75/1 printable
$0.70 after coupon

V8 Splash Beverage – $1.43
Buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon from the 10/3 SmartSource insert
$0.93 each after coupon

Pup-Peroni Dog Snacks (10 oz pkg) – $2.50
Use $1/1 printable
$1.50 after coupon


Publix: Deals for the week of November 4-10, 2010 is a post from: Money Saving Mom℠ :: Store Deals

Maybe this week will find better results...stay tuned

Robin Mark is on of my favorite christian musicians, he and his band are from Northern Ireland. I love the Irish sound in his music (some are more than others )but also if you listen to the words of his songs they are great. This song Will Your Anchor Hold I love the words and the truth it teaches, Christ is my anchor in the troubled waters of this life. I espically love the pictures with this version as they are of Nantucket.



I took a walk down to the harbour,
I even watched a ship come in,
With all the lights upon the water shimmering.

These empty streets once thronged
With people before the houses had all gone,
And fathers rose to queue for work before the dawn.

And every meal upon the table bore
Testimony to their days spent working
Hard upon a ship from far away.

Tell me the old, old story of Jesus and His love
And will your anchor hold you in the flood.

Upon the church steps stood a preacher,
He cried redemption to the docks,
And all his words fell just like honey on a rock.

And hearts made stony by those hard times,
And steelyed eyes and windswept face,
Were softened by his stories of amazing grace.

From two and three to many thousands,
Revival fell upon the land,
The tiger lay before the lion and the lamb.

Now I came looking for adventure,
And it's adventure I have found
Since first I placed my feet upon this holy ground.

And I will never be a sailor,
But maybe if I take my stand
Perhaps we'll see revival fall upon our land.

I took a walk down to the harbour,
I even watched a ship come in,
With all the lights upon the water shimmering,

But I have an anchor, that keeps my soul
Steadfast and sure while those billows roll.

Fastened to the rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's blood.


Copyright © 1998 Daybreak Music Ltd.


This post is dedicated to my friend late Sara as I am thinking of her today

EAT like the Loudons

Menu for week of November 1

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie
Tuesday: Maccaroni and Cheese, Sausages and apples
Wednesday: Church
Thursday: Sauteed Trout with roasted potatoes and green beans
Friday: Pizza
Saturday ?? think we will be in Huntsville
Sunday:Sirloin Steak with twice baked potatoes and pear, bluecheese walnut salad

The experiment begins

OK so today starts a new day in my life...couponing! I keep hearing tales of how much you can save couponing and I wonder is it really true? I will admit I am not good at couponing never have been I forget to take them to the store, I forget to use them until it's way to late so forth and so on. After reading several couponing blogs I have decided to do this as a 3 month experiment. I want to see if we can really save any money couponing this savings includes cost of getting the paper something we've never done plus time spent clipping and finding the best price. My one requirement is that we can eat the way we always do and buy the products we normally do IE: I'm not going buy the nasty hot dogs just because I have a coupon no I want to buy the Nathan's or Hebrew National. I will post regular updates of the experiment and record my findings. If you have any couponing advice or favorite blogs please post.
Let the grocery games begin!