Week 26

Purchases

Walgreens

2 mixed nuts and a big bag of almonds

Food Pyramid

2 gallons orange juice

4 packages crackers, dill weed, vegetable oil

6 pounds ground chuck

tomatoes on the vine

Walmart

bread

red onions

big bottle of Head Country barbecue sauce

hamburger dill pickles, coconut oil, bag of Splenda, drink mix and sodas

Digornio flatbread - used a free coupon for this

10 pork chops, 16 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

cream cheese, cheddar slices, cottage cheese, whipping cream and 3 bags grated cheddar

6 rolls of Viva towels and 2 cans shaving cream

Meals

kind of a dull week, it is just too hot to turn on the oven and too hot to do any fancy cooking

June 24

chicken fajitas, beef taco salad and Mexican rice (Jimmy's birthday and his requests)

June 25

leftovers from Weds.

June 26

pork chops, broccoli, corn on the cob and a big salad

June 27

eggs, bacon and toast for breakfast

chef salads at Red Rock for lunch

barbecued chicken and a big salad (Jeff grilled 10 pounds of chicken breasts, we ate some and put most in the freezer for future meals)

June 28

ham, eggs and toast for breakfast

barbecued chicken and more salad

pimento cheese on celery and crackers, watermelon for supper

June 29

roast beef cooked in the crock pot, corn, carrots and more salad

June 30

pizza chicken and more salad

for more shopping and menus, visit Gayle at Grocery Cart Challenge

Saturday's yard sale finds

Jeff and I went to a few sales yesterday. We started out at a sale at a small home in an older neighborhood. This 4 place settings for Correlle was $1 for the set. We like light-weight dishes and I think these will become our new favorite everyday set.
At the same sale as the dishes, I bought the terra cot pot and saucer and tin vase for a nickel each. - really cheap, huh?
Then we moved on to a near by house. As Jimmy pointed out when I got home, we don't have a twin bed, but this white twin flat sheet is a really nice heavy percale and I will use the fabric for something.

This pattern was 10 cents.
I made a dress from this same pattern when I was in high school. I don't have any plans to make another one, but I think it is so cute.


This table and oversized pair of down pillows came from a very big new home. The table with the toile cloth and glass top was marked $15. The matching pillows were marked $4 each. I offered her $20 for the set and got them.

The tablecloth is really nice and I am guessing was custom designed and made. I love the fringe all around the hem,

and the entire cloth is lined.

I have never bought "used" pillows before but these were not really used, I think they had just lived in a never used room in that fancy house.

But they are going to get used at my house. Jeff laid on the couch with them last night and says they are really comfortable, even if a few of the feathers came out.

When I got the table home and was cleaning it up, underneath that $15 price sticker was a $40 price sticker. The seller was marking down a few things when we got to this sale about 9:30. She opened at 7:00.
She was selling very nice things and I am happy with my purchase and it's low price. But I do wonder what all treasures she had when she opened.

I usually try to get to sales early for the best selection but the prices seem to be lower as the day goes on.

See more thrifted treasures at Rhoda's

Theme Thursday - Summer

In picture above, my Uncle Cecil, Grandpa and cousin Kenneth

When I think of summer, this week's word for Theme Thursday, I think of how hard farmers work in the summer. My grandparents and uncles were all farmers, mostly growing wheat. They had other crops like hay and grains and of course they raised cattle, for eating and for their milk, and pigs for eating and chickens.

These are some very old pictures, probably in the late 1930s or very early 40's. Considering I am the granddaughter of farmers and I lived in country for 11 years, I know very little about farming. But I am sure that in this picture, it shows bales of hay on a trailer behind a tractor.

Grandpa - after working on the farm all day

Grandma - I am guessing she has been out working in her vegetable garden or tending to her chickens.

After a long work day, Grandma and Grandpa loved to play cards or dominoes.

My mom is the young girl on the left in this picture.

Grandpa and Grandma - all dressed up, I would guess this for church or maybe a wedding.

Works for me Wednesday

See the plastic lids I use on most of the storage jars in our pantry? They are sold with the canning supplies and are available now. Walmart sells them, but only in the spring and early summer, when their canning supplies are slightly expanded.

I like to use both the regular and wide mouth.

Most of my assorted jars are thrifted and usually come with the metal lids and rings, but I don't really care to use the metal ones for storage. They sometimes rust in the dishwasher and are just more difficult than the one piece plastic ones.

I got 2 new boxes yesterday. The regular ones were $2.28 and the wide mouth were $2.72.

I am sure other stores sell them.

Wal-mart is the main store in my town and easiest for me to shop in.

Click here for lots more Works for Me Wednesday tips.

Week 25

This weeks purchases

Walgreen

2 boxes Hefty food bags

Purex detergent

2 shower soaps

1 face cleanser

4 Skippy peanut butter

4 100 ct. Lipton tea bags

3 reach toothbrushes

Aldis

2 bags yellow onions, 2 boxes grape tomatoes, 9 roma tomatoes, 3 colored bell peppers, 4 green bell peppers, celery, 3 bags romaine hearts, 4 bags spring/butter salad mix, spinach, 4 ears corn, iceberg lettuce, 1 watermelon

3 pound ham for sandwiches

11 pounds chicken pieces

2 packs ground white turkey

3 packs 93% ground beef

1 pound bacon

4 bags shredded cheese and 2 packs sliced cheese

4 cans tuna, 12 cans beef broth, 12 cans pork and beans, 2 cans mushrooms

olive oil

spaghetti and macaroni, 2 saltines, 2 pretzels

glass cleaner, liquid bleach, paper napkins

Walmart

sodas, 2 1/2 dozen eggs, 2 chili powders,

bananas, grape tomatoes, red grapes

3 Dawn dish soaps, mouthwash,

5 Reach dental floss, talcum powder

Styrofoam trays and bowls

Meals

June 17

Chicken Fajitas and refried beans

June 18

Spaghetti and a big salad

June 19

Pigs in a blanket with fried potatoes

June 20

a late breakfast/early lunch at Red Rock

waffles for supper

June 21

cereal for breakfast

smoked chicken and beans with a big salad, cheesy potatoes, Red Rock bread and 3 desserts for Fathers Day

June 22

leftovers from Sunday

June 23

Turkey meatballs with Roma sauce and noodles, big salad

want to see more shopping and menus? visit Gayle at Grocery Cart Challenge

Todays yard sale finds

My inlaws are here and they like to bargain shop so we all went to the garage sales this morning. There were not any neighborhood sales so we drove all over town and went to 8 different ones.

We saw a lot of junk and a lot of over-priced things.

We did come home with a few treasures.

I got the nice red, white and blue bunting for $1. It is like new and the good kind, sewn together and embroidered - not just with the design stamped on.

I've been looking for a pair of end tables for our bedroom. This pair was marked $20 but while I was looking at them, the seller walked by and said she would take $15. They are worth much for than that. They are solid wood, oak I think, marble on the top, and very heavy.


Inside, they both have a drawer and 2 shelves. I need to clean them up and replace the shelf paper. Now that I have them home, I think they might find a place in our living room instead of our bedroom.

That's all I bought.
My MIL got some placemats, brand new for a nickel each, a Christmas decoration and a few kid clothes.

See lots more thrifty treasures at Rhoda's Southern Hospitality

show and tell Friday

My boys Bobby and Jimmy way back in 1983.

They are not quite 1 and 2 years old, they are just 14 months apart. (they are 28 and almost 27 now)
They are playing in their toy basket. I bought it at an antiques store in San Clemente CA shortly after Bobby was born.
The boys liked to play in it when they were little.
It has been painted many times. It held toys when they were little. We used it for magazines and pillows when they outgrew toys.

Now, the basket holds spare rolls in the hall bathroom.

for more show and tell visit Kelli at
http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/2009/06/show-and-tell-friday_18.html

Theme Thursday - Roofs

This weeks Theme Thursday is roofs.

We have had 2 hail storms this spring and several of my neighbors have gotten new roofs because of hail damage.

The recession looks to be winding down for housing in my town. I counted 8 new homes being built in my little housing addition.

This is the back of one of them. They are mostly 3 bedroom homes with a split floor plan. They all have pantries in the kitchens and most of them have covered patios. This patio is on the right hand side of the picture.

Just the trusses, before the plywood goes up.


Plywood base, before the shingles go on.



One of the new homes almost finished, this one has a big covered patio on the back too.
I think it will be a great home for whoever buys it.

Purex 3 - in - 1 sheets

TracyLynne asked how the Purex Complete 3 in 1 sheets I bought yesterday worked. I had 2 loads of dirty laundry so I tried them out.
One load was colored things, mostly my shirts and shorts. Some I have worn while doing yard work and they were pretty dirty. They all turned out clean, spot free and very soft.
The other load was whites. I found a small mustard stain on a cloth napkin that I think my normal routine of Gain and bleach would of removed. There were also 2 blood stains that faded quite a bit but can still be seen on a white washcloth and a towel.

The sheets are much thicker than dryer sheets. The blue part is the detergent I think because after the wash cycle, the sheets are just white.
I bought the spring oasis scent. It is OK, I think it smells like regular Bounce. If I buy them again, I will try the tropical scent.

This Purex product is on sale at Walgreens now for $6.99 and it generates a $2 Register Reward. There was a $2 coupon in last weeks Sunday paper as well. One box will do 20 regular size loads so the net $2.99 cost is not too bad.

The best part about these Purex Complete is convenience. They would be great for people who tote their laundry to a laundromat, for college students or for anyone with an impairment that makes measuring or following instructions difficult.


If you do buy any, you might want to go the Purex site. For each Purex Complete 3-in-1 barcode you submit, Purex will contribute $1 to help developing world mom entrepreneurs enable themselves and their families out of poverty. They also have a contest giving away a years supply of Purex.

Tuesday doings

I re-did 2 lamps and now have matching lamps in our bedroom.

For the shades, I used 2 shades that I bought on clearance at Hobby Lobby. They are sticky and came with the pattern for the fabric -they were very easy to cover! I used fabric glue to turn under the edges and for the ball trim.

The fabric has robins on it and I think it is so cute. I found it at my Mom's and I think the ball fringe is from her too.

I went to Walgreens and was happy that they had everything I wanted. I spent just under $19, checked out in 2 transactions and earned $8 more in register rewards. To learn about future Walgreens deals, I like to read the forums at SlickDeals.Net.
For current deals, Mercedes has a great site at http://www.commonsensewithmoney.com/

And baby Gavin - just because he is so sweet!
His mom took this picture this morning and sent it out on her I-phone.

Week 24 - grocery budget 2009

what I bought

Walgreens

3 rolls paper towels

Dollar Tree

3 loaves bread

Walmart

assorted sodas

2 packs gum

1 bag chips, hamburger buns, large oatmeal, beef bouillon, 6 pounds converted rice, 3 squirt mustards, 2 boxes mac and cheese mix, bag of sugar

3 cartons ice cream, gallon skim milk, quart of half&half, 2 dozen eggs, 3 cans Grands biscuits

hot dogs - used a free coupon

2 M&Ms - more free coupons

dryer sheets, Cascade, sandwich bags, 2 Spray Starch and paper plates

Meals

June 10

turkey enchiladas with Mexican rice and salad

11th

Pork loin with potatoes and zucchini

12th

Beef yakisoba

13th

French puffs for breakfast

sandwiches and chips for lunch

beef taco salad for supper

14th

cereal for breakfast

spiral ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans, big green salad and ice cream for lunch

ham sandwiches for supper

15th

Smothered steak with onions and mushroooms, no knead Ciabatta bread, spinach and broccoli

16th

leftover ham from Sunday, hash browns, green salad and cantaloupe

Grocery Cart Challenge

what I've been working on

Nina and John both have June birthdays. They both love quilts and have asked me several times to make a king size quilt for their bed. I started on May 1 and with a little help from Jeff and Jimmy, somehow I finished this 9 feet by 9 feet blue and brown quilt in time for their birthdays.
They look pretty happy, don't they?

Visiting my parents house is kind of like going on a shopping trip where you don't need money. My mom has lots and lots of fabric, craft books, craft supplies, beads, yarn, crochet thread, etc. She always encourages me take whatever I want. When I was there, I bought back quite a few beads - just a fraction of what she has - I made these 2 necklaces and bracelets for you, Mom. I think they will both look really pretty with your green eyes.

I've had the beads all spread out on the craft table and Jimmy and Nina both said they just wanted to sit down and string some. Well, Jimmy had more time and....

He made this pretty blue one.

Mom, these necklaces are on their way to you along with some Aldi's bags and your green splatterware pan. Bert is going to deliver them to you.

Garage sale purchases

Our little addition had it's annual garage sale today. Jeff and Jimmy both came with me and it was nice to just be able to walk to each one.

For Gavin

outfits were 25 cents each

blocks - 75 cents - I don't think they've ever been out of the bag

brand new big bottles of baby wash and lotion - still factory sealed - 50 cents each

2 lamps to re-do $2 total

straw plate holders 10 cents

ice trays for Jimmy 10 cents

this container of scrapbook paper and cardstock was marked 10 cents a sheet. I offered her $5 for all and she took it. The stack is about 2 inches thick. The scrapbook paper has some nice prints and the solid cardstock will be perfect for Cricut projects.

a cute pear for 25 cents

See more yard/rummage/garage/thrift store deals at

Rhoda's southern hospitality

Hail!

Update - I guess there really was some hail in my town close the size of a baseball. This picture is from Nina's MIL. She works on the OSU campus and found this outside. I am guessing there are many OSU workers with beat-up vehicles from this hail.,

Oh My! A big thunderstorm with hail and lightening just blew through our neighborhood.

See the white hail puddled up in the flower bed? The news just said there was baseball sized hail somewhere near us but ours looked pretty small.

And remember those pretty garden pictures I posted yesterday? Well, the plants are not so pretty now.....

what is left of the stargazer lily -

scroll down to yesterday's post if you want to see how pretty it was just 24 hours ago.

the vegetables in the barrels looks pretty sad and wet - it rained so hard and our backyard is under water but it usually drains off pretty fast

I think the tomatoes look the least damaged.

There is a little good news - I thought about mowing today but that will scratched off of my to-do list until everything dries out. And this storm really lowered the temperature too.