Tightening the belt

Like many people we are trying to cut our expenses down. My current project is my grocery bill. I've been surprised at how high it is since I'm a fairly careful shopper. I hardly buy any convenience foods, I shop around, etc.

So, here's what I've been doing:

1. Making a price book. This is kind of time-consuming but essential for figuring out which store to shop at and whether or not something is a good deal. The concept is explained here. If I can figure out how to share mine (done in Excel) I'll do that.

2. Cutting coupons. Ugg. I don't like doing this but I'm talking myself into it. It requires organization which isn't my strong point. Did you know that if you live in the Seattle area, Red Plum coupons (which used to only come in the Sunday papers) are now delivered to your mail box? This takes away the excuse of "I don't want to buy the paper just to get coupons."

3. Joining the frugal community. There are lots of websites/blogs to help you save money on groceries/meals and find coupons and freebies. A couple I've found are:
- Grocery Smarts - this site helps you find the best weekly deals at your grocery store plus links to printable coupons.
- Money Saving Mom
- Five Dollar Dinners
- Thrifty Northwest Mom
- Northwest Coupon Lady
- Centsible in Seattle
- Seattle Mom Deal Finder

4. Follow fellow frugal folks on Twitter. @frugalgirls @MomAdvice @Freebies4Mom are just a few.

5. Actually go through the grocery fliers. I'm embarrassed to admit this but I used to just toss the fliers, just to eliminate the clutter. Now, I'm reading them and figuring out what bargain shopping is worth my time.

What are your tips/tricks for saving money on groceries?Pin It

Workout music

Well, I joined a local gym. My physical therapist has been bugging me to get moving and I just wasn't doing anything at home, even though I have a bunch of exercise DVDs and a simple treadmill (which I can't set up myself) which is gathering dust. Anyone want it? $25 bucks and its yours!

I've been obsessively researching music and BPMs. What are BPMs you ask? Beats per minute - very important for working out. The right BPM will match your pace. I do a fairly brisk walk so I look for a BPM between 119 and 125. This website helps you determine the BPM and I've found some by just doing a Google search of the song title and BPM.

The right music makes *such* a difference. I get to a good pace and I can easily do 40 minutes on the treadmill.

Here's my current favourites:

1. Waterfront - Simple Minds - 119.4 BPM
2. Beautiful Stranger - Madonna - 124 BPM
3. Because the Night (MTV Unplugged version) - 10,000 Maniacs - 123.75
4. Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac - 123.27
5. Fields of Fire (400 Miles) - Big Country - 123.1
6. Praises - Newsboys - 121
7. Spirit Thing - Newsboys - 124
8. Even Better Than the Real Thing - U2 - 124
9. New Gold Dream (81, 82, 83, 84) - Simple Minds - 123.16

My playlist is much bigger but it is in flux - I'm adding and dropping songs all the time.

I'll post some more songs after I give them a trial walk. Get it? ;)Pin It

School boys

Both of my boys are settling into their schools and both of them love their schools and their teachers. My youngest, C, goes to preschool 3 mornings a week and his teacher was the "helper teacher" for A's teacher two years ago. A attends a Christian school (which is a 20 minute's drive away) and is in Grade 1. I'm doing a lot of driving!

A received the Student of the Week award today at the weekly chapel. I was so proud! It is given to one student in each class who exhibits a particular character quality. This week's character quality was gentleness. He was the only boy among about 13!

And to continue the bragging, A received his progress report last week and it was extremely positive! His reading was tested and he reads at a Grade 3 level - he is in his second month of grade 1.

I love my boys and I love being their Mommy.Pin It

Craft I made + links time again!

So, on Labour Day we were supposed to go the Fair but we found ourselves in a downpour that included thunder so we took cover in a craft store. How did that happen? :) One of the fun things we found was this, only bigger:I painted it and put a treasure map inside with pirate stickers - voila! a treasure box for my youngest.

C loves it! He put his favourite treasure inside - his stuffed guinea pig, hamster and mouse that he calls "The Guys!"

So, as usual, I have too many tabs open. Yada yada. Time for some link sharing.

Want to better organize your child's closet and help them pick out outfits, quicker? Here are some cool day of the week printables to help!

How to save money at Starbucks. I follow some of these tips already. Make sure to register your SB card - you save on syrup and refills of drip coffee.

Simple Mom has written this amazing article about finding motivation at home, something I struggle with. She also wrote this great series called "How to Be Disorganized and Unproductive at Home" - part 1 is called Don't Enjoy Your Job.

A fun mosaic craft to make, especially if your family eats a lot of cereal.

Now that the weather has turned (at least in my part of the world), I'm looking for indoor activities. Here are 20 good ones (none of which involve a TV).

Feeling overwhelmed? This post from Like a Warm Cup of Coffee was an encouragement to me.Pin It

Menu plan Monday (with links to recipes)

I haven't participated in this carnival in ages but since I'm starting some new routines now that school has started (and today is a holiday!), I actually have my menu list done on a Monday as opposed to some other day of the week.

Here are the main dishes we'll be having this week, in no particular order.

- Quinoa Chili

- Fusilli, Squash and Bacon

- Beef Stroganoff

- Chicken and Brocolli Pie

- Beef, Spinach and Rice

I saw Julie and Julia this weekend and in honour of Julia Child, I think I'm going to attempt her Beef Bourguignon NEXT week!Pin It

First day of school!

Well, we survived. I think it went very well. Daddy and I dropped him off this morning while little brother stayed home with Grand Dad (who has been visiting for the last week).Daddy walking him in.A in his classroom. He's probably thinking, "Mom, when are you going to leave?"

I think he's going to LOVE school - he thrives in a structured environment. My only concern is whether or not he will be challenged adequately. Time will tell.

And little brother? He had the best day ever - he got to play with his GrandDad all day - games galore and they built this incredible Lego tower together. I was amazed at all that I was able to accomplish today, uninterrupted!Pin It

Six years ago today.....

Alexander was born! It was a difficult birth - water broke 3 1/2 weeks early, it was Labour Day weekend but labour didn't progress, had pitocin, had to start and stop pushing since the OB had to leave (twice)for emergencies, epidural wore off, suction birth, he had jaundice, etc. Wow, I'd actually forgotten some of those details.
Birthday#1 - cowboy theme
Birthday #2 - ElmoBirthday #3 - Thomas the Tank Engine themeBirthday #4 - farm themeBirthday #5 - zoo/safari themeI can't believe my little guy is going to school on Tuesday! For the whole day, every day! I don't think it has really hit me yet.
Yes, he loves his water. :) No big party this week. We're postponing it until September and people are back from vacation. He will however, be receiving a present that he's been asking for since oh, 2006. We're such sucker parents that way. :)Pin It

Desert Island blogs

I read too many blogs. Well, I used to, that is. I won't tell you how many are in my feed reader. Its a big number. I need to spend less time on the computer. Who doesn't?!

There is a radio station I enjoy called The Mountain and they often feature "desert island discs" where people pick just a few albums they would listen to if stranded on a desert island. So, I decided it would be fun to pick my desert island blogs. The ones that I would read if I could only read a few. Yeah, yeah, there wouldn't be internet access on the desert island, I know! Just roll with it, OK? :) Now, I didn't include friends' blogs because that would just be cruel to pick amongst those!

Here are my favourite blogs, the ones I could *never* give up reading:

1. Mommy Life - Barbara Curtis has an amazing story. I can't do it justice. Go read it! She is the mom of 12 and she writes about politics, her family, the arts, children with Down Syndrome, and many more topics.

2. Amy's Humble Musings - Amy has the best links. She loves Glenn Beck, her husband is a rocket scientist, she has 6 kids and a terrific sense of humour. She really is humble, too.

3. The Crafty Crow - this blog posts links every day to amazing kid crafts and activities from all different blogs. Eye candy and sometimes we actually make a craft inspired by CC.

4. Mommy Brain/Books and Movies - Carrie loves books and movies and she is a terrific reviewer. I will pick a movie based on her recommendation and I don't think she has ever steered me wrong. ;)

5. Kids Lit - a children's librarian posts reviews of books for young children as well as books for teens. I love to learn about newly released childrens books.

6. The Flourishing Mother - Andrea is very cool and inspiring. I don't know what else to say. She loves Fernando Ortega and Led Zeppelin. Need I say more? She just had baby #4 so she's taking a little break from blogging right now.

Honourable mention: (see how hard this is?)
- Muses of Megret
- The Mother Load
- Make and Takes
- Jennifer's Favorite LinksPin It

Beaches and blueberries

We're squeezing every last drop out of summer that we can - school starts September 1st for my oldest and September 14th for my youngest (preschool).

Yesterday we went to the beach with Colette and her kids and Sarah and her girls. At first I thought it would be too cloudy and cool since it rained just slightly in the morning but it turned out to be perfect weather for hanging out. No worries about sunscreen and the temperature was just fine.

Here are some photos:
My son introducing his friend to the joys of maps. :)Earlier in the week we went blueberry picking with another friend and her kids. I was surprised to see how many blueberries are still ready for picking.The farm also had gorgeous sunflowers:
Another outing this week was the beach at sunset (for kite flying and roasting marshmallows).Guess who ate too many marshmallows?Pin It

Links for Monday

As usual, I have too many tabs open! Time to share some links!

I've been slowly working through my mental list of fun things to do this summer. Yesterday it was paddle boats on Green Lake and on Saturday we went to Mt. Rainier. I love these great big list of things to do in the summer. Here's one from Chocolate on my Cranium and one from I Never Grew Up and a photo list from The Mother Load.

I don't think I've written about JellyTelly here on my blog. My boys love it and I don't mind them spending a little time on the computer if they go there. It was created by Phil Vischer, aka, Bob the Tomato of Veggie Tales. God Rocks! is a Christian music group featured frequently. Jelly Telly also has funny stories with a message done by puppets. Check it out if you have a preschooler or slightly older child.

Have a wasp problem? Here are some tips for getting rid of them from Tip Nut

I've been *slowly* sprucing up my deck aka my back porch. This article is inspiring!

WORLD magazine is something that I love to read but the subscription price is a little high. They are, however, currently having a special right now - 8 issues for $8!! I can't recommend this magazine highly enough - skip Newsweek, Time or the like, and read WORLD!

I've got to remember to make this Chicken Avocado Salad someday.

8 ways to find motivation at home - a great article for stay at home moms.

Some really cool ideas for what to do with your digital photos.

Jane Austen fans will enjoy this link (thanks to Carrie) - How Wealthy is Mr. Darcy - Really?

And finally, a serious article. Are we sanitizing the suffering right out of our lives?Pin It

Free slurpies at 7-Eleven tomorrow! (July 11, 2009)

Details here!Pin It

Wonder Pets birthday party!

Yes, I'm *finally* getting around to blogging about this! (The party was in early June.)

C said that he wanted a "rodent" party this year. Hmmmm. That's a tough one! He does, however, like Wonder Pets and they have a guinea pig character so, that's what I picked. Unfortunately, there isn't much available with that theme, except for online places like Birthday Express, Birthday in a Box, etc.

Games - we played Pin the Tail on the Mouse and Rescue the Animals. For rescue the animals, my Dad and Hubby hid all kinds of plastic animals around the back yard. Some were very hard to get to! For some you had to hit them with a stick to get them to fall down!

Decorations: I found a huge Wonder Pets colouring book and I used pages from that to make decorations.

I also bought some Wonder Pets stuffed animals and they were a tablecentre.Partyware: I ordered a table cloth and plates from Birthday Express and I got primary coloured stuff for the rest.

Goody bags I used plain blue ones and found printable stickers on the Wonder Pets website to decorate the bags. Contents: bubble solution, WP stickers, a small bag of M&Ms, WP finger puppets (printed from the WP website), WP mask.

Cake/cupcakes: I found directions for making guinea pig cupcakes on the Nick Jr. website. Voila!
We also bought an ice cream cake so C could blow out some candles.
Digging into the presents.
Here are the party goers!Pin It

Randomness

In book news, Jennifer Weiner (author of Certain Girls) has a new book out called Best Friends Forever. I'm #105 on the waiting list at the library. :)

I'm loving the free programs offered by the Sno-Isle Library. Today was watercolour painting along with a read aloud and a song.

My boys started swimming lessons for the first time yesterday. I was worried about my oldest actually making it into the pool. He was afraid of the whole thing and thought he'd be thrown into the deep end! :) He's in the "Tadpole" class which is pretty low key and in very shallow water. Hopefully he will eventually enjoy it. My youngest loves it. I didn't bring my camera, obviously.

I did some scrapbooking this past week. I made a friends album for the mom of the best friend of my oldest son (got that?). Their family is moving out of state and we've know them since A was a newborn (2003). Here's the cover and a sample page:
We went strawberry picking in Arlington this past weekend. The berries were pretty small but still yummy.I made strawberry compote yesterday. Now I need to make some scones, too.

What have you been doing lately?Pin It

Simple recipe - Smoked Sausage Skillet

I don't usually post recipes on my blog but I decided to share this one since it is such a great last minute, quick and healthy one pot meal.
I can't claim credit for creating, however. I found it on MommyChef's blog but I can't seem to find it in her archives. I have tweaked her recipe somewhat.

Smoked Sausage Skillet

1 pound beef smoked sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick (I usually use turkey kielbasa to lower the fat and cholesterol)
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 green or red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, cut into strips (or diced)
1/4 cup water

Directions:
In a large skillet on medium high, brown the potatoes using a little bit of olive oil. Add the sausage and brown. Add the onions and water and lower heat to medium. Cover and simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the green pepper and cook an additional 2 minutes until potatoes and onion are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Servings: 4.

My boys eat this up!Pin It

Frugal Father's Day gift - a craft tutorial

Wouldn't Dad love a photo of his family to show off at work? I've had the supplies for this craft for probably a year so I'm happy to report that I have made finally completed a project! ;)

Supplies:
- 5 or 6 photos cut to the size of the cube's sides (4 by 4 inches for my cube) Michael's carries these but I found mine at Ben Franklin's - a local craft store.
- wood cube - I used a 4 inch size, you could do one slightly smaller.
- Modge Podge
- foam brush
- acylic paint - optional
- patterned paper - cut to 4 by 4 - optional

Directions:
1. collect your photos. If you don't want a photo on the bottom of the cube, you only need 5.
2. trim the photos to size.
3. paint all sides of the cube - this give a nice background and looks better than just wood. I used black paint but you can pick any colour. You don't need to paint in the middle of the side because these will be covered with photos. I just painted about an inch in from the edge. Allow to dry.
4. cover one side of the cube with Modge Podge and place your photo on top.
5. allow to dry. Wax paper is a good surface to set it on.
6. continue gluing photos on all sides of the cube.
7. If you like, you can put one piece of patterned paper on the bottom of the cube.
8. Once it is completely dry, paint each side with Modge Podge for fingerprint protection. This cube is going to be handled a lot!Pin It

Summer reading list & summer reading programs

My boys will be participating in several summer reading programs, just like last summer. We've already signed up for the King County Library one, next week we'll sign up at Sno-Isle Library (which offers free tickets to an Aquasox baseball game) and I think we'll also do the one at Barnes and Noble. All of them offer various prizes. Half Price Books has a program but it only offers a $3 dollar coupon and required the child to read every day. Borders has a program as well. I think 3 will be enough for us!

Since we are homeschooling, I developed my own book list to keep him motivated and challenged. Some of these books may be better suited to his little brother who also reads but at a level 1.

1. Snipp Snapp Snurr and the Yellow Sled
2. Snipp Snapp Snurr and the Big Farm
3. Snipp Snapp Snurr and the Gingerbread
4. Snipp Snapp Snurr and the Buttered Bread
5. Caves (non-fiction)
6. Franklin Rides a Bike
7. Astronauts are Sleeping
8. The Chicken Sisters
9. James and Giant Peach
10. The Lighthouse Family, The Octopus by Cynthia Rylant
11. The Lighthouse Family, The Eagle by Cynthia Rylant
12. The Lighthouse Family, The Whale by C. Rylant
13. The Lighthouse Family, The Storm (1st in the series)
14. Is A Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There is? by Robert E. Wells
15. A Collection for Kate
16. Quack and Count
17. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
18. The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
19. Eating Fractions
20. The Best Vacation Ever (math)
21. Toby Counts His Marbles
22. Nine O'Clock Lullaby (time zones)
23. The Phantom Tollbooth (not sure if he's ready for this one)
24. Diary of a Spider
25. Corduroy's Hike
26. Why? The Best Ever Question and Answer Book about Nature, Science and the World Around You
27. Flick a Switch: How Electricity Gets to Your Home
28. Owls in the Family
29. Oliver Pig and the best fort ever
30. Maybelle the Cable Car
31. Lost by David McPhail
32. Mole Music by David McPhail
33. The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge

I found this great list of fiction books that teach math.

These are a mixture of books at his reading level and books below his level. Please add your suggestions, if you have them. My oldest son reads at a Grade 3 or 4 level but he is 5 1/2. My youngest just turned four and reads at a K to Grade 1 level.Pin It

Planning our Seattle summer fun

Summer is here, at least unofficially. The last week or so, we've had exceptionally warm weather for this part of the world.

I thought it would be fun to brainstorm about all the fun things going on around Puget Sound. Some we'll participate in, some I'm just listing to help you plan your days.

1. Free movies. Regal theatres has free kids movies on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings starting on June 23rd. Mr. Bean's Holiday and Space Chimps are ones that my boys would probably enjoy. More info here. My link is for Washington state but this is going on around the US.

2. Festivals. There is a festival going on every single weekend! Here is a good list of those in the Seattle area. The Milk Carton derby at Green Lake is fun to watch. We love to hear the roar of the Blue Angels in August.

3. Target's Wonderstage in Lynnwood. We have gone to this several times in previous years. Free entertainment at noon followed by free popsicles. Our favourite was Brothers From Different Mothers - a juggling act. You do need to get there early to get a good seat.

4. Petting farm at Forest Park in Everett. My kids are getting a bit old for this (sniff, sniff) but I recommend it. It used to be free but I notice they are now asking for donations to help with the costs of upkeep. $1 per child is pretty reasonable! This is open weekends starting June 6th until the end of June and then weekdays until August 16th.

5. Spray parks. I just heard that the water has been turned on so that is great news. Willis Tucker Park in suburban Snohomish is a great place to get wet (with guaranteed clean water) and has a fun playground, too.

6. Picking berries. We are a crazy fruit pickin' family. :) First come the strawberries which we used to pick from Beringer Farms in Marysville. They've now moved to Arlington so we're not sure if we'll drive that far this year. Second is raspberries which we like to pick in Monroe, followed by blueberries. A good resource for finding U-Pick farms is Puget Fresh's website. Blackberries complete our summer and we like to find those in the wild, for free. :)

7. The fountain at the Seattle Center. I want to do this some day!

8. An oldie but a goodie - the Woodland Park Zoo. We were there last week and enjoyed seeing the new penguin exhibit.

9. Jetty Island - Everett. There is a free ferry ride to this 2 mile long island with shallow water surrounding. We haven't been yet but hope to go this summer.

10. Farmers markets - our favourite is the Edmonds one. My boys love the kettle corn and I love the jewelry and art, if they'll let me look at it! :)

11. Paddle boats on Green Lake - I don't want to forget to do this!

12. Vacation Bible School - we're going to 2 this year - our own church's and an "all the bells and whistles" one at a big church. :) I'll be teaching at our church's VBS. We still need teachers so I'm putting in a plug here for those of you who need to sign up. :) Daniel Henry is the director this year.

13. Summer reading programs. Last year both of my boys (then 3 and 4 1/2) participated in programs at 2 libraries - Sno-Isle and King County. They both completed the programs (with either me reading to them or reading independently) and received some cool prizes - a book, binoculars and tickets to see a minor league baseball game. I know that Barnes and Noble has a program but last year my son wasn't old enough.

14. Train rides. In the past, we've gone to Snoqualmie and ridden the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad. This year we would like to go to the Kitsap Steamers in Port Orchard. Another one I just heard of is the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad which looks fantastic but a wee bit too far of a drive. :)

Whew! That was a long list. We're getting a new blow up pool since a nasty raccoon destroyed our beautiful pool which we enjoyed last year. Hopefully it will come soon - the weather forecast is for 84, two days this week!Pin It

San Diego Vacation

Last week, our family went on a 5 day vacation to San Diego to beat the crowds and take advantage of the flexibility of homeschooling. I have uploaded a whole bunch of our photos to Shutterfly which lets you make a blog page. http://sandiegovacationmay2009.shutterfly.com/

Please leave some comments either here or there, OK?

I'll get around to some commentary one of these days! :)Pin It

Need ideas for the weekends?

I subscribe a few email newsletters that list events going on around Puget Sound for parents and kids.

Parent Map

GoCityKids Seattle

Red Tricycle - note: they will also send you e mails about children's stores and products (usually very high priced ones) but I delete those ones.

Last weekend we attended a Punch and Judy puppet show in West Seattle. I heard about it from one of these newsletters. My boys loved it!Pin It

Mazes

Do your kids like mazes? Mine do. When my oldest was about 3 1/2 he went through book after book of mazes. After a long time away from mazes, today he asked for some challenging mazes to do and little brother got into it as well.

Here are some sources for free printable mazes (great handwriting practice for preschoolers):

Papa Jan - lots of easier mazes here.

Krazy Dad - Challenging mazes and animal mazes

Christian themed mazes

Print Activities

KaboosePin It

Wow, has it been over a month???

I've really been a bad blogger lately. Sorry about that. I've probably lost all my readers by now! :)

Here's me at the Seattle Tea Party rally on April 15th.
I'm not actually holding 2 signs at once. :) My photo (well, one of my homemade sign) ended up on the blog of a local conservative talk show host. The link isn't working but its David Boze of KTTH for anyone local.

My father in law was visiting us for a week. Here is us on Easter Sunday.
We enjoyed GrandDad being here. We went to the Arboretum, the Aquarium and did a boat tour of the Seattle waterfront.

Yesterday I took the boys up to the Tulip Festival - an hour's drive away. By myself! I'm so proud. I don't usually do road trips without Hubby. I think it is getting easier now that C is potty trained (did you catch that good news?) and I don't need to use the stroller much. It was a gorgeous day - it got up to 70 degrees! Its about time. Our "spring" has been pretty pathetic so far.

Well, that's all for now.Pin It