1-20-10

Not long ago I talked about favorite places to eat breakfast.
Now you can post on Good Day Columbus the name of your favorite
breakfast restaurant or diner. I chose Tee Jays as my favorite.

-------------------------------------

This week for groceries (food and non food)
I have spent a total of $41.60.
$30 to $40 is about my weekly budget for the grocery store.

------------------------------------

This is from today:

WALGREENS

Dawn
Regular- $1.79
with coupon- .99 cents

Aquafresh Advanced Toothpaste
Regular- $3.29
with coupons- .54 cents
(not in photo as I gave it to mom)

2 Revlon Colorsilk Hair Color
Regular- $8.58
with coupons- $2.98

TOTAL REGULAR- $13.66
TOTAL WITH COUPONS- $4.51
I SAVED- $9.15



---------------------------

KROGER

2 Loreal Natural Match Hair Color
Regular- $11.80
with coupons- FREE

2 Loreal Preference Hair Color
Regular- $11.26
with coupons/manager special- $1.58

3 Kroger Smoked Sausage
Regular- $7.50
Manager Special- $3.87

6 Hunts Pudding Snack Packs
Regular- $6.00
with coupons/sale- $4.20

2 Danimal Yogurts
Regular- $4.58
with coupons/sale- $1.76

Caramel International Delight coffee creamer
Regular- $2.29
with coupon- FREE

Gallon milk
regular- $2.29
sale- $1.88

2 packages corned beef
Regular $1.18
sale- $1.00

Can Sauerkraut
Regular $1.01

6 bottles Big K 2 liters
Regular- $4.50

2 bunches bananas
Regular- $2.75
Manager Special- $2.20

Kroger Wavy Chips
Regular- $1.84

Doritos
Regular- $3.30
sale- $2.18

4 Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate
Regular- $11.16
With sale and coupons- $2.00

Cottonelle 12 Double Roll Aloe & E Toilet Paper
Regular- $7.99
With sale and coupon- $4.88

TOTAL REGULAR PRICE- $78.33
PRICE WITH COUPONS AND SALES- $32.90
I SAVED- $45.43

I also saw today they had Smart Balance Tubs of butter
marked down to .99 cents. I didn't bring my coupons
for them so might send hubby back over tomorrow to get them.

6 Smart Balance Butter Tubs
Manager Special- $5.94 (.99 cents each)
With coupons would make it- $2.94 or .49 cents each.








--------------------------------

MAIL CALL

Today I received:
-coupon for FREE Always Infinity up to 18 count
-3 FREE Tampons
-2 FREE Panty Liners
-1 FREE Regular maxi pad
-1 Feminine Wipe


------------------------------

Once in a blue moon I do hubby's hair and use
the women's hair coloring that I get free or cheap.
It works just the same.
So please tell me why they have coloring just for men????
And for those of you who wish to spend that extra
$7 to $8 on Just For Men hair color, here is
a $2.00 off printable coupon.
I'll just stick with my el cheapo and free coloring for him!!
I realize Just For Men only takes 5 minutes compared to regular
hair coloring but they should have to suffer through those
20-40 minutes like us if they want us to save money, LMAO.

-------------------------------

I did notice that Walgreens had a
coupon for $3.00 off Loreal Preference hair color.
It's in a Walgreens coupon booklet.
There is also a manufacture coupon for $3.00 off
to combine with it.
Regular $9.99 minus $6.00 would make it $3.99

---------------------------------

For those of you who do your own hair cutting
at home, Walgreens has a $5.00 off coupon in their
booklet on Wahl's 24 piece styling kit.
I don't know what the regular price is though.

--------------------------------

Crockpot Sausage-Sauerkraut Soup


Ingredients

* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
* 2 1/2 cups water
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 1/2 pound sauerkraut
* 1 onion, finely diced
* 1 (15 ounce) can carrots, drained
* 1 (15 ounce) can sliced potatoes, drained
* 1 pound smoked sausage of your choice, sliced
* 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
* salt and pepper to taste

1. In a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker, blend the cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, water, and chicken broth. Stir in sauerkraut, onion, carrots, potatoes, and sausage. Season with dill and garlic.
2. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or Low for up to 8 hours. Taste, and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

---------------------------------

Here's an idea. If every you lose power you can
bring in those solar powered lights out in your yard.
Use those indoors instead of lighting candles.
Then put back outside during daylight hours
to recharge. Sure wish I had them when we lost
power for several days!


-------------------------------

Everyone's heard of Ebay and everyone's heard
of Goodwill. How about a combination of both.
Goodwill has a site where some dontations are auctioned
off online. It's their own auction site, not Ebay!
Shipping seems a little high as they ship UPS or FedEx.
Plus I saw they put in a handling fee.
So I guess it depends what kind of deal you get
as to whether or not the shipping seams reasonable.
But you should get the item pretty quick with their
shipping methods.
Here's an example:
To ship a small headset that looks like ear buds
it is 1 pound. From Indiana to ohio costs $7.59.
That's a little much!
SHOPGOODWILL

-------------------------------

Well tonight I made the Dawn and vinegar bathtub cleaner.
I wasn't impressed with the results.
While it did clean good it did not remove the bathtub
stains. The clear coat on the tub is no longer there
in areas and that's where the stains are. It's a 50
year old tub. I guess it's good as a regular bathtub
and tile cleaner as it did shine up the walls.
I did manage to disinfect my lungs and sinuses from the potent
smell of vinegar! But I guess it's better than toxic fumes
from other chemicals.
So I guess my next step will be to try
a mix of baking powder and vinegar and let it set then scrub.

--------------------------

SMALL SMILES DENTAL CLINICS

This was on the news tonight. And while I can't find
it on channel 10's website I did find many websites
about it when I googled it.

Small Smiles is doing unnecessary work to children
and overcharging them! Now they have a law suit against
them!

SMALL SMILES

CBSNEWS

CLEVELAND



I took one of my children to Small Smiles a couple years ago.
I vowed to never ever go back there after that visit!!!
I did NOT have a medical card and had to pay CASH!
for the visit as we did not have any kind of medical insurance.

For starters they would not allow parents to be with their
children when they worked on them! Only when getting a consultation.
Makes you wonder what the hell was really going on behind closed doors.

Next thing I didn't like was they would strap your child down
with restraints, boards with velcro straps!!!
That'll make a kid want to visit a dentist again.
And this was my child's first visit to a dentist!!

Next they wouldn't do any work on him unless he got a cleaning
and whatever else there was! So that was extra expenses!
That didn't make sense to me because I knew other dentists
didn't require all that crap!

Next the waiting room was jammed packed and it took forever
to be seen!

And lastly and my BIGGEST complaint was that we told them to
pull my son's tooth that he had a toothache and cavity in.
We considered his age and that it was a baby tooth. Why spend
all that money for other services when he would be losing
it soon anyway.
When we got home we looked in his mouth to see where he got his
tooth pulled. THEY DID NOT PULL IT. THEY PUT A CAP ON THE TOOTH
AND CHARGED US FOR IT. THEY DID IT WITHOUT OUR CONSENT!!

My mom called and even went back over there to ream their asses
for what they did!!! It got us absolutely nowhere!!
That's when I knew something was up and never went back
and told everyone I knew, or didn't know, TO NEVER GO THERE.

So now that there is a big law suit over the whole Small Smiles
doing crap they shouldn't have who gets to reap the rewards of the law
suit???? Probably not the people who paid cash BUT the welfare offices!!
Once again we the people are SCREWED!!!
WHERE IS OUR PAIN, SUFFERING, TIME AND COST RECOUPED FROM THIS????

1-19-10

Decided to keep Jonathan home from school today.
On top of his ear infections he starting getting
a cough last night. I'm sure he didn't sleep
well as I could hear him coughing all hours
of the night.
I hate this time of year with everyone getting
sick!!
Got a pot of boiling water mixed with vinegar on
the stove. Vinegar is also a disinfectant. I also
use it in my vaporizers. I'm hoping to disinfect
the air around here.

Cleaning your vents and furnace filters regularly
can also helps to remove viruses and germs which
can pollute your home's air.

----------------------------

While we find all kinds of things at Tony's
work I just wanted to let everyone know
this is not an all time thing. I know it
seem like we've gotten a lot here lately
but that is not typical this time of year.
I got another pic of a few more items
he recently brought home for us.
A rechargable hand vac and a box of trash bags.


--------------------------------------

HOMEMADE NON-TOXIC CLEANING SUPPLIES

FEBREZE

1 empty spray bottle
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2 Tablespoons fabric softener

I once accidentally picked up my homemade Febreze
bottle thinking it was my water spray bottle for my
hair. I sprayed the febreze mixture on my hair.
I discovered this makes an excellent hair detangler!!
My spray bottle didn't have the vinegar in it though.
I have long, thick hair so this was a wonderful
discovery!

GLASS CLEANER

1/2 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water (or 2 tablespoons per quart)

FOG FREE MIRRORS

Apply regular old shaving cream to your mirror in small amounts in a thin layer and wipe clean with a clean rag. Not only does it keep your bathroom mirrors clean they also do not fog over.

LAUNDRY STAIN REMOVAL

Equal parts of white vinegar and liquid dishwashing soap put into a spray bottle and spray on spots

FURNITURE POLISH

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice

Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry.

OXYCLEAN

1 cup water
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
1/2 cup baking soda

SHOWER & BATHTUB CLEANER

1 (16-oz) spray bottle
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup dawn dish washing liquid (not ultra Dawn...if that's all you got, try 1/4 cup instead)

1. Put 2 cups of vinegar into spray bottle. Add this FIRST or the mix will foam on you.
2. Then add 1/2 cup Dawn dish washing liquid.
3. Replace top and gently shake.

--------------------------------------------

Today I decided to start going through coupons
once again. I'll get on a roll for awhile
then take breaks every now and then.
But I need to get started back up since
we have a decrease in income.

If you save coupons here are some good deals I came
across with sales and coupons combined.

WALGREENS

Revlon ColorSilk Hair Color
Use Walgreens coupon to purchase 2 at a time per visit.
$1.99 x's 2 is $3.98
- $1.00 off 2 MF (manufacture coupon)
makes 2 of them $2.98 or $1.49 each

Walgreens coupon for $2.00 off Auquafresh
.75 cents off MF coupon
Don't know final price

Campbell's chunky soup $1.50
$1.50 x's 2 is $3.00
minus .40 cents coupon
makes it 2 for $2.60 or $1.30 each





KROGER (any coupons listed I doubled)

Pasta or Rice-A-Roni $1.00
$1.00 x's 3 is $3.00
minus $1.00/3 coupon
makes it 3 for $2.00 or .67 cents each

Campbells soup $1.00
$1.00 x's 4 is $4.00
minus .50 cents
makes it $3.50 for 4 or .87 cents each

Cottenelle 12 Double Rolls $5.88 (cheaper than Meijer's sale)
minus $1.00 coupon
makes it $4.88

Danimals Yogurt $1.88
minus $1.00 coupon
makes it .88 cents each

Birdseye frozen vegetables $1.00
minus $1.00 coupon
makes it FREE

Hunts snack pack 4 pk Pudding or Gelatin $1.00
$1.00 x's 2 is $2.00
minus .60/2 coupon
makes it $1.40 for 2 or .70 cents each

Swiss Miss hot cocoa $1.00
$1.00 x's 2 is $2.00
minus $1.00/2 coupon
makes it $1.00 for 2 or .50 cents each

Manwich $1.00
$1.00 x's 3 is $3.00
minus .50 cents/3 Shortcuts electronic coupon
makes it $2.50 for 3 or .83 cents eacho



MEIJER

Irish Spring Bar Soap 3 pack $1.50
minus .40 cent coupon
makes it $1.10/3 pack

-----------------------------

Hoping to get over to my favorite Kroger tomorrow
to pick up a few of the above sales items.
Plus I noticed the other day they had a ton
of hair coloring in their mark down bin.
Found a bunch of hair color coupons so
am hoping to get a bunch of deals on those!!

----------------------------

BANANA BREAD PANCAKES (from Aunt Jemima)

* 2 medium firm-ripe bananas, peeled, sliced
* 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
* 2 cups Aunt Jemima® Buttermilk Complete Pancake & Waffle Mix
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 cup Aunt Jemima® Syrup, warmed
* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted if desired


1. Combine sliced bananas and sugar in small bowl; set aside.
2. For pancakes, combine pancake mix, water, mashed bananas and cinnamon in medium bowl; stir with wire whisk until large lumps disappear.
3. For each pancake, pour scant 1/4 cup batter onto hot lightly greased griddle; top with 3 to 4 banana slices.
4. Turn when pancakes bubble and bottoms are golden brown.
5. Serve topped with warm Aunt Jemima® Syrup and pecans.

* Chopped pecans can be found in the baking section. To toast, place in single layer on microwave-safe plate. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring once.

Recipe Yield: 16 Pancakes

Serving Size: 2 pancakes

Nutrition Information:
Calories: 340, Calories from Fat: 60, Total Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 380mg, Total Carbohydrates: 66g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 42g, Protein: 5g

AUNT JEMIMA WHOLE WHEAT BLEND BANANA BREAD

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup Aunt Jemima whole wheat blend pancake mix
1/2 cup walnuts chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tablespoons milk
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 medium)

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 8" x 4" loaf pan with non stick cooking spray.

Combine: flour, mix, walnuts, baking powder and baking soda
in large bowl. Set aside.

In mixer bowl combine sugar and shortening on medium speed for
1 minute. Add eggs and milk, mix 1 minute or until smooth.

Add flour mixture and bananas alternately, mix just until
dry ingredients are incorporated.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan: cool completely.

--------------------------------

MAIL CALL

Received in the mail today...

Free Smart Balance Magazine
with four $1.00 coupons in it.

Coupon for a FREE pint of
International Delight coffee creamer.

And lastly a coupon for
Buy 1 Get 1 free Starkist



---------------------

Tonight's supper will be
Bacon Cheeseburger Lasagna

Was sitting here thinking about what I had that needed
used up.
I have:
half pound bacon,
hamburger thawed out in the fridge,
can of cheddar cheese soup that I didn't use in my potato soup yesterday,
onions &
American cheese slices

I rolled out some homemade lasagna noodles.

Homemade noodles are a cinch to make!
I made 3 batches today.
for each batch you will need:

1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons milk or water

I add flour as needed to make the consistency
like a thick playdough.





----------------------------------

Jonathan discovered today that a pasta roller
set on spaghetti noodles makes a great paper shredder.
AhhhHH!!

--------------------------------

1-18-09

It was a good thing I waited until today to
get Jonathan's medicine. I could have bought
it from the Urgent Care for $30.
It didn't cost me anything at Kroger on Henderson!!
So there was $30 saved.

I picked up a few things while in Kroger.
I saw Campbell's soup was on sale for $1.00
each when regular $1.89.
I got 3 cans of soup for my potato soup
I'm making today.
I saved $2.67.

Then I got 9 loaves of bread marked down to
.39 cents each.
I saved $3.51

----------------------------------

Got some potato soup in the crock.

Sauted onions, celery and 1/2 pound cut up bacon
in skillet and put in the crock.
Then added a can of cream of broccoli and
cheese and broccoli soup to the crock with
some milk. Added about a teaspoon season salt.
Diced up some of my boiled potatoes from yesterday.

-----------------------------------

Another supper this week will include
"baked" potatoes. I have another can of
cheese soup and a half pound of bacon to use
up that I can use as topping for the potatoes.

And yet another supper will include sliced
and fried potatoes with a pound of leftover
hamburger. So let's call it my own version
of a hamburger helper.

And that should use up all the potatoes I had.
I try to let nothing go to waste around here.

--------------------------------------

I get so tired of remotes missing around here.
I have even thought about getting a couple
of those whistle or clap key locator things
to put on them but
even at half off wasn't willing to pay $10 each
for them. So I'm hunting down some string
and will tie the darn things to my coffee table!
About like a banker's pen chained to the desk.

I don't know why they don't have pagers on them
like cordless phones!!!

--------------------------------------

Today AEP replaced our old electric meter
with a new Smart Meter. Here is more information
about it in case you are lucky enough to get one:

What is a Smart Meter?

A Smart Meter is a digital electric meter equipped with wireless communications technology. Smart Meters are a key part of establishing the smart electric grid of the future. Smart Meters help consumers better manage their use of energy, saving money and reducing their impact on the environment. From AEPOhio.com

What can Smart Meters do for me?

By using Smart Meters, customers can receive information about their daily energy usage and price signals that communicate when they can use electricity at a reduced rate. In addition, AEP Ohio can speed service restoration through better information about the facilities involved and can provide faster response to certain customer service requests, such as meter reading and service connection.

Will every AEP Ohio customer receive a Smart Meter?

For the AEP Ohio gridSMART Demonstration Project, 110,000 Smart Meters will be installed in northeast central Ohio. The project site consists of approximately 150 square miles of urban and suburban neighborhoods, including parts of Columbus, Blendon, Clinton, Gahanna, New Albany, Worthington, Jefferson, Johnstown, Mifflin, Minerva Park, Plain, Reynoldsburg, Sharon, Westerville, and Pataskala. (See the enclosed maps for a detailed view of the project area.)

Will special rates be offered to consumers during this project?

AEP Ohio will explore offering customers in the project area various time-differentiated pricing options that will help customers use energy more wisely by shifting energy use off-peak hours when electricity can be less expensive.

What are off-peak hours?

Off-peak hours refer to the time of day when less energy is being used across the service territory.

-------------------------------------

Kids are off today and have been watching Myth Busters.
They love that show! So here is my experiment for today...

I'm trying my theory again today with the pans of
boiling water on the stove. Today I put the same 2 pots
on the stove with just water and a dash of salt in each one.

Yesterday I had mentioned when I had 2 pots of boiling
potatoes on the stove the temperature in the house went up 3 degrees.
So I want to see if the steam from those pots actually
caused a temperature increase in the house.

Right now the temperature in here is 73
with the furnace kicking on and off.
The weather is cooler at
30 degrees but feels like 20 outside.

Yesterday it was 38 but felt like 34.

So waiting to see if I can get the thermostat
to read higher than what it's set for.
Results to come.

1:30pm - put pots of water on stove. 73 degrees.

2:10 - temperature now 74 degrees. 50 minutes later.

2:30 - no temperature change. Still holding at 74, hasn't fallen.
Turned off pots. 1 hour later.

3:30 - the temperature just dropped down
to 73, so it remained at a steady 74 for for 1 hour and 28 minutes.

4:30 - still 73 degrees and has not dropped below.
2 hours 20 minutes later without furnace kicking on.

5:20 - furnace kicked on for the first time
since 2:10pm, a total of 3 hours and 10 minutes
without the furnace running due to humidity
in the house helping to hold the temperature
at 73.

--------------------------------------

Tonight was hair cut night for two of the boys.
I'm not doing Jonathan's as I don't want to
irritate any ear ache.

CHRISTOPHER






TONY




-----------------------------------

Here's another contest open to girls/women 13 years
and older.
Tampax and beinggirl.com is having a contest.
For the next four weeks they will show
a different picture of Mother Nature and Serena Williams.
You have to fill their talk bubbles with what they might be saying.
CONTEST
Prizes include:
Four finalists:
- $100 Nike.com gift card
- One Year Supply of
Tampax Pearl ONE Grand prize WINNER:
- Wii Console and Wii Fit Bundle
- Photo of YOUR entry signed by
Serena Williams

1-17-09

Weather today...
It's now 38 but feels like 34.
Light rain around quarter inch.
Snow is finally starting to melt, yeah!
It's says high's above freezing for the
next 10 days.
Rain/snow expected.

---------------------------

COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Be sure to check out the USA Weekend section.
There are 2 coupons in there for Cottonelle.
$1.00 off a 12 pack and .50 cents off wipes.

Here are what I picked and chose out
of the ads that I thought were the best deals.
It all depends on what your family uses or needs
so it may be different for each household.
If I need things this is what I might choose.

ALDIS

.89 cents a pack of 10 oz. grape tomatoes

.69 cents a pack of 8 oz. mushrooms

.69 cents a pack of 14 oz. green peppers

.49 cents a 12 oz. bag garden salad

$1.19 salad dressing

$1.99 for 16 oz. package meatballs

BIG LOTS

50 oz. 2x's All detergent $2.50 (little over 3 pounds)

32 oz. 3x's All detergent $2.50 (2 pounds)

3 lbs. 12 oz. Surf detergent $2.50

64 oz. Snuggle fabric softener $2.00

75-160 count Scotties facial tissues $1.00

WALGREENS

Suave 14 oz. shampoo or conditioner $1.00

Bayer asprin 24 to 36 count $1.50
with Walgreens coupon. Limit 4

Revlon Colorsilk hair color $1.99
with Walgreens coupon. Limit 3

---------------------------------------------

Laundry day for me.

To save money on buying shower curtains
I save the one I have and if it starts
to get dirty I take it down and throw
it in the washer with hot water, detergent
and a little bleach.

I have had my shower curtain for at least 5 years.
It is a thicker kind of curtain, not one
found at a dollar store, so it holds up more
and doesn't tear where the hooks go.

------------------------------------

Had a 10 pound bag of potatoes I had to use
up before they went bad. Put 2 large pots
of potatoes on the stove to boil them.

If you don't have a vaporizer or humidifier
then I suggest boiling a pot of water on the stove.

I had no vaporizers or the humidifier running
today when boiling my potatoes. The temperature
shot up 3 degrees in the house from the humidity
of the steam and holding steady without the furnace
kicking on!

------------------------------------

The kids are becoming bored. We may take them over
to Petland on Bethel Rd. To us it's like a free
petting zoo. It's a pretty big place over there
with lots of animals.
They have a turtle that roams the store
and all kinds of fuzzy creatures in open cages
for the kids to pet.
The parrots or Macaws can get quite loud!
And other birds sit on ropes that hang from the
ceiling.
The last time we visited one swooped down and
perched on my head as I was walking by.
Tony thought that was the funniest thing.

--------------------------------

Here's a video taken at Petland.
The Macaw was taking a nap most of our
time there. When he awoke he was a jabber Macaw!!
He'd make laughing noises and whistle at you.
He was funny with all his different sounds
and movements. He got the other birds in cages
next to him wound up and it got pretty loud
in there!!




Well this evening didn't go exactly as planned.
We did go to Petland BUT afterwards ended
up at Urgent Care due to Jonathan developing
an ear ache.

He did have a 101 degree temp Friday eve but
by Saturday the fever broke then hung
around the 99 mark and he was up and being active.
I knew something was up though to have a fever
out of the blue.

The wait at Urgent Care(in Dublin)was almost
2 hours. Jonathan was crying from ear pain
so Tony left and went to Giant Eagle to
get him some Ibuprofen. I gave Jonathan
some when he got back. By the time
we were seen the Ibuprofen had kicked
in and took his pain away, thank goodness.
Doc said he had an ear infection
in his left ear and possibly starting in his right.
Got a prescription for amoxicillin. But can't get til
tomorrow as the pharmacies are closed.

Ibuprofen seems to take the pain away so will
apply the rotating of Ibuprofen and Tylenol to get
through til tomorrow morning.

For those that don't know how to rotate Ibuprofen
and Tylenol....

start with let's say Ibuprofen.
Then in another 4 hours give them Tylenol.
Then another 4 hours Ibuprofen.
Then another 4 hours Tylenol
and so on as needed.

This is something doctors has told me to
do over the years to keep the pain medicine
flowing in them without wearing off.

There are 24 hour pharmacy but we decided to
wait til tomorrow morning to get the prescription
because we hadn't had supper and it was going
on 8pm. Jonathan is doing much better now
that he has Ibuprofen in him so should make
it through the night with pain meds and a heating
pad on his ear or even the bed warmer.

24 HOURS PHARMACIES that I use

Walgreens on 161

Kroger- Shrock Road, Westerville

Here's a few others I searched...

24 HOUR PHARMACIES IN CENTRAL OHIO

--------------------------------

Well I am off here for the evening to
watch another Bring It On movie on ABC Family.

Last night they aired-
Bring It On
and
Bring It On - All Or Nothing

Tonight it's
Bring It On - Fight To The Finish

1-16-10

I entered my name in the
name that flower contest.

Here is a little more information
they want you to consider when naming the flower,

"Terra Nova Nurseries invites you to submit a name for one of their newest plants. Suggest your best idea for this new catmint. Keep in mind these naming tips from Terra Nova’s president, Dan Heims. He suggests staying away from people names, avoiding too many syllables and painting a nice mental image overall."

Here is a picture of what Catmint looks like.


And my name I already submitted was.....drum roll please

BLUE LIGHTNING

----------------------------------------

I was checking my Speedway points balance when I
discovered something I did not know.
If you forget your Speedway card you can
still earn those points and here is how.

Get your missed points.
If you were unable to use your Speedy Rewards card during a purchase and if you have your sales receipt, you can Submit Your Receipt information and get the points you should have earned.

SUBMIT YOUR RECEIPT

-------------------------

Today I got a chance to try out my new,
free carpet cleaner. I took it out
of the box and had to put together a few
pieces first. I wasn't sure if I would like
it being a smaller version of a carpet
cleaner. I give it thumbs up! The tanks
are smaller but I found myself emptying it
just as much as a larger cleaner.
I like its width because I can get it in
places other carpet cleaners can't.
Before with my other cleaner I had to move
tables. With this cleaner the handle
comes down far enough that I can get under
the coffee table with it. I also like the fact
it doesn't use a lot of cleaning solution.
It's lightweight and isn't as loud as other cleaners.
The carpet dries fast also!
Downside to it, it has no onboard attachments
for upholstery cleaning. I'll save my other cleaner
just for that.

It's a Bissel Quicksteamer. and runs around $90.


Carpet cleaning solutions can be expensive!
I have found ways around buying it.
I have substituted Mr. Clean all purpose cleaner
and it is the greatest and probably my favorite!!
I started using this when the kids spilled RED Hi-C
fruit juice on an almost white carpet! I grabbed
my cleaning bottle and sprayed the spot
and it came so clean you would have never known
there was a huge red spot earlier.
I have also bought a gallon jug of Mean Green
from Dollar general for $5 that says you
can use it in carpet cleaners. That should
last you a long while!!
Oxy-Clean is also great. But if you use the powder
form make sure it is completely dissolved in
water before adding it to your cleaner.
It could clog up your machine.

Here is a photo of my carpet after cleaning.
I think this steamer works just as good
as my other one that has heat and rotating brushes!
Plus it's much easier to empty this ones container.
No lid to remove. Just remove the container
and it has a hole you can pour the dirty
water out of.



You can also see my free humidifier in the photo.
It works great and we have been using it ever since!

----------------------------------

Dropped the kids of at a friends house for a couple
of hours. Me and Tony went to Walmart to get him
a birthday gift. I can't stand Walmart nor that
area around Easton. Too much traffic and people
Parking and driving through the lots is a chore
in itself! Walmart didn't have my thread I was
looking for so we also stopped in Joann's. Found
3,000 yards of spools of serger thread for $1.99.
Got 2 spools so that should last me a long time.
While in Joann's I saw they had many items
marked down from 25% all the way up to 90%.
But good luck getting in the store and finding
a parking spot!

----------------------------------

Tonight's supper...

I took the leftover meatloaf and leftover
Teriyaki rice and combined them together to make
meatballs. Then will make a couple packages
of Knorr Teriyaki noodles. Kind of like
a spaghetti and meatballs but different flavor.

Here is a tip to stretch hamburger when making
meatballs:
Add rice to the hamburger.

--------------------------------

Ahhhhh! Get it outta my head!
I can't get the song from
the last American Idol outta my head!

Pants on the ground, pants on the ground,
lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground.

-----------------------------------

Just got The Bag of ads on the door not long ago.
On the front is an advertisement for Save-A-Lot.
There is a coupon directly on the bag for a
free loaf of Pennington Bread.

Save-A-Lot also has advertised Ramen Noodles
for $1.00 a 6 pack. I think you can get 6 packs
at Kroger for .89 cents so that's not a good deal.
Pretty much all their 5 for $5 items on the bag itself
can be found at kroger for around the same price.

Sales for the upcoming week

KROGER

Lots of $1.00 sales, too many to list.

Gallon milk, white or chocolate $1.88

Kroger 26 to 39 ounce coffee $3.99

Fritos Buy 2 get 1 free or 3 for $4.00 or $1.33 each average.

stock up on Kroger shredded cheese before Monday as their next sale
on 3 cup packages isn't as good!


MEIJER

Chunky Soup $1.25 a can

Jello Gelatin 3.3 ounces 2 for $1.00

Meijer Pot Pies 2 for $1.00

Meijer Chunk Light Tuna 2 for $1.00

Blue Bonnet Spread Quarters 16 ounces 2 for $1.00

Duncan Hines Cake Mix or Frosting .78 cents each

Creamettes Pasta .79 cents

----------------------------

Today in the mail from Ipsos I-say surveys
I received an American Express card with $5.00 on it.
Ya just never know what you will find in the mail!
Free $5.00! I'll take it. It'll be like having
$5.00 off my groceries.

Click HERE if you would like to sign
up and do their surveys.

----------------------------------------------

I recently seen a commercial on tv for a survey site
called BigSpot.com. I did some research behind it and
don't see it as a survey site you should sign up for!

--------------------------------------------

I am currently looking into 10 more survey sites.
Once that I see they are legit then I will post
about each one.
Word of warning...
NEVER EVER PAY ANY MONEY TO DO SURVEYS!!!!

------------------------------------------

Here is a bag of flour I got from Kroger
today for .79 cents.


------------------------------------------

Tip for cleaning a microwave or removing burnt smells:
Fill a microwavable bowl or glass half full of water.
Add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar.
Microwave 5 minutes.
When done, carefully remove glass container
and wipe down.
The steam from the water helps to remove
built on gunk.
DO NOT USE ANY CHEMICALS OR CLEANERS IN MICROWAVE!!

This web site How To Clean Things
shows you how to clean things naturally without harmful chemicals.

-------------------------------------------

I know I am probably a little slow at doing
computer and electronic things but wanted
to tell ya that last night we got the computer
hooked up to the tv and was able to watch movies
from the computer on a larger screen. It
was pretty cool and so much better than sitting
at the desk!


----------------------------------------

Here are a few more things we got free from
an apartment at Tony's work. I'm hoping the
truck is finally unloaded, lol.

1-15-09

Didn't do much this morning other than take
the kids to the bus stop. On my return home
I saw a house that had two Christmas
trees inside still lit up! Come on people,
it's 21 days after Christmas! I know some
people that have family in the military keep
Christmas things up for when they return soon.
But there is no sign of any military banners
or such which would say otherwise.
Conserve that energy from those Christmas lights
and save on those electric bills!
I am still seeing Christmas lights in yards
at night, several of them. I would figure
people would have them down or at least turned
off by the first of the year. I take ours down
the day after Christmas.

-----------------------------

I let Jonathan use the homemade bed warmer last night
and he just loved it! He was upset it didn't last all night.
I told him if he woke up and wanted it warmed up
all he had to do was wake me up and I would
microwave it for him.
I'm gonna have to get some more thread this weekend.
Christopher now wants me to make him one.

----------------------------

Today I am making fruit roll ups.
Never made them before but have them drying
in the dehydrator.
I mixed applesauce with some dry raspberry
gelatin powder (jello).


-------------------------------

Tonight's supper is meatloaf.
I mixed in an egg, bread crumbs, and a
can of Manwich. I topped it with ketchup.

Throughout the year I save the heels to
all of our bread. I keep them in the freezer
then when I have a good stock up them I cut
them into cubes, add a little veggie oil
and spread onto a cookie sheet. Pop into
an oven and keep watch and rotating them
til browned and crisp like toast.

Either keep as cubes and use as croutons
or put them in the food processor and make
into bread crumbs.

I then put them all back into freezer bags
and put in the freezer until needed.

---------------------------------


Here's a contest for you and you can only enter once!
How about coming up with a name for a flower?
I found it through Birds and Bloom, the same publisher
as Taste of Home.
Check it out...
Name This Plant

And here is the name of the nursery with this flower.
Maybe by looking through their catalog you can
get inspired for a name...
Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc


Prize is bragging rights to the flower name and
you'll also get that plant free.
Woo Hoo they really went overboard with that one!

--------------------------------

Gas bill came today and I wanted
to say it is $106.00
I consider that very good considering the
temps we've been having at below freezing!!.
Heat has been set at a steady 73 degrees.

I've had others ask if I am on the budget.
No I am not and here is the reason why.
I figure it all balances out with the
electric and gas over the year.
Winter time the gas goes up and electric
stays about the same.
In the Summer the electric goes up
from the air conditioner, and the gas
goes way down.
I have never had any gas heat assistance.
I know we qualify according to the income
guidelines but just never did it as we get by
on our own.
For those that may need HEAP assistance:
Income Eligibility
Heap and other assistance programs for your gas bill.

-------------------------
Here are videos of the trash hoarder's apartment
at Tony's work. Videos say so much more than pictures do!!!

KITCHEN



BEDROOM/VIDEO



More photos from the apartment.
This really was how this person lived.
The one dark photo is of the bottom
of the closet that had an unreported
water leak that damaged the apartment
and caused mold on the walls.

Oh but you have to click the photos
to enlarge them to see details!!




FYI Those aren't pee bubbles like I thought when hubby
brought home the pics he took. I guess the cleaning
lady thought she had to clean the toilet and put
cleanser in there. The maintenance guys stopped
her from going any further to let her know they
were replacing the toilet.

Also note the black floor, appears to be from
pee build up or either water leaking from the shower.
Pick one as it's all disgusting!!



Oh I also wanted to add that hubby said when he opened the
refrigerator and freezer in this apartment
the person had put empty food boxes in there
as well to store.

-------------------------------------

All this talk about filth makes me want to start
cleaning, lol.
I found a homemade shower cleaner on one
of the Yahoo groups. This lady claims
it works real good at removing soap scum.
She also stated she didn't have to
do a whole lotta scrubbing either.
My kind of cleaner!!

Tub & Shower Cleaner
1 (16-oz) spray bottle
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup dawn dish washing liquid (not ultra Dawn...if that's all you got, try 1/4 cup instead)

1. Put 2 cups of vinegar into spray bottle. Add this FIRST or the mix will foam on you.
2. Then add 1/2 cup Dawn dish washing liquid.
3. Replace top and gently shake.

Her Comments: This works better and faster (with less actual scrubbing) than any commercial product I have bought.

-----------------------------------

More pics of things we got free from an apartment.

1-14-10

Went to Meijer with mom while she did some grocery
shopping. I returned the Sketcher shoes I bought
for the kids and got money back. Those were a joke!
The kids couldn't even get their foot through
the opening of the shoe!

While there I noticed they still had a few, but dwindling,
Christmas items. Now 90% off!!

REGULAR PRICE BEFORE....$39.88

PRICE I PAID AFTER...$3.58

This is what I bought:

Sherry snow globe ornament
regular $3.99 now .39 cents

Jon snow globe ornament
regular $3.99 now .39 cents

Marilyn snow globe ornament
regular $3.99 now .39 cents

Lee (couldn't find Tony) snow globe ornament
regular $3.99 now .39 cents

Don candy cane ornament
regular $2.99 now .29 cents

Christopher candy cane ornament
regular $2.99 now .29 cents



Then I found more hair accessories and misc. so I bought
some to add to the bosses daughter's gifts
I have been buying for this upcoming Christmas.

2 Holographic sticker books
regular $3.00 each x's 2 is $6.00
now .15 cents each x's 2 is .30 cents



Package of 2 sparkly head bands
regular $1.99
I paid .19 cents

3 fancy ponytail holders
regular $1.99 each x's 3 is $5.97
I paid .19 cents each x's 3 is .57 cents



1 bobble head Santa pen
regular $1.99
I paid .19 cents

1 bobble head snowman pen
regular $1.99
I paid .19 cents



-----------------------------------

I notice that Meijer doesn't have the greatest
mark downs. Only about 35% to 40% off compared
to kroger's 50% + off.

If you find a mark down and are unaware of the price
before then I would find where the items usually
is in the store to see what it originally cost.

Today in Meijer I saw a rug marked down to $17.99
and it said 50% off. Sounded like a good deal BUT...
when I looked further to see what the other rugs
were priced just like it they said $13.99!!!
So that discounted rug was not actually half off!
It was more than what it was to begin with!!
Gotta watch out for crap like that.
BUYERS BEWARE!


-----------------------------------

Tony called to say he is trashing out the one apartment
today. He keeps finding lots of goodies that have been buried
in the place. Plus I forgot a bag of stuff yesterday when
leaving. So keep watch to see what else we've found
and I'll post pics of everything.
It's like Christmas for mom and dad all over again.
Which we don't buy much for ourselves at Christmas,
it's mainly for the kids.

-----------------------------------

The weather is warming up some. Was 38
when returning home from Meijers.
Snow and ice is dripping and melting off rooftops,
sidewalks, driveways and streets. YEAHHH!!!

-----------------------------------

Today I decided to whip together a bed warmer.
Took a flannel pillow case and cut it completely
apart, well into 2 pieces of fabric.
Then folded those halves in half length wise.
Filled the tubes about 3/4 the way full with rice.
It was something practical that could be used now
since the weather is cold and the bedroom are chillier
than the rest of the house.
So I made it up then put it in the microwave
at 30 second intervals and kept rotating and flipping
it til it got warm. I put it under the covers
in the bed. Then had lunch. By the time I got
to be nappy time my side of the bed was toasty
warm. I even laid on it when sleeping.
So I can actually say these things work.
Probably not for an entire night but to take
the chill off for about the first hour.
I am done sewing for now and can't start a
second one as I am officially out of thread.



-------------------------------------

Tony forgot to take the camera to work today
obviously as I am still posting pics. So
it looks like I might get the chance to send
it with him tomorrow to get more pics
of the one apartment since I don't think
they ended up trashing it out today.
He is the one being left to do it.
Lucky him! Don't know why someone
else couldn't come give him a hand
with that much of a mess!

-------------------------------------

I had a discussion today with my step-dad
who is over 70 years of age and has hearing
aids. I'm not knowledgeable in this field but
figured I'd talk about it anyway.

Why is it, it costs so much for hearing aids.
They can run $4,000 to over $8,000!!!
Then I found out that he gets the so called
"good" hearing aids recommended by the doctors.
Ones that are digital. So why is it that they
only last a couple of years for that ridiculous
amount of money??? Then they quit working
and the doctors want him to come back in for another
set. He has been through at least 3-4 hearing
aids already and I don't even want to know how
much those cost!
If it was me I would learn sign language before
paying those costs.

Then I find out that hearing aids are not
covered at all under any of his health insurance plans.
I don't understand as this is a medical
condition!!

Someone recommended to him about going to the VA
to get free or little out of pocket medical supplies
or services. Don't know much about that either
so here is the website that explains it all:
Department of Veteran Affairs

Like I said I am not knowledgable in hearing aids
or VA and am only going by what I was told.

I don't like doctors! I take my kids to them if
they need it but for myself I couldn't tell you the
last time I've been! I'm still living just fine!!!

This is just my opinion...
While I know there are doctors out there that
can save lives and do you some good, I feel
like they scam you out of your money.
I feel as though I am a guinea pig when
visiting the doctor and they guess at what
is wrong most of the time. If they guess wrong
then you go back in for another visit and another visit,
then keep on getting prescriptions, and those aren't free!
It's not coming out of their pockets!
I wouldn't think it's good to keep popping pills.
Heck look at antibiotics. The prescribe them so
much some are becoming immune to them.

Why in the world are they now advertising prescription
medicines on tv, magazines, radio and newspapers???
Then to hear the list of side affects you could
develope when taking them! I'll pass and suffer
with what I have before having liver failure,
heart attacks, go blind and so on.

Here is another way I think doctors scam you out of money.
I would take the kids to their pediatrician for their
shots and when they got sick. But so help me,
I let a year go by with no visits because they had all their shots
and weren't getting sick, I was penalized for it!!
I get a letter and a couple phone calls stating that if
I didn't bring in each child to get a check up their
medical charts would go in storage. And in order to see
the doctor again I would have to pay $40 each to have
them taken out of storage. I would also have to
physically go get their files myself from another office and bring them
to them. This is crazy BS and a way to make money if
you ask me!!! So needless to say their files are both
in storage. If they get sick I take them to Urgent
Care which is covered partially under our health insurance
until I can get them another doctor, a family doctor.

Even family doctors can be asses. I had one in Ashville
that was so mean to my kids. They were all of about 1 and
2 years old. He was not joyful to talk to and seemed
to have an attitude. He would call my kids fat right to
their faces in a mean way. Get pissed if we waited
in the patients room forever and had nothing to do
but play with his little roller chair. He'd walk
in and yell at them to leave his chair alone.
It's a freakin chair for crying out loud!

I eventually found another pediatrician that was
the best there ever was in Circleville!
She was sooo nice like a
best friend. You never felt like she rushed in and
out in a flash. She spent time with you no matter
how long it took to ask questions. She even got to
know you and about your family and she would
even talk about hers to you. We moved and I still
drove an extra 20 miles for those doctor visits if
that says anything. But unfortunately another move
put us too far away and that is how I ended up with
the "if you don't come in for this check up we are putting
your files in storage" doctor's office.

So to see my step-dad going to the doctors
about 8 times a month for something on
a regular basis disturbs me. And if one
doctor can't find anything wrong, then another
and another and another doctor is referred
for him to go to. The end result is still the
same. Nothing wrong!!
Do you see a pattern here with doctors????

----------------------------

Here's a kitchen tip I used today.
When I need a funnel I always cut the
top off of a 2 liter bottle of pop.

----------------------------

Do you know that last night while
watching tv I saw a Walmart commercial
still advertising Christmas sales!!
And I'm not talking about after
Christmas sales either!.

-----------------------------

Businesses have it so bad for customers.
My mom always gets booklets in the mail
from places like Miles Kimball
and Carol Wright. I used to think
it was interesting to go through them
and see what crap was in there.
But after looking at the latest edition
yesterday of Carol Wright I was in shock!!
They have a complete section of sex toys!
And I don't mean basic vibrators that could
pass as a neck massagers! I mean everything
from rabbits, to butterflies, g-spot things
and pumps (won't go into details as to what kind!).
So if you are getting these mail order magazines
DON'T LEAVE THEM LYING AROUND FOR KIDS TO BROWSE THROUGH!!!

------------------------------


I swear I have Gremlins sometimes known as
Dirty Laundry Gremlins and Dirty Dishes Gremlins.
No matter how hard I try to keep up with daily
chores I can't get ahead. I think these Gremlins are
coming out when I can't see them.
They are nasty critters that cause so much laundry and dishes
to pile up! One minute I can do all dishes and then turn
around and there's another sink full. I thought
tonight I had laundry caught up only to find these
Gremlins had left another pile of clothes in the
hall. I need a way to transfer all these Gremlins
back into fuzzy, cute and loving Gizmos so they don't
wear mommy out!!

--------------------

One find from Tony's work the other day
was a bottle of Dawn's Power Grabber.
You're supposed to spray it on dishes with baked
on stuff. Let it sit then wash and it comes
off like a charm without
scrubbing.
Wonder how much that bottle cost?
Who needs this stuff when you have things
in your home that can do the same thing!
Fill your pots, pans or baking dishes with
hot water. Then add a dryer sheet to it
and let it soak. No dryer sheet?
Then add about a tablespoon of liquid
fabric softener. It does the same thing
that Power Grabber does at a fraction of the cost!

--------------------------

Last week Tony handed me a recipe he found in the
mail from the Hellmans Mayo taste test.
He wanted me to make something called
Disappearing Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Sounded and looked good!
I just hadn't gotten around to making it just yet.

Today while in Meijer I was waiting for mom
to get some produce and was standing by the deli.
I usually don't buy stuff from the deli but today
I noticed a bright orange sign taped to the front
of the case. It said Buffalo Chicken Dip!
On sale at .99 cents a pound when it was
$6.00 a pound regular price.
Well I had to jump on that and got Tony
a pound of it.

For those who don't have that sale at that
price here is the recipe for

Disappearing Buffalo Chicken Dip

--------------------

Also today while at Meijer I had to get some
Meijer baby powder to put in everyone's stinky shoes!
I hated paying the $2-$3 price for it.
Mom got a tub of Meijer petroleum jelly for
around the same price.

Do you know you can go to Big Lots
and pick up petroleum jelly and baby powder for
probably less than a buck! That's usually
where I buy it.

I shop many stores. Where I live there is
every kind of store within about a mile
or two from me! Soooo many shopping centers
now a days. How did we ever get by without them?
In one shopping strip I can get an oil change,
grocery shop, eat fast food, have my hair
cut, get a new outfit, buy a computer or cell phone,
get some fish or buy some lumber. This is crazy!!
All at the same time, due to the stock market crash,
we have empty buildings sitting everywhere from
people going out of business. On ONE
ROAD near here I can count about 6 car
dealerships or used car lots sitting empty that went under.
Do you think we're over doing it just a tad????

------------------------

Mom always goes to the salon to get her hair cut
and colored. And pays around $50+ for it plus tip.
That's for short hair.

Not this chicky babe!!
I find hair coloring manager specials at Kroger
in the mark down bin and use coupons on top of that.
I get them free or for around $1.00 each.

Not long ago I used a Walgreen coupon and manufacture
coupons to get 4 boxes of hair color that would
have cost $16 for only $3.00!!

I do my own hair. I even trim the ends when they
look a little frayed. Tonight I decided to color
my hair because I noticed a few too many highlights
if you get my drift, lol. Still waiting for it to get
done, lol.
I noticed on the directions it says for hair
that is shoulder length you should use 2 boxes.
I have hair clear down the middle of my back and
have yet to use 2 boxes! Just a way to get you
to buy more uneeded things!

I do all the boys and hubby's hair with clippers.
I save lots of money by only purchasing a $10 to $15
hair clippers and can cut many many of hair with them.