Had to share this website!

I had to share this website for the other Dave Ramsey/Penny Pinchers:

http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/

In my attempt to find the website where you type the ingredient and up pops recipes (which I now realize is how most recipe search engines work--DUH ME!), I found this site.  By the header of the site, you might be put off or confused, but from the little amount of time I spent on it, it seems really GREAT!

Type in the ingredient or search by categories.  Each recipe has a food label with all food facts, like what you would find on any item in the grocery store.  In addition, it has a per recipe and a per serving monetary amount--how cool?!

Check it out!

Oh and check this one out too--same site, just a great link for several helpful downloadable PDFs!

Click HERE!

Weekend Recap

Thought I should fill you in on a few good things that happened over the weekend.

First and foremost, Knox is walking multiple steps at a time.  Not just two and three steps, but six to eight steps.  And he is so cute doing so!  The first time Keith and I noticed, Knox was only in his diaper and had his little hands raised up by his ears, toddling from the ottoman to his toy box.  Oh and how he has started loving his toy box and pulling things out of it (and the diaper box).  He has started doing some of the mama, dada, and baba sounds.

  

I was really worried about this one, especially when his pediatrician said she would be worried if he wasn't saying two to three words in the next three months.  Now that I have talked to my mom and other newer moms, I'm a little more at ease that he's not babbling my ear off just yet.  She did say that I can let him watch more Baby Einstein (I was only letting him watch about an hour total per day since I read too much TV can delay speech development--so much for that theory).  This means I can get more work done because every time one starts up, he's instantly in trance.

Other pediatrician stats for Knox:  height 56%, weight 79% and noggin 94% (that is to account for all that genius brain activity going on up there!)  She said that he is way above normal as 

far as the walking goes, but wants us to work with him on clapping--more pat-a-cake for us.  I don't think he understands the concept of clapping his own hands together because when we play I clap his hands together for him.  Last week, he started putting his hands on my wrists making me clap as soon as we finish with him.  TOO CUTE!

My couponing/sale shopping went extremely well this weekend.  I didn't get my newspapers until Sunday AM, but I found that if I go to Food Depot they have two Sunday papers bound together for only $2.50 (regular Sunday paper is $2!) and I get like an 8¢ discount because Food Depot is a "discount" grocery store.  This weekend's paper was JAM PACKED with GREAT coupons.  So I got all my sale papers out, new coupons torn out and spread sheet out, I scanned over everything and got my list ready for my stores.  I hit CVS first and managed to save $41 and only paid $31!!!  I had a personal coupon from when you scan your card in the store for $4 off a $20 purchase.  On top of all that I made $5 in CVS bucks to add to the $3 I forgot to use!  In Kroger I only spent about $20, and in Aldi I only spent $15!!!  I went to the Aldi here in Stockbridge and it's just as "nice" as the one in Conyers, so I may save a bit of gas and start going there.

Over the weekend I was also able to finish some craft projects.  One I can't mention since it's a surprise for someone, and the other is too but I don't think she'll check this blog so I'll spill the beans.  And Anna, if you happen to find this, SURPRISE!  You'll get these in a few days!  As you read previously, Anna is my BFF Jayma's little sister who just pledged AOPi at Birmingham Southern.  It's a big deal in the sorority world to get fun and fabulous gifts as a new member.  Normally these gifts can chalk up a pretty price tag, but I did inventory of things I already had, and made Anna a few gifts to welcome her to the sisterhood (I have a bad habit of buying craft things just because they are on sale, which we are remedy-ing!)  Here's pictures of what I made her!

Thought I was clever with the saying on the cup

A shirt I appliqued

A bag that's appliqued

A door/wall hanger with fun wire & bead hanger--see, it says AOII down the side?!

Coupons, coupons, coupons!

So I am currently infatuated with coupons and weekly sale papers.  In an effort to help along our Dave Ramsey program, I have taken inventory of the pantry, fridge and freezer so that I by only what I need to make complete meals.  The things necessary to complete the meals almost always come from the sale paper and most other items not on sale come from Aldi--and I have to say, I HEART ALDI!  I know I've said it before, but I had to say it again.  I managed to buy only $56 of groceries to make two meals (plenty of leftovers for two other nights), a loaf of bread (wheat, but Keith will only eat small amounts of because it's not full of preservatives), a dessert that will last several days and TWO bottles of wine (my mommy juice! ha!)

We did so well this week, that we a just skimming back a little next week and we will be paying for our nice hotel room in Chattanooga next weekend in CASH!  Still in our budget, YAY!!!  (The hotel room is for my sweet Jilly's wedding!  YAY AGAIN!!!)  And we managed to get through our weekly budget "meeting" with one small duel.  Hehe.  Love you, honey! :)

So I digress.  I am so infatuated with coupons that I have even started a spread sheet of all the coupons I have so that when I get all the weekly circulars, I can just glance down my list and easily see if I have any coupons to match the sales.  I'm also trying to keep all of my weekly sales papers because, apparently, there are cycles in when certain items go on sale.  That way you only buy the items you want when they are on sale.  I honestly believe that there should be a class on all these tricks at the local colleges!  Oooh, and a new coupon tip I learned from Ingrid (my freshman year roomie, BFF and now mommy of 3!) is that expired coupons are STILL useable!!!  She said that only Walmart,that she knows of, will NOT accept expired coupons--that leaves four other stores I shop at!!!  Whoo-hoo!

My inventory of what I have in food supplies will also be put into spread sheet form, but that might not happen until Knox is with Grammy and Grandaddy.  By having my inventory I can plan meals around what I have--I have run across a website where you can type in ingredients and it will spit out possible recipes.  Now that I have said that, I'll actually have to find that web address.  I'll get back to you on that one.  If anyone is wondering why I am so obsessive-compulsive like this, I might have to chalk it up to my father's keen organization skills engraved into my head, which I fought fiercely in my adolescent years.  Love you, Big Daddy!

My other attempt at saving money is making Knox's food.  I can get a bag of frozen peas for about $1.50, which would make the equivalent of 8 servings (which I buy prepackaged for $1 for 2 servings).  I mean, no real math needed there!  I also had to use frozen strawberries for the dessert I made this week (which I got a large bag at Aldi for about $1.60).  I used what I needed for the dessert and pureed and froze the rest.  So when Knox needs a fruit, I can just pop a few cubes out to defrost and there you go!  I bought a $10 food mill at Target, in hopes that it would process the food a little finer than what the food processor could do.  Not so much.  It will be good for some things though, like rice and possibly meats.  Don't know if I want to take on the last one--yucky!

I was worried at first about the texture.  Knox has gagged a few times if something is fairly thick or has chunks--he is his mother (and grandmother's) child!  I was pureeing canned peaches I got on sale and let Knox be the taste tester.  He gagged a bit, so I gave him a bit more just because I thought he would get used to it.  NOPE!  It all came back up.  I tried with the peas, and it didn't go well at first, but when hidden with tomato beef macaroni, he scarfed it down.  Score one for Mommy!

So that's my frugality for the time being.  I'm sure there will be more in the near future!

She's In!

For those of you who were on the edge of their seats, just dying to know if Anna got into AOII at Birmingham Southern--the answer is YES! YAY!!!

Crazy Days

So, I'm sitting here like a crazy, worried aunt or mom, waiting to hear how pref night went my best friend's sister.  Anna's in school at Birmingham Southern and her last night of rush/recruitment is tonight.  Alpha Omicron Pi and Alpha Chi Omega are her last two.  Since my days as an AOPi at Ole Miss, I haven't known many younger girl acquaintances that have gone AOPi at any school.  SO, I think it would be fabulous if Anna chose AOPi so we could have something else in common other than Jayma and I could share with her all the wonderful things there is to know about the sisterhood.  BUT, my first concern is for her to find a house where she feels she fits and where she believes she'll foster life-long friendship like I was able to do back in my day.

Anyway, that is not my main reason for the post, though it is to help pass time until Jayma calls.  We have had a crazy several days in the Rogers household, but then again, what's new?  Knox and I went to Florence last Wednesday since Daddy left at the crack of dawn on Thursday for a business trip to Pennsylvania.  Our main purpose for the trip home was to shower my BFF, Tiffany, with gifts for her sweet little bun in the oven, Norah.  This is where all of the pictures have come from.  In addition to spending time with family and old friends, I was able to get some more things done with the 10 year high school reunion (I'm excited and looking forward to it, but I can't wait until all the planning is OVER!)  Daddy had fun up north, especially playing at the World of Chocolate and bringing home way too much chocolate that will find a permanent home on Mommy's buttock and thighs.

Also while Knox and I were home, we were "lucky" enough to catch yet another cold.  Knox and I are just fighting runny noses and the occasional sneeze.  This cold hasn't been nearly as bad as the last, but has managed to put my excema into overdrive.  I have a huge patch on the bottom of each of my palms that looks like I have severely burnt myself since the beginning phase is red, fevered blisters.  Nice mental picture, huh?  And of course the newest dermatologist in my conquest to find a decent one doesn't have an appointment until Friday.  Fabulous.  

An upside to the not so wonderful things, is that Knox is getting more and more mobile (I guess that's good.  Haha!) and that we officially have four teeth through gums, though they are not all the way in.  Check back in a few days for Knox's "official" 9 months stats since we head to the pediatrician on Thursday--the same day as Big Daddy's birthday!

The burp cloths I appliqued for Norah

The wall hanging that matches the invitations and the rug in Norah's room

Tiffany and all the grandmothers

The proud parents, Tiffany & Russell

Aunt Jay and Knox

Prego and her hostesses

Left to right:  Emily, Me, Anne, Tiff, Euna, Anne Martha & Jayma

Little Stinker

I couldn't fit this into my last blog since it was so darn long, but I wanted to make sure I shared it with you.  We've known that my child is a genius (duh), but now we know he's a genius that's a stinker.  So let me back up to Monday.

I was frantically trying to get some things done in the office and Keith was taking care of Knox downstairs.  I heard Knox whining, and the whining was more like he was calling or trying to get someone's attention--and it was closer than what I thought it should be.  I decided to investigate, so I peeked my head down the stairs and lo-and-behold to my wondering eyes--KNOX WAS ON THE LANDING OF THE STAIRS!!!  Keith was still sitting in the recliner so I had to yell at him to come see his son.  Apparently Keith had only let Knox out of his sight for a minute or two (sound familiar???)  Funny thing is that as soon as he saw me, he stopped his whining and started smiling and laughing.  We decided to let him finish his conquest, just this once.  You can see in the last picture how excited he was to get to where I was standing.

On the landing, where I first found him

Daddy watching him complete his task at hand

See how happy the little stinker is?!

Weekend Happenings

This has been a great, and busy, weekend in the Rogers household.  Saturday was they day we've been waiting for--the first weekend of college football.  I wasn't able to catch many games on the tube since I was running around getting beautified, but it's just knowing the season started is fabulous.  It was even more fabulous knowing that Keith would be home one extra day for Labor Day.

We didn't have any big game plans for the Bama game Saturday night, but Jeff came over which is actually nothing new.  Before he and Bridgette were married, he was our adopted kid.  I grilled burgers and we all had a few beers to savor the kick off of the 2008 college football season.  You'll see a picture of Knox and Jeff--I just had to get one since they were both wearing their prospective teams' jerseys.  Knox is wearing the jersey of SEC's dominating team, given to him by his Uncle Tutu.  Jeff just wears Michigan State's jersey because he went there, not because he thinks they are any good.  Haha!

One of Knox's newest funny moments, which happened on Saturday, was learning to "drink" out of an big boy cup.  He is fascinated with the giant plastic orange cups that we use most.

 Mine is almost always filled with water, so I have occasionally let him attempt to drink out of it.  Well now he thinks that's his cup.  Keith finished drinking his water and let Knox play with it.  The grabs ahold of it and tilts it up like he knows what he's doing!  Next thing we see him do is stick his tongue in and around the edge while jibbering (yelling) into it so he can hear him self echo.  It is so funny.  We have video of it, which I'll post if I can figure it out.  In the meantime, you'll have to just enjoy the pictures.

Saturday was also filled with some learning.  Keith and I have ordered Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace books and DVDs. Keith has surprised me by reading constantly.  I've never witnessed this much reading from him, ever.  We watched the the DVDs, which are actually quite good.  Dave is a funny guy and his principles just make plain sense.  So we are starting a budget, complete with the envelope system, this coming Friday.  At first I wasn't as enthusiastic as Keith, but I've been researching shopping sales and using coupons, so now I'm ready to play the game!  

I also discovered Aldi, a low cost grocery store, which I found was surprisingly fab for certain things.  Shopping drug stores' sale papers and using coupons was so much fun.  I only bought things that were one sale and that I had a coupon for, saving almost $20 at EACH of the THREE drug stores AND two grocery stores I went to on Sunday.  All five stores are in a mile or two, so the cost of gas is not a factor in my craziness.  I'm really excited to see what I can come up with since our freezer is already full of Rogers Family beef, wild pheasant, wild quail and fish caught by Keith!

So my sale shopping took up most of Sunday, but still had to come home and knock out a few ads.  Today was no exception to the craziness, but I feel like I've made progress in all that I have to do ESPECIALLY with the help of Keith.  Keith basically cleaned the whole house while I finished ads, folded clothes, putting up clothes and finally finishing gifts for Norah (soon-to-be daughter of Tiffany) since her shower is Saturday.  I also managed to whip up a little something for Knox to wear this Friday at the Florence Falcons football game.  I know it's not Falcons garb, but it's still appropriate.  Pictures of his onesie are a little further down.  I was really excited with how it turned out.  I'm dying to post the pics of the cute little girl things I made for Norah, but Tiff won't be getting them until Saturday and I don't want to ruin the surprise, so I'll have to post them next weekend.

Daddy took this pic and the one below--SO GOOD!

Bulldog cheeks