Shopping Fun

I enjoy my shopping trips when I can score lots of great things for very little money. So my shopping trip today included CVS, Target, and Kroger. I was able to accomplish so much with Cameron at home with daddy and some advance planning.

CVS
2 Throat Coolers ~ 4.99 each (get 4.99 each ECB)
1 Cough Drops, 30 count ~ 1.19

Coupons:
~Throat Coolers Buy 1 Get one Free (-$4.99)
~ Cough Drops ~ FREE coupon ($1.19)

PAID:
~$4.00 ECB
~.99 cents Out of Pocket

NEW ECB: $9.98 for next trip

TARGET

5 ~ Digiorno pizzas ~ $3.99
5 ~ 2-liter drinks ~ $1.25

1 ~ gift
2 ~ magnetic letters for the fridge for Cameron ($1.00 each)

Deal:
FREE 2-liters with the Digiorno deal
Gift was 75 % off
letters were in the $1 section

PAID:
27.05 Out of Pocket ~ Not bad for 5 dinners, a gift, and fun with Cameron

Kroger

Lots of FREEEEEEE Stuff

1 ~ Country Crock butter ~ $1.44 after coupon
2 ~ Horizon individual milk ~ $.25 after coupons
2 ~ Rotel ~ $.40 each after MEGA
1 ~ Velveeta Cheese ~ $3.99 w/ coupon and MEGA
1 ~ Nestle Chocolate Chip cookie dough ~ $.96 w/ coupon and MEGA
2 ~ Chili with Beans ~ $.45 (together) after coupon and MEGA
2 ~ Pace Salsa ~ $1.52 (together) after coupons and MEGA
1 ~ Kleenex Tissue ~ $.54 w/ coupon and MEGA
1 ~ Fiber One snack bars ~ $.39 after coupon (reduced to $1.39)
2 ~ Centrum vitamins (130 count) ~ $3.99 each after coupons
1 ~ Quaker Bars ~ $.29 after coupon (reduced to $1.29)
1 ~ Nutter Butter ~ $3.85 (Michael requested and then decided it is the wrong thing - so it's going back to the store!)
6 ~ Bananas ~ $.83 (only item without coupon)

3 ~ Frank's Hot Sauce ~ FREE w/ coupons and MEGA Event
4 ~ Glade Aerosol spray ~ FREE w/ coupons and MEGA
1 ~ French's mustard ~ FREE w/ coupons and MEGA
4 ~ Green Giant Steamers (corn) ~ FREE w/ coupons and MEGA
3 ~ Quaker Rice Cakes snacks ~ FREE w/ coupons

Want to make a guess how much I paid??????

Drum Role Please................

23 coupons ~ $19.60
Bonus Coupons ~ $6.60
Plus Savings ~ $37.27
1 Short cut for the Green Giant vegetables ~ $.50
$10 for MEGA Event
$8 for emailing about milk going back BEFORE the Sell By Date

Total coupon $63.47

Total Out of Pocket $16.90
A savings of 79%

My own dish

Well I finally took the plunge and took my own take home container with me when we went out to eat last night. I think Michael was a little embarrassed. The waiter came to the table and asked if we needed "To-Go" boxes. When I told him I had brought my own he was a little surprised and mustered out a "I think that's a first." Unfortunately I forgot one for Michael's food. Jeez, he never has leftovers so I didn't even think about 2 containers from home. So, he had to have a box to go. At least I requested a plastic one. I'm thinking I need to go to get some real containers to keep just for restaurant "to-go" times.

Is that a Chicken Pot Pie?

So I was feeling ambitious this week and decided to try out a new recipe for Chicken Pot Pie. Turned out it was yummy! It was supposed to go in a 9 inch pie pan but there was have been NO way for it to go in there without making a really BIG mess. Fortunately I had a casserole that would fit everything. I'll try to post the recipe later.


Here's the recipe...

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

I left the celery out and substituted the celery seed for celery flakes (less expensive). I added green beans since they are one of our favorites.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside. (I stirred in about 1/2 the flour, then added the chicken broth and milk, then added the remainder of the flour.)
4. (The mixture was way more than could have been held in the pie crust. I put the pie crust in a 9 inch round baking dish about 2 inches tall. Then added the mixture. Then added the second pie crust on top.)
   
5. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

This was delicious. Give it a try!

Found on All Recipes website, Chicken Pot Pie IX

Almost 2 and Funny as Ever

Cameron splashing his feet in the hot tub! He really wanted to get in but it was way too hot!

Cameron couldn't resist Grandpa's chips. I guess they tasted better than the one's on his plate.





Cameron working at his tool bench.








Cameron being his silly self!







Drinking from a "Big Boy Cup." I'm not sure Mom is ready for this (or the carpet!)






Cameron loving his yogurt.








Cameron ready to get down from his chair after eating yogurt.

Michael's Man Cave

Well we , I mean I, finally got around to organizing the garage so that Michael could organize his tools and "manly" stuff. It's still a work in progress but Michael now has MOST of the garage!

We'd Love to Hear From You!

It's been busy in our lives lately. I will be updating soon. I have some cute pictures of Cameron and of our newly organized garage. Stay tuned.

Oh, and don't forget to get signed up so you can leave us messages. I love to see who's dropped by but as of yet we've received only 1 message.

Love to all!

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a wonderful beginning to 2009. Ours was extremely low key. I wasn't even awake at the stroke of 12:00! I asked Michael why he didn't wake me and his response was "You didn't hear the fireworks going off?" Since I wasn't awake it's safe to say I didn't.

The Shaw family was able to ring in the new year with a new member of the family. Barbara's brother, William, welcomed a baby girl, Skyelar Michelle. Both Mom and Skyelar are doing great and I can't wait to visit them.


Look what I caught! Cameron loves to play with his fishing rod!










Here's Cameron looking like E.T. He came into the living room wearing my sweater. I burst into laughter at the site. Michael said "he told him he was cold" so he put on my sweater.


Here's another of him standing in front of the fridge really looking like E.T.





And here are a few of our visit today with Nana and Grampa. Grandpa was having a great time pushing Cameron around the pool on his fire truck.








The next is with Cameron taking a pit stop for pizza, but not for long.






The last one is of Cameron "working" on his truck with the WD-40. He was so cute and I bet Grandpa needed a nap after we left their house.

Almost FREE Grocery shopping today

When we moved into our new home last March we received a flyer from a grocery store in Montgomery, about 15 miles away. On the flyer was a coupon for a giftcard for $50.00. It was going to expire today so I figured I better use it. I mean, who can't use $50 in FREE groceries.

I drove the 25 miles round trip and paid $2.32 out of pocket for our goodies! Take a look. Michael's drinks were about 1/3 of the giftcard. Then the 3 packages of chicken and 1 package of stew meat was another 1/3. That left the remaining to get a few other things, including Cameron's favorite pizza rolls and Michael's cookies. (And of course my favorite, sauerrkraut!)

Before going to the grocery store, I dropped by to take a look at the church where Michael and I got married. It's hard to believe that 5 years ago this evening Michael proposed while we were on vacation at the Sipapu ski resort in New Mexico.

I am hoping that everyone has a safe, happy New Year and a beautiful beginning in 2009!

Cameron's experience with an orange

Cameron thought it would be a good idea to BITE into an orange last night with the peeling still on. I just wish I would have caught his face as soon as he took it out of his mouth. It was priceless.

FREE Photo Album

Edit: It seems the FREE Album has expired but there is still FREE shipping.
~~~~~~
If there is anyone wanting to put a photo album together now is the time. At Hooray.com it will be FREE through today.

It took me a couple of hours yesterday but I think we have a great album coming soon.

Here's the instructions copied from The Thrifty Mama website.
~~~~~~
Get a Photobook for 0.00 Shipped!

Alana at That's Just Nifty Thrifty alerted me to this deal. I just did this and checked out with a total of 0.00! I didn't even have to put in any credit card information. These codes expire 1/1/09, so hurry and make one.

Step One: Go to Hooray.com and select this photo album HERE. (10.25 by 12.75 album.)

Step Two: Select your theme or background. (You can play with the layout and background and such once you get one picked.)

Step Three: Upload your photos and create your album.
You can change what the cover is like on the right side of the screen after you're done with the photo editing part.

Step Four: Click on Order Now.

Step Five: Put in your location and then add the following two codes in this order: THANKUALBUM , then FREESHIP (Your total will go to zero).

Step Six: Put in your billing information ( you do not have to put in any CC info). Don't click ship to the same as the billing info. Re-type in your information in the ship-to section. I kept getting errors when I clicked on ship to same as billing.

Step Seven: Place Your Order!

Cost of one Photo Album to commemorate the holidays this year, Zero Dollars!
~~~~~~~

This will be great as a keepsake or as a gift! Have Fun!

My Two Men

I came home for running errands on Sunday to find my two men on the couch. Aren't they adorable?





Cameron helping mom with dinner.







Cameron REALLY enjoying spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. It's one of his favorites!

Busy Holiday Season

We've been busy over the last few weeks. Start at the bottom of this post for the oldest!


12-25-08 Merry Christmas!

Gary, Janet, Mark, and Scott met at our house at 8:00 for breakfast and in anticipation of Cameron waking up early to open presents. Cameron finally rolled out of bed around 9:30 which gave the adults time to enjoy our time. When Cameron rounded the corner he wasn't sure why he was seeing everyone again so soon. Daddy showed him his new work bench and he did NOT want to let go even to open more presents!























12-24-08 Christmas Eve ~ We went to the Payne house for our annual Ornament Exchange. Thankfully Michael and I ended up with some semi-normal ornaments that may blend into the tree (at least be hidden well at the back.) Afterwards we headed home where Cameron was NOT ready to go to bed. Cameron danced in the living room for quite a while to a Christmas musical special on the tv and admired the tree. Then we read T'was the Night Before Christmas, put on pajama's and headed to bed.

After Cameron went to bed and sugar plums were dancing in his head, Santa got busy putting together Cameron's Black and Decker tool bench.




12-21-08 Michael's older brother, Matthew visited us from Atlanta over the weekend. Byt the time we took this picture it was later in the evening and Cameron wasn't interested in taking pictures. This one was the best one. You should have seen the others!

Scott was able to make it home early for the holiday also to everyone's surprise. Here are the Payne boys including Cameron.





12-14-08 After the Gullo Christmas Party we headed over the the Payne house to help make Christmas cookies to be mailed out to family.
Cameron helped grandpa out and had lots of fun with the rolling pin! Unfortunately he didn't end the evening too well. (He stepped in the dogs water bowl.


















12-14-08 Mr. Gullo, the owner of Gullo Toyota where Michael works, holds a Christmas party for all the employees and their kids. We went again this year. Cameron had his picture taken with Santa, we enjoyed lunch, and Cameron rode the pony.













12-14-08 Michael putting up the Christmas lights for the 1st time on our house. He got up on the house which he said I made him do. Cameron had stayed the night at Nana's so we were able to get them up within about an hour and a half. And another one of the house lit up with LED lights.











12-13 08 Cameron eating his strawberry jelly toast with a fork. He might be a lefty. We're not sure yet.

Updating soon

I've not quite had the chance to post anything with the craziness of school ending and Christmas shopping in full swing. I'll be updating in the next day or two so drop back by to check things out!

Merry Christmas and Love to All!
Barbara

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Yesterday when I got out of school it had begun snowing. I didn't figure it would last long. However I was wrong. Last night, Michael and I went outside to enjoy the white stuff. It was actually snow flakes and coming down steady.

Our 1st Real Christmas Tree

We went to Houston Garden Center to find a real Christmas Tree. It took us forever to find just the right one. We finally choose one. Here's Cameron, Nana, and me in front of the tree. After getting the tree home, Cameron was so excited to help daddy secure the tree.

The Payne Family

Welcome to the Payne Family Blog. I thought it would be a good idea to keep in touch and keep everyone posted to our happenings. Check back as often as you have a chance for updates on our life.