Friday, February 19, 2010

Slashing your grocery budget 2-16-2010

On Tuesday Sabrina taught us how to read the adds that come in your mailbox every week. And how to shop where you slash your grocery budget. It was so good to hear her ideas & suggestions. I've included her top points:

  • Don't be afraid to shop the ads & clip coupons out of the paper
  • Don't be afraid to go to multiple stores
  • Shop discount stores:
    -Winco
    -Grocery Outlet
    -Costco
    -Dollar Store
  • Take advantage of the special store cards - they do work!
  • Learn to buy generic = less expensive for same product minus the brand name.
  • Don't be afraid to ask a store employee if you don't understand the coupons
  • Don't be afraid to double dip on coupons = Using a manufactures coupon and a store coupon
  • Learn to compare prices!
  • Don't be afraid to buy discount or marked down meat. It will be fine if cooked that day or frozen that day.
  • If the store is out of coupon item, get a rain check.
  • Make a list and stick to it!!

She also had two other suggestions. Plan a weekly menu and plan your meals according to the ads.

White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

This is an easy recipe b/c you just add to a box mix. These were at the last meeting and they were Delicious!!

You will need:

1 box of Raspberry muffin mix (Krusteaz)
1 cup of white choc chips
1 teasp vanilla


Bake according to the box.



**Submitted by Tasha Banks**

Baked French Toast

Baked French Toast (serves 6 to 8)


1 pound loaf of French bread cut into generous 1” slices (dry bread is best)
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup half & half
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon



Syrup:

3/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons corn syrup


Thoroughly grease a 9x15 baking dish. Beat ingredients together. Dip bread slices in the mixture and lay them flat in the pan. Pour remainder of the mixture over the top of the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next morning make the syrup (heat the ingredients till bubbling). Pour it over the bread. Bake uncovered about 35 minutes at 350 degrees.



**Submitted by Margy Grenell**

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins were at one of the last meetings and I fell in love with them. I tracked down the baker and made them today. They are sooo yummy. Enjoy!








preheat oven to 400
grease muffin man - (I was able to make 15 muffins with my mixture.)

Mix:
1 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder together

In another bowl:

1 egg beaten
add 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
add two mashed bananas

add to dry mixture and stir.. then add 1- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and stir together

and pour into muffin pan..
bake 400 for 20 minutes.



**submitted by Heather Blue**

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Restoring Love & Passion back into your marriage

This week we had a great guest speaker, Jen Lovelady. She is a wife, mother, friend & business owner. She is the author of her own blog with some great stories, ideas, funny videos etc. http://jenlovelady.com/ . As the busy mom of 4 children ages 3.5 - 13yrs old she knows what it's like trying to maintain that relationship with your husband when life is so busy with your house, kids, and business/job.

She spoke on Restoring Love & Passion back into our marriages. Below you will find an overview of what she spoke on.

In your marriage you have to set boundaries. Four things can become intrusive to a marriage and sometimes require boundaries.

1. Work or business - especially if you work at home
2. Friendships
3. Perfect house - it's okay to not have a perfect house
4. Hobbies - sometimes these can get in the way


You make it a high priority to be committed to make your marriage work.
This is a sentence that she told us to post up somewhere and remind ourselves of daily, weekly, and monthly. It will help us to maintain a healthy marriage.
Is your husband a Top priority in your home/relationship?


When he comes home he wants to see his wife not his mom.

Control your thoughts about your husband - you are committed to him and there is no exit strategy. Do not compare him to other husbands.


You have to be intentional & consistent!


8 Loves she has when it comes to her children & then 8 ways to apply these loves to your husband.
1. Loves to hear her children say "Please" and "Thank You" - especially in public
A. Do you tell your husband Thank You or please? Do you do it in public or in front of your children?

2. Loves planning birthdays or events for her children.
A. Do you plan special events/birthdays for your husband?

3. Loves making her kids favorite meals.
A. Do you make your husbands favorite meal or have his favorite snack always on hand?

4. Loves special moments with her kids
A. Do you share those special moments with your husband? Do you have special moments with him?

5. Loves watching her kids play sports or be successful, cheering them on.
A. Are you your husbands biggest fan? Do you encourage him?

6. Loves complementing her children
A. Do you compliment your husband? Do you do it in front of others or your children? Men need to hear this from their wives.

7. Loves when her children tell them about their day
A. Do you listen enthusiastically to your husband as he recalls his day?

8. Loves to give her kids love notes.
A. Do you give leave your husband love notes/texts/cards? Do you show him expressions of love?


As a mom our Adoration that we once had for our husbands can be shifted to our children and often times our husbands get put on the back burner. Our first priority should be our husband and then our children. He needs to know that he is a priority & just as important as the children and not second rate.

She then challenged us before Valentines day to do the following:
1. Plan a date night/afternoon/breakfast/coffee date with our husbands. We need to start dating our husbands again. Get back to when we first started dating. And not talk about the children on our date!
2. Compliment your husband at least 1x every day

Back in the groove

This blog has been on a bit of hiatus for a few months due to the holiday season.
But no worries, we are back up & running.