tidy up the car

Do you ever have one of those moments when you look down in your car and notice how much trash you have accumulated? Receipts, gum wrappers and any other miscellaneous items that end up on the floor board. I always say, "When the weather is nice I will clean it out." That never happens.

How can I fix this dilemma?

Grab an empty paper towel roll and some plastic grocery bags. Shove the grocery bags into the paper towel tube. Keep this tube handy in your car, in your glove compartment or next to your seat. When you notice your car filling up with random trash grab a grocery bag out of the tube and collect your trash. Ta-da.

Frugal and Clean

breaking through

Today I was inspired by Breaking Through

In this blog a woman and her husband are celebrating marriage through God's word through the entire month of April. I can't wait to read it! No one's marriage is perfect there is always room to build and remodel certain parts. Everyday Josh and I work on our marriage, we are constantly learning new things and figuring out ways to create a more passionate relationship.

a couple freebies

For both of these freebies you need to sign up for a vocalpoint.com account.

Sign up for a free pint of breve coffee creamer or at least a coupon for it. Usually freebies are never bigger than one serving size so this one is a good one.
http://www.vocalpoint.com/breve/index.html?tdestid=8337&tmemberid=ECE4C3D0-E634-49C2-A3A2-1BAB38E6B451

This one is for a sample of Kellogg's new Touch of Fruit Mini Wheats, which I really like.
http://www.vocalpoint.com/touchoffruit/index.aspx?tdestid=8338&tmemberid=ECE4C3D0-E634-49C2-A3A2-1BAB38E6B451

Freebies are always limited so if you don't get these, there are always others

just waiting

             It is very hard to wait for something you want so bad, that one thing that you feel is missing. Just waiting for the day for it to arrive. But Josh and I have become semi-pros at this game, or so I think. We have been through the 4 years of  waiting for college to be over, we were engaged 2 years before getting married(which felt like a lot of waiting, to me) and have been patiently waiting for Josh to be accepted to grad school. When we get frustrated with waiting for anything we can usually get the other one out of whatever funk they are in. I believe we have a very strong relationship, we understand each others feelings and react accordingly. During the past year we have encountered some new feelings and a new waiting game. What has made this past year different? What have we been waiting for? Children. I never knew trying to create a family could be so challenging.
             Over this past year, we have learned a lot about our dreams and desires for the future and that children will be a part of it, when God is ready. But while he creates the plans I will wait and attempt to do it patiently.

To our future children,

      There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of you

      There is not a moment that goes by that I do not pray for you

      I can't wait to show you all the wonderful things that life has to offer

      I can't wait to see your face, kiss your cheeks and rock you to sleep

      I promise to always be there for you even if I don't understand you
      I promise to always be your mother and support all of your dreams

      I just want you to know that you are always wanted
      I just want you to know I will wait for you, always

easy cheesy sausage and potato bake

Great hearty dinner on a weekday, this was absolutely delicious but next time I am going to double the amount of sausage.

what you need
1 pkg refrigerated diced potatoes or 6 baking potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 bell pepper sliced into strips
1/2 onion sliced into strips
1 tub (10 oz.) Philadelphia original cooking cream (I had a coupon for a free tub, be on the lookout for coupons for $1.00 off, there are no coupons currently listed online)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1/2 lb. smoked turkey sausage sliced thin

what to do
-If you decided to use baking potatoes, place them in pot of boiling water and cover for 20 minutes. Peel and cube. Place in a large bowl
-Mix potatoes, peppers, onion, cooking cream, 1/2 cup of cheddar, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
-Coat 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray, pour in potato mixture, top with sausage and cover.
-Place in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, uncover top with 1/2 cup cheddar bake for 20 more minutes.
Enjoy!

restoring our faith

Josh and I were both raised in Christian families and we both grew up attending church. But for the past few years we have not faithfully attended any services. When we would visit our families we would always go to church and attend service if we were visiting during a holiday. It became something that just fell at the wayside, not something that was of up most importance. I knew that the decision was mine, whenever I was ready, whenever I wanted to I could simply go to a church and worship the Lord. I have had some different views on religion and the definition of church. While I was in high school I was more involved with church than anything else in my life but I felt as though I was required to do so. I was required to attend Sunday school, Sunday morning service, Sunday teen choir practice, Sunday evening service, Wednesday evening visitation, Wednesday evening service and a Saturday teen activity along with any other events going on at the church. I was required to have friends from church and discouraged from having friends at school. I was required to listen to southern gospel music; I was required to follow a certain dress code. The more and more I thought about this the more and more I became confused. Loving and worshiping God should be something I want to do and out of wanting it I would develop a need for it. Some might say that this was rebellious that I was becoming backsliden. But in reality I was becoming myself---I was searching for the desire to do all the things that some required me to do. In the process I developed a fear of getting back into a church family. I wanted a place that I could feel comfortable to be myself ,where I could be a part of a great group of people that are solely gathering for love of the Lord. Not to gossip about what someone is wearing or what so-and-so was supposedly doing last night. I was in search of something and afraid to do the work to find it. My younger brother inspired me to get myself in gear. He had posted numerous things on his twitter page about going to church, attending youth activities and simply stating phrases from his Sunday service that spoke to him. All of these things reminded me of...me, but he was choosing this. He wanted to go to church, he wanted to attend youth activities, he wanted it so much that he could feel God's word speaking to him. I knew that if he could do it that I could, too. I searched online and found a nearby church called Vineyard Church Northwest. We attended service this morning and I have to admit I did have some butterflies in my belly as we pulled into the parking lot. We were greeted immediately when we walked in by a teenage boy standing in the lobby, we grabbed a coffee at their coffee bar, walked into the auditorium and took a seat. The message was about commitment---committing yourself to God and overcoming the fears you may have while doing so---a perfect message for us! I can't wait to head back next Sunday to hear more of God's word and worship with my husband.

accidents happen.... it's how you fix them that matters

            So I need to give you a little background information to fully understand this story. A couple weeks ago Josh was getting ready in the bathroom and thought the it would be a good idea to prop his behind up on the counter so he could get a better look in the mirror and not have to keep his body in an awkward position. Needless to say this cracked the bathroom sink. When I came home and heard about the incident i couldn't help but laugh. As the days went by the crack got worse and worse, we were trying to think about what we were going to do so that we didn't have to spend a bunch of money and were slowly realizing that whenever we move out of this apartment we just won't be given back our security deposit, oh well. It's not like we had any plans for that money but it would have been nice to get it back. However, when I woke up this morning and saw how awful the sink looked I knew there had to be something done.
            After we returned home from our venture to Xavier University I jumped on the computer in hopes of finding a great deal and at first was very disappointed. I had measured the current sink and ran a Google search on "31 x 19 oval recessed bathroom sink," and found that prices varied from $97 to $300. I quickly resorted to another idea, Menard's, a store that just opened in Hamilton. Their jingle on their commercial states, "save big money at Menard's!" I thought, that's it, they are bound to have better prices than people on the internet, nope. They were just as, if not, more expensive than the other sinks I found. I then searched on Lowes website, figuring they would be pretty pricey but could not find the sink we needed. So I searched Home Depot and there it was for $64! In stock? Sure was, 2 in fact. Off to Home Depot we went, but before we did Josh removed the old sink so that we would know exactly what we needed for the job.

The old sink

our sink-less bathroom

             Fixing this ourselves was a slight risk but never once did Josh not know what he was doing, I guess he had a couple pretty great men in his life that he learned a thing or two from. Coming home from Home Depot our bill looked like this:

-31x19 vanity top    64.00

-11p wrench set      22.88

-plumbing tape          0.98

-sealant clear             5.97

-caulk gun #67D       4.97

        tax                    6.71

        total              105.51

The new sink

Sink is in place, now to reconnect the plumbing lines and fixtures

Ta-da!

Now, what makes this frugal? If you can do it yourself, go for it. You will cut out costs for installation and you won't have to schedule your day around waiting for someone to come fix the problem. Also, we were able to return a couple items. The wrenches ended up being the wrong size so he borrowed the right size wrench from a neighbor and the caulking gun was as good as new. 

Refund receipt:

-11p wrench set   - 22.88

-caulk gun #67D    - 4.97

     subtotal           - 27.85

     tax                    - 1.82

     total                - 29.67

So.....

Initially spent       105.51

Refund                 -29.67

Actually spent        75.84

and Josh's ego got an added boost of confidence.

In essence, accidents happen just be smart with how you fix them. 

sometimes you need to be spotaneous

       Last night Josh and I were watching "drive-ins, diners, and dives," Guy was visiting awesome diners with amazing looking breakfast foods. We looked at each other and knew we were thinking the same thing. Josh went ahead and looked up some diners around the area , read some reviews and found the perfect place for a random Saturday breakfast: Sugar n Spice Restaurant. The restaurant is located in Cincinnati ( North Avondale area) on Reading Road.

It is not very big but has been opened 70 years and used to be only 1/4 of its current size. The staff welcomes you with a, "Hey honey!" The place was packed when we got there but we were seated rather quickly and greeted by Patty our waitress with their "big ass menu," one side for breakfast and the other for lunch. Patty told use that we needed to have an omelette and some pancakes. So, Josh ordered a philly cheesesteak omelette with toast and grits, I ordered the pancake special 2 whispy banana pancakes, 2 eggs, turkey sausage and hashbrowns. While waiting for our food, we enjoyed a cup of coffee and admired some of the artwork on the wall. Next to us was a painting of a giant stack of pancakes which only made my mouth water more.

Then our food arrived and we could not wait to dig in. It was absolutely delicious! Josh's omelette was huge and the whispy pancakes were to die for. They are very thin and crepe-like, the best guilt free pancakes ever. 

If you are ever in the area you need to stop by Sugar n Spice, newcomers and children receive a gold dollar coin from the owner and he let us know that he is coming up with a creative money giveaway on 11.11.11.

          After filling our bellies we decided to head on over to Xavier University and partake in our own self-guided tour. Here our a couple pictures from our tour :)

I think he is going to be a great Musketeer! 

The bookstore and student union

Bellarmine chapel

Conaton Learning Commons- this building is connected to the library, contains a computer lab and 3 floors of  different styled studying areas. I'm sure Josh will be here a lot.

The Department of Psychology building, which will be Josh's second home for the next 5 years.

The Cintas Center

We had an amazing time on campus and the weather was gorgeous. 

frugal learning 101

Free samples!?! Yes please I will take as many as you can give.

              Free samples are just that, free. I take every opportunity to get a freebie. Besides not having to spend a penny for them they are also a great surprise in the mail. I have numerous beauty supply samples, shampoo, deodorant and such. These are great for going on vacation or for that unexpected overnight guest. Deodorant samples are great for when you run out mid week, right when you are getting ready for work, because by being a frugalista I do not shop during the week unless it is an extreme emergency and deodorant is not an extreme emergency. Tip #1 only shop on your designated day, this lessens the amount of money you spend on random items when you are aimlessly walking around the store not wanting to buy just one thing. For the ladies, I have also received lots of freebies for feminine hygiene products, great to keep in the car or your purse for those unexpected days. I have also obtained many laundry detergent, purex sheets, shout color catcheres and fabric softeners.... again great for when you don't quite have enough. Food samples are some of the funnest we have gotten Extra dessert gum, pretzel m&ms, fruit snacks, cereal, cream of wheat and vitamins. You can also get some magazine subscriptions for free I have received American Baby, Ready Made and Woman's Day magazine for a period of a year with no cost to me. The best thing about all these freebies is that most of them come with coupons. This is all of my beauty product samples, I keep them in a basket in our bathroom closet. 

               Birthday freebies are fabulous. There are numerous restaurants that will offer free entrees on your birthday just buy signing up on their website. At Red Robin you get a free birthday burger, Maggiano's $10 gift certificate, Applebee's free dessert just to name a couple. My favorite though is Dunkin Donuts, you are mailed a coupon for a free beverage when you sign up and another one on your birthday, DD Perks

Happy Freebie Hunting!!! If you find any good deals please share in the comment section.

"I am pleased to announce that you have been accepted..."

                Josh has been on a long and stressful journey.... the journey to graduate school. Last year, Josh applied to attended The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and did not get in. It took us awhile to accept the fact that Josh wold not be going back to school and that we needed to get started on the process for trying again the following year. Things always have a way of working themselves out. UNCC did not offer a PsyD program so Josh would have had to attend this school to get his masters and then apply to yet another school to get his doctoral degree. That sounds stressful just saying all of it not to mention the added stress of moving and me having to find a job, things definitely happen for a reason. This year Josh applied to two universities, Wright State University and Xavier University and we were elated when he was invited for an interview at both places. Josh attended the interview at Xavier on a Friday and attended Wright State's the following Monday. When he came home from Xaiver University I knew that he was impressed he had a huge smile across his face and told me that he could really see himself going to this school, that they had really made an impression on him. When he came home from the Wright State interview he didn't seem as excited but realized that Wright State would create a smaller financial burden and was willing to sacrifice his genuine want for finances, so sweet, but I wanted him to go where he really wanted to. So, the waiting game began after 4 days he was notified that he was not selected by Wright State. This was a blow to his ego but realized this was not where he truly wanted to go and personally I really did not want to move out of our apartment we have really made it feel like home here. Then we were in for more waiting but were pleasantly  surprised last night when Josh was checking his email. The message was titled "Xavier PsyD Acceptance Offer." So it gives me great joy and honor to say that Josh will be attending Xavier University this fall to begin the 5 year trek of becoming a Clinical Psychologist.

This is our new gear that Josh brought home today!

Xavier here we come... or at least Josh I am the support behind the man.

dyi Jewelery Tray

I am still deciding on how many different things I am going to include in this blog. As of now it is going to be everything.

I saw a version of this idea in Good Housekeeping and thought it would be beneficial for me.

First you need to find a picture frame and shape, size or color. I found this one at Dollar Tree.

If there is not a cardboard insert in the frame you can use the glass of the frame as a template to cut a piece of cardboard that will fit. You will cover the cardboard insert with a piece of fabric. Most fabric stores have small remnants for a discounted price. I couldn't find any that i liked or matched the bedroom decor so I visited the clearance section at Kohls and purchased a large pair of panties. Cut out a piece of fabric large enough to wrap around the cardboard. Glue fabric to the cardboard buy using a glue gun. Like so... 

Now, place fabric covered cardboard back into frame, close clasps to hold cardboard in place.

Glue beads to the four corners of the frame to act as "feet". Being a teacher I always have beads lying around somewhere. But you can also purchase these at Dollar Tree.

Now your jewelery tray is ready to be used. We use ours on our dresser to hold our rings and my antique perfume bottle.

Saucy Baked Chops and Potato

This is one of my favorite ways to eat pork chops they are very juicy and full of flavor.

what you need:
4 chops with or without bone (1 lb.)
1/2 cup of your favorite bbq sauce (i use sweet baby rays)
2 tbsp orange marmalade
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger

what you do:
-preheat oven to 400
-if you went with boneless chops, i suggest tenderizing them with a meat hammer. cover chop with saran wrap and take out your aggression from the day's stresses
-place chops in appropriate sized baking dish
-mix bbq sauce, orange marmalade, garlic powder and ground ginger in a bowl
- spoon half of mixture on top of your chops
-place in oven for approx. 10 minutes, pull out chops and flip them. pour remaining sauce over your choppers
-place back in oven for 20 min or longer depending on thickness of the chops

I usually make baked potatoes with pork chops because they cook at the same temperature but they do cook longer so they need to be placed in the oven while you are preparing your pork chops.

for the taters:
-scrub potatoes with vegetable brush, get all the dirt off, then dry with a paper towel
-use a fork to prick holes in tater
-coat tater in olive oil (i pour the oil on a paper towel, then rub on tater)
-now sprinkle salt on outside of the tater
-place taters on a foil lined cookie sheet
-cook at 400 for 1 hour

Delicious!!!!

rehabilitating petee..... and us

           We have been living in Ohio for about a year and a half. Slowly but surely Petee gained control of the house, got feed when he wanted and did his "business" when he wanted. It has arrived to the point where we have decided enough is enough, but it left us pondering the question,"What happened?" We adopted Petee in December of 2007 he was 5 years old and not very loving. Through lots of training, instructed by Josh, Petee became a very warm and loving pet. We were told that he was crate trained, but we thought we would see if there was a need to put him in a crate. When we would leave for school or work we would close off Petee in the bathroom with a toy, a blanket and a potty pad. We were very impressed with how he handled himself that soon he was upgraded to roam our 590 square foot apartment while we were gone and continue to use the potty pad in the bathroom. We never seemed to have a problem. Then we adopted a second dog, Bella, she slept in her crate but was prone to accidents. She would have an accident if you would pick her up. Needless to say Bella deserved a lot of attention and at the time we were unable to give it to her. A nurse in Charlotte adopted Bella from us. My guess is that Bella traumatized Petee along with his good habits.
             So, back to Petee, when we moved to Ohio in June 2009 we thought Petee would have no problem adjusting to a new place. Well, he slowly began to have accidents throughout the apartment and was not using his potty pad in the bathroom. We started back at the beginning, we put Petee in the bathroom throughout the day. This caused more problems, he would use his potty pad then he would walk through it and spread it throughout the bathroom, leaving us not too happy when coming home from work. Lets just say it went downhill from there.
              This weekend we decided to take back the reigns. We purchased a carpet cleaner that was on sale at Aldi's, Bissel Pet Odor & Stain remover carpet cleaner (to remove any and all smells that Petee likes to mark on), a crate and new Dog Shampoo. It wasn't one of our frugalist moments but I am sure our efforts will not be in vain. We have be acclimating Petee to his new "bed" over the past two days by keeping it open and putting a blanket in it at night for him to sleep in. Last night, he was able to go in and come out of his crate with a potty pad nearby for him to use. Tonight the extreme challenge begins... lock up.

to start

Just to begin, I have decided to create a blog as a hobby, something to enjoy. So, when I come home after a rough day or from just finding an amazing deal or after creating an fantastic meal I can get on here and share it to whomever is reading. I am hoping that this will be a great way to keep our family included on what is going on with us and to let friends in on some housekeeping secrets.