I have some new pictures to share, including some to introduce you to the newest member of our household.

As for today, I need to get some cleaning and decorating done.  Then plan our menu and grocery shopping lists.  Yes, lists, as in plural.

I need to order printer ink.

Why bother you with all this boring info?  Because all this typical, daily life stuff means that I am FINALLY back in the swing of things.

I am also bought a cute pattern from You Can Make This to make some gifts for the little girls on my list.  I am really excited.  They will be the first toys I’ve ever made.  I am also participating in their Twirls for Girls program this year.  They provide a free pattern (two this year) that makes a skirt for a doll, sewers all over make the skirts and then donate them to Toys For Tots to be matched with dolls for little girls.  It is a great cause.

Before I can do any sewing, though, I need to call and order a piece to my machine.  Apparently, one of the kiddies walked off with the plate that covers my bobbin.  Sigh.

Posting will be spotty this week due to all the fun stuff, but I will be back next week for sure.  Oh, and I will go ahead and post a Frugal Friday this week, your choice of topic to write on.  So, I think that covers it.

Have a fabulous week!  Be blessed and be a blessing!

My jaw is still hurting that I’m thinking that was my jaw I heard cracking and not the tooth.  Just a joke, but you get the point.  The dentist was a lovely man.  Actually, I’m sure he is still a lovely man, I didn’t make him pay for the misery of my stubborn tooth.  I guess I’ll find out on Tuesday when I have the stitches removed.

So, I will be back as soon as I can.  I’m still on pain medication so I’m thinking I’ll wait until I am no longer under the influence.  Sound good?

Be sure to check out the contest.  And while you are at it, swing on by Savin the Day and saying thank you for bringing this contest to my attention.

Here’s to me shouting “WEEE!” on November 25!  Of course, I wouldn’t mind counting 500 things I am thankful for on November 28.

Here’s how today’s Frugal Friday tip came about for me.  We were driving home from our healthy meal out (hey, they do chicken right and the dessert place said America runs on them…must be healthy, right? *snort*) and I said, “Ah, crud.”

Hubs- “What?”

Me- “I forgot I need to do something.”

Hubs- “What?”

Me- “I need to type something and put it on my blog.”

Hubs- “Hi. Did nothing today, I’m tired, going to bed?”

Me (not catching that I should have smacked him)- “No, I need to get Friday’s frugal tip posted so it will be ready.”

Hubs- “Don’t spend money.  The end.”

Me- “Actually, I was going to do something about chicken, but that is better.  Actually it is perfect.”

I will go into a little more detail than that, but let’s all take a moment and give props to my Hubs.  Ok, that’s enough, he doesn’t need a bigger ego.  Really.  Stop it.  Now.  Thank you.

Actually this really goes along with Tara’s tip last Friday.  Stop and think before you buy.  Want an example of how I saved myself 20-35ish dollars?  Of course you do.

We went to the super-fantabulous, wonderful So You Think You Can Dance? tour last Friday.  It was super-fantabulous and wonderful, by the way.  If the lady who was in line behind me for the restroom at The Bank of Kentucky Center at Northern Kentucky University is kind enough to send her pictures to the strange woman in front of her that gave her her email address because she forgot her camera in the car like an idiot, then I will do an all out post on it. Ya follow?  Oh, yes, I will.

Sorry there.

Anyways, I was so super-duper pumped up while at the show.  I loved the dances, loved the dancers and even the too-rehearsed sounding script was loved by me.  I wanted one of the programs.  Well, since I thought I was being super-duper smart by leaving my purse in the trunk of the car, I only had a little bit of cash and nothing else on me.  Hence the asking of a complete stranger to email me her pictures.

The programs were $20, I had $12.  So I left without one and told Hubs on the way home (oh, yes he did go), “I know, I’ll get one off eBay.”

Well, the next morning still pumped I looked online and there was one lone program for sale.  They wanted $30 plus $5 to ship the thing.  I decided to wait, surely someone else will have seen an opportunity to make a buck and buy an extra one to sell on eBay.  It’s now been over five days and no one has listed another one.  No one.

And guess what?  I don’t have the urge to spend $35 for the book.  Well, most of the time.

So that is my big tip for today.  Wait for the hormones/energy/adrenaline rush of shopping wears off and THEN see if you still want it.  Oftentimes, you will talk yourself out of it or forget and save yourself some pretty pennies, maybe even whole dollars.  Golly gosh, yep.

Ok, so that’s my tip.  What’s yours?  Be sure to read the guidelines if it is your first time!

Humor.  If you are a Mom, you know humor is very important to your sanity.  If you are not a Mom, I’m sorry, but humor is only for Moms.  Well, maybe not, but, well, whatever.  Hum-dum-di-dum…

What works for me this week is…wait, can you guess?  It’s Hu… What?  How did you guess?  Am I that obvious?  Oh, yeah, it was probably that.  And cue end of randomness!

To show you how humor plays an integral part of my day, here for your enjoyment is a collection of short stories, quips and quotes from my beauties.  Today, for instance.

The kiddies love to play with the little magnets on my fridge.  They are about 1″x1″ and too cute.  So, Little Miss M had removed them from the fridge and they were laying in a pile in my room, apparently forgotten.  I walked in to change M’s diaper and Miss J followed behind.  I said, “These magnets need to be picked up.”

I turned around and saw Maggie (from here on out she shall be affectionately referred to as The Mutt) and said, “No I don’t want you to pick them up.”

Miss J says, “Because she’ll eat them?”

“Yep and I don’t want to dig them out of her poop, do you?”

Not missing a beat, Miss J replies, “Daddy can do it, you change poopy diapers.”

Ah, I think she will make a fine Mommy one day.  By the way, she did pick them up.  The kid, not the dog.

How does this fit with the whole Works For Me thing?  In my day, I NEED to laugh.  Laugh with my kids, my hubby and at myself.  Really, it makes the whole day flow better.  So that is my stupendous advice to all you lovely readers out there, LAUGH.  At anything.  Well, maybe not anything, but you get the point.

Want to see what works for other bloggers?  Thank you, Mrs. Rocks In My Dryer,for hosting this lovely carnival each week.

Put The Big Red Button on your site

I’m not sure if it ever ends, but I played along for way too long.

Here are this weeks questions!

1. What does whispering make you think of?

Whispering makes me think of my sister.  We used to whisper way past when we should have been sleeping when we were little girls.

2 What kinds of current women’s clothing styles do you dislike the most?

I really dislike shirts that are cut “down to here.”

3. What is your greatest extravagance?

I don’t really have one, but some may consider our Suburban to be one.  To those people, I say, psh.

4. Do you have a good luck charm? What is it?

Nope, don’t believe in “luck” anymore.

5. Fill in the blank: “Without ___ I am nothing.”

Jesus.

6. How do you react when you find out that your closest friend dated your ex?

Never had the chance for this one.

7. Do your heart and your mind ever disagree?

All the time.

8. In what areas of your life are you uncompromisable?

Hmm, good one.  I’d like to think that I’m firm in my beliefs, but willing to change according to His guidance.  I guess the only thing that is uncompromisable about me is my belief that I am human and will make mistakes.

9. Have you ever gossiped about other people in order to add excitement to your
own life only for it to back-fire on you ?

I’d like to say no, but I’m sure back in the “glory” days of school it happened.

10. I am___________________.

Blessed.  Cheesy, I know, but it’s how I roll.

I found this delightful little meme here.

“Look it’s John McCain, the guy who says, I approved this message.”

I couldn’t help, but laugh and repeat what she said to hubby.  Looks like she’s noticed the presence of the political ads, doesn’t it?

My best frugal tip is to cook at home.  I know, I know, this is so obvious, but it is only recently that it really started hitting home for us.  When the kids were little, they picked off our plates and it was no more expensive than the two of us eating out.  Now that our kids are slowly exiting the toddler stages, that is not the case.

Our kids eat and eat and eat.  They burn through so many calories with all that boundless energy that they are constantly refueling.  This gets really, really expensive if your main source of food is out.  It even makes the occasional eating out occasion less and less worth it, money wise.

So, that is my tip.  Cook your own food.  The more from scratch you go, the cheaper and better for you.

Be sure to check in each Friday to read the articles written by other bloggers.  Next week is blogger’s choice, so you never know what great advice you will find.

Bloggers, check out the guidelines here and join us!