I did it!

OK...I know it's been waaay too long since I last posted but...Well, I have no excuse! Anyways...I did get my pantry cleaned up, organized and inventoried! Here it is...

I apologize for the terrible picture...but I am too lazy to go back and rotate my picture (Hey! At least I am honest!) I promise you it is very stocked, organized, and even a little clean!

I know some may know that I have been inspired to make some changes in my life and the life of my family by the awesome blog I found called Money Saving Mom http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

If you haven't checked it out yet...you MUST! I have started coupon clipping and bargain shopping and so far have saved $150 for my two "girl's trips" coming up this spring!! Yippee! Did I mention I have only been on this FRUGAL journey for TWO weeks! I am rather proud of myself I must say! I am looking forward to being able to save even more in the next few weeks. Actually, I am starting to get a sort of "high" from going to Kroger and finding deals! Did you know you can get stuff for FREE if you clip coupons.

By the way...I am attaching a picture of my three little lovlies. Totally unrelated to this post...Just thought it was cute!!!

Oh....and happy birthday to my sweet hubby!

I'm out of CONTROL!

Alright...I will admit it! I may be slightly out of control with this BLOG thing.

I found the most amazing blog yesterday called Money Saving Mom. If I had a clue how to do it I would add a link into this message for you to check it out. But since I am clueless I will simply tell you to look over there at my Blog list and check out this awesome blog.

I have literally been racking my brain as of late on how to help earn some extra money for our household. There are really no extra hours at my place of employment right now. Plus at less than $8/hr how much can I really make?

Well, as I was feeding my blog addiction yesterday I ran into this blog. It really was like a light bulb going on for me. OK...maybe I can make extra money for our household by saving on the household expenses! I don't have to bring more money in necessarily just prevent some of it from going out.

So I have made a commitment to challenge myself to try out this method of saving money. I am going to cut back by $50 THIS week. Try it out and then cut back some more. The only trick to this for me is going to be getting organized. Anyone who knows me knows this may be a little tricky! So, today to start out I am going to organize my pantry so I can figure out what the heck we already have in there! I don't know how many times I have made a purchase at the grocery store only to find out when I stuffed it into the pantry or freezer that I already had at least one (perhaps more) in there! This alone could save me quite a bit right? Well, my dear husband is giddy with excitement about the possiblity of this working for us! I just hope I can live up to his expectations!!! Ha ha.....

I can't believe I am putting myself up to the shame and humiliation of this but I am attaching a photo of the DISASTER we call a pantry. Hoping that this will motivate me to get my butt in gear. I promise by the end of the week (at least by then) that I will have a brand new highly efficient money saving pantry and a plan!! I will have a photo for the whole world to see this brand new me! Money Saving Mommy in training.

So here it is...my dirty little secret...

I PROMISE to be better!!

Fettucini Phobia!

Well, here it is...another blog entry from me that is focusing on my #3! It seems as though I am showing some blogging favoritisms to my third (an final! Woo hoo!) child but she is just so darn cute and keeps supplying me with such fun things to write about! Maybe it's just that she is at that special little age (TWO!) that she just keeps me busy with enough craziness to write about...Maybe the age or maybe the fact that she is just trying to keep up with the rest of the crazies around here. Who knows....

Anyhoo...we had an interesting thing happen last night at dinner. Why is it at this house that meal time brings out the most chaos in my little family? I don't know...Maybe some day I will be able to eat a meal in peace. Ahhh...some day. So, I bought this AMAZING alfredo sauce mix from my TS friend! It is ooohh soooo good. My hubby and I just love it. I even got my most picky eater to eat a whole bowl of it. Anyone who knows me knows exactly which child I am talking about. But, I cannot get my sweet daughter #3 to even touch it..."No, yosh mommy!" Translated to mean, "No, GROSS mommy!" So I am thinking maybe she's just not hungry. This is REALLY not a picky eater here. Must be something else right? So a couple of days later I make the girls that NASTY lipton alfredo packet thingie. You know the one...right? She LOVES it. So I think, "well must have been an off night for my precious girl!" Well, I mad the same AMAZING Fettucini Alfredo last night. We also had hot french bread right out of the oven so the little precious came running to the table squeeling with delight. That's when it happened. She stopped dead in her tracks looked at the AMAZING ALFREDO FETTUCINE and completely lost her mind. Screaming kicking...absolutely freaking out. I mean this kid will not even come near the dinner table. Of course she wants the bread but literally will not come closer to the table without thrashing around in a screaming fit with the plate of Fettucine Alfredo at her spot. So...this means war to mommy. I am not giving in! Oh no!! So I put her little kicking and screaming bottom right in her booster chair (this was not easy for me) and strap her in. She then proceeds to push her chair back as far as possible. So that is where I left her! But darnit, she was staying at that table with us! Of course being the little "blogaholic" that I have become...I jumped up and started taking pictures thinking, "I have got to write about this!" My husband was looking at my like I was insane the whole time. Oh well...Like I said, just one day in the life of my crazy little family!