Updated 2011 Goal List

 Last year around this time I made a goal list. Something to keep me accountable through out the year! I got this idea from Wendy over at Wendolonia
I did pretty good, I got 50% completed! It's not exactly what I wanted but, I am not going to dwell on it...I am currently working on a new 2012 goal list to be posted soon!

Here is an update version of my 2011 goal list!

1. Play outside more with kids
*Have done this more than I did but would like to get in A LOT more time!

2. Figure out the blogging world
 * I seem to be doing OK with this!
   
3. Be more crafty with Sissy's bento.
 * I really want to do better with this, I got lots of new bento from my Hubby for Christmas!
  
4. Pack Hubby's lunch more often
 * He was not interested in this...I am going to keep trying though!

5.Work on Sissy's and Brothers baby books and picture albums
 * I am such a procrastinator with this...they are currently spread out in my bedroom floor! Hope to get these done this week!!
 
6. Clean and organize basement
 * This happened at one point in 2011, it is currently a wreck again!!
   
7. Exercise more
 * I got a treadmill, need to put more effort into this!
 
8. Lose 35 pounds
 *This is now lose 60lbs!! I gained SO much weight when I quit smoking.

9.Stop eating after 10pm
 * Really need to work on this, my sleeping varies so much though...
 
10. Call my brothers more often 
 * I have talked to them more!

11.Get recipes on blog
 *Seem to be doing OK with this, there are currently 51 in my recipe folder
   
12.Go out with Hubby at least once a month
*We got to go shop and go out to eat a few times! THANK YOU YAYA AND PAPA!

13.Have a weekend trip with Hubby
   *We went to Savannah!!
 
14.Take kids to the Zoo
* We went on a field trip!

15.Decorate house more (with yard sale and flea market finds)
*I have got a few things here and there.

16.Take Sissy to Santa Land

17.Take Sissy to Children's Museum

18.Take kids to Chattanooga Aquarium

19. Take kids to park and have picnics

20.Get work paperwork more organized
 * My "work" organization now consists of my menus,recipes,kids stuff, house etc...

21.Read more
*Got Kindle for Christmas and new books!

22.Take more pictures
* Got a new camera for Christmas!

23.Make better budget on weekly groceries

24.Family Vacation at the beach

25.Go to Farmers Market more often

26.Get quote have on remodel.
    *This has been put on hold since we only have 1 income right now.


27.Put more money in savings
   * I think we did pretty good for what we could do.

28.Clear clutter in house

29.Use more coupons
 * I did very well with this in 2011 and have a great stockpile to show for it!

30.Clean/detail car once a month

31.Donate food to local Food Bank more often
*About every 2 weeks!

32.Try at least 4 new recipes every month
* Sometimes its 3 in ONE week! :-)

33.Take Sissy to movies
*She got to go see 3-4 movies this year!

34.Have more Girls Night Out
* I didn't get ANY of these....

Top Recipes of 2011 and Some of my favorites!

I started this blog 1-11-11 more as a help for my friends than anything and it has turned into a hobby that I love to do! I have added many recipes since the beginning and have got almost 13,000 hits on the site. I hope to continue adding new recipes,bento,coupon shopping trips,family life and anything else that comes about! :o)

 I wanted to share with y'all the top 4 recipes of 2011. These are the most viewed recipes on by blog.

1. Better than Restaurant Beef and Broccoli   

This is the most popular recipe on my blog! If you don't try anything else on here try this! It is so good!

2. The best Southwest Chicken Salad

3. Breakfast Casserole

4.Chicken Nachos

I also wanted to share a couple that aren't the most "popular" but ones I love!

1.Shepherds Pie

2. Amazing Lasagna

3.Chocolate No Bake Cookies

4. Low Country Grill

Coupons

So, I got A LOT more response on the coupons then I thought I would!  :-) Which is awesome! 

A few of you have asked me how to get started with couponing so I thought I would do a post on that...

First you need to get some coupons!! Here is where I go:

* Coupons.com
*Smartsource.com
*Redplum.com

I also buy multiple papers(Knox) on Sunday and then friends/family give me more inserts :-)

Now is where the logic comes in DO NOT use those coupons until that item is on SALE!! Don't just go get that item because you have a coupon for it. You have to wait on the sale.
Once an item that your family uses a lot of goes on sale and you have a coupon you "stock up" on that item! For instance when I first started couponing there was a $3 Nivea body wash coupon. Well, that body wash was $3 at Walmart, so it was free!! I had lots of those coupons so I stocked up on that for both me and my husband.
In my previous post you saw 40 boxes of pasta, that pasta was part of a mega deal at Kroger. If you bought 10 the price was .49cents. I had coupons for $1/2boxes, So FREE! :-)

I encourage all of you to check out Southern Savers toward the top of the page she has a section that says "Going Nuts?"  Click it and it will tell you how to get started and coupon abbreviations etc...

Now I am going to show you what I got for Mothers Day this year... I asked for this and it was EXACTLY what I wanted!

This is my coupon binder. It is a 3inch 3ring binder and its FABULOUS!!  :-)

I use baseball card sleeves to organize the coupons

I also use these PLASTIC dividers (do not buy the paper ones they will tear) Here are my categories..everyones will be different but these are mine and I put them in order to the lay out of the store I go to the most

• Produce/Meat/Bread
• Dairy
• Packaged(Pasta,Sauce,Canned veggies etc...)
• Baking (Cake mixes, spices, sugar etc...)
• Organic
• Condiments
• Breakfast
• Junk (Chips,Candy,Cookies,etc...)
• Beverages
• Frozen
• Paper Products (I also include Foil,Ziploc etc...)
• Cleaning
• Laundry
• Smellys
• Men
• Woman
• Kids
• Non-Food
• Pests/Pets
• Medicine
• Restaurants

It gets full pretty fast! :-)
This binder also has a pocket in the front

Behind the pocket there is a accordion style filing( I use these to save my receipts)

It also has a zipper pocket to the accordion file on the outside

This binder was $20 at Staples
I got the dividers at Walmart  8pk for $3.22
 Also my first binder I got at Walmart was a 1 and 1/2in for $ 2.64. This will work I just wanted one with a zipper! :-)

Now once you have your coupons and have them organized this is where you go

• Southern Savers
• Hip2Save
• Coupon Katie
• Saving with Amy
• Mojo Savings

And there are many more. These sites tell you where to find a coupon.They give you the deals at your grocery stores and how to match up the coupons to the sales at the stores that week. Also "like" them on Facebook and you can stay up-to-date on the latest coupons to be printed!

When I first started couponing I was crazy obsessed...I have calmed down a lot. I have been TRYING to only make 2 trips a week. First thing Sunday morning for the beginning of the sales and Fridays for the end of the sales. Some of these sites will give you "previews" so you know what coming and you have time to prepare.
 A lot of people ask me when do I have time to do this? Well as of right now I am at home all day. So when my youngest goes down for a nap I check to see if there are any new coupons to be printed, check my email etc..  Then at night when my kids go to bed I do the same and work on my blog and watch TV etc...   :-)

Menu Plan 1-2/1-8-12

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Lets take a look back...

January 11th, 2011- I started this blog! 1-11-11  :o)

February 2011- Mine and Hubby's 5 year Wedding anniversary!! :o)

March 2011- I quit smoking! :o)
                      I started couponing hard core!
                     Abbey turned 6!!

April 2011- I lost my job! :-(    (Blessing in disguise!!!)

June 2011- Hubby and I went on a LATE "honeymoon"(5 years late) to Savannah, GA!! :o)

June-August 2011- I got to spend A LOT of time with both of my kids b/c of staying at home!
                               We had lots of family time!! :o)

August 2011- Sissy started 1st grade :-)

September 2011- I turned 26  :-/

October 2011- Took kids to pumpkin patch and circus! :o)

November 2011-  Brother got his curls cut off! :-(
                             Brother turned 2!!!
                             Had a GREAT Thanksgiving with my family!!
                            We helped out with a Toy Drive!

December 2011- I got to spend the whole month with my kids not worrying about decorating 4 other houses and then not enjoying mine!! We made cookies, Gingerbread house, etc...
                           Helped with more Toy Drives
                           Had a GREAT Christmas!!
                           Big Daddy turned 31!

Here I was thinking that 2011 was a crappy year...BUT, in writing this out the only bad thing that happened was losing my job! And as I stated above, that was a huge blessing in disguise! I have enjoyed being home with Brother and not having all of the extra stress and drama!

So here is looking forward to this New Year and all it brings! Lets hope that it is another great year!

Here is my menu plan for the first week...Not as "healthy" as I would like but not too bad...

Monday:
Cereal w/Fresh Fruit
Tuna Salad w/Crackers and Apple
Sloppy Joe's w/Raw Veggies and Deviled Eggs
(Still looking for a good homemade Sloppy Joe recipe if anyone has any suggestions!)

Tuesday:
Muffins w/Fresh Fruit
Black Bean Taco Salad
Turkey Hot Dogs w/Annie's Mac and Cheese and Raw Veggies

Wednesday:
Cereal w/Fresh Fruit
*YOYO
Salad w/Grilled Chicken

Thursday:
Yogurt&Granola w/Fresh Fruit
Tuna Melt w/Raw Veggies and Pears
Chili w/Frito's

Friday:
Cereal w/Fresh Fruit
Sandwiches w/Raw Veggies and Fresh Fruit
PW Chicken Spaghetti  w/Green beans and Toast

Saturday:
Scrambled Eggs,Turkey Bacon and Toast
*Subway after game?
Pantry Meal

Sunday: ***
Clean
    Out
      Fridge