The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Pool time, that is!  I guess my not so subtle hints worked because my wonderful sweet hubby decided to take the pool cover off this week!  I would do it, but we have one of those heavy duty covers that the dogs can run across (we don't encourage it but it happens) it and not have to worry about them falling in.  The ads show it with an elephant on it, but I am pretty sure that is fabricated and I would not want to attempt putting an elephant on our pool cover.  Anyway, it's a pretty intense job and I am not allowed to attempt up to it.

The one job I do have in this process is getting the salt.  I am convinced one of the smartest things we did when we moved into our house was converting our pool to salt water. We buy 10 bags of salt at the beginning of the summer (about $6 each @ Academy) and the only other thing we add to it is some algaecide every few weeks. No crazy chemicals to balance (I did plenty of that my 3 summers as a lifeguard), and you don't have to worry about your hair turning green or that nasty chlorine film all over you when you get out of the pool.

In my quest for pool salt this year I learned that people who shop and work at Academy are way nicer and more helpful than @ the other (big box) store I've purchased salt at in the past.  I had a random customer and a sales person offer to load the 10- 40lb bags of salt in my cart for me.  I am sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I had on a skirt and  3.5 inch wedges =).  However, I managed just fine getting them in my car and counted that as my weight workout for the day.

I think Hawk was the most excited one of all of us when we got the cover off the pool.  I am convinced he thinks the pool is there solely for his pleasure.  The dog LOVES water (what lab doesn't), and he knows what we are talking about when we ask him if he wants to go swimming. The normal reaction is him about losing his mind, so we usually don't tell him until we are about to walk outside although I think he has figured out what's going on when we put swimsuits on.

We are still working on cleaning it out, but isn't it pretty?!?!  And it even comes with it's own pool boy!  His name is Ramon, I mean Eric.  LOL.  He actually got in the FREEZING cold water after this to vacuum it out which I could not believe.  I had my arms in it to brush off the steps and my hands went numb.

Apparently our pool deck needs some TLC.  We used to have honeysuckle in the corners of the fence but it started looking like a jungle so we pulled it out this year.  I have my work cut out for me.  I have a few plants in pot that I need to put around the edge of the fence and I am contemplating growing some Morning Glories on the fence to give it some color. It will work if I can keep Eric from weed whacking them down!

Even the pups helped get it ready, well sort of. We've got a big weekend planned and I am super excited about it!  I am just hoping the rain either comes through early or skips over us all together!  Happy Friday!


P.S.  I made Rolo-Stuffed Cookies last night for this weekend and they are my new favorite cookies (Pinterest find, of course!).  They were SUPER easy and absolutely delicious!  I think next time I might add some mini-chocolate chips to the batter just for the heck of it!

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Couponing 3-28

One of the reasons I started this blog was to document my couponing endeavors.  As time has gone on I have gotten away from it more than I would have liked, mainly because I ran out of time. Once basketball season started any time I had to spend on couponing was gone, but I also had no to time to cook so I guess things worked out because it kept me from needing a lot of groceries.  I've been trying to get back into it and I have...finally!

There were a few items I needed from Publix for this weekend so I pulled my coupons together, hit the aisles and ended up surprising myself with my savings!

The proof

I spent $29.13 and saved $38.79 for a total percentage of savings of 57%!  Not too shabby!

Here's what I hauled in:
3 jars Hellman's mayonnaise for $1.41ea = $4.23 (BOGO $5.81 + 3 x $1.50 off 1)
1 package Gold Medal Flour = $2.19 (on sale)
1 bottle Heinz Ketchup = $2 (on sale 2 for $4)
1 package Kraft Fresh Take Cheese and Bread Crumb Mix = FREE!  (FREE item coupon from Kraft First Taste)
3 bottles Wishbone Salad Dressing for $.40ea = $1.20 (BOGO $2.81 + 3 x $1 off 1)
2 packs Oscar Meyer Beef Franks for $2.59ea = $1.19 (BOGO)
4 bottles Coffeemate Creamer for $.83ea = $3.34 (on sale 3 for $5 + 2 BOGO coupons)
1 box Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake = $1 (BOGO $1.99)
1 bag sweet onions = $3.99
3 tomatoes = $1.88 (on sale $1.29/lb)
2 jalapeno peppers = $1.29/lb

It felt so good to get back in the groove of couponing again! I always feel like I've won a  big prize when I have saved more than I spent (is that weird?).  I was in a happy sharing mood so I left a few extra coupons on the shelves next to the items they were for.  Yes I could have used them, but I decided that I really didn't NEED 5 jars of mayonnaise (right now anyway =))

What I'm Pinning Wednesday

Monday night I got to do something that I've wanted to do for a long time, well something I've wanted to do for 3 weeks, and technically only 3 days if you count when I actually could go do this.......

That's right!  I went to see Hunger Games!!!  But wait, I didn't just go see it; I got Eric to go with me!  I could not believe it!  He actually told me that he enjoyed the movie (which I know he hated to admit) and I overheard him telling one of his buddies that it was one of the best movies he had seen in a long time.  [insert "I told you so" dance here].  It was totally worth not getting home until 11pm and having to get up @ 4:45am the next morning. But I guarantee I would not have stayed up for any other movie (except maybe Catching Fire or Mockingjay).

In honor of my current obsession with the Hunger Games I found some Games-inspired pinspiration.

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True story.

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And may the odds be ever in your favor!

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....and a few other lovelies that caught my eye this week....

Polka Dot Burlap!

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Rolo-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies....making these this weekend!

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Mint Buttercream Chocolate Cupcakes

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I NEED this dress!

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So cute and comfy

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This just screams summer!

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This would make me smile on a rainy day!

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The exact same mindset of our dog.

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"Watch me!"

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Happy Wednesday!

Weekend Recap

At the beginning of this weekend, my mind was on one thing and one thing only: Hunger Games. Not going to see the movie (did not want to fight the crowds this weekend), but finishing the series.  I was halfway through Mockingjay (3rd & last book) when the weekend kicked off.  I was planning on spending my Friday night curled up on the couch, but it was not in the cards and we ended up going to cook out with some friends, which was a lot of fun!

We stayed out pretty late so we slept in Saturday (does 8am count as late?) and Eric headed up to B'Ham for a Paint Ball Bachelor Party.  With him out of the house I decided I was going to be productive and weed the flower beds!  However I needed some lunch, so I sat down by the still covered...grrr! pool to read while I ate. 3.5 hours later I came up for air when the puppy dogs let me know that they were ready to go inside.  Needless to say I had nothing to show Saturday but some pretty new gardening gloves that were still pretty. Oops! Since I had not planned on sitting outside reading for 3.5 hours I did not apply any sunscreen and paid dearly for my oversight. I call it my Hunger Burn.

Since it was close to 5PM I decided to head to church so I could sleep in Sunday morning. When I got home I fixed myself a delicious dinner of Tontino's Party Pizza, Double Stuff Oreos and some Cabernet....what more could you want in a dinner?!

I picked up the book after I'd finished my dinner and did not put it down again until 11:30PM when I finished it!  It was fantastic!!! Now that I am completely done with the series (I still can't believe I read all 3 books in 3 weeks--that's some kind of a record for me) I am READY to see the movie!!!

Since I finished Mockingjay on Saturday I was infinitely more productive on Sunday.  It was amazing how much I got done when I wasn't constantly thinking about that stupid book!  I cleaned the house, washed the car, and even weeded the flower beds [finally].  As I was weeding the beds I ran across what I can only describe as a mutant dandelion.  I have no idea where it came from but I can assure you that it has been pulled up and put in the garbage.

I would love to know what exactly this is....don't you love my cute new gardening gloves, too?!

I am looking forward to a busy week at work because we have a fabulous weekend planned for this coming weekend that involves the river, a bonfire, s'mores and good friends! I can't wait!

Friday's Letters

handsome boy and a little squirt!

Dear Hawk, I am so sorry you did not feel good yesterday and last night.  However, I really appreciate the fact that you actually thought to get outside through open window with the busted the screen to avoid going potty in the house while we were gone last night.  I wish I had a picture of Eric's and my faces when you came running at us when we pulled in the drive way.  I bet it was priceless! Needless to say the windows will be double checked before we leave the house from now on.

Dear Peanut, we are NOT going to make this kick-your-food-bowl-out-of-your-kennel-in-the-morning thing a regular occurrence.  I promise your daddy will not pick it up and you will have to go hungry until he comes home in the afternoons. I know that your back is much much better now, but you still have to stay in your house (kennel) while we are gone.  This is for your own good,  I promise!

Dear Eric, I am so excited that we were able to get Sammie this past weekend!  I think she is going to be a fabulous addition to our family (of cars of course!). I think she would look extra fabulous next to an open pool...hint hint!  =)

Dear Sammie, I am so glad you belong to us now!  You are really pretty and shiny and you get the most AWESOME gas mileage!  I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Dear Gracie, although I am very excited about Sammie, I really really miss you.  We spent a lot of good years together and there is nothing that will ever replace you.  And yes I did cry when I had to say good-bye to you last weekend.

Dear City of Montgomery, it would be really nice if you could get another nice movie theater.  I mean The Rave is great, but I would really really really (really!) like to go see The Hunger Games this weekend but I have absolutely no desire to fight crowds to see at the one decent movie theater in town to see it (there are only 2 in the entire city).

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Dear Dancing with the Stars Season 14 Stars, I want to apologize for writing you all off when they first announced the cast.  You may not all be A-listers (or even close to that), but you ALL are absolutely fantastic dancers. I did not want to cringe a single time last night when I was watching you all's first dances on my DVR last night.  Can't wait to see the rest of the season!

Dear Michigan State Spartans, you guys did not hold up your end of the bargain and win the NCAA Basketball Championship like I predicted you would.  I think I can officially say this was my worst bracket EVER!  Even Eric is beating me and his national champion got beat in the first round!

Ma Nouvelle Belle Voiture

If you speak French you already know what this post is about.  If you don't keep reading! =)

My beloved Gracie (yes I name my cars) and I have been together for 6 years, since I was a junior in college.  We've been through several moves and many many many miles. I managed to put 130,000 miles on her in a mere 6 years, and she broke the 150,000 mile barrier at the beginning of 2012. As much as I did not want to, we had to start thinking about trading her in because if we waited 6 months or a year then she would surely hit the 200K mile mark and then we would get next to nothing for her on a trade in.

my faithful companion, Gracie

When it comes to cars I think it would be easier if someone said you've maxed out your miles on this one, so here's your next one! I am useless when it comes to making decisions about cars. We test drove a few different cars at a dealership in town (Taurus-bad gas mileage, Fusion-not big enough, Milan-did not like the interior look), and I was not too interested in any of them.  We left the dealership and I had convinced myself that I was just not ready for a new car.  We talked about it that night and I promised Eric I'd go back to the dealership and test drive the Milan again the next day just to make sure that it was not the car for me.

He called me the next day while I was at work and said he'd seen another car he wanted me to look at.  Since my dad came in town that afternoon, he went with me. We stopped at the used car lot to test drive the car Eric saw that morning and all of a sudden the clouds parted, the sun shone down and the angels sang.  I found my car!  The ONLY car that could replace my beloved Gracie, or so I thought. Upon further inspection, Eric found several cosmetic things wrong with it and apparently it shook when you hit the breaks.  Minor details, right?  I knew that it was pretty and I wanted it.

Since we could not get that one we found ourselves at the nearest Hyundai dealership and  we now have this nouvelle belle voiture!  AKA my pretty new car!

I'd like to introduce Sammie the Sonata!  Isn't she gorgeous!?  I must admit that one of the reasons I love her so much is because she is just like Gracie, just upgraded! My favorite feature is the built-in bluetooth.  I am sure people think I am nuts as I drive down the road with no phone in hand talking away, but I think it's fantastic! I have a 40 minute commute so it makes the trip go by much faster if I can spend it talking to someone.

My second most favorite thing is the gas mileage this car gets.  It's amazing!  I drive 350 miles a week (70 miles round trip everyday), so a car that averages 34 miles per gallon on the highway is a win!

These were the stats on this tank of gas when I got home from work. Almost 500 per tank (or more!)?!?!?  That's amazing!  I used to have to fill up at least once a week in Gracie, and that was if I did not drive any where else after I came home from work. This is going to save my shopping fund  wallet some major bucks!

I have been experimenting to see how good of mileage I can get.  I had it up to 40 miles per gallon the other day, with my cruise set on 60mph....I could not believe it.  I am actually excited to fill my gas tank up to see exactly what my mileage is, however, it will be next week before I have to do that!

The only problem I forsee with this new car is keeping it clean.  Since I spend so much time in my car I have a really hard time keeping it clean.  I had four bags of stuff that I cleaned out of Gracie, seriously.  Not to mention I have to drive through the country and that white paint is a bug magnet.  I promised Eric I would take care of Sammie (wash her and vacuum her out on a regular basis--ug!  Isn't that a husband job?), and I must admit she is so pretty when she is clean!  I just hope I don't go too far overboard with keeping her clean.  I am almost ashamed to admit this, but I have wiped the front of her down every day this week with a  clorox wipe after I've come home from work to get the bugs off.  And yesterday I wiped my entire car down with clorox wipes because it rained and dirt had spattered on her.  I know it's not going to last but I am trying really hard, and I know it's going to drive me crazy when she starts getting really dirty.

Cleaning aside I am really excited about my pretty new car!  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!  We were laughing with my dad because 6 years ago when I got Gracie, my dad was down for a visit, and he just happened to be in town when we got Sammie.  I guess he's good luck when it comes to finding the perfect car for me!

Weekend with Dad Recap

Every once in a while Monday rolls around and I look back at the weekend and think to myself, wow, did we really do ALL of that this weekend?  How on earth did we find the time?!  This weekend was one of those weekends.  It felt MUCH longer than 2 days and completely enjoyed every minute!

My dad flew in on Thursday and we hung out while Eric cleaned fish, lots and lots of fish (I think it ended up being around 200).  I don't touch them, just eat them after he cooks them. Don't get me wrong I have helped before, but I pushed too hard on the filet when I cut the rib cages out on purpose and have not been asked to help since.  That was about 6 years ago. [I guess it worked!] When the fish were cleaned we decided to go get something to eat at a Mexican place in town.

Friday my dad headed to the golf course for not one, but TWO rounds of golf, so I went to work.  He called me about 2:15 and I met him for some frozen yogurt, which hit the spot! We had a fish fry Friday night and ate some of the fishies Eric cleaned the night before.  It was so pretty outside so we lit the tiki torches and ate out by the pool!

1. Who can resist St. Paddy's Day-inspired cookie cake! I may or may not have finished it up for breakfast on Saturday morning. =)

2.  I absolutely love our tiki torches!  But I plan to add some homemade wine bottle tiki torches in the near future. 

3. Why yes we do have a commercial grade fryer that we use when we have fish fries.  Who doesn't?

4. Green beer for St. Paddy's Day!  This was actually from dinner on Saturday night at a fabulous restaurant called Sarris' at the Station. Best steak dinner in town, hands down!  We were celebrating because Eric and I made a rather large purchase on Saturday.  Let's just say that I said good-bye to my companion Gracie.  I spent a lot of time with her and actually teared up a bit when I had to say good-bye. 

My faithful companion for 6 years!  I miss you Gracie! 

More to come on that later this week........=) =) =)

Sunday we had to say good-bye to my dad because he had to head back up north.  I am so glad he got to come see us! I always wish we lived closer to my parents, but I wish a lot harder when they have to go home after a wonderful visit.

I needed to get out of the house and get my mind off things Sunday afternoon so we decided to head to the river for some R & R. It was another absolutely gorgeous day so we hooked the boat up to the Jeep, packed some stuff for dinner (burgers and hotdogs!) and headed to the river to meet some friends. We beat everyone there so Eric wanted to "try out the fish" and had quite a bit of success.

I love this place!  We were there all day and other than the people we were with, we saw 1 other boat. 

Our inchworm friend who came and ate dinner with us. He was so cute!

Eric had a pretty nice catch.  He had about 20 fish after 30 minutes or so.  I forgot how funny he is when he fishes. The kid talks, yes talks to the fish while he is catching them.  And when he gets a bite, which is quite often, he whoops and hollers like he just won the lottery. You would not expect it from someone who has probably caught thousands upon thousands of fish in his lifetime, but he does.  

While he fished I soaked up some sun, snapped some pictures of the beautiful scenery and finished the second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire. OMGness.  I literally screamed when I finished the book.  I told Eric to give me his phone (which is a mobile hotspot) so I could download the 3rd book on my Kindle.  If our friends had not arrived when they did, I would have. No worries I got the book when I got home. =)

I don't think I could have asked for a more perfect weekend.  The only thing that could have made it better is if a laundry fairy could come by my house and fold the 6 + loads of clean laundry that is sitting on the guest bed.  Oh well, I guess you can't have it all!  

Just a Taste.....

.....of the weekend.  And what a weekend it was.  My dad came down to spend some time with us and we kept him busy the whole time! I believe when I speak for the entire group that a good time was had by all and we were all sad to see it end.  I will have a full recap with lots and lots of pictures tomorrow, but all I have for today is my sad excuse for a NCAA tournament bracket.  If it weren't for my National Championship game picks my bracket would be completely busted, and that almost happened when Kansas narrowly escaped an upset from my Purdue Boilermakers. Although I would have ecstatic if that had happened.

Key:
Green Line = my pick that won
Red Line = my pick that lost
Blue writing = team that actually won the game I picked wrong

This has been quite an exciting tournament and I am looking forward to the next round of games this weekend!

Let the Games Begin!

....and NO I don't mean the Hunger Games....BTW I am halfway though the second book and OMGness I cannot put it down!

Back to basketball....

I am pretty much convinced that the first 4 days of the NCAA Basketball Tournament (both the men's and the women's tournaments) are the greatest days of basketball all year round.  I mean you can watch games for 12 hours straight! I can't think of too many greater television events that occur like that (except for maybe the Olympics).

I am pulling hard of Michigan State since I picked them to win it all, so let's go Spartans! Get'em big green!

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