Grocery Shopping 101 (for Ash) :-)

Ok dolls! A friend requested that I write and give some advice on grocery shopping. Hmmmm....ok, here it goes!

The first thing I do before I ever step foot into the grocery store is make a list. I make sure I have all the food staples such as milk, eggs, bread, etc...if anything is low it gets added to the list first. The way I write my list is probably a little OCD-ish...but it works for me. I think of meals that I may want to cook in the near future and then I write down everything that I need for that meal. I then break my list down into categories by isle. It keeps me from walking back and forth through the store. I write down everything I need from the produce section, frozen, meats, so on and so on. After I'm done with my list, I look to see if I have coupons for any of the items on my list...if so, I paperclip them to the list and stick it in my wallet or purse so that I don't run the risk of leaving either of them at home and get stuck doing aimless shopping. I also use a small calculator to keep an eye on how much I'm spending as I'm shopping so that if I'm shopping on a budget I don't go over.

Some more tips...

* get frozen foods last
* don't buy anything that is not on the list
* don't shop when you're hungry
* try not to bring the kiddies (they can't ask for anything that's not on the list if they aren't there)

Hope this helps Ash! lol

Some Fun Things To Do To Celebrate Back To School!

* Have a cupcake social-- bake some cupcakes from scratch (frosting and all), put on some kid music and maybe give away some little swag bags ( the dollar store is your friend) and just let the kids hang out and talk about their first week back to school

* Invite some friends out for a pizza night at your local pizza joint or dinner at a buffet (I don't know about yours but my kid LOVES the buffet)

* Invite some kids over (after they've eaten dinner at home) for a friday night dessert party (NOT a sleepover...sugar them up and send them home :-))--you can let them make homemade ice cream sundaes, rice krispy treats, brownies or my favorite...funnel cakes (you can buy a kit from bed, bath and beyond for around 8 bucks)

* Let your kid host a pajama movie night--tell the kids to come in their pajamas, pick up some boxes of candy, individual bags of microwave popcorn and make some frozen drinks (I use strawberry daiquari mix and tell them they're homemade slurpees)...and make sure you use cups with lids to prevent spills; pick a fun family movie, dim the lights and voila! pajama movie night

* And of course, you could always throw a little bbq--hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and dip satisfies plenty!

I hope you enjoy these ideas and find it helpful if you're thinking of a way to help your kid and his friends celebrate the beginning of the new school year....or if you just want to be the coolest mom on the block! Happy school year to all your kiddies!

Welcoming Fall!

Hey Dolls! School has begun so that means it's almost time...time to welcome a new season. Fall! I get excited about new seasons because with new seasons come new beginnings. The start of each season for me feels like a chance to start fresh. I especially love Fall. Fall just feels fresh. I love the cool days, the beautiful changing of leaves and most importantly FOOTBALL! It also just springs me into "nesting" mode. There's nothing like pulling out the down comforters and chenille throw blankets, getting the house clean, lighting some yankee candles and putting a big pot of soup or chili in the crockpot or getting the kiddies all bundled up to go tailgate and watch football with friends. Ahhh...Fall and fresh starts are right around the corner! I can't wait.

Everyone Needs A Bucket List

Today I've been thinking alot about how much fun life can be if you just go out and HAVE some! I made "the kid" a cute little print out and told him to make his own "bucket list" of things he'd like to do and places he'd like to go before he's all grown up and the "time to be an adult" hand of "you're not a kid anymore" smacks him in the face. It's funny how much thought he's actually putting into it. So far, we've got to go to Hawaii and he has to go to a football game at Virginia Tech...lol. I guess I'll get to work on my own list that I'm calling the "travel bucket list". So far on my list is Italy, Cabo and Greece. I think it'll be fun to make a list and even more fun to actually get to do everything on it.

Helpful Tips For The New School Year

School is back in session! For my house that means back to some structure and routines. Here are just a few tips to help you and little ones stay organized and on track for the new year.

* Organization is key to a successful school year for you and your kids. Have a designated place for everything school related such as bookbags, papers that need parents signatures, instruments, etc... There's nothing like trying to get out of the house in the morning and having to look for bookbags or homework.

* Prepare for the week as much as possible to avoid last minute to do's. I try to get all the laundry done on Sunday, iron a week's worth of outfits for the kid and myself and hang them in the closet complete with socks, undergarments and belts. I also try to keep school lunch items stocked and extra ice packs in the freezer for the lunchbag. If you have a kid who is known to forget his lunch, it is also a good idea to have some money on a prepaid school lunch account...just in case.

* The night before is a good time to make sure you know where everyone's shoes, coats, umbrellas and keys are. I like to leave them all near the front door. And, you'd be surprised how much a few saved minutes can make the morning go so much smoother. Pack lunches and decide on breakfast the night before as well. It may only save you 10 minutes but you never know when you may actually need those extra minutes.

* Planning your meals for the week is also a huge time and stress saver. If you already know what you're having you can make one trip to the grocery store and you won't run into problems like not having anything thawed out for dinner.

* Definitely keep the kids on a schedule. have a specific time for homework, chores, dinner, baths and bedtimes. The more they follow a set routine, the more organized and successful they will be.

* Bulletin boards and calendars are wonderful tools to keep everyone informed and on top of school activities, meetings, birthdays and appointments.

These are just a few of the tips that keep me from having to pull out my hair during the week. I hope you find them helpful!

Hey Dolls! This here is the new blog! Just got back to the school year "grind" with the kid after a great summer and now I'm ready to embark on the next great adventure. It's so crazy that we are almost done with 2010, but I plan to cram as much fun as I can into it before we say goodbye. In this blog I'll be sharing the randomness of my everyday life...I hope you find it as entertaining as the people who share it with me. I probably live a total of 15 different lives every. single. day. I guess I just refuse to live a plain jane, mediocre, average life...totally not my style. My goal is to be the best mom I know how and to enjoy as much of my time on earth as allowed. Enjoy!

Pothead

Mom's Summer Flower Garden