savings on saturday

You're probably wondering why I can be talking about saving money when I just recently pitched a three-dollar loaf of artisan bread. People, it is because of those little mishaps in life that make it all the more necessary to watch our Washingtons and Lincolns! (President's Day is coming up.)

Run, don't walk, to the nearest Target and get one of these. Not the dog! The card! While I do not advocate going into debt, I do advocate saving money. Using our Target credit card has saved us money. Here's how.

For every purchase at Target that we make with our Target credit card, we get 5% off.

Right away.

No waiting.

Not points or coupons.

No making calls to Peggy.

As soon as you swipe your card, it takes 5% off your purchase.

Five percent doesn't seem like much, but all those little amounts add up over a year.  Say you spend an average of $100 a month at Target (then you have more self-control than me). That five percent savings translates into $60 a year. That's a pair of shoes ~ or two on sale.

That being said, you have to be diligent about paying it off or else your savings will be eaten up with interest, which I am certain is more than 5%. Every time we use the card, we immediately allocate that money for the payment when the statement comes. We never carry a balance on the card from month to month. Greg is awesome about keeping track of all that!

Also, did you know that if you bring reusable bags they take 5 cents off your purchase for every bag? I don't think it matters what kind of bag, just as long as it is reusable.

P.S. I am not an affiliate of Target and my opinions are my own. They did not pay me to say this. Although if they'd like to pay me, I'd be ok with that. 


P.S.S. Before you get your Target card, be sure to read all the fine print and make sure you are ok with their terms. I am not a financial expert.

 

 

instagram time

My instagram week only has three pictures this time. That does not indicate that this week was any shorter than the others. 

Besides, three pictures is more than none. 

I worked briefly on crafty items last weekend. There's a spring craft show I'm getting ready for. I spent the whole of  Saturday working on the yearbook instead of crafty things ~ which coincidentally is due the same weekend as the craft show. Can you see how I might be conflicted about how to spend my time?

Do you ever drink these? I only buy them when they are on sale. And only two flavors. Pina colada and strawberry daiquiri. So, so yummy.

This one reminds me of summer. Not that I spend my time sitting on a beach sipping umbrella drinks or anything. But still. Summer.

Which we might have in a couple of weeks if the weather keeps behaving the way it is. Yesterday and today we have temps in the 70s instead of the usual cold, windy, crappy weather. Lunch duty with 70 degrees is pretty nice.

See this? This was a good idea gone all kinds of wrong. The other day Greg complained mentioned that we eat the same thing all the time. I'm pretty sick of our repertoire too, but I haven't felt especially culinary lately. Actually I've been feeling who-cares-if-we-eat-dinner lately.

So, I was thinking I'd make these gourmet grilled chicken sandwiches on ciabatta bread. With chipotle mayonnaise. And provolone cheese. Tomatoes. Lettuce.

So fancy.

Here's a kitchen tip for you ~ when you buy fancy three-dollar artisan bread on Sunday, it will be as a hard as a rock when you finally get around to making those delightful sandwiches on Thursday. Buh bye three dollars in the trash can.  Good thing we had some hamburger buns ~ with sesame seeds.

And while I was making the chipotle mayo, I put a between a quarter and half a cup of mayo in a ramekin and was getting ready to put the chipotle pepper seasoning in. I grabbed the half teaspoon and got it all filled up. At that point Greg inquired whether or not there was a recipe ~ did I know how much to use. No, silly boy, I'm winging' it here. He tells me that looks like an awful lot of spice. I think for a minute about the word "pepper" on the can and reconsider. He's probably right. So I only put a quarter of a teaspoon in. Good thing too, cuz that was borderline too spicy.

And.

Yes, another and.

When I grilled the chicken I didn't think about the thickness. We ended up with really thick pieces of chicken! Next time, I'll have filet the chicken into thinner pieces.

Next time? With a dinner full of errors as this, you think there will be a next time? Yes! They tasted delicious! We just need to work out the kinks ~ with different bread and thinner chicken.

What did you cook this week?

Now, I'm off to craft, work on the yearbook, craft, work on the yearbook do something.


Linking up with Life Rearranged.

the curse of the dvr

I love our DVR.

I enjoy being able to watch shows when I have time rather than when the networks say I should have time. I love season passes so I don't miss an episode of my favorite shows because I can't ever remember when it comes on. I {big puffy heart} the pause and 8-second rewind features.

We've had a DVR since before the kids were born. We are partial to the one that begins in Ti and ands in Vo. They have never experienced life without one, except the early years and Grandma & Papa's house. They'd tell Papa to pause because they had to go to the bathroom only to find out that they had to actually utilize the commercials!  They were offended that they couldn't watch their favorite shows on demand, but had to wait until they were actually aired. Spoiled much? Grandma and Papa finally saw the light and got their own, much to the relief of my children.

But.

There's always a but.

What should take less time to watch a 30-minute show with fast forwarding through the commercials, can sometimes take upwards of 30 minutes. Sometimes forever.

Because people talk.

Little people have questions about the show, about whether or not they can have an after-dinner treat, about anything on earth. Greg and I pause to have a discussion about something ~ sometimes not even related to the current show.

How did our parents ever watch a complete show with all the interrupting? Where we only allowed to talk on commercial breaks? Probably.

So at our house, unless you are watching all by yourself, it is likely that it will take you longer to watch a show on the DVR than live t.v. because we've always got something to say.

And if we are watching live t.v., we will pause it.

   

tales from a schoolyard

I've started a new blog that will chronicle the classroom a little more than my tales from the schoolyard posts on this blog do.  I will still post a few schoolyard tidbits here ~ you know, the funniest and cutest ones. But if you want to more of the day to day teaching story, you can find me at Tales from a Schoolyard.

See you on the playground!

   

tales from the schoolyard

One of my 4th grade teammates brought us all a candy treat today. Too bad I am powerless against Reece's Pieces and these will be gone before the dance class marathon is over tonight. 

Who am I kidding, they are half gone and we've only been here fifteen minutes. 

Have you noticed the lack of schoolyard posts this year (nevermind the lack of any posts in general)? I have come to the conclusion that 4th graders are not quite as hilarious as 2nd graders. Fun? Yes. But they do not bust out the innocently cute comments that the little guys do.  

We do have fun. Especially when we have a spontaneous 2-minute dance party. 

Or when I make them twist up like a pretzel and spell their names backwards to get their brain synapses firing.

Or when we are choreographing dance moves for our recent flag ceremony. 

Or when we have a "snowball" fight while I'm being observed by the assistant principal for my yearly evaluation. 

What can I say - I'm hecka fun! 

And when I'm not busy being fun, we are working hard because there's a lot of pressure for my kids to pass the state test later this spring. And since I'm returning to 4th grade from my 5-year stint in 2nd, I feel like I am really under a magnifying glass. 

Now that I'm all hopped up on sugar, I'm gonna be working on some grading while I watch my pretty girls dance. 

See you on the playground. 



       

ties for the littlest guy

I've been busy at the sewing machine. I've added something to the shop for the littlest guys in your life. Aren't these just the cutest?

These ties are attached to a neckband that has a velcro closure. That way they are easy to put on your littlest guy and are adjustable. The tie is about 10" from the top of the knot to the bottom. The neckband is about 15 1/2".

I'll be working on ties for little guys (elementary age) soon that will be longer and have a little bit larger neckband.

         

menu plan monday ~ pantry challenge month

As I mentioned in my last post, our grocery store had a case sale last week. Holy cans, Batman! Greg went the first day for me to make sure everything we wanted was in stock.

With bringing home all of that goodness, the pantry needed a little overhaul. Some people have been getting lazy with putting things away neatly. Although we have lots of shelf space, the design of the pantry is less than ideal. On either side we have these wings that are hard to get to and make storage difficult.

After a few hours of cleaning, reorganizing, and stocking the shelves, the pantry is looking mighty fine.

I found some really old stuff in "the abyss" that needed to see its way to the trash can. Didn't I clean out the pantry just recently? Maybe it's been a few years while.

All of the case sale haul did not fit in the pantry ~ but I had a plan. This summer we knocked out the back wall of the closet under the stairs. Perfect for storing extra pantry supplies.

So, how are we doing with our pantry challenge? Let's review.

1. Use up items from the pantry & freezer. We are doing pretty good. For example, last week I found a bottle of mandarin sauce that needed to be used up soon. I forgot I even bought that! We had mandarin chicken over rice (and broccoli for three of us) and my family deemed it just as good as Panda Express. Hmmm, maybe because the sauce was the Panda Express brand.

2. Stock the pantry. Accomplished! I will be keeping my eye out for good stock up prices still, of course.

3. Save money. Yes and no. The stock up part was pricey (we'll talk about that another day). But as far as weekly shopping, we have been under budget so far, even with the midweek trip I had to make to get a few things for my grade level lunch last Friday.

Last week's menu plan was the same as the week before (the previous post) because I ended up making random things for dinner the first week. Now we have a fresh set of items for the plan:

• chicken & stuffing bake
• swedish meatballs
• quesadillas & corn salad
• bbq chicken pizza
• tortilla soup
• slow cook turkey chowder (new)

Linking up to Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday and Good Cheap Eats for the Pantry Challenge.

    

menu plan monday ~ pantry challenge month ~ week one

Woo! Ready for a new year?

Here at the Robinson house, we are working on getting back on track with things ~ like menu planning.  I actually have been menu planning for most of the ending weeks of 2011, I just didn't post about it.

On the menu this week:

• baked potato soup
• king ranch chicken
• chicken spaghetti
• slow cooker beef stew
• cream cheese chicken
• meatloaf
• vegetable soup

Most of the items on the list are the exact items from my list last week, but I bought a ham at the grocery store at the last minute, so we had ham and scalloped potatoes plus some other recipes involving ham. That sure did make menu planning for this week a piece of cake.

Along with the weekly menu planning, we are participating in the Pantry Challenge. Here are my goals for the Pantry Challenge:

1. Use up items from the pantry and freezer. Right about now you're saying, "Uh, hello, isn't that why it's called a Pantry Challenge?" Yes, yes, it is. My hope is to use items that need to be used before throwing them away. For example, we have a nearly full, large container of fried onions left over from Thanksgiving. Since it is already opened, the window of usage is coming quickly to a close. I'd rather find a way to use it besides green bean casserole than throw it away. Check back as the month goes along and I will share with you how I used a few those odds and ends.

2. Stock the pantry. Oh, I'm really confusing you now, aren't I? When we participated in the Pantry Challenge last year, we realized that our grocery store has case sales in January. The store will be having case sales again this coming week. There is no better time to stock up on pantry staples than during a case sale. All the same stuff you're going to eat anyway, only cheaper. By focusing on clearing the pantry of older items, I am freeing up grocery budget money to stock up for later. See? Not so crazy after all.

3. Save money. When Greg took over the family accounting and bills over a year ago, he gave me a grocery budget based on what we'd spent in the previous months. That number was $132 a week. This is basically groceries only. I have a separate budget for household items from Costco and Target. For 2012, he has increased my budget to $140 a week. However, for the month of January my goal is to spend only $100 a week, or $500 for the whole month. Since we do our grocery shopping on Sunday or Tuesday, there are 5 shopping times in January. So far, I've spent $130. This is over my weekly January budget, but I plan to make up the difference in the coming weeks.

So how about you? Are you taking the Pantry Challenge this month? Are you menu planning?

I'm linking up with Organizing Junkie (menu plan) and Good Cheap Eats (Pantry Challenge).

   

snowflake frame tutorial

When do you take your Christmas decorations down? Right away? Or do you let them linger?

We usually take ours down right around New Year's. Many a New Year's Eve has been spent putting away Christmas decorations while watching television to ring in the new year. 

January is too early for Valentine's decorations, so a little snowflake decor is in order. Let's make a little something.

You will need:

• snowflake ornament
• 5" x 7" frame (or one that fits your snowflake)
• scrapbook paper
• ivory, black, and white paint
• brown antiquing gel or some sort of stain
• paint brushes
• sandpaper
• glitter (I used Martha Stewart ~ white)
• spray adhesive
• strong glue 

I got the frames on clearance a while ago at Target. I got the snowflake ornaments on clearance also just before Christmas this year.

Take the glass and other cardboard/paper out of the frame. Find another use for the glass ~ we will not be using it today. Paint the frame ivory. Good coverage is not crucial because we are just establishing a base coat and something to peek through when the frame is scruffed up later.

Next, paint the black. This is where you will want good coverage.

When the black is dry, use the sandpaper or sanding block to scruff up the frame where natural wear might occur. Do as much or as little as you like. If you are fancy, use a tack cloth to wipe away the grit. I'm not so fancy, I just use a damp paper towel.

Apply the brown antiquing gel or stain with a brush, then wipe off with a cloth. Use as much or as little as you like. The gel doesn't show up as much on the black as it might on a lighter project, but it does leave a nice sheen.

These are the ornaments I found on clearance. One is plastic and the other is some sort of ceramic. I found them at Joann's and Hobby Lobby.

I spray painted them white. I like how the coverage was minimal on the one on the right.

Um, what the what?

I bought this spray adhesive some time ago in anticipation of needing it for some craft or another. I've never used it until now and what do I find when I pull off the cap? No nozzle!!

When Greg got home I showed this craft travesty to him and he replaced it with a nozzle from a can of WD40. I'll keep that guy!

Now back to crafting. Spray the snowflakes with the glue then apply the glitter liberally over a paper plate. Pour the excess glitter back into the container to use another time. I let this dry overnight.

Next comes choosing a paper for the background. When I was shopping, I bought several because I wasn't too sure which would work best once the snowflake was painted and glammed up with glitter.

Love, love, love this paper. But it's too busy for the snowflake and overall too much the same color as the snowflake. It just gets lost.

This one is better. It has a smaller, less crowded pattern and the overall color is darker. This one might have been fine.

But I also bought this one. Perfect. Even less busy and darker. This one will allow the snowflake to pop. That diva is really the star of the show, you gotta let her shine.

Cut the paper to fit the cardboard backing that came with the frame (5" x 7").

I attached the paper to the cardboard with double-sided tape. Then pop in the frame. I planned on using E6000 to glue the snowflake to the paper ~ but alas it was dried up. I'm really having glue issues with this project.

I ended up using hot glue. It worked just fine.

Just so lovely and simple! Can you see the glitter? I'm kinda wondering what else around the house I can glitter.

This is a perfect decoration for January. Seasonal & sparkly but unassuming.

What a beautiful pair!

   

I'm linking up with Mique at 30 Handmade Days.
 

instafriday - last week of the year

It's time to link up with life.rearranged for Friday phone photos.

Although I started wrapping early, I was still up late wrapping on Christmas Eve. My laid back attitude this holiday season meant I wasn't moving too fast so it took a while. Even though we stayed up late, I didn't feel frantic about it. That is a distinct difference from year's past.

The day after Christmas we took Greg to a museum with period housing from our area. Various houses were moved to the museum site and restored in a cute little cul-de-sac. The kids and I have been before and I knew Greg would love it. He did. I get a kick out of looking at the old houses and reading about what life was like when these houses were built.

After the museum and a visit to Hobby Lobby (yay for 66% off wrapping paper), we went out to eat. I colored with Heather. It's easy to color with her since she's a lefty. I just have to stay on my half.

Yesterday the girls waited patiently for Papa to pick them up for a playdate with their cousin, Gianna.

Well, I'm off to finish a fun craft to share with you soon. I just came upstairs to get some glue and got distracted here on the net.

This is why things take so long at our house.

Happy Friday!

   

did you know?

You can now find Daffodils and Daisies on Facebook!

Go ahead, say you like us!

You're going to want to like Daffodils and Daisies for a fun giveaway later this week.

   

happy new year sale

As we are ending this year, putting Christmas decorations away, and getting ready for a New Year I decided it is time for a little bit of a sale.  From now through New Year's Day you can get 10% off everything in my shop. Use the code HAPPYNEWYEAR10 when checking out to get the discount.

Let's take a look at a couple of new items in the shop.

I added a couple of new drawstring backpacks ~ this time something the little guys will like.

I'm also working on something else for the little guys in your life. More on that soon.

For now, use the code and save a little money!

     

books i read in 2011

For several years now, I've made a book reading goal for myself.  The first two years I was able to make my goal. Last year, I almost made my goal.

This year?

Ha!

Not even close!

My goal was 35 books for 2011. I read 13.

1. Second Thyme Around by Katie Fforde

2. The Smart One by Ellen Meister

3. Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick

4. Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts

5. Save as Draft by Cavenagh Lee

6. Angel Lane by Sheila Roberts

7. Matters of the Heart by Emily Giffin

8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

9. Work Hard. Be Nice. by Jay Mathews
10. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

11. The End of Molasses Classes by Ron Clark

12. Who Loves You Best by Tess Stimson

13. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Shameful?

No. I still found the time to read those 13 books. I do know that one pitfall to reading was taking papers to grade at dance class this fall instead of doing the reading that I normally do while the kids are dancing. I'm thinking that needs to stop.

However, this does lead me to a question. Should I make a goal for 2012 or just see how it goes? Each year I increased my goal. The first year I started with 24 and it has progressed to 35. Should I start with a lower number this time?

After a lot of only a little pondering, I have decided to set a conservative goal of 24 books for 2012.

Here's to reading in 2012!

Linking up with The Nester.  What books have you read?

 

this week on my phone

It's time for Insta-Friday at life.rearranged.

Monday the kids and I headed out to a museum nearby to take our Christmas card pictures. I planned to use this location last year, but the weather mocked me with windy and rainy days. There ended up being no card at all last year. We rarely get our Christmas card out before Christmas ~ that's what the week after Christmas is for at our house!

Oh, and Heather is not showing any skin or unnies on her backside. Her layered cami turned up white in this black and white filter.

The kids had their dental check/cleaning. No cavities here ~ although this one will be having a small procedure done in the summer. She's wigged out about it and keeps asking me if it will bleed. I keep telling her not to worry then change the subject.

Even with all the crap this child has had to endure in her tiny little mouth, she still likes the cleanings too. This time she got a couple of spacers to help some molars position themselves properly.

I finished the kids' Christmas shopping, but not before I got a little White Chocolate Mocha treat for Mommy. A couple of Greg's customers have given him gift cards in the past. He doesn't drink coffee so I get a treat once in a while when it's chilly out.

This year I have been lugging school work to dance class with me. I have spent most of the time grading papers and such, pulling out my book for only a little while if at all. Consequently, it has taken me forever to read this book. I left my school bag at home this week and focused on my book. And watching my pretties dance, of course.

I finished the book this morning. Now I can rent the movie next week.

I've been making pumpkin bread for neighbors and Greg's coworkers this week. Making pumpkin bread during the holidays is a tradition for me that started even before I met Greg. I've only used one recipe this whole time. It's oh so good. Why mess with what's right? There is also a pumpkin cookie recipe that I love.

Hmmm, maybe I'll make some of those too.

I've enjoyed this week off. I have spent time with the kids, gone shopping, baked, wrapped some, and worked on last minute projects. For the first time in a lot of years I am not stressed about the holidays. I am enjoying the moments leading up to it. I still have stuff to get done, and it will get done, but I'm not pulling my hair out over it. I like it better this way.

Today the kids and I are making ornaments.

What did you do this week?