*The Garden*

Last year, we Brent decided he really wanted to have a garden.  So, we he planted several different things, and tried to plant them by the books~ you know, planting the seeds inside for X amount of time, then move them outside X amount of hours a day and bringing them back in, and then finally planting them in the ground.  Brent built a raised garden bed, 2 feet high and 12 feet long.  Last year he planted corn, spinach, tomatos, jalapenos, cucumbers, cilantro and maybe a few other things but I don't remember.  Our problem with planting last year, we think, was that we planted too late.

Tomatos

Jalapenos

Corn

 This year, we planted again!!  We planted some of the same things as we planted last year.  Tomatos, jalapenos, corn, cucumbers, onions and cilantro!  Brent has been calling this years garden our "Salsa Garden".  I make some darn good homemade salsa; and now I can just use all the stuff from my garden!!  The only thing right now we don't have growing in our garden is cilantro.  We had some, but we planted it too early, so, it's all gone now~ oh well, we live and we learn!

Picked Monday, June 27

Picked Wednesday, June 29

We are getting tomato's out the wazoo!!  These are from the past couple days!!

I finally made salsa tonight using some things from our garden!!  I was VERY surprised to find out how many tomato's it took to get to 30oz!!!  Or maybe, our tomato's are a little bit on the small side.  If I remember correctly I had to cut up about 7 or 8 tomato's!!  Here is the final result!  It doesn't look too great in the picture,  however, I promise, once it is all settled and sits in the fridge over night,

it's going to be great!!!

*Another trip to the Store*

Well, I went back to the grocery store today.  I had to get a few more items I neglected to get before, which are "needs" around here!  Banana's, butter, and cilantro to make my homemade salsa!  And of course, I took a stack of coupons with me!  Here is my damage!

  

Total Items: 18
Total Cost before any savings:      $80.81
After Coupons and store savings:
 $39.60 Approx $2.20 cents an item

And I only used 8 coupons!!!  I don't think that's too shabby!!!  







Don't think all my posts will be about this couponing thing, because they won't!  I promise! 

*A Hobby??*

I work part-time at a local gym ~ an all inclusive type of place ~ they have a child care center where you can drop your children off while you go lift weights, take a Zumba class, go swimming or go play basketball in the gym. They used to do massages there too, but somewhere along the way, they phased that out! My job is supposed to be "part-time", but it always seems to take longer than the 25 hours I think I am supposed to work~ so I think I usually end up working umm, close to 40 hours a week. Most women, with children, would love to be a stay at home mom. I do!! However, just right now, at this time, I can't do that.

So, one thing I am doing to help my dream of being a SAHM come true is cutting coupons! Yes, I said it, cutting coupons!  I guess you can say it has slowly become kind of like a hobby for me.  Can couponing be a hobby??  I'm not going to become CRAZY with it, I won't run ALL OVER town to get the BEST DEALS on what ever~ I just want to cut costs where I can.

A couple of grocery stores close to my house double coupons less than .99 daily.  One particular grocery store will periodically will have a week were they do "Super Doubles" which means they will double coupons less than $1.98  (so that $1.50 coupon, automatically becomes $3.00)!!!  After some researching and reading up on how to coupon effectively, I've learned a little bit about the game!  I still however, have A LOT to learn!!

Here is a picture of my first coupon experience last year~ May 19th, 2010.

Total Items: 38
Total Cost before any savings:       $86.57
After Coupons and store savings:
$41.01 Approx $1.08 an item









Here are 3 pictures from my last coupon experience~ June 23 & June 25, 2011

Total Items: 16
Total Cost before any savings:      $44.06
After Coupons and store savings:
 $13.89 Approx 87 cents an item

  

Total Items: 13
Total Cost before any savings:  $39.91
After Coupons and store savings: 
   $18.53 Approx $1.43 an item

  

Total Items: 11
Total Cost before any savings: $41.73
After Coupons and store savings:
  $12.45 Approx $1.13 an item








Now, after this experience, I learned SOO MUCH!!!  I met a couple other crazy coupon people in the store, and I asked a few questions, and got some GREAT coupon tips!!  I also, should have waited an extra day before I went to the store, because a friend brought me all her left over coupons she wasn't going to use!!  I could have saved A LOT more if I had doubled up on my coupons!!  But oh well, you live and you learn!!  

During these trips, I did buy some things I normally wouldn't buy, and I did buy a few things I didn't have coupons for, but were things I did need.  However, I am proud to say, if I didn't use any coupons, I would have spent right over $125 for all the 40 items I bought!!  Instead, I spent right under $45 total!!!  I am a happy woman (even thought I know I could have saved a little bit more!)!


The more money I start saving now will lead me to my dream job: A Stay At Home Mom!

*Getting Started....*

Well, I started a blog a couple years ago when I got pregnant with our first child, and needless to say I was NOT a good blogger (check it out at your own risk; I'm warning you~it's no good)!!  I wrote maybe 4 times in about a 12 month period!  So, here I am, once again~ with another blog~ which I hope to keep up with!  I am in no way saying I am a good blogger now.  My plan is to just share what is happening in our my crazy busy life~ and maybe even share some secrets stories with you about our family!