Bathroom Cabinet Fling

Here is what it looks like under my bathroom cabinet.  It is a little more organized than it was earlier today.  As you can see I am well stocked.  Most everything you see here I got for free!  Check out my money saving tips over at CarriesCooking to see how I use The Grocery Game to save money (please use CarriesCooking@gmail.com as referral).  You can also check out Mommy Snacks, to see great deals I am also getting at CVS and Walgreens.

Memories and Garage Sale Pricing

I just finished pricing two more large bags of clothes for our garage sale. Yeah! Still so much more to do.

I got a little sad while pricing this morning. The clothes are so small, just like my baby girl used to be. Now when shopping for new clothes for Elena I pick out clothes that are too small. When I hold up the clothes that are the right size I can't believe how big they are. I know she has gotten so big. And I know that my just turned 3 year old is still small. But, she is growing so quickly.

I have never been one to look towards the past and miss it. I generally spend most of my time looking towards the future and the fun to be had. Becoming a mom seems to have changed that. I don't miss a day of being a single woman out on my own. Or a day of my fun college or high school years. I don't miss the care free days of my youth. But, I am going to miss helping my daughter with every single thing that she can now do on her own. And every year that passes of her youth. But, I still have the ability to look towards the future and see many great years of learning and teaching, in both of our lives, together.

Who knew that garage sale prep could bring a girl to tears?

Bill Paying TaDa

I just got done paying my bills. I try to do this every Wednesday. Yeah, only one bill to pay this week and it was just a water bill.

Have you noticed that some credit card companies are getting their bills to you just in time for you to pay them. We basically use two cards in our home, Discover and one Visa. Luckily, we have always been in the habit of paying off the whole balance every month. (If you find this habit hard to do, I highly suggest not using credit cards.) Our Discover card bill comes about 3 weeks before it is due. This is great. If I get to the bill on Friday instead of Wednesday, not a big deal.

Our Visa bill on the other hand generally gives us less than 2 weeks to pay. That means that if it comes on a Thursday I might have to get on my electronic bill payer (through my bank) by Tuesday to give it the 5 business days to get the bill there in time to not get hit by late and interest fees. I think that is crazy.

Four ways I know to combat what I consider to be an unethical practice of some credit card companies are:

1. Set up an automatic payment of an average credit card amount through your electronic bill payer. This way you just have to go in and change the amount when the bill comes. And, if something comes up in the short time they give you to pay the bill at least they got some money.
2. Keep track of your purchases and when the credit card bill is generally due and send the amount due. (I use http://www.mint.com/ to keep track of my spending. It is super easy to use.)
3. Call or get online to check your credit card amount and send when due.
4. Cancel the card. I would make sure that you explain why you are canceling. The only way to curb this practice is to hurt the company where it matters, their business. (Note: I recently learned from Clark Howard that you can hurt your credit score by cancelling credit cards. Can you believe that? I need to check into that more, but keep that in mind before canceling any cards.)

Do your credit card companies send their bills to you in what you would consider at timely manner? Let me know.

Friday TaDa 8/29/08

I felt very good today, and had the energy to show for it. I am hopefully not done with all I am going to get done but I am going to post what I have gotten done so far today.

-Made bed
-dressed shoes
-1 load of laundry (washed, dried, put away)
-1 load of dishes in dishwasher (washed, put away)
-cleaned bedroom (dusted, cleaned mirrors, vacuumed)
-cleaned dining room (dusted, vacuumed)
-cleaned living room (put away toys, dusted, washed little finger prints off windows and TV, vacuumed out couch and love seat, vacuumed carpet)
-made dinner
-changed out belt in vacuum
-posted about Elena and Christmas in personal blog

My husband rented some videos from our library. I hope that I can get some ironing done while we watch movies. I had him pick up the Disney movie "Enchanted" for me. I have a feeling he won't be interested in it, but that is the one that I really want to watch.

I also need to post a menu and shopping list at my other blog www.carriescooking.com. It would be good if I could work up my own shopping list too. Saturday I normally run my errands. My husband wants to do some mowing and we are having visitors tomorrow.

My brother and his wife should be stopping over for lunch. They live in the state but not close. They are going to be in the area so I invited them to stop over and promised them food. My husband is also having some friends over to watch a football game.

We love having people over so it will be a fun time.

Tuesday Tada 8/19/08

I am feeling much better today. I haven't gotten back to full speed but I think I am getting there.

8:00 - dishes out of dishwasher, dishwasher running with new dishes, made blueberry muffins
play with daughter
8:10 - Laundry in wash
8:12 - watered potted plants
8:22 - bill paid and in mail
8:29 - bed made
9:06 - showered, dressed, laundry in drier
9:15 - dishes out of dishwasher, empty trash
9:24 - dishes in dishwasher, finally caught up from party
9:27 - shined sink
9:37 - rinsed out doll my mother made me and put in laundry to wash so daughter can play with her
9:41 - additional laundry to wash for gentle cycle
9:44 - laundry out of drier
play with daughter
11:55 - ate lunch, laundry out of drier, laundry into drier
11:59 - laundry out of drier
play with daughter

Monday TaDa 8/18/08

I am having a very slow start to my day as I am not feeling well. It was a very long weekend. Saturday we had a birthday party for my daughter who just turned 3. There was the party, getting ready for the party and cleaning up after the party. Then on Sunday we took an extended Kings Island trip. Many family members were at the park so we stayed longer than we normally do. So, I am tired (sore) and I didn't sleep well because of an upset stomach. I have eaten a banana, which naturally settles a stomach, and got some water down and am feeling a little better.


9:21 posted Monday routine
9:23 clipped coupons and put them away
9:28 organized ads for shopping trips
play with daughter
9:52 dishes out of dishwasher
9:59 Called mom about babysitting on Wednesday and about Elena's Clothes for hand me downs
10:27 Dishes in dishwasher
10:37 Put away bags from Kings Island yesterday
10:43 Laundry in wash
10:46 watered container plants
11:05 Changed out sheets and towels, made beds
play with daughter
11:28 take aspirin for migraine
11:33 laundry in drier, new load in wash
play with daughter, window markers
11:55 washed windows in living room (ones we were playing with) was going to wash anyway
picnic outside and playing with new sandbox
1:37 put daughter down for nap (a little early but, I want to get to where she gets up at 7 for school)
1:44 Laundry out of drier
rested, headache gone, stomach still Topsy turvy
3:54 Laundry out of drier, laundry into drier
4:08 Cleared balloons from party
4:13 Swish and Swipe 1/2 bath
4:38 was cleaning living room, daughter woke up from nap wet, doing another load of laundry
reading to daughter (new book she got for her birthday)
5:40 dinner cooking, dishwasher running, laundry out of drier
6:15 Dinner eaten, laundry in drier
6:21 Thank you written
6:43 More thank you's written
6:48 Clothes out of drier
6:58 Put clothes away, put up daughters room
7:03 Laundry out of drier
rested, headache gone, stomach still has issues
8:19 put laundry away
8:23 Another Thank you done
play with daughter
9:15 Put daughter to bed, put leftovers away

My family is so tired tonight, me included. I am about ready to go to bed. See you tomorrow.

Friday TaDa 8/15/08

8:23 Laundry out of dryer
8:24 Laundry into Dryer
8:30 Dishes in dishwasher
8:34 Shine Sink
8:34 Heading out to play with daughter in new sandbox (birthday present from yesterday)
8:51 Finally eating breakfast (daughter is at least)
9:05 Both ate breakfast, Daughter back outside eating pretend Ice Cream, I'm cleaning up kitchen
Played with daughter in basement
9:46 Laundry out of dryer
9:53 Made bed
10:04 Put laundry away
10:05 Laundry out of dryer
10:18 Dough for bread in mixer
10:23 Empty Trash
10:29 Cut up apple for daughter's snack
10:35 Hand kneaded dough and put out to rise
10:39 cleaned up kitchen going to eat apple with daughter
10:48 Dishes out of dishwasher
10:52 Dishes in dishwasher
play with daughter in sandbox
11:27 Check on dough for bread
play with daughter
11:58 pulled chicken from freezer to defrost
12:02 punched dough and put in pan for baking, set out to rise
12:04 cleaned kitchen, put dishes in dishwasher
12:15 Eating lunch with daughter
12:31 Plunged toilet that was stopped up
12:38 Swish and swipe half bath
12:40 Clean kitchen, put dishes in dishwasher
12:49 Bread in oven to bake
1:10 Bread out of oven
1:11 Pictures matted, framed, and hung (2 done, 1 more to do)
going to play with daughter outside
2:23 Put Daughter down for nap
2:23 Decluttering Laundry Room (Crisis Cleaning)
2:58 Cleaning laundry Room (Crisis Cleaning)
3:25 Put laundry in wash
3:25 Laundry room ready for tomorrow's Party

computer issues

8:17 Put dishes in dishwasher

8:18 Daughter before bed snack

9:12 Daughter put to bed

11:10 Completed a ton of ironing, and watched I Am Legend with husband (actually liked movie better than the book)

My back is sore from standing and ironing for so long. I am going to go to bed and try to get an early start for tomorrow.

Tuesday Tada 8/5/08

TaDa (Tuesday routine)
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash (1 load)
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer (1 load)
Clean Upstairs
Put Laundry away (1 load)
Iron (19 pieces of clothing!!! agh!)

Tada (Running)

Tada (Errands)
Elena's Pictures Taken
National Night Out Event

Monday TaDa 8/4/08

TaDa (Monday routine)
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Put Laundry in wash (3 loads)
Make Bed (Change out sheets and towels)
Put Laundry in Dryer (3 loads)
Eat Lunch
Put Laundry away (3 loads)
Eat Dinner
Shine Sink
Empty Trash

Tada (Running)
Fill out financial form
Order Sandbox online
Work out weekly lunch schedule and post to http://www.carriescooking.com/

Tada (Errands)
Library
CSS
Target
Dollar Store
Elena's Bank

Friday TaDa 8/1/08

TaDa (Friday routine)
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast (Take vitamins)
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer
Vacuum Living room, Master Bedroom
Put Laundry away
Eat Lunch
Eat Dinner

Tada (Running)
Schedule daughters 3 yr pictures
Work on invites to daughter's b-day party
Clean out Coupons
Water flowers

Tada (Errands)
Kings Island

Thursday TaDa 7/31/08

ToDo (Thursday routine)
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Make Bed

Todo (Running)
Download google docs offline
Call about homestudy
Make Elena a calendar
Fill out forms for Preschool

Thursday (Errands)
Chucky Cheese

Sunday TaDa 7/27/08

TaDa (Sunday routine)
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Make Bed

Tada (Running)
paint porch
catch up ironing

TaDa (Errands)
Church

Well, I don't feel good about getting a lot done. But, I do feel good about the fact that the porch is done. Also, I feel good about getting all caught up on my laundry. However, my house is far from a peaceful place right now. I will work on that tomorrow I guess.

Friday TaDa 7/25/08

ToDo (Friday routine)
Exercise
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast (Take vitamins)
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer
Vacuum Living room, Master Bedroom
Put Laundry away
Eat Lunch
Eat Dinner
Shine Sink
Empty Trash
Check Calendar & Weather for tomorrow
Wash Face


Todo (Running)
Big Job of the week

Instead of doing work this evening I watched a bad movie with my husband. I hope to get some catching up done tomorrow. I think I will be able to get up early tomorrow. I am going to bed to read now.

Thursday TaDa 7/24/08

ToDo (Thursday routine)
Exercise
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast (take vitamins)
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer
Put Laundry away
Iron

Todo (Running)
Have Elena wrap Papa's b-day present

ToDo (Errands)
Molly's Play

Wednesday TaDa 7/23/08

TaDa (Wednesday routine)
Exercise
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer
Put Laundry away

Tada (Running)
catch up ironing
Post Menu planning series so it is easier to find
Make dad a b-day cake

TaDa (Errands)
Storytime

I knew today was going to be a tough day when it came to getting things done. I was tired. (am tired) I made time to exercise. Not like me to exercise rather than do something cleaning like. But, I knew that working out would help with my soreness and hopefully give me some energy. It did help with soreness, as for energy, maybe it helped.

My husband got home a little early from work, but when up to the office shortly after getting home to take a conference call. Then he went out to mow the lawn. So, any reprieve from watching our daughter didn't happen. I was hoping that I could get some things done when he got home.

I ended up abandoning any hope of getting anything done while she was awake and played with her as another 2 or 3 year old would have. I climbed up to the fort and went down the slide. Swung on the swing next to her. And went running and diving into a tent that I sent out that afternoon for us to play in. Then we got out the sidewalk chalk and colored the driveway. When it got to be about 8 we went inside. I was able to get a little ironing done while she watched a little TV. I guess a little mess is worth time well spent with your child. I wouldn't change it for anything!

Tuesday Tada 7/22/08

TaDa (Tuesday routine)
Exercise
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer
Clean Upstairs
Put Laundry away
Iron
Empty Trash

Tada (Running)
tackle box of items from bedroom
Blog about camping and Uncle Don's Homemade ice cream
Work on invites to daughter's b-day party
Blog about Cox
Return old DirecTV Receiver
Buy Dad a b-day present
Make Blueberry Muffins
Clean out truck

TaDa (Errands)
Library
Walmart
Toys R Us
Boston Concert

I am posting what I have done with my tada now. My husband and I will be getting back late after the Boston Concert so am sure I won't get to it later. I must get to dinner now. I will let you know how the concert went in the morning.

Monday TaDa 7/21/08

ToDo (Monday routine)
Exercise
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed (Change out sheets and towels)
Put Laundry in Dryer
Clean Living room
Put Laundry away

Todo (Running)
Clean out daughters closet
Work on invites to daughter's b-day party
Water Flower Garden
Take care of fish

ToDo (Errands)

Saturday TaDa 7/19/08

TaDa (Saturday routine)
Exercise
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer
Clean Foyer Floors
Put Laundry away
Empty Trash

Tada (Running)
Blog cooking bacon with broiler

TaDa (Errands)
Kings Island

It is Sunday morning and I am just now posting Saturday's TaDa. But, I did get more done than I thought. We had a great time at Kings Island too. I will post today's ToDo before getting into feelings about today.

Thursday TaDa 7/17/08

TaDa (Thursday routine)
Exercise
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer
Vacuum and Clean Basement
Put Laundry away
Iron
Clean out refrigerator
Shine Sink

Tada (Running)
Have daughter call Grammie and Papa
Call Kim about Friday at Kings Island

Tada (Errands)
Butterfly house and picnic (Bring bread to feed fish)

Too tired to finish out daily routine.

Wednesday TaDa 7/16/08

TaDa (Wednesday routine)
Shower and Dress to Shoes
Dishes out of dishwasher
Check Calendar
What's For dinner
Post Blog Entry
Eat Breakfast
Swish and Swipe Bathrooms
Put Laundry in wash
Make Bed
Put Laundry in Dryer
Clean Kitchen Floor
Put Laundry away
Pay Bills
Shine Sink
Empty Trash
Check Calendar & Weather for tomorrow
Wash Face
5 minute house rescue
Lay out cloths for tomorrow

Tada (Running)
tackle box of items from bedroom
Call Discover to cancel service
Make Pumpernickel Bread
Thank you to Jen
Work in flower garden
Thank you to Lisa for watching daughter
DirecTV Guy to fix error

Tada (Errands)
Storytime

Wow! I feel like I got a lot done today. It looks like a lot when it is all written out too. I only have one more box of things from my big job. Then I will have to get ready to tackle another big job. But, I feel good about what I did get done. I feel more at peace when I walk into my bedroom. I didn't get that exercise in today. But, I feel good about getting it done tomorrow.