Each year many of us make New Year's Resolutions to lose weight, better ourselves, straighten out that hallway closet or even {gasp} give up a favorite food. Well not frigging here, no sir~rie! If I want a double chocolate cupcake with butter cream frosting and jimmies I'm damned well going to eat it! What I am going to continue is my savvy shopping sense and reward system.


It all started after R09 (recession of '09). We all started watching our money a bit closer and some of us even started being more diligent about coupons. I took it a step further by only buying what we needed for our meal plans, making sure the food was on sale, there was a coupon on double coupon day and documenting my savings including percent saved each trip.

It started as a game really, The Grocery Game as some call it. Each Sunday I'd take the coupons offered offered in the local paper and plan the meals for the week based on what was on sale that week. I know it sounds like a lot of work and I guess in the beginning it was but I was quickly able to get it down to about an hour of work which saved us over 30% of our grocery bill each week.

As I sat down each week, I was damned if I wasn't going to save more on our groceries for the upcoming week than the past week. Truth be told, when I looked at the total saved a the bottom of each receipt I felt giddy and might even admit I had a rush similar to those only brought on by a fine shot of espresso.

At the end of each month I would tuck all the money saved in a savings account. It's been a couple of months now and by tracking my grocery savings we've packed away a little over $500. So for about 8 hours of work (an hour a week) our family has $500 extra dollars, not too shabby right?!

Now the question at hand is: what will we do with all my savings? Hubby and I have been super careful about paying cash for everything so we do not have to worry about credit card debt, knock on wood. We've also been tucking away money for retirement each month for over 15 years so another check in the 'move in the right direction' column for us.

I've decided that it's time to travel. That's right, it's time to hit the open road. I think the kids are at the age where they appreciate trips more than before and will remember the experiences as they get older so it's time. It's time to get those brains exploring the world as funding provides.

Come on, admit it. We all remember those 'family vacations; they are unforgettable really. The ones where the family spent a week arguing what to load into and onto the roof of the station wagon or placed bets on how often the third wheel (motor home) was going to break down during the course of the trip. All those helpful reminders from the front seat that you needed to "quiet down, stop picking on your sister and behave or I'm gonna pull over on the side of the road ~ don't make me do it!" Wait, maybe that's just my special memory. Yup, it's so ON in our household!

When I asked our daughter where our first trip should be she proclaimed "IDAHO!" Not Disney or some warm beach in another country, Idaho. I'm not sure what's in Idaho other than all those potatoes advertised by Denise Austin but based on work vacation calendars we may be visiting Idaho in the spring.

So what are you going to do in 2010? Any tips or lessons learned from R09 you'd like to share with us? Do you have a New Year's Resolution or are you going to join me and white knuckle it threw 2010 without one?

This summer we took our kids to the their first wedding experience. We would have taken them sooner but we didn't have any weddings that allowed come as you are on the invite.
See my kids, specifically Miss I hate everything in clothing world, don't enjoy dressing up. This year was the first year my Little Man began asking clothing questions and actually tried to make an effort to match his clothes for 'special' things. I wasn't going to make him wear a tie (honest!) but when he found them in the store he insisted on wearing one. No I am not halusinating .... he wanted to wear it!

Then there is Miss I hate everthing in clothing world. She decided to try a dress because I promised her it was like wearing a nightgown. Honest, I can not make this crap up. Here is the evidence my children actually dressed up, really dressed up for some event in their lifetime ... you may never see this again.

Becasue I'm to lazzy to actually write a blog post I'll just share some pictures from this summer.


Mini golf anyone?



Crusin'


She'll be 16 in 6 years ... we're all in trouble!

Happy Summer Everyone!

We went on Spring Break!

We lapped up the sun,

played mini golf until we couldn't anymore and

hiked until the sun gave us a nice tan.

Now it's back to the grind!

My son came home with an interesting homework assignment last week. As a family we were supposed to contruct a Leprechaun Trap complete with 'How To' instructions.

We've spent the entire last week planning, drawing, cutting, pasting, staining and painting. Behold ~ the Leprechaun Trap!



My Little Man showing off his hard work. Notice the luring signs! What marketing genius!






Here's the side and back - what great shutters - what attention to detail ~!





When the trap activates you see this ... see the Leprechaun in the window?!





Here you can see the gold coin on the table and the inner mechanics of the trap. I think I have a mechanical engineer in the making.

Have a great St. Patrick's Day everyone!

His Saturday
8am - Noon = Check email, watch morning shows, bring in 2 arm fulls of wood, and eat lunch.
"Boy, sure is a rainy lazy Saturday huh?"

Her Saturday
6:30am - Noon = 4 loads of laundry, empty dish washer & put dishes away, make breakfast, put breakfast dishes in the dishwasher, coupon clip, grocery shop, put groceries away and make lunch.
"Uh huh."

I have about a half an hour before the kids and I head out the door for an afternoon of fun. We've been doing that a lot lately ~ spontaneous fun. Our weekly after school schedule is pretty busy but we still manager to get in some unexpected moments.

Last week my kids were entranced with the local high school hockey team. It all started about halfway through my daughter's ice skating lessons. A group of high school boys entered the rink in their matching warm up gear; by all definitions they were a gang. As they began to run up and down the bleachers in rhythmic fashion to warm up my little man blurted out "There's like a hundred of them!" From that moment on I couldn't get the little man to focus on anything; he was entranced with the notion of hockey.

Little man begged to stay for the game so despite not being properly dressed for the rink because we were only supposed to be there for 30 minutes (I know Mom is laughing at my parenting abilities on this one) I said yes. As we watched the hockey players zip around the ice both kids asked their share of questions from padding, numbers, masks and how the game is played it was easy to see we, or rather I, was in trouble.

As each quarter passed the little man watched intently and asked questions as if he was studying for a midterm exam. My daughter began to chant and cheer along with the rest of the young spectators. She thought it was hilarious that grown kids had to endure a 2 minute penalty or time out. But by far her favorite was when another player 'checked' another into the boards, the louder the better, and everyone screamed "Who's the big girl now!"

So just in case you are wondering what we will be doing later this afternoon ~ well yup you guessed it. Mom is taking her kids to the ice rink for open skate. The daughter will be fine skating on her own thanks to lessons but little man will be attempting skating for the second time. Hopefully this time it will be longer than the second he spent on the ice before falling last time. Let's just pray these old bones can stay upright without serious injury to myself or others.

Oh ~ and we will be properly dressed this time Mom!