Thrifty Thursday

My friend and I hit a few yard sales last weekend.  While it wasn't the best trip I have made we still had a lot of fun and found some great bargains.  I got 4 huge white frames, a smaller white shelf frame, a decorative gas pump, 4 kids plates, pair of pj's, 2 pencil pouches (for my coupon binder) and a bunch of books.

I love being able to go to yard sales in the summer.

Happy Thursday!

Peach Cobbler

The other day I picked up some peaches at the farmers market.  One of my favorite things to eat peaches in is Peach Cobbler.  Add in some vanilla ice cream and you have the perfect summer evening treat.

 Ingredients:

Batter:

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup room temperature milk

1 room temperature egg

Filling:

4 or 5 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

 Directions:

1. Melt butter in a 9 X 13 inch pan.

2. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3. Stir in milk & egg.

4. Pour evenly over melted butter.

 5. Combine peaches, sugar & spices and spread over batter.

 Do not stir them in, just spread them over the top.

6. Bake 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees until batter comes to the top and is golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream.  Enjoy!!

Linked up to What's on your Plate? and Tasty Tuesday!

USA Letters

I wanted to add something festive to my new entry way mirror and thought this would be the perfect touch.  I love the way the letters turned out.  I think they look great sitting on the shelf of the mirror and really stand out against the black.

 You will need:

Wooden Letters- I got mine at Michael's

spray paint

scrapbook paper

pencil

scissors

Mod Podge

sponge paint brush

 I started by laying the letters out on newspaper.  I only wanted to paint the back and sides so I laid them with the fronts facing down.

 After the paint was dry I traced them on the back of scrapbook paper.  To figure out which way to trace it, I placed the paper on the letter the way I wanted it to look then flipped it over to trace.

 I cut out the letters and stuck them on using Mod Podge.  I did this by painting a thin layer to the front of the letter and pressing the scrapbook paper cutout on top.  Make sure you rub your finger over it to get all the air bubbles out.

 It took a bit to get the letter straight so just go slow to make sure it is all lined up.

 I let it dry for a few hours.

 Once the letter was dry I painted over the whole thing with Mod Podge to seal it and make it shiny.  The Mod Podge goes on white but will dry clear so you don't have to worry about painting it on perfectly.

It only took me an hour total, not including drying time, to complete these letters.  I love how they turned out and plan to make more for other holidays.

Linked up to Get your craft on, Not Just a Housewife, Ginger Snap Crafts and A Diamond in the Stuff!

Menu Plan- June 26th - July 2nd

Wow today has been a whirlwind.  This morning when we woke up I suggested to my husband that we take a spontaneous trip over to Sacramento to go to the zoo and Fairytale Town.  Within an hour we were showered, dressed and in the car.  The boys loved it asked the whole drive, "Are we there yet"?  Since we took our road trip we ended up eating out more then my original plan.  I am too exhausted tonight to cook so we are picking up a pizza.  Tiring but well worth it. 
We have vacation bible school all week and family coming in later in the week.  Doesn't look like I will end up cooking very much so our meals with be super easy.  Have a great week!

Breakfasts:
Bagels
eggs and toast
pancakes and fruit
apple crepes
oatmeal/cereal X 2
breakfast burritos

Lunches:
Lunch at VBS X 5
Left Overs X 2

Dinners:
Take Out Pizza
coconut shrimp, fries & fruit
cream cheese enchiladas
ribs, baked beans & fruit
wontons, rice & veggies
grilled cheese samich and fruit salad
family in town so probably eat out

Fourth of July Mantel

We are currently living in a rental home that has a fireplace with a decent sized mantel.  While I am not a huge fan of the look of the fireplace, I LOVE having a mantel to decorate.  My oldest son and I get very excited when it is time to change out the mantel decorations for a new holiday or season.  This is the mantel we came up with for the 4th of July.  I think it is one of my favorites so far.  Not too cluttered but enough to keep my interest.

 We went around the house and found everything red, white and blue or that had a star or flag theme.

 I also printed off a couple pictures and put them in frames.  Super easy and inexpensive.

 These are the items I found at a Thrift Store last week.  I haven't figured out what I want to do with them yet, so for now I have them sitting on my buffet.

 I made the USA letters and placed them on my new entry way mirror.  I will explain how I made the letters on Monday.

Hope you are having a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping by.

Freebie Friday

These are the items I received in the mail this week.  Before today I hadn't been writing down where I requested the freebies from but I am going to start doing that so you can score them for yourself.



Garnier Moisture Rescue-came with small Gel-Cream sample and $1 off coupon

$10 gift card valid for Craftsman C3 Tool-I think I received this from Vocalpoint?

Can of Alpo dog food and a $1 off coupon

Isn't it fun receiving freebies.  Did you receive anything fun this week?

Thrifty Thursday

I was not able to go to any yard sales this week since we were on vacation but I was able to make a quick stop by a thrift store.  I was very excited to come across these red, white and blue stars and fireworks.  They have made a great addition to my 4th of July decorations.  I plan to post some pictures of my 4th of July mantel and other decorations this weekend.  Have a great Thursday!

Crafting with your Kids: Kite

One of my 2 year olds favorite things to do is run around dragging things behind him.  When my friend told me about this craft I knew I had to try it right away.  It was easy for my son to do and kept him entertained for quite some time.

 You will need:

paper lunch sacks

crayons or markers

tape

hole punch

string or ribbon

 Start by letting your child decorate the bag any way they want.

 Once the bag is decorated, open it up and put tape on the top folds.  This will help to keep the holes from ripping as they "fly" it.

 With the hole punch, make a hole through each piece of tape.

 Cut a long piece of string and thread it threw the two holes.  Tie the ends together with a double knot.

Let you kid run around and fly their new kite.  Enjoy!!

Pea Salad

 The weather is finally warming up which means we are eating a lot more salads.  Our favorite summer meals consist of some sort of meat cooked on the grill and a salad.  Over the years I have collected many salad recipes and this one is always a hit.

 Ingredients:

2 cups frozen peas

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayo

2 tsp dried dill weed

2 Tbsp finely chopped onions

4 Tbsp finely chopped celery

3 slices bacon, fried until crispy

 1. In a microwave safe dish, microwave peas on high for 2 minutes, stir.

Continue to microwave for an additional 2 minutes on high.

2. Drain and cool completely with cold water and ice cubes, drain.

 3. In a large bowl, mix together peas, sour cream, mayo, dill weed, onions and celery.

 Chill for at least 30 minutes in refrigerator.

4.  Meanwhile, fry bacon until well done and crispy.  Place bacon on a paper towel to drain.

5. Crumble bacon and garish when serving.

Linking up to Tasty Tuesday and This Week's Cravings!

Mirrored Shelf Redo

I recently found this mirror shelf (for lack of a better word) at a yard sale.  I had been looking for something to hang on the wall in our entry way and this seemed like the perfect fit.  Only problem, it was brown and scratched up.  With a few coats of paint, it’s a whole new piece.

I was able to get this shelf for $1. The mirror was extremely dirty and the picture areas were blank except one had a greeting card in it.

I started out by removing the hooks at the bottom and taking out the mirror and picture frames. I lightly sanded it so the paint would stick.



I sprayed on two or three coats of Valspar primer.



Once the primer was dry I sprayed on 3 coats of Valspar gloss black paint.  I let it dry for a couple days and reinstalled the hooks and mirror.  I printed off some pictures of my boys in black in white to add to the picture frame areas.  I want to replace them often so I just printed them out on my printer.



I just love the way it turned out.   As an added bonus, I have additional space to display holiday decorations.



Linking up to A Diamond in the Stuff , Finding Fabulous and Not Just a Housewife!

Menu Plan- June 19th - 25th

After being on vacation for a few days I have come home with no desire to cook.  The weather has finally warmed up and I just want to spend my time outdoors.  I planned my menu around things we had on hand that were really easy to make or can be cooked on the grill.  This should help me stay out of the kitchen and outside with my family.  Have a great week and Happy Father's Day!

Breakfasts:
Eggs, Toast & Fruit
Cereal/Oatmeal
Egg in a Hole & Fruit
Breakfast Burrito
Apple Crepes
Muffins & Hard Boiled Eggs
French Toast & Bacon

Lunches:
Bagel Sandwich & Potato Salad
Tuna Sandwich, Chips & Fruit
Egg Salad Sandwich & Fruit
Peanut Butter/Nutella Sandwiches w/ Raisins
Left Overs

Dinners:
Sausage & Pea Salad (recipe to be posted this week)
Ribs & Red Kidney Bean Salad
Pizza Night
Tacos
Baked Potato Bar & Carrots
Spaghetti & Corn
Pork Chops & Veggies

CVS Trip June 19th

There are several good deals this week at CVS.  I didn't need a whole lot so just grabbed a couple things that would help me pay for the two things I did need, mayo and scrub brush.

I broke my trip up into two transactions so I wouldn't end up paying a lot out of pocket and end up with a large ECB (Extra Care Bucks).

Transaction 1:

1 bag Bliss candy (Reg. $5.99 -$1Q=$4.99, Earned $5.99 ECB)

I paid using $4.99 in ECB's so my out of pocket was zero and got back the $5.99 ECB.

Transaction 2:

Kraft Mayo (Reg. $4.49, Sale $2.50 - .75Q =$1.75)

Colgate Toothbrush (Reg. $4.99, Sale $2.79 - .75Q = $2.04, Earned $2 ECB)

Colgate Toothpaste (Reg. $3.49, Sale $2.79 - $1Q = $1.79, Earned $2 ECB)

Power Bar Energy Snacks (Reg. $2.99, Sale $2.49, Earned $2.49 ECB)

I paid using $5.99 ECB from Transaction 1 and a $2.50 ECB.  My out of pocket including tax was $1.08.  I earned $6.49 in ECB's to use next time.

Thrifty Thursday

I visited Saver's Thrift Store a couple weeks ago and came home with some great finds.  I got these 4 items along with a toy for each boy for around $15.  Can't wait until my next thrift store adventure.

Crafting with your Kids: Flag

Last year I came across this craft and made a note of it knowing my boys would love it.  They love anything messy and paint on their hands and feet was a big hit. 

I started with my 2 year olds right foot and painted some red paint on the bottom with a brush. I had him make three lines going from right to left. Then I painted my 5 year olds left foot and had him make two lines going from left to right. He took a bigger step then I would have liked but he was proud of it so I left it that way.

I then painted a blue rectangle in the corner and let the paint dry.  The next day we did hand prints with white paint to represent stars. 

We have this hanging in out playroom for 4th of July.  My 5 year old likes it so much that he has already asked to have it hung in his room after the holiday is over.

Linking up to Finding Fabulous!

House Party: Expo Washable Markers

This past weekend I had the opportunity to host another House Party.  This one was for Expo Washable Markers. 

In the package I received:

1 Expo 12" X 18" Easel Whiteboard

16 packs of bullet tip Expo Washable Dry Erase Markers

16 packs of fine tip Expo Washable Dry Erase Markers

16 Expo Learning Boards

16 Expo Board Care Erasers

If you haven't already signed up to host a House Party you can go here to get started.

Creamy Corn Salad

I am hosting recipe club at my house today for my MOMS Club.  The theme is picnic favorites.  When I asked my husband what I should make he instantly said Creamy Corn Salad.  It is a favorite in our house and super easy to make.

 Ingredients:

1 15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained

1 medium tomato, seeded and diced -I used canned tomatoes since I didn't have any fresh

2 Tbsp green onions, chopped

1/3 cup mayo

1/2 tsp dried basil- I used fresh from my basil plant

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.  Season with basil and salt and pepper to taste.



Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Enjoy!

Linking up to Tasty Tuesday and What's on your plate?

Unique Wall Hook

I found this hook a few weeks ago at a yard sale.  When I found out they were only asking a quarter I knew I had to have it.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but knew it was too cool to pass up.

  I got it home and cleaned it up with steel wool.  The more I rubbed the more rust appeared.  It turned a dark orange color so I knew I would need to paint it.

  I applied a couple coats of primer and then sprayed it a sage green color.  I then rubbed steel wool over it again to make it looked a little worn.

I love how it turned out.  For now I have it hanging in my bathroom.  It makes me smile every time I walk past it.  Not bad for a quarter.

Linking up to A Diamond in the Stuff!

Menu Plan- June 12th - 18th

We are going on vacation this week so I only have to plan meals for 3 days.  Our hotel has a small kitchen in it so we are taking stuff we can easily make for breakfast and lunches and then will eat out for dinner.  It will be so nice to have a break from cooking dinner for a few days. 

Breakfasts:
ham, eggs & toast
muffins & smoothies
cereal/oatmeal X 3
pancakes & fruit
eggs & toast

Lunches:
lunch at a baby shower
leftovers X2
tuna sandwiches, chips & fruit
peanut butter sandwiches & fruit
mac n cheese & hot dogs
eat out on way home from vacation

Dinners:
Lemon Thyme Chicken, peas and creamed corn
left over pork chops, mashed potatoes and green beans
eat out on way to vacation
eat out X 4

We will be doing a lot of eating out.  I will definitely be ready for a home cooked meal once we return from our trip.  Have a great week!

Mail Freebies

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  I was having some spacing issues with blogger and finally got it figured out...hopefully!

I got some great freebies in the mail this week.  I received this package from Sample Showcase.  I was excited to open it (as was my two year old) and found several goodies.  The package contained Gum Soft-Picks and a 55 cent off coupon, Wisk detergent, two Coffee-Mate French Vanilla packets, sample of Secret Clinical Strength and Nonni's biscotti.  What a fun package!

 I also received a coupon for a free back of Sunchips, Tostito's or Lay's chips.

Did you receive anything fun in the mail this week?