How to Apply Wallpaper Border

I think we've been remodeling one area of the house after another ever since we moved in here nearly 7 years ago. It's been a very slow process, but things are coming along little by little. The current project is our dining room. When we moved here, the dining room had extremely dark brown paneling for walls (no sheetrock) and very ugly brown carpeting that had a black carpet laying over the top. Not sure what the previous owner was thinking! But the room had potential.

Since taking down the paneling and putting up sheetrock would have been a very expesive project, we chose to put up a paintable wallpaper over the paneling. My mother-in-law helped me with the project and taught me a few tricks about wallpapering. My husband, who gets a little gung-ho on home improvement projects and doesn't like to wait until I'm ready to give him instructions and guidance whe it comes to paint, decided to start painting over the wallpaper himself. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out too well. It wasn't overly bad, but it wasn't great either. So we just lived with it while working on other outdoor & indoor projects.

Thankfully, the time finally came to redo the dining room--the right way this time! We kept the paintable wallpaper/paneling walls up out of convenience, but put up a chair rail and backer board on the bottom third of the walls. After painting the b-board, chair rail, walls & cabinets, the time finally came to put up some wallpaper border. I really owe a debt of gratitude to my mother-in-law for teaching me how to put up wallpaper, and for letting me borrow her border paste because mine has somehow gotten lost. The wallpaper border we decided to use was actually something we had bought for our bedroom, but we postponed working on the bedroom, and so I decided to use the border in the dining room instead.

If you're interested in putting up wallpaper border in your own living space, it's really a lot more simpler than it may appear to be.

Even if your wallpaper border is prepasted, you'll still want to purchase border paste to ensure your border is sealed good and tight on the wall. Kids love peeling wallpaper, and I'm sure my mother-in-law can attest to that because her grandkids (which includes my son since he was tall enough to reach) did that to her kitchen. Kids--gotta love 'em.

Measure and cut the wallpaper border to the length of your wall, with about 1/2 inch hanging on each end. For really long walls, it helps to have a 2nd person, like hubs here.

Lay the wallpaper border your counter or table. It doesn't have to be as long as the length of your border, but long enough to give you some room to work with, and it should be a washable surface because you will get paste on it. If you're using a bottle like this one with a sponge roller, roll the paste onto the back side of the border, squeezing the bottle as you do so. If you use a different kind, pour the paste into a bowl and brush on. Make sure to get plenty of paste onto the edges of the border.

You'll want to fold over long pieces of wallpaper border to help stretch it out on your counter or tabletop. This is known as "booking." Booking is very beneficial, not just because it gives you more room to work with. It also helps to keep the paste from drying out, and makes it easier to carry long sheets of border from your work table to the wall. Make sure you fold back to back, front to front, like a paper fan.

So the next step is to put the wallpaper border onto your wall. The job can be made easier with the aid of a chair rail, assuming your chair rail is level on your wall. :-) Put the border on the wall, place the palm of your hands against the border, and gently pull down to line it up against the top edge of your chair rail, or if you're using your ceiling as your border, then push up to line the wallpaper border with the edge of the wall/ceiling.

I'm not sure what this little edger is called, but it's one of the most important tools you'll need. It's flat like a pancake with a hard edge. Use this edge to smoothe out air bubbles & wrinkles, and also to scrape your wallpaper border to the edge of the wall or corners.

A box cutter or knife blade will help you cut any overlapping wallpaper border.

Add a little extra border paste to the back & front side of the corners of your wallpaper border. This replaces any that may have gotten on your fingers and ensures your corners are glued tightly to the wall. (Remember the kids and their fascination with peeling wallpaper!)

Finally, stand back and pat yourself on the back for a job well-done!

Wok's For Dinner: Chicken in a Pot

If you want a tasty one pot dish that will actually give you two+ meals, then Chicken in a Pot is the meal for you. It's a Crock-Pot recipe that I've been making for probably 10 years or longer. I don't even remember where I got it from, it's been that long. Although I did not freeze this particular dish, I included it with my May Once a Month Cooking Menu because I knew there would be enough meat on the fryer to use for two meals, Chicken in a Pot and Cordon Bleu Casserole (which I did freeze). Plus, I used the carcass to making homemade chicken stock (which I froze), which I can use to make rice, stir-frys, and other dishes.

Chicken in a Pot

Ingredients:

2 carrots, sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 celery stalks, cut in 1-inch pieces
3 lb broiler/fryer chicken
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup water or chicken broth
1/2 tsp basil

Directions:
Put carrots, onion and celery in bottom of Crock-Pot. Add whole chicken. Top with salt, pepper and water or chicken broth. Sprinkle basil over top. Cover; cook on low 8-10 hours or high 3 1/2-5 hours (use 1 cup water instead of 1/2 cup if using high setting on Crock-Pot). Remove chicken and vegetables with a spatula.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can be really versatile with the vegetables. I used half a bag of baby carrots (it was a large bag) plus the two carrot sticks listed in the recipe. I had some sweet potatoes that came in my April Angel Food Ministries order. We're not big on sweet potatoes, but I've been trying to incorporate them into some of our recipes. So I threw in one sweet potato into the Crock-Pot. I also added about 3 medium-size potatoes, and instead of two onions, I used one. I placed everything into the refrigerator after it was done cooking Saturday (I de-boned the chicken) and we had it for tonight's meal. The end result? We had a really tasty meal that the whole family gobbled down. I really don't care to de-bone a chicken carcass, but knowing how good this meal tastes makes it worth the effort (and I really can't complain since there was enough meat for a 2nd meal!).

Wok's For Dinner: Our Weekend Meals

I've been so tied up trying to get ready for my freezer meal cooking day, that I neglected publishing recipes for our meals. Sorry, please forgive me! Here's what we've had:

Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid--this is a recipe I got from Startsampling. It always tastes so good, and the whole family loves it. I can braid a head of hair any ol' day, but I'm not so good at braiding the crescent dough. Here's my sad attempt at "braiding":

It doesn't really matter in the end, as long as it tastes good ,right? If you want to use this meal as a freezer meal, simply prepare all the ingredients excluding the crescent dough. Store in food saver or freezer bag. Thaw 24 hours in refrigerator. Place in medium-size bowl, heat in microwave. Unroll your crescent dough and follow the remainder of the steps on the recipe.

Crunchy Baked Chicken -- a recipe from Taste of Home that has become a family favorite. I stuck to the recipe, except turned it into a freezer meal. If you want to make it a freezer meal, prepare the chicken using the recipe; place into a food saver bag and vacuum seal, or flash freeze then place in a freezer bag, squeeze out air & seal bag. Thaw at least 24 hours in refrigerator; heat in microwave.

Stir-Fried Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients:

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp olive or vegetable oil

1 lb medium-size raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 cups sliced mushrooms (I just used 1 can mushrooms)

1 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Cook and stir garlic in oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add shrimp; stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms, onions and broth; stir-fry unil shrimp are pink and vegetables are hot, about 2 minutes longer. If freezing: plac in gallon-size freezer bag, squeeze out air, seal. Thaw at least 24 hours in refrigerator.

I added a bag of sliced carrots to the recipe to give it a little more bulk. I decided not to make Eggdrop Soup with this meal, thinking we had enough with the stir fry & teriyaki noodles after all.

Giveaway Extended--Enter While You Still Can!

There's still plenty of time to enter my giveaway for over $258 in coupons! I extended the giveaway to now end at 11pm on Tuesday, 5/19/09. So far there are only 5 entries, so your odds of winning are really high. Good luck to those who have already entered, and to those who haven't, you still have a chance!

May Once a Month Cooking Experience

Well, another month's worth of cooking is done--thank goodness! Cooking on one day is definitely time-consuming, but well worth it considering the amount of time I save not having to do so much cooking during the rest of the month. I really love the whole freezer meal concept, and I can't believe I didn't start sooner!

I made some changes to my May menu plan. Simply put, I forgot to buy some ingredients (can't make beef stroganoff without the beef and mushrooms). Also had some ingredients I didn't realized I had so much of, like chicken, so I added a recipe here and there. All in all, I've got a full freezer now of meals that I can pull out when I'm ready. I do plan on cooking a few meals on the planned eating day, simply because I didn't want to spend my entire weekend cooking in the kitchen, some things just don't freeze well, and some things are items from my Angel Food Ministries orders that are precooked and just need to be heated up, like corn dogs, which will be perfect on nights my son has a ball game.

Some lessons learned from this freezer meal cooking experience:

1. Double-check the ingredients list for the recipes to ensure that nothing is missing. Like I mentioned above, I didn't have any mushrooms or enough beef to make the beef stroganoff. But it's no love loss. I can buy it on my next shopping trip, or add it to my June menu when I create that.


2. It might help to cook up the breakfast meals on another day. I started off making 5 breakfast meals, Blueberry Muffins, Calabacita Bread (I had planned on making muffins but changed it to bread), Banana Nut Bread and Strawberry Muffins. I wanted to make Chocolate Pancakes, but figured I'd just make that on the day we eat it instead. But because I spent so much time on the breakfast items, it meant starting the supper items later than I preferred.


3. It really is easier to chop up lots of one type of vegetable for many recipes. I did this for the last few meals I made, Steak & Vegetable Bake, Cordon Bleu Casserole, and Stir Fry Beef & Broccoli.



4. 4. Also easier to cook up the same type of meat at the same time for more than one recipe. Did this for Shrimp & Italian Sausage Gumbo and Zesty Italian Pasta (both pictured here), as well as Pork Tenderlion w/Glazed Onions and Apricot-Glazed Pork (except it was turkey tenderloin for both meals because I couldn't find any decently-priced pork tenderloin).



5. Keep the compostable-items in a separate bag from the garbage. Normally, I just throw all my scraps into one plastic bag, which then goes into the garbage bag. Not this time. I thought I'd be smart and place the egg shells, potato skins, onion & garlic peelings, and stuff like that into a bag and put into the compost pile. At least now I know it won't just waste away in a stinky garbage bag and instead will become black gold for the garden.

So some lessons learned that will be very useful for next month, assuming I can remember them! I never know when my "Mommy Brain" will kick in.

Menu Plan Monday--5/18-5/24

It's that time again, time to plan my menu for the upcoming week. Lots going on for my family. My son has a baseball game Tuesday night and he graduates from preschool Thursday night. Hubs has a meeting at church Wednesday night. Thankfully, we have a holiday weekend to look forward to. I prepared several of the meals listed below when I did my once a month cooking this week. You can click here for my May once a month menu, which I planned using my order for Angel Food Ministries. (Click here to find out why I buy from AFM.)

Monday--Chicken in a Pot (a great all-in-one crock-pot meal)

Tuesday--Grilled Shrimp on Mixed Green Salad, Mexican Squash Casserole

Wednesday--Lemony Chicken & Pasta Saute' (I made this on my April once a month cooking day, but just hadn't used it yet), Tossed Salad

Thursday--Steak Fajita Quesadillas, Tomato & Avocado Salad

Friday--Rustic Stuffed Potatoes, Corn on the Cob, Celery Sticks

Saturday--Southwestern Chicken Fajita Wraps, Dill Squash

Sunday--Barbecued Babyback Ribs, Sautee'd Apples, Georgian Green Beans, Sweet Corn Bread

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Wok's For Dinner: Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Tonight's meal is one of my favorites. I got the recipe from one of my aunts when I was working on a family cookbook several years ago. I don't make it too often because hubs is not a huge fan of stir fry's, so I try to mix around the different stir fry's I make.

Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:

8oz broccoli, fresh or frozen

1 can baby corn, optional (my husband actually likes this stuff but I can't stand it so I omit it)

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger (I usually substitute about 1 tsp ground ginger)

1 bunch green onions

2 carrots

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

2/3 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp soy sauce

Directions:

Bring a wok or large saucepan of water to a boil; cut broccoli into florets; cook broccoli in boiling water for 2 minute; drain well. Drain the can of baby corn. Cut the chicken into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Peel ginger and cut into thin matchsticks (omit if using ground ginger). Trim and diagonally slice green onions. Peel carrots and cut into matchsticks (I chose to cut mine diagonally using a crinkle cutter for this meal).

Wipe the wok dry with paper towels (you can use a large nonstick skillet in lieu of a wok). Heat oil in wok or skillet until almost smoking. Add the chicken and stir-fry until done, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Stir-fry the ginger (if using fresh), green onions and carrots for 2 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and corn and stir-fry for 1 minute. For the sauce, whisk together ginger (if using ground), broth, brown sugar, cornstarch and soy sauce until smooth. Add to the wok or skillet, along with the chicken. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 2 minutes or until heated through. If freezing: Place stir-fry into a gallon-size freezer bag. Remove air, zip close, and freeze. Thaw at least 24 hours in refrigerator. Heat in saucepan or skillet. Serve with rice.

I really thought that I had made enough so there would be leftovers for my lunch tomorrow, but nope, that didn't happen. Hubs and both kids had seconds on everything. It warms my heart that my kids love to eat vegetables! We were going to have carrot sticks with this meal, until I realized that there were carrots in the stir-fry already, so I omitted the carrot sticks.

B.A.B. $258+ Coupon Giveaway!!

UPDATE: Giveaway is extended through 11pm, Tuesday, 5/19/09

Time for another giveaway, everybody!! I am so excited to offer my 3rd giveaway since starting the blog, and I hope you are, too. Why am I so excited? Because I am giving away over $258 in coupons to one lucky winner! I went through my coupon stash last night and realized that I had way too many to keep for just myself, so I want to pass on some savings. In this case, I'm passing on a whole lot of savings!

Please review the details below on how you can enter this contest up to 5 times. Read carefully as incomplete entries or entries that are not on this list will be invalidated. You will need to leave a separate comment for each entry along with your email address (you can include your email address in this format: balancingactbasics (at) gmail (dot) com to avoid spam from web crawlers.)

1. Tell me why you love using coupons.


2. Subscribe to my blog by email, RSS feed or by following (or let me know if you are already subscribed/a follower).


3. Join the Balancing Act Basics group on Facebook.


4. Write about this giveaway on your own blog. Include the link to the post in your blog with your comment.


5. Tell 3 friends about this giveaway and if all 3 friends complete one of the 4 entries listed above, leave a comment below letting me know who your 3 friends are (be honest and don't just pick randomly from the list of comments!).

Only U.S. addresses, please. This giveaway will end at 11:00PM EDT on Monday May 18, 2009. I will announce the winner immediately following. Good luck!!

And for those of you curious enough to know what coupons are included in the giveaway, here you go...

Coupons from Mambo Sprouts:

• $1 off any one Ian's Sweet Potato Fries, exp 8/31/09
• $1 off any one box of Kashi U Cereal, exp 8/31/09
• $1 off any one Lifeway Product, exp 8/31/09
• $1 off any one Arico Product, exp 8/31/09
• $1 off any one Green & Black's Product, exp 8/31/09
• $1 off any one Fiji Water Multi-Pack, exp 8/31/09
• $1 off any one Organic Valley Gallon or 1/2 Gallon of Milk, exp 8/31/09
• $1 off any one Organic Valley Lactose Free 1/2 Gallon of Milk, exp
  8/31/09
• $1 off any one Organic Valley Butter, exp 8/31/09
• $0.50 off any one Think Products bar, exp 8/31/09
• $0.50 off any one Luna Cookie whole grain snack, exp 8/31/09
• $0.55 on any San-J Tamari, cooking sauce or salad dressing, exp 8/31/09
• $0.75 off any two 32fl oz Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, exp 8/31/09
• BOGO FREE any one Blue Horizon Organic Spring roll, exp 12/31/09
• $5 off any one Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Multivitamins, exp
  8/31/09
• $3 off any two Rice Select Items, exp 8/31/09
• $3 off any one Country Life product, 100 ct or larger size, exp
  8/31/09

Other Grocery/Pharmacy Coupons:

• 2 coupons--$0.55 off any one package of Land O Lakes Butter with Canola Oil
  Products, exp 5/30/09
• $0.55 off Land O Lakes Fresh Butter Taste Spread, exp 5/30/09
• $0.50 off any one Kozy Shack No Sugar Added Product, exp 5/30/09
• $1 off the purchase of two Cool Whip Whipped Topping in a Can, exp
  6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$0.75 off one gallon or two half gallons of Borden Milk, exp
  5/30/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one 96oz Borden Organic Milk, exp 6/14/09
• 2 coupons--$2 off any one New California Pizza Kitchen 12" Rising Crust
  Pizza, exp 6/4/09
• $1 off California Pizza Kitchen when you buy any one 12" variety, exp
  6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$1.25 off any one DiGiorno Crispy Flatbread Pizza, exp
  6/4/09
• $1 off any New DiGiorno Crispy Flatbread Pizza when you buy any one 12"
  variety, exp 6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one Newman's Own Thin & Crispy Pizza, exp
  6/4/09
• $1.50 off any flavor of Kashi GoLean Waffles, exp 7/31/09
• $1 off any one Kraft Bagel-Fuls, exp 6/12/09
• $1 off any one Del Monte Fruit Chillers Tubes or Cups, exp 10/1/09
• $1 off any one Blue Bunny Frozen Yogurt Novelty, exp 6/30/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any five Weight Watchers Smart Ones Products, exp
  6/11/09
• $1 off any one box of Triscuits AND one Kraft 2% Milk Shredded or Chunk
  Cheese
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one package of Butterball Deep Fried Turkey Lunchmeat,
  exp 5/30/09
• Buy one package of any Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Meat and save $1 off any one
  Kraft cheese, exp 6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$0.75 off one package of any Oscar Mayer Deli Creations Sandwich,
  exp 5/30/09
• $1 off two packages of any Oscar Mayer Deli Creations Sandwiches, exp
  6/12/09
• $1 off two packages of any Lunchables Lunch Combinations with drink, exp
  6/12/09
• $0.50 off any Frank's RedHot Original Buffalo Wings or Cattlemen's Honey
  Barbecue Wings, exp 8/22/09
• $0.35 off any variety of Bob Evans Sausage, exp 5/30/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any Lightlfe Item--in the produce section, exp
  5/30/09
• $1 off two 4-packs of King's Hawaiian Snacker Rolls, exp 6/30/09
• $1 off any one Cinnabon Cinnamon Bread Loaf, exp 6/14/09
• 2 coupons--$1.50 off any two Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing, 16oz or
  larger, exp 6/4/09
• $1 off any Kraft Miracle Whip Dressing, exp 6/12/09
• $1 off any A-1 Steak Sauce, exp 6/12/09
• $0.50 off any Frank's RedHot sauce, exp 8/22/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any two Minute Ready to Serve Rice products, exp
  6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any two Minute Rice products, exp 6/12/09
• $0.50 off any Minute Rice product, exp 6/13/09
• $1 off any two Velveeta Shells & Cheese Cups, exp 6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$0.55 off any one Betty Crocker Warm Delights Bowls or Betty
  Crocker Warm Delights Mini Bowls, exp 6/409
• $1 off any one Crystal Light Drink Mix product, exp 6/12/09
• $2 off any two Crystal Light Drink Mix products, exp 6/12/09
• $1 on two Northland 100% Juice Cranberry Blends, 64oz PET bottles, exp
  7/19/09
• $1 off any one FruitSense Vitamin Water, exp 5/30/09
• 3 coupons--$1 off any one Ocean Spray Cranergy Energy Juice Drink, any size,
  exp 6/11/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one V8 100% Vegetable Juice, 46oz 64oz 11.5oz 6-pk or
  5.5oz 6-pk, exp 6/19/09
• $1 off any one Planters Big Nut Bars, 5ct carton, exp 6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$0.75 off two boxes any flavor Betty Crocker Fruit by the Foot,
  Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups or Fruit Roll-Ups Fruit Stickers fruit flavored
  snacks, exp 6/4/09
• $1 off any Malt-O-Meal Honey & Oat Blenders or Honey & Oat Blenders
  with Almonds products, 15.5oz or lager, exp 12/31/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one package of Kellogg's Froot Loops Cereal, 11oz or
  larger, exp 6/4/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one package of Kellogg's Corn Pops Cereal, 9.2oz r
  larger, exp 6/4/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one package of Kellogg's Apple Jacks Cereal, 11oz or
  larger, exp 6/4/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one package of Kellogg's Special K Ccereal, 11.4oz or
  larger, exp 6/4/09
• $1 off any one package of Kellogg's Raisin Bran Cereal, 14oz or larger, exp
  6/4/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one package of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Cereal, 10oz
  or larger, exp 6/4/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one package of Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal, 10oz or
  larger, exp 6/4/09
• 2 coupons--$0.55 off Banana Nut Cheerios Cereal, exp 6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$0.55 off Original Cheerios Cereal, exp 6/4/09
• 2 coupons--$0.75 off any Kix Cereal, exp 6/4/09
• $1 off any one Ritz Bits Sandwich cracker variety, 7.5oz, exp 6/12/09
• $1 off any one Ritz or Wheat Thins Toasted Chips variety, 8.1oz or larger,
  exp 6/12/09
• $1 off any one Triscuit variety, 8oz-9.5oz, exp 6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$0.50 on a 4pk of Pepsi Natural, exp 10/31/09
• $2 off any one Cutter Personal Insect Repellent, exp 5/30/09
• 2 coupons--$3 off any product from The Fragrance Collection by Glade, exp
  6/27/09 and 8/31/09
• $1 off any one Febreze Candle, exp 9/30/09
• $1 off any one Febreze Noticeables Starter Kit, Dual Refill Pack or 2 Sinle
  Refills, exp 9/30/09
• $0.50 off any one Febreze Air Effects, exp 9/30/09
• $0.50 off any Cottonelle Fresh Moist Wipes, 42ct tub, exp 5/31/09
• 2 coupons--$0.50 off any two or one 12-pk or larger Cottonelle Toilet Paper,
  exp 5/30/09 (yes, it says "two or one" 12-pk)
• $0.50 off any three packages of Kleenex Facial Tissue or one Bundle Pack,
  exp 6/12/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one package of Chinet Comfort Cups, exp 6/7/09
• $1 off one package of any Chinet Classic White product, exp 6/7/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any one bottle of 32oz or larger Wisk laundry detergent,
  exp 6/4/09
• $1.50 off any Clorox 2 product, exp 6/4/09
• $1 off any one Swiffer Dust & Shine Furniture Spray, exp 9/30/09
• $1 off any one Swiffer Dusters Starter Kit or Refill, exp 9/30/09
• $2 off any one Swiffer Sweeper Starter Kit, exp 9/30/09
• $5 odff any one Swiffer Sweeper Vac Starter Kit, exp 9/30/09
• $1 off any Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover, exp 6/14/09
• $0.75 off any one size Mr. Clean Disinfecting Wipes, exp 9/30/09
• $0.75 off any one Mr. Clean Multi-Surfaces Spray, exp 9/30/09
• $0.75 off any one size Mr. Clean Multi-Surfaces Liquid, exp 9/30/09
• $1 off any one Dawn Simple Pleasures, exp 9/30/09
• $1 off any one size Dawn Plus Hand Renewal, exp 9/30/09
• $0.50 off any one size Dawn, exp 9/30/09
• $1.50 off any one Dawn Direct Foam Pump, exp 9/30/09
• $2 off any one Dawn Direct Foam Refill, exp 9/30/09
• $0.50 off any one Cascade Complete All-in-One Actionpacs, exp 9/30/09
• $1 off any one Cascade Actionpacs or Gel, exp 9/30/09
• 2 coupons--$0.75 off any Finish Jet-Dry Rinse Agent or Turbo Dry, exp
  7/31/09
• 6 coupons--$1.50 off Command Picture Hanging Strips, exp 6/22/09
• 6 coupons--$1 off any Command product, exp 6/22/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any One A Day Adult or Teen Multivitamin product, 12ct or
  larger, exp 6/4/09
• 2 coupons--$3 off any Afrin PureSea Hydrating Nasal Rinse, exp 6/30/09
• 4 coupons--$4 off any non-drowsy Claritin-D, 15ct or larger, 2 expire on
  5/30/09 and 2 expire on 6/4/09
• 3 coupons0--$3 off any non-drowsy Children's Claritin, 4oz syrup or 10ct or
  larger, exp 6/30/09
• 2 Target coupons--$2 off Schick Quattro for Women, 4ct sensitive cartridge
  or trimstyle razor, exp 6/6/09
• 2 coupons--$2 off any one Dry Idea Roll-On Antiperspirant, exp 11/30/09
• 2 coupons--$2 off any two packages of Kotex Pads, exp 6/13/09 and
  6/16/09
• 3 coupons--$1.50 off any Carefree product, 34ct or higher, exp 5/29/09
• $1 off any Selsun Blue Product, exp 7/31/09
• 2 coupons--$2.50 off any got2b smooth operator product, exp 7/31/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any Bodycology Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap, foaming or
  scrubbing, exp 6/4/09 and 6/13/09
• $1 off any new Nivea Body Wash for Women, 16.9fl oz, exp 6/30/10
• $3 off any two new Nivea Body Wash for Women, 16.9fl oz, exp 6/30/10
• 2 coupons--$1.50 off any Dove Cream Oil Body Wash, 10oz or larger, exp
  5/28/09
• 2 coupons--$0.50 off any size BIC Wite-Out Brand Correction Product, exp
  6/4/09
• BOGO FREE Purina Alpo brand dog food, 13.2oz can, up to $0.79 in value, exp
  6/12/09
• $1 off any Better Than Ears, 9pk or larger, exp 7/31/09
• $2 off any 6lb bag or larger of Rachael Ray Nutrish, exp 12/31/09
• 2 coupons--$2 off one bag Purina Yesterday's News brand cat litter, 13.2lbs
  or larger, exp 7/27/09 and 8/12/09
• $5 off the purchase of one Elefun game, exp 5/31/09
• $5 off the purchase of Twister Hopscotch game, exp 5/31/09
• 2 coupons--$0.50 off any one Huggies Baby Wipes, 64ct or larger, exp
  5/30/09
• 2 coupons--$1 off any Huggies Little Swimmers Swimpants, exp 5/3/0/09
• $1.50 off any one Pull-Ups Training Pants, jumbo pack or larger, exp
  8/15/09
• $2 off any one Pull-Ups Training Pants, jumbo pack or larger, exp
  8/15/09
• 2 coupons--$3 off any one Huggies Pure & Natural Diapers, exp 6/4/09 and
  6/12/09

Whew!! I didn't know if I'd ever finish that list! ;)

Wok's For Dinner: Nothing Fancy

Tonight, I had planned on getting some KFC Grilled Chicken using coupons that would make the meal free. But, alas, KFC for some ridiculous reason will not honor the coupons and will offer a raincheck instead. Didn't they know that when Oprah highlighted the coupon offer that there would be a massive response?!! So I blame KFC for making me change my menu for this evening. I may or may not swing by one of the two KFC's in town and get the raincheck; just depends on my mood and if I find time to do it.

Instead, we had processed salisbury steak, processed beef-flavored rice, and sugar snap peas (thought I should at least add a healthy green vegetable to all the "brown" stuff on our plates!)

Sorry, no picture with this meal. I did take a pic, and although it tasted well enough, it's just not the prettiest meal to put on display. But I promise to take a picture of tomorrow's meal, Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry. Until then...!

Frugal Family Fun: Summer Concert Series

A great cheap (perhaps even FREE) family activity may very well be located in your town. That activity would be a summer concert series. In San Marcos, TX, where I went to college, they had "Summer in the Park" every Wednesday night. It was so relaxing to take a blanket and picnic dinner, sit out on the park lawn, and enjoy different bands play each week. The bands were always different--blue grass, jazz, country, and so forth. It was always kid-friendly, loads of fun, relaxing, and best of all free.

Shortly after moving here to North Carolina, I found out that our local town also has a summer concert series that occurs every other Thursday. These events are also free and include, not only live music, but food & cold beverages. Concerts are family-friendly, but instead of occurring in a park, they are in a large parking lot in the downtown district. However, I'm embarrassed to say that we have never taken advantage of these free concerts! The first concert was this evening and runs through August. I have a schedule, so I will need to make sure and put at least one concert onto our acitivities list for the Summer. Hmmm, which is better, Fatback & the Cadillacs or Legends of Beach? (Beach music is very popular in North Carolina, or at least this part, and anyone dancing to beach music is actually shagging, which I guess is a lot like swing dancing.)

What about your family? What free activities in your town do you like to participate in? Share your ideas here! :)

Failing Foward

I am quite the fan of Proverbs 31 Ministries, especially Renee Swope, who I heard speak at a women's conference a year ago. I am subscribed to the P31 daily devotions. Each devotion is written by a different member of the P31 team, and thought I'd share with you today's message about Failing Forward by Renee Swope. It's an excellent reminder to keep pressing forward no matter how often we screw up. We're not perfect by any means (I'll be the first to stand up, wave both arms, and admit to that!). However, what is important is to not get discouraged, but to recognize our faults, correct our mistakes, and move foward.

Failing Forward

13 May 2009

Renee Swope

"The steps of a [woman] are established by the Lord, and He delights in [her] way. When [she] falls, [she] will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds [her] hand." Psalm 37:23-24 (NASB)

I admire, maybe even envy, people who aren't afraid to fail. You know, those people who see personal setbacks as another goal to conquer. People who don't even consider defeat when they blow it.

I wish I were that kind of person. But honestly, I am not always so courageous in the face of failure.

Failure is painful. It's embarrassing. And sometimes it makes me want to give up, mainly on myself.

God is teaching me a lot about failing. In fact, He is giving me a little push these days, to fail forward.

This week He's been challenging me to determine in my heart and mind that I am a work in progress and move forward even when I have a setback. He is reminding me that I am a woman who is becoming all He created her to be.

A woman who is growing.

A woman who is getting better and better each day.

A woman who is not perfect - but who tries to surrender to God's perfect love and perfect power at work in her.

Failing forward...after I shoot harsh words across the room to "shoosh" my child when he announces that the yogurt in our near empty refrigerator has expired and there is nothing to eat! That is, after I'd just opened the large container of perfectly good yogurt, eaten some myself and served it to his brother for a snack.

Failing forward...after I criticize my husband and realize I failed to honor my man, again. Instead I've added to an already stressful day for the husband and father who just brought home groceries.

Failing forward...after I let myself be "too busy" to take the time to encourage, sit with, talk to, and listen to my always-giving-and-forgiving-mom who stopped by unexpectedly this afternoon.

Failing forward...after I tell God that a certain ministry assignment is too stinkin' hard so I can't do it because surely I don't have what it takes.

Every time I fail to be the woman God calls me to be, or the woman I expect myself to be, God reminds me of the progress we've made. Because, even though I may not be who I want to be, I am not who I used to be!

And I get that much closer to who I am meant to be every time I fail forward.

Dear Lord, I am so thankful that with Your help, I can fail forward!! I don't have to see my setbacks as a step back. In fact they can lead me forward if I let them. Today, I will take Your hand and trust Your heart as You pull me back up again and use my failures to help me become the woman You created m e to be. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Related Resources:

Shaped with Purpose Workbook and CD by Renee Swope

Youniquely Woman: Becoming Who God Designed You To Be by Kay Arthur, Emilie Barnes, and Donna Otto

Beyond the Shadow of Doubt: Learning to Live Confidently in Christ, Message on DVD by Renee Swope

Visit Renee's Blog for practical ways we can fail forward with God's help in the areas where we most often feel defeated.

Application Steps:

List one or two areas of your life where you have felt like you were failing. Then ask God to show you how you can take one step forward with His help. And also ask Him to show you the progress you've made and how you are becoming the woman He created you to be.

Reflections:

Do I allow failure to discourage me and make me feel like I'll never move forward or ma ke progress?

Am I willing to believe God's promise in today's key verse: That the LORD establishes my steps, and delights in my ways. And even when I fall, I don't have to be hurled headlong, because the LORD is willing to hold my hand?

Power Verses:

Proverbs 24:16a, "...though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." (NIV)

Psalm 73:26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (NIV)

Wok's For Dinner: Festive Shrimp Kabobs

These kabobs were a nice break from tradition. I don't make kabobs as often as I would like because my husband is not a fan. In fact, I have to pull everything off the skewer before he'll even eat it! The recipe says to alternate apples & shrimp on the skewers; I knew my family would shy away from marinated, broiled apples, so I just left them off. Good thing, too, because I only have 4 metal skewers, and didn't have room for the apple slices after putting on all the shrimp.

Festive Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients:

2 apples, cut into 24 pieces

1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined & cooked

1/2 cup Italian dressing

1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions:

In a medium bow, combine the apples, shrimp, dressing and lemon juice. Marinate for 1 hour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the apples and shrimp from the marinade. Discard marinade. Alternate apples and shrimp on 24 small skewers. If freezing: Place marinade, shrimp & apples into a freezer bag and freeze instead of serving. Thaw 24 hours in refrigerator. I did take it out of the frig to finish thawing on the counter the last 2 1/2 hours (left work early because I'm still running on empty from being sick). Place shrimp and apples (optional, of course) on skewers. Broil in oven for about 3 minutes per side to heat up.

My son, who told me he did not like shrimp, took one bite and was hooked! I had given him 3 shrimp to start off with, and he devoured them, then asked for and ate two of my shrimp. I take it he liked the shrimp. :) We all enjoyed the corn on the cob, the kids especially. My husband, who is not a cob fan, had his corn off the cob. Still just as tasty. I had intended on making teriyaki noodles for tonight's meal when I planned this week's menu, but I changed my mind and plan on making it later in the week. So instead of the noodles, we had pickles and pears.

Encouraging Your Budding Artist

If there's one thing that young children enjoy doing, it's coloring and crafting. Both of my children would enjoy doing one craft or another all day long if I let them. But coloring and crafting isn't just about fun--it's also a useful tool to develop fine motor skills.

The following article came in my monthly Beech-nut e-newsletter; really informative and a great reminder to let your budding artist practice, practice, practice.

The Art of Coloring

As your 31-month-old floats between the terrible-twos and the go-go-threes, coloring, drawing and writing will play an important role in his early development. His visual and fine motor skills that eventually lead to writing are growing and maturing, so anything that exercises those little hands and mind — like drawing, painting, coloring and writing — are terrific activities.

How It Develops

Most children can hold a thick pencil or crayon in a writing position by two and a half years old, say experts. While your toddler may not always draw something you can recognize, if you ask him you may learn that the red and green blob is really dad’s red truck parked by the big, green tree. First, he’ll draw or write in solid lines (along with scribbles), then move on to making circles. The further he develops, the more those lines and circles will begin to look like letters. By his third birthday, he may even write a few letters of his name. But if he doesn’t, don’t worry. Like everything else, your little one has his own timetable for learning how to write. Just keep it fun and interesting. Before you know it, your child will learn how to turn those scribbles into letters, just like the ones in his favorite book.

Learning to Write

There are several art activities that can encourage motor skills and creative development that can help pave the way for your child to learn to write. Some examples are:

• Keep art supplies like construction paper, watercolors, finger paints, crayons, sidewalk chalk, markers and molding clay on hand for hours of drawing and writing fun. And don’t forget to keep a large waterproof tablecloth or tarp to protect the tables, chairs and/or floors from your enthusiastic little artist.


• Let him string along large buttons or large beads onto an old shoe lace.


• Create your own connect-the-dots pictures to help develop preliminary writing skills.


• Show him how to use child-safe scissors and make window ornaments, like snowflakes, stars or smiley faces. Try to encourage your toddler to color, draw, write or create whatever he wants. You’ll be amazed at how much he’s soaking up the exciting world around him.

Wok's For Dinner: Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon

My inspiration for this meal came from the Guiltless Grill Menu at Chili's. I had a coupon for a free Guiltless Grill entree, and I tried the Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon. It was fabulous! I decided to make a mock version since I had purchased salmon filets with my April Angel Food Ministries order. I prepared the filets in advance by broiling them in the oven when I had my once a month cooking adventure. I learned the hard way that my large bar pan did not get along with my broiler (the bar pan cracked down the middle).

Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:

salmon filets

honey mustard salad dressing

Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Broil salmon 5-10 minutes per side, or bake for 20 minutes until filets flake easily with a fork. If freezing: place in food saver bag, vacuum seal, and freeze. Thaw 24 hours in refrigerator. To prepare sauce: stir in about 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning with aout 4 Tbsp honey mustard. Heat in microwave and spread honey mustard sauce over tops of filets.

This was an ok meal. My husband said that he needed more sauce on his filets. The kids ate a few bites of the salmon, which was more than what I expected from either of them. I didn't quite match Chili's honey mustard sauce, but it was still a decent meal and something out of the ordinary.

Menu Plan Monday--5/11-5/17

I should have posted this last night, but I've been battling a sinus infection and bronchitis all weekend. After waking up this morning with a fever and lots of other unpleasantness, I finally went to see a doctor and was prescribed a strong antibiotic. I took the day off, made sure to get plenty of rest on the couch, and I'm happy to report that the fever has gone away, the coughing has subsided, and my head no longer feels like it's going to explode. Hopefully, this means that the worst has passed and I'll be feeling 100% soon.

Anyhow, on with this week's menu!

Monday--Honey-Mustard Glazed Salmon, Broccoli & Couscous, Sliced Cucumbers (we were supposed to have this meal last week, but got pushed back)
Tuesday--Festive Shrimp Kabobs, Corn on the Cob, Teriyaki Noodles
Wednesday--KFC Grilled Chicken & Sides--free meal thanks to Internet coupons!!
Thursday--Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry & Rice, Carrot Sticks, Sliced Apples
Friday--Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid, Cucumber Salad, Cinnamon Pears
Saturday--Crunchy Baked Chicken, Saffron Yellow Rice, Tossed Salad
Sunday--Stir Fried Garlic Shrimp, Sticky Rice, Egg Drop Soup

The Goody Bag

Not a lot of freebies out there right now. This is some of what I came across:

Freebies for you:

• Free sample of Always Clean here. It's the first line of pads to come attached with individually wrapped wipes.
• Ocean Spray Juice samples at Wal-Mart during May. Click here for details. Pick your city and state for participating locations.
• Free printable Campbell's Budget Friendly Meals cookbook. Click here for the PDF version, or click here to go to the Campbell's Kitchen website (link to free cookbook is on the right)
• Dora the Explorer Printable Potty Training Charts / Stickers. Click here to print them in color or black and white.

Rebates

• Hefty Brands $4 MIRBuy Walt Disneys Pinocchio & Hefty plates. Click here to view the details and print the rebate form.
• Tombstone Pizza That Pays--purchase Tombstone Pizzas to receive a credit of up to $15 on your utility bill. Click here for the rebate form and program details.

Coupons

• Toys R Us/Babies R Us printable coupon--save $5 off your $25 purchase. Click here to print or to redeem online, use coupon code 928740 at checkout. Coupon expires 5/17/09.
• $1/1 Formula 409 Natural Stone cleaner for granite and marble countertops. Click here then click on "Offers & Promotions" in right column.

Summer Broccoli Salad

In addition to grilling up Barbecued Babyback Ribs, one of my favorite summertime dishes is a fresh Broccoli Salad. This salad is perfect for warm Summer days.

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:
3 heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 pound red seedless grapes
1/8-1/4 cup sunflower kernels
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar

Directions:
Toss cut-up broccoli florets into a large serving bowl. Cut grapes in half; add to broccoli. Add sunflower kernels. In a small bowl, mix oil, vinegar, and sugar until blended. Add to broccoli; toss all ingredients together until combined. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

The Prayer Basket

Spending time on spiritual matters is often a challenge for me. I've tried different methods to remind me to read my scriptures, say my prayers, and focus on my Savior. I did great when I was single. But then I got married, had children, and yada yada yada. Try as I might, it was difficult for me to find the time, the place, the motivation to make my walk with God a priority. Something always came up.

But one thing that has helped and has stuck with me is my prayer basket. No, it's not a basket full of writ prayers. Instead, it's the things I need to ensure my prayer and scripture study not only takes place, but that it is focused, uninterrupted, and an uplifting experience. The adversary doesn't want any of us to focus on spiritual matters. He wants us to be busy, to have a life of imbalance. But that's not what our Heavenly Father wants for us. He wants us to spend time with Him, to learn of His Son, to reveal to us answers to the desires and prayers of our hearts. For me, in order to have this one-on-one time with my God, I simply cannot have any distractions--no kids, no spouse, no TV, no nothing.

And that's where my prayer basket helps me out. Here's what's in my prayer basket:

• A basket--Can't have a prayer basket without one of these. :) I got my basket on sale at a local craft store for $4. I liked it best because the price fit my budget, and the basket, which is oblong in shape, fit nicely on my bedstand.
• Scriptures
• Lesson manuals, devotionals
• Magazine--my church has a monthly magazine with uplifting messages
• Uplifting book--right now I'm reading What a Husband Needs From His Wife: Physically, Emotionally, Spiritually by Melanie Chitwood
• Journal book--no matter what I'm reading, I jot down thoughts of what I've read. This helps me focus on what I'm reading and the feelings that come as I read. And by writing this down, I can look back on my journal and read how I felt at the time
• Pen, highlighter--for writing in my journal and highlighting scripture verses that stand out
• Stationary--so I can jot a note to a friend or whomever may come to mind
• Socks--in case my feet get cold
• Cough drops--these are really coming in handy right now because my allergies and sinuses have been suffering
• Tissues--I've had my fair share of tears from something that has touched me, especially as I write in my journal the things I felt during my scripture reading
• Music--once in a while, I like to listen to some uplifting music while writing in my journal, reading a book, or simply unwinding. I've got two CDs in my prayer basket at the moment--Blink by Plumb, and Precious Moments With the Savior by Kim Bolton.
• Place of Prayer--this is my bed. I have a lamp on my nightstand that provides good lighting, and it's the only place where I can sit and be with God without interruptions of life. Anywhere else in the house is full of distractions--TV, laundry, dishes, and I'm certainly not going to hang out in the bathroom either! So the bedroom it is.
• Time--my best time for my walk with God is at night before bed. Some folks like doing it first thing in the morning before everyone else gets up, which is a great way to start off the day. But that just doesn't work for me. I like doing it at night. It allows me to unwind, and I end my day resting peacefully and a lot closer to my Heavenly Father.
• Cat--she's actually not a part of my prayer basket, but she is my baby. She always knows when it's bedtime, or at least thinks she knows. When I head to the bedroom late at night, she follows me right in, like she did when I took the picture of my prayer basket.

What way works best for you and your walk with God? Please feel free to leave a comment below. I'd love to know what your suggestions are.

Wok's For Dinner: The Oops Meal

I've definitely got the Mommy Brain. You know, the brain that just sort of deteriorates once a child comes into this world, forgetful, absent-minded. Case in point. I created navigation links under the header of my blog. And, well, the only one that works is the "About" link. Didn't realize that until long after I had created the links (and I just haven't had the time or motivation to figure out how to correct the problem). Oops. And tonight I realized that I had skipped a meal on my menu plan for this week. We were supposed to have Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon last night. Last night's dinner, Chicken & Broccoli Casserole, was supposed to be tonight's dinner. And tonight's dinner was supposed to be for tomorrow. Oops, oops. I guess that's okay, it all worked out in the end anyways, right? We'll just have the salmon on Saturday night instead.



So tonight, the Oops Meal, was Bird's Eye Voila! Alfredo Chicken. I had intended on making a side of broccoli & cauliflower, but the Voila! had broccoli in it, and I decided that I didn't need to overdue it on that particular vegetable. (Yet another "oops" since I "should have known" the Voila! had broccoli, right?) I bought the Voila! because it had a $5 rebate with the purchase of the movie Madagascar 2. I wanted to make sure we ate it before the rebate and UPC symbols had to be mailed off, and tonight was my son's baseball pratice, so I needed a quick-fix meal anyways. So my Oops Meal worked out all right after all. :)