Christmas Decorating or Lack Thereof....

Since our tree still sits nekkid and unadorned I thought I'd share a picture of the Christmas tree from 2008.
I don't even have a good photo of the WHOLE TREE, just this bottom/presents shot. sigh  I am sooo bad about taking photos at holidays....
 
Yes, we are those kind of people who put up a fake tree.  And not only that but it's not even green!
Well, we do have another fake tree that is smaller and green.  It's the older tree we keep as a spare or if some day we get the spirit, we may put up TWO trees.....but don't hold your breath.  This white one I picked up a few years ago for 90% off or something ridiculous like that from KMart in January.
Me pay retail for a tree??
Not on your life!
I'm sure I still have the receipt filed away and could go check on the exact amount spent....but that would involve motivation, and that is something I am pretty low on at the moment.


We have done everything from a live small Norfolk Pine, to a dig-your-own-and-replant-it-in-the-yard-Tree, chop down your own at a tree farm, a cut tree from the corner lot to assorted fake trees.
I love the smell of a fresh cut tree.  But I don't love the cost nowadays, not having a good way to recycle or dispose of it around here or being a 'live tree killer'.  I know trees are grown/harvested and renewable but it sure takes a lot of years to grow a nice one.  A fake tree works fine for us plus there is no mess to clean up from dropped needles and it helps keep the 3 dogs from having ideas about messing with it or 'watering' it...if you know what I mean. ;-)

The kids don't seem to be 'into' decorating the tree anymore so it's hard for me to get enthused enough to do it myself this year.  Hubby is not allowed to decorate the tree, unless he has 'supervision'.  Needless to say, he is not the artistic one in the family.lol

As for other 'decorating' in the house......there usually isn't much.
Besides the tree, some garland on the stair banister and a festive tablecloth, candles and holiday dishes on the dining room table is about the extent of the decorating inside.
Oh, and I put the Christmas tablecloth on the kitchen table too, as you can see in any of my shopping trip photos recently.

I did have a burst of holiday spirit for Thanksgiving however and did this to the sofa table....notice that the sofa table is NOT behind a sofa, but at the bottom of the stairs in the living room...

I had a piece of fall themed knit fabric I draped over the table.  Then I put some candy corn Kisses in the Candy Jar, a candle in the candle holder and drug out a copper dish with holiday decorations with a fall candle and plopped it down on the table.  (The old photo of the kids from 1996!lol, was there already but the Fitz & Floyd Musical Santa was just put out this week for Christmas.)


So are you a Holiday Decorating Fiend in your home or not?
Tell us about your great tips for making your house shine at the Holidays.

Sluggy

Stuff....Yes, Assorted Stuff

Remember when I said I didn't remember going to the local mom & pop grocery store this past weekend because I was overcome with a flu fog?
Well I just found the proof of the trip--the receipt!  So hubby hasn't been pulling my leg about this after all.lol
For someone who doesn't even remember going, I sure bought quite a few things!  My receipt is 2 feet long. 8-)
I don't have a photo but here is what I bought....

4 x Betty Crocker Potato Pouches on sale for $.80=$3.20
I used 4 $.35/1 Qs that doubled to $.70, paying $.10 for each=$.40

4 x Herr's Potato Chips(something I don't buy much but they were 1/2 off) $1.14 a bag=$4.56
No Qs but 50% off.

6 x Snow's Clams reg. $1.69 on sale 50% off! at $.84=$5.04
I used 3 $1/2 Qs, paying $.34 for each=$2.04

4 x Progresso Mushroom Soup.  All that Progresso Soup I got free from Acme last month and not one can of Mushroom, my favorite! Humph.  Reg. price $2.19, tt was on sale 50% off at $1.09=$4.36
I used 1 $1/4 Q, paying $.84 each=$3.36

4 x Dr. Oetker's Pizza on sale for $2.99 each=$11.96
I used 4 $2/1 Qs, paying $.99 each=$3.97

2 x Trop50 OJ on sale for $2.50 each=$5.00
I used 1 $1/2 Q, paying $2.00 each=$4.00

Hubby bought a hunk of liverwurst at the Deli for hiding the dog's pills in=$3.77  He should have bought a smaller hunk but I wasn't there to supervise.lol

1 x Milk 1/2 gal. for $1.68(no Qs)rounds out the order.

Total Value...$66.41
Total after Sales...$39.57
Total after Coupons...$23.77
Total after Cashier rang up 1 $.70Q twice...$23.07 OOP

Not bad for the flu, huh?lol

Has anyone tried those Dr. Oetker's Pizzas yet?  We prepared a few this past weekend.  I must say they are quite small and the crust is thin, so if you like thin crust, you'll like these.  I love mushrooms but the box is offputting on the mushroom pizza variety.  It's a german company and they refer to mushrooms as FUNGHI on the box.  Yah, not very appetizing to an American consumer when you call it that.  I added carmelized onions and roasted red peppers to my 'funghi' pizza and it was edible then.

So I was still not quite back to 'full strength' on Tuesday but the family was wasting away from not having a 'proper' dinner since last week.  Though hubby does try his darnedest to fill in, in the meal making category when I'm not up to it, and I love that about him, everyone was pretty tired of eating food out of boxes, if you know what I mean.

So in the fine old tradition of 'throwing stuff together that is laying around the kitchen/freezer/pantry', I got out some frozen chicken breasts, took the 'almost too late to save them' fresh funghi...er, I mean mushrooms out of the produce drawer and threw them in the crockpot.  I then found a bottle of this in the pantry that was about to go past the sell by date....

....A bottle of Kraft Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing.  I poured 1/2 the bottle over the chicken and turned the crockpot up to Hi.
About an hour before I planned to serve the chicken, I poured a box of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice Mix in along with the included seasoning packet, then turned the pot down to Low.
As #2 son doesn't care for mushrooms and there wasn't enough rice in 1 box to satisfy the whole family's hunger, I cooked up a Knorr's Rice Sides bag as well.  I cooked up some fresh frozen Cauliflower I got from the Flea Market farm vendor in October and we had a very yummy meal.

I just wanted to alert ya'll that this Honey Dijon Dressing is great as a Marinade/Sauce for chicken.  I prefer it used in this was, rather than as a Salad Dressing actually.  Not bad for something that cost 8 CENTS after coupon!

Since I didn't get around to a Meal Plan Monday menu for the week, I've been playing catch up all week...usually standing in the kitchen around noon each day and trying to pull a plan together for that evening.  I am here to tell you that planning a a wee bit further ahead is much less stressful!lol

Wednesday night was fried fish, hush puppies, kraft mac&cheez dinner and corn. 
Thursday will be Taco Night and Friday night will be Turkey Sloppy Joes on Rolls and Coleslaw.
The only thing I need to buy is some cabbage for the coleslaw and some more milk as I haven't been to the grocery store since last Saturday.
The weekend meal plan?
Not.
A.
Clue.
I'll start fresh on next Monday. ;-)

I spent a total of $45.27 at Walmart(mostly on 2lbs. of a deli cheese we love that nobody else carries), Weis and the local mom&pop Grocery Store last week.
This week so far I've spent $11.26 at Target and Rite-Aid, and of that, I'll be getting $10.58 in SCRs back, so I've spent $.68 total for this week.

I think I'm all caught up now...

Sluggy

A Rare Trip to Target and The Shelves Weren't Cleared Yet!

So I don't go to Target much.
Let's just say it's because of bad past experiences and we only have 1 Target here so unless you get there on Sunday-the day the sales start-you will only find empty shelves where the good buys USE TO BE!

So I don't go much....except I had to be nearby this evening to pick up Hubby's car from the repair shop.

I decided to stop in and see if there was anything left that is on sale this week.
I did two transactions but I put all of it in one photo.
I always have a $5 Gift Card to use from a previous Free Target Gift Card Deal.

Transaction #1
5 x Keebler Crackers/Cheez-its on sale $2=$10.00
2 x Method Dish Soap $2.99=$5.98
2 x Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa on sale $.97=$1.94
SubTotal...$17.92

Coupons Used
1 x $.75/1 Cheez-Its IPQ=$.75
2 x $1/2 Keebler Crackers (1 IPQ/1 ManuQ)=$2.00
2 x $2/1 Method Product IPQ=$4.00
2 x $1/1 Swiss Miss Target IPQ=$1.94 *adjusted down*
Coupon Total....$8.69

1 x $5 Gift Card Used  $8.69+$5.00=$13.69

$17.92-$13.69=$4.23+$.12 tax=$4.35 OOP
Received a $5 Target Gift Card for the Keebler Crackers/Cheez-Its
**2 of the Crackers had the $10 Toy Money Tokens-3 more Token boxes and I can send for a $10 Toy Certificate.

Transaction #2
5 x Keebler Cookies(various Fudge Shoppe)on sale $2.00=$10.00
SubTotal....$10.00

Coupons Used
2 x $1.50/2 Keebler Cookies IPQ=$3.00
Coupons Total....$3.00

1 x $5 Gift Card Used  $3.00+$5.00=$8.00

$10-$8=$2.00 OOP
Received a $5 Target Gift Card for buying 5 Keebler Cookies

Total OOP....$6.35
Total Value of Items...$35.57
Savings of....82.15%

Sluggy

More Rite-Aid This Week....Tuesday's Trip

Finally feeling like the sick fog has lifted....well, partially lifted, I ventured back to Rite-Aid on Tuesday.

2 x GE Reveal LightBulbs on sale $2.50=$5.00
2 x Scotch Pop-Up Tape on sale $2.14=$4.28
2 x AirWick I Motion Sprayer thingy on sale 50% off($4.99)=$9.98
1 x M5 Magnum Razor on sale=$5.99
Subtotal....$25.23

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $25 Rite-Aid Purchase IPQ=$5.00
2 x $1/1 GE Reveal LightBulbs ManuQ= $2.00
2 x $1/1 Scotch Pop-Up Tape IPQ(see my last RA post for the link)= $2.00
2 x $5/1 AirWick I Motion Sprayer ManuQ=$10.00
1 x $3/1 M5 Magnum Razor IPQ=$3.00(coupons.com)
1 x $2/1 M5 Magnum Razor/Refills Store Flyer Q=$2.00
Coupon Total....$24.00

$25.23-$24.00=$1.23+$.28 tax=$1.51 OOP

I qualified for $5.29 in SCRebates($3.29 Scotch Tape/$2.00 LightBulbs)under BIL's account.

After rebates, this trip's total was $3.78 in Overage!

I so love to get paid to bring things home, don't you? ;-))

I'm working on 2 more scenarios, 1 involves cereal, coffee and air freshener for $5.55 OOP and the other is a bunch of Old Spice and Mitchum Deo for $1.50+tax, or $.50 Overage after rebate.

Stay tuned.....

Sluggy

The 4 letter word for today is.....

Here's what happened this past weekend while I was in my flu-induced coma....

Our first measurable snowfall of the season.
Oh goody.....
Can I go back to bed and wake up in April?lol

Sluggy