2011 Review Extravaganza......October to December

I'm taking part in this 2011 Review Extravaganza from over at Mimi's Place, Living in France.
Here is the link to The Rules.
If you want to take part go read the rules and then link up each Friday in December.
And to read the folks participating, go click on the Extravaganza Button on my side bar.


Onward to my 4th installment of the  Review of 2011...the October to December months.






OCTOBER

Hubs and I took a trip to an Elk Farm.

I spent a good part of October in my garage getting ready to hold a big Toy Sale/Garage Sale. I dug through all my junk in Storage in preparation for this sell off, showing photos and talking about it HERE.
Since the Flea Market got swallowed up back in September when the Susquehanna River flooded the area, hauling all my toy merchandise there to sell was no longer an option, so the sale was going to happen in the garage instead.
Unfortunately, due to many factors, including pulling my back muscles out and being loopy on painkillers for the better part of 2 weeks,  the sale just didn't happen at ALL. 


 

I talked about me and Hub's trip to Ocean City MD and the unconventional souvenirs I buy when on vacation HERE.
It was 65 degrees and sunny the day we left.  A couple days later I woke up to this at home.......

I'm still scratching my head and mumbling WTF?!? over that......

NOVEMBER

The word for November was Insanity!
I reopened my eBay Store early on in November.  Oh, those crazy eBay buyers...need I say more?lol

So my month was fairly insane between dealing with eBay stuff and the kids' stuff and various band schedules AND Thanksgiving.   I was MIA online a lot or I was complaining.

The strange weather continued and the Forsythia started blooming in November.....NOVEMBER people!!ack

What do polygamists, spam and windmills have in common?   They are some random things I think about.  I gave readers a taste of what it's like inside my head HERE.  And HERE is another Brain Dump post that was very popular.

The grocery store ran a Catalina Deal that gave almost free Gravy right before Thanksgiving.  This caused me to try to get 81 cans of gravy for the local food bank Thanksgiving Dinner baskets.  The grocery store started moving the display around the store to thwart MY PLAN.  But in the end, we were victorious!

In between all this, I even found the time for more DECLUTTERING P*RN and I finally went back to Rite-Aid after a 2 month long break.

And Wall Street was NOT the only place being Occupied in November....

DECEMBER

Gee, it seems like only yesterday that we were living the December life. lol

My dining room could have been mistaken for a UPS STORE.  It's been cleaned since this photo.

I found some strange keyword searches that brought readers to my blog HERE.

I talked about some funny &/or annoying  eBAY BUYERS.

I couldn't help myself even at Christmas to go off on another RANT.

We got the Christmas tree up by mid month but it stayed basically nekkid until all the kids were home from college.

Read about how my family can't take me anywhere without embarrassing them HERE.

And we ended the year with our CHRISTMAS PHOTOS and a look around our CHRISTMAS TREE.

I hope y'all had fun reliving some highlights(and lowlights)of my 2011 experience. 
Come on back next week to see what's in store for us in 2012!


Sluggy

HoHoHo....Holiday Decluttering P*rn!

What makes your Holiday Season even merrier than some Decluttering P*rn!

We got another load together before Christmas.  Hubs & I are taking it in today.

2 Chess Books
7 Ty stuffed animals
1 gold plated Race Car
2 Gargoyles Backpacks
1 pack of Power Rangers cupcake papers

1 kid's stapler(used)
3 Hot Wheels commemorative cars
2 Power Rangers Galaxy Gliders
1 Bionicle Game in tin
1 box of Power Rangers trading cards
1 Women's plus size knit blouse
1 Book by Charles Grodin
1 box of Star Trek Generations trading cards
6 boxes of Star Trek Movies trading cards
5 chess books
2 faux leather cosmetic bags
4 playing card sets in collectible tins
2 Crinkle Clause figurines
1 Menorah with candles

1 bow(toy), used
12 pillows of various size, used

Also....not pictured
1 silver cream and sugar set with tray
1 purse, used
2 spoon rests, used

I might have 1 more load of decluttering in me before the New Year.
Stay tuned!

Sluggy

Christmas Time in Photos

Just a few pictures of our Christmas eve and day....

My son, who just became interested in learning to cook, making cookies for his girlfriend.  This is his first encounter with an electric mixer.  We avoided flour/cocoa powder flying to the ceiling when he tried to run the mixer with no wet ingredients in the bowl.  We also learned the hard way how to stop the mixer before taking it out of the bowl.  Important mixer rules you know.....

He was making something he'd never made before to give as a gift.   When I found this out, I impressed upon him the wisdom of NOT making something for the 1st time if it had to be perfect/right/edible.
Men......lol

Here is our intimate Christmas eve dinner at the local Chinese restaurant.  We had the place to ourselves this year until we were nearly finished eating and a couple came in.
At least my polka dot handbag made it into the photo.  Why does no one else ever volunteer to take the photos?
And no, the family wouldn't let me drink sake or sing "Deck the Halls" there.

 Which brings us to Christmas morning.

 #2 son opening, and with his most wanted Christmas item(besides cash).  You would think THIS would illicit a smile??

 Even a $50 gift card taped to a jar of Nutella(he is an addict)couldn't get him to smile!

 #1 son cramming a block of Jalapeno Jack Cheese into his pie hole, whilst holding Beef Sticks.  The way to this guy's heart IS through his stomach.....

Daughter showing off her new laptop cooling mat from her Aunt and Uncle.  Geez, I dare any of them to smile!

 Inside Joke....#2 son was in love with Kimberly the Pink Power Ranger when he was a tiny tot.  I wrapped one of his presents in this old Power Rangers paper we had and made the tag out To XXX, From Kimberly.
I thought it was hysterical, #2 son was NOT amused, and #1 son noticed that I'd put the tag between Kimberly's spread legs. 
I plan on having a family for sale on eBay next week!

 #1 son feigning joy and surprise at his new hoodie Santa brought him(because he went to the store with me and picked it out 3 days earlier before I wrapped it and stuck it under the tree).

 I almost got a smile out of #2 son for this Beatles shirt.....almost....so close but yet......

 And this gift of CASH from her Aunt finally got Daughter to throw out her face muscles and give a smile....success!
Cash is king in her world, at Christmas and every day.

Waiting not-so-patiently for the Santa-of-the-Day(played by #2 son this year)to give out more presents.
We open presents one at a time so everyone can see and enjoy them.....or just to torment my kids if you ask them.lol
That door mat/rug in the photo is about 50 yrs. old.  It was at our front door every Christmas that I can recall growing up.  I put it in front of the tree now to keep it from getting dirty.

#1 son getting a silly gift of Mario underwear.  It's silly yet functional and useful....just like him. ;-)

Ok, I lied.
I DID get a photo with them smiling.  They are even sitting in close proximity without complaining that someone is too close or is touching them.
Will miracles ever cease?!?
Of course, this photo had to be taken BEFORE I let them open anything or go through their stockings.
Once I didn't have Christmas presents to hold over their heads, the chances of getting a photo with smiling faces was nearly nil.
*sigh*

I hope your Christmas was everything you wanted!

Sluggy

December Food Spending Week 4, Meal Plan Week 5

Last week's meal plan is in the books.  Here is what actually happened....

SUNDAY--Lone Star for steaks(holiday treat out)

MONDAY--Daughter's Bday Meal out, Mom Sake binge

TUESDAY--Leftovers

WEDNESDAY--Beef Stroganov, Rice, Broccoli
THURSDAY--frozen Pizzas, Salad(nobody ate the Salad tho)

FRIDAY--BBQ pulled Pork Sammies, Coleslaw, Corn
SATURDAY--Chinese food out(Xmas Eve tradition)

3, count 'em 3 Dinners out last week!  It's the Holidays, what else can I say?lol

I cooked 2 actual meals last week, we had leftovers 1 night and the frozen pizzas(lazy dinner)was the night of the Band Concerts since there was no time for a sit-down dinner.

As predicted, the food spending was high last week.

In all, we spent $139.35 last week at the grocery stores.  8 trips to various stores, lots of small trips to pick up a thing or two while someone was already out nearby and 1 big trip to the restaurant supply store(where I bought the hunk of meat to BBQ among other things).   Reg. retail of $250.53 so I saved 44.38% last week.

I find this hysterical that I spent just over $100 for 3 WEEKS of meals earlier this month and I cooked a large number of those meals.

Then I cook 2 meals total in Week 4 and I spend $139+ in 1 WEEK!!lol

My spending is in reverse proportion to my cooking.  Hmmmmm......

I also did something sneaky last week.  I got these for free!

$40 in Weis gift cards.  

I had gotten a Catalina about a transfer or bring a new Rx to their Pharmacy deal at my local store.  As part of the remodel(and price hike)this Weis closed up the Pharmacy/DrugStore down at the end of the strip mall and put it inside the Grocery Store.  They are offering this move your prescriptions/get gift cards deal to drum up business.  So I moved 3 Rxs and filled a new Rx last week and got $40 in gift cards for free.

Now if only Rite-Aid would bring back their 'move your Rx gift card' deal in January so I can move them all back there, I'll be all set!lol

I had planned to use all $40 this month to bring my OOP food spending down, but I ended up using $20 when I had Hubs pick up the Ham for Christmas dinner and I gave the other $20 one to BIL for Christmas.

My Dec. food spending total so far through 12/25 is $240.92.  That leaves $59.08 with 6 days left in the month.

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Ham, Rolls from scratch, Deviled Eggs, Rutabaga, Green Beans, Cranberry Glop, assorted pies

MONDAY--Leftovers

TUESDAY--Leftovers

WEDNESDAY--Date Night-I have a free dinner for 2 to Applebee's to use

THURSDAY--Leftovers

FRIDAY--Leftovers
SATURDAY--Appetizers, homemade Pizza-using dough Hubs picked up last week for cheap

We have tons of leftovers in the fridge for this week, so I plan on doing little actual cooking.

Huge container of leftover Stroganoff & Rice, half a Ham left from Christmas, pulled Pork, Coleslaw, 2 lbs. of Roast Beef coldcuts(that #1 didn't polish off)and 2 bags of homemade rolls.

I see Stoganoff, Pork Sammies, Cheese Steaks and Ham & Cheese Omelets in our future.  Fill in with some fresh veggies and we are set for the week.  Heck, we have enough pie and cake to get us through an Ice Age!lol

Items needed for this menu.....except for the ever present milk, a little bit of cheese for cheesesteaks, some veg. and Hub's herring in cream sauce(for NYE celebrating), there is nothing else I can think of to buy this week.  I may actually stay under $300 spent on food for the month.  (Again, our eating out budget is a separate pile of money.)

So what is everyone else doing this week between Christmas and New Year's Day?  Just grazing on all the food that piled up at your house for Christmas?  Or are you cooking up a storm?  Or are you swearing off of food altogether, fasting and/or changing up your diet in anticipation of the new year? ;-)

Sluggy

Merry Christmas!

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."             -Norman Vincent Peale

From my House to Yours, Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!

Sluggy