The Childrens Place - Monster Sale

TCP currently has their Monster Sale going on.  Items online are marked down by 40% and items at some stores are marked down by 50%!!  If you decide to shop online, I have a code for an additional 25% off!!  Whoo-Hoo!!  However, the code expires today, Aug. 1st, for the additional 25% off!

Let me know if you are interested.  I just placed an order for Lindsay and got several outfits for her for $2.25 per item!  I can't go to Wal-Mart and get anything that cheap.  All the items I purchased will be perfect for her to wear to school.  I also found some cute items for baby gifts.

Potty Training - Day 1

Day one of potty training complete!!  And, I think overall, it was pretty successful.  Lindsay only had two accidents and stayed dry during nap time.  Whoo-hoo!!!!!!

So, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge completely and put her to bed in panties.  I do realize that there is a risk involved, like her wetting the bed and me having to change bedding in the middle of the night, but I think at this point it's all or nothing.  I do know she is capable of holding it all night long, so we'll see how tonight goes.  Thankfully, she really didn't have much to drink before bed time, so I think our chances are pretty good :)

And as happy as I am about her magnificent achievement, it does sadden me just a bit.  I guess that's just the mom in me...

*Edited to add:  We made it through the night with dry clothes, a dry bed, and a dry kid!! :)

Starting "School"

Lindsay will be starting "school" in September with the First Baptist Church's Parents Day Out Program.  Right now, I'm very excited about the opportunity that she will have to learn and grow with kids her own age.  However, once the day arrives for her to go, I may not be so excited about the fact that my baby is growing up!  *sniff, sniff*  So, as anxious as I may have been when she was a newborn to get past whatever the current "stage" was, now I find myself wanting to slam on the brakes and slow things down just a teeny weeny bit.  I mean, after all, she is already two years old! 

I did find her the cutest little pillow to take with her for nap time (I can really see her sleeping with a room full of other two year olds).  The pillowcase has her name embroidered on it with different color fabrics.  She seems to be super excited about having a pillow with her name on it, so maybe we will start practicing taking naps with our little pillow and Kinder Mat!!  Click here to see the cute pillowcase.  To my surprise, when I went to get the link, the actual one she made for Lindsay is featured on her website!

Then there is this thing called potty training...  To be honest, I have not really started officially potty training.  We've been doing pull-ups since she started showing interest in using the potty.  They are so much easier to pull-up and down (huh, I imagine that is where the name came from!) than a diaper.  So, I guess it's about time that I take the plunge and get this girl using the potty and wearing big girl panties!  I really think that she'll train fairly easily (I'll have to let you know if I still think that once we get started).

And, once again, I am reminded that It Won't Be Like This For Long.

Menu Plan Monday - week of 7/27/09

It's time for Menu Plan Monday!!  

Mon - Roasted Red Pepper & Tortellini Bake, fresh sauteed spinach

Tues- Spice Rubbed Pork Chops, baked sweet potatoes

Weds - Picante Chicken, Mexican rice, tortillas

Thurs - Leftovers

Fri - BBQ chicken legs, grilled squash

Sat - Chicken Bruschetta Pasta, swiss chard

Sun - Simple Supper Sunday

Please be sure to leave a comment with what you've come up with for MPM.

What's for dinner tonight?

In anticipation of Menu Plan Monday, here is what's for dinner tonight...

Grilled Bison burgers

Grilled squash

Sliced tomatoes

Total cost per person - $1.66

Not to shabby, heh?  The only thing I had to purchase for this meal was the bison, the rest of the items I already had on hand.  We grew the squash and tomatoes in our garden.  I found the bison on sale for $4.99/lb, which is about $1/lb more than beef.  This is not something we have all the time, but I am not supposed to eat beef, and ground turkey gets pretty old after a while. And, we have enough leftover for mine and Lindsay's lunch tomorrow!!

 

Checking out at the grocery store can be very discouraging at times, but when you break down your spending per meal, you can really get a grasp on how much things cost and how much you really are saving.  There is no way I could go to McDonald's and get enough food for two meals for $5!!

Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan Monday (MPM) is an old idea that has taken on a new role is this tough economy. Originally, this practice was used to plan out the weeks menu so that you could plan your shopping list accordingly, it eliminated the "What's for dinner?" dilemma, and you could always incorporate a night or two with leftovers, meaning not having to cook every night!

Nowadays, MPM has brought out the "frugalista" in the average meal planner.  Meals are being planned around what's on sale at the grocery store that week, what coupons do I have, and what can I get at the Farmer's Market?

Several months back I decided to give MPM a try.  It was a fabulous idea, but I slowly became discouraged by the lack of availability to good deals in my area.  I did the best that I could for a few weeks, but I have since dropped the ball on the entire idea.

I hate the "What's for dinner?" dilemma, and let's face it, so do you!  In an effort to get back on track, I decided to try my best to post my weekly menu on my blog.  So, stay tuned for next week's menu!  

I also plan to share some of the other money saving tips that I've learned over the past few months.

Hopefully my efforts will bring encouragement to some of you!

Thyroid Update

Thank you all for continuing to lift up my family in prayer during my struggle with Graves Disease.

I started seeing a new doctor at the end of April.  After reviewing my blood work, he decided to start me on a medicine called methimazole.  I had my blood work rechecked at the end of May and have seen much improvement!  Praise the Lord!  I am still out of range in several areas, so he increased the dosing and I will have my blood rechecked in another couple of weeks.

I still have a lot of hope that this situation can be reconciled with medication instead of surgery (which has a whole new set of issues).  My new doctor is amazing and the Lord has really affirmed a lot of things through him.