Crazy about Board Games!

Okay... I admit it... I absolutely L-O-V-E board games! You name it... Scrabble, Balderdash, Scattergories, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, etc... I also love to play some card games such as Phase Ten! And I cannot forget how much fun it was to play Bunko with my Bunko group when I was a teacher. Fun, Fun, Fun! I really think that staying at home, getting some snacks and playing board games is good clean frugal fun! You can have Game Night with the family or have company over. How about you? Do you like games? Which ones? Come on over... I'll get the snacks ready! =)

A Reason for Everything...

Yes, this is one of my favorite sayings and something that TD and I keep saying lately! Sometimes it seems you can plan things out so well but they turn out quite different in the end. I am a firm believer that things certainly do happen for a reason... sometimes we understand and sometimes we don't. Now I am talking about Faith. Gotta have it. Do you worry about things you really cannot control?

My name is Terry and I am a couponaholic...

Tonight I spent some time organizing my coupon binders. Sadly, I had to take out many expired coupons. Luckily, I will be able to send them overseas for our military men and women to use. I am so happy that expired coupons can serve a purpose! I have a total of two large binders and two small paper portfolios. The large black one is for groceries only. I have a semi-large white one for CVS. Then... a smaller one for Walmart and Target as I do not want to lug my bigger ones around those stores and I usually know what I want. My final small one houses restaurant coupons/ service coupons such as Jiffy Lube, Drycleaners, etc. I know it seems like a lot, but it is actually quite organized and easy to use. There is a system I have developed that works really well for me. My MAIN PROBLEM is that I always feel that I have to have every single coupon that I see. Now, that has helped me out a lot in the past since there have been random things on clearance for which I had the coupon and I was impressed with myself. Some of the time, however, I lug around coupons that I do not use. Then I have to spend an evening such as this picking them out of my binder so that I am able to carry the thing around! Two weeks ago, however, out of the blue I had a change of heart. I do not know how it happened. It just did. I told myself to stop being so obsessed with coupons and now I do not spend so much time on them and I do not pick up every coupon ever printed in the modern world. And I am happier. Much happier. How about you? Are you totally coupon obsessed?

That was some good gumbo!

The other night TD gave in and made some of his awesome gumbo. He is truly a Cajun as this is some good stuff! He adapted a recipe from his grandmother, Mama Roy. Before I knew TD, I did not know that gumbo was sometimes eaten with a dollop of potato salad on top. Well, just try to serve me gumbo now with no potato salad and I will wonder where the rest of the meal went! This gumbo had shrimp, chicken and sausage in it. Of course, there is some good rice on the bottom of the bowl. Sometimes we have a problem because I cannot eat very spicy food while TD can eat food that is so spicy a rocket could launch from it. This gumbo was perfect. In the picture you can see the genuine Abita Amber Beer which is what TD likes to drink with gumbo. Makes it a real Louisiana feast. Do you like gumbo... and do you eat potato salad with it?

Another good shopping trip

My trip to Wal Mart went well. Total prior to coupons was $73.58. After coupons the total was $40.81.
Here is what I purchased...

2 bakery cinnamon rolls ( I had no business buying these)
5 Bumble Bee Tuna Salad lunch kits
Planters Mixed Nuts
2 Apple and Eve Apple Juice Box sets
1 Six pack of Dasani water
1 small packet of cumin
1 Simply Orange OJ
6 small gala apples
1 large orange
1 lemon
1 lime
1 plantain
2 garlic
1 bag sunchips
6 packages Huggies Baby Wipes
1 All You Magazine
6 Post It page markers
1 loaf ciabatta from bakery
1 boneless rib roast
1 tyson pork loin roast
package of pork chops
1 bag onions
3 packets kool aid mix
1 mosquito spray (not pictured)
So.. I saved $32.77 in coupons.

I really do not shop at WalMart unless I have a bunch of coupons to use. My most favorite regular grocery store is Publix, but we do not have them here. My other favorite grocery store is Trader Joes, but alas, there are none of those here, either. The good thing about Kroger, where I usually do my grocery shopping, is that the double and triple coupons really help out! Where do you like to do your grocery shopping?

A Peaceful Moment

Here is my beautiful baby, Mineau, showing us that the world can be as chaotic as it wants to be. We can choose to relax. I think I need to follow her example more often. Enjoying the warm sunshine on your face and not worrying about anything... seems like a good thing to me. How about you?

CVSing... Fun on a Saturday Night!

While I was home in Florida for Family Saturday, I went CVSing with my dear sister-in-law Mandy and my brother Patrick, aka Boo Boo.
Here they are holding their binder. It was a really good outing! I was able to meet their favorite cashier, Kelvin, who knows them so well that he knows what their car looks like! It is really cool being able to share CVSing with your family as it is another interest that bonds us closer. So... CVS is more than just a store, it helps bring family and friends closer! Does your family CVS together? ( I guess that CVS has now also become a verb!)