Joy of....Three!

I'm pregnant! Expecting baby number three. I am only about five weeks pregnant. This is okay! Because of this I have plenty of time to prepare for a baby. Which is what we need. We got rid of all of our baby items, likethe crib, bouncy seats, car seat, changing pad, playpen, etc. Crazy!

Anyway, we are excited that we will be welcome a bundle of joy to our home in 2011!

Saving Money on Groceries

I have been trying and trying to find ways to cut our costs on our grocery bill and I have to say, this is not my forte! But, I have found that by splitting my hamburger meat into two seperate meals that you never really notice it is not a full pound. Meat is the most expensive aspect in our grocery bill - next to junk food. Although, we are trying to eat a lot healthier now that the hubs is going through a diet and exercise kick! Anyway, recently I made scrambled hmburger and split it to put into two meals. The first meal was Shepherds Pie and the second meal was Crock Pot Cabbage Rolls. While scrambling the hamburger, I added onion, minced garlic, chopped celery and chopped carrots. This extends the meat and adds more healthier flavors. I split it in half and added corn and peas to half of mixture for the Shepherds Pie. This also makes it seem like there is much more meat mixture than there really is. I added a couple of gravy packets and less than a cup of water then spread it in the bottom of a baking dish. The next night I made instant potatoes, added cheese on top, and voila! Shepherds Pie! With the other mixture, I began reducing a canof diced tomatoes, liquid and all, added a big of Mrs.Dash and some beef boulion. I then added the meat mixture and let that simmer for a few. While that was simmering I boiled a pot of water and added my entire head of cabbage. This makes the leaves easier to remove, makes them more pliable and less likely to rip. I then added my rice to the meat and tomato mixture and turned the heat off. I cut my leaves off, added the meat mixture, wrapper the leaves and secured them with toothpicks. I laid them in the crockpot that had tomato sauce with roasted garlic. Yum! I have two healthy, inexpensive meals, made from just one pound of meat.
I personally have expensive taste, so this in generally has worked for me!

What works for you?

Braylee's Party

Braylee's party went great. It was very small, very personal. Just family, which was just fine. I invited some people from our church, but they also had a child's birthday they were attending and/or throwing the same day, same hour. She ended up with a good amount of toys - not loads, thank goodness! Christmas is right around the corner! Her actual birthday is November 3rd, where she will be celebrated to be on this earth for two years! Its so scary, the thought! But, I made cupcakes, and never got any pictures of the decor or anything. He icing was hot pink, with hot pink sprinkles. I dyed the cake batter purple, which was kind of fun! She got a baby doll, a my little pony doll, a tea set, plus many other things. Thanks to those for coming! Have a blessed day!