Hmmm. Worked all day. Tired. Hungry. Have bread and cheese. Have a can of *gack* chicken noodle soup. Found a large can of Italian crushed tomatoes in the back of the cabinet that I can’t reach without a tall man or a stepladder. Aha! An unsuspecting can of okra, corn and tomatoes lurking back there as well. Oh yes, 3 large onions in the bin waiting for who knows what meal. Shit. No potatoes. Oh well. Acres of pasta bought at Big Lots 2 years ago at 33 cents a box. Nectar of the gods commonly known as Tabasco Sauce. Let’s see…. a little celery seed, Old Bay (not the after-shave), a clove of garlic and a five pound bag of sugar.

Preparation:
Add tomatoes, chicken noodle soup, half a chopped medium onion, garlic clove, can of okra, corn and tomatoes, teaspoon of Old Bay, teaspoon of celery seed and a pinch of sugar.
Simmer covered for one hour, then add pasta and cook ten minutes more.

Slap cheese on buttered bread, toast in skillet.

Thanks to my Grandmother for showing me how to be frugal and make a delicious meal out of little or nothing.

It was delicious!

….Savings, that is.  I am addicted to using coupons to nearly every place I visit.  In fact, it’s quite common practice for me to actually LOOK for coupons before I actually head out to a particular store, restaurant, retail establishment or any other place of business.

Tonight was no exception.  My family and I frequent a local pizza buffet that has a two-for-one buffet coupon that is printable.  So, I’ve managed to print out a few and keep them on hand.  Our family eats there for around $8 total, including soft drinks and lemonade for the kids!  Unbelievable, I know.  We never visit that place unless it’s with a coupon.

Anyway, it’s just an interesting read into my life of couponing and deal-hunting.   Now, what to do with all that extra money I’ve been saving…..hmmmm…..

If I hear one more time, in any form, that being a stay-at-home parent puts more pressure and stress on my family than it does good, I will puke fire.  I get told all the time that my children will suffer severe social suicide if I don’t put them into an environment where they are around more children.  Or who is going to teach them the things they need to know before going to school?  I agree that school is where the teaching continues…not where it begins.  I also know that I am far from an idiot.  Therefore, what is wrong with my teaching, since it will my household they are raised in…which means my rules.  I know another fact to be that children that are in daycare get sick twice as much, if not, more than children that are not.  I understand that for some parents to make it, they must utilize the tools given to them, such as daycare.  I do not push my beliefs on anyone about this topic, so I would appreciate others with beliefs to the contrary not push theirs upon me.  So, consider this an open letter to all the parents who say those discriminating things just because you are jealous that I get to nourish and enrich my child’s mind with knowledge, manners, and love each and every day. It is a tough road, any mother will tell you that.  If I were lazy, I would not have chosen to have children.  I feel that a higher power blessed me with two children to raise to be productive members of a continuously harsh, brutal world.  I know not only will my children need to be prepared with mathematics and grammar, but survival and social skills when they journey out away from the nest.  That is why I shall not allow some overweight, redneck heifer to throw books at my kid whilst she screams across the room.  I have taken the tours of these places, and I shall place a bet that the large and in charge big Bertha at the daycare center doesn’t take the time to explain why he should not do the things she is screaming at him for.  And, I bet she doesn’t get paid with the slobbery kisses and sticky hugs that I do.
Stay-at-home moms don’t bring home a paycheck per say, but Dr. Phil quoted on his show today that an engineer that he had spoken to said “A stay-at-home parent has the equivalent of TWO full-time jobs.”  Now, that takes skill, patience, and dedication.  Here is some reading for the ones out there who think that us stay-at-home parents are short-changing our families.  Do your homework before you make statements that will make you appear not as intelligent as my 3 year-old.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,194881,00.html

My family and I applied about 7 months ago for a federal grant for a weatherization program. This program is designed for energy conservation. The gentleman that came to my home today was there to inspect the home to see where we might be losing energy and thus causing our utility bills to be expensive. He went through my house with a fine tooth comb, looking at the attic, the basement, and everything in between. I would like to share with you some of the wonderful tips he provided me with. (He was very informative.)

1. Only 20% of homes built before 1980 are/were insulated well.

2. If you are going to add insulation, spend most of your insulation budget filling the walls and the attic, then around the windows and doors. Insulating the open air underneath your home, provided it is only crawlspace, is handy, but unless you reside in a very warm climate, is low on the priority list. Heat rises, therefore, it is not going to sink and escape.

3. Ventilation is key in reducing your cooling costs during the hotter months. Warm air and cool air cannot occupy the same space at the same time. So, the warm air must be expelled for cool air to effectively chill your living space. Range hood exhaust fans, bathroom exhaust fans, as well as attic fans should be installed to create proper expulsion of moist, warm air. Heat+moisture=mold and mildew.

4. The duct work in your home is vital to keeping it warm in the colder months and cool in the warmer months. If there are leaks present, you are spending a huge amount making the attic or lower crawlspace comfortable for all the spiders and creepy crawlies that take up residence there.

5. Super-Savers: 10% of your energy bills can be saved by caulking or sealing around all windows, doors, and seams. 10% can also be put back in your pocket by shading your air conditioning unit outside. Shaded units work way more efficiently than ones that must work in the sun all day. Another 10% can be chopped off using a programmable thermostat.

6. Double paned windows reduce heat loss by 20%-50%.

7. Replacing 25% of the lights in areas where heavy lighting is needed most will reduce your lighting energy costs by 50%.

These tips will not only put money back in your wallet, but also help to keep our environment healthy.