Some fall decorating

My hubby is an awesome decorator. I say I buy it and he arranges it. This is what he did while I was asleep the other day. I just love this time of year. What seasons we do get here in California, I try to enjoy as much as I can by decorating our house for my family. My kids are so used to me decorating for holidays that they will ask when I am going to start. Guess I'm on the hook now. I also love to burn scented candles and melts this time of year. My favorite is a candle my daughter bought for me. It is a McCall candle and the scent is called "Country Store" It is yummy. Makes me want to bake when I smell it.

This is a shelf in my kitchen.

My dry sink. Most favorite spot my house.

Found the little bushel basket at Target in the dollar section.

And lastly, my daughter's kitty found his way into my Halloween treat basket. I just died. So cute. Had to take a picture of him. I am linking up with My Romantic Home  for Show and Tell Friday.

Do you have time to coupon?

I have been so busy since school started, that I have not been couponing much. I had to decide where to spend my time and it just doesn't seem I have time to organize, clip and hunt for the deals like I did over the summer. I did use a few coupons this week but I have decided that I will only go to CVS and Target and the market. I will search for the deals that are freebies but my clipping and hunting has to be bare minimum. We homeschool, so I have so much paper work involved with the kids schooling that I must place them as a priority. I admit I am coupon-challenged but I don't want to give it up totally and go back to paying full price for tooth paste right? Do you all manage super busy family lives and still do major couponing? What is your secret? I would love to know.

Hello out there!

Wow, I have been one busy sort of stressed (back to homeschooling kinda thing) momma. I have done so little shopping, that our cupboards are getting bare. It is amazing what you can make out of some of the things in your pantry when you are desperate. One item I made I'll call "desperate quiche." I'll have to post the recipe later. My hubby liked it and requested it in slices and frozen to eat in his hotel room for dinner while he was out of town. Glad to have time to visit some of my favorite blogs.

No shopping, just living

School and crazy hectic schedules rule my life now and I am trying to not stress about it. My hubby just left for 8 weeks out of town for work and we will only see him one day a week now, but hey, he's working and that is a blessing. So many people, my own extended family included, are struggling right now. I just don't see the signs of the economy picking up but I live in CA where our state gov't. is so screwed up who knows what will happen with this once great state.
Sitting outside with my two year old while she plays with rocks and I am looking in at the mess in the den that needs picking up but oh well, a happy two year old is heaven. No TV and a pile of rocks. Who knew?
Sometimes when we have a lot of stress it is hard to slow down and savor the small things and I want remind myself to just be in this moment. The mess will be there but my happy toddler isn't always happy so I want to let her play. A wise family doctor told me when I had my first daughter 19 years ago (I know a spread right), that the dirt will always be there but this day with my child will not. So Elaine, take a deep breath and live in this moment with your happy little one. The orthodontist awaits us at noon with daughter #3.

Home from camping and a quick trip to CVS

Had a great time with friends over the weekend camping at the beach. Friday was sunny and warm and Saturday was cool and breezy. I'm there in the middle. The laundry awaits now but we packed really light this trip so it was an easy clean up. I had to head to CVS as I had 14.99 in bucks expiring so off I went.

I bought:
2 boxes Nature Valley bars (used $1/2 cpn)
1 bag of Brach Halloween mix
1 package Bounty paper towels (used $1/1 from P&G cpn book)
1 bag of Starbucks coffee (used $1/1)
1 box Alive vitamins

Used $4/20 from the machine and 14.99 in bucks that were expiring today.
Recvd 10.89 in bucks and a $5/$15 cpn on my receipt so I will find some deals to use this for as it is only a 3 day cpn.
Total oop was 6.76 which isn't bad considering the Starbucks coffees usually cost more than that alone.