Karen

How Do You Save Money On Groceries?

Because Fabgrandpa and I are both unemployed right now, we are having to be frugal with our money. One of the budget categories I can save the most on is groceries. I have been brainstorming to myself for the last few days on ways to be able to save more on them. Here are some of the things I have come up with:

Use Coupons: Using Coupons is the obvious money saver for most people, but we don’t buy a lot of things that there are coupons for. We shop mostly the perimeter of the store–you know, the produce, meat and poultry, and dairy aisles. I do use the few coupons that match up, but I don’t buy things just because I have one.

Buy On Sale: I try to stock up on certain items when they are on sale at good prices. For instance, a couple weeks ago, Boston Butt Pork Roast was on sale for a ridiculously low price, so I bought a large one and had it sliced into pork steaks. Having a small freezer has really been handy for this.

Make Fewer Trips To The Store: While it is true that I used to travel 85 miles one way to buy groceries when we worked at the Grand Canyon, now we only live 13 miles away from a decent grocery store. Since our car gets about 26 miles to a gallon of gas, that means we have to add the cost of a gallon of gas every time we go there.

Make A List: Yes, this should be a no brainer, but I sometimes to forget to do it. And every time I do, I spend more dollars at the grocery store than I need to. Also, on some things, if I buy it because I can’t remember if I need it or not, it can mean that something goes bad and I have to throw it away. That is not only wasteful, it makes my cost of groceries go up.

Buy In Bulk: I don’t do this often, but on some things it just makes sense. Because I eat gluten free, and not all grocery stores sell all of the items I like and use all the time, when I do come upon something that I like, I buy several. The closest place that sells gluten free tortillas that I love is 40 miles away near my mother’s home. I buy all they have on the shelf whenever I visit Mama.

Order On-line: Sometimes, ordering online can save a ton of money, especially when it comes with free shipping. We signed up for Amazon Prime so that we could get free shipping on just about anything we buy from Amazon. This is so helpful when I can’t find gluten free items I like in our hick town.

So, what other ways do you save money on groceries?

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Baking Gluten Free With Betty Crocker

Karen · 236 Comments

“The information and prize pack have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”

The month of May was Celiac Awareness Month, and Betty Crocker has two new gluten free products to tell you about to make eating a gluten free diet easier. They introduced a new cookie flavor, Gluten Free Sugar Cookies, and a new baking mix, Gluten Free Rice Flour Blend.

Smart moms already trust the great taste of Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie, Cookie and Cake mixes that the whole family can enjoy, and now beginner-to-expert bakers can use mixes or create from scratch delicious recipes year-round!

So why are Gluten Free moms choosing Betty Crocker?

Taste – Our consumers rave about the great taste of our Gluten Free products. Check out some of the great comments here
Shareable – You can make one dessert for the whole family.
Normalcy – You can feel “normal again” baking for your family just like before you went gluten free.

I have been waiting for them to come out with the Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix because sugar cookies are so versatile. You can use the mix as a base to make so many delicious things, like cinnamon cookies, sandwich cookies, snickerdoodles, and more. I haven’t tried them yet, but my guess is that they are just as good as the other Betty Crocker Gluten Free Mixes. I know I can whip up a batch of cookies and anyone who comes over can eat them.

With all the choices you have with Betty Crocker Gluten Free Mixes, it can certainly make your life easier, at least your baking life. To make it even easier, Betty Crocker and My Blog Spark are giving one of my readers a baking prize pack that includes an 8 X 8 baking pan, an adjustable rolling pin, a silicone spatula, a silicone basting brush, and a timer. Just look: NICE!

To win this great $60 value gift pack, just the Giveaway Tools form below to enter:

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More Pictures Of Jayco 32FKS That We Have For Sale

Karen · 3 Comments

This is the left side with the slides in:

The back:

The right side

The right side again:

Front

Solar Battery Charger:

The electric hitch jack:

Inside the wardrobe closet:

Top shelf of wardrobe closet

Left side storage shelves of wardrobe closet

Right Side storage shelves of wardrobe closet

Cabinet over bed on left side

Cabinet over left side of bed open

Cabinet over right side of bed

Dresser with four drawers

Cabinet and TV cubby over dresser in bedroom

with door open:

With both doors open:

Dresser, back door in bedroom

Bathrroom sink, folding door to separate bath from bed area, back door

Inside the shower

Inside the shower again

Toilet in separate room:

Shower floor:

Storage cabinet over toilet:

Storage cabinet over toilet open:

Mirror in toilet room:

Looking from bedroom into living area with pocket door open

Looking toward living area from bedroom with pocket door closed

Living area with pocket door closed:

Sofa in front slide:

Cabinets over sofa open:

Cabinet over sofa up close:

Dinette with two large storage drawers underneath:

Referigerator open:Inside referigerator:

Inside referigerator door showing shelves. This fridge holds a lot of food!

Freezer open:

Freezer door open:

Refrigerator closed:

Dorm size refrigerator included in with the trailer: great for drinks, beer, extra veggies on long trips

Wall beside fridge showing guages and cork board:

Inside Dorm size refrigerator:

TV cabinet in living area:

TV cabinet with door open showing storage space:

Top Pantry cabinet:

Bottom pantry cabinet:

Whole pantry open:

Kitchen cabinets. Cabinets and counter top across the entire front of the trailer.

More cabinets in the kitchen:

Microwave and stove vent hood:

Srove top with cover down: it has three eyes

Inside the oven. It needs to be cleaned. I cooked a lot in there.

Under the kitchen sink:

The kitchen sink: There is room for a toaster and a coffee pot behind the sink

The kitchen sink:

Utensil drawer. Slots for silverware

Second drawer down: we used this for junk, some glue spilled in there.

Cabinet under the counter top on the left. Lots of storage for larger items.

Kitchen counter space looking out the front window:

Kitchen floor. It is easy to keep clean:

Carpet under the kitchenette is showing a little wear.

For more information on this trailer, see this post. You can contact us at fabgrandma@gmail.com

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Win The Ultimate RV Sweepstakes!

Karen · Leave a Comment

Oh, my goodness, y’all! Look at this! If you have been reading about my travels and wished you could go there too, here is your chance! The Travel Chanel is giving away The Ultimate RV Sweepstakes.

The prize in this fantastic sweepstakes is a 7-day, 6-night tour on a Type A Luxury RV through the landscapes of Arizona. The winner and one guest will be touring the Sedona Red Stones, Oak Creek Canyon, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock. There will be a 9-hour tour of the Grand Canyon, from Flagstaff through the Navajo Nation, and an unforgettable sunset dinner.

I can tell you from first hand experience that the scenery is divine! I miss being there, and wish I could go back. You can live the dream for a 7 days if you win this prize!

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ONE Year Later

Karen · 4 Comments

Today is my birthday. Last year on my birthday, I was in the hospital fighting for my life. I was unconscious, and had tubes running out of every place they could run out of. When I finally came to after 34 days in the hospital, I had been operated on five times, and had lost part of my colon, had a colostomy inserted through my abdominal wall, and the fascia layer removed. I have been in pain every second of every day of the last year.

Some days I try to remind myself that the pain lets me know I am still alive. Other days, I wonder how long I can go on living in pain, with no end in sight. I have changed my life completely. Before the surgery, or let’s call it BS, I was a park ranger, living at the Grand Canyon North Rim for six months out of the year. I loved to sew, to hike, to DO things. I had hiked every trail at the North Rim except for the rim to rim one. I knew I was not fit enough to tackle that one.

I enjoyed sitting at my sewing machine, making things. I made quilts, baby quilts, tote bags, wallets, all sorts of things. I loved to go places at the spur of the moment. A jump in the truck to go to Florida, or Arizona, or Tennessee, or Alabama was nothing but fun. I had plans to plant a vegetable garden and flowers at our house. I dreamed about painting and hanging pictures, and decorating the walls. I wanted to build a barbecue grill and a patio, and raised beds for my flowers.

Now, I sit in my recliner and play games on my iPad. I sleep a lot. We did go on a four day vacation to Florida last week, but I have spent the last five days recuperating from that trip. I still can not put my shoes and socks on by myself. I can not reach my feet to wash them in the shower. I need help getting in and out of the car. I can not reach things in the lower cabinets or the higher cabinets. I can not do the things I want to do. Some days, I don’t get out of bed. When we go shopping, I use an electric cart.

Really, I try to be happy. I try to look at this like “I am still alive”. I still get to see my grandchildren, look at videos of Becca’s new puppy and laugh at his antics; I still get to talk to my sister and friends on the phone. I haven’t written much about this because I don’t want to sound like a “oh, woe is me” or have a pity party for myself all the time. But, just for today, I am going to try to be happy that I have made it one more year. I’m going to try to think that in another year from now, I will not be in pain anymore. What I want for my birthday is to not be in pain. Not just for today, but for every day for the rest of my life. Who can give me that?

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Thirty-One Review and Giveaway

Karen · 139 Comments

Melinda, a Thirty-One consultant, contacted me and asked me to do a review and giveaway for Thirty-One products. I chose the Organista Crossbody Bag because I was looking for a small bag that would hold everything I need to take with me, yet be out of the way so that I could use both hands when I am out and about. The Organista bag fits that description quite well. Just look at all the stuff I fit in this 9.5″ X 7.5″ bag:

All the things pictured above, plus my camera and a pill bottle, fit in that little bag! I have been very satisfied with the functionality of the Organista. I took it to Florida on vacation with me, and I was able to have everything I need right there with me.

I like that there are slots for debit and credit cards, and window for my ID. A zippered change pocket is quite handy too.

Melinda is giving one of my lucky readers a $31 gift certificate to use to order the item of their choice from her Thirty-One Website. To enter the giveaway, use the Giveaway Tools form below. OH! and don’t forget, if you’d like to become a Thirty-One Consultant, Melinda can sign you up! Check out her web page for details.

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A Little Vacation

Karen · 3 Comments

I may or may not have said here on the blog that I have decided to celebrate my birthday twice this year since I missed it last year. So, last week, Fabgrandpa and I went to Florida for a few days. We left on Thursday morning, and drove as far as Perry, Florida before we stopped for the night.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. The guy at the check in counter was very nice, and offered us a nice discount for Veterans. They give the government rate for vets, which is about $25 less than the regular room rate. We have stayed at Holiday Inn Express lots of times in our travels, and we were not disappointed in this one. The only thing wrong with it was the smell. They had sprayed some kind of floral air freshener in the hallway and it was very strong. P.U. There was also a bad smell in the room, which I jokingly told Fabgrandpa that it smelled like someone pooped under the bed. At least after you got used to it you didn’t notice it.

While we were in Perry, we went to dinner at Goodman’s Barbecue. I am accustomed to Georgia style barbecue, and this was not anywhere like what we have had in Georgia. This pork was cooked with a dry rub. While it was a good taste, it was rather dry and stringy compared to other places we have tried.

On Friday we arrived in Safety Harbor, and checked in to the Safety Harbor Motel. Although this motel was probably built in the 1950’s, it was very clean and very comfortable and in a quite neighborhood. We slept like babies there.

The room we stayed in was a kitchenette, so we could have cooked meals in our room if we had wanted to. There was a stovetop, a microwave, a refrigerator, and coffeepot. There was a sink, and complete eating, drinking, and cooking items for two people. I don’t know how much it was per night, because our good friend paid for our stay for my birthday.

We had plenty of room to store our suitcases, with a full sized closet. There was also a desk and a dresser with plenty of drawers. The TV was VERY old, but it did work and there was cable TV and free Wi-Fi access.

WE didn’t get to stay long enough, but even at that, I enjoyed every minute of our time there. Our friend, who we both love so much, was so much fun to be with. We don’t get to see her often enough! On Saturday, Polly and I went to get mani-pedis. She had never had a manicure and pedicure before, and before we were done she was talking about “next time”. I can not imagine being as old as we are and never having had a pedicure before!

After that, we drove over to St. Petersburg and walked on the pier that is going to be torn down. It was the last day it would be open, so it was very crowded with people going for the last time.

It was hot out there but the view was magnificent.

When we left the pier, we drove over to Clearwater for dinner. We went to Cooter’s, a restaurant and bar. They were celebrating their 20 year anniversary so there was a band and lots of people there. I ordered crab legs, Fabgrandpa had blackened scallops and Polly had steamed oysters on the half shell. Yummy!

Cooter;s in Clearwater — Cooter’s in Clearwater

Fabgrandpa's blackened scallops — Fabgrandpa’s blackened scallops

Polly's steamed oysters — Polly’s steamed oysters

And here is me being silly:

After dinner we went back to the motel, and I collapsed into the bed. I stayed in bed most of Sunday, trying to rest up from all the activity on Saturday. Late in the afternoon, we went to downtown Safety Harbor, just a few blocks away. We had barbecue again at Brady’s. This barbecue was sooo good! They had a mango barbecue sauce that was very tasty.

inside Brady's Backyard Barbecue — inside Brady’s Backyard Barbecue

WE walked a little bit on the sidewalk looking at shop windows, and saw this:

Fabgrandpa drove us home on Monday. I have spent all week resting and getting over our trip, and even though it wore me out and made me hurt so much, I really enjoyed it. We laughed so much my face hurt when we got home.

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May Day May Day

Karen · 2 Comments

When I found out I was pregnant with Emily, I cried for three months. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her–it was that I didn’t want to be pregnant. Becca was only seven months old at the time, and I just wasn’t ready to do it again. She was a beautiful baby, with lots of hair. She slept so much that I had to wake her to feed her, and almost never cried. I thought the hospital gave me the wrong baby because of that.

Back in 1975, we didn’t have instant digital cameras, so I don’t have very many pictures of my last born child. But, this one was taken in the hospital on the day she was born.

She was a good baby. She didn’t have teeth until she was 14 months old, and I was afraid she wouldn’t have any. A trip to the dentist told me that although that was unusual, it was not unheard of.

By the time she was a year old her hair had turned blonde, and it was shoulder length. My father called her Farrah Fawcett because of the way her hair looked.

We liked to go camping when the children were little, and belonged to a hunting club. She was the little darling of the club:

Emily was a really active little girl, but she had asthma. She and I would wind up in the ER about twice a month getting breathing treatments. That went on from about the time she was two years old until she was about twelve. I could tell my the her breathing sounded that I would heading to the hospital soon. Even with asthma, it was hard to get her to sit still, so it is amazing that I have this picture of her sitting in the grass.

She was a um, typical teenager. She met a guy when she was 17, and I decided that he was not right for her, and I told her she couldn’t date him. She left that night. I was a difficult time for me, because it broke my heart that she left. I was sure she would get hurt. I was proved wrong, though, because she and Thomas are still together after 21 years. They got married in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in June 1997.

June 1997, Emily and Thomas's wedding — June 1997, Emily and Thomas’s wedding

After she graduated high school, she worked at Wal-Mart while she put herself through West Georgia College, now called University of West Georgia. She graduated with a degree in Science. She worked as office manager for a pediatric group in Atlanta for several years, until she decided to go back to school to become a teacher. Since she had a degree in Science, she was able to get a teaching position while she went to school at night to get her Master of Education.

In addition to working fulltime and going to school at night, Emily has also given birth to two beautiful babies. Spencer is now 11 years old, and Parker is going on 4 months. And as you may already know, she had a stroke after Parker was born. She will be going back in the hospital soon to have her skull put back in, or as she said, have her head put back together.

DSCN0168 — Emily after her stroke and hemicraniectomy

While we have been at odds during our life together, I still love her, and she will always be my baby girl!

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