I did.
Namaste.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Budget Challenge - March
(I am in major catch up mode this weekend and doing pretty good - this is being posted on 4/4).
Here's the results for this month in our Grocery/Supplies reduction.
Budget: $300
Actual OOP: $345.16
Retail Price: $704.00
Coupon Savings: $141.34
Sales Savings: $212.50
I saved 50.97%.
Not as good as last month, but way closer to budget!
Namaste.
Here's the results for this month in our Grocery/Supplies reduction.
Budget: $300
Actual OOP: $345.16
Retail Price: $704.00
Coupon Savings: $141.34
Sales Savings: $212.50
I saved 50.97%.
Not as good as last month, but way closer to budget!
Namaste.
Wedding Vendors
I have been struggling with finding Wedding Vendors on-line. Especially vendors that fit within my plan of an "economical" wedding - in other words, they fit my budget.
I heard that the average wedding in 2009 cost $25,000. NOT US!
We plan on being WAY UNDER that figure. So far, I am right on target.
Since I know that many find this blog via Google, I thought I'd throw out some of the vendors that I have found through various means. . .For some reason, I didn't find most of them on Google with my "wedding searches" no matter what combination of terms I used.
Wedding Photos / Photographers
For Northern Kentucky / Cincinnati area:
- Gardner Photography and Design
- Light Bloom Photography
- Murdock's Photography
- JK Photography08
- Thomas Bargler Wedding and Event Photography
For Central Ohio / Columbus area:
- Sides Shots
Caterers
For Northern Kentucky / Cincinnati area:
- Haller's Green Derby Catering
Halls
For Northern Kentucky area:
- Kincaid Lake Multipurpose Building
- Alexandria Firehouse Hall
- Alexandria Community Center
I hope that this post helps someone out there pulling out their hair trying to find some companies that have good quality, but an affordable view on their pricing structure.
I'll update this post as I find more.
Here is another site that seems to list tons of good quality vendors:
http://www.weddingwire.com/brides-choice-awards/cincinnati-dayton/515-r.html
NOTE:
I received no money from these vendors for endorsing them. In fact, none of them are aware that they are on my blog. This post is simply to help other frustrated brides and grooms by providing more options.
Namaste.
I heard that the average wedding in 2009 cost $25,000. NOT US!
We plan on being WAY UNDER that figure. So far, I am right on target.
Since I know that many find this blog via Google, I thought I'd throw out some of the vendors that I have found through various means. . .For some reason, I didn't find most of them on Google with my "wedding searches" no matter what combination of terms I used.
Wedding Photos / Photographers
For Northern Kentucky / Cincinnati area:
- Gardner Photography and Design
- Light Bloom Photography
- Murdock's Photography
- JK Photography08
- Thomas Bargler Wedding and Event Photography
For Central Ohio / Columbus area:
- Sides Shots
Caterers
For Northern Kentucky / Cincinnati area:
- Haller's Green Derby Catering
Halls
For Northern Kentucky area:
- Kincaid Lake Multipurpose Building
- Alexandria Firehouse Hall
- Alexandria Community Center
I hope that this post helps someone out there pulling out their hair trying to find some companies that have good quality, but an affordable view on their pricing structure.
I'll update this post as I find more.
Here is another site that seems to list tons of good quality vendors:
http://www.weddingwire.com/brides-choice-awards/cincinnati-dayton/515-r.html
NOTE:
I received no money from these vendors for endorsing them. In fact, none of them are aware that they are on my blog. This post is simply to help other frustrated brides and grooms by providing more options.
Namaste.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sassy's Taxi
Sassy's Taxi has been running full force lately.
I am currently sitting in the parking lot of a school waiting on my next "riders" to get out of practice. Yep, it's my night for the car pool.
I forgot to bring the memory cards, so I'll just have to keep "post pictures on the blog" on the "To Do" lists for awhile.
A few things that were crossed off the lists:
- Get on a caterer's books.
- Get on a photographer's books.
- Get on the minister's books.
Feels good to get some things crossed off!
Lesson of the week:
It is always a good idea to check for toilet paper in the stall of your choosing before you do your business. It may be a long wait until a co-worker visits that room.
Namaste.
I am currently sitting in the parking lot of a school waiting on my next "riders" to get out of practice. Yep, it's my night for the car pool.
I forgot to bring the memory cards, so I'll just have to keep "post pictures on the blog" on the "To Do" lists for awhile.
A few things that were crossed off the lists:
- Get on a caterer's books.
- Get on a photographer's books.
- Get on the minister's books.
Feels good to get some things crossed off!
Lesson of the week:
It is always a good idea to check for toilet paper in the stall of your choosing before you do your business. It may be a long wait until a co-worker visits that room.
Namaste.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Need To Have My Eyes Checked. . .
It is March. . .
We have passed the first day of Spring. . .
I SHOULD NOT BE SEEING SNOW TODAY!
Namaste.
We have passed the first day of Spring. . .
I SHOULD NOT BE SEEING SNOW TODAY!
Namaste.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tips from my email. . .
I got this in my email.
Some of them seem really interesting, so I am "forwarding" here. :)
DID YOU KNOW?
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
Store your open ed chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of
spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up..
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg white for easy deviled eggs. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. . . The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers and put in layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket - it will keep the mosquitoes away.
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come around.
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty-hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and static is gone.
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material .. I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well ... the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free .... that nice fragrance, too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box .... well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!
Note: I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water on it. The water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had it done in 30 seconds.. Then when I rinsed it ... the water ran right through the screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! That repairman knew what he was talking about!
Namaste.
Some of them seem really interesting, so I am "forwarding" here. :)
DID YOU KNOW?
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
Store your open ed chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of
spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up..
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg white for easy deviled eggs. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. . . The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers and put in layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket - it will keep the mosquitoes away.
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come around.
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty-hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and static is gone.
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material .. I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well ... the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free .... that nice fragrance, too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box .... well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!
Note: I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water on it. The water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had it done in 30 seconds.. Then when I rinsed it ... the water ran right through the screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! That repairman knew what he was talking about!
Namaste.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Statuses
A few thoughts that have leaked out of my brain recently:
. . . is still feeling crappy, but made it to work...
. . . is wondering when the white stuff will arrive...
. . . is working around the house today...Much rather cross things off of the "To Do" List than attempt to drive in the ice covered by a small amount of white stuff!
. . . is chilling with OB...Watching the Colts and Saints...
. . . is starting a new collection: "To Do" lists. Think those will help me survive until the last day of school this year?
. . . is amazed how some people get driver's license without taking any class or tests...If they did...they slept through the class and their instructor slept through the test!
. . . has one for the history books...MBB had VEGETABLES on his Subway sandwich.
. . . is proud of MaBell...learning a new position, learning a new technique and keeping her head up through it all
. . . ...Four people...Three facebook accounts...Two addicted to facebook!
. . . still can't use her all-weather mats, but on the bright side...that delays the massive car carpet cleaning!
Namaste.
. . . is still feeling crappy, but made it to work...
. . . is wondering when the white stuff will arrive...
. . . is working around the house today...Much rather cross things off of the "To Do" List than attempt to drive in the ice covered by a small amount of white stuff!
. . . is chilling with OB...Watching the Colts and Saints...
. . . is starting a new collection: "To Do" lists. Think those will help me survive until the last day of school this year?
. . . is amazed how some people get driver's license without taking any class or tests...If they did...they slept through the class and their instructor slept through the test!
. . . has one for the history books...MBB had VEGETABLES on his Subway sandwich.
. . . is proud of MaBell...learning a new position, learning a new technique and keeping her head up through it all
. . . ...Four people...Three facebook accounts...Two addicted to facebook!
. . . still can't use her all-weather mats, but on the bright side...that delays the massive car carpet cleaning!
Namaste.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
I Live. . .
. . .in Kentucky.
Truly.
Yes, that is a pair of vice grips holding a pair of vice grips which were holding a part to the truck and all of that was being reinforced with electrical tape. In the driver's defense, it was only to get him home with minimal nose (it was a muffler problem).
Namaste.
Yes, that is a pair of vice grips holding a pair of vice grips which were holding a part to the truck and all of that was being reinforced with electrical tape. In the driver's defense, it was only to get him home with minimal nose (it was a muffler problem).Namaste.
You Did What?
I am finally getting some pictures posted. . .
I am being bad and putting them up with the date that they should have been posted.
What did you do last night MaBell?
I played with egg and sperm!
Yes, MaBell had to make a fertilization model. . .
She and OB had lots of fun making "happy sperm".
Namaste.
I am being bad and putting them up with the date that they should have been posted.
What did you do last night MaBell?
I played with egg and sperm!
Yes, MaBell had to make a fertilization model. . .
She and OB had lots of fun making "happy sperm".
Namaste.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
St. Pat's Day
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I can trace quite a few lines back to Ireland and even have a celtic knot on my shoulder.
Yep, I am a bit Irish.
I guess I shouldn't admit that I'm not wearing green clothes today. . .
Or won't be drinking any green beer today either. . .
I absolutely loved the Google Doodle today:
I take no credit for it - I did not create it - I got it from www.google.com.
I can trace quite a few lines back to Ireland and even have a celtic knot on my shoulder.
Yep, I am a bit Irish.
I guess I shouldn't admit that I'm not wearing green clothes today. . .
Or won't be drinking any green beer today either. . .
I absolutely loved the Google Doodle today:
I take no credit for it - I did not create it - I got it from www.google.com.
Namaste.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Yummy!
I have a favorite restaurant in the Greater Cincinnati area. . .
I only get there about once a year or so, which may be why it is my favorite.
I love the Cajun spices.
I love the slanted floors.
I love the deck in the spring and early summer.
My belly is still in seventh heaven from a crab cake and etouffee.
Yep, I truly enjoy visiting Knotty Pine on the Bayou.
Namaste.
I only get there about once a year or so, which may be why it is my favorite.
I love the Cajun spices.
I love the slanted floors.
I love the deck in the spring and early summer.
My belly is still in seventh heaven from a crab cake and etouffee.
Yep, I truly enjoy visiting Knotty Pine on the Bayou.
Namaste.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Are You Ready For Some. . .Volleyball?
We have a lot of things going on right now - especially volleyball.
MaBell and I headed down south about two hours for a volleyball tournament this weekend.
It was huge - 66 courts and LOTS of teams. . .We started thinking about the number of volleyballs that were there and gave up - it was mind boggling.
MBB joined us Saturday evening (after OB's karate).
I was thanking everything that I had to thank that he was there. . .
He got to watch one set and partway through the second, we were on our way to the ER.
Keep in mind, I went down early with another family - so I didn't have a vehicle before he got there.
In the end, she just strained her leg muscle from a pretty hard dive after the ball, but we needed to be sure that she hadn't done anything to her hip.
Sunday found her sitting the bench. . .
Her coach wanted to be safe and only have her sit one day versus the rest of the season.
She was a little sore on Sunday - not sure if it was from her fall or from sitting in the car so long to get home.
All and all it was a very hectic, volleyball filled weekend.
One of many to come. . .
Namaste.
MaBell and I headed down south about two hours for a volleyball tournament this weekend.
It was huge - 66 courts and LOTS of teams. . .We started thinking about the number of volleyballs that were there and gave up - it was mind boggling.
MBB joined us Saturday evening (after OB's karate).
I was thanking everything that I had to thank that he was there. . .
He got to watch one set and partway through the second, we were on our way to the ER.
Keep in mind, I went down early with another family - so I didn't have a vehicle before he got there.
In the end, she just strained her leg muscle from a pretty hard dive after the ball, but we needed to be sure that she hadn't done anything to her hip.
Sunday found her sitting the bench. . .
Her coach wanted to be safe and only have her sit one day versus the rest of the season.
She was a little sore on Sunday - not sure if it was from her fall or from sitting in the car so long to get home.
All and all it was a very hectic, volleyball filled weekend.
One of many to come. . .
Namaste.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tired Obliviousness?
I thing all of us do crazy stuff when we are tired. . .
OB takes his to a new level compared to normal.
This is what I found when I opened the refrigerator this morning. . .
OB takes his to a new level compared to normal.
This is what I found when I opened the refrigerator this morning. . .
Namaste.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Hour by Hour
I am back to never posting. . .
Not my fault!!!
We have been super busy lately and to be honest this week is so bad that I am taking it hour by hour.
Literally!
I have some pics to share in the near future - I just need to find the time to get them off of the camera and onto the blog.
Eventually.
If I could figure out how to post blogs from my phone. . .
Well, you'd have tons of rambling to read - you know, that stuff that I post while sitting in my car waiting on practices to get over! :)
Namaste.
Not my fault!!!
We have been super busy lately and to be honest this week is so bad that I am taking it hour by hour.
Literally!
I have some pics to share in the near future - I just need to find the time to get them off of the camera and onto the blog.
Eventually.
If I could figure out how to post blogs from my phone. . .
Well, you'd have tons of rambling to read - you know, that stuff that I post while sitting in my car waiting on practices to get over! :)
Namaste.
Monday, March 01, 2010
What Weekend?
It's Monday?
Where was the weekend?
I need some days to get laundry done and sleep!
What?
Oh yeah, I guess we were at a volleyball tournament on Saturday for TWELVE.FIVE HOURS!
I need to get one of those stadium seats that straps onto the bleachers BEFORE our next tournament.
Ya know - the TWO DAY tournament.
I can barely sit down now, don't want to imagine that one if I don't find those seats.
Namaste.
Where was the weekend?
I need some days to get laundry done and sleep!
What?
Oh yeah, I guess we were at a volleyball tournament on Saturday for TWELVE.FIVE HOURS!
I need to get one of those stadium seats that straps onto the bleachers BEFORE our next tournament.
Ya know - the TWO DAY tournament.
I can barely sit down now, don't want to imagine that one if I don't find those seats.
Namaste.
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