Biblical Womanhood: 03/01/2007

Saturday, March 31, 2007

We've lost sight of the incredible potential of young women

I know I said I wasn't blogging until Monday, but after unloading the car tonight from our weekend getaway, I sat down to check email and Bloglines quickly. To my delight, I found that Carmon had expanded with a bit more on the college for young women discussion. For those who may have missed the dialoguing in the comments section over at her blog, I encourage you to take a moment to read it. Especially her final comment:

I occasionally touch on the issue of college not to get a rise out of people, though, but to make them think through some of the implications of the idea that it is a route that everyone needs to pursue to be well-educated and prepared for life, particularly for daughters who will typically be (as they should in most cases) following a calling that centers on home and family.
I used our family as an example of the negative reaction to marriage and motherhood as a goal for a godly young woman. As Dave Barry says, I am not making this up. Doing so has only confirmed my point...as I am told that I am anti-education and only want to encourage my daughter to sit around the house waiting for Prince Charming, and once again the life of keeper at home is portrayed as a lesser "choice" among many superior alternatives available to young women today. If I mention that at this season of my life, without a college degree, I have in the past year edited several books; written magazine articles; been interviewed on the radio, for a film, and for a CD about my views on various topics; and written hundreds of posts on this blog about wide-ranging subjects such as politics, science, culture, feminism, and literature...some will be impressed and others confirmed in their view that I am "dangerous" for articulately defending my perspective on biblical womanhood. But if I don't mention those things and instead say that homeschooling my children daily, serving my husband, ministering to others in my church and neighborhood, making my home a haven for my family and a place of hospitality...that all those pursuits are enough and more for me to serve God in the calling He has given me, I am caricatured as sitting at home and doing "nothing" with my life.

The picture of godly womanhood I am trying to portray is countercultural, therefore, controversial, even among Christians who have marinated in cultural egalitarianism for too long. But let's get something straight: I am not portraying a life that is downtrodden and detached from one's intellect. I am hoping to restore some dignity to what I believe is the highest calling for a woman (unless God sovereignly bestows the gift of chastity on her, a rare occurence, not the norm), a role that is consistently demeaned in our culture, even in the church. Again I say: family life is not mundane. There are a myriad of ways women (single and married) can creatively serve God from their homes. I prefer to think outside the box. Let's not assume I'm trying to put women into a box, when I am actually trying to release them from it and give some alternatives to the typical path.

And don't miss the wonderful thread of comments here.

Every time I post something questioning whether college should be the norm, I'm amazed at the number of naysayers. I'm also amazed at how much we've bought into the world's methodology when it comes to education and the role of women in general. I posted the below comment this past week to one who was saying it was not sensible to "stay home and help mom":

Anonymous, I think you are missing the point. It is not just a life of "staying home and helping mom" that I am talking about, though that may very well be what God calls many young women to. There is SO MUCH MORE out there that girls can do and it doesn't require a college education or going away to work full-time in a ministry for girls to do great and mighty things for the Lord. For each young woman who is truly seeking the Lord with her life, it will look different, but one thing will remain the same - we don't need to follow the world's methods to accomplish God's means.

I lived at home until I was married and I most certainly helped around the house and with my younger siblings a lot, but I also did many other things - taught violin, studied violin, played in an orchestra, got my paralegal certification, worked as a mother's helper, worked at a Christian tea room, published a newsletter for young women, helped my grandparents, made meals for families in our church, was very politically active, wrote many letters to hurting people all over, read and studied extensively, and so on and so forth.

I'm not saying this to put myself up on any pedastal, I am saying this to make the point that just because I lived at home did not mean I was chained to the kitchen sink - just as now that I am a wife and mom, I'm not chained to my kitchen sink either. There is so much potential for young women - so many needs right in our own homes, our families, our extended families, our neighbors, our churches, our communities. Just because a young woman doesn't go to college does not in any way mean she leads a dull and meaningless life. Quite the contrary!

I think we have so lost sight in the Christian community of the great and incredible potential of young women.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Reprieve

I feel like things have been running at breakneck speed here for the last few weeks. And, in scoping out things in my Day-Timer for the next month this morning, I realized that it doesn't look like it is going to be slowing down anytime soon. While I usually prefer a slower pace, I'm grateful for many opportunities to practice efficiency and to keep active and productive since I'm hoping the next 14 weeks fly by for me. :)

Judging from reading my journal from Kathrynne's pregnancy, about this time in my pregnancy last time around is when time started to seemingly stand still. Though I admit that once I hit 20 weeks this pregnancy, things have seemed to slow down a bit (maybe that's because we were no longer in the middle of moving!), life has definitely kept up a quite a quick pace. And I'm happy for that. I've not had much time to sit and dwell on the backaches, or the heartburn, or the tiredness... there's too much else to do!

However, I am thankful for a little weekend getaway this afternoon, evening, and tomorrow to attend a family issues conference. A short break will be wonderful, especially considering I found a nice place to stay tonight for $30/night!

I'll be "back in the saddle" Monday morning and maybe, just maybe, I'll have more of a chance next week to blog and share the myriad of things spinning around in this overactive brain of mine. In the mean time, enjoy your weekend, and take some time to love on your family - if you have one (If you don't have a family, go "adopt" a family to love!), breathe in the wonderful fresh Spring air, and count your blessings!

Graphic from AllPosters.com

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Frugal Fridays: Creatively stretching your grocery budget

I was just wondering where you print your coupons from? We have a 1-year-old and lately it has been difficult to stick to our $35 a week budget. I shop at different stores to find the lowest prices and go to food salvage stores, but I'm still having a hard time. We don't have a Kroger and I've always wished we did! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! - Annie

For those who have not read my post on how we stick to a $35/week grocery budget, do so here. This post builds upon that one.

Hi, Annie!

First off, just because we have a grocery budget of $35/week doesn't mean that is the magic number! Depending upon what kinds of foods your family likes, the area of country you live in, and so forth, will serve as a guide for what budget works best for you.

Just some ideas for you and others who might be in a similar situation:

1. If at all possible, never pay more than pennies for household items - cleaners, shampoo, feminine products, paper products, medicines, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Unless you do not have a CVS, RiteAid, or Walgreens, you need not ever pay hardly anything out of pocket for these items. Each of these stores have free after rebate (FAR) items weekly or monthly or both and by always buying the FAR items, using manufacturer's coupons on these whenever possible, and rolling over the money for the next week's or month's rebate deals, you can stock up on a lot of things for free – often making overage which you can use towards other items on your grocery list. For instance, I rarely ever paid for diapers and wipes. I used the overage I made at CVS to cover the cost of the disposables we used. (Oh and if diapers are one area which are bogging down your grocery budget, please consider switching to cloth at least some or all of the time. You will be amazed at how much money this will save, especially if you hang them out to dry!)

As an aside, someone wrote me this week and shared that ACE Hardware does monthly rebate deals. This month it is on a number of cleaners. She said they will take manufacturer's coupons, too. Just thought some of you might like to check into that!

2. Evaluate where you are spending the most money. Is it milk, meat, dairy products? Scrutinize your purchases over a month and see where the biggest chunk of money is going to and then see if you can find a creative alternative for reducing this area of your budget. For example: If you are spending a lot on milk, consider cutting back on milk drinking (Really and truly water is good for you and we could probably all drink more of it than we are!). Use powdered milk in cooking (I've heard that Aldi has the best price on powdered milk). Find out if an area store reduces milk on certain days/at certain times and then buy up the reduced milk and use as much as you can before it expires and then freeze the rest to use in cooking. (Just take a cup or so before putting the jug in the freezer to avoid the jug bursting after it freezes.) Make homemade muffins, pancakes, etc. for breakfast instead of having cereal and milk.

3. Plant a garden. This will save you a bundle on produce. Plus, what beats the fresh from the garden taste? If you know of someone else who gardens as well, see if you can swap produce with them. Also, check local orchards and farms for produce prices. I've often found that these places have significantly lower prices than the grocery store and usually the produce is better anyway.

4. Eliminate all processed and instant foods from your diet. Now, you don't have to do this completely, but if you really want to cut your grocery budget down, this will do it. Make your own bread, tortillas, refried beans, cereal, muffins, cookies, and so on. Before you put anything in your cart at the grocery store, make sure it is not something you could make from scratch yourself.

5. Be creative and use up leftovers. One thing which really helps me to be creative is that I usually only plan four-five dinners per week. For some, that might seem unwise, especially if you are prone to run out and get carryout regardless of whether or not it is budgeted. For us, it works well. Why? For one, we run on a cash-only system for almost all our purchases. If we don't have any money left in our dates and eating out envelope, guess what? We don't eat out. Instead of encouraging us get take-out needlessly, planning four-five dinners a week actually makes me be more creative. And I love it!

Near the end of the week, like Meredith, I take stock as to what we have leftover in the refrigerator and usually come up with at least another meal or two based upon those ingredients and other items we have on hand. For instance, tonight we were supposed to have Chicken Noodle Soup. However, it's nearing the end of the week and I checked the fridge and found I had the makings on hand for a Chicken Vegetable Rice soup. Instead of using up some of the staple ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup, the more frugal thing would be to use up ingredients in my refrigerator which will spoil soon. I made up a big pot of soup starting with chicken broth and chicken and then add in cauliflower, carrots, some leftover cooked rice, onions, and some frozen peas. I have enough for tonight, for lunch tomorrow, and to freeze. And, I'll move Chicken Noodle Soup to next week's menu.

By the way, for those who are prone to get unbudgeted carryout, two things I recommend to you: Have dinner planned and as much as possible prepared by noon. If I didn't start dinner until five o'clock everyday, we'd not have a decent dinner very often. I'm usually too tired by that time to do much. Secondly, at least once or twice a week, make up extras of a dish and freeze. This way, you always have something on hand for those days when you are not feeling well or running low on time and energy.

6. Don't go to the store more than once per week. Yes, this requires planning, sticking to your plan, and being creative, but it will definitely save you money. Unless of an emergency, don't make a run for the store unless it is for your weekly shopping trip. If you forget to get it then, you get to be creative. If you run out of something, it's another opportunity to be creative. And it forces you to plan ahead. When you are planning your menu, make sure and look at your family schedule for the next week. Do you need to bake some goodies to take to a party? Plan it into your menu. Are you having guests or is there the possibility of having guests? Plan that into your menu. I also like to plan for an unexpected event or two as well - make sure you have the ingredients on hand at all times to whip together a quick batch of cookies in case you have a last-minute get-together or forget you promised to bring a dessert to the party. Better yet, make up some cookie dough and keep it in the freezer ready to be of service. This also allows you to be able to volunteer to bring treats on the spur-of-the-moment.

By planning ahead in little ways like this, you will save yourself the $5 trips the store to pick up a last-minute ingredient you don't have, or to purchase readymade treats because you didn't have anything on hand. Like we talked about last week, those $5 trips add up quickly.

As far as where to print coupons, see this post.

Those are just a few thoughts of mine. I'd love to hear from others on this. I'm always trying to learn more and do better and love to hear what is working for you.

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To join in Frugal Friday, just post a frugal tip or post on any subject of frugality on your blog, link to this post in your post, and then post the direct link to your Frugal Friday post below. Any link or post which does not adhere to these rules will be deleted at my discretion. If you do not have a blog, but have a tip to share, please post your tip in the comments section. And, remember the rules: Must be family-friendly. Thanks! I can't wait to read your tips!

This week in books - Week 4

Breaking Silence: A Family Grows with Deafness by Ferne Glick Pellham

This book is out of print, from what I can find, so no image is available. My sister picked it up for me recently at a used bookstore knowing it would interest me, since, as some of you know, we have a number of deaf friends since the church we attend is made up of about 25% deaf members. This book shares a mother's story of giving birth to twin sons in the 1960s - back before much of the modern technology and hearing screening was available. Because of this, though they knew something was wrong with the boys from the time they were three, they were not officially diagnosed as deaf until they were 15. Because of this, they were not given the right training, were not taught ASL, and were expected to be like normal individuals - all the while no one understanding just how little they were understanding of the world around them. It was a fascinating read to me as a mother and as an individual who has much interaction with those who are deaf. I'd very much recommend this book (if you can get a copy) to anyone interested in the deaf or to anyone who has a deaf child.

The Mother at Home: Raising Your Children in the Fear of the Lord by John S.C. Abbott

My mother gave me this book - after talking about it many times while she was reading it - with her highest recommendation. Since I don't take my mom's book recommendations lightly, I knew this must be good. And of course, it was. Written in the 19th century, this book contains no fluff. It is packed with challenging, convicting, and motivating exhortations to mothers to fulfill their God-given role as shapers and nurturers of their children. The recent republisher, Solid Ground Christian Books, writes:

Every mother and grandmother ought to read this book once a year to remind them of their most solemn duty, in the words of the author, "to lead their children to the Savior, and to prepare them for their heavenly home."

By the way, since this book is in public domain, you can read it online for free here.

Also finished this week:

Ephesians

Currently reading:

Proverbs, Philippians
How to Have a 48-Hour Day
Nourishing Traditions
The Ministry of Motherhood

Input requested: Childrens' beds

My daughter is the same age except one is a month older than your daughter. I have baby boy on the way. I have a question about beds. Have you put little blue eyes in her toddler bed or big girl bed yet? Is she still in the crib? My daughter is still in the crib and she does so well. No escapes or attempts. I am wondering if I should go ahead a switch her or keep her before baby comes in July. They will be sharing a room and I could use the crib for the baby. Her bed turns in to a daybed. But it just doesn't seem safe to me as a daybed. Do you have any tips? -Chrissy

Well, great question and something I've sort of struggled through on my end, too! Since we only had one bedroom in our other apartment, Kathrynne slept in our room in a pack-n-play until we moved (when she was almost two). Since we now have an extra room for her, I was all excited for her to move to a big bed in her own room. However, I quickly found that after two years of doing something, a toddler doesn't easily transition.

After some sleepless nights and unsuccessful tries at moving her, we decided to keep her in our room for a month while she adjusted to the new house. Then, about four-five weeks ago, we moved her into her own room - still in the pack-n-play. She has a big bed all set up, but at this point, I don't know that I'm going to have her move into it yet. I like the fact that she can't get out of her bed and so I can put her in it and not have to worry about her! I'm thinking I'll keep her where she is and borrow a crib for the baby for the first year. We'll see, but for right now, that seems like it might be the simplest thing.

But this is us and our situation. Your situation might be completely different. And as I always say, do what works for you! If she seems ready to move in to a bigger bed and you want to try it out for awhile and see if she can make the switch before the baby comes, go for it! If she doesn't seem ready, perhaps you could borrow a bed from another friend who doesn't have a baby or find a used one inexpensively at a garage sale or second hand store.

Anyone else want to share their thoughts and experiences?

You've got the floor... ask away!

I've been working hard behind-the-scenes for the last few weeks to get all the details finalized on getting our bi-weekly podcast up and running. It looks like, Lord-willing, we'll be rolling out the first edition next week. Though, like with all new things, the learning curve has been a little steep, I'm really excited about doing a regular podcast and hope it is a blessing and an encouragement to many of you.

One of the segments I'm planning to do on each show is a Q&A segment and this is where you come in. If you ever had a question - any question - you'd like to ask me, now's the time to do it. I plan to choose one to two questions each podcast to answer. (By the way, thanks to Tammy for the idea.) And for those I don't get to, who knows? They just might become blog fodder!

So, if you have a question on any topic, please email it to me.

Clutter be gone!

I spent a good chunk of this morning cleaning out every nook and cranny of this house in preparation for our upcoming garage sale. I had just done this in December and January when we moved and yet I came up with many more boxes full of unnecessary stuff. How does this happen? I can never figure it out. I try to be constantly vigilant about clutter and yet it forever is creeping in and attempting to take over the peace of our home. I'm anxious to get it out of my garage now!

Rethinking the gift of singleness

Kara has posted a fascinating review of a book I've heard a lot about and never read myself, Getting Serious About Getting Married.

Another to add to my reading list for sure. It sounds rather counter-cultural. Just my kind of book!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

So much for being frugal and creative

Well, I was going to post and share a recipe (probably about the unhealthiest one ever posted here, but it looked good and easy, nonetheless!) I made for a get-together tonight. It used up the last of my free Pillsbury biscuit dough and I was feeling rather frugal and creative about it.

That was, until the topping needed more butter and I ended up having to add in another whole stick and that still didn't seem right. Then, about 20 minutes into the cooking time, the kitchen started filling up with smoke. I opened up the oven to find smoke pouring out, gooey sugar dripping everywhere, and a burned-looking pan of pull-aparts. And, the recipe still was supposed to cook for 25 more minutes!

I put a pan underneath to catch the dripping sugar glaze, but after a few more minutes of cooking and our whole main floor filling up with smoke and the smoke alarm going off twice in a short space of time, I gave up, pulled the thing out of the oven, and decided it was beyond hope.

It was only then that I went back to look at the recipe and found out other people warning of all of this in comments section. Why oh why do I just blindly follow recipes off the internet without at least first checking the comments from others?

I guess we'll bring veggies and dip tonight instead.

Oh, how I love my girl!

When I went in to get Kathrynne up this morning, she was sitting up in her bed playing. As soon as she saw me, she looked up at me with those big beautiful blue eyes of hers that just melt my heart to pieces and said matter-of-factly, "I waked up, Mommy."

A high and holy calling

I loved this post from Carmon:

Since she is graduating this spring from our homeschool, Gracie has been asked by more than one inquiring mind what she is going to do with her life. Many well-meaning people have assumed such an articulate and talented young lady is going to college. A few have been taken aback when she tells them that she is planning on continuing her studies at home, and that she wants to prepare to be a wife and a mother.
....

I am so happy that Gracie is happy to say it is enough for her, and that she knows that serving God from her home is the highest calling to which she could aspire. She will keep learning, working, and dreaming, and she will embrace with joy the freedom she finds in the life our society considers a lesser choice. It's funny. If she had said she was going to be a teacher of other people's children, she would be lauded for her altruism and praised for her choice. Let us not discourage our young ladies from finding fulfillment in the role of wife and mother, a job which most of them eventually will be filling and which they ought to prepare for with at least as much effort as they devote to other pursuits.
No young woman should be ashamed to say that her goal is to be a wife and mother. Christians, of all people, should be encouraging girls to look forward to those noble callings, not portraying motherhood and marriage as second best or second-rate with raised eyebrows or "what ifs." A few are called to singleness, but marriage is the norm, and from the original command to be "fruitful and multiply" to the picture of our relationship with Christ as a marriage, culminating in the marriage feast of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7, which is really a happily ever after beginning, though it's at The End of The Book), marriage is held in high esteem. If we wish it to be so in the church, let alone the culture, then we must not denigrate the preparation for it with our daughters, insisting they prepare for singleness instead.

I talked with a mother yesterday about this very subject. She had called in to place an order and asked if she could ask me some questions about her 18-year-old daughter as well. Since Kathrynne was napping, I was able to spend close to 30 minutes on the phone with her just encouraging her in raising her daughter to be a Godly woman sharing from how my parents encouraged me. What a precious thing to hear of parents who want something better than what the world has to offer!

It's not about what girls "can't do" if parents want to protect them from the evil influences of the world, it's about the incredible potential these young girls have! Give your daughters a vision - a vision for something greater than themselves. Instill in them a servant's spirit. Give them ministry opportunities in your home and family, in your church, in your community. Encourage them to pursue their interests and passions in a God-glorifying way. Don't fall in step with the culture, but, at the same time, don't look to some other family, or book, or man, or ministry to guide your daughters. Seek the Lord with them for their future and see God use them in ways exceedingly abundantly above what you could ever ask or think!

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Input requested: Purity rings in the wedding ceremony

I have recently become engaged, and have become knee deep in wedding planning. My fiance and I have worn purity rings long before we started courting, and exchanged them as soon as we started courting, they mean a great deal to us and we have been trying to come up with a way to incorperate them into our wedding ceremony. Any ideas would be very helpful and greatly appreciated. -Melissa

Suggestions, thoughts, personal stories, anyone? I don't have any experience in this department, so I don't have any great ideas.

Ring shown from Generations of Virtue.

Day cares, tax relief, and where are the feminists?

In light of this discussion, I thought the following email from the Family Research Council was quite pertinent:

For years, stay-at-home parents have been trivialized by feminists who wrongly believe that a mother or father's care is replaceable. However, a new study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at NIH proves the feminist ideology wrong. The most expansive research of its kind, the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development found that putting a child in day care for a year or more increases the chances that the child will become disruptive in class--a trend that persists through the sixth grade.

Perhaps most telling is the fact that these tendencies were evident despite the child's sex, family income, and even the quality of the day care center in question. The news will be particularly disappointing to day care advocates who have insisted that any negative effects are entirely contingent, on the "quality" of the care. In the U.S., experts estimate that 2.3 million kids under the age of 5 are in day care, while 4.8 million are in the care of a relative or nanny, and 3.3 million are at home with their parents.

Despite the large number of stay-at-home parents, the government is often lopsided in its support of families who choose out-of-the-home care for their kids. Research shows that most parents would prefer to tend for their kids themselves. If that's the case, why do government policies undercut parental choice and care? There is no substitute for the contributions that at-home parents make to the development of their children, often at financial sacrifice.

In light of the obvious benefits to kids, we urge Congress to pass Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kans.) and Rep. Lee Terry's (R-Nebr.) Parents' Tax Relief Act. Through the bill's equalized tax treatment of stay-at-home parents, families would have the freedom to care for their own children.

On a different note, my husband and I were talking last night about some of the comments on the difficulties of living on one income in other countries and it hit me: Where are the feminists? Aren't they supposedly all about choice for women? If so, why aren't they up in arms that it is almost impossible for many women in Sweden and other foreign countries to be able to have the choice to stay home with their children?

Some grocery deals for northern Midwest readers

From Andrea:

Saw your post on the printable for Kroger if you enter a recipe in the bakeoff...it made me think of a few we have going on around here at our local Pick N Save. I'm fairly certain these deals are also good at Copps and Rainbow foods (also owned by Roundys).

First is a Kraft promo...not great, but not bad either. I know there are some Kraft coupons floating around out there somewhere...If the ladies who read your blog get Krafts Food and Family magazine, there are some coupons in there. Otherwise, Pick N Save often does a 3/$4.98 deal. Not bad considering it is cheaper than Roundy (store) brand. You have to use your store card to get these both...

Buy 4 participating Kraft products, get $2 back on your next order
Buy 5 and get $3.00
Buy 6 and get $4.00.

Products to buy are things like Kraft singles, Grate It Fresh (coupon in Food and Family!) Parmesan, regular Parmesan, Kraft natural cheese (chunks, shredded, crumbles, sticks, etc), Kraft Singles, Kraft deli deluxe slices, Philly Cream Cheese, Velveeta, Cracker Barrel Cheese, etc. Not a bad deal if your family eats a lot of cheese. Personally, I'll be stocking up on the Cream Cheese. This deal is good through 4/1/2007.

The other deal is FAR better. In fact, I may have to do this one a few times:

If you buy 6 (six) boxes of General Mills Cereal (Cheerios, Kix, Golden Grahams, Cocoa Puffs, etc), you get $10 off instantly with your store card. Then, you get a printable for 2 free gallons of milk on your next shopping visit.

I used this deal today, and spent 9.15 including tax on 6 boxes of cereal WITH coupons. I wasn't sure if they'd let me use them, but they had no problem. I'd suggest that folks wait until Wednesday when Pick N Save does double up to a dollar coupons. I'd have only spent about 6.50 on all the cereal then. And figure too, that a gallon of milk in the good ol' Dairyland state costs on average (even at Aldi) 2.59 or so. I figure with the printable, I really only spent 4.15! I'll have to take advantage of this again at least 2 more times, the deal is good through April 4th, 2007.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Feminism: "Bad for your health"

I was not one bit surprised to see this politically incorrect article on a study which showed that feminism could be bad for your health (Thanks for sending me the link, Zan!):

For years, feminists have fought for equality, believing it is the key to a better society.
Now researchers have found that parity between the sexes may be bad for your health.
A study in Sweden, arguably one of the most egalitarian countries in the world, discovered that men and women who are equal are more likely to suffer illness or disability.
Those who earn the same are also more likely to become unwell or suffer a disability.
People who have management jobs, male or female, were also found to die younger than those with a less pressured lifestyle.
Read the whole article.

So many people cannot wrap their brains around this simple universal fact: Men and women are different. Since the beginning of time, men and women were created to fulfill different roles and different purposes. When we try to fight against God's ordained plan, it only leads to the destruction of our families, our societies, and our individual health.

Edit: LAF posted a link to a similar article on the same study with this note:

That this story has actually made it into the mainstream press is amazing, since it is incredibly politically incorrect. While the authors of the study are quick to qualify their findings, we believe they are actually corroborated by many other researchers. What comes immediately to mind is Dr. Miriam Grossman's book, Unprotected: A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals How Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student, which reveals the direct links between "equal opportunity" promiscuity and disease, depression, and suicide (not a book for young readers, but I'd put it into the hands of any parent considering sending daughters away to college) . There are also the writings of Dawn Eden, Janice Shaw Crouse, and Laura Sessions Stepp, who look at the emotional, physical, and spiritual consquences of the hook-up culture. I think we all know that a promiscuous culture is an unhealthy one and--let's be honest--a depressingly empty one. But our society has done its best to stifle that still, small voice, ever turning up the volume on meaningless intimate encounters between strangers. That this recent study emerges from Sweden should hearten us all, no matter how hard the detractors try to cover the obvious truth with their worn, tattered lies. ~ Editor

I'm a big girl

We enjoyed a quick trip to the new Bass Pro Shop in our area when my family was up here visiting on Saturday. Guess where Kathrynne wanted to spend her time?

Looks like Daddy won't have any trouble finding an eager helping hand should we ever get a riding lawn mower or any other such equipment!

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Free $5 off your next order at Kroger

For those of you who have a Kroger nearby (or one of their family of stores), you can get a free $5 printable off your next order when you submit a recipe to the Pillsbury Bake-Off.

I combined this deal, with my $6 off meat coupons from last week, and a few more coupons to get all of these groceries for $6.50:

We don't usually eat pork, but the ham was reduced to $0.69 so I couldn't resist. Also purchased at reduced for quick sale prices (usually about 50-75% off the normal price): grain-fed beef, mushrooms, organic mixed greens, bagged salad, two big bags of spinach, and iced tea. Milk, butter, and the marinated turkey were on sale so I picked those up, too. The Cottonelle was part of the $0.50/each deal I mentioned last week. We splurged and bought two fish fillets for fun since it was free anyway with the meat coupons. Believe it or not, outside of salmon and tuna, I have never cooked fish in my life. I'm looking forward to trying my hand at it. This picture also includes the water, Revlon stuff, pads, and Kleenexes that I got at CVS for 11 cents out of pocket and will make $17 back in ECBs!

Friday, March 23, 2007

Why I usually keep the makeup bag out of reach

At least she was trying to get the lipstick in the right place. At least it was an old lipstick tube I was needing to throw out anyway. And at least it was on her and not some less-washable surface!

Fresh from the oven

A picture of the honey oatmeal wheat bread I made last night. (I used molasses instead of honey.) It was simple to do and the bread turned out very soft! It wasn't quite as sweet as I prefer fresh whole-wheat bread to be, though. I'm wondering if that was because of the molasses or because it doesn't call for that much sweetener in the first place. I might try tweaking it next time I make it.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Frugal Friday: The little things

I'm all for saving money on big things, but I'm also a firm believer that pennies matter, too. No, I don't drive all over town to save 2 cents a gallon on gasoline (Remember, time is money!), but I do try to be a wise steward in stretching our resources as far as I can. It's often the little things which make the biggest difference.

One tangible way we have saved our pennies ever since we were married is by having a loose change cup. Because almost every dollar, dime, and nickel which comes into our home as incomeis already set aside for a purpose in our budget, we don't have a lot of loose change. However, we went ahead and designated a spot for loose change in case we ever did have some. Believe it or not we've found that we often do have a few pennies, nickels, and dimes to add to our loose change cup each week. I'm not even always sure where they come from!

When Jesse was in law school and we had no extra cash for anything besides the bare necessities, we'd empty out this cup every few months and take it to the bank and use the $7 or so dollars we'd accumulated to do something special - like getting dinner and a movie. (Yes, we could do that for $7 - we'd either rent the movie at this place where we could get 2 movies for $1 or we'd get one from the library. And then we'd use coupons at a fast food restaurant to stretch the remaining $6 for a meal for the two of us.) We rarely ever had an extra $6-7, so this was a special treat.

Now that we have a small percentage of our income designated for dates and eating out, we decided to instead put our loose change cup money into savings. We let it build up for around a year and just recently took it to the bank. Guess how much money was in the cup? $35! I was rather surprised.

I decided to calculate how much we could save over 35 years if we put $35/year of loose change money into savings. Using the compound interest calculator and guessing we could probably get around 10% interest compounded annually on a good mutual fund over a 35 year period (Thanks, Dave Ramsey, for getting me all excited about the possibilities with mutual funds and how to wisely invest using them!), you know how much that loose change money would make if invested over 35 years?

$11,418.02

Not bad, if I may say so. And it proves once again that pennies really do matter.

Keep this in mind the next time you want to stop for a non-budgeted quick bite to eat or a latte. If you feel your finances are stretched beyond repair and yet you fail to take account for the little purchases here and there, you just might be overlooking an easy solution to your financial problems. Stop spending the pennies you don't have here and there and instead start saving them.

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This week in books - Week 3

Susannah Spurgeon: Free Grace and Dying Love

Though I doubt very many Christians have not heard of C.H. Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, far fewer know of the wonderful woman behind this great man of God. This book is half a devotional book with her writings, and half a biography of her life. I loved both parts. Her writings are rich and deep and touching and reading of her life was even moreso. Her love for the Lord, her devotion to her husband, and her dedication to serving others - even when she was an invalid - was motivational and inspiring to me.

I especially loved this quote by her husband: "None know how grateful I am to God for you. In all I have ever done for Him you have had a large share, for in making me so happy you have fitted me for service. Not an ounce of power has ever been lost to the good cause through you. I have served the Lord far more and never less for your sweet companionship."

Also finished this week:

2 Corinthians, Galatians

Currently reading:

Proverbs, Ephesians
How to Have a 48-Hour Day
The Mother at Home
Nourishing Traditions

A small break from our normal routine...

We've had a very busy past few days, so today, since we didn't have anything planned, no one was coming over, and the house was already cleaned, Kathrynne and I took a small break from our normal routine to do a few fun things.

I pulled out my sewing machine after almost a year of non-use and Kathrynne had a blast "helping" me sew this little Lambkin for her. (Thanks to Bethany for the idea!)

Though mine didn't look quite as nice as the original picture and I think it almost looks more like a dog than a lamb, Kathrynne was thrilled with it.

We also made another delicious recipe from Tammy for lunch: Spinach Rice Casserole.

We are out of milk and I didn't have but half the spinach it called for but I went ahead and made it, just adding in a little extra water to compensate. I also left out the Worcestershire sauce and added in some garlic salt (have you noticed how I tend to add that to almost every recipe?!). Needless to say, it was very good and Kathrynne asked for a second helping!

Now I'm off to try my hand at a new bread recipe using molasses instead of honey.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Third trimester, here we come...

The Braxton Hicks have started this week. Bring 'em on. I know, I know, it doesn't really mean I'll have an easier birth, but I might as well hope they're doing some good. After all, last time around, I started having a lot of them quite early. Yes, I went two weeks late, but I had a great birth, so I'll take 'em.

Eat mor chikin

Kathrynne has decided that chicken is her preferred food of choice. Not chicken fingers, mind you, but cooked and diced chicken - the kind I have on hand in one-cup servings in the freezer to use in casseroles, soups, and so forth. It's a good thing it's in the freezer otherwise the girl would have eaten it all up. I'm not kidding, I think she could eat two cups of the stuff in one setting if I'd let her. She'll choose chicken over chocolate anyday and for those who know my daughter, that is saying a lot. She wants chicken for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Of course, I don't let her only eat chicken, but she has been having it at least twice a day. At this rate, though, maybe I'm going to have to up our $35/week grocery budget just to be able to afford enough chicken... :)

Speaking of chicken, we made this yummy dish for dinner tonight. Only, we used - you guessed it - chicken instead of beef. I made it for the first time last week and it was a hit so I decided to make another batch this week. I omitted the green peppers and added garlic salt and it is delicious. Quick, inexpensive, healthful (especially when made with brown rice), and we all love it.

A few thoughts on organization from a mom who is still getting her act together...

I hesitate to share about organization because I am by no means the world's most organized person. However, in the last year, some real strides have been made, and, with a lot of trial and mostly error, I've figured out some things which work for me. Here's a peek:

This is the cover of my home management binder (compliments of Mrs. Wilt). In this binder, I keep my simple system for the upkeep and management of our home. It is nothing elaborate as I've found simple works best for me.

The first section is our weekly household plan and routine. I've assigned a different project or goal for each day and these are written up on the Weekly Household Plan page as a reminder in case I forget.

Sunday is our rest day. We got to church, share a meal with church families, and then come home and rest, relax, read, talk, have family time, and often sleep. The computers stay off and we have very simple food to eat. I often even leave the dishes until Monday morning!

Monday is laundry and ironing day. Though I do a load of laundry most days besides Saturday and Sunday, I usually do a few on Mondays to catch up from the weekend. I also wash all the bedding on Mondays. I save all of the ironing to do on Monday afternoons.

Tuesday is our baking day. This is one of my favorite days! Kathrynne and I usually spend around 2 hours baking in the morning. If I come across a recipe throughout the week I'd like to try, I usually write it down to save for Tuesday. If we've gotten a good deal on ripe bananas or something at the store on Saturday, I save them to be baked into something on Tuesday. I also bake up anything I might be needing for guests or events later in the week and then freeze. By spending a few hours one day a week baking up stuff for the freezer, it guarantees I usually always have baked goods on hand for Jesse's lunch and quick snacks throughout the week.

Wednesday is our deep cleaning day. Though I always do a little cleaning, stay on top of the dishes, and straighten up things everyday and have certain jobs assigned for each day of the week, Wednesday I spend a more concentrated effort on cleaning all the bathrooms, vacuuming the whole house, and doing any other deep-cleaning which needs to be done. If a job wasn't able to be done earlier in the week, I can move it to Wednesday. By having at least one day a week set aside to clean the house from top to bottom, it ensures that our home stays pretty clean and company ready most of the time.

Thursday is our crafts, sewing, extra household projects day. This is the day I try to spend at least a short while doing something to beautify our home or to work on a current craft project. This is also the day I usually organize my coupons, look over the sales for the week, and plan the next week's menu and grocery list.

Friday is website/business projects day. Though I always do some business work everyday, Fridays are usually slower and allow me some extra time to focus on a larger project. I usually will do this during Kathrynne's naptime. I try to also get all of the loose ends wrapped up and all of the pending orders taken care of, so that I can take the entire weekend off.

Saturday is our family day. We usually go out to breakfast or lunch, do our grocery shopping, run errands, and just spend time together as a family often doing something a little special or out of the ordinary (visiting quaint little shops, going to the pet store, sight-seeing, etc.)

I've found that by having designated days of the week for various projects, it allows me to accomplish more, gives more variety, and gives more structure and order to our lives. If I come across something which needs to be cleaned and I can't do it right then, I'll just make a note in my planner to do it on Wednesday. If I think of a business project I need to tackle, I write it down on Friday. Remember, of course, that this is our home and what works for us at this season of our life with a 2-year-old, a baby on the way, and a home business.

I'm out of room and time here, but if I have a chance, I'll try and share more about our daily routine and how I use my Day-Timer. Speaking of routines and organization, if you are a mom, you must read these just-posted encouraging email responses from Jennie Chancey on getting it all done. They are packed full of encouragement and helpful ideas from a mom who has been there, done that.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

What do you think? Government prohibiting raw milk sales

Thanks to Bessie for sending me the link to this fascinating article:

Richard Hebron, 41, was driving along an anonymous stretch of highway near Ann Arbor, Mich., last October when state cops pulled him over, ordered him to put his hands on the hood of his mud-splattered truck and seized its contents: 453 gal. of milk.
Yes, milk. Raw, unpasteurized milk. To supply a small but growing market among health-conscious city and suburban dwellers for milk taken straight from the udder, Hebron was dealing the stuff on behalf of a farming cooperative he runs in southwestern Michigan. An undercover agricultural investigator had infiltrated the co-op as part of a sting operation that resulted in the seizure of $7,000 worth of fresh-food items, including 35 lbs. of raw butter, 29 qt. of cream and all those gallons of the suspicious white liquid. Although Hebron's home office was searched and his computer seized, no charges have been filed. "When they tested the milk, they couldn't find any problems with it," says Hebron. "It seems like they're just looking for some way to shut us down."
Read the full article.

Although I understand the logic behind wanting to prohibit the sale of something which could potentially be disease-carrying - especially when it is for mass-market consumption, I guess I am wondering if it is really the government's role to be prohibiting small farms from selling unpasteurized milk to those locals who feel raw milk is a healthier choice for them?

Bessie said:

This bothers me. Let me clarify. I'm not concerned in the least that free citizens are choosing to drink raw milk. But that it is considered a crime to sell a nutritious liquid that has been enjoyed for thousands of years does trouble me!

Maybe I shouldn't be able to grow my own spinach and strawberries, either? I mean, they could be contaminated.

What do you think?

Input requested: Maternity skirts and dresses

I know that I've asked for some input on similar subjects before, but it's been a while, so here's a question from reader, Benita:

I am pregnant with number 4! We are so excited. I didn't worry much about skirts and really trying to dress in a feminine way with my past three pregnancies. However, over the past 2 years I have grown to love wearing skirts especially in the spring, summer and fall. I am due in Oct., so I'll need summer clothes. Where on earth do I find modest, yet pretty maternity skirts? My searches on line so far have only really shown very short skirts and dresses paired with spaghetti strap tight tops. Not my style. Help! Do you have any good suggestions? I am hoping to wear some of my bigger skirts for a while, but at some point around 5 months, I know that won't be possible anymore. -Benita

Well, Benita, I can't say I have any great suggestions. Most of my maternity clothes have been given to me, loaned to me, or I've picked them up very inexpensively at used clothing store sales. A friend of mine has made her own simple maternity skirts with panels and that might be an option for you if you can sew. I got two skirts at Kohls last pregnancy and wore those a lot. They had thick elastic waistbands, as opposed to panels, so I am able to wear them when I am just barely showing all way up to full-term and then post-partum. You really can't even tell they are maternity skirts. I was so thankful to find them last time and have worn them a lot this time around as well. I haven't seen anything similar though, but I've also not done a lot of searching. Maybe some others have some suggestions?

Monday, March 19, 2007

Four day sale!

Through Thursday, all products in our bookstore are 15% off and the Amy Carmichael collection is over 30% off!

Be sure and check out all the wonderful new products we've just recently added and save 15% on our already low prices!.

"How in the world do you spend just $35/week on groceries?"

I read your blog every now and then and just read the post about Frugal Shopping. How in the world do you spend just $35/week? Does that include toiletries and household stuff? Thanks so much, Rachel

For those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile, you probably know just about everything I have to say on this subject. However, since it's been awhile since I've tackled the topic much, I'll give a quick run-down of some of the things which have helped us to eat well on $35/week consistently for the last four years. And yes, the $35 includes toiletries, laundry soap, cleaners, diapers, medicine, etc. It covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all three of us for a week, other than the one meal a week we eat out. I can actually do it for less than $35, but that allotment gives us enough room to be able to purchase more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, some organic food, and farm-fresh hormone-free milk and eggs.

1. Plan a menu around what you have on hand and the store sales and stick to it. The most important step in lowering your grocery budget is having a plan and keeping it. Second of all, don't just plan a menu, go through your cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer and use those as the basis for your menu. Start with what you have and creatively use that before you buy anything extra. Thirdly, check your store fliers (you can usually do this online) and see what is on a good sale and plan your menu around that, as well.

2. Shop at more than one store. Unless you live somewhere where you only have one store to shop at, don't do all your shopping in one location. I try to hit two-three stores each week buying just the best deals from each. I almost always hit Kroger - as I have found them to consistently have the best loss-leaders and I love their double-coupon policy. Plus, they often have Catalina deals (where when you buy 2 or 4 of a certain item, you get $x off your next shopping order). I usually always go to CVS, as well (more on that in a minute), and then, if I have a few staple ingredients I need to get or the deals are rather weak or my cupboard is rather bare, I'll hit Aldi. It varies from week-to-week depending upon what the sales are.

3. When something is on a good sale (for me, that means combining the sale with coupons it is free, close to free, or something we use often and the price is considerably cheaper than the Aldi price), stock up.

To give you an example of how this works, this past week, combining coupons with store sales, I got the Cottonelle for Kids toilet paper for $0.50 per 4-pack. This is half the Aldi price, and the rolls are twice the size. Obviously, since toilet paper is something we use around here on a regular basis, I stocked up and bought eight 4-packs. The deal will still be good this next week and each package has a coupon inside, so I'll probably get at least eight more on my next shopping trip. I'm guessing this will last us for the next 6-8 months, at least - probably longer. Instead of buying the cheap Aldi toilet paper when we were almost out and spending $1 each time, I bought higher quality toilet paper with twice as much on the roll, for half the price. So, in essense, I got it for 75% off the Aldi price. This is it works. By stocking up ahead of time, you stretch your gorcery dollars much farther.

4. If you have a CVS nearby, become a regular customer. By regularly shopping the ECB deals there and using their store coupons, $4 off $20 or similar coupons which often print, and stacking these with manufacturer's coupons, I rarely ever pay for toiletries or household items. This is how we paid for all disposable diapers we bought - using the overage earned from the ECB deals. For more help on CVS deals and getting started with CVS shopping, check out this board. I also have a fairly extensive primer in my Secrets to Supermarket Savings ebook.

5. Use a calculator and pay with cash. I bring $35 a week in cash to the store with me and no extra. No checkbook, no debit card, nothing else. This is one of the most helpful ways I guarantee that I stay within budget. As I add items off my list to to my cart, I add them to my running total on my calculator. By adding it up as I shop, I'm able to know exactly how much I've spent so far and whether or not I have extra to buy some items which are reduced for quick sale.

Those are some very practical ways to save while shopping. Some other things we do:

-Cut back on meat. We rarely have meat by itself as the main dish (steak, roast, fried chicken, etc.)

-Drink water (We use a Brita pitcher to filter our water - I got this free with ECBs from CVS.) We do not drink milk or soda (pop, coke, or whatever you call it where you live). We drink fresh juice made in our juicer a few mornings a week and iced tea or herbal tea on occasion.

-Find out when your local stores reduce their meat and produce and shop at those times. This is how I buy the majority of our meat and vegetables. The prices are usually reduced at least 50% - sometimes even more like 75-90%!

-Cook from scratch. Eliminating processed foods and boxed mixes from your diet is not only more healthful for you, it will also save you a lot of money. Make your own baked oatmeal or granola instead of buying boxed cereal. Keep homemade cookies and muffins made up and in the freezer for snacks instead of storebought cookies or chips. Bake your own bread. Make cakes, pancakes, and so on from scratch.

-Grow your own veggies and herbs in the Summer. Or, shop at your local Farmer's Market. Be careful that you know your prices going in, though, as I've found some of the prices at certain booths to be much more than I would pay at the grocery store. Scout out the whole place before you decide what to buy and make sure you are getting a good price. Sometimes there is a huge variance of price between booths.

-Don't be brand-dependent. If you really want to cut your grocery budget, you have to learn to branch out and try new things.

-Keep it simple. Stick to recipes with fewer, inexpensive ingredients.

-Most of all, enjoy the journey! I have so much fun saving money on groceries and seeing God bless and multiply our little budget to feed, not only our family, but to have extras to give away!

There is so much more I could say on this, but that's just a quick overview on some things which have helped us. For much more detailed information and help, I highly recommend you check out my ebook, Secrets to Supermarket Savings.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

"But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit..."

Hat-tip to Amy for this great article by Dr. Laura:

One of my recent callers came up with what I'm sure she thought was the singular most legitimate reason for not being a stay-at-home-mom: "... it's not all enjoyable." I kid you not, she actually said that, followed by, "... and I just don't seem to be able to do it well." She did say that being with the kids was fine, it was all the other stuff: housekeeping, shopping, cooking, and so forth - that were described as unrewarding and relentless and, well, just not enjoyable.
She also complained that she just couldn't do it all well. I asked her what part of putting dishes in the dishwasher and making sure the clothes got through the washer and dryer and back into drawers was too complicated for her? She laughed and said that she didn't know why it was hard for her to do it right - it just was. Mind you, this was all said with a tone that did not suggest she had great concern about doing any of it better.
Truth be told, whether coming from a man or a woman, this behavior is self-centered, and displays a character that knows little of honor, obligation and sacrifice. This is a mentality, rampant today, that speaks not of what "I can do for my family?" but only for "What will I get out of what I do for my family?"
Read the full article.

No one ever said that marriage, homemaking, and motherhood would be easy, but if this is what God has called us to and we seek to glorify Him in and through this calling, there will be more fulfillment and rewards than we can ever imagine. Sure, that doesn't mean there won't be lots of hard work and sacrifice involved, but isn't that what the Christian life is all about? Dying to self so that God might be exalted in and through our lives.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." John 12:24

This was a verse my mom quoted over and over again when we were growing up. And she didn't just quote it, she lives it. As most of you know, my mom is the one person, next to my dad, who has been the greatest influence in my life. It was not necessarily the things that she said - though those things have very much influenced me - it is the life that she lives. She is the most sacrificial person I know. She gives and she gives and she gives. She never thinks of herself; she just keeps on giving.

I stand forever grateful to have a mother who was willing to follow the Lord and set aside herself. She could have chosen many other things in life for herself, but she has chosen to live a life of devotion to God through serving others. And because of this, her life has borne tremendous fruit.

Frugal shopping fun!

Just for fun, I snapped a picture (click to enlarge) of our loot from our Kroger shopping trip today. I'd have you guess how much we spent, but, since most of you already know our grocery budget ($35/week) and I posted about some of the deals a few days ago, some of you would probably guess pretty close to what we spent. We did four transactions - to make the most of the deals - and spent around $30 total. We also got back a $6 off our next purchase of meat coupon for purchasing all the Hamburger Helpers, so I suppose you could say our total was closer to $24.

I didn't have to purchase much in the way of staples or fruit and vegetables, since our cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer are well-stocked with recent good buys, so I just hit the best deals this week. We'll probably end up giving away most of the boxed food, since we eat very little processed food. But when it's free or almost free, I can't help but buy it. I can always find someone in need who can use the extras. I love having plenty to be able to share when the need arises. Just another benefit from being a frugal shopper!

A spot of tea

Just had to post a little picture one of the ladies from church sent me from our tea party a few weeks back. Can you believe I even donned a hat? I'm not a hat person, but peer pressure won over and I joined the ranks of the hat-wearing - just this once! Fun memories. We're planning another tea party in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to hosting it this time. Wish you all lived closer and I could invite you to join us for a spot of tea and lots of great fellowship.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Spring is in the air!

The weather keeps fluctuating here between beautiful and cold. That's Kansas for you.

I am very ready for Spring. Garden-planting-fever has hit me in full force. I'm planning to start a deck garden this next week with some lettuce and herbs in planters. It's still a bit too cold to dig up a plot in the backyard, but I'm anxious to start with something.

Anyone else planting anything right now? What are your favorite herbs to plant? I'm still deciding what all I want to plant this year. I know one thing, I can hardly wait for fresh-picked tomatoes!

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Frugal Friday: Links, deals, and cabbage

Well, today, for my contribution to Frugal Friday like it or not, you get a smorgasbord of frugal links and deals, and a question, should you care to answer it. Thanks for stopping by for Frugal Friday!

Penny-Pinching Moms
I most certainly hope that all of you frugal ladies have checked out the Iron Chef Mom's contest. It's been so fun to sit on the sidelines and learn from two penny-pinching experts.

Kroger Deals
If you live near a Kroger, this week they have quite a few deals going on. I am not sure that all of these deals will work in all states, but I definitely know they are working at the Dillons stores in Kansas. Here are a few of the deals I am doing (keep in mind our stores double up to .50 and anything above .50 is "doubled" to a $1, unless the coupon is $1 or more.):

Cottonelle for Kids Toilet Paper -$2.85/4-pack
Catalina Deal: Buy 2, get a $1 OYNO and a B1G1
There are printable (check the sites below) and newspaper coupons out there for $1/1. I have five of these, so I am using two my first order for a total OOP of $1.85/each. Then, I will repeat this three times using one $1/1 coupon, the $1 ONYO, and the B1G1, making the toilet paper $.85 for two packages.

Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables $1
Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables, any $1/2 printable at www.smartsource.com
Final Price: .50 each

Colgate Plus toothbrush $1
Colgate Adult or Kids Manual Toothbrush, any .75/1 (03-24-07) 02/25SS
Final Price: FREE

Betty Crocker Skillet Helpers $1
.50/2 printable ate www.boodle.com and/or www.coupons.com
Final Price: .50/each
I usually wouldn't consider that to be too good of a deal, however, there is a Catalina deal for this which makes it a good deal:
Buy 3, get a $1.50 coupon off your next meat or chicken purchase
Buy 4, get a $2 coupon off your next meat or chicken purchase
Buy 5 or more, get a $2.50 coupon off your next meat or chicken purchase
I'm planning to buy 12 boxes for $6 total (in three separate transactions) and then I will get 3 $2 catalinas off my next purchase of meat.

Pillsbury Grands! 5 ct, Golden Biscuits 10 ct, Cinnamon Rolls 5 ct, Crescent Rolls 4 ct or Chub Cookie Dough 8 oz Selected Varieties - $1
There are lots of coupons out there for these and printables at www.coupons.com and www.boodle.com
Final Price: .30-50/each
I usually wouldn't consider this to be a good deal either, however, there is a catalina deal for these two. Buy 10, get $5 OYNO. With the coupons I have, I can get 20 total for free plus make around $1.80 overage.

Totino's Pizza Rolls $1
$0.50/1 coupons at www.coupons.com and www.boodle.com
Final Price: FREE

Gerber 2nd Foods 2pk or Graduates microwaveable $1
Gerber graduates garden mashers .50/1 printable at www.gerber.com
Final Price: FREE