At RiteAid, I got two packs of gum and two Reese’s candy hearts for FREE!!  Paid only tax….$0.09!!

At CVS, I got 3-pack Ivory soap, Almay mascara, and three greeting cards for $0.10 + tax = $0.41!!  I paid using $7.50 in ECBs and got back $6.00 in ECBs.

Even though the deals are getting less and less at the grocery stores, I did manage to find a couple good deals at Publix this week.  I got four packs of Starkist tuna for FREE, two bags of Chex mix for $0.80 each, and two bags of Crunchmaster crackers for $0.22 each!

(Please excuse the photos…a photographer, I am not!)  Shoepeg corn casserole was good for something different.  It was really rich and creamy, but for the taste, I didn’t really think it was worth all of the calories!  I might would make it again, but it’s not something that would become a regular around our house.

White Chicken Enchiladas was really good and much easier to make than the enchilada recipe I normally use.  Everyone in my family liked this and I’ll definitely make it again!

7-Up biscuits were really light and moist.  I have a similar recipe that my family likes called company muffins, but these were much lighter and fluffier.  I’m sure we’ll have these again!  The only problem with these is I hate buying a whole 2 liter  of 7-up for just 1/2 cup, since 7-Up is not something that we typically drink.

Oatmeal Smoothies are really good and I have made them a couple of times already.  I don’t typically like to eat breakfast in the morning, but will sometimes have a smoothie.  The good thing about these is that, because of the oatmeal, they are really filling.  I see more of these in my future!

Last, but not least, is chicken broccoli supreme.  I forgot to snap a picture of this!  It was really good.  Somewhat similar to poppyseed chicken, but without the sour cream and you make your own sauce instead of using cream of chicken soup.  The broccoli really adds to it and helps to make it more of a complete meal.  I just served it with brown rice.

You can check out all the recipes here.

I love finding new recipes that my family enjoys.  Some times it’s more work trying something for the first time, but it’s better than having the same old things every night!  Have you tried any new recipes lately?  I’d love for you to share!

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This year, I am participating in on online devotion/scripture memorization program.  It is from Established Footsteps and this year’s theme is “Who am I?”  This is a description from their website:

  “Who Am I? is a year long-one verse per week-memorization project that will hide Truth in our hearts about who we are in Christ. The world is constantly designing our identity with wrong information and lies from the enemy… but there is Truth to store in our souls. Every believer needs to be built up in this Truth and what a great way to start off the New Year!

Want to know who God says you are? Want to plant His identity in your mind and heart? Then join us for Who Am I? and allow the Holy Spirit to do a great work in you this coming year.

You can sign up for this FREE online resource here.  Each Tuesday, you will receive a link to an audio devotion, which is approx. 10-15 minutes long.  You will also be given a scripture verse to memorize for the week.  Today is the beginning of week 2, but it’s not too late to join in!

I am using the audio devotions for myself and my teenage daughter.  My 12 year old son is joining in on the memorization portion with us.  It’s a great way to remind ourselves of who we are in Christ!  I think that it is SO important to hide the Truths of God’s Word in our hearts, so that we can use them to battle the lies of satan and this world!

What a great surprise!  I have heard so many wonderful things about this book, so I put it on hold at my library……MONTHS ago!!  Guess it’s so popular that there must be a long wait for this book!  Last night, as I was checking out Amazon.com, I found that this book is currently FREE for Kindle download!  I got mine quick!  Remember…it’s free now, but may not stay that way for long.  I can’t wait to get started reading mine! 

Happy Organizing!! 

Wow!!  What a year 2011 was!  It was a rough year for my family….physically, emotionally and spiritually.  From sleep studies, to kidney stones, to cancer, to shingles, to surgeries……we’ve had it all!  Not counting planning a surprise 70th birthday party for my Mom, planning a graduation for my daughter, then sending her off to school and celebrating our 25th anniversary!!!  All the while, trying to keep up with the daily ins and outs of raising kids, homeschooling kids and keeping house.  That’s why I’ve not been bogging much!

Although 2011 was a hard year, God was faithful to walk with me every day!  Through each trial, I learned many lessons.  Some of these lessons include:

1.  God is faithful; He will never leave me or forsake me!

2.  The Lord is kind and He longs to give good gifts to His children!  His mercies are new every morning!

3.  God always keeps His promises!  He doesn’t promise us wealth, or a life without pain, heartache or trouble….but He does promise us peace!  We just have to accept and claim that peace!

4.  God’s Word is ALIVE!  Although I’ve always “known” this and “believed” it, over this last year I have learned how to LIVE it!  Through many verses, the Lord has shown me that He has so much to say to ME!  His words of hope, comfort, peace, and promise have been what has kept me going every day.  I can’t wait to get into His Word every day to see what He wants to say to me!!

5.  God answers prayers!  It has been such a faith-builder not only for me and my husband, but also for our children to see God continually answer our prayers.  On several occasions, my children and I would pray for something specifically one morning and the Lord would graciously grant that exact request that very day!  He is SO good!

6.  God is ALWAYS at work for our good and His glory!!

We are not sure what 2012 holds for our family.  The one thing we do know is that, just as in 2011, the Lord will walk through each day of 2012 with us!!  To Him be the glory!!

Wishing each of you a very happy and blessed 2012!!!

Remember…it’s free now, but could change at any time.

The Lady of Bolton Hill…..Female journalists are rare in 1879, but American-born Clara Endicott has finally made a name for herself with her provocative articles championing London’s poor. When the backlash from her work forces a return home to Baltimore, Clara finds herself face-to-face with a childhood sweetheart who is no longer the impoverished factory worker she once knew. In her absence, Daniel Tremain has become a powerful industry giant and Clara finds him as enigmatic as ever. However, Daniel’s success is fueled by resentment from past wounds and Clara’s deeply-held beliefs about God’s grace force Daniel to confront his own motives. When Clara’s very life is endangered by one of Daniel’s adversaries, they must face a reckoning neither of them ever could have foreseen.

Transforming Prayer…….Praying Christians are hungry to learn how to connect with God in a way that takes them beyond the typical grocery-list approach. Transforming Prayer explores the profound difference between seeking God’s hand (what he does for people) and seeking God’s face (who he really is). With captivating stories of the transformative power of personal worship and its connection with prayer, this book equips readers with practical tools for a more effective personal and corporate prayer life.

Heavenly Homemakers is offering a FREE ebook……Healthy Marriage Tips From A to Z.  You can go here to download your copy!