Triple coupon alert for Harris Teeter

This is a heads up notice for my local friends to get their coupon binders organized.
(They've been telling me in real life that I need to give them time to get ready, rather than post about my savings after the fact. So this is for them...sorry to the rest of you. I sure wish you lived closer.)
*EDITED TO ADD - oh my, some HT stores are offering Triple Coupons for 7 straight days...check if your store is one of them.

For my Fox news interview, I previewed my updated binder.
I will definitely get a post going to show how I've become a "bit" more effective in my organizing.

A "confirmed" source says that there will be triple coupons at Harris Teeter the week of March 25 - 31st (most likely with the triples running from Thursday - Sunday).


If you have not shopped with coupons before, this is the time to give it a "test drive."
Buy a paper this Sunday as well as ask your neighbor for their paper from last week before they throw it away...hurry.
I'm leaving the computer now to email my mom and make sure she saves me her extras. :)

Here is just a brief glimpse of the possible free items you can get (if you shop early).
Imagine all the $1 and under items that are out there that I am just not listing, but looking at...
Have fun stockpiling!

Free after Triples:
as listed on a Full Cup.

Franks Red Hot: 1.19 - .50q (1.50) = FREE!
French's Onions: 2.19 - .75q (2.25) = FREE!
French's Yellow Mustard (8 oz.): 1.50 - .50q (1.50) = FREE!
French's Spicy Brown Mustard (12 oz.): 2.19 - .75q (2.25) = FREE!
Betty Crocker Pouch Potatoes: 1.19 - .40q (1.20) = FREE!
Blistex Lip Balm (Assorted): .99 - .35q (1.05) = FREE!
Betty Crocker Cookie Mix: 2.19 - .75q (2.25) = FREE!
Lipton Tea Bags (16 ct.): 1.29 - .50q (1.50) = FREE!
Lipton Tea Bags (16 ct.): 1.29 - .60q (1.80) = FREE!
Lipton Tea Bags (16 ct.): 1.29 - .75q (2.25) = FREE!
Mahatma Rice: 1.39 - .50q (1.50) = FREE!
Manhatma Yellow Rice: 1.54 - 0.75q (2.25) = FREE!
Purell (2 oz): 1.55 - .55q (1.65) = FREE!
Bumble Bee Tuna Packet: 1.39 - .55q (1.65) = FREE!
Colgate toothpaste: 2.17 - .75q (2.25) = FREE!
Always pantiliners: 1.29- .50q (1.50) = FREE!
Kotex pantiliners: 1.29 - .75q (2.25) = FREE!
Mentos Gum: 1.49 - .55q (1.65) = FREE!
Muir Glen Tomato Paste (6 oz): 1.49 - 0.75q (2.25) = FREE!
Sweet Sue Chicken Broth: .99 - .75q (2.25) = FREE!
Trident Xtra Care Gum: 1.55 - 0.75q (2.25) = FREE!
Halls Cough Drops (20 ct.) = 1.56-2.09 - .75q (2.25) = FREE!
Zone Perfect Bars: 1.39 - .55q (1.65) = FREE!

Tradition and Character Ideas for March

Our family value for March is perseverance

Every month our family focuses
a bit more specifically on one character quality.
Our goal is to teach/model character development in bite size pieces,
rather than attempting to shove the whole "Big Mac" in at one time.

To read a simple explanation of how I implement these ideas, see one of my first blog posts which dealt with
Building Courage, and Dealing with Honesty.
Today I have included a free, fun download which offers creative hands on tradition ideas, and activities that will help your family nurture healthy home habits specifically centered on developing Perseverance(click here).

(it's worth it, it's free...and lots of time went into creating it, so I hope it's helpful. It takes a few seconds to load due to graphics :)

There are dinner conversation questions (yes, you can enjoy quality conversation around the dinner table), family fun night ideas, and a really creative way to get the children excited about chores (if that’s possible).
Perseverance, persistence, and good old fashioned “stick-to-it-iveness” are traits quickly becoming extinct with in today’s youth culture.

Sharing my ideas on building perseverance and persistence in our children is an upcoming post.

But, it definitely is in line with some of these thoughts:

“The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.” - Author Unknown

“Be like a postage stamp – stick to one thing until you get there.” - Margaret Carty

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison

"Let's raise children that can FINISH WELL!" Jen

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If you enjoy celebrating the fun and frolic of St. Patrick's Day, here are some tradition ideas, crafts and character building fun to tie in throughout the month. They focus on helping your children dream big, and think of others. (They take a few seconds to load due to the graphics).

If you only have time to browse one thing - click on the perseverance ideas above. How can your kids pass up the cutest "work to win" challenge? :)

Many of the ideas below can work at any time of the year, not just for St. Patty's Day.

Once a Day ~ Conversation Starters: The Value of Dreams
Once a Week ~ Family Fun Night: The Dream Box
Once a Month ~ Treasured Traditions: The 'Charmed' Dream Cake
Once a Year ~ The Family Story: Dream Cards
Once in a While ~ Gifts of Love: Doorknob Dream Drops with Basket Pattern

One of my "Beautiful Life" Goals is building character in our children.

I am hooked on that - even though it's a difficult process.

I love being Blissfully Domestic...read other posts here.

What topics interest you?

Nestled in the mountains of the Blue Ridge, I am leading worship for an amazing group of women.

It's always such a privilege, and

I can't wait to share this time with them.

The neatest thing happened this evening.

I snuck into one of the last seats at the dining hall, and the sweet girl sitting next to me whispered, "I read your blog."

I found out that this is a big 'ole blog reading church and many of the ladies "knew" me.

There was an instant connection because they already knew my story, and I felt like I was at home...bedlam and all.

(And they better leave me a comment now so you can all go "meet" them since I don't have their blog names with me - you know who you are, girls.)

How fun is that?

For those of you who have a blog, have you ever had someone come up to you that "knows" you? I'd love to hear about it.

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(I am now home after being unplugged for three days - no internet access was a blessing in disguise, but I sure am behind on lots of work).

While I was gone, I spent some time pondering topics that I want to dive into on this blog I call home.

Of course, I will always filter in bits of bedlam, but I've found this is a great place for me to be accountable to the beautiful aspect of my balancing act.

Since frugal living is a passion area, I will continue to post on couponing, meal planning, and of course thrifting... basically any area on saving money is fair game.

Months ago, I promised a post on "Designer Duds on a Dime," that I never delivered, but sure did buy the clothes for it.

I thought I might add a regular feature called
Frugal Fashionista.

My plan is to show you how to put together a designer outfit for under $15.

Of course, most of the things would be from yard sales, and thrift stores, yet all with designer labels and a little "how to" tutorial.
Do enough of you want to dress trendy on less?

I found a brand new Anne Klein woman's suit sporting the original price tag of $300+ at Good Will last week for $7.
It's gorgeous and has never been worn.

That's worth a Frugal Fashionista post, even if I'm not in the workplace anymore.

So, what other areas are of interest to you?

Give this your best brainstorm.

My schedule evens out over the next few months, and I would love to dive into topics that I may have casually mentioned I'd post on but never did, or give clearer explanations of topics that I typically cover like Couponing 101/target prices for grocery shopping etc.

For instance, I just got an email from a sweet blogging designer, Misty, that would like me to address the issue of how we deal with our children's chores.

Developing responsibility in our children is something I am passionate about,
so I'd love to cover that.
(We're slave drivers, I tell you. :)

Those are the kind of suggestions I would love to hear, so shoot away.
Many people have asked me questions in comments, but they got all spread out over many different posts. This is a spot where I can have them all together in one spot, and I'll slowly get around to answering them.

Looking forward to hearing some ideas.

When spray paint and brass meet....

Posted at Kari and Kijsa's Trash to Treasure party

In continuation of my mad spray painting rampage, I give you some more of what I did when "I shopped my house."
Again, this was done in a few mere minutes, and the total cost was $2 (including the brass pieces which were originally from a yard sale.) Imagine what I could do with $10...hee hee.

I have moved past the brass stage in my home decor,
and I literally had these items in a box marked Good Will.
Since I didn't take "before" pictures....AHHH...what was I thinking,
just know that these candlesticks and frames were green - yes, booger green, and should have been disposed of long ago.
BUT, I am so glad that I am a procrastinator...just for this instant.
The candlesticks look brand new, and I spray painted ten more....just because I could....and I had lots of spray paint.
Now, the last few thrift stores that I have gone into, I have looked for ugly candlesticks marked at $.25 - $.50 just to paint them a myriad of colors.
*edited to add...I have a rule with the quick spray paint projects..no sanding allowed.
I just took a regular old $1 bottle and went to it. I was shocked at how well it turned out. I may have used the indoor/outdoor kind, but it's already been thrown away,
so I couldn't double check.
So then I went on to this fake, shiny, chunky brass candle holder....

Yes, looks like new.....loving it....
And we all have some of these old brass frames, right?
Yes, this was my hubby and I's first Christmas, and I do believe that picture has been in this frame since then. Well, look what happens....

Yes, for you observant ladies...it's not the same frame, but it is the same exact type of frame (remember, I forgot to take the "before" pictures?)

When I was shopping my house, I decided to redo my mantel...all in whites....and there was one spot where I couldn't find just the right thing, so I whipped out the paint and made this into the perfectly "right" thing. :)
Instant gratification.

(I know I am tired when I just typed a brand new word....
and it sounds correct...
Satisfaction + gratification = gratifaction, right?)

This week, I will show you my whole new white thrifty mantel redo...such fun knowing that I love it and it was done with all yard sale finds. :)
Now off to bed.
I have been gone today, Sunday, from 7:30am to nearly 9:00pm without a jaunt home, and I bushed.

Good night sweet friends, and sweet dreams thinking of all the new yard sale finds that are right around the corner. It's almost spring time...are you making a list of your "must finds?"

Fun Freebies for you and Guest Post

Yea, it's another addition of our fun freebies.
It was a hit last week, so I will continue to do it once a week. For those of you visiting for Frugal Friday, just skip down one paragraph.
If you find any fun freebies or nearly free items, please email me and I will add them to this list, with a thank you. :)
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Welcome all of you who are visiting from A Soft Place to Land.
I can't wait to follow up and conquer Meal Time mountain together...over the next few weeks.
The amount of money and time to be saved by doing this is unbelievable.

My next three days will be a whirlwind.
I am frantically cleaning, since
our Fox News channel is coming to the house to interview me on Frugal Living.
If they walked in now, they'd surely turn around.
I don't know exactly what their topic is except they want me to share how I save money as a mom. I will touch on couponing, thrifting/yard sale, stockpiling, meal planning, and of course....the most important thrifty gift we can share with our children...learning how to be fiscally responsible in a time of such crazy economic irresponsibility.
That is something I know well.
It will be interesting to see how they edit this into such a small time slot...it's always a bit scary to be at the mercy of someone's copy/pasting.

As my regular followers know, we are then hosting a houseful of teens.
What I didn't mention is that after I get all the meals ready for this group, I am leaving to lead worship for a weekend womens retreat, and am having them at the mercy of my very capable husband (and youth pastor).

I am officially admitting it - for the next few days - there will be no balance of beauty and bedlam...just sheer bedlam.
Once I start worshiping, all will be well with my soul. :)
So make yourself at home, but please come back soon.

For my regulars, if you'd like to take a glimpse of the "beauty" that I did create this past weekend, please hop on over to Kimba's Soft Place to Land.
I am doing a guest post at her site about Managing that Meal Time Mountain...otherwise known as Meal Planning.
I'll feature it here later, but go take a sneak peak.
We'll follow up here with a great Q & A later in the week, as well as specific details/recipes.
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So are you ready for some freebies?

(edited to add: I just found out that Huggies reset their coupon...if you have children still in diapers, click on my side bar coupon widget and click "see all coupon." There are two - $5 and $3. That's amazing. You may print two of each coupon.)

1. Go here to get one free SUNDAE from Baskin Robbins through the end of the month (and my girls are excited about this one).

2. Arby's extras (they sent a coupon to my email for a free burger) and/or Free Arby's sandwich coupon with only a drink purchase . I signed up for both of these yesterday to test them, & they even sent me a belated bday shake coupon today.

3. For those of you wanting a fun, update approach to "going green." I just received my first copy of "Ideal Bites", and it's SO fun. I signed up for the "mom bite" and there are great ideas/tips. Highly recommend.

4. Great on-line recipe ideas and data base...just click thru their questions real fast to sign up.

5. I ate my free Quizno's Sub last week, so when I saw this, I thought I would pass it on. Receive a free Sammie sub when you sign up by email.

6. Yipee - Coffee times are hard for everyone, so Seattle's Best/Borders thought they would offer a great incentive. My hubby was excited. This is a great (and frugal) date night. I have mine printed and ready to use - buy one latte or mocho, get one free.

7. You know I love my Pillsbury coupons and deals. There products are part of my "stockpile." If you haven't signed up for their great newsletter...do it. I get tons of ideas, and coupon offers.

7. I just signed up to get vital Juices daily health, beauty and wellness tips since I don't get any magazines anymore.

9. As someone who would be considered legally blind (without my contacts), I have always wanted to try these colored ones, and now I will. You can try both options below.

10. I thought this looked like the neatest Card Creator. I have perused the site. There are lots of options with it.

Ok, remember when I told you about this coupon, well...it's here again. Free box of touch of gray.

You can get a totally free one, but then if you use CVS or Walgreens when they have their "Extra bucks," they'll pay you to have your hubby use it (not that any of your hubby's need it, but....just saying) :)

AND, last but not least...free samples. I just started getting mine, and it's just fun. I love it because I love any kind of mail.

If you missed last week's freebies, here's the link to browse and see if there are other ones that you may have missed.