Gramma Ray's Blog

Not the most frugal day lately, but definately one of the most fun.

DD2 called this morning and suggested a potluck BBQ this afternoon.

DH and I made a dump run and went and bought a new gas grill for all these BBQs. (Our old grill fit about 4 patties...this new one fits enough for the whole family at the same time.) This was a need and a want all at the same time. It will be used ALOT.

The BBQ was in honor of DSs 22nd birthday (5-25). So all 4 kids, SOs, my parents, the g-kids and DH and I...13 in all.

Cloudy cool weather, great food, wonderful company...Id say a real success! Pleasantly exhausted tonight!

Recently, DH was telling me about a friend of his who is going through a nasty breakup with his SO (primarily money related). I won't go into all the details, but when DH finished the story, he looked at me and told me how thankful he was that I was so careful with our money.

This was a BIG step for DH because he has always been the one who needed a money muzzle...and he really fought having to do without.

So today, we were on our way to Target to look at gas grills and he said "I am really thinking about spending money anymore. I have to justify it in my mind before I buy...and determine if it is a 'need or a want'."

(Do you think he noticed my whiplash fast look...and read my "Is this my husband??" thoughts..")

Im not quite sure HOW it happened...but I am so glad it did. Without trying or really talking about it, he has gotten hisself onto the same frugal page as I am.

This is a momentus day for me....for us. I did not think it would ever come....and here it is!

DD3 is going to a rock-a-thon this afternoon and tonight. Her youth group is trying to make money for a trip they are taking in June.

We are going to pack up a couple of small rockers for the girls to use and off she goes...I don't envy the volunteeers tonight. (My DD1 is one of the volunteers, bless her heart!)

DH and I will have the night to ourselves...so I splurged a couple of days ago and got THREE movies at blockbuster. (I had a coupon so the three movies came to $7.97) We have 'Proof', 'Dreamer' and some action blow em up movie that I plan to read or knit through.

I will cook something here at home for dinner...better get that thawing now that I think about it.

We should be busy getting things done today, but it is 11am and I am on the puter...DH and DD3 are still asleep...so not so productive yet. (I am doing laundry tho- so Im not totally wasting time...right?)

Literally!

I am doing laundry this morning and am using FREE SAMPLES of laundry detergent. (I have enough for three loads)

Then I am going to shower, and will again use FREE SAMPLES of shampoo and conditioner. (I have enough for about 4 days)

Grace will enjoy a FREE SAMPLE breakfast.

and I have a FREE SAMPLE of deodorant.

I love FREEBIES.

(Most of my samples came from Walmart and Vocalpoint).

Today was not a good day for Miss Gracie. (12 yo blind yellow lab)

She went for a walk to the mailbox with DD1 and decided to head over to Nana and Papas to see if she could beg a doggy treat. DD1 headed back home.

A few minutes later, DD1 heard barking and a painful cry.

Poor Gracie accidentally walked into the neighbors yard right next to nana and papas. (she misjudged the fence line)This was not a good thing, as Gracie has had a long standing feud with the dogs who live there...and they were not kind.

10 teeth punctures and a very sad Gracie tonight. About two years ago, these same dogs got out of their electric fence and attacked Gracie in my entryway (yes they came in my house unexpectedly when I opened the door) and every since then Gracie has needed to sleep/sit/rest next to wherever I am in the house. I am sure todays terror will affect her as well.

Luckily, the wounds are not bad enough for a vet visit or stitches...But my little Gracie is one sad, hurting girl tonight.

**Saturday Update**
Grace is still not feeling so hot. I am keeping an eye on her leg. She is not getting up much and I have a feeling it is because of the bite on the back of her hind leg. If its not better by Monday, looks like a vet visit afterall.

I finished opening the online BofA account last week...and low and behold I received a $50 bonus deposit to the account today!! Woo-hoo!

I am going to add that $50 to my challenge money on Monday and will update the total at that time! (Don't you just LOVE free money!!)

Wells fargo, however, is making me work for the $25 gc. That account has been opened over a month, the certificate code for GC.com STILL does not work...service via email has been no help...and I did not receive the call back from their support department as promised today. I will try again on Monday. I feel like IMTHISCLOSE... yet miles away at the same time.

I have been trying to work with DD1 on budgeting and living more frugally. She and her DH are trying to live off of 1 paycheck so that she can raise her DD without daycare. Needless to say, finances stay pretty tight.

This afternoon, we gathered up my coupons and headed off to Target to see what deals we could find...

Low and behold, we were able to get deodorant for 33 cents, toothpaste for 66 cents, shampoo for 74 cents, amazing deals for a fraction of the normal prices. She was excited to see what a little work could do to a shopping total.

I picked up several items from our vacation list...which will help stock the trailer for the summer too.

I got great deals on toilet paper, laundry soap, toiletries, food items,
dog food, all things I needed to buy, so I feel like we really did well.

I am not feeling well again today. My tummy is at it again...ugh.

So my post is short and to the point:

1. Nana got back from her trip safely. Enjoyed her brothers, but is mighty glad to be home.

2. Nice dinner with friends last night. My food was not the best, I tried something new...don't know if it was the food, or my tummy...but I am feeling yucky this morning.

3. DH wroked all night last night, so next weeks paycheck will have some nice OT---just in time for vacation!!

4. Rain clouds have arrived as promised...they're nice and dark and it is significantly cooler today (no rain yet...Ill just be happy with the cooler weather)

5. It's Friday!! I am looking forward to a peaceful, possibly rainy weekend at home.

Have a good one.

I know this is not a weather blog....but I am so darn excited at the possibility of some rain and relief from this heatwave!

Thank you Contrary1 for mentioning that rain may be coming our way...I checked out Medfords weather and sure enough...there is a chance of rain this weekend...and the expected highs are back down into the 60's and 70s for the next week....woo-hoo! (Boomeyer...your good wishes may have done it for us!!)

Doin' the rain dance...

DH and I decided to stay home this weekend instead of going camping. We have quite a bit of catch-up to do before we leave for vacation in a week. plus we will save about $50 in gas.

Tonight is my monthly dinner out with friends. We are going to mexican food- which I love...but I am cautious still with the tummy...I enjoy these dinners...I am going to look and see if I have a coupon for this restaraunt to help cut the expense.

It is going to be another super hot day today....so air conditioner is still running in the bedroom. (Luckily the den where the office is at is in the lower lever of my home (we have a tri-level) and it has stayed fairly cool so far.

Will hang all laundry today!

Have a good one!

Well, DD3 (14) cleaned library books this afternoon to payoff her $7 in fines.

She enjoyed working at the library, shelving books, talking to the patrons, looking up stuff on the computer...but wasn't too keen on the book cleaning part...

So we talked about how there are book cleaners and librarians in life. Librarians set goals, worked hard, stayed in school so that they could have a job they love.

Book cleaners could have been librarians...but they made different choices....and have a job just to make money to survive...

Everyone has choices...and she needs to make hers carefully....would she rather be a librarian or a book cleaner?

I think she got this lesson....and the volunteer job this summer should be very good for her as she faces high school next year.

I opened a WFB account about a month ago and as promised, I received a Supercertificate code# for Gift Certificates.com for $25 in my email today.

However, when I tried to use the code to redeem, it said 'not found'. Hmmm...So I have emailed the site to see if they can help me.

Hopefully, this will be resolved quickly and I can get get a gift card...

I noticed that one of our restaurant choices is SONIC...and that new one will be open in the next couple of months...I think I see a burger in our future!!

DD3 and I go to the library every Wednesday. Rather than take the bus home, she walks to the library and spends an hour with her 'study group' friends and then I meet her there afterwards and we check out books.

Being that we are there WEEKLY, you would think library fees would be non-existent.

Well...

I stopped by the library a few days ago with DD3 and the librarian mentioned that DD3 had some overdue fines...so, I pulled out a dollar..thinking $.20-$.30.....but the fines were $7!!!!!!

Without batting an eye, the libraran looked at DD3 and said "I think you should 'work' these fines off. I have some books that need to be cleaned/shelved...can you come Wednesday after school?"

Of course DD3 was more than willing...and I was greatful for the non-monetary solution. So DD3 will be 'working' at her first job tonight. (It pays $4 per hour towards the fees, so she will work for 2 hours)

DD3 had already volunteered to work at the library 2 days per week this summer so this workoff of fines will be good training.

and I have decided that $7 will go to the $20 challenge since I didn't have to pay afterall!

Challenge update: stairs last week = $14 to challnge plus todays $7 = $235.06!!

I was a cheap date today. When my head would lift off the pillow, I opted for water....and then moved to grape juice this afternoon.

I just had some toast.

I think I will live afterall...I sure hope that wasn't something contagious.

Someone went and turned on the furnace in Oregon. What the heck...all of a sudden we're having a a record breaking heat wave....so the air conditioner that Id hoped to postpone a few more weeks has been turned on.

I can hear that little meter running full speed out there....Cha-ching....but when the weather is in the upper 90's, it is a GOOD THING to have air in the upstairs rooms....we just try to be careful with the amount we run it.

Ima Saver....your hubby's ailment managed to jumped a few states... all the way to Oregon and landed in my tummy last night at 11:30pm....

Ugh....

No, make that a DOUBLE UGH...

Poor Ray...I had an all-nighter...and am not having a much better morning....

UGH.

off to die a slow and torturous death Im sure...

Dh and I are going camping again this weekend! Woo-hoo.

Last time we went, we found a great free campsite right on the river. Free= no hookups...but we are self contained and have a generator so it is no problem.

I am crossing my fingers that it will be available for us this weekend...If not, we will just camp at my fav little spot, also on the river for $16 per night.

So, Ive got my checklist and am checking it twice. We leave friday.

Then, we will be home Memorial Day weekend, but we leave on Memorial Day for our week at the coast...I am sooooo looking forward to the trip!!!

We stay in a National Park campground and our site is one facing the ocean (I had to reserve it last September!!!)

I will try post some pictures of both trips when we get back!

Don't you love almost-freebies? (Well, if you can't have a total freebie that is!)

DD3 and I took a drive over to our neighboring small town (7 miles) where the library is and picked up 3 books Id reserved. This little town is one street...one little restaraunt, a grocery store, a tiny gas station a bank, post office and library. It is also where DD3 goes to school.

The drive over follows the river...very pretty this time of year! and so on the way home we stopped at one of the free sites along the river and dipped our toes in. (Record heat today : 98 degrees)

Then, we turned off to travel the river into a super nice housing area where the homes all are on the river...and admired the beautiful landscaping and the gorgeous homes.

Then we came back home and DD3 got to drive the last couple of blocks...she is 'practicing' for her permit.

Total for books, cooled toes, sightseeing and driving lesson....just the gas to get there and back.

My point is, that there is free entertainment all around us. It does not take a lot of money to create a memory...or to have a fun afternoon.

When we got home DD3 said she really enjoyed it....and I have to say, I really did too!

This is my GD 8 months..
She spends alot of days here since her mommy and I work together.

I had a beautiful Mothers Day.

I had let the kids know that I didn't want/need anything...but I ended up with some sweet, sweet gifts.

DD1 threw a BBQ for all the moms/grandmas in hers and SILs family...quite a group...POTLUCK, so no one person spent too much. Very good food. Great company...nice day.

Then she potted starters off of her favorite spider plant...so all us moms/grammas went home with a 'baby'. She also gave us a framed photo. (The photos were all different and special in their own way....Mine was the 4 generations...my mom, me, DD1 and GD)

DD3 painted a rock with a sunflower- which I LOVE.

DS and his wife gave me a cute makeup bag with cherries on it...and some of my fav chocolate.

What a beautiful day. They each gave me a card with the /sweetest nicest notes inside.

I feel very blessed. What a beautiful day.

The sounds of summer have arrived.

Yesterday, I listened to lawn mowers galore...sparrows fighting predators from their nests, and children playing in a neighbors pool.

Followed up last night by a serenade of frogs down at what we call 'Frog Creek'.
The truly HOT weather hasn't yet arrived..so simply leaving a window open will cool the house down and allow the song of the frogs in.

Drifted off to sleep in those freshly, line dried sheets...(I got to put the nice cool cotton ones on instead of the flannel.)

I love the sounds that come with summer.
And I continue to say...the best things in life are free.

First, Happy Mothers Day to all of you! I wish you a lovely day spent however your hearts desire...

It will be a family day for us. DD1 has planned a bbq with everyone at her house...so no work for gramma today

It should be a no spend day as well...just the gas to get to DD1s house.

Confession time: We are 'Survivor" fans...so we are looking forward to the finale tonight...This is one show the entire family likes to watch...so during the season, it is a 'shared' event from our individual homes.

Again, I wish you all a day of joy!

Well, today is the day DH and DD3 (14) chose to spend together. The pick a day or a whole weekend once a month and just go bond.

Today was breakfast followed by miniature golf and bumper cars. I am sure they are having a great time.

I was using the free time to catch up on deep cleaning, when the phone rang...Uh, oh...

DD1: "Mom, what are you doing"...in that sweet (can you babysit) tone!

Sure enough, Miss Kaitlyn Rae (9 months) was delivered to me about 20 minutes ago...Her mom and dad are off to see Poseidon. Katie is already down for a nap...so I am continuing on with the work. Im hanging ALL bed linens on the line this afternoon for a nice, fresh bed tonight!

Amazing how much I DONT spend when I stay home...lol. My number one clue for saving...STAY HOME. It works for me everytime!

I went to town to deposit DHs paycheck and get a prescription filled for my dad. Dh wanted to go to Olive Garden for lunch...which he rarely asks to eat out so we splurged. ($35)

Then, I wanted to stop by Michaels and get a pretty banner/flag for the front yard (they were on sale for $6.99). I had taken a 40% off coupon...but then I saw their scrapbooking organizers.....Last year at Christmas, I had given DD1 one of those...and in February, it was stolen out of her car....with my coupon it was only $24...a reasonable price, and I knew whe would really appreciate it...so I splurged again. Bought the organizer and couldn't decide between two banner/flags.....so......I bought them both ($37) (Iknow, I know...)

Then when I picked up my dads prescription, I saw the Dairy Queen and knew he would just LOVE a pineapple blizzard...he's been sick and all......so I slurged AGAIN ($5).

So, not the most frugal day Ive had in a while...but it sure made several family members smile! And you know what, every once in a while, that's ok.

This is my little GS....

(Testing out adding a picture)

Question: Can you bury a piece of bread in the carpet?

Answer: Of course not. Why would you even try?

I have no flippin clue...but that is what Grace (12 yo blind, possibly senile lab) has been trying to do for the past several minutes.

She is on a mission...Now mind you, she is the only animal in the house. But she is trying to 'hide' this piece of bread from the cats...(they live outside).

Further, she is getting carpet burn on her nose in her attempts.

What a funny girl. But this past week or two I have been seeing signs that she is starting to mentally lose it.

They told us she only had about 6 months to live....almost 4 years ago.

If nothing else, Grace is doing it "her way".

And her way has kept me smiling for 3 1/2 extra years and counting.

For all her silliness, I love that darn dog.

I found boneless, skinless chicken breast on sale for $1.29 lb today!! so I stocked up...and I will most likely go back this weekend and get even more.

I bbq'd steak for us and dad tonight. Had gotten a huge london broil on sale for $1.79 lb a few weeks ago...so this steak was about 2 1/2 lbs...enough to feed all of us a good dinner.

DH and DD3 decided not to go on the 3 hr drive this weekend, but rather do something closer to home. (a good thing) DHs check has about $75 in OT this week so he will use that to fund his day with DD3...I see a nice breakfast, movie and maybe some fishing in their future!

Im looking forward to a quiet day on Saturday. I hope I can sneak off and not have to take care of anyone or anything for a few hours...(shhh, don't tell anyone!)

Friday is almost here...looking forward to the weekend....it has been a busy week.

We are getting a Sonic Burger....

Do you have one near you? Are they any good?

Not that I am looking for a way to start eating out again...There is just an air of excitement when a new kid comes to town...and I have heard people really like Sonic Burgers...

If you have one, what is your experience?

Is this common?

I am going along thinking (smugly- which is a big mistake by the way)...Oh, we are doing great...Ive paid all the bills early this month. There is a little left over for savings...Arent we doing great!!

Then, blammo! Something breaks...then, something else happens, then, then, then...

And all of a sudden your back at sqaure one??

It feels like that has been the week this week....I am not planning on spending any money today...but DH has ordered two new blades for his chainsaw ($50-60 each)..that need to be picked up..Which, once he starts making money, these will be paid for, but right now we are having to front money to the business.

Then, each month DH and DD3 spend a weekend or at least one full day on a 'bonding day'. They go do something together just to connect. I learned last night that DH is taking her to his dads house (3 hours away) to change dads oil in his truck...WHAT? Thats about $75 in gas just to change your dads oil??? grrrr... It wouldnt have been so bad, but his dad isnt even going to be home...Hopefully DH reconsiders and does something less expensive and more condusive to a fun day with DD3.

Vacation is coming...just under 3 weeks now...I have save about $300 for the week...and we will turn in all the cans/bottles to help...plus I have our 2 Exxon gas cards to help with fuel...

End of rant...off to enjoy the nice sunny weather.

I knew today would be a spend day.

Met DD1 in town to get my dads car fixed...on the way home DD1 wanted coffee ($6 for both of us)...ugh...

Dad needed milk...so I stopped and bought 2 gal of milk, bread, coffee creamer and cereal...($11)

DD3 and I went to town and I bought her a few new clothes for this warmer weather we're having. ($40)

I also needed gas from all the trips to town this week...($32)----ouch

Then I stopped by the budget grocery store and bought several things we were out of ($60)

DD3 really wanted some dippin dots...($8) (that's enough $$ to buy a couple of 1/2 gallons....ugh)

So, over $150 dollars today. The coffee and dippin dots were not budget items...but everything else was...so $14 out of my allowance.

Grace (my 12 yo blind female lab) just made it on the endangered species list tonight!!!!!!!!

Im not kidding, Im calling the horse food factory tomorrow to see if they want her.

I ran up to check on my dad one last time tonight, right at dusk, and that dad-blarned dog knocked the backdoor to my house open...now I have skeeters (mosquitos) everywhere..

{{frustrated sigh}} She is laying there asleep, acting all innocent...totally oblivious to the nuisance that she is...well, ok, maybe shes not a nuisance...but she is still on the list...

I think Im getting a fish the next time I need a pet. (Hear that Grace!!!)