I'll have 3 Saturdays a week, a side of mashed potatoes and Menu Plan Monday

Ahhhh I love weekends and I really believe that Saturdays are just as fabulous as they were when I was a kid. A little sleepin' in, make a big breakfast, lounge 'round the house, get things done...I do wish we could have 3 Saturdays a week.

Who do I contact about that?


FREEBIES

- Coloring Pages for St. Patrick's Day, Celtic Coloring Posters and Cards
- California Pizza Kitchen - free meal on your kid's birthday! Register online and you'll get an email for the free meal during their birthday month.
- 100 Free Things To Do With Your Grandkids - great link to forward to the grandparents!



DEALS

Oooo I love a ONE DAY SALE! (I see a KitchenAid 6-Quart Mixer...)
The Amazon Kitchen & Home One-Day Sale--Save up to 60% Deals are good for TODAY only.

Shutterfly deals...
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Clinique
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Beauty.com Deals
- $120 gift for FREE with purchase...Its here! The Shoshanna bag complete with de-luxe samples of your favorite brands! Your with your $100 Beauty.com purchase. While supplies last.
- $10 off $60 at Beauty.com!

For more fabulous meal plans, visit orgjunkie.com!

Monday: Easy Lemon Pasta with Chicken (photo to the right) - I use whole wheat pasta)
Tuesday: Bean & Veggie Burrito
Wednesday: Orange BBQ Drumsticks
Thursday: Red Wine Turkey Thighs - I'll post this recipe on Slow Cooking Thursday
Friday: Dinner at the in-laws

Question of the Day
What is your favorite thing to do on a Saturday?

'Mom Thing' Lessons ... & Slow Cooking Thursday

So, I'm still a new mom. Well, maybe not a 'brand new' mom, but the child is only 21 months. I'm a realist. I'm not the type to have unrealistic expectations by any means, but nobody told me how many times a kid can get sick...in ONE month.

Even though I'm a stay at home mom (which means the baby isn't really around other kids often)...even though I'm a germ-a-phobe and keep things nice and clean and disinfected....even though we all get our vitamins, eat from all the basic food groups, etc...EVEN THOUGH...she still gets sick all the time.

I feel so bad for her. She's had a really nasty bronchial infection that causes her to cough this very sad cough. Those big blue eyes just stare at me every time as if asking, "mom, can you pleeeeease make this stop?" She's on breathing treatments and, for the past few days, they didn't seem to be making a difference, but tonight I'm seeing the light...I think. She had a cough several weeks ago that last two weeks, so I'm not expecting this to be gone by the weekend.

We'll most likely I'll need to cancel our trip to Washington state because I'm the type of mom who doesn't like to take a sick or 'just feeling better' child on a plane to very very cold weather. Oh and it wouldn't be great to take myself up there being that I'm starting to come down with it now.

Thank goodness for trip insurance. I knew it would be worth the $30.

I'm learning this whole 'mom' thing. Kids get sick. A lot.

------------------------

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If you need a new TV, this is a great deal. My husband says we 'need' a new one, but I know better. ;-) 24-Month Financing on Select Samsung HDTVs


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This would make a cute gift. I know my mom would proudly store photos of her grandkids in it...
Coby 1.5-Inch Digital Photo Keychain
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I'm a die hard iPhone gal, but this looks like a good deal for BlackBerry lovers...
BlackBerry Curve 8900 Phone, Titanium (T-Mobile)
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Awesome deal on a Garmin GPS...
Garmin nüvi 760 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Automobile Navigator
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Tangy Crock-Pot Pot Roast

I found this sounds-so-good-I-have-to-try-it recipe at kraftfoods.com...Sounds yummy and it's beyond easy.

INGREDIENTS
1 beef chuck roast
1 packet onion soup mix
1 can (14 oz.) cranberry sauce, jelly or whole berry
1-2 Tablespoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all ingredients (except cornstarch) in crock-pot, cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours, turning once. Remove roast from crockpot just before serving, and set aside on plate.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk about 1 1/2 cups of gravy from crockpot with 1-2 Tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken gravy.
3. Pour back into crockpot, and place roast back in to simmer for a few minutes, making sure there are no lumps in the gravy.

NOTES
* Do not add any additional liquid, as the roast will make it's own gravy.
* If using whole berry cranberry sauce, you can mash some of the berries when mixing in the cornstarch.

Head over to Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for more Slow Cooking recipes and to participate in Slow Cooking Thursday!

Question of the Day
When is a new mom officially not a new mom anymore?I'm curious.:)

Plans? What Plans? Oh, and Menu Plan Monday

So, I had plans this weekend, but plans were made to be broken, right? (Or is that 'rules' are made to be broken?) I'm wondering if I can get through two weeks without someone getting sick in our casa. The baby came down with a nasty cough, little fever that didn't last too long thankfully, runny nose, you know...the whole bit. Sleepless nights. This evening she seemed to be bouncing back. I could be bummed that all our plans for the weekend were nixed, but I have to admit that it was nice having the hubby home to help. Spending time together is always a blessing, even if sickness is in the air. Now, if only my hubby had tomorrow off like most of the country....

One of the things I was 'planning' on doing over the weekend was posting the fabulous giveaway I'm doing next, but I'm saving that for TOMORROW now. You'll want to tell all your friends about it...they'll be happy and just may take you out to lunch if they win. ;-)

Oh yeah, and about last Friday's random sale...I'm going to try to find more random items for the future since a lot of you got a kick out of that! ;-)

Just in case you don't have enough 'noise' in your house...
Wii - Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
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I'm always down for 90% off...not sure how much stuff will be left, but worth a browse! Save up to 90% off at Miles Kimball's Clearance Sale, plus get $1.99 shipping until 01.31.09. Use source code 10619101000.

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In honor of my Menu Plan Monday recipes I'm featuring this hot dog of a slow cooker. It's THREE slow cookers in one. If you don't have one, you are seriously missing out...
Hamilton Beach 33135 3-in-1 Slow Cooker with 2-, 4-, and 6-Quart Crocks, Stainless Steel
List Price: $69.99
Sale Price: $55.95 - 20% off

This week, my slow cooker is working on over-time!!

Monday: Easy Creamy Pork Tenderloin - Slow Cooker - I add 1 can cream of mushroom, 1 can cream of potato, baby carrots, chopped celery and cubed red potatoes. I season the pork with garlic.
Tuesday: Leftovers from Monday
Wednesday: Fish Chowder II - SOOOO good! (not slow cooker) I add flour to thicken the base and also ad celery, parsley and carrot slices. I'm going to freeze the extra for lunches or dinners.
Thursday: Slow Cooker Dump and Go Cheesy Chicken (pictured to the right) - I'll post this recipe on Slow Cooking Thursday - I add 1 can cream of chicken.
Friday: Cranberry-Chipotle Turkey - Fabulous and easy slow cooker recipe! One of our family faves!

Head over to orgjunkie.com for more fabulous meals!

Question of the Day
What plans of yours keep getting broken?

How Melody Got Her Blog Groove Back...

Do you ever get in a blog funk?

I had to take a break with the holidays or else I would have been in the doghouse with the hubby. He took almost two weeks off for the first time since our 20 month old was born. Then, we get the stomach bug for a week thus leaving me blogless a little longer. After all that, I am trying to get my groove back. Right now, all I can think to write about is how my tongue is totally raw from my sudden daily craving for Skittles (eat enough and I'm convinced your mouth will permanently turn red), that one of my new years resolutions (OK, my only one) is to find a place to take acting classes just because I think it would be fun, and how I have to get the bug man out here ASAP because of the ants in my kitchen. I've never ever had ants before. I'm bugged. haha I know, that was lame.

I feel boring oh so boring. I feel boring, like snoring, I'm lame! (sung to "I feel pretty" tune, of course.)

I felt so happy seeing some of my 'regulars' saying hi in the comments yesterday. Is it weird that that made me giddy and get back into the groove? lol Well, it did and for that reason I will blog on...

For the person who didn't get a new camera for Christmas and really wanted or needed one...
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So, it's only 10% off, but I think it's fantastic! This would make an awesome b-day present for a little one...
Treasury of 20 Storybook Classics (4pc)
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Only $2.99 - Remember the Little Golden Books? Awww, I do and I'm thinking I should stock up for my little girl as well as my gift closet...
The Jungle Book
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Bambi
The Little Red Caboose
Dumbo
The Poky Little Puppy
The Fox and the Hound: Hide and Seek
Lots more where those came from. Just scroll down on the links, you'll see more! They are all eligible for free super saver shipping, too! Great fillers when you're just a few bucks off from free shipping.

I love 48 hour sale...24 hours is too little, 72 too many. I need a deadline with a little room to decide...
Kitchen & Home 48 HOUR sale!!

OK, at first I wasn't going to post this, but then I thought about anyone who may need to send a gift. Here are some yummmmy gifts for CHEAP! (the fruit box pictured to the right is only $7.50 - 75% off!!) Nobody has to know you're cheap, er, huh, I mean FRUGAL! ;-)
Gourmet Gifts: Up to 70% off or MORE!

Ok folks, I'll be back tomorrow. ;-)

Question of the Day
Are you cheap or frugal?
What's your idea of the difference?