Apr 20

Toilet Paper Confessions

Tidy Up Tuesdays No Comments »

I really hate buying toilet paper. It really is throwing money down the toilet. I’m actually a toilet paper snob. I have a thing about buying the best, softest brand. Who doesn’t like pillows of softness, quilted tissue, and double-layers? C’mon—you’re lying if you say you can’t tell a difference between the types of toilet paper. If the toilet paper companies don’t hook you with all of the “pillow” talk in their commercials then surely they get you with images of cute puppies. What puppies have to do with toilet paper is beyond me, but I’m sold on buying name brands. 

Unfortunately, buying name brands also means I’m shelling out the big bucks for something that is used once and is literally flushed down the toilet. (Thank goodness it can’t be recycled.) Have you ever tried to comparison shop the different brands of toilet paper? As I once stood amongst the sea of hygiene tissue in the grocery store and tried to compare costs, I ended up having more questions than answers.

Is it really cheaper to use the least expensive brands if you end up using more toilet paper anyways? How do you factor in the kid cost? They waste toilet paper like it grows on trees. (Oh wait, it does. But it’s still not cool to waste it.) Maybe I should buy the good stuff for my bathroom and buy the cheap-o packages for the kids’ bathroom.

I’ve also noticed that these rolls of goodness seem no never really go on sale. Sure, toilet paper might run 50 cents cheaper than it did the week before, or you can find a 25-cents-off coupon, but really there’s no way to cut costs on toilet paper – an essential for all families. It’s unavoidable. They should add it to the list: death, taxes, and toilet paper.

And the brands try to trick you with the numbers too. There’s square feet and number of squares. And there’s one-ply and two-ply. How on earth can anyone figure out this confusing mess?

(Sidenote: I’m the lamest person on the planet for admitting to all of this, but I know I’m not alone in the confusion. When did toilet paper get complicated? Oh, I remember. The day I had three potty-trained daughters. We consume far more toilet paper than the average household, I’m sure. Since I can’t seem to reduce our usage of the stuff, I figure I might be able to save on costs. Hence my crazy thoughts on TP.)

So, I called one of my smartest friends who loves me despite my absurd questions and I asked her to help me figure out which toilet paper is really the cheapest. Here’s the chart with her results.

Store Brand Price # Rolls per Package # Sheets per Roll # Sheets per Package Price per Roll Price per Sheet
Costco Charmin $18.99 30 250 7500 63.3 cents 0.253 cents
Costco Charmin with $2 Costco Coupon $16.99 30 250 7500 56.6 cents 0.227 cents
Costco Kirkland $17.99 36 425 15300 49.9 cents 0.118 cents
Big Lots Charmin $15.50 30 200 6000 51.7 cents 0.258 cents
Big Lots Big Lots $5.00 12 300 3600 41.7 cents 0.139 cents
Vons Charmin $15.99 24 200 4800 66.6 cents 0. 333 cents
Vons Charmin on Sale $5.99 12 176 2112 50.0 cents 0.284 cents
Vons Charmin on Sale with Coupon $5.49 12 176 2112 45.8 cents 0.260 cents
Vons Safeway (One Ply) $7.99 12 1000 12000 66.6 cents 0.067 cents
Vons Safeway Softy $5.99 12 300 3600 49.9 cents .166 cents
Vons Safeway Softy with Vons Coupon $4.99 12 300 3600 41.6 cents .139 cents


 

Things to Note:

  • The Costco Kirkland Brand comes in the largest size package, if you are going for quantity
  • The Big Lots Brand and the Safeway Softy are tied for the smallest package, so you would have to buy more packages
  • The cheapest per roll is the Safeway Softy, followed closely by the Big Lots brand
  • The most expensive per roll was a tie between the Vons Charmin (at regular price) and the Vons Safeway
  • The Charmin brand was cheapest per sheet at Costco
  • The Charmin brand was most expensive per sheet at Vons
  • With a Costco coupon you save 6 ½ cents per roll on the Charmin
  • The most expensive per sheet was the Vons Charmin at regular price
  • The cheapest toilet paper per sheet was the Safeway Brand, however it is the only brand that is one-ply
  • The second cheapest toilet paper per sheet was the Costco Kirkland brand
  • All prices were taken the same weekend

 

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Apr 19

The First 24

Mommy Monday 3 Comments »

There’s nothing cuter than a litter of new puppies. You watch them play and sleep and you snuggle with them and pet them. But it can be nearly impossible to pick one out of the bunch. Experts advise doing one easy test to know which puppy has the best personality: you simply put the puppy on his back and hold him down gently for a few seconds – enough to give resistance but not too much to hurt the pup. How he responds – either by lying passively or by wiggling and worming out of your grasp — will tell you a lot about the kind of pet you’re welcoming into your family. Most people are looking for a pup that’s somewhere in the middle.

I think the same could be said about newborns. While I’m not suggesting holding a newborn down to see what he or she would do, I can say that the first 24 hours of a newborn’s new life is a foreshadowing of any dominant personality traits. I can see now with years of perspective the early signs of the strong character traits each of my three daughters possessed in those first hours of life.

When my oldest was born she greeted us with the typical signs of healthy life – lots of screaming and crying – but her crying ended quickly. She was a content child and snuggled up into her little burrito with her eyes closed and as happy as a clam to sleep off the trauma of childbirth. I, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough of her. I repeatedly unwrapped her blanket to look at her crinkly ears that she inherited from her grandpa and her full lips she stole from my DNA. She stretched and fussed each time I’d examine her just as she acts today when I try to fuss over her. She’s content just the way she is. These days that means tucked away into a corner of the house, close to all the action, but snuggled up under a blanket (just like in those first few hours of life). Now, however, she snuggles with a book in hand.

When my second daughter arrived, just 361 days after No. 1, I expected everything to be about the same. After all, the date on the calendar was almost the same, my swollen toes looked identical to the Vienna sausages I had carted around the year before, and my husband had the same concerned but calm look on his face.

So, I was blindsided when daughter No. 2 came out. First of all, we didn’t know she’d be a girl (the strong-willed fetus only showed us her backside in every ultrasound.) We also didn’t know a kid so small could have such a big set of lungs. I’m not sure I’d ever heard a child scream like that – ever. She was not as happy to see us as we were to see her. She screamed and screamed and then screamed a whole bunch more. The doctors swore up and down that she was perfectly healthy and that some kids are just more fiery than others. Hmm….fiery? What does that mean? I thought. That sounds like code for lots of sleepless nights.

As we lay down to sleep that night in the hospital, my 12-hour-old, 6-pound daughter could not be consoled. Everything I tried –and I thought I knew all the tricks – didn’t seem to work on her. She was only happy when I was holding her. The problem was, I’d been awake for over 24 hours – giving birth and all – and I was a wee bit tired from the day’s events. So, I did what every experienced mom would do (and at the risk of being lectured by a nurse): I set her down in bed beside me. She nestled up against me, let out a big sigh of relief, and then fell asleep in 1.2 seconds (which is exactly how long it takes her Dad to fall asleep each night, actually).

A few nights ago I had a flashback to our first night together. We were away from home and No. 2 was having a hard time falling asleep. She tried every excuse in the book to explain why she was still wide-eyed and bushy-tailed long after her sisters had zonked out. She all but threw a toddler tantrum – even though she’s well beyond the toddler years – before I allowed her to climb into bed with me. As you can guess, 1.2 seconds after she pulled the covers up to her chin, she was out cold, just like that first night over 8 years earlier.

Last, but not least, my third daughter arrived after years of heartache, medical trauma, months of morning sickness, and even more months of pre-term labor and bouts of bedrest. Needless to say, we were all exhaustedly excited for her arrival.

And arrive she did. Right on time. The doctor asked my husband to predict the hour of her birth after we checked into the hospital for the delivery. Even though my labor wasn’t progressing, my husband confidently declared that our daughter would arrive at 11:17 a.m. And that’s precisely – and I mean down to the second precisely – what she did.

Exactly eight minutes earlier (11:09 a.m.) I had sent my doctor off to take care of other patients since I figured I was hours from delivery. I turned to lie on my side where I had a full view of all of the machines tracking my contractions, just as seismograph machines record earthquakes. Suddenly my machine looked like the San Andreas Fault during “The Big One” and I went from the first stage of labor to delivery in less time than it takes cheese to melt on the top of a pizza.

As a mother of two girls already – with very different personalities – I couldn’t imagine how on earth I could have another daughter (this time I knew she’d be a girl) that could still add yet another female dynamic to our home. But there she was– all 7-plus pounds of full lips and a lively personality.  She took one look at me, calmed herself, and then knowingly reached up to grab my index finger. I think we were both relieved to no longer share a body, but to instead share life together but in separate bodies. She never misses a beat but still beats to her own drummer, just like her arrival nearly five years ago.

It never fails to amaze me how distinct and different each of my daughters is in looks and personality. Just like a litter of pups all from the same parents, but all so different. I guess my daughters’ births are proof that parenting really isn’t a one-size fits-all approach; rather, each child needs her own layers of compassion and direction. Each of my daughters’ births tells the first chapter of the story of who they are and what they will become. They are just as individualized today as they were the day they were born.

 

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Apr 16

Full of Beans

Foodie Fridays No Comments »

As a kid I was terrified to eat beans. I can still hear my brother singing quietly into my ear at the dinner table, “Beans, beans, the musical fruit.”

Needless to say, as an adult I’ve learned that the gas from beans won’t kill you, and beans are actually a great source of fiber and protein. They’re also super cheap and you can soak them and freeze them or keep cans in your pantry for an easy add-in to many recipes. As an added bonus, my kids love to eat them and they’ve probably never heard that silly schoolyard song about flatuance.

Not sure what to do with beans? Here are 5 ideas you can try today.

1.       Make minestrone soup. A great, easy, low-calorie meal made from vegetable broth, veggies and several types of beans (butter, kidney, cannellini, garbanzo, etc.)

2.       Cook up some chili. A wide variety of beans (similar to the minestrone mix) can be used in most chili recipes. You can opt to keep it vegetarian or add in some meat for added flavor. Check out this recipe HERE.

3.       Go south of the border. Mix some pinto or black beans into your next Mexican dish for added fiber and protein. You’ll save your budget and your waistline when you serve up red beans and rice, or substitute a can of beans for a pound of meat in your next round of tacos.

4.       Layer beans in a casserole. Whether you’re serving a white cream lasagna (with white beans, ricotta cheese and alfredo sauce) or a Mexican casserole (with tortillas, black and pinto beans, salsa, and cheese) your family will never have a chance to complain about the beans you’ve snuck in.

5.       Dip into beans. I love to take a can of pinto beans (or better yet a cup or two of freshly cooked beans) and blend them in my Kitchen-Aid. Add salt, salsa, and cheese. Serve warm with chips, taquitos or carrots. It’s makes a great appetizer or a healthy, afterschool snack (if you go for the carrots).

6.       Make a cold bean salad. Need an easy, healthy side dish? You can pair several varieties of beans with vegetables, top with olive oil and seasoning, or salad dressing. For example, whisk together olive oil with taco seasoning, toss in a cup of black beans with an equal amount of pinto. Garnish with cilantro, a tablespoon or two of fresh salsa, a little lime juice, and some salt.

 What else you should know:

·         Canned beans require no soaking and can be warmed up or served cold.

·         Dried beans should be soaked overnight. Be sure to cover them with lots of water because they’ll double or triple in volume as they absorb the water.

·         Dried beans should be cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time to reach their peak palatability.

·         Dry beans that have been cooked are good for about five days in the fridge. Or they can be frozen and stored for up to six months.

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Apr 15

Guest Post: The Mother of All Lists

Guest Blogger, Tried and True Thursdays 2 Comments »

This week’s guest post comes from Amanda, one of my Wisconsin readers. I came across her blog, Tales From The Crib, and her list of “100 Things” caught my attention. Being the list-aholic that I am, I had to check it out, and now I’m glad she’s agreed to share this courageous concept with all of you. Whether we scribble our “100 Things” down in a notebook, share it on our blog or Facebook page, or just keep it in the back of our minds we all have our own list of “100”somewhere.

 

Lists. We’ve all got them in some form. Playlists. Guest lists. Checklists. If you’re one of those highly organized people, I’m guessing the “To-Do List” is right up there at the top.

Now, I’m probably just like a million other people out there running around from one errand, responsibility, event, etc. to another, but sooner or later, I find myself going crazy thinking about all the things I need to do. Enter the LIST. As soon as I can get my hands on a piece of paper, I write down whatever it is that I’m thinking about. We’re out of milk. Write it down so I’ll remember next time I go to the store. It’s sort of like my therapy. I need to schedule the dog’s vet appointment. Write it on the day’s to-do list. Once it is clearly written down on that little piece of paper, I can think straight again. I have gained focus and established a plan of attack to accomplish all those things milling about in my head.

Years ago, I used to have all the time in the world to take care of those items on my to-do list. But now having “grown-up” responsibilities (job, house, marriage, dog, and an almost two-year old daughter), I’m hard-pressed to find even a spare moment to take care of all those things that creep up on me. Taking a cue from the infamous “Bucket List” and the “101 Things in 1001 days“, I made my own version of a list, calling it my “100 Things“ list. Trying to be practical (and realistic), I tailored my list to suit my needs. You won’t see “Climb Mt. Everest before I’m 40” on my list. No, my list is more of a ”Put my daughter’s first-year pictures in an album (hopefully before I’m 40)” kind of list.

For me, it wasn’t enough to simply compose a list. I needed some kind of accountability, a challenge. So I posted it on my blog. Now, some stuff is rather personal (weight-loss goals, financial stuff), but I was trying to keep it real and by airing some of my dirty laundry, I’m more motivated to accomplish those things and check them off.

The key for me was to add some fun stuff to my list and a few things that I knew I could accomplish rather easily. Crossing those first few things off the list really got me pumped to see what else I could do. Since the whole point of making this list was to ease the burden of always thinking about what needs to be done, I put some demanding things on there, things I knew weren’t going to come easily (like clean out the basement). Somehow, the simple act of adding it to my list did wonders for my mental state. No longer did I sit and ruminate about it. That chore, task or duty was out of my head and on paper and I was eventually going to tackle it.

I’ve checked off about 60% of my list to date. I’m not in any race to finish, but hoping to accomplish my goal of completing the list by September 2010 (a year from when I started it). Who knows, once I tackle these 100 things, I may have some spare time to add “Climb Mt. Everest” to my next list … or maybe not.

Read Amanda’s “100 Things” list and other gems on her blog – Tales From the Crib.

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Apr 15

Here’s Your Edible Stimulus Package

Deal of the Week, Wildcard Wednesdays No Comments »

Businesses are offerly tax relief for customers today — Tax Day — to help cushion the blow of paying Uncle Sam. Check out some of these awesome deals and FREEBIES.

Baja Fresh - $2.00 Burrito

Boston Market coupon- Buy One Meal – Get One Free

Chik-fil-A - Free mini-biscuit – 6:30AM -10AM. Not all are participating, call ahead.

Cinnabon coupon – 2 Free Cupcakes

McCormick and Schmick’s - $10.49 dinner plus get a $10.40 tax relief certificate good towards your next visit.

McDonald’s coupon- Buy One Big Mac – Get One For $.01

Starbucks coupon- Free Coffee – bring in your own mug

Taco Del Mar – Free Taco

PF Chang’s – 15% off food purchases
Thank you One Momma Saving Money!

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Apr 12

Locked Out

Mommy Monday 2 Comments »

Our daughters used to have an obsession with locking themselves in their room. Unfortunately, they were old enough to lock themselves in their room but not old enough to figure out how to unlock the latch and get out. So, after several dramatic, tear-filled weeks in a row of picking the lock or taking the entire knob off the door, my husband decided to reverse the knob on our daughters’ door so that it locked from the outside only. Sounds like a genius, fail-proof plan right? Yep. Until my precious, innocent, little Irish twins closed the door behind me once and locked me in.

No big deal, right? I said to myself. I can handle this. No one’s life is in danger. It’s a simple problem to fix. No big deal. I’ll just talk them through it and they’ll be able to unlock the door. Who was I fooling? After lots of crying (mostly by me) the door was still locked and now everyone was hungry (mostly me). Did I mention that I was about 6 months pregnant? That explains the crying and the hunger, right?

So, I looked at my options and decided that if I stood on the toy box I could get enough height to hop out of the first-story bedroom window. I pried off the screen and opened the window without much problem. I was feeling confident my plan would work until I heard my pants split as I was coming over the window. Darn those Dairy Queen cravings from Week 14, I thought.

But the split in my pants was the least of my problems. I was still a good five feet off the ground and I’m pretty sure this little adventure was not on my doctor’s list of approved activities for my prescribed modified bedrest. I thought to myself, Just stay calm. Think of the positives. What on earth could be a positive right now? Hmmm … Think hard, I’m sure there’s a positive somewhere in this situation. At least there are no witnesses to this event. That’s a positive.

With that thought in my mind, I courageously took a death-defying leap and crossed my fingers that I could stick my landing in flip flops despite my protruding baby belly. To my surprise, I not only kept my balance, but I was also greeted by a chorus of cheers from my neighbors who had somehow caught a birds-eye view of the whole show. Where did they come from? I asked myself. And why didn’t they come help me? I’m pretty stubborn so I probably wouldn’t have accepted the help even if they had offered it.

I’d love to say that this was the only time that I’ve been locked in a room at the hands of my children. Once I was locked in my friend’s daughter’s bedroom on the second story. (There was no leaping  from tall buildings for me.) We were at the mercy of our two mischievous toddlers – 12 months and two years at the time. We had no phone, no food, and no hope for help for hours. Lucky for us, we had been assembling an IKEA bookshelf when the door locked behind us so we did have a large pile of tools to help us make our escape in time to pick up our older children from school and to keep the preschool aged rascals from getting into more mischief. They were pretty pleased with themselves when they figured out that they’d locked us in.

Years later, and with no children under the age of 4 living under my roof, I think maybe I’d like my kids to lock me in my room—especially if it was quiet, filled with fluffy pillows and large quantities of chocolate.

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Apr 09

12 Ways to Cook With Tortillas

Foodie Fridays 3 Comments »

 

A few days ago I griped about the checker at the grocery store making fun of me for buying 20 boxes of cereal. (Read about that one HERE.) But in my earlier post I didn’t mention the great deal I snatched up right before Super Bowl Sunday.

Tortillas were on sale for 59 cents for a pack of 15 tortillas. You can’t even buy a bean burrito from Taco Bell for that price! There was a limit of 10 per purchase, so you can assume that I being the deal master that I am, I stocked up and bought 10 packages.

A bunch of 20-something guys replenishing their alcoholic beverages were in front of me in the checkout line. They found my stack of tortillas fascinating. After they tired of hitting on the checkout girl, they became completely distracted by my giant pile of tortillas. (Maybe they thought the packaging said “tequila” and not “tortilla?” Hmm…)

These guys were thoroughly amused that anyone would buy that many tortillas in one trip to the store. In turn, it amused me that I went home with a trunk load of groceries for the same price as their tequila.

Even when tortillas aren’t on sale for 59 cents, they’re still pretty cheap, and you can freeze them. Also, if you buy them in low-carb or whole wheat varieties they’re much healthier. Here are 12 things I whipped up as I worked through my stockpile of tortillas.

  1. Quesadillas
  2. Eggsadillas for breakfast
  3. Wraps (Use sandwich meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes)
  4. Chicken, pork or beef soft tacos
  5. Homemade tortilla chips
  6. Cinnamon crisps
  7. Fajitas
  8. Enchiladas
  9. Breakfast burritos
  10. Mexican casserole (Shred up the tortillas and use them to layer the casserole)
  11. Bean & cheese burritos
  12. Monster burritos (filled w/ all of your favorites)
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Apr 08

Are You Prepared?

Tried and True Thursdays No Comments »

I’ve lived in earthquake country my whole life so I’ve heard the “be prepared” mantra a few hundred times. I’ve lived through earthquakes, tornadoes and other natural disasters.

After the big rumbler in Mexico on Easter Sunday – which I felt – I’ve had my emergency kit on my mind. Is it ready? When was the last time I checked out the contents? What else do I need to add to the kit to be sure we’d have everything we needed if disaster struck? What about our car? Do we have enough supplies to keep us safe and fed for 72 hours?

Here’s a list provided by www.ready.gov. Check it out and see if you’re ready.

Recommended items to include in a basic emergency supply kit:

  • Water—one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
  • Food—at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First-aid kit
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
  • Local maps
  • Cell phone and chargers

Additional items to consider adding to an emergency supply kit:

  • Prescription medications and glasses
  • Infant formula and diapers
  • Pet food and extra water for your pet Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
  • Cash or traveler’s checks and change
  • Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
  • Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
  • Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes.
  • Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
  • Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
  • Fire extinguisher matches in a waterproof container
  • Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
  • Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
  • Paper and pencil, books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
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Apr 07

Eat Cereal and See Toy Story 3 For FREE

Deal of the Week 1 Comment »

I recently bought 20 boxes of cereal for $1.50 a box and the checker thought I was insane.

As he shook his head in disagreement and disgust I was shocked to hear that I was the first person to redeem that awesome deal. What kid doesn’t love cereal? And if you buy the healthy varieties it makes a great snack. (He wouldn’t last a week as a babysitter in my house.)

Also, you can store it up and it doesn’t go bad for months. I held my ground, and my head high, as I walked out of the store with my awesome cereal deal.

So, here’s another way to stock up on cereal and earn a FREE movie ticket to see Toy Story 3 at the same time. Check out the details HERE.

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Apr 06

Get Everyone to Pitch in Around The House

Tidy Up Tuesdays 1 Comment »

Who couldn’t use more help around the house? Maybe this chart will help. My friend just shared this link on Facebook for a FREE chore chart. Check it out HERE.

Need other ideas to motivate your kids to help out around the house? Here are a few other ideas.

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