Christmas Shopping???

Just wondering if anyone besides me has started their Christmas shopping yet? Our last immediate family birthday is at the beginning of August. Usually after this takes place I start my shopping for Christmas.  This year I bought two gifts in July.  I have ideas for almost everyone that we buy gifts for.  Now I will be spending the rest of this time looking for good deals for the things on my list. I will also be looking for good sales and coupons to bu the supplies I need for the gifts I wish to make.   I am hoping to have most of my shopping done by the end of October except for the Santa gifts for the 5 kids.  How about all of you?  Have you started shopping yet or at least started making your gift list?

Tuesday Tip

This is my school supply box.

Since today is the start of our school year, I thought this would be an appropriate Tuesday Tip :)  This box is just a simple plastic storage box that I collect school supplies to place in it.  I will pick up a few items here and there as I see a good deal on them.  Last week I bought the loose leaf notebook paper at Office Max for a penny with a limit of 3.  I have had this box for several yrs now.  This year I spent less then $20 on supplies for 4 kids.  Most of what I spent was really picking up a few deals here and there to put in the box.  So this is my Tuesday Tip, start a school supply box.  Take an extra couple of dollars and buy a few supplies in the next couple of weeks. After school starts alot of the supplies will be marked down even cheaper so that stores can clear them out to make way for holiday decorations. This is how I have saved a ton of money at the start of each school year :)

I am linking up to  Learning The Frugal Life's

Searl House Happenings..........

I love the weather we have been having here this last week :)  As I type this, I am sitting on my small deck with my laptop and drinking my coffee.  It is quiet here this morning.  I believe Kid # 2 and 3 are still sleeping.  I figure they might as well enjoy it while they can since school will be starting for Kid # 3 and 4 in just 4 very short days.  Kid # 2 and 5 will be starting the following week.  The summer sure seems to have flown by!

Last week, we took the 4 kids to Chicago for an over night visit.  It was our last fling before school starts.  My in laws had given us some money for Christmas for the family which we used for our trip.  We have decided as most of the kids are older now, when money is given as a gift like that, to save it for experiences.  Making memories is much more important then owning stuff and none of the kids want for stuff!

Speaking of my in laws, they will be visiting for the next couple of weeks.  We are all looking forward to spending time with them.  We made sure that Kid # 2 is here for some extended time also so that she will be able to spend time with her grandparents. Kid # 5 loves when her grandparents visit.  My Mother in law was kind enough to pick up some clothes for Kid # 5 at a big consignment sale they have in her area.  We are excited to see what she has bought with her :)

My husband took a few days vacation since his parents are visiting.  One of the items on our Summer List is to go to the drive in.  It just so happens there is one in his hometown, where his parents are staying.  We plan to get that marked off our list this weekend :)  It will also be nice to have Hubby home for a few days and not have to worry about work!

I spent most of last week working on my Home Management Binder.  I believe that I will have it all complete by the end of this weekend.  I want to have it done and be able to start using it by the time school starts :)  I have been taking pics along the way and plan to do a post on it very soon!

Well it is about Noon here, time to getting started on my to-do list for the day!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

5 Things I Did That Were Frugal This Week

1. I have worked on my Home Management Binder all week.  The only thing I have had to buy for it is more page protectors.  Otherwise I have used up items I already had.  Pics and a post about the binder to come soon :)

2. Bought a end table at Goodwill for our living room which we have slowly been re-doing.  Spent about $15.  It will need a little sprucing up but I already have the items to do that.

3.  Did some ad matching at Walmart

4.  Turned off my air conditioning!  We have been having wonderful weather the last few days

5.  Menu planned!  I have not done this much all summer!

Menu 8/9-8/13

I have really got away from menu planning over the summer.  School will be starting here in one week.  I really need to get back to being more organized so this week I planned our menu.  Here it is:

Monday- Sandwiches

Tuesday- Pork steaks from the freezer, Tomato Salad -free tomatoes from guy at my husbands work, potatoes

Wednesday-BLT's- using up more of the free tomatoes

Thursday- Crock pot Roast, I haven't planned the sides yet

Friday- Leftovers

Saturday- Hamburgers- using hamburger that I plan to buy at Kroger's today or tomorrow that is on sale

Summer List Update

I haven't updated our summer list on the blog at all this summer.  I thought since school will be starting now would be a good time.  We do plan to continue doing things on our list even after school starts.  We will just try to do them on the weekend until it gets cold.  Then perhaps we will need to make a winter list :) 

1. Ice skating
2. Childrens Museum
3. Harry Potter Movie
4. Splashdown
5. Art Museum
6. Wiener Roast x2
7. Make Root beer Floats
8. Go to Beach
9. Drive In
10.  Knights Action Park
11. Lorena's
12. Picnic
13. Roller Skating
14. Bowling
15. Go to a Fair
16. Go to Movie
17. Six Flags
18. Go to Library ( I would like to do this once a week) we have done this one several times over the summer
19. Go to 5 Point
20.  Aquarium
21. Camping
22. Outdoor concert
23. Outdoor movie
24. Play at the splash fountain
25. Go to the park ( I would like to do this once a week also) ( done this 1x 7/6)

Side Yard Project........

We have this space between our fence and our house that no one really uses but you can see from the front.  It doesn't get enough sun light there so nothing really grows there but the occasional weed.  What does happen though its it collects leaves and garbage.  It just looks bad!  I had found some good size stepping stones at a yard sale for $1 a piece.  I got 6 of them.  I really wish I would have got more but that is all that was left.  I decided I would use those on the project.  Here is a before pic:

Next I used some weed killer to get rid of any stray weeds that did grow along there.  Normally I am not a big chemical user in the yard but I didn't want to have to worry about weeds anymore in this spot.  Next I bought some edging and some weed fabric at Big Lots.  I ended up having to buy two rolls of both the edging and the fabric.  I ended up using very little of the second rolls of each so perhaps I will be able to make use of it in a future project.  My hubby picked up some yard staples and some tacks used to hold the fabric in place for me.  Anyway, I used the edging to line the fence with so that my mulch would not leak out for under it.  I laid and tacked down the weed fabric and then filled the space all in with mulch.  Once that was done I had my kids help me move the stepping stones into place.  Here is what it looks like now:

Total cost of the project was about $60! I consider that to be some what thrifty since yard projects always end up being so much money!  It was totally worth the money spent since it looks so much better!