I'm a Stingy Ninja

There are so many uncertainties that come with being 23. I know in the next few years I might say the word house and baby more often. If I want to pay for those pregnancy medical bills, put 20 percent down on a house, help my husband through school, support him through an internship and extra classes/recruitment trips, pay for a fancy new laptop (Dalton has had his current laptop for almost 6 years) and all the regular expenses, coupons need to be a regular part of life.

I take pride in knowing that we were able to eat out Friday night and Saturday night for a whopping total of $20 if the price of the one Groupon is included. And I'm not talking fast food. This doesn't include the tip we paid, but still. Why on earth would I want to pay full price when I can pay half price? Sometimes, though, this mentality gets me in trouble. Why would I buy a new couch when I can buy two couches for $300 that look new except for that one hidden dog drool stain?

I spend an allotted time on Sunday afternoon sorting my coupons and deciding what the best plan of action is for my grocery trip. I'm not one of those psychos ladies in the Walmart line with a binder of coupons, but I have my little stack on double coupon Tuesday, and you better believe I ad match. Why on Earth wouldn't you? Dalton and I eat the majority of our meals at home, not including Friday or Saturday night when I am tired of cooking. Eating out twice this last weekend was rare. We are lucky enough to work close enough to home that we can drive home for a bite on our breaks. 

It can be tough sometimes to buy a variety of quality, healthy food at a reasonable price. In a two-week period I usually spend around $100 in groceries, which includes any extra staple items I run out of. I also shopping at Smith's or Lolo's for meat. Why Smith's? Well, because they usually have a ton of Manager's Specials depending on the time of day. That means the meat needs to be put in a freezer very soon, but it isn't bad meat. Let me give you a breakdown of how much Sunday dinner cost us. We still have 1/3 of this pizza left in the fridge.

Shredded Mozarella Cheese: $1.50 at Smith's
- I used half of the 8 oz. bag = .75
Medium Cheddar Cheese: $1.50 at Smith's
- I used the sprinkling that was leftover: = .25
Flour: $1.67 at Lolo's
- 2 1/2 cups = about .25
Salt: .30 at Lolo's
- 1 tsp. = about .05
Cooking Oil: $1.87 Lolo's
- 2 tbsp. = about .05
Yeast (3 packets): $1.18
1 packet = about .39
Chicken: $3 at Smith's
- I cooked all of the chicken but only used 1/3 of the package = $1
Red Onion (1): .30 Lolo's
- I used about 1/3 of the onion = .10
Mushrooms: 1.76 Lolo's
- I used two mushrooms for my half = .20
BBQ Sauce: .88 Walmart (Ad match)
- 3 tbsp. = .05
Kraft Fat Free Ranch: $1 at Smith's
- I had a coupon for $1 off of 2 Kraft dressings. They were 1.50 at Smith's (one of their buy 5 save 5 deals), therefore, I got each for $1.
- 2 tbsp. = .05

THEREFORE, this pizza cost $3.14 to make. And to think, so many people think a floppy Little Caesar's with 7 pepperonis and rubber cheese is a good deal. Get with the program people.

Get smart with your money young ones. I'm still learning, but what I've learned so far is doing amazing things for my bank account. Yes, it takes a little more time and preparation, but my anxiety for the future is at an all-time low. You've heard it a million times, but the little things do add up!

I'd love to hear any of your money-saving tips!

Make It Feel Like Fall

There is something majestic about autumn. 

Some people are inspired by summer sunsets while others live for the sounds of birds returning in spring. I, on the other hand, swoon at the sight of rich fall colors on an overcast day. There isn't a thing about fall that I dislike. It's everything, from the spiced candles to leaves decorating the streets to hay bales. As of recently, I can sit through an entire football game without punching myself in the face. I focus better during the fall months. I'm easily motivated, and I get the comfort of bundling up without freezing to death.

Ever since leaving home I've done my best to make holidays away from home enjoyable. Truthfully, though, fall creeps up on me every time, and just as I realize it's almost winter, I'm finally getting into the fall mood. I mean, I was wearing a bathing suit a few weeks ago and it's almost October. How am I supposed to be ready to break out the pumpkins on such short notice?

Well, I realized I had to take action. I'm not going to let another fall get away from me. I love it too much! I'm also realizing that seasonal atmosphere are not necessarily created on their own. It's one of those obvious realizations you have when you are trying to start your own family and traditions. 

Last weekend I took an unforgettable journey down the aisles of Michael's craft store. That place got my wheels turning like you wouldn't believe. At one point I filled my baby cart and then slapped some sense into myself. I ended up taking most of it out and limiting myself to the things I could buy. I realized a great method to craft shopping is to start in the clearance area. If you can't find what you need there, then you can branch out. Luckily, I found a $22 basket/vase combo marked down to $4. I added a few of my own touches and my kitchen centerpiece was even cuter than I imagined. I bought a few other things like $2 Halloween cookie cutters. If I have them, you better believe I'll use them. Also, I fell in love with these little pumpkins at Walmart that were white with orange and green vertical stripes. 

I am like most other females in that something about the smell and taste of pumpkin makes me want to make out. Lucky for Dalton. I made pumpkin waffles and turkey sausage today for dinner. It's true, they weren't pristine waffles. I had a heck of a time getting them out of the waffle maker. By the time mine ended up on the plate it looked like someone already chewed it up and spit it out. Dalton's little stack looked good enough to take a picture of. I'll be honest, I forgot to put the butter in that the recipe called for. Dalton read the recipe to me while I was rushing around the kitchen. This is also probably why he forgot to mention that the egg whites needed to be beaten with a hand mixer separately from the milk and egg yolk combination that also needed to be beaten. Honestly, they were still really good. And honestly, no one needs a pretty waffle. One thing that I loved about these waffles is the ginger. I didn't have nutmeg and cloves, so we settled for ginger and cinnamon. Delicious.

Here is the cheater's recipe I used. Basically, I made a really complicated recipe simple by mixing everything together in a bowl and forgetting butter :).

1 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon

Hey, it works. Sometimes, imperfection still tastes good.

Fall is here people! Breathe it all in! Go on a hike and experience that twinge of chill hanging in the air. Plan those outings to the local pumpkin patch and put pumpkin in ... Everything! Here is another good bit of news. You can make soup again. Dalton said I'm allowed to starting October 1. 

Twenty Things My Husband Taught Me in 20 Months

I was looking at a Christmas mug sitting on our shoe rack near the front door when I got to thinking. I had filled the mug partially with water and placed in it the nubs leftover from a bundle of green onions I used in my lunchtime omelet concoctions. Now, these green onions are no longer nubs. If I can wait about a week to use green onions again, I will never need to buy them again. Thanks to Dalton and my decision to get married, I've learned more than a few things. Some of these things are profound, but I won't bore you with all of that mushy gush. Most of these things, however, are absolutely practical and essential in everyday living.

OK, I might have exaggerated, but one thing I know is certain: Dalton is a genius.

Here are a few things he has taught me ...

1. Stop buying green onions, they grow back.
2. Put peanut butter on both pieces of bread when packing a PB&J for lunch. This way, the jelly doesn't make the bread soggy.
3. Things like broken toilet handles are easily fixed by making a trip to Home Depot. Buying a new toilet is not necessary.
4. Dishes and clothes don't become cleaner by using more dishwasher soap and laundry detergent.
5. Pairing/folding socks is the most pointless things a person could do.
6. The game of football should be worshiped every Sunday. If you don't have cable, you should go buy a fancy antennae from Best Buy so that football deprivation will not make your life miserable.
7. Put money you don't plan on using in the near future in a CD. You might as well make a few bucks since it's just sitting around.
8. Quoting Bad Lip Reading YouTube videos at any given moment is the funniest things a person could possibly do.
9. It's OK to make little kids who aren't your own feel guilty for being naughty, especially if you are their Sunday school/primary teacher.
10. Getting a Concealed Weapons Permit is one of the smartest things you can do.
11. Driving a golf ball is all about torso rotation. Golf makes people angry, and that's why people keep playing it.
12. Vegetarians/vegans are no fun.
13. You can save a lot of gas by coasting in neutral down every hill.
14. Buying cheap, dented cans from the store is a horrible idea.
15. Matches should always be kept near the toilet.
16. Otter pops and graham crackers are as essential as flour and salt.
17. Proper color coordination will make or break you.
18. Watching/reading the news should be the first thing every person does in the morning.
19. Everything is funnier when you speak in a British accent.
20. If you can't decide between two good things, have both.

Speaking of getting the best of both worlds, I decided to try my luck at Brookies, or Crownies as Dalton and I call them.

I cheated a little bit to speed up the process and used a boxed brownie mix. It's much easier than I thought. Mix the brownie mix in one bowl and a "Blondie" recipe in the other. I added 1/2 c. oatmeal to my Blondie mix. Then I made stripes in a greased 9x13 pan of each batter. I even overlapped some of the batters and they stayed separated. Bake at 350 for about 38 minutes. Delicious!

Together in Colorado

I can't remember a single Meidell vacation that was all lounge chairs, spas and virgin margaritas. No, no. That crap is for sissies.

Instead, we fill our days by bouncing from one activity to the next so that we don't feel like the little time we spend together is wasted. I think it's the way to go, but it leaves me sleeping like the dead the night I return home.

Our most recent weekend trip to Colorado Springs was special to me. It was the last time my entire immediate family would be together for more than two years. My brother Tyler leaves in late October to serve an LDS mission in San Antonio. I gave him a final squeeze at the airport before they rushed to their terminal.

The entire purpose of the annual Colorado trip is to spend time with my sister Lindsay during Parent's Weekend at the Air Force Academy. Another reason this trip was special is it's Lindsay's last year! It's the last time I'd ever eat Falcon blue popcorn at a football game or find myself dozing off during the "parade"--in case you don't know what a parade is in the military, I'll give you a hint: there are no floats and you will not find candy. I'll never be allowed on school grounds without her to escort me.

I could go on and on about all the things we did. To make the trip even more exciting, I found myself at one point sitting on a downtown Denver street corner with my grandmother's head in my lap. She started to dip and sway, so I lowered her down with my forearms under her armpits and stroked her clammy skin as the paramedics came. Grandma said she hadn't fainted since she was pregnant with my dad. Dalton sprinted six blocks to find her a juice box.

One night, we were cave explorers--OK, we had a tour guide--and learned about all the "haunted" instances people experienced inside the Cave of the Winds' walls. Apparently, some joker set up a bedroom and hosted parties in this place. He must have been cold all the time. At one point, we were asked to turn our lanterns off and a 30-year-old woman, I kid you not, started to freak out. She kept turning her phone light on saying, "Oh my gosh guys, I can't do this, I just can't." For crying out loud, grow a pair lady! It was after 9 p.m. by the time we ate dinner at Rudy's BBQ. I would fast for seven days and seven nights if it meant I got to taste more of their delicious turkey. My perfect Thanksgiving will include this turkey.

I had another food highlight during this trip, and that was eating fried alligator at the Taste of Colorado festival. We paid about $2 for a few cornmeal-breaded, fried pieces of alligator. Imagine that chicken has the texture of fish. That is alligator. The Denver Art Museum was fantastic, but I'm into that kind of a thing. I was so impressed that they had a Monet and Renoir. Dalton was a good sport about it, and seemed excited when I recommended we go to the cowboy/Native American art on the seventh floor. What a boy! I drew a lovely colored-pencil drawing of poppies while we were there and left it for a glum soul to find. We also went to the always-loved miniature golf course that spews flames out of a volcano. Oh, and don't forget the holes surrounding the crashed plane scene--also engulfed in flames.

Before this trip, I had never been so high in the sky that I could look out at the horizon and seen more than three states at one time. I could actually see the curvature of the Earth when we were standing on Pike's Peak. I mean, whoa! I saw big-horned sheep, little furry marmots and mountains stretching for hundreds of miles. At the top I got a little flavor of fall and enjoyed sipping hot chocolate and snuggling in my hoodie.

Then there are all the classic AFA parent's weekend traditions, such as accompanying Lindsay to her "astronaut class," watching the football game (live falcons, skydivers and all), watching the parade, going to BBQs (Please, don't make me eat another floppy hamburger patty!), and exploring the never-ending, cavernous buildings on campus. Imagine navigating through one building that contained every class available to every student. If someone released me into that building alone, you would find my corpse one month later. Not a joke.

While all of this was well and good, I didn't need any of it. When I'm with my family, life is better. I belong with them and they are mine forever. I am so lucky. Having Dalton with all of us feels so natural, too, like we were saving a place for him.