Operation $40K

Today's idea is yummy and super easy to make! Three ingredients and you have a killer freezer/fridge jam, or process the jars to make them shelf stable. It's great on everything from Angel Food or Pound cake, to toasted English Muffins! You can even turn it into an appetizer by pouring some over a soft brick of cream cheese and sprinkling a few toasted shaved almonds over it -- ready for spreading on a cracker. I got this recipe from a lady in the "God Squad". Way back, when I had my restaurant, there was this sweet group of older ladies that would come for a cup of coffee and a roll everyday after 6:30 mass at the local Catholic church. We fondly dubbed them the "God Squad" and the name stuck with the locals. They even gave me a pained ceramic plate for my wedding, signed by all of them...such sweeties! This recipe came from Mary - in exchange for using our machine to grind up the cranberries so she could make a batch x 10. (Keep in mind you never want to...

I know, I know - it isn't even Christmas yet and I am talking about what to buy AFTER it, LOL! Trust me -- it is worth planning ahead a little bit so you are ready for December 26th. One of my favorite things is shopping AFTER the holiday! It good to do a quick inventory NOW on wrapping paper, ribbons, gift tags and holiday cards for the following year. Buying them NOW, at 50-90% off is a great plan! I like to keep an eye out for wrapping paper in solid colors or prints that don't scream "Christmas"...snowflakes work well for those December, January and February birthday presents. :) It's also a great time to hunt for stocking stuffers : things like lip gloss, activity books, single trains/cars and hair ponies won't go bad just sitting in a box on the shelf and they make me feel like I am organized for next year. You can "fill" with stockpile items like candy bars, small hand lotions, etc next year. I also check the "holid...

This is a fun one to make up and surprise the kiddos with on the 24th...our elf is bringing it!  It is SIMPLE: oatmeal and some glitter..in a zippy bag. Attach the tag from HERE It says: Magic Reindeer Food Be sure to take this magic food and sprinkle on the lawn… On Christmas Eve Santa’s reindeer travel miles before the dawn… The smell of oats and shining path will guide them on their way… And you’ll wake up to Santa’s gifts next morning on Christmas Day! Make sure you have a baggie for each kiddo -- so they can ALL do it :)

It's getting closer to Christmas and Closer to Winter Vacation from schools! Here is a site full of fun activities for your munchkin's -- There are stories to read and color, and so much more! I like the Elf Pal Academy - which has a ton of fun, yet educational things that you can do. Great for homeschooling! Mrs Claus has her cookbook online too--lots of yummy treats...you can even visit the mail room and send a note to Santa! Check it out HERE

This guy is in songs, books and even has his own movie! What a fun family activity to make a candy to honor him too. :) Super easy, and very inexpensive if you get the ingredients at a place like Farm N Fleet -- and make a large batch to share. Enjoy! RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER CANDY: All you need is: Pretzel twists, almond bark, and M&Ms! Dab white chocolate in bottom 1/2 of each twist to form eyes and nose. Then take 2 stick pretzels and break evenly in half, put on top edge of 2 eyes to make eye lashes. Put Brown M&M in each eye and 1 red on bottom dab to make a nose. Cool to set.

I LOVE all the holiday songs and hearing them everywhere I go....but hadn't really thought about them until I stumbled upon Tiny Tim's Blog: 25 Songs of Christmas . He did a daily countdownin 2010 -- often with heartfelt retrospectives and is so honest you just want to hug him! Check it out today...it's worth a read AND, make his day and leave a comment. :)

Last year we did this and this year! It was super fun! All you do is enter a few facts, upload a picture or two and which email you want it sent too. You soon get a personalized video email to show your kiddo! It's FREE, unless you want to download and keep it -- then it is $6.95 Seriously, Miss Sarah was 5 last year and this simply AMAZED her!!! I had to play it dozens of times -- she couldn't belive that Santa sent her an email! The video is almost 5 minutes long -- and FREE -- SOOOOOOO worth it. :) Make your own HERE

Reason # 2,444,322 that I LOVE living in the Madison area is this! November 11 through New Years Eve, from Dusk to Dawn there is a huge, drive through animated light display at Olin-Turville Park across from the Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin. They tell you what station to have your car radio turned to so you can hear the holiday music as you drive through it and ask that you turn your headlights off (leave your parking lights on) so everyone driving through can better enjoy the displays. This made possible by: The National Electrical Contractors Association 608-221-4650 Directions: --> From Dogeville, Wisconsin 1. Starting in DODGEVILLE, WI on N IOWA ST go towarrd E. MERRIMAC ST — go 0.3 mi 2. Continue on N BEQUETTE ST (WI-23) — go 0.6 mi 3. Turn RIGHT on US-18 E — go 1.6 mi 4. Take Ramp onto US-18 E — go 38.1 mi 5. Take ramp onto US-12 E toward US-14 E/US-151 N — go 4.5 mi 6. Take exit #263/JOHN NOLEN DR onto JOHN NOLEN DR (CR-MC N) — go 0.9 mi ...

This is something SO EASY and great to do with the kiddos! It's a poem that has been floating around the net for a few years -- it's written by Pam Ridenour, even though a lot of sites don't credit here. (So THANK YOU Pam!) You can attach it to single serving bags of the candy or, do like we did and put a few candies in a snack sized zippy bag. We just made 30 of them to pass out at Sunday School this weekend - using red and green M&Ms. I used the version you see pictured -- thanks to Prepared Not Scared for the FREE Download! :) All you need is zippy bags, M&Ms, staples, and this little story typed up : As you hold these candies in your hand and turn them, you will see.... The M becomes a W, an E, and then a 3. They tell the Christmas story it's one I'm sure you know. It took place in a stable a long, long time ago. The E is for the East where the star shone oh so bright. The M is for the Manger where the baby Jesus slept that night. Th...

This is a fun thing to do for the kids -- keep an eye on Santa's progress on Christmas Eve! For more than 50 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa’s flight. It's a funny story how it started -- all by accident, as you can read on their website: The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations "hotline." The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born. In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace De...

It has always been one of my favorite things to do - drive around in the evening and see the colorful light displays on peoples houses this time of year. The challenging economy has made a lot of people rethink their holiday decor - they simplify it or skip it all together. There is no need for that kind of worry! The classic outdoor light, the C-7 bulbs that we remember from childhood were the culprits of the high electric bill. Now, you can get a string of C-7 florescent lights and the entire sting uses the same energy that ONE BULB of the old variety used to consume! My suggestion? In the post holiday sales - pick up a few strings at 50-75% off! Next year, you will be more than ready to make your yard one that we might drive by...it will be fun for the kids and hardly cost you a thing. :)

The "miracle" of Christmas is repeated over and over again through the joy of caring and sharing.The traditional red kettle is an integral part of the Christmas scene, with millions of dollars donated each year to aid needy families, seniors, and the homeless, in keeping with the spirit of the season. Donations provide Christmas dinners, clothing, and toys for families in need. Financial assistance also helps with basic necessities, along with seasonal aid. Families of prisoners often are included. Volunteers distribute gifts to shut-ins in hospitals and nursing homes, and shelters are open for sit-down dinners. The Salvation Army endeavors to bring spiritual light and love to those it serves at Christmas so that the real meaning of the season is not forgotten. Many families receive aid over a period of months after the Christmas season as well, people struggling with difficult family, emotional, or employment problems. One problem: This is their biggest fundraiser...

This has been SO mcuh fun - having companies contact me that want to help with the mission I am passionate about: living within our means, saving money, feeding my family better and paying it forward as often as possible! I am a large believer in canning!! Tons of summer fruit became homemade jam this past summer - so we could enjoy a healthier option to the stuff at the stores that have a lot of high fructose corn syrup in it. Home canning enables us all to enjoy our fresh, locally grown foods all year long. In addition, fresh preserving lets us limit the amount of sugar or salt in foods we prepare and cook with no added preservatives. My grandmother could put a meal on the table, in less than 10 minutes, by simply opening a few jars: chicken, potatoes, apples ... it was all shelf stable and healthy! FreshPreservingStore is a one-stop shop with everything needed to make your canning experience even easier...everything from books, pectin, seasoning mixes, labels, lids, jars an...

A lot of people had issues with this big blizzard we just got -- STILL out of power! You might want to check this out for future reference... I had started a series on Emergency Preparation and it's been a while since I added to it. So far we talked about WHY you need to think about it, having a water supply just in case you can't use the faucet and quick "bug out bags" if you need to leave your home. Today, we are going to talk about food. I have seen different things on Pinterest, like 3 Day kits, etc that are full of items that are loaded with sugar, preservatives and have a relatively short shelf life. I know, any port in a storm, so to speak. However, I would rather have quality food for my family that is easily portable, easy to prepare and has a decent shelf life. Enter Wise Food Storage! Wise Food Storage’s ready-made meals carry a shelf life of 25 years, with absolutely no rotation needed. That's 25 years without the stress of wondering if y...

Here's an amazing free downloadable booklet that will help you discover great new diabetic breakfast options. 20 delicious recipes will wake up your taste buds and cut carbs too! It is great for those who do NOT have diabetes too - it's a healthier lifestyle and eating plan. :)

Are you running out of time for a gift to be shipped? Did you miss the Amazon deadline to ship gifts (yesterday)? Are you looking for the perfect gift for that hard to shop for teen?   Try - an Amazon gift card!   With over 100 desgns to pick from, you can either print off and enclose it in a card or you can still get a physical card delivered -- if you order TODAY and pick 1 day shipping (Be sure to confirm delivery date at final check out)    

If you have those hard to buy for people, and you know any craft you make would not be appreciated, this might be an option for you! Check out the Groupon gift store -- tons of ideas and you easily have them before the holiday - no need to worry about shipping! :) I do find their headless snowman a bit creepy - but it looks like the ones from our backyard, after the last few days of warmer weather and rain, LOL!

Walgreens will have these on sale for $1.99 12/23-12/29 Scenario: Buy (1) Finesse Shampoo or Conditioner at $1.99 Use (1) $1/1 Finesse Q from the 11/18 SS Pay 99¢ OOP (plus tax) Get 1,000 Bonus points (equals $1.00) Final price - FREE

Axe 4 piece gift sets will be 50% off beginning the 26th.  Normally $9.99 they will be $4.99 and using the 3.00/1 coupon -- that makes them $1.99 each...nice stock up price...!

Kellogg's has their own rewards program AND you can get lots of great coupons for their products! Yes, you are signing up for this, but it is FREE to do so and you often get emails with great cereal or cracker coupons. We LOVE coupons - right? It is SOOOOO worth it! If you haven't signed up yet, go for it! :) Now, for a bunch of point codes you can enter... GOODHOUSEMAG50pts HOWITWORKS20PNTS MYFAVCHARACTER50 KFRFIBERPLUSPOLL TAKECAREOFYOU20P KFRDELTAENTERNOW KFRGIFTOFSAVINGS JOINKELLOGG2SAVE HALLOWEENPARTY25 KFRFREEGROCERIES ERESUNGANADORHOY KFRFAVPOPTARTS10 COSTOFCEREALPOLL REDBOOKKFR50pnts FOODNETMAG50PNTS KFRNOWONFACEBOOK MARIECLAIRE50PTS FAVHOLIDAYCOOKIE ENTERDELTASWEEPS What are you waiting for? Go get them! :)

Thanks to Didie for this week's list! Coupon Color Decoder: ~Pink=Facebook Coupon, you'll have to have a Facebook account to print these IPs! ~Light Blue = Scanner coupon or CVS Retailer Coupon, you'll know it's a CVS coupon because the barcode will always start with the number 4! ~Red=these are general coupons, they could be from an insert, a tearpad, a booklet, peelie, or an IP and start with the number 5 or 9. 2 Day Sale (12/23-12/24) FREE ~ Get $5 ECB wyb Schick Hydro Silk, Hydro 3, Hydro 5 or Hydro 5 Power razor 1ct. or cartridges 4-8 ct. Limit 1 $2/1 Schick Hydro Silk, Quattro for Women or Intuition razor or refill (SS 12/2) $4/1 refill peelie found on the Hydro razors at CVS $8/1 Schick Hydro Silk Blades scanner coupon printed week of 12/16 Hydro Silk 4ct. refills psa. $16.99 Scenario with a scanner, peelie & 25% off: 25% off - $4.25 $8/1 scanner coupon $4/1 peelie Pay $0.74, Get $5 ECB $4.26 MM after coupons/ecb Scenario with a scanner, ...

There is a new Whopper coupon out there for you Burger King lovers! -->It doesn't expire until 3.3.13 !!! No telling how long it will last, so you might want to print it now while it is still available.

¤ Christmas Blogshare ¤  Post of the Day - Dec. 22th by Mama Papa Barn Photo from Food.com Have you ever thought about what other cultures and nations consume during the holidays? Well, you are going to learn about how  ¤ Guyanese ¤  celebrate the holidays through food! Get the tasty bits here !

If you have followed me for any time at all, you know I LOVE Chili's! There are often deals where kids eat FREE and coupons that they mail you for FREE appteizers or FREE desserts. That makes a gift card go further than you would think for a family outing. :) Who doesn't love that?!! Is it for you, or a last minute gift for someone? Saving a bonus 10% just saves the budget.  

Here is a round up of toy coupons, just in case you are out doing last minute shopping this weekend. :)

Here are some coupons for those last minute movie stocking stuffers...