Sweeping Through Life

To be thrifty, does not mean that you can not pamper yourself. Here few thrifty ways to pamper yourself: Need your hair colored, hair styled or pedicure and manicure, check out your local beauty school to assist you. Prices usually run between $15.00-40.00 for each service. Want a massage? There are massage schools that offer either chair or full-body massages. Services can run from $10-20.00 depending on the service you receive. You can request a student fresh to the clinic floor or a student about the graduate, the type of student that you get sometimes can change the cost of your services. polish This week at Walgreens , Sinful nail polish is on sale for $.99. I own several bottles of their polish and always get compliments on them. You can only purchase 3 at a time. You can make several trips, to stock up on all of your summer colors to make your nails and toes cute. I found some really cute colors and can not wait to sport them this summer. Zumba Need to tone up for sum

In reading a post from Charli from Man,Wife and Dog , about an email that she received about her postings being all about her marriage being happy all of the time and not talking about the bad stuff.  Click here and here to view the posting and response. In reading her post and her lovely response back to the writer, I just wanted to shout," I am not June Cleaver." I think that most bloggers, well should I say that I read, do talk the ups and downs in their marriages, their likes and dislikes and a sprinkle of themselves in between. I think that most of us use this a forum to express ourselves and at times ask for a little help in our everyday lives and sometimes in our marriages.  pic  Times have changed, some of us are able to be June Cleaver and some of us are not. I think that each day,  each minute and week, we are finding our way through our marriages. We all try to do what is best for us and our marriage, depending on where we  are in life, where we work an

Friday Worked a half a day and went to go see the Madea's Big Happy Family. Love going to matinees, less people and cheaper tickets. The movie was funny and I really enjoyed it. After seeing a matinee, I went to MoMo's to sing a little karaoke. I think that my favorite karaoke songs, I sung were Purple Rain, Smells Like Teen Spirit and Billie Jean. Can not wait to do karaoke again. Saturday Went and had a pedicure and my eyebrows arched. Came home and relaxed on the couch and watch some TV. Ended up going to the store with my mom to look for some Easter candy. We went to Target and Toys R Us and they were all sold out of candy. Since when does Easter candy sell out? We found a few things, good ole Target and headed home. We came home and I made tacos for my hubby and mom. My mom and I watch the Ten Commandments, as I sat there and made my critics review of the acting and attire of the film. I should give them the classic a little slack it was made in 1956. Sunday

Hope that you are having a great Monday. I hope you enjoy this new song, by Ms. Hudson. If you need more tunes for your week, check out Tunes Tuesday with Toi . Happy Monday, just 4 more days to Friday.

'Twas Easter-Sunday. The full-blossomed trees Filled all the air with fragrance and with joy. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Spanish Student May you and your family have a blessed Easter !! (quote)

When I started my couponing, I started with a coupon accordion folder that had only 8 sections in it. It worked out well at first but as I obtained more coupons, it became flooded and I could not see what I had and my coupons became expired. So since my coupons have increased, I have moved to a coupon binder. I have not moved up to taking my complete binder to the store yet, but I sort and take my coupons to the store with my original coupons folder that fits into my purse.To do some recycling I have, used my old wedding planning binder as my coupon binder. My binder is set up following the Krazy Coupon Lady suggest. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy My binder is set up per their categories. Click here and you can download the Krazy Coupon Lady  directions on how to set up your binder. If you do not like their set up, you can look at Mom Saves.com to see how they can set up a coupon binder.  I am sure that there are many ways to set up a

For our second anniversary we had a stay-cation. At first, I wanted to go away somewhere thinking that Mr. J was just being a cheap-o, but I really enjoyed the stay-cation. For our anniversary we went to have massages and had a nice dinner. Our actual anniversary day was the only day that we had something planned, which was nice. The rest of the week, we had breakfast at the Waffle House, hung out around the house, went purchased a new cell phone cover for my husbands new touch screen phone, watched a few movies, painted our bedroom just in time for the arrival of our new bed and the best thing of all sleeping in and taking lots of naps. It is nice to go away, which we have a few trips planned this summer, but I must say a stay-cation is great too. I look forward to doing it again soon.

Today is my 100th Music Monday post. I love all of Musiq albums and have them in heavy rotation in my IPod. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do. If you want more tunes for your week, join Toi for I love Tuesday Tunes.

What is a DD you say? It is a Deals Diva. I have been watching TLC's Extreme Couponing , like many of us have been,  have been starting my own little stock pile of coupons and money saving tips.  Here a few sights that I have been visiting to assist in my learning process and I wanted to share: The Krazy Coupon Lady Here is a clip from the Nate Berkus Show with The Krazy Coupon Lady. We Use Coupons Double Saving Divas Extreme Coupon Diva I have found the resources on these sites useful in helping me in revamping savings quest and how I do my grocery shopping. Check them out and check back here for more Thrifty Thursdays tips. Have tips? Please share.

I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance, A church filled with family and friends. I asked him what kind of a wedding he wished for, He said one that would make me his wife. ~Author Unknown Happy Anniversary to my husband of 2 years. I thank you for loving me and being my friend. I look foward to spending the next 50 plus years with you.

When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. ~Nora Ephron,  from the movie When Harry Met Sally quote found

Since I am trying to eat healthier, but still have a sweet tooth to try to locate some good, but healthy (or not as bad) sweets. I located this recipe at The Cupcake Recipe . According to the website the applesauce in it what makes it low-fat and low-calorie. Applesauce Low-Fat Cupcakes Ingredients: * 1/2 cup margarine * 1 egg * 1/4 cup sugar * 1 1/2 cup sifted flour * 1 tsp baking soda * 1/4 tsp salt * 1 tsp cinnamon * 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg * 1 cup unsweetened applesauce * 1 tsp vanilla * 1/4 cup chopped walnuts Directions : Blend the margarine with the beaten egg and sugar. Then, you need to sift in all of your other dry ingredients. Next, add the applesauce, vanilla and nuts, and mix well. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190.5 degrees Celsius), and spoon the yummy mix into a cupcake pan that you’ve sprayed with some vegetable oil to prevent sticking. After about 15 to 20 minutes, your cupcakes are out of the oven and ready to enjoy, no guilt allowed. I made a

As I get ready to celebrate my second  wedding anniversary next week, I thought about how did I know that Mr. J was " the one"? No, it was not the fact that we dated for almost a half century. No, it was not the fact that was lived together for several years before we got married. I knew that he was the one when: He continued to put up with my crap. He was supportive when my grandfather died. He took over most of the finances without expectation of it when I got laid off my job. He took me around his family for holidays. He listened to me complain about my clients at work. Helped me take my micro-braids out. He made me laugh when I had to have dental surgery. He made ice packs for my arthritic knees. When he stated the he would do anything for my mom. Went and got me chicken and noodles from Bob Evans when I was sick. Listened to me whine when I did not want to do something. Continues to go to my favorite Mexican restaurant even when he wants to eat some where els

Friday I took a "mental health day" from work and spent the whole day just chilling at home with the hubby. We watched lots of great TV and just vegged out on the couch. I made some yummy low fat cupcakes (will share the recipe before the end of the week). It was nice just to relax and not have to do anything. Saturday Did more of the same from Friday on Saturday morning. Attended a  Greek step-show with the hubby and some friends.It was held in the newly rebuild The Ohio State University Union . It was so nice and the building is alot nicer that when I was attending there. While at the show, I got the yummiest Brown Cow ( diet coke and vanilla ice cream) at Sloopy's . It was fun and I had a really enjoyable evening. After the show, I went home  and put my collard greens in the crock pot to cook all night for Sunday dinner and  then allowed the TV to watch me as I fell asleep. Sunday Had a good church service, after I locked my keys and purse in my car in the

If you have not heard of Adele, you have to get this album. Her cd is full of songs that express every emotion in life. I love this song and have it heavy rotation on my IPod. I hope that you are having a happy Monday.

April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go.   ~Christopher Morley,   John Mistletoe quote found

coupon My mom has always been a coupon cutter. I remember going to  the grocery store with her and she would have the big box full of coupons. She always saved so much. I would use coupons that my mom gave for a few items here and there, but with times the way that they are I am taking this coupon thing a little more seriously. I purchased an Entrainment Book and have used some of the coupons in it, but have really taken the time to look though it and clip the most used coupons. I recently ordered the local Sunday only new paper and clipped out several coupons to fit in my new coupon holder that fits in my purse so that  I can have access to them.  I went to the grocery store this past weekend and saved almost $20.00 with the coupons that I used. That is more money in my pocket. In doing my research to find more savings I have joined Groupon and   Money Saving Madnes s blog often for deals.  For more ideas on money saving ideas check out Jules at Chic and Pink . Do you have any