Progress and Juice Diet

So this week has been busy, and I'm sure next week will be too.  It seems like a lot is going on next weekend in my town and I won't even be here.  Yesterday I went to Costco and stuck to the plan except I bought some apples since my sister requested them and I buy her food to watch my kids two days a week.  I ended up spending $45.94. Not too bad.  Next I went to the mall to get my wedding ring checked, and my daughter talked about how she had never had chocolate dipped strawberries.  We passed by Godiva and they had them in their display so I splurged and got them.  5 for $10 plus $.60 tax.  Ouch.  Next stop Target to get mouthwash and more cotton candy for the ugly cake which cost $4.76.  Not too bad.  After the fair we stopped and bought a juicer for $83.94 ( I'll explain this), and also my husband was sad that ice cream in our freezer melted so I bought sonic for $8.15.  If I wouldn't have really thought about this I would have said I spent about $80 to $100 today.

Total for Saturday: $153.39, yeah this is more of my typical weekend routine of spending money.  So my total spending for last week was $262.16.  Over $151.86 for the three weeks.  That is a lot and I'm not sure if I'll be able to make that up.

I might have to rethink my strategy.  They other day I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  It was an Australian guy with an Australian juicer going around just drinking juice.  He lost weight and helped get himself  off medication.  He also had a few others try it and got them hooked on it too.  Now I like drinks so I thought "What an idea".  I'm not sure how it really works but I also found this website: Juicer Recipes.  The movie also has a Facebook page and a website to help you get started on juicing.  The whole problem is they said it cost $14 a day.  For us that could be times 2, plus I don't plan on putting my kids on this diet or giving them crap, easy food while we do it, so I'm not sure how  this will work out.  My plan for now is to start with food to help clear my skin, then do a two week detox, and then repeat again in 3 months.  I'm not sure what my husband plans to do, but he wants to lose weight.  If you don't want to invest in a juicer there is also this website: Green Monster Movement.

So I need a new plan.  I think this week I will just keep blogging about what I am spending.  It is my daughter's birthday so I want to buy her gifts and also it is my nephew's birthday and I still need to get him gifts.  I'm also still in need of 5 more window treatments and decorative hardware.  I think I will keep dwelling on these things till I buy them.  I have been doing well on my saving money on the side so I do feel good about that aspect of life.  Maybe by next week I'll have a good plan.

Worx GT review

I'm sitting here watching the infomercial for Worx GT cordless electric trimmer. I bought mine in 2006 when I bought my first house so mine is an older model, but the same features.  I don't like dealing with gas and other trimmers seam heavy. I really do like it but I wish it was more powerful. I think it would work really well if you have nice plush grass but the string has some trouble cutting through tough crab grass and weeds. The edger is the best part of it, since it works the best. Sometimes I have to sit there and hit by the fence a couple of dozen times just to try and trim.  I have to charge the battery every time we need to trim, it has never seemed to been able to fully do the yard with one charge. Sometimes you do need to get down and fiddle with the string when it gets down to the end, but new string is easy to order and comes fast in the mail. I would buy if you have a plush, smaller yard and want a electric trimmer/charger.

My Favorite Things

I like to make homemade french fries in the fry daddy. They taste much better than the frozen and are one of my kids favorite things to eat. This little french fry cutter speeds up the process and is the best thing since they invented knives. My mom bought this for me at a garage sale but they are available through amazon.com. We had one as a kid so that is how I knew about them. What is your favorite simple gadget?

Thursday Movie Review- Iron Man 2

Yes I know Iron Man 2 has been out for some time, but I just got free movie tickets to see the show and was glad I went. The theater was the best setting to see this movie. I saw Iron Man 1 at home and didn't like it as much as 2. The first one didn't have as much as an emotional impact on me as 2 did. It is violent for kids so I don't recommend it for those under 14. See the Iron Man 2 trailer at youTube.com. I would recommend this to a friend and I would buy this movie if I had a really cool home theater system with the work because the graphics are awesome.

Thursday Movie Review- Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day had a lot of potential with all the big stars in the film. It is a nice romantic movie based on one day: Valentine's Day. It was worth watching once, but I wouldn't say this is one to add to the movie collection. I wouldn't even say it has a happy or satisfying ending. It was a little too crazy and unbelievable. Rent it from Redbox and you won't feel that it was a waste of money. $1 plus tax is worth saying you saw this film once.

Vacation Minneapolis

I just got back from vacation and I am more tired than when I left. We had to go out of town for a graduation in Minneapolis. While in the area we went to Albertville Outlets. We found a lot of good deals. The Coach outlet had 50% additional off clearance purses plus they handed out 20%off coupons. I didn't buy one but will save some money for the next chance we get to get up there. Old Navy had an additional 40% off on women's clothing so I bought a flag shirt for $3.00 for my mom. Children's Place Outlet had 40% off clearance racks and I had an email for an extra 20% off. Gap had an additional 20% off a $75 purchase for fire, police and medical workers so my sister, an RN, and I compiled our purchases to save. The VIP coupons, we received for free from our hotel, we didn't end up using, but my daughter's teacher gave us a thick book for the Mall of America, and I did hand a lot of those out to family. I went online and ordered some tourist magazines for free and received a map of the mall ahead of time. I was able to map out the stores I wanted to hit since the mall is so big, but most of the store were at Albertville anyways. Next trip I plan on going to Albertville the morning of the first day, staying near the mall ( the teacher received the $10 coupon book free at her hotel) and going to the Mall's Aquarium that next. Then the next day we can ride all the rides at the mall since it was less busy in the morning, and going to Ikea before going home, or on to maybe Valley Fair or the Renaissance Fair. I remember doing these things as a kid and would like to share with my kids as they grow. I may live and play in the Midwest, but it is my comfort zone and I don't feel bad about never going too far from home.

Thursday Movie Review

My husband and I love to watch movies but I never watch them more than once. I first saw a Redbox on a trip to Minnesota about 4 years ago. At the time we lived in a small town and did not have Redbox, but I thought the concept was innovative. It took a couple of years but Redbox seems to be everywhere now. This month's promotion is rent two movies and get a free rental, which I learned about thru email. You can get free movie rentals on Monday by signing up your phone at redbox.com and also recieve a free rental when you make an account at their site.

Last night we watch Shutter Island with Leonardo DiCaprio. This was a very unpredictable movie with a shocking end. I would give it 5 out of 5 stars. Most of the movies I pick are comedy but this one was worth the suspense. If you like Scorsese, I think you will like this one as well. He didn't disapoint me. See the trailer at redbox.com.