Quick Fix Meal

Don't you just love quick fix meals!! I was rummaging through the pantry trying to figure out what to make for dinner when a quick fix recipe sort of popped into my head.  That's right, I guess you could say I made it up..... otherwise known as winging it.  I am sure there is a recipe out there similar to this, but this is straight from the brain of The Blogging Mom.  I am even going to make up a name for it right this very minute.  It's going to be called JIFFY®Cheesy Taco, and I thought it turned out pretty yummy so I wanted to share the recipe.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 boxes of JIFFY corn muffin mix - will need milk and 2 eggs for recipe
1 package of Kraft Home style Mac and Cheese- will need butter and milk for recipe
1 pound of ground beef
1 pack taco seasoning
Shredded mild cheddar cheese- about 2 cups, more if you like it really cheesy

Directions

Brown the ground beef.  Add the taco seasoning mix as directed on the package.  You will also follow the directions to make the mac and cheese, but you won't use the bread crumb topping.  Once the meat is seasoned and the mac and cheese is made, mix them together. Mix the corn muffin mix as directed on box. Once mixed, pour half of the batter into a greased baking pan.  Next, spread the meat/noodle mixture on top of the batter.  Spread a layer of shredded mild cheddar cheese. Pour the rest of the corn muffin batter on top of the cheese. It doesn't have to cover the entire top.  Bake at about 300 degrees for about 15 minutes. 

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Coupon Fraud on TLC?

Okay, this is the question I have been asking myself since viewing the first two Extreme Couponing shows on TLC... "How the heck do you get $2,000 worth of groceries for a mere hundred?"

And yes, I am still on my coupon rant from yesterday!

I have gotten pretty good at couponing over the last six months with stacking coupons on top of sale items, but despite that, I keep wondering how this select group of people called 'extreme couponers' are able to buy thousands of dollars worth of items for pennies on the dollar or even get them for free.  In my case, even with an item on sale plus 2 coupons, the item only goes down in price a certain percent. It takes a lot of work to find the right cereal on sale at the time I have a coupons for it, and sometimes it simply doesn't work out that way.

Well, what do you know!!!  Here I am looking around on the Internet at some couponing sites, and check out what I discovered.  People are starting to question the TLC show, or rather the shoppers that have been profiled on the show, as to whether or not "Coupon Fraud" is being used in order to obtain items at these rock bottom prices.  Now, keep in mind, I am not in any way accusing anyone of anything.  This is simply information I came across while surfing the net.

According to the website Jill Cataldo (changing the way you shop forever), people had their guard up about one of the extreme couponers right from the get-go.  I am not going to make reference to this extreme couponer by name, but I am going to refer you to a few blog postings I read, so you can read them and draw your own conclusions.

It all seems real clear to me, and I think I have the answer to that question I kept asking myself.... "How the heck do they do it?"

TLC's Extreme Couponing raising controversy as new season approaches

Was coupon fraud shown on TLC's Extreme Couponing?

My guess is that we haven't heard the end of this..... especially if coupon fraud really did occur.

You might be wondering what the consequences are for coupon fraud. Well, there is a corporation called Coupon Information Corporation and they work directly with manufactures to help monitor the proper use of coupons. There is a lot of interesting information on their website, some of which I will pass along to you:

FACTS about Couponing Fraud from Coupon Information Corporation

• Coupon fraud occurs whenever someone intentionally uses a coupon for a product that he/she has NOT purchased or otherwise fails to satisfy the terms and conditions for redemption, when a retailer submits coupons for products they have not sold or that were not properly redeemed by a consumer in connection with a retail purchase; or when coupons are altered/counterfeited. These activities are almost always in violation of Federal, State or local laws. (hmmm... sounds like the TLC shopper might should be concerned if she knowingly used coupons for products not listed on the coupon, even if they were from the same manufacture)
• Not one defendant has been acquitted in a CIC related coupon fraud case since operations began in 1986 (sounds like you don't want them investigating you)
• Penalties for those convicted of coupon fraud related crimes vary by each case and the number of laws violated.As of this date, Longest prison sentence: 17 years
  Highest financial penalty: $5 million
  Prison sentences of three to five years are not uncommon. Financial penalties generally vary, but have often been in excess of $200,000

If you think you have a coupon that is too good to be true, they say it probably is.  You can visit this website to see a list of the most current fraudulent coupons.

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Extreme Couponing

You heard it here first.  I am coining a new disorder.  It's called Obsessive Couponing Disorder.  After watching the first two Extreme Couponing shows on TLC, I think this diagnosis is quite fitting.  Don't get me wrong, I am all for couponing. I actually started couponing about six months ago myself. I am just a typical mom looking to save a few bucks on our weekly grocery bill.  What's my couponing system? I visit lots of couponing sites to see what coupons I can print, review the weekly sales ads, usually buy the Sunday paper for the coupons, and might do a few other things in order to get a hot deal.  I even have a very small stockpile of some basics like mustard, laundry detergent, cereal, and such. I said small, meaning that I have about 5 bottles of mustard, 10 bottles of laundry detergent, and about 10 boxes of cereal (the family does go through about 3-4 boxes a week). BUT, I would not say that I qualify as one of TLC's extreme couponers, otherwise known as an Obsessed Couponer, and honestly, I don't think I want to be.  I will say that I have enjoyed watching the show, but I compare it to the likes of the other shows on TLC that I enjoy, such as Hoarding- Buried Alive and My Strange Addiction.

For the record, let me say again that I love saving money! But that's the extent of it. Couponing doesn't rule my life, I don't run out at 11:30 in the evening just to save fifty cents, I don't have the attitude of, "Why buy 1 toothbrush when you can buy an entire grocery buggie full", and I don't have a stockpile so big that I have to add $30,000 to my home owner's insurance.

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Definition of extreme:  of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average

Definition of obsession:  the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.

If you haven't viewed TLC's show Extreme Couponing, just watch this video clip and see if you think this qualifies more as an "extremely obsessed couponer" than simply an extreme couponer. 

I really feel sorry for the husband in this clip. 

After watching these first two episodes, I have come to a conclusion. If you experience any of these symptoms, you might have Obsessive Couponing Disorder.

Signs that you have Obsessive Couponing Disorder

1. Your entire life revolves around couponing. For example, you spend 70 hours a week on couponing.
2. Your stockpiling takes over your entire house.  For example, your child has 100 rolls of toilet paper under their bed, in addition to the 250 rolls in the shower, and you seem to think he doesn't even know they are there.
3. You have to break your grocery trip into 18 different transactions in order to make it work, and you get agitated with the cashier when they accidentally scan an item in transaction 1 that was intended to be in transaction 2.
4. You clear the shelves of 62 bottles of mustard when your husband doesn't even like mustard.
5. When you add an 11th commandment that states, " Thou shalt not pay retail."
6. You spend 4 hours in the checkout line at the grocery store buying food you know your family won't eat.
7. You figure it's best to go ahead and clear the shelves because you have the coupons.... despite the fact that you aren't leaving items for the next customer.
8. The cash register actually freezes up because too many items have been scanned.
9. You get a feeling of exhilaration when you get a standing ovation at the checkout lane, and you finish it off with a tap dance.
10. You start getting heart palpitations when you watch the total get higher and higher before your coupons have been scanned.
11. You refer to your grocery shopping trip as a 'haul'.
12. You use terms while shopping, such as, "cart issue", "just start grabbing", "I lost count", "moving truck".

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First Birthday Cake

Hudson's 1st Birthday Cake

Tomorrow is Hudson's first birthday party, and instead of buying a cake, I decided to attempt to make one.  I am what you call a cake novice, as I have baked and decorated very few kids' birthday cakes.  Despite that, I do think this one turned out pretty cute.

For my other two kids I pretty much have just picked a theme and had a bakery take on the cake baking project. For Hudson's party (which is really just a family gathering of lunch and cake), I decided to go with a cupcake theme.  I have cupcake plates, tablecloth, etc. and for the birthday cake, I decided to buy one of those huge cupcake cake pans made by Wilton. I baked three round layers for the cake in addition to the cupcake.  I decorated the cupcake separate from the three layers, and then before I set the cupcake on top, I inserted about five wooden skewers to help balance the weight of the cupcake.

I have learned a few things while working with the cupcake pan.  The cupcake cake works better if you use a more dense cake recipe, such as a pound cake.  For this cake, I used a pound cake for the cupcake portion, and then I used a chocolate cake mix for the three layers.  You can't bake your layers at the same time as your cupcake, so it does take a good hour and a half to get it all baked.  Plus, when you bake the cupcake, you need to watch the temperature.  I have used the pan several times before making this cake, and each time I have had to turn the temp down to about 275 degrees and continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes. 



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Reading Strategies for Comprehension

Comprehension equals understanding. To read is to understand.  That's right!  Real reading is to gain meaning from print. Of course, in order to get to the point where you can actually gain meaning, you have to learn the whole decoding of symbols. To aid with that process, kids learn to utilize all kinds of decoding strategies in the earlier grades, such as sounding out the word or looking for chunks and words hidden in bigger words.

Once decoding is underway, it's time for kids to start using strategies that help them improve their comprehension or better understand what they are decoding.  It's important for parents and teachers to offer up reading strategies. In time, reading strategies such as making predictions, text to text connections, and questioning the text will just become a natural part of the reading process.  Before that happens though, we have to offer many opportunities for kids to practice these strategies. It's sort of like riding a bike.  You practice, practice, practice, and in the end, it becomes second nature. You don't even think about how you got on the bike or how you peddled down the street. 

Teaching reading strategies should really be a daily focus in the classroom and even at home if you are working with your young child. It's one thing to say the words on the page, but it's another to comprehend them.  The focus of  teaching kids to become better readers should really be: the reader himself, the chosen text, the strategies used, and the end goal of understanding, otherwise known as reading comprehension. If you are a teacher or a home school parent and you are looking for a way to introduce or review the strategies of becoming a better reader, you might like this printable reading strategy packet:

Click on the image to enlarge.

If you are interested in purchasing the packet, please click on the Teachers pay Teachers image below.

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End of School Year Activities

Before you know it, it will be the end of the school year.  That last week of school when the textbooks are collected and grades have already been entered, you are going to be looking for a fun and productive year-end activity.  This printable packet is a fun end of the school year memory book activity.  It is educational because it involves activities such as having the students put their classmates' names in alphabetical order, as well as writing complete sentences.  Students will complete activities such as recalling memories related to their teacher and friends, using school related words in sentences in order to recall year long memories, illustrating field trip memories, and more. This memory book is something students will be able to take home and use to reflect upon what a wonderful school year they've had.

Click on the image to enlarge.
These are sample pages from the end of school year activity packet.

If you are interested in purchasing the packet, please click the link below.

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Spring Break-Unsupervised Teens

According to a recent article I read, the below statement was sent home with students from 22 high schools in Cincinnati:

"Over the past several years, it ... has come to our attention that increasing numbers of students are taking unsupervised trips with their peers during spring breaks, during the summer months and/or after graduation,"


I am simply dumbfounded that parents in today's times would send their high school CHILD unsupervised to a spring break destination. What are parents thinking when they send a group of teenagers off, sometimes 6-10 hours away from home for a week at a time with no parental guidance?

It is just beyond me, and I am not sure that any participating parent could convince we otherwise. I know, parents think "but my child is a good kid"....UMmmm, well my child is a good kid too, but I am not naive about the dangers associated with a teen being left unsupervised with lots of peer pressure from other kids that are not  making good choices.

Thomas Cox, a mediator in Cincinnati, who works with families in drug and alcohol related cases said, "It amazes me the number of parents that delude themselves into thinking that when their kids go to the spring break hot spots that they will be the responsible kids and not engage in drinking and other high-risk activities."

He then pointed out that the decision-making portion of most human brains don't completely develop until about age 25. That's right!!!  So, we as the parents take on the role as decision maker for the children, and we stand up and say NO when our child asks to go unsupervised on a trip with an entire group of teens that do not have the mental brain development to make good judgement calls. It doesn't matter if your kid is a 'good kid' or not, it is a developmental issue, and even the best of the best can make a poor judgement call simply due to the fact that their brain is not fully developed.  It's a simple fact!

While reading about unsupervised teens in Florida, I came across many examples of teen deaths.  One unfortunate incident happened just a couple of years ago to teenager named Andrew Guglielmi.  He fell from a hotel balcony while on a spring break vacation in Panama City, Fla.. He had a significant blood-alcohol level.

Here is where I think parents can learn something based on the brain development (or lack of) that I just spoke about above.

Frank Guglielmi, the father of Andrew, said he counseled Andrew and his friends about potential spring break dangers. He even traveled with his son and their friends to Panama City the two years before his son's death.  The dad stated, "We went through the whole gamut of the kinds of situations that they might find themselves in and how to handle themselves," he said. "So I thought he had a little bit of a sense what could happen down there."

If the brain isn't developed, it really doesn't matter how much prepping you do.  Sad, but true!

Interested in knowing which spring break destinations are rated the most dangerous by the travel industry for the 2011 spring break?

Top 25 most dangerous spring break destinations

1. Orlando, FL

2. Daytona Beach, FL

3. Las Vegas, NV

4. Myrtle Beach, SC

5. West Palm Beach, FL

6. South Padre Island, TX

7. New Orleans, LA

8. Panama City, FL

9. Jacksonville, FL

10. Miami, FL

11. Fort Myers, FL

12. Galveston, TX

13. Fort Lauderdale, FL

14. Lake Havasu City, AZ

15. Key West, FL

16. Kihei/Maui, HI

17. Lafayette, LA

18. Naples, FL

19. Virginia Beach, VA

20. Park City, UT

21. Steamboat Springs, CO

22. San Diego, CA

23. Reno, NV

24. Santa Barbara, CA

25. Honolulu, HI

... Wondering how many parents sent their KIDS to Florida this spring break.

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Husband's 40th Birthday

Yesterday was my husband's 40th birthday, so I wanted to make it stand out.  I needed a birthday idea that was different and sort of fun,  not the typical "Lordy, Lordy, Look Who's Forty" sign that people put in their front yard.  So, I decided I would contact a bunch of his co-workers (about 30) via email and ask them to participate in my little birthday idea. I don't know if it really qualifies as a prank, just something fun to do to recognize the fourth decade birthday.  I asked his co-workers to each bring him 40 pennies. That's right! They were to hand deliver 40 pennies some time throughout the day along with a happy birthday wish.   Why pennies?  Because people hate all those pennies!  and who wants hundreds of pennies with no where to put them?  HA!  Plus, I figured people wouldn't give 40 quarters. Oh well! I asked that they not be in a bag because that would make things too easy.  It's a lot more memorable to get 40 or 80 pennies at one time and then being stuck with them in your pockets. He got everything from "40" being written in pennies on his desk, to forty pennies being dropped in his classroom,  to lots of hand deliveries of pennies.  Needless to say, he had a pile of pennies at the end of the day.....it was all in fun, of course!

Happy 40th Birthday Ashley!

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Teaching to the Test

Is this what President Obama is saying?

According to an article I read in the AJC, President Obama addressed parents and students yesterday at a town hall meeting at Bell Multicultural High School in Washington, D.C. In his address, he said:

"Too often what we have been doing is using these tests to punish students or to, in some cases, punish schools"
 
"Schools should be judged on criteria other than student test performance, including attendance rate."
 
"One thing I never want to see happen is schools that are just teaching the test because then you're not learning about the world, you're not learning about different cultures, you're not learning about science, you're not learning about math," the president said. "All you're learning about is how to fill out a little bubble on an exam and little tricks that you need to do in order to take a test and that's not going to make education interesting."



"They're not going to do as well if it's boring."

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If I could have a few minutes with President Obama, I might rebut it by saying something like this:

WELL, HELLO President Obama!!.... are you familiar with Race to the Top?  Um, I think you are, because you have signed away on that initiative! You are in full favor of SOME aspects of testing.  You say you are concerned about the testing/and or classroom environment being 'boring' and worried about teachers teaching to the test, but you then want to turn around and support merit pay..... AKA....paying teachers based on how well the students do in this boring environment.  My goodness.  Mr. Obama, I think you left off one important point in the first quote I typed above. You said that, "Too often what we have been doing is using these tests to punish students or to, in some cases, punish schools."  Let's see... you included students and schools being punished, but you said nothing about PUNISHING teachers. In a sense it would be punishing teachers if their salary was decreased based on student performance on a few select tests.  Keep in mind, some students don't test well, some students have negative home factors, some kids bubble their tests incorrectly, some kids didn't get a good night's sleep, some kids didn't eat a good breakfast,... the list goes on and on. Plus, I really think you are totally contradicting yourself with your statements of testing leading to boredom in the classroom and then turning around and supporting a plan that bases teacher salaries on those same TESTS.

Here is a fun little satirical song with a message by Tom Chapin.

Let's just hope this is not the future of teaching!

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It is important  I state that I absolutely LOVE teaching. I have dedicated the last 15 years of my life to teaching students in grades 3-5.  It is a passion of mine! I want the exact opposite of what's depicted in the video. My goal is to teach and teach well.

My point in this blog is to point out how Obama seems to have differing views on testing when it comes to students versus teachers. He is concerned about too much testing and even thinks testing puts the classroom at risk of becoming a boring atmosphere. If that is the case, why would he think it okay to turn around and pay teachers based on a student's performance on these tests?  It simply doesn't make sense.

If you're still not sure why I am so concerned about standardized testing and basing a teacher's salary on the test, maybe this little video will help explain things.

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Diet Pepsi



"I think I like tall and skinny instead of short and fat," I said to my husband. His reaction was just to chuckle.

And no, I'm not talking about body type. I'm talking about a can... a Pepsi can... the Diet Pepsi Skinny can to be exact.  The other day I printed a buy one get one free coupon for the Diet Pepsi skinny cans, so I decided to try them out.  To my surprise, who would have thought that a can could feel so different! I think they just sort of fit better in your hand, and quite honestly, they have a better look about them.... sort of a bit more sophisticated looking and classy. I know, it's just a piece of aluminum, but the design just seems to work.

Tall and skinny has sort of gotten a bad rap over the past years, especially when it comes to the media.  Magazine models are all so tall and skinny, and of course, this has sort of become the look that young girls try to achieve.  It is highly discouraged, but none the less, it is pushed in the media. 

Well, as I had the idea to write about my preference to the skinny can, I decided to do a Google search on the Skinny can. I had no idea that the Pepsi Skinny can had gotten a bad rap in the media for being exactly that... tall and skinny.  Evidently the can was released as a part of Fashion Week back in February, and the design was intended to be exactly as I described it above.... to have a more stylish look about it. Apparently not everyone liked the skinny part.

Upon the release of the Pepsi Skinny can, the head of the National Eating Disorders Association made this statement:

"The campaign celebrates being skinny and suggests that strong, confident women must be so. That the Skinny Can campaign is being paired with Fashion Week, an event put on by an industry that has had to address eating disorders among its model ranks, is particularly problematic," says Grefe.


My response to this..... OH MY GOODNESS!  First of all, I am not tall and skinny myself, and I was not the least bit offended by the can.  It didn't make me say, "OH, I better go on a diet!!" I don't think the can pushes the attitude that 'skinny is best'. On the other hand, I think this was a great opportunity for the NEDA to bring awareness to the problem of eating disorders. Young girls do suffer from body image disorders and it should be recognized. It is my feeling though that they simply jumped on the idea of using the Skinny Can because it was readily available in the media, therefore it could easily be used to bring awareness to the problem.  Not a bad marketing tactic on their part either. 
 
Needless to say, I still like the Skinny Can!
 
Which do you prefer.... short and fat or tall and skinny? and do you think the design of the can is sending a message to the consumer?
 

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Coupon Katarina

If you are like me, you are always looking for ways to save the green stuff... AKA... Money!  I have a list of favorite websites that I like to check out daily in order to get the latest money saving tips, coupons, and even freebies. Coupon Katarina is one of my favorite sites.  I always wonder how these websites, such as Coupon Katarina, know about these hot deals that have just been released, but somehow they do. Katarina posts the latest breaking coupons,  and if you visit her website often, you can be one of the lucky ones to swipe up these terrific deals.  If you are just getting started with coupons, you can visit the section of her website that is specific to beginners.  It lists places for you to find coupons, how to organize your coupons, and so much more.  One of my favorite pages on her website is Freebies at Target.  She posts how you can combine manufacture coupons with Target coupons to get things for free.  Free is a good thing! I would also suggest that you 'like' her on Facebook so you can get all of these late breaking coupon deals posted right to your Facebook wall. Start saving money with Coupon Katarina today!

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Shoes to the Rescue

or would you like boots, or maybe some athletic shoes, or just some casual flats?  Take your pick. They can be yours for $1,000 a pop.  And guess what?  Your shoe selection might even save the salary of a school teacher.

That's right.  Michele Miller, the principal of Jackson Elementary in El Dorado Hills, has decided to put her shoe 'collection' up for sale in hopes of raising money for the school system.  It is nothing new these days to hear about school systems and their budget cuts, but this one principal has come up with an innovative idea in hopes of helping recoup some cash from budget cuts.

Her theory is:  shoes + sales = salaries.

Yep, she is selling shoes (HER shoes) in order to raise money. With the help of the parents at her school, they have started a website called Shoes to the Rescue where you can view her 285 pairs of shoes.

Yes, you read that correctly.... 285 pairs of shoes!  Check out the video to see some of the styles.

This story is interesting enough in itself, but what has really gotten my attention are some of the comments I have read from readers of other blogs and newspapers.

For example, one person said, "How could she have spent so much money on shoes? Maybe we overpay her. She FAILED to make her house payment on her home in the school district she loves so much. FORECLOSED. Property taxes unpaid as well. Maybe that says more about who Michelle really is."

Another person just said, "Gimmick!"

A third person said, "Someone, please help me. I need a vomit bag. This has got to be one of the most self-serving efforts I have ever seen. How much manpower (school resources?) is going into this one-woman accolades-fest? She's gonna save the world! She should be ashamed of herself. Anyone who can afford THAT many pairs of shoes in a school district that is supposedly going to lose so many teachers, librarians, etc. is making waaay too much money. A better, and more humble way to help is to take a frickin' pay cut, sister. No wonder your school district is going bankrupt. Sorry, but ya ain't gettin' no sympathy from me!"

The negative comments go on and on. Maybe it's because I have spent so many years in education that I am able to see Michele Miller as a principal that might actually CARE about kids!  Maybe I am naive, and she has some other personal motive. I don't know the lady, so I really can't make a call on her character, but I will say that my initial reaction to the story was, "Kudos to this lady for trying to make an effort to help her teachers!"  I think it's wonderful that she came up with such a creative idea that actually seems to be getting people talking about the lack of funding in education. Who cares if she sells her shoes, it's making people  more aware that there is a problem in education, and the problem is:  THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF MONEY!  Parents can gripe, teachers can lose their jobs, but in the end, no matter how you slice the short fall of money, the kids are the ones that lose.
I mean, COME ON!!! Think about it, you have a principal trying to sell her shoes in order to pay the teachers..... sort of funny in a sense, would probably make a good Saturday Night Live skit. 

The sad truth of the matter is that education is suffering all over the country due to budget cuts. It's not just California. Teachers are losing their jobs, and if it takes shoe sales to get people talking, then bring on the Stilettos!

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Birmingham Bargain Mom

Well, maybe not a star, but I am a guest blogger today on the Birmingham News, more specifically for the Birmingham Bargain Mom. Click here to read The Blogging Mom's story on this very informative webstie.

Christie Dedman, the author of the Birmingham Bargain Mom, finds deals, bargains, frugal recipes, crafts and freebies, and then she passes them along to you. Today is the first time Christie has opened up her blog for guest bloggers such as myself.  She will have several guest postings throughout the day, which include topics such as:

• Signs You're a Coupon Junkie
• Switching to coupons after loosing more than half your income
• Frugal Decorating
• Couponing in general
• Festival round-up
• One mom's switch from a 15 year career as an educator to a stay at home mom...

Tune in today (and all other days, of course) by visiting the Birmingham Bargain Mom's blog.  You can also follow Birmingham Bargain Mom on twitter to get the latest breaking bargain ideas. 

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