What Mamas really want for Mothers day!

When you ask a Mama what she really wants for Mothers day, you will often get the following answers.

"I don't need anything. Just being your mama is enough..."

" You are my gift "

" I need a new skillet or maybe a vacuum"

I thought I would break it down and list some things that mamas really want for mothers day. (Or at least Mamas of toddlers / young ones)

To be able to eat a meal- while its hot!

To be able to have one phone conversation without interruption or saying "excuse me... Miles is on top of the buffet... I'll have to call you back."

To be able to take a shower for longer than 3 minutes and without "visitors".

To have all the kids NOT SICK at one time.

To get a report for the sitter or Sunday school teacher that your little one was a delight and OH SO kind to others.

To be able to listen to a song you love on the radio in the car with the kidlets in the backseat. ( Every time a good song comes on that's the time my son decides to ask me how a fire hydrant works or why grandpa lives so far away. )

To be able to take a bath and read a couple chapters in a book... without hearing screaming on the other side of the door.

For your heart not to break when you think someone has hurt your child's feelings

For your little ones to stay little just a while longer. (Except, of course, if your having one of THOSE days in which you quickly wish they were 25 and out of the house.)

To be able to protect your babies from every hurt... emotional and physical.

To have a babysitter that lives next door, is a elementary school teacher/ pediatric nurse who loves nothing more than to read and sing to your children.

To have energy to not just collapse at the end of the day.

What is so fabulous about being a mama is that although I would love to have the above items...... I wouldn't trade all of them for one moment with my babies. Isn't motherhood wonderful??

Happy Mothers day to all your AWESOME mama's out there! Your job is priceless and worth more than all the gold in the world.

A perfect (and thrifty) mothers day gift... sure to induce tears!

Mothers day is one of my favorite "holidays". I didn't fully appreciate it until I have delivered two beautiful children and gave my heart away forever.

Since we are on a budget in this house, I have been racking my brain for gifts that are both thrifty and will produce the proper tears! This is what I came up with....

I just grabbed some cheap Terracotta pots ( I found them for around a $1 at Walmart) then used some outdoor paint that I had. NOTE: Make sure that you use outdoor accent paint that is both UV and water resistant if they will be used outside. I get mine from Michaels crafts- Use your coupon for 40% in the Sunday paper to make this even more reasonable! Just make sure that you have something to apply the paint and some soapy water to wash little hands :)

I painted the kids hands and just had them touch the pots. Then I Painted their names and ages on the pots. The kids had a ball doing it!

You can either put a flower in the pots or fill it with seed packets, new gardening gloves, spade, gardening shoes etc.

I cannot wait to see the looks on the faces of our mamas and grandmas when they open this gift. This way they can have a little piece of the grandkids with them at all times!

GE Bargain recipe of the week- Pork Chops with Tomatoes and String Beans

Here is another pork recipe for you. I like this one because we grow fresh green beans in our garden. With this recipe I can use them in an actual recipe instead of heapin them on the side :) Maybe the kids won't realize there is a a veggie in there? Happy eating y'all!

I will not expense spices/oils since most of us have them on hand.

Pork Chops with Tomatoes and String Beans

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed (On sale $1.29 a lb) $1.29

1/4 cup olive oil
4 pork chops (On sale $1.99) $2

1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon minced garlic
several tomatoes, sliced (On sale Giant Eagle canned whole tomatoes $1.19) .60
shredded Cheddar cheese to taste .99

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
Fill a saucepan with lightly salted water, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the green beans, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered until the green beans are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the beans, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Spread the beans into the greased baking dish.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops, and cook until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Season the browned pork chops with salt, pepper, sage, and garlic, then arrange over the green beans. Boil the reserved cooking liquid in the skillet and stir the browned bits until dissolved. Pour over the pork chops. Place the tomato slices over the pork chops, and cover each with Cheddar cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until the pork is no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees.

Total cost of this meal: $4.88

Add Baked potatoes (On sale 5 lb bag for $2.50) Total cost of meal: $5.72

Click on the image to go find more Bargain Meal of the Week!

Please ignore the flasher in pew 12.....

I think that with every suck my newborn took at my breast, out came a little pride. Its as if pride starts to slowly die with the birth of your little red, squirmy one. You slowly begin to realize that you would do anything for your child and that includes putting your needs/humility below theirs.

A good example is getting my family ready for an event. Lets take Easter for example. This year, Easter was crazy! I had two toddlers birthday parties within a couple weeks of Easter and I decided that the logical, sane thing to do was to host Easter dinner for 15. ( Can you say CCCCCRRRRRAAAAZZZZYYYYY??? )

I spent a week shopping for the perfect Easter outfits for the kids. I found the little one a beautiful dress that was classic, simple and of course on sale! I then found the big one a matching "spring green" dress shirt and sweater vest. They both matched each other, oh so casually. I then purchased a lovely spring green tie for my hubby. I was so excited thinking how good the pictures would look of my little family that I love so much.

Of course mama didn't buy anything new for herself. I was busy, which is totally fine with me. I knew I had a perfectly lovely dress from 3 Easters ago. I haven't been able to put my pregnant body in it since I seem to be a marathon reproducer with little time in between off spring.

I got in the dress no problem but had to ask hubby for a little help with the zipper. He had just as much trouble trying to get it closed. He sat there baffled, saying that there was plenty of room but it just seemed stuck. Finally we got the sucker zipped up and I congratulated myself for not only fitting in the dress but having some room to move/ breath. Woohoo! What do they say? Pride comes before the fall?

I got to church and was beaming looking at my crew. Clean and shiny in new shoes they looked like a picture. Hubby and I sat down to a lovely service and I couldn't help but think how blessed we were to arrive at church with no drama on Easter morning.

The service ended and I got up from my chair ready to go get my kids from their classes. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that a lady behind me gasped. CLUE #1!!!

As I threw my coffee cup away and started off towards the classroom I felt a little breeze. CLUE #2!!!

My mom flew up behind me, grabbed my arm and steered me into the bathroom. She then told me the horrible, awful truth.

My zipper had stripped the whole length of the dress leaving all of my backside exposed. Now ladies I am going to be real with you here...... I didn't choose my lacy romantic undies this day. I was in a hurry and wanted to be comfy. I had chosen this day, much to my chagrin, my "Aunt Flo is visiting", had since high school, stretched out, holy, need to throw away undies. My zipper, of course, ran all the way to my thighs. It had to be the most attended service in the whole year... filled to the brink. Good times.....

We tried to fix it in vain. It was a goner. I am not sure if the zipper was sewn poorly or it had stripped getting into it.

I should have been mortified. I should have wanted to crawl under the pew and never ever come out. I should have cried with embarrassment. What I felt however was a need to talk to my sons teacher and make sure that he minded and acted like the nice boy I know he can be. I wanted to see my little girl playing with the other kids and I wanted to get dinner started. I had too much to do to spend any more time in the bathroom!

I grabbed the back of my dress and made my rounds. I had all the naughty bits covered, got to talk to some of my friends (who probably thought I had a back injury but was too kind to ask) and got in the car. My hubby sheepishly looked over at me waiting for tears, screaming, something. I started laughing so hard that I almost added a wet yellow spot to my tragedy of an outfit. This was life. I was too busy, tired and filled with the joy of the day to give it much thought.

It was as I was changing that I realized that motherhood had transformed me. It had made me put two small creatures and their needs before my own. It had even made me care less about my flashing a hundred people and more about the lamb my son made in his classroom. How wonderful motherhood is!!

That being said, I always think twice about the undies I pick out before church. If round two would happen to hit I want to be prepared.

Bargain recipe of the week- Pork with tomato and pepper sauce

Pork loin is on sale at Meijers this week. This recipe calls for it to be cut into think strips. I would suggest you freeze it just a little bit and cut the strips while its almost thawed but not quite. This makes cutting any meat so much easier!! Happy Eating!

I will not expense spices/oils since most of us have them on hand.

Pork Tenderloin with Tomato and Pepper Sauce

2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (1 1/2 pound) lean pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips (On sale $1.79 a lb) $2.68
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles .99
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper (On sale $1.29 a lb) .86
1 onion, diced (On sale .59 a lb) .40

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir garlic into sizzling hot butter, and then arrange as many sliced pork tenderloin strips as you can fit into the pan. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned on both sides. Remove from pan; set aside. Repeat with any remaining pork tenderloin strips.

Return all pork tenderloin strips to pan. Stir in tomatoes and season with basil, salt, and pepper. Cook until mixture comes to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and cover.

Meanwhile, heat water in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook peppers and onion in boiling-hot water until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir into pork tenderloin and tomatoes. Continue cooking until pork tenderloin strips are no longer pink, about 50 to 60 minutes.

Total cost of this meal: $4.93

Add Salad ( Dole on sale .98) Total cost of Meal: $5.65

Add salad and veggie (Freshlike on sale 5 for $5) Total cost of Meal: $6.65

Click on the image to go find more Bargain Meal of the Week!

Bargain recipe of the week- Not your average grilled chicken

Okay Y'all...... this recipe scares me. It sounds so yummy however that I am compelled to try it. That coupled with the fact that Kroger has whole chicken on sale .89 a lb. Add the fact that you can get another meal out of the leftovers and it is looking even better!!

So take a deep breath and just pretend that you are a surgeon on Grey's anatomy. Or just be like me and make your hubby do it ! :)

Not Your Average Grilled Chicken

1 (3 pound) whole chicken (On sale .89 a lb ) 2.67
3/4 cup sour cream (On sale Daisy 2.49 - 24 ounces) .62
1/4 cup diced onion (On sale .58 a lb) .29
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

To make the chicken easier to grill evenly, remove its backbone. Do this by placing the chicken breast side down on a work surface with the tail end facing you. With a boning knife or sturdy kitchen shears, cut from front to back next to the backbone. Turn the chicken so the neck end faces you and cut on the other side of the backbone. Remove the backbone and use it for making stock or discard. Turn the chicken over and cut through the tailbone or wish bone. Spread the chicken out flat so it's 'butterflied.'

Mix together the sour cream, red onion, garlic, oregano, dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl and blend thoroughly. Gently lift the skin from the chicken being careful not to puncture or break the skin. Spoon the sour cream mixture under the skin, and massage gently to ease the mixture into all areas of the chicken. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or overnight.

Preheat a grill for medium heat. Lightly oil a grill grate, and place 4 inches from the heat source.
Lightly brush the chicken with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Place chicken on prepared grill skin side up. Cover the grill, and cook until the meat is firm and juices run clear when pierced with a knife, 45-55 minutes. There is no need to turn the chicken over.

Total cost of Meal: $3.58

Add Baked potatoes (10 lb bag on sale 2.99) Total cost of meal: $4.48

Add baked potatoes and asparagus (On sale 1.99 a lb) Total cost of Meal: $5.48

Click on the image to go find more Bargain Meal of the Week!

Menu Plan Monday

I am trying some new things this week. Two of my bargain recipes from last week and a new one from today. (The thought of removing a backbone from a whole chicken makes me eye twitch but it looks so yummy..... I think I will break it to hubby that this will be one of his tasks this week :) Happy Mothers day to me! ) Happy Eating!!

Monday: One dish chicken and noodles, biscuits, salad

Tuesday: Steak kabobs with fresh veggies, Mac and cheese, green beans

Wednesday: Oven fried chicken, baked beans, coleslaw and rolls

Thursday: BBQ pork chops, rice, peas, crescent rolls

Friday: Pizza Night!

Saturday: Not your average grilled chicken, grilled asparagus, baked potatoes

Sunday: Mama's day !! If its in the fridge you can eat it.... but mama isn't cookin!!

Meijer bargain recipe of the week- One dish chicken and noodles

This recipe for today seems so simple that I may just have time to sit down for a minute! I can't wait to try it because this girl loves chicken and noodles! I plan to freeze half the recipe (my family can't eat it all) and the costs are cut in half! Happy Eating!!!

Check out Stretching a Buck deals here to see more deals at Meijer. I will not expense spices/oils since most of us have them on hand.

One Dish Chicken and Noodles

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat (On sale $1.79 a lb) 1.79
2 (12 ounce) jars chicken gravy (On sale Meijer brand 10 for $10) 1.00
1 (12 ounce) package large pasta of choice (Meijer pasta on sale 2 for $1) .50
3 cups green peas (Meijer veggies on sale 5 for $3) .90

Heat oil in large skillet. Cube chicken into bite size pieces and brown in hot oil. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, boil noodles in water until soft, then drain. Add hot cooked noodles to chicken in skillet and pour in gravy and peas. Stir together until ingredients are covered/coated with gravy. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes until gravy and peas are hot. Serve directly from the skillet.

Total cost of meal: $4.10

Add Salad ( Dole on sale .98) Total cost of meal: $4.59

Add salad and corn on the cob (On sale 5 for $1) Total cost of meal: $5.59

Click on the image to go find more Bargain Meal of the Week!

Kroger bargain recipe of the week- Oven fried chicken

Who doesn't like fried chicken??? I loooove it...... I just am scared to make it. I think of hot oil spattering and keeping my kids out of the kitchen. My left eye twitches just thinking about it ! Kroger has chicken thighs on sale this week and I found a recipe for OVEN fried chicken. My mouth is watering just thinking about it...... Happy eating!

Check out Stretching a Buck deals here to see more deals at Kroger. I will not expense spices/oils since most of us have them on hand.

Oven Fried Chicken

6 chicken thighs (On sale $1.99 a lb) $2.96
2 eggs (On sale .98) .16
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs .50
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place flour in a shallow plate or bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Put the bread crumbs in another shallow plate or bowl and beat the eggs in another bowl.

Dredge the chicken piece by piece in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs, until all pieces are coated. Pour the oil into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add the chicken to the dish and sprinkle with paprika to taste. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn pieces over and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drain on paper towels. Enjoy!

Total cost of this meal: $3.62

Add sweet corn (On sale .19) Total cost of meal: $4.76

Add sweet corn and Salad (Dole on sale .98 ) Total cost of meal: $5.25

Click on the image to go find more Bargain Meal of the Week!

Menu Plan Monday

We have finally started to get some warm weather here in Ohio and we are lovin it !!! On top of my bargain meals I am throwing in several grilling dishes this week. Woohoo!! I hope you have a yummy week.... happy Eating!

Monday: Skillet Bow Tie pasta, garlic bread, salad

Tuesday: Chicken kabobs with fresh veggies, salad, baked potatoes

Wednesday: Mama's meatloaf, green beans, mashed potatoes

Thursday: Grilled BBQ pork tenderloin, mac and cheese, broccoli

Friday: Pizza Night!

Saturday: Leftovers- if its not movin you can eat it!!

Sunday: Chicken with herb basting sauce, asparagus, rice

Mama knows best: Menu Planning

We as mamas have to be innovative and thrifty all in the same beat. Somehow we find new ways of doing things that save us money, time and maybe if we are really blessed.... sanity!

This weeks tip is on menu planning. Y'all know that I am a big menu planner. I think it saves money, time and grief! I often get lost with it, however. My hubby asks whats for dinner and I have to scramble to find the piece of paper I scribbled it on. (Or to turn on the computer to see my post!)

Then my neighbor whom we love and adore, brought me over these last week........

She found them in the dollar bin at Michael's craft stores. It has a magnet on the back so that it stays on the fridge for everyone to see. I stay on task, the family stays in the know and it actually helps me with my menu planning... woohoo!!! (And who can beat $1 !!! )

Do you have a money/time/sanity tip to share? E-mail me at everythingmom@live.com !

When Mama's run out of gas.....

I have a confession to make. I have been trying to run a whole family around on an empty tank. As in I am running on empty. I am not sure how it happened, or when, but I just know that I am running on fumes. I put my hubby first, my kids first and the house management stuff first. With all those firsts, there just seems to be nothing left for me.

I took a long hard look in the mirror this morning. Who is this woman standing in front of me? Not the outgoing, feel good girl I used to be. What I see now is a nurse, driver, event planner, cook, maid, lover, counselor and the list could go on and on.

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. I love my job as a wife and mama. I wouldn't trade it in for anything. I have neglected myself however. I have been giving so much of myself for so long that I realized today that there is little of me left. I had to think a long time about what hobbies I had or what I loved to do. I somehow talked myself into thinking that if I did anything for myself, I was taking something away from my family. How crazy is that ?

We women are convinced from an early age that we can do everything for everyone and look cute doing it. The sad, harsh truth is that something has to give and many times its us mama's. I realized that any free time that comes my way I do something for my family. ( Bills, clean house, laundry)

Let me just say right now that if you are a mama and have experienced tired beyond comprehension, all night rocking sessions, sick and teething babies, whiney kids, messy houses, laundry piles that are close to touching the ceiling, not having enough time, sacrificing your own hygiene, saying no 1,456 times a day, being the bad guy for putting healthy food in front of your kids, daily lessons on morals and values and worry and guilt like you have never experienced before...... you are so not alone!!!

I have started to read an awesome book called 'Taking care of the ME in mommy" by Lisa Whelchel. I cannot tell you how it has given this weary mama comfort and peace today. I thought that maybe there was another mama that needed an on-line hug today. So I thought that I would share this cup of comfort that I received.

So here it goes...... it is not selfish or wrong to take care of yourself so that you can take better care of your family. When we spend time doing something by ourselves, with girlfriends or the Lord we are regrouping and become refreshed. We then come back to our family refreshed and ready to be the mama that we want to be and they deserve.

As a Christian mama, I am especially convicted about giving and shunning receiving. I felt selfish for wanting something for myself. I often feel like I should be volunteering at church or helping others in some way with any free time that I have. I then read the most profound statement in this book that I feel opened my eyes. Are you ready?.........

"God's passion to be glorified and my passion to be satisfied are not at odds."

WOW. Maybe this post is just for me but I was totally uplifted in that. Can I just tell you that I took 20 minutes to sit on my deck alone,read a couple chapters in this book and pray. I then sat on the deck in the quiet ( the kids were inside with hubby. I asked him to take them for a couple of minutes which I must admit almost killed me! What?? Me need help?) soaked up the sunshine, listened to the birds and took a breath.

You know what? When I went inside to make the peanut butter samwhiches, I felt lighter. I felt like I was serving my family and not a slave to them. Maybe Lisa is on to something here.

May 7th is National Moms night out night. Get a sitter or leave your kids with your hubby. Grab some girlfriends and go get an ice cream. Or go for a walk by yourself. Or go to a bookstore and curl up on one of those chairs you never get to sit in (You know because your running around chasing your toddler at storytime) and read a book with a cup a tea. I guarantee that the you will return home less crazy than when you left :)

Giant Eagle Bargain meal of the week- Skillet Bow tie pasta

With 2 busy toddlers I just don't have time to make Lasagna the old fashioned way. I can't wait to try this recipe because my little ones love everything in it......and of course it looks easy! Happy Eating!

I will not expense spices/oils since most of us have them on hand.

Skillet Bow Tie Lasagna

1 pound ground beef (On sale $1.99 a lb) 1.99
1 small onion, chopped (Vidalia Onion on sale .99 a lb) .30
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (Dei Fratelli 28 oz on sale 8 for $10) .63
1 1/2 cups water
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste .69
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta (On sale Barilla Pasta 4 for $5) 1.25
3/4 cup small curd cottage cheese (Giant Eagle on sale 2 for $5) .62
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, water, tomato paste, parsley, oregano and salt; mix well. Stir in pasta; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once.
Combine cheeses; drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto pasta mixture. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Total cost of Meal: $5.48

Add Salad (Fresh express on sale 2 for $5) :Total cost of Meal: $6.73

Add salad and Garlic Toast (On sale 2 for $5): Total cost of Meal: $7.56

Click on the image to go find more Bargain Meal of the Week!

WFMW - Using what you have for birthday parties!

Hee Hay Y'all!!!

My darling son turned 3 this past week. I let him have his choice of any type theme party he wanted. As expected, he wanted a cowboy party. My mind started to race. Cakes, decorations, plates, food.

You guys know that birthdays can be very expensive. Its been my experience as a event planner in another life to use what you already have to save money. You don't waste money on something you will never use again and it often looks great!

I took a basket that I had in the basement and lined it with a bandanna. ( No I was not in a gang... I think we used it for a costume one year) I had leftover plates, bowls and cups from another party so no expense there. I then found some little red buckets that I had with my fourth of July things to hold the silverware. To complete the authentic look I pulled my hubby great grandfathers oil lamp.


Another one of my hubbys relatives old pitcher.

My hubby got this straw to plant some seed around our yard. I begged him to hold off till after the party. What better place for presents? I found an old sign at a yard sale for change and hung it on the straw. Next I borrowed a old tin tub from my mama to keep the drinks cold.

I found a free template on-line for wanted posters. I then put my son, cousins, friends and his sister in them. I gave them names like "The mad dog gang" and being wanted for "nerve jumpin". The kids got a kick out of being on a wanted poster and it was free!

The party was a great success and everyone had fun. I didn't spend a fortune and I wasn't left with a bunch of stuff I didn't know what to do with afterwards. And that works for our whole family!!

For more WFMW ideas check out We are THAT family!