The Ultimate Swap

Shannon's my name and swappin's my game,
I've learned the tricks of the trade, reaping glam from the lame. 
I swapped death for Life in the Love of Jesus Christ,
swapped stilettos for flats, don't swing my hips, but plastic baseball bats.
Swapped a meaningless date for a loving eternal mate,
lazy days by the pool for tiny drips of sweet baby drool.
Swapped a falsely purposed life to be a fulfilled mother and wife,
stopped living on small wage tips, found better reward in that of my husband's lips. 
Swapped articles on fashion for the latest  parenting mag,
leather clutches now replaced by the hallowed diaper bag.
Swapped changing my hair dye for the change of a diaper,
led by the Holy Spirit now, not lured by nice sounds of the ill fated Pied Piper.
Swapped the old life for new and didn't have a clue,
of the joy I would find in children one and two. 
Got something to trade? Put it on the table,
your worst nightmare can still turn beautifully,
live out your best dreamed fable. 

Receipt Reading Pays

It really does pay, literally, to check your receipt. I just had three separate instances this week where I was incorrectly charged, and by catching them, saved about $20. If you have a Kroger in your area, and are charged incorrectly, their policy is to give you a full refund, not only the difference. I purchased 3 pound bag of apples there that were priced per bag, but was instead charged per pound. Cha-ching- free organic apples and $6 in my pocket. This also happened with some chips that were meant to be 2 for $5 according to the sign, but were incorrectly $3.29 each. My third instance was actually at a department store. I was purchasing a kitchen appliance with a coupon. I gave the coupon to the sales clerk, watched her scan the bar code, paid and went my way. Once I got to the car I noticed my 20% off did not register when it was scanned. I went back in and was refunded my $10. I think too many of us assume that sales clerks and registers do not make mistakes, shoving receipts away into the black abyss of a cute over-sized purse. Start checking your receipt and let me know what savings you catch. Great lesson learned for me. Now I just need to make myself do it before I walk back to the car!

Dinosaur for Lunch

Getting my children to eat healthy meals can be a battle some days. To put a spin in the mix, I got out the cookie cutters today. An average Cheese Quesadilla is now exciting, new, and even healthy! I used spinach tortillas to sneak in some added vitamins while the kids loved their green Jurassic themed lunch basking under the yellow tomato sun. This is also a great idea for parties, young and old, as you can use any theme and shape you like. What creative twists do you use in your cooking?

Easy Going, Ever Giving Chicken

Crockpot chicken is the simplest, yummiest, furthest dollar stretching dinner I know. I have told friends about it and they don't believe it is so simple until they do it themselves. Start with 1 whole chicken. I try to buy a few when Publix has their Greenwise Chickens on sale for $1.99 per pound. Spray your crock pot with non stick cooking spray. Place the chicken inside and sprinkle with whichever dried herbs you choose. Cover with lid and cook on low for 8-9 hours. That's it! This is perfect for a fix it and forget it meal. An added bonus: if you have anyone over that day, they will think you have amazing culinary skills from the savory aroma floating through your home! If you want to go one step further, you can then use what is left in your crock pot to make chicken stock. Making your own stock is way healthier and cheaper than purchasing) Simply place the bones and skin of picked chicken back into crock pot full of chicken juices, and if you choose, any vegetables and herbs although not necessary. Add water to cover, about 8-10 cups, and again, put on low for about 8 hours and walk away. Strain your stock, let cool and then refrigerate. You will see once the stock has been chilled, the fat will rise for you to scrape away. Then you can then store and freeze your stock as desired. I usually yield a few quart sized freezer bags. Or, you could continue to use your stock for tomorrow's soup du jour. It is not too good to be true-try it!

You Want to Judge Me?

I was in the grocery store this morning with my 1 and 2 year old children, and I was TOTALLY judged by another woman. I am not going to tell you the details as they are not really pertinent to the act of the  judgement itself. Honestly, my first emotions were of embarrassment, hurt, and then arrow piercing fury. I immediately left the store without saying anything to the woman (which was a good thing at that point) and when I was putting my children back in their car seats Mary, mother of Jesus, popped in my mind. Pretty random huh? No, I think God was reminding me I am not the only woman, or mother, who has been or will be unjustifiably judged. I wonder if word got out in Mary's community that she had Divinely conceived the Savior of the world. Can you imagine what her neighbors would have thought and said about her, the crazy looks she may have got? I wonder if that would have bothered her, or if she was able to hold fast to the promises God gave her, not thinking twice on the opinion of someone else. Mary had a distinct God given purpose and she knew it. God has given you & I the same. Of the million and one things that purpose could be, they are all just as important when deemed by Him. He created all of us with and in purpose and no silly judgmental woman (or anyone else) can ever take that from us. I am the first one to say that unjust thoughts of others have crept into my head; I wish that were not the case. The point is, who I am and who are you to judge anyone? Thankfully, God is the judge and He knows our hearts better than we do ourselves. I wish I could have smiled at that woman today, thanked her for her unwanted words and asked her for a tissue to wipe the snot trailing from my son's nose towards his top lip. I am not ashamed to be a sometimes exhausted mother of two beautiful toddlers with food smeared on their faces and loud vocal cords. I am purposed and so are they. 

Wild Line Caught Tuna Deal

I found a super score on Amazon today with a new $10 off coupon being offered. Crown Prince Natural Solid White Albacore Tuna is ONLY $1.74 per 6 oz can! This is wild, line caught tuna with BPA free packaging. I have only ever seen it in grocery stores for about $4-$5 a can. If you prefer Natural Solid Light Yellow fin Tuna in Olive Oil that is available by the same company with the same standards for $2.28 per 6 oz can after clipping the $14 off coupon. To get these prices, clip your coupon from the Amazon's grocery coupon page, click the 'subscribe and save' option for check out, and get free shipping. You can have it in your pantry and on your meal plan by this weekend. I don't know about you, but I love a good tuna melt on rye with Swiss cheese! Save money, eat well and support high fishing standards; we all win. 

Garden Scramble Wrap

Today was a 'there is nothing to eat in this house,' day- or so I thought. I guess when I get hungry enough my creative juices start flowing in the kitchen. After staring blankly into my fridge for several minutes, a light bulb went off that turned into the yummy goodness in this picture. My garden is producing tons of tomatoes right now as well basil. I made a batch of basil pesto last week which is an excellent condiment to have in the fridge for moments like these. So, I scrambled up 2 eggs with a dollop of cream cheese, added my diced garden tomatoes and corn from my local farmer's market. I then took a spinach wrap (which I scored a pack of for .60 last week at Publix when combining my coupon with their sale), spread some pesto down the middle, and laid my garden scramble on top. Voila. Something from nothing is mmmmm tasty! Try it and tell me what you think.