I am finding it harder and harder to sit down, when time allows, and find anything meaningful to blog about.

I am still here.

I am still doing my darnedest to work both jobs, do them well, and have energy left over at the end of the proverbial day to put a smile on my face for my family.

I am still spending what extra time I have to peruse my favorite couponing web sites, plan out each week’s shopping, cook real food whenever I possibly can, and working on some crochet projects for holiday gifts.

I am doing everything in my power to hold on to the hope that, in the end, that Accolan’s benefits will be reinstated and that life will be able to return to some semblance of normalcy before too many more months have passed.

In the meantime I wanted to stop by and wish a Happy Halloween to the readers that are still with us (and a Blessed Samhain as well).

Jia

Friday into Saturday is usually the one night that I can try and sleep in in order to play “catch up” on the previous week’s lost and broken sleep.  Thankfully last night was one such night.  THough, truth be told, I could lie right back down and fall back to sleep given the opportunity.

I only work a short shift at job #2 tonight (4 hours), but tomorrow will be  a bit hectic as I am working 5 hours at job #1, coming home briefly, and then going to job #2 for another 4 hour shift.  Then it is a usual week: 40 hours at job # and 21 hours at job #2.

We’re managing to survive since Accolan’s disability was cut off in July.  Not everything is getting paid on time.  We are having to fall a bit further into debt each month.  But, all things considered, we’re okay.

Of course it means that my 3rd job (now that my actual job #3 ended) is very close to what I used to do when Accolan was the sole bread-winner – to make what income we earn seem like much much more.

Some of that means spending hours flipping through sale flyers, perusing couponing websites, printing and or cutting coupons, and shopping.  Shopping with multiple coupons and combining them with special sales and price matching can be a little complicated and so it is something that Accolan and I do together.

From what I’ve seen of this week’s sale flyers, I won’t be able to pull off anything close to my great deal at Acme this week, but I should be able to fill some holes in the pantry nonetheless.

Another part of my “third job” is what is always is this time of year – gearing up for the holidays.  Watching for good sales on items the girls want/need is part of it.  But, this year, much of it involves trying to make as many presents as possible. You know? With all that free time I have (hee hee hee).

So are you starting to plan for the holidays?  Do you make any gifts?

Blessings

Jia

I spent a goodly amount of time this week perusing sale flyers, my two favorite couponing websites, and printing out online manufacturer coupons.  Most of it is for my weekly price-match shopping trip to Walmart tomorrow.  But, this week also required a separate trip to Acme so that I could take advantage of a special sale (extra $5 off the purchase of 10 select items) and the ability to double coupons.

I wound up having to bring the whole family with me so that I could break the order down into 4 separate orders.  I had to make some last minute changes to my plan.  But in the end we purchased:

2 boxes Cookie Crisp cereal
2 boxes Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
4 cans Progresso soup
3 bags Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
2 boxes Betty Crocker Muffin Mix
2 bags Chex Mix
2 bags Bugles
1 box Milk ‘N Cereal Bars

8 boxes Totino Pizza Rolls
4 Individual Totino Pizzas

6 cans Grands Biscuits
2 cans Crescent Rolls
2 boxes Go-Gurt Yogurt

The Down and Dirty?

The full retail for these items would’ve been $112.51

I spent ….. $35.08 …. a savings of 69% and received a bonus $12 worth of boxtops for education that printed out at the end of my order.

But, it gets a little better … one of the items I purchased didn’t get it’s sale discount so on my way home tomorrow I will be stopping for an adjustment (and will likely get the item FREE).

Wonder how well I’ll do at my next shopping outing tomorrow?

Blessings

Jia

PS Sorry I haven’t been here much.  Jobs #1 and 2 are taking up most of my energy (and time).  Job #3 didn’t last as long as I would’ve hoped and so crazy couponing is becoming my third job.  Add to that the fact that I am trying to make a number of holiday gifts this year and it seems that even my “down time” is pretty darn busy.  I am hoping to be able to better organize my time in the weeks ahead and, at the very least, hope that each of you are well.

The week started out on a sour note.  Sephoni wound up with another occurrence of stomach pain and vomiting, and after some hemming and hawing Monday found us at the E.R.  While she wasn’t truly emergent, she’d been unable to keep much, if anything, down since Saturday and it was the 3rd episode in 3 weeks.  Having no health insurance these days, it seemed to make more sense to take advantage of the E.R.’s ability to do blood-work (and any other necessary testing) so we could leave with answers even if it meant another bill I would have to figure out a way to pay off.

Their diagnosis was the same it was last year – GERD.  It took until Thursday for her to be able to return to school, but by her birthday on Friday she was almost 100% recovered.  And so we were able to start off our weekend on a positive note.

We decided to take her to buy a new bird as the bulk of her birthday present.  She had missed having a feathered friend since the passing of Maya and for about $40 (bird, food, treats, new toys) we were the “best parents ever.”

Saturday brought with it the arrival of our friend Casey.  We had a lovely relaxing day: went out and bought our Halloween pumpkin and then went to a local Chinese place for dinner (treated by my dad). Afterward, we came home and had birthday cake.

Sunday we had a leisurely morning (coffee and pastry) and headed out to Eastern State Penitentiary.  The history was fascinating.  The visit itself was creepy and a bit sad.  While we didn’t have any overt experiences there were plenty of moments of arm hairs standing on end.  We ended our day with burgers at a nearby restaurant and a unexpected stop in a used bookstore.

It has been dubbed the “best birthday ever” by Sephoni and I think we all had an equally wonderful time.  Casey left last night, as always too soon for my taste, and the plan is for her to come up the weekend of 12/17 for our 4th annual cookie baking extravaganza.  The expectation is that she might have to pick up the bulk of the baking (with my girls as her slaves) as I don’t know how much (if any) time I will be able to take off.

In other news, I am struggling with what to do in terms of blogging.  I desperately still want Blade and Cauldron to turn into something more than a place for me to whine.  I am not really ready to let go of 2 Witches, and am contemplating renaming it (and possibly even putting everything previous into unreadable draft status) and starting anew.  The problem of course is lack of time, lack of energy, and lack of inspiration.

Working 60-65 hours a week does not leave me much.  But, I have to believe that there are ways to make the time, ways to create the energy, and even find the inspiration.

Blessings

Jia

The plan is to eat pretty plain and simple this week. Not only to save money but to make sure that come next weekend my fridge is empty.

Accolan and Reya made a large batch of macaroni and cheese with peas.  A mix of packaged macaroni and cheese, plain pasta, shredded cheddar, milk, butter, and frozen peas.  Since almost everything is purchased at rock bottom prices it comes together quickly and cheaply.

The other dish seeing us through this week is Spicy Oven Fried Chicken.  I started with this recipe and made some tweaks.  I used 3 parts seasoned bread crumbs and 2 parts grated Parmesan cheese with a bit of cayenne pepper for heat.  I made a triple batch so I had enough for Accolan, my dad, and me to each have a taste today and still have plenty to see us through 2 dinners (with frozen veggies and biscuits from a tube on the side).  I am thrilled with how it came out, and I think I have a new favorite way to make chicken.

Friday is Sephoni’s 12th birthday and we will likely be eating out (my Dad treats on birthdays) or ordering food in.

Saturday morning will see the arrival of our friend Casey and the plan is to spend the day at home and make a spread of Indian and/or Thai dishes like:

• Red Beef Curry
• Green Chicken Curry
• Triple Mushroom Saute
• Dal
• Benghan Bartha
• Aloo Matar

While my Dad doesn’t like any of these dishes, the rest of us love them.  And since my Dad doesn’t like them I don’t get to make them very often.  Casey’s visit give me the perfect excuse to put out a feast.  Luckily, I already have the more obscure ingredients (fish sauce, curry paste, coconut milk) and much of the basics (curry powder, jasmine rice, lentils) already on hand so I won’t even have to spend a lot to do it.

More later.

Blessings

Jia