me again margaret... no one remembers that song... i alway quote it though

I always start with blah blah blah haven't blogged... blah blah blah. We all know it might be a while, but it is a new year and things can change. I am starting this things I love with some sappy stuff. READER BEWARE!

New years always get to me. I used to make resolutions and never kept them, I tried, but I have some sort of authority complex. Went to therapy and she fell asleep (another post sometime). Last year I made a sort of resolution. I said I would try to keep my mind open (no jokes on my ditziness please). So all year I really tried (TRIED keyword) to look at myself when judging others. I really wanted to say who cares! Let people be themselves as long as they don't hurt me or anyone else whey do we care? Who cares if the girl down the street's husband hit her. She made the choice to stay. Who cares if the guy at the Salon is GAY.... WHOOOO scary huh! Who cares if the lady in HEB has a crush on me? LOL

When it came to looking at others I stopped and looked at Mitzi. What do people see when they meet me? A crazy blonde (yes it is real LOL) who has two insane redheaded girls and one big nerdy hunky man? Or do they see a mom who adores her lil family, who loves art, loves all that is silly and funny and one who has her own skeletons in her closet?

That is what we all have right? If you are reading this and live in a glass house then just run for your life cause us screwed up folks are going to get you! bahhahahahah

I haven't been perfect at this resolution. I kept it to myself really. I didn't want to pressure. I did judge people when I shouldn't have, but it is really cause you are irritated with something in your own life or is it cause you are jealous your not as free or that someone pissed you off. It's okay we all do it, but the trick is to admit and try to change. It is a daily thing. I read facebook people! LOL

The point was to look at this is my life. My once chance to be MITZI MICHELLE HENRY BALES. I need to really try (TRY is the key word) to live up to that name. To be who I am and let others be who they are. If they judge me... yeah it might sting cause it is to close to home, but who really cares. Mamaw always said we all put our pants on one leg at a time... (I would always imagine this and wonder if she meant people without legs too... See I am screwed up... damn therapist)! LIVE AND LET LIVE PEOPLE LIFE IS SO VERY SHORT!

PS here is the link to the hello it's me again margaret.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPrQOiS_zLQ

Hi my name is Mitzi and I am addicted to coupons.

Let's not get crazy though okay people. The extreme coupon show is just overboard, although I am jealous that they are that good. I am in week 3 or 4 now, saving on average about $40 on a grocery bill once a week. Pretty good I must say myself. It is overwhelming when you start, but once you start it is like a drug (child of the 70's here I know!)

Shout out to my sis in law Julie (aka J-Dog), she sent a few websites my way to help get me started. She is much better at this whole thing than me! The site she sent that I so LOVE is southernsavers.com you can go on the site and choose your store. Then make a shopping list that will include coupons you need to clip. She even gives you links to sites to get more coupons to print.

I also started shopping at CVS they have a card called extra bucks. I went and bought toothpaste for $2.77 per tube with a $.75 coupon, but with the card I got all that money back, so over $5 on my next purchase at CVS. The cashier told me to buy the toothpaste first then use the $5 back on the rest of my purchases. I am not a big CVS shopper, but hey free is free right?

The same week I got a big high from not just my CVS visit, but also went to target. There I bought 2 hair color kits (no it is not natural girls!) The hair color was $11.99 each, alot more than I usually spend. Target had a deal that if you bought two of them, you would get a $5 gift card. The site I use told me to go to target.com print a coupon for each $5 and there was a coupon for $5 off in the news paper, one from my paper and one my friend gave me. In the end I spent $1.99 on each hair color and got a $5 gift card. Not to bad for a first timer LOL!

Here is my tip to you! Watch TLC's Extreme Couponing for fun. Don't think oh crap how can I do that. If I can save $40 a week you can probably save more!!!

the only thin thing i like

Ha ha ha... gotta
pretzel crisps are the best! i mean it! they pretzels and they are thin and they are so freaking good. i like the original ones with salt on them. i have eaten them with cheese... good... with tuna salad .... good .... with guacamole ... good with peanut butter... good. new project is going to melt some chocolate and dip them in for stella's party!

get some eat some and you will see! best thin thing this year!

http://pretzelcrisps.elsstore.com/

hamburger helper makes a great meal

Don't be a snob! REALLY!
Hamburger helper is cool and if you don't think so then let me change your mind! My new fav is the ASIAN (labeled in purple... if you knew me as a designer you will laugh at this comment). This one is the beef fried rice. Oh and it is gluten free for all those who have issues with that! It has peas and carrots in it. I made ours with ground turkey and you scramble two eggs and add them. I guess if you are a vegi only eater... you could use tofu. I also made some frozen eggrolls and those kids of mine had two helpings. Hubby did too!

check it out and prove me wrong! double dog dare ya!

blogger presents oh my!

this holiday season i received many items from my favorites blog. who knew it would be a hint to get gifts. i got smackers chap sticks, lotion from bath and body works, shampoo and conditioner and bath soap! thank you julie, katie and karen. so my new goal this year is to help everyone out with great things i love and maybe you too will love them....

so first item of the year!

my husbands family loves to amazon. i have started loving it too! we put up our wish lists. i have one, steve and both my girls. kinda fun with a 3 yr old to do. this is not only helpful for xmas, but for the birthdays. this year i had that i wanted battery operated sea salt and peppercorn grinders. my sister in-law karen saw that i wanted them and went on her own and got me an upgrade on the ones i registered for. they are stainless steal, use aaa batteries and get this they have a light on the bottom so if you are eating by candle light you can see what you are salting. ha ha ha... like that is going to happen at my house for about 20 yrs! but i adore them! they are very slim and sleek looking and super cool. everyone loves a little light on their nummy nums!

made by cole and mason

decoration traditions

This is my favorite time of year. I am sure we all have things we do each year. Being a mom of two little girls I have started each year buying them an ornament for the tree. It started when I was pregnant with Stella and got one with a mommy and daddy chicken, the momma was knitting. so cute. Last year Stella was really into Spiderman, and another year was trains. This year will be Little Mermaid and Irene is so into babies or fairies or hello kitty. I date them and save them. Maybe one day they will want them for their own tree's. Something that isn't too expensive to do, and makes memories each year!

apple yummy

A few people have told me about this and I just started making it. OMG it is so easy and SO SO good. I am thinking of new ways and different things to use in it. So far I have made it with peaches and with apples. Today I made it with raisins combined in the apple one.

here it is!

Ingredients

• 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
• 2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Mountain Dew ™ (i like orange juice instead)
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.
3. Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew™ over the dumplings.
4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.