Menu Planning Monday

Monday- Lemon Herb Chicken Ring, Rice, Green Beans

Tuesday- Taco Salad - (Justin's Favorite!!) The ultimate "man" food- great for large crowds or Game Day's! You can adjust the recipe for size, this amount serves about 6!

A head of shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained with
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups tri colored Rotini noodles
1 bottle Western dressing
Optional: tomatoes, red pepper (chopped)
Add crushed Doritos (we use Nacho Cheese flavored) and dressing just before serving

Wednesday- BBQ Pork Chops, Noodles, Veggies

Thursday- leftovers

Friday- 4th of July- OUT

Saturday- leftovers, hotdogs

Sunday- Vegetarian Lasagna

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

Do you guys know Gary Chapman, author of the best-selling book, "The Five Love Languages"? (This book totally has helped my marriage big time!!

Becky has received two copies of his new book, "Love As A Way Of Life" that will be available on July 15th.

She will be offering her own review of it on July 14th - and will also give away a copy of it on that day. If you are interested in the drawing, please leave a comment on her post HERE and make sure you leave your email so she can get in touch with you. If you blog about this giveaway, linking to her blog, she will enter you twice!

My A1c HomeCheck Results Are In....

And my HomeCheck A1c result was a 6.9! I am pretty okay with this number... I was hoping for a teensy bit lower, but this is better than my last one which was in the mid 7's. Next time, my goal is to bump it down to a 6.5. If I could just get my hands on some more Dexcom sensors I think this goal would be easily attainable! I also got an A1c taken at the doctor's on Monday,along with a complete thyroid panal (I have hypothyroidism) but haven't gotten the results yet. I'll let you know how close they compare. I'm anxious to find out. =) I was REALLY happy with the simplicity of the test, the customer service was fantastic and their support team got back to me very quickly through email. I defitnately recommend giving them a try!

This week I am not around much. It is VBS camp week at our church and the dozens of first graders are keeping me busy!! Gabriel is really enjoying being in the Pre School dept. It's hilarious listening to him recount the Bible stories... he gets them all really confused and melds them all together.... "So Nehemiah built a BIG wall and then he put baby Jesus in a basket and floated him down the Nile river where Princess Fiona found him (who's watched Shrek too many times?) and took him fishing. Then they fed lots of people food with a couple fish and some bread. ..."

I love 3 year olds.

Friday Felicities

Things that make me happy.... for more, visit Becky.

* My Father in heaven who adores me
* Seattle's Best free coffee samples
* Devil Rays Games
* Baby Showers
* VBS
* Franklin the mighty dog and his new friend, Joe the Beagle
* Unexpected bonuses

This is Me, Raising My Voice....

On December 25th, 2007 I almost died. On December 29th 2007, I almost died again. My blood sugar plummeted into the low 20's during my nighttime sleep. On Christmas I woke up screaming incomprehensible words and flailing my arms and legs, waking my husband. On December 29th, my husband's birthday, he mysteriously awoke and found me passed out on the floor next to our bed, minutes from death. (Happy Birthday sweet heart) There is a technology available that can prevent this from ever happening to me again.

It is a frustrating thing knowing there is a technology available to help free me from the daily worry of going into a coma, or passing out because of my hypoglycemia unawareness while I am home alone taking care of my children. Or dying in my sleep because my blood sugar gets to low. Yet this technology is being denied by major insurance companies in many cases, stating that it is not "medically necessary." It brings me to the point of tears sometimes. I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for my insurance company to come through for me and approve my Dexcom 7 CGMS, so I can be freed from this worry. Yet they continue to drag their heels. I haven't gotten a denial yet, but it has been pending since January. JANUARY! Ridiculous. I encourage diabetics to raise their voices and post this video by Manny Hernandez of Tudiabetes.com on your blogs!

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems are approved by the FDA and are some of the best diabetic technology available to help control blood glucose levels. The JDRF is working on completing this technology by researching ways to create a closed loop system as a sort of external pancreas. We are making strides.

I am tired of worrying about if I will be around to watch my children complete their major milestones. Graduating college, getting married, rocking my grandchildren for the first time, retiring and traveling with my husband. I want to live to see these years.

So I beg you, Raise your voice.




Find more videos like this on Tu Diabetes - A Community for People Touched by Diabetes



Also see: Six Until Me's battle with CGMS approval

What Should I Do?

OK here's the deal....

I just transferred 3 prescriptions to the CVS pharmacy because I had the coupons that got you a $25 giftcard, with each transfer. I just got coupons in the mail from our new Publix pharmacy offering $25 giftcards if I now transfer them to Publix. Hmmmmm.... I shop at CVS all the time, I almost feel a sense of customer loyalty to them. I even witnessed them give a free CVS gift card to a homeless man that had wandered in one day. That made me feel good about shopping there. BUT that's $75 of free groceries! What would you do? I welcome your thoughts!

My Favorite Things....

It's week two of My Favorite Things over at FiddleDeeDee's Blog! Last week I saw some pretty cool stuff!
I am a Bzz Agent. I get free samples of things, occasionally and get to review them, spread the word about them, hand out coupons for them! I have handed out and used a few coupons for this product. It's the Ziploc Twist and Loc containers. I LOOOVE THEM! Basically, they twist shut instead of pressing shut, so you KNOW they are closed. They also have great measurement markers and a place to write the date on the top (great for leftovers... how long ago did we have this?? Is it growing mold yet??)
I've also used them to store craft stuff (like Gabriel's little tiny foam pieces that he loves to play with and glue to random things all over my house. )

Menu Planning Monday

Monday- Sloppy Joes, Rice, Carrots

Tuesday- Chicken Fajitas, salad

Wednesday- Dana's Taco Lasagna (Can also be made vegetarian by subbing lentils for ground beef/turkey)

Thursday- Lemon Herb Chicken Ring Rice, Green Beans

Friday- Leftovers

Saturday lunch- Hot dogs
Saturday dinner- DATE NIGHT! KIDS AT NANA'S!

Next week will be challenging. Myself and the kids (including the dog!) will be staying at my Mom's house so we can all attend VBS at our church. Justin will be here by himself. I don't really want him eating out every night. I plan on freezing half of the taco lasagna because it makes sooo much. I also stocked up on Hebrew National Hot Dogs to do a rebate from Publix (Buy $20 worth of Cogna foods and get a $25 Home Depot giftcard! We need fertilizer and ant killer! )

Any ideas of foods I can make ahead for him?

CVS 6/13/08

Yup. Had to go one more time this week to score some diapers and a summer's worth of cereal!!

Transaction #1
3 Fiber One cereals $10 (So good for diabetics!! 57% of daily recommended fiber in one bowl! Bolus accordingly)
1 Huggies Pull-ups $7.99
1 milk 3.69
Total: 22

-$3/$15 CVS coupon
- 3 $1 off Fiber One
- $2 Huggies Pull Ups
- ECB's = $0 Out of Pocket

Transaction #2
3 Lucky Charms (Gross... enjoy, Justin) $9
1 Cheerios $3.00
Dozen Eggs $1.39
1 milk 3.69
= $17

- $3/$15 CVS coupon
- .75 Cheerios
- $2 General Mills cereal coupon
= about $11 paid mostly with ECB's and a few dollars cash. =)
I earned $10 for all the cereal in ECB's for next time.
I am happy. =)

Try It!

I noticed the other day... that I'm getting the lumps. You know, those nasty little bumps on your stomach that form when you've been injecting or pumping your poor tummy for like....oh... almost 20 years.
I FINALLY decided to be brave and use my upper-outer thigh as an infusion site for my insulin pump. I am LOVING having a pump free tummy for the first time in 9 years!! Man, it needs a break. So far I have noticed that my insulin absorption is a little more sensitive (which is good) I believe due to the fact that there is no scar tissue in my legs.... and a lot less fat too. haha. ( I have tiny chicken legs) I first saw that you could even DO this on Six Until Me's (Kerri) blog. I'll let you know how it all turns out!

Friday Felicities

Things That Make Me Happy....

*Netflix
*Reading Books To My Kids
*Franklin snuggling up to me when it thunders
*The Panda Ninja Movie tomorrow (I don't know what it's called!)
*A Weekend With Justin
*Steak Tonight
*Playing Pretend Ping-Pong (paddles and sound effects, no table, no ball...haha...3 year olds are awesome!)

A1c HomeCheck

Hey fellow D-bloggers!

I just ordered my first A1c Homecheck test from Diabetech. I watched the video from Bernard's Diabetes Tech blog and since I have an endo appointment coming up in a couple weeks, I decided I'd like to see how the two results compare. This will also be my first appointment since being on (and off) the Dexcom 7 CGMS (Continuous Glucose Monitoring System). I'm hoping my results will be better. I'm thinking 6's!!

NOTE: This is NOT a sponsored post. I will review this product and let you know what I think, whether that be good or bad! =)

CVS 6/10/08

My best trip yet!! Craziness!!!!

Transaction 1
4 Coke product 12 packs $11
2 Listerine Smart Rinses $3.49 each
1 CVS bandaides 1.99
Total= $20
- $3 off $15
-$1 Smart Rinse
- $16 ECB's


Transaction 2
2 Nivea shave gels $3.99 each
1 Nivea something or other that hubby wanted $6.98
1 Brut cologne for Pops $6.99
1 Bandaides $1.99
Total: $24
- $3/$15
- $4 Nivea
-$1 Nivea
-.75 Brut
- 14 ECB's
Total OOP= .96 cents!!!!
Total ECB's Earned = $18.50 for next time!

Justin almost killed me for bringing home Bandaids..... he works for a First Aid and Safety company and we pretty much have access to first aid stuff for free whenever we want... I tried to explain that I was going to give them to the Pregnancy Crises Center along with some of the bazillion razors and toothbrushes I've been bringing home. Guys just don't understand. =)

I Signed Up For Pay Per Post

I have been trying to get my blog approved for a while now and this morning I got the magic email from Pay Per Post! I'm now an approved blogger for payperpost and I will be getting PAID to BLOG! I have never really been consistent in blogging until recently. But lately I feel like I've had a lot to share. Bargains, Recipes, and lots of other fun things! (Like the video below of my children's heads on a big hairy man's body.... go check it out... you know you want to)

I first heard about Pay Per Post from my friend Michelle, who has been a Pay Per Post-er for a while now. She made a lot of extra cash while she was a stay-at-home-wife going through some expensive grad school programs for Masters in Counseling. You can sign up for Pay Per Post too by clicking the link above, or on my sidebar! It's a great way to earn some extra cash, and blog about things that interest you, or about products and services that you may already use! Your blog does need to be at least 90 days old, and you need to have at least 10 posts per month to qualify.

We are currently following the Dave Ramsey Debt Snowball philosophies and have been coming up with lots of creative ways to add extra income to our budget. These extra dollars will help us knock out debt even faster!!

Warning- This Might Be A TAAAD Bit Disturbing....

I'm addicted to Jib Jab ecards..... I just made one for Justin's Aunt Rose who gave Gabriel a humongous box of Hot Wheels and Zoe some very cute clothes and shoes. We went and saw the LION KING this weekend at the local performing arts center and it was stinkin incredible! We also got pedicures and had a great day of shopping. Justin stayed home ALL DAY with the kids and gave me a fantastic day out with the gals. I am forever grateful!

Without further au du....

Don't send a lame eCard.
Try JibJab Sendables!

My Favorite Things...

Sarah over at FiddleDeeDee has started doing a weekly "My Favorite Things" blog. I know I know, it looks kinda weird and creepy, but don't knock it till you try it folks! Recently, I stumbled across something called a Netti Pot. It kinda looks like a little watering can for a midget. You fill it with warm salty water, tilt your head, and pour it in your nose while you breathe through your mouth. It goes into your nasal passages and then comes out the other side of your nostril. It feels a little tingly and weird at first, but then you blow your nose into a tissue and you can TOTALLY BREATHE!!! It is so great to use for allergies, a cold, or just to clean out your sinuses. And no meds! It's amazing. I saw Dr. Oz using one on Oprah and I thought I'd give it a go since we have allergies pretty often around here. You can get them at any drug store in the pharmacy section for about $15.

Menu Planning Monday

Easy Breezy This Week

Monday- Beef Tacos and Yellow Rice

Tuesday- Crockpot Chicken and veggies

Southwestern Chicken- soo easy and soo good!!
1 can of drained corn
1 can of drained and rinsed black beans
6 chicken breast halves on top of this
top with one bottle of Wishbone Bountifuls Santa Fe dressing
salt and pepper
cook on low for 6-8 hours and enjoy!

Wednesday- Burgers and Salad

Thursday- Shrimp, Green Bean Cassarole, Veggies

Friday- Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad

Sat- leftover madness

Sunday- Father's Day... eating out

CVS 6/6/08

OK, I swear I will not go to CVS again this week. It's becoming an addiction! Last night I hit the CVS by our church after attending a VBS meeting. (Hi Ellen! I know you're reading this!) This is what I got:

Transaction 1:
2 Pampers packs at 7.99 each
2 Sensitive Wipes packs at 2.99 each
Total = 22

Used one $4/$20 welcome coupon from Justin's account - He had never signed up at CVS .com
Used 2 $2/ 2 Pampers products from last week's Proctor and Gamble inserts in the paper
Used $13.98 in ECB's adjusted down

Pennies out of pocket
Got $5 ECB's back

Transaction 2:
2 Oral B toothbrushes @ 6.99 each
2 Chex Mix @ $1 each
Total: $16

Used a $3/$15 from the Beacon Jounal online paper
Used 2 $1 Chex (making those free since they were on sale for $1
Used $5 ECB's from above transaction
The remainder I used the last bit I had on a giftcard from a transferred Rx

Got $13.98 in ECB's back!

Does anyone want a free toothbrush? I think I have about a dozen in my linen closet now. lol. Our church helps out a lot of local food banks and pregnancy centers.... I'll be checking into where I can put the extra free stuff to good use.

Friday Felicities

*Zoe girl is crawling! *sniff sniff*
*Unexpected bonus
*Lion King tomorrow night!
*Family coming to visit
*Harborside Children's Camp aka VBS

Wordless Wednesday... A Little Late

HOW to Begin Shopping at CVS

Over the past month I've started using coupons, and playing the Extra Care Bucks savings game at CVS. Lavonne over at Economic Endeavors has written a wonderful HOW TO blog for people who would like to start saving money at CVS. Over the past month I have gotten all my diapers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, milk, paper towels, batteries, and razors at CVS and have paid less than $20 out of pocket for a pretty big stash. It's really been quite a blessing! There are a lot of fantastic sites with great tips on grocery and household savings. I find this being more and more important for our family with the current raising of gas and food prices. I've linked to most of them through the blog Money Saving Mom. Hopefully some of you can benefit from this as well!!

Well, at least it's done....

I've been on the phone with Dexcom, Blue Cross, and my endo's office for 2 hours now. Apparently I have NOT been denied as first thought by the EOB I received from them stating nothing would be covered for the Dexcom. Someone dropped the ball and lost my "Letter of Medical Necessity" and the insurance company did not have it on file. Doctors office said Dexcom had it on file, Dexcom said they sent it, but Blue Cross didn't have it. So I just had my Endo's office fax a new copy of it directly to Blue Cross with ATTN: to the woman I spoke with personally on the phone. (Lynn) Hopefully she will receive it and get it into the hands where it belongs. I will try to call back on Thursday or Friday and make sure it was received though. I hate how long this process takes. It's frustrating. But at least there is still hope that it will be somewhat covered. I'd LOVE some more sensors so I could monitor my sugars more closely at night. It puts my mind at ease from those scary hypo's that I don't seem to awake to anymore till it's almost too late.

CVS 6/1/08

Transaction 1

2 Duracell batteries 7.99 each
1 Bounty paper towels 5.99
Total = $22

Used $3 off/$15
.25 cents of Bounty
2 $1 off Duracell
Used ECBs to pay for the rest

Got back $10 ECB

Transaction 2
2 Listerine Smart Rinse $3.99 each
1 Schick Razor $9.99
Total $18

Used $3 off/ $15
2 $1 Listerine from 6/1 paper
$4 off Razor
Used ECB's for balance
Recieved $12 ECBs

Next time I am going to do this one that I saw on Money Saving Mom


Buy 2 Oral B CrossAction Toothbrushes
Buy 2 Dawn dish soaps
Use $3/$15 CVS coupon
Use 2 $0.25/1 Dawn coupons
Spend $12.48 plus tax out of pocket
Get $14.48 ECBs back!

I'm also going to get 2 packages of Pampers and some wipes and get the $5 ECB's back.

It has been VERY fun using ECB's to pay the balances of my transactions and spending NO MONEY out of pocket barely! I love this game!

`

Monday- Steaks, Roasted Califlower, Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday- Lemon Herb Chicken Ring, Rice, Salad

Wednesday- Burgers, chips, salads

Thursday- Crock Pot Lasagna, Texas Toast, Green Beans

Friday- Baked Chicken Fingers, carrots and dip

Saturday- Out with In Laws

Sunday- Out with Tonya and Dan / leftovers

Indiana Jones and A Parenting Rant...

Justin and I got the chance to go to the new Indiana Jones movie thanks to my fantastic friend Lindsey. For some reason, she didn't want some movie gift cards that her middle school students had given her. (She didn't have AMC's near where she lived) So we put the kids to bed at my parent's house on Saturday night and headed to a late movie. We had sooo much fun!!!! We were trying to remember a time that we had gone on a date since Zoe's been born (which was 9 months ago!!) but we couldn't think of one other than my best friend's wedding, which doesn't really count because I was a bridesmaid and I had duties, dont-cha know!! The movie itself, by the way, was pretty good. I know it's been getting bad reviews, and apparently my sister fell asleep during it. But I was entertained for 2 hours. It wasn't nearly as good as the first ones (think Indiana Jones meets E.T.....I know, weird right?), but I sure enjoyed seeing old "Jonesy" again.

I am a total people watcher. We had to wait in line for a little while and I noticed a lot of things that disturbed me.

1. Teenage girls must not have father's these days because I couldn't believe what some of them were wearing. These new little see thru mini skirts with tanks and bra straps hanging out. Ugh.... I wanted to scream out "That's NOT sexy!!!" Sometimes I wish the "What Not To Wear" couple would just jump out from behind a garbage can and help these poor souls realize that covering up is MUCH more sexy. It leaves more to the imagination and says, "I respect myself and have confidence." Zoe will never leave the house in one of these outfits.

2. I saw at least 4 couples who looked like they were in middle school. With no parents in site. And I looked for hiding spying parents. Couldn't find a one...unless they were incredibly good hiders. Zoe will never go on a date without Justin and I following at a close 25 feet behind, hiding behind garbage cans. (Who'd-a-thought I'd mention hiding behind garbage cans twice in one post?) And she will NOT go on dates in middle school. Nope.

3. Lots of Mom's with very young girls going to see Sex In The City. Do I need to say more? And we wonder why the STD rate is going up with each generation. *shudders* I saw Cal Thomas on Fox News this weekend. He mentioned that if this show was on in his Grandma's generation she'd call it "Sluts in Stilettos" haha. I'm not a huge fan of this show, though I'm sure it's wildly entertaining watching single women sleep with lots of hot men within the first day of knowing them and then endlessly wondering why each relationship fails. Zoe will not watch R rated movies till she's 17 and even then she might not if she chooses to go to the same college we went to, because they don't allow it! haha!! (Thanks FCC)

I don't look forward to adolescence. *runs to go get her Dr. Dobson books from the shelf*