They really DO work!

For Christmas we got a new tv.  Usually I would not even care but we have had no cable, satellite or antenna for several months.  It was one of those items that we could live without to give us a little more money every month.  It is true that I miss the Food Network very much, but I still am breathing.

Don't get me wrong. 

We still watched some tv.  www.hulu.com is an awesome website and we were able to watch most of our favorite shows on the computer in the evening.  It was not the most comfortable tv viewing experience but it did fill the quench.  I have learned over the past several months that it's okay to have a black box sitting in my family room and that I do not require it to be on.

The benefit of the new tv is that we are now able to hook up a digital antenna to it.  We only have a few of the local channels, some spanish channels, and some christian channels. 

Yesterday I turned it on. 

It was the first day for the kids to go back to school and I was getting ready to dive into housework.  I do that every day around 10am.  I am able to accomplish so much MORE while the kids are gone.  It's AMAZING!  I am, by far, the laziest tv watcher I know.  Whatever is on the tv I will watch.  Maybe it's from years of being forced to watch whatever my father wanted to watch...I don't know but it's what I do.

Background noise with mild entertainment.

A program was on that I have never watched before.  Joyce Meyer.  I have heard of her and know that she writes books and is on the radio, but again, I have never listened to her.  As I did the dishes I listened and she made me laugh.  She seems like an extremely down to earth woman who wears her past and how she is on her sleeve. 

Yesterday she was discussing how she would run around the house and clean.  "I would go in the kitchen, see the dishwasher needed unloading and begin unloading it.  As I was doing that the dryer dinged so I ran to remove the clothes out of the dryer.  As I was folding the clothes I saw a package on the coffee table and remembered I needed to send it so I got dressed to go the post office...."

You get the picture.
I laughed when she said it.
It describes me to a tee!

After I finished up my dishes, well, kinda.  I left a few for later to do...just in case I got bored?  I went to the restroom and realized that it was DISGUSTING.

You see...it's the kids bathroom.  I have not cleaned it in two weeks.  Even the bathtub was gross.  I am not sure what my kids do in there...but jeesh.  I went and got the bleach and began filling the bathtub with water.  That's what I do.  Pour some bleach in, fill the bathtub, let it soak and then clean the whole thing up and it smells beautiful.

Well, I did something weird yesterday.

Since Duke likes to drink gallons and gallons of water when he shouldn't...and since this water had bleach in it...I decided that I should close the door.  That way he couldn't drink it.

Sometime later I remembered...

Seriously guys. 
I'm talking some time later. 
Like over an hour.
Maybe two.

I remember because all of the sudden I heard it.

The hubby had just gotten home for lunch.  Oh no.  He's gonna kill me.  I am sure the water has flooded Maria's bedroom.  All of her stuff is going to be ruined.  What if it seaped out the other door and is under the laminate flooring?

Without hesitation but much trepidation I flew open the door.  I could NOT believe my eyes.  The water was to the very top of the tub.  Almost level, but not one drip had dropped to the floor.  Nope, that nifty little drain did it's job and the water did not escape.

"Oh thank goodness.  They really do work!"

I had always wondered as a child if those things worked.  I was never daring enough to try or challenge.  I did learn now that they do.  Or at least MINE does.   I'm not sure about yours so I wouldn't try it at your home. 

Maybe at your friends house. 

After those thoughts though I did realize something.  Our water bill is going to be through the roof!  The hubby is going to be IRATE.  I have not told him about my "ooooops" moment but I will when he yells about the water bill.  In the meantime I guess there are no baths for me...only short showers to compensate for the water that I wasted.

I think I need to take Joyce's advice.

Slowdown.
Pay attention.
Do not be too busy.
Complete what you start.

lol.

Have YOU ever done that? 



Or am I the ONLY blonde in the house?

Smart Shopper?

It is Monday.
 
Monday means grocery day.

I spend maybe longer then most as I plan out what we are going to eat for the week.  I sit down and look at the previous weeks to see what we have eaten so that I can decide what I will punish my family with this week.  I try and get some veggies in there, vary the meat day-to-day, vary the starches and somehow try to not make family cooking boring.

And all on a pretty small budget.

After I plan my menu I double check the items in the pantry and fridge and begin thinking about what the kids will eat for breakfast and lunch...and of course snacks and other baked adventures.

I then strap on my tennis shoes, drink a cup of coffee, grab a banana and a water and head out the door with my $1 reusable bags.

I arrive at the grocery store, head to the back of the store where the dairy section is, look at my list and try to play FIND THAT DAIRY so I can begin the task of checking things off.  Needless to say every single time I get to the front of the store with my cart and my crossed out list...there in front of me is a overlooked dairy product. 

Already frustrated by being at Wal-Mart for far too long I turn around and head back again. 

Seriously...where is the dispenser?

My friend recently introduced me to a new contraption.  Maybe it is not "new" but it is definitely new to me.  She had two and gave me one. 

What is it?

It is called the Smart Shopper (SS101). 

At first I thought...is this really going to help me?

The Smart Shopper is magnetic on the back so that is able to stick to your refrigerator.  Mine is on the side so that the kids do not mess with it.  After I do my menu planning I sit and enter in the items that I need to buy.

Just hit RECORD, speak what I want and a pop-up list appears.  You find the item that you said and hit SELECT.

That's it. 

Well, that is not it.  I have found the reason that this contraption is so useful for ME.  You see, I enjoy baking and cooking and use lots of different miscellaneous things that I often forget about when I go to the grocery store.  I can set the empty container on the counter to try and make me remember but I ALWAYS forget.

Things that I often forget?

Oregano.
Cayenne.
Shirt starch.
Toilet paper.
Windex.
Dog food.

You get the idea.  It's all the items that I KNOW I need when it runs out...but by the time I make my list and check it twice...it's gone.

This is one area that the SmartShopper has made grocery shopping so much easier.  You see, I have now trained myself to walk to the fridge and RECORD the item that I just ran out of. 

Those forgotten items are no longer forgotten!

Not only that but when you are ready to head to the store you press PRINT...and your grocery list prints out.  Not only does that save my hand from cramping up and eliminates duplicate items (because I am brain-dead)...it breaks the grocery list down into sections.

Obviously this is nice because the grocery store is broken down that way too.  :)

If you need to run errands prior or after the grocery store just add them to the list!

Overall, I really like the gadget.  There are a couple of improvements that I would like to see the Smart Shopper take on...

Please add quantity. 

You see, when I go to the store I have amounts that I need: 4lb ground beef, 2 pkgs chicken, 2 cans of green beans.  You get the idea. 

The second?

I would love to be able to program mine to show the cost per item...that way I have a grocery list and PRICE prior to ever leaving for the store.  I live on a budget and if I need to alter something around I would rather do it at home then at the register.

And yes, the budget is that tight.

Would I recommend the Smart Shopper?  Yes, for those that need to shop with a list...which EVERYONE should!  Stop forgetting your groceries today!

Have you heard of the Smart Shopper?

Would you use it?