Truck race in Las Vegas

We had been looking forward for sometime to make a trip to Las Vegas to attend the Nascar Camping World Truck race on Sept 25th. We even cleaned the car inside and out, we even put a coat of wax on it for the winter. Nothing like taking a road trip in a nice clean car listening to your favorite music and singing along the way.

To make the trip even better we stopped in Orem and picked up Shauna to keep us out of trouble and keep us old folks straight and on the right path.

The day turned out to be a hot one...registering 103 during the day and when the race started at 6:30 it still was 97 degree's. Just right to sit back and enjoy the race in the nice chairs instead of the benches we usually sit on. The start of the race was great with the Star Spangle Banner sung with the fly over of F18's and the fireworks during the song.

We had some really neat fans sitting around us, we all visited and celebrated the event during the night.

The trucks on the track pre-race.

The Media Center with the mountains

serving as a beautiful background

One of the pace cars used at the track

Picture of the track at night with all the lights

on with the full moon in the background

All the fans watching the race

"Bad Moon A Rising"

The full moon rising behind the mountains in the

background during the race. It's red from the

Twitchell fire in Cedar City.

The red full moon (almost) in its finest hour

The parking lot where we park our fifth wheel in

March when we attend the Nascar Sprint Cup Race

Picture of the RV park in last March. It looks

like a RV city when everyone is there bumper to

bumper.

We had one of the best weekends we have had all summer long. We are already making plans to attend next years race with our friends and family coming along with us.

Right place at the right time

So last Friday I went to Walmart to get a few things and cash in a few coupons to get a few great deals being offered. Getting ready to check out I noticed a few women's baskets with alot of merchandise in them but didnt think much about it, figuring they were purchasing for a business or party. Then I was told they were having a clearance markdowns in the garden area. I took my groceries out to the car and came back in to see if there was anything I wanted.

Have you seen the stories about the women going crazy for the clearanced bridal dresses??????

Well that is what the garden area was like.... They were marking items down extremely low....how low??? how about $1.00 for a pack of 3 Colgate toothpaste.. packages of socks for 25 cents...YES 25 CENTS.

The associates working there said they got the go ahead to clear out their deleted/clearanced merchandise in the store.

I truly felt sorry for the associates trying to scan the items and then tell the mob what the price on that particlar item was without her hands or fingers getting ripped off from women grabbing the item out of her hand. Then the women decided to start grabbing the items and then let her scan it from their hands while holding a death grip on it.

So I did purchase a few items

The yasisoni noodles were 8 cents each after the 50 cent coupons.

The dial soap was 3.00, 2.65 after 35 cent coupon.

Gain dish soap, free after 98 cent coupon.

Success rice was 1.85, 85 cents after 1.00 c.

Total cereal was marked down $1.25, 75 cents after 50 cent coupon

The Pantene, lotion was $1.00 after clearance markdown

The crest 3 pk toothpaste was markdown to $1.00 each, with 75 cent coupon on each...they were 25 cents each.

The 3 pk Colgate toothpaste was markdown to $1.00 each and I had a $1.00 coupon for 1 so it was free, the other package was $1.00 or 33 cents each box. I didn't have another coupon for it but took it because it was still an outstanding deal.

The Clinical pro toothpaste was marked down to $1.00 each and I had a $1.00 coupon for each one, so they were free.

I estimated the total cost of items on the tables were approximately $60.00 and I spent $9.80

These were the items I went and got into the war zone for:
SOCKS...$128.00 worth for 25 cents each package. I spent
$5.00
I ended up buying 20 packages of socks (Scott loved the idea of no more holy worn out socks:)) I gave 4 packages to Jon, saving a couples for my dad for his birthday (along with the $1.00 2pk T-shirts they also marked down). I'm putting most of them away till a later date and time when the holy socks start appearing again....laugh
They also had 16 bars packages of Zest (which we mostly use all the time) marked down for $3.00 with 35 cent coupon used on each pkg making them 2.65 or 18 cents each bar. (so between Dial and Zest we shall be clean for a few years anyway:)
They also had boxes of 4 pack of electrical outlets/switches for 25 cents each. I looked today and the outlets selling individually is $1.97 , so I saved $29.72

I purchased other items 8 pringles, bagel chips, 15 washclothes for 25 cents also, paper shredder for $5.00 (reg. 25.00) 3 Aussie Shampoo's 1.00 each.

Your probably wondering how I had coupons for the items I purchased using coupons. We'll I kinda hid the items in the store, went home and hurried back down before the items were discovered.

All I can say is it was a whirlwind of madness but I feel like I won a jackpot in Las Vegas with the deals I found. I roughly figured I saved $297.00
I guess I do earn a paycheck....its just I never see the paystub:)

Grandma would be proud

So lately I have been in the mood to do some home made cooking. It all started when I stopped at a local farmers market one day and picked up a couple of BIG zucchini's for 50 cents each. I use to make some zucchini bread years ago. I got the recipe from a sister of one of my best friends. It is SOOOOO delicous, especially if you cut it after its been sitting awhile but its still warm...can I say YUMM!! Its even good with butter on it also.

Zucchini Bread

Fresh out of the oven

Still warm and the smell is heavenly


I have made 2 loaves so far, but 2 more is in the plans this week. I already stopped at the farmers market again and picked up 4 more. I am going to freeze the zucchini. I shredded the zucchini and let the water drain out of the strainer, then I measured out 2 cups and put them into a freezer quart size baggies. I am freezing them and around Thanksgiving or Christmas I'll pull out the baggie and let it thaw and cook some more yummy bread up. Maybe I can see a loaf being cooked when there is 3 feet of snow outside in a blizzard. (I am not even looking forward to the summer coming to an end but then I never am.)


Salsa

So my next project was to make some salsa. My mother-in-law made the best homemade salsa. Except I am going to make it alot less work, she would cook it in the oven (for 2 1/2 to 3 hrs ) .......and I particularly don't care for the vinegar smell in the house, so I am cooking it out on our Camp Chef Stove (one of the better investments we have ever made, every meal except 2 were cooked outside on it when we were up at our place in Idaho this summer).
So I started with a 1/2 a bushell of tomatoes. The picture already had some tomatoes taken out and put to boiling water to take the skins off.



Tomatoes waiting for their bath.....laugh

Red/Green peppers and onion cut up all ready to go into the mixture with the tomatoes.

The salsa cooking for 2 1/2 hrs

The smell was so inviting to both me and Kimberly

Batch 1

Batch 2

Me and Kimberly had alot of fun while making the salsa the first time that we decided to make another batch a couple days later. We want to make some pickles and some peach jam, we'll just have to see how the weather holds out while we do our other commitments (Nascar truck race the 25th of Sept for me, Scott and Shauna) and then (Kimberly is going out the 29th of Sept with Jon and Landon hunting for a week) so we'll just have to see what the calendar brings.

I think my mother-in-law Betty, would be proud of me and Kimberly making her salsa.

ALSO

I would like to thank my grandma who taught me how to can vegetables

.....it took me awhile to remember most of it but we figured out the rest along the way.

Paula Deen find

So I am a thrift finder, I like to go to our local DI now and then and see what I can find. On a visit last month I found this Paula Deen casserole dish. I couldn't believe that it was there for my taking and no one had noticed it there on the shelf. So I scooped it up and brought it home where it found a nice home in my new cupboard.

On my next visit to Wal-mart I went over to price the casserole dish I had found. It was $15.97.

I love Paula Deen's merchandise but only can afford to buy pieces every now and then. For Christmas last year Jon and Kimberly bought a PD pan set for me, which I use almost everyday, and for my birthday Shauna bought some PD 3 knive set (chef, paring, dont know what the other one is called) which is unreal to use.

It's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will find.

Bottom of the dish

Price I paid

Good Deals

Lately I've been finding some good deals on food, some from bloggers who have been posting the deals telling what items on sale and what coupons are available to use on the same item making them such a good deal. I've have found a few myself and then also have cashed in on some good coupons of Buy one item Get one item Free, making the items 1/2 price. I only use those if I use those items all the time, no sense on buying them 1/2 off if you just might use the item once a year or so.

My first find was Maceys sale on Libby's vegetables 3/1.00, I remembered in the coupons in the mail that week a Libby's coupon, so I went through the circular and sure enough there was one but I couldn't believe what I seen....the coupon was for a 1.00/3. That made them FREE!!

So the help of my neighbors and family I collected enough for 4 1/2 cases.

I gave my dad enough coupons for a case. So that was a savings of $39.96

Also from the blogger Todd and Erin, she mentioned that Ball Park Franks had $1.99 coupon off a pkg of hot dogs and you could print 2 of them and at Albertson they were on sale for $1.99 including the beef, which I made them free for 2 of them and each pkg was regularly $5.49, and on the shelf I seen a sign that said if you bought 2 pkgs you got a pkg of Doritos free (which I wasn't counting on) for a total savings of $13.96

Then I had a coupon for Buy 1 Get 1 free for Friskies can cat food, a savings of .54 cents. Then I had a free coupon on a sample bag of Friskies dry cat food, a savings of $2.19

The Ragu was a savings of $2.60

So my next find was from a blogger (sorry can't remember which one) who said Macey's had Wisk on sale for $4.99 and in an ad there was a coupon for $3.00 of 1 bottle of Wisk of any size, making them $1.99 each.

I was only going to buy 4 but when I got to the store and figured 3 bottles makes one Big jug and the jugs were selling for $20.99, making every 3 bottles a savings of $15.00, so I bought a few more ....at least I won't have to worry about laundry detergent for a year or so. So for 16 bottles I saved a total of $80.00




So Maceys and Albertsons have been their promotions on Quaker items, the Quaker oatmeal was on sale at Albertsons for $1.67 last week,(their regularly $2.58 a box) but I had a $1.00 off each one from that weeks circular in the mail, which I collected 11 coupons for a total savings of $17.38
Macey's is having their sale this week and I picked up the Granola bars on sale for .98 cents and in the circular they had coupons .75 cents off 2 boxes for a total savings of $13.70
Life cereal was a savings of $6.56
The cat treats were Buy 1/Get 1 Free for a savings of $1.59



At Macey's sale this week I picked up some Pregresso soup on sale for .78 cents, with coupon 4/1.00 that made each can .53 cents a total savings $4.24
The Betty Crocker potatoes was on sale for .68 cents (regularly 1.66 at wal-mart) and when I went to get them each box had a coupon for $1.00/2, which made each box .18 cents...HECK YEAH!! for a total savings of $23.78
The Ragu on sale for .98 cents with .30 cents coupon for a total Savings of
$8.16
I also picked up 2 big zuchinni at our local farmers market for .50 cents each, which I am going to make some zuchinni bread this week...Yum!

So I had some 8 coupons for Suddenly Salad 1.00/2 and at Albertsons sale they were on sale for .50 cents so that made the FREE!! for a total savings of $27.84
The Minute Maid soda was on sale 2/8.00, which on the box had a $2.00 off which made them $6.00, then on the previous sale I had a $3.00 coupon for 12 pk of soda and a $2.00 coupon on next purchase from General Mills from buying the granola bars and suddenly salad which made them .50 cents each box, a total savings of $8.56

I also found a deal (thanks to Todd and Erin's blog) that Kraft had a coupon for $5.00 off 5 Kraft items. Albertson's had Kraft 8oz cheese for $2.00 each block (regularly $5.00), so if you bought 5 that would be $10.00 minus $5.00 for the coupon, when you bought it you got a $5.00 coupon on your next purchase, so I ended up with 15 blocks of cheese FREE, for a total savings of $75.00

For a total savings of $331.03 on these items mentioned.

I had purchase more items of these sells for some good deals but these were the big ones I was most proud for getting. So I have a good start on my food storage for this winter any way. I'll try to start posting the sells I find earlier so you can get on them too. I'm just really starting to get into finding these deals and enjoying seeing how much I am saving.

Joyce's Chicken Salad

This is another recipe that Joyce gave me that I love to cook, its light and refreshing. Scott and Kimberly just love it. This recipe isn't a standard by the book recipe, you add the ingredients to your liking.

Chicken Salad

4-5 chicken breasts

4-5 Green onions

3 Celery Stalks

1 Cup Mayo

Garlic Powder

Pepper

3-4 boiled eggs

Season Salt

Boil chicken breasts until done. Let them cool. Cut celery, onions, and eggs. Shred chicken with fork add to celery, onions and eggs mixture.

Put in mayo, garlic powder, pepper and alittle season salt. All this is by adding alittle of this and alittle of that as you like it. Add altogether and keep chilled until served. I added the eggs to add to it, you can leave them out.

Sorry I don't have a photo to show you guys.

Joyce's Peanut Butter Bar's

While we were in Island Park labor day weekend, a cold front came in and cool things down that the last 2 nights our water froze outside (which we found out the temperature got down to 27 degrees). I took stuff up to make some peanut butter bars, I figured that would make us warm and give us a treat at the same time. I have a great friend that is my "Paula Deen" she has some great recipes and knows how to cook and it makes my husband beg for her homemade cooking. I hope she doesn't mind if I share it with you guys.

Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 Cup Butter 1 egg 1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar 1/3 Cup Peanut Butter 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1 Cup flour 1/4 teaspoon Salt 1 Cup oatmeal

Combine butter, sugar together, then add the egg. Add rest of ingredients

Cook 350-375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. (under cook it or until its soft on top or it'll get crunchie) Makes 10x13 pan or double for a sheet cake.

Frosting

Add peanut butter to chocolate store frosting, just to give it a flavor

The summer is over

The 2010 Summer

The Snake River that runs by our place

Kimberly and Jon

The old railroad bridge over the snake river

The railroad bridge that we cross

with our 4-wheelers

4-wheeler trail through the pines

Our place in Island Park

This labor day weekend we went up to Island Park to get our trailer and get things put away for the winter season.

I always get teary eyed or even cry alittle every year when we get ready to leave but this year I was cooking breakfast outside on our new patio we made which turned out so nice if I say so myself, anyways I was looking out through the pines, listening the birds singing when I got caught up in a trance thinking of how much solitude and happiness our place makes me feel. I tried to hold back the tears but they over took me. I just wanted the summer to continue on and enjoy the days where we get up take the dog for a walk, come back fix some breakfast and start on a project (one day hopefully there won't be any projects...laugh ...yeah right!!) and then hop on a 4-wheeler and take a ride, or go boating down to the resevoir, or go fishing, or just sit under the trees and take in natures wonders around us (squirrels hopping around ..which entertains Kylie:), birds chirpping, or see a moose strangling down the road with her calf (pictures I posted earlier).

When we pull the trailer off our place it always looks so empty and lonely, everything is put away till spring. When we pull away the tears usually come, Scott almost on a tear himself calms me and pats me on the shoulder and says " I know its hard but we'll be back next year" then we go down the road with the trailer in tow in silience for a few miles or so.....

Remembering the summer we had.....

Mom and Landon

Landon just seems like he is growing leaps and bounds
this last month. Every time he is at our house he seems
to come up with a new experience that I am amazed at
and I turn around and call mommy at work to tell her the
new "ahh" moment he just done. So last Thursday I was
in the bathroom cleaning and he came to the door and
started to walk backwards into our bedroom and he just
started laughing so hard and had the biggest smile on his
face and his mind saying ... "YEP I JUST LEARNED
A NEW TRICK" then he walked backwards into the next
bedroom and then walked forward back to the bathroom,
and backwards down the hall. So throughout the day he
would just start walking into the next room backwards and
then he would walk forward and then backwards again.

Tonight after I took a shower I went to comb out my hair
and discovered my comb was missing, along with other
things that was missing when I went to go get them during
the week. So I went to the laundry hamper to look for my
comb (by this time your probably saying "what?")but to no
avail ..."No Comb"....but I found a ball, pepsi can, a
car, book and a hair clip. Scott was sitting on the edge of
the bed and just started laughing when I was taking the things
out one by one. Yes the hamper seems to be the
new plaything, he loves putting things in the hamper and garbage
bins. Missing doggie treats.....they were in the hamper
earler this week. Last night his big yellow truck was in the
bathroom garbage can. I eventually found my comb under
his playpen in the other bedroom.

So Sunday while Jon was helping Scott work on the garage, Kimberly

started to read her magazine and Landon wanted to read also, so I

went and got his book and so the both of them read their books together.