The Good Times Van

When my family moved to Texas in 1997 the old family minivan was on it's last leg and it was time for a replacement. When my parents found a 1978 Dodge Ram Van for $1000 it seemed like a steal. As a 14 year old girl I couldn't care less about, price, milage or dependability. It was all about image and I was certain that this Van was going to ruin mine. We called it the good times van because it actually said "Good Times Van" in a retro style font on the side. It was multi toned brown, with bubble windows and on the inside there was an enormous steering wheel, burnt orange interior, and shag carpeting. Especially as the new kid in town I did not want to be caught anywhere near the good times van, but I really had no choice so I tried to make the best of it.

Little did I know that in that same year the movie Austin Powers would become a huge sensation launching my generation into a flower power revolution. A year later in 1998 That Seventy's Show premier with ratings through the roof. It was then that the grotesque mortifying whale of a vehicle would become the envy of my peers. All of my friends would pile into the van to go to concerts and we would all shift our weight from side to side causing it to rock back and forth down the road. People that I didn't even know would stop in the halls, "your the one with the good times van?" Yeah, that's me, and I would beam with pride. It's serves as a reminder that things aren't always as bad as they seem and now I wouldn't trade the memories I had of that van for a million dollars. Who knew the Good Times Van would be such a good time after all.


*This is a photo I found online of a Dodge Ram Van, but unfortunately there is no actual photo of the good times van*

Look Back and Laugh: at the gas pump

I think we could all agree that gas prices right now are not much of a laughing matter. In part I blame Exxonmobile the Goliath of the oil industry. However, my husband insists it is the best thing to fill our tanks with and gave me a speed pass to add to my key chain.


He told me I should be able to wave it at the pump and my purchase would be charged to our account. Sounds simple, so I go to the Exxon station and try waving my key ring up toward the credit card slot. Nothing happened. So I start scanning up and down at the pump, still nothing. Now I am starting to get frustrated, but I am not a quitter, I can figure this out! I then begin waving it in the air as if trying to pick up some kind of signal when a voice comes over the intercom "Ma'am, we do not accept speed pass here."

Oh yeah, they were talking to me, the crazy lady swinging her keys all around up and down like a crazy person. Oh well, you live and learn. Or in my case you just NEVER attempt to use the speed pass EVER again.

Cars

I am out of town this week so I may not be blogging as much, but I still have a new topic to start up and that is CARS! I am no Jay Leno, and I don’t usually think of cars as something that peeks my interest, but they certainly do play a big roll in our lives and so I think they deserve to be blogged about.

I consider cars like music you hear a song like let’s just say My Heart Will Go On by Celine Deon from the Titanic soundtrack. Now all of the sudden your taken back to 1997 and your flooded with memories of where you were and what you were doing when that song was popular. For me cars are the same way, if I saw a teal Chevy Cavelier driving by I would be 18 all over again!

I already talked about the sentimental value of the Vanagon in the messy mom childhood and I mentioned how much it was a part of the family.

I could go on and on about the adventures we had in that thing. When I saw the Trailer for little Miss Sunshine, I immediately thought of our family road trip from Kentucky to California in our old VW.

We had a couple break downs, and we caught a ride with a guy and his family who took the long route to bring us to a hotel because he said “I likes to avoid the police station” that’s not a typo, he said “likes.” It seems crazy now, but that was the best family vacation we’ve ever had. I know I may sound old ladyish, but times were different back then. Seatbelts were rarely considered, in fact the most coveted seat of our sweet ride was we called “the very back.” The very back was really not a seat at all, it was just the trunk area. Second runner up would have to be the front, which these days is also off limits to children. Like I said, it seems crazy now, but it that’s how we rolled and I have to say those times in the VW van beat little miss sunshine any day.

TV Challenge: Friday, Don't Forget the Lyrics

Boy, here I thought the TV Premiere week would be all about sitcoms and game shows, but they’ve all been replaced with politics and awards shows. Last night of course was the debate between the Presidential Candidates. So, no I did not watch any of the regular Friday night programs, but if I had it would have been Don’t Forget the Lyrics.

I love music and I love game shows so it’s a no brainer for me. It also doesn’t hurt to have Wayne Brady as the host. I don’t usual watch it considering the time slot, but I’ve caught it a couple times and it is a lot of fun. So there you have it, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, Fridays at 9/8c on Fox or watch full episodes on fox.com. So that concludes the TV challenge for the week. Believe it or not it really was a challenge. I think I will go on a TV fast for a while now. Here is a recap of the Messy Mom’s Picks for the fall television line up

Monday- Dancing with the Stars on ABC 8/7 c
Tuesday- Dancing with the Stars on ABC 9/8 c
Wednesday- Deal or No Deal on NBC 9/8 c
Thursday- The Office on NBC 9/8 c
Friday- Don’t Forget the Lyrics on FOX 9/8 c

When to take a stand

It should come as no surprise that there is a lot of stuff on TV that is less than edifying. Sometimes I just get so weighed down by the world that we live in and the images that are being broadcast on national television. I could let it bother me to the point that I shield myself from all of it and possibly go live in an Amish community, but I don’t believe this is the answer. What I can do though, what we all can do, is take a stand.

Sometimes taking a stand simply means standing up and walking away. If you are wondering whether or not you need to turn the TV off consider this, what do you have to loose? An hour of entertainment that will enrich your life beyond comprehension? Probably not, in fact you will probably just be able to spend that hour doing something more productive, inspiring, or even relaxing.

The next opportunity you have to take a stand is to actually say something. I am a big proponent for speaking your mind when you feel that change is needed. I have written multiple letters/emails when I have felt like something needed to be said. For example when NBC was blatantly blasting Christianity on the short lived show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, I let them know what I thought about it. Things really got heated with NBC when an episode of ER aired with the obvious intentions of demeaning Christians who are pro choice. It went so far as to twist scripture to back abortion and called it "a way of helping God out." This was about the time that they were going to air a Madonna concert where she would mock the crucifixion by hanging on a cross. By this time I had had it with NBC and chose to boycott until the Madonna concert was pulled off the air. Choosing to boycott is hardly effective unless someone knows you are doing it. So I wrote to NBC and told them about my choice to discontinue watching any NBC programming. So I didn’t watch NBC for several months until the Madonna concert was cancelled and I feel that in some small way I had a part in that.

I am not expecting the media to follow suit with my beliefs, but when they start to blaspheme my savior or air images that are nowhere near acceptable for public programming I am going to have to put my foot down. I have also written a letter of appreciation to the administration that enforces censorship and ratings to keep inappropriate content out of family programming. So I try not to be negative or rude, but I do have the right to voice my opinion. This is my way of taking a stand to keep the entertainment industry something that can be enjoyable for my family personally and hopefully the generations to come.

Photo Hunt 129: View

This photo was taken from the balcony of a hotel I stayed at in Fort Worth, Texas. QUITE A VIEW!

This Blog is a part of the PhotoHunt at tnchick.com

CVS week of September 21-27

I have two very exciting announcements to make regarding my Weekly CVS deals.

First off, NO MORE FRIDAY-THURSDAY SALES. Yesterday I went to CVS thinking that the new circular would out because I live in an area that was testing running deals from Friday to Thursday. The employees told me that this weeks sales were extended to Saturday and weekly deals would go back to being Sunday through Saturday like the rest of the country. So for anyone who was wondering the trial period is over and they have said there was too much negative response to take it further.

Second, I REACHED $1,000 SAVINGS



This weeks deals were not monumental, but to see that my year to date savings are $1,024.80 made me very excited. I started CVSing less than 4 months ago, so I have saved approximately $250 a month. Or you could look at it as getting $1,000 worth of free medicine, lotion, beauty products, candy, diapers, candles, cleaning supplies, etc.!

Here are my deals for the week.

I got these 5 items.
Total= $31.25
-$14.00 coupons (including a $5/$30)
-$16.00 ECB's

$1.26 Out of pocket
$19 ECB’s Earned

$16 of these ECB's are all together so I am going to have to find some really great deals to spend $16 ECBs at once and get them all back.

TV Challenge: Thursday, The Office

*SPOILER ALERT*

The office is another one of those shows that we were late getting into, but thanks to episodes online and seasons on DVD were able to catch up. However there are some of you who may not have seen last nights premiere and would rather not have me spoil the surprises. If this is the case, do not read any further.



The office is my pick for Thursday night television. It's pretty laid back, it's got a lot of humor, and unlike most tv series these days it's usually only a 30 minute show.

Last nights episode was full of the usuaI awkward moments and embarrassing conversations that make you cringe. Judging by the premier not too much has changed. Pam's gone and Ryan's back, but you've got to keep things moving somehow. It's not like Lost were you just kill them off. The height of the show was Jim proposal to Pam. The writers did a good job of catching the viewers off guard and sliding this predictable moment in at the most unpredictable time. It was very sweet.

Let's end this blog entry with a quote from everyones favorite assistant to the regional manager, Dwight Schrute:

" Would I ever leave this company? Look, I'm all about loyalty. In fact, I feel like part of what I'm being paid for here is my loyalty. But if there were somewhere else that valued loyalty more highly, I'm going wherever they value loyalty the most."

Froogie Boogie: National Stay at Home Week

This week I am taking on the TV Challenge . This also happens to be National Stay at Home Week, as proposed by ABC. The network is encouraging people to stay at home and conserve gas, and therefore help the environment. Aw, isn't that thoughtful? Oh, and while you are staying at home they are also prompting you to check out all the new shows that are premiering this week on ABC (what a coincidence).

Regardless of ABC's motives they do have a good point. Our society is always on the go. Sometimes it is good to just stay home. It is also very frugal. That is why today's Froogie Boogie tip is to stay at home. Not all the time because that could make for a boring and isolated life. However, if you are thinking of things to do instead of going out you could play a board game, read, write, talk, eat, chill, you get the idea. All of these things are basically free as opposed to going out and spending money on gas, restaurants, movies, or shopping.

Once again, all things in moderation. I am not too much of a homebody myself, but my husband and I have tried to make an extra effort to conserve by staying at home more often. So I guess I should say thanks to ABC for the friendly reminder, they really do care.

LOST Terry O'quinn

I mentioned in The TV Challenge how much I have become wrapped up in the show LOST. What started as my husband and I renting the DVD from Netflix gradually turned into me, my husband, and eight friends, all piled in the living room, watching on the edge of our seats, one episode after the other into the wee hours of the morning.

I mentioned this obsession to my aunt and uncle when we were visiting them out in California and turns out they go way back with Terry O’Quinn (John Locke, one of the main characters on LOST) and are still good friends. My aunt told me that next time she talked to Terry she would see if she could get me a souvenir or something.

A month or so later I get a manila envelope in the mail hand addressed to me with a return address from Hawaii. I was perplexed as to who would be sending me something from Hawaii. I opened it to discover this...

"To Natalie, with best wishes. I remember Waxahachie, Places In the Heart, 1983. All the best to you Natalie. Terry O'Quinn- LOCKE"

I was so excited about that photo. I ran around the house screaming like a 13 year old girl at a Jonas Brother's concert. When my aunt talked to Terry she just asked if she could get something to give to me, and he volunteered to send something himself. When she gave him my address she started to spell Waxahachie, and he said, "Oh, I know how to spell Waxahachie" because he was in a movie that was filmed here. Since then Terry O'Quinn has managed to have a character stay alive on LOST, which if you watch the show, that is a feat in and of itself. He also won an Emmy last year for his role as John Locke. I think this video of his acceptance speech just goes to show what a warm hearted down to earth guy he is.



The again Aunt Beth, and Terry!

TV Challenge: Wednesday, Deal or No Deal

Wednesday in my house is church night so I don't regularly watch any TV, but for the sake of the TV Challenge I thought I would tape Deal or No Deal. However when I got home, I fast forwarded through Extra, and Night Rider to the part that I actually wanted to watch. Much to my surprise my regularly scheduled program about people making stupid decisions with large sums of money was interrupted with the president addressing the nation about people making stupid decisions with large sums of money.

I should then talk about the public announcement except for the fact that I don't have a clue what is going on with the economy right now and would like to avoid any political disputations that could spawn from my lack of knowledge on the subject.

So then I will stick to what I know, Deal or No Deal.

I love game shows and I love Deal or No Deal. I don't watch all the time, but it is a winner if you feeling like shutting off your brain and zoning out for an hour, because believe me this is not a show that will challenge your intellect. Well, other than trying to figure out what the object of the game is in the first place. I admit I was a little put out by the fact that they have a male host running the show, and a male banker controling the money, and 26 females wearing hardly anything responding to whatever the man tells them to do. I am not a feminist, but really, talk about a set back! Other than that the show is a lot of fun and if you like game shows and have nothing better to do on a Wednesday night you might want to tune in... and zone out.

Free Ice Cream at Cold Stone

If you are near a Cold Stone Creamery you may want to stop by today from 5:00-8:00 PM and get a free ice cream. The two free flavors available are: Marshmallow ice cream with OREO® Cookies, Chocolate Chips and Fudge or Nutter Butter® ice cream with White Chocolate Chips, Kit Kat® and Yellow Cake. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I felt compelled to share this special offer because Cold Stone has been raising money all this month for the Make-A-Wish Foundation which helps grant wishes to children with life threatening illnesses. This organization threw a big party for my younger brother who had Leukemia. It was a very special time for the whole family and a moment that I will always remember.

On a much lighter note, I love Cold Stone Creamery! It is my SECOND favorite, after Ben and Jerry's. If you read my blog about Ben and Jerry's you know this is a big deal.

Thanks to money saving mom for reminding me about this deal
To find out more about my little brother's story you can read The Messy Mom: Childhood

Why I Love: Fritos

In my blog about the Emmy's
I casually mentioned Frito pie, and it has since then occurred to me that many people may be unaware that this scrumptious treat even exists. No, it is not a dessert. In it’s simplest form it is just Fritos topped with chili and cheese. Although, there are many variations.

I never heard of Frito Pie until I moved to Texas, but for me it was love at first taste, unlike biscuits and gravy, Dr. Pepper, and Tabasco sauce (three other very Texan delicacies).

Fritos originated in Texas in 1932, you can read all about it in The Allure of Frito Pie at dallasnews.com. The Frito-Lay headquarters still reside in Plano Texas. My Brother in law has worked for Frito-Lay for 25 years and his son works there too. My dad who works in the graphics industry has also done work for them, so I guess you could say Frito runs in my family.

Aside from just eating Fritos straight from the bag or making a Frito pie I learned a new concoction just last week. Mix Fritos with Reese’s pieces! It may sound gross, but it’s really not. It tastes just like my favorite candy bar Butterfinger Crisp
It’s a great option for movies and on the go snacking.

Fritos may not be the most healthy thing to munch on, but they are tasty, versatile, and Texan. So that is “why I love” Fritos.




Have you mixed Fritos in a creative way? Are they in an ingredient in one of your favorite recipes? I’d love to hear about it please share.

Reality TV

Unless you’ve been living under a rock you are aware of the impact that reality shows have had on Television for the past 10 years. I have heard relentless complaints across the board about how obnoxious and pointless these programs are. So why then have they succeeded in dominating ratings over and over again? How is it that these reality based programs seem to be reinventing themselves?

Now, I wouldn’t call myself a reality show junkie, but I probably watch more reality TV than any other kind and I have a few theories of why we become entranced with the idea.

1. That could be you
From the bright lights of American Idol, to the Million Dollar case in Deal or No Deal, you are rooting for a REAL person. If they can get a record deal or win a million dollars that means it could happen for you too. It’s no longer all about designer jeans, nose jobs, and luxury vehicles; these are people that we can actually relate to most of the time.

2. Stickin’ it to the Man
In the same spirit of my first theory, I believe you can feel like you are large and in charge when it comes to reality television. Snobby writers and Well-to-do actors never saw it coming. With this new medium the Entertainment industry has to share a little bit of love with the common blue-collar contestant. Add to that the fact that viewers can actually participate through voting on a lot of these shows which means we finally have a say. Move over fat wallet producers, the viewers are steering the ship for a change (or at least they make it seems that way).

3. I know them!
Has anyone you know ever been on reality TV? Chances are good that you have had at least a friend of friend or someone that was from a city near you show up on TV. There is something magical about seeing a person you know inside that black box. I can name several instances where someone I met or know was on a reality show including Big Brother and American Idol. My friend from high school was on America’s got Talent last year. She made it through several rounds. Also, my hair was on reality show on TLC. Let me explain. The show called Sheer Dallas was airing an episode focused on the big wedding drama between my husband’s boss and her daughter. They filmed some of the show at my husbands work where he made his television debut, and they also filmed the wedding, which I was at and part of my hair was on screen. I know it was me because I know where I was sitting. How ridiculous do I sound bragging about this? Probably about as ridiculous as the millions of other people that either have been on a reality show or know someone who has. This is why so many people tune in when they wouldn't have otherwise, and THAT is what makes the reality world go round.




This is a video of Fallon on America's Got Talent last year.


Here is a photo of me and Fallon with some friends about 10 years ago. She is in the white shirt, and I am the one with the orange shirt, which I still own by the way.

What about you? Have any reality show connections? Please share.

TV Challenge: Tuesday, Dancing With the Stars- AGAIN

Turns out I am not the only one That thought the emmy’s was a flop and DWTS (Dancing With the Stars) was a hit, check out this news article from Reuters.com

"Twenty-four hours after co-hosting one of the biggest ratings flops in Emmy history, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" emcee Tom Bergeron presided over the top broadcast on opening night of U.S. television's new season.
Monday's two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" averaged 21.3 million viewers to rank as the night's most watched show and lead ABC to a first-place finish in the overall network rankings, Nielsen Media Research reported on Tuesday."

With that said, I tried to watch the Biggest loser last night, but it just wasn’t keeping my attention. So I switched over to DWTS and got to see a lot more of it this time.

Here is The Messy Mom’s overview of some the characters, I mean contestants

Big Guy

The Ruben Studdard of DWTS- Such a teddy bear. Fun to watch.

Old Lady

Somewhat annoying, yet very entertaining and what a trooper she is. I hope that I have that much energy at her age.

The youngin'

He truly does represent the all American teen. He admits to his hormones interfering with his dance capabilities. Stay focused little Mr. Hannah Montana. It’s hard, but I know you can do it!

Skeletor

Okay this is one that I actually recognized, we all know soap star Susan Lucci. Even the judges told her she should gain a few pounds. I am all about different body types, but when you have a striking resemblance to a holacost victim, I worry. I feel like I am watching former soap star Kelly Ripa 20 years from now.


Bootylicious

She has about as much business being on the dance floor as a bag of potatoes. No rhythm whatsoever, she just sticks out her Botanky (my word for booty) while her dancing partner basically does somersaults around her. My guess is she is next to go.

We will find out tonight at 8/7 central!

Watch TV without a TV

We do our TV the old fashioned way. We have a small square television set with a pair of rabbit ears on top. Of course all that could be changing soon when the broadcast changes to digital, but it won’t change the fact that we don’t do cable, satellite, tivo, dvr, or anything like that. So how do we do it?

Well, first there is the obvious, we have a life outside of the media, but I will let you in our little secret… we watch it online!

If you have high speed internet it can work for you too. We just cracked up watching Wipe Out over the summer, and you can see every single episode on ABC .com

Or maybe you read my blog about Dancing With The Stars and wanted to watch last night’s episode, that’s on ABC .com as well. So you don’t have to mess with TIVO, or in our case the VCR. You can watch online with very limited commercial interruption.
Not every program is online, but you would be surprised by how many are. Check out the networks website to see what you can find. They are usually listed under “watch full episodes”. I have really enjoyed seeing What Not To Wear, Meerkat Manor, and Flip That House, which are all cable shows. TLC.com will have different full episodes featured for months at a time.

My husband loves the site *fancast.com and his favorites are Psyche from the USA network, and he was even on a MacGyver kick for a while. Did you ever think you could watch your old favorites by video streaming over the internet?

I have a Mac book Pro with a 19 inch monitor and remote control, (hey, I am not ALWAYS old fashioned) so it doesn’t bother me one bit to watch TV on my laptop. We watch everything on it because we don’t have a DVD player either. However, when we were at my brother’s house who has a very nice large screen HD TV you can bet we plugged the laptop into his TV and watched previous episodes of Lost in style. All you need is an S- Video cable.

So you might have already been in the know, but if not you are now. You can watch TV without even being near a TV, it works for me!


For more Works for me Wednesdays go to www.rocksinmydryer.net

*The sites I have mentioned are all legal ways of watching TV online, however there is a lot of stuff out there that is not. Please be an informed consumer.

TV Challenge: Monday, Dancing With the Stars

My pick for Monday nights is Dancing with the Stars. Although, I did watch a lot of the Heroes premier and have watched it on and off for the past few seasons. My only gripe is that it is a bit heavy, creepy, graphic, violent, sexual, and confusing. Did I say my ONLY gripe? Okay, make that gripes, plural. It's really not that bad. Like I said I vacillate, but after the premier I don't think I will be watching this season. I also watched some of Samantha Who in the past and it is kind of cute, but it just never stuck with me. That leaves me with Dancing with the Stars, which premiered last night with 13 new contestants.

When I first saw dancing with the stars, I wondered how it got that name. Where are all the stars? Maybe they should call it Dancing with familiar faces. Yeah, I guess that doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. My favorite part is finding out who the celebrity guests are and then finding out why they are considered a celebrity. They begin the show with each contestant explaining what makes them famous as if trying to validate their stardom. I think you could make a game out of guessing which one is the professional dancer and which one is the celebrity guest. Due to the shows success I think some of dancers are in fact more of a “star” then their so-called famous partners. None of that really matters though, what makes the show is the dancing.

With that said I have a confession to make. I didn’t do all I could to step up to the TV challenge last night and I was only able to catch the first couple dances. Based on what the ladies of the View had to say about the show I am going to throw a shot in the dark and go with Maurice Greene (olympic gold medalist for sprinting) and Cheryl Burke (professional dancer) as the ones to beat. Although, I didn’t even see them dance, it was kind of an eeny meeny mino mo sort of thing.

How about you? Do you see any potential in the Monday night line up? Any Dancing With The Stars fans?

Look Back and Laugh: At TV

I will never forget the time I heard a news reporter say the “P” word. It was last November and I had the TV going in the background, but I wasn’t paying too much attention. The crew was signing off, you know at the end when they loosen up and just start making small talk amongst each other, then I heard one of the male reporters say, “It’s just not officially the holidays until there is a penis showing.” WHAT!? My jaw dropped and I wished that I had tivo so that I could rewind, but I just stood there thinking about how that comment could be appropriate and what on earth he could be referring to. Of course as it turns out I did here him wrong. I realized what I believe the reporter was saying when good ole Charlie Brown aired on the same network later that evening. ‘Ooooh’, I said a little embarrassed with my misunderstanding “It’s just not officially the holidays until there is a PEANUTS showing.”

TV Challenge: The Emmy's

While the rest of Texas was watching the Cowboy’s game last night I chose the road less traveled and tuned into the 60th annual Emmy awards. So I eagerly plopped down with a glass of milk and Frito pie anticipating the array of formal wear and some of my favorite actors accepting recognition for their work. To sum it all up the show was


Disjointed


Distasteful


Awkward


Boring and LONG

There was the typical Hollywood actor using their platform to talk about political issues as though it had anything to do with the award. Then there were people that are paid millions to be on camera stumbling over reading from a teleprompter. Oh, and let’s not forget one recipient after the other being coursed off the stage with "outro" music. What’s not to love about that?

It was 3 HOURS of pure disappointment, with very little to highlight. I will point out however two moments that were actually entertaining to watch.

First was the dynamic comedic duo of Tiny Fey and a very pregnant Amy Poehler who claimed she was “gaining weight for a role” and second Tina Fey winning 3 Emmy’s. When accepting her second award she thanked her parents “for somehow raising me to have confidence that is disproportionate to my looks and ability. Well done. That is what all parents should do." I am not just biased toward Tina Fey, those actually where the most redeeming moments of the entire awards show.

Oh well. Although I really don’t consider myself a sports fan, maybe next year I will cross over from red carpet to green field and join my husband who actually had a good time watching the Cowboy’s beat the Packer's.



To follow along in this challenge you can see what the fall line up is at TVGuide.com

TV Challenge

This week begins the new fall line up for many networks, and whether or not you choose to watch it, what is on television plays a big role in our culture today. When I was growing up we didn’t watch TV too often. My mom was a firm believer of minimal TV. We were never allowed to have a television in the bedroom and she freaked when they started installing them in minivans.

I have gone through different stages myself. The first show to really capture my attention was one of quality and substance. That’s right, all you other children of the 80’s know that I am referring to Saved By The Bell.

It had drama, it had humor, and fashion. OH, the fashion!

As a teenager I started getting into ER. I was a part of the “looney for Clooney” fan club. We had about 4 members. It’s hard to believe that he is a mega star now and E.R. is going to be airing it’s 14th and final season this spring, although I stopped watching about the time Clooney left.


There isn’t too much on TV that reels me in these days, but a few years ago I got hooked on ABC’s hit drama LOST. I started by watching the first two seasons on DVD, once I caught up I started watching week to week and listening to Podcasts about all the clues and theories that are out there. Now after 4 seasons I am starting to loose interest. We’ll see how I feel in February when it starts up again.


For this week’s blog I have challenged myself to watch TV and see what's out there. I will flip through the channels at prime time every evening and document my findings of what is on and make a critique according to my personal tastes and convictions. I take this assignment very seriously as a blogournalist. I'd like to consider it a crucial report that could effect any number of television viewers out there. Okay, now stop laughing!

Sunday Poem: Fall

The air feels different
when I breathe it all in
it's like taking in memories
of good times with friends

And family and Turkey
and warm pumpkin pie
Kids waiting for the bus
An early sunrise in the sky

The stars of autumn
red yellow and brown
being tickled by the wind
when they fall to the ground

The bright lights of the football field
the High school king and queen
Buckets full of candy
costumes for halloween

When I remember each moment
I just grin from ear to ear
I know the air feels different
because a new season is here

How could I help, but write about fall today. It is by far my favorite most anticipated season of the year. I love it and everything I wrote just cam spilling out of me this morning because it is exactly how I feel. The air is crisp and different and I am so excited to see what this new season will bring.

PhotoHunt 128: Road

This is a photo I took on the way to Colorado, it was probably taken some where in New Mexico. I love how this cow doesn't have a care in the world, like it's saying "I know your not going to run me over, so I am going to take my time. Thanks for stopping by." Sorry, I have habit of speaking on behalf of animals and babies, thanks for humoring me.

This Blog is a part of the PhotoHunt at tnchick.com

Call of Coupons: Closing Thoughts

This week we compared the act of using coupons to the Call of Duty war game. It has been a lot of fun looking at how to score the best deals and get free stuff. If you want to get caught up you can start by reading The Call of Coupons.


Here are just a couple last things I would like to squeeze in before I close this series.

You are going to accumulate a lot of STUFF if you decide to jump on the free/'money maker" deals that are out there. The possibilities are endless on what to do with the extra items. Here are some of the things that I have done with some of my loot

Give products in exchange for babysitting or as a thank you for other services
Give items to local charities
Ship the items to soldiers or missionaries over seas
Sell your over stock at a yard sale (I made over $100 by doing this)
Use lotions, baby products, candles etc. in gift baskets

I should also mention one of the most important components in all of this is that it works for you personally. You can use coupons at any level. For some people it is a full time job and they catch every deal and save thousands of dollars, while others clip a couple coupons out of the paper and that is their limit. It's like singing, you can sing in the shower, you can do solos at church, or you can have 5 grammy's and make millions as a solo artist. I am in no way the Mariah Carey of coupons, nor do I want to be. However I hope these ideas can help you to achieve whatever level it is you decide you want to take it to.

Lastly, as if this were an awards ceremony, I would like to thank my husband for coming up with the "Call of Coupons" image for the week. He was the inspiration behind this, being that he loves to play Call of Duty. He humbly embraced the parody and took the time to help with this logo that was an alteration of the Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare artwork. Thanks for being a part of the "Call of Coupons" and as for all my fellow comrades out in the trenches, fighting in this war against high prices, I salute you!

the original


the "real" modern warfare

Call of Coupons Deals for the week

WHOA BUDDY! This week I spent $5.19 on $101 worth of stuff at CVS.

I won't go through each of my 4 transactions, but let me break down yesterday's since most of you CVSers will start the same sale tomorrow...

2 Crest Pro Health $2.99 each - 2 $.75 Q (earned $2 ECB's ea.)
1 Nivea Men's body wash- $4.99 -$1 Q (earned $4.99 ECB)
1 Adidas deodorant- $4.99-$1 Q (earned $4 ECB)
1 Ambi Facial wash - $6.99 -$3 Q (earned $3 ECB)
2 Dove Chocolate bars- $2.49 each -$1 Q
6 pack of CVS water- $2.99 -$1 Q
-5 off of $30 purchase (cvs Q)
Total-$34.17
-$13.50 in coupon's
Total after coupon's 20.67
- $16 in ECB's

Total OOP- $4.67

Earned $16 of ECB's

It would have been even better, but they did not have the Loreal product in stock, that would have given me $11 ECB so I improvised with the Ambi cleanser. If your CVS is sold out too, consider subbing in the Ambi products or the Arni Care Pain relief Gel in order to help you get to $30 if you got the $5/$30 Q this weekend.









Curious about the call of coupons? Check out this week's blogs
The Messy Mom: The Call of Coupons
The Messy Mom: Call of Coupons: Rules and Terms
The Messy Mom: The Call of Coupons: Band of Sisters
The Messy Mom: Call of Coupons: Weapons of Warfare
The Messy Mom: Call of Coupons: Gathering Ammunition
The Messy Mom: Froogie Boogie: Low Budget Q Organizer
The Messy Mom: Call of Coupons: The Battle Field
The Messy Mom: call of Coupons: Shell Shock