A Cookie Cutter Diva's Life

A little while back around fall time I won one of those awesome facebook contest which I thought I would never win but humored myself in entering anyways because I had nothing better to do and I did win! I was actually excited about this one because I wanted to try this new product but not waste my money on it and it be no different!
Our feedback on this product has been wonderful so far! My 5yr old won't take any medicine and spits it right at me and makes me so mad! It's a fight! We even have to hold her down at the ER! But she took this with no problems and said it really does taste like chocolate! It has helped her cough as well and is doing it's job! I give this one a huge thumbs up from our house and we will buy more of it!

A lot of people ask me how I have the patience for listia or swagbucks and they don't see the benefits of it! It can be very challenging since swagbucks can take awhile so it's not an immediate reward and listia it just depends on what you are looking for and what you have to offer as to what kind of credits you can get! But I wanted to blog about how I paid for Christmas this year to give a little break down of how I did things for those who keep asking for more information and how they can possibly do it!

Swagbucks

www.swagbucks.com/refer/CrazyFamilyof6


I did this once before and gave up on it because the process was slow but hearing some of my friends have it be very rewarding I decided last summer when I was off from the school I would take some time to put into it and see if I could get anything out of it. I didn't start til summer but had I started the beginning of the year and planned it out even better it would have been even more rewarding! But even just from summer time it helped quit a bit for Christmas! I will check in daily and do the daily pole, encrave, etc to get some immediate points but they are low. I try to remember to do all of my searching through their site because you can earn swagbucks for this as well. Also when I make online purchases I make them through there or sign up for offers through them when I'm planning to do something such as when we started xbox live because we didn't already have it and that helped with some swagbucks. One of the easiest ways to earn swag is by printing my coupons I already use on my grocerie trips to save from swagbucks and then I earn for each one redeemed!

I trade all of mine in for things like Walmart gift cards or amazon gift cards which I then in return use for Christmas.









Lista



https://www.listia.com/signup/6620313

I am a total barter girl so I loved when I stumbled across this online trade site where I could get things for free by trading my unwanted items! I was on cloud 9! You can either chose to have the person pay for shipping or cover shipping. You tend to get more points and it goes faster if you cover shipping. I know I favor free shipping!

However! Who has money for that all the time? So I covered shipping on low weight items or things I got a lot of credits for. But would charge a low shipping rate for others. I set a monthly budget as to what I was willing to spend. This in the long run was still way less then what I would have paid for shopping and I got rid of my unwanted crap to make room for more!



Now it was a little harder shopping for the teen of the house this year because of course his list is much pricier but I managed to even please him on a great budget this year!

Star Wars Toy Set FREE LISTIA
Skate Board Shirt FREE LISTIA
Dinosaur Molding Set FREE LISTIA
How To Train A Dragon Lego Toy FREE LISTIA
15 Dr Suess Books split between kids Roughly $2 a piece BOOK CLUB (swag bucks because I signed up through swagbucks)
Monsters Inc Dvd $1.99 DISNEY MOVIE CLUB (signed up through swagbucks, got swag)
Duck Dynasty Puzzle FREE LISTIA
Fishing Pole FREE WITH AMAZON GIFT CARDS FROM SWAGBUCKS
Tackle Box full of Fishing Supplies FREE WITH AMAZON GIFT CARDS FROM SWAGBUCKS
Duck Dynasty Xbox Game $14.99 BlACK FRIDAY AMAZON Alice and Wonderland DVD $1.99 DISNEY MOVIE CLUB
Stompeeze $5 NEW FROM GARAGE SALE SITE 2 Pamper Bags (3 nail polishes (all free with coupon), lotion and perfume $1)
Horse String Puppet FREE LISTIA
Littlest Pet Shop Set FREE LISTIA
Lego Friends Car Set FREE LISTIA
Build A Bear Kit (2 stuffed animals and stuffing etc) FREE LISTIA
Ever After Doll FREE LISTIA
Monster High Doll FREE LISTIA
Butterfly Costume CLEARANCE WALMART AFTER HALLOWEEN $.99
Horse Books $2 GARAGE SALE SITE
Tangled DVD $1.99 DISNEY MOVIE CLUB
Lalaloopsy crocheted hat FREE LISTIA
Princess Sophia Amber Toy FREE WALMART GIFT CARD FROM SWAGBUCKS
Sophia the first Royal Tea Party Figure Set FREE WALMART GIFT CARD FROM SWAGBUCKS
Peppa Pig Family FREE AMAZON GIFT CARD FROM SWAGBUCKS Princess Costume CLEARANCE WALMART AFTER HALLOWEEN $.99 Dog Clay Craft Set FREE LISTIA
Pony Set Dollar General $10
Thunder Basketball FREE WALMART GIFT CARD FROM SWAGBUCKS
Bedtime Stories DVD $1.99 DISNEY MOVIE CLUB
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Uno Game FREE LISTIA
Nerf Basketball Hoop and Ball FREE MAIL IN REBATE FROM GRANOLA BARS
Skateboard lights FREE LISTIA
Skateboard book cover FREE LISTIA
Airplane model set FREE LISTIA
Remote Control Angry Birds Balloon FREE LISTIA
Captain American DVD FREE
Ducky Dynasty Beard CLEARANCE WALMART AFTER HALLOWEEN $.99
Kindle Fire XP 6 $79 BLACK FRIDAY AMAZON
Diary of Wimpy Kid Book $8 scholastic book order
Duck Dynasty Costume Set $.99 AFTER HALLOWEEN CLEARANCE WALMART
Bag full of Princess Sophia Toys From Dollar Tree $4
So the break down of this.. even though I got free items from listia I spent some shipping right? The out of pocket I paid for shipping on the ones I charged came out to be $75 over the summer.
All Amazon and Walmart orders were free. Amazon I did a free trial of prime to try it out. Walmart has free site to store delivery on items that I want to order online which are often cheaper when you order online then in the store!
So over all I spent roughly $200 for everyone's Christmas making it $50 a kid! Not to bad considering the things I got and about half of that was on the kindle fire!

My goal this year is to start off the bat doing my swagbucks and listia religiously so I have an even BETTER turn out this coming Christmas and be able to use more towards stuff for the oldest!


I hope this helps give a little idea for everyone and help them get started and save for their family too!

Some new quick freezer meals I tried for fun! Can't wait to see how the family likes them all! So far the lemon pepper chicken was a big hit! Of course that's a family favorite as always too! But I made it differently this time!



1) Bean Burritos
3/4 cup rice (brown or white)
2 tbs olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
3 tbs tomato paste
3 cans pinto beans
1 bag frozen corn
8 burrito size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese


directions:
cook rice according to package
meanwhile, heat oil in large sauce pant. Add onions, garlic, cumin, season with salt and pepper. Stirring occasionally til golden about 10-12 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook stirring for about 1 minute.

Add beans and 1q 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook over medium heat and simmer. Stirring occasionally.
Assemble 1/4 cup rice, 3/4 cup bean mixture and 1/4 cup cheese in tortilla. Roll up and wrap in foil and freeze.



To reheat from frozen, remove from foil and cook for 40 minutes at 450.


2) Red Pepper Chicken


1 lb boneless chicken breast
1 medium size red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt


Combine all ingredients in a gallon sized plastic freezer bag. To thaw just add to the crock pot and cook on low 3-6hrs


3) Chicken and Dumpling Stew

2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut up or you can use chicken strips
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
10 cups chicken broth
2 cups carrots, sliced
1/2 tsp ground thyme

For Dumplings

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk



Directions:
In large soup pot, sauté chicken and onion over medium heat until chicken is browned. About 6-8 minutes. Add celery. Add 1/4 cup flour and then slowly add chicken broth, carrots, and thyme, stirring well. Bring to a boil and heat for 20 minutes simmering.

While simmering, prepare dumplings til dough forms. One it is finished simmering, drop dough into spoonfulls into chicken mixture. Let cool and freeze.

To reheat just thaw day of and reheat.

4) Lemon Pepper Chicken

1lb boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
the juice from one lemon
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

combine all ingredients into a gallon size freezer bag. To thaw place in crock pot and cook 3-6hrs.

great for breakfast or desert! Loved this!!!




Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
5 small cored, thinly sliced apples
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 can (17.5 oz) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing






1 of 4 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with shortening or cooking spray. In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add apples; cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to brown. Remove from heat.






2 of 4 Meanwhile, in large microwavable bowl, microwave cream cheese and powdered sugar uncovered on High 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds, until softened. Stir until smooth, then slowly stir in milk. Stir in apple mixture.








3 of 4 Separate dough into 5 rolls; return icing to refrigerator. Cut each cinnamon roll into 6 pieces, and stir into apple mixture. Pour into baking dish.









4 of 4 Bake 26 to 32 minutes or until bubbling around edges and dough is baked through. Let stand 10 minutes. Transfer icing to quart-sized resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut 1 corner with kitchen scissors, and drizzle over mixture.

Chocolate chip banana bread



4 bananas
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg beaten
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1tsp baking soda
1tbs vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips



Bake at 350 for 50-60min

These are great as muffins too!

We all had a wonderful relaxing Christmas around here this year! It was a bit different! We normally travel back to Oklahoma to visit family and do our Christmas early or we go after Christmas but this year we decided to stay put and save some money with all the recent changes going on and just have a nice relaxing holiday at home and let family come to us if they wanted!

Bryan wound up having to work staff duty on Christmas day so we requested santa come one day early! Which worked out great and his dad and new wife came to visit the day after Christmas for a few days which was a wonderful visit!
The kids all got something they asked santa for and much more! They seemed to be happy with everything they got which was great because the oldest is at that age you wonder if he will be disappointed or happy lol
"

The elf has been busy around here the last few weeks! But has headed back to the North Pole til next year! I think the elf was exhausted and ready to go lol

As a tradition I always try to make something fun for breakfast on the holidays and this year I made gingerbread men pancakes!

I can not believe that my oldest baby is 12yrs old already!!! Time has flown by so fast and it seems like just yesterday I remember taking that first pregnancy test and thinking I was seeing things, shaking and calling everyone crying from excitement!! He was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me! My first born!!

I can't believe my baby is 5yrs old today!!! Here's a little flash back of her over the years! Our life has been nothing but full of adventure since she has been born!!