Our 2011 in Pictures

January

 February

 March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

What a great year we had!  I cannot wait until 2012, more great things to come!

Happy New Year!



New Purex Triple Action Review & Giveaway!

I love being a Purex Insider!  I get the opportunity to try new products before they are released to store shelves.  This week I was able to try the new and improved Purex Triple Action formula!  I was able to try the Free & Clear formula since I have some little ones with some sensitive skin in our household. 

New Purex Triple Action leverages the best parts of the current formula, combined with new additions, to deliver great cleaning plus improved brightening power.  This new formula will be rolled out across Purex's liquid detergent line so soon you'll find it in your favorite scents including Mountain Breeze, After the Rain, Lavender Fresh, Original Fresh, Linen & Lillies, and Lilac & White Lavender!  Just like all of Purex's current detergents, new Purex Triple Action is specifically formulated to work in both traditional and HE washers. 

Now I have 2 young boys that know how to get dirty!  I need a detergent that is strong on stains, but won't irritate their smooth skin.  I was very pleased with the results from Purex Triple Action!  It left our clothes clean and smelling fresh!  I also had some tough laundry to tackle with the stains of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!  Purex Triple Action had no problems tackling our laundry issues!

Beginning in early 2012, you will be able to get free samples of the new Purex Triple Action here!  I will be sure to give you the "heads up" when the site is up and running!  Everyone loves free detergent samples to keep the grocery budget under control!

To celebrate the launch of new Purex Triple Action, two Spend Less 2 Save More readers will win a coupon for a free bottle of new Purex Triple Action!

To enter (leave a separate comment for each entry):
1.  Tell me why you love Purex in the comments!
2.  Become a Facebook Fan of Spend Less 2 Save More and leave a comment!
3.  Become a follower of Spend Less 2 Save More and leave a comment (link is in the sidebar)!

Contest will end at midnight on 1/11/12!  Good Luck!

Purex provided me a free sample of their Triple Action laundry detergent so I provide a review of the product.  However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own and are not influenced by Purex.

Have You Thought About Re-Financing?

Have you thought about re-financing?  I know you hear everywhere that now is the time to consider re-financing your home loan.  Interest rates are at record lows making it a great time to consider your home loan.  If you think you won't save money, it may be worth your while to call around and get some estimates.  We just refinanced our loan into a smaller term loan and our payment are less than what we had been paying.  Here are some of the other benefits we will be experiencing with our loan re-finance:

• Shaved multiple years off our home loan.
• More of our monthly payment goes directly to payoff the principal.
• Enjoying an APR more than 2% less than our old APR.

You really need to think if you plan to stay in your home.  With the real estate market the way it is, we have no plans of ever moving.  We are in our house for the long haul, unless of course someone else has other plans for us!

You also get to skip a house payment while the loans transfer, so this could be a great way to free up some extra cash to pay down consumer debt!

Our personal goal is to have a mortgage completely paid for before our oldest son goes to college, so it is time to buckle down and get serious!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of December 26, 2011

So I have been off my menu planning for most of December.  Things has been really chaotic and we have a lot of (good) things happening!  But I found out, when you don't plan, you regret it with way too many nights of "let's run out and get something"!  So I am starting the final week of 2011 right and planning my menu.  We had an easy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day since we did not host either.  So we had the pleasure at eating at others' houses and not having to cook or clean up!  So this week I am off of work, so I have no excuses, I must cook!

Monday - Turkey Roast and Mashed Potatoes
Tuesday - Beef Enchilada Pie
Wednesday - Mom's Girls Night Out!
Thursday - Pizza Night!
Friday - Beef Stroganoff
Saturday - Celebrating the New Year with Friends!
Sunday - Crock Pot Roasted Chicken

This post is linked at MPM at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Taking 10 minutes to plan your menu each week will guarantee to save you time, money, and sanity during the week!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas.  May you enjoy this blessed holiday season with good times, good food, and the wonderful people in your lives.  Remember the blessings you have and be thankful for them!

Merry Christmas!

Baked Chicken Thighs with Dijon & Lime

Ingredients:
6 -8 chicken thighs, skin removed
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lime, squeezed
3/4 tsp pepper
salt
Dried parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse chicken and remove all skin.  Pat dry, place in a large bowl and season with salt.  In another bowl combine mustard, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and pepper.  Mix well and then pour over chicken.  Coat chicken in sauce.  Line a baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Place chicken on the pan in a single layer.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Bake until cooked about 40 minutes.  Enjoy!

Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics

If you have a young-school aged child (recommended for 1st - 6th grades), then I highly suggest checking out the upcoming Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics!  First off, they are FREE!  Child and parent attend on a Saturday morning and receive a kit to build together.  They even get a cute apron and safety goggles.  Coming up in Janaury are:

• Castle on 1/14/12
• Build-a-saurus on 1/28/12

I recommend registering early since they only allow 50 kids per store.  Go here and check it out!