Honey, I'm hoooooome!

Hello?

*tap tap*

Is this thing on?

I'm hoping a handful of you are still out there after my all too long vacation hiatus. We went to Disney, did all those great Disney things, had a blast, and didn't blog a single second we were there. $10.95/day for WiFi? Um, no, not from the pocket of a frugal blogger. So, we did without using the internet, and other than the 650 emails I came home to, it was the best feeling. I did miss my bloggy friends for sure. I feel so behind in keeping track of everyone's lives. Ha.

My house is of course a mess. I promise I didn't leave it that way. I know the 'Rules of Simple Vacationing' ... do one thing, and one thing only, clean your house so that you come home to something at least reasonably serene. Check. What I did not consider was the possibility that the people housesitting for us would then go on to wreck the entire place. *sigh* I am in no mind or mood for cleaning it either, as I seem to have brought home some awful Tropical Bird Flu (ok, really, it's just an awful chest cold/flu/bronchitis thing, don't call the CDC) and feel like death warmed over. Intead, I am inclined to try to catch up on my blog reader, drink hot chocolate (it's snowing again!), and try to cough the last of this stuff out of here. Want to read along with me?

Sarah deals in using up freebie pie crusts. I didn't get in on this deal, but from the looks of that elephant ear, and Be's absolute adoration of pie, I think I probably should have.

The Good Human cancelled his trash service to be more cognizant of what he was throwing away (and to save money!). We are working towards a similar goal here. We only fill the trash bin every 2-3 weeks rather than weekly. If I could get it lower, and Be could drive the Jeep, we'd likely be on the same program.

Broke Grad Student lays out the 5 stupid ways we waste money. Guilty on all accounts at some point, for sure.

Crystal always has all the good deals, including this post with 2 different ways to get a FREE Arby's "Roastburger". I'm still trying to figure out what the heck these things are ... and how exactly they're browned but not "fried" (magic? me thinks so). I don't generally eat there, but a freebie lunch for my family? Ok by me.

JD's wife, Kris, is a seed starting machine. I looooooooove posts in the late winter/early spring about seed starting because it means it will be time to put those little germinators to dirt in this house very soon. I love gardens. I love growing our own food. I love the look of those cute little seed pots all in a row. Love love love love it! Where is my seed catalog?

Pizza Hut Book-It is now open to homeschoolers. Book-It is that rad program where you read books in order to get free personal pan pizzas. Reading is fun. Pizza is fun. Reading for pizza is fabulous. I loved this program as a kid, and now everyone can do it! Hooray! Thanks, Crystal.

First, I absolutely adore the Happy Housewife. Now, she's making pita in her bread machine. I love pita in ways I cannot explain. It is the perfect bread. I could eat it constantly, with every meal, as the only food allowed me for years. Now, I kind of wish I had a bread machine.

Are you a baggie washer? We are. Gayle is. It's not lunacy, I promise.

I'm feeling absolutely blah today. Lisa at the Simple Mom has 16 tips for increasing your energy levels. Maybe I could just get over this Tropical Bird Flu and call it good?

Or maybe just a nap?


Simply,

Em.