New Year's Eve Plans  

Posted by: Julie in

Update:
Well, plans have changed. We've all got to go help hubby bag and deliver ice to two of our locations. After, we're going out for dessert!!!
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Back before the kids were born, hubby and I would stay up and welcome in the new year with a midnight breakfast at Waffle House. Funny, I know, but our little tradition.
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After we had kids, that was just way to late for supper.
We would still go to Waffle House, but at supper time, not midnight.
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This year we are staying home.
I'm going to fix pancakes for supper.
The kids are begging to stay up till midnight, so I think we're gonna pull out the board games and have a night of games and snacks.
We might even watch a little
Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve ;-)
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So what are your plans for New Year's Eve?

Swishn' and Swipen' and Homemade Cleaning Wipes  

Posted by: Julie in ,

*See Below For My Homemade Cleaning Wipes *
For more "Works for Me Wednesday" visit Rocks in My Dryer


When you "swish and swipe" your bathroom, it's just a daily routine of wiping over things to keep the room looking and smelling nice. It's not deep cleaning. You do that once per month when you are in that ZONE (for more info on "Zones", visit FLYLADY)
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How do I "swish and swipe"?
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Well, I like to pick up the Lysol or Clorox wipes when I can get them cheap. I also make my own cleaning wipes (recipe to follow). I keep the wipes along with some Windex and paper towels under the sink in the bathroom so it's easy to grab when I'm ready to clean.
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I take a wipe and start with the counter top and sink. I give it a good wipe down and get rid of all the toothpaste gunk that my crew seems to leave ;-). Then I'll get another wipe and go over the toilet. I'll start with the tank and handle, then the outside of the lid, the inside of the lid, the seat, the underside of the seat and wipe the top of the rim and sides of the bowl. Next I'll spritz the mirror and wipe it down with a paper towel and sometimes I'll Windex the faucet. Then, I'll spritz the toilet with Windex and swish the toilet with a toilet brush. What about the tub and shower? What about the floor? What about a stronger cleaner in the toilet? I do that once per week when I do my "Weekly Blessing" (better known as cleaning the house).
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That's it. All done. Does it sound like a lot? It's kind of like the directions to making a PB & J. Lots of info to make something SO simple! This takes less than 2 minutes to do and will keep your bathroom clean all the time.
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How do I make my own cleaning wipes? I'll get those really nice paper towels (like Viva) and tear them off the roll. I'll smush them into a plastic container with a lid. Next, I'll pour in a cleaner like Mr Clean or Lysol until the paper towels are moist without being soppy wet. That's it. I use them just like the Lysol or Clorox wipes you buy. I like to keep a container of these under the sink in each bathroom. I find I'm more likely to swipe down the bathroom if I don't have to go all over the house to get the items I need.

Time to Fly  

Posted by: Julie in ,

Do you all know The FlyLady? If you don't, you can read all about her HERE
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A few years back I was doing so well on the Fly Lady Plan.
My laundry was always done, my house was always clean (and I mean CLEAN!!), and I had tons of free time for fun things.
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Well, it's time to Fly again. I'm tired of never getting it all done. Tired of not having time for the things I want to do.
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So far this morning, I've made up 5 beds, Swished and Swiped 2 bathrooms, emptied the dishwasher, put a load of laundry in the dryer and one in the wash.
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I've not been rushing around. I've just DONE it. Isn't that the key?
Just Do It
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Flying is just one of the things I am planning for the new year.
I have two other goals that I hope to start and keep up with.
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First, as a family, we plan to read through the Bible in one year. This will begin January 1. You read something like 3 - 4 chapters everyday and in one year you will have read the entire Bible.
I can't believe I've never read the Bible completely through. EVER. How sad is that!!!
Well, this is the year to fix that.
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Second, it's time to get the kids actively involved in the upkeep of our home. So often I've said, "It's just easier to do it myself"
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Well, ya know what? It's not easier and I'm doing a disservice to my children.
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Oh, I'm sure at first it's going to be more trying, but soon the kids will be able to do things on their own and do them correctly. I read about many young women 8, 9, 10 years old that can make simple meals for the family on their own.
It's about time my two oldest children learned the art of cooking.
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They are quite capable of helping me Swish and Swipe the bathroom. Of helping me dust the house. Of picking up the living room not just their rooms. Helping with the laundry.
It's time for mom to be MOM and not a MAID!!!
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This summer I plan to have a garden. There is no way I can keep up with a garden if my housework isn't kept up with as well. Summer time is a super busy time for us because of the ice company, so it's going to be VERY important to keep up with the house if I want to garden and put up produce at the end of the season.
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There is time to do it all,
we just have to use our time wisely

Harris Teeter Triples  

Posted by: Julie in

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
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January 1 - 4, 2008
Harris Teeter will have Triple Coupons.
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There is a new twist this time...
not only will they triple up to a $0.99 coupon,
they are going to DOUBLE the P & G $1 and $2 coupons.
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(ONLY THE P&G $1 AND $2 COUPONS WILL DOUBLE)
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It is my understanding that the 20 coupons tripled (and /or $1 & $2 P& G's doubled) per transaction is still in effect. This time the ad states"per transaction" and not "per day" as it has in the past.I guess that would mean you can now do more than one transaction per day.

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Rumor also has it that Bloom will do triples again sometime in the
first two weeks of January. Keep your eye out for the ad.
A new ad should be out on Wednesday.
You can view it at www.shopbloom.com

Walgreens Christmas Items 75% off  

Posted by: Julie in

I went into Walgreens today to pick up my Sunday papers and what did I find?
75% off Christmas items!!!
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I picked up some name tags, Christmas bags, ribbon and
even Christmas gifts for next year.
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Does that make me smart or sad?
Umm...I'm gonna go with smart ;-)
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Have you done any after Christmas shopping?
What kind of deals have you found?

Merry Christmas from the Monroe's  

Posted by: Julie in


Wishing You a Blessed and Merry Christmas  

Posted by: Julie

Let's Play a Game  

Posted by: Julie












Memories of Christmas Past  

Posted by: Julie in

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Welcome to Our Home  

Posted by: Julie in ,

Well, hi ya'll!
Welcome to the Ice House!
Come in , come in.

I am so glad you found time to stop by. What a busy day you are having.
Come on into the kitchen. You do know that "backdoor friends" are the best kind of friend, don't you? ;)

You caught me putting together Christmas gifts. 1 pound of pecan halves and 1 bag of Spritz cookies...who wouldn't just love that as a gift?

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I know you've been getting lots of offers for hot chocolate, coffee, or eggnog but since you're here in the south, and it's not very cold, I thought you might like a refreshing glass of ice tea! You do know there is a TON of sugar in it, right? It will give you lots of energy while you are out visiting today. Not for you? How about a tall, ice cold glass of milk instead? And please try one of my Spritz cookies, I know you'll love them. Of course I'll share the recipe with you, just click HERE.

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Since we are already in the kitchen, let me show you how I decorate it for Christmas. I try to keep it simple in here because too much stuff on the counters will just get in my way, what with all the baking and cooking I'm doing this time of year.

See the little gingerbread cookie ornaments on the curtains? I think they give a such sweet touch all around the room.

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And I have this beautiful wreath here on the wall above the counter. So festive, don't you think?



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This is my most favorite decoration in the entire house...my egg tree. Each year I get one of these eggs for my hubby and I. We have our names written on it along with the year. This year the egg has a church on it because this is the year we joined our church and also the year I was baptized as a Baptist along with 2 of my children that were baptized with me. A very special memory indeed. You can see a close up of that egg HERE.

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I know you want to see the rest of the house so let's step through here into the dining / family room. The dining area is small so I don't do very much in here, just a little table with Santa on it. Sometimes simple is best. I made this Santa back when hubby and I first married. He' s been a part of 14 Christmas celebrations so far. I found a GREAT deal on these luminaries (FREE) and I think they add such a soft glow to this space (and are safe around the kids).

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Onto the tree. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, what special memories can be found on thee. This tree just drips with memories.





Ornaments from when I was a child.


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Ones my mother in law made when my husband was a little boy.

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This one was made by my mother for my great-grandmother and hung on her tree for years. When she passed away, my parents found this ornament tucked away...the only ornament she had saved...and they gave it to me for a Christmas gift.

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This one always goes front and center on the tree. I just LOVE it. Cute, huh?

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My children receive a new ornament each year from their Papa and Gram. We don't put it on the tree until the following Christmas. They get so excited when it's time to unpack the ornaments each year. They can't wait to see their ornaments and put the "new" one on the tree. It's a MAJOR big deal around here. This one was given to my daughter, Jessica. Doesn't it look just like her?

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One more special ornament. It think it says its all...

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We could stay and talk about the tree for hours but there is more to see.

Here we have the mantle decked out and waiting for Santa to fill all those stockings.

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Another precious decoration is the nativity. I bought this ages ago and I just adore it. It's very different and very "me". It sits in a special place on the mantle to remind us of the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

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Did you see the beautiful angels there on the mantle? Here, let me show you a close up.

This one belongs to Jessica.

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This is Kimberly's

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This one is Daniel's

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Each child has their own angel and we put a different angel on the tree every year. This year it's Andrew's turn to have his angel on the tree. She is already at the top of the tree, so I don't have a close up of her right now.

The other "big" decorating we do are the Christmas houses. The children have given me many of these houses along with my mother in law and my mom and dad. This is a view of the top of our entertainment center. I also have bookcases on each side full of Christmas houses.

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And here it is all lit up. Isn't it warm and cozy?

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I have way too many to show close ups of each, but you can get an idea of how beautiful they are with these examples.

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Yes, I know you have to go. You have many beautiful homes to visit today.I am so glad you stopped by The Ice House. Please come back a visit anytime.

Merry Christmas!

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For more beautifully decorated homes visit

Boo Mama , Hooked on Houses, Southern Hospitality and Thrifty Decor Chick

My Garland is Showing...  

Posted by: Julie in ,

The Nester has encouraged us to make the most of what we have and spruce up our garland. Now mine is not nearly as plush and lush as hers but it looks MUCH better than it did.

This first picture is with the flash. In the center of the mantel is my nativity. On each side are angels. Each child has their own angel and they take turns putting them on the top of the tree. The two angels here belong to my daughters. Jessica's is on the left and Kimberly's is on the right.


Here it is without the flash. So warm and cozy. I added red, white and green balls that used to be on my grandmother's tree. I've always wanted to use them someway and I think this worked out pretty well. I've also added ribbon and strings of sparkly stars to add some glitz. It doesn't all show up in the pictures, but I'm very happy with my improved garland.

Want to see some absolutely gorgeous garlands? Click on the "Your Garland is Showing" button at the top of the page and be prepared to be WOWED!!

Be sure to come back Monday December 15. Boo Mama is hosting a Tour of Homes and I'll be participating. That's when you'll get to see all of my decorations in all their glory.

Frugal, "Green" Wrapping  

Posted by: Julie in


Do you see what this is?



This year instead of buying paper gifts bags,

I bought re-useable Target shopping bags.

I filled them as usual, added tissue paper and presto!

A beautifuly wrapped gift that is earth friendly and at

$0.99 each it's a frugal idea, too.!
Frugal Friday is found at Biblical Womanhood.
Be sure to stop by and see all the frugal ideas

This definitely works for me!

For more "Works for Me Wednesday", visit Rocks in My Dryer!

Then Sings My Soul  

Posted by: Julie in



Then Sings My Soul Saturday is hosted by Signs, Miracles and Wonders.

I just heard this new Christmas song (new to me, anyway) yesterday and it is UNBELIEVABLE!! You MUST listen to the whole thing!!!!


It's called "A Baby Changes Everything" and is sung by Faith Hill

Saving this week...$115.53!!!!!  

Posted by: Julie in , ,





SO I did some serious grocery shopping today. Here we go...




Boom - Triple Coupons this weekend

(I did 2 transactions)

Bloom Transaction #1


(4) Fresh Express Salad: $2.50 (sale price) - $0.75 Q x 3 = $0.25 each
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(4) Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls: $2.00 (sale price) - $0.30 Q x 3 = $1.10 each

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(4) Kleenex Tissuse : $1.50 (sale price) - $0.40 Q x 3 = $0.30 each

Total OOP: $7.67

Total Savings: $26.82


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Bloom Transaction #2

(1) Zip Lock Vacuum Pump: $1.99 sale price (reg. $3.68)
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(4) Zip Lock storage bags: $2.00 (sale price) - $0.40 Q x 3 = $0.80 each
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(1) Zip Lock storage bag : $2.00 (sale price) - $0.55 Q x 3 = $0.35 each
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(4) Pop Tarts: $2.00 (sale price) - $0.55 Q x 3 =$0.35 each
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(8) Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup - $0.59 each - $0.40 off 4 Q x 3 = $0.29 each
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(4) Blue Bonnet Butter: $0.99 each - $0.50 Q x 3 = FREE each
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(2) Daisy Sour Cream: $1.29 - $0.50 Q x 3 = $0.29 each
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(4) Lusianne Family Tea Bags: $1.59 (sale price) - $0.60 Q x 3 = FREE each +
* $0.21 overage each


Total OOP: $7.30

Total Savings: $37.51

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Publix Trip:

(4) Electrasol Dishwashing Liquid: $2.20 (sale BOGO) - $0.35 x 2 = $1.50 each
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(6) Ragu Pasta Sauce: $1.29 each (sale BOGO) - $0.50/ 2 x 2 = $0.79 each
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(2) Cape Cod Chips: $1.74 each (sale BOGO)
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(2) Sliced bacon: $2.00 each (2 / $4.00 sale)


Total OOP: $21.27

Total Savings: $29.27


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BiLo Trip



(2) Coco Pebbles: $1.68 each (BOGO sale)
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(1) Chicken Breast: $0.99 / lb = $4.02
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(4) Armour Meatballs: 2 / $5.00 - $0.55 Q x 2 = $1.40 each
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(2) Flour tortillas: $1.25 each (BOGO sale)
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(1) Ruffles Chips: $1.99 sale price

Total OOP: $17.45

Total Savings: $21.93

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Total Spent Today: $53.69


Total Saved Today: $115.53

For more Super Savings visit Money Saving Mom!











Cooking with Mom  

Posted by: Julie in

Melinda at Bloggin' It From the 'Burbs is hosting
"Flashback Friday".
The assignment is to post past Christmas pictures
and write a little note about it.

This week I'm doing "Cooking with Mom".
Each Christmas I make all kinds of Christmas cookies
and of course the kiddos help ;-)

Here are some of our past (and current) photos.

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This is my oldest child, Andrew (now 10 years old) back in 2001 when he was 3 years old.

I HAD to include this picture (it's okay...he's got on underpants).

We used to call him "Mr. No-Pants" because he ran around in just his shirt and underpants all the time LOL!


This is my sweet, sweet, Jessica! She is now 8 years old. Where did the time go? This photo was taken in 2003 when she was 3 years old.

Little Miss Kimberly and her dad enjoying cookie dough while brother and sister were asleep. This cutie is 5 now and this picture was made in 2005 when she was 2 years old.

This is the youngest of the clan, Daniel. This is his "first" Christmas playing mom's helper. We made the first of the Christmas cookies today so he had his picture made this afternoon. He is 2 years old.

I hope my kids look back years from now and have fond memories of the times we made Christmas cookies together. I know I will.