Date night done right

Last week, Mr. Jones and I went on a pretty awesome date. We haven't had "us" time (out of the house that is!) in months. We're not the best about getting out of our comfort zone, but when my sweet mom offered us tickets to see a favorite artist perform, I said YES and  my dear husband agreed to tag along. :-)

That's how we wound up out on the town last Wednesday night to hear Kenny Chesney!

It was incredibly enjoyable, as was the yummy Mexican we had on our way to the show after work.

After dinner, it was on to the show! I was pretty excited, because our new ampitheater opened a few months ago, but I hadn't been to an event at it yet. I was very impressed with everything about it. And our seats weren't bad either!

The concert was unique in so many ways. I've seen Kenny Chesney perform 6-7 times, but he came to Tuscaloosa a month after the tornado hit, keeping his schedule, and donating all of the proceeds to relief efforts in the area. That was one big thing that made the concert pretty cool and very special. But I was touched hearing him talk about how much he loved playing in Tuscaloosa and how it was a privilege to come back and play again. It had been a few years since his last "Keg in the Closet" tour that stopped here.

"Back Where I Come From" brought a smile to my face when he played it with Mac McAnnally - another surprise for us. But "My Home's In Alabama" was his final treat to us, and it brought tears to my eyes. This is my home. This is a special place to me. It was a fitting tribute, and the scenes of post-tornado Tuscaloosa moved the entire crowd of more than 7,000.

It may have just been a concert, and a fun date night with my husband, but for our town, it was so much more.

XOXO,

Mrs. Jones

Some fab deals...

Check out these if you're looking for some great freebies!

FREE Sister Hazel sampler MP3 download from Amazon

FREE Screwdriver Set from 1SaleADay

I downloaded one and ordered the other. No credit card required for either.
Enjoy!

Mrs. Jones

Frugal Friday: A week of couponing

This week I've done quite a bit of couponing, so I thought I might show you how I worked things each day, and how many stops/stores I hit each day. I generally do this on my lunch break if I'm doing drugstores, or I may stop at one on my way home, just depends on what my schedule is like that day - and if I need anything to stay in the fridge! :-)

Hope you enjoy! I've shared some freebies at the end!

Monday

Walgreen's

- Scunci no damage elastics (18 pack, with bonus 18 pack)

= Paid $2.82, got $2 in Register Rewards back

CVS

- Trident Vitality gum

- Revlon TopSpeed nail polish

- Revlon TopSpeed nail polish

= Paid $1.06 (used $10 coupon), got $8.99 in Extra Care Bucks back

----------

Tuesday

Walgreen's

- 240 tablet Nature Made Echinacea vitamins

- 240 tablet Nature Made Echinacea vitamins

- Tone body wash

= Paid $4.48, got $3 in Register Rewards back

(My receipt says I saved $30.69 on this trip!)

CVS

- Revlon TopSpeed nail polish

- Revlon Scented nail polish

- Revlon Scented nail polish

- Revlon Scented nail polish

- 4 single packets of Crystal Light

- 2 Green Bag Tags

= Paid $7.50, got $16 in Extra Care Bucks back

On top of the couponing fun, it was also a good week at the mailbox. I got some freebies in the mail this week, including this one, which I'm really excited to try! I got this one from a Facebook fan page for Lori Greiner nail polish. Cool!

I do love my freebies!!!! Perfect for upcoming road trips.

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Home Tour Tuesday begins....

So, we've been in our house for about 10-11 months, and I think it's about time I finished decorating, organizing and getting things together. I've taken care of quite a bit lately, and that's left me excited to show things off to you guys.

So, Home Tour Tuesdays are beginning! We'll take a few weeks to show you our little house. Hope you're excited. I am!

This is how it looked upon our arrival last July.... I'll unveil a little more week by week!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Menu Monday: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Yes, it's that good. I loved it. And I'm not always a huge pasta salad girl. So, I wanted to share!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
From The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
(For Dressing)
- 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes (7 oz)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste

(For Salad)
- 16 oz pasta
- 1 jar Kalamata or assorted olives
- 1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
- 10 leaves basil, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
- In a blender, make the dressing. Combine sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and vinegar until tomatoes are chopped. Condinue blending while drizzing in olive oil until mixed together. (Sidenote: I threw it all in my Magic Bullet at the same time and it worked great.)
- Cook the pasta. Drain and rinse until no longer hot.
- Pour 2/3 dressing over pasta. Add olives and toss. Add remaining ingredients, toss some more, and add as much more dressing as you like.
- Serve and eat!

It's so good, hope you enjoy. I had it for a dinner and three lunches. :-)

XOXO,

Mrs. Jones

Frugal Friday: Rite Aid style

Happy Friday everyone! I'm so glad today is here!

My best deal shopping (and pretty much all I've done so far) was at Rite Aid this week, which is unusual for me. Here's what my big shopping trip looked like:

Items purchased:
- 2 Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red 32 oz. drinks
- Crest Sensitive toothpaste
- Crest Pro-Health toothpaste
- 2 Fiber One bars (clearance)
- 4  bags Ritz Bitz with cheese
- 2 Sally Hansen mini tweezers
- 2 Sally Hansen nail clippers

Subtotal: $.83
Tax: $2.10
Total: $2.93

Savings after sales and coupons: $37.53

I was pretty excited, and I think I'm going to work the Ritz Bitz and Sally Hansen deals again today, because Mr. Jones loves those for snacks, and I always lose my nail clippers and tweezers!

XOXO and Happy Friday,

Mrs. Jones

Inspiration

I want to do puppy glamour shots with EB and me - and Mr. Jones, of course..

Mojito Maven from Make Mine a Mojito had the best pictures every taken and she shared them here. Go look.

Puppy lovers unite! And take pictures of the fur-babies.

Happy Thursday,
Mrs. Jones

Adventures in gardening....

So, Mr. Jones and I thought we were going to be pretty cool and productive and get some plants growing in our backyard this past weekend. Cue laughter. Please.

My grandparents gave us an awesome tomato planter, and we got it allllll set up and pretty to grow Mr. some fab tomato plants this summer. EB got jealous of the time we spent on it apparently. Because this is what we found:

Oh yes, she did. Bad EB. I'm going to be a terrible punisher, because I couldn't stop laughing. Or running to get the camera. Because this? Is priceless.

Can't you just hear her? "But, dadddyyyyy, what did I dooooo????" Hahahaha. Poor tomato plant. He'll get put back together and is hopefully no worse for the wear....

Happy summer and gardening season!

XOXO,

Mrs. Jones

Wishful Wednesday: This could be cool....

But I do believe it is too far away, and way out of my price range....

Here's to wishing!

XOXO,

Mrs. Jones

More headlines, more tears....

Sports Illustrated

May 23, 2011

Cover story HERE

It is one of the most moving pieces I have read. I cried, for so many things. For what has been lost, but also for the way so many have responded. For the people left hurting, but for the hope that has been born. The hardest thing is still realizing just how far we have to go. So many things, so many people, will never, ever be the same.

XOXO,

Mrs. Jones

Little changes.... Starbucks

There have been many things to get adjusted too since the tornado hit town. It really damaged Starbucks, across the street from where buildings were totally leveled. One of the things it's nice to see on it's way back is my favorite morning stop....

Odd site, right? Well, never fear, this week a Starbucks mobile unit showed up so they are open, functioning and making us VERY happy again. Ever seen one of these?

I'm grateful for the little things as our sweet city rebuilds. Thanks Starbucks!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Frugal Friday: Loving freebies....

So, I've been so behind!!! I've had some fabulous freebies and deals lately, but I've been a little behind on the deal-hunting because, sadly, my favorite CVS is no longer there.

Anyways, here's what I've gotten lately:

The Mail Freebies:

- Jello Temptations

- Extra gum

- Pyrex pot holder

- Tide sample

- Tide stain release sample

- Mini wheats sample

- Another free Pyrex potholder

- Free full-size Physicians Formula sample

The Shopping Deals

- Free Nivea body wash

- 3 free ketchups

- free Sally Hansen nail treatment 

Not the best week, but pretty darn good! I'll be better about posting my deals and shopping next week!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Easter, a little late...

I never managed to share about our little Easter celebration.... Yeah, it was one of the first holidays just the two of us, as all of my family was out of town!

We grilled some kabobs, and had corn and wine with festive decorations. Pretty? I thought so.

My domestic goddess failure? Because yes, there was one. I saw this really cute Peep sunflower cake. So, I got to baking, for the first time in ages. And half my cake fell apart. Well, more like 1/3. But really? It just crumbled. It was still really good, but half the pictures showed just how pitiful it was! Here are some of the better ones...

That was our little Easter celebration at home.

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Wishful Wednesday: Fun New Makeup....

Smashbox Eye Shadow Palette

in Classifeyed

$15

OPI Little Romantics Mini Nail Polish Set

$12.50ish

On my mind, in my heart...

Forgive my silence this week. I haven't had a whole lot to say. While my family and our homes are all safe, I have friends who - while all safe and well - suffered a great deal of damage. I drove through one of the affected areas for the first time yesterday, and it tore at my heart.

I'll show you a little bit of what has been on my mind and in front of me both in person and on the tv and computer screens.

We hid in our bedroom when we knew the tornado was close, but Mr. Jones realized it was passing us, and called me out to look out our front door. This is what I saw from our front steps:

When the power came back on, these were the images others had captured:

The aftermath has put our city and state in a national spotlight. There is a pride and a sense of togetherness that is unlike anything I have ever seen.

It's still hard though. Help is pouring in, there is a (new) sense of normalcy returning across the community. We're all trying to help, to find ways to make life a little easier for one another.

I drove through an impacted area, one of our main intersections, on Wednesday for the first time. It broke my heart. I can't believe the death toll isn't higher. We've been lucky. But when this is what lucky looks like, sometimes it's hard to remember.

It's the little things now that jar you. I forgot my lunch and needed to grab something. Half of my favorite restaurants are gone, wiped off the map. Starbucks is closed. It was in a shopping center that was at the edge of the tornado. It will be closed for a month. (That's another post for another day... You all know how I love my Starbucks.) I guess we will get used to this new normal. I just don't like it very much.

If any of you are looking to help, let me know and I can give you specific information. I've been touched already at the number of friends who have reached out to help those in need. You guys are all one of a kind.

XOXO - and many blessings,

Mrs. Jones