Selling a Piece of My History - the Chicken is Leaving the Coop

I honestly can't believe I am writing this right now.

I have put my chicken websites up for sale. You can read more about the sale at that link.

I have been running the Chicken Coop Plan website for over 5 years. It feels like I'm giving up a piece of my heart by selling it. On the same hand, it feels like that piece of my heart has been strangling me and holding me back for the last 2-3 years. It feels like I should be holding onto the past, even though it's a past that is dead and gone to me.

Anyhow, there is a $250 reserve on the sites, so if they don't go above that they won't actually sell. However, the content included, and the free traffic they generate should be worth WAY more than that.
ChickenCoopPlan.com
ChickenNews.com
Chikins.com

If you've ever wanted to own a piece of one of the first profitable chicken websites on the internet, this could be your chance. Ideally, you probably want to know something about chickens, raising chickens, building chicken coops, and also have a desire to share what you know with other readers.

Let me know if you have any questions?
All the best!
Al


P.S. Just to add a comment to this post - as of Friday 6/3, the reserve price has officially been met on the chicken coop sites.

So... I will be selling these sites, and leaving the chicken market for a while.
It's been good knowing you!

More savings.

It has been a while since I have shared my grocery savings. Not for there being a lack of them but more from a lack of motivation to post it. So I figured I had better just jump back in to posting with both feet. Here is what I have gotten over the last couple weeks.
Last week Publix had a great coupon in the weekly ad. It was the Gas card. So I tried to make the most of it and I did a couple different transactions so that I could get the most gas gift cards. The total for both transactions before sales and coupons would have been $396.61 And what I paid out of pocket was $157.27. I know that that sounds like a lot but I was able to purchase $200.00 worth of Gas cards! That is a total saving of 61%. Not my "best" saving but it is a great savings on our gas budget for the next month and a half and I was able to get some groceries as well!
Here is the first transaction...

4- Edwards Singles pies $2.99 BOGO used Manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each
making them .49 each

2- Steamfresh frozen veggies sale of .89 each used manufactures coupons for .35 off
each making them .54 each

4- Whole Fruit Sorbet $2.99 BOGO used manufactures coupons for .50 off each making
them $1.00 each.

4- Sundown Vitamins $2.99 each used a store coupons for $3.00 off each and
manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each making them
FREE with a total of $4.04 OVERAGE!!

1- Gallon of Milk $3.75 No coupons used for this

1- Package 1.5lb Ground beef $4.27 I used a Winn Dixie store coupon for $2.00 off
making it $2.27 or $1.51 per lb.

1- Package Boneless skinless chicken breast 1.65lb $4.57 I used a $1.50 off making
it $3.07 or $1.86 per lb.

4- Bags Peperidge Farms dinner rolls $3.00 BOGO used manufactures coupons for $1.00
off each making them $1.00 each.

4- ears corn on the cob .25 each No coupons used for this.

2- Nabisco Single serving packs $5.99 BOGO used manufactures coupons for $1.00 each
making them $1.99 each

4- Classico pasta sauces $2.69 BOGO used a manufactures coupon for buy 2 get one
free making them .67 each

2- 8O'clock coffee bags $6.59 used manufactures coupon for $2.00 off 2 making them
$2.29 each

4- Milano cookies $3.49 I used manufactures for free cookies when you buy the
8O'clock coffee so they were all free!

1- Coffee mate creamer $3.79 I used a manufactures coupon for free coupon making it
FREE!!

1- Uncle Bens Ready rice $1.99 used manufactures coupon for a free rice making it
FREE!!

1- 5 lb bag of red potatoes $ 2.50 No coupons used on this


1- Philadelphia cooking cream $2.00 used a manufactures coupon for free cooking
cream making it FREE!!

6- $25.00 Hess Gass Gift Cards ( they were already out of the $50.00 cards) I used
the Publix store coupon for $10.00 off a $50.00 gift card purchase. Making
them $40.00 each
Also for this purchase I used Winn Dixie store coupons for $5.00 off a $30.00 purchase. I used 4 of them for a total of $20.00 off my purchase. These are used before any other store or manufactures coupons So that is how I was able to use that many. The total before sales and coupons was $282.89. And after $112.57.

And Here is my second transaction of that week.

1- Gallon Milk $3.75 No coupons used

4- Sundown Vitamins $2.99 used a store coupon for $3.00 off each and manufactures
coupons for $1.00 off each making them FREE with a total OVERAGE of $4.04

4- Kikoman Fried rice seasoning packages .89 each Used manufactures coupons for
$1.00 off each making the FREE with a total OVERAGE of .44

4- 6 count eggs .99 each used manufactures coupons for .55 off each making them .44
each

4- Bags 8 O'clock coffee $6.59 BOGO used manufactuers coupons for $2.00 off 2 making
them $2.29 each

4- Milano cookies $3.49 used manufactures coupons for free cookies when you buy the
coffee making them all FREE!

1- $50.00 Hess Gas Gift Card I used the Publix store coupon for $10.00 off when you buy a $50.00 gas card. Making it $40.00

I also used a Windixie store coupon for $5.00 off a $30.00 purchase. Total before sales and coupons was $114.14 After, what I paid out of pocket was only $44.70!

I was able to extend my grocer saving into out gas budget! How great is that?!?


So now on to this weeks saving.
The total before sales and coupons would have been $118.08. And after was only $10.17! That is a total savings of 92%!!
This is what I got...

2- Hunts Ketchup $2.45 BOGO used manufactures for .25 off each making them .97 each

6- Vlasic Dill Pickles $2.69 BOGO used store coupons for .55 off each and
manufactures coupons for .75 off each making them .04 each!

4- Hidden Valley Dressings $3.69 BOGO used manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each
making them .84 each

4- Sundown Vitamins $2.99 each used store coupons for $3.00 off each and
manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each making them FREE with a total OVERAGE
of $4.04

4- Publix bakery Bagels $1.69 BOGO no coupons used making them .84 each

4- Welches Grape Juice $3.99 BOGO used manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each
making them .99 each

2- Cokes $1.59 Used a manufactures coupons for free soda making the both FREE!

6- Kraft Homestyle Mac and cheese $2.59 BOGO used manufactures coupons for $1.00 off
each making them .29 each

2- McCormick Garlic powders $1.99 each used manufactures coupons for .55 off each
making the $1.44 each

4- Yakisoba Noodles .80 BOGO used manufactures coupons for .50 off each making them
FREE with a total OVERAGE of .40

1- Pack Blueberries $2.99 used a manufactures coupon for $1.00 off making them $1.99

4- ears of corn on the cob $1.00 used manufactures coupon for $1.00 off making the
FREE!

2- Bags Dorito Chips $3.99 BOGO no coupon used making them $1.99 each

1- 2 liter Pepsi $1.89 Used Publix store coupon for free 2 liter when you buy 2
doritoes making it FREE!

I also used 2 Winn Dixie store coupons 50 $5.00 0ff a $30.00 purchase. Again taken off before all other coupons! Making my total out of pocket only $10.17 and a savings of 92%!!
Thanks for letting me share!

Toby Mac comes to Lakeland, FL

We've been in Florida almost 4 years now. And the girls are getting OLD. It's scary to see how fast time goes by.

However, one of the coolest parts of aging children is that they start actually having their own thoughts and opinions about life and culture. One of Kaitlyn's recent favorites is a singer named Toby Mac. He used to sing with a band called DC Talk. They started as a band when I was in college, and were hugely successful. A few years ago they went their separate ways, and have all gone their separate ways in the music industry.

Toby Mac, who I originally thought would fail as a solo artist, simply because all he could do was rap music back then, has developed tremendously as a singer and artist. Kaitlyn LOVES his music, and it has caused me to really listen to his stuff too. I now have about 3-4 of his songs in my ipod as encouragement for my bike commute.

Anyhow, Chris and I splurged a few months ago, and picked up tickets to his show in Lakeland this month. And the day FINALLY arrived to go up there.

So, here are some of the highlights from our time up there:

First of all, you can see a couple pictures of us in line at the show, and inside the building here:
The Joy FM sponsors Toby Mac in Lakeland
Shots of us include #'s 2605, 2607, 2608, and 2818.

And then here are a few shots of us hanging out before, during, and after the show:









Another great thing about the girls new tastes in music, is that it has lead me to discover some bands that I would have never normally listened to.

Here are a few free tunes you might check out. These are some of the musicians that were with Toby Mac in concert.

This guy has the #1 song in Christian radio right now - called Something in your Eyes.
Shon Lock - is the guy in the 3rd picture from the top (above)
You can hear the ShonLock.com song here. Click on the "Enter" button at the bottom. The song auto-plays when you click through.
You can download it on itunes here.


And another band that was pretty cool - was a new group called SuperHeRose, click their name and you'll be able to download a couple of their tunes.
The girls really liked SuperFreak and We Got That. The first and second pictures (above) are a couple of guys from this band.

It was a great show, and we had a good time together. Toby puts on a killer show.
Al

Time to create!!

So for a while now I have been trying to figure out how to get my creative juices going. It seems like my creative side has been napping for a while. so I saw this idea for an art journal and thought that would be a great place to start. But I also wanted to include the girls in this art journey. So we all made art journals. They are some books that I have had for a long time and I thought what better use that this!
We each decorated out covers.
This is mine...

This is Keeley's...

And Kait's...

Here is a better look at each of our charms that we hung off the bottom of the cover with jump rings.



There is all kinds of things there. Keeley's is kinda hard to see in the photo but the black bottle caps have letter stickers on them and say "Me!" also the blur charm thing in the silver book plate on her cover says magic. And on mine I added come beads that a co-worker made by hand. They are just beautiful!
Kait's has room for more things that she will add as she finds them!
And this is the first page ineack of our journals. For this page I told the girls what I wanted them to say and then let them decide how to get that done.
Kee's...

Kait's...

and Mine...

Keeley decided to paint her background and then stamp and write over it. I love how she did the square, rectangle and heart and then stamped over them.
Kait and I put printed tissue paper on the background then dripped paint over it. Then Kait added chipboard letters and stamped a script samp over them and embossed it with white powder.
I used a die cut to make the gears and embossed them with several layers of embossing powder and then finished them all a bit differently. one by rubbing black paint on, and the other 2 by adding just a little sprinkling of a different color embossing powder while it was still hot. I like how that worked!
Al has even gotten in on the creating! Here is Al's pages that he has done.


Do you see a theme??

I also decided that a Spring garland that I had made a couple years ago looked a little lonely. So I decided to make a banner garland to go along with it. And I love how it turned out!! Here it is hanging with the Spring banner on my old door that is hung in the entry way of our house.
It is a little hard to see it so here are photos of each of the banners.




On the first one the bunny was cut out of a scrapbook paper. The same paper was used for the bunnies on the third and fifth one as well. The eggs I just cut out of plain white cardstock and then inked them and stamped and embossed them to make them look like decorated Easter eggs.
Them Flower cross picture and little chicks with the flower filled egg were vintage images that I found on the web and printed them in black and white. (because I don't have color ink for my printer right now!) Then I colored them in with water color paints. I love how they turned out! Then the cross that is in the book plate I cut out of cardstock and embossed with gold powder to make it look like a charm!
The trims that I used around the edges are different vintage trims that I had in my stash. Actually the trim on the 4th one was actually flower appliques that I got from my mom. I cut them apart 2 petals each and then glued them all along the back of the banner. I ended up having just enough to do the entire banner! Looks great and you would have never been able to tell that they were flowers!
Thanks for looking at our creative endeavors!. Hopefully we will have more to share in the near future!

Some Common Ground at Common Grounds Park in Lakeland Florida

Now that the weather is starting to really heat up, here in Florida, it's time for most everyone to venture back out into the sunshine.

One of the newest, most-enjoyable places for kids to do that in Lakeland is at the Common Grounds park. This park, which was budgeted at almost $2 million dollars broke ground in October 2007. The park, itself, took almost 4 years of planning to come to fruition. It was scheduled to take almost a year for construction to be completed. It officially opened in January 2009. The park address is 1000 East Edgewood Drive.

Since it's inception, this park has seen heavy traffic from lots of local kids and families.

On the weekends, you can expect a really high turn-out by everyone in the neighborhood. If you want to have a bit of privacy with your family here, you should plan on visiting during a weekday, when other kids are at school. It's certainly not packed, like a Disney theme-park, but it can get pretty crowded on the weekends.

If you're looking for directions to get here, this is the Google map:

View Larger Map

It's pretty easy to find:
Traveling on Highway 37 (South Florida avenue), you would take Edgewood towards the east. Or coming from Bartow Highway, or Lakeland Highlands Blvd., you will head west on Edgewood.

The park itself is on the north side of Edgewood, just across from the Cleveland Heights Golf Course. The park is right next to the tennis courts.

There is no usage fee to play at the park. Kids can play for free to their heart's content. Common Grounds park was designed to accommodate kids of varying ages and abilities, including disabled children as well.

Some of the various features include:

• A large tunnel, wide enough for wheelchairs, runs under a hill called Gopher Mountain.
• The park itself is shaped like a giant butterfly, and it includes several sculptures of butterflies.
• Many of the play structures are non-traditional, modern in design, which kids seem to really enjoy playing on.
• It is a conservation park, in that it has artificial turf (instead of regular grass) so no water or mowing is required to keep the grounds maintained.
  

There is free parking on the south side, right next to the tennis courts. There is also parking along the streets running north beside the park (Buckingham Avenue).

To see some Common Grounds park pictures, please check out our visit.

The concept behind this park has even generated interest from other local communities around the country. It seems, lots of families with disabled children, are desperately looking for places where their kids can interact with their friends and peers.

Al

Fantastic saving!

Wow, I never get used to the great deals that I am able to work up. It always amazes me and fills with me with such thankfulness.
Before I get to the shopping savings I have to tell you that I was blessed yet again with a sweepstakes winning. Last week I got in the mail a winning Publix gift card for $100.00 dollars! I had entered this sweepstakes last fall and was picked as a first prize winner! How cool! So again I am going to keep track of how far I can stretch this free gift card. And let me say, so far it is looking very good!

And here is what I got this week at Publix. The total for everything before sales and coupons would have been $262.44. And the total that I paid, $11.12. A whopping 96% savings. And I could not be happier as I was able to get a lot of meat for that price. It is always a little harder to get that good of savings on meat but this week everything lined up perfectly.


1- gallon Milk $3.55 I used a Publix store coupon for $1.00 off making it @2.55

8- Kraft Shredded Cheese $2.00 used Target store coupons for $1.50 off 2 and manufactures coupons for $1.00 off 1 making them .25 each

4 Kraft BBQ sauce $1.65 BOGO used manufactures coupons for .75 of each making them .06 each

2- Beachnut baby foods $2.00 BOGO used manufactures coupons for $1.00 of each making the FREE!


2- Oreo Cakesters $2.50 used a target store coupon for $1.00 off each making them $1.50 each

2- Publix hot dog buns $1.19 no coupons used on these

4- Oscar Mayer hot dogs. $3.49 BOGO used Target store coupon for buy 3 get 1 free Making them FREE! (for further explanation on how this worked see below.)

4- Oscar Mayer Turkey hot dogs. $2.79 used manufactures coupons for buy a beef frank get a free Turkey frank making them all FREE! because this was a manufactures coupon and the other was a Target store coupon I was able to combine them with the sale and get them all free!

1lb Strawberries $1.67 used a manufactures coupon for $1.00 off making them .67

1- bag Broccoli florets $1.67 used a manufactures coupon for $1.00 making it .67

2 lbs Grapes $1.69per lb. used a store coupon for $1.00 off making them $2.36

6- Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt 4 packs. $2.50 BOGO used Target store coupons for %1.50 off 3 and manufactures coupons for .50 off each making them .25 each

4- Sundown Vitamins 2.99 each used Publix store coupons for $6.00 off 2 and manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each making them FREE with a total overage of $4.04!

22- Betty Crocker Fruit snacks $2.75 BOGO I used several manufactures coupons for BOGO and $4.00 off 4 and an Albertsons store coupon for $4.00 off 4 making tham all FREE with a total OVERAGE of $9.00!

9.2 lbs Ground Sirloin $3.99 per lb I used Winn Dixie store coupons for $2.00 of 1 making it 3.40 per lb or $31.32 for all of it.

12.9 lbs Pork Loin $1.99 per lb I used A Winn Dixie store coupon for $1.00 off and an Albertsons store coupon for buy 1 get 2 free making it .69 per lb or $8.96 for all of it

I also was able to use 5 Winn Dixie store coupons for $5.00 off a $30.00 purchase. This was taken off before any other coupons. So because my total before coupons was $160/something I was able to use all them! That is $25.00 right off the top! Add that to the overage items and I had a total of $38.04! Love it!!
Plus I was able to pay for it with my winning gift card so I technically had nothing out of pocket!


I never did post up last weeks saving. I won't list it all out but here are the final numbers. The total before saving and coupons for last weeks trip was $111.61. And after $7.98! A total saving of 93%! This was the first time that I used my wining gift card so again nothing out of pocket!
So far with my gift card I have used $19.10 and I have gotten $374.05 worth of groceries!! Couponing is so worth the little extra time that it takes to do! I think that is a good return on my investment!

I never thought this day would come.

So today was a monumental day for me. Want to know why? I shopped with coupons at Walmat and had a good experience. I have tried in the past to shop there and it had been a huge issue. Between waiting for ever in line to check out because there are so few cashiers, to them not taking a coupon because it would make an item free, and then infering that I am stealing from the store because of coupons. But that hopefully has all changed. Walmart has finally updated their coupon policy. You can check it out Here. This is a HUGE step in the right direction for them as far as couponers are concerned! For me the best thing is it very clearly states "Coupons may exceed the price of the item. Change may be given or applied toward the cost of the basket purchase." WOW! This is great!
So I went in today, armed with a print out copy of the policy, to try it out. I had 2 different sets of manufactures coupons that would give me a large amount of overage and I wanted to see how it would work out. And I am happy to say that it went very well. There was not even any questioning by the cashier and she even complimented me on my savings! Now I am smart enough to know that this may not happen every time but I am thankful that it went well this time and will try again in the future. And that is a lot since it has been nearly 2 years since I have purchased any groceries at Walmart.
And here is how I did. I paid $2.75 for all of this. The total before coupons would have been $ 48.85. So that is a great savings of 95%.
Here is a photo and run down of what I got...

5- Gain dryer sheets $1.87each I used manufactures coupons for $3.00 off 1 making them FREE with a total OVERAGE of $5.65!

5- Purex 3in1 Sheets .97 each I used manufactures coupons for $3.00 off 1 making them FREE with a total OVERAGE of $10.15!

2- Cupcake paper liners $1.12 each no coupons used.

1- Bobs country sauce $2.14 I used a manufactures for a free sauce making it FREE!

2- Beef Filets $3.98 each I used manufactures for $1.00 each making the $2.98

2- Cocoa Powders $2.44 each no coupons used.

1- Argo Baking powder $1.28 No coupons used

2.5lbs Red Grapes .98lb No coupons used making them $2.45

4- Mission Tortilla Chips $3.19 I used manufactures coupons for $2.99 off 1 making them .20 each

1- McCormik Seasoning mix .98 No coupons used.

I could have paid even less out of pocket but when I was headed to the check out I saw the good price on the grapes and decided to get some! But I would say that 2.75 for all this is great! It was nice to get the overage to use towards things that I needed and did not have coupons for.

So does this mean that I will stop shopping at Publix and switch to Walmart. No way! I have far to many personal issues with Walmart to do all my shopping there. And let me tell you there is no better customer service than Publix. So I will not be switching permanently any time soon. But When I have coupons for things that will make for free or overage items that I can not get at Publix then I will use my coupon money there at Walmart.