"Being Realistic" ... about Groceries

It's been happening for a while now...  "groans" as the cashier tells me the total of our weekly groceries shops... yes, audible groans.

Groceries are getting expensive!!

I remember our seminary days. Brian and I both having part-time jobs, both going to school and our $50 grocery bills that used to make me "groan".... LOL!! That was our goal... staying at $100 for all our weekly incidental expenses.... groceries, gas, movies, out to eat, etc!!

So now when just my weekly grocery shop rings up $100+... yes, I "groan"... loudly!  LOL!! And then we still go back to the grocery store at the end of the week... for soymilk, fruit, occasionally juice or to pick up something I forgot the 1st time;)

Thankfully we have all our needs provided for. My husband is an avid budget -er and has it all planned out so that we can have grocery money, pay the bills, save for a house, and even save a bit for the kids' college:) So to save we try to stick with the budget!!

After "groaning" this week, I began to wonder though... is our budget realistic?

We roughly average about $150 a week on groceries! Which sounds crazy high to me...

but then divide $150 by the 6 of us...


$25 to feed  each one of us for a WEEK!!!

Good grief... we are conservative even on our infrequent "nights out" and spent more than that on just one evening out for just TWO of us!! 

I used to coupon a LOT!!! I still bring along my coupons, just in case! But I've really gotten out of the habit of only purchasing items on sale and stocking up on items we use regularly... it just got too crazy to bring coupons and 4 children!

As I attempt to get back into couponing to be more frugal with our finances...

I realize I need to be realistic....
there will probably no longer be $50 grocery bills on the stock up trips...

Not with all these sweet mouths to feed;)

Besides shopping sales, using coupons and gardening.... How do you try to keep the grocery bills from getting too high??

Tiny Talk Tuesday : Math Story & "mine"

I had to include CHris' math story as Tiny Talk:) He had to make a story using the math equation 6-2 = 4. This was his response...


**just an FYI... he dictated it to me. I wrote it down on the wipe board and he copied it onto his paper:)

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Nate has shared a new word with us since last week... "my". He says "my" as he reaches out his hand to get whatever it is he wants.

OK, it's totally adorable. Usually!! Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck with the seagulls from Nemo... "mine", "mine", "mine, mine", "mine"!!

Our favorite "my" event with Nate so far was at birthday we attended over the weekend. Nate was sitting on Brian's lap while Brian ate and I fixed Nate's plate.

Nate took a chip off of Brian's plate and when Brian gave him a questioning look, Nate responded "my" !!

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And this is a dose of reality at my house:)

I was preparing to take the 4 kids with me to the grocery store. As we were on the way, I took the time to explain to the kids that we needed to have good manners at the store(s), something I often do:) Usually we go through the short list of goals for us....

* Stay with the cart
* No running through the aisles
* No wrestling, keep your hands to yourself ( usually happens while I'm reading labels)
* Don't touch/pick up something unless you are asked or are going to purchase it

But this time as I made the short statement that we needed to have good store manners, I heard from the back...

"Why?"

And that spoke volumes to how our grocery trip went... let's just say only two children got to have the "good behavior" treat in the car :/

When Daddy does the Shopping!!

yes, I HAVE and DO take all 4 children grocery shopping at one time!!!

I've been working on the technique for a couple of months now... BUT... after 2 or more recent trips that totally STRESSED me out... you know... older kids playing tag in the aisles, baby screaming in the carrier (hungry, tired or BOTH!), bickering over who gets to hold the pasta... We decided to come up with a "new" plan.

For a couple of weeks, I'd go out at night after dinner with just Nate. If I took care of him inbetween stores, he was a great little shopper. I"d get home soooo late, but at least I wasn't stressed and I actually felt like I got a "break"... night out at the grocery store.... whoo hooo.....LOL!!

The last few weeks Brian has been in town daily, so he was given the task of grocery shopping. He's pretty good about following a list although I did find Oatmeal Creme Pies, Cookies & Honey Buns in his bags after ONE trip:)

And I appreciate the fact that Brian very happily will use the coupons I give him and use the Food Lion flyer at Walmart, both save us money each week:) But Brian has turned out to be a very savvy, food-allergy shopper and brings us home all sorts of goodies.

This is some of what he brought home this week......

Yes...... 7 lbs of ketchup (he also found a pump for the lid) and 9 doz cookies...

and this pic doesn't include the 5 lbs bag he bought of frozen french fries!!!

We've joked that we've moved from the Family Sizes to the INDUSTRIAL SIZES:) He was soo excited to show me and tell me how much less per ounce (or other units) they were compared to the "normal" sizes!!!

*** And for those interested, the cookies only require ONE egg, water and oil and are milk-free:) The allergist has suggested using tiny amounts of egg in baked goods to see if Lydia and Chris react and sooo far they've been fine;) Ok, to do at home with the Epi close;)

And for your entertainment I"ll share this store.....

Last week I ran into the grocery store for a few items with all 4 kiddies!! We found some great deals on meats and fruit, so we ended up getting a full cart. Minus Nate being a little fussy and naptime (for all) approaching, the kids did well and were excited because they got a treat that I got on sale!

I paid and we left the store:) Oh, I was SOOO glad the "quick" trip had turned out soo well... happy mommy, happy kiddies!! I got to the van and piled all the kids in.

I soo have it together... I am the Savvy-Shopping Mommy of the Year!!

Remember the verse " Pride comes before the fall" ?

I look around and realize that I have left ALL of my groceries in the store..... not just a bag!

But ALL of the GROCERIES!!

Maybe Daddy should just keep doing the shopping for a while!!!

The Cozy Place on Saturday AM & Real-life Homeschooling

Oh, yes!!! We've finally reached the parenting stage where the kids can flip on PBSKids (on a LOW volume) and we can get a few more moments of rest.... let me stress FEW! I was up at 7:30:)

And here's where my snuggly little girl had found to be cozy in with Mommy and Daddy's laps missing:)

Yesterday we headed into town at 7:3O ish and spent all morning running those errands that HAVE to get done.... grocery shopping, doctor's appt, things for the house, and "my favorite" getting the replacement part for my dishwasher (I'm totally spoiled by the dishwasher and washing by hand is getting OLD!).

When we returned home... everyone was hungry and exhausted PLUS we had plans to have dinner with some of our church deacons. To make our evening "work"... everyone (except Dadddy) laid down for a much needed nap:)

On a day like that, WHEN does school get done?????

I always feel bad that we "miss" days of school when we have appts or errands... but I would have NO groceries and none of our errands/projects would get completed!! I guess we could do all that on Saturday... but on a day Brian tries to spend with the family, it would stink to be in the car or running in and out of stores... not quality family time at all. Oh, and many evenings are out b/c of activities OR just getting back sooo late (we have 1.5 of travel time to get to the big town)!

I do have a couple of solutions.... one is to bring our work with us! Another is to do the work when we return home (won't have worked yesterday)! But often times we have Saturday school:)

And so when we get moving this morning, that's what we'll be up to for a little while:) We have a bit of math, a spelling test and writing following a prompt, reading practice and momma reading aloud, and we need to put together our digestive system for our "bodies"!!

It actually sounds perfect for this wet and cloudy Saturday morning;)

I was encouraged yesterday by one of my favorite blogs- Preschoolers and Peace:) Kendra shared a piece of "real" homeschooling in her house!

Have a GREAT weekend:)And don't forget to Spring your clocks Forward tonight!!

A Good Weekend= One Tired Momma:)

I am exhausted!!!! And it hasn't been ONLY because I've ben watching the Olympics until midnight every night! No, not me!!!

It's not that we had a very busy or exciting weekend... but it was a nice weekend! One we actually could enjoy being outside and I got some alone shopping time which doesn't happen much!! So BOTH were great TREATS!!

What did I do with my afternoon/early evening out.... I SHOPPED until I about dropped:) LOL!!! I needed a couple of nursing bras (for now and the hopefully 12 months of nursing!!). Right before I left, a friend emailed me a coupon, just out of the blue she had NO clue I was headed out to shop. So I got each of my bras for only $10!! Much better than the $27 on the price tag and they fit perfect which is amazing for me to find a bra on ONE trip!

Then I headed through the mall just browsing and walking! I did stop by Motherhood and got a nursing sweatshirt top... it's super cute!! I was excited that I could wear it NOW and while nursing:) And it was on sale,too!!

Before I left the "big town" I made a stop at Harris Teeter to shop the Super Doubles. I had my list ready (which I did until midnight or later on Friday night), but it was nice to flip through my other coupons and find "new" deals!! I even had my calculator out figuring out deals!! The kids are usually pretty good when I grocery shop, but I'm soo distracted by them, I HAVE to stick with the list and GET OUT:)

I did well at Harris Teeter!! I spent about $26 but saved $71!!! I brought home tons of pasta:) And some treats that I got SUPER, super cheap!! And I so didn't bring home 10 boxes of pasta... after bringing home 10 boxes of cereal last week.... No, Not Me!!

I also stopped by Food Lion to see what sales they had and was sooo excited that they still had some sales from last week up.... I thought I had missed them!! So I got the kids their "safe" semisweet chocolates (under $1) and some Hi-C juice boxes (for $1) (nice for shopping and field trips)!!Oh, and we STOCKED up on some grapes, they are only 88 cents:)

Lydia had fun unpacking all the "goods"!!


We had a great time of worship on Sunday morning... our super sweet college student took the kids up to nursery. She is soo compassionate... I know she enjoys the kids, but she also knows that it's such a nice break/treat for me:) So I got to listen to Brian's sermon AND participate in the Lord's Supper with the church!

After a yummy lunch I had waiting for us in the Crock-Pot (yes, I actually planned ahead this week!!) the kids laid down for a nap. I headed outside to tackle the gardens... I really had let them get too overgrown and it was really bothering me.

So I was outside climbing through the garden ripping out weeds and dead branches of my bushes for over 2.5 hours, instead of resting, no, not me!!!.... lotsa squats and exercise for this preggo momma! Brian came out to pull up a couple of dead bushes for me;) So maybe, maybe, maybe.... my garden might not get soo neglected with Nathaniel coming! And the kids were SOOOOO excited to be able to play outside without being all bundled up or getting cold.

We have a busy start to our week as well!!!

Today we have men coming to work on the heating ducts in the attic. They will be here early and plan to finish in one day!! This will be a good day of keeping the kids FOCUSED on their schoolwork with all the activity through the living room and attic.... makes me even more thankful we have the school room in working order (not finished enough to "show off" yet!!)!

And Tuesday I am hoping to head back into the "big town" for some more Super Doubles at Harris Teeter and run a few more errands:) And then getting our schooling done in the afternoon;)

So my preggo update is coming and in the works.... it's been sitting waiting for an updated photo of my baby belly! Can't believe I'm in the 3rd trimester already... we've got a LOT going on in these last months before Nathaniel arrives!!

I am linking up to MckMama at My Charming Kids for Not Me! Monday!

Blips and Pics from Our Thanksgiving Trip

On Thanksgiving we joined the masses to grandma's house for Thanksgiving supper:) We left super early so we could spend most of the day with family and make our weekend trip seem longer:) Although it was short and relaxing, we definitely had plenty of fun!

Christopher noticed the birthday presents almost as soon as he got to Grandma's... so he opneded them up and headed outside to test out his HUGE remote control monster truck!!

Since Anna was a little intimidated by the bigger bike Grandma and Grandaddy had waiting, the boys took it our for a spin, or two!! You will never meet a father/son pair with such similiar mannerisms, sense of humor and interests... LOL!!

On Friday, we skipped the shopping to visit with Gran-Grandma!! She had fallen on Thursday, so we were all comforted to see her and be reminded that she's a tough little lady:)

Brian dotes on his grandmother! It's soo sweet to see! It's amazing that she'll be 101 years old come January!!



A flat tire on the way home from Gran-grandma's!! Nothing makes you worry more about your husband than seeing him laying on a highway shoulder changing the tire on the family van! Then nothing makes your more thankful and proud when you're back on the road minutes later.... I've got a great hubby! And a super father-in-law!



On Friday night we tried to sneak out for a movie! But the movie we were all hoping to see was "sold out"! So we headed to the Red Box! The girls enjoyed the warm car and sent the boys to do the soul searching of whether they were going to get a movie for their wives or themselves:)

I'm happy to report they are good husbands and got the girlie movie, although they totally got into the car singing the Transformer theme song... LOL!!

Grandma making breakfast with her three little "helpers"!!

Want to know how to really confuse Grandaddy???

Give him his Christmas present the Saturday after Thanksgiving while he's reading the newspaper:) LOL

We want him to try it out before Christmas!!


We tried to get some family photos for Grandma and Grandaddy's Christmas card.... LOL!! Chris wanted to wear binoculars... what a nutty kid!! Cute though:)



Before we left on Saturday, we did do a little shopping. Brian and I woke early to get some deals at an empty store... LOL... we probably didn't need to get up quite so early on Saturday:) But they appreciated the business, maybe not the morning breath!!

Later we visited the outlets:) At a children's store Brian and I scoured the 99 cent racks to find t-shirts for Anna next summer:) We wished we would have picked out some for Lydia too... since she already fits in their size 4 shirts:)

I thought these little shirts were adorable.... the girls loved them and wore them all day:)

We had a great trip and Thanksgiving with family:)

Shopping Break Fun

This week I decided to do my grocery shopping in a town that I don't usually grocery shop in. But they have a Christian bookstore that I needed some VBS materials from, so driving to this town was required.

I dragged my three "angels" to 4 different stores in a matter of hours... yes, 4!!! During a couple they got a little tired of waiting on me or following me around:)

A friend told me of this Spray Park. So for a shopping break, the kids and I had a picnic, they got on their bathing suits and had a blast!!




I liked that this Spray Park also had a playground in the same fenced in area. So when the kids needed a break from the water they could play on the equipment! It does make it a little tricky though to watch all three when they are each playing in different spots:) Here it was easy to keep them in view as they gathered to go down the same slide:)



During this season of training these little ones, I'm learning more and more how much giving times for my kids to "be kids" during the day and taking time to enjoy them and time with them helps. Us having fun, quality time seems to translate into better obedience on their part and compassion and understanding on mine.

Glad we found the Spray Park and we're hoping to venture out there again soon!

Goes in the Frig??

Yesterday morning, Brian gave me the morning off "kid-duty" and I went off with Andrea to do some "tripling".... LOL! We did tripling and MUCH, MUCH more... I never would have gotten to swimsuit shop, find some new "dressier" shirts, order the bedroom curtains and triples shop like we did in ONE morning:)

I was greeted immediately by Lydia when I got home. She eagerly ran out the the van and offered to help carry in groceries:) She was soo sweet carrying bags that seemed way to big for her!!

When we got the bags in I went to use the potty and she followed me into the bathroom with deodarant in her arms ready to put away in the bathroom closet!! LOL... I didn't even realize she knew what our deodarant looked like nevertheless WHERE we kept new ones!!! She watches everything!!

When I got back into the kitchen, Lydia was finishing up... hahaha... she was in the refrigerator putting away the other items:) She would say what the item was and then say , "Goes in the re-frwidg-ewr-watour ?" And then she'd put it in...

I checked the frig when she was "done" so I would know where all the stuff was! This was my favorite shelf... rice, ziploc bags and tea bags...LOL Too funny:)

Purchasing Coupons & Kiddie Favorite Food Deals:)

After learning about the Harris Teeter Triples this week, I ordered some coupons.... yes, you can actually purchase coupons. I knew it was next step in being coupon "savvy" so it was just a matter of time before I jumped into that aspect of the game.

I searched through the list of deals to find the things I wanted to stock up on and then I used my list to generate a list of coupons to purchase!! Where did I purchase them.... THE Coupon Clippers!! They have TONS of coupons listed and a search engine that helped me find what I was looking for:)

I purchased coupons for the kiddies favorite nuggets and Brian's favorite hot dogs and then some HT deals. The coupons were mailed on Tuesday and I received them this morning in the mail on my way to the grocery store:) Super Fast!!!

Then I headed over to Food Lion to pick up their store flyer:) I just like having a HARD copy! BUt while at Wally World, I saw that their Ball Park Hot Dog prices were cheaper, so I pulled out the Food Lion flyer and got the BOGO deal even cheaper:) Here's the break down:

Ball Park Beef hot dogs at FL were 3.99 each so BOGO is 2 for 3.99

Ball Park Angus Beef @ Walmart were 2.98, so BOGO is 2 for 2.98

then I pulled out my buy 2 get $1 off coupon... so 2 packs for 1.98... LOL...

THAT's RIGHT 2 packs of Ball Park Beef Hot Dogs for less than $2, or $1 each!!!!!

Then ....LOL.. (yes there is more)

Tyson chicken nuggets were on sale at FL 2/$9 so $4.50 each. Walmart brought their price down to compete with FL to 4.32! Then I pull out my The Coupon Clippers coupon (that I purchased for .12) and got my bags for $3.32.... pretty good for a bag of "safe" nuggets that will feed my kids for at least 2 meals!!! And the normal price at Food Lion for the Tyson nuggets is like over $6!!!

So my total bill for coupons at The Coupon CLippers was about $6, but just in my grocery visit today I've recouped $5 of it.... and I have the triples shop coming up this weekend and Monday... so I'll definitely be getting my $ back, plus more:)

BTW... they have over 1800 more Ball park coupons and 750 of the Tyson nugget coupons:)

Couponing in the 4-Wheel Sauna

The bold is Brian's version of our conversation and the reality of couponing with the family today:)

Kelly: "Oh, Honey, why don't you come shopping with us go we can spend time together."
Ok, so we did have alot to do; triples at Harris Teeter, our regular grocery day(Walmart and sometimes Food Lion deals), university bookstore and do some returns!!! I knew having Brian with me would be a big help. I also wanted to purchase some curtains and I'd rather make BIG purchases WITH him:)

Kelly: "Ok, let me run into the store and leave you in the 4-wheel sauna with the three screaming kids so I can get some deals."
LOL. So there were a few times I was able to run into the store alone:) Thank you, Brian. It is MUCH easier to shop (nevertheless try to coupon with the kids)! Brian kept the kids entertained with videos, snacks and potty breaks:)

And we did get some great deals!! One of the best required NO coupons (although I would have gladly used some to make the deal better). I bought 10 boxes of Green Giant frozen veggies for $1 a piece (normally $2) and then recieved $4 off at the register!! So I paid $6 and saved 13.96... just on veggies! Another was the chicken and toilet tissue (with coupon) at Food Lion!!

The sauna comment was about how NICE it was outside, which usually means that the van heats up pretty quickly. Gotta love my hubby's humor:)

One hour later, Kelly: "Look at all my savings, maybe I'll be able to pay your psychaitric bill."
ha ha haaa... I seriously don't think the kids were that bad:) But being in the van with the kids for 30 minute blocks at a time (versus working in a quiet office all day) can be a little hairy! Especially when it's soo nice outside and they are itching to get out of the van and PLAY!

Let me also say that I stayed with the kids once or twice and I helped during the potty breaks:) I was NICE to have Brian with us..... we could get used to a day off for Daddy (come MAY come)!

We did have a LONG day!! We left the house a little before 8am and pulled back into the driveway about 4pm!!! Phew!!! But it's nice to have all the grocery shopping done for the week knowing I saved 119.41 for the DAY and that doesn't include simple money saving tips like buying generic, etc!

I usually hear people say they saved that much and wonder how much they spent... my total out-of-pocket was $111.80... more than I WANT to spend in a week, but there is NO way we'll be using 8+ lbs of boneless chicken, 7 pkgs of pasta, 12 double rolls of toilet paper, or 21 pkgs of frozen vegetables in one week!! LOL

As soon as my Brian started this silly rant....LOL he knew he'd be on the blog:) Anyway, I thought it was funny, especially since he was up 30 minutes earlier than normal to go couponing!!! He's a very gracious husband to change his plans for the day for couponing and family time in the van:)

Soooo busy... they put themselves to bed

Have the days just been flying by for anyone else??????

I seriously had to remind myself today that it was Tuesday.... the EVE of Christmas Eve!!! WHOA.... Christmas Eve???

The next few days will be filled with family, church family and friends visiting and meals being prepared/served. Laughter, gifts, memories, thankfulness, embraces, little kid antics and everything else that makes Christmas time with family and friends special!!!

But before the fun stuff happens there is WORK to be done. Cleaning, planning, purchasing, cleaning, baking, cleaning, phone calls, visits and more "clutter control"!! There is always plenty to do at MY house:)

One of the most precious parts of Christmas though is the hymns and music of the "season" that remind me of my Savior and this time of remembrance. It doesn't take long to address Christmas cards, scrub the floor or tie bows on gifts when my heart is ready to serve the Lord through serving my family and friends:)

Just to show how busy we've been.....

I had the kids out for our last big grocery shop before friends and family arrive tomorrow! We finally left the house at 11am with our lunch being munched on as we drove:) We visited 3 different stores and the kids held up sooo well.

I was soo proud of their behavior and desire to "help" me. After our last few groery trips I had been kind of dreading this BIG shop, but they oulled it off and did WONDERFULLY... they even received complements at the final store after checking out:)

On the trip home (about mid-afternoon) I asked if they wanted to play quietly in Christopher's room or NAP.... Anna and Christopher both immediately agreed to play in Christopher's room, Lydia was muching on fruit snacks or grapes by then:)

Well by the time we were home, Lydia was asleep... so I brought her in, changed her diaper and laid her down to finish her nap:) While unloading groceries and "helping" a neighbor with a very special delivery for the kids on Christmas morning.... the kids were silent....

Hmmm?? whats up with that silence??? Yep, they had put themselves down for naps:) Christopher had actually climbed INTO his bed and Anna had falled asleep next to the heat vent by the couch (nice and snug)!!!

I guess all that grcery shopping tired them out :)

Vacation Cereal Deals

While planning my visit with my parents she told me about a cereal deal at one of her local grocery stores.... ha ahaa.. my momma is couponing too:)

She found that the store was offering selected Kelloggs cereals 6 for $12... like $2 a box. They also had a deal that if you bought 6 boxes they took $6 off the price fo the cereals. Thinking this was the "fine print" for how the cereals were only $2 a box, I didn't think anything of it, except I needed to buy 6 for the deal!!

So then I hunted online for some Kelloggs coupons and found plenty:) Each coupon I had from the Sunday paper and online took $1 off each box of cereal... bringing the total price for each box to $1!! Very cool!!!

Before we got to Farm Fresh for the cereal deal, we headed to Harris Teeter for some ingredients for dinner... and there in the cereal aisle of HArris Teeter were blinkies (the little coupon machines) for $1 off Kelloggs cereal!!! Haha haaa... so we picked up some more...

Anyway, we get to Farm Fresh and get the cereal and 2 more items and go to checking out expecting the bill to be about $10.... 6 boxes of cereal at $1 each, one $2 cereal and plastic forks:) The cashier rings it all up and the total is a whooping $3.25!!!

The cereal was FREE!!!! Yes, FREE!!! The extra $6 of you bought 6 boxes brought the boxes to $1 each and then my 6 coupons brought the total to FREE!!!!

SO the next day my MOm went, my sister went and then we got another "set"!! So we'll all be eating Kelloggs this month:)

So here are my 11.25 boxes of cereal that we paid only $1 for (the cashier missed a coupn during my final round...my mom was getting them for me and she dind't want to say anything... ha ha haaa)... GREAT DEAL



Hmmmm!

Alone but Tired Momma

Well I tried to talk numerous family members and friends into going shopping with me last night.... ah ahaaahaa.... but they were either sick or busy:(

So early this morning while the frost was still covering the ground, vetured off by myself. Sure it was quiet (minus the radio)..... but it was kind of nice. I did miss my crew.... honestly I did.... but sometimes a Momma needs a little quiet time:)The last time I ventured beyond my town without my kids was when I went for an OB checkup while preggo with Lydia.... so at least 2 years ago!! yes, YEARS!!!

Anyway, I headed to the grocery store to scoop up some grocery deals.... one GREAT deal was buy 2 soups and get 3 FREE and then I doubled my 75cent coupons for the ones I bought!! Very cool:) Although I was very limited on what variety I could purchase..... mine had to be egg-free & milk-free, I did find 2 that would work for us and STOCKED UP!! I think it came to .78 a can for a name brand... which for a expert couponer is too much!!!... but for me it sounds GREAT:) I also picked up some cookie mix for .17 a bag:) Wish I lived closer:)

Then I spent a LONG time at Kohl's got one GREAT deal, one not so good deal (will probably return it!!).

I headed to Walmart to fill in the grocery gaps and only spent $18!! WHAT!!! Pretty cheap Walmart run for us.... about time:)

Then I picked up a quick bite to eat and headed home.

I must not have drank enough water because when I got home I was exhausted and had a "killer" headache.... hopefully it was from the early morning and long day.... and not from this sickness going through the kids. If I'm coughing in the morning, then it got me!!

The kids seemed to have fun with Daddy. I think they DESTROYED Christopher's room while Daddy did handyman tasks around the house:) I don't know the extent because it was all cleaned up. There was evidence of some reorganization of Christopher's toy and game shelf so I'm guessing the floor was covered:)

But my Hubby was very sweet and kind to let me go alone:) I think he was hoping I was gong to be back sooner (I was too)!! But duirng one of our conversations while I was he said, "Take your time!!" Isn't he sweet??

Too bad I was already on the way home:)

Off to check my cookies.... don't need anymore "blogging food" :)

My H.T. Triples Experience

Well when I heard through the couponers that this weekend was a TRIPLES weekend.... I thought, maybe my couponing stash and new know-how could get me some good deals..... WOW!!


So I followed the reports of the good finds at The Savvy Dollar (for all those NC couponers)!! Anyway, the restrictions are one trip a day and only 20 coupons per trip! So I organized all the coupons with the deals... what a task! And then on the trip to the store I organized what 20 coupons I would use.... only 20!!!

Let's just say the first 10 minutes "shopping" we very, very disappointing!! I'm very much a sale shopper so I was looking for all the sales to add my coupons to.... but with triples, the 75 cent coupons are soo good, with some items you don't need to sale price.... new to me:) I was also very disappointed that the Cheerios were gone... so no .35 cent boxes of Cheerios for us... at least not this time. But I did get a raincheck, so as soon as I can find some more coupons for Honey Nut Cheerios, I'll be heading back to at least double them (80 cents per box isn't too shabby either)!!

Here are the goods:

I don't have my total before the savings, but here were my stats:

VIC savings : $5.87

Coupons: $25.81

Total out of pocket: $12.12

***So we did pretty well. There were a couple of things I would not have normally purchased... name brand stuff. But I was excited about the new Pamolive dish detergent for 1.15, my $1 Magic Eraser and free yeast and tea!! Disappointed about missing the FREE baking powder (we use a TON substituting for eggs) and the 35-cent Cheerios!!!

*** And I'm wondering if it was worth the planning and stress??? aha haa..... now that I've done it once I know better what to expect ..... I don't think I'll be as stressed next time:)

trying to please my hubby:)

I went grocery shopping today... my weekly stop-n-shop while I'm in town... saving gas you know??

Anyway, I asked my husband what he wanted... like usual and he reminded me that I had yet to get him any Cream of Wheat.

So that was a goal: Get Brian some Cream of Wheat :) So I searched BOTH stores and I found the name brand but it was soo over-priced!! And I didn't have any coupons... so I decided to hold off until a sale or a coupon or both:)

But until the Cream of Wheat purchase I thought some grits for my "country boy" would do (so cheap... like a small bag for a little over a $1) !! When I got home I showed him my purchase.....

He was pleased!!! Then he said, "I just LOVE some grits and sausage!!"

Hmmmm..... sausage?? Nope. Didn't pick any up!! Hahhaaaa.... so maybe next week we'll get to have his meal:)

BTW.... found another peacemaking stratgedy for grocery shopping! At the first store the treat is picking out the fruit snacks. And at the second store when things get "boring" the treat comes out and the kiddies are soo distracted Momma actually can get some shopping done:)

BTW..... at our local Walmart they have a pretty large assortment of ladies tank tops on clearance..... you know the ones you wear around the house in the summer:) Anyway, totally like $1-3 dollars a piece:) Totally well priced for getting stained, bleached and drooled on:)

My Bargain Shopper Hubby

I'm not sure if all wives can "brag" about their husbands liking bargains as much as I can about mine!! He's the kind that walks immediately to the clearance racks at stores when he's shopping:) And he usually finds some pretty good bargains:) He definitely credits his mother "for training him up right" :)

This morning he was sporting a new tie he bought last week on vacation. He went shopping with his dad and came back with 2 Stafford ties, a pair of dress pants,a Dockers golf shirt and a long-sleeve collared casual shirt from JC Penneys all for around $30 (about the same price as one pair of pants)!!!

He was so proud of his tie!! He even shared the price with our Sunday School class... ha aaaahhaa!!

Ok, so I have something going on my my head... it's stuffy, I have pressure and my teeth hurt. It usually shows up about lunchtime (good timing for naps)!! So Brian decided to let me nap this afternoon and go get some medicine and weekend grocery sales for me.

Funniest thing.... there he was at the checkout with the store' competetors' ad and a handful of coupons:) He said he got a rush as he saw the total price of his bill continue to drop.... aha haaa....

We might have another couponer in this house:)

Even Mommy Needs To Be Sweet

This morning we had a great morning! We met some friends at our local library for Preschool Reading Time!! I finally just TOLD Anna we were going to try it! Anyway, she was a little shy at first but did well, answering questions from the librarian and doing some of the activities.... YES!! I was pretty thankful!

Then we took our tikes to grab a bite to eat. They did fine until they finished eating and decided to attempt a take over of the restaurant.... hahahha

Where was my next stop.... no, not the park, like the three voices behind me were calling out but FOOD LION!! Anyway, I did not feed them ANY sugar during lunch but they were HYPER!! Good grief.... I would have left and tried another time without the kids, but we live more than 20 minutes away! What to do?

Well I worked on what was on my list and when they got loud I put them on the floor in time out on different sides of the cart... ahahaha... how many kids have you seen doing a time-out at the grocery store??? But it allowed me to figure out the best deal and use of my coupons! And there was some fussing.... but what's a mom to do? Ignore it...they weren't hurt or wet...maybe a little tired:)

And then like a "crazied grocery shopping Momma" I headed off to our next store. At Walmart they don't take all my coupons so that sped up my trip and finally, finally, finally I was checking out at our last stop before home!

The cashier looked at me and must have seen the frazzled nerves and exhaustion on my face and said, "Don't worry honey, I had 5 kids and I made it through it."

I did have a good response though, it's one of my prayers. I said, "Oh, I know I will survive. I'm just wanting to "get through it" with a sweet and loving attitude."

Want to guess how our afternoon ended???? NAPS at home :)

A True Couponing Newbie

Well I have to admit that I've gotten hooked on couponing, probably because of the influence of some new friends :) A couple of days a week I'll check sale flyers online, print off coupons and now load coupons onto my Kroger card!!!

Last week I went to Kroger and did a great job with sticking to the sales and using my coupons:) I spent the same amount I saved!!! So cut my grocery bill in half (at least at Kroger).

Last night I tried out my new couponing skills again at Kroger and Food Lion!! I also picked up basic needs at Kroger that were not on-sale because it was late and I didn't want to go to WalMart... so my status weren't the greatest.... At Kroger, I spent a little over $60 and saved (coupons and sales) $40!! pretty good considering I got over 12 pounds of meat and that I'm just learning and stocking up my coupons ;)

So here's my YAY! and my Duh!! for my second week couponing:

YAY! - So we drink soymilk by the gallons.... and I found some GREAT soymilk coupons online a couple of weeks ago. With Kroger's sale and my coupons, I got two half gallons of soymilk for .99 each... a gallon of soymilk for $2.10 including tax!!

Duh!! - One of my main buys at Kroger was their generic cereal... 6 for $10.00 and an extra $4 off if you bought six. So I stocked up and then thought I should buy some granola bars so I put a box back.... then I realized all the granola bars had milk in them so I left the cereal aisle.... I didn't realize until I got home that I only got 5 boxes!!!!! Grrr... like loosing $3!!!

What can I say??? I'm a true couponing newbie!!

Moms' Night OUT!!

Andrea and I have been talking about having a "moms' night out" for weeks now... part to celebrate our birthdays in August, part to just have some time with another mom without kids....

So tonight was our night.....and this is what I sadly "left behind"....


First we went to the camera shop to get my camera checked out and for her to check out some lenses and other photographer needs.... and for the saleperson to talk circles around us (well at least me)....

Then we ate a "quiet" meal (aka adult conversation)...


Then we went shopping!! It's great shopping with a like-minded gal....clearance racks and sales all the way!!! Let's see we visited Steve &Barrys, Kohls, Target, Chick-Fil-A (get a free milkshake..yay for coupons), then Walmart.

So let's see....I left the house right after 4:30 and then returned home about 11pm!! What a night out!!

No Frills

So.... we decided to do a little grocery shopping to save some money and eat our lunches in the hotel:) So we stopped by the closest grocery store..... called NO Frills.... now the Aldi's crowd could adapt in a second....but us spoiled U.S.A. Super Walmart shoppers...... had a couple of laughs..... first we couldn't get a cart b/c we didn't have any Canadian coins, then we had to use one of our credit cards with an international finance charge and then we had to carry the groceries out b/c we didn't bring our own bags........ I felt like a was stealing the groceries.....

But the prices and selections (especially produce) was pretty good.... bologna wasn't.....in fact even at the Walmart all of the bologna I ahve found contains milk.....WHY???? Anyway, the kids are pretty bummed that they can't have bologna (at least in Canada)!!!