Preschool!! Letter A, #0, & cirlces!!

Two little boys woke me up this morning with school books in hand wanting to start school. I had bought two preschool books at Sam's Club for $7 last year as Benjamin is suppose to be startng Preschool this year and I figured Josiah could just join in. I could not remember where I had put these books and was planning on searching for them sometime in the next couple of days, but had never said anything to the boys about starting school sometime. I guess they are just ready and knew it was time to start!
We spent 2 1/2 hours doing the color yellow, the letter A and opposites- big/little. Both boys learned what A says and how to write it. They both are doing a really good job. Josiah is having a harder time with following the directions and writing the letters, but he is at least getting the idea. Josiah is only 3 this year so I don't expect him to be able to keep up with big brother Benjamin. Think it will just take a little more time with Josiah, but think he will catch on soon. I would like t0 do one letter, number, shape for each week. That way they will have a week of practice on them. Now to come up with activities to do with that letter, number, & shape for a week. Maybe one of the days we will cook things that start with the letter A, we could pick up all our toys this week so there are "0" toys on the floor! That would be nice!! Maybe another day we will make circle pancakes. Will have to do some major thinking here on lots of different things we can do. We are also learning about Adam & Eve because Adam starts with A
Please let me know if anyone has a suggestion for a letter, shape, or number of something we can do in the future. Have seen on another blog that they made something that started with that letter and then took it to the house of someone who's name stated with that letter. Example- make something with Apples for Adam. Please help me with ideas!!
Well, I had better be going. Since we did school this morning, it is already 1 and I still need to make lunch! Have a great week!

Sarah

Free Stuff! & coupon deals & links!!

Yeah!! I got home from being at my parents' house for the weekend and I had stuff in the mail!!

I had a free sample of Covegirl QueenCollection Mineral Bronzer (full size!!)!

I also had my $10 mail in rebate from the swiffer refills I bought awhile ago! I bought 2 of the big swiffer refill packs online at Medco.com for $14. I could have used these two to send in for a mail in rebate, but ended up losing one of the upcs. So I had a Target coupon for buy a new swiffer get refills free. There was no limit on the coupon for what size of refills to get so I bought another swiffer mop (to use downstairs) and matched the upcs from my medco receipt to find which upc I was missing and then bough that same one at Target and got it free with my coupon. So I only spent $14 for 3 big refills and whatever it cost me to get another mop and got a $10 mail in rebate!!

I also signed up on the Farmland website to get special offers and I received a paper wit 8 coupons!! 2 $1 off, 2 $.75 off and 4 $.55 off the purchase one package of any Farmlad product!! These will be some good coupons with sales!!

I also received an email that my 3 $5 SC Johnson rebates hav met the requirements and I will receive them in 2 weeks!! Wow that was fast- checked mail and they are already here!!

Plus head over to Hip2Save here and she has lots of sites listed that are having giveaways and games on their website to win stuff! Today I won a $3 off Schick Quattro Razor for playing their matching game on facebook. I won a coupon from M&Ms, a coupon for a free drink at Wendy's and 30 Chuck E. Cheese tickets for each of my kids to redeem for a prize at Chuck E. Cheese!
Thanks Hip2Save!


Walgreen Deal on Wipes!!

Walgreen has 64 or 72 ct Huggies wipes on sale with a in store coupon for $1.99 you can go to Target.com and print off a coupon for $1.50/2. This would make it $2.48 for 2 packages of wipes after you use both coupons!! That comes out to $1.24 each- makes for some cheap wipes when you go through them as fast as we do!

Also you can get free Rachel Ray brush set when you buy Aussie! Check out WildforWags website for more information! There was a coupon in the paper B1G1 free and this week at Walgreens you can get a $1 RR when you buy Aussie! Makes for cheap Aussie and Free Rachel Ray brushes!!
Thanks WildforWags!

New Coupons!!!
Check out this link for some great coupons! Coupons are for:
$1/2 CapriSun (there use to be a target coupon for $.50 off caprisun here- don't know if it is still available. Print 2 and use 2 Target coupons and 1 mgf for $2/2 CapriSun)
$1/2 Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Meat
$1/2 Kraft Singles Cheese- I have seen these on sale for $.99 lately!
$.50 Miracle Whip or Kraft Mayo
Thanks SavingMoneyWisely for the coupon link!

Have fun shopping!!
Sarah

Target Trip 8/10

Here is my Target trip for 8/10. You can go to http://target.com/ and get alot of the store coupons that I used.

Pacifiers- $3.49 (needed those, can't find any from the other kids)
2 Dora Bandaids- used coupon from target website- $1.32 each
Neosporin- $3.30 use $3 mgf when you buy 3 products (Bandaids & Neosporin is what I did)- $.30
10ct Papermate Pens- $1 used coupon from target site- $.50 (if you want red coupon would make them FREE!!)
Lysol Automatic Hand Soap Dispenser- clearance $6.04 used $3 mgf coupon from mail- $3.04
Lysol Hand Soap Refill- $3.49- used $3 target coupon when you buy dispenser & soap- $.049
4 9ct Bic Pens-$1 used 2 $1 target coupons & $1/2 mgf in Sunday's paper for FREE pens
2 ProGillette Fusion Razors- $8.99each used 2 $4 mgf from paper- $4.99 each
I love these Razors!! They work really well- don't even need shaving cream. Adam doesn't like them though.
Venus Breeze Refill cartridge- $12.99
Olay Body Wash- $5.49 used coupon from Sunday paper buy Venus razor refill cartridge get Olay Body Wash for FREE!!

My total came to $48.07
I saved $42.82
Received $10 in gift cards for buying any combination of Gillette or Venus Razor products.
I am also combining this receipt with all my Secret deodorant Walgreens purchases for a $10 mail in rebate when you buy $30 worth of Olay, Venus, Covergirl, Secret, or Pantene products. Rebate form found here.
In the last two weeks I have spent a total of: $107.39
Saved a total of: $337.68
Bought a total of: $445.07 worth of products
Have $9 in RR to use at Walgreens
Have $10 in gift cards to Target
Sending in for $10 rebate

Didn't really buy any food these past two weeks, but I did that with my Hy-Vee and Taget trips that I posted about earlier. I only spent $80.47 on that trip and my cupboards and freezer are stocked-I can't buy anything else!! In 3 weeks I spent $187.86 and am stocked on food, diapers, and wipes (and lots of other stuff) for a long time! We use to spend about $100 a week on everything before I started couponing these past 3 weeks come down to $62.62 a week on everything and I am not planning on shopping for awhile since I have no where to put the stuff. I may get a few things here and there if they are really good deals. I plan on freezing all of our garden stuff too and using that for meals so may need to buy a couple more little things to get that done. I plan on freezing everything into already made meals so I won't have to make them later. With what we have stocked right now and in our garden could last us for the next couple of months!! I am excited about taking the next few weeks worth of grocery money that I would have spent and using it to pay off some bills.
Adam managed to wreck our Freestyle as soon as we decided to post it for sale during one of those bad storms we had. Well, he really didn't wreck it, but manage hit a tree with our front bumper and cause almost $3,000 worth of damage! Since he is doing the work himself and can buy a new bumper directly through our local junkyard, we will bepaying off our only credit card. Now on to our loans!! Can't wait to have everyting paid off!!

Sarah

Walgreens Trip 8/6 & 8/10 & Nesquik Shakers

Well, last Friday, Adam took the two boy with him to his brother's house to help him install some new windows. I was left with the two girls- for the first time! We ended up making a quick trip into Walgreens and I found a great deal- Pull ups and size 7 diapers (the boys don't care if they end up wearing diapers instead of pull ups to bed, we have just told them sorry we ran out of pull ups and this is all we have and the really don't mind) on clearance for less than $3 plus I had coupons!!

This week at Walgreens I was able to get some great deals!

(This picture is minusa Visine, bag of pull ups, and 3 3pks ok headbands)

This is what I got:

5 Secret Deodorants $2.29 on clearance from $8.99= $11.45 + $15 RR
4 Ecotrin Asprin bottles $3.49 each- were B1G1 Free, used 3 $2/1 coupon= $.98
3 U Kotex pads 2/$7, used $2 Aug. coupon book, $1 coupon= $1.50 total!! $.50 each
1 U Kotex tampons (same as above) this printed off a Catalina for a Free 18ct box of Playtex tampons!
3 3pks headbands on clearance= $3.69
2 Right Guard deodorants used B1G1 free coupon= $3 (grabbed solid instead of gel, gel was B1G1 free and with coupon I could have gotten both for free- oh well, next time)
4 Veet hair removal $6.99 used $3 Aug. coupon book & $3 coupon= $.99 each
4 Dial body wash $3.99 used $1 coupon= $3 + $12RR
2 Lysol Toliet Cleaner $2.99 + B1G1 Free used $1 coupon & $.50 coupon= $1.49 total
2 15pk sidewalk chalk $.50 clearance
6 Ziploc Freezer bags 2/$5 used $1 Aug coupon book, $1/2 mgf= $1.50 each or $9 total
8 72ct Huggies wipes used $1 Aug coupon book, various mgf coupons= $1.11 each or $8.92 total
2 6pk Hanes boys socks $4.99 B1G1 Free used 2 $1 off peelies on bags= 2/$2.99
1 Glade 2 sent air diffuser $6.99 used $3 mgf= $3.99 + $2 RR
1 BioTrue Contact Solution $4.99 used $1 mgf= $3.99 + $4 RR
4 bags Pampers Cruisers size 7 (my boys will wear diapers instead of pull ups at night if we are all out and at this price they will just have to do!) $2.69 each!! used various mgf coupons
1 bag Pull ups $2.89 used $1 mgf= $1.89
2 50ct Walgreens bottle inserts (for my sister- she is using this type of bottle) $.89 each= $1.78
2 24 pk Crayons $1= $2 + $2 RR
1 Alive Multivitamin $10 used $1 mgf= $9 + $10 RR
3 Visine $4.79 used $2 Aug coupon book, $2 Walgreens store coupon, 2 $1 mgf, 1 $1 mgf= $1.63 Money Maker!!
1 pkg Goodnites $3 use $2 mgf= $1!!
1 pkg Tampax Tampons $2.89 Clearance used $1 mgf= $1.89

Total OOP: $59.32

Total Savings: $294.86

Have $9 RR to use next week!

Wow!! did not realize I got so much stuff! I knew I hardly spent any money each time, but didn't realize I spent less than $60 these past two weeks. I got tons of stuff that we were really going to be needing too!

62 items worth $359.18 for $59.32 + $9 RR + 1 Free 18ct Playtex RR (this is what I have left over- received $45 worth from all these transacions, but used them to buy all the extra stuff- like wipes, pull ups, diapers, need lots of those & ziploc bags to freeze all of our garden stuff!) - sounds like a great deal to me!! That comes out to $.95 an item! Can't beat that! Especially with all those wipes, which we will use up very fast, and all the freezer bags so I can freeze all of the garden stuff.

Things are getting done- will be freezing all of our onions and most of our potatoes this weekend and maybe some sweet corn. We are going to freeze alot of our potatoes as mashed potatoes and freeze the rest as meals like: stew, potato cheese soup, and chicken pot pie. Will probbly wait to make the meals next week when I can pull up some of our carrots.

Will get a picture up soon, but we have already broken in and used alot of this stuff and distributed lots of stuff (wipes) to each of the cars and diaper bags and main rooms in our house Don't think I want to go and round up all the stuff again!

I was also accepted as a Nequik Shaker!! Here is some information they sent to me about it:
What You’ll Do:

Help spread the word about NESQUIK by hosting fun sampling events for friends or acquaintances you’d like to introduce NESQUIK to and by completing other online and offline activities.• Tell us what you think about the NESQUIK brand and its marketing programs. • Be part of a community of passionate people who share a love for NESQUIK.
What You’ll Get• A welcome letter full of information that will help you get the best out of your time as a Shakers member.• Coupons for Free NESQUIK to serve at your sampling event as well as coupons to share with guests.• The opportunity to complete weekly activities and earn points which can be used towards great rewards in our online store.

How It Works:

Create a member profile and meet other Shakers members on the message boards.• Receive regular Shakers Newsletters notifying you of new activities and highlights.• Review our suggestions for how to host sampling events. We’ll send you coupons and supplies to host your own; you’ll submit photos and the feedback you received during your event.

Well, I had better be going-all 4 of the kids are asleep right now! Clarisse is only 10 days old and this has already happend- hope it will happen alot more!!



Sarah

Shopping trips for week of July 25th

Wow this week was a great week for shopping and loading up on groceries! Glad this paycheck was an extra paycheck for the month since it had 5 pay periods. I think our cupboards and feezer are filled to the top. Don't think I could bu anything else even if I wanted! Adam asked if instead of getting the nesting thing for cleaning mine was stuffing our house with food items and meant I would have the baby very soon. Hopefully that is the case! We won't be needing to buy groceries for several months- now to just live out of our cupboard and freezers for awhile. I spent $263 and saved $442!!



I won't go into detail about everything I bought, but will give you some match ups so you might be able to get some good deals yourself.


(The prices each is after coupon savings)



Hy-Vee
6 Blue Bunny Butter $.77 each
90 ct Totinos Pizza Rolls $4.99 each w/coupon
12 Ziploc Fresh Extend Bags $1.49 each
Had 6 $1/2 coupons for 12 of the bags and for the others they had coupon hanging at Hy-Vee for $1 off prodcue for the other 10 boxes.
$10 worth of produce- free (from above deal)


Target
2 Luvs diapers $4.29 each w/coupon
2 Pampers wipes $1.47 each w/coupon
2 Oscar Mayer Deli Creations $1.99 each w/coupon
2 Oscar Mayer Deli Creations $1.50 each w/coupon
4 Kid Cuisines $.75 each ($1.00 coupon found here)
2 Bagel Bites $.24 each
use $1.00 coupon found here
plus stack with $1 coupon found here
2 Red Baron Pizza by the Slice $.99 each ($2 coupon from Sunday paper)
21 Chef Boyardee $.97 each- some FREE after coupons!!
use $1.00 coupon here
plus stack with $1.50 coupon here
2 Danon yogurt $1.39 each
use $.75 coupon here
4 8pks Juicy Juice boxes $1.99 each-FREE after coupons!!
use $1.00 coupon here
plus stack with $1.00 coupon here
4 Del Monte Fruit cups $.82 each
use $1.00 coupon here
3 12 pk Hunts pudding
use $1.00 coupon here
2 El Monterey Burritos Family pack $2.99 total
B1G1 Free coupon (go to their website and I think I signed up to receive offers and got the coupon)
1 Huge serving bowl (for all my garden picking/prep) $1.98 clearance
3 Hamburger Helper boxes
use $1/2 coupon here
plus stack with $.75 coupon found in Sunday newspaper





Alright- sorry, but this post kind of got stopped halfway through! :( I didn't even get my whole shopping trip with coupons typed up- things just got busy. Well, for one, we had our baby girl the day after this shopping trip!


Clarisse Eileen was born August 2, 2010 at 3:18 am and was 7lbs 3ozs 20.5inches. She has tons and tons of long black hair! She has been our biggest baby yet! The other 3 kids absolutely love her! Kellie, when asked to share her with her brothers said "NO!!" then she wouldn't let anyone take a picture of Clarisse. We got Clarisse's name from how we named Kellie. Kellie was born on Adam's birthday so we use Adam's middle name- Kelly and changed the spelling. Then we used my Mom's middle name- Renee and changed the spelling (her request- she likes it better spelled Renae). Thus Kellie Renae! So when it came time to name our second girl, we used Clarisse- my middle name, and Eileen- Adam's Mom's middle name.
I think you will still be able to get some of the deals I posted about- hopefully, if anyone wants to try. At least I had a good excuse! Hopefully I can start posting some more good deals for everyone soon!

Sarah

Walgreens Trips week of July 11th

I am super excited about Walgeens this week! There is a great deal that you can get lots of RR for free- which means lots of free items in the future!

(Picture is missing another Maruchan Teriakyi Meal-husband ate, 1 popcorn, 2 more Dr. Scholl's, 2 Dawn Dish soap, and 1 Butterfinger- I ate that on the way home!)

1st Transaction:
1 Dr. Scholl for Her Hidden Arch Support
1 Dr. Scholl for Her Rough Skin Eraser

Used:
$2 mgf Dr. Scholl Arch Support
2 $5 Store Coupon Dr. Scholl's

Total: $2.40 + Received $5RR

2nd Transaction:
1 Dr. Scholl for Her Hidden Arch Support
1 Dr. Scholl for Her Rough Skin Eraser

Used:
$2 mgf Dr. Scholl Arch Support
2 $5 Store coupon Dr. Scholl's

Total: $2.40 + Received $5RR

3rd Transaction:
9 Hamburger Helper
4 Act 2 Popcorn
1 Butterfinger
2 Old El Paso Taco Shells
8 Kraft Mac n' Cheese
2 Maruchan Teriakyi Meals

Used:
3 $.75/3 Hamburger Helper
4 $.55/2 Mac n' Cheese
1 $1/2 Maruchan Meals
2 $1/2 Act 2 Popcorn
1 $.60/2 Old El Paso Products
Walgreens Mac n' Cheese coupon- $4.80 off
Walgreens Butterfinger coupon- $.11 off
2 $5 RR from previous transactions

Total OOP: $4.75!!

Total Savings for these 3 transactions were $62.55!

That makes for some really cheap food! Good think the kids and I eat Hamburger Helper and Mac n' Cheese alot!

4th Transaction:
2 Dr. Scholl's Ball of Foot insoles
2 Dawn Dish Soap

Used:
2 $5 Store Coupon
2 $2 mfg Dr. Scholl's
1 $.50 mgf Dawn
1 $.25 mgf Dawn

Total OOP: $1.23 + received $5RR

I now have 1 $5RR saved for another purchase!

So far my OOP is $8.38 + $5RR for future purchase with a total savings of $77.30! That is not counting how much more I saved since all the grocery items were also on sale. If I have figured that correctly, I have a 89% savings! Plus $5 to use next time! I hope to do another purchase or two tomarrow to get a couple more RR.

House Party & Nielson Consumer Panel

I am also really excited about a couple of programs that I may be able to do soon!

I was accepted recently to have a house party for Kleenex hand towels! They sent me a package with 16 boxes of Kleenex hand towels, a $10 gift card, markers, crayons, and paint! All I have to do is have the party, take pictures, and post it to their site! You are suppose to have the house party on the date they have set- it is part of their thing of having tons of house parties all across the country on the same day. The Kleenex hand towel party is on July 24th- my Dad's birthday! So guess what- for Dad's birthday we are having a Kleenex hand towel party! I am sure we will use quite abit with all the little kids and birthday cake and ice cream! It seems to be pretty easy to do. You can go to: http://www.houseparty.com/ and see if you can sign up too! You do everything from their website- even send out your invitations from there. I have also filled out a survey to do the Rubbermaid Clean Little Secrets House Party. Waiting for th e sign up period to end to see if I have been picked to do it. If I am picked, I will get the following for my house party: Rubbermaid Reveal spray mop for host
Rubbermaid rubber cleaning gloves for host
Rubbermaid Reveal spray mop coupons for guests
Goody Hair Ties
Recipe Cards for Solution Mix
eMusic Cards*
Papermate Pens

I also just signed up with Nielson Counsmer Panel today. They send you as scanner and each week you scan the items you have bought at the store, it stores the information, and then at the end of the week you send the information to the company. You earn points that you can use to redeem different items and they also have drawings that you get to sign up for. I completed the survey and at the end it said that I would be put on a waiting list for a scanner to be sent to me as soon as they had one available for my household! I e-mailed the blog that had it advertised that they were accepting applications and she said that she has never be selected to participate and that they never let her finsih the survey so since I got a letter at the end saying I would be put on the waiting list there is a very good chance I have been accepted! Now to just wait and see when I am able to get one!

I am excited about all the free stuff I can get, just by doing my normal shopping and having house parties with friends and family.