Serendipity's Day

2/6 Stores Dash

2011-02-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

Rite-Aid

Made a great run at Rite-Aid today, although I did lay out a little money. I got back a ton of R.A. cash on the end of my receipt ($40) and I will be getting a $30 check in the mail through their Single Check Rebates program.

2 cereal
3 chestal homeopathic cold/flu relief
2 halls
1 revitalens
1 uncle ben's pouch
2 betty crocker cookie mixes
1 biotrue
1 personal care product

merchandise total = $85.17
- store discounts (sale) $23.26
- coupons & +UP bucks $51.10
= out-of-pocket $10.81 +tax

Giant Eagle

Will not itemize, but bought $171.08 of food at the grocery for $75.10 out-of-pocket.

Shopping Foray 1/30

2011-01-31T07:35:00.000-08:00

Did well today! woot!

Rite Aid Transaction #1:
1 Lay's Stax
1 Chex Mix
1 Dreyer's Cookies & Cream ice cream
1 Smucker's Jam
2 JIF peanut butter
1 Dawn
1 Colgate toothpaste
1 Viactiv calcium chews (chocolate)
1 Coricidin Cold med
1 Afrin nasal spray
2 packs Stayfree

Merchandise total: $56.47
-18.09 Rite Aid sale
-17.75 coupons
-16 Rite Aid +UP bucks
= $6.29 out-of-pocket w/ tax
-$30 Rite Aid +UP bucks to use on future purchase

Walgreens
1 Arnicare muscle pain gel
1 Palmolive dish
2 packs Butterfinger Snackerz
1 Ajax powder
2 Reese's King Packs
3 lollipops

Merchandise Total: $20.12
-5.38 Walgs sales
-2.66 Walgs-specific coupons
-11.40 Mfg. coupons
=$0.68 out-of-pocket
-$6 wags bux on receipt

Giant Eagle

1 Taco Dinner Kit
2 6-pack of popcorn
1 box frozen pretzels
1 box frozen corn
1 box frz. cheese pretz. sticks
2 boxes thai noodle dinners
1 red baron pizza
1 newman's own pizza
1 box frozen fish fillets
3 pillsbury biscuits
1 pillsbury sweet-rolls
6 yoplait yogurt
2 Kraft cheeses
4 progresso soups
1 sour cream
4 lg. cans Red-Pack tomato
1 FL natural OJ
2 jars nutella
2 lg. jars Smucker's jam
1 log-cabin syrup
1 cheerios
1 pk. hamburger buns
3 teas 20oz.
2 sinex nasal sprays
1 crest toothpaste
1 bag Nestle hearts
2 42-ct. boxes Prilosec
1 bag chips
1 6-pk Bounty towels

Merchandise total: $200.16
-$48.66 sales/promos
-$43.25 coupons
=$108.25 out-of-pocket
-$16 Giant Eagle credit
-$0.30 off per gallon of gas ($3.30 saved at fill-up)
-$24 mail-in rebate

Extreme Couponing

2011-01-23T16:38:00.000-08:00

Inspired by some information and website addresses shared with me by another mother at our church (thanks Leslie C!), I've forrayed into the world of couponing. There are an array of bogs dedicated to matching store sales, whether grocery or drug stores, to the coupons available in circulars and online.

In only my second trip to CVS since perusing these sites I managed to score:

4 - 12-packs of Coke
4 - vitamin water
2 canisters of emerald nuts
4 packs of Orbit gum
2 jugs of laundry detergent and
2 bottles of Crest Pro-Health mouthwash

My expense? $3.04

Yes, folks... this I could like...

Fun

2009-03-11T02:52:00.000-07:00

Mommy really wanted to splash in the mud puddles too! But she would have taken off her shoes and rolled up her pants first. Silly grown-ups!

Growing Up Fast!

2009-03-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, here's an entire blog about J's "new tricks" - so if you're not into hearing Moms go on about their kids' new skills, read no further ;)

The first skill that he's been honing in the last few months is shapes. He's known what the moon is for a very long time now - it was one of his first words. He recognizes the moon in both crescent and full shapes in life and in books. Stars have also been a favorite for some time (both real and in the stereotypical "star" shape found on toys and in books). To it he's added squares, triangles, circles, and hearts - if asked he can identify which is which when we're coloring together or in his books.

He's also been hard at work on his colors. Once he realized he could say blue (or "booo") he has been using it to ask what color something is. It started with his shirt each day - he'd point to the shirt, ask "boooo"?, and smile when I gave him the appropriate color. As of the end of February (21 mo. old) he could reliably ID blue, red, green, and yellow when given his choice of blocks. In the two weeks since then he's added orange, brown and often purple (sometimes mixes purple with blue) and can select the appropriate crayon or colored area in a book. He can also pretty reliably "say" green, orange, and purple - rather than just using "blue" as a synonym for "color". They are not as clear as they could be, but his speech is getting there.

The skill I'm most excited about is his counting! For a month or so he's play counted - he'd go down the line of snowmen on our couch blanket and intone staccato noises as if he were counting them but the sounds were not recognizable as English. For a few weeks now he'd often say two (doo) and/or three (tee) if we said, "Let's count..." and begin him off with "one...". He's learned the sequence up through five and sometimes seven. I thought he was just learning a little chant, so to speak, that would later lead to him applying the concept of counting. But just this afternoon he was coloring at his little table with 5 crayons. I was otherwise occupied, but looked up when I heard him counting... he counted his five crayons by moving one apart from the rest then adding "doo, teee, or, ive" and separating them into the new pile. Then he picked up all of them and said "ive daaas!" (five crayons), lifting them up above his head in his fist! [He doesn't yet have a "f" or "k" sound in his verbal vocabulary]. I'm so excited that he seems to be understanding that counting is a concept, not just a rhyme!

Miscellany

2009-02-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

The stinky thing about bed rest during pregnancy is the guilt. Here you are, perfectly healthy, sitting here letting others do work you could be doing if not for a yet hidden mini-person. They don't even get the joy of cooing at a new baby for their trouble.

J went running to his toy box after perusing one of my Marine Biology books. He drug back a squishy worm-like toy and wanted me to appreciate the similarities between it and a marine worm. Not bad, kid.

I went to check on him in his room - he was being entirely too quiet in there - only to find that he had a big teddy bear laying on his changing pad. He was lifting its rear/legs with one had while wiping its butt with the sock in his other hand. I had to show him how to put a diaper on the bear after a performance like that!

You know...

2009-01-19T08:19:00.000-08:00

...that life's priorities are changing when the arrival of long-awaited mail order pillows is the highlight of your day. Sweet sleep!!!

It's Been Awhile

2009-01-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

J got really mobile and well, I got pregnant. No one really wants to hear my daily puke update, so now it's January ;)

This is why our dog hides:

ENGARDE!

It's just an empty wrapping paper tube but it had might as well be a fencing rapier... He's an energetic and curious little guy, but his easy-going temperment makes for a pretty happy Mom most days. He's a whiz at puzzles and still loves his trucks and trains. We haven't quite figured out the polarity thing with the trains that connect with magnets - I know he'll get it soon, though. He's been sleeping in his big boy room for about 2 weeks now, making room for baby #2 in the nursery. He adjusts to change well - we are very fortunate!

Things from this year with a mobile little one:

Dog food crunches differently than Kix cereal.

Watch what you do. He will mimic even the things you regret!

Putting two words together is a big deal for an 18 month-old.

Do a "what baby can reach" check at least once a week, b/c 14" Ginsu knives make a great "shshshing" noise when they get pulled out of a kitchen drawer.

Even if your house is "proofed" for your baby, think creatively. His playdate buddies may find things like the heating vents to stuff video cassettes into ;)

Michelle W. is right. Boys need food, space, and plenty of activities!

Natural Selection Foiled Again

2008-08-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

I hate to sound cold, or as if I wish harm to anyone - however, some people should just not pass on their stupidity to others...

Check it out. The title: Wind Blows Kite Surfer Into Building

We Are...

2008-07-21T18:58:00.001-07:00

living T.V. free! Woo hoo!

For 3 days that is. (boo. hiss.)

Going

2008-07-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

I just nabbed a ticket to get out to Colorado to go see my sister. I'll be there just in time to help her move! That's no problem - it's travelling alone with baby that will be the real adventure ;)

Now to see if there are local geocaches I can grab while out there...

Added after our trip - Aunt Becky makes a great Sherpa:

Fun In The Sun

2008-07-10T13:04:00.001-07:00

He wasn't so sure about sand or surf for a couple of days. But by the week's end...

Nintendo Ancient History

2008-06-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

Conversation revolving around Mario on a Nintendo DS:

P (age 27): I'm about to rescue the Princess...
D: (age 16): I've rescued the Princess a hundred times.
P: (half laughing) I rescued the Princess before you were born!
D: (scornfully) Whatever.
R: Actually, he probably did...

Also Known As...

2008-06-20T18:52:00.001-07:00

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The new TV series: "Black Gold"

A.K.A : 101 Ways To Die On An Oil Derrick
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Stolen

2008-06-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I was wakened by my father (our neighbor) knocking on the door around 6:15. He had found a whole bunch of baby's stuff - a board book, toys, a romper - and some of our CDs in the ditch that runs about 400 yards along the road between our houses. It turns out that both their cars were rifled through at some point last night and money taken, and he wanted to know where all of our stuff came from. I openned the garage and lo and behold - BABY'S DIAPER BAG WAS GONE OFF OF THE FRONT SEAT!

So these hooligans must have swiped it right out of the garage while it was open between 8:45 and 9:30 last night - in between my hubby washing the cars in the front yard and my going back out to use the hose to water the flowers. After that we were outside and even later had the garage all locked up for the night...

The police said several people had reported 3 kids between 13-16 years old rummaging in cars at around 6 this morning, and on his way to work my hubby saw around 8 police cars gathered where they were putting two teenage boys, cuffed, into one not more than 2 miles away from us.

Before Paul saw them caught, though, we made a report, etc. When I described my baby's bag the sheriff's deputy lit up a bit and said, "I'll bet we have your bag". He had his sargeant pull up and - surprise - THE KIDS HAD USED OUR DIAPER BAG AS THEIR LOOT BAG! They'd taken off running across a field when they saw a police car and left it behind in the road. He (the cop) started pulling CDS and money and car radios out of my bag - and a nasty cigar! - the only thing left of baby's that they hadn't thrown into the ditch was a single little spoon

I really hope that the little thieves swiped it last night and didn't find a way into our garage! The hilarious thing is that they picked on our '03 Taurus with junk in it, and not the '08 Civic with Paul's GPS, iPod, and WORK LAPTOP. AND the keys were in the newer car! They'd already stolen a pickup truck, so I'm suprised the dumb kids didn't check the nicer car! Thankfully they didn't, and we've learned not to leave ANYTHING of value out there - and to SHUT the door every time!

Feeling so violated right now...

Vintage Hankie Raconteur

2008-06-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

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Raconteur - one who tells anectdotes with skill or wit.

From the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival Website:

"Katie Dix began her journey to becoming a Vintage Hanky Raconteur when she was taught to carry a fresh handkerchief when shopping in downtown Nashville in the 1960s. Finishing school in Atlanta impressed upon her that a pretty hanky was a fashion essential. While raising children in the north of England, she valued soft hankies for drippy little noses. Her interest in the story of vintage handkerchiefs has grown along with her collection. As a member of the Colorado Historical Society and having studied tomes on the subject, she shares her knowledge of the handkerchief with ladies of similar sensibilities. Check out Katie's website: http://www.storyofvintagehankies.com."

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Quote Quote Quote

2008-06-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

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This "blog" is "hilarious":

http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/
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Quotable Quote

2008-06-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

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"I'm average than the smarter bear."

- A friend

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Same

2008-06-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Joshua has been learning comparisons in the last week or so. He can now point to his own belly button and then to someone else's, or knees. The first time he realized that he was looking at the same item on himself and on someone else, he looked back and forth for a full three minutes, examining.

He can also compare the tiny finger-puppet monkey that Grandma Webel (Cindy) got him, to the big stuffed monkey that Grandma Webel (Arlene) brought for his birthday. He holds them side-by-side and looks back and forth. He will even make them hug or kiss at request =)

World's Worst

2008-06-11T17:41:00.001-07:00

Things You Never Thought You'd Have To Say...

2008-06-09T17:56:00.001-07:00

Me, on phone with Pampered Chef consultant:

"Hold on, my son is eating dog food."

Corazón Latino

2008-06-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

My husband was teasing me that I got my wish - that my son is Latin inside ;) This weekend he discovered that he can turn on the stereo in our bedroom, and he repeatedly hits the button to start and restart Juanes's "A Dios Le Pido" and its awesome guitar riff. He dances and bounces along to the beat like it's the best song he's ever heard (I wouldn't argue)!

Anyone know how to post music on Blogger?

Summing Up My MIL's Personality

2008-06-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

In response to accusations that she didn't let the kids (my husband and SILs) sit in the "Splash Zone" at Sea World:

"C'mon, I'd ride the whale!"

Copyright Blah...

2008-06-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a book of sculptures by an artist who accompanied her art with a piece of fiction. I found the whole thing so hilarious, that I wanted to scan a few images to share. Then I started thinking about copyright... And of course there are no images already on line to share. I'm really disappointed. It's a real bummer to laugh alone...

Their Trip

2008-06-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

Becky and Dad are headed off to Isle Royale - out in Lake Superior. The island's claim to fame: wolves. Nice. Just where I would pick to hike and camp.

In all seriousness, wolves want less to do with us than we do with them. I hope they have a great time out in the "wild"!

I'm tired... need a hint why?

2008-06-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

He's a good cute reason.

He Needs Me

2008-06-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

They really do, don't they?

Blog Archive

2008-06-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

Blog entries previous to June can be found at http://www.myspace.com/sarahwebel in the "Blog" area of my profile. I hate myspace...

2008-06-02T13:01:00.000-07:00