A Non-Deal Post

Originally, this blog was going to be for deal posting only but I have found that I just can't keep up with more than one blog. I have the other one still up but it has not been updated since November.

For those of you who may have popped in here from elsewhere, let me tell you a little bit about myself.

I am Rebecca. I live in Savannah, Georgia with my husband of 19 years, Jeff. He is a construction worker and full-time student working on his English degree. He blogs too but rather infrequently. He is the witty and deep one of the family. But right now, most of his time is spent working 8 hours then coming home and working on school for 4-5 hours. We met in New York right out of high school. We lived in Kissimmee, Florida for several years before moving to Georgia.

We are the proud parents to 8 great kids. Our oldest, Jeff Jr, just turned 18 this past December. Oddly, I was more emotional when my oldest daughter turned 16 than I did when he became an adult. He works full time with Jeff is the construction business. He is thinking of going to tech school in the fall or spring. Right now he is working on his GED.

Next in line is our 16yo daughter, Amanda. She is the second mom in the house. She is a great help with the little boys. She also loves to write and bake. Her latest obsession is Broadway musicals. Our next step with her is to get her driving permit.

The third child is Moriah. She is 13. She is different from Amanda yet in some ways very similar. She is our fashionista. She LOVES purses and going shopping. She is truly a girly-girl. Where Amanda doesn't really care about wearing make-up, Moriah asks all the time when she will be allowed. She also is my crafter. She likes to knit, stamp and bead.

I love both my girls. They are so special to me. They are truly growing into lovely young ladies. I can't wait to see where God takes them from here.

Timothy is our fourth child. He is 10 years old. He loves his family. He is the one who will bring me water when I am sick or offer a hug when I am down. He also loves his video games. LOL He is also Jeffrey's shadow but Jeffrey doesn't mind and THAT I love. Timothy has recently discovered a love for reading and is reading just about everything he can get his hands on.

Alexander is next. He is 8 and shares a birthday with Moriah. Alexander is so very sensitive. He collects roly-poly bugs but the thousands (well it seems that way LOL). He likes to draw and color. He has said for a few years that he wishes to be an artist when he grows up.

(Only three more left LOL)
Andrew is our 5yo and first red-head. He is a sweet boy. It took him forever to potty train but he is still a sweet boy. LOL He loves Legos and playing on the playstation. He is pretty "active" and can often be found running back and forth in the living room battling invisible bad guys.

Symeon is 3 years old and our 2nd red-head. LOL He is so cute. LOL I know I am probably biased but he is!! But he is a rough and tumble little boy. He is ALL boy. He can be very shy or he can be very loud---just depends on his mood.

And lastly we have Gregory. Gregory will be one on April 17th. He is trying to walk--well, he walks if no one is looking at him. He has two volumes: loud and louder. He just likes to "talk" loudly. He is a cutey too.

If you lost count, that is 6 boys, 2 girls. We didn't really plan a large family but I am very happy that God chose to give me one.

We don't have any inside pets. We have a cat, Baby, that was given to us by Andrew's Godfather. He is an outside cat now who has taken a "wife" and fathered 3 kittens with more on the way. *shaking head*.

Other things of interest about our family...
I homeschool the children and have from the beginning.

We are Eastern Orthodox and attend a Greek parish. My husband is an Ordained Subdeacon and teaches the Jr High Sunday School class. My oldest 2 boys serve at the altar. I am a member of the ladies group, Philoptocos Society. I serve on the board and am in charge of special coffee hours.

I like to sew and crochet although since being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis this past October, I haven't done much of either. I am not a good cook--well, I can be a good cook, I am just too lazy. LOL I know that my family appreciates when I cook well and add new things to the menu so I should do that more.

We are a family that loves football, basketball, hockey--any sport really, EXCEPT Nascar and baseball. Our favorite though is football and in the fall we can be found watching the Gators or Buckeyes on Saturday and who ever we can catch on Sundays.

My latest obsession is couponing. I have always used coupons but in the last year or so, I have REALLY gotten into it. LOL Jeff says that I am like an addict and when people bring me their coupons he jokes that they are "feeding my habit" LOL I got into shopping CVS a little over a year ago. My girls are usually with me when I hit CVS or do any clearance shopping. They know that if toothpaste is more than 50 cents--we are NOT getting it. LOL We laugh at 15 or 30 percent off clearance at Target.

I love reading other blogs about deals and shopping. I am a fairly new twitterer and I am on facebook. If you want to read more of my boring life or to see pictures, pop over to my old blog and take a look around.

In addition to deal posts, I will add some of our life stuff and I will try to not be boring. If you read this far, thanks and I hope you stick around.

Publix 3/25/09

After a couple of disappointing trips to my local Publix, I thought about giving up. But whenever I see the BOGOs that they have each week I think, I really should try again. So today I did...and had a MUCH better trip.

Not everything I got was BOGO but was advantage buys. My husband and oldest son, who work together in construction, told me today that they are tired of granola bars for breakfast (no, I do NOT get up and cook them breakfast every day LOL). Thankfully, Publix has yogurt on advantage buy and I had lots of matching coupons.

Here is what I got today...

4 bags of Fast Fixin's Popcorn Chicken (BOGO--5.99 each)

2 bags of Doritos (no q's; no sale--needed for working men's lunches)

2 Knorr Pasta Alfredo sides (BOGO--1.59 each)

3 Minute Maid Rice (ad. buy 2/$4)

2 Dannon 6 pk yogurt (3/$6)

5 Dannon Danimals yogurt (3/$5)

4 Dole Parfait bowls (BOGO--2.25 each)

3 cokes (one for mom; one for coupon holder and one for babysitter) 1.39/each

Total before coupons: 51.06

Used coupons: 17.10

Total:33.96

The bottom of my receipt says I saved: 41.42 at Publix today!! That includes coupons, sales and stuff.

If I didn't need the chips or the cokes...my total would have been about $20!!

That is a MUCH better Publix trip!!!

Check out FiddleDeeDee for more Publix Super Savers!

CVS 3/21/09

I must be out of practice with CVS. I am looking over my receipt as the pictures loads and realise that I didn't get the $2 ECB for the Dry Idea and must have gotten the wrong toothpaste since I didn't get the ECBs for it either. This CVS that I go to on Saturdays, usually has all the signs down by then so it is kind of a guessing game and trying to match the ad with what is on the shelf. LOL

But what I did get...

5 Dove deoderant (2 for $7)

2 Dry Idea roll on deoderant (2.99)

1 Spongebob Band-aid (3.49)

1 Neosporin to go (6.29)

1 Kotex lightdays (3.99)

1 Colgate Maxfresh toothpaste (3.49)

1 Bic Soliel

Used:

2 1.50/2 Dove q's

1.25/1 Dove q
.50 Bandaid

1.00 Neosporin

1.50 Kotex coupon (CRT from CVS)

2 2.00 Dry Idea

2.00 Bic

13.99 in ECBs

Total oop: 23.45

Got back 13.00 ECBs and 3 CRTs

Walgreens 3/21/09

This is what I got at Walgreen's today.

4 pks of Walgreen brand diapers (2 for $9)

3 pks of Reach floss (3 for $9)

Sambucol (12.99)

Wal-Zyr Allergy med (3.99)

Irish Spring body wash (4.99)

I used an Irish Spring BW free coupon.

$10 EZQ from Wags for Sambucol + $4 printable

$3 off 3 Reach coupon

$20 RR from Huggies deal last week

Total oop: 15.96

Total Savings thru Wag advertised and mfg q's: 57.45

Now that I look closer at me reciept, the floss didn't ring up $3--it rang 4.49/each. And I didn't get the RR for them. So it should have been less I think.

Oh and I will send in the rebate for the allergy meds and those will end up being free.

Menu Plan Monday

This week I did something BOLD and planned meals for TWO weeks!! WOW!! I know in my mind that I do so much better making a menu plan. I don't know why I resist. We spent a lot of money on fast food last week and I KNOW it is because I didn't make a good plan. So this last week, I sat down and made a plan for two weeks.

You might notice that there is a lack of meat in my menu. We are Greek Orthodox and are in the midst of Lent which means fasting from meat and dairy. We do allow dairy. We also eat more fish than is allowed. I could go into all the reasons but that is really between us and our spiritual Father. *grin*

Nothing fancy here...

Monday, the 16th: Tuna and Shells from Rachael Ray

Tuesday, the 17th--St Patrick's Day: Cabbage and potatoes--might try some soda bread too

Wednesday the 18th: French Toast

Thursday, the 19th: Potato soup

Friday, the 20th: Spaghetti

Saturday, the 21st: Chinese take out

Sunday, the 22nd: Pot luck at Church-corn casserole, pbj, corn salsa

Monday, the 23rd: salmon patties, mac/cheese

Tuesday, the 24th: pancakes

Wednesday, the 25th: Fish, Greek Pasta salad

Thursday, the 26th: ramen noodle stir fry

Friday, the 27th: spaghetti

Saturday, the 28th: ?? Older 3 Children will be at a Lenten Retreat so we might do something special with the remaining 5.

To see more Menu Plan Monday, pop over to $5 Dinners who is hosting this weeks round up.

Publix--3/10/09

Quick Publix post for you.

I rarely shop at Publix. The first big trip I did there, the cashier took my q's first and then looked at each on and matched each one with the product on the coupon. It took for.evah. So I was leary of going again but I had those Frosted Flake q's ($1/2) and Publix had the BOGO. I also had 50 cent Banana Nut Cheerio q's (which my Publix doubles) and those are also BOGO. So I braved it again.

They were out of the cheerios. So bummer. And I didn't think to get a raincheck. But as you can see, I got the Frosted Flakes. And threw in some Hellman's which were also BOGO and I had 60 cent coupons for them.

I think I did OK---4 boxes of cereal and 2 mayo for less than $10.

I decided that for me, I will just shop the BOGOs at Publix if I have good q's. Or for double coupon things. Publix prices a quite a bit higher--especially their meat. But double coupons and BOGOs---I am SO there!!

For more Publix Super Savers...check out FiddleDeeDee!!

Walgreens x2

I went to Walgreens twice this week (and might try to go one more time). I laid out my plan and hoped that I wouldn't get any cashier's who would scrutinize every move and coupon.

First trip I purchased:

2 pks of Huggies diapers $10/each

1 pk of wipes $6

1 Irish Spring Body wash 4.49

1 Sambucol Cold and Flu 12.99

1 Walgreens Extra strength headache med. 2.99

Used: 21.75 in coupons

OOP: 27.97

Got $10 RR back; free body wash catalina and will mail in the 2.99 for the Extra strength

The next trip:

1 Irish Spring 4.49

2 20 oz Cokes 1.49 each

1 Axe Men's Shampoo 5.99

1 Sambucol 12.99

3 pks of Huggies 10.00/each

Used: 25.98 in coupons (including the body wash cat. and a BOGO Coke q)

OOP: 34.21

Got another $10 RR for the diaper deal but my Irish Spring didn't roll--that's OK

I will also mail in the 5.99 Axe shampoo

Out of these deals I think the best is the Sambucol. Regular price is 14.99. It is on sale for 12.99. There is a $10 ESQ at walgreens and I had $4 q's. That's a money maker!!!

I have $20 in RR to use this week.

To see what other people did this week at various drugstores...Check out http://thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot.com/2009/03/drugstore-divas-313.html And be sure to send congrats to new mom Denise over there!!