Okay so I am trying to change my Template on my Blog and keep having major problems. I am a little slow when it comes to these things, so bear with me. At times my blog may be unreadable as it was about 10 minutes ago...sigh. I thought I had lost it forever, but I finally fixed it.


Okay so I got it fixed, it will stay this way until spring. This seems to be the way it looks here right now, so I thought it was fitting!

Tuesday will be my Sixteenth Wedding Anniversary! It seems like just yesterday on some days and then on others it seems like forever ago!
Well, I did something that I hate to do...buy something at full price. It was a card, but it cost a fortune! To top it all off I felt buyers remorse after buying it. The stupid thing cost me $4.99. I usually don't buy cards. Most of the people that know me know I will buy a gift and not attach a card simply because I feel they are a waste of money. I do make exceptions to the rule, for instance a graduation or a wedding.
I also have plenty of card making supplies which makes it even harder for me to buy cards and feel right about it.
Speaking of which I really need to finish those Christmas cards so at least everyone gets them before 2009!

After collecting things for almost a year now I put together five gift baskets. Almost everything was FREE or very close to FREE. IF you are new to my blog then you'll have to review my past post to understand completely what I am talking about. However for long time readers then you know how I did it and you probably do it yourself! Another great site to read is Money Saving Mom.
I really couldn't believe that I could fill this many baskets. I will be giving these to my hard to buy for in-laws. I never have had so much fun shopping for them!! LOL!!
The things I did buy were the baskets $1 @ Dollar Tree and the washcloths 12 for $2.49 @ Meijer two day sale. I used 5 washcloths ($1.04) in each basket.

So I haven't bought any outside decorations in forever. My Mom even tried to give me some, but I didn't take them. However, these can go inside or outside. I paid 11.67 OOP for the Angel and will get a $10 Rebate. The Christmas tree I purchased with some other items but I figure it will cost me just over $5 after $10 rebate(both $11 when I put it on my Walgreens card). So that is why I got them. I also received the 20% friends and family discount on these.
These don't show up near as well in the picture. They are so pretty lit up!! I am very happy with them, even though I did exchange both of them today due to the fact both had issues.

Also, when I was in today I was talking with one of my favorite Managers and ask her about the Blow Dryers they will have tomorrow FREE after RR. They only got 4 in (2 Blue & 2 Pink), so she tells me that they will hold one until I can make it in tomorrow! WOW!! I just can't believe how nice they are being to me lately!! I am really loving Walgreens!!!

Welcome to my blog...
My name is Johnny and I am a Christian, stay-at-home mother of two. I have one boy (15) and one girl (14). We are a home school family and we have been home schooling since 2002. I am trying to live more frugally and that was the initial purpose of this blog.

However, this Blog has morphed and sometimes is much more than just living frugally. I have only been blogging for a year now and I am continually trying to improve upon my life as well as my Blog.

I tend to be very A.D.D and sometimes ramble on and on...without making much sense of anything. I hope you would find this amusing as well as comforting, in the thought that anyone can have a blog. You may read other blogs that are very well written and that works for a lot of people, but I can not and will not ever be able to write that well, but hope you continue to join me through my life of blogging.

God Bless

Okay to make a long story short...I was on another blog that had this candle posted and I just thought it was too funny. So for the price of $5 plus s&h I ordered one to take to our families gag gift exchange. It will be perfect! Now I just hope it gets here before we leave.
If you want one of your own go to this Etsy store to buy one. They even have a great store name "Horror Decor" too cute!

(12/22)BTW- I got the Sample in the mail today and it is so great! Super fast shipping so I would definitely suggest this store!

So I was unable to get everything I wanted but I did end up with some great deals. I also had to go in two times. Once before work and then after work. They were still unloading the truck when I went in the first time so I was hoping that when I went back they would have it all put away and have the items they were out of.

#1
(3) Envelopes 2-100ct and 1 40ct 1.19ea - w/4-day Q .59ea
(1) Walgreens cough drops .99 - w/4-day Q .39
(1) Sudafed PE 3.99 sale - 1.00 IP MQ 2.99
(2) Sudafed PE Sinus 3.99ea sale - (2) IP MQ = 2.99ea
(3) Walgreens Ibuprofen 2/$7 on sale - w/4-day Q 3/$3
Used a 5RR
My total OOP for this one was $3.98 and I received (2) 5RR one for $25 purchase and (1) for purchasing (3) Sudafed.

#2
(3) White Poster board .89ea - w/4-day Q 3/$1
(3) Black Poster board .99ea - w/4-day Q 3/$1
(these are not pictured due to the size)
(2) Arm & Hammer 26 load (out of the 32 load) 6.99ea - w/4-day Q 1.99ea
(2) Reynold's Wrap 1.59ea - w/7-day Q .99ea - 1.00 MQ = FREE
(3) Walgreens Ibuprofen 50ct. 2/$7 - w/4-day Q 3/$3
(2) Walgreens Cough Drops .99ea - w/4-day Q (or 7 day?) .39ea

I did use one $5RR from previous $25 purchase deal and it did work, however you can not use two of these on one order.

My total OOP was $5.21 and received a 5RR
Which I thought was a great deal for all of that. So my total for both orders was $9.19.
All of these, with the exception of the Reynolds wrap, I was getting low on so I am extremely excited about only paying approximately $10 for all of this!!

***Also when I went in the first time my favorite cahier was in there and she asked me if I had been given the 20% off friends and family coupon yet. When I told her no, the manager was just coming out of the stock room and said, "Here I have one in my pocket." Then she handed it to me!! It is good for all of next weekend! I am so excited. Your right Mom they really do like me! LOL!!!***

This is what I am planning on getting Friday at Walgreens. Their truck comes on Friday's so I hope they will have everything.

#1
(3) Sudafed PE @ 3.99 ea - buy 3 get $5RR - (3) $1MQ = 2.99ea before RR
(3) Walgreens Ibuprofen - 4-Day coupon = 3/$3
(2) Kellogg's Cereal 1.99 - (2) $1MQ = .99

This should make my OOP total 2.95 (figuring in the 6 & 5 RR I have) and I should get back 2 $5 RR

#2
(3) Walgreens Ibuprofen - 4-Day coupon = 3/$3
(2) Arm & Hammer 6.99 - 4-Day coupon = 1.99ea
(1) Walgreens Cough Drops .99 - 4-Day coupon = .39
Total before coupons will be $25.47
After Q's will be $7.37 (of course without taxes)
Then I will use the $5 RR from the Sudafed Making my total 2.37
I can't beat that for Detergent.

Then I am still working on a scenario with the following:
(2) Reynolds Wrap .99 - $1 MQ
(3) Envelopes (not sure of regular price) 4-Day Q = .59
(6) Posterboard (for 4-H, also not sure of regular price) 4-Day Q = 3/$1
I also have a rainchack from last week for the Walitin for .99

Yesterday I went into Walgreens and took advantage of their 4-Day sale.
(Note:As of Yesterday you can still purchase $25 in products before coupons and get your $5RR)

#1
(3) Kelloggs Cereal $1.99 - 1/1 MQ = .99
(1) Sure $2.79 (mine rang up wrong should have been 2.50 sale) - 1.00 IP and 1.50 ESR pg 19 = .19 should have been FREE
(3) 50ct Ibuprofen 2/7 or total 10.50 - 4-Day coupon = $3
(2) Scotch Tape $2 - $1 MQ = $1
(2) Arm & Hammer Liquid Detergent 6.99 - 4-Day coupon = $1.99
Total after RR was $2.06 then I received a 5RR and will mail in for the $2 rebate on the tape. So I made $4.94!!

#2
(4) Bags York Peppermint Patties 2.50 sale - 1.50/3 MQ = 8.50
(1) Entertainment Book $25 - $10 4-day (or 7-Day coupon)= $15
(you can just buy the book and get a $5 RR making this a great bargain at $10)
Total after RR $13.25
Received a $5 RR and will get a rebate of $5 for the candy, so not really a bad deal!@

The book will be a great present for John's Boss.

Sorry for not posting pictures, but I had to get to work and the things have already been put away.

Go here to print your $1 off any Juicy Juice product 64oz or 46oz.
If you use your back button you should be able to print (2) of these.

So this week at Kroger (12/4-12/10) Celestial Seasonings Tea is only $1 and with my $1 off coupons this makes them FREE!!! YEAH!!
I love tea. If you didn't get the $1 coupon then they actually had .55/1 coupons this week so that is still only .45 which is really cheap.

As for the Ronzoni. It is also on sale for 3/$4 which is only $1.33. With the $1 coupons it makes them only .33. So for all of this I only paid $1.34.

Morgan has been wanting to make a fleece blanket for quite some time now. Jo-Ann Fabrics had a great sale on polar fleece on Black Friday, it was only $2.99/yd. So this is what she settled on. She really wanted some with horses, but it was not included in the sale.
It turned out so cute. I wish I had, had the money to buy more of this great fleece and make more blankets for others. They are so easy and warm!

If you have a Hobby Lobby near you then you need to go here and sign up to receive their craft newsletter. When you do that they will enter you in a weekly drawing for $100 Online Shopping Spree! So I guess actually you don't even need to have a local Hobby Lobby to enter this great giveaway.

Yesterday when I was online I discovered that Walgreens will be running a mid week ad for the next three weeks! Yeah!! I hope they are all going to be as good as this one is!

Well, for starters if you spend $25 you will get a $5RR. You can mix this deal with other RR deals and still get the $5RR. I did this today and it worked GREAT!

This is what I got:
#1 Transaction
(2) 12pk Coke
(2) 12pk Sprite
(1) 12pk Diet Coke
(2) Reach Toothbrushes
(1) Colgate Total

Total before Q's = 25.66

Used (4) $1/12pk Coke IP (turned in coke rewards for these)
(1) $1/1 Colgate
(1) BOGO Reach Toothbrush $3
(1) 6RR from last week

Total after Q's 13.46

Then I received the following RR's:
$5 - Coke spend $15 get $5
$6 - 2 Reach Products
$2 - Colgate
$5 - Spend $25 get $5
Total RR's = $18

#2
(1) Colgate - $1 MQ
(2) Reach Toothbrushes - BOGO MQ
(1) Walitin (like Claritin)7-Day Q for .99

Total 6.68 used 5RR from Coke deal paid $1.68 OOP, and received a 6RR and a 2RR

So I had a pretty good day! Now I have $33 in RR's to roll over so I hope they have some good deals coming up... if not I may have to look for some Christmas gifts there.

Well, unfortunately my blog has not been the first thing on my mind lately and I am truly sorry to keep everyone hanging.
About two weeks ago I woke up with a toothache and actually was unable to do about anything. I was taking 4 Ibuprofen and 2 Tylenol at a time and the pain still would not go away. I was trying to take sleeping pills to sleep and they wouldn't even numb my pain. So I finally gave in and went to the dentist. I had just had work done to this tooth in March so I really was surprised it was causing me so much pain. I was putting off going to teh dentist because we just changed our insurance to a high deductable with a medical spending account, so I wanted to wait. The dentist prescribed an antiboitic and Vicodin, then tells me it was either a root canal or it needed to be extracted. Well, the root canal would cost OOP $599!!! Plus for some reason she can't seem to numb me???
So she sends me on my way and tells me my pain should be gone within 36 hours. WRONG! The pain was still extremely bad...like childbirth with no reason!
So after suffering another 5 days I called the oral surgeon and got my tooth taken out that day! For only $145...and I can eat again. I was eating soft food for about 10 days. I was so sick of mashed potatoes and jello. It was amazing haw good I felt that day, as soon as he pulled that tooth I was telling him "Thank You". It looked (yes I looked at it) as if my dentist filled my tooth over the cavity? Since she couldn't get me numb after two shots she just stopped drilling. Needless to say I will be finding a new dentist.
Then secondly, (like I didn't have enough going on) I started working at teh camp for their Christmas Dinners. We will have 18 Christmas dinners from now until the 20th of December. Yesterday I worked from 9a-10p.
So yes I have been busy and will try to get back to a regular Blogging schedule. I will alos try to post the great appetizers I will be making for Christmas.