NEW BLOG!!!

I have Started a new blog with WordPress.com and will no longer be posting to this blog. It's not being deleted and there will be a link on my new blog to direct you back to this blog if you ever want to view anything on here. 


In creating a new blog for 2012 I am hoping it will keep me on track and help me to blog more often. Thank you for following my blog and if you wish to continue following me on my new blog click here and you will be sent to my new wordpress blog, on the right hand column you can click follow me and enter your email address and you will be notified each time I have a new post. Or if you have Google Reader you can always add me to your blogs there :)
Thank you 
Tina :)

Things you just can't throw away!!

In cleaning & organizing the "Hall Closet" I went through all of Madison's Arts & Crafts supplies and came across all of her old coloring books,

in wanting to make more room and get rid of clutter that we just really don't need anymore I was wanting to throw some of them away. But before

I could put them in the trash pile I had to flip through each one of them and see if there was any pictures that she had colored that I wanted to rip out and put in the keep it pile.

I came across this one and just started laughing so hard until my side hurt...how cute is this...I can't possibly throw this away her reflection drawing is PRICELESS!!!

{my only regret is...I wish I had known her age when she did this picture}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I caught the Couponing Bug...but not too extreme!!

I have started a new madness monster...

September 2011 I started couponing!! I have always used coupons here and there over the years but never knew that I could have one more title "a couponer" as it turns out it's more like a part time job. There is a whole madness to it!! I am no expert but let's just say since Sept 2011 'til now I have saved our family quite a bit of money on things that we use on a daily basis and have been able to start a mini stock pile for those things you just don't want to run out of.
I know LOTS of people have now seen the show Extreme Couponing on TLC but I am NO where close to being able to do it to that extreme...which is really impossible to do!

What I have learned about couponing in such a short time...

• The main thing is to KNOW YOUR PRICES at the stores you shop
• you will have to shop the on going deals (which means you may have to go to several stores in a week instead of shopping everything at one store in the same trip)
• KNOW each stores coupon policy and check it regularly they do tend to change from time to time.
• clip only the coupons you would use
• don't be brand specific (try different brands you never know you might like it although...certain things may not qualify for this.
• use coupon blogs that have already done the homework for you to find the local and latest deals.
• keep up with the online coupon sites such as www.coupons.com {the early bird gets the worm on the new coupons}
• Organize your coupons (3 ring binder method works for me)
• Expired coupons can be sent overseas to military families, they don't have access to coupons like we do in the states and they are able to use them at the commissary for up to 6 months after they expire. So be kind and recycle your expired and unused coupons
• DO NOT feel like you have to use every coupon before it expires you will spend lots more money if you do that...and the key here is to save money. You will not be able to get EVERY deal!!!
• Only need to have a stock pile for a good month at a time because the same coupons usually come back around in the next 4-6 weeks. No need to do a crazy stock up for 6 months like who really can use 100 bottles of body wash at ONE time!!!
• START SMALL...don't try to do a major transaction at first no need to stress yourself out!!
• Get at least 3 Sunday papers so you will maximize your savings...ask neighbors or relatives if they use coupons from their papers you can always ask them for the coupon inserts the more coupons you can get without having to pay for them the better.

Now to share some of my first deals that got me hooked right away!!!

 

 

 

Target Transaction

Scrubbing Bubbles

reg. price $3.99 each

bought 2 = $7.98

used B1G1 manuf. coupon -$3.99

combined with store coupon for $1.00 off

so that brought my total down to $2.99

used my target debit (extra 5% off) -.15

Total paid $3.23 (plus tax)

YEAH!!!

 

 

 

CVS Transaction

#1 soft soap foam pump 2/$6
used 2 $1/1 coupons
Total $4.00
got $4.00 CVS Extra Care Bucks
-----------------------------------
#2 Jack Links Jerky 2/$7.00
bought 3 @$3.50 each =$10.50
Carmex $3.29 (with a $2.99 mail in rebate offer) used .50 coupon
Redeemed my $4.00 CVS bucks from Transaction #1
Total $6.56 after mail in rebate

 

 

Rite Aid Transaction

#1 Irish Spring & Soft Soap body wash sale 2.99 each

used 2/$1 coupons

Total = $3.98 (plus tax

got $4.00 up rewards

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#2 Tide HE (48 loads) $8.97

used .50 coupon and redeemed $4.00 up rewards

Total $4.47

Happy New Year!!

Please don't have a heart attack I blogged...it's really me!!! 
Hello there Blogging world...I have missed you oh so much!! I tried to get caught back up and back to blogging in May 2011, but it just DID NOT happen :( 

Life just got TOO busy. But it's a NEW Year and I have a list of resolutions and yep you guessed it Blogging is on my list. I will try to do a short recap of 2011 in an upcoming post, but if I dwell on trying to catch up too much I will not do very good at what is current now and then be more behind than ever. 

My Resolutions for 2012

• Start my daily 365 {366 Leap year}
• Get back to blogging
• Get back to scrapbooking
• Check my Google Reader regularly
• Coupon more efficiently
• Stay organized!!!

As you can see by my list I am not asking for too much of myself now am I?

Getting back to blogging real soon!!

Prom 2010

The anticipation of getting ready for Prom had finally arrived. All the glitz and glamour…The Dress, Hair, Nails, Toes, Shoes, Jewelry, flowers and lets not forget the spray tan.  Kaitlynn was breathtaking…she was just so beautiful and elegant down to the very last detail!  All of her friends were so pretty.

 

 

Gingerbread House

Madison was soooo very excited to put a Gingerbread house together!!! She really wanted to do one last year but we never got a chance so I promised her this year we would defiantly make one. So a new tradition has been started in our family…the first Friday of December we have to put together a Gingerbread House.

STEP ONE: read directions

STEP TWO: prepare icing (more like edible glue)

STEP THREE: build walls

 

STEP FOUR: add roof and cover with icing (snow)

 

STEP FIVE: DECORATE, DECORATE, DECORATE!!!

 

Ring Dance photo shoot

Ring Dance just crept right up on us so fast I can remember just two weeks ago Kaitlynn saying, “I can’t wait until Ring Dance” and here it is today. This year happens to be Kaitlynn’s Ring Dance for her junior year. Last year she went as Kurt’s date for his junior Ring Dance.  Kaitlynn looked so pretty all dressed up, she looks way older than 16. She is just the most photogenic child ever, she always has been from day one!

This year it was all about Black and white and a silver tie. Kaitlynn & Kurt looked so nice together they just complimented each other with their attire. It was almost too scary looking at them all dressed up in black & white, I was thinking to myself as I was snapping pictures this could almost be a wedding photo shoot with her in a white dress.

I took a total of 74 pictures but here are a few of the really good ones