Hi Carol!

Archive for July, 2010

Nicorette Gum (full size package).  I don’t smoke but I have someone in my family who could use it.
Da Vinci Tortellini (again full size package) & Recipe Cards
Que Rica Vida Sample Pack – Bisquick, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Nature Valley Granola Bar, coupons
Hearos Sleep Pretty in Pink Earplugs & 50c coupon
Free Touch of Gray coupon & $2 coupon
Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo/Conditioner Samples & $1 Coupon
Dove Damage Therapy Shampoo/Conditioner Samples
Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens Sample
P & G Coupon Booklet (I love these, they’re stacked with good coupons)
Tend Skin Samples – can’t wait to use these.
Free Pace Salsa Coupon
Pair of Goodnites nightime underwear for kids

This Fabulous Friday started with a not so fabulous having to get up at 4:30am in order to get Greg to the airport for a 6am flight to Sacramento.   Fabulous Friday went downhill from there and was very reminiscent of Dave’s trip to England back in May.  I dropped him off with a kiss and a wave goodbye at 4:55am and then got a call later to say there was wall to wall people, not enough airline personnel at check in and only 2 Security personnel to deal with these scads of people.  He and 10 other hopefull passengers arrived at the gate at just before 6am to find that the plane had left without them – left early no less at 5:55am (I saw it with my own eyes on the Flight Status Page).

The urge to throttle came over me but I kept calm for Greg’s sake – he called again to say he thought I would have to come pick him up shortly and fly tomorrow as they couldn’t get him on a flight.  Next call informed me he was sitting on the plane bound for Phoenix and they assured him that he was assigned a seat on a flight to Sacramento but when he arrived in Phoenix, he discovered they – dare I say it – LIED!!  He was on standby.  He was beginning to worry a bit by now as he had a 3 hour drive up to see our friend Doc who lives near Reading, Norther CA, and he was afraid he might get stranded so handed over another $100 in order to get on this flight.

The next call I received he was in the runway in Sacramento waiting for a vacant place for the plane to disembark – that must’ve taken quite a while because they offered everyone free drinks.  Man, isn’t it always the way – they offer you free drinks when you don’t drink; he did say he was glad it had been 25 years since his last drink, otherwise he might have been tempted after all that hassle.  Just kidding – for all the friends of Bill W who might be tuning in!!  He called (yeah, Greg likes to check in with me a lot…….) on his way up I5 and then again as he was sitting in a restaurant waiting for Doc and Crystal to appear – apparently he’d had a pastrami sandwich on the way and he’d felt like throwing up.  This was probably due to the fact all he had on the plane was a bag of chips – Whoop de dooo for US Airways!!

While all this was going on with poor Greg, I was furtively working upstairs to clean up the back room – I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a bunch of boxes/totes etc. to store all this stuff.  I have so many “gifts” to give people, a huge tote full of things for next Christmas, clothes and shoes for Cecil, clothes for Melody, toiletries for Greg, Dave and Matt.  The list is endless.  I like to have all these things on hand because when a birthday, anniversary, baby shower, wedding shower, etc., then I have something really appropriate and cute to give them.  I shall check out the Dollar Store as I know these containers can be a bit on the pricey side!!  I also did mass vacuuming and dusting upstairs and then settled down to watch the latest episode of Bethenny Getting Married – this week’s episode was about her having her baby!!!  I loved being pregnant – I didn’t like labor and delivery and I miss the kids being little, but I wouldn’t want to go thru that again.

That reminds me – I had another letter from my Young Marine Matt, who is still battling pneumonia and coughing fits are waking him up every night every one or two hours.  But his attitude is fantastic, said he’d promised God he wouldn’t complain and he hasn’t, not once in any of his four letters – he just states the facts and then follows up with “but I’m still running fast”, “I’m not letting it get me down”…..  Hey, I don’t bat in his league.  I am so proud of him, this was Momma’s Baby Boy, the guy who liked to laze on the couch while I made him turkey and cheese sandwiches with lots of dressing and iced cappucinos. This was the boy who had a hard time getting up in the morning, who liked to sleep in and hang with his buddies on the back porch til late into the night (or early hours of the morning).  Oh I miss that kid!!  Love you Matt – you go son!!!

Well, I’m off to the Mall to find something around $10 at the Limited – they have a $10 in store voucher – unfortunately you can’t use it on sale stuff and they tend to be a bit pricey.  But if you can always get the cutest barettes and bobby pins for $10-$11!!  Then to Victoria Secret to get my free lip gloss, on to Bath and Body Works for a freebie with travel size and finally to American Eagle to see if they have any more T’s marked waaayyy down.  Then I pick up Li’l Cec – so that’s all from me – and that’s all from him.

Oh, Friday Feebies in my Mailbox will be listed in Super Saturday Freebies

FAVE DEALS OF THE DAY
My all time fave blogs is Hip2save.com and Collin has terrific giveaways - check out this one: http://hip2save.com/2010/07/sesamestreethatsgiveaway.html
Livingsocial.com has terrific deals for your area – I got an offer for 50% off food at a really lovely but expensive restaurant out in the country.  So I snapped it up and looked for a B&B nearby for our anniversary coming up next month.  Hope Greg doesn’t read this but I don’t think he’s likely to seeing he’s far and away and too tired to get on the computer.
Free sample of Gano Excel coffee  http://www.ganoexcel.us/connect/sample-request.asp

I’m thankful to be at home today and the next couple of days – I have so much housework to catch up on and our spare bedroom at the back of the house is stacked with all my stuff.  Our poor cat Toonces can’t even get on the bed to nap.  I hope to clear all this mess and get it all “filed” away appropriately.

My carry on Swiss Gear luggage arrived today – yea!!  I ordered it from Target.com which was cheaper than buying it in the store – it was $89.99 in the store and the same price online but I had a 10% off code and Target.com offers free shipping on orders of $50 and over.  What a deal.  I am so pleased, it’s almost a perfect match for my Chaps Large suitcase.  Now I have plenty of room to pack all the clothes I want to take when we go visit my family in England.  My sister told me today they are going to be gone for most of the time I’m there; I’ll have 5 days and one evening with her and her family.  Greeeaaat – I reserve the right to say anything more at this time.

We’re going out to eat at Quicksands tonight which is a wonderful deli where all the food is homemade by 2 guys, lots of interesting salads, soups, sandwiches, quiches etc.  And they have lots of varieties of homemade bread which you can just help yourself to.  After that, a quick stop at Target and then to our Thursday night meeting.

Huggies $8.99; $3 mfr Q, $3.50 Target Q
Huggies Wipes $2.39; $2 mfg Q
Lysol $1.99; $1 mfg Q
Dawn $1.27; 25c mfg Q, 50c Target Q
Satchel $4.98; $3 Target Q
Merona Sweater $3.74; $2 Target Q
Shorts $1.75
Merona Hoodie $4.98
C9 sock $4.98; $5 Target Q
Merona Dress $9.98
Merona Dress $7.48
2 pairs kids shoes $4.98 ea
La Croix Sparkling Water $2.50; $1.25 mfg Q
2 Dole Salads 75c ea; 2 x 75c mfg Q’s
Naked Juice $1.99; $1 mfg Q
2 x Green Giant Carrots 84c
President Feta Cheese $2.99; $3 mfg Q
2 Packs Hormel Ribs $2.76 ea; 2 x $2 mfg Q’s, 2 x $1 Target Q’s
Lipton Tea $1.99; 50c mfg Q, $1 Target Q
Strawberries $1.99; $1 Target Q
Pears $1.49
2 packs Salmon $3.40
3 Birdseye Frozen Veggies $5.37; 3 x $1.50 mfg Q’s
Breyers ice cream $3.04; $1 mfg Q, $1 Target Q
Burts Bees Lotion $2.48; $1 mfg Q
St. Ives 97c; $1 mfg Q
Secret Deoderant $4.47; $2 mfg Q, $2 Target Q
Dove Soap 97c; 75c mfg Q
Gillette Fusion Gift Pack $5.48; $4 mfg Q
Schick Hydro Razor $6.99; $5 mfg Q, $1 Target Q
Colgate 3 pak $2.48, $1 mfg Q, $1 Target Q
Just Feet $1.58
2 Head n Shoulders 97c ea; BOGO mfg Q
7 Tumblers 44c ea – $3.08
4 Packs napkins 15c ea – 60c
TOTAL:  $62.01     SAVED:  $102.61

I woke up this Wonderful Wednesday with a thumping headache which gradually got better throughout the day – what’s with that??  I hate headaches but a trip to Target cheered me up, especially as I got some super deals.  I found 2 pairs of teenis (Freudian slip) – I mean tennis shoes for li’l Cec, sizes 8 and 9 reduced to $4.98, two Merona dresses $9.98 and $7.48 (I’m already getting clothes for our anniversary cruise next May 1), a blue hoodie that exactly matches a pair of pants I got earlier in the year for $4.98 and a pair of shorts for a whopping $1.75, yet another Merona purse for $4.98 and a beautiful blue lace edged cardi for my stepmom Jacky $3.74 – oh yeah and a pack of C9 socks for Dave $4.98.  Now these buys were terrific to start with, but I had a $3 coupon on the purse and a $2 coupon off the Merona cardi and – $5 coupon off the socks!  My best grocery buys were 2 packs of Hormel Pork Ribs $2.76 ea and they had $1.50 off stickers on them and I had 2 x $2 coupons as well.  Full details of my buys in Shopping Post.

In the Toiletries Dept, I scored a Gillette Pro Fusion giftset for $5.48 ($4 coupon) and a 3pack Colgate Toothpaste $2.48 (2 x $1 coupons); also found patterned napkins left over from July 4th reduced to 15c so I got the last 4 they had.  I had hoped to use the Target C9 coupons on li’l Cec’s shoes but they are only on big people’s clothes/socks.

Dave’s still trying to get finished with registering for all his classes – he has 5 now, but one is a Lab (1 credit hour) and so he’s trying to talk to his counselor to see if he should add one more class.  I will be so glad when this all done and dusted!!

I just discovered Azteca tortillas – never had them before – and I made burritos out of them tonight; they are terrific as they are very thin, much better than the thick ones, especially for Dave who’s not sposed to have many flour products.

Well, time for me to get ready for our meeting – I did in fact make goodies tonight – gingerbread bars.  We also have half a sausage/cheese tray left over from the Friday night meeting which will no doubt, get polished off tonight.

FAVE DEALS OF THE DAY:
Head on over to any Estee Lauder Counter tomorrow evening and get a free 10 day supply of Advanced Night Repair Eye or Face Serum.  No purchase necessary.�
http://www.esteelauder.com/anr/#/youre_invited/
Free Nexxus Shampoo/conditioner:�
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid88849.aspx
Free Flip Flop Cookies – Li’l Cec will love one of these:
http://view.reply.cookiesbydesign.com/?j=fe6716747762057e7015&m=ff2c11787760&ls=fdf61d7377620578711c7274&jb=ffcf14

Had a Terrific Tuesday – Li’l Cec woke up in the best mood, scoffed back his Kashi cereal, banana and OJ and then we picked up Melody and  took her to her doctor’s appt.  Li’l Cec and I stayed outside in their garden area and he explored thoroughly and then sat with me on a bench and ate half a pack of 100 calorie choccy cookies and juice until Melody came out.  Then we took off grocery shopping HEB – I have nothing against HEB except that you can’t save as much money there as Target as they will not let you stack a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon and that makes a BIG difference.  Cecil sat in the cart looking around, tasted a sample of chicken salad on a piece of tortilla and when we were done, we stopped at McDonalds for a burger – he only managed half of it tho’ and then very meticulously wrapped it up in the paper.  What a little darling he is!!

Greg had spent a couple of hours with Dr. Bill and he was getting out of Bill’s car as I pulled into the driveway; went for a walk, had David make us a veggie juice and then I sat down at the computer to catch up on all the deals/emails etc.  Greg and Dave have gone to see Inception – I wanna see it but I don’t want to go to the movies to see it, I enjoy it more being at home with my feet up and I can stop the movie if I need to get up for a snack or cup of decaf.

Now, I’d better sort my coupons for my Wednesday Target Trip and then I’ll figure out what I’m gonna watch tonight on the box.

Fave Deals of the Day:
Quizno’s small sub/drink/chips for $2.99 http://www.quiznos.com/lunch299/
Free Qeso at Moe’s all day 7/27: http://www.moes.com/
Free Deluxe Sample of Smashbox Lipgloss – go to any Sephora counter at JC Penney with this coupon:
http://f.chtah.com/i/2/95827765/072010_SIJCP_ePDF_smash.jpg

I was having a Marvellous Monday morning at Target today until I dropped my stack of coupons right in the juice aisle.  What’s all that about?  That’s the second time in less than a week – what am I supposed to be learning from this I wonder.  Anyway, I did have a terrific time which was made all the better by my checkout girl Lauren, who is really sweet; always has a smile on her face and so helpful and doesn’t give me a hard time with my coupons.  Today I spent $21.70 and saved $73.78.  Full details in Shopping Post. 

I was on my way out, when I remembered that a lot of purses are 75% off (I missed the first day of markdown unfortunately…) and Target has a $3 coupon on Merona purses.  Soooo, my luck was in, I found 3 I really liked;  a silver grey evening clutch (perfect for our cruise next May) $4.24, a beige/brown purse $3.74 and a Zebra stripe wallet purse $7.50.  Now remember I had $3 off of each of these purses so my total was only $6.80.

I went to see Dr. Jeff cos my tailbone was really hurting from my fall in my closet over a week ago, and since then I’ve felt all outa whack so he checked me out, gave me the once over and I feel somewhat better but I’d better go back again towards the end of the week.  It was good to see him again – I miss going every week like I used to.  He promised to write Matt who will, no doubt, need to see him when he comes home on leave.

Melody and li’l Cec came over for dinner; tonight I did pork chops, my famous roast potato chunks in balsamic dressing, snow peas/carrots and cauliflower cheese, and apple pie for dessert – nope didn’t make the pie, Greg picked it up at Walgreens, it had been reduced to $1.99 and it was huuuge.  It was all yummy except the potatoes weren’t cooked – thank goodness I got a tub of potato salad at Target on Sunday – it saved the day.

Li’l Cec ate like there was no tomorrow – I gave him one of the Gold n Plump drummies I bought this morning and he stripped it to the bone and he had seconds of apple pie and a little ice cream (he’s still not sure if he likes ice cream very much as it’s so cold).  Melody just put him down for a nap and he went out like a light.

Fave Deals of the Day:
Coldwater Creek has a 70% off sale with free shipping.   Use code WHH3579 at checkout.
Free Sample Pack of Special K: http://www.specialk.com/register/offer/protein-shake
Checkout Freeflys – they have tons of free samples:
http://www.freeflys.com/MoreFreeSamples.php

Ocean Spray $2.59; $1 mfg Q
Oscar Mayer Shaved Lunch meat $2.79; $1 mfg Q, 75c Target Q
2 Dole Salads $1.98; 2 x 75c mfg Q’s
Spinach $2.49; $1 mfg Q, $1 Target Q
2 Del Monte Jars Refrigerated Fruit $3.98 (normally $3.99 ea); $1 mfg Q
2 Girard Dressings $2.59 ea; 2 x $2 mfg Q’s
Wishbone Dressing $1.39; 75c mfg Q
Mission Tortillas $1.69; 75c mfg Q
Natures Own Bread $2.19; Free mfg Q
Apple 69c
Ground chuck 99c
1 Gold n Plump Chickens $2.99;$2 mfg Q’s, $1 Target Q
Gold n Plump Family Pack Drumsticks $2.99; $2 mfg Q
3 Birds Eye Steamfresh Veg $1.79 ea; 3 x $1.50 mfg Q’s
Borden milk $2.82; $1 mfg Q
Tropicana OJ $2.50; $1 mfg Q
Dannon Yogurt $1.37; $1 mfg Q
Kraft Parmesan Cheese $2; $1 mfg Q
Morningstar Veggie Burgers $3.29; $2 mfg Q
Kleenex $1.62; 50c mfg Q
Crayola $1.21 (75% off)
2 Gold Peak Iced Teas $1 ea; BOGO Target Q
2 Whiskas 49c ea; BOGO mfg Q
Pampers Wipes $1.97; $2 mfg Q
TOTAL  $21.70     SAVED  $73.68

PURSE SNATCHES:
Clutch $4.24; $3 Target Q
Purse $3.74; $3 Target Q
Zebra Wallet Purse $7.50; $3 Target Q
TOTAL  $6.80     SAVED $9.00

I had a very Sweet Sunday.  Went to church this morning and then around 5 we went out to La Cantera Mall which a very high end outside mall; it was really pleasant walking around and I got so many good deals.  Got a 3 piece sample from Aveeda for Damage Remedy Hair Care, plus they signed me up to receive more of these freebie samples; Cucumber Cleansing Milk at the Body Shop for 99c – had a $5 off coupon; Pumpkin Spice Body Spray free with purchase of travel size Moonlight Path shower gel only $1.25 (75% off).  American Eagle had 30% off throughout the store and I found a great T shirt for $4.95(orig $15.50)but I also had a 15% off coupon so my total was $3.31.  Greg spent the entire time in the Apple Store looking at the Iphone 4.

On the way home, we stopped at Target (well, of course……).  I planned just to pick up some Nestle Li’l Drumsticks Ice cream cones but as I passed the Deli counter, I spotted 3lb tubs of potato salad reduced to $1.99 and President Feta Cheese reduced to $1 and I had a $1 coup so that was free.  When I got to the ice cream, I noticed they had new 10 packs of smaller Drumsticks reduced from $4.99 to $2.60 and they’re better for us than the big ones; I had a $1 mfg Q and a $1 Target Q so they were only 69c.   Wow what a night and the amount I spent for everything was only $8.22

Now we’re sitting down to watch Poirot on Masterpiece Theater armed with a Caramel Drumstick apiece.

Fave Deals of the Day:
Smartsource.com has a coupon for $2/2 Right Guard Deoderants.  Target and other stores have the travel size for 97c making them free.
American Eagle 30% off storewide.  Go to the sale racks and find the really good deals.�
Kohls $10 cash with any purchase – see post from Mojosavings.com here:
http://mojosavings.com/2010/07/18/kohls-get-10-kohls-cash-with-any-purchase/

This is a Super Hot Saturday – Li’l Cec and I were outside today at 11am and it was stifling.  We didn’t last long out there anway, because he had a hissy fit about his car and then started pulling on one of my plants and then – can you believe – he knocked it clean off the wall.  Alrightey then………….. off for timeout in his crib he went kicking and screaming.  I know it’s hard to believe this of Li’l Cec but he can create quite a fuss when he wants to.   As he kept up the screaming, I left him up in his crib for 20 mins and then when Greg and I went in to get him to take him for a walk, we found his little leg was stuck in the bars of the crib.  No need to call the Firemen, we had “freed” him after a few tugs – phew…. Never a dull moment with li’l Cec.

After our walk, I took him up to the pool and if you remember, last time he went, he enjoyed himself so much; not so today, he was scared of the water, wouldn’t go in on his own and was clutching  on to me for dear life.  What happened???  So needless to say, we didn’t stay long and he never complained when I told him it was time to leave, hopped in the stroller and off we went.  He wolfed down a sandwich, an apple and a cookie and soon it was time to load him up in Dave’s car and wave goodbye.  Usually I miss him and feel sad when he leaves, but not really today – sorry Melody…….

My order from Smashbox came today (I’ve decided to limit myself to just one a month) and I was thrilled to bits.  You’d never believe all that stuff cost me only $10.80 shipped.  They have a great event called Let’s Do Lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am-2pm PST where they have a giveaway item with any order of $10.  Not only that, but you get a couple of free samples too.  Soooooo I ordered a Wicked Lovely Lip Pencil for $10 (and it is wicked lovely!!), the giveaway item was Fusion Soft Lights Powder ($30 value) but I also got a free Hyperlash Mascara (where did my gorgeous long lashes go over the years??), sample of foundation primer.  Sign up to be a Pretty Points Member and you’ll get 5 points for every $10 spent; when you have 500 points, you get $10 in your account to use towards item(s).  They will send you a very sweet gift for your birthday too!! Now I have to wait til August to get my next Smashbox package…………

We’re off to Jason’s Deli tonight for dinner and then over to Sun Harvest to restock veggies/fruits etc. and also to Bath and Body Works to use a fab $5 off any purchase coupon I got this week.  There’s another terrific one available today – free Travel Size Item with any purchase (up to a $5 value).  the last time I had a coupon like this I got a free 40z cologne spray which was considered a travel size with the purchase of a roll on cologne which was 75% off, and paid only $2.50 for it.  See Fave Daily Deals below.

Fave Daily Deals:
Bath & Body Works Travel Size free with any purchase:
http://f.chtah.com/i/34/528207786/20100629_welcoupon.html
Sweet Tomatoes Coupons – the nearest one to me is in Houston – I can’t wait til they get to San Antonio
http://newman.reddoor.biz/hostedemail/email.htm?h=2894f534cde76afab6e60d5618306478&CID=3823899658&ch=67E412FFDC20073382AB76CCFC21E036
Charmin Toilet Roll Extender – hey don’t knock it, some of these toilet rolls are humongous and my toilet roll holder needs  a helping hand.
http://www.charmin.com/en_US/toilet-paper-holder-roll.php