We're in trouble now!

For anyone who knows me, you know that I'm an organization freak. You wouldn't know it by looking at my desk right now (or my kitchen counter for that matter) but when I organize, I organize and I love it. When I have the right tools I could go crazy and I'm as giddy as a school girl at a Justin Bieber concert.
One of my Amazon Lightning Deals from this weekend was a brother P-Touch labeler for only $16.99. This is one of the most exciting $16.99 purchase I've made in a while (well, besides my Vampire Diaries Season 1 DVD set for only $12.99...sigh).

I cannot WAIT to run through my house and label EVERYthing. Jim even said, "oh no" when he saw it. Now, if I could just find some time to organize, sort, clean and label my life would be FABulous. ;)
Did you score something fun for yourself over the holiday weekend?

Tis the season to go shopping

I have a love/hate relationship with Black Friday. I love the deals, the thrill of getting out there shopping, and I LOVE planning that this is the weekend I'll get 90% of my Christmas shopping done, but I REALLY dislike what Black Friday has become. The stores seem to open up earlier and earlier every year and I REALLY dislike that some stores open ON Thanksgiving Day. I guess it was just something that my mom talked about growing up and that was not to patronize places when they are open on major holidays. I don't want to encourage that type of behavior. I was almost sick when I saw the news stories about the 100's of people lined up outside of Toys R Us at 10pm last night. Seriously? You can't wait one day so that employees can enjoy their turkey? A friend of mine went and stood in a line that wrapped around the shopping center. After an hour they still weren't even in the door and she left. It's too cold for that nonsense! You don't need Lego's that badly, do you?

I will admit that the past couple years I was up at 5am at a couple stores. I was never going after that new TV, but I did get my Dyson on Black Friday last year (and I LOVE it). Anyway, this year I decided that there was nothing I needed sooo badly that I had to get up and be out the door and waiting in line, to get in at 4am (yes, Target opened at 4am instead of 5 this year..and don't even get my started about Kohls. I won't step foot in one on Black Friday).
Instead I got up and around and sat in front of my computer and did some online shopping. I tell you what, that was the way to go! I found deals exactly the same as some of the Doorbuster prices and some even cheaper!
Anyway, I got up and was on the computer at 5:30 to grab a Lightning Deal on Amazon and then hit Target.com. I got free shipping on both sites and was VERY pleased with my finds. I then grabbed my coat and went out the door. I was at Target shortly after 6am to see if the couple things that I was looking at, that weren't available online, would still be around...and they WERE!
I went to Walgreens next to pick up some crazy deals on Scotch tape (.99 for a 3 pack!!), gift wrap (buy 1 @ 1.99 and get 2 free) and a few other things (free toothpaste, razors and deoderant).
Then off to JoAnn's fabrics. I love going to a craft/hobby store on Black Friday. They are all decorated with rows of Christmas items (all on sale of course) and it just makes me warm and happy inside. Since I wasn't buying fabric (you might as well grab a number when you walk in the door), I walked through and found what I wanted (along with a few other items I didn't realize I wanted) and went on my way.

I was back to my parent's house (we stayed the night there and they watched the kids since Jim was gone) by 9am and was happy as a lark.

Later in the day I went back online and did some more shopping on Amazon. I'm now 90% done with my Christmas shopping as I hoped! I can't wait for all the boxes to arrive at my door. It will be like Christmas...oh wait...  ;)

Perspective

I'm sitting here on this cold Monday night in sorrow. Last week an older gentleman, Nathan, from the church I attend, passed away from cancer. He had been sick off and on for a long time but was only VERY recently diagnosed....and then he was gone.
We attend a very small church...very small. Normal attendance consists of about 20 people or so. We are the youngest family that attends and there really isn't anyone else around our age there. But it's a nice church and once we can deal with out kids settling down for the hour maybe we'll attend more often.

Tomorrow is the funeral. I am torn about going. I feel like I should and I want to be there to support Nathan's wife, Lynn, but I would have to go alone with the kids. There will be no nursery or day care during the service and I just don't feel like taking a 3 year old and a 1 year old to a funeral is the appropriate thing. They don't understand and they won't behave and be still.
 The other difficult part is that I am still having a terribly difficult time over the loss of my aunt. Going to another funeral right now, of someone else who passed from cancer, is just not something I feel that I can handle...while wrangling 2 kids.

Does it make me a bad person if I don't attend? Will Lynn think I don't care? Will I miss out on saying goodbye to Nathan?

All this talk of loss of life makes you think about what's important. Seems like we get these kind of reminders off and on...and we need them. I need them. Life in short and people can leave you when you least expect it. Tell the ones you love how much you love them every day.

Back for more

I just HAD to go back and take advantage of the crazy deals at King Soopers this week. I had a few other items that I needed, otherwise I stocked up!! I had 40 items in the Buy 10 get $5 off sale and racked up the savings.

Here it is!...

 (**see Nora hiding...she didn't want to be in the picture but didn't want to move. lol)

So here it is! This is my entire trip. 40 of the items are from the buy 10 sale, others were items on a regular sale and others were things we just needed (but of course I had coupons for them.)

53 items total

Saved: $79.62
Spent: $27.43
Savings: 75%!!

We are now fully stocked up to make chili, hot cocoa and other cold weather goodies. Notice the evaporated milk? I see a LOT of fudge in my future (and yours if you're nice to me.) ;)

Glad we went out before the storm hit. It's blowing and blowing outside right now!

Stay warm!

My best shopping trip EVER!

Tonight I made a quick trip into King Soopers, solely to pick up some of the great deals going on during their buy 10 sale this week. A couple weeks ago I made the mistake of waiting to do my shopping and I missed out on getting some items. This week I ran in to grab these deals and I'll go later in the week to pick up any other items we really need. I won't go through item by item to tell you what I spent/saved but here's the run down...

My entire shopping trip is in the picture. I purchased 32 items, 30 of which were a part of the sale (the bananas and markdown donuts were not).

Money saved = $50.73

Money spent = $8.65

Yep, everything in this picture cost me $8.65!!!

I like to think that when I do these posts I'm not just bragging. I hope it's helpful and you realize that it really is this easy to save money. It takes a little time and effort but it's soooo worth it! I could NOT do this without Jennie at Bargain Blessings. She is amazing! If you want assistance with helping to save money, I highly recommend following her blog.
For reference - here is the post that shows the King Soopers deals for the week.

Happy shopping!!

Happy Halloween!

Love Nora and Emmett

Nobody does it like Sara Lee

Last summer Sara Lee had a promotion with their bread where you could send in UPC codes and get free Toy Story swag. Well, they ran out of the items WAAAAY in advance and weren't able to fill everyone's orders. I had recieved a personal message from them via Facebook (after commenting...no, not a mean one...on their page) which I thought was really nice. Then I recieved a post card in the mail saying that I would still recieve my items but it might take an extra couple months. Well, they arrived!

I think it's really great of them to give such personal service and to go ahead and make sure to fill the orders they recieved...especially since it was a totally free promotion. All I paid was the cost of the stamp! I don't count the cost of the bread because I had been buying that kind anyway. Because of how great they handled this promo I will happily continue to eat their yummy bread.

Thanks Sara Lee!

Got toothpaste?

I finally got in on the Crest freebie at King Soopers. I didn't realize that it ran for 2 weeks so I had picked up a rain check last week but I didn't need it. So here's what I grabbed...

Yep, 5 tubes plus an Oral B toothbrush...all for free! Heaven knows I don't need this much toothpaste but I was given some extra coupons from a friend and family member so I had multiples. I'll donate them...or if you want one I'm happy to give them away...seriously, I'll give you one. :)

This week King Soopers has another buy 10 get $5 off sale. I haven't scoured the ad fully, but I did see Colgate toothpaste and toothbrushes for $1 (when you buy 10 participating items) which means MORE free toothpaste and toothbrushes! Guess I better get looking through my coupons and see what I have. I know there was one in last Sunday's paper and All You Magazine usually has one in every issue. Happy hunting!