freebies at Kroger

Kroger had Ivory soap on sale 10 for $10, there was a $1 off coupon in the P&G insert this week....making the body wash, FREE!!!!!!

The McCormick was on sale, 10 for $10...I had two $1 off coupons, making them...FREE!!!!



AFter purchasing my papers this week...my family also saved coupon inserts for me!!!! YAY!!!!

One Year Session....

...what a ham!!! This little guy is SOOOO adorable!!! He has grown so much since I first took his photos as a newborn!!! My first newborn session.

Here is a little sneak peak...I have about 150 more photos to edit and weed out my favorites....

PUREX FOR .54!!!! INCL TAX

I went to Fred's today to look for a particular home repair item. They didn't have the kind I wanted, but they had a tear pad for $2 off Purex!!!!!! So I pulled out my Kroger add and found PUrex was on sale for $1.99!!!!! Too bad that was last weeks add. So I went to Kroger just to see what they had it for this week. It was still on sale for $2.50 each!!!! So instead of getting it free I got it for .50!!! Still a great deal! So of course I told me friends about it!! The tear pad is now EMPTY!!!!! Which is good because they expire tomorrow!!! So we didn't feel bad about snagging more than one each. We snagged a total of 50 coupons AND of COURSE we shared them with friends and family, a total of six families, so that's less than 10 coupons each.

Now for the next big deal.......

Rite Aid

I have never shopped at Rite Aid, even after this coupon journey began. They just didn't seem to have that many deals. That changed this week.

I have been wanting to try hair removal cream and just have not gotten around to getting it. So I found some $2 off coupons for Veet. Figured I would hang on to them and see if anyone puts them on sale-granted I just printed them this weekend. This week Rite Aid has an "in add" coupon for $3 off Veet, PLUS you get $1 in UpRewards. So with the $2 manuf coupon, $3 store coupon and $1 upreward....makes a $6.49 bottle..... .94!! so of course I took advantage!!

They also have 12pack of coke products 3/$9, and you get a $2 upreward. So I took advantage of that as well.

So I bought one Veet (because it was the last one left) and 3 packs of coke.
total 13.??, saved $7-I used $2 in uprewards from a prev purchase, and received $3 in Uprewards on my receipt!!! So its like paying $10.

Target Savings of the Day!!

Today's total at Target $80.19
Paid $$$17.80!!!!

And I have to admit....I cheated. Target has their Huggies and Pampers diapers for 8.99 for the small packs of 23-25. If you buy 3 packs you get a $5 Target gift card. Well I had $3 off Huggies manufacturer coupons AND $3 off Huggies Target coupon-the Target coupon is for Huggies "Pure and Natural" diapers. So techinically they were not for the "Snug and Dry" that I purchased. So I paid $2.99 a pack, PLUS got a $5 Target gift card.

I also bought about 5 packs of Easter candy that was on sale, 2 Easter books and an Easter cookie making kit. Most of it was under $2 or .50

Then I bought two bags of Skittles-the small ones at the register. I had a $1 off manufacturer coupon and a $1 off Target coupon-made them free!!!

I also bought 6 Reeses peanut butter cups. I had a Target coupon B1G1, so they were about .35 each.

THEN...I found the Hall's cough drops on clearance for $1.03, which normally sell for $1.27-not a big clearance, HOWEVER, I had a (5).55 off manuf coupon, (1) .75 off AND a (8).50 off Target coupon. So they were .09 a pack!!!! Only because I was short on the manuf coupons.

Bridal Session

I can finally post some pictures from a recent bridal session!!! I am actually working on the ceremony shots as I type (I have photoshop batch processiong!! love it!!). So I figured I might as well post some pics to my blog while I wait!!!

This was a GREAT day for bridal shots!! Wasn't too warm or too chilly!! Perfect temps and a beautiful bride just made the day FANTASTICO!!!! I love bridal sessions....young love...can't beat it!

34 before 34, revised

I made a "to do" list, "34 before 34". I lost my original list and started another. AFter publishing my post I found my original list. So I have modified my list to include some of the items I had on the original list. I have a LONG way to go, but I have made some progress.

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1.run a 5k (not looking good)

2.buy a backup camera/backdrop equipment

3. make stepping stones with the kids

4.do a studio photo session/trash the dress session

5.go backpacking/kayaking

6.make a camera strap

7.take my kids camping and canoeing

8. make “MUG” gifts

9.sew something cutesy for my daughter

10.make wall art for the boy's room

11.paint a canvas for the mantel

12.photograph “alphabet” art

13. make a card table playhouse for the kids

14.lose the baby weight

15.organize my art room/closet/kids art closet

16. sew a crayon cozy

17. host a Wii party

18.scan old family photos

19.have a garage sell

20.vacation in the mountains

21.pay for someone else in line

22.find a letterbox/find 100 caches

24.plant an herb garden

25.go to a drive in movie

26.decorate my grandmother's sewing box

27.take my kids fishing

28.design my own blog banner/tags

29.knit a hooded baby cocoon for portraits

30.finish knitting my daughters scarf to match her hat i made last winter/knit my boy's hats

33.design my tatoo - will decide later if I actually get it!!

34.build my photography website /register my business name

Mardi Gras-MS style

the kids and I went to my parents for the weekend and went to the Mardi Gras parade in their area. The two older kids had gone the weekend prior and RACKED up on the goods. I think this was Jace's first year for the parades...I don't remember if we took him last year. The kids had a great time. They really got into the parade, they enjoyed catching the goods and dancing. Jace kept wanting to throw the beads back-he is really into throwing stuff these days!!

AWESOME Deals!!

Our Kroger deals run from Wednesday thru Wednesday. So doing my shopping on Tuesday night I was able to take advantage of the normal weekly sales PLUS the sales that don't officially start until TOMORROW!!!! One disadvantage was only the express self checkout lanes were open at 10:00pm.

My total bill tonight was 137.79!!! Total paid......
65.05!!!! I had 3, $3 off coupons from my grocer trip last week. They are running a special promotion, for every 10 participating items you automatically get $3 off your purchase PLUS you get a $3 coupon off your next purchase. What I didn't know is you can only use one per purchase. So I went loaded with my 3 coupons from last week but could only use 1-but I still came out saving more than I spent!!! Plus I got 3 more!!!!

Ok so here is a quick run of what I purchased:

2 boxes of chex mix breakfast bars
2 cinnamon toast crunch cereal
14 chef boyardee-diff varieties
3 cinamon cheerios
2 yoplait yogurt
4 gogurt
1 sprite zero
5 trix creal
2 tyson frozen chicken nuggets
4 boxes of keebler crackers
6 boxes of betty crocker fruit flavored snacks (gummies)
2 boxes of little debbie oatmeal cream pies
gallon of milk (4.00!! YIKES)

AWESOME!!!!

Expecting Twins!!!!

I had the opportunity to do a maternity session with a mom that is expecting TWIN boys!!!!!
She is six months pregnant and just adorable!!!!

Quick PHoto shoot!!!

I took my two little ones for a QUICK photo shoot. It was sooo windy!!! We did get a few shots in before the kids just got bored. It was so rushed with me having to get to work but we did get a few good ones.

"30 for 30" SUCH A GREAT IDEA!!

I don't know if I could EVER do this...but it's SOOOO cute! And such a great idea!!!! Anyway, I am going to link up for now and I am going to have to think about it this weekend. I don't wear skirts or dresses, for work I have to wear a t-shirt with our logo. So we will see how it goes....especially since I just don't like anything in my closet these days.

So check it out
Dimestore Diamond 30 for 30

FINALLY-completed the pumpkin project

I have been wanting to add a monogram to our pumpkin, finally I did!!! I think I might get more next Halloween and do our entire last name!!! Super easy and it will be so cute!!

COUPON CLIPPING!!!

Made my weekly trip to Kroger today!!! I had SOOOOO many coupons it was insane!!! My total before coupons and sales..... $202.03

Paid 110.06!!!!!

Biggest deals:
- JOhnson and JOhnson baby wash, was on sale for 2.50-had $1 off coupon for each, made them$ 1.50 each!!!! Sweet deal. X11
-Advil 24 count, on sale for $2.50, had coupons for $2 off each!!! X4
-Garden of Eatin chips on sale for 1.49, had $1 off coupon!! X2


Othere sales and deals:
Nestle Toll House Ready To Bake Cookies
Kozy Shack Pudding
Kraft American Singles
Whiskas Dry Cat Food
Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables Frozen
Kraft Easy Mac & or Velvetta Shells & Cheese
Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese or Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese
Kellogg’s Cereal
Pepperidge Farm Baked Naturals Crackers
General Mills Chex Mix Gardetto’s snack mix,
Orville Redenbacher Microwave Popcorn

ART ROOM

Well it started off as my "scrapbooking room", then it was the "CRAFT ROOM" but I think I have settled on "MY ART ROOM". Now if I can just get it organized so I can actually get some "ART" done!!!

I think I made a BIG dent in my organization tonight. Although as you can see from the photos....its gotten a LOT worse since the last time I took pictures of my room. Things are piling up everywhere!!!! I am such a hoarder and when I find a good sale....I STOCK up!! (and then forget I bought it and it stays hidden for months!!!) So tonight I tackled the shelves above my work table, my work table, and my organizational tote-that has just been a "catch all" for everything. It had gotten so bad I had just about decided it wasn't such a good organizational tool-HA! If only I had kept it "ORGANIZED"!!!!

I can now see the top of my worktable!!! Now I can work in the ART ROOM instead of the kitchen counter!!!


Here is my tote that holds all my essentials at hand. These are items I use most frequently.



As you can see I have finally obtained some 12x12 paper organizers!! Got 2 of them on sale at Michael's when they had them on sale for 40% off, AND I had a coupon for a 4 hour sale one Sunday, 25% off my total purchase. Of course I did very well and only bought the two paper storage bins....so I got them 65% off of 29.99....you do the math!!! GREAT SAVINGS!!!

I have also organized my ribbon, although I think I need one more row. I also still have some cut ribbon in glass jars and some longer pieces shoved into a big glass vase.

I have also moved my laptop and a small printer into my ART ROOM!! Mostly because I have really gotten into the "coupon thing" and it really helps to have multiple computers so you can print multiple coupons (you can only print a coupon twice per computer). Plus this printer is black and white and ever since we installed a new versions of Windows on the desk top-I cannot for the life of me find the option to print in black and white instead of color!!! What a waste of color ink!!! (I am sure I can look it up or something-but who has time for that????)

BAM!!

I am so very excited about my new ribbon storage!!! I have been struggling with ways to organize my GROWING supply of ribbon...and here it is!!!! First of all this is my second attempt at ribbon storage...
Here was my first attempt This storage didn't work well since I had such an abundance of ribbon, maybe if I had cute the dials smaller, but still its much easier to store horizontally.



I got this great idea from By Your Hands.

This is what I started with....a $3 frame from a second hand store.



I took the "wicker" out and then painted it white. Bought these ceiling hooks for $1.79, painted them white, and TADA!!!! Not only does it make a GREAT storage solution, but it's also WALL ART!!!!






I am just IN LOVE with it!! Cannot wait to get the rest of my room done!!!

Paper organized: check
Ribbon organized: check
everything else.......hmmm...

Weigh In & CVS Deal for last week!!

Well I weighed in on Monday, and lost the 4 pounds I had gained the week before!! YAY me! So that puts me at just 8 lbs lost for the year...not nice but manageable. I am still on track so I am hoping for a good loss come Monday. I keep telling myself, "Only 6 more weeks!". Yes, only 6 more weeks until our spring break vacation in the mountains!!! Very excited for that!!!

As far as the CVS deals I got on Satruday....I got 5-12packs of Coke products for $1.04!!!! The deal was you buy 5 packs for $15 and get $5 CVSBucks for your next visit-which makes it $10!! Well I had $10 CVS Bucks from a deal they had a few weeks ago...so that made my total $1.04-just taxes!!! LOVELY!! I was so excited!! Too bad I didn't take advantage of both the $10CVS Bucks deals a few weeks ago...I would have $15 in CVS Bucks...oh well. Still doing great on the coupon thing!!!!

SHOPPING DAY!!!

I have been so excited about the great deasl!! And even though I didn't have some of the coupons, I still got some INCREDIBLE DEALS!!!

I have made 3 trips to Target the last two days for the INCREDIBLE diaper sale!!! They have Huggies Diapers on sale for $8.99, you can print a $3 off coupon at Target.com and if you buy 3 packs they give you a $5 gift card toward your next purchase!!!! That's like getting a pack of diapers for $4.63!!!! I also got Red Barron Pizza (2pack of personal pan pizzas), they were on sale for $2.50 and I had $1 off coupons for those!!!! Makes them $1.50 each!! I had a few coupons for cereal too, they were $2.50 and I had a $1 off coupon-not the best deal-but oh well.

So total for the 3 trips: $263.35,
total spent: 167.65, plus I still have 2 $5 gift cards!!
Total Saved: $$95.70
I should not have to buy diapers/pull ups for a few months!!!





Kroger trip: $129.09
Total spent: $68.32
Total saved: $60.77 ($20.40 in coupons, $40.37 in plus card savings)



A few new items I bought, were the "Garden of Eatin" chips-the black bean tortilla chips-were fabulous!!! I also bought a bag of the "Veggie Chips", which were not on sale but they are fabulous too!!! We will see what the kids think!!!

Biggest Loser Weigh In #1 (1/9/2011)

OK this is WAY late, but I had my first weigh in on January 9th.....I lost 8 pounds!!!! I was very excited!! As far as the Biggest Loser contest at work, I lost 4lbs. Not sure where that puts me in the ranking but 4 lbs in 4 days is good!!

Now as for this week...I skipped the weigh in all together!! I knew it would be bad so I will just weigh in next week!!

Biggest Loser 2011

OK I have had a lot of success on ATkins in the past, so I started back up Sunday January 2nd!!! I have done great so far, have lost 5 pounds!!! I have eaten a few things that aren't allowed until phase 2, but all in all I have done well.

I found out today they are doing "Biggest Loser" at work again, so I weighed in this morning. Her scale was 2 lbs heavier than mine at home, but had already had lunch and 2 Sonic drinks.

So I will weigh in Monday at home and then again at work....stay tuned for my first week's results!!!! We have a trip planned to the mountains in March, so I had better get busy!!!