Deja Vu

Today B brought home his class picture. I had to get out my picture of me with the same teacher. I probably wouldn't have believed it if someone had told me in 4th grade that 20 years later, my oldest son would have the same teacher for 1st grade.

B in first grade:

Me, twenty years ago, with the same teacher, in 4th grade.
Small world!

Lessons from Hawaiian Haystacks

Is everyone going to be happy when I have a husband to talk you and you don't get to hear every thought that comes into my head?

So, I learned a tip from my friend Krista's private blog that I tried last night. It worked so good that I had to share. I even took a picture but I'm a little tired this morning and did something funky to my camera and lost it.

You just take your boiled or crock-potted chicken and stick in your mixer. I turned mine on and came back in a couple of minutes to perfectly shredded chicken. No more burning your hands off trying to shred chicken. Brilliant.

Another thing I learned is that couponing might ruin my taste for generics. I got a few Campbells cream soups using a Walgreen deal and used that last night for my Hawaaiin Haystacks. It tasted so much creamier and yummier than my generic brands I've been using my whole marriage. I might not ever be satisfied with another cream soup. Let me know if there is ever a sale on Campbells!

Oh yeah, today's RedBox code is MMM325.

Answers

How does everyone else answer questions on their posts? When you ask a question do you go back to see if the poster answered the question in a comment? I don't go back to check when I ask a question, so I never know if other people do.

I never know how to answer. Sorry if I made you come back and look at my blog again if you don't care about these answers.

Anyway:
Jana F-You have to scroll way down my blog list and at the bottom I have frugal people blogs you can check out. They have the codes on Mondays and Wednesdays (but I think Wednesdays are over in March) or you can google free Redbox code or something on those days.

Jana R-RedBoxes are the new way to rent movies. They are like vending machines. We have them at Walgreens, Wal-mart, Albertsons, Smiths, etc. You can go on-line and check out the inventory at the different locations and even reserve movies. The are $1 a day, and I think after 2o or something days you own it. They are so convenient and cheap. Now with one at Wal-greens you don't even have to get the kids out of the car.

Thoughts on couponing...

So, couponing has become a big thing around here. I would dabble here and there, stock up on oatmeal at Albertsons when it was on sale. But lately, I have been reading the blogs that are listed here.

It's amazing what these people figure out. It takes an incredible amount of time making lists, organizing, gathering and printing coupons, and going to Wal-greens 5 times until I could finally the Sense and Spray air freshener in stock that I got for free. (I got the last two)

Don't get me wrong, I think you can get some incredible deals. I haven't posted them because sometimes when someone else posts what great deals they got, I say, how did they do that? I need to do that. I'm not getting every possible deal out there. I would feel obligated to explain how I did it, and most of the time I don't know where I got the coupons or how it really worked out in the end. If you are interested I would go check out those blogs.

Some work out really well, some not so much. I read somewhere how to take about 15 steps to get 5 packages of diapers for $1, and I end up getting them for $30. The thing is that I'm not even sure if that is a good deal. When my life was simple, I would just get the store brand at Sam's. If I was super mom I would make a spreadsheet on price per diaper there, and then compare. But my kids are already so sick of going to so many stores for deals, then I can't imagine doing that!

Plus, I also feel that I'm buying stuff that I normally wouldn't buy because I usually buy generic. You get a lot of name brand foods, but cheap is cheap and free is even cheaper.

I guess I need to find some balance. On Saturday morning I was yelling at my kids to get in the dang car so we could get the free Thomas. Plus I ignore them a lot searching for coupons. Every Monday and Wednesday we have been getting free codes for Redbox (Did you know that Wal-greens has a RedBox now?)

I guess I can figure this is my part time job to save money. But maybe I should set aside certain times of the week to check it out. Will I stop? No, but I should find a balance.

Well, we've got to go get our B1G1 sundaes at Baskin Robbins for FHE, and then when the kids go to bed I've got to go to Wal-greens then K-mart and Albertsons for their double coupons. Wish me luck.

Photo Tag

Caroline tagged me. You have to go to your 6th picture folder and publish your 6th picture. Could be scary.

This is B at age 2 1/2 riding Grandpa's 4-wheeler at his cousins house.

I tag: Katie, Amberly, Nancy, Debbie, Billie, and Takara

Do you like green eggs and ham?

Happy St. Patricks Day! Our special little leprechaun came and turned out our milk and eggs green during the night. My question is that why did all of my kids eat this up and ask for more, then why are they appalled and thinking that I snuck in poison if they think they spy something "green" in their dinner.

At preschool yesterday C wrote that if he caught a leprechaun he would get a mustang. What would you ask for? Is it too much to ask for your house to be paid off? Just a small little favor from a little man with lots of gold?

T's funny from yesterday was that we were eating lunch with my sisters and mom at Scholtzchy's, and T was more interested in his lemonade than his pizza. So my mom asked if she could have a piece of his pizza. He said yes and she took one bite. Then without saying a word he took the piece from her hands, licked it, and set it back down on his plate. Way to mark your territory T.

The boy who was supposed to be a girl turns 7!

I case you don't know the story and were wondering about the title, they told me at my ultrasound that B was supposed to be a girl, but he came out a boy. We are glad he is!

Anyway, today my oldest is 7! He had a fun filled weekend starting out with going out to eat with dad to Red Robin on Friday, having a party with his cousin and aunt who also have March Birthday's on Saturday, and then having a party from dad's side on Sunday.

He chose a Star Wars mold which had R2D2, Yoda, Chewbacca, Darth Vader and a Storm Trooper. I didn't hand paint them this time, but they were still cute. Hint: If you want an easy way to impress people with your frosting, add 1/2 cup of caramel ice cream topping to your buttercream frosting. I got a lot of compliments.

Our young Jedi master. He got the jacket his is wearing, Star Wars stuff, books, a 20 question game and other cool stuff so far. He hasn't even opened his presents from us yet. He has to wait until dad gets home at 7:00. Having family in town has it's advantages!
While we were at his party on Sunday, I got a call from a district preschool teacher saying that they had an opening and T could come starting today! So, I it was a little difficult getting 4 people out the door by 8:00 but we made it. At breakfast he wasn't too happy when I told him that T had preschool. He wanted to go to C's preschool.

When I went to leave him he got his coat and backpack and said he was ready to go. But I left him and he was fun and told me about all of his cool activities.

This actually makes it so have 1 hour a week with no kids! The first time since B was born 7 years ago. Will I have to wait another 7 years for it to happen again?