I spent about an hour and a half going through stuff for Fed By Faith at church tonight. Cindy and I are taking a Christmas tree to the family tomorrow. The Christmas tree was donated by a family at church who also donated a tree skirt and a few ornaments. Mom and dad donated several ornaments. We are donating tree lights and a tree stand. My preacher donated $100 to buy anything I want with, which will probably be cell phone minutes (Tracfone), gas cards, diapers, and a few select toys. Yay!
Next week will be the food/necessity drop off. I wish I could see all of their faces. Cindy thinks they're going to be so overwhelmed - in a good way! I actually am not sure where they're going to store everything.
Tomorrow will be another busy day because of going to do that and going to sing Christmas carols tomorrow night to our friend in the hospital. Although today she got moved to ICU. If she stays there we may have to cancel our singing.
Today's lunch at mom and dad's was great although I really didn't even see them that much!! I had to go to the hospital to rent an electric breast pump, then to recycling, Lowe's and Rite Aid. After all that it was time for us to hit the road!! I am completely exhausted and my head is spinning so I am cutting this short.
My kitchen is a mess but Stephen just ordered me to "leave it for tomorrow" and come to bed. Being the submissive wife that I am, I gotta go.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Long Day
Much longer day than anticipated. Brianna napped longer than she has in the past week so that was a thumbs up. Had an awesome Walgreens trip that I need to blog about. We ordered Chinese for the first time in probably a year - sooooo good. Only completed two things on my to do list (I only put 7 things on there, thinking that was low expectations!). Took Brianna to a doctor's appointment. Worked. Loved just driving around town with Stephen - we don't ever do that. Can't seem to make complete sentences so I'm going to bed now.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Family Time!
Tonight was one of our family Christmas parties. Jenn and Matt graciously hosted and I had a fantastic time! It was Claire and Brianna's first Christmas party! Claire was so unimpressed that by 6:30 she was fast asleep. Brianna fought a good fight but as soon as we got home around 8:40 she went straight to bed without a bath or dinner. That sounds like a punishment but it's not.
Last Friday Gail stopped by to see us (I didn't get ONE picture!!) and got Brianna a precious ornament and a cute Christmas bib. If I ever get around to taking pictures of my new ornaments this year I will definitely post that.
Tonight Joy gave Brianna a Christmas present. She got a bracelet, a cute outfit, and a handprint ornament kit. I will post pictures of the handprint ornament when it's complete!
Dad pointed out that I gave mom something today. Ronzoni pasta has been on sale at Lowe's, and with the 75 cent coupon doubled it's free. Mom's coupon beeped when she tried using it, whereas I got lucky with cashiers and each one typed in the amount the coupon was supposed to ring up as. So when I got yet another free box today, I left it in mom's kitchen. I wondered how long it would take her to notice it.
I also had a funny experience in Lowe's Food today. They have some of the nicest employees. I was searching the juice aisle for the best price when one of the stockers said, "Can I help you find something?" They always ask that to be polite, so I just said, "No thanks!" and turned back to the juice. This guy, though, said, "Oh come on, let me help you!" I kind of laughed and said, "That's okay - I'm just comparing prices." Then he said, "Well if you won't let me help you, then why don't you help me!" He was unloading juice onto the shelves. I kind of looked at him for a few seconds, then I set down everything in my hands and I said, "Okay." He just looked back at me and said, "What?" I said, "Okay, I'll help you. What can I do?" He just laughed and said, "You're really gonna help me?" I was like, "Sure! Give me one of those!" He said, "Nah, actually I'm stopping now because the shelves are full. But you just made my day! God is going to bless you!" And I said, "He does bless me!" He got this big grin on his face and said, "Man, are you married?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Oh man, he is so lucky!" I said, "No, I'm the lucky one." He said, "No, he is the lucky one! Do you have any children?" And I said, "Yep, we have a baby!" He said, "Ohhhh man, you are blessed!" I was like, "Yeah, I know!!"
Anyway as he was walking off I said Merry Christmas to him and we actually had a whole other conversation about how commercialized Christmas has become. It was really funny. As he walked away he said, "Oh man, you just blessed my day!" It just made me laugh. I love things like that.
Isn't it said that I can think of a handful of Christians that don't even like the Christmas season? I bet everyone knows one person that begins to cringe on December 1. That is just so absolutely sad to me. Parties, presents, money, crowds, have all taken the meaning out of Christmas. If you're so busy during December that you dread it, and that you can't even enjoy Jesus' birthday, you need to step back and look at the things you're saying yes to in my opinion.
I love December and Christmas. I love that our families do parties but not presents. I love spending a week or more in Georgia with our family there. I love knowing that on December 24 you can find me behind the piano at Stephen's grandmother's, singing carols until my voice is gone. I love doing a Christmas cantata for church. (And you know what? If I'm too tired or busy to make it to a practice, I don't kill myself trying to make it. The show will go on without me.) I love watching the kids Christmas play at church even though my child isn't in it. I love caroling. This year instead of going caroling with the youth group (we're going bowling instead) we are visiting a friend in the hospital and singing whatever carols she wants to hear. She is like another grandmother to us and has been in the hospital since before Thanksgiving. Truthfully she will probably not come home from there. I had the idea to go sing carols to her because I know it would make her more happy than anything else we could do for her. I can't wait to see her face when we show up there Thursday night. Thursday afternoon I am taking a donated Christmas tree to the family we adopted for December through Fed By Faith. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces either. I love decorating for Christmas, even though this year it took six days instead of one. I love Christmas music - and around our house, that starts before Halloween. It's just so sad what people have made Christmas. I would rather spend the whole Christmas day with family and friends, eating, talking, singing, reading the Bible, than get any present you could offer me. I'd be willing to bet most people feel like that too.
I don't know what the point of that tangent was. I guess I just feel sorry for people who feel like Christmas is a burden. I know someone at church who was just talking about it yesterday, I guess it was on my brain.
I made wassail again this year, so there is the recipe if you want it. I guess I should also post that on my recipe blog. Okay, I'm done.
Last Friday Gail stopped by to see us (I didn't get ONE picture!!) and got Brianna a precious ornament and a cute Christmas bib. If I ever get around to taking pictures of my new ornaments this year I will definitely post that.
Tonight Joy gave Brianna a Christmas present. She got a bracelet, a cute outfit, and a handprint ornament kit. I will post pictures of the handprint ornament when it's complete!
Dad pointed out that I gave mom something today. Ronzoni pasta has been on sale at Lowe's, and with the 75 cent coupon doubled it's free. Mom's coupon beeped when she tried using it, whereas I got lucky with cashiers and each one typed in the amount the coupon was supposed to ring up as. So when I got yet another free box today, I left it in mom's kitchen. I wondered how long it would take her to notice it.
I also had a funny experience in Lowe's Food today. They have some of the nicest employees. I was searching the juice aisle for the best price when one of the stockers said, "Can I help you find something?" They always ask that to be polite, so I just said, "No thanks!" and turned back to the juice. This guy, though, said, "Oh come on, let me help you!" I kind of laughed and said, "That's okay - I'm just comparing prices." Then he said, "Well if you won't let me help you, then why don't you help me!" He was unloading juice onto the shelves. I kind of looked at him for a few seconds, then I set down everything in my hands and I said, "Okay." He just looked back at me and said, "What?" I said, "Okay, I'll help you. What can I do?" He just laughed and said, "You're really gonna help me?" I was like, "Sure! Give me one of those!" He said, "Nah, actually I'm stopping now because the shelves are full. But you just made my day! God is going to bless you!" And I said, "He does bless me!" He got this big grin on his face and said, "Man, are you married?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Oh man, he is so lucky!" I said, "No, I'm the lucky one." He said, "No, he is the lucky one! Do you have any children?" And I said, "Yep, we have a baby!" He said, "Ohhhh man, you are blessed!" I was like, "Yeah, I know!!"
Anyway as he was walking off I said Merry Christmas to him and we actually had a whole other conversation about how commercialized Christmas has become. It was really funny. As he walked away he said, "Oh man, you just blessed my day!" It just made me laugh. I love things like that.
Isn't it said that I can think of a handful of Christians that don't even like the Christmas season? I bet everyone knows one person that begins to cringe on December 1. That is just so absolutely sad to me. Parties, presents, money, crowds, have all taken the meaning out of Christmas. If you're so busy during December that you dread it, and that you can't even enjoy Jesus' birthday, you need to step back and look at the things you're saying yes to in my opinion.
I love December and Christmas. I love that our families do parties but not presents. I love spending a week or more in Georgia with our family there. I love knowing that on December 24 you can find me behind the piano at Stephen's grandmother's, singing carols until my voice is gone. I love doing a Christmas cantata for church. (And you know what? If I'm too tired or busy to make it to a practice, I don't kill myself trying to make it. The show will go on without me.) I love watching the kids Christmas play at church even though my child isn't in it. I love caroling. This year instead of going caroling with the youth group (we're going bowling instead) we are visiting a friend in the hospital and singing whatever carols she wants to hear. She is like another grandmother to us and has been in the hospital since before Thanksgiving. Truthfully she will probably not come home from there. I had the idea to go sing carols to her because I know it would make her more happy than anything else we could do for her. I can't wait to see her face when we show up there Thursday night. Thursday afternoon I am taking a donated Christmas tree to the family we adopted for December through Fed By Faith. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces either. I love decorating for Christmas, even though this year it took six days instead of one. I love Christmas music - and around our house, that starts before Halloween. It's just so sad what people have made Christmas. I would rather spend the whole Christmas day with family and friends, eating, talking, singing, reading the Bible, than get any present you could offer me. I'd be willing to bet most people feel like that too.
I don't know what the point of that tangent was. I guess I just feel sorry for people who feel like Christmas is a burden. I know someone at church who was just talking about it yesterday, I guess it was on my brain.
I made wassail again this year, so there is the recipe if you want it. I guess I should also post that on my recipe blog. Okay, I'm done.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Wags Trip 12/12
Took one last trip to Walgreens today because I wanted to get one more thing for FBF before the sale ended and also because Stephen has used up all of our cold medicine, so I figured I could use some of my Register Rewards on medicine. Turned out to be a good trip. Funny thing - I walked in and one of the cashiers goes, "Where's the baby??" and I pointed outside and said, "Oh, she's coming in a minute with my husband." She was like, "Oh my goodness, I almost didn't recognize you." Ha ha.
All detergent
RP $3.29. Minus $2.00 coupon. FP - $1.29
Comtrex cold medicine
RP $5.99. Minus $3.00 coupon. FP - $2.99
L'Oreal nail polish
RP $4.99. SP $2.59. Minus $2.00 coupon. FP - $0.59
Theraflu
SP $5.00. Minus $1.50 coupon. FP - $3.50
Stayfree maxi pads (2)
SP $1.99. Minus $1.00/2 coupon. RR - $2.00. FP - $0.49 each
Walgreens AA batteries (filler item)
FP - $0.99
Final shopping total - Paid $3.03. Saved $28.39. Received $2.00 in RR.
All detergent
RP $3.29. Minus $2.00 coupon. FP - $1.29
Comtrex cold medicine
RP $5.99. Minus $3.00 coupon. FP - $2.99
L'Oreal nail polish
RP $4.99. SP $2.59. Minus $2.00 coupon. FP - $0.59
Theraflu
SP $5.00. Minus $1.50 coupon. FP - $3.50
Stayfree maxi pads (2)
SP $1.99. Minus $1.00/2 coupon. RR - $2.00. FP - $0.49 each
Walgreens AA batteries (filler item)
FP - $0.99
Final shopping total - Paid $3.03. Saved $28.39. Received $2.00 in RR.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Random Pictures
I have some pictures I need to get off my camera, so here they are in no particular order. I'm telling you, these are random. And old. I'll make up for it by posting pictures of Brianna at the end (over a month old.)
From Jenn's pink party - IN FEBRUARY! Gahhh!
From Mom's liver anniversary - IN MARCH!! Gahhh!
A puzzle I finished and donated to mom and dad. 1000 pieces and it was a "mystery" puzzle, so there was no picture to go by. It was really hard but I was addicted to it! I love puzzles!
Random sunset - so pretty!
And for your enjoyment:
I'm offering these placemats free to anyone who wants them. Problem - there are only four of them. I think that's why I have no takers.
From Jenn's pink party - IN FEBRUARY! Gahhh!
From Mom's liver anniversary - IN MARCH!! Gahhh!
A puzzle I finished and donated to mom and dad. 1000 pieces and it was a "mystery" puzzle, so there was no picture to go by. It was really hard but I was addicted to it! I love puzzles!
Random sunset - so pretty!
And for your enjoyment:
First time eating carrots:
Wags Trips
Walgreens trip 12/10/09
Conair hairbrush (2-pack)
SP $2.00. RR - $2.00. FP - Free
Neutrogena men's shaving gel
SP $4.99. RR - $5.00. FP - Free
Just For Men
SP $6.99. RR - $7.00. FP - Free
Renu solution
SP $9.99. RR - $10.00. FP - Free
Stim-u-dent plaque removers
SP $2.00. RR - $2.00. FP - Free
Final shopping total - Paid $21.98. Saved $13.88. Received $26.00 in Register Rewards. Received $5 back for spending $20.
----------------------------------------------------
Walgreens trip 12/11/09
Nivea lip shimmer
Raincheck price - $0.99. Minus coupon for a free one. FP - Free
Nivea lip shimmer (2)
Raincheck price - $0.99. FP - $0.99 each.
Nivea body lotion
RP - $7.49. Minus coupon for a free one with purchase of three lip products. FP - Free
L'Oreal nail polish
RP - $4.99. SP - $2.59. Minus $2.00 coupon. FP - $0.59
Neutrogena men's lotion
SP $4.99. Minus $2.00 coupon. RR- $5.00. FP - Free
Stayfree maxi pads
SP $1.99. RR - $2.00. FP - Free
Final shopping total - Paid $2.10. Saved $25.88. Received $7.00 in Register Rewards.
Conair hairbrush (2-pack)
SP $2.00. RR - $2.00. FP - Free
Neutrogena men's shaving gel
SP $4.99. RR - $5.00. FP - Free
Just For Men
SP $6.99. RR - $7.00. FP - Free
Renu solution
SP $9.99. RR - $10.00. FP - Free
Stim-u-dent plaque removers
SP $2.00. RR - $2.00. FP - Free
Final shopping total - Paid $21.98. Saved $13.88. Received $26.00 in Register Rewards. Received $5 back for spending $20.
----------------------------------------------------
Walgreens trip 12/11/09
Nivea lip shimmer
Raincheck price - $0.99. Minus coupon for a free one. FP - Free
Nivea lip shimmer (2)
Raincheck price - $0.99. FP - $0.99 each.
Nivea body lotion
RP - $7.49. Minus coupon for a free one with purchase of three lip products. FP - Free
L'Oreal nail polish
RP - $4.99. SP - $2.59. Minus $2.00 coupon. FP - $0.59
Neutrogena men's lotion
SP $4.99. Minus $2.00 coupon. RR- $5.00. FP - Free
Stayfree maxi pads
SP $1.99. RR - $2.00. FP - Free
Final shopping total - Paid $2.10. Saved $25.88. Received $7.00 in Register Rewards.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Giving Kudos
It's after 11:00pm and I have just finished writing a Christmas card to Outback Steakhouse.
Tonight mom and I went to the Christmas banquet for Sandhills Teen Challenge - great organization; I will write more later - and the food was great! Russell's Seafood, a local seafood restaurant, donated a portion - was it the chicken? I can't remember now. And Outback supplied the baked potatoes. This is no small feat for either of these places considering there are 300 people attending this event... three nights in a row. So 900 potatoes and 1800 chicken tenders later, there are some full people! I realized on the way home that these businesses should be applauded. I immediately got on Facebook when I got home (I am a "Fan" of Russell's on Facebook) and posted kudos to them for their support of Teen Challenge. I'm not a "Fan" of Outback, plus I don't want these kudos to go to the corporate office. I want to thank our local branch for supporting such a worthy cause.
So I sent them a Christmas card thanking them for supporting Teen Challenge and telling them their baked potatoes were delicious (they were). I also said I would tell people about this. So here I am.
My question is, do you think they'll actually open it and read it?
Tonight mom and I went to the Christmas banquet for Sandhills Teen Challenge - great organization; I will write more later - and the food was great! Russell's Seafood, a local seafood restaurant, donated a portion - was it the chicken? I can't remember now. And Outback supplied the baked potatoes. This is no small feat for either of these places considering there are 300 people attending this event... three nights in a row. So 900 potatoes and 1800 chicken tenders later, there are some full people! I realized on the way home that these businesses should be applauded. I immediately got on Facebook when I got home (I am a "Fan" of Russell's on Facebook) and posted kudos to them for their support of Teen Challenge. I'm not a "Fan" of Outback, plus I don't want these kudos to go to the corporate office. I want to thank our local branch for supporting such a worthy cause.
So I sent them a Christmas card thanking them for supporting Teen Challenge and telling them their baked potatoes were delicious (they were). I also said I would tell people about this. So here I am.
My question is, do you think they'll actually open it and read it?
Giving... No, Receiving!
People have given me so much recently for me personally and also for Fed By Faith. It is hard to keep up with who I have thanked publicly!!
I didn't take a picture - I should have - of all the stuff I got yesterday. I went to mom's house for lunch and she told me she had some stuff for me from her and Jenn. I really should have taken a picture. It was bags and bags of grocery items! From laundry detergent to toilet paper to rice to I don't know what else!! I took them straight to church last night. As the youth group helped us unload the items, people's eyes just got wide. Our preacher came to our car to talk to us about youth group stuff and when he saw the trunk full he just started laughing. He said we're like a grocery store on wheels. Every time I come to church I have a trunk full of items! I can't believe how much mom and Jenn donated and I THANK YOU GUYS!!!
Okay, it's now been 7 hours since I wrote the above paragraphs. I have an awful habit of getting distracted from writing on this blog. I had so many other things to write about tonight - seeing Tracey and getting lots of goodies from her, meeting Jenn at The Chick for lunch and getting goodies from her, my Walgreens trip, and the Teen Challenge dinner that mom and I went to tonight. I also need to do my annual ornaments blog. I hope to blog about all of those things tomorrow!!
I didn't take a picture - I should have - of all the stuff I got yesterday. I went to mom's house for lunch and she told me she had some stuff for me from her and Jenn. I really should have taken a picture. It was bags and bags of grocery items! From laundry detergent to toilet paper to rice to I don't know what else!! I took them straight to church last night. As the youth group helped us unload the items, people's eyes just got wide. Our preacher came to our car to talk to us about youth group stuff and when he saw the trunk full he just started laughing. He said we're like a grocery store on wheels. Every time I come to church I have a trunk full of items! I can't believe how much mom and Jenn donated and I THANK YOU GUYS!!!
Okay, it's now been 7 hours since I wrote the above paragraphs. I have an awful habit of getting distracted from writing on this blog. I had so many other things to write about tonight - seeing Tracey and getting lots of goodies from her, meeting Jenn at The Chick for lunch and getting goodies from her, my Walgreens trip, and the Teen Challenge dinner that mom and I went to tonight. I also need to do my annual ornaments blog. I hope to blog about all of those things tomorrow!!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Giving Money
Giving money... to grocery stores!!
Walgreens trip 12/8
Ragu pasta sauce x3
RP $3.29 each. After WG coupon, $1.50 each. Minus $1.25/3 coupon. FP - $1.08 each.
L'Oreal eyeshadow
RP $9.99. SP $2.59. Minus $2.00 coupon. FP - $0.59.
Jar candles x3 (Filler items)
RP $0.75. SP/FP - $0.25.
Imperial sugar (4 lb)
RP $2.99. Minus 1.00 WG coupon. FP - $1.99.
Hallmark card
FP - $0.99.
Final shopping total - Paid $1.54. Saved $24.87.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Rite Aid trip, 12/9
3M Scotch tape dispenser x2
RP $3.29. SP 2/$4.28. Minus $3.29 rebate. Minus $1.00 coupon. FP - Free
Secret deodorant x3
RP $3.49 each. SP $2.00 each. Minus $0.50 coupon x2. Minus Buy 2, Get 1 Free coupon. Minus $1.00 rebate. FP - $0.67 each.
Halls cough drops x2
RP $2.69. SP $1.50. Minus $1.50/2 coupon. FP - $1.00 each.
Final shopping total - Paid $9.31. Saved $5.00. Will receive $4.29 in rebates.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Lowe's Food trip 12/9
Green Giant frozen corn
RP $1.90. SP $1.99. Minus $0.50 coupon doubled. FP - Free
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter sticks x2
RP $2.99 each. SP $2.50 each. Minus $0.75/2 coupon doubled. FP - $1.88 each.
Comet rice x4
RP $3.10. SP $1.66. Minus $0.55 doubled. FP - $0.01
Smart Balance butter sticks
RP $3.49. SP $2.99. Minus $0.70 coupon doubled. FP - $1.59.
Ronzoni pasta
RP $1.87. SP $1.25. Minus $0.75 coupon doubled. FP - Free
Knorr side dishes x8
RP $1.49 each. SP $0.74 each. Minus $0.60/2 coupon. FP - $0.15 each.
Note: My Comet coupons didn't scan at all for some reason, so the cashier had to enter them manually. I thought he missed one but he had just come on duty and seemed pretty frazzled. I didn't want to say anything so I didn't. Sure enough, in checking my receipt, I had to pay full price for one of the rice products. That's why my total is a little more than it should have been.
Final shopping total: Spent $9.32. Saved $27.89. Ended up donating 4 lbs of rice and 3 of the Knorr side dishes to the Coalition lady who was in the lobby. The other 4 lbs of rice and at least 2 or 3 other side dishes will go to FBF.
P.S. Can anyone believe the HEAT!? My goodness.
Walgreens trip 12/8
Ragu pasta sauce x3
RP $3.29 each. After WG coupon, $1.50 each. Minus $1.25/3 coupon. FP - $1.08 each.
L'Oreal eyeshadow
RP $9.99. SP $2.59. Minus $2.00 coupon. FP - $0.59.
Jar candles x3 (Filler items)
RP $0.75. SP/FP - $0.25.
Imperial sugar (4 lb)
RP $2.99. Minus 1.00 WG coupon. FP - $1.99.
Hallmark card
FP - $0.99.
Final shopping total - Paid $1.54. Saved $24.87.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Rite Aid trip, 12/9
3M Scotch tape dispenser x2
RP $3.29. SP 2/$4.28. Minus $3.29 rebate. Minus $1.00 coupon. FP - Free
Secret deodorant x3
RP $3.49 each. SP $2.00 each. Minus $0.50 coupon x2. Minus Buy 2, Get 1 Free coupon. Minus $1.00 rebate. FP - $0.67 each.
Halls cough drops x2
RP $2.69. SP $1.50. Minus $1.50/2 coupon. FP - $1.00 each.
Final shopping total - Paid $9.31. Saved $5.00. Will receive $4.29 in rebates.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Lowe's Food trip 12/9
Green Giant frozen corn
RP $1.90. SP $1.99. Minus $0.50 coupon doubled. FP - Free
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter sticks x2
RP $2.99 each. SP $2.50 each. Minus $0.75/2 coupon doubled. FP - $1.88 each.
Comet rice x4
RP $3.10. SP $1.66. Minus $0.55 doubled. FP - $0.01
Smart Balance butter sticks
RP $3.49. SP $2.99. Minus $0.70 coupon doubled. FP - $1.59.
Ronzoni pasta
RP $1.87. SP $1.25. Minus $0.75 coupon doubled. FP - Free
Knorr side dishes x8
RP $1.49 each. SP $0.74 each. Minus $0.60/2 coupon. FP - $0.15 each.
Note: My Comet coupons didn't scan at all for some reason, so the cashier had to enter them manually. I thought he missed one but he had just come on duty and seemed pretty frazzled. I didn't want to say anything so I didn't. Sure enough, in checking my receipt, I had to pay full price for one of the rice products. That's why my total is a little more than it should have been.
Final shopping total: Spent $9.32. Saved $27.89. Ended up donating 4 lbs of rice and 3 of the Knorr side dishes to the Coalition lady who was in the lobby. The other 4 lbs of rice and at least 2 or 3 other side dishes will go to FBF.
P.S. Can anyone believe the HEAT!? My goodness.
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