CVS Savings

Our town, city, whatever you want to call it -- just had its first CVS open. I already had my little red card and couldn't wait for them to open. It's been two weeks now and I'm enjoying saving money. The clerk today was impressed with the saving both Little Miss Muffet and myself enjoyed. I checked out first. I gave the clerk my coupon with my updated email address on it. For doing that, I will receive a coupon worth either $5 or $10 off $20. Last time I was in I received a coupon for a free CVS brand toothbrush. She rang up my purchases, some things were cheaper because I used my CVS card and I had coupons to use also. Everything totaled over $65 dollars. I had ECB's and my final total was $29. I purchased some pencil bags that were on sale but didn't ring up the sale price. The clerk and I discussed it throughout the sale. No ECB's and the sale price didn't ring up. She refunded the difference to me and I ended up paying about $22. I received $9 in ECB's and the $5 or $10 is on it's way. Next LMM made her purchase -- some sunglasses she had been wanting and looked at every time we have been in the store. If you purchase sunglasses, you receive a $5 ECB. She wanted some hair care products and they were $5.99 before tax. She did a second transaction (the assistant store manager told us during our first store visit that we could do this and they encourage their customers to in order to save money); she used her $5 just received ECB and her total due was $1.07. When paying for her sunglasses, she used a prepaid debit card that was a Christmas present that she had forgotten about. The only money really out of her pocket was the $1.07.

Little Boy Blue helped his grandfather today at his shop. One of his employees gave LBB a hammer that a vendor left with them. He was thrilled with his hammer. He explained that after the vendor uses it a bit and begins to show signs of wear, they give them the hammer.

We stopped by a furniture clearance store. They are having a huge sale because they are closing. Head and foot boards without side rails were $5 a piece. I really wanted to buy some. I tried to figure out something I could do to repurpose them. No ideas came to mind, so I left empty handed. There were some excellent deals. A coffee table was $9.99 -- it was a little rough around the edges and needed to be restained and varnished. A pretty good investment for a $299 coffee table. I passed on this also. The coffee table swiveled and I was afraid it may break soon. I may go back another day and find something but there were great deals throughout the store; somehow, those great deals must have been meant for someone other than me.

All in all, I think we had a pretty frugal day. Not buying something that I wouldn't/couldn't use counts!!

Leave a comment if you have any ideas to repurpose some really pretty, ornate head and foot boards.

Have a blessed day!!

Spring = Prom

Thursday and Friday we decorated for prom. I really didn't want to not have school those two days but in order to help it was necessary. I reminded myself that after these two days, we weren't going to have prom committee meetings after this week -- so it made it a little easier. Of course there were lessons learned during those two days and the rewards that were reaped were priceless.

Prom was such a special time. It began with dinner at a Bennihana type restaurant. Party of 18! Some were parents, some had dates, some didn't. It didn't matter. Everyone had a nice time and the food was fabulous and everyone looked beautiful and handsome.

Next was prom itself. What a wonderful memory filled night for my whole family. My dear husband and I learned to dance via the dance instructor and Little Miss Muffett and Little Boy Blue were dance partners for a time during the lessons. Later my dear husband and LMM danced. I wished I would have seen it but I was attending to one of my duties in the kitchen. There were pictures galore. There were pictures, punch, and a King and Queen.

Afterward, everyone (almost) went bowling. The girls looked just beautiful in their sportier clothes with all the curls and updo hairstyles. Yes, some girls even bowled in their formal dresses. They bowled until it was time to shut the doors. At the end, another mom and I passed by the security guard, he complimented our group on how well behaved everyone was. There were 12 lanes. I agree, the children were very well behaved but still had tons of fun.

Anyone that wonders if homeschooled children miss out, my answer remains the same as it has always been - they only miss the junk that no one needs. Yes, this was a homeschool prom and it was a blast. Realizing that not everyone dances and not all children may be allowed to attend the prom, it was still okay because they were able to attend the bowling festivities.

Cherish the special time and moments with your children. They grow up so fast.

Reading books

I love homeschooling! One of the neat things to me is all of the books we read; the read-alouds, the historical books, the living books, the free reading books, it's wonderful. I search used book stores, the Friends of the Library in our neighboring town, eBay, and last but certainly not least, PaperBackSwap for the wonderful books that fill our many bookshelves. These are in addition to new books from bookstores and curriculum companies.

Sometimes we end up with multiple copies of the same book. Mainly it happens when we visit the Friends of the Library during the 50% and 75% off sales. We can seriously buy $325 of books for only $25. We love those kind of deals! When we end up shopping off list and getting some books that we think look good, sometimes they are already sitting on our bookshelves waiting to be read. But at prices like that, it's okay to have duplicates. Besides, I can always list them on PaperBackSwap if I want.

One book with multiple copies is The Giver by Lois Lowery. One was from PaperBackSwap and the other came from a lot of books from eBay. This worked out well because both of my children can read the same book at the same time. I love their conversations when they refer a book to the other. During one's reading, the other will ask if they have read a certain part yet or where they are in the book. It's wonderful to hear them compare notes and their favorite portions of the books.

Today was the day they started the same book on the same day. I think there is a little sibling competition to see who finishes first but much more than that, they are both enamored with the book. Little Miss Muffet was actually stirring the vegetables at supper tonight while reading. Little Boy Blue went to the hardware store with my dear husband tonight and was able to read a few pages. I'm not sure if he was bumping his way down the aisles turning pages or if he just used the map light en route.

The day the book arrived (the first book) I read it that day. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was thought provoking. Both of my children have both made the exact same statement about The Giver without knowing knowing the other one said it also. They both finished the book today (the day they began reading it). LMM said it was thought provoking and gripping and went on to say; "What if we were limited and didn't have choices. What if we couldn't see color or hear music...". LBB said it was thought provoking and even a thriller. He felt the last 30-40 pages were the most suspenseful. In the back of the book there are questions for discussion, we will utilize those tomorrow.

It would be so easy just to post a few pictures but I will actually write instead.

I will share some pictures that Little Boy Blue took this weekend on his camping trip.

Dear husband and Little Boy Blue went camping with the Boy Scout Troop this

weekend. They trekked up a mountain for about a 5 mile hike. By way of gps, their campsite was much, much less than a mile away from the top of the mountain. The house was abuzz upon their return with tales of all they did. They agreed the food was good, really good. They both liked all the food that was served. The nights were terribly frigid and they both were cold at times but were thankful for the wonderful invention known as hand warmers.

It is funny, you can spend an hour and a half once a week, fifty weeks out of the year with the same group of people but not really develop friendships. Spend a Saturday and a few hour drive with some of the same people and you have stories to share for a lifetime and new friendships. Is it because you hung back with the kid that was struggling walking up the mountain and stayed with him so he wouldn't be alone? Is it because you helped to teach someone younger a skill or is it just because you are all sleeping out in nature covered by a big blanket of stars and everyone knows who does and does not snore, sleepwalk, etc. ? I don't know... but it does happen and we are all grateful for those friendships no matter what spawns them.

Showers and naps were the first things on the agenda after the arrival home this afternoon but not before talk, plans and hopes of the next camping trip.

Little Miss Muffet and I did enjoy our girls weekend. After she finished selling Girl Scout cookies, it was off to find a restaurant. We have special memories from past outings such as this. There was the time at Johnny Carino's when we just ordered Italian Cream Sodas and dessert. That was of course B.C. (Before Celiac). It was decadent and yummy!

We tossed around a few ideas, a steakhouse, Chik-Fil-A, a deli ... where would we eat ... what sounded good ... SUSHI!! Of course! I took a detour to to the local Benihanna type restaurant. Well, the good news was there was only one party in front of us. The bad news was it was a party of fourteen. We were looking at a thirty minute wait but our tummies couldn't wait that long. After a quick inquiry about the wait if we were only eating sushi, we were immediately ushered to a table. Not having to wait for a grill table was great. We were finished before the party of 14 was seated. California Rolls, Philadelphia Rolls, Wasabi, Cucumber Salad, Seaweed Salad. So yummy, so good! So hungry three hours later. We had great fun; we used our chopsticks. LMM commented she liked her stainless steel chopsticks much better than the wooden pull-aparts. Next time maybe we will plan ahead and she can bring her own along with our wheat-free tamari sauce. It was so odd not being able to pour any soy sauce on our food but we managed without it. We went to the book store and perused the shelves of magazines, sat in formerly comfy chairs (no joke -- they used to have padding, well maybe they have padding but no springs, seriously you sit down and just keep going, going, going until you have sunk down until you almost reach the floor). We had fun sharing about the magazines, pointing at pictures, oohing and aahing, whispering and laughing.

We decided on our purchases and decided to top off the night with Blizzards from DQ. We made a major discovery, they no longer carry cotton candy blizzards. It has been many months (about 8) since I had one. They told me they may bring them back at a later date. You know when you crave something, you can almost taste it, your taste buds are sitting on the edge of their chairs just waiting to experience the burst of flavor, then the salivating stops because they no longer carry that flavor. It's kind of like those taste buds just sunk down, down, down in those formerly comfy chairs at the bookstore. Well, I'm a big girl and it was girls weekend so I just chose something else but with CHOCOLATE. We returned home and watched one of my favorite movies, Sweet Home Alabama. Remember, it was girls weekend -- chocolate and chick flicks, what could be better!

Saturday there were errands to run or we would have gone to the movies to see another chick flick. Confessions of a Shopaholic. Only a matinee though. Can you believe regular movie tickets are $9.50?! Since the kiddoes were little, seeing a movie at the movie theater was always a surprise and special treat usually associated with their birthday. One time we watched two movies back to back. 101 Dalmations then we went and bought tickets to the next movie, I don't even remember the name but it was animated and about basketball. The kiddoes thought it was awesome to see two movies on the same day. These days we go to the drive-in. What a wonderful invention! Double features for the price of a matinee. Sometimes we pack supper, soft drinks, snacks, blankets, pillows and the portable radio and off we go to the movies. We always buy the popcorn there, gotta have that movie popcorn with extra butter. LBB and LMM are growing up but going to the movies is still a special treat that creates excitement and it is still a special treat.

Well, I didn't even know what I was going to post about but I rambled on and on enough, I guess this will count as a post. :) Have a blessed week!

Scout Spirit

Wouldn't you know it, the first time I go to Bunco in 3 or 4 months, I miss something at Boy Scouts.

At the end of Boy Scouts tonight, a speech was given about a boy who demonstrates the scout spirit, does what he is asked and always asks how he can help. Then ... my son's name was called. We had no clue. He had no clue. One of his friends came up to him afterward and said, "When she was up there saying all that, I knew they were talking about you." Isn't that a sweet thing to say, in the context of one boy to another.

Wouldn't you know it, his momma wasn't there and his dad had stepped out to check on his sister in her Girl Scout room. Talk about timing. If I had been there, chances are I would have been in the Girl Scout room myself, so I still wouldn't have seen it.

It's really nice when someone else sees your child and knows what he does and how he conducts himself. I know my son and how he is, but to be recognized among his peers by a leader is something else. We are always proud of Little Boy Blue, it's nice when others are also and when there is public acknowledgement.

He will receive his Life rank shortly, which is the one before you receive your Eagle rank. He is already talking and thinking about planning his Eagle Project. He is going to meet with our pastor about possible projects that could be completed at our church. If there are none, then he is making back up plans to help at my aunt's church. He could very well accomplish his Eagle rank while he is 14.

Little Miss Muffet is almost ready to begin work on her Gold Award which is the Girl Scout equivalent to Eagle. Even though they are not twins, more times than not they do the same things at the same time. They lost their first tooth a week apart and lost their last tooth a week apart. That's not the first thing and won't be the last.

It makes you all smiley inside and out when recognition is given to your child, especially when they deserve it.

Way to go, Little Boy Blue!! We are proud of you!

We are proud of you too, Little Miss Muffet.