..this will be a new chapter for the Cook Family. I am going to lay it all out there for everyone to see and you can decide whether or not I deserve the title of Coupon Queen! I really want to be "Ultimate Savings Queen". Many of my friends think what I do is amazing and I appreciate that but in the coupon world, I am still an amateur. I believe that I am hard core because I can't imagine life before coupons but I see the deals other people get on www.Hotcouponworld.com and other blogs and still think I have alot to learn.
...so come September 1st, 2009, I am going to blog about EVERY purchase we make. Whether it be food, gas, DVDs, take out..what have you. It will be logged for EVERYONE to see! Keep me accountable to my savings!!! It will be logged on www.mint.com A GREAT FREE site to help anyone keep a budget!
...but here I will list line by line what we spent. Then we will have a running total of the amount spent for the month of September. If I am really good, I will keep it as a spreadsheet and see how much I really saved. I am only going to track what I saved with coupons. I will not include the store savings. I want to see how many coupons I use in a month.
Do you have a guess? I really do not have a guess...LOL If you want to venture one, I will mail out an envelope full of coupons in whatever category you choose to the person who guesses closest to what I used!!
Should be interesting. Won't you join me in the GREAT COUPON RACE?
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
It's been a while...
...I am back at work..my first full week and I stayed the entire 40 hours! That in itself is an accomplishment. I thought for sure I would be applying for VTO (voluntary time off) whenever the opportunity presented itself. I felt that I would be doing my family a disservice by going home early. Chris and I have many financial goals that we would like to accomplish by December so I should not be taking time unpaid "just because"
...the kids have also started school. Kids. PLURAL. I have two in school now. WOW! Tristan seems to be adjusting well. Scared me a little bit since his teacher called me around 11 am this morning but it was just cause he was missing his Alphabet Book. When I saw her name on my phone, I thought something happened and my heart jumped up in my throat...He did have his binder signed because he was throwing wood chips at recess but other than that, I am told he is adjusting well. I have to give him a little leeway since this really is his first structured environment. He never had the chance to go to Pre-School like Ethan nor did we ever have daycare. My Tristan is a very smart boy and I know he will do well. Today, he picked a flower for his teacher...yes, this would be my little charmer...
...I must say that I am very proud of Ethan. He is being such a GREAT older brother and I really do not tell him that enough. He looks out for Tristan and he really is happy to have him at school with him. It is still hard for the boys in the morning and you can hear Ethan telling Tristan that they both have to get ready for school. It really is so cute.
...for Chris and I...I think this adjustment is going to take some getting used to. I am not sure what to do to make this easier for him on Thursdays and Fridays. I can't imagine what it will be like if he goes back to having weekends off instead of Monday and Tuesday nights! Currently, he is the one dealing with football practices and dinner...almost makes me want to switch my shift back to days. But, I really do like nights..or I guess I should say evenings. This shift is MUCH less stressful than when I worked days and I really do like the people down here. I remember being so scared to come to this team. Scared of the new manager, the people...and now, I can't imagine why...
...and I really need to get back to better couponing. I have been getting some decent deals lately at Walgreens with their $5/$25 deals and so many Register Rewards. They needed to do something when they took away their rebate program and I appreciate their efforts to keep us couponers happy...I think with being at work during this shift, I should be able to do more research and really search the deals. I am working on a better organization system as well as a teaching method for both beginners and intermediate couponers. I do not consider myself an expert yet, though I know many of my friends turn to me for help, they should see how some others do it! WOW! I have not made it on TV nor radio so I guess I am not an expert..YET! Please notice the emphasis...LOL
...well thanks for listening to my rant...I know I haven't been keeping up like I wanted. I will try to be better about it...
Happy Friday EVERYONE!
...the kids have also started school. Kids. PLURAL. I have two in school now. WOW! Tristan seems to be adjusting well. Scared me a little bit since his teacher called me around 11 am this morning but it was just cause he was missing his Alphabet Book. When I saw her name on my phone, I thought something happened and my heart jumped up in my throat...He did have his binder signed because he was throwing wood chips at recess but other than that, I am told he is adjusting well. I have to give him a little leeway since this really is his first structured environment. He never had the chance to go to Pre-School like Ethan nor did we ever have daycare. My Tristan is a very smart boy and I know he will do well. Today, he picked a flower for his teacher...yes, this would be my little charmer...
...I must say that I am very proud of Ethan. He is being such a GREAT older brother and I really do not tell him that enough. He looks out for Tristan and he really is happy to have him at school with him. It is still hard for the boys in the morning and you can hear Ethan telling Tristan that they both have to get ready for school. It really is so cute.
...for Chris and I...I think this adjustment is going to take some getting used to. I am not sure what to do to make this easier for him on Thursdays and Fridays. I can't imagine what it will be like if he goes back to having weekends off instead of Monday and Tuesday nights! Currently, he is the one dealing with football practices and dinner...almost makes me want to switch my shift back to days. But, I really do like nights..or I guess I should say evenings. This shift is MUCH less stressful than when I worked days and I really do like the people down here. I remember being so scared to come to this team. Scared of the new manager, the people...and now, I can't imagine why...
...and I really need to get back to better couponing. I have been getting some decent deals lately at Walgreens with their $5/$25 deals and so many Register Rewards. They needed to do something when they took away their rebate program and I appreciate their efforts to keep us couponers happy...I think with being at work during this shift, I should be able to do more research and really search the deals. I am working on a better organization system as well as a teaching method for both beginners and intermediate couponers. I do not consider myself an expert yet, though I know many of my friends turn to me for help, they should see how some others do it! WOW! I have not made it on TV nor radio so I guess I am not an expert..YET! Please notice the emphasis...LOL
...well thanks for listening to my rant...I know I haven't been keeping up like I wanted. I will try to be better about it...
Happy Friday EVERYONE!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Things to do today....
...upload your ecoupons to your Kroger card at www.upromise.com, www.shortcuts.com, www.cellfire.com, www.pgesaver.com
...make a list of things that you need, we'll see if we can match them up to Saturday's awesome sale at Kroger...
...check your email for a $5/$25 from CVS. This is valid TODAY only!!!
...make a list of things that you need, we'll see if we can match them up to Saturday's awesome sale at Kroger...
...check your email for a $5/$25 from CVS. This is valid TODAY only!!!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Getting back into couponing...
...well I was never really out of it but I have been sad because I have been missing out on deals because I have been so busy with the family. Now that we are starting to get a handle on things, I am getting back into it! I just need to be more organized! Got some great savings today though!
...so there was a great coupon to use at Walgreens the past four days and I took advantage of it!
Three transactions, not many, but lots of goodies in return.
First transaction:
8 Skippy Peanut Butter 16.3 ozs
2 Pop Tarts 8 ct
2 Keebler Fudge Cookies 15 ozs
2 Cheez Its 4.5 ozs
2 Drano (Walgreens brand) 32 ozs
4 Chicken of the Sea Tuna 5 ozs
1 Nail Polish Remover 10 ozs
2 Penway Pencils 10 pk
2 Vinyl Binders 1"
1 Gum Toothbrush 2 pk
Total OOP: $27.60 Saved: $34.38
Average of $1.06 per item!
Received back: $10 RR for peanut butter, $5 RR for Kellogg's, $3.50 RR for toothbrush
Total of $18.50 to spend in the next two weeks!
If you want to include these RR savings: $27.60-$18.50 = $9.10
Average of $0.35 per item!
Second transaction:
4 Photostamp kits which includes Gift Code for 20 stamps.
These were clearanced at 75% off! Check your Walgreens for more!!!
Total OOP: $25.72 after taxes
This averaged out to $0.30 stamp before taxes!!! Who ever gets stamps on sale??? Love it!!!
Third transaction:
1 Photostamp kit
4 Dove Body Mists
4 Dove Ultimate Clear Deodorant
1 Huggies Newborn Jumbo Pack
1 Walgreens Jumbo pack Size 4s (clearanced 50% off!)
OOP: $23.96 Savings $50.32
Average $2.18 per item (Very high dollar items at that)
Received back $10RR for Dove products
Thus: $23.96-$10RR = $13.96
OR $1.27 per item!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND, I will get to submit this for the Caregivers Rebate for the Huggies diapers as well for more cash back!
Basically, for next week's sales I have $28.50 to spend! WOOHOO!
Then it was on to Tom Thumb in Southlake (don't ask me to explain why I had to go there, someone out there knows why!!!)
I went to there to get my cheap cat food with coupons that were to expire today in combo with their great super coupons this week!
Spent $26.14 Saved $38 or 60% Not great but I did buy a couple of cartons of Almond Milk and a $3 brush for my shower. Without those, my OOP would have been under $20.
Not bad for getting back on the horse. I will try to do better next week and report in on it!
Happy Shopping!
...so there was a great coupon to use at Walgreens the past four days and I took advantage of it!
Three transactions, not many, but lots of goodies in return.
First transaction:
8 Skippy Peanut Butter 16.3 ozs
2 Pop Tarts 8 ct
2 Keebler Fudge Cookies 15 ozs
2 Cheez Its 4.5 ozs
2 Drano (Walgreens brand) 32 ozs
4 Chicken of the Sea Tuna 5 ozs
1 Nail Polish Remover 10 ozs
2 Penway Pencils 10 pk
2 Vinyl Binders 1"
1 Gum Toothbrush 2 pk
Total OOP: $27.60 Saved: $34.38
Average of $1.06 per item!
Received back: $10 RR for peanut butter, $5 RR for Kellogg's, $3.50 RR for toothbrush
Total of $18.50 to spend in the next two weeks!
If you want to include these RR savings: $27.60-$18.50 = $9.10
Average of $0.35 per item!
Second transaction:
4 Photostamp kits which includes Gift Code for 20 stamps.
These were clearanced at 75% off! Check your Walgreens for more!!!
Total OOP: $25.72 after taxes
This averaged out to $0.30 stamp before taxes!!! Who ever gets stamps on sale??? Love it!!!
Third transaction:
1 Photostamp kit
4 Dove Body Mists
4 Dove Ultimate Clear Deodorant
1 Huggies Newborn Jumbo Pack
1 Walgreens Jumbo pack Size 4s (clearanced 50% off!)
OOP: $23.96 Savings $50.32
Average $2.18 per item (Very high dollar items at that)
Received back $10RR for Dove products
Thus: $23.96-$10RR = $13.96
OR $1.27 per item!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND, I will get to submit this for the Caregivers Rebate for the Huggies diapers as well for more cash back!
Basically, for next week's sales I have $28.50 to spend! WOOHOO!
Then it was on to Tom Thumb in Southlake (don't ask me to explain why I had to go there, someone out there knows why!!!)
I went to there to get my cheap cat food with coupons that were to expire today in combo with their great super coupons this week!
Spent $26.14 Saved $38 or 60% Not great but I did buy a couple of cartons of Almond Milk and a $3 brush for my shower. Without those, my OOP would have been under $20.
Not bad for getting back on the horse. I will try to do better next week and report in on it!
Happy Shopping!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
SUPER DOUBLE COUPONS August 15th, 2009 @ Kroger!
This was too good not to post right away! I am going to go through my coupons and add a list as I go for items that will be cheap or free! WOOHOO!
Start clipping those coupons!!!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Are there enough hours in the day?
...as a parent, does it always seem like you are running on empty? I know that is probably a stupid question but seriously, what is the deal? I have been doing this for 8 years but it seems as if I will never catch up! I go back to work in two weeks, look at my house and want to cry. There was so much I wanted to accomplish before I go back to work and none of it is going to get done. I can barely get the dishwasher loaded let alone get the laundry folded and put away. And this is with me NOT WORKING. What is going to happen when I go back?
...and don't get me wrong, I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to have my fourth child. I knew it would be chaotic, messy, and how many other adjectives I could use to describe my house. But right now, at this moment, I am seriously OVERWHELMED. There is so much to do and I do not even know where to start.
...today I opted to take all four boys with me to the dr's office for Coltan's appointment. A real outing with my four boys, all alone! I had the option to leave two with Chris but I wanted him to get some sleep since his job sucks and he needs all the sleep he can get before I start work again! So we go to the office and Tristan of course wants to interrupt while the dr is talking. I am trying to listen while Ronan is acting cranky because I am having to pinch his nose for five minutes to stop his second nosebleed of the day! Then the nurse says to me "I know this can be overwhelming..." and tries to give me advice on how to handle my kids...UGH! I wanted to cry right there and then...
...so the appointment is over..thank goodness...and we head out the door. We start driving home and in my head I am weighing out the pros and cons of taking them all to Sprouts, my favorite produce store. It is on the way home from the dr's office and not convenient for me to take the kids home and come back. So, it is about a 10 minute drive before I hit it and I say to myself, "OK, you can do this." So I stop at Sprouts. Baby is sleeping, check! Ronan is not cranky, check! Ethan and Tristan can walk beside the cart, check!
...so here we walk into Sprouts and it was a complete 180 from the dr's office! Only one time did I have to ask Tristan to get off Ethan's back and only one time did I have to tell them to stay beside me! In retrospect, calling them back was my mistake as they were chasing after the ball that Ronan threw on the ground. I was able to shop for 15 minutes and buy more than 10 items! Ronan did not try to get out of the cart, baby did not wake up until we were leaving the store (and even then, he did not cry) and the two older boys stayed by me the entire time! Yes, they received a treat, sour neon gummi worms, but hey! Small price to pay for good behavior!
..I talked to two different women in Sprouts and they couldn't get over how cute the boys were! I said "Thank you, it is because they are behaving now!" One woman with her two daughters said her friend has five sons! Yikes! Good luck with that! I am finally getting used to having four. It is more work but not that much different from three. Coltan is an easy baby. I am extremely lucky. Our biggest hurdle is dealing with the terrible 2's. WOW! Can't wait until this phase is over.
...But, one obstacle seems to be out of the way, it is 2 am right now and he is sleeping in his brothers' room for the fifth night in a row! Last night, he did come back to my room later in the night but tonight, he is in there and went there ON HIS OWN!!! :-) Keep in mind that both of his brothers did not sleep in their own room until after he was born!!! So this is early for me and I am so happy! Chris and I almost did not know what to do with ourselves when there was no child in between us in the bed on Tuesday night. (Coltan sleeps in the bassinet beside our bed) Neither one of us is used to being in bed at the same time due to our schedules and if we are in bed together there is a child between us. 10 years we have been together, you'd think we would have been more excited about it, but both of us just thought it was kind of weird. LOL
...Anyway, back to the original question at hand, are there enough hours in the day? No. Every time I go to start a project, it fails because one child is always needing your attention and you know you are going to give that attention to them. What kind of parent are you if you don't? Sometimes, you wonder if it should be mandatory for everyone, no matter what age, to have nap time just so you can get things done. Then again, when they take a nap, it turns into rest time for yourself and then before you know it, they are up again and you have to put away whatever you were working on so it does not get ruined, Sound familiar?
Welcome to my world!
...and don't get me wrong, I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to have my fourth child. I knew it would be chaotic, messy, and how many other adjectives I could use to describe my house. But right now, at this moment, I am seriously OVERWHELMED. There is so much to do and I do not even know where to start.
...today I opted to take all four boys with me to the dr's office for Coltan's appointment. A real outing with my four boys, all alone! I had the option to leave two with Chris but I wanted him to get some sleep since his job sucks and he needs all the sleep he can get before I start work again! So we go to the office and Tristan of course wants to interrupt while the dr is talking. I am trying to listen while Ronan is acting cranky because I am having to pinch his nose for five minutes to stop his second nosebleed of the day! Then the nurse says to me "I know this can be overwhelming..." and tries to give me advice on how to handle my kids...UGH! I wanted to cry right there and then...
...so the appointment is over..thank goodness...and we head out the door. We start driving home and in my head I am weighing out the pros and cons of taking them all to Sprouts, my favorite produce store. It is on the way home from the dr's office and not convenient for me to take the kids home and come back. So, it is about a 10 minute drive before I hit it and I say to myself, "OK, you can do this." So I stop at Sprouts. Baby is sleeping, check! Ronan is not cranky, check! Ethan and Tristan can walk beside the cart, check!
...so here we walk into Sprouts and it was a complete 180 from the dr's office! Only one time did I have to ask Tristan to get off Ethan's back and only one time did I have to tell them to stay beside me! In retrospect, calling them back was my mistake as they were chasing after the ball that Ronan threw on the ground. I was able to shop for 15 minutes and buy more than 10 items! Ronan did not try to get out of the cart, baby did not wake up until we were leaving the store (and even then, he did not cry) and the two older boys stayed by me the entire time! Yes, they received a treat, sour neon gummi worms, but hey! Small price to pay for good behavior!
..I talked to two different women in Sprouts and they couldn't get over how cute the boys were! I said "Thank you, it is because they are behaving now!" One woman with her two daughters said her friend has five sons! Yikes! Good luck with that! I am finally getting used to having four. It is more work but not that much different from three. Coltan is an easy baby. I am extremely lucky. Our biggest hurdle is dealing with the terrible 2's. WOW! Can't wait until this phase is over.
...But, one obstacle seems to be out of the way, it is 2 am right now and he is sleeping in his brothers' room for the fifth night in a row! Last night, he did come back to my room later in the night but tonight, he is in there and went there ON HIS OWN!!! :-) Keep in mind that both of his brothers did not sleep in their own room until after he was born!!! So this is early for me and I am so happy! Chris and I almost did not know what to do with ourselves when there was no child in between us in the bed on Tuesday night. (Coltan sleeps in the bassinet beside our bed) Neither one of us is used to being in bed at the same time due to our schedules and if we are in bed together there is a child between us. 10 years we have been together, you'd think we would have been more excited about it, but both of us just thought it was kind of weird. LOL
...Anyway, back to the original question at hand, are there enough hours in the day? No. Every time I go to start a project, it fails because one child is always needing your attention and you know you are going to give that attention to them. What kind of parent are you if you don't? Sometimes, you wonder if it should be mandatory for everyone, no matter what age, to have nap time just so you can get things done. Then again, when they take a nap, it turns into rest time for yourself and then before you know it, they are up again and you have to put away whatever you were working on so it does not get ruined, Sound familiar?
Welcome to my world!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
More new firsts...
Pictures are up! Here is the link to my beautiful boys:
http://sixfourteenphotography.blogspot.com/2009/08/cook-brothers.html
Funny thing is, this group picture should have never happened! These are not the outfits that I had picked out for the group shot, but I guess I will take what I can get. I am excited for Colton (out photographer) to finish the touch-ups on all of the other pics he took!
Last night was an interesting evening on our block. It was the return of our long lost neighbors Rebecca and Gabriel. They left us for small town living near Amarillo and came back for a visit last night. This gave us the opportunity to partake in a few adult beverages...of which I only had two. My husband had a bit more. Though pics of me reveal otherwise, it is just my Asian genes kicking in that make me all red-faced after one drink!
Now, being 33 makes you really think about how much you can actually drink. Looking back on how I was at 21 compared to now is a huge difference. Maybe I will find a pic of me at 21 and compare it to the one we took last night for tomorrow's blog...should be an interesting comparison. It is amazing what 12 years can do to someone's stamina. Two drinks wasn't even an appetizer back in the day...now, that is most likely my evening. Not that, that is a bad thing. Hell, it is alot cheaper for me now than back then...LOL
I think what holds me back is the boys. I have to be responsible now. A grown-up. Although Ethan says that 35 is when you are an adult. I'm not 35 so do I have to be one?;-) I sometimes think about the glory days of being 20, single with no responsibilities. Would I ever want to go back to that? My baby sis is 28, single, living at a resort in her first year apprenticeship as a chef. She posts pics of her backpacking in the mountains, kayaking and playing softball. Sometimes I look at those pics and am jealous. Looks so freeing. There are so many pros and cons to being single versus being married with kids.
What would I choose now?
Married with kids. This is hard, no doubt about it. Leaves many restrictions on what I can do. There is no real ME time. My ME time is spent here, clipping coupons, reading emails, looking at Facebook, while the kids watch Noggin and I make sure they do not kill eachother. One of the biggest positives is that I have a partner in all of this. Someone to tag out so I can take a shower by myself or go to the store with no kids in tow. And I am never alone. There will always be someone to hug, someone to cuddle with, someone to say I love you. That is the best part.
So even though, I can't party like I used to, I am happy that I do not really want to. I would rather pick up my baby, cuddle on the couch and have them say "I love you Mommy"
It doesn't get better than that.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
My boys are growing up...
Today was a day of firsts! Took all four boys to Bear Creek Park and had a professional photos done of them individually and as a group. No parents, just the kids...I am in no shape for pictures...maybe at Christmas...MAYBE....
Ethan, Tristan and Coltan were just fine for their pics..but Ronan was a WILDMAN! Trying to get a group shot was like trying to herd cattle! Seriously!
I think we got it right at the end, but we'll see when the pics are posted. Our photographer posts them to his own blog and I will let you know when they are up. Overall, everything went well. I wish Ronan was more cooperative but he's 2..what did I expect really? The photographer (who was named Colton...kind of funny) and his wife chased Ronan around for about 15 minutes trying to get some decent photos of him...we'll see how that turns out! They definitely earned their $75 session fee!! I know they got some awesome shots of Ethan and Tristan together though...those two can really pose it up. Ethan made me laugh because he wanted to wear this black wristband for his individual pics. Gave him a bit of an edgier look...my Ethan...edgy...not something anyone would think. He is starting to have an opinion on his look...am I ready for that?
He will be entering his second season of football, which scares me since he is just tipping the scales at 51.2 lbs and the weight limit for Bantam is 90lbs!!! Many guys are ALOT bigger than my boy, but he wants to play so who am I to say no?
Then, there is my Tristan. Now 5 and currently at his first sleepover! I think it is a great venue for his first sleepover as there are four boys there including his brother and he is right down the street from me. The picture above is of the boys and our friend Curtis who will be watching over the boys. My house is so eerily quiet...both young ones are sleeping and I really should be as well, but of course, I can't...
I just keep counting down the days before I have to go back to work and it makes me so sad. I am really enjoying being here for the boys and my husband. I hope they enjoy me being here though I know they get bored sometimes. Hopefully I can get some fun activities in before school starts.
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