latest haul...

I wouldn't call myself an addict yet... but holy moly I'm LOVING this couponing thing!

Today I tried my hand at Walgreens. I've learned that the best way to utilize coupons is to "stack" them together. Stacked means that you use 2 coupons for an item... one store coupon and one manufacturs coupon. So when my I got the weekly ads in the Sunday paper I was able to look at the ads and store coupons and then see which items also had a manufacturers coupon as well.

Today I was able to buy quite a few items with LARGE coupons and can now throw a couple of these into my long term emergency storage! (LOVE THAT!)

Here is what I got:
4 bottles Herbal Essence hair products, 2 bottles Palmolive dish soap, 2 boxes nyquil, 2 boxes dayquil, 2 LARGE bottles of fish oil suppliments, 2 bottles of acidophilus suppliments, 1 Gillette fusion razor with shave gel, body wash and cooling after shave.

Total value before coupons and in store sales: $97.87
What I paid AFTER coupons and in store sales: $26.41

THAT kind of savings is worth an hour or so of my time looking for the deals! WOO HOO!!

my new couponing adeventure...

HOLY MOLY it's been WAY too long since I've blogged! Life as usual has taken over... but I've made a goal this year to keep up on my blog... so here goes!

I've started to learn more about "couponing" in the last few weeks. I've read a few blogs... spoken to a few friends... searched a few sites... and found that while I may not be the person who scours ads for coupons to get everything for 20 cents or free... I do have a goal to get as many of my staple items for $1 or less.

I lucked out because the Fred Meyer circular this week has some AWESOME coupons! So I went yesterday... and again today to buy the same items. Why go back again you ask? So I can stock up on everyday items that I buy regularly for SUPER CHEAP! And these items are not generic off brand random things... these are items like Barilla whole wheat pasta and tillamook shredded cheese. Today I walked out of the store with 29 items in hand and spending $30.05!!

Here is a list of what I bought:
10- 1/2 lb bags of shredded tillamook cheese
2- 5 lbs bags of sugar
2- bottles of suave clarifying shampoo
6- boxes of Barilla whole wheat pasta
    * 2 spagetti, 2 mini fusilli and 2 penne
2- cans of Grands Bicuits
3- boxes of Nestle hot chocolate mix (10 packets each)
4- boxes of kleenex

To me that is an awesome addition to my stock pile and even a little extra for my food storage!!! I love when I feel accomplished!

life is ALWAYS an adventure!!

WOW!! I just realized that it's been WAY too long since I posted a blog post!! YIKES!!

So to save both myself and all of you the craziness of reading through my life in the last 6 months I'll make a list of highlights that have happened in order as I can remember them... if you have questions just ask!!

1. Relay for Life was a HUGE success!! $150,000.00 raised!
2. Got my waterfront lifeguard certification!
3. Started teaching swimming lessons and lifeguarding at the local YMCA
4. Despite major layoffs, Neil is still at Harry and David
5. Summer vacation started
6. Started working for Parks and Rec dept running a local little league
7. Kids played in said little league all summer
8. Went to girls camp with my church... FUN FUN FUN!
9. Went to Family Camp with my family... FUN FUN FUN!!
10. Celebrated Neil losing 55 lbs!
11. Got ANOTHER JOB as a DJ for KOOL 103.5 in Medford! (LOVE IT!!)
12. Abby took a header and had a concussion and a stitch
13. Chloe and Mason started back to school
14. Did my first LIVE radio show!
15. Got a new puppy. SO CUTE!!
16. Abby started KINDERGARTEN!! All 3 kids in school!

Thats it in a nutshell... I'm still loving life and staying CRAZY busy! Relay For Life 2011 is just getting underway and of course heaven only know what other projects I'll dip my hands into!

Hope everyone is having a great year! Here comes the FALL!! My favorite time of year!!

Frugal Fotos: Lithia Park Photo Shoot

I've started a new blog for my photography!! I am working on building my portfolio and hoping to help suppliment my families income as well!!

Fees are $30 for a 30 minute on location photo shoot and you get a disk with all photos and rights to the prints.

Email me if you are interested in having your families pictures done! :)


Frugal Fotos: Lithia Park Photo Shoot: "Great day with some GREAT people! These shots were taken in Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon. Many different locations around the park were us..."

Pear Blossom 5k!

I promise I haven't fallen off the earth... just got WAY busy and had to cut down on computer time... so my blog has suffered. But I am back!!

This past month has been a crazy one with many ups and downs... but today I want to post about my great success... at least I think it's a great success!!

Yesterday I participated in the local Pear Blossom Festival 5k run. I've NEVER done a 5k in my life and I've been WAY out of shape... but I set this goal last year and needed to accomplish it!

I am happy to report that I DID IT!! My goal was to complete the 5k and do it under the "time limit"I walked the majority of it and jogged the last mile or so. My husband got some great shots of me at the tail end of the race... it was 30 degrees outside so I did most of the event wearing a wool hat with gloves on.

Today... I hurt... but it hurts good!! Happy April everyone! :)

Result by the numbers:

I was 991st out of 1118 participants

My time was: 50:45

I was 651st out of 754 women

I was 104 out of 111 in my age group

Join us for Musicians for Life!!

Music, Food, Purpose

DOZEN+ Local Bands Perform

Off the Wall Music Joins with American Cancer Society volunteers and local bands to create a charity event in Central Point.

MARCH 6th, 2010 12noon- midnight

The Brick Bar and Grill

311 E. Pine St.

Central Point, OR

thebrickbarandgrill.net

$5 donation cover charge

Guitar and Art Raffle

Bands play for ALL music lovers -- from Country and Bluegrass to Rock

ALL AGES (bands set up in restaurant and bar).

BANDS:Nail, Hamfist, Off the Wall Band, Rogue Rage, Step it up and Go, David Pinsky, Hired Gun, Buzzard Songs, Dandelion Jo, Constant Tourists, GreenStone, The Key of Three, The Syndicate, Joe Medina, Merle Staton, Gary Carlson, Dan Doshier, SOSA Southern Oregon Songwriters Association.

BAND LINEUP

Constant Tourists (Gypsy Jazz, Originals) Bar 12-1:30

Hired Gun (Rockin' Originals) Patio 12-1:30

Hamfist (Folk/Country/Americana) Rest 1:30-3

The Key of Three (Folk/rock originals.Harmony) Patio 2-3:30

The Syndicate (Rock) Bar 3-4:30

Dandelion Jo (Americana/Folk Trio) Rest. 4:30-6

David Pinsky (Blues Duo) Patio 4:30-6

Off the Wall Band (Classic/Mod. Country) Bar 6-7:30

NAIL (Hard Rock/Christian) Rest. 7:30-8:30

Buzzard Song (Rockin' Originals) Bar 8:30-9:30

Step it Up & Go (Rockabilly) Rest. 9:30-10:30

Greenstone and (Rock) Bar 10:30-12

FUN FUN FUN MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC FOOD FOOD FOOD GIVE GIVE GIVE

Merle Stayton, Dan Doshier, Gary Carlson, and Joe Medina will entertain during any breaks in the music.

2 goals down! 34 to go...

The last week has been very busy and productive for me! As many of you know I set some goals for myself to accomplish over the next year. If you haven't read about them... then check it out here!

In the past week I have accomplished goals number 2 and 14! First I turned the big 3-0! I had a great few weeks before my birthday and went into my 30th year of life with a BANG!! I had a fun filled day of pampering... got a new tatoo... and my sweet husband threw me an awesome 30th birthday bash at one of my favorite restaurants 4 Daughter's.

Pictures of goal #14:

Goal #2 was to organize my garage so I can park in it... check it out!! DONE!! I have a few boxes of things that will be gone once spring comes and we hold a garage sale... I love accomplishing things!!