I have entered the world of...CRAZY couponing!

I did not think I would. Yes, I learned from the "Grocery Guru" in Utah where he would get entire Thanksgiving dinners for $3.45 for $70 worth of food. But it seemed to confusing to try and figure out what was on sale and what I had coupons for, etc. So, I decided I didn't buy the stuff he talked about ANYWAY so why even put energy forth.

I heard the ladies in my ward (church) talking about getting ketchup for $.15 and toothbrushes for $.10 and thought - thats nice. Good for them.

But, I was totally WON over when they did a coupon event this Thursday at R.S. mtg. The girl talked about how she would never pay for soup, toothbrushes, deoderant, razors, feminine products, toothpaste, shampoo, granola bars, cereal AGAIN. She talked about how it was like a game and it was fun. It took her 2 hours a week to organize and check up on a couple website a couple times a day.

She showed how she organizes everything in a binder with baseball card holders, and every coupon in its correct section. Well, that didn't sound bad.
She talked about on some of her purchases, she actually had a NEGATIVE amount she owed and had to buy more things just to get it to a positive amount.

Well, since we just moved and have to REBUILD our food storage and replenish 72 kits, I thought - this is the PERFECT way to build a 2 year supply. I don't mind putting 2-3 hours in a week to beef up on 2 year supply of not just food, but also toiletries, toilet paper, etc, for FREE or for VERY LITTLE.

So, I DID IT. I started and had my first Walgreens experience taking advantage of the Register Rewards. I spent $25, got $23 in register rewards, plus another $5 off purchase of $30 good tomorrow and Wed, where I will get the same products I got today to get another $23 in register rewards and stock up on the sale items. What did I get - a REALLY good razor Brian needed, 2 bags Halls sugar free cough drops - (I usually need 1-2 bags in the winter) toothbrush, floss, raw almonds - 4 canisters). So tomorrow when I make this purchase, it should cost me $23 (which I get for FREE after register Rewards (RR), plus the $5 off, and I get $23 more RR, and I will stock up on chicken broth, tomato sauce and halloween goodies $7 worth for $2.

I also got free Panda express meal on Friday, and free Redbox code on Friday.

I was SO excited when I handed the guy at the register 12 coupons, although he didn't look at happy as me to initial all of them. I saved $10 on top of it all in coupons.

Here are the website I learned about - they are ADDICTIVE - but I love them. Some of them are Chicago based, but can give you an idea:

www.hip2save.com
www.mashupmom.com
www.hotcouponworld.com

I know there are others -but those guys tell you HOW to actually MAKE money by buying things you would get anyway.

I'm committed at least for a year to build up food storage. After that, we'll see :)

Anyone else do these CRAZY coupon deals?

Muscle woman...at the age of 6?!?

So, Brian's dad has been saying for the past two years that Brooke must have GREAT upper body strength because she literally "gallops" on all fours several times a day, and at breathtaking speeds - for a human. Of course, she completes her gallops across the yard with occasional jumps over an obstacle and at the end of her run, she whinnies and neighs with such accuracy, she has actually called live horses to her from across the pasture (I am not kidding!)

In fact, Brian's dad commented that he would put Brooke up against any kid her age in upper body strength - and she would beat them hands down.

Its not that I didn't BELIEVE that or think it might be true, but I just laughed at her galloping and let the comment wash off like water off a duck's back. I thought grandpa was exaggerating to make a point, and possibly biased because she is posterity.

Well, to my suprise, at gym class ALL the first graders had to do as many push ups and sit ups as they could in 1 minute. Many of the kids couldn't get any push ups, some girls got up to 5. A couple boys even got in the upper teens. One boy reached 20. And then Brooke comes and did 31 PUSH UPS, which beat out every class in the 1st grade. So I became a believer that galloping really DOES build great upper body strength.

Then the next day, was sit ups. Several kids did 10, some even 15. One boy got all the way up to 31. And Brooke came and did 34 SIT UPS! Well, apparently galloping also produces a very strong "core" so to speak. Who knew! ?!?!

I can feel a horse galloping movement coming on - Galloping is the new Yoga... or Galloping is the new Soccer...Galloping is the new karate - take your pick.
That Brooke is a Real Horse of a Girl!

It only took 9 years, but we FINALLY....

It only took 9 years, but we FINALLY....

GOT CABLE!! Well, U verse to be precise.

What crossed us over that dark line, you ask? Well, our TV converters (for analogue TVs) were no good in our new house and location unless we got a HUGE antennae. How did we know we needed a HUGE antennae for this? There is actually an antennae information website you go to that will tell you based on how far you live from a tower. We, my friends, are quite far it turns out.

The other thing? Based on my below post this should not surprise you, but I am SO excited about the BYU football team...that yes, it carried me over. Yes,watching ONLINE was plan B...but we got a FAB DEAL...we will get a DVR for FREE, and our whole entire phone + internet + cable bill will only be 14 dollars more than it is now which INCLUDES a DVR and INCLUDES all the ESPN (and other ones I think I will care about) channels. After 6 months, I told Brian it will go up $14 and we might have to be prepared to lower our channel status, or cancel, but at LEAST we will have 6 months. (I know, I feel SOOO cheap admitting that, but HEY...that is who we have to be right now!)

I am convinced we are the only people currently in our entire SUBDIVISION (fairly good sized) that does not have ANY SINGLE SOLITAIRY FORM of TV. Not channels, NADA, ZIP. We only watch movies...occasionally.

As I broke the news to Brian, I could literally FEEL him smiling on the other side of the phone, from EAR to EAR. He told me that was the last thing he expected me to say in a MILLION years when I said, "I have news." The only other thing he said that would have suprised him more..or as much...is if I said, " I am making cookies." If you know me relatively well, you would understand that. If you are still left wondering, go to my fitness blog "www.beautifulafterthebelly.blogspot.com".

ANYWAY, I feel like I am about to entire a whole new world...although I am lamenting a little teensy tiny bit that the house will be less "peaceful." At least I don't have to watch the dancing shows online with all their pixalated and fragmented frustrations!

09-09-09: It WAS golden!

A Golden BIRTHDAY, that is, for Tyler. Our little man is FOUR years old.

The day of his birthday, Brooke and I were rushing to leave the house to go to the bus stop, which is down the street. I asked if he wanted to come.

"No," he said, "I want to stay here with KoKo" (Kylianne).

So we left out the door, and OF COURSE, like always, Tyler changed his mind in 3 seconds and with fervent PASSION decided he MUST go with us to the bus stop.

We were already walking down the sidewalk, but I said, "OK, where's your shoes?"

I see him dissappear behind the front door, and then just as quickly he runs out the door again with something in his hand. He keeps running and then comes to a dead STOP on the driveway.

Well, time was of the essence because we have to walk for 2 minutes to get to the stop, and the bus was going to come ANY MINUTE.

I called loudly 40 feet away " Ok, put on your shoes!" And he continued to look distraught. I walked over to him and then I see he had only one single solitary shoe in his hand. I said distractedly, "Go get your other shoe, we HAVE to go!"

He started WAILING. I could see my neighbor 10 feet away washing his truck shaking his head to himself. I said, "Fine, I'll carry you!" So I started to carry him. I made it TWO feet and said, " There's NO way. You are too heavy. Tyler, you will just have to stay here."

I booked it with Brooke to catch the bus while I head LOUD WAILING filling up the neighborhood from where he was perched on the driveway. Other neighboors poked their heads our of their door to see the commotion.

Well, I decided I would walk with Brooke just until the road curves and then go back. But then Brooke and all the other kids (11 at her stop) all looked over at a little red figure running like FOREST GUMP down the road. He looked like a little red fire ant with little legs that went at lightening speed. Brooke shouted, "Mama, it's Tyler! He's running."

I just started giggling in spite of myself. The little goober ran all the way around the curb and down the rest of the road to the bus stop. He ran to Brooke and gave her hugs and signed "I LOVE YOU" which is our little tradition. I looked down at his feet and I noticed he had two matching shoes on his feet. He somehow in record time went back inside, found shoes, and rammed his feet inside them and took off.

What a kid! He wears his little heart on his sleeve - he's a very tender guy, even while ramming the play school bus into walls occasionally. We LOVE OUR GUY!!

BYU COUGARS DONE ME PROUD!

Did anyone watch that AWESOME game on Saturday night - BYU against Oklahoma?!?!?

Can I just say two words - NAILBITER and WOW.

I was in Cougar Heaven - well afterwards - and I was so "On pins and needles" DURING that I really literally almost couldn't take it.

So I was HOPING that we would get ranked 13 because not many teams below us - our ranking of 20 - lost. I checked the BCS ranking like....well, like a boy...checking Sunday night, Monday several times, early this morning, and finally at noon and I saw the BEAUTIFUL ranking of


(said with reverence) NINE!! (Brian is telling me me how turned on he is by me wanting to listen to the highlights and commentary as much as him - Yeah, TMI)

Yes - in the top 10. Since I am SO rusty with my sports rooting (BYU is the only team I get excited about...although while the Bulls were good back in the day, I rooted for them since I am from Chicago) my husband reminded me that we need to root for Oklahoma from here on out to make our win against them (number three ranked preseason) really MEANS something.

So the season is new, and I am SO jealous of people with SEASON TICKETS - MAn I miss those days!!! I will have to settle for watching on the laptop!

Anyone else getting Revved up for the season???????