It's a carnival!!!

I had to take Luke & Sarah both to the doctor in Winston last Friday. We met up with Sarah's dad and she went to spend the weekend with him. Luke and I went on to run a couple of errands while I was in town. As we went through the Mall parking lot to go from AC Moore to Walgreen's a wondrous sight appeared right there outside of Macy's...a carnival. I couldn't pass it up, we had to stop. Luke was so excited. I bought $15 worth of tickets (enough for him to ride 5 rides).

First, he rode the Drop Zone. Six years old and full blooded dare devil. I wouldn't ride that for anything.

Next, he rode the swings, another ride I would never get on. That's his legs dangling there. You can see the Drop Zone in the background. Then he rode the BIG Slide.

After that he actually talked me into getting on a ride with him, The Scat. It was one of those "centrifugal force" rides that go around and around. I told him 1/2 jokingly that I couldn't believe he talked me into that ride, but I was thinking this won't be a big deal. Well, after the ride got going I was praying that it would end very quickly and I wouldn't get sick before it did. I don't know what I looked like, but the guy running the ride started yelling, "do I need to stop it?". I just started nodding my head as hard as I could, praying he was talking to me. When he got it stopped, I didn't know if I was going to be able to walk off of it. Then the guy says, "he can finish the ride if he wants to", so mom had to get off (terrified and nauseous) and the six year old finished the ride alone. You can barely see him in the picture.

Menu Plan Monday

This is what I write my menu plan on. It is a pad with a magnet on the back that stays on the front of my refrigerator.
Monday - Tacos (Soft & Hard shell), Spanish Rice, Ice Cream Sundaes
Tuesday - Lemon Chicken & Angel Hair Pasta, Salad, Jalapeno Cheese Bread
Wednesday - Out before church
Thursday - Fend for yourself (I have an all day meeting and then a nail appt.)
Friday - Spaghetti, garlic bread
Saturday - Not sure yet may make another trip to Stone Mountain for the day.
Sunday - Home made pizza

Visit Orgjunkie for more great Menu Plan Monday ideas.

Wachovia - Way 2 Save

I signed up for this new savings program at Wachovia about 5 weeks ago and I am loving it. I have already saved $149.00 and it hasn't hurt a bit. You have to have a Wachovia checking account. After you open the Way 2 Save savings account, Wachovia will transfer $1 from you checking account every time you:

1)Use your Wachovia Check Card to make purchases
2)Pay a bill online, including through Online Banking with Billpay
3)Set up automatic debits

You can set up automatic transfers of up to $100.00 a month for even more savings and interest. These are the only ways money can be deposited into this account. You can't just go to your local branch and make a deposit. However you can take money out any time you need to.

You will earn:
1)5.00% annual percentage yield the first year
2)5% first year bonus

and:
If you apply by May 30th, you'll earn a 16% interest rate through June, July & August.

The only downfall is having to keep up with how much money is being transferred out of my checking account because it is done daily and I have to post each individual withdrawel from my checking and add it in my savings. But, that has been worth watching my money grow.

CVS

This was one of my best trips yet. I got...
8) Sobe Life Water $1.00 ea
1) Colgate 360 Toothbrush $3.99
1) Zantac Cool Mint 30 qty $10.19
1) Rolaids 3 roll pack $2.49
Used:
4) Sobe Life Water B1/G1 (Register took off $1.59 instead of the sale price)
1) $5/1 Zantac printable
1) $2/1 Zantac CVS coupon
1) $1/1 Colgate 360 Toothbrush
1) CVS $4/20

Total Merchandise: $24.67
Coupon Used: $18.36
ECB used: $ 6.00
OOP(including tax): $ 1.17
ECB earned: $ 9.99

Free Samples

I didn't get quite as many free samples last week as I did the week before, but I do get at least one surprise in my mailbox everyday. Last week I got:

Fiber One Cereal & $1/1 cpn
Hamburger Helper Singles
Dove Pro Age Lotion & $1.50/1 cpn
Nutra Sweet
Aqua Fresh Extreme Clean
Seattles Best Coffee Vanilla Bean & $1/1 cpn
GE Caulk Single
Goodnites Boxer
Icy Hot Patch
Sippy Cup from Juicy Juice

A lot of this sample size stuff will be going to Japan with Sarah this summer.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Tacos, Mexican Rice, Refried Beans
Tuesday: Italian Steak Sandwiches, French Fries, Slaw
Wednesday: Hamburger Helper, Green Peas, Bread
Thursday: Leftovers (Academic Awards Banquet for Sarah)
Friday: Succulent Pork Chops, Zuchini & Onions, Baked Potato
Saturday: Not sure yet
Sunday: Not sure yet
For some really great menue ideas check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com

My Trip to Town

I had a very good trip to town last night. I went to Walgreens, Target and CVS. I only spent about $20. Now for me that is amazing. Here's what I got....

Walgreens: Reusable bag, 2 feminine products, 2 dish liquids, 4 hefty one zip storage bags, 7 up freezer bars, scissors, oral b cross action toothbrush, 2 kraft macaroni & cheese.
$24.96 Merchandise
$ 8.53 Coupons
$10.00 Register Rewards
$ 7.85 OOP (including tax)
I will get $4.49 back in a rebate for the toothbrush, which really makes my OOP $3.36


Target: 2 trial size All detergent (for Sarah's trip to Japan), trial size Q-tips, Post-it filing tabs, Bonus pack Crest Pro-Rinse Night, Speed Racer Car for the little man.
$17.44 Merchandise
$ 8.00 Coupons
$ 1.74 10% disc Target Visa Rewards
$ 8.76 OOP (including tax)
**The Speed Racer car alone was $7.59 +tax


CVS: Ajax dish detergent, 2 Colgate Total toothpaste, 3 CVS allergy tabs, Schick Intuition Razor.

$28.11 Merchandise
$ 6.00 Coupons
$18.54 ECBS
$ 4.22 OOP (including tax)
$21.37 ECB's Back
So basically I made $17.15 on this purchase.

I think I am addicted to the coupon shopping. My hubby keeps reminding me that we don't need any more toothpaste. I think I have about 10 tubes stockpiled so far. Last week I did donate toothpaste, toothbrushes, and Breathsaver Mints to our Military Care Packages at church. I will also be using many items for Samaritans Purse shoeboxes at Christmas. I donated 8 bars of the Johnnson's Buddy soaps to our area pregnancy center a couple of weeks ago, so nothing is going to waste.

Menu Plan Monday-a day late

Monday - leftovers
Tuesday - Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo(Chicken Helper), Peas, Garlic Bread
Wednesday - out before church
Thursday - Beef Stroganoff, Green Beans, Bread
Friday - Pork Roast, crowder peas, fried apples, cornbread
Saturday - Tacos, Rice, Beans
Sunday - Not sure yet
Check out orgjunkie.com for more great menu ideas.

Free Samples

I love free samples. I get excited everyday as I come home to see what I have waiting for me in the mailbox. Last week I got...
Seattle's Best Coffee & $1/1 coupon
Bio Spot Flea & Tick Control -3 month supply!!
Lean Cuisine Celebration Charm
Kashi Mountain Medley Granola (Yum)
Goodnites Boxers
Prilosec OTC & $1/1 Coupon
Loreal Skin Genesis SPF 15 Lotion
Loreal Skin Genesis Serum Concentrate
Frizz Ease Straight Ahead
$10 Exxon Gas Card (for 1 month trial to Great Fun)
Dove Shampoo & Conditioner & $1/1 coupon
Revolution in World Missions Book
Duncan Donuts Coffee (Yum)
Total Cranberry Crunch Cereal & $1/1 coupon
South Beach living kit & $2/1 coupon
Kotex & $2/1 coupon
Hamburger Helper Microwave Single
Sensodyne Toothpaste

How sweet...

As I sit here posting, my children are in the kitchen making brownies for a fundraiser at school tomorrow. They have warned of possible severe weather this evening and I have worried all day about how my 6 yr old son would handle it. You see, about 2 months ago he was in the car with his father when a huge pine tree fell on the car as they were going down the road. We had had rain for several days and it had been very windy. The car was totaled but no one inside was hurt. Luke was showered with broken glass but not injured. Every since then he has been terrified if the wind even starts to blow and you may as well give up trying to do anything if the sky gets dark or it thunders. He goes through the house from room to room looking out the windows to make sure there are no tornadoes, begging to watch the news and go to weather.com. Every morning he asks what the weatherman said to expect for that day. Now tonight, I have come in and you can hear the thunder rumbling in the background. I am waiting for Luke's panic to begin, but I hear him in the kitchen tell his sister that God is with him, he is not afraid and he goes over to the refrigerator where I have a magnet from our VBS 2 yrs ago that says "do not be afraid. God is with you. Joshua 1:9 and he reads that to his sister. He is now in the kitchen and the thunder is getting closer, the rain has started and all my son cares about is licking the spatula from the brownie mix. God is good!

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

I just felt like it needed to be said.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Popcorn Shrimp, Mac & Cheese, Peas
Tuesday - Cube Steak Parmesan, Green Beans, Creamed Corn, Garlic Bread
Wednesday - BBQ Crock Pot Chicken, Corn, Lima Beans, Mashed Potatos
Thursday - Fund raising banquet for local Pregnancy Center -
Friday - Hamburger Helper, Mixed Veggies, Garlic Bread

Go on over to Orgjunkie.com to check out lots more menus...