Publix Deals and Coupons for 11/28-12/3

Visit Grocery Gathering HERE.
Publix will allow you to use 1 manufacturer AND 1 store coupon (this includes competitor store coupons) on every item you buy.

When an item is 3/$5 or such, you don't have to buy 3 to get the sale price.

Remember, you can use 2 coupons on BOGO items!!
Sunday Paper Insert Code:
SS - Smart Source
RP - Red Plum
GM - General Mills
P&G - Proctor & Gamble
KL - Kellogg's
V - Vlassis

If you want multiple coupons of bogo items for this week, be sure to order your coupons today from


Lawry's 30 Minute Marinade ($2.81/2)
Use $1/2 from RP 10/12
Makes them $.90 each

Special K Cereal (2/$5)
Use 2 $1/1 from RP 11/9
Makes them $1.50 a box

Knorr Sides (bogo @ $1.65/2)
Use $.75/2 from RP 10/5 or 11/16 or 2 $.60/1 printable
Makes them $.22 a bag

Quaker Oatmeal To Go (bogo @ $3.29/2)
Use 2 $.55/1 from RP 9/7 or $1/1 printable
Makes them $.64-$1.09 a box

Orville Redenbacher Popcorn (bogo @ $3.23/2)
Use 2 $.40/1 from SS 10/12
Makes them $1.21 a box

Arnold Bread (bogo @ $3.69/2)
Use 2 $.50/1 printable
Makes them $1.35 a loaf

Stouffer's Lean Cousine Entree (4/$10)
Use $1/3 from RP 11/2
Makes them $2.18 each

Nestle Coffee-mate Creamer (bogo @ $2.57/2)
Use 2 $.50/1 from RP 11/2
Makes them $.77 a bottle

Frosted Flakes Cereal ($1.99/box)
Use $1/1 from RP 11/9
Makes them $.99 a box

Publix Milk ($3.69/gallon)

White Potatoes ($1.99/5 lb. bag)

Whole Chicken ($.99/lb.)

Tomatoes on the vine ($1.79/lb.)

More bogo deal with NO Coupons:
Immaculate Baking Cookie Dough ($3.49/2)
Stouffer's Skillet Meals ($5.37/2)
Crystal Light ($4.85/2)
Kraft BBQ Sauce ($1.65/2)
Starkist White Chunk Tuna ($3.29/2)
Stouffer's French Bread Pizza ($3.19/2)
Bantry Bay Mussels ($4.99/2)
Pomegranates ($2.99/2)

Bluetooth

Today is Black Friday. We started a tradition several years back where we look for the absolute best deal we can find for something we actually want and wake up at the crack of dawn to stand in line for it.

For me, this tradition is only fun when we have the $$ to buy the things that are on a good deal. And, you have to save a significant amount for it to truly be worth the ungodly hours of the morning.

For my husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law, it's a different story. They have decided that this is a great "guy bonding" tradition. So, whether there is a terrific deal or not, they scour the papers looking for something to buy.

This year, Staples had a $40 bluetooth on sale for $9.99. My husband or I have never had a wireless earpiece. So, this became the item worth the insanity.

Before I go any farther, I would like to take a quick poll. How many of you know exactly what I am talking about when I say a bluetooth is on sale? There is a very good reason for this question. This became the topic of conversation last night between myself and my brother-in-law.

You see, he is a computer geek and he feels the need to make sure that I use the correct terminology when referring to these electronics. Apparantly, bluetooth is a technology, not an object. So, you cannot purchase a "bluetooth". You CAN purchase an earpiece with bluetooth technology. But, I think that takes way to long to say and I'm pretty sure every other common folk know what I am talking about when I say bluetooth.

So, I would just like to see how many of you would refer to an earpiece with bluetooth technology as a bluetooth.

Anyway, I am actually excited about this new purchase. I know I am a couple years behind, but they are very cool. I look forward to being one of those people now that you can't tell if they are crazy and talking to themselves, talking to you or... on their "bluetooth".

Kid At Heart

So, the kids weren't the only ones building a pile of leaves. Daddy started the pile off. It's a good thing. I think the kids would've gotten lost in there :)

In Georgia

Well, we made it to Georgia. We arrived here late last night (around midnight). We caravaned up with Jarrett and Jaime so we had one of their kids and they had one of ours. It worked out very well. We watched 1 movie and then everyone went to sleep (well, except Cory).

I was talking to my mother-in-law last night about my relaxing down time comment in the previous post. She doesn't forsee any relaxing down time here with all the craziness of cooking, kids and what not. I told her that I can cook, clean, entertain and anything else as long as my husband is here to help me with the kids. Compared to Saturday, almost anything could be considered relaxing :)

Today, we will start to cook some of the dishes and Jaime has planned some fun crafts to do with kids. I have planned some informational books to read to the kids. Hmmm... which one of us is going to be more fun? Jaime has always been pretty good at thinking up those crafty and fun activities that the kids will remember year after year. To see what she thought up 2 years ago when we were all here together, check here.

Right now, my kids are playing outside in their winter jackets and raking up a big pile of leaves to jump in. THAT is definitely something they can't do in Florida. Coming to Mimi and Papa's is full of new and exciting things!

A Crazy Weekend!

I realize that I haven't posted anything since last Wednesday. Well, I have a couple of good reasons...

1. My husband left on Friday afternoon to head to north Georgia with some friends to celebrate a 30th birthday. He was gone until last night. So, I have had the kids by myself for the weekend. That normally wouldn't be so hard except...

2. We decided to have a garage sale while the guys were out of town. By the time Saturday rolled around, our garage sale grew to include 6 families junk! To keep everything straight, we had a notebook where we marked down how much $$ to each family every time someone came with their purchase. It worked out very good. I didn't think I was going to find much stuff to bring. But, it is amazing how much crap you can find in your home when you start looking for it.

Now, let me just say, "I LOVE garage sales!". I know that may be a little crazy, but I really do. I love the haggling and getting rid of the trash from my house. I also love the $$ at the end of the day. As far as garage sales go, I think this one was very successful considering the conditions. Now, I'm sure the pictures I am going to post are going to make some of you northeners laugh out loud. But, it was stinkin' cold! We spent the entire day on Friday pricing things and buying signs and organizing the stuff. Friday night, we went to get change (at midnight!) from Wal-Mart and hammer those signs into the ground. At this time of night, it had gotten very chilly and the wind was blowing. We only jumped out of the car 4 times to put out signs, but we were frozen by the time we were done.

I got to sleep that night at about 1 a.m. Then, I was awake at about 2:15 and went through the house to make sure all my kids were properly covered with blankets. I went back to sleep and awoke to the sound of a smoke alarm needing batteries at about 4:20. We turned the alarm off and laid back down. I knew I had to be up at 5 to start setting stuff ready, so I just got back up. So, we are looking at about 3-4 hours of sleep to start the day (fun, right?)

We bundled up and headed outside to set up tables and organize everything. Again, it was still very chilly (for us Floridians).We also decided to let the kids have a "hot chocolate, coffee, muffins" stand. They did a great job and made $8 by the end of the day.Now, let me just make sure you have a firm understanding of what we decided to undertake. We had 5 moms, 12 kids (ages 9,8,6,6,5,4,4,4,4,2,2,1) and NO HUSBANDS while we were doing a garage sale. I will go ahead and say that I do not plan to EVER do that again with small children. Maybe when I have all teenagers or something. But, things got a little crazy. Most of the time the kids played inside with my older kids trying to do some entertaining. Unfortunately for Jess, her house was trashed and she found several spots with marker (table, wall, floor) and a bottle of glitter exploded in 1 room. Here is a picture of all the kids listening to my 6 year. I don't think I could get them this orderly :)

At the end of the day, we walked away with a grand total of $950! It's a good thing, or the craziness of the day wouldn't have been worth it. We were all completely exhausted and headed to bed early that night. I was amazed that even with a full night sleep how tired I still was yesterday. I think I am doing good today though. I guess that's a good thing, because I am packing today to be able to head to Georgia tomorrow to spend Thanksgiving with Cory's family. I am ready for some relaxing down-time.

Publix Deals and Coupons for 11/20-26

Publix will allow you to use 1 manufacturer AND 1 store coupon (this includes competitor store coupons) on every item you buy.

When an item is 3/$5 or such, you don't have to buy 3 to get the sale price.

Remember, you can use 2 coupons on BOGO items!!
Sunday Paper Insert Code:
SS - Smart Source
RP - Red Plum
GM - General Mills
P&G - Proctor & Gamble
KL - Kellogg's
V - Vlassis

If you want multiple coupons of bogo items for this week, be sure to order your coupons today from

Another great week to stock up at Publix!! Happy Shopping Everyone!

Martha White Muffin Mix ($.50-$.69)

Use $5/10 items from Publix Advantage

Makes them FREE or nearly free!

Land O Lakes Butter (2/$5)

Use 2 $.30/1 from SS 10/12

Makes them $2.20 a box

Sargento Shredded Cheese (2/$5)

Use $.50/2 from RP 11/16

Makes them $2.25 a bag

Breakstone Sour Cream ($.99)

Use $1/1 from Publix Winter Family Savings Mag.

Makes them FREE!!

Philadelphia Cream Cheese (4/$5)

Use $.50/2 from SS 11/2

Makes them $1 a box

Crisco Olive Oil (bogo @ $5.07/2)

Use 2 $.75/1 from RP 10/19

Makes them $1.76 a bottle

Bird's Eye Veggies 8-32 oz (50% off)

Use 2 $.35/1 from SS 10/12 or 11/2

Makes them a great deal

Sara Lee Coffee or Pound Cake or Cinnamon Rolls (bogo @ $4.99/2)

Use 2 $1/1 from Publix Winter Mag

Makes them $1.50 a box

Bird's Eye Voila (bogo @ $4.85/2)

Use 2 $1/1 printable

Makes them $1.42 a bag

Sun-Maid Raisins (bogo @ $3.69/2)

Use $1/2 from RP 11/9

Makes them $1.35 each

Lipton Tea Bags (bogo @ $3.91/2)

Use $.75/2 from RP 10/5 or 11/16

Makes them $1.63 a box

Ocean Spray Juice (bogo @ $3.79/2)

Use 2 $.50/1 from CVS Diabetes Book

Makes them $1.40 a bottle

Betty Crocker Potatoes (bogo @ $1.79/2)

Use 2 $.40/1 printable or $.35/1 from SS 10/5 or 11/16

Makes them $.50 - $.55 each

Uncle Ben's Rice (bogo @ $2.05/2)

Use $1/2 printable or $.75/2 from RP 11/16

Makes them $.52 - $.65 a box

Domino Sugar ($.69)

Use $.35/1 from RP 10/12 or 11/16

Makes them $.34 a box

Duncan Hines Cake Mix (bogo @ $1.99/2)

Use 2 $1/1 from SS 11/9

Makes them FREE!!

Del Monte Canned Veggies (bogo @ $1.33/2)

Use $1/4 from RP 11/16

Makes them $.41 a can

Swanson Chicken Broth (bogo @ $1.13/2)

Use $.25/4 from SS 11/9

Makes them $.25 a can

Classico Pasta Sauce (2/$4)

Use $1/2 printable

Makes them $1.50 a can

Hellmann's Mayo (bogo @ $5.13/2)

Use 2 $.60/1 from RP 11/16

Makes them $1.98 each

Folgers Coffee 27.8-34.5 oz ($5.99)

Use $.50/1 from PG 11/2

Makes them $5.50 each

Register here to receive coupon by mail

Wish-Bone Dressing (bogo @ $2.87/2)

Use $1.25/2 from RP 10/5)

Makes them $.81 a bottle

Mt. Olive Pickles (bogo @ $2.79/2)

Use 2 $1/1 from SS 11/2

Makes them $.40 a jar

Keebler Crackers (bogo @ $3.89/2)

Use $1/2 from RP 11/2

Makes them $1.45 a box

Wrigley's Eclipse Gum (bogo @ $3.29/2)

Use $1/2 from Publix Winter Mag.

Makes them $1.15 a pack

Wheat Thins (bogo @ $3.59/2)

Use $1/2 printable

Makes them $1.30 a box

Chex Mix (bogo @ $2.73/2)

Use 2 $.50/1 from GM 10/5 or $1/2 or $.50/1 from SS 11/9

Makes them $.86 a bag

Frosted Flakes Cereal ($1.99)

Use $1/1 from RP 11/9 or $1/1 printable

Makes them $.99 a box

Del Monte Tomatoes (5/$5)
Use $1/4 from RP 11/16 and $.55/1
Makes them $.20 a can

White Potatoes 5 lb. bag ($1.99)

Whole Chicken ($.99/lb.)

Publix Milk ($3.69/gallon)

Lay's Chips ($3.99/2)

Nabisco Chips Ahoy ($3.79/2)

6-pack Canada Dry ($3.07/2)

A.1. Steak Sauce ($4.09/2)

Betty Crocker Muffin Mix ($2.59/2)

Ronzoni Lasagna Pasta ($1.99/2)

Ghirardelli Brownie Mix ($2.79/2)

Post Cereal ($4.29/2 - includes Selects, Grape-Nuts, Grape-Nuts Flakes, Trail Mix Crunch)

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter ($2.99/2)

Cranberries ($2.99/2)

Cracker Barrel Cheese (2/$6)

Oscar Mayer Bacon ($5.19/2)

Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce ($1.55/2)

Winn-Dixie Deals and Coupons for 11/19-27

Winn-Dixie is seeking redemption from the cruddy deals lately. They will be seeing my face this week! I am super excited about the GM deals!

Breyers Ice Cream or Mrs. Smith Pies (bogo @ $5.99/2)

Use 2 $.50/1 Breyers from RP 10/26 or $1/2 Mrs. Smith from SS 11/9

Makes them $2.50 each

Smart Balance Spread (bogo @ $3.59/2)

Use $1/2 from SS 9/7 or 11/2

Makes them $1.27 each

Land O Lakes Butter (2/$5)

Use 2 $.30/1 from SS 10/12

Makes them $2.20 each

Kellogg's Pop-Tarts (2/$5)

Use 2 $.55/1 from RP 10/12 or 11/9

Makes them $1.95 each PLUS

$2 off any gallon of milk wyb 2 Pop-Tarts

Green Giant Veggies 7-10 oz (bogo @ $2/2)

Use $.50/2 from SS 11/16

Makes them $.75 a box

Bird's Eye Veggies 12-16 oz (bogo @ $1.89/2)

Use 2 $.35/1 from SS 10/12 or 11/2

Makes them $.59 a bag

Ore-Ida Steam n' Mash (bogo @ $3.99/2)

Use $1/1 printable or $1/1 from recent peelies AND B3G1 from the Publix Fresh, Flavorful, Frozen Mag

Makes them FREE - $1 a bag

Kraft Mayo (bogo @ $4.69/2)

Use $1/1 from SS 10/5

Makes them $1.35 each

Kraft Salad Dressing (bogo @ $4.69/2)

Use $1/2 from SS 11/16 and $1 FREE produce wyb 2 Kraft Dressing coupon from peelie

Makes them $1.85 each and $1 FREE produce

Ritz or Nilla Wafers (bogo @ $4.79/2)

Use $1/2 printable

Makes them $1.85 each

Arnold Bread (bogo @ $2.89/2)

Use 2 $.55/1 from SS 10/12 or 11/9

Makes them $.90 a loaf

Pompeian Olive Oil (bogo @ $13.29/2)

Use 2 $1/1 printable

Makes them $5.65 a bottle

Duncan Hines Cake Mix (10/$10)

Use $1/1 from SS 11/9

Makes them FREE!

Swanson Broth (bogo @ $1.39/2)

Use $.25/4 from SS 11/9

Makes them $.63 a can

Celestial Tea Bags (bogo @ $3.49/2)

Use $1/1 from SS 10/5

Makes them $.75 a box

Del Monte Tomatoes (10/$10)

Use $1/4 from RP 11/16

Makes them $.75 a can

GM Products (4/$10 and $4 off at checkout - makes them 4/$6 - includes Milk n' Cereal Bars, Curves and Fiber One and Nature Valley Granola Bars, Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, Fruit Roll Ups, Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cookie Crisp, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Total)

Use $1/1 from recent peelies or 1/2 from SS 11/9 or $.50/1 printable

Makes them $.50 - $1 a box

Gold Medal Flour ($1.99/5 lb.)

Use $1/1 printable

Makes them $1 a bag

Carnation Evaporated Milk (10/$10)

Use $.50/2 from RP 9/14 or 11/2

Makes them $.75 a can

More BOGO w/NO coupons

Doritos ($4.79/2)

Cool Whip ($2.19/2)

Hormel Cure 81 Boneless Ham ($6.59/4 lbs.)

Fresh Ground Beef ($1.99/lb.)

Fresh Ground Patties ($2.49/lb.)

Blueberries or Blackberries (bogo @ $4.99/2)

Good Excuse Part II

My son continues to amaze me! Tonight at dinner, he started to complain that his stomach was hurting. He often has this sudden onset of stomachitis whenever I am serving something that he doesn't care for. On the other hand, the stomach flu has been making it's rounds so I am extra cautious. I tell him he doesn't have to finish his dinner but he will not get anything else to eat tonight and we have cookie dough (bribery is so great).
He sits up quickly and says, "We do?". He sits back up to the table to eat. I tell him that I don't want him to eat any more dinner if his stomach is hurting. He should probably just be done. He shoots me his "from the top of the eyes" look and says "I wasn't being serious".
Oh, this boy. He keeps me on my toes.

A Good Excuse

The other day Jordan was whispering to his friend and I asked him what he was saying. He did that awkward look at his feet and didn't want to tell me. So, I asked him again. This time, he responds with, "I don't know. I don't remember." Ummm, yes you do! So, I ask him again (a little more stern). He starts to mumble something that I can't understand. Again, I ask him the same question. This time he comes up with,
"I don't know. I didn't hear myself."
Well, how I can argue with that logic? After regaining my composure and holding back the laughter, I finally did find out what he was whispering about. Strangely enough, it wasn't even anything bad. I don't know why he didn't want to tell me in the first place.

Soccer with Coach "J"

I wrote before about our kids asking for $$ towards a sport for their birthday/Christmas presents. Well, the sport Sydney is interested in is Soccer. Before we signed her up in the Spring, we were hoping that she could get a little practice and understanding of the game under her belt. Well, uncle Jarrett loves some soccer and volunteered to be a coach to the girls team. Last Saturday, they had their 1st practice and here are some pictures of the event.

Sydney looking like a little pro (we even had some hand-me-downs cleats that just fit)

She got the hang of it pretty quickly and loved it!

Morgan and Avery had a fun time too!

Morgan is thinking about picking soccer as her sport as well. Here is "Coach J" with the girls
Here is the "don't cross us" crew

Dress Up Craziness!

This is what happens when 4 girls are left unattended at Aunt Jaime's house.

Free Snapfish Photo Book

Click here for a free 8x11 Photo Book from Snapfish. This deal is only good through tomorrow night at 11:59 p.m. You have until Sunday night to finish and order. These books are normally $19.99, so this is a great deal and could make a great Christmas gift. The only thing you have to pay is shipping.
Expect the Snapfish site to run slowly due to high volume.

Publix Deals and Coupons for 11/13-11/19

There have also been several $10/40 Whole Foods (found in the Friday paper in the Calendar section) coupons out lately that can be used at Publix.

Publix will allow you to use 1 manufacturer AND 1 store coupon (this includes competitor store coupons) on every item you buy.

When an item is 3/$5 or such, you don't have to buy 3 to get the sale price.

Remember, you can use 2 coupons on BOGO items!!
Sunday Paper Insert Code:
SS - Smart Source
RP - Red Plum
GM - General Mills
P&G - Proctor & Gamble
KL - Kellogg's
V - Vlassis

If you want multiple coupons of bogo items for this week, be sure to order your coupons today from

It is a great week at Publix! You can tell we are getting close to the Holidays as all the baking supplies are starting to go on sale. Happy Shopping!

Kellogg's Frosted Flakes ($1.99) Limit 4.
Use $1/1 from RP 11/9 or $1/1 printable
Makes them $.99 a box

Progresso Soup (4/$6)
Use $.50/2 from GM 10/5
Makes them $1.25 a can

Honey Bunches of Oats (bogo @ $4.09/2)
Use $1/2 from CVS diabetes book
Makes them $1.54 a box

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (3/$5)
Use $1/1 printable or $.35/1 from SS 10/19
Makes them $.67 - $1.32 a can

Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookies (3/$6)
Use $.55/1 from GM 9/7 and 10/5
Makes them $1.45 a package

Rosetto Pasta (bogo - price not listed)
Use 2 $1/1 printable
Makes them ??? - should be a great deal

Muir Glen Tomato Paste or Sauce ($.85 - $.99)
Use $1/1 printable or here
Makes them more than free!!

Celestial Seasonings Tea (bogo @ $3.49/2)
Use 2 $1/1 from SS 10/5
Makes them $.75 a box

Juicy Juice (bogo @ $3.59/2)
Use 2 $1/1 from RP 9/14 or $1/1 printable
Makes them $.80 a bottle

Crisco Olive Oil (bogo @ $6.49/2)
Use 2 $.75/1 from RP 10/19
Makes them $2.50 a bottle

Orville Popcorn (bogo @ $5.07/2)
Use 2 $.40/1 from SS 10/12 or $1/1 printable
Makes them $1.53 - $2.15 a box

Ritz Crackers (bogo @ $3.89/2)
Use $1/2 printable or $1/2 from SS 10/26
Makes them $1.45 a box

Dove Chocolate (bogo @ $3.79/2)
Use 2 $1/1 from RP 9/7
Makes them $.90 a bag

Domino Sugar ($1.99 - usually $2.99)
Use $.35/1 from RP 10/12
Makes them $1.64 a bag

Betty Crocker Frosting (bogo @ $1.89/2)
Use 2 $.50/1 from RP 10/19 or 2 $.55/1 printable
Makes them $.40 - $.45 a tub

Betty Crocker Brownie Mix (bogo @ $2.63/2)
Use $.55/2 printable
Makes them

McCormick Vanilla Extract (bogo @ $8.49/2)
Use $.25/1 or $1/2 from RP 11/2
Makes them $3.75 - $4 a bottle

Green Giant Veggies 7 to 10 oz pkg. (10/$10)
Use $.60/1 printable
Makes them $.40 a bag

Campbells Cream Soups (4/$3)
Use $.30/4 from SS 10/12
Makes them $.67 a can

White Potatoes 5lb bag ($1.99 - usually $3.99) Limit 4.

Publix Milk ($3.69/gallon) Limit 4.


Banquet Sausage ($1.89/2)
Fresh Express Salad (bogo)
Lender's Bagels ($2.15/2)
Philly Soft Pretzels ($2.99/2)
Gia Russa Pasta Sauce ($5.79/2)
Hershey's Syrup ($1.99/2)
Lindsay Olives ($2.03/2)
Mott's Apple Sauce ($2.81/2)
McCormick Gravy Mix ($.99/2)
Cheez-It Crackers ($4.31/2)
Thomas English Muffins ($2.99/2)
Betty Crocker Cake Mix ($1.95/2)
McCormick Grinder ($1.99/2)
Publix Sour Cream ($1.51/2

Winn-Dixie Deals and Coupons for 11/12-11/18

It looks like a decent week at Winn-Dixie. Definitely worth a trip for some GM cereal and maybe some cheap ice cream!! Happy Shopping.

Blue Bell Ice Cream ($3.99/half gallon)
Use $1/1 printable
Makes them $2.99/half gallon

Kellogg's Cereal (bogo @ $4.09/2 - includes Cocoa Krispies, Froot Loops or Apple Jacks Straws, Rice Krispies, Corn Pops, Froot Loops or Apple Jacks)
Use 2 $1/1 from RP 11/9 or $1/1 printable
Makes them $1 a box

Honey Maid Grahams or Nilla Wafers (bogo @ $3.99/2)
Use $1/2 printable
Makes them $1.50 a box

General Mills Chex Cereal (4/$10 minus $4 at checkout when you buy 4 - makes them 4/$6)
Use $1/2 from SS 11/9 or $1/3 from SS 11/2 or $1/1 from recent in-store peelies
Makes them $.50 - $1.25 a box

Campbells Gravy (bogo @ $1.39/2)
Use $.40/4 from SS 10/12
Makes them $.60 a can

Tetley Tea Bags (bogo @ $2.29/2)
Use 2 $.55/1 from SS 10/12
Makes them $.60 a box

Pillsbury Cake Mix (bogo @ $1.89/2)
Use 2 $.40/1 from RP 9/7
Makes them $.54 a box

Simply Potatoes ($2.99/2)
Thomas English Muffins or Merita Bread ($2.99/2)
Ronzoni Pasta ($1.59/2)

My Publix Trip for the Week

I am loving those $10/40 Whole Foods coupons! On Friday, I went out and bought 8 more papers. The coupons don't expire until May of '09. I will be looking for them again this Friday in the Calendar section.
So, I got everything above for $34.82!!
My total in coupons was $51.25
My total savings was $111.41

I got
16 boxes of College Inn Broth
2 bags of Bertolli
2 1/2 gallons of milk
2 Life cereals
1 bag Publix flour
4 cans Hunt's tomoatoes
2 boxes spaghetti
2 boxes Pillsbury cake mix
6 bottles Kraft dressing
2 loaves of Nature's Own bread
2 bags Nestle morsels
2 bags croutons
2 dozen organic eggs
1 dozen Publix eggs
1 bag of grapes
1 bag of apples

To see all the deals for this week, check here. I hope the deals are as good next week. I have been looking for some veggies to go on sale. So, hopefully that will be next week.

Cheap Glasses

If you are looking for a good way to save money on glasses, you have to check out these eyeglasses Zenni Optical has been recommended by many cheapskates, including Clark Howard. They have alos been reported on Fox News and the radio. I was truly shocked at the cost of frames at local stores. But, if you go through Zenni, you can buy glasses for as little as $8 a pair! They have a huge selection of frames, with single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic) lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens. They are able to sell at such a low cost because they sell only their own manufactured frames direct to the customer, with no middlemen and virtually no advertising budget.Aren't these ones cute? So, if you are in need of some new glasses (or if you just WANT some new ones), this is the place to check out. You can either pay 100's of dollars at other stores or find a cute pair for $8 at Zenni. Hmmm... I wonder which one.

Bible Club

Morgan and Avery decided a couple of months ago that they wanted to start a "Bible Club". They have planned out 14 weeks of lesson plans and activities to teach "the little kids" (Sydney, Jordan, Abbie and Annalise). They are starting today (as long as mommy gets to the store to buy the supplies they need). Each week is a lesson about a different Bible story and an activity that goes with it. Today they are going to be teaching about Adam and Eve and I think the activity has something to do with fruit.
It has been really fun to hear them plan and prepare and get all excited for their original idea of "Bible Club". They are planning to meet every Saturday (except for Holidays), so I will probably be posting some pictures each week of how things are going.
Some days, I get so frustrated and think that they will never learn what I am trying to teach them. Other days, they turn around and want to start teaching it to someone else. That just does my heart good :)

Softball With Daddy

For a couple of years now, Cory has been playing softball on our church's league. I have never been a big fan of Cory playing golf because it takes him away from his family for the day and costs WAY too much money. But, playing softball has become such a fun experience for the whole family. The kids love to go to the games every Monday night (although getting a good picture is not easy)and I love the chance I have to socialize with other women and cheer on the team.
Jordan has decided that he is going to be a softball player just like his daddy. He also can spot #4 from a mile away. Lots of other kids come to the game as well and they all take over the open field and play hard and get filthy. It's one of those rare times that I just let them get completely dirty. I know this is going to be one of those traditions that my children will remember as adults and look back on fondly.
We even go get ice cream on the nights when they play an early game. All in all, I love our Monday night softball games.

Last Monday was the playoff games for this season. In fact, I took these picture only about 1 hour before the I started feeling ill. So now we have a couple months break and we will be back to the field soon. We don't even know what to do on Monday nights without softball.

My Abstract Thinking 8 Year Old

Avery is definitely my artsy-fartsy kid. I rarely can relate to her train of thought. Today was no exception. She has been writing songs for a couple of weeks now. Her cousin and her wrote a song last week and sang it for the camera. This week, she came up with a new one and I was so surprised at how abstract her words were. Here are the lyrics:

"The rain is falling low and dripping in the lava.
And even though I keep trying, I keep falling.
But, you are my God and You are in control.
You are my God and you are in control of everything.
I can fly through my dreams and make them come true."

I don't exactly know what this means, but it just tickled me to hear her sing these words that she came up with all on her own. She said she isn't finished with it yet, so I may be posting the finished product in a couple of weeks.
Right now, all her songs are still praise and worship songs. I certainly do love that! She is going to stretch me more and more as she grows. I pray God gives me the wisdom in how to encourage her creativity and the way he created her instead of squelching it. Don't you just love the way God has made each one of us so different? How boring would life be if all my children were just like me? (Amanda/Andrea, don't answer that, it's supposed to rhetorical)

Publix Deals and Coupons for 11/6-11/12

***Hot Coupon Alert*** There was a $5/30 Publix coupon on the front page of the paper today. There have also been several $10/40 Whole Foods coupons out lately that can be used at Publix.

Publix will allow you to use 1 manufacturer AND 1 store coupon (this includes competitor store coupons) on every item you buy.

When an item is 3/$5 or such, you don't have to buy 3 to get the sale price.

Remember, you can use 2 coupons on BOGO items!!
Sunday Paper Insert Code:
SS - Smart Source
RP - Red Plum
GM - General Mills
P&G - Proctor & Gamble
KL - Kellogg's
V - Vlassis

If you want multiple coupons of bogo items for this week, be sure to order your coupons today from

Pillsbury Cake Mix (bogo @ $1.69/2)
Use 2 $.40/1 from RP 9/7
Makes them $.45 a box

Pompeian Olive Oil (bogo @ $10.99/2)
Use 2 $1/1 printable
Makes them $4.50 a bottle

Kashi Entrees (50% off)
Use 2 $2/1 printable (new registered users only)

Ragu Pasta Sauce (bogo @ $2.67/2)
Use B2 and 1 Pasta, Get $1 off from RP 9/21
Makes the sauce $.83 a jar

Welch's Juice (2/$6)
Use 2 $1/1 from SS 10/5
Makes them $2 a bottle

Campbell's Select Soups (bogo @ $2.45/2)
Use $.50/2 from SS 9/14
Makes them $.97 a can

Hunt's Tomatoes (bogo @ $1.39/2)
Use $1/4 or $.40/2 from SS 9/21
Makes them $.45-$.50 a can

Kraft or Seven Seas Salad Dressing (bogo @ $3.29/2)
Use $1 free produce WYB 2 Kraft Dressing products from recent peelies
Make them $1.65 a bottle and $1 free produce

Quaker Cereal (bogo @ $4.61/2 - includes Cap'n Crunch, Life, Squares)
Use $1/2 from RP 9/7
Makes them $1.80 a box

Nestle Toll House Morsels (bogo @ $2.50/2)
Use $1.25/2 from SS 11/2
Makes them $.75 each

Land O Lakes spread (bogo @ $2.09/2)
Use 2 $.55/1 printable or 2 $.55/1 from SS 10/12
Makes them $.50 a box

Bertolli Pasta and Sauce (bogo @ $4.99/2)
Use 2 $.75/1 RP 10/12
Makes them $1.75 each

Mrs. T's Pierogies (bogo @ $2.59/2)
Use 2 $1/1 from RP 9/14
Makes them $.30 each

Pillsbury Savorings (bogo @ $3.99/2)
Use 2 $.75/1 from GM 10/5
Makse them $1.75 each

College Inn Broth ($2.79/2)
Use 2 $1/1 from Publix Winter Book
Makes them $.40 each

Nabisco Saltine Crackers ($3.03/2)
Use 2 $1/1 printable
Makes them $.51 a box

Publix Milk ($3.69/gallon)

Publix Eggs ($1.39/dozen)

Florida Grape Tomatoes ($2.99/2)
Nature's Own Bread ($3.59/2)
Chatham Village Croutons ($1.59/2)
Mueller's Pasta ($1.39/2)
Pasta or Rice a Roni ($1.69/2)
Doritos ($3.79/2)
Swiss Miss Pudding ($2.50/2)
Bacardi Fruit Mixers ($2.47/2)
Ray's New York Bagels ($3.29/2)

Winn-Dixie Deals and Coupons for 11/5-11/10

Arnold Bread (bogo @ $3.69/2)
Use 2 $.55/1 from SS 10/5 and 10/12
Makes them $1.30 a loaf

Bird's Eye Steamfresh Veggies (10/$10)
Use $1/2 from recent in-store dispensers
Makes them $.50 a bag

GM Cereal (bogo @ $4.59/2)
Use 2 $.75/1 or $1/2 printable
Makes them $1.54 - $1.80 a box

Quaker Oats (bogo @ $2.69/2)
Use 2 $.50/1 from RP 9/7
Makes them $.84 a can

Nabisco Saltine Crackers (bogo @ $3.79/2)
Use 2 $1/1 printable
Makes them $.90 a box

Progresso Soup (bogo @ $2.50/2)
Use $.55/2 printable or $.50/2 from GM 10/5
Makes them $.97 - $1 a can

Orville Popcorn (bogo @ $3.19/2)
Use 2 $1/1 printable or $1/1 from All You Nov. Magazine or $.40/1 from SS 10/12
Makes them $1.10 - $1.20 a box

Betty Crocker Frosting (bogo @ $1.89/2)
Use 2 $.55/1 printable
Makes them $.40 a can

More Bogo Items with NO Coupons:
Breyer's Ice Cream ($5.99/2)
Ocean Spray Drinks ($4.19/2)
Hunt's Ketchup ($2.59/2)
Betty Crocker Cake Mix ($1.99/2)

How I Spent Election Day

That's right!! I spent most of the day yesterday at the hospital! It all started on Monday night. I came down with a nasty flu bug. I started throwing up around 8:30 p.m. at my friend's house while my husband was playing softball (not exactly the ideal situation for being sick - although my friend took great care of me and my kids).
We had 2 vehicles there, so I had to drive myself 30 minutes home at around 10 p.m. Luckily, I made it all the way home without a problem. Things only got worse once I was home. I continued on the vomiting parade until about 3:30 in the morning. The strangest thing to me though was the lack of naseau and the intense sharp pains in my abdomen and chest area. By 7:00 that morning, I had been vomit free for 3 1/2 hours but I was still experiencing the pain. So, we decided it would be best to go to the hospital and make sure everything was o.k.
They ran every test needed and by 4 p.m. yesterday, they said everything looked fine and they had no idea where the pain came from. By then, the pain had been gone for a while and I was feeling much better, so I headed out.
Luckily, I got out of there just in time to head to the polls and get my vote in. Here I am with my hospital bands still on and looking my best :)

Room Swap Update

Well, my kids have been in new rooms for over a week now. So far, things are going well. Morgan definitely helps keep Sydney on task when they are cleaning the room. Somehow, that is still the room that gets trashed daily. But, it is staying clean more often with her in there. Avery has actually done a fair job at keeping her room clean as well. She has not been in there long enough to get it really trashed and she hasn't had to clean the bathroom yet. But, I have seen her do much better with a smaller mess that she has to clean on her own.
But, the best part is...
LESS FIGHTING!! Avery and Sydney have been way better around each other. They still are the ones that bicker the most in my home, but it has been so much more tolerable this week.
I wish we would've done this a long time ago. Switching rooms will probably be a more regular occurance in our home from now on.
I am sure that they are all still in the "honeymoon" stage and there will be issues to deal with around the bend. For now, I am enjoying a little more peace and quiet.