Super Doubles at Harris Teeter

Super Doubles are FINALLY back at Harris Teeter!  

Starting today, any coupon valued up to $2.00 will double!  I LOVE Super Doubles and I got a random assortment of things today.  I was mostly going after things we needed (contact solution, my shampoo) and then ended up with a lot of great deals.

I created my list this morning (after viewing the ad online) and then altered it a little bit at the store.
I knew I wanted:
contact solution (not on sale)
my Clear Shampoo (not on sale)
and some squeezie snacks for Elizabeth (some on sale, some not)

We needed the contact solution and shampoo, and even though they were not on sale, I had great coupons for them.

So, Elizabeth and I ate breakfast and then we headed to Harris Teeter for some coupon shopping.
 

 Everything we got today

 Everything we got for FREE today

Original total: $67.32

 

Total spent: $13. 26 ($1.53 of this is tax)  (The contact solution was $6 of this)

Total saved: $54.06

How I did what I did:

(a few people have been asking me about couponing in the past few weeks, so I thought I would use this shopping trip as an example)

(1) Motts Tots Apple Juice - price $2.99 - $1 evic, $1 manufacturer coupon that doubled to $2 off

(3) Gerber Graduates Grabbers - $1.69 each- $1 evic, $1 manf that doubled to $2 off

(1) Box of Cheerios - on sale $2.00 - 50 cents off that doubled to $1 off

(1) Hormel Compleats meal - on sale $1.39- $1 manf that doubled to $2 off

(1) Ken's Teriyaki marinade - on sale $1.84- $1 manf that doubled to $2 off

(3) Old El Paso Taco Seasonings - $1.00 each- 60 cents evic, $1 man that doubled to $2 off

(2) Weber Grilling Marinades - 89 cents each- $1 manf that doubled to $2 off

(1) Bag of Texas Toast Croutons - $1.49 - 75 cents manf that doubled to $1.50 off

(3) Boxes of Horizon Mac n' Cheese - on sale $1.25 each- (3) 55 cents manf that doubled $1.10                                                                        each plus a Harris Teeter $1.00 off

(1) Box Plum Mashups - $3.99- $1 evic, $1 manf that doubled to $2 off

(2) Plum squeezies - $1.29 each - $1 manf that doubled to $2 off

(1) Venus razor - $7.99 - $3 evic, $2 manf that doubled to $4 off

(1) Bottle Clear Shampoo - $5.99-  $2.50 evic, $1.50 manf that doubled to $3 off

(1) Revlon nail file - $1.99- $1 manf that doubled to $2 off

(1) Bottle Renu Contact Solution - $9.99- $2 manf that doubled to $4 off

(1) Blueberry yogurt - $1.79- $1 manf that doubled to $2 off

 

Most of my coupons came from the Sunday newspaper, I printed a few off from coupons.com

Happy shopping!

Elizabeth's first movie

I have been planning for awhile (over a month) to take Elizabeth to her first movie today.  Regal Cinemas does a great program each summer called Summer Movie Express where they show old movies for $1.

I figured since Elizabeth is almost 2 1/2 that this would be a good first experience at the movies.  My goal was for us to stay for 30 minutes.  I figured, we spend $2 and kill some time during the 90 degree days.

Well... we got to the theater and Elizabeth was FREE because she is under three years old!  So, we paid $1 for me and walked in.  The movie today was The Smurf Movie 2.  I have no idea what smurf movie 1 or 2 was about, but it was $1.

I brought a snack for Elizabeth and we found our seats a few rows up and towards the middle.

We got to our seats at 9:50 and the movie started at 10.  It was perfect timing and she enjoyed listening to the music and seeing the commericals.

Once the movie started she got so excited and sat on the edge of her seat.  I think her favorite part was seeing a cat in the movie.  She loves cats.

She lasted 45 minutes, finished all her goldfish and milk, and then asked if we could leave.

I consider this activity a success and we will definitely be going to more summer movie express movies.  Thank you Regal for making our morning fun!

Big girl bed UPDATE

So it has been a month since we moved Elizabeth to a "big girl bed" and the change has gone very smoothly.  If you don't remember, you can check back here for what her room previously looked like.

We have finally hung her painting back up (we moved it slightly to the left), hung her bows back up (very, very important), and moved her toy chest and a few more toys to her room.

I have to say that I really like her "new room" and she loves sleeping in her "big girl bed".

Here is what the room looks like today:

Change

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

- Alan Watts

I am in a season of change.  Big changes.  Really big changes. 

I have come to believe that we go through seasons of change.  Everyone goes through these seasons at different times, and some people skip a season or two.  But, everyone goes through seasons of change.  Whether moving, going away to school, starting a new job, leaving a job, dating, breaking up, starting a family, losing a family member, beginning a new hobby, or saying goodbye to an old past time; everyone experiences some season of change.

But let me back up a bit.

I don't like change.  Like really, really don't like change.
I struggle with it.
I think about it (a lot).
I mull it over some more.
And then eventually (after a lot of time) I realize that the change was for the best.

But I still don't like change.

Friday was my last day at my job.  I have worked at George Washington Middle School for the last four years, teaching 7th and 8th grade PE and Health.  Before that I taught elementary physical education in Washington, DC. 

I am going through a BIG change.  I am leaving my job and I will be staying home with Elizabeth.

I am going through another BIG change.  I am six months pregnant and will be having my second daughter in the fall.

This is huge for me.  I never, ever thought of myself as a stay-at-home mom. 
I always pictured myself working.  Always.

But as I think about all the changes I am going through, it occurs to me, that we are in a season of change.  Not just me.

We will become a one-income family.
We will become a family of four.
We will be going through the seasons of change together.

And as I begin to think about it, and mull it over, and ponder some more; I realize that being a we in this season of change is the best thing about being in the season of change.

Change is not easy for me.  It never will be.  But I am not going at it alone.  I have a wonderful partner in my husband, a hilarious daughter in Elizabeth, and a whole world of excitement coming with our second child.

Change is not easy.  But I don't have to do it alone.



God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

- Reinhold Niebuhr

A Whole Lot of Random

I am down to my final days of work and I have been really caught up in everything involved in leaving my job.  I wanted to take some time this week and enjoy a few non-work related things.

 I stopped by my favorite nail place this week to get a pink pedicure.

I love pink for summer.  And of course, I love a good pedicure.

 I love getting mail.

You know what I love more than mail?  Packages in the mail!

I ordered a new Vera Bradley bag for summer and it arrived this week.

Ummm... this bag is HUGE.

I plan on going to the Vera Bradley store next week and exchanging it.

I do LOVE all the pockets inside and out, but this bag is about 2 feet long.

 Ben and I got Elizabeth this water table for her birthday.

She loves playing with it and I love watching her.

We have been working on eating popsicles.

I think she likes them, but they mostly melt before she eats much of it.

I absolutely love watching her try new things and figure things out.

I hope you are having a great week!

Sasha's birthday

My friend, Sasha, is having a milestone birthday next week.  We will be out-of-school before her birthday, so I wanted to do something special today.

There was a birthday surprise in her office and then a special lunch.

 

 

Happy Birthday Sasha!

I hope you have a wonderful birthday!!!

Weekend and Father's Day

We had a wonderful weekend around here!  We relaxed, played, and had a great Father's Day weekend.

We started our weekend Friday afternoon by coloring some pictures for Uncle Adam.

 On Saturday, Elizabeth and I went to a playground and splash park.

Elizabeth had a great time playing with all the other kids.

 Before dinner on Saturday, we played in the driveway with bubbles and chalk.

And the pink car.

Elizabeth loves her pink car!

Elizabeth also loves to grab the flag out of the flower pot.

 On Sunday morning, Ben woke up to a Father's Day breakfast and a couple of special gifts.

 Ben has said if he could have anything for breakfast it would be "pancakes, eggs,

bacon, and sausage." He got just that.

Yum!

 When Ben got back from Church, he had another surprise waiting for him.

 Elizabeth loved the cake.

 I had to get a couple of Daddy-Daughter photos.

 I love these two!

Ben and I enjoyed drinks on the deck after dinner.

Father's day beer for him, pineapple and cranberry for me.

We hope you had a great weekend too!