Coupon Crazy

Okay, I might be totally bragging, but I am totally excited.  I got all of these things at Kmart and Walgreens for $19.25 including tax!  It was  $175.25 originally, but with Kmart double coupon deal and Walgreens deals I saved $155.  It was awesome!  Okay, I'm done now.

I cried

I am not much of a crier. There is nothing wrong with me, I just don't seem to need to cry very often.  Well I cried yesterday.  I cried and cried.  My kids were staring at me and tears were just streaming down my face---for two hours (off and on).  What was I crying about?  This is the story:  

I sat down in front of the computer to find some pictures I needed for scouts.  As I begin to look for them I couldn't find them on our external storage device(which is where I store all my pictures).  I looked on both computers and they weren't there.  I couldn't find any pictures from 2008.  I begin to panic.  Baby Ashley was born in 2008, there weren't any pictures of her birth. No Easter. No Christmas. No Halloween.  The tears began to flow.  No pictures of Sarah's first bike ride, Ashley's first food, Ashley crawling, sitting up, standing, Jayce's 7th birthday, Lizzy's 3rd birthday, nothing. NOTHING.  I was devastated. I couldn't believe it.  Gone, all gone!  I cried.  I felt such a deep loss.  A year gone.  Now, a year in the real world isn't much, but in the life of a baby and little kids its a huge part of their life-for Ashley her whole life.  I tried to remember what Ashley looked like at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months--I couldn't remember!  I cried even more.  I called my husband and cried some more.  He told me not to worry, when he got home he would check it out.  I continued to search on the computers for the missing files.  Meanwhile, my kids were a little worried.  I don't think they have ever really seen me cry.  They kept looking at me and standing close to me. I explained to them what had happened  and so they kind of understood.  Sarah brought me a picture that she had drawn of outside with a sun and tree and I love you written on the front and back of the page.  It was to replace some of the pictures that were lost.  Jayce told me that there was still one good thing-I could take pictures of the rest of their lives.  They were trying to comfort me.  What sweet kids.  Then I remembered that I had done a year in review book on snapfish a few months ago.  I quickly got online and looked through the pictures.  Oh, thank goodness.  There was about 100 pictures spanning the year.  I still was sad, but I felt so grateful that there were at least 20 of Ashley's first year.   I still felt terrible so I called my mom and cried a little more. 

 The rest of the day was quiet for me and I was still feeling sad, but I was indeed grateful for the few pictures that were left.  I left for scouts and when I came home I went to the computer and was messing around for 45 min or so.  I have a cold so I was sniffling a little.  Jason came in and asked me if I was crying.  I said that I wasn't I just have a cold.  He said that was good because he had found my pictures!  I said what? Where?  I wanted to see them immediately.  It turns out my computer didn't have a map or something to the external hard drive?!  He fixed it to my great relief and now I have them.  All of them--all 2,778 pictures.  Holy Cow -that is a lot of pictures!  I am so grateful for a husband who knows what he is doing.    I cried for nothing.  well-not exactly nothing.  I did realize how much I love pictures, how I love my children at every stage and don't want to forget it, and mostly how sweet those little faces are.  These are some of the pictures I would have "lost." 

It really would have been sad.  I'm glad I still have the pictures and the memories.

Wow, time flies.  So it has been a month and no blog update.  I have been busy with a few new things.  Over the next few days I will play catch up .  Today's catch up is on couponing.  I have become a coupon freek.  You wouldn't believe the free stuff I have gotten over the last month!  So I thought I would share my last great deal I got.  I went to smiths and got 

2 gal whole milk

10 Quaker rice cake snack bags

11 bars Johnson buddies soap

3 rolls

  Then I went to Walgreens and got

4 glade sense and Sprays

1 tooth paste

3 packs of gum

I got all of this for $2.80  including tax.  Holy Crap!  Isn't that awesome.  All from coupons!

So here is a list of the sites I visit most frequently.  They tell you what is on ad and what coupon to use to get the best deal.  It's awesome.

The key to couponing is to start somewhere and then build from there.  I can't tell you how many free toothbrushes, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper, body wash, food items, and more that I have gotten through using the coupons from the sunday paper and from printables off the internet.  Have a look and make sure to scroll through older posts to get the idea of what is going on.  My favorite it It's hip to Save.  Have fun!

common sense with money

saving with shellie

Money Saving Mom

It's Hip to Save

Hot Coupon World