Saving money on things you NEED so you can have the things you WANT

Many people have been interested in how I get my wonderful deals on all our HABA items (that's health and beauty aids for all you non-grocery folks). So, I decided to once again spill the beans...BLOGS PEOPLE! These blogs (I've listed them below) outline how to get these great deals. A few tricks I've learned #1 the best coupons are in the first sunday paper of the month (the Procter and Gamble ads are in there). #2 It can take about a month to really get stocked up on the coupons before you have most of the ones required for the deals. #3 It's best to get a few papers, I usually try and get at least 4 but I always check the coupons and see if there is a great one and have been known to pick up several extras during those weeks. Now, on to the blogs..
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/ this one is a forum and if you look in the appropriate store you'll find MANY great deals and well as early ads
http://www.iheartwags.com/ this is the site specifically designed for walgreens
http://www.iheartriteaid.com/ this is the one for rite aid
http://www.thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot.com/ this is a great all around deal blog with grocery stores, drug stores and more.
http://forums.slickdeals.net/forumdisplay.php?sduid=0&f=38 slickdeals has great deals in general but also specifically for drug stores (which is where I've linked you too)

The trick is to only buy things you NEED or will donate. It's easy to get sucked in and buy things that aren't the best deals and I've found setting a budget is the best way around this. Limit yourself to $10 for the week and don't got over it. I know this sounds like such a small amount but trust me it will be plenty!

snow day!

Here's your reminder of just how much snow we had early evening (i thought this would be my before picture) But by 10ish we were up to THIS!

The following morning we were living in a winter wonderland How can you not make a snow man, great job dad and hailee, and very creative use of spatulas

What a gorgeous house

Little Miss H ready to go out sledding Her partners in crime

What a stunning couple, this is certainly christmas card material eventually all fingers and toes were frozen and we headed back inside for warming up. Dorothy made this beautifully wrapped present and its certainly a favorite of Hailee's

Cindy loves eclair...and she's standing in for her daddy until he gets up here.

It's not christmas without a tree Hailee loves her mama

Couldn't leave out kiwi...she and eclair are learning to put up with each other again

I'm dreaming of a white christmas...wait, I'm not dreaming!

Look where I am! It was quite the snowy first day in WA...the main roads weren't all that bad but the side roads were another thing entirely One destination, the grocery store...how FULL is that parking lot? the place was packed and things were flying off the shelf

The rest of my time was spent hangin with family, everyone was over today (except my hubby who is still stuck in CA...hopefully the weather will ease up so he can get here safely)

Look who else made the trip!!! She did a good job during the flight

Hailee has a new fun job, petting the puppy with these gloves on, they're dishwashing gloves Then, tonight it started all over againHere is how much there was tonight just after it started snowing agin

quick trip to SF....ahh the smell of the ocean

A quick trip to SF to see Chad, Meghan and Trent....and the OCEAN! Upon arrival we were reminded that water is DANGEROUS people! I mean you might drown. Ah, love that salty sea smell and it was surprising clearChad didn't remember having been in the Pacific...only he was just there when we all attended The Carvolth wedding! Silly ChadDidn't even notice the graffiti until we tearned to leave This could very easily be in Washington, only it's not. The thing I miss most about home is the water and the smell of the ocean....L-O-V-E-I-T

To brine or not to brine? That is the question

I just had the most moist turkey in my life thanks to brining! It's quite simple, put your turkey in a salt water bath overnight (we did 2 nights) and cook as usual. There is absolutely NO way I would have turkey any other way again. Just look at all that juice! YUMMY! that came from inside the turkey during the cutting process, the tray was dry before cutting...amazing, I know. You never have to eat dry white meat again.

Just incase you think it's SO SIMPLE to get the deals at CVS, think again! Here is what the table looks like when I get done preplanning my CVS run.

Black friday on Thursday???

This is my combined CVS and Riteaid deals for today (mine and Cindy's CVS cards) what you are looking at COST me -$30. That's right folks, CVS paid me at least $30 to take this home. I say at least because I have yet to add it up exactly just yet. The babies keep coming today and I just haven't had the time. I'm NOT complaining about delivering those babies, they held off long enough for me to get through CVS in under 60min!

While I was out completing my tasts Dominic was busy making the house smell devine...thanks hunny :)

Thanksgiving is all about....THE PIE!

First, check out my pears, this should not be here! Apparently you need another pear tree to pollinate one...well we don't have 2, only one. Still I figured, oh well, it's pretty still...but then....these appeared....maybe you don't need 2???

And although these currently look like limes, they're going to be lemons...how great is that!

Back to thanksgiving.

Well certainly I don't think it's all about the pie, but the meal definitely is. Being the child of midwestern parents means pie is no store bought matter, down to the CRUST PEOPLE! you don't like pie you say, well that's probably because you make it with STORE BOUGHT crust or worse yet, the whole darn thing is store bought. I realize that it takes time to make pies, but this is suppose to be a bonding experience and some time to just enjoy family...so, I made pies with my family today...ok not really because Dominic was at work, but Eclair was here :) The whole house now smells fantastic and it's raining to boot!!!! could today get better???? (I'm being serious, it always rains in Washington so I associate rain with the holiday season) Oh, another trick is to get those pies made the day BEFORE the big feast so there is one less thing to try and fit in the oven and to clean up. So here is my pie making experience..It's a great day for making pie..can you see the rain??Grab your family...and baking supplies

To make crust this year I used our food processor...which was fabulous, but a little small. Please mom, TRY THIS it makes it much quicker. Once you have your crusts ready to go get to making the fillings....

The first of my duo of pies is pumpkin, straight forward off the pumpkin pie container, easy peasyUp next is apple...this one takes a little more work. I use many varieties of apples in my pies, just seems to taste better, here are my types this time aroundAll peeled and cutThe mix em with the YUMMY sugar and cinnamon butterThe crumb topping goes on just before you put it in the ovenBake awayAnd top with carmel sauce, yes the same type you put on your ice cream will do, and ta-da...was that really so hard??

And what am I currently thankful for? My absolutely amazing husband. Seriously people, how did I survive without him? I would hardly eat if he wasn't here feeding me all the time! Between him and Eclair it's bearable to be away from family for this holiday. I can't wait to get back to Washington for Christmas though...we miss everyone and forgive you if you MUST buy your pie.

On a bit of a side note, I've finally been able to SEE the crud that was accumulating on the carpets and it's NASTY, please everyone get hard surface flooring quickly...SEEEEE