Just an Everyday Gal who Loves to Coupon

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying your summer whether or not you're traveling, being creative, learning new things or enjoying time at home.

Just a quick update on what's been going on with us lately:

We went to the Jersey shore to spend some time with my Dad and his fiancee. Nelly came with us, experiencing the ocean and sand for the first time. She really loved it and was such a good puppy for the whole trip!

I went for my interview at work in pursuit of a promotion that I've been working on for a few months now. I got a call back two days after saying that I did excellent on my interview and I "blew it out of the water".  I was told that I am being promoted and I am meeting with my district manager next week to discuss which store I will be moving to and when I'll be leaving my current location.

If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I love to coupon. Today I managed to score some really awesome deals and I saved around $60, just in one day alone.

I promised I would blog about how I did all this, so here goes:

CVS Deals for week of July 18-July 23

There is a new toy that has reached the "fad" status in this area of Virginia, so I thought I would grab two of them for my little sister when I saw they were on sale this week.

Zhu Zhu Pets

I got two pets, valued at $14.99 each in toy stores, on sale 5 for $10 (making them $2 ea)

2 toy pets-$4, plus I had a $3 extra bucks coupon, so I paid $1.05 total.

Total savings: $33.00

Oral-B indicator toothbrushes are on sale for $1.99, I bought two and used a $2.00 off coupon

Cottonelle Moist Wipes (GREAT for taking off makeup!) are also on sale for $1.99, plus I also had a $1.00 off coupon

Clean and Clear Morning Burst Face Cleanser on sale for $6.89, plus a $5.00 off coupon

Using my coupons as well as a 30% off CVS coupon from a previous purchase, I spent a total of $5.42.  I received a $2.00 extra bucks coupon for my next purchase at bottom of my receipt. Total savings: $14.43

Target Deals for Week of July 18-July 23

My brother is going away to college this fall, so I decided to start a box of back to school supplies for him to take with him...

Room Essentials Target Shower Curtain Liner $2.34, I had a $1 off coupon

Tums 3 rolls/24 pk. $1.99, I had a $1 off coupon

Bic Crystal Pens 10 pk are on sale this week for 50 cents, I bought two

Sharpie Accent Highlighters 2 pk, on sale for 50 cents, I bought two (I had a coupon for $1 off-they were free)

Scotch Magic Tape bonus pack, on sale for 50 cents, I bought one, I had 50 cents coupon (it was free)

*****GREAT DEAL*****

Vitamin Water is on sale this week 10/$10 and when you buy 10 you get a FREE 6 pk of Smart Water (valued at $6)!!!

(Nick drinks Vitamin Water Zero and I drink Smart Water, so this was a no brainer)

The best part? On top of this deal, I had a Target coupon: Buy 2 Vitamin Waters, get 1 Free!

TGI Fridays Dinners in a Bag on sale for $2.50 ea, I had a $1.00 off coupon plus a $1 off Target coupon

I used 2 reusable bags and got 10 cents off.

Weekly deals plus other groceries we picked up came to a total of $21.68.

Total savings: $13.93

Grand total savings from all three stores: $61.36!!!

*I know you're asking where I get my coupons from! Check your weekly Saturday AND Sunday paper for coupons, go online to coupons.com, Red Plum and Smart Source, coupon blogs, and Target printable coupons Keep in mind that you can use a manufacturer's coupon PLUS a store coupon to double your savings!*

Have fun!

Celebrating Brooke

Today would have been Brooke's 26th birthday, happy birthday angel<3

Celebrating you today.

Happy 4th!



Inspirational Workshop with Gussy, Week #5

This week Gussy asked us to be inspired by your idea of "the perfect bathroom"

For me, I especially love to be inspired by pictures I see in the Pottery Barn magazines that I get in the mail. They always have a TON of great ideas for bathrooms!

Take a look...

Somethings I love to see in bathrooms are:

tiled showers

(via)

porcelain clawfoot tubs

(via)

and beautiful shower curtains to give character

(via)
What inspires you? Head on over to Gussy's blog and link up with us!

My Natural, Organic, Earth Friendly and Yogi Way of Life

Hellloooooooooooo! I missed you all!

I have been SO SO crazy with work and fitting in a weekend long visit to PA that I haven't had time to blog. For that, I am deeply sorry.

 *A quick side note, I've been reading your blogs in my spare time, I haven't responded to a lot of them but I will do so, PROMISE!*

A quick catch up...

I have done almost everything I can to live a natural, organic lifestyle. Even Nick and our puppy Nelly are onboard!

Here's how we do it:

-eat all natural and ONLY natural meats.

This means NO hormones, NO additives/fillers, USDA approved organic

We buy Nature's Promise meats and produce and dairy products

Eggland's Best eggs

and Nelly eats Natural Balance dog food.

She doesn't eat anything we wouldn't eat and I don't let her anywhere near chicken by-products (which btw is dehydrated scrapple, for dogs. It's the beak, feathers, claws, etc. from a chicken all ground up and put into cheap dog food. Look on the bag of your bag for that and switch if it's in there!)

We switched to natural cleaning products that are eco-friendly such as Palmolive eco+ dishwashing detergent (phosphate free and better for lakes and streams)

We sleep on organic bamboo sheets from Target, they are SO soft and SUPER comfy-cozy and have eco friendly dyes.

We don't buy cases of water bottles, instead we have a Brita filter pitcher and fill up a Nalgene bottle when we need it.

I use a Kindle e-reader, therefore I do not buy paper books anymore.

 I started using all-natural deodorant such as Tom's (it does not contain aluminum which clogs your glands, leading to breast cancer and other illnesses).

...and of course when I shop I take my own reusable bags into the store with me. If I don't, I reuse the plastic bags for picking up dog poop or for Nick's lunches.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle

(I use coupons and look for weekly specials to save tons of money on all of these products-email me if you want to know how)

I started a bikram yoga class!! YEA!!!!

I'm in LOVE.

This new studio is so good to me, the staff is very helpful and knowledgeable.

I didn't think I would enjoy 90 minutes of my favorite exercise in such a hot (95 degree) studio but I do. I stay hydrated by drinking SmartWater (water which has electrolytes in it). If you haven't tried this class and you love yoga as much as I do, TRY IT...I HIGHLY recommend it!

What Im Loving

It's the first day of summer, hooray!! Summer is my favorite season, one that I wish would last much longer than it really does. It's time to celebrate! Here are some things that I'm loving for the summertime:



Local wineries here in VA



Fresh fruit



Italian prosecco wine spritzers



Beautiful fluffy peonies



Summer reading


Southern sweet tea (my mommoms recipe of course!)
And last but certainly NOT least...Little Miss NELLY, our {lab/golden retriever mix} puppy that we rescued with open hearts! We absolutely adore her:o)



On her way home



She's gotten so big already! 14 weeks








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Inspiration Workshop, Week 3

It's week 3 of Gussy Sews inspiration workshop, if you haven't signed up you're missing out!


Gussy asked us to be inspired by GREEN. Now that could mean many things to each of us, especially because "going green" is a term used a lot lately.

I am in the process of planning my May 2013 wedding and my plan is to have everything be "shabby chic" but TOTALLY based around spring. I love the idea of spring representing new, fresh things that are painted with GREEN and lots of pretty colors. The following pictures are what I will be trying to recreate at my spring wedding.

Here is what I'm inspired by (all pictures have come from theknot.com):

















Make sure you check out Gussy's website and see all of those who linked up with their inspiration! Www.gussysews.com


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Words of Wisdom to a High School Graduate

My baby brother graduates high school today, wow. Where did time go?? It feels like just yesterday I was the one graduating and tossing my cap up in the air.

Obviously as his big sister, I feel the need to pass on some very important words of wisdom so that he can carry on the many things I've taught him along the way.



(my mom, brother and sister)

Before I graduated high school in 2003, a song came out that was kind of a big deal for seniors. I remember saving the lyrics to it and sending them to all of my friends so they could learn from it too.

Brendan, I am so incredibly proud of you. I have no words to tell you how big my heart feels, to see you growing up and becoming your own person. You will absolutely love college, just as I have, they will be the best years of your life. Do me a favor and listen to your valedictorian today. It might sounds like some lame speech, and you may not even know the person, but one day you might say to yourself, "gosh, I don't even remember what our valedictorian looked like or what they talked about". You will be SO sick of hearing the song "Pomp and Circumstance" but tomorrow when you're taking a shower, you might find yourself humming it and smiling because guess what? You made it! You did it!

Congrats little brother, I love you!

And now for the song...

Baz Luhrmann's "Sunscreen Song"
*************************************
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever
own..

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen…

*************************************
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