Hmmmm I just noticed I had a bunch of comments waiting for me to approve them. Sorry folks! They are ancient too ;o) Bad, Bad blogger I am!

I've found myself motivated lately to try a few things to save a few dollars...

I've started 'clipping' coupons. Except I don't get a paper... So I go to www.coupons.com or www.smartsource.com or www.redplum.com and I print them. Shaw's here in MA accepts every darned coupon I give them. They never hassle me except if I inadvertantly throw 2 coupons in for the same item (oops - it's been known to happen.)

Our grocery bill was getting completely ridiculous. Hitting $300 more weeks than not... I've refocused and started actually paying attention to prices. The last few months, my weekly total before coupons has been in the $200 range. This week it was $209 actually. And then I used $40 in coupons. Yes $40. I work hard at it, but not as hard as others. I spend time printing, then I pull up the supermarket flyer - I compare... I won't buy things we won't use just because I have a coupon. I do end up throwin out some coupons, and I still read the labels - I find items a few times a month that I just won't buy because it has MSG or HFCS in it (unless it's a dessert - I do make exceptions *occassionally* for fun desserts with HFCS - since it's not an actual allergy that causes this dietary change, I have the freedom to do that :) ).

Above and beyond that $40 was another $20 in 'preferred savings' - meaning I bought the store brand. I won't always buy the store brand - but I have an open mind - again it depends on the ingredients.

So I look at the specials, then I go through and see if I have any coupons that I can pair with sale prices :) I probably spend 20 minutes printing the coupons, and then another hour planning my shopping list. I write the list on an envelope (usually just an envelope that a bill or statement arrived in) and stick my coupons in the envelope. I attempt to sort them according to the order I will arrive in the various sections of the market, but Shaw's just had some major construction and re-org, so that's been adding some time. Shaw's also doubles pretty much all of my coupons. I'm hoping that the supermarket we land with (Shoprite at the moment) when we move back to NY next month is just as great as Shaw's has been - but I'm not holding my breath.

I've also joined a few survey companies like MyPoints and InBox dollars. I don't do a lot of surveys, but occassionally I find myself stariing at my computer screen and I go out and go through a few of them. Today we actually were putting in a fairly good sized order at Newegg.com - so I used my swagbucks shopping to go through to the Newegg site so that I got 2 swagbucks for every dollar I spent. Since that was a purchase we were making anyway, I made some $$ back there. I can get actual $ in paypal, or an amazon gift cert, or other e-gift cards... they have other 'swag' available too...


I've been following Couponing To Disney - a lot of my saving goes back directly to her :) and she inspires me to save more :) I'm not necessarily saving for anything - but it sure is nice to have a smaller grocery bill!!!

I've recently signed up at Swagbucks. I search with their site a few times a day and I'm already up to 18 swagbucks. I plan on using my swagbucks for gift certificates.

I found swagbucks through CouponingToDisney. Can't say I'm reaping tons of benefits yet, but I see the potential, with minimal effort on my part.

So I didn't want to keep it a secret ;)

Oh and if you use my link? I get referell points too :)

Happy saving!
- Jen

Ryan recently found www.godzillathon.com - which is way cool for him. An entire site dedicated to that over grown lizard that he adores? Unfortunately it links to some movies on youtube that contain a high volume of language I'd rather they weren't listening to. When I pointed it that out the response? "It's OK. We know not to *use* those words" - hmmm....

I brought Journey for her final vet visit a week ago. On Tuesday we picked up her ashes and brought them home. The boys and I had talked about the event before hand. And they knew about the little box - we have two already after all (been a hard year on our pets). When I took the box out to put on the shelf with the others, Ky wanted to hold it. Then he handed it to Holly and asked if she wanted to hug Journey. So something I wouldn't have done - and yet... for him it made sense and he just did it. Kids follow their hearts so easily you know? Holly hugged the box and then demanded that we get Journey out of it. We talked about Journey being gone, that her spirit is gone now. Ryan mentioned that she is at the rainbow bridge and I reiterated that one. And then I mentioned that we still have Sasquatch the cat here that we can hug. She asked if kitty was at the bridge. No, Sasquatch kitty is here with us, but Snowflake kitty is at the bridge with Journey. Actually... seeing the light - Sarek is at the bridge too! And Sarek and Snowflake and Journey are all together now, dancing and having a good time together. And many, many years from now, we will go to the bridge too and see them again. She liked this. She beamed with this new information - handed me the box and went off to find Sasquatch to molest him with more hugs :)

I still think I hear her sometimes. It's weird to not have a dog in the house. People actually throw out leftovers? :)

I've been reading a ton of books. Mostly vampire romance books :) It sounds so cheesy when I say it, but I've really been enjoying them. All on my new Sony EReader of course. I don't miss holding a real book at all. Though when I finished Stephen King's Under The Dome this week it did feel weird to not have a huge book to put up on the shelf with the rest of my SK tombs.

Winter is in full swing here in MA. Our yard is buried, and will be so until probably March.

We're looking forward to our cruise in April. Looks like there are still some of the smaller cabins available if you want to come along. Let me know and I'll send you details :)

Gosh - it's been 5 months since I last posted. Anyone out there listening to the crickets?

Life here is happening! The boys are finishing up their final few weeks of school - that's assuming we don't close because of H1N1 - which I don't get. We don't close when there are other flu outbreaks... yes, it's very sad that so many have died in Mexico. But I feel like I need to remind people of what we are NOT seeing in the news... when I went searching I found a late April statistic from the CDC - there had been 55 Pediatric deaths from the *regular* flu this season in the US. That's just children. Just this season.

Wow - that was a tangent.

Anyway. The boys in school. Ryan is doing tremendously better this term. We've started a reward program between home and school where he gets a sticker for worksheets completed IN CLASS. Mrs C writes 'in class' across the top and he gives it to me. He just earned a brandy new game for his DS (about 80 stickers worth that was). Kyle also earned the game.

I did have Ryan evaluated by the school. I didn't think we'd come up with a disability - but I did want to know if there was anything hanging out in there that we needed to know about. Yes, he is sensory seeking. So there are recommendations from OT on sensory breaks, letting him do heavy work, maybe jumping really hard in a corner... those kinds of things. But without a disability there is nothing official. These things to not HAVE to happen. I'm slightly annoyed by this. If a child will learn better if they get the sensory input that they crave, they should be able to get it. The goal of the school is for the students to learn. My child should not need an officially labeled disability to get that.

But that's another tangent - I don't have a particular issue with the school there - just with the nature of how things are.

Holly is a jabbermouth. TalkTalkTalkTalk. It's great. She's growing up and is just adorable. I think I can find some pictures to put up here.

So sorry that I've been so absent. Mostly, I've been using my online time for game playing - like bejeweled. And I just haven't felt the need to write here ... which is obvious by the 5 month lag.

So if you are still out there - thanks!

Sarah Palin's been getting lots of attention lately. And most of it negative. Lots of comparisons on both sides between her and Obama. What they are, what they aren't. Who is better at this. Why so and so is a horrible choice.

I hate politics.

What I'd really, really like is to chat with either one of them on the sidelines of a kids' sporting event. Just the random chatter you get amongst parents. Just random chatter. About nothing. That's the part I want to hear. What do they think about when they aren't 'on'. I think it's interesting that the media has grasped the Republican candidate for VP and the Democrat's candidate for Pres to compare them. Instead of Obama to McCain. I'm sure it would be just as bad if it was office to office, but it's interesting that it's not.

I'm not sure I'm happy with any of the choices and that bugs me. I don't like the system. But that happens a lot with me and I find I have to work within what is given, so I try to make a reasonable choice. I find a reason to like one side and go with it.

Usually, this aligns mostly with Republican thinking. Now there are major holes there - there are definitely Republican stances that I do not align with. But there are more Democrat flaws here, so generally I end up voting Republican.

At first, I really thought this would be the year that changed that. I really liked Obama. But now - he's just another politician trying to get my vote. Not sure when it happened, or even why - but he's lost most of that pull. And I couldn't even really put a finger on it for you.

So there's that.

I've never been a big McCain fan, so when he pulled Palin out of his hat it made things interesting. And funny enough, the more fodder the media throws around about her, the more intrigued I am. Here's this woman... who is coming from Alaska. Who is having all of her faults pointed out relentlessly. And even some of her non-faults - that are made into VeryBadThings - because it's part of the game. It's what you do. But she's there. She's smiling and she's telling us that she's the candidate that can do this. She's stands up there even though they pull her family up there. She's got cajones. I like that.

I think an attitude like that is mandatory for someone who is going to deal in foreign policy.

Does it make me overlook all other things? No. But it's a check in the box on the pro side....

Yeah that's me. Haven't posted anything in a month? Yikes.

At any rate - it was pointed out that I never posted pics from Ky's birthday. *oops*
I created an album of the 8 pictures I have (see why there wasn't some big picture montage?)
I'll try to get it uploaded and link to it in the near future.

We've mostly been involved in The Great Bedroom Shuffle of '08
If I ever get them clean, I'll take pictures... don't hold your breath!

Steve has a jeep. Not a cherokee or a liberty - a 'jeep' jeep. AKA Wrangler. Hmmm I know it's a Sahara Unlimited. Which means it has 4 doors - not the 2 you're used to seeing. Came with a soft and a hard top. Pretty cool the jeep. Oh yah - it's Jeep Green of course.

So in the last few months I've noticed something interesting.

Jeep people wave to each other.

It's pretty funny and I was glad I noticed. So that when I took it out and someone waved at me from another jeep I knew what to do and was prepared... I gave them the finger. OK no I'm just kidding - I waved back of course :o)

So now I wonder... Durango people don't wave to me. On Thursday decided I was going to do just that. Every time I see a Durango I'll wave. Easy peasy - I may get arrested for over-friendly-driving - but we'll see. Since Thursday I have noticed exacly - 0 - durangos. No that's not true - on Friday when we went out and Steve drove (in the jeep) I saw 3 durangos. But when I've been driving big Red? Zero. How am I supposed to start the Durango friendly waving craze if I don't see any.

Sheesh. I'll try to keep watching. I'm sure they're out there and sneak past when I'm lost in thought. Then I see a JEEP and remember the wave thing and I start looking again! LOL

So I got back to The Walking Company yesterday and came home with a pair of Unstructured shoes. The guy had me get my feet scanned...

Here is a random image of a foot scan:



Mine was red all through the areas that are orange above - showing all kinds of - well, whatever it is that these images show you ;o)

So he dissappeared and came back with 4 pairs of shoes for me to try out. I ended up liking the Unstructured best for comfort and came home with these:






Comfy comfy! And an exact exchange - they were the exact price of the sandals I was returning - bonus!

I am not sure I will ever buy cheap shoes again.

Now that I have been introduced to the comfort of high quality shoes, I have a hard time going back. Even wearing sneakers doesn't compare.

Over the weekend I broke one of my Dansko sandals. On Sunday I made a trip back to the store - WITHOUT A RECEIPT - but I had a print out of the charge hitting my credit card. I pled my case. He took the shoes and told me he'd contact Dansko to see if maybe they would do a direct repair. Fabulous! No guarantees, but I was happy he was going to try. I figured worst case, maybe they could repair it for a charge.

He called last night - Dansko has authorized him to accept the return. RETURN! I get a brandy new pair of shoes! He doesn't have that type in my size, so I'll go on Friday and try some stuff on again. But how thrilled am I? If this was my usual $20 shoe pair I would have just thrown them out. And the number of cheap shoes laying around my house that I never wear because they aren't as comfortable as I thought they'd be? I am now committed to stocking up on a few different pairs of GOOD, QUALITY shoes instead!

Directly related to this new found happiness - www.zappos.com - WOW! If you need shoes, you need to go here. Having successfully worn my sandals for a few months now, I decided not having them was a good time to order an additional pair of non-sandals. I ordered them Monday evening. Zappos offers free shipping both ways... so I figured there was little risk involved - just inconvenience if they didn't fit. I also figured 'free' would be 'slow boat from China' kinda shipping... but OH NO was I wrong! They bumped up my regular shipping for now cost and I got them yesterday! That's overnight for those of you not wanting to do the math ;o)

Sadly, they didn't fit... but there's more happiness here. I log on to my Zappos account and click the big button 'begin return process'. They ask me why and a few other questions and give me a UPS label. I ordered a new pair in the next size up - which they again upgraded shipping on. Woohoo! Even if these don't fit, I am so very thrilled with this level of service!!!

It's a busy home week around here. Ky's birthday is Saturday. We're having a small 'family' party Saturday, followed by his mostly-school-friends party on Sunday - swimming at the community pool. We've got to pick up all the clutter because it's probably going to rain. And we've got a new bedroom to move into.

Oh and we work too :) there's that.

At any rate, the new bed is in the house and assembled. Waiting patiently for the mattress and boxspring. Maybe we'll get them down there tonight! And then Holly HAS to sleep through the night because we'll be a floor removed LOL.

Lots to do, lots to do.

Can't believe my baby is 8!!!!

So I thought I'd do a little "then and now" excercise...


Here is a picture of the room from when we were house hunting:




And here it is today - from each end of the room...
(remember the closet didn't exist at all previously...)







I'm so very happy with the floor - it's beautiful and feels great on my feet!

Just a glimpse at the painted room (I think the dots are from spackle dust on the lens maybe?)

Right around Mothers' Day we experienced a shortage in cash. Nothing alarming - just the kind of thing where you don't have extra to buy any nicities without dipping into other funding. So I told Steve to forego the traditional gifting.

A few weeks later cash-flow returned to normal. And I had chatted with the Chiropractor about shoes. He had suggested Earth Shoes - which sounded promising. So I looked around online, but didn't want to spend that kind of money without trying them on. I mentioned it to Steve and suggested this could be the Mom's Day gift he'd wanted to get me :o) So I hit The Walking Store at the mall. And I was so glad I did. The Earth Shoes were JUST as comfortable as I could hope they would be - but they were too narrow. And going up a size caused them to be ridiculously long. So I sadly decided they are not the shoe for me (maybe later after I lose some of this extra weight!). The oh-so-helpful Sales person pointed me to Dansko - a whole rack. And in the same price that I had been prepared to spend. I looked at a few and come home with these:



I love them. I have worn them daily for about 12 days now - all day. The only exception is when I wore sneakers to the gym today. I love my new Danskos. They are fabulous. And my feet are happy, happy, happy. Definitely worth the money.

For the record it was hard to work up to spending that much on shoes. Traditionally, I shop in places like PayLess for shoes. So there was some sticker shock involved. But now I'm starting to think about when I can fit the purchase of another pair into our budget!!!

So the wall board arrived on Saturday :o)
Saturday and Sunday I was a wall-boarding freak :o)

And look! Progress was made (Steve DID help, though I can honestly say this was mostly me)




I'm only slightly sore. This should be the hardest of it. Now around the room we go!