Where The Wild Things Are

I think I’ve finally found an almost useful new hobby…shopping! Okay, so I’ve always loved retail therapy, but now I have a cool new way to do it. I’ve discovered the love of coupons. I know, it seems like a pain, but I’m telling you…when you can get something for nothing (or close to it) it’s almost a high! Take today for instance. I went to Target and in addition to a whole lot of groceries and stuff I didn’t really need, I bought

1 Venus Embrace Razor gift pack (with a travel case, 2 extra blades,
travel can of shave gel, and small tube of lotion
1 Fusion razor (nothing fun with this one )

I could have paid:
$9.44 Venus
7.99 Fusion
_____
17.43

but noooooo

I had a $4.00 off coupon for the Venus and a $2.00 coupon for the Fusion, making my total 11.43. Which really wouldn’t have been bad, but Target also had a promotion where if you bought 2 of these razors, you got a $10 Target gift card instantly. Since I shop at Target a lot, this GC will definitely get used. So basically I spent 1.43 for 2 razors and a few little extras as well!

Then tonight I went to Walgreens. I bought
2 Gillette Fusion Hydragel shave gels $3.33 (x2)
4 Edge Shave gels $2.00 (x4)
2 Skintimate shave gels $2.00 (x2)
1 Gillette 2-in-1 body wash $4.00
__________
$22.66

Walgreens had a promotion going where if you spent $20 on these products, you got a coupon fro $5 off your next order. Again, since I shop at Walgreens a lot, this will get used. That would bring my total to $17.66. Still not a bad deal. But Walgreens also had a coupon in their June Easy Saver Catalog for $1 off each of the Edge and Skintimate shave gels. That brought my total to $11.66. Getting better I had 2 $1.50 off coupons for the Fusion Shave gels (we’re down to $8.66 if you’re following along). I also had 2 $.55 off coupons for the Skintimate making my total $7.56. Not to mention that I had a coupon for a free Gillette body wash. We’re down to 3.56 now. This alone would have rocked my world, but last time I was in Walgreens, a $3 off your next order coupon printed for reasons completely unknown to me so I used that too. My total was now at .56. After tax, I spent just under $2.50 on all that good stuff. I would have paid with the Walgreens gift card I got from doing the rebates last month, but being the oh-so-organized person I am, I left it at home

I’m sure that’s probably very confusing but I love to go to www.moneysavingmom.com and www.hotcouponworld.com and read about all the deals. I’d never know what was going on or which coupons to use if it weren’t for them!!

We’re not getting in as much riding time as I’d like, but with 2 kids and a lot of cold weather/rain I’m not surprised. Last weekend the girls went to Nana’s house so Friday night Joe and I rode together for the first time. We just rode over to McAlister’s for dinner, but it was still a ride!

Saturday we waiting for the weather to warm up a bit and then headed over to Shelbyville. That was by far my longest ride and I really enjoyed it! I haven’t done a lot of 45mph+ riding and I wasn’t sure how I would like it, but I love it We stopped by our riding buddies’ house and showed off my bike a bit then came home. Our group is riding on Sunday but I can’t go because Lauren’s best friend is having her birthday party. *sob* Oh well, riding season is just getting started!

Hmm, guess I didn’t stick to that whole “I’ll blog more often” thing.

Anyway, I’m pretty sure today was one of Lauren’s best days. She got up this morning and found her Easter basket (we do the secular Easter stuff on Saturday and save Easter Sunday as a more reverent day) which included lots of candy, Ariel sunglasses, as pink stuffed pony and a new Bible. Then we bundled up and met our friends Dana, Aiden, and Aaron for an Easter egg hunt. Lauren really wanted Aiden to be there so she was thrilled. They got lots of candy and Lauren won a couple of prizes so that was fun too. We came home and had lunch (pork chops…her favorite) then she had to dress as Princess Jasmine for her best friend’s birthday party. She spent 2 hours with 8 other giggling 6 year olds and came home with all sorts of loot.

After picking Lauren up, we went over to Watson’s and tried out all of their swing sets/play gyms. We ended up buying one that will hopefully be delivered in a week or so. I’m pretty sure this kid thinks life couldn’t get any better…and to be honest, I’m not sure it could! I think the only thing we could have done to make it better is buy her a pony hehehe.

Ever have a week you just don’t want to begin? Well, that’s this week for me. I have to admit I love the freedom of being a stay-at-home mom. I pretty much do what I want, when I want. This week, sadly, won’t be that way. It’s one of those weeks that seems to be packed before it even starts. I have a meeting at 10:30 this morning, and another at 6:30 tonight. Tomorrow I have to be in Tara’s classroom from 9-11, feed her lunch, run to a meeting half an hour away from 12:30-3, come home, get Lauren off the bus and feed her a snack, make dinner and be at another meeting by 7. And those are all for preschool stuff! I also need to meet with the other Daisy Girl Scout leader this week to plan the rest of the semester. I need to wedge a dentist appointment for me, a shot visit for Tara and a vet visit for the dog in there somewhere. Oh yeah and still manage to get the kids to school, fed, bathed, and to bed at the right times, laundry done and the house cleaned. I’m tired and we haven’t even begun! Can I just go back to bed and pretend that this is NOT Monday?

So today totally redeemed the fact that I now own and actually enjoy driving a minivan. I’ve had it for 12 days now and I’m not sure I’d be willing to give it up. I never thought I’d say that!!

Anyway, today I got my first motorcycle (www.theneals.net/jamie if you’re wanting to take a gander). It’s a 2002 V-star 650, black, and sooo cool! I’ve had my permit since September but only have a small amount of driving time under my belt. I can’t wait for it to get warm enough for me to practice! I’m hoping by the end of the summer to have my license and be able to ride at least with Joe. I may still ride with him when our group goes riding but look out summer 2009

Woo hoo! I’m officially a biker chick!