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Thursday, July 30, 2009

CVS Deals: July 25 - August 1



I got all this for $7.11! Here's how I did it:

I started off with $7.99 of ECB's from a previous purchase last week and did three transactions. (Photo books were on sale, buy one at $7.99 and get $7.99 in ECB's. I did this twice paying out of pocket for the first book.)

Transaction #1:
Arm & Hammer Detergent 2/$6
Colgate: $2.88

Total: $9.87 - $.75 (colgate coupon) - $7.99 ECB's = $1.26 (w/ tax) out of pocket. SWEET!
Earned: $2 ECB's for Arm & Hammer and $2 ECB for Colgate

Transaction #2:
Snickers x2 $1.34 (I needed a filler so I could use one ECB from the previous transaction)
Shampoo $2.99
Mouse $2.99

Total: $7.32 - $2.99 (B1G1 for the Shampoo/mouse) - $1 (snickers) - $2 (ECB's from the Colgate) = $1.85 (w/ tax)
Earned: $1.00 for the shampoo

Transaction #3:
Kashi crackers 3/$10

Total: $10.00 - $1.50 coupon x2(found here) - $1 (ECB from the Shampoo) - $2.00 (ECB from the Arm & Hammer) = $4.00 (w/ tax)
Earned: $5.00 for the crackers!

I had a problem printing the 3rd coupon, it would have been a better deal had it printed. Usually you can only print two but if you use two different web browsers and/or two computers you can print up to four times.

So I walked out with all of that and with $5.00 in my pocket for next time.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Semi-Wordless Wednesday



I'm still a BABY! Quit making me walk!



Much better. Thanks Dad.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Conversations with Jules

"Yo, Mom, thanks for taking me outside, even if it was to get the mail. I loved it!"



"Jules, I got something for you in the mail today."



"Dum dee dum. Oh, what is it?"



"Your hospital bill."

Ikea, You Just About Lost Me

While finishing up Jules' room, I remembered I had a floating shelf that I purchased from Ikea awhile back.

"This will be perfect in his room."

And now that it's up, it is perfect. But it didn't come hassle free.

I purchased the shelf when we were still living in Las Vegas. (Not IN Las Vegas, since there aren't any Ikea stores there.) Obviously, we've moved and I'm pretty sure I threw the receipt away - without even opening the package. Can you see where this is going?

So, fast-forward one year later and I wanted to hang it in my sweet little Jules' room.

Justin informed me that the shelf had a crack on the edge. I would have just gone with it, but it was on the front and very noticeable. I should have known better than to just buy something and not open it at the store. If you've ever been there, they have an area outside the checkouts where you can inspect your items. I think it's even called "Inspection" something. What the...! Seriously, to have an inspection location before you go home screams low quality items. But! I don't learn from my mistakes easily and love Ikea, and I've always just taken my purchases home without inspection. It finally backfired.

We took the shelf back to Ikea without the receipt and they informed that "No, we can't take it back without a receipt. We don't know if you purchased it off ebay or craigslist."

What difference does it make where I purchased it (YOUR STORE!), I just want to exchange it! Non-passive-aggressive Minnesota lady wasn't budging.

So we bought another one, kept the receipt and returned the old one using the new receipt. Trickery, I know. But I haven't bought anything from Ikea on ebay or craigslist.

Other stores don't seem to worry about this problem that apparently happens with Ikea products (I've sold USED items without packaging on craigslist - we still had the box for the shelf). All I'm saying, Ikea, is maybe you should either re-evaluate your products or your return policy - or both. New parents on little sleep don't need to be jacked around.

I know I owe you a picture of his nursery. We finally got his chair yesterday, so I'll be finishing somethings up today and will show it off tomorrow, or the next day, or whenever. But here's a preview including the shelf.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Where, Apparently, Anything Goes

Justin and I took Jules on his first road trip. A four hour drive to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. "Why the heck would you go there," you might ask. Or "Sioux Falls, where?" Yeah, it's on the southwest border of Minnesota and South Dakota. Geography! These two states are neighbors! Sioux Falls is apparently the PLACE to get the BEST fireworks, although, we didn't buy any. You can also drive down a major street on a 4-wheeler, casinos can be made out of small houses and still manage to stay in business, and Burger King serves soft serve?

Anyway, we went for a short weekend trip to witness a marriage that we honestly were surprised by. And from all the speeches we heard at the reception, so was everyone else (in a good way). It was a nice ceremony and the bride and groom and all their guests had a great time.

Including this lovely couple cutting the wedding cake on the table:


Another lovely couple:


Trying not to be "those people" with the crying baby at a ceremony:


At the Sioux Falls, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Monday, July 13, 2009

One Month

When the first pediatrician came to see us in the hospital, she told me my only job for the next few weeks was to eat, sleep and feed my baby. Nothing else. Luckily, my mom, sister and Justin were around to do everything else because that's all I did, but not always in that order.

It's been a learning experience for all of us. I CAN function on just a few hours of sleep. Do I prefer it? No, nope, no way. He's so cute and sweet I'll stay up rocking him until he's out even if I've only slept an hour. People say it goes by fast and I 100% agree with that statement. He's up to 10 pounds now and has outgrown his newborn onesies and diapers. But he's still little enough to cuddle up like he did when he was first born.



He loves his bouncy seat and the swing.



Although Scully doesn't like it when he starts screaming, he's very interested in her.


And unless he's sleeping, he's hard to take a photo of.







Happy one month birthday my baby Jules.

Monday, July 06, 2009

84 Diapers

We went through a box of 84 newborn diapers in about 10 days. 84 diapers people! He's three weeks old. And that doesn't count the 2 smaller packages we went through first. Luckily, I didn't buy any of them but now I have to. Here's the problem: I got another box of size ones as a gift but he doesn't quite fit in them yet. I have enough cloth diapers for one day (still trying them out before I purchase a few days worth) so do I buy just one more smaller package of newborn size or just wash cloth diapers every day?

Anyway, Jules is three weeks old. He's getting stronger, louder, and more demanding of boob time.

People have been asking about Scully. She's doing ok. If one of us is holding the baby, she's sitting or being held by the other. She likes to smell and lick Jules but once he starts crying, she's either leaving the room or trying to jump on him. We haven't figured out why. She's weird.

The chair for his room STILL isn't here. Once it's here I'll share photos of his room.


(Jules sporting a cloth diaper)

My cute, little family.