The Art of Couponing: I Love Shoes

Yessss, Nuncio. You're coming home to mama! *muah*

Anyone who knows me, knows I love shoes. But, I've been trying to live more on a budget. I used to buy shoes once a month at minimum. Now, I try and catch the sales. And right now Nine West is having a good sale. These sweet babies are on sale 60% off right now AND Nine West is offering free shipping. Hit them up now!

PS-I own many many pairs of Nine West shoes and highly recommend the Barbe for a classic pump that goes with almost anything. I have a red pair that I wore with a black dress to a UGA themed wedding and made lots of girls green with envy ;) I also love the BooBoo style's fit. I bought a pair of Escher once, but they are a challenge to fit my foot in and walk properly.

Caturday Saturday: Window Perch Adventure

When my parents came back from Tennessee last week, they brought the grandkittens a surprise...

What's this papa? I must investigate...

Oh! A perch! Now I don't have to hang out of the window sill...

Please note: 25 lbs weight limit. Sorry chunk. You can only sit alone. Meanwhile, Jackson and Scooby could share.

Papa putting it together.

Elliot wanted to help.

Almost ready for a test run!

Elliot didn't want to get up there, but I helped her jump right in.

Gotta milk it first. You know...test out the fluffiness.

Look at that face!

Meanwhile, this is where we found Jackson.

You cannot get me in my box fortress!

The Art of Couponing: Big CVS Deals

If you haven't seen it by now, I'll post here for you all to see. There are some good deals at CVS right now. Just check out Southern Savers or Coupon Divas for some easy check lists.

Here is the deal I did this week: Buy $20 worth of Playtex and/or Schick and get $10 ECB back.

I bought...
Edge Shave Gel, regular $2.87 (on sale for $2.19), used coupons for .55 off, paid $1.64
Skintimate Shave Gel, regular $3.59 (on sale for $2.19), lost my coupon so I paid $2.19
(2) 40 ct. Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons, $8.49 each (used 2 $1/1 coupons) and paid $7.49 each
Also used $4 in ECB off my total that expire soon.
Total out of pocket cost: $14.81 + tax, but earned $10 ECB to use in store. Which I'm thinking about using to buy 4 cases of Diet Dr Pepper (on sale $2.50 per 12 pack).

I would have made out better if I could have bought the Shave Creams, but they were SOLD OUT when I got there. I know you can do a rain-check at CVS, but I was in a hurry and I honestly didn't need it that bad. I mostly steal Tim's shave gel, but since there was a chance to buy some girly kind, I did (and bought one to go in his stash as well). In fact, I think Walgreen's is also having a good deal on the Shave Cream if anyone has the coupons leftover from missing out on the CVS deal.

Snacking at Our House: Ricotta Cheese Chocolate Chip Muffins

Saw these and knew I had leftover ricotta to use before it went bad. Also, I wanted to get back to trying to make four new recipes before the end of the month. So here is my best shot at attempting that with only one week left in the month. And if you don't subscribe to her blog, I highly suggest doing so. I love skinnytaste.com.

They are pretty yum, but why do they always stick? Blast!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self rising cake flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light (I used yogurt butter because that's all we have)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 8 oz fat free ricotta cheese (I used low fat because it's all I had)
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla
• 9 tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels (I used regular because it is all I had)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Mix flour and baking soda. 
3. Mix and cream butter and sugar. 
4. Beat egg whites and add to butter/sugar mixture. 
5. Mix in ricotta cheese, then flour mixture and vanilla. 
6. Fold in chocolate chips and spoon into lined muffin tins about 3/4 filled.
7. Bake at 375° for 15-16 minutes and let cool.

For me it made 14 muffins, but I think it was supposed to make 12.

Caturday Saturday: Magic Floating Cat

There are some things in life for whatever reason that just make me incredibly happy. This is one of them: a trick that Tim does with the cats. He's always silent and sneaks up and does it when I least expect it.

Hello mom!

Caturday Saturday: On a Tuesday...

Yeah yeah, I know...It isn't Saturday, but that doesn't mean I can't dream. This week is quite groggy and I can't put my finger on why. Anywho! Here are the fur babies from last week:

That is a clip of Jackson. You may need to turn up your speakers, but in the first few seconds you can hear him chirping. Yes...like a bird...Jackson is by far our quirkiest cat. He chirps, meows and barks/growls. 

I'm always a sucker for a shot of Ellie and her daddy spending time together.

Saying Goodbye to Harry

Last night was something I've both looked forward to and dreaded. I'm actually glad I was able to recruit Tim for the task. We went to what will probably be my last "first midnight showing" of a movie. Not to say I won't ever do it again, but I just don't know how many more I'll be dying to see at the first available moment.

I will never forget how I came to love Harry Potter. Tim and I were dating, and it was the summer after he graduated and I was finished with my first year of college. Tim's little sister Sarah wanted to go to the midnight release. Well, I had been one of those obnoxious naysayers. I wasn't interested in "kid's books" and the like.

But, something happened. I casually opened the cover of the first book at Tim's family's kitchen table. I started to read the first page. We took Sarah to the local Books A Million at midnight so she could get her book. I kept reading. I think I read through the night. I remember finishing quickly enough that I could tell them all I was sold. Hooked. Transformed into a total Harry Potter freak.

A couple years later. I went to a midnight release to get my own copy of the next novel. I remember reading as much through the night as I could. And a few years later, I was in graduate school, in line with my Auburn pals getting my final copy.

While the journey for me has been a bit shorter than others, it has been an exciting 8 years for me. I really think JK Rowling has set a new standard in fiction writing for multiple generations. I don't know how easy that will be to top.

Quick and Quirky Conversation Snippets

So, I thought this might add a little funny-haha comedy to the blog to include some of the random that goes on in this house. I was inspired by a tiny exchange with Tim earlier after we returned home from a movie.

Me: Hey, what do you want to do tonight?
Tim: I don't know.
Me: I just want to hang out with you, let's hang out! What are we going to eat?
Tim: I don't know. I just want to sleep.
Me: I don't want to sleep! I want to do something, and eat!
Tim: I'm not like you, I didn't get to sleep the entire car ride home from Marietta...(pause)...I only got to sleep for a few minutes on the car ride home.
Me: *blank stare followed by rolling off the bed in laughter*

Yeeeeeah. Corny, but funny for us. :)

Caturday Saturday: Grandcat and Papa

I came home from work the other night and this is what I walked in to see:

Sweet Ellie and her Papa. Chillen. Watching TV.

I absolutely love seeing the cats hang out with my dad. People can laugh, but for right now this is our life and I love it.

The Art of Couponing: Back into Super Saving Action

You haven't seen me post one of these in a while, mostly because I've seriously been so busy we haven't even really been shopping. My mom has been taking on more of the feeding responsibilities because my niece and nephew are still around. But, since the online class is now over I decided to put my little coupons back into action. Note: I've still been clipping, just haven't been using.

So let me share some of the highlights from tonight's shopping trip.

@CVS:

Tonight's Out of Pocket cost was: $3.73

Yes. You read that right. I paid $3.73 for 2 Oral B toothbrushes, Tampax Pearl Tampons (get over yourself squeamish boys) and chocolate! PLUS: I earned $4 Extra Care Bucks. That's like a profit of 27 cents ha!

How I did it? Well, I had $3 ECB to use by 7/6 or else they expire, I used a B1G1 Oral B toothbrush coupon, I got a free chocolate coupon just by stopping at the coupon printer in store, I used a $1off Tampax Pearl, and the Toothbrushes+ Tampons had ECB deals. All in all a savings of 78%.

@Publix

All this can be yours for the price of $9.74

Above you see: Ritz crackerfuls, French's mustard, Viva paper towels, Mueller's pasta, 2 rolls of Reynold's non-stick wrap, Mahatma rice, Playtex tampons, and Breakstone's sour cream blends! All for under $10. The grand savings total was 64% off.

Let me go over a couple of the big deals:

Reynolds non-stick wrap, regular $4.39

On sale B1G1 so it's $2.19

Used a .75 off coupon to pay $1.44 a roll; that is a savings of 67% Not too bad. You can ALWAYS use this stuff.

Viva Big Roll paper towels, regular $3.00

On sale B1G1 so it's $1.50

Used a .50 coupon that DOUBLES to $1.00 off at Publix to pay .50 for one roll; that is a savings of 83%

Mueller's Pasta, regular $1.45

On sale B1G1 so it is .72

Used a .55 cent off coupon to pay .17; that is a savings of 88%

Please tell me I have persuaded some of you by now :)

Some of the best sites to help you are:
Southern Savers
Coupons Make it Free
20 Something Saver

Caturday Saturday: We know it's Monday....

I know, it has been a crazy weekend, so here is your belated Caturday Saturday post to update you on the cats and their crazy lives:

Elliot wanted to check out the cooler from our trip to Jackson and Athens GA last weekend.

This is Scooby chillin in the window when our AC went out last week.

And this is my Jackson...hanging out inside a box.

Eleven in 11: Evaluating June

I am so sorry for the lack of June updates. I am a mad woman, truly. This month I not only began a 4 day work week at work (which means 10 hours days and a half lunch) I took on some additional responsibilities. I am teaching in the evenings twice a week, making the work day an additional 2 hours longer), plus I helped with an online class at another university. Whew! Lots of work, leaves me with not as much time to blog. Anywho, I'm here now and I have lots of ideas for future posts!

The breakdown:
1. Volunteer opportunity- I got my certificate in the mail recently and I'm so happy to belong to such a great organization and good cause. Sometimes people ask me "rape crisis? ew, why?" Well, it isn't "fun" work, but someone has to do it. I don't want to sit by idly and simply complain. I want to be part of the solution. Women (and I say women because they are the largest demographic of victims) need to be reminded that there is absolutely no reason for sexual assault. Nothing they did made them "deserve it." I feel like when it comes to this, I'm very good at not judging a person but being empathetic and supportive.
2. The weight loss one- I'm awful! I've actually gained about 3 lbs back. Because I was so busy in June I all but quit the gym. But, now that the online class is over I'm going to make myself go Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I'm going to make it to my ultimate goal!!!
3. Plan and take honeymoon- We went to Amelia Island. Collectively, Tim and I decided that we simply didn't ever have a honeymoon. While the trip was a FABULOUS trip, it just wan't a honeymoon. We missed the boat 3 years ago, and it isn't something you can just have 3 years late. It's ok though, we still loved vacationing! You can see our recent trip photos from here and here.
4. Trying four new recipes- Well...I haven't hardly cooked since my brother and his family arrived, but I will get back on it. I did however make:

• Oreo Truffles
• Chocolate Cake Balls

5. Blog three times a week- I fail, I know, I know.

6. Student loan- Check!

7. Savings!- Check! 

8. Read 52 books- I think I'm giving up here...but I did just learn about a cool new website: www.goodreads.com

9. Facebook birthdays- This really is a good tool for reconnecting.

10. Visit 12 new restaurants- I'm not sure if we went somewhere new or not...

11. Etsy- Again...not sure when this will ever happen...

Is your summer fun? I hope so! Stay cool and stay safe!