Oh how it changes

Wow, life really changes when you become a mom. Not only do you feel like your body just did the most miraculous thing and has been pushed to the limit, but it will never be the same again. Then on to this new person that needs you all the time. It's so great to be needed and loved but things you did before come in a far 2nd. Figuring out things that were second nature, like your relationship with your husband, is suddenly more challenging. Your whole outlook on life is different.

Then there comes the gross and weird things you never thought you could do or could deal with Analyzing poop, getting pooped on, spit up on, drooled on, peed on, feeding your baby by breast, having milk spray everywhere, getting your hair pulled, getting scratched, experiencing back pain from packing an extra 10+ pounds everywhere, allowing your finger to be a chew toy, and I'm sure I'm missing a few things. And to think I barely blinked when I found myself with a lap full of poop that had escaped a diaper. I wiped it up with the best invention ever, baby wipes, put baby in the car seat and went to the thrift store to get another pair of pants. Needless to say, I was very thankful that the pants were black and that you couldn't see the yellowish, wet spot the consumed the front of them. It made it easier to go into public for search of a quick fix for the problem. And I just happen to luck out that it was member discount Tuesday and I got a nearly new pair of jean Capri pants (that fit well) for $4.38.

Anyway, I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything. I have this overwhelming since of love that is impossible to explain. I just keep stopping and looking at what I'm doing and shaking my head because this is all new and different and at times a bit odd. Like typing on my phone my thoughts while getting wet from a slobbering baby who is finally taking a nap in my arms.

Zucchini Bake

Ok so I found a new recipe that I like! I had a large zucchini in the garden that I needed to do something with. I searched my recipe books and found this one:

Ingredients:
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 large onion
1 can green chilies or rotel
8 oz sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Take sliced onion and zucchini and put in saucepan. Cover with water and bring to boil. Cook until tender. Drain. Spread into baking dish.
In a small bowl mix chilies, cheddar cheese, one cup Parmesan cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Spread mixture over zucchini and onions.
Top with bread crumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese starts to brown on top. Enjoy!

Another Great week at CVS

I wrote up a whole blog and then lost it trying to add a pic. Here's the summary: I used $10 ECB from last week. I found the CVS app on my phone to be super helpful. I spent a grand total of $17.89 and came home with the following items: Suave Body Lotion (x2)*^ Suave Extra Hold Hair Spray*^ Suave Extra Hold Mousse*^ Suave Deodorant (x2)*^ Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara*^ Cover Girl Eye Shadow^ Vicks Nature Fusion*^ Vicks DayQuil Liquid*^ Azo Cranberry (50)* Azo Standard (B1G1) *=Used Manufacturers Coupon ^=Part of an ECB Deal If I would have paid regular retail price it would have been $58.07, that's a 69% savings! These deals are going on all week at CVS. I then went to pick up a few groceries and spent $40.18, but saved $19.50...not bad but not my best. Hey I saved eough at the grocery store to buy that items at CVS!

Great Drug Store Deals

Today was a GREAT coupon day! With the holidays there weren't as many deals and I was sick for a while...so sick I didn't coupon-crazy huh? So it was an awesome day to get back into the swing of things. CVS Transaction 1 Skintimate Shave Gel, on sale $3.79, $4 ECB, limit 100; $0.55/1 MFC (money maker) Puffs with Lotion 56 count tissues, on sale $0.88/box; $0.25/3 MFC (neede tissue) ClearBlue Digital Tests (bonus 3 pack), $17.49, $5 ECB, limit 1 (someday I'll need these, rarely on sale) Cadbury Egg, on sale $0.87, $0.87 ECB, limit 1 (like getting it for FREE) Total $26.06 (more than I'd usually spend but I will use all items and wanted the ECB) ECB Earned $9.87 (to use on next purchase) Transaction 2 (I dropped items in car and walked back in) Irish Spring Men's Body Wash, on sale $3, $6 ECB when buying $12, limit 1; $1.00/1 MF (x2) [bought 4] Dawn Dishsoap, on sale $0.98; $1/1 MFC (money maker) Skintimate Shave Gel, on sale $3.79, $4 ECB, limit 100 (money maker) I also used ECB from Transaction 1 totalling $9.87 Total $4.26 ECB Earned $10 Total Savings $21.60 83% Savings And Now I have $10 to use next week. Not too bad I didn't think. Total spent 30.32, with $10 for next week. The clearblue tests added a lot to the total, but they don't have specials often and now I'll have them in stock if I need them someday. Walgreens Blistex Lip Balm, on sale $0.99; $0.50/1 MFC (good deal) Blistex Lip Blam, on sale 40.99; $0.25/1 MFC (ok deal) Blink Tears Eye Drops, $8.00, RR $8/1, $1/1 MFC ($1 money maker) Mars Skickers Candy Heart, on sale $0.59/each; $1/2 Mars Valentine Candy (x2) [bought 4] (almost Free) Total $9.29 RR Earned $8 Total Savings $6.94 57% Savings So Grand total for today was higher than normal, $39.61, but I have $18 to use in the next two weeks on great deals I might find!

Will Post More

Ok, so I've been a major slacker. I've haven't posted for a really long time. There are a few reasons that could probalby be good reasons or maybe just excuses! But I do have one new item I picked up with Chrismas money that will make this a lot easier...A Keyboard for my Ipad! I unfortunaltely didn't find a good deal on it. But it will be used enough times to make it worth the money! Well the deals I found in the last week: I subscribe to the Penny Pinchin Mom's daily email...there is some great stuff in there. A lot of the local store match ups I decifer on my own. But she has writers that look into online deals that I don't usually find. Earlier in the week I found "Parents" magazine for $3.87 a year and you could get up to 4 years. I got 2 years as a gift and spent right at $8. I went to the store to buy one of the magazines so I would have something to wrap for the shower, and it was $2.50 for one month! So I felt like that was a good deal and a great gift! Penny Pinchin Mom also alerted me to an onine coupon to a FREE lipgloss with a purchase at Victoria Secrets. They are having their semi annual sale so I was planning on picking up $3.99 underware. However all they had left was super smalls. So I got a regular priced pair from their Pink line and they were $10.50. The lip gloss was normally $7 so I almost saved as much as I spent! Oh and I found there is rewards to staying on the email newsletter list. I have received monthly emails from Chili's the resteraunt for a while. I got a "Happy Anniversary" email that gave me a FREE appetizer. So that was a good enough deal. I went to lunch with a friend, we ordered the appetizer and our meals. After a few minutes of visiting our meal arrived. We gave the server (not our waitress) an odd look and asked about our appetizer. Well it had gotten lost in the shuffle. So we just asked for the coupon back, no big deal. Well it turns out the server was a manager and he brought us two $5 coupons (said he had already scanned and discarded my origional coupon) and then also took $10 off our bill which made our meals half price. So that worked out really well! I've gotten behind on my coupon cutting. So I need to do that today and get caught up to go find good deals today! I have been alerted to some more FREE items this week so be looking for posts on that coming up!

Hurry To Hy-Vee

So there is a really good deal happening at Hy-Vee.  If you spend $10 in Kraft products (listed on page 16 of their flyer) you can get a $5 coupon.  I also found 3 bonus coupons that helped sweeten the deal.

Kraft Mayo 30 oz jar on sale $2.49 (bonus coupon $1/2 found near crackers) = 2@ $2/ea (retail $3.49)
Nabisco Snack Crackers (Wheat Thins, Triscut, Ritz) on sale 2 for $4 (bonus coupon $1/2 near crackers) = 2@$1.50 each (retail at least $3)
Kraft Salad Dressing 16 oz on sale for $2.18 (bonus coupon on bottle $0.50 off) =1 @1.68 (good deal but I've seen better)
With those three products my total was $8.68 plus tax-but I got a $5 off my next purchase coupon
Check out www.pennypinchinmom.com and go to grocery stores at top then to Hy-Vee and she highlights links for these bonus coupons I found in the store.

So I went back again to see what deals I could find.
You should like Hy-Vee on Facebook to get a $2/1 Old Orchard Naturals Juice (limit 2 coupons to print)
Also like Old Orchard on FB and get $1/1 Old Orchards Naturals
Old Orchard Naturals Cranberry Blends is on sale for $1.77 each.
So I bought 4 Bottles of Old Orchard and paid only $1.54 (I didn't get full value of $2 coupons as they didn't allow overages)
I also got two more Kraft Mayo jars, one box of Ritz crackers (had Hy-Vee coupon for 50cents off one), on box of Wheat Thins, two cans of Hy-vee pumpkin, one box of chocolate Jello and one container of Cool Whip...and my grand total was $6.10.  I used the $5 off coupon from the earlier transaction.  I thought it would spit out another $5 off coupon but it didn't since I was buying the same products again.  Oh well. Still a good deal!

Cover Girl & Crest Deals

So there are several coupons expiring tomorrow (the last day of the month).  Today is Sunday and all the new ads come out for CVS, Walgreens, and Target.  This morning I got a super deal at CVS, I spent 10.82 but saved 38.78!  And I got a $2 coupon off my next purchase.  Two of the good deals are outlined below:

Crest Toothpaste with Scope on sale for $2.99
Minus a $2 off one MF coupon
=$0.99 out of pocket
BUT I got $1.00 ECB coupon for my next CVS visit...so it was virtually FREE (and I was able to get that deal twice!)

Cover Girl sale at CVS, buy one, get on 50% off
Remember that great MF coupon for $8 off two CoverGirl products I used earlier...well I found 3 more of them!  So far I got a mascara and eyeliner together for only $2.49.  I'm going back to get more eyeliner and eyeshadow (as I now have two unopened mascaras-so that should last me a while) :)

There are lots of other good deals that would take a while to list so I'll just write about the best ones to save time!!!  Happy bargain shopping!