The 3 S's.....Sewing, Stockpile & Snow

As you can see from my To-Do List I finally got around to starting on one of my long neglected chores--my unfinished sewing projects!
It only took me a year and almost 3 months to get to it.....sheeesh!lol

 Under that pile of clothes is the long neglected sewing projects "in progress" tub.

And here it us after being uncovered......

Notice all the dust on the lid....lol
And here is inside the belly of the beast....

Well at least the top layer inside the beast. ;-)
So I pulled out a project.....well 3 projects really since I have 3 pairs of pajama pants cut out for my Daughter.  I'll be working on those this week and hopefully by week's end I'll have something to show for my efforts.

Before I did another else on Sunday, I went up to Rite-Aid to roll some +Ups and get my free after Q and +Ups toothbrushes.....

1 x Resolve on sale=$1.99
5 x Reach Toothbrushes on sale $2.99=$14.95
SubTotal....$16.94

Coupons Used
1 x $1 any Purchase AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
1 x .75/1 Resolve IPQ(from Resolve website)=$.75
5 x $1/1 Reach Toothbrush tearpad Q(from dentist office)=$5.00
1 x $1/1 Listerine/Reach AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
Coupon Total...$7.75

$16.94-$7.75=$9.19
I used $8.88 in +Ups and put the $.31 OOP on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I received $11 back in +Up Rewards(5 x $2 Toothbrushes, $1 Resolve)so I am "up" $2.12 on this transaction.

Then I did the same transaction again but my coupons were a little different....

Coupons Used
1 x $1 any Purchase AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
1 x .75/1 Resolve IPQ(from Resolve website)=$.75
1 x .25¢/1 Resolve Peelie Q on product=$.25
3 x $1/1 Reach Toothbrush tearpad Q(from dentist office)=$3.00
1 x $2/2 Reach Toothbrush IPQ(old IPQ that was expiring soon)=$2.00
Coupon Total...$7.00

$16.94-$7.00=$9.94
I used $9.88 in +Ups and put the $.06 OOP on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I received $11 back in +Up Rewards(5 x $2 Toothbrushes, $1 Resolve)so I am "up" $1.12 on this transaction.

The reason I broke this into two transactions was because I had more than 1 $1 any purchase AdPerks/VV IPQs that were expiring on 3/26.  If I had done it all in one transaction the second $1 off Q might not have gotten used before Saturday.

My planning wasn't too great because I still have $2 in +Up Rewards left to use by Saturday.  I should have bought an 11th toothbrush....ugh.
And my gift card is down to $53.20.

I didn't get the Night Guard mouthpiece and roll $19.99 in +Ups.  I'll get a raincheck and hopefully they have it in stock after March 30th, when the April SCRs start.  There is a $3 SCR for the Night Guard item for April so I'll buy it on raincheck(the raincheck price will be $4.99 after $15 +Ups discount).  I'll use my $5/1 Night Guard Q and pay nothing OOP and then submit my receipt for the $3 SCR.  In the end I'll make $3 for buying it by waiting until the new SCR period. 8-)



After my Rite-Aid trip I went out into the garage to organize the stockpile.
As you can see, things have gotten out of hand in the last few months.....

Mostly it's stuff not getting put away and stock not being rotated back to front as it's used.  It's gotten so bad you can hardly walk around out there.


Plus the field mouse getting in kicked my ass into gear!lol  BTW-We "took care" of mr. mouse the next night....I won't share the details or the photos of his extermination. ;-)

I spent hours out in the garage on Sunday and ended up with a more organized mess.....

 Cereal, Paper Plates, Tea, Coffee, Hot Cocoa, Oatmeal, Taco Shells, Compleats, Granola Bars, Jello and Pudding, Condensed Milk, bagged/boxed Potatoes and "Helper" mixes

 Spices, Rubs, Powders, Sauces, flavored Noodle bags, Steak Sauce, Baking Soda, boxed Bread/Cake/Brownie/Muffin Mixes, Frostings, dried Fruit, Pie Fillings, canned/bagged Nuts, Coconut Milk, flavored Rice bags, dog Treats, canned Dog Food

 canned Soups, canned Veggies, Olives, Green Chilies, canned Tuna, Sardines, Evaporated Milk, Chocolate Syrup, Pancake Syrup, baking Chips, Sugar products(honey, agave, brown sugar, fake sweetners)

 Croutons, Trash Bags, Foil, Parmesan cheese, Ramen and other Noodles, Freezer Bags

 Cereal, Crackers, BBQ Sauce, Marinades, Bread Crumbs, Flour, canned Beans, Spaghetti Sauce, Tomato Soup, canned Tomato products, Pasta, Chili, Hash, Jellies, Peanut Butter

 Salad Dressings, Fruits, Condiments, Oils, Maple Syrup, Juices

 Hand Soap, Dish Soap, Cleaners, Sprays, Wipes, Baby and Wet Wipes, Stain Sprays, Fem. Products

Toilet and Facial Tissue, Paper Towels, Napkins

 It's not perfect but it will do for now.  You can see why I haven't done any grocery shopping for weeks now, can't you?lol
I also culled out 4 boxes of food from the stockpile.....1 for BIL, 1 for the food bank and 2 boxes to offer on the local Angel Help Community Yahoo group for Easter.

By 8pm Sunday night I was a stiff, sore mess....so I went to bed before 9.  Me?....the night owl.
And the most amazing thing was I slept until 9 this morning.  12 hours in one stretch.  It's so unlike me.

 After a semi-productive weekend I woke up to this.......?!?!?......

WTF?!?

I had no clue we were due for more snow!

I'm off now to the stockpile and freezer to figure out the meal plan for this week.  I might hit the grocery store(for more than milk)this week since there is a cheese Catalina deal at the local Shursave affiliate store....spend $30 get a $10 Cat....as we are getting low on cheese.

Check me later for the Meal Plan for the week.

Here are the Rite-Aid numbers for Sunday and the running Totals....
THESE TRIPS
Number of Transactions.....2
Total Spent....$.37 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$56.48
SCR qualified for...$0.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$00.00
+Up Rewards earned...$22.00
+Up Rewards spent....$18.76
+Up Rewards left to spend.....$105.00

TOTALS--March Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......11
Total Spent....$3.38 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$527.07
SCR qualified for....$45.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for March SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 3/19.....$101.76
+Up Rewards spent....$212.76
+Up Rewards earned....$68.76
+Up Rewards left....$105.00  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period

Sluggy

STOCKPILE Cheers & Jeers for 2009

So how did you do with your Stockpile in 2009?
While I've always had a pantry of foodstuffs & a closet of toiletry extras, this year was the first time I had stocked and maintained an actual Stockpile of food and toiletries.

My Best Stockpile Buys for 2009....

1. Marcal Small Steps FREE Toilet Paper/Napkins/Facial Tissue
2. FREE Bags of Iams Dog Food
3. Sugardale Bacon for $1 a package
4. Free or almost free Gillette Products
5. Free Crest Toothpaste (large hauls from Weis and Wags)


My Worst Stockpile Ideas for 2009....

1. Free or almost Free Soy Joy
2. Free or Under $1 Cold Cereal
3. Free Diabetic Meters
4. Moneymaker BC Fruit Snacks
5. Almost Free Kraft Salad Dressing (good to get but just not so many at one time)


My Toiletries Stockpile went from this in March....

To this in early October.......wait for all the photos  lol......

those photos are a 2 year supply organized and put away.
There was also THIS EXCESS STUFF beyond that 2 year supply....

Those 18 Boxes and a few Bags of stuff are what ended up going to the Flea Market in October and this is ALL that came home with me from there.....

The Flea Market Report is HERE if you'd like to read about it again.

My Toiletries Stockpile multiplied faster than Bunnies in those 7 months from March to October!
It got out of hand so fast!!
And that amount of Excess Stuff is AFTER I had a Garage Sale in July too!lolol
So with what I sold at the Garage Sale added in, the overall stockpile was even larger than what you see in the photos!

And just to remind you......this is JUST THE TOILETRIES STOCKPILE!
I'm not even talking about the FOOD STOCKPILE/PANTRY.
Oh, you don't even want me to show you photos of that!!


So, what is the state of my stockpile today?
I still have my 2 year Toiletries supply organized and put away.  I've added a few things to it that we weren't stocked up on, but not more than I have room for in the organized storage.
But more excess has crept back in.
Excess meaning free stuff we don't need more of....like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, razors.....

My Toiletries Stockpile Goal in 2010 is to replenish as we use up items in the 2 year supply.
I am also going to try to only "buy" other toiletry items if they are free or $1 or less with coupons/sales.
I will collect these other toiletry items until May, at which time I'll evaluate how to dispose of them-by either donating them and/or setting up at a flea market again.

So what state is your Toiletries Stockpile in?
The new year would be a good time to take stock of what you have, what you need, organize it and see what you need to get rid of by donating, selling or passing on to neighbors or friends in need.

Sluggy

The Summer of Peace & Quiet is Over

Yes, it's true.
The summer of '09 is over.....well, at least MY Summer is over.

Yesterday was the last day of Band Camp for #2 son. 2 Weeks of peace & quiet while he was at Band Camp has come to an end.
And tomorrow.......**sigh**.....tomorrow #1 son & daughter return from their jobs at the Camp on Lake Erie.

And the house will be filled with THREE TEENAGERS again.
And 3 dogs.
And hubby & I.

So I am spending today trying to get all the rest of the stockpile moved into the new organizational schematic out in the garage and all the new acquisitions from Acme-MANIA posted about HERE incorporated into said Stockpile.

I just sent #2 son's friend home with 2 shopping bags loaded down with Powerade and Vitamin Water since we have so much I know it won't all get used while it's still tasty.

I have also started a pile of duplicates to give to the Food Bank. Moving stuff around has uncovered more than I thought I had out there so some of it will be leaving here & spread some Food Love to those who can use it in my town.

In other news....

I just found a wonderful photo online. My daughter does NOT enjoy having her picture taken. I don't know how she snuck into this family of photo hogs!lol

Last year when she was in Counselor Training at Camp, the camp directors instituted an online Photo Album. The camp has someone wandering around every day taking candid photos of the kids at camp that week. The parents of the kids can go online and view these photos every day. Now, they take a bazillion photos a day for this online album. How many photos of my daughter do you think they took in 3 WEEKS at camp?

Exactly TWO.

She was very good at avoiding the photographer.
And she is very good at avoiding them again this year while she is working there.

But I found her Facebook page and she has NOT been able to avoid the photographer totally this year!
Daughter posted a couple of photos on her page.
And I saved those photos.
Here is one....


Daughter is second from the right in the black shorts.
And she has this STRANGE THING on her face!
No, wait!
I know what that is......
it's....it's....
called......
a SMILE!!

I almost didn't recognize it, as Daughter hasn't worn one in a very VERY long time!

Ok, so I admit it.
I do miss them all.
But if you say I said that, I'll deny it.
Especially after about 2 days home, when they start to get on my Last Nerve again.....
Cause that's how long it will take for them to wear out their welcome home.
Two days...tops!

Back to the garage....land of Cereal and Pop-Tarts.
Have I mentioned you really CAN have TOO MANY POP-TARTS!?!?

So what is everyone else doing this weekend?


Sluggy