Monday, August 30, 2010

The Rest of Last Week....Reserve my Padded Room Please!

When last we saw our intrepid blogger, she had been forced to drop a big wad of cash at the mall for assorted teens Back-to-School clothing needs on Wednesday.
Wednesday night Hubs and I took #1 son and his English buddy out for #1 son's Birthday meal(the bday is in July but he hasn't been home until now since before July).
They wanted steak so it was Lone Star Steakhouse.
This was after having massive hunks of hamburgers for lunch at Red Robin.
Egads!

So Thursday started out with a bang.
See this stupid beagle?
She decided to make a run for it to freedom while I was trying to clip her to the tie-out cable.
She had back problems last winter and Hubs put that blue harness on her, changing it out for her collar.
Of course, he neglected to move her tags(rabies, license, name & phone number)from the collar to the harness so there was no way to recover her if she didn't come home on her own.
Just great!
And she indeed did NOT come home.
Daughter is her owner but she didn't seem to care one way or another if the dog came home.
And she did next to nothing to find her.....

The rest of Thursday was more shopping(new boots for #1 son-he goes to school near Lake Erie so there is deep snow for 5 months of the year there) & restocking #1 son with toiletries(a la the stockpile).  He found everything he needed/wanted, so it cost me NOTHING!!  That was awesome....

I went grocery shopping and spent an eyeball popping $81.28!!!  I can't remember the last time I spent that much money in one fell swoop on groceries.  I got a little weak in the knees when the cashier told me the total.lol   And again, I didn't use a single coupon....but I did save $65.61, mostly on some markdown meats.

Kallaum volunteered to make us dinner on Thursday.....a proper Baked Chicken dinner.  Chicken, mashed potatoes and assorted 'veg'(that he boiled the shit out of!lol).  Of course the crowning glory of all these dishes was gravy(which I made)ladled over everything.  Kallaum doesn't seem a fan of  'veg' but if you smother it in gravy he'll eat it. ;-)
I had hoped he would make some Yorkshire Pudding....he's from Yorkshire so that would be cool, right?lol  Maybe next time he comes to visit next summer since he does plan on returning to work at the camp in 2011.

Friday was a lazy day....still no sign of the missing beagle....getting #1 and Kallaum's laundry done and packed up, then loading up Hubs car once he got home from work.
I roasted corn on the cob and cooked assorted meats on the grill.  #1 son & Kallaum each ate...
2 ears of corn
2 steaks
3 hot dogs
1 or 2 hamburgers(1 ate 1, 1 ate 2 but I don't recall whom ate which amount)

Honestly, I don't know WHERE they put it all!!!lol

Then we had #1 son's belated Birthday Cake....

Of course, the teens started eating the cake BEFORE we got a chance to put a candle on it and sing.lol

Blowing out a candle on a 2/3 eaten cake just isn't right, is it?

Saturday morning at the crack of 7.....
Packing the last few things.

And posing for a final photo for the Long Suffering Mom....
And then, they were gone....
And I went back to bed.  Geez, last week just wore me out. lolol
Saturday and still no missing beagle sightings, plus the fridge that I 'fixed' is broken again, so I got to haul all the frozen foods I had hauled into the upright freezer, back into the freezer of the fridge the previous week, back from the fridge/freezer into the upright freezer again!
My fix was only a temporary measure and I need to call a proper repairman to replace something in the appliance.
Bleh!!!

Sunday morning Hubs called up to the SPCA and guess who was there?
Yep.....the runaway beagle.
So he went and bailed her out($$$!) and promptly put the tags onto the harness.  Someone had dropped her off at the shelter late Friday, so after running wild for 1.5 days, she got to enjoy the barking madhouse of the SPCA for another 1.5 days.
She got home and collapsed in the dog crate and fell dead asleep.

Here is what a goofball dog looks like zonked out and snoring for 6 hours.
I thought I was one dog closer(1 down, 2 to go)to actually fixing up my living/dining room.....it was a let down but I'm glad she's safe.

To sum up last week....
it was crazy with activity(for me at least!)
it was expensive(massive amounts of meat and BTS shopping to the tune of $250 doesn't come cheap!...not to mention impending fridge repair)
it was hectic with all the cooking and cleaning
it reeked havoc on my sleep schedule(nocturnal teens will do that to ya!)


But I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat......well, except for that runaway beagle part.


Sluggy

How a 14 Year Old goes Back-to-School Shopping

What's that sound?

Don't you hear it??



It's.......QUIET!!!

#1 son is back at college and the 2 teens left at home are back in school today.....YIPPEEE!!

Now if I could find someone to take 3 dogs Monday through Friday, I'd be all set!lol

Since #2 son was going back to school today, I went to Rite-Aid Sunday to do some back-to-school shopping "#2 Son Style". 
Sunday was the 1st day of the new September Single Check Rebate Period as well.

If you are a 14 year old boy, here is what you consider Back-To-School shopping......

3 x Coke 12 packs on sale 3/$9.99=$9.99
2 x Doritos on sale $2=$4.00
4 x Hormel Chili on sale $1.25=$5.00
4 x Sobe Drinks on sale .99¢=$3.96
2 x Sunday papers(for the coupons of course!)=$2.20--with 20% wellness discount
SubTotal....$25.15

Coupons Used
1 x $5/$25 AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1 x $1/1 12 pk Coke AdPerks/VV IPQ(from July)=$1.00
1 x $.50/1 Hormel Chili AdPerks/VV IPQ(from July)=$.50 *There is a new $1/2 VV Q one available this month.*
2 x $.55/2 Hormel Chili ManuQ/IPQ(on Hormel website)=$1.10
2 x BOGO IPQ(from Sobe Game)=$1.98
Coupon Total....$9.58

Other Coupons Used
1 x $5 Rite-Aid Q-sent to replace +Ups that didn't print=$5.00
2 x $1 +Ups=$2.00
Other Coupons Total....$7.00

$25.15-$9.58=$15.57-$7.00=$8.57+$.10tax=$8.67 OOP put on 1 Gillette Razor Survey Gift Card & 1 Rite-Aid Gift Card(both were free)=ZERO out of pocket!
I earned +Up Rewards of...$2(for 3 Cokes)& $1(for 2 Doritos)=$3.00 +Ups.


MONTHLY TOTALS-September Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......1
Total Spent....$8.67 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$41.37
SCR qualified for....$0 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0
+Up Rewards spent....$8.00
+Up Rewards earned....$3.00

Total 'Spent'...$8.67 on gift cards
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$0
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$7.00

Not a moneymaker yet but at least #2 son is stoked.....and stocked!lol

Sluggy

Back to Rite-Aid Saturday & End of August SCR Period Totals

Even though I still have about 300 rolls from that massive collection of Marcal TP left that I amassed last year, the call of cheap Cottonelle and Scott TP was indeed strong enough to lure me into Rite-Aid on Saturday before the sale ended.
Oh, I am such a weak, weak woman.....

So I went and bought this....
3 x Cottonelle 12 roll packs(the last 3 packs in the store) on sale $6.49=$19.47
10 x Scott single rolls on sale BOGO=$6.45
2 x Mountain Dew sodas @$1.19 w/20% wellness discount=$2.38 *Not Pictured*
SubTotal....$28.30

Coupons
1 x $5/$25 purchase AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1x $1/1 Cottonelle Manu.Q=$1.00
2 x $.50/1 Cottonelle IPQ=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Cottonelle AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
1 x BOGO Mtn. Dew=$1.19
3 x $1 +Ups Rewards=$3.00
Coupon Total....$12.19

$28.30-$12.19=$16.11 OOP put on free Rite-Aid Gift Card so ZERO Out of Pocket
SCR qualified for...#10($5)&#148($5)=$10.00
$16.11 on gift cards, get back $10 in cash...works for me!lol

I then had to buy back-to-school supplies for the kids.  My daughter had decided that the ONLY notebooks that were acceptable to her this year are the Mead 1 subject ones with the portfolio pocket inside.  These babies run $5.99 but Rite-Aid had a BOGO50% off sale going so I decimated my stack of free gift cards, bit the bullet and bought her some....no photos since she grabbed them as soon as I got in the door last night.

6 x Mead Notebooks BOGO50% off(Every pair was $8.98)=$26.94 *ouch*
1 x Crest 3D Toothpaste on sale=$2.99
SubTotal....$29.93

Coupons
1 x $5/$25 Purchase IPQ(PDF file from newsletter in Jan. I signed up for)=$5.00
1 x $1/$10 Back to School Items Wellness CRT Q(printed on the previous receipt)=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Crest Toothpaste ManuQ=$1.00
Coupon Total....$7.00

$29.93-$7.00=$22.93+$1.35 tax=$24.28 put on various free Rite-Aid gift cards so Zero OOP
I earned SCRs for the toothpaste($2.00) & the Mead items($4.00)=$6.00

Total Spent for both Transactions....$0.00 out of pocket($40.39 on gift cards)
Value of Items purchases....$91.08
SCR qualified for...$10/$2/$4=$16.00
+Up Rewards earned=$0
+Up Rewards spent=$0

MONTHLY TOTALS-AUGUST Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......5
Total Spent....$50.95--$41.96 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so $8.99 OOP
Value of Items purchased....$186.67
SCR qualified for....$23.99 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0

Total 'Spent'...$8.99 in cash
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$23.99
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$9.00


$8.99-$23.99SCRs= Overage of $15.00 for August!

I know someone will want to smack me for saying this but.....August was one of my WORST OOP months!  I know, I know....I MADE $15 in August and consider this my worst month.  Sounds crazy, doesn't it?lolol

Sluggy

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Rite-Aid Throwback.....2 Transactions I Forgot

I found a receipt and photo from before we went on vacation.....

This was 7/29/10 so the 1st week of the August SCR Period.
2 Right Guard Deos on sale $2.50 ea.
2 Rite-Aid invisible Tape 3 packs on sale BOGO $3.49
2 Suave Pro Shampoo 20% off wellness discount $2.23 ea.
2 Sobes *#2 son had drank 1 of them already* on sale $.99 ea.
1 ACE Bandage 20% wellness discount $4.79
1 Glad Kitchen Bags on sale $5.99
1 Ramen Noodles Pack of 6 on sale $1.00

Total before Qs was $26.71.
Qs came to $20.49(including $4 in-ad for the ACE product, 2 free Suave 'Poo Qs, $5 off $25 Q).
Used $6 in +Ups also.
$26.71-$26.49=$.22 + $.22 tax=$.44 OOP put on free Rite-Aid Gift Card.
I got some +Ups back but I can't remember now what for or how many...for the Sobes and the Glad bags?
I did qualify for a $3 SCR for the Tape too.

We stopped at a Rite-Aid in Keene NH on the way to Maine and I bought this.....


Sssshhh....It's a Christmas present.  It was on sale for $9.99.  While I didn't have a coupon it did generate a $2 +UPs and I'll get a $2 SCR as well, so basically this $17.99 gift will cost me $5.99 in the end.
Nice, huh? I used a $1 +Ups I had in my wallet(didn't bring my coupons on the trip)when I paid so it was $8.99(no sales tax in NH!)OOP since I didn't put it on a gift card.

Total Spent for both Transactions....$9.43($.44 put on Gift Card) so $8.99 OOP
Value of Items purchases....$58.38
SCR qualified for...$2(Coffeemaker), $3(Tape)=$5.00
+Up Rewards earned=$5?
+Up Rewards spent=$1.00

MONTHLY TOTALS-AUGUST Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......3
Total Spent....$10.56--$1.57 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so $8.99 OOP
Value of Items purchased....$95.59
SCR qualified for....$7.99 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0

Total 'Spent'...$10.56($1.57 on gift cards)
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$7.99
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$20.00


Because I used cash for the coffee maker I may actually have to spend my own money this month at Rite-Aid when all the figures are tallied.
Oh, the horrors!lol


Sluggy

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Pip Pip, Cheerio & All that Food!

Oh, it's just been a Festival of Teenagers here lately.
Between pre-school & grocery shopping, mountains of laundry, cooking non-stop to keep these bottomless pit teens fed, toting 1 to practices, hemming jeans and now packing up 2 of the teens so they can be hauled back across the state, I've had little time for myself or what "I" want/need to do.

First #1 son Matt and his buddy Kallaum from England arrived on Sunday.  Oh, how I do enjoy last minute house guests!  At least the house got a half-decent cleaning on Saturday because of it....


Kallaum hails from "jolly ol' England"-Yorkshire to be specific- if my post title didn't give that away yet.
It didn't take 1 hour before these two were stretched out on the sofa surfing the web with a chaser of cable tv blaring in the background(2 things they haven't done in the last 8 weeks while working at camp).
I have decided that except for the accent, these 2 teens are just alike.....well, except the English model doesn't seem to eat many vegetables.  I did get him to take 1 bite of home grown collards however on Sunday....the meat in the dish seemed to help him keep it down.lol

The last 4 days have basically gone like this.....
1.Teens sleeping until noon or later.
2.Teens rousing and rummaging through the fridge for food.
3.Teens occupying the bathroom for the next 2 hours.
4.Teens sitting in front of either computer of tv screen or on cell phones.
5.Teens going to A-see friends, B-go eat out, or C-go shopping(usually with parental units money).
6.Teens coming home to eat again.
7.Repeat #5.
8.Teens coming home again.
9. Repeat #4.
10.Teens eating again(usually around 1-2 am)
11.Teens finally going to bed(usually around 3am-except the English model retires earlier).

And get up the next mid-day and do it all over again.
Oh, and maybe throw in an odd chore or two in between, as long as it doesn't take too long and they can squeeze it into their busy schedule.....pronounced "sshedule".

Monday evening I got bonus fun!
Daughter had a friend sleeping over as well, so I got 5 doses of teenage hormonal drama from Monday evening to Tuesday evening!!

True to form, the 4 older teens roused at the crack of noon(the youngest was already up due to an orthodontic appointment), so I cooked breakfast for lunch.  It was totally a self-defensive measure on my part.  Had I not cooked food, I fear they would have eaten me!

It only took.....
12 waffles
6 pancakes
3 fried eggs
2 cans of corned beef hash
8 strips of bacon
8 biscuits
1 package of Smithfield ham

Kallaum had real maple syrup for the 1st time at this meal.
 8-)
It's possible I forgot something.....but I can't remember that far back in the week.
Here they are after  devouring everything on the table......I believe they are zombies, mesmerized by some clip on YouTube.....


Wednesday was back-to-school shopping....dear Lord!.....I was forced to go to the mall for the 2nd time this year and fork over cash!  I never go to the mall willingly.
The zombie teens have eaten out my brain.....

Sluggy