Songs of the Season from My Local High School Band

This is from the Christmas Concert at my tiny town's high school last week.

#2 Son is on the far right, front row in the white shirt, playing the flute.
His buddy is the kid on the end in the row behind him playing the trumpet.
You'll notice that the Concert Band is quite small, about half the size of the Marching Band.




And here is the Jazz Band at the high school and the only number they performed.
#2 Son is on the far left, playing the bass guitar.
Sorry for the shaky video but I had to stand in the back to shoot this, it was the last number, it's hard to hold a cane and a purse while trying to shoot a camera and I was getting tired. lol

If you thought the Concert Band was small, the Jazz Band is even smaller. 8-)




Sluggy

Monday at Rite-Aid....I'm a Big Spender!

Total out of pocket was .13¢ at Rite-Aid yesterday......

2 x R-A Candy bags on sale/rain check .99¢ each=$1.98
2 x Quaker Oatmeal cups on sale/rain check=FREE
2 x Jack Link's Jerky Dippers on sale/rain check=FREE
2 x R-A facial tissue rain check .59¢ each=$1.18
1 x Snickers 6 pack bars on sale=.97¢
SubTotal......$4.13

I used a Facebook R-A Q for the Snickers 6 pack=$1.00  You have to like Rite-Aid on Facebook, then Go HERE and print it.  Of course since the Snickers are on sale for .97¢ and the Q is for $1 off, you'll have to buy something else to cover that .03¢.  8-)

$4.13-$1.00=$3.13

I paid with my $3 in +Up Rewards that were expiring on Christmas day and paid .13¢ OOP.

I'll be back on Thursday since I have $30+ in +Ups expiring on the 27th.  I hope to pick up some candles on Christmas clearance then.

I also used an Exclusive Deals F/B Q(no longer available)for $3 off a $25 Kohl's gift card to pick up a discounted gift card in a different transaction that I am not including in my drugstore shopping.  I did some Kohl's shopping for Christmas this season and have $20 in Kohl's cash to spend the week after Christmas so this gift card will either be spent in conjunction with that K cash or saved until a killer sale comes along sometime next year and #2 Son needs new duds.

Sluggy
 

Sluggy's Nativity Scene

We dug out the ceramic Nativity scene my mother made back in the 1970's this year and set it up earlier this month.
We have a few different sets but this year we used my mom's.

Here is 2013's display, in all it's glory.........

                     Click on picture to embiggen

You may notice, when you look at it close up, that we have a few unconventional additions.
If you ever had little kids you will understand.
When the kids were little, you never knew from one day to the next who would make an appearance in the Nativity tableau compliments of the kids' toy box.

So we have continued and embellished the traditional.

After all, who am I to say that Batman and Pound Puppies didn't come to Bethlehem that night many years ago?

Sluggy
 

Another Rite-Aid Transaction from Last Week's Ad

A second transaction I did at Rite-Aid last week to pick up a couple of Black Friday Rain check items that finally came in......

2 x Blue Diamond Almonds FREE w/rain check=$0.00
2 x Rice Chex cereal .79¢ w/rain check=$1.58*
3 x Trident Gum packs on sale 3/$3=$3.00**not pictured, tucked away for Xmas**
2 x Milky Way dark candy bars on sale .67¢=$1.34
1 x Cold-Eeze drops on sale=$3.99
1 x Case of Water w/20% discount=$2.79**not pictured**
SubTotal......$12.70

Coupons Used

1 x BOGO Mars candy bars IPQ=.67¢
1 x $1/2 Chex cereal(just expired but attached to my rain check so R-A honors it=$1.00
1 x $1/2 Chex cereal Load2Card came off too=$1.00
Coupon Total.....$2.67

$12.70-$2.67=$10.03

I used $10 in +Up Rewards that were expiring and paid .03¢ out of pocket.
I received back $4 in +Up Rewards($3 Cold-Eeze, $1 wyb3 Gums).

*  The cereal was a Black Friday weekend deal--Buy a box for $1.79, get $1 +Ups Reward back, meaning you paid .79¢ per box(limit of 2)after reward.
These 2 boxes ended up costing me -$1.42 combined.....yes, negative $1.42, so the store paid me to buy them. lol

I had a 1/2 IPQ and then a $1/2 L2C Q came off my Wellness card.
Then, I am a Savingstar member and had clipped this same $1/2 Chex cereal coupon so I get $1 back from them for this purchase.
Spend $1.58, get $3 back.

I'll take that deal all. day. long.

This week I just have $3 in +Ups Rewards to spend/roll.
Good thing because there isn't a lot worth my time to bring home this week.
Maybe some Finesse Shampoo for $1 a bottle after sale/+Ups?

Hopefully I can find some more rain check items in store(that weren't totally free after +Ups)and use my +Ups on those.
Though I don't think at this point the Planters 3 pack of nuts Holiday packs are going to appear but that's ok since my store has no time limit on honoring rain checks so I'll just save it until Fall of 2014, in case these items don't go on special this low next Christmas. 
Ya see?  I can find the bright side on any situation if I have to. lolz

Sluggy
 

This Week on The Dining Table

The "Winter Solstice is Past & 2 Days until Christmas" Edition.......

 

While we were out running errands on Sunday I saw this mom and daughter putting a clothing donation in a bin at the gas station as Hubs was checking the air pressure in my van's tires.  The little girl had on reindeer antlers and a red nose, which you can sort of see in my bad shot.

I felt like telling her to be careful if she wants to go around looking like the resident deer population in these parts. This is PA, home of the gun-toters and deer hunters.  The kids here get the first day of Hunting Season off from school as it's an official state holiday. lolz

 

On to the Meal Planning.

Here is what was planned last week--

 

Sunday--Dinner Out after some Holiday shopping w/Hubs at Bob Evans
Monday--Chicken and Dumplings(to use up the rest of that chicken & milk about to expire)
Tuesday--Ravioli & Sauce(use up leftover sauce), Green Salad
Wednesday--Chicken Fried Steak(I'll have something else), Mashed Potatoes, Veggie Medley
Thursday--Something Inexpensive Out after #2 Son's Christmas Concert(the last one we ever have to attend!lol)
Friday--Shrimp Burgers on rolls, Deviled Eggs, Green Beans
Saturday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Spinach Salad

Well we ate everything listed with the exception of the Chicken Fried Steak(#2 son had to work that night).  #2 Son had brought a big plate of leftover food from his Marching Band Christmas Party/Dinner for us so we split that instead.  We had Grilled Salmon(got on special last week)and a Veggie Medley(from freezer).
 

As for the food spending last week....
There was 1 trip to the grocery store & 1 trip to Rite-Aid and I spent a grand total of $30.09(including my Rite-Aid trip at $.19)on $132.26 worth of groceries/toiletries at 2 different stores.  We are at $215.04 spent on $722.52 worth of groceries/toiletries for December so far(grocery store value only is $363.71---Rite-Aid freebies and almost-freebies really skew the totals).
8 days left in the month and $84.96 left in the food budget(if I want to come in under $300 this month instead of the usual $400).

I am still hopeful I can pull off a $300 food month.  We will be out of town and NOT cooking for some meals the rest of the month so I need to do little food buying.  I'll probably just pick up some loss leaders this week and a few special things for #2 Son.

Leftovers going into this week--Ravioli(1 helping).

Here is this week's meal plan---

Sunday--Spaghetti & Meatballs, Salad
Monday--Seafood of some kind, Rice, Brussel Sprouts
Tuesday--Chinese Food out(Christmas Tradition paid for out of Xmas Budget)
Wednesday--Prime Rib, Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes, Homemade Rolls, Corn Casserole
Thursday--Chicken Fried Steak(Hubs and Son only), Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Sugar Snap Peas
Friday--Leftovers
Saturday--Dinner Out


What I need to purchase for this menu?....... well the Duck for Christmas idea went over like a led balloon here. sigh
So I need to buy a roast but luckily they are on sale the next 2 days. 8-)
I need to buy some seafood(not sure what I am getting yet....scallops? shrimp?), a roast, cauliflower and sweet potatoes.  I have everything else already. 


What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Sluggy