My Poor Blog

My poor little neglected blog.  The blog feels like the ugly redheaded stepchild, and rightly so, as I have neglected to really post anything for almost 3 weeks now.  Poor blog.  I am going to try to do better.

To help me get caught up and hopefully get back into the blogging groove, here goes a brain dump:

**October 1st was the 3 year anniversary of my blog.  Happy Anniversary, Happy Anniversary, Happy Anniversary, HAAAAPY An-ni-ver-sa-ry!  I've been investigating turning my blog into a "book" and I think I'm going with Blurb.  The software seems very intuitive and user friendly, with many different templates, and I like to have options.  I also like that I can edit and manipulate the pictures and text to suit my taste.  The perfectionist in me needs to have that control. :)  The prices seem reasonable for the quality of the books.  My plan is to have 2008 & 2009 in one book and then 2010 and 2011 will have their own separate books.  These blog books will serve as our family scrapbooks.  And maybe one day, I'll go back and finish scrapbooking the boys' books that I started before I started blogging.  Just not enough time in the day.... 

**Will is in class with his best buddy, Brody.  Several weeks ago, we were eating lunch when Will tells me that he's allowed to sit by anyone in the class but Brody.  In the most neutral tone I could muster, I ask "Why?" "Well, we talk too much. But I just have alot to say." And so it begins...  Family legend is that Brent spent more time out in the hall during his elementary years than he did in the classroom.  Looks like we have another class clown to pick up where his father left off! 

**One of the things I love about fall is the pumpkin spice flavor in all things food and drink.  

This fall I have discovered Pumpkin Spice K cups.  The aroma of the brewing coffee captures the essence of fall!  I've just about finished my 48 cups, and had to reorder a case of 96 cups.  It is a limited edition flavor, so I might have to stockpile this one!  It is the perfect start to a fall day.

**Isn't this duck luvie the cutest thing?  

 It's called Cordy Roys Yellow Duck.  And wouldn't it be the perfect baby gift with a Duck and Goose book?!?!  

I just need to find an expectant mom, but sadly, my friends and I are past the baby stage. 

**I've started couponing again.  I read the other day that between July 2010 and July 2011 grocery prices have increased by 8%.  Every week the cashier hands me my receipt and I think what in the world did I buy to cost this much?!?!  And the climbing prices aren't limited to groceries...gas, utilities (don't even get me started on the natural gas charges around here....it is a TOTAL SCAM), and just about everything else has been hit by inflation.  So if I can shave some dollars off here and there, then more power to the people!  I'm just tired of feeling like I am getting ripped off.  

Remember about 2 1/2 years ago when I was doing pretty well with my CVS Extra Care Bucks deals?  You can read about some of the deals here, here, here, here, and here.  Well, today I went back to CVS on a mission to get some good deals and generate some ECBs to use for next week.

Here are the CVS deals that interested me this week:

American Greetings Cards Buy 3 cards and earn $3 ECB (Limit 1) 

Dial or Tone Bar Soap (2-3 pk) $1.88
Earn $1 ECB (Limit 1)

So these were my purchases:

Transaction 1:
(3) 0.99 greeting cards
(1) 1.88 Dial soap

=4.85 (+ tax) cash + earned 4.00 ECB

 As an unexpected bonus, I got 2 additional ECB from my summer quarter CVS spending.  So next week, I'll have $6 in ECBs to start off my purchases!