LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table

I’ve been looking for a good deal on a new toy to have at my house for the girls I keep.  I was so excited to see the LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table on clearance for $19! I posted about it here.  They have since sold out and the price has gone up to $39.  I’m glad I ordered one when I did!

I received it in the mail today and Kelly and Jaci (Violet had already gone home) were just bouncing waiting for me to put batteries in.  They were patient but I got lots of “Oooooh”s and “What’s that?”s until they could touch it.

It’s a really fun toy (see all the details here)! Jaci doesn’t talk much and after playing with it for 20 minutes said “down” and “off” and was humming along with the songs! I think it was a good choice!

Alice.com

I’ve been wanting to tell you about a website, but I wanted to try it out for myself first, to get a true feel for it.  It is Alice.com.  I got my first order in the mail today!

This website is so cool! You can order day-to-day household things for the same price (if you pay attention), or less than the store.  Shipping is always free with a minimum purchase of 6 items.  I can always find 6 things I need!  On your first order, you can order less than 6 items, because they “forgive” you for not knowing.  I’m seriously considering ordering my big containers of laundry detergent from there now.  I’d rather have someone else haul it up to my second floor apartment than myself

It gets better! Any coupon that has been published for the product you’re ordering, Alice.com has it listed right beside the product and will take that amount off the price for you!  They also have a category of the best deals, so that you can get the most for your money! My first order was 4 boxes of Nabisco 100 calorie Snack Packs, and 2 containers of Crystal Light Lemonade Mix and my total was only $10.52 with tax (and of course shipping is always free)!  They shipped it the day I placed the order and I received it 3 days later! Not too bad.

Plus, it’s just so fun to get packages at your door!!!!

$15 free from Kodak!

Kodak.com is giving away a free $15 promo code when you enter your e-mail address! I received my code and was able to order some photo Christmas cards and some prints.  I thought this was ending soon, but it looks like they’ve extended it for a few more days! Go here to get your gift from Kodak! You’ll have to pay shipping but it’s less than $5.

Good Deals at Target!

I don’t post many coupon deals anymore, but I still love coupons, and this deal is too good not to share!!

I keep 3 little girls everyday, and I go through a lot of wipes changing their diapers! I usually buy them in bulk at Walmart and it’s about $14 for 8 refill packs (Huggies brand, I don’t like Walmart’s brand.  They are too thin).  That makes them $1.75 each.

At Target right now they have the tubs of wipes for $1.55 and you can print a $1/1 coupon here, making them only $0.55! I have tried these wipes before and they are suprisingly thick for a store brand! I bought 16 tubs today! Such a great deal!!  If you don’t have kids, these would be a great addition to a baby shower gift basket, or a great donation to a women’s shelter!

Also, in the holiday section they have Santa Mr. Potato Heads for $5.99.  Print this $5/1 coupon and get it for $0.99! Remember, you can print two of these.  These would make great stocking stuffers!

 

Happy shopping!

Cupcakes!

I tried to make Lance cupcakes on Thursday.  I got off around 5:30p and then I worked on laundry and cleaning house until around 9p, and then I didn’t really know what to do until Lance got off at 11p.  I haven’t made him cupcakes since his birthday, so I thought I would surprise him! I had this Butter Fudge cake mix in my cabinet that I had gotten free with a coupon at some point.  So I mixed it according to directions and baked it.  While they were cooling and waiting to be iced, I watched an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.  After Grey’s I went to ice them and they were rock hard! I even tried tasting one and it was bad.  It was so bad.  They only thing I can think of is that the mix was expired or something!

Well, I decided to make him some more today! This time I used a fresh mix! He wanted fall sprinkles and that inspired me to get out some food coloring and make completely fall colored cupcakes!

I started with the mix and made it according to directions.

Then I separated it into 4 bowls evenly and used food coloring gel to make it green, orange, red, and yellow.

Then I just layered it into the lined cupcake pan.

I iced them with homemade buttercream icing. You don’t even want to know how much butter is in that stuff! Ugh!!

And then I topped them with fall sprinkles!

Yum! I’m pretty sure I scored some points in the cool wife category today! He loved them!

And just in case you were wondering what they look like on the inside:

So fun!!!

What I love…

Dancing with my husband, in our pajamas, to our wedding song, in the middle of cleaning the house on a Sunday afternoon…

Free Photos

Because it’s Friday, I feel tired, and I don’t wanna type in abunch of links….go here to see the list of all the places you can print out your photos for free!

Thanks, My Frugal Adventures

Clearance Sales=My Favorite!!

With six neices and nephews (and another on the way!), I can’t afford to buy all my Christmas gifts in November and December!  I prefer to start Christmas shopping in January! This January I found matching pajamas for all the kids at Children’s Place for like $4 each.  I just bought them a size up and put them in my tote labeled “Gifts”.  As I’ve found good deals, I’ve just added a toy and a book for each one!

I’ve also bought most of our gifts for Lance’s family throughout the year.  Clearance shopping is a great way to save money! Why buy something at full price in December, that you can get in January for 75% off? I just have to buy one more thing and then all of my Christmas shopping is done for this year!

I also buy all of our clothes this way.  All the fall stuff is starting to go on clearance right now and soon the winter stuff will follow.  I buy things for next year that need replacing in our wardrobe, so that the next time that season rolls around, we’ll be all set!

Here are some great clearance deals right now:

Satin Zebra Print Sheet Set – $14.98 – $19.98 at Target.com

I want these so bad! They would match the quilt I’m making perfectly! Merry Christmas to me, anyone??

Toddler Vest Candy Corn Costume – $3.24 at Target.com

Women’s Cowl-Neck Top – $4.99 at Oldnavy.com

Men’s Sueded Crew Neck Tee – $8.00 at Oldnavy.com

Cabbage Patch Kids Sleepover Party Playset – $5.98 at Toyrus.com

LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table – $19.00 at Walmart.com

Pumpkin Bath Sponge – $3.50 at Bathandbodyworks.com

With clearance deals and planning, you can make a little money go a long way!

$4/week on Groceries!

Check out this Good Morning America excerpt on a woman who feeds her family of six on $4 a week! Very interesting

10 Things You May Not Know About Me

1.  I took piano lessons from age 7-15.  Advanced to playing sonatas, Rachmaninoff, 16-page classical pieces…..hated. every. minute. of. it.

2.  Took up guitar at age 16.  Loved it! Helped lead worship for youth group and church in high school, and some in college.  Don’t have much time for it anymore.

3.  I had a best friend who lived across the street when I was a little girl.  Ironically, her name was Katie Williams.  She ended up getting killed in a car accident in high school.  We weren’t friends anymore at that point but I think about her often when I sign my married name.

4.  I answered a babysitting ad in the paper when I was 13 and got the job! I babysat age 13-14 (and through high school and college too when I had time).  Worked at Pizza Pro from 15-18 and bought my first car.  Was a manager at Office Depot from 18-21.  Now I’m back to my first love, babysitting.  And I love it!  Snuggling with my 3 girlies I keep is the greatest job ever!

5. My freshman year of college, my car that I worked so hard to pay off in high school was totaled with me in it.  I was not driving.  After 3 complete flips and not a straight panel or intact windshield left, I was very lucky to have only come away with A LOT of bruising, a sprained wrist, and swollen knee.  Wear your seatbelts, kids.

6.  I’m still scared of being a passenger in a vehicle.  I was never a back-seat driver until that point in my life.  Thankfully, Lance is very patient with me in this area.

7.  I met my husband when I was 15 and told my best friend that I wanted to marry a guy just like that.  Ironic, this thing called life.

8.  I cannot get through a morning without my fix of Diet Mountain Dew.   Bad for me, I know.  Ask me if I care.

9.  I have two older brothers whom I am not as close with as I’d like to be (they’re 6 and 9 years older than me), but have proved that, when needed, they will be there for me at the drop of a hat.

10.  My first “boyfriend” was in Kindergarten.  I told him I would agree to be his girlfriend on one condition: that he quit following me around.  It didn’t work.  So I broke up with him like 2 days later.  Mean little girl, I was!