Couponing Can Build Community

I grew up in a big city.  When I got married, I went to the same Kroger every week.  I thought maybe one day someone would notice me as a regular and call me by name, just like in Mayberry, but it never happened.

When I moved to my small community 10 years ago, I went to the drive-through of the bank.  The teller said, "Hey, your husband just came through a minute ago," and then called me by name.  I had to pick my jaw off the floor of my car!  How did she know?  Well, the same teller still knows me and gives me 12 green apple lollipops (2 for each Fish Stick) every time I drive through her window.  I LOVE IT!!!  There's just something wonderful about feeling a part of a small community.

As a couponer, I visit the same Walgreens and CVS just about every week.  Sometimes I will go to other ones that I pass on errands, but for the most part, they see me coming every Wednesday.  I noticed that my CVS manager hasn't been at my store this summer.  I saw him from a distance with his family at Chick Fila on August 1st though.

My Little Guy needed his passport renewed (We keep all Fish Stick passports updated.) and I had to drive to Nashville in an area of town where I rarely go so I could take care of it at this particular post office that does passports.  I ran into the local CVS there to have his passport photo made.  There was my old CVS manager.  I told him I missed him and asked him if he got transferred.  He did, and now drove a long distance to this new store.  Then, without warning, he shared with me something tender that brought tears to my eyes.  His 13 year old son (same age as my son) was diagnosed with cancer on July 3 and it's aggressive.  I told him I would pray for them and when I got home, I looked up their CaringBridge site.  You can see their story here.  I didn't know that they knew the Lord until I read the posts about their son.  So take a quick look at the site for me, say a prayer for healing for this young teenager and a prayer for Carl and Liberty as they endure a trial that I pray I never will be asked to endure as a parent.

As silly as it sounds, being a regular shopper, in my case through couponing, can be a blessing in ways you might not expect.  I know God orchestrated me to go to that CVS half way across town to spread the word about this young boy who needs our prayers!

Grilling Side Dishes

 On Independence Day my mom served a super appetizer and I knew I had to try it on my own.  She said she found the recipe in the newspaper.

First slice green tomatoes and marinate them in equal parts of olive old and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle them with coarse/kosher salt.

 While it's marinating, slice fresh mozzarella and have whole basil leaves ready.  Thank goodness I had a basil plant this year.  I've never bought fresh mozzarella but it was worth the $3!

 Lay marinated green tomatoes on grill and grill on both side until soft but not mushy.  Lay a basil leaf on each slice.

Lay the cheese over the basil leaf and grill just a tad bit to melt the cheese slightly.  Absolutely delicious!  I didn't take a pretty picture of them on the plate because they were gone by the time I got my camera ready!!

Walgreens Freebies

This week at Walgreens, you can get several items for free without any coupons.

The Carmex lotion was $4.99 with $4 in RR making it 99 cents.
The tampons were $1.50 with $1.50 back in RR making it FREE.
The ReNew Life 3 Day Diet Start was $10 with $10 back in RR making it FREE.
The Lanacane with Aloe Spray was $6 with $6 back in RR making it FREE.

Go grab these deals this week!

CVS

Got some good deals at CVS this past week.  Children's Allegra was $9.99 with a $2 off coupon, making it $7.99.  Puffs were 88 cents and I had a 25 cents off coupon for each one making them 63 cents each.  Playtex was spend $25 and get $10 back in ECBs.  I got 4 boxes of Playtex that totaled about $26.  I used 2 different coupons that totaled $7.  After ECBs I got each box for $2.25.  The 2 big boxes had a free offer for a $45 cosmetic bag by just mailing in the 2 UPC codes (which I did).  I messed up on the Dove deodorant a little.  Faithful Provisions listed the deal as get $5 ECB when you purchase 2 Dove deodorants for 2 for $7.  The actual deal was purchase 4 deodorants and get $5 ECB.  I did have a coupon for $2 off Dove deodorant so although I did not get the $5 ECB, I did get them for $1.50 each.  Had I known, I probably wouldn't have purchased them.  Live and learn.  Still got some good deals.

Summer Break Down

Being a mom of 6 kids isn't always easy.  Honestly, being a mom isn't always easy no matter how many kids you have.  I'll be the first to tell you that our life is not blog-perfect.  You know blog-perfect...all the kids are smiling, helpful and kind while the house has clean floors, cleared counter tops and Mama is always smiling with her fashionable ensemble and perfect make-up.  I'll be the first to tell you that although I don't want anyone to assume that life is perfect in the Fish House, the purpose of my family blog is not to air our dirty laundry.  I print our family blog yearly to replace my scrapbooking days of old.  There's many things I wouldn't want to print and read for generations to come.

On the flip side, I know it's important that we as mothers don't ever assume that any one's blog life is an indication that life is perfect.  We all have a messy house sometimes.  We all are culprits of feeding our family Fruit Loops for supper when we are in survival mode.  We all lose our tempers and raise our voices or say things that we shouldn't.  We all dishonor our husbands in one way or another by taking the horse by the reins.

So on that note, I will tell you that last week was rough for me.  Over half of the Fish Sticks were not obeying AT ALL and when you add a messy house and a long To Do list to that equation, this Mama was about to lose it.  And I did lose it.  As I was disciplining 2 highly emotional and disobedient Fish Sticks, I just broke down in tears crying.  Crying for their sinful behavior.  Crying for my inadequacies as their mother.  Crying because, like I Dream of Jeanie, I wanted to blink hard, fling my head-top pony tail and fix it all.  Now the Fish Sticks don't see me cry much.  Some of the reason is because I'm not a big crier in general and partly because I try not to cry in front of them.  Well, it got their attention and apologies came fast.  I was grateful for quick repentance (even though it really came from my own emotional state) but there still came the questions of "What am I doing wrong?".

Some of you might say "Nothing.  All children disobey and it's just a process of training them."  While that may be well and true, I believe it's always wise for we as parents to evaluate ourselves first.  It certainly is easier for us to fix our own behavior than to fix the behavior of others.  And so I prayed and asked the Lord to reveal to me my shortcomings as a mother.  I heard instantly from Him and knew He hit the nail on the head.  I have spent my summer with all 6 kids home 24/7 running and gunning to VBS, swim lessons, lake weekends, celebrations, cousin time, family reunions, etc. but living as a drill sergeant in order to keep order.  Instead of being a mother who smiles and enjoys the fun activities of the summer, I have shouted commands, lectured and made charts and lists that need daily review.  I realized that I haven't laughed with my kids much.  I haven't hugged and kissed them enough.  I haven't seen the things they do right and praise them for it.  I've corrected using negative words instead of instructed using positive words.  Yuck!  I'm surprised they would even want to be around me.

So the next morning was different.  It started with lots of smiles, lots of jokes, lots of tickles and lots of hugs and kisses.  My goal now is to compliment every Fish Stick for SOMETHING daily - even the ones that praising comes harder.  I always ask my kids when they cry, "Who are you crying for?"  Is it for YOURSELF?  If so, knock it off and shift your thoughts to someone else.  If it's for someone else, then minister and serve them.  So friends, who are you crying for? 

Deals of the Week

 Did some couponing today at Walgreens and Kroger.  Walgreens has a deal with Suave products.  Buy $10 worth and get $3 in RR.  The shampoo and conditioner were $1 each and in Sunday's PG insert there were many Suave coupons.  Remember that if it specifies a particular shampoo on the coupon, many times it will work for other types of shampoos of the same name brand.  I was able to use a variety of shampoo coupons and get $3 off in coupons.  The total for 10 bottles was $4!  The fish oil supplement was $15 with a MIR through Walgreens for $15, making them free.  The tomato sauce was purchased using an in ad coupon for 39 cents each.  Listerine was $2.99 with a $1 RR and I had a coupon in Sunday's paper for $1 off making it 99 cents.  Allegra was $6.99 with a $2 off coupon in Sunday's paper and a $5 MIR from Sunday's paper so it will be free also.  Remember My Man is in great need of Children's Allegra to manage his allergies so it was on sale also for $9.99 and I had another $2 off coupon so it was $7.99.  Just stocking up for the next allergy season. 

 I got some school things at both Walgreens and Kroger.  I don't really need it anymore, but wanted to stock up.  Many times mid year the teachers send out a plea for school supplies.  I love to sew simple aprons with pockets for birthday gifts for the Fish Stick friends and fill the pockets with the school supplies that I had stocked up on in the late summer.

Kroger had many of their Kellogg's cereals for $1.99.  There were multiple coupons for Kellogg's cereal in the Red Plum from 7/8.  Many of them were for 50 cents which doubled or a couple were for $1 off 2.  Most of them did not match up with the photo on the coupon but they all worked at the register so most of these were only $1 a piece!!!  The Ragu was $1 and there is a 50 cent off 2 coupon that doubled in Sunday's paper making them all 50 cents each.

Canning

 My MIL taught me to can my first year of marriage when I came to her house and she was preserving her garden vegetables.  Little did I know that years later, I would have my own garden with vegetables to can myself.  Canning vegetables is nothing to shy away from.  Even if you don't have a garden, buying homegrown vegetables at a good price and preserving them is a smart thing to do. I have a friend here who is a grandma.  She spent years working in her garden but now prefers to drive 1 hour to the closest Amish community weekly all summer.  She buys large quantities of their produce at an excellent price and preserves them herself without the backbreaking work with manning her own garden.

I was going to do a tutorial on canning but realized there are so many good ones out there, that I won't try to compete.  Basically, you will need a pressure canner like this one. I think I got mine at Walmart 10 years ago for about $30.

 These are a few tools that I didn't start out with but have found VERY helpful:  funnel, strainer, can grabber (that would be my own redneck term - not sure what it's really called).  They don't cost much either.  Of course you will need canning jars with lids too.  They run about $1 a can regular priced.

 After cooking the vegetables (in this case, green beans) for just a few minutes (each veggie is different so check a chart on line to see how long), then place them in hot jars, add cooking water to about 1/2" of top, add 1 tsp. canning salt and seal with lid.

 Charts on line will also tell you how long to can them, as will your canner handbook with directions on pressure canning.  Tomatoes are acidic and don't have to be pressure canned.  You can just cover them with water (called a water bath) and can them that way.  It's a tad bit easier.

Canning is a beautiful thing.  At the time it might seen tedious and you might feel you have better things you should be doing, but when the winter comes and you open one of your cans of summer, garden vegetables, well....there's just nothing better tasting!