Getting it Together

 Remember this zippy bags I made back in the summer from scraps? I hit CVS yesterday with my extra care bucks to round out the items I wanted to include in our DD's "On the Go First Aid Kits" for a Christmas gift. The supplies are geared to our Grands needs as they are the ones who always seem to have a bobo or illness when away from home. I have been watching the sales and coupons for a few month's to stock up on supplies as many things included can be pretty costly. This is one of the many odds and end's that take time to pull together.

 A trip to the attic to pull out wrapping supplies I purchase for penny's on the dollar each year at the after Christmas sale's was also on the To Do list. Can you see AJ the beagles blue ball that is making me crazy? That sucker has been put up at least until the wrapping is done. A dog and a ball running over the wrapping paper has not been working well for me but seems to energize the beagle even more.

 While in the attic I dug around for baking containers I also purchase at the after Christmas sales last year. I noticed while at the craft store this week these packing kits run from $5.00-$7.00 ouch!! Stocking up on the clearance sales sure helps when putting together homemade goodies for friends and family.

 As I am running into items I need or want to include in gift baskets/bags I am organizing them in this cute market bag. One of these days I need to monogram this thing.

Between doing odds and ends yesterday I started the wrapping, ugh!! I hate wrapping but it is a must do. Our DD's are having there Santa gifts delivered to our house this year so the grands surprises won't be ruined. Getting my own wrapping out of the way should help keep down a little of the maddness when the big girls arrive to do their own wrapping.

I look around the house and think what the heck have I been doing, this place is a mess. But as I write this post it helps remind me of why I can't seem to mark all the things on my LONG to do list off. I seem to be spending a whole lot of time sorting and organizing. Today is my last day for the next 4 days to pull it together before I have one or more of the Grands. Boy oh boy would they have a hay day in all these boxes, wrapping paper, tape, etc.

Sew today I was thinking why not share a bit of my scrap sewing with one of you who might enjoy an "On the Go First Aid Bag" of your own or to use as a gift. To get your name in the hat leave a comment on a handmade gift you have done or will do that is not only useful but frugal as well. Good luck to you all!

Almost Free

 How do you like my new almost for FREE Keurig K-Cup?

 Bed, Bath, and Beyond had the machines on Cyber Monday sale for $99.99. Humm, I called the local store to see if they would match the on line price, yes by golly they would. Double humm, after digging around in my coupon pile I found a 20% off one item coupon. Now were talking. The price was down to $79.99. Back at the end of the summer I received a $80.00 gift card to Bed, Bath, and Beyond as a rebate from the Dyson vacuum deal.  Total cost $0.99 plus tax Grand total was just under $5.00!!! Can't beat that price right?

Now that I am the proud owner of this fancy new machine I needed some decaf coffee, tea, and all that jazz. The saving just kept on coming, I picked up a few boxes on sale at our two grocery stores. At the check out counter $1.50 coupons popped out!!  Last stop for the day was to pick up hair pretties to work on toddler Christmas tee shirts. The register gave me a $10.00 off coupon for any purchase. It has been a big day of savings for sure.

My grand plan of staying at home nursing this cold went right out the window after seeing the deal to be had on the Kuerig K-cup. What the heck might as well work on DD#2's Christmas list that finally hit the In Box after midnight last night.

Stop at Target used leftover GC's, rebates and sales to save $62.00

Stop at Michael's crafts to pick up 1/2 price crafts for the grands

Tomorrow I HAVE to stay home!!! This place is a hot mess and I fear my luck will run out on all the savings! I still have a nice baggie of coupons, Kohl's bucks, and leftover GC 's.  Once I get things sorted around the house I need to pull everything together and begin to fill any holes that might be in the gift giving department. I am ready for all this shopping to be done with so I can get to the good part of the season, cooking, baking, sewing, crafting with the grands, and finish up whatever charity work we still need to do.

AJ the beagle is getting on my very last nerve tonight. She is not happy with me that I spent so much time away from home today. If she pushes her ball under the Christmas tree on purpose one more time she and her ball are going out the door. Me..I'm hitting the sack

Christmas Shopping

Now this is the way to Christmas shop!!!

 I somehow picked up a nasty cold over Thanksgiving, ugh..no way was I going out in the crowds this weekend but I didn't want to miss out on some of the super sales going on. I took our DD's advise and began shopping on line. Well let me tell you this is the only way to go!! Ha

Our SIL's are hard to fit, shopping for jeans, shirts, and jackets were a breeze on line. No standing on my head to find jeans that will fit our 6'5" SIL nor our skinny 2nd SIL. DD#1 had several items on her list from ETSY, while there were not any sales on her things it did feel good to buy from small businesses. Lots of surfing the net to find discount codes is not a favorite of mine but I sure liked to see the total price go down!!

My Sister in Law turned me on to QVC while they were in town. I'm not much of a TV watcher but after keeping it on in the background while I deck the halls a little more today I picked up what seemed like a couple of good deals. The man in Brown will be my new best friend for the next few weeks! Ha

I did venture out this evening after I found out Kohl's is now open until 12:00AM. There was not a single person in the store, nice! Savings at Kohl's $500.33 in addition I earned $165.00 in Kholes cash.

I still haven't received DD#2's Christmas list but EVERYONE else is done!! I have many things already purchased for DD#2 but I need that dang list.

Budget???? We are under budget for the first time in more years than I can ever remember. All  that being said I am sure I will end up buying a few more things here and there if and when I decide to venture out but I know we will meet our goal. It will be so nice to start the year out with money sitting in our Vacation/Christmas account.

Goal for tomorrow is to FINISH decorating for Christmas, clean out the fridge, get started on FMQ for a Christmas gift, and cleaning the house. Decorating is such messy work.

Anyone else close to being done with your shopping?

Decking the Halls

 We are making a change in traditions this year with hubby out of town. Instead of a fresh tree in the family room I put up the artificial tree we normally use in the living room. While it's not what we are use too, once I hung our family ornaments from over the years it will "Make Do" just fine. The clean up after Christmas will be so much easier!

 Roll Tide, what a game this is tonight!!

 Hubby's Sister and BIL gifted us a new Bama ornament from their many travels this year

 My kitchen tree is all set for some holiday baking.

 With all the activities of this past week we didn't have time to buy our 2013 ornament yet. One of the many things added to my errand list for next week.

 Most of our stockings are hung. I sew need to get the little girls stockings finished this year!! I am using an old stocking from our first dog for Mason until I can get his complete. His kit hasn't even been opened yet.

As you can see I am no where near done!! The kitchen as always is where the action begins no matter what the project.

How in the world have I accomplished so much already today you ask? Hubby and I were up at 5:00AM preparing to meet up with family and friends for a end of Thanksgiving farewell breakfast at 6:00AM sharp. What the heck since I was up anyway I figured I would get a good start then work in a nice long nap in the early afternoon.

That plan went right out the window once the Ohio State/Michigan game started. Wow what a game, other than the terrible sportsmanship from a few of the players. If the coaches are any kind of coaches those young men will be sitting out the rest of the season. Bama/Auburn game is on now, NO NAPPING during this barn burner. Followed by South Carolina/Clemson tonight. Maybe I can sleep in tomorrow!! Ha

I am not putting all of the tree's up this year since hubby won't be home for most of the season. The Christmas village as well will stay packed up. Until the toddlers are a bit older there is no point in putting yet more hard not to touch pretty's out. I am still having to lug in all of the tubs and boxes to pick and chose what we will use this year, what a mess!

Anyone else getting your home decorated over this long weekend? I would rather run a marathon than get out in the crazy crowds to shop. Leftovers, football, and decorating is all I need today!

Light Em Up

 

Happy Late Thanksgiving!!! Hope everyone had a wonderful day with their families eating like little piggy pig pigs. We had a houseful with 16 for dinner, everyone behaved nicely that was over the age of three! Ha The grands were a bit high strung as the weather has been so cold none of them have been able to run off all that energy.

This week has be busy, crazy, wonderful with hubby arriving home Sunday just in time for family dinner. We have been non stop since he walked in the door. Today will be no different, breakfast out with hubby's Sister, BIL, and Kara. This afternoon Mason mans 2nd Birthday party followed by what I am sure will be everyone over to polish off the leftovers. They better be ready to eat it ALL up as I sure don't want to throw out one single bite of all this wonderful food!!

My turn in the shower before we are off but I wanted to share the link below to kick of the Christmas season. DD#1 and her friends are each picking 5 things from the list on this link to do over the holiday with their kiddo's. So many cute and sweet idea's that don't cost a whole lot but will help the children learn about giving. Check it out
http://courtneydefeo.com/light-em-up-2012/

Holiday Doings

 Kara is turning into a regular in the kitchen these days. Here she is mixing the sauce for Chex Mix, a fall family favorite for watching all the upcoming Christmas specials and movies.

 One of the many pleasures of having a double oven is we can make 4 batches of just about anything at one time, Love that.

 This a whole heck of a lot of chex mix. A container for hubby to take back to TX, one for home, and of course one to share with the big girls families.

 Chocolate covered peanuts for Thanksgiving, hubby's "To Go" box and a bit for gift giving.

Over the weekend Kara and I stocked up on some super sales at the grocery. Butter BOGO, Turkey for Christmas dinner, garbage bags BOGO, graham cracker crumbs BOGO, ditto on dog food. The biggest score of all was level (2) diapers for $4.00 @. We bought 10 packages!!! A savings of $100.00!!!! Remember we have another Grand in the oven, diapers won't go bad!

Our grocery store haul total was $110.78. Savings...drum roll please.... $152.20. Gotta love a deal like that!

Did you think I had dropped off the face of the Earth? Na, just so busy getting this holiday cheer pulled together that I haven't had the time or energy to sit down for more that five minutes without falling asleep.

Hubby arrived home Sunday evening just in time to celebrate SIL#2's Birthday dinner. The Grands were crazy excited when he walked in the door. Oh how they love Papaw (said with a French accent) Along with cooking, baking, and cleaning I have been trying to jump on some of the pre Black Friday sales. The big kids turned in their list at Sunday dinner, money and GC seem to be the theme this year, works for me!

I had a question of what does RAK stand for? It's short for "Random Acts of Kindness" One of our favorite things to do all year long but during the holiday's we all kick it up a bunch! I will try to share some of our favorite charities/ideas sometime this week. No promise as to which day, things are super busy this week. Tomorrow hubby has to renew his drivers licence, inspect the truck, then we are off to enjoy Karsyn's Thanksgiving program at pre school followed by an afternoon with the little girls. See what I mean, its a full day each and every day.

But tonight we are enjoying some down time with cookies and tea (or beer for some) watching "Celtic Woman" Home For Christmas. Talk about voices of Angels!!

Another Exciting Friday Night. Not!!

 

Kara mixing her little heart out

 

Kara and I decided to give DD#1 a surprise dinner tonight to celebrate her first week back at work. We had to work quickly as we were going over to help with Karsyn and Mason at noon. Brownies, corn muffins, wild rice, along with chicken and spices to throw Herbed Chicken in DD's crock pot. I love seeing how excited the grands get knowing they are part of a RAK. I wonder if things like this are what help develop the "Heart of a Giver"?

Typical day, busy, crazy, exhausting, but oh so blessed to have the time with these little guys