This is just too crazy!

I was at a yard sale the other day and along the driveway was a gorgeous vine of growing pumpkins and it came to make me realize that I have never in my life seen pumpkins growning on a vine! Isn't that crazy?! 34 years old this year and that was the very first time that I had ever seen a pumpkin growing on a vine..so I had to snap a pic :)





Much to my astonishment, I also had clarity to the fact that I have never seen a watermelon growing on a vine either?! My daughter had bought a watermelon plant in the spring and planted it in our patio garden, but we had yet to see any beginnings of a sprout. Month after month we would check it and...nothing. Thought maybe we had just bought a bad plant. Gave it about a week (same day that I saw the pumpkins actually) and look what we found :)




Isn't it the most adorable little thing you have seen?!

Amazing how my eyes had never seen either of these before and then to see them both in the same day!

Mailbox Monday!! Week of 8/15/10-8/21/10

It's Mailbox Monday!! Check out my freebies I got this week: 8/15/10-8/21/10. Love my freebies!!!






Pampers Easy Ups Trainers contained 1 pull up, 2 coupons, potty training kit.

Neil Med Nasal Flo Neti Pot for sinus relief.

Goonights Underwear contained underwear and coupons.

Just Like Sugar sample.

Magnasnap Magnetic Paper Clamp.

Colorado Visitor's Guide.

Anew Rejuvenate Night Cream.

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins. Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum.

Boss Cologne Sample.

Weekly Shopping Wrap Up 8/8/10-8/14/10

Had another great week with coupons. Lined them all up just right and even got beyond groceries this time around! Hit Target, Giant Eagle, CVS and Shop N Save this week. Now remember, it is only a deal if you are already heading in that direction. Do not make a special trip.





*TW cpn means Target Web Coupon (printed online Target.com


Target

Wonka Exceptionals Domed Dark Chocolate Bar-.29
Snyders Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwiches-$1.19
Cocoa Krispies Cereal 11.3 oz-$1.48 (clearance price)
Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Bars (6 pack)-.89
Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Bars (6 pack)-.89
Juicy Juice Punch 8 pack boxes-$1.39
Juicy Juice Apple 8 pack boxes-$1.39
Disney Classic 10 pack fun fruits-$1.52
Chef Boyardi Mini Ravioli-.25
Chef Boyardi Mini Ravioli-.25
Chef Boyardi Mini Ravioli-.25
Chef Boyardi Mini Ravioli-.25
Revlon Nail Clippers-.59
Herbal Essence 2 in 1-$1.25
Herbal Essence Shampoo-$1.25
Pencil Sharpener.20
Pencil Sharpener.20
Pencil Sharpener.20
Rose Art School Glue-.20
Rose Art School Glue-.20
Rose Art School Glue-.20
8 Ct Bic Mechanical Pencils-.20
100 ct Index Cards-.37
Composition Notebook-.25
Animal Crackers-$1.00
Animal Crackers-$1.00
Stride Gum-.50
Stride Gum-.49
Women's Multi-Belt-$2.24
Airwick Aquamist-$1.00
Airwick Aquamist-.99
Merona Women's Denim Jeans-$3.24
Merona Men's Shirt-$1.98
Dora the Explorer Pirate DVD-$2.00
Snyders Pretzels-$1.59
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars-$1.00
Kelloggs Cocoa Krispies Cereal-.98
Kelloggs Cocoa Krispies Cereal-.98
Market Pantry Bread-.84
Mountain Dew Throwback 12 Pack-$2.33
Sobe 0 Calorie-.50
Post It Notes-Free

Huge Savings

*Women's Belt listed above (org price $12.99, clearance $4.24-$2.00 TW cpn)
*Women's Jeans listed above (org price $24.99, clearance $4.98-$3.00 TW cpn)
*Men's Shirt listed above (org price $18.99, clearance $4.98-$3.00 TW cpn)
*Dora Pirate DVD listed above(org price $5.00-$3.00 TW cpn)

Giant Eagle

Wishbone Ranch Salad Dressing-.88
Wishbone Ranch Salad Dressing-.87
Degree Deodorant-.75
Degree Deodorant-.50
Skintimate Shave Gel-.50
Skintimate Shave Gel-.50
Fiberplus Cereal-$1.17
Fiberplus Cereal-$1.17
ReddiWhip-$1.00
Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner-$1.00
Enfamil Concentrate Cans-$1.59
Enfamil Concentrate Cans-$1.59

CVS

Welches Jelly 32 oz-$1.12
Betty Crocker Warm Delights-.77
Betty Crocker Warm Delights-.77
Xtra Detergent 42 loads-.99
Dove Bar-.59
Dove Bar-.59
Dove Bar-.59

Shop N Save

Cheerios Cereal-.90
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal-.90
Oscar Myers Weiners-.90

Grand Total: $57.45!!!

Still made it below the lady who's blog is entitled "Grocery Cart Challenge...$60 a week for a family of 6. As you realize, I just spent less than $60 a week for a family of 8!!

No Bakes Stink!!

I decided to throw together a quick dessert this week and tried No Bake Cookies. I guess I just assumed that since there was no baking involved, it would be a quick fix....boy, was I wrong!!

This was the recipe:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
4 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup milk
3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter

Cook sugar, butter, cocoa and milk for 4 minutes. Add peanut butter. Mix well. Pour over oatmeal. Drop on wax paper.

Let me just tell you that everything looked like it was going great until I started dropping them onto the paper. Now, I was out of waxed paper so I used foil. At first I didn't know if that was the problem until I consulted with some of my facebook friends and they informed me that it shouldn't have made a difference. A million things were thrown at me as to what could have went wrong; not cooked long enough, cooked too long, needed certain brands, humidity, etc...I got this recipe out of the RCB Band Cookbook that Cameron and I have been cooking our way through. I have yet to have any luck in the dessert section of this cookbook. The last dessert I made didn't come out right either! I have made a few hundred desserts from random cookbooks and have never had the results that I have in the book....boo RCB Band cookbook!!

I never want to attempt no bakes again, but we all know that is a lie...I insist on getting it right, but for now...I will just enjoy my pile of no bake.

A Storm is Coming....

Flickering lights. Thunder in the horizon. Winds that roar. 10 minutes of destruction swept through our area last week while we took cover in our basement. One of us wasn't as lucky to have shelter from the storm.....our trampoline.

This is the home of our trampoline...as you can see, she must have ran for cover....


We found her hiding amongst the vegetation in the woods. Look really close at the center of the photo and you will see a little disc peeking at me. The question? Was she ready to come home?


It took a lot of strength and indurance, but somehow we managed to move this heavy girl closer to her entrance point.


We attached chains to her unsure legs


And then took a victory lap around the yard!!


She was looking a little limp....


It may just take a little while for her to gain her composure....

My Grocery Saving Secrets Revealed!

I have been coupon browsing/shopping every week over the past few weeks. Many are curious as to how I get all that I get at such a great price. Here are some of the rules I live by when coupon browsing/shopping. First and foremost, do not make a trip out if you are not already heading in that direction. Making a special trip defeats the purpose because the money you are saving is going into gas and mileage. For example, if I know that I will be making a trip to Washington, I will take my Giant Eagle, Foodland, ShopnSave, Walmart, Dollar General and Target coupons. If I hit all of them, great, if not, oh well, I didn't spend any money. Secondly, do not print too many coupons online. The money you are saving is going into buying more ink and paper.

Onto the savings:

My big 3 month trips usually end up with me spending no more than $300 at the very most. This is $300 for 3 months of groceries for 8 people. Before I make this trip, I take a calendar and mark down a meal a day. You do not have to eat the meals in order (you may have a day marked pasta, but instead want chicken) I usually put family meals down for Mon, Tues, Wed (remember to put a new recipe in per week, always livens up dinner) Thursday is our "Fend for Yourself" day. You can either eat leftovers from M-W or make yourself something quick. Friday is soup and sandwich day. If you are more adventurous and look through your cookbook, you will see a ton of soup and sandwich ideas and then you are not stuck just opening a can of chicken noodle and slapping together some bread and ham. But hey, if you like the quickness of opening a can, by all means, enjoy! Saturday could be your eat out day and Sunday could be your prepackaged day (Hamburger Helper, Kraft Mac & Cheese, etc...) Be sure to throw one baked dessert in a week. The kids love that!! You can switch these days around to fit your schedule. I do try to make as many homemade meals as I can with my schedule...my oldest son is an aspiring chef and loves to help out in the kitchen with the meals.

After creating your calendar of meals, write down anything you don't already have in the house for these meals. Tip: when writing up your meals, try to create using things you already have in stock, saves major money! After writing down the items you do need to shop for, go through your coupons to see if you have any that match what you need. After doing this, check the ad for any items you wish to have. Then, try to match up coupons to these items. Remember, do not buy something that you have a coupon for that you will not use, this is extra money spent. I also try to make it a rule to buy the bulk of your things on sale (you will have a few things here and there that won't be on sale that you need, but try to stick to the sale items) After pulling out the coupons you need, go online and look for coupons that you may not have had, but need. I use www.ppgazette.com. It has all the coupons (smart source, red plum, etc...) all on one site! Remember, only clip and print what you need or you are putting out more money for printer ink and paper. Giant Eagle, Foodland and ShopnSave double coupons up to .99 everyday! Tip: Interstate Foodland off of the Chestnut Exit does not accept computer printed coupons.

Giant Eagle in your area? Always make sure to get your gas at Getgo everytime you need gas! You get the food perks! Anytime you make an off trip to Giant Eagle, if it asks you to use your food perks, say no. Always wait until you are going on a huge shopping trip to do that. The very most you can save on food perks is $60 and I do it everytime I have a big grocery trip. $60 automatically off of your food bill just for buying your regular gas!!! So, when you are shopping at Giant Eagle, check out the price of an item, substract your coupon doubled (.75 to $1.50 off) and then subtract 20% (that is amount you are saving with your food perks if you hold out) The final price is what you are paying :) Side Tip: make sure that you don't redeem your fuel perks until you are almost completely out of gas. If you only need to top off your tank, you are wasting your perks. Make sure you get it off of all of those gallons you will be filling up!

If you don't get a newspaper subscription, be sure to at least buy a Sunday paper. It is only $1.50 and you will have that paid off just by one 75 cent coupon in the insert since grocery stores double! Both the Observer Reporter and the Herald Standard have coupons on Sunday. AllYou magazine is another great source for coupons. There are a ton in this awesome magazine!! Are you a Target shopper? www.target.com has coupons that you can use just at Target (has target logo on them) The great thing about these are, you can use the Target coupon AND a manufacturer's coupon!! Take your stack of Target coupons and matching manufacturer's coupons with you anytime you hit a Target (remember, don't make a special trip, just keep them in your purse for when you go) and then just check out the products. They could be on sale that week and you could get them really cheap! Uniontown Target has freezers and Washington doesn't so if you are looking for cold groceries, you have to go to Uniontown.

I am a major multi-tasker! Do not take extra time to cut your coupons, make menus, etc..If you are sitting on the couch watching your favorite show, do it then. That way you are not taking away from your everyday duties :)

Sound like a lot of work...no, it isn't. Basically a huge trip is this simple.

1. Make a menu for whatever time you are grocery shopping for (weeks, months)
2. Match your coupons to your menu items needed
3. Go through the ad for the grocery store you will be hitting
4. Match your coupons to the items you need/want
5. Do not redeem food perks until you are going on a huge trip
6. Be sure to always try to fill up at Getgo so it adds to your foodperks.

Be sure to watch for my blogs or just follow them. Everytime I write a new one, it will come up on your dashboard. I hope to save you all as much as I am saving! I also have 2 other blogs www.dede-daytoday.blogspot.com. This blog has daily savings, tips, things to do with the kids, etc... and www.dede-kneadarecipe.blogspot.com. This blog has any recipe that I have tried that turned out awesome. Includes a finished photo of the meal.

Use all of these tips and you could end up with an overflowing pantry like mine with a ton of money still in your purse! I got such a good deal on cereal last week that I had to start stacking them towards the ceiling of my pantry shelf!

Weekly Grocery Wrap Up 8/1/10-8/7/10

I got a load of stuff this week for such an awesome deal! I paid attention to the ads, set up my coupons in line with what was on sale, had a $3.50 towards my next grocery bill and...well, you can check them out for yourself :)





Reese Puffs Super Box Cereal 22.9 oz-$2.23
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Super Box Cereal 24.9 oz-$2.23
Lucky Charms Super Box Cereal 24 oz-$2.23
Cheerios Cereal 14 oz-$1.50
Raisin Bran Cereal 20 oz-$1.58
Honey Nut Cheerios Cereal 12.25 oz-.90
Froot Loops Cereal 12.2 oz-$1.58
Ragu Meat Sauce-$1.08
Ragu Sweet Tomato Basil Sauce-$1.08
Ragu Margherita Sauce-$1.08
Stauffers Whale Crackers-$1.00
Stauffers Whale Crackers-$1.00
Barilla Piccolino Mini Wheels-.65
Pop Tarts Ice Cream Shoppe Hot Fudge-$1.25
Pop Tarts Smores-$1.25
New York Texas Toast Croutons Seasoned-.33
New York Texas Toast Croutons Seasoned-.33
New York Texas Toast Croutons cheese and garlic-.33
New York Texas Toast Croutons cheese and garlic-.33
Shop N Save Medium Shells-.50
Shop N Save Medium Shells-.50
8 Pack Wild & Crazy Fruit Snacks-$1.00
Betty Crocker Warm Delights Minis-$.17
Gummy Safari Pals Fruit Snacks-$1.00
Chex Mix Cheddar-.89
Lemon Extract-$1.00
Ball Park Franks-$1.00
Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk biscuits-.75
Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk biscuits-.75
Pillsbury Grands Homestyle biscuits-.75
Pillsbury Grands Homestyle biscuits-.75
Pillsbury Grands Southern style biscuits-.75
Pillsbury Grands Southern style biscuits-.75
Froot Loops Cereal 12.2 oz-$1.58
Chocolate Cheerios Cereal 11.25 oz-$1.58
Chocolate Cheerios Cereal 11.25 oz-$1.58
Cheerios Cereal 8-9 oz-$1.50
Multigrain Cheerios Cereal 9 oz-$1.58
Raisin Bran Cereal 20 oz-$1.58
Frost Mini Wheats Cereal 18 oz-$1.50
Frost Mini Wheats Cereal 18 oz-$1.50
Cocoa Puffs Cereal 11.8 oz-$1.50
Pepsi Max 20 oz bottle-.40
Pepsi Max 20 oz bottle-.40
Pepsi Max 20 oz bottle-.39
Pepsi Max 20 oz bottle-.39
Kleenex 3 pack bundle-$2.00
Paper Mate 6 Pack Highlighters-.00
Paper Mate 6 Pack Highlighters-.00
Paper Mate 6 Pack Highlighters-.00
Paper Mate 6 Pack Highlighters-.00
Paper Mate 6 Pack Highlighters-.00
Paper Mate 6 Pack Highlighters-.00 (yes, all were free)
Penway 10 Pack Pencils-.00
Penway 10 Pack Pencils-.00
Penway 10 Pack Pencils-.00
Penway 10 Pack Pencils-.00 (more free)
Paper mate Black Pens 10 pk-.10
Paper mate Black Pens 10 pk-.10
Paper mate Black Pens 10 pk-.10
Just Basics Wooden Pencils 12 pack-.10
Just Basics Wooden Pencils 12 pack-.10
Just Basics Wooden Pencils 12 pack-.10
Speed Stick 24/7-$1.00
Colgate Kids Toothpaste-$1.00
Skippy Super chunk Peanut Butter-.00 (another freebie)
Colgate wave toothbrush-.70
Colgate wave toothbrush-.70
Wooden Ruler-.00
Wooden Ruler-.00
Wooden Ruler-.00
Wooden Ruler-.00
Wooden Ruler-.00
Wooden Ruler-.00 (yes, more)
New York Texas Toast Tortilla Strips Chipotle Cheddar-.00 :)
Jones Brother 2010 Calendar (my daughter was totally psyched to get this free!)




Grand Total only $54.00!!! My pantry is getting packed!

What a Find!! Weekly Bargains from Thrifty Places Aug. 1-7

This weekend was a great one for thrifty shoppers in my area. Usually, I make my way around to yard sales and thrift shops and find a thing or 2...sometimes leaving even empty handed :( Every sale that I went to this weekend was awesome! I took 2 of my 6 kids with me to enjoy the day of buried treasures :) Here are only a few of the many things that I grabbed!





Antique Scale (antique mall) $5. I plan on using this in my main bathroom on the 2nd floor, either on the vanity with rolled hand towels or the back of the toilet with tissues or toilet paper :)







Replica Fire Bucket (yard sale) $2. I am hoping that Reiner/Brandis will let me change their room in the upcoming year from Cars to Firetrucks!






Travel Baby Swing (yard sale) $3. I had a similar swing years ago, but it did not lean back far enough. Tickled to find this one at such a low price!







Fozzy Bear Tall Pez Dispenser (yard sale) .25. I found this much taller than usual Pez dispenser for my jokester Cameron. It stands about 18 inches tall and plays the Muppet Theme Song when you lift its head!







2 Heavy Columns (yard sale) .50 each and 4 matching mini 3D wall art pieces (yard sale) .75 each. I was so excited to find these items all at the same sale. I look forward to using them when I begin redecorating my kitchen.






Old Hat Model Head (yard sale) .25. Why? Just because...No, seriously though, I sometimes sell my old clothes on eBay and this model is perfect for the hats I no longer use (don't you just love the staple eyes?!).







Sea Shell & Twig Wreath (yard sale) $2. This one will go in the new beach theme soon to come in my den :)







Gordon Sesame Street Little People (yard sale) .25. We certainly could not forget this little guy. My husband has the Sesame Street Playhouse from when he was a kid and this was the one figurine he was missing.

Dede's Fable: The Bananas and the Gripe

While browsing through Produce and griping at the crazy price of bananas at Walmart this past week, I came across something I had never seen: Mini bananas!! These looked just like a regular bunch of bananas that had been shrunk! My kids begged to try out these tiny little guys and I of course gave in. I could have gotten the regular bananas for around .94...



The moral of the story: Don't gripe about .49 lb for nice sized bananas or you wind up paying $1.59 for what seems like just a bite of a nice sized banana....

Weekly Grocery Wrap Up 7/25/10-7/31/10

I was out this week browsing around and managed to come across a few deals in process. This is my weekly grocery wrap up for the week of 7/25/10-7/31/10.



Yoplait Trix 6 Packs-.75
Yoplait Trix 6 Packs-.75
Yoplait Trix 6 Packs-.75
Yoplait Trix 6 Packs-.75
Yoplait Trix 6 Packs-.75
Yoplait Trix 6 Packs-.75
Yoplait Trix 6 Packs-.75
Yoplait Trix 6 Packs-.75
Eggo Waffle 10 Packs $1.17
Eggo Waffle 10 Packs $1.17
Pampers Baby Fresh Wipes .37
Pampers Baby Fresh Wipes .37
Pampers Baby Fresh Wipes .37
Pampers Baby Fresh Wipes .37
Dole Canned Pineapple .67
Dole Canned Pineapple .67
Dole Canned Pineapple .67
Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce .00 (yes, free!)
Similac Infant Formula 1 qt .47
Similac Infant Formula 1 qt .47
Similac Infant Formula 1 qt .47
Similac Infant Formula 1 qt .47
Enfamil Premium Lipil Cans 13 fl oz concentrated liquid .59
Enfamil Premium Lipil Cans 13 fl oz concentrated liquid .59
Enfamil Premium Lipil Cans 13 fl oz concentrated liquid .59
Enfamil Premium Lipil Cans 13 fl oz concentrated liquid .59
Enfamil Lipil Ready to Use Formula 1 qt .00 (another free one!)
Domino Sugar 5 lb .96
The Farmer's Market American Salad Blend $1.00
The Farmer's Market American Salad Blend $1.00
Dannon Dan-o-nino 6 pack .50

I got all of this for only $19.53!!!

How is that for savings?!