Old Navy

How happy I am: Stuff and Save = 30% off, plus I hit the clearance sale, so everything on clearance was 50% off. um, can you say Christmas? haha.

I did pick up dresses for 3 of my nieces (because that's all they had -- I didn't know about the sale until today and it ended today, so most of the clearance for kids was GONE) for Christmas, but still have a nephew and a niece to do something for. I also got:
2 pairs of workout pants for me
1 heavy long sleeved workout top for me (mostly so I don't freeze going between the gym and the car)
1 dress for me (which will expand with my belly)
2 shirts for Kiddo
3 pairs of jeans for Kiddo
1 dress for Kiddo
1 pair of pants for Little Mister (for when he's bigger)
1 pair of shorts for Little Mister (for next summer)
2 shirts for Little Mister (one for now, one for next halloween)
2 pairs workout shorts for The Husband
1 hoodie for The Husband
1 football for Little Mister (which is the only thing I bought that wasn't on sale of some sort! but still got 30% off)

It has been quite a while since The Husband or I got something new, so this is exciting for me, especially the workout gear. We went in for jeans for Kiddo because her pants are all falling off or don't go on, so though I spent more than the $30 I'd planned, we all have something that fits and that we needed. I spent around $105 on $325 worth of clothes. I wish I'd known about the clearance sale sooner, but I'm happy.

Friday Fave Five!

1. Frugal Friday: Went to Smith's. They're having a "mega 10" event or something. For every 10 items you purchase that are included in the event, you get $5 off (essentially a 50 cent discount per item). I bought 50 event items plus several other things. My total was $220 until they put my rewards card on there, which cut it in half, and then my coupons ($32.40 worth) brought it down to $80.41. Best deals: Uncle Ben's rice pouches were 99 cents each on the event, and I had $1 off coupons from the paper a couple weeks ago. So they were free plus a penny overage. Bumble Bee tuna pouches were 49 cents and I had either 50 cent or 55 cent coupons. Hormel chili was on the event as well and I had three coupons for $2 off 3 cans, so they were 12 cents each. My daughter loves chili, so that was awesome. I missed out on Playtex Living gloves which were also free, Duncan Hines frosting, and Ghiradelli brownie mix and Krusteaz pancake mix, the latter two of which generated catalinas on your next purchase. This sale goes through next Tuesday, so check out grocerysmarts.com and make a plan and go!

2. The bank fixing things up this morning. YAY!

3. Trunk or treating. Pics to come (can't upload right this second). Little Mister froze and protested loudly. Kidlet enjoyed eating donuts and looking at a Black Pearl ship with a Cap'n Jack Sparrow. She had a lot of fun and I wasn't totally crazy by the end, just cold.

4. ThermaCare heat wraps. I woke up with a stiff neck this morning that has gotten worse all day, so I got one out of the closet where I stashed all the ones I got for free a few weeks ago at Walgreen's, and it's currently residing on my neck, making the pain more tolerable. I actually got them for my periods because my cramps are horrid and I can't be stuck to a heating pad with a toddler running around ... oh the irony. Since I'm barely pregnant, I'm really not supposed to take any meds, so this is helping. yay.

5. Little Mister learned to go up and down stairs, is getting over his ear infection, cut his other tooth overnight, and is still a joy to be around. Love that kid. Love his sister(s), too.

Yay!

My account got fixed.

Dear whoever you are

If you really did mess up manually entering someone else's debit card number and entered mine by mistake (TWICE), I forgive you, even with the inconvenience of not having access to the bulk of my checking account for the next week or so, until the banks can get this straightened out.

If, however, you are a lying piece of scum who really did steal information and duplicated my debit card, stealing hundreds of dollars from me, then I wish you a very painful death. Soon. Y'know, around the time my money gets back in my checking account in the next week or so. THEN I will forgive you.

Sincerely,

The Moody Grumpy Pregnant Lady who discovered at 3 this morning that there was very little money left in her checking account.

*coming out*

I'm pregnant again! I've known for about 2 weeks and am around 6-7 weeks along. If you know me IRL, it's really hard to hide: Cranky, headaches, mood swings, emotional, cravings, nausea, starving all the time, things taste weird, tender girls, getting really bloaty ... Yeah.

I'm happy, though this was quite unexpected. We were on Clomid to get Little Mister ... and well, not this time. lol. The husband is adjusting to the news and told his folks over the weekend, so there you have it.

My first appointment is in a couple of weeks.

In other news, we've been feeling like one of the husband's medications was making him have more CHF symptoms. It's a diuretic, so is supposed to release excess fluid and improve the pre-CHF situation, but his fluid retention was getting super bad every single day instead of once in a while. His psychiatrist had prescribed another mood stabilizer which is supposed to help him drop weight but it was causing muscle pains -- she kept asking if he really needed the diuretic because it could cause muscle pains too. So, over the weekend (without telling me), he stopped taking the diuretic and started taking this other mood stabilizer. He hasn't swelled up since, and his moods are more ... stable ... He thinks it's acting like a diuretic and it is curbing his appetite, which is good since his other one increases his appetite.

14th in a row

*sigh* I'm getting lonesome or something.

Last night I had a nightmare. When we first got married, most of my nightmares revolved around my ex -- as in, I often had nightmares I was still married to HIM instead of my sweetheart. Probably went on for 2 years.

Last night's was different, which is good in that way (y'know, married to the right guy and all), but bad because of the content. Then he was super late getting home this morning and left early tonight since his boss is moving to a different shift and the supervisor on last night was a punk ... oy. Anyway.

I'm just glad I got to see the husband for 5 minutes today. I am headed to the gym tomorrow for the first time since Wednesday, so I'm sure Little Mister will be happy to see his daddy for longer than 5 minutes, too. Kiddo desperately wants to carve the pumpkins I bought the other day, so hopefully we get a chance to do that tomorrow for family night.

Yet another Saturday night

Alone and working.

The husband is working his 13th straight night in a row. I'm nowhere near 13 straight right now, but will be working through the next week, so it'll be a lot.

At any rate, when we got married, I certainly hadn't planned on being alone and working most Saturday nights.

I have to admit, some of my Wednesday nights become "Me" nights. He works, the kids are in bed, I'm not scheduled to work (though they will let me) ... there are times I chill and watch a chick flick and knit all by my lonesome, or clean house, and I *love* those nights.

I wish tonight was one of them because today was a very.long.day.

Friday Fave Five!

1. I'm over the virus that attacked my tummy this week.

2. I am not, however, over the cold my children shared with me. The worst part about that is the pink eye that I get with every cold. Here's why this is good though: My PA called in the RX for drops without making me come in and pay a co-pay and have him say, "yep, you need eye drops." Thank you for saving me $20 Aaron. Then, the husband needed some medical forms taken care of for his FMLA, and Aaron also didn't make me pay the co-pay again since the husband is in a crash, just talked to me for a minute and took the forms to fill out. $40 saved today by my PA. I love you Aaron.

3. My kiddo just brought me ice water without being asked.

4. Little Mister took a whole banana out of my hands earlier and stuffed it in his mouth and chewed and chewed. We usually feed him small bites as his mouth barely fits around it. It was quite cute and he giggled his head off. Him likes bananas.

5. The sealing was the best thing this week by far. And seeing my folks a few times. Little Mister even showed off his new walking skills. Squeeeeeeeeeee!!! He decided last week he could walk -- at times he's still a bit wobbly, but he walks everywhere, especially if he's holding a ball. "BALL!" is his new favorite word, too.

what a beautiful day!

I know it was completely dreary outside and icky and cold, but today was a *wonderful* day for our family.

DisGrace and her husband of 16 years were sealed in the temple today, along with their 3 munchkins!! It was wonderful to be present at such an occasion. I've only been to one other live sealing besides my own, and this was that much more special because Kerli (age 14) has been asking to go to the temple with her parents since she was Dizzy's age (4) or younger. Buster (10) did good and hugged everyone on purpose! lol.

D received his endowment the day before with his niece, K, who is about to go on a mission to Brazil. Super exciting stuff. :D

The end.

p.s. The same TP I got with RR at Walgreens is also on sale for a better deal at select Albertson's stores this week.

Need toilet paper?

Who doesn't? Besides my crazy friends who use family cloth (ew. i may cloth diaper, but refuse to go there).

ANYWAY.

At Walgreens this week, Quilted Northern 9 big rolls is on sale for 3.99, but it's only the equivalent of 6 double rolls. However, 12 double rolls are still on sale for 6.99; the Sunday paper had a $1 coupon and their in-store Octogre coupon book has a 50 cent coupon. You can use both and get 12 double rolls for $5.49. And it generated a $2 off cottonelle catalina. Way better deal, even if you don't have the $1 off coupon.

Also, if you haven't tried it, Vaseline has a new line of lotions called Sheer Infusion. They are $6.99 at Walgreens, but offer a $7 register reward. So you pay the $7+ tax for it, it gives you the $7 back, and you use that on whatever else you might need. My daughter doesn't love the scent but does love what it does for her eczema on her hands. My nephew likes the scent and loves the effect on his eczema. The one I bought today is for me to try on my extremely dry hands from washing lots and using lots of antibac.

I bought a lotion, then used the RR and coupons to buy toilet paper, a giant thing of Germ-X, and a candy bar [which is going in the freezer for my next cheat day]. I think I spent around $10 out of pocket. Not bad.

Hopefully when I go back Wednesday after their shipment gets in, they still have lotion. I plan get one of those and use the RR for more toilet paper and Puffs tissues ... because we're running out and almost in desperate need. With sick kids at home, we were almost out of hand sanitizer, too, hence the giant thing of Germ-X. It now resides in the garage (for when we take the trash out), as the one I had kept down there migrated upstairs with the husband for use after wiping baby's snotty nose when we don't have time to wash hands a zillion times a day.

Deals, deals, deals

I didn't post a Friday Fave Five or a Frugal Friday. it's been a week. BUT, here are two awesome deals I'm excited about. The key here is that these are prior purchases which happened to fall in the date range given by the manufacturers, and I saved my receipts. That is the important thing for both of these. They're already done, I just have to mail them off.

1. If you buy *one* Johnsons bath or lotion product and send them the receipt with your name and address, they will send you a free toy valued at $10. Details here. I managed to pick up 3 of them when they were on sale, and I had coupons and register rewards. I paid about $3 out of pocket for them and toilet paper and a few other things, and now I'll be getting a $10 toy. Awesome. If you don't have a baby, do it anyway, because I bet you know someone who will be having a baby shower!

2. This page features a few different rebates, but the one I'm most excited about is the SC Johnson one. If you buy 3 products from their list, fill out the form and send the receipts, they'll send you $5, and you can do it three times (sending all three in separate envelopes). It goes on through July, so you have time to get them and can just shop sales. I picked up *four* boxes of ziploc bags in two transactions at Walgreens when they were on sale, and of course I used coupons and RR. I paid $5.68 out of pocket for them, and now I'll get $5 cash back. Beautiful!

The third one I'm excited about is the Keebler toy cash one featured on the second above link, but I haven't already purchased any of those products. But you can bet I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for those sales.

Just another way to save and/or make money with your shopping!

Angry Patients

So, I learned something today:

Irate patients in offices won't always shut up for the office staff, but if a bystander says, "hey, dude, they're right," they'll shut their traps.

The scenario: Trying to check my husband in at his doctor's appointment, working with one of three receptionists in the office. A man next to me, working with a different receptionist, is getting louder and angrier by the second about having to sign a medical release to get access to his own medical records. "I can't just give them to you, you have to sign for them. They belong to the doctor," the receptionist explains.

"Are you trying to tell me that MY medical records belong to someone else?"

"Yes, the doctor owns them."

"He owns MY medical records?"

"Yes."

"I can do anything I want with my own records!"

"You have to sign a release to get them because they belong to the doctor according to law."

At this point, a nosy medical transcriptionist [myself] said, "She's right. Once you have them in your hands, you can do anything you want with them. But you have to sign a release to get them, because, according to federal law, they do belong to the doctor. I work with medical records."

He muttered in my general direction, "According to federal law, they don't." BUT he shut up and left the building. After handing her the signed release. I finished signing my paperwork and sat down.

FACT: The information in a patient's medical records does, in fact, belong to the patient.
FACT: The physical form (paper, electronic, voice recording) of that information does, in fact, belong to whoever is responsible for maintaining that record. Doctors pay people like me to keep those records accurate and updated, so you bet your butt those physical records belong to the doctors.
FACT: HIPAA is a federal law requiring written permission from the patient before any information on that physical form can enter anyone else's hands or brains (aside from the doctor, office staff, whoever they hire to do their records, like me), *including* the patient. The office staff cannot photocopy or fax any information to any entity without that signed release, *including* the patient. It is supposed to protect patient confidentiality.

My husband told me as soon as I sat down that I shouldn't have butted in. But when I went to check out, the receptionist with whom he'd been dealing thanked me profusely for helping out. I didn't know how finely the hair is split between the ownership of the physical form of the records and the information they contain. But I did know that bit about HIPAA. I just said, "I figured if someone else backed you up, he'd shut up. And he did." She laughed.

I'm sure they've had irate patients before. After all, they sit behind full length walls with bulletproof windows in them.

Small blessings

I found a song a couple of classmates wrote during our senior year for graduation -- I have one of the only surviving copies left (but copies are on their way to the writers). Anyway. I felt then that the song was inspired, though I didn't know quite why. But when I found it, some of the lines were perfect in describing how I was feeling, easily describing a brilliant life cut short, and singing it a few times helped me through my grief process.

Heather *loved* the song, and when we sang it for graduation, everyone cried. It was completely unexpected that it would help me feel better, but it did.

I'd post them here but don't want to infringe on copyright or anything.

In other news, Little Mister is walking, Little Miss is sassy pants, the Husband is trying his best to be supportive, and I'm ... trying to find my groove at work again. I lost is quite a long time ago. le sigh.

Delays hurt

I just learned that a friend and former classmate passed away quite unexpectedly tonight. We were in band and choirs together, touring around states and making wonderful music. We had planned to be roommates our first year in college, but my life path took me in a different direction than hers. She went on to college and became a band teacher, and I ... lived a very different life.

As a band teacher, she launched music programs in one or two of the smaller schools in the state, and eventually came "home" to the high school from which we graduated 15 years ago. They had just won a band competition and were on the way home, when the bus driver of the woodwind bus passed out. This courageous teacher grabbed the steering wheel and tried to right the bus, but it was already headed off the road. She was thrown from the bus as it rolled and died. Her students, thankfully, lived. Many have broken bones, but all have broken hearts.

Earlier this year, our little chamber choir of 28 voices had planned to have lunch together. For some reason, that didn't happen.

And now it never can.

Delays create regrets, and they hurt.

oh noes!

My computer wouldn't connect to the internet this morning!

After a frantic call to sony and a system restore, we are all better now.

Um, so here's Friday Fave Five!

1. Little Mister took 5 steps the other day. He's more willing to hold our hands and walk, too, even in the middle of the night when he's supposed to be sleeping but isn't.

2. Working out, just finished my 10th day at the gym. I have never really enjoyed it like I am right now -- that endorphin high is awesome. I've had some "highs" after Tae Bo or something but not consistently.

3. The husband being committed to watching Little Mister so I can hit the gym every day. Lurve him.

4. Kiddo helping out more around the house since I'm spending more time away. Plus she's grounded for not turning in homework, so she's around more. hahaha.

5. Lunch with Kaje yesterday. Good times.

some help to the Islands

As many of you know, Samoa was hit by a tsunami recently. Having a husband from Tonga, even though Tonga and Samoa have always been rivals, this has been a bit emotional for me.

Found out about a shipment going to Samoa. Details are on this blog. http://operationmalaela.blogspot.com/

I'll be taking some things over on Friday afternoon. If you are local to me and want to donate but don't want to go to Lehi, let me know and get them to me before Friday morning.

Thanks.

the so-called runner's high

I always thought people were lying about this. how the heck can *running* or any other exercise for that matter feel good? it makes you sweat, makes your muscles burn and hurt, and just makes you tired. Like, all last week, all I could do was sleep.

Well.

My (apparently temporary) trainer had me get on an elliptical yesterday since it would be easier on my joints than walking. I've never used one before, always felt like I'd fall off. So after resistance training for my chest and back, I used the elliptical for 30 minutes.

I still felt like I was going to fall off, for the first couple of minutes. Especially after my legs started BURNING. He said to slow down and push through it, continuing to move was the important part. And that intense burning only lasted a couple of minutes.

Monitoring my heart rate, I kept going until minute 25, when suddenly I felt so good I thought, "I COULD KEEP GOING! THIS IS AWESOME!"

Still felt like that at minute 30, but prudence won out. I got off the machine and wobbled out of the gym into the cold morning air. Forgot to stretch. Oops. Coming up our stairs was a challenge, but throughout the course of the day yesterday, I found a few things.

1. I didn't need as long of a nap yesterday afternoon, though I did still sleep some. My sleep was better last night, too. Except for my nightmare of weighing 400 pounds ... which got my butt out of bed first thing and off to the gym again.
2. I don't HURT as much. I had been having a lot of joint pains just picking up the baby or carrying him around. Aside from the worked-on muscles, the pain is gone.
3. I have more energy, am walking taller, and have more confidence. Am I thinner yet? No. But I FEEL better.
4. Kiddo says I'm nicer on the days I work out.
5. The husband likes how much energy I have too. Ahem.

The high was even cooler this morning because I *did* keep going, and went until I was fatigued. It was awesome. 15 minute warm up on the elliptical, 30 minutes lifting (and boy are my muscles sore!), and 40 minutes back on the elliptical. beautiful. I did stretch a bit before leaving the gym and came home, and I did have a "yittle" nap with the baby, though I probably needed a bit longer (he woke up early). But hey, if there's this much improvement in 10 days, i'd better keep going.

OH, and the trainer giving me the free sessions mostly only does freebies, so my "real" trainer (that's what he said; I prefer "permanent" trainer) will meet me in a couple more weeks. woo.

oh yeah!

Got the husband's meds straightened out, so now he has 3 days' worth in the 72-hour kit. When I refill again, I'll add another 3 days' worth because it might take a week to get medical care in a bad emergency. right? I thought so. He feels better. Me too.

Another awesome deal (BN, I didn't email you because you're lactose intolerant): Macey's had Tony's crispy crust pizzas on sale (the small ones) for 78 cents each. They are normally $1.99 each. I didn't buy any last week, but in the Sunday paper this week, there was a $1 off two coupon, making each one 28 cents! I picked up 8 for about $2.25 (just over the normal price of ONE).

If you have the coupon, go today because their sale changes tomorrow!

Deal of the week

Dove. Specifically, Dove deodorant.

At Walgreens, all Dove products are 25% off. They are also offering register rewards: If you buy 8 items, you get $10 back; 6 items, $6 back; 4 items, $2 back.

I had 4 coupons for $1.50 off two deodorants. No brainer, go buy 8. My out of pocket cost was about $13 and I got $10 back (making each essentially 38 cents). There were a few other things on sale and/or had RR, so I bought them, too, and did go over that $10 RR. BUT, for what I would have spent over a year on just deodorant OOP (appx $25), I managed to also get:

2 packages of Charmin toilet paper
3 bottles of J&J baby wash
2 bags of M&Ms (RR for $1)
Purell to put in the 72-hour kit to replace the expired one (this also generated a RR for $2)
3 cans Swanson's broth
Some candy to ship to Julie from England (we're doing a Sweets Swap, shipping each other candy and/or sweets from the other's country within a specified price range; I still need twinkies and some other things)
And a ring for my daughter because I'm a sucker.

Plus, now I don't have to buy deodorant until another great sale comes up. I *love* this part of saving money this way -- the things we always run out of (toilet paper, personal care items, hand soap, kleenex, dishwasher detergent) are now things we have more than one of in the house. We also have food storage and "snacky" things, so when there are PMS type cravings or the husband is going bonkers for some chocolate, we have it in the house! And don't have to run out and pay full price!

I did go back and spent more money on body wash -- generating another $10 register reward. But I didn't have quite as good of a ratio on that stuff. But just today, I saved $40 with couponing, and have another $13 in register rewards to spend however. Wahoo.

What does Conference weekend mean to you?

We do watch conference, but it means a few other things that are good to do at this time, too.

Several years ago, my mom started revamping our 72-hour kits every Conference weekend. Which is awesome; things don't go bad, you can rotate meds so fresh/potent ones are always in the kit, and kids like eating the snacks from the kits during Conference after you put new ones in the kits.

I carried on the tradition until we got married ... 3 years ago. Lots of other things happened and that was at the bottom of my priority list.

Until today.

My husband has been freaking out quietly about "what do I do in a disaster? I have to have my meds!" Well, we put some aside during refills last month and were going to put them in the kits, but the doctor prescribed it a little differently (extended release instead of delayed release, so it doesn't hit his system as fast), so we're using that emergency stash this weekend until she gets back in the office Monday and can get another refill. I'll put some more aside at that point. Anyway.

This whole freaking out made me think, "Gosh, it's been quite a while since I changed stuff out ..." And this month's Ensign had a blurb in there from a nutritionist about what to include in a 72-hour kit to provide enough calories for 3 days.

I'd picked up some cheap granola bars at Macey's today (98 cents a box for Quaker, sweet) and had also scored wheat thins for 70 cents each box a couple weeks ago, plus some inexpensive peanut butter on sale a few weeks ago, so all of that was earmarked to go in there to replace things that had expired. not our MREs that my brother loaded us up with when he left the military ... just the commercial stuff that expired. I also managed to get a few "free" things at Walgreens this week -- toothbrushes were $3, but I had a 75 cent coupon and got a $3 register reward, dental floss for $2 and got a $2 register reward, etc. -- so those went in as well.

So, during the morning session, I made kiddo go down to the garage and grab our packs.

Things we found:
1. If you leave those cheese and cracker packs long enough, the cheese goes from orange to brown. Ew.
2. Water bottles don't like being crammed together too long.
3. My batteries that were only good through 2008 are still working in my flashlight.
4. I had glasses and a contact case in there, but haven't needed either for over two years since I had LASIK.
5. Babies will need diapers. I had none in either pack.
6. Had there been an actual emergency, kiddo's spare underwear and clothes would not have fit.
7. Neither would mine (see previous post comment about current size).
8. My husband didn't even have a toothbrush in either of the kits, let alone his own kit. That could pose a problem.

So, we got rid of the bad stuff, replaced it with new, and will swap that out in 6 months. I'm also making a list of things we'll need in April to update everything, but we're okay for now, and I'll keep putting things in them in the interim (like baby tylenol and meds for hubby when we get that sorted out and a portable water filter when we're able).

Also on my agenda this weekend: Vacuuming out the dryer vent and bottom of dryer, as recommended by a friend who has kept the same dryer her mother had when the friend was growing up. They've done it every 6 months. It's over 30 years old and they've never had to do more than replace 2 heating elements. Plus, it's a long way from the dryer to the actual outside vent, so it needs to be done, STAT! We want to keep our new dryer new!

Other things to consider: Replacing batteries in smoke and CO detectors, cleaning the oven, checking fire extinguishers.