Gracie, High School Choir, Coupons

Wow! We're doing great and it's been so long since I've blogged I hardly know where to start. So Darin called me Thursday night on the way home from work to tell me, "I'm feeling rather ambitious and I have several days off, I want to potty train Gracie. Should I go buy her some panties?" Well I told him he had my support but that I thought he would fail and that I refused to help. He understood--I don't believe in potty training. It doesn't work. So far Gracie has actually peed 3x in the toilet! Very exciting. However, not too impressive for 3 days. This is why I don't believe in it. At this rate it will take 6 months. Whatever, if he wants a project, he sure found one. She does look very cute in her panties though : )

So this fall I will be student teaching and one of my classes will be high school choir. Well, Firth hasn't had a successful (more than 2 people) choir in about 10 years. Because of this, choir is unfamiliar and has a stigma attached to it. So I decided to change that. Registration at the high school is in a few weeks and I decided to create some interest. I got a group together--6 girls and 6 guys and taught them a medley from Shrek. They had a great time and sounded great even though we only had 5 rehearsals. They sang at an assembly on Friday. It turned out awesome. Everyone loved it. Their parents came, and they loved it. Hopefully everyone will still remember it when they register. I had a great time with the kids. They were really great.

Coupons. Okay. So Darin and I had an unbelievable experience with buying soy milk at Freddies. I told my siblings about it and Danielle and Amy tried it too and it also worked for them. The milk was on sale for $1.25 a carton--a good deal. So I bought 2 cases--24 cartons. Well, after I bought them and my receipt printed it also printed tons and tons of coupons. One was specifically for soy milk and the others were for anything at Freddies. Well I went back and got more soy milk, used the coupons, and got more coupons. Now these coupons were good ones, $2 off your next purchase, or $2 off of 4 cartons. I couldn't seem to figure out how many I would get so I just kept buying, and when I got home to figure out how much I paid it was about 46 cents a carton--an amazing deal. Before this the cheapest we had ever paid was 92 cents a carton for the Kirkland brand. Well, Darin was determined to figure it out. The next week the cartons went down to $1 a carton. So Darin bought more. This time he figured out that if he bought 6 cartons he would get $6 worth of coupons. So after the first $6, everything is free and we just had to pay 6 cents a piece for tax. Well, we completely bought out everything they had 2x both in Idaho Falls and Pocatello. I have no idea how many we have. 100s for sure. Just in case you're wondering, we drink a lot of soy milk, and yes, we will drink it all before the expiration date in February. After this experience Darin and I were on a high. I would sit around and wonder if it was a once in a lifetime experience, or if we could find other deals like it. So I got online and found out with a little work, I could do similar things at other stores. I found a couple of great websites. On www.biblicalwomanhoodonline.com/blog.htm I discovered Crystal Paine, who is incredible and religious and wonderful in every way. Then she has another website www.moneysavingmom.com/.

So I have been reading and clipping coupons and went shopping for the first time this last Friday with Darin. So you can truly understand why I am going to all of this effort here is what I got for $12 at Walmart, using coupons.
1) 120 oz. of Mini Shredded Wheat, Malt o Meal brand (equivalent to 6 regular cereal boxes)
2) 2 boxes Honey Bunches of Oats (the new chocolate variety that has just as much protein and fiber and only 1 gram more of sugar than the regular Honey Bunches, it's really not that chocolaty, but my kids feel pretty special)
3) 1 lb of strawberries
4) travel size Kleenex
5) 1 can organic tomatoes, Muir Glen brand
6) 4 packages of flushable wipes (for the potty training)
7) 1 box Noodle Roni
8) 2 boxes Kashi crackers (a health food brand)

$12 for all of that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were so excited. Then we went to Rite Aide and bought a special hair product especially designed for curling hair, some loose face powder for me, and a nice toothbrush--all for FREE because of mail in rebates. Darin sent the rebates in online as soon as we got home. So all it will cost us is tax. And I'm really excited about the hair product, because Anna has a dance recital this week, and her hair is so hard to curl, I'm hoping this will help. (Curly hair is literally required, and part of the "uniform")

So today after church Darin and I clipped our coupons, looked at the ads and made a plan for this week. I am passed being embarrassed and am now a proud coupon clipper! I hope this is not a fleeting hobby. At least until we get some bills paid. Also--I forgot. Aliese needed some new Sunday shoes, so we went to DI and got a brand new pair of leather shoes for $5. Definitely had never been worn. She loves them too. Size 4 in women's!!! Yikes she's getting old.

Darin has always been extremely cheap and not ashamed, I'm finally catching on. It only takes a few times of getting an amazing deal (like soy milk for 6 cents a carton) or that list at Walmart for $12 to be convinced.

I am being summoned to go watch a softball game over at Brandt's. Playing sports on Sunday seems to be a major part of keeping the Sabbath day holy around here.
Love you all.