Recap of 2010 Part 1

Before we move into 2011 I figured I had better do a recap of 2010 just for a little balance since I have been MIA in blogland for a little bit. After our computer crashed in Jan.of 2008 and took 10,000 (literally) pictures with it I just couldn't get back into it. Even after we had someone work on the computer for a LARGE amount of money and who claimed to get them all back, but seeing as I have glanced (still after 3 yrs. I can't go through them all) through them...I know he didn't get them all back. So post partum and losing all of those memories def. stole my joy for awhile!

But I don't want to miss another moment or memory so here's to my 2011 New Year's Resolution!

This isn't quite 2010 but consider it our Christmas picture of 2009

with everyone in the Christmas Eve pjs!

January 2010

We rang in the New Year with G-Force, games, and goodies.....

and LOTS of kisses!

LOVE her poochy lip at 2!

Couldn't miss our annual Sesame Street Live!

Aidan w/ Elmo

Lilybelle w/ Elmo

Ky w/ Elmo

Elmo & Friends!

February
Daddy spent his Valentine's with his favorite Valentine!

Trust me NOTHING has changed but a number!

Daddy's Birthday Dinner

Aidan turned 7 this year!

We celebrated his day with family at the Natural History Museum
(where else would a "scientist" wanna spend his day)

She is so DRAMATIC!

March
For Aidan's friend party we had a Crystal/ Rock party at Solid "ROCK" Gymnastics
(and for the record, google doesn't come in handy when doing a search for a Crystal/ Rock party...unless your a junkie)

Invites were front and back with "Pop Rocks" inside

Back

Birthday poster

Cupcakes complete with chocolate rocks

This was a low key party since it was not at home but

there were still a couple things that we couldn't leave out

Entry Table

Birthday Canvas

Tons of Balloons

Aidan wanted a cookie cake for his cake that he didn't have to share
(those are "crystals" that were decorated on the cookie....Cookie Company gets an A for effort)

birthday circles

candy shop

I sewed drawstring bags with homemade geodes (made of coffee grounds) inside with each child's initial sewn on the outside tied together with a magnifying glass

Tied to the geodes

Of course Homer attended

The Fam

It was a tiring blast!

She's Backkkkkkk!

Can you guess what was on the 2011 New Year's Resolution list.............

The Storage Room

Yeah so I have been promising for over a year now to post pictures of the infamous storage room and decided today is the day, so take a deep breath and look around at the wonder- I do!

So if you come to my house to visit you don't need to bring anything cause I gotcha covered in my mini CVS and you don't need to worry about paying me back because I paid about $100 to fill it esp. since alot of it....they paid me and I know they would LOVE to hear that.

This is after I haven't visited CVS in almost a year.....July of 2008 to be exact- so imagine this thing a year ago...

Lots of Body Wash, Toothpaste, J & J Baby Wash (Target paid me for these), Hairspray for the little boys, soap buddies (the are stacked so you can only see half of those), Toothbrushes, Hand Soaps, Hand Sanitizers, flameless candles, Bar Soaps, Huggies Baby Wash, Herbal Essence Shampoo & Conditioner, Men's Body Wash, Qtips, J & J Wash cloths, Hand & Face wipes, Tums, Pledge........etc

Flushable wipes, Cascade, Ziplocs, Trash Bags, Toilet Cleaners, Pledge Spray, Laundry Detergent, Baby Wipes (I started with about 50 of those and have what ever is left in the corner)

This is the diapers and paper towels that I have left...I have taken back some diapers that Lily never used and have 2 $60 CVS cards to buy diapers once she uses these

Tool Box full of batteries

Pert & Kleenex...you can see how many we have used- these were the last things I have purchased at CVS in July '08

The BEST razors!

More...

Lysols holding up Lee's old basketball trophies and a container of deodorant

and once you are done sorting through my junk...

We'll play a game


and I'll let you pick out a gift


and I might even wrap it for you


and then by then maybe I can talk you into....


helping me put away the usual box of party stuff that gets dropped in the middle of the floor after parties!!

Jamie's Picture Game

Is this thing on..........then let me know if you play along. Open the picture file and pull from the fourth folder, the fourth picture (what's the deal with 4 Jamie?) Anywho- I present my Kyan James- only 1 day old....I have alot of pictures on this computer so 4th folder didn't get me very far (try 4 years ago).

Mosaic Game

After seeing Crystal's mosaic last night I decided to stay up and make one last night. It was fun to see what would come up once you searched for the answers to the questions. If you wanna play along then go to Crystal's blog for links and let me know if you make one.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your blog name. (kid version: favorite animal?)

What happens when you neglect your CVS addiction for 3 weeks?

You can't see to drive home!!!


I know!! I can't believe I was able to survive that long without my "drugs" but with Summer here and trying to do alot with the babies I haven't had a moments breath to even think about transactions and haven't cut a coupon in a month so you can imagine the mess that I have to go through. I had about $70 in ECB's that had expired over my absence and so I had to use them all up in one trip since my fav. manager gave me the ok, which was HARD because I NEVER use that many ECB's in one trip because of coupons and breaking down transactions to use more $4/$20 coupons- let's just say it was tough. I was there almost 2 hours (which is kinda quick for me) and bought $293 worth of merchandise, used $116 in ECB's, and spent $13.90 that went on my prescription transfer gift card.

Obviously, more of my favorite paper towels.....YEA!

Victoria's Secret Freebie

So I finally made it to the mall to pick up my free body scrub (check past posts) this weekend and wanted to let everyone know the freebie is still available.

So I am all about getting something for free with a coupon but feel I am smart enough to know not to get sucked into spending more money just to get something for "free" or just to use a coupon....my mom tends to get sucked into that! (But she's learning) Well I went in to grab the body scrub and knowing (since I worked there) that it is next to impossible to find much at V.S. under $7 I would have to search by the cash registers. Well I ended up grabbing the mints and while I was standing in line thinking how the mints were $2.75 I am realizing that I am pretty much spending $2.75 plus tax on the body scrub cause we all know we could get buckets of mints/ candy for free at CVS. So as I am standing there, I am racking my brain for a better deal and it hits me......buy a gift card for $1 and there is your "any purchase". So I gave them a dollar (NO TAX) and got it back on a gift card to eventually roll over and my got my body wash FOR FREE. I know I sound terribly cheap at this point but it is so fun to figure out the best deal and hey, there's nothing wrong with me trying to save my money for better things....like shoes ;)

FREE Perfume

Ok, so take 20 secs. and make an e-card with Clinique and get a free purse sized Happy perfume.

For Crystal & Dirty V

Here is tonight's run....

I made a trip tonight because I have realized that it is better for me to go on Sunday nights unless there is something that I REALLY want to get before they run out (BUT I'm not sure how often that will be now that I have learned an awesome secret).....patience, we'll get back to that....Sunday nights work perfect for me cause I usually have the store to myself and the cashiers don't mind my many transactions cause they are bored so it works out for everyone. They were out of Charmin but other than that I got everything and MORE that I went in for.

I scored the following Covergirl products
1 AquaSmooth $8.99
2 Outlast Lipcolor $9.99 ea
3 Trublend Concealers $7.49 ea
2 Fragrance Free Pressed Powder $5.49 ea
4 Contouring Blush Sets $5.99 ea
2 Pocket Powder $6.79 ea
1 Bronzer $3.99
1 Advanced Radiance $9.59
2 Smoothers $7.99 ea
1 Lash Blast Mascara $8.49
1 Lash Exact $7.79
1 Eye Enhancer $5.49
1 Eye Shadow $3.39

and

Dish Pan $2.19
Rave Hairspray (holds great for the boys) $2.99
Venus Razor $9.99
Post Its (hoping it would carry over from the $3 I missed from bad figuring last week because they still had the sign up...but it didn't) $4.99
Wahl Trimmer (boys haircuts) $34.99

Total- $218.10
ECB's paid- $14.97 & $5.98
Coupons- ALOT
(I had 8 B1 foundation G1 item free from 3/31 I think & the rest from today's paper)
OOP- $9.87 (gift card)
ECB's Earned- $5
but since I'm taking back the $4.99 Post Its- it's pretty much a wash

It was done in 5 transactions and I had it figured way wrong because during my first transaction I had only handed over 3 coupons and I was already in the negative with 3 more coupons to use so at that point I ran back to makeup and grabbed 4 more random things which brought that total to $3.44. I had to do it with the 2nd AND 3rd transactions too. It's fun to do that though cause it feels like a shopping spree since you just grab and RUN...another reason Sunday nights are good for me because no one has to wait and I'm quite entertaining for the cashiers.

The Big News (if you didn't already know)...
So I had always traveled to my 3 out of 4 different stores to get the freebies throughout the month or if they were really good, during that week. It was fun to go in and see what they had for that trip but discouraging when the shelves had been wiped clean. Well I had always read that you should get a raincheck when they were out of something like the B1G1 deals or sale prices BUT I learned Wednesday night when I went in (knowing they would be out) to get my final Softsoaps.......that you can get rainchecks on items thst spit out ECB's!! I couldn't believe it. I got a raincheck for the Softsoap & the CVS meds- that I never saw once the entire month. Plus they never expire!! I don't know how CVS does it but they just keep getting better and better!