Thank you Tina Honeycutt-- Where ever you are...

Sorry, no Tuesday's Tips-- Just don't have much for you here lately. But, if you have a good tip, let me know! I'll gladly post it and give you the credit.. I do have a story though.. It may be lame but it's a story..

This morning I was preparing Emma's snack to send to school. I try to use reusable containers instead of unnecessarily using a disposable zip lock bag. I'm not sure whether my stubbornness about this matter is due to me being cheap or my concern for the environment but regardless, it just seems wasteful. Silly probably, it's not like I can save the world by not using a ziploc bag... Anyway, that is me and that is what I do...

So, I put her vanilla wafers in one of those spill resistant snack containers that has the flexible top where a child can pull out whatever is inside without easily spilling it. I immediately wondered if this type of juvenile container might infringe on the maturity of a first grader. So, I asked her if it was okay. I will commend my daughter for her positive attitude. She did say that it would be okay but she had a hesitant look on her face. I don't know if it was her trying to be agreeable or trying to avoid one of my common speeches that would no doubt go something like, "there are children in the world that won't have a snack today. In fact, there are children in the world that will have no food to eat today. In fact, there are some children that won't eat all week. THERE ARE CHILDREN THAT WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO EAT THESE VANILLA WAFERS OFF THE GROUND. Yes, I often get carried away with my desire to make my children see that they are so very blessed compared to the rest of the world. Regardless of her reasoning, Emma made the decision that enduring whatever humiliation that she might face would be less painful than arguing with her mother.

But, being the perceptive person that I am, at least for today, I questioned her, "does this container make you feel too babyish"? Her response, "that container makes me feel like I'll get made fun of. A plastic bag will do fine". I, not wanting to put my child through any unnecessary ridicule, fumbled through the cabinet for a more sophisticated, Disney princess container and we compromised on something that would allow her to keep her cool status without compromising my environmental conscience. Okay, this really isn't a very detailed post to explain why I avoid using ziplock bags.

The interaction with Emma this morning took me back to fourth grade. There was a girl in my class named Tina Honeycutt. Tina Honeycutt had the most beautiful long dark hair and she always had a different hairstyle. Braids, ponytails, pigtails, buns you name it. Tina's mother was the mastermind of beautiful dos.. There was one particular morning, in admiration of Tina, that I asked my mother to give me pigtails. My mother, being the wonderful mother that she is, happily obliged my wishes. Now granted, my fine, thin ponytails fell quite short of Tina's glorious locks but I proudly bounced into Mrs. Dobbins fourth grade class being sure that I looked better than I ever had only to find Jacob Quick laughing and making fun of me. (There Jacob, now you know the real story of why I wouldn't date you when I was 16. You should NEVER EVER laugh at a girls hair. Not even in fourth grade.) Anyway, as I was standing in the girls bathroom with the mint green walls, crying and taking out my pigtails, Tina Honeycutt was standing beside me telling me that my hair looked beautiful and that I shouldn't worry what Jacob Quick thought because he was a stupid boy anyway...

I remember feeling sorry for Tina because she obviously did not understand the social suicide she was commiting by wearing pigtails in fourth grade. But now, as a mother, I find myself asking, "What did her mother do to her and how can I do it to my girls"? How does a person instill that kind of confidence in their child? I never wore pigtails again.. But Tina Honeycutt went on to wear her hair just like she wanted it. And, I saw her out at a dance club for teens when I was teenager and was shocked to find that she seemed to have plenty of friends and seemed to enjoy life as a teenager just as much as she did as a kid..

May the Tina Honeycutt voice inside you be louder than those stupid boys. Tina Honeycutt, I salute you!

What? You don't name the voices inside your head? ;)

Blessings,
Dana

Congratulations Emma!

Just like last year, she didn't even tell me she had gotten Student of the Month and I didn't know until I pulled the certificate out of her folder. I'm hoping that it's humility and not embarassment that she doesn't tell us when she gets something like this. I think she get's it from her Nana who doesn't mind being in the spotlight but won't toot her own horn to save her life which is why I'm tooting it for her. See the video below!




Go over to page three and watch the foster care clip to see the awesome work that Lynn does. I'm sure there is a way to link only her clip but I'm having a hard time doing that.


We're so proud of both of you!

Deals and Matchups

Still haven't joined swagbucks? Lot's of great gift cards available! Click below to join!



There will be up to five inserts in tomorrow's paper 3 Smart Source and 2 Red Plum. Bigger city newspapers have more coupons so make sure you get the largest one available to you.

Check my left sidebar for more helpful links!


CVS
Lots of Clearance items right now


I've read lots of reports that a lot of the CVSs have gone to 90% off on summer items. People are reporting getting flip flops for 24 cents a pair.
If your here in town, I checked the CVS here and the only summer items left are the coolers. But, they are 90% off if you need a cooler.

-Wet Ones Antibacterial Wipes Travel Pack, $0.19 (from $1.99)

Red package of 15 wipes, UPC 07682804702
Found in various places in different stores: up at the cash register with the chapstick and trial size stuff; hanging on a vertical plastic strip in the snack aisle, near the disposable picnic stuff like paper plates and napkins (none were in the same section as the Wet Ones canisters, you have to search for them).

-Value Pack BandAid 20 ct with 1/2 oz Neosporin ointment $0.69 (from $6.99)

SpongeBob (UPC 381370050315) and Hello Kitty (UPC 381370058441) on the front of package, found in the medication/first aid section. It's usually on the top shelf amongst a section of Neosporin stuff. There are $0.50 and $1 off coupons for BandAid products in the coupon database.

- Zantrex 2 pk Energy Shots, $1.49 (blue package). Found in diet/energy drinks and on clearance aisle.

Pharmacy & beauty stuff, found in clearance section at one store only:

- Tylenol Severe Allergy 48 ct, $2.84
-$1 Tylenol coupon found in database
- CVS severe allergy medication
- Zicam allergy swabs
- Children liquid Zyrtec, about $3
- Neutrogena foot cream (small white tube)
- Nivea, Lip Smackers, Dr. Pepper, and soft lips chapstick
- Dollar Days 40 ct baby wipes (blue package, UPC 013308446265), $0.25
- Glade candle, Dewberry, about $1.50
- Anti cellulite/aging cream $9.99 (from $39.99, wish I had bought this when I saw it!). I can't think of the brand name but I think it's something -derma, it was in a peach and black box and is normally found with the expensive skin care stuff next to the Preventin line.


Rite Aid


Walgreens

Kroger Mega Deal!!

Publix
Publix Penny item is Publix Vanilla Wafers

For other areas:

Food World-- Food World lady promises to have it up tomorrow.

Kroger Texas Region
For you Julie, it looks like you have a deal where if you buy three participating items, you get a breakfast meal free. I think you will have a mega deal starting on the 17th.

Kroger Central Region-- Aunt Carrol, this is you. It looks like your ads run from Wed. to Wed. so your mega sale should start this Thursday the 17th as well. Right now, you have a deal where if you buy three participating items, you get a free gallon of milk.

And they say that exercise is healthy?

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month!

Throughout September, you can donate $5 to the cause by texting "KELLY" to 85944 from your mobile phones (standard text messaging rates apply) - or logging on to
www.kelly-confidential.com. Also, every time you log on to the Web site, you'll be entered for a chance to win an amazing contribution to your home - a luxury front load washer and dryer from Electrolux in Turquoise Sky, the color inspired by the teal ribbon of ovarian cancer awareness.

Also during September, visitors to Kelly Confidential can help spread awareness for this important cause by sending a virtual T-shirt to a friend. For every virtual t-shirt sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to the OCRF. Fashion-forward Moms can also purchase a limited edition T-shirt designed by Ripa; 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts will go to OCRF.



Visit www.kelly-confidential.com for details and for your chance to win a luxury front load washer and dryer from Electrolux.

My Current Project

So I'm finally feeling like a little more than a zombie. I'm not quite sure what sickness that has been lurking about at the Ellis household but I'm telling you, it grabbed a hold of me tight! My in-laws were here this weekend to celebrate Chloe's birthday I think. Though that all might just be part of a dream I had during the time I was unconscious. Thankfully, they seemed willing to forgive me for not being a proper hostess. It seems as if it is Chloe's turn with the sickness as she is the one that is running the fever tonight.

Anyway, I wanted to take this opportunity to show you what I was working on before the evil virus invaded my body leaving me lacking energy worse than I did after childbirth!



It's hard to tell exactly what it looks like because it is in my hallway and I had to take the picture at an angle. The hardest part for me was trying to make it asymmetrical without making it completely square. I had a handy little tool that made the job just a little easier.



This baby is the latitude level. It came to me in the swag suite that I received from Mom Select. It is a level/stud finder that is created especially for use by a woman. It is more compact making it easier for smaller hands to handle and has softer grips. It has built in holes where you mark straight through the level. And, fully extended, the tabs for nail holes are 16 inches apart making it perfect for finding studs (skip corny joke about how every woman wants to find a stud here). It wasn't necessary for me to find studs for this project but you can be sure I will be using it in the future to fix things like bookshelves to the wall so that my children don't pull them over on themselves.

Upon further investigation, I found that there is a whole line of tools designed by women for women. You can check them out HERE. My own tools! How empowering. Now if I can just figure out how to get the rest of them free.

Well, I guess that's it for now. Hope all is healthy in your world!

Blessings,
Dana

Deals and Matchups

Just for you mom. I think you're the only person using this. There are no inserts in this weeks paper. We all have the crud that is going around here at the Ellis household so it is a good week to have an off week. Have a wonderful Labor Day!

CVS

Rite Aid

Walgreens

Kroger-- Still waiting

Publix

Penny Item: Publix Tortilla Chips

Food World

Tuesday's Tips and Tricks-- Shoe shopping

You have got to go see this awesome children's shoe shopping trick that my friend Becky put on her blog. I am absolutely loving it!

Happy Happy Birthday Baby!

Two Years Old Today!


You are everything I did not anticipate in a child. I was fully prepared for the normal strong headiness that comes with a toddler. What I wasn't prepared for was your ability to make me laugh when I'm trying to discipline you. Or how you stubbornly stomp your foot in refusal of my attempt to steer you away from your tenth pack of fruit snacks by offering an alternative, all the while you're politely saying, "no thank you". Or how you do a teasing little dance when I tell you to come to me, one step forward and two steps back with a sweet little mischievous grin on your face. All the while I'm holding in a grin of my own as I'm threatening to discipline you. And then, once you've push the charade to the point that I feel as I must act to show you I mean business, you run to me with arms wide open with the most marvelous kiss intended sheepishly saying, "momma"? Therefore, somehow leaving me to wonder if maybe you didn't know that I wasn't kidding and afraid that I will break your will or your trust in me if I punish you while you were innocently trying to play with me. Even though, I am quite positive that you are fully aware of your manipulating abilities and that the only will that is being broken is my own. Because somewhere, you have convinced me that these sneaky little plays you preform are one of your most alluring qualities though I'm quite sure that your future teachers will disagree. Yes dear, you have me smitten. And I'm quite sure at some point, this will cause us trouble.

You're a complicated little bundle of joy. The life of the party to those that you love and trust and a complete turtle in a shell to someone new. You have better rhythm than some adults and can already run across the room kicking a ball like a skilled soccer player. You have a HUGE vocabulary though it often needs help from your translator to those that are not with you all day. I love to pass Chic fil' A and hear your shouts of "Chic P Lay Cow, Chic P Lay Cow"! To you, life is one big game. And to the rest of your family who often takes themselves WAY to seriously, you are just what we need.

Chloe Anne Ellis, you light up my life. I'm so glad that God made me your mother!




I love you,
Mom

Deals and Matchups

CVS

Rite Aid

Walgreens

Kroger

Publix
Penny item: Greenwise toilet paper


FoodWorld

Will post publix penny item and Krogers deals and matchups as soon as they're up!