Walgreens Savings

Walgreens in Howell Michigan had the pharmacy coupon books. Just sitting out at the counsel counter. Be sure to get them. I grabbed two of them.

Diaper Deals

3 packages WAGS Size 6 Pull-ups
1 ESC coupon $5 off 2
1 Pharmacy Book coupon $2 off 1

OOP 5.19 (we have 6% sales tax)

$5 Register Rewards

Did another round of size 6 diapers because we do use both. Worked just as well.

So $.19 for 3 packages of diapers.

Cereal Deals

2 boxes of Post Honey Bunches of Oats $2.50 each
$2.00 off 1 Internet Printed Coupon from any of these links.
$.50 each Total OOP $1.00
$2.00 RR

They paid me $1.00 to leave with two boxes of cereal.

Laundry Deals

Woolite $2.50
Spray N Wash $2.50

I was able to get a $1.00 Q for Woolite and a $.75 off Q for Spray N Wash here.

The Q's brought my total OOP $3.55 (6% sales tax included) but there is a MIR in the ESC for $2.00 each Rebate. So they paid me $.45 to take the two home.

Candy Deals

Now mind you, there are other deals at Walgreens on candy, but this is what I got.

Herbert's Fully Loaded Chocolate Bars $.99

This is where I pretty much messed up and just now realized it. I got two. The MIR is limit one. Oh well, on with the show.

I found WAG's brand Blue Raspberry chapstick for $.50 and grabbed two of those. Always needing that anyways.

2 Candy Bars $.99
2 chapsticks $.50

Total (Tax included) $3.04

Used $2.00 RR OOP $1.04

I thought that I'd be getting $1.98 back in MIR, but only $.99. I also have to say that those Herbert's Fully Loaded Chocolate Bars are not driving friendly, big mess, but oh so good.

Total OOP for the day: $15.88
Total RR for the day: $12.00
Total MIR for the day: $4.99

I think I did good.

I now have $10 RR to work with. I'm guessing to roll into a MIR would be a good deal.

Maybe I can save up for a pool!!!

Want to see more Drugstore Savings? Visit the "Cent"sible Sawyer's Drugstore Divas! I did find a lot of my deal ideas from here. It's worth the look.

Working Walgreens

We needed SipAhhas that before they only had, and now they don't. That changed my whole shopping trip.

I got:

2 Ragu's 3.34
2 Skippy's 6.00
1 Bertolli 5.99 (1.50 Q)
1 Lipton Green tea 2.50 (.50 Q)
2 Lunchables (2.99) got because no SipAhhas

Came to 23.81 - Q's = 21.81

Used 5 off 20 down to 16.81.

Printed off 5 RR.

Then got:

Graham Crackers 3.79
Marshmallows 1.39
Hershey's Chocolate Bars 2.50
Slip and Slide 14.99

Buy Graham Crackers and Chocolate get Marshmallows free.

Total 21.88
5 off 20
5 RR off any purchase from previous order
New total 11.88.

Slip and slide has $5 MIR as well which I already turned in.

I know this isn't the best, but I just started with Walgreens like this and I can't buy something that I can't use.

I can't wait until I can do this again.

Fleeting

Just last week, on the 10th, I mentioned that family is a fleeting resource. The day after, the 11th, was Ed's birthday. Ed was my grandfathers cousin. I only knew him as Uncle Ed. I only knew him as my Grandma's friend. The thing is I didn't know him.

The day after his birthday, the day of my Grandmothers birthday, he passed away.

I just wanted to make sure that you all know how fleeting your family can be. I lost a chance to find out many things about my grandfather as a child, what he was like, what he enjoyed, what he disliked, how he did in school, if he even went. These are things that I cannot ever get back.

Remember your family in everything you do.

Finding Your Family History and Genealogy

I believe that family is one of the most important and fleeting resources in life. You can find out how to cook from your Mom, or learn how to fish from your Dad, but there is even more that you may not have though to ask.

Jacque has her own place in space and it's just lovely. I've found so much information there. She posted quite a while ago about learning family history.

"Here is a fun way to learn a few things about your family, allowing your child/ren to learn some family history/heritage and also some reporting skills.

Have your child pick some or all of the following questions and 'interview' a family member or two - or three. It may open up lines of communication and give a sense of understanding between the interviewer and the interviewee."

You can find out her ideas on what question to ask here and even more about her homeschool here.

Genwriters has some resources for you and your child/ren to use and help in the writing of their history. They explain how:

"It may be hard for a child to envision a grandparent as a child, but stories about life "way back when" help a child to connect to the family."

Michigan's Histories, Arts and Libraries article on Children's Genealogical Research has some great ideas to get started as well.

Above all remember to have fun with it.

Why do I want to Homeschool?

My oldest son is 9 years old. I believe he is very bright and very capable of many things. He loves Pokemon, Star Wars, Bionicle, and Transformers right now.

The public school he attends participates in AR (Accelerated Reading). The title is deceiving. It is not for Accelerated Readers. It is mandatory for all students to read books that are approved and take a test to receive AR points for each book. Each student must have so many points per marking period. March is Reading Month, this month he is required to have 16 AR points. An idea for how points are assigned is as follows:

Magic Treehouse Series Books 1 point,
Magic Treehouse Merlin Missions Books 2 points.
Many others .5 points.

He has already read almost all of these books. You can only read a book once for points, that is for your whole education, not just year. This is actually a good idea. My argument is that only certain books are approved. The things that he is interested in are not approved. If I allow him to read what he is interested in, he'll have his nose in a book all day. If I tell him to read what is required by school, there is a huge fight.

I don't want a fight.

I will occasionally joke that I am the Homework Nazi. That is because I was titled that by many of our family members. I believe that education is very important and I will not do his work for him. I will help him to know how to do his work. I don't really want to be a Homework Nazi. I want my children to understand the process in which to find an answer to a question.

I don't want a fight.

He is required to do a Science Fair Project using the Scientific Method, due by April 4th. That is not really a bad thing, because then he can learn the process of the Scientific Method. He also has a large Planetary Report that is due March 20th. That really is an OK thing as well. My issue is how the two are in the same time frame. I personally think that this is too much for my 9 year old child to do at the same time. Let's break this down, do a little bit each day. He works better with me next to him, helping him in each step. After getting home at 4:30, dinner at 6:00, dishes afterwards, bed at 9:00, and regular homework, a little bit is very time consuming for a 9 year old. We fight.

I don't want a fight.

In math he is working on long division, he hasn't mastered his multiplication tables. So it is difficult to come up with the answers when you don't know the facts. When you know how to do something, but cannot because you do not have the right supplies, it is very frustrating. We fight.

I don't want to fight.

So why would I want to keep my child home to school him? We would be doing all the other things that they do in school, along with reading (but no AR, a book of his choice in his age group and reading level), handwriting, science, mathematics, history, hands on, crafts, computers, library and field-trips.

We would have from 8 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. Not that we would be working the whole time, I even know that. We'll have more flexibility. We can work at a pace that is good for him and myself. I can be certain that he understand the concept before moving on and forcing a future failure.

$100 ToysRUs Gift Card Giveaway

Over at Kidazy, they are giving away a $100 USD gift card to ToysRUs!

I'm already creating my shopping list. I can't wait to win. (I say that like I just know I will, huh?)

Anyone can enter and entering is so easy. Just pop over there to see how.

While you are there, don't forget to check out all the wonderful products they are talking about.

Saint Patrick's Day and Easter

This month seems to be already a blur and it hasn't even really started. So many things are happening. Personally, I have a few days to celebrate myself, birthdays, anniversaries, closing of our new home. But on to the fun stuff.

As everyone else knows St. Patrick's Day is coming up. What a perfect time to discuss the history of none other than the Patron Saint of Ireland. Don't forget to let your children know that March 17 isn't just for wearing green and getting pinched if you don't. Remind them of the fun of a treasure hunt (OK a trivia hunt, but close enough).

Cindy over at Skip to My Lou featured a fun St. Patricks Day craft that her 11 year old son made. At Kaboos, there are a few more ideas to tempt you pinching fingers. I wish you lot's o' luck in you St. Patrick's Day Crafts.

Ahhh, just one short week later, as many of us know, Easter is early this year. Another holiday to learn from. Here is some history of this day. Here you can find how the date to celebrate it is. Here is several games. Here are some activities.

I've got to admit, I've fallen head over heel's for jennwa's site Ramblings of a Crazy Woman. Her children and her have made the most adorable Easter Wreaths, I love these heart felt Easter Cards, but don't forget these beautiful Napkin Rings, guaranteed to bring you all together at the dinner table.

Gross Chocolate and Toliet Paper Roll Fun

Jennifer over at Ramblings of a Crazy Woman has the most horrible looking Upside Down Chocolate Pudding Cake, you make it in a slow cooker. I can't want to try it, it might not look very delicious but I'm sure it tastes great.

While you are over there, don't forget to check out all of her amazing crafts to do with your children. Like these Easter Bunny Napkin Rings or these Super Fast Race Cars. They look so fun. I'll have to start collecting my toilet paper rolls now.