Grocery Games

This last week my budget was tight, I was paying out copays to doctors to determine if I was with child, so the grocery budget got a little smaller. Thankfully, I am now armed with a smarter "don't buy without a coupon" mentality, so it hasn't been nearly as bad as if I was still just throwing things into a cart and guessing what my total would be.

Best deals this week were definitely the coupons from coupons.com and Target, I got 12 boxes of crackers and 2 boxes of snacks for $4.50. Although this deal is gone, it was just as good as the cereal, and we go through crackers around here like crazy. I also snagged free 3 boxes of hefty ziploc bags, 2 free glade plugins, and tons of groceries at Albertsons for 12 dollars. So the real total was about 20 dollars all together!

It was a good week.

Most of my coworkers are now asking for advice on this stuff. The good coworkers. I might start coming up with lists of the best deals from my searches of the internet and handwrite them out a list, printing them out some coupons I find as they both don't have computers. They want me to charge them a dollar. I might just do it.

Cool things I've learned this week:

You can go to Target and use their kiosk to print your target grocery coupons, saved ink!

Old Navy will be having a HUGE sale on flip flops this weekend, Saturday they are just a DOLLAR! I will be getting at least 5 pairs, if not more.

Ikea's sale this weekend is my best friend. I needed new curtains for my large 98" tall windows and they have them on sale for 9.99 for two (target is usually 29.99 for one, as is Ikea) and their standard chair Poang for 39.99 (regularly 99.99) that I wanted for the nursery. Yes, I said nursery....I'm breaking my rule of not buying anything yet, but its so cheap! and it's just a chair....I can use it elsewhere if I had to.

Another trip to Target...

Nothing like saving some money on my birthday...

Considering I have nothing to do tonight, Ash is at work, friends had homework (I did too), I thought I'd strike while the iron was hot and get some of the deals at Target.

Total before discounts: $45.73

Coupons $17.60
Gift Card Received $5.00

Total OOP $11.49
Gift Card Balance: $2.49

76% savings!

Reading Material

Another dollar down the toilet.

Pretty positive its not positive this month. Which is okay, I'm not that bummed out because I'm learning to deal with this monthly failure. Ok, maybe not learning to deal with it, but just I knew that this month sucked, so get with me next month and we'll just see if this "not caring" stuck. My money is on me being crazy.

The benefit to it not being positive is that I can actually enjoy a few drinks with friends tonight in celebration of my birthday at the Melting Pot (a fondue joint). I really love their apple martinis and a certain Riesling has been calling my name.

I did stop by Half priced Books and picked up some reading material on getting pregnant, I made a deal with Ash that we wouldn't get into this unless it took awhile. Well, in my mind of instant gratification, this is F-O-R-E-V-E-R. There wasn't a good selection of the "getting pregnant" variety. Books seem to teeter totter either infertility or expecting. Since I've only been trying for 5 months, I don't think I qualify to say that I'm infertile just yet, and clearly I am not expecting. Not to say that maybe we aren't infertile, I just don't want to look down that road too far unless I have too. I picked up two reads, Getting Pregnant and A Few Good Eggs (yes, an infertile book, but damn if it didn't look funny). I perused the getting pregnant book last night and it has some good ideas about diet and things that we (yes, Ash, you too!) should be working on. I'll report back if I learn anything worth while.

Early Birthday Amazingness..

Seriously, Ash has had his fair share of duds when it comes to gifts. See here.

But, this morning, a full 5 days before my birthday...a UPS truck happened upon my door. Ash was still asleep and I tossed the package on the table thinking it was another tool for his xbox controller thing he's making. He stumbled down the stairs and told me that I'd better open it.

Low and behold! New Iphone! OMG OMG OMG

We agreed that he needed one at the beginning of this year and that I would wait until the end of the year to get my own, due to how expensive it is. I have been hinting at wanting one, if he asked me a question about an address or movie times, I would bring out my imaginary iphone and pretend to find the answer. Hint Taken!

It came at a great time. I knew this month was not working, only 5 days until my period and I have zero symptoms...including pms symptoms (odd, really). My boobs haven't started hurting and I don't have super acne face. I can't even claim "maybe pregnant" symptoms, dammit!

Did you see both my period and my birthday are coming on the same day...super excited, let me tell you.

Peeing on some money and other musings

I really wanted to post a picture of me flushing a dollar down the toilet, but I decided to save you all the visual of a toilet on my blog. Hell, if I was really awesome I would take a picture of me actually peeing on a dollar, but I won't because...well I'm not that awesome.

I've peed on two dollars so far - I could have gotten a large slushie for that. I know I know. It's still a little early, but like I've said before, this one is moot anyhow.

Thankfully, I've filled myself with fun things to do over the last few weeks as to occupy my time. The killers concert, trivia with friends, and last night....


I attended a taping of America's Got Talent. Mind you, I have never held an interest in this show, but then again I've never been to a live taping of anything so when my friend asked if I was available...of course I said hell yeah! I didn't have much hope for the talent pool of Tacoma/Seattle. I was corrected a few times, but the crazies were out in full force and during the booing and "x"s I almost felt sorry for them. It's like producers of all talent shows just love to show Seattle as Crazy Town. We had quite a few burlesque performers, one in particular I was really excited to see come out on the stage. My friend and I had seen her at the CanCan in Seattle for her bachelorette party, and let's just say, she's really good. Really good. She did end up moving on to the next level, so hopefully she'll do well and everyone will get to see her. I wasn't able to locate a picture of her or any information, but I'm sure in the coming months, something will pop up.

Trying to Rule the Grocery Game

In my quest to find other things I can get obsessed about during this two week wait, I've tried to pick up good habits that could aid in reducing our bills. In the past, I tried out the grocery game and found that during the three week trial, I didn't actually get any real advice. All of the almost free deals or stockpiling habits weren't things we would actually use or eat, so it really didn't make sense for me to spend money on it just so I could save some. And the rebate crazy of Walgreens or Rite Aid weren't worth the hassle either. In the past week however, I found the website Money Saving Mom and am convinced again to give it a go.

I try to budget us $50 a week for basic groceries, although we tend to get extras during the week or eat out alot. I still need to learn how to make some basic meals at home, oh what I would give for a good basic meal plan.

This $50 budget doesn't really allow me to stockpile stuff, like buy 20 things of dish detergent because it's just 50 cents after coupons. So, I've decided to try this thing out on my own, find deals, work the system, and see what I can't come up with.

This is my first shopping trip that I am going to post, loaded with coupons in hand, I tried to get all my money's worth out of Safeway. They had a deal going on, when you buy their living well products, you got a $10 coupon towards your next purchase.

First Purchase:
Total Before $74.86
Coupons $16.75
Out of Pocket $42.27
savings of: $32.59 (or 48% I think)

I think I did okay, but it's really just the first go.

The Cat...

I've introduced the dogs...it's about time you meet the crazy of the house. Her name is Pita. Which stands for Pain In the Ass. We got her at 5 years old from Craigslist, as we wanted an older established cat to break us into the cat world. She was previously named Pita, and well that should have been a clue, but we didn't know what we were doing...we were cat virgins.

She came declawed...so no outside time, I don't know that I could do an outside/inside animal with all the stuff that attaches to fur (GROSS!) I'm pretty sure she wants to be an outside animal, she crys at the window or at the slider when the dogs are outside. Bustah avoids her like a plague. He will sit still when she walks by, so at to pretend he's not there and maybe she won't touch him.Her first week, she peed on our expensive bedding as a way to say "I don't do litter boxes with doors on them, thank you for making me hold it for so long." Sadie was eating Pita's poop out of the tray litter box like it was a Cracker Jacks container with treats inside, which is why we invested in one with a door.

She went from only being on the third floor hiding behind the couch, to the second floor never leaving our bed, and now she rules the first floor and our only white hair magnet piece of furniture. Its only taken her 6 months to take over the house.

Her favorite past time is talking constantly. Again, this is all practice, right? Trying to figure out what something could be crying about at 5 in the morning... I'm just now learning the art of cat cry. It means get off of my chair, feed me, pay attention to me, open the window, wipe the drool off my face, and pet me. Yes, she drools... alot. Especially when you pet her face, I think she likes that.

Everytime someone comes over, I offer them a parting gift, a crying Pita . So far, no ones a taker, so I guess we're cat people.

And we're off...

The race begins. And hell, I wouldn't have believed it myself, but damn if this watch didn't shine a special message this morning. I was pretty sure I was seeing things, and had to put my glasses on just to verify I wasn't.

Low and behold, the days of swearing at this thing for "Not Reading" and "Skin too Dry" clearly didn't damage it's self esteem, and it produced a "Fertile Day 1" just for me!

Some reviewers have posted that the sensors are a dud, and it just reads you the three days before a 14 day ovulation would occur. Unfortunately for me, I can't prove them wrong, I do normally follow that trend of a 14 day O.

Time for Chores!

Comments...

Yeah, just found out comments weren't working. Hopefully it's fixed now! I just thought all of you were quiet!

Give it a try. Lemme know! Feel free to go back and comment on old posts... I would love to know your thoughts.

New Layout...

I rearrange furniture every two months in my house, it only seems fair I do the same to my blog. Thanks for your patience.

BreakOut Face

Giving that we have a few more days to the Big O, I thought I would enlighten you all with my current headache of sorts. (A blog is only a good blog when you are complaining about something, right?)

I work in the cosmetic area of a certain large department store. When you think of the cosmetic area, you think of working around alot of pretty people with lots of makeup on and 4 inch heels. Forward to my current craze, hormone driven acne face. It can be really irritating to try to sell someone makeup while they stare at my pimple mess. I have tried many a fix, from new skincare to different foundation, to no avail. Not only am I getting to the threshold of crazy with baby, I have now entered the same realm due to my face...

My list of duds include:
Shis.eido W.hite Luc.ent Cleansing Foam
Shis.eido Skincare Pu.rifying Foam
Orig.ins Per.fect World Cleanser
Orig.ins Orga.nic Face Wash
Clin.ique Mild Fa.ce Wash
Clin.ique 7 da.y scrub

The other issue I have is trying to match a foundation to my skin. I am pale. Makeup is seemingly not made for pale people. I need to find one that works soon, this isn't okay to show up with a line because my foundation doesn't match or newly dry skin from irratation.

My list of duds include:
Shis.eido Dual B.alancing
Dio.r N.ude
Dio.r Fore.ver
Clin.ique Eve.n Tone
Clin.ique Su.per Ba.lanced
Este.e Lau.der Dou.ble W.ear
Co.ver Gi.rl
Maybell.ine

If ANY of you have tried something that works, I will try it! I am not beyond spending a fortune coming up with something that actually works. I always loved having a clear face and even skin...so this is really driving me bonkers.

In a perfect world...

We'd be getting head deep into painting this room, taking all of the ideas we've had and implementing them for all the world to see. This perfect world being the one where we were pregnant the first month we started trying. Who knew this was not a perfect world....

Anyhow, this is what the plan for the nursery is currently....and since I've newly discovered the collage feature on Picasa, I thought I would show you all what could be, if only....

Crampy Crabby and Crafty

Yes, this sums up how I felt this past few days. Crampy and crabby.... pretty much my attitude towards periodness and the failure to procreate this past month. Crafty.... well, I've got two upcoming baby showers this month for family members... showers where I will be asked over and over and over again when Ashley and I are going to have a baby of our own. We'll be asked this so many times that if you see some news regarding a crazed woman that's taken hostages at Babies R Us over the weekend, you'll know who that woman is.

Just saying.

Although I am not going to be fond of the barrage of questions about babyness, I am fond of the new mamas to be, so if was only fair to make some cute things in my crafty way.

The diaper cake is a work in progress. I still need larger ribbon to finish it (try not to look at the mismatching ribbon). It's my first attempt at one, and I must say it is not nearly as expensive or difficult as it is made out to be. This is mostly for decorating a table at the shower, so the cake includes a ducky robe, baby lotion, baby shampoo, baby qtips, a handmade ducky rattle and diapers. It was roughly $20 to make.

The baby blanket is for stroller use mainly. It's about 24 x 18 and super soft. I took the extra time to finish some detailing so I guess if Babyzilla (the new grandma always calls me something with zilla on the end as a joke, I was the first bride in the family...aka bridezilla...so it's only fitting I call her grandbaby and my new 2nd cousin a zilla too) didn't like it, it can always be used as a wall hanging or doll blanket. Personally, I think it's adorable and I really hope she and her mom will enjoy it.

Wish me luck this weekend, I'm sure I'll post again before then... but I can use any support I can get to prepare me for "Are You" "Are You" "Are You" (spoken like the seagulls in Finding Nemo...mine! mine! mine!)

Welcome to Frustration.

Damn this OV watch. First the battery had to be replaced, it was a trial that really took about an hour of Ash and I working together on...next came the crying fits of it not reading...finally at the point I was ready to throw it down and give up, I tried one last time, and behold, it started reading. The rough part now is that in order to get a reading at all, I have to tighten it so much on my wrist that it's uncomfortable.

After this first two days (barely in to the second day) I really have some major frustrations with the watch. It doesn't really read. Most times I check, it reads "not reading".. sometimes I get "skin too dry" after adding a little water to my wrist to move the sensor along (seriously, I moisturize twice a day). The thing I most worry about is that even after 14 days of checking over and over again to see if it is working, the watch will be a failure in my quest to determine when I ovulate.

Anyone tried this? Can you alleviate my frustrations and guide me to the correct way to use this damned thing?

If Only...

While Ashley's little sisters are here, we tend to eat out alot. Case in point, what can be barely called chinese "Panda Express" (although quite tasty) is what we devoured at about 9pm last night. The girls have been nagging us about babies for about two years now, so Ashley and I have always been honest with them about the progress. They really want a niece or nephew now.

So, when we got to the fortune cookies, we all picked one out of the 15 they gave us and opened up. Mine is pictured above in the picture, the girls see this as a definite sign and promptly wrote their own to match below. Mine states: Any Doubts You May Have Will Disappear Early This Month. Theirs: Your Sister In Law is Prego.

I honestly couldn't tell you if it's true, as I didn't pick up any more tests last night, so I'll just wait until tomorrow to test and find out. Either way tomorrow is the do or die day, onto the next month of wonders and a new OV watch to try out... I just need to get a battery for it!

Handmade Things

On this kick to discover how to make baby a less expensive endeavor in this hard economic time, I've turned to the internet to revive my crafty skills and find some inexpensive things I can make to save some dough.

The best websites I've come across so far are:

Make Your Own Baby Stuff has baby slings (hell yeah I want one of those), baby toys, food recipes, baby shower gift ideas.... you name it. I only wish I had come up with this myself. I know I want to make some of their rattles as gifts for the showers I have to go to this month. I might take this a bit further, and if I do, I'll post pics of my major craftiness skills for all to see.

Etsy is a crafter's dream website. I have a shop there (no items currently, like I said I am trying to revive the skills) and it's one of the best places to window shop for new ideas or gift options for just about anyone.

OMG!

Have you seen this? The Pledge Fabric Sweeper commercial just blasted on my tv...and I am smitten. Holy Cripe Batman! Not only will this have been amazing back when we had fabric sofas in the living room and a beagle (I'm talking to you Bustah!) that sheds like a lab....but for our now cat hair magnet of a bedspread....

Seriously. I will be picking this up tomorrow the moment I wake up. My biggest "I wonder" has always been the sheer amount of animal hair covering the floor and seemingly every surface of this house. A baby crawling around and putting god knows what in it's mouth has me dreaming of infants coughing up hair balls.

Hopefully, this new gadget will sit right next to my new Dyson....in the "Animal Hair Ninjas" section of the house.

Disposable vs Cloth

When determining how expensive this little bundle of goodness is really going to be, an important thing to consider is the diaper dilemma.

From what I can gather (and please tell me to shut up and give me the right answer if any of this is incorrect) babies average 70-80 diapers per week the first month, with the numbers decreasing as the months go on. Not looking at the environmental aspects of cloth vs disposable, I have come up with a breakdown of it all.

Cloth diapers initial cost = $300 -500 dollars, very little additional cost...

Cloth diaper service per month = 82.00 in my local area = $2400 over three years.

Disposable Diapers = $3000 over three years.

I never thought I'd be that person to actually consider cloth diapers. Usually I get all "eeeeww" about poo, but it seems cloth diapers have come a long way....and the diaper service is not a bad option. They also have flushable liners now to get the "eeeeww" part out of the diaper washing. I don't think I will really know where I sit on this one until I give it some more thought.

The OV Watch...

I received a phone call today from my younger brother (his wife now 6 months pregnant with their first after a long time of trying). They were offering up their OV watch to me as a helpful predictor of ovulation! I had never heard of this gadget before and was quite surprised at the offer. I guess they had received it thru their doctor and had tried it for a few months before going to the more direct method of Invitro.

I completely appreciated the thought, and I love the idea that I can look to my brother for advice in these matters.... but it still is weird to hear him talk about sex and when to hit the sack for good baby making!

Can't wait to try it out..