Are the Basics Keeping You From the Extras?

Today is my first blog post for 2012. Rushing through twinkling lights, gift wrappings and farewell toasts, the end of 2011 leaped into a brand New Year. So it is traditionally time to reflect on the old and ponder the new, right? The resolutions flow freely, diets and new company programs are jump started and frenzied activity seems to take up right where it left off with no real line drawn between the two years at all. As I have gone over the last year in my mind this morning, it is amazing to reflect upon where I find myself both professionally and personally.

Life Signatures

Have you ever thought much about the way you sign your name…the flow of the letters, what the figures are that form your name, or how your teacher or parent taught you to craft them in a certain way? My 3 year old granddaughter is learning the letters of the alphabet in preschool. Each week she brings home a sheet with a new letter…she proudly shows us the picture she colored of a ball and says “ buh, buh, buh, B is for BALL!” We all laugh, clap and show her how proud we are that she is learning what the teacher is showing her each day. In much the same way, we all learned to write our ABC’s in school.

It's my next to last night at the beach. I had felt a need to get away alone, reflect, write a bit, think some, regroup mostly. And the trip has been a wonderful opportunity for this, along with enjoying near perfect weather, meeting a few new friends, and getting some use out of my Kindle.

Black Friday Deals!!!

There were a lot more great deals out there especially at the drugstores, but I opted to watch the parade with my 3 year old and then enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with my family then headed out a little after 8:00 on Friday. I purchased items I knew my family would use or we could give as gifts and refrained from stocking up on items that I can often get for free to avoid having too many rewards to spend before they expire.

CVS
2 peanut M&Ms .75 each

2 Snickers bars .75 each
Balance Bar 1.69
2 Colgate Total 2.87 each
Revlon nail polish 4.99
Starbucks Double Shot 1.69
4 oz Pepto Bismol 2.99
2  8.9 oz Cheerios 2.87 each
Fiber One brownies
Kleenex Cool Touch 1.50
Softlips 2.00
Carmex 1.00
Wet & Wild nail kit 2.88
King size York Peppermint Patty .99
Used .40 Fiber One coupon, two 1.00 Colgate coupons (1.00 Revlon was apparently not taken off at register)

Paid 37.98 (incl 10.00 Extra Bucks) , received 34.59 Extra Bucks 3.39 total

Today was a day of printing, clipping and organizing coupons in between keeping up with my two year old! I am so thankful that I invested in a wireless laser printer toward the end of last year; it has saved me so much time, effort and money already. This morning I printed off a big stack of coupons ( see photo) and plan to use most of them this week. The total face value of the coupons I printed was $152 !!! I may not make it to the stores for a few days because of the impending rain, but when I do, I will be prepared.

Some days I am a crazy shopper and other days I have to step back and smell the roses so to speak. After having snow for several weeks in a row, we are expecting beautiful weather for the next few days. My 2 year old, Lorelai has been a little under the weather and out of sorts and I just really felt the need for us to have some fun today. After my weekly Bible Study ( she got to play in the nursery), we ran by Target to pick up a few things and checked out the baby dolls and Disney princess toys. She has her little routine and we have to make the Princess display sing all the songs and push the button on Mirror, Mirror on the wall.