Greatest Toy Ever take 2

Wow.  I still can't believe how much my kiddos love magna tiles!  We celebrated my youngest's second birthday over the weekend.  He received a few toys and was interested in them only until he unwrapped a box of magna tiles.  He then went insane!  He tried to bite open the box because he wanted to play with them.  There was hopping up and down and a chorus of "magna tiles!" from all three kids!  They then proceeded to play with them the rest of our stay.
As I was working from home this morning, I could hear my boys playing with the magna tiles in the living room.  Ben was telling Gabe, "one for gabe, one more me.  one for gabe, dis one for me.  an dis one for me... an dis one for me.  dis one for gabe, etc."  It was so cute.  They played well together for over an hour.  they then proceeded to play with the magna tile car set and built cars that they raced around the living room.
Have I mentioned that I love these toys?!?  They are super easy to clean up, store compactly and provide hours of entertainment... even for the adults of the household!  In fact, my daughter is putting her beloved kitchen set on craigslist in hopes of earning enough to buy this set of magna tiles.















She also hopes to eventually buy these













The translucent ones are ideal for "glass" windows and roofs as well as stained glass for the cathedrals my husband builds.  Plus, they are cool to look through!

So, if you are looking for the perfect gift to provide hours of entertainment, a way to learn colors, shapes and architecture, buy these!  We have yet to meet a child who doesn't go home asking his/her parents to buy a set.

To Cram or not to Cram

I've finally decided to take the plunge.  I'm going for my personal trainer certification through ACE at the end of the month.  I do not study well, in fact, I normally don't study, preferring rather to simply "wing" it.  I had hoped that I could do the same for this exam.  Upon taking a 30 question practice exam, however, I realized that is not going to be possible.  I need to learn a crazy amount of random anatomy information to pass this test!  So, the question is, how much time should I allot?  I would love to take the test on the 21st.  (Need to schedule it at least 15 days in advance, so my deadline is rapidly approaching.)
The ACE site recommends 6 months or more of studying.  I found a site that sold me a 9 day intensive course with practice exams.  Can I do it?  I think I'm going to try!
That said, assuming I pass, I can start personal training or small group classes in May!!!  That means the next big hurdle will be finding a way to make all of my investment worth it before I deliver in October!
Any suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated.

Grrrrrrr.....

So, I feel the need to rant about Target big time.  Usually I love Target and support going there.  Lately, however, service has greatly deteriorated at Madison's Targets.  For example, a last week I was at the Target on Junction Rd and had a few coupons to use.  The cashier got confused, threw them all in her drawer after only scanning 3 and said that she has no way of knowing which coupons were mine, so she couldn't take off any more.  Frustrating!  I would have liked to have had my coupons back to purchase the items at a different store, then! 

Anyway, on to today.  I had a few returns to do.  I generally let them build up because it is extremely frustrating to stand in line at guest service with three kiddos, waiting for the 2-3 cashiers to finish their conversation before they are ready to acknowledge my presence.  No exception here, except that there were 4 cashiers talking and making me wait before helping me. (This was at the Super Target in Fitchburg.)  The cashier was annoyed by the 4 returns I had.  Really?  I purchased way more than I returned... Okay, focus.  So on one of the receipts, I was returning both of the items I had bought.  I had hoped to get a price match, but to no avail.  I had used 2 coupons on this purchase.  The cashier reduced the price to account for the coupons (not exactly Target policy, but whatever) but reduced them to the point that I got less back than I had originally paid.  I didn't notice this until arriving home.  So Target made out well on that transaction.  Or maybe that is their new way to get money...

Then, I was unable to get the items on my list, because their ad was wrong.  At least it was signed, so I knew before going up to the register.  Still, though.  If I had known, I wouldn't have even bothered going there today in the first place.  

Three cranky kids and one very disappointed mamma later and I am swearing off Target for a while.... or at least until the diapers run out.

You are a $20 bill

I heard a great analogy yesterday on Life 102.5 .  It explained how we are all like $20 bills.  Do you ever feel worthless?  Maybe that is too strong a word.  Sometimes it's easy to feel under-appreciated and to forget that you have great value.  Or perhaps you have made mistakes in your life (I know I've made more than my share) and worry that you could never begin to redeem yourself.  How do you feel when next to someone who seems to have a spotless record.  You know, the person, mom, dad, etc who always seems to do and say everything right?  The practical saint in the neighborhood or the person at church who seems to volunteer for everything.  Do you feel that you are worth the same to God?
It's easy to be told that you are important to God and special in your own way.  It's difficult to really believe that and take it to heart.  This analogy helped me.  The speaker asked if you would take a $20 bill from him that had gone through the wash.  What if it has been stepped on? What if it had mud on it?  What if it was slightly torn and had been colored on.  Of course.  It is still worth twenty dollars!  Now, if you took a freshly minted, crisp $20 bill to the store and your mottled, muddied, colored and torn bill to the same store.  Would you be able to purchase more with the clean bill?  Of course not, both bills were made by the same entity and have the same value.
So are we to God.  God made each of us in his image.  Not a one of us is better than the other or worth more to the other.  We all make mistakes, some of us more than others, but that doesn't change how God views us or his love for us.
So the next time you feel rotten inside, worthless or just not as worthy, pull out your wallet and compare your bills (granted in mine, I'll be looking at $1 bills, not $20 :)  ) and remember that each has an identical value.  No more, no less.  You have the same value to God as any other person.  No more, no less.  God loves you, God made you and you are special to him.

weekly steals (more to come as I find them!)

Walgreens
Free Wags Vitamins $3 get $3RR
Free Saline allergy thing $7 get $7RR
Free Dentek floss $2 get $2RR
Free Dove Hair care $4 get $4RR (use coupons if you have for money maker!!!)
Halls 99c with their in-ad coupon - use $1 coupon from this week's paper for free.

Copps
Halls $1.00 use coupon for $1 = free

Potential cereal deal, but I haven't looked at prices yet.  Buy 7 boxes of Kelloggs, get $7 off and 3 - $3.50 coupons for milk (use these in the self checkout for the full $3.50 off)

Target
I haven't tried this yet, but... Renu coupon, buy travel size for free (you can print 2 by hitting your back button)

Leapster games - 2 on sale for $15 each, use the $5 off of 30 coupon on Target and if you have the $5 coupon off each game, you can get them for a steal.  Other games are on sale too, but Toys R Us has a better deal. Note - if you need a leapster, buy it at Target with the $5 off coupon, price match with TRU ad and only pay $34.99!

Oreida Steam and Mash potatoes B1G1, use 2 $1.00 off coupons from a few weeks ago and only pay 50 cents!

Starbucks 12 oz package of coffee $7, use Target coupon for 1.50 off, stack with last week's paper coupn for $1.00 off and get it for $5.50 (note when you finish the bag, most have a note on the side explaining how to get a free 12 oz cup of coffee at any Starbucks with the bag!)

Sentry RIP Double Coupons  :(
Eggs 69 cents with in-ad coupon

Strawberries 2/3

Cub Foods
Butter 97 cents with in-ad coupon

Strawberries 2/3

CVS
Windex 3/5, use this $1 off coupon 3 x and then this rebate = free!

Listerine 500 ml 1.99 each print 3 of these and this rebate = free!

Walgreens is great! 3/28 ad

I'm very excited about Walgreens this week!  Free shampoo, saline, vitamins and floss!!!
I'll post my purchases this week and see how much I can get for how little.

1) Dove 4 and Floss 2
Used $2 Dove coupon and $1 RR (from last week)
out of pocket $3.33
received $4 RR and $2 RR

2) Saline 7 and Vitamins 3
Used $4 RR and $2 RR
oop $4.55
received $7 RR and 3 RR

3) Accucheck 9.99 and Dove 4 and Floss 2
used $7 RR, $3 RR and $5 Accucheck coupon (this weeks paper)
oop 1.32
received $4 RR and $2RR and will mail in rebate for $9.99

So, yesterday I spent $9.20 (or $10.20 if I hadn't had the $1 RR) and still have $6 in RR and will get $9.99 in rebate.  Grand total of a savings of $6.70!

One odd duck

I decided to attempt a Woodman's sale list yesterday at the request of one of my readers.  Wow, what a task!  I asked at customer service and was told that sales occur when they get a good price on the product they are buying.  However, there is no easy way to determine what the sales are or when they will take place.  So I started going around the store.  At aisle 9 I noticed that each sales sign has a separate sale end date, some of which were expired!  So, defeated after over an hour in the store, I finished my shopping and went home.
That said, here is what I did write down.  I know that some of the sales end as soon as March 30th but can run as long as June 15th!  I will attempt to write down dates the next chance I have without kiddos.

Easter
mini cadbury eggs 3.29
solid milk cadbury bunny 4.29
cadbury cream eggs 2/5
Hersheys assorted candies 2.99
Robin eggs 1.69
Reeses pb eggs 2/6 (7.2 oz)
Reeses pb bunnies 2/5
Reeses pb eggs 2.99 (11.4 oz bag)
Skittles eggs .89
Dove mini chocolate bunnies 2.29
Dove eggs 3.49
M&Ms 2.69
Dove single bunny 3.89
3 Musketeers and Snickers bags 2.79
Large Reeses Bunny 3.59
marshmallow bunnies 1.19 - Melster
Brachs marshmallow bunnies 1.79
Brachs malted eggs and marshmallows 2/3
Crunch and Butterfinger eggs 2.99
Brachs Jelly Beans (premium and orchard fruit) 1.79
Brachs classic jelly beans .99

Bread
Sara Lee delightful breads 2.49
Nature's pride bread 2/4
Country hearth wheat, 12 grain, honey oat and multigrain 2.29
Beefsteak Rye 2/4
Healthy life 1.69
Hearth farms 1.69
Earth Friendly 1.69
Arnold 1.69
Kangaroo pita pockets .99
Earth grains thin buns 2.49
Pepperidge farms deli flats 2.49
S. Rosens Teibels rolls 1.29 (I bought these and they are actually pretty good!)
Gonnella Tuscan Bread 3.69 (and a 75 cent off coupon on package)

Produce section
Hostess singles .89
Strawberries .99 (compare to Target and Sentry at 2/3 however these are really really dirty and need much scrubbing!!!)
D&A Provens Herbs 2.39
Travers Bay Dried Cranberries and Cherries 2 (3 oz package)

Meat
La Prefereda Chorizo 3.99
Spring Hill bacon 2/3
Oscar Meyer fully cooked bacon 2

Chips
Tostitos salsas 2/5
Lays stax 1
Tostitos 24 oz salsas 2/6
Tostitos hint of lime and restaurant chips 2/4 ($1 off coupon on bag when buy salsa and chips)
Other tostitos 2.79
Lays 2/5
Fritto lay dips 2.29
Fritos and Cheetos 1.99
Manny's salsa 2.89

Aisle 4
Marzetti Dressing .99
Favorit jam 2.79
Newmans own dressing 2.49 (i know there was a 50 cent coupon in this weeks paper as well as on-line)
Alessi red wine vinegar 1.69
Zia Mia balsamic vinegar 4.19
Texas Toast croutons .99
Mrs. Cubbison's croutons .99
Stubb marinades 3.49
Green pearl sliced olives 1.59
Green pearl stuffed olives 1.59
Black pearl olives 1.29
Burgundy pearls 1.29
Davinci giadinera 4.49
Grey poupon (reg) 2.29
Uncle Phils mustards 1.19
Plochman mustard 2.69
Killians mustard 3.39
Reeses Horseradish 2.49
Woebers horseradish sauce 1.59

Aisle 5
Orville microwave popcorn 3/5
Jolly time microwave popcorn .99 (select varieties)
Matts cookies 2.59
Rippin good cookies 1.99 (select varieties)
Blue Diamond thins 1.69
Dare Grain 1st crackers 1.39
Zesta Saltines 1.69
Archway cookies 2.19
Alessi ladyfingers 1.89
Pepperidge farm cracers 2.49
Pepperide farm goldfish 2/3
Pepperidge farm soft cookies 2/5
Pepperidge farm 33.5 oz goldfish box 6.99
Honeymaid grahams 2/4
Nabisco saltines 1.99
Cheezits 2.49
Nabisco 100 cal packs 2/4
Chips a hoy cookies 2.50
Town house crackers 1.99
Special K crackers 2.49
Club crackers 1.99
Keebler toasteds 2.49
Oreos 2.79
Nabisco 12 packs 3.99
Wheat thins 2/4 (hang tags $1 off 2)
Keebler 100 cal packs 2.29 (hang tags $1 off 2)
Sandies 2.49
Chips Delux 1.99
Assorted Keebler 2.49
Famous Amos 1.99

Aisle 6
8.25 oz Delmonte fruit .79
Old orchard 64 oz juice 1.99 (select varieties)
Dole mandarin oranges 15 oz .89
Sunsweet prune juice 3.09
Hero juice 2.79
Juicy juice 8 pks 2/5
Juicy juice 64 oz 2/5
V8 fusion 12 oz 1.19
V8 splash 16 oz .99

Aisle 7
Quaker life cereal 2.89
Post cereals 1.99 (select varieties)
Honey bunches of oats 1.99
Mom's best 2/4
Kelloggs 2/5 (select varieties)
Cheerios 2.39 (14oz)
Frosted cheerios 2/5
Lucky charms 16 oz 2.39
Lucky charms 13.9 oz 2/4
Cinn. toast crunch 15.7 oz 2/4
Cinn. toast crunch 17 oz 2.39
Family size Special K 3.49
Cocoa puffs 16.5 oz 2/5
Reeses puffs 2.39
Cookie crist 2.39
Golden grahams and wheaties 2.39
Raisin bran crunch 3.29
Raisin bran 2.89
Corn chex 2.29
Basic 4 2.50
Honey nut clusters 2/5

Aisle 9
Ronzoni pastas .99 (select varieties) - Until 4/15
Del Fratelli tomato sauce 3/.99 - Until 6/15
Idahoan potatoes packs .49 - Until 4/13
Betty crocker potato boxes 1.09 - Until 4/6
La Banderita 27.5 oz corn tortillas 1.29 - Until 4/30

Like I said, very crazy and confusing!  As soon as I have a chance to brave it again and record dates, I will!