Toystoryduo’s Journal: Baby Steps are the Key... Celebrate Each Victory!

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
sounds like your storm was much worse than ours!!
Glad your ok!
Great job on the shopping trip

 

[pearlieq]

You were on my mind during that crazy storm! Hopefully that's the end of it!!!

Glad to hear baby Daniel is here and healthy. That's a whole lotta baby!

I hope you've had a great day and had a lot of fun Disney planning!

 

[kimwim8]

Hey Tracy! Man, it's been way too long since I've stopped by.

I'm going to send you my shopping list and let YOU get the stuff for me!! You are the ultimate bargain hunter!!

And ADR's for September??? I still haven't made the one I need to for May!! Let alone our August trip. Geez lady, you like the energizer bunny!

Thanks, as always, for your support and friendship on my journal. Even though I don't stop by here often, you're in my thoughts.

 

[Lesli54]

I was thinking about you when we heard about all that snow you got. Thankfully, it missed us.

Too bad you can't count bargaining as exercise, that would be great. Keeping your SIL in my prayers.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Hi Tracy...

How are you feeling? Hopefully you've dug out from all that snow!!!

I'll echo everyones' comments...great job with the bargain hunting . You could be a professional bargain shopper. I'm very impressed!

How is your MIL doing? Any clues as to what might have been the problem?

 

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies for stopping by. I'm sorry I haven't been around lately....We have a busy day ahead of us so I probably won't be able to get to journals until tomorrow.

My MIL seems to be doing okay. I think she was completely exhausted from her double shift at work and then driving home in the snowstorm. She says she is feeling better. Thanks!

Today's Plan:

* Research...We're thinking of going a new direction with homeschooling for next year.

* Work for DH

* Bible Study w/ friends this evening

* Disney Meeting Part 2

* Work on rewards programs

* Ebay?

Hope everyone has a great day!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Hey Wish Sis, I am glad your mil is better, you have had one heck of a winter! I am sure you are right, the long work hours and driving through that winter weather just probably wiped her out. Your bargains are so incredible! I need you to come out here and show me the ropes, I am not a good bargain finder! Hope today was a good one and I hope you don't have anymore snow for quite some time!

Enjoy holding Baby Daniel, I am so envious!

 

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy.

Yesterday was a good day..We got our grocery shopping done, we went for a walk, I went to Bible study, my DH and I had a meeting, and we had our Disney meeting part 2. All in all, a good day.

This weekend is kind of busy. Today, we have our Pop Century party (see below) and a stop to the Osh Kosh outlet later on. Tomorrow, I have Mom Time at church and we are helping my aunt and uncle move. On Sunday, we have church and we are teaching the 4 year olds this weekend. At some point, we need to get our taxes done. It's really stressing me out.

The Pop Century party is our family night activity for the week. The girls have planned the menu and the activities for the evening. They also will be decorating our kitchen with Pop Century type items. (pictures, Rubix cubes, e.t.c.) Our menu consists of:

Appetizer: Broccoli and cheddar POPpers

Dinner: Penne Pasta and Meatballs (from the POP menu)

Dessert: Yogurt (from the POP menu)

Snack: POPcorn

The activities planned are a hula hoop contest and a Mickey Mouse bowling tournament on my DD's plug and play Disney video game. We'll also be counting the money from the shoebox and adding it into our savings account where it can collect interest and not dust.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Please send that we get done with the taxes this weekend!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, you are such a great mom! What a fun idea, I love your Pop party! You are so like me, finding ways to weave those upcoming Disney trips into everyday life! It is absolutely killing me not to do this for our surprise trip but I am committed! I hope you have a great weekend, you sound busy as usual.

Great job getting in that walk!

 

[traceycooper]

i love the Pop party idea Tracy
Have a super weekend & i hope those taxes finally are out of the way!

 

[Lesli54]

Your Pop Century party sounds like fun and a really cute idea. Maybe we will try something like that here with the Beach Club to everyone "ready" for our upcoming trip. You always have such cool ideas.

Have fun at the party and teaching the 4 yr olds!

 

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

Yesterday was a good day. We went to church and taught a group of (15) four year olds who had lots and lots of energy. Afterwards, we went to breakfast. My DD7 went shopping with grandma while DD5 went with my DH and I to the job he had to get done. We came home, went to my MIL's, had our St. Patrick's Day meal a day early, came home, and called it a day. We did go to CVS, Walgreens, and Office Max yesterday too.

CVS Trip #1:
(2) Hershey's Pot of Gold
(1) Listerine Smart Rinse for Kids
(2) Packages of Easter Eggs
(2) Bags of Jelly Beans

Total Out of Pocket After Coupons/ECBs: $0.93
ECBs Earned:$16.93

CVS Trip # 2:
(1) Hershey's Pot of Gold
(2) Lady Speed Stick Deodorants
(1) Men's Speed Stick Deodorant
(1) BIC Soleil Razor
(1) BIC Soleil Razor Refills
(1) Maybelline Colorstay Lipstick
(1) Listerine Smart Rinse for Kids
(1) Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

Total Out of Pocket After Coupons/ECBs: $1.11
Total ECBs Earned: $25.97

CVS Trip # 3:
(1) Hershey's Pot of Gold
(1) Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
(2) Easter Eggs
(2) Jelly Beans

Total Out of Pocket After Coupons/ECBs: $0.75
Total ECBs Earned: $8.95

On this transaction, the balance actually came out to -$.04 so I had to add the Reese Cup in order to owe something.

Walgreens:
(2) Easter Baskets
(6) Bubble Envelopes to mail DVDs sold on eBay
(2) Au Gratin Potatoes
(4) Rolls of Walgreens Toilet Paper
(2) Candy Chickens w/ bubble gum

Total: $10.84

And finally, Office Max:
(1) Pack of X-Treme File Rubber Bands
(1) Airheads Candy (for DD5)
(1) HP Black Ink for Printer Twin Pack
(1) HP Premium Photo Paper (FREE w/ ink purchase! :mrgreen: Regularly $10.49)
(1) Coke Classic (for DH )

Total with Coupon: $26.36

It was a great weekend for deals, plus I was able to get some Easter things I needed as well. Thanks for letting me share our deals with you. My DH and kids get excited when we get deals, but my extended family doesn't see the point.

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Laundry

* Work with DH

* Thrift Store

* Pay Bills

* Workout

This will probably be a busy week ahead. DH will be working daily and we will be getting caught up on homeschooling as well. We still need to have the Pop Century party and will fit it into our day either today or tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a Happy St. Patrick's Day!




P.S. ADRs for WDW in September tomorrow!

 

[pearlieq]

It was a great weekend for CVS, wasn't it? I'm not stocked with mouthwash from now until the end of time, and I don't mind those Pot of Golds at all!

How does Walgreens work?

Your POP party sounds awesome! You always have the best ideas for family fun. I hope everyone has a fantastic time!

Have a great day!

 

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
another great shopping trip
Hope the pop party was fun

 

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

Your Pop party is a fabulous idea. Why can't I come up with these ideas? I'll just have to steal yours. You are also the bargain shopping queen. I love a good deal. Keep sharing with us.

Take care,
Beth

 

[Amy&Dan]

I love to hear about your deals! You just amaze me, I don't know how you do it. You need to have a reality show "Tracy's Deals"!

Sounds like you had a nice weekend but a busy one! Hope this is a good week for you, is it spring yet????

 

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies!!!

I am so excited!!! We got the ADRs we wanted for September! Here's our list:

9/14: Cap n Jacks
9/15: Chef Mickeys (B); Kona Cafe (D)
9/16: Boma
9/17: Chef Mickey's (D)
9/18: Cape May Cafe
9/19: Le Cellier on my birthday+ Extra Magic Hours at Epcot!!!!!!!

I'm glad we were able to get the reservations that we wanted. The only one I was really concerned about was Le Cellier because it fills up so quickly.

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling
* Laundry
* Rewards Programs
* eBay? (We've listed 6 items in the past week and so far, 5 of them have sold! :mrgreen: )
* Research
* Workout

These plans may change based on whether or not we go to work with my DH. He has a quick job to do this morning and he could drop us off at the mall while he works. Then, we could go to lunch because we have a buy one get one coupon for his birthday. The girls aren't feeling 100% so we'll have to wait and see what happens.

That brings me to my weight issue. I weighed myself last night and I am up to 225. This needs to stop. I have to figure out a plan that will work for me. Exercise is definitely important, but eating right is too. I am really looking forward to warmer weather so I can walk more and get out on the bike.

Hope everyone has a great day!

pearlieq~ There were great deals at CVS this weekend! I was running around like crazy on Sunday trying to get to two stores before we went to church. We made it on time and got our deals!

Tracey~ Thanks! I love getting good deals on stuff. The Pop Century party has been officially postponed until Thursday or Friday. The kids are super excited!

Beth~ Please feel free to take my ideas! They're actually not all my ideas. I found some of them here on the DIS. Thanks for your words of encouragement!

Amy~ I love the idea of a TV show! I could use the money for extra trips to WDW! We could even have a WISH meet!!!

 

[toystoryduo]

Good morning,

We finally had the Pop Century Party yesterday! The girls had a lot of fun decorating the house with Mickey and Pop Century stuff, helping with dinner, and playing the bowling video game. The only thing we didn't do was open the money box. We'll do that today.

Today looks to be a busy day ahead;

* Homeschooling
* Workout
* Account Setups
* Wrap DH's birthday gift
* Work on the treasure hunt for Sunday
* QR
* Grocery ad/deals
* Bible study

I'm glad that spring starts tomorrow! If the weather would cooperate, I would be even happier!

Hope everyone has a great day!

 

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

Glad to hear that the party was a success. Great job on the Ebay items. You will figure out a program that works for you, and you will get the weight off.

Have fun counting that change.

Take care,
Beth

 

[Amy&Dan]

Glad you got to have the Pop Century party! I am so with you on spring, it is here I guess but only on the calendar, not in reality! I too look forward to nice walks when I don't have to bundle up and freeze my hiney off. I always think about my trainer telling me that food is the bigger part of the equation. Just keep up the hard work, we are getting there. I love your ADR's and congrats on Le Cellier, that one is very hard to come by!