The Grocery Game

ok today I had an eye exam that was from hell. I wanted to look into Lasik surgery and they kept me there for 4 hours with every kind of test on an eye you can imagine. I have my eyes examined at least once a year and never did I have some of those tests. Well for all of this they have to give you some kind of super strength dilation and then tell me it will last 24 hours. I would have made my appointment in the later part of the day if that was the case. So I went back to work and all I could do was punch holes in paper and clean up the print room. I couldn't see anything.
Anyway enough of that. The Grocery Game has been featured on the Food Network and the Today Show.

www.thegrocerygame.com
You join this and sign up for the lists of stores in your area. (Read the Rules)
Each week on Sunday a new list is posted for your store, say "Albertsons" well that's the sales for that week (the best buys)you get the coupons out of the Sunday paper, the big pamphlets, Smart Source and the Vlassia I don't remember how to spell that, you start collecting these and then just shop by the list. Stockpile your groceries and save a lot of money.
Well I have NEVER been a coupon person, they just annoyed me but I decided if I ever want to retire I need to at least try this.
Well this really works. my savings yesterday was (bill was 166 and savings 59 so the end payment was 107 and I got a ton of stuff. so my goal is each week to get the percentage of savings higher. One key thing is looking at the message board because everyone is talking about their savings and you find out a ton of info from that. For example they were talking about getting a swiffer from Walgreens and there was a 10.00 coupon. Well I had only gotten the coupons out of the paper one week but I had that coupon and I didn't realize it. So I went into WG and pick up the Swiffer mop gave him my 10.00 coupon and paid my 3.00 and walked out. Did I need it no, but it's a great gift for Wayne on his housewarming and besides it was only 3.00 when it was marked 12.00. So anyway it is really challenging and fun. The thing is all these store sales run from sun through Tues and that's it. So you gotta get your coupons on sunday, study the list and go for the stores and JUST GET what is on your list for the week. Well hope you try it Beth and Angie.
luv and hugs aunt pam
p.s. I'm still having trouble seeing so excuse this messing typing blog job.

no I didn't fall off of blog cliff somewhere

No I didn't fall off the blog cliff. I just went through a hiatus because no one is reading this silly thing.
It has been a busy hot summer. Working around the yard and house, painting etc. After you put a pool in I swear it's like you had built a house because the whole place is wrecked. But things are coming together somewhat. We are now turning to my mom's house vinyling it and putting new floors and roof. Oh does it ever end...
No I guess not, wouldn't it be easier to live in a rented condo?? yes I think so.

Bad news---Shane and Jamie split so that's sad.
Rhonda (Margie's daughter (Margie Berryman, Pete used to be married to). Well anyway, she had a son Jeremy and he was killed in a wreck last weekend. He was Kaci's age and had been to the house a couple of times. It was terrible, three guys driving home from a bar going 100 mph hit a piling under an underpass. This makes about the 8th one that was in the class Kaci graduated with. All drunk driving except for one who was an overdose.
The devil is out there to lie, steal and destroy our lives, he only needs a crack to get in.
Good news is Wayne is moving into his new place soon.
The girls are all good and healthy and fun to be around. David just got back from his Tennessee trip. He learned alot and made alot of new friends so he will go back next year. We are trying to make some arrangements to go to a Dude Ranch in Texas this fall.I think that would be fun. Anyway just going to work and working at home that's about it.
Beth I will get back with you and let you know about a visit, I definetly want to come visit before the baby. I have the attachment for the stroller and I hope it works for you. Anyway have a great week.
luv and hugs pam

just stuff and a new beginning

Beth I seriously think you are the only one reading my blog.
I hope that you are out of your shock state. If I know you you are already planning for that baby. When are you coming to see us?
This weekend we worked around here and swam with the babies. It's always fun to watch children play in the water. Why do they like it so much?? It's like they are so estatic when they are in the pool. I love watching them.
Aunt Cindy comes over with Kade or Ethan or both boys almost everyday if not every other day to swim.
Wayne bought a house in the country for him and Kade. I'm glad and Shane and Jamie are about to start building a house. David did a great job bricking around the little pool, it like to have eat him up but he did it. I think he could build anything. I haven't been shopping in forever. I did run into Old Navy real quick over the weekend, I'm serious real quick. Am I imagining or are their prices going up, up everytime I go in there it's more expensive.
David is bound for Tennessee next week. He is going to a mandolin camp, school (sounds like fun) all week in a dorm with a stranger just like a middle school camper boy. Well that's about it, just boring everyday normal stuff.
luv and hugs

pam

p.s.: Beth remember when I posted New Beginnings, well it really is...

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from
the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke
12:48)

I came across this verse and wanted to post it because it holds such a powerful message. We are held accountable for how we use everything we are blessed with, our money, our homes, our jobs and our businesses and most importantly our "time".

When you think about it that is an awesome responsibility. Then end result of the above is...the more you give...the more you will receive of any of those things listed above. So then it is an blessed endless circle right?

Kennedy and I planted some seeds and I debated whether to plant the whole pack or not, so what the heck the whole pack was planted and a whole pack of little plants showed up, so it's just like that the more you plant or put in the more you will get back.

luv and hugs Pam

Play!!!

Today Kaci, Kennedy and Gabrielle came over to swim, the water is still so cold. Poor Gabrielles lips were blue, it didn't bother Kennedy any. Then they took a bath and we played store/grocery shopping. That's what's great about having grandkids you get to play again. I used to play with Chris and Kaci all of the time and when they got too big, I babysat a couple of little girls and still got to play.If you haven't tried it you should. Today I was the checker at the store, Kennedy shopped the store and Gabrielle grabbed everything she put in her buggy. Well, the things you can teach by playing right? Gabrielle took all the money from the cash register and was running out of the room with it(little thief). Kennedy started screaming at her like she had killed someone. What's a grocery checker to do, but call Security. So I called, SECURITY!!!, SECURITY!!, STOP the little girl running out of the store with all the cash register money!!! Kennedy looked at me, like WHAT?? MiMi is really into this, right? Then she cracked up laughing, and of course Gabrielle had to stop and laugh too like she knew what was going on. So Kennedy forgot all about screaming at Gabrielle and Gabrielle decided that she like the money better in the cash register slot!! That's it, problem solved and fight stopped. It's not always that easy though but we have fun anyway.
so, play, play, play every chance you get.
luv and hugs,
pam

What's wrong with this picture??????

I haven't been very good at keeping this blogging up. I think Beth, you are the only one that reads it, unless maybe some of my friends are reading and they don't want to sign up so they can leave comments. SIGN IN so I know Ya'll are looking at this, people!!
Everything is going good over here, still working on the pool, I told David today, I'm really getting tired of all this construction and I'm worn out from watching him work, LOL!
I was reading this backpacker magazine today and they had all of these unbelievable cool, light backpacks rated, hiking boots rated, tents and hiking clothes and all this high tech crap like a jackets with GPS's.
Well, it dawned on me why the heck did my son in 140 degree heat have to wear these antiquated, heavy black boots (with no arch supports) and lug around this humongous backpack that weighed 75lbs and wear this unbelievable heavy clothing in this unbearable climate. Why can't our government get their act together and get these guys some updated gear like these recreational backpackers have to make their life easier when they are riding around patrolling in unairconditioned bradley fighting vehicles? This is crazy.
So I'm going to find out, I'm going to write to every Senator, Representative, Governor to bitch about just this one thing.
Okay I've got that off my chest, I'll stop.
Tomorrow I promise I'll have a more positive attitude.
luv and hugs,
Pam

A Hilariously fun vacation

What a vacation!! Well I'm back from a vacation with friends and it was a blast. My friend Leslie lives in Delaware. If you haven't been to the East Coast now is a perfect time. The cherry blossom trees were beautiful, everything was really green. Leslie has such a cute house it's like a Norman Rockwell scene. Julie, my friend that went and she brought her friend Martha. Julie's always going somewhere so she calls Leslie sometime last year, Can I come visit, oh yeah and can I bring two friends with me. I think every girl should go on at least one ALL Girl vacation once a year. Leslie was really sweet though, she took off the whole week from work and carted us from Delaware, to Philladelphia and to Atlantic City, NJ and then to Chesapeke Bay Maryland. Whew! Yep we did that all in a week. Julie your a nut, but a real blast. I only gained two pounds, I was really expecting to gain at least 8 lbs.
The part I like the best was Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Truly Amish country and really beautiful. I was just enthralled while riding around the country side and seeing the clothes hanging outside and the children with their bonnets and pinafore dresses and the little boys in their straw hats and pants. They were so cute. I tried and tried to buy the girls little Amish dresses but everywhere I went the sales people looked at me like I was crazy, "Maam, the Amish make their clothing they don't buy them in stores!" Well excuse me, I guess I will have to go to Ebay. I don't know where they would wear them, maybe to church I guess. Then everyone would think, aw the little amish girls have come to visit.

I know this is long but I have to tell one more thing. My sister in law and her friend clean my house 1 time a month and they came right after the trip, she didn't know I had been anywhere. She did know we have been looking for another church. Sooooo, I called her to talk to her a bit and I mentioned I had been to Pennsylvania and I had enjoyed seeing the Amish and the way they lived. She goes, "Oh my gosh, we saw all that Amish stuff laying around and we thought you were seriously thinking about joining them. Well if I did it sure as H... would not be in La. with this humidity and mosquitoes. No electricity uh uh. You have to respect them though, they don't even use machines on their farms, we saw a lady behind a plow with a team of 6 horses, yes in 2006. And yes they did have a town, called Intercourse, look at this pretzel sign, what were they thinking??

luv and hugs,
Pam