. . . . . . . . . . Saving Money

Just when we had about depleted my stockpile of toilet paper, paper towels and a few other items, I gathered my coupons together, culled the expired ones, filed the new ones and started checking out the sales this week before they expired today. Kroger had several items I needed for great deals and many of those were of the "buy 8 and save $4 off your order." I ended up saving $12 on my entire order just because I purchased enough of those items. 

Then I had my coupons. Fortunately for me, the Kroger stores in our area double coupons $.50 and less all the time. This saved me almost  double what I would have saved overall with my coupons. Not ever one I had was $.50 or less but they do add up!

One of my great deals was that Northern toilet paper was on sale. The 12 double roll packs are usually $8.99 but were on sale for $5.99. I had coupons to save 50 cents on each package. When  Kroger doubled those I saved a total of $1 making them $4.99 per package. WOO HOO!


So, my total savings off my shopping bill at Kroger yesterday as $87 and some change! My bill started off at $213. and my total savings with their sales and my coupons brought it down to $122.

Then, I went across the street to CVS where Dawn Dish liquid was on sale for $.96 a bottle. Normal price is $1.99 each so that was a tremendous savings! Then I had coupons to save $.25 on each bottle. I purchased the limit of 6 bottles that would have been $13.87 including tax and spent only $4.91!


The trick is to watch the sales, hold onto those coupons to match up with the sales and buy enough that you don't need to make that purchase again until the item is on sale and you've accumulated more coupons for that item.


I'm a happy camper with my shopping deals this week!

WIP Wednesday - Yellow Baby Blanket

This is a blanket I started a while back and had put away. Now I have a recipient in mind and need to get it completed quickly. The pattern intrigued me because it was a take on a granny square but is set on the diagonal. The photo in the pattern book is just so pretty that I had to try it. Here is where I am so far...

 

 This isn't the best picture but I can work on that next time. lol

This blanket has about 5-6 rows of yellow and then one row of "baby print" yarn. I think it would have worked a tiny bit better if I'd used two yarns of the same weight but I used what I had in my stash and I think it will be fine.

To play along on Work-in-Progress Wednesday, make your blog post for Wednesday be about something you're working on - some type of craft, renovation project, landscaping, even that novel you're writing. Copy the code below Rosie's picture and paste it into your blog post so that others can follow too, and see the rest of the projects that are posted here.

 

Completed White Bridal Afghan

Had some time (guess it's too late for my Sunday afternoon nap at this point) and decided to go ahead and post the pictures of this project now that it's complete and in the hands of it's intended recipient.

You can click the photos to enlarge them if you wish. 


The  afghan seemed to be the hit of the bridal tea today. The recipient loved it and it seemed everyone else did as well. Some were asking if I really made it myself. My response was "Umm... did you not see me working on it during church 2 weeks ago? I had to work on it every minute I could to get it finished in time for the tea today." lol  Several realized then they actually had seen me working on it. 

So, now on to some other projects. 

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. . . . . Achievement Tests aka Filling in the Circles with a #2 Pencil

In the state of Georgia, we are required to give them every 3 years, beginning with 3rd grade. There is no rule about WHEN during that year they must be given. The only rule about which one to give is that it must be nationally normed.  We do not turn them in to anyone but just keep them on file for our own records. The only reason I guess they make us do this is in case you were to decide to send your child back to a public or possible a private school it may make it easier to place them, although I'm not convinced of that.

Regardless of the reason, we are required so this year we have fulfilled that requirement again. The results? Oh, we aren't required to reveal them to anyone. Besides the fact you have to know how to interpret the scores, what difference does it make? I mean REALLY? 

I've heard parents bragging about their child's test results. Come to find out, that parent didn't actually understand the results. I count it a blessing that the first time we ever had our oldest take a test, the place we used sent us an excellent description of what all those percentages and numbers meant.

As a home educator I'm allowed to teach my children subjects in the order we want to learn them. There is nothing that says my child MUST memorize multiplication tables by age 8. There is nothing that says my child must be able to understand fractions by age 11. There is nothing that says we must study Georgia History in 8th grade instead of 6th or 9th. 

We just are not required to do things "like everyone else" or because that is the way some other school does it. I rather enjoy that! We can teach our kids on their level and make sure they actually understand something before we push them to the next thing. We can slow down or speed up depending on their understanding and ability to demonstrate that understanding. 

Oh, you still would like to know how our girls did on their test? As I figured, our girls tested "average" for their peer group. OH GOOD! I'd hate to think I'm responsible for genius thinkers. I'd have to turn their learning totally over to their dad if that were the case. :)

. . . White Afghan...still in progress

Well, I thought I'd finish it tonight. However, it is taking a lot more yarn than I anticipated, even following what the instructions said to purchase. So, this is my update and I hope to get more yarn in the morning and finish the last 3 sides of the round 3 of the border before bedtime Saturday night.

Looking at my photos here I realize I need at least one more to show how the 3rd row is actually done because there is a single crochet between the scallops that isn't showing. I'll try to update sometime on later tonight. (since it's after midnight now)  =)

Wednesday WIP - My White Bridal Afghan

Well, I've begun working on this afghan again since finishing Skylar's Ribbon Candy blanket. I am getting really close to finishing. I have 19 rows to complete and then the border. I hope next week to post pictures of it with at least a portion of the border complete. Would LOVE to have it totally complete since I'm giving it to a bride at her bridal tea in less than 2 weeks. (WHEW TIME FLIES!)

So, I typed that and then spent the evening working on it AFTER I had taken the picture but before uploading it. I believe I now have about 13 rows to go. YAY! Hoping to get this part completed by Thursday evening. 

Oh, and when I'm finished, it will cover my queen size bed I'm quite sure. WOW! Didn't really have a clue it was going to be quite that large!

To play along on Work-in-Progress Wednesday, make your blog post for Wednesday be about something you're working on - some type of craft, renovation project, landscaping, even that novel you're writing. Copy the code below Rosie's picture and paste it into your blog post so that others can follow too, and see the rest of the projects that are posted here. Be sure to post your link on Marie Anne's blog as well.  Thanks!

WIP Wednesday - Back to the Ribbon Candy project

Well, it's all done...almost. I have the crochet part finished and I'm ALMOST finished with weaving the ends through. I think I have about 6 or 8 more tails to weave and then clip the little pieces sticking out and I'm done. Problem is, Skylar wanted to sleep with it last night and so she did. I need to pull it off her bed today and finish those tails off and then it's done!

I started this post last Wednesday. Skylar has been sleeping with her blanket and LOVES it! She said it is VERY warm. As a result, there are still just a couple of tails I still need to weave and clip. I guess when she washes her sheets this week and has the blanket off her bed I'll finally get a chance to do that. LOL



To play along on Work-in-Progress Wednesday, make your blog post for Wednesday be about something you're working on - some type of craft, renovation project, landscaping, even that novel you're writing. Copy the code below Rosie's picture and paste it into your blog post so that others can follow too, and see the rest of the projects that are posted here.