O' Christmas Tree

We got the fabulous tree I scoped out Saturday night. Huzzah! But she's sad because there really isn't anything on her.

Man, it was foggy on the drive over.

Isn't she a beaut?

 

Always ask for extra branches. I'll show you why later.

My manly man taking the tree in.

 

And now she's so forlorn.

But she'll look better. I promise.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

But the prettiest sight to see is not yet this one.

In the few months since I last posted, we had Halloween and Thanksgiving. But now it's Christmastime which is one of my favorite times.

It's the first one in this house and the first one on my own, so I'm especially excited. Decorating the house is so much fun! But also some pain since I'm having difficulties on the outside.

Yesterday, we picked out a tree but since no one was in the garden center (and it was fifteen minutes to closing) we decided to come back later this morning when they open.

Speaking of the garden center, if you're interested, Lowe's still has these fifteen foot garlands for five dollars. Which isn't a bad deal, but they are thinner, so more for inside projects. Although, they have been providing a great evergreen smell until the tree takes over that job.

I will have pictures of the massive behemoth of tree in the morning. It's huge! It's definitely at least seven, if not eight feet. It's a giant of a tree that the boy is letting me get.

Speaking of pictures, part of the lack of posts is that there has been either the camera battery or the camera, but never both at the same time. Until now.

Be prepared for a flood of visual stimuli, baby.

I won't Jerk you around.

For you jerky fanatics, have I got a deal for you.

Check your local Target for 100 Calorie packs of Jack's Links Beef Jerky for 56 cents! That's right, beef jerky for under a dollar. The only time I can get jerky that cheap is the one at the Dollar Tree and I haven't seen any for months.

Yay jerky!

ZZZzzzZz's and Cookies

So guess what I found at Wags?! Super cheap Vicks products! They had NyQuil, DayQuil and the various specialized ones. 

I got four smaller bottles of Nyquil, one big bottle of Nyquil and one bottle of the Cough Suppressant for a grand total of :drumroll please: NINE CENTS! Woo-hoo! Thanks to three $3/2 Vicks products from the 8/28 P&G. And they don't expire for at least a year. My roommates are going to love me during cold & flu season.

Another great deal in the clearance section is 3-pack Chips Ahoy with Reese's for $.24, so reward yourself for your financial genius with some tasty cookies.   :)

Tomorrow, tomorrow

It's been so ridiculous around here that I'm almost hoping school will start sooner so that things calm down.

Things are still in limbo, but wanted to let y'all know that Mariani Banana Chips are $1.50 at Bloom. So if yours doubles, then take that $.75/1 coupon from today's SmartSource and get yourself some free Banana Chips.

What other stores sell Mariani? And what are their prices?

Oh, I wish I were living in Ikea

That's the bed I slept in last night.

Aside from the ease of having everything cleaned every night, I wouldn't have to look for two places. Yeah, that's right count 'em: one, two. One place is for the boy and friends (and possibly me depending on what is going on this fall) and the other is for the fam. So house hunting has been on the brain.

Remember how stressed I was about finals? Guess who rocked her classes? Me. Huzzah! One less thing to worry about. Now I just have to focus on the five other things that need my immediate attention.

Speaking of immediate attention, remember this is the last week of 5/6 weeks at Bloom. 

Oh oh, and I finally found my camera! It's been MIA for months so this is exciting! I'll be able to post pictures. :)

Fantastic deals.

The sun is calling my name..

So summer is officially fabulous. I've been stuck in classes all month and when I haven't been in class, I've been deal hunting. Every Tuesday this past month has been Super Doubles at Bloom and this past week was Super Doubles at Harris Teeter. Guess what next Tuesday is? Super Doubles! It looks like they might be continuing it though the whole summer like rumoured. XD

Right now I am finishing up my final projects for one class which ends tomorrow. (Another ends next week.)

In honor of these wonderful deals, let me tell you about a few you can find around the area. I've only skimmed some ads, so this is not a comprehensive list, just some I remember off of the top of my head. :) Along with coupon match-ups.

But first, a reminder: Do not shelf clear. If you plan to buy more than a few because it's an awesome price, talk to the manager about ordering them. I have never ordered, but I've heard some charge you by that week's sale price and you have to buy then, others you pay when you get them.

What's considering shelf clearing? Taking everything or most everything off of the shelf, leaving few or no deals for the rest of the shoppers. At the beginning of the sale, you are being super rude. But if it's almost close on the last day of the sale, I won't blame you. I'll just be kicking myself when I get in after you.


Safeway (Wednesday to Tuesday):
-Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs: Buy One, Get TWO Free (Priced at $3.99 regularly.)
     ~Use the 1$/2 coupon that came out recently.
       *Buy six and use three 1$/2, to get six for $4.98--That's less than a dollar per package, definitely a stock up price.

-Wonderful Pistachios 8oz: Buy One, Get One Free (Priced at $4.99) <-This deal actually goes until September, so no rush. :) *Unadvertised deal.
     ~Use the $1/1 coupon. I think one version expires tomorrow.
       *If you buy two and use two 1$/1, you get 16oz for $2.99--18.7 cents an ounce. 

-Wonderful Pistachios 20oz: FRIDAY ONLY $5.00
     ~Use 1$/1 coupon. Another came out fairly recently, so it should be good for then.
       *This makes it 5 ounces per dollar, or 20 cents an ounce. I would do this deal, because you can get very similar pricing for fewer coupons and some more coupons should come out before September. So I think I have two coupons, I would rather get 40oz for 20cents an ounce than 16oz for 18.7 cents an ounce. It's not a big enough price difference, especially on something as expensive as nuts.




Bloom (Wednesday to Tuesday) Super Doubles on Tuesday:

I love this graphic. You might see it often.

-Ritz Cracker or Cheez-Its 9.75oz-16.5oz Select Varieties: Buy One, Get One Free (Limit Two Free)
     ~Use $1/2 Nabisco coupon.
       *Buy two Ritz crackers (Cheez-Its are not Nabisco) and use the coupon. I don't know prices, but it should be a good deal. They tend to be around three-four dollars. Buy it on Tuesday to get $2/2. :)


-Ball Park Meat or Beef Franks 16oz, Select Varieties: Buy One, Get One Free (Limit Two Free)
    ~Use 1$/2 Ball Park Product coupon.
      *Buy two and use the coupon. These are probably around $4.99. So you'll pay something like $3.99 or on Tuesday, $2.99 which is not bad for beef franks.


-Kraft Mayo or Miracle Whip 30oz: 2 for $6.00
     ~Use $1/1 Kraft Miracle Whip or Mayo.
      *It'll be $2.00 before Tuesday, or $1.00 then.


-Hunt's Ketchup 24oz: 99 cents
     ~Use the coupon found on select Banquet products. I think it's something like 20cents off? Maybe more.
       *Doubled any day of the week will make it 59 cents. Or less depending on the coupon value.


-Cascade Action Packs 20 count: $3.99
     ~Use the $1/1 from the upcoming P&G Brandsaver.
      *Makes it $2.99 or $1.99 if you wait until Tuesday. Not a bad price.


-Unilever promo, Buy 15$ of participating items, save 5$ instantly. Various.

-Pillsbury Brownie Mix 13.5-15.9oz: $1.49
     ~Use the $1/2 Pillsbury Brownie Mix or Frosting.
       *Buy two and pay $1.98 for two, or wait and pay 98 cents for two.


-New York Garlic Texas Toast 11.25oz: 99 cents
     ~Use 50 cents/1 from May All You. Texas Toast Frozen Product.
       *Doubled ant day of the week makes this FREE. XD


-Banquet Dinners 5.75-10.5oz, Select Varieties: 10/$10
     ~Use 50 cents/2 printable from Child Hunger Ends Here. Codes on various ConAgra foods.
       *Doubled any day makes it $1.00 for two. Plus some might have more codes for more coupons or even coupons on the package you can use on the Hunt's. :)


I might do more deals, but for now check out Beltway Bargain Mom, The Krazy Coupon Lady or Capitally Frugal for more match-ups.

It goes l-o-l-l-i-p-o-p



A "duet" between Big Bang and 2NE1.



Want to introduce yourself to Big Bang? Not literally, but it turns out that in celebration of Asian American Heritage Month, Comcast is featuring some Asian artists. And get this--there is a whole section of K-Pop! XD

To find this, go to On Demand > Music > Music Picks > K-Pop. You'll find several songs by lovely artists like 2NE1, Wonder Girls and Super Junior. You won't find any recent Big Bang music, but it's still all fun. :)

Let me know what you think!

Oh hey!

Finals are finally over. Hee. So I've just been winding down from the semester and prepping for the next one (starting soon).

(From left) T.O.P., Seung Ri, Taeyang, G-Dragon, Daesung



But while I'm not completely involved school, let me take a moment to introduce you to an awesome music group--Big Bang. They are an all-male group out of Korea and sing in Korean, Japanese and English. They are wonderful dancers and singers. All of them have side projects and are under YG Entertainment.

 The early music is more hip-hop, but their style has expanded as they have performed more.

Start with the more recent "Somebody To Love" practice video. It has some very nice choreography and a great dance beat. "Haru Haru" (or "Day by Day" translated) is one of the songs that I first heard by them. "Beautiful Hangover" is a song they released last August, with a very enjoyable video. Let's round this out with a silly video. "How Gee" has lots of humor and a instrumental you may recognize. Enjoy the funk.

Beans, Beans the Musical Fruit

The above has nothing to do with the post, just something that came up earlier. It's exam week, y'see, and us college kids are all atwitter waiting for finals to be over. :sigh: I am so jealous of the people who are finished. Like really.

Earlier, I had my final speech. We had to give a persuasive speech using the motivated sequence. We had to present a problem and a solution. It made it easier to put it together, but man, I hate giving speeches. I get anxious and twitchy, but apparently no one can tell when I'm nervous--Huzzah!

The advice my teacher gave was really good. Put very little words on your slides. If you use a quote, don't say it, just put it on the slide. Use the motivated sequence because it will apply most to your life.

I will be so excited for the break between my last final and the start of the summer semester. Graduation will be after that. As well as transferring. Buh buh buh!

But we'll see what the future brings. Right now I just have to get through finals.

Hey there, stranger

There's a third one today!

So it's been awhile. Just a bit.

Exams are coming up and I'm trying to get my degree and transfer this year. (Whoo!)

Boyfriend and I celebrated a milestone recently. :beam: So all that is going quite dandy. I feel like I should be wearing polka dots.

This year, I'm determined to get a little garden growing. My morale has been bolstered by my little coneflower seedlings actually growing. Yay!

Even prettier in person.

I also have a basket of these gorgeous bright, orange gerbera daisies. I was mooning over them on the way out of the store ("Gerbera daisies! In awesome color!") and Boyfriend picked them up and started taking them inside. I told him he didn't have to (we're both college students = poor). There was a mini debate that ended when he made me turn the car around so he could march into the store to get me the flowers. He's so sweet. :D

But I plan to plant at least a few of the veggie seeds today. And to not let them die. Unfortunate things happened with my seedlings last year. I think some of them got rot and infected the others. :( But they will prevail. And survive to maturity. For biology this semester has granted me more knowledge on plants. :strikes a nerdy pose:

Yeah, you can judge me. ^.^*

Bohemian Like You

Right now, I am in bed with my boyfriend, with him sleeping and cuddled up.  This is the first time I've seen him all week.

I love him. And I'm lucky to be with him.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my mother's birthday. She is a wonderful human being and a saint for dealing with us three kids. She's been through a lot to get to where she is today, but she's made it.

My mum is a wonderful cook and a great lady. She is fiercely protective and always there for us when we need a shoulder to cry on. She is elegant and comports herself gracefully. Everybody loves her and thinks she's the cutest thing because she is so sweet.

She has done a lot for me and I don't know what I would do without her.

Happy Birthday, Mummy!

Simply Hormel

This is my recent haul from Rite Aid. There's deals on the Hormel Compleats, Simply Asia and Velveeta for 1.99, the Barilla is four for 5.00 and the Special K is BOGO (for which I have the BOGO q). A Velveeta and a Compleats have been eaten. Some mint sticks, clearance Christmas chocolate (my favorite) and some coal are also absent from this scene.

I apologize for the poor photography. 

Now let me tell you how awesome Compleats are. Because seriously I heart these things. You can throw them in your car, in your bag, in the garden (kidding) and leave them until you are ready to throw them in the microwave for 90 seconds.  They are wonderfully portioned for those of you who enjoy nomming a little too much. (Guilty as charged.) Plus they're delicious.

Word of warning: the Sesame Chicken tricks you by looking delicious, but by not being so. It's very bland, which is surprising because this is the only one I've tried and haven't liked. I haven't had them all, mind you, but it was a sad thing to discover.

So out of everything, I haven't paid more than five dollars out of pocket. And some of that was the 1.24 I paid out of pocket to check the deal the first time. (I hate wasting my +Ups). And I'm probably going to do more. Yay Rite Aid!

Death to the User!

In like Flynn, Sam Flynn, that is

A friend of mine drove back to school early this morning, so as a last hangout, four of us went to see the new Tron last night.

After getting some freshly popped popcorn for ourselves (some theatres do not pop their own corn), we settled in.

Some trailers looked interesting like the one for the new Pirates of the Carribean installation, which in 3-D seems interesting, while others were a bit lackluster. But 3-D trailers are always interesting to watch.

Tron itself is a pretty decent film. There's actually a plot, but the movie throws much Bible imagery around, so if that isn't your thing, you might want to pass. (Some weren't happy with that.)

If you're looking for a fun movie to take the kids to or are feeling nostalgic, this is for you. But I don't suggest watching the film in 3-D, very little is actually in 3-D (which they essentially tell you at the beginning) and what is, is only okay. So spend that extra money on some popcorn instead.

And if you get bored halfway through TRON: Legacy,  there's always the great views. ;)

Happy New Year!

I have to say it's been what seems like ages since I've had a blog that I've stuck with, so why not start a new year with a new blog?

I would love to tell you what I'm going to focus on, but that is a mystery to even myself. So shall we look to the title?

Happy New Year and Welcome to A Mish-Mosh of Pish-Posh!