This Week's Shaws/Rite Aid Trip.

My total for this week's Shaws/Rite Aid Trip was $26.27. See picture above!

Rite Aid again paid me this week (after the super diaper deal last week) to take from them 1 Gillette Bodywash, 1 Gillette Deodorant, 3 Old Spice Body Sprays, 1 Old Spice Deodorant, 2 Olay Regenerist Facial Cleansers, 1 Crest ProHealth mouthwash, 1 EOS lip balm, and 2 Mom's Best Oatmeals. After coupons, I spent $12.45 out of pocket, and received $16 back in rewards, making it a $3.55 money maker. Before coupons and sales, the total was $59.68! Let's just say, Jesse will be smelling marvelous! :)

Shaws was also a good trip. Items for FREE included 4 Emeril Bam Meals, 1 lb. of carrots/2lbs. of onions/5lbs. of potatoes (had to buy a roast), and a bag of Idahoan potatoes. After coupons, the Betty Crocker cookie mix was 20 cents, the Sprite were 50 cents each, the Del Monte canned fruit were 80 cents each, and the Pillsbury Grands biscuits were 95 cents each. I spent $30.82 here and got back $1 Catalina for the Pillsbury. Combining this with my moneymaker transaction from Rite Aid, all totaled was $26.27!


Also, last night, Jesse, Anna, and I made a pit stop to Wal Mart to pick up 36 free razors (3 bags), free Post It notes, and a package of Thomas bagels for a total of $1.91.

Woohoo. I may hit up Walgreens later this week, as they have some good freebies too.

Briefly Home.

With the leaves changing colors, I got a spur of the moment desire to drive home for the weekend (upstate NY is the most beautiful place this time of year)! So, after seeking permission from my wonderful husband, off I went with baby to my hometown of Vestal, NY. Anna and I made it safely on Friday evening, spent the day Saturday with family, and headed back early on Sunday morning. Yes, it was brief (more brief than planned as Anna was too excited to sleep at grandma and grandpa's, and I decided to cut our stay a day early instead of struggle through another sleepless night), but I really enjoyed my time at "home," during the time of year I love most.

Deals & Steals of the Week

So Anna and I had a kickin' trip to Rite Aid and Shaws today! Rite Aid paid us $5 for 3 packs of Huggies Pure and Natural jumbo diapers (plus Crest toothpaste, Bounty paper towel, and a jar of Gerber 2nd foods). Altogether, I spent $14.60 for the items pictured.

A Higher "Ground"

If you know Jesse & I at all, you know that we love coffee.

Well, sadly, our coffee maker of 3 years died this week. It served us well for our first years together as a married couple... especially the past 8 months as sleep-deprived, new parents.

However, God works together everything for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), and this hardship has resulted in great joy. Please welcome the newest addition to the Griffin household...



... our new coffee siphon!

After researching our options (i.e. another coffee maker that would probably only last a few years, a French press, or yes... a coffee siphon), we decided to go with the option of sweet, durable physics. See, this device is awesomeness embodied... it uses steam to create a vacuum that pushes the fresh water up into the coffee grounds and then, after removing the heat source, the vacuum created sucks the coffee back through the filter! Mmm mmm, good. And the glass is easily cleaned to provide, day after day, a pure cup of coffee.

Let me just say, Jesse & I were like two kids at Christmas, waiting for the Fed-ex truck to pull up with our new siphon. And when we heard the brakes of that Fed-ex truck outside, we joyfully ran to the window as if we heard the prancing reindeer themselves. As coffee connoisseurs, we feel that we have moved up to a higher "ground" (pun intended, bahaha). And if you come over to our house sometime, we will most excitedly brew you a cup of coffee... and probably provide you with an enthusiastic physics lesson, whether requested or not.

This Week's Deals & Steals

I think this is my best buy yet... the total for all this came to $.26!

4 Oat Revolution Oatmeals: moneymaker with coupons, Shaws paid me $.25 for each.

Butternut Squash: $.91

2 Nivea Cremes: After sale price and UP rewards, moneymaker, Rite Aid paid me $.52.

6 Whole Grain Barilla Pastas: After coupons, $.38 each.

2 Chips a Hoy Single Serving Packets: After coupon at Rite Aid, free.

2 Dulcolax: After coupons, free (~ a $16+ savings).

8 Honest Teas: moneymaker with coupons, Shaws paid me $.25 for each.

2 boxes of Cheerios: After coupons, $.29 each.

Before sale price and coupons, I should have paid $54.35 for the above items. That's a savings of $54.09!


Definitely my most favorite hobby.

I love cheap baby gates!

The past few weeks have been very busy around here! I have taken on the position of Infant Ministry Coordinator at our church, which has required a bit of work at the onslaught. We have also been very busy with traveling, hosting friends and family(including an unexpected stranger), and just living life in general.

I will post more later on the wonderful time we had in Myrtle Beach, as well as visiting with my parents this past weekend.

But first off, Anna is officially crawling! Her biggest motivation is the laptop when it is on the living room floor.

And I just ordered a baby gate off of diapers.com (plus baby sunscreen, a Bumkins bib, & foundation/ eye liner for me) and guess how much the total came to with two day shipping...

$1.34! Plus 1% cash back through shopathome.com.

Woohoo for crawling babies and cheap baby gates!