tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23376647792048301652023-11-15T23:16:11.381-08:00Labors After Labor: Being A Stay At Home MomMy day to day life that keeps me busy. I am a stay at home mom now, keeping up with my 9 year old daughter and two year old son. I have started attending our local college online to get my bachelors degree. I have started a small company to try to bring in some extra money, and now I have started couponing to save our family even more money.Mommy Penkerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248814914574396509noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337664779204830165.post-45458501944880180782011-08-09T22:40:00.000-07:002011-08-09T22:40:40.628-07:00Short Walgreen's trip 8-6So, I didn't have a huge trip, again pinching pennies since my husband lost his job. On the bright side however, he just got a job that pays better than the last one. Hopefully this means I can get to working on my stockpiles soon. My son was terribly sick all weekend long. I only had a few minutes to sneak away and unfortunately one of the big products that I wanted was already gone. I was very disappointed with the local Walgreen's. It only stocked about six bottles of the Keri lotion that is the moneymaker of the week. The cashier told me it is a new product and they don't have it fully stocked yet. Not fully stocked with a sale like that...not good planning. Our local Walgreen's has limited purchases because of shelf clearing which works out well for me since I am not always able to jump up at the butt crack of dawn to go to Walgreens. I did pretty well for a late evening shopping trip so here it is.<br><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApsGhY1iYP7FfmJFU61Wu3KYV38Xa83J2mmB2kl1GaC1KKZYmBhle78A2AVFica6DPZdLVQ2dRIKuKsJsTaTdfyBdOWfP3Y8Kr9g_7Y88KcXWwZJ2mqeascTEwhuV-ACX_6c7ZKOGlBfM/s1600/2Walgreens+8-7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApsGhY1iYP7FfmJFU61Wu3KYV38Xa83J2mmB2kl1GaC1KKZYmBhle78A2AVFica6DPZdLVQ2dRIKuKsJsTaTdfyBdOWfP3Y8Kr9g_7Y88KcXWwZJ2mqeascTEwhuV-ACX_6c7ZKOGlBfM/s320/2Walgreens+8-7.JPG" /></a></div>Three transactions this time. Rolling those Register Rewards. First transaction was the free Listerine Smart Kids Rinse. On sale for $3.00 minus a $1.00/1 coupons making it $2.00 and then $2.00 RR back. I also bought a Resolve Carpet cleaner that was on sale for $4.99 - $.75/1 and again $2.00RR back. <br><br />
Total it up and the transaction was $6.24 before tax and I got $4.00 in RR back<br><br />
Second transaction was the 4/$15.00 on TRESemme products. I bought 2 shampoo, a conditioner, and a gel. I used four $1.00/1 coupons lowering the OOP down to 4/$11.00 and I got $5.00 RR back on these making them essentially 4/$6.00. These are the liter size too. I also picked up a reusable lunch bag for $2.00 and used a caramel for filler. <br>Total it up and the transaction was $13.39 - $4.00RR and I paid $9.39 before tax.<br><br />
Final transaction was filled with a few different items that I had coupons for. Ziploc sandwich bags 120ct were on sale 2/$4.00 and I had a $1.00/2 coupon for those, Palmolive 10oz dish soap on sale with in ad coupon for $.89 with a $.25/1 coupon was $.64, Purex laundry detergent on sale for $1.99 with a coupon for $.50 off each one, I bought 2, and used a caramel for filler.<br><br />
Total it up and the transaction was $7.01 minus $5.00RR made total $2.01 before tax.<br><br />
Total of all three transactions was OOP $17.64. Total savings $39.93. I saved 69% on this shopping trip. <br />
<br />
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This week presented a new challenge. My husband lost his job and so we are scrimping, but we needed somethings. Thank God for couponing and some great sales at Walgreen's to get us the necessities. We didn't get much but we saved quite a bit. I hope for a larger shopping trip once he is employed again, but for now we will be sticking to mainly freebies or almost freebies. <br />
<br><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDAVVbCVn9ngCrbelPD6Q-INH55_lO7c5QwSFLnCoRbzsSOj4QpdghyghaOwSVj7Bh1T4vfOc3WDm3E04Vmym2XiLR_0EMjf_D0tW8Ncx-XWzQWFRYMkoNk6ii7jTGyda0cClJrAyuV_G/s1600/Walgreens7-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="258" width="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDAVVbCVn9ngCrbelPD6Q-INH55_lO7c5QwSFLnCoRbzsSOj4QpdghyghaOwSVj7Bh1T4vfOc3WDm3E04Vmym2XiLR_0EMjf_D0tW8Ncx-XWzQWFRYMkoNk6ii7jTGyda0cClJrAyuV_G/s320/Walgreens7-30.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I did two transactions yesterday at Walgreen's to roll my Register Rewards (RR) to try to keep my Out Of Pocket (OOP) down. My first transaction was the two packages of Cottonelle toilet paper. These were $5.00 each with $3.50 RR if you bought two. There was also a coupon in the Aug Walgreen's monthly coupon book, and I had two $.75/1 manufacturer coupons. So this transaction looked like this:<br><br />
2 x $5.00 = $10.00<br><br />
2 x $1.00 WAGS coupon + 2 x $.75/1 manu. coupon = $3.50 off<br><br />
$6.50 OOP before tax with $3.50 RR<br><br />
Transaction two was Good barrettes that were on sale for $2.00 with $2.00RR, two Old Spice Trial Size Deodorants, one Old Spice Body Spray, two packs of Schick Xtreme3 disposable razors. I had some great coupons on this transaction. The Old Spice Trial Deodorants I had a $1.00/2 and I had a great Buy One Item Get a Body Spray Free coupon. The Schick razors were Buy One Get One 50% and I had two $3.00/1 coupons. I might have held off on these because I misread the sale and thought it was BOGO free, but they were still pretty cheap. Here is the math:<br><br />
Barettes $2.00 OOP<br><br />
Old Spice Deodorants: 2 x $.99 = $1.98 - $1.00/2 coupon = $.98 total OOP and got the spray for free, it was $4.99.<br><br />
Schick Razors 2 x $7.99 = $15.98 - $4.00 for BOGO = $11.98 - 2 x $3.00 coupons = $5.98 OOP<br><br />
I used the RR from Transaction 1 which was another $3.50 off the transaction so total OOP was $5.46 and I got $2.00RR. <br><br><br />
Total cost for both transactions were $11.96 and total saved $23.98 and I still have $2.00 RR. That is a savings of 68%. It was a great trip. I had some other items I was hoping to get, but our Walgreen's clears out fast down here. I don't know if it is one person shelf clearing, or lots of people getting the deals. <br><br />
<center><h2>Gifts From The Mail Man</h2></center><br />
I got a couple great things in the mail too. I got a coupon for a free juice and a coupon for a free Herbal Essences item. Hopefully more to come.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiPrHSvFm-4iozj8jmBNfvvHyTcYOA1lItozbn5Ainx0uhtmIErDAKuklfpZrXrTCBzqE6qiObXRspQLF7k7k0IG5Tf__KDI58w-nv5Ciyc4BWRvkxVirjAt0Mnq2g6ofPYnAzSej-lKM/s1600/Walgreen%2527s+7-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiPrHSvFm-4iozj8jmBNfvvHyTcYOA1lItozbn5Ainx0uhtmIErDAKuklfpZrXrTCBzqE6qiObXRspQLF7k7k0IG5Tf__KDI58w-nv5Ciyc4BWRvkxVirjAt0Mnq2g6ofPYnAzSej-lKM/s320/Walgreen%2527s+7-24.jpg" /></a></div>I split this trip into three transactions, but before I get into detail about the specific transactions I wanted to let you in on my secret to setting up my shopping trips. I finally have a system that makes it easy for me to decide what to buy and work until I get the lowest OOP I can. Flashcards! That has been my savior. I go through my favorite matchup blogs and decide which deals I want for my trip and print the list. Then I make some small flashcards. I put the product, OOP, and RR if there are any. Then I lay them out and arrange them until I get the best costs I can find. This has really helped me see the difference when you use multiple transactions and roll your RR. <br><br><br />
Now to the nitty gritty:<br><center><br />
<h3>Transaction #1</h3><br></center><br />
Scunci 18 ct on sale 2/$3.00 with $3.00 RR.<br><br />
I bought 2 and they were basically FREE.<br><br />
OOP(excluding tax):$3.00 RR received:$3.00<br />
<br><br />
<center><h3>Transaction #2</h3><br></center><br />
Irish Spring Body Wash and Deodorant on sale 2/$6.00 with $4.00RR.<br><br />
There were many sites that said there was a coupon in todays paper, but I couldn't find it. These still were a pretty good deal.<br><br />
Crest 3D White Toothpaste on sale 2/$4.98 with $3.00RR.<br><br />
There were quite a few coupons you could use with this deal, but I had two $.75/1 toothpaste coupons. <br><br />
Scotch Brand Magic Tape $1.99 BOGO Free.<br><br />
I bought 4 of these and had 4 $1.00/1 coupons making these FREE.<br><br />
OOP(excluding tax using $3.00RR from Transaction #1):$6.46 RR received: $3.00 and $4.00<br><br />
<center><h3>Transaction #3</h3><br></center><br />
HOT DEAL: I hadn't seen this anywhere on a blog yet, so I want to share. I had a coupon for buy one Old Spice Fresh product get a free Body spray. I think it came from the last P&G insert, but I am not 100% sure. There was no verbage about price being less or excludes trial size. I found the Old Spice Fresh Trial Deodorant for $.99 and got the Old Spice Fresh Body Spray $4.99 for FREE!!<br><br />
Huggies wipes on sale for $2.49.<br><br />
There was a coupon in the July WAGS coupon book for $1.00/1 and I had manufacturer coupons for $.50/1 that I stacked so I got them for $.99. I bought 2.<br><br />
Gain Powder Laundry Detergent 40 load on sale for $4.99<br><br />
I bought 2 of these and used 2 $2.00/1 making them $2.99 each.<br><br />
Hunts Tomato Sauce were $.99 original price, in ad coupon $.33 limit 3. I bought 3.<br><br />
Mini Composition Notebooks were $.49 original price, in ad coupon for $.19 limit 3. I bought 3.<br><br />
Barbasol Shaving Creme was $1.79 original price, in ad coupon $.99. I bought 1.<br><br />
My daughter had to have gum and Orbits was on sale 3/$2.00 so we got 3.<br><br />
My husband needed Chapstick and got it on sale for $.99.<br><br />
OOP (excluding tax using $3.00 and $4.00 RR from Transaction #2) $7.50 No RR received.<br><br />
This was by far my best trip to Walgreens and would have been better if I hadn't given in to my hubby on a couple items and my daughter as well. Very successful trip!!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br><br />
I won't list out my whole purchase because I did get a few things that were not on sale, but I will show you my best buys. The total information for Albertson's was we spent $108.44, saved $92.83, brought home $5.00 off our next purchase, and two coupons for free gallon of milk.<br><br />
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I had a few things that were great buys. London broil was kind of expensive at $17.00, but it was buy one get one free. They were huge so I figure I can probably get about four meals out of the two we bought. GM cereal was on sale 4/$10.00 and I had two coupons for $1.00/2 and used two TTV coupons. This made four boxes of cereal for $6.00. I got four boxes of Ronzoni Garden Delight pasta for free with coupons. There was a list of items if you buy 10 you save $5.00. It was called spotlight for savings. I purchased 5 cans of Hunt's tomatoes, 3 bottles of Hunt's BBQ sauce, and 2 boxes of Act II popcorn to take advantage of that deal. I also had coupons for the popcorn. I used all my TTV coupons for $1.00 off coupons. Although it wasn't for pennies I feel like I did well.<br><br><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmynZXoX0yZ-kTQXhKjqzDfRdtJqcUd3MIMabLCTABQYE2rcTWlCe7EUTgJmf6c-QYalTn_-0D1L3PSZvhjiCIMZFUpE6Wvx-LhDlPRpE0bI4gMBK9XOVDNW-KR7aOr2PbI3mMY-cdsGx/s1600/Walmart7-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmynZXoX0yZ-kTQXhKjqzDfRdtJqcUd3MIMabLCTABQYE2rcTWlCe7EUTgJmf6c-QYalTn_-0D1L3PSZvhjiCIMZFUpE6Wvx-LhDlPRpE0bI4gMBK9XOVDNW-KR7aOr2PbI3mMY-cdsGx/s320/Walmart7-18.jpg" /></a></div><h2>Walmart</h2><br><br />
I had really hoped for better savings during my WalMart shopping, but because the Red Plum coupon booklet is not delivered around here I am missing some of the coupons. I am still pondering whether to order it from ebay, or just wing it. I am thinking order! I only bought one thing that I did not have a coupon for and it was so stinking cute I couldn't say no when my son saw it. He is a bit of a bobble head and seems to constantly run his head into things, so it should come in handly. I cuter than heck little Spongebob ice pack. It was only $2.94. <br><br>Everything else in the picture I had coupons for. The dog treats were $2.12 and I had a $1.00/1 coupon for each of them. The bigger dog treats in front were $2.98 and I had a $1.00/1 coupon for those as well. I was looking for the smaller bottles of Frank's hot sauce that were supposed to be on sale for $.98 but couldn't find them. The two I got were $1.98 and I had a $.50/1 coupon for each. The Gillette Razor was a great buy. I had already bought WalMart out of the kits for $4.97 and I saw these Seattle Mariner ones for $6.00. I had a $4.00/1 coupon. Dial lotion was $1.97 and I had a coupon for $1.00/1. Flintstone vitamins $5.98 coupon for $3.00/1. The little body washes were $.97 each, and I had 3 coupons for $1.00/2. I bought six of them. The travel first aid kits were also $.97 and I had a coupon for $1.50/2. The benedryl anti-itch pen was $2.38 and I had a coupon for $2.00/1 making it only $.38! This rounded out my shopping day. I spent $23.28 on $40.78 worth of items.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=labbei-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000W6JUPS&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align:left;padding-top:5px;width:131px;height:245px;padding-right:10px;"align="left" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<br><br />
I did take advantage of a great sale on corn for a bbq with my neighbor tomorrow. It is on sale 5/$1.00. Lucky for me since I needed 15 ears. I also used my $.75/2 coupons from last Sunday's paper on ScotchBrite sponges. They are $.84 each. I bought 8 of them. I also found Gillette Shaving Kits on clearance for $4.97 and a special edition Gillette Seattle Mariners Razor kit on clearance for $6.00. I had coupons for $4.00/1. I got them for $.97 and $2.00. <br><br />
<br><br />
My total purchase including 15 ears of corn, 8 sponges, one Gillete Shaving Kit, and one Seattle Mariners Gillette Razor was $11.02. Not bad for a short little run into WalMart. <br><br />
<br>Have a good night!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3f-9N9DCxgH0YIHt6s_4Oq2ggxKZDzsTIHIhlwB0QsMOZJLePCk0meNHfapDJnK5vFTc-LecvoL-y5pD-IYK8A9xcgBHFOl89UhBfHzve_lSdHBC6x0DSPP5buECdvl7WsahsGkv1ywq/s1600/2011-07-13+21.02.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3f-9N9DCxgH0YIHt6s_4Oq2ggxKZDzsTIHIhlwB0QsMOZJLePCk0meNHfapDJnK5vFTc-LecvoL-y5pD-IYK8A9xcgBHFOl89UhBfHzve_lSdHBC6x0DSPP5buECdvl7WsahsGkv1ywq/s320/2011-07-13+21.02.37.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Here is my break down: <br />
<br />
<h3>Transaction #1</h3>I started with the Garnier Fructis 4/$14.00 deal that gave $4.00 in Register Rewards. I had originally intended to start with the Infusium 21 deal that was similar but they were already out. I had two $1.00/1 coupons for shampoo and conditioner and 2 $1.00/1 styling aid coupons. I used them all and got 4/$10.00 with $4.00 RR. The other item I bought in this transaction was a first for me. I have gotten plenty of things free when you account for Register Rewards or similar programs, I had never gotten anything just plain free from a coupon....until today! I found Crest Toothpaste on the clearance rack for $.75 and I had a $.75 off coupon. It was FREE!! My total for transaction #1 was $10.96 with a return of $4.00 RR and a $10.00 off $25.00 or more at Fashion Bug. Total savings listed at $9.25.<br><br />
<br><br />
<h3>Transaction #2</h3>I plan to repeat part of this transaction next week too since I got another catalina the same as I had. I started with the Playtex Tampon 18ct which were on sale for $3.99. I had a manufacturer coupon for $2.50/2 and a walgreens catalina for $2.00/2 (which printed again after I bought these). This made total sale price $7.98 minus $4.50 in coupons equalling $3.48. I also bought the GUM Toothbrushes. I got the Micro 2 pack for $1.00 and got $2.00 Register Rewards. I applied my $4.00 RR to the total which was $4.48 making my subtotal $.48, and my total $1.07 with $3.00 RR, the $2.00/2 Playtex catalina,and another Fashion bug as well. Total savings showed at $14.09.<br><br />
<br><br />
<h3>Total it up</h3>My total out of pocket cost for both transactions was $12.03, total savings was $23.34, plus I have $3.00 RR, and some great coupons for next time. <br><br />
<br><br />
<h3>Gifts from the Mail Man</h3>Also, shown in the picture is what I received in the mail this week which was a bible study DVD set. I haven't really checked it out much yet, but I will let you know how it is!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<center><h1>7-1-11 Walgreens and Rite Aid</h1><br><br />
</center><br />
So today I hit Walgreens and Rite Aid. I recently purchased a coupon binder full of coupons so I have a few more and I have been buying double copies of the Sunday papers to stock up Online coupons have been a great asset as well. I have a couple of blogs I follow pretty regularly. They are my favorites. <a href=http://thekrazycouponlady.com/>The Krazy Coupon Lady</a>, <a href=http://www.supercouponlady.com/>Super Coupon Lady</a>, and <a href=http://spendwithpennies.blogspot.com/>Spend With Pennies</a> are my faves. I check them regularly. I have most of them on my <a href=http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hannoah-Savings/212214312148709>facebook</a>.<br><br />
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<h2>Walgreens</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dWF2o66TSrO0epe0PPLx-XHjFIlzP6YjoNC3krdCmy0b5pWUo-CabHJ_hFtf35Hp9cw1DjM6kahSFSPQxh1CJ7FrcEplfRJ3Mv-kyYTfJyhEsXxsKVAm51kTvdq7c6kWXGkNuXq4VA08/s1600/Walgreen7-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dWF2o66TSrO0epe0PPLx-XHjFIlzP6YjoNC3krdCmy0b5pWUo-CabHJ_hFtf35Hp9cw1DjM6kahSFSPQxh1CJ7FrcEplfRJ3Mv-kyYTfJyhEsXxsKVAm51kTvdq7c6kWXGkNuXq4VA08/s320/Walgreen7-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So the total on my Walgreens shopping trip today was $23.79 OOP with a savings of $37.45. I did two transactions, the first to build up some Register Rewards and the second to spend them :). <br><br> My first transaction was the Twizzlers, which were on sale for 2/$3.00 with $1.00 RR and I had a coupon for $.50 off; the Intuition Razer Refill 3ct,which was on sale for $8.99 with $3.00RR and I had a $2.00 off coupon; the Johnson Baby Care wash and detangler were on sale 2/$6.00 with $1.00 RR; and finally the Reach Toothbrush which was on sale for $2.99 with $2.00 RR. Total for this first transaction was $19.85 and it gave me $7.00 in Register Rewards for Transaction #2.<br><br />
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Transaction #2 consisted of: 2 cans Blue Diamond Almonds on sale Buy one for $3.59 Get one Free and I had a coupon for $.60 off 2; Curad bandages for $.99 with a $.50 off coupon (I wanted two, but there was only one pack left); Tylenol Precise Pain Creme was on sale for $7.99 and I used a $5.00 off coupon and a $3.00 off coupon making it FREE; Pantene Shampoo and Conditioner was Buy One for $4.99 Get one 50% off and I had a save $3.00 on two; then I had to buy 3 carmels and a sucker for filler to use my RR. The total on this after the RR was $3.94.<br><br />
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<h2>Rite Aid</h2></center><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyQDpF0VXKV3zDufgQ0GjmW2wwd-qhRaPjTyo0HVPCd5LjVpy7vPuzefPIDIy-OghYN5enAvlur2n8R9Uy17BW8cApmqbVeivHhGeH34QLKL61Tf0vAMRTnB4HEC51NASGYb9sF48MCo4/s1600/Rite+Aid+7-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyQDpF0VXKV3zDufgQ0GjmW2wwd-qhRaPjTyo0HVPCd5LjVpy7vPuzefPIDIy-OghYN5enAvlur2n8R9Uy17BW8cApmqbVeivHhGeH34QLKL61Tf0vAMRTnB4HEC51NASGYb9sF48MCo4/s320/Rite+Aid+7-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Rite Aid was a smaller trip for a few near free items. It was a lot higher percentage of savings though. I did two transactions which together cost me $6.09 and saved me $32.25. I had a couple free items and a great money maker on this one.<br><br><br />
Transaction #1 was only two items, but it made me the most in +UP Rewards. I bought Veet Caring touch Creme Kit for $5.99 (I could have saved more if I had gotten the facial waxing strips but those are just scary) and used a $3.00 off and a $2.00 off coupons and got $1.00 +UP reward which made this FREE; then I bought sunglasses. The way this worked was all sunglasses were on sale Buy One get One 50% off. They carry two brands and if you watch the videos at <a href=www.riteaid.com>riteaid.com</a> you can get a $5.00 off coupon for each of them. The kids glasses were $7.99 and $6.99. You also got $5.00 +UP rewards when you buy two. This ends up being a $3.51 money maker. The total for that first transaction was $3.61 with savings of $18.50 and $6.00 +UP rewards.<br><br><br />
Transaction #2 was a little more than I had hoped because they were out of the cereal I wanted so I settled for Cookie Crisp which was $4.49 and I had $.75 off coupon; I got Coppertone Sun Screen on sale for $8.99 and I used a $1.00 off coupon from another video, $2.00 off, and another $2.00 off coupon, making total for the sunscreen $3.99. I used my $6.00 +up rewards and another $1.00 purchase from the videos to make the total $2.48 with savings of $13.75.<br><br><br />
All in all a great shopping day.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6MEd4IItySNuMJMBw7AWqmJqjd9AJkMgR-pgsp1tqDV1hdmHd07DtRdO0tCQ4IY4KTeRjbpwT1yc9YJnXUbmjbdAOEl0tzlQvB8hJc68E8jnvpjKmgX3MKtn5kD96hKlTn4zXNlhdc1M/s1600/2010-05-23+11.38.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6MEd4IItySNuMJMBw7AWqmJqjd9AJkMgR-pgsp1tqDV1hdmHd07DtRdO0tCQ4IY4KTeRjbpwT1yc9YJnXUbmjbdAOEl0tzlQvB8hJc68E8jnvpjKmgX3MKtn5kD96hKlTn4zXNlhdc1M/s320/2010-05-23+11.38.51.jpg" /></a></div> I remember my grandma saying it only took 1 yard of fabric. I am sure now, that I making that up in my head, but it worked for me. I actually bought 1 1/2 yds, but ended up with quite a bit left over. The idea is simple. Cut a square of fabric. I used a 30 inch square for my daughter, but you certainly could go larger if needed. A thirty inch square made the ties around the top about 42 inches around. After you have cut the square of fabric, you will need to cut it diagonally in half. This should give you two right triangles. Using the 90 degree angled corner of each overlap them. I overlapped by three inches and that seemed perfect.<br />
So if you are understanding my directions you should have two triangles with right angles overlapping forming a diamond. My diamond had three inch sides. I took a small zig zag stitch and stitched them together. Make sure that you stitch both sides, and that both pieces of fabric are facing the same way. Either both right side up or both right side down. This forms the crotch of the suit. I also hemmed about 1/2 inch on the long sides of the triangles which become the ties. On one of the long sides I found the center and went out four inches and attached one 14 inch long strap to go over her head. This worked, but I think I may have to adjust it in just a tad bit.<br />
To wear the suit, take one long edge of a triangle and tie it around your chest. If you attach a strap of some sort, start with that. Feed the rest of the suit between your legs and pull the other triangle up behind you. Take the remaining long side and tie it around your waist. There is your suit.<br />
What I loved about this is that it really easy an easy suit to make and the materials only cost me $7.00. Have fun and don't forget your sunscreen!!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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A few things of note have happened in the last two weeks. The first and most important is my husband got a job at a local prison. We are trying to prepare for the change as much as we can. He has to go to a POST academy in Boise which is about 6 hours away for five weeks. This couldn't have come at a worse time really. I am so happy for him, but my brother is coming home from Afghanistan and we have a big family get together planned for about 5 weeks from now. My dreads is that my husband's graduation and my brother's homecoming will be the same weekend. We'll know more on May 24th, when my hubby goes for orientation. I guess no point in stressing before that, even though my mother-in-law has already started the guilt trip.<br />
The second thing is that the sickness in my house has been spreading like wildfire. It's all my fault. I got strep throat, went to the doctor, got my antibiotics, got over it. I also gave it to my hubby, not to bad, but enough for him to feel cruddy. Then my daughter pops up with this crazy rash all over her body. I take her to the doc and he says that she has scarlet fever, probably from my having strep. Good gravy, what a wreck she was. Itching all over, we basically bathed her in calamine lotion twice daily and a round of antibiotics for her. Then from me taking antibiotics and my son breast feeding he got thrush. I took him to the doc to get that checked and the doc finds that he also has double ear infections. Nothing better for thrush than another damned round of antibiotics. So now he is on antibiotics and thrush medication and I have to use the thrush medication on my breasts to make sure this nastiness doesn't come full circle. I just hate that my baby is sick again.<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=labbei-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000YE282A&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
Which brings me to the title of this blog. What did I do wrong with this baby? He seems sick a lot. It just kills me. When I was young and stupid and pregnant with my first baby I smoked the whole time, I ate like a hog, I didn't exercise, I drank soda all day long, and delivered a healthy baby girl naturally with no problems. I didn't have the support I needed to keep breast feeding so I quit after three weeks. I continued to smoke and she still was pretty darned healthy. It seems like against all odds she was healthy. Now I am smart enough to know that I was lucky. I have seen people lose babies and have sick babies and I know that I shouldn't press the odds. I decided with this next baby, I was doing it right.<br />
I quit smoking, I ate healthy, I quit drinking soda and switched to decaf tea. I tried to exercise a little when I could. I tried to do everything right. I ended up with a c-section because his heart rate was dropping. Jaundice for the first week. We have fought ear infections, RSV with bronchiolitis, thrush, and numerous colds that seem to come with his teeth. I am still breast feeding and can proudly say my son has never had formula. I try to still eat healthy for him. I take my vitamins every day. What am I doing wrong? Is this karma for taking chances with my daughter? Since I have been a stay at home mom and he was breastfed, it really makes me think I am doing something wrong. It is so frustrating when someone says to me, oh no..your baby is sick again. I thought breastfed babies didn't get sick this often. Yeah! Me too. I truly hope this is not my fault and I am not doing something wrong. I would assume that if there was real reason for concern my doctor would let me know, but it still gets me feeling like he is suffering because of me.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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This year my mother-in-law and I have decided to take it up a notch and really share our love with everyone around us. Our church had a large lot behind it that was going unused. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church graciously helped us plow the land and make a community garden. This isn't just a garden for the community to enjoy, it is split into plots that the community can sign up to plant. There are almost thirty plots now, and room for many more if needed. We came together as a church to give everyone the chance to have a garden. We have already had four people claim plots to grow in. The church youth are also going to man a plot to donate the food to the local food bank. We have a thieves plot if someone needs to steal a bite as well. We are so excited about this project. We really hope the community gets involved. If you live in the Lewiston Idaho area you should definitely come by and get a plot. "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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I go to my daughters school everyday to help them with a great class project. Everyday the students take home a "baggie book". These are a collection of books that the teacher has available for the kids to chose. They take one book and put it in their baggie, a gallon ziploc with their name on it. They take the books home and read them for 20min. They have a slip to be signed by a parent and returned. If the kids return their book with the slip signed, they get a "purple paw". These paws can be traded for prizes when they have saved enough. They also have some contests to see how fast they can get to 500 as a class, and they had a competition to see which second grade class could get the most in a month. <br />
I think this is a great program to get these kids reading. I make them treats for hitting goals. I love being able to encourage their reading and growing. <br />
My big part in this process is that I am the "bag lady". I go in every day and record who has returned their book and give them their purple paws and a new slip for the next day. Even though this is just a little thing, it saves the teachers about 30 min. a day that they can use to teach and do their work. Every little bit helps. I am glad that even doing something small like this is helping the entire grade. <br />
The other great part of this is I get to take my son with me. We stroller over every day and he sits with me in the classroom. The children all love him. He sits and listens to them sing and read. It is great socialization and my daughters teacher thinks that the kids learning to ignore a small distraction is good for them.<br />
It has really been a great way for me to get out of the house everyday. It has been so amazing to think of my sons growing through this time. When we started going to school back in August, he was only 2 months old. When the school year is over in 35 days, he will be 10 months old. He has been amazingly patient and sits while I work. It has been a truly fun experience and I hope that they will let us do it next year as well. <br />
I encourage anyone with small children to see what you can do with them. I know it is hard to leave them, and I am surprised to see the opportunities that will let you bring them with. I volunteer at the school, I am part of our church group and bring him with me to that. Make sure that you ask about opportunities that you want and see if they will accommodate you and your child.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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For those of you who aren't familiar with the Lutheran church, it is quite similar to the Catholic church in that it is very formal, scripted, and steeped in tradition. The only problem with this is I don't know the traditions. Where is the Lutheran hand book? Our congregation is mostly made up of older people who have been doing this a long time, but how can we bring in new members if we don't let them know what is going on? So, I wanted to take a moment and let you know some of the things I learned this week, and other things I found online. Feel free to comment on things that you think people should know about your church.<br />
<ul><li>Lent..this starts on Ash Wednesday and lasts until Easter. Many of you have heard of giving things up for lent. Though the Lutheran church doesn't require it, many of us did give things up. The things I didn't know about this was, Sundays are typically not counted because Sundays represent the resurrection. There are 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter if you don't count Sundays. We give something up to represent what Christ gave for us. </li>
<li>Holy Week. This is the last week of Lent. There are a few days that I knew about during holy week and few that I had no idea on. These are the big days to know. Palm Sunday is the day that Jesus came to Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday which is the day that we celebrate the seder meal. Good Friday the day that Jesus was arrested and crucified. Easter Sunday the day of his resurrection.</li>
<li>Maundy Thursday our church held a seder meal. This is not just your average little dinner party. This is a commemoration of the passover meal. </li>
<li>Typically there is a Good Friday service, what no one told me is it is the equivalent of a funeral. While most people were respectfully wearing black, I had no idea.</li>
<li>Easter at our church there is a cross to decorate with flowers, but I have heard that it is very common to bring Easter Lillies or flowers of some sort to this occasion.</li>
<li>Communion was something new to me as well and our church takes communion twice a month. When I first started attending the church, I was not allowed to take communion. I am thinking this is pretty judgmental of the church. Then I took my adult confirmation class and learned the importance of what communion symbolizes. </li>
</ul>As I learn more I will try to share, but I really think that churches should remember that some people are very new to their church and make sure that everyone knows what is happening and the symbolism behind it. Share your story with us as well!!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some of the holy week information take from http://www.kencollins.com/ and is copyrighted by him. There is a lot of information on his website if you have other questions about religion. </span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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Next first, he actually succeeded in pulling himself up to standing. He now does it on anything that doesn't move when he grabs onto it. We had a family meeting to put our new safety height at 3 feet. Nothing dangerous below that altitude allowed at our home.<br />
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Our third first for my little man is solid food. He ate his first cracker/cookie thing. He loves them and actually chews really well. He is learning to feed himself small cereal puffs and really wants control of that spoon. He is so strong. At least so far we have avoided choking. It takes an eagle eye since he thinks sticking the food in his mouth is much funner than chewing it and swallowing it. I had to dig a couple pieces out to avoid a traffic jam in the throat.<br />
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I had my first fill in as coach experience for my daughter's soccer game. The coach, assistant coach, and fill in for the assistant coach were all out of town and we had no coach when we got to the field. As the players wandered aimlessly and parents gazed around for someone to lead, I stepped up. We did fine, but parents at these things stink. I stepped forward so our kids could play, I didn't sign up for this, but volunteered to take on something that no one wanted to do, but no one was short of advice or complaints when they weren't in the drivers seat. It was ridiculous. There were some parents who thanked me profusely because their child got to play and I was fair about it and they wouldn't have wanted to be in my spot, but I was amazed at those who thought they should backseat drive.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvRWQ-pB688R76c3UsaCtg3HziEOC5K4EmRJ_HuNlSMFgfRG_edXp6SJ63eI2dTMWkfFhCE9-utgAHQLxyV999wjkNmaePWNfZtsnStHrwvM2og4rtIdzI-OC4VkRXL4hZOB_qIZftxwC/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvRWQ-pB688R76c3UsaCtg3HziEOC5K4EmRJ_HuNlSMFgfRG_edXp6SJ63eI2dTMWkfFhCE9-utgAHQLxyV999wjkNmaePWNfZtsnStHrwvM2og4rtIdzI-OC4VkRXL4hZOB_qIZftxwC/s320/019.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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I also found the courage to leave my baby at home with Daddy so I could go to the gym. I have been very uneasy about this because I am breast feeding and baby won't take a bottle. He is finally eating enough solid food and drinking out of a sippy cup so I thought that I could take an hour. It was hard for me, but very rewarding to have some alone time and get back in the gym. Daddy handled everything perfectly and everyone was safe and happy when I returned home.<br />
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That is all the first for this week. I am sure there will be more coming soon. I have some great art projects coming up with my daughter and company tomorrow so I will probably pull out a new recipe. I'll let you know.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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Now we are learning together how to play. I couldn't be more proud. She is really dedicated and picking up the skills quickly. She is a very loud outgoing girl. I thought she would be all over soccer, and she is, in an odd timid sort of way. She attacks everything in her life, except the soccer ball. We spent the whole first game on Saturday cheering our heads off and yelling at her to take the ball. It was so great to see the support coming from her dad, me, and grandma and papa who came to watch too.<br />
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This undertaking has not, however, come without frustrations. Her team was very close to not having a coach, or more likely having a coach (me) who didn't know what in the world was going on. They got a last minute volunteer and they are off. We got a bit of a late start and we definitely need some practice, but we will get there. The key to this is going to be organization and we need to work on that a little, but I think it will all come. <br />
The neatest thing I have observed in this is how dedicated people can be to kids. I am not talking about their own kids, but all kids, other peoples kids, random kids they don't know. The wonderful volunteers who coach these teams are amazing. I watched a larger than average man jump up and down cheering on his little second graders. I watched him high five every player that came off the field. I watched him take his whole team down on one knee when one little girl fell and got hurt and then all clap her off the field. The lessons that are being taught on that team are the important ones. They are learning sportsmanship, friendship, encouragement, and teamwork.<br />
So I leave you with the reminder when you see these great volunteers helping our future leaders these important skills make sure you say thank you and shake their hand. It really is a great service they are doing us all. <div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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A nebulizer is a small machine that takes liquid medicine mixed with saline and makes it into a mist that can be easily inhaled. The machine is very loud and requires the user to wear a mask or use a mouth piece. My little one is to small to keep something in his mouth, unless it doesn't belong there, so we had to go with the mask.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzE1utoWPAaunmpHkF1bXeuphqj6mXaC_3ARHOcK4gBCPKyqeCXG67b6ETiQ-gfjiEakNT-FpNzjfBtYf_tu3QpMznu-Vwejzc1d4oXfkMgvup_veb11z0J4tgbUAWjxfgq83jlHfv7BbJ/s1600-h/nebulizer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzE1utoWPAaunmpHkF1bXeuphqj6mXaC_3ARHOcK4gBCPKyqeCXG67b6ETiQ-gfjiEakNT-FpNzjfBtYf_tu3QpMznu-Vwejzc1d4oXfkMgvup_veb11z0J4tgbUAWjxfgq83jlHfv7BbJ/s320/nebulizer.jpg" /></a></div>As you can see, it is a very fashion forward purple dinosaur mask, but not enough to make him enjoy the 5-7 minutes it has to be on his face. The first treatment he cried the whole time and wouldn't wear the mask at all. I held it as close as I could. After about the third treatment he is okay with the mask being on, but only if I hold his hands and let him rock back and forth like a mad man. I will have triceps like you have never seen, good bye flabby arm fat. This has been our life for the last six days.<br />
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I have been a nervous wreck, sat up for hours listening to him breath, and prayed for him to get better. I have never seen my happy baby boy be so lethargic and just sick. He was pale, slept all the time (except at night). He looked miserable and no amount of mommy love could make him feel better. I have never felt so helpless in all my life. He clung to me every minute of everyday. Thank God I am a stay at home mom, or I would have been fired. He needed me more than anything this week. <br />
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Today he is showing signs of life again. He was into the middle of everything today. I had to move him away from the WII three times in 5 minutes which is almost up to normal speed. He is laughing a little and talking a little, but gets tired very quickly. I am glad we are almost through this and things seem to be returning to normal.<br />
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All of this brings me to the name of this post. I wanted to take a second to just give a great big hug and supportive arm to moms of children who are really sick. I struggled with a breathing machine for 9 days, but there are moms that have to use that machine every day for years. There are moms holding their babies' hands as they have surgeries and chemotherapy, and to them go my heartfelt respect. My heart goes out to any mom who has had to see their little ones be sick, because it sucks for all of us, but it truly goes out to the moms who see it day in and day out and never give up and always smile and still teach their children to be good people. My sister-in-law has Cystic Fibrosis, CF for short. My mother in law was one of those mom's who gave treatments and pounded on her daughter everyday for years. They spent weeks in the hospital three hours away and when things really turned bad watched her fight to breath for about a year before she received a double lung transplant. The whole time knowing her daughter had a better chance of dying than living, she kept at it. My hats off to those kinds of moms!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWkQD4Mr5XJ44CvXOSDab8-R1ij1GgmjIDboY7Fi62zN_5lRaVChKdclkZjIq71cSGtL04JQnn0jfZ-Eay8_7F4RR0CVg2fAMIUidGW0e_OXSrHwMVV8WRaqcwC__iFI40-FFTiYnTF-p/s1600/mom+cake.com" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWkQD4Mr5XJ44CvXOSDab8-R1ij1GgmjIDboY7Fi62zN_5lRaVChKdclkZjIq71cSGtL04JQnn0jfZ-Eay8_7F4RR0CVg2fAMIUidGW0e_OXSrHwMVV8WRaqcwC__iFI40-FFTiYnTF-p/s320/mom+cake.com" /></a></div>Lets start with the cake. Don't be fooled, this was not my first cake experience. I have an 8 year-old daughter and we have done a Barbie cake, a jewelery box, a butterfly...but never with fondant. It was my first adventure with fondant, but after watching "Ace of Cakes" I was thinking how hard can it be. I found a great recipe with instructions and pictures at <span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/PeggyBakingCorner.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/PeggyBakingCorner.htm</a>.</span><br />
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The cake was just a box mix. It was probably not the best choice, but time constraints with the kids, mainly my son pulling at my pant legs, made it more practical. I started with a large sheet cake. It is two box mixes together and then I used a third to make the hill. I used a Pyrex oven safe measuring cup to bake the hill. I made the hill out of a chocolate cake, and the sheet was confetti cake. I used half the chocolate cake for the hill, and poured the rest on top of the confetti. I took a wooden skewer and swirled it together for a marbled look in the sheet cake. It turned out delicious and pretty. My first challenge was finding a board big enough to hold the sheet cake. I thought my cookie sheet would work, but it was not big enough. I ended up stealing one of my cabinet doors and covering it with foil, I guess I should get that back from her sometime soon. :)<br />
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We easily transferred the cake from the pan to the board because I had generously sprayed the pan down before baking, but then faced the challenge of flipping it back over. My daughter helped me take the cake on the board and line up the original cake pan upside down and flip it onto the outside bottom of the pan. Then I was able to slide it onto the board again. I am sure there was a more efficient way to do this, but it worked. I rounded the edges so it looked nice and curved like hills. This was an over the hill cake after all. I trimmed the top of the hill cake to make it flat and put it in the corner of the sheet cake. I put a little cream frosting between them to hold it in place. Thus begins the saga of the stickiness.<br />
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The recipe I used called <a href="http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MM Fondant</a>.; worked wonderfully and actually tasted good too. Check out the recipe and tips, they were very useful. Pay close attention to the MM, that is where stickiness comes in since MM stands for marshmallow and you could add another M because they are melted. I also checked out the comments and found some common issues that people had and was able to troubleshoot as I went. The only thing that I found super difficult was I needed A LOT of green fondant and I wish I had colored it when it was melted and gooey instead of when it was like kneading clay for 45 minutes. I considered that my workout for the day, and my arms were sore as proof of the burn. I did a rough icing of the cake with creamcheese frosting. I rolled out the fondant after I got it the proper color and layed it gently following Peggy's instructions and keeping my rolling pin close to the cake. I used cornstarch to keep the fondant from sticking to my board and rolling pin. I smoothed it down and cut it using a pizza cutter. It was perfect...and then it tore. The hill cracked and I had no idea how to fix it. My fondant was covered with frosting on the back, there was no taking it back at this point. I think I needed to get it rolled thinner, but I was running out of counter space. Quick thinker that I am, I rolled out a smaller piece and cut out little grass shapes and stuck them on with cream cheese frosting. It covered the tears and looked great. Then I took some of the CC frosting and colored it dark green. I made more grass and it all blended in. Catastrophe averted! Whew! On to decorating...<br />
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I made a nice grey color fondant, cut a path out and draped it down the hill to the edge of the cake. I took a Rice Krispy treat and cut it to the shape of a headstone and covered it with CC frosting and then with gray fondant. I took a resealable bag and reinforced it with a piece of clear tape. I snipped a small tip off and used that to write with pink colored CC frosting.<br />
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I had a few little cracks to cover up on the tombstone, but used green CC frosting and it looked like moss. Overall I pulled it off and really enjoyed it. My mom loved it. Happy Birthday!!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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