I found this post here at thepolkadotchair.blogspot.com for a super cute Valentines banner. Isn't it absolutely adorable?!? I'm super excited to put my Cricut and Storybook cartridge from Christmas to use! Now to find the time to actually do it.....
I love January and August. Why you might ask? Because this is when the best end of the season sales are! I always have to remind Mike at the beginning of the month that this is what I do: I buy in bulk for the next year when I get stuff for 75% off-just to give him a heads up! So, first off, here is my Old Navy trip. This last weekend they had their clearance an extra 50% off. I didn't realize this until the end of the day, so by the time I finally went it was pretty picked over. BUT I did find some awesome deals for CHEAP! Plus I had an extra 20% off coupon on top of the extra 50% off clearance. Here's what I got:
1 t-shirt for Mike for work $0.80
1 long sleeve shirt for me $1.22
5 puff sleeve t-shirts for me $1.22
2 pairs denim jeans for Connor for next winter $9.00 each (this was my splurge but this was the last of what he needed for next year's clothes)
2 pairs of Christmas PJ's for next year $1.62 each
1 pair shoes for Jake $0.80
1 long sleeve shirt for Jake $1.22
2 pairs sweats for the boys for stay in days $1.41 each
5 pairs triple roll socks for Connor (not pictured because they're already used!) $0.80 each
I also wanted to let you guys know that not only do I stock up on clothes at the end of the season but also toys! Last week Target had a lot of their toys marked down to 75% off (you have to get their right when they open to get the best selection). So, I'm set on toys for the boys' birthdays, some of Christmas, and presents for family and friends' birthdays. I don't have a picture of all the things I got because I had to hide them before Connor saw anything. I saved a total of $422!
So I just wanted to give you guys a heads up to keep your eyes out for great end of the season sales! I know Children's Place will be having their huge sale (I might have already missed it) and keep an eye on clearance! Good luck saving and shopping! :-)
I'm finally done with my advent calendar craft that I started the day after Christmas. Sad, I know. But it took a long time to gather all supplies, cut out all the paper pieces, glue it all together, and then I modge podged everything to make sure it will last for years of wear and tear (hopefully after all the hours I put into it!) This picture doesn't do it justice. I got the idea from a friend and am so excited how it turned out! Now I just have to wait a whole year before I can use it, so off into storage you go!
Christmas Eve we spent at Jonathon's house for a delicious dinner. At the end of the evening Santa showed up to give all the kids candy canes and Elyssa a new puppy for Christmas. Connor was so excited to see Santa! This was perfect to get him excited for Christmas morning!
Jakie riding his new rocket with his blankie
This gun was Mike's present to me. I think Connor enjoyed it the most!
Jake was scared of this toy at first because of all the sounds and lights it made. It took almost the entire day till he warmed up to it!
Connor now has a new obsession. We had to pull him away crying from his train table to eat and for potty breaks. If only I gave this to him sooner.....
Rees trying out our plamsa car (thanks for putting it together for me Rees!). It's not as fast as we thought, but its still fun entertainment for the boys and the adults!
Mike got The Office season 5! YAY! I think I was more excited about this one.
Jakie boy playing with his favorite person
Still playing......
Momma opening presents with Jake
Jake was too cute opening presents. After watching everyone do a couple rounds he figured out that after you open it there's a lot of Ooh's and Aah's and began making his own sound effects. I died laughing watching him.
The boys enjoying the plasma car
I got all the boys and my dad some Air Hogs helicopters at 75% off at the end of summer. They were a big hit. After playing games Saturday night, the boys decided to go for some more flying time at 11pm. Boys.....
What a wonderful Christmas this year filled with fun, family, traditions, and reminders of our Savior!
If you were planning on getting up at 3am this Friday to fight the crowds to get those items on your shopping list, let me give you a piece of advice. Right NOW Amazon is already selling their black friday deals. Some deals are going all day, some deals are at certain hours of the day. I've compared these to other stores deals and they're matching other's low prices! Also, sign up for their Prime Membership for a free 1 month trial (details here http://www.commonsensewithmoney.com/2009/11/update-amazon-free-trial/) to get free 2 day shipping on everything you buy! Plus, this link shows you how to automatically cancel your trial after 1 month, so you don't ever have to worry about being charged for it! There were a couple DVD's I wanted to get at Target, but instead I bought them on Amazon at the same price with free shipping! There was a Toy Story Woody doll I was going to get at Toys R Us' Black Friday, but instead got it on Amazon at their same price with free shipping! Get the idea? Check out the deals here: http://www.amazon.com/b/?ie=UTF8&node=384082011&tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=3451119149&ref=pd_sl_36030tx8xv_e and check every day to see what's on sale! Also, if you haven't heard of CYBER MONDAY, you're missing out! It's the Monday after Thanksgiving and is basically almost all the Black Friday prices but online and most stores have free shipping codes or sales to take advantage of!
Anyways, I just wanted to give some advice for you guys in case you wanted to avoid all the Black Friday madness! I know I'm sleeping in and will join sisters-in-law for breakfast after they fight the crowds! :-)
