Mad ME, PM Preschool, Coupon Cutting

Ever since I got back from California, Dave and I have been putting the kids to bed and then sitting up late watching the first season of Mad Men on On Demand.  It's a decent series and really artfully filmed and we've been enjoying it.  And let's face it, there's NOTHING ELSE on TV right now.  Even SYTYCD is off (I was happy that it came down to Josh and Twitch, but I wish Twitch had won in the end)! 

So imagine my horror when last night, after a particularly harrowing bedtime experience with Alex (child needs his butt in bed no later than 8PM and it was after 9 and he was LOSING IT), I went to go play the next episode in all its beautiful High Def glory and it was GONE.  DISAPPEARED.  The only episodes AMC has On Demand right now are the three latest ones from the new season. 

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT?

Seriously.  I need to make an angry phone call (OBVIOUSLY), but who do I call?  The cable company?  AMC?  Someone important needs to hear of my extreme displeasure!

Now I'm going to change the subject, so here's a picture I took of my neighbor's lilies.  Aren't they spectacular?!

I've been chewing on the idea of keeping Alex in afternoon preschool next year.  I enrolled him in the afternoon class only because it was all I could get and he's first on the waiting list for the morning class, which means he will probably get in if I want him to.  The thing is, though, I can drop him off at 1:00 and then put Genoa down for a nap and get three glorious hours all to myself...

To study for the CFP exam.

Woohoo!  But I think that's what I need to do.  The only thing I'm unhappy about is that it means we won't be available for play dates during the week.  AT ALL.  Everyone else will have preschool in the AM and we won't get to see them except for on our one day off each week (which is either Monday or Friday, I'm not sure yet).  But still, I've GOT to study for my test (it's HUGE!) and this way I won't have to burden Carol with babysitting for me almost every day until the end of November.  So I guess I'm really not chewing it over at all, I've already made up my mind.

Also?  Last night I used these:

Anyone who says cutting coupons doesn't work hasn't heard this: last night I saved $26 on my groceries at Fred Meyer.  TWENTY-SIX DOLLARS.  $20 of it was the rewards coupons I get when we spend, what? $700 every 8 weeks (which is a lot easier than you'd expect for me given that Fred Meyer is a two-minute drive from my house) and I saved an additional $2 on my expensive hair goop, $2 on dairy, and $2 on Diet Coke (bringing the 12-pack price down to a cheap $2.50, I bought four).  You just can't beat that!

Comments

[Ashley]

you should so check out moneysavingmom.com, I never had used coupons really but after I started reading her blog and slickdeals.net I am completly addicted, I now have a whole closet full of free stuf and have cut my grocery budget in half!!!

[Jen]

I miss Fred Meyer. I think they are my favorite grocery store. They don't have them here in Florida.

[Astarte]

I just LOVE coupons!!! I love saving, I love the game of hunting out deals, I love looking for them in the paper. Every time I go I save at least $20, which in turn lets me upgrade to organic produce without feeling the pain. Good for you!

I did afternoon prek for a year, and am for another one, and I ended up preferring am b/c I felt like I was trapped in the morning. I couldn't go out and do anything, even shop, because it meant that I would either have to buy lunch out or rush home, make lunch, and then rush right back out for prek. But, I can see what you mean about needing to study, and it sounds like a good idea. Plus, you'll still have playdates; they'll just be with other afternoon kids, and you'll have them in the morning before school instead of afterwards.

[Rhi]

I love Fred Meyer - my new condo is right next to one, so I look forward to shopping there again. There is a Safeway way too close to me now to pass up.

[Pookahs]

For those of us who have tivo and haven't had time to catch up on the last two episodes of SYTYCD, would appreciate a SPOILER ALERT before discussing FINALES! Just FYI, because now I am all disapointed, that I caught something and had to stop reading. And I know it was a week ago, but :(

Kudos on the Coupons though! Saving money is always good.

[Molly]

I am also in love with my FM rewards coupons they are the best.

[Julie]

Love those reward coupons - we get them for King Sooper.

And we've got lilies like those in our front yard! They just keep getting bigger every year - I think we've got 11 blooms. Thanks for reminding me to take a picture of them.