Date Night.

It all started Thursday afternoon - AFTER my kids were picked up.

I had to find enough time get clean, and beautiful, and non-mommied because I was having DATE Night with Hubby and Fuschia and RedDaddy.  We were going to and adult restaurant and EVERYTHING!  

For a simple side bar..... You MUST establish a DATE night!  IT doesn't have to be with a fellow blogger or any other couple but, spending time alone with your husband is a MUST!  

So our dates picked us up in the grown-up car. In Rho that means, a 4 seater, non-PopTart, convertible Saab.  At least I think it's a Saab.  We have a glorious dinner complete with a very forgiving and humorous waitress.  Then after her 4th visit about dessert (We were heavy into a conversation regarding the conversation with my daughter.) we make the decision to go to Starbucks and return to The House of Rho for possible game playing and/or more adult conversation. As we exit the adult restaurant, RedDaddy decides to let the convertible top down.  MY first thought?!?!  WHOO HOO!!!

... and off we gooooo!!! (movie reference??!?!)

Note to self #1. Bring a clip for long bangs in the back seat of a convertible at fast speeds. (fast being anything above stop)

Note to self #2.  Be comfortable enough with your back seat buddy to hold her hair out of her face as she holds yours when the boys decide to hit the boost down a big hill.

Note to self #3.  Above ALL things.  Laugh.  It's good for you regardless of your hair.

Can I just say this.... We were laughing soooo hard that the "kids" at Starbucks thought we'd been out for more than dinner!!  

We order our coffee, Me - Super Sweet Grande with extra sugar.  Fuschia - Double shot of energy with double shot of cream and ummm...yeah... shaken not stirred... Please.  

Then we get back into the adult car with coffee.  I don't know if it's because the adult car is sacred or the coffee was sacred but, we gave strict instructions regarding speed limit and no boosts prior to entering the vehicle.  Plus, the ride wasn't very far due to the blessing God bestowed upon me when he built that particular Starbucks.  

Did you know??  If you are holding your coffee AND someone else's coffee you tend to resemble Cousin It in the back of a convertible?  Yeah. It's true.

When we get to the House of Rho we hang out on the couches and laugh.  I'm talking L-A-U-G-H.  Spit your water out of your mouth laugh.  We talked about movies, skits, Talula doing the Hula, kids, world problems, you name it.  It was SOOO much fun!!  Around the time we all started to turn into pumpkins, we parted ways with another date set.... Fuschia and I were meeting at 9. in the morning. for another set of grocery training.

I was up until 1:00 getting my list of 22 products from 3 stores together.  

We met and conquered the 3 stores  we visited.  I still had one more store to do after we split up at 11:30.  Total for the week???

I spent - $76.00

I saved - $35.07

ECBs- $5.00

Now, I need to remind you guys - this was only my second trip with coupons.  I think I'm doing pretty good!!  I even made a MENU.  That's leaps and bounds for this cloud jumper!

Okay.. I need more coffee and I'm taking the kids swimming.  I'd visit Fuschia's blog if you can.  Something tells me we'll have dueling blogs regarding our date when we catch up from our sleep and can manage to get back on track.

Frustrations Abound!

...I tried to do something really proactive.... Unfortunately... I'm a day late and now $1.75 short.

Fuschia and I were talking about her ability to save huge amounts of dollars on grocery day.  I was explaining to her that I needed visual notes and examples to which we unofficially decided a field trip on a predetermined grocery day was in order.  Mind you we didn't discuss which day nor will we until - say- the day before 'cause that's how I think.  Anyways....

So yesterday, I receive a call from Fuschia explaining she's on her way to get the paper.  I think... Smart idea!!...and mentioned what a great idea it was to Hubby and how I thought I should do that too...  Fast Forward to today.  In my brain, because I know this has happened in the past, I know that my local Mart always has extra Sunday papers available on Mondays.  So, after dropping Flash and Monster off at baseball camp (yes, I have another extra child this week.)  Buggy and I head to the Mart for a paper and a broom.  (It's rather wise not to ask why I'm purchasing a broom..it involves children, a trampoline, and more frustrations)  I walk ALL over the Mart with a shopping cart with bad alignment looking for the stink'n paper... NOTHING... EXCEPT today's! 

 So, I go to plan "B"  

I stop at one of the vending machine thingys that sit in a parking lot with 73 other newspapers.  I place my $1.25 in, pull the lever, and get a locked door and .25 cents back.  So, I proceed to place the 3 remaining quarters I have in my hand in the vending machine thingy, pull the lever, and have .50 cents returned.  Gradually, after running through all of my quarters, I figured out that I was going to break the window soon and the cost to fix the window and a possible ticket or arrest far out weighs the cost of a paper and possible coupon savings.  So needless to say, I'm paperless and couponless.  

My guess is that I'll continue to stop at random places today as I remember to in search of the Sunday paper... on Monday.