Friday, yes, lovely Friday….I decided to skip out of work early to run some errands.  While in Walgreens, waiting for my prescription, I texted my husband to see if they still had that “really nice”  Tahoe on the lot.  He sells cars and this Tahoe had just come in on trade the week before.  He said they still had it and I decided to stop by and look at it.  Look.  See.  Loved it, did not test drive it.  Did not WANT a car payment.  Curious what we could get it for.  Left the dealership. And I swear I am not making this next part up, as soon as I pulled out, my transmission starting acting up.  WTF?  Really?  It’s as if the ‘03 Trailblazer with 130,000 miles on it said, “She finally found another one, I’m gonna die now.”

So, Sunday, Matt told me it was “just the way” I drive.  Oh, really?  He took it around the block.  He put tranny fluid in.  I took it around the block.  I almost died because I really thought I wasn’t going to make it home and had visions of stopping at somebody’s house with the trashiest clothes on and the grossest hair ever.  I made it home.  He put more fluid in, and I made HIM take it out and he said it was getting worse.  I told him I was driving his tuna can (Honda Element) to work until we decided what to do.

Monday morning, he calls and tells me that someone test drove the Tahoe.  We decided to put a deposit down.  And then I hyperventilated and wanted to puke. The harsh reality had set in:  I had to apply for a car loan.  Applying for money is not easy for me.  I have had credit problems in the past and I can’t mentally overcome them, so the absolute fear of rejection is always there in my head even though I have nothing to really worry about.  So I did the walk of shame into our kitchen at work and picked up the phone and dialed my bank.  And, 15 minutes later, I was approved for a car loan.  How does that happen?

And all this time, I have no idea how much this thing is going to cost.  The Tahoe still had to go through the shop and I was still waiting for them to tell me what they were going to give me for a trade.  Just because Matt works there, does not mean that I get priority.  In fact, let’s just say I was steaming on the BACK BURNER.  And that’s what ticked me off so much.  Also, I still had to test drive the thing!  Can’t do that until it gets out of the shop.

Tuesday, it comes out of the shop and I make it over to the dealership to test drive it.  It’s wonderful!  It’s way too luxurious.  It’s red.  It’s gonna come with a payment.  Darn.  Still have no price.  The GM finally gets around to my trade and the shop bill.  We have numbers that are doable and everyone agrees on.  Great! It’s now way too late to get the Purchase Agreement to the bank.  I call them anyway and ask if it’s going to be possible to close on this Wednesday if I get the paperwork over to them in the morning and the guy is doubtful.  Just frickin’ wonderful!

Wednesday, the appropriate paperwork gets to the bank at 11:30 am.  Now, they opened at 9 and it takes them this long to get the Purchase Agreement and Matt works there.  Back Burner, anyone?  I’m almost in tears when I call the bank to see if we can close by the end of the day.  And the woman there is phenomenal!  She totally understood and set it up that afternoon for me.

And now, I am the proud new owner of a 2006 Tahoe with the Z71 Off-Road Package.  Hey, I’m happy, it has a V8, 4 wheel drive and 4 doors.  Everything else is just icing, very expensive icing when it goes and breaks!

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I am going through my weekly circulars tonight and realizing that a lot of things that we use are on sale.  Not just 50 cents off sale, but Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF) and match those with some ass-kickin’ coupons, why you have a SALE.  I am a coupon junkie, I admit it.  And there is a reason why I get four papers a week and this is it.  It’s for sales like this.  Why only use one $4 coupon when you can use two?  Exactly….  My couponing habits and techniques will have to be another post.  So let’s get on with it….

#1 Canned Pumpkin

This stuff is the best!  It will usually clear up a case of loose stools and, on the flip side, will help with constipation.  Don’t ask me how it does this, it just does.  A little dollop on the food will go a long way.  Dogs love it, too.  We haven’t had any turn their noses up at it.  I buy the store brand.  Don’t get the pumpkin pie filling, just plain pumpkin.  It’s usually on the bottom shelf in the baking aisle with the rest of the pie fillings and it’s pretty cheap.

#2 Fish Oil

Stinky fish oil, what would we do without you?  We use this mainly for their coats.  Just two of these a day keeps them shiny!  No need to puncture them, we just throw them right on the food.  You could break them open and squirt it on the food if you like.  Ours don’t have a problem with the pill.  As an added bonus:  Omega Fatty Acids for a healthy heart!

#3 Acidophilus

We have one dog in particular, Brogan, that had the most inconsistent stools with absolutely no dog food change.  I some acidophilus in the house because I had just taken a horrible 2 week course of antibiotics (for streph throat, which I believe is right up there next to death when you’re an adult!) and I decided to start giving him some.  We gave him 1 capsule a day and it took a couple of weeks, but his stools became firmer.  He is the only dog in the kennel on it on a regular basis, but if any of the dogs go on antibiotics, they get started on it also.

#4 Glucosamine

We only give this to our older dogs.  We have two 8 year olds and they are starting to have a tough time getting around.  We give them 2000 mg/day.  They usually come with Vitamin C in them, too.

So, this week Nature’s Bounty and Flex-a-min Glucosamine are all on sale for BOGOF at Walgreens and CVS.  In this past Sunday’s paper, there were $4 coupons for the Flex-a-min.  They run around $20 a bottle, so if you have two coupons, like me, they would cost around $12 for two bottles.  There are also $1 coupons for the Nature’s Bounty vitamins and Sundown vitamins.  The Fish Oil isn’t too bad, around $8-$10 a bottle, so about $7 for both if you have 2 coupons.  Nature’s Bounty also has Acidophilus.  Happy Shopping!

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Brenna-Boo

Ro-ro sleeping in the car

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I noticed yesterday (in between sammy making and reading emails on the ‘berry) that we’re very low on sandwich bags. Usually, no big deal. But let’s go back to the first sentence. I’m trying not to spend more money than we absolutely have to. That means a trip to the grocery store can be disastrous! Even for me, the coupon-clipping, saving-money-mom (because if I don’t, the kids will never go to college and leave my house!) can screw things up and over buy. On food that is on sale and NOT GOOD FOR YOU! Like those Freihoffer cookies that are on sale for Buy 1 Get 2 free every other week. Yep, gotta have those. I even justify it: “They freeze well”. So, I am trying to avoid the grocery stores. I can get our milk at the gas station down the road, but can you imagine what they would charge for sandwich bags if they even carry them at all? Yeah, I don’t even want to know. I casually ask Matt to start saving his bags and he went off on me in the style of “you’re a crazy bitch and you’ve taken this too far”. And honestly, it’s not like I asked him to stop watching re-runs of Buffy because that’s just so 90’s and he needs to grow up. Nope, I just asked for a simple action to be done so my budget on food doesn’t go down the sink. Maybe I took it a little far, but it was, for sure, for the benefit of our wallet.

And now he thinks I’m the crazy lady who saves my sandwich bags. And he’s absolutely correct to think this way. I don’t blame him. I’ve been eyeing some reusable “snack” and “sandwich” bags on Etsy. They go for around $5 each. They are great for the earth and your wallet. And I’ll bet Matt will LOVE that pink one that I plan on buying him!

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The dates for this year’s Punkintown Fair are July 29th through the 31st.  That’s Thursday through Saturday.  Admission is free, but the rides can be pricey!  Much better deal to buy the bracelet for around $20 than pay an average of $3 per ride.  Parking is free also.  It’s just outside of Voorheesville on Rt. 85A across from the Fire Station.  It opens late, around 4 or 5ish.

We are expecting to go on Saturday with my mom and my stepdad.  It’s fun, not really my thing, but Brenna has a blast.  It’s going to be especially hard this year with Rowan because she’s not big enough yet to ride the rides and she’s a little too big for the stroller.  It should be challenging to say the least.

Maybe I’ll get drunk and eat lots of fried dough.  Now that would be a first!  (The drunk part at least…..)  See ya there!

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What is up with the back to school sales so soon?  My goodness, the kids just got out last month!  This is the first year I have noticed it so early, but it’s the second year for Brenna in school.  She will be a big first grader this Fall!  And she needs two, count them, TWO composition notebooks!  For what?  I know she can write, but two composition notebooks worth?  She needs to perfect her p’s and q’s before she tackles that bad boy!  Oh, and by the way, the composition notebooks are/were on sale at Walmart for a quarter.

So here’s my wacked out reading from last week.  Enjoy!

How to Spend Less on Your Pets (Moolanomy Personal Finance)

How to Use a Food Dehydrator to Preserve Your Harvest (Get Rich Slowly)

How to have a completely peaceful car ride with three small kids (Simple Mom) Side Note: I doubt this can be achieved without cramming them all in the trunk!

Lifestyle Deflation? (Fabulously Broke in the City)

Five “To-Do List Managers” Everyone Should Know About (Ms. Career Girl)

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So, each Tuesday, I will let you in on what I’ve been reading and looking at on the ‘net.  Some may bore you, but I’m sure our interests aren’t the same, because, well, that would be boring!  Kind of like Brenna telling me that the sky is Rainbow in her own little world, aptly dubbed “Brennaland”.  We all can’t be the same y’all!

The Ultimate Guide to Gmail- A Handy Resource (Blogging with Amy)

4 Immediate and Simple Steps to Personal Debt Reduction (Moolanomy Personal Finance)

Time Wasters and Their Solutions (Everyday Minimalist)

2010 Federal Income Tax Brackets & IRS Tax Rates (My Two Dollars)

Calendar Chalkboard Vinyl Decals (Etsy)

Yelloware Tumblers, Set of 4 (Etsy)

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It took Brenna about 2 minutes this morning to realize what day it was.  She was just so excited, but when you’re 5 and a half, a trip to the bathroom is exciting, an adventure because you never know what may happen in THAT room.  Matt left yesterday to go to Maryland to the Greater Washington Saint Bernard Club’s Specialty show, so it’s just me, the girls, 4 dogs and 1 cat.  Rowan is just too young and too into herself to realize what a birthday actually is, yet I remember hers explicity, especially the pain I endured on that particular day.  So, I was off to a great start.  I had the morning off from work, I had to go buy cupcakes for myself, and the sun was shining. 

My coworkers brought in all the goodies to make brownie sundaes, which were so yummy, I must say.  Everyone wished me a happy birthday.  And 3 phone conversations later with Matt, still no mention of my birthday.  I even told him I was going out to buy CUPCAKES!!  Clueless!  Yes, because we have frickin’ cupcakes every single night here in the house…..NO!  I finally just came out and said, “Is there anything else you need to say to me today?”  And he paused.  PAUSED!!  Like he had no frickin’ clue.  And then he finally said it.  And he had some lame excuse that went like this:  “I was gonna tell you later.”  Later?  Like, tomorrow?  Next year?  When he got around to it? 

So when one of my lovely coworkers asked me what I was doing tonight, I told her I was going to clean the bathroom and call it a night.  And I think I’m going to forget that tomorrow is our anniversary and cook macaroni and cheese! 

{On a side note, Greta got 2nd in her class both shows.}

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Now on to see if I can fix the sidebars…..if not, it’ll have to wait for the weekend!

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