Harris Teeter Triple Coupons: Results!

May 20, 2011 by Aliesha

I normally am not much of a couponer (I shop at Aldi and think that I get great prices without having to coupon), but when I heard that Harris Teeter was doing a Triple Couponing Event this week (and I was already going into town), I just had to get on board!

The event is May 18-24, so if you haven’t gone yet and want to, here are some sites to check for coupon matchups and all the deals:
–Southern Savers
–Homemaking Mom
–The Coupon Challenge
–Coupon Teacher
–The Deal Scoop

Hope those links are helpful for you! I don’t get the paper, so I relied exclusively on printable coupons (the sites I mentioned above so nicely link up the coupons for you!).

I went to two different Harris Teeters, since the first one was sold-out of several items I really wanted.

At my first stop (pictured above), I spent $4.47, and my coupons totalled $23.96. So, I got almost $30 worth of groceries for under $5. At this stop, I got several items for FREE, including two boxes of family size tea bags, a box of instant coffee singles, and a bottle of garlic powder. I was also excited about the deals I got on coffee creamer ($.22!), salsa ($.50!), and almond milk ($.24!). I think I messed up somewhere and didn’t get as good of a deal on the salad dressing as I was expecting, but it was still less than what I normally pay!

At my second stop (pictured above), I spent $1.86, and used $20.55 in coupons. I was really happy to see the total come in below $2! This trip, I also got some FREE items, including two Greek yogurts, a bottle of honey mustard dipping sauce, a bottle of Worcestershire sauce, two bottles of hot sauce, a bag of shredded cheese, a flavored cottage cheese, a four-pack of cottage cheese. The rice was $.14 and the strawberries were marked down to $.69.

For my first experience triple couponing, I think I did pretty well!

What about you? Have you been to Harris Teeter this week or are you planning on going?

Vera’s Nine Months Old!

May 19, 2011 by Aliesha

a little bit miffed that she had to sit still for a picture

I know I say this every month, but I can’t believe my baby is nine months old today! She is growing like crazy and developing into such a fun little person!

Here are some milestones:
-enjoys eating (bananas, mango, avocado, Cheerios, strawberries, homemade bread, sweet potatoes, hummus, and more)
-is still breastfed
-weighs about 17 lbs.
-has two teeth
-crawls super-fast
-pulls up on anything that holds still long enough
-loves cats
-chases cats
-babbles all the time
-says dada, daddy, mama, mommy, baby, and (I think!) Vera
-drinks water from a sippy cup
-we sign to her (milk, water, more, all done, kitty)
-enjoys books (we read to her, but she also looks through books herself sometimes)
-will put anything in her mouth
-seems to be attracted to the color yellow
-waves “hi” and “bye”
-claps her hands and bounces to music

We’re so thankful for our sweet Vera Boo!

Homeschooling Vision

May 19, 2011 by Aliesha

I was asked recently by a blog reader if we plan on homeschooling. I am also often asked this same question by friends and family members, so I thought I’d do a little post about it!

Short answer… YES! We absolutely plan on homeschooling.

I’ll pause here to give a little word: This post is not meant to offend anyone. I am not offended when I read blogs where they talk about their decision to send their children to public or private schools, and I have many friends and family members who have chosen those routes. I also know many amazing teachers, and I do not intend any offense by discussing our family’s personal decision to homeschool!

For those of you who don’t know, Tad went to a private Christian school K-12th. I went to a private Christian school K-4th and I was homeschooled 5th-12th. (My mom also homeschooled my brothers and is about to finish her 15th year of homeschooling! One more year to go!) Tad and I went to a Christian university, and obviously both come from families who believe strongly in the importance of Christian education!

Before we were married we discussed homeschooling and decided that it would be the way we would go with our family. We continue to talk about it, read about it, and dream about it. We are going to the Home Educators Association of Virginia annual convention this year (I went many times as a teen) and are SO pumped about the workshops and the shopping.

For us (and I believe this is the true spirit of home education), homeschooling does not mean “school at home.” Homeschooling gives freedom that is not offered in a classroom, so why do things exactly the way a school does them? Homeschooling is a way of life, not a curriculum, a schedule, or a stack of workbooks (though it can obviously include these things at times!).

We are excited about teaching our children from birth, and we don’t see a division between “school” and “not school.” All of the opportunities we have throughout the day give us a chance to teach our child (and future children).

We, of course, are still formulating our opinions about different curriculum options, but we already know we will be reading lots of real books! Tad and I both love to read, and we hope to instill that passion in our children as well.

Here are a few links to some great homeschooling articles (some of which I have mentioned before):
–Why Would Anyone Be Crazy Enough to Homeschool?
–Learning Days: Simply Homeschooling
–Why Sacrifice? After All, She’s Just Our Daughter!
–Homeschool Graduates and College: Real Success
–Homeschool 101: Read a Book
–I Try Not to Let School Get in the Way of Learning

I’m sure you’ll hear lots more from me in the future about homeschooling!

If you have children who are not school-aged yet, have you made a decision about their schooling?