Time with Family

We are just back from Minnesota spending precious time with family. Kristy and Chris and the two little girls will be moving soon to the other side of the world as Chris will be heading up a start up of a new 3M company from Singapore.  So this Nana is a little sad, but in the day of global world and technology we will find a way to keep connected.

One can't have a trip to the Como zoo without a treat.  Mahala certainly was enjoying her sucker and became one sticky mess.  But that is what summer and fun is about.

Papa and his boy.  Brody absolutely loves his Papa and I think the feeling is mutual.

Detamara enjoying watching the little nieces and nephew play.

Kristy and Mahala. Our kids do grow up and they become amazing parents. Miss Mahala is soon to be two and one busy little lady.

Brody is now fourteen months and his parents Nathan and Stacey are having fun playing with this patient and cautious little guy.

Doc and Becca enjoying our trip to the zoo.  A beautiful day to spend time at the zoo with Kristy and the girls making precious memories.

I couldn't but not think back to when Jim and I took wee Kristy and Nathan to the Como zoo not too far from our first home.  Two blond little tikes riding in the water boats in the amuzement park after our visiting the animals and seeing Sparky the seal.  Time flies by in the blink of an eye and now we are blessed to be able to take our grandchildren and relive those precious memories.

Inexpensive Alternatives for AG Bitty Baby Doll Wear

Bitty Baby is dressed for Christmas!

With getting American Girl Bitty Babies for wee ones I thought I would post my favorite frugal alternative to paying $26.00 per outfit.

I buy Child of Mine by Carters Preemie Baby Sleepers in the Infant Department at Walmart. Often I will find the sleepers and other preemie wear for as little as $1.00 an sleeper or outfit on clearance. This Christmas Reindeer sleeper is only $7.00 full price.

Little girls will love the cute preemie pink ballet sleepers and appliqued pink pastel monkey sleepers which just came in. Top them off with making dolly headbands with bows for durable doll clothes.

I used a remnant of red bumpy blanket material and lined it with a red Christmas flannel to make Bitty a matching blanket. As soon as I find my hot glue gun the matching set will be finished with a red satin dot headband.

To make a Bitty Baby Blanket

Cut two fabrics 20 inches by 24 inches
Pin right sides together
Using 1/4 inch seam allowance
Begin in the center of one side and stitch around the rectangle, leaving a 4 inch opening.
(I put the slippery bumpy blanket material on the bottom to keep things from slipping)
Clip the corners
Slip and use a point turner or a pin to pull out the corners
Tuck in the seam in the opening and pin
Edge stitch the perimeter with a coordinating color
A Bitty Baby Blanket to match her Preemie Sleeper :)

And Bitty Needs Diapering


Buy a package of Huggies Preemie Diapers for $8.99. Right now they ship for FREE at Babies R Us. If you can find them in the store, use one of the many Huggies coupons to save $$. I used to ration them to make them last.

Can You Believe I Got All This for 77 Cents Including 5 Udis Gluten-Free Baked Goods!

Total Spent: $.77 Total Saved: $67.72










I had FUN this week. I began with rolling a Register Reward at Walgreens and ended up with a FREE Colgate Sensitive Toothpaste (not pictured), 2 Boxes of Contac, 2 Packages of Huggies Diapers. I paid for candy bars to roll the rewards and those are not included.

Then we were off to Hyvee to spend my $30.00 in Catalina shopping rewards for buying General Mills Cereal last week. I bought 6 boxes of cereal x 5 times thru the register for $2.00 each trip and got a $6.00 Catalina each time.

Walgreens: Total: Nothing but including the Royal jello $.60
Total Savings $29.80 (Sale Prices)

Hyvee: 3 Udis Harvest Grain Bread @ $4.88 ($5.99), 2 Udis Muffins @ $5.99, 3 Birds Eye Vegetables $1.25 ($1.79), 2 Gatorade $.50 ($1.25)
Used 5--$6.00 Catalina Shopping Rewards from General Mills Cereal last week's Deals
Total Paid: $.17
Total Savings: Including Sale and Catalina Coupons $37.92

I would never believed that I could be able to get ridiculous expensive Gluten-Free products for nothing until today :)

Becca's Best Movie Deal: 11/2 Release: Toy Story 3 Combo Pack $6.99 After Rebates

Becca's Best Movie Deals found another for you. Meet Becca the Movie Deal Writer.

Get Toy Story 3 Combo Pack for $6.99 after Rebates.

Buy Toy Story 3 Combo Pack $24.99
Use $8.00 mfg. coupon
Total $16.99
Submit for $5.00 Campbells Rebate
Submit for $5.00 Rayovac Rebate
Final Price $6.99 after rebates

Purchase 3 Campbells Condensed kids soups or SpaghettiOs pasta (You can save $1/3 with this printable coupon)
Remove one of the 2 purchase tabs from the back of the movie and mail it and the original receipt along with your Campbell’s receipt and UPC and this form to receive $5 back.

Rayovac Rebate $5.00 is in posted at Rayovac.com, and there was a $1.00 Rayovac coupon in Sunday's paper.

There are 2 Proof of Purchase Tabs and so it should be easy to submit for both rebates. The Rayovac will take a copy of your receipt with the UPC on the batteries and the Proof of Purchase tab off the DVD.

Enjoy the movie with your kids!

Our Family Paying it Forward in the Dubuque Paper

I just thought I would post this story that was in the Dubuque Telegraph Gerald on Thursday of this week.

Nana Shops: $9.99 Thomas the Early Engineer Sets at Target

Nana Shops

This deal is worth getting ready for and watching for the new Target Toy book which is now posted at Black Friday.com. I just got my Jolly Holiday Gift Guide today in the mail and so the Toy book should be heading out soon. There are dozens of Target coupons in the book which can be combined with manufacturers coupons.

Thomas Early Engineer Round About Station $24.99
Use $10.00 Coupon Found in Parenting the Early Years November Issue pg. 101
Use $5.00 Target Coupon from New Toybook for Any Early Engineers Set
Pay $9.99

I kind of wished I had waited for the Target Coupon but still I did score an incredible buy for the wee ones. I will have to scrounge around for some more magazines and coupons and get some more for Toys for Tots.

I ended up with 2 coupons and scored this incredible deal...

Thomas Early Engineers Round About Station 2 @ $24.99 = $49.98
Used 2 @ $10.00 mfg. coupons - $20.00
Total $29.98
Used 4--$5.00 Gift Cards from Candles, Tampax, and Dial purchases (first transaction)
Paid $9.98/2

Nana Shops: FREE Veggie Tales, The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree Album

Nana Shops






Download the entire album Veggie Tales' The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree for FREE from Amazon.com

Nana Hint: Buy a Bargain MP3 player on Black Friday (Last I found one at Walmart for $29.99) or an old IPOD and load it with FREE Kid Albums like this one from Amazon for the car while running errands or traveling with the Wee ones.