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Monday, August 29, 2011

'A New School Year, A New Season'


Even though the first day of official team practice isn't for 2 1/2 months, even though the 1st game isn't for another 3, the basketball season has begun. The first day back to school is in three days, and with that means untold hours in the gym, quiet nights at home and excitement in the air.

Excitement for the incoming freshmen, excitement to be back at school, excitement to get back in the gym and excitement for the upcoming season. What the new school year means for the kid's parents and the coach's family is a little different.

Parents are torn with emotion, excitement to see their children growing up but sadness because they are leaving. Like seeing their child off to their first day of pre-school. They beam with pride but cry tears of sadness. Their babies are all grown up.

Coaches wives and their families also have a wide range emotions. August is usually the longest month a family gets with their coach, that is, without having to compete against players, recruits and other coaches. Then September comes and our husbands are gone again. Back to the grind, back to the endless hours in the gym, back on the road to visit other children, back to planning for this years season. This can bring about a lot of different emotions, not only for Mom and Dad but for the children as well.

How do you manage? How do you explain to your children that they won't see daddy until morning? That's assuming daddy doesn't leave before they get up. How do you help them cope?  Being a coach's wife is tough, harder then most people realize. Being a child of a coach, I would imagine, is even tougher.

So, as a mother and a coach's wife, how do you utilize your time with your family and keep your children close to their father? Involved in the day to day activities? Everyone does it differently but my way is through the kitchen. I bake.

Every year, at the beginning of the school year (starting with this year), I bake the guys cookies. The freshmen come in first so they get the most. Days later when the upper class men arrive they get the next batch. This is my way of keeping close to the team and making sure the guys don't miss home too much. When Nikki gets big enough, she will help too. And for her, it will be connecting with what daddy does and why he is gone.

Baking, for me, has always been a way to stay close with my family. As a child, I would spend my summers baking with my grandmother. Every Christmas, I would watch my mom bake giant amounts of cookies and sweets to give to friends and family. Every time I bake, these are the things that I remember. And these are the things that I want my daughter to remember. It will be tough enough on her later in life knowing that basketball season is approaching and daddy will be around less. I hope this, the baking, will allow her to get excited for the upcoming season and not dwell on the bad things that can come with it.

I love being a coach's wife, but more importantly, I want my daughter and future kids to love being a coach's kid.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Thanks 1saleaday.com!

Today's mail call:

Free iPhone plug/charger perfect timing before the hurricane!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Shaw's Supermarket Deals 8/26-9/1

Okay, looks like some pretty good deals out there this week:

Free Eggs with the purchase of 2/$6 Tropicana Pure Premium Juice
- $1/2 - 7/10 Red Plum (RP)
- (2)$1/1 - 7/10 RP
* I did not have this RP so I can't verify the accuracy
= Low as $4 for 2 Tropicana Pure Premium and 1 doz Large Shaw Eggs

P&G Product Deal - Spend $20 on participating items, get a $5 coupon on your next shopping trip
Try these Scenarios:

1 - Pampers Jumbo Diapers for $10.99
Use $2/1 coupon from 7/31 PG
= $8.99
1 - Bounty 8 Giant Roll Paper Towels for $10.99
Use $1/1 coupon from 7/31 PG
=$9.99
Total: $18.98 - $5 off next visit = $13.98

or

1 - Bounty 8 Giant Roll Paper Towels for $10.99
Use $1/1 coupon from 7/31 PG
=$9.99
1 - Tide 100 oz Detergent for $10.99
Use $1/1 coupon from 7/31 PG
= $19.98 - $5 off next visit = $14.98

Athenos Feta Cheese for $3.49
'Like' them on Facebook and receive a B1G1 Free coupon.
= 2 for $3.49

Ball Park Meat Franks for $2.99
Use $1/2 - 8/7 RP coupon
= 2 for $4.98


TGI Friday's Entrees for One for $2.99
Use $1/1 - 8/14 SS
= $1.99

Hood Sour Cream for $1.99 combined with Hood Gallon Milk for $3.79
Use the $1/2 - 8/21 SS coupon (details should state any two Hood products on coupon)
= $4.78 for 1 Sour Cream and 1 Gallon Milk or $$2.98 for 2 Sour Creams or $6.58 for 2 Gallons of Milk

Yoplait Greek Yogurt 10 for $10 (does not require 10 items to be purchased to receive $1 per item)
Use $1.50/5 - 8/14 SS
= 5 for $3.50 or if you have 2 coupons - 10 for $7.00

Dannon Activia Selects Yogurt 10 for $10 (does not require 10 items to be purchased to receive $1 per item)
-'Like' Activia on Facebook and receive up to 2 coupons (print twice) for your choice of Greek or Parfait Activia Select Yogurts Free!
-Use $1/3 - 8/7 SS
= 5 yogurts for $2 or if you have multiple coupons 8 for $4

Olivia Organics Chopped Cooking Greens for $5.99
Go to http://www.oliviasorganics.org/coupon.htmlics.com and enter your information in for a $1.00 off coupon
= $4.99 for Organic Chopped Cooking Greens

Nabisco Munch Packs = B1G1 Free
Use the $1/2 - 8/7 SS to receive $1 off the price (prices vary per area and product)
*Use the code on the box to enter to win a $100 grocery gift card

Nabisco Chips Ahoy! Cookies for 2/$5
Use the $1/2 - 8/7 SS
= 2/$4

Nabisco Snackwell's Cookies or 100 Calorie Packs Snacks for $1.99
Go to Nabisco.com and select the $1 for Snackwell Cookies
= $.99

Sensodyne Toothpaste for $4.99
Use the $1/1 - 8/14 R.P
= $3.99

Enfamil formula for $24.49
Use the $5 coupon for Enfamil from Coupons.com (no longer available)
= $19.99

Puffs Facial Tissue - 10 for $10
Use the $1/6 - 7/31 PG
=  6 for $5

Mix & Match General Mills Any 10 Deal:

Shaw's is reducing your cost by $5 when you buy select GM products. Try some of these scenarios for an even better deal:
*Discounted prices through Shaw are only eligible if 10 products are purchased. Must buy 10! Discounted prices next to products (listed below) are what you should see at the register after your Shaw's card has been swiped and 10 items have been scanned.

1st Scenario:

5 - Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper - $.75/per item
Use $1/5 - 8/7 SS = $2.75
3 - Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits - $1.00/per item
Use $1/3 - 8/7 SS = $2.00
2 - Totino's Pizza Rolls - $1.00/per item
Use $1/2 - 8/7 SS = $1.00

= $5.75 for all 10 items

2nd Scenario:

3 - GM Cheerios (8.9 oz), Kix (8.7oz), or Cocoa Puffs (11.8oz) - $1.50/per item
Use $1/3 - 8/7 SS = $3.50
2 - Pillsbury Crescents, Cinnamon Rolls or Ready to Bake Cookies - $2.00/per item
Use $1/2 - 8/7 SS = $3.00
3 - Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks - $1.50 per item
Use the $1/3 - 8/7 SS = $3.50
2 - Nature Valley Granola Bars - $2.00/per item
Use $1/2 - 8/7SS = $3.00

= $13 for 10 items

There are definitely a million ways you can run these scenarios just with the products that I have listed. I can tell you that almost every item from the 8/7 Box Top Smart Source (SS) is a qualifying product for this Shaw's deal. So definitely more scenarios out there!

Some really good deals overall. Good luck and let me know how you did!


Mail Call...

Thank you Wal-Mart and Purina...

New Daily Deal Website...well for me anyways..

So I have just been turned on to a new website, well new to me. It allows you to purchase various daily deals for majorly discounted prices. For example, I just scored a gret mother-in-law Christmas gift for $6 and because I just signed up I got a $10 free credit. Which means, I just scored free gifts:)

Savemore.com is the website, http://svmr.co/PWLk. They are giving a $10 free credit for all new members, which is how I was able to get the beautiful gifts for my mother-in-law. Two vases for $6 (a $12 value) with free shipping! Plus, I now have $4 credt left over for another deal in the future. I don't know what it may get me, but I do know that it should at least cover the cost of shipping if it's needed.

Go sign up now,  http://svmr.co/PWLk , even if you don't get the vases, you still get the $10 credit!