expect the unexpected

When you are out shopping, you never know what you will come across!

Here are 2 of my awesome scores from Vons the other night.

 This Pillsbury frosting was on sale 2/$4. The normal retail price was ridiculous at $3.99 a pop! Ugh. So $2 would be half off. But then there was a blinkie machine with coupons good for .40/1. My store doubles so here is the math...

Reg. price $3.99
sale price $2.00 each
coupon .80
= $1.20

Not bad huh? However there were plenty more of the coupons so I  keep getting more every time I go. These are fun too. I do worry about the kids treating it like a can of whipped cream though!

The 2nd good deal was for these boxes of Delimex Chicken taquitos. My hubby loves these and they are perfect for our appetizer night! Well these were another product that the regular retail price is just absurd. Are you ready for this? $7.99!! These better have a $5 bill inside for them to cost that much.

OK anyway, these were marked on sale for $4.49. Still not great but better. Well guess what...on the box was a coupon for $2 off!

Regular price= $7.99
Sale price= 4.49
coupon = 2.00
Total price $2.49! Nice right?

So I get home, and am putting them in the freezer when I notice...there was still a coupon on the box! Talk about freak out. I thought I had forgotten to use them. Nope, they had just placed one on each side!! Woo hoo! I was able to use my 2nd coupons to get a discount on more boxes that came with the coupons.

That is what we call rolling the deals (: Sweet

Behind

Oh my holy cow. This summer has been INSANE!

We...

**welcomed home my husband from an 8 month deployment
**sent my boys off to Cub Scout day camp, and babysat my friends son half the time
** went on a huge family vacation (San Fransisco, visiting my brother & his family, camping)
**were home for one week and spent the time getting ready for...
** a family reunion that was at our house
**my sister had emergency surgery and I ended up taking care of her son for a week
**my daughter was gone for a week at a church camp
**my husband left for a week

Oh and in that time, I have also done the normal Mommy/wife stuff.

I can't believe how behind I am!! My coffee table is piled with inserts and ads, my calender is filled with post it notes that need to be entered into my actual calender...phew.

However, my kiddos are off to school tomorrow and I am really, really, rrrreally hoping I can make some headway on a few things!

Why couldn't I be one of those born organized people?!!

**MPM**

A very late menu plan for you! At least I did it though (:

Monday (what we ate YESTERDAY)
Mini meatloaves
mashed potatoes
applesauce
rolls

Tuesday:
bbq ham sandwiches (crock pot)
french fries (baked sweet potatoe)
salad
peaches

Wednesday:
B: pancake muffins & yogurt
L: first day of school for my kiddos so it is an "ABC" lunch. A: apples B: bagel sandwich C: cheese D: drink E: boiled egg F: fruit snack
Dinner: cheesy hashbrown casserole
green beans
rolls

Thursday:
B-fast- leftover muffins or cereal
Lunch - G: goldfish H: ham sandwich...that is all I have so far!!
D-hot dogs or leftovers (busy night and we will be gone)

Friday:
B-fast-eggs & biscuits
L:leftovers
D: it's my birthday so we are eating out

Saturday:
B-kids choice
L-leftovers or kids choice
D-appetizer/leftover night
(We take it easy on Saturdays lol)

For more great menu ideas, head on over to Org Junkie!

Winner!!

WiNnEr WiNnEr, ChIcKeN DiNnEr!!

A winner has been drawn, courtesy of Random.org in the Carmex giveaway! So without further ado...

Congrats to KILEY!!!

So please email me your mailing info and I will pass it along to the Carmex company, as it will be coming from them!

Stay tuned because I love having giveaways (:

breakFAST smoothie

Breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Then why is it so hard to fit it in? I am always looking for things that are quick. Or breakFAST. Get it? Ha ha!

Some of my kids are not breakfast eaters, saying, "I'm just not hungry" while other of my kids eat breakfast as soon as their head is off the pillow.

We came up with this quick smoothie and it is now Ivan's favorite. He can even drink it on his way to school if necessary. It provides fruit, dairy and protein (from the Ovaltine).

We have also used Carnation Instant Breakfast in place of the Ovaltine!

Do you have any favorite recipes that are fast and get you out of the door?

Friendly Wednesday

While I am printing and clipping my coupons, I thought I wold stop and participate in Feeding Four's Friendly Wednesday blog hop!

If this is your first visit to California Clippin', welcome! Please let me know if you are a new follower and I would love to follow you back!

I also have a giveaway going on (which has a seriously low number of entries :( so please come and enter to win some great products from Carmex. You can enter this giveaway here!!

Once again thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

If I knew you were coming...

image borrowed from Internet Movie Database

I'd have baked a cake. Baked a cake...OK I don't know any more of that song!

I love the movie Father of the Bride. Who doesn't right? But I love the part when they are discussing the costs of the daughters wedding cake. Steve Martin's eyes pop and jaw drops, and he says " a cake is made out of flour and eggs. My first car didn't cost that much!"

When I look at my stockpile, one thing that isn't lacking is cake mixes and frosting. I have a lot. Which cost me mere pennies. And yet, my need for my kids to have "perfect" cakes on their birthdays kept me going back to a variety of bakeries.

So while I am not even close to being a cake decorator, I have tried my hand at making a few different cakes & cupcakes.

Whenever I am upset with how it turns out, my husband likes to remind me that, "all they are going to do is eat it".

Cakes can be a big budget buster when it comes to birthdays, so I recommend you trying out your hand at making your own!