Cracking the Catalina Couponing Code at Kroger!

Say that ten times fast! Anyway, I started couponing a while back, but ever since the baby came, I haven't been able to dedicate much time to it. I still cut coupons out of the Sunday paper, and will hunt down baby coupons when I have time, but I don't have the time to hunt down and print a coupon for almost every item we use! I was fortunate enough to get a visit from the Enfamil Coupon Fairy at Kroger back in December, but my luck started to run dry shortly after. As some of you may know, I made a late night run to Kroger to get some Enfamil formula (as a supplement) for Ryne. Adam's mom had given me a catalina coupon (the ones that print at the register) for $5 off Enfamil powder to use at Kroger, hence my late night run to Kroger and not Walmart. While at Kroger I noticed that a very nice person left a handful of Enfamil catalina coupons stuck between two cans of ready to feed formula. I couldn't resist, and was very grateful! So I bought a can of powder with Jo Ann's coupon and two cans of Ready to Feed (per coupon restrictions) with one of the new-found coupons! Then at check out, another powder formula coupon printed! So I went in with one coupon and walked out with 6 new ones (Yatzee!)! Then the next day I got 2 Enfamil coupons from the company in the mail! Like I said, the Enfamil Coupon Fairy visited!

So, obviously I've been buying formula at Kroger for the past month, and not receiving any new coupons. It just didn't make sense. I had decided that I was going to use all the coupons and then start going back to Walmart until Kroger got their act together! I figure since we live so close to both, I can play them off each other! A few days ago, Jo Ann brought us 2 more Enfamil powder catalina coupons for Kroger and I still wondered why I wasn't getting any. Jo Ann said she hadn't been buying formula there, so that struck me as odd. When I used the last of my Kroger catalina coupons, a Gerber 1st foods catalina coupon printed, which I was glad to have because the baby is now eating veggies. I used the first Gerber coupon and did not receive another one. So the next time I went to Kroger I bought a different brand of baby food, and lo and behold, a Gerber coupon printed!

So today I went back to Kroger because I needed more baby food and wipes. We typically use Gerber brand food products and we use Pampers wipes because they work better in the wipes warmer than Huggies. I took the Gerber coupon and a Huggies coupon because I didn't have a Pampers coupons and put my theory to the test! I bought 3 Gerber foods (per coupon restrictions), 1 jar of the competitor's brand (we are testing out bananas in the morning!), and I bought a pack of Huggies wipes. So guess what printed out at the register - 2 Gerber food coupons printed and 1 pampers wipes coupon printed! From what I can deduce, if you buy the most expensive/popular brand (i.e. Gerber, Pampers, Enfamil) they will occasionally give you a coupon for that brand. If you buy the competitor's/less expensive brand, they will print you a coupon for the most expensive/popular brand! I bet if I had bought Similac formula, an Enfamil coupon would have printed! So now I know how to get what I want at Kroger, even if it takes sacrificing my favorite brand from time to time!

As you can see, I enjoy celebrating the small victories, and one day, when Ryne is through with formula and baby food I will pay it forward and leave my coupons for another parent!

Jumperoo!

Ryne has been trying to jump in his exersaucer lately, so we decided it was time to bring out the jumperoo! Enjoy Ryne's movie debut!

Stepping Into Greatness!

Last weekend, I took a huge step, both professionally and personally! I was chosen to attend a special conference in Dallas, Texas for emerging leaders in my Mary Kay unit area! I had never been away from Ryne for more than a few hours at a time, so the thought of being away from him for three whole days and being several hundred miles away, made me very nervous. My first thought was that there was just no way that I could attend. I am a breastfeeding Mom and my son is only 4 months old, so leaving him would be crazy. However, I talked to a few other Mary Kay Moms, and they suggested that I go to the conference to take some time for myself, and actually get a full night of sleep! I had been wanting some girlfriend time lately, so I figured a 13 hour car ride with three girls and a 2 day conference with 180 women sure sounded like girlfriend-time to me!

So last Thursday, I loaded up the car and headed to Dallas with my Director and some other unit members. It was the best decision I could've made! I had a great time! I got to sleep 7-8 hours straight (well, almost straight - I woke up at 3 am one morning and freaked out because I forgot where I was, and hadn't heard the baby cry! Ha!)! I got to meet some other Mary Kay Moms and learn how they manage staying at home with a baby and running a business. I got to tour the Mary Kay Corporate Office and tour a National Sales Director's 15 thousand square foot home - yes I said 15 thousand! (And yes, I will let you all tour my home when I am the number one National Sales Director and bank about $80,000+ a month - yes, a month!)

The last night of the conference my NSD asked me what stuck with me the most from the conference. I told her that although there was so much great training and wonderful success stories, what I realized most about the conference was that Ryne was okay without me! It was so reassuring! I know now that I can work my business and have a baby at home! I get to be at home with my baby more than most women, but now I don't feel guilty for leaving to support my family financially, and to make some women feel more beautiful!

I know Ryne will grow up to be a loving and confident person because I am a more loving and confident person because of my Mary Kay business!

Lindsey and I with NSD Sherril Steinman

Rena's Caddy - yes please!

NSD Rena Tarbet

Rena's House!

Mary Kay Inc. 13 floors (13 is MK's lucky number!) And lucky me, I visited on Friday, Nov 13th!

Mary Kay's vanity

Mary Kay's 14 karat gold sink!

Mary Kay's desk!

If Life Were a Musical...

Okay, so maybe I'm getting corny during my early days of motherhood, or maybe I take after my mother [shudder at the thought], who is a huge goober, as we like to call her! My mother is always making up some crazy song about anything and everything, and most of which make absolutely no sense. Babies seem to love it - grown children...not so much! However, Mom is sometimes creative. She helped me make up a song, which I sang for my 3rd grade book report! That's right, I got up in front of the entire class, dress as an Indian, and sang my book report about Pocahontas! I'm pretty sure I got an A on the book report and peed my faux rawhide dress, since I was incredibly shy!

Anywho, I have recently found myself singing a lot to Ryne. He loves it! However, I make up cool songs or sing actual real songs instead of the nonsense my mother comes up with! So, I thought I'd share our daily 'musical playlist', so to speak!

Every morning I sing the "Good Morning" song, which is basically the "Happy Birthday" song, but with good morning inserted. Also, if Ryne is a little drowsy in the morning or after a nap, I will say: "Wakey Wakey, Eggs and Bakey!"

Next, is usually "Yellow" by Coldplay. I call Ryne my Little Superstar a lot, and it's amazing how I've heard "Yellow" a million times before, but never had an emotional connection to it until Ryne was born!

At bath time, I usually sing the Rubber Ducky song from Sesame Street, and Ryne actually has a little rubber ducky that he smiles and talks to during bath time!

Then while dressing Ryne after his bath (he usually screams getting out of the tub, so singing calms him down), I sing the chorus of "So Fresh, So Clean" by Outkast! I know, what you're thinking, Outkast isn't quite baby material, but I have to throw a little spice into the mix, and I keep it PG!

During the day I will sing songs that pop into my head or fit my mood. Ryne has been bombarded with "I've Got That Mary Kay Enthusiasm" (along with the hand motions) lately, since my hard work is coming to fruition!

At night, I usually sing or hum "Stay Awake" from the Mary Poppins movie, but don't always believe what you see in the movies because it doesn't always work with Ryne. Some nights he just won't calm down and I know he's thinking that Mary Poppins can choke on her 'spoon full of sugar!' Ha!

So I guess I'm the goober now, but Ryne seems to love it, and I love to see him smile!

Splish Splash...

My mother has a basin or "the bowl" as we call it, that has been passed down through the generations. Almost everyone on her side of the family has had a bath as an infant in this bowl. So this weekend, it was Ryne's turn to take the plunge! He loves bath time, as long as the water is warm!

(We put a blue towel in the bottom of the basin for added comfort)!

We Are Family!!

Check out Adam's "beautiful" cousin, Leah, who was featured in Nashville Lifestyles as one of the Music City's Most Beautiful People of 2009! Check out her store at the Snap Kids link on the right side of our homepage!

Also, pick up a copy of the October issue of Southern Living. Another cousin of Adam, George (Leah's brother), has his amazing Chattanooga bungalow featured in the magazine on page 48!

They are both amazing, talented and beautiful people, and I'm glad to be a part of their family!!

Old Navy Weekly

Never pay full price at Old Navy again! Okay, so I know Old Navy has fairly inexpensive clothing overall, but why not get it for a little less? I have recently taken up couponing! It's easy to become addicted to getting an awesome deal on the household and personal items that we already use! Today Adam mentioned wanting some long-sleeved shirts since the weather is starting to change, so I suggested Old Navy. Each week, Old Navy updates a website where you can "hunt" for in-store coupons. The coupons vary in value from $75 off a $100 purchase to 10% off your purchase. The highest discount I could find today was 20% off your entire purchase, so we went into the store just to see what we could find. There were a few other sales going on in the store that we took advantage of so the savings exceeded our expectations.

So here's the break down:

Total Before Sales and Coupons (less tax): $82

Total Spent (less tax): 38.79

Total Savings: 52.7%