Another Good Week at CVS

CVS is turning into one of my favorite places to shop. Today, they actually paid me to shop in their store. I did 3 different transactions to get the deals above.

First, I filled a prescription for ear drops for Emmaline. I had a coupon that earned me a $25 gift card because it was a new prescription.

Second, I purchased:
2 colgate toothbrushes on sale for 2/$3 and used a $1 off coupon
2 tubes of colgate total on sale for 2/$3 and used 2 $1 off coupons
3 pkgs. adult benadryl on sale for $4.99 each and used 3 $1 off coupons
2 pkgs. kids benadryl on sale for $4.99 each and used a $1 off coupon
3 pkgs. hershey's snack-size milk chocolate bars $1 each
2 pkgs. snack-size kit-kats $1 each
2 pkgs. trident gum $2 each
1 pkg. snack-size york peppermint patties $1
2 CVS sunscreen (B1G1 50% off) $11.98 used $2/$10 CVS products coupon
1 Aleve gelcaps for $8.99 used $1 off couon
1 4-pk CVS toilet paper

used $5 in ECBs and $25 gift card and paid $32.63 out of pocket. I also earned $4 ECBs for the Aleve, and $5 ECBs for the candy and gum. I should have earned $10 for completing the Benadryl deal, but the computer didn't print it out, so they gave me back $10 in cash instead.

Transaction #3 is when CVS paid me to shop. I bought two 3-drawer carts to store our homeschool supplies in. They were B1G1 free (normally $15.99 each), then I used $9 in ECBs, and a $2/$10 CVS coupon. My total came to $5.34. I used the $10 bill that CVS gave me (when the computer didn't print my ECBs) to pay for this, and made $4.66.

In all, I got the above items for a grand total (after coupons, gift card, and ECBs) for $27.97. The carts alone would normally have cost me $31.98, so I think I did pretty well!

Moral of the Story:
This is the second time that I've earned ECBs and the register hasn't printed them out. Always make sure to check your receipts before leaving the store. The Benadryl was part of the Johnsons and Johnsons deal where if you spent $20 you earned $10 in ECBS. When the register didn't print the ECBs, I asked the cashier why. She said that Benadryl wasn't made by Johnsons because the pkg. said Pfizer (apparently they are part of the same company though). I had to go get the tags for both Benadryl items off the shelf to prove that I had indeed purchased the items needed to earn the ECBs. So, always check your receipts and always make sure you can prove you earned your ECBs. By the way, the cashier, Lori, was really great and very apologetic about the problems I had that day. If you're ever at the CVS on Dorothy La/Wilmington Pk., make sure you tell Lori "Hi!"

A Visit to Boonshoft and a Planetarium Show

Nathan hadn't seen the "Chinasaurs" exhibit at the children's museum yet, so we headed there with the kids today. They had lots of fun playing and showing Daddy around. We decided to take the kids to their first planetarium show while we were there. It was called "The Sky Tonight" and showed constellations that we could pick out where we live. Ellie, Emmaline, and I all fell asleep at one point or another during the show, if that tells you anything about how interesting it was.

Jacob looks for dinosaur bones

Ellie liked covering the bones up

The alligator snapping turtle takes a breath. You don't see this very often because they can stay under water for 2 hours at a time.

Daddy and Emmaline look at the Stegosaurus

Jacob and Daddy by an Allosaurus

Jacob, Mommy, and Emmaline
Ready for the planetarium show

Free Carnival

Today, a local church sponsored a free Veggie Tales movie and carnival at the movie theater. We'd already seen the movie, so we just went to the carnival part afterwards. It was soooo hot on the blacktop, but the kids still had a fun time snacking and playing on the big inflatables.

Eating cotton candy

Emmaline - back to her smiley self 1 day after surgery

Ellie waits her turn
Normally, she is scared to go into the bouncy houses, but she was really excited to try this one with an obstacle course.

Jacob is ready to go

I think it helped that big brother was there with her

All done!
I love the look on Jacob's face in this picture. You can tell he loved it!

Emmy's Day at the Hospital

Emmaline had surgery to get tubes put in both ears today. She came through the procedure really well and is back to her happy self for the most part this evening. Thanks for your prayers for our littlest one! Here are the highlights of the trip:

Helping Daddy play Pac-Man while we wait to check in

Daddy reading a book to Emmy

Trying out the bed

Emmaline loved riding this car up and down the hallways. She was quite the little ham waving and smiling at everyone she met. This car was such a hit that we might have to get one for home too!

Nurse Melissa puts on Emmy's ID bracelet

Getting dressed for surgery

Mommy and Emmaline snuggle after the procedure

Enjoying Cheerios and apple juice before heading home

Celebrating Grandma's Birthday

Nathan's mom's birthday was on Friday, so we met at LaRosa's for lunch today after church to celebrate. His dad has been sick for a month, but was finally given the okay last week to be around people again. The kids were so excited to see Papaw Kevin and sit by him at lunch (unfortunately, we didn't get a picture of that!).

Jacob and Grandma

Gabrielle and Jacob

Emmaline and Hayden (David's girlfriend's baby)

Nathan and Jen

Mema and Granddaddy

Emmaline gives Uncle David a hug

Ellie loves to eat the icing off of birthday cake

Emmaline likes it too

Jacob sports a do-rag fashioned by Uncle David out of a napkin

Fun on Wheels!

Aunt Katie came to visit this weekend. She took the kids outside to play and they had fun riding their different vehicles down the driveway and on the sidewalk.

Emmaline

Jacob

Gabrielle

So Sweet!

Family Portraits

We went to Portrait Innovations to get a family picture taken about a week ago. We haven't had an official one done since Emmaline was 2 1/2 weeks old, so it was long overdue. Everyone arrived in a good mood, but that quickly changed. Gabrielle refused to cooperate and wouldn't smile at all. Everyone else did well, but the photographer wasn't able to catch a good smile from Emmaline either. That being said, here's the final product. I'm not really happy with it, but it will do for now.

Boys-Only Camping Trip

Nathan and Jacob went for their first boys-only camping trip to Hueston Woods last night. They had lots of fun hiking, biking, swimming, and playing. Jacob was worn out by the time they got home tonight, but he can't stop talking about all the fun he had with Daddy.

The Campsite

Ready to ride bikes

In the town of Oxford

Showing off his muscles

Resting by the lake

They saw a snake exhibit at the nature center

Chillin' to some tunes as they get ready to head home

Camping really wore him out