I still ❤️ CVS

CVS has made a few changes in their coupon policy.  They previously accepted their own coupons if they were expired and they also now limit the stacking of their coupons.  Before, if I had 2 of their coupons for $5/25 on diapers and I was buying $25 in diapers, I could use both of those.  Now, I would have to have $50 in diapers to use 2 and they could not be expired. 

Lots of CVS shoppers on the Facebook groups are upset about it and make it sound like the worst thing ever.  

Well, I haven't been to CVS in several weeks but there were some good deals this week so I went today and I did just as good as ever.  So much for the "sky is falling" talk on the FB groups......

I had $15 in ExtraCareBucks, all the rest of the coupons were from this past Sunday's paper and CVS red box machine and the CVS app.  

My total started at $88 and dropped to $10.77.  

I got back $13.88 in ExtraCareBucks for my next trip.  

A dust ruffle for the full size bed in our toy room

We have just a full size bed on a metal frame in this room.  I didn't like how when the bed was made the traditional way with a regular dust ruffle and a quilt on top, it got so messed up when the grands played in there.  The dust ruffle was always crooked and the quilt would slide one way or the other and it just  messy.  

So after a lot of thought,  I came up with an idea to sew a dust ruffle in a way that it shouldn't slide and to just use a colored fitted sheet on the bed when no one sleeping.  

I moved the top mattress and covered the bottom box spring with an old fitted sheet and pulled it so it was tight.  

Then with a yard stick and marker, I marked a line 3 inches inside.  It will be my sewing line.  

This way the dust ruffle is completely under the top mattress with no poking out of the base sheet the dust ruffle is sewn to. 

Then I looked through my fabric stash (I have a big fabric stash, most of it was gifted to me). 

My original idea was to reuse some floral curtains but I can't find them (maybe they were too faded and I got rid of them, who knows?). So I decided to use a fabric that the children would like.  

I had long lengths of some mountain wildlife fabric and some deer fabric.  

I went with the wildlife print.  Then I measured the length - I think it was 18 1/2 inches, allowing for hem and turning under top. 

I cut out lengths and I used either 5 or 6.  I sewed them all together in to one very long length and machine hemmed the bottom and turned under the top edge about a 1/2 inch.  

Then, I got down on my knees and pinned the dust ruffle to the fitted sheet base all around 3 sides.   I pinned it on the line I drew.  

At the corners,  I just folded the extra length into pleats until it looked OK.  

I took the whole pinned together sheet and dust ruffle to the sewing machine and sewed it close to the pinned edge.  This was the trickiest part as it was a rather big piece to steer through a sewing machine.  

I put the freshly sewn dust ruffle back on the bed, put the mattress back on with a sage green fitted sheet and added some patchwork pillows I sewed about 6 years ago.  

 Now the grands can roll their cars all over the bed and not mess up the bedding. 

Also, I know the top sheet will need laundered often and it will be much easier to wash than a bedspread or quilt.  

The bed is ready for anyone to sleep in it, We can just add the top sheet and blankets.  

I like that the dust ruffle hides the ugly metal frame and I think the grands will do some pretend playing with the animals and cabins on this dust ruffle.  

An assortment

I ordered 2 dozen silicone baking cups from Amazon and have been having fun with them.  

I put some in my granddaughter's lunch one day (Her parents always fix her lunch for school but I was happy to this once and she was so excited about the muffin cups). Tammy has been posting lunches she makes for her grandsons with silicone cups and it is a fun way to pack lunches.

If you want some, silicone cups are for sale on Amazon and EBay, at a range of prices, some are very low! 

Elizabeth's lunch - all things she likes- clementines, pecans, Aldi veggie chips and a PBJ sandwich. 

I also baked some blueberry muffins, in just the silicone cups, using no muffin pan.  

They work great. 

If you are patient and wait to eat the muffins until they cool, the muffins pop right out of the cups.

I did hand wash the cups.  I think they are dishwasher safe but I imagine they would just fly and float around as they are so lightweight.  

Shopping Haul at the VA Hospital - really 

My husband has had several appointments at the VA hospital recently.  (He is fine, no worries)

There is small store there called The Patriot Store that sells snacks, some clothes and gift items, just an assortment.  We arrived early so we browsed there instead of sitting in the waiting room.  

My husband found a belt that he really likes and needed - belts seem hard to find and this one is just right.

I found a small silicone ladle that I had on my list of wants.  

And these flag decorations were almost free- 75% off. 

These flag banners were 24 cents and the flag tinsel were 49 cents.  I like that they are flat and will be easy to store until needed.  

We visited at our son's home on the way to the hospital.  When we left, 4 year old Andie handed me a little bundle and said "here Grandma, you will need this while you wait at the doctor" 

It was a sheet of stickers and 4 crayons rolled up in a sheet of paper.  Isn't she sweet? 😍

Speaking of Andie, here she is with her little sister Charlie and baby brother RJ

Baby RJ - he is wonderful (and so are professional photographers )

Aldi has a new, expanded line of baby products.  We very much like their new Little Journey diapers.  

They are about 1/2 the price of name brand diapers and work just as good.  

That's our giant Jackson ❤️ 

He doesn't care what kind of diapers we use, but he does likes playing with the packages.  

Braeden - with a self-inflicted carpet burn he got when he rubbed his face too fast on carpet 😱

Boys!