Drugstore deals are rockin' this week!

Lotsa FREE stuff today!


Walgreen's

Crayola Washable Markers = FREE

Complete Multipurpose Solution = FREE

Kids Smart Hi DHA-Omega-3 Fish Oil 30 ct=FREE

Goody Colour Collection Snap Clip 6 ct = FREE

Allegra 24 Hour Allergy Relief 5 ct - ($2 money-maker after coupon and mail-in rebate!)

CVS

2L Coke - FREE

Skinny Cow candy - FREE

Bic Soleil razor cartridges - FREE

Rite-Aid

Oral B battery toothbrush - FREE after mail-in rebate

Dawn - $.49

The other things in the photo were all great deals when combing sales and coupons. If you want to see exactly how to get these fantastic prices, go to www.myfrugaladventures.com or www.southerncalisavers.com.

To be honest, sometimes it's a bit of a challenge to find the sale items if you don't go during the first day or two of the sale. And for that reason, I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to go shopping this morning. I usually can't go Sunday mornings because church takes priority, but today we chose to do a family devotional instead. That freed up some time and off I went to Find. Those. Deals!

Here's another super-awesome, can't miss deal for ya... If you have a Ralph's nearby, you can get FREE toothpaste! Crest toothpaste (the regular variety) is on sale for $1.00. But... buying two of them triggers a Catalina coupon (those ones that spit out at the register after you pay) for $2.00 off your next Ralph's purchase! (The normal purchase price for the toothpaste is $3.49 or so. When you spend $6 or more on Crest, you get the Catalina. Lucky for us, though, the Ralph's deal and the Catalina deal are overlapping so we get FREE, FREE, FREE toothpaste.) I've done it a couple times already and can't wait to donate them!

Oh, and if you take a look in your Proctor and Gamble coupon insert in your Sunday paper, you'll see a Crest toothpaste coupon. Ralph's doubles coupons up to $1, so in the end... you'll spend $1 for two full-size tubes and get $2 back! Woohoo!

Longest Drive EVER!

Seriously, we have driven across entire large states in less time than it took us to get home from northern LA today.

It sucked. Big time.

The drive should have taken no more than 4 traffic-free hours, but this is LA we're talking about, so there's no such thing. We expected *some* slowing.


We did not expect stop and go for more than TWO HOURS.

And it could have gone on for another three or four hours had we not detoured to another freeway. I figured it would be just as bad everywhere, but it was actually fair to midland.

By this point, though, we'd been in the car more than three hours so we stopped for a snack. In the only place we could. A total ghetto. I was so relieved when we pulled back into the stop and go of the freeway. (Don't hear that too often, do you? LOL)

At some point later, after more slowing of traffic, patience and blood sugar, we found a Target to peruse. Emma needed some anti-itch cream for her wicked looking bug bits and I wanted to check out the toy clearance section. (AWESOME deals! I'll post on that tomorrow.)

We pulled into our driveway about 9:20pm, almost nine hours after we left camp. I know Emma loved camp and all, but honestly? Next year, she's gonna have to go to a camp a bit closer.

Now my filthy, exhausted, camped-out daughters are showered, comfy and tucked into their very own beds.

I am not very far behind. Nighty-night.

The colors of God's robe

Scott and I stopped in San Juan Capistrano the other day on our way home from dropping off the girls. He needed a decaf Americano, one inch of cold soy and three honeys, please.

As we waited for his coffee, I turned to look out the window. This is what I saw...

It's the San Juan Capistrano Mission, built in 1776. 

Aside from the odd Victorian you might see in a dedicated park, there is little in Southern California to indicate civilization before say, the 1950's. So to stumble upon a rambling mission from 235 years ago... it's a sight to behold.

Naturally, I wanted to go investigate, but given the day and time (8pm on a Sunday evening), the gates were locked up and the tour guides were settled comfortably in their easy chairs back home.

We were rooted to the corner, though, where we took the photo above. We just couldn't leave the show God was putting on for us... I think He must have been showing us the colors of His robe. 

Simply breathtaking.

I've stressed myself passed the point of writing that darned novel

Since my sweet kiddos were in camp last week and are at camp/camping this week, I set myself a goal:

Finish writing the novel.

It's written, so it's just editing. And rewriting. Lots and lots of editing and rewriting. Because, you know, a writer is never, ever satisfied with her work.

I decided that my first chapter must be burned. It's horrible. It makes me want to gag. I can't even bear to read it I dislike it so much.

Alrighty then. Time to write a new Chapter One.

Except I'm stuck. In a very deep lake of molasses. I can barely write and when I do inch forward a bit, any progress is immediately sucked away into the thick pull of the molasses.

I'm starting to stress myself out about this and that is the anti-point of having four days all to yourself. I'm supposed to be relaxing and enjoying myself, not finding every possible excuse to avoid the novel.

So here are my options as I see them...

1. Push through it and write horrible, hideous prose in hopes that as I write, the words walk into a sea of color and light and beauty.
2. Let myself off the hook. Feel guilty. Not get this novel done before November rolls around with the promise of another National Novel Writer's Month (NaNo) and another 50,000 word novel. (Wait till you hear my idea for the next novel. I'm totally psyched about it! I want to finish Finding Truth so that I can start working on the adventures of a... well, I can't tell you yet, but just you wait. You're gonna love it!)

Option one looks like the winner to me. If I can just get into the NaNo mindset and not edit as I write. Say a prayer for me. After all, this is Christian fiction. I think prayer might be the best way to get through the molasses swamp.

Alone is a good thing, right?

Usually, I adore Alone Time. What mother doesn't, right?

And next week, I'll have three plus days of total, uninterrupted Alone Time.

I should be ecstatic, but I'm not. I'm completely bummed out.

Completely.

Both kids will be away (one camping with friends, the other at camp). Scott and I planned some fun things to do around his work schedule. Work is work, has to be done. But the kids would be gone!


Then a business trip got scheduled. No prob, I'll just go along. He'll be right here in CA and we have a free round-trip ticket on Southwest just begging to be used.

Alas. No frequent-flyer seats remained on any flights we could make work and since the trip is next week, ticket prices are outrageous. $400 for an hour and a half flight that's usually about $100.

And so I'll be alone. It wouldn't be so bad except for two things...

Number 1: My sister lives just an hour and a half or so from where I'd be and we'd planned to meet for lunch one day. I only get to see her once or twice a year and I really, really wanted to see her!

Number 2: Despite the fact that the kids are on summer break, I've had a lot of alone time lately. That's what happens when you join the Insomniacs of America club. I'm bored of being alone and I want company!!!!

Are you wondering about getting together with friends? That would be nice, wouldn't it? Making friends takes time. Sometimes a lot of time. *sigh*