Mongoose!

Have I blogged about how much I LOVE Target???? I'm sure I have a few times:) My most recent deal was a Mongoose bike for Little Lion for $18!!!!!!!!!!!!! 75% off baby!!! I was actually looking for the Spiderman bike to get marked down and had gone to a few Targets, but instead found this one! Little Lion and Mr.E were extremely excited!
LL even helped put it together.
Since it was dark out once the bike was finished, LL had to take the Mongoose for a spin around the house:)

Yes readers, I do know LL should have a helmet on, but how could he wear it when Flower Power has it.
Can't wait for both of them to be cruising around the neighborhood!

I REALLY Puffy Heart Target :)

In my last post, I stated the toys should be marked down today. I was right! They even were marked down at a few stores yesterday! So being the obsessed stalker of Target that I am :) I went to the store that was marked down to 75% off yesterday and bought for $100 all of this! I bought 27 toys averaging $3.70 a toy! It is so much I had to take 2 pictures!!!

Then after reading a few more blogs, I heard a lot of stores were marking down in the late afternoon. So off I went, without kids;), and checked out 2 more targets. Both were a bust;( However, I did scope it out to see what I wanted to buy today since I *knew* they would be marked down today. I hit the jackpot when we went this morning! I followed the Target scanning lady around with toys in hand ;) I got 29 items for $100 averaging $3.44.
So for $200 I bought 56 toys. Why does one need so many toys?? Because I put them in organized bags for each of my kids/nieces/nephews/friend gifts in the closet. I won't have to rush out and pay full price for Christmas or Birthday presents or deal with holiday crowds. Since I don't work, I tell my husband I am earning money this way because if I waited to buy gifts until they are needed, I'd pay full price. And unlike food/coupon hoarders....toys don't go bad :) Love Target!!

I Puffy Heart Target;o)

This is THE week at Target. The final markdown of baby and toys in anticipation of Christmas. And by markdown, I mean 70% off. Target has gotten a tad stingy on us this year. In previous years they have gone to 75% off, but I think with their new 5% back debit card, they need to make up the difference somewhere! Nonetheless 70% off is still a good deal;o) I tend to stock up to last me through Christmas and birthdays. Mr.E thinks I'm crazy, but hey this is how I contribute to the family by saving money for gifts we'll have to buy most likely at full price later on. Yesterday, Monday, was the baby markdown. Since I have a few friends having babies and a sweet baby of my own, I stocked up. Here is my haul.
I bought 34 items for $97.69 with original price of $325.63!! That averages out to $2.87 an item and a savings of $227.94!! I bought an ipad cover, 24 pieces of clothing, 3 big baby toys, and the rest misc baby bath and sleep items. LOVE IT!!!

The toy sale should be later this week! I am hoping to score big then too!! I'll keep you posted :)

Summer Fun!

We have been enjoying the cooler weather in the evening here....you know 85 degrees :) Hello Florida!! Flower Power has been fascinated by bubbles. She's not quite sure what to make of them! Her face says it all in this picture!

Little Lion still loves playing basketball and has been practicing his dunk shot :)
And the afternoon showers don't stop the fun!
I scored a fun summer deal at my favorite store....Target! A picnic table that also is a water/sand table. I don't do mud so water it is. Flower Power and Little Lion have enjoyed it!

Flower Power was so proud of herself for sitting at the table!
Just think summer is half way done already and we are only 6 months until Christmas! Time flies!!!

After Halloween Jackpot!

I had my 34 week doctor appointment today for Flower Power. It was very uneventful except for an extra pound gained which I'm blaming Halloween candy on:) Since the appt was quick, I decided to check out Target for Halloween Candy (for Mr.E's ladies at work, NOT FP :) I assumed it'd be 75% off. However, they only had a few bags of suckers left, but the rest of their Halloween stuff was 90% off!!! SCORE!! Then I went to CVS to look for candy as well. They had marked their stuff 90% off as well!!! Even more of a score!!!! Here is my loot.
FOR $13!!!!

I bought 9 sets of orange lights, 2 spider webs, 2 bags of caramel apple suckers, 1 big bag of twix assorted candy, 2 light up pumpkin spinners, 1 light up skull light set, a sword, a princess wand/tiara, microphone, hockey mask, devil horns, 3 bones rings, bubbles, skeleton wind up jumper, bag of rings, bag of red fangs, fake eyelashes, black lipstick, 2 boxes of halloween tattoos, 2 pumpkin cookies, a set of dessert bone plates, window clings, a light up pirate skull, a light up skull, and 2 containers of fake blood!

So I saved $117 :) LOVE DEALS!!!!

I PINK PUFFY HEART Target!!!

Target has it's semi annual toy clearance sale every July and January. They are either getting rid of excess stock in order to get ready for Christmas or vise versa. I always stock up on toys for the holidays coming up and friends kids' birthdays. I try to buy at 75% off for the best deals, but will buy at 50% if it's a popular item. You can always tell when it's about to happen since you see a ton of toys going on clearance at 30% then to 50%. Here is what I got for 50% off.
I bought Little Lion 2 booster seats for when he turns 4 and a ball bouncer for when the baby comes to occupy him in the house along with a few other toys.
Original prices of the items...$168 Price paid...$84 Savings...$84 (duh:)

Well after stalking Target for a week, I hit the jackpot. That means you are there the day they mark down because if you aren't you don't get the good deals! Here is are the toys I bought for 75% off.
The most exciting items are the Little People Fairy House for $5, Fisher Price Tough Light Up Doodle Board for $3, a 3 headed dinosaur for $4, and few baby toys (Can't leave out Baby Girl for Christmas since she BETTER be here!)
Original prices of the items...$212 Price paid...$53 Savings...$159

And Baby Girl needs girl outfits since everything I have is boy. With 75% off, I couldn't go wrong.
I bought 4 full outfits plus onesies and other necessities. I even bought a boy outfit just in case :) Oh and 2 maternity shirts for me :)
Original prices of items...$176 Price paid...$44 Savings...$132

WOW!!! Such deals!! My overall price paid for FORTY-TWO items was $181. Saving $375!!!!! That averages out to $4.31 per item!!!!!! Did I mention I LOVE TARGET!!

Dinosaur Pull-Apart Cake

Since I'm infamously *known* for my cakes :)  I thought I'd blog about my creation this evening.  Tomorrow is Mr. E's coworker's birthday.  I had bought a while back a pull-apart dinosaur cupcake pan for 75% off ;)  I thought I'd use it for Little Lion's 2nd birthday.  Tonight was the perfect time to try it out.  Plus boys don't care what their cake looks like as long as it tastes good. Using the 50% off Halloween cake mix minus the orange and brown confetti, I made the cake in this pan.

I took out the pieces.  As you can see it stuck to the pan even though I floured it.  I put the pieces together.  So when you serve the guests they just need to pull a section...no knives :)

I fixed the part that was stuck in the pan by glueing it back together.  The glue is frosting ;)  

Next I used black frosting liner to outline the arms and feet.  He also needed eyes and a mouth.  

Then I intended to use the ziplock bag trick to frost it.  That is when you put the frosting in a baggie and cut the tip.  However, the frosting I bought was too creamy for it to work well.  So I just good ole frosted it.  

Finally for the finishing touch, we added Skittles to the dinosaur's body.  Sorry it's sideways...you get the point ;)

He needed to get a gift too.  We went to my favorite store....Target :)  And I have to brag on our deals!  We bought him a wine refrigerator for $50!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was $200!  Score!!!

Hawaii and Alone!

YIPPEEEEEE!!!!!!!  2 WEEKS TODAY UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR HAWAII!!!!!!!!!  I am sooo excited!!!  This is our beach that the condo is located on;o)  Anyone want to come in our suitcase??? 

Since we are leaving soon, and we have friends visiting next week, I had to get some shopping done.  We needed travel items and some new clothes and shoes.  The problem with this is that shopping with a toddler is not so fun!  Mr.E had this brain idea to let me go shopping ALONE while he took care of LL yesterday.  Mr. E tells me that I need a day to myself....You're awwwwwing right now.  What a sweet guy! ....But his ulterior motive was to watch football while LL naps.  Yes I know he's a typical guy, but I'm grateful.  So off I go.

My first stop is Marshalls.  I scored a few terrific deals here!!!  I bought myself a pair of Lucky capris for.............$3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And a pair of Nautica shorts for...........$5!!!!!  My next item I bought cost a little more.....$10......, but was a NECESSITY!!! 

Little lion has become obsessed with a blue pair of Carters shoes with yellow straps.  He only will wear these shoes.  I think he likes them because he can put them on himself.  Doesn't he know that mommy is a fashionista and blue shoes don't go with every outfit???  Don't get me wrong they are cute, but boy they STINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  For someone so small, he sure has big odor!!  I have to throw these shoes in the wash every week! So I had to find something similar that LL will be able to put on himself and have more breathing room.  I ended up buying him a pair of Pirate of the Caribbean Red Crocs.  I also bought a pair of plain blue Crocs too for Hawaii....he won't know the difference....hopefully. I also bought him a pair of black Reef sandals (75% off..$5.50)  So we have Red, Blue, and Black shoes ;) Here is Little Lions showing off his new Crocs. Notice how much better he looks since last post.....His back molar made an appearance! Sleep is better now;o)

He's a Dancing King!!

I know you think I'm crazy, but Mr. E, Little Lion and I went back to Target last night.  WOW I couldn't believe how much stuff was gone since the morning!!!  I did see a lady with a rolling cart filled to the rim with toys.  She had soooo much stuff she had to pull her car up to the door of target.  And yes I did buy more...not too much.  An electric remote control car that Mr. E said Leo would LOVE....ie HIM :)  I also got a train table for $20.  Anyway I digress.  

While I was scanning the toys again.  Mr. E was occupying Little Lion.  Little Lion found a lion toy that made music when you pressed the buttons.  Here is what Little Lion proceeds to do.

How cute is he!?!?!?!?!?  Don't you want to dance with him????

Phone Tree

Now usually people have a phone tree set up in case of emergency so everyone finds out the information quickly without having to call 857 people.  Well today there WAS an emergency...a Target emergency :)  Toys have been finally marked down to 75% off!!!!  This needed immediate action!  I had to call all my Target friends.  

I love this sale as well as the after Xmas toy sale!  I get toys for all my nieces and nephews as well as Little Lion for birthdays and Christmas.  Mr. E always has a heart attack when I come home with bags and bags of toys.  But I pleasantly remind him that I am SAVING him money by shopping sales.  Today I got 33 toys for $100.  I mean really when else can you get such deals???  

So I suggest you RUN not walk to you nearest Target to get some toy deals!

Mission MARATHON!

Bare with me this will be long...

I am the shopping queen!  I never pay retail which allows me to stay home...or so I tell Mr. E :)  Last year at the end of July, Target had a TON of toys 75% off.  I bought all of Little Lion's Xmas, birthday presents as well as for our nieces and nephew.  I bought $300 worth of toys for $66 dollars :)  I know Target is in the process of getting ready for this big markdown again this year and I plan to do the same buying as last year.  So I've been frequenting Target on a weekly basis as well as reading slickdeals.com. 

 I found that Target also marked down their Britax carseats.  If you don't know anything about Britax, they are the best in safety ratings for carseats and run in the $200 range.  Little Lion rides in a Roundabout Britax which I got at 75% off at Target the year before he was born ;)  Yes I like to shop ahead...hey I save big bucks this way ;)  However, that deal was before the craziness of everyone reading deals online and getting them quick.  So I knew I didn't have much time to waste in my search for a Britax deal.  

You are probably wondering why I would need another carseat when we have one for Little Lion.  Well we will probably have another baby sometime in the future....no I'm not pregnant, I'm going to Hawaii before any of that talk ;)  Anyway, the Roundabout is the smaller version of the carseat.  It goes to 40lbs which will last Little Lion for another year or so.  But by then maybe #2 will be on the way.  So I wanted to get the Britax Marathon which is the next size up.  It goes to 60lbs.  I check online to see what is available instore.  My Target states that they have NONE....Grrrrr Someone got there before me!!!!  I call anyway to double check.  Yup NONE.  However they have the roundabout for $153 from $229....30% off.  Still a great deal, but I have one.  So the good friend that I am I call my PG friends, R and T.  I only get ahold of T.  She says thanks and she'll talk it over with hubby.  

However, this doesn't help me!!!!  I proceed to call every Target within a 15 mile radius of my house.  I found 2 stores that have the Marathon.  One hasn't marked down any Britax yet....no deal.  The other was only marked down 15% $229...not a good enough deal for me.  GRRRR

I call my Mom and tell her that they are marking them down, but after checking her closest Target, they don't have any Marathons either.  GRRR  She says she is going to Target anyway and will look.  I tell her that I don't want anything unless it's under $200 mind you it's $279.  She calls 30 mins later and informs me she has a Marathon in her cart....FOR $139!!!!!!!!!!  SCORE!!!!!!  She tells me that the they are 50% which is the cheapest I've seen/heard for now.  The Roundabout is $109.  

I call R and T again.  I only talk to T.  She said WOW great deal.  Mr. T didn't want to get one yet, but for 50%.  Heck yeah ;)  I also decided to call Mr. E to let him know I'm spending $$$.  He says we should get one for the lady at his work who is PG as a group gift.  So I have to call my Mom and send her back to Target.

Guess what....NONE were left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  OH NO I call T and she tells me she talked to them and they put one on hold for her...yeah for someone getting the deal....and they were on their way out there.  I call Mom back to tell her way they were gone and she tells me there was another Marathon there....WHAT and you didn't get it???  So I call T back to tell her to get that one and get the roundabout for the gift.  OK great....she gets there...NOT there!!!!  However there was 2 Roundabouts which she got :)  

WHEW what an exciting bargain day!  I love the thrill of it and of course sharing the wealth!!!

Update

Mr. E, Little Lion and I just returned from the outlets and some the stores are already OPEN....Michael Kors and Bath and Body Works.  I also noticed that they are putting in a Victoria Secrets outlet too :)  And can you believe I bought NOTHING!!!  See I can stay on a budget for Hawaii!

HIDE MY WALLET!!!!

So I am in need of a new swim suit for Little Lion's swim lessons that start next week. I can't be that Mom in the itsy bitsy tiny weeny polka dot bikini. I think I need a tankini. Who wants a boob to pop out in class??? Plus I'll use it in Hawaii....see I can justify any purchase.

So I was looking at jcrew.com and found a few that I liked. I know there is a jcrew outlet opening sometime at the I-Drive outlets. So I was googling and found out that it's opening in Spring of 08. Ok so that is too long away...but in my search I found out that they are putting in many other stores of my liking. Here is the list, BUT don't continue if you want to save money ;) Mind you these are all outlets!!

Betsey Johnson
Dooney and Bourke
Juicey Couture
Bath and Body Works
Kate Spade...my favorite!!!!!!!
7 for All Mankind
Stuart Weitzman
Michael Kors ....another Fav!!!!!
JCrew....duh ;)

WOW!!!! Mr.E will have to reign me in come Spring 08!!!!!!!! Orlando is Outlet King!!!!