the top five places to buy k cups

After professing my Keurig brewing system love, I thought I would share with you my “secrets” to finding great deals on k cups.  Like I mentioned in my last post, one of the biggest downfalls {for me} with the Keurig is the cost of the k cups themselves.  Therefore, I am always on the lookout for a good deal on some of my favorite flavors!

Here are my top five k cup retailers:

1.  Amazon

This is the first place I turn when I am out of k cups!  Amazon has the biggest variety and great pricing.  Plus, I am an Amazon “Super Saver”, so I get free shipping on all items eligible for super saver shipping {over the course of a year, the $79 fee to be a Super Saver definitely pays for itself given the amount of shopping I do on Amazon}.

Recently I was gifted some Folgers Vanilla Biscotti k cups…..they have instantly become my new favorite.  The best price, that I could find, of this flavor k cup on Amazon is $0.74 each.

2.  Ebay

Just like Amazon, Ebay gives you a wide variety of k cup choices and great pricing, but what makes it a little less likeable than Amazon is the fact that you have to bid, hope you win, and then wait for your k cups.  I am too impatient for that sometimes!

I was able to find the Folgers Vanilla Biscotti k cups for $0.72 each {including shipping and assuming you win one of the auctions at the opening price}

3.  Keurig.com

When  you sign up for Club Keurig {which is free to do}, you receive a 10-15% discount on k cups on Keurig.com.  You also get to choose a free sample with every six boxes that you purchase.  There is free shipping on orders of $45 or more and you earn points {that you can redeem for a discount on select items} with every purchase.

Assuming you order four boxes of 24 {to get free shipping}, and including the Club Keurig discount, you would pay about $0.62 per cup.

4.  Walgreens

Believe it or not, you can get some pretty good deals on k cups at Walgreens.  Once you use coupons, and factor in any balance rewards, you could pay as little as $0.45 per k cup!  The selection, however, is really limited {the Walgreens I shop at only carries two different Starbucks k cup varieties}.

5.  Fleet Farm

Yes, you read this one correctly.  Like Walgreens, the selection is really limited, but they clearance out k cups WELL before the expiration date, so if you keep your eyes peeled, you can score some really cheap k cups.

And that is what is happening at West Street Story!

|||  Jen  |||

can the year really only be a month old?

January 2013.  This month was filled with such big highs and lows that one would expect to look back on events and believe to be reminiscing about the entire year and not just one singular month!

It all started with some very exciting news….we found out Graham’s brother was engaged to be married! 

Technically speaking, Graham and I found out right before the new year, but the couple was making their way around Wisconsin during Christmas break to be able to tell their loved ones in person {so we couldn’t be too public with enthusiasm until everyone got the good news}.  But get this…they got engaged on Thanksgiving!  I do not know how they were able to keep it a secret all the way until Christmas {because they wanted to tell everyone in person}, but they did it!  And since they didn’t make it “Facebook official” {because, let’s be honest it is not official until it’s Facebook official} until after the first of the year, I am counting it as big 2013 news!

When is the wedding?  It is coming up quick – they are planning a May wedding.  Where is the wedding?  HAWAII…OMG!!!!!!!!!

Yes, that is right folks, we have a trip {almost} planned for Hawaii.  Once the bride and groom pick a waterfall to be married in front of, we will be booking our flights {yes, you read that correctly….WATERFALL…HAWAII….OMG}.  It is going to be a very beautiful wedding.

Some of you may be wondering what Graham and I plan to do with getting pregnant + traveling.

That is a good question.

To be honest, when Adam and Bri told us the news, my immediate response was sheer excitement and a “We are going to Hawaii?!?!” loud shrill in the middle of a restaurant {the waitress asked if she could come along}.  It took me about 30 seconds, however, to realize what this could mean.

However, after talking about it {and it really only took about five minutes to “talk”}, we BOTH plan on going to Hawaii regardless of our pregnancy status.  The only caveat to us trying to get pregnant again, prior to the wedding, was getting my OB’s seal of approval.

That brings me to the next news-worthy day in January.  I went in for an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago and everything looked great!  I joked with my OB and said it was the best ultrasound I had ever had {that’s “funny” because I am not actually pregnant, so of course this ultrasound would look normal}.  The ultrasound was just to check on all of the troublesome cysts and to make sure my uterus was fully cleared/looking normal after the ectopic.  I wanted to make sure we knew what we were “dealing” with before getting pregnant again and now we do!

After the ultrasound, I talked to my doctor about traveling to Hawaii.  I was a bit nervous that she would tell me that due to my history, she wouldn’t approve travel for me during a pregnancy.  Nope, not the case!

She said as long as I was in my second trimester {which, if I make it to that point, we will already be looking at a MUCH better outcome} and as long as I had quick access to the hospital/emergency room/surgery wing {ie, we are renting a car}, that I could go ahead and start collecting my resort wear!  The only specific-to-me things I will have to do {because I will be on blood thinners and trying to discourage clots from forming} is to make sure not to sit for longer than an hour and a half to two hours straight.  So, I will have to take “bathroom breaks” on the airplane, but that shouldn’t be a problem even if I wasn’t pregnant!

I also completed my two big bridal shows in January.  Throughout the two weekends, over 6,000 people walked past the Invites by Jen booth.  I got plenty of consultations booked at my new office and am ready to rock-n-roll this year!

So, even though the month was shaping up to be awesome, we ended up getting very sad news.  Graham’s 95-year-old grandmother passed away.  Although Graham and I love to see our family, the ONE time it is not desired is when we travel back to Glenwood for a funeral.

It was special, however, to have most of the entire family together.

{the family photo taken in the St. John’s gym!}

With being on the farm, I did take some time to snap a few pics….most of them were of my sweet nephew, Collin.  Prepare yourself for a Collin photo bomb:

Isn’t he the sweetest?  I am especially looking forward to spending some good cuddle time with him in Hawaii…I promised his mom and dad that I would {very happily} take on the babysitting role if I am pregnant so that they can go enjoy some of the fun Hawaii {not pregnancy friendly} activities!

So, as I wrap up the memories from January 2013, I am certainly looking forward to February {and hoping for some big, exciting news this month as well}…..cross your fingers as we start trying again!

what do you think?

West Street Story just got a bit of a face lift.  What do you think? 

I also just adjusted the comments settings, I am hoping it is now working for everyone.  So, I would love to hear your thoughts on the new look of West Street Story….please leave me a comment and let me know!

Thx, Jen

Coupon Roundup + Exciting Announcement + Garden Tip

Hello Hump Day!  It sure is starting to feel like spring again {after our teaser in March}.  I apologize for the non-post yesterday…I received some news from my doctor that sidelined me for the rest of the day.  Someday, when I have enough courage {and more information}, I will fill you in more!

In any case, it is finally time to share with you my couponing for the week {after my little couponing sidebar on Monday}.

I am really excited for what I got this week to donate to PAVE {People Against a Violent Environment}.  After talking with Jamie, one of the executives that run PAVE, I had a list of some of the things that they could really use.  One of those things was individually wrapped pieces of candy.  They use the candy as rewards for the kids during sessions.  I do not normally purchase candy {Graham and I would eat the entire bag in one sitting, otherwise}, so I was excited for the couponing challenge.

Luckily, Easter candy was on sale and I had a couple coupons, so I ended up getting them quite a bit of candy.  The best part is that it is actually spring themed {there is no mention of the Easter bunny anywhere on the candy}, so the kids will not know the difference!

She also mentioned the need for office supplies.  They have a VERY small budget for the entire year.  It certainly is not a lot to cover office supplies for an organization that can have up to twenty+ people using their services at one time!  Luckily, I always take advantage of 100% back reward items at Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot.

Here is the haul that I gathered for PAVE this week.  Even sweeter than the candy deal, was the total cost for all of this loot. 

I paid a total of $6.77! 

Everything was completely free except the candy and Kool-Aid, but they were obviously pretty close to free.

I got the toothpaste for free at Walgreens, all of the office supplies were free from Office Depot, and I got the rest at Target.

I cannot wait to give PAVE the box of goodies!

Now, onto my exciting announcement {haha, I made you read the entire post to find it out}.  Earlier this week I received an email from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine – West Street Story {meaning, I was} accepted to be on their Home and Garden Advisory board!  I will be able to give my feedback on upcoming magazine issues and other things.  I am very excited and cannot wait to share more here for you!

And, to try and fit as ... much … as possible into this post, I also have a gardening tip for you today! 

This was my first year with double blooming tulips and hyacinths in my flower bed next to the garage.  Given the bulbs are blooming for the first time, I wanted to make sure I did whatever I could to help them survive their first year and come back stronger next year.

I learned that once the flower blooms start to fade on your perennials, you are supposed to cut the blooms off, but only to the first set of leaves.  Apparently the leaves are what store the fuel for the bulb.  Therefore, if you let the leaves receive all the nutrients now {rather than some of those nutrients going towards fading blooms}, they can provide more to the bulb as it prepares itself for winter.  And since the blooms are fading, your flower bed will look neater without them anyways.

I had no problem clipping the blooms to display in the kitchen.  The blooms make me happy!  {side note:  I got the fun little grey mug that they are displayed in at an antique shop for just a couple of bucks!}

What you see in the pictures is the last of my hyacinth blooms, but I have plenty of the double blooming tulips left…I have been replacing the flowers about once a week.  Soon my peonies will be blooming as well, so I cannot wait!

Our Weekends of Getaways

In looking back at what has been done to cross off items on the never ending to-do list for the house (projects, maintenance, and otherwise), not a lot has been done since the last update!

That, of course, means we have been busy in other ways.  For the most part, our weekends have been filled with “getaways” to the western side of Wisconsin for different things.  However, we have been lucky enough to host at least one getaway here in BD.  With so much going on, an update of all the different trips was necessary. 

Our getaways seem to have started as soon as the last snowfall melted (remember that last snowfall?  and our love ducks?).

We made it back to visit with our parents and siblings to celebrate Easter.

 





















{It only took us about 15 takes to get this picture (mom could not stop laughing)}

{Dad’s dog, Molly, and his chickens!}

A couple of weekends were spent on Graham’s family farm getting the fencing up for the goat’s new home.

Jen did sneak away on one of the fencing weekends to go and visit her sister up in Hopkins, MN to see her new apartment, new workplace, and new life. 

{Pictures of Tam’s apartment (including the already messy closet) after just moving in.}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{The new building Tam works in (her company had just moved into this building the week prior to my visit) plus the view from her offices – looking closely, you can see downtown in the foggy skyline.}

Tammy treated Jen to an amazing dinner at the restaurant she works for, Crave.

{The best sushi (and lots of it)!}

We also took some trips over to Baldwin to meet, and visit with, our precious little god-daughter Giada Jean DiBona (she was born on March 16th to the proud parents of Tim and Alessiah).

{Daddy and Giada taking naps!}

A very epic weekend came just a couple of weekends ago, however – Graham loaded his 25 goats into the back of Gary and they were hauled 200 miles to his parent’s farm.  Once there, issues with the fencing did arise, but through the rain (and pending thunderstorm) everybody pitched in to get the goats in safe and secure. 

{Getting the first goats into the pasture}

 

 

 

 

 

 

{Crucial herding took place by all}

Both of the dads (Mike and Joe) spent that Saturday together picking up Uncle Jerry, the guard llama for the goats.

Alyssa’s dog, Murphy, got in to the goat area causing Uncle Jerry to get a bit anxious and protective.  It was a good sign that Uncle Jerry could handle the job.

Although we were able to stay in Beaver Dam, one weekend was all about the Beaver Dam Community Garden!  Both Jen and Graham are members of the board and were happy to have helped put together the big “Grand Opening Day” earlier this spring.  The plots were tilled and gardening commenced.

Memorial Day weekend has just come and gone and we were so excited when Sam and Geoff decided to come and visit for the long weekend!  We went to the Farmer’s Market in Madison on Saturday and afterwards enjoyed lunch (and a boot) at the Capital Tap Haus on State Street. 

After walking around State (and stopping into one more bar while a seemingly important soccer game was on), we headed back to Beaver Dam.  Jen planted the rest of her flowers while the rest of the gang enjoyed the start of the night’s campfire (complete with beers, hotdogs, and s’mores). 

Sunday we went to see the Hangover II, walked to the local ice cream shop and gave Leo his first ice cream cone, took some naps, and played board games. 

After breakfast on Sunday (and while we watched the Memorial Day parade go by from the diner’s windows), Sam, Geoff, and Leo headed home.

What a busy spring we have had (and I am sure that some things were missed in this update).  And good news, summer is shaping up to be just as jam packed! 

Up next:  Giada will be baptized, Jen will FINALLY be able to get together with her former FIS coworkers for a day in Milwaukee, Jen’s dad will visit for Father’s Day, a trip up to Greg and Sheila’s cabin will eventually happen, we will go to the new restaurant at Mall of America from “The Next Great Restaurant” with Tim and Alessiah, we will be celebrating Lynne’s retirement from teaching, Jen will turn 27, our 3rd anniversary will pass by, the Draxler family reunion will take place in Siren, and a couple of weddings to boot.  Whew!  Hopefully all of the plants we just put into our garden do not die from neglect while we are away this summer.

So, even though we may not be getting to all of those “to-dos” as quickly as we would like inside our home, we are enjoying every minute of this season and spending time with our family and friends is what we enjoy most!  Until next time……