My St. Maarten favorites

Yesterday I returned from St. Maarten. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite moments on the island.

My absolute favorite place to hang out...  tropical beaches!



This picture will come in handy during the bitter cold winter season.




Strawberry & Guava berry drink (virgin or with "spirits") is refreshing!



Nope!  I don't know this guy.  Inebriation prevented him from making it to his room.  He got off of  the elevator on our floor and this is where he landed.  I could not resist taking  his picture.

My girlfriend was relentless in getting us to dine at this marvelous restaurant.  Why?  Because Oprah said so!   No disappointment here...  The food was sensational and left my taste buds wanting more.

My hotel was located near the Princess Juliana Int'l Airport and  we were very close to this beach. Last week the beach was featured on yahoo as one of the top 10 dangerous beaches.  I am amazed at the fools who stand at the foot of the airport at take off.  They are literaly blown into the sand by the power of the planes exhausts. 



This sign rests near the ocean at Orient Beach (French side of the Island).  Great advertisement-- great beverage choice while laying on the beach




I took this shot while sitting outside a restaurant...  wondering what it's called?



Can you say ambiance?  The outdoor waiting area at the Big Fish.  Gorgeous- right?



Dinner plate at The Big Fish.   Almost every object  in the restaurant is white, including the cool rectangular plates  that dinner is served on. 




At dusk, The Big Fish sign  is illuminated! 



Farewell alarm clock

So I made it through another intriguing school year.  Today is my last day of the 2010-2011 school year and my summer will officially begin.

The summer means I can sleep past 5:00 a.m.   Wake up without an alarm clock or the sound of the coffee pot grinding.  Iced coffee!   Running, reading, and writing more frequently.  Spending more fun time with my family. Oh and getting through my summer to-do list (later I will say  more about my list). I am delighted!

I'm kicking off my summer and rewarding myself this year with some much needed down time.  Translation...  a Caribbean island, white sand streaming through my toes, crystal clear blue water, exotic palm trees, sweet tropical cocktails, and no kids.  Someone else will cook, wash the dishes, clean the toilets, make my bed, laundry the towels, and prepare a fine meal that I will enjoy among adults with mature and uninterrupted conversation.  Yes, I'm ready!

My confession

For the past month, I’ve been terribly unproductive at blogging and my writing in general.  I figured out why!

These darn coupons!  How on earth could that be?  The first time I saw the show Extreme Couponing I thought “great, those women are getting some great deals, but the average mom doesn’t have time for that!”  I am also ashamed to say that I thought…they have no life.

Well, Tanya’s eating her words because couponing has snuck up on me like a thief in the night.  Robbing me of my precious writing time, but saving me huge amounts of money.

When did I realize that I was having issues?  I clearly remember… standing in line at Pathmark cashing in on the triple coupon promotion. Yes! Triple! A $1.00 coupon worth $3.00! Amazing right!!!

As the cashier rang up my items and began scanning my coupons, I realized that my hands were trembling!   Lol!! Palms were sweaty and all.  I thought, “girl, you’ve got issues!”  I got so excited that day, because the cashier gave me $0.05 back (he wasn’t suppose to do that), that I left my bank card at the cash register.

While, I’m still a novice at this couponing adventure, I am saving money and having fun. Here are a few pictures of some my favorite buys.

(Acme) Total bill  - $6.16

The Ore.Ida fries were free (Pathmark promo) & the creamers were either free or under $0.50.  The freezer is full!

Can you tell, Tabasco is my favorite hot sauce?  I got 9- 2 oz. bottles for FREE!



4 Luigi's Italian Water Ice & 2 - 20 oz. Lipton Green Tea - Total Bill - $0.21

  

My son loves PJ sandwiches - These were from a ACME promo. 

My mom always ask, "why do people tell their business?" My answer regarding this post is,  I'm sharing my coupon adventures with others to help save money.  I know of many working class people who are unemployed or underemployed and struggle to make ends meet.  If this information can help others, than the post is well worth the time.

By the way, once I get this couponing down pat, I refuse to over stock on items that I don't or won't ever use.  Instead I will donate to those who are in need such as the NJ Food Bank , the Covenant House, Atlantic County Women's Center, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission , or another non profit agency in need.

Enjoy the remainder of the weekend.