Case Lot Sale...Success!!

So my neighbor (also an AF wife) and I got up this morning bright and early to head to the case lot sale here in Pensacola, just to find that the Navy apparently sets them up waaaay differently than AF bases do...we stood in line for four hours just to get to the start of the case lot tent!! It was crazy! And it got up in the 80's today (sunburn...unfortunately, yes) and we finally got to the tent and I was so overwhelmed! These things are so cool! I had a list with me (which of course I only minimally followed) and was literally amazed at the savings they offer. I already liked the commissary as compared to my old civilian favorite Kroger, but now I'm IN LOVE!! We had three heaping carts between us by the time we got to the register. When I got home I went back through the master list and figured out my savings. If I would have paid regular price for all of the items I got, I would have spent $458.19, but I only actually paid $239.02!!! That's a (drumroll please)..... 52% SAVINGS! Say WHAT?!?!?! I was more proud showing the hubs that list than I have been of anything in a long time!! We have enough toilet paper to wipe our butts for a year, enough macaroni elbow noodles to last the rest of our lives, and also the all-important Oreo's (for BE, to soften the blow of my spending lol). I was soooooo excited! I don't think I will ever miss a case lot sale, and even though it took us almost 6 hours total, it was so worth it to get that much stuff and literally get half of it for free.

My dad called while I was there and I was telling him about it and he says to me, "You know, my tax dollars are paying for that!" to which I replied, "well then I thank you for being such a good citizen." haha and he just thought marrying me off was going to mean he wasn't paying for me anymore!! It definitely is a benefit though.

On another note, I have been SO surprised how few restaurants offer military discounts around here, right next to a base. I have begun compiling a list, and I plan to write letters to the companies (my hubs is hoping we get free stuff or at least coupons out of it) that will more or less be "I'm disappointed in you" ramblings. I'll let ya'll know how that turns out!

In sad news, they finally released the names of the 8 NATO airmen who were killed over in Kabul. My heart aches for these families. I dread every single day going to my front door and seeing men in uniform there, and when the news came out two days ago, I broke down into tears. When BE asked me what was wrong, all I could get out was, "right now, we're sitting here enjoying a beautiful day, and cooking dinner, and making beach plans for the weekend, and there are families who right this minute are having their lives destroyed." I feel like I can't even pray for them hard enough. I know these things happen sometimes, but still, they are all so young and one even had a newborn, and that just makes me so unbearably sad. It could be any one of our guys at any time, and even though they love what they are doing, it doesn't make it any easier to hear the doorbell ring.

Please also keep praying for Alabama... I had a lot of friends who either had families lose homes or knew people who lost their lives. Most of the state looks like a total disaster area, and the National Guard has even been called in. I was up there for classes when all the weather hit, and it was scary enough to hear our sirens going off in town and looking out the window to see trees that minutes before were blowing all around suddenly still as glass, and knowing that's not good. I'm glad to be back home in Florida now, but I wish I could be up there to help with cleanup efforts. If you can, please donate to the Red Cross HERE or "Like" Town & Country Ford on Facebook (they are donating a dollar for everyone who likes their page) HERE.