The first-ever Super-Couponing-Picnic took place today in Castaldo Park in Woodridge! Close to 100 blog readers, coupon spouses, and coupon kids attended this great picnic, which certainly had to be one of the most unique gatherings of people ever!
It was so much fun to meet so many people from the blog and hear what a difference Super-Couponing has made to them over the past year. I was very touched by everyone’s stories and presence today — I know some even came from Indiana for the picnic! Amazing to see so many of you and spend time together!
Some showed their coupon love in the most unique ways… check out PaintedLady’s incredible Catalina cakes:
Right down to the bar codes and the green light on the Catalina machine! What a great tribute to our favorite, hard-working little coupon generator….
Recam led the group in a stockpile swap, where we brought wrapped “secret” items. She read a story about the day in the life of a Super-Couponer, and every time she said the words “left” or “right,” we had to pass our wrapped items to the left or the right in the circle.
It was fun… and guess what I brought home as my prize? Another bottle of ALL laundry detergent (!!!)
After that, the coupon kids in attendance enjoyed smacking a pinata decorated like a $100 bill! Hey, we’re teaching them to save money young.
To my surprise and delight, when the pinata finally exploded after many enthusiastic whacks, not only did candy and toys spill out of it… but dozens of Blinkie coupons rained down like confetti! And, if you want proof of how well trained our coupon kids are… not a single coupon was left on the ground! Those kids snapped the coupons up faster than you can imagine. Even my 2-year-old opened his bag to show me, exclaiming, “Mama! I got COUPONS!”
Throughout the afternoon, people were voting on their favorite coupon-related T-shirts, which a bunch of creative people designed just for the picnic. Here were some memorable ones…
Kanye West taking an award away from Coupon Mom to give to me…
And… a coupon husband’s lament that the self-checkout lane is seeing more action from his wife than he is..!
The people involved in planning this day did an amazing job (hats off to Prea, BlueDemon20, Recam, PaintedLady, and everyone else I may be missing/forgetting/overlooking…) what a fantastic day!
Thank you to everyone who came and enjoyed the day! I’m especially happy that so many people brought donations for area food pantries too — they covered two tables! I continue to be impressed by the generosity of this group, especially in the current economy.
If you would like to see more photos from today, visit the Super-Couponing page on Facebook, where there are many, many more photos!
beaner2 says
I don’t want to be a dork but? Bluedemon and others, have you come up with an idea so we all know who each other is? I know you guys have been working on this picnic for along time now!
LuluD318 says
Do any of the people putting this together need anything? Any help? ANYTHING AT ALL?? I am happy to do whatever.
preppylittledress says
Awesome, I’ll bring some Breyers! Just kiddin’ – sounds like a great plan!
prea says
Bump
lkrupicka says
Commented to wrong spot. Trying again.
Resurrection Praiser says
I got a sneak preview of the cakes my friend has made. I won’t be able to be there, but you all are going to have such a blast. Even the weather is going to cooperate. I heard the showers will be delayed.
Now, wait ’til you see those specialty cakes. PaintedLady is so clever!
She’s also a fantastic friend.
bluedemon20 says
I can’t wait to see the cake! Thank you in advance for taking the time to do that for us….
Can’t wait to meet everyone…see you in a few hours.
vicalapeach says
I am so bummed that I can’t go! I hope to see pics put up especially of the Tshirt contest! Jill you could (in your spare time, LOL) set up a Supercouponing facebook page, great for posting deal pics from your followers! Have fun everyone!!!
stealfinder says
I just got home from the picnic & wanted to say thanks for everyone’s hard work planning it. I had a great time meeting all of you and seeing your faces.
Painted Lady, the cakes were beautiful!
Lulu, I didn’t get to vote, but your shirt was my favorite! Very timely!
prea says
Just sitting here looking at pics from the picnic. It was so nice meeting so many of my fellow bloggers.
A special thanks to paintedlady for the great cakes that were so good looking we didn’t want to cut into them!
And thanks to bluedemon and recam for all their hard work and great ideas for the games and everything else that went into the picnic!
stampinmom says
Looks like you guys had an awesome time! I wish I could have been there. PaintedLady – your cakes look amazing – great job! Hope there’s another one next year. Hats off to those of you that planned what looks like a GREAT event. :-)
faboolover says
Thank you to all who organized this event. It was nice to meet many of you. And thank you for your suggestions on how to improve my skills!
teresa337 says
I was so bummed that I had to miss this – and even more disappointed after seeing the pics!. That cake looked great and it seemed like you had a great time. Maybe next year?
J.R. says
I just made it home too. Sorry I couldn’t stay longer, but I had a rocket launch to attend. Hope you folks didn’t get as wet as I did :-(
Great meeting everyone. Wish I could have stayed for some of the cool cake.
Thanks to everyone that organized it, or just showed up and shared stories.
btrmama08 says
I wish I could have made it, it looks like it was fun. It must have been nice to be with other crazy couponers (crazy in a good way :)).
JOAN CASTILLO says
OK who won ?????
LuluD318 says
Sorry I am just getting around to posting…..A HUGE “thank you” to you awesome girls that put this all together. Nice job! I hate to admit that the picnic was THE social event of the year for me and my kids….great to meet all of you and we had a great time. Everyone had such nice families.
Also, the cakes tasted WONDERFUL, which is unusual for a good-looking cakes! You should be very proud.
Thanks again for the picnic!
jcgeorge says
Please let me add our thanks to you ladies who made the event such a nice gathering. We all had a very nice time and it was great to meet so many of you.
We had to leave early for another commitment, so we missed the games. Jill, thanks for posting the pictures – it sure looks like it was fun!
The donation table looked to be well stocked, so I’m sure some less fortunate folks will benefit as well.
The cakes were such masterpieces – I hope the tasted as good as they looked. Very clever :)
BlueDemon, Recam, PaintedLady, Prea (and others I’m forgetting to name) – thanks so much for doing this. Truly a job well done!!
shoptiludrop says
I LOVED meeting all you fellow couponers! :) And thanks again, Prea, Recam, Bluedemon, Painted Lady==Yummy cake!! and Jill, you guys are so creative and fun!!!
Excited to learn says
It sounds like it was a blast and a half! I would have loved to surround my non-believing husband with a hundred couponers/”couponers in training”; we could have given him the choice to convert or be hung up with the pinata and get clubbed by couponers until he screamed, “Show me the catalina!”
Paintedlady says
My husband and I & our kids also had a wonderful time! Thank you to those of you who took the time to organize all of this. You did a remarkable job putting it all together for us!
It was so nice to put faces to the names & Jill, it was a pleasure meeting you as well. Many thanks for all you do for us!
Thank you for all the compliments on the cakes. They were fun to make and I’m glad you all enjoyed them so much.
prea says
On behalf of the picnic planners, and everyone else who was involved, I would like to extend a huge “THANK YOU” to everyone who brought items for the food pantry. Everyone was very kind in their donations, giving away some really expensive, name brand items, (wink wink).
You donated a whopping 161 items:
4 Hunts Ketchup
2 Fiber One Poptart
1 500 ct Q-Tip
2 Kens Dressing
3 Hellman’s Mayo
1 Box Crystal Light
4 Campbells Select Harvest Soup
1 Raccoonto Pasta
1 Dreamfields Pasta
1 Secret APDO
2 Colgate Total
6 Macaroni Grill
2 Bertoli Pasta Sauce
5 Cheerios
1 Honey Nut Cheerios
1 Wishbone Dressing
2 Dry Idea APDO
2 Ragu
1 Wesson Oil
2 Manwich
2 Kraft BBQ Sauce
2 Hunts Diced Tomato’s
3 Rice Krispie Treat
27 Knorr Pasta Noodles Plus
2 Fiber One Bars
2 Ajax Dish soap
2 Nature Valley Granola Bar
1 Triscuit
1 Ritz
1 Milk Bone
1 Crunch N Clean
1 BC Cookie Mix
1 Celestial Tea
1 Fisher Pnut Butter
1 Healthy Choice Soup
1 Kraft MacNCheese
1 Bush’s Grillin Beans
1 Kashi Cereal
2 Cocoa Krispies
2 Rice Krispie Cereal
2 Progresso
1 Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce
1 2L Dr Pepper
7 Nature Valley Clusters
1 Spaghetti O’s
1 Jewel Black Olives
2 Duncan Hines Cake Mix
5 Jello
1 Motts Apple Juice
1 Skippy Naturals Pnut Butter
12 Carefree Ultra
3 Reach Total Care Floss
10 Reach 360 Acti Flex Tbrush
2 Frosted Mini Wheats
1 Frosted Flakes
2 Oral B Indicator Tbrushes
10 Mighty Dog
It has been through your great effort, tireless shopping and extreme deal hunting that has kept many pantries stocked through these rough times, and has fed many families, who without your donations, may not have otherwise had food for their tables. It only takes one person to change a life – and Jill is proof of that. Thank you Jill, for teaching so very many, many people to fish. :-)