you decide

What should the caption for this pic be?

I mean, it's super cute but I'm pretty sure I've used all the synonyms for adorable already.

Thank You

Thank you sweet boy for making my day. It was not a good one until I got home to your sweet self. I love how your smile and squeals make all my frustration fade. Love you more than anything.

-Momma

coupon class

Here's a quick couponing lesson and a little glimpse at my stock pile. No, I do not have it insured and nothing I have is a 40 year supply like some of the crazy couponing hoarders. Everything in moderation.

Walgreens: 

This is a good example of using a coupon with a clearance item. This item was free! Woohoo! I love couponing. I give them this little piece of cut out paper that I got for free and they let me walk out of the store without paying... magic! 

Side note: Always know your store's coupon policy. Walgreens will just adjust the coupon down to the price of the item whereas, Walmart just changed their policy and they will actually give you the overage meaning that I would have had 26 cents off whatever I had left in my cart. 

This is a great deal right here. First of all, just the razor is usually about 10 bucks but the razor and the razor + creme + holder pack were the same price on sale... always get the one that gives you more bang for you buck. So, $9.99... I use my coupon and pay $4.99 and get $4 in RR with my receipt. I turn around and buy bottle liners that usually cost $8. I use my $4 RR and then a $1 coupon for playtex liners and end up paying only 3 bucks for the bottle liners.

See?! It's a lot of math but once you get the hang of it you'll be shocked at how much you save. Also, good razors are something to stockpile because they are crazy expensive and they don't expire.

{Register Rewards (RR) are a long coupon that will print after you pay and are good toward your next order. You can split up transactions and use the RR 2 seconds later on your next few items.}

The loot!

So I ended up splitting it into 2 transactions and spending about $12 out of pocket (OOP) and I saved.......... $28! What always shocks me the most is how much stuff would have cost. That little pile would have cost me $40 if I wasn't a smart shopper... it's crazy how little things add up to big bills.

This is a little bit of the stockpile. Stuff we use all the time... dog food, wipes, paper towels, diapers, kleenex, ziploc baggies, etc.

More stuff we use. All that toothpaste was either free or cost me under a quarter.

Best part about a stockpile is that you don't have to run to the store when you run out of toothpaste or toilet paper or dog food... just a quick trip down the hall. 

A little bit more. See all the razors... that is something you should never pay full price for again. All above were purchased for $1.99 or less including 2 that actually made me money. :)

Enjoy and Happy, SMART Shopping!

Don Draper

For those of you who watch Mad Men, you will appreciate the intense side part.

my new wheels

I have been so blessed to have little cousins who are just a little bit older than me so I can use their stuff when they outgrow it. However, my dad has been trying to take me on jogs with an umbrella stroller so my mom intervened. She hopped on the computer and Craigslisted away until she found me some new, appropriate wheels. Woohoo! Here we are at Terry Hershey park going for a little jog. Thanks mom and dad!

-Gray

a lil' messy

As you can tell, this kid likes to eat. However, I do believe he wears about as much as he eats when his dad feeds him. 

I've been making all of Gray's food. It's super easy and a HUGE money saver. Bonus, I know exactly what he's eating and what goes into it. I just make it and freeze it in ice cube trays (about an ounce/cube) and then move the frozen food into labeled freezer bags. Easy peasy!

cry baby

So last week we took G to the doctor convinced that he had some sort of tummy issue that was keeping him up and causing him to wake a million times a night. It was not a bizarre thought considering this kid has the most sensitive stomach ever and he used to sleep through the night before he got sick (double ear infection) and had to take all those meds that can mess with your tummy. Anywhoo, this first time mom was convinced and just needed some direction. 

Enter, Dr. Lange. Prescription, benign neglect (he seriously wrote it on Gray's write-up report). He said it's totally a behavior thing and he just wants to cuddle. While that sounds adorable and sweet, I don't want to cuddle with anyone at 3 in the morning... I want to be sleeping. 

So, that night (Tuesday) we started cry it out (the Ferber method). I basically consists of letting a child cry themselves to sleep (parent going in to comfort occasionally) in order to learn that night time is for sleeping and to learn how to fall asleep by themselves. The end result being sleep for the whole family and a more independent child with good sleep habits. 

Chris and I gave each other a pep talk and prayed. 

Tuesday, cried for 1 hour and 5 minutes

Wednesday, 50 minutes

Thursday, 30 minutes

Friday, 10  minutes

Saturday, 0 minutes of crying.

What a wonderful Mother's Day gift!

Easter Sunday

We had a wonderful Easter 2011! We went to church and sang my favorite worship song "In Christ Alone." This song brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart every time I hear it. Later, it was off to lunch an Gramma Marley's with the Millers and the Hokansons. Yummy food and great conversations were had. Hope your Easters were just as wonderful! Can't wait to hunt eggs with little G next year!

What a snazzy kid!