December 1st

Wow! What a beautiful day to start out the busy, festive month of December! The snow is beautiful and heavy! It really helps get in the Christmas Spirit! Today we just stayed snuggled in our house. I baked some cookies and did some laundry but for the most part just enjoyed being snowed in. I am looking forward to getting my decorations out and up. As well as some presents wrapped. This is the first year I will have to wait to put out the presents until Christmas Eve night. I am very excited for Christmas; it is my favorite time of year!

Krogering

I have a confession, I am totally addicted to couponing. I am sure you will understand as you continue reading. You see I buy multiple papers on Sunday morning, clip, sort, and use a lot of coupons. I have a 2in binder full, sorted in baseball card holders. I know it may sound a little OCD but I save a TON!! I use my coupons on items that are on sale and almost always buy in quanities Here are my "deals" from last weeks trips to Kroger.

(2) Old Spice Deodorant
(2) Gillette Razors 3pk
(2) Goody Ouchless hair bands
(2) Huggies wipes
(1) Reach toothbrush
(1) Tylenol PM
(6) Pillsbury Toaster Strudels
(1) Pork Loin
(3) Palmolive dish soap
(7) Quaker Old fashion oats
(3) Welch’s Grape Juice (64oz)
(2) Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn
(6) tubs Duncan Hines Frosting
(6) boxes of Poptarts
(2) Pillsbury pie crust
(1) Kroger cheese
(1) Mueller egg noodles
(3) boxes Quaker bars
(6) cans Chef Boyardee
(3) cans Muir Glenn Tomatoes
(3) boxes of Spaghetti noodles
(4) cans of Campbell’s soup

total: $38.18
Savings of : $152.56
(80 %)!!


(1) 4pk Duracell batteries
(2) Duncan Hines frosting
(3) Welch’s Grape juice 64oz
(3) Muir Glenn tomatoes
(1) Tylenol Extra Strength
(6) Edwards Singles Pie
(6) Pillsbury Toaster Strudel
(2) boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch
(2) boxes of Orville Redenbacher popcorn
(1) Crisco Vegetable oil
(3) Palmolive dish soap
(3) tubs Quaker Old fashion oats
(2) cans Chef Boyardee

Total: $11.95
Savings of : $98.97
(89%)!!

(6) Pillsbury Toaster Strudels
(4) No Nonsense Hosiery
(4) Healthy Choice Steamers
(3) Quaker Old Fashion Oats
(1) Oscar Mayer Deli Ham
(1) Pantene Shampoo
(1) Aussie Hairspray
(2) Breyer Ice Cream
(1) Digarino For One Pizza
(1) Nail Saver Sponge
(3) 4pk Duracell Batteries
(3) Land O Lakes Butter
(2) Huggies Wipes
(3) Quaker Instant Oatmeal
(3) Scotch Lint Rollers
(1) 4pk Cottonelle TP
(4) Carnation Evaporated Milk
(4) Chef Boyardee
(3) Propel waters
(3) Welch’s Grape Juice 64oz
(2) packages Goody Ouchless Hairbands
(5) Muir Glenn Tomatoes
(6) hunts tomatoes
(1) baby Orajel
(1) Sargento Cheese
(6) Poptarts
(1) Kraft Singles
(6) Philly Cream Cheeses
(3)Starbucks Chocolate
(1) Keebler Cookies
(3) Ronzoni Elbow Noodles

Total: 60.17
Savings: $190.06
77%!!

(6) Pillsbury Toaster Strudels
(2) Daisy Sour Cream
(3) Quaker Oats
(3) Welch’s Grape juice 64 oz
(3) Betty Crocker Potatoes
(3) 4pk Duracell Batteries
(2) Domino Sugar 5lb bags
(4) Carnation Evaporated Milk
(3) boxes Ronzoni Spaghetti
(2) Johnson & Johnson bath wash
(1) Land O Lakes Butter
(3) Starbucks Chocolate

Total: $14.55
Savings of: $94.16
87%!!

Total of all: $124.85

SAVED:535.75!

Now for those of you who see me hauling my two kids and a binder full of coupons think I am CRAZY...Maybe I am, but I think the same of everybody paying full price for the items I get free or very cheap!! HAHA!! Now if you ever want to join me to see how it is done let me know, I'll find a babysitter :)

Wow a month since my last post, shame on me. Well I took the girls out trick-or-treating. I had made Ariana a tutu to where with some legging and a Halloween shirt, and Adalyn went as a lamb in her light fleece lamb outfit. The weather was PERFECT! Ariana was a little leery of her cousin Allen, he was a vampire, as well as the other "scary" people walking around the neighborhood. She ended up having a blast though. Adalyn fell asleep in the stroller.

Last week Adalyn started, finally, eating some baby food. Before I would try to give it to her and she would gag on it and turn her head. But now she opens right up. What a relief! I was worried she may have a food allergy, but it turns out she is just a lil stinker. Actually I think it may have to do with her teething. Once she finally got her one tooth through she started eating, and now she is working on the second one coming through.

On that same day Ariana was getting into her candy pumpkin. She took out some Mini M&M's and sat up on her daddy's lap to eat them. Well about 2 minutes later she was drooling all over. He told her to get a Kleenex, as she was going to get one, she burst out in tears saying "it's in my nose." Sure enough, a blue Mini M&M had made it into her nose. She blew it out but it left her with nice a blue nose. A little scary but very funny!

Adalyn has started talking too!! Besides the "mama" and "hi dada" she says "uh oh" It is hilarious. Well to me anyway.

Hopefully I will keep up on this better, as it is a good reminder to me about the little things that happen in our everyday lives.

Well next week is Ariana's last swim lesson. She gets to go down the slide. She is very excited about it, but I think she may chicken out once she gets to the top. I am going to see if somebody will come along with me so I can maybe get a picture or two. We have been to Jungle Gym only twice, but Ariana loves it, so we will definately go back. She loves being able to jump on everything! I will have to remember to bring the camera the next time we go.

Jason went yesterday and got some materials to build my craft bench and some more storage for the basement. Hopefully on his next set off he will be able to get some of that done. I love seeing the changes that are being made down there, as well as having some "organized" storage areas. However I now have the get the upstairs organized since I have storage places to put things :)

A Tourist in Your Own Town

Today my mom and grandma came to town and we ventured out to be "Tourist in our own Town". Actually we first went to Kmart and got some GREAT deals again :) Then on to the Circle businesses. They had a live band, samples from different different places around town, FREE pumpkins for the kiddos, face painting(which we didn't do this time), Tattoos (grandma did get Ariana one), and an inflatable jumping thing. Ariana loved it, but was get trampled by the bigger kids, so she didn't stay in long. By the time we finished shopping at the Plaid Giraffe and doing the things in the parking lot it was lunch time, so we headed to Pizza Hut. We had a great lunch and now a happy, full little girl. So we went to Dow Gardens. It was free admission, I thought I could maybe get some good fall pictures. I got just a few, it was cold and Adalyn was very sleepy. Ariana ran all over, but it really wore her out. She is now sleeping and so is Adalyn :) What a wonderful day!

Swimming Lessons

Jason and I decided now would be a good time to put Ariana into swim lessons. She really isn't scared of the water at all, which as a mom really scares me! We have been to two lesson already and for the most part she loves it. I have to get in the pool with her so needless to say there will be no pictures. She is learning how to float and blow bubbles with her face in the water. She is fine with everything but water getting into her ears. We have about 5 more weeks so hopefully she will learn some more things and retain the lessons.
We are also going to start her in gymnastics! YAY!! I think really it is just a playgroup at the communtiy center, but I know she will love it! They have some really neat things for her to climb on and over and under. As well as a long trampoline with a pit to jump into. She is so active, I am really hoping to get some engery drained out of her while doing this. Who know though it will probably just get her all hyped up and want to try things on the furniture at home. LOL.
Let's see what else has been going on. Well Jason has building shelves in the basement for storage. He is almost done with the shelves for the totes and has completely finished the shelves for all my stockpile things! Soon we will have a functional basement space to do crafts, a play area, laundry area, and offical storage area! I am so excited! That is definately one thing I need is more storage! I will put pictures up later of the basement.

Adalyn Mae

Today was Adalyn's sixth month appointment. I did have some concerns about her eating issues. Last Sunday I gave her pears for the first time and we ended up in the ER. He thinks it was just fluke and no allergies to pears, but maybe try applesauce for a while. Anyway she is 14lbs 6oz, and doing great. She did end up with two shots, so she is a little cranky from that. Ariana is doing great too, she was very concerned about her sister getting shots. I thought for a moment Ariana was going to burst out in tears when Adalyn was crying. I was glad when she didn't! I don't know what I would have done with two meltdowns! LOL. Well they both are napping now so maybe I should do the same.

Elmo

So after a long day of playing with her cousins, I decided to take Ariana out to Barnes and Noble to help Elmo celebrate his birthday. On the way out to the mall Ariana kept saying "Elmo's Birthday?" I would say "yes" Then she said " I want to rub him" I thought this was pretty funny. I said "OK". Then we got to the mall and I got the stroller out which was very unnecessary seeing I had to take both girls out anyway because of the craziness of people who were celebrating with Elmo. Ariana got a cupcake, then the B&N lady read about 2 seconds of the book, after that a huge line formed to get pictures with him. We waited in line, very patiently I might add, she climbed right up on his lap and got her picture then got out of there. But she kept saying "had fun with Elmo's birthday mama","Elmo held me" "Sang Happy Birthday to Elmo". So, though it was crazy, I suppose it was worth it!

Extension to About Me

Well I met my husband when I was in junior high, he was a senior then. We reconnected after my first year of college, while I was training to be a server a Chi-Chi's. Our first date was August 1, 2001 and we were married December 15, 2001. I couldn't be happier with the way my life has been laid out for me. I finished college with a degree in Elementary Education, and 8 months pregnant with my first child. Needless to say I was HUGE walking across the stage to receive my diploma, but after five (almost 6 years) of college I felt I needed to actually walk and receive it.
On June 17, 2006 (nine days after her due date) Ariana Rose arrived. It all seems so simple, get pregnant and have a baby, but I find it so amazing that God has made a woman's body so perfect to actually make it all work. Anyway, after Ariana's first birthday I found out I was pregnant for baby #2. I was so excited to have two babies so close together. On February 12, 2008 Adalyn Mae was born. Everyday is a new adventure for Jason and me. Ariana is always saying something new that cracks us up and Adalyn is learning new things everyday, she is laughing and trying so hard to talk. She reaches out for my face and gives me big sloppy kisses (which I LOVE!!) I guess I should also mention the other member of our family, we have a Great Dane. Her name is Kelly. She is wonderful with the kids and very protective over the whole family. I like her, but honestly I just don't like having an animal in the house.
We are currently living in Midland. I am enjoying my life as a stay-at-home mom, and very thankful Jason is supportive of this decision. Jason is in his tenth year at Dow Corning. He works a very crazy schedule, sometimes it makes it hard to squeeze in family time but he always seems to do it even if it is a couple of minutes, we have his complete undivided attention. God has certainly blessed me over and over with such a wonderful family, for this I am extremely thankful!