Family of Four!!

Wow, It has been nearly a year since I have blogged! Definitely need to work on making up those lost times. Since the last postings I have returned to the working world, which has its pros and cons. Cons: Being with Ry every waking moment, I sure miss my SAHM buddies, Thursday bible study, sleeping late, and not having a schedule! Pros: More $$ in our account, new friendships with some amazing women, and adult company/conversation for 8hrs! lol
So, the title of this blog is pretty self explanatory. Yes, we are expecting baby #2 on May 1st. We are totally excited and it happened right on time! I think if Garrett had his own way our kids would be 1yr apart! ha For my sanity 2-3 yrs is perfect!!
Telling our family was nerve racking for me, Garrett could not hold it in! Garrett went the day after I told him to a distant clothing store and bought a "Big Sister" shirt I found a few weekends before while shopping with my mom. Of course, I could not buy it while she was with me. The next 2 nights we had dinner with both sets and let Rylyn wear her shirt.  After telling all the family we had to make it facebook official for all the world to know. I wanted to hold off but Garrett is not a secret keeper and my mom was dying to tell.  Everyone is ecstatic!!! We are with out a doubt that Rylyn will be a great big sister. Every Sunday the nursery teachers tell us how motherly she is and she has always been so into caring for her baby doll "baby".
This whole experience is such a blessing. God is amazing and we are thankful he has blessed us with the opportunity to parent a child of his.

Coupon Deals and Steals

Here in the past few months I've really gotten into using coupons. I've used them since Garrett and I got married but just a few here and there. A couple of months ago I went to a gathering at my mom's church to hear a "coupon lady" speak about her expertise on using coupons.  She was really informative! When I left there I was geared up and ready to save save save!!!  I have a bunch of friends at church who are couponers as well and I learned alot of savings from them. The coupon lady informed us that you can stack and double your coupons at a few stores.  Stack meaning you can use more than one coupon on an item but has to be different ones( manufacturer coupon, Internet printed, store or Catalina) double meaning 2 of the same up to a certain cent.  She had some hand-outs of all the stores who take coupons and what they allow. Me a previous Wal-Mart shopper has turned into a Kroger only shopper. I love Kroger because of cheaper prices, better quality meats, and I can stack and double coupons there. Wal-Mart only lets me use one coupon per item. So after hearing the coupon speech we gals piled up and headed to the store and purchased a binder, labels, and baseball card holders.   The Coupon Lady organized her coupons in alphabet order by manufacturer which is a good idea but you can do yours anyway that is easy for you.  I have recently alphabetically done mine but previously did an accordion file with: baby, dogs, food, bath, house and misc. It worked well for me. Here is a picture of my personal binder.

My first trip I sat down and prepped. Picked  through all my coupons, scanned over the Kroger paper, circled what I needed, matched my coupons up and headed out shopping. I saved a total of $40.00!! You're talking about a happy shopper! If I didn't have a coupon then I had a discounted price with my Kroger Card.  I even stacked 2 coupons and got and Air wick Ribbon Candle for free!!! My next few trips were about the same savings. Various trips I was able to get another Air wick Candle FREE, Formula- FREE ($-0.11), Scope for $0.25. dog treats for $0.99 , Deodorant for $0.38, and Cover girl nail polish- FREE and that is just naming a few deals. I've done the Walgreen's savings once. I'm not a big Walgreen's shopper or CVS, but they will let you stack 1 coupon with a store coupon. So, if you find a good deal then its worth the trip I say. Another way to snag coupons it loading on your Kroger card and I've heard of Ecoupon (I've never done this ) Just an easier way to do it I guess!!

 

Another thing I have gotten big into is finding FREEBIES!!! Yes, I search freebie websites and request for free samples or coupons. Since getting into that I have gotten: Folgers, Kleenex, Extra Dessert Gum, Pantene, Head and Shoulders,Vaseline Lotion, etc all for FREE.  Almost every product was sent with coupon of some sort. Alot of products will just give you a printable coupon and you redeem your freebie at the store.  The other day I went to get the mail and this is what I received



I was one excited girl. ha ha I love getting free stuff and not to mention more coupons. I literally try to see what all I can stack just to get something free or little to nothing. I have heard from alot of people that they don't use coupons because they end up buying stuff they don't need or use it and end up wasting the money because they never used the product. I only use coupons on things we use. If we don't eat that product I don't use it. I do cut alot of coupons that we don't use just to share them with my mom or if I know someone else uses that product.  It's nice to have a buddy to coupon with that way you can share/swap coupons with, even go shopping with. That buddy might know of some deals you don't and it's a fun time to hang with each other. If you have any tips or input please feel free to share...you may have info I failed to mention or just didn't know!!  Have a great week!!

50 Free Shutterfly Holiday Cards

 I am really excited about the Holidays coming up!  Thanks to Shutterfly, I am even more excited we are going to have such adorable Christmas cards!   I always use Shutterfly for my prints, but you can also get Gift Tags, Calendars, and Invitations/Stationary for any occasion. This year, I recieved a code for a FREE photo book. With that code I am able to give Rylyn a photobook of her first year. I always love their awesome deals that they offer, especially when they are free!  We send out Christmas cards every year, so when I found out bloggers can get free holiday cards, I had to get in on this deal. So thank you, Shutterfly! Bloggers, here's where you can get this Free Holiday deal!  Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly… learn more
I usually have a hard time making a decsion when I have so many choice of cute ideas.  Here is a list of my favorite 3 cards and why I like them so much!

1) Peppermint Bliss I love the bright green and red. These are my favorite Chritsmas colors this year. This card is simple and allows us to put 3 pictures up because of course I cant make a certain decison!

2)Sweet And Merry Another love...Snowmen.  I love Snowmen!! This is another simple card but I will just have to narrow down my pictures to choose from. This card is cute!

3)Sharing The Love Christmas I have to agree with the other girls. I love this one because you can include updates that have happend throughout the year. The colors are great together and its a mulitple photocard.

Thank you Shutterfly for such a great gift during this holiday season!!  I hope all of my reader/visitors get in on this great deal.

Trying My Hand At Sewing!

Recently I have taken up the love of sewing. I have always "wished" I knew how, wanted to make certain thing, but never took the time to step up to the plate and LEARN! I have my grandmother's sewing machine and thankfully I have a wonderful friend who knows how to sew.  So we took a day to just hang out and taught me just what I needed to know! 

Since that day, I have gotten familiar with my machine and tried my hand at the sewing gig! Here are 2 burp cloths that I have done and might I add that I am not a fan of Rick Rack...Boo!! I am so excited  that I have taken on this new hobby!  I cant wait to explore more and create new projects.....I have a few already in mind!!

HAPPY 9 MTHS BABY RY RY!!

MOMMY'S LITTLE TIGER!!!!

"Damaged Goods"

As I checked my email today I came across this one from a ministry I follow/read daily. This particular lesson really hit home today. I usually can relate to all of them but this one seemed like it was about me. She was writing about me. I wanted to share some of it with those of you who read my blog.


I walked down the aisle of the discount grocery looking for a bargain that I couldn't live without. It's always hit and miss in this store...and I had missed...again.

But, I passed by a bin that caught my eye. "Damaged Goods." It was filled with dented cans and missing labels...no real rhyme or reason, just random items that were not shelf worthy. And suddenly, I knew just how they felt.
Life sometimes delivers the unexpected. Lessons learned in the school of hard knocks bruise us, dent us and remove the label that defines who we are. We feel as if we have been tossed into a bin, no longer worthy of a place on the shelf. Some people substantiate the lie that we are second class failures and all hope is gone.
So, I leaned over and intentionally chose a dented can with no label from the bin. I got it home and placed it on the can opener with anxious anticipation. The whirr of the can opener finally penetrated the metal lid to reveal....peaches!!! I let out a school girl squeal! I love peaches!! What a treat to open this can and be greeted by one of my favorite fruits. The can was damaged but the contents were still good...and sweet.
God must have smiled...because at that moment the sunshine beamed in my kitchen window. I knew in my heart there was a lesson.
I have been damaged. We all have to some degree. I am not living the life that I dreamed about when I was a kid. However, the damage that I have suffered has made the contents of my heart so much sweeter, so much more compassionate, so much more in pursuit of Jesus. I have been looked down upon and judged by many who have seen my label missing and slapped on their own.

I've wanted to say, "Don't judge too quickly. My damage has not defined me...but, it is refining me." I may be at the bottom of the life's bin, but Jesus paid as high a price for those of us at the bottom as He did for those that are proudly displayed on the top shelf.

Look around you. Is there someone in your life, your family or your church that you consider "damaged goods"? You may not consider someone you know a "damaged good" , Maybe you feel like the damaged good.  Someone else may not feel like "Top Shelf" but just befriending them could make thier day.  How would you feel if you walked into a room full of people and no one spoke to you or introduced themselves?  

Don't miss an opportunity to reach out to them, to love them. You just might find a friendship that is good...and sweet.

Family Pictures

We had family pictures recently. Rylyn did so great and I loved our photographer. Now my problem is deciding out of 83 pics which ones I want and what sizes.  I know for sure I want one to hang in our living room in a large size.  All of  Rylyn's are really cute to me, I am sure I will overload on all of hers.  Here are a few of the photographers favorites.   Enjoy!