Systematic Saturday: Coupons

I have really gotten into using coupons.  With printable coupons from the internet, my goal is to try to only buy things that I can use a coupon.  While getting the things that I WANT.
After going to that coupon seminar a few weeks ago, most of the things that I learned finally are working.  It took a little while to build up several weeks of coupons from the papers - so that I have a larger pool to pull from.  And I changed my system to the way that was suggested.  And it's so much better.  Much easier.  I think in a few more weeks, I'm actually going to enjoy doing the coupons.  Right now the savings are great, but it's kind of a pain.  It takes too long, because I'm just not used to it.
I am headed in the right direction!!  Even more savings!

Four for Four Friday

I'm going to change up the Friday themes, making it "Four for Four Friday"

There are some things that I'd like to get done each week.  And I think if I plan to report them on the blog, there is a better chance for completion! So a little fun and a little encouragement! 

1) Living Simply (getting rid of stuff) - I really want to get going on this ongoing desire for my household!

2) Eco-friendly/green - little things every week will start to add up! 

3) A fun project...or at least do something FUN - I tend to forget about doing that, and I need to make it more important.

4) And then just for fun... a Photo for Friday!  "Great moment of the week" 

Since I came up with this plan/idea today, I only did 2 out of 4! Numbers 3&4

FUN - I read some magazines while watching the "Sound of Music" reunion on Oprah (TiVo-ed) - I rarely if ever watch Oprah, but so glad I caught this one!

PHOTO - I was having a rough afternoon the other day, so the baby decided to cheer me up, via her nap, pacifier and the video monitor.  The paci is STUCK to her face!  And she is sound asleep! 

Thursday Three

1)  Weather on Tuesday night interrupted the recording of some of our TV shows.  I am totally for weather being reported while there is an active warning in the viewing area.  But hello, you guys run the station, so please re-air those shows.  Sometimes they do, but I wish that they would post when and if they are going to: on the website, on twitter, run a ticker at the bottom of the screen.  But nothing this time - no re-airing, no notice.  So even if they did, I didn't know about it.  And playing 15 minutes of the show from the 30m to the 45m does not count as airing the program.  Boo!

2)  Baby is graduating up to size 2 diapers today.  It's about time.  She is going to be 6 months the beginning of November.  The 1s actually still fit; she's on the small side - the very small side.  But we have 3 huge cases of size 2 diapers - that were bought on sale or given to us - in the house.  And they "pretty much" fit.  I just don't have the heart to buy another big box of size 1 diapers when we have so many already waiting to be used.

3)  My receipt from Publix this week.  Not nearly as long as last week, but pretty good savings.  Those 2   -$5.00 were awesome!  

Wednesday Wisdom: Venting

I have been emailing one of my friends about certain mommy trials that have come my way.  She has such a cool outlook on things - and can usually make me laugh about what's going on...

This week, I was talking to her about communication and venting.  And she came up with this gem, that I can tell my husband before I "start in" on something:

"I need to vent for a minute.  If my head begins to spin, do not be alarmed or attempt a rescue.  It's merely my release valve functioning properly."

Tuesday: Green Project ...started

So I'm thinking about how I want to start my "green" switching.  I still haven't really come up with a plan.  That book I was reading that was really an ad for a certain line of products, well, it got better.  The personal care, baby and housewares chapters were actually pretty good.  So taking some ideas from the book, I've actually already done some things already.
I've got the BPA free plastic under control.  I'm using this new plastic storage in the kitchen that is BPA free - or just using glass pyrex for storage.  And I'm using BPA free baby bottles.  And never putting the bottles in the microwave!  And remembering that numbers 1, 2, 4, & 5 are ok, but to stay away from 3 & 7!

Making on... Monday: His and Hers

I made another hat for the baby this weekend.  An Auburn Hat! In honor of #1 in the BCS!




Daniel has been working on a project with his old baseball cards from his childhood.  He saw the idea online and figured out how to do it himself. (I helped only a little bit with suggesting what glue and providing the paper cutter)  He covered the top of an end table with the cards - at least one player from every team.  And then got a piece of plexiglass to go on the top.  I really want to find a place for it - a home for it upstairs - because it's an awesome little table!

   

Blessings & Gratitude

Baby was baptized today at church.  It was so wonderful to see several rows of our family there supporting and loving us.  And to also look around and see friends in the congregation that were so excited for us too! Today I feel so loved and blessed - to have the love and support that I had especially today - but that I have everyday!!

Systematic Saturday: The Green Project

So on my quest to be a little more green, I checked a book out at the library on the subject.  And after reading the introduction, I thought that it would be great.  But after the first "section," I have figured out that it is really just a book of advertisement about a certain LINE of products...  that the author's husband sells.  It's an informative book, but for products that she suggests to replace "chemical" ones, are all from this line I've never heard of and that's not sold in stores.
So...  back to my dilemma.  I want to figure out what, maybe, the top 5 "bad" ingredients to avoid and steer clear of those.  But the list that she has in this book is about 30 items long.  Too much to remember.  And way too complicated.  I'm still trying to figure out... Is the "green" stuff any better or should I rely on the advances of "science."
So my Green Project - is just to go one step at a time.  Change a few things gradually.  Organic is the key word for me. And changing them over time will be a little easier (not to mention cheaper).  And hopefully this slow and steady change will make for some new, good habits!

Friday, just Friday

So I was enjoying the "feats and fails" blogging for a couple of weeks.  It was fun for a while, but now, everyday seems like both.  And it's sometimes hard to think about the great things, if I'm in a "fail" moment.  And if I'm feeling good, then I'm not wanting to remember when I wasn't.  For a couple of weeks it was kind of encouraging.  But now it's exhausting.

So today, I was trying to think of what "Friday" could be.  Something that starts with an F - just for fun!
That was one of them... "Fun Friday" also thought of "Photo Friday" - even though it doesn't start with an actual F.

So any ideas?  Words that start with F?  I need some help here!

Thursday Three

1) A fun trip to Target today, getting a sweater and 2 hats for me - and a couple of winter-ish things for the baby!

2) A new network on TV - the HUB.  Showing kid shows during the day and then MY shows as a kid at night.  It's the "new Nick at Night"...  Doogie Howser, Wonder Years, Family Ties!!  Awesome!

3) The baby is teething.  Drool - check.  Fussy - check.  Restless - check.  Add the teething to the rolling that is will happen any day now, nap time and bedtime are getting ready to be really interesting.  Today's nap time was "interesting" enough.  Read: not good...

Wednesday Wisdom: Happiness

I was reading an article today and came across this line:  

" Being happy is really hard, but I don't think it's complicated." 

The article was about being happy, and where you find it.  It was talking about how if you think about things too much, sometimes it can eat away at the happiness.  But just being in life, living it, that's the best way to find the happy.  I wish that the article had expounded on that a little more.  Being happy is hard.  But I think that taking the idea from this article - and then also seeing the grace and blessings that God offers each day - can lead to true JOY. Even better than just being happy.  Because being happy IS hard.  Because sometimes you just can't be.  But true joy, which is what I desire, isn't complicated - it just has to come from the right place.  The only place.  The Joy of the Lord is my strength.  

Tales for Tuesday: Reading

A few years ago, I started reading - regularly, that is.  I just wasn't what you would call a reader.  But I always wanted to be.  I was inspired by a few friends that always have a book going - and that always had great recommendations for me.  So I just jumped in - starting with the Harry Potter series.  A great series of YA books, easy, yet GREAT reads.  And I could set myself a goal.  I started the series a few months before the fourth movie came out.  So I was determined to get those first 4 books read before I saw the next movie.  And I succeeded.
After that, I got going on several YA series.  I really do like the books in that section.  Not too graphic - in all meanings.  And they are fast reads, well usually, for me!
At the beginning of the year, I wanted to read about 30 books this year.  And I was on track to do it, too.  One of my friends, who read 96 books last year, just amazes me - with the speed that she goes through books and the excitement when a new book comes out.  I wanted to expand my horizons and enjoy a few more series this year.  Well, I started on that goal.  I even made myself a list.  I read 12 books - January through May.  And then June happened.  We went on our trip and then shortly after returned (VERY shortly) we brought home our baby girl!  So reading didn't happen much these past few months.
But I want to get back to reading.  And now I have a whole new subject to be reading about.  Since there were only four days to prepare for the baby's arrival, needless to say, I didn't read any books.  Getting the crib and the car seat was way more important.  But now we are settling in, and I've made a list of a few books that I'd like to read about babies, kids and parenting.  My plan was to read a few of those in the months that we waited for the baby to arrive.  Well, as I am learning everyday - plans are great ideas in theory, but not usually reality.
This week, I did finish a book that I had started in the spring.  After a couple "interruptions" this summer, I finally got it finished!  That was a victory!  And I even stopped by the library last week and got a book.  There are a couple of "green" books that I want to read - to maybe green up my cleaning.
So here I go... back into reading.

Making on... Monday: Dinner tonight

Easy Calzones 

- brown ground beef, mix in spaghetti sauce - place in center of premade pizza crust that has been cut into squares (or just smaller pieces...) - top with cheese - fold over and press edges with a fork.
Bake at 425 for 10-13 minutes.

Yummy!
Thanks E-mealz!

Systematic Saturday: Holiday decorations

I am so impressed by people that have decorations for every season - and get them out in a timely fashion.  I probably wouldn't be one to decorate with tons of stuff, but I do like to have a little something out for each season - or holiday, as the case may be.  Downstairs I have a little shelf/cubby thing with Valentines on the top, "spring" on the next shelf, "fall" on the next one, and then Christmas - taking up most of the space, as it probably does at everyone's house. And most of the time, these decorations make it upstairs in time to see their appropriate season.  But sometimes I'm just a little behind...  For fall, I did pretty good on the timing.  My neighbors that are going a little overboard with the decorations (we think they are having a contest...) reminded me that it was time.  


I do have two things that I change out for each season - I have 4 different doormats.  The fall one with leaves just went out.  And a candy dish.  The one for fall is a cute candy corn shaped one!  It's one of my favorites things for this time of year.  And this time of year, I buy one big pumpkin for the front porch.  Inside, I have a beaded metal pumpkin candle holder and a plush Snoopy, who's holding a jack-o-lantern.  But that's about as decorated as we get around here.  With all the leaves that are in the yard, I really don't need any more decorations!  

Thursday/Friday: Three Feats!!!

Combining my Thursday Three with the Friday theme! 

Here are my FEATS for this week! 

1) The bottom of my grocery receipt this morning!  

2) Actually being a little sore from a couple of workouts this week!  

3) Baby eating cereal every day this week, doing it well and enjoying it! 

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

Phrases/thoughts that have crossed my path this week:

- Wherever you go, there you are.

- Things are not going to change while you are on the bathroom floor crying.  But sometimes it does make you feel better.

It's been an interesting and weird week so far...

Tales for Tuesday: In the Mailbox

Today in the mail, we got three things.  One was expected. One was disheartening and confusing. One was totally weird and unexpected.

I got the Inchbug labels that I ordered.  They are these rubberband-like things that go around baby's bottle.  As much as I love my label maker, baby needed something a little cuter for putting her name on her bottle for the church nursery.
And then I got a box from my high school.  That was weird in itself.  Turns out, it was a coffeetable book about the history and growth (from establishment to present day) of my high school.  Weird.  I wouldn't have ever guessed that I would get something like that - especially randomly.
And then we got a letter from the government about our China adoption update.  We have to update our file with the US government every 18 months.  This includes having our fingerprints taken again (why?  fingerprints don't change... AND they are done digitally.)  We sent a request for a renewal and they sent it back to us.  The office has moved several times this year, and this was the NEW location. They were trying to simplify and consolidate.  But I guess this new place doesn't know that.  Because they sent our letter back.  Kind of upsetting, because now we don't know where to send it.  Neither does our social worker.  She's working on it...  The government has confused us all.  [This does not affect our adoption.  But we have to get this renewal in ASAP or it could set us back a little.]

So happy, confused, upset, surprised and worried...  so many emotions to come out of a mailbox.  

Making on... Monday

This weekend I put some baby hats together.  I got the hat & bows on sale! I put a football on the red bow - for my black and red football team!  I also got some little baseballs and put them on the white bow - for the end of baseball season!  This is not the hat pattern that I got a few weeks ago - this was assembly only!

The bows switch out with clips on the same hat.  It was so fast and fun to put together.  I think I'm going to do more!  Maybe make more bows that I can use on hats now and just as hairbows later!  Fun!

Also, it was baby's 5 month birthday this weekend.

5 months on 10-10-10!

So I made this little sign.  I wanted just a small little celebration "something" - so I made this!

Systematic Saturday: Closet Organizing

A few weekends ago - before the stomach bug and our weekend getaway - I organized my closet.  I like to go through it several times a year, especially when the seasons change.  I was also going through it to just organize and streamline a little more, to make getting ready a little easier and faster.  It's also nice to find things that I forgot that I had.
I did some rearranging too - adding a set of drawers to the existing shelving unit.  It freed up lots of hanging space - makes it so much easier to see everything now!
In mid-project, Daniel came in, seeing stuff piled up on the bed.  He asked "You are organizing something, aren't you?"  I asked him whatever gave him that idea...  He said: "You got out of bed today!"

Feats & Fails Friday

Feat:
I started CVS-ing today!  I got $5 in extra card bucks back - so I can start paying in CVS money!  I did have to spend about $15 out of pocket, but it was stuff that I wanted and needed.  I don't think I'm going to go crazy with the weird stuff just to get the "bucks."

Fail:
Tonight's dinner of Totinos pizzas, well the fact that one of them got stuck really bad on the oven rack.  Boo!  They are supposed to be party pizzas, not so much a party tonight.  One of them was pretty bad.  Sad pizza.

Thursday Three: Fall

Fall is here!

1) I can hear the nearby high school band practicing in the afternoon.

2) The leaves are falling in full force - I love hearing the rustle of them under my feet!

3) And one of my favorite things to do this time of year... sunroof open when it's slightly cool, with the heat on - just a little bit!

Wednesday Wares: Storage containers

I found a small set of BPA free plastic storage today.  They are pretty cute AND the lids snap on to the bottom (and to each other).  So healthier and more organized storage!  I'm probably too excited about this...

Tuesday Tales(a day late): Weekend Trip

We went to the Smoky Mt area this weekend.  It was the first trip with the baby - and it went so well!  She is so laid back and adaptable.  I hope that she continues this way, at least for a little while.  And maybe some of that will rub off on me.  The first two days we were there, it was pretty warm still, and the sky was beautiful.  We got a great sunset that first night.  

The next day, the clouds started rolling in.  And the sky was filled with beautiful variations of gray - my favorite!

It rained the third day we were there, but we had planned to stay in the whole day anyway.  It was great to just do nothing and listen to the rain.  It was getting colder by then, too.  Finally it feels like fall!  We loved the change in weather!  And baby finally got to wear some of her cute long sleeve & pants clothes, instead of just onesies!  After most of the rain had passed through, the clouds settled beautifully on the hills.  The changes in weather made our view different the whole time we were there.

After all the rain, the clouds lifted a little to give us this beautiful view of the sunset.  The sky looked like it was on fire - but in a gorgeous way.  The way the trees on the hill were lit up in this window of bright reddish orange was one of the most interesting sunsets I've ever seen.

The sun did come out for our drive home, but it stayed on the cool side.  This was a great "kickoff to fall" weekend.  And a wonderful first vacation for our family of three!