Saving money, baby!!

I have clipped coupons since I can remember. Even when Kelton was a baby, I never bought pk of diapers w/out a coupon. In this last year, I've become a bit more of a couponer. I found HCW and starting trading the coupons I don't use for coupons I can use. I'm also always on the lookout for printable coupons.

Now I am not nearly as awesome at my couponing skills as the ladies on the two coupon blogs that I follow, but I'm learning. When we go to Walmart, I've been averaging about $30 savings per trip. I've been doing more shopping at Dillons too. If you watch their ads for stuff on sale and since they double coupons up to a $1, you can get some awesome deals.

Dillons is having a pretty good sale and this is the second week. I made two trips last week and did pretty well, but I super stocked up on veggies tonight! Here's what I got tonight for just over $10 before tax. There's 11 bags of veggies there!

Projects Projects

I've found that if I can busy myself doing things, it's great for my stress level and helps keep my mind off all of Katie's issues.

I was so excited for my cousin when she found out she was having a girl since she already has two boys. It was so funny to find out that she was doing a ladybug theme like we did for Katie and even picked out the same bedding. I found this adorable fabric on ebay and though it was so bright and fun that I couldn't resist. This is the 4th quilt like this I've made and I have been so happy with how they've all turned out. I use bright four inch squares and put minky on the back. They're a perfect weight and so soft.





I have it all pieced together, I just need to find the perfect shade of minky and finish it up because my cousin will be having that baby any day now. I know she reads my blog too, so SURPRISE! Beth! This is what you're baby quilt is going to look like.

Even though I make some of my own baby food, I still use plenty of jars because, hey, you can't beat the convience. I'm determined to reuse most of them for projects because we can't seem to find a place around here that recycles glass. I have a super yummy recipe for hot chocolate and it turns out the little sz 1 jars perfectly hold a serving of it. I decorated these all up and handed them out at the kid's pediatrician's office. I'm going to do the same for Valentine's Day and take them to Katie's chiro and our insurance office.



I'm also getting ready to make Valentine's cards to send out to all our family and friends. Since the kids kept getting sick we weren't able to get family photos done in time for Christmas cards, so I never even bothered to send them. We finally got our pictures done and I'm going to use my cricut to make the cards. I've got some ideas in my head. Hopefully I get a few minutes this weekend to get started.

Belching Hilarity

Where did the last 5yrs go?

How in the world am I the mother to a 5 year old?

Of course, being his mother, I think he's absolutely wonderful, cute, and super smart. But really, he is.

In an email from his teacher last week, she told me, "He does so well with his alphabet, numbers, and writing that it makes teaching him enjoyable because he is able to learn more. He is really smart."

He is the sweetest most empathetic little man I have ever met. He has the biggest heart full of love. He is so eager to please. He is the best big brother that we could possibly ask him to be. He has such a bright shining contagious personality. I am so proud of the person he is growing into, yet a bit sad at the same time.

January 23, 2004 at 6:25pm, my life changed forever.....for the better. I am so glad.

Believe it or Not...

Katie is sleeping. It's amazing. She's still up once to nurse, but that has been it. If she sleeps tonight, it'll be 4 nights in a row!! All of this has been in her crib too. Simply amazing.

She gave us a couple good nights around xmas and then everything kind of went to crap again. She was spitting up, crying, awake all night. Neither of us had been eating anything different. We had started giving her Gerber Wagon Wheels. The apple flavor is dairy free and they only have one different ingredient than the Gerber Puffs that she eats with no problem. We were a little suspecious of them, but she'd been having them on and off for a couple months, so we figured they couldn't be it.

When I was out shopping over the weekend, I found some rice biscuits that were dairy free. We've been giving her those instead and she's sleeping and not spitting up. The extra ingredient that's in the wagon wheels?

Corn. It's in everything.

Obviously, we will not be feeding her corn. I should eliminate it from my diet as well, but I'm hesitant because I've never seen her react in any form at all when I consume corn. I've actually been eating it all week and she's basically been sleeping all week.

I don't know what to do. Parrot Bay/pineapple juice and I are going to think it over this weekend. Lots.

"You know, that's nice!"

Hello Spit Up!

I did not miss you. Not at all.

That's right, it's back. Your guess is as good as mine.

We had a fair amount of screaming this evening also.

I think my nerves are finally calming after a 2 mile walk. I'm also drowning my sorrows in sorbet.

We're either going to come out of this better people or complete alcoholics.