December 31, 2008

Christmas at Home

We stayed in Arkansas for Christmas. We went to the Christmas Eve Service at church.
We came home and relaxed by the tree.On Christmas morning we opened gifts. Addi got If You Give a Pig a Pancake which Phil read to her.

Addison helped me open gifts.
Addi got a Kitchen set from her Grandma.

Phil's dad came down and enjoyed the festivities with us.

Chromosomes

Phil and I have started trying for a brother or sister for Addison. We were successful after 4 months but sadly we miscarried December 26th and this is our fourth. I continue to have chromosome issues. My issue specifically is a balanced translocation. Basically, my eggs have the right number of chromosomes but the eggs with the balanced translocation break off and go to the wrong place which ends with the miscarriage.

Our prayer that this will happen in God's timing.

December 23, 2008

Beloved Cat

We lost another cat today. Alley was 8 years old and was diagnosed with Kidney Failure in August. We had been giving her IV fluids every couple of months which had been helping until this time. The fluids just didn't work and she was suffering.

We got Alley in July 2000. We adopted her from a shelter in Stanford, Kentucky. She was most likely born around the time Phil and I got married June 3, 2000. She was our little baby. When I came home from work I would yell Alley, Alley, AlleyB and she would come running. She loved to get in my lap and purr. At nighttime she would sleep on my pillow and on me when I would let her. Addison has really grown fond of her saying her name often. She also refers to other cats as Alley. So I am sure we will hear her talk about Alley for quite sometime.

It is so hard to lose a pet. She has been a wonderful companion.

December 01, 2008

Thankful

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Kentucky seeing many family and friends. Addison enjoyed seeing everyone.

I am so thankful for Phil and Addison. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

November 07, 2008

November 03, 2008

Proud Single Issue Voter


I am proud to say I am a single issue voter. I will always vote for the pro-life presidential candidate.


When I was diagnosed with Cancer in November 2004 I also found out just a few short days later that I was also pregnant. I was so excited to be pregnant but at the same time devastated that I was faced with a life threatening illness that needed to be treated. I was ready to carry the baby and hold off treatment. I didn't have to make that choice though because I would later miscarry. There are many mothers who do make the decision to carry the baby even when they are faced with a life threatening illness. Some of these mothers survive and others sacrifice their life so their child will survive. You can read one mothers story here.


I believe life begins the moment of conception. In Psalm 139:13 it states You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. I have had 3 miscarriages each in the First trimester and I believe that those children are in heaven now because life begins at conception.


I hope tomorrow, November 4th you will also vote pro-life.

October 31, 2008

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, and more Pumpkins

This week we had a pumpkin theme.

1. Last Saturday we went to the pumpkin patch.

2. We carved a pumpkin.



3. We colored a pumpkin.



4. We sang The 5 Little Pumpkins. Luckily I saved my 5 pumpkins from my Literacy Days.



October 28, 2008

My Sweet Blessing

Furniture Rehab

Thanks to Kimba over at A Soft Place to Land I was inspired to turn old furniture into beautiful pieces I can use in my home. Since we are on a very tight budget there is no extra to buy brand new furniture. So I set out to find something I could rehab following Kimba's instructions using spray paint. I have tried refinishing a table once and I decided it was not my cup of tea. Pianting maybe I could handle.


There is a very small flee market here in town that is open sometimes. I stopped in there and found a few pieces. When the owner found out I wanted to paint something he didn't seem to like that idea of painting over wood. So he told me of an estate sale he would be having in several weeks and there was some old furniture already painted that I might be interested in. The next thing I know I ended up with this for $50.00.
I am usually the kind of person who does not impulse shop so after I bought this I was a little concerned whether this was a purchase I should have bought. I wasn't even sure if it was worth it and maybe I should have offered less for it. It had cob webs hanging off of it and it was just old. So I went to work on it with help from my mom.
We sanded the dresser to smooth out all of the rough area of the wood.

Next, we primed it with a can of spray paint primer.

Finally, we began spraying the satin black on the dresser.

Here we have the finished product complete with new hardware that cost $6.00. I am very pleased with the dresser. It is not perfect but it works for us. I originally intended for it to be for our guest room but I decided to add it to our family room.

Add some Fall decorations and it is complete.

I also have a gold rimmed mirror I bought at Big Lots for $10. I am going to spray paint it black and hang it over the dresser. Pictures to come as soon as I get it done.

October 27, 2008

Children's Place 15% Coupon Code

Poor Addison is very sparse on her winter clothes. She has a couple pair of pants from last year that are a little snug and 1 new outfit we bought. She had no church dresses at all. Our 1 income family budget makes things a little tight. We don't have a clothing budget but just rely on birthday and Christmas gifts for our clothing. However, we had to get her some dresses for church because the mornings are too cold for summer dresses. I headed over to Children's Place online to see what I could find. Addison scored 3 new dresses and 1 blouse. Now that I am coupon shopping I also had a coupon code for 15%off. Head on over to Children's Place and do some shopping using this code T28XKMNKA8 for your 15% off. While you are there sign-up to be on their mailing list so you can receive coupons in the mail.

Check out her new wardrobe! We can't wait until they get here.


Coupon Shopping Day

Today was another BIG shopping day at my local Kroger's. Since this is the last week of the month I didn't have a lot left in my grocery budget so I only got the real bargains and what I really needed.

My total before savings=$72.48


Kroger Plus Savings=$18.18


Coupons=$20.12


Total Savings=38.30


Total out of pocket spent=$34.18


Shopping Trip Highlights


  • I had a coupon for a free box of cheerios

  • 8 packages of Cottonelle 4 rolls mostly free. I was having trouble getting my monthly coupons to print off from their website so I sent them an email and they sent me 3 coupons in the mail. Also, they sent an extra email with another 3 coupons plus in Sunday's newspaper there were 2 more 1 for .50 and the other for .25. So I got all that for .50.

  • 2 boxes of frozen green giant vegetables for .50 each.

  • Pampers Jumbos for $6.99. The diapers were on sale for 9.99. I had an esaver coupon loaded on my Kroger card which can also be combined with a paper coupon and I had one for $1.50.

October 25, 2008

Pumpkin Patch Fun

Addison enjoyed a long day today at Hardin Farms in Grady, Arkansas. It took us 2 hours to get there.
The pumpkins made for nice chairs.
Addison wanted this one but it was too heavy to pick up.
Tha hayride was fun in mommy's lap.
Addison liked any of the animals that looked like doggies or kitty kitties. She thought the chickens were dogs. She liked this little dog.

She didn't want to be near any of the other animals. As you can tell by the photo she will not look at the horse.

The day went a little too long past nap time. She started eating napkins.

She was very upset when we told her she could not eat the napkin.
It was a good day at the Pumpkin Patch.

October 23, 2008

Goodbye Sweet Kitty!


Two weeks ago Puss N Boots did not get any better and we said goodbye to her. She was a good, sweet cat. She never bit nor scratched unless she wanted some attention. Then she would come up to you and ever so gently prick you with a very distinct Meow! She always greeted me when I woke up in the morning. She would always try to eat Emmy's dog food and Emmy would always growl at her but never bit her. She would then cuddle with Emmy. She loved to be brushed. Addison adored her and would often bend down and give her a kiss. When she was a kitten she belonged to our neighbor. She would come over to our house and get stuck in the barn. We always rescued her and then brought her in our house for a treat. She would chase my dog around the table. The neighbor eventually gave her to us. She was my first cat. She will be missed!

October 07, 2008

Beloved Cat


Puss N' Boots was my first cat. She actually belonged to a neighbor when I still lived at home in 1994. She kept coming over to our house and we would let her in to play with our dog Peppie. Eventually the neighbor said we could keep her. Once I married and moved away she stayed with my parents. Then in 2001 my mom moved and couldn't take her with her so Phil and I took her in and she has been with us ever since.

She has always been a very good cat. She is timid of strangers but after time warms up. Addison adores Puss N' Boots. When Addison was little and only sitting up Puss N' Boots would come and lay beside her not minding having her hair pulled by Addison. Every morning when Addison wakes up Puss N' Boots come in the room to greet her. Addison always says, "Hi Ki Ki"

Now at age 14 Puss N' Boots is sick. Her lungs are filled with fluid most likely due to congestive heart failure. We are trying medicine currently but as of yesterday there has been no change. If she continues to struggle for air we will have to put her down.

Pets are such a joy to have and become such a part of the family. I hate to lose her but I also know she can't go on like this. I wonder if Addison will miss her or will she just forget she had a cat.

September 28, 2008

Please pray for Alyssa

Please, pray for Alyssa. My heart is breaking for her.

September 19, 2008

Check out Freebie Fridays

Check out Freebie Fridays @ Motherload courtesy of Freebies4Mom where you can get most of these free. Check out my loot I have been getting for free in the mail and by coupons. Check it out!

September 16, 2008

Kroger, Sales, and Coupons

My coupon organizer has been coming in handy with lots of savings. I have decided that I will grocery shop every Monday and post my weekly savings on Tuesday.

I went to Kroger armed with my coupons, list, and sales ad. I already have my coupons matched up to the sales items thanks to The Grocery Game. I only get the items I will be using.

My grand total was $111.42. I saved $22.55 with my Kroger Plus Card buying the items that were on sale. I also saved $22.33 with my coupons for a grand total of $66.59 which is right in line with my weekly grocery budget. Yippee!!! I saved a total of $44.88. WOW!!

Shopping Trip Highlights:
1. Graham crackers are made with whole grain.
2. The whole baggie full of graham crackers kept Addi happy until the very end.
3. It only took 1 hour due to the prep time I spent getting organized for the trip.
4. FREE TOILET PAPER IS AWESOME!!!!
5. FREE TOILET PAPER IS AWESOME!!!!

Would you like free toilet paper? I got 2 4 roll packages of Cottonelle toilet free. If you go to Cottonelle you can print off a coupon (1 per person per month). I printed off 1 for me and 1 for Phil. My Kroger sales Cottonelle 4 roll toilet paper for .99 and the coupon .50 which Kroger always doubles.

Enjoy free TP!

August 28, 2008

Destin bound but...

Gustav might be coming. What do we do? Well, we are still going with the HOPE he won't come there. If he does I guess we will be coming back home and will not have a vacation this year. :(

August 22, 2008

Coupons

I have re-entered the world of couponing but this time on a whole new level. I used to clip coupons and I would save $2-$3 and the most I ever saved was $10 which I thought was great. I had my very small coupon organizer which I bought at an office supply store. I thought that was great.

Now, I have enetered a whole new world of couponing. I have started the Grocery Game which basically matches up sales with the weekly coupons. Each week you can get FREE items plus reduced items. I have completed one week thus far and my Kroger total was $71.00. After my Kroger plus card savings combined with my coupons my total was around $35.00. I am going to give it 12 weeks and if I continue with the same savings then I have found a new way to shop.

Part of the game includes cutting all coupons out of the sunday paper. I have been doing this since mid July and I now have massive amounts of coupons that needed to get organized. After finding ideas on frugal blogs I came up with one that I think will work for me. Here it is:

1. I chose a very lightweight binder made of thin plastic. I chose pink to make it more attractive. I then added an attractive simple cover page.
2. The first page I included was a pencil pouch. I will use this to store pencil and paper for my grocery list. I also have my rain checks as well as coupons I will be using for the shopping trip. I will still take the binder in because you never know when you might need another coupon.3. I used trading card holders to organize my coupons in by catergories. I started with food first and tried to create specific catergories.4. I followed the food section with toletries and household cleaners.

5. After these sections I added regular page protectors for restaurants, clothing, and household items such as Bed Bath and Beyond.
6. The last page is a place to store the weekly sale ads.
My grocery shopping day will be Monday or Tuesday. I will be posting my results.