I absolutely love shopping with coupons. I have only finished reading one of my books, Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey, and I have learned so much. I am much more organized and I learned how to pair my coupons up with sales to get awesome deals. My first shopping trip I cut my bill down by 40%. Woohoo!!
Today I haven't figured up my totals yet but for around $70 I got 4 body washes, 10 tubes tooth paste, 12 boxes of popcorn (an awesome and quick snack for the kids, also, movie nights), two bottles of Sunny D, and my other regular groceries for the week. Thank you coupons, and thank you stores for having such amazing sales! I will end up spending just a little more because there is another sale at Walgreens that I want to get.
I am midway through the second book, How to Shop for Free, and I am learning even more. I love that both of these books teach you the right way to shop. They are very adamant about doing everything the legal way, and I agree. People shouldn't ruin it for the rest of us by being dishonest.
I've got to say, if you want to learn to shop and save as much as possible you should look into these books. I didn't spend much on the books at all and I consider them to be a great investment. I've already saved more money for my family than what I spent on the books. And it will only get better!!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Motherly Love / Trusting My Father
I never wanted to be a mom. When I was 15 I got pregnant and then miscarried at three months. I decided that I didn't want kids. I figured I would just be an aunt to my older sister's awesome little ones. I did not think I would make a good mom, and I loved all of my freedom way to much. I figured my miscarriage was God's way of telling me that I wouldn't be a mom.
So fast forward and I meet my husband and I became pregnant almost right away. I was so terrified. What if I lost my baby again? What if I suffer from postpartum depression? What if Stuart doesn't stay with me? What if my baby hates me? So many questions!!! Then I saw the ultrasound with my baby's little heart beat, and then we found out it was a girl. My heart melted.
When she was born I felt an immediate absolutely consuming love for her. I knew that I would do anything for my little Ashlynn. She was my whole world. But I was still scared. What if I didn't wake up when she cried at night? What if I couldn't handle all the crying? What if I didn't know how to take care of her? My family were amazing and stepped up to help me when I got so stressed and scared. But everything just kind of came to me, and things turned out great.
With my second daughter I was terrified that I could not love her as much as my first. But that worry was all for nothing. I fell completely in love with Riley, too. She was so beautiful. I thought how blessed I was with 2 beautiful daughters. And again my family helped me out with everything.
Then I got pregnant with my son. Robbie was a very difficult pregnancy for me and since he was breech he was my first c-section. What if I didn't bond with him? I had heard that with c-sections it can be hard to bond with your child. What if I don't know how to take care of a boy? Robbie was born 3 weeks early and spent his first week in the Special Care Unit to help him with his breathing. Even with not being able to hold him I still fell in love right away. And my family helped me more.
I thought with three kids I was done. There was not enough of me for anymore. Then I got pregnant with my twins. Again I had a million worries. How would I take care of two babies? Would I have enough time for all my children? How in the world would I take care of 5 kids under 5 years old? And it was another c-section, so would I bond with my twins?
Well my twin girls came 7 weeks early by c-section, and spent almost the first 3 weeks in the NICU. I didn't get to spend a lot of time with them because I had to take care of my three older children. But still I love them so much. They have completed my family perfectly. And I know without my family I couldn't do this.
So why was I so scared? I doubted myself so much. I never wanted children. But God knew better than me. He blessed me with 5 amazing children. He gives me the energy to get up and clean my house everyday even when I had no sleep the night before. He gives me the patience to handle a kindergartner, 2 toddlers, and 2 preemies. He has given me an amazing family who will help me anytime I need it. And He has filled me with so much motherly love for my children. I just have to learn to trust in Him.
So fast forward and I meet my husband and I became pregnant almost right away. I was so terrified. What if I lost my baby again? What if I suffer from postpartum depression? What if Stuart doesn't stay with me? What if my baby hates me? So many questions!!! Then I saw the ultrasound with my baby's little heart beat, and then we found out it was a girl. My heart melted.
When she was born I felt an immediate absolutely consuming love for her. I knew that I would do anything for my little Ashlynn. She was my whole world. But I was still scared. What if I didn't wake up when she cried at night? What if I couldn't handle all the crying? What if I didn't know how to take care of her? My family were amazing and stepped up to help me when I got so stressed and scared. But everything just kind of came to me, and things turned out great.
With my second daughter I was terrified that I could not love her as much as my first. But that worry was all for nothing. I fell completely in love with Riley, too. She was so beautiful. I thought how blessed I was with 2 beautiful daughters. And again my family helped me out with everything.
Then I got pregnant with my son. Robbie was a very difficult pregnancy for me and since he was breech he was my first c-section. What if I didn't bond with him? I had heard that with c-sections it can be hard to bond with your child. What if I don't know how to take care of a boy? Robbie was born 3 weeks early and spent his first week in the Special Care Unit to help him with his breathing. Even with not being able to hold him I still fell in love right away. And my family helped me more.
I thought with three kids I was done. There was not enough of me for anymore. Then I got pregnant with my twins. Again I had a million worries. How would I take care of two babies? Would I have enough time for all my children? How in the world would I take care of 5 kids under 5 years old? And it was another c-section, so would I bond with my twins?
Well my twin girls came 7 weeks early by c-section, and spent almost the first 3 weeks in the NICU. I didn't get to spend a lot of time with them because I had to take care of my three older children. But still I love them so much. They have completed my family perfectly. And I know without my family I couldn't do this.
So why was I so scared? I doubted myself so much. I never wanted children. But God knew better than me. He blessed me with 5 amazing children. He gives me the energy to get up and clean my house everyday even when I had no sleep the night before. He gives me the patience to handle a kindergartner, 2 toddlers, and 2 preemies. He has given me an amazing family who will help me anytime I need it. And He has filled me with so much motherly love for my children. I just have to learn to trust in Him.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Extreme Couponing
So I have been very inspired by this new TV series. I would love to be able to go to the store and get $1000 of groceries for $100 or less. That would be just absolutely amazing. With a family of 7 I always need ways to save money. Last night my husband watched the show with me and he was amazed. Then he asked me where in the world I plan to keep all the items. Lol. We decided that we will wall in our carport as soon as we can. We have discussed doing this many times, and if we need the extra storage then that will be a good reason.
My first steps in this process was to purchase a few books that have been written by moms who already extreme coupon. Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey: Save Big Money & Make the Grocery Aisle your Catwalk! (Lakeland Fellranger) Written by Joanie Demer, Heather Wheeler. How to Shop for Free: Shopping Secrets for Smart Women Who Love to Get Something for Nothing Written byKathy Spencer, Samantha Rose. The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half: The Strategic Shopping Method Proven to Slash Food and Drugstore Costs Written by Stephanie Nelson. I cannot wait to get these books and start getting a good couponing system set up for my family. And my mom is going to do it too.
Who knows, maybe one day you'll see my mom or me on Extreme Couponing.
My first steps in this process was to purchase a few books that have been written by moms who already extreme coupon. Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey: Save Big Money & Make the Grocery Aisle your Catwalk! (Lakeland Fellranger) Written by Joanie Demer, Heather Wheeler. How to Shop for Free: Shopping Secrets for Smart Women Who Love to Get Something for Nothing Written byKathy Spencer, Samantha Rose. The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half: The Strategic Shopping Method Proven to Slash Food and Drugstore Costs Written by Stephanie Nelson. I cannot wait to get these books and start getting a good couponing system set up for my family. And my mom is going to do it too.
Who knows, maybe one day you'll see my mom or me on Extreme Couponing.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Missing
It seems like there is always something missing in my house. It is always part of a set of items and it is always only one. For example, the dryer gremlin is always taking one sock from a pair, especially Ashlynn's school socks. Then my second culprit is Riley. She always seems to take one shoe and then it disappears. Poor Robbie is apparently only allowed one shoe at a time in Riley's opinion.
Recently I have noticed that this problem has extended to my book collection. I just finished reading the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. I thought I had them all, but after reading the first 2 books I learned that the third was missing. So I skipped it, which was really horrible. I hate incomplete series. I decided that I would read the Harry Potter series again in what little spare time I get. I checked to see if I had all the books, and found out that I am missing one. Where is my book?!?!? I have no clue. And it isn't like the last book so I have time to search, no it is the second book, so I can't start the series until I find it. Then just out of curiosity I looked at my Twilight series and I found that I missing one of them too! Do I have a bookshelf gremlin too? I'm really starting to think so.
Recently I have noticed that this problem has extended to my book collection. I just finished reading the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. I thought I had them all, but after reading the first 2 books I learned that the third was missing. So I skipped it, which was really horrible. I hate incomplete series. I decided that I would read the Harry Potter series again in what little spare time I get. I checked to see if I had all the books, and found out that I am missing one. Where is my book?!?!? I have no clue. And it isn't like the last book so I have time to search, no it is the second book, so I can't start the series until I find it. Then just out of curiosity I looked at my Twilight series and I found that I missing one of them too! Do I have a bookshelf gremlin too? I'm really starting to think so.
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