Happy Birthday Renee!!!

On Sunday, I was celebrated another year of my life. Actually the celebration began on Saturday night, when I showed up to my friends house attending what I thought was a Christmas party. However to my dismay, Charity had put together a surprise birthday party for me. It was wonderful and would have been perfect if Jake and my girls would have been there. Jake and the girls flew to Texas for a few days for his brothers surprise birthday party. I had planned to go to Jackson for the weekend but mom was up here Saturday and we spent most the day together, so I decided to make an appearance at the party and then head to Jackson. It makes me feel good to know that people really do care about me and remembered my birthday. Thank you Charity!!! Then, on my actual birthday, Sunday, December 19, my mom made my favorite mean of hers that cooks. Homemade lasagna...sometimes it is hard to choose a favorite because she is such a good cook.
Jake spent the day yesterday with his grandparents and Ginny decided on her own, without being asked, to go visit with Grandma Smith....what a thoughtful little girl that she is. I am confident that it meant alot to his grandparents. I have actually stayed busy while they have been gone and was pleasantly surprised yesterday with flowers being delivered with a note that read "I'll be home for Christmas", how sweet was that. Bet you have already guessed they were from my sweetie. Oh, let me tell you the story briefly about them flying out. The birthday party was Saturday night and we decided to fly them out Friday evening when Jake got off work, the girls did not know they were going. Anyways, the tickets are standby and when the tickets were first purchased there were plenty of seats left. However, the flight became sold out and overbooked by two tickets. When I called Delta, I was told they would not be able to get out until Saturday night. So, we decided to try for all three but to definitely try to Jake on the flight and the girls could fly out Saturday night and Jake would pick them up. Now, I am a paranoid mom and prayed that there would be a way for them to all get on the same flight Friday evening. Heavenly Father answered my prayers and they were able to get on with no problem due to misconnects or other miscellaneous things. I truly am blessed.

"Mommy, Look!"

"Mommy, look!", this may be my newest favorite quote. You see last night when I got home from work, I climbed into bed. I had briefly contemplated sleeping on the couch because me bed was full with my husband, Will, and Aubree. However, I decided to climb into my nice, warm bed. I had almost dozed off when in a loud exclamation, I hear with excitement, "mommy, look". I loved it, my Aubree, is dreaming of me and its a good dream. I told Jake how I loved it and he told me that earlier that night, Aubree said that her body was preventing her from going to sleep, so she and Jake said a prayer together and she climbed in bed with her daddy. He proceeded to tell me that she told him of one of her bad dreams but she does not have them often because she says a prayer. However, her last bad dream, was about her daddy....he was bit by a snake on his penis....the imagination of that child. Where does she come up with that stuff? Yesterday, when I picked the girls up from school, Aubree's hair was a mess and I asked her what happened. She informed me she had a bad day because she had to do jumping jacks and play basketball. We continued talking and Aubree tried to convince Ginny and I to allow her to share our family secret but we convinced her, it was a bad idea. See in our family, we have magical powers and Ginny told Aubree that Aubree had the magical power of making people laugh when they are sad....I am glad the girls are turning into friends. They both make me smile and bring so much joy into my life.

Other than our adventures with dreams, and keeping up with Will....life is good. We are preparing for the holidays and are looking forward to a few weeks off school to be with our little family. Will is into everything these days, he is your typical two year old boy. Christopher started cereal this week and he is not sure what to think of it yet.

Thanksgiving and Festivites

This may have been the busiest / craziest Thanksgiving that I believe that I have ever experienced but how I enjoyed having all my siblings here. You may be wondering what made it so crazy busy? Sandra was married the day before and her reception was the day after...congratulations Sandra. It was wonderful to see so much family and close family friends. There are many days when I wish that Michael and Amy lived this way with their family too and Becky too. However, I know it will almost be impossible for all if us to live near and should be grateful that I am able to live near the ones I do. Due the all the festivities, I was not able to share some of my greatest blessings this year, so I will now and in no particular order:
- I am thankful for my family always but especially this time of year. My family is wonderful...they bring out the best in me and the worse.
- I am thankful for a wonderful man who said yes across an alter almost ten years ago. Jake is my best friend, rock, example, and peacemaker. He has a calming effect on me and a wonderful husband and father.
- I am thankful to be a mother. Heavenly Father has entrusted me with four little angels who teach me and make me a little bit better. We were especially blessed this year, to add Christopher. My little angels motivate me to try to be a little better.
- I am thankful for luxuries we have in modern times. I love air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.
- I am grateful for four seasons and love the wind.
- I am grateful for my testimony of the Savior and the relationship that I have with Him. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit whom testifies of truth to me. I am thankful for the tender mercies that I feel daily from my Heavenly Father.

Christopher at 5 months

Christopher turned 5 months on the 11th and he is a CUTIE. His first tooth also broke through on the 13th of this month. He has chunked up a lot and is way too precious. He still giggles almost everytime that his diaper is changed or he is dressed. He is just the sweetest thing ever. I think his favorite activity may be sleeping. Oh, he also rolled over all by himself for the first time last week.

102% saved at Kroger

I had two good trips to Kroger today. I was very impressed with myself. The first trip, I spent a little more than anticipated but was uncertain if Charity would get anything and if so the cost...she pays for her stuff but with the coupons, its easier to put it all together. Here is what I got for $16.00 on this trip:

1 gallon milk- no coupon
1 Big Top Cupcake Maker- no coupon, Charity
1 Dove Soap- Charity, no coupon
1 Lever 2000- had coupon
2 Axe body washes- Chare, BOGO coupon
4 cans Evaporated milk- had coupon
2 cream of mushroom- had coupon
2 cream of chicken- had coupon
1 chunky soup- had coupon
1 cottage cheese- no coupon
1 Welchs grape juice- had coupon
1 Ranch dressing- Charity, no coupon
6 boxes pasta- Charity, no coupon
1 Yoplait 4pack yogurt- Mgr special and had coupon
70 packs Extra gum- had coupons

So, how did we get it all so cheap. The extra gum coupons had overages on them because the gum was BOGO at Kroger until tomorrow. Charity paid the $16.00. We could have saved more if we would have planned a little better. Our savings were 80%, not bad but we planned a little better for our second trip...here's the biggie, we saved 102% on this one.

1 gallon milk
1 box Mini Wheats
1 Windex All Purpose cleaner
4 bags Hersheys kisses (managers special and had 1 coupon)
2 packs corn on the cob skewer things (managers special)
7 Secret deodorants (7 coupons with a $0.12 overage)
50 Extra Gum packs (50 coupons, each with an overage because of BOGO)
1 Charmain toilet paper (had coupon)
1 M&M's
Why the M&M's because after all the coupons came off, Kroger owed us $ and we have to pay something.

So, I know couponing posts are boring but I may never have another couponing day like today.

Couponing fever

I am trying to learn to coupon better and am doing a bit better. I had a planned trip to Kroger for a few items at there Mega Event sale but discovered I had coupons for a few more things on there too that I did not realize. I had coupons for everything except the hot chocolate. For the large tubes of Mentos gum,I had $1.00 off and they were on sale for $1.00, so they were bot free but about everything else was free,money makers, or just a few cents. I also had $5 off my purchase of $75 or more that I used too. My savings were 87%! Hopefully, I will continue to improve. Oh, here is the breakdown: 18 32oz Gatorades, 4 Propel waters, 4 cans Carnation evaporated milk, 10 cans Campbells cream of chicken, 6 cans Campbells cream of mushroom, 8 boxes Nestle hot chocolate, and 2 50 piece mentos gum. Did I mention that my total was $6.82.

Happy Halloween

It is 10:00 p.m. on Halloween night and I am sitting at the hospital with my boys for the night as a sleep test is done on Will. They are doing this test to check his resting oxygen levels to determine if he needs his tonsils or adenoids out. It took us a little while to fall asleep and I felt so bad for him with the wires coming out everywhere and socks on his hands to keep him from touching anything. He is such an active little boy. I got in the bed and laid with him after I got Christopher to sleep and he fell asleep a little quicker. He nestled into me and I loved it.Today was Halloween but the kids did not go trick or treating because it is the Sabbath but they did attend the trunk or treat last night and had an enjoyable time. Ginny dressed up as a crazy, silly, good witch, Aubree dressed up Giselle from Enchanted, and Will was Scooby Doo. I had bought Will’s costume last year and got a size 4 but it was a little small, however, we just dealt with it. My friend, Haley, lent me a little dinosaur/dragon for Christopher but he fell asleep and I did not put him in it. We had an enjoyable evening last night at the trunk or treat.After church today, we had a less active member whom had recently lost his wife for dinner and the girls enjoyed making him a card and Halloween gift bag. Oh, last night, as we were leaving the church, Aubree wanted to take some of her candy to the poor people to share and because it’s a “wo” food and not healthy. I think we had a great Halloween holiday between the last two evenings.
Also, last weekend (23rd), I attended my first Halloween party and it was quite enjoyable. I looked 100% ridiculous, but isn’t that part of the fun, and wore a tutu with crazy socks and leggings. Jake enjoyed it as well but I believe his favorite part of the evening was my mad skills in the games. I just dropped to the ground and acting like a rock because I was not hidden before the game started but my graceful skills scored me a safe trip to safety.