Big Hasel=Big Savings!

This was my first big money saver as a coupon user.
I purchased all the above items for $7.21 !!!!!!!!!! Can you believe that!?!

I will break it down for you-
Glade Air Freshner/Odor Eliminator-............ 3.49-1.00-2.00= 0.49
Scrubbing Bubbles Extend a Clean Sprayer- 6.99-3.00 = 3.99
Dove Deoderant 2 pack ....................................6.59-2.00-1.00= 3.59
Dove Body Spray ...............................................3.49-3.49 =FREE
2 boxes of Vanish Drops @ 2.14 each............. 4.28-2.14 =2.14
Scrubbing Bubbles toilet Gel............................3.94-3.94-FREE
Scrubbing Bubbles Starter Kit.........................6.29-6.29=FREE
Scrubbing Bubbles 12 pk refill..........................3.94-3.94=FREE

This totals out to 12.21 and I had a $5.00 gift card from buying somthing last week. So 12.21-5.00= 7.21

However, this isnt what will happen unless you get lucky like I did. (If thats what you want to call it) After I checked out the first time I was looking at my receipt and didnt think I saved as much as I thought I would. After checking it over I realized they didnt apply 2 of my coupons (big ones of course), so I went back to the cashier and tried to explain it to her and she tried to get it to work, but was unsuccessful so she called the mananger over to help. After trying to explain it to her she finally just had me pull the items back out of my basket so she could go back over it item by item. Once we were said and done she actually rescanned a coupon that went through in the first transaction, so I got that item free too.

The confusion was with the Scrubbing Bubbles...let me explain.
I had a target coupon that was buy one Scrubbing Bubbles toilet gel get a Free 12 pk refill
I had a manufacturers coupon that was buy one Scrubbing Bubbles toilet gel get a free Starter Kit or 12 pk refill.

So I bought a toilet gel for 3.94 and used the target coupong to get a free refill (3.94) and used the other coupon to get a free starter kit (6.29).

That was the plan....but the 6.29 coupon didnt go through.

So when the manager was doing it she reran both coupons again, even though the 3.94 coupon had worked the first time. So I got all 3 items for FREE!

It was a big hassel, but it was a big money saver!

Couponing and Houses

Well I have been using the diaper and wipie coupons on a regular basis since Maddie was born and got excited when I could throw in another coupon or two. However, after seeing Shyanne do such a good job couponing, she has inspired me to put a little more effort into it. (Thanks Shyanne!) As of now I am still using my little accordian coupon holder, but I am considering using the offical organizer (a notebook with sections). I also started reading some of her blogs that were related to couponing and I am starting to get really excited about this! I will make my first real coupon trip tomorrow. I will let you know how it goes!

Last week was Mallorys bacholerette party at her place on the river near Menard. We had a great time. I did get a sunburn, which bummed me out because that prevented me from going tanning for the week before her wedding (I know....its probobly to late anyway) and my back is itching like CRAZY! However, we did make another big step on the potty training with Maddie while there. She used a regular size toilet for the first time and continued to use it all weekend! Yes I have to let her hold onto my neck while she is sitting there because shes afraid to fall in, but thats better than toting that dang potty around everywhere we go.

Our appliances from Lowes came in so we will be picking them up and installing them tomorrow...no more pepto bismol pink oven and stove!

However, we found out today that another couple that Josh knows is moving back to Bronte and is looking at the same house we are looking at. I was upset at first because I didnt want to get outbid (even though she didnt except our offer, we had hopes that no one else would show any interest and she would come down). Then I just had to tell myself that it is all in God's hands, and if its meant to be, then it will happen. If not there is something better in the future.
I catch myself starting to pray that we get that house, then I have to stop and say...no scratch that...We really like the house and are excited to get to move to Bronte, please help me remember that when and where we move is in your hands and IF it is in your plan for us to have that house that you help us in our decisions for the process.

The rest of this week is a busy one, but we are very excited!
Tuesday- install new appliances in kitchen and go shopping with all my good coupons!
Wednesday- Kenzies 4 month pictures, getting my hair cut and a pedicure
Thursday- Josh works (nothing exciting about that)
Friday- go to Midland for Mallorys wedding rehersal
Saturday- Maddie is a flowergirl and I am the Matron of Honor at Mallorys Wedding! FUNFUN...there will be a dance afterwards, and I am super happy about that!
Sunday- Fathers Day. I love this day because nothing makes me happier than reminding Josh how much I appreciate all his help and reminding him that he is the best Daddy ever!
Monday- Kenzie's 4 month appointment (I am sad about the shots, but I love seeing her progress)

After that we will have some time to rest and relax, and in July Maddie and I will be doing swimming lessons at the YMCA! Good times!

Summer Fun

We finally got out the bathing suits and Maddie and I played in the sprinker while Kenzie watched. (She got to wear her bathing suit though). At first Maddie wasn't sure about it, but after about 20 minutes of touching the water with her hand, she finally ran through it.

I had my first workshop today. It was a GT workshop called Mosaic, and this is actually my second time to take it. I absoultely love it!! If you have ever drove by the museum and saw the mosaic slugbug, thats what we work on, except now there are 2 classic trucks. An artist draws the designs on the truck with chalk and we go in and tile it. Last year I worked on the front tire, and this year I worked on the hood. I worked for 4 hours straight and wasn't able to finish the whole roof, but I did finish the heart at least. These are supposed to be finished and set out on the river walk (I think towards Belle St) sometime this Fall. The truck I have worked on actually has a table in the back and the side of the truck bed is the seats, so you can eat in the back.

As far as us moving to Bronte goes.....it is not in the immediate future. The lady did not take our offer, but her house wont appraise for what she wants, so my thought is that sometime in the future we may get a call saying she will take our offer after all (no one in their right mind would pay what she is asking for that house.) If she doesnt come down, then it just wasn't meant to be and God has a better plan for us. The good news is I won't have to drive back and forth to work everyday and we are fixing our house the way we wanted to when we moved in. We put in the new door today (when I say "we" I actually mean Dusty).

Also my friends Amy and Dale went to the doctor today because her blood pressure was high (even though shes been on bedrest) so she will more than likely have baby Katelyn tomorrow! I am super excited.

A big start for the summer!

Josh and I have been looking at a house in Bronte, and we made an offer last week. However, they did not except (which was expected because we offered way lower than the asking price). The house is Josh's dream house, which means it has a huge back yard, a huge garage, a nice yard, and its brick. It's not necessarily my dream house per say, but I do like it alot, and with some work it could easily become my dream house. The reasons I like the house: huge garage, nice yard, brick, a bathroom in the master bedroom, storm cellar, large living room that is open to the kitchen and an office area. On the other hand here are my setbacks: small kitchen, paneling in the living room, kitchen, and hallways. Only a shower in the master bath (no tub), and no fence around the Huge backyard.

All of the things I mentioned that I do not like can be remedied fairly easy except maybe the size of the kitchen.
Another set back is that I will be driving back and forth to San Angelo for work because there are not any openings in the near future at Bronte for a K-4 teacher.
However, the biggest reason I am willing to make this move is for my children. Even though Maddie is still several years away from starting school, I want to make sure that when that time comes we are settled in a house we love and not forced to pick one because we have run out of time.

This may or may not work out, but I have faith that whatever happens is for the best. We are going to put in another offer tomorrow and see what happens.

In hopes that they accept our offer we decided to go ahead and fix all the things that we have put off in this house since we moved in. Since we moved in this house in 2006 we have fixed the shower and painted the back bathroom, replaced the carpet, and put on a new metal roof. Those were things that had to be done. The other things that I have wanted to change were not really necessary, but more cosmetic for the most part. However, I think that if we go ahead and fix them we can sell our house quicker and for a higher price if it comes to that.

Here is what we bought at Lowes yesterday: stove top, oven, shower head and faucets, sink faucet, front and back door, tile, paint, and many other items. The list of to do projects has already started, because I painted the front door and Josh replaced the sink faucet. Wednesday Dusty is coming over to take the old door off and put the new one up. The biggest project will be the bathroom, but I have to take down the wall paper and we have to take the tile off the wall, then we will replace the pipes, shower head, and faucet, then Dusty will come back and put the wall back up and tile it. Then I will give it a fresh new coat of paint. I bought a pretty blue color for the top half of the room. We are not putting the back door up until we move because our current door is equipped with a doggy door for Chief. The appliances had to be ordered so they will be installed in about 2 weeks. I also plan on painting the kitchen, hallway, and our bedroom.

So in conclusion, my summer has started off a very productive and expensive one! Josh is taking before and after pictures on his phone so I will show the final products as we go.

And the race is on!

Not litterally cause I havent ran in quite some time, lol.

The month of May is probobly the busiest month of the year for me. There is SO much stuff that has to be done at school, but alot of it cant be done till last minute. For instance, our school will be hosting summer school, so we have been told that unless we want people messing with our stuff that we should have everything packed up in boxes by the last day of school. Please explain to me how I can teach with my stuff all packed up. I guess since we have to go to work the Saturday after the last day of school for staff development from 8-12 I will spend the rest of that day cleaning my room and packing it up. We took the 1st grade to the Abilene Zoo today and that went pretty smoothly I would say. All 61 students were pretty excited and I would guess at least 1/2 of them had never been to a zoo. We also got to ride in the charter buses, which I know none of them have ever done, because our class was the first 1st grade to ever get to ride on them! As fun as it was I am glad that I can knock one more task off my list.


Here are the things at work I still have on my to do list

scan pictures and make them into a power point by Friday

finish summer school paperwork

plan End of Year party

meet with my new First Grade team tomorrow

make a school supply list for next year

clean, reorganize, and pack up my classroom

end of year report cards

get things ready for 1st grade awards ceremony

plus countless other little things that I cant even think about right now because I am so overwhelmed :)

all of these things must be done after school and on weekends because we are still teaching, hoping to get just a little bit more information in before they leave us.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that is there is only 12 school days left until summer break!

Now onto my at home to do list for May:

• clean my house and my back yard as much as possible so we can build the cover to put over our deck as soon as possible.
• babyshower on Saturday
• Kenzies 3 month pictures and a birthday party on Sunday
• continue planning Mallorys bacholerette party and send out invitations
• get sizes for the other flower girls in Mallorys wedding to my Memaw ASAP
• hit up Childrens Place as soon as I get a chance to go to the mall since it opens tomorrow!!!
• celebrate Mothers Day with both families since on the actual day Josh was at work and we couldnt do it any other time until now.
• celebrate my 26th birthday (woo hoo, just so you know there is sarcasism in my voice)

So the fact that I have broke down crying twice in the past 2 weeks doesnt surprise me now that I think about it. Stress is not good for me, and I bundle it up till I explode, and then I take it out on Josh.

The good news is that I can scratch getting Kenzie's ears pierced off my list since we did that on Monday!

Here are the pics! Before, during, and After :)

Ive LOST it!

Literally I have LOST not one thing, but several things!

First off, (and most horrible in my opinion) I have misplaced my school keys. I had them at work on Friday and the only 2 rooms I went after I distinctly remember having them is my classroom and the lounge. Both of which I have combed over with a fine tooth comb and no luck. I am afraid they somehow got swept into the trash on accident :(

Also while we are on the subject of work related items, I have misplaced my name badge which i have to have on Thursday. We dont really wear them at school, so the only time I need them is when we go onto another campus or if we are required to have them to get in somewhere, which is the case on Thursday. (HA!!! Josh just found my badge as I was typing this! It was in my blue jean jacket in the closet!!)

However, I would not say these next two items are lost, but rather misplaced. I have seen them somewhere in my house, but for some strange reason cannot remember where. Firstly there is my James Avery heart bracelet that Josh bought me for my birthday last year I believe, and also my Zales cross necklace that Josh bought me for our anniversary also just this past year. ARG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know I will find them, but losing all these things in one week is frustrating!

It's making me lose my MARBLES!

The Good and the Bad.

What news would you like to have first, the good or the bad? Well I always like to get the bad over with, so here it is.

Kenzie will NOT take a bottle! I have been back to work 3 days now and she has drank 2 oz. one day, 1 oz. the next, and less than an oz. today. I feed her at 6:30 before I leave for work and then she basically doesnt eat again until I get home at 4:00. I am not sure what to do.....some people say that if shes hungry she will eat, well obviously not. Im not sure she really knows how to suck properly. She has never been able to take a pacifier cause she either spits it out or chokes on it, and she puts her hand in her mouth, but chews it more than sucks on it. Josh has tried different bottles, different places, holding her, not holding her, pretty much any idea that has been on the internet, we have tried it with no success. I ordered another kind of bottle today that I have read many good things about, so I guess we will just keep trying with what we have and hopefully the new bottle will work wonders. I feed her as much as possible when I get home and her last feeding is usually from 11pm-1am. I just hope this is enough for her to keep growing good.

Enough of the bad news....here's the good news!

Maddie I would say is officially house broken. I mean that litterally though, at OUR house she hasnt had an accident in 4 days I think. She goes by herself and even dumps her teetee into the big potty, wipes, and flushes. (I go in and clean her potty), and then she puts it back together. However, when we go to other places, we have no such luck. I thought it was because the pull ups feel like diapers, but we stayed at Lacy's house Friday night and took her potty and she wore panties almost the whole time. She had 2 accidents and never went potty. She just started crying and said "I just peed in the gwass (her r's sound like w's)" hmmm, maybe this will come with more practice at home?

More good news- Kenzie has finally started smiling! She has been doing the expected toot smile on occasion, but now it is the big bright smile that comes from me talking to her.....it melts my heart everytime!

And more good news- When I went back to work on Friday I was welcomed back with open arms and lots of goodies! On my desk was a big basket filled with scrapbook paper, a Circle E candle, and snacks. There was also some juice boxes, animal crackers, and sidewalk chalk for Maddie. awwww, I was so touched! Then as I was walking down the hall, a friend handed me a 12 pack of Dr. Peppers, then another friend handed me a pot of roses.....Then to top it all off I went to check my box in the lounge and there was a note telling me not to forget the bag in the refrigerator that has a prepared meal for me! SWEET! Mexican Dinner, rice, corn, salad w/ dressing, and a Halfmanns cake. There are times when the students drive me crazy, (lack of respect does that to a person), but I can honestly say that the people that I work with are so absoultly wonderful and I am very blessed to work with them.




This is Kenzie wearing one of my favorite outfits handed down from Maddie

This is Maddie in the same outfit....they were both 2 months old in their pictures.