Happy Memorial Day!

Thank you to all those men & women that have served our country!  There are so many people out there standing up for our freedoms!  They are fighting so we can do this in our backyard...

Smores!  They are awesome!  We had a good family night on Saturday night.  We had a fire in our fire pit...see husband...

Crazy, I know!!  I think fire is a man thing!  It took us forever to get fire going to roast our marshmallows and when we were ready to go inside for the night that is when it decided to really take off.

Aubrey fell asleep on my lap around 10pm, which is WAY past the girls bedtime.  It was just nice! 

Today we plan on going to my parents to swim in their pool because it is suppose to be really hot today, but the pool water is probably still really cold!  That's ok, I'll just sit and enjoy the sun!  Yesterday the water was only 68 degrees!!  COLD!

Girl Scout Badge Ceremony

Yesterday was Jaylin's badge ceremony for girl scouts.  She did really good this year with getting her badges.  I was slightly disappointed in the ceremony, but I don't feel it is classy to just complain about it, well on my blog anyway!  I am slightly guilty of complaining about it elsewhere, which I am now not proud of!

But the ceremony was so that I volunteered to be a co-leader next year for the Daisys with BreAnne!  We are going to be awesome ;)

They are pretty cute though, huh?  Daisy Troop 9199 2010/2011 school year.  Good job girls!!  (FYI, Jaylin doesn't have her vest on because I have NO clue where it is!)



Unfocused day

I can't seem to focus today!  It's driving me crazy!!  We had some loud thunderstorms in the wee hours this morning that were scary!  Jaylin normally wakes up to them and comes to lay with us, but not this morning she must have been worn out!  I missed her though, Aaron left for work at 1:30am or so so I was looking forward to a bed cuddler, but she said this morning she didn't even hear the thunder. 

Well, hopefully I can get something accomplished today!

Romans 7:14-25

I've been struggling with something I know is wrong, but I keep doing it anyway.  I've prayed for strength to do what is right, but I just can't seem to get the strength.  Don't worry it isn't anything major, though, to God all sin is equal...sin is sin!!  Anyway, I came across these verses this morning after praying about it again and I just wanted to cry again!!  I feel like I am always crying when I read the Bible because I just hear God talking to me!  He loves me even though I don't deserve it!

Romans 7:14-25

Struggling with Sin



14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.


18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.


21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Wow, exactly what I need to hear daily for my inadequacies!  Thank you Jesus!!

Walgreen's Savings!!

Ok, so this was my second trip to Walgreens trying to build up my stock of toiletries because I've decided that I don't want to pay for them anymore since I heard you don't really have to!!  If you didn't know that....I'm letting you know, don't pay for toiletries again!!

Anyway, I'll stop preaching now!  Today I spent $16.52 and received $16 in Register Rewards, which means, I paid a total of $.52 for all the the product in that picture!!!  Amazing!  If you notice I did not get side tracked this week and just bought what was on my list!  I had to buy creamer because I was all out and you don't want to meet me in the morning w/o my coffee!!

Lesson I learned today was: You can't use more coupons than you have in product.  For example I cut out some manufacturer coupons from the Sunday paper this week so when Walgreens had lotions/body washes on sale 4/$12 then get $4 RR, I had a coupon for each of those 4 products in addition to getting the RR.  Anyway, I used my paper coupons plus my RR's from my last trip and I had one RR for just $1 that I couldn't use, which also makes sense because if I would have used it they technically would be owing me $.  I wouldn't have complained, but I won't complain at paying $.52 either!!

Happy saving this week!

Monday Madness

I bet you can almost hear my sigh of relief for Monday.  I love Mondays!!  I've had the title of my blog post the last couple Mondays to be Monday Madness just because I have so much housework to get done because the house usually becomes a disaster during the weekends.  I don't know about any other SAHM's out there, but I ALWAYS feel like I run out of time to do the things I want/need to do.  It is frustrating.  I wanted to take Aubrey & Ali to the park today, but I got Aubrey's bath done around 9:10 then I HAD to put in laundry or we wouldn't have any towels and then I folded two loads that we brought up yesterday.  Then I read them a couple books and I looked at the clock and it was 10:45 which means I have to get lunch ready and Ali down for a nap!  Her mom picks her up at 1:45 on Monday's and she has to have that nap in or she is on the grumpier side ;)

Yesterday was beautiful outside!!  We went to church in the morning and Aaron and I were responsible for Children's Church this week.  We were to teach them on marriage and what it means to have a wedding.  It was nice, it is so cute to hear all the kids talk about what they think marriage is and who they think is married and how many weddings they've gone to!  LOL, i just listened to them for a good 5 minutes because they all had so much to say!

One little boy brought up that his parents were married, but he wasn't there because he wasn't born yet.  I said yes, most of the time babies come after marriage.  I still struggle with this because Aaron and I were not living within God's will when we became pregnant with Jaylin.  I know Jaylin is a blessing and a gift from God, but to explain that to her one day when she has questions makes me swallow hard ;)  If anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it!!  I plan on saying that Yes, she was in the wedding when Aaron and I were married because God gave her to us before we were married, though Aaron and I sinned by not following God's plan of us, he still made the very best out what we were doing and the very best was her.  I don't know!  what do you guys think?

On a lighter note....Below are some pictures I just LOVE from the day of the dance recital.  I am so blessed!

Lennon, MaKenzie, Aubrey

Jaylin & Aubrey getting ready for recital

Aubrey and Jaylin giving Miss Cara her flowers & gifts



Girls dancing to Achy Breaky Heart (so cute!!)



Busy Weekend!!

This weekend was so busy!!  The girls had their dance recital on Saturday night.  So, Friday I was suppose to be getting ready for the rehearsal!!  Meaning I was to get all accessories in little baggies and clipped to costumes and everything noted so their volunteer chaperones could figure out what went with what and when they needed to be on stage, etc. 

Anyway, I figured I had plenty of time since it was only Aubrey and I all day on Friday, BUT I woke up with a splitting headache, ya know the sinus headaches you only wake up with!  It was 3am when it woke me up, I found my last couple sudafed and took them with ibuprofen since my nurse friend once told me that was ok to do.  Then I slipped on Aaron's sleep mask and was out until I 5:45 when my alarm went off, I still felt the headache a little bit, but not horrible.  I got Jaylin ready and dropped her off at school.  Came home balanced the checkbook and then decided there was never a better time to drive 45 minutes to Target to get 30 metal buckets for our church's Vacation Bible School in a couple weeks.  SO, off we went!!  As we got closer to Target my head started to throb and I just felt bad, so when we got to Target I picked up the buckets and went to get some more sudafed.  Got it, then checked out with my 30 buckets, sudafed, & a diet mountain dew.  Got to the car and took the sudafed, ibuprofen, & diet dew.  Continued to drive home (did I mention gas prices are $3.79, why am I driving 45 minutes to Target for one thing?!?!!?)  On the drive home my stomach started getting queasy, finally we got into our town and I got stuck behind a semi and I swore I was going to lose it right there, I was going to lose everything in my stomach, but turns out I made it in my door and was able to answer a couple Rapture question my husband was texting me for a co-worker of his, then I ran to the trash can and began to empty out my stomach.  OH, what a day!!!!  I just kept thinking this headache has to go away and I have to get my act together because tonight is going to be crazy and I have too much to do!!

Anyway, it all came together, I layed down with the sleep mask for a couple hours until my headache was dull again.  Thankfully, it hasn't come back with such force again!

The wonderful end to the awful beginning was seeing my girls up on the big stage as they practiced.  We couldn't take photos during the recital, but we could take them during the rehearsal.  Here are a few!

Ad Day!

I know it's weird that I have an Ad day!  In our Wednesday paper all of our local ads come out like Fareway, Hy-vee, Aldi, etc.  I love looking through them as I try to see what is on sale and then plan my weekly menu on that.  It is hard though because sometimes I am just hungry for one thing and don't care if it is on sale!  Lately, I have been doing okay with the grocery budget, but there are other weeks that I just blow it!  Usually, those are the weeks that I did not take the time to sit down and come up with a strategy.  I love the grocery list I use, I've tried several, but I prefer the one I have now.  I found it on an awesome blog of http://www.orgjunkie.com/, I have a HUGE desire to be organized so I love this blog.  Click here for grocery list template.  I usually the menu planner template on the back so I have it all on one sheet of paper, I couldn't find it again on the blog to link up, but I'm sure it is there somewhere!

Have a great day!

Dance next year, so sad

So, Jaylin told me a couple weeks ago that she no longer wants to take ballet, tap, jazz, but she wants to continue hip hop.  I believe it is partially my fault because I told her flat out she had to choose, it was just getting so expensive with two girls activities and Aubrey is going to go out for competition dance or at least do a solo this year.  I really felt that Jaylin was going to choose ballet, tap, jazz, but NOPE she says she would rather do hip hop.  I am so heart broken about this decision, I really think dance is very good for the girls as it is exercise as well as muscle strengthening.  I am hoping if I re-ask the question after the recital she will change her mind!!  She is just such a good dancer and I think being in dance helps her be flexible in cheer which she competes competitively and prefers anyway.

Here is Jaylin in her jazz costume this year.  Recital is Saturday night!!!  She has a total of 4 costumes this year and they are all adorable!!

These photos were taken on my cell phone they day they got their costumes, they all had to try them on.  If they aren't just the most adorable girls you've ever seen!

New Addition

Aaron and I talked about getting a pet cat for our family for a couple weeks now.  I new I didn't want to get a kitten, honestly, because kittens are so rough with kids and like to play a lot.  I knew we needed an adult cat that was already use to kids.  We also knew we didn't want to pay for one, wanted a female that was spayed, and wanted her front de-clawed.  I used to work for a vet and I know how horrible de-clawing is and I honestly can not be the one that makes the decision to de-claw, but I knew we needed an adult cat w/o those claws.  We put out a Wanted add on facebook and on our local freecycle website and we didn't get any response until this last weekend.  We finally found the perfect cat for us!  The family she came from had her since she was a kitten 9 years ago!!  They recently had another baby and then found out the baby was allergic, very sad day for her former family, but a very good day for our family.  Lily joined our family this last Saturday and has fit in flawlessly with no issues at all!!  Welcome Lily, we already love you!

Lily is so good with Aubrey!!  Aubrey picks her up and carries her around and Lily just hangs there!  Ha!  She really has had no adjustment period, she came into our home and must have thought to her self..."Okay, I have a new family, a new home, & a new name, let's do this!!"  Lily was not her former name Jaylin wanted to name the cat and she seems to do just fine with Lily, she already perks up every time she hears it, I think she approves!

Madness Monday

Welcome Monday!  I tend to like Monday's more than the weekend and today is no different.  It really makes me feel good to get back to the weekday schedule.  Monday's I usually do laundry and get the house back in order.  Jaylin goes back to school and Aaron goes back to work.  I watch a little girl named Ali on MTW, so that just leaves us 3 girls.  Ali and Aubrey like to argue, but today they've gotten along pretty well, only a few disputes with toys ;)

Yesterday a Facebook friend posted how much she saved and all the stuff she got after going to Wal-green's and using her Register Rewards (RR) and I really want to start taking advantage of those savings!  I read a blog not that long ago that said the gal didn't know what she did before when she actually had to pay for toiletries.  Ever since I read that I get angry when I buy toothpaste or deodorant, I feel like I should be getting them free too!  So, I subscribed to our hometown paper that includes the big Sunday paper with all the coupons, that was my excuse before, I never had time to run out and get the paper or by the time Sunday rolled around we were out of money!  So I bit the bullet and signed up for the paper.  We now get 13 weeks for $19.95, so let's hope it pays off!

SO! today was my first day shopping at Wal-Greens and I'm sure I did not do as well as my friend on FB did, but I'm sure I will learn!

I ended up spending $55.72 and received $15.00 in RR for my next shopping trip.  So that means, I bought all the below stuff for about $40.72.  I'm a sucker too, so I did buy some stuff that I didn't plan during my trip planning session!  So I spent over what I planned, but I got more stuff too!

The fabric softener & dryer sheets were buy one get one free, so I couldn't pass that up!  I would have gotten two fabric softener's, but they were all out!  So lesson learned...go on Sunday when the add comes out!  Then the Kleenex were also buy one get one free.  The Old Spice men's body wash was buy 3/$10 and get a $3 RR, I LOVE the smell of Old Spice so this wasn't a waste to our family.  I plan on getting a stock pile going like many others and then donating what I don't use.  The mascara I use was on sale for buy one get one 50% off so I had to get one of those.  The Dove men's deodorant was $3.99 & then get a $3.00 RR.  So, I may have more stuff next week since I will be using RR and can afford more.  We will see!  I'm hoping to not have to pay full price for deodorant/toothpaste/feminine products/Body Wash/Shampoo/Conditioner EVER AGAIN!!