Family of Four

It's February!

2012-02-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

This is the last month of Groupon sessions. It's been a long busy year. If I can just make it through this month I plan to take a break with the exception of maybe an Easter session with a friend. Course now that I am offering boudoir there has been a bit more contacts. So maybe a week or so break may be all I get. I'm definitely not complaining about being busy. It's just been a bit rough. I've learned a lot about myself and business over the last year. I feel like I've grown big time in both areas. I hope I can continue to grow. I love my job and making people feel good about themselves!

February also means getting taxes done for us. We make it a date to get out just the 2 of us. We go out to eat after. I guess I need to save that as my cheat day cause I'm pretty sure italian isn't quite healthy. :) I look forward to it for sure still. I could go for some good alfredo and bread right about now. Yum. :)

I'm on the hunt for some cute things to do with the boys for Valentine's Day. They love to paint so I'm sure it'll include that for sure. :) Will share their beautiful artwork whatever we decide to do. Will see what we can find on Pinterest for sure.

2012-01-31T19:22:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love Pinterest. You can find just about anything on there. I am going to try a green monster smoothie soon and share it with the boys. I'm interested to see how they like smoothies. If they like it I will be searching for more so I can get fruits and veggies in them. :) I need to try some of the recipes I have pinned on there as well. Maybe I need to make a special week of just Pinterest recipes. :) Share your favorite thing you've found on Pinterest! Maybe someone will share something you don't have pinned.

While you're at it... Follow Me. :)

Running

2012-01-30T19:56:00.000-08:00

I am using the Couch25K program on my phone to train for my first 5K. I have picked the date for my race (April 14th). Now I just need to register. I am 5 weeks into the C25K program. Week 4 got increasingly hard for me. Today's run was a bit challenging. I ended up doing it inside on the treadmill since my husband was out with friends. I pushed right through it. I am trying to find a different location than my neighborhood for my next run to see if it changes anything. Maybe I'll try a track.

I recently joined a group of others in a Biggest Loser challenge at church. Each week before we weigh in, we will have the option to do a 5K or a boot camp workout. I won't always be able to make the weigh ins at the usual time so I will be doing several of mine on Sunday mornings instead of Saturdays. However this Saturday I plan to give the 5K a shot. I'd love to see where I am in my training and run most of it if I can. I will update how I do as well as how each week's weigh in is. It is an 11 week program and will end the week after my 5K.

I am also doing a program through our state as well called Scale Back Alabama. There are challenges to win cash prizes. Our group is the Skinny Girls in Fat Suits. hehe We need to lose at least 10 lbs to be eligible for grand prizes. It is a 10 week program...ending the week of my 5K. I will update on Mondays how I do with this.

So I obviously have enough to keep me busy to get this weight off! :) I am keeping track of water intake (at least 8 glasses a day!), calories, and exercise. It's already paying off. People are noticing that I'm looking slimmer. I believe I am down 8.2 lbs in the last 3 weeks. Not a bad start! So keep me on my toes and keep me accountable. I want this so bad I can taste it! Skinny is coming!!! :)

30 by 30

2012-01-23T09:18:00.000-08:00

I am hoping to get back into blogging again. Mainly because I have made a 30 by 30 list (30 things to do/complete before I turn 30 which is on May 20th). I've been posting stuff on Facebook but I want to write more about it so I will be blogging about it. Plus I've adding blogging to my 30 by 30 list. :)

Here's the list so far. I still need to add to it cause I'm not up to 30 yet. These can be found at Pinterest.

1. Read Bible all the way through

2. Book 5 new weddings

3. Go to the batting cages

4. Start Disney fund

5. Go to drive-in movie

6. View each day as a gift

7. Use 10 ways to love

8. Get rid of clutter

9. Make magnetic goal/dream board and put it up

10. Go on a hike

11. Go to a restaurant that has been on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives - DONE! (1/7/12)

12. Get a tattoo

13. Clean entire house

14. Win a free cruise for first kidless vacation

15. Date night every month

16. Have a family photo shoot

17. Buy a mini-van (this is a maybe on the list because it's not financially possible right now)

18. Become bone marrow donor

19. Catch a fish - DONE! (1/20/12)

20. Have boudoir shoot done - DONE! (1/19/12)

21. Read "The Five Love Languages: The Secret To Love That Lasts" - DONE! (1/11/12)

22. Eat more fruits and veggies; try new ones

23. Take a "Spirited Art" class - scheduled for 2/3/12

24. Learn to crochet

25. Photo scavenger hunt

26. Lose 30 lbs

27. Run first 5K

28. Blog more

I need to add 3 more because the mini-van one is a filler. I will blog more about each one. I just wanted a post with just the list. :)

Busyness

2011-10-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say that I haven't blogged because there hasn't been anything to write about but that is so far from the truth. It's simply because I've been SOOOOOO busy!! Between photo sessions, editing said photo sessions, working out, and everything with my kids, I am just so busy. So this will be a hodgepodge blog post of everything. So bare with me. :)

Business is still extremely busy from my Groupon deal. With only 4 months left to use the deal I'm sure it's only going to get even busier. I have plenty of pictures from the shoots to finally update my website though...so I'm excited! (http://www.daniellesmithphotography.com) I've met some of the sweetest people doing this. I hope they're loving their images as much as I am taking them.

I have been working out for the last two months at a local fitness studio. I've been taking Zumba classes along with Bodysculpt classes. I've loved how I feel after working out even if sometimes I feel like I'm going to die during. haha I've had lots of comments about my body slimming down....which I LOVE! I've met friends who have encouraged me to push myself even more. The instructors are awesome too! Now I just need to do better at eating better and drinking more water. I know I'll see even more results once we do that.

The boys are getting so big. They're just about wearing the same size. They're only a few pounds and inches apart. They're both getting good with their letters and counting. I can't believe Corgan will start school next year. I'm excited for him though. This will be a good experience for him. He does great listening to someone other than Mommy and Daddy....so I'm sure he'll do great! Keelan sure will miss him. He loves his big brother and tries to do everything that he does. Keelan is a bright little guy. He's been counting almost to 10 since before he even turned 2 in August.

The house isn't really coming along any more as far as decorating. We didn't finish painting. Need to get that done. We haven't bought a rug or table for the foyer just yet. That's on our to do list for sure. We got our new furniture and we love it! It looks so good with the paint color we chose. Need to get some electrical work done and we can put the TV on top of the mantle and free up the TV stand/dresser we're using now. That will probably go in the boys' playroom so they can play games in there. I have so many ideas but not sure when or if they'll ever happen. It'll probably happen just slowly. That's ok with me. :)

Marshall and I are trying to have date nights more often as we can with the budget. We've been using gift cards and coupons to help take out the high costs. I'm hoping we can do it consistently. We really need the time alone. Seems like we don't get to get out just the two of us nearly enough. I would love to have a weekend getaway with just my husband. Hope one day we can do that.

Well, if you've survived my hodgepodge post, thank you! Hope I can get better at this. I know I say it all the time, but I mean it. :)

We're in!

2011-07-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

After almost a month of moving around we finally closed on our house and moved in. We've been in a week now and things are livable now. Not perfect, but livable. :) It's been crazy not only for us personally but for my business as well. I didn't have access to pictures to edit for almost 3 weeks or more! It was horrible!!! Trying to get things back to normal now.

Making a house a home...

2011-06-27T22:23:00.000-07:00

We are almost to moving day. It was supposed to be the past Friday but due to circumstances it was pushed back to this week. We are waiting on last bits of stuff being put together and hope to get a closing date soon! I am so ready to be moved in. We packed up probably at least 85% of our stuff before we found out we wouldn't be closing Friday last week. We've still been able to have fun as a family. My favorite has been the snuggling up on our bed (which is just our mattress and boxspring on the floor - frame is packed on the truck!) and snacking while watching Netflix on my laptop. We've enjoy our share of kids movies with the kids as well as our own movies at night (scary flicks for him and chick flicks for me...hehe). Soon we'll go from small cramped spaces to having plenty of room for everyone. So my next few blogs will be about turning house into a home. Right now the house is very neutral. Carpet is beige as are the walls and ceilings. I can't wait to add color to it. To give it our special family touch. To make it ours. Forever. Or until we move. Not sure I'll ever want to do this again. haha

Progress and backtracking

2011-06-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

I've made minimal progress on packing. Gotten a few more totes (Rubbermaid containers) of stuff packed. Using what we have of those from storing the clothes the boys have outgrown. I'm donating everything they have outgrown or that we don't need. Trying to minimize what we have to move. Even though we're moving to a bigger space, I want it to feel big and not as cluttered. I know that's what Marshall wants too cause he has said it. :)

We've had backtracking on our weight loss efforts. We haven't done so good with eating lately. The biggest problem is my grocery shopping. We haven't had enough in the house so we've been eating out way more than we've needed. That's not good not only on our bodies but also our budget. We're trying to watch the budget good so that we'll be ready to close on the 24th for our new house. We're going to be buying new furniture so we need to have money for that. I'm trying to be budget friendly with that. Luckily with our Team National discounts we'll be able to get very good, well made furniture for major discounts. (For example, the dining table I blogged about before with 6 chairs is less than $500!)

We have also had some problems with the bank that is doing our mortgage....mainly due to not reading Marshall's emails. He's trying to give them everything that they need. It's stressing him out that they're not getting things right. Latest thing is they just found out that every paper has the address spelled wrong...ugh. Please pray for Marshall to get everything straightened out and that we don't have any more problems so that we can get closed on time.

First boxes

2011-06-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

I guess you can say I've packed my first boxes. I have packed away all bathroom toiletries that I have stockpiled that we won't use in the next 3 weeks. I have also packed my stockpile of air fresheners and candles. I have over 7 toothpastes, 13 deodorants, 4 razors, and a womanly stash to last me probably over a year. :) That's not everything...just a show of the bulk of what I have. I plan to add to the stash as I can since we'll have more cabinet space at the house. I have at least 22 rolls of paper towels and 16 rolls of toilet paper (not much but again will add to this!). My next stockpile to pack will probably be the medicine cabinet stuff. I have lots of bottles of vitamin D that I got for less than a dollar or free. Since both Marshall and I take it I stocked up while I could. We've gone through our Ester C stockpile so I need to find good coupons for those. I still have a raincheck for them for BOGO free at Walgreens. Well, back to packing/cleaning/getting ready for Corgan's t-ball game tonight. Need to figure out what's for supper.

It's June!

2011-06-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

Normally June only means a birthday for Corgan and Father's Day but this year it means moving into our first home. Both Marshall and I almost couldn't sleep last night because we are so excited about the house. I'm sure the next 3 weeks will go so slow. haha Hopefully slow enough to get everything done but not too slow. :)

Corgan has been playing his first season of t-ball this year. He has a makeup game tonight and the last one is on Saturday. He missed out on 3 games due to weather this year. He has really enjoyed playing. He has a fit about it until he sees his coach. Once he sees his coach he's constantly asking him, "Where do you want me to play coach?". I think that is the sweetest thing ever. Makes Marshall and I very proud of him. Corgan has also been taking gymnastics the last 3 weeks. I used a coupon we got in the mail for a month of free classes...so he only has 1 class left. He has really liked it. I think we want to try to get him a few more classes later if we can afford it. :) Corgan will be 4 on June 18th. I think we will go to Chuck E Cheese to play and then CiCis (or the other way around) to eat. We'll have a party for him once we move into the new house so we'll have lots of room to invite friends and family over.

Keelan is my little mockingbird. He is such a jabberjaws and will repeat (or at least try to repeat) everything you say. It's so wild to see how different he is from his brother. He has a big vocabulary and most of his words are very clear to understand. He loves to play in the dirt and get dirty. The boys' bathtub stays covered in dirt and grime from my dirty boys. :) It means they're having fun though so I don't mind. Keelan will be 2 on August 11th. He will definitely be having a Sesame Street party cause he LOVES all of the characters....especially Elmo! (affectionately known as Mo-Mo). We'll probably do a pool party of sorts for him since we'll have a backyard to do it in.

Marshall and I are getting back to exercising and losing weight. When we realized he wouldn't be going overseas we let it go a little. Time to get back on track! We took a walk as a family on Tuesday night regardless of the hot humid temps and it felt so good. I want to get back into doing my Slim in 6....maybe with Zumba classes mixed in either at home or when I can afford to go to classes at Corgan's gym where he takes gymnastics. We will also be getting our treadmill from Marshall's grandma's house since we'll have space for it now.

I think that's the biggest updates about June. I'm hoping to lose almost another 10 lbs this month (or shortly after the month ends).

Guess what?!

2011-05-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

We're moving!! Shortly after my last post we were told we had 6 months to move. While it was a little scary at first and made us want to scream and cry at the same time, it's become a good thing for us. We just recently had our offer accepted for our first home together. We found a foreclosure for $70,000 less than the appraised value. We jumped on the deal quickly. It's in great condition with minor things that need to be fixed. Great location with a cul-de-sac on one side of it and a dead end on the other side...so it'll be safe for the kids to play. There is a good backyard that we plan on fencing in. Every time we've gone to the house the boys just run wild in there. They love the extra space. Course going from less than 800 to just over 2000 sq ft could be the difference. :) They will both get their own room plus we will have a room for storage and as an office/hobby room. We'll have both an eat-in kitchen area and a dining room so we'll have at least buy 1 table. (Our mobile home now isn't big enough for a table) I can't wait to have 24 cabinets instead of 5 in the kitchen. I could go on and on about what I love about the house. Closing can't get here soon enough! Here are a few ideas that I have for the great room and kitchen area.

* The picture above is what I am looking at as the table in the foyer area - will put a mirror on the wall above with probably a floral arrangement or something on the table/chest. We have a special sign that has our family name and est. date that I will probably put on the opposite wall

with a key holder.

This is the rug I really like for the great room. I love the colors and style. We had originally thought about a light gray color for the walls. Then I found this rug last night and I fell in love with the colors and how they pop off the rug. It reminds me of Fall...and that is my favorite season.

This is the lamps that I like for the great room as well. It's a 3 piece set.

Here is some art work I think would look good in the great room. I love the black and cherry pop of these tables. I think they have good function but can still be kid-friendly. I like the look of glass on tables but I don't want my kids to ruin them.

This is the table I like for the kitchen area. I love the curio as well. Not sure if we'll buy it as well though. I thought with the black pop in the furniture it would go well with the granite countertops in our kitchen. This set matches the table set I picked for the great room.

Course none of these are for sure ideas. Just doing a little brainstorming/window shopping. I can't and won't do anything until we close on the house cause we don't have any extra space here to store anything. So what do you think of the ideas? Would love some input as I'm not the greatest decorator. :)

Changes

2011-04-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

There are some changes going on in our family. Marshall works for the gov't and has been accepted for a position overseas. This wouldn't be a move for all of us....just a tour of duty for him for 6 months. However before he can leave he has to get his BMI down. I have decided to blog our journey. We started this past Saturday with exercising and eating better. Here's a rundown of what we're doing and then our progress so far!

Marshall - Working out at the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Working out at home with me Tuesday and Thursday doing Slim in 6. We will also walk as much as possible. Will be starting a heart diet used at a nearby hospital to lose weight quickly next week. This will be for 3 days and then 4 days off (but still eating healthy). He's eating a lot of salads. Taking Advocare supplements and using the Meal Replacement Shakes.

Danielle - Working out at home 6 days a week with 1 day off. Using Slim in 6. Using Weight Watchers points and eating healthier smaller portions. I will be starting the heart diet with Marshall next week. Also walking with Marshall as much as possible. Taking Advocare supplements and using the shakes as well. Drinking only water....no sodas or teas.

I am also making a conscious effort to stay away from all fast food. I will have to be healthy when going out to eat with friends as I have a lunch date with a friend on Friday and then a baby shower/girls night out next Monday. I will probably just get a salad both times. I will need to resist the yeast rolls at Logans on Monday. That will be hard as bread is my weakness but I CAN do it! :)

Results as of this morning:
Marshall - down 9+ lbs!! (there's a plus because before he would get an error so we're not sure what his full starting weight was) So proud of him!!!!
Danielle - down 4 lbs!! I am almost to my pre-pregnancy weight....only 2 lbs away. I have fluctuated between the same 5 lbs for the past 4 years since I got pregnant. I will be going way past the pre-pregnancy weight!

I am sharing this on Facebook so that you can all join us in praying and keeping us accountable. Blogging it to keep from having so many updates on my Facebook page. :)

Progress

2011-02-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

Both Corgan and Keelan have made progress in their lives. I'm so proud to be their Mommy. :)

Corgan is 43 months old and has been potty trained almost a year now. I can't believe it's already been a year. It has had ups and down but he's done really well. He's not completely night trained yet but we're trying to work on it. He is recognizing and naming almost all of his ABCs, can count to at least 8 on his own (Hubby says he's heard him count to 15!), and can run all the way around the house kicking the soccer ball (alternating feet) without stopping. We're thinking of putting him in t-ball this summer. He loves sports. He's pretty advanced in motor skills...at least I think so. He can say a lot of different words and talks non-stop. I'm trying to plan his 4th birthday party so I'm sure I'll talk about that pretty often.

Keelan is almost 18 months old now. He can point out his nose, eyes, and ears so far. He knows his hands, arms, feet and legs as well but doesn't point to them yet. He loves to eat and copy his brother. He does more talking than signing...but he can sign more and milk. He has signed please before but doesn't use it regularly. Keelan can say mommy, daddy, bubba, milk, please, thank you, yes sir, no, mine, cookie, cracker, pancake, hey, bye, go, and probably several more. He's a talker. :) He can be quite the little fireball when things don't go his way but we're trying to control that without breaking his spirit. He has a serious love for Elmo so I'm sure that's going to be the theme for his birthday. He loves books. I love seeing him snuggled up with a book...warms my heart.

Things are picking up for my photography business. Have weddings planned, birthday pictures, and more coming soon! I love every aspect of taking pictures. I enjoy capturing the emotions and pleasing each client. I recently had the opportunity to take pictures at a fundraising event for a local church. They did a 50s style musical. It was great! They did a wonderful job putting it together and I was so proud! Will share some of the pics soon....as well as some of the other recent shoots. I'm still an active volunteer with NILMDTS. We're in need of several more volunteers both photographer and assistants. If it looks like something you'd be interested in, please don't hesitate to ask me about it or apply via the website. I think it may possibly be the greatest thing I have ever done...and it's not even for myself. It's bigger than myself. I pray every time that I go to the hospital that God would fill the room with peace in the time of need for the families.

Trying to get my Premier Designs business going off well this year. It's by far the best business I've found as far as what you can make and earn. I'm using the business to give back with fundraisers as well. Jacob's Wings and March for Babies. If you would like to give to either of those you can. There is no requirement that you have to buy jewelry. It's just a way for me to help give back.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T10:09:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping with the new year for several new things! Most people make New Year's resolutions. I have before but I've very rarely succeeded. 2011 is going to be a new start for me in so many ways. Here they are in no particular order:
1. Start blogging more - so I can see what God has done in and through our lives. Also to see how my boys grow.
2. Start reading the Bible more along with daily prayer and worship times
3. Start exercising daily - Marshall and I started the BeachBody Slim in 6 program on January 4th. I plan to blog about this journey along with pictures and updates.
4. Start eating better

I'm sure there are more that I can add later. These are the most important ones right now.

Lather, rinse and repeat

2010-10-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one out there who feels that sometimes life is a lather, rinse and repeat cycle? I feel like I'm so caught up in life that I'm missing something. I'm always adding something else to my plate too because I'm crazy like that. :) I started my photography business in Dec of 2008. I started my Premier Designs jewelry business in August of this year. I'm already a SAHM. I'm involved in choir and praise team at church. I feel like I have so much on my plate but I love every minute of it. One of the biggest blessings to me is being able to be a part of NILMDTS (Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep). I have people all the time tell me that I'm an angel for my volunteering. It's an honor to me to serve the families and the babies. It's a blessing to me. They don't realize how much I benefit as well. It puts everything into perspective. You find out just what is really important in life as well. :)

Total change of subject but I am out of conditioner (which sparked this post). Am I the only one who runs out of conditioner before shampoo? I seem to end up with lots of bottles of shampoo but never enough conditioner. Do you buy just new conditioner or both?

Updates

2010-06-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Corgan has been fully potty trained for several months now. We still have some accidents but overall he's done great! I think we're pretty much night trained now as well! He only had one accident at night this past week! So he was treated to Build A Bear He made a monkey that he named Funky Monkey. Oh the adventures those 2 had yesterday. Funky Monkey went out to eat with us last night and even helped Mommy and Daddy drive...hehe. Corgan is getting a lot more vocal and makes lots of sentences. He's a talking machine. He just celebrated his 3rd birthday on the 18th. We had his party at the church on the 19th. It rained so I think that scared a lot of people away but we still had a good crowd. He got way more presents than he needed but he had lots of fun! :)

Keelan is now pulling up on things instead of just people. He tries to practically climb up things. It's cute. He now has 8 teeth. He can wave. He says Hey, Bye Bye and Dada consistently. No MaMa just yet. He must just be saving the best for last. :) He won't quite stand alone just yet but we're working on it. His crawl is a one arm and one leg army crawl. Don't let it fool you though because he can get around quite fast! He loves his hair. You can see him pulling on it and shaking his head to make it spin. I'm constantly pulling it out of his face but I think he likes it in his face cause he'll shake his head and get it back in his eyes as soon as I move it. He's definitely a little rascal. He's got quite the determination and attitude. He'll let you know if he does or doesn't like something. He is still very much attached to his paci but doesn't have to have it. He went all night last night without it! YAY!

Marshall and I are both on our way to getting healthy. We just bought lots of Advocare products to get us started right. I'll be taking Fibo-Trim as well as drinking meal replacement shakes. Marshall is doing MNS - Maximum Appetite Control as well as a few other things with the shakes. To help keep me accountable I'm hoping to blog more. That will also help me to look back and see where I've come from.

New layout

2010-05-30T22:10:00.001-07:00

I changed things around on here cause it needed a new look. I find that I don't spend much time blogging anymore. Guess I worry that no on really reads it anyways. So if you're out there, say hi. :)

My big thing lately in blog posts seems to be giveaways. I haven't won anything yet but I'll keep trying cause I'm addicted to the thrill. haha

One of the blogs that I frequent also has a giveaway blog, Lyndsie Gives Away. Right now she's doing a giveaway for a $50 gift certificate to The Vintage Pearl. I love the jewelry they have! I would totally pick a necklace with my boys names....all 3 (hubby included). They are my world. Go register to win yourself!!

Giveaway!!!

2010-03-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

I am known as being obsessed with bags....purses, diaper bags, cosmetic bags, and now camera bags. Some of the cutest bags are made by Epiphanie! They're having an awesome giveaway right now too! I could win either a Canon 5D Mark II or a $2500 gift certificate with Southwest Airlines! Might be hard to choose but I've been dreaming about a camera upgrade and what better way than to win it!!! Here's the details: Have An Epiphanie!.

Way behind

2010-03-12T11:05:00.001-08:00

I see it's been just over a month since I've updated. I've been extremely busy with my photography business. When I'm not busy with that my boys keep me busy.

Corgan is now potty trained. He still has some accidents but he's been doing great! Keelan has 2 teeth and can sit up some now. He scoots sometimes too and spins to get where he needs to go. He's been doing good with eating baby foods too. He's 7 months old now. He eats stage 2 foods now. I recently stocked up on foods since I got a good deal. I always said I'd make my own baby foods but between the deals and the time it'd take to make it myself I decided to just buy.

We've pretty much switched back to disposable diapers. I'm not too thrilled about that especially after just buying a dozen new diapers and new covers to go with them. It's ok though cause I'm enjoying the break from cleaning and washing diapers. I've also gotten some really good deals of sposies. :)

Win an organic Ergo!

2010-02-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

I would love to win this! Maybe you would too! http://clotheslinecontentment.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/my-first-giveaway/

Fly cheap!

2010-02-10T18:27:00.001-08:00

Southwest Airlines is running another special! Until tomorrow night at 11:59 Pacific Time, you can buy one way tickets up to 500 miles for $39! You must travel between 3/15 and 5/25. Travel valid everyday except Fridays and Sundays. Great deal if you need a getaway and can travel between those dates.

Send me to Hawaii!

2010-02-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

If you're not a member of Ebates, please use my referral code to join! By doing so you're entering me (and YOU!) into a sweepstakes for a trip to Hawaii.

Already a member? Here's the details:
Refer the most and win airfare for two and a five night hotel stay in Hawaii. Plus, no matter what, you'll get $5 for every qualified new member you refer! Contest runs from 2/10/10 - 3/31/10.

Qualified means that they have to purchase $20 within 90 days of joining. Let's send one of us to Hawaii!!

Valentine's Udder Cover Promo

2010-02-09T16:35:00.000-08:00

When I was pregnant with Keelan I got an Udder Cover. I really enjoyed it. We didn't get to use it much because Keelan hated to be covered. For those who don't mind being covered for breastfeeding I recommend an Udder Cover. They are running a special Valentine's Promotion. You save 90% on their 3 piece gift set. Each 3 piece gift set includes the Udder Cover™ nursing cover of your choice, a color coordinated Milk Bands™ breastfeeding bracelet and 2 pairs of 5 ply washable 100% cotton breast pads!

If you’re not currently nursing, you probably know someone who is or shortly will be! They make great baby shower gifts! You can get any of our 3 piece gift sets (regular price $46) for only $5 + S&H!

The code is “Valentine”.

Go to www.uddercovers.com , click on "Shop Now", scroll down to the gift sets, select the one you would like and you will automatically be repositioned to the center of the page where you can enter in the promo code! Type in Valentine and it will bring your product total to $5! This promotion will expire on March 1st 2010. You can use the code more than once - you just have to open a new browser/window to do so.

This promotion gives you 1 gift set for $5 + S&H! This promotion code is valid once per transaction, so you can order as many times as you would like! Happy Valentines Day!

Diapers ordered!

2010-02-03T20:39:00.001-08:00

I just bought an extra large case of diapers and 2 jumbo packs. I paid $39.97 out of pocket. I will mail in my $14.97 rebate so I'll pay $25 total for 312 diapers! They'll be here in 2 days to my doorstep! That's .08 a diaper! Yay! :) Great deal! Just through I'd share that I've take advantage of the deal. May have my MIL and my parents purchase some for us too to stock up.

Diaper scenario

2010-02-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

For mommies-to-be or those with a newborn or maybe you just a cheap baby shower gift, check this out!

First go sign up for one of these two shopping sites to earn $5 just for signing up:
Ebates or Shop at Home. Plus you'll earn a 1% cash back rebate from Ebates and a 1.5% cash back rebate from Shop At Home for Diapers.com. There are lots more other sites that are included for cash back plus coupons!

Next add diapers to your cart that equal to over $49 to earn free shipping. Here's a scenario with size 1 diapers.

*1 Luvs Extra Large Case of diapers (254 diapers) - $35.99
*2 Luvs Jumbo packs of diapers (50 diapers each) - $6.99 each

Gives you a total of $49.97 to get free shipping. Use my discount code if you're a first time customer (DASM7352) and you get $10 off your order. PLUS, if you're a first time customer there is a rebate for $14.97 here. Takes 6-8 weeks to get it.

So here's the run down. You'll get 354 size 1 diapers for $25! That's approx. .08 a diaper! Wow!! Now I'm off to see how I can make it work for my little chunkybutt Keelan!

Diapers.com

2010-02-02T16:34:00.000-08:00

Thought you might be interested in this website I discovered, www.diapers.com. They deliver diapers, wipes, formula and other baby necessities at really low prices with fast free shipping. They carry all the big brands and hard-to-find products too.

If you enter my email address or Referral Code on the shopping cart screen, you'll get an extra $10 off your first order of diapers. And I'll get a $1 credit each time you order. It's a great way we can both save!
My Email Address: daniellesmith@bellsouth.net
Referral Code: DASM7352

Check it out at www.diapers.com.

There's a really good diaper deal going on right now. Once I figure out the best scenario I'll post it. Other sites posted it with using Luvs jumbo packs but those are sold out right now except the size 1s. Stay tuned.

Update on Keelan

2010-02-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

He'll be 6 months old on the 11th. Here's an update on him as of today:
*He's eating baby food - has almost tried all the stage ones. Can eat a whole jar already too!! He loves eating and thinks that every time one of us is eating that he needs to eat too. :)
*He rolls over both ways. He's so hard to keep on his back which makes diaper changes fun.
*He tries to crawl. He pushes his knees up under him and pushes.
*He popped his first tooth yesterday!! A month after we thought his first was popping through. It's not even the same one that was about to pop so I think it'll pop soon.
*He loves his big brother! Even when Corgan is being rough he still smiles at him most of the time.
*He's outgrowing his 0-3 clothes.
*He's chunking up big time. According to our home scale he weighs 14 lbs! He goes back on the 19th so we'll see how much he weighs then.

Junk Mail - UPDATE!

2010-01-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

I wish I could've written this post to say I won a new car but I cannot. We did however win 3 gold coins. They have George Washington on them and say $1. So I guess we won $3. Corgan was excited! Easily amused like his mom I guess. I can't wait for the day that we can afford a new bigger vehicle for me but until then I am very content with my paid off car that gets great gas mileage. :) Why mess with a good thing? It's just like our housing situation. We could use bigger space but the mobile home is almost paid off and we couldn't get a house for the price we're paying now. Sometimes it just pays off to be content with what you have till God blesses you and takes you elsewhere.

Junk Mail

2010-01-28T07:23:00.000-08:00

I hate getting junk mail. Ever since we joined LifeLock we don't get near as much junk mail. One consistent thing we do get is the offers from local dealerships. I just got one yesterday with a gift card and key. I scratched off the little scratchpad to see I'm a winner! I called and reserved my prize. I'm sure it's nothing special. However we will take our key, gift card and mailer up to the dealership maybe later today. How nice would it be if my key would start the car which in this case is a 2010 Nissan Altima. I would love a new car but right now that's the only way I can afford it.

10 year reunion

2010-01-27T11:39:00.001-08:00

I can't believe it's almost time for my high school 10 year reunion! I'm on the reunion committee and we've been busy getting everything situated for planning the events. We're doing it during the 4th of July weekend so those coming from out of town will have more time as most people will have a 3 day weekend. We'll do a family picnic and then a semi-formal event that night. We're doing a fun casino theme. I can't wait to see how that turns out. We've gotten the bank account situated, venue booked, and party pros taken care of. Since we're doing this ourselves it's lots of busy work but so worth it! We're meeting tonight with the caterer to pick out our menu. Things are coming together with our website too. We're in the process of collecting advertising for our reunion book along with raffle prizes. Now to figure out what business to contact. I've already thought of some direct sales companies. Some of the other girls have contacted big businesses along with restaurants.

Jealousy

2010-01-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

Ok I don't think I even had any idea just how much jealousy Corgan would have over Keelan. Seems like it just continues to get worse. What can I do? I seriously need some BTDT moms to help me out! In the last few days Corgan has started biting and hitting Keelan pretty bad. :( It breaks my heart to hear my baby let out such a screeching yell. I know we're not neglecting Corgan by any means. He's even had Mommy-and-Me and Daddy-and-Me days. We've just got to get something straightened out soon!

Well I've gotta get back to cleaning and laundry. Plus I gotta figure out supper. :)

Tot School

2010-01-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

I know I have posted about wanting to do Tot School before but I think it's time to really make it happen. So I'm on the hunt for some good resources to teach Corgan. Here's a little of what I want to teach him:
*Music - making music with different items around the house and listening to music. I want to give him a passion for praise and worship music.
*Math - Ok, so not actual math just yet but I want to teach him his numbers and learning to count. Then we could move into simple addition.
*Grammar - Letters first of course and then move into spelling and writing.
*Bible - A Bible story and application of it.
*Art - coloring, crafts, painting, etc.
*Science - not sure how we'll do this just yet other than the aspects of creation and the world around us
*Household - cooking, cleaning, etc. Maybe find a way to give him simple chores and tasks to complete.
*Health - This will include potty training, hygiene, and exercise.

That's just a few thoughts going through my mind right now. I need to start making a list of items we need from the store. Of course I have to think about where we'll store the items where I can keep them out of reach until we need them. This post is more about my brainstorming. Maybe it'll help someone to branch out to do more with their kids. Or maybe you have an idea to help me. Please share!

Chuck E Cheese

2010-01-24T19:23:00.000-08:00

We had our first trip to Chuck E Cheese today for a birthday party for two pretty little girls Tavi and Nayah. Corgan really had a bunch of fun. I almost couldn't get him to eat pizza and cake! That was a shocker. When we got there we all went and played games. Marshall fed Keelan and I took Corgan to play games. He had fun playing all the different games.

Then it was time for pizza and cake. After that the girls opened a few presents. We all had a few tokens left to spend so we then spent the rest of them. It was almost hard to get Corgan to leave. When we got home he laid down with me and we both took a 3 hour nap! Wow! I can't remember the last time he took a nap or even that one that long! Hope he sleeps well tonight!

Here's a couple pictures of my boys enjoying themselves at Chuck E Cheese. :)

Enjoying his time with Daddy.

Corgan LOVED Chuck E! He wanted to follow him everywhere.

What a sweet present! :)

Never a dull moment

2010-01-23T21:57:00.000-08:00

There is absolutely never a dull moment in our house! Corgan got into something else today. It just happened to be my lipstick this time. I had just left the house to get a latte and head to do some shopping for a birthday gift. Shortly after I got my latte and was heading to Toys R Us I got a phone call. It was Marshall telling me that Corgan had gotten into my lipstick. I immediately asked if he got pictures. He said, "of course!". So here's a little bit of how it happened. Marshall thought Corgan was in his bedroom. He didn't realize that Corgan slipped into the bathroom. When he found him this was the sight.

Then Marshall asked him to show his hands...

So he told him then to put his hands on his face and run them down and got this...

followed shortly by his happy face. I love this face but this just gives it a new meaning.

God, I love this boy! Thank you for blessing me with him in my life. :)

5 months

2010-01-22T18:56:00.000-08:00

Keelan just recently turned 5 months old. I took a few pictures of him to catch this time in his life.

Look at those little toes!!

What beautiful baby blues....

He does great holding his head up. He is getting vocal so he listens to his voice a lot by squealing. He smiles a lot and giggles for his brother. He started baby foods this week. He's had green beans first and then started applesauce today. No teeth just yet but he's teething so bad. Poor baby. He rolled over from his back to his belly for the first time yesterday! He's even trying to scoot/crawl. What strong boys I have cause Corgan was the same way. :)

Monday was a holiday so Marshall was off work. We decided to take the boys out for a family day. We went to the mall and had lunch at Chick-Fil-A since that was Corgan's request. The boy can eat his weight in chicken there! Then we stopped by Target and bought some bread with the hopes of feeding the fish up on the mountain.

However when we got home there the fish weren't coming up to eat. Guess they were a little bit too cold cause it was chilly on the mountain. So we decided to head down and let Corgan play on a playground we had passed. Marshall walked around with Corgan as he played. I sat on the bench talking to Keelan and feeding him. I got a few pictures of both my boys.

We had a good day together!! We were all sad when Daddy went back to work after he had been off since Thursday. He took several days off to have a long weekend.

While I'm posting I might as well share about a Corgan funny. Last Monday Corgan was supposed to be taking a nap. Not sure what caused me to go in and see him but I did. This is what I found...

He had covered himself in lanolin!!! That's what I get for leaving it in his room where he could find it. haha First powder and now lanolin. This boy sure gets into things. It was so hard getting the lanolin out of his hair so he went to dinner with a little bit of a lanolin hairdo.

2010-01-16T17:02:00.000-08:00

Wow, the things that fasting and praying does. This week has been full of ups and downs. A few to include me getting locked out of the house and me breaking the juicer. The lockout was kinda funny. Tuesday afternoon I had taken the trash out and Corgan ran up behind me and shut the door. Before I could get back to the door he locked it. I was banging on the door and yelling his name. I guess maybe I scared him because he ended up locking himself up in his room! I was stuck outside in a short-sleeved shirt, pants and socks for almost an hour until Marshall got home. My feet were like ice cubes by the time he got home...brrrrr. Then on Thursday night I accidentally broke the juicer. I'd been doing a juice fast and also eating fruits and veggies. Well since then I've had to alter my plans. I've been making sure I'm eating healthy. That's a sacrifice for me cause we've been such unhealthy eaters. I'm hoping by the end of this fast that I won't want to quit eating healthy. I already find myself craving celery! :)

I noticed after I got out of the shower today that my long-term skin rash is just about gone!! Fasting has helped to heal my body. I've also lost weight. While those aren't my reasoning for fasting, they sure are a nice benefit.

2010-01-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

Who can pray?
Anyone can pray, but only those who walk in faith and obedience to Christ can expect answers to their prayers. Contact with God begins when we receive Jesus into our lives as Savior and Lord (John 14:6). Praying with a clean heart is also vital to successful prayer. We cannot expect God to answer our prayers if there is any unconfessed sin in our life or if we are harboring an unforgiving spirit (Psalm 66:18; Mark 11:25). For God to answer our prayers, we must have a believing heart and ask according to His will (Matthew 9:29; 21:22; 1 John 5:14,15).

I read this today in my workbook for our Transformation 2010 21-day fasting and prayer. It really spoke to me so I wanted to share to whoever may be reading my blog these days. May God reveal to all of us if we any unconfessed sin in our lives or if we are harboring an unforgiving spirit. I pray that there isn't anything that is keeping us out of the will of God or keeping Him from answering our prayers.

I am trying to spend less time on the internet. I have done well so far. I even read the story of David and Goliath to Corgan and Keelan today. It felt good to read the Word with my kids. I plan to make that a habit. Now to search for a Bible version they will understand and listen to. I read out of my New King James Version today and I think it was a little confusing to him. Is there a version that you recommend when reading to kids? My kids are 2 1/2 and 5 months old.

It's time for our household to get more organized and on a schedule. I need it for my sanity. :) That is something I'm going to meditate on and pray for during this 21-day fast. Praying you all have a wonderful day. God bless!

2010-01-10T21:39:00.001-08:00

I am taking part in a church and city-wide 21 day fast. I will be fasting most food but I'm adding in internet as well. I will still be blogging and email. No extra websites and no Facebook. This means I will not be visiting anyone else's blog so that I don't spend too much time online. Every time I get the urge to get online I will get my Bible out and read. I need to start a better habit of reading the Word. I plan to start reading it to Corgan too. He's getting older where he can understand and he loves to read. I want him to get a love for the Word. The theme for our year is Transformation 2010. We're doing unity services with other churches every so often to encourage and build the body. We will be impacting our city by sponsoring a school that is struggling. Throughout the year we will be able to impact their lives - teachers, administrative personnel and kids. What an impact this will make on our city!!! I'm ready for Transformation in all areas of my life! Please agree in prayer with me for not change but TRANSFORMATION!

2010-01-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

Looking back at 2009....let's see how things happened.
January - New Year's Day we told my Grandma and Grandpa that we were expecting Keelan. Grandma was put in the hospital shortly before her birthday. She eventually ended up in a nursing home. We all went to visit her on a Wednesday night and by Friday she passed away. I remember the phone call like it was yesterday. I knew the only reason my Dad would call that late would be if Grandma passed. She fought a long 12 year battle with leukemia and decided to not have anymore chemo. She was tired and ready to go home to her Maker.
February - Grandma's funeral was on February 3rd. I remember going to my 12 week checkup the day before and being so scared that I would hear bad news. That was one of the few times that my blood pressure was high during my pregnancy with Keelan.
March - We found out that we were having a boy. I will admit I was pretty upset about it at first...but I wouldn't trade Keelan for anything.
April - Tax returns! I think we actually got our money in April. We filed in February and I wanna say we got it quickly. We also went to Stix to eat with my Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Aunt and Uncle. It was Corgan's first time to see Japanese steak house. He liked it but was a little impatient.
May - Mine and Marshall's birthdays! Along with Mother's Day. Marshall got me a Garmin. Now I don't get lost. Haha. I also shot my first wedding this month!
June - Corgan's 2nd birthday. This time we decided to have another pool party and invite a bunch of friends after a bad turnout for his 1st birthday pool party. We had a great turnout and everyone had a great time!
July - Had one antepartum trip to the hospital. Nothing was going on so Keelan stayed put a little bit longer.
August - Had another antepartum trip to the hospital. Was in early labor. It was a late night visit so we didn't bother to ask someone to watch Corgan. Just took him with us. He never went back to sleep so it was a rough time for all 3 of us. I wasn't progressing enough too stay so they sent us home early the next morning. I had a dr appt already scheduled that day. It was at that appt that we decided to induce that night. Keelan was born the next day - August 11th.
September - Not sure of any special happenings
October - We took our first family vacation as a family of four. We went to our usual vacation spot - Gatlinburg, TN. We stayed in our honeymoon cabin. We didn't have a great experience as we were there for just a weekend. That part would've been ok if we didn't have the AC problems in the cabin or the rain for most of the weekend. We still enjoyed our trip.
November - We had our first Thanksgiving since we've been married that we didn't have to go to two places in one day! It felt so good to not be pressed for time and in the car so much. We had pretty much decided that we wouldn't be able to do both anyways so it worked out for the best.
December - I renewed my business license and my photography really picked up towards the middle of the month. We had a wonderful Christmas. We were able to spend Christmas morning at home and then headed to Marshall's grandparents' house. We only did gifts for the boys. It was fun to watch Corgan poke around instead of opening presents. I guess we overdid ourselves and could've just given him the bike. He would've been happy with just that.

Here's to a successful, happy and healthy new year in 2010!!!

Project 365

2010-01-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

The picture for today is a little different as it isn't of a person. We recently moved Keelan out of our room into Corgan's room after getting him a crib. Because of the fact we already have wall to wall furniture in there, we had planned on selling Corgan's old dresser for the fact it takes up too much room. We're replacing it with my old dresser from my parents house since it's more upright and will take up less wall and floor space. Well today we decided that instead of selling the old dresser to make it into an entertainment center....re-purposing it. I really like the way it turned out so I took a picture and decided to make it my picture for today.

Now to get rid of the old TV stand and get this living room livable again.

Project 365

2010-01-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

I'm on the ball today! I took a few pictures already but the one that stuck out was of Keelan's hand. I can't get over the fact of how small it is. Soon it will be big but it will always be in my hand. :)

Project 365

2010-01-07T22:33:00.000-08:00

I got a few pictures taken today after a slacking! I took a picture on January 2nd but apparently it didn't come out cause it's not showing up on my card. Here are a few pictures of Corgan enjoying the snow.

2010-01-07T17:13:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my slacking on the 365 challenge. I did take a picture day 2 but I've slacked since then. I took a few pictures today as well since we had some snow.

Speaking of snow...it's very uncommon here in Alabama so when they talk about it people go crazy. This time though I think they went even more overboard. While we were out and about running errands yesterday I heard of several schools already closing for today. This was at around 2 pm! The snow hadn't even started. It didn't start till about 8 this morning. So some schools were open till 11:30. I didn't even get out in it at all cause I can't stand the bad drivers here when the weather is questionable. Marshall did have to go into work but he got off at 1 pm. They closed the main road to our house right at that same time. However for some reason they didn't talk about it on the radio so he didn't know and had to take a different way home. It took him an hour to get home with what should've only taken about 15-20 mins. Glad he made it home safely though. Not sure of the accumulation we got but it wasn't much at all. Just enough to give a good covering. Corgan had a good time in it but not for long. He ended up having a meltdown. I think it was because his hands were cold. That and Daddy wanted to take his picture and he wanted me to do it. Silly boy! I'll get the pictures taken off after the National Championship game to share.

Gotta let Marshall use the computer so I'm off now! ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!

Project 365

2010-01-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

I have started a special project to take at least 1 picture every day. I will post my picture of the day here and on Facebook. Some days it will be more than 1 picture...like today. I couldn't pick just one of my sweet little Keelan. It won't always be myself or my family. Some days it may be nature or even clients of my photography business. I'm learning more every day about taking better pictures. Sometimes it's a matter of where the subject is and making sure to have all of their limbs in the picture. Today it was shown to make sure that there are not objects around the subject's head. It makes it look like something is growing out of their head. I would normally re-shoot the picture when I notice something like that but these pictures were just too cute not to share. Enjoy my sweet little man.

2009-12-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

As I sit here getting frustrated that my 2 1/2 year old is trying to fight a nap, I am reminded of how blessed I am. I have a healthy 2 1/2 year old to fight with. I am watching my soon to be 5 month old talking and trying to roll over while playing on his play mat he got for Christmas. These things are so trivial compared to what a dear friend is going through. A friend of mine is about to turn the machines off for her daughter who was born last night with a terminal form of dwarfism. My heart just breaks for her. I admire her faith and trust in God. I would only hope I would be able to be as at peace and prayerful as her in such circumstances. I don't know if I could. That's something that no parent should ever have to go through. I have a set of my own worries but I cast those aside right now to focus on Michelle and Janie Beth. May God be with Michelle, Joey, Josiah, Katie Jo, Eli and baby Janie Beth. May He be glorified in Janie Beth's life and each and every person she touches. I know that is Michelle and Joey's prayer.

2009-11-21T20:41:00.001-08:00

My poor baby is teething so bad. If he doesn't have a pacifier in his mouth he's constantly gnawing on his hands and drooling. Guess I need to make sure I have plenty of bibs and stock in teething tablets. I think he started teething around 8 weeks like his big brother. Wonder when his teeth will actually sprout.

Corgan is growing up to be quite a big boy. He went fishing with Daddy today for the first time alone. Daddy said he did really good. He was a little scared still of the motor. He didn't catch any fish but he loved the crickets. I'm glad that the two of them have something they can get out and do together. I bought Corgan some Pull-Ups while they were gone. He was so excited to put them on when he got home. They have Cars characters on them. That's one of his favorite movies. His favorite character is Mater but he's one of the few not on the Pull-Ups. I don't think he seems to mind. I'm hoping to get him potty trained soon. He was trained part of the way for at least 3 weeks and regressed. I didn't change poopy diapers for at least 3 weeks! I loved it. Now to figure out how to get that back along with him peeing in the potty as well.

2009-10-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

What a deal! I just a post that Southwest Airlines is doing a getaway sale. http://www.thefrugalgirls.com/2009/10/southwest-airlines-72-hr-sale-25-50-75.html Some great deals! I've been playing around to see where we could go and for what price. Too bad we don't have the money or a trip to use it on. I could get round-trip tickets to Orlando for only $100 a person so just $300 for our whole family. Too bad we can afford a trip to Disney before the trip dates are over. The sale is good till the 29th. You have to travel between Dec 2-16 or Jan 5-Feb 10. So if you need to get away hurry and book your flight. :) Have fun!

2009-10-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine Nikki Painter is doing a giveaway on her blog for a free 1 year membership to ClickinMoms.com. Here is the direct link to the blog post.

I would LOVE to win this giveaway. Even though I have a photography business I know I have a lot to learn and would love to surround myself with moms just like me who love photography. I wanted to join the site but just couldn't justify the cost right now when we have other important needs. If you could use the giveaway go sign up to win! Maybe one of us will be blessed.

2009-10-25T20:15:00.001-07:00

Finally feeling much better! Still have some sinus drainage and coughing but not as bad as I did. Corgan still has a little bit of a lingering cough....and his eyes are really tired looking but I think he's getting better too. I had a little bout with a blocked milk duct or so this weekend..so I'm working on keeping that clear.

I always thought I'd hate using any formula for Keelan but I'm not totally against it. I'm glad that I'm giving him at least 90% of his food from breastmilk. I've gone longer than I ever did with Corgan. I'm loving every day and every feeding that I'm able to have with him. I'm really going to miss our nursing relationship whenever it ends but I'm hoping it's later than sooner. When asked how long I want to nurse I just say I'm taking it day by day. I want to get to 3 months, 6 months, etc. I don't want to impose goals on myself and then get upset when I don't meet them. So this is my way of attaining my breastfeeding goals. I know in the long run I'd love to make it to 1 year or even 2.

We have found out that Corgan is quite jealous of Keelan. Whenever I am gone and take Keelan with me, Corgan is an angel for Marshall. If I am home or I leave Keelan at home too, Corgan becomes a terror. Not sure what we can do to take care of the situation. Any advice from you been there done that moms?

2009-10-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

Corgan is still trying to get over being sick. He hasn't had a fever in several days but I still hate hearing him cough like he has. This is his first big sickness. Not bad for being 28 months old. :)

Marshall is already on the mend I believe. However it's sticking around with me a bit longer. Could be the fact that I'm not taking any medicine since I'm nursing Keelan. I don't want to take any chances of risking my milk supply. I've been trying to drink a lot of fluids and rest. At least as much as I can being a SAHM to a sick toddler and a newborn. I'm just ready to quit coughing. It's a dull feeling in my throat that tickles me and makes me cough. Add the fact that I'm having some sort of heart flutters or palpitations. Not sure what's causing them but they just make me feel uncomfortable.

Well, I gotta go stir the chili I'm making for supper. Need to pick up around the house so I can sweep and mop. Marshall will be home shortly for supper. I'm ready for some warm chili after these cold days. I love fall!

2009-10-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

So what's been going on in my world? A LOT!

First off, I haven't announced the arrival on Keelan Alexander on the blog. He arrived on August 11, 2009 at 6:33 pm. He weighed 7 lbs 4 ozs and was 19.5 inches long. He was born with a head FULL of hair...that is really an understatement. He had his 2 month check-up this past Monday. He's up to 9 lbs 5 ozs and 21.75 inches. He's a pretty good nurser. We've had a great deal of trials in the past 2 months but it's worth the work and pain. He's been rolling over since he was 16 days old. He's been giving us lots of smiles now. It's too cute to see him smile with dimples like his big brother and daddy. <3

Corgan is growing too but not sure of his stats. He's a good big brother but still a little too rough with Keelan. He's learning though.

I plan on starting Tot School with him. He needs some kind of routine cause he's getting into everything. I want to encourage learning in a fun way for him as well.

I'm doing pretty good. Everyone has been commenting on how good I look and saying I've lost weight. I have lost some lbs but I think it's more inches than anything. I'm ready to start seriously losing weight but not doing too much since I'm nursing. I need to start eating better and find an exercise that works for me. Marshall is doing good. We're both trying to deal with the adjustment to 2 kids. It has it's ups and downs. We need to get away and have date nights. It would be with Keelan for a while but that's ok.

2009-09-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

Keelan is finally fitting into his cloth diapers!!! YAY! He looks so cute in them too. He's wearing BumGenius all-in-ones. I loved them for Corgan so when I found out that Keelan was a boy I started building his stash. I didn't cloth diaper Corgan until 9 months so I didn't have any small stuff. I bought several BumGenius all-in-ones for Keelan but we could still use more so I have entered this contest. Go check them out and enter to win yourself! These are some of the easiest diapers to use if you want to do cloth!

2009-07-30T16:14:00.001-07:00

Wow I really stink at keeping a blog. Matter of fact Corgan's blog hasn't been updated in a LONG time! I know things will get even harder once I am a mom to a 2 year old and a newborn. I welcome the challenges with open arms though. I'll be 38 weeks on Sunday. I had my OB appt today. Keelan has dropped but we're just barely making progress. I know things can go on for a while or they can happen quickly. I need to finish packing bags for us. I need to get one put together for Corgan as well so when he goes to someone's (not sure who just yet but we have a good list) house he'll be all set with clothes and diapers. I need to find a gift from Keelan to Corgan and vice versa to give to each other at the hospital. I've heard that's a good idea for transition.

2009-04-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been so long since I've posted on here. I haven't even shared that we're having another boy! His name is Keelan Alexander. He's becoming quite the active little guy in my tummy. I love feeling him move. I'm not so sure Corgan understands that he's going to be a big brother. He'll know soon enough.

I've been busy getting stuff prepared for Keelan's coming arrival. I've been going through Corgan's room cleaning and organizing. I've been trying to sell or give away stuff we don't need. I plan on getting the deep freeze out of Corgan's room as well to move his crib over to where it is. That'll make the room bigger for him to play in until we move him into a toddler bed. We're not in any hurry to do that. He won't need to be in a toddler bed till Keelan moves into the crib which won't be until he is sleeping through the night. Keelan will room with us for a few maybe even several months. I plan on breastfeeding him. I wasn't successful with Corgan and gave up too soon. I'm armed with knowledge, friends to support, and willpower. I WILL succeed! Remind me this in a few months after Keelan gets here and I struggle. :)

2009-03-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

I finally did it. I got groceries without paying a penny...well sorta! Here's how I did it. First I transferred a prescription for my husband's diabetes medication. I had a competitor's coupon for a $25 gift card when you transfer a prescription that I used. So I was given a $25 gift card. I had a $10 off competitor's coupon. Along with 2 other coupons I was able to purchase my groceries and still have .06 left on my gift card! Now I know it's all according to the discretion of the manager whether or not they'll take the competitor's coupons but my stores are good about it. Makes me a happy camper!

2009-03-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I've added a poll on the right since we're in the final countdown! My big u/s is the 25th at 9:30 am. Please vote and tell me what you think I'm having.

*This is my 2nd pregnancy...first one was with a little boy named Corgan
*I haven't gained anything yet (as of 16 weeks...not sure what I am now) - gained 13 lbs by 28 weeks with Corgan but lost 6 lbs so a total weight gain of 7 lbs with that pregnancy
*I've been nauseated and still am off and on - went away around 13 weeks with Corgan
*I've enjoyed sweets but they make me really nauseated (so I haven't eaten them much) - had to limit them with Corgan due to gestation diabetes
*My uterus is measuring high as of 16 weeks making me measure 2 weeks ahead - I never measured ahead with Corgan until 24 weeks.
*I've had bad headaches
*I've had mommy intuition that this baby is a girl - knew that Corgan was a boy (wonder if we'll be correct this time?!)
*The hair on my legs takes a long time to grow back - it almost immediately grew back right after shaving with Corgan
*My nails are long and BEAUTIFUL! - they were brittle with Corgan
*I had bouts of acid reflux until recently - don't remember any with Corgan
*I felt the baby move at 13 weeks and Marshall could feel the baby at 15 weeks - was 16-17 weeks before I could feel Corgan and even later before Marshall could feel him.

Can't think of any more things that may help you choose...but ask away. So far my blood pressure has only been high once (the day before Maw Maw's funeral - normal given the circumstances) and my blood sugars are good!

2009-03-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

I was given an award by Wendy. Thanks girl! We need to do lunch or a playdate sometime!

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self- aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award!"
Here are my 8:
*Julie @ Multiple Blessings
*Stacy @ Come Walk With Me...
*Sam @ The Handmade Dress
*April @ Waiting With Hope...
*Rachel @ Following In My Shoes
*Emily @ Adventures In O'ville
*Gayle @ Grace For Gayle
*Cori @ Creatively Cori

I was tagged by a few friends so I found the 6th picture in my 6th folder. It's a picture of Corgan at 1 month old. He was so little!!

2009-03-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Any of you local people interested in a photo shoot? I'm holding a special right now!

You choose your session fee! Session fee is usually $50 for 60-90 minutes but you can change that for a limited time!

When you spend $0-$49.99 on photos, you get 25% off your session fee!
When you spend $50-$124.99 on photos, you get 50% off your session fee!
When you spend $125-$174.99 on photos, you get 75% off your session fee!
When you spend $175+ on photos, you get a FREE session!!

Plus save 20% on all photo purchases when you book and hold your session by April 1st. No fooling about that. :)

2009-01-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

Check out this Kroger Gift Card Giveaway. I love giveaways!

2009-01-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

It's time for serious couponing/budgeting! We found out that we are expecting #2 recently. I need to start stockpiling so we won't have so much to buy after baby gets here. I'm due in August....sometime between the 16th and the 20th. I have a small subchorionic hemorrhage that they're keeping their eyes on but I'm hoping it will continue to do well and clear up just fine. I had an u/s last week when they first noticed it. I had a follow-up appt today and it's still the same. That's good news though cause it's not getting worse. I'll keep you updated as I can. I don't go back for another 4 weeks.

I was pretty excited about my deals I found today! I was only going to Target to get Electrasol powerballs since they're on sale for $3.25 and I had a $2.50 coupon. Well, then I headed to the baby dept to see if there were anymore good clearance deals. I bought a double stroller weekend before last cause they had it 50% off for $63! Best deal I've found so I couldn't pass it up. Today I found the Christmas baby stuff for 90% off!!! So I snagged up some for baby...I just hope it'll fit. :) I got 2 sleepers, 1 santa suit (in case it's a boy), 2 hats, and a pair of slippers. With all of that and my dishwasher detergent I only spent $6.04! Savings of over $45! Sweet! I'll double at least the slippers and hats as photography props next Christmas.

Still trying to book photography shoots so if you're local, give me a holler! :) http://www.daniellesmithphotography.com

2008-12-25T08:34:00.000-08:00

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Hope you all are able to get together with family and friends who love you to enjoy the season. Hope you are able to eat lots of food. Hope you get to watch people's faces light up when they receive a gift. I hope you experience all of this and more.

Corgan did so good opening presents this morning. He knew just what he was doing. It was so cute! He's playing with them right now and has been since he opened them. He's such a smart cookie. He got a gas pump that has shapes with it. He is doing so well with putting them in their holes. I love seeing him learn. He's getting good at me asking him where something is and he can point it out or go get it.

Marshall just bought Corgan another gift after watching an informercial today. He bought him Your Baby Can Read. I'm excited about it and can't wait till it comes in.

2008-12-09T09:52:00.000-08:00

Wow it's been so long since I've posted. Sorry about that. We've been so busy. We celebrated Thanksgiving Day with my Dad's side of the family at my Aunt's house. Corgan had a blast! My cousin, his wife, and their 3 boys got to come so Corgan and the boys played....but 4 boys under one roof was CRAZY! hehe We then celebrated with my Mom's side of the family the Sunday after Thanksgiving at Ryan's Steakhouse. We weren't able to celebrate with Marshall's family. His uncle is in the hospital. He's not doing well. Please keep him in your prayers. His name is Glenn. He has 2 strands of staph infection and deading of his heart. Last I heard they're looking at moving him into a home and said he'll never be the same. It's sad. Marshall's grandmother has been up there a lot. His grandfather isn't doing well so he hasn't been going up there. We're going to visit with them for his grandfather's birthday on Sunday. Not sure what Christmas will look like for us. We won't be celebrating with my Dad's side of the family. We may have to start some traditions at home with just the three of us....while praying for our loved ones.

This past Friday I got my Photographer's business license and made my dream a REALITY! I've started my photography business. I'm so excited about it. My background stand, backgrounds, and lighting equipment is coming in today. I need to order my business cards. My website is being worked on by Marshall. http://www.daniellesmithphotography.com I LOVE it but can't wait till it's completely finished out. I have a session tonight. I'm doing family portraits and then 6 months portraits for the baby. I can't wait. This is such a photogenic family. Then I'll be doing a newborn session on Friday and another one next week.

I've been having problems with someone taking our newspaper. I'm tempted to call the newspaper to see what we need to do. It's upsetting to have your newspaper taken when you're a coupon cutter. I've made do though. I have several that I need to cut and put in my Couponizer (see link on right to order one!) to make the most of my savings.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!!!

2008-11-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

Got this from Jordan's page and I thought I'd do it too!

Have you ever?

(Bold the things you've actually done.)
And I will elaborate on some for your viewing pleasure.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity -You can never out give God.
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - many times...I love to sing.
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - who hasn't? :)
24. Built a snow fort -Great memories.
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person - no but I want to!
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language - haven't taught myself but I took 3 years of French in HS
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - no but DH has and we want to take Corgan someday
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater - at church
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - about to start another one too
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check -unfortunately
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car - well I leased it but then we paid it off
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life - not that I'm aware of
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit - not really but sorta....just some of those where you get a letter than you could be involved. never had a reason to fully do it.
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee - nope just wasps

2008-11-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

At playgroup today we had our attachment parenting topic which was toddlers and nutrition. I really needed to get help from other moms with ideas for nutrition for Corgan. It's gotten rather hard pleasing him to eat. There was lots of talk about eating organic. I've always wanted to eat more organic but was convinced it was too expensive. So when I got home I did a search on eating organic frugally. I was convinced there's a way to make it happen. I came across several articles on About.com by Erin Huffstetler. She has a page on organic coupons. I plan on printing out several of those.

I'm sharing next week at playgroup on saving money and using coupons. I'll share The Couponizer system as well. I am going to start working on handouts to share as well. I don't want to overwhelm the ladies since it's a playdate as well and our kids will have most of our attention.

2008-11-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

Enter to win a free tutu! I thought this would be cute to have for photo shoots...and hopefully for a future baby girl (if God blesses me with a girl).

2008-11-10T21:18:00.000-08:00

Looking for a Christmas gift that will save you money? I have just what you're looking for! With the way the economy is right now more and more people are turning to coupons. Coupons can help you cut your grocery budget in half or even more. I have recently gotten into couponing myself. However I came across the problem of not having a good system for them. I had coupons going to waste because I wasn't organized enough. It felt like I was throwing money away everytime I threw an expired coupon away. It is! Companies are basically giving us money to use on their product....so why aren't we using it?

Well I found the solution to my organizing problems and I wanted to share it with you! It's called The Couponizer. It was created by Amy Bergin - a SAHM who wanted to save money.

What is The Couponizer? It's a system that compiles of a wire-bound coupon holder that has a sorting chart, shopping list pad, coupon tracker (so you can see how much money you're saving), scissors and a nice clear carrying case so you can always have it with you.

How much does it cost? $19.95 + $5.75 S&H. You'll be able to earn your money back quickly when you shop with coupons.

I will be placing an order of these soon so please let me know if you're interested in purchasing one (or more for gifts). If you are local, send me a message and I'll get it to you. If you are not local you can order off of this website: The Smart Way to Organize Savings

Just a video of interest to share. I have the book that was written by her and I frequent her website. http://www.couponmom.com She's a smart woman!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF8BKYtBX8Y

2008-11-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

I took engagement pictures today of Flora and her fiance Anthony. It was my first time taking pictures of anyone like that. I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. I hope Flora and Anthony are pleased.

That brings up a fact. I'm highly considering starting my own photography business. It's something that I love. Marshall said that if it's something I really want to do he will invest is more equipment for me. I think I may look more into it. First I need to learn more about my camera and how to use it better.

I need to get more experience so I'll probably be doing more photo shoots soon! :)

2008-10-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

Another great giveaway!!!

http://walkwithmebyfaith.blogspot.com/
Such a cute market tote! Would make for great cloth diaper storage, toy storage, fabric storage, whatever you need to store or tote!

2008-10-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

Giveaway alert!!

Coupon Bag Giveaway These are SOOOO cute! I just might have to buy one if I don't win. :)

2008-10-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pictures from our vacation.

2008-10-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

Here's Corgan's new do... such a big boy! His baby locks are gone! I love it though.

2008-10-20T14:53:00.001-07:00

At this moment I'm hearing Corgan fussing. Marshall is cutting his hair all off. I'm a little sad but it desperately needed to be done. I can't wait to see the final product!! I'm not allowed back there. haha

I promise more pictures are coming from our vacation. I'll try to get them uploaded and re-sized tonight. I have to remember to get the ones off of Marshall's CF card too cause there are some CUTE pictures of Corgan in the hot tub on his. Corgan LOVED the hot tub.

I need to meal plan today for the week. We have lots of meat left over that I bought for our vacation. We're having hot italian sausages tonight. Will grab some veggies to go with it.

2008-10-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, so Wendy tagged me so it's time for me to respond. I'm still feeling tired from vacation...so bare with me.

1. I'm a total pack rat. Pair that with hating to clean and it's not a pretty picture. I still clean though....to make for a happy husband.

2. I love getting handwritten letters and cards but I don't send them myself.

3. Whenever my nails are long I constantly press them against my lips to see how far it goes.

4. I almost constantly have an ulcer on my ear. It's rather uncomfortable sometimes.

5. I hate buying groceries without a sale or coupons.

6. I play with my son's toys when he sleeps.

7. I love to sew.

I tag Florabeth, Wen, Samantha, Emily, Julie, April, and Lori.

2008-10-13T18:30:00.001-07:00

I am writing to you from our cabin in the Smoky Mountains. We have a GORGEOUS view! The picture doesn't even do it justice. I'm in awe of God's creation. We've lounged around for a good bit. We got here Saturday afternoon. We went shopping some yesterday and out to lunch. The lunch was horrible but oh well. I got some good deals at the Carter's outlet for Corgan. I went out and bought myself some clothes today. Marshall gave me a limit of money to spend and told me to buy me some clothes. I bought 5 shirts and 2 pairs of pants. I then bought Corgan a few more pieces at another Carter's outlet....there are 3 here and they're having a GREAT sale! When I got back I made us some supper. I think we're going to drive over to Cades Cove tomorrow. I hope Corgan enjoys it. Hopefully we'll see some deer and get some good pictures to share.

Oh....Corgan popped tooth #16 yesterday! He got in the hot tub with daddy today. He's been wonderful on vacation! I'm so proud of my little man!

2008-10-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

I haven't done many trips shopping for groceries lately. We've been eating off what we already had in the house. That needs to be done every now and then. It frees up space in your pantry, fridge, and freezer plus saves you money. I have a LOT of coupons that expire soon. I need to look through them and see what I can use before they expire. Otherwise I need to pass them to someone who will use them.

I'm getting really excited about our vacation! It's finally almost here! We leave on Saturday morning!!!! Pigeon Forge here I come!!! I have a good bit of cleaning, straightening and packing to do in the next two days to get ready. I need to make sure that we have everything we need for Corgan. We'll be gone for a week. I'm just hoping and praying that he sleeps and is in a good mood. Anyone have any suggestions on how to make the drive and time up there a happy time for a 15 month old?

2008-09-23T12:08:00.001-07:00

Here are pictures as promised!

This is HEAVEN to me right now! Lots of fabric to choose from! The cow print is no-pill fleece. The rest of it is flannel. My favorite thing to do now is look through the clearance fabric and finding flannel people didn't want for 50% off. It's a deal to me! hehe I made one baby wipe last night with double flannel. I like it so far. I'll see if I can make a few more with the flannel scraps from making diapers.

2008-09-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

I'm not only frugal in my grocery shopping. Lately I've been on a sewing kick. Sam, you'd be proud of me! I'm quite proud of my handiworks. Right now I've mainly be working on making cloth diapers for Corgan. I want some come up with some things I can make with my scraps from that. I'm looking towards making some baby wipes or unpaper towels. It's leftover flannel so either of those would work great! I plan on trying to make a Mei Tai baby carrier soon too. I need to buy the fabric for it. I'd like to get that done before we go on vacation next month so we can use it. Not sure what all else I'll make up. I need to get pictures of my diapers so far so I can share.

2008-09-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

We went to visit Marshall's grandparents yesterday. We took our cooler and got it filled with frozen veggies and fruits. We also got several canned items and then cans of pork and beans and green beans for Corgan. I did a quick trip last night to Publix to get some meat, cereal, pasta sauce (for my Bertoli pastas that were .49 and .19 last week), and maybe a few other odds and ends. We'll be eating meat and veggies for the next couple weeks. This will save me a LOT on groceries as well. We may save some for our vacation next month.

2008-08-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

I've scored lately with my groceries. Kroger has had some really good deals with the Nestle Instant Rebate. When you buy $20 worth of participating items you get a $5 instant rebate.

On Friday I went to Kroger with Jenny and got 8 bottles of Juicy Juice. I used 7 coupons for $1 off.
OOP: $9.60

Then last night I went again and got some odds and ends and spent $33 I think.

Today I met up with my mom at a different Kroger than usual. I was not happy with them though since they wouldn't take my competitors coupons. So on the way home I called my Kroger store and they said they'd take them. They gave me $14 cash for my coupons.
Here's the rundown:
*12 boxes of Lean Pockets - used 10 $1 off coupons from Target plus $5 instant rebate
*10 boxes of Lean Cuisine - used 3 $1.50 off coupons plus $5 instant rebate
*box of Puffs tissues for my snotty nose boy - used $0.25 coupon doubled
*1 South Beach pizza - used $2 IP coupon
*4 boxes of South Beach Tide Me Over Drink Mix - used 4 $2 off IP coupons (earned $3 catalina - used on this transaction since I paid for the SB stuff first)
*Sobe Water drink (FREE with catalina coupon someone left last night hehe)
OOP: $18.41 Savings: $57.20 (may be a little off cause I couldn't find my SB receipt)

We have PLENTY in our deep freeze now! We're going to get frozen veggies from Marshall's grandparents' house tomorrow to add to it. This will help me even more in the next couple weeks for groceries.

2008-08-05T16:19:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure of the technical name. It's my nephew Cody's recipe. Basically it's just spaghetti wrapped in cresent roll dough. YUM!

What you do is make the spaghetti like you normally would.

I used the recipe creations dough by Pillsbury. 2 cans of it. I pinched them together in the middle to make one long sheet on the cookie sheet.

I then put spaghetti in the middle of it going from left to right.

Then from the top and bottom cut strips to kinda tie over the top of the spaghetti. I just really did my own thing there cause I couldn't really follow my SIL's directions to understand what she meant. haha

I cooked it on 375 degrees until the cresent was light brown. You can put whatever extra you want with the spaghetti. I just did whole grain spaghetti noodles with chunky mushroom sauce and hamburger meat. I added cheese over the top of it after it was cooked.

2008-08-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

Did a good shop at Publix yesterday! They have great BOGO sales!

Here's the rundown:
*Bread
*2 Voila Chicken dinners BOGO plus $1 IP
*2 Pillsbury Creations Doughs used coupon
*3 cans of Chef Boyardee BOGO plus coupon
*1 box of Whole Grain Spaghetti BOGO
*1 jar of Publix Chunky Mushroom Spaghetti sauce
*4 boxes of Eggo Waffles BOGO
*1 box of Stove Top Stuffing
*1 Crisco Spray used coupon
*2 boxes of Mayfield Ice Cream 2/$6
*2 boxes of General Mills Cereal BOGO plus used coupon
*10 lb bag of sugar
*6 4 packs of fruit BOGO plus used Kroger Catalina coupons
*Reusable shopping bag - was penny item

OOP: $41.66 Savings: $38.01

We had one of the Voila Chicken meals tonight and it was pretty good. I bulked it up with some yellow squash and squacinni (it's a squash and zuccinni mix). Was a hit for all 3 of us. Tomorrow we're making my nephew's recipe for a Spaghetti Stromboli. It's yummy! I'm going to take pictures and share the recipe tomorrow. I'm going to try my first meatloaf this week as well.

We decided to work with a $200 budget for groceries and toiletries for a month. We have a stockpile of soap and deodorant so far. We're slowly adding to our stockpiles as we can get good deals. I have several sites that I keep an eye on regularly to get the best deals for our money.

I'm a little bummed! I bought 2 extra papers along with our regular delivery paper for Sunday yesterday with the hopes of the Kelloggs Back To School Flyer being in them. Come to find out my paper didn't even have it! I'm on the hunt to find them but too bad it'll be too late for the sales at Publix.

2008-08-01T10:59:00.001-07:00

I've become a Walgreens shopper! I went in there yesterday to take advantage of my coupons for Olay Body Washes (Ribbons and Botanicals) before they expired. Plus because I spent $10 worth on them (they're 3/$10) I earned $3 RR (register rewards). Here's the rundown!

1 Botanicals (used $2 coupon)
2 Ribbons (used $1.50 and $2 coupons)
pack of straws
pack of bowls
2 boxes of Hawaiian Punch individual packets for H2O
Replacement heads for toothbrushes ($2 instant coupon in Easy Saver)
Large vacuum bag (will be FREE after rebate)
One Touch Ultra Mini in PINK!!! (FREE with coupon)

PLUS I used the $5 off $20.

OOP: $23.90 Savings: $36.46
Earned: $3 RR Rebate: $5.99

2008-07-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

Okay first I have to say that I used IP (internet printable) coupons yesterday to earn a catalina. The coupon indicated that you'd get $3 off Planters when you buy 3 items from Nabisco, Kraft, or Oscar Meyer. I was only able to print out 5 coupons so here's what I got:
15 packs of Kool Aid - $0.19 each
5 cans of Cocktail Peanuts - $2.99 each/ FREE with coupon
So because of that I earned $6.50 off my new order. I used that tonight along with coupons.

Here's the rundown:
*Small bottle of Tide - saved extra $1 with P&G Buy 3 Save $3 plus I used a coupon that was doubled - total price: $4.29
*Pantene 2 in 1 Beautiful Lengths Shampoo & Conditioner - saved extra $1 with P&G and used $2 off coupon - total price: $0.34!
*Excedrin Back and Body 24 count bottle - used $2 off coupon - total price: FREE! PLUS I got a $1 off your next order catalina (So I got paid to buy it!)
*Pizza flavored Pringles Stix - saved extra $1 with P&G plus I used a coupon (ask me for some - I have a bunch from Tupperware) that doubled - total price: $0.79
*2 boxes of cereal - used $1 off coupon - total price: $1.49 each box
*2 boxes of Kroger brand cereal bars

Used $6.50 catalina along with coupons.

Total OOP: $7.42 Savings: $21.71

I'm totally amazed at how well that turned out! I'm trying to get my hands on more Planters coupons to earn more catalinas. Maybe I can get some by tomorrow before the promotion ends.

2008-07-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

How disappointing! I made a run to Kroger last night because Corgan was almost out of milk plus I wanted to make the crackers that we made at the Tupperware rally last night! I was too cheap to pay $3.99 for a gallon so I got a half gallon. Not exactly the smartest but oh well! I was disappointed though cause I didn't save not even a penny! It has been so long since I've paid full price for anything.

So I'll leave you with the recipe that caused me to pay full price.

Firehouse Crackers

1 1/2 cups of canola oil
2-3 tbsp of crushed red pepper
1 packet of dry ranch dressing
3 sleeves of Premium crackers

Combine oil, red pepper and ranch dressing packet in Quick Shake. Put the crackers in the Season Serve Container and pour the oil mixture on top. Place the seal on the Season Serve and flip it a couple times to allow the mixture to coat the crackers. After it's nicely covered, open and enjoy!!

2008-06-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Beat The Heat Summer Contest

Just a simple contest to win the ultimate bumGenius starter kit!

2008-06-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

First, the best news is that I have promoted back up to manager for Tupperware!!! YAY!! So I'll be getting a nice commission check in a couple weeks direct deposited to my account. Woohoo!! I sure love commissions!

I did my Sunday Publix run today! Here's what I got:
*3 boxes of General Mills cereal BOGO FREE plus I used a coupon
*1 16 oz package of Tennessee Pride sausage - used coupon
*penny item - bag of tortilla chips
*new razor for me - used coupon
*shaving gel for me - used coupon

Total OOP: $16.03 Savings: $16.68

Looks like I've got saving 50% taken care of. Now it's time to step it up and see how much I can get for the lowest amount OOP.

2008-06-27T09:57:00.001-07:00

I am a proud babywearing mom. Both Corgan and I benefit from it. There is a special contest going on right now and I'd LOVE to win so I'm posting the info here!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

2008-06-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

To boost my sales for my Tupperware business I'm offering my 25% discount until Friday June 27th! This offer is only available through me! You can shop through my website but do NOT place your order on the website or you will not receive 25% off. To order, reply to this post or send me a message through the website.

http://www.guidinglightsales.com

2008-06-25T08:42:00.001-07:00

Made a trip to Kroger last night! Here's the rundown:
*2 boxes of Scooby Doo Snacks (used coupon)
*2 bags of Dove Chocolate (used BOGO free coupon)
*1 trial size Gillette Body Wash/Shampoo (FREE with coupon)
*1 tub of Lemon Frosting
*1 box of Cake mix (FREE with coupon)
*1 bottle of Lawry mesquite marinade (FREE with doubled coupon)
*10 cans of Chef Boyardee pastas ($3 off at register and doubled coupon)
*10 containers of Yoplait yogurt (used $1 off coupon)
*1 tub of Mayfield Creamier Ice Cream (used $1 off coupon)

So total with my doubled coupons and automatic savings.
OOP: $22.38
Savings: $21.79

I'm getting better at this!!!

2008-06-23T21:41:00.000-07:00

I did good on Sunday stocking up! I always make a run to Publix on Sundays so that I can use my penny item coupon. They have a coupon in Sunday's paper that is for the penny item of the week when you spend $10. This week it was a bottle of Apple Juice. YUM! Here's what all I got on my trip to Publix this week:
*Penny item - Apple Juice
*Small box of trashbags (since Sams is out of the big box we normally get)
*3 lunchables for Corgan (used $1 off coupon)
*1 large bottle of Kraft Ranch dressing (FREE with my coupon)
*1 tub of Sugar-Free Kool-aid mix
*2 packs of bologna (BOGO FREE)
*4 boxes of cereal (BOGO FREE PLUS one has a rebate on it so I'll almost be getting 4 boxes for the price of 1!)
*1 box of Publix brand crackers that are like Ritz
*1 16 oz pack of cheddar cheese slices (FREE with a coupon)
*2 boxes of pasta (BOGO FREE)
*King size Reeses cups. mmmmmm
*2 loaves of Publix Premium bread

OOP: $31.94
Savings: $25.28 + $1.99 rebate

2008-06-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Just getting started over here! This blog will be for my budget and how I'm saving money....but maybe mixed with lots of other things. My life is a hodgepodge so I'm sure this blog will be too. I still have my Xanga blog. Also updates on Corgan are on his website. So don't forget about those too!