Trying something new.....

Those that know me well, know I like to use coupons. A lot. I went to a class about coupons about 5 years ago, and walked away with stars in my eyes. I loved it!!! In the months that followed, I filled my food storage with so much food, that I hardly paid anything for. Boxes and boxes of cereal, fruit snacks, granola bars, Hamburger Helper, and on and on. As time went on, I decided that I didn't really like feeding my family stuff that came from a box. My mom cooked from scratch and that is what I prefer. For taste as well as for health reasons. The less of all those super weird ingredients, the better, right??! Plus, it is always nice to know exactly what is in your food. So, I scaled back my couponing. I make things from scratch more. I have found you can make just about anything from scratch. Enchilada sauce. Tortillas. Karo syrup. It is kind of fun to search for "homemade granola bars" online and make them yourself. I buy a lot of my food storage items that I use daily from the cannery and save a ton of money. Did you know you can get a #25 bag of oatmeal from the cannery for around $14??? That is way better of a deal than I ever got using coupons!! I buy all my wheat, flour, sugar, noodles, powdered milk, hot cocoa, oatmeal and beans there. Best deal in town. Without clipping a single coupon, baby!

I still coupon, but not like I used to. I just don't use many of the coupons that come out these days, and since we started homeschooling several years ago, I just don't have the time to run to 2-3 stores each week to get the deals. I shop once a week. That's it. Usually one store. Are deals passing me by? Totally. I do miss that whole "I just scored a ton of food for $xx.xx!!!", sometimes. So, tonight I found something I want to try called http://www.dealstomeals.com/ . I put a ticker on my sidebar if you wanna check it out. For $5 a month, (there is a "2-week free" promo going so that makes it even cheaper), she tells you where the deals are, and makes a menu out of those deals for the week. That is really appealing to me as I have been in cooking rut for awhile. I need some help!! She recommends price matching at Walmart, which I plan on doing, cause, hey my time is precious! She does not use coupons to get her deals, but I will if they match up. She also helps you know how many of a certain item for your food storage, so you can get that built up as well. Has anyone tried this website?

I have been on free websites like http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/ which is great, but I don't get on there much anymore and have been looking for something more simple and not filled with endless dialogs and questions. Give it to me straight so I can get off the computer and do something else. I liked what I saw on deals to meals and thought for $5 I will give it a go for a month and see if I like it. I am excited to see how it works for our family.

I want\need easy: 1. Tell me what the best prices are and where so I can price match them at Walmart. 2. Tell me what the heck to make for dinner out of it while you're at it. Sweet?! Crossing my fingers I love this............... :)

p.s.
Baby Noah is coming in about 8 weeks. I will have 5 kids. (Insert giddy squeal with a hint of panic). Maybe that is why I am feeling a wee bit apprehensive and am feeling like I need to try something new that will make my life a bit easier........hmmmm. I think so.

Homeschooling Resource....

I found a couple of great websites for homeschoolers with some great FREE printables. I am trying to find some handwriting printables to use next year.........or should I just buy a workbook to make it easy on myself?? Decisions, decisions......Anyway, I found http://www.guesthollow.com/ and I like what I see. They have some great printables for lapbooks, worksheets for several different subjects, as well as curriculum reviews. I think they are worth looking at, for sure.

They also had a link for a pretty cool website with free printable schedules at http://www.donnayoung.org/. She has quite a few printables for daily schedules to chores. Kinda makes me wanna get crazy and get ultra-organized........

A day for ME.....

Today I turned 36 and it was a good day. Audrey woke me up right on schedule.....no sleeping in for me, but that's ok! The kids picked out a card with a hamster on it that sings "Happy Birthday" and you can push the "fun button" to alter the voice. I could hear them playing with it this morning while trying to sign their names. It was precious. I made a yummy lemon bundt cake. I went to lunch at Rumbi's with my mom and sister who then took me to the mall and spoiled me. My sister got me makeup. My mom got me some maternity shirts. They made me sure I picked out something I wanted, and looking at stuff for the kids was not allowed! I feel so blessed to have them in my life. They are my favorite shopping partners!! My dear, sweet, loving husband took the day off so I could have an afternoon away. I don't get that, like ever, since we homeschool and it meant a lot to me. He takes such good care of me and said many times to the kids today: "Don't fight! It's Mommy's special day!!" Too funny. My dad came over and brought lilac plants and a lavender plant for my yard. Just last weekend we stood in my yard and I told him I wanted to plant some lilac bushes because I love their scent so much. How very thoughtful!! What made this day even more wonderful was going to Seth's first baseball game! I was the 1st base coach (stop laughing at me) and I thought I would cry as he hit the ball and came running full-speed, (with the bat still in his hand), right toward me! He got on base three times and I was so happy for him. He loves baseball and I love watching him play. What a perfect ending to a perfect day! Happy Birthday to me!! And the best part is we still have some leftover cake for breakfast! So, the party can continue tomorrow................

I love a good book....

I have loved WWII books for several years. You know, the goooood ones. The ones that are written by someone who lived through it. Why do I like reading books about such a horrible time in our world's history? It is awful. Morbid. Heartbreaking. I have read quite a few of them. The Pianist, Unbroken, The Hiding Place, just to name several I have read. What I love about them is what helps them through it all, what helps them recover, to forgive. It is the Savior. The book Unbroken, especially touched me as it tells of a man that had been through horrible, unthinkable trials in the war as a soldier and then as a POW. He came home and turned to alcohol to ease his pain. He was self-destructing. He had a wife and tiny son, but could not break away from his addictions. He had survived through the most horrible circumstances, but he could not overcome this. And then, he found peace in the Savior and he was able to heal. He turned his life around and spent the rest of it a changed man. All because of the Savior. It is truly an amazing story that touched me deeply for personal reasons. The Savior offered these people what only He could provide. They trusted in Him. I love reading their stories and crying as I feel the Spirit and feel the love for my Savior increase. I "stumbled" upon this book today and I was delighted to discover this man met some LDS missionaries after the war and eventually became a member of the Quorum of the Seventy. He lived through WWII and was a POW. He was searching for life's purpose and meaning. He found it, looks like! I am only about 20 pages into the book and I love it already. Helaman 5:12 is our scripture for the week. Go read it. I sure do love a good book........

More of our doings....

I cut Audrey's bangs. That was HARD. I put a pile of chocolate chips in front of her, plopped her on the bathroom counter and went to work. It is kinda uneven......She looks so grown up now! Oh, and don't eat a Popsicle in front of her unless you want to hear a very loud scream.....gotta share with the Ree!!

Seth's first season with baseball. He tried basketball in the winter and now he is giving this a try. So far, he likes it and seems to have a knack for it. Will is his coach, which is very cool. He has his hands full with 10 kids all over the field. I am not much help chasing Audrey all over the place, plus I have huge belly that slows me down some! Sasha has been his helper, by feeding balls into the pitching machine. Sasha rocks!! The 2, yes, only 2, practices are over and his first game is this week. Go, Seth!!

Sasha and Addie are taking dance, from someone besides me, for the 1st time EVER!! They are both very excited for their recital coming up in a few short weeks. Brings back memories of my dancing days and having dance recitals at Box Elder High School. Fun times!!

Here is Addie getting ready for dance picture day. Make-up on. Hair curled. Pose mastered. Can't wait to see her dances. The little ones always crack me UP! She comes home from dance and tells me how so-and-so isn't doing a move right and I am kinda nervous she will correct them during the recital, like I have seen some of the little ones do. I keep telling her to not worry about it and to let her teacher be the one to correct the other dancers. So, sorry in advance to any child who gets told to do it "this way". I tried to stop her.......

Warm, for a day.....

We had a day or two that were warm enough for swimmsuits, slip-and-sliding, and ice cream...

Seth showing his muscles. He got sunburned that day. I know, I know, what kind of mom doesn't put enough sunscreen on their kids on their first swimming day outside of the season? A pregnant one that was trying to have a little nap and was only slightly aware they were outside. I did put sunscreen on them but it was too late for Seth. He is still mad at me.

Addie enjoying an ice cream sandwhich that I told them to only eat one of so Daddy could have at least one when he got home from work. He always comes home wondering if we have "any of that ______"(fill in the blank with a yummy treat that he has been thinking about eating all day), only to find we (the kids, never I) have eaten it all. Poor guy. I was trying to do right by ya this time, Babes.

And last but not least, Miss Audrey Anne pointing to a poor, unsuspecting tulip that right after got a petal ripped out. Ouch. She calls them "Baa-boo's". She calls balloons that lately, as well and we love it. She has been walking now for over a month. 14 months old, she took her first steps. Not too shabby. She wants to go "ou-sigh" all the time, and if you go "ou-sigh" without her, you are in trouble. She loves her baby boy doll and holds him all the time and says, "Oh, baby" while she lovingly pats him. Then she throws him down and goes along her merry way.