Happy Birthday Kaylin

My baby is 2, YES 2 years old today. I cannot believe this. Wasn't it just yesterday that she was still growing inside me? She does not act at all like a baby anymore, not that she has for a long time now. She is so mature for her age and acts so much older than she really is. She is bored with all her toys and books. Would much rather play with toys meant for older kids. I want my baby to stay a baby even though it's not possible.

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY KAYLIN!!!!

love,
Mommy

Poor Kaylin

Kaylin has had her whole life turned upside down. She is only a few weeks away from being 2 and is a 'big girl' now. I have decided since she brings me a clean diaper when she is wet and tells me when she poops that she is ready to work on potty training. Physically anyway. We have been sitting on the potty pretty consistently the last week, but she is a very strong willed little one and refuses to go in it. So, mommy pulled out the big guns today, AKA Dora stickers. So far, no luck...today anyway. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little different. I have also decided she is far too old to have a pacifier anymore so we are working on getting rid of it. Now mind you, she has only had it at naptime and bedtime for the past 6 months or so, but enough is enough. She hasn't had it for the last 5 days for naptime and I am thinking tomorrow or Friday (when daddy is at work) the paci fairy is coming to our house to get her pacis for all the new babies in the world. Not sure what the paci fairy is going to bring as a 'treat' for Kaylin yet. Guess it'll be Friday before she comes to our house. And on top of it all, Casey and I have decided that Kaylin's bedtime needs to be pushed up. It has slowly been creaping later and later, it's after 8 pm. Yesterday we started putting her down at 7 30 and I'm hoping to push it closer to 7. I've been enjoying the last 2 nights of her being in bed earlier, hopefully this will be a regular thing in our house.

Mommy's don't get to be sick

So today was Casey's first day back to work after being home with me and the girls for the last 5 weeks. Not only did we get snow today, but I managed to pick up the flu bug somewhere. On Casey's first day back to work. When he couldn't call in. I had the 2 little ones all by myself. Sick, pukey sick, chills, body aches, fever, you name it, I have it. Seriously. Why today of all days would I get sick. Can't I get a break? And to top it off, Kaylin had Daddy withdrawls and acted out all day long. I'm sure me being worthless today didn't help at all. Hopefully I can get some must needed rest tomorrow and feel much better as Casey has to work Saturday and Sunday. I can't have a repeat of today. I might have a nervous breakdown if I'm still sick Saturday.

my favorite blogs to follow

http://www.hip2save.com

http://www.moneysavingmom.com

http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com

http://www.freebies4mom.com

http://www.dealseekingmom.com

I hate County Market

and vow to never shop there again. Which is very unfortunate as they have such a good selection of organic foods.
I had a horrible experience at County Market yesterday when doing my weekly grocery shopping. The store has a promotion this week, but 10 select items and save $5 instantly and get 50 bonus box tops. I spent quite a bit of time organizing and planning my shopping trip with my coupons to maximize my savings with coupons. My list of 20 items should have cost me $9.50 OOP. I say should have... I should have known I was going to have a bad experience when the smoothies (that I had coupons for) were advertised in the weekly flier for $1.69 but were really on sale for $2.39. And they were almost sold out of them! Then I went to checkout and had a horrible experience with the cashier. According to him, the store does not take internet coupons over $1, SERIOUSLY. And they won't take more than 1 coupon for the same item, even if you have more than 1 of those items. WTF?!?! This was after the checkout had accepted all my multiple coupons up until the last ones. Seriously?!?! So I ended up spending like $5 more than I intended only to learn I will not shop there again. I'll stick with Meijer for my grocery shopping.

My 1st week of the $50 grocery budget

Well, I successfully kept our grocery/household purchases under $50 for the week. Yes, I know it's only Wednesday, but with the winter storm coming our way and Casey returning to work tomorrow, I won't be venturing out of the house anytime soon. Not with 2 little ones anyway. So I can happily say we are under the budget, with money left over to put in the pot for future weeks, if needed. My total OOP was $44.64 leaving me with just over $5 to roll over!!! My freezer and pantry are still fully stocked from prior to Christmas shopping so don't really need much in way of food or household goods. I went to Walgreens, CVS, Target, and County Market this week to score my deals and even some freebies. Below is what I scored from where and for how much.
Walgreens: 3 20 count boxes of Electrasol tabs--free with coupons and register rewards, (RR) 4 2 oz Glade candles--free with coupons and RR and actually MADE $2 with purchase, 4 cans of fruit--$.89 each, 1 bag Starbucks coffee on clearance for $1. Total at Walgreens was 8.58 and have $4 in RR to use next week.
CVS: 1 bag Dunkin Donuts coffee--$5.55 after using extra care bucks (ECB's) and coupon
Target: 2 bags Goldfish crackers, 1 tub Pampers baby wipes, A&D ointment, and box of Similac ready to feed formula. Total spent $4.08 after coupons and Similac check
County Market: did 2 transactions here to maximize savings. Total OOP was $26.80 for all listed below. 2 boxes fruit snacks, 6 boxes of cereal, 6 bags Nature Valley nut clusters, sm tub cottage cheese, peanuts, 3 Yoplait frozen smoothies, 4 YoPlus boxes of yogurt, and a gallon of milk.

Madeline's 1 month appointment

Madeline had her 1 month appointment today. She is now 9 pounds 8 ounces and 21.5 inches long. Her pediatrician says she is growing and developing like she should and is a very healthy baby. I can't believe my baby is already 1 month old...where has the time gone and how do I make it slow down??

I'M BACK

I'm back!!! I took a break from blogging as life just got too busy as the birth of Madeline Claire approached. I had also taken a break from couponing/deal seeking as we were so stocked up on items it wasn't worth my time or energy. The holidays are over, Madeline is here, and it's a new year. Casey and I finally in agreement on a grocery/household monthly budget so I've got quite a challenge for our family this year. My goal is to spend $200/month or $50/week for groceries/household needs. Follow along with me this year to find the best deals in Springfield as well as my personal goal for our finances.

Baby news

So I had my 30 week ob appointment this morning. Baby girl is still a girl. She is growing just like she should and is very active. Baby weighs just over 3 lbs--right where she should be for her gestational age. Currently she is breech--Dr isn't worried because I've got another 10 weeks until she is due and she will be a repeat Csection. Speaking of, I was hoping to get my CSection scheduled today, but I have to wait another 2 weeks to find out when my surgery will be. I was very disappointed with my sonographer at this appointment. I didn't get the lady I LOVE, I had the other girl who rushed through it and didn't explain anything. And she only gave me 3 pics this time! Very disappointing. I'm hoping to get the 3D pics I got today scanned to the computer this weekend and get them posted soon.

Kmart double deals

I feel like I hit the jackpot this week at Kmart. Here's a quick rundown of what I was able to get--and only paid $11 and some change out of pocket (total pre coupons was almost $100):
10 boxes of Special K cereal
3 boxes of Rice Krispies
2 boxes of Fruit Loops
4 bottles of 34 oz Ajax dish soap
5 bags of Temptations cat treats
2 bags of 10 count Tide Stain Booster packs
4 cans of cream of chicken soup
2 Speed Stick deoderants for Casey
2 boxes of Ziploc Evolve gallon size storage bags
a new toy puppy for Kaylin
I'm sure I'm missing something but can't remember what it might be. I ended up making 2 trips to Kmart this week as I had an extensive list of things to get for free.

Blogging

Mommy and Kaylin picking apples this past weekend



Baby girl's nursery (well, side of it)


Man, my time has really started slipping by me. I'm not sure where the last month has gone, but I'm going to try to get back into blogging. September has been a super busy month. Went to see Casey's family in Ohio for a few days, work, and preparation for baby's arrival in 9 weeks have really made the month FLY BY. Not to mention Kaylin's schedule. The nursery is about 99% completed now, just the finishing touches--a great feeling. Kaylin has activities Mon, Tues, and Fri mornings so these days just fly by. I'm also trying to work 2 days/week for the next few weeks to save some extra money/stock up on food & toiletries before baby's arrival.



I've started the journey of cloth diapering with Kaylin. Started with her in hopes of getting her interest in potty training more, but my plan has backfired. She just tells me "no" when I ask her if she needs to go and screams bloody murder when I try to get her to sit on the potty. Oh well, she is only 19 months old after all. Guess I need to get used to the thought of having 2 littles in diapers. My plan is to keep Kaylin in the cloth until she is potty trained and then switch baby to them--hopefully by the time baby is 5-6 months old (if not sooner).

Weekly shopping, part 2

So I finished my shopping for the week this morning. I did AWESOME if I don't say so myself. Kaylin was good, until we got to Meijer--ran into naptime and so she was very crabby.

My first stop was at KMart for double coupon deals. Unfortunately, being the end of the week the deals were slim, but I still managed to do awesome. Here's what I got 2 Secret deoderant sticks--$3.99 each, 2 AJAX 31 oz dish soaps--$1.99 each, 2 boxes Rice Krispies & 2 boxes Frosted Flakes--4/$9 promo, 1 Aveeno baby wash--$4.79. I had a $3/$20 KMart coupon for edibles/consumables, 2 $2 off Secret deoderant each doubled to $4 each, 2 $1 off AJAX dishsoap doubled to $2 each, 2 $1 off Rice Krispies doubled to $2 each, 1 $1 off any 2 boxes of Kelloggs cereal doubled to $2, and 1 $2 off any Aveno product doubled to $4. I ended up spending $1.53 OOP AND then got a $5 KMart gift card for the Kelloggs cereal promo. I did have some issues w/the promo, but the store manager ended up giving me the gift card after all and I didnt have to submit for the MIR. THANK YOU!!!!

My next stop was Target. Not a big list here, just needed razors. I did the buy 2 Venus Embrace razors get $5 GC deal. I got 2 razors @ $7.94 each, used 2 $2 off coupons. Bought 2 Satin Care shave gel and used 2 of my buy 1 embrace get a free shave gel. I also picked up 4 cups of single serve Honey Nut Cheerios @ $1 each and used 4 $1/1 coupons for them. My total OOP at Target was 12.75 and got a $5 GC back.

My last stop was Meijer for groceries. I managed to stay way under my $50 weekly budget and only spend $39.66 OOP. I am going to try to hit Meijer on Saturday to get some bananas as they will be $.29/lb.

So total for the weekly shopping was $66.15between both Kmart trips, Target, Shop N Save, and Meijer. I ended up saving in coupons alone $83.66. And I got $10 in gift cards between Target and Kmart.

what is wrong with our society

So I was at a local grocery store this evening on my way home to pick up some free milk and meat from last weeks Kraft foods deal and saw the most frustrating thing. The 2 women in front of me in the checkout lane had a cart full of crap--YES CRAP, Pepsi, frozen pizzas, and candy AND PAID FOR IT WITH A LINK CARD!!!! What is wrong with our society??? Shouldn't there be regulations on what public aid money can buy? Like healthy food, not CRAP. And it wasn't like they were women who had small children, probably in their 40's to 50's. I mean seriously??? I thought public aid was to benefit the public, not let people eat crap which has no nutritional value. I am all for food stamps, public aid FOR PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED IT. Not for fat old women who are buying crap with it with NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE. Seriously....WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR SOCIETY?????

Kaylin had her 1st 'official' haircut today. My mom and I have been trimming her hair since she was probably 5 months old, but it was looking WAYYYY too much like a mullet and was in desperate need of a professional cut. Besides, daddy isn't always good at pulling her hair up and out of her eyes, so most days I worked I would come home and her hair would be to where she couldn't see. Poor child. So she and I went and had our hair cut today. My wonderful hair stylist, Karen, did an awesome job with her. Kaylin is now sporting bangs and what resembles a bob cut. Unfortunately for me, Kaylin has been way too crabby to snap any pics of the new cut today, so hopefully in the next day or two, she is happier and I can pull the camera out and snap away. The sad thing is my baby doesn't look like a baby anymore. She now looks like a big girl. Oh well, I guess she can't stay little forever.

Free Groceries

So I made a quick run to Shop N Save tonight to get my $25 worth of free groceries thanks to Kraft Foods. I am going to make 2 more stops this week for another $25 each trip as my mom still works and can have personal mail delivered to her job. She has graciously agreed to let me send a MIR to her at work as well as one to my dad at my parents house. Who pass up $75 worth of free groceries?
I'm also trying to work on some Kelloggs deals as they have a buy 10 in participating items, get a $10 MIR. I just found out today that Morning Star products are included in the deal, so I'm thinking I'll be able to get some very cheap protein using my coupons and MIR.

Baking Day 1 & 2 (part 1)

So I have made 5 loaves of zucchini bread, and a zucchini oatmeal cake. I have another zucchini to pick up from work today and will be slowly baking with on my next few days off. Kaylin was such a big helper today, stirring and mixing ingredients for the bread.

Baking Day

So my wonderful manager gave me an enormous zucchini yesterday so I have proclaimed today BAKING DAY at my house. I probably have close to 8 cups of shredded zucchini--yes all from 1 zucchini--to use. We are going to make 2 loaves of zucchini bread, zucchini muffins, and a zucchini oatmeal cake. Depending on where I am with the zucchini after those are baked I might make a chocolate zucchini cake as well. Thankfully my mom is in town to help with the baking/cleanup/Kaylin entertainment departments. I'll post a pic of the zucchini as well as what we bake with recipes for each later today.

Baby

So I had my 22 week appt yesterday w/the obstetrician. Had another sonogram since baby wasn't big enough at my 18 week appt to see if she was indeed a boy or girl, IT'S A GIRL!!! I'm so thrilled. The office was very busy when I went in yesterday afternoon so I had to wait until after I saw doctor for the sonogram, but it was well worth the wait. Karen, the sonographer I LOVE, didn't have an appointment for awhile so she asked me if she cared if she just 'played around' with me. Heck no, she spent a good 20 plus minutes doing ultrasound. Do you really think I was going to pass up seeing my new little one? She sent me home with a ton of pictures of baby girl. I've got a few posted on facebook but not all of them. It was so amazing to see the baby moving on the screen. And I was able to find out what body parts I am feeling when I feel all the movement because Karen showed me exactly how baby girl is lying. Right now she is kinda transverse. Her head is on my right side w/her feet tucked up. Her butt is on my left side, which I figured because I can feel that pushing up into the top of my uterus A LOT. I've got little hands and feet on the right side, which makes sense to all the movement I have felt the last few weeks. This is most likely my last baby so I am enjoying and cherishing each and every moment I have being pregnant. This is why I was so excited yesterday when I got a LONG ultrasound session.

I go back to the doctor in 4 weeks, then after that appointment I'm already due for every 2 week appointments. Where has the time gone? Before I know it, it'll be the end of October and I'll be back to weekly appointments and then baby girl will be here.

I have a name picked out i absolutely love, but Casey told me last night he doesn't like it because it sounds like a lizard's name. I'm hoping I can talk him into liking it or loving it, after all I am the one carrying her, delivering her, and nourishing her now and after she is born. The name will be kept a surprise until baby girl is born so you will just have to be patient like I am for December.

Potty Training

We have been working on potty training, very casually, for the past few weeks. For who knows how long now Kaylin has wanted to be in the bathroom checking out what goes on, with me, Casey, my mom--pretty much anyone who would let her in the bathroom with her. About 6 weeks ago Kaylin started waking up from her nap dry. I decided to get a potty chair at that time so she could get used to sitting on it. We started, very casually. She started sitting on the potty in her clothes when someone was going to the bathroom, mostly me though as daddy doesn't sit on the potty. I decided a few weeks ago to have her sit on the potty w/o a diaper on before bathtime as she was in there with me as the tub filled up. When she started waking up dry from her naps I started thinking about getting 'serious' with her a bit more. Last week she woke up from bedtime (12 hours or more) dry. Thats when I decided, ok, we are going to sit on the potty first thing when she wakes up to see if we could get anything. She LOVES to sit on the potty. I have started sitting her on first thing in the morning, right after naps, and before bath time. We have had success the past 3 days at least once a day going in the potty. This morning I put her on the potty, told her lets go potty, started singing her song I made up,and she went on command (well I want to think on command). She then stood up, pointed in the potty, and had a look on her face like "look what I just did, aren't you so proud of me Mommy?" Hopefully I can have luck after naptime today as well.
I have been hoping for months that I could get her potty trained before December when her sister/brother comes along. Now I'm starting to think I can possibly have her out of diapers and only 1 in diapers at a time.

lol funny part 2

APPLICATION FOR A NIGHT OUT WITH THE GIRLS
Name of Girlfriend/Fiancé/Partner/Wife:
I’m going out.
Signed: (me) _____________________________