Trip to Niagra Falls!

Last weekend we took a trip with the quartet to Canada. On our way we stopped at Niagara Falls! Here are some of the pictures of the falls:



My favorite part were the caramel apples! They looked SO yummy. But I only looked and didn't taste.... :(
On our way back home Sunday night, we took a quick stop to see the fireworks and light show on the falls! We drove in just as the fireworks were going off. But once we got to the falls and saw the colors, it was amazing! The picture doesn't do it justice.


The lights behind Lincoln and me.This trip was a lot of fun. I don't have a pictures of Joe bc he usually the one with the camera! (thanks babe!)

Summer happenings

I have the itch to blog again. It's just so hard for me to fully commit to something like this. It takes time sit down and type out a few words. And time always seems to slip by.
Summer is over half way through and it's been a busy one to say the least! (and HOT!) We started our summer Memorial weekend with a trip to Ft. Collins, Colorado for my brother in-law's wedding. It was a very quick trip, but wonderful at the same time to see good friends and family!


Two weeks later we flew out again back to my home town, Lakewood, WI for my sister's wedding! We stayed for a week to help out and party with friends! I enjoy my stays in Lakewood so much. I miss home a lot and wish I could go back more often!


After our Wisconsin trip, the quartet that Joe travels for started up into full gear for the summer and they've been traveling almost every weekend. I've been able to go on most trips, but take breaks every few weekends. They are EXHAUSTING!!! and it takes the rest of the week to catch up on rest! But quartet trips are always fun and Lincoln loves to ride the bus whenever he gets the chance! (sleep is not an option in his mind though when he's on the bus....arrggg) This weekend we will be taking a quick trip to Canada. This will be my first time visiting Niagara Falls and I'm looking forward to it!
With everything else going on, I've been feeling the lack of fellowship with young moms/couples that we would find in a local church. I've visited a few churches in the area and I think I've found one I would enjoy to get to know. It's just so hard to visit or get to know anyone when we are gone every weekend. I'm hoping to visit the church on Wednesdays to start getting to know folks.
Added to the mix of normal life, our family have heavy hearts at this time as we are getting ready for Joe's grandfather to pass away. He's in Michigan with Grandma and Joe's parents, but they had to put him in a nursing home recently. I'm not sure how much time they've given him, but preparations are being made. As it would be nice to go back to Michigan, the circumstances won't be enjoyable. But at least we can be happy for grandpa as he's getting ready to be with the Lord. Another thing that's heavy on my heart is my family back home. My dad's the pastor of a small church and they are dealing with some things with a few individuals. It's encouraging to hear how the body came together to lift up these individuals in prayer, but I know it's taken a toll on my parents as they counsel, pray, endure sleepless nights...I thank God for my family and the parents he's given me!
So back to my blog....I've been slacking a little bit with the couponing, and trying to get back on it. I've been happy with some recent CVS trips. I just can't get the grocery deals like others and that's frustrating....haha.... But I know I've saved us money and that's nice to think about!

Lincoln is growing and is an active 2.5 yr. old! His favorite super hero is still Iron Man! He loves his friend/babysitter Elise which he calls, "my awheese!" She helps out a lot on quartet trips by keeping Lincoln busy!
Lincoln can now sing the theme song to Wonder Pets, and sing his ABC's. He loves to sing and play daddy's piano.
Potty training failed horribly as we had a tragic scare at the airport when the toilet flushed while he was sitting on it. I really need to get back at it but have been lazy and with trips every weekend it seems that we have to start all over again. Right now I can't even get him to sit. I'm up for any ideas that might help. He was doing so well....


Joe and I celebrated our fourth year of marriage this month! We went and spent time downtown, ate at one of my favorite restaurants, and went to Transformers 3! It's kinda funny because we went to Transformers on our honeymoon! It's been a wonderful 4 yrs of marriage and am looking forward to many more! :)


Well there's my update. I really need to try to update more often and show some of my coupon deals! It's fun showing off deals I've found! Hehe! :)

3/22 CVS trip: 83% savings, FREE Always liners!!!

This week's worth of stuff I bought is: $72.63
Total oop: $12.47
Savings of: 83%!!!
Got back 7.50 in ecb, that's like paying $4.97, or savings of 93%!!!

Too tired today to do the transactions. But I did two. First one was just the Cobroxin stuff, used my 10ecb from last week, and I used the 18.99 ecb to help pay for the rest of the stuff. I found Kotex and Always products on clearance. Used $1.50/2 Kotex printable (not available anymore), and $1/1 any Always (P&G home mailer) The lite liners were $0.99, so $1/1 makes it FREE!!! I spent a whopping $0.80 for 4 packages of liners and pads!!! $0.20 each!
I had to get a rain check for the Allegra 5ct box...hopefully I'll get that before my Q expires!
I'll be gone for the next to Sundays as I'm leaving for Florida. So no CVS trips for me....I'm still debating either I should bring my coupons on our vacation! haha...no really...should I?

3/13 CVS trip: savings of 84%! And FREE Clairol Nice 'n' Easy!!!

I was really happy with my CVS trip this week! The only bummer was that the CVS here didn't sell the Irish Spring deodorant, or the trial size of Theraflu. But no worries, didn't mess up my trip by any bit! :) I think I'm a sucker for hair dye though. About every 4-6 months I like to switch it up, but I'm set with hair dye for 2-3 years now! If anyone wants to come dye their hair with me, I've got plenty!

Lincoln helping me out in showing you what I got!

Total worth: $95.41
Total oop: $15.52!!!
Savings of 84%
Plus I got 10ECB back. So it's like I paid $5.52, that's savings of 94%!!!!

Transaction #1
3 Clairol Nice 'n' Easy @ $1.99ea. (clearance) used (3) $2/1 (FREE hair color!!!)
*Buy 1 Crest @ $3.49, receive 2.49ecb* (limit 2)
1 Crest toothpaste @ $3.49 used $1/1
1 Crest Glide floss @ $3.49 used $1/1
Used $4.00ecb from last week
Total after coupons and ecb: $1.76
Received 4.98 in ecb for next transaction

Transaction #2
1 Clairol Nice 'n' Easy @ $1.99 used $2/1
*Buy Tena Ultra pads @ $9.99, receive 9.99ecb*
1 Tena Ultra thin pads @ $9.99 used $2.50/1 printable (donate item)
Used $7.98 in ecb (Should have put a Clairol in this transaction as I was over $0.50 in allowance of ecb's. So I lost that $0.50...guess I wasn't being a smart shopper)
Total after coupons and ecb: $0.72
Received 9.99 in ecb for next transaction

Transaction #3
Buy $25 on P&G products, get 10ecb
2 Puffs tissues @ $1.50ea used (2) $0.50/1
1 Charmin Big Rolls @ $10.00 used $1/1
1 Charmin Freshmates flushable wipes @ $2.50
1 Duracell AA 20 pack @ $10.00 used $1/1
Used 9.99 in ecb
Total after coupons and ecb: $13.04
Received $10.00ecb for next weeks trip!

Thanks TheKrazyCouponLady and SouthernSavers for all your hard work! Couldn't have done it without you!

Wal-mart trip. Saved 74%!

Sorry Facebook friends if you're getting tired of my grocery blogging....hey, I'm a mom, this is my thing....I'll show you how to have a good time......at the grocery store!
I'm always worried my friends might think I'm weird for posting photos of groceries. "She has no life..." Then I see the savings, free stuff, and products I love to use and I got them cheaper than generic, I'm not too worried anymore.... :)
So I made Joe take us to Wal-mart last night after dinner. I don't shop at Wal-mart that much, but with this new coupon policy, and so many free items were popping up on blogs that I read, I thought it'd probably be worth my time to get some things! This week has been a lot of little shopping and no big grocery shopping. I've been proud of myself as last week I was able to stretch our groceries for almost two weeks now! :) (pat myself on the back every time I think of that!) anyways....
Some items I bought weren't as cheap as most blogs were reporting them, but with the overage from other items, and high value coupons, still good deals!


The best thing I found, was the Secret deodorants with the bonus clinical pack. They were marked down to $2.50 from $4.22! I even saw some marked down to $2!!! But those were already taken. So I had (2) $1/1 any Secret product to make it $1.50 for two deodorants! That's $0.75ea!!! The Shout, Tide, and other Secret Clinical deodorants were all free plus overage after coupons.
I LOVED the Febreeze with Gain, never tried it, so I used a $1/1. It made it only $0.97 for that little thing, which isn't that good of a deal....considering I got all the other travel stuff free, but I loved the smell, just had to get at least one! :)
Total worth: $24.92
Total oop: $6.42
Saved: $18.50
Savings of: 74%
So, now I'm looking forward to doing laundry when we go to Florida for a week at the end of the month!!! (and having nice smelling armpits too!! hehe!) :)

Potty training update

The past two days I've stepped up the game plan and decided that both Lincoln and I weren't going to be lazy anymore with the potty business. Yesterday he spent most of the day butt naked. There weren't too many accidents as I pretty much ignored everything else in the house, and was glued to his behind! :) He did well, and even walked into the bathroom willingly telling me he had to go potty. Each time he goes #1 or #2, I give him tiny pieces of candy canes left over from Christmas. (thanks mom and dad V. for the huge stocking full!) He really enjoys that.
Today was kinda an off day as Joe spent most of the day home. I wasn't able to keep an always watching eye on Lincoln, so we tried wearing shorts with nothing under neath. (Lincoln did...he wore shorts with nothing....) : | We had some accidents, but Lincoln was nice enough to help me clean the mess! After nap time, I didn't get a chance to get to the diaper in time, so he did take the opportunity to put it to good use by filling it...
He was a little more reluctant to go potty today, but when we were out at a restaurant tonight, he announced that he had to go potty! (Diaper on at the time) Daddy took the kiddo to the restroom, the kiddo was dry, and he even went potty in the public restroom! We even hung out at Wal-mart for awhile and when we got home he was still dry!!!! I was so proud of my lil man!

Quick run into Bi-Lo, saved 71%!

I've been waiting a LONG time for Bi-Lo to restock their Gain dryer sheets! Ever since the $3/1 coupon came out, the shelves have been empty it seems.... NOT TODAY!!! :) I had a rain check for two. :) I wish they made an air freshener with Gain. LOVE IT!!!!
So the dryer sheets were free, dish detergent were free, $0.75 a box for the popcorn, and $0.88 ea for the John Frieda shampoo! The pizza was on sale, but no coupon was used. So I still paid $2.88 ea. Didn't think that was too bad seeing that pizza is ridiculously expensive here.
So, my total oop: $9.28
Total saved: $23.22
Total worth: $ 32.50
Percentage in savings: 71%!
I wanted to hit up some of the free stuff at Wal-mart, but Lincoln was just falling asleep when we were walking into Bi-lo....oh well.....

3/6 CVS trip. Saved 88%!

Today we spent a sick day home from church. Lincoln woke up as the green booger monster and has had a little cough the last couple days. He's been WAY too active this morning, getting into EVERYTHING!!! I decided to take my weekly CVS trip alone. Too bad it's not a good week at CVS. I would have loved a little extra quiet time as daddy stayed home with the booger monster.
I thought I'd do my CVS buys on my blog now, since my facebook friends can see as well. I've been posting pictures on facebook other past weeks, but Joe says I should start blogging again. So here goes! :)
I don't keep track of what inserts my coupons are from. I just clip them and file. But I do know that all the coupons that I used today were from recent inserts, and maybe one from a magazine. I only (usually) buy products that will give back ECB (Extra Care Bucks) to make that item cheap - free! I roll my ECB every week to make more ECB to make the amount even less. I usually do two transactions so that by the time I use coupons and ECB, I'm only paying $1-2 oop (out of pocket).
Here's my first transaction:
*Glad and Pledge products - 2/$6 Get $4ECB when you purchase $12*
bought:
1 Glade air freshener - $3.00 used $1/1 (coupon from magazine, but in recent insert as well)
2 Glade Fabric and Air - $6.00 used 2 $1/1 (coupon insert)
1 Pledge - $3.00 used $1/1 (coupon insert)
*Revlon Nail, Buy 1 get $3ECB*
1 Revlon Nail - $3.99 (I tried using the $1/1 Revlon coupon, but the computer at the register beeped because it was for color eye stuff, even though the coupon had a picture of nail polish....)
Total: $15.99
after coupons and $10ECB from last week: $2.95
and received $7.00ECB

Transaction 2:
*Revitalens, Buy 1 get $4.00ECB*
1 Revitalens - $7.89 used $3.00/1 (today's coupon insert)
Total:$7.89
after coupons and $4.00ECB from last transaction: $1.36
and received $4.00ECB

Total spent oop: $4.31
Total worth: $35.01
Saved: $30.70
Savings of: 88%!!!
ECB for next trip: $7.00

Thanks for visiting! Please share or give me a link of good deals you found this week! Did anyone see the Aldi produce?! I bought strawberries for $0.99/carton and apples $1.99 a bag! I wanted to get the oranges as well, but I was running around without a cart with my hands already full with milk, eggs, bread, cheese, strawberries, apples...all because I didn't have a quarter and I thought I was just going in for bread, eggs, and cheese! :)

Potty Training....on hold....

My son seems to have put potty training on hold. He figured out what the main use for the diaper is, and has put it to good use. Even down to telling me to change his wet one, so that he can poop in a dry one. When he tells me he's pooping, or I see signs, I strip him down and place him on the toilet. But for some odd reason since we moved here, he WILL NOT sit on the toilet. It's like something's clicked in his mind and the toilet is not fun anymore, he tells me he can't, and acts scared. But if by some chance poop does go into the toilet, he's excited to flush it, and I reward him with a treat.
How do I make potty time for a 28mo old more enjoyable. We did start kinda early last summer just because he seemed interested. If some of you remember my Facebook status from way back then, I got really good advice from friends, and potty time was going pretty smoothly. (For a 20mo old) I was impressed with the interest he had in the potty business. Even when I was babysitting and he had an older (slightly) friend to look up too, things were coming along.
But ever since we moved into our new home. Everything's stopped. I know there were a couple weeks in there with Christmas, New Years, packing and moving, where I slowed things down. So I know that's a factor.
Plus moving to new surroundings might play into the mess. But is it still too early? Is he a little young to start potty training? Should I go back to full force potty training, or wait till he's more comfortable?
I've heard and read some good techniques, and have implemented some. But what do you, or did you do to make the potty training more enjoyable for you and your child?

Question for moms with toddlers....

ok....mommies with toddlers, (or older experienced mommies) how do you get your morning shower in your day? Have you switched to night showers, do you try to wake up before the lil one is up, or do you wait till nap time? What is it? I'd like to know.
Here's what I'm dealing with. I don't like night showers. Sleep is too precious to me. And that brings the other dilemma. I'm not a morning person. I hate mornings. I find that I'm a better person during the day if I sleep till the kid is up. I'm not gonna try to exert all that morning energy for a shower unless it's REALLY important. Like church or something....
So. I guess I'm a mid-morning shower person. Around 9 or 10 am is a good time. I feel that I can't really start my day till I shower and freshen up. But what to do with the toddler that's running around with that permanent marker? He's already watched is limit on tv cuz you decided that an hour in bed checking Facebook and email on your phone was a good excuse for "sleeping in." By the time I'm ready to drag myself out of bed, get breakfast and coffee, he's ready for something exciting to happen. So that's when mommy becomes the lifeless jungle gym, trying not to spill the precious coffee. 10:30am rolls around and it's getting late. I know I HAVE to get a shower soon cuz anytime I put it off, someone stops by unexpectedly and I look horrendous. HATE it when that happens. And it's been happening a lot lately.
I remember that his favorite show is on at 10:30. So I decide that another half hour of tv can't hurt much. But because of the wind we are having today, the black outs on the tv aren't keeping my son entertained. So, my shower was interrupted multiple times by a 2 yr. old screaming "mommy, where are you," and pulling back the shower curtain handing me his bath toys. *sigh* another five minute peaceful shower gone....
and what's happening now while I blog? tv is on.....Yes, my tv has become the babysitter. I know i know. "get rid of it, unplug it, turn it off, put it in another room, don't ever turn it on at the beginning of the day..." I've heard it, think it, and that tv stares at me every morning with it's tempting ways.
so I guess that brings up another question. what do you do with the tv?

Boy it's been a long time since I've signed in to blog. Oh how I've missed it and enjoyed not blogging at the same time. I decided I needed a break. Plus our lives have totally changed in the last couple months, that I couldn't keep up with everything.
Our family has relocated to Greenville, SC due to my husbands job change. He is now working for EuBanks Oil and travels on the weekends singing with the Calvary Quartet. We made the decision right before Christmas and were down here the week of New Years. In between that time, Joe was drawing a HUGE piece for a client, I was babysitting (well...it worked for 2 weeks), we went to Wisconsin for Christmas, had a New Years party at our home, and packed everything we owned in two days. (Couldn't have done it with out Ben and Tiffany!) It was crazy. We were just settling into our lil apartment when we felt that God was calling us to Greenville!
Joe and I love Greenville and appreciate the friends that we have here!! We are renting a two bedroom home that has been updated and remodeled. It's beautiful! We love it! I just wish that we weren't so far away from family. I want them to see our new home...
As for the blog...I'm still trying to decide on what to do, or what it is. Some people mentioned I should blog on couponing.... I love to coupon, I like to blog, but I don't think I'm quite ready to do an extensive couponing blog in my name. I'm not THAT good yet. And I don't think I'll ever be. I'm mostly a mommy and wife. I think that most of my followers understand that. Once I get things rolling and the creative juices start flowing, I'll try to get some giveaways and reviews going. Plus I think that the die hard followers that I have, (like 2) will probably appreciate it more that I'd blog on the mommy stuff! ;) (you know who you are!)
For those who haven't seen my pictures on Facebook, here's some pics of the beautiful house that our friends found for us! :)

Living room

Dining room. (still trying to think of a place for the green chair. love the color..)

Master is the smallest room. Plus the king size bed doesn't help with all the extra large furniture.

Lincoln's room

I don't know where the bathroom pics went, and I need to take pics of the study/studio area. But first I must clean! : /
So that's a quick update on us. I'll try to do so more often. I'd like to get some videos on if I can. If there's anyone following or reading this, let me know what you'd like to see from this blog. Some people tell me to blog on couponing, but let me know if that's what you want. I can start by posting freebies and good deals. Give me some input. Please! :)