The goal...

Every new year I laugh off the the joke of making resolutions...they seem to be so unattainable! So instead of making a goal that I knew I could not Or would not Keep I thought I would make one that I thought I could! So my goal for this year Is to start writing on my blog once a week. It doesn't have to be profound or long just a note to mention what is going on in our little world...and keeping you all in formed (and maybe making this worth making into a memory book)! so If you catch me slacking call me on it I want you to!!!

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Couponing!!

So I have been Dabbling in Coupons lately!I have to admit if you mentioned couponing a yr ago I would laugh at you and say that takes to much time and you don't save enough to make it worth you time and effort!

But about 5 months ago I started seeing more and more ladies at church posting about coupons and how to get things for next nothing...

HMMMMM! Maybe it is worth looking into if that is the case! I have to tell you that I was a little skeptical then my sister Jen started getting excited about it and we found a few websites that walk you through the process. There wasn't hours of coupon clipping it does take about an hour to sort out your shopping trip but that is worth saving 50+ bucks Right! We watched the little web casts and started trying out the techniques they gave.

On my first shopping trip I mapped out the store sales with coupons and to my shock I saved almost 50%

We found the more we used the techniques we saved more and more.

We aren't calling the extreme couponing show yet...LOL But we are getting better and better every day! My best savings so far is 70%!
We have come up with our own ways for cutting and using coupons that work for us. We also spot deals and let each other know so that we can get all the best deals.
We have also set up mom and Risa too!
I think that even my kids are getting in on the deals too...they are learning that they can get more with coupons Ella lost 3 teeth in the last week and she had money burning a hole in her pocket. She wanted to buy gum...I had coupons! She was so excited to check out and and use a coupon and not have to pay a ton.

I think it is a good thing to teach them to save money!This is my 4 yr old son. He will find coupons and bring them to me. I have taught them that they can save money and that coupons are like money! They need to know that they can save and be thrifty!

I have gotten some good deals!!

I have gotten with coupons and sales together:
razors for free
floss for free
shampoo for free
tooth paste for free
sweet potato fries free
to name a few
ALSO
I have gotten :
Full bottles of finesse shampoo for .90 cent each
BBQ sauce for .42 Cents each
baby flush-able wipes for .62 cents each
and it goes on and on getting things for pocket change!

There are a couple of things I have learned:

#1 stock piles are OK but dont go crazy! Buy 4-6 items at a time so that you can let others get the deal too!
#2 Set a shopping amount limit and never go over that...it is tempting to wanna hit every good sale. Pace yourself there are always going to be more sales every week!
#3 It does save money! Try it! Here are a few site I use: Couponmom.com thefrugalfind.com & thekrazycouponlady.com
#4 Last but not least you are not ripping the store off...the manufacturer will pay the store they money back for the coupon and every one wins! You buy the manufacturers product the store gets there money and you SAVE!!!

I think we are just on Repeat!

the last few months!

Here is a run down of the things that have happened in the last few months..

#1 Josh was in a car accident. He fell asleep at the wheel and drifted into the truck next to him. The truck won. It was an F 450 utility truck. The maroon XB was totaled.

As for Josh....he had a bruise on his chest from the seat belt...other than that he was not injured..(THANK GOODNESS)!!!! the cars frame was bend at the door hinges and was more work and $$$$ than the insurance wanted to pay. So we are now down to 1 XB again!

#2 Ella Finished Kindergarten. She loved her school and Loved her teacher. She didn't love early mornings. My kids are not Early risers...they like their sleep!

#3 We had a great 4th of July with Risa and Chris and Ivie had her first experience with fire works. She loved them...I thought they might scare her but she is so interested in everything! Risa got some really neat pics of the kids with the fire works it was awesome! We got to have Michael too and it was fun to have a bit of family together for a holiday! It was still in the high 80's that night so it was pretty warm...the kids are in their swim suits trying to stay cool!

#4 Risa and I got a wild hair...and got wild with our hair! I think we have both wanted to go blond again...like when we were younger and had the natural blond hair! We walked to target for exercise and got boxes of hair color....my hair turned Yellow every where and Risa hair freaked out and stay brown every where but her roots that went Yellow....We had to have it fixed!!!! You can see Risa's hair in the 4th pics above....and mine below!

#5 Ella lost her 1st Real tooth...( she had an infection in her gums when she was 3 and they had to pull the tooth on the top) She remembered the tooth fairy and was so excited to get more visits from one! Ella let her cousin Ryan pull it out...she didn't even feel it....she loves Ryan!

#6 a few days later Ella was sitting in front of the tv watching a kids show all of the sudden she yells I lost my tooth...she played with the next loose tooth until it popped out...LOL By the end of the week she had cashed in $10. She was so excited. When we went to the store she bought a hungry hungry hippo game and finger nail polish. She keeps feeling for more loose teeth but hasn't found any yet....

#7 The next big thing is that Brandon has not damaged himself in a few months...and that is a big thing for us!!!

#8 We moved. We made a big move closer to Josh's work. It was a needed thing because the drive was getting the best of him. we are now about 20 mins from his work. We are in a great new church ward. It is multicultural I love the diversity of the people. I was at the church for a meeting and got to hear the Polynesian ward chior practise...it was so amasing the way the music sounded!!!

#9 We got to see Ivie grow for almost a year! she is the funnest, funniest kid. We really miss her giggles and her fun personality. She took over all our hearts and when we left it was like leaving one of our kids behind....But Risa would have kicked my butt if we tried to take her with us...I told her we have to set up visitation...because we need our Ivie fixes!


#10 I have lost weight...I am down 4 inches in my waist 2 in my arms and 2 and a half in my legs...not sure how much weight...I don't have a scale!

family time!

Brandons latest!

Brandon was really excited Sunday morning and he came running down the hall as fst as he could. I was lying in bed and he tried to open the door and and come into see me...But as he opened the door and tried to push it open with his foot he hit the door jam instead.

As you can see in the picture he is happe with the new addition!

Christmas....

Just want to show a blast from Christmas pasts!

Filling in the blanks...

Ok so for Halloween the kids dressed upas an Angle and Woody from toy story. Brandon LOVES toystory right now!

On halloween Day the whole family went to the pumpkin patch we play with the animals, fed them, rode the train, had a hay ride and had some yummy food...then home to trick or treat!

After breaking my my toe Risa and her hubby moved in to help us out....I can't drive while in the boot/cast! Now we get play with this beauty everyday!

Brandon is so Fun he makes me laugh everyday...he keeps us on our toes...this is just one of the fun days here in the funny farm!

We were taking pictures for christmas cards...thsi one made me laugh....

a little catch up...more to come!

I did a good job you got love the right foot second toe in from the big one...the one that is off to the right! yeah it was worse when i first did it...GROSSSSS!!!

I preceded to break it and really mess it up by kicking the table leg while trying to scoot out from the table...so bad that he had to numbing and twist it and pull it out into place...OUCH!

An yet again a week ago I kick the table leg again....I am seeing a pattern here!
this time it was healed enough that i re broke a bit...but back in a boot for the next four weeks but at least I can walk a little bit!!!

catch up...

Ok so here is the last three weeks in a nut shell. about three weeks ago my mom came into town for Risa to have her baby. the Dr. Made it seem like her might get her going soon but her didnt. We all spent the next week at my house playing the waiting game for the little Ivie to get here. It was fun to spend family time together. Finally on thursday she had another apointment and the Dr said she was ready...but her told her he was going to schedule her for induction and sent her home much to our dissapointment. He set the date for saturday...we were glad because that would make it so Jennie could come( but later it didnt work out..). $ am saturday morning came early and we were off to the hospital to have the baby. Risa was in good spirits s the baby was taking up so much of her abdomin that she was stugggling to breath, eat, sit, stand and lay...but that is all!!!

Her Dr is awesome she got an epidural on a drip and she slept through all of labor and by 4
;15 she was ready to push. we waited about 20 mins fr the Dr and then pushing lasted about an hour and a half...I got to be on her right side holding her leg....it was a new experience for me...

She was such a big baby she wasn't coming out on her own very well. Risa did great. Finally the Dr stepped in and helped and wow she was a big girl.

After Risa's Uterus didn't want to clamp down and she lost a lot of blood it scared me a LOT!!! it took her body about 12 hours to finally clamp down they got the initial bleed stopped but she had a laps in the night...the Dr were worried and kept her at the hospital for several day to keep a watch on her.

She finally came home about 4 days after delivering. She is happy to be home and sleeping and recovering fro the blood loss...and new lack of sleep that wakes her in the night...

I sadly dont have pictures due to the fact that my sister cameras batteries dies so I gave them mine...considering it was their child....

A few days latter I got REALLY sick and was down and out for a week solid and I am finally feeling better. I am still really tired and have the all so fun lingering cough but happy to not feel like a truck hit me anymore!!!

Ella is loving school and seems to be learning well. She is in an all Day kindergarten and being there all day wears her out in the end but I thing it is just what she needed...she learns really well withe her teacher!

Brandon is still getting use to Ella going to School but isn't crying everytime we leave her... However last week when we dropped her off he said "ok lets got to Menas house now mom"! (Mena is what he calls my sister Jennie....I laughted he is a funny guy she lives 2 hours away.)

other than that We are up to our normal everyday activities. Sorry it took me so long to Update it has been crazy getting use to a new schedule.

The first day is the hardest...For mom!( and maybe Brandon too)

Ella in one of her uniforms for school. She is so happy to be going to school. She loves being social and her teacher. she came home telling interesting stories about how they went swimming and did laundry. How ever the early morning thing is not Ella's favorite the fact that she is big enough to go to school gets her up and going!

Brandon is getting use to an early schedule we found him in his room at 10:30 sleep under a plastic drawer rack...Weird BUT funny!!!

Brandon does ask all day where Ella is. He hasn't been with out her his whole life so this is an adjustment for us all!