So, I've been thinking....

I know dangerous right?  but I think I have found a love for blogging.  I never realized how much fun it is to type to who knows is reading and tell them of all the fun things that interest you.  I have also been thinking about the world now.  We have been trying to get more of a savings and trying to be more accountable for our purchases.  We have also been trying to be sure our home is always clean and organized.  It has made the biggest difference in the stress level and happiness in our home.  We don't worry as much about how much money do we have and if we will have enough ( which we always some how did... Thanks to Heavenly Father for that one.  Sometimes that was the only explanation we had) and we are finding time to be a family and to laugh more together.  I can't think of a better end of the year and beginning of the year.  I feel liberated and like my life is finally falling into place.  I hope to keep this up this whole year.  I want to be able to find more fun in life and to explore things with my kids and see them discover the world.  I want to take advantage of every moment and live my life to the fullest.  Enjoy the journey, not just find the joy but feel it too!

Tallying up the savings!

I just though I would share this here.  I just want you all to know what you can do with your money.  it really is amazing to see this.  I never realized how cool it was until I wrote it all down. This is posted on my other blog too and I will continue to post thngs on there in the future instead of here.

Thanks to Allysa, I was able to get some really good deals this week.  I spent more then I wished but got so much free stuff that it made it all worth it.  

here is what I did.

Walgreens

2-Quaker oatmeals $4.49 each

-$2.50 off each with a walgreens coupon

-$1.00 off each with a man. coupon

=$.99 each

Glade Candle $2.50 ( sale)

-1.00 man coupon

=$1.50

rebate of $1.00 coming back to me

Glade melts holder $4.49

-$2.50 man. coupon

=$2.00

Rebate of $1.00 coming

8-Garnier Fructis $2.99 each (sale)

-$2.00 off each Walgreens Coupon

=.99 each---or $9.82 with tax

Grand total:

$6.03 on gift card

After Rebate--- $4.03 on gift card

$9.82 Out Of Pocket

total Savings at walgreens-$26.50

Target

8-Johnson's Buddies $.99 Each

- 4 $2.00 off 2 coupon

= Free!!!

Baby Wash $2.99 (Sale)

-$1.00 off

=$1.99 OOP

Grand Total

$2.78 including tax

Total Savings

$9.00

Right Aid

SoyJoy 10 for $5.00

-$5.00 Rebate

=FREE!!!!

Grand total OOP

$12.60  

Total Savings

$43.50  

How cool is that?????  I am so excited at all the money I saved.  I spent about 1/3 of what I saved.  I probably wont post this every week on here.  I may on my other blog, but I am just so proud of myself.  We were able to get things we really needed and save a bunch!  

If you have any questions on how I did this let me know and I will either pass you on to alyssa, or answer them if I can.

My newest goal is to figure out what foods we buy the most so that we can get coupons for those things to use regularly so we can save even more money.  It is hard to save a lot at the grocery store.  you can only do so much there, but anything helps.  If anyone has any coupons they don't use and would like to donate them to me, I will gladly take them off your hands!!!!!!  hope you enjoyed seeing this as much as I did! ;)

I am doing new blog!!!!

I am trying to get thrifty and save lots of money. so I started a new blog to help me to be accountable and to share some of the great deals and things I find out about. I think it is going to be fund for me. I am trying to get more organized and do what is needed to save money so the family can go on a trip and not have to worry so much about where our money is going. I will be doing couponing and rebate deals and shopping at places like Walgreens, right aid, longs... some people have a CVS but we don't yet, so I wont be including those to much unless they are SUPER good deals.

so hope you all can join me and get a few pointers and such as I embark on this journey!

http://niftythriftymamma.blogspot.com/

SWAGBUCKS!!!!!

So I just had to add this because I did a little entry a little bit ago about it and I just wanted to update you all with my status. I am so excited. I've been doing it for about 2 weeks now and I am 10 swagbucks away from a $5.00 gift card to amazon. I can also save for other things. I am trying to decide what to do. I am up to 34 swagbucks now. so for those wondering what this is, it is a search engine that is powered by google. it is just like doing google searches but you get swagbucks for your searches and then can redeem them for free things. it is totally free!!! you can download a toolbar for the top of your page and use it like you would a google search or a yahoo search. you don't win every time, but most people win an average of 2-3 times a day.

I just can't get enough of the free stuff!!! so I wanted to spread the wealth around a little bit and be sure you all knew about it and that my post didn't get missed. And to brag that I am almost winning!!!!! ;) o if you havn't already done it, go here and sign up and start searching!!! you will win a few bucks right away! all you have to do is search!!!

Flying Leap!

Braxton took his firt of now many flying leaps into things. he was running down the hall tripped and crashed right into the table leg. Matthew and I looked at eachother shocked of course because we had no idea how it happened and still don't, but he is ok just had the biggest goose egg I have ever seen in my life. the pictures don't do it justice.

Helping Daddy!

Matthew FINALLY put our surround sound up after a year of living here! Braxton wanted to help so badly that he got his stool from the bathroom and put it next to the wall to help daddy put the wires up. It was so cute!

My Mischievous Little Girl!!!!

I was in the kitchen cooking with Braxton at my feet and Reagan disappeared. Matthew found her in the bedroom chewing on the chain for his bike!!!! She had grease everywhere! Needless to say we have to watch her very closely now that se crawls. She is so fast and gets into everything now! Here is what she looked like from enjoying her little treat!

Promises Promises

So I have promised so many people to update this! I promise it will happen in the next couple days. I have so many christmas pictures to upload and a few others just for good measure!

All is well here. I hope to get better at feeling motivated to post on here!

oh, and I have found a new search thing that I am loving right now. It is called Swagbucks. you get swagbucks for searching the web and then you get free stuff like gift cards or itunes money for music. I love that we get it all for free. you can check it out here or click on the picture of the guitar on the right hand side of the screen.

And Now He Is 2!

September 6th Braxton had his 2nd birthday! We had fun going out to dinner with Nate for his birthday and then had braxton's cake and opened presents at grandma's house on Sunday night. Braxton actually ate his cake this year which made us happy. He loved his train the best! Here are some pictures of the fun we had!


Thanks for the table grandma!
The cake Melissa made for him!

Peek a boo!!!!

Ipod...

so B has discovered how fun daddy's Ipod is. He always wants to play with it and listen to it any time he can. he also dances to it. hopefully we will be able to get a video of him dancing sometime soon!

Ma-Maws Birthday!

My mom had her 25th birthday this month *wink, wink*. Braxton made her a card and I made her a cake...well, brownies with a little flare really! We spent the afternoon with her and it was so much fun!!! Braxton just loves his ma-maw!

4th of July

We had a great 4th. We went to the church and had breakfast with the ward and had a bike parade!!! Braxton had the best bike there of course and took a couple laps thanks to Dad, Mom and Megan. He loved holding his flag and walking around too. That night we went to see fireworks at the Peachwood ward party. Braxton was not to excited about the big bang of the firwroks but loved the lights and colors so we moved him inside to watch. Reagan slept through the whole thing until we had to put her in her carseat. It was a blast!

Fresno State Baseball Returns Home

So I finally got my pictures off my camera!

Wehn Fresno State's Baseball team came home from winning the national championship they had a parade for them. It was os fun to see it and a part of this great event!

Now some cute ones!

We got some pictures done a week or so ago and I thought I would post them. They were done at kiddie kandids.

Bloody nose!

Braxton had 3 days in a row where he got bloody noses. we took him in to the drs and he checked him out and he has allergies!!! Already, at age 2!! so he now has some medicine for when he needs it so he doesn't get them anymore. this was how we found him one morning. poor little guy!

FRESNO, YOU KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say that Fresno is not my favortie place. But I am so excited that Fresno State is finally getting some good publicity. After months and months of negative publicity about the descrimination of the female coaches, Fresno State finally shows it's true colors with a 6-1 win over Georgia, giving them the College World Series Championship. They have come the farthest from the lowest ranking to the win in the history of any college sport. They also have the record for the most runs in a College World Series. What an amazing team they have too. One of the players was playing with a torn tendon that will have to have sergery. I am happy and proud to say that I am an alumni of this school and that in a years time both Matthew and I will be alumni's. Despite all the bad that has happened Fresno State is a great school, and I'm glad that the world finally gets to see that!!!! Good Job Guys!!!

Richard, do I have a mark on my face?

Richard do I have a mark on my face? It really hurts.


















Nope, Nothing. I thought I hit you in the shoulder.
My shoulder doesn't hurt very much but my face does. Right here.


















not here, or here so much


















but right here.



















Nope, ship shape. Waitress could I get the shrimp cocktail I saw in the glass case?

















yup, and you what can I get...what happened to your face?
I knew it, see Richard? I'll have chicken wings

Raisins

Braxton has been obsesing about this clump of raisins in the canister for weeks. the other day Matthew finally gave it to him so we could see what he would do. He was so excited and HE ATE IT ALL!!! just took bites off it until it was gone!