I'm on Spring break and I am so glad...time to be home with my baby...we'll play together everyone will be so happy, we'll go on walks, I'll organize, exercise, get ahead on homework....hmmm lets see how the first three days have gone...
Monday- I did go for a long walk with Linnea, check, went to the playground- play time check....but Linnea almost ran into the street got pushed by an older kid....ok it was a nice try. time for Linnea's 15 month check up- so off to the doc. Shot time awful...it was the MMR...ouch, then we discover this rash that Linnea has had for about 2 weeks is some super rare rash and she gets passed around the doctors' office so all the other Dr.'s and PA's can see her rash since they only get to see it every few years...the good news it's harmless it doesn't even bother her...apparently it disappears after a few months. Ok onto home with an unhappy girl. We head to the library to get some books and movies, she runs to the play area to make some new friends and some six year-old boy monopolizes the bear she's playing with and pushes her down into a hole in the mats. Ok time to go home and eat dinner. Finally the night is over and my picked on little girl gets to go to bed. 10 pm...Derek makes a run to the store to get some motrin since Linnea is cutting some molars, her legs hurt, and she just had a rough day and won't sleep....
Tuesday- Another good start...went for a great walk up a pretty steep hill came back feeling pretty good. Well we decide to head to the playground again, things are actually really fun, Linnea was socializing having fun, she even figured out to climb up the stairs...uh oh... I tried to get to her in time, but she fell off the play set into the "soft" wood chips right on her face! Poor little girl we decide play set time is up and head back in. I put her down for a nap and she sleeps for about 30 minutes. Linnea wakes up happy so we decide to head to Ross to make a return. Well she gets her hand pinched in the car seat so it's tears all the way to the store, then she realizes that I only brought her water not her milk, so it's tears all the way home. Finally at bed time I put her down at her usual 7:15, but it's daylight outside so she feels she needs to stay awake even though she is constantly rubbing her eyes, so I let her cry for awhile. Finally she just wants a hug and a cuddle good-night and she goes to sleep. I get the chance to catch up on some homework while I wait for Derek to come home from his out of town job...he gets home at 10 and I go to bed....
Wednesday- ok so it's 10:00 am right now, I haven't had the chance to go for a walk yet, but we'll get there. Linnea woke up at 6:00 and has been fussing for most of the morning because she's still tired. We need to get milk because we're out so she's still mad at me for just giving her water. Well I had decided it was walk time so Linnea was playing on my bed and I ran to the laundry room to get my exercise pants out of the dryer...hmmm I get back to my room right as I see her plop down and bounce/flip right off my bed onto her tummy....more screams and tears. Well I've got her asleep right now, and all I can say is wow...I thought that she was supposed to be safesest with me, but she's had more falls, tears, pushes, and sores than I think she has had in her whole life!!!! But even though we've had some bumps the first three days I am so glad I'm home because I know this is where I should be. I can't wait until the day when I can be home all the time, I feel so much less stress believe it or not because I feel like the things that matter most to me, like spending time with Nea, or making sure my house is clean actually get accomplished. I can't wait until summer vacation, and better yet...graduation!!!!!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Spring break so far....
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Introducing
First Zoo Trip
Well I took Linnea to the Zoo for the first time a little while ago....it snowed and was cold so some of the animals weren't out which was a bummer, but it was still fun. I think I may be investing in one of those kid leashes for real!!! Linnea has a HUGE attitude lately, very independent. She hates when I strap her in she arches her back and freaks out, unless it's the running stroller, anyways so she didn't want to get into the stroller. We went while Derek was at work so I'm controlling two camera's pushing the stroller and trying to keep miss independent in my line of sight...so for me it was a bit stressful but still fun. She got really tired by the end so she just kept walking passed most of the animals which surprised me since she adores animals. We will for sure go in the summer when it's warmer and after nap time and with a leash and I think it'll be a blast for us all.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Savings Update....
Ok so remember how I said I was going to work hard on cutting down our grocery bill...well I feel like today was a great example, Derek and I are very proud. So Smith's is having a deal on their kellogs/keebler products, if you buy four mix and match products you would get 2 gallons of milk for free. So I looked on pinching your pennies and it said if you buy select kellogs cereals it would print out a coupon for money that you could use towards your next purchase. Ok so here is what we got with all of this (some of this is from WIC too, but still)-
(7) boxes of Kellogs Cereals
(2) boxes of nutri-grain bars
(3) gallons of milk
(1) bunch of bananas
(1) carton of strawberries
(1) bag of wheat tortillas
(1) jar of peanut butter
(1) sweet onion
The grand total: $18.00!!!! I did this in a few transactions. I used a two dollar coupon on Kellogs cereal that I had combined with the $4.00 catalina coupon that printed out after I bought 5 boxes of select cereals. It was a very fun shopping trip needless to say. Also, I have been doing the bountiful baskets co-op...if you guys don't know about this I highly recommend it, it was a little tough this morning because I had to be there for pick up at 7:00 am, but it was worth it. I did the organic baskets this time (you get two baskets by the way) and for $25, I got:
(1) carton of strawberries
(8) avacodos
(10) kiwi
(1) bag of apples
(1) bunch of romaine lettuce
(2) bags of celery
(8) anjou pears
(1) bunch of leeks
(3) beets
(1) head of cauliflower
(1) bunch of broccoli
(1) carton of blueberries
Amazing...it really was worth it I feel like. You can purchase as many baskets as you'd like if your family is bigger, they also have extra things you can purchase, like seasonings, bread, extra produce, cookies etc. It's all over Utah, Washington, Arizona, and Idaho. Go to bountifulbaskets.org. Anyways I had to share, that slowly but surely we are truly saving and building our food storage. Our pantry is getting full and so is our freezer it is such a good feeling. I am so grateful we still have found ways to keep good food, like produce and grains. I always figured couponing meant buying boxed, processed food, but my goodness find some experts to show you how it's done and you can get great food. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
2 Years!!!!
I love you!!!!
First Anniversary
Derek and I have been blissfully married now for two years...man it goes fast...throw a baby in the mix and it goes even faster. We had a strange anniversary, we went on our date the saturday before, and then on the actually 8th we were just going to make dinner and have a nice evening at home since we both had school...well of course Linnea decided to change our plans. When I got home from school I got out of the car to go and get our mail and when I came back to get Linnea out I noticed she had a very blue mouth...hmmm what was she eating. Then I saw the bottle of my Tylenol PM in her hand!!! I pulled out four pills and rushed in the house and called poison control....counting the four pills I pulled out of her mouth there were 8 pills unaccounted for. I couldn't give an exact number as to how many I had actually taken in the past so sine htat was such a toxic level I rushed her down to the ER. Ok so maybe rushed is not the right word. Our hospital is in American Fork right...I don't know the area that great. I called the hospital to get directions...they gave me the wrong directions twice!!!! So you can imagine how sick I am feeling at this point now that is has been about 30 minutes since I found the pills. So finally after going up and down the same street and balling my eyes out I called 911 to get help. They had the hardest time finding out where I was. Come to find out the lady at the hospital kept telling me I was in American Fork when really I was in Lehi the whole time. Well I found it finally got her in and they tell me to have a seat. Forget it I go to the nurse and tell her whats happened and she tells me to fill out an information sheet and she'll be with me in just a minute...I break down...I am in an ER right. Well this nice lady helps me and takes Linnea so I can fill out the sheet. Then they take her back to get her Temp. then tell me I need to wait four hours to get her blood drawn, but if she acts weird let them know...ok. Well my mom showed up, and Derek showed up. I felt like she would be fine because it was so fast I didn't think she had time to swallow anything so I told Derek to go to class and my mom and I sat for hours trying to entertain Linnea. Well long story short...they drew her blood and nothing was in it so we got to go home. I felt enormously grateful but guilty that I could be foolish enough to leave pills around my new curious toddler!!! Lesson deeply learned. Anyways that was our anniversary, I love you Derek and am so grateful for the blessing you are in my life and for how hard you work for our family!!! You are my best friend and I am glad that you are my forever!!!!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Get ready...get set...GO
Ok...so I know everyone is in a similar boat as Derek and I in this economy, as students, young families...etc. So I finally have decided to get off my bum and help out our financial situation instead of just complain about it! We both have listened to Dave Ramsey...he is a guru on getting out of debt....sometimes it seems unreachable on our income, so I have decided to start small. My sister-in-law is a professional coupon, bargain shopper. One month she bought groceries for her family of 5 for $58.00!!! Amazing...I spent nearly $300.00 last month on our family of three, well 2 1/2 since Linnea eats like a bird. hmmmm there's something wrong with that. So she's begining to help me with her techniques. There are so many great coupon sites out there from other people who are masters at saving. Some are pinchingyourpennies.com, coupns.com, moneysavingmom.com and others. Pinching your pennies tracks deals for you at different stores and teaches you how to use your coupons and buy great food for nothing basically. Now I love my produce and as everyone knows there isn't that many coupons on produce, well I found this program that began in Arizona but has now moved to UT, ID, and Washington State (sorry katie it's not back east yet). It's called Bountiful Baskets. They are a non-profit organization that compiles about $50 worth of fresh produce in a basket for you for about $15 every other saturday! Amazing, I've heard some great reviews on this program, the only problem is you have to purchase your basket the tuesday or wednesday before pick-up and you have to go to the pick-up site pretty early on a saturday to collect your basket, but it's only every other saturday and its produce for a great price. The website for them is bountifulbaskets.org!!!! Anyways I know it'll take a few weeks or months to develop habits, but I really am motivated to get going. Any other money saving ideas anyone has please let me know!!!!!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Splish Splash...I was takin' a bath
Well I guess I like the water?
Getting ready to get in!!!!
Hmmm...I don't know about that water?
