tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84098564739496798522024-02-07T12:44:16.443-06:00Mom on a MissionOne mom. Many missions. Lots of mishaps.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-24143448680025972292013-04-22T22:52:00.000-05:002013-04-22T22:53:32.922-05:00McDonald kid brag post- Jameson 4 1/2, Delaney 2 1/2, Lorelei 11 weeks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently my friend Lynn posted an update about the little quirky things her son is currently doing and it made me realize that I want these posts for my kiddos. They are just growing up SO FAST and I don't want to forget all the little funny things that makes them who they are at this age. I'll warn you that I am going to brag about my kids quite a bit in this post. :)<br />
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Let's start with the eldest...<br />
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<b>Jameson</b></div>
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<li>Jameson LOVES to learn. He absorbs every little things going on around him and wants to know how every little thing works. My days are filled with "Mommy, what's that. But how does it do that? Why does it do that? What would happen if it did this? But it can do this... right??"</li>
<li>He is constantly amazing us with how quickly he learns. He picks things up so quickly, whether it be facts, human tendencies, skills, you name it! He can make inferences based on facts that are certainly advanced for his age. He used to have a slight fine motor skill delay but has now completely caught up. His preschool teachers are very impressed with his abilities.</li>
<li>He is such a natural leader it is a little scary. When he is playing with other kids, even those older than him, he takes charge. He can be a little bossy (we're working on that) but he actually usually gets them following him. We joke that with his charisma and ability to influence people he will either grow up to be president or a used car salesman.</li>
<li>He is an amazing big brother. Though he and Delaney fight PLENTY, he is quick to do what it takes to make her happy and takes pride in taking care of her. When put in charge of Lorelei he takes it very seriously and will panic when she starts to make the slightest fuss "Mom! The baby is fussing. Mom, she's really mad! Come quick!" is usually what I hear when she squeaks a bit.</li>
<li>Current favorite activities dressing up as a knight, narrating for his Thomas trains, going exploring with daddy, being outside, and coming up with on the spot pretend games with Delaney. He has also recently started asking to cuddle with Shaun and me. He never really stopped this since he has always been a very cuddly kid, but it has increased recently. We are soaking up every second of it we can get!</li>
<li>He is no longer really taking naps more than maybe once a week. He watches movies during quiet time because asking Jameson to sit quietly and play is just not reasonable- he has to get up to get something else for his activity or show us something, and he just plain forgets that he is supposed to stay quiet and still.</li>
<li>He is really starting to get lippy! He is a very witty kid and is constantly amazing us with the things he says to us! We are working on teaching him to be respectful while balancing it with making sure he still knows that his opinions are important and that he deserves to be heard.</li>
<li>Food likes and dislikes: Loves pizza, spaghetti, milk, toast or plain bread, chicken nuggets, most fruit (especially bananas, strawberries, and apples), broccoli, corn, peas, cheese, and chocolate in any form. Hates anything that he hasn't eaten before, meat, food with any sort of sauce coating it, isn't super fond of juice but will drink it on occasion (we never have it around the house). Still hasn't been introduced to gum or soda and we intend to keep it that way for as long as possible, thank you very much!</li>
<li>Sleeping: He starts out the night on his "big brother bed" which is now an inflatable kid sized mattress on our floor. Shaun moves him to his bed and he almost always stays there for the night.</li>
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<b>Delaney</b></div>
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<li>Delaney in a word? Nuts! She is constantly moving, moving, MOVING! She is in no way afraid of trying things unless they involve touching an animal (or something that resembles a living thing) and in that case she shuts down and clings. Bugs FREAK HER OUT. She doesn't mind being dirty and gets down and plays boys games like it is no big deal, but hates having dirt/food on her hands.</li>
<li>She was my first kid with a lovey. She has a 9 foot long Jeff Gordon blanket that I made for Shaun in high school that she drags around and calls "bank". She can't go to sleep without it and prefers that it ride in the car with us. When she is starting to get tired or just needs a break she will grab her binky and blanket (B and bank) and plop down somewhere to rub bank on her face. We call it "Laney time"</li>
<li>Based on her speech worker's assessment, her motor skills are rather advanced, probably because she has always been willing to attempt anything that her brother can do. She is able to completely dress and undress herself, do pretty much anything at any park, and stays within about a half an inch of pictures she is coloring.</li>
<li>She is (technically) no longer considered to have a speech delay, but a delay in intelligibility and annunciation. She has come so far since her problems were first identified a year ago. She is stubborn, so we had to first convince her that talking was easier before she would do it, but once it clicked, she took off. Only a few months ago nobody outside of Shaun and me could understand most of what she said, and it was usually a struggle for us. Now her grandparents, aunts and uncles, and sometimes even strangers can make out what she says. When she is trying to say a word and isn't being understood she will patiently slow down and you can just see in her eyes how hard she is trying to make the word sound right. It makes me smile every time because you can just see the determination and patience she has with herself for getting something just right. When she turns three in August she will no longer be able to continue with her speech worker and will transition into an IEP with the school district. She will probably attend a preschool setting or speech group getting focused time with a speech pathologist. </li>
<li>Did I mention she is STUBBORN??? Until Delaney wants to learn/do something, she isn't doing it! Though it can be (very) frustrating, I also know that this can be a very worthwhile quality to have in so many situations. </li>
<li>Delaney loves to just sit and observe people. I have to refocus her frequently when we are in public because she just studies what other people are doing (ahem, stares). On more than one occasion at the PAT playroom, Discovery Center, library, etc, she will miss out on doing something because she is too busy observing the other kids. She is definitely more of a follower when she is playing with other kids, but if they are playing something that she doesn't want to she goes her own way without batting an eye.</li>
<li>I love how she goes from playing with her dolls and having me fix her hair one minute to roaring a dinosaur at her brother the next minute. She occasionally will play dress up, but isn't super in to it yet. She loves to play in her play kitchen and enjoys helping me cook. I have to be sneaky and not let her see that I am cooking if I want to do it without a "helper".</li>
<li>Delaney LOVES books. It is common to walk into her room and catch her sitting looking at books and pretending to read them. She loves having books read to her. I have a feeling we have a little bookworm on our hands! She loves the Llama llama book series.</li>
<li>She knows her colors, though she won't consistently name them for us. She knows several shapes and can count to 10 (apparently- she did it one day so I know she can, but I haven't been able to get her to do it since then). </li>
<li>She loves to sing and dance. When there is music on TV it is like she just can't help but groove! She'll randomly break out into song and if I am singing she joins me. Her face absolutely lights up when she is singing.</li>
<li>She recently got moved to a big girl bed after taking a nose dive out of her crib that scared me to death. She gets moved to it after falling asleep in "daddy's bed" (yeah, apparently I am just a guest there). She comes back to our bed most night, but even after moving to her big girl bed she yells for daddy to come get her.</li>
<li>Food likes and dislikes: Likes almost any food. She loves carrots, peppers, crackers, cheese, apples, berries, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, nuts, and casserole type foods. Hates: Things that are "ucky" (anything with sauce on them that Jameson has expressed dislike for).</li>
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<b>Lorelei</b></div>
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<li>We are still getting to know Miss Lorelei. She is a very strong baby. When she wasn't even a few hours old she was already holding her head off our chests when laying on us. She is able to sit supported (mostly) and is rolling from tummy to back already. </li>
<li>She is a very content little baby. She is perfectly satisfied to lay in her bouncer, her swing, on the floor, or be carried in the Beco and go along with whatever we are doing. She is funny, though, because as soon as she decides that it is time that she be held or nurse, it must happen that second! She goes very quickly from happy to mad.</li>
<li>She has been smiling for several weeks and tonight started giving us the first glimpses of almost laughs!</li>
<li>She loves listening to singing and books being read. If she is fussy she calms down for these things.</li>
<li>My poor girl has super sensitive skin just like her momma. </li>
<li>She isn't crazy about the car seat, but once we start going a fast rate she calms down and goes to sleep.</li>
<li>She is a pretty good sleeper. She wakes several times at night to eat, but nurses and goes right back to sleep. She naps at around 10-11:30, 1-3, and in the evening sort of cat naps depending on the activity in the house. We are still trying to figure out the best bedtime and routine for her, but we currently start around 7 with nursing, massage (which she is not enjoying but I think I just don't know what I am doing so we are going to try for a bit longer), swaddle, and lay down in the bassinet with the white noise machine going. I also sing praise songs to her while I massage, swaddle and lay down. So far this is what seems to be working the best to give her restful sleep, but I think we still need some tweaking. </li>
<li>When being held she doesn't like being laid back and cradled but would prefer to be sitting up or looking over your shoulder.</li>
<li>She LOVES to nurse. At her 2 month appointment she was sitting in the 90th percentile for both weight and length and is already in 3-6 month clothing. She doesn't seem to have any issues with anything I eat. She will take a bottle, but fights it some and after a few will pretty much refuse to eat until she gets to nurse. She is already showing preferences to having daddy or mommy over other people.</li>
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<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-42213934615494593722013-02-24T18:58:00.001-06:002013-02-24T18:58:45.432-06:00Lorelei's Birth Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh, Lorelei. I have a feeling I will be saying these words many times in the future. That is, if Lorelei continues to live life the way she lived her birth!!<br />
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Lorelei's birth story drama really starts weeks before her birth- at the 39 week mark. The day I turned 39 weeks I tested positive for influenza. I am sure you don't need to be a baby expert to understand that being diagnosed with an illness that can be detrimental to a person's respiratory system, particularly that of an infant, is not exactly good news to a full term pregnant mother. I lived out that week begging and praying that Lorelei would stay put. Since I delivered her siblings at 38 weeks and 3 day and 39 weeks and 5 days, I had little hope of making it to a point where I would no longer be contagious. This was an extremely stressful week for my family and I pretty much put myself on bedrest so that I knew I was doing everything I could to keep our little one safe in my belly. By the grace of God, I reached that day that I was aiming for- the day when my antiviral dose was complete and I would no longer be putting our baby at risk by simply being there. I was so grateful that she stayed put and thanked her all morning for listening to mommy- and then promptly started telling her it was time to get out of there.<br />
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See, I was super uncomfortable by this point. Having never made it this far in pregnancy, this was all new territory- territory I didn't think I would ever see. Days passed, and before I knew it my due date had come and gone and I was at 40 weeks and 6 days. Now, don't get me wrong- after having a baby rushed out by an impatient doctor, I was grateful that she was coming on her own time. But I was ready for her to decide it was time. That Sunday, we went for a long walk (thank you, unseasonably warm February!) and even attempted accupressure using youTube. We were ready to meet our little girl! All day I was having random contractions, but as that had been going on since about 36 weeks, I really wasn't too impressed by them. I had just been texting with my good friend and due date buddy Lynn about how she was going to be induced in a few days. I teased her how it would be funny if I had my baby before that day just to be obnoxious. Shaun decided to treat us to some milkshakes that we had all just sat down to. I had taken about 5 or 6 bites when I felt a sharp pain in my belly. It was a different feeling than I had been experiencing, but I figured gas pains (looking back I am pretty certain it was a contraction). I sat back forward, intent on finishing my little treat when I felt that all too familiar gush. Even though I knew what it was, I didn't want to excite my family for nothing, so I hopped up to go to the bathroom (something that my husband hardly even noticed since I could never go more than 15 minutes without a potty break). My hunch confirmed, I went back to the dining room and informed Shaun that it was time to call his mom to tell her that the kids were on their way to spend the night.<br />
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What followed was this: the famous "flight of the expectant father" (c'mon honey- you are the most calm, cool and collected person I know, but I would ALMOST consider having another baby just to watch this entertainment again), Jameson and Delaney jumping through the house yelling "we're having a baby", calling of all the necessary people, and me taking a shower and shaving my legs. Yep, you read that right. In my defense, my doctor specifically told me he didn't want me going to the hospital until my water had been broken for a few hours or contractions started. He wanted to give me the best shot at an unmedicated birth, and he knew that if I went straight to the hospital they would want me in the bed and not walking like I should be. So, did I need a shower? Were my legs especially hairy? No, and no. But let me just tell you- water breaking may look all cute and dramatic on TV, but the reality is that it is the most disgusting feeling EVER. Being in the shower was the only place that I could ignore the "peeing constantly and can't stop" feeling. As adamant as I was to not leave until I had contractions, a certain husband of mine was really getting antsy and nervous at the idea of me hanging out at home at this point. Since it is his kid too I figured he got a vote, so I agreed to head to the hospital. Luckily, we both got to win because my contractions started on the way to the hospital.<br />
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After meeting up with Shaun's sister in the parking lot to pass over children, we went in through the emergency room entrance. Let me take this opportunity to inform you of something- it is never a good plan to try to tell a pregnant woman, especially one whose water has broken, that she isn't allowed to use the bathroom. Ha! This is what I was told by the desk clerk in the ER. I told her there was no choice and she was welcome to join me if she was worried. She declined. For the record, I totally understand the policy- nobody likes a baby born in the toilet. But do they really expect to be able to enforce this rule? (I realize this story wasn't necessary to the storyline of the birth, but it was pretty darned funny so I had to share).<br />
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Jumping forward to after I was all in the bed (blah!) and checked in. My contractions had stalled, which is apparently pretty common with being in the car and then a bed. We were informed that the on call doctor was the one I'd had with Jameson- madam "screw what is natural/best for the baby, we are doing this on my time" herself. I was pretty bummed, but a quick chat with my nurse had me feeling much better. She assured me that she would be my advocate and would do everything she could to give me the birth I was wanting. Feeling even more desire to get some contractions going, we started walking the halls. We only made it about 2 laps before the contractions started. It was only a few after that that they really got going and I was no longer able to walk through them.<br />
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When it was time to check the heartrate we discovered that she wasn't handling the contractions well- her heartrate was dropping after every contraction. This required that I stay in the bed for awhile longer. While I was laying there the contractions really got going. The nurse had just informed me that I was at a 5, which has me worried since it seemed like I had really far to go and the contractions were really picking up. They quickly progressed to being strong enough that I was needing to moan through them and hold Shaun's hand (which surprised me since I didn't want him near me during Delaney's birth). During this I have to say that I had the BEST support in that room that anyone could ask for- I had a loving husband telling me good job after each contraction, a nurse telling me EXACTLY what I needed to hear (to relax my face, picture my cervix opening, etc), my mom encouraging me, and even my birth photographer was reminding me to relax and telling me how awesome I was doing). I don't know how I could have gotten through it without their encouragement. After her heartrate had settled down a bit, the nurse let me get on a birthing ball to try to get some of the pressure out of my back. It was amazing- the back labor disappeared and the counterpressure on my cervix was such a relief. The contractions were still very strong, but I was able to stand them a little better. I was actually even smiling through a few of them. Unfortunately this didn't seem to be the optimal position for Lorelei as her heartrate was suddenly plummeting with the contractions. I was quickly moved back into the bed. The charge nurse came in to install an internal monitor to track the heartrate and confirmed that I was still at a 5. While this was all happening my contractions had very suddenly grew much, much stronger. They were now almost back to back and not completely going away in between. Though it cross my mind that this was classic transition, I had just been told my two separate nurses that I was at a 5, so I knew there was no way this could be transition- which freaked me out! I was terrified of what transition would be like since I was in such pain. I started telling them that I couldn't handle the pain and asked my mom to pray for the baby and for my strength.<br />
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As the charge nurse walked out of the room, I suddenly felt a very strong urge to push. I was absolutely terrified at this point. I was at a 5- I had heard horror stories of women who pushed when they were not fully dilated and caused their cervix to swell to the point that they had to wait longer in labor before they could push. But I had no choice- I had to push. My nurse ran out of the room to grab the charge nurse during which I gave one big, involuntary push- and Lorelei's head popped out. The nurses came running back in and reached me just in time to catch her halfway through my second push when the rest of her popped out.<br />
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Nope, I didn't miss anything- the time span between when I was last told I was at a 5 and when Lorelei was out was about 2 minutes. I didn't even have time to feel the pain from crowning (which any mom who has delivered with no epidural can understand how amazing that is!)<br />
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Though her birth was incredible, natural and absolutely beautiful, it was "unattended", meaning a doctor wasn't present, so she was quickly swept to the warmer to be examined by one of the 6 or 7 nurses who flooded into the room in the minute after Lorelei came out (I even got the supervisor who informed me that she was never there for births). This was pretty heartbreaking for me because I very strongly desired to have her put to my chest immediately after birth. My baby girl who came out with beautiful, pink skin and lungs screaming was being treated like a high risk. Though I certainly didn't blame the nurses who were just doing their jobs, this "policy" really ticked me off. I have no idea why they thought there was any safer or better place to be than on her mother's chest! It took a good 10 minutes before I finally got to hold my baby. During this time the doctor arrived and started stitching me up- without saying anything more to me than instructions and shot dirty looks at the nurses the entire time. I guess it offended her to know that something as natural as childbirth could occur without her presence? (Can you tell I am slightly bitter about this woman?)<br />
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After much too much wait, I finally got to hold my baby girl. I offered her the breast to see if she was interested- boy was she! This wasn't too much of a surprise as the entire time she was being examined I could hear her lips smacking and she kept sticking out her tongue classic hunger cues. She instantly latched on. And for the reference of anyone who is ever present in any capacity for a birth- get the momma her baby ASAP! As soon as I had her in my arms my nerves calmed and I was no longer focused on the pain from the stitches. We were in our own little world. I even have some pictures taken by my birth photographer at an angle that I am sure I should have noticed her and I had no idea she was there.<br />
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Overall her birth was incredible. I finally had a totally unmedicated birth. I realize this is the worst nightmare of many women, but for me it was incredibly empowering to have my body do what it is supposed to do. Delaney's birth gave me some of this since I had no pain medication for it, but this time I hadn't needed drugs to get my contractions going. And I have to wonder if there was something in my body or Lorelei's that triggered to get the birth happening quicker since she wasn't handling it well. I don't know the science behind this, and I know that there is so much about childbirth that is not known, so there probably isn't a real answer to this, but it definitely makes you wonder!<br />
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Knowing that Lorelei will almost certainly be our last is so bittersweet. While it is painful to know that I will never feel a baby move in me again or experience my child's birth again, we are eager to move into the phase of raising and enjoying our children. It also helps to know that I was finally able to do what I have always wanted- have a baby come when they are ready and not a second sooner, and to deliver them naturally. I am also not devastated with the idea of never facing morning sickness again...<br />
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Below are some pictures taken by our incredible birth photographer. I was lucky to have Tammy Schmidt of Little Leaping Photography in the room for Lorelei's birth. Tammy asked on a moms' group Facebook page for pregnant moms who would be willing to help her build her portfolio in exchange for her free photography services. I was a little hesitant with the idea of someone photographing such a vulnerable time, but I am so glad I decided to take this step out of my comfort zone. Having my last birth in pictures will be a priceless treasure and Tammy was amazing to work with and did such great work. I highly recommend her!<br />
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<i>This picture was taken soon before her birth- birthing ball=women in active labor smiling through a contraction</i></div>
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<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-24453636964523129672012-11-29T16:29:00.001-06:002012-11-29T16:29:58.926-06:00Share the Wealth: Online shopping tips!I recently realized that I have become quite the online shopper! Almost all of my Christmas shopping this year has been done online. I rarely make any decent sized purchase without first checking if there is a better deal online. Now, I am certainly not expert, but as I was giving my mom some tips this morning about shopping online, I realized that I do know a few little tricks that others may or may not be aware of that I could share!<br />
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First and foremost: Take shipping cost into consideration</h3>
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My best "secret"? I almost never pay shipping. And when I do, it is because I am getting a heck of a deal on the item. I think one place where a lot of people go wrong with online shopping is that they forget to watch the shipping charges. And retailers know this! I so very often see, especially on sites like Ebay or Amazon.com, where a retailer will be offering a heck of a deal on an item but charging something ridiculous for shipping. I am no retail expert, but there are two obvious advantages to doing this: First, their item will appear on the search screen with a far lower price than their competitors. Second, if they catch a shopper who isn't taking the shipping charge into consideration, they will trick them into feeling like they are getting a really good deal when they are really making all their money on the shipping charges. </div>
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The solution? The first and easiest way to make sure the item is still a good deal when adding in the shipping charges. If that movie is $5 cheaper than the stores, but the shipping charge is $10, it isn't a good deal! The second way is to watch for free shipping promotions and try to make your purchases during these times. More and more retailers are doing these as a way to compete. You do have to be careful here- I have noticed with some sites (such as Kohls and Children's Place) that their prices seem to raise when they aren't charging shipping. So again, make sure that you are taking the total cost into consideration and don't assume that you are getting a good deal just because you didn't pay to ship the item. Many stores also offer free shipping coupon codes or at a certain threshold (free shipping for orders over $50). I'll talk more about coupon codes later, but with the shipping thresholds, just be smart! Make sure you never make purchases you wouldn't have otherwise just to get to the free shipping! If you are close, you can always look on the store's site for items that you have been planning to buy anyway and see if they happen to have a good deal on that item as well. But if you are far from the threshold, consider just sucking it up and paying the shipping charges rather than ending up with $40 worth of stuff you don't need so that you could save $6.95.</div>
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Never buy without searching coupon codes</h3>
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Make it a rule that you never checkout online before searching for a coupon code. Almost all major retailers will put out coupon codes occasionally that you can find online very easily. The easiest way to do this is to just do a simple google search: "Kohls coupon codes". Different sites will give you different coupon codes available for that site. You can browse if one fits your needs. This is also a great way to find free shipping codes! One thing to watch out for is that many sites only allow one coupon code, so you may not be able to get a percentage off and free shipping, so you need to figure out which choice will save you the most money in the end. </div>
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One way that I really save on kids' clothing is to shop stores when they have out good coupon codes. Many blogs such as www.moneysavingmom.com or www.myfrugaladventures.com post when store have good coupon codes out so that you can check if there are any good deals. For instance, when Children's Place has 25% off coupon codes, I will check their site (especially clearance!) for anything that is a good deal with the coupon code. You never want to feel like you should make a purchase simply because of a good coupon code, but stacking these codes with a sale is a great way to hit awesome prices.</div>
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Use sites that compare prices</h3>
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This has become easier than ever now that search engines have become so user friendly. I generally will just google search a particular item to see what the item is selling for at various stores. If you need something more user friendly, sites like Nextag.com for froogle.com are specially made for searching different sites for their prices. You do still have to do a fair amount of the legwork since these will not always account for shipping prices or coupon codes available, but it is a great starting point and will give you an idea of what prices are realistic for the item.</div>
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Amazon wishlists</h3>
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Amazon wishlists are so helpful, especially when you are in the market for an item that you aren't in any hurry to purchase. For example, I have been wanting a particular toy for Delaney for awhile, but they are a little pricey. Since she is in no hurry for more toys, I am waiting until I can catch it at an excellent price. This is easier when I can check back frequently to quickly see the price the item is at. Though this won't tell me what the item is selling for at every site, Amazon tends to be the cheapest and most flexible with their prices, so it is a good place to watch.</div>
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Something new that I just learned about today is the <a href="http://moneysavingmom.jungledealsandsteals.com/amazon-com-search-alert/" target="_blank">search alert on Money Saving Mom</a>. With this free tool, you can find an item on Amazon and set your buy at price for that item. This tool will email you when the item drops to that price so that you don't miss it! I do realize that there are probably at least 14,000 Smartphone apps that do this same thing, but for a boring phone user like me this is pretty exciting!</div>
<h3>
Cashback sites</h3>
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This has got to be one of my favorite tips ever, and one I only learned about a year or so ago! Did you know that there are actual, legit websites that pay you cashback when you start your shopping at their site? There are probably a lot out there, but my two favorites are <a href="http://www.shopathome.com/?IAFCG=MsEhJouumlu0OCgH64j+Ig==" target="_blank">Shop At Home</a> and <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=1uvOK7iDpEBle5c0JMzE8Q%3D%3D" target="_blank">Ebates</a>. These are both very easy to use and I have personally received checks from both so I can tell you they are legit! If you get in the habit of always starting at these sites (always check both, but I can tell you that Shop At Home is almost always the better deal) you can really get some good, free money! Most sites average cashback around 5% with promotions going all the way up to 20% cashback! This doesn't all seem like that much, but if you do a lot of your shopping online like I do, it really adds up. I use Shop at Home the most and about every 3 months I will get a check of around $20 from them (your cashback all compiles until you hit the $20 mark). I know that isn't a huge sum of money, but at about $80 a year for something that is risk free and takes almost no time, that is a pretty good deal. I have actually installed the Shop At Home toolbar on my computer so I don't even have to try to remember to go to the site first- I automatically gives me the cashback anytime I shop somewhere that qualifies. </div>
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I think that about covers all the little tricks I know- I am sure there are more? Do you have any awesome tips for saving money with online shopping?</div>
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Oh, none of these blogs paid me to talk about them. The Ebates and Shop At Home links are my referral links that give me credit for referring you if you decide to join, yada yada. :)</div>
Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-78806648410010611552012-10-23T22:11:00.000-05:002012-10-23T22:11:43.365-05:00Book review: 21 Days to a More Disciplined LifeI have now been a stay at home mom for almost 6 months. It started out with a few weeks of tending to Jameson after his <a href="http://brandy-momonamission.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-little-trooper.html" target="_blank">surgery</a>, then the morning sickness started. The <strike>morning</strike> all the time sickness didn't finally go away until around late August, which means that I have only been able to just start getting the hang of this whole stay at home mom thing. I am discovering that there is a learning curve to this, which is something I HATE. I don't like to not be good at things, especially something that is so important to me. It didn't take me long to realize that what I was most needing was discipline and routine.<br />
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So, when I found out that my favorite blogger Crystal Paine from <a href="http://www.moneysavingmom.com/">www.moneysavingmom.com</a> was putting out the 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life, I knew I was sold! I was following her blog when she did this as a blog series but it wasn't something that I chose to follow at the time- the timing just wasn't right. But this eBook release was perfect timing!<br />
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Now, I will tell you that this is a bit of a hard book to review. It isn't really a book that is intended to be read cover to cover, but rather day by day following the indicated steps. Seeing as how I didn't get my copy until late last week, I was definitely not able to complete the full 21 days process yet! However, I can tell you that the book is well written and easy to follow. I love that she gave multiple real life examples and that she writes in such an encouraging way. After reading the book, I was so excited to finally get started. I have only completed day one so far, but am so excited to see some results in my daily routines!<br />
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If you are interested in downloading a copy, <a href="http://www.jvzoo.com/c/40560/18792" target="_blank">here is a link</a>! And best yet- it is only $.99 through Thursday, available in PDF and Kindle versions.<br />
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(PS- No, I am not getting paid for my review. The link is my affiliate link that earns me a portion on books purchased through this link). :)Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-64726597443254317042012-10-01T19:48:00.000-05:002012-10-01T19:48:26.646-05:00Goals for the week: How I did in the week of a vacation!I had such a good week! It could possibly have to do with the fact that half of the week's goals were met by having fun with my family, but I'll take a win where I can get it!<br />
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<ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Continue to work on getting to bed by 10 am and be up by 7 am.</strike> I did such a great job at this! I even continued it through vacation, which wasn't as difficult since I was so exhausted at the end of each day and was excited to get ready for the day each morning!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Have house cleaned up prior to leaving for vacation</strike> Until I made it a point last summer to come home to a clean house, I totally didn't understand why someone would put time in to cleaning when they are trying to get ready for a vacation. But I tried it and discovered that it is AMAZING to come home to a house that can be relaxed in when you are worn out from vacation!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Get family packed up prior to leaving</strike> I have a little confession to make- I have actually started LIKING packing for the family. Weird, I know. But I have gotten it down to such a system that it isn't so stressful and it feels so good to get somewhere and know that I have planned for everything without toting along our entire house!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Stay within budget while on vacation</strike> I don't mean to brag, but we rocked this one! We actually came home with money LEFTOVER. We have never returned from a vacation with money to spare, and once upon a time, returned with a stack of credit card debt (I plan to post a blog about how we did this soon!)</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Enjoy some family time during vacation!!!!</strike> We had a WONDERFUL time. It was such a low stress, relaxing, enjoyable time!</span></li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Goals for this week:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Keep up with daily chore list</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Blog about vacation budgeting</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Plan Sunday School class</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Get list of words for language book to Lona (Delaney's speech helper)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Work on sight words with Jameson</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Work on obtaining a location for playgroup </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Work on getting house prepared for new pictures</span></span></li>
</ul>
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-30866402210963634792012-09-24T19:36:00.000-05:002012-09-24T19:36:55.888-05:00Goal Making Monday: Getting ready for vaca!!!Did okay, but not awesome last week...<br />
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<ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; text-indent: -24px;">
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Keep up with the daily chore list (no, really!!!)- Almost did perfect on this! I got super busy toward the end of the week so I didn't finish great. But I have definitely improved!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Continue to work on getting to bed by 10 pm and get up before 7 am- Almost perfect on this, too! Just a few nights I didn't make it to bed on time! I also was up by 7 am every morning except the one where the kiddos were staying at grandmas- who can blame me???!!!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do one craft with kids- FAIL!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Organize a playgroup to take place in the next couple of months (I have been a part of a mom's group since I started staying home and am feeling like it is time for me to start setting up some activities instead of just going to them! I can't really have it at home since I live out of town so I have to figure out a location. Hoping I can come up with something fun!)- I haven't set anything up for sure, but I am working on this!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Work on sight words with Jameson and speech temptations with Delaney</strike>- Only got to work on this a little, but did do it!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Prepare Sunday school for the next two weeks since I will not be there the last weekend of September</strike></span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Drop off Little Britches items Thursday morning and work volunteer shift Thursday night</strike></span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>Enjoy some shopping at Little Britches with the hubby on Friday night followed by a late anniversary dinner!</strike></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Goals for this week:</span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Continue to work on getting to bed by 10 am and be up by 7 am.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Have house cleaned up prior to leaving for vacation</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Get family packed up prior to leaving</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Stay within budget while on vacation</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Enjoy some family time during vacation!!!!</span></span></li>
</ul>
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-19960039176557361822012-09-17T08:36:00.002-05:002012-09-17T08:36:30.268-05:00Goal Making Monday: The week that was eaten by Little Britches<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">This week didn't really go as planned. I really thought that tagging wouldn't take a whole lot longer and that I could get it out of the way and move on with the week. This just wasn't the case- it took me an entire day and a half! Now, this was definitely not committed tagging as I was also having to keep two children alive during the day as well. </span></span></div>
<ol>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <strike>Find out the baby’s gender Monday night, go to dinner to celebrate!</strike> We found out that we are having a little girl which was a total shock because I was sure I was having a boy! We went to Chilis after dinner with a coupon for the kids to eat free and Shaun and I got the 2 for $20 combo. Since we had a few dollars left on a gift card, we ate dinner out for less than $20! I was pretty satisfied!</span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <strike>Finish tagging for Little Britches (has to be a priority- last day to enter is the 16</strike></span><sup style="background-color: white; text-decoration: line-through; text-indent: -0.25in;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strike>!!!)</strike> Done! Yea!</span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <strike>Take Delaney to a library story-time while Jameson attends preschool</strike> This is definitely going to become a weekly event. She absolutely loved it. It was a "Move and Groove" storytime so there was a perfect mix of songs and stories so it kept her attention well!</span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Initiate some "communication temptations" for Delaney around the house (She is really doing great on catching her speech up, these will give her more opportunities to use her words!)- We didn't get any of the formal things done I wanted to do, but I have been making more of a commitment to helping her speech on a daily basis and it is going great!</span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <strike>Prepare for toddler Sunday school and print off schedule hardcopies to keep at church</strike> </span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> Keep up with daily chore list- this may be a little difficult since I have to get tagging done! I’ll of course keep the house livable, but extra cleaning has to go on the back burner this week!- Heh, yeah, not so much. Shaun did help me get the house back to normal at the end of the week, but I really had to get the tagging done! So happy that I can get back to a little normalcy this week!?</span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <strike>Do one craft with the kids</strike> This technically got done. I asked the kids if they wanted to do a craft or help me make cookies and they wanted to cook, so that won out!</span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <strike>Do one school work/ coloring activity with kiddos</strike> Jameson really wasn't interested in "school work" this week and I want to keep it fun so I didn't push it. We did do a lot of coloring. I also am starting to work with him on his sight words so that kind of replaced this activity.</span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> Start making it a priority to go to bed before 10 o’clock and get up before 7 o’clock (I was AWESOME at this when I first started staying home, but my morning sickness switched me to survival mode. Now that I am feeling better I need to start getting up earlier again! I can get so much more done when I get up before the kids!)- Um... I tried? E for effort?</span></li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><strike style="font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Attend the K-State game with the hubby!</strike><span style="font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> This would have been a much better time if a certain little in utero daughter of mine hadn't been kicking my bladder the whole game causing non-stop bathroom trips!</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Goals for the week:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Keep up with the daily chore list (no, really!!!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Continue to work on getting to bed by 10 pm and get up before 7 am</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Do one craft with kids</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Organize a playgroup to take place in the next couple of months (I have been a part of a mom's group since I started staying home and am feeling like it is time for me to start setting up some activities instead of just going to them! I can't really have it at home since I live out of town so I have to figure out a location. Hoping I can come up with something fun!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Work on sight words with Jameson and speech temptations with Delaney</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Prepare Sunday school for the next two weeks since I will not be there the last weekend of September</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Drop off Little Britches items Thursday morning and work volunteer shift Thursday night</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">Enjoy some shopping at Little Britches with the hubby on Friday night followed by a late anniversary dinner!</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-6006642013426590272012-09-10T09:44:00.001-05:002012-09-10T09:45:04.702-05:00Goal Making Monday: Geez that was a busy week!Last week didn't go too well. I wasn't feeling too great on Monday and Tuesday due to a combination of pregnancy making me super tired and my allergies being OUT OF CONTROL!!! Normally I just push through these kinds of things, but being pregnant I think it is really important to listen to your body so I decided to take it easy. The rest of the week was crazy busy! Luckliy my wonderful hubby helped me with a lot, but I still didn't accomplish a few things. Oh well!<br />
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<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">1. Keep up with my daily chore list- this was apparently a week of just "Keep the house </span><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;">livable</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">" and that was only accomplished because Shaun helped out a lot</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>2. Do at least one school work activity with my kids</strike> This was Jameson doing a school work page and Delaney doing some coloring- that works!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strike>3. Do at least one craft with the kiddos</strike> When I went to Dollar Tree to get some final things for Sunday school I found some cute little crafty things. I got a ton of stickers since they have been all about the stickers lately and I think that pulling them off the sticker pages helps with their fine motor development so I am following their lead! We made some cute little bags with stickers and glitter glue, which cost about $3, and I still have a ton of stickers, glitter glue, and even one bag left, so it was actually even way less than $3!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4.<strike> Read more of "I love you Rituals"</strike> Got a bit more read. I am loving some things in this book but I am not really on board with others, so it is sometimes hard to get into. But I am working on it! </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. Spend at least two hours tagging for Little Britches- I only ended up spending maybe 45 minutes on this- yikes!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. <strike>Get meal plan and grocery shopping done for the next two weeks</strike></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. <strike>Prepare toddler Sunday school class and do last preparations for Mountains of Faith Sunday school</strike></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8. <strike>Give my little boy a wonderful 4th birthday</strike> We had his party a couple of weeks ago, so this was just kept simple. We ended up going to Pizza Hut for dinner since Pizza is his FAVORITE! Then we had cake at home and opened a few presents. I think he had fun! </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9. <strike>Prepare for and attend Kansas State football game with the hubby!</strike> Had a great time and what an awesome game!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">10. <strike>Prepare for and attend the Kansas State Fair with my family!</strike> We had a wonderful time! </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">11. <strike>Get in some outdoor time with the wonderful weather we should have at the end of the week!</strike> I hoped to get more of this in, but it didn't happen partly because it was so busy and partly because it was a lot hotter than it was supposed to be! But we did go to the Blue Valley high school game on Friday and the kids had a blast!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Goals for this week:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">Find out the baby’s gender Monday night, go to
dinner to celebrate!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Finish tagging for Little Britches (has to be a
priority- last day to enter is the 16<sup>th</sup>!!!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Take Delaney to a library story-time while
Jameson attends preschool<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Initiate some "communication temptations" for Delaney around the house (She is really doing great on catching her speech up, these will give her more opportunities to use her words!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Prepare for toddler Sunday school and print off
schedule hardcopies to keep at church<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Keep up with daily chore list- this may be a
little difficult since I have to get tagging done! I’ll of course keep the
house livable, but extra cleaning has to go on the back burner this week!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Do one craft with the kids<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Do one school work/ coloring activity with
kiddos<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->9.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Start making it a priority to go to bed before
10 o’clock and get up before 7 o’clock (I was AWESOME at this when I first
started staying home, but my morning sickness switched me to survival mode. Now
that I am feeling better I need to start getting up earlier again! I can get so
much more done when I get up before the kids!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->10.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Attend the K-State game with the hubby!<o:p></o:p></div>
</span></span></li>
</ol>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-81985738196493945652012-09-03T21:42:00.000-05:002012-09-03T21:46:43.573-05:00My baby is 4 today!Today my little boy turned 4 years old. I seriously can't believe it. Four years is really a long time! It is the number of years between leap years. It is the number of years we will wait for the next summer Olympics. It is the number of years we attend high school. Just think of how much can happen in 4 years! But at the same time that I am astounded that it has been four years since he came into my life, I can't believe that in just four years I have learned so much from him.<br />
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<div>
This little boy has given me so much in his 4 years...</div>
<div>
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<div>
On that wonderful morning reading that little plus sign on the pregnancy test, he gave me the greatest joy I had felt up until that point in my life.</div>
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In those first several weeks of pregnancy, he helped me see that "morning" sickness is probably the most misnamed term in the English language.</div>
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Through my entire pregnancy, he taught me how much you could love and fear for someone you had never met.</div>
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That first time I felt those amazing kicks and wiggles, I learned just what it feels like to have a life growing inside you and depending on you.</div>
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During my labor he sent me through more ups and downs and scares that I had ever before experienced.</div>
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The first second I saw him he showed me how just when you think you can't love someone more, BAM, everything changes.</div>
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During that first attempt at nursing him I felt that first sting of defeat as a mother realizing that maybe it wasn't going to work for us.</div>
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In those first twenty minutes I ever spent away from him while the nurse bathed him he showed me just how much you can miss someone when they are just steps away.</div>
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That first successful nursing session showed me what it means to persevere and use your stubbornness and absolutely unwillingness to accept defeat or compromise for good.</div>
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When I had to readmit him to the hospital for jaundice he gave me that first deep, deep ache in your heart of your child being sick and there being nothing you can do about it.</div>
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With his first smile he showed me how no amount of work, frustration, or lack of sleep can compete with seeing true joy on your child's face.</div>
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On that first day of work after having him he instantly gave me that drive to start making myself a stay at home mom so my days could be spent caring for him.</div>
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His first steps gave me that crazy mix of joy in my child's achievements mixed with fear of their failure.</div>
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When his speech developed to off the charts levels and I was receiving compliments for how well spoken he was, I got that first amazing pride at knowing that I had done right for my child and that I done best by guiding his natural abilities.</div>
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When I learned that he had a motor skill delay I felt that absolute devastation at knowing that I had failed my child at nurturing him to develop him in the areas in which he most struggled... but as we worked on these delays and he became stronger and more able I saw the unmistakable signs of a child who refused to fail at something and felt true achievement in becoming better at something by working at it.</div>
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When I saw his excitement over meeting his baby sister I saw from a third person perspective that link and bond that you only find between siblings.</div>
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As he grew and started to play more with other children, I felt his sting of rejection as children with whom he wanted to play were intimidated by his extremely friendly and outgoing demeanor. As he found kids that more matched his personality and enjoyed interacting with him I felt that joy of his acceptance.</div>
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Watching his care and compassion for others in pain reminded me of how important it is to have concern for people with whom you have no personal stake.</div>
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I have been reminded through his play of how wonderful it is to allow our imaginations to take us to places we may never actually go.</div>
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As we prepare his first day of preschool, I feel that pride in knowing that my child is ready for this next big step in his life and the sting of knowing that this is his first formal step away from me and toward an independent life.</div>
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Jameson, you are such an incredible gift in my life. You are such a compassionate, smart, determined, amazing little boy. You have given me such joy. You will always be the little boy who made me a mommy and taught me more about life in four years that I learned in the previous 23 before you were born. You give me constant joys, laughs, challenges, and overflowing love that I never knew were possible all rolled into one. I won't always be a perfect mommy, but you will always be a perfect son whom I will always love, even if I don't love your choices. I pray that you are able to achieve everything you want in life and that God will grant me the wisdom to be whatever you need your mommy to be.<br />
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-29747068400202759832012-09-03T10:55:00.000-05:002012-09-03T10:55:30.254-05:00Goal making Monday: First Week? Not too shabby!Let me first say this- I am SOOOO wishing I would have started this sooner! I found myself to be much more motivated this week! Even when I just wasn't feeling like getting things done, I got my butt in gear so I wouldn't have to report that I bombed my first week! Plus, I was even more motivated on things that I didn't have on my goals sheet! I definitely didn't do perfect, but I think I did pretty well!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1. <strike>Make final organizations to Sunday School curriculum and get delivered to the education building</strike></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2. <strike>Take kids to a play group/organized activity</strike> (this ended up being a playdate with my friend who was in from out of town. I was planning to do something with more kids, but my desire to spend time with my friend and her little boy trumped my original plan, and I still achieved my goal!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">3. <strike>Keep up with <a href="http://www.motivatedmoms.com/" style="color: #cc66cc;" target="_blank">daily cleaning list</a></strike>. I definitely didn't do perfectly on this as I didn't do all of the additional daily tasks, but I did keep up with the regular daily chores which is a big improvement!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Do at least 2 "school work" times with kids- This didn't really happen so much. I tried to get the kids in on it once, but they both just wanted to color, so I let them do that instead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">5. <strike>Use cups at meals to get Jameson accustomed to using cups for preschool-</strike> Achieved this for every meal we ate at home! He is doing much better with cups now!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">6. <strike>Start reading "I love you Rituals" recommended by Lona, the development specialist helping Delaney with her speech- </strike> Well, I did "start" it, and by that I mean that I read the first page! Eek! I did decide to download it on my eReader since I just hate reading a "real" book now! How ridiculous am I???</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">7. Do at least 1 craft with kids- Didn't get to this. Oh well!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">8. <strike>Get packed/prepared for Daniel's wedding this weekend!</strike>- Not to brag, but I totally get a gold star on this one. I felt super organized and even left a mostly clean house! See what I mean about being more motivated this week???</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">9. <strike>Buy Daniel and Ashley's wedding gift</strike>- Ended up order this online to pick up in the store and my mama ended up picking it up for me! Huge help for me! Though, with the chaos of being a bridesmaid, wife to a groomsman, and mother to the flower girl and ring bearer, the gift never made it inside! I guess they will be getting a late gift from us next week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">10. <strike>Head to Burlington on Friday and pretty much be at Miss Ashley's disposal for the weekend! :)</strike>- I had SUCH a blast with this wedding! I really enjoyed hanging out with Ashley and her bridesmaids and spending sometime with my family. Their wedding was beautiful, and I cried SEVERAL times. It was such a fabulous weekend!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">See? I didn't do too bad at all! Here are the goals for this week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Keep up with my daily chore list</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Do at least one school work activity with my kids</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Do at least one craft with the kiddos</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Read more of "I love you Rituals"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Spend at least two hours tagging for Little Britches</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">6. Get meal plan and grocery shopping done for the next two weeks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">7. Prepare toddler Sunday school class and do last preparations for Mountains of Faith Sunday school</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">8. Give my little boy a wonderful 4th birthday</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">9. Prepare for and attend Kansas State football game with the hubby!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">10. Prepare for and attend the Kansas State Fair with my family!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">11. Get in some outdoor time with the wonderful weather we should have at the end of the week!</span></div>
Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-11852830399140670142012-08-27T15:39:00.001-05:002012-08-27T15:41:03.534-05:00Goal makin' Monday: Jumping on the goal making bandwagon!I have now been a stay at home mom for about 4 months now, and you would think that by now I would have a handle on things. Um... wrong! I am feeling so disorganized these days! The first reason being that I am only now getting to some normalcy! I spent the first couple weeks caring for Jameson after <a href="http://brandy-momonamission.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-little-trooper.html" target="_blank">having surgery</a>, and a few weeks after that my morning sickness started. I am only now starting to get to more of a situation where I can get a sense of routine or feeling like I am accomplishing anything. And now that I am here I am so ready!<br />
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I was thinking about it, and I feel like one of the things that is holding me back is that I am very much living day to day and don't really have a plan. I have tried to develop a sort of routine to our day, and it works some, but living out of town means that any time I have to run into town for anything it takes an entire morning or afternoon, which makes strict, day to day routines very difficult. This is why I thought that goal making would be more productive for me. I tried goal making awhile before I started staying at home but I found that I wasn't making accomplishing my goals a priority. My favorite blog, <a href="http://www.moneysavingmom.com/" target="_blank">Money Saving Mom</a>, posts her goals every week as well as an update to keep herself accountable. I love this idea but felt a little weary about posting all my goals for the world to see when I might not achieve them. But then I realized, that is kind of the point! If I let a goal fall behind, I will be much more likely to make sure it is for good reason if I know that I have to answer to somebody eventually! You will probably notice that some of these "goals" are a little lame, but that is how badly I am needing to have a list of things to accomplish- I am not even accomplishing these little things! Yikes!</div>
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So without further ado, my goals for the week:</div>
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1. Make final organizations to Sunday School curriculum and get delivered to the education building</div>
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2. Take kids to a play group/organized activity</div>
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3. Keep up with <a href="http://www.motivatedmoms.com/" target="_blank">daily cleaning list</a>. (Side note: if you are like me and need a LOT of direction on cleaning to do each day, I highly recommend the site I linked to. You do have to pay for the list but it is worth it! I feel so much less overwhelmed and organized- when I actually follow it! Right now it is $4 since it is only for the end of 2012, so it would be a good time to try it out if you are interested!) </div>
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4. Do at least 2 "school work" times with kids (Worksheets, etc. They actually really enjoy this but I have to give the idea!)</div>
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5. Use cups at meals to get Jameson accustomed to using cups for preschool (bad, I know, but Jameson hates using anything but a sippy and I never really pushed it since I enjoy the lack of mess!)</div>
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6. Start reading "I love you Rituals" recommended by Lona, the development specialist helping Delaney with her speech</div>
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7. Do at least 1 craft with kids</div>
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8. Get packed/prepared for Daniel's wedding this weekend!</div>
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9. Buy Daniel and Ashley's wedding gift</div>
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10. Head to Burlington on Friday and pretty much be at Miss Ashley's disposal for the weekend! :)</div>
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Do any of you make goals for the week? If so, do you have any suggestions for me!?!?!</div>
Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-50123745490878041812012-08-20T18:50:00.002-05:002012-08-20T18:50:38.999-05:00A little boob rantAnyone who knows me even a little knows that I am very passionate about breastfeeding. I had wonderful experiences nursing both of my children and very much look forward to nursing this next little guy/gal. I firmly believe that anyone who wants to breastfeed should be given full support and every opportunity to be successful.<br />
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I think most people (reasonable people anyway) support a woman's choice to breastfeed whether or not they choose it for themselves. However, there is this weird phenomenon in our culture where we fully support it going on... as long as we never have to actually KNOW that it goes on.<br />
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What is it with our aversion to public breastfeeding? I just don't get it. Just to be clear- I understand why it can give you the squirmies as that is how you were probably conditioned. We are just leaving a time when it was actually considered superior to give formula since it was scientifically designed for babies (since apparently nature failed at that??) and where it was considered something done by women who couldn't afford formula. I have even found myself to feel a little unease in the presence of a mother breastfeeding in certain situations. The line you cross when you officially are added to my "list" is when you do something that makes that mom feel uncomfortable whether it be complaining, staring, a rude comment, etc. Even though breastfeeding in public is something that is protected by law in most states, these moms aren't protected from the cruelty of those around them. She is doing the most natural thing for her baby so why should she be made to feel that she is doing anything wrong?<br />
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I have heard a whole host of "valid reasons" for why women breastfeeding in public is inappropriate. At the risk of offending people, here is a list of these reasons... and why I think they are ridiculous:<br />
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1. It is indecent to be exposing so much in public.<br />
Unless you feel it necessary to walk into Victoria's Secret and complain about their billboards of half naked women then you have nothing to complain about. And even then, those women are almost naked for the purpose of selling underwear- a nursing mother is nourishing her child. I personally was always more comfortable with using a cover in public- that is just me, and I was also very lucky to have babies who were willing to stay under that cover. This is simply not the case for many babies, and some mothers just don't want to use a cover due to one reason or another. Are there women who are a bit brazen about their nursing and trying to make a statement? Maybe a few, but this is the exception, not the rule. And I guarantee you that in most cases that momma sitting on the bench is showing less skin than that teenager across the park wearing the skimpy tank top and daisy dukes.<br />
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And at the risk of moving too far off topic, let me take this opportunity to reiterate something- breastfeeding in public is not only natural, it IS a right protected by law most states. This means that even if it bothers you- TOUGH. And if you are an employee at a public place (restaurant, store, etc) it is NEVER within your rights to ask the woman to cover up or leave as long as that woman and child are in a place where they would otherwise be allowed to be. I am so tired of hearing and reading stories where a mother is asked to cover up or leave due to customer complaints and the employees claim ignorance of the law. Why is this not something covered in the training of these employees? I know that I never knew of this law until I started nursing so, sadly, it isn't common knowledge, so why aren't employers educating about this if for no reason other than to protect themselves from a lawsuit? I get that employers have a lot to teach new employees, but the law simply isn't that complicated: If someone complains about a nursing mother, tell them that they are protected by the law. Simple.<br />
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2. I don't want my children to see that.<br />
For this I just have to ask why? We were once at a public playroom when a mom starting nursing her infant. Jameson never noticed and Delaney just kept pointing and saying "bayee!" (baby), but had Jameson noticed it and started asking questions it wouldn't have bothered me in the slightest. If your child does notice a baby nursing, what exactly is so uncomfortable about explaining that the baby is getting milk from his mom? And if you are concerned about them seeing body parts that you don't think they need to see, then kindly refer to number 1. :)<br />
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3. Urinating/defecating is natural but that isn't considered appropriate to do in public so why should breastfeeding just because it is natural?<br />
This is the one where I have to really take a deep breath before I answer because you just compared the nourishment and need fulfillment of an infant to the release of bodily waste. You know what would make a good comparison to relieving yourself in the middle of a restaurant? A mother changing her child's diaper on the table during the appetizer and then leaving the diaper next to her fork. You know what? That is gross and offensive. Go ahead, complain about that action. It presents health concerns that could potentially affect all those around them. But please, please explain to me how the a child eating the dinner that his mom produced is putting you at risk?<br />
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4. If you need to breastfeed when you are in a public place you should just go to the bathroom/nursing room.<br />
Eat in a bathroom?... gross much??? I don't know about all of you, but I personally don't enjoy eating in the bathroom, especially a public one, so what makes you think that a baby would want to do that? Not to mention that it would be very difficult to do in a sanitary way! And even on the rare occasion that the establishment has provided a nursing room, why should the mother have to leave what she is doing because you might feel uncomfortable about what is going on? Really, really think about it, and then tell me how that makes any sense.<br />
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5. Nursing is an intimate time for the mother and child and should be done in private<br />
I can see where a person could feel this way- if they have never actually nursed long term. Don't get me wrong- I loved nursing. It creates a special bond with your child comparable to nothing else- but that doesn't mean each session is a Hallmark moment. Infants nurse every 2-3 hours-sometimes more often. While some nursing sessions are an amazing experience in bonding with your child, some are just about feeding the kid!<br />
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6. Just pump milk and bring bottles to feed your child!<br />
All I have to say to this is- WHY??? Let's say you are going to party where they will have your favorite beer on tap for free. Do you go through the hassle of packing your own cooler of bottles, pack it with ice, and lug it along? Of course not! That would be ridiculous! So why would you expect a baby to do this? Sure, pumped milk is a perfectly wonderful food for a baby, but fresh is the best! Not to mention the amount of inconvenience that you are suggesting to the mother so that you do not have to endure that squirmy feeling.<br />
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Bottom line? Breastfeeding makes you uncomfortable? No problem! Your opinion is in line with the culture in which you were raised. But that is your problem to deal with, not the problem of the mother!<br />
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I would love to hear what you all think on this topic. I realize it is somewhat controversial, but please realize that I am not really sway-able on this topic nor am I really interested in hearing disrespectful comments and will deny posting them. If you have something nasty to say about breastfeeding, feel free to share it with your buddy and have a good laugh. But if you have something respectful and constructive to say or would like to share your positive/negative experiences with me I would love to hear it!Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-48369693698134051062012-08-05T09:45:00.000-05:002012-08-05T09:48:43.111-05:00Happy 2nd birthday, Miss Delaney!I can't believe that today we are celebrating Delaney's 2nd birthday! I would say that I can't believe that the little girl born two years ago today is now the crazy little blond running circles around the living room, but really, it is pretty easy to believe. That little girl was absolutely wild in my belly- she would constantly keep me awake at night and cause me all sorts of pains because she just wouldn't chill! And unlike her brother, when I would push against her in my belly she would aggressively push me back! She waited until the last possible second to flip down into the correct birthing position on her own, and decided that it would be funniest to do it when I was preparing for my doctor to have her turned. My labor with her wasn't moving on it's own so I had to have pitocin started, but when she decided to come out, she was coming out! No doctor there yet to catch me? Ah well, someone will probably catch me, right? And when she nursed the first time, she just gazed at me in the most wonderful way like she was thinking "Oh. This is mommy. I could learn to like this lady." She hasn't changed!<br />
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Laney is our wild girl! She is absolutely unpredictable. You can constantly see the little wheels turning just trying to plan out her next adventure.<br />
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She does not take anything easily. If she is wanting something and you won't get it for her, or just aren't prompt enough, she will figure out on her own how to get it. And if you tell her "no" to something, she will plead her case in her best "Laney-ese" babble and fervently attempt to get her way.<br />
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She still does things on her own time. Planning to head out the door to go anywhere requires planning at least an extra five minutes because it is just unacceptable for anyone else to put her shoes on- it must be done by her. While most of her development has been on time or ahead (pretty far ahead on motor skills), her speech has been delayed for awhile. Then suddenly, a few months ago, she decided that she could really start talking. Her speech development person is amazed each week by how many new words she is saying. I am pretty sure that those words have been sitting there this whole time, but since she wasn't ready to use them, she just didn't see the need.<br />
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And her total dis concern with doing things the "safe" or sensible way? Hah! I have absolutely no idea how this girl has not landed herself in a cast or cat scan yet. While most kids are adventurous and have limited understanding of the danger of a situation, it is like she knows but just isn't concerned. If something seems like a fun idea to her, she decides that the potential of getting hurt just isn't a big enough deal to make her avoid the activity. Even when she does end up in tears from doing something, a kiss from momma is all she needs and she is back to her fun!<br />
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And this little girl is just as loving as the day she was born. She gets upset when people leave without giving her a hug and a kiss. And it must be both. And if it was too long after the hug and kiss before that person leaves they must give her a second of both. Laney just loves people in general. And she loves her mommy and daddy and grandparents. She lights up when we walk in the door, even if we were just gone for a minute or two. And she thinks that her brother is the best thing EVER. If brother does something she MUST follow. And even though she lights up when Shaun or I walk in the door, on the rare occasion that she is separated from Jameson for even a short time, it is like everything is right with the world again she has him back. Their bond has me so excited to watch her become a big sister. Though she is a jealous little thing, I think she is going to love getting to have a "bay-ee" around and getting to help.<br />
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Before she was born I couldn't imagine what it would be like to add another person to our family. Now I truly can't imagine life without her. I am so blessed to have this crazy, stubborn, loving little ball of energy for my baby girl. Happy birthday, Laney bug! I am so honored to be your mommy and, though I would love to keep you little, I can't wait to see what your future has in store for you!<br />
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<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-41176913231457071782012-07-18T15:36:00.000-05:002012-07-18T15:36:39.465-05:00Sharing the wealth: Give yourself some graceThanks to my recent announcement, you hopefully are aware now why I have been mostly MIA for the past several weeks. If it isn't clear to you- let me break it down for you:<br />
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I have had some pretty awful "morning" sickness. I use quotes around "morning" because it was rarely just a morning thing. I pretty much had food aversions all day with my most nauseous time varying between mid morning to evening. Because of this, our menu planning/grocery shopping/actually cooking at home thing has suffered pretty miserably. Shaun has been amazing with housework and such and has been willing to do whatever he can to make things easier for me, but he is unfortunately not the world's best cook, which means that we have been doing a lot of eating out and eating processed foods.</div>
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With my morning sickness starting to resolve, I am really looking forward to getting back into the menu planning and bargain shopping that is not only a smart financial move for my family, but has us eating so much healthier and is a fun hobby for me as well!</div>
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This past several weeks we have rarely stuck completely to our food budget (luckily my nausea and exhaustion have left us staying at home most days so we were able to pull from our gas budget to cover the difference). We have eaten out more times than I want to think about. My constantly changing food aversions have left us almost always waiting until the last minute to decide what we were going to throw together (or go pick up) for just about every meal. A (big) part of me is not thrilled with how these weeks went. Knowing that it would be hard for me I really tried to prepare well- I had about 20 meals made in the freezer for those nights that I just couldn't cook. What I didn't factor in was that I would have a spaghetti sauce aversion that made 4 lasagna casseroles useless. I also had forgotten how serious my poultry aversion is, so the chicken and noodles and cooked shredded chicken have also been pointless. </div>
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I was really trying to continue with my menu planning utilizing my freezer meals and planning meals that Shaun could at least do part of the cooking for. That worked until I was about 8 weeks along (my morning sickness started at 6 weeks). This is when I realized that my kids were having peanut butter sandwiches for just about every meal because I didn't have the energy or food tolerance to make them anything else. I decided that it was time to buck up and accept that we were going to have to add chicken nuggets and similar items back into our meal planning, and just sucking it up and eating out when nothing we had here sounded good.<br />
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Now that I am starting to feel a LITTLE better, I am so excited to get back to normalcy, but during this time, I have actually learned a lot! Ever since I started really watching our food budget, we have had it pretty easy. We haven't had a lot of super crazy things happen and haven't experienced the burn out many do since it is a hobby for me. I really had to grasp something important to sticking to a budget- give yourself some grace!!!<br />
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Have I <strike>overspent</strike> blown my grocery budget this last few weeks, yes. Is this a fact that I love? Of course not. But I still had the money to make up for this when the most important thing has not been my budget lines working out perfectly, but a pregnant momma getting calories into her body that she could hold down (I actually lost about 7 pounds over the course of about 2 weeks). Normally I would not keep spending once my food money was gone- that is the point to the budget. But that was just not the priority.<br />
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I think we all have times when out budget isn't a priority- a family emergency, illness, or we are just burnt out and need a break from toting coupons. When you are doing everything you can 99% of time it leaves wiggle room for that 1%. I did what I could to save money, like primarily shopping at Aldi. We also ate from our pantry whenever possible.<br />
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Sticking to a budget and making smart grocery choices is super important. But from time to time, life will happen. If you beat yourself up about it and focus on how you went off track, you will begin to resent your budget and it will make it much harder to get your goals back in focus. Instead, focus on what you did right and how your 99% of the time commitment got you through. If you totally bombed, figure out how to get back on track and what you need to do to be better prepared in the future (because it WILL happen again!)<br />
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Now, I need to plan a mega shopping trip- my cupboards are BARE!!!</div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-346962059304320482012-07-18T14:49:00.000-05:002012-07-18T14:50:10.678-05:00An exciting little bit of news...For those of you who didn't catch this on Facebook...<br />
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Yup! Around the end of January 2013 we will be welcoming a new little blessing into our lives! We are so excited! This first several weeks has been super rough which is why I have been a blogger slacker. Plus, my nausea mixed with no energy mixed with a constantly changing appetite has meant that we have eaten out a LOT and my shopping trips have been really nothing to brag about (I am working on a post about all this drama to post soon!)</div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-61842561521894838492012-06-09T20:51:00.000-05:002012-06-09T20:53:55.398-05:00A Day out with Thomas, and why this was so significant for us.When it comes to family activities, we are all for the free/cheap fun. I have discovered that my kids typically will have just as much, if not more fun without costing us much or any money. So when I saw the price tag on the Day out with Thomas tickets, I was more than a little hesitant. The tickets would cost a little more than $60 for the family, not to mention that gas money for the two hour car trip. And while that may not seem like a lot for some, for this frugal momma, it was enough to make me more than a little uncomfortable!<br />
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After a lot of discussion with the hubby, going back and forth about it several times, we realized that events like this are why we wanted to get our budget under control. My son, Jameson, is absolutely nuts about Thomas the Train. There is not a day that goes by when he doesn't play with his trains, heck, the kid has a Thomas the Train bed! This was not something that would just be a fun outing for the family- it would truly be a dream come true for my little boy.<br />
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A year or so ago, something like this would have resulted in one of two scenarios:<br />
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1. We would decide not to go because we couldn't afford it since we had no money in savings and be bummed that we couldn't get this experience for my kiddos.<br />
2. We would go anyway, put it on a credit card, and I would feel guilty about it the whole time.<br />
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But this time, the money was there. We have been saving for a mini-vacation for our family this summer. Based on our preliminary figuring, it is going to be a pretty inexpensive vacation that we had over-saved for, which meant that we had plenty that we could pull from that budget column to pay for the tickets. Also, we have been really good at conserving our gas this week, so we would have plenty in the gas budget to cover the extra gas for the trip.<br />
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Since we have gotten such a grasp on our finances, we were able to easily pay cash for the whole thing. Again, I realize that while $60 isn't much to some of you, others might actually think we are crazy for dropping that kind of money on a 20 minute train ride (since the other activities were all free). But you know what? We had the money because we have worked hard to save it, and we created family memories that we all, especially Jameson, will not soon forget. Want more convincing? Let these pictures do the job:<br />
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Posing in front of Thomas- and of course I took my own pictures instead of buying theirs! Duh! You couldn't have expected me to go totally crazy :)</div>
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Crazy girl coloring.</div>
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Chugging along the track!</div>
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Showing off their tattoos!</div>
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Waiting for the bouncy slide</div>
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Jump!</div>
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We met Sir Topam Hatt!</div>
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Crazy drivers!</div>
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More posting with Thomas!</div>
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Petting zoo </div>
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Showing me his ticket for the train ride</div>
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Sassy girl</div>
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So excited to be walking up this train aisle!</div>
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I love her "cheese" face</div>
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This smile made it ALL worth it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdrqRYifiRdRiEKqxpo-bSVxQX0gReO7xLgze7UVGrKOfqthBgqt9CJ5AwzrDSupKBeJph0CDzwggD6n6X83ftlzbIUQJMPSh_KjJVnze78NiFhmQYv6viy6B5fe4OKeP70ClFLnBcChu/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdrqRYifiRdRiEKqxpo-bSVxQX0gReO7xLgze7UVGrKOfqthBgqt9CJ5AwzrDSupKBeJph0CDzwggD6n6X83ftlzbIUQJMPSh_KjJVnze78NiFhmQYv6viy6B5fe4OKeP70ClFLnBcChu/s320/035.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Me and my little train nut</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkXf-WyvM64VDpkBsoNij1hp3_Bw1noUjj5K8gQcQSyyZArjzmbwoWjuJDrt1iFlb1t4L5TN4sGLDWG0HiEajqRiMJbN7XqFm4k9tvEkvwaLJDBWWp9xgLh74Ip56z_zkB5-66NnoygE9/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkXf-WyvM64VDpkBsoNij1hp3_Bw1noUjj5K8gQcQSyyZArjzmbwoWjuJDrt1iFlb1t4L5TN4sGLDWG0HiEajqRiMJbN7XqFm4k9tvEkvwaLJDBWWp9xgLh74Ip56z_zkB5-66NnoygE9/s320/036.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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So silly!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHtlenfy8WrdWNLo7jKzny1LVKn0xg5plo_qkEPKIimlkyvG715aqYYHnY9V5yZP0MkL0s70iknbSLnBSFwXbS3Ja9c1Zf6ZkWCCiw-GtY6jIZULPPJ1OcN7O3PBNl1tu0tpVQS8d-PVv/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHtlenfy8WrdWNLo7jKzny1LVKn0xg5plo_qkEPKIimlkyvG715aqYYHnY9V5yZP0MkL0s70iknbSLnBSFwXbS3Ja9c1Zf6ZkWCCiw-GtY6jIZULPPJ1OcN7O3PBNl1tu0tpVQS8d-PVv/s320/032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Amazing family memories- worth every penny!</div>
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<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-77781752434068908882012-06-02T08:10:00.000-05:002012-06-02T08:10:55.081-05:00Shopping tripsThere were two things that pleased me greatly about my shopping trips this week:<br />
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1. Because I have been finding some awesome deals lately and have gotten more proficient at basing my meal plans on what I have, I had very minimal amount of shopping to do.<br />
2. Shaun came home from work early, so I got to go grocery shopping BY MYSELF!!!! Pretty much the best gift that man can give me.<br />
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Anyway, here are the deals:<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;">Ray's</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUESScicG50YhEzh7OzFYcnphw7PcgNYDYS2JyR0_eq_QP5sQZx9WoHGz1geJbjEQYxZbsenRrUp0mhj-usncnu5d3Pq0_PNClDPmmkCRZ_6xjVhIt7XG_aYMHdNgZLPCB1XYVjJ23ZEi/s1600/blog+shop+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUESScicG50YhEzh7OzFYcnphw7PcgNYDYS2JyR0_eq_QP5sQZx9WoHGz1geJbjEQYxZbsenRrUp0mhj-usncnu5d3Pq0_PNClDPmmkCRZ_6xjVhIt7XG_aYMHdNgZLPCB1XYVjJ23ZEi/s320/blog+shop+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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10 packs of shredded cheese: $.98 each (no, we have not gone through <a href="http://brandy-momonamission.blogspot.com/2012/05/shopping-trips-for-last-week.html" target="_blank">my major cheese stock up from a few weeks ago</a>, but cheese has a pretty long shelf life and when you catch it for under $1.00 and it fits in your budget, you stock up!)</div>
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2 packs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts: $1.68/lb</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Aldi</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3figqyhfU1RHN74uGdZG5eLVzBjMaWi10ntgo-IN_birPOP-jggTvqhQaLe1alFyZK5iWmAVkOqE92QRSV4XTJEm7L2fnoUpbjFJ4Ioo6etoIvM0Oy64AGyJY58rPWGClecYsxT7z60iW/s1600/blog+shop+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3figqyhfU1RHN74uGdZG5eLVzBjMaWi10ntgo-IN_birPOP-jggTvqhQaLe1alFyZK5iWmAVkOqE92QRSV4XTJEm7L2fnoUpbjFJ4Ioo6etoIvM0Oy64AGyJY58rPWGClecYsxT7z60iW/s320/blog+shop+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ground turkey: $1.49 each</div>
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Tortillas $.99</div>
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Cantalope: $1.29</div>
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Pineapple: $1.29</div>
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Blueberries: $1.49</div>
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Tortilla chips: $.99</div>
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Crackers: $1.69</div>
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Graham crackers: $1.49</div>
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Pinto beans: $.99</div>
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Kidney beans: $.59</div>
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Butter: $2.29</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Dillons</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKEhguhR34zT4-gFv0b70WPEL9CURPQLgSzooZS4xTKdXfXhbyPayPCpsszk9xw_-YjxH9a8F38Rt2HYlj-C9vWjKSLqzeWHorWuE21kdP_RxQDrdXeZzx22G1k4uwKmdJvRbaR_RNXSq/s1600/blog+shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKEhguhR34zT4-gFv0b70WPEL9CURPQLgSzooZS4xTKdXfXhbyPayPCpsszk9xw_-YjxH9a8F38Rt2HYlj-C9vWjKSLqzeWHorWuE21kdP_RxQDrdXeZzx22G1k4uwKmdJvRbaR_RNXSq/s320/blog+shop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Brown rice: $.70</div>
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Black beans: $1.59</div>
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3 ears corn: 3/$1</div>
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2 containers sour cream: $1.25 each</div>
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In total I kept all my groceries under $50 for two weeks of meals! I will have to make other stops for produce and milk, of course, but building that stockpile really helps!</div>
<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-924952497610353132012-06-01T13:33:00.001-05:002012-06-01T13:33:53.341-05:00Menu plan<u>Lunches</u><br />
Leftovers x5<br />
<a href="http://lifeasmom.com/2009/06/snacky-lunch-its-whats-on-menu.html" target="_blank">Snacky lunch</a> x2<br />
PB Sandwiches x2<br />
Homemade mac and cheese<br />
Cheese quesadillas<br />
Eat out one day<br />
Pasta and sauce<br />
Speghetti<br />
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<u>Dinners</u><br />
Friend's wedding<br />
<a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/03/lasagna-casserole-recipe.html" target="_blank">Lasagna casserole</a> (from the freezer)<br />
Pork chops<br />
<a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/02/crockpot-italian-chicken-recipe.html" target="_blank">Italian chicken</a> (from the freezer)<br />
Breakfast for dinner<br />
<a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/homemade-chicken-and-noodles/" target="_blank">Chicken and noodles </a>(from the freezer)<br />
<a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/07/build-your-own-haystacks-recipe.html" target="_blank">Build your own haystacks </a><br />
Beans and rice<br />
Hamburgers<br />
<a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/09/crispy-southwest-chicken-wraps.html" target="_blank">Crispy chicken wraps</a><br />
<a href="http://mychocolatetherapy.blogspot.com/2012/01/crockpot-chicken-tacos.html" target="_blank">Crockpot chicken tacos</a><br />
<a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2009/02/homemade-pizza-in-less-than-30-minutes.html" target="_blank">Pizza </a>x2<br />
Roast<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-33580662373180034272012-05-22T18:13:00.000-05:002012-05-25T07:52:23.276-05:00Homemade yogurtI recently decided that I wanted to take a shot at homemade yogurt. Both of my kids absolutely love yogurt, but I have two issues with the store bought kind:<br />
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1. It is pricey even when you buy the store brand!<br />
2. I can never find one that is both non-fat and doesn't have sweetener in it for the kids, so I either end up compromising and choosing a non-fat one (which I hate because I want them getting the milkfat for their little brain growth!) or buying a more expensive brand (which I hate- duh).<br />
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I heard awhile back that you can make yogurt in the crockpot and decided that it was high time I tried it. And you know what???? I am so mad I didn't try this earlier! This is probably one of the EASIEST things I have ever made. Period! And it is so tasty! Jameson is still getting accostomed to the thinner texture, so I want to try some ideas to thicken it, but here is what I did. I got the recipe from <a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html" target="_blank">this site</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwossrZv46hq9ErvzcyBVcgkOMMxRQpZGyDxLMjT2rzHf5RDog8fhIquSGfVO5zPAuWjLb44DohvX75q37p4Q0virZsctyPqJa12l-looph5PPnxP_BiZAsMlpe5qVjvEYt0xqzj1FfkGY/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwossrZv46hq9ErvzcyBVcgkOMMxRQpZGyDxLMjT2rzHf5RDog8fhIquSGfVO5zPAuWjLb44DohvX75q37p4Q0virZsctyPqJa12l-looph5PPnxP_BiZAsMlpe5qVjvEYt0xqzj1FfkGY/s320/025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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What you need:</div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">A crockpot</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">A bath towel</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">One half gallon of milk (they recommend starting with whole milk since 2% or skim will be thinner. I plan to try these out once I get the hang of the thickening agents)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup plain, active culture yogurt (this is just the starter. After you make your first batch you can use your own yogurt as starter! There is also a starter available at health food stores, though I have never tried this method).</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">That's it!</li>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Now, before you get started, this involves almost no work, but a lot of time. You will want to start this about 5 1/2 hours before bedtime or first thing in the morning. If you do it at night it will be finished the next morning. But you will only <i>work </i>on it a total of MAYBE five minutes!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWt_McURiIFXqajJDe-U71v51NhBU88j9A9_Tbq1wYIbCO7zZ-Ii7rxNrWfW5h2He-5uhKNYZKGd9wBcsX6V_ijdHSj3kLpUsZqzxFEzl5MyuB9RkgAii7XW_rZAC1RpOEE78esfNlkjU/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWt_McURiIFXqajJDe-U71v51NhBU88j9A9_Tbq1wYIbCO7zZ-Ii7rxNrWfW5h2He-5uhKNYZKGd9wBcsX6V_ijdHSj3kLpUsZqzxFEzl5MyuB9RkgAii7XW_rZAC1RpOEE78esfNlkjU/s320/026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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First, pour the entire half gallon in your crockpot (PS- mine isn't dirty- promise! Just stained from being much used!!!)</div>
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Turn on low and let cook for 2 1/2 hours. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-uHITQh7gfIeSgV4baWgEKwl3YBK40UM5HHEWks2ULrDHNzbTqoQyKQK_ZXVgZP5wI_TxO45AUC8ihYw6P453W13srq3YIPpnGBBDlKQ2cBJgS8b_q5I9nC0S5Ag5QvYncdTNGVX_upi/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-uHITQh7gfIeSgV4baWgEKwl3YBK40UM5HHEWks2ULrDHNzbTqoQyKQK_ZXVgZP5wI_TxO45AUC8ihYw6P453W13srq3YIPpnGBBDlKQ2cBJgS8b_q5I9nC0S5Ag5QvYncdTNGVX_upi/s320/028.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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After 2 1/2 hour has passed, unplug the crockpot and leave sitting for 3 additional hours. This allows the milk to cool to a temperature that will not kill the active cultures in the yogurt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRr6TCGHwT5I3tDawrAGTCzQrKTtoDlGoXOT60HAEedZ8gpg6rFQgt48EvGAOg86poBUE2BWwjYoAdYlllEWnQ_ZuaBa1tIMrvSeK1VQ8tWTlDum116e1e5Zph04UQGdfMJHTJhUMq2pOy/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRr6TCGHwT5I3tDawrAGTCzQrKTtoDlGoXOT60HAEedZ8gpg6rFQgt48EvGAOg86poBUE2BWwjYoAdYlllEWnQ_ZuaBa1tIMrvSeK1VQ8tWTlDum116e1e5Zph04UQGdfMJHTJhUMq2pOy/s320/029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, pull 2 cups of the warm milk from the crockpot and put in a bowl. Add the 1/2 cup yogurt into the milk and mix well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGKK2nw3XjbPTbv2AARwGHsBq0vr-Rqttt82FGtyDjtyoMB0uw8HZHWxZzBiiggfZaXytN8xJ9Cc5vzfSrunt5xVZRdeaPvP_5VZH-nJWWeZWxGW5xZoYueKnIAFL1xMTXqLy7gb7Knf5/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGKK2nw3XjbPTbv2AARwGHsBq0vr-Rqttt82FGtyDjtyoMB0uw8HZHWxZzBiiggfZaXytN8xJ9Cc5vzfSrunt5xVZRdeaPvP_5VZH-nJWWeZWxGW5xZoYueKnIAFL1xMTXqLy7gb7Knf5/s320/030.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Pour the milk/yogurt mixture back into the crockpot and stir well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsszq1YNcV_xIOBdPzAJCs6xBbWRElsdVSpJ_h2GD9JdD2Y-PKxdm_S07_k53lAyRd1MqwPNw4w61Q5efVe0YPKCMhORjltf9aqd_yHgX2kmPUxBjFckV328b87c9MTwqJZKlOER6_H3C/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsszq1YNcV_xIOBdPzAJCs6xBbWRElsdVSpJ_h2GD9JdD2Y-PKxdm_S07_k53lAyRd1MqwPNw4w61Q5efVe0YPKCMhORjltf9aqd_yHgX2kmPUxBjFckV328b87c9MTwqJZKlOER6_H3C/s320/031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Put the lid back on the crockpot and wrap in a bath towel. Sit in a spot where it will be as undisturbed as possible. Let sit for 8 hours, or overnight. If it sits for over 8 hours, it won't be a huge issue, it will just be a tangier yogurt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOwsjHNvk02XNb-ssO-OhQUYhLBjsPxvVISSVN8olDXsOKSBKrsCle8lRoD74s4P4hROa7HEJpGB9lHAf4hlpxDDkjttCn-o06-L861WHDSFmX7UZyvGd2f5AMkFhTOG8dq_pKXGm7Y_7/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOwsjHNvk02XNb-ssO-OhQUYhLBjsPxvVISSVN8olDXsOKSBKrsCle8lRoD74s4P4hROa7HEJpGB9lHAf4hlpxDDkjttCn-o06-L861WHDSFmX7UZyvGd2f5AMkFhTOG8dq_pKXGm7Y_7/s320/032.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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The next morning, open your crockpot and be astonished at your thickened yogurt! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsBQqwUuu2mjwi2DEDHR8lnR7mVahNu4nb4lWXYTVWcdzSnzuF7v4u4QgBN2bV2XYeJ6k-X4pe7BzNgWfHaZgSplnmkxs7WG828kPfj3dzH2Mdz6KQcxaV0RrwWO8J-c79qVUCLianVY6/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsBQqwUuu2mjwi2DEDHR8lnR7mVahNu4nb4lWXYTVWcdzSnzuF7v4u4QgBN2bV2XYeJ6k-X4pe7BzNgWfHaZgSplnmkxs7WG828kPfj3dzH2Mdz6KQcxaV0RrwWO8J-c79qVUCLianVY6/s320/033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can choose to flavor it now or with each serving. This time I made one cup that I premixed with the honey just to experiment! Honey is a great sweetener for it, but you can also do fruit or flavorings. I also have seen suggestions of jam or jello mix, but I haven't tried these personally.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeO27r4z3z9di2Cd_ZuAuHkSBIAmK6OTfbOCxaSuCGuHWcSJh_ZMrj3AQk_NHV-ts5nKTe2Wb-4vi0KTsrsg83XKZjAD1wdJTJGsF6ZBwyDiZlUbySN0l1J_yeAM5UgcAUoL5KhuNzRTd/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeO27r4z3z9di2Cd_ZuAuHkSBIAmK6OTfbOCxaSuCGuHWcSJh_ZMrj3AQk_NHV-ts5nKTe2Wb-4vi0KTsrsg83XKZjAD1wdJTJGsF6ZBwyDiZlUbySN0l1J_yeAM5UgcAUoL5KhuNzRTd/s320/034.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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This was the result! Two 32 oz containers plus about a cup leftover. These two containers of yogurt would have cost me $1.79 <b>each </b>from the store. Because I used yogurt from my previous batch for a starter, I don't really count that in the cost, so my only cost was the $1.00 for the milk! Even if you don't get lucky and find some marked down milk, it will cost you about $1.99 (in my area, anyway), which is still almost half the price for much tastier yogurt!</div>
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Enjoy!!!</div>
<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-81611577622821164722012-05-21T13:47:00.001-05:002012-05-21T13:47:49.722-05:00Shopping trips- Target, Rays, and AldiI thought I would go ahead and get these posted since I am not always so good at getting stuff posted in time. Plus, I figured that if I post them now you would still have time to get some of this before some of the sales wrap up!<br />
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I actually hit up each of these shops this morning while I was killing time in between a dentist and eye doctor's appointment (yes, I had a very medical morning! I wanted to get both in on the same day so I only had to worry about getting a sitter once!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkk8T5Qlm-vPILMeM2hSRkMMrUS4CXo-pejxLh3iEHQZaK9mCr3ib-f9JZnnITbRzFonBpaWOJczHJm54DBBNnI2RRR5V3LE-d1wqO754xlEVm-RJr84EdZAUOmrmC3R1JwWqDsuJdhRB/s1600/blog+shop+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkk8T5Qlm-vPILMeM2hSRkMMrUS4CXo-pejxLh3iEHQZaK9mCr3ib-f9JZnnITbRzFonBpaWOJczHJm54DBBNnI2RRR5V3LE-d1wqO754xlEVm-RJr84EdZAUOmrmC3R1JwWqDsuJdhRB/s320/blog+shop+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bananas: $.29/lb (on sale all week with no limit!)</div>
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Milk: Each marked down to $1.00 (I plan to use a few of these for the homemade yogurt I will (hopefully) blog about soon!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X5PYBAZUjKd8n8CeOp_1CxV4k5PRaQNeLseAJQ3c52cfxMCtCLTAmmG_vFfwk-D0-onwTwiBvdvjpIiw6Gx0CnZ1xQAf3t4WiNtNcHmhIu3Of0iBctERcumQIz4I_zAu7RcdeQIcfjzv/s1600/blog+shop+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X5PYBAZUjKd8n8CeOp_1CxV4k5PRaQNeLseAJQ3c52cfxMCtCLTAmmG_vFfwk-D0-onwTwiBvdvjpIiw6Gx0CnZ1xQAf3t4WiNtNcHmhIu3Of0iBctERcumQIz4I_zAu7RcdeQIcfjzv/s320/blog+shop+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pineapple: $1.29</div>
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Strawberries: $.99</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKzmlv8Q_Fz21DShw5vayKEB7iO3JK14ItLqQaU6CNyvDhf-Ic83WQJRvXR5waI5I6Kwqtxq2Kplk1vocspb7kNPjIILZlXnK-bTKOkAhWTuO7CkWjE0RdbyMwSuI9udIv6khP9XDzLGu/s1600/blog+shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKzmlv8Q_Fz21DShw5vayKEB7iO3JK14ItLqQaU6CNyvDhf-Ic83WQJRvXR5waI5I6Kwqtxq2Kplk1vocspb7kNPjIILZlXnK-bTKOkAhWTuO7CkWjE0RdbyMwSuI9udIv6khP9XDzLGu/s320/blog+shop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Glow bracelets: $1.00 (These were fabulous last summer on the fourth of July to keep the kids entertained while we waited for fireworks).</div>
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Three boxes of pasta: On sale for $1.00 each, had a<a href="http://target.com/" target="_blank"> $1.00/3 Target coupon</a>= $2.00 for all three</div>
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2 bottles of bug spray: $4.29 each (normal price), had 2 $2/1 Target coupon (no longer available) and a <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://lm.logicalmedia.com/z/12918/CD2973/%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E$1/1%20Cutter%20Product%20%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">$1.00/1 manufacturer's coupon</a>= $1.29 each (note: Bug spray is something that, assuming you don't use a ton each summer, you can get by with NEVER paying full price for!)</div>
<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-63132761006335848022012-05-19T22:12:00.000-05:002012-05-19T22:12:29.500-05:00Shopping trips for the weekThis was kind of an exciting shopping week for me. This is the week that I normally do a larger amount of shopping because it is the week I buy for the next 2-3 weeks worth of meals. However, when I sat down to do my menu plan, I discovered that I really didn't need to buy much! I was able to use what I had in the pantry and freezer to cover most of my meals, so I just needed to pick up a few things here and there and grab some deals I needed to get! It is so exciting when I have weeks like this because it makes all my couponing/stockpiling worth it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilc1s7zkq9s30gy9bnzAsHyA7t_eG5e5rcGLdYh-2qcs-QTkO0HbqUe4CfQc53pokdbGbe4A398puHmMaVfbFq7uqkwMi4chMtA7HHv3s9Ve30q8cSEGd1pyQK_naPn3WTBoeJk6w4dXfR/s1600/blog+shop+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilc1s7zkq9s30gy9bnzAsHyA7t_eG5e5rcGLdYh-2qcs-QTkO0HbqUe4CfQc53pokdbGbe4A398puHmMaVfbFq7uqkwMi4chMtA7HHv3s9Ve30q8cSEGd1pyQK_naPn3WTBoeJk6w4dXfR/s320/blog+shop+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ibuprofen: 2 @ $.99 each, had 2 <a href="http://target.com/" target="_blank">$1.00/1 pain relief item Target coup</a><a href="http://target.com/" target="_blank">on</a>= FREE!!!</div>
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2 Barilla whole wheat pastas: 2 @ $1.37 each, had 2 $1.00/1 coupons (no longer available)= $.37 each</div>
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2 Up and up aluminum foils: $1.29 each, had two $.75/1 Target coupons (no longer available) = $.54 each</div>
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2 packs face sponges: $1.77 each, had two <a href="http://target.com/" target="_blank">$.75/1 Target coupons</a>= $1.02 each</div>
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3 Boxes Market pantry pasta: $1.02 each, had one <a href="http://target.com/" target="_blank">$1.00/3 pasta Target coupons</a>= $2.06 for all three</div>
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Total with tax: $6.57</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zAs5_73pXrs4DmRpnX4522j2jZQdqxCE8ueXFKGOpxtNNax376J8xmgy50nbse0_f7YMsPOuqdvlou81ZKUOSETIQdpNJzjQzI7kShlONlL8L0WzPETeZCoEOtVmQfWzRf_B0EUcPPxN/s1600/blog+shop+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zAs5_73pXrs4DmRpnX4522j2jZQdqxCE8ueXFKGOpxtNNax376J8xmgy50nbse0_f7YMsPOuqdvlou81ZKUOSETIQdpNJzjQzI7kShlONlL8L0WzPETeZCoEOtVmQfWzRf_B0EUcPPxN/s320/blog+shop+3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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6 packs sliced cheese: $1.00 each</div>
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5 allergy relief packs: $1.00 each</div>
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1 Ella's Kitchen Red one smoothie snack: $1.00, had a <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=BC5KUURDNCFMA%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E$1/1%20Ella%E2%80%99s%20Kitchen%20100%%20Organic%20Product%20%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">$1.00/1 Ella's Organic product</a>: FREE!!!</div>
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Total with tax: $11.99</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbhfTyB68a8JhGkdTrOYRWMOxX2wTR0HGXnKkqCvmBJMLsAijqicp5gmPnx4aCYW_0OugV_rAc8fXzZ1DfO3PiSpvhEaidqGVGEeXF8hOS6196fxlrp-hYvzJD_n-OidLAyrCsIL70oWE/s1600/blog+shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbhfTyB68a8JhGkdTrOYRWMOxX2wTR0HGXnKkqCvmBJMLsAijqicp5gmPnx4aCYW_0OugV_rAc8fXzZ1DfO3PiSpvhEaidqGVGEeXF8hOS6196fxlrp-hYvzJD_n-OidLAyrCsIL70oWE/s320/blog+shop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Baby carrots: $.49</div>
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Chocolate chips: $1.79</div>
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Tortillas: $.99</div>
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Turkey ham lunch meat: $2.79</div>
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Ground turkey: $1.49</div>
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Black beans: $.59 each</div>
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Rotel: $.59</div>
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Canned corn: $.39</div>
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Rotini pasta: $.99</div>
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Total with tax: $12.56</div>
<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-58482161292572029242012-05-16T13:59:00.000-05:002012-05-16T13:59:16.680-05:00Mommy warsWith the recent Time magazine cover, there has been a wildfire of mommy wars being started. For those of you not familiar with this term, it is when a hot issue is presented on social networking, message boards, blogs, etc that gets mothers pitted against each other, being critical of the choices of other moms and trying to make sure everyone knows that their way is the right way.<div>
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I am sure this little intro doesn't leave you wondering how I feel about these. So it might strike you as odd that I am going to try to start one, right here, right now. </div>
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You ready? It's going to be good.</div>
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I am going to try to start a mommy war against...</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">MOMMY WARS!!!</span></div>
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That's right! I think that, as mothers, we all need to gang up on this awful thing called mommy wars. I don't know about you guys, but I am SICK of them. I often like to read books set a few hundred years ago, or books about cultures that are more secluded from the media world (in other countries, Amish communities) and when I read these books, I find myself jealous that the mothers work together, not against each other, to raise their children. I so wish that we lived in a world where we could respect each others differences as mothers rather than try to critique each other. As women and mothers, don't we owe it to each other to be their to support one another, not judge?</div>
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Now, I am not telling you to turn the other way when your friend who is a mother is doing something they may not know is dangerous. But, there is a big difference between politely cluing a friend in on new car seat guidelines, as opposed to bashing them for being so uninformed about their child's safety. It is one thing to fill your mommy pal in on how much you enjoyed breastfeeding and offering to be there for support through their struggles, it is another thing to beat them down on their choice to formula feed and make them feel guilty for doing what they feel is best (especially when they have reached a point where they can't go back on this decision). </div>
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There are TON of different parenting styles. And, you know what, THAT IS GOOD! Although I feel that research, my maternal instincts, and my teachings from mothers in my life have lead me to my parenting style make my parenting style the "right" way, that doesn't make it the right way for every mom. Some moms need more space, and THAT IS OKAY. Some parents find that they parent best and their child fares best when they are more hands on. MORE POWER TO YOU! Some mothers find that they serve their families best as a stay at home mom, and others find that having a job outside the home allows them to give themselves more fully to their children when they are with them and contribute financially to the family. Why does one have to be a "right" answer????? </div>
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It is time that we stop obsessing over the "right" way to parent and realize that the best way that we can help our children and the children of our friends grow the best is to stop attacking every little thing other moms do and start showing some support. You don't have to agree with every little decision that your friends make as parents- they probably don't agree with all of yours! As long as their children are healthy, are having their needs met, and feel loved, they do not need every little decision they make being critiqued! </div>
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It is time that us mommies make a stand against these mommy wars going on and learn that running another mother down for her choices will do nothing but bum her out and take her focus away from doing what is best for her children. But offering gentle guidance when needed and giving encouragement and support when she needs it will go a long way!</div>
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Okay... stepping off the soapbox now... :)</div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-32820150967952116142012-05-15T22:42:00.000-05:002012-05-15T22:42:00.708-05:00Shopping trips for last weekOkay, I am (yet again) a tad late getting these up. My goal is to get them up over the weekend before the sales end so that you have the opportunity to take advantage of the deals I find. Hopefully I will start getting better now that Jameson is starting to feel better and my life starts to get back to normal!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWp-cWcX9tZLrnL5-p2lq4hp3NxNwL1Z9YSvuV6UrSt11oKWVf3S-p_QA-PEuRSqaPCw6szqmJOEToaZ6L4rmGMblwApeLwRphlNNbEZYtUe2JDpdvuUB2NQjC0qZgMQgYu0gwi3KEsma/s1600/blog+shop+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWp-cWcX9tZLrnL5-p2lq4hp3NxNwL1Z9YSvuV6UrSt11oKWVf3S-p_QA-PEuRSqaPCw6szqmJOEToaZ6L4rmGMblwApeLwRphlNNbEZYtUe2JDpdvuUB2NQjC0qZgMQgYu0gwi3KEsma/s320/blog+shop+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Merona shirt: On sale for $6, had a <a href="http://coupons.target.com/#?lnk=GlobalPromise|&intc=263580|null" target="_blank">$3/1 coupon</a>= $3</div>
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2 Banana boat sunscreens: $.97 each, had two <a href="http://coupons.target.com/#?lnk=GlobalPromise|&intc=263580|null" target="_blank">$1/1 Banana boat items coupons</a>= FREE!!!</div>
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1 Coppertone sunscreen: $.97, had a <a href="http://coupons.target.com/#?lnk=GlobalPromise|&intc=263580|null" target="_blank">$1/1 Coppertone coupon</a>= FREE!!!</div>
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Used Target debit card to get 5% off</div>
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Total with tax: $3.03</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Hyvee</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDKlK4So27VbhKauYhkBX605PxByaXwFyOvA7FMdSxGlPXah9q-56I5IKN1GlXajf4PAgITDtYEYLXoMzdTpsK4JuNuCJZGIzEk0hx535-07vYNs-zZ4ZeAkV0e6Qg77-XGoUm1hfsvlB/s1600/blog+shop+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDKlK4So27VbhKauYhkBX605PxByaXwFyOvA7FMdSxGlPXah9q-56I5IKN1GlXajf4PAgITDtYEYLXoMzdTpsK4JuNuCJZGIzEk0hx535-07vYNs-zZ4ZeAkV0e6Qg77-XGoUm1hfsvlB/s320/blog+shop+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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1 bag baby carrots: $.77</div>
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6 bags vegetables: $.69 each</div>
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2 Jars Jif peanut butter: $1.77 each, had 2 $.55 coupons (no longer available)= $1.22 each</div>
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Total with tax: $8.11</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Dillons</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQckhR1qjWciWfdC9RxmMz7_taa93iWUOmnvAYdm-eMOSNUQN-qohDoFg9gKW6lk0oPtrTFUle7hYe2cWYD5PtgOqQQuwZ26iNZqQP4J8nEhZrZGbYrroujc-xLa1ImtFHG3KIZbHYrqX/s1600/blog+shop+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQckhR1qjWciWfdC9RxmMz7_taa93iWUOmnvAYdm-eMOSNUQN-qohDoFg9gKW6lk0oPtrTFUle7hYe2cWYD5PtgOqQQuwZ26iNZqQP4J8nEhZrZGbYrroujc-xLa1ImtFHG3KIZbHYrqX/s320/blog+shop+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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10 blocks of cheese: On sale for $1.00 each (by far the best price I have seen since I started watching my grocery budget!)</div>
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Total with tax: $10.81</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Rays</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpiug9V12ENh5wmst5XjEfq2RUIjmYgibh06hfO0s3998lFZWaXB-9hsP78WH04uCcdr5ciKQcZKounvlJ5h2gqaB14IHSN9847unDf_Zlyv79KRbLjD2KGH6-BrW5voubhRU4lrN2pWk/s1600/blog+shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpiug9V12ENh5wmst5XjEfq2RUIjmYgibh06hfO0s3998lFZWaXB-9hsP78WH04uCcdr5ciKQcZKounvlJ5h2gqaB14IHSN9847unDf_Zlyv79KRbLjD2KGH6-BrW5voubhRU4lrN2pWk/s320/blog+shop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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4 Planters peanut butter: $1.98 each, had 2 $1/2 Planters Peanut Butter 04/29/2012 SS Insert (exp 05/27/2012)= $1.48 each</div>
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1 half gallon milk: $1.99 (I got this to make homemade yogurt. I will try to do a blog post about this soon now that I know I can actually do it!)</div>
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2 gallons skim milk: Marked down to $.99 each (I stuck these in the freezer to use for baking)</div>
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2 Kemps ice cream novelties: $2.98 each, had $1/2 coupon, $2.48 each (not an amazing deal, but I needed the ice cream sandwiches to make <a href="http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2010/11/ice-cream-sandwich-cake-potluck-sunday.html" target="_blank">this</a> for Mother's Day)</div>
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Total with tax: $16.29</div>
<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-2083153928581106902012-05-09T16:22:00.002-05:002012-05-09T16:22:48.855-05:00My little trooperOn Monday Jameson had his tonsils and adenoids taken out as well as got ear tubes. Beforehand I did all the prep I can (because that is what I do when I am anxious about something). I stocked up on ice cream, pudding, popsicles and yogurt. I also picked up a few books for Jameson at <a href="http://brandy-momonamission.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-little-britches-scores-this-sale.html" target="_blank">consignment sale</a> so he would have a special treat when we were waiting for his surgery since I knew he would be nervous.<br />
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The night before we decided it would be best to have Delaney stay with grandma so that we wouldn't have to stress about getting her somewhere early in the morning and could just focus on Jameson. We were really nervous about this whole thing because Jameson LOVES his grandma and loves spending the night there, so we were concerned that he would get mad that sissy was getting to stay there and he wasn't. Since he is really too old to just not notice that she wasn't there, we pretty much had to be honest with him. In order to get him excited instead of mad about it, we told him that when we got home we would have a super secret campout. That pretty much did the trick. When we got to Shaun's mom's house, Jameson ran in and told his aunt that "we are only dropping sissy off. We can't stay, we have to go to our super secret campout". I told him that he wasn't supposed to tell the secret, so when grandma got home he told her that he couldn't tell her what we were doing because it was a secret. Hilarious! Well, I guess I am letting the cat out of the bag, because I am not only telling you about our campout, I have pictures:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTZpxawzu8MlPsYQsqMsV8OdOPGS6LjNLxBxERVZv85XqAMH_cFnvrNRl7deVnpK__JCpGOqlL_JCceQfR66gDIU8CaomRqNrZe7qbV5jPqCAKJISLTNZkuie8fklF8t5vqzfCtXBrcJm/s1600/089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTZpxawzu8MlPsYQsqMsV8OdOPGS6LjNLxBxERVZv85XqAMH_cFnvrNRl7deVnpK__JCpGOqlL_JCceQfR66gDIU8CaomRqNrZe7qbV5jPqCAKJISLTNZkuie8fklF8t5vqzfCtXBrcJm/s320/089.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNaVyPmD0Q9gnDjReDJpcyChUhJyhWKYZmCEFl49pfjyQX4WaC9jdcVO4wrYP47_4h9XhfTLC5vvzwEJeuxB3SA_NeW4OStObyz4-JRxNmK1Od14cF6-058Ug6vya72zq0cpOnBDt5aTN/s1600/090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNaVyPmD0Q9gnDjReDJpcyChUhJyhWKYZmCEFl49pfjyQX4WaC9jdcVO4wrYP47_4h9XhfTLC5vvzwEJeuxB3SA_NeW4OStObyz4-JRxNmK1Od14cF6-058Ug6vya72zq0cpOnBDt5aTN/s320/090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The next morning we tried to keep things pretty calm so that he wouldn't be upset. Luckily he was in a pretty good mood (sometime soon, once we actually have it figured out, I will blog about our new routine that has caused a 180 degree mood change in our kids!) We told him that we were going to a special doctor that was going to help him sleep better. As always, he asked if he could bring a toy and I told him yes (if that kid only knew- I probably would have let him bring just about anything that morning!). He chose his Curious George stuffed animal and three of his Thomas trains (more specifically, Gordon, Edward, and James- his favorites). I put him in comfy clothes (he is all about the comfy pants right now) and headed into town. Shaun and I were careful to have our breakfasts eaten before we got him up since he couldn't eat anything. He actually didn't ask for anything until right before his surgery, so we really lucked out.<br />
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Once we got there and got all checked in, we were taken back to the pre-op room. He was a little anxious about going back, but the nurse was super nice and really eased his fears. I also told him that he got a surprise when he got back there (the Thomas books) so that helped. Once we got back they weighed him in (while holding Curious George that he didn't want to put down) and listened to his heart, etc. He was visibly unsure but doing pretty well. No matter how much coaxing he did he had no interest in wearing the gown (gotta admit- little disappointed since I think that would have been super cute) so he did his surgery in just his comfy pants. When the scrub nurse came to take him back and said we couldn't go with him I was certain we were in for the meltdown I had been waiting on. He was very resistant until he was informed that there was a button he got to push (being the button going back to the operating room) and he was won over. He walked hand in hand with the nurse down the long hall. I peeked out just in time to see him jump up to hit the button. I really wish I would have gotten a picture- he just looked so big and little all at the same time walking through that big door to the OR carrying Curious George.<br />
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During his surgery we went back to the waiting room with my mom. I was really nervous, but, luckily, my mom and I just sat and talked the whole time and really kept my mind off of it.<br />
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When they came to get us to talk to us about the surgery they sat us in a little room (which they do with every patient due to HIPAA laws). We had to wait about three LONG minutes for the surgeon. I have no idea why, but I had a horrible feeling while we were waiting. His surgery was only about 45 minutes when they told us it would last an hour, so I was really freaking out that something had gone wrong. When his surgeon walked in I braced myself, only for him to tell us that everything went great (sigh of relief). He gave us brief instructions and then sent us back to wait with my mom until Jameson was awake enough to see.<br />
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Then came the heartbreaking part. When I turned the corner to the recovery area, I could instantly hear my baby crying. Ugh! I wanted to rip him out of the nurses arms the minute I got there. He sat on my lap for awhile before we had to start trying the fluids. If your kiddo ever has to have their tonsils out, let me let you in on something- this is the WORST part. He was absolutely resistant to the fluids. After trying a million different methods and fluids, we eventually had to resort to squirting it with a syringe into his mouth. The whole time he would scream that he just wanted a hug (his way to get his face hidden in my shoulder- and to break my heart!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPzYr31PPrLlM2SiHtiPNtE5FJyau3qmit_R2lMQoCsBQ_q6LH9YYJfA1xaCBju9oFqdRrIMebuid6JSajQOxkA14xKh5cMY9wqvM2qOsFYRpZaqVWUiTWHo0hGUmr3qTIc9swmOCSo64/s1600/582236_10100554999892731_17009487_47738939_616904828_n+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPzYr31PPrLlM2SiHtiPNtE5FJyau3qmit_R2lMQoCsBQ_q6LH9YYJfA1xaCBju9oFqdRrIMebuid6JSajQOxkA14xKh5cMY9wqvM2qOsFYRpZaqVWUiTWHo0hGUmr3qTIc9swmOCSo64/s320/582236_10100554999892731_17009487_47738939_616904828_n+(2).jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snuggles with daddy after surgery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Eventually we got all the fluids in him and got to go home. As soon as the IV was out he really perked up and started talking about wanting to play. The entire afternoon with him was a battle to get him to drink fluids, but we eventually learned a trick that involved, "you get this once you take a sip" which seemed to do the trick. "This" being another game on the iPad, a game with grandma, whatever it took! After he started getting some fluids and eating some applesauce he was feeling a ton better.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pcj2AXhc_rDuGRCUr8UfpjYBz-h5ryU0laNEp3BW13AEkwyl88zKOoRkQaXAnyhiHJbSV2g70ez6ko11KCaCjC-PZpooZjNN-UVH4O8SqOGjInXAlnIKy8Z15xWZbOUOA8eWysLmhVP-/s1600/149479_10100555996814891_17009487_47745423_744867759_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pcj2AXhc_rDuGRCUr8UfpjYBz-h5ryU0laNEp3BW13AEkwyl88zKOoRkQaXAnyhiHJbSV2g70ez6ko11KCaCjC-PZpooZjNN-UVH4O8SqOGjInXAlnIKy8Z15xWZbOUOA8eWysLmhVP-/s320/149479_10100555996814891_17009487_47745423_744867759_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Much better!</td></tr>
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Since then it has kind of been a roller coaster, but at least a controllable one! He isn't really eating much so far, but the fluids have gotten much easier. He is ridiculously resistant to the pain meds, but we are starting to get that figured out somewhat. I am definitely ready for him to be feeling better!<br />
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I do have to say, as awful as this whole thing has been, something wonderful/strange has already come out of it. When I was going to bed last night, I discovered that when I walk by his and Delaney's rooms I always listen for their breathing. I don't think I ever really noticed that I did it before. The reason that I noticed it this time is because I couldn't hear his! Ever since he was a baby I could hear him breathing, and the past 8 months or so I could hear his freight train snoring. I had to actually step into his room to hear his breathing. Now, he is still snoring a bit right now due to the swelling and mucus in his throat, but it is so much calmer and quieter! It is wonderful to not be hearing constant gasping for air in the middle of a peaceful sleep! (And the fact that I can hear his sister's makes me nervous that we may be repeating this in a few years with her. Ugh!)<br />
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Thanks for sticking through this super long post (geez I do that a lot!)! Keep sending up prayers for his recovery, and if you could throw a prayer in there for him to realize that it is medicine and not cyanide, that would be swell...Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8409856473949679852.post-41439902058265697182012-05-08T21:55:00.000-05:002012-05-08T21:55:19.767-05:00Shopping trips this weekSorry I a little late getting this posted. With Jameson's surgery Monday it has thrown my whole week off!<br />
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I had to do a ton of shopping to limit any shopping this week, plus I needed to stock up on stuff for after his surgery. Because there is so much, I am just going to highlight the good deals. Sorry (lazy)!!!<br />
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<span style="color: purple;">Dillons #1</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMz7cu7-UBqu899orx8HIzvG45DUbjR93ngvD7KVj7TDhRP2gLROfr6Qwy_h6FBQMPo6zVRIKRWHhEaH5n8z9ewTA1rknvgLZGiQklbBIctSYJqhVq2UeTz7n8ZASKD54k6PkuwGOb62mf/s1600/046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMz7cu7-UBqu899orx8HIzvG45DUbjR93ngvD7KVj7TDhRP2gLROfr6Qwy_h6FBQMPo6zVRIKRWHhEaH5n8z9ewTA1rknvgLZGiQklbBIctSYJqhVq2UeTz7n8ZASKD54k6PkuwGOb62mf/s320/046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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3 lbs chicken breast: $5.69, has a $1.25/1 coupon sent by the store= $4.44</div>
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Brussels sprouts: $1.00, had a free item coupon sent by the store= FREE!!!</div>
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Two canisters of oatmeal: $2.99 each, had $.50/2 coupon sent by the store= $2.74 each</div>
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Edy's snack size ice cream: $1.25, had a free item coupon that printed at my last visit= FREE!!!</div>
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International delight coffee cream: $3.69, had a free item coupon sent by the company= FREE!!!</div>
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3 Voskos yogurt: $1.50 each, had 3 free item coupons sent by the company= FREE!!!</div>
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Ice cream: $2.99, had a $.40/1 coupon sent by the store= $2.59</div>
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4 Pampers wipes: $1.99 each, had 4 <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://lm.logicalmedia.com/z/12918/CD2973/%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E$0.75/1%20Pampers%20Wipes,%2060%20ct+%20%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">$.75/1 coupons</a> doubled to $1.00= $.99 each</div>
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2 blocks of cheese: $1.88 each, had a $.50/2 coupon sent by the store= $1.63 each</div>
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1 Yoplait greek yogurt: $.99, had a free item coupon that printed at a previous visit= FREE!!!</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Dillons trip #2</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMkbHk2-h5BEW1ZnU3Dhj4TWvuE1-PZ23DV_YR70MYfP6oBCXSJAT7MjZ7NMs55of2P6clerCB6up0WUfW6L_MV0hYze2gD3_PBpu6yXLE8abI_aT3N6rk0xRAV40cR1Q3As18Eg9anap/s1600/0501121226+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMkbHk2-h5BEW1ZnU3Dhj4TWvuE1-PZ23DV_YR70MYfP6oBCXSJAT7MjZ7NMs55of2P6clerCB6up0WUfW6L_MV0hYze2gD3_PBpu6yXLE8abI_aT3N6rk0xRAV40cR1Q3As18Eg9anap/s320/0501121226+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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10 half gallons milk: On sale for $1.00 each</div>
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Hamburger and hot dog buns: $.49 each</div>
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2 Reach floss: $1.00 each, had 2 $1.00/1 coupons (no longer available)= FREE!!!</div>
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3 Voskos yogurts: $1.50 each, had 3 free item coupons from the company= FREE!!!</div>
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2 Yoplait greek yogurts: Marked down to $.75 each, had a $.50/2 coupon doubled to $1.00= $.25 each</div>
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2 Suave body washes: $1.99 each, had 2 $.50/1 coupons (no longer available) doubled to $1.00= $.99 each</div>
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Bag of rice: $.99 each, had a $.40 coupon sent by the store= $.59 each</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Rays</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg480A326RIXH-0nWnxllS4jFqdKNd4H2LUaMKWFMunLUomUwxawdF01Z1b7pOPLvcZCNJNEnkO2WG2HnToThTYc7EcKiKbmwIuIfyqMhaSLz_njeYnBGoksIRZd36mIZYH4YrWcFowONMc/s1600/0501121232+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg480A326RIXH-0nWnxllS4jFqdKNd4H2LUaMKWFMunLUomUwxawdF01Z1b7pOPLvcZCNJNEnkO2WG2HnToThTYc7EcKiKbmwIuIfyqMhaSLz_njeYnBGoksIRZd36mIZYH4YrWcFowONMc/s320/0501121232+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bananas: $.29/lb</div>
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Roast: $1.48/lb</div>
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2 Jolly time popcorns: $1.50 each, had two $.50/1 coupons doubled to $1.00 (expired)= $.50 each</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Aldi</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEw7GYCsEpPRqPjs2peaGEW2_CU5BEURP2PrA6rfsBLKeZCOGHyWVh9tIpKYfUYjQaG9aeWyUVC_LfG_x3vdWlAIiw7D501Y5qM7L2PdJFteuRh93VQkgwy8DY8FLZZRoyEWia8igEMO9m/s1600/0501121237+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEw7GYCsEpPRqPjs2peaGEW2_CU5BEURP2PrA6rfsBLKeZCOGHyWVh9tIpKYfUYjQaG9aeWyUVC_LfG_x3vdWlAIiw7D501Y5qM7L2PdJFteuRh93VQkgwy8DY8FLZZRoyEWia8igEMO9m/s320/0501121237+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Strawberries: $.99 each</div>
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Pineapple: $1.49</div>
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Oranges: $.49/lb</div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09321485235628461572noreply@blogger.com0