$$$

Oh the internet.... In an effort to be a better wife/ mother, I am attempting to be "frugal"...
We will see how this works out...

Anyway; yada, yada, yada I spent 6 hours today looking up every feasible website invented to make my life easier/ save me money. A lot of them were just crap. A lot of them were too hard to navigate. Most did not actually offer any helpful coupons, and the ones designed to offer money saving tips/ good mommy ideas- were just plain stupid. (I don't need step by step instructions on how to change a diaper/ or navigate a supermarket, thank you!!)
And, after all my valuable time, I did find a few amazing deals and fun stuff.
Now, because I care... I thought I would share the best sites.
ENJOY!!

I went to 41 coupon sites. Most wanted money from you, to help you save money??? hmmmm.... Um, NO!
Some wanted you to sign up for a bunch of crap, some had NO helpful coupons.
BUT...
coupons.com was by far my favorite. I was offered hundreds of printable coupons! It was easy to select the ones I wanted, hit print, and now grocery shopping this week should be cheaper!
smartsource.com was similar.

shoplocal.com allows you to see all the ads for your area (good if you don't get the Sunday paper) However, it's easy to get distracted on this site by uselessness...

thecouponclippers.com one of the nations largest online grocery coupon clipping services, has more than a million national-brand and restaurant coupons at any given time. You can order coupons and for a small fee of a few cents per coupon, have them mailed to you. (a $1 coupon for coca-cola for 20 cents, ect...)
I am mixed about this one, because some of the coupons were REALLY good. like $4 dollars off a pack of Mark's favorite razors, and lots of baby coupons. The site was also very user friendly. But this is one of those that make you pay....

Now for my favorite find of the day...
paperbackswap.com
LOVE IT! Join the club online. Easy and FREE. post the books you want to share, Then find a book you want, just click the "Order this book" button. The books you receive are free and yours to keep. When another member requests one of your books, you accept the request and pay the postage to mail the book; they return the favor when they mail a book to you. Print mailing labels right from the website. (Typically, the postage is $2.23 to send a book) Credits are the unit of exchange. When your book is received you get a credit, which you can then use to order another book for yourself.
This was fun and easy, and there are a ton of books. Website is similar to Amazon with book descriptions and reviews. So much fun to navigate and play on this site. What a great idea!

starfall.com I've talked about this one before. Fun and FREE! For kids. Helps them learn letters and learn to read. We've been using this site for years. Peyton knew his alaphabet at 2, because of this site.

I am not a saver, and I do not spend time thinking of ways to save money. I think of ways to spend it...
But, dang-it-all! Kids are expensive! Diapers, formula, baby food, preschool.... I had to do something!
So, I hope my sharing will help you!

P.S. It was near impossible for me to find formula/ baby food coupons! If anyone knows how to score Enfamil coupons- let me know!
I currently signed up for "Enfamil family beginings" under like- 4 names to get them to mail me some...
Is it just me, or do they send you tons of coupons when your baby is brand new and you are determined to breast feed for a year.... Then they expire, so you throw them away. Then (for me) reality hits, I decide I want my boobs back by around 9 months and go to bottles. BUT, by then the coupon train has run dry...
So, I re-signed up giving Ryker a new B-day.... (I may go to hell, but so are the formula makers for charging me more than a car payment every month to feed my kid!!!)

Happiness!

What is Happiness?? Some days it's a full nights sleep, a clean kitchen, a diet soda, or just finding a good parking spot at the grocery store...
This week it has been 4 straight days off work and perfect weather to play with the loves of my life!
It's no small secret, that I never imagined my life would play out like this... But these days, I wouldn't want to be anyone else. I'm not a sappy, gooey person, but, Hello! Could the boys in my life be more perfect for me?!? A husband who makes me smile daily, Kids that make me laugh daily, friends that I talk to daily, and finally.... loosing 10 pounds this month and fitting back into pre-preggers jeans will make you the happiest girl in the neighborhood!

Happiness is a day at the zoo with your friend Carson and the giant green slide your mother let you play on for almost an hour!

Happiness is being big enough to ride the carousel.
Happiness is time with mom/ time with the kids, seeing your favorite animals, having a picnic lunch, getting ice cream and then naps in the car!!

Happiness is Ryker learning to crawl and finally being able to get to those toys that were "just" out of reach!

Happiness is learning to stand by the couch so you can be tall like your big brother! Happiness is lowering the crib, and watching my boys grow up and being excited at every small milestone!

Happiness is a brother you adore, and having built in friends in your family!

Happiness for Peyton is fall preschool, and getting out of the house for 3 hours, twice a week! Happiness is mom finally getting a hot shower every day now! Happiness is the cute new fall clothes I get to buy for my boys! Happiness is Mark being back on day shift and having family dinners again.

Happiness for Ryker is his 2 new teeth and a biter biscuit. Getting all messy and then having a bath! Happiness for mom is finally having the 2 teeth come in, the 20 mins of quiet bliss the biter biscuit provides and getting all clean!
Happiness is that both of my boys sleep -12 straight uninterrupted hours at night, and they way they look perfect and innocent while sleeping.

Island Park

The yearly tradition continues... This year with 6 of the 7 grand kids-whew! Lots and lots of work, but worth it!
The first collage is Big Springs, and feeding the GIANT fish! Beautiful! Great weather too. Just like every year, we see moose, Peyton was thrilled to pose for a picture with her.

Yellowstone fun! Top left is the kids waiting for Old Faithful, and finally the eruption... Ta Da! Worth the wait kids??? I don't know... but we got ice cream after, so that was good! I should mention that Peyton and Hayley are inseparable, and even after the 5 hour car ride home today, still wanted to play together! When asked what their favorite part of the trip was?? Watching movies in the car on the drive up.... Yup, really! I should also mention, It was my birthday on Yellowstone day- I celebrated by giving Ryker a bath in a bucket in the kitchen sink! Quite redneck, Oh, but he loved it! And he got clean! Then as soon as we fell asleep in our sleeping bag together... he peed on me! Thanks for the Birthday present Ry! Just what I wanted!

This collage is the scenic hike at Yellowstone. 2 miles, with 6 kids under 3. Need I repeat that?? 2 miles-- with 6 kids under 3! Peyton learned to pee in the woods, again very redneck, but oh, he loved it! I learned I'm out of shape, Peyton also fell 3 times, and learned to "watch where you're going!!" Mark learned Ryker is heavy, and again, I learned that- yes- Peyton will pick his nose in what would have been a great photo of us overlooking Yellowstone Lake!

Just outside the cabin is Moose Creek, my favorite childhood spot! Did you know I have 4 brothers, and 2 sons of my own. My oldest brother has 3 sons, and my next brother has the ONLY girl, Hayley (I feel for her, I really do. But she holds her own- don't worry) and 1 (new) son. So we have A LOT of boys! I think that this trip will continue on forever and become everyone's favorite, just like my own.
Lots of trout, and this time of year spawning Salmon. Lots of frogs and fun! And, no one fell in this year- close- but no one fell in!


So that is it. There were a few tears (OK- a lot of tears- 6 kids under 3.) A few "Bachman breaks" taken by Mark :) . Some scraped knees, 1 sliver in a little hand, 1 box of cheese crackers ground into my back seat, 1 (32) ounce diet Dr pepper spilled (by me) on the middle seat. 1 sleeping bag full of pee. 6 headaches, 1 bottle of Motrin, 1 moose, 1 night terror (are you serious!! Now Peyton! It's 1 AM and there is a cabin FULL of people....) 1 plastic cup thrown into the river which Rob Jr. enthusiasticly waded/swam into 30 degree water to retrieve-(Bachman's don't litter people!) 6 little dirty smiling faces, and 6 exhuasted adults!

But, again, no one fell into the creek, no one fell into the fire. We all made it home alive (barely). And now I have 100 loads of dirty laundry!

Pictures "take 2"

Because I know you were all very concerned with the Target portrait debacle...
I will tell the story:
Portrait studio manager, store manager, district manager.... and finally,
The portrait manager set up a time to take my kids pictures herself (and even though, she called me, and set up the appointment; she still forgot! Am I really that unimportant?-- She did eventually show up, and did a very nice job -for over an hour.)
And here are the FREE pictures of my kiddo's:

And contrary to popular belief, I was VERY, nice throughout this whole "incident" and was gracious during the "re-takes." I just wasn't going to settle for 30% off, so I just kept going until I got to the top, and got what I wanted-

Notes on life

Note to the pregnant woman: who has PLANNED a natural childbirth... Go to Lamaze classes. Your labor nurse does not like to be clawed, grabbed, kicked, scratched and called dirty names. If my memory serves me right, I did not get you pregnant. I am also NOT the cause of all your pain. And at no time, did I force you to NOT have an epidural. The Anesthetist is right outside... trust me, he can make this go away...

Note to the Doctor: who says he is waiting on ME!!! Really, cause I don't think so... and quite honestly, I don't care. Your schedule means nothing to me, and I don't care if YOU get lunch.

Note to self: 1 glass of Diet Dr Pepper does not 3 meals make when you are working a 12 hour shift.

Note to crazy lady who has not had any pre-natal care, and refuses all treatment... Deliver at home, leave me alone.

Note to Doctor: I showered this morning thanks, but yes, that placenta does look good on my shoes.

Note to crazy family member/ mother: No I will not shove that boy back up there until it comes out a girl... that had nothing to do with me, and I don't think it will work anyway.

Messy boys, August birthday's, and forgiving Target... (sort of)

I have been known to make a mountain out of a molehill...

So, I really must apologize for the mean things I said about Target. Although they have not offered me any form of acceptable restitution; I am for the most part "over it"

On a positive note, almost everyone in my family has a birthday on or around August. So we got to have a little party to celebrate. And we got to see the newest August birthday boy -
Jackson.

Peyton eating cake:

Then to top it off, this is how Ryker decided to eat his dinner tonight...

I have peas all over my banister, floor, in my hair.... ugh! But I couldn't help but laugh, because Ryker thought is was so funny, and immediately began shoving fistfuls of peas into his mouth and licking the bowl!

Ahhh, clean baby!


So, of the many reasons I love Mark, (and there are soooo many--These days when he takes his shirt off, my stomach does "flip-flops".... mmmm We're loving Fit zone nation) I'm off topic here--back on track-
Of the many reasons, he buys me chocolate, flowers, and jewelery ALL THE TIME. Yup, I know, perfection!

Here is my latest birthday treat!



And even though Mark thinks I have too much jewelery, and I think he plays too many video games...
We just can't help ourselves, and this is what Mark got:

Happy Birthday to Us!

No way!

I made an appointment at Target portrait studio. I carefully planned this appointment to coincide with meal/ nap times. This morning I cut Peyton and Ryker's hair and nails (a process, believe me...) I washed the pre-picked outfits, I coordinated everyone to perfection. I drove to the studio, I wheeled and dealed with Peyton to smile and play nice, I was on the ground, in the air, I made funny faces, and noises.... I was tired and sweaty, but I thought -We got some cute pictures...

The absolute incompitant, horrible, dumb, idiotic photo girl.... didn't hook up the camera.

"Oh, it looks like none of the picrues took. I am so sorry. We can reschedule you for another day...."

And do this again?!?!?!?!?

Oh, words cannot express my anger!!! My time, my freaking time is soooooo valuable to me! All that work and effort....

Maybe I overreacted, but I decided that I would blog negative comments about Target portrait studio, and this horrible girl Jen.

And you know me, I let the manager, his manager, his manager, and corporate know how I felt.
(I know I said my time is valuable, but this was worth the extra 2 hours of "how are you going to make this up to me??"

Are you ready for their offer... 30% off.
Really?!?! 30% off! How sweet of you. do you know what 30% off of $3.99 portrait sheets is?? An incredible savings of.... $1

It's not the $$ people, it's the customer service.
How about my non- existent pictures and my time back?