'Tis the Season

To figure out what to do for our Christmas cards this year!!
YIKES!!!

I am on loving these:

Classic yet different. I really like this one!

I'm leaning toward this one since I have an idea up my sleeves for the 3 picture spots! =)

Simple and I love the blue. Not your typical red or green. Fun!

Pretty sure it would be a good idea to put pictures of my own family though, no?! =)

They are, of course, from Shutterfly. 

I am madly in love with all of their Christmas Cards!!

LOOOVE Shutterfly!
They are quick, good quality and super cute to boot! =)

I am swooning over the Holiday Cards too! 

Check this one out. 

So simple, so beautiful! Love it!

I am also thinking about ordering a new Calendar like these. 

The hubs got me one a few years ago and I LOOOVED it!! 

Must get another one! 

It is so fun to turn to a new month to see what picture is there! 

They're really good prices and they have a bunch of layout options!

Shutterfly is offering 50 free Photo Cards to bloggers!!! YAY!!!

So if you have a blog check it out!

Merry Shutterfly Christmas!! =)
{and get to blogging soon so you too can get your free cards by Christmas time...
which is the 25th in case you didn't know. You're welcome! ;)}

This I love...

Busy Bugs!!

This has been such a great toy/learning tool! 

(don't you love when you can combine those two?!)

We got it for the boys this past Christmas and I really didn't think we'd get as much use out of it as we already have!

Caleb has gotten tons of use out of this.

He is learning patterns and counting and it's also a great activity to keep him busy (& relatively quiet!) while Sammy and I work on other things.

With Sammy we use them for addition and subtraction.

So absolutely worth the $ spent!

Love!Love!Love!

So thankful...

...for those who serve to protect us

...for those who sacrificed so much

...for our country

Ode to a great summer!

Ummm....how is it almost September?!?!

What I will miss about summer...
+ Sipping Lemonade on a lazy afternoon
+ Sending the boys outside to eat a popsicle (and so I have 2.5 minutes of quiet!) =)
+  Mostly unscheduled days of doing whatever we want!
+ Day trips to the shore
+ Soaking wet, happy boys playing outside (again for a little quiet. this seems to be a theme!)
+ Riding bikes and taking walks around the lake to explore

What I will not miss about summer...
+ Not washing tons of small socks!
+ Stinky sandles!
+ Humidity!!!!!

As much as I can't believe summer is almost over and I don't want it to leave I am excited about fall and all of the new things that are in store for us!
I also can.not.wait to decorate the house!!!! I luuuuurve fall decorations!!! =)

What I've learned the last few days...

+ A perfect summer day with fun and friends was very much needed and very much enjoyed!

+ When having said fun day remember to apply sunscreen 

to yourself and not just your kids! Ouch!

+ A chocolate milkshake will always be a perfect way to end a perfect day!

And on a slightly different note:

+ I <3 Powerwashing

+ It is the new bungie jumping for thrills! Don't believe me? Try it!

+ Someone must, please, tell my husband that I want a powerwasher for my birthday!

+ When Powerwashing, screw on your thinking cap first and do not wear your new*ish capris or white flip flops. I might possibly be speaking from experience. Maybe.

+ In addition, when powerwashing after a day of no sunscreen, 

do wear a turtleneck and sweatpants. 

The heat will be much easier to endure than will 

the sun glaring down on your already cooked skin.

+ Did I say I <3 Powerwashing?

If I had a couple hundred dollars....

...I would march (or possibly drive) right over the bridge to Ikea and buy this:

Hemnes sofa table

$150! Sure, it's Ikea, but it's a cute sofa table!! =)

And then this from Craigslist:

*painted white with new black or oil rubbed bronze handle I would totally marry this beauty!*

$50! 

**Swoon**

After which I would *RUN* right over to Home Goods 

and spend the rest on baskets, accessories 

and plenty of other things for the house.

(which, no doubt, would include a new apothecary jar!) =)

I could do some serious damage at that store...you know, if I actually had money to! ;)

I'm tryin'!

I'm trying to instill the love of coupons/sales/rebates in my boys.

I'm pretty sure Sammy is catching it.

Caleb...not so much!

We went to Shop Rite tonight and did the most amazing deal!

We bought:

3 Blue Bunny popsicle boxes which were 1/2 off for $1.49 each.

We used (3) $1 off coupons

So we paid $1.47 for all 3 boxes.

It gets better! =)

I'm submitting my receipt for a $15 rebate!!!

WHAT?!?!?!?!

That's insane!!!

So, as we were leaving the store I was explaining the deal to Sammy and his eyes lit up and he said "wow! that's cool! they're paying us and we get to eat all of their popsicles!" 

My heart soared! 

He gets it! =)

Caleb immediately said "hey, mommy! guess what? Pffftttt!" 

(making that tongue noise - whatever you call it!)

Oh dear! Where have I gone wrong with this one?! =P

In my defense....he his soooo his father's son! He adores his daddy and daddy is always doing that! Silly boys! =)

Back in the Saddle Again!

It's been a while since I've done a good drugstore deal. 

I tried last week.

Went to 3 CVS's.

Total failure!

I would like to suggest that it was a failure for CVS 

since they never can seem to keep their 

stinkin' shelves stocked! grr! =P

Anyway, I went tonight to get in on the deal 

before it ends today and this is what I got.

{Stock pics since I'm too lazy busy ;) to take and 

upload my own picture! =)}

$16.94

-$5 in Pantene coupons! sweet!

-$4 Gillette coupon

I spent $7.94 OOP

Got $7 ECB's

Total = 94cents!

Woohoo! =)

I think that's a perfect way to 

fall back in love with CVS! =)

I am...

...married to an amazing man.

Is he perfect? No.

Do I expect him to be? Sometimes, but that's my failure, not his.

He...

+ supports me 

{even when he probably shouldn't since I choose some wacky things to do sometimes!=)}

+ is so much fun to be with!

+ is the *incredible* father of our 2 beautiful, amazing little boys

+ plays with them and teaches them what it means to be a loving husband and father

+ works (harder than anyone I've ever known) so I can stay home with our boys

      {something that I am eternally grateful for!!!!!}

+ is faithful even when things, people and circumstances seem impossible to handle!

+ is the man that I will follow no matter what, no matter where and no matter how until the    

   day I go to be with the Lord!

+ means the absolute world to me!

It's a beautiful day!

So, Thursdays are *almost* always my favorite mail day.

I love getting the sale papers...

Add in some free samples,

a $5 Rite Aid gift card,

and a ShopAtHome check for $20.47

and I am pleased as punch!

(where did that saying come from?!)

***Why, yes. Those are our brand new floors! Glory! Halelujah! Praise the Lord!***

Someone please....

....stop the clocks!!!!

I cannot believe Caleb is 3 today!

You know how people always tell you when you have a baby how fast time will go and you say "yeah, i'm sure it will" or something similar and don't really believe it?

Time seriously goes really fast!

I'm just sayin'.

I have no idea how he's 3 already!

I remember being preggo with him like it was last week.

I tear up when I think about waking up (or getting up since there wasn't much sleeping going on!) on May 1, 2007 and taking a picture in our living room of our little family of three which would be 4 in just a few short hours. (hello, extremely preggo, exhausted, thrilled picture!)

Caleb, you are such an amazing little boy!

We love you so so much!

You make us laugh constantly!

Our favorite is your silly face that you make anytime you want to see us smile! =)

You are very active.

You want to be outside 24/7.

Yet you still cuddle too which Mommy LOVES!!!

We just love the little boy that you are becoming and we can't wait to see what the Lord has for your life!

We couldn't be more thankful that He chose to put you in our family!

We love you, sweet boy! =)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

5!!!!

Such a bittersweet day!

Today is Sammy's 5th Birthday!

Bitter because I kind of miss those crazy days when he was little and I had no idea what I was doing! ;)

Sweet because I'm so proud of the boy he's becoming and can't wait to see what God has for his and our future! =)

Samuel,
I am so incredible blessed to be your Mommy! I thank God everyday for placing you in our family! You made me a mommy and I am so very thankful! You're sweet and caring, smart and funny, silly and crazy! =) We have a ridiculous amount of nicknames for you and you love each one which makes me smile! =)
We love you more than words can say and we can't imagine how we lived 26 years before meeting you!
You entered this world with style! "Thanks" ;) for making me a complete spectacle at the hospital when everyone wanted to come in and see the "woman with the 11 pound baby"!! You were enormously perfect! =)
That spring day 5 years ago we welcomed you into our family and just a few weeks ago
 God welcomed you into His and we couldn't be more excited!! =)
Our deepest desire and heart's prayer is that you grow to have an insatiable thirst for knowing God, to love Him with an extraordinary passion and to serve Him with your whole heart and life. We can't wait to see what God has in store for you!
We love you, Samboni, Sam Barone, Rony, Ronarooni, Jamesers, Sambo, Mac&Cheese... (you get the idea!)

(I'll put up pictures of his actual cake and little party we had soon)

Ode to Bargains!

This is so crazy fun!

I went to Shop Rite last night and saved an obscene amount of money (in my opinion).

I spent $44.56 and saved $64.66!!! Plus I got $8 catalinas for my next shopping trip and 2 free reusable shopping bags! 

So I walked out of there with $101.61 worth of stuff for just $36.56!!! 

How insane is that?!

So, tomorrow I plan on attacking huge RiteAid deals.

Here's what I'm gonna try. I'm still very new to the Drugstore deals and unsure of how it all works so I'll let you know how it goes down!

{Plus I'll have both boys with me so....please pray for me! ha! =)}

Transaction #1

Gillette Bodywash/Deodorant 2/$8 plus $2 SCR

2 Gillette Deodorants $8

2 Gillette Body Wash $9.98

- $5 off $25 coupon

- $4 off 2 Body Wash/Deodorant coupon

- $1 off BW/D coupon

- $2 off BW coupon

- $9.98 using (2) BOGO coupons

final = $6 Money Maker! woohoo! (hope this works!) =)

Almay BOGO plus $5 Single Check Rebate (SCR) when you buy 2

2 Mascara $5.99 (BOGO)

- $2 using (2) $1 coupons

= $3.99, plus get $5 SCR

final = $1 Money Maker! =)

Transaction #2

Biore Skin Care 3/$15 plus $5 SCR

2 Pore Strips $10

2 Cleansers $10

- $5 off $20 coupon

- $1 off coupon

- $10 using (2) FREE Cleansers when you buy Pore Strips coupons

= $4, plus get $5 SCR

final = $1 Money Maker! =)

Transaction #3

John Freida Products 3/$15 plus $5 SCR

3 John Freida products $15

- $5 off $20 coupon

- $9 using (3) $3 off coupons

- $1 Rite Aid Video Value coupon (I have 2 of these, but not sure if I can use both?)

= $2 plus $5 SCR

final = $4 Money Maker! =)

CoverGirl Products BOGO

2 CoverGirl products (approx. $7)

BOGO coupon to get both FREE!! =)

ReNu Travel Size Eye Solution 99cents

2 ReNu Travel Size $1.98

- $1.98 using (2) $1 off coupons

TOTAL for all 3 Transactions = $12 MONEY MAKER!!!

Squeeeealing!!!! =)

My hubby is away and I have an insane migraine, but I am super happy! So much so that I think I was caught squealing a few minutes ago! =)

Don't get me wrong, the boys were unnecessarily grumpy and whiney today and I know it's by God's grace that we all survived the day! =)

But I had been meaning to get to Acme all week and when I saw this post by Michelle (you are stinking amazing and my new hero!!) I put together a new list with new coupons and headed out with the grumpies boys.

We scored some SWEET deals and I had to drop something off at my parents' house after so I dropped the grumpies boys off to enjoy some ice cream and I headed back to Acme to get some more loot! =)

So, I'm not as good as Michelle (or Robyn, or Ashley, or Stephanie, or...) and I think I could have done even better with coupons, but I still think this was pretty awesome!

This is everything that I got in the 2 trips:

That is 4 boxes of Wheaties Fuel cereal, 4 boxes of Supreme Brownies, 8 boxes of Fruit Snacks, 2 packs of Mashed Potatoes, 2 Frostings, 1 Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, 1 Edy's Ice Cream ($1!!), 1 box of Kashi Crackers (FREE!!) and 2 Warm Delights (they are going to be so *delightful* during my husbandless week!!)

I spent a total of $10.01 out of pocket and got an additional $9.50 for my next shopping trip! So that ends up to be 51 cents! 

It could have been even better had my dear son (ahem, Caleb!) not lost one $2.50 catalina somewhere between the store and the car!

I also got a free Mom's bible in the mail today and a free sample of Kashi cereal (that's where I got the coupon for the free crackers at Acme) AND my parent's are going to take the boys for a sleepover tomorrow night! YAY!!!!!! (Grammy and Pop-Pop, you are the best and I owe you big time!!!!)

I'm going to go celebrate with a movie and some coffee ice cream (that was a splurge that I didn't include in the photo!) =)