Couponing

So, as some of you know...I've really gotten into couponing lately. Thanks to my friends Gayle and Aliza!!! Marty thinks I'm a little nuts and seriously probably thinks I go overboard, but I honestly feel really good when I get great bargains...even if I won't be using these products in the near future. I chalk it up to "expanding our food storage." This is my newest purchase.

I got all of this for $8.64. That comes out to be just a little over a dollar for each one of these products. I did have to do quite a bit of research and clipping coupons, but I feel rewarded! Because I'm fortuante to stay at home with my little ones, I feel like this is a small contribution to our household. Ok...that's a bit corny, but I really do feel that way. For those of you who are interested, I use the site www.the krazycouponlady.com to check out where the best deals are. I am hooked, and I am even using Marty's computer at work to help print off those extra coupons that I want. :)

Martin's Birthday

Martin is 1 year old. That makes me so sad. Where did this past year go??? Saturday we had a small birthday party for him. We had my parents, Marty's parents, my brother, and some friends come to celebrate with us.

Martin's zoo cake. Thanks Fred Meyer. They did a great job!

Martin getting ready for his party. He looks excited, huh.

Cailee, Elizabeth, and Chloe at the water table.

The water table was a such a great idea! It was hard to think about what to do for a 1 year olds party and this was a hit, with the older kids too!

Martin getting messy is his cake. He didn't really like it.

We had a great time. There would be more pictures, but I'm used to grandma and grandpa taking those for us and just sending us a CD with all of them on there.

It seems as if life has been kind of crazy lately. I thought for sure with the holidays behind us that we could take it slow for a while. I guess that with kids, it doesn't really ever happen. About a week ago, Martin took his first steps. Marty and I were guessing that he'd be walking in his 10th month; we were wrong. Even though I'm so happy that he's getting to that point, I'm also sad.

Elizabeth is doing so well with potty-training. I would say now that she is 90% there. We are now working on night training, so we are limiting her fluid intake. It's been a bit of a battle at night, because she is used to a water cup and now we have taken that away. It has been really nice only having one child in diapers. She is getting more comfortable going potty by herself too. That is a big step for her.

We are headed once more to Phoenix this coming weekend. It will just be the kids and myself. I'm a bit nervous about the plane ride. I hope that the kids will be well behaved. Since we do fly alot, I'm hoping all will be well. We are only going to be there for a couple of days, but I'm really looking forward to seeing my friend Melissa. It has been forever since I've seen her and I can't wait to see her new little baby.

Martin's birthday is also right around the corner. We decided this year to just do a family thing for his birthday, so my parents and Marty's parents will be coming in for that. I'm sad that my little boy will be turning 1. It is true that time flys by. I sure wish it would slow down.

So frustrating, yet soooo funny

Each Sunday I pride myself on bring able to get the kids ready for church. With Elizabeth it's a little more work since I have to put tights on, get a dress on her, and get her to sit still long enough for me to do her hair. I get all this accomplished! She has a beautiful clip in her hair and it's pulled back. While getting Martin ready, I turn around and find this. She found a hat that I bought for Martin and put it on. She's sitting in her chair watching T.V. She is happy and content, and I have to redo her hair. It was really one of the funniest things that's happened. Marty's laughing....I'm laughing, and she hanging out.


She is now attached to this hat. She's been wearing it ever since...well...not to church, but loves this hat and wants to wear it all the time. What a silly little girl!

Martin's 1st haircut

My friend Gayle was awesome to give Martin his first haircut. In all honesty, I tried taking scissors to his hair the night before and it turned out horrible! Poor kid has a mom that doesn't know how to cut hair. Thankfully, I have a wonderful friend who helped me out. She did a fabulous job.



Yes, she used the clippers

Thank you Gayle! It looks awesome! Since I saw her do it, it doesn't look that hard, but I really didn't know what I was doing!

The box is more fun

Elizabeth and Martin LOVE the box. I have always heard that the box is more fun than the toy and it is very true with our little ones. We caved and bought a new car seat for Martin, he was outgrowing the infant one. For four days now we have had this box in our living room, because the kids love it. Elizabeth asks Martin to play by saying, "Martin down on the floor." It is so cute. They enjoy playing with each other and can spend an hour crawling through this box chasing one another. Martin just adores Elizabeth, and Elizabeth loves it when Martin listens to what she says. It's too cute.

Happy New Year

We spent a bunch of time taking down our Christmas decorations as well taking apart the baby accessories. It was a little sad to me to put that stuff away. Now that Martin is crawling around, he doesn't want to sit in the swing or be in the exersaucer or jump in the jumperoo....whatever that thing is. So, we said farewell and I sent Marty to put it all up in the attic. We won't be seeing any of those things for a while. However, with all of that gone, it really opened up our living room and we were able to bring Marty's chair out from Martin's room. I've been in the organizing mood, bought some spacebags (I really like them) and compiled Elizabeth's 18 mon. clothes to put them away. I was feeling ambitious and put Martin's 6 mon. and 9 mon. clothes away as well.
YEA! I can stand! only if mom helps though.