Christmas In Pictures (& A Few Words)

Our Christmas 2008...

First Letter

Ready and Waiting

Slept in till 9:00

Spoiled

Unwrapping

Sweet Brother Helping

Thrilled!

First Christmas

Excited

So Excited

Lots of Paper. No Snow? Snowball Fight!

What a Day!

Nothing Better

Merry Christmas!

One More Day...

We have had so much fun this year with the advent calendar/tree Adam's grandparents made for us. Cameron has been so excited to put an ornament on every day. Here is how it went first thing this morning...

Adam: Cameron, look - there is only one ornament left. That means there is only one more day until Christmas. After we put one more ornament on the tree Santa will come to our house!

Cameron: REALLY!? Let's put on one more!!

Don't we all wish it worked that way! We can't wait! :)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

P.S. Thanks again Grandpa & Grandma for providing us with this wonderful family tradition!

Where ya been?

Just like everyone else, we have obviously had a very busy month! Blogging has unfortunately been the thing to let go - an especially big sorry to the Grandma's craving new pictures! So, here is a quick rundown of what we have been up to...

Adam:

• FINISHED his 3rd semester of optometry school! 
• Got awesome grades!
  
• After 3 weeks of finals his family barely remembered what he looked like - boy do we love Christmas Break!

Tiff:

• Survived the busiest week in history...2 preschool parties/christmas programs, 2 meetings with the missionaries (we are working with them to share the gospel with our fantastic neighbors), planning 1 ward party (7 hours of set-up! What a mess!), 1 Sacrament Meeting talk, 1 Young Women's lesson...and all while being a single mom! Wow am I glad that is over!!
• Passed my written drivers license exam - now onto the driving portion! Did you know that if you have an out-of-state license and you don't notice that it expired 8 months ago you have to take both tests?  Yuck!

Cameron:

• Is making this Christmas so much fun! He understands the whole thing, loves Santa, and is excited about everything!
• Is hoping Santa will bring him a robot. Santa got a little confused and thought he was talking about a Wall-E robot. Luckily Cameron set him straight, "No, thank you, I want a mean robot that makes noise and shoots!" Santa ran right out to fix that mistake! Looks like he might just be getting both! :)

Brooklyn:

• Is still just an absolute cutie - who has us all wrapped around her little finger.
• HATES Santa! Just wait till you see the picture.
• Is racing way too quickly toward 1 year old!!

Santa's Biggest Fan!

Not so much. She was all smiles the moment she got back in mom's arms! What a dramma queen!

I'm So Glad I'm Not a Turkey...

Cameron is ridiculously cute singing this song...

I'm so glad I'm not a Turkey, a Turkey, a Turkey.

I'm so glad I'm not a Turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

They STUFF you, and BAKE you, and then they all TASTE you!

I'm so glad I'm not a Turkey on Thanksgiving Day!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Just Cute

We just love this little beauty!

Make Your Own...

Okay, I am going to attempt to explain how to make the fake baby legs I made for Brooklyn. It really isn't hard, but very difficult to explain! I had a bunch of friends over the other night to learn and they all did great! I also made a few cute Christmas pairs for my friend's adorable twin girls and took pictures along the way. Hope it makes sense...

1. Buy women's knee high socks. They have really cute ones at Target - look for sales! Betsie got these ones at Walgreens 2 for $5. 

2. Cut off the heal and toe. The two small pieces can be thrown away.

3. Measure 2 1/2 inches and cut the foot section lengthwise. I just made a 2 1/2 inch wide card as a pattern when the girls came over - it made it very easy.

Here is a picture of all of the cutting you have done so far. Do this to both socks. The three small sections can go in the trash, or be used to make a hair bow - right Jana? :)

4. Unfold the foot section and refold - it will still be folded lengthwise, but have the "right" sides of the fabric together. You can see the fuzzy inside of the sock is now facing out. Pin this if you need to.

5. Sew the long side shut. Leave the short ends open. Make sure you sew right from one edge to the other.

Here are both of the foot sections sewn into tubes - these will become the cuffs.

6. Fold down one edge of the tube so that the right side of the fabric is facing out and both of the raw edges are together.

7. Thread the leg part of your sock through the bottom of your cuff. The right sides of your fabric will all be facing out and all three of your raw edges will be together (two from the cuff and one from the leg of the sock). On your first try I would recommend pinning the three raw edges together. I know the cuff is smaller than the leg, just stretch and then pin - I promise it will work out.

8. Sew all three layers together. Check as you go to make sure you are catching all three layers of fabric!

I'm not sure how to explain this...when you sew this part, make sure the sock opening is facing down onto your machine. The foot of your sewing machine will be on top of the cuff fabric and the fabric from the leg of the sock will be on the bottom. This helps stretch the fabric as you go. We learned the hard way that if you don't do this, your fabric will bunch. 

9. Now just flip your cuff down! DONE! The cuff you made will be around your babies ankle. If you wanted to make a pair for an older girl you would just cut the foot section 3 inches instead of 2 1/2.

I hope that makes a little bit of sense! I know it sounds confusing, but I promise it is really easy! Call me if you have trouble - I can try to help!

P.S. Adam just read this and said I needed to explain that the "right" side of the fabric is the nice looking outside of the sock and "raw edges" are edges you have cut. :)

Craving Sweets?

Adam is having a guy night and the kids are in bed, so I thought I would take the opportunity to help you (I actually thought ya'll - I really am a southerner! :) fix that sweet tooth...

I mean, really, is there anything sweeter?!

This little cutie is 9 months old! Oh gee, actually almost 10 months! :) At her 9 month check up she was still in the 90th percentile for both weight and height!! She has two teeth, babbles and sings constantly, puckers up and makes smooching sounds when she wants a kiss, and has the sweetest disposition! We are absolutely in love with her! 

This is also my first attempt at a pony tail! If you look close you may even be able to see it! :) Okay, so I jumped the gun a little! :) She actually does have quite a bit of curly hair in the back.

I admit, she might not be happy all the time...but even then she is pretty dang cute!

I also had to show off my latest crafty discovery! These are a few of the fake "baby legs" I made for Brooklyn - so cute! They are made out of women's knee high socks! With the nice fall weather we have been having lately she has been in these constantly - they add just the perfect amount of warmth!

Always on her toes...What a girly-girl! :)

"Couponing" Lesson 1

I have had tons of requests from people wanting to learn how we "coupon" so here you go...

Ha Ha - fooled you into thinking there would be more than one lesson! :) There really isn't that much to share, but I will tell you everything I have learned...

1. Get organized. Here is my new shopping buddy...

My coupon book! It is a 3-ring binder full of 9-pocket card protector sheets (you know the kind you put baseball cards in). That way you can see every coupon without searching. Use dividers to separate the sections - beauty, household, medicine, etc. Thanks Kaleigh's mom for teaching us this, and Christine and Betsie for getting mine started!

2. Get papers - the advice I was given was to get one Sunday paper for each member of your family, so I get at least four every week. You want more than one coupon for each item so you can really take advantage of sales/deals. Ask you family, friends, and neighbors who get a paper but don't use coupons to give you their inserts! I promise, even if you pay for them, you will make it back!

3. Use the internet!! Once you have your coupons, your goal is to match coupons with sales, rebates, and special promotions. For example, you can often use a manufactures coupon, a store coupon, and a special promotion (register rewards, instant savings, or rebates) on one item!! The greatest part is, there are lots of people out there who are really good at spotting these great deals and are willing to share the info!! 

 

This is my favorite site! She lists tons of deals and exactly what coupons to use. She even has a few tutorials to get you started!

You can also check out the money saving blog my friends and I have started for our tips called We Cut Corners!

We had another great trip to Kroger last night! I didn't take a picture, but I got 30 items, spent $20 and saved $70 - 5 tubes of toothpaste for $0.25 each, toothbrushes for $0.75, free Tylenol, etc.!! 

4. Anyway, my last recommendation is to do it with friends! We shop together, share coupons we don't need with each other, and help each other spot deals. We looks pretty funny with our gigantic books and calculators out, but we have fun!

Well, there you go! Really, there is no lesson 2, unless I can think of something else! :) But you can always call me for advice! Like I said, I have had tons of help from others, and am still learning, but I will help you all I can! :)

Happy Couponing!

P.S. I'm pretty sure that's not a real word, but it should be! :)

Historic Day

No, not the election...although I guess that is important too. :)

Today is our FIVE year anniversary! Here is the history in numbers...

Something like EIGHTEEN years ago our ward boundaries changed and we met in primary. Adam told his mom after church that he thought the new girl was cute! 

Meant to be together from the beginning :)

About SIX years later in Jr. High we became good friends - lots of flirting.

Almost exactly TEN years ago - I turned 16 first then asked Adam on his first date! Poor boys...we sent them all around town on a scavenger hunt and even made them dress up (see picture)!! 

In case you were wondering...No kissing on the first date! :)

ONE very long year later (what a chicken!:) we finally had our first kiss...after at least 5 missed perfect opportunities on a great date, he kissed me in his parents garage - somehow it still felt perfect! :)

And then for the very important TWOs...

TWO long, but wonderful years apart - Adam serving in Russia and me coaching figure skating in Logan.

TWO days after he got home from his mission, he asked me to go ring shopping!

TWO weeks later we were engaged.

TWO months later we were sealed for eternity. It was the perfect day - I wouldn't have changed a thing!

Now TWO wonderful children later...there is no one I would rather spend my time with! Absolutely, ONE HUNDRED percent true love!

I want you for always -

days

years

eternities.

-Robert Schumann

Mr. & Mrs. Potato

I tried hard to convince Cameron to be something we had the makings of already, but every time he was asked what he was going to be for Halloween he said "Mr. Potato Head!"

So, here is our best attempt at Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head. I guess not bad for a total cost of $1.79 - I got the brown fabric on clearance and didn't have to buy anything else! :)

Mr. & Mrs.

Mr. Potato Himself!

The Misses

Ready for the Trunk-or-Treat! Cameron was so sweet - "Trick-or-Treat Please...Thank you so much!"

Mr. Potato and his good buddy Jadon the Firefighter! We had a great ward party thanks to the wonderful Activities Committee! :)

The costumes might not be great, but my kids sure are cute! :) 

Happy Halloween!

One of the Crazies

You can officially count me in with the crazy deal-seeking coupon ladies! My best friends here in Memphis got me into "couponing" a few weeks ago and we are having a blast finding the best deals. I had a killer day at Walgreens this morning!! Here it is... 

I took advantage of $5 off a $20 purchase Walgreens had going, Register Rewards, Rebates, and stacked my Walgreens and Manufacturer coupons (less than a month ago I wouldn't have known what any of that meant :)

Anyway, I spent $19.76 out of pocket, and will be getting a rebate check from Walgreens for $38.44 in the mail - 

YEP - I "MADE" $18.68 "buying" this stuff!!!

Tons of stuff right!? - this picture doesn't even include the 3 packs of Benefiber they ran out off. The manager let us buy it today and gave us "rainchecks" to pick it up on Tuesday. If I figured it out right, this stuff would all cost somewhere around $160 and I got paid almost $19 to use it!! Talk abut a good coupon day!!

I also found an incredible sale at Dillards on next-year Summer clothes for the kids. They were doing an extra 40% off their 75% off clearance. I got 17 items - shorts, shirts, skirts, dresses...for less than $40!! The most I paid for one item was $4 and most were $2 or less! Cute stuff too - I totaled all the original prices...$351.00!!

Feelin' pretty good about my craziness!!