Rakin' in the deals!!!

I spent about 3 hours yesterday "couponing". And I'm not talking about collecting coupons and putting them in an organizer. I'm talking about comparing/contrasting all ads, looking up deals online...etc.
They pay-off was FANTASTIC!!!!!!
I got all of my groceries for the week for $53 (this included formula, diapers and 3 pkgs. wipes, too!!!!!!
At Walgreens this week, here is what I got and only spent about $3.....
-True Shimmer Chapstick
-Skintimate Shaving gel
-two boxes of Life cereal
-two bottles of Softsoap body wash

I am SSSOOOOOO excited!!!!!!!
There is also a website that you can go to and enter to receive their coupons, too! It's www.afullcup.com AND you have a chance to win a $25 Amex gift certificate! Double bonus!

Well, I'm busy preparing for Aron's 1st birthday this Saturday!!! (wow! A year has FLOWN by!!)
I'll be posting more about that later!!!

Oh, what a weekend!

This past weekend was the West End Assembly of God (aka WEAG) consignment sale! Like many others, I volunteered for this sale so that I could shop the early volunteer sale.
I got there an hour early and there was already about 20 people in front of me! This is just the volunteer sale! By the time the doors opened, there was about 100 or so people behind me! This sale is H-U-G-E!
I found a lot of great deals, but I think the fall/winter sale is much better. I'm not sure why. I guess parents try to get rid of everything before Christmas to make room for the new stuff.
Since my son LOVES Thomas the Tank Engine, here are some cute finds:


I also found some really cute clothes. Sleeveless rompers are so 'presh!

On Saturday, I had to work at the Y from 8:15-11:15, then off to volunteer at the sale, then bring Alex to her first softball game of the season, then off to JC Penney's to get her a dress for the Girl Scouts Father/Daughter dance. Go back to the game, pick her up, bring her home, get her ready and off she and Eddie went to the dance. Whew!!!!
I will post some pictures of the dance later, but they had a great time.
On Sunday, our church is starting a great ministry for kids. They can sign up to be on different teams (drama, dance, STOMP, Human Video). Alex wanted to be on the dance team. This reminds me so much of TRBC growing up and being on ministry teams.
They practice at church 12:30-3:00 and then throughout the year, they will be going to various nursing homes...etc. and performing.
I can't wait for her to enter the middle school ministry. They have some GREAT programs for kids, too!

WEAG Spring/Summer Consignment sale!!!!!

It's Here! It's Here! THe BIGGEST consignment sale of the year!!! WOOHOO!
Remember last year I stood in that lame line for the WEAG consignment sale? Well friends, this year I am volunteering at that sale. Why, you might ask? So that I can shop the volunteer sale!!! If you volunteer at this sale, you get to shop before anyone else!
This sale is so huge that (I hear)there is even a long line to get in just for the volunteers! I won't be bringing my camera as I am going to have my hands full and I don't need a camera to weigh me down! OMG! I can't tell you how 'stoked I am about this sale!!! It's the BEST feeling!!!
I can't wait to post about it later!

First Haircut!

I am so sad! Aron had his first haircut today and now he looks like a little boy, not a little baby! I can't believe how fast this little guy is growing! It's crazy!
We went to this great little place here in Richmond called Pigtails and Crewcuts and they did a great job! They even put in his favorite tv show, Thomas the Tank Engine! That kept him still, so they could do their job! For what I paid for the dang haircut, they should have let me keep the dvd!!! I just wanted to go someplace special for his first haircut, so from here on out, it's the good 'ole barber shop for this little man!
The BEFORE:



DURING:



AND AFTER:


And this is just a random video of him making this little noise. It's hard to explain, so just take a look. He was doing this while we were walking around the mall this morning. Everyone who heard him got a little chuckle out of it!

Top 'O The Mornin' To Ya!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, Y'all!!!!!
Well, the little leprechauns came and visited us last night and caused a bit of choas. They always leave little green foot prints everywhere and the pot of gold was what you see here:

Then, I made Alex some green eggs. She wanted to have a "side" of ham, but we didn't have any. I know the eggs look like broccoli. She likes to cut up her eggs into tiny pieces. Don't ask why.


Traditionally, our St. Patrick's Day dinner consists of corned beef and cabbage, but corned beef is REALLY fattening, so, we are opting for a low-fat version of Fish and Chips! Some baked tilapia with home made mashed potatoes (colored green, of course!)
I have a TON of running around today, but I'll definitely post later what kind of cupcake I opted for and post my critique for it!

Home Alone :(

I'm all by my lonesome this week. Eddie is off on a business trip until Thursday. I just don't know what to do with myself! Eddie ALWAYS makes the coffee in the morning, so I tried making it today and after 3 tries, I finally got it (somewhat) right! I have off today, so I will definitely be taking my little guy to the gym so that he can play with his friends (seriously, they are his friends! The exact same people come to our gym every day and everyone knows everyone!) and I can work on my abs! I really can't walk or run right now because my personal trainer whooped my butt on Saturday! I entered a Biggest Loser Contest at work with some friends of mine. It's myself, 3 of my friends and Eddie and our team name is "4 Bikini's and a Speedo". The contest ends in August, so fingers crossed we can pull out a win!
Anyhow, since tomorrow is St. Patty's Day, (which we all know is a BIG deal at my house - see THIS POST ) I have to prepare today! This means getting some Lucky Charms, cutting out the feet, making a card....etc. Alex now knows that there are no Leprechauns, but she still wants me to do these things for her! She also wants to help me do this for Aron, too. I guess I'll have to do two sets of footprints?
There is also a new cupcake boutique that opened here in Richmond that I am WAY TOO excited about! It's dangerously close to my house. It's called Two Sweet and tomorrow they are making special St. Patrick's Day cupcakes.
Which one to choose:

little leprechaun
sweet vanilla cake infused with shamrock sprinkles, topped with vanilla buttercream and more shamrocks

irish coffee
bailey's irish cream cupcake filled with espresso cream, topped with bailey's european buttercream

lucky charm
sweet vanilla cake filled with marshmallow cream, topped with the palest of green european buttercreams and lucky charms

chocolate stout
deep chocolate cake baked with guiness stout, topped with our crazy good cream cheese icing and chocolate sprinkles

I'll post tomorrow and let you know!
Also this week - Spring Cleaning and decorating!!!!! Spring can't get here fast enough!!!!!

Cold...Hot!

Well, I just don't know WHAT to make of this weather lately! It's 85 degrees out today!!!
Just a few days ago, we had this! -



Now, today is HOT outside and we are in our Summer clothes! -

This was taken after church this morning. I LOVE little boy's smocks! I got a ton of them at a consignment sale recently! I was TOO excited to put them on him already!

Some catching up....

I've been so busy lately!!!
Let me catch up here. Last week I was in Washington D.C. for some training for my job with HelmsBriscoe. It was awesome! They put us up at the Liaison Hotel on Capitol Hill and we were treated like royalty! It's so fabulous being "woo'ed" by other cities and hotels!
Then, this past weekend we were blessed by a whopping 10 inches of snow! School was closed all week and then yesterday we were two hours late. I thought I was going to go crazy with Alex in this house all day, but we were able to venture out a bit to avoid some serious cabin fever.
Then, on Wednesday, I was in a bad car crash. The car is completely totaled. My wrist is sprained, but other than that, I am good. Thank GOD no kids were in the car with me. The bad news is, we still owe money on the car, so what the insurance company gives us, we will have to use it to pay off the car. So, we are down to one car. This is very challenging as now I have to walk to work, which is going to S-U-C-K! My job is just about 1 mile away and I used to voluntarily walk to work during the fall, but with this crazy weather we have been having, I'm not sure how I feel about it.
Here is a picture of the car.....

We absolutely can't afford another car, so please pray that someone out there has a "beater" they can donate to our family or for a REALLY cheap price! I just need something to get Aron and I to work and back.
These are some tough times we are living in and let me tell you, we are definitely feeling it!