Teaching Frugality

So Emma tells Nathan yesterday that she wants to go to Disney again this Summer. He tried to explain to her that we went last year and after just buying a house we are not going to be able to go again this Summer. She them wants to know why and we explain that it is very expensive and costs a lot of money. My then frugal-learning-six-year-old Maddelyn pipes up and says "Yeah Emma, we used to have money....now all we have is coupons and a debit card!" So wise, now if we can just teach her to take out the debit card and do a cash only budget the Dave Ramsey way we'd be right on track! LOL! I even had her couponing the other day. She had $1.00 to spend if she could behave for me while we did our errands the other day. She new our last stop was Meijer and she could spend it there to get a candy if she behaved through the other stores. Well while at CVS (right before Meijer) I showed her that they had flavored Twizzlers for 75% off at $0.40. I told her that if she bought those now instead of something at Meijer like she wanted, that she could get the candy and STILL have money left over. She was so proud to come home and show her dad that she got a bigger pack of candy than she normally could have with her dollar and she also got money back! Wow, I'm so proud! She's learning a lot about using the resources God has given you to the very best of your ability!

My Last Week Summed Up

So we've been busy little bees around here the past several days! We finally have gotten all the yard work done. Well....as much as we can do until after the weather FINALLY breaks here in Ohio! Just as we think it might finally be Spring here, after a lovely weekend, it is sleeting today...yes and forcasted for snow tonight! UHHHH! My capris are itching to make their appearance! We ended up hauling away 3 trailer loads of brush and tree limbs form the backyard! Yeah! Let's just say it needed "a little bit" of trimming!

We also have been busy getting my hair bow website updated as well as posting a new sale as well You can check it out HERE (Yes, hubby did finally teach me how to in bed my links! I feel like a total dork after 3 years of not knowing how to do it!)

I also have been busy snatching up so GREAT deals on my coupon blog! I update it several times a day with all the amazing deals that I stumble upon!

I just realized that I never posted any pictures of the amazing project table that my husband made me! Ignore the weird glare that showed up on some of the glossy black paint here in my picture?? I had my eye on a table that sells for well way to much from Target and Pottery Barn. My husband said that he would try his hand at making me one instead of forking up all that cash! I am guessing that we saved about 90% by making it! Well, here is what he made for me! Pretty nice huh? We also have on order actual counter top laminate to coat the top of it in as well to make it look more like a store bought piece of furniture. He did such a nice job that he thinks he now should go into the furniture business!

I also thought I would share a few pictures I took while my friend Alicia was visiting with her daughter Emma-lee. These adorable matching dresses were a gift form her mom. THANKS Joye!!! It amazes me how I always forget how hard it is to get that many kids to take a picture...until I actually try and do it! Not too bad though for 5 kids, 6 and under who would NOT cooperate! Let's just say the pictures that we did get were the result of being bribed with candy and a little stuff bunny on my head!

4 Months Old!!!

Tax Day Tea Party

So what is Tax Day without a little TEA?? Of course we took the kids and went to our local Tax Day TEA PARTY! The girls stood there proudly carrying their signs in the yucky, cold mist and even cried when it was finally time to leave. Maddelyn said she didn't want to go! What a proud parent am I! When we asked them later on what we were doing there they said the goverment is taking too much of our money! Yep, so sad that they really have no clue how much in debt they are already at ages 4 and 6! So here are a few pics from our local Tea Paty. I believe the local news channel said there were close to 1000 there in our small town of about 50,000 people.

My NEW Coupon Blog!

So since I've been on the couponing band wagon for a few weeks now I have decided to do a coupon blog as well to help other people find some of the amazing deals that others have helped me find! The way I look at it is that why pay full price for the brands I "normally use" when I can get a competitor's product for sometimes 90% less or even for free? Our family believes that it also is our Christian responsibility to make the most out of what we have been given by God. The more we save/have available, the more we are able to use that to bless His Kingdom. So I invite you to join this stay-at-home-mommy as I find and share some of the best money saving deals out there to help you do the most with what you have been given as well!

Now it still is in the works and needs lots of tweeking...but here is the link. Mark it in your favorites and check back to see it as I continue to develop it and add new deals! I'll be both adding great deals I stumble upon as well as sharing how I use my coupons with the sale adds to show you the math on how to make your money stretch the farthest!

http://raisethemcheap.blogspot.com/

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Meet Daisy and Annabell!

Yep...I never would have guess she was serious, but my mom finally got the pygmy goats she has always wanted! We always thought she was just dreaming (kinda like that Volkswagen Beetle Convertible she wants), but as of yesterday the family expanded to now include two 7-week-old female pygmy goats! I took the kids over last night to have a peak and they were so excited to see them! They are cute but man goats? Mind you they live in a small housing development area outfide of their small town! Mom you kill me! I'm glad you have checked one item off your bucket list.

After the visit with the new goats Daisy and Annabell, my dad got out the tractor to give the kids a ride. I really wonder if he does anything else with the John Deere wagon BESIDES giving the grandkids a ride? Of course little Elijah had to have his first ride as well, but Grandpa held him upfront this time. The kids had a blast playing outside on the swing set and then Grandpa made a small fire for them to roast hot dogs on for dinner. What a wonderful taste of the warm weather that is just around the corner!

Too Fast!

Why do they have to grow up so fast? These were just a few picture I took of Maddelyn on the morning of her 6th birthday, last week. She was on the way out to eat for her Daddy-Maddie breakfast that they always do on her birthday. Man she looks so old in these pictures. She was so proud that her new shirt made her look more like Mommy than she already does. She said that it looks like my shirt...I actually have an outfit very similar to that! Daddy already calls her mini-mommy! It's so amazing how fast they grow!! We are so excited to be heading into the big girl years of diaries, littlest pet shop, crafts, wispering with friends, thinking mom isn't so cool anymore, and all those other silly little things that we never did with preschool aged girls!

Free Princess Movie!

As many of you know I've entered the world of coupons and frugal living! Not only is it a challenge and a lot of fun for me but it is obviously helping our checking account and as many other coupon moms say....the more you are able to save the more resources you will have availale to use for the Kingdom!

So one new deal that I stumbled upon is for a free princess DVD from Fisher Price. Thanks to Bargain Briana for the deal! The movie is totally free (even shipping) and all you need to do is click on the link and enter it into your shopping cart and check out. It says it will arrive in 12-14 weeks but everyone is saying it will get there much sooner. Just thought I'd share!
http://www.fisher-price.com/pages/v6/default/preciousplaces/landing.asp

I am seriously considering starting my own deal saving blog but until then I will be adding some of my favorites that I follow to the side bar. That way you can check out their amazing deals as well. If I find some more great ones like the steal I got on diapers a few weeks backc I will be sure to pass them along!

Slumber Party and Visting Friends

So obviously we've had a pretty busy last 2 weeks getting ready for my best friend Alicia and her daughter Emma Lee to arrive as well as getting ready for Maddelyn's big 6th birthday slumber party. Alicia and I have been having so much fun this past week that well frankly blogging has not been on my mind at all. We spent the first few days getting ready for the big slumber party bash and then since then have been scrapbooking like mad! We went to Columbus yesterday and visited my friend Amy's store...love it! We also ran into a couple of other stores including Trader Joes (found some great CHEAP gluten free foods there!) We've really gotten some good use out of the project table that my dear hubby made for me for my birthday (pictures to upload soon) Lets just say that both of us are scrapping on it with p-l-e-n-t-y of room! Now if I can just convince hubby to put a flat screen TV on the wall in my scrap room we'll be set!

Maddelyn's party was a hit. She even told me afterwards that it was the very best party ever! We ended up having 14 girls for the party itself (mine included) and then 10 spent the night with us, all 7 and under! We had a Barbie Slumber party with all the girliness included. We did crafts, painted nails, ate popcorn, watched a movie and basically all the norm slumber party things. My little girl is getting so big! I thought I would share a few pictures of the night.

Nathan entertained the girls for a bit with a funny sing-a-long. The kids love when he plays for the, It was cute with all 14 girls singing along.

Here is a shot of the girls' dress up room (off their bedroom) that finally has the hooks hung in it. the little vanity set was from Santa (Target) and then we just hang boards and coat hooks around the room. We still need more hooks as well as curtains at the door way that can be tied back when they don't need them closed.