Pardon Me

We have no Internet connection, and haven't been able to use the web anyways since last week sometime. So each time I am on it's somewhere other than our house. Therefore, not much comments, blah blah blah.

Hope to have this problem of theirs solved soon. I have spent probably 2 hours total with the techs about this, but no solution.

I took some pics tonight

And I am so happy.

Saturday night our family went to see the Franz Family in concert. It was grand!!!

Photographs

I am in a slump of taking pics. I hope for some clients soon (hint hint LOL) and I hope that I can capture some great fall moments of fall soon. The other day, Rich and I were going to church in the evening and looked back and saw the most BEAUTIFUL sunset. Brought us both to tears. What beautiful things God has made for us to enjoy!!!!

Hanging Out, Hunkering Down

That's what we are doing. We're having a great time. The kids love doing things like this, going to a hotel. And this one is just first class elegant. I couldn't believe it!

We're checking out at the latest time possible, so the kids can swim, I can be on the computer LOL, and Rich can workout. Then, we'll do whatever. I don't really care to be gone the whole afternoon yet, but it's so nice to actually get a vacation trip, no matter how small it is, during the week of Rich's vacation!

I have been inspired by some books lately and hope to do some scrapbooking, or paper crafting with decor when I get home. It's all simplified embellishment, too, using things on hand. But, honing in on certain techniques.

My dad's birthday was Thursday, and though we are a little late, we do have a Happy Birthday present for him! Yeah!

Looking back on etsy

This is so sweet! I want one for ME! And looks at these OWLS!!! And another one! They are too cute! These floppy ears are sweet! I had thought of doing things like this, and maybe someday..oh I have too many dreams. oo oohhh and this little birdie!

This one looks like a Gymboree line last year or so. A baby. And this. And a little fawn. Oh dear these are too cute. A little harder than a purse, and the teeny quilts Gram and I made years ago, but with help, who knows. Oh, the dreams.

Well, maybe I can photo what I make and write a book about it and then take off across the country up to New England, hike a few trails, take pictures again, get published, and then have some free time to write songs, homeschool, read, and scrapbook. Oh, and coupon.

LOL!

okay, so about the Wii

I have to go get one, soon, it was so much fun.

My favorite? Tennis. I didn't play baseball, but I know my brother and dad love that one. My neice, who is 4, does great with the boxing, and she beat me at bowling! LOL!

The kids and I had a short wonderful trip and night at my brother's..the highlight of the weekend. They have the Wii system, and two wiimotes LOL That cracks me up!

Oh, yes..i need to get that. It gives you quite a work out too!

And, horray for the store This and That. An eclectic array of items, and I found back issues of my favorite magazine, Victoria! Can't wait to go back there!

ps Thank you to my special dear friend, Jennifer, that walked for Mental Health on Saturday. And, thank you Lisa, my dear sister in law, for drawing me such a wonderful bubble bath, with candles and tea. No one's EVER done that for me. That's how special some people are in this world...and this weekend, these two really showed me love.

Wahhhh for Wahoo

So sad that the Indians lost. What a disappointment.

However, how nice that I saved about $55 in groceries today, b/w Giant Eagle and Walmart, oh, and Rite Aid. I need to go to CVS for some things we would use, and then to Walgreens. I think I'll start making a habit of going Monday mornings to RA and check for misplaced labels of sales. Seriously. When the kids and I went the first time today, I got some children's toothpaste for BOGO and it wasn't supposed to be for that! LOL! THEN, I came back with my coupon I couldn't find earlier, b/c the kids were too distracting, and AGAIN this happened to me, but with some applesauce! So, they honored the mistake for me BOTH times!

It was such a busy day. Venturing out again this afternoon, I met with Katie and Autumn, but we both were distracted and just beat. I didn't get to go pick up the paper my dad got for me late last night (can you tell I am getting a bit too serious into this couponing?), nor print out coupons there since our printer is STILL not set up. I can't believe we are so slow at that. I stopped at the health store, and got some better prices on some things I used for medication/supplements. That was nice! AND, I found a new face wash that is cheaper than Mary Kay that has, ahem, lemon poppyseeds in it! My favorite muffins of all time are Lemon Poppyseed, and this stuff is almost too yummy to just use on your face! LOL!

Well, I did become an official Grocery Gamer. Hope to get better, but today I was just feeling so mentally incompetent. When I went to GE by myself today, I ran into two people, a former coworker and my Aunt Joyce (my mom's sister in law), so I got so distracted with talking, besides my mental blocks. It was so nice to see my Aunt Joyce especially! We had a small heart to heart talk since we've been going through some similar things, in a way, lately. No, I won't say what happened from Wednesday evening until Sunday, just know that God helped me through with many family members praying and friends praying, but it was some of the toughest hours I have ever had for me as a person.

This week, Rich has every day off. So, hopefully we'll get to do something fun sometime.

Another day of running tomorrow: for paper and coupons, and Ella's tap shoes in a different size. I think that is the problem for her. The ones' we have are too small! Also, we need ballet shoes. While we do that, I'll head back to Old Navy and take care of an exchange there. BTW, they had wonderful 1.97 deals that I was able to take advantage off: 3 tops, 2 pairs of capris, and one skirt, all for 1.97 each. Then, 3.97 shorts for Rich, and one 3.97 top for me. I'd like to find some other things, but we'll see.

It was a day of me not being around, and I felt guilty. I probably need to take Philip with me tomorrow when I go out and about, just so my husband feels like he is on a vacation.

WHAT ABOUT MY VACATION!?!?!!

My running around today was not relaxing. Quite the opposite. Oh well.

Coming up, a relaxing foot bath, however, hot tea, and Dancing with the Stars.

Bird Popkins

Oooh I love it.

That's how Philip says "pumpkins," in his sweet little voice. It makes me giggle inside and smile brightly on the outside. His daddy loves it too, and laughs outloud, and Ella will break out in the sillies about that too.

Everybody have a great time carving your bird popkins this Halloween!

pure bliss

Another Shopping Trip

$17.xx worth of free items, that I use, we will use, after rebates. Plus, some inexpensive cans of oranges and 2 bags of cough drops, so I spent $4 total for that stuff. I would've gotten 3 dozen eggs for $3 but I have a raincheck for the other store and will go back again tomorrow to check. They were GONE!


I am becoming a coupon fanatic. I have hundreds at the moment, coupons that is. Imagine what I'll have by the end of the year?!

ETA: MY GA trip yesterday....$34 spent, $28 saved (COUPONS!!)!!!!!!! 1.50 coupon gained for next total purchased, and 10 cents off a gallon, too!

My first REAL savings shopping trip.

I went with coupons and sales in my head to, hopefully my new best friend, Giant Eagle. I had only, really, about 12 different things to get, a couple in bulk. About everything I bought only ON SALE. and then I used a COUPON WITH IT. Aiiiyiiiyiii...talk about needing to be on top of things in your head!What I got free? Loreal Kids Shampoo and a free loaf of bread. YEAH!I spent 30.XXand saved approximately 19.00!!!!!!!!!!! 2 cans spaghettios, tea, butter, string cheese pack, potato mix, 3 hamburger helpers, 4 boxes texas toast, 10 yogurts, two free items already mentioned, canned veggies, 2 packs kraft singles, and someother things I can't think of LOL I also got a .50 coupon with my receipt for smart balance, which we use. And i just bought That was the only thing without a coupon, but I forgot to get it at Walmart. OH WELL. That's the FIRST time doing this sort of thing, and I think I'll still do it. LOL! Though, it took me almost an entire hour!DH was slightly impressed (he can be hard to impress with food shopping because he's so smart with that!!).I think the best deal was the yogurt I got, and of course the free things!! YEAH!!!!I won't bore you with other stories in the future, but I was just excited I saved all of that.

Fall Moments

These days that suddenly showed the true personality of fall we have LOVED so much. THANK YOU, LORD!

The past two weeks, my husband has been working 10 hours every day, and next week looks like it will be the same, again.

This weekend, he works, and no day off I think this week. The following week though, we have a couple of days off to look forward to!

If I can handle these hours, have no depression and have more energy, and maintain what I need to, I think I can handle anything. It hasn't been easy, but the kids and I have been keeping ourselves busy. Tonight we had pizza at the park and played lots. Next week, we'll see what comes up. Ella is in dance again, so we have that planned as well!

Any homeschoolers out there? Just wondering! :-)

White House

I wish to try these things someday!

I saw these items in a magazine I received today....great scrapbooking/crafting items! Yeah!


Wire Jig

Ribbon Keeper

Watercolor Paper

Piggy Tales, Barn Doors

October Afternoon

Roller skates

Safety measures were taken (mom's disclaimer!)

She loves these and does a pretty good job. This pic is from a week ago or so!

Philip is on his scooter/skateboard...a gift from the neighbor boy!

I'm usually not into signs along the road

that are religious, especially the ones that state what God is thinking/saying. I don't agree with that.

Anyways, I saw one at a local church driving home tonight from friend visit that I actually LOVED!

"Dusty Bibles reap dirty lives."

For me, this is true. A personal conviction.

Glamour

Now, yes, Ella has shorts with the coat LOL. She just wanted to wear this ensemble I found during the course of the past couple of weeks. The hat and socks and gloves are from, well, you know..and then the coat and shoes (no laces) are from a second hand childrens' shop...for a grand total of...$23!

She loves this, and said she wants to wear it for Halloween! HA! I think I'll let her, and will marker her face with a black nose and whiskers. She was going to be Woody's horse this Halloween, but oh well!

AUTUMN IS ONE

My friend's baby girl, not so much a little baby anymore! I have more from this shoot to post, but here's one of my favs for now.

Okay, so I lost my cell phone on Saturday. Then Sunday morning, I left my Bible on the top of the car....my neighbor found it after he saw us leave and then went after us and then picked it up plus the papers that fell out off of another street. My hero!

Then during our family walk tonight I lost the garage door opener.

Okay, so all these things were found again, but I feel like a walking disaster!

Another 2 pics I added just now at the top....

I have added some more favorites

My friend, Jen, who lives in Kentucky now has a blog. I may have influenced that a bit. LOL!

Also, as response to my request, my sister-in-law, Lisa, has begun her blog as well!

I am so excited! It is so much easier to communicate and see what is going on in friends and family member's lives with these blogs. I never ever imagined the benefits of writing and posting bits of one's life online, but here it is.

When you have pizza at breakfast

mom allows cereal for supper.

Yeah A new photo

of my friend, Katie, and I, at her daughter's first birthday. Autumn is cropped out because she had this strange expression on her face. LOL.

K-tea is my dear friend who is moving soon. I will always think of her as my K-tea, an endearment from our early friendship.

I hope they get what's coming to them

If they were getting into trouble. Some kids were at a church's sign tonight, after dark, playing around with the letters. I didn't see much of what they were doing, but it was kind of fishy. As I passed them and then went through a stoplight, I then saw the car I was hoping would come...

If that policeman is watchful, he'll get them I hope.

Speaking of policemen, I felt kind of bad for a fellow preschool mom who parked where she shouldn't have on our street during pick up time. She got a ticket. I could've told her she would've gotten a ticket a long time ago, because I 've seen them crack down on this. It annoys me, when people park where they clearly shouldn't, where a sign says NO PARKING. Hello..there's a crosswalk there too! Dangerous for little ones and all that people-traffic.

Anyways, I guess this is my time to complain about law benders.

What He Won Today!

I am soooo very excited for Rich! He entered this contest and won an acoustic banjo pickup ($130 retail!). That's so great for him!!!!! Yeah!!!!

It was a good day, a lot of it spent outdoors. Playing picnic, bike, scooter, skateboard, and mommy reading.

Another apple dumpling is calling me! :-)