...coupons coupons everywhere...

Okay- So...I'm trying to get into couponing...I've been diligent the past few weeks snipping the coupons out of the wed/sun paper...but I gotsta tell ya....I just don't seem to "get it"...I def. need to figure this out b/c I wanna save $$$ on the bagillion dollars of groceries I buy...I guess I need to do more research...but for now:

Top5 things I don't understand/frustrate me about couponing:
5. Do I need to go to a million stores to buy things???
4. What exactly IS double/triple coupons?! Like- if I have 2 coupons of the same thing??? Or just one coupon and the store doubles the savings???
3. Why does it seem like it's going to take a LOT of time out of my already jampacked life?!
2. Does Costco ONLY take Costco coupons?!
1. Why do the coupons expire so soon?! There's no way I'll buy all this stuff by then!

I'm praying that by this time next year...I'll be blogging pictures of my receipts with oodles of savings...but until then...::greatbigsigh::

...oh edward...

#77 Attend Eclipse midnight showing w/ my girlfriends

Oh. My. Edward. I know you are going to read this...and unless you are Jaime or Lindsay...are going to judge the crap outta me. It's ok. I accept it. I...am in love...with a fictional character. It's an illness. But I have accepted it (as has DLo) and I'm moving forward with this information with pride. LOL.

So. I didn't really look forward to seeing Eclipse. You will notice that I didn't even put a "countdown" clock on my blog like I did for the last two movies. I really don't know why... I mean... we went and saw Twilight with UBER expectations and were TOTALLY disappointed...I was excited for New Moon (which was MUCH better)...but for some reason...I just was whatever about this one...I mean...I was excited for the ridiculousness of a girl's night, but I didn't have any feelings towards the movie. Jaime, Lindsay, Bre, Bre's sisinlaw, Rori and I ended up going to the trilogy... It didn't seem like THAT long when it was all said and done...but MAN when we were starting the second one- I thought that I would DIE of exhaustion!

Finally- midnight- the movie. It. Was. Awesome! I mean. I'm sure if you didn't read the books or aren't into the whole saga...you might not understand...but I HATE watching movies that are books b/c of the lack of consistencies or congruencies... but I thought this one did a pretty decent job! (Which is why I hated Twilight- although I like it "okay" now)... Anywho. I didn't get home until like 2:30am...and had a "day" with the kids...but all in all- it was worth it...and I am excited to go see it again w/ Amy this weekend! :D


Favorite memories:
*Getting there at 5pm (the movies started at 7pm) and STILL sat in the 4th row...
*Drunk Sarah in line- wow.
*The 5million degree sidewalk...
*Ridiculous blinged out shirts (Mine: "Team Edward (because love bites)" Lindsay's: "Team Edward (except when Jacob has his shirt off) Jaime's: "Jacob bites & Edward sucks")
*The boy/girl who had his very own game show with the first 5 rows...just.wow.
*The RE-DICULOUS girls sitting in front of us...and how we almost had to cut them.
*Screaming girls when Jacob would show up on screen...
*Screaming for EC b/c I felt bad for rpattz and his painted on 6pack LOL!
*Spilling popcorn all over Linds' foot...
*Snorting. Alot.
*The Junior Mint. Singular.









Oh man! I'm sure there's a ton I'm forgetting...but it really was a fun fun night. I love my girlfriends and I'm so thankful for them! :) Alright ladies...Nov 2011- are we ready for Breaking Dawn part1??? (I'm secretly really sad that there's only BD left!!!)

...SAHM...

I know I'm a day late for Top5 Tuesday...but yesterday was a CARAZY busy day!

Here are the Top 5 things I love about being a SAHM...
5. Being there for all the "firsts"...
4. Loving my "boss"- even though he's only 2!
3. The millions of hugs and slobbers I get...
2. Getting to know their lil personalities...
1. Knowing my kiddos have the best care...

DLo...Thank you so much for working so hard so that I can stay home with our kids! I never thought it would happen...but is...and I am just so blessed!

...ts3...

#42 Take Jude to his first movie

Aw!!! We took Jude to his first movie this week...Toy Story 3! Jude hadn't been very good at watching movies...and right after Emme was born, I decided to try and brainwash him into loving ONE movie so that mama could have a lil break...and that movie happened to be Toy Story...little did I know...that in such a short short SHORT period of time...I would watch that badboy about a gazillion times! OY. It started off that Jude wouldn't watch more than 15 mins of it...and then he sat for like 30...and before I knew it- he sat and watched the ENTIRE thing. After a few weeks...Derrick decided to try TS2...and he loved it as well! Naturally...I got SUPER excited for Toy Story 3 coming out this summer...and was determined to make it Jude's first movie theater experience!

So...on our anniversary...we got our babymama, Lindsay (holla) to watch Emme while we took Jdub out to see TS3! DLo was slightly insane...and wanted to take him to see it in 3D...but I didn't want to risk it- seeing as we didn't know how he'd do at ALL let alone w/ glasses on his head! Jude did absolutely fabulous...he was so adorable sitting in the movie theatre chair with his lil cup of snacks...We brought his Buzz Bear...and he was set! Jude screamed "Buuuuuuuuhhhhhhh!" when Buzz first came out (why is it that all kids prefer Buzz to Woody?!)...and sat through the majority of the movie like a champ...weeeeellll.....until the last 5 minutes... I guess the whole "trash dump" part was a lil long for a barely2yearold! And...honestly...he woulda been fine if we hadn't been trying to get him to sit down in his seat again- he just wanted to stand...and every time we'd touch him he'd scream (not loud, but annoying)...and we were worried that he was going to bother the people in front of him by hovering over their heads!

All in all- what a FUN stinkin' time we had! And what a fantastic movie (aw- Pixar- you did it again!). I, of course, was crying from the very beginning! And I thought the ending was just perfect! If you haven't seen it yet...you must!!!

MY first movie at the theater was E.T. It was 1982- and I was also only 2 years old! What was your first movie???

...ccv...

Well. It's been about a month since Derrick accepted a position at Christ's Church of the Valley. It has been an interesting month! I guess I should start off this blog by saying...God's timing is perfect. Now. We might not understand what He's doing sometimes...but I know that He takes care of us. That's so reassuring. :)

The whole thing happened super fast. One week we're PVCers...the next...we're not! It was a very hard thing to comprehend and very bittersweet. On one hand- it was super exciting going back to CCV...but on the other...we invested 3.5 years at PVC...and grew to love it...and the people. It was home. There are so many awesome things going on at Palm Valley...and it was and is sad to know that we weren't going to be a part of it. Our decision to accept CCV's offer was not easy by any means...and I became frustrated when people would say "you must be SO excited to go back!" b/c...I mean, yes it is...but NO- my heart was so torn! Ultimately...Derrick and I both felt that God was leading us to CCV.

The first couple of weeks at CCV was hard for me. Harder than I let Derrick know. It was especially difficult b/c I felt that there was no closure at PVC- there was no announcement...there were no goodbyes (other than Derrick's volunteers). Now...don't get me wrong!!! I TOTALLY understand why there wasn't an announcement- you see- DLo's last week at Palm Valley was also Palm Valley's last weekend being a portable church! (See what I mean about God's timing?!)...so naturally- it was a weekend of celebration! ...and telling the church that Derrick was leaving might not have felt quite celebratory (I have my own opinions about that whole thing...but I'll leave that for myself)...Derrick lead worship the second weekend we were at CCV. That also happened to be the first weekend that PVC was in their new building. (So exciting!!!!!!) I was SO close to going to PVC just to be a part of it all! (and cried buckets looking at the pictures that Cameron Smith shot! So stinkin' exciting!)

Anywho. I can't quite believe it's been a month! It's been pretty awesome. Derrick is SO happy and that makes me happy. Everyone (PVC and CCV alike) have been fabulous and so supportive! It's really fun getting to worship with Derrick's family...we don't see enough of them! and I'm pretty sure Jude is going to know the ins&outs/nooks&cranny's of the place before too long- we spend each Saturday after service eating dinner w/ the family...and Jude usually runs like a banshee from one end of campus to the other! LOL! I REALLY miss worshipping with my dad. That's the biggest thing that hurts my heart... but I'm having a good time...and look forward to meeting more CCVers and DLo's coworkers! :) I know in time, it will feel like home again for me! :)


Thank you to Palm Valley Church for giving DLo the opportunity to serve you. Thank you for challenging him and growing us as a family. I will always look back fondly at my time with you... :)

...in 7 years...

IIIIiiiitttt's Top5 Tuesday!!! And this week's T5 is inspired by my anniversary! Derrick and I celebrated 7 years of marriage yesterday. It has been such a fun journey...filled with love, fights, laughs, cries, and diapers! :D I'm so blessed to be married to my best friend...he's all that I've ever wanted and needed... :)

So. This week, I'm listing the top5 things I look forward to in the next 7 years of marriage...
5. Travelling more...
4. Teaching our children about JC...
3. Starting new adventures- whatever they may be...
2. Loving each other more...and...
1. Laughing- a ton...

...five...

Yup. Lil Miss Em is five months old! Is it just me...or is she growing up WAY too fast?! I mean...really? I feel like I just had her! And she's almost 1/2 a year old! Oy! I've gotta say...I absolutely love being her mother. She brings so much joy and sunshine to our family. It is so beautiful watching her and her brother...the way her eyes light up when Jude is playing in front of her...or the way he will grab her head and give her kisses. It's really so heartwarming! I look forward to watching these two become friends.

Anywho- Emme is learning so much and seems to have just grown a ton this past month...She's eating solids now- although she's totally not as natural as Jude was at eating!!! She's been enjoying rice cereal, avocados, sweet potatoes, and will be starting green beans and pears soon (not together though- ew!)...Em has also mastered rolling over from her back to tummy and tummy to back...but she hasn't discovered that she can continue rolling over and over! I'm pretty sure she'll roll and crawl before Jude did...homegirl moves around a ton! Jude never moved in his crib (until like 8 or so months), but Emme- man...sometimes I look in the monitor and she's completely flipped around and sideways and everywhich direction!!! :) She's hilarious too, b/c when she gets excited she squeals like a velociraptor!!! It's pretty awesome! Her giggles are adorable but rare...and she reeeeally likes grabbing my face when she is drinking her bottle.

How'd I get so blessed?

Em,
Oh my word, girlfriend. You bring mama so much joy. I'm so thankful that you are in our lives. Your eyes brighten up every room and your smile melts my heart. Words cannot express the happiness I feel and how blessed I am. I pray that you will grow up knowing the love Christ has for you...and that one day- you will experience the joys of motherhood too!