Sweet Summertime

YUM. We have had some delicious weather recently! (The obvious exception being the recent rain, but I can totally handle it for a week or two. Don't we suffer through winter for about 5 months here?!) At our house, summertime also means a totally different diet - one including the juciest fruit and crispy, fresh produce, and meals cooked on the grill. It's amazing. Something about wandering outside barefoot to check on the chef's progress just really gets me.

Tonight's meal was polish sausage, corn on the cob, and watermelon. We all loved it!

(Obvs, Michelob Golden Light was not on my menu)

Sabie thoroughly enjoyed her first taste of watermelon, too.

It was also very likely her last, considering Tony had to wrangle a piece of rind from underneath her tongue. Oh Devil Dog, you are really something. But totally cute enough to make up for it.

Here are a couple pics of baby and mama today - 28 weeks and 6 days along!

I'll admit that I'm starting to get a touch uncomfy. My back has been aching, my skin seems like it's a little over-stretched, and more days than not, my ab muscles feel like they're being pulled straight off my ribs. Yikes. But that's really all I've had to complain about through my entire pregnancy, so I am thrilled with how it's going - and completely blown away by the fact that we will meet our little guy in approximately 11 weeks.

 **Summertime, I know we're crazy excited about an important event coming up on or around August 12th. But please don't race by too quickly. We love you too much around here!**

This Girl Loves a Bargain!

I've been trying to get into coupon-clipping for awhile now. I've heard from so many people who swear by this method of discount-shopping, but have to admit that it's a little intimidating, especially when they try to explain "piggybacking" coupons and price-matching, etc.

But I gave it a pretty decent shot this week, and was so impressed with my bargains that I had to share 'em! I mean, this is free money, people! Yes please, I'll take some.

Here's the loot from my first trip of the week, to CVS.

I was completely out of shampoo, hairspray, and mousse (and you were wondering what I have been trying to do with this mop lately!) so saw that CVS had  Pantene hairspray and mousse on sale for $2.99 ea. Then I used my $1.00 off coupon, so got each for $2.49 (regularly $4.99 and $4.49 each).

The Dawn dishsoap is regularly $1.99 each, but they were on sale for 12 for $10.00. (Who would stock up on 12 is beyond me... obviously someone who lives in a very different house than ours). But that made them $.84 each. On top of that, I had two $.25 off coupons and a $.50 off coupon - so each of them rang up at under $.53 cents a piece! (And they are yummy too. Green Apple, Orange, Pomegranite and Lavendar!)

Total Spent: $7.74

Total Saved: $10.35

I felt really encouraged by my first stop! I think the trick is to go in with your list and not steer from it - I was tempted once or twice but am so glad I didn't. There wasn't anything else I needed, anyway.

Then I went to CashWise grocery store. They're notorious for giving away free items with specific purchases or with a certain purchase amount. I took advantage of their coupons and my manufacturers' coupons to get a bunch of sweet deals.

I picked up

• 5 boxes of General Mills cereal
• 10 packages of Knorr Sides
• 4 boxes of store brand mac'n'cheese
• 4 avocados
• 2.5 lbs tomatoes on the vine
• lettuce
• a lemon
• butter
• croutons
• 2 frozen pie crusts
• 3 cans of mushroom pieces and stems
• Country Time Lemonade mix
• 1 bag of pretzel sticks
• 2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

All for just $36.57! I saved $16.03. Here's how I did it:

• Cereal: advertised 4/$10, plus get $4.00 off when you buy 4. I got 5 boxes because I was able to use my $.55 off coupon on the Cheerios, too.
• Knorr Sides: advertised at 10/$10.00, with coupon they were 10/$8.00 AND I got my chicken breasts for free!
• On-the-vine tomatoes: Regularly $1.99/lb but on sale for $.98/lb
• Avocados: $.88/ea
• Mushrooms: 3/$1.00
• Lettuce: $1.28
• Pretzels: $1.99
• Lemon: $.58
• Pie crust: $1.88
• Butter: $2.99
• Mac'n'Cheese: $.25/ea
• CountryTime Lemonade: FREE because I spent $25.00

And, I got a coupon for $.04 off per gallon of gas so I filled up at their pump just around the corner. It ended up being about $.11 cheaper per gallon than at the gas station closer to my house!

I can't even explain how much I loved buying all the things I was going to buy anyway, but for way less money! It did take a little time to make my lists based off the Sunday ads, and to clip the coupons from the manufacturers' circulars, but in these three trips alone (including the gas station), I saved almost $30.00! And it was all for things I use, including a few items that I needed right away, so I couldn't wait for a sale or coupon. Knowing that, I could have done even better - and will! You just wait and see...

Mothers' Day

Tony and I had an amazing day! A great weekend, actually, but Mothers' Day was especially fun. For some reason Tony and I were both awake around 4:30 this morning, and I couldn't help but laugh about our conversation:

Me: Hi! (when I realized I wasn't the only one awake)
Him: Happy Mothers' Day (good one Tone, for remembering it in the middle of the night).
       Aaaugh. I just spent the last hour wheeling and dealing for a set of Tonka Trucks.
Me: (laughing, because I know the story of vivid dreams!) Well, did you get a good bargain?
Him: Oh yeah... but now I don't even get to keep 'em!

Must have been frustrating to have to haggle all night for non-existant merchandise. I really like that Tony - I think he's pretty funny.

I've been praying for our baby to be as nice as Tony is, and guess what?! He gave me a Mothers' Day card before he was even out of the womb! So that was really sweet of him and totally unexpected. In fact, I thought it was impossible but evidently it's not. (His dad might have helped him out with that one).

Did I mention yet that I made two pies before 9:00 am!? I love days like this. I actually had a load of laundry in before that, too! There's nothing better than taking advantage of the weekend.

The pies were really easy to make. Here's the recipe:

Crust
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (1/2 pound)

Here are mine:

(In my defense, the recipe does say you can use pre-made crust. And it was 8:00 am after all!)

Filling
3 8 oz packages of cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 8 oz container of Cool Whip
1 can of your favorite fruit filling

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix altogether. Fill pie crust (we actually had to throw some filling away because it made so much. We could have purchased larger crusts, so I'll remember that for next time.

Top with the fruit filling. Tony picked cherry, and I went for the blueberry:

(could have at least considered combing my hair before having my photo taken... but for the record, my teeth were brushed and hands were washed! Again... this is 8:00 am!)

Here are the finished pies. Yum. I hope mama Sarah and the rest of the fam enjoyed theirs, too!

At 11:30, we met my Mom, Gandma, Grandpa, Kristin, Ryan, and Leighton for lunch at the Speak Easy. I rarely order anything other than the Tortellini Carbonara there... sooo good. After that, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's so we could have dessert and visit for a bit. Grandpa played piano for Leighton:

(Shoot. I'm not sure how to upload that video, so I may have to look into that and post it soon!)

We took a picture of Great-Grandma, Grandma, Mom, Auntie (and Mom-to-be!), and Leighton at the park across the street from their house:

Then Mom and I ran to a fun fabric store (Carolyn, I left empty-handed again! I refuse to buy that fabric until I can use my 60% off coupon...) before meeting Tony at our house. Here's what we worked on this afternoon:

I know we have a little over 13 weeks until baby is due to arrive, but we've been pretty excited to get his nursery started, and it was Mothers' Day, after all! This means we're one step closer to being ready for baby R! We just can't wait to meet him...

Happy Mothers' Day again to our wonderful moms, grandmas and sisters (who are all amazing mothers already!)

The Big One...

One, as in one year old! Can't believe that once-teeny-baby has already celebrated her first birthday. Leighton is such a fun addition to our family - and Tony and I think we're getting pretty good at playing the role of proud Auntie and Uncle. (To her and to cutie pies Kathryn and Owen - all born within 11 months of each other!)

Here are a few pics of her celebrating her big day over the weekend:

(I love this pic of Leighton and her momma laughing together)

Her party was "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" themed... Such a cute idea!

...She didn't love the hat, but it it was festive so she put up with it for a minute.

4 generations at Leighton's first birthday: Great Grandma and Grandpa, Grandma, Daddy and Leighton

(who thinks Grandma Deej is pretty funny!)

Opening some of her gifts...

Leighton was crazy about the wagon Tony and I picked out for her! We loved that it had two folding seat backs, seatbelts, and cupholders! She'd take her sippy cup out of the holder, throw her head back to take a swig, then put it back - too funny. Here she is taking a little ride with her cousin.

She's looking a little protective of her uncle Tony in this pic... she must know he was the one who assembled her new toy! Notice that Leighton's daddy was having a great time at this point (I guess you can't blame the guy who works nights, but still....)

Kristin sent me this adorable picture today - said that Leighton is still in love with the Radio Flyer! (Owen and Kathryn, your first birthdays will be here before you know it...

and we think we have an idea of what to get you!)

To die for. She is so adorable.