New Year - New blog

Hey gang - I hope you will follow me over to my new blog it's at HeyMamaRockMe.  This is where I will be blogging now.  I blogged today, check it out, save it to your blog and leave me some love.  Thanks! 

LOVE YA!

Newest member of the Family

Introducing Willie B. - the B is short for Bandit (as in our softball team name) - He came with Willie as his first name, which fits rather well with all the e sounds we have going on in our family.  I think I should start going by Cari, I tried in high school but it didn't last long.  haha!

He's 17 months old, the same age as Good Time.  He is very good with the kids as you can see.  We have had him since Saturday and he has not even barked once, which I kind of wish he would so I could hear is voice.  He does snore and make a cute noise when he's being scratched and pet.  

Surgery for my Sassy girl

Please keep us in your prayers as we get prepared for Sassy's surgery.  It was decided yesterday at the ENT that she will need to have her tonsils and adenoids removed and possibly have another set of tubes in her ears.  One of her ear drums is retracted and has fluid so he is going to review her records from the pediatrician.    Her tonsils are so big that as the doctor put it "almost kissing".  They are very large.  We are thankful that Copehagen man is employed with the school district and has insurance.  But the co-pays for surgery and the deductible are still not pleasant, especially here at Christmas time.  It will be on the 16th in Arlington.  She will have to be out of school for the rest of that week and lots of other things she cannot do for 3 weeks.  I still have my tonsils and do not personally know of anyone in my family that has had them out.  

Please also pray for my friend Stef's pregnancy and childbirth.  She is due next week and will find out more about the birth of her first child on Monday.  

Thank you!

Ranch quick trip

Our quick trip to the Ranch on Saturday.  We took the boys to fill up the feeders with corn for the deer.  We are going back this weekend with Sassy and Goodtime while Fireball is with his Grandmother.  Sassy and Copenhagen Man are waking up earlier on Saturday morning to see if they can see some Deer and shoot one if they are lucky.   It would be great to have meat for the winter stocked.    This was our Frugal Fun Saturday day, all it cost us was gas.  

This is the view we see when we open the gate, these Llama's live on the property to the left of the ranch.

Here I am driving on the Ranch.  Woo Hoo! 

Rock Me Momma and Her Boys waiting for Copenhagen Man

Copenhagen Man and Fireball looking at the Oats He planted for the Deer.

Going to fill up the feeders...... 

Tired Fireball

Rock Me Mama and GoodTime

Family Portraits - Some of my Favorites

CVS trip

Well I had 10 ECB's that were going to expire today if I didn't use them.  I couldn't let that happen, that's like 10 free dollars.  

I bought

 Zantrex-3 energy shot 4.99 = get 4.99 ECB back = free

Mega Pack Huggies baby wipes = 7.99 = get 2 ECB back 

Total 12.98 plus tax

Minus 10 ECBs 

equals 2.98 plus tax out of pocket

Recieved 4.99+2 ECBs back = 6.99 to spend later

A loss of 3.01 but I purchased baby wipes which we always need.....

This weekend

I am going to be very busy this weekend..... and the only person to blame is myself...... haha

Friday night thru Saturday afternoon - Ladies Retreat with Oak Grove Baptist Church - my mom is going with me too.

Saturday night - My Birthday dinner with Family

Sunday Morning - Church

Sunday afternoon - Naps 

Sunday late afternoon - Pictures at Sears with the Stinson 5,  It has been over a year since we had a family portrait taken.

So I might not be on too much.  But hopefully will be refreshed!  

Christmas tips

Christmas is just around the corner.  I thought I would share some tips from this year and some I tried last year to save us some cash.  

This year I had been working on saving up our Disney Movie Rewards so that come Christmas I could get something big with reward points.  I bought some points on ebay because they are cheaper than buying the movie.  You can only use one code per movie per account.  But now that they have Blu-Ray out you can use those codes too for the same movie.  Copenhagen man and I decided we would get the boys a Cars Dvd/Tv with our points.  It was 3500 points.  I did it a little at a time thru the year so when it came time, I redeemed the points.  They shipped it straight to our house, no shipping cost, and it was here with in a week or so.  They are about 140 at walmart.  

Tip 1. Use Rewards Programs

Movies-   Last year I bought DVD's on ebay that were brand new in package.  It worked out well and I didn't have to pay full price even with shipping.  I'd sell some of our stuff on ebay and then use that money to buy new stuff for Christmas.   I'd better get started back on selling stuff on ebay.  

Tip 2 - Sell stuff on ebay and check out prices for things you want

Purchases - As your budget allows, buy toys or items when you see them on sell or first thing when they come out.  We bought Fireball some iron man toys when they came out in October with were around 10 dollars a piece - but now we can't find them.  WALLE is the new toy and we will probably grab some of those.  We also saw the new ELMO in October and decided not to buy it then---- wish we had.  We saw it for 49.99 at Wal Mart that day - and yesterday it was 99.99 -------Oh My!  So unless we find it around 49.99 Goodtime won't be getting the NEWEST elmo for Christmas.  But hey he's only 16 months, he won't know.  ; )  The cute thing about the new Elmo is he blows kisses just like Goodtime does.  

Tip 3 - Accumulate Purchases during the year 

Personalize -  I have an account with Artscow.com  

It is an online Digital Photo Prints, Photo Books and Custom Gifts store.  When you sign up they give you free stuff - alot of free stuff - and you can earn more free stuff by referring your friends and purchasing items.  Right now I have 25 items in my cart (which have been there for about two weeks, I'm glad they don't empty your cart).   My subtotal before my discount for my free stuff it $156.28 with my discount it will be ZERO.  Plus shipping - 73.75.  The other day I had like 15 items and it was 40 something for shipping.  Still 73.75 for 25 personalized items sounds like a great deal to me!

If you would like to sign up, it's free, please use this link ......   Artscow.com

Tip 4 - Look for discounts on websites 

I hope you enjoyed my post ---- if you did --- leave me some comments!  Thanks!

Menu Planning Monday

This is my second time doing Menu Planning Monday - Hosted by orgjunkie.com ----I find it's so much easier to already know what is going on for dinner!

Okay so last week - instead of Tex Mex Chicken - I made hamburgers and home made fries that night.  So we are having Tex Mex Chicken tonight -and it's so wonderful to already have it in the crock pot and the counters clean.  : )

Monday - Tex Mex Chicken

Tuesday - Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Wednesday -Creamy Pasta Primavera

Thursday - Glazed Pineapple Chops along with Roasted Red Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese

Friday - Chicken and Biscuits

Saturday - MY BIRTHDAY - Go out to The Railhead Steak House --- : ) 

Sunday - Chicken Lo Mein 

Big Daddy's not sure about the menu this week - he said where is the chicken fried steak and Meatloaf -----  this week it's chicken - it was on sale at Kroger  and Pork - I'm sure he'll survive, or find extra work to keep him busy during dinner then fix a sandwich or nachos later.... haha!  

Thanks again to Kraftfoods.com -

Menu Planning Monday

Monday - Double Cheese Chili with Cornbread 

Tuesday - Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken with Broccoli 

Wednesday - Easy Italian Meat Loaf  with Mashpotatoes

Thursday -  Slow Cooker Tex Mex Chicken with Rice 

Friday - Steak and Potatoes

Thanks to KraftFoods.com for having such a wide array of recipes!

What's your menu for the week?

A few favorites

A few of my favorite pictures.........  I'll write more later.............  

Wordless Wednesday

A morning at the park

Not too sure about this Momma!

I think I can I think I can!

Look at me!

The boys shirts say "My Parents are exhausted"  Fireball looks exhausted here!

A morning at the park with friends.  Our church is starting to have a stay at home mom's play date!  How fun!  The Lord has made this day beautiful in so many ways.  Thank you for my beautiful children.  

FIREPROOF

I can't wait until Saturday night.  Friends of ours from softball have invited us to go with them to see Fireproof.  Their church is hosting baby-sitting to encourage them to see this movie.  If you go and see, comment and let me know what you think.  

The Ranch Labor Day Weekend

We went to the ranch for Labor Day weekend.  It was so much fun.  All of our kids got to be there this time.  Along with Aunt Gigi, Uncle Chris, Ty and E.   Grammy and Papa stay at the ranch most of the time when they are here from Africa.  Here are some pictures from our fun filled weekend.  We stayed in a travel trailer, the kids had bunk beds and Larry and I slept on a full size bed.   It was cool, hopefully one day we will own one ourselves.  

Julie is quite the little fisher woman, she caught 15 that weekend. 

Ronnie of course wants to be a "tractor man" when he grows up so he was just happy playing right off the front porch in the dirt.  We didn't have to worry to much about where he was.  If he wasn't playing with tractors he wanted to be on one. 

Daddy, Julie, Ronnie and Ty on the tractor, fixin' to go plow the field. 

   Blowing Bubbles was a favorite too.  Thanks Aunt Gigi!
Cody's first bath in a sink.  He's over a year old.  My very first bath was in a sink!

My Love of my life

Oh words cannot express my love and admiration for the Daddy to my children and the lover of all things me, my strong arms, rough hands, broad shoulders, teddy bear at times, grizzly bear at others, Husband.  School and softball starting at the same time as been a little rough on me.  Admittedly I've been a little more than short with the people I hold close to my heart.  But yesterday my husband brought me out of that crazy phase.  He took the afternoon of at lunch yesterday came home and said he would take care of the kids, and to go to the salon and get my hair done.    Thank you so much sweetheart for making me feel like a million bucks, I know it was almost that much to get it done.  He loves it, I have blonde highlights again and it's shorter, medium length.  Kind of like Nicole Richey's with the swoop bangs.  Then he took the kids and I out to dinner at the Olive Garden.  I love you babe, you're the best.  

Live Vote by NBC on “In God We Trust”

NBC is having a live vote on their site right now on "Should 'In God We Trust' be removed from U>S> currency?" This is our chance to let them know what us Christians think!  I don't know how long the voting will be open so please go here.    

10 boxes Pop Tarts for 1.80

If you haven't grabbed a Sunday paper for 08/10/2008 but sure to do it if you buy Kellogg's brand items.  They have a promotion giving a 10 dollar rebate for buying 10 items, but on top of that, they give you a ton of coupons to do it with.  My children and hubby love them some pop tarts and with school coming up this is a good way to get some fuel in them before the day begins.  BTW they came out with whole grain pop tarts for the same price. At Wal-mart they are a 1.68 a box, I bought 10, used 5 $1/2 coupons, so my total out of pocket at the store was 11.80 - which I used a gift card I have - so now I just send off for my rebate with my original receipt and the UPCs from the pop tarts and wait for my check for 10 bucks.    WOO HOO!  

Dinner Last Night

Last night I made, "The Best Lasagna Ever", and according to my family it truly was.    Thank you very much, ThePioneerWoman.com, I'm very happy to have stumbled across her blog.  

She gives you step by step instructions and pictures too.  I'd encourage you to check it out.  We still have some left overs believe it or not.  The Gram and my copenhagen man agreed it was better than Olive Gardens, and that's saying a lot seeing as how my husband always orders lasagna when we go there.