Lights at Temple Square

We were so very cold, notice how Zoey can't move her arms as she is so bundled

A short Christmas ornament craft with Zoey.

We went with Nicks family to see the lights at Temple Square and took a few pictures in the freezing cold. We have never taken Zoey out in the cold for that long and that cold, so I made sure she was nice and toasty. Still no matter my efforts Zoey still got a cold and a barky cough and is now on quarantine in hopes she won't still be sick for Christmas. All in all, the light pretty, it was beautiful to see the manger scene and we even ran in to the Regehers and my best friends older sister Kristen and her cute family.

Update at the Greens

We hosted Thanks Giving at home this year with both Families and it was so GREAT!!! My favorite Thanksgiving by far...plus can you see all my home made decor I made to put on the table and around? I had fun :)

Enjoying frosting from our Christmas cookies

Yes..... Zoey got into my mascara and eyeliner and is holding my pearl necklace. She came down down stairs singing and thought she was SOOOOOO beautiful. I first froze with frustration, then couldn't help but laugh because she was so pleased with her new beauty

Nick cutting the Turkey

Nicks Dad gave us the best early Christmas present and came into town over Thanksgiving break, Zoey had a blast with her Opa

Decorating the Greens tree, they had some fun with Zoey!

Aren't they so cute as an Elf, Santa and Rudolf!!

Nick and Zoey Decorating our Tree the Day after Thanksgiving

Gardner Village

I know it has been so long since we have updated, and I can't do all of the pictures over the months we missed (too many!). We had a wonderful holiday with our families and were thrilled to have Nicks Dad in town from Washington.

Zoey is growing so fast! She kills me what she can do at 19 months, I am almost positive she knows at least 45-50 signs in ASL and speaks her mind every chance she gets. She is already learning colors (I have no idea how, since I have not really focused her learning on colors or counting, but she already knows a few!) But other than Zoey that is all that is new with us.... oh did I mention we are having a baby at the end of May?

This is our announcement, I am currently 15 1/2 weeks and I am due May 27, we already know the sex of the baby, it is the first picture...can you guess what it is?

Thank you already to those of you who do know and have shared your love and support with us, we love you and our so very thankful for you.

Sand Box

Cupcakes from Grandma! Notice the green sand on her hands with frosting

I know I am way to big, but for a while Zoey didn't want to go by her self

Last month my family was over and I was so excited to see my siblings and all of my nieces and nephew and that they could play with Zoey. Well it was so hot, it didn't even occur to me that the kids would even want to go outside since we have no shade in our yard. Though they all some how ended up either on the slide or playing in the lovely green sand my parents got Zoey. I was so surprised. I am not sure why, kids love sand, dirt, mud; parents don't. Zoey wanted so badly to go out with the big girls and play with them. They were awesome with her too. The girls were building all sorts of things, when Zoey would come and knock it down, dump it out or step on it. They just kept building and let her play to. (What great Cousins!) Since that day with all the cousins Zoey loves her green sand. We have caught it a couple times around her mouth (yikes) she has so much fun with and (most of the time) enjoys playing with her sand more than the garden dirt. The best is when we come in before nap time wash our hands and a snack and go down, when I come back by the door I see little patches of green sand every where. At least it is easy to spot and that makes it easy to clean.

Big Girl

Zoey is such a big girl now, she can climb up the ladder and go down the slide in our back yard! Any time she hears the word "outside" she runs to the back door and stairs out through the glass at her fun large playground that she seems to never be board of! She has been doing this for almost a month now and it is so funny to watch her. When she gets to the top of the slide she waits for you to watch her and then goes down with not only a enormous smile but shouts "weeeeeee" to the bottom and repeats the process.

Extreme Couponing

My Coupon Book

Organized in sections like the isles on the store

Zoey loves to help with the coupons and deal hunting

I left the table for just a moment, when I came back this is what I saw. She climbed up and started looking at deals and playing with coupons, just like mommy!

This is one week of grocery shopping deals with coupons

I spent 70.00 and got:

4 gallons of milk

2 pounds bananas

6 1bs of pork ribs

2 pks of yoplait smoothies blends
2 6pks of danimals drinks

3 lbs plums

1 pk of top ramen

1 hillshire farms polish sausage

1 miracle whip

1 large bag of cereal

1 bottle of Kraft BBQ sauce

4 loaves of Grandma Sycamores bread

1 pk Oscar Mayer turkey deli meat

2 tubes colgate toothpaste

2 bottles of multi surface Windex

2 bottles of active scrub Scrubbing Bubbles

2 lbs of Roma tomatoes

1 pk of 30 eggs

1 pk of Hamburger Helper

2 pks of UP2U gum

1 pk Carefree panty liners

1 pk of butter

2 lbs of Grapes

1 Romaine lettuce

2 96 oz bottles of Juice

In this Particular Week with Coupons and watching deals I saved 16.59!

I go to Wal-mart with my deals from other stores and price match. I only use coupons when something is on sale and get the item for 30-60% off! In the month of July I saved $57.00

In the first week of August I have already Saved $23.00.

Nick and I used to laugh at this method because we knew how cheap Costco can be, but we found some tips and now we are sold. I love to see how much money I can save each week.

Each week varies from week to week. The worst savings I have had in one week was 6.95 and the most I have saved in one week is 23.00. Like most Families we are on a tight budget with trying to stay completely out of debt and also pay bills while raising a family. Because of that we only give ourselves 70.00 a week for food or cleaning supplies. That may seem like a lot, but after you get a few items there isn't a lot left over for toiletries or unexpected week to week items.

I can buy 7 nights worth of diners, plus all of my cleaning supplies, lunch food, snacks when we got out on weekends and still have extra to buy Popsicles for a hot day. I was NEVER able to buy as much as I can now, in fact I even get a few items for free!

There are a few people I have talked who also agree in price matching but don't care as much for the coupons, that they are not things they would but often for there family. That's what I said only because I thought even with a small deal I couldn't afford it. I am sorry to say but that is not true. I have seen coupons for everything from condoms/KY jelly to potato chips and pens. This week I got 4 10 pks of BIC pens for Free with a deal and coupons. Everyone uses pens. Or if you are still not convinced, I get two papers so I had two coupons for a $1 off tide, the first week of August the 2x 50 oz tide was on sale for 4.99 (reg. 7.57) I used my dollar off coupons and of each tide for 3.99! That is a great deal!

Every one has there own way of cutting back and trying to save money for their family. Along with a few others tips this is one I have found to help us on a very large scale.

Cloth Diapers and Cloth Wipes

She does great in the cloth diapers!

Over a month ago I decided we needed to switch to cloth diapers.

I initially wanted to make the switch because we only spend 70.00 each week at the grocery store, and when you buy diapers you take a HUGE cut over other items.

I spend 84.00 to get my supplies and started, and all of the supplies will last from 8-36 with all of our kids! I did the math and in the one year bought diapers for Zoey we spent over $420.00 on diapers and wipes. $84 vs $420 seems like a no brainer to me to switch, but I understand when others say they can't wash all of those messy diapers. Yes, it can be hard if you do it the cheapest way like I do (soak, soak, and more soaking followed by minor scrubbing) but I have to admit now that we are fully switched I don't care how bad her diaper is I know I am saving Hundreds by just washing it my self. I figure Zoey has spit up, thrown up, pooped, peed on me so many times I might as well clean all of it up and save my family tons of money.

I am not trying to suede any one to cloth diapers but tell that they are not as bad as they were once (cloth diapers have changed and come along way since your mom used them).

I took the prices down at Costco (typically the cheapest for quality in bulk) and this the tally..

Huggies Kirkland

Size Quantity Price Quantity Price

1 -- -- 216 29.99

2 258 39.59 216 29.99

3 228 39.59 212 37.99

4 200 39.59 186 37.99

5 176 39.99 108 37.99

6 144 39.99 135 37.99

I hope this information was of value to you. This switch to cloth diapers and wipes has been a very real benefit to us, and Zoey does so great with cloth diapers. I can see more advantages that just cost such as children tend to potty train earlier and on their own!!!