AWESOME DEAL!

I made an awesome find yesterday, and I had to share. Kroger is having their what seems monthly 10 for 10 sale and if you buy 10 items you get $5 off. So here is what I came up with:

Jello. The Large boxes of Jello and Pudding mixes... $1.25ea/buy 10= $12.50

     $12.50
  - $  5.00
----------
      $7.50

But it gets better. They had coupons next to the jello display. $.55 off 2. Kroger doubles their coupons, soooo $1.10 off of 2. Results in:

     $7.50
   -$5.50 (1.10 X 5)
--------
    $2.00 for 10 large boxes of Jello and Pudding

I believe I will be stopping by and getting more today! :)

What good deal have you recently found?

Amanda

6 months have gone by so fast

Saturday, our little darling Lybertei turned 6 months old. Wow where has the time gone? She is already actively crawling... I mean crawling, crawling! On Saturday she elected that she would stand for the first time. I mean REALLY! Slow down baby girl! She is a very tiny 6 month old. At her 6 month check up last week she had a perfect score of 0. I'm sure you are wondering what the heck I am talking about. I'll explain. She is completely balanced, she successfully is in the 0 percentile for her head circ, 0 percentile for height, and 0 percentile for weight. She is sporting a 15 1/2 cm melon atop her shoulders, is a tall 23 inches long, and weighs a massive 13 pounds 4 ounces.

She is right on track with three of her older sisters, all who really didn't hit "the chart". Sera (the middle) was the only one who ever was "on the chart".

Lybertei has so many nicknames:
Lil T, Queen T, Lil Miss, Lady Lybertei, Lybei, Lybei J, Jaimzee... and on and on and on.

Here is a picture from Christmas... Happy 1/2 birthday baby girl.

60 day challenge, so far and cloth diapering... randomness

This is clearly going to end up being a random post. So far I am 5 days into my 60 day self challenge. So far so good. I am hanging on tight, I am on day 3 of no caffiene... and it hasn't been too awfully bad. Now I just need to incorporate the exercise portion and we'll be well on our way. This week will be a true test to my ability to succeed. I am travelling out of town for work Tuesday-Thursday. Eating out for three days could get interesting, however I am stocking my suitcase with apples to help curb my appetite. Unfortunately I'll be missing my weight watchers weigh in on Wednesday since I'll be out of the office. I am hoping I can find another meeting to go to so that I can see my progress. I have been trying to remind myself that this is going to be a slow process as I am still breastfeeding...

Cloth diapering, all I can say is I love it, and I wish I had only found it sooner... Wow the money we would have saved! I have to admit, I am so loving it that I have become somewhat addicted to purchasing cloth diapers! I can say in all honesty that since Lybertei has been born she has not had one diaper rash, which I attribute completely to cloth diapering.  I am hoping to get some photos of her modeling her new dipes in the next few weeks, I just picked up some really cute new designs.

Dinners since my husband left have been less than fabulous. I have decided that beginning Sunday... I am all for the beginning of the week kind of person, even though today is Monday. That I will start back to my menu planning. It definitely makes life WAY easier, after all I do have a membership to Menu Planning Central, I really should start using it.

I am going to be emailing one fine follower this week to get together a button for your blogs. I will be grabbing more buttons soon. I am so glad to be growing my blog. I've been following my followers and I'll be honest, I am learning a lot from all of you.

God Bless,

Amanda

Military Monday Blog Hop

Looking forward to more followers... Getting closer to our Faith BeBe Boutique Giveaway!

Happy Monday Ya'll!!!

Following Friday

60 Day Challenge

New Year's Resolutions are really made to be broken. I often have thought that maybe the whole resolution idea was created by someone chaneling devilish tendencies. I mean looking at it simply the devil does relish in defeat. I deviate, instead of resolutions that I know I am going to break I have determined making small attainable goals that will yield a wealth of results would be more rewarding than ever.

My husband was called last Friday and advised that he would be sent on active duty for additional training the following Tuesday. Wow, no time to internalize anything that was happening to us. Today is Day 2 of my challenge. Day 1 was trying... I am slowly getting there.

I decided that if he was going to be away for 64 days before his first graduation that I was going to do something during that time, for me, for us, for my family. Get healthy, yes I want to loose weight, but overall I just want to get healthy. I have started to take vitamins again, increasing my water intake, and will be slowly eliminating my caffiene. This will be the hardest. I have long been a 2 Coke a day kinda girl.

I joined Weight Watchers to begin with. While I am at my pre-baby #5 weight I am still at minimum 20-25 pound heavier than when I met my husband. I want to do something about it! I joined WW because I needed something to be accountable too. I know it sounds weak, but lets face it, as humans we are weak!  Beyond the accountability I need something that teaches me how to eat right. Yes, I love fruits and veggies and what not, but I also love the not so healthy items either: fried chicken, gravy, bacon, and on and on and on. While I know they are fine in small quantities, that's where the problem lies.

Secondly in a previous post I stated that I would be doing the Couch to 5K Challenge. Today is day number 1. So far it wasn't too bad. My husband purchased me a gift card for Christmas. I refuse to use it to purchase clothing in my current size because that will just encourage me to do nothing. So until I'm 2 sizes smaller that nice little gift card will reside in a safe place. I am hoping that this time comes just before I hop on a plane to see my handsome husband all dolled up in his uniform.

I hope you follow me on my journey.

God Bless,

Amanda 

Happy Birthday Josalynne Tayte!

Miss Josalynne Tayte,

Also known as Josey, Jojo, Tayter Chip, and on and on and on... Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday you were just born. You were my first that I walked into the hospital and said I'm here to have a baby. All of your older sisters had me in labor, so I was VERY nervous....I even had a panic attack before surgery. You came out and you were beautiful. You still are. There were some touchy weeks with you, spending two whole weeks in the hospital suffering with RSV and pneumonia... You will always be my last winter baby (I think) because of everything you went through.

My Jojo, you are very, very active. A vibrant, sassy attitude for sure. I look forward to seeing you on tv next month, considering you were a whole year younger at the taping... I can't quite put my finger on who you are or who you are going to be. One of these days I'll figure you out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS!

Love, Mommy

Monday Military Blog Hop

Alright, I know it's Sunday, but I'll be busy packing my husband up tomorrow for his next assignment. We had a very nice dinner with family this evening to let his family say good bye. We've given the girls the option to either come to the airport to say farewell or go to school... They haven't decided what they want to do yet, and that is ok... This never gets easier, not even for me.

Reminder that once I reach 100 followers I will be having a giveaway. I know it's a lot, but I have some real neat items that will be heading your way.


Enjoy hopping, Tuesday I'll be back with a special post for a very special 3 year old.

God Bless,
Amanda

**What have you done to pay it forward today?

Pay it forward...Unexpected series of events

A few weeks ago I was at our local thrifty grocery store. You know the one, where you pay for your cart. I was picking up a few final things for some baking projects for Christmas. I had paid for my purchase and was at the side table packaging my purchase into boxes and grocery bags that I had just purchased. I was almost finished and I heard the lady that was behind me in the line discussing something with the cashier, however as busy as we were I just didn't hear what all she was saying. It was not until the lady was almost out the door that I realized their discussion. Said store doesn't accept credit cards unless you have a pin. The lady couldn't remember her pin and didn't have enough cash to pay for her food. I tried to catch her so that I could buy her food for her. She wouldn't stop walking and I kept thinking about that day, over and over in my head, what IF I had only heard sooner I could've helped.

Just before Christmas we took our kids on a shopping spree to Toys R Us, they filled the cart and were elated, little did they know what was about to happen. We approached the cashier and told the cashier we needed nothing bagged, a young man behind the register, he too had no idea what we were about to do. He scanned each item and handed it back. We proceeded to hand them to the girls and had them place the toys into the Toys for Tots bin. He was completely taken aback. He said he's never seen anyone do that before. Afterward we discussed with our children what we were doing and why. Jojo was the only one who didn't quite understand.

Unless you have been living under a rock of obscurity this week you have probably heard or seen a story on a man named Ted Williams. He was a homeless man that a local paper here, just 15miles away wrote a story about, in a mere 24 hours his life changed forever. He was brought in by a local radio station and the rest is history, he now is the voice of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and the Cleveland Caviliers and more...This all leads me to my final point, something that I never expected nor would I.

Last night we were at dinner, a local pizza place. We were going to be telling the girls that Josh was leaving again with the Navy... We were waiting on our food and our waitress came by to say that she was sorry there was an error with our order. She apologized and said that she had spoken to her her manager to discount our meal, however while talking to her manager a nice couple, a couple that I had seen a couple tables away paid our bill. I have NEVER seen these people before in my life... They told the waitress that we seemed like a nice family. Really? I mean don't take this wrong I am so thankful, so much that I have cried like three times over this, but just by one look they thought we were nice and wanted to buy our dinner. To those angels where ever they are, thank you so much, and God Bless you!

So now, I'd like to know what you have done or what has someone done for you to pay it forward?

God Bless
Amanda

The call that changed it all... we think

Four and a half years ago "we" enlisted in the Navy. I say "we" because it was a MAJOR family decision. One that would essentially pave the way for our future, but also devastate our families. Josh's because he was the only son in his family and as much as his mom nor him would ever admit, he was and still is a momma's boy, I mean when I met him she was ironing his underwear. My family would equally be upset because that would mean at some point we would be moving. So far we things have gone well and we've stayed put. I think we are both looking forward to the day that we might get to move and "be on our own". We are very close with all of our family and as scary as it is, seeing the real world and making it on our own would be an adventure.

Friday morning my husband called, around 11 as I was working and said, "How's Tuesday"... My abrupt reply was, for what? Then those words came out of his mouth and I could feel my heart breaking, not because I was sad or upset, but because that meant we were back to a long distance relationship and me being a single parent again... While I can handle all of that to the best of my being, the mere fact that I can't just hop in a car and in a few short hours see my husband's beaming face, instead this time he'll be 22 hours away, that to us means few trips back and forth. I was relieved to find out that only the first 64ish days will be that far and then it'll be significantly closer 8 hours away, which is way more manageable!

My husband will be heading to his "C" School. This will essentially set him up for more civilian opportunities if and when he leaves the Navy. So, I'm busy preparing his bags while he is spending the weekend drilling, all so that Tuesday I can drop him off at the airport and resume life as normal back at home with our brood. Normalicy is what keeps us all strong through these separations.

Now all of this is reliant upon the fact that since everything was done so quickly that BUMED approves his orders.

I am excited for this new journey and it takes us one step closer to active duty.

God Bless,

Amanda

Happy 2011!

We made... Here we are 2K11... Who knew it would come so fast. A lot has happened over the last few  weeks, err days, err umm little while... While our lives have changed in lightning speed over the past year, the last few months were, well a blur. We finished our "holiday" season this past weekend. I so LOVE the holidays because I LOVE spending time with my family.

Ok, soooo I've been writing this post since Tuesday, MONDAY! Let me regroup and see if I can remember my thoughts!

I am going to be writing a seperate post here in a few, it deserves it's own post. A story of paying it forward.

I'm finding that since it has taken me three five days to write this post, my thoughts are quite jumbled. I had a large paragraph that was in regarding what we thought was going to be good news regarding my husbands military status, but as with all things military, one call can change everything, so we are back to waiting... One of these days I will learn that waiting is normal.

Last night I had JoJo's (aka Josey, Josalynne, Tayter Bug, etc.) (she's started calling herself JoJo, so I'm going with it.) photos taken for her third birthday. Where 'o where has the time gone? She is getting so big. There will be a post dedicated to her Tuesday, her actual birthday. I am so excited. The photographer posted a few on facebook last night and they are AMAZING!!! More to come with these.

I have decided to hit the gym. I believe that I will be following the Couch to 5K plan. It is a 9 week plan broken down into 3 workouts per week, which fit conveniently into my schedule! I am doing this because I've decided that this summer I will not be sitting on my bum. I am going to register for the Warrior Dash. It seems barbaric, but really a heap of fun! And my husband and I are also considering the Tour de Cause bike race. I imagine that I'll do the 10 mile...

God Bless,

Amanda