SOMEDAY...THE POSTS WILL COME!!!

AHHHH......I still cannot get my computer to upload my pictures off my camera. It was working before, and then one day it just stopped working. So, I have tons of fun pictures to post. School starting, Audrey crawling, Wii playing......Stay Tuned. As soon as I get someone to help me out here, I'll get back on the posting Train.

Grocery Savings Continued

This is only for those living in the Las Vegas area. The company was started in Utah....so if you live in Utah you are in luck. I'm guessing you have to have a different passport code to access the Utah lists. But, this website consolidates all the weekly sales adds for the different grocery stores. It tells you the sales price, the coupon to use and where it is found, and the final price after the coupon. It even rates the items. 4 and 5 star items are items that are a REALLY great price. The full concept is......you collect coupons, and then use the coupons on the week that the item you want goes on sale. The girl that taught the class said she never pays more than $3 for a pack of diapers (WOW!!!). I guess CVS Pharmacy has sales on diapers.....and combined with certain coupons.....she gets them for $3. And sometimes she even gets items for free (w/ the sale price and coupon combined) It may take a little work....and a little coupon organization....but for those kinds of savings.....I'm in!!! I'll report back in a couple months and let you all know how I like it! The girl that taught the class has a "coupons blog"....the address is: www.waymore4wayless.blogspot.com
If you have questions and want to talk to her directly.....her email is: shopsmartinvegas@hotmail.com

I'm usually not into these kinds of things....but, there's no catch to all this. If you want to collect coupons, you usually need the Sunday paper. And, you can sign up for the paper through Colette if you want to. But.....there's no other catch. No fees, no nothing. She's been doing this for over a year on her own.....and would just have classes to teach her friends (just because it is her hobby). Cool, huh? Can you tell I'm excited?

Grocery Savings

Okay.....so a friend of mine has been telling me about this great "coupon-clipping" way of saving tons of money. It sounded like way too much work to me, but then she told me that her friend had found an even easier way to save. So, SKEPTICALLY, I went to a "grocery savings class." I walked away absolutely THRILLED!!! Saving $50 here and there, I don't even feel is worth the hassle. But, the girl that taught this class said that her budget for grocery and household items used to be $1200 (for a family of 6). Now she spends $500. On grocery AND all the household necessities! Sounds crazy doesn't it? I know, I was skeptical too. But, I am sold. I spend $700 on groceries alone....and I have felt so frustrated that I can't get it lower. I shop the sales and try to meal plan. But, with a growing family....and big eaters.....I have not had any luck. So, I pass on this info to help all you out there who are looking to save some money (like myself). Check out this website, it is free. www.grocerysmarts.com
Once you get to the website, type in the passport code: g89ccb

Happy Moments

So the last couple of days I have had some happy moments. This summer has been somewhat of a whirlwind. We have had sweet happy moments, and we have had grumpy moments. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed as a mother, that I just run around like a chicken with my head cut off.....and I don't even stop to smell the roses. This week I have been trying to slow down and enjoy the funny and sweet things my kids say. It really works!! It has made me really enjoy my kids a lot more. And I think they have enjoyed me more. Braden has a giggle that is so endearing. I noticed it the other night when we were brushing our teeth in the bathroom together. Somehow (don't ask me how).....it ended up in mom (a.k.a.=me) "shaking her booty"....and Braden just giggled. I have stopped a moment or two to watch Kyle light up with excitement as he was telling Emmet something. There was a twinkle in his eyes that I don't always notice. Today when we were at the water park....I had a sweet moment when Kyle came over to grab our bag of fish crackers and ask if he could share some with the friends he had just met. As he was walking away he said, "Because that's what friends do." I have recognized that Dallin's need to be physical doesn't always mean "rough." He gives great hugs and kisses. And Tyson loves to snuggle too. I know that it is difficult to wean a child from thumb-sucking.....but it is so endearing when he snuggles up on my lap with his PINK soft blanket and sucks his thumb. And of course, I couldn't forget my little angel. I have had people at church tell me that they love to watch her just light up when her little brothers talk to her. I've taken notice more since those comments, and it is true. She knows her brothers, and just grins ear to ear when they come around. It is endearing to see those relationships start so young. It is amazing how life experiences just connect together. I taught the lesson in Young Women's this Sunday and it was about Eternal Perspective. I know this calling is for my benefit, because I feel like I learn so much as I prepare these lessons. This week as I have tried to slow down, I feel like my perspective was able to change. Instead of the normal frazzled, pessimistic "summer" mother......I felt like I was able to view my kids through different lenses. I am thankful for the happy moments.

Green Luscious Location

Okay, so people keep asking me where we got this green and luscious picture taken. Believe it or not......right here in Henderson. It was on the lawn right next to the florist on Horizon drive. (kiddie corner from O'Callaghan park). Hard to believe, huh? We had "Mikel's Fine Art Photography" take it. He was excellent. Expensive, but excellent. My mother-in-law paid for the sitting fee luckily (since we were really there for a full Scott family photo)....but we grabbed our family photo while we were there. Still expensive even when we didn't pay the sitting fee. But, probably the best quality photo we've had taken.

Family Picture

Not one single family picture we had taken had Audrey smiling in it. We had family pictures with Emmet's family, and by the time we got to individual family pictures......Audrey was ticked off and SICK of posing!

Winding Down

The summer is winding down. After almost 3 months of having my kids home from school, I am counting down to school starting. (You know you mothers out there who have school-age kids are feeling the same way---even if you won't candidly admit it like myself) Not that I don't love my kids. I do. But keeping 5 kids under the age of 8 busy during the HOT HOT HOT summer is not easy. I relate it to being snowed in during the winter in other states. The kids just don't want to go outside. (Neither do I) And.....all that testosterone and energy (of my boys) just turns into a TON of indoor wrestling and our fair share of arguing and grumpyness....from mom too. We did have some good fun this summer, and we did LOTS of swimming. Thank you mom and dad for donating your pool for the summer. I welcome the thought of some structure again!! HURRAY!!! The countdown begins. 13 days to go. (Anyone know how to put a countdown clock on my blog? I've seen them on other people's blogs. If so......let me know)