Picnic with Daddy!

John works not too far from a little park so we met up with him for lunch this week! It was beautiful outside and a great chance for both of my men to get some sunshine!

Couponing

I have had many people ask how I was able to quit my good paying job to be able to stay home with Gatlin. I want to share as much as possible with people, because I remember thinking I would never be able to afford to stay home. I had some great friends that were encouraging me to really evaluate our lifestyle and see where we could trim any extra. One way we have saved $100-$200 a month is with couponing. 

Honestly, the idea of couponing had never crossed my mind until about a year ago. I started hearing more and more of my Facebook friends talking about how they had saved 60% or more on their grocery bills. I had always been of the school of thought that grocery shopping was more or less a free for all. If it sounded good, looked good, and would fit into the cart, you bought it. Then when you ran out of room in the basket you paid and went home. I had never planned a meal, made a list, or clipped a coupon in my entire life. I am still fairly new to couponing, but I seem to be catching on quickly.

As of now here is what I do.

1. I purchase 3 copies of the Sunday paper (well... purchase 2 and steal my parent's copy)
2. I get coupons from family that don't use them. 
3. I clip all coupons that I might possibly use and file them into my notebook. 
4. I go to coupons.com, redplum.com, smartsource.com, and couponnetwork.com. Here I print as many as will let me (usually 2 of each) from both my laptop and desktop. 
5. Then I get the sale ads for Walgreens, Homeland, and Walmart. (You can sign up to receive the Homeland ad in the mail a few days before their new sales start) I match the coupons that I have with what is on sale.  If I don't have time to coupon match myself I go to Moneysavingqueen.com and just go off of their matchups.
6. I only buy what I need! Say it with me now, "I will save money, not hoard!!!" I only allow myself to have a certain amount of "extras" in stock. For instance, I will only have 5 extra deodorants, 4 packages of paper towels, and 3 tubes of toothpaste at any given time. I do not want my house overrun with stuff! 
7. Occasionally, I will purchase coupons from couponsthingsbydede.com if I am running low on a certain item and really need to stock up. Or if it is a sale I cannot resist. 

Routinely I am saving 30-50% on my grocery bill. I know could save more, but I try to limit the amount of processed food that comes into our house, and it is difficult to save on fresh food. That is one of my goals for next Spring: Gardening... eek! 


Any advise or suggestions would gladly be accepted!

We went park-ing

Since it has been so weirdly beautiful around here, some other moms and I took the little ones to the park! 

Mrs. Eden and Nora flew a kite.

 

Gatlin was content with watching them fly a kite. 

 
 Mrs. Ally and Larkin came too! Larkin was a bit obsessed with the swings!

 

Sweet Hannah kept running laps around the playground while her mom Mrs. Maggie chased her around!

 

 Gatlin and Cordie were so sweet to share their toys with one another.

I can't say that I am minding this weather! We have had the windows open everyday and getting outside as much as possible! My only concern is if it is already this warm, what does summer hold for us??? Eek. At least I won't be 9 months pregnant... but Gatlin's poor Aunt Sissy will be! 

Pi day!

Since John and I both have math degrees, it is only fitting that we would celebrate Pi Day! Also, because no one wants to celebrate anything by calculating circumferences, we got these pies! 

Yummo!

7.5 Month Randoms

  

Gatlin and I are enjoying our days together. We have been very blessed to have our good buddy and cousin Lincoln spend the days with us as well. Although they seem a little bored with me in this picture, we do have lots of fun together!

 

Gatlin, being the good big cousin that he is, loves to read to Lincoln.

 
 

And he loves to give baby Lincoln lots of lovin!

 

Gatlin is also standing.

 

And sitting too! 

 

Also debuting this month were two little teeth! With all the fussing these little boogers caused, I think the whole family was glad to see them.

 

Gatlin is eating two meals a day. I have been making his food and freezing a month's worth at a time. He eats squash, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, avocados, bananas, apple sauce, plums, quinoa, and yogurt. He's a little eating machine! He can also hold his own sippie cup. He still has 4 feedings of breast milk a day.

Bath time is one of our favorite times. He would splash and play all night if I would let him!

Gatlin has been battling croup this last week. It is rough on this little guy. He slept more at 8 weeks than he is right now. We go to sleep and then a coughing attack comes and wakes up the whole house, and we repeat until dawn.

 

I am so blessed that I get to spend my days with this little man. I have not regretted quitting my job a single day. Thank you Jesus for making this dream a reality.