Getting all my Ducks in a Row: 2009-09-27

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Rolling It @ Walgreen's

I stopped by Walgreen's on my way home work today...I took with my my coupon binder and my $26.50 in Register Rewards I earned last week.

And I got all of this in 3 transactions with about 12.00 out of pocket and I got back $3.00 that I can use next week to roll it again!!

So for basically $9.00-- I got

2 2 packs of Dove Soap
5 Dove deodorants

Got to stop right here and rant a little(only a little since all this for $9.00 is awesome!! But I was supposed to by 8 Dove items...didn't realize I didn't until my $10.00 register reward came out for $6.00...:( I wanted to get a refund and start over but with my coupons and register rewards and all I feel like I am putting the cashiers out already...so next time I am going to be very careful!!

1 Purell hand sanitizer
2 Playtex Sport
2 Playtex Gentle Glide
5 Hershey with almonds
6 Trident Layers
1 Vaseline Sheer Infusion
1 Wedding Congrats Card

Not bad for 9.00....I am going back tomorrow to get the free Playtex Gloves(forgot my coupons) and cheap Roc face wash.

Weigh In Wednesday/Body After Baby Challenge

I have been weighing in (well talking about my weight loss journey-- I must confess I haven't actually stepped on a scale in a while) every Wednesday with Chrissy @ Life as a "CEO" -- But I have also through Google Reader been following along with the Body After Baby Challenge @ Mama Notes.

While looking through my Google Reader-- I came across another meme on this topic...since I could use all the support I can get I thought I would throw this one in too...

Amber @ aefilkins (you know from Friend Makin Monday) is doing a Extreme Makeover: Me Edition...she posts a question every week (except this one) ... So I will just leave my post as is...

I have been trying to understand why I am having such a hard time getting started on losing my extra weight...but I think that this week I have finally figured it out. I will be just fine if this is the size that I am for the rest of my life. I will never be a size 3 again...ever...my hips will never be that slim again-- since 4 kids have made their way through them. In the past 6-9 months I have lost 41 pounds...and while I would love to lose another 15-20 ish...I will be ok if I don't...so I am going to stop beating myself up every week and just do some things that I know will be more healthy for me....and if I do drop some of this weight -- GREAT -- But if not...it's ok.

Week 1 of the Body After Baby Challenge -- was to drink more water! I have certainly been doing that this week. I have been drinking coffee in the morning and then when I get to work I make an ice water with 3 lemons...I have been going through 2 -3 of these a shift ( 3 1/2 hours)

At Lunch is when I get into trouble...I love Mexican Food...I love Nachos, Enchiladas, and Sanchos!! This is usually what I have for lunch -- Plus chips/salsa/guac -- I am going to have a grilled chicken breast with a side salad and guac...for 2 of the remaining days and on the other I am going to have a taco and small side of rice....No more Chips and salsa :( LOL.

On to Week 2-- How much can you walk? or Run? I am going to walk home from work ... about 8 blocks (I think) (man now I am hoping that it is not further) every day that it is not raining!!

If you would like to :"weigh in" Visit Chrissy @ Life as a "CEO" and Mama Notes
and Amber @ Extreme Makeover: Me Edition.

Works 4 Me/Wordless/Wordful Wednesday

Works for me Wednesday is hosted by We Are That Family...if you want to join in click on the image above.

Wordful Wednesday is hosted by SevEn cLoWn CirCus click on the image below to join in!!

And for more Wordless Wednesday...Click Here!!

I am going to combine a lot of meme's for this post...this a my fabulous
Wordless/Wordful/Works4me Wednesday Extravaganza post...did I convince you that I am being cute and not just lazy?

HUH?

Just go with it this one time ok?

My kids have been writing on my walls...this past weekend while cleaning out clothes from their closet I discovered a ton of graffiti...seems they thought that this was what their closet was for...so what's a mother to do? Well first I got them some scrubby pads and made them clean it up...lol...then I joined in on the fun!!

Greg (the carpenter) made this for us!! Now if you click on any of these photos you will notice that the edges are not perfectly mitered!! But like I told "The Carpenter...it's not like I am darning your socks and hemming your pants...lol...you did the best you could...I'm happy with it!! The kid;s love it...that's all that matters!

Then I painted this on the wall...pretty isn't it...well not yet...but we are getting there!! Just took a little chalkboard paint...and:

Ahhh...now that is cute!! The kids can draw on it without fear of being punished!! I know that it is really huge...but there are 3 boys and you better believe that Miss M has her Dora stool pulled right up there getting in on the fun!!

Since I didn't realize until I went to set up my links that this is a Theme week...I will add my cleaning tip here as a P.S.

P.S. Make your bed as soon as you get up in the morning....

P.S.S. Throw a load of clothes in the washer right after you make your coffee....

P.S.S.S. After you are finished checking your e-mail and drinking said coffee....throw clothes in dryer and head for shower...get dressed and fold load of clothes before heading out the door!!

This is my morning routine...most mornings...unless I get lazy and then Mount Washmore starts to take over all areas of my house!!

Show Me Your Giveaway's!!

I love giveaways!! I have been entering them for quite some time now...and while entering my giveaway on other blogs MckLinky lists...I had a great idea...what if you could come to my blog and post your giveaway's!! I am going to try this out...Every Tuesday I am going to post this MckLinky!!

Great Blog Giveaway!!

Miss M wearing the Medium Layered set just like you could win!! Congrat's Brandy!!

Brandy @ The Buzz: My Coupon World has a great giveaway listed!! She has this awesome Etsy shop called madejust4you!! She is also the featured blogger from sits today!! If want more info about sits click here!!

She is giving away a medium set of bows to one of her readers!! I have bought some of her bows...and they are fabulous!! So go .... run and enter...and while your there...tell her I sent you!!

You can enter here!!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Friend Makin Monday

Welcome back for another edition of Friend Makin Monday!!

Amber @ {aefilkins} hosts this every Monday and today's topic is:

What are your hobbies? What do you wish that you knew how to do?

I love to shop!!

My latest purchase from Etsy...look for a giveaway to come!!

I love to read my favorite blogs!! And I love to work on my blog. I love that now when we are doing things in "real life" I can see the post in my head!!

I love to read books!!
This is the book that I started last night...kinda slow at first but it's getting better.

I love to geocache!!

I love to scrapbook!!
I haven't done this in a while though...I need to have a scrappy weekend!! These are from the last scrapbook that I started. It's an ABC book...think I am missing 4 letters to be done...

I love to watch my favorite shows!!

Is anyone else hating Russell as much as I am...I have got to hand it to him though...finding the hidden immunity idol with no clue...that was awesome!!

I wish that I knew how to make things!! I mean I can make things but I wish that I could make things like tutu's!! My sister made Miss M this awesome tutu and witch hat for Halloween...This is what she just threw toether!! LOL. I am missing that part of my brain. Maybe I am just more of an instant gratification kind of girl!!

I kinda felt bad for Miss M-- she was a little bewildered to be made to wear her costume for a pic!! LOL. I promise I won't make her wear it with her pj's!!

I hope that you did however notice my clean hardwood floors...borrowed the same sister's Shark steam mop and cleaned them yesterday!!

I also wish that I could remember anything about the photography class that I took in college...I am thinking of upgrading to a real camera...you know not digital...

Thanks for stopping by and if you want to check out more FMM -- Click Here!!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Menu Planning Monday

I am participating in Menu Planning Monday @ I'm an Organizing Junkie. If you would like to join in Click Here!!

Looks like this week I am going to be following along with Tiffany @ eat at home...I signed up for her e-mail updates some time ago...and she has some amazing recipes!!

If you are having trouble coming up with things to make...sign up for her e-mail updates, you will never be at a loss for what to make for dinner!

This week I will be "Filling up My Freezer." She says you will cook once and eat twice!! Click on the link for shopping list and recipes!!

I am hoping that this is works out... I have a birthday party for 2 of my boys this weekend and I know how exhausted I am going to be when the weekend ends!!

On the Menu this week:

Taco Soup

Chicken and Dressing Casserole

Beef Stew

Virus Killing Soup

Chicken Enchiladas

Sutffed Shells

and a bonus dessert -- "MONSTER" Cookies

I will also be making her Whole Wheat Pancakes w/ bacon.

I have one more recipe that I am going to throw in for a busy/lazy recipe...this one is from Jane4girls $800.00 Annual Budget ( I love this blog!)

Grands Biscuit Pizza's - I have already made these and they were so yummy!!

So what's on your menu for the week?

It Pays to Follow Blogs

I am participating in MailBox Monday @ A Frugal Friend. If you would like to join...click on the image below...and make sure to visit the other blogs and see what they got too!! If you are nosy like me -- then you will probably enjoy this!!

This was a good week for free stuff in the mail for me...but not a good week for mail delivery!! I didn't get my mail most nights until after supper was made...that is about 7:00 here at our house...kinda late don't ya think?

So I got a lot of excerise this week...going up and down the outside steps...both flights...checking to see if the mail was there!! On Saturday I was on my way to my sister's and just happened to have the kids out in the car cleaning it up before we left (please don't feel bad for them-- it was their mess) and low and behold here comes a mailman...not mine...but I got a chance to ask him what was going on...

Turns out my mailman had knee surgery...going to be out for a while and when the other mailmen our done with their routes...they do mine...I felt really bad! I will not be complaining again!!

Ok...so on to my free stuff:

Reading Material
Muscle and Fitness
American Baby
Dole Nutritional News
Kiwi
Business Week

Coupons

$10/$50.00 - Famous Footwear...thinking of using this for new shoes for the boys for Christmas
5 $2.00/1 - Secret Clinical Strength - I really like this stuff!!
$10.00/2 - Olay Pro-X products
$10.00/$100.00 - Staples
2 $1.00/1 - Kotex products
2 $3.00/1 - Toys R Us (boys are a part of the birthday club

Samples and Freebies

Huge Kotex freebie pack (pads, lines, fds, and tampons)
Secret Clinical Strength sample
Filtrete Monthly Journal
2010 holiday calendar
Christmas card seals
Holiday gift tags, stickers and mailing address
Disney Mailing Labels

For the Kiddo's
Geotrax dvd
Disney stickers
Mission Papers from the Planet Protector's Club...with 4 different activity books for each of my 3 boys...I am stashing these away for the next long car trip!!

Giveaway Winnings
I got my Yoplait Delights Blog giveaway package...with robe, house shoes, eye mask and Free Yoplait Delight's Product Coupon!!

Etsy Special

I did a giveaway for tresjoli last week and in one of my e-mails mentioned to her that I loved 2 o her necklace's...she was so very generous to offer to give me one if I bought the other...so I did...I got this necklace free as a thank you!! and the other necklace came with a set of earrings that I didn't even know about!! So 2 freebies in one!! This was so sweet of her!! I love love love her jewelry!!

The giveaway is now over but if you want to check out tresjoli's beautiful jewelry...Click Here!!!

If you would like to have a mailbox so full that it feels like Christmas every day...I suggest that you follow

It's Hip to Save

and

Free Sample Freak

So what was the best thing that you got in the mail this week?

GIVEAWAY CLOSED*Want to Win # 4

I am so excited to announce my next giveaway!! I am so happy that you are stopping by to enter this one of a kind giveaway!! I fell in love with this shop's pillowcase dresses as soon as I saw them! Good luck to you all...I wish that you could all win!!

I have found this awesome Etsy Shop called k. ross baby.

The owner of the shop makes the most adorable things for babies sizes Newborn to 6. When I first visited her shop...she had a sale going on...buy 2 get the 3rd half off...so I got these 3 pillowcase dresses!!

You can truly see that love goes into each and everyone of her pieces. I can't wait to see Miss M in her dresses!!

I think that Miss M is going to look so cute in these with tights!! But the awesome thing about these dresses is how versatile they are!! They are so cute on their own....

But look how amazing they look with jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt!! Miss M will have these dresses for quite a while since they are made to fit so loosely in the top..she will be able to wear them as dresses and then move on wearing them with jeans as shirts!! How cool is that?

But she has so many other great things in her shop too!! It almost made me wish that Miss M was still a tiny little thing!!

How Cute would carrying around diapers have been if I could have has this diaper bag? Way more stylish than the one I had!!

And I really would have loved to have had one of these layette sets!! Look at those tiny little boots!! I love everything in this shop!! I can't wait til someone I know has a baby!! I know that I will have the most unique shop to get a baby shower gift from!!

Here is a little from k. ross baby's Esty shop:
Welcome to my boutique. It is here that trendy meets girly girl. I am so glad you stopped by. In my studio, I specialize in creating unique baby and toddler items with a little bit of whimsy and plenty of detail! My shop offers wonderful things for your new baby, as well as for your older princess. These items include: pillowcase dresses, soft fleece boots, jackets, hats, diaper bags, bibs, burp cloths, luxurious blankets, monogrammed onesies and more! I offer coordinating fabrics which allow you to easily put together a terrific baby shower gift set or a customized boutique outfit! I will add those extra details you won't find elsewhere -- gathered lace, embroidered cotton laces, lovely trims and bows.

I absolutely love these boots!! I bet they look so amazing with the pillow case dresses!!

Now k. ross baby has so generously offered up a $30.00 gift certificate to one of my readers!! Maybe you could use it to get one of these!!

First and Most Important Entry:

Visit k. ross baby, then come back and leave me a comment telling me your favorite item.
This entry is Mandatory and Must be done first.
Make sure to leave your e-mail address in comment so that I will have a way to contact you if you win.

Bonus Entries:
Leave a separate comment for each one. 2 separate for blogging and 3 separate for purchases.

Make sure to leave your e-mail address like this to avoid the spam bots:

mellisarock at yahoo dot com

1. Subscribe to k. ross baby's shop feed
2. Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect (or let me know if you already do)
3. Sign up for my e-mail updates and confirm your subscription (or let me know if you are already a subscriber.
4. Blog about this giveaway (2 entries) Leave me a link in your comment.
5. Purchase something from k. ross baby (3 entries) This will be confirmed.
6. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet About this Giveaway.
This can be done daily--please leave a separate comment for each tweet. I have made this easy for you...please copy and paste this on twitter!!

I entered an amazing giveaway for a $30.00 gift certificate to k. ross baby etsy shop @ Getting all my Ducks in a Row @ http://bit.ly/GLhO3

That is a total of 10 possible entries!! This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and will end on October 14th at 4:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. I will use Random.Org to determine the winner. Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to get back to me with shipping info or I will draw a new winner.

Happy 5th Birthday E!!!

Happy Birthday to E!!! Today you turn 5!! I still can't believe that time has flown by so fast. I have cherished all the 5 of your little years. You were my constant companion until last year when you started K-3!!

You were so excited that you couldn't take the time to take the mandatory First Day of School Shot!! ( I must interject that E does have 2 legs...he was really in a hurry!!)

You have so many roles in our family....you are little brother to Mr. J

Little brother to Av

And BIG brother finally to Miss M

To your Mom and Dad Miss M will always be your sweet little bunny!! It was so great that while the boys were at school you had her all to yourself!!

In your 5 short years you have tried on many hats!!

As a Transformer

As a Chef

As a Fireman

As a Doctor

As a Construction Worker (readers please try not to notice the sheet under my tv armoire...We were moving it around the living room and this was the safest way for out hard wood floors)

And a small stint as Batman!!

You can be whiny at times (Like when your Mama wants you to wear your Christmas Disney Pj's)

But luckily you don't hold grudges

You think your brother's are awesome...when they share the things they made at school

You will always be my last Baby Boy.

You will always have your father's eyes.

And you will always have a special place in your Mama's heart!! Happy 5th Birthday E!!

*a few tears were shed while getting this post ready...luckily most fell on my shirt and not on my computer!

Giveaway's I entered

2 Giveaway's I entered

Brandie @ Free Sample Freak is giving away a EcoTools Green, Clean, Go Travel Sampler Kit!

Mommy has to work is giving away a ReSnackIt bag!!

And the Winner is....

Congrat's to 2 winners this week....

I forgot to announce the winner of the Bath and Body Words room spray

Congrat's to

#3
mrscravitz said...

Well Laura already covered the scheduled posts. I found out about it a while back. I am a follower of your blog.

And the winner of the tresjoli earrings is (I swear it was 3 both times!!)

#3

Anonymous said... I'm a subscriber to your e-mail updates.

Winners have been e-mailed and will have 48 hours to get back to me with contact Information or a new winner will be drawn.
Thanks to all of those who entered!

Quotable Sunday # 7

From A Daily Dose of Toni:

Welcome to Quotable Sunday's for any newbies. To join in simply, head over to your blog and post a new post with one or more quotes you love. Grab your posts link and add it to the Mister Linky HERE. Check back and visit those fellow quoter's and see the quotes they are sharing with us.

I work with one of my sister's on the weekends. This week we were talking about the fact that we get to see each other more now than we have in years. It really is funny though how we fall back into the patterns of conversations that began so long ago. I also visited my other sister today. The kids and I went to her house for a few hours. It was so nice to get to visit with her and just sit and drink cofffee and talk while the kids played outside in the nice fall weather!! So sister's are really on my mind this week. I hope that you enjoy my quotes!!

I know that I have used this picture before...but I don't have a ton...I am going to have to remember to take more pictures when we are all together!!
From Left: Me, my Mom, Crystal and Brandy

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~Marion C. Garretty

If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child. ~Linda Sunshine

Sisters never quite forgive each other for what happened when they were five. ~Pam Brown

What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it? ~Jenny DeVries

Sisters is probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once the sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest relationship. ~Margaret Mead

A sister smiles when one tells one's stories - for she knows where the decoration has been added. ~Chris Montaigne

How do people make it through life without a sister? ~Sara Corpening

There can be no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me. ~Mary Montagu

Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other. ~Carol Saline

When mom and dad don't understand, a sister always will. ~Author Unknown

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. ~Isadora James

The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend. ~Cali Rae Turner

An older sister helps one remain half child, half woman. ~Author Unknown

An older sister is a friend and defender - a listener, conspirator, a counselor and a sharer of delights. And sorrows too. ~Pam Brown

I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at. ~Maya Angelou

Our siblings push buttons that cast us in roles we felt sure we had let go of long ago - the baby, the peacekeeper, the caretaker, the avoider.... It doesn't seem to matter how much time has elapsed or how far we've traveled. ~Jane Mersky Leder

Our siblings. They resemble us just enough to make all their differences confusing, and no matter what we choose to make of this, we are cast in relation to them our whole lives long. ~Susan Scarf Merrell

Sibling relationships - and 80 percent of Americans have at least one - outlast marriages, survive the death of parents, resurface after quarrels that would sink any friendship. They flourish in a thousand incarnations of closeness and distance, warmth, loyalty and distrust. ~Erica E. Goode, "The Secret World of Siblings," U.S. News & World Report, 10 January 1994

Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring - quite often the hard way. ~Pamela Dugdale

Sisters share the scent and smells - the feel of a common childhood. ~Pam Brown

A sister shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams. ~Author Unknown

Sisters annoy, interfere, criticize. Indulge in monumental sulks, in huffs, in snide remarks. Borrow. Break. Monopolize the bathroom. Are always underfoot. But if catastrophe should strike, sisters are there. Defending you against all comers. ~Pam Brown

Sisterhood is powerful. ~Robin Morgan

Sisters don't need words. They have perfected a language of snarls and smiles and frowns and winks - expressions of shocked surprise and incredulity and disbelief. Sniffs and snorts and gasps and sighs - that can undermine any tale you're telling. ~Pam Brown

One of the best things about being an adult is the realization that you can share with your sister and still have plenty for yourself. ~Betsy Cohen

You keep your past by having sisters. As you get older, they're the only ones who don't get bored if you talk about your memories. ~Deborah Moggach