Picture Catch Ups!

A few of you may remember me mentioning how we got a lot of family photos done on Owen's first birthday back in March.  I was never able to access those photos due to lack of computer, but I can now!  Here are some of the one's I think are the very best! :) I've also talked these up to family, particularly   grandparents, so I figured posting them here would allow ample "stealing" access for them!

I hope my "flashes back in time" aren't too annoying.  I've missed so much during the non-computer time, and just have a lot to catch you all up on! :)


(photo credit to our good friend, Michael Coon)

Mamma Money Savings! :) (yes, i'm obsessed with coupons)

Okay, so this post is mainly dedicated to you mommies out there!  Now that we have internet, I've been LOVING doing coupon-hunting and free sample searching, etc!!  It's like a "job" i do when I'm staying at home.  So here are a few things I want to share with you all, and maybe you'll love them too!!

Here Are Two Websites you can go to daily, and get free samples  (I always load up on FREE diaper samples!)

www.sweetfreestuff.com
www.absurdlycool.com


Here Are a Few Blogs I follow to get the scoop on special Deals going on, and more free stuff!

www.couponcravings.com
www.pocketyourdollars.com
www.frugalfinders.com

There are loads and loads more, but I don't want to overwhelm you.  The nice thing is, on any of those blogs, you're likely to find other blog links that are similar!

And lastly, a Target, Diaper-coupon money saving tip!:
(and why I usually buy diapers at target...)
At Target, did you know that you can double coupons?!  You can double a MANUFACTURER plus a TARGET coupon, no matter what they are worth!  Recently I saved 6 dollars on ONE pack, just by doing this!   You can also use a re-useable bag on top of this and save .5 cents on each bag.  (small, but it helps!)

*Some of the cashiers don't know that their store policy allows for this doubling.  I sometimes just need to tell them they do, and ask them to look it up or ask another employee. :) *


I love being able to do this stuff again!  :o)

Hopefully it helps some of you!


Love~!

Lauren

Gonna Get My Blog On

Good News!
We're back in action!
We have internet!! This is the first time mark and I have had "actual" internet since being married.  It feels so awesome!

So posts WITH pictures are coming atcha!
I'm really excited about this as you can tell!

I'll leave you with a picture of the mess I had to deal with this evening.  :)











Be Back Soon!


Love to All!

a series of unfortunate events

1. Our car burns
2. Our new car needs more work then we knew
3. Most of our friends and family get sick with a stomach virus/food posioning
4. My phone breaks
5. I get strep throat

:)
Its been a good couple weeks! Ha!

Headed to chi-town for a visit with kirk and amber truex. Crystal, brandon, and kyle are coming too :)

Love!
Lauren

On The Hunt

Many of you will remember when Mark and I got into an accident in chicago on the weekend we got engaged.  It totaled my CRV completly, and we had to go on a hunt for a new car.  Terrible experience with insurance and the whole thing in general, however, the engagement was a sucess (I said Yes.)  :o)

Well, 2 years and 4 months later, the hunt begins again.  Hoping this time it won't be as bad of an experience.  So far, it hasn't been too bad.  The car we bought to replace the crv, now sits in our drive-way, half burned.

Let the pictures speak for themselves:

If your wondering how this happened, that's a very good question! We don't know what caused it whatsoever.  We are just thankful no one was hurt and nothing super important was lost (besides the car of course)  We are doing okay though, and something i'm learning is that if you aren't able to part with a THING, then you don't own that thing, that thing owns you.  So, we are parting with the camry (sad to think of all the memories-bringing home our baby in it, traveling to nashville and back in it, etc) but i know that God will provide and we will come out stronger, and hopefully with a car just as great!

love,

Lor

lately.

Good News. We are seeing improvement in the way owen has been acting (see last post). We felt that he needed more time away from just me, and more social stuff, and I feel like a good mom because we were right. Frankly, its good for all of us. I have started a different job that I am loving so far, and I'm not taking owen with me. Owen is staying with Sandy every monday, and is with his dad, not me, on thursdays. This isn't a huge social change, but already owen has almost altogether stopped hitting me, and I can tell he is happier. We are also in the midst of touring play groups/ day cares for other options. I haven't opened up about that to a lot of people because I don't care to hear peoples opinions too much on it unless positive. We are looking into having him at this type of social setting for a few hours on tuesdays and on fridays. I'm really excited about the progress we have made with him not only at home but in social settings.

More good news. We have found a church. The moment we pulled into the parking lot, we knew we already loved it-and we were right. It fits so well and we are really excited and refreshed! I am so happy not to be "church hunting" anymore. I'm not a big fan. Anyways, its called oasis. :)

Thirdly, 19 kids and counting, you've heard of it right? Well..I love that show (if anyone wants to buy me seasons of it...I'd gladly accept!) Anyways, I totally didn't know they were debt free ! How stinkin cool is that? 19 kids and no debt or credit cards! They save loads of money monthly on simple things like making their own laundary soap!! They spent 3 dollars on homemade detergent where an average sized family that purchases tide spends 60dollars!! Hello money savers!!! Case and point-im going to try it! After learning and getting excited about that, I read my friend amys blog about making your own deo, which is also a money saver. I'm going to try that too! I know that may seem weird, but who knows-maybe ill be rich someday bc of the money I've saved by being resourceful and doing seemingly "weird" things. Ha!

Booyah! :o)

Life is good.
God is good.
And there an update!!

testing of my patience

Owen has been testing my patience MAJORILY lately. People talk about "terrible twos" and my son is 15 months, and I so hope and pray that he is going through this "terrible" stage early. For quite some time now, he has starting hitting me. He will get angry, throw himself on the floor, grunt, shake his fists, and hit. Now, for those of you reading, you are probably floored because owen always acts sweet when you see him...well, that's the thing-he is soooo sweet when he is around anyone else. Its just at home with me and mark when he will preform these wonderful fits. I've been frusterated and wondering where he gets this!
A. Mark and I do not act that way
B. He doesn't watch television to see people act that way
C. He isn't hardly ever around other children who could maybe teach him to act that way.

In all of my frusteration, I'm trying to learn about him, and listen and be attentive to his needs. I realize that no one is perfect, we all have our little sticky areas in life, and I'm just trying to do the best I can with his.

As angry as I can become with how he is acting towards me lately, its times like right now, when he is sleeping and I can hear him lightly humming in his sleep that my heart melts for him. I love that boy more then I thought possible- good attitude or bad, he is perfect to me.