Passing on my Love for couponing...

I love to coupon....I love the rush of finding a good deal, combinging a store coupon with a manufactured coupon!
My favorite is find a good deal on somthing I really NEED! Often you can find free toothbrushes, but how many toothbrushes can a family use? But the other day I got 10 (yep 10) Yo-plait Yo-gurts for 50 cents TOTAL!! And we really eat a TON of Yo-gurt so this was great!
The other really fun thing about couponing is when I get to share my good deals! A few weeks ago I found an Amazing deal on Cream of Chicken soup and Del-monte peaches! I had to call my Dad- He gets as excited as I do about double coupons!! So he went out and got some too!

Now that I have kids I am starting to pass along my passion for saving money (wahoo) When I tell them we are going shopping, Andrew will often ask "do you have your coupons?" They help me look for the stuff thats on sale, and they know if I have a coupon we get to try somthing new!

They love finding money on the ground and saving it into their piggy banks! We are going to open saving accounts for them soon and start putting their money into a real bank! Andrew is already starting to help me fill out my deposit slips and they know when they put money into the bank they get a Dum-dum lolly pop (They have them at our bank!)

I hope we can teach them how to manage money and avoid the pitfalls of debt...it's so important and will help them their whole life. So many people don't teach their kids how to Save, Spend and Give, thats why so many people are up to their eyeballs in debt!

Malachi's famous..well kinda!

If you are ever in Puyallup (Pew-al-up) Washington and happen to go to the Library downtown I have a little "I spy" game for you to play. Two places in the court yard Malachi's name is written in stone.... One is this plaque with all of his family on there by the library...see if you can find it!

Another is over by the statue courtyard (on meridian) on a brick- That was his Eagle project and so EVERY time we go to the farmers market, daffodil parade, or fair we have to go down and see Daddy's name! Happy spying!

Backtrack a little!

So I know Halloween was a little while ago and I have posted more recent pictures...but you guys didn't get to see our cute Snow white and handsome Buzz lightyear! Happy Halloween!

Officially inducted into motherhood

The whole process took much longer than I thought it would, so by the time we FINALLY got a court date we were all more than a little excited!!!
I made this "Choo-Choo Train" Count down so the kids could take a car down every day and they were really excited to go to COURT!!

On the 18th we wanted to make it as exciting as possible so we had Balloons in the living room when they woke up and Malachi went and got Donuts for breakfast.... When we got to the National adoption day celebration the whole room was decorated and we had a special table with our their names on it! There was cake and presents- I think Andrew and Mallory really understood how special this day was!

We went into the Court room and the actual ceremony was only about 3 minutes long- Whaoo!!! So this is our picture with the Judge- and the Grandparents! We are so lucky that we have BOTH sets of Grandparents SO close and they are so supportive...Thanks for coming guys!

Then we went outside to take pictures in the fall leaves...we didn't really get any good pictures, but oh well! Everything is Official and we could not be happier!

Unofficially inducted into motherhood

Wednesday Evening the 16th I was playing downstairs with Andrew and Mallory. I decided to go upstairs to unload the dishwasher...I called Andrew up to come empty the silverware tray...He slipped on the stairs and was fussing so I called him to me- Long story Short- We went and got 3 stitches in the bridge of his nose! This (Of Course) happened 2 days (TWO DAYS) before we went to court. I guess thats the way it goes! Next important event I am wrapping my kids in bubble wrap 2 weeks before!
I have never had stitches before and this was defiantly a new experience for me...I guess thats what happens when you have a boy! Welcome to Motherhood!!

Here he is 5 days later getting his stitches out....he was really brave! We were really lucky that he didn't have a concussion or any bruising....Just a lot of blood!

For your information: The day I got married Scott (Emma's Husband) got a big gash in the same place on the bridge of his nose...so if I invite you to something important, where pictures are going to be taken- wear a helmet!!

What a nice boy!

Tonight we went to Walgreen's to grab a few deals and as I was checking out there was and older lady who was kinda tangled up in her cart. She had grabbed all of her stuff and her purse was on one side of the handle and her shopping bag was on the other side, so she was a little stuck...Our sweet little Andrew boy was watching her carefully and ask "Do you need any help?" by then she had untangled her stuff and thanked him for being such a little gentlemen!
I am so glad Andrew is such a nice little boy! It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

I am so grateful....

This Thanksgiving weekend I have been thinking a lot about what I am most Thankful for...

When I first got married one of the things I was most excited about was the opportunity to be a mother. As that opportunity didn't come I became very depressed. I was devastated month after month as my hopes were shattered. We prayed and pleaded to Heavenly Father to grant us our righteous desire. We sought fertility treatments and had tests done. We did EVERY "old wives tale" in the book! As the years passed on and we suffered a few miscarriages my sorrow deepened...I felt completely lost. I grew resentful of my job because I didn't want to be successful as a grocery manager. We applied for an adoption and waited helplessly. I felt Empty inside, as though I had no purpose on this Earth. I did everything I could do and I was angry with God for withholding this blessing from me......

Then the most AMAZING thing happened. On December 9th 2010 we were able to meet with 2 young children who were in the foster care system. Andrew and Mallory needed a family to care care of them and to love them...and we had been searching for them. From the moment we met them every seemed to CLICK! The first time me met Andrew ran right up to me and gave me a big HUG, my heart melted, and all my fears flew away! After a few visits I knew that they were intended to be in our family. The four of us fit together perfectly!

This time last year I was full of doubt and uncertainty, I didn't know if I would ever be able to be happy! Now everything is so much better, Not perfect, but manageable! No matter what struggles or stress I am having it's much easier to deal with because I have two darling children singing their ABC's in the back seat. They have both grown so much and I am so grateful that I am able to be a part of that, to watch them grown and to see them progress! They are incredible kids! I got really lucky! I am grateful that Heavenly Father sent them to our home- AT THIS TIME...I know I begged him to send my children to me 5 years ago, but (as always) He knew better then me and knew what I needed and what they needed- I know that they were intended to be part of our family now!

I LOVE being a MOM!!! I love finding fun/cheap things to do with my kids, going to museums, Zoos, parks, movies. I love spending time as a family. I love shopping with/for them. I LOVE how fun Holidays are now, painting pumpkins, decorating cookies, hanging lights, singing songs. I Love teaching them about the gospel, learning primary songs, and reading church books. I really love just being able to stay home with them all day, making them lunch and just doing stuff together!! I am Lucky to have such a loving supportive Husband who works his Butt off so that I can stay home with our children!

I am SO grateful to be a Mother!