CAKE WRECKS

This blog makes me cry from laughing soooo hard!! Has anyone else enjoyed it?

Trader Joe's

Fantastic homemade video and love song to Trader Joe's (mostly on a cell phone)

Thomas' ABCs and 123s

ALPHABET

NUMBERS

my little princess

I sure do adore my little princess.

Fake Mashed Potatoes

I can hardly believe it myself... I used fake mashed potatoes. Joe and I both have colds so bad that we can't taste anything anyways.

Plus, these mashed potatoes were cheap, cheap, cheap at Publix. So far so good on lent.

Giving up or giving in?

Another Ash Wednesday passed. It seems that in years passed, Ash Wednesday arrives and I find myself trying to decide what (if?) I should give up for 40 days like cramming for a test. Hurry, pick something!
Self-denial and how one handles temptation are central to Lent. One year, I attempted to give up sugar. I lasted about 2 weeks without life happening and just forgetting.I’ve also given up coffee, dessert, my time to volunteer… But lately I've been feeling like Lent has become no more than an exercise of "practicing a religion" versus finding meaning in a situation. Case in point: Coffee is integral to my daily routine. Dessert? Please. I bake all the time. To not taste what I am cooking is sacrilege. Giving these up would be ridiculous. They are not bad habits, they are part of a daily existence.
But rushing through life? Bad, bad, bad. And so easy to do.
I've decided that this Lent season, instead of "giving up," I'm "giving in." For 40 days, I'm going to let a few things pass me by.
And I won't feel guilty about it.


Hebrews 4:10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. (NIV)
Genesis 49:15 And he saw that restwas good (KJV)
Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. (KJV)
Psalm 16:8-9 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. (KJV)
Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. (KJV)

Outdoor Play

Enjoying the warm weather...

Morning at the hair salon

Joe went first to show Thomas that it's not scary.

Then, Thomas was so brave!





Catherine wanted a cute little bob so we let her....




"When can we get the french fries you promised?"

Rite Aid has swept me off of my feet

I've been so impressed with the new Rite Aid on Old Fort Parkway! As everyone close to me knows, our family has been suffering from every upper respiratory virus under the sun in 2009. With a new year came a new deductable. However, I was able to actually MAKE MONEy at Rite Aid with each new prescription. Thomas and Catherine needed antibiotics 2 weeks ago for ear infections. I used these coupons and scored 2 $25 gift cards.... one for each $6 prescription of generic Amoxicillin.

Here's what makes Rite Aid EXTRA special... They have me, not one- but two, droppers per child. Catherine got pink and Thomas got blue. How thoughtful If they take the medicine twice a day, how nice is it to have a clean dropper for the second dose. How nice it was to tell the droppers apart.


Then the pharmacist called me a few days later to check on Thomas and Catherine. She said, "How are you holding up with two sick kids?" Was she serious? Um.... did she know I had not had any adult interaction in way too long and had been cooped up in the house way too long? She talked to me for several minutes and let me complain about how hard it was, my lack of sleep, etc. She made my day!

So, I go back yesterday to get a prescription of steroids for my cough that has gotten way out of control. I gag on at least every other cough now. It's terrible.
Anyways. I used another coupon for a gift card (I actually paid for my $6 steroid pack with my previous gift card so I made money, again!)

I had taken Murphy with me in the car and was sitting there thinking how much I love Rite Aid when the drawer in the drive thru opened with my prescription, receipt, and the cutest little dog biscuit right there on top. Ok, this was too much. A treat for Murphy, too? Rite Aid has swept me off of my feet.

Thomas, my big helper

This is what happened when I went to the mailbox for less thank 30 seconds.... Thomas gave his sweet sister more Gerber Puffs and Cheerios! Thanks Little Buddy!


He even "helped" sweep them up afterwards.

Free Quiznos sub!

Quiznos is giving away 1 million free subs!! Go here to register and they will email your coupon. The coupon expires 5 days from when you print it.

Discovering some sanity

I couldn’t take another day of being cooped up in the house like this:
(he's literally hanging on me)



So I decided to take the kids to the Discovery Center today.

Catherine stuffed herself with Cheerios most of the time.

Thomas petted a bird:


Tried out the big fire truck:


Played with this:

Rode a wooden giraffe:

Made a spotted frog out of a paper plate:



And even scored a small french fry on the way home from McD’s.

Thomas demonstrates Tot Locks

How did these score so high on consumer reports??

Great deals for weekend shopping...

I have become TOTALLY OBSESSED with coupons! Please forgive me, but I had to share these deals!!!
If you have any plans to hit the stores this weekend, take these with you to make your own deals!

40% off any regular priced item at Old Navy (good Feb 20-26)

$10 off $50 at Dick’s Sporting Goods (exp 4/30)

20% off your entire purchase at Big Lots Sunday 2/22 from 5-9pm


Free Pink Body Lotion: coupon here

$10 off $50, $15 off $75 or $25 off $100 at Victoria’s Secret (exp 2/22)

20% off your entire purchase at Victoria’s Secret (exp 3/08)

$10 off any Bra & a Free Panty at Victoria’s Secret

Bath & Body Works
Free Signature item with any $10 purchase (up to $12 value) - (exp 3/1)

Free Aromatherapy Body Care or Home Fragrance Item with any $15 purchase (up to $13 value) - (exp 3/1)

Free Signature Collection Shower Gel with $10 purchase (up to a $10.50 value) -(exp 3/15)



10% off any Book at Barnes and Nobles (exp 3/13)

Get $6 off any Pork purchase when you buy (1) Kingsford Charcoal bag and (1) other participating item.

The coupon can be printed anyway you like… (think pdf) and is good until 12/31/09.
If you save this for a sale you will end up getting the charcoal and the other item for free and still having a little bit off your pork.

Also,
You can get a Mail in Rebate for $20 back from your next preventative Veterinarian visit. Go here on the top of hour and enter your information. They will give out 1000 rebates per day starting yesterday 2/16 through 2/28 from 9am - 9pm EST. The rebate is good through 5/31.

The trick: Hit “submit” right on the top of the hour and you will get your rebate. Any other time and you will get a message that says they have given them all out.
Print your rebate form. Take it with you to the Vet visit. Get the Doctor to sign it and then send it into Bayer and they will send you $20!! You can go to any Vet office, it is not the Doctor paying you or discounting anything.

20 Free prints at Walgreens 2/20

Today only get 20 Free 4×6 prints at Walgreens.

Order prints online from Walgreens and enter coupon code ONEDAY, choose for store pick up. The order must be entered on 2/20, but can be picked up Friday or any other day.

Feeling romantic...

So, I'm feeling romantic today! It's been a really wild week and I just love that today is Valentine's Day and I get to reminisce about all of the wonderful moments, secrets, adventures, etc... that Joe and I have shared.

I looked back at some older photos of us. Here we are...


















1st house!

Married!!!

Wedding Rehersal

Jerusalem

Dead Sea

Masada

We were baptized in the Jordan River, in Yardenit, holding hands.


Nazareth


Mt of Beattitudes (the place where Jesus gave his important sermon on the mountain (Mt 5, Lk 6:20)) Joe and I took communion there.

Capernahum

Sea of Galilee (It is the lowest sweet water lake in the world. The hills around the lake are even higher: 400-500M above the lake's level. This depression is part of the Syrian-African fault line, which includes the Dead Sea.)

On the Mediterranean in Tel Aviv

Hiking Mt. Leconte








Valentine's Day 2005

2004 New Year's Eve

This is the 1st time Joe brought me to Knoxville to see his parent's house.



Thank you, Joe, for making my life so wonderful!! I love being Mrs. Joe Scott!!