What did you get free this week?

I should say (almost) free. I don't normally do posts like this. My family already tells me I am the cheapest person they have ever met ( I think they mean frugal...or maybe cheap). I am tired though of people asking why do you coupon....uh to survive law school!!! Or people saying "oh I don't have the time" or my personal favorite "I just end up spending a lot of money on things I don't need". OK come on people! The following was just this weeks SPLURGES!!! And neither of these purchases took longer than 10 minutes to plan and who doesn't need deodorant, soap, toilet paper, Easter basket stuffers, excedrine (a two year old and 9 month old...enough said). So in other words if you don't have the time or don't ever buy these things then I will keep my opinions to myself...but seriously come on?
This transaction rung up at -.73 (yes that's negative) then with tax I ended up paying 39 cents I needed toilet paper and deodorant so would have easily paid that for the TP alone. I actually got two johnson's buddies but already put one to use.

This transaction was an online order. I got the socks, shirt and shipping for the grand total of (ready for this) $1.08. Yeah it's not the cutest polo but I knew St. Patty's day was coming and Kaden's wardrobe is a little lacking in the green dept., and I ALWAYS need clothes that can get destroyed! Anyway enough said I will step off my soapbox and you probably won't have to endure reading anymore posts about couponing.

Happy Monday!

The sun is shinning, my flowers blooming, playgroup today and spring just around the corner it's a happy Monday here!

End of our trip...

We have been busy busy busy. Chris was in San Francisco for a Moot court competition last week so my boys and I went to the coast to meet up with my mom and sister. After Chris flew in and met us and we headed to Seattle. It was such a fun time and we loved spending Valentines and Presidents weekend together in the city. Our drive home was beautiful and we were within 30 minutes of being home and ended up stuck on the highway in literally a parking lot for about an hour. We were probably a half mile behind a horrible wreck. One man was killed instantly and two were life flighted and in serious condition. It was a head on at approx 70MPH and the two cars were extremely mangled. More than any in a wreck I have ever seen. I was up a lot last night thinking about these people injured and that we were within a minute of the car crossing the median. What would have been the outcome if we were just a minute further up the highway when this occurred. I feel lucky, grateful blessed that we weren't but my heart goes out to those struggling for their lives.
Photo from Krem.com

Everything in its place...

Is your house like mine? Every winter when we are cooped up a little more I notice all the cupboards that need organizing or the wasted space in which we could free up more room and have every little thing in its place. Chris had some free time during Christmas and together we came up with some solutions to give us some much needed space and organization.

This project I had to tackle alone but it actually went pretty quick and easy. The boys room is a sailboat theme and I found this fabric and thought that would make cute organizing totes for the boys closet. I made them out of cereal boxes quick easy and cheap...they are even collapsable so when I don't want to use them under the bed they can go!!!

I'd like to say I made this beautiful shelf on the wall but I have to give credit to Chris. He made these in my parents garage in the freezing month of December what a good sport. I painted it but I had the luxury of doing that inside our house where it was warm (probably killed a few brain cells from the fumes but not as many as by always seeing the books in piles or tipped over on the book shelf). I love them and now (almost) all the books are where Kaden can see them when he wants to read a story!

I have to admit at first I wasn't down with this idea but a friend of ours in her kitchen had an on the wall spice rack. I was worried it would look to busy for the kitchen but actually love it! All the spices are right where I need them and I don't have to dig through the cupboards. We had this towel rack (yup towel rack) in the bathroom as a decoration. Chris hated that its sole purpose was to hold towels that were just for decoration. So a few weekends ago we went to home depot routered some boards painted and adhered them to the towel rack and wa la new spice rack.

Where have we been...

I'm getting asked that a lot lately and I feel like everywhere and no where! We got to spend Christmas in Utah which was wonderful. I hadn't been home for Christmas in three years so it was so fun and so wonderful! We also spent some time in Portland it was fun to spend such precious time with Chris and our families. We have been back for a couple weeks but have had Beckham teething, Kaden throwing up and then a couple days ago Beckham having difficulty breathing and almost having to be admitted to the hospital. All is well though now and it has been refreshing to be home organizing and completing much needed projects.

recent happenings...

In between studying for finals we have been out and busy. Our stake does a huge nativity which we went to and was excellent. Some friends invited us to the Seventh day adventist journey to bethlehem which was an outdoor nativity it was freezing but was one of the coolest christmas things I have done.
They took you on little tours we were of the family of David and they acted out the whole story this was a guard making us pay taxes.

These were some of the shepards at the manger they had real sheep too it was fun for kaden.

I think though that kaden liked this guy the best...kaden keeps telling me "mom the camel was looking at me I think he wanted a kiss!" It was a fun Christmas activity and I would recommend it to any of you who live close.

While visiting grandma we went to zoo light. Grandma and I took all four kids and only had one stroller opps. It was fun, a little cold but with chasing two two year olds and a four year old we stayed warm. Kaden wondered where all the animals were...the lights were fun but he thought we were going to the zoo to see the real animals.

I thought this picture turned out cool...

The lights were cool this one the giraffe bends down picks up a heart and places it on the tree.

Kaden with his cousins. He loves penguins you could kind of see them in the dark but that was about the only animal that we could really see.

Thanksgiving day...

Happy Thanksgiving day a little late. And what would you ask brought this big smile on my two year olds face...it wasn't the food although it was delicious. All night Kaden had been asking for the turkey bone I didn't know why but finally it occured to me what his little mind was thinking and I was right...of course give the bone to the dog buddy!

He was so excited to have the turkey bone go figure...

My little guy is growing. He is now eating cereal and baby foods he had sweet potatoes for thansgiving dinner. How grateful I am for my three boys!

Pure Bliss...

While I was making these and other holiday treats the other day I heard giggling and not from just one of my boys but
from both of these cute little things. Beckham was jumping in his bouncer and Kaden was jumping nearby the two were laughing at each other and not just a little laughing but on and on. Kaden can really get Beckham laughing hard it is the cutest thing ever it melts my heart.