Pinching my Pennies

Currently gas is $3.66 a gallon. Everytime I fill my tank up I feel as if I am selling my soul. My head hurts, things start to go dark, and just when I feel like it is the 'end' the nozzle makes that loud CLICK, I hold my breath and slowly open my eyes expecting to see the fiery gates of hell but instead see 'TOTAL $43.76'. After reading the total it is usually followed by some gasping, groaning, and muttering curse words under my breath. Once I get back into my car I slump down in the drivers seat and conjure up ideas on how to get myself and Kam from Tremonton to Logan on a pedal bike. Since that is highly unreasonable (although I know everyone that reads this is picturing me pedaling my butt 27 miles one way with a happy-go-lucky 3 year old on the handlebars holding my purse...) I have found some other ways to save money. Well I guess just one way. One really big, really awesome way to save money....COUPONS!

I love it. I love them. I love checking my mail to see if I got any new ones. I love filing them. I love printing them with my shiny new printer I bought just for them. I love coupons.

Now that we got my ranting and raving out of the way, lets discuss this coupon business, or as some like to call it '"couponing". My friend told me about her coupon experiences in January. She told me she saved over 50% (at least) on her groceries a month. I didn't believe it. I mean really though, using a coupon and getting things for free because of that coupon?! I needed an explination on a few things.
1. How in the heck does that happen?
2. Is it legal?
3. Why in the hell am I just NOW finding out about this?!?
The answers to those questions are as follows...You stack a coupon on top of rock bottom prices and get it for next to nothing, or nothing. Yes it is legal. I have been running around with the wrong crowd. (OK mom you were right. All these years. There I said it.) The crowd that doesn't save money.

After lots and lots of explaining, a filing system for the coupons, a new printer, and a handy little thing to take my coupons to the store in I can officialy say "I am a crazy coupon lady!" The money I save is ridiculous. The quantities of items I get is unheard of, and I just can't get enough of it. Sometimes the deals are so good I grab a bunch of extras and give them to my family. It is my way of making sure my name is at the top of everyones Christmas lists. :) Here are some examples of the great deals......

I got all this for $13.23

(most of those body washes were FREE!)

2 bottles of detergent. Before coupons $9.00 after $4.00

The razor alone would have normally been $12.89 before tax...

because of coupons all of it was $15.79!

So the moral of the story is, if you are looking to save money and don't want to ride a bike 56 miles a day start couponing! It is becoming more of a hobby to me and I absolutely cannot get enough of it. I can't believe I used to pay full price for things. Sometimes I do have to bite the bullet and buy things at regular price though and it almost hurts as bad as filling up the car with gas.

The Health Mission

I have been really trying to be healthier and take better care of myself this year. This is what I like to call the Health Mission. It is my mission to look for more organic items, drink more soy and almond milk, cut out processed foods, drink 8 glasses of water a day, and cook dinner instead of ordering dinner or getting it out of a box.
So far it is going OK. I say OK because I am a candyholic. Other than that it is fabulous. Kam and I make our breakfast from scratch in the morning and the mornings we are in a hurry it is still something along the lines of fresh fruit and yogurt. I have made a huge effort to take lunches to work vs hitting a drive thru window. I know that a frozen pasta isn't always the best but I am sure it beats a deep fried piece of processed chicken that is cut into pieces that are shaped like the BK crown. Dinner is so much fun now. Tuna helper you can kiss my butt. The butt that you helped morph into a size bigger than I was 2 years ago. I am more adventurous and want to try to make things from scratch. When we don't cook we still keep it healthy.
For example last night Kam decided that he wanted pizza. I pulled out my file for restaurant coupons and found a pretty good one for Papa Murphy's take and bake. I asked Kam which one he wanted and he points to the vegetarian. This one is actually my favorite, I didn't know, however, how Kam would like it since it doesn't have red sauce or meat. He was persistent though so off I went, with my fingers crossed he would eat dinner that night, to pick up a pile of vegetables and cheese.
We get home, cook the pizza which looked amazing, (my mouth was watering the whole time it was baking and I was pacing the floor like a worried dog) and dish up. Kam was soooo excited to eat it. I was still worried that excitement would drain out of his little being the minute he tasted an artichoke heart. I sat him down at the table and gave him his piece that he picked out all by himself and asked what he would like to drink. "So do you want ice water, milk, Gatorade or orange juice?" In a very cheerful tone he replies "I want SOY MILK!"
That was the moment. The moment I knew my goal of raising a kid with his health in mind was being achieved. I was so impressed with my little man. I was even more impressed when he ate his ENTIRE piece of vegetarian pizza and washed it down with a cup of soy milk.

Mission accomplished. :)

This is the good life

As you may know I am a very optimistic person. I always try to make the absolute best of every situation and enjoy every aspect of my crazy little life. Here are some prime examples of what makes my life so gosh dang great. . .

• Being a mommy. Not only being a mommy but, being a mommy to the best little boy in the world.
• Having so many people in heaven watching over me.
• My amazing family. Especially my sister. She always listens to my stories and offers advice.
• I have a roof over my head, a vehicle that gets me from here to there and back, food to eat, a bed to climb into every night, and love from all those around me to hold it all together.
• Vodka. Yes you read that right. Vodka makes my life better in many ways. Stress reliever in a bottle. Don't get the wrong idea, I am in no way an alcoholic, I am just a dang good time. :)
• Music. It always has a way of making you just...you know...ahhh...EXACTLY!
• My ability to laugh.
• Best friends. Without them I would be soooo lost. Shaylise Bowen, Jessica Gledhill, and LaChelle Enright I wouldn't know what to do without you.
• My health. I am sure I am not the healthiest person alive (refer to the vodka mention above) but I can get out of bed just fine, use my legs to get me places, my arms to pick up my little boy, my lungs to breathe, my eyes to see the beautiful things all around me, my mouth to eat delicious foods, the list goes on and on.
• Comfortable couches. Better yet MY comfortable white chair.
• Crafting. Creating things with my hands.
• Bedtime stories with Kam. Reading Mars Needs Moms never ever ever gets old.

Those are just some of the many reasons I love life.

A little something I love....

Such a great phrase to live by! 

The KNOW:HOPE:BELIEVE list

10 things I KNOW are as follows....

• Kameron Christopher John is my sunshine.
• There is a heaven. My grandmother is there taking care of the sunflowers.
• Kisses goodbye are good, but kissing goodbye, turning to leave, turning back and kissing again is sooo much better.
• Climbing into a bed that has been made is the best feeling.
• I will always have OCD about certain things. No changing that one.
• Nothing, and I mean nothing makes me feel better than hearing Kam call me "Mommy"
• Coffee is my daily vitamin.
• I am always spun out on imagination. I daydream. I get 27 ideas at once. I can't help it.
• My life is absolutely positively amazing. I learn everyday.
• Prayers are answered. Some aren't. It always works out though.

10 things I HOPE for are as follows.....

• More people will start seeing the glass as half full. Or just be happy to have a damn glass.
• Kam will continue to grow and learn.
• Medical breakthroughs will be made for cancer. All types. And soon.
• God will continue to trust me and challenge me. He is doing a pretty good job of making this thing called life a great big adventure.
• My dad will continue to be a huge part of Kam's life. Kam just adores that man and it makes me happy.  
• I learn to bake bread. Good bread.
• I can learn to be more patient.
• One day I can make a man feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
• To have a house with a white fence.
• That my car will never break down on the side of the road again.

10 things I BELIEVE as follows......

• I am doing an alright job of raising a little boy.
• That little boy is very blessed to have a dad that plays a huge part in his life.
• In God. In miracles. In faith.
• Someday I will get married.
• Perfect timing.
• Creativity. I love being creative and challenging those around me to do the same.
• I get a little stronger everyday.
• Some of my best friends should have been my sisters, but God knew that our parents wouldn't have been able to handle us.
• In keeping calm and carrying on.
• Love is the best medicine.

BEElieve in miracles....

Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway. -Mary Kay Ash

I love this quote. It really makes you think. Well it makes me think. There are just so many miracles everyday that we are witness to and because they are so routine sometimes we forget to pay close attention to just how amazing life is. I look at Kam sometimes and I am just in awe at how miraculous a child is. He helps me to notice the miracles we are blessed with everyday. The other day he opened his blinds, looked outside and said "it is so nice outside today we should go for a walk and look at the trees. Maybe we should." Something as simple as a tree is such a miracle. I have decided to really work on being more humble and really notice how miraculous even the tiniest things are.  

Welcome Back!

So I got a little caught up in life and haven't updated this in ohhhh about 6 months. Ooops. I have made a promise to myself that I will be better about keeping this as up to date as I can. I hope that promise to myself works out better than other promises I have made and broke to myself...we are all human right. :) I don't have a great Internet connection right now so pictures will have to come later, BUT I will give you all, yes that is right all 8 of my followers, a quick update.

November:
Kam and I moved to Tremonton, UT. It is now April and I still have yet to make any friends here. haha. It is nice to be just 30 minutes from home. My family is close enough that I can visit and far enough that I can escape.

December:
Kam turned 3. This is a touchy subject for me due to the fact that I have a conversation with Kam on a weekly basis about how important it is to NOT grow up too fast. It's not working. I appreciate any and all advice on how to prevent them from growing up. Thank you.

January:
Happy new year! I made a lot of resolutions. Too many to name, and I really don't want to be reminded of how little I have accomplished. Some of them, however, were to be a better cook, read more (not only to Kam, but also for leisure), save more money, quit smoking, and be a better person. I can successfully say I am no longer a smoker, I have read 4 books this year, started to be a crazy coupon lady, and I learned how to make some new dinner dishes. As for being a better person, well love me or hate me I am a John and I am stubborn, that one could take awhile.... :)

February:
My little brother turned sweet 16, I still remember him learning how to ride his bike. My dad also had a birthday but I am sure he would appreciate me not discussing his age on my blog or let alone the world wide web. Kam and I had a quiet Valentines day together drinking kool-aid and eating pizza.

March:
I turned 23. Yes 23. Good gravy I am getting old. I started using wrinkle creams also. As of now the only other birthday I have to look forward to is my 25th because my insurance rates will drop. After that it is all down hill, or at least towards the hill that we go "over". I started a new job at Dillards and so far I really like it. I am thankful for all my customer service experience, it really helped me land a good paying job.

April:
Kam started at a new daycare/preschool. He is already taking so much away from it. I can't believe how smart my kid is. I know, I know I am probably bias, (probably is an understatement. I know I am) but I am just so damn proud of my son.

That is our last 6 months in a nutshell. Pictures will be posted soon. Hopefully. Until next time :)