Great deals!!!

I'm always on the lookout for good deals, but I hate coupon clipping. With working, taking care of the house, and taking care of a 10 month old I just don't have the time (or space) BUT when it comes to retail stuff I'm always wanting to share specials and things like that.

For instance, I love New York and Company clothes because they honor all their coupons, their city cash ($15 off a $30 purchase) can be used in conjunction with other deals (like their pants deal of buy one get one half off). I shop there when I need clothes. Gymboree is the same way. Their clothes (especially baby clothes) are way too expensive full price (sorry about that gymboree), BUT when they put clothing on clearance---they're not kidding! It's clearance, plus when you get to use your gymbucks ($25 off a $50 purchase) you can really save some money. Last month I got some clothes for Reagan for this winter and beginning of next fall. 7 pieces of clothing that full price would have been $180. I spent $50 even. I think that's a good deal. Especially since their clothing lasts and I can use it for baby #2 (not pregnant) for I can sell and get good money for.

Another great deal for all you scrapbookers is this place right here. When we went up to the mountains last weekend, I finally was able to convince Adam to let me go to the Scrapbook store and what did I find? They have a Clearance Store right next to them! I went into the clearance store and bought at least 10 transparent overlays, two vellum sheets, and two peices of 12x12 paper. At a store like Michaels or Hobby Lobby or someplace like that that purchase would cost around $20-$30 depending of the paper that I got. At the clearance store? It was less than $10. The policy at the store is each item is already on clearance and whatever the cost that's listed the final price is 50% off of that. With the exception of the big store in Sevierville, all of their locations are the Clearance stores where everything is 50% off. It's totally worth it!

Lastly, a friend of mine from college and Gamma Sigma Sigma days lives and works in Decatur, GA. She owns and works in her own stationary store. Right now she is running a special menioned here. In regards to recieving her excellent and great quality stationary for FREE. I just bought three boxes :-)

Also, another girl from my Gamma Sigma Sigma days, Kristen Overbay always has some specials going on, especially now that the Holidays are approaching. Her photography is WONDERFUL and I am trying to see if I can set something up for next summer for Reagan at the UT gardens.

That is all I can think of for now, if there are any other deals out there like that just comment on my blog.

The Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend in an effort to enjoy my furlough day that got taken away so I had to use a personal day, Reagan and I ventured up to Tennessee---by ourselves!! This is a very big milestone for us. Reagan-since March- has not liked her car seat at all. She has then made sure that everyone in the car with her knows just how much she hates her car seat. Since becoming more and more independent and being able to play with things in the car she did SO WELL this time! So Reagan and I drove up to see Gran and Granddaddy--and who else happened to be there? Aunt Katie of course! We visited them, and on Saturday we went to visit the Pumpkin Patch where Mimi and Poppy and Aunt Gina and Cousin Parker came to play too :-) Below are some pics of the pumpkin patch.

Helen, GA

Well I have been wanting to head up to Helen for a while now to check it out and when we figured out we could go for the day. I posted about the trip on a previous post, but here are some pictures from the day:

Welcome To Oktoberfest!

Reagan at Anna Ruby Falls

Family Photo
(even though Adam took it and I wasn't looking at the camera)

What we've been up to...

Well it's been about a month since my last post...thought I would update what's been going on! Small group started up on the 13 and dinner at Longhorn with everyone. That next weekend we were to go to Helen for Oktoberfest before it got too crazy. Well Saturday we woke up and I didn't feel well and my back was killing me plus it was pretty dreary outside.

Saturday came and went. Next of course is Sunday. It started to rain on Sunday, and it kept on raining. When we went to bed that night we heard on the news that the road my school was on was closed. That next morning and for the next three day schools were out. During that time Reagan started crawling! She is now ALL over the place. I had to go back to school for Thursday and Friday--but no kids. On Friday, the 25th we drove up to Knoxville for the weekend. Saturday we hung out at my grandmother's house with my aunt and uncle and parents. Sunday was Parker's birthday party! We had to leave the party just a little early so I could go down to Macon.

That week started off a hectic week for us! I was in Macon for the Graduate Teacher Academy, left on Monday, Tuesday had small group, Wednesday cooked dinner for couple in small group that just had a baby, Thursday caught up on just about everything that had been going on, and Friday made another dinner for another couple in small group that had a baby. Saturday we got up way early and drove up to Helen. We got there around 10 am and went to Anna Ruby Falls first. After we finished hiking that we went down into the city, where we at lunch at the Old Bavaria Inn. It was so good! We walked around a bit, went to some toy shops, Christmas stores, and had some funnel cakes (not a Bavarian food I might add) to end our day. Sunday consisted of Betsy working the cafe at church and Adam doing set up again.

This week hasn't been overly hectic, just getting ready for some other big events going on in the next couple weeks. Reagan turned 9 months this past week, she and I are going to East Tn by ourselves next weekend for some Gran and Granddaddy quality time, and heading to Cassidy's Fall Festival!

Sadly and embarrassingly we did not take hardly ANY pictures this month! Pretty much the only pictures that were taken were when we were in Knoxville and last weekend in Helen. I would have to be doubly creative for her month 9 photo pages in her scrapbook!

Well I think I've caught you all up on what's been going on in our lives. If I get a chance I will post some pictures on here of our excursions but I have updated our shutterfly share page.

Accountability

So I actually lost weight while I was pregnant. I gained a little back in the months following her birth but it wasn't much. Then school started, and numerous other things occurred and my weight shot up. Not cool. Now to be perfectly honest, a part of me doesn't want to do anything because it'll only happen again whenever we have another one BUT I know I need to do it now. So far I've only lost two pounds, but of course the week I start all this I get sick! Anyways, I've only lost two pounds but I'm trying to work my way into it all. Between school, taking care of the house and my family it's the last on the list but I'm trying to make sure it becomes more important than sitting down and messing with the computer. HAH.

So hold me accountable! Ask me how it's going, if I've walked at all today, what I've drank (I'm trying to drink more water), etc...

Don't worry....be happy!

So one of the cheesiest songs that I know is taking a clue from the Bible. "Do not be anxious about anything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6. So this might be an overused verse about how you 'shouldn't worry' or things like that.

Worry is a natural HUMAN emotion. One that Satan uses to let all the other emotions trickle in and before you know it: BAM! You are freaking out! That was me about a week and half ago. I am too embarrassed to put a link to my previous post, but you probably know which one I'm referring too.

Sometimes it takes just a little thing to show you the 'reality' of the situation. Someone stole a gift card that I had received for my birthday. I had used it once, but there was still quite a bit left on it and it was gone. I searched everywhere for that thing and it was gone. I knew deep down what had happened to it, but I kept looking and when I finally had to admit to myself that it was gone I just started crying. It was then I realized just how ridiculous the entire situation was. Now, do all of you know the full/entire story? No. But we'll leave it the way it is for the moment.

It was by pure coincidence that I happened to come across this Bible verse and man what a smack in the face that was! I am starting to see evidence of my worries in my everyday living and that is NOT how I want to live my life. The part that gets me is 'with thanksgiving'. Don't just not worry, don't just go to Him in prayer. Be THANKFUL for what He has already given you and go to Him from there. All of those things 'equal' the end result of the verse, which is your worries will be taken care of. Does that mean that you'll get what you want or what you are worried about? No, but does it mean you will have peace of mind of and the right attitude to handle whatever else He may give you. I do have to honestly add though that a part of me really wants to ask Him not to give me any more to handle at the moment but I know deep down that I would be 'honored' to handle it in the end.

So am I thankful that Adam got laid off, well not really BUT he did get to spend my entire maternity leave at home with Reagan and I. It has now to come the point where I do miss that time together with him. Am I thankful that I'm working? That could go either way :-) But I do try to have a good attitude about working otherwise literally everyone in my life would be miserable and that's not what we want is it?

So that is a completely random post that while it makes sense to me, may not make sense to you but I hope you can remember to go to God through prayer and petition with a THANKFUL heart.

Now I have to go for a walk :-)

Happy Labor Day!

Here are some pics from the game on Saturday (Go VOLS!). We couldn't go to the game, but we watched it at home and even though we were bummed about not going we wouldn't have wanted to miss Reagan's first UT game for the world!