Disney, January 2012

The boys and I took a quick weekend trip to Disney a few weeks ago.  (Cecil stayed home to go hunting). 

I know you find it hard to believe that I barely even took any pictures! I just wanted to enjoy my time with the boys and enjoy Disney.  And ENJOY we did!

To celebrate Nolan’s birthday, I took the boys to dinner at The Crystal Palace inside the Magic Kingdom.  Because they knew we were celebrating N’s birthday, they sprinkled our table with confetti and even brought him a cupcake and candle at the end of the meal!

Of course, this was a character dinner, so Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore all came by to chat!

I have to say—overall, the boys were SO GOOD and we had a great time!

~CB~

Organizing: Coupons & Coupon Binder

I am often asked how I organize my coupons and coupon binder.  Since some of your goals for the new year might have been to save money, etc. I thought I would show you my coupon binder and give a few tips.

This is my coupon binder.  It goes everywhere with me.  Mostly I keep my binder in my vehicle in case I decide to run to the grocery store on a whim (rarely) or for whatever reason.  I bring the binder in the house at the beginning of the week so I can clip my coupons and insert them into their proper place.

I have about 24 sections in my binder.  An example of my sections are frozen foods, breakfast foods, paper/plastics, baby, refrigerated, and first aid.  I printed my listing and all corresponding pages from The Krazy Coupon Lady website.

{The Krazy Coupon Lady website is also where I find most of my deals and where to buy things at the best price.  Why would I do all the work when it’s done for me?}

My coupons are organized within their section by coupon.  For example, if I have 4 of the same coupon, they are all in the same spot, and don’t take up 4 spots on the page.  I use baseball card holders as my coupon holders. 

I love to save money and couponing is one way to do so!  If you have any questions, just let me know!  I’m happy to share any information and answer any questions you have!

p.s.  Krazy Coupon Lady has no idea I even exist.  I’m not getting paid to advertise their website.  Trust me.

~CB~

Tis the Season....

Guess what season we are gearing up for (literally) ???

We are getting signed up to play baseball (both boys!) and if that's not enough, the Varsity season has started and the hubby is helping with that too.

I will admit I thought I was looking forward to the season, but now I'm not so sure since I don't have help anymore in the evenings with dinner, laundry, BOYS, homework, homework, and more homework.  UGH.

Both my boys need new equipment this year ($$$) !  Nolan needs catchers gear and new cleats, as well as a new bat (maybe).  Carter needs new cleats, and a new glove.  Yikes.  I'm dreading the sporting goods store visit!  HA!

Are you gearing up for spring sports?

~CB~

Wrapping Paper

This is such a random post, but I wanted to share this little tidbit of information with you to help you save money!

I always look for “generic” wrapping paper after the holidays—wrapping paper that doesn’t have reindeer or snowflakes on it.  That way, I can use the paper to wrap birthday gifts.  Another tip is to look for paper in your school’s colors (to wrap graduation gifts with). 

This year, I lucked out and found some ADORABLE red and white polka dot paper and some red and white scrolly (is scrolly a word?) paper.  I LOVE it!

This paper is perfect for guys and girls! 

At about $1.40 per roll (and it’s the good, thick kind) you can’t beat that!

~CB~

Old Fashioned Dove Hunt

A few weeks ago, the hubby had a few friends and family over for a old fashioned dove hunt.

The boys were so excited to be able to go in the field after school!

Nolan was even more excited that he would get to use the gun he got for Christmas!

Little brother hung back to watch the action….Momma was a little nervous to let him on the front lines.

A few of the guys…

Probably one of my favorite pictures from the entire dove hunt is this one:

And guess what?  Nolan shot and killed his first dove!  Y’all.  He was SO PROUD.  And I do mean proud!  He told anyone that would listen that he killed a dove!  HA!

Little brother finally got in on the action!

It so happened that my Uncles and cousins from nearby came to the dove hunt and I got to spend some time with them as well in the field.

Carter and cousin Brooke….he just adores her!

Cousin Wes gettin’ ready to jump the fence!

Uncle Jimmy at the dove hunt--

And a cute family picture of me and my cousins and Uncle at the end of the dove hunt!  I love them so much.

And a sweet “cousins” picture--

What a wonderful day to spend time with friends and family!

~CB~

Peace

I’ve seen on a few people’s blogs where they are choosing a word for the year.  I thought that was a wonderful idea so I decided to choose one for myself!

This year, my word is going to be

 PEACE

If you read my goals for 2012, then you know I’m on a mission to de-stress my life.  I just want peace.

I want to be a peaceful person.

I want to have a peaceful attitude.

I want to keep the peace in my home so my children (and husband) find a place of rest and comfort.

I want to feel and seek God’s peace in my life.

Did you pick a word for 2012?

~CB~

The Promise of a New Year

I love the promise of a new year—it’s a time of reflection, remembrance, and encouragement to make new goals.

Last year, I had some pretty lofty goals.  While it is discouraging to admit that I didn’t meet one of the goals, I did meet the others I set!  WHOO HOO!

The one I didn’t meet was running a 5K.  I got started training late and then had a few health problems sneak up on me.  Hopefully this year, I can train again and run a 5K, even if it’s not an “official” one.  I don’t care if it’s around my block or down the road, I’d like to be able to run 5K (and not die). HA!

This year, my goals are:

• DE-STRESS.  I have to learn to let go of some things.  I’m under strict Dr’s orders to de stress.  The consequences are fatal.  I don’t have a choice.  I’ve made a decision that my house doesn’t have to be perfect and I don’t have to say “yes” to every invitation that comes along.  I’m going to enjoy my family and my friends. 
• Blog more.  That being said, if it comes to a point where sitting down and carving out the time to do a post interrupts my family time, then the blogging will have to wait.
• Lose weight.  This was one of my goals last year too.  I did lose weight, but certainly not enough.  It’s a lifelong battle I suppose.
• Pay down more debt.  The hubs and I did SO GOOD last year with paying down serious debt!  We paid off 2 pieces of farm equipment and several other debts!  It was one of the best feelings on earth!
• Organize the pictures on my computer.  I have thousands of pictures!  THOUSANDS.  I have GOT to get better about organizing them into folders and sub-folders.  I do back them up every so often (in case my hard drive crashes) but they definitely need to be thinned out and organized.
• Coupon more.  YES!  I’m a couponer!  No, I don’t have 50 bottles of mustard in my pantry, but let me tell you, on the occasion that I have run out of something mid-dinner, it has been SO NICE to know that I have a back up in the pantry!  I just need to be better about cutting my coupons once a week rather than letting them pile up and such.

I think that should do it for my 2012 goals.  Here’s to a NEW YEAR full of promise.

~CB~

More Christmas…

As part of our Christmas festivities, we celebrate Christmas with my in-laws and the hubs’ brother and his wife.  Next year, we’ll be adding one more little one!  (NO—I am NOT having a baby—my brother-in-law and his wife are expecting in March).  Unless someone out there can talk my hubby into adopting a little girl???

We always have a wonderful time opening gifts and then enjoy a delicious dinner together.  Mimi never disappoints when it comes to cooking the Christmas meal.

My brother-in-law and his wife bought the boys a tent this year—complete with sleeping bags and lanterns!  We haven’t used the tent yet (and by we, I mean the boys because we all know I do not camp).

The boys were of course spoiled by their grandparents with all sorts of toys, clothes, movies, etc.

 

Since the boys are really getting into hunting Mimi and Granddaddy got them some camo to wear!

Of course the adults were spoiled as well with clothing, gift cards, baskets, cookbooks, jewelry and all sorts of wonderful gifts!

What a wonderful way to celebrate the season!

~CB~

These Are The Special Times

My brother and I didn’t really get along growing up (there’s a shock).  Not many brothers and sisters do.  I have to say though, the older we got the better we got along and now we really enjoy each other’s company.

We’ve been to Disney together (once) and the beach together (for many years).  If you can do family vacations together and get out both alive and speaking then I figure you’ve got it made!  HA!

My brother and my nieces came over the Friday before Christmas and we had a wonderful time together!  It certainly helps that his girls and my boys get along SO WELL.  NEVER any arguments and it’s just fun and games when they are together.

We had a delicious meal of ham, macaroni n cheese, peas, deviled eggs, sweet potato casserole, and dump cakes for dessert!  YUM. 

After dinner, the kids were ready for some gift giving!

My boys received gift cards to the movie store and Subway (their FAVORITE).  When my brother asked me what to get them, those were the two ideas I gave him and I very plainly told him he would win “Uncle of the Year” award if he got them those gifts.  His response was “uncles of the year don’t buy movie store gift cards and subway gift cards”.  AHEM.  YES. THEY. DO.  I was right!  He did win Uncle of the Year!

See?  TOTALLY ECSTATIC!!

My brother and I don’t exchange gifts, but I wanted to get him a little something this year.  He ended up with some Sonny’s gift cards and some razors.  You can’t beat that!
To end the night, the adults watched a movie and chatted while the kids played a little more and changed to pj’s.

This was a great way to spend a Friday night!  Surrounded by my nieces, my brother, my dad, and my boys.

~CB~

A Christmas to Remember

As I said in a previous post, we have a large family!  We have to do multiple Christmases to fit everything (and everyone) in.  This year, our Christmas gatherings consisted of my mother-in-law’s side of the family, our family of 4, my brother and his girls, and my in-laws along with my brother and sister in law.  WHEW!!  We had to miss one gathering this year, but look forward to attending it next year.

You’ll have to bear with me as I post about all these gatherings separately and then move on to birthdays and the New Year……I’m really far behind in blogging!  I took time though to enjoy the season and not let the stress get to me!  (I should confess that I’m officially under Dr’s orders to de-stress my life or have a heart attack before I’m 40).

I love Christmas!  I love everything about it! I love the decorations, the smells, the songs, the cooking, the planning, the gathering, the gifts, laughter, the tree, EVERYTHING.  I most enjoy knowing that it’s Jesus’ birthday and because of that we can REALLY enjoy the season.  I know a few people who don’t celebrate Santa at all, and that’s okay, but in my house, we celebrate Jesus’ birthday AND we celebrate with Santa.

I’ll go ahead and admit that when it comes to buying at Christmastime, my boys are SPOILED ROTTEN.  I prefer to think of it as blessed since they don’t necessarily ACT spoiled (most of the time)—AND because they have so many people buying gifts for them. 

This year, Nolan’s big gift was a new (REAL) gun.  He’d been asking for one for over a year, but we just weren’t ready to get him one yet, as he is a bit young (he’ll be 8 next week), but we PREACH gun safety around here and both the boys have grown up around guns and know how to handle one.  I caved and let the hubby get him the gun he so desperately wanted.

Of course, little brother had to try out the new gun as well…don’t worry, it’s not loaded.

Carter’s big gift this year was a new Nintendo DS and a bow and arrow set (not real).

However, the excitement he put forth over one of his smallest gifts (isn’t that how it always is?) was just precious.  Carter loves some Sonny’s sweet sauce, so I got him a bottle and wrapped it up!
 

Cecil never asks for anything for Christmas, I always have to think of what to get him, which is SO HARD.  This year though, he was adamant that he wanted an iPod Touch.  So—that’s what he got!  Being the good wife that I am (ha-ha) I threw in $100 worth of iTunes gift cards too.

His other gifts were more gift cards, work shirts, dress jeans, and a gift card to Disney so he can play golf on one of their courses (he’s been asking to do that too).

My BIG gift this year from the hubs was a NEW CAMERA!!  We had agreed long before Christmas that it just wasn’t in the budget for this year so BOY HOWDY was I surprised when I opened my new camera!

Just ignore the awfulness of how I look….focus on the camera people.  ha!

Other favorite gifts were RockStar Mickey (don’t ask me why)

and a Beyblade Stadium.

I’d say we had the perfect Christmas!  And you know what?  I haven’t cleaned up yet. 

~CB~