the benefits of coupon clipping!

i mostly make my own baby food but sometimes jarred is more convenient. i keep my eye out for sales. thanks to one frugal chick  i saved some serious money and scored big on this earth's best baby food.

over 60 jars for just $20. that's a really good deal!


we also stocked up on earth's best disposable diapers. normally $14 with the combination of sales and coupons we got them for $3.50. (if you followed my other blog you might remember when we seriously stocked up around this time last year when the sale was down to $1.50) grayson wears cloth diapers but when we are out or someone is watching him it's easier to go disposable so it's nice.


we've been so lucky to come across some really great finds on baby stuff. in december we got similac formula for only 86cents a bottle. we bought around 50 bottles. they are normally around $6 so that was a huge savings.


it's amazing how being aware of sales and coupons (and how to combine them!) can really save you money. not just with baby stuff but with all your purchases. if you have never visited one frugal chick's website, or others like it, i highly recommend it. i have tons of magazine subscriptions i got for free. samples are constantly coming to the house. i've gotten multiple bags of dog food for free. it's a beautiful thing and those savings really add up!

sometimes you just want to be naked!

grayson's poor little butt is very prone to rashes so we try and air it out a bit each day. who doesn't love a little naked time!?

our week through the eyes of the cellphone

Week in cell phone pics - hosted by Amy 

All very random, but this is our life. 

bababababa!

grayson is talking up a storm these days. he's super chatty at night. it keeps us entertained.

baby candy

mmmm. beautiful. 

blackberry applesauce. i am slightly jealous grayson gets to eat this!

got it!

i finally got a picture of those two little teeth! it's not a good one but so far it's that only one i've been able to take.

update! we found the start of another tooth this morning. a top tooth!

yum

some would call it bad parenting. i call it protein...

snowday

Lots of pictures from grayson's first day playing in the snow....

Huge snow pile! Grayson found it amusing.

Ryan working on the snowmound

Giant snowman accomplished! Time to play.

Grandma kisses

 What is all this stuff!?

Little fingers poking out to explore the snow. 

  

 I can stand!

 This is fun- but i can't move my legs!

Okay i think i've had enough!

delicious!

i've been trying very hard to eat healthy. so far it's paying off. some meals are not so yummy but others are delicious. here is one i thought i would share.

healthy french toast
one slice of arnold's soft whole wheat bread
one egg white
sprinkle of cinnamon
1tbsp light syrup
1/2 cup fresh blueberries (they have been really good lately)
dollop of cool whip light


nutritonal value
158 calories
1.5g fat
lots of nutrients and deliciousness!


it was really good! give it a try.

snow family

we got lots of snow last night. mark stayed home from work and all of us hung out for the day. 


while grayson napped mark, pancake, cherrio and i put that free time to good use. 

pancake

cherrio

the mama & the dad

mark even has his arm around me, how sweet

and that's how we spent our hour! 

off the grid

we have a really great group of friends. we are however the only ones with children currently. 

the last couple years we've packed up a ton of very unhealthy food, booze, games and snow-gear and headed to the lodge. it's a timeshare our friend kelly's family bought into. total manland. its up on a mountain in the appellations surrounded by nothing but woods! i am not an outdoor person, but it is one heck of a good time! removed from all civilization (and cell service!) among the woodspeople. 

when the topic of the trip came up in the fall i really debated if we were going to be able to go. grayson would be six months and it would be almost five days away from him. i had spent the night away more then once but it never was more then 24 hours. i wasn't sure if i could do it. 

after lots of back and forth we decided that grayson would be fine. he was a little older and slept better during the night. he would he in excellent hands while we were gone. the only thing holding us back was me and we did really want to go so i sucked it up (and i am really glad i did because it was a blast). 

We ate a lot. Took awesome drives through the trails of the mountain. Pretty much just sat on our butts. It was fantastic. 

I slept like a rock the first two nights. Better then i had slept in a very very long time. I did miss grayson but being up there felt like me again. The me that gets to just have fun and worry about nothing more then should i bother to get dressed today or not. Grayson was always in the back of my mind but being up at the lodge was the first time since he was born that i was truly relaxed. I had not just a few hours but three and half days (we left early, five days was just too long for me) to have fun and forget for a minute that i am someone's mom. And honestly, who wouldn't have fun with this crew...

It was just what i needed.