Ten on Thursday

1.  I should really be working on my very long to-do list right now, but I feel bad that I haven't blogged in a while!

2.  When exactly does our skin go from fresh and beautiful to dry and blah?  I love the purity of young skin - so I inherently love this:

Aunt Tamara coined the term nakey-bean, which we use in this house a.lot.  -- my girls love their nakey-ness!

3.  Albertsons is having an awesome deal on some meat items this week!  Pork spareribs are buy one pack get TWO free, and whole chickens are $0.49/pound!  I bought the three ribs and four chickens for $21.88 - meat that was originally priced at $71.08!  Now I just have to learn how to cook spareribs!  LOL!

4.  Justin told me the other day that he doesn't think we got pregnant this month because I seem a little... crabby.  I love that he can tell me these things, and I am still laughing about it two days later!  I have to say I disagree with his guess... but only time will tell.  ;o)

5.  The pesto pull apart bread from Super Target is amazing!  Yum-O!  You can try it for less than $1 if you use the printable coupon here for $1 off $1 or more Archer farms bakery purchase.  Their bakery does a great job overall - and SO inexpensive!!!

6.  I feel like coupon-ing is making be a bit of a freak.  I think about everything in terms of deal these days - and I am not alone!  Jaclyn said the same thing on her blog.  Whew!

7.  If you follow my business at all and want holiday pictures done, e-mail me soon!!!  We only have a little time left to get those final photo shoots squeezed in!

8.  I am trying bountiful baskets for the first time this week!  I can't wait to see all the yummy produce they have in store for me.  Don't worry, I am sure I will post about it.  Eventually...

9.  I am loving our "cold snap"!  I love when my feet and hands are chilly, and I can wear a sweater again!  I loooooove a cozy chunky sweater!!!

10.  If, perchance my husband is right (see #4), I am considering doing another Isagenix 9-day program to try to shed a few more pounds and get my sugar cravings under control.  Anyone feel like going through eleven days of torture with me?  C'mon, you know you WANNA!

Adorable

Ready...

Set...

Oof.

Wheeee... wait, where did they all go?

Oh, there they are.  =)

The drive was totally worth it.

Yes you are, sweet girl.

Happy fall to me!!!

Ten on Tuesday

1.  I thought today was L's last day of ballet (for this session), but it's not until next week.  That was a pleasant surprise, but it makes me think I need to get my head screwed on straight.  I have been wrong on too many things with this one ballet class!

2.  Couponing is going really well for me!  Yesterday I bought two boxes of tissue, two of J's deodorant, two cans of black olives, and three CD mailers for 76 cents at Walgreens.  If that isn't motivation to keep me going, I don't know what would be!

3.  The coveted "Ariel with a tail" costume finally arrived!  *phew*  However, the tail is behind her legs instead of in front, how goofy is that?  You can hardly even see it!  But, Lauren is just happy she has a tail - so it works for me!

4.  Per Tamara's recommendation, we have started a "merit jar" for Lauren in lieu of an allowance for now.  She seemed to understand it when I explained it to her, but you never really know.  We'll see how it goes!!!

5.  I am reading this book for my women's bible study on Thursdays, and I think it rocks!  Totally recommend it if you feel like your efforts in life just aren't ever enough!  And who can say they never feel that way?  I think we all do!

6.  I am dying to paint this house!  I wish I could really personalize it and make it colorful - but I know that neutral tones make a lot more sense when you don't expect to own a home for very long.  But anything other than white will be a huge improvement!!!

7.  How do people paint when they have kids?  Seriously!  I have visions of knocked over paint cans and little fingerprints about two to three feet high all around the room.

8.  God is really working to get all the fear out of my life - particularly when it comes to my kids.  You know, fear that they will be this, or WON'T be that, or have this, or whatever.  I could give you a long list.  But I won't.  Because I am not allowing those thoughts anymore.  God does not give us a spirit of fear.  Period.  It is a process, but I am feeling the challenge is worth it.  It is a change that will clear my mind!

9.  Why is it "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"?!?  Shouldn't it be Dwarves?  Spell-checker says no. How could I have gone my whole life thinking the plural of Dwarf is Dwarves?  Because the English language makes no sense, that's why.

10.  Hell's Kitchen finale made me so happy!  I think Dave had the most potential.  Ramsay doesn't need someone who thinks they have no room for improvement.  He wants to mold someone who is good but willing to improve, and Dave was that person.  While he sounded like a pot-head when he spoke, I liked him from the beginning -- plus, he almost never got yelled at.  And that, in itself is an amazing feat in HK!

Off to work up my grocery list!  Good grief that things takes five times as long these days!!!  Happy Tuesday!

Is it fall yet?

In an effort to get a little fall-ish weather out of our October, we headed up to Oak Creek Canyon on Saturday to walk West Fork and see all the beautiful leaves.  The only problem was many, MANY other people had the same idea that day.  We got a late start and by the time we arrived at the parking lot it was packed with cars lining 89A for parking into the canyon.  We decided we weren't into walking with the crowds and kept on driving up to Flagstaff.  We stopped off at the top of the canyon and did a little hike through the woods for good measure.  This was Paige's first trip in the Kelty backpack, and Justin remembered quickly why we try not to take that thing anywhere.  =)

After our walk we went to the park in Flag for a while, where Paige discovered hanging from bars like a monkey.  She thought this was the best - meanwhile, I stood by in amazement because Lauren only started doing this (without support) about six months ago.  Paige just wants to be a big girl too!

After a while at the park and a quick trip into Peace Surplus, we went and walked around NAU campus and saw the inside of the new Union.  Oh, how I love campus in the fall!  "It makes me want to buy school supplies."  It was beautiful - just what I needed to get my dose of pretty leaves and cooler temperatures!  We found a fabulous area for playing in the leaves:

I even got in on the action!

Lauren was in heaven!  She even let Daddy bury her.

If you are wondering where Paige was during all this fall fun...

Oh well, there is always next year!

I think Lauren was enjoying her moment as an only child.

But Paige did cop a bit of an attitude when we started walking again and she woke up.

That girl just cracks me up!

Because I loved our leaf time so much, I will post another dose of fall sometime this week!

Target Tuesday

Ok, so this is a total cop-out - but my cold is still raging strong, so this is all the energy I have for today!  I told you last week I was wanting to do more coupon-ing.  Well, the problem I have had in the past is the "stock-up" principle -- I am no good at it.  Well this week was snack food week at Super Target and I decided to try and take advantage!  The thing I love about Target is they have sales, take manufacturer coupons AND Target coupons for the same item, allowing you to double up your savings!  So here was my haul this week (minus three non-coupon items that we just needed):

2 boxes Chex cereal

2 boxes Quaker Chewy granola bars

3 boxes Nature Valley granola bars

1 bag Nature Valley nut clusters

1 box Market Pantry fruit snacks

1 box Archer Farms Pesto crackers

1 small jar Skippy Natural peanut butter

1 small bag Chex mix

1 4-pack Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches

1 tube Sensodyne Isoactive foaming toothpaste

1 bottle Tylenol quik releasing tablets

1 bag Peppridge Farm Brussels cookies

3 bags M&M/Twix Fun size candies

2 mini-loaves Artesian bread

Total = 21 items

With tax I paid $29.69, making each item $1.41!

The only item I would not have normally purchased was the bag of cookies, which is why I only used one of my four coupons at this time.  I should mention as well that the Tylenol retails for $4 and the toothpaste (which is a kind my dentist has urged me to buy repeatedly to no avail) is $6!

While this is not the best deal I have ever heard of, it made me feel progress in my coupon shopping to have so many items that I know we will use (especially during snack-time for the girls) cost so little!  I am hoping to have even better results on a grocery run and Walgreens trip this week, so we will see!

**For any of you who eat granola bars - the Nature Valley deal was awesome this week!  You buy three boxes of granola bars (on sale for $2.50 from $2.99) and get the nut clusters for free!!!  So, I used $0.75/2, $0.40/1 for the bars AND a $1/1 for the nut clusters bring my total for the four items to $1.50 each.  A smoking deal on what is usually a pretty pricey snack!  (Nevermind that the crunchy honey kind are my all-time favorite!)

Pumpkin Time

My parents decided to come down spur-of-the-moment this weekend, and we were thrilled to have them visit! Friday we spent the day at Tolmachoff Farms pumpkin patch and the girls had a blast like always!

The animals were a big hit - 

As were these contraptions:

What ARE those things?!?

Then we hit the pumpkin patch!  Lauren took Grandma Linda on a looooong walk all the way around.

Then she had to come make silly faces on top of my camera to get the girls to both look at me!  Success!!!  Thanks, Mom!

We didn't have as much luck with the family picture.  Lauren was carrying on like the sun was burning her eyes out and Paige was squirming and trying to run off.  But hey, we made a memory!!!

After that production we opted for the short corn-maze. =)

Grandpa Randy made sure to teach Lauren the joy of jumping out to scare people who are walking too far behind you.  *snerk*

Then the all-time favorite, the corn bin!  We always have to drag them away kicking and screaming.

The only downside to this location, there is no lunch on site.  So we picked out some pumpkins to purchase and skedaddled to the car in search of some food!

Another wonderful day of family fun accomplished!

Thanks for coming out, Mom and Dad!  It was great to get to see you!!!

Ten on Tuesday

1. It appears that we are all in the beginning stages of a cold. Hitting the Airborne & Zicam hard for the next couple days!!!

2. Because of this, my head is very foggy - so I might have strange statements or fragmented sentences. Not that that would be anything new!

3. I have been busy editing pictures from shoots lately and haven't taken pictures of the girls in ages! I plan to remedy this tomorrow, even if they are pictures of runny noses!

4. I had a wonderful time at Women of Faith last weekend!!! If you ever have a chance to go, I totally recommend it! I laughed, I cried, it changed me. I have many books on my to-read list now... time to hit the library! PLUS, I had the best-ever chocolate croissant at the Wyndham breakfast buffet. Mmmmmm!!!

5. This cooler weather makes me HAPPY! I love being able to be outside with the girls, roll the windows down in the car, and can not wait to see next month's electric bill! ;o)

6. Paige is finally TRYING to talk. She wants to say everything we say, and it is quite amusing to hear her try!

7. I am making an attempt to be a coupon-er. While I love the idea that with a little effort I can get many things much cheaper - it greatly interferes with my love of Trader Joe's, since they don't accept coupons. UGH.

8. I need to find a list of all the things Lauren should be able to do by the time she reaches kindergarten. I am starting to have a fear that she won't be prepared in 10 months!!! I am just really not a home-schooler, I have the hardest time trying to teach her things - especially since Paige was old enough to want my attention.

9. My tomato plant is officially dead. Surprised?

10. For those of you who have been following my quest for Lauren's Ariel costume... it STILL has not arrived. I am two shakes from losing my mind about it! What if it doesn't come? I will never be able to find "tail-Ariel" in time for Halloween! And then we will have a massive melt-down on our hands. Here's hoping I don't have to pull out the creative guns on October 30th, they are awfully dusty.