New Obession/Play Day

I must tell you guys about my new obession.....its bad....I have got to back off a bit.......I have became obessed.... with coupons and saving money!! (were you thinking it was going to be something awful?!)

Its a good thing but also a bad thing when you are constantly thinking about it and going to different stores (as you pass them) just to get 1-2 items because they are next to nothing. Yes, as you pass them, so far I haven't specifically left the house just to go use my coupons, well of course I do have my grocery shopping day usually on Monday.

This is my coupon book: (yes, there is dividers for different sections of the store and they are in baseball card holders)

It all started a couple months ago when several girls at church were talking about how much money they saved on groceries. I have gone back and forth with coupons; using them half the time when I would think about it. I have also seen several plugs on morning shows for the coupon craze. I now use a site called grocerygame.com and have been saving probably about $250 a month on groceries which totally makes up for the $7.50 a month the site cost. There are several others websites I look at, too. It gets time consuming, but I love the feeling when you leave a store knowing you just paid at least half the price for items you would normally buy!

My latest savings are huge, Kmart is doubling, and even in some areas, tripling coupons up to $2 this week! SO you know I had to go. 3 coupon friends from chruch and I met one day and spent toooo long there, dealt with the unprepared cashiers and saved lots of money!! The cash registers were not set up for the doubling and neither were the cashiers operating those cash registers, lots of confusion on the policy. BUT I saved $60.10 just in coupons and $14.88 extra on sale items. I paid $27.28, when if I didn't use my coupons it would have been $87.38. WOW! I love to look at the receipt over and over, just to take it in! We are talking name brand stuff, too!

I can only imagine this is what gamblers, alcoholics, stunt men, etc. must fell like after getting a fix of their addiction! Thats when I feel sad and want to modify my time spent on this couponing thing. I know God doesn't approve when we let things become the center of our attention over Him. Now, I don't want it to look like I am crazy, I don't constantly think about coupons, but it lately has been consuming me more than I think it should.

This is a pic of all the stuff I got

Just in case you can't tell its:

2 bottles lotion

1 hairspray

1 pkg swim diapers

3 bottles shampoo/conditioner

1 lip gloss

1 pledge duster

3 air freshner sprays

2 lysol/oust disinfectant spray

1 nail polish

2 pkgs ziploc containers

1 pkg bandaids

5 pkgs dog/cat treats

3 spray bottle cleaners

1 shout bottle

2 instant rice packs

1 baby wipes

1 pinesol bottle........thats 31 items for $27.28!!

So my cleaning supplies are full and my pantry is pretty full, too, from other shopping trips. I did go back the next day and buy some things I needed right now, but weren't neccessarily $1 or less after coupons. I saved $31.35 in coupons that day and spent $36.74.

The play day fits in to this in that, I felt bad lugging Garyn around yesterday to a couple differents stores. (He was at mother's day out the first time I went) Today has been his day....I took him to the creative discovery museum and concentrated soley on him! He got to play in the water (and get completely soaked) and played with whatever he wanted to play with after; ate a pb & j for lunch.........heaven for a kid, I think. Great thing is, as soon as we left (spent 2 hours there) he went to sleep in the car and is still asleep now.

(see side note about this pic at bottom)

Here are some picks from today and the last time we went to the creative discovery museum.

(not from today, but his favorite thing to do now)

(also from last time we went, digging dino bones up)

The picture of him asleep is not his bed, I am pondering when to change him to a big boy bed. I bought the rail the other day and put it on this bed in our extra bedroom to see if it would work right. He normally sleeps in our bed at naptime (he sleeps twice as long in our bed). But he does good at night in his bed, so I don't need to move him into a big boy bed I guess. My only reasoning for it is that I have decided the pacifier will go when he turns 2. I read in a magazine that 2 should be the limit and we have gone back and forth with it all ready. SO I was thinking if I went ahead and moved him while he still had his passie it might help the transition to the big boy bed. I am worried that when we lay him in it at night, half awake, he won't stay in the big boy bed. What do you guys think? So far for this nap he hasn't even noticed he is in it.

Careful to Obey

I really quickly wanted to share my lesson of the day.....



I have been reading in Deuteronomy and today Deuteronomy 6 spoke to me. I have written it down in my little journal book and even went online to read more into it.



Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength Deuteronomy 6:5

(We sing this in the 5-6 yr old class I teach at church, so I can't help but sing it every time I hear it & do the signs I know for it)



These commandments (10 commandments) that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you lie down and when you walk along the road. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on your door frames of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

So I have heard/ read this many of times but one thing that stuck out to me this time was the "tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads". I mean what actually does that mean? I almost said "ahh, forget it move along" but then I thought about Beth Moore and how her Hebrew translations are always so great. But to much avail, I was unable to find anything much online.....I haven't ever tried to do something like this before. However, I did find that the Jews of that time took those words literally and actually tied small scrolls of the verses to their hands and foreheads. Jesus later rebuked this practice. The verses, according to commentaries, are symbolic for the importance to follow God's commandments and allow that obedience to be visible to others. Have them upon your hearts and impress them on your children. Keep them at the forefront of your mind.

The next thing that stood out was :

In the future when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?" tell him:...........The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive.....And if we are careful to obey that will be our righteousness. Deuteronomy 6:20-25

Man, that was really what I needed to hear. We are in the future and asking this exact question all the time! I am always praying and studying on being a good example for Garyn. To hear those direct words from God through Moses, only helps me to know the direction and words to teach him about God. God is teaching me, His child. It will be our righteousness....basically our reputation, our justification, our faith and obedience that pleases God. I also like to think God is telling me I am doing His work through raising Garyn...sometimes I feel void in the serving department because I don't do many missions, I don't teach a bible study, I don't go out and spread the word enough. You know, not feeling like I am helping to spread the glory of God. But this is something He is calling me to do!

So Garyn is up from his nap now and I really need to play and do laundry (yes, probably at the same time) Tyler is still not home.....long story. But here are some pics of Garyn disobeying today:

I had a plant to die and the pot is still in the hallway with dirt in it. Which equals....

This is the 2ND time Garyn has done this....He knows not to do it and ran as soon as I found him in the act. I guess he thought Elmo would take the blame. I wonder, too, if he planned on filling the dump truck....So I grabbed the camera (so that I could show daddy) after I saw Garyn already up in the rocker watching his video, acting like he had done nothing wrong...
With that face how can you be mad! I can only hope God feels the same after we repent and ask forgiveness.

( He did this in the middle of me doing my hair...I know you girls will be looking at my frizz)

P.S. I have not been to seminary or anything so take my words for whatever they are worth to you. I just hope it will inspire someone to be careful to obey

My Love/Hate Relationship

Don't we all have these type of relationships?


Well the last two days has made me realize I have a bittersweet relationship with my job, yep, no surprise, huh? I am sure most of you could all say the same...but let me tell you about my bittersweet job as a mother/baby nurse.

Love Aspects

I love that I get to spend those first hours with moms (sometimes dads) and their newborn...the smiles, tears, amazement. Reminds me every time of my own moments. More importantly, it reminds me how awesome the miracle of life is....God is a genius!

Our first family picture

Having said that, I love the babies. Getting to hold them, feed them, smell them its all the perks of the job. Another perk is that they stay at work, and I get to come home and go to bed without being awakened every 3 hours. (Although, by the way, I can't wait to have another, its all worthwhile :) )

Garyn while still in the hospital

I love the camaraderie, friendships, adult conversation, basically having time away from my daily routine in toddler world.

Dinner out with coworkers

I love that I get to serve others through my work, even though sometimes I complain about being busy and on my feet all night. Doing simple tasks for others and helping them when in need is something I have always enjoyed doing.

Which leads me to the fact that I love knowing God approves of my job...its one thing that I followed His lead on. Nurses' job duties extend from saving a life to helping someone to the bathroom, and everything in between, if you know what I mean. Nurses see it all and don't think twice about it. I think Jesus would have made a great nurse. He continually served to those who were in their darkest hour. So I love doing what God wants me to do.

My nursing class

On the contrary

I hate leaving my boys....I know everybody feels the same about their job, it would be great if "work" was always a family endeavor; however we would probably not like each other as much. But working nights means I occasionally leave when my husband is just getting home. Also, I tend to work weekends (in order not to have to send Garyn to daycare) and so I miss that Saturday morning breakfast, lounging together, playing in the yard, hitting up the yard sales. I even miss going to church sometimes, like today.

Garyn riding his truck around

Garyn and Tyler at the ballpark

I hate that holidays are still work days. Tyler gets off for holidays constantly; I tend to have to work them or use my sick days to get paid if I'm off. Flip side is that I do get paid more for working the main ones, so maybe I can't count that one. But you can't ever get back those Christmas mornings, Thanksgiving get-togethers, and awesome New Year's parties! Priceless, they are!

Christmas Eve

And now to the most frequent occurring reason I hate working....a little thing we call push-back and low census. If the census (a.k.a. patient #) is low, less nurses are needed and you may get low census or LC, if its your turn. Push back is worse because it means you aren't needed at 6:30 but may be needed later in the night and you have to be ready any minute they call usually until 11pm. AND you don't get paid for being "on-call"!! Half the time you never go and have spent all evening limiting what you can do.

BUT on to the point, this Saturday night was plagued by being pushed back. Tyler was/is out of town and both grandparents were busy so Garyn was going to have a babysitter (aka Molly) until Tyler's parents could get here around midnight. Needless to say, as soon as I got told I was pushed back, I was ecstatic to be able to stay home with Garyn. Then right after calling off Molly and heading out to dinner, I was called back and told to come in. Imagine the breaks going off, the rewind button being hit...... Ohhhhh...I wasn't happy, the emotions were everywhere, that sinking feeling of UGH I don't want to got to work now! Indian giver!! But I did my duty and flipped the plans back to original order and went to work.

Now for the love side again.......I got low census tonight and now get to be at home with Garyn and tomorrow be here (& awake) since Tyler is off! He will be getting home around 10:30 am and if I had worked, the in-laws would have Garyn again or something of that sort.

Rambling aside, I love my job (most of the time)!

My number one!!

This is my first post and I want to let you know:

-I am not a good writer!! I write like I talk

-Having said that, I have no idea if you will find this the least bit interesting!

-I am working on the design of this blog....not very creative nor computer savy...any help out there?

Continuing the title....

My true number ones are:

My wonderful husband, Tyler...we have been married 3 years and 10 mos. He keeps me so grounded yet always gives me confidence to live a little more than I would on my own. God truly brought us together against all of the trials.

(Tyler and Garyn at football game in October)

Next is my sweet baby boy Garyn.....I remember being younger and dreaming of what my children would look like....man, God is such a better creator than I could ever be! I love motherhood , learning every little thing over again with Garyn, doing whatever he wants (most of the time), and just watching him evolve. We all know that happens fast!

(Garyn lining up his farm animals...so funny huh?)

My family is so sweet and dear to me. I don't let them know it enough. I don't get to spend near as much time as I would like with them. And I am hoping this blog can let them know how much they mean to me, if its interesting enough for them to read!

(this is only 1 side of the fam)

At the center of all these is God, Jesus, religion, faith, salvation, trust, and devotion. The last few months, these words have been resonating in me. I have been a Christian for 9 years now but until recently have fallen short of that title. I have always been a "good" girl; I want to be His girl! God has been transforming me to be a better everything! The horizons ahead are going to be great if I will only finally follow His lead, rather than my own.

Less important firsts

I am currently doing a first by opening my thoughts to all....scary!

This is my first weekend without Tyler while having a toddler to keep happy 24/7

First time in a looong time to have bangs

Easter celebration first this year where I spent more time thinking about Jesus' death and resurrection, does anyone know when eggs became the center of attention??

(Easter morning, with my neice and nephew)

About to have my first 4 days away from Garyn when I leave for New York!

(Garyn and I this past Halloween)

So I hope all of you got something out of this and can think of your own firsts.....

I look forward to sharing more!