New order

Sunrise....The pictures say it all....

My journey....

Traveling....

traveling has not always been so easy for me, 9 hours in the car 3-5 times a year since I was nine, leaves alot to be desired. I have come to know those roads well, know where things are, and where to stop...

something about this trip though i have to say was very very different, it was the first time I made a plan trip down since jeremy and I went christmas of 2006.... my last journey was a year ago and that in such a hurry was by plane...

I didnt really know how I would feel traveling down these roads again knowing that I would not be seeing my dad when I reached my destination, how I would feel when I realized truely for the first time that he is gone and this place that i am headed too does not hold as much hope and love as I had always remembered....

The last few days have been spent going through my dads things, which I have handled suprisingly well, but I'm tired...

I think one of the highlights of the trip so far was the huge sale that they were having at the scrapbooking store....they are closing, which I found oddly symbolic in a way , it really made me feel like a chapter in my life is closing...

We will see what the rest of the weekend has in store....

Stay tuned...

The First Day of Fall

What is it about Fall? Is it the way the air smells, the colors that God paints across the trees, its almost as if the Blue of the sky is different in the fall....Is it how children seem more playful and happy than any other time? Or is it the joy of the cooler air....

There is something about Fall, something that make it my most favorite time of year, a time of year when you can almost smell that change is on its way, it is as if the labor of the summer melts away and transformation begins. Fall reminds me of happy times, things that warm my heart like hot apple cider, hay rides, pumpkin patches, apple picking, and that changing leaves.

Happy First Day of Fall!

Harris Teeter Triples!

This is what I got for my harris teeter triples, It wasnt alot of stuff but I think I got some great deals! All this stuff for $21....I was pretty happy with that....

Motts BOGO, hand sanitizer was FREE, peanut butter $.94, nothing I bought was more than a dollar!

My great shopping find!

We went to the mall to walk around with Laura and we just happened to walk in to a childrens place and I could not believe my eyes! I saw racks and racks of .99 summer cloths!

I was so in awe I could not believe what I was seeing!!!!! I got her 7 tank tops in sizes that she can wear next summer! I only paid $7.40! I added it up with all the tag prices that were still on there, what I would have paid for those shirts if they were regular price $70.50! Can you believe it 70 in shirts and I got them for 7!

Our mall trip with auntie laura

We went to bass pro and let addie look at the fishes!

It was so cute she would point at the fish, and the big ones would come by and she would say wow!

I think it is so neat to see how interested she is in things, she would say Fish!

An eventful week

I dont know about anyone else but this has been a busy week....

My little cousin is a hoot, I love to babysit her she is just the most preicous 2 year old ever...This picture I took of her is so funny, she is talking on her cinderella phone and carry her coach bag....oh my miss prissy!

She is so funny! I love this picture!

My other events of the week have included more scrapping, working on my new website dragonsflyscrapbooking.tripod.com, cleaning, and yes sadly enough thinking about christmas! We also did alittle shopping this week as well.....

Card for a Friend

A card I made...

My latest cards

Here are my cards that I am teaching tomorrow to my bible study class...I hope they will like them! They are so cute! I am even slightly impressed with myself!

Hurricane Season....

For some reason Hurricanes fascinate me! I love watching the weather channel and seeing the people report from where ever the hurricane is coming in, I dont know why it fascinates me so much....I think that it all started with the history teacher that I had in the 7th grade, she made us track each hurricane we had on a weather map and I just thought that was so neat....definatly something I want to do with my kids... Now that Gustav is gone it looks like there is a new one and where is it headed? our way... booo... I like them until they hit to close to home.....

Pretty 14 month old

It seems like the time flies with addie grace, she is getting so big! Soon she will be walking and there will be no stopping her! I did a little photo shoot this morning, it was such a nice morning I wanted to some good pictures of her outside.

Kennys 50th

It was my father in laws 50th birthday yesterday so we had alittle party to celebrate....Its nice to spend time with family, I got some pictures....

My Target Find

I was scouting out the scrapbooking isle and you would not believe my luck....

I found a heidi swapp stamp on sale! $.98!

Week 32 scripture challange- believe

This is Week 32 Scripture Challange, the word this week was Believe....I put alot of thought it to the verse that I chose today, Triple the Scraps talked in her blog about not just saying we believe, acting like we believe. I wanted to find a verse that represented that, but in my search I found Mark 5:36 The Lord was talking to a ruler but I really think he was addressing that to me. Do you ever have those days where you fear things? You fear and when it is all said and done you have worked yourself up into something ridiculous (I hope I am not alone) I tend to fear the unknown, I tend to fear the things that I cannot control, or things that I know I should not be afraid of. This verse really spoke to my heart. He says "Dont be afraid, just BELIEVE!" Believing and having faith that God will guide our steps, He knows where we have been and He knows exactly where we are headed...Just believing that he will protect us in our time of need. There is so much hate in the world, but there is one thing we can always rely on, and thats God.

Its my dads birthday

Today is my dads birthday, he would have been 60 years old today. I probably would have started my day with a phone call to him to let him know that he was an old fart.

I miss him.

Scripture Challange: Choose

So I joined in on this challange in Week 31 but, thats ok I am so glad I found it! This weeks Challange word was Choose, it reminded me of that song that jeremy sings at Church, I choose Jesus so I had to include that! But the verse I chose was Proverbs 8:10:

Oh the things you discover about your parents...

Most of you know (especially if you read my blog) that my dad passed away suddenly almost a year ago, it has been a long road but it is time to pick up the pieces....

I am working on a scrapbook of the hundreds of pictures that he had, so I started with the ones from when he was in the Navy...I did not know much about his time in the Navy so I decided to do alittle research...I have discovered it is amazing what you can find on the internet....I think I discovered more than I bargined for HAHAHA! But I discovered things that I long wondered about and I learned somethings I probably could have lived without knowing...none the less I love my dad, and miss him beyond explanation...

God is so Good!

You know God is good when he shows himself while you are standing in line at Target...

I had to share this story, I just had to brag on God....

I have been doing good creating a budget every month and alotting myself 100 for 2 weeks of groceries...I do pretty good with coupons and stuff and usually that just what I spend and sometimes less.

Anyway...I went to Lowes and spent $43 and $10 at the HT, and I knew going to target I did not have much left and really had to make it work...I didnt have any coupons to use except 2 coupons, this trip was going to be pushing my luck because I had to buy diapers and water, that in itself was 25... I got carried away when I was in target and got alot more than I came for....I got fresh veggies, lunch meat, and several other things.....

When I got in line and placed all that stuff on the counter thing I seriously began to get upset, thinking what did I do, this is not in my budget I have spent way to much my budget is so tight I didnt have the extra to spend. I was regreting my purchases....

So I began to pray "God you are the only one who can make this less than 50, God you know we cant afford to spend more than 50." I kept saying that over and over again...She was ringing up my stuff and i just couldnt look I knew that I had spent 70 or 80 bucks. I gave her the 2 coupons I had and she said...........

your total is $48, I almost lost it in line at target.... Like I said you know God is good when he shows himself in target. I wanted to jump on that counter and scream God is good! He knows our need, and He meets those needs! HE IS SO GOOD!

The many sleeping positions of addie grace

Jeremy and I have discovered that addie sleeps weird....I don't know that I will ever understand how or why she sleeps this way but she has been doing it since she was about 10 months old.

Feeling: Glazed

Do you ever get in those moods where you feel just blah....I am so feeling that right now!

My uncle james died yesterday he wasnt actually my uncle he was in the marines with my grandfather and they served together in the War. They have always been close with our family, and when my grandfather died they always stayed close and where at every family function. I know the he is walking with Jesus and my grandaddy is showing him around heaven. I will miss him so much but he is not hurting anymore.

I guess in combination with all the things that have been going on I guess its just wearing me down....

I need a vacation, lol!

Addies First Trip to the Pool

This was a fun new thing for us to do, I took addie to the pool today. It was fun and she was unsure at first but soon warmed up and had fun! That and she got to wear her cute bathing suit!

On our way home the poor thing couldnt stay awake...It was rough going to the pool today.

Harris Teeter Triple coupons

Ok I wanted to share my HT savings this morning....

It wasnt worth getting up at 6:30am for... If it where Bi-lo I think I would have been more willing. Harris Teeter is too expensive even with triple coupons! Oh well still got some good deals! Check it out

Lysol Hand sanitizer 2 @ 2.99 with C = 2 @ .75
Dawn Liquid Soap $1.59 with C = $.09
Frenchs Mustard 2 bottles $2.68 with C=FREE
100 calorie pack chips ahoy $3.49 with C= $1.34
Uncle ben rice $2.29 with C=$.04
Barilla Pasta 4/$5 with coupons= 4/$2
Suave body wash 2 @$1.99ea with C= $.49 ea
Pilsbury Cresent rolls $2.29 with C=$1.24
Helluva Good Dip 2 @ 1.99 each with C= 2 for $1.98
Kraft Deli Fresh Cheese $4.19 with C= $1.94

Total savings $27.39
Total Spent $10.97

Prayerfully consider Donations

As you have read in earlier posts I am sure you know that my mom and I started a foundation last year for Ovarian Cancer Awareness and Education.

We started the foundation in memory of my aunt how died in 2004, or goal is to educate women and bring Ovarian Cancer to the forefront, did you know its the 5th leading cause of death in women? it takes thousands of lives everyday.....If the cancer is confined to the ovary and found in early stages the five year survival rate is 90% but only 19% of patients are diagnosed in this stage because most women are not educated about Ovarian Cancer, they don't know the symptoms and don't push their doctors to test them. Women who are diagnosed in later stages the survival rate drops to 26%.

So I am making a plea, for monatary donations. every little bit helps! We want to make sure that we raise awareness and the only way we can do that is with your help! We would love for you to join us at our crop on september 6th, if you would like to join us go to our website www.lindafkellyfoundation.org click on the join us page and get your registration form. If you cannot join us would you prayerfully consider making a monatary donation. You can do that on our website as well by clicking on the donate page.

God has called us to help women, to educate them to make sure they don't suffer and their families don't suffer! We feel blessed to be given this oppurtunity I hope we can count on you!

Thanks

Michelle

Oh my addie grace

Foundation Frustration

less than 2 months until our first foundation fundraiser and I am starting to think my mom and I will be the only ones in attendence.

Here is my frustration ( I need to vent)

It seems like no amount of advertising does the trick although on a positive note we will be on blog talk radio tomorrow! I am praying that we will have some listeners interested in joining the fun.

My other frustration I have 6 million things to do...and nothing ordered! BAH!

My snazzy new camera

I am so excited about my new camera it is so great! I thought I would display some of the wonderful photos Ive taken with it! They take great pictures of addie, it has a fast shutter speed which is perfection for any mother with a toddler!

My Lastest Scrapinng

Jeremy went to the movies so I decided to get some scrapbooking done....since well I havent finished our 2007 album (slap my wrist, I know) These dont go in the 2007 ablum but were to cute not to scrap!

My Coupon blog

I love coupons so much i want the world to know!!! LOL !

So I wanted to tell everyone how much I save each time I shop...(Hopefully I will remember to do this everytime) I hope it will inspire you if you are a stay at home mom to save your man some money. And even if your not SAVE YOUR FAMILIES MONEY!

I just started getting into this about 2 months ago so I am not a great as some other ladies I know but in the last 2 months I have saved: $209.43

That doesnt not count buying something that is on sale or marked down, that is just in coupons!

Ok so lets start with todays trip.....

Lowes Foods (My coupon mentor, lol told me at our certain lowes Foods they have overstocked meat and mark it down at half price around 10am)

Today I bought
Charmin Toilet paper 4 roll pack on sale $2.99
Pancakes for addie on sale $2.00
Dole Oranges for addie $2.75
Dole Peaches for addie $2.75
Bananas on sale $1.50
Seasoning (not on sale but I needed it) $2.19
Lowes Milk on sale with store coupons $2.99
Onion on sale $.63
2 OM Hotdogs on sale with coupons $2.38
2 Pillsbury pizza roll out dough BOGO with coupon $1.79
UB Wild rice with coupon $.69
5 Baby food for addie on sale 5/5 with coupons $3.00
2 packs of ground beef overstock marked down $1.50 each
2 Honeynut cherrios BOGO plus coupon $2.69
Wetones with coupon $1.35

Total before coupons $65.82
Total I paid $40.59


Bi-lo (quick trip I had juice coupons that expired today)
5 bottles of apple juice with coupons $4.95
2 bottles of ocean spray cran apple juice FREE
6 baby food for addie with coupons $4.35
4 pasta salad BOGO plus coupon $3.56
Olive Oil plus coupon $4.87

Total before coupons $40.88
Total I paid $ 17.36

Wasnt the best Ive done but today I saved $50.11

A reflection....

That picture was taken when addie was a week old. I cannot believe that she was ever that small, small enough to fit so snuggly in my arms.

Tomorrow is her birthday, her first birthday....so you believe that? I feel like just yesterday I brought her home, then she was sitting up on her own, she smiled for the first time, said dada for the first time, or the first time she crawled, the first time she said uh oh, the first time she giggled, or looked suprised, got excited. It has been a year of amazing firsts, a year that seemed to go so slow and yet go so fast.

The first year has taught me more than I could ever imagine. It has taught me how to love beyond imagination, I never thought there was such a love like that. God has blessed me with such a wonderful daughter and family. I am so blessed to have her and I am so excited to see whats next for her, there is so much that she has ahead for her I am so excited to see her walk for the first time and I am excited to really hear her start talking and making sentences and I am so excited for her to grow hair!!!!

Happy Birthday to my Addie Grace...Mommy loves you!

Addie's first birthday party

Addies first birthday party was great! She seemed to have a great time! I was hoping for a disaster with that cake and her wear the whole thing but as you can see from the photo she was very delicate about eating it. She no more than looked like a bald santa. lol.

It was fun though, she gots lots of presents and enjoyed the time with her friends! Its hard to see my baby turn one but that just means Ineed to convince Jeremy for number 2...

Friday is her actual birthday and we are gonna do dinner and stuff with family and jeremy and I will do our presents with her then.

Something about having a one year old makes me feel old...lol