Sunday, July 12, 2009

Finally time to relax- in more ways than one

So we are finally on vacation at Folly Beach and it is wonderful! I think every year this is my favorite place to be out of all our vacation destinations. There is something so familiar and comforting about this house and these waves. I didnt take any pictures with my phone yet to post but I will!
We also got some exciting and blessed news this week that our good friends Peter and Leanne are adopting a baby as I write and will hopefully be bringing little Collin home soon. We feel so comforted and over-joyed for them. They finally will get to feel the emotions and love they were meant to feel and the love and adoration we feel toward Peyton. Please pray for this family as we have been for the last year. They deserve all the happiness and will be great parents.
Here is a link to their blog leanneandpeter.blogspot.com

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Good deals and karma

I am glad for my brain and my pocketbook's sake that double and triple coupon week is over. It is sometimes so rewarding and frustrating at the same time to shop for good deals!
But here are some that I have gotten recently that I am proud of!
Gillette Fusion shave gel $.24 a can
80 pack of Band Aids $.55 each
Free mustard
Free 4 bags of knorr pasta and rice sides
Sargento slice cheese $1.50
Chips ahoy cookies $.55
Lysol disinfectant wipes 2 for $1.00
Lysol cling 2n1 Free
Country Crock butter $1.00
Free box of 104 diapers (see below)
Free burts bees lip balm
2 free snickers bars


Deal of today:
3 Clearasil face washes
1 Clearasil face cream
1 package of wet ones wipes
new Conair ceramic hot rollers
all this for $10.00 out of pocket!!!

A parent of one of the babies I take care of at work is a super nice lady and we talk about coupon shopping and good deals from time to time. She also has a daughter who just turned 3 and she was getting rid of a lot of the clothes that were her daughters in a yard sale. She invited me over to look through the items (which made my day!) because they have nice clothes like Children's Place, baby Gap, and Gymboree. So I went, came home with 48 items including shoes and clothes. So I wanted to pay her back in some way so I decided I would buy her diapers for her baby since I know what kind and what size he uses. So I bought them at Harris Teeter when I was there for super double coupons last week. I had a $1.50 coupon that would double and they were on sale for $19.99, so that was going to be $.17 per diaper, which is a good deal in my opinion. So after checking out, I realize in the car that the diapers rang up for $23.99. I go back in to get my $4 refund for the mistake, and come to find out, they give me my money back, AND they give me the diapers for FREE! I could not have been more surprised or happy with my shopping trip! I love Harris Teeter!
I felt like I was in that commercial for paying a good deed forward and then that person would help someone and on and on. Maybe I was...

So many subjects!

So much to say! I can't believe I haven't written anything in almost a month! I guess we have been busy with every day things.
Reflections:
1. I have been thinking a lot lately about the fact that sometimes I am so caught up with taking pictures and video of our lives and all the experiences we have, especially Peyton's reactions to things, that I am starting to think that I am actually missing them in the present! I am always walking around with the camera, wanting to capture her every expression and emotion because I know you don't get this time back. But I wonder what it must be like just to "live it" instead of photograph it! I am going to work on that some more. I won't be leaving my camera at home, but I will be putting it away more!
2. At work, it has come to my attention that one of my babies' parents ride him around in the car while holding him instead o putting him in the car seat. They have a car seat so I just don't get it! How can you as a mother not realize the dangers that are involved in that? She has been seen holding him the front seat and in the back seat! Then I find out that another child is being brought to daycare every day for FREE due to goverenment assistance while the parents seem to sit at home or run errands or shop or take naps! So another parent who doesn't treasure their child like they should and it is so unfair!
3. I really do believe and hope that Peyton is showing early signs of a great ability to learn and retain information. I am not sure what she should know by now, but she already recognizes and can identify colors, as well as some letters (especially P, and the words mommy and daddy.) I just hope she gets her brains from Jamie since he is smarter in many ways than me. (not in all ways, though!)
4. Peyton has taken up dancing nearly every day, sometimes morning and night. She LOVES the soundtrack CD to 101 Dalmations. And she tells Jamie and I "up" when she wants us to get up and dance too. She also makes her babies dance with her and sometimes make Jamie dance with one baby while she dances with the other! I guess it is a good thing his guy friends aren't around to see it! I wonder if she is going to be a dancer, like on a dance team with glitter makeup...

Recent events:
In recent weeks, we went camping in Asheville at a great campground called Rutledge Lake. The facilities there were really nice, and they have kids activities including a train ride that goes around the campground and even up to the general store for ice cream! Peyton also really enojyed the large playground and walking trails.
We also have been going to the pool at our apartment complex every weekend. Peyton apparently believes that going to the pool is really for sitting in the lounge chairs eating snacks. She talks all day about going to the pool and putting on her "suit" and then when we get there, she wants to sit on the side or sit in the chair. Crazy girl.
We also just got back from a short but efficient trip to Georgia last night. We went to do some cleaning and organizing at the house, not to mention check on things. I feel like we did a great job and it looks better. If you are reading this, please continue to pray that we sell that house soon! When we were there, it really made me miss our house, our things, our own space. I didn't miss Georgia (the traffic) so much, but it makes me realize that I miss having our own space and privacy and for Peyton to have enough room that she doesn't trip over her own toys when walking through the living room! But I am so glad to be here, closer to family and friends, and surrounded by seemingly nicer people and close to a lake where one day we hope to be going frequently! So someone please buy our house!
I also just watched the movie "Bride Wars" and I have to say, it was my kind of movie. Not a good movie- "He's Just Not That Into You." What a letdown that one was!
Only one week until our annual Folly Beach vacation! I am really looking forward to it and I know Peyton will love it! And vacation is the perfect time to not feel guilty about eating snacks, like chips ahoy cookies! But either way, I am sure Peyton will still come back to NC more tan than Jamie or I.