Arizona

Over Spring Break I was able to go to Arizona for a wonderful occasion.  My friend Jackie, who I met and taught on my mission in the Virginia area, was getting married in Mesa, AZ and things worked out that I was able to go.

A little history.  When Jackie and I met in Virginia in 2007, we had a lot in common even though we were several years apart in age.  We could really relate.  What amazed me the most about Jackie is the strong desire she had to follow Jesus Christ.  She was in high school when we met and despite the hard time that others gave her about wanting to live the standards that the Lord wants us to, she stuck to it and eventually was able to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints about a year later on her 18th birthday.  I am still amazed by her strength and dedication.

It has been such a blessing to watch her grow into a wonderful young woman who understands her worth and potential as a daughter of God, and that she found a partner who treats her that way and who complements her so well.  I wish them all the happiness in the world!  Here are some highlights from the trip:

It was Grant's FIRST airplane ride!  I was a little nervous about how things would go, but I got a lot of great tips from friends and everything went very smoothly.  I was pleasantly surprised with how helpful and accommodating the airport staff and airline personnel were.  Lots of people offered to help me since I was flying with Grant by myself and many people smiled and talked to Grant which made him VERY happy.  He did not cry on the plane ONCE either way.  He got a bit whiny on the second flights (we had one layover), but got over it. :)

 We stayed with Jackie at the Fuller's house (Jackie's in-laws).  Wow, what an experience!  11 kids and 15 people in one house!  I have never seen anything like that before but I have to say it was pretty fun. Grant had a little playmate, Chloe, who was just a few months younger than him.  They played very well together and had a great time.

 The day that I got there, Jackie and I were able to go to the Mesa temple together for a session and have some time to reflect on how much has changed since we met.  The Lord truly does guide us and help us to get where we need to go, even if that is not in our plans at the time.  He has a plan for us and the temple really helps remind us of that.

The Mesa temple is extremely beautiful, and BIG.  It's not.what I expected on the inside.  It has beautiful murals and mounted quotes with intricate details in the woodwork and an overall "golden" feel.  The above is a picture of a painting of what it kinda looks like.  I'm not sure where the painting came from so it might not be completely accurate.

Friday was full of getting ready for the big day.  We ran lots of errands and help decorate the Church building.  We also went to a dinner that night at the Church and got to watch a slideshow of pictures of Jackie and Creed since they had known each other.

Grant had a blast at the party especially with all the people there.  He also kept running around everywhere in the Church building exploring everything.

I went with Jackie Saturday morning to the temple to help her get ready.  Here we are ready to leave with our hair and makeup done.  It was so special to share this day with her.  It meant so much to me and it was wonderful to be there to support her.

The ceremony was short and beautiful.  It helped me remember my own wedding day and the promises that James and I made with each other.  It is a very special feeling to know that we can live with our spouse together forever.

They looked so happy and were glowing!

Of course Jackie had to show off her special shoes for the event.

I also got to see Dani, one of my companions from my mission.  I was her "mother" aka trainer.  Haha.  She is doing great and it was so fun to reminisce and catch up.  The Ansteds, a family from Virginia, were also there and it was WONDERFUL to see them!

Grant loved being outside.  It was nice and warm the whole time we were there.  I decided to do a mini photo shoot of him and me since the grounds were so pretty.

He wouldn't let go of his sippy cup for the picture.  Oh well, haha.  It was fun to watch him look at all the flowers and examine and touch them.

Grant had fun taking out ALL my stuff from my suitcase on our last night where we stayed at a hotel.  Overall it was an EXCELLENT trip and I was so glad to be able to go.  Congrats to Jackie and Creed!

Video of Grant pulling our suitcases

Grant loves to pull and push things around. Lately he has been doing this with everything: his Little People barn, his stroller, boxes, packs of toilet paper, and anything else that he can move! Here is is pulling our suitcases in our new townhouse (he did this for almost an hour, lol). I really wonder what he is thinking sometimes. He is so focused on what he is doing that he barely even responds to us calling him or trying to get his attention, haha. He has already developed selective hearing.

Cute videos

Here are some recent videos of Grant! Our video camera has had a dead battery for a while and I really missed taking videos of him. We really take a LOT of videos, but I rarely post them because probably no one else besides us would find them interesting. I like to film a lot of his everyday activities, because I feel like that is what I will miss the most when he is older. Just the everyday things that he does.

But here are some that I thought might give others a good laugh and a smile...

Grant gets trapped in a blanket: He LOVES to play with blankets. This time, he got kind of stuck and got a little scared. His reaction is very cute.

Grant's full body wave: Sometimes when he doesn't feel like waving, he just waves with his whole body. :)

Grant is 14 months!

My little man just learns new stuff every day.  I think the best part of being a parent is watching your kids learn.  They are figuring out how to work their little bodies and you can almost literally see their little mind making the connections.  I'm surprised by how a lot of things kids just learn.  We didn't really do much to teach him.  He had an innate desire to learn how to do something and we encouraged a little bit.  When we do try to work on certain things with him, he gets so incredibly happy when we praise him.  It is like he is expressing the most ultimate joy.  Imagine that:  There is a baby whose most joyful moment of the day is seeing me be proud of him.  That is pretty special.

Here are some things he has learned or recently started doing:

 -Tells us where to walk or what he wants by pointing his hand.  He is also starting to make more sounds for talking and say his own little version of one syllable words (we think he knows "dada" and will say "da" or "ga" when he sees a dog).

-Walking really well!  He likes to walk everywhere, and he is getting faster and faster at it.  If you turn around for one second, he is across the room.  It is getting hard to keep up with him, haha.

-Will bring you objects he wants you to play with.  If you hold out your hand and ask him for something, he will usually give it to you.  And then he wants you to give it back to him.  Fun little game.  He loves to bang his blocks together and play with his Little People barn.

He also likes playing other 'games.'  We try to get him to do something, like give us five, point to a picture, or put the rings on his ring holder or play with some other toy, and then we clap when he does it.  Well he since has learned to clap, and now sometimes he KNOWS when he is supposed to get claps, and he will do something and then look at up to see if we are clapping.  Other times he will simply do 'whatever' and then clap for himself!  It is SO cute!

He is learning to feed himself.  If you put food on his spoon, he will put it in his mouth.  Otherwise, he finds it very fun to squish the food in his hands and then shove it in his mouth (like this oatmeal in the pic).

 -Drink from sippy cups.  He is OBSESSED!  Whenever he sees a sippy cup, he has to have it.  and when he's not knocking back a cold one (of milk), he will walk around with the sippy simply in his mouth.  A hard habit to break!

He loves to get into mischief!!!  He absolutely LOVES fabric and laundry, and will snatch them any chance he gets.  It is pretty entertaining to watch.

 He loves to steal mommy and daddy's drinks (no he isn't really drinking this).  He thinks it is SO fun to take sips from our cups or through our straws.  Like he is sooo cool because we do it!

He loves 'reading the paper,' as you can see!  He is so drawn to paper...to tear it up and destroy it.  He still tries to eat it sometimes, too.  He will just to CRAZY with it!

 And of course, he has now gotten to the stage of putting his toys in the toilet!  He has been throwing them in the bathtub for a while now, and I guess he managed to sneak to the toilet once when we didn't put the lid down.  He really likes the toilet, and will try to lift up the lid even when it is closed.  We are entering the FUN stages of toddler-hood!

Thoughts on Couponing

I have been couponing for about a year now, and it has been really fun. It is a great hobby that I enjoy and saves my family money. Not to mention all I have learned about how different stores handle coupons, sale cycles, store specials, and really getting to know what is an appropriate price point for a product. That last point is incredibly important to making wise purchases. Even without coupons, you can save a lot of money by understanding how prices are set.

Obviously I learned a lot about the 4 P's while earning my Marketing degree-Product, Place, Promotion, and Price. Stores are in the retail business to make money. The prices should be set in the sweet spot where a certain quantity sold at a certain price generates the greatest profit-->Where the difference between Total Revenue and Total Cost is the greatest-->Or where Marginal Revenue (the demand curve in a perfectly competitive industry) equals Marginal Cost. Part of being a successful firm means that you have an effective integrated Marketing plan which often includes a budget for coupons and samples to send to potential consumers in hopes that they will adopt new products or products that they wish to increase sales for.

LUCKILY you don't really need to understand all that to coupon. In a nutshell, the coupons are there for us, the consumers, to take advantage of. :)

The art of successful couponing involves matching coupons with store sales and specials, waiting for the right time to use them so you can maximize your savings. When you purchase when you have a hot sale and coupon, you can find awesome deals...stocking up when there is a great deal...and eventually work your way towards NEVER paying retail price again! It would take a significant amount of time to do that, so I recommend slowly working up to that. I am not close to being there. But I am there with baby items, toothpaste, and body wash! Especially baby items. There are enough coupons and specials available that you should NEVER have to pay full price for diapers, formula, wipes, or other baby supplies.

I really love couponing and telling people about it. I hope (as you saw on my last blog post) to eventually start a local couponing blog where I help people match up the deals and local stores with the coupons that week. I believe there is a need in this area (especially since there aren't any stores, that I'm aware of, that double coupons in this area) but I just don't have the time to do it right now.

Here are some questions I'm often asked:

Q: Where do you get your coupons?

A: In order of frequency: The Sunday paper, the internet (coupons.com and other sites), ordering free samples online (they usually come with coupons), magazines (Parents, baby talk, etc.), email newsletters from store reward programs, and Catalina coupons (the ones that print at the cash register).

Q: How do you organize your coupons?

A: I keep mine in a small accordion folder that I keep in my purse.

Q: How do you find the deals?

A: I follow blogs and websites online that help you match up the deals. I also read the ads/circulars that come in the Sunday paper that advertise the sales and in-store specials for the week. Then I review my current coupons to see if any match up. I pay attention when I clip them and I "know" my coupons. I remember which ones I have so that when I see a sale advertised, most of the time I already know if I have a coupon or not. Also, I take my time in the stores and walk around to look for unadvertised sales, specials, and clearance items. This is one of my favorite parts and I have found a lot of great deals this way.

Q: How do you get good at couponing?

A: Practice, time, and patience! You really do need to clip coupons every week to get good at collecting the 'good' coupons. That doesn't mean you have to clip every single one, though. Clip the ones you will definitely use and the ones you might use. You never know when a great deal will come along. It will take you time to get to the point where you understand the rules/store policies related to coupons and to feel confident that the price you are getting really is a good deal. Not every deal scenario will work out, but you get better as time goes on. Also, it is important to be patient and not use coupons too soon, when it is really not a very good deal. That is what the companies want you to do. But you have to be patient and take the time and effort to be the most efficient you can be. Eventually you will get to the point where you have a small stock pile and you will only buy certain products because it is a hot deal and not because you have run out. That way, you will almost never have to pay full price, and you have a stash for emergencies if needed.

Finally, here are some of the deals I am most proud of!

Small sippy cup: FREE by redeeming Huggies reward points

Potty training seat: FREE by redeeming Pampers reward points

3 Sippy cups: FREE by using a $10 off coupon for Amazon Mom.

Bubble blowing maching: FREE by using a $10 off coupon for Amazon Mom.

Paid $5.56 and got back $6.60 in Extra Bucks to spend next time at CVS. :)

Crest ProHeath toothpaste~3.29~$1 off coupon~$3.29 Extra Bucks~BETTER than FREE!

Crest 3D white~$3.29~$1 off coupon~$3.29 ECB=Better than free!

Colgate Clinical~Clearance $1.24/each~2 $.75 off coupons~$.49/each!

Pert Plus~$1~$1 off coupon=FREE!

Another snag on some great deals @ HEB!

Gain fabric softener~$3.57~$3 coupon~ONLY $.57!

Dove deoderant~$2.50~$2 coupon~ONLY $.50!

Dove body wash~ SALE $1.99~$1.25 coupon~$.74!

Sanitizer~$1~COUPON buy body was get sani free~FREE!

Total cost for all 4 items=$1.81!!!

@CVS

Pampers Cruisers~$8.99~1.50 coupon~$2 Extra Bucks=$5.49!

Colgate Toothpaste~On SALE for $.87~$.50 coupon~ONLY $.37!!!

@HEB

Dove Visible Care Body Wash on SALE (limited time only) for $1.99/ea~$1.25/ea coupon~ONLY $.74 each!!!

@BRU: Fleece pullovers on sale-2 for $8 for when it gets cold NEXT year (bought 24 mo size).

***Contact solution, dish soap, laundry sample, and socks were all FREE!  I need to go back and find the info on the detergent.

Great deals at CVS!!!

3 Dawn Olay Hand renewal dish soap: $.96/each~$1 off coupon~3 for FREE!

Cascade dishpaks: On sale for $3.50~$.50 off coupon~$3

2 Head and Shoulders: On sale $5/each~Get $5 Extra Bucks when you spend $10~Like paying $5~2 $1 off coupons~Like spending $3 for both!!!

FREE SAMPLE I received: Box of Mrs. Field's cookies! YUM!

Free samples I have received (and there's more where that came from!).  I keep these for travel, emergencies, and recently I donated a bunch to a program to send care packages to troops overseas.  Didn't cost me a thing, and it benefited others!

Total spent on this lot: $2.29

Here's how I did it:

Target brand wheat crackers~on clearance for $.88

Lysol wipes~on sale for $1.89~$1 off manf. coupon~End price=$.89

Shout spray~$1.89~$1 off Target coupon~$.55 off manf. coupon~End price=$.34

Aloe Vaseline lotion~$.97~$1 off manf. coupon~End price=FREE!

Small dish soaps were on sale this week at CVS for $.97. I had a coupon for $1 off Olay hand renewal Dawn, so the end cost was FREE.

For the Enfamil, the reg price was $10.99. I had $5 of Extra Care bucks and a $5 Enfamil coupon, so the ending price was $.99! Woohoo!

Baby Wipes: Sale $1.50~$1/manf~end price: $.50

Poise pads: Sale $2.25~$2/manf~end price: $.25

Kotex pads: Sale $.97~$1/manf~end price: FREE!

Enfamil: Sale $4.23/ea~$4/manf~end price: $.23 each!

Colgate toothpaste: On sale for $.99/ea~$.75 off coupon~Total paid: $.24/ea!

Shout wipes: $.99~$1 off coupon~FREE!

Rice cereal: Coupon for FREE

Baby food: $60/each~$1.50off/2~FREE!

FREE items from buying other items @ reg. HEB price:

HEB Chips, BBQ sauce, Diet DP, Cheese snacks, Rotel & Chili

Other deals:

Fab laundry detergent: $3.29~In-store coupon $1 off~Catalina (register coupon) $2 off~Ending price $.29

Velveeta-$1.75 each~2 catalinas $1 off~End price $.75 each

Pampers diapers: $9.99~$3 off catalina~$3 off manf.~End price: $3.99

Huggies wipes: $3.26~$2 off catalina~$.75 manf.~End price: $.51

101 Goals in 1001 Days

Start Date: March 1, 2011
End Date:  November 26, 2013 



The Mission:
Complete 101 preset goals in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? 
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing certain tasks.


I saw the 101 in 1001 Challenge on a friend's blog and I decided to try it for myself, to see what kinds of things I wanted to accomplish and motivate myself to complete them.  Looking at my goals, I realize how much I have done in recent years that I never thought I could do.  Some of my goals seem simple and I am looking for more consistency and some of them seem lofty and will really make me stretch...but hopefully one by one I can complete them.


I will blog periodically about my progress to highlight key events or things I have learned.  :)
So...here is my list!  
Black=Goal
Strikethrough=Completed
Red=Update info
Blue=In progress
Highlight=New Update

Health 

1. Exercise 3 times per week for six months [Started running 3X per week in March]
2. Run a 5K  [I ran 3.2 miles in Beach to Bay on 5/21/11!  My total part in the relay marathon was about 4 miles and I walked the rest]
3. Lose 15 pounds [Completed 2/4/11...I had to start myself with one completed goal!]
4. Lose 15 more pounds [I DID IT!!!  Completed 5/9/11]
5. Go one month with no soda
6. Don't eat out for 1 month (excluding traveling)
7. Fit into all pre-pregnancy clothes [Several shirts and one pair of pants...getting there!]
8. Successfully transition into Lifetime Maintenance phase of the Atkins diet [Still trying to figure this out]


Personal Enrichment
9. Go one week without watching TV
10. Do my hair and makeup every day for one week  Completed 3/9/11
11. Get a manicure  [ALMOST got one one the WB trip-but too expensive!]
12. Write in my journal every day for 1 month
13. Write a song
14. Write a thank you note for every gift I receive
15. Bear my testimony in church 4 times per year [0/11]
16. Join a choir
17. Learn something musical
18. Write a book
19. Learn to eat a food I thought I didn’t like
20. Read a book for fun
21. Start painting again; Create one wall-worthy painting
22. Take a cake decorating class
23. Take a dance class
24. Take a self-defense class
25. Play softball for fun
26. Personal scripture study every day for 1 month [I've been going strong for 1 week]
27. Read the New Testament  [I am enjoying reading this during Sunday School this year, but I'm not truly reading through it again, yet]
28. Read the Book of Mormon
29. Read the D&C/POGP

Professional Development

30. Start another graduate degree or take specific graduate courses
31. Prepare for CPA exam
32. Open/own my own business
33. Lead a workshop or seminar
34. Start a local couponing blog
35. Start a resume writing service
36. Join a professional organization
37. Become a lactation consultant

Home & Provident Living

38. Own a home
39. Proactively budget family finances
40. Pay off our car
41. Be 100% debt-free
42. Remember to bring at least 1 reusable bag to the grocery store for shopping trips [I did this once.  I have plenty of bags now, I just have to remember to bring them!]
43. Get a new bedroom/dresser set  May possibly be getting one from my grandpa. Updated 4/27/11.
44. Change my own oil
45. Start a savings account
46. Build a year’s supply of emergency storage  [I updated our 72 hour kit in June.  I have a year's supply of toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, and lotion, salt and diced tomatoes, and quite a bit of beans and peaches.  But that's it so far!]
47. Invest in stocks
48. Grow and eat my own vegetables
49. Have a garage sale  [Thinking of doing this soon!  Anyone want to do it with me?]

Becoming a Domestic Diva

50. Cook a new recipe once a month [3/33]  Updated 7/1/11
51. Learn to sew a new project twice per year [1/5]  I sewed some pillow cases!
52. Finish Grant’s Birth scrapbook [I have just a few more pages to go!!!]
53. Finish Grant’s first year scrapbook
54. Come up with 20 ideas for date nights [1/20] 
55. Create custom scripture study journal
56. Make a quilt
57. Plan out and follow menus for one month
58. Completely redecorate a room
59. Learn to crochet
60. Blog about our family activities once at least month [5/33] Updated 7/1/11
61. Scan in all old photos [Scanned in "dating" photos 2003-2005, updated 3/3/11]
62. Compile all mission letters into a book
63. Organize filing cabinet with family paperwork
64. Go to a flea market and purchase at least one unique item for the house
65. Put all physical photos in albums
66. Set up an organized store system for my favorite recipes
67. Organize/Convert all music to mp3s
68. Organize Church/scripture study notes
69. Get all photos in one place

Service

70. Compliment a stranger once a week [2/143]  Updated 4/3/11
71. Invite 10 individuals to learn about the gospel [0/10]
72. Help build a Habitat for Humanity house  [I did this on 6/18/11.  It was really fun and I would love to do it again!]
73. Buy a person in need lunch
74. Buy something off an anonymous Amazon wish list for someone.
75. Donate clothes I no longer need  [Got rid of 2 trashbags full of clothes when we moved, Completed 4/15/11]
76. Teach someone a skill I know
77. Donate blood
78. 100% Visiting teaching [1/33]
79. Perform a conscious act of service towards my husband and child once a week [5/143]

Family Goals & Fun

80. Family prayer daily for 1 month  2 weeks and going strong, updated 7/1/11.
81. Go to the Temple twice or more per year [2/6]  I got to go in March and May with friends.  
82. Complete family history research on 10 individuals in my family tree and compile data and documents electronically [0/10]  7 Names with Birth/Death info; Updated 3/3/11
83. Organize a free/cheap date night  
84. Visit 3 cultural sites/local attractions per year [0/8] 
85. Do an ‘Explore Corpus’ date night
86. Take Grant to the Zoo
87. Take Grant to the Aquarium  [We took Grant in June.  He LOVED it!!!]
88. Read books to Grant at least 3X week [15/429] Updated 7/1/11
89. Visit NASA
90. Get a dog
91. Have another baby
92. Visit all great-grandparents' grave sites
93. Go to a state I’ve never been to before
94. Go on another cruise
95. Hold a real family home evening at least twice per month [3/286]  We're 3 weeks down and going strong!
96. Go fishing with James
97. Finish watching LOST series
98. Have a picnic at a park
99. Move to a different city
100. Go skiing or snowboarding
101. Go camping once a year as a family [0/3]

Has anyone ever done a challenge like this before?  How did it go?

H