I love to see this… My girls are so into library books right now. It really blesses me. The reason it blesses me, is because they used to not even LET me read to them. Fancy that.
That was really hard, because I have two huge trunks of my beloved childhood books in the attic that I have been collecting since before they were born. I had DREAMS of raising children that love to read. But anyways, false alarm. Now they love it.
And… the dream is… BACK ON!
Toes-ies and posies.
Look at Laila. Someone just woke up.
Mommy and Laila.
^ “Ken, I don`t know wether to rap your head on the coffee table or punch you– for the way you led Barbie on.”
Reading until mommy is ready to leave.
Elle is pouting. I know, it looks like she is looking at a book. I don`t remember why. She is my funny girl.
Out of the blue, the other day, she playfully pinched my nose and told me,
“Mom, you`re so cute, it`s funny”.
Which made me laugh and laugh and laugh and made her furious!
I said, “You`re so funny, Elle!”
She said,
“No, mom I said YOU ARE FUNNY”.
I said,
“But YOU`RE making me laugh, YOU are funny.”
Which made her even madder,
“NOOO MOM… I SAID YOOOOOU ARE FUNNY!”
Which ended up not being funny at all because “someone” had to go and get all mad about it.
***
Whenever Elle has to go poopy, it is a big ordeal. We go upstairs to her ‘porcelain throne’ in the upstairs bathroom, and I have to sit on the silver chair while she poops. And I cannot leave! Horrors.
Well, when she is done, I ALWAYS say the same words.
“Oh, Elle I am SO PROUD of you for the big poopies! (And then we might have to view them together) Ok, good job, wait to wipe. Ok, yes, hang up your donut (the ring she sits on to go) there on the wall, good job! Ok, now wash your hands. With soap, Elle.”
Well, the other night I was (she was not pleased with this) reading a magazine while I waited there on my silver chair. I was not “in my game” and not really paying attention to the process like she would have preferred, and when she got up and announced,
“Say all the right words, MOM.”
So I repeated: (see above)…
********
Yesterday I was walking a load of wash down the basement steps. After me came,
“Mom, why are you a lady?” (x3)
Me?: (absentmindedly) “Um… Because Jesus made me that way.”
“But, MOM, WHY are you a lady? …Because your friends are?”
I cracked up and she was still in the background with her palms in the air going,
“Why! Why? WHY?”
Life does deserve answers.
Some of you requested more kid`s clothes pictures. I will gladly stick in a few every now and again. There is hardly anything I enjoy more than dressing little girls. And doing their hair– fun!
And while I`m on the subject… you all are so kind to me. I really, really do not take all your words of encouragement for granted. I have had a lot of women tell me I helped them love “doing the housewife thing” with more enjoyment. That makes me laugh– but it really makes me happy too. 
I sincerely love doing the bloggy thing– when I can– and it would be so dry without you all. So thanks and love. It keeps me sane when I`m at home, and gives me a little something that feels like “me”. You know?
But anyways.
Purple shirt: Target (they still have them) $5
Goldenrod Headband: made by yours truly
Navy Skirt: OnE DoLlAr!! at Goodwill (it`s an Old Navy skirt)
SCORE.
Little brown hair bun: Jesus provided that
Here is my second “Goodwill brag”. We were at the GW in Massilion, and Elle came over to me with this dirty “treasure” on her shoulder– someone`s dirty black purse.
The first thing I said was,
“Elle, please let`s not touch that gross old purse.”
Then when I took it from her to put back, I noticed that it was really pretty leather, and I loved the feminine messenger-bag style of it… could it be… nice?
It was $5– which I thought was a lot for such an unloved treasure. Well, anyways after too much deliberation, I brought her home. I planned to rub her with olive oil and a rag, but ended up cleaning her in and out with FURNITURE POLISH. Honestly, she is prettier now than I ever thought she could be. Funny, how leather stays so pretty when cared for.
I love my purse. On Sunday I told G in church,
Can you get my purse back there? The black one.”
When he came back he handed me the purse, scrunched up his face, shook his head, and said,
“Fancy black puuuurse…“
Like, why`d you waste all your money on such an overpriced, fluffy floofy purse you don`t need? I know him. (Plus, I just purchased a new brown purse and he probably thought needing a black one also, was…)
I said tartly (because I do not like to be judged),
“Five dollars. Goodwill.”
He didn`t say another word after that. SCORE.
Here is the reason why cropping is essential to taking better pictures. The purse looks “less” now.
Play on, sweet child of mine.
“Okay, now Galen you play nice with Jenny…”
FUN to listen to her treating us like her kids when she plays dollhouse. I`m just proud we are cool enough for her to mention at all.
Anyone have one of these Fisher Price radios when you were little?
I love TOES!
Let me re-phrase that.
I love MY little GIRL`S toes…
We were at Kohls as a family the other week, trying to round up some cold weather clothes for this family, and Elle was begging for this playdough, well, anyways, as you can see, she was allowed to receive it unto herself, and the next day she was so pleased.
She said,
“I am SO HAPPY daddy buy`d me this playdough.”
And I said (half kidding),
“Well call him at school and tell him thanks.”
She nodded once, like she had made a big decision and said,
“Yes. Get me your phone, mom, please.”
Okay.
So anyways I tried to take a picture of her while she was calling him, without laughing too much.
{Around the Home…}
I love to look at sweet little baby faces during the day. String and clothespins are the best invention ever.
Apple Art.
Elle has this nest she looks at all the time as she stands on the recliner. Every day she would say,
“Ooooh, mom. Look at that NEST! I just LOVE nests. Can we take a picture of my nest, please mom?”
I didn`t even see the nest until yesterday– she helped me finally take a picture of it.
For Elle. Enjoy!
I love black and whites and vintage bottles/lids.
So.. perfect marriage here.
Yup, I still Coupon.
Right now, I have 3 weeks of inserts that need to be clipped and filed. Wow, that was one housewifely sentence if I ever heard one. I should have just said I`m barefoot and wearing an apron whilst I clip them.
I love the Sunday paper for coupons, but right now I am almost more into the online printables. You can get such. good. deals.
Here are the 4 I use, I have not found any others so far that are A) Free and B) Legit.
Here they are,
Coupons.com (My favorite)
Red Plum.com (Not as good but sometimes…)
SmartSource.com (This one will have a pop up window that will ask for your email address immediately. Click “No thanks” and go right on it.)
Target also has AWE-SOME coupons. I almost never shop there without about $20 worth of coupons when I pay. In the past, they have even had coupons off their clothes. I just used a coupon that was “$3 off any sweater” last time I was there. Well, thank you, I think I will!
Go to their home page, scroll to the way bottom of the page, click on “coupons” and have fun! I love them, because they give you some really high value coupons, AND, if it says “Target” on the coupons you can also use another coupon with the same product. As long as it is a manufacturer`s coupon. I have NEVER had a cashier give me any kind of hash for this and it is 100% legal.
Also. If you print out a coupon from the Target website and it says “manufacturers coupon” at the top you can use it anywhere! Cool huh?
My last secret. If you are new at couponing, to learn all you need to know, follow Collin at the Hip2Save blog. She is so funny, utterly entertaining and I learned sooo much from watching her videos. You will be so hooked.
3 notes: ALWAYS buy the smallest size a coupon allows you to (less out of your pocket), don`t be loyal to any certain brand, use a coupon for everything you buy– if you can. I usually shop according to my coupons (somewhat).
One last thing, A coupon is first like cash to you, and then like cash to the store. The manufacturer foots the bill. When a store TAKES a coupon, they are making cash for their store.
I have never had to do this, but I know there have been people that have had to explain this to a store cashier. Once a cashier knows this, they are way less reluctant, since there have been cashiers that thought couponers were ripping off the store by using so many coupons.
And last tip of all: Be nice! Be friendly! And don`t forget– your dignity is more important than arguing with a manager over $1 coupon!!
Good luck. I wasn`t planning to launch into Couponing 101….But I guess I did.
Oh well, I need to go get the laundry ‘worked’, before Laila wakes up again…
Would love to hear any tips YOU have on couponing in the comments. I`d love to hear it all. Funny stories? Best deal ever?
Later, Jenny
