Coming from parent teacher conferences

I am one proud mama! Gosh it gives me chills to think of how proud I am of that little blond gal of mine! Straight out of the teachers mouth she is a dream kid!
In the beginning of the year we struggled a bit with “only child syndrome” aka… I want all the attention!! We also wrestled a little bit with friendships. Oh the joys of first grade. But all of that has subsided now and we are on the mend. If only we could find a cure for boogers we would be 100%. If you know my kid very well, you know we suffer from boogers peeking out our nose at the most inopportune times, especially school pictures. I put “please check her nose” and highlighted it on the order form but that must not have been enough, next year I will be sure to attach a pom-pom and flashing lights. Thanks Lifetouch, thank god for Photoshop!

Back to being an incredibly proud mama, her dad had the opportunity to join me at the conference today to listen in as to just exactly how our shining star is doing in class. The shining star that has “skool rocs” (spelling comes later) on her desk! She’s the shining star that says when she becomes president she will make fair rules, help the homeless and feed the animals. Now that’s a president I tell ya!

She takes after her dad when it comes to the brains; lucky for her she got the brains from him and the creativity from me. We recently learned after several tests she has been entered into the extended studies program. The Extended Studies Program provides direct services to qualifying elementary gifted and talented students who have demonstrated outstanding intellectual and academic ability. The primary goal is to provide services that are commensurate with student academic needs and to foster a positive self-image. WOW!!! The program focuses on the development of intellectual skills, intellectual curiosity, independence, and responsibility while encouraging originality and creativity. Maci will begin attending that this fall a few hours out of the week.

See what I mean, I have every reason in the book to be so happy that this little blond girl (and her boogers) belongs to me!

I’ve fallen in love…with coupons

Yep I’m the lady with the coupons.

I have always been the one with the coupons for dinner or retail purchases; don’t get me wrong this is not a new found love, just a love that has grown significantly deeper.

I had the opportunity to attend a small couponing class in January with my friend Jessica. I would be lying if I didn’t tell you the real reason I went was to spend time drinking coffee with Jess. I had no idea that I would meet these savvy young moms on a mission to slash their grocery bills by 50-90%, moms that were willing to show us how they scour the ads for the best bargains by overlapping deals, promotions, coupons and rebates.

Being in the banking world I have always been passionate about empowering people to take control of their financial lives while having the ability to have fun at the same time. Here is my chance to embrace what I preach.

Taking this class taught me how to collect and redeem coupons with precision. In the last month I have stocked my kitchen and bathrooms for a fraction of the price I was paying before.
The biggest part about this new found love for grocery/drug store couponing is being aware and organized. It is a learned skill, one with practice you get better and better at.

Cheers to matching, stacking and saving!

I dare you to check out a few of my favorite coupon friends!
http://athriftymom.com/
http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/
http://www.pennypinchinmom.com/

nothing like a good book...

I love to read. There is nothing as peaceful as a good Jodi Picoult book to tuck you in at night.
I'm one of "those" readers though.
You know the kind.
If the book is really good I could sit around in my pj's all day reading (it happened with the Twilight books….I’m tellen ya).

For a while now I have wanted an ereader (nook or kindle) but have not wanted to pay the price. I did a little research on one that Kyle and I bumped into at Bed Bath and Beyond (you know the place with the 20% off coupon saving me an additional $34!). It was the Pandigital. Pandigital is known for digital photo frames but is dipping into the ereader market. They have come out with an ereader in full color for a fraction of the Nook Color price yet a rather comparable device (with the new firmware I must add that can turn it into a powerhouse). Research all said and done; I have a ereader that will serve its purpose.

I’m still in learning mode but I’m determined to make this thing shine!

Do you have an ereader? Where do you find cheap books?

And just like that 2011 is around the corner!

We hope you all had a Christmas full of celebration for Jesus!

We were spoiled beyond measure that’s for sure. In a mini Christmas recap: Kyle, my man in brown, actually got home at a decent time this year, just after 8, now that’s something for me to be excited about!! We spent Christmas with my In-laws a sleep over to boot! Kyle and I stayed over along with my sister in-law and her family. We went to Faith Chapel for Christmas Eve candle light service and what an incredible hour it was, singing, praising the lord, and the message…oh it was amazing. Faith puts on a better service each and EVERY year. Each year I think as I leave I say that was the best one yet. I can’t wait till next year because I know without a doubt it will be the “best one yet”. Now that is what Christmas is all about.

So as we wrap up the final week of 2010 and look into 2011 do you marvel in thought about what the New Year will bring. I know I sure do. I have made a few resolutions and have already started to act upon them. Like half the world I have added the most popular new year’s resolution to my list, I want to lose weight. Yesterday I got myself a gym membership to Anytime Fitness. With getting it this month we will get the summer free! That brings me to my next resolution; a financial diet. Oh the joys of being submersed in the financial world day in and day out within my job. I know I am blessed beyond words for our financial stability but I also know it could be improved. So with 2011 and some of our plans I know I need to go on a major financial diet and just kind of clean house. Funny I say house…that is item number 3!! Kyle and I live in a BEAUTIFUL home why don’t I stay put more??? It seems every evening I am running here or there and never get the time to just enjoy being home. In 2011 I am going to simplify things a little and just try and enjoy home and the ability to fit in some things that mean more to me. That brings up my 4th and final goal for 2011, attending church on a more regular basis. Our lives are crazy just like everyone else’s but it is time to find that balance for what is important.

How about you, have you given it any thought on how you will try to change in 2011?

May your Christmas be full of joy...

My Christmas Eve day will go at little something like this…

Load the car with gifts that are wrapped and are waiting for the big day along with a few groceries.

See $5 from Kyle on the table for me to stop off to wish the ladies at Startbucks a VERY MERRY Christmas. Ok maybe I needed to stumble in and get a mocha in the red seasoned cup one last time!

Enjoy the last minute rush at work, were open until 1:00. Then I will do a bit of finishing up with any last minute wrapping, and package delivering to my cousins.

We’re going to Faith at 3:00 for their amazing Christmas service to celebrate Jesus! Oh we have so much to be thankful for and praise god for. He is the reason for the season!

After Church we will scurry off to warm our chowder and start our endless snack bar and await Santa flying through the dark night’s sky! From 4:00 on I plan to eat till my tummy can’t take it anymore, crawl into my plush purple pants, and pour myself a glass (or 2) of wine!

Tonight we are attending a sleepover at my In-laws!! We will all get to awake to Christmas morning together.

May you Christmas be full of joy and dreams for the next year to come!

Chowder Tradition

For as long as I can remember, we have had my dad’s clam chowder for Christmas Eve. To me you can’t have Christmas without dads chowder. It brings back such great memories of big family get-togethers with the Mahana’s. Food, food and more food all for our palate pleasure!!

This year my dad will be spending Christmas with my sister and her family. Several weeks ago I asked him if he would make me the family famous clam chowder before he went.

Last night he invited Maci and me over to teach me the tricks to the trade of this clam chowder.
Let me tell you Progresso this stuff puts you to shame

There was a little of this and a little of that…

And waaalaaa we have a Crockpot full of joy for Christmas Eve!

Thank you Daddy you are the best, and the Christmas tradition lives on!

Santa Clause is comin to town

Happy almost Christmas...3 days...really, where has the year gone?!!!

Time to pack my little Maci to go to dads for Christmas! (choke, hard swallow) For those of you that have to share your little ones on the holidays you know my bitter sweet feeling. I know he will be a great Santa but I don’t think it will ever be easy not getting to do it myself. Doing it when she gets home is just not the same. For some families they (as I see it: GET TO) split the holiday by Christmas Eve and Christmas day but with distance that is not realistic for us. I have been struggling this year to be excited for Christmas and here is why…how do you have Christmas morning when the best part of you is 4 hours away? I am doing my best to shake it but the time to pack is among us. She has opened all her gifts here at home and is ecstatic to pack her Christmas movies and jammies head off to dads to see what awaits her under the Christmas tree there.

Tonight I will back my little punken girl into the car and take her over to nanas for a sleep over with nana. Nana will then take her to Sheridan for me in the morning. I don’t think my mom realizes that it is more than just the trip she is making for me. I think it would be a lot harder to watch her go.

My in-laws are pumped for Christmas this year, my mother in law has even invited us to stay the night Christmas Eve so we can all awake Christmas morning together for breakfast and gift opening. I know it will be tons of fun and I am looking forward to 4:00 Friday (that’s after Church) when we will get to eat, drink and be merry all weekend long!! Do you know how long it has been since we had an entire weekend where we just got to be lazy and watch movies in our jammies, no obligations, events or parties…oh what a joy!

But for now, Im going to finish packing this little purple bag and spend the rest of the evening with my Maci.