Who Doesn't Love Babies?

I love babies. If you have read even a little bit of my blog, you will see that most of my posts revolve around my own sweet babies (who aren't really babies anymore)

I was asked by Bzzagent if I would share with my readers about a new movie coming out called "Babies" (I am a member of bzzagent) and at first I hesitated. That is not really what my blog is about. My blog is more of a personal one. An online scrapbook if you will (and I know you will!) of the day ins and outs of my little family and our ministry.

Then I watched the preview. OH! How could I NOT post about it? It is like a little study into different cultures AND it has babies. My two favorite things! Now if only they gave out free coffee at the movies...

I digress. Anyhow, I just wanted to share the preview with you. Enjoy! Oh, and if you see me in the theatre, want to sneak me some coffee?

An Organized Way To Save

I have always been a couponer. I have very early memories of rainy days with my mom at the kitchen table, sorting her coupons. She would pay me a penny for every two coupons I cut. A good way to get them cut AND keep a crazy kid out of her hair no doubt. So, I guess you could say I got the "bug" from her, watching her work to save her family money.

When we were first married, we were poor college students living on $20 a week for groceries. Little did I know that would help us prepare for being missionaries! :)

I have always used an envelope system of sorts to organize my coupons. Then I moved to the plastic accordion style folder. The folders just kept getting bigger and bigger, but the problem was always the same. They would not close very well, making it ridiculous to carry around, and impossible to stick in my purse.

So, now I use baseball card holders. I'd like to tell you that I came up with this idea on my own, but it is not an original.

I am able to sort them by category, and then they go into this big file folder.

I misplaced the tabs to write on shortly after purchasing this file folder, but I have been using this system for so long, I just remember where it goes. Paper products, cleaning supplies, refrigerated, frozen, canned, etc...

It all ends up neatly. Now, there is no way I can fit this in my purse, but I have gotten over that, and have come to love this new system, and have a lot less "lost coupons" that I didn't see and then they expire before I can use them.

Do any of you have special ways that help you save?

Medieval March Madness

I know I haven't posted in a while. March always seems like such a busy month for us. It is reading month in school, so Emma comes home with and extra 20 minutes (at LEAST) of homework each night, the warm weather beckons us to spend time outdoors and neglect the usual routine we have. Also, we are preparing for the big Spring Fling here at NTBI.

This year it was called "Spring Fling Medieval Thing", and it was a huge success! I was not as involved this year due to my many doctor's appointments, but I was thoroughly impressed with the evening. Everything from the turkey legs and bread bowls of stew for supper, to the jousting on hobby horses attached to scooters made the night a fun one! I only wish my camera was working better. It has been on the fritz lately.

As far as my health goes, the doctor may have figured it out! Part of it was that I was having a strange reaction to my thyroid medicine. I have been off it for almost two weeks now, and feel ever so much better! They also think I may have endometriosis, and so I am scheduled for a quick surgery on April 19th. Nothing too bad. It is an out patient procedure.

The girls are growing by leaps and bounds, and amazing me every day. I am so blessed. It has been a busy month, but we are enjoying life!

Here is the gym at the school. Check out all the costumes!

Addie kicking Josie's bottom at Wii boxing. :)

Here is a picture of my new haircut. I like it. :)

A Quick Visit

Last week Josh's sister Chris and family were close by, and so we decided to meet up for dinner. They live several hours from us, so when they are three hours away, we agreed to both drive an hour and a half and meet up.

We met at some local pizza shop in Bryan, OH called Myro's. Their breadsticks were PHENOMENAL!!!

We had a great time visiting with Chris and Winston and Cora. Ken was not able to make it. He sure was missed!

At the end of our dinner, as the restaurant was closing up (we stayed awhile!) we said our goodbyes in the parking lot. It was sad to see them go, but we are glad we had an evening together. Josh made sure to program the number of the pizza place in my phone so we could order breadsticks if we were ever driving through Bryan again. :)

My nephew Winston is getting SO big!

The girls acting VERY silly. This went on all night!

Proof that I was there. :) Love you Chris!

As the Snow Melts

After the week of snow, we had a week of beautiful weather, reaching a high of 45 degrees yesterday! With the thaw, comes perfect packing snow! We had a lot of snow, and we decided to make the most of it. Josie, Emma and I went and made a snowman to greet our neighbors as they drive down the alley. :)

Josie and Emma pose with Mr. Chilly. I think it was Josie who named him.

Isn't he a friendly snowman? He lasted four days before his head melted off. That is pretty good!

Where was Addie during all of this? She was watching a movie. She didn't want to get wet. I didn't blame her. :) Plus it is no fun to have a crabby, soggy toddler cry while you are making winter memories. She will just have different ones. :)

Snow Day!

Last Sunday was beautiful. The grass was starting to show through the little snow we had left. It was warm enough to go for a walk with just a vest on. The birds were singing little songs. It felt like spring was starting to arrive.

Then Sunday night it happened. It happened again Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We got DUMPED on with snow!

Monday school was cancelled for Emma. Her sisters were sick, so I couldn't take them to the park, but once Daddy got home Emma went sledding down our front hill while he shoveled the walks. When he was done he took her over to the park for a couple of minutes before it got dark.

She had SO much fun! What seems like a lot of snow to an adult is totally amplified to a child. I am sure she will remember this snowfall, and tell her children about it. :)

Starting down the hill. There was still a week of snow left to fall at this time. :)

She made it to the top of the snow bank!

Who needs a sled to go sledding when you have a perfectly good belly?