Couponing

So we decided today that we would but a sunday newspaper to see what kind of coupons are in those bad boys! Man were we excited to find so many coupons of things we actually use... I see all these coupons shows and blogs but it always seem to be about saving a bunch of money on things that i dont use or dont need 20 of so I wasn't really all about taking so much time to get coupons for stuff we dont need cause even if it was cheaper it seems like a waste of money but we were pleasantly surprised that we found so many coupons for stuff we actually use and stuff that we were running low on so we actually need!!! So we spent the morning clipping coupons from the paper and finding other coupons online and a little reading up on the local stores coupon policies and then it was off to the stores we went and when all was said and done we save just over $53!! And only spent $77! Now while this doesn't sound nearly as impressive as the people who save like hundreds of dollars when the spend nothing on a $300 purchase. But like I said all of the stuff we bought we will use in the near future so i'm pretty proud of us! And every little bit helps! So i think I'm gonna be a couponer from now on but it wont be nearly as intense as though people on TV!!!

Update on Life

Well it's been a while so I thought I would update this little blog of mine. Things have been busy around here between work and church and family functions and birthdays.... but it has been super fun. We spent the long holiday weekend in Nebraska with Blaine's family and had so much fun!! We got to spend some time with both of our little Nephews and just had so much fun soaking up all the love we could get. Both sisters are expecting and one is even expecting twins so we are very excited for the growing family!!! No worries my friend I am not making it three for three anytime soon... everyone is just gonna have to wait a while for a little Shannon and Blaine cause we are just not ready for that yet! We are however going to be getting a puppy pretty soon and we couldn't be anymore excited but we just had our little Kitty Bella fixed and declawed so were waiting to get her all healed up before we bring her a playmate! Work is still not the most exciting thing in the world for me but it pays the bills and I do love my kiddos! After a lot of talk this weekend about the whole alternative certification stuff I think I'm going to go ahead and apply for it... like Blaine's mom put it.... its $50 bucks that could change the rest of your life... so we'll see... Hoping to get lots of work done in the flower beds this week/weekend and maybe even get some more things organized before going into the attic. Oh the joys of owning a home...the list of things to do is never ending but it is ours and I love it!!!

Home Sweet Home!

Man I never thought a house that wasn't even our three weeks ago could feel like Home already!! Its amazing and I love it! I know I need to get some pictures up we've just been focused on getting everything else done but I think were about done with all the decorating (for now) so hopefully this weekend I can get some pictures taken and up! But we absolutely love being in our house! I love working in the yard! And I never thought I would say it but I actually kinda enjoy cleaning the house! My house has stayed clean for an entire two weeks since we've moved in and got it cleaned up from moving... I can't believe! I will be the first to admit that I am not the best housekeeper in the world but something has flipped in my head because now I won't go to bed with dishes in the sink, i wipe down the kitchen everyday I always keep the living room picked up... I keep up with laundry... It's weird but I love it!! I could have people just pop in and I wouldn't be mortified that my house was a mess! Now if only my husband had made this same switch in his brain... nope I have to pick up after him but hopefully he'll catch up LOL!!! I know wishful thinking!! Well thats my little update. We love being homeowners, I love having a beautiful Clean house, and I can't wait to have my whole family on Monday for a birthday gathering and so they can all see the new place! I'm super excited to show everyone our new home and to cook for my family! I'm so much like my grandma its scarry! LOL!! Oh well I love it!!!

MOVING

Wow what a weekend it has been and the next few weeks are going to be just as crazy! We officially have moved and are living in our new home! I love it! I love everything about it! And the best part is its ours!! It was a long morning saturday getting it all moved and we've been getting stuff unpacked and what have you all day but its been great. There are still a few odds and ends at the old place that we need to get and we still have the lovely task of getting it all clean but we have till the 22nd to turn in our keys so we have time. I think my favorite part was working out in the yard today... it was so beautiful this evening that I watered all our plants while Blaine mowed and it was just so great! I can't wait to really get going on our flower beds and just being able to look at all the prettiness and saying... Hey I did that!!! Its just been such a blessed weekend and I know that without God we would have never been able to do this and I'm so very very thankful for that!!! I Hope to get some pictures once we get everything all set up and cleaned up.... which considering my Mother-in-law and another guest will be here Thursday... will be by then! LOL!! Like a said a long couple of weeks but I'm gonna enjoy every minute of it!

HOMEOWNERS

Its official... we are homeowners!! I can't believe it!!! It was such a smooth process and I am so thankful for that. I have heard so many horror stories about closing on a house and all the things that can happen so I super nervous all the way up to closing but it was smooth sailing and we are so Thankful! God has truly Blessed us through this whole process and with this home!!! We became the painting yesterday beginning with the dining room ceiling. They had all the rooms and ceiling all one color (in each room) however for the kitchen and dining room I thought that having yellow walls and ceilings was a little bit too much so we painted the ceiling white and began the walls in the pretty yellow! So excited! I have been dreaming of a Yellow Kitchen for as long as I can remember... i know its strange but thats the one thing I have always known i've wanted. So its finally coming true and I'm so happy!!! Today a bunch of our wonderful friends and family are coming to help paint the remaining rooms that we are doing at this point. We decided to paint the kitchen and dining room, the master and master bath. There is a guest room that is dark blue that we want to paint as well but since its going to be the extra extra room we decided it could be a weekend project once we get all moved and settled. And the entry way is possibly getting painted in that weekend project but we'll see I'm waiting to see if the red color it is now will grow on me... but i'm not so sure LOL!!! So it shall be a long day of painting but I'm sure it'll be fun with all our friends and family there to help. The only down side is the fact that The water got shut off before we were able to get it switched into our name and when we called it was too close to closing time that they wouldn't let us set it up so we are without water till Monday... LAME! Should be pretty interesting! Well I'm off to take a little nap before all the painting... up early to see Blaine off since he is driving to KS city today with my dad to pick up our entertainment center that his grandparents gave us. So now i need a nap before all the painting.

One more week

Its hard to believe that this time next week we will be homeowners and we will be beginning the process of turning what once was someone elses home into a home of our own. We are going this morning to buy all the paint supplies we'll need for the big Paint Party next saturday! Thats right Paint Party... If were painting its gonna be fun so why not get some pizza and drinks and have a bunch of friends over blast the music and paint away!! It'll be fun and a great memory that we'll always have. I'm just so excited and feel so blessed that we've been able to do this whole thing. So many people I've talked to you are amazed that we are able to buy a house so early in our marriage and I just feel so blessed that this is the case. Could we have waited and saved even longer and what have you sure... but this was the choice for us and we are so excited!!! It's going to be so fun to decorate and make it our own and then to one day bring home a child of our own!! It just amazes me when i think about how fast things have changed and how we began our journey and where we are now. Five years ago if you would told me that in five years you'll be out of college, married, buying a house, and having baby fever I would have committed you into a mental hospital because you were crazy!!! And here I am doing all of those things and so blessed by it all.

On another note the custody battle that my brother has been in is finally coming to an end... they've worked with lawyers and what have you and have come to an agreement so very soon we will begin having our little boy back for visits and I could not be happier. I haven't seen him since Christmas and that breaks my heart! Its truly and answered prayer that is is finally all coming to an end!! THANK GOODNESS!!!

Well thats my life right now... thankful, happy, slightly stressed by work and packing, but if there wasn't a little stress in my life it just wouldn't be me LOL!! Now I'll leave you with a picture of our standing in front of our soon to be home!!!

DIY Dreams

There are so many blogs out there all about DIY projects and it makes me really want to try my hand at some of these projects which makes me even more anxious to get into our house so that I have a reason to do these projects! We are three weeks away from our closing date and we are so excited!! I just can't believe that before long we will be homeowners and we will really be able to make a home for ourselves and I am so excited!! And of course I already have lots of ideas on some projects that I would love to try to add special little touches to our home! And of course the outside of house is one part that I'm super excited about because with the help of my mom we are going to have a gorgeous garden and I can't wait. I think every time we talk she has a new plant idea... I think she's as excited as I am to make our garden beautiful! And the best part is she told me I could have some of my favorite flowers that I didn't think would work! :) Its gonna be great and I can't wait!! Changes Everywhere and lots of excitement along the way! Now here are a few projects that I can't wait to get my hands on!

How Beautiful is that! I just love the way it looks and I know that I can do that with a goodwill find and a can of spray paint!

GENIUS!!! Re-use the empty cereal box to make an awesome magazine holder or file holder for your office! I'm totally going to be doing this when I re-organize and decorate the office in the new house and I am so excited about it!

Those are just two of the projects that I am super excited about trying my hands on... yes they are super simple but since I am new at the whole DIY project I thought simple would be good to begin with! Of course there are lots of things that i think would be great that involves sewing but I am not a sewer... something I plan to learn but for now I'll stick to glue! :)