i never thought i'd be the coupon mom that goes to group exercise classes and drives a wagon

This has not turned into a coupon blog... but man, I just get SO excited about coupon shopping that I just have to share.  Coupon Closet is awesome! I love this girls attitude about it; it's giving, not greedy.
My recent trip to Homeland and Walmart:

Homeland


2 - Pillsbury Grands! Jr, Crescent, or Cinnamon Rolls, $1 Use $0.50/2 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls = $.50 each wyb 2 (kind of a splurge, thought my husband would like them)

1 - 5 lb bag Earthbound Farms Whole carrots $4.99 Used $1/1 printable Any Earthbound Farms product $2.99

Kraft Velveeta Cheesy Skillets, $1.67 Use $1/1 Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Dinner Kit 8/21/2011 SS = FREE

Yoplait Greek Yogurt (6oz) $1 Use $0.50/2 Yoplait Greek Yogurt 8/14/2011 SS = $.50 each wyb 2

Dial Liquid Hand Soap, $1 Use $0.35/1 Dial Bar or Liquid Soap 8/7/2011 RP = $.30

Kotex Lightdays Liners, $1 Use $1.50/2 Kotex Liners 8/7/2011 SS Insert = $.50 for 2

Pilgrim's Pride Fresh Whole Fryer, 2 for $5 (I got 11 lbs of chicken for $5!)

Tyson Anytizers Boneless Wings, $2.69 Use $1/1 Tyson Anytizer = $.69 (cheap splurge)

Sara Lee Whole Wheat Bread, $1.79 Use $.55/1 printable (ones from paper are DND) = $.69

Land O' Lakes dozen eggs, $2.02 Use $.75/1 Land O' Lakes eggs = $.52!! (the sign says they are $2.55 but the have been ringing up $2.02 and there is no sales sign)

Glade Scented Oil Candle, $1.91 clearance Use $1/1 Glade Scented Oil Candle or Two Refills = FREE

Kraft Grated Parmesan, $3.09 (needed this and it is never cheap) Used Buy one Kraft Grated Parmesan get Free Pasta ($1.50 value) = $3.09 + FREE Pasta

Broccoli Crowns, $1.59 lb = $1.91

Red Delicious Apple, $1.79 LB (OUCH! Needed one apple.) = $.79

Cantaloupe $2

Clorox Bleach, $1.99 use $.25/1 Clorox Bleach = $1.50 (seems high!)

Oscar Mayer Cotto Salami, $1(totally regret this)

Total for Homeland after tax = $23.06, with a savings of 60%.

I went back to Homeland the next day to get another box of Anytizers ($.69), 2 more Yoplait Greek yogurts ($1 for 2), French's Worcestershire sauce (FREE), and another Glade Scented Oil Candle (FREE).

Walmart

1 Bunch of Cilantro, $.92

4 Peaches, $.98/lb = $1.68

2 can GV Tomato paste, $.44 = $.88

Playtex Sippy Cup, $3.97 Use $2.00/1 Any Playtex Item = $1.97

Crest Kids Toothpaste, $0.97 use $.50/1 Crest Kids Toothpaste = $.47

Oral B Everyday Floss, $0.97Use $0.75/1 Oral-B Floss or Floss Picks 7/31/2011 P&G Insert = $0.22

Suave Deodorant, $0.97 Use $0.50/1 Suave Deodorant 8/14/2011 RP Insert = $0.47

Brachs Lemon Drops, $0.98 Use $0.50/1 Brachs Candy = $0.48

Total after tax $7.97

Grand Total $33.03 for a weeks worth

I have been couponing for 2 1/2 months now and am really beginning to see the savings (and small stockpile!)! It is so exciting to me! I have definitely cut my grocery bill in half and am learning a new way of thinking about my grocery purchases.  This was a big week for me because I actually made a menu, "shopped my pantry", and made a goal for my spending.  It was not as daunting as I thought it would be, plus I got to feel organized (which I never am).  I think I finally realized that it doesn't have to be exact but that I need a plan.  :)  It is so satisfying to me to know that I am serving my family well by saving us money, keeping the groceries stocked, and planning yummy meals. 

Experimenting with Meatloaf: Bison Edition

This title just sounds gross to me. haha.  I want to keep track of recipes because I almost always personalize them (ADD MORE VEGGIES!) and forget what I did, so I may share from time to time. 

Bison Meatloaf

Meat mixture:
1lb lean ground bision
1 egg
1 small onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 small can tomato paste
2 large mushrooms, chopped
2 pieces of bread chopped into little cubes
salt and pepper
splash of milk

Topping:
1 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup brown sugar (didn't measure, just a guess)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, or more to taste
2 Tbsp stoneground mustard
salt and pepper
a shake of garlic powder

Put all the meat mixture ingredients in a bowl and mix really well.  Add the milk last (I didn't need much).  Put the meat mixture in a bread loaf pan.
In a seperate bowl mix together the topping ingredients.  Spread on top of the uncooked meatloaf.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

The flavor was wonderful!  I love all the chuncks of veggies in it.  The topping was delicious, a tad too sweet, but it was good!  I will definitely make this again! 

Gift Guide for your little one: Bumbooster!!!!

I feel like I need to tell everyone about these!!! It is SOOOOO CUTE!  The pictures don't do justice. I saw them in a store window in Nichols Hills Plaza today and was immediately sold.  It is a kids booster seat except it is really cute and can even be just a little chair for the kiddo on the floor. 

Jubilee was all over them in the store and was loving them.  They are handmade in Edmond,OK and come in a ton of different patterns.  They are lightweight and the material is oil cloth so it is non-staining and you can wipe it down.  I just can decide which pattern!!!!  Do I choose to match the kitchen or just pick one that I love no matter how it would go in the kitchen????   :)

Jubilee's Birth

Jubilee turned ONE year old on November 18th!  She has been so much fun!  Seriously this kid is awesome!
*THIS IS A LITTLE GRAPHIC*

She was due Sunday, November 15th.  I was SURE that we would go past the due date since that is how my family rolls (my sister Esther, a month before, went 10 days over her due date!).  However, on the due date I began to panic thinking that she could officially be here any time now.  I got my tired butt in gear and began finishing up last minute cleaning and packing for the hospital.  I practiced relaxation, squatting, and breathing to help prepare myself for a natural birth.
From the beginning my midwife always said that Jubilee was an organized baby.  She was the right size at the right time, she was in the right position at the right time and other little things that were ideal.  Our appointments were boring and that was good.  So, back to being organized, we did not get too far past the due date.
On Tuesday the 17th at around 9pm I began to notice early signs of labor.  I had had Braxton-Hicks but this was different.  It felt like little waves of menstrual cramps coming and going, and that was my first sign since I had read that it can feel like that.  The feeling increased in intensity and I finally told David that I thought I was in labor.  So he began to time the contractions (with an iphone app. hehe) and help confirm what I was thinking.  There is no way I could have timed them myself.  The rest of the night went like this: Me throwing up, in lots of pain, taking lots of showers and baths, trying to sleep, David rubbing my back, David being SOOOO nice.  If I were the husband I would not have had such endurance.  It is only because I was the one that had to birth the baby and go through the process that I had the endurance.  David kept asking me if I wanted to go to the hospital and I kept saying no.  I labored all night at home and was having hardcore contractions trying to decide that morning if I should go to my appointment at 10am or straight to the hospital.  Instead we went to my aunts for her to check me (she is a midwife) since she lives close.  This is when it got really exciting....


Just decided to go to my aunts.

  She checks me and starts freaking out.  I was almost at a 10!  That is when I lost the mucus plug (hehe, gross!) and we left in a MAJOR HURRY to the hospital.  We asked my aunt to go with us, and by the way things were looking we thought Jubilee might be born in the car.  *Just a little side note...If you're driving through Edmond going 75mph with your hazards on and you pass a sheriff and a cop you won't get pulled over.  It was David's dream to be pulled over in this position and be escorted to the hospital downtown. *  David drives 100mph on the highway weaving in and out of traffic.  We get in there and of course they act like no big deal UNTIL THEY CHECK ME.  Then they start freaking out like "We're getting you a labor and delivery room ASAP!".  Haha.  Well the joke was on me because Jubilee will not be born until 8pm and we checked in (I think) around 10am.

So my midwife gets there asap and checks me and says I'm more like an 8 now.  Labor progresses.  I'm in lots and lots of pain and I'm just going with it.  I'm breathing, working with the labor ball, taking more baths, rocking, squatting, doing lunges.  Hours are going by and somehow Jubilee's head was turned just a little bit and was stuck.  She wasn't moving down.  And the last little lip of the cervix wouldn't move back (and those contractions HURRRRRT!).  Sometime in the early afternoon my midwife broke my water.  It seemed like this helped things along.  I think it was after the water breaking that I began to feel like pushing (even though things weren't really ready for pushing).  There was now all this pressure and the contractions felt a little different.  I am pretty sure I started "pushing" at around 4pm.  I was told to do lunges and squats to help move the baby down.  I obeyed.  It was not fast but the combination of these things were working.  I was starting to wear down and doubt myself. I wanted to give up.  I think I told my mom that I should just get a c-section.  She could tell I was done.
I knew people were praying and I had lots of support (my husband, my mom, my aunts, sister, cousin, and midwife) were all apart of my labor.  It was funny because I was delivering during peak H1N1 season when they were telling everyone NOT to go to the hospital, especially pregnant women and babies.  I was only allowed to have 2 people in the room at a time, but I'm pretty sure there were about 7 and one of my aunts was hiding in the closet (praying) and scared my midwife!  :)  My midwife was cool as hell.  She didn't kick anyone out and she allowed my aunt (the midwife) to be really hands on.

Soooooo, things are moving along.  It is officially time to push: the spot lights are on, everyone is getting prepared for the baby's arrival, midwife is geared up, my coaches are ON FIRE!  I push forEVER.  Like HOURS.  I'm eating ice, I'm doing yoga stretches, I'm puking some more.  This thing is messy!!!  At one point my contraction start to slow down because my uterus was tired and there was talk about putting me on pitocin (They couldn't get an IV in me at the start, which I was thankful for.) but since I didn't have a line already and my midwife said I was coping well, they didn't do it.  My midwife suggested some natural remedies for bringing on contractions.  They worked and knowing I was really close to being done and holding my baby I had the drive to continue.

My mom also played a huge role in encouraging me to continue because she could tell how close I was and I trusted her because she has 10 kids.  Well the head starts coming out (and it keeps coming and coming and coming as David would say!)  Then they tell me to touch the head and I'm so glad I did.  I didn't think I would want to but it was worth it.  It's just so real.  This little person is coming out of you, someone that is completely innocent and helpless and someone I've gone through so much for.  The soft, tiny little head is right there.  That was so exciting to me.  My little girl was right there.  A few more pushes and she was mine.  They coached me in the pushing, since this is not the sort of thing you want to just shoot out of you.  I saw them (at this point my midwife let my aunt take over to deliver the baby!) DUMPING LOADS of LUBE on my aunts gloved hands.  She guided the baby out WITHOUT me tearing!  They place her on me and the first thing I noticed was how chubby her legs and buns were.  I was completely surprised by what she looked like and was instantly in love.  I didn't cry like I thought I would.  I was just really happy to have my sweet baby.

We asked to have some time with her before we passed her around to all the family that had been waiting since like 10am.  She got to nurse and we had some bonding time.  She took right to breastfeeding and has really loved it ever since.  Like REALLY loves it especially at night while I'm trying to sleep.  So that is it.  Three days past the due date and twenty-three hours of labor my 8 1/2 lb, 21 in. babe was born.
We named her Jubilee Ann Adair.  A Jubilee year is the forgiveness of debts, release of slaves and a time of rest.  It is redemption.  Jesus forgives us, sets us free and give us rest.  He redeems us.  It means other things as well but this is what sticks out to me and how I understand it.  I love that meaning and hope that she understands it even more than I do.  Ann is my mom's middle name, David's mom is Leann, and I am Anna.  That is kind of self explanatory and it means "favored grace".

I miss the Farmer's Market

YUM!!!!! 

I really wish this was available year round.  It is just not as fresh when it comes from the grocery store.   

Fall Fashion Frenzy!!! Work-at-home Wednesday

Emery Jo's Fall Fashion Week is going strong!  Today was a spend time with Jesus then....clean under the oven, behind the washer, and the messy coffee cabinet.  Sweep the back porch, iron the laundry, and vacuum the baby's room kind of day.  So, I didn't shower, fix my hair, or apply any make-up.  I did get dressed and wore this all day.  I was proud of myself for that.  I seem to work a little better when I have shoes on.  Here are some silly pics :)

Cardigan: Nick & Mo (Shoe Gypsy)
White tee: Garage Sale
Jeans: BDG (Urban Outfitters)
Boots: Mister Shoes (thrifted)
Scarf: A shop in San Diego

DAY TWO: Plaid Dress

I am determined to post each day!  It is about 10:30pm, I am tired, just barely got these shots tonight (forgive the poor quality), Jubilee is now sleeping soundly and I am about to get into some comfy clothes! :)

Dress: Sam & Max (thrifted)
Fishnet tights: Target
Boots: Boden (garage sale $5)
Gold bolo tie: gift from mom

Sleepy baby is wearing owl jammies from Old Navy.  Goodnight!!!!!!