happy birthday, daddy!

I love this man.

Is it bad that I'm doing a birthday blog on my dad when it's actually my MOM'S birthday? I never do anything on time, so why start now, right? My dad's birthday was actually on the 9th of this month, and today is my mom's (happy birthday, mom!)...but her blog will come later. Cuz that's just how I roll. Late. Very late.


I do love him. There is something VERY special about him, simply because he is my daddy. He has taught me so much about honesty, integrity, perseverance, patience, strength...and love. Him and I are very much alike in so many ways. I can't tell you how many times we've been in a situation or a conversation and all we have to do is look at each other and know exactly what the other is thinking. He always makes me laugh with his quiet, be-on-your-toes-or-you-might-miss-it humor.

I've had some previous health issues, and my dad not so long ago told me that he was afraid he would not live to see my children.

God had plans.


Boy, did He have plans.

I am so very happy and blessed that God has seen fit that my daddy should be able to see and hold my children. We live very far apart now. And it stinks. I hate not being able to see him (and my mom) more often. But I do know that my family is where we are supposed to be at this point in time.

So for now, and for however long it may be, we send pictures, we talk on the phone, and we have the occasional visit. Happy birthday, Dad! I love you more than I can say. I'll leave on this note:


Who wouldn't want a dad like that?

coupon break

I've taken a bit of a hiatus from couponing the last couple weeks. I find that I have to do this once in a while so that I don't go crazy. Couponing takes some time and occasionally it also takes a lot of energy. So I've found that it's good once in a while to just take a week or two and forbid myself to even look at my couponing blogs. That way after my break I am renewed and refreshed and ready to go at it again! I still buy my 3 papers at the Dollar Tree every week so that I don't miss out on getting the coupons. So I am easing back into things after my short break. This is what I bought at Price Chopper this morning:

Please forgive me this haphazard stack of food! I usually try to make it neat but this time I was in a bit of a hurry so I just kind of threw it on the counter. Here's the run down...

Bar S Jumbo Franks $.99/pack (I usually get better deals than this, but this was a pretty good price and we are down to our last pack so I just got a couple)
Ground Beef $1.99/lb
McCormick Taco Seasoning FREE
Bird's Eye Veggies $.46/bag
4 ears of corn $.25 each (SO ecstatic that corn on the cob season is here ~ who's with me?)
Bananas $.38/lb.

Total spent: $20.19 plus tax
Total saved: $26.41
A savings of 57%

YAY!

the crafter in me...

...DROOLS a bit when I see something like this...


or this...


and this...


This is what I had to work with...

Which really wasn't that bad. It was small, but functional. I couldn't have everything out at once, but I had everything stashed away in that little spot. And now that spot looks like this....


Which I am also totally fine with b/c I get to cuddle this...


<3 Best Project EVER<3

my first elmo cake

As far as cakes go, this was pretty simple. But, it came out exactly the way i pictured it, so I am very happy with it! This is the second time ever that I have covered a cake in fondant - first time ever that I dyed fondant! It's actually much easier than I originally thought.

I looked all day one day for this Wilton cake pan. I've always looked for the best deals, but since getting into couponing I have a really hard time with, say, paying 10 bucks for a cake pan even though I know that's a really good deal for a Wilton cake pan! My obsessiveness paid off, however, when perusing Craigslist I came across this very pan I was looking for. 5 bucks later I was a very happy momma!

I was supposed to put something in the black icing to thin it out. I guess so it looks really smooth, and maybe shiny? I'm not sure. The directions just said to do it without any reason why. Well, I lacked any thinning ingredients so I just skipped it. I think it turned out pretty good regardless.

I was going to take a picture after each step but after I did the red I forgot and moved on to the orange nose. Oh well. You get the idea. it was about 2 in the morning, after all. =)

I think the eyes really finish it off! It's like it gives life to the cake!

daisy's elmo party

I hope Daisy had as much fun at her party as I had watching her at her party. She seemed to have a great time! So because of that, I can say that it was a complete success!

She seemed a little shy and awkward when everyone was singing to her and every pair of eyes were on her...I gotta say I know how she feels! =) Contrary to the majority of my life, I do NOT like being the center of attention! Funny how people change. But I digress! Other than that she was ready to party!


I am so happy with how her cake turned out!

Daisy got a fish for her birthday from Grandma. She was appropriately named, Dorothy! Here's our Dorothy display with the red punch (made by my MIL) and of course, goldfish crackers!

Balloons! JP made a good discovery over Valentine's Day at the Dollar Tree ~ Balloons! They are cheap, and they last forever! I had a scare with these b/c the Dollar Tree I went to misinformed me on what balloons they actually had in stock. I was able to find what I wanted at a different Dollar Tree so it all worked out. Daisy is still dragging these all through our very tiny apartment.

The snack table! Red fruit continuing the red theme (thanks to my friend Jess for that idea!), chocolate covered peppermint patties (what are the kids saying these days? OH. EM. GEE. these things make my taste buds SING!), candy coated peppermint patties (a little too sweet for me, but still. SO. good.), and of course, CAKE!

The favor buckets! Daisy and her second cousin, Isaac, were the only kids their age at the party. That being said I had a hard time finding treat bags that came just 1 or 2 in a pack without paying a stupid amount of money so...the treat buckets were formed! I found these for cheap and actually ended up liking this idea better than the treat bags anyway!


Here is Isaac. I think he's absolutely adorable drinking from a straw so I had to post this. =)


Presents! Thank you to all of you who were able to come to Daisy's Elmo Party. Thank you for your generosity and thank you for making her party one that I don't think she'll forget....at least for several months, anyway. ;)

a walmart find

Look what I found at WalMart today! I wasn't looking for them, but these popped out at me and I have been keeping an eye out for something similar.

These are perfect for dipping cake pops, peppermint patties and whatever other yummy thing I decide to dip!

Yay!

i'm a big kid now

"Time flies". This tiny, little, two word sentence is one that I hear quite frequently. I've always known this to be true, that time seems to go by so quickly, but that truth seems to scream at me every day as I watch my kids grow. It seems like they are doing new things and developing new skills daily. I feel like if I blink I will miss something.

Aside from being completely out of shape and finding the multiple white hairs that keep popping up on my head as if they belong there, I still feel like I'm 18. Well okay, maybe 22. As I think back over the last 20 some-odd years that have flown by, I remember little defining moments that seem to prove that I really am an adult now. Some important, some insignificant. Most of them make sense. Some, like this shower curtain, do not. This is the first cloth shower curtain I have ever owned (Thanks, Jenny!). All of my shower curtains up to this point have been plastic or vinyl. But this, this cloth shower curtain just screams adult-ish, doesn't it? I can't explain it. I don't know why this is a defining moment, it just is. =)

things i struggle with

1. keeping a tidy house
2. finding time to actually do a project i want to try
3. remembering to have daisy brush her teeth
4. completing my to do list
5. NOT chugging my glass of soda and making it last longer than 2 minutes
6. eating anything sweet, yummy and delicious, and lots of it
7. starting my work out plan
8. having a consistent time with God every day
9. getting up early
10. going to bed at a decent hour
11. balance, the physical kind
12. not chasing after every great deal under the sun

and you thought this was going to be a deep post, didn't you?