Henry - surgery 12/20

Not too long after Henry was born, we noticed that the skin under his right eye was droopy.  Our pediatrician assured it was nothing to be concerned about and that his vision was uninterrupted.  We accepted that answer for a while, until the questions about "What's the matter with his eye?" started.  When Henry was tired or his allergies bothered him, his eye would droop even further and sometimes it would swell. 
Our pediatrician referred us to a pediatric opthamologist, Dr. T, who met the week before Thanksgiving. Dr. T's office is geared towards kids and he's super friendly. Henry did great in the office, very little anxiety. Dr. T examined his eyes and sure enough, he had a droopy eye, congenital ptosis.  There was more though, his bottom right eyelid was inverted so his eyelashes were growing inward instead of out. The fancy pants term is entropion.  He also has astigmatism in both eyes but we  will address that issue later once he learns to read.

Dr. T said that we could put ointment on his eyelid every night to soften the lashes and lessen eye irritation but that it would only be a band-aid. In order to correct the issue, Henry would need corrective surgery.  We had to get insurance approval before scheduling. Ideally, we wanted to get the surgery done this year so we could take advantage of having met his deductible for the year.  It all came together, insurance approved the surgery and we scheduled it for December 20th. 

My vacation started the day before, which was really nice because Henry and I got to spend the day together just doing fun stuff. The night before the surgery, we did our normal bath time then bedtime routine but admittedly, I was on edge, nervous about the next day's events. I prayed to the Lord, asked Him for peace and extra love. I was able to get some rest that night and was in a pretty good mood the next morning.

Henry on the other hand.... Yeah, he definitely wasn't amused by his 5 am wake up call or the fact that he had to get in the car sans his beloved morning chocolate milk. He was very irritated and whined quite a bit. We felt really bad for him, but assured him by telling him we were going to see Nana and Papa. 

My parents met us at the surgery center and we made it just in time for our 6am appointment. There was a huge salt water tank in the waiting room which Henry really enjoyed. Not long after we arrived, we were called back. Henry screamed through the weigh in and vital check, but was feeling fantastic once the nasal sedative kicked in. He had a permanent grin on his face.  He even let the nurse with the crazy reindeer antlers pick him up and take him back to the operating room.  After he was out, they put in an IV and did the surgery. It took less than an hour.

Dr. T said that re-directing the eyelids went smoothly but that the ptosis was a little more challenging.  He had to cut some of the tissue from the bone but only time will tell if it worked or not.  We were very pleased that this eyelashes won't bother him anymore and if he has a slight droopy eye, he will have a little more character. :)

After about 15 minutes, Mike and I were able to go back to the recovery room. Of course the first thing Henry wanted was his Mama, so of course I obliged. We rocked for a while before we were released to go home. 

Henry was sent home with a big patch over his eye but we were able to take it off Wednesday morning.  He was a real trooper, never really slowed down and he even left the patch on. We gave him Tylenol and Advil throughout the day and that seemed to manage his pain.  His eye is still bruised which the doctor said it would be for at least 2-3 weeks. The stitches will dissolve on their own and we will go back in 3 months for a follow up.

Even though the experience went smoothly, we are relieved to have it all behind us. We hated putting him through the surgery and recovery, but in hindsight, it really wasn't so bad.

Snoozing on the way home

Drinkin' my milk, feeling good

 

4 days post-op, playing on Christmas Eve

Henry - the good

So much going on with Henry right now. I'll start off with a happy post for now.

His vocabulary is busting at the seams!

bee
puppy, followed by "woof!"
Itsy (Izzy)
If you ask him "Ready?" He responds "Go!"
mine
ball
up
see
anana (banana)
Here ye go!
bite
spoon
All gone!
more
bowl
All done!
ouch
Oh, hi!
Nemo, sometimes Memo
Elmo
yummy
Mike! (He happily walks around the house screaming this one. Not sure where he learned that. LOL!)

When he's playing with cars or trucks, he pushes them around and makes car noises.

He loves to play hide and seek. Today he learned to put a set of keys in Daddy's pocket and get them back out. It's hilarious to watch his wheels turn.

When we play at the playground, his favorites are either the slide or the swings. He also loves to climb and crawl through things. I can't wait for Christmas, my parents and grandparents got him an outdoor playset that he's really going to enjoy.

In the mornings when he wakes up, he will call out all the names of people that he knows. Makes us laugh to hear "ITSY!"  "Daddy!" "Kiki" "Mama!" just begging for someone to let him out of baby jail.

He still hates to have his clothes or diaper changed.  Potty training is still a ways off but I won't miss wrestling to get him changed when all that's gone.

He enjoys brushing his teeth and his hair but still lets Mama supervise. The bath tub is always great fun, especially since he learned how to throw toys out of the tub. Anything to get a rise out of Mama.

Henry doesn't pay much attention to the tv, but he does know who Mickey Mouse and Nemo are. He will sit and watch racing and football with Mike and we're sure that he's missing baseball. Come on April!

Eating is mostly good, he's an adventurous eater, but is occassionally picky. Would you believe he turned down chocolate pudding tonight? Yeah, he must not be feeling good after all.

He's still a great sleeper which is really a blessing. I know so many toddlers don't sleep in and don't nap well but Henry's different, the kid loves his sleep. We love his sleep too. :)

So that's Henry in a nutshell. He's 20 months old so I guess I might as well start thinking he will be 2 in March. Where did all that time go?!

Thanksgiving

I wanted to get this up before Thanksgiving came and went, but alas, here I am, several days late.  Anyway, lots of people have posted daily what they're thankful for on FB but getting me to do something daily aside from shower and brush my teeth is a challenge.

So here's 30 a few things I'm thankful for, in no particular order:

1. My Savior, Jesus Christ. (OK, that's definitely in the top spot!)

2. Henry. That kid. That sweet little boy, even when he's not sweet, he's everything to me.  Before he was born, I doubted my ability to be selfless when it came to someone else. He changed all that and I am beyond thankful to be his mom.

3. Mike. He makes me laugh, he drives me crazy, he puts up with me, he supports me, he prays for me, he defends me but also puts me in my place when I need to be. Love him.  Like my sister said in a recent conversation "It really helps when you're married to your best friend." Couldn't agree more.

4. Speaking of Nikki, I am so thankful for my sister. I love her to pieces. She cracks me up and helps me see the good in lots of stuff.

5. My parents, wow is all I can say. They are my foundation and they too keep me in line when I'm being a brat. They are happily married after all these years, they love me and Nikki with everything they have, they adore all 4 of their grandchildren and I think they like their two son in-laws as well. :)

6. My in laws. Their family is a lot like mine, high school sweet hearts married forever, 2 kids, loves animals, big extended family, etc.   They all stick together, everyone has each others' backs.  Love my Holland family!

7. Our pastor and church family. Talk about an phenomenal group of Christian men and women. We feel like they are a part of our family and they treat us the same.  When we're sick or stressed, they're praying. When we need a friend, someone is always there. We're so happy to return the favor for our friends. Our family!

8. drag racing. I sure do miss getting behind the wheel and racing my heart out, but I'm in a different stage right now. Someday I'll get back in the seat and I know I'll love it just as much then as I do now.

9. I know this sounds silly, but I'm so thankful for technology! I'm able to work from home in my jammies when there's a rush at work. I'm able to keep in touch with friends and family through FB and email. I'm able to get the news, weather and email all on my phone. Love me some technology!

10. I'm very thankful for the nights I get to rock Henry to sleep. There's nothing I look forward to more than helping him relax after bath time. It's our time to enjoy peace and quiet. I cherish these moments and hope that he's never too big to sit and rock in my lap.

11. Deb, Henry's nanny.  In actuality she would be higher on the list, if in order. She is an amazing woman of great patience, love and commitment to our son.  We don't see her as his babysitter. She's an extension of our family, someone we trust with Henry more than any other non-relative.  She teaches him, disciplines him and loves him when we're at work. I've had so many days where I missed being with Henry and like magic, she sends a picture or video of him at just the right time.  He's always so happy when I drop him off which really eases our minds.  I hate leaving him, but I know it's much, much easier leaving him with someone that he loves.

12. Saturday afternoon naps.

13. My car. I love my Mama-mobile. Seriously, the Volvo is the nicest car I've ever had and I'm so glad we found each other. Ha!  The gas mileage is phenomenal, the comfort and quiet ride are amazing and the options are fantastic!! 

14. My job. I don't always love it, how many people truly love their job, but I can honestly say I'm happy there. I have an understanding boss, fun coworkers and my client base although challenging at times, it's very rewarding. I've learned so much in the past 18 months and look forward to learning more as I go. Very thankful for the opportunity to work at such a great company.

15. Kiki. She's definitely not last on the list. She's such a sweet girl and I adore her immensely. She came to us during a hard period of grieving the loss of Eileen and I firmly believe she sensed our pain. When she arrived, she just made herself at home but made herself available for any and all loving we had to dish out. She is very well behaved, fantastic with Henry and has the best and I mean the BEST under bite face I've ever seen. She cracks me up daily with her "clueless" facial expressions. She's deaf which can be a challenge sometimes but she's taught us a lot about patience and sign language. :)

So, there ya have it. I couldn't come up with a list of 30 tonight but I can say that I'm thankful for so much more than just the previously listed things. I hope that you're feeling blessed too!

What's cooking in the crock-pot? - Breakfast Brunch Casserole

This recipe is from our pastor's wife and let me tell ya, if this is recipe is any indication, she's a great cook!  We really enjoyed it tonight and I look forward to making it again in the future.
Crock-pot Breakfast Brunch Casserole. 

1 32 ounce bag of frozen Southern style hashbrowns
1 pound sausage, fried and drained (her recipe calls for bacon, but Mike isn't a fan of bacon)
1/2 cup diced onions (we also added a whole bell pepper, chopped)
3/4 lb cheddar cheese
1 dozen eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard (we skipped this but didn't miss it. :)
salt and pepper

Layer the frozen potatoes, bacon, onion and cheese in the crock-pot in two or three layers.  Finish up with cheese.  Beat the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper together.  Pour over the whole mixture.  Cook on low for 10-12 hours. ** We ate it with tortillas and topped with picante, but I think it would be great on toast or even by itself.**

Super easy to make, delicious to eat, but I'm so thankful I had a slow cooker bag or the clean up might have done me in as it was glued around the edges.    The upside, it makes enough to feed an army!   Henry loved it too so I think most kids would enjoy it. We ate about half of it so we have more left for breakfast later in the week.  Next time I will either invite people over to eat or cut the recipe in half so we won't have as much leftover.

Let me know if you try it! Enjoy!

What's cooking?

For Christmas last year, Mama gave me a Crock-Pot cookbook. Typical Lacey fashion, it sat on the rack looking pretty with the other cookbooks that I've accumulated over the years.  Good intentions, zero execution. We usually stick to the same ol' menu, but this weekend I got ants in my pants to start making a new menu so I busted out the cookbook to find easy meals that I can make either before work or Mike can throw together on his work from home day once a week. (And yes, I might be totally jealous of that!!)

The first recipe was quick to put together, just taking a few minutes to cut the chicken, a couple of bell peppers and an onion.  And of course I used the greatness that is the Reynolds Slow Cooker liners.  A crock pot MUST for quick and easy clean up.


Zesty Chicken and Rice Supper

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained (I used Rotel to kick it up a notch)
1 cup uncooked white rice (you could use brown rice as a healthy alternative)
1 cup water
1 package (1 oz) taco seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Place all ingredients, except cheese, in Crock-Pot slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Cover; cook on LOW 6-8 hours or on HIGH 3-4 hours. Garnish with cheese, if desired.

makes 3 to 4 servings (we could easily feed 4-6 with this recipe)

The verdict? It was yummy! Very spicy so not Henry-friendly. Next time I'm going to try a different rice as this time I used instant rice and it was soggy. The flavor was great, but the texture was kinda weird.  I think this would also be great served rolled up in a tortilla.

Henry - 19 months

Little Man is 19 months old.  He's officially closer to his 2nd birthday than his first, which makes me kinda sad. I love the person he's growing into and we really enjoy watching him learn and interact with us more each day.

Sept 2011 - ready for church!

Better late than never, here are some stats from his 18 month well visit that occured on 10/1.
Weight: 22 pounds (8th percentile)
Height 32 inches
Head Circumference: 48.2 cm


We were told that Henry doesn't weigh enough and that he actually lost weight, but overall, we're not concerned. He eats like a champ and drinks plenty of whole milk. The reason he's "skinny", he moves. non. stop. Seriously, the child never stops moving. Even in his sleep, he's flopping around, rolling all over his bed.

climbing at the park

Henry's vocabulary has really exploded over the past couple of weeks. For a couple of months, his only words were "Daddy", "Kiki" and a few random pieces of jibberish.  Now he says and knows the meanings of:
Daddy
Mama
Kiki
Gee (long "e" sound) (this is Deb, Izzy calls her Granny)
Mickey
ball
bubble
"pease"
"ank oo" (thank you)
kitty
"moo"
"baa"
Boom!
Wow! 
uh oh
whoa
nigh' nigh'

When he's told it's time to brush his teeth or take a bath, he runs right to the bathroom and starts signing "please" so that we will open the door. (We keep it shut as he is terribly fascinated with the toilet brush. Ick!).  He's graduated from the ducky tub and really loves playing in the big bathtub with all of his toys.  At bedtime, he knows how to stall by getting into his toys or bringing us a book.  Of course we always indulge.  A few nights a week, he and I unwind by rocking in his chair with the lights off and look up at the stars that shine on his ceiling and walls. (We LOVE this turtle from his Uncle Hugh and Aunt Corinne).  He always goes to bed without a fight, definitely a boy after my own heart.  He sleeps in most mornings and is usually pretty happy to be up. 

Lovin' his books

Since the doctor recommended it, we start giving him Car.nation Inst.ant Brea.kfast with his milk in the mornings. He loves it and I think it's helping provide further nutrition and much needed calories.  He loves waffles and toast, eggs and pancakes. Notice 3 carbs to every 1 protein. Ha!  Henry will eat most vegetables and fruits that are offered to him. He loves yogurt and of course ice cream.  The pediatrician suggested adding a few desserts throughout the week so I've indulged him, doctor's orders. :)

eating supper, watching a race on tv with Daddy

"I'm lovin' it!"

Henry definitely knows how to test boundaries but he's definitely learning that he is surrounded by people who are more persistent than he could ever imagine.  Deb keeps him in line better than I do and I'm so thankful for that. He has good manners but we're still working on patience. Everything I've read said that it will come eventually, guess Mama will be patient for both of us in the meantime.

Mike took this pic of Henry on race day "Good luck, Papa! Beat 'em by at least a car length!"

He loves Kiki to pieces and always says her name and smiles when he sees her.  He knows how to be sweet and pat her gently on the back. Every once in a while he will test boundaries by grabbing her face, thank God she's patient with him, but after a quick reminder that we don't fishhook the dog's mouth, he goes back to being sweet.  She kisses him every chance she gets and he puts up with it. When he's had his fill, Henry covers his face and tries running away, giggling the entire time.  I love watching them together.

Henry is pretty friendly and very curious about people around him.  He still has his trademark stare when he's trying to figure you out. Makes me laugh to see the analytical side of a toddler. Very serious business.

There are days that are tough between fighting his temper tantrums or his insistance to be independent, but we know that we are so blessed to be Henry's parents. That kid sure knows how to make us laugh until we cry. He's learned to hug and give full open mouth kisses which only add to his cuteness.

Feeding himself

Pics and a quick summary

We've put the lazy days of summer behind us, well some of us have anyway. 

We've had lots of fun lately and even had time for a nap along the way.

 We've done laundry...

but sometimes we've pushed it aside.

We did some much needed yard work.

(Ugly brick border - before)

and are proud of our accomplishments (ignore the hose!!)

(Stone border -after)

We visited some grandparents (Henry's GREAT grandparents!)

 Daddy went to play golf for 3 days while Mama went to Tulsa, OK for some drag racing!

Henry and Kiki got to hang out with their Granny at home.

We had a chance to visit our foster Mama at the LBR Mums for Rescue event.

We got to hang out with more GREAT grandparents and eat some ice cream!

Cousins had their first kisses. :)

Mama got crafty.

Henry and Livie enjoyed some time playing in the tub.

Kiki, well, she's really worn out from it all!



October is gearing up to be crazy busy with more racing on the schedule, a trip to the Pumpkin Patch and Halloween festivities!

Meet Kiki!

As you've probably seen on FB, we have a new furbaby! We met her Saturday, August 27th for a Boxer Meet and Greet.  Her name was originally Nikiya and her foster family called her Nik / Niki, but that name is already taken (hi Nikki!).  We decided the name Kiki would be a cute change and a name that Henry can say. He loves his Kiki!

Since I don't have much time to write tonight, I thought I'd share the letter that Kiki "wrote" to her foster family. :)

I wanted to say HELLO to my favorite foster family!!  I'm doing great here with the Hollands and fitting in just fine!!

I go to bed with Mama every night and stay put until morning time. I usually start out on Daddy's side of the bed, but move up in between both the 'rents, we're 3 peas in a pod!  Daddy told me that my breath smells funky, but his morning breath ain't too good either! Ha! 

The kid is really cool even though he's pretty rowdy. He's sweet with me and pets me on my tummy when I roll over. I show him my thanks my licking him in the face. He just laughs and eggs me on. I love that kid!

I get the house all to my self when everyone leaves. Mama leaves the tv on so I don't get so lonely. I'm hoping that tomorrow she turns it back on the channel with all the soap operas, I'm a day behind on my soaps!  Mama comes home on lunch to hang out with me for a bit. I like that a lot. Daddy will work from home on Wednesdays starting next week and we're all really excited about that.  I'm looking forward to getting a little quiet time with my Daddy and not have to share him with the little blonde boy.

Oh and my meds came in the mail today and thank you so much for sending them.  Mama is calling my new vet in the morning to get a script filled so I can stay healthy and active. Speaking of that, Mama took me on a walk tonight but we decided to do a little jogging. She told me that I'm a good jogger, I stay on pace. We kept it kinda slow though, Mama's out of shape. Shh! Don't tell her I said that!. :)

I've started barking when I hear the doorbell or the garage door open. Don't worry, I'm still a lady though, not some yip yappy punk making a bunch of ruckus. 

I met a bunch of family on Sunday and again last night. Neat people who all love me to pieces already!  Nana and Papa invited me over on Monday for lunch. I can't wait to see their big backyard. I'm hoping that I like Addison, their black lab. Mama said she's real nice and fun to play with!

I'm eating good, especially when they mix yogurt in my bowl. Yummy!  I hang out by Henry's highchair waiting for food, but I think he likes food more than I do as he never drops any for me. Silly kid.

I sure miss you and the family. Mama said we will definitely be at the Mums event in October!! I can't wait to see you!! I've attached some pics so you won't forget me. :)  Mama said not to worry that y'all are friends on FB and she will send you lots of pictures of your favorite DIVA!!! 

Love you and miss you,

Nik, Kiki, and whatever that kid calls me

xoxo

Eileen

It's been 11 days since Eileen went to the bridge. 11 days waking up without her in our bed and 11 nights of her not being here during the rowdiest part of our days. She was sick and we knew that, but nothing made August 11th any easier for us.  Mike took her to the vet to get her glucose levels checked that morning as she had been seizing off and on throughout the week.  I convinced myself that she was fine, this was just part of the diagnosis and we would re-configure her feeding and meds.

An hour after eating her breakfast, Eileen's glucose was at 40.  A normal-low range is 80-100 so the vet gave her a Nutracal to boost her levels. She was only able to hit a 60 and was back down to a 40 within an hour.  Mike got the call from the vet and although it nearly killed him, he knew it was her time.  He called me at work and both of us just sat on the phone and cried. We agreed that it was time to help her along.  We both left work and went to the vet office. 

Of course we took a bunch of her favorite duck jerky strips and she loved them. It was a very hard experience, but we've had so many supportive friends and family members to help us through.  We asked the clinic about having her body or at least her pancreas donated to research, but the lab at Texas A&M is too far of a drive; she was creamated. 

She was a very special friend and even the staff at the vet office had a hard time with her passing.  They sent a really nice sympathy card and everyone wrote special notes about our girl. 

We miss Eileen deeply. Life around here isn't the same without our "Fat Girl". I wanted to share her nicknames:

Fat Girl
Mama Bear
Senorita Eileen
Leaner Beaner
Lean Butt, Bean Butt
Leannie Lou
Sister
Heavy Breather
Pretty Lady

Adoption Day! April 4, 2009

doing what she did best, hold down the couch

our first family picture

watchin' CatTV

The Easter Boxer

always the little mother hen

Daddy's favorite couch potato

drama queen

always looking out for Little Brother

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

What a day

It's been a day full of ups and downs, but mostly downs.  We started out the day with me sleeping through my alarm. I got a new phone over the weekend and apparently I didn't set the volume up high enough. I missed my workout but fortunately Mike's alarm went off and I was able to get a shower before work.

After I dropped Henry off at Deb's, I got a call from Mike that 8:30 that the alarm company called and apparently someone attempted to break into our home. We believe they hopped the fence and tried to open the bedroom window as the screen wasn't flush with the window. Thank God the alarm scared him away.  Since Mike rode the train to work, I drove back home to meet the cops (my mom and our neighbor met me there), and they finally showed up 55 minutes after they were called. Fortunately nothing was damaged but our sense of security. I felt like we were being watched as the attempted break in happened not long after we left the house.  Icky feeling.  I stand firmly that you can come in and steal whatever you feel you need, just please, please don't hurt me or my babies, Mike included. 

All day, I looked forward to being home, all of us together again.  The night was pretty good to start, Henry was happy, laughing and playing with his Daddy. Poor Eileen took a turn for the worse though, she started having seizures again tonight.  We're afraid either her blood sugar bottomed out or worse,  the tumor is back.  We'll take her to the vet in the morning to get her checked out; please say a prayer for our sweet girl.  We only want the best for her, we want our happy girl back.

Celebrating 62 years!

My precious grandparents celebrated 62 years of marriage yesterday, the 5th.  Some of the family met up at Babe's Chicken House for lunch today. Oh man, it was a great time. The company was wonderful and the food was heavenly. (My Heaven has a big plate of Babe's chicken tenders and mashed potatoes waiting for me. :)

Henry loved lunch and took a really nice nap when we got home that lasted nearly 5 hours.

Oh and Granny and Granddaddy wore sombreros and had a little song sung to them.  Loved it!!

Flashback Friday - Road Trip Edition

Flashback Friday
I thought it would be fun to reminisce over events in our lives before I started blogging.  We'll kickoff with a roadtrip.  The turning point in our relationship was a trip to Oregon Thanksgiving weekend of 2006.  It's a long story, but the abbreviated version involved me and Mike flying to Oregon to go pick up Brock. Brock was a very special dog to me and Mike was too sweet for indulging my crazy scheme to bring Brock back home where he belonged. 

The day after Thanksgiving, November 24th, Mike and I boarded two separate planes (I had a buddy pass and flew American. Mike had to get a flight on a different plane due to the cost difference) both headed for Portland, Oregon.  Once we arrived, we rented a car and drove to the Williamette Humane Society in Salem, OR.  The wonderful angels at WHS had been caring for Brock until we got there. To say I was overjoyed to see him was an understatement.  We piled up in the car and headed back to Texas.

This pic was taken in the Blue Mountains outside of Pendleton, OR.  I've never driven in the mountains until that day. We cruised along slow and safe, enjoyed the scenery. 

Sidenote: It was 106 degrees here today. I'd given anything for a day like this....

 

Deadman Pass....

Our co-pilot. My best bud, Brock.

Happy to have my furbaby, but ready to be home

Mr. Homebody was a real trooper.

this was taken somewhere outside of Salt Lake City

We've never been happier to see our Welcome Home sign!!!

I previously mentioned that this trip was a turning point in our relationship, this is because we spent 2.5 days, 2,150 miles through 3 different time zones in an economy size car together.  Mike and I had only been dating for a little over 2 months when we took off on this trip.  He showed me real love by helping me on this trip and then volunteering to let Brock come live with him. Not that I ever doubted it, but I knew that night driving through Amarillo, TX, that he was someone extra special. Heck, even my Ge-Gee commented that he was a keeper!

Ok, so that's kinda cheesy when I re-read it, but all of it's true. :)

Couponing Kickoff

I have to confess, I've always clipped coupons and shopped at discount stores for a bulk of our groceries. I can't stand the thought of paying full price for anything, let alone on consumables, things that won't be around more than a week or two. Well, even with all of my trying, we had a grocery bill in June that was mind-boggling. I won't say how much it was, I'm terribly embarrassed, but I'll give ya a hint that it was fairly close to our mortgage payment. Yeah, there's (only) 3 of us here. Not good, time to cut back or Henry was going to have a find at least a part time job. Ha!  Nikki told me about The Krazy Coupon Lady and how easy it was to save money. I was skeptical, but kinda excited as I LOVE to shop and get great deals.

After a few evenings clipping coupons and getting organized, I made my first trip to the store. I didn't do too bad, was able to use a bunch of coupons on products that we needed.  I've used the KCL techniques for the last 4 weeks and the savings have been great!!!  The kicker when you start, you have to stockpile to get a great deal so it's a little costly the first few weeks, but the good news, that stockpile won't go bad and you won't have to give up any closets or your parking spot in the garage.

I didn't keep track of my savings at first, like I said, I was skeptical. Today was pretty awesome and I hope to have many more trips like this.  I decided to document each week some of my big deals, not everything I purchase or every deal, that wouldn't be very fun reading material.  :)

Today's trip to CVS

Transaction #1

4 bottles of Skintimate shaving cream

1 Schick Intuition Razor

Total spent $17.37 (savings $9.80)

Received $10 in CVS Extra Care Bucks for my next purchase

Here’s the trick that Nikki taught me; ask to do 2 separate transactions. I paid for these products and got my $10 in ECB. I then purchased transaction #2.

Transaction #2

2 – 10 ounce bottles of Palmolive dish soap

3 – 2 liters of A&W root beer

6 boxes of Strawberry Pop Tarts

2 cases of 24 Nestle Bottled Water

1 Soft Soap hand soap

2 Soft Soap body wash

3 bags of M&Ms (1 not pictured as it fell victim to my afternoon hunger at work today. Ha! )

Total spent: 10.50 (savings $41.90)

Received $3 in CVS Extra Care Bucks for my next purchase I used ECB from previous purchases that I accidentally stockpiled. I was treating them like coupons instead of "cash" so that’s why I was able to knock my bill down to that amount. This is not typical for me, but it sure felt great to get away with so much for such a small price. 

Total spent at CVS: $27.87, total savings $51.70

I know there are some naysayers who don't understand why the stockpile is necessary, but trust me, when you're getting your favorite bath soap for a quarter or toothpaste for free, you're willing to stock up.  I'm not an extreme couponer, I don't buy 200 candy bars or random food products we wouldn't eat just because they are on sale.

The good to all of this, aside from a lower grocery bill, we're able to donate more to charity.  I was able to pick up several boxes of Milk Bones for $1 each;  those will be donated to a local animal rescue group.   Feminine hygiene products, diapers and shaving supplies are going to a local women's shelter.  I'm also currently stockpiling toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and other toiletries for BUMRUSH, a not-for-profit group that gives to the homeless population on Christmas Eve.  So while couponing might come off dorky or even greedy, try to keep in mind that there is a greater opportunity to do good for others.  I've been blessed with a great job, but it's nice to stretch my paycheck just a little further, especially when I can help so many others.

If you aren't into couponing or don't have the time, don't toss the Sunday paper just yet.  The coupons you don't use can be mailed to the Overseas Coupon Program.  The OCP distributes coupons to military families that can use coupons at the commissary that have expired within the last 6 months. If you want the mailing address, email me at laceyholland1 at gmail dot com