My Husband

He loves me. :) Can you tell?

Harry went back to work after New Years Day, and was laid off from his job temporarily. So he stayed home and warmed up the couch a lot, trying to find a job on the internet. And I am happy to say all that warming paid off! I could keep my feet warm AND he started a job at Steris last week! He had worked at his job for 17 years, and the last couple years, he knew it was going to be time for something else in the near future. Harry has always liked to feel "secure", and when that is thrown off, he is thrown off. :) I can say that because he will love me anyway.

I will be slowing down on the blogging, I'm sure. Here's why:

He is still in Iowa, but we will only get to see him on weekends for the next 4 weekends or so. Then he will be off to Ohio for a couple weeks, and then to Pennsylvania for 9 (NINE) weeks. He is planning to be back home at least by the middle of June. I will have to fly out and see him - he is a couple hours from Niagara Falls during the Pennsylvania weeks!

Anyway, this single mom thing isn't really what I had in mind while he was couch warming. I miss him. TONS. Even in the first week, I have quickly realized how much he really does for me. He keeps the girls occupied so I can actually get caught up on loose-ends housework (laundry put away, mail sorted, etc.). He would stay in the bathroom during bath time and I could clean up from supper. He picks on me enough to keep me smiling. He did my dishes while he was home. I MISS THAT ALREADY. And I really realized it when I went to the basement today to get some cookie dough from the freezer and found 4-6 inches of water covering the floor. Cool, huh?

Sump pump went out, Ray came over with a little pump, and fixed us up for now. Things will obviously go wrong in my house before June hits, but who will fix it for me? My fantastic husband does all the work on our cars, all the heavy-duty work, lifting, maintenance on everything (even if it doesn't need it!), and still keeps my feet warm at night. I love that man. He's my best friend. The girls aren't real thrilled about him being gone - let's just leave it at that. :) come back soon, honey! But, congratulations on finding a secure job, no matter what the economy does! I know it will be well worth it at the end of this!

Just for Fun

Daddy and Tiffany peeling a little orange, making small talk. Popping all the little seeds out and setting them beside the peels. And very matter-of-factly, Tiffany says "And Jesus said Don't eat the seeds."

I wonder what she is referring to......
Luke 8:15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart.....
1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

And yesterday she was holding her baby and asked her 2 year old sister "What does a baby say?" and her sister wipes her eyes and answers "WAAAAA" and Tiffany the Teacher says "Very Good!!" in a very encouraging voice.

Or when they fight like crazy girls until they are upstairs in bed, then it's a big slumber party....giggling and laughing. Tiffany tries to talk her sister into doing who knows what.....and follows up with "Oh Come on! Be FUN!"

Most days...if I stop what I'm doing and just watch them - I can't help but crack up.

Deals for the day

Old Navy had a Valentine's Coupon: $5 off any purchase when you color a valentine. So we did. All of us. :) So we had 5 coupons = $25 off today! Woo Hoo! White pack of socks to the left were marked 8.99, plus 50% off. $4.50 with a $5 coupon is FREE! The white shirts, blue shirts, and brown pants to the left were on sale for 2 FOR $6. So Tiffany and Stacy bought their own. $6 minus $5 coupon = $1.00 for 2 items. Stoked. Then the individual socks were 10 for $10. So those ended up to be $5 after the coupon. Then we headed to Younkers and bought TWO 2-packs of leggings on the right. The 2-packs were $22.00, marked down to $5.14!

Total today (including tax) for 6 pants, 4 shirts, and 20 socks in the picture: 8.56 Old Navy + 10:28 Younkers = $18.84
New clothes that will fit this year = priceless.

Save Some Money with me.

My name is Amie, and I am a coupon-holic. I love words like BOGO (buy one get one) and FREE! I have had a lot of questions about where I get my coupons and how much time it really takes. I guess this disease I have is contagious? So here goes all my secrets ;)

#1. The Recycle Center. It is a bit humbling digging through the newspaper bin for coupon inserts, but seriously - more coupons than you will need. But they are free - beats a $2 paper every week.

#2. Click here: The Coupon Loop - great.

#3. And here: SD - seriously great.

#4. Target Coupons

#5. Betty Crocker Coupons

#6. Pillsbury Coupons

#7. Smart Source Online

#8. Coupons.com

#9. Search by Store

#10. Or circulars for all local stores here

#11. A few great blogs:
Coupon Geek
Coupon Saving Family
Savvy Savings Tucson
Frugal in Virginia
Common Sense With Money
The downfall? Different states = different grocery stores. Haven't found one in Iowa yet. So I'd like to be it. Except by the time I get done reading and looking at all this, I don't have much time to type out my grocery list with corresponding store and coupon deals. But I am going to start trying. But I need your vote!!! Should I post this stuff on my this blog - or use the "Save a buck" blog?

What would you like to know about saving money??