SMALL HAUL-couponing...

We live in a fairly "remote" area. One hour from anything but Wally World and a small grocery store.  If I can save money here in PO DUNK USA, you guys can surely save it in the big city! For those of you that have WALGREENS, Chain grocery stores that double/triple coupons AND CVS-you are BLESSED! I would be saving TONS more if we had these stores & discounts!

I'll admit, I used to think couponers were a little "weird."
Now I know they are...

Some of you have sent me an email asking how it is done.. I went to THE KRAZY COUPON LADYS BLOG and started reading where it says "beginners" up at the top..

I asked my family to start collecting/sending me any coupons they didn't want and I simply buy 2 Sunday Kansas City Papers.

I started cutting coupons and putting them in a binder with baseball card holders (all found at Wally). I bought tabs, inserted and separated the tabs by my local Wal-Mart aisles (since that is really the largest most convenient and frequented store I shop at).

Wal-Mart allows price matching and will beat any competitors prices. That's how we save money here. We collect all the ads from the larger cities around us and simply take them in to Wal-Mart-They give you the lower price. THE TRICK IS, to add your coupons ON TOP OF THIS! That is when you save TONS! It does take organization & time but well worth it..

I did a "small haul" at Wal-Mart today stacking coupons and price matching.

TOTAL before PM (price-matching) and Q's (coupons)

$24.67 before tax

THIS IS WHAT I GOT...

6 bottles of salad dressing

4 bottles ketchup

4 packs of hot dogs

2 bottles of cleaner

1 package of gum

1 package of razors

GRAND TOTAL....... $8.75

64% Savings my friends..

On stuff we really use!

Savings of $15.92!

It's a high..it really is!

Why have I not done this before now?

THANK YOU LORD FOR COUPONS!

You GROW GIRL 11 months!

We are past your 11 month birthday by a bit!!

You are getting SO BIG!

YOU LOVE PIZZA!

YOU ARE WALKING ALL OVER!

You say "mama" "daddy" and other fun chinese words!

You are still wearing FUZZIBUNZ small and Happy Heiny mediums are still a bit big!

TIME IS FLYING SWEET ONE!

We have your 1 year photo session booked and can't WAIT!

YOU ARE SLEEPING ALL NIGHT!!

FINALLY, just in the last week or so!

You still don't care for anyone but mom and dad.

You SCREAM when anyone else tries to hold you.

We took you to get your EARS VIOLATED!

Daddy did SO GOOD holding you!

Your little pink earrings are so sweet!

You are a joy and gift in our lives and we all adore you!

We thank God for you EVERY DAY!

We are busy planning your BIG WILD 1st birthday bash!

Our "LAST FIRST BIRTHDAY" it's going to be so fun!

 

Please PRAY AND SPREAD THE WORD! OWEN!

Please join me and PRAY for baby Owen.... and for his family..
A triplet boy who is literally fighting for his life.

It takes a second... PRAY and spread the WORD

THE POWER OF PRAYER WORKS!!

PLEASE stop by THEIR BLOG and leave Mel some encouraging words and prayers...

I'm an ADDICT! US on the NEWS!

Hello, My name is Jen and I'm a COUPONOHOLIC...

I have been OBSESSED LATELY..

With Couponing..I DREAM about deals and coupons!

WHY have I not done this earlier?

Most of the stuff in our tiny stockpile below was either free or SUPER CHEAP!

We have saved SO MUCH already in the few weeks I have taken this on!

It only took ONE FREE ITEM AND I WAS HOOKED!

So..Instead of blogging, now you know where I have been :)

Our press conference at The Kansas State Capitol was AWESOME!

CLICK HERE to watch us on the news! 

My 32 Minutes & 31 Pounds

I have been OH SO WANTING to do this post for SO LONG!!

Truth is...

I'm a BIG FAT CHICKEN!

The moment I got pregnant with our precious "LAST BABY" I had the "LAST BABY" attitude..

1. "Who cares, what I eat or how much I gain, I'm just SO HAPPY I'm pregnant"
2. "This is my "LAST BABY" so I don't care how long it takes to get the weight off."
3. "This is the "LAST TIME" I'm ever going to be able to eat whatever I want and have an excuse."

I had this "fat and happy" attitude until precisely about 2 days after Bakers was born. THATS WHEN I STEPPED ON THE SCALE.. BIG MISTAKE while you are still in the hospital with a sick baby & recovering from a c-section. NO ADULT SCALES should be allowed near ANY POST PARTUM, psychotic, hormonal MOM.. MAY I REPEAT......

Then it hit me..."WOW, I had AN ENITRE 6 pound baby and only lost 5 pounds?" LORD HAVE MERCY!!!

I gained 53 pounds with my pregnancy.  PREPARE YOURSELF, below is the picture of me in August 2010-2 months post baby and I had only lost 13 pounds.  Don't you see the LOVE and happiness written all over this face?

JUST NOW...8 months later I have the courage to share the above photo when in all reality, I have taken a picture of myself every month since then.

I've wanted to do a monthly update, I really have but I didn't have enough faith at the time that the pictures would actually change.

Here I am just yesterday...

It has been VERY DIFFICULT for me to take off the weight. I'm not thinking being the big FOUR O helps...

BUT I HAVE LOST 31 POUNDS as of yesterday! YIPPEE!! Praise the LORD!

ONLY 8 to go until I get to PRE BABY WEIGHT!

HOW DID I DO IT YOU ASK???

THAT'S where the 32 comes in...

On January 1, 2011...

God has allowed me

32 minutes 5-6 days a week, to exercise.

I started out at a SLOW WALK.

I am now up to jogging. I can jog about 2 miles now although somedays I do less.

If I have extra time in my 32 minutes, I continue walking.

This is MY 32 MINUTES!

I PRAY, I listen to my PRAISE AND WORSHIP on my IPOD,

I tune everyone but God out for 32 minutes.

As a homeschooling mother to 7 children, I must strategize this 32 minutes. THE MINUTE Bakers lays down for her a.m. nap, all the kids know "MAMAS EXERCISING".

I am either on my treadmill (thanks to my in-laws for giving us theirs) or outside. I've even had all 6 lined up beside my treadmill to keep them quiet.

Sometimes I even push 2 littles in the jogging stroller for a few miles while she naps. And let me tell you.. THEY AINT SO LITTLE any more, especially when you are pushing 90 pounds up hill! LOL

WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THAT 32 minutes!!

I am sharing this with you for one reason...

TO INSPIRE YOU!

IF I CAN find 32 minutes,
YOU CAN FIND 32 MINUTES!!

I thank God for allowing me this time, for allowing me the ability to be able to walk and run and use my arms and legs. For allowing me to be a healthy mom for my family and for giving me the strength I have prayed so hard for when I've wanted to QUIT!!

BUT..

WITH HIM BY YOUR SIDE ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!