Crazy eights

Thanks Jacyln for the tag! It's given me the gentle nudge to get back on this blog...(which reminds me I have lots to update on sometime!)

Here are the rules of the game:
-Mention the person that tagged you.
-Complete the following lists of 8's.
-Tag 8 of your wonderful bloggy friends.
-Go tell them you tagged them!

Eight Things I'm Looking Forward To:

1) our baby boy being born!
2) holding our baby boy for the first time
3.) bringing our baby boy home
4.) spending eternity in Heaven
5.) The day when laundry does itself
6.) Going garage sale-ing tomorrow
7.) Having a big family someday
8.) The Biggest Loser to start tonight

Eight Things I Did Yesterday:

well I was in bed with the flu so this will be kinda boring
1.) puked a few times
2.) slept
3.) read some blogs
4.) moved from the bed to the couch
5.) called Robb
6.) called my mom to ask her to let Pacey outside
7.) checked my email
8 ) watched dancing with the stars

Eight Things I Wish I Could Do:

1.) dance...i try but its kinda embarrassing..ask our youth group kids!
2.) save lives
3.) cure cancer
4.) take good photographs
5.) see Brenham today
6.) donate blood
7.) sew
8.) tone up without exercising ;)

Eight Shows I watch:
1.) Dancing with the stars
2.) Biggest Loser
3.) Grey's Anatomy
4.) Private Practice
5.) Jon and Kate plus 8 (its like a bad accident...you cant help but take a look!)
6.) One Tree Hill
7.) The Doctors
8. ) King of Queens (so funny!)

So I tag~
Krista from J and K
Emily from The Haight Family
Anne from A Truly Grand Haven
Mindy from Life as a Wife
Nicole from From Gummy Bear to Sweet Baby
Sandy from Life+Baby
Courtney from One Foot Forward
Allie from ✝º˚∴aLLie∴˚º✝

Have Fun Girls!

Happy Earth Day

Who's going to Wal.green's today with this coupon?

(not sure when this blog turned into 'savings r us' but I am kinda liking it! One of many changes about to happen on this blog in the near future! :)

p.s thanks for the money saving tips in the last post and also for the delicious recipes you shared, I have tried a couple so far and have plans to do some more meal preparation this weekend.

Ebates

Frugal Tip (what mom doesn't have a few of those!):

Has anyone heard about or use Ebates? My sisters introduced me to ebates awhile back and it's earned me a few dollars so far just by shopping online (not too hard for me!) Basically you just follow this link and sign up for free. Then any time you do any online shopping log in to your ebates account and see if the site you are shopping on offers any Ebates coupons or cash back rebates. The ones I use the most are Shutterfly, Target, E-bay, and Gap but there are TONS more! Make your purchase and within a few days your cash back rebate (anywhere from 1-10% of your total purchase) will be applied to your account. Ebates mails you a check every 3 months! You get $5 just for signing up! And if you refer any friends you get an additional $5! Pretty easy way to earn a few bucks just by shopping! Gotta Love that!

Do you have any frugal tips to share with me? I am always looking for new money saving ideas!

Adoption Movies

next time you have some time on your hands and if you are looking to learn more about adoption and hear some real life stories...go here and watch some of the videos.

It is hard to find accurate presentations of adoption stories these days...they all seem so old fashioned and are usually full of 'adoption myths'. But these are some good real-life ones. The first one 'Neumann/Jolly' is really good if you are looking for a story about an open domestic adoption. And the 'Champan/Turner/Kemp' one is the story about Steven Curtis Champan's family's journey to China to adopt their girls.

But I am warning you...have the tissues handy and be prepared to fight the urge to run (not walk) to your nearest adoption agency office and sign yourself up to adopt (as if it was that easy!)....it will tug at your heart. I want to do it all over again someday and we aren't even finished with this one! Adoption is such a blessing.

Just thought I would pass that along.

Wordless Wednesday

Easter Sunday
Me, Nicole, and Emily
at
Nicole's Bachelorette Party

~Happy Easter~

Christ the Lord has RISEN today! Hallelujah!

Happy 6 months Paco-day!

time flies....6 months already?!?

(this really isnt a picture from the actual transplant day but I am too embarrassed to put those pictures up...i was a little out of it) (I love how my pain button is ever so conveniently draped across my chest for easy access!)

Happy 6 months Paco! I am so happy to have you!

Share your favorites

I've been trying to find some easy budget friendly meals to stock up the freezer with so when the little bee comes we have meals all ready and waiting for us.

I have become a huge fan of e-mealz.com.

Its a site that plans your weeks meals including side dishes along with the recipes that go with it. And even prepares the shopping list and the estimated total expense. Its just $5 a month and has been well worth it for us...it saves me time and money. I only buy what I need for those meals and it also motivates me to actually prepare those meals! Another really nice thing about it is you have the option to chose a menu plan that feeds either a whole family or just 2 people. I do the 2 people plan so I only prepare what we need so we dont end up with a bunch of leftovers. And they even do diet friendly menus like 'low carb', 'low fat', 'points system' and a vegatarian menu!

One of my favorite meals I've made from there site is:

Beef & Wild Rice Bake and Steamed Broccoli

1 box beef rice mix
1 can cr of mushroom soup
3 T chopped onion
3 stalks celery
1 lb ground beef, cooked
(3 T melted butter, 1 ½ T lemon juice, ¼ t pepper, ½ t Worcestershire, ½ t dry mustard)
1 c crushed potato chips
½ bunch broccoli
(Butter, salt)
Cook rice as pkg directs. Sauté onion & chopped celery in butter. Toss remaining ingredients together, except potato chips. Pour in casserole dish. Top with crushed potato chips. Cook at 375 for 25 min.
Steam broccoli. Season w/ butter & salt.

So there's one of my favorites.

Do you have a favorite recipe you would be willing to share with me? Specifically ones that freeze well? Or I am always using my crock-pot and would love to try new recipies for that too. Thanks!