Big News!

This past Sunday I hit the halfway point in my pregnancy-20 weeks! Yay! We are so excited and happily took a 1/2 yesterday so that we could go for our 20 week ultra sound! I had told Nathan that I did not want to find out- but those around us were very excited about the big news. So needless to say when the technician asked me "Do you want to know what you're having?" I replied with a sigh, "I think so" :)

SO drum roll please....it's a BOY! Ha! I will be the proud mommy of 3 little gentlemen- and never a dull moment, I am sure. McKenna's reaction was "OH NO! THREE BROTHERS!" But I reminded her that there is only room for one princess in our house- and she agrees.

We are very excited and have already started thinking of some ideas for names...but still to be decided. Right now, we are just looking forward to the holidays-counting our blessings as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach.

Still Here...

Well, hello friends! I am STILL here :) However, my blogging has seemed to get away from me and gone by the wayside. I will give you a short update of the last few months as it has been since JULY that I last wrote.

Toward the end of July, Nathan and I found that we would be expecting Baby #4! Yikes! We are so excited-and so are McKenna and Asher. As we head into week 16, the kids and Nathan are getting anxious to know if this is going to be a boy or girl. I am still on the fence and would kind of like to be surprised...hmmm...As of right now, I don't have a "boy" feeling or "girl" feeling (I just knew that Ian would be a boy...) so we'll see!

At the beginning of August, McKenna started 1st grade, and Asher started Kindergarten. Both love school and seem to be doing well. As a matter of fact, Asher just got the Character Kid in his class for exhibiting the trait of Trustworthiness! We are very proud of our big boy:)

I hit the ground running at work in August too. And being simply exhausted, I believe is where my blogging went by the wayside. However, it is something I like to do and have missed (sort of my own therapeutic benefit) and so I am going to try to do better.

September brought around some exciting fall activities for our little family as McKenna and Asher started cheerleading and football! Yes, I have lots of cute pictures of football, cheer, first day of school, etc etc but they are still on my camera at this very moment and so they are not going to be in this post. I will try to post them sometime soon-maybe before Christmas! lol!

October has brought a welcome fall break from school-and we went to the beach on vacation! We traveled with friends and family-bless the hearts of those who have chosen to travel with the Harringtons :) We had our meltdowns and breakdowns as all families do but we also had such a good time. Vacation is life but just in a different location (and without those "real" responsibilities). So at the end of the break, we are back here in real life and back to our regular responsibilities-but I'm not one to complain. We are blessed. Again- pictures will be posted.

So, yes, world. I am here...

Out and About

I don't have any idea of how summer has simply passed us by so quickly! I had intended to do a crafty project/post at least once a week and get this house into shape! :) Well, I regret to say that my house has been cleaner and we have only completed a couple of craft projects (one being shakers for a program at the library and another was adding food color to vanilla pudding to let the kids, including Ian, paint with it-both of which were enjoyed by all).

We have had many adventures and I will soon post pictures to go with our adventures. McKenna, Asher and Ian all dressed as cows for Cow Appreciation at Chick Fil A. This was a fun day where we enjoyed eating and seeing everyone else in their cow costumes! We have attended VBS in the local park, eaten lots of ice cream, gone berry picking, gone to the county fair, gone to kids' summer movies at the theater and library programs.

There are still adventures to be had but this week, we had an especially fun time at Ride the Ducks (Newport, KY). If you haven't done this before, I highly recommend it! It could be a bit pricey (as seen on the website). However, we got a great deal for a tour at 10am for $10! It was well worth it and many children and families from our church went along as well. I think it's safe to say that everyone had a blast!

Another deal I wanted to make sure I pass along is one that we found at Blockbuster today. McKenna and Asher both signed up for Camp Wannawatchamovie. For $5, kids can sign up and rent (one movie at a time) as many movies as they like for a month. You can exchange your movies (from the kid/family section) even in the same day if you wish. Kids got a cinch sack backpack with a camp card and coloring sheets when they signed up. My big kids are pretty excited and when they finish swim lessons tomorrow we are headed to exchange movies!

Deals, Deals, Deals...

So! I have so much to catch you up on! However, I will just begin with today's YARD SALE DEALS! It isn't often I get to go out to yard sales with the kiddos on Saturday but this morning we had a few in out neighborhood and I was able to get out and wander about! YIPPEE!

First stop was the house right across the street where I got the above Power Wheels with a charger and battery for $30! I bought an extra battery for $50 at Walmart (because I can't simply let the kids just have one running at a time) totaling my investment to $80. For TWO Power Wheels. Definitely my deal of the day. I also found some toys for Ian at another sale up the street in addition to some clothing items later this afternoon-all great deals in my opinion.

As we have all likely seen, it is back to school time. This is a bitter sweet time every year for me. I am so happy for my kids as one will be in 1st grade, one in Kindergarten and of course I always love going back to work and being with my students BUT we love summer at my house and I will have one baby at home as I head back to the classroom. Nathan is currently staying home with Ian and so this will make the transition a little easier for this Mommy. As school rapidly approaches, keep an eye out for those back to school ads and deals. Remember that Walmart price matches and to check out Staples as they always have some exciting deals!

I also understand that back to school shopping for clothing is also an adventure :) I will later make a separate post about upcoming consignment sales in the Georgetown/Lexington area. But, I did want to mention the Kidvantage Club at Sears. This club features a Wear Out Warranty on clothing as well as coupons for clothing. I have personally not participated in this program as I don't usually go to Sears, however, I think it is a great idea. It's also a great time to hit the clearance racks for some summer items (for Back To School and maybe even next year if you shop by season in advance).

If you are thinking of Christmas already, you may want to consider stores with layaway such as Kmart, Toys R Us, and Sears. Check these links to find the details of these stores layaway policies to make sure they are accurate and I'm sure you may find more available using your favorite search engine. The clearance rack/shelves are also good to look through right now for this purpose as well. I was recently searching through floaties, which are on sale, and McKenna and Asher found several toys in which they were interested on the clearance shelves nearby.

I hope this helps to spark a few ideas for your upcoming shopping trips

Happy Shopping!

House Party Party Kristin's Discover You Can House Party™

House Party Party Kristin's Discover You Can House Party™

Discover You Can!

I found my strawberries on sale at Aldi for $1-great deal and YUMMY!

My Mom and Patty waiting on the strawberries to boil.

Over the weekend, I had my 30th birthday. Honestly, it doesn't mean a lot to me...just a number. It is more significant when I think that within 10 years I will be 40, within 10 years McKenna will be 17, Asher 16 and Ian 10 :/ Slow down. Please. I know I tend to jump ahead of myself (I am well known for that) but there are times when my mind can't help but wander a few years down the road. SO I must reign it back in and enjoy my babies and enjoy exactly where I am right now.

My birthday weekend was lots of fun! It started off with my canning party on Saturday! I had a few friends over to participate in the Discover You Can party. I've included just a few pictures (sorry-my camera's battery ran down!). We used some of the new Ball Canning Products as a part of the House Party website that accepted my application to have this party and test some of the new products by Ball. What fun we had :) On the night before the party, I tested some products and made my first batch of strawberry jam! Before this experience, I have never canned a thing in my life! However, it was not as difficult as I at first thought it would be and it was made that much more fun when a few friends joined me on Saturday.

Each guest got a gift bag with coupons and samples, then we got to work. We made a bigger batch of strawberry jam and everyone took home 2 half pint jars (which turned out very yummy!).

As a part of my birthday, I have jumped back on the weight loss wagon. Before I became pregnant with Ian, I lost a good deal of weight using a specific weight loss program and it is this program I will get back on. Yesterday was my first full day and drinking soft drinks killed me! Yikes! I will be counting points as I have done in the past and today, I have to be more careful about what I drink-but there are times that I feel as though there is not enough caffine in the world to keep me going. I guess I will go back to diet~sigh~ I know I will feel so much better though, just as I have before. It truely a matter of getting into the mindset, which can be so hard! Wish me luck!

Before I go, I will give you my cloth diapering update. So far, pretty good! I LOVE the fact that I haven't had to use and throw away any diapers (but one, I used disposable at bedtime). I have been using an all in one diaper, which I really like (along with a diaper cover). However, I have been using a medium (these come in specific sizes) and I feel like they may be snug on my little guy. Also, I feel like he is wet when I change him and moisture isn't being pulled away from his skin. I am wondering if I should try a pocket diaper with an insert. I have a friend who did suggest an insert to help pull moisture away from baby's skin. Although I continue to feel my way around cloth diapering, I can say that so far, it has been pretty successful in our house.

I CAN CAN!

I originally thought that since summer had arrived, I would be able to blog a little more often-but alas, we've been very busy around here! This week I have a quite a bit to catch you up on!

Well, our new neighbors have moved in (if you remember, it was our experience last summer that inspired the name of my little blog). Cindy has since accepted a position with her new husband in Eastern KY for a dual pastors' position and they have moved. So now we have new neighbors (also the pastor of the same church in which Cindy worked). They are very sweet and we are excited to welcome them to the neighborhood! Thank goodness we now have a privacy fence-ha!

In other news, I am so excited about today! It is my CANNING PARTY! I am a member of a website called House Party. When companies have new products they would like to introduce, members can complete an application (much like a survey) and will receive samples and materials to host friends in order test out the new products! My application was recently selected to test out Ball Canning Products. I received my party kit (pictured above) with a ton of canning materials and coupons (as well as party gifts for those that attend) and last night, I was able to give canning my first try! I made strawberry jam (and it was quite tasty!). I am so proud and it was much easier than I thought. I can't wait to share some more pictures of my party (we will be making strawberry jam today also). We have cupcakes, tea and lemonade, door prizes and the backyard is being prepped for the arrival of all of the kids' friends who will be coming along with their mommies in order to can!

In addition to canning, I am also learning about cloth diapering. I've asked friends and fellow bloggers (and mommies) their thoughts, thinking that I too may like to give cloth diapering a try. The jury is still out on this one so we shall see- but I would say that it will save some money in the long run and be good for the environment. From what I can see- it's come a long way since my mom used them on me :)

Well, I am off to finish the final preparations for canning later this afternoon!

Some Pictures from this past weekend...

Here are some pictures from this past weekend as promised...Asher had such a great time at t-ball this year and both he and McKenna loved flying. You'll also see a couple of McKenna at Kindergarten Graduation and the school talent show-where she told knock-knock jokes :)

Watch out, Coach Ryan!

Waiting in line and getting on the plane at Young Eagles...

Kindergarten Graduate

T-Ball Awards

"We'll be back, as the 1st grade class!"

Pizza!

"Knock-Knock"

"Who's There"

"Tank"

"Tank Who?"
"You're Welcome!"

GO ROCKIES!!

Take Flight...

What a great weekend we had at my house! You already know that we love Saturdays and this Saturday was an especially fun time :) We started off at t-ball for Asher's last game. He plays on the Rockies in the YMCA league here in Georgetown. After a great game (he hit the pitch both times instead of having to use the t) the kids all enjoyed pizza and then getting their medals and a t-ball related book. We were so blessed to have such a great coach (Coach Ryan) and wonderful parents to share our 1st t-ball experience with! I can't wait to post some of my pictures!

After that, we headed over to Cynthiana Airport. Did I have to catch a flight? Sort of...McKenna and Asher got to ride in an airplane as a part of the Young Eagles program (thus the title of today's entry-it was our favorite part of the weekend). They had a ton of fun! I was a little worried that they would decide at the last minute that they did not want to go, but they had a blast! It just so happened that a little girl from McKenna's kindergarten class was also there to ride and didn't have anyone to ride with. So she hoped in line with my crew and off they went! About 15 minutes later, they climbed out of the plane and yelled, "Oh my gosh! I'm doing that again NEXT year!" What a hoot! Again...pictures to come.

It is so nice to be home for the summer. Ian is so close to walking and he talks all the time, "No," "Stop" (those are directed towards his big brother), "Mama" "Dada," "Oww!" and my favorite, "Uh Oh!" McKenna and Asher have started their summer reading (yes, I am one of those Moms, but it is fun as we get involved at the Library).

I did want to share a couple of other family activities, I found this week before I close out for the day.

GattiTown is having its first family fun night at the Lexington location. It will be Wednesday from 5:30-9pm and in addition to the usual arcade and buffet, they are having a movie and popcorn. I found this on facebook.

Also for those that live in Lexington, you may want to go for a ride on the Colt Trolley. This is a trolley that rides through Downtown Lexington for free. What a fun idea-especially if you are already Downtown to visit the Library, Explorium or the Farmers Market.

School's Out!

We've finally reached the end of the school year and it was a great year! I owe a big "THANKS!" to the those that have helped me to move my room! Yay! I get my own room next year AND it is already decorated! For those of you who know me, you know that I am very good at organizing but decorating is not my forte!

Anyhow, we are ready to enjoy some fun in the sun!

I recently received my "Family Circle" magazine that was full of good ideas and deals for the summer. I can't help but share a few that may be located in and around Central KY...

Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp- June 4-July 10 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays enjoy all sorts of crafts, archery, casting pond, etc.

Jo-Ann Fabric's Kids Camp-Children can learn how to sew, decorate a cake or even make a quilt!

Michaels Crafts Stores Passport To Fun-on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays kids can participate in various craft projects specific to different countries around the world! I believe this starts on June 21st, but check the website just to be sure. Also check out their Father's Day crafts.

Also, at the Newport Aquarium Sunday-Friday up to 2 kids can get in free (from 4-7pm) with an adult paying full price. A great deal!

Finally, you can check out KLOVE for any local Vacation Bible School programs-always a fun time for your kiddos!

A Short One...

Well, I don't have a lot of time...this has been such a busy end of the school year! It hasn't helped that our internet has been down at school and so even if I finish my progress reports, etc I still can't print to our copier due to some related glitch...SO I'm trying to get some work done at home :/

However-I did want to let all my Cynthiana mom friends that the Young Eagles are going to be in Cynthiana (at the airport) on June 11. This is the opportunity for kids to ride in an airplane! I have never done this before, but my kids are so excited and want to do this. This experience will be so hard for me (I am so afraid of heights!) but we'll see how it goes... Keep watching the Democrat for more details. Another event to be watching out for in Cynthiana is the Longest Day of Play. We've done this for the last few years. Kids get to go from booth to booth trying different activities that encourage exercise and healthy choices. They can register for prizes, etc as they finish their passports by completing the various activities. Both are free :)

Now, nerdy or not, last week I went to a couponing talk with the Fru-Gal! You can go online and read her blog which gives great updates on deals in the Lexington area. More on this later-I must get to work for now and of course watch Glee! Even if it is a rerun...

Summer Fun

As the end of the school year creeps closer and closer, I can't help but get excited about some summer adventures! Maybe if I think summer, the sun may shine a little...just maybe...

There are lots of fun activities that are either free or cost very little throughout the summer~ I've listed a few here and would love it if you want to share any with me as well!

Lowes Build and Grow May 28 (building a biplane) June 11 (build a Goofy Golf game)

Home Depot June 4 building a valet organizer for Father's Day

Joseph Beth has posted their events for May and June

Barnes and Noble has Story time online for your kiddos to enjoy they also have a Summer Reading Program where your students can read any 8 books and write them in their journals (which can be downloaded at this link) then return them to your store and receive a free book.

Half Price Books has the Feed Your Brain summer reading program. We did this last year and my kids loved it :) Print a reading log from this link. Set a goal to read about 15min through June and July. When your students read 600 minutes you receive $5 back to school bucks for the kids to spend.

You may also want to look at the Chuck E Cheese website where you can find many calendars under the "promotions" tab. There are reading calendars, chore charts, homework charts and many many more that you may be interested in.

Coco Key indoor water resort also has reading charts and chore charts available with a reward in the form of an arcade card.

Your local library always has wonderful reading programs during the summer. My children LOVE the library reading program. Last year Ian (who was born in May) got to participate too :) We had a log of books we read to him and even the littlest member of our family got a book at the end of the summer.

My local library is the Scott County Public Library and the Lexington Public Library is nearby too.

*Make sure you read the correct dates during which you can turn your logs in or any other important details

Regal Cinemas has the Regal Summer Movies Express (at this link you can find several locations that include the Lexington location) where they offer G or PG movies for $1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10am

Cinemark Cinemas has Summer Movie Clubhouse which offers you the chance to see 10 shows for $5 (if purchased in advance) or a $1 per show. In Lexington, you can see this at the Lexington Green Cinemark location (other locations are listed also).

Carmike Cinemas is also a great place to catch a movie for $1.50 and although I am not certain they still have it, on Tuesdays they have had stimulus Tuesdays where you can get a drink and popcorn for $1 also-you may want to check for details.

Free Friday Flicks at Jacobson Park (in Lexington) is also a great family event that runs throughout the month of June. There are other great activities listed on the LFUCG website (Parks and Recreation)

In Georgetown, the Theaters of Georgetown also offers free movies rated G and PG on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. However, the schedule has not been released at this time.

Check out the Collins Bowling Centers and their Kids Club if you're hoping to get active! Children under the age of 15 can register for 2 free games a day from June 1- August 15. You can register at their website to receive their coupons. If you have kids that are older than 15, you may want to look at the Family Pass option.

Salato Wildlife Center is a great place to visit throughout the summer (or anytime). Here is the link to the Calendar. Also remember that the second Saturday of the month is Safari Saturday (events for ages 3-6).

McConnell Springs and Raven Run are also local natural areas you may want to visit as well.

Fayette County Parks (such as Jacobson Park-where you can rent paddle boats, etc) are listed at this link and are also perfect places to visit with your kiddos.

Did you know that the Arboretum now has a Children's Garden? There is a small admission fee listed on the website but I am very excited to see the children's garden-if we ever get a pretty day!

Finally, don't forget to check out Ky State Parks for any activities planned, or places to visit.

If you need to top off your journeys with something to eat, here is the link to my post about kids eating free or cheap (however, don't forget to check with the restaurant to make sure the deal is still valid).

This is just a start :) There are many zoos, museums, parks, pools, and more all within a short drive (or maybe even a day's road trip)! Happy Planning!

My Treasures

Matthew 6: 19-21 says “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This has been on my mind since we discussed this verse in Sunday School this morning. The question was asked, "What do you store up?" Hehehe. Well, honestly, since couponing, I have built up a quaint stock of toilet paper, papertowels, toothbrushes, vitamins and cereal :) No, we are not talking Extreme Couponing situations, but just stocking up some supplies (although, I am beginning to think that I may need to rearrange my storage). Okay, so the question was restated- "What do you treasure?" That, my friends, is easy. My most precious treasures are my family and sweet kiddos!

McKenna is our oldest child and only girl. She is definitely in her own world, but in her world, there is still a level of magic that I wish we could hold on to. She is happy (and dramatic) and full of life and music (although sometimes a little loud but pretty on key). As she watched Asher play t-ball this weekend, I heard her say, "Asher, I'm your biggest fan". She has started school this year and we've seen her start to grow as an individual and that is such a neat process for us as parents. She recently told her aunt that she can't wait to grow up and be a real grown up. To this her aunt responded "oh, goodness." McKenna said, "oh yes, kids everywhere!". When Nathan and I decided to have another baby, we wanted to make sure that McKenna and Asher felt as though having another baby makes our family more "full", that a new sibling was an exciting addition to the family, not an intrusion. McKenna loves her brothers (although she has been known to express otherwise to one of them in the midst of an argument) and I love that she loves our family.

Asher has also had the opportunity this year to be in school without his big sister in the same class (since they are 16 months apart, they were in the same preschool class last year). It has been so much fun to watch him make friends - although preschool boys are much different than preschool girls! We have become familiar with wrestlers, preschool boy humor and at times wonder if he has a selective hearing problem :/ After you get to know Asher, you may not realize that he can be a shy guy and a little anxious at times. He's a sweet guy though, who wants to please (but also has a mind of his own) and wants to make others laugh. I might also add that he loves sports and although Nathan and I are not top notch athletes- we think he's pretty good :) It's very cool to watch him grow up (but also a little bittersweet as it is as we watch all three).

We just celebrated Ian's first birthday this past week and it's always a blessing to celebrate life and family and it was special to celebrate our baby's first year of life! This year has seemed to go by so quickly! Ian has been such a perfect addition. He always has a smile and he adores his brother and sister-loves to snuggle them and laugh at them (we also think he is learning to say "away" when Asher bugs him-lol!). Ian is laid back and goes with the flow. We enjoy watching him develop his role in our family as he becomes more independent and learn each day.

These are my most precious treasures and where my heart is.

$10 Date

SO- this weekend Nathan's sister asked if the big kids could come over to spend the night. The kids of course were thrilled to see their aunt but more importantly their cousins! Yay! While the kids spent time with family, Nathan and I set out for a hot date. Ok, so maybe not-we had Ian with us but when you do my "mommy math" 1 baby is like having none at all without his siblings...

Anyhow, we set out and started with dinner! I had $10 toward Cosi from Groupon, so when Nathan and I ordered, it was just $7 for us to eat dinner. Then later we had ice cream- at Bruster's (YUM!) and with my buy one get one free coupon, Nathan enjoyed Key Lime Pie and I had New York Cheese Cake ice cream for $3! Total date $10- which also includes the free movie rental (also courtesy of Groupon also).

Now don't get too excited- we topped it off with a trip to the grocery store-I know, it's the little things. Although Nathan and I always enjoy quiet time and some quality mommy/daddy time with Ian, we missed our big kids-it is almost too quiet without them! We were blessed to top off our weekend celebrating Griffin's (our nephew) baby dedication at church. This is always an exciting time to spend with family and we simply couldn't ask for more.

Call It Crafty...or Creative Use of Super Glue

I've often said I am not necessarily a crafty person, but the kids and I do like to do things together-even if it turns out that we simply made a mess! As summer approaches, I will likely have more crafty projects and experiments that we like to do during the summer-until then, I thought I would share a couple of this past weekend's projects we worked on.

Here in Kentucky, we are getting ready for the Kentucky Derby! This means hats, hats, hats! McKenna and I worked on her hat this weekend for the stickhorse derby in her kindergarten class. It turned out to be very cute- although I must admit I toned it down a little from her original concept. As you can see we opted not to include glitter, sequence, or beads, but silk flowers, ribbon and super glue certainly did the trick. We were both happy with the fashionable derby hat! You'll have to excuse the poor quality of the picture- I took it with my cell phone and it does her hat no justice...

The second project we took on was an idea I actually took from someone I work with. A lollipop bouquet! When I saw her with it, it was absolutely fun and bright and I thought "I can do that". Turns out that our sweet nephew broke his arm over the weekend and had to have surgery-the lollipop bouquet was perfect to take to him!

I hope you enjoy these ideas and I can't wait to share a few more in the future!

Order, Order!

This past week, we have had to reclaim order in our household. We are not by any means "neat freaks" or overly structured in our household routines. However, somehow, our house has started to look like an episode of TLC's Hording: Buried Alive and our routine has gone askew. In order to implement some structure back into our home we have gone back to some of the management strategies that we have done previously. What is it that maintains order in your household? I would love some tips or new ideas, but in the meantime, this is just a little of what we do.

1. Daily Chore Charts- I have made chore charts using DLTK's Custom Chore Charts for both McKenna and Asher. Chores they are responsible for include making your bed, picking up your toys, and finishing homework. They give themselves a check mark as they finish their chores and earn a set amount each day which they put in their money jars. You can find other charts at the Chuck E Cheese website or CoCo Key Water Resort. You may also want to create your own and have various rewards available depending on what makes your children excited about their jobs :)

2. Cleaning- we have opted to choose a room each night to clean. The first time or two through the house can take a while depending on the room and what needs to be done, but after a routine has been established, the house becomes neater a little quicker and it takes less and less time to devoted to the specific rooms. We also try to have a night or two off from cleaning weekly-usually the weekends if the schedule works out :)

3. Dinner- we continue to use E-Mealz and I continue to love it. It takes the guess work out of menu planning and gives me the answer to "What's for dinner?" Our grocery bill has increased slightly but we are eating out less and we are buying "better" food. We have more produce and fresh foods-much less junk food around the house. One of my favorite things is a little surprise or variety added to the menu or website for special occassions. For example, there was an Easter menu available and this week there is a Mother's Day breakfast in bed menu (at no extra charge). Fun!

4. Homework- McKenna has homework regularly and Asher also has homework from time to time. We finish homework soon after we get home from school-the kids may have a snack or play outside for a little bit, but usually homework is finished by the time dinner is served.

As mentioned, this is just a little about what routines work best in our home. I'd love to hear about what you do that gives your household order!

Hippity, Hoppity Happy Easter Day!

It's been a little bit since I have had to opportunity to update! First, I thought I might share a little bit about our Easter! We love spring at our house and are especially blessed to celebrate how Jesus rose from the grave after he was crucified-and he still lives! This is what we want to instill within our children so that they can share such good news with others as they grow. There are so many ways of sharing the Easter story with your small kiddos and here are a few ways in which we do so:

1. Resurrection Eggs are a great way to incorporate the story of Easter into your Easter tradition. You can use items found around your house to place in to Easter eggs and then review the corresponding scriptures and items. Items may include a piece of cloth or nail. If you don't want to worry about making a set yourself, you may be able to purchase one at your local Christan bookstore or online.

2. Resurrection Rolls is a recipe that I have not had the chance to try but would like to do so. My kids love to help cook and would love to share in this experience.

3. The Jellybean Prayer is a simple way to introduce even the littlest of kids to the Easter story. This is a poem that relates the colors of jellybeans to the Easter story.

Not only did we make sure to celebrate our Savior for Easter, but we managed to dye a few eggs, hunt a few eggs and eat LOTS of candy :) I've included a few pictures to give you a peek at our Easter celebrations...

Domestic Diva....or not...

Well, friends~ I have never considered myself to be a domestic diva. I TRY to be organized, have a clean house, cook exciting things and be crafty and I'm not too bad at it (well, at least I'm sort of crafty from time to time) but a domestic diva I am not. However, I didn't realize how bad it was until tonight...

First I will preface this post by saying that I have not been asked to review e-mealz and I am not receiving any compensation for my words of praise but tonight we began using this menu planning website and we could not be more excited :)

Last week, we decided to take the plunge and sign up for e-mealz. For $5 a month, we are going to receive menu plans and coordinated shopping lists according to the plan that we have chosen. We are signed up for the Kroger family plan (you can see the menus available by going to their website) and my sister has signed up for the Walmart low fat menu plan (for 2). She and I have decided that from time to time we will share our menus with one another. I knew going into this new plan that my grocery bill will increase as they give you a number of meals (7 on the family plan and 5 on the plans that are for 2 individuals) but let's also think about what I bought when I went grocery shopping before e-mealz.

Come on, you know those trips to the grocery if you have young kids- you run in as quickly as possible. Get what is on sale (or what you have the coupons for) including the boxed foods, prepared, or frozen foods-stuff that isn't necessarily good for you but is easy and convenient. This list is much different. I knew this week my grocery list was going to be tight on the budget because I needed so much without even including food (we include paper towels, cleaners, diapers, formula, etc on our grocery list) so we decided to go with the low fat plan that my sister has since it was the less expensive of the two. I got my "regular" items including baby necessities, food for school lunches, laundry detergent (the big jug) and some pantry staples and then got the items indicated on our e-mealz list for our menu this week. The total cost was $94 and both our pantry and fridge are pretty stocked in addition to everything else. So today, I started cooking!

You may think, "hmmm...low fat plan..." at least that's what I was thinking! But I assure you, it is still family friendly. On the menu this week are beef enchiladas, fish and veggie pouches, and today I made chicken salad so that it will be chilled and ready for dinner tomorrow and for dinner tonight we had chicken pot pie. Asher is in heaven :) He loves fruit and veggies and this week's menu is full of them. He is very excited about chicken salad tomorrow as it has grapes in it. I was especially surprised when I pulled the chicken pot pie out of the oven this evening and McKenna said "Oh! Wow, Mom! What is that?" I thought to myself, "Oh no! My poor children! They don't even recognize chicken pot pie! Where have I gone wrong?" As I said, I am not a domestic diva but I didn't know it was this bad! Not only did she think it looked "beautiful" she actually tried it (and liked it)! This is quite a feat as she will eat hot dogs for lunch and dinner 5 days a week if she doesn't like what you have offered. Although it is the menu plan for 2, we still have leftovers (and it fed 4 of us- with a couple getting seconds)!

We are pretty excited about the new menu plan and I am using dishes that I haven't used since we got married (you know, the white corningware that you usually break out for the church potluck). Tonight, I even used a pretty pie pan for the chicken pot pie~ so I'm actually cooking and not bored or dreading it. In my opinion, it's definatley worth the $5 a month for a happy, healthy family. Here's to a revamped dinnertime!

Something New..

As you have read, I often consider myself a pretty good meal planner & grocery shopper. We are a family of 5 and I usually spend $70-$75 a week on our groceries. This includes items to pack lunches, formula, diapers, etc. During the summer, I think I do especially well- I have a little more time to plan, clip and cook (and yes, I actually do enjoy cooking, but it just seems as though I never have enough time-especially when school starts back up again). I also find myself lacking in creativity. There are times that I've gotten home from the grocery store and wondered what we're going to have for dinner! So...as I was flipping through websites about menu planning, etc I found E-mealz. This is a menu planning service that cost $5 a month. The first thought that Nathan and I had when reading about this is "Why pay for someone to plan our meals?" but as we've read many reviews, none were negative and it is our hope that it will live up to it's purpose (to simplify dinner time, save time, save money and give you a meal time make over-making dinner more of a family time). We are also hoping that it will cut back our eating out, give us more of a strategy to meal planning and increase the creativity of dinner time in our house.

"So, what is this?" you may ask. As you explore the website, you find that you can pick from a variety of meal plans (we are doing the Kroger family plan that feeds 4-6 people and gives you 7 meals a week). Other choices include plans for 2 people. You may pick a specific store in which you shop (Walmart, Aldi, etc) or you may choose the "any store option". Specialty menu plans are available as well (gluten free, vegetarian, low fat, portion control and several others). Each week, E-mealz will post a menu for the week. This menu takes into account what is on sale in your store (or area) and gives you the most cost effective menu selection (this includes side dishes, etc). They give you recipies and directions as well as a detailed grocery list including price. The website gives you tips on how to use your coupons effectively and even vacation menus so that you don't bust your budget when you go on vacation.

Most weeks will average a cost between $70-$85. I anticipate that this will actually increase my grocery cost after I add in baby supplies and school lunch foods. However, what I gain from it will outweigh the increase I hope. From what I have calculated by looking over my budget, if we are able to cut out some of our eating out habits, we will definately be saving money (I am afraid to say that throughout the month of March through the beginning of April we spent approximately $250 in eating out! That is almost more than my grocery budget-ouch!). I hope to give you a more positive update after trying this for a few weeks.

Drawbacks that I anticipate are that my kiddos may not eat everything offered. Asher actually will try-he's such a good sport! But McKenna will resort to the old standby- a hotdog or bologna. I do plan to tweak the menu from time to time (for example, this week, peas is going to be a side that I will replace with green beans). However, I have read that there will be leftovers for lunches and that later in the week, they give you reciepes using those leftovers.

My menu plan for the coming week has just posted, but, since I have already planned out this week and done all of our shopping, I will start cooking from that list beginning next week (I usually do all of my grocery shopping Friday nights or Saturday-I know, party animal). I will be sure to keep you posted. I'm excited to try something different and hope to make dinner time a little more exciting :)

April Freebies...

There are lots of good freebies for April!

Joseph Beth has some great activities for the kids including a week full of events for spring break!

Michaels craft store has some great in store craft events for adults and kids!

Lowes will be building a pinball craft on 4/9 and a birdhouse on 4/23

Home Depot will be building a planter on 4/2

The Disney Store will be hosting Minnie's Masquerade on 4/8

Salato Wildlife Center -has a whole calendar full of great family events (not to mention the Safari Saturdays on 4/9-this is every 2nd Saturday of the month)

Georgetown Parks and Recreation- Easter Egg Hunt on April 23

Lexington Fayette County Urban Government - Kite Festival is April 9th

The Arboretum has spring break activities planned

Other:
Lexington Legends

The Little Kentucky Derby at UK is April 15th

Scott Co. Public Library

YMCA of Central KY

Explorium of Lexington- has Spring Break Camps available

Wow! Where have I been?

Hello! It is March 31st! That is ridiculous! I can't believe it's been over a month since I've written, but the month has just flown by! I will give you a quick run down~

It has been a great month for my Thirty One business! I'm always blessed by great hostesses and customers, but this month I had the opportunity to have a special party and do a fundraiser for my sister and the tennis team she coaches. They had a great party and I only have about 5 back ordered items (which is great for a large fundraiser)! I hadn't done too many parties since December as there was a lot of difficulty with low inventory, back ordered items, etc. as the company experienced tremendous growth. It was very frustrating! The company continues to grow rapidly, but works hard to provide good customer service and wonderful products. Although they are on a recruiting freeze (making some great changes and expansions to meet the needs of the company's growth), feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to do an order party (Mother's Day and Easter are quickly approaching...).

Spring Break was this month as well. We enjoyed our spring break as Nathan also took off for the week. Monday we hung around the house and Nathan completed a couple of small projects, finishing off the night with Kid's Night at Chick Fil A. Tuesday, we spent the morning with our cousins and friends playing at Bounce U then eating at McDonald's Play Place because we hadn't played enough :) On Wednesday, we went to the Newport Aquarium and used our annual passes for probably the last time before they expire. My mom got our family passes a couple of Christmases ago and it has to have been one of our favorite things to do! They are good for a year after you activate them and we've had a blast spending time at the aquarium. Then Thursday through Saturday Nathan and his step dad worked on our bathroom. The project continues as I type but I am hoping that this weekend it will wrap up and we will have a larger bathroom downstairs. The rest of our break was sprinkled with a visit to the library, building at Lowes, and consignment sale shopping!

March was also filled with coupons, grocery shopping and deal searching! I've been asked a couple times how it's going and I can say I've had a couple of really good trips (spending around $50-$60 for about $100 or more of food). These trips are those that I meant to post about and even took pictures, but somehow time has gotten away from me! Then I had a couple of not so good trips spending more than what I would have liked. The sales when you buy 10 items and save $5 always get me! I just think "oh! what a good deal!" or I just try to get more items and get the $5 off. Ha! Oh, well~ we are blessed :)

Where else has the month gone? Well, work has been busy-it's funny how the addition of one or two students can change the dynamics you have in your room and among your groups! So I've been regrouping and re-stratgizing making sure that all of the kiddos are taken care of. And at home we've been watching a lot of basketball AND we're getting ready for a yard sale (April 9th). Shew! That in itself wears me out! The kids' clothes have all been sorted and are ready to price, toys need to be looked through as does the rest of the house (it always seems like I can go through it over and over to sort for something like a yard sale).

So, now I look forward to April~ spring, Easter and warmer weather! Only about 46 more days of school (with students) and testing begins in approximately 26 days. Hopefully this month I'll keep up with my blog a little better...

Coupon Skillz-an update to Mad Skills!

So, I've had a lot of people ask me lately how my couponing is going! I thought I would give you an update! Throughout this process I've found that like everyone, I have my strengths and I have my weaknesses! Let me begin with the strengths :)

My first strength is that I have a very organized and great looking binder! It is divided by sections it is oh so easy to find my coupons. With that being said, my next strength is eating out.

Well, friends! Let me tell you that we can eat out cheap! Of course eating would be my strength! AND not cooking! Let's take today for example. My family and I just got home from lunch at Chick Fil A (come on, you knew that was coming). We ate for around $12 and this is what we had:
The Spicey Chicken Sandwhich combo, 2- 4 count chicken nugget kid meals, a Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich and a small Coke and the Original Chicken Sandwich. YUM! Here's how :)

McKenna, Asher and I went out this morning to gymnastics, the library, etc and met Nathan for lunch. So we ordered separately. When he arrived, Nathan ordered his food (a combo) and used a free kids' meal coupon. When I arrived, I ordered my sandwich and a kids' meal (also using a free kids' meal coupon). After we had eaten and kids were playing, I was flipping though my coupons to see if any expired and there was one that expired today- a free chicken sandwich- so we split it! If I wasn't a pig, I would have passed it to someone who could use it in line which is normally what I like to do w/ my near expiration dated coupons. Oh-I almost forgot-the cashier told Nathan when he redeemed this coupon that the expiration date on it isn't really an expiration date but when they would like for individuals to use them (I guess a "use by the suggested date"). So that may be helpful to some of you.

This is just one example-I have found that we can eat out for pretty cheap! BUT I will also note that we did not eat out throughout the work week! Yay for us! We have decided that we are going to go for it again-however, I have a couple coupons for free oatmeal and that sort of thing from McDonald's. I'm not sure I will count that because the main reason we are not eating out is because we tend to waste money. But if I'm not paying for it, does it count? Okay-I apologize- I am rambling.

As for the grocery store and my grocery coupons-I am afraid that it is my weakness. I sometimes just see good deals, get excited and buy it! Or when they have the buy 10 items and save $3, I start buying stuff just to get the $3 off-when that really doesn't make sense. I am spending more to save $3. I try to stop myself...I was pleasantly surprised though last week when I did this and the Catalina coupon dispenser printed off coupons for me to save money on my next visit (I believe it was 2 coupons for $3 off).

Nathan would disagree-he is pretty pleased :) I save an average of $50 per trip to the grocery store. I usually pay $70-$80 for around $130-$150 worth of groceries. This includes formula, diapers, wipes, etc. I should be pleased, but I am still trying to figure out how some people pay something like $10 for $250 worth of food. I believe the difference is, that when I go to the grocery store, I am still shopping for a weekly menu and not just buying what is on sale and building a stockpile. I'm not intentionally building a stockpile, but I have lots of toothpaste and vitamins! I basically got it for a few bucks when they were on sale. The grocery actually paid me $0.02 for toothpaste-it was on sale for $0.98 and I had $1.00 off coupons! I will continue to keep you posted and maybe even give you some details of my next shopping trip.

I've enjoyed the challenge and will continue to save money for our family and to help others with the resources we've been given! I hope you have a fabulous Saturday!

Thirty One Website!

My Thirty One website is now updated! Feel free to browse and shop online at www.mythirtyone.com/KRH20

For those interested in the next event posted (a fundraiser for the Harrison County Tennis Team), you can go to my website and click on "my events". You will find a link that will allow you to place an order if you wish that will help in benefiting the tennis team. Happy Shopping!

Kids Eat Free (or cheap!)

One of our family's challenges is trimming down the amount of money that we spend at restaurants. I have noted in previous posts that we often use www.restaurants.com to save some when we go out to eat and as many may know, I always have a coupon to go somewhere :) I wanted to share with you some of the restaurants in our area (Georgetown) that have kids eat free (or cheap) deals. Make sure you contact the restaurants to confirm the deal and any other details!

Applebees (Georgetown, KY)
Kids eat free on Wednesdays (with the purchase of an adult entree)

Gold Star Chili (Georgetown, KY)
Kids 10 and under eat free on Tuesdays when dining in and accompanied by an adult purchasing a combo meal

Fazolis (Georgetown, KY)
Kids eat on Tuesdays from 5-8pm for $0.99

Giovanni's Pizza (Georgetown, KY)
Thursday is kids' night. Kids eat for $2.99 with adult buffet purchase.

Steak N Shake
Kids eat free all weekend! One free kid's plate for every $8 spent.

Frisch's Big Boy
During February and again in October, you can purchase Valentine and Halloween coupons. Each coupon is worth a free kid's meal (choices are listed on the coupons)! You can get 8 coupons for $1. This is a great deal and we pass them out to our friends as well! During October, similar Halloween coupons can be purchased at Burger King (coupons are for fries) and Wendy's (coupons are for a frosty).

These are just a few in Georgetown. A website that I often use is Kids Meal Deals.
You can browse the website and simply enter in your zip code and day of the week that you would like to eat out and search! There are many other "Kids Eat Free or Cheap" deals! In Lexington, you may find Old Chicago, Abuelos, bd's Mongolian Grill, Chick Fil A and MANY MANY more!

Another secret I have found is that you can sign up on individual restaurant's websites and they will send you specials or keep you informed about specific deals. For example, at the beginning of February, I received an email from Chili's that gave me specific dates throughout the month that kids can eat free! I know that kids also ate free on Halloween, thanks to my email update.

Despite all of these GREAT deals and resources, we still find ourselves eating out too much!
This week, my family has decided to challenge ourselves to not eat out during the work week. My husband and I both commute to work each day and we are on the road quite a lot! With late work hours or meetings after work, we often find ourselves driving home hungry and then driving thru! So this week, we are taking a small step and will not be hitting the drive thru! I have applied rules for this as my mom often gets my two oldest on days that I tutor. She will sometimes treat them at McDonald's (usually once a week) and so this is the one instance we will allow eating out. We have often tried only eating out on a pay weekend (about 2 times a month), and have more than once set ourselves up for failure by saying we will not eat out an entire month. SO, we are starting small and not eating out during the work week :) Surely we can make it, right?! We'll see!

Spring!

Okay, so it's not quite spring, but hasn't the weather lately been such a teaser!? I can't help but get a little excited about some of the exciting things that come up during the spring! So I thought I would share a few of the things that I enjoy most about spring.

One of which is spring CONSIGNMENT SALES :) Our family has been working to clean out closets and decide which items we will be selling and which items we think we may need throughout the summer. Yard sales and consignment sales are a great way to get some of those big outdoor items that may otherwise be expensive and outgrown quickly. For example, last year I found a sand and water table for just $20! Here is a list of some of the consignment sales around Central Kentucky that I know of but I'm sure there may be more out there so feel free to share!

Lil Lambs Closet
Friday, March 4 8 - 6
Saturday, March 5 8 - 12

Kids Connection
This is off Southpoint Drive in the Pinnacle Neighborhood Clubhouse.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
12:00PM – 8:00PM
Friday, March 25, 2011
8:00AM – 8:00PM
*Saturday, March 26, 2011
8:00AM – 12:00PM
*Many items discounted 50% on Saturday!

Angels' Attic
Friday, March 11 9 - 7
Saturday, March 12 9 - 12

Lil Elks Consignment Sale
Thursday, March 24, 2pm-8pm
Friday, March 25, 9am-8pm
Saturday, March 26 , 8am-12pm


Lilybugs Sale (Georgetown)
Friday, March 11 7pm - 11pm
Saturday, March 12 8 - 12 *Half off sale day

Lil' Cherubs (Danville)
Friday, March 4 from 8:30 - 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 5 from 8:30 - 1:00 pm

This is also a good time to sign up for some spring deals and fun activities. Below is a list of activities going on throughout February and March.

Barnes and Noble

There is a story time on Tuesdays at 10:00am and Sundays at 3:00pm. See the events page for all sorts of fun themes, including a Dr. Seuss story time.

Saturday, March 19th at 11:00 am, Very Hungry Caterpillar special story time event.

Joseph Beth


Special Saturday activities are listed on the website in addition to:

Toddler Time: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Baby & Me: Sundays at 11:30 a.m. & Thursdays at 11:00 a.m.
Kids Corner: Saturdays at 11:00 a.m.

Lowes

February 26, 2011 at 10am your child can build the Lowe's Race Car

March 12, 2011 is a basketball game

Home Depot

March 5, 2011 at 9:00am, children will be building the Home Depot race car

April 2, 2011 at 9:00am, planter/basket

Salato Wildlife Education Center (in Frankfort)

Has lots of Spring Break Activities planned, but is also having Safari Saturdays (for ages 3-6)!
This takes place every second Saturday of every month. There will be a different theme each month and the cost is $3 per child. 10am-noon

Arboretum

Lil' Sprouts- Wednesdays in March at 10:00am $2 per child

Michaels Craft Store

Check the website often for family events!
February 26 from 10am-noon there will be science demonstrations from the book, "My First Science Kit"

As you can see, there is so much going on! I hope you find some useful information here and I'm always happy to receive it as well!

Why I Love This Guy....

Hi, everyone! It seems as though it has been a while since I have written here on my blog! Working all week last week wore me out! Actually, it was only 4 days as I had a personal day to spend with Nathan for his birthday! I'm glad I have a snow day today so that I can spend a little time writing!

We are quickly approaching Valentine's Day! Nathan and I have never really done a lot to celebrate Valentine's. Maybe exchange small gifts, flowers or candy, but nothing too extravagant. Since having our babies, Valentine's has become a time where we celebrate the love of one another. Loving our friends, family and celebrating those relationships. However, I can't help but remember one of my favorite Valentine's with Nathan. It was the one after we first got married (February 2004). Nathan brought me home Godiva chocolate (they had a kiosk right outside of the retail store where he was working at that time) and he was so proud :) We cooked dinner in our new little townhouse on Crusaders Way and then went to see a movie (Along Came Polly). It's the little things we appreciate and remember the most.

So it is in the spirit of Valentine's Day that I decided I would love to share a little of our love story and what I love about him with you . I will preface that yes, this may contain some mushy content, but there must be a little mush to make this world of ours go 'round!

Nathan and I met at a birthday party when we were 16. At this time, the story is pretty short as we did not like one another! I thought he was boring and sort of a dork (which I now appreciate) and I can say that I really have no idea as to what he thought about me, but as a 16 year old girl, I don't think it mattered what he thought at the time. I was probably too worried about my own thoughts-sad but true...

It was later that fall that we happened to be in the same chorus class and through some strange twist, hit it off! It may have been our sarcastic sense of humor, it may have been that we both loved music and loved to perform (ok, you may say we were hams) but on September 17, 1998, we went on our first date-to see "Something About Mary" and we continue to date even now -but more when we have a sitter and the chance to get out :)

What I love about Nathan is that we have been together since high school. In many respects, we have grown up together. We have seen some of the best moments together in addition been through some of the most difficult moments together. From high school, to college, to marriage and parenthood, it has not always been an easy road. We've learned quickly that it takes work!

I love that Nathan is very loyal. Whether it is work, church, friendship, or family, you can be certain that Nathan is a loyal individual. He stands up for what is right for those around him and he plays by the rules. If he has something negative to say he will tell you and you can be certain that gossip can be one of his pet peeves.

Nathan's loyalty leads to the support he often shows me. He has been supportive with all my ideas and endeavors. As a matter of fact, I know he reads my blog and sneaks a peek at my journal from time to time to see what I've got to say! He shows interest in the new 31 patterns when my new catalogs come in (even if he really isn't interested) and when I went back to school to get my teaching degree, he was such a help as he patiently listened to me discuss all those confusing education acronyms.

I have always joked that Nathan lives in his own little world where everything turns out great. I believe that for Nathan, it is more of a matter of faith. Faithfulness is one of his spiritual gifts and I am blessed by this because I am sometimes more of a doubter. If something is going wrong and it seems as though it can't get any better, Nathan's response is "Don't worry, it will be fine." It usually is and he simply has faith that it will be. We know that God will never put us through anything we can't handle and with his faithful heart, he reminds me of this-I admire this about him.

I love that Nathan is not afraid of children (or having more if that is what we are called to do-who knew!?-). Nathan is a great Dad and wants the best for our family. I know he had many worries when our babies first came along. Seven years after we were married we have 3 beautiful babies that keep us busy and fill our life with lots of love and noise. We have the desire to help them grow and teach them how to be Christ-like, loving, thoughtful and hardworking individuals.

I love that I've seen Nathan's heart for God & servant-hood grow through the years. He loves to serve by using his beautiful talent in music (which is a passion for him in itself) and even if it's not your style or what have you, he loves to praise and worship God-it's not about him but the gift he's been given. I've watched now as he looks now to reach out more and find what God would have us do to serve in our community as we grow as a church (and even what our family can do for others).

Now, yes, I've been mushy and there is so much I can say about Nathan & our marriage. Know we are not all mushy (which people probably see more often and you will see as my blog continues!). This probably takes care of my need to mush and gush for awhile.

There are projects around my house that I am STILL waiting to be completed. We still hang out on the couch at night and watch tv, we play board games, we still hold hands in the car, and we juggle responsibilities around the house as if we are professionals (Nathan, by the way, cleans the vomit-not me!). I could go on and share with you many other aspects of our relationship but the fact of the matter is I am very proud of him and of us-we have always said that we are lucky to have what we have, in today's world, it can sometimes be unusual.
Happy Valentine's and may you celebrate with those you love!

SWAGGER WAGON

One of my favorites, because, yes-we are a mini-van family...

Thelma and Louise (and kiddos) Ride Again!

Here it is, friends! The Harrington's new-to-us Honda mini-van! Now, many say that they are not mini-van type people (we were also those people!) but when Nathan recently had a mishap with a patch of ice and our little "putt around town" Rav 4 (yes, it had 238,000 miles!) we decided that we are a minivan family and needed some extra space. Not only does it accomodate our family but I am especially excited about spending time with my sister as we take our "field trips"!

My sister and I teach in the same district but at rival schools. Okay they are not rival schools, that just makes it seem a little more interesting. We both teach in a great district that truely loves its students. But what is also important is that this means that our breaks (spring, fall, etc) fall at the same time and we enjoy getting out with the kids and taking field trips! As spring and summer approach-which isn't soon enough-I will give you some ideas and lists of summer freebies and programs that we love to attend. Kara and I have been known to pack up the Pacifica (which was our version of a non-mini-van but could still fit our family) and take the kids to the pool, library, movies, etc on a family friendly budget. Needless to say, space is a little tight sometimes with 2 baby carseats and asking the kids to climb over the console through the middle and to the back. Isn't it confusing just to read it?! The van will help to accomodate this issue and I am very excited about the storage in the back!

It's crazy how one can actually get excited about a mini-van. But I think that maybe it's more of the possibilities and memories-such as the fun of summer, loading up and hitting the road! Although we aren't running from the law-we enjoy taking the kids out to enjoy new activities and have fun with our favorites as well. I will be so glad when it's warmer and this modern day, family friendly, Thelma and Louise (along with our kiddos) can ride again!