It has been 10 months since my weight loss journey began...10 VERY LONG MONTHS!

I started slowly..cutting calories, tracking everything, weight watchers, and the couch to 5k program...Its been a lot of work!

I did really good up until the summer when I kinda stalled..Ive maintained pretty much..I only lost 6 pounds this summer!  Yup just 6 more pounds bringing my total to 46! However it felt great to be able to spend some summer nights with the kids!  I only ran 100 miles since May 1st!  I was down and out on myself but I took some pics and you know what I am damn proud!

I know you cant see my face...I'm a little bruised up right now and trying to hide it.  Casey pushed back and my lip, nose and eye are a little swollen..ahh two year olds :)

I know I dont look fantastic!  I know I still have a lot of work to do!  But its getting there.  I am 10-15 lbs from a goal weight.  I am in the size of clothes I originally set out to be in.  Im so proud that even though I lost minimal weight this Summer I managed to at least keep the same weight..I did cut some more inch wise off!

Losing weight is extremely hard.  If I had a weekend where I went off with my friends and had a nice dinner and drank I spent all week paying for it!  I am able to eat around 2000-2500 calories to maintain and work out 3-4 days a week.  Now that I am trying to lose again its back down to around 1600 if I want to lose.  I cant just eat the way I want to.  I have to love salads..I have to love water...Cause as cheesy as the quote is..."Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"

Fridays will be back to weigh in days!  I hope you will follow along if you have any extra weight to lose or have developed a love of running like I have :)

Target 8/31

Bounce Bar 4.00
-2.50 Vocal point coupon
1.50

2 lbs ground beef 5.00(Not a great price but I will take it rather then getting all kids outta the car at another store to save 1.00)

Tootsie Rolls 2.00(Aubreys cake)

3 Boxes of Kellogs Frosted Flakes 5.97
-1/3 coupon
4.97 for 3!

Cars car 3.29
-3.29
free wyb 3 cereal

4 Pop Tarts 6.68
-1.67 free wyb 4
-1/3 coupon
4.01 for 4!

Almond Milk 3.29
-.55 coupon
2.74 oop

Strawberries 1.67

Birthday Card 3.29

Pectin 1.14 ref 2.30

Pasta Sauce 1.99
-.75 Target coupon
1.24

Pirates of the Caribean book 1.74 reg 6.99

2 12 pks of Pepsi 5.00

lip balm for Aubrey .74 reg 2.99

Nail Color 1.24 reg 2.49

I spent 37.14 and saved just about that 36.xx!! 

I also scored a coupon for 5/50 on groceries and 15 off a 8x8 photo book(hello Christmas present)

Organized Christmas Week 1

Every Friday I will be updating on the past week Progress in my mix of following the Holiday Grand Plan, Holiday Houseworks plan and pretty much everything Christmas Organization.  If your interested please link up your blog..Starting next week the link up will be on Fridays!

This week was Planning and Paper Week...This was basically organizing, de-cluttering your office area.

office before

I went through my office part of the area..I organized everything, threw out a lot and labeled everything to make it very easy to sort, file and keep organized. Its not beautiful but it works and will keep me super organized!

office after

I made the promise, I started my Christmas notebook, I set our budget which will not need a budget just a little here and there allocated in our regular budget, the Master gift list has been made and I know who I need to shop for! The biggest thing I did was think about how we needed to spend our holidays...This year will be much like last year, at home with Jeff and the kids and I!

In the Holiday Grand Plan this week you needed to focus on the Front Patio which I do not really have..Its cleaned up and ready for the holidays though! The only thing it will need is a fresh wreath.

Yes well aware we need a new patio...In on our home to do list but it works and is safe

Printing and Planning wise...

Gifts to be given, amount to spend (include family, friends, school, church, etc)
Christmas card list (computerize it!) Print list and update it, if needed. Decide how many cards are needed.  We are gonna go ahead and go with 25 cards I always order 50 and have to many left over.  We are sticking to just close friends and family this year.  As for gifts we do not need many gifts and we have allotted x amount of money so I need to make it stretch and shop smart!

Visits to make We will make a trip to Edaville this year for the Polar Express.  We will visit with my family the weekend before Christmas.  We will do Christmas Eve at home with my mom and brother if he comes home..Other then that we are staying low key!

Parties/Entertaining NONE

Menus for Thanksgiving, and Christmas I will discuss this with my mother..Usually she buys the majority and I cook and entertain.  We dont go all out we are very easy to please!

Goodies for Sharing/Gifts. Decide how much needs to be made and divide it between the weeks from now through December 1. I do want to make a few homemade gifts for my mom and brother from the kids.  I also want to make my kids some nice things.  I have so many ideas on Pinterest I want to see what I can make with what I have on hand first and go from there.  The more we can hand make the less we spend out of pocket.


Long-term shopping list divided into: canned foods, perishables for each holiday, linens and dishes, decorations, etc.

We are going to try and not buy much for decor, linens etc.  The only thing we need to buy is food for our meals and candy and cookie making.


I have my Master gift list printed and filled out, I have the gift planner printed out but really don't know what my kids want so I gotta wait till it gets a little closer, and I didn't print the card list..I dont send out tons of cards basically the same people every year our close friends and family!

All in all it was a great first week and I feel really prepared already!

Toys R Us and JCP

I know I have been rare on the deals lately..We are just trying to stay home and not spend money at all no matter how good of a deal it is! However I saw two great coupons I thought I would pass along!

20% off at Toys R Us!

10/10 at JCP for Liz Claiborne

These would be great to get your holiday shopping started!

Gallery Wall

I think I am finally in love with my "gallery" wall in the living room....Its been so many ways!

moving in...

getting fuller but not in love with the frames..

It then got bare!

I of course have been spending a lot of time on blogs and Pinterest and saw a lot of Gallery Walls I just loved!

Source: younghouselove.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: kaseybuick.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: shanty-2-chic.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: westermanfam.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

So I did a little re-arranging..aka hubby came home and the pictures in the hallway were gone as well as the hanging ones in our bedroom and I was outside spray painting a Hob Lob letter!  Yes this is totally normal now in our home..Hes learned to just roll with it cause chances are it will be changed sooner then later!

Yes the couch is back..Yes the trough is empty..Yes there is another part of our window behind the couch...Yes this is totally normal!

I really like it..I smile every time I walk into the room! I am just loving Pinterest and the fact Casey is now 2 and I can actually get some more stuff done around the house!

Holiday Grand Plan: Week 1

Week One is List Week at the Holiday Grand Plan! During this week, we kick off holiday prep with lists, lists and more lists.
We’ll print helpful calendars and forms for Christmas organizing and begin to create a Christmas notebook.
This week’s cleaning focus is the front porch: We’ll clean and organize the area around the front door so that our home will be ready to welcome visitors during the holiday season.
Ready to jump into List Week? Let’s get organized with the Holiday Grand Plan!

Deep Cleaning/Organizing Area: Front Porch

• Front Porch
• Front Porch cleaning checklist

Holiday Prep:

• Print the Holiday Grand Plan calendars for reference.
• Make the following lists:
  Gifts to be given, amount to spend (include family, friends, school, church, etc)
  Christmas card list (computerize it!) Print list and update it, if needed. Decide how many cards are needed.
  Visits to make
  Parties/Entertaining
  Menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, other parties
  Goodies for Sharing/Gifts. Decide how much needs to be made and divide it between the weeks from now through December 1.
  Favorite Meals of Family members for freezing ahead.
  Long-term shopping list divided into: canned foods, perishables for each holiday, linens and dishes, decorations, etc.
• Create a Christmas planner notebook to organize holiday planning. This week’s printable forms from Organized Christmas include:
• Master Gift List
• Christmas Card List
• Gift Ideas Planner

This Week’s Forms To Print:

Calendar 1Calendar 2 Calendar 3List Week Checklist
Planner CoverSpine Insert
2011 Planner Cover Spine Insert 2

I do not have a porch so this doesn't effect me.  But I am getting my printer nice and warm getting everything printed and ready to assemble for my Holiday Grand Plan!  I also want to make sure I am not just printing and setting aside..I want everything that pertains to myself and my family filled out and ready for next week.  


Make sure you link up if you follow the plan!

Fall trees

I have been throwing out little pops of fall this weekend when Irene hit us and decided to try and make a little tree like I saw a lot last Christmas!

Source: lifesweetlifeblog.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I decided to round the top of mine a little... Dollar Tree cone meet cheese grater!

I just used regular school glue we had on hand and brushed it on with my hand and dipped in a bucket of glitter!

As soon as it dried I threw it on a Dollar Tree candle stick and added it onto my shelves in the dining room.  I think its cute and gives a good pop of color!

Not 100% in love with these shelves yet..I plan on adding a pic of the kids pumpkin or apple picking in the frame as well.  Im not sure what to put in the top shelf in the open space in the middle..Im really trying to work with what I have...not spending is no fun!

Im linking up..

Houseworks Holiday Plan: Planning and Paperwork Week

Are you ready to make a plan … to simplify your holidays?

This week, we kick off the Houseworks Holiday Plan. Part book group, part get-organized club, we’ll travel together toward a calm and stress-free holiday season.

As we begin our journey to a clean and organized holiday house, one job comes first: organizing planning and paperwork. Where do you go to pay bills, keep a calendar, or handle the mail?  Whether it’s a dedicated home office or a rolling file cart under the dining table, it’s time to declutter, organize and clean the planning area. A holiday prep bonus: we’ll set up a Christmas organizing planning center this week, so we can move ahead with holiday season preparations.

Planning and Paperwork Week Assignments

As you know I love the site Organized Christmas and am going to follow all plans this year..Now to a T but getting a little out of everything that each of the plans offer!  This week I am going to clean and organize our office and make sure its in order for the holiday season!  I think I am a fairly organized person and know how easy it is to do if you just spend a little time.  I want to also make sure this is done to look neat, nice and well kept! 

So if you follow these plans link up your blog or site in the comments section I always love to see new blogs with a love of a Organized holiday like I love! 

One of the joys according to my kids and husband living in a more rural then urban area is all the 4 legged visitors we get to see!

Now if you ask me I see this as a problem...In the past few years we have had a momma bear and her cubs(this year), a momma and baby moose(last year), and of course multiple rodents and other animals..The other day I was doing dishes looked up cause something moving around caught my eye to see Bambi!

We have a little over an acre of land and he or she was just at the end of the wooded area of our property...

The kids really got a kick out of it..Especially Trev!

He was schooling Aubrey on how she had to be quiet, and it was a boy cause it didn't have antlers, and a million other facts I wouldn't even know.  That boy is all about the animals!

Shaws GM Catalina totals...

10 Brownies reg 1.79 sale 1.50
4 Betty Crocker Cookie pkg reg 2.79 sale 2.00
2 Betty Crocker cake mix reg 1.85 sale 1.75
2 Betty Crocker frosting reg 2.29 sale 2.00
1 Flour reg 3.29 sale 2.50
1 Ortega Stuffer reg 3.49 sale 2.50
2 Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks reg 2.69 sale 2.00
3 Fiber 1 brownies reg 3.79 sale 2.50
1 Bisquick Mix reg 4.49 sale 2.00
2 Pillsbury Bisquits reg 2.59 sale 1.50
2 Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls reg 2.79 sale 2.50
1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust reg 2.99 sale 2.00
Soft Bread reg 2.99 sale 2.00
Total: 81.10
-Shaws rewards savings 35.10 (Includes the 5.00 off per every 10 items I bought!)
-manu coupons and doubles 18.60
26.90 oop for 81.10 worth of goodies..

Now most of this is crap and junk...But I will be needing snacks 4 days a week for Aubrey and a treat every day for Trevs school lunch!  I will make and freeze batches of waffles and pancakes for breakfast on the go..Lots of stuff and my stockpile room feels nice and full again!

Extreme couponing..

If you follow me on facebook or know me you know how much I despise the TLC show Extreme couponing! I have been following a couponing lifestyle for about 5 years now. When I became pregnant with my daughter I was introduced to a coupon board and fell in love. I love to shop and this gave me an outlet to shop without spending tons of money!

I do have a ton of toys stockpiled from clearance deals for upcoming birthdays and holidays which saves me TONS every year!


I have a stockpile of cleaning supplies, HBA stuff..A stockpile not a hoarding room or 2 or 3! I like to have on hand at least 6 months worth of cleaning supplies, soaps, shampoos, face wash etc. I do..I have a very small area that holds all this stuff..As a family of 5 its nice to just run downstairs and grab whatever I need!

However over time my stockpile is getting smaller and smaller..We ran out of baked goods, we ran out of pasta sauce..All these items..Our grocery budget has been a lot higher then its been in YEARS! WHY?! I stopped trying..I got sick of the stores changing policies, flipping out cause I was using a coupon correctly but so many people do not, getting to stores to have shelves wiped clean the 2nd day of the sale!

I now see so many women loaded up with coupons..I know it will fade out. They will get burnt out! Its a lifestyle! Im finally back in the habit of regulary couponing..Sundays I grab drug store deals and Fridays I grab grocery deals. If a great deal pops up I will stop by on my way home from the gym weekdays as to not waste gas.

Why am I ranting?  Cause couponing has changed.  If you want a deal chances are stores changed policies..No more multiple transactions, x amount of items or coupons per purchase, no doubling, no competitor coupons, no more anything..The deals are far less frequent now!  A stock up price before is no longer ever seen.  I just read a great article in All You magazine covering this exact problem and how to overcome a high grocery bill!

Tonight Aubrey and I headed to Shaws for the Betty Crocker deal they had going on...We walked out with 6 boxes of brownies, 2 pkg of cookies, a 5lb bag of flour, a tortilla stuffer for 6.50!  I was happy..Making my own baked goods always saves us a ton of money as we can kill a batch of brownies in 2 days! I will be going back tomorrow and hopefully later in the week to use up all my coupons and get some great deals.

EC: Target 8/24

Up and Up baby shampoo 1.37
-.50/1 printable
.87

Johnson and Johnson baby wash and oil clearance 2.44 reg 2.99
-1/1 J&J printable
1.44

Cascade trial size .97
-1/1 coupon
FREE

Tide Single .97
-1/1 coupon
FREE!

2 Curious George DVD's 7.99 each 15.98
-3/2 printable
12.98

Minute Maid Juice boxes 2.99
-1/1 coupon
1.99

Aquafresh toothpaste .97
-1/1 coupon
FREE

Thomas Spin brush 4.39
-2/1 coupon
2.39

Herbashine hair color 6.49
-2/1 coupon
-3/1 target coupon
1.49

Up and Up plates 3.14
-1/3 up and up coupon

2 pkg of chicken 4.50 for both after mark down

2 Deli meat 5.98
1 arnold bread 3.09
-3.09 free bread wyb 2
-1/2 deli meat
4.98 for all of the above!

Capri Sun 2 pk 3.99
-.50/1 Target coupon
3.49
(was supposed to get this for free but I forgot to get the snacks DUH)

5 Spaghetti O 3.40
-.50/5 coupon
2.90 oop for 5!

5 Raviolis 4.95
1 Hunts Pudding .95
-free hunts wyb 4 raviolis
-1/5 ravioli coupon
3.95 for all of the above!

Market Pantry Eggs 1.99
Arnold Bread 3.09
2 Deli meat 5.98
-3.09 free bread wyb 2 meat items
-1.00 wyb bread and eggs
-1/2 deli meat
5.97 for all of the above!


5 Breakfast Sausage 2.90 reg 5.80!
Vitatop brownies 2.48 reg 4.99
1 Market Pantry juice .54 reg 1.09
2 Market Pantry Peanut Butter 2.28 reg 2.28 a piece!
DS game clearance 4.98 reg 19.99
Mio Enhancer 3.49(LOVE THIS STUFF)
2 Sara Lee Cheesecakes 3.76 reg 7.52

My total oop was 62.66! I saved 73.27!

You see Kraft singles pictured..I have to return these because I got one of the wrong size and I should have gotten two of the smaller size and got the bread for free!!

I also scored big on frozen food clearance..I am hoping to get lunches for the kids stretched for a few weeks with this trip!

Christmas in July

It is officially 4 months till Christmas..Which really isn't a lot! If you think about it normal people(not me) start thinking about it around the 2 month mark.  I am a planner, I think ahead and I don't use credit cards so I gotta make sure I plan out budgeting and crafting time and funds well in advance.  The next few months will be very Holiday based around here!

July 25th the Elf on the Shelf came back for a day and brought the kids 2 presents each and they decorated a tree(their style) and we left it up for a few days..

We watched some holiday movies.  We also made some holiday themed cookies.  It was a lot of fun and they really enjoyed it. 

I also included a little video of the kids and I decorating..


As for Christmas planning I have my Planner all printed out and I have even started filling in some of the pages!  I know what I have in my gift closet as well as a few ideas for gifts I want to buy the few people I have left to shop for!

I am also going through my house while its still nice out and organizing, purging, good will, trash etc everything.  I also have been touching up paint, extreme cleaning etc.  To make your holidays enjoyable this month would be a good month to do so as the next few months will be filled with crafting, decorating, shopping, wrapping, hosting, baking and more!

Casey

Could this kid get any cuter?



Yes he shoves food in his mouth like a small rodent would...



Drives like his mother...



Truck noises



Its so weird to think he is going to be 2 in a month! This is officially the longest span that I have not been pregnant since 2004! Its so weird having a little man that is soon to be potty training, talking and not needing his Mommy 24/7! It will be just him and I a few hours a day 4 days a week pretty soon! When did all this growing up happen?

The joys of having a sister

Since his GI specialist appointment he was taken off dairy and gluten..Since then we have added back very small amounts of gluten and he does okay...But still no bread, pasta, etc.  However we just tested with dairy this past weekend and it was BAD!  Still no dairy for this little man :(

A cloche

I went to Savers the other day looking for stuff to fill up my new to me hutch.  I finally found a cheese dome!

I added my ugly dollar store candle stick to the bottom..Then gave the whole thing a spray paint coat or ORB(Oil Rubbed Bronze)

I filled it up with some clearance Pumpkin candles from Pottery Barn last year..The straw was actually the packaging it came with but it actually looks cute!

It looks GREAT in my Dining room right now...Which is slowing prepping for Fall I might add!

Seriously LOVE it!  I wish I could find bigger ones!