Springtime In Winter

Wow! Just 2 weeks ago...we were encased in at least an inch of ice for over a week. Today the temperature reached a glorious 71 degrees. It was just gorgeous! Drew had 2 friends over so I decided to take the 3 boys and Miss Addi to the park. I don't think she remembered going to the park. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot...her little face just lit up and she said "I walk, Mommy". Now we are really yearning for those warm spring days!!!

Way Back When-esday!

This is Daisy! She is 6 years old now but has never grown out of toddlerhood. She chews, gets in the trash, chases the UPS guy (who NEVER stops at my house, by the way ;), pees on the floor on occasion....everything a toddler would do. Soooo....Shannon has been begging me to let her come and live with her. I said no at first but the older Addi got and the more she drove me crazy getting into stuff...I changed my mind. It's not a permanent thing...she is just borrowing her and I can get her back any time. I do miss her but it has been kinda nice not to have to worry about her and I know she is being well taken care of. Now if I can just convince someone to "borrow" Lily!! LOL! April 2008

Cupcake Crazy!!

Yes....I have gone CUPCAKE CRAZY!!! I just can't get enough of watching all of the cake and cupcake shows that are on these days! I did a little research and found that we have several cupcake shops around town. I may just have to start trying them out. Saturday, (some of) our family was getting together for Jessica's birthday (it was also my mom's birthday....she would have been 73). We went to Marietta Pizza Co. on the square and then over to Miss Mamie's for cupcakes. Can you say YUM-MY???

Addi being silly with her cupcake!
Addi and the blond sisters.The gang eating and chatting!The "little kid" table (don't tell Drew I called it that)!

The "big kid" tables!
All of the kids...big and little!!!
Now I know you have heard about Sprinkles....cupcakes for the stars. They started out in Beverly Hills and have branched out to several other cities. They are planning on opening more locations and Atlanta is in the running. You can go right over here...scroll down a bit and vote for Atlanta!!

Now...to change the subject completely.....I have started potty training Addison today. Please say a little prayer for me! We are attempting the "3 Day Technique". She is so cute in her "big girl panties" and we are on our 2nd pair for the day! I will update you later this week on how well this method works! Ha!!

Edited to add.....we are now on our 3rd pair of panties. Literally seconds after I hit the "post" button, I heard Addi saying...."ewwww, dross (gross)" and sure enough there was a little puddle. Did I say I am too old for this???????

Way Back When-esday!

I'm sure I will be in the dog house for this one. LOL! Oh well....I stay there a lot anyway! This is the "other side" of Jessica that I told you about yesterday. She was less than 2 here, I think. She was just the cutest little thing with tons of curls and the most hilarious laugh you have ever heard. Sounded like a goat! We used to sit and just make her laugh over and over. I think this picture was taken at my mom's house (Jackie still has that pillow thingy) and yes, Jessica is sound asleep in that position!!! Precious!!

Happy Birthday, Jessica!

Today is my niece, Jessica's birthday!!! Hope you are having a great day, Jess! Love you! This is Jessica and her fiance, Micheal...aren't they the cutest couple???

(Be sure to check back tomorrow for WBW......and you will see a whole different side of Jessica)

Blog Neglect

You know...like child neglect but thank goodness...it's just a blog that I have been neglecting. (Well, ok....I may have neglected the kids a little too........don't report me, please). Since we were "iced" (not snowed, iced) in for 4+ days....I have gotten very, very lazy. There were a few days when we didn't even get out of our pj's the entire day (why bother...we couldn't go anywhere). The picture above was taken at the Avenue 5 days after the storwm hit. Pretty cool, huh???

But life has slowly returned to normal (if that's what you want to call it).......Keith was finally able to fly out to Kalamzoo, Michigan, I was finally able to get to Chick Fil A to get some unsweet tea, and Drew, well he was having a Pokemon card withdrawal, so we picked up a pack for him. Addi doesn't really care nor know the difference...lol. So everyone is happy and life has resumed. Hopefully, my blog will too! I have a birthday to post tomorrow so watch for that.

I will leave you with just a few random pics for the last few weeks! Todd and Melissa bought a new house. Isn't is cute??

The Three Musketeers. That's what we call Drew, Connor and Taylor. They are always together running back and forth to each other's houses. Drew and Connor have lived here since birth (and before) and Taylor moved in a year of so later....so they have all grown up together!

Jennifer and Ryan ( the kids of my friend Debi that moved back to Ohio several years ago) came to town to visit their dad and we were able to get together with them and go out to lunch. Jennifer is all grown up and married now with a baby of her own. That's Rylee. Addi was in heaven...a real baby doll for the day!
I watched Malena last week. I have really missed that little girl so it was good to have her back. She is finished with her chemo and her hair is starting to grow back in. She is just precious!

Addi is now spoon feeding herself. Makes me freak a little each time (heaven forbid we get a stain on something). But she is doing great with it. This session just tired her slap out.....lol.

That's all for today! Will be back tomorrow!!! Have a great day!

No School???

Well......that's cool! Drew thinks so anyway! I actually kinda like it too. It's kinda nice to just stay in your pj's in the warm house when it's freezing outside. We did venture out for a little bit to let Addi see what it was all about (and take pictures, of course). She liked it pretty well. Keith was supposed to fly out to Michigan this morning. Thank goodness his flight was canceled and he didn't have to worry about driving this morning!


You might be a redneck............PS.....Just got the call that school is also closed on Tuesday! So I guess we will be hunkered down for at least another day! Happy Snow Day!!!!

Freebie Friday!

*****Today is Mega Swagbucks Day! Go here to sign up!******
Swagbucks has stepped up their program lately and are now giving away even more bucks and many more times a day than before. I think I have accumulated over $300 in Amazon gift cards just for searching the web…something I do anyway! You are really missing out if you are not searching through Swagbucks!

Here is one of my Christmas deliveries! I ended up with $350 in Amazon gift cards to spend on Christmas! I am now saving up for a GPS (I know...we are still in the dark ages) and then the rest will all go towards Christmas for this year! You REALLY need to be doing this. It takes little to no effort.


~Use code: XU14A until 1/7/11 at midnight to snag a FREE one night rental at any Blockbuster kiosk.


~The Children's Place is having a Monster Sale - All Fall + Holiday Up to Fifty Percent Off! Plus, use code: RETAILMENOT1C to save an additional 15%.


~Justice Girls Clothing! Up to 75% OFF original prices when you take 40% already reduced merchandise with code 702!Hurry and snag the High School Musical CD for just 59¢ after the coupon code has been applied. Shipping starts at $5.


~Waffle House just released a great coupon. It will score you a FREE Waffle. The coupon states one per person, per visit. Valid until 3/31/11.


~Old Navy has Clearance up to 70% off today!!!! FREE shipping on any order over $50.


~Target.com is offering a FREE Photo book (you just pay $1.99 shipping)! Considering these are normally $9.99 this is a smokin' deal! Use coupon code: TGTFREEBOOK at checkout. Just click on Photo at the top of the screen and then choose Kodak Gallery.


~Here is a new FREE nights rental Blockbuster code: SHTZFR1Expires 1/10/1!!!


~Start the New Year off right with FREE Hashbrowns from Waffle House. Click HERE for the coupon. Expires 1/15/11.


~Bruegger’s is offering 3 free bagels on 2/8 with printable coupon.
You will need to be a Facebook fan to get the coupon. Although this promotion is still a few weeks away, I would recommend printing the coupon now while you can!
There is no purchase necessary and the coupon is valid from open until 2pm.
Find a Bruegger’s location near you here.


~There is a new Coach Factory outlet coupon available for 20% off.
This one is valid through 1/9 only.
You can find a Coach Factory Outlet store near you here.


~Peet’s Coffee has a coupon available for Buy One Get One Free coffee drinks through Tuesday 18th. What a great excuse to meet a friend to relax and catch up! You can find a Peet’s Coffee location near you here.


~If you adopted a dog from a shelter in 2010, Pedigree is running the free dog food promotion again this year. You can fill out the Pedigree rebate forms here and they will mail you a coupon for a free 20lb bag of Pedigree.
I love this offer and what a great perk for people that adopt shelter dogs.


~The Wardley Fish Food coupon is back for $2 off. This will make fish food free at most retailers!


~This one is a little odd- but if you email: kyra@qcidirect.com with your name and mailing address they will send you a free lemon scented dust cloth.
The value of the cloth is only $1 and this was apparently posted on the facebook wall this morning.


~Sephora stores inside JC Penney are offering a free sample of StriVectin-SD until 2/4 or when supplies run out with the Sephora coupon here.


~And if you like sweetening products, you can request a free sample of Steviacane sweetener on Facebook right now.


~See Here is offering 40% off on photobooks once again and they also have free shipping with promo code: book-33. The printed story cover books are priced at $29.99- so those are $17.99 after discount. They are 8×8 in size and have a photo printed on the outside.
The smaller soft bound books are priced at $6.99- so $4.19 shipped after promo code!
You can head over to See Here to have a look! This offer expires 1/12.


~You can still get a custom wall calendar for free from Vistaprint right now. They will charge you shipping which was just over $5 for me. So that is basically $5 for a custom calendar.


~Raley’s released the new coupons today and this week they are offering a free dessert from the bakery ($3.99 value) with purchase.
This is valid Jan 7-9 only.
You can over here to print your Raley’s coupon and head over here to see this week’s Raley’s coupon matchups.


~The great sale at Bath and Body Works is still available. They have the classics available for $3 each, hand soaps for 6 for $20 or the holiday fragrance hand soaps for $2.50. You can also get $10 off a $30 purchase with code: PERFECTGIFT10.
You can also print the Bath & Body Works coupon here to use in store- it expires 1/8.


~There is a new $1 off Chip’s Ahoy Heath or Reese’s Cookies coupon available on Facebook. This is on the Kraft Spanish page but the coupon does print in English. (Click on Chips Ahoy to find it)


~There is a great new coupon available for Buy 3 Rice a Roni and Get a Free Pasta Roni.


~These are priced at as low as .88 a box so you should be able to get a fantastic deal!


~Here are a few Kindle books you can download for free right now. Remember you can also read these books on an iPad or smart phone!
The Justice Game by Randy Singer
Cowboy Trouble by Joanne Kennedy
Millie’s Fling by Jill Mansell
Traitor’s Wife by Susan Higgenbotham
Romeo Romeo by Robin kaye
Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson
Invisible by Lorena McCourtney
Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith


~You can register for World Market and among the perks to the program are a surprise gift on your birthday. Rumor has it the gift is $10 or $15 to spend online
or in stores!


~You can request a free package of hearing aid batteries courtesy of hearingaid.com.
It doesn’t specify what brand but does say it is a 4pk.


~You can also get a free Nasa Dock from Neilmed if you fill out a free survey. This company is the one that frequently offers free Neti Pots so they do send free full size products. Note it says you must use FF or IE to fill out the survey.


~If you are willing to like Corner Bakery on Facebook and submit a story about having a healthier lifestyle (50 words minimum) they will send you a coupon for a free corner combo.
This is limited to 5,000 only AND it looks like the stories are getting published right on the Facebook wall.
You can head over to Facebook to get the scoop and submit your story.


~If you have a Costco card, you can register for a free sample of Kirkland Shampoo.
This sample has been around for awhile, but if you missed it before, you can get a sample of Purina One Cat or Dog food from Target.


~And Sam’s Club is also offering a free sample of Purina Smartblend cat or dog food. (Just watch for the banner ad to change to read “get sample”)


~The $1/1 Reach Floss coupon is available on SmartSource. Reach Floss is often on sale for $1 at many stores, making it free after this coupon.


~Through January 8, 2011, you can sign up for a subscription to Taste of Home magazine for only $3.99 per year when you use coupon code TASTE at checkout to get this deal.


~You can also get a subscription to Everyday With Rachael Ray for $3.99 per year when you use coupon code EVERYDAY at checkout to get this price.


~If you have unlimited texting on your cell phone, you can text PANTENECOLOR to 59999 and you’ll receive instructions to sign up for a free sample of Pantene Pro-V Color Hair Solutions. This offer likely won’t last long.


~Sign up for a free sample kit from Poise.


~There’s a new link available to print a coupon for a free Stayfree product when you purchase another.


~Vision Forum’s New Year’s Clearance Sale: Vision Forum has their New Year’s Clearance Sale running through January 31, 2011. Receive 20%-50%off regular prices, plus every online order in the month of January will receive a free copy of the book, Building a Winning Curriculum. Enter the code ONLY5 at check-out to receive standard ground shipping for only $5, or enter SAVE10 to take $10 off your order of $75 or more.


~Free 3-Month Trial of ALEKS Math Program: ALEKS Math Program is offering a free three-month trial of their web-based program. This adaptive program is designed for grades three through 12, and is effective in assessing what level your child is at, and presenting appropriate material based on that assessment. Requests for a free trial must be received by January 27, 2011 and activated by January 31, 2011. Multiple children can be signed up for this trial, but they must all be entered during the initial sign-up.


~Free Downloadable 2011 Calendar: Lakeshore Learning is offering a free downloadable 2011 calendar. They also offer a variety of free resources, such as lesson plans, activities, projects and printable worksheets.


~Food Group Lapbook for $1: CurrClick has their My Favorite Food Group Lapbook on sale for $1. This lapbook presents the four food groups as well as suggestions for a healthy diet. CurrClick is also offering the 10 Things I Learned in 2010 Mini Lapbook free.


~Martin Luther King, Jr. Resources: Request a number of free Martin Luther King, Jr. resources from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The resources available include a poster, a fact sheet, a Day of Service DVD, bookmarks, stickers, and door hangers.


~Sign up for a free sample of SteviaCane All Natural Sugar.


~Sign up for free samples of Post-It Durable Tabs.


~Print a coupon for a free 16-oz. coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate or hot tea at Pilot Travel Centers or Flying J locations. This coupon expires February 28, 2011.



Everyone have a great weekend! We will be doing the snow dance here since it is in the forecast for Sunday night/Monday!!!!!!

Way Back When-esday!

LOL!!! I am thinking about posting this on Facebook! Taylor would absolutely freak out, I think. Especially if Jackson (the flavor of the month) saw it!!! New Year's Eve, 2006!