This Foto Friday I'd like to share with you something very special to me. As you may or may not know, I'm a rather sentimental person. I love that our guests sleep in a bed that used to belong to Mr. Poe's grandmother and that our toddler(s) will sleep in a bed my granddad made for my dad that I slept in as a little girl. And now that we know we're having a little girl, I'm especially excited to be giving her:
a Raggedy Ann doll given to me by a very dear aunt, a bear given to me when I was born, the jewelry box I used for twenty-ish years, and the tea set and rocking chair I had as a little girl.
I hope she gets as much enjoyment out of these things as I have; I just can't wait to share them with her!
For the next Reading Review, I present the classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee:
I had read this book before in school, but it was nice to have the opportunity to read it again and get an adult perspective on the book.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" is well written and a great read. It captures the attitude of the time and the spirit of childhood perfectly. The unique plot holds the readers attention, and the grammar school aged narrator provides humor at times and a unique vantage point that makes people of all ages able to identify with various aspects of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was reminded again of why it is a timeless classic.
It's another Money Monday here on the blog! There isn't much exciting going on this week, but here are a couple deals worth making a trip out for:
CVS
Pringles Chips ($1.49) - get $1 back in ECBs WYB4, $1/4 RP 5/20
Wags
Suave Shampoo ($1+) - get $2 back in RR WYB2
...just count your blessings instead of sheep, and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings." - Bing Crosby
Today's Foto Friday post is all about those blessings we've received recently. As you probably know, Mr. Poe and I are having a baby. Yesterday at 20 weeks, we found out we're having a little girl! From the ultrasound, it seems that everything is going well and growing as it should (praise God!):
This week we also got our new fridge and dishwasher installed:
It'll be so nice to not have to wonder about the food we're eating anymore, and I know I'll be extra thankful for a working dishwasher when the baby comes!
These recent blessings have been so wonderful, and we are so thankful!!
For this Theology Thursday, I'd like to share with you a great lesson about Jesus from Mr. Maxson. In honor of Father's Day last Sunday, he presented Jesus in a slightly different light- as a role model for dads- focusing on how He always put Himself second during His time on this earth. Don't feel like there's no point in listening if you're not a dad though; since we're all called to be servants, this a great lesson for everyone. You can find it online here.
Happy Money Monday to you all! It's been a very long last couple of weeks, and I have greatly missed being with you! I'm very excited to be starting my first week back with some wonderful deals and freebies:
CVS:
Tom's of Maine Deodorant ($3.19) - get $1 back in ECBs, $2.50/1 SS 6/17
Electro Nyte Rehydration Shot, 2 pk. ($4.79) - get $4.79 back in ECBs
Wags:
Colgate Total, 4 oz. ($3) - get back $2.50 in RR, $0.50/1 SS 6/17
Suave Hair Products, 5-28 oz. ($1+) - get back $2 in RR WYB2
This Foto Friday is not for the faint of heart. This is Layla's mess that I had to deal with right after breakfast:
This is by far the worst dog mess I've ever had to clean up, but today I was thinking that all these messes are just prepping us for having children. So, although I never imagined I'd say it, thanks for the messes, Layla and Sasch.
What's for dinner this Wednesday is a fantastic dish for this time of year...chunky summer spaghetti.
Ingredients: noodles, 2-3 Roma tomatoes, 1/2 pound sausage, 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder.
Brown sausage in a medium sauce pan over med-high heat. Drain, add remaining ingredients, and cook over medium heat until the tomatoes are warm and softened. Serve over cooked noodles:
It's another Money Monday here on the blog! Here are a few of the deals I'm excited about this week:
CVS
Salonpas Patch, 1 ct. ($1.87) - get $1.87 back in ECBs
Pringles, 5.7-6.75 oz. ($1.49) - get $1 back in ECBs WYB 4, use $1/4 RP 4/29
Wags
U by Kotex Tampons, 18 pk. ($3.99) - get $3 back in RR, use $1/1 SS 5/20
Sleep Sheets Strips, 10 pk. ($4.99) - get back $4.99 back in RR
Good morning, and happy Foto Friday! Today I'd like to share some of our new baby things that Mr. Poe and I are pretty excited about.
Mama and Papa Poe largely contributed to this lovely 4 in 1 crib and changing table set that we found on craigslist for a steal (barely used!):
And my sis-in-law, Mrs. Brodrecht, who's about 7 weeks ahead of us, told me about a great deal on baby slings here (enter the code CCMother and get a sling for the cost of shipping). Mine arrived this week, so of course I tested it on Sascha:
She was not a fan, and 'said' as she often does, "It's tough to be small!"
It's another What's for Dinner Wednesday where dessert is on the menu! As I shared last week, we received a baby food maker as a gift. So, even though it'll be a while before I use it regularly, I wanted to try it out. Here's my take on apple sauce...made in the baby food maker but fit for any adult!
Ingredients: 1 apple (cored and split in at least 8 pieces), water, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
Steam the apple slices according to baby food steamer directions (or using a steamer and saucepan on the stove top):
Drain the water from the steamer (or transfer to a small food processor), add cinnamon, and puree until the apple sauce reaches the desired consistency. Enjoy!
I've been holding this review back for a little while until the big reveal that we're pregnant, but now that you know, I can share "What to Eat When You're Expecting" by Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway:
Although it's been recently replaced by "What to Expect: Eating Well When You're Expecting," I couldn't turn down purchasing it when it showed up at my local thrift store, and after reading it, I was glad to own a copy.
This book includes information on what you should eat, what you shouldn't eat, as well as what eating/not eating these certain things will do for the health of your baby. There's even a section included for suggested diet and caloric variations while nursing AND 100 recipes that help you put the book's teachings into practice.
You may be asking, do I follow the best odds diet proposed in the book to the T...and I would have to answer no. But I do feel a lot more comfortable about making my food choices, knowing more about amounts of nutrients I should be eating, portion sizes, and such.
The only thing I really didn't like about the book was the introduction of the first chapter, which basically discounts any input God has on what issues a baby may or may not be born with, instead suggesting that eating well will guarantee you a healthy baby. Ironically, however, even the name of the diet ("Best odds") suggests that even the authors believe that statistically, even if you do everything right, you can't totally control the health of your baby.
All things considered, I would recommend this book to any woman expecting.
Once again Money Monday is upon us! Here are some of the deals going on this week.
CVS
Pantene Shampoo, 12.6 oz ($3.49) - get back $1 in ECBs WYB 2, use $3/2 PG 5/13
Dial Soap, 3 pk ($1.88) - get back $1 in ECBs
Wags
Starbucks Refreshers, 12 oz ($0.99) - get back $0.99 in RR
NatuRelief, 28 ct. ($5.99) - get back $4.99, use $1/1 SS 3/11
It's another Foto Friday on the blog! As you know, Sunday is Mother's day, but since we're having the youth forum this weekend, we had to go visit our parents last weekend to give them our Mother's day surprise...
That's right! Mr. Poe and I are pregnant! Yesterday was 14 weeks. Here's the Poe-let at 8 weeks:
We were so happy to be able to tell most of our immediate family in person, and everyone is just as excited as we are! We even got our first presents...a baby food maker and money toward a crib...
We are so tremendously blessed, and so extremely thankful!
It's another Theology Thursday on the blog, and today I'd like to invite you all to a very special weekend event here, our semi-annual youth forum.
Paul Earnheart will be speaking this year, and the setup is a bit different. Friday night at 7:30, he will be giving a lesson to older folks about raising children. Saturday there will be various lessons geared toward young people at 10, 11, 1:30, and 2:30.
I encourage everyone who can join us to do so, and if you can't, check here for a live broadcast or to listen after this weekend.
