Couponing does a wallet good

I just wanted to share the great deal I got today at Albertsons because I have really been trying to coupon and for once I can see how it has paid off. Albertsons is having a General Mills special right now along with Box tops for education and so I was able to get a lot of really good stuff. Below is a picture and list of what I got.

4 Boxes of Cereal
1 Box Dish Detergent
6 Cake Mixes
6 Boxes Scalloped potatoes
5 Chicken Helpers
4 Nature Valley Granola Clusters(a favorite of ours)
4 El Paso Refried Beans
1 Evaporated Milk
1 Sweet and condensed milk
2 Vanilla extract
1 Bottle Salsa Verde
1 Worchestershire sauce
4 Apples
1 Container Icing

I spent 44.96 and saved 62.30

THANK YOU BIG SISTER!!!

I have been wanting to post a picture of this for quite some time. My sister Melissa made me the most adorable sock monkey quilt. It couldn't have turned out prettier. I am pretty sure she wished she never told me about it so she could have kept it for her little girl she is expecting but I am so glad she gave it to me. here is a picture of it .

Kailin telling stories. sorry it is sideways :)

Apple of my eye :)

The Prophet said to Plant a Garden

I came across this primary song and I couldn't agree with it more. "The prophet said to plant a garden, so that’s what we’ll do.For God has given rich brown soil, the rain and sunshine too.And if we plant the seeds just right and tend them carefully,Before we know, good things will grow to feed our family"

Craig and I have been so blessed to have a bountiful garden. I have posted some pictures of what the area looked like when we first saw the house and how it has transformed through the past three years. I want to thank our parents for helping us start and transform the garden. A lot of hard work has gone into this garden and we are very blessed.

Fall of 2007 when we move into the house:Our first garden boxes in Summer 2008:

Spring of 2009:

Then we added two more boxes for Summer of 2009 but I can't seem to find any pictures of that.

NOW FOR THE NEW AND VERY IMPROVED GARDEN AREA!!!!!!!!!!! I really have to thank Craig and His dad for working so hard on getting this area to what it is now. As well as I mentioned previously to my parents and siblings for helping us get the garden started:

This was the beginning of the summer. I planted a little late due to having Kailin and cold weather. This is looking from the fence toward our back yard.

We have corn....
Grapes....

Peppers and zucchini....
I love this flower on the zucchini...
Cucumbers and beans....
Strawberries and Carrots...

View of the Garden looking back towards the fence

Tomatoes....I'm not exactly sure some type of gourd..same here I think it is butternut squash...and Craigs favorite pumpkins.....

So far we have had quite a bit of produce off of the plants. I ripe tomato and a lot of cucumbers and beans. I have canned pickles and will be doing more today. Here are some pics of those:

It started with these:

Added in some dill, garlic and grape leafGetting the jars ready to add some brine:End product:

2nd picking I have done, I guess I will be doing some more pickling and beans today :)

Look who is 3 Months!!!

Kailin Taylor Shannon Thats right Kailin is 3 months old today. I can't believe how fast time flys. The good news is she is learning more and more each day the bad news is I go back to work today.. We had a fun little photo shoot today and I love this picture. Here are some things Kailin currently likes and new things she has learned.

Likes:

• Smiling and cooing
• Seeing Daddy
• Her Bumbo
• Reading Books esp. Olivia
• Bath time
• Sucking on her hands
• Watching what is happening around her all the time
• Going for runs with mommy and daddy

New things she has learned:

• to roll to her side
• Lift her head up while on her tummy and hold her arms underneath her.
• She is finding her hands and every now and then goes cross-eyed when looking at them
• To yell for the sake of Yelling(Craig and I think she likes to hear her voice)
  

We sure love this girl and are so happy she is part of our life. She brightens every day and also teaches us a lot about ourselves and how to be patient. She has the most beautiful blue eyes like her dad and a smile like her moms. Below are pictures from her past three months to compare.

1 Day old:Between 4 and 6 Weeks old:


2 Months old:
3 Months old:

Thanks Nana for the cute outfit :)