my Bapa...

In the interest of privacy I don't want to go into great detail...but I do want to share part of my absence from blog-world. Along with the allergies and Mike's long hours, we received the news yesterday evening that my grandpa died. We knew it was coming, and thankfully my mom was able to make it in time to be with him beforehand and with my grandma as well. I cannot express how thankful I am for the time we had with him last week...the opportunity to see the joy in his eyes as he watched his two great-granddaughters...to talk with him, laugh with him, and simply to be with him. Thank you Lord for allowing Bapa to hold on for that visit. I may be a bit biased, but I would say I was privileged to have the best darn grandpa (Bapa...as we always called him) a girl could ever ask for. And I am thankful to know he is no longer suffering in this world...but at peace. When I am able to find some uninterrupted time I plan to share with you all just how blessed I was by my Bapa...but until then...I leave you with this...

CVS superstars

Just sharing some of this weeks bargains...want to see more and be inspired by the "coupon craze"...check out CVS Superstars at the Centsible Sawyer. I promise to be back with more than just pictures of bargains soon...but its been a long week with lots going on, coupled with being attacked by either allergies or a horrible cold (you know, the feeling your head is floating 6 feet above your body), LONG hours for the hub...and quite frankly, I just don't have the energy.

It was a good week for me at CVS...and Kroger (I'm loving all the e-coupons you can couple with paper coupons--big time savings!).

I got all of this at Kroger for something like 38 bucks (sorry..can't find the receipt at the moment. The original total was over $100...Mike and the girls were with me, and I know he cringed when he saw the total before coupons...and then I loved watching his jaw drop as the coupons started scanning and the total started dropping! I saved over $20 in Kroger card savings...and then something like $50 in manufacturer coupons!

Now onto CVS...and I ended up making several trips this week...more than I expected...but the deals were great, and they were things we needed.

Trip #1...two transactions...

4 Sierra Mist (BOGO)--coupled with 2 BOGO coupons--so FREE!

2 Tide detergents--used a 1/2 coupon

3 Revlon nail polishes--used 3 $2 off coupons--making these FREE plus overage after ECBs

3 Renuzit--used a $.55/3 coupon--these were fillers

1 pkg. Elmo band-aids--used $1 CVS CRT and $1 manufacturer coupon

Used a $5/15 coupon with each transaction...

Spent $3ish out of pocket (plus some ECBs of course) and walked out with $13 in ECBS...

Trip #2--prompted by the realization we were out of "travel" wipes (we make our own for around the house)

Transaction #1
4 Playskool wipes

1 Orapik traveler (finally found these in stock--which was a nice filler)

3 Johnson buddy bars (almost "free" fillers since I had a $2.50/3 coupon...and these will be passed on to others since our buddy bar stash is overly healthy these days!)

$1 off wipes coupon

$2.50 buddy bars coupon

$3/10 CVS brand coupon

$5/15 coupon

$4 ECB.....$.45 oop....and I made $2.79 in ECBS

Transaction #2

4 Playskool wipes

2 Orapik travelers

$1 off wipes coupon

$3/10 CVS coupon

$5/15 coupon

$2.79 ECB and $1 ECB....$2.99 oop...earned $10.58 in ECBs!

Finally...one last trip when the allergies attacked and I realized we were completely out of tissues! UGH! Sorry, no picture of this one...I've been too busy blowing my nose!

3 boxes Kleenex (used $.55 off 3 coupon)

4 Sobe Lifewaters (used 2 BOGO coupons to make these FREE after ECBs!)

2 Rimmel mascaras (which I also needed!--BOGO plus 2 $1 off coupons)

$5/15 coupon

I paid with a $5.58 ECB and $.08 oop....earned $2 ECBs...so I lost a few ECBs...but got much needed tissues...and more!

ten smile tuesday....vacation smiles!

*DISCLAIMER* this post contains TONS of pictures!

here i am...finally finding a few moments to sit down and share about our wonderful vacation. since it just so happens to be ten smile tuesday, i'll share by smiles. but before i share about vacation i must tell you how excited i am about the summer Bible study i'm doing through my church. i missed the first meeting last week since we were in florida, but this morning i was able to make it, and i think it will be a great study and chance to get to know some different gals in the church. i always enjoy the women's study at church because you have a chance to meet women outside of the "moms of young kiddo" phase...so good to have older women who are in different places in their life and in their walk with Christ. we are studying the book "overcoming fear, worry, and anxiety" by elyse fitzpatrick--an excellent book...one i have actually read and studied before on my own...but how refreshing to review it and have a group of women to be working through it with.

but without further ado...here are the smiles...and some pictures.

1. fabulous traveling kiddos...seriously, the girls did an excellent job. they weren't even remotely phased by the airplane ride...although elizabeth was quite fascinated by the whole thing. among her cutest comments...."daddy...this airplane is slowin' down. i ride a new one." (and she was right...it did indeed feel like we were slowing down). "clouds go fast!" the only minor "upset" for elizabeth about the airplane ride was when we reached the bottom of the jetway-walk and were just getting ready to step on the plane...she saw the "crack" between the walkway and the plane, looked down and FREAKED! i'm sure all the people were cringing as we entered the plane with our screaming child and load of carseats...but she settled right down! kate was her usual social-butterfly self...waving at everyone...grinning....giggling. she spent the entire plane rides (with the exception of a diaper change) shuffled between my parent's laps...even snuggling with grandmommy for a nice cozy nap during both trips.

2. introducing kate to G.G. (great-grandma)...and, of course, showing them a MUCH older elizabeth (she was kate's age last time she saw G.G. and big bapa). one of my favorite moments wasn't captured on camera...when we first pulled up to my grandparent's my grandma walked outside the door and started waving. well, elizabeth took off running to her...and wrapped her in a huge hug....precious!

**the girls show GG their stuffed animals from the zoo!

3. ....and big bapa too! elizabeth had the greatest fun ringing the bells with bapa (which is what they are doing in the second picture) and playing with silly hats. and kate...well, as you can see...she crawled right up to him...rolled over and waved!

4. the beach. though neither of the girls were big fans of the actual ocean (which was quite rough that morning) elizabeth definitely LOVED the sand and collecting "aunt shells" (as she called the seashells. my dad and i were the only ones brave enough to actually get into the water, and after having the tide drag me back in (literally!) i can attest to how strong it was! kate slept through much of her first beach experience...but she did wake up long enough to get her toesies wet!

5. birthday cake makin'....and, of course, licking the frosting off the beaters! we love our birthday boys...a belated carrot cake for mike...and an early treat for dad and bapa!

6. "cart" rides...elizabeth thought this was SO cool...especially when GG was "behind the wheel"

7. she's off...yep...kate finally figured out crawling--well, if you count an army crawl/slither as crawling...either way, she is on the MOVE! how fun that she chose to make her crawling debut for GG and big bapa!

i know this isn't crawling...but check out the mohawk!

8. a delightful day at the zoo...kangaroos...lions...tigers....a boat trip to see the monkey islands...watching the alligator feeding (my favorite part!)...and oh-so-much more! i could do a whole blog of pictures from the zoo...but i'll refrain and only include eight!

**check out our little "animals"...can you see lib's curls!

9. swimming...of course! kate is such a waterbug...i think she would have spent all day every day in the pool if we would have let her. i'd put her on the side, count to three, and she would plunge right into the water...going under and everything...without any fear! elizabeth on the other hand, had a healthy "respect" of the water--to put it nicely! she did warm up...and LOVED being in the water...just as long as it was on her own terms...mostly meaning sticking near the steps and taking things at her own pace. however, she did a bit of jumping to mommy...and was quite brave about swimming with daddy!

10. and everything in between...the date with my hubby--dinner overlooking the beach at sunset....girls who slept through the night all night every night....bapa and the caterpillar hat....kate's first taste of carrot cake....lunch with my mom and grandma--a little girl's afternoon out!...hugs...kisses...memories... it was a trip that will not soon be forgotten! here's some last shots i just couldn't resist!
bapa and the caterpillar hat!
kate's first carrot cake...she was a big fan!

a rare picture where i'm actually on the picture side of the camera!