What I Never Thought I Would Do...

COUPONING!

I went to a couponing class with a high school friend of mine last Monday night in Oneonta. The lady from southernsavers.com was conducting it at First Baptist Church of Oneonta. I really had never clipped coupons and I was really going to stay openminded about it and learn what others were doing. After she told us that she paid $5 at CVS and got $1,000 worth of stuff in 8 months time, I was hooked.

My first week hasn't been that earthshattering. Most of the coupons she lists on Southern Savers (that you can stack at Publix) are from the newspaper inserts. I just started buying Sunday newspapers this past Sunday so I have not built up those coupons yet. But once I do, the savings should start rolling in. This lady has 2- 5 year olds, 1- 2 year old, and a husband. She said they spend $50 a week on grocery. That's amazing if you ask me! Oh yeah, that included diapers! I am not sure I can swing that because I like organic meat and milk but she said the trick is to learn when whatever you buy is the lowest in a 6 week cycle and buy it. What she means by 6 week cycle is that everything in the grocery store is marked to its lowest price once in a 6 week period and the trick is to buy everything you need to cover 6 weeks when your item is at it's lowest. I think I will have to go back today to load up a little more because tomorrow is a new sales week for Publix and I don't think I bought 6 weeks worth.

I bought an accordion file to store my weekly inserts from the newspaper and random filler coupons I print off from internet. If you have never visited southernsavers.com. Try it out! It is full of info. It appears that the real savings come from CVS and Publix and I have both of those within a mile of my house. I am not going to write a ton on this but I might write once more when I feel like I have really hit it big. :) Good luck!

Let's Talk about Kate

I haven't updated about Kate progress lately so here we go...

Kate now knows some of her body parts. I know what some of you moms are saying..."my kid has known that since 6 months!" Well cut me some slack here, she is our baby, we are new parents (do not know when to expect things until the pediatrician's office asks us if they can do this), and she is a sponge. Let me explain on the sponge thing. She is like Don in that she listens very well but does not automatically perform. So me being the new mom I think she has A.D.D. or something and that she might end up hyper like her Uncle Wade. :) Not the case. The other night Uncle Wade was telling us that his other niece Heidi can point to her head, hands, etc. etc. when you ask her. So me being the competitive and typical mom that I am, I ask Kate where her head is not thinking she would do anything. To my surprise she starts beating her head. Then I ask her where her nose is and BAMM just like that she points to her nose. I ask her where her BELLYBUTTON is (which is her favorite) and there ya go. Don, mom and I sat there astonished. Not necessarily that she knew these things but that she has been holding out on us. WHAT A LITTLE DON!

Unfortunately, she did take after her mother in some aspects. Some good but obviously I am about to state the bad. The past few days I have seen some major temper tantrums (not that I have major temper tantrums but I don't handle things as well when I am exhausted or hungry). I couldn't do anything to soothe her. I blamed it first on her getting over the stomach flu. Now I am starting to think it is when she is really tired, she doesn't cope well. SO lesson here is don't hang with "The Farm" when Kate is sleepy. Mommy gets cranky and Kate goes from one thing to the next bashing her head and screaming at the top of her lungs.

One of the cutest things that Uncle Wade taught Kate while he was here was to feed her rocking horse while she is rocking. So Kate goes from "Whoa! Whoa"! rocking to petting the horse (learned courtesy of Mamey) to now feeding her horse. She puts her little chubby hand in front of it's mouth and then says "Yum! Yum! Yum!"

I love her good and bad.



Photo from Christmas post but thought I needed a photo to go along with post. :)

The B&G Bash of 2010 starring Katherine Elizabeth Farmer

Wade coined the title and it revolves around 13 people getting sick as a result of the 2 hour party mom and dad had last Tuesday night to celebrate Wade and Gretchen being home. Let me give you a quick rundown of all parties involved: Kate, Mom, Gretchen, Marco (4 years old), Marshall (4 years old), Becca, Melanie, Stephanie, Julie, Mawmaw, Rachel, Alli, then our friend Ashley Hill after we met her for dinner Thursday night and she didn't sit near Kate or touch her. Somehow my brother and dad managed to not get it...that is YET! It can strike late. It really is quite ridiculous how many people were affected by it. The thing is I would never have taken her up to my parents if I knew she was getting sick. She showed no signs until 30 minutes after we arrived. By then, it was too late.

So everyone in the immediate family recovered on Thursday then we left for a prepaid trip to Nashville. We arrived at the Opryland Hotel around 2 pm. After we walked the hotel and took some pictures, half of us setlled in for quiet time while others continued to explore. The time snuck up on us and the next thing we knew we had to scarf down pizza before making our way over to the Opry.

We make our way over to the Opry right on time to make sure we don't miss a single act. After walking about a mile (even though the hotel was next door) we enter and make our way to our seats. (Sidenote: Kate is wearing this really cute cow skirt a friend gave us and her pink converse. I thought she looked the cowgirl part.) So literally as soon as we sit down, Don looks over at me and I look at him and there is something all down his shirt. He had been holding Kate. I said, "Did she throw up on you?" He said, "It's not throw up." Seriously, you have got to be kidding me! So Don, Kate, Mom and me jump up and make our way to the restroom. Once we get Kate inside we realize there is no way we are going to be able to just wrap a blanket around her and go with it. The smell was awful! So here Don, Kate and I go back to the hotel. We get her in, strip her down and put a whole new outfit on her, including socks and shoes. We made it back to the Opry with all missing the first act. Some of the big names we saw were Vince Gill, Pam Tillis, Ricky Skaggs and Little Jimmy Dickens (who is 89 years old). It was fun and very entertaining.

The next day we headed over to the Loveless Cafe which was on the Food Network. We had to drive 20-30 minutes out of the way to get there and everyone was starved because noone ate breakfast. Once we arrived there we were told it was an hour and 20 minute wait. By that time, we were already invested so we waited. Kate did great waiting but then when it was time to eat, she was SO over it. After a few throwed biscuits, mom and I took turns entertaining. The food was good but I am not sure I would wait that long again. :)

After that we headed home. We stopped by my parents to hang with Wade and Gretchen for a few more hours. Gretchen cooked a mexican style dish that night. It was very tasty, healthy, and simple. There is alot of things I could learn from Gretchen about cooking.

Wade and Gretchen are now home in Fort Collins, Colorado. They are closing on selling their townhouse April 20th so between now and then they are on a mad hunt for a 3/2, with a large kitchen, man cave, and big backyard. Hopefully we will see them again before 2010 comes to a close.

Lick the Doorknob and Get Over It

Wade and Gretchen are home! Yay! Mom and Dad threw a little party Tuesday night where the family was invited to hang out with the Colorado couple. We all miss them so much! The shindig started at 4pm. Mom cooked some Boston Butts, Cheesy Potatoes, Slaw and rolls. It was yummy. Then she had a cute decorated Publix cake for them. It was filled with some type of fruit filling. Yummy! Dad of course had a little fire outside for everyone to sit around and fellowship.

Kate was a hit! When almost everyone was in the living room, Kate started performing. She did her little tiptoed walk in circles around the room where everyone watching and cheered for her. She smiled big with her tongue going in and out. So proud!

It was shortly after this display, the bubonic plague hit. (Rewind: Last week Don and I had the stomach bug. Started with Don then made it's way to me). Kate had gone 4 days without so I thought she was safe. WRONG! That night she started tossing her cookies. We left the next morning hoping we didn't infect anyone else. I got a call from my mom today. The count is now to 5. My mom, Gretchen, Mawmaw Moore, sweet Aunt Becca, and Aunt Stephanie. Seriously?!? I called mom back and told her to tell the guys to just go ahead and lick the doorknobs so they can get it and be over it before our trip to Nashville this weekend! :)

Once I get a few pictures off my parents camera (from the party), I will post!

What You've All Been Waiting For...

Here She is...



Kate busted loose walking Thusday night, March 11th. She has been getting better and better as each day passes.

P.S. Did the title not just sound like the next Bachelor Finale or What?

Warm Weather + Staying Busy = Happy Girl

Why is it that warm weather brings out the best in everyone? I am surprised anyone lives up north. However I have thought about living a place (i.e. California) where the temperature is always moderate and I am not sure I would like that either. I like a new season and new weather to look forward to every few months.

This weekend consisted of, lunch with friends on Friday, shopping with mom Friday night, consignment shopping Saturday morning, golf for Don, Cottontail Village Saturday afternoon, a visit to see a brand new precious baby girl (Audrey Floy Barnett) Saturday night, then church Sunday and a baby shower Sunday afternoon for my college roomie Libby Richardson Hearn. After a break Monday, I went to Bunco last night. I love staying busy but I don't think I could keep that schedule every weekend.

Update alert: Kate is turning loose of the coffee table now. This is progress, however she falls to the floor instantly. :) At least, she is confident enough to turn loose.

Okay, got to go, Don is home with the stomach bug...JOYS!

Hostesses from Libby's shower:



Libby getting ready for upcoming baby Catherine (by holding Doc):



What cool girl doesn't ride her pony backwards (while watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)?

Melissa Rycroft

Picture Post

Beware: This post has lots of pictures.

The first picture is from the White Wedding Event I attended Saturday night with my friend Ashley. It was so neat. My friend Kelly works for Birmingham's Perfect Wedding Guide so she had to attend the event because they paid Melissa Rycroft, from Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor, to come into town and attend that event along with others. Then another reality star, Heidi Elnora from Project Runway and Birmingham native was doing a runway show displaying her wedding fashions. After the runway walk was over each model went and stood in a staged area that had floral arrangements from local Birmingham Florist. The models hair and makeup had been done also by a local Birmingham stylist. It was so neat! I will do it again next year. I did get to meet Melissa as they were leaving for dinner. My picture is on Kelly's camera though because mine was dead. I will post as soon as I get it.




These next 4 pictures were taken at Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama. My mom and dad are finally building on the property my granddad left for them. We are all so excited! The first 2 are the views from the sunroom and the second two are the house framed, one from the dock, other from the driveway.






The last four are just snapshots I have taken of Kate lately.

Below is our impression of redneck fun...laundry basket with a belt tied to it.



Brother and Sister tug-of-war:



WOW! I left Kate for a few minutes with a plate of food and this is what I came back to:



Mom and Dad went to the Smokies in February and brought back a bear for Kate. She didn't really have anything to do with it at first but it appears she has warmed up to it.