Then This Happened

I griped a lot in last nights blog
because I did have a rough week and I don’t think there is anything wrong with keepin’ it real when thinks aren’t so bright and cheery. However, in the midst of such a hard week including…

Broken glass
Miscommunication
Over sleeping and running late
An unfinished project
Burnt hand
Awkward moment
Miscommunication
Teething
Speeding ticket
Miscommunication

There was this…



What is that? You may ask. That is something my 11 month old son made. He stacked that piece on top of the train and was building for the first time. I was so proud that I had to get my camera because I wanted to remember this moment forever. He did it several times and with blocks too! It is such a joy to see him learning how things go together. I am honored to be a mom. Even in the midst of chaotic times I never ever want to overlook those little moments that make it all worthwhile.

Sunday Poem

Over Again, Again

originally written April 14, 2006


The song and the words are so deep in my heart
The steady beat is strongly seeking its way out

To have a peace that goes beyond the mind
To have a hope that reaches further than doubt

Eyes like a window in a morning full of rain
Finally a silence that can hold me still

Not where I was looking and so unplanned
But was exactly the want I needed to feel

I often forget what I would be without You
This is nothing new in the course of me

And next time will come when it is to come
Never uninvited or forcedly

After You've read me from cover to cover
I realize there is nothing to cover at all

And because I have seen that you're my asylum
I have no reason to fear where I'll fall

While I fall for you deeply again

Over again, again

I know this one is different in rhyme scheme, but it was in me and I feel it is my responsibility to let it out. We all have so much in us something written on our hearts something radical in us. You know how sometimes you can feel it? Take that passion and let it take you; take you into deeper unfathomable places, a place that you were created for and an existence of meaning. I don't want to be too enigmatic here, but hopefully chords will be struck somewhere through it all (maybe even literally).

The Kitchen Chronicles: to be continued

I began "The Kitchen Chronicles" this past Monday and it has been an exciting journey. If you're not caught up you can still read the previous posts.

I was really looking forward to showing off my incredible, finally completed, dazzling new kitchen tonight, but it isn't finished yet. Lucky for me this isn't the perfect mom.com, the best remodel ever.com, or even how to avoid a melt down.com. Because if it was any of those I would have failed my reader's miserably. Lucky for me this is the messy mom . com and I am living up to my ever so low expectations.
After trying to juggle a million different things at once, I have inevitably reached the point were it all comes crashing down. I know a lot of you can relate. I won't go into all the details, but after one of the most grueling weeks I have had in a long time all I needed was one more thing to push me over the edge. So, I am driving along in the park late last night (long story) and I see the dreaded flashing blue and red lights in my rear view mirror, signaling me to pull over.

"Did you know that the speed limit is 15 mph in the park?" the officer asked,

"no I did not" I replied

"it's for the children" she said

"Oh really?" I thought "What makes you think I care about children? Is it the baby in the back seat or The fact that I have 'This little light of mine' playing on the cd player."

None of that mattered. I was getting a ticket for going 26 LEAVING a 15 mph zone. For those of you that are shocked at how much I was over the speed limit just try going 26 mph next time you're driving and I think you will find it to be far from daring.
I'm sorry I should apologize for my attitude, my husband has already had to endure my melt down I shouldn't be dumping on anyone else. In the mean time I said that I was going to post the updated Kitchen photos and I always do what I say I am going to do... every time that I manage to actually do it. I now present to you with much hesitation and inadequate lighting; the anticlimactic, unveiling of the ALMOST finished kitchen...







To be continued, no promises and no deadlines this time.

CVS: Friday through Thursday Sales

I mentioned last week that my CVS is one of the stores testing the sales going from Friday to Thursday. I think I might actually like it. It is less stressful than having to try and hit all the stores on either Sunday or Monday, but everybody has a different routine. Any thoughts from all you CVSer’s out there?

CVS transactions #1

Gallon of Milk- on sale for 3.79
2 Boxes of Special K- buy one get one free
1 packet of Zip Fizz- 5.99

Total - $13.99
- $1 Kellogg’s coupon
- $2 CVS coupon
- $10.99 ECB’s
Total out of pocket- $00.28
ECB’s earned- $5.99 (zip fizz)

CVS Transaction #2

1 packet of BC Headache medicine on sale $1.29
4 packages of Goody’s pain reliever on sale $1.29 each
2 tubes of Bikini Zone- on sale $4.19 each
1 Covergirl lip gloss-- $5.99

Total $20.82
- $3.00 Bikini Zone Coupon
- $1.00 Cover Girl Coupon
- $2.00 CVS Coupon
- $13.99 ECB’s
Total Out of Pocket - $00.83
ECB’s earned- $16.55 (medicine, bikini zone, lip gloss)

This week I kept it really simply and it was nice. No Walgreen’s no Target or Wal Mart. Just 2 quick CVS stops and although I did not have record breaking savings nor do I have a photo of 50 products piled one on top of the other it was a very rewarding week for me. Most of the items I got will be used right away. That is why the milk in the photo is almost empty and I got it all for $1.11. It is even more exciting when you are going to buy specific items that are not on sale and you still score such a great deal! Not to mention due to all my overage items I still have $16.00 worth of ECB’s for next week.

If none of this makes sense to you be sure to check out moneysavingmom.com CVS 101

The Kitchen Chronicles: Before and During

Tomorrow was the big day I was going to reveal the after photos of our kitchen remodel. The whole time we have been working on this project there has always been something to keep us from completion and this week has been "something else". I feel like Extreme Makeover Home Edition or Flip This House were you are down to the wire and you have a ton of finishing touches to get done right before the big reveal. The difference is that this is real life and we don't have a crew working for us to get it all done. However, I am still going to make this happen one way or another so stay tuned because tomorrow I will be posting updated pictures! Until then here is a look back at the messy mom's kitchen transformation up to this point.

This is what it looked like the day we moved in...


Here is the breakfast nook


4 years later when we tore it all apart


They rebuilt all the walls and rewired everything



My husband did all the work with the help of friends and family


My old gas stove that you had to light by hand


I use CVS ads for more than just spotting great deals



A quick tip: After having no luck selling our old appliances in a garage sale we posted them on Craigslist, and some of them for more than what we asked for at the garage sale. They sold in no time at all for the asking price and they were each hauled off to a good home one by one. One man's trash is another man's treasure. GO Craigslist!

Froogie Boogie: Kitchen Edition

One way to decorate frugally is to incorporate items that you actually use in a practical way. My husband added these display shelves to the kitchen which I love, although we still need to add the glass and some window treatments. I really tossed around a lot of ideas when deciding what I would put in them. I finally settled on the cafe' look. I purchased a case of San Pellegrino from Costco, and some of the Starbuck's beans were gifts while others I purchased using my rewards card. FYI- you get a free tall drink when you buy a bag of beans with your rewards card. These are all items we will use so once they are empty I will probably just fill bags with rice. When you aren't spending money on home decor items you can splurge a little on your coffee and mineral water! I love the colors of the bottles and the bags, I even love the spell of fresh coffee throughout the kitchen.



It doesn't have to stop there either, you can use books and shoes as decorative items too. Use your imagination, hats, scarves, mugs, wine glasses, soaps. When your items work double duty you save in the long run!

This blog is also a part of Frugal Fridays on biblicalwomanhoodonline.com

For more about the Starbucks rewards program which is totally free go to starbucks.com.

To find out the latest updates on "the kitchen chronicles" check out the rest of my blog, themessymom.com

New Orleans

Today marks the 3 year anniversary of when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. As promised here is a video of the work we did with Victory Fellowship Thanksgiving week of 2005.



This is a link to 100 positive stories from New Orleans
The New Orleans 100

Also check out my post from this past Sunday here if you haven't already.

The Kitchen Chronicles: Blunders

For some of you cooking is your thing, and the kitchen is were you thrive. My mom is that way. She is a natural, and you would think the tradition would be passed down to the daughter, but not in my family. My brother was the one with the easy bake oven. Now he specializes in French crepes and I specialize in eating them!

My first kitchen memory is making breakfast for my dad. I had the brilliant idea that I would get up early and have it be a big surprise. I don’t know how I managed it, but one Saturday morning I was the first one up and I went into the kitchen to prepare a special meal for him. I decided to stick with something I know, good thinking! At the tender age of 7 there was little about cooking breakfast that I did know. So I pull a box of corn flakes out of the pantry and I add the ingredients (milk), top it all off with a spoon and put it in the refrigerator because we wouldn’t want it to spoil. There it sat until my dad woke up a couple hours later to find the soggy bowl of corn flakes waiting for him.

Of course I matured over time and when I got married I was anxious to become the perfect housewife and have a delectable feast prepared and awaiting my hard working husbands arrival. I decided to try my hand at ham and chicken croquettes. Too much grease in too much heat would result in my first visit from the fire department .

My initial reaction was to call my husband “I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO THE PAN IS ON FIRE!!” I screamed, when another flame leapt into the air melting the plastic light cover overhead. I dropped the phone disconnecting my call with my husband (leaving him terrified) and that is when I called 911. I then did the stop, drop, and crawl move to make my way outside. The firemen came and extinguished the flame. Our landlords were very gracious and luckily not too much had to be replaced other than the wall paper and vent-a-hood.

So as you can see my intentions are always good, but I have a ways to go before I can fill my mom’s apron. However, I am up for the challenge and the kitchen chronicles have just begun.

Why I Love: Pampered Chef Measure-All Cup

I am on my second Pampered Chef Measure-All Cup, because I accidentally melted the first one, but I love this little gadget. On one side you have a very basic 2-cup measure with a spout for liquid. Flip it over and you have a measuring cup for solids. You just set the amount you want, fill it up and then press the inner cup to dispense your ingredients. It is actually a lot more simple than it sounds and it works great, especially for things like corn syrup and peanut butter that are such a pain to scrape out of a measuring cup. As one who REALLY likes peanut butter it goes to good use in my kitchen. The retail value is $9.00 and if you don’t know anyone that sells pampered chef you can just go to the website and order it, here is the link www.pamperedchef.com


As always, I am not affiliated with the products featured on “why I love” and am not compensated in any way for these reviews.


Talking about Peanut butter and the Pampered Chef Measure-All Cup makes me think of one of my favorite indulgences; Buckeye Candies. Buckeyes are a chocolate covered peanut butter ball. I usually make them at Christmas time because the recipe I have makes a TON, so you can eat some and give the rest away in goody trays. They also freeze really well too. Here is the recipe…

1 1/2 lbs confectioners' sugar
1 16 oz jar crunchy peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
1 12 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon crisco

In the bowl of a food processor, add 1/2 the quantity of the butter, sugar, peanut butter. Process until well combined.
Shape into 1 inch balls. Refrigerate. Repeat this process with remaining ingredients.
In the top of a double boiler, combine Crisco and chocolate, simmering and stirring until chocolate has melted. (If you don't have a double boiler, melt it in a small metal bowl over boiling water in a saucepan).
Using a toothpick dip each ball in chocolate until partially coated. Place on wax paper or silicone sheets.
Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container.

The Kitchen Chronicles: The OBGYN Pot Holder

If that title doesn't grab your attention what will? I don't really have much information about this artifact. It was in my kitchen and my husband claims he has no idea where it came from, but I think he inherited it when he went to college. Basically, it is just an ordinary potholder other than the fact that it seconds as an advertisement for a Gynecologist named Pedro Ramirez. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't want to be pulling cobbler out of the oven and think... "Oh yeah, I've been meaning to schedule a pap smear." I don't want to throw it out either, because I think all the stains are evidence that it has been frequently used. What can say, it's one of kind!

Let the good times rock

I am not one for purchasing things like, decorative rocks, sand, or branches. So instead of forking out 5 bucks for a bag of rocks from pier one, why not just collect the ones you like from out in nature? This decorative candle plate is one of the items from our old kitchen that I will be keeping. It has pretty candles that smell good and create ambience surrounded by rocks that we have collected throughout the years. Some of them are from a mission trip to England, while others were found on hikes from different places here in the U.S. I even have some from our very own back yard. They remind us of good times. I always love being surrounded by things that are sentimental to me. So that is how I use "free" rocks to decorate, and it "WORKS FOR ME!"

Check out www.rocksinmydryer.net for more Works For Me Wednesdays

The Kitchen Chronicles: We survived my cooking (barely)

Yesterday in The Kitchen Chronicles, you saw how I made my way around the grocery store, and today I will be documenting how I fared in the kitchen.

For our first dinner in the new kitchen I started really basic. It was a Kung Pao chicken meal kit, so I just had to add the chicken and vegetables. I tried to be way on top of it all, so while the baby was sleeping I did all the prep work.



Later, after I got back from doing a photo shoot I threw it all into a pan and served it up without a problem. I was very proud of my organization. This was going so smoothly compared to the way I used to do things. We sat down and said a prayer together for the first time at the new kitchen table. It was a very special moment. Now time to dig in. I pick up my chopsticks and taste the fruits of my labor.



“AHHHH” I screamed! My eyes started watering, my husband and son were staring, it was absolutely horrible! Well, let me explain, the food was fine, but it was spicy and I just happened to have the worst canker sore of all time. I knew it was kind of difficult to chew on one side, but I had no idea how excruciating spicy food would feel on the open sore. I cringe now just thinking about it. In the end we survived that meal and I am slowly recovering.

Last night I stepped it up a notch and I made Rachel Ray’s “Vinegar and Honey Chicken with creamy Dijon Potatoes”. Same routine, I did most of the preparation before I went off to a consultation. As soon as I got home I went straight to the kitchen still in my high heels. I was feeling like super mom. Dinner was served and I was able to enjoy the cuisine this time.

However, one thing about the meal was that it called for chopped thyme. I had bought some fresh and I diced it up whole and threw it in. It seemed strange to have sticks in the sauce, but I just thought “well that’s just how that gourmet cooking is, sticks, leaves, flowers… it’s part of the look.” Not long into the meal my husband starts choking and I ask him if he needs the heimlich maneuver, but he declines, which is good because I wouldn’t really know how to do it. He excuses himself from the table and his coughs and gags are echoing throughout the house. The baby and I just look at each other. I was concerned so I went in to check on him and in the sink along with parts of his chewed up food is a small streak of blood!!! “Oh my gosh! Honey, Oh my gosh! What should we do? Are you okay?” By this time he felt fine, and he didn’t want any of my help. It turned out to be the fresh thyme, one of the sticks had stabbed him in the throat.

I was so discouraged. I had just started to cook again and I almost killed my husband. Later, that night he told me I should add that meal to the list of ones to have over and over again. I thought he was being sarcastic, but he actually meant it! He said he really enjoyed it aside from the near death experience. I gave him a huge really long hug, what a gracious husband. Next time, no sticks!

Free Bare Minerals Sample

I usually don't post special offers or freebies, but this is a product that I absolutely LOVE and will be featured on my blog someday. This week at Ulta and Sephora you can get a free 10 day trial of Bare Minerals. I was near Ulta yesterday so I stopped by and picked one up. I didn't have to purchase anything. I will give a heads up though, this is a TINY container and a MINI kabuki brush, but considering that bare minerals isn't cheap it is probably still a $15 dollar value.

The Kitchen Chronicles: Let the games begin

To catch up on the kitchen chronicles read the previous post


Since it has been all about the Olympics lately, I couldn’t help but have running commentary going through my mind when I hit the grocery aisles last week. This was my first time to do “real” grocery shopping in over 6 months so it was like an Olympic event for me. To change things up I will write about my shopping experience from the perspective of an Olympic sport commentator.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

In the Wal-Mart arena we have the Messy Mom, she has her shopping cart and baby ready to go. The goal is to get two meals worth of groceries, plus a couple other items, pay $20, and get in and out within an hour. This routine is considered low level difficulty, but she has been out of training for several months now, so this should be interesting.

Her execution is good, beginning with the baby wipes, she has a coupon, but the price isn’t listed. That could set her back a bit unless she finds a way to locate the price.

We should mention that Wal-Mart being under construction definitely adds a bit of an obstacle to the field, but she is staying the course and plans on finishing strong.

Her cart is starting to pile up. She passes by cookies, which are not on the list, with ease and grace she is keeping her eyes on the items she originally intended to buy.

What’s this? She is approaching a Wal-mart employee and inquiring about a price scanning machine. HE HAS A PRICE SCANNER IN HIS HAND!! Ladies and gentleman he is scanning the wipes now… the wipes are $1.89… that will work! The extra effort finding the price of the wipes could be what puts her into the qualifying round.

The clock is ticking, and Messy Mom is headed towards the check out. The baby seems to be getting fussy, but LOOK AT THAT she pulls another toy out of her bag! It seems to be helping. The cashier is scanning her coupons now, the crowd is anxiously waiting. Oh no, wait a minute here, the internet printable coupons are not scanning. That could be at least a tenth of a point.

Messy mom is asking the cashier to take the items off since the coupons didn’t work, that is a good move, but will it be enough?

The total comes to $26.38, and you can see the look of disappointment on her face as she strolls her cart off the field. She is still a beginner in this event and has a lot of potential. I could really see her coming back strong in the all around competition.

She was able to make the trip in one hour, she did get all the items needed on the list, and with going only $6.38 over her budget her final score is a 7.8572 I think Messy Mom and all of her fans are satisfied with this outcome.

The Kitchen Chronicles

I ended my “series” last week with the story of our fixer upper. Our latest project is the kitchen and it has been THE BIGGEST project of them all. It all began back in March, I was going out of town for a week, and my husband would have the house all to himself. He told me, “That will work out great because I am going to redo the kitchen while you are gone”. I really didn’t think he could get it done in a week, so I gave away all of our perishable food items, emptied out all of the cabinets and boxed everything up. I figured we would be back in business in about a month. Well a month went by, and then another and another. Now we are into the 5th month and it looks like the finishing touches will officially be done by Friday.

The kitchen is functioning at this point and it is a huge adjustment. I am excited, but it still feels weird not to get a box of cereal from off of the mantel, or grab some milk out of the fridge in the corner of the living room . Believe me I am ecstatic about not having to eat out all the time, but when it comes to grocery shopping and cooking I feel like I am starting all over.

It’s not just the 5 months without a kitchen either; if I was completely honest I would have to admit that it goes back further than that. Remember when the writers went on strike last year? It all started November 5 of 2007. I don’t remember exactly how it happened, but I guess I felt like if the writers were going on strike for something that they were well compensated for (compared to the average American) for something that they loved to do, then I would go on strike for something that I wasn’t compensated for and I was sick of doing. Thus began my cooking strike. Looking back I completely regret it. I know my kitchen wasn’t great, but if I had known how long I would be without any kind of kitchen at all I would have cooked my heart out to store up for the dry season we were about to endure.

You live and learn. With that said this week I will begin my series “the kitchen chronicles” as I fumble my way through trying to relearn how to make home cooked meals for my family and at the end of the week we will (fingers crossed) finally reveal our brand spankin’ new kitchen!

Hurricane Katrina

It is hard to believe that this Friday marks the 3 year anniversary of a storm that took the lives of more than 1,800 people and caused an estimated 81 billion dollars worth of damage. When Huricane Katrina struck in August of 2005 my mom wasted no time getting involved in the relief efforts. After making several trips to the effected areas herself, she proposed that instead of gathering together in Kentucky for Thanksgiving as we normally would we should go down to New Orleans and work with a church there to help bring aid. So that is what we did, my husband and I from Dallas, my brother and his wife from Atlanta, my other brother from Cincinnati, and my parents from Louisville. Soon after returning home I wrote this poem. Everything in it is true, this lady was living in a disaster zone, but somehow she seemed so full of hope. She talked to me about how surprised she was that she still had her awning. Her story spoke to me, as did many of the other people that I met that week. On Friday I will be featuring a video slideshow of our trip there in memory of the tragic event and as a reminder that even in the most desperate of times, there is always hope.

FRAIL LITTLE LADY


Frail little lady
Struck by a mighty storm
She rambled and she scurried
But you could tell that she was worn

She only had two choices
To leave or get swept up
No time to even think
For the news was so abrupt

So she chose to leave the place
And everything she knew
To escape the horrible waters
Before the problem grew

Her mother chose the other
Because she had no choice at all
So she fell asleep forever
Staring at the hospital wall

And while the little lady
Went along her path
All of her belongings soaked
Within a monstrous bath

Once she came back home
She found her house scared with graffiti
Screaming of the disaster
Declaring that she was needy

But with hope and courage
Of a new day dawning
The frail little lady was happy
For she still had her awning

I have never seen a tragedy
Such as this in my own life
But from now on I will think of her
Each time I am feeling strife

When I feel I am marked “disaster”
Or the darkness hovering
I will be like the little lady
Knowing I still have my covering






Photo of my husband bringing food to that lady that this poem is about

My History: closing thoughts

This week I have been sharing with you my history starting with my entrance, then the school years including elementary, middle school, and high school and ending with my marriage and our first home. That is a big part of my story and gives you a better idea about who I am, although there is so much more. I haven't even touched on our church family, how I started my own business, or our son who brings so much joy and love into our lives daily.

This has been such a refreshing thing for me this week to take the time and remember my past. Some of it was painful and some of the memories just made me laugh my head off, but the thing that I noticed to be the common thread through it all was relationship. I never set out to write about relationships I've had, it just happened that way. From my little brother, to my class mates, to my husband, and so many others, they are what have made this life precious and for that I am eternally grateful. What is life without someone to share it with?

I got all this for 68 cents!!!

This week I got over $50 worth of stuff for 68 Cents

CVS (3 separate transactions)

4 bags of sour patch kids- $3.52
3 toothbrushes- $5.97
2 tubes of Neosporin - $10.98
1 pedilax - $1.99
1 package of baby wipes- $2.50
1 tube of toothpaste- $1.99
1 Revlon mascara- $7.99
2 packages of stayfree- $9.00
1 Zipfizz- $5.99

Total cost - $45.44 before Coupons

- 2 $1 CVS candy coupon
- 2 $1 oral b toothbrush coupon
- 2 $1 neosporin coupon
- 2 $2 off$10 CVS coupon
- 1 $2 off CVS skincare coupon
- $1 off crest toothpaste coupon
- $2 off Revlon coupon
- by one get one free Stayfree coupon
- $3 off of $15 CVS coupon

Total after coupon’s $27.68

$27 ECB’s

total out of pocket 68 cents
+ I have $20 ECB'S (store credit) for next week!!!

Walgreens

2 Preperation H wipes $7.98
1 box of cheerios $2.99

Total= $10.97

2 $2 easy saver coupons
2 $3 printable Prep H coupons
1 $1 cheerios coupon

Total out of pocket= $0


I went to CVS 3 times this week. That is one more stop than I had originally planned because 1. Our CVS stores have started running there deals from Friday- Thursday and 2. I got an email coupon for $3 off purchase of $15 for this weekend only. With that said I am not sure what I will do for next week given the new circular schedule.

Home Sweet Home

We had been in the apartment for almost 4 years and we so desperately wanted a house to call our own. We searched on and off for over a year before we found the one. It was built in 1940, the walls had water damage, each room had a different color of horribly stained carpeting, and the detached garage was leaning off to one side. Everything from the plumbing to the electric would need to be updated. “It’s perfect we’ll take it!” my husband said, because as the saying goes, love is blind.

We moved into the house October of 2003 and started working vigorously to turn the old shack into our dream home. We tore down walls, we pulled up carpet, and we stripped the paint off of window frames. Eventually things slowed down a lot and it felt like we were digging a grave with a spoon. Here we are 5 years later and we still have a long way to go. It can be discouraging at times, but when I see the photos of what it used to look like I feel a lot better.

It doesn’t matter if the front door doesn’t close without locking the dead bolt. That is OUR front door, the entryway to our dream.

It doesn’t matter if the floors bear stains and markings from years of use. Those are the hard wood floors that I have always wanted. If I had been walked on for 68 years I would be a little beat up too!

Most importantly it doesn’t matter if we have a lot of work ahead of us because when we had the house inspected by more than one professional, they all said the same thing. "The foundation is solid and sturdy." You can fix the aesthetics as long as the house is built on a firm reliable foundation, and it is.
I believe that in more ways than one, it is.


Here we are in the living room with my parents

My Soul Mate

I have told the story of my entrance, my childhood, middle school, and high school years and the next transition in my life is the most important of all, my marriage. I met my husband, when I moved to the Dallas area and we were married in November of 2000. You might be thinking, "wait a minute, there is a big gap missing there! You met and you got married, that’s it?" If you are like me and a sucker for love stories you want the details. Those will come later, but for now we will just take it from here…

Within weeks after our wedding my parents of course moved off again, this time to Louisville. We were entirely on our own and we were ready to live life to the fullest. Come to find out, life to the fullest would consist of me being a waitress, my husband working in an office all day and valet parking on the weekends. We lived in a 500 sq ft apartment and paid $300 a month for rent. We usually had one working vehicle and were living paycheck to paycheck. I am not going to lie we went through some tough times. We learned a lot though, and God saw us through it all.

There were good times too, don’t get me wrong. We wrote music together and even played at the church coffee shop, we designed our first home made Christmas card which would become a much anticipated tradition year after year, and most importantly we got to know the real meaning of marriage to love each other through the good times and bad always putting Christ first and looking to Him for guidance.
I will leave you with this excerpt from a diary I had kept in 2004 …

“ Although I didn’t always know what I wanted to do with my life, I did have a strong sense of who I was even at a young age. I met my husband when I was 14, fell in love with him at 17, and at 18 years old I became his wife. I knew for sure that whatever I was going to be in life I wanted to share with him.”


Our Christmas card 2002

Froogie Boogie

Some random facts about me:
I like to make up words and spell them phonetically. I am also a frugal fanatic. I have been called everything from penny pincher to tightwad. I thought that I was the only person out there that wouldn't spend $10 on a shirt until one day I got on the internet and found out that there are millions of other froogies just like me. Oh yeah, that is were the made up word comes in. Froogie is what I call anyone who considers coupons a hobby, or habitually calculates transactions in their mind, or adds up all the original prices on the tags and subtracts what they actually spent to find out how much they saved. I guess it should be spelled Frugie since it derived from the word frugal, but then every one reading would say it wrong. Now to the point- Every Friday on themessymom.com you will find the Froogie Boogie, an entry having anything to do with stretching a buck. Today I am going to keep it simple and post a couple of shirts I got last Friday at a Kid’s Consignment shop that was going out of business. Any previously used item is a good start, add to that 75% off and that is even better.
I never buy something just because it is cheap, so in the end I left the store with only two items. A John Deere shirt and a Michigan shirt for baby Z. Both of these things have sentimental value, so I feel like the purchase which cost me a total of 75 cents was a success!



*spell check kept on trying to correct my made up word “froogie” by suggesting I spell it frogeye. Not exactly what I had in mind, although the frogeye boogie does sound fascinating!

High School: Not so bad after all

When I was younger we would drive past a high school and I would become very fearful. I dreaded the day I would have to go there, like it was some kind of penitentiary. I guess when you're small the building looks like it is the size of New York city and the teenagers seem so intimidating. With their crazy punk styles and rebellious attitudes. I knew I would never survive High School.

Eventually I became one of THEM, a teenager, and I left my beloved Atlanta to start my freshman year in the cement capital of Texas. That’s right, my new hometown’s claim to fame was cement! There was no movie theater, no mall, not even a Wal-mart or Mc Donald’s.

While I was there I went to a public school that might as well have been a private school. The dress code was so strict that tucked in shirts and belts were mandatory. So here I was in the middle of this Podunk town going to a conservative school, depressed out of my mind, and yet I was about to experience some of the greatest years of my life.

I was at a punk rock show (see I told you I was one of THEM) when everything changed for me. I ran into some girls from my theater arts class and we found that we had a lot in common. Our instant friendship turned into a group we called “the magnificent 7”. It felt like there was never a dull moment. We occupied our time with normal extra curricular activities such as; lip sticking boy’s cars, skinny-dipping, cereal parties, skipping pep rally, making ridiculous home movies, and climbing water towers.
The mag 7 is all grown up now, and you’ve got to wonder, will the next generation be as crazy and spontaneous as we were?

I can only hope so.

This is a horrible photo, but it is special because it is our freshman year in theater arts class.

Why I love Ben & Jerry's

I love ice cream, not soft serve, not generic, but premium quality ice cream. When it comes to this delicious treat I am not a casual consumer, but rather more of a connoisseur. My all time favorite ice cream is Ben & Jerry’s and it all began back in middle school when I was introduced to chubby hubby and chunky monkey. Since then I have tried every flavor! In college I would go over to my friends dorm and we would have 5 pints laid out across the table, grab our spoons and dig in. I have been to B&J Scoop Shops all over the country and once in England when I tried the Vermonty Python. Baby Z even has a tie-dye Ben & Jerry’s bib (it is my FAVORITE bib because it’s big and colorful so stains don’t show up) can you spot it in the messy mom header photo shown above?

My favorite Ben & Jerry moment was going to the factory in Vermont to see where all the magic happens. You can order a pint right off the line before it goes into deep freeze to be shipped off. The flavor that day was Caramel Sutra. It was fresh and cold, but it was creamier and my mom and I downed the whole pint by ourselves. Talk about a euphoric experience, AH!

My favorite flavor changes about every year, but for now here they are in order

1. Marsha Marsha Marshmallow (Brookshire’s in Midlothian is the only place in my area that stocks this one)
2. Half Baked
3. Phish food
4. Dublin Mudslide
5. Cherry Garcia

Here I am with my sister in law at the scoop shop in Gatlinburg Tennessee


• Just to be clear, I am not affiliated with any products featured in the “why I love” posts. I am not being compensated for these opinions in anyway ☺

Middle School

Ah, Middle School, what a journey! When I was 11 we moved from the Cincinatti suburbs to the Atlanta suburbs. I had been in the same house my whole life and we were about to pick up and move to another state! Believe it or not I was fine with that. I guess I had no idea what I was in for. My parents decided public school would be sufficient when we moved to Atlanta and it was a rude awakening for me. The other kids cared about things like hair and make up, brand name clothing, and making out, none of which I was into.

I eventually found my groove at our church and made an unlikely friendship with a girl that I met there that also went to my school. She was shy, I was outgoing, she was into fashion, I was a tom boy, she loved country music, I liked anything but country! Now that I think of it there is one thing that we did have in common; we were both MESSY.

Four years had gone by and I had really settled into Atlanta. It was then that we found out that my dad’s job was moving him to Dallas. I was no longer a go with the flow 11 year old, they would have to drag me from Atlanta to Dallas kicking and screaming the whole way! Fortunately it wasn’t quite that bad. I was able to stay with my best friend for 5 months until school let out. We shared a bed, we shared clothes, we shared never ending stories about boys. It was the first time in my life I knew what it would be like to have a sister, and I will never forget that opportunity.

Hybrid Yoga

My husband and I were at IHOP yesterday when I realized that at the table next to us was a trainer from the gym that I go to. I should say, “used to” go to because it has been months since I have even set a foot in the door. Anyway, we started chatting, and she explained to me how she is able to eat off the senior menu so that she can get smaller portions of an egg white only omelet. That’s nice I thought, I wish they would let me order a smaller portion of my chocolate chip pancakes as I look over to see the giant plate of sugar and calories, topped with enough whipped cream to garnish 10 ice cream sundaes. Oh well. Before she left she mentioned that she was doing a yoga class that night and I should really come and check it out. “Yeah, I think I might do that” I replied. This is the surprise intervention that I needed to get back in the saddle again.

So I show up and the schedule says HYBRID Yoga. Little did I know I was going to be doing “yoga, blended with the rhythmic moves of tai chi, toning, and ballet” So I walk in and the class is packed! The instructor tells me that there is a place for me in the front and I reluctantly head closer to the gargantuan mirror up ahead. I had forgotten just how run down I looked. My bare feet exposed chipped toenail polish that had been there for at least a month. My work out pants broke all the rules of visible panty lines, and all that topped off with the most faded, worn out, cardinals baseball t-shirt in existence. It was all I could do just to make it to the gym, I never promised it would be pretty.

We begin with lowering ourselves to the mat. Throughout the hour the instructor is spouting out cryptic directions all the while some kind of foreign new age music is playing in the background.

“Let your sitting bones become heavy within you.”
“Now raise yourself skyward always being in tune with your center”
“Put your brain into your feet”

I was perplexed. We start swaying our hands left and right, and then she says in that same calm soothing voice “ Be a woman”.

Be a woman? Okay, I thought to myself. That I can do. I was born a female and now I am a grown woman. I think I might be getting good at this Hybrid Yoga! I left with a sense of accomplishment.

Childhood

While contemplating this entry I realized that there is no way that I could ever share my childhood memories in a mere paragraph or two. I will definitely need to elaborate more on “my old Kentucky home” in the future. For now I will just give you a glimpse of some of the events that have made me who I am today.

When I was almost two my little brother was added to our clan completing our family with a nice even 6. I guess there were 8 of us if you include, my parents, myself, my 3 brothers, our German Shepard, and our VW Vanagon. Believe me the dog and the van were very much a part of the family.

We went to a private school called Heritage Academy. We also went to church there so during the school year it felt like we were there more than we were at home. Around my second week of Kindergarten my little brother was diagnosed with Leukemia. I never thought of him as sick, him and I were a duo. Hospitals, Doctors, central lines, and transplants were just a part of life and felt normal to me. We still had it good. Our family was best friends with our neighbors next door. We did everything together, holidays, vacations, we even shared a playground. There was a lot of land out where we lived and we explored every inch of it. When I turned 9 things started to get a little tougher for my family. My brother was admitted to the ICU and my family ended up staying in an apartment near the hospital so that we could be close to him.

One day I was pulled out of class and taken to the school office where I found my family waiting for me. My dad shared the news that my little brother had gone to heaven to be with Jesus. It all went by so fast after that, the memorial, the funeral, the burial, and then it was over. He was gone and we had to move on. We only grew closer from there, and we still cherish the memories. I know someday I will get to see my little brother again.

My Entrance

To really know who know a person also means knowing a little bit of their history. Everything that we go through helps to shape and mold us and so since I am still new around here (the blogsphere) I am going to focus on some tales from my past this week at messymom.com.
Beginning with, well, the beginning…

The year was 1982, gas was 91 cents a gallon, Michael Jackson had just released thriller, and shoulder pads were all the rage. It was a hot summer day at our home in *Covington Kentucky. My mom was way past her due date and craving *corn. She had two little boys to preoccupy her enough to keep her from being overly anxious. Finally later that evening it was time. The midwife came over and she had an entirely natural home birth. I arrived on the scene at a whopping 9 pounds and 8 ounces. It’s as simple as that, I was born and I was chubby. Later in life my brother would harass me by calling me fat baby and make me cry, but as an adult I now understand that fat babies are the best kind.



*Covington is a suberb of Cincinatti Ohio. When people ask where I was originally from I say “ the Cincinatti area”. A lot of people don’t realize how close Cincinatti is to Kentucky. The Cincinatti airport is in Kentucky, just to give an idea.

*For the record, I do like corn, but not in an unusual way.

Excuse The Mess

I just wanted to post a quick disclaimer about my blog here. I have been writing for 12 days now and I am so excited about this new venture. However, here is the big secret, I don't quite know what I am doing here!? It is going to take some time for me to really find my groove. I am trying to pace myself. I have all kinds of things in store. From make up to movies there is so much that I want to write about, but I need to hear from you. What kind of things are you interested in seeing on this blog? Do you have any questions for me? What do you like to read about? Please send your emails to themessymom@gmail.com or just post a comment.
If there are any experienced bloggers out there I would love to hear from you too. Let me know you were here so that I can checkout your site.

Until then please "excuse the mess." (Boy, if I had a nickle for every time I said that I could buy a lot of stuff at CVS.) I'll be back soon!

Jesus Loves all of the little children

Jesus loves all of the little children

All of the children of the dark and scary world



He wants them to know that he hears them

Even all of the things they never told



Like the young girl with red curls who tries hard

But her best never seems to please them



He has spoken over her plans to prosper

And wants her to see him as a friend



Like the boy riding on the yellow school bus

Who doesn’t want the bus to take him home



Jesus said I know that you are scared son

But with me you will never be alone



And for the young child who is hiding the bruises

Because black and blue could give away the truth



He can be the one to take you out of hiding

He already knows all of the that pain you go through



For the girl whose white dress has been tainted

She feels used confused and unsure



He alone can be your restoration

And He knows that you are still pure



Jesus sees all of the little children

and they are so very precious in his sight



And not one of them goes unnoticed by Him

And all that is exposed in his light



Jesus loves all the little children

He saves them from the pain of the world



He wants them to know there is a future

And that each have a love to behold


I wrote this a couple years ago after coming back from a mission trip to an orphanage in Acapulco, Mexico. Every child there had been abused in some way. There are so many more children out there that all have in common pain and dark secrets. I feel the father's love going out to them and how any harm to them brings Him such grief. We are to be a light, and deliver the message of the hope that is in Christ. I would like to say thank you to all of the parents, children's pastors, and teachers that extend a special kind of love and bring hope to children. I would also like recognize that we are all God's children and we experience pain in many ways. God sees all that holds you from being complete in Him. He loves you and wants you to allow him to father you.

This week's Super Savings

Some people like this kind of thing, so I am posting it. Pay no attention if it bores you.

I SPENT $2.81 on almost $50.00 worth of stuff and I still have $20.00 store credit for next time, WOO HOO! Here is how I did it…

Cadbury candy bar- $1.59
Baby Advil- $5.79 (-$1.00 coupon)
Hershey candy bar- $ .79
½ Gallon of milk- $2.79
(2) Dove Dark Chocolate 9.5 oz- $3.00 each (buy one get one free coupon)
12 count Alavert allergy tablets- $5.99 (-$3.00 coupon)
CVS sunscreen $1.99 (- $2.00 coupon)
(2) Colgate total toothpaste $2.79 each(buy one get one free -$1.50 coupon)
(2) 4oz Lamisilk foot lotion $8.29 each (- 2 $4.00 coupons)
- $2 off $10 CVS coupon
- $5 off $30 CVS coupon

Total before tax- $47.10
-$28.29 coupons
Total after sales and coupons $18.81
- $16.00 ECB (Extra care bucks)
Total out of pocket = $2.81


I also went to Walgreen's and bought 4 axe products which my husband goes through like clear water and I got 2 free movie tickets.

It was a good week, and that's not even mentioning some of the cool target deals I scored ☺

Here is a sneak peek at what I am stirring up for CVS next week...

1st Transaction- Fleet Pedia Lax-$2.19 get $2.00 ECB
2 Oral B Toothbrushes- $1.99 use $1 coupon Get $1 ECB
Neosporin $5.49- Use $.50 coupon
Use $2 off $10 CVS Coupon

2nd Transaction-CVS baby wipes $2.50 -$2.00 CVS coupon
Neosporin -$5.49 -$.50 coupon get $5 ECB
Revlon mascara- $7.99 -$2.00 coupon get $5 ECB
Crest toothpaste- $1.99 -.75
Use $2 off $10 CVS coupon

Thank you Crystall for posting your deal ideas!

The Restless Night Syndrome: Bloopers

Who doesn't love a good blooper reel? While I never originally intended to show these, I thought some of you might enjoy seeing the REALITY behind some of the previous video blogs.

The Restless Night Syndrome: Closing Thoughts

I once heard a politician say that after he lost the election he "slept like a baby"… “go to sleep, wake up and cry, fall back asleep, wake up crying”. Everybody knows babies don’t come into this world on our sleep schedule. Yet somehow the subject of putting your baby to bed can become very heated and controversial. Whether they feel you need to be firm and in control from the get go, or you should never let a baby cry, people can often be aggressive with their opinions. It shouldn’t have to be this way. In a previous post I quoted Dr. Phil and Dr. Sears, I forgot to quote Dr. who gives a flip. It is your baby and going with your gut and doing the best you can to love and nurture that child is a good thing! Do your research ask what worked for other people and then go with what works for you. As for me I am very happy with the success I have had so far switching Zion from sleeping in our bed to sleeping in his crib. I don’t know what the long term results will be and I am certainly not an expert on the subject, but here are a few things that worked for my 11 month old.

1. A regular bedtime routine. Make sure everyone in the family is aware that this is “wind down time” low lights and soft voices. For us this part takes almost a whole hour.
2. Give your baby a comfort object, this could be a pacifier, blankie, stuffed animal, or even one of your night gowns.
3. Stroking and massaging your baby is great, I especially found brushing your thumb gently over the eyebrows can be very effective.
4. Make a SHHHH sound, almost like waves on the beach, I continue making these sounds as I leave the room.
5. Sometimes having a parent near only makes it worse, but for us it worked great to have me lay on a sleeping bag next to the crib until he settled down on a difficult night. You can’t keep this up forever, but you gradually ease your way out. It is much easier to transition you out of the nursery than your baby out of your bed.


I hope you have a RESTFULL night and as always please share any tips, tricks, and ideas that worked for you.

The Restless Night Syndrome: Night Five

If you are just joining us you can catch up by viewing the other 5 entries of The Messy Mom: The Restless Night Syndrome.

Last night baby Z went to sleep a little later than usual, but we did the same nighttime routine. He was awake when I laid him down, but he didn't cry at all. He laid there calmly until he fell asleep. I know for some people this the norm, but for me this a phenomenon. I hope it because the norm. He slept for 7 hours, I let him cry for a while thinking he might go back to sleep, but he didn't until I came in to nurse him. I am feeling good about this experience and I know that we are on the right track.

Restless Night Syndrome: Night 4

If you are just joining us you can catch up by viewing the other 4 entries ofThe Messy Mom: The Restless Night Syndrome.

Baby Z didn't seem like he was ready to go to sleep even though it was way past his bedtime. I drug out our wind down time for over an hour and I was beginning to loose patience. It paid off in the end though. By the time I put him in his crib he was ready to go to sleep. He did wake up after 6 hours and even after I rocked and nursed him he seemed wide awake! I laid down on the sleeping bag on the floor with him and he went back to sleep. I am sure that is "against the rules" if there are any, but at least he didn't come back to bed with me. We are taking baby steps here.

In this segment of the messy mom blog I will be featuring a product, store, or restaurant that I couldn’t do without. Everyone has different tastes, but I always like hearing what someone else thinks before trying something. Think of it like Oprah’s Favorite Things, only my items will be cheaper and I won’t be giving anything away. Man, this is starting to sound really lame now. Anyway, feel free to do your own “why I love…” on your blog and post a link on this page in the comments section.

In conjunction with “the restless sleep syndrome” I am going to share,

The Outdoor Bassinet
I have had a lot of new moms ask me “what is the one item that you would recommend as a must have”? Well, for me it was the outdoor bassinet. I know it sounds like the most nonessential item that you could possible buy, but hear me out.
I got mine for free as a hand me down and I had no idea how much I was going to love that thing! When your baby is first born and he or she is not doing too much other than sleeping it is nice to have a bassinet close by to lay them down in. Here are some of the ways that I used mine,

1. A co sleeper- well it isn’t quite the same because they are not connected to the bed, but it’s pretty close.

2. By the dinner table, computer or sofa. You want your newborn with you all the time and it is easy to pull around wherever you are. If you have a two story house you might want to consider where you spend most of your time.

3. For travel. It folds up and you can bring it to grandmas house.

4. By the window to let a newborn with jaundice get some sun, or lay “nudie booty” as I call it and help with diaper rash.

5. I even used it for it’s intended purpose, outdoors for parks, pools or picnics.


Pack n Plays and Strollers are great too, but I prefer this for a tiny baby. It is so much lighter and higher up. It is so easy to set up and drag around.

The Kolcraft Lil Sleeper pictured above retails at around $43.00. However as I mentioned before I got mine used and I just recently saw a Kolcraft tender vibes retailed at $69.99 go for $10.00 at a yard sale and it was practically new so always be on the look out.

However as I mentioned before I got mine used and I just recently saw a Kolcraft tender vibes show below retailed at $69.99 go for $10.00 at a yard sale and it was practically new so always be on the look out.

The Restless Night Syndrome: Night Three

If you are just joining us you can catch up by reading the previous 3 postsThe Messy Mom: The Restless Night Syndrome.

Last night we got to bed a little earlier, which is great. It didn't take long for baby Z to fall asleep although he did stand up in his crib a little reluctant trying to make his case known for about 10 minutes. I laid down on the floor next to him until I was certain he was asleep. He let out a few little cries here and there throughout the night, but not even long enough for me to go check on him. He woke up 10 HOURS LATER! He seemed really well rested and this was evident through his temperament all day.

sorry the video sound isn't entirely in sync I don't know what the problem is grrrr.

Restless Night Syndrome: Night 2

If you are just joining us you can catch up by reading the previous 2 posts
The Messy Mom: The Restless Night Syndrome.

We went through the same bedtime routine and Baby Z fell asleep after about an hour of "winding down". I was so excited when he woke up and I had realized that it had been 8 1/2 hours. However, after that he would not go back to sleep even though he was still tired. Later in the day we both took a nap in my bed which I am sure is a set back, this is what we are trying to get away from. Overall it was a successful night, I just want to work on getting 9 or more hours for baby Z and I really need to go to bed sooner myself.

Restless Night Syndrome (my first vlog)

If you are just joining us catch up by reading the previous post.

Here is a synopsis of our first evening with The Crib experiment.

1. Bath
2. PJ's
3. A bedtime story
4. A bedtime prayer
5. Ending with rocking and singing

He actually stayed asleep when I laid him in his crib, this was the first victory. The crib is so low it is hard for me to lower him over the rail and keep him asleep. He usually wakes up and starts screaming.

He stayed asleep for 3 hours before he woke up crying. I went in nursed him and was able to return him to his crib soundly. This was VICTORY #2!

He woke up 4 hours later and I knew he needed more than 7 hours of sleep, so I repeated the protocol and lowered him into his crib. Just as I was about to leave the room he woke up started screaming and I could not console him. I bunkered down on the floor next to him to let him cry it out.

He resisted sleep for another 30 minutes, but after that he was out for 2 more hours allowing him to wake up somewhat refreshed and the rest of the day went well.

The Restless Night Syndrome

I think every mom has dealt with the insurmountable challenge of getting a good night sleep after having a baby. Of course the first few months it is just a fact, your newborn needs to be fed around the clock, but you can rest assured that some day, some time in the future relief will come. For me that day was January 23rd 2008. After 5 months of sleep deprivation (much, much longer if you include pregnancy) my son finally slept through the night. I just wanted to shout it from the rooftops. I was elated! Nothing could stop me now! Things were going well until around 8 months when my baby started to become more and more attached to me and add to that his newfound ability to stand up in his crib. One thing led to another and before I knew it he was waking up every few hours, sleeping with us, and nursing through the night all over again. Now that he is about to be a year old I am ready to make some changes. I am not anti co sleeping, but to quote the infinite wisdom of Dr. Sears “if you resent it, change it”. Or then there is the Dr. Phil line “how’s that working for you?” Well, resentment is a strong word, but it is right around the corner, and our sleeping arrangements are NOT working for my husband, our baby, or me. It seems that none of us are really getting a good nights rest in our modestly sized bed. I have done a lot of research and I have decided to take action. I don’t know what the outcome will be, but you are welcome to follow up and read more about our dilemma each day this week as I take on “THE RESLES NIGHT SYNDROME”.

Talitha Cumi

These are the lyrics to a song I wrote about the story of Jairus’s daughter found in Mark 5:35. I felt like the Lord gave me these words. It is hard for me to find the rhythm as a poem since it was originally written as a song, but the meaning remains the same.


Little girl sick lying frail on her bed
Her father said I’ll go find the one who raises the dead

Some doubted saying nothing could be done
And some believed but they all agreed that she was gone

So the father with tears in his eyes
Cried out to Jesus
He said my daughter just died

Then Jesus came to a house full of weeping
And told them this girl is only sleeping

Get up young girl
It’s time to open your eyes
They said that you were dead
But I have said you’re alive

I am just another little girl
Sometimes frightened by a big world

They doubt that he can use my life
And I’ll admit that it can feel that way at times

But when I finally reach the end of my rope
I turn to Jesus my one and only hope

And then Jesus comes to a soul full of weeping
And tells me "You are only sleeping"

Get up young girl,
It’s time to open your eyes
They said that you were dead
But I have said you’re alive

When you feel like your hope has run out
And your mind becomes clouded by these doubts
Just believe in Jesus name
He will raise you up again
He has the power now just as he did
And through His blood you shall LIVE!

Money Saving Mom

If you haven’t already been, you need to check out money saving mom. My friend Jen is a fanatic and she got me started a couple months ago. Today makes exactly 2 months that I’ve been doing this whole thing, although it feels like much longer. I will be writing about special offers, coupons, dumpster diving and more in future entries. For now let me just share a little bit of my testimony.

I had never really clipped coupons up until now. I guess if a store had a coupon available for you to tear off right next to the product I wouldn’t be opposed to taking one, but that’s about it. However, since I started visiting money saving mom I usually buy two papers every Sunday JUST for the coupons. To me CVS is hands down the best resource for getting great deals. In the past 2 months I have received over $700 worth of great products from CVS alone and paid nothing for them. That's right ABSOLUTELY FREE. The only out of pocket cash that I have spent is about $30 the first week when I was learning and getting the ball rolling and I spend about $5.00 a week now. All of that money goes towards things I would have bought anyway, and probably paid much more for.

If you are reading this you are probably thinking one of two things
1.Is this some kind of pyramid scheme? She sounds like an infomercial, what is her pay off?
OR
2. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve been on board for years now, what took YOU so long.

The truth is there is nothing in it for me, but because of the blessing it has been to my family I want to get the word out to everyone I know. To get started go to

Moneysavingmom.com

I recommend the section called CVS 101

Check out these photos of just SOME of the items I have gotten for FREE in the past 8 weeks.