Free panty @ Macy's

Dont' forget....tee hee....today is the day you can run down to Macy's and get your free Jockey panty (worth total value of a litle over $9). Click here to print the coupon. This coupon is good through June 6.

Memorial Day play

Our good friends, Loran and Tera, invited us over to their new home to celebrate Memorial Day with them and their two little girls. We had a blast watching the kiddos play in the pool, chow down on some hotdogs, and squeal in delight (sometimes fear!). It's pool-time!

Free Frutista @ Taco Bell

Thanks to Wendy at More Than Enough for posting that you can get a free Frutista at Taco Bell with any purchase. Click here to print the coupon (it's like an icy-fruit smoothie...sort of). The coupon was on page two when I printed it.

Baby McLeod has arrived!

My sweet friend, Chrissy, gave birth to her first child on Monday, Memorial Day. I am so thrilled for her. I actually cried tears of joy when I walked into her hospital room and saw her holding her precious daughter. Chrissy is not only a close friend but she was also Andrew's K3 teacher this past year. She's a woman of many talents....she was also Mitch's part-time assistant in that she worked for him a few hours of each week. Now, she's a full time MOM and I am excited to see God mold her into her new role.

Oh...yeah...I didn't forget about you Chad. Ummm.....you looked cute holding your daughter, too. Especially in your Red Sox cap, Gator's t-shirt, and Gator Crocs. Nothing like welcoming your child into the world the way that it's really gonna be around your house.

Must post a picture:

Vacation means "Blogger in Draft"

We are leaving today to go on vacation to....no, not the beach....no, not the amusement park.....no, not there either. We are going to St. Louis! How fun!

We have many many friends that live in this mid-western state and we're excited about getting this opportunity to see them and stay for an entire week! Also, we have become fun friends with a couple in our church who are from there. We've just had the best time getting to know their parents so we were elated when they invited us to stay with them at any time! I mean, who can pass up an offer to stay with wonderful friends who have so lovingly planned meals and cleaned their toilets so you'll feel right at home (...a clean potty? yeah, right...that never happens at my house with my two little boys)?

So, while away on vacation (I'll be able to check my email while in St. L but I will be too pooped to blog mulitple times as I normally do), I plan on taking full advantage of Blogger in draft (what I'll begin referring to as BID). BID works the same as posting through the normal venue of Blogger but it's different in that it allows you to chose a future date for the post to actually appear on your blog. I've been up all night typing many posts and setting their appearance date on my blog. So, it will seem as if I'm sitting down every day this week and writing new information (not that you're waiting eagerly to read anything I write - unless it's a freebie, yeah?) when I've acutally already written the next five posts and set their appearance date and time for the next five days.

Cool, huh? You should try it!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

I love you and pray that your day is absolutely wonderful!

Wish I could hug your neck.

Wish I could sit beside your desk at work and chat.

Wish my kids could see you and eat some birthday cake.

Know that you are loved!

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,

and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

~ Psalm 7:17 ~

(ESV)

Arby's FREE sandwich

Click here to print a coupon for a FREE regular roast beef sandwich at Arby's with the purchase of a medium fry and medium drink. One coupon per customer and it expires June 23.

I'm not sure which blog posted this deal first so I'm not going to take the credit for finding this FREEBIE!

Free Yoplait yogurt for kids

Any of you out there got some kids? I do! I don't usually purchase yogurt for no other reason besides it never crosses my mind. I didn't eat the stuff when I was a kid so it doesn't tend to make it onto my grocery list. However, when I got this coupon in the mail for a free pack of Kids Yoplait yogurt, I was hooked. It's yummy...and my kids love it! This is a picture of the actual product that this coupon covers.

Click here and then click on the FREE COUPON button on the right side of the screen. Enter your info and your coupon will be in the mail in a few weeks!

I love freebies....they make me happy. My mailbox loves freebies, too!

Thanks to Marcy at Stretching a Buck for the info on this offer.

@ the lake w/ JMP & Shea

The guy with three first names, John Mark Patrick, and his wonderful wife, Shea, invited us out to their lakehouse for steaks and potatoes. Shea's brother, Matt, took our boys out on the water for some fun. It was getting dark so they only took two spins on the ripples but they had a blast. Forgive the dark photos....I'm still learning the new settings on my camera and the sun was almost gone for the day.

Where is your city?

According to this recent release, my city ranks #4 on the list of BEST CITIES TO RAISE A FAMILY. You can click here to see if your city made the list!

New RedBox code

New Redbox code:

JG552P

Some people have asked me how the RedBox "thing" works. So, here I am ready to inform you of how simple it is to go to any RedBox, enter your code, and get a free DVD rental for one night.

1. Find your local RedBox machine (for those of you in Columbus, it's at the Super WalMart on Whittlesey Blvd)
2. On the touchscreen, choose "RENT A DVD"
3. Touch the title of the movie you wish to take home
4. Touch "CHECK OUT"
5. Touch "Enter Promo Code"

6. Type in the code and wait for confirmation.

7. Enter zip code and email address (optional).

8. Wait for DVD to be dispensed.

9. Go home and enjoy the movie!

You can always cancel the transaction anytime before swiping your card!

As for the codes, sometimes they are good for only that day but some are good for a whole week. I never really know which ones are good for a day or more, but your best bet is to go to the machine with a list of codes and try them until one works. Also, you can only use one code per debit/credit card. If you want to rent two movies for free, you can use the same code but you must swipe a different card for the second movie (making that a total of two transactions, one on each card). Often, I'll use my card for one movie and then get another movie free after swiping my husband's card, usually not on the same night, though. I mean....who has time, with three kids, to watch two movies in one night? HA!

Just a note: Remember that only the first night is free. The movie must be returned by 9p.m. the next night or your card will be charged $1. This is the purpose behind swiping your card...so they can charge you in case the movie is late or never returned. I always opt to give them my email address when asked since I like having my receipt emailed to me to verify and cover my end of responsibility.

Remember, you can return the movie to ANY RedBox location! This is great if you want to rent a movie on your way out of town on vacation or elsewhere. Just make sure there's a RedBox at your destination (or at least somewhere on the way). You can go here to find a location.

Trash to treasure

It amazes me what some people will throw away. I find myself looking at everyone's trash when driving through the neighborhood. The good thing is that we have trash pickup twice a week! So, you can imagine how excited I was when I found this toy riding car on the side of the road. It is in perfect condition! It just needed a bath before letting the kids speed in it. Why didn't the owner donate it to a church, a daycare, or to Goodwill? I'm happy to have it but I am baffled that anyone would just throw away an expensive toy still in good working order.

Lovin' my three....

I'm overwhelmed with God's goodness. He has given me three precious gifts!

My new "Kicks"

Oh yeah, baby. Lovin' me some new kicks. The best part?....got 'em at Wal-Mart for only $8. I'm stylin' and profilin' in these. Makin' Holly wish she had her some....jealous!

Video released of SCC with daughter

Click here to view a sweet video of Steven Curtis Chapman with his late daughter, Maria Sue, filmed just two months ago as they washed dishes together in their home.

$5 off $20 coupon @ Walgreens

Click here to print another $5 off $20 (coupon) at Walgreens. It's only good this Friday, May 23. That's tomorrow!

Steven Curtis Chapman tragedy

I just heard about the tragedy in the Chapman home. I can't imagine their pain as it appears to be double. You can read about it here or read the story from THE TENNESSEAN.

Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

Maria, one of the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver’s name.The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home at about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said....

Bubble Wrap craft

I saw this craft on The Crafty Crow and just had to do it. First, I didn't have the bubble wrap that it calls for so I asked the manager at Bed, Bath & Beyond if he could spare a piece or two (we were there purchasing a graduation gift). He gave me about 3 yards of the stuff so we'll be making more of these, I'm sure!

Their favorite part was painting but the boys certainly enjoyed turning over their wrap, popping the bubbles with their elbows and then turning it back over to see the pattern the painted bubble wrap made on the paper.

My three kiddos

Abigail has discovered the many treasures in the refrigerator.

Andrew lost his pet frog in the garage so he went on a hunt - never found him.

Luke is just....Luke. He cracks us up all the time. Never a dull moment.

Luke sings "Amazing Love" (kind of)

Luke loves to sing "Amazing Love" and just discovered that it's cool to hear how different his voice sounds when singing through a glass. He gets some of the words mixed up but it's precious! Funny little dude.

Amazing Love
O what sacrifice
The Son of God, givn' for me
My debt He paid
And my death He died
That I might live

And so.....they watched Him die
Despised, rejected
That I the guilty one
May go free!

BBQ Chicken Wraps

I tried the recipe below after reading about it on a favorite blog of mine, Stretching a Buck. I had almost all the ingredients on hand so this was very easy to make. It was yummy, too! I would only advise to decrease the ranch dressing a bit and increase the BBQ sauce (that was Mitch's recommendation, anyway!). Enjoy!


Ingredients
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 lb Chicken Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 can Black Beans
Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (however much you like, probably about 1/2 c.)
Mixed Greens or Lettuce (your preference)
Ranch Dressing (about 1/4 c.)
Red Onion (sliced thin, optional - I didn't use onions - YUCK!)
4 Large Tortillas

Directions
Drain and rinse black beans, begin heating in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Saute chicken in olive oil until fully cooked (about 10 minutes). Once the chicken is cooked, add BBQ sauce to coat the chicken (don't add so much that it is soupy). Heat through.


Add black beans, shredded cheddar, and a small amount of Ranch Dressing to the BBQ Chicken. Mix. Place a tortilla flat on your working surface. Spread a thin layer of Ranch Dressing on the tortilla.


Place a handful of greens on the tortilla. Add a couple of heaping spoonfuls of BBQ Chicken mixture to the greens. Roll the tortilla like a burrito. Slice on an angle.


Here is my finished product. I'll surely make this again!

Christy....we go waaaaaaaaay back!

One of my best friends from adolescence, Christy, recently moved from our hometown to just living 45 minutes down the road from me! She came over one morning last week and we had a blast chatting and watching our kids play together. We never discussed baby names when growing up together but we both named our daughters ABIGAIL. I guess we think too much alike. Weird.

Luke and Abigail (Christy's ABIGAIL) reading books together on the couch.

A box for Dad

We currently have three members of our church who are deployed soldiers to the middle east. A fourth just returned from his 18 month duty and a fifth is leaving this Saturday for a six month tour. Many of these men have young children so we had a few of them come over to our house Friday afternoon to stuff a care package for their dads. They had fun!

My list

I saw this method of "tag" on Brian Murphy's blog and thought I'd give it a try. This list pertains to me, not what I see about or in others.

10 things I liked when I was a teenager but hate now...
1. makeup
2. going along with the newest trend
3. trying to "fit in"
4. christian book stores
5. fast food (however, it's certainly convenient with small children!)
6. big hair
7. video games
8. painted fingernails
9. big earrings
10. sleeping in late

10 things I didn't like when I was a teenager but like now...
1. books
2. alcohol
3. flip flops
4. tattoos (I don't have one but I think they're neat)
5. sermons
6. people different than me
7. politics
8. the elderly
9. A Friday night with "nothing to do"
10. bluegrass music

10 things I liked as a teenager and still like...
1. children
2. exercise
3. computers
4. Bit-O-Honey candy
5. music
6. ice cream
7. long deep conversations
8. convertibles
9. church
10. my siblings (they don't get on my nerves as much now as they used to - HA!)

10 things I did not like as a teenager and still do not like…
1. criminals
2. shoe shopping
3. foul language
4. sleeping on my back
5. taking medicine
6. tomatoes
7. brushing my teeth (I only do it to save money on dental work)
8. being late
9. rap music
10. stinky male body odor

Don't worry, I'm not "tagging" anyone....but you can copy this idea if you want. Let me know if you make your own list so I can see how quirky YOU are!

Free rental @ Movie Gallery

I have really been in love with our local Redbox machine because it's saving us money while, at the same time, allowing us to see new releases for free. However, some readers don't have a Redbox machine but do have a Movie Gallery. So, click here to print a coupon for a free rental from Movie Gallery. Enjoy!

Free Ice Cream sundae May 18 @ Walmart

Thanks to Debra at Crazy Coupon Mama for spreading the word about MORE FREE ICE CREAM!

Wal-Mart gives away free ice cream on 'Sundae,' May 18th event helps shoppers 'Beat the Heat' and enjoy a favorite summer treat, courtesy of the retailer.

What: As a kickoff to summer and as a way to help shoppers "beat the heat" this season, Wal-Mart is hosting ice cream social events in 2,523 Wal-Mart Supercenters throughout the country.

*Shoppers who visit their local Wal-Mart Supercenter on Sunday, May 18, will receive a free ice cream sundae with their favorite toppings, courtesy of the retailer.

Ice cream sundae flavors and toppings available to shoppers include:
-- Blue Bunny Premium Tracks
-- Breyers Chocolate Crackle
-- Edy's Loaded Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
-- Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
-- Smucker's Triple Berry Sauce
-- Reddi-Wip Original
-- Keebler Sandies Cookies

New blog button added

If you noticed, I've added another blog button to the far right of this page. Most of the buttons pictured are links to other blogs that post many delicious money saving methods and freebies. The newest button, MOM4Life, belongs to Heather. I don't personally know Heather (neither do I personally know Denise at "The Centsible Sawyer" or the other Heather at "Freebies4Mom") but I've been following her blog as she's been posting about losing her precious son, Sawyer, near the end of her pregnancy (somewhere in the week of upper 30s). I hesitated to even write this post about her loss because I don't want to come across as trying to generate traffic by posting about someone else's sorrow....I simply thought that you might want to pray for her, a sister in Christ. Click on the button or click here to read her blog.

So many pictures

I have so many pictures I'd love to post to show off my kiddos but here are a few favorites from this past week. I can envision the grandparents smiling right now!

BELLA, the movie

My sweet friend, Laura, recommended I see the movie Bella (drama). That I did...and I must say that I loved it. Just to give you some insight, the movie involves a pregnant waitress, a former soccer star, a friendship, and a deep committment to family. The very first line of the movie is, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.'"

This movie is family friendly but more suited for teens than for young children, due to the subject content. THIS MOVIE WILL MAKE YOU CRY! You can read the online plugged review here, but be careful because there's a spoiler! Read slow so you will be sure not to read about the ending.

I think the review explains the movie so much better than I can so please take the time to read more about it. Here's the trailor to the movie if you'd like to take a peek.

Another Freebie - Iced Coffee @ DD

From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. tomorrow, May 15, you can get a free iced coffee at Dunkin' Donuts. See you in the drive-thru! Click here for more details.

Free sandwich tomorrow @ McDonald's

McDonald's is giving away a free chicken biscuit (7:00 - 10:30 a.m.) and southern style chicken sandwich (10:30 a.m. -7:00 p.m.) tomorrow, May 15, with the purchase of a medium or large drink. Click here for the details.

Squish face

Ewwww......gross. But, isn't he cute?

He thought is was so funny to squish his face against the glass.

Now, where's my Windex?

Playing with the girls

Holly's girls came over to play with us for about five hours today. It was a nice twist since I'm so used to crazy loud boys, 24/7. My boys could learn some lessons in being calm and gentle in approach, being polite, and considering others first. I'm not sure if the girls learned much from my boys except how to be loud and messy while breathing. Of course, they all had fun just hanging out together.

Andrew told Morgan he would play with the teddy bear dress puzzle

if she would play with Bob the hermit crab.

Abigail showed Ivey her tunnel.

The sunshine and breeze invited us to come outside

and put our hands in some playdough.

Our morning playgroup eating lunch together around my kitchen table.

I love Mondays.

My Mother's Day

For Mother's Day, the family got me CROCS! I love wearing flip flops in the spring and summer heat but my feet ache in the mornings when I first get out of bed due to spending the previous day "working" in shoes with no support. I mentioned this ache to Mitch several months ago and that I might like a pair of the CROCS sandals so see if they would remedy this problem. They have! I've worn them for the past two days and my feet ache no more!

Honey, you did good...and thanks for remembering something I mentioned in passing several weeks/months ago.

Before unwrapping my gift.

Here I am as "The Price Is Right" wanna-be.

Problem solved!

Andrew made this plate for me and Luke made this wall-hanging. Abigail gave me lots of laughs, snot, hugs, poopy diapers, and kisses. She's so thoughtful.