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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Open House

This Friday night, I will be having an open house for RASberry Designs. I have been so busy getting it altogether. I haven't really had time to sit down and put pictures and stories together to blog, but I miss writing so much that I'm doing this.
I have been on the hunt for beads I bought in a little shop. I made a beautful necklace with the beads and have some interest in it, but I have to get more beads in order to make more necklaces. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.242801629129686.55312.242572019152647&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=242802789129570&set=a.242801629129686.55312.242572019152647&type=3&theater
I found beads online, ordered them and was feeling proud that I hunted these beads down. When they came in the mail, I realized I had ordered the same bead, only it was maybe 1/4th the size of what I needed! I finally did find the correct sized bead on etsy.com and am hoping they will be in the mail in time for the Open House!
If you think about it, will you say a prayer for me? I get super nervous about this kind of thing. I love doing it, but my nerves kick in. I really enjoy creating jewelry!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Sweet Boy!

I know everyone thinks their child is the greatest, and I am totally that MOM! I've said and heard, "Everyone thinks their child is the cutest, but I know mine is the cutest." I'm actually glad that parents feel that way. It makes me feel so special knowing that my parents think of me that way! I just want to share and keep some wonderful stories about my cutest child, JJ!

He has learned to put his hand up and say "stop" and then "go". When I tell him it's time for a diaper change, he tells me to "stop". You cannot walk up or down the stairs without getting stopped by JJ. James even got a ticket today for disobey "Officer JJ". When James got "upset" about it, JJ took the ticket away! Love it!

Today, we went to get me a new driver's license. As we were waiting in line, we heard them calling out the letters and numbers. When he heard the "d" he said, "D, Daddy"! I was one proud Mama!

Tonight, when I put him in his crib, he said, "Mommy". He then flipped to the other side of the crib. I put his first blanket on, and he told me "No, baby". I wasn't sure what he meant, so I took off the blanket and put on the other one. He said, "yes", so I"m guessing he wanted the other one one first.

He loves his daddy, and sometimes I think he favors Daddy over Mommy. He constantly tells me it's his daddy. He even calls him Big Daddy sometimes!

When I wear a necklace, he'll look at it and say, "Wew, Mommy!" It makes me feel good considering I make most of my jewelry.

He loves to eat bananas, fruit snacks, yogurt, apple sauce, chicken nuggets, anything he gets to eat with a spoon, juice, sweet potatoes, ice cream (He doesn't get too much of it though.) and anything sweet!

These are the dinosaur stickers he put on me Sunday! Someone said it looked like a necklace! He loves dinosaurs and kept laughing as he put them on me! He was excited!

Friday, February 10, 2012

IKEA trip

We've been wanting to go to Ikea for a while now, and today was the day to go!
Our trip started out with some napping JJ!

I took a few pics while he slept and James drove!

This is the "Pearl" necklace available on Etsy!

It was a long drive....

James' typical driving face.

JJ got some chicken and fries when we got there because he was asleep while we got Chick Fil A. By the way, the Chick Fil A drive thru was crazy busy. There was someone guiding traffice, two people taking orders and a man with the condiments on a cart. We were told it's the #1 store in the nation.

JJ ate more fries than chicken.

This was so cute! James asked him if he wanted to get in the chair. He said, "yeah", then asked James to get in the chair next to him.



This one is my favorite! He kept saying "cheese" and people walking by were giggling and smiling at my sweet man!

This bed is perfect for a little boy! We're seriously considering getting it for JJ. He can sleep down low for now, then transfer up to the top later.

This is my dream dining room chair. I am in love with black and white, which I'm sure you can tell!

You cannot leave IKEA without getting a sweet treat! This is the frozen yogurt JJ was enjoying on the way home. We also got the sweet rolls they have! JJ got ice cream all over him, but he cleaned it all up with the napkins that I would pass back to him!
James' facebook status today said, "At IKEA with Rachel, where married couples go for fun"! I laughed out loud when I read it, but it was so true! We had a blast looking and dreaming for the future!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Coupon High!

James and I decided long ago that I would stay at home with our children as long as possible. So, when we were expecting JJ, I did not resign my teaching contract for the next school year so that I couuld stay home with our baby! Going from two incomes to one was tough! I heard my sister share some stories about her trying couponing and thought I would give it a try! It has been over 2 years now, and I am a "Coupon Queen", as my husband calls me! (That is a great compliment to me!)

I thought I would share more about couponing already, but I just haven't. The deals lately haven't been that great to brag about, but today I scored so high I wanted to leave CVS dancing and singing and doing cartwheels  (I've never been able to do those things)!

                                                            Here's how I did at CVS!
I went in with $10 in CVS bucks from a diaper deal I did last week! I saw that the Sally Hanson was buy 1 get 1 50% off. I also had coupons for all three products shown above! The nail polishes were $1 off coupons and the nail clippers were free with any nail polish purchase! I got to the register and noticed the clippers were marked down to $1.25! The coupon had a $5.50 limit, so it took off all $5.50 which means coverage on the other items. The cashier went to scan the last $1 off coupon, but it wouldn't work because I was already -$.19. I told her I'd get some gum that was 3 for $2. This brought my total to $.93! She asked if I still wanted the gum, and with a huge grin on my face I said, "Ma'am, for only $.93 for all this, I'll take it!"

Here's how I did at Target!

I paid $5.95 for all this. I put the card backwards so my love will not see his card early! I had coupons for everything but the card and bananas, and a Honey Bunches of Oats coupon printed right after it rang up, so I got an extra $.75 off that I wasn't planning on!

If that doesn't get you pumped to use coupons, I don't know what will!
I am not an extreme couponer by any means, but I will not pay full price when I know I can get it on sale and with a coupon!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The Sillies of JJ

These last few days have been very tiring around here. JJ has been coughing this awful sounding cough. I stayed home with him all day Sunday and tried to make him rest as much as a high energy two year old possibly can. Yesterday, he seemed to be doing a little better. When 2:30am rolled around, and he was awake, I knew it was no good. He got in bed with us, and I woke up to his hacking and him asking to watch (turn on cartoons). We went to the dr. today, and he has a URI. They gave him a breathing treatment which cleared his lungs, so we rented a nebeulaizer and got the meds to go in it.

I know that wasn't really silliness, but I had to share that. On to the silly stuff! He has gone from saying "uh-huh" to a cute "yes" and "yeah"! He also picked up "no way" from a book I read to him at bedtime Sunday night! He loves to point his finger at us and tell us, "No, no, mommy." Cute at times, but others I'm annoyed my 2 year old thinks he's really in charge.

We've been potty training, and after he goes, he loves to pull up his pants without a diaper on. First time mom, me, has been thinking how great it is that he's showing us he's ready to be potty trained! So, today, I let him go without a diaper with just his pjs on. He was under the dining room table for a while saying he was a fish! I'm just adoring how cute he is, when I noticed a nasty smell! Yes, you guessed it right. He pooed in his pants. Oh My Goodness! That was one of the nastiest things I've dealt with as a mom.

He has Fridge Phonics and loves it! He recognized his name when we write it somewhere and loves to hear the letter "j". You put a letter in it, press the letter and it plays a song with the letter and how it sounds. If we need him to come to the kitchen, we just put in a different letter, and he comes running in saying, "NO, no, Daddy" and changes it back to "j"! It's pretty funny!

He said a long sentence the other day that was precious! He calls phones, hellos. I walked in the room the other day, and as he handed me my cell phone he said,' I want to give mommy the hello!" I was so excited!

He loves to turn music on and dance to it. It doesn't even have to have a beat that makes one dance. He will dance to anything!

If he weren't so funny and cute, I think I would have pulled my hair out by now. Everyone keeps saying 3's are worse, and I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around that one.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

14 Days of Love

I'm home this morning with my sweet boy who has an awful cough. I'm hoping it's nothing too serious, but I have a feeling it is.  Please pray that he will heal quickly.


I had this idea about a week ago, and I decided to go with it! I wanted to tell James everyday for the first 14 days of February something I love about him and why. My plan was to put it in my own handwriting on some cute paper! Well, that didn't happen. I then told him my idea and said I would just say it to him. For some reason, I got really nervous and embarrassed and decided to type it out. I ended up sending him a facebook message each day. It's not as cute as I wanted it to be, but James seems to be enjoying it. James is a man of few words, so I've had to ask him if he got my message and if he liked it.

I don't want to give my exact words, but I have told him things like: I love it when you hold my hand, I love it when you sing.... You get the idea. It's a great way to tell someone things you love about them. It has given him something to look forward to everyday!

Any creative Valentine ideas you can share? I'm wanting to do something cute from JJ, but I haven't narrowed it down just yet.

Friday, February 3, 2012

WW Chicken Tenders (5 Plus points)

Here's a fabulous recipe that my family has enjoyed several times over the past few years. I made them tonight upon request of James, and my parents enjoyed them for the first time! This comes from Weight Watchers.

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken sliced to strips
2 tablespoons honey mustard
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup bread crumbs

*Special note- You can make your own buttermilk! This is perfect for me because I would buy it for one recipe, and it would go bad before I would use it again. Pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into a 1 cup measuring spoon/bowl. Then, fill the rest of the cup with milk. Let is set 5 minutes before using it. I used skim and whole milk, but the whole milk worked 100 times better, fyi!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450*F
Place pan in oven while preheating.
Slice chicken into strips.



Whisk buttermilk and honey mustard together.

Dump bread crumbs into a bowl.

                                     
                                          Have them side by side for easier working space!
Dip chicken in honey mustard/buttermilk mixture.

Dip in bread crumbs. Be sure to flip and get both sides covered.

Take tender and place on cookie sheet. I am using a Pampered Chef stone cookie sheet, which I highly recommend!

Place tenders on cookie sheet. Put in oven for 6 minutes, flip them over, then cook for 6 more minutes or until crispy like you like them!

TaDa! (as JJ would say!)


Serve on a plate if desired!

Serve with 1/4 cup barbeque sauce. For 3 strips and sauce, it only costs you 5 weight watchers points plus! I also made sweet potatoe fries! It's another WW recipe!

Here's JJ with his puppy hat on enjoying his tenders!

Have any yummy low in ww points recipes to share? I'm always looking for something the whole family will enjoy while I can work on trimming down!