Happy Fourth of July everyone!
Being that the boys are still so young, Trevor is with his mom, and I really have little interest in things exploding in the sky, we have forfeited all plans for the day. I'm sure, one day in the years to come, we will be sitting on our back deck (which isn't there yet) laughing and enjoying the sun with the smell of grilled burgers floating through the air, while the boys run and play in our fenced in yard (which also isn't there yet). Until then, it will be another normal day.
It's been a very busy week for extreme couponing. I was able to save 78 percent on my latest grocery bill, and walked out of Walgreen's yesterday with a bag full of 10 free toothbrushes. I picked up three Rubbermaid drink containers retailing at close to 5 dollars each for only $.99 cents each. I got 4 Dove deodorants retailing for almost 3 dollars each for $.19 cents each. And I picked up 5 Garnier Shampoos/Conditioners retailing at around 3 dollars a bottle for only $.69 cents each. Keep in mind, these are all things that I need. If I weren't saving so much money, I would purchase the store brand shampoos, deodorants, and overlook the drink containers. Couponing makes it so that I can have nice things for less than I would normally spend on the cheap store brand items.
And then I get home, put my items away, look at my receipt and feel like I need to celebrate. I just accomplished the almost impossible. I just saved so much money.
It's like winning the lottery.
I spent a total of less than $30.00 for the items in the picture above.
Each of those toothbrushes was completely free.
I normally do this in the baby book. Every since before Ryder was born, about every six months I sit down and write them each a letter. I tell them about the things that they've accomplished, and how I feel being their momma. Today, I want to share these letters with you also.
My sweet Ryder:
It seems like overnight, and definitely without my permission, you've become a little boy. You're sweet, loving, smart, a troublemaker, and you love attention.
You know that we each have cell phones, and you are always great at picking them up wherever they were left and returning them to their owners. You like the tv remote and will steal it, sit down on the couch and flip through the channels like you know exactly what you are doing.
You're smarter than I would have every imagined a little boy being. You can figure anything out, which makes it hard to keep you out of trouble.
You have to sit on a chair when you eat because it's what everyone else does. You take a shower like an adult. Standing under the water, rub soap on yourself, rinse, then dry with a towel. You just started sleeping with a pillow and blanket. When I put you to bed at night, you and I talk about how much of a big boy you are with your pillow, and then we cover you with a big boy blanket. The blanket I made you gets tucked under your arm and on goes your dog to sing you to sleep. You just lay there and smile up at me as I talk to you. I tell you how good you are and how much I love you, and then I tell you goodnight while I push the hair off your forehead.
You are an amazing little man, Ryder. Momma and Dada are so proud of you. I cannot believe that just a little bit ago you were a little baby in my arms. Now you are doing things that I wouldn't think you would be able to do until you were like... twenty.
I love you little man, you're doing a great job at growing up. Keep God in your heart, baby.
Love, Momma
Dear Wy:
The months between when you were born and now seem like minutes. When you were born you just laid there looking up at me, relying on me for your every need. While you still rely on me for everything, now you smile away, chatting in your own sweet baby language and looking at me from your spot on the floor where you won't ever stay laying on your back. Soon you will be crawling. You already lay there and looking like you're swimming as hard as you can but just not getting anywhere.
You hair is dark, I'm still not sure whether it will quite make it to black like dada's or if it will lighten like Ryder's did. You're eyes are definitely going to be blue. They have already started to lighten. They are big and bright and tell a story.
You smile at everyone, and everyone loves you. You look a lot more like your dada than you do me. And that is perfectly fine with me. You're dada is a very handsome man. I love him so much, Wyatt. He is my world, and he gave me you and your brother.
You've been putting yourself to sleep since you were 2 months old. That's quite an accomplishment since Ryder didn't start that until he was 7 months old.
I love you, baby. I cannot wait to see who you become. Keep growing, keep smiling, and trust God.
Love, Momma.
I was putting away dinner a few nights ago. Leftovers never really get eaten in our house, so the last ear of corn went on top of a cereal box in the trash can. I was relaxing on the couch and Ryder ran up to me with the corn in his hands munching away at it. Holding back a smile, I told him to go put it back in the trash. He ran in there put it back, and then came halfway out of the kitchen and just looked at me. Then he ran back in, grabbed the corn and started munching on it again. He ate the whole entire thing and went and put it back in the trash can when he was finished. Who knew he liked corn? I really don't want to teach him that it's alright to take things out of the trash but it was so cute, and he was actually eating something without us having a huge drama over what he wants!
I'm thinking of using my blog as a sponsor. Sometimes I will log on just to see how much the little counter on the bottom of my page has gone up. "Oh Yes! Look, it went up one! Oh wait... that's just me...again." That's usually how it goes. I've forced everyone I know to receive my blog through email, so I know I'm getting read, but no one actually visits.
Being a sponsor will create visitors, and if what I write is even close to being any good, then maybe, hopefully it will also create some followers. But that brings up the question, do I want to responsibility of followers? And am I good enough to keep them entertained? I force my blogs on family and friends, and they read because they have to, but what would a complete stranger think of my son digging corn out of the trash and eating it? Or the fact that I'd rather keep to my schedule than stay up an extra hour to watch the fireworks.
So the question is, to sponsor or not to sponsor?
