Coupons!

All in a days (ok an hour) work! I love my coupons! I've become a little obsessed with cutting coupons and saving money. I can't help that I love getting free things or paying very little for others! It's an illness! My oldest calls me "the crazy coupon lady". I love it!

Using coupons really helps me stock up on things and lets face it a family of 7 (going to be 8) really needs to be well stocked.

Here are a few pictures I've taken of my stockpiles!
Laundry soap and liquid softner




Air freshners, light bulbs, dryer sheets etc.

Cake mixes, snacks, rices, muffins etc.

Pasta's, sides etc.



Crystal Light (all free), vitamins etc.


Cereal


I figure I'll take some of the bathroom and come back and post those. I took this pictures in Feb (with the idea of this post), so some look different now. I've got more and less of some items.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Library...except when

I really love the library. Anyone who knows me in person knows how much I love the library. I would live in a library if given a chance, or at least spend the night in one. Think of all the reading I could get down if I were locked in a library. Oh heaven!

Anyway, I love going to the library, except when I have to take 5 children and the library is a huge mess because it's being worked on. We have 2 libraries where I live. We really like going to both, but one has a much better selection. I haven't taken the kids in so long because they are remodeling that library.

Today we are having a slacker day and I decided we need to get out an go to the library. Well the way it's set up the children's/Junior's section is bocked off from the main part of the library. You have to go outside and walk around to the front. Oh and there's no bathroom open in the children's section either.

We hit the children's section and I let the kids pick out books and movies. They are having a few little activies going on today as well so I let them do those as well. Then I have to go to the main part of the library to take care of some fees on the kids accounts. It takes forever to get this taken care of. I'm roasting because they have no air or heat for that matter.

Lesson learned...Don't go back to that library until they are done with the remodel.

That pisses me off and hurts at the same time

So I'm hanging out with 4 other moms. We are all getting ready to leave, when the mom beside me puts a notebook between my face and hers and invites another mom over to her house. I hear her say "I'm having a few people over" and something about the kids playing and lunch.
Thanks for not inviting me, but making it clear that you were inviting other moms that are sitting there to your house for a play date. Why not just wait until I'm at my van to say something to her then. I mean you could tell I was leaving and you talk loud enough that I'm sure you knew I could hear you.
That just really pisses me off and hurts my feelings at the same time. I think if I weren't pregnant it wouldn't hurt my feelings. I would have just been like screw you. Damn pregnancy hormones.

Chicken, Broccoli, & Rice Dinner

A friend of ours made this after I had my 5th daughter. I finally got the recipe and gave it a try! Yummy!

Chicken Tenders (1 pack for small family)
Broccoli (1 frozen bag)
1/2 cup evap milk
2/3 cup mayo
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Bread crumbs
Rice

1)Boil chicken tenders until done (about 15 minutes)

2) Mix evap milk, mayo, cream of chicken soup, curry powder and cheese and put to the side.

3)Cook Broccoli (you could actually cook at the same time as the chicken).

4) Drain and shred chicken.

5) Add chicken to wet mixture and mix together.

6) Place broccoli in the bottom of baking dish and cut up. Make sure the broccoli covers the bottom of the baking dish.

7) Evenly spread the chicken/wet mixture over broccoli.

8) Sprinkle with bread crumbs

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

We actually had to double the recipe for my family, but it was very yummy and we even had a little leftover for lunch the next day.

Wow, now that's great parenting NOT!

I just about lost it at my 5 year olds Tball game tonight! I really had to watch my mouth.

We get there and get all settled in our chairs. It's chilly I'm even a little chilly with my jeans and T-shirt on. My girls put on extra shirts and had their blankets. A lady pulls her double stroller next to us. I look and smile and say "hello". My oldest asks her how old her baby is. The lady replies 5 weeks. Now keep that in mind while reading the rest of this post.

So the baby starts to cry. The lady talking to herself says "Of course your Daddy didn't pack your passie, and your bottle is in the car". She picks the child up and starts to beat him on the back. I do mean beat because those pats where loud. She then starts holding this baby like a sack of potatoes. He has on a t-shirt and a thin blanket somewhat covering him up. The baby is crying like crazy. I ask her (because I saw her letting someone else hold him) if she would like me to rock him. She says "No, it's ok he is just hungry". OMG then go get his bottle out of the car.
She puts him back in the car seat. He keeps crying. I'm losing my mind because I can't stand to hear this little baby crying because he is hungry. She pulls him out of the car seat and puts him tummy down on her legs. While she's trying to take pictures of her two kids playing ball. I ask her if she would like me to hold him while she takes pictures.
No, he is ok, he's just hungry. Ok lady you've told me that twice, feed your baby!!!!
She then calls the baby's father over and tells him to go get the baby's bottle out of the car. While Dad takes 10 minutes (no joke) to get this baby's bottle this lady is beating the poor baby's back and saying "Come on (child's name)". Her 4 year old comes over and sits down and she says "Here take your brother" and puts the baby in his arms. By this point the baby has no blanket on him and is screaming.
Dad gets back and fixes the bottle. Mom hands the baby to him and he feeds him for a little bit, with no blanket wrapped around him (it's very chilly by this time).
Then as if all this isn't bad enough. The father puts the baby in the car seat, and puts the bottle in his mouth and puts the blanet under the bottle and walks off. Mom's running her mouth to other people.

People like these people should NOT have children!

Losing one's self

How does it happen that when we get older, get married, and have kids we lose ourself?

After a little chat on twitter yesterday it hit me that I've lost myself. Don't get me wrong, I love being a mommy and a wife, but what the heck happen to Jessica?

I use to love to write. I wrote poems, short stories, even wrote a kids book. I use to take pictures all the time, and scrapbook. I couldn't tell you the last time I have scrapbooked. I'm years behind on scrapbooking! I use to be really talkative (ok so that I still am), and pretty outgoing.

More importantly how does one find themself again? I don't want to lose my family, but man what I wouldn't give to have Jessica back.

Hello Jessica, if you are out there and can hear me...please return to your body soon!

Surprise, Surprise

Last week I wasn't feeling the greatest on Monday and Tuesday. Thought it could be morning sickness. Wednesday I woke up with a sore throat. It got worse over the course of the day. I decided to head to the DR. Found out I have strep throat. Oh JOY!
Come Friday I notice my little monthly friend hasn't shown her face. Saturday morning I think "what the heck lets take a test". Peed on the stick, laid it down on the side of the tub. Got two pink lines right away!
Called Hubby at work and told him that little girl #6 would arrive late November/early December. No I don't know it's a girl, but come on what are the odds. I've got 5 girls already. I'm not holding my breath for the boy.
Anyway, now that the shock has somewhat worn off I'm excited!