A new way for me to save...

About 4 months ago Wayne and I were talking and decided we had to do something to start saving some money! We were about to have our 2nd child and the bills would only get more expensive! After seeing the series on TLC "Extreme Couponing" I decided that I would try that. Not to the extreme that they go to, but just to try and save more than half on our grocery bill. I was already pretty great a bargain shopping and saving us money. Our average grocery bill a month was less than $200 bucks, and that was for everything. But, I wanted to cut that in half. Is that even possible?? It is! I do have to say that if you aren't good at this couponing thing.. you will end up spending more each month. Just because you do typically go shopping more and at a few different places and if you don't understand ways to save, you spend a lot more in the long run! You have to know what you are going for, budget for it and get only that! Ok.. here are a list of a few tips to remember when you are first starting:

1. Buy at least 5 newspapers! I personally get 4 Houston Chronicles and 4 Beaumont Enterprises! Note* There are a few times a year there are no coupons in papers and that is typically around holidays! Also, because there are so so many people trying to coupon, papers get sold out QUICKLY on Sunday morning! My hubby goes around 7 am and never has any issues!

2. Save the sales adds. The ones I always save are Walmart, Target, Kroger, Market Basket, HEB, Walgreens, and CVS! These will be key to finding your deals!

3. Get a binder and baseball card holders. I tried couponing with out a binder and its just too messy for me. This helps you organize your coupons and makes them very easily accessible!

4. Set out an allotted amount of time each week to prepare your shopping trips. You will spend more if you don't plan! And, you will spend too much time away from your family if you are constantly trying to clip and prepare! I clip my coupons and update my binder on Sunday afternoons after church. Then, on Sunday too after everyone is in bed, I go through the sale adds, circle what I am needing and what is on sale that I know I have a coupon for. Most grocery store adds are from Wed. to Wed. and stores such as target and walmart and Sunday to Sunday! So make sure and plan accordingly for those sales! On Monday morning I always make my list, match it up with coupons I have, or print ones I need, and that is really all the preparing I do. Sometimes this is altered by new sales that are posted, or I find additional things, but for the most part I do stick to this each week! I do most of my shopping On Monday's and Friday's!

5. Do not buy what you don't need or what you won't need within the next 6 months! This not only takes up product from others who actually need it, but it also makes you spend more money than you have to. That being said, If it something like toothbrushes or BBQ sauce that doesn't go bad and you can get for FREE, use all of your coupons on it! I never have more than 8 of a coupon, so that is the most I typically buy!

6. Always read your coupon carefully and read the stores coupon policy carefully before going shopping! Also, make sure you read the sales add too. For instance, Market Basket may have a great deal on pork chops, but in fine print it will say "With a $10 or more food purchase"! Not such a good deal anymore unless you need other things!

This is just what I do, and it has really saved our family so far. I do love saving us money and am proud when my total goes down. I do have to say, that I am still learning too and I do make mistakes! For instance, yesterday I went to HEB for Miracle Whip, went to check out, and I had read the coupon wrong. It was $1.00 off of 2, not 1! Oopps! Now in my case, I still purchased it because that's all I was getting and we use a lot, But if you were doing a huge haul and this happened, it would mess up your calculations and totals!

<3Alana

Eden's 1st Grade Year

This school year started out with lots of exciting things for Eden(and us too)! First, she got to move into her new house and new room! She did so great decorating and keeping her room clean. And to this day she still takes pride in making her bed and trying to keep her room clean! That's so great to me! Next, she got put into GT classes. I cried when I learned of this news! Every parent knows their children are smart and do the best they can in school, but for someone else to tell you that.. it just makes you so proud. I was nervous about this too because I was in GT in school and I remembered how hard it was and how much parent involvement that it required. But, I was up for it! I wanted to give Eden the best chance she could to succeed educationally! Also, Eden was going to be a big sister! We found out what we were having around 16 weeks and Eden got to be there. Just Wayne, Eden, and I went into the room first and let the ultrasound tech find the private area. Once she found it, We told Eden to go get our family and tell them to come in. Once they all came in, Eden got to be the one who shared the new! "It's a BOY!" We were overcome with emotion and so was she. She wanted a brother so bad. That memory will forever be so special to Wayne and I. She was so proud to get to announce that! :)

Education wise Eden did amazing this year. She read every night and studied daily for test. She made ALL A's all year except for once! But regardless, Wayne and I were so proud of her for that! She truely takes pride in doing good. She really beats herself up when she makes a bad grade! I know she gets that from me, but I always try to tell her that as long as she does her absolute best, Daddy and I will be proud of you. Her teacher and classmates this year were so great! She made some wonderful friends that I hope she gets to stay in class with through school. Also, Mrs. Godeaux was great. Eden loves her and she has been amazing with Eden. Eden wears glasses and so does Mrs. Godeaux. Eden has struggled with keeping up with them and keeping them safe from damage and Mrs. Godeaux had really aided her with that and I can't thank her enough!

Last, Eden's Brother was born 3/8/11! That day was hard for her in so many ways. She had to see mommy go through so much that she didn't understand. She was so compassionate to me through the day though. She would come hold my hand or kiss my cheek through contractions. I often worried about her seeing me in such agony but she handled it great and we had had many many conversations about what would go on the day Edison was born. When the time came for him to come into the world, Eden couldn't be in there, but she waited patiently with my Mom and sister! I only wish I could have been there to see her sweet face the 1st time she saw him. But what I did get to see after recovery, she was amazed! Something so small that came out of mommy that looked like me! :) Shes almost 8, so she understands a lot and is quite scary how she thinks about things and puts them together, but I believe she truely couldn't explain how she felt when she got to hold her brother the first time. She was so happy!

I thank God each day for forever changing my life when he gave Eden to Wayne and I on 9/19/03. She is a remarkable child with so many talents that will take her so far in life. You know, You often do not have your dreams come true, But with her, mine have! She is everything and more that I could ask for in a daughter and I am so proud to be her mommy, forever! <3

Stress!!

Normally when I am stressed I turn to God for his guidance and wisdom! Or.. I talk to my husband and we problem solve to try to take the stress away, whatever it may be. But.. lately.. I have just been keeping it all inside. I mostly feel selfish telling others about my struggles because I know that everyone has problems and fears and are dealing with it too. But, it just gets to a point where I have to let go. And that happened this morning.

I was here with just Edison and he was napping. I starting thinking about things in my head that needed to be paid and done and what all was coming up and just the stresses of life right now and I just started sobbing! The Mom and provider side of me started panicking. I was trying to think of things to sell or do to relive the financial side of my stress and then trying to organize my thoughts onto paper to try and sort it all out and I started sobbing more. I was supposed to go shopping with my Mom this morning which would normally make me so happy.. But the thought of spending precious money right now made me literally sick. And.. if you know me.. when I am stressed.. I clean. I started cleaning.. I cleaned my fridge out top to bottom.. I clean my washer and dryer inside and out.. and then started laundry that really didn't need to be done right away and then I cleaned out the inside of my dishwasher.. I was just going 90 to nothing! I finally stopped for a second a realized.. none of this is going to help with my stress, it was really adding to it.

The only thing that puts me slightly at peace is knowing that God is right here with me. I may not know what the next few months will bring us with my husbands job hunt or the refinancing of our house.. But I do know.. God will be right there with me and holding my hand. God may not be able to give me money or 10 minutes to take a shower.. but he can give me peace and faith. Which I need both so very much! Life is often so stressful it takes over us.. consumes us.. but stopping just for a moment and focusing on Him and what is really most important can wash away that stress in a moment. I sit here now.. calm.. with my washing machine and dishwasher running, looking at my son beside me smiling away at his toys on his bouncer.. and I realize.. All is ok.. and at the end of the day.. I do have what I need. And what I want, well that isn't a priority! Serving my God and taking care of my family.. that is where I am needed and that makes me happy! :)

My Husband...

I love my Husband so very much! He does so much for our family that often goes un-noticed or not acknowledged. But.. Honey.. I do notice and I do appreciate it more than you will ever know! You are a wonderful husband, father, and most important Christian! As a teacher, You are a wonderful role model for your students and I know that they see that and respect you for it! Thank you for my babies. They are such a wonderful gift from God and a constant reminder of our love and amazing marriage! Thank you for marrying me.. It was a long road to that point, but the best feeling ever when I said I DO, forever! Plus. You are the most handsome man I have ever seen. I fall more and more in love with you every single day!

Coupon Madness

Like most people who have been watching the TLC show "Extreme Couponing" we have decided to try to do this. Wayne and I started this past weekend. We got 7 papers and cut out almost 200 coupons.. wow! The hardest part of it is trying to link together the sales with the coupons that you have! Thank GOD there are some wed sites that do this for you.. ahhh! :) It has been hard for us to get started because a lot of the sales, you need coupons that came out in past sales adds and well.. we just started. So.. Hopefully we will get good at this and be able to save more of the money God provides us with! :) I don't plan on going nuts with it.. but if there are good sales on things I don't need or use.. I will get it and donate it or give it to our church to provide it to others in need! I will update more when we go on our 1st coupon saving trip! :)

Just unthinkable..

A few months ago I saw on a old friends facebook post to pray for a Vidor couples baby! He had been diagnosed during an ultrasound with anencephaly. It is a condition where the baby doesn't develop most of his skull and brain! This broke my heart.. I was pregnant at the time and couldn't imagine being told something was morbidly wrong with my unborn infant! As time went on, I thought about that family periodically and prayed for God to be with them during all of this. I, of course had Edison and knew that that family would shortly after me, being having their baby! I had done some research and saw that most often that baby doesn't live very long after birth and just couldn't think of what they could be thinking and how they are preparing themselves. Through the wonderful Facebook I learned that they had had baby "Thomas" on 4/29! I rejoiced in the birth, but was deeply saddened by what was emanate for that family and sweet baby! I began to think. Think hard. God.. I know you do things for a reason and I do not question your will, but please try to help that family understand why you chose them for this experience! Help them to see what you were trying to show them, help everyone see! I still don't know why.. and they may not either.. but I know just from seeing all of this unfold from afar.. that God is amazing! He let that tiny angel live for 40 something hours. His parents got to be with him for almost 2 days and most babies with that condition don't live but minutes! Wow.. One of their friends who is a photographer has been there taking pictures through all of that and she posted a slide show of the few days events! It is truely breath taking! I decided, stupidly, to watch it this morning while getting ready for work. Like I said, STUPID! 10 seconds into it I was sobbing uncontrollably.. Here I was looking at my healthy infant laying next to me and felt almost guilty! I can't explain the emotions I felt! After a few short minutes of watching the 10 minute slide show, I had to pause it. ALL of my makeup was in puddles on my keyboard! I had only thought I could imagine their pain.. but seeing their pain through pictures was heartbreaking and unthinkable! I thought about this all day.. It makes me thank God for what I have been given. No matter how small the gift may be to me.. but to someone else.. that small gift could be everything!

Here is a link to the photographers facebook and then from there you can find her slideshow of baby Thomas: http://www.facebook.com/#!/hautephotography

That Smile.. Melts my heart

I see a lot of people smile each day. I see it as a kind gesture, or a warm hello. In fact, I thank God that people actually smile back at me when I smile at them.. I don't feel as silly for being so friendly! I get lots of smiles from strangers when with Edison and Eden! Everyone loves a baby and well.. not to brag.. but my kids are quite gorgeous! :) But, there is no other feeling like it when your child smiles at you! I still love when I go pick Eden up from school and when she sees me standing there waiting on her, she smiles so big and runs to me! It makes me so so happy! Edison starting smiling about a month ago, but is now doing it enough that I can actually capture it on camera kinda on demand! He has the biggest dimples and love to see them when he smiles. :)

Missing Edison

Today I was working at MDO which I do every Monday and Wednesday.. I love it! :) But, I haven't really been away from Edison at all these past 7 weeks and today it really hit me how much I don't want to be away from him at all. I have these feelings with Eden as well. There are days I miss her so much while she is at school.. but it's different because she has to be there. I make the choice to work and be away from Edison and that makes me so sad. I really wish I didn't have to work. I sob over missing a smile, or not getting to feed him every oz he eats during the day. And yes. I even miss changing his diaper. That is when I get some of the best smiles and coo's from him! :( As he lays here in my lap I can't help but wonder if he knows how much he has changed me as a mother over the past 7 weeks? I know he doesn't, but I do know he loves me and needs me and that's a warming feeling. I pray each day that God provides for us to allow me to stay home.. because I know I will never get these moments back from when he's so tiny and amazing.

Last Week of April.. WOW

I really can't believe that when I was pregnant for 9 months it went by so so slow.. but.. now that Edison Jack is here.. TIME IS FLYING BY! He is already 7 weeks old TODAY! AHH! I am really trying to cherish these days right now. He is growing so very fast and it really does makes me cry! To think that I wont be having any more babies and get to experience this ever again. Just heartbreaking! A part of me says, why not have anymore kids? And the practical side of me says NOOOO! The thought of sending 2 kids to college, getting them cars, and providing for them for roughly 18 years +.. well that is rather scary now! So adding to that would only further add to my fears, but God only gives us what he knows we can handle and that thought makes me think!

Edison is doing great. He is so interactive at this point. Wayne or I can talk to him and he smiles and coo's! He is also finding his hands and able to stare at toys and try to grab them. Amazing! I love seeing him do this because he gets to focused that he gets cross eyed.. poor guy.. but very funny! He also is having formula and breast feeding. I just couldn't make enough milk despite my ongoing efforts! But.. he has about half and half each day and I am ok with that. I initially wanted to only breast feed, but it just didn't work out that way and instead of beating myself up for it.. I am focusing on how healthy and happy my son is! He was 8 lbs 9oz when he was born.. He is now 12lbs roughly! WOW! Can we say chunk? He is eating about 4 to 5 oz every 3 to 4 hours.. sometimes every 2 hours. And that tends to happen when it gets close to bed time. I think he is stocking up! LOL! Also.. he is sleeping so well at night. He goes to bed about 10.. wakes up around 3 to eat.. and then gets up with us about 6:30! I couldn't be happier about his sleeping habits at almost 2 months! :)

My c-section recovery is going well.. still hurting a lot when I do too much and am starting to cramp more! But other than that.. recovery has been awesome! You know, this is my 2nd child with my husband and never ever thought I could love him more than I did the day before.. but I do. I love him for how he is with his daughter, and love him more and more seeing him with his son! There is just something magical about a man and his son and that bond! :) I love you Wayne Hanks! <3

Labor and Delivery of Edison Jack Hanks 3/8/11

So.. after being given an original due date of 2/26/11 by Monday the 7th of March I was MORE than ready to have this baby. I went to a Dr.'s appointment on that day and Dr. Long told me.. Ok.. lets have a baby! :) So we scheduled for my induction for the next day the 8th! I was beyond excited and nervous all at the same time. We spent the rest of that day cleaning and preparing for his arrival! We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am so Eden spent the night with my Mom and Dad. It was very bittersweet for me because I knew this was the last night Eden would be an only child! I really felt for her, but knew that she was old enough to handle this big change!

Wayne and I got up at 4am and OH was that horrible since I couldn't sleep a wink. I mean, who can sleep the night before they have a baby?? :) We left at 5am and headed to the Medical Center in Port Arthur to have our son! When we arrived there was NO ONE there and the main door were still locked so we had to go in the emergency room. We checked in and the lady asked, "oh your here for a c-section?" HA, Little did we know we were! :( But, we headed up to the 3rd floor and our nurse brought us to our L&D room! After I changed into my beautiful gown, they got my IV started, got me to sign tons of papers, and started my pitocin! By the way.. I hate that stuff! HA! The first few hours weren't bad at all. I was contracting every 2 to 3 minutes.. I felt them.. but they didn't hurt! Dr. Long came in at around 8ish and checked me. I was a 2 and 80% effaced! He told them to kick the pitocin up and he would see me in a few hours. Well.. boy did the contractions kick up too. For the next 2 hours.. my contractions were the same length apart, they just "kinda" hurt! LOL But I was still determined that I wasn't getting in epidural and was going to do this! At 10:15 Dr. Long came in again. At this point when I was contracting Edison's heart rate would go down significantly and he wasn't dropping or descending into my pelvis at all. He was still floating in my belly! When Dr. Long checked me I was at a 4 and still 80% effaced! He then breaks my water and says that because of his heart rate dropping he wanted to break my water to speed things up and try to get Edison to drop. On a side note.. my whole pregnancy Edison was face up instead of face down (Eden was as well when I was pregnant with her) and Dr. Long was sure he would turn before delivery(Eden did)! He still hadn't turned! After he broke my water, I was really starting to have strong strong contractions. Also, I was having to turn from side to side and then on my back over and over each contraction to try to get his heart rate to regulate and that was making my heartburn so so bad. Well.. I thew up! Horrible! Nothing like throwing up and having a contraction at the same time! :( By this point.. around 1 or 2ish.. I had been having HARD contractions for several hours that were very intense and with Edison having lots of heart rate drops I was sure I was almost fully dilated at this point. The nurse checked me and I was still the same! Really? :( All through the day the charge nurse would come in with my nurse because of his heart rate and they repeatedly told me that they didn't know if this would end in a vaginal birth but it was Dr. Long's call! Great! At 3, Dr. Long came in.. I was a 5 and fully effaced! He still hadn't dropped and he then talked to me about a c-section but said he would try to get him to turn once I was 10cm!

I at this point was crying I was in so much pain and couldn't handle the contractions. I got an epidural from the rudest anesthesiologist I have ever meet.. but hey.. he gave me pain relief so I forgive him! Even after the epidural I wasn't able to relax. I keep having to turn from side to side and that is so hard with numb legs. I was very worried about the baby! All I wanted to do was deliver him safely and help him be ok and I felt like I couldn't do that! Wayne was right beside me this whole time. I knew he was worried but wasn't telling me! At around 5:45 Dr. Long came in again and checked me. I was fully dilated and was ready to try to push. With each contraction I would push, and Dr. Long would try to turn Edison to face down. I think I pushed about 5 times and he says honey.. Im sorry.. I can't turn him. Because of the heart rate and that he isn't face down.. We are going to do a c-section! I lost it! He knew how afraid I was of that and you could tell he really felt for me! I cried and cried and started to panic. It was like the whole world came into my room after that. The stopped the pitocin, got me to drink the awful stuff to neutralize the acid in my tummy(I thew it up immediately), gave Wayne his scrubs to put on, and we waited. At about 6:15 they said, Let's go have a baby! I was crying non stop. I didn't know what to expect and I hated that Wayne couldn't go with me at first.

When they got me into the OR the moved me over to the other bed and immediately I started to panic inside. They had me in the worst position. My head was lowered and my belly was raised up, I felt like I couldn't breath. They then started putting all that stuff on my belly and strapping my arms down... horrible! Finally the curtain went up where I couldn't see and that was the last straw for me! I started telling the anesthesiologist I couldn't breath and that I hated being in this position.. what could he do to help? He basically said nothing and to calm down. Once Dr. Long and Wayne came in I was sure I was about to die. LOL.. Dr. Long tried to talk to me but the anesthesiologist told him to just start and talk later.. RUDE! Wayne was laughing(what he does when he is nervous) and even he couldn't calm me down! I felt Dr. Long cut me.. it didn't hurt.. I just felt my belly open up.. weird! The whole 4 minutes I talk and talk and tried to get people to understand how I felt.. but no one really cared about me.. their focus was getting the baby out safely and quick, which I understand now! LOL! Finally.. I felt what everyone says.. lots of tugging and pulling and then it felt like a weight was lifted and Edison was born at 6:42! Everyone was saying Ohh he's huge and I started crying realizing that this was close to being over. The nurse walked by me with Edison and he was so cute and then.. I was out! The anesthesiologist knocked me out because I was freaking out so much. I don't blame him.. I know I was annoying! When I woke up, I was in recovery with the nurse. Wayne came in and started showing me pictures of our miracle since I really hadn't seen him yet! He was precious!

After 12 hours of labor, my stubborn little boy was born on 3/8/11 at 6:42pm! He was 8lbs 9oz, 20 1/2 inches long! He was perfect! My Labor and Delivery was nothing like I ever expected it to be or wanted, but ultimately he came into this world safely and healthy and that's really all I had prayed for! I love him so much and am so thankful for this little wonder!