Saving money is on everyone's mind. I want to start using coupons more but I am guilty of clipping but not using coupons. I made a coupon book to help me get organized. You can see more pics HERE. None of these pictures do it justice. It is so cute.
I used the Heritage Makers cookbook to print this project. You can get a free HM account HERE
I am going to hit all of these Bdays at once. My mom liked having babies in March, 3 of her 5 kids are born in March.
Charlie....Charlie and I are the closest in age, meaning that she probably knows the most about me out of all my siblings. She was around me the most. My other two sisters were older and already living out of the house and in other towns most of my life. It was mostly just me and Charlie. I am no means trying to say that I am not close to my other sisters, it has been wonderful how close we have become in our adult hood. I felt so special when I got married and had babies. My sisters welcomed me into a special club that knows no age boundaries. I have never felt closer to any of them then I have has an adult, but Charlie naturally had been there the most for me during those awkward Jr. High ages, or there for me to tell her about my first crush on a boy. Charlie was the one that helped me with my homework and did all of my science projects. And Charlie and I lived in the same town even after she moved out. Her house was an escape for me when I needed one. Thank you Charlie. Living on the East Coast and being separated from Charlie has been the hardest part at times of living out here. I had written earlier a happy bday wish on here, but it was brief and short. I just wanted to let you know I love you and miss you.
My brother Chuk's (not a typo! He dropped the C because it is silent.) Bday is March 7th. I am a terrible sister and did not call him. I don't talk to my brother much, but he ALWAYS calls me on my bday. I love talking to him so much. He is fun. I don't have a ton of memories of my brother, but these are some I have: he worked at a grocery store and I loved to go with my dad grocery shopping so I could see my big brother. And I remember my 6th bday. My favorite gift was some crayons he gave me. He loves to have fun. He loves to play a sport called OTL (over the line). It is like baseball/softball without the running. And it is best played on the beach. He travels from AZ to CA and to Mexico to play it. He helped to get it going and get its start in our home town of Yuma, Arizona. I remember one time at the gym I worked at in Yuma someone found out I was Chuk's little sister and they acted as if I was related to celebrity. They were about my age and said they had never met him, but said he was a legend in Yuma OTL. They kept going on and on about how Yuma would not have OTL if it was not for my brother. He asked if I could introduce them. It was so odd. But he is good at OTL and I am glad someone is grateful for the work he has done. He is loved by not only me but by many.
My sister Cheryl's bday is on the 23rd. She is the middle child and has had to bear the burden that comes with that role sometimes, sometimes forgotten and left out. She is the most level headed person in my entire family. She is so smart. She graduated 2nd in her class (was it 2nd or 3rd, I think it was 2nd). She graduated with honors from college. She is a busy mother. She is also the most active one in our family. She is very athletic. She loves to be out doors and is very adventurous. She loves to travel. Her and her family go on some fun adventures. She just recently returned from a hunt in Africa. What I love most about my sister is that I know she loves me! She is always so good at calling me. We can sit on the phone for an hour talking about everything and nothing! I love it. Those conversations have saved me on some days. And she has made a lot of effort to come and see me out here on the East Coast. She has started a tradition of coming out every October. She has always brought different children with her, except for one year she brought my sister Charlie because they came out to help me with the delivery of Delana. I missed her this last October. It did not quite feel like October without a visit from Cheryl. I love you Cheryl!
I wanted to give an update on Natalie. I know there are some readers of my blog that have never met her before, but were praying for her fast recovery. Your prayers were heard. She went home February 21st. A few weeks shy of two months after the accident. It is a miracle. I am writing about this now because I was so happy last night looking at her at YW's new beginnings. She walked in, perfectly healthy and looking cute. She walks without a walker. She is amazing! I have to tell you a little bit about Natalie......she has a hard time keeping serious. When there is a quiet moment or serious moment in the room the silence is usually broken by Natalie's laugh. Serious moments give her the giggles. I remembered four years ago planning a New Beginnings night and we asked Natalie to lead the music. Another YW that was helping us plan the event asked why we were going to ask Natalie to lead the music. She did not want Natalie to lead the music because Natalie can't make it through anything without giggling.....that YW was right. We did have Nat lead the music and she giggled the entire way through it. It is just who Nat is and what she does. Four years later and not much has changed. Last night as the music started we all got off to a rough start. We were singing accopella because we did not have piano player. Everyone started out on the wrong key and Nat starting to giggle. I was overcome by so much emotion as I heard her giggle. It was a giggle that just a few short months ago I was not sure we would hear again. It was the best sound I had heard in a very long time!!!!! I love that giggle. I love you Nat!!!!
I have to blog these before I forget about them:
Delana has started to talk and she has a few words that she says over and over and they have their own meanings to Delana.
1. "Wash": wash means that she is thirsty and would like something to drink. She started saying this in December. I think she started because she only had one sippy cup. And anytime she wanted a drink I had to wash it out for her. So as she would be throwing a fit for a drink on the kitchen floor I would try to calm her down by saying, "calm down! I have to wash your cup out. Just a minute....I am washing as fast as a can." So now she asks for wash when she is thirsty. Even the little 2 year old I care for during the day asks for a wash now when she is thirsty. I had to explain to her mom what wash meant.
2. "Bye Bye's": Bye Byes means that she wants her pants and shoes on. Whenever she wants to go outside to play she brings me some clothes and says "want Bye Byes". We only get dressed some days if we are leaving the house. And if she sees me getting dress she says "bye byes?"
3. "hello": hello means telephone. She will carry my phone around and bring it to me and say "you hello?" and if the phone rings she runs and grabs it and brings it to me the entire time saying "mom, hello! mom, hello!" and if I try to take the phone away from her she will say, "my hello"
I love two year olds and their learning process and how they view the world.
Maelee and Claire
Delana was so funny at the party. She kept cracking me up all day. I think I ended up with more pics of her than I did of Maelee
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