Now comes the night

Recently I've been staying up very late. Luckily, the baby loves to snuggle and sleep in until eleven or twelve. I always tell myself to go to sleep and maybe I could get up and exercise or have my "me" time then but there is always something that has drew me to the night.
I like to be the one who watches over my family as they sleep and see the beauty and relief in their faces as they leave the day behind and dream about how to start the next one anew. I love to curl up next to them with my book or kindle and my tiny light. I like to take moments to kiss their faces, stroke a cheek, or pull up the covers over their shoulders. Or in Seth's case pull the covers back from his recent barrel roll which took all but the flat sheet to his side of the bed because for some reason, he can't gasp the concept of using the flat sheet for anything more than a leg winder or something to pull out of the bottom of the bed so it drives me crazy!
Isn't it funny when you reach that point of sleeping with a person that you know their sleeping style, like their REAL sleeping style? The one that only their Mom had seen or the siblings they shared a room with? I remember when Seth used to get dressed in the bathroom before bed and used to sleep so lightly it hardly counted as sleeping at all. Now he's out cold. I could lay a screaming baby on him and he wouldn't flinch.
Watching the baby's sleeping style change over the year has been interesting too, if not completely devastating and heartbreaking being her Mom. She has slowly slid off my chest and claimed a spot on my pillow. She likes to lean back far enough to feel her Daddy's breath on her neck but likes to wriggle her little toes under my stomach. Eventually both of their breathing finds a rhythm and I know they are out for the count.
In this space I love to read. Sleep escapes me. In this quiet, dotted with the inhale and exhale of the two people next to me and the occasion cat surveying its nocturnal landscape and finding their master readily available for a late night pet, and without the child (who they show such brave patience to) to get excited about their appearance and rip out handfuls of fur in their glee of petting. I get lost in my pages of heroes and heroines, of the past and they mystery. Its almost like sitting in a movie theater and not wanting the lights to ever come on, and the story is so engaging and you get wrapped up in it so deeply you actually worry about it ending. You start to read slower because you don't want to know what life is like without the characters you share the pages with.
Sometimes I get thoughts like this I long to write out but know if I pop open my netbook I'll find a dozen other things to do than write. So I let the thought flit away with promises to compose it in the morning, only to find I can no longer remember the inspiration behind the stream of conciseness. Plus I would be neglecting my friends in the books.
The weather is turning and Evelynn is venturing outdoors with such vim and vigor I haven't the heart to hold her back or slap gloves on her or stop her from licking the occasional pinecone. I can't wait to see what opening the windows and letting the night in does to my very late readings.
Love (gripping darkness and books),
Carrie
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Imagine if every Thursday your shoes exploded if you tied them the usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers, and nobody thinks of complaining.

Well hello there, its been awhile.  Let's pretend I've just been at it all along and save the apologies.  I feel like that's most of my posting is coming on and apologizing.  Ha.

So sick babies are no fun.  And being the stay at home mom is no fun when it happens.  First of all, you tend to get sick yourself.  So you aren't feeling so great, even if you don't get it, you are seriously sleep deprived and worn out from being up all night trying to figure out how to help the little one feel better or at least be comforted enough to sleep.  And there is something sucky about being the stay at home parent, you feel like its your duty and obligation to stay up with the baby and not disturb your working spouse.
I know everyone tells you to take care of yourself so you can take care of the baby, but I can't make Seth take off work, and I don't want to have him get sick too. 
I feel this intense pressure to upkeep the house and chores too, especially when she is sick.  I want to point out that Seth does not put this pressure on me, it is all self inflicted. 
But it sucks, and I just want to say so. 
On top of all of this, I decided to wean Evie before her first birthday.  So we have been working on that this week and it totally sucks.  I'm in so much pain.  The plus though is that Evie seems to be taking it very well and it doesn't seem to upset her too much.  We have also started making her take naps in her toddler bed.  She is pissed when she wakes up, but she really doesn't mind when it happens.
Other than that, which trust you me is a lot, we aren't up to much here!  Just wanted to say I miss you all!  Hope things are moving along in your world happily!
Love (checking in),
Carrie

Pictures of my stockpile

For you all, I finally got my Dad over here (thanks Pop!) to put together my new shelf and then played with the baby while I put it together.  I paid him in spicy mustard and Worcestershire Sauce.  So here for you is my stockpile!  Beginners unite!!

My stockpile shelf (and a stowaway-what a ham.)

The canned goods shelf

The cleaning shelf, everything on this shelf was .88 cents

Miscellaneous shelf for now

My freezer, not organized at all

My bathroom stockpile, I got that razor for a buck!

How is everyone's couponing going?  Need any help?  Want to send me pictures of your stockpile or brag about your shopping trip and savings?   Have secrets to share about deals in Omaha?  I'll be happy to post them for you!  Just shoot me an email at carriehellbusch(@)gmail (dot) com

Love (my new stockpile!),
Carrie

Extreme Couponing in Omaha...my new hobby, or "job"

Hello Blog Readers and Friends from Facebook who trekked over here to figure out what the heck I have been talking about my last couple status updates!

I have a confession.  I have turned into an extreme couponer.  I first learned about it from a TLC show called Extreme Couponing (which I hear is being turned into a series now).  One of the women on there (the one who went dumpster diving for coupons) has her own website.  I started reading it and got hooked.  I couldn't believe how much money people saved.  One lady on there hadn't bought toothpaste in 34 years!  

I'm not going to lie, its a lot of work and a bit time consuming, but once you get your stockpile built up, you will see the rewards.  I've only been doing it three weeks and have spent about 8 or 9 hours a week doing it and my stockpile (which Seth said I couldn't have, but yesterday bought me a fancy shelf to put in the garage and told me that's all he's buying for it, so I've petitioned my Dad to get me some more shelves) is already pretty big!  

This week I spent $204.85 at four stores.  I saved, using a combination of coupons and sales $151.45 this week. All NAME BRAND ITEMS.  Which makes me feel pretty fancy.

So here is how my process works.  It's my own brand of crazy, so feel free to use it, change it, adapt it for you, and if you need a shopping buddy-let me know! 

Okay so I learned how to do it from a website called www.krazycouponlady.com, she has a beginners section there that I used to get started.  I recommend going there and reading that tab and getting the lingo down and the learning how to start your binder.  (see pictures of my binder and the inside of my binder below)

First on Sunday my parents save the coupons for me from the Sunday paper and I clip all of them.  That's important, to clip them all because you never know what you are going to need to use.  Then I organize them into the binder that the krazycouponlady website showed me how to set up.  On Wednesday (when grocery store sale ads change) the Omaha World Herald sends out another thing in the mail that has all the ads and more coupons (the same ones on Sunday).  I clip those and organize those, so by now, I have three sets of the same coupons.  This is important.  To build up a stockpile you need lots of the same coupon so that when you get a great deal on an item, you can buy multiples of those items.  You can also print coupons (usually the same ones, I find this is the most comprehensive list of printable coupons availabe: http://thekrazycouponlady.com/print-coupons/

Throughout the week I follow the krazycouponlady website and other local websites that track more local sales (the krazycouponlady isn't in Omaha but she does major stores like Target and Walmart) the two I use are: http://qponsavingmommas.blogspot.com/ http://www.momsavesmoney.net/ They find deals more locally.  Here's the best thing about using the blogs, they do all the math for you and tell you which coupons to use to get the best deal on the local sales.

Other sites I look at are:

http://wantnot.net/ http://dealseekingmom.com/ http://www.momsneedtoknow.com/

On Thursday I sit down at the computer and go thru the websites and make a list of what I want to get.  I write down the full name of the product, what the original cost should be (because sometimes our local stores don't always match up) and then what coupons to use (most stores allow one manufactures coupon per item, but Target allows one Target coupon (which you can print from their website here: Target Printable Coupons Link ) and one manufactures coupon.  Bakers allows one Bakers coupon (which you can load onto your Bakers card or print or you get them in the mail. Load Bakers Coupons to your card here you have to have a Bakers Card and set up an account.) and one manufactures coupon.) and how much the final price of each item should be.  There is a lot of complicated deal wrangling that I never understand but the websites work out and the deals work out for me.  For example this week at Target I got 6 Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers for .84 cents.  They were originally  2 bucks a piece.  But the store had buy 6 get one free sales and I had two coupons that were buy 3 get one free and buy 5 and get one free.  Since I was buying six, I could use both coupons (remember most coupons are one coupon PER ITEM, and I was buying six items so I could theoretically use up to six coupons) So in the end I got three of them free and it worked out that they were .84 cents a piece for the ones I paid for.  I'm not sure how the math works on that but it worked in the store. So while I'm writing everything down, I'm pulling the coupons out and I have one of those coupon organizers that I have labeled Walmart, Target, Bakers, Hyvee, Use 1, Use 2, and Refile. I put the coupons in their respected sleeves.  (The Use 1 and Use 2 and Refile I'll explain in a minute) I also save the local ads myself and check things out since no one really does Bakers around here.  I also print any extra coupons I need, or the Target coupons I need, cut them and put them with what I need.

So after I have my lists and my coupons all ready to go, I get my reusable bags ( Hyvee and Walmart and sometimes Target still gives you 5 cents off for them, Bakers recently discontinued the practice), make sure I have the space in my car.  Load up the kid (you need her for entertainment and also for some reason people are so much nicer to you when you have a kid) and drive to my stores and start shopping.  I usually do them in this order- Target, Walmart, Hyvee, Bakers.  Usually because the grocery stores have more frozen items.  I realize in the summer I might have to start packing a cooler to take.  Anyway I park near a cart return (this is key with a kid and when you have just bought 99 soup cans) and its snowing.

When I'm in the store, when I find the item and confirm that I'm getting the item, I pull the coupon out of the accordion file from the store I have it filed in and put it into the "Use" part of my file.  This way I can double check the expiration date of the coupon, the discount on the coupon, and the number I need to get.  Sometimes, especially at Target you have to do more than one transaction. Most of the Target coupons you are only allowed one per transaction, which sucks, but is easy enough to handle.  The cashiers are really nice about it if you separate your orders on the line, have your coupons ready, and let them know you are doing more than one transaction up front.  That's why I have a "Use 1 and Use 2" slot in my file.  Sometimes I get to the store and I see that our prices aren't what my blogs have indicated and the discount isn't that good, so I put it in the "refile" part of my file, shake my fist at my local store, and move on. 

When I get home, I usually put the items that can hang out in the garage (cans, cleaners, soda, and such) on their fancy new shelf and I put the stuff that goes in the deep freeze (thank GOD I have that) and I haul the rest upstairs.  Hopefully Evie is sleeping in her car seat when this is going on, but sometimes she is standing at the top of the stairs screaming.  It happens.

On Monday or Tuesday I refile and reorganize.  And Wednesday start the process again.  

Its addicting, and fun.  And yesterday at Bakers, people in the aisle behind me, on the sides of me, the cashiers and the baggers all cheered for me when they saw how my original bill for 175 dollars went down to 80.  

A lot of times the blogs I read show coupons for fun things like 40% off Gap or a free candle at Bath and Body Works, or how to get a 25 dollar gift certificate to a restaurant for two bucks.  I try to pass that stuff on, on my facebook feed.  Also if I'm in a store and I have a coupon expiring soon that I know I'm not going to use, I try to set it on the item in the store so someone else can use it.  Or if I see that someone who said something nice to Evie has something in their cart I have a coupon for I'm not using, I give them one.  Pay it forward I guess. 

Also I always take my binder in in case there is an unadvertised deal.  Like this week Target had these Tyson grill strips that are perfect for Seth to take to class for dinner because he can take a easy mac and these strips and microwave them and have a nice dinner for 2 bucks and I had 1.50 off so I got them for .50 cents.  But I had to go to the binder to get that coupon because I didn't know our local Target had them that cheap.

So that's how I do it!  I posted pictures below and hot linked everything.  I'd be more than happy to post my Bakers list since no one around here does it if there is enough interest in it!  Just let me know on the comments or on facebook!  Also if you have ANY questions, or want to sit down and do it with me, or want to shop with me or want me to help you get your binder started, let me know!!  I would be glad to help!

Love (saving money),

Carrie

 

 

My list

My binder

One of my receipts, look at all those coupons!

Inside of my binder, I use sheet protectors, some people use business card holders

My file that I use on shopping day

Life these days...

This morning, at 6 am, Evelynn woke up and wanted to play and have breakfast.  As Seth got ready for work and I made Evie's oatmeal, Seth came in and asked me "How different is your day from 2 years ago?"  I laughed and said-"Very different" but it got me thinking.
Two years ago, the alarm would go off at 6 and I would roll out of bed immediately (I've never been one to hit the snooze alarm, I set my alarm to the last possible minute so I could get the most deep sleep instead of five minutes of light sleep) I would go into the bathroom, wash my face, brush my teeth, put on make up and do my hair.  I would go to the closet if I hadn't already laid out my clothes for the work day.  I'd go and make Seth and I's breakfast and lunch.  Go back into the bedroom and give him a death stare for getting to stay all warm and snuggly in bed, kiss him goodbye and ask him when he wanted his wake up call.  Then I would get on the road to work and start my long drive to my job-45 minutes, on a good day, each way.  On the way I would listen to my XM when I had it, or the local station's morning show.  I would eat my breakfast in the car.  At some point along the way, I would call Seth about 100 times to wake him up. 
I would get to work, go to my desk, get settled, check in on everyone else, and start work.  During work I would blog, eat lunch, snack, putz around on the internet, talk to my co workers, call my husband, call my parents and of course work.  The work was pretty mind numbing so you needed to break it up with little rewards like that.  Then I would start my drive home, another 45 minutes.  Along the way I when I had cell service, I would call my friends and my Mom.  Or if no one was answering, listen to the radio or my latest cd. 
When I got home I would put my stuff away, clean the house and go thru the mail and depending on if I felt like it, watch the DVR, take a nap, work out (rarely), and generally get ready for the rest of the evening.  At some point (usually late) Seth would come home and we would eat or we would meet up with my parents or we would sit and watch DVR. 
I would usually take a long bath while Seth did the dinner dishes and shut down the house for the night.  He would usually do some onDemand ab workout or call his Mom or sometimes come into the bathroom to talk to me and ruin my reading time.  Then we would go to bed, watch tv or a DVD or Netflix and call it a night.
On the weekends we would pick a place to eat out.  Do a project around the house, visit friends, go shopping, work on our computers.  Compared to my days now, it seemed so easy come easy go and carefree.

These days, I don't have one day that is like the other.  Every day is an adventure.  Generally I get up when Evelynn gets up-usually long after Seth has sneaked out the door.  We eat some breakfast or lunch, depending on what time it is.  Then we play, we read or watch "educational" DVD's or television shows.  Sometimes Evelynn will play by herself, but most of the time not.  We have dance parties, we do the first round of house pick up.  I try to clean up the mess Seth left behind in the kitchen when making his coffee and running out the door.  I try to think of what to make for dinner.  Occasionally I can get on the computer and see what is going on, but most the the time the only way I see the internet is on my blackberry.  Three or four hours after she gets up, Evelynn usually takes a mini nap which can range from 5 minutes to 2 hours.  I try to watch my TV shows during that time or the news.  She is usually sleeping on me and won't let me put her down so I read my kindle or my latest paperback I acquired from www.paperbackswap.com or sometimes I'm wore out and just take a nap too.
Some days we meet up for play dates with our friends Jen and Alexis.  Some days we go over to my parents house and try to work off my huge debt to them for buying me new winter tires (thank GOD because I  needed them this winter.  My debt is scheduled to be paid off some time in April).  We make dinner either for just Seth, or my side of the family and Seth or just my side of the family.  We play some more.  At some point I try to check out coupons online for my new coupon junkie habit.  On Friday's we try to go out and get the best deals around town.  If the weather is nice enough.
In the spring I plan on going to the playground during the day and being outside more.  In the summer I plan on hiding from the bugs under a coat of bug spray and being outside more.
Life is just drastically different.  Nurse Carol says I am rearing Evelynn with what they call a "Baby-led" style.  I find it is easier to let Evie do what she wants, when she wants.  She seems to absorb more and learn more.  I mean I don't let her run around all naked (okay well sometimes, when she has a butt rash) and crazy like, but if she doesn't want to eat, she doesn't have to eat.  If she doesn't want to watch tv or do flash card or read books, she doesn't have to.  Some of our best moments are when she just wants to sit on my lap and tell me all about it and then give me a hug and leave to find a cat to terrorize.
It makes my life a little more hectic.  A little less normal, controlled, planned, predictable, and simple.   I don't get to blog as much, read as much, or watch as much tv.  Some days I don't get to eat.  I NEVER get to workout and I'm a little thicker than I used to be.  I don't see my good friends as much.  I only get to eat out when I have gift cards or a coupon.  I can't remember the last time my facebook status or profile didn't involve my kid.  Some days I never get out of my pajamas.  I only wash my hair and shave my legs once a week.  I can't remember the last time I wore make up.  I have a never ending list of things I need to get done, clean, or pick up.  My carpet is the grossest thing I've ever seen and I could care less.  I'll never get to move out of this house because I don't even have a bedroom door and haven't had one since before Evie was born.  I gave away all my work clothes and my dress clothes save for a few dresses and slacks and suits that mean something to me (but I can't fit in probably).  I long to take my honeymoon but know I can't possibly be away from Evie that long.  I haven't seen a movie in the theaters since I can remember.  I don't dye my hair unless someone watches my kid and it comes from a box.  Sometimes I have to take a bath with Evelynn just to get a bath.  Life is very different to say the least.
But GOD if it isn't the greatest life I never knew I would love.  And I want more of it.

Love (every day),
Carrie

Hey look, I'm alive!

Hello world! I'm still here. Promise. I just rarely get near a computer anymore. The closest I get is on my phone. Evelynn thinks every time I go near the computer its to have her Skype with a family member. She loves to Skype. I wonder what life will be like with her growing up with all this technology. Like how old will she be when we get her a cell phone? Or her own computer? Will it be a tablet or a laptop? How long before she outsmarts the parental controls Seth sets up?
I really want to move. I'm sick of my tiny house. I'm ready for something new. Of course we have no money to move for a down payment and the money we would need to fix up our house to sell it. Seth doesn't have the time to do the work either. The whole stress of moving and trying to sell a house is really something we don't need. But if I stub my toe on one more toy or get one more bruise on my thighs I might move to my parents house.
Maybe I just need a new project or something.
Or maybe I'm addicted to moving.
More later...when the princess is sleeping.

Love (new spaces),
Carrie
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Happy Holidays!

I'm writing you from my phone today, as I have a sleeping exhausted baby on my stomach. Evelynn is getting her bottom teeth. She is growing up entirely too fast. I never truly understood that saying/comment until I watched my almost ten month old started getting little ivory razors in her mouth. And sliding off the bed on her stomach. And openly defying me when I tell her no all while smiling at me and breaking my attempt to hold my "Mommy" face. Watching her run away from her Dad in a hallway game of chase me, giggling all the way. Playing peek a boo with her grandpa while sitting on the counter, smiling behind the corner of a tea towel. Being comforted by her grandma and running up to her excitedly when she comes in the door. It is all going by too fast indeed.
I'm starting to feel the desire to have another baby, I don't know if its Evie growing up too fast or my biological clock screaming at me or my worry we will have trouble and it will take another year to get pregnant. Either way I've been starting to plot the end of nursing Evelynn. Its not easy at all! I'm not very good at it. Any tips at all are appreciated! I'm about as good as I was kicking her out of bed, which I still haven't done.
I'm excited for Christmas. I'm not sure Evie will be as excited as I want her to be. But I'm super happy to spend time with our family and extended family. I hope all your holidays are great!
Love (Christmas),
Carrie
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Early's late if you make tomorrow yesterday.

We have new friends.  Nurse Carol introduced us.  Its fabulous because they have a kid, a small kid, like ours.  They are our first friends who have a kid.  Want to know why its so great?  Because they get it.  They don't wince when our kid power vomits on their pretty sofa and carpet.  They aren't embarrassed whenever my kid screams out of turn at a restaurant or church.  Or smears food all over herself and anything she can touch.  Or when she plays musical laps.  Oh or when she stands in their kid's carseat and swings from it and slobbers all over the toys hanging from it, in fact they protect her head and catch her when she falls.  They laugh and cheer her on.  There are toys for her to play at when we go to their house, we have adult conversation, and we have baby conversation, and we don't feel bad about it.
Don't get us wrong, we love our childless friends, we wouldn't be here without them, but it man it is such a difference to have friends that have a kid and get it.  They get the anxiety, they get if you call at the last minute and say you are running late or you aren't going to make it at all.  They get that it can be easier to come to your house because someone is in a mood and you don't think that you can put that kid in the car seat.
You also get GREAT tips from your friends with kids.  You share ideas and shortcuts and most importantly FOOD.  Haha.
But honestly, I'm not knocking our childless friends.  I can't wait until they have kids too.  And seriously we couldn't have gotten so good at raising a kid without them, they were here in the beginning to hold her, make us food, and cheer us on.  And they will continue to be here for her.  I just wanted to give a little shout out to our new friends, who we are having a great time with.  Even after we give our death plague to them.

Love (our friends with babies),
Carrie

Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself.

I'm not the person you want to sit next to in church, if you are serious about church.  I crack jokes, comment on the message, and generally act like a twelve year old.  I'm not sure why I do it, because I like church and I listen to the message, I just think everyone needs my rolling commentary apparently, like an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Apparently my daughter has inherited that trait.  She hollers out "WOW" and "WOAH" at completely inappropriate times.  Sings louder than everyone.  Crawls under the pews.  Tries to deface Bibles.  Pulls out every piece of paper from the racks.  Generally everything she can to appear like a heathen in the eyes of the Lord.  But she is cute so she gets away with it. 

Some of you have wondered, and yes, we are still cos-sleeping.  It is working really well for us, and I can't tell you how comforting it is for both her and I to have each other there.  I've tried multiple times to kick her out and it hasn't gone well for either of us.  So we will keep at it, at least until she can talk me out of sleeping in her own bed every night.  Ha.

Evie has a new toy my parents bought her, its a fat overstuffed cat.  My brother named him Spencer Catt (a play on Spencer Pratt, the reality douche) and of course she loves it and is dragging it around everywhere.  She also got down the SHHHHH noise, so she points at it and says "SHHHHHH" which cracks me up.

We have to get her a new car seat because she is too long for hers.  We will probably get it on Friday.  I don't know what kind to get though.  Of course every review I read says you should get the three hundred dollar one, but who can afford that?  I just had my parents buy new tires for my car, which I'm slowly working off.  I can't believe how expensive tires are!!!  We really needed them before the winter, I would be a nervous wreck without them and driving with Evie.

I don't say it enough, but I am truly blessed to be able to stay home with Evelynn. I can't imagine putting her in daycare everyday.  I know I give Seth a lot of crap about working so hard and so late, but I need to remember he's doing it so that I can stay home and try to teach my kid to leave the bibles out of her mouth.  Evie and I are two lucky ladies for sure. 

Well I'd better get ready for the Advent Tea at church tonite.  Evie and I are going to practice NOT being a heathen so we don't embarass her grandma.  :-)

Love (my heathen baby),
Carrie

If you believe everything you read, better not read.

In our house, December brings about an event that I try to get psyched up about, but about halfway thru the task, I crap out and wonder why in the hell I agree to do it every year.
And that event is our cookie plates.  First of all, it takes us forever to plan it.  Then it takes FOREVER to make all the cookies.  After that it takes us forever to deliver all the cookies.  And I really think most people don't even LIKE our cookie plates.  Besides Seth's family, they always eat them all and enjoy them.  And the people at Seth's work.  Most everyone else complains that we are making them fat, or these are the fifth cookie plate they have received, or that they don't like one of the cookies.  One year we had someone complain about the way we decorated the cookies (ok fine, that year I got a little spikey towards the end of decorating and started making inappropriate cookies, but they were FUNNY)
Anyway we have our cookie day scheduled on Saturday the 18th of this month.  Hopefully we tone it down this year, but Seth is super crazy about it.  He likes to do it because it reminds him of when he used to do it with his Grandma.  And like me, he is a food pusher, and likes to see other people enjoy the food he makes.
So anyway, since Ellen does 12 days of give away's, I guess I'll do 12 days of bitching about Christmas.  Ha.
You know what would make this all better?  Snow.

Love (pushing food),
Carrie