Adam & Lindsay

NEW BLOG ADDRESS!!

2011-05-11T15:11:00.000-05:00

I created a new blog for just the deals!! Here it is...check it out!! :)

http://freememphisgroceries.blogspot.com/

Coupon Class this week!!!

2011-05-02T15:05:00.000-05:00

So, I've had lots of requests to do a crash course in Couponing 101! So...here it is...

Couponing 101 at my house this Friday at 11:00 am at my house!
It's $10 & I'll explain everything you need to know to get a great stockpile!
There will be light refreshments & drawings for some free gifts!
Comment if you are planning on coming!! Or text me (901) 491-4698
Lots of fun!! And come to hear the tips & tricks to get your groceries at least 90% off!!

Kroger Deals for this week! Ending Wed, May 10th!

2011-05-01T23:41:00.004-05:00

There aren't very many deals this week unfortunately, but here they are! Here are the

Kroger:
Reach Advanced Toothbrush - $0.50
     Coupon: ~~$1/1 Reach Toothbrush, Floss or Access Flosser~~ (coupons gone)
     Cost: FREE!!!

Nivea Body Wash - $2.99
     Coupon: ~~$3/1 Nivea Body Wash~~ (coupons gone)
     Cost: FREE!!!

Listerine Pocket Packs - $1.00
     Coupon: $0.50/1 Listerine Pocketpaks
     Cost: FREE!!!

Maruchan Yakisoba - $1.00
     Coupon: $0.50/1 Maruchan Yakisoba product
     Cost: FREE!!!

Schnucks
New York Texas Toast Croutons - $1.00
     Coupon: $0.50/1 New York Texas Toast Croutons
     Cost: FREE!!!

KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce - $1.00
     Coupon: $0.50/1 KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce
     Cost: FREE!!!

Target
Weight Watchers Smary Ones - $1.89
     Coupon: $5/12 Smart Ones
     Cost: $1.47 each! PLUS $5 Gift Card for every 10 you get!! Comes to $1.06!!

CVS
Ivory Soap, 3 pk - $0.99
     Coupon: $1.00/1 Ivory Soap
     Cost: FREE!!!

My Spoils from last week for $6!!!!

2011-04-27T21:33:00.000-05:00

200 Easter candies (Snickers, Reeses, & Cadbury eggs)

20 Purex Detergents

20 cans of Dole pinapple & tropical fruit

10 bottles of Nivea Men's & Women's body wash

20 Degree travel size deodorants

20 McCormick Marinade packets (not pictured)

Cost: $26

THEN they gave me $20 in catalina's back so it was all of that for

Final Cost: $6!!!!!

Free (or cheap) Things this Week!

2011-04-24T23:30:00.000-05:00

Kroger:
Tony's Crispy Crust Pizza - $1
    Coupon: $.50/2 Tony's Crispy Crust Pizza
    Cost: $0.50 for each!!!

Crest Toothpaste 4.6 oz. - $1
    Coupon: $1/1 Crest Toothpaste 4 oz. + liquid gel (there's one that cost $1 for 20!!)
    Cost: FREE!!!

Listerine Strips Pocket Packs 24 ct. - $1
     Coupon: $.50/1 Listerine Pocket Packs 24 ct.
     Cost: FREE!!!

Reach Dental Floss - $1
     Coupon: $1/1 Reach Dental toothbrush, floss or access flosser
     Cost: FREE!!!

Carefree Liners - $1.09
     Coupon: $.50/1 Carefree product
     Cost: $.09 each!!!

Excedrin PM 24 ct. - $2.09
     Coupon: $2.50/1 Excedrin product
     Cost: FREE!! + profit

Target:
Nivea For Men Body Wash - $3.04
     Coupon: $3.00/1 Nivea Men's Body Wash
     Cost: $0.04!!!

Free (or cheap) Things this Week!

2011-04-18T11:56:00.002-05:00

Kroger:

Dole Fruit 15-20 oz cans - $1
     Coupon: $.50/2 Dole pineapple or tropical fruit in cans
     Cost: $0.50 each can!!!

Pillsbury Cake Mix Deal From Last Week is still going!
(See previous post)

Mars Easter Creme Eggs - $0.50
PLUS GET A $5 OFF YOUR NEXT PURCHASE WYB $15 WORTH!
      Coupon: $1/2 Mars Easter Candy
      Cost: FREE!!!

Suave Deodorant Deal From Last Week is still going!! FREE Deodorant

Purex Laundry Detergent - $1.99
     Coupon: $1.00/1 Purex Bottle
     Cost: $0.99 for a whole bottle! Great deal!!!

Maruchan Yakisoba Pastas - $0.99
     Coupon: $.50/1 Maruchan Yakisoba
     Cost: FREE!!!

Walmart:
Nivea Mens Body Wash - $3
     Coupon: $3/1 Nivea Body Wash (about $7 for the coupons)
     Cost: FREE!!!

KY Brand Product - $2.88
     Coupon: $3/1 KY Brand Product Printable
     Cost: FREE!!!

Similac Ready To Feed 1 qt. - $3.84
      Coupon: $5/1 Similac Product (they are kind of expensive for the coupons)
      Cost: FREE!!!

Good Luck this week!!

Free Things this Week in Memphis!

2011-04-10T21:52:00.001-05:00

Pillsbury Cake Mix - $1.00
      Coupon: $0.35/1 Pillsbury Sugar Free Cake Mix
      Cost: $0.30 each - GREAT deal!

Suave Deodorant - $0.88
       Coupon: $0.50/1 Suave Deodorant
       Cost: FREE!! w/overages

Oral B Toothbrushes - $2.00
       Coupon: $2.00/1 Oral B Pulse, Cross Action, Advantage...
       Cost: FREE!!!

My Spoils for the week!

2011-04-09T23:22:00.000-05:00

Good thing Popcorn takes forever to expire! It will make good gifts for couples for a "Date Night" basket!

P.S.- It was really cool today. I was at Schnuck's & there was a couple there that was looking at the grill seasonings & were going to buy a bunch cause they thought they were at a "great price" & so we really don't need 15 seasonings, so I just went over & offered them 5 of my coupons. You should've seen their faces! It was a really cool feeling! They were SO excited & shocked! I think I'm going to make that a tradition from now on if I see someone looking at the things I'm getting. It was a really cool feeling!

How did you do this week?

Free Things this Week in Memphis!

2011-04-06T20:08:00.001-05:00

Schnucks:
Weber Grill Seasonings - $1.00
     Coupon: $1.00/1 Weber Grill Seasoning or Grinder
     Cost: FREE!!!

Act II Popcorn - $1.00
     Coupon: $0.50/1 Act II Microwave Popcorn
     Cost: FREE!!!

Crab Classics - $1.00
     Coupon: $1.00/1 Crab Classics Printable
     Cost: FREE!!!

Free Things this Week in Richmond, VA!

2011-03-30T21:37:00.001-05:00

Esta para mi hermana en Richmond, VA!

Food Lion:
Best Life Buttery Spread - $1.00
Coupon: $1.00/1 Best Life Buttery Spread
Cost: FREE!!!

Check out the Memphis post for the Wal-mart & Target deals!!!
Love you Cort!

Free Things this Week in Memphis!

2011-03-30T00:03:00.001-05:00

Wal-mart:

Travel size Degree Men's Deodorant - $0.97

Coupon: $1.00/1 Degree Men's Deodorant

Cost: FREE!!! ($0.03 overage)

Target:

Travel Size Dove Men+Care Deodorant - $0.99

Coupon: $1.00/1 Men+Care Deodorant

Cost: FREE!!!

Travel Size Vaseline Deodorant - $0.97

Coupon: $1.00/1 Vaseline Lotion

Cost: FREE!!! ($0.03 overage!)

Schnuck's:
Travel Size Bandaids 10-count - $0.99
       Coupon: $0.50/1 Bandaid Adhesive Bandage
       Cost: FREE!!!

Kroger:
Maruchan Yakisoba Noodles - $0.99
       Coupon: $0.50/1 Maruchan Yakisoba
       Cost: FREE!!!

Not a lot this week but a great time to stock up on traveling toiletries!! Good luck & happy couponing!!

This Week's Trip - $209 for $12!!!!

2011-03-25T13:36:00.000-05:00

40 boxes/bags of whole wheat pasta (FREE)

24 Weight Watcher meals ($.97 each)

30 Motrin boxes - 20ct. ($2.00 overage)

20 Gilette body washes ($1.00 each)

SUCH a great trip!!! Can't wait to do even more today!! :)

P.S.- I haven't posted any deals because they are the same as last week!

Hopefully there will be more great deals next week at Kroger!

This Week's Trip - $164 for $9 ONLY!!!!!!

2011-03-19T11:58:00.000-05:00

This week was SOOO much fun!!!

30 boxes of whole wheat pasta

8 Yakisoba pastas

20 Vitamin waters

9 Heluva dips

1 kraft light mayo

2 bags of Wavy chips

2 bags of hamburger buns

1 gallon of milk

2 pesto packs

1 loaf of bread

ALL for $9!!!! What an awesome trip!! And I'm not done yet!

I've got some more coupons coming in today! I can't wait to finish out the sale!

Stay tuned for next week's free deals if there are any!

As always, happy couponing!!

Last Week's Spoils!!!

2011-03-18T23:09:00.000-05:00

All of this was UNDER $20!!!!

40 bags of Mahatma Rice

10 bags of Pedigree Dog Food

32 Yakisoba Pastas

40 6-packs of Airheads

20 pouches of Oatmeal

7 tubes of Dial Lotion

Most of it was FREE so it was just paying tax!!!

Last week was great!!!

Happy Couponing Everybody!!

Order Your Coupons Now for this deal!

2011-03-14T00:24:00.000-05:00

Kroger:

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest or Smart Taste Pasta - $0.49

Coupon: $1/2 Ronzoni Healthy Harvest/Smart Taste

($0.10 for each coupon)
***Note: Stock up on either of these pasta choices. I'm excited because the 'Healthy Harvest' is completely whole grain & the 'Smart Taste' is white enriched flour but has calcium & fiber***

Random Deals this Week!

2011-03-08T22:34:00.003-06:00

Here are some Memphis Deals this week:

Target:
Pedigree Dog Food - $4 a bag - 3.5lbs or more
     Coupon: $3/1 Pedigree Dog Food 3.5lbs or larger
                          (20 coupons for about $2.00)
     Makes it: $1.00 for each bag of dog food!! Stock up!! :)

Walmart:
Quaker Oats Packages - $1.00
     Coupon: $1/1 Quaker Instant Oats (not the squares)
                               (15 coupons for $5.00)
     Makes it: FREE!!! for Individual Packets at Walmart

Kroger:
Airheads 6 packs - $0.79
     Coupon: $0.50/1 Airheads 6 pack
              ($0.08 a coupon - $1.60 for 20)
     Makes it: FREE!!! for each 6 pack

Maruchan Yakisoba - $1.00
     Coupon: $0.50/1 Maruchan Yakisoba
                        (20 coupons for $5.00)
     Makes it: FREE!!! for each box of pasta

Good luck this week! Hurry & get your coupons ordered so you can get them in before the sale ends!! :)

Deals in Mount Juliet this weekend!!

2011-03-07T18:13:00.000-06:00

This weekend is the Time Out for Women conference near Nashville in Mount Juliet & since there are ZERO good deals in Memphis at Kroger this week, I decided to check out the ones there! Well, I found a few great deals. Here are the things you need to do if you are going to be there & want to do these deals:

Deal #1:
Mahatma Valencia Short Grain Rice - $0.99
$0.50/1 Mahatma Rice (coupon doubles)
Coupon: Get coupon here on eBay 20 coupons for about $1.75 before shipping

Deal #2:
Propel Zero - $0.50
$1.00/2 Propel Drink (2 drinks for each coupon)
Coupon: Get coupon here on eBay 15 coupons for about $3.99 before shipping

Good luck & let me know if you have any questions!!

Kroger: $150 for $23.18!

2011-03-01T13:04:00.000-06:00

Here is the rest of the deals I got this week at Kroger. Plus, I had to buy a lot of produce & got free coupons from Kroger for fruit, ice cream, & dressing!

15 Cough drops 20 Mentos gum & candy

1 lb. Fresh shaved meat 5 Land O' Lakes butter

Kraft fat free Dressing Whole grain rice

3 whole grain pastas Ice cream

Berry medley Alfredo mix

Onions Lettuce

Cucumbers Eggs

Bread

All in all a great shopping trip!! :)

Kroger Spoils until 3/1 & Your Questions Answered

2011-02-25T20:16:00.000-06:00

So, I've really been having fun with all of this extreme couponing & have gotten really good!

This was my favorite trip so far...

1 gallon of milk - $2.67

21 tubes of Toothpaste - $2.39 ea

20 boxes of Maruchan Yakisoba - $1.69 ea

20 bags of Luden's Cough Drops - $1.59 ea

20 tubs of Land O' Lakes Margarine - $3.35

1 Hydro Razor - $10.99 ea

Total: $197.22

My Cost @ the Register: $0.18!!!!

What a great week!!

Q&A:

These are a few answers to questions you've asked me...

Q: Where do you find these deals?!

A: I take a few hours every week & search about 10 different websites. One of the best & my favorite is Saving A Bundle. She is incredible but only does deals for the Memphis/Olive Branch area.

Q: Where do you get the extra coupons?

A: I get them from a few different sites. I'll start posting where I get them from now on so you can find them.

Q: Lastly, do you have to use separate transactions?....I know some of the Krogers will only take a certain number of alike coupons per transaction.

A: NO!! haha. I don't shop at the Kroger about 1 minute from my house for that very reason. You have to find a Kroger that is coupon-friendly otherwise it's a headache. It's much more pleasant to have the cashier be excited as he's watching the number go down rather than give you hassle & be annoyed.

Tip of the Week: I "cashier-profile"!!! I admit! The best cashier's are the young, teenage boys. They are just the best. They are easy-going & great to work with!

Happy Couponing everyone!!

Deal Day with Mom @ Walgreens!

2011-02-23T17:32:00.000-06:00

Mom & I went today to do a Dove Deodorant Deal! Check out what we got at Walgreens!!

We had coupons from a deal that we couldn't get on Dove a couple weeks ago because Kroger was out of them. So, we just happen to have the coupons.

Total Paid: $2.91 (just tax)

Total Saved: $45.78!!!

What a great day!!

Last Week

2011-02-21T23:58:00.000-06:00

Here are the deals we did last week! I gave a lot of them out as Valentine's Sweets but it was fun! Adam wanted bacon so he went to the store & did the coupon deals. Here's everything he got:

Total Paid: $1.67

The bacon was $3.89 by itself so the total cost was less than the cost of the bacon!

What a great deal! :)

(This was a Kroger deal last week)

This Week's Haul!

2011-02-11T20:16:00.000-06:00

This Week's Haul

This week we got some GREAT deals at Kroger!

Here is Adam with our carts aplenty & our huge receipt.

After that trip, he told me he didn't want to ever go with me again.

He said he couldn't handle the stress. haha.

Here are our spoils!

116 Propels

10 Kettle chips

20 softsoaps

50 toothbrushes

2 colgate toothpastes

eggs

milk

The total cost: $392

What I paid: $19!!!

Schnuck's Deal:

40 bags of Cereal

(this is only half)

Total cost: $87

What I paid: $3.10!!! for ALL 40 bags!!

My updated stockpile!

Happy Couponing Everybody!!

Schnuck's Deal Alert!

2011-02-02T13:01:00.000-06:00

Sale at Schnuck's for 12-16 oz. Malt-O-Meal Cereal 10/$10 with a coupon here for $2/2 any 15.5 oz or larger. SOOO that means you get the cereal for FREE as many as you have coupons for...just make sure to have the right size when you go buy your cereal!

My Spoils!!

2011-01-31T23:19:00.000-06:00

This was my first order at 1 Target store. I swiped all the Maalox I could.

The total before coupons was $52.48 & the end total with a few other things was $9.42.

This was my 2nd order. The total was $67 before coupons.

After coupons = $3.27!!!

This was my Total Maalox find!! Yay for Coupons!!

Good luck this week everyone!!

Let me know if you have any questions!!

Free Deals this Week!

2011-01-31T00:07:00.003-06:00

Alright folks! By popular demand, I'm posting this tonight for this week. I found a great deal for some free toothbrushes! If you're out there & want me to keep posting, send me a quick comment so I know someone is out there. :)

Deal #1: Reach Toothbrush or Access Flosser - FREE!!!

This Tuesday Kroger is going to have Reach Toothbrushes or Access Flossers on sale for $1.

There is a coupon for "$1.00/1 REACH FLOSSER OR TOOTHBRUSH COUPONS 4/30/11" that I found on eBay for $1.99 for 20 coupons making it completely FREE!!

Now I have 20 toothbrushes to go with my 20 toothpastes! Lol. :)

Deal #2: Propel Water - FREE!

Also, Tuesday at Kroger Propel Water is going on sale for $0.49 per bottle as marked.

There is a coupon for "$1.00/2 PROPEL WATER COUPON 3/31/11" that I also found on eBay for $2.99 for 10 coupons which means you get 2 for $1.00 = 20 FREE Propels!!

Make sure to check your expiration dates & exactly what the coupons are for before you check out!

Stock up now so you can be ready for the sale on Tuesday!!!

Happy Couponing!

My New Findings

2011-01-26T23:52:00.000-06:00

So far, my stockpiling freebies of the week are pretty exciting! I went to check the store prices today. I wanted to post this so if you wanted to take advantage of the deals, that you still had time to get the coupons. I'll post my spoils once I get the coupons & get to the store.

Deal #1: Reach Dental Floss

$4.54 @ Target this week - Fruit Chews

Or $4.54 for the Liquid Maalox Advanced

The price is $4.54 for each. I found a coupon for $5.00/1 off any Maalox product.

That means you get it for FREE with a 48 cent overage!

$$$Money Maker$$$

I ordered 20 coupons from eBay for $8 that will be coming in tomorrow.

You'll get about $10 in overages!

Deal #2: Reach Dental Floss

$.97 @ Target

I also found 20 coupons on eBay for $1.00/1 off any Reach Dental Floss.

The coupons cost $2.00 total.

Overage: $.03 each

I'll post my spoils as soon as I get them! :) Enjoy!

Let me know if this helps!

Favorite Deals of the Week

2011-01-23T00:25:00.001-06:00

So, on TLC there is a show that I saw this past week called "Extreme Couponing" where these people go dumpster diving & on a walk each day collecting their neighbors coupon inserts, etc. Well, all of them had shelf after shelf, even a couple of rooms full of extra stuff they got for free & it made me realize that eventhough we are more broke then we ever have been, we CAN afford to have Food Storage & to plan ahead by doing it the smart way & only paying pennies without going as crazy as some of those people. SO....I'm going to be occasionally posting my favorite free deals a week. This first deal is one that I didn't love but they are Adam's favorite so I decided to do it.

Deal #1: ProGlide Fusion Razors - Originally $10.99

I paid about: $2.00 each for these!

Saving almost $30!

Deal #2: Colgate Toothpaste

26 tubes of full-size toothpaste: FREE!!!! ($1.05 in tax is all I paid)

Originally over $3.00 a piece = Totaling over $75

I found this deal on Saving A Bundle thankfully in time to

order some coupons from a clipping service for $2.50.

They arrived yesterday & Meggan & I went tonight & bought 26 tubes of Colgate toothpaste.

I gave her 6 for helping with moral support. It was incredible & such a rush! It was fun!!

Let me know if you want me to keep posting!

I'm only going to be doing deals & stockpiling deals that are free or extremely close to it!

Yay for Food Storage!

P.S.-The Deal was a 10/$10 at Kroger & the coupons I got from a coupon clipping service & the coupon was for 50 cents which doubled to $1.00 a piece. :)

Surprise Mud Pies - Hilarious!

2011-01-20T22:51:00.000-06:00

I took this a while back on my phone & it still makes me laugh everytime I watch it. Here it Goes! Let me know what you think? AFV worthy? I think so....

Crafty Attempts

2010-11-02T11:41:00.001-05:00

So, lately, I've been embracing the role of "homemaker" meaning that I have been "making stuff at home"! haha. And I have to tell you though beforehand, that I have NEVER been an crafty person...not artistic at all (except musically artistic) & I can't draw a lick so I never thought I'd like crafts because I never thought I'd be any good at them. Well, I've really been getting into them lately. Making something I'd put in my house out of nothing has become really fun for me. Here are a few things that I've done:

For Halloween:

My Terra-cotta Pot Mummies (not yet completely finished)

My Fall practically free table centerpiece:

(it doesn't show up well here, but I painted them with spray on silver glitter specs)

I have to find a cuter bowl, but this will do for now.

My other Pine cone door stopper:

My Awesome Garage Sale Find:

(the problem was they were all ugly booger green, so I had to do lots of work)

And this is the finished product. It's hard to see with the light from the window, but I painted them all Chocolate Brown.

It has been SOOO much fun!! :)

Catching Up....

2010-10-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

So, I KNOW this looks familiar if you keep up with my blog....

Well, here is what happened about a week & a half before we left for Mexico & a couple days after my birthday & the day after Adam's.

2 wrecks in less than a year after never having a wreck before was TOO much! We were watching Josh that week while my parents were out of town for vacation & I had taken him to Seminary that morning & then was headed over to Meggan's house to babysit so she could help Ben at work. So, I was on Trinity & had just crossed over Germantown Parkway when a car about 3 cars up flipped a U-turn when he could've waited about 15 feet til the turning lane ahead, but he didn't. So, the Monte Carlo behind him slammed on his brakes, the silver truck behind him tapped him & then slammed on his brakes & my poor little car....I was sittin' so low that I couldn't see anything over the truck. So, I slammed on my brakes & they didn't stop fast enough, so I swerved as much as I could without hitting the traffic in the other lane & slammed into to truck. The damage on the truck was about the size of a golfball from my car but mine was totaled. SOOO....long story short....after some serious adjustments on my neck & back from Whole Health Chiropractic Center & once we got back from Mexico...I determined that I do NOT want to be in a tiny car at all anymore. So....here is what we got.... Check out my New Ride!!!

A 2003 Saturn Vue - 4 door - automatic windows & locks, music...and it's a BIG car!!!

haha. I couldn't be more happy. Not to mention we got it for $6,000 & they gave us $4000 for my car that was totaled. What an awesome blessing. So, here it is! A blessing that started out as a trial. Love this life!! haha. And LOOOOOVE my new ride!!!

BeautiControl!!

2010-08-12T16:06:00.000-05:00

For those of you that don't know it yet, I am a BeautiControl consultant. My job consists of pampering & loving on women & doing spa's. It's a blessed life for sure. I wanted to share a little something that I don't think I've shared yet...Because of BeautiControl & all the awesome things I've gotten, the most exciting thing right now that we are preparing for is the All-expense paid trip I earned for 2 to the Riviera Maya in Mexico!!

I could not be more excited!! I've never been out of the country so I'm in the process of getting my passport & it is so awesome. AND it happens to fall the weekend of our Anniversary of 2 years which was a HUGE bonus. I feel so blessed. I never thought in a million years that we, for our 2 year anniversary would be able to go to Mexico seeing how we could NEVER be able to afford it ourselves. So, obviously, you won't be surprised that I didn't have a grasp on what "all-expense paid" meant when I called the main office to ask about my plane ticket & they said "Lindsay, that's what all-expense paid trip for 2 means. We pay for your meals, your airfare, your suite, your activities & even give you spending money & matching luggage."

WOW! I was shocked. haha. So, here's a little info on our trip that is coming up quickly...

This is our suite that we are staying in that is over 1000 sq ft. which is bigger than our first apartment. haha. It's going to be incredible. But, I need your help...We get to choose between a bunch of activities & we're trying to decide. What do you think? Here are our choices...

Golfing with the President

The Tour of the Ancient Mayan Ruins

Xel-ha - A Huge Waterpark

A Tour through the Caverns

Ziplining above the jungle

What do you think? Let me know your choice & why so we can decide!

More updates soon! :)

Calling All Readers!!

2010-07-24T01:01:00.000-05:00

So, this is just a post to see who all is out there... I comment on blogs when I read them because I want the authors to know that they are being enjoyed & read, but besides my sisters & occasional friend...I have NO idea who else is reading. So, here's another scrapbook page...let me know what you think & if you are reading this...send me a quick shout out just so I know someone is listening! haha. Love y'all!

So You Think You Can Digital Scrapbook?!

2010-07-16T20:51:00.001-05:00

Well, I'm trying so that's all I'll say. Here are a couple pages I've done this week. Trying to play catch up on all of our memories. I'll post some more Girl's Camp Pictures & such as soon as I get them. I've decided seeing how I'm awful at keeping a journal & at blogging regularly & at scrapbooking frequently, I'm just going to combine them all & scrapbook as soon as I can after the experience & keep a journal for that part too. I'm also getting Adam to write on the scrapbook pages when I create them. I'm excited about being able to do all my journaling with the pictures so I can check that off my "Things to feel guilty about not completing" list. haha. Love y'all & let me know what you think. I'm still new at this!!

Left Side of Page:

Right Side of Page:

Heading to Girl's Camp!

2010-06-02T00:09:00.006-05:00

So, I'm heading off to Girl's Camp tomorrow to be a cabin leader & to spend time with our girls in our ward. They started requiring the Young Women's Presidency to go to Girl's Camp to be the chaperone's & cabin leaders instead of the moms because they said "You'll get closer to your girls in those few days together, than you would a whole year of mutual activities. They will get to see a fun side of you as well that they've never seen before." Well, I don't know of anyone (off the top of my head anyways) that is MORE enthusiastic in 110 degree weather than they are in an air conditioned church building, but I'm going to try my darndest to be just that!! I'm REALLY dreading the hot, wet, sticky heat (doesn't help that they've predicted it to be the hottest week so far this year) but all in all, I'm excited. It's going to be fun! :)

So....as I'm finishing up the last few CD's we're making for our ward girls, I'm lovingly listening to the sweet sound of my dear husband snoring in the next room, with some game is going on the TV, as he has helplessly given up the fight of sleep vs. waiting on his wife & wanted to share a little "Adam Nugget".

Now, to those of you that might not know Adam well, you're missing out. He is a quiet, but deep man that just so happens to be my most favorite person in the whole world. He puts up with me day in & day out & manages to do it with a boat-load of patience & a smile (sometimes..haha). Among TONS of reasons why I love this wonderful man, the one I want to share today is that of laughter. He makes me laugh harder than anyone I've ever met! Sometimes he comes up with things that are so quick-witted & clever that it floors me & makes me cry with laughter. Here is a little nugget I want to share of Adam with all of you.

A little background: He used to do the first part when we first got married & then one day he did the latter & I just HAD to get it on tape. Enjoy!

Oh, Adam....I'm going to miss you this week. :)

Camera Cord Found...Holiday Catch Up!

2010-06-01T23:34:00.011-05:00

Well, with Memorial Day past, I wanted to take a minute to update our blog with some holiday pictures. I haven't been able to find my camera cord, but I did get a new printer that you can plug your memory card into, so now I can update our blog with pictures. Here's just the short & sweet seeing how I'm SUPER far behind! haha.

Valentine's Day:
We did some cute crafts for enrichment this year which I was SUPER excited about seeing as I have NO decorations for ANY holiday in my house, so I was all too excited (not to mention a little over-ambitious considering Enrichment's only an hour or so). Thankfully, my mom stepped in & helped & I finish the rest at home later. Here a few things that I did for Valentine's Day!

And this is what I found the next night from my sweet husband.

He is SO wonderful!

Poor Adam, he never realized until we were married how much of a big deal holidays are in my family & he is really mastering it now.

I love that man.

Easter:

We have decided just to do baskets for each other & it was really fun. As you can tell, I got good pictures first thing in the morning & it was fun to wake up to baskets & then be able to stay home & watch General Conference together all day. Easter was a great day & conference made it EVEN better!

My Easter Surprise for Adam:

Adam's Easter Surprise for Me:

Isabell's Surprise for Adam:

(she never does this except on the paper, which made it EVEN funnier!

Yes folks, he stepped RIGHT in it! hahaha)

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Couponing Heaven!!!

2010-05-19T12:17:00.001-05:00

So, just a quick update about this past week...Lately I've been getting into couponing (as in the past week or so) & I am SOOO excited about all the steals & deals & freebies I've gotten!! :) Here is just an example of my shopping trip this past week! :)
I went to Kroger with coupons & knowing the deals of the week & stocked up on some pretty incredible stuff!! Here is what I got first!
Last weeks biggest deal was their cereal. You buy what's on sale that week & stock up with plenty so you'll have enough until they go on sale again. So, we've never gotten brand name cereal cause they were too expensive, but with the deal & the coupons last week, here is what I got on my first trip to Kroger:

5 boxes of any Kellogg's Cereal that I wanted
4 boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch
4 boxes of Original Cheerios

Total Paid: $11
They gave me $4 back on my next purchase, so it cost me $7 total for 11 boxes of cereal!!!
The real amount it would've cost me was $36 & some change! :)
Saved: $29!!

Now, my next shopping trip was more for what we needed cause we haven't been shopping in FOREVER!! Because until couponing, I've HATED grocery shopping! haha. Now, it's a game & it's fun to see how much I can lower my total!

2nd trip:
5 Kellogg's Cereals
4 Cinnamon Toast Crunch
4 Original Cheerios
2 bags of hot dog buns
1 Gallon of milk
1 Pert Plus 3 in 1 Wash for Men
1 Dial Men's Body Wash
1 head of lettuce
2 Bags of carrots
2 loaves of Sub sandwich bread
1 pack of cheese slices
1 pack of deli lunch meat
1 pack of Sausage
2 Ball Park Franks
2 packs of Playtex tampons
1 bag of Puppy chow (out of necessity - not sale unfortunately haha)

Total: $136
Total Paid: $52
Total Saved: $84!!!

Can you believe it?!?! I got all of that for $52!!! Now, I was really excited because that was WITH all the produce & milk & puppy chow & bread & meat & cheese that I didn't have coupons for & I can't WAIT to see what my next shopping trips will be without those!! :) I was SOOO excited!! I've been an avid reader of www.savingabundle.com & have been loving all the deals she's been posting. She's actually a member of the church in the Memphis 2nd ward & we're going to a class she's doing this Friday night. If you're interested, let me know & you can come, but seriously, this is saving us SOO much money & it's somethings I've gotten REALLY excited about! Let me know what you think!!! Check out everything I got!!

I couldn't even fit all the cereal on the dryer the first time!! :)

Feeling "Tabby"

2010-04-05T23:01:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to take a minute & make history first of all for posting twice in the same 7 day period ever & also to just share a quick glimpse into my night.

I'm sure you're probably wondering (well, that is, assuming someone actually reads my blogs anymore...not that I'd blame you if you didn't...one can only bare so much neglect & disappointment from checking & never seeing any update)....I'll start again considering how much longer that run on sentence went.

I'm sure you're probably wondering what feeling "tabby" means...well, let me explain...
Long story short, when I first got my AWESOME Mac Desktop a few years ago, I was cleaning it & accidentally spilled some of my water on my keyboard (within the first week of course) & ever since, my tab key on my keyboard hasn't worked.
Now, many of you might think..."What's the big deal? Why even blog about something so trivial?" To you, I say in a "tabby" tone ('tab-by' meaning a spinster) You try to go even a day without using your tab key & see how hard that is! haha. :) In all honesty, it is really a pain, especially when you're trying to log on to your bank account or filling out applications for freebies online (true story)...instead of just tabbing to each new line, you have to

L-i-n-d-s-a-y (lift hands from keyboard - move them to mouse - click to next line)

B-l-a-i-n (lift hands from keyboard - move them to mouse - click to next line)

& so on & so forth. So, I sucked it up & took it like a man. haha. Now, to end my story with a happy ending. My Mac hasn't been working right since I was working on Cortney's Christmas present & it shut down randomly & I just haven't had time to get it looked at. Finally, I took it last week to the Apple store & while there I saw this beaut!!

It was scary at first to even think that I deserved to have all of my computer keys restored back to health & happiness, especially after they had been broken for SO long. I almost didn't even remember what it was like to have all of my keys back. But, the more I thought about it, the more I remembered that the reason I was in that situation in the first place was because I had broken an appendage, well, of my keyboard that is & I was kind of thrown into that effect from that cause in the first place. So, after I made the decision to finally change something from all the agony I was going through & reach for what I was almost sure I deserved (even before anything action had taken place), I felt like a load had been lifted & I could be free once again to type & tab all I wanted to! I even started feeling more like myself. haha. Hence the reason why you have 2 posts in the same week!!! :)

I know it's silly to blog about a silly seemingly small joy, but life is made up of little tiny things that make us happy & that make all the pain & struggle seem TOTALLY worth it. This tab key I'm referring to is literal & could have some symbolic meaning for something bigger going on with us right now, but.....hmmm....you might hear about that one later once the storm is over. :)

Thanks for listening....haha. :)

Welcome to Adulthood!

2010-04-01T17:00:00.001-05:00

Along life's road, there are many milestones that map a person's life that seem to assure you that you are growing up, learning & gaining ''experience''. Among such milestones are first steps, first words, then bigger events like graduation, marriage, first real job, first child, etc, etc, etc. So apparently, there is another hidden list that I was unaware of...probably filled with other dark things that symbolized wisdom & growth...

Well, right before Christmas, I was informed of an unknown milestone that I crashed RIGHT into! Here is the conclusion....

Now, here is the story...
It was a completely out of the ordinary Friday morning. I had woken up on my own at 6:00, with a full night's sleep, took my time getting ready, even had time to put on my make up completely before I left the house...none of which EVER happens on any other normal day. I left the house a little early (another occurance that doesn't happen regularly) & as I was driving to work, I took my normal route. Rush hour traffic even seemed to be lighter that day as well. Moving on, so I'm on Sam Cooper getting off on Highland. I pulled up to the stop sign behind a SUV of some sort & patiently waited for her to stop & then turn right onto Highland. This is what I saw:
Brake lights....Stop...pull out .....brake lights...stop...pull out....
Each time she did this, she was driving past the stop sign & by the 2nd time, she was already IN the lane with the oncoming traffic (which there wasn't any...the only car even visible was in the other lane heading the opposite direction....see...another abnormal occurance!)
After the 3rd "Brake lights....Stop...pull out", I mistankingly assumed (seeing how only her back right tire was the only thing in front of the stop sign & she was moving) that she was making that incredibly crutial decision of pulling onto the road. Well....obviously....I was incorrect. I made sure she was moving, stopped & then glanced left, well, frankly to make sure the world was still turning...& as I was turning back, I let off the brake & BAM!!!! My car crunched UNDER her car! Whiplash just about & all.
So, what's my first reaction...call Adam to inform....then call Dad & ask him what I should do. haha. My dad has always taken care of us girls & I knew I could call him & that he'd be understanding & help me figure out what I needed to do next. My dad is SO good at that.
Here's how our conversation went:
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah...I think so. What do I do now? I think the lady called the cops."
"Well, just wait for them to come & they'll just write you a ticket & you can call your insurance company when you get back to the office."
"Um...yeah, I think so. It kinda looks like....well, you know that part in Tommy Boy when the hood of their car....well, yeah, it looks a little like that."

"(Laughing...) Is your car still driveable?"
"I guess...as long as the hood stays down. That would really freak me out!"

"Just drive slow. (pause) Well, your mother just told me that this is your first wreck. I didn't know that. Welcome to Adulthood, honey!"

Hence, the title. Now, my car is fixed & fine & I got them to fix a few other things while they were in there & we had it back after we got home from Florida. $500 deductible later...everything is ALL good! haha.
Seriously though, it could've been a lot worse. It could've been a crazy person with no insurance & a gun that could've popped a cap in me or something, instead of a nice older lady wearing a green turtleneck & a Christmas vest. Didn't even know they made those past 1990...I stand corrected. Plus, I wasn't hurt at all besides my self esteem..haha.

Moral of the story is:
1.) I will never, no never wear a Christmas vest with lights & reindeer dancing even if I think no one will see me. I just might get in a wreck. (I think that should be applied also to that clean underwear thing that I've always heard old people tell me.)
2.) Try to find a shorter car if I'm gonna hit em so i can total it instead of just ending up with an embarrassing hood that clearly states that I got dominated!
3.) I ain't been to work on time since! Are you brave enough to tempt fate?! I'm not....haha.

Christmas Adventures

2010-01-19T16:46:00.004-06:00

So, it has been QUITE a while since I've updated this thing, so I figured I better do it now!

I promise though, once we start having cute babies that do cute things we'll have more to talk about & I'll update a lot more, but until then I guess you'll just have to hear about our day to day lives. haha.

So, we had an INCREDIBLE Christmas break. We truly get the best of both worlds. On Christmas day, we got to go over to the Kennedy's & watch Kate & Luke open presents (which was SO fun) & then did our Gift from the Heart present exchanges (which is always full of heartfelt, loving tears).

So, with the crying headache in full swing, haha, we headed over to the Blain's. We had breakfast which was delicious & Fried Oysters which is a Blain family tradition. Anyone that knows me at all knows that I have this thing about food textures. I'm not a big fan of slimy...even if it is a "once-was-but-is-no-longer" slimy type delicacy, I am STILL not a big fan. haha. But, being the open-minded, mature woman that I am, I have decided to brave the storm & not toss tradition aside carelessly & be the one that breaks the family chain of fried oyster eaters. Soooo....I of course tried a part of one again this year (I can hear the crowds cheering for my great self sacrificing...or at least I choose to). But Mama Blain totally busted me. She said "Girl...you're not new anymore. You're part of the family now. You're past just trying a piece. You should be up to a whole one by this year." haha. I love her. So, I told her I'd work up to it next year. haha. We finished breakfast & got to talk to Taylor (one of Adam's twin brothers on a mission) & then got to open the incredible amount of presents awaiting us under the rainbow tree. :) It was an incredible Christmas. We really are so blessed to get the best of both worlds. Mamma & Daddy Blain gave us wonderful presents: clothes, books, a picture of Christ, 2 folding dining chairs (cause we only had 4 & that was not enough when we invited them to our house for dinner..haha), a big mirror, $ to take to Florida & tons more. It was an incredible Christmas.

The day after Christmas, we got to continue our holiday by heading down with my family & Meggan & Ben & the kids to Destin, Florida for a week. It was SUCH a great trip! We all shared a condo really close to the beach which in it's self was a fun adventure. We loved it. It was like a week-long sleep over! haha. We went shopping (A LOT), played cards all week, watched movies, read books, slept in, played Wii, played old school Nintendo, played with the kids, cooked out, took pictures, ate Seafood, & just had a total blast! It was the best trip to Florida we've ever been on. It's so cool now that our family is growing up & getting married & having babies that we all still go on trips together & surprisingly enough is even MORE fun than when we were younger. Now we play referee for sybling rivalries instead of cause our own. Haha. It was a blast. It would've been even better if Sam & Cortney could've come, but they got their own Florida trip the week before us which I know they loved for sure.

Here are a few of the INCREDIBLE pictures Meggan took of Adam & I. Meggan is really incredible. She has started her own business & is SO incredible!

She made us look good! haha. Even though I wasn't feeling good & Adam was missing a basketball game (We all appreciate your sacrifice Adam ;) ) we didn't look half bad. haha.

Check out her website: http://www.mebsphotography.com/

It was an incredible Christmas this year!

Spooktacular Threads!

2009-11-04T18:29:00.000-06:00

This Halloween was pretty fun. I didn't think I'd get to go to our ward party because I had band practice with the guys, but we ended up rescheduling at the last minute. We had to scrounge around for some last minute costumes in my mom's dress up box. We went to the ward Trunk-or-Treat & it was a ton of fun. The best part was meeting new friends & new faces that we've never had the PLEASURE of knowing until now.

Let me introduce you to my friends...

"Bubba" the Cowboy & "Francesca" the Salon Girl

Puppy Longstocking

"Droplet" the Lonely Clown

Or was it "Creepy McCreepster" the Clown? I can't remember.

"Rain" the Ghettofabulous Hippie

"Gabe Root" Babe Ruth's Base Runner

"Muscles" The TV Commercial Fill-In for Sammy Sosa (without makeup)

There was so much joy & happiness from everyone & SUCH fun that night! We all had a blast!

Best Mom EVER!

2009-10-28T18:52:00.000-05:00

If you have talked to me in the last few weeks, you are fully aware of the fact that I've been a little bit anxious about our check from Obama coming in to be able to make our last month of mortgage AND apartment rent before our lease in finally up on our apartment & not to mention all the other normal bills. If you've talked to Adam in the last few weeks, you'll know he is SO sick of sitting on the floor in our completely BARREN living room to watch TV because we've been waiting on that money.

Well, I totally did a bad thing...We knew it was coming in sometime this week because they sent it out on Friday (supposedly), so we had been checking the mail & rechecking it. So, Monday, I got home a little earlier than Adam & upon investigation found it in the mail. Well, I got the bright idea (as fond of surprises as I am) that I would surprise Adam. So, I TOTALLY lied. That was the bad thing. But, what can I say, it was SOOO much more fun this way.

Long story short, I called the furniture guy & he said he could have it there the next afternoon (yesterday). Awesome!! It worked out perfectly. Adam had a football game last night & wouldn't be home until 11:00pm. So, after the guys delivered the furniture, which I LOVE and LOVE the fact that I got SUCH a great deal on it.

I called up my mother & gave her the okay to come over.

We checked our the furniture, got some inspiration & headed to the store. We found some pillows that were perfect at Ross', but MY favorite part is everything else.

A brand new world has opened up to me! haha. For the very first time I walked into Kirkland's!!!! And HOLY COW!! It is officially my FAVORITE store! It was all so magical! haha. I find myself now glancing at it while I drive by it every day, longing for the scent of candles, the warmth of the colors & the beauty of more shiny things in one place than I ever thought possible.

Back to reality...We found everything we could ever want and SO much more! I have the BEST mom in the whole wide world! She helped me hang everything, helped me figure out what I loved & helped me make it more of our home than our new house. She even helped me figure out what exactly my style was. She called it "Traditional Contemporary". haha. I just love it. So, next time I see you...don't be surprised if I invite you over...One & All to see my beautiful house!

I couldn't be more happy & proud of it. My mother is incredible...

Check it out!

New Addition to the Family...

2009-10-21T17:03:00.000-05:00

Now, I'm sure you're wondering about a new addition to our family, well, here she is...
I've never been a "dog" person...EVER. I think it all stems from the fact that I never had my own dog, but I always cleaned up puppy poop from Cortney & Josh's dog adventures. Well, Adam is the TOTAL opposite! He's had dogs his whole life. Well, a few months ago, his dog, Susie, that they've had for years & years was really old & was having a lot of problems, so they had to put her down. Now, me being TOTALLY against the idea of even having a dog anytime soon, still felt bad for my sweet husband. So, this past Saturday, we hung out with Kirie & Joe again & they had just gotten a new puppy. It was half Yorkie & half Shitzu. So, I just LOVED him. They named him "Dorsey" & he was just so adorable, so I had to do it.

The day before my birthday, I knew he would be at school late, so I drove about an hour away & picked her up. She was SOOO sweet. She fell asleep in my lap all the way back home. It was so sweet. She had nuzzled up against me on my bed & when Adam reached over to hug me (I'm sure he was kinda freaked out at first cause he felt something really hairy on my back...haha), he totally freaked out & was SOO excited. This is him the first night with her.
We are completely in love with her. He named her "Isabell" & she has been such a fun addition to our family. My mom calls Isabell her "grand-dog". She is so sweet. She spazzes out & starts jumping like a bunny when Adam comes home cause she wants to play with him & when I get home she just wants to be held. She'll just crawl on to my lap when I'm folding clothes or what not & just fall asleep. She's such a fun girl!

Having a birthday brings reflection....and GUILT!!

2009-10-16T13:54:00.000-05:00

So, I turned 23 a few weeks ago & I got a card from everybody at work & my cousin/best friend (what can I say, we have fun at work) wrote on my birthday card "What a year 22 was for you! You got married, you bought a house, & you got a new "addition" to your family! I can't wait to see what 23 brings for you!" And it made me stop & think "WOW! No wonder I'm so tired all the time!" haha. So basically what I'm saying is...I've got GREAT reasons for slacking on my blog, but now it's time to catch my loved ones away from me up on everything we've been up to.

So, #1 order of business is our new house. We have been SOOO blessed lately & I am SO grateful for everything that the Lord has given us these past few months especially. We haven't even been married a year & just bought a house in August. Crazy huh? We couldn't be more blessed. Kirie & Joe Walz (our best friends) were looking at houses earlier this year because they had heard about the $8,000 tax credit that's available for first time home buyers & so we just thought it'd be fun just to look seeing how our lease would be up in October. Long story short, we found a house within a day or two of looking that was the ONLY thing decent in our REALLY low price range, so we made an offer & now it's ours! We are actually only paying about $100 more in rent with taxes & everything & it's SO much bigger!

It's a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, with a BIG back & front yard & an attic. It's incredible. Here's just a quick picture. We love it SOOO much! Still LOTS to do, but we love it. Adam gets his own video game room/"Man Cave" & I get an office/Band Practice room. It's a lot of fun! We haven't quite finished getting everything how we like it, but so far it been great to have all of this extra space compared to our little 1 bedroom loft apartment before. We also have an attic & a huge front & back yard. It's great!
We also have 2 full baths, both with separate vanities & I LOVE our kitchen! haha.
We are still waiting for our "Obama money" to come in before we can get living room furniture (haha) but we're just excited about it all. Well, that's all for Part 1! More to come....haha.

My First Page By Myself! Give me a High-Five!

2009-05-27T16:16:00.005-05:00

Does this deserve a gold star??? I wanna hear a round of applause people! I'm out! Holla!!

Word to ya Motha! hahaha

My Digital Scrapbooking Addiction Begins!

2009-05-27T15:33:00.005-05:00

So, thanks to my lovely older sister Meggan, I've embarked on the beginning of a long & fun journey I'm afraid. :) DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING!!! Here is my first page that Meggan helped me with during our trip to St. Louis. This is just the beginning! It is SOOO much fun!! :) Enjoy!

My New Venture!

2008-12-01T12:16:00.008-06:00

So, I'm TOTALLY excited! I finished my training last weekend & am rip-roarin' & ready to go! I am officially a Spa Specialist & Image Consultant & am SOOO excited to be doing this! I host spa nights for friends & family of anybody that wants to do it. It's free to do & you get to try out everything it takes to have a In-home Spa for yourself. I love it because all of the things we use are AMAZING & actually incredibly affordable. I love girly stuff for sure as well! haha. But, yeah, the holidays are actually a perfect time to have a party cause I've got a lot of cute baskets & sets for Christmas presents. It's just a little hard getting up & started. My mom has been out of town & my little sister has been gone too. I would LOVE to practice on people I know. It would be a lot of fun! Let me know if you want to host a party. I would REALLY appreciate for sure! I just need a little help getting started. The hostess gets free, cool stuff too! Anyways, let me know if you're interested. It'd be really fun! :)

The Newest Addition to Our Family!

2008-11-30T23:39:00.003-06:00

Baby Lukas Benjamin Boston was born just shy of being a December baby on Sunday, November 30th at 10:29 p.m. He was 8 lbs 11 oz & is absolutely beautiful! Meggan went in to be induced at 7:30a.m. Sunday morning & after a little over 15 hours of being in the hospital, Baby Lukas finally made his grand entrance into the world.

He couldn't have come at a more perfect (well, besides perhaps coming a few hours earlier..haha). But, everyone was ready for him to come & meet us. No one could have been more happy than his new mommy.

The Before Shots!

haha. She's so cute!

Big sister Kate was practicing too! Man! She looks like a total natural!

Her little world is about to be seriously rocked! haha. Had to bring this 2nd one back cause it makes me laugh.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Lukas Benjamin Boston is here!!

Kate & Mommy

She's gonna be SUCH a great big sister...just like her Mom. :)

Here's the new family of 4!

Gammaw & Gampaww greeted Baby Luke when they came to bring Kate up to the hospital. They look so happy. They are SUCH pro's now! Aunt Corn & Uncle Yosh came up to meet Baby Luke too. Oh how Kate has trained them well.

They are so happy. What a beautiful family.
Though Adam & I didn't get to go to St. Louis this Thanksgiving or be there when Baby Lukas was born, I just want to say that I miss you (my family) DEEPLY...Forgive me for being so um, nostalgic, for lack of a better word, but all of this is kind of coming to my head as I'm sitting here a little teary-eyed, my first Thanksgiving away from my family.

...How grateful I am for today for beautiful new born babies that were with their Heavenly Father only an instant ago. For sweet nieces whose giggle on the other end of the telephone can make you laugh & cry & smile all at once when you're away from family. For a younger brother who has chosen to stand for what he believes in and set an example for a new baby boy of a young man that honors his priesthood at the young age of 13. For a younger sister who has turned to the Lord & to the scriptures for complete direction in her life & is really coming to understand who she really is. For an older brother that stands at the head of his beautiful young family with strength & love & a tender heart. For a husband that is strong & has a compassionate heart who will lead our family back to the presence of our Heavenly Father as equal partners. For a mom that has taught us who we are & whose children we really are and carefully nurtures & completely feels for each of her children & is not only a mother but has become a most precious friend. For a dad who loves the Lord first & has always put his family before any other desire or obligation in his life, who has taught us to be not only an eternal family but best friends. And especially right now for an older sister who has been my best friend & who I've shared everything with since I was born, who has been the best example that I could have ever had, who I've watched & tried to follow as she made right decisions as she was younger, as she dated like she was supposed to, as she was married in the temple for time & all eternity, as she began a family & taught her sweet daughter "I am a Child of God" & "I love to see the temple, I'm going there someday", & who, I'm certain, will teach this new baby & any more that follow who they are & what their divine nature truly is. I'm grateful, sister, for who you are & what you mean to me.

Creative Juices are FLOWIN'!

2008-11-18T23:36:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to show off a little bit of what I've done, cause it's been a LOT of

fun working on it. To give a little explanation though...We have a loft apartment with 1 bedroom & 1 1/2 bath. So, the downstairs are done in our wedding colors (Adam's favorite colors) red & black & white & has been SO much fun to put together. I wanted it to look elegant, yet modern, clean yet still have a comfortable-still-your-home/sanctuary feeling to it. Now, the upstairs, that's my territory! haha. I was talking with my mom when I was registering for our wedding stuff & was telling her that I've ALWAYS loved blues & teals & aquamarine's & that those are completely my favorite colors, but it didn't match & I wanted the rest of the house to look good. Well, my mom being as wise &

wonderful as she is & knowing me incredibly well, like she does, gave me the perfect advice.

She said, "Lindsay...Your bedroom is somewhere that you should feel like your self, an escape from the world, your space. You want a blue room? Make it a blue room! ....Just keep the door shut when guests come over." haha. I LOVE my mom! So...that's what I did!

It worked out even better because instead of it being all one level, the bedroom is upstairs, so it feels like a whole different apartment sometimes. I love it! So, I found the PERFECT color bedspread that was the perfect aquamarine color & bought the shower curtain to match with dark chocolate brown accents. I truly love it. So on to my creative juices...This weekend I finished my letters for our room. I painted wooden block letters to match our colors & hung them over our bed. Then, another little touch was Adam's doing. We have a fireplace, but no mantle & that was just completely unsettling to him (very cute..haha), so last night he found something he wanted to hang on the wall underneath the beautiful mirror Meggan made for us for our wedding that he hung up Saturday (another really funny story in its self) & so I hung it up last night & put up some candle holders for some color. I hung up a few little touches of things people gave up & I have been having so much fun with it. I have found such a great, unexpected love in decorating my house. More

to come!

Trying to Make Our House...A Home...

2008-11-18T22:07:00.000-06:00

So, I was excited this weekend. We found about an hour or two on Saturday after my practice & before his football game to put a little bit of our house together. These are some of the pictures I edited & got developed & was getting them wall-hanging ready. I also unpacked a few boxes, hung up a picture or two & filled up some bookshelves while Adam put it together our cabinet & end table & hung up a few pictures. It started feeling a little bit more like a home instead of a cold looking apartment. We even got our LONG awaited furniture in that somehow got lost in Vancouver for 2 1/2 weeks & finally got here on Friday. The problem is that we only got 8 of the 11 boxes. The other 3 got stuck in Los Angeles for some odd reason & should be here tomorrow. So, I'm SUPER excited about that. We ordered 2 futons & out of that we got: 2 mattresses, both end tables, our coffee table, the arms/sides to both, the cover that matches our decor & the only thing we were missing were all the connecting pieces to put them all together. haha. Oh well. When Adam told me I just laughed really hard. Such is my life...Ya gotta laugh at it though, right? There's nothing else you can do. haha. To say the least, we are looking forward to being able to get off the floor & sit on something much more comfortable. I'm excited!

I have decided that I love decorating our home. I love the little touches that go into making something totally white & completely empty into something that looks like Adam & I. I love being able to have COMPLETE & TOTAL creative freedom to do whatever I want to do with it & have come up with some fun ideas. They're nothing too crazy or extravagant, but they're a starting place. Can't wait to do more!

One Month...

2008-11-18T21:35:00.000-06:00

Well, we've hit a month & a week now & are still going strong. Life has been ridiculously crazy busy since we got married & I'm most definitely looking forward to a Christmas break & our honeymoon in Destin. With Adam having to go to every U of M football game AND Men's Basketball game & all of my random gigs & concerts, it's been a lot of running around. This weekend, I'm singing Saturday night & Sunday afternoon for my concerts & I'll be so grateful when I get through this weekend. Yesterday, I actually got the chance to sing on Live at 9 on News Channel 3. Here is the first time we sang on the show. It was my first TV performance, so I was WAY nervous. They asked us to do this song & to say the least, it has gotten WAY better since this. It wasn't too bad of a TV debut though. I'm just the worst critic of myself. haha.

They asked us to come back. Yesterday was my 3rd time on Live at 9 this year & it has been a lot of fun. I was ridiculously sick last week, but it wasn't too bad. I wasn't really all that nervous, just really tired. Man was it early though! Phew... Here's the video if you want to check it out. It's about halfway through the video. Enjoy!

Live at 9 Monday, November 17

The Big Day!

2008-11-05T23:41:00.000-06:00

Wedding Pictures

Well, Adam & I were married in the Memphis TN Temple on October 11th 2008. These are a few of my favorite wedding pictures to share with you. The day was perfect. I was calm as a summer's breeze as they say & everything was absolutely perfect. My mom had the gym looking incredible, Amy (my cousin) made my gorgeous cake, my uncle David performed our sealing, Meggan & Ben & Kate came in town, my best friends Loni & Megan McCord flew in & marrying the most perfect man for me in the whole wide world. It was perfect. I wasn't nervous at all & besides the sealing & when I danced with my dad, I was able to hold my emotions together the rest of the time. It was great. More than anything, it was a fun party with lots of laughs, lots of music, & lots of love. There were tons of friends & family there. It was really great. My band came & played & I even joined them for a couple songs to sing to Adam. When I sang "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin though (per Adam's request), I think I blew a few people away or at least shocked them most definitely. I don't think they'd seen that side of me before. haha. All in all, it was an incredible day!

Break from Decorating

2008-11-03T21:12:00.008-06:00

The week before the wedding, Kate had been in town for a week & I hadn't seen her yet & I was DYING! So, I waited for her the day before we got married at the church & couldn't help but play on the stage with her. It's so funny. When we're together, I can't help but laugh at her & do all sorts of stupid, ridiculous things, not caring how I look, just to even get a little giggle out of her. It is SO much fun! She's my little friend!

Oh how silly I look, but she is SO dang cute!

She made sure I had fun & wasn't stressing out the day before I made the biggest comittment I'd ever make in my whole entire life. Thank goodness for this girl!

Haha. I love this girl SOOO much!

She is the best excuse to take a break from decorating in the WHOLE world!

Decorating for the Big Day

2008-11-03T20:40:00.000-06:00

All I basically had to do was tell my mom the colors that I wanted (which were just Adam's favorite colors) Red & Black & she basically took care of EVERYTHING else. I wanted magnolia's because it reminded me on my Grandma Kennedy's house & I wanted her to be a part of it all somehow & it brought back really fond memories for me. The red accents were just beautiful with it as well. I don't know how my mom made magnolias work with roses, but it all looked INCREDILE! The roses I wanted just cause they are elegant & beautiful. So, mom took that & came up with everything else on her own. All I had to do was say "Yes, I love that" or "Maybe this other thing" & then do what I was told. My mom let me pick everything, but she came to me with the most amazing ideas & creations. It was incredible & so much fun. She can take anything that might look simple & small & add a few things to it & make it look gorgeous! It was perfect. There were so many people that helped with everything & I'm so grateful for friends & family that love & care about Adam & I. I love all of you so much!

This is the table center pieces that my mom made for each table. we put the crystals together on wire & everything. It was beautiful. They had that whole gym decorated in a night & part of a day. My mom is incredible.

Oh the Bridal Showers!

2008-10-28T23:08:00.000-05:00

I feel so grateful for the many, many bridal showers Adam & I were thrown by those people that love & care about us. We are so grateful for all of them. They were VERY much needed. I'll put more pictures up of the other ones, but this is the last bridal shower I had. It was my "special things" shower hosted by my 2 sweet, yet conniving sisters. Oh how I love them both, but as these pictures will tell, they made it their duty that night to embarrass the stew out of me & it definitley worked.

We played games & opened presents & they all shared advice for me. It was a lot of fun that night. We played a game where you have to lick the doughnut that's tied to the string without it breaking & whoever won was supposed to prove who the best kisser was. Of course, I won!

Then, there was another game that I didn't particularly enjoy, but oh how they laughed at me while I was trying to do it. I'll let you figure it out yourselves, but my reaction was hilarious now that I look back on it. Here's that game...(By the way, I did good.)

You want me to do WHAT?!
Awwwkward!! haha.
Yesss! It's OVER!

All in all, it was a LOT of fun that night & I'm so glad I got to laugh & spend some time with some of my closest & dearest friends. Thanks Meggan & Cortney!

Engagement Pictures

2008-10-22T14:30:00.004-05:00

Engagement Pictures

The morning of & the week before, Adam & I broke out & had probably stress related zits everywhere it felt like & it was so early in the morning that I look Chinese in most of them, but hey! with Alan Purser's photography skills & a little photoshop action ANYONE can look good! haha. They turned out pretty good.

The Engagement

2008-10-22T11:34:00.005-05:00

For those of you that know me pretty well, among other things you are pretty aware that I am really hard to surprise & keep secrets from. Mostly because most people are terrible liars & I can read them pretty well. So, a week after we had ordered the ring, we were back at home & seeing each other every day still & things were back to normal. Well, except for the fact that it was EXACTLY a week after we had picked out the ring & I KNEW it was already supposed to be in & ready for pick-up. Well, that night we were both really tired & he had to go give someone a blessing so it was a little bit of an off-night. Long story short, it didn't happen that night. So, the next night was temple night & he had told me he didn't care what we did afterwards, so I assumed it wasn't gonna happen that night either. Well, that night when we were walking out of the temple, we were the last ones to leave & he grabbed my hand & lead me around to the back where all the benches are. We read our patriarchal blessings to each other & both cried & had a warm feeling cover us & everything felt very right & good. So, after I got myself under control, he got down on one knee & asked me to be his for time & all eternity. Of course I started crying again & I said "Of course!" It was a beautiful night & the most perfect proposal I could ever have imagined. We shared a piece of our hearts with each other & promised forever from that moment on. It was perfect. I'll never forget that night.

The Final Test

2008-10-22T11:24:00.004-05:00

So, after tons of dates & the long awaited first kiss...One night after a long week without him (he was busy helping at a band camp)...I realized how much I loved him & that I couldn't possibly imagine him not being in my life. Little did I know that he had felt that way before he kissed me & knew he didn't want to kiss me unless he was sure of something. So, the words came out of my mouth before I even knew that I felt that way & from that moment on, the idea of being married for time & all eternity actually felt like a reality & I had found a man that made eternity still feel like not enough time being with him. The last test though was a trip to St. Louis with my family, just to see how he meshed & also to introduce him to Meggan & Ben & Kate. Well, that weekend was fun & as you can probably imagine, Adam passed with FLYING colors of course & even got a little competitive with the boys. Everyone loved him & it was a GREAT weekend. This is actually us on Meggan's car watching fireworks on the 4th of July. That was the day that we went ring shopping & picked out my engagement ring. What a GREAT day that was!

Dates, Dates, Dates!

2008-10-22T09:58:00.014-05:00

So, Adam & I went on date after date & saw each other almost every single day since our first date & just couldn't stand to be apart. It wasn't just all infatuation as you might think, but instead we both found not that we weren't complete people without each other, but that when we were together, we became something greater than we were or could ever be by ourselves. The timing was just perfect...And in that, I mean, it wasn't in either one of our plans & slapped us out of nowhere. It was perfect. haha. Everything happened when it was meant to & we both felt good about being with each other from Day 1. We were more compatible & more perfect for each other than we could ever or would've ever picked for ourselves. Thank goodness the Lord knows what He's doing. I'm grateful for him every day.

Now, I know you're probably about to vomit from too much cheese...(cause frankly, I used to be quite the cynical single woman myself...actually it wasn't too long ago...) So, I'll move on...haha. He taught me how to hit at the driving range, we went walking at parks, looked at mission pictures, ate Mexican, sang along to the radio, went swimming, made a few trips to & introduced Adam to Jerry's snow cones, and saw each other almost every day. No matter what we did though we had a blast & couldn't get enough of each other. The conversation was incredible & to this day we laugh all the time.

The Beginning Of Us...

2008-10-22T09:27:00.019-05:00

Well, I know it's been a long time since I've updated this thing, but I'm sure you all know why, so here's what we've been up to.

Well, this is Adam... He's in the band at University of Memphis

He plays the clarinet. He has a great enthusiasm for the band.

This just makes me laugh.

Anyways, so he's been in the Singles Branch for a few years & so was I, but we didn't ever talk at all the either one of us remember until back in May. When we all went out after Temple night, I just remember his quick wit & clever comments impressed me right off the bat. The next night he came & heard me sing with some mutual friends at a concert of mine. I wasn't sure at first just cause I had basically given up on guys & was tired of dealing with the drama of it all & a friend of mine liked him, so that also just screamed drama, so I left it alone for a while. But then...what do ya know? That friend actually suddenly moved away. A mutual friend set us up, we went on a double date with them & had a blast just talking & laughing & finding things in common & the conversation was intelligent & just easy. We hardly talked to our other friends at all. After that night, he asked me out again & Then, like they say....the rest was history.