Money Saving Tips :)

When I think of the good ol days when I still lived at home and had NO bills and made LOTS of money...it makes me sick. Because I think of all the money I could have now if I would have saved my money instead of spending it all on everything cute that I saw and car payments. But I can't go back but I can learn from that :) I do still go shopping and enjoy a good mani & pedi every now and then... but I don't over do it. Here are some ways Josh and I save money:

*COUPONING! This is something I really need to get back into. I planned my meals for the week according to what was on sale and what I had coupons for. It definitely took some time but when I did it, we saved lots of money!!

*I love yard sales and Goodwill and thrift stores. Sometimes you can find something really cute that you can paint and make it even cuter :)

*When it comes to clothes, I love TJ Maxx and Marshalls and Old Navy and Target. That is where I buy most of my clothes. I only buy clothes that are not on sale or really cheap if I just LOVE it.

*When it comes to furniture..CRAIGSLIST! And not just furniture...but any big purchase. Just a couple of weeks ago, Josh and my parents bought my $1300 Nikon camera from a man off Craigslist for only $400!!

*We do not have car payments. We do plan on getting new cars (well, used but new to us) within a few years but our plan is to save the money first. If we can't save ALL of it, atleast most to put down on on a new car.

*We don't have credit cards. If we can't afford that brand new couch I am wanting right now.... then we will wait until we can save up and pay cash for it. I don't need it that bad :)

Our money saving tips do not work for everyone but they work for us! Check out Kelly's Korner to find other ways you can save some money:)

a great birthday :)

Monday was my birthday and I must say, I'm pretty sure this was the best one yet! The crazy thing is that I did not do anything extravagant...I was just with the ones I love so that's all that matters :) My day started off with daises (my favorite- that I can plant outside) and cupcakes and a sweet card from my hunny. Then my mom came over and we had lunch at this cute little coffee shop in Pleasant View. After lunch, she came back here to help me with a few things around the house that I couldn't do by myself. Then we met up with the whole family (my family and Josh's family) at Carrabba's that night. My mother in laws birthday was last week but they were out of town so it was like a double celebration! The food was great and the company was even better. I even got some really awesome gifts!! My parents and Josh went in together and got me a camera that I have been wanting for a while. It is a Nikon D70 and I LOVE IT!! I am still trying to figure out all the settings but I am loving it :) Josh's parents surprised me with the cutest Coach purse ever and my sister in law got me a really cute necklace with earrings to match. Josh's granny made me one of her signature angel food cakes and it is SO good! I also got a Wal Mart gift card and some money and some really sweet cards :) Thank you to everyone who made my day so special! I could have not asked for a better birthday :)

Annie's baby shower

This past weekend my mom, April, and myself threw a baby shower for Annie and it was just beautiful! We had it at my moms house and I am SO happy she let us have it there. Their house is so pretty and was perfect for the shower!! We didn't really have a theme...just cute & girly!! The main colors we went with were pink, green, and brown. I love that combination! Here is the food table :) We had chicken salad croissants, chips, a veggie tray, chocolate covered strawberries, and cupcakes!! We set up this table as you first walk in the door. I hung baby pictures (with ribbon & clothespins) of Annie and her hubby and pics from her ultrasounds :) On the table I put Annie's baby book, an advice jar for the mom to be, an "R" that April painted for Robertson- their last name, and a frame that I put together that had Psalm 127:3.

"Children are a gift from the Lord."

April made the CUTEST diaper cake ever!!!

We wanted to get GiGi's cupcakes but they were a little pricey so April made these cupcakes and they were 100 times better than GiGi's!!! Strawberry cake with cream cheese icing :) pink sprinkles, of course! (cupcake stand came from Target!)

We had pink lemonade and water to drink:)
Cute vase with limes and pink babys breath:)Here is mom to be!!! She looks SO cute!

My bfff!!

Here are all the girls with mom to be :) (from left to right) Tiffani, Trish, April, Annie, me, Sarah, and Audrey.We had 3 pregnant women at the shower!!! Annie is 8 months along, Tiffani is 5 months along, and April is 3 months along!!! How exciting!!! Tiffani's shower is next. We will have hers in July and April's in September!! FUN!Me & my sister in laws Sarah and Tiffani

Me and my mom!! Thank you mom for ALL your help:) I could not have done it (and many other things!!) without you!

Annie and her sister- Aunt Kaila!Mom to be and grandmothers to be!

Awww! I love this picture :)

Annie reading the advice everyone gave. Pretty much everyone said to sleep any chance you can!! HaI found this burp cloth and had to get it for her! Well, mainly for her hubby :) Its says I SPIT ORANGE! HA!

I also got her this diaper bag with Lacie's name embroidered on it :)

Annie's sister, Kaila, got her these 3 books and some Disney movies :) Such a cute idea!

She got a TON of gifts :) Now we just need Baby Lacie!!! Only 5 more weeks!

Show Us Your Life: How I met my hubby:)

Josh and I actually knew each other when we were babies! Our families went to church together but then Josh and his family started going to a different church. They came back in November 2005. That is when we met :) I remember turning around and seeing them a few rows back and wondering who they were and thinking... Hmmm he is kinda cute! I got to meet them after church but did not think much about it. At the time I was going through a lot and did not want to date anyone.... BUT when Josh left church that day, he told his brother he was going to MARRY ME one day! Crazy, huh?! Yea, his brother thought he was too! Ha.

I only saw Josh a few times over the next 6 months or so because he was in college a couple of hours away. But when he was not playing baseball on the weekends he would come home and come to church. Josh's mom and sister tell me how he would ask about me all the time and wonder if he should talk to me and all that! But he was too scared to talk to me! But he did somehow get my number and call me to wish me a Happy Birthday. I still didn't think much of it!!! Then that summer he began calling and texting more.....and I would just blow him off! I feel bad about it now but like I said, I was still not interested in dating anyone at all. But something happened that summer while we were in Destin (2006). I remember laying on the beach just very depressed (maybe I will elaborate more on why one day...maybe....) but I just knew my life was about to change. I knew that God had big plans for my life and that he wanted me to be happy. That's when I started thinking more and more about Josh...

A few weeks later, Josh called me and we talked for hours! I remember feeling like I had known him forever! He asked me out and I said yes:) Our first date we went to eat at Logans and then played laser tag. It was fun! A couple of weeks later we hung out again... This time he took me fishing and I had the BEST time!!!! It was the perfect day and I will remember it forever:) It didn't take me long to know he was the one God had picked out for me. I think when its just right...you don't need a year or so to think about it. I just KNEW..we both did!

Josh was still in school a couple of hours away but he came home every weekend to see me. And he would write me the SWEETEST letters and send them in the mail:) He still writes me sweet letters instead of getting me cards on special occasions and that is one of my favorite things in the world! (and I keep them ALL!) I will never forget the letter he wrote me only a couple of months after we started dating...he told me he loved me and he wanted to take care of me for the rest of my life:) Wow. I had fallen for this boy and still do every day!

This pic was taken that day I was telling you we went fishing for the 1st time....it was the very 1st time I went over to his house. We were pulling the boat out of the driveway and there was a RATTLESNAKE in the driveway!!!!! He stopped the truck & killed it with a shovel! If you know me then you know snakes scare me more than anything....and then he had to pick it up!! boys...

This was a couple of months later! He took me hunting in this big deer stand their dad built. It was pretty fun even though we didn't kill anything!
We got engaged on July 26th 2007 in Destin, Florida. We were there with my family and he proposed on the beach one night. It was just me and him and it was absolutely perfect:) Another night I will remember forever! Here is one of our engagement pictures. And then we got married on September 6, 2008!!! It was PERFECT! Best day of my life, by far!

oh BABY!

My best friend, Annie, had her first baby shower/cookout this past weekend and it was so much fun! Her parents and her husband's parents hosted it at her in-laws house. There were TONS of people there- I don't even know how many. They smoked the best bbq chicken :) I am going to warn you, I have a million pictures!! My parents just gave me my birthday present early and its a NEW CAMERA! More on that later .... back to Annie's shower :) Annie is the cutest pregnant person I have ever seen!!!Me and my BFF! I cannot tell you how much I love her and how excited I am for her and Nathan! I am one lucky girl to have her as my best friend:)It was a gorgeous day. Annie's in-laws live way out in the country and they have a lot of land & it is so pretty. I would love to live there!They got SOO many gifts :) This little rocker was Annie's when she was a baby. Her mom saved it for her!UT utensils...gotta raise em right:)Sweet Annah:)Annie and her daddy:) I love this picture!!Me and my hunny and my mother in law!Annie and Nathan had a hard time picking out a name but finally decided! They surprised everyone at the shower. They gave these frames to their parents with her name in it.....

LACIE ANNE!!!

Soon to be parents :) VERY soon...only 7 more weeks!

The Conatsers and the Robertsons:)

Here are a few pics of them opening their gifts...

Me and my mom and my good friend, April, are throwing her a shower next weekend and I am SO excited! I am going to Hobby Lobby today to start working on my projects.

Yesterday I had lunch with some girlfriends at Cheesecake Factory. It was so good...especially this mango key lime cheesecake!!
We were celebrating several different birthdays- April's birthday was Friday. Mine is next Monday and Lindsey's is the week after mine. We were talking about how we are all 26 or about to be 26 and how we are on the downward slope to 30!!! I can't believe it...
We were also celebrating because April is PREGNANT!! 12 weeks along:) Here are the 2 soon to be mommas!!

Fun times!

girls weekend getaway

Last weekend me and my mom went on a girls trip to Chattanooga :) We had so much fun! Chattanooga is THE cutest little town. The main reason we went was to go to a Joyce Meyer conference and let me tell you- I just love her! She will tell you like it is! She talked about getting rid of the "clutter" in our life (which is what I have been doing today around our house:) ) and keeping God first.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.I no longer count my righteousness through obeying the law: rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. Philippians 3:8,9

The praise and worship was so good! It was led by Delirious. I bought their CD and really like it.

We actually got really good seats both days. We sat right behind the deaf section and I could not help but watch them and their interpreter. It really showed me what all we take for granted. I know I complain about not having the things exactly the way I want them but here are these people who do not have their hearing and they are still worshiping and praising the Lord! Really made me think..

The craziest thing happened. The first night when we got our seats and sat down, I looked over to my right and just a few seats over was the lady I used to work for at my old salon and her daughter!! I had no clue they were going to be there and to sit almost right by them without even knowing! It was so good to see her :) Me and my mom during a couple of photoshoots :) Ha

Before we left to come back home, we had to stop at Sticky Fingers :) They have my favorite southern meal- bbq, baked beans, and SWEET tea! Yummm!