What I got with my walgreens coupon(s)

So, if you missed it I had (and you all could have also) a printable coupon for $5 off a $20 purchase. My first purchase ... Ink cartridge refill (could not wait for the free refill day...but hey it had not been filled since 9/07 so that is pretty good) $15 and the scrubbing bubbles starter kit $5.49. Total with tax $16.34. BUT WAIT. this month there is a rebate for $1.50 on the starter kit AND I have a mail-in rebate from scrubbing bubbles (in last months news paper) to receive $5.49 back. What that means is my actual total is $9.35. Pretty good for having to purchase $20 to use the coupon.
Okay, so I went back later (when I did not have so much help) and plus, Jeremy "needed" icecream. Here is what I got this time bioinfusion shampoo/conditioner (x2) $11.98, pert plus $3.79, jane sheer powder $4.99, hersheys syrup $2.29, edys icecream (x2) bogo $6.29. ~ coupons used $2.00 ecb & $5.00 a$20 purchase. Total $23.21. BUT WAIT! rebate shampoo/conditioner $11.98, rebate pert plus $3.79, rebate powder $4.99. GRAND TOTAL from second trip $2.45!!
So, I am coming along with what the girls are teaching (by the way, they work really hard, there are many of them but my favorite ones are on the side of this blog).
Total for my day $49.83 $11.80
I know some of you "make money" on all of this. I am working on it. I get a little flustered so I am learning to make a list and know exactly what I need/want BEFORE I walk into the store. You girls rock.
Happy day,

God's hand in things... a little know fun fact of my our past

So, when I was five (1983) my family moved from Prescott Arizona to Volga South Dakota. From that time on we have always traveled to "lower" Michigan via the UP (upper Michigan) going North around Lake Michigan. As you get up into the UP you travel M35 and then get onto US 2. Well, my husband Jeremy was born and raised in the UP (moved to Wisconsin 12years ago). The fun fact here ~ For all those years I passed within and 1/8 of a mile from my future husband (and never even knew it). He and his family have lived 1/8 of a mile off of US 2 since Jeremy was tiny. Who would have guessed. We never (to my knowledge) turned down that road to Garden Michigan we just rushed on by. Years later... in 1999 through his best friend (also from the UP, I past within a mile of his house too for all those years) we worked together (met at Menards in Fond du Lac WI) I met my "future husband". What a small world. Anyone who tries to tell you that God has nothing to do with who we are with and what happens in our lives has not been in my shoes.
Okay, that is all for now... side note for Kari...thanks for the tip, I got the crossing out thing down!!! Love ya!

lately

Well as of tomorrow summer school is over. I don't know who liked it more, H or myself... All the siblings except one (Mary is the exception she lives her locally) who leaves Wednesday morning. It has been fun but exhausting to have everyone. Jeremy and I had the privilege to go and spend some time with a few siblings and Kellie (my soon-to-be AMAZING sister-in-law)~ my parents kept the littles. It was nice to spend Friday evening with Jeremy because he ended up working 20 hours this weekend (what an absolute blessing... he is wiped out but we can pay for his car tires IN CASH) he is absolutely a hard working hubby. I broke my forth toe last week (kicked the vacuum in the middle of the night, that was real fun trying to be quiet when it felt like my toes was going to fall off) so it has kind of kept my mind off of other things. Although I lie awake at night thinking about the decisions that we have to make (and when I am going to end up pregnant again ~we laugh about that statement but I have no doubt it will happen again soon). I am reading "The Contraception Guidebook - options, risks and answers for christian couples". I am only three chapters in (really slow reader) but I have already learned things that I had no clue about. If anything it is educating me to the way different methods work (not that ANY OF THEM would work for us) and giving me strength to do what I know is right.
The rest of the week now we will hopefully see the last of my brothers who is still around, have a play date or two and oh yah, meet a new family that wants me to babysit for them. We are exploring the endeavor of me watching a couple extra littles during the week. Have to meet this family and discuss our options.
Can't wait to post the Lilies (Asiatic tree lilies) that have bloomed all over the yard. My favorite are right by the door that we enter the house. They are sooooo fragrant and they last a number of days.
Happy day to all of you.

Well, it's official this pregnancy is over. A lot of ups and downs the past two weeks but it is all God's plan so we are dealing with it the best we can. We have another angel in heaven to keep watch over us. Jeremy and I have to figure out or "family planning" situation. Of course EVERYONE has their own opinion on the whole thing. We listen but in the end we are reading our bibles and praying about it. With the Lords help we will come to a decision that is right for our family. Knowing now that I do about the IUD and getting pregnant on it this time the one thing I know for sure is that it will be coming out. We appreciate you all praying for our family. Without our faith, family and friends getting through this would just not have been possible. Thanks again!

The first rose from my garden. (the rabbits managed to eat all buds this year until now!). Of course I had to cut it and bring it in.

We had an amazing weekend. TONS of people came to our house for a "yard party". That included six of my siblings, my nephew, soon to be sister-in-law, my brother-in-law and his wife, both sets of our parents and a whole lot of friends. Games of "p.i.g", toss accross, washer toss, baseball ect. What a way to get away! Jeremy did all of the grilling and helped a whole lot with consuming the half barrel! Ending the night with a fire -- we were able to get everyone full of smores before the rain hit. Thank you to all of you who came over and brought food with you. We really appreciate you. We soooo hope everyone enjoyed themselves.

We are all doing as fine as can be. I will update as soon as I know more facts.

Happy day.

A statistic

"Less than 1 out of 100 women will get pregnant each year if they
always use NuvaRing as directed." Well as you all know, three and a half years ago that happened to us. Little man will be three next month. *stat~ I am THE ONLY WOMAN in my doctors office to get pregnant on that form of birth control.

"IUDs are 99.2-99.9% effective as birth control." Well guess what, I have become the statistic again. *stat~ I am THE ONLY WOMAN in my doctors office AND the Womens Specialty clinic here in town to get pregnant on the IUD. Yes, that is why this past week I have been a complete wreck and quite frankly I decided that there are a few of you that need an explanation for my mood/attitude.

Here is what is up. Last week after not feeling well ("backed up") for a week I decided to take care of my problem. BUT I did as I always do, I took a pregnancy test "just to make sure" that I was not pregnant before I took over the counter meds. Thinking I could just pee on it, get the negative and toss it I did the deed... POSITIVE!?! I nearly threw up. You are kidding me right? I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PREGNANT. I called my girlfriend first... Jeremy was working away and I just could not call him with that information. Then I called my doctor. They needed me in ASAP. After nap we loaded up and headed over. (with a wonderful nurse watching the kids) Dr and I had a discussion. What he said, made my heart sink "50% of ALL IUD pregnancies end in a "tubal" pregnancy that can kill you if left." "if the baby is not tubal you will have to have the IUD taken out" "50% of all pregnancies are lost when they come out with the IUD". So, off he goes to find the strings and remove it. I will never forget the moment... he pushed the paper covering my knees down a bit and said "the strings were visible in February right?" (I had my yearly in February and there were no issues with the IUD). They were I replied. Okay so now what. Did I lose it and not realize it? I did not think so but then again, who the heck knows. "I am not supposed to be pregnant"... (with the last two babies we have I had my period for the first three months of my pregnancy so we did not know my dates either). An ultrasound was scheduled for the following morning. Thanks Auntie for watching the kids, I know I told you that I had a dentist appointment but at the time I just was not ready to go there with anyone. Sure enough, the IUD was there right where it is supposed to be. My hopes were dashed that I had lost it (to reduce all of those risks to me and the baby). Good blood flow, no sign anything "tubal". Four weeks along. Okay great. So, now what. The Dr at the WSC checked for the strings... nope he can't find them either. Okay, so here is the deal "we need to check the hormone levels to make sure what is going on (there was still a chance that it could be "tubal" too early to tell but the blood work would give us a good idea). So Tuesday my levels were 500. Waiting game... Thursday more blood... levels 290. NOT GOOD... the levels are supposed to double NOT drop. Agonizingly long weekend. Monday... blood given... levels 100. Our worst fears. We are losing the baby. SO, that is where we stand. Faced today having to go to the Dr to figure out what we are going to do. Heart broken, if you have never miscarried I can not explain the agony. It does not matter how far a long a lady is, it leaves a huge hole in the heart. Praying so hard for the levels to have gone up. Emotionally I lost it. Thankfully the lovely nurse at the Dr office was able to calm me a bit. What now? I have no idea what to do. Everyone knows that I was good with four kids. And I am. But I sooooo much still want to be pregnant than to be losing the baby. With so much going on around us... I try to put on a good front. The kids don't need this. My life is in shambles. Jeremy is hurt and confused and really we have no idea where to go from here.
I owed you all an explanation and I hope this helps. Not to offend anyone but I just really needed to put it in words. I didn't/don't want to talk about it (I just cry and I would rather do that by myself). Please, if you want to do something for us PRAY for all of us. I could really use that comfort right now.
I go in this morning. If I learn anything new I will let you know. Until then... I am going to sit in the quiet until my sweet babies wake up.

Happy day.

Our gardens!

Part of what Jeremy and I love is the outdoors. We both love to make our yard look nice. With a little help from our friends it is coming along nicely. I took some photos yesterday of one portion that I would love to share with all of you.
One problem we have had is rabbits. Although the neighbor boy trapped fifteen of them this past winter we have a major issue. They ate my entire wildflower garden... ate my beans and green pepper plants in the vegetable garden... ate my strawberry plants... and nibbled on random flowers in the yard. This is soooo irritating because last summer they did not touch anything. We solved a couple of issues by "fencing" in our strawberry patch and our small vegetable garden. So far they are staying out and we just may get some beans this summer. Along with the strawberry patch we have a pear tree, a huge raspberry patch (we each got one yesterday...D says "these yummy mom"), and a cherry tree (none for us this year, the birds got them). Our garden consists of onions (350 of them) radishes (they have been really taste, putting more in this week), we are down to one cucumber plant (dang rabbits), eight of my bean plants survived the rabbit destruction, two bell pepper plants (doing great after the rabbits are gone), and four tomato plants ~ one cherry tomato for the kids to eat in the yard, and three for eating (BLT's are a staple here) and freezing for chili in the winter. The only problem with this garden is that it is way too small. It is only about 3ft by 12ft. Plans are in the works to expand it for next year. We all love fresh vegis and fruit and really it is easy to grow it, satisfying too. One last thing, we are making a go at pumpkins this year. They are currently in cups trying to sprout. I will keep you updated on the "pumpkin situation". Enjoy the photos and happy day to all of you.

New to blogging!

All of my lovely friends have wonderful blogs. I have decided to give it a go. What I need from you?!? You all have these amazing pictures, items crossed out, hyperlinks, ect. I have no idea how to do any of that. I NEED BLOGGING 101. Any comment to help would be amazing... or you can even come over and show me how! I would love the company. A lot on my mind and in my heart right now. Will figure out how to type it all out soon.