Babies 'R' Us/Toys 'R' Us: Earth's Best diapers for $3.50/package (January 1-3, 2010)

January 1-3, 2010, Babies R' Us and Toys R' Us will have packages of Earth's Best diapers priced at $5 per package. Use the $1.50/1 coupon here to get them for $3.50 each after the coupon.

Thanks moneysaving mom! Click here for full details on this deal. I think we might run out there tomorrow to get some of them.

What is your money saving tip for this week?

My Hope Is Built

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

(based on Mathew 7:25-26).

This is Abigail's hymn we sing to her. Jackson's hymn is "Great is Thy Faithfulness."

Rocking my babies to sleep I wanted to sing them a hymn and the year Jackson was born God showed me "Great is Thy Faithfulness" time after time in different ways. He is faithful to provide for our every need, their is no shadow of turning with Him!

Tonight, Abigail wanted some more bottle so I was able to sing this to her. God has shown me this hymn throughout her first year of life over and over again. One of my best friends tragically lost her sister and the words to this hymn kept ringing in my ears time after time.

"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness."

Our hope is in nothing less than Jesus and His plan for our life that will ultimately glorify Him and help us die to ourselves and depend on Him for everything.

Christmas Pictures 2009

Grand put Santa out so perfectly at 1 am in the morning, while we were catching up on our sleep. We now know Charlie is allergic to seafood. This is so sad because he loves seafood.

Abigail loves cups. Here, she is trying to drink from a cup Aunt Sandi got Jackson for Christmas. She does not like her juice cup that is for 6-12 month olds anymore. She wants a big juice cup. If you ever want to know what to get her, just get her a big girl cup!

Grand reading the night before Christmas.

Movie Monday: Abigail Laughing Back in August 2009

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Stay tune for more Christmas pictures tomorrow hopefully!

Merry Christmas!

Sweet Little Jesus Boy

Sweet little Jesus boy
They made you be born in a manger
Sweet little holy child
We didn't know who you were
Didn't know you'd come to save us Lord
To take our sins away
Our eyes were blind, we could not see
We didn't know who you were

Long time ago
You were born
Born in a manger Lord
Sweet little Jesus boy
The world treats you mean Lord
Treats me mean too
But that's how things are down here
We don't know who you are

You have told us how
We are trying
Master you have shown us how
Even when you were dying
Just seems like we can't do right
Look how we treated you
But please Sir forgive us Lord
We didn't know it was you

Sweet little Jesus boy
Born a long time ago
Sweet little holy child
We didn't know who you were

I have enjoyed listening to this version from Casting Crowns this Christmas season. We went to the Family Christian store to get Christmas presents and they had their new CD as well as Christmas CD for $15 together.

I have been really thinking a lot about an interview I heard on Fox news with an atheist women about the "There is no God" signs being put up right before Christmas. My heart broke for her for she had no hope. She tried to say how many atheists now lived in the world and the woman who interviewed her quickly pointed out that there are 2 billion Christians in the world of 6 billion people and the next closet religion was Islam. She asked the atheist woman if have the majority of us have "gotten it wrong."

My king is the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. My hope is not in this world, my hope is in our Great God and King Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can cleanse our sins.

Jackson has really enjoyed singing "Silent Night," and "Away in a manager" this month. He did so well in the candle light service last night (answer to prayer). He has really understood that the Jesus who we pray to and who heals us, is whose birthday we are celebrating this month. The greatest gift ever was Jesus. He closed last night by singing, "Yes, Jesus loves me." This Christmas has been so special!

140 custom address labels for $3 shipped--available again!

I was so excited to get 140 custom address labels for only $3 total at vista prints. Charlie was able to make a little caricature of each of us and they turned out so cute. I really like vista prints and this is where I got my Christmas cards this year. I had Cate Golf design them for $20 fee, and then the card where only $25 for 100 cards which was a great price, and they were real thick cards. I was able to get take a great picture of them after church in the beginning of November because Jackson was jealous that I was trying to get a cute picture of Abigail by herself with the adorable dress that my parents got her. He was like, "I am cute, take my picture"...ha!

Thanks money saving mom!

Just click here: http://www.vistaprint.com/free-everything-holiday09.aspx?GP=12%2f24%2f2009+1%3a26%3a00+PM&AID=10285320&PID=2983622

Go here to see all the details:
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/12/a-hrefhttpwwwanrdoezrsnetclick-2983622-10285320-target_topimg-srchttpwwwlduhtrpnetimage-2983622-10285320-width.html

December Pictures 2009

New car seat and first real pair of shoes. The car seat and the shoes where both her birthday and Christmas gifts. She loved both the shoes and the new car seat!

Jackson after he saw Santa. He loved every minute and only asked for a Captain Feathersword book. Just like his daddy asking for books for Christmas.

Abigail at the FBC Leaping Lizard playdate. She is one going on four years old... she is so much fun!

Bouncing with Mary Grace at Leaping Lizards.

Running down the hall outside of Ellis Hall at church. My baby girl is not a baby anymore...sad.

I Probably Should not Tempt You but . . . Gymboree: 30% off Everything Plus I Used another 20% off Coupon!

Gymboree is having their "Fill-A-Bag" sale . To make this deal even better, you earn $25 Gymbucks for every $50 you spend!

Plus if you use this coupon code: (one lucky reader of mine) 11N16UMKL086642, you can get another 20% off your entire purchase. I received these coupons going to see Santa and I will not use it before December 24. This coupon can be only used one time, so you can try it when you check out to see if someone has used it or not yet. There are many Gymboree coupons out there right now and if this does not work just google Gymboree coupons and see what you find.

I spent $50.84 and got ($5 shipping on all purchases)

• 3 long sleeve 2t top for Abigail. One in pink, green and white. They all are plain shirts but have bows on the top of the each shoulder. I got size 2t so she should be able to wear these tops next season as well.
  
• 2 Valentines day shirts for Abigail and Jackson.
  
• 1 Stretch brown pants for Abigail
• 1 pack of bows... I am crazy about bows.

I got $25 worth of Gymbucks so in my mind I only spent $25 on all these seven items. I really enjoy shopping online! Since I have feet issues, I really do not have patience to go shopping too much, but if I can just sit and look at it online, I can see easily what I would like to buy. Gymboree is really a great store, and their clothes last for a long time! I also know that you can go to the store and give them the item numbers of the clothes you want, and then they can ship to that store with no cost.

I heard about this from $30 Weekly Grocery Challenge. Check her out here

What is your money saving tip for this week?

Luke 2:8-20 (ESV)

The Shepherds and the Angels

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

* Come to FBC this Sunday night for: CAROL, CANDLELIGHT, COMMUNION SERVICE

DECEMBER 20, 2009

6:00 PM

Charlie will be reading these verses and there will be childcare.

Abigail's 1 Year Old Stats

Weight: 20 lbs and 13 oz (45%)
Height: 29 1/2 inches (61%)
Head Circumference 46 1/2 cm (85%)

The doctor said she is growing perfectly. She does not think Abigail had an allergic reaction to cheese last week, but does think it probably upset her stomach since she is still young and ate a lot of it. She said normally a child will break out all over her body within two hours of eating a certain food, which Abigail did not do. Dr. Greenhouse is such a wonderful doctor and is on ask the expert show. . . many doctors go to her for advice on things!

Two or three weeks ago, I took her to the doctor and she was like 21 pounds and 7 ozs, but all last week she had an upset stomach. She is making up for it this week, and I think she might be 23 pounds now. Ha!

I have not started to get rid of her bottles yet. I am going to do so after Christmas. The morning bottle is her favorite. We are going to try her on lactose free milk at first, since she is on lactose free formula. She drink well out of a sippy cup, which I am so thankful for, and she is a very good eater, so I am not that too concerned about slowly dropping her bottles. I will drop her dinner bottle first, and then give her a night night bottle and a morning bottle.

I thought Abigail top lip frenulum was connecting, and Dr. Greenhouse said it was tight there, but usually that does not effect speech. It will probably be a dental issues down the road. Please pray that it does not affect her speech, because frenulum issues are hereditary. The doctor said she should have a few words now and she has more than that so again I am not concerned. She actually has words with meaning now, and when she wants to go somewhere, she says, "go, go." It is so cute! I think she has 20 words now, and most of her words that she uses have meaning.

We got her a car seat last night and her first pair of walking shoes at Goody Toe Shoes (since she does not crawl anymore, she just walks...she is about 1 month ahead of where Jackson was in the walking department). Charlie was asked to do a funeral yesterday, and we are so thankful for it because it enabled us to get her a car seat. I had a coupon from Babies R Us for $25 off any car seat that came in the mail and that expires in three days. We have Jackson a Britax car seat, but mainly because I loved the Carolina (USC) cover. I talked to the an employee there who was a car seat expert, and after talking with him for a long time we decided on the Graco Nautilus. It got one of best safety awards and turns into a boaster seat, so it will go up to 100 pounds. It had a light pink pattern on it with butterflies which is perfect. God richly blesses us all the time with what we need. I am so thankful.

Tuesday's Tip: Come Join Me for Extreme Couponing Class by Southern Savers at FBC!

Extreme Couponing 101: Columbia, SC

Thursday, January 28, 2010 from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM (ET)

Columbia, SC

Ticket Information

Ticket Type	Sales End			Quantity
Participant	Jan 28, 2010	Free		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

This event holder has not yet specified any payment methods for this event. Please contact Southern Savers directly for further information.

Event Details

This is a 2 hour long class teaching you to be a true couponer.

It's not just about cutting and handing over coupons! Learn how to use coupons to save hundreds of dollars a month on all of your grocery, household and personal care items.

Cover basic and advanced topics:
1. Gathering and Organizing Coupons
2. Using online resources to find your own deals
3. Effectively Using Coupons - a lot more than just clipping and using a coupon!
4. Detailed instructions for CVSing, and other Drugstores

Each participant will get a detailed guide book to keep.

This is the Thursday, January 28th class in Columbia, SC.
To register for a different date please click here.

The class is $10 per person and is payable at the door by either cash or check.

If you register and are unable to attend please let me know so that we can let someone else use your spot.

When

Thursday, January 28, 2010 from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM (ET)

Add to my calendar

Outlook Calendar
Google Calendar
Yahoo! Calendar
iCal Calendar

Where

First Baptist Church of Columbia
1410 Sumter Street
First Floor
Columbia, SC 29201

Or go here to register: http://www.fbccola.com/templates/_fbccolumbia/details.asp?id=36238&PID=414808

Or go to my facebook page to see more details. The Southern Saver writer is teaching this class, and I am really looking forward to meeting her! I am so glad a friend told me about this. I had a hard time cutting and pasting it from the facebook page obviously. I think there is are limited spaces available so register now!

Other Maps: Yahoo | Mapquest | Microsoft

Hosted By

Southern Savers

A FREE website matching grocery deals and coupons to help everyone save!

	View other Southern Savers events
	Contact the Host
	Subscribe to receive notifications of future events by this host

Picture Monday: When Boy Meets Girl

The below picture is when Georgia and Jackson first met in Raleigh when they were 4 months old.
Baxter and Abigail...

The Finns came down to Columbia Saturday for one of their cousin's weddings (Wes Church actually did this wedding that was at another church, and they said it was an excellent service). We were at seminary the same time as the Finns and I remember Leah being in my Systematic class, and Dr. Schemm would call on her and I thought she was really smart. However, we really did not know each other in seminary.

Then blogs came around, and Charlie and Nathan (who is now a seminary professor) became friends through that. Soon after I had Jackson Charlie talked me into starting this blog to keep track of Jackson's progress, etc. So then, me and Leah became good friends through the blog world and our babies are the same age. Both Charlie and Nathan, and me and Leah could talk for hours.

The Christmas pageant was going on Saturday as well, so they just made a quick one hour stop at First Baptist, and Nathan being a history professor loved seeing all the rich history First Baptist Church has, such as the actually papers from when SC suceded from the union.

I knew Jackson would have a fun time playing with Georgia, but he acted like I have never seen him act before. He was totally mesmerized with Georgia. He wanted to do whatever she was doing. This picture does not do it justice because this is before they started holding hands. I missed walking them to the car, but Leah got a picture of it on her camera phone of them holding hands all the way to the car!

The entire way home, he was saying, "fun with Georgia, what did you do? played piano, hugged, held hands." He was even talking about her before he went to bed that night.

I am thankful for blogs, and that it was a way for us to make such a great friendship with the Finns!

Thursday's Tip: The Mitten

The Mitten by Jan Brett is the book they are working on this month at Jackson's school/speech time.

The school uses the Read It Once Again curriculum in choosing what book to use for the month. The last book was Silly Sally and definitely more on his level. He loves this book and asks me to read it to him every day. I think he might have it memorized now.

The Mitten is an excellent book, but has some big words in the book, and is a little long for him. I read online that this book is appropriate for children four years and older. However, after talking to the speech therapist she assured me that she is breaking this book down to his level. She also reports that he is having a hard time answering questions and focusing during book time. So, of course, we got this book of amazon used and very cheap. He is starting to like this book more and more, but since it is so long, he does not ask me to read it to him again yet. He loves books right now, and he will sit down with me for very long periods of time while I read, so it was surprising to hear he was having a hard time focusing during book time.

However, overall he is doing so well. The other day, he came into the room where me, Charlie and Abigail were, and said, "Hey guys, what is going on?"

Other milestones in the last couple weeks:

• "saying J-A-C-K-S-O-N Spells Jackson by memory"
• He knows what are names are and his full name and that he lives in Columbia SC and says that Gigi and Grand live in Spartanburg, and daily we hear, "KK went back to Georgia."
• He makes knock knock jokes daily. For instances: "Knock, knock, who is there? Zoo, Zoo who? Zoomed to you expect"...this is from a Wiggles dvd
• Non stop talking with us all day.He speaks in sentences all days as well. Such as "I see the stars. The moon is behind the clouds."
  
• Counts to twenty, and counts everything. Count out his 14 cars, and then says, "I have fourteen cars." The other day he even said one and one is two, and I have never even touched on that. He is gifted in the math side of things for sure, just like my dad (there is no real differences in my dad and Jackson).
  

Back to The Mitten
We are suppose to be asking him

• How many animals are in the mitten?
• Tell me what you see?
• Does it snow when it is hot outside or when it is cold?
• What did Nicki want?
• What is the boy's name?
  

Next book, they will be working on is From Head to Toe by Eric Carle.

This is all very helpful to me because I have no idea how to teach Preschoolers!

What is your child's favorite educational book right now?

Wednesday's Word: Proverbs 29:20

"Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool then for him."

God showed this verse to me clearly in the last two days. I was changing out the dvd to a new dvd and all I heard Chuck Swindol (I think) read these verses so powerfully (he has a great voice) on 95.9 FM station. The only other thing I heard him say, is that we can choose to be slow to angry and to not be hasty in our words. Then, yesterday, in my daily reading of the MacArther Daily Bible this was the only Proverbs I had to read.

Yes, Lord I hear you. It is so hard for me not to be hasty with my words when false allegations are made against me. When the truth of what happened in situations are no where to be found. Lord, I know I am hasty with my words. I want them to know the truth and understand the entire situation. All for me, all for my glory and not Yours. Forigive me for this sin. You Lord ultimately decide on if you choose for people to see situations for how they really are. If that is not your will, I am at peace with that.

Lord, please in Jesus Name help me not be hasty with my words. Even more than that Lord, help me not say anything negative. If I have nothing good to say, help me not saying anything. I can help it, I can choose not to be hasty with my words. I can be the positive wife, mother, and friend you want me to be. Your word says there is more hope for a fool than for me when I am hasty with my words. Holy Spirit, help me, work in me, to be very careful with my words. Help me to just be concerned with what I can control, and that is me. Help me to focus on the solutions and not the complaints. Amen.

Tuesday Tip: Target Deals This Week / $5 Off Any Purchase at a Hallmark Store

**There are some brand-new Target coupons available! Read more about them here.**

WEEKLY DEALS

Buy 5 select Keebler products, Get a $5 Target gift card

*Deal Idea*
Buy 5 Cheez-It Crackers (13.7 oz.) at $2
Use $0.75/1 here
$0.25 each after coupons and Target gift card

*Deal Idea*
Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies (11 oz.) - $2/ea
Use $1/3 Keebler cookies here or $1/2 here
$0.50-$0.66 each after coupons and Target gift card

This is straight from MoneySaving Mom's Post here


I clicked on this first linked and printed 15 coupons from Target's website. I have never printed Target coupons before, but they had a lot of items I buy weekly here.

Second tip:

Go here to print a coupon for $5 off any purchase of $5 or more at Hallmark Gold Crown Stores. You should be able to pick up something small for free or almost-free with this coupon!

This coupon is valid through December 24, 2009.

There seems to be a lot of deals this week and for this month. Be sure to keep reading the money saving blogs!

What is your money saving tip for this week?

Abigail's First Birthday Celebration

Today, my baby girl turned one year old. This day last year, was one of the happiest days of my life. At 1:17 pm, Abigail Easterlin Wallace, was born after three quick pushes from me. She came out wide eyed, and looking like she was smiling. I was a little worried that she did not really cry, but soon she did cry, but really not that much. Being my second child, I really just enjoyed her being born, and to me she was the beautiful baby girl I had ever seen. God has richly blessed us with everything in Him.

For our babies the first two birthdays we just invite family (we had yummy Zesto's chicken for lunch). I saw a couple of people had their little girls where tutu's for their first birthday and thought that it was a great idea. I did have a hard time finding a tutu, but finally found this pink one at Bumble Boutique. Ashley J did her shirt and it turned out perfect! Abigail was so excited to have all the attention today. The only mistake we made was giving her a cake with chocolate icing. Publix did her cake (and it turned out great!) , and for your baby's first birthday they give you a free little cake that matching your big cake (I probably could have changed that.). I think all that chocolate gave her a stomach ache and she has hardly drank any of her bottle today.

At one year old, she walks all over the place. In the last 5 days, I have not even seen her crawl. She can say, "bye, bye, mama, dada, ball, baby, hey, ba ba (is bottle), pa pa (is pacifier), cracker, and she is even making the "s" sound. I think she has around 10-15 words, which is such an answer to our prayer since we went through so much with Jackson's speech. I am so thankful for all the women who taught me on how to help babies speak. Some days, I feel like speech therapy is my second job!

"Abigail comes from the Hebrew origin. In Hebrew The meaning of the name Abigail is: Father rejoiced, or father's joy. Gives joy. The intelligent, beautiful Abigail was Old Testament King David's third wife, described as good in discretion and beautiful in form."

My prayer for Abigail is that she will accept Jesus Christ as her Savior at a young age, that she will be a woman that loves God with her whole heart, mind, and strength. I also pray that she lives up to the meaning of her name and has good discretion throughout her life.

God has granted so many desires of my heart, many days I am completely overwhelmed with gratitude to Jesus, knowing that they are ultimately His. I pray that they both live lives that glorify Him and lead many people to Him.

Tuesday's Tip: Read Southern Savers!

Southern Savers is one of the best money saving blogs out there!

1. She has a great post on printable coupons here
2. She had a post a while back on purchases a Chick Fil A Calendar. A friend of mine reminded me of this yesterday and we went there last night. During the month of November you could purchase a $20 gift card from Chick Fil A and receive a FREE Chick Fil A calendar with 12 different Chick Fil A coupons inside the calendar. I would go into more details about it but I am not sure if this offer is still available in December. Normally the calendar is $6, but I think there is $30 worth of coupons in the calendar.
   

What is your money saving tip for this week?