Raising an Independent person, not a dependent person

It drives me up the wall every morning when I drop my son off at school and the other parents won’t let their kids get out of the vehicle until they are as close to the entrance as possible. While I am letting Brody out of the car as we park halfway down the building from the entrance.
He has legs, its not storming, why can’t he walk a couple yards to the door alone? He knows how to get in the building and where to go from there, just like I am sure these other children do. Let your kids walk. Get a little exercise in. Get that heart rate up in the morning. Brody enjoys running to the door and through the mud puddles, its not going to hurt him.
You can’t hold their hands all day long, give them a kiss goodbye at the car and let them go on their way. And don’t worry about whether you’re the first car in line or the last, walking and fresh air is good for them.
Just a rant I’ve been holding in for a while and now I’m done.

Here is Brody the first day of kindergarten. Fall 2014

Age is just a number

My oldest son was born in 2009. I was 19 when he was born. We were a young couple just starting a life together. We had a lot to learn after Brody was born, so I don’t think it was unreasonable for my husband and I to want to wait a few years before our family grew any bigger.

A few years turned into four years and then add in a year of trying to conceive, making Brody’s 5th birthday fall 3 months before our little Waylon had arrived.

Personally, I don’t think it was too long between children. Brody was starting kindergarten, we didn’t have two kids in diapers, and he really understood what was going on. We’ve had very few green eyed monster moments and he thinks being a big “Bro” is the coolest thing since the Fonz. He is my kid, the glass is always half full.

When I was pregnant and told people that my oldest son would soon be 5, they couldn’t understand why there was such a huge gap. Why would we wait so long? Didn’t we want them to bond? Didn’t we want them to grow up together?

Since when is it a ridiculous idea that you could have something in common with someone of a different age? All of my siblings are 8+ years older than me and we are very close. Since when is it “out there” to wait more than two years between children? That’s what ended up working for our family and we love it. Waylon looks up to Brody already and Brody loves his little brother.

Let’s not look at the distance in numbers between children, but the love between them. What works for some, may not work for others. More power to the moms that wanted their children one after another, and cheers to the ones who said “One and we’re done”. As one who decided to wait it out, I hope for nothing but support and kind words to us all from those strangers whose feet just can’t find their mouths.

Life changes bring new adventures

It has been a while since I have posted much of anything. My life has changed so much in the past two years therefore my mindset has changed. I have not been focusing on deal hunting and couponing like I used to, though I will not buy things without a coupon or good sale still. Every penny counts, right?

I had our 2nd son in April of 2014 and our oldest started kindergarten. I also got a part time job at a local bank where I am basically working full time hours. It’s been busy for this family! We have been working on remodeling our house (or something like that) and fixing our credit so we can sell and buy new. My husband also made a new career move in this time. Did I mention that we’ve been busy?

As I have already said; my mindset has changed quite a bit. I think with that, the blog theme will be changing along with it. I don’t want to be writing about deals and coupons and frugal living anymore (even though I am sure that will make it’s way in here often), I want to write about what this title means. “Motherhood isn’t for the weak” and that is the truth, damnit! In the 6 years that I have been a mother I have learned this to be true in more ways than one. And through the mothers I have met along the way the term proves itself again and again. Working moms, stay-at-home moms, homeschooling moms, soccer moms, single moms, head-of-the-house moms, army wife moms, work from home moms, adopted moms, whatever the title may be that you have taken on, it is not for the light hearted. I want to write about motherhood. The beautiful times, the struggles, the “why did I have another kid” moments, the “why am I not having more kids” moments and more. The hair pulling, screaming, temper tantrum, heart tugging, candy bar hiding, “I just want 5 minutes in the bathroom along!” world we call “Motherhood”.

I hope everyone stays interested and likes the new direction. Any topics you want to read about? Let me know!

FREE Alphabet Coloring Sheets

Click here to download a free phonics alphabet coloring sheet. Great for Pre-school and Kindergarten aged children who are homeschooled or need busy work for after school. Tell me what you think!

Renuzit Air Freshener Deal

Renuzit Adjustables are onsale at Family Dollar for 0.88 cents this week. In the 3/3/13 Red Plum there is a Renuzit B2G1 Free coupon that you can add to that deal, making it $1.76 for 3 or 0.57 cents each wyb 3!

Did anyone get the Meijer 10/$10 deal that we posted on this product last week? I did not work for me. My Meijer said that they accept competitor coupons, but it has to be for a dollar amount of a product, not a free product. So that Target B1G1 Free coupon didn’t end up working for me.

Target household items coupon

Make sure you clip this coupon from the target ad this week! Spend $40 or more on household items, get $10 off! This includes items such as; sandwich bags, toilet bowl cleaner, Kleenex, Tide, and more. Add product coupons to get even bigger savings!

Meijer Huggies Deal

When you buy one Jumbo Huggies pack of diapers, get one Huggies tub of wipes or refill of wipes for FREE!

Add on these savings:

-$1.50/1 Little Movers Slip On Diapers – 2/24 SS

-$1.00/1 Huggies Diaper – 2/24 SS

-0.50/1 Huggies Wipes – 2/24 SS

Walgreens Stock Up Deals 2/24-3/2

$3.49 Colgate 2 in 1 Toothpaste, 4.6oz
Buy 1, Receive $2.99 Register Reward
-0.50/1 Colgate Toothpaste (from 2-10 SS) OR
-0.50/1 Colgate Toothpaste (from 2-24 SS)
=Free

$4.00 Natrol Melatonin, 100ct
Buy 1, Receive $4.00 Register Reward
=Free

$8.00 Energize Energy Tabs, 28ct
Buy 1, Receive $8.00 Register Reward
=Free

$10.00 Arctic Naturals Daily Omega-3, 60ct
Buy 1, Receive $10.00 Register Reward
=Free

$7.00 Curacaine Rapid Acting Topical Analgesic, 1oz
Buy 1, Receive $7.00 Register Reward
=Free

$2.00 (wyb 2) General Mills Cereal, 9-12.3oz
With In-Store Coupon
-1.00/1 Cheerios Multi Grain Peanut Butter printable
-1.00/1 Fiber One 80 Calorie Chocolate printable
=$1.00 each wyb 2

Meijer Stock Up Deals 2/24-3/2

Mix and match 10 for $10, get the 11^th free

$1.00 Wolf Chili, 15oz
-0.40/1 Wolf coupon (from 1-20 SS)
=$0.60

$1.00 Earthbound Organic Green Onions or Baby-Cut Carrots 1lb
-0.75/1 Earthbound Organic any product printable
=$0.25

$1.00 Renuzit Adjustables Air Freshener, 7.5oz
-B1G1 Renuzit printable
=$0.50 each wyb 2

$1.00 Angel Soft Bath Tissue, 4 rolls
-0.25/1 Angel Soft printable
=$0.75

$1.00 Chex Mix, 8.75 oz
-0.50/2 Chex Mix (from 1-27 SS)
=$0.75 wyb 2

$1.00 Del Monte Fruit Naturals Cup
–0.50/1 Del Monte Mango Cup printable
=$0.50

$1.00 Pillsbury Grands Biscuits
-1.00/3 Grands printable
=$0.66 each wyb 3

$1.99 Smart Balance Enhanced Milk, ½ gallon
-1.50/1 Smart Balance Milk (from 2-10 SS)
=$0.49

$1.50 Ocean Spray or Mott’s Medleys Shapes
-0.50/1 Ocean Spray or Mott’s printable
=$1.00

$2.00 Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail, 64oz
-1.00/1 Ocean Spray printable
=$1.00

$1.50 Smart Balance Spreadable Butter, 7.5oz
-1.25/1 Smart Balance printable
=$0.25

$1.50 Aquafresh Kids Fresh N Fruity Toothpaste, 4.6oz
-1.00/1 Fresh N Fruity printable
=$0.50

$2.00 Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares, 3.5oz
-1.00/1 Ghirardelli printable, -.50/1 iBotta
=$1.00 oop. Like paying .50 cents after iBotta

Let us know if you found any amazing deals at Meijer!

– Courtany

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