Lets talk about Couponing

first is that really a word? because I'm pretty sure its a made up word. but I digress, Lets all have a conversation about coupons.

When we were back home in Oregon I was an avid coupon cutter and a less than half time coupon user.

I had an epic fail of coupon usage. I would either not pay attention to the adds, forget the cupons at home, or just get lazy.

but now that we're getting settled and getting our house together. I really want to buckle down and get our bills under control. The price difference in groceries alone between Oregon and California is AMAZING! my quick 20.00 - 30.00 grocery trip back home is now a 50.00 - 60.00 trip here. Of course it also has a lot to do with the fact that we lost a lot of our 'essentials' in the move, so we're slowly building that back up. But with me not working at the moment I really feel like its mostly my responsibility for the cooking, cleaning, and shopping of the house.

B did not put this on me (hello Suzy Homemaker), I need something to do, so i'm making this my thing.

So I asked a couple of people about it and A good friend of mine Carly @ Not Your Ordinary Page turned me onto a site called Hip2Save.

She linked me to a page on H2S Titled Couponing 101. I watched the video's and really got into it. I'm really excited.

Today I went out and got the dividers, a binder, and those baseball card holders.

I got to thinking about everyone else. What do they do for coupons? Does anyone else kind of obsess over them like i do?

If you do coupon, Do you use your Sunday paper only? or do you use websites as well?

What is the method to your madness?

What are your tricks and tips to help out a n00b like me?

I have a feeling this topic will become a running trend in my blog in the near future.

after I get this sorted out my next hill to climb is Meal Planning!

Memory Lane

So I'm sitting here taking off the insignia from my old uniform, so that we can donate them. And I can't help but think about the last time I word this uniform. This is 2 ranks and 5 years ago. Its crazy to think about how different my life is right now.

The last time I wore this uniform It was winter 2005. I had just come home from basic training and was "full of piss and vinegar" like my grandma likes to say. I was in love with the military and everything about it. I wanted to go faster, do more, and do it better. I also had NO idea about the world and how to conduct myself in it.

The last time I wore this uniform, I was a young young 19 year old girl. I say girl, because thats what I was. I had recently broken off an engagement, which come to find out was the best decision I'd made thus far in my life (second only to joining the military). I was now dating some loser that I met through some friends who wanted to do nothing more than play halo and smoke weed with his friends. I of course was doe-y eyed in love with him and sat behind him while he played his games, and stood down wind when they were smoking.


The last time I wore this uniform I was on my way to what I would consider the turning point in my young life. I was on my way to spend 7 months in California on orders (coincidentally the same base I'm at now). This was the first time I would branch out on my own. I was getting paid more than I had ever made before... not a hard thing to top mind you. I was in a hotel by myself with MAID service. And all I had to do was show up 4 days a week, work 12 hours, and then I was free.

The last time I wore this uniform:
I was single,
I was young,
I was wild wild wild,
I was emotional,
I was careless,
I was neurotic,
I was chaotic,
I was in love with love,
I was in lust with anyone who lusted after me,
I was in like with all male figures,
I had my first taste of alcohol,
I had my first hang over,
I had my first drunk dialing experience, which BTW was to my mom who told me to eat a loaf of bread to sober up
I had my first pregnancy scare
I had a reputation for my crazy and wild behavior
I was so prone to anxiety
I had huge ideals for the world
I was silly
I was fun
I would spend money like it was going out of style
I was so skinny
I was soooooooooooo many things both good and bad

I'm glad I took the time to sit back and remember these memories. I'm glad they're in the past but i regret none of them. The person who was in this uniform made me who I am today. With out that crazy girl, I wouldn't be the woman I am today.

And while 19 to 24 to some people doesn't seem like that big of a gap.... man oh man does it feel like it.

Who wants to see the new house?!?

So I thought I'd lighten the mood a bit. Seems like everyone I know is down a bit today. So I didn't want to distract with to much more. So I thought I'd post some house pictures. Nice and Neutral. lol.

These photos are all the ones I took with my cell phone the day we came to sign the lease. We've been in the house a little over a week. Once we get settled I'll post better pictures.

This is the front of the house

This is looking in the front door (you're looking into the living room)

This is the living room

This is the dining & kitchen area (looking left from the entry way)

This is the chalkboard on the back of the kitchen cabinets

This is the family room (looking from the kitchen out into the back yard)

this is the master bedroom.
the previous tenants (aka the owners niece) had a 'beach' themed bedroom

Master bathroom

Guest room #1 - AKA B's office

Guest room #2 - AKA my office
The previous tenants had twin little girls
This WILL be repainted

Guest bathroom
ugly purple color
apparently the previous tenants LOVED the whole faux-chair rail look
::gags quietly to self::

This is the back yard
(stepping out from the slider and looking right)

my orange tree on the far right side of the house.

random tree with a random deck attached
there used to be a 'tree house' here i guess.

this is standing at the far fence looking at the back yard

and my lovely pomegranate tree that is overflowing from the neighbors yard
There's one in the front too.
SCORE!

The more things change, The more they stay the same

So I was reminded today about the circle of life in the world of the military.

A fellow blogger Chelle @ The Winey Mommy said good bye to her husband today. She sent him off to serve his country and do is duty. It breaks my heart and makes me thank the lord, that at the moment I have my husband.

Its kind of interesting, like the world wanted me to realize how lucky I was. I happen to log on to blogger minutes after she had posted on her blog about saying good bye.

I had been complaining to my friends via texts that i was trying to 'sweat my way to a better mood' in the gym. I was upset with B about something really really really stupid and petty this morning. I left the gym still feeling cruddy and now I felt cruddy and sore. When I logged on and saw her post I got out of that mood pretty darn quick. Nothing snaps you out of a cruddy mood here faster than seeing a fellow military wife lose half her heart.

And I also fine it at no coincidence that today is also the 9th anniversary of 9/11. Sometimes its easy to lose focus on what is important in life and what you should be thankful for. But today... today I was reminded of how lucky I am. I hope on a day like today, that has forever changed many lives, I hope you all stay thankful.

I hope you all hug your loved ones a little more securely tonight.
I hope you all thank the lord for the breath you take and the kisses you get.
I hope you all are snuggled down with the loved ones you have (may they be 2 legged or 4)
I hope you all remember
I hope you all stay thankful.

Road Trippin!

I would like to preface this post with:
1) yes I know its illegal to text/talk on the phone and drive
2) yes I know its dangerous
3) yes I know its a bad habit.

there. are we good now? okay then.

So On my trip down I decided to chronicle my trip with a photo every hour.
I sent them to my best friends so that they could feel included.

0830 - Just outside Westlinn, OR (aprox. 30 min. on the road)

0930 - Somewhere between Salem & Eugene, OR

1030 - NO IDEA where the heck I am. The last sign said Drain, OR

1130 - Just south of Roseburg, OR

1230 - Just North of Grants Pass, OR
(this is also RIGHT before I locked by keys in the car at the random rest stop)


1330 - First Look At California!!!!

1430 - Just outside of Redding, CA

1530 - Lake Shasta, CA

1630 - NO idea where I am, I just know that I'm getting close

1745 - FINALLY on base!!!!!

I have a couple more pictures that I will post later.
These are all cell phone pics so there not the best quality. But they do the job!!!