Paying catch up

Happy hump day!!!   We are spending the day at home and enjoying some rainy weather.  Here's a little of what we've been up to...

 

Saturday was pay day for Kagen and she was a little excited.  It's hard to tell, I know.

 

 

While I was getting ready I looked in my room and saw this.  These girls are crazy and I love it.

 

Saturday night was our church's Fall Festival.  Our SS class is always in charge of the cake walk.
The kids had a blast and got lots of yummy treats!




Kagen's "boys" met us at the church.  How cute do they all look?!  I love it!



Sunday morning Lex ran sound and the guy that usually runs the video was out.  So I got to sit with Lex and help do the video.  I had fun especially getting to sit next to my honey.  Lately one of us is always in a different part of the church during Sunday morning worship.  =(




After lunch Kagen and I headed to a birthday party.  It was perfect weather and such a fun party!




Monday we ran a few errands before meeting Lex for lunch.  They loved playing with the trains at Toys 'R' Us.   I asked Kagen to show me some things she liked and I would pass the word to Santa.  She liked a lot of stuff too.  yikes.



We were suppose to eat at a recently upgraded playground, but silly momma forgot it was closed on Monday's... Whoops!!  So off to Sonic we went and had just as much fun!



The high school in the town that my Mom teaches in was putting on the play Grease.  How perfect!?!  So Kagen and I went with NaNa to watch.  It was SO good.  They were very impressive and put on an awesome show.


During intermission Kagen spotted a little girl.  "Momma, I'm going to go talk to her."
That child never meets a stranger. 




This was Kalli yesterday morning.  She is NOT a morning person.  It's hilarious and sad at the same time. 





We went to visit my Grandma and Uncle for a little bit.  The live right next to NaNa and PawPaw so I let the girls swing before coming back home.

 

Then we had gymnastics and went to chick-fil-a.  After that we ran to Marshall's to see if we could find some things for our trip NEXT week. {whoohoo!}  The girls wanted to ride so we let them.  Whatever works, right?



Have a great day!

Five on Friday... on Saturday

Wow!  I got half way though my 5 yesterday, if that counts!!  Better way late than never!


{one}

 We visited Yesterland Farm for the first time, a few weeks ago.  It's a huge pumpkin patch with lots of fun activities.  The girls had a BLAST and we spent all day there!  I love the Fall and  I love the smells!!!  The end of the year always makes me so excited and exhausted at the same time. 




{two}

   The beginning of this month we finished our Whole 30 challenge.  Basically, for 30 days you don't eat sugar, soy, or anything processed.  The first few days were really tough, but after that it was smooth sailing.  We had more energy and felt awesome!!  Lex lost 20lbs and is still going!  I'm so proud of him.  We make better food choices now and don't eat out near as much as we use to.  Once we finished the whole 30 we decided we would still try to eat better but we eat the occasional bad for you food.  And we do feel yucky afterwards.  ha! 


{three}

I can't say enogh about Dave Ramsey.  If you haven't heard of him, you should check him out.   He has a kit for children to teach them about money. Giving, Saving, and spending.  I think it is so important to teach our kids about money so that they know how to handle it when they're older.  And learn to avoid debt at all costs!!!  I can't wait to get this kit!!  We are also going to get the girls' their own savings accounts next week.  Kagen does chores and has a chore chart.  So once a month we will take her to the bank and let her put the money she has saved, in to her own account. 

You can order a kit here 

{four}

Speaking of money...  I use to think consignment shops were kind of icky, but boy was I wrong.  I love them!!  You can find awesome deals.  A few days ago I went to one and found a pair of Kenneth Cole shoes for Kagen and a pair of Sperry's for Kalli.  They were less than $20 for both!!  I also got a Gap dress for Kalli for $5.  It was in perfect condition too.  Amazing!  Serisouly.  Finding deals has become my new favorite game.  I drive Lex crazy all the time telling him the deals I got.  ha!!



{five}

I recently started reading this book and I am loving it.  At our last Mom's to Mom's meeting our speaker spoke about the importance of showing our children grace.  And raising them to know the Lord.  I also find that if I don't have my morning quiet time with the Lord, my day just doesn't go as well as it does when I do.  I am more impatient with my girls.  I get annoyed at things that really aren't THAT big of a deal.
    I want my girls to feel loved.  I want to show them how important they are to me.  God gave me and Lex these girls and I pray we raise them how God intended.  He didn't have to give them to us and I am truly thankful that he did.  Being a parent is a gift and I know that.  I love them so so much and wouldn't know what to do without them. 
               This book was given to us at our meeting but you can order it here.

Little bit of everything

Tuesday the girls helped me clean house.  They love dusting.  I love that they love it.   I came in the room and Kagen was in her sparkly dress dusting the ceiling.  Hey.  That needs a good wipe down every now and then. 

 

 

After I put Kalli down for her afternoon nap, Kagen and I started on "school".  I'm so proud of her.  She has been doing really well and each day I see a difference in her.  I'm glad I decided not to put her in preschool.  I'm going to miss spending all day with her.  But let's not think about that right now.  Kagen loves to draw.  So today I let her draw pictures of her favorite things or people.  She drew her Daddy.  Beard and all.  I asked if she was going to draw me.  With a serious look, she stared at me then said, "You have an oval head.  I don't draw ovals."  Oh my.  That kid and her honesty.  Ha!

 

 

After gymnastics we met up with Brody and Levi to celebrate Levi's 5th birthday!  They did really well during dinner, given we were there for 2 hours!!  Needless to say, they were excited to get up from dinner.






Yesterday we met Lex for lunch then we headed to a local consignment shop and the mall.  I got some really great deals too!!! 

One being this jacket I found for Kagen at Old Navy.  It was on sale for $15!!  Here's the link if you wanted to order it online.  It's still on sale, but it's $22 online.  {not sure why it's more than in the store?}

And I totally gave in and got a coke icee.  But it was a small unlike my usual medium.  That counts for something right??  Well it wasn't as good as it use to be.  I wasn't even craving it.  I just kind of wanted it.  Thank goodness for the Whole30 challenge.  That has changed my way of thinking and the taste of some things.   Don't worry, I'll tell you a little more about it when I do my 5 on Friday. 




When we got home this little cutie was asleep.  Kagen never would sleep like this once I got her out of the car.  I am taking full advantage and loving this stage. 

The last few days

 

This weekend we had a birthday party and a wedding!!  Lex's cousin married his sweet girlfriend and we are excited to see the family grow!! 

 

 I also went to a wedding last weekend to see my sister's best friend get married and to help take photos.  {I forgot how awesome weddings are!}

 

Anyway.  The party we went to was Hello Kitty themed and it was too cute!! Kagen woke up the next morning and said she dreamed about Hello Kitty.  Ha!   The girls had fun eating yummy treats, jumping on the trampoline and making fun crafts. 

 

After the party we headed home to change clothes and then back out the door for the wedding. 

It was beautiful!  The setting there was just perfect.  It got cold quick though!  My poor girls, who had been getting over coughs, got worse.  I felt horrible for that!  We stayed home from church on Sunday so that they could rest and stay out of the weather.  So Sunday was a pretty lazy day for me and the girls.  Lex had a side job he needed to finish so it worked out.

 

 

My sweet niece was one of the flower girls.  She was so cute!!!!









The girls with Bill Bill and GiGi


Kalli helped Paw Paw run the sound.  {NaNa was there but she was getting Dad some food and we forgot to take her picture with the girls!  But it was cold and we needed to go!}



Yesterday we stayed home all day again. 
I told Kagen to brush her teeth and when I came around the corner I saw this.  That child is a mess!
For being home all day, the girls played really well together.  Normally they're fighting towards the end of the day, but today they loved each other.  ha! 













Kalli is SO girly.  I love it too! 






After dinner daddy was a horsey for the girls.  They LOVE their daddy and he loves them!

Hope you all have a great Tuesday!!

Halloween on a budget

Halloween.  A time to dress up as someone else and eat lots and lots of candy.  I love it.  What I don't love is spending money on expensive costumes that will be worn, once....  Don't get me wrong, there are some really cute and inexpensive costumes out there.  But, I'm still cheap.  Plus I like to be creative and find things we already have or that will be used again.  I'm a bit of a tightwad, except with food.  I don't mind spending money on that.  Especially chick-fil-a or TCBY, or maybe a package or two of Oreos.  Oh my.  {I'm working on these addictions} 
Ok.  Back to Halloween.  The only costume we have ever bought, wasn't even purchased by us.  My Mom bought Kagen her first Halloween costume.  She was a kitty.  A cute one too.  ;-)

2009

I do look forward to the day that the girls say, "Hey!  We want to be princesses."  Great.  I'll just grab one of their dress up dresses and we are good to go.  Those get tons of wear around here. 

Kagen really hasn't had an opinion yet on what she wanted to be each Halloween.  We really aren't THAT big on this holiday.  It's fun!  And we have fun.  But I would much rather go all out during Christmas.  That holiday is just the best time of the year to me. 

  {I should back track a little}  Kagen was born in October 2008.  So she was too little for any costume that year plus we stayed home.   She did have a cute little onesie though.   

Look at this sweet thing!! 

Halloween 2010
I saw a cute Minnie mouse costume online. Somewhere.  So the idea was born.

 I made her tulle skirt.  Bought iron on paper to make the mouse head on her shirt.  For the ears, I used cardboard covered with felt fabric and made a bow then put it on a headband.  She already had the leggings and shoes.


Halloween 2011

I didn't think I would take Kalli to the Fall Festival at our church, so I didn't worry about getting her a costume.  Then I changed my mind.  But luckily she had this onesie I made her.

{I saw one just like it at Canton and it was $15-20 I think.  Being cheap, I decided to make it myself} It was a little ghost with a bow.  I used the iron on material again for it.  She already had the black skirt and leggings.  Done.

Kagen was given a cheer leader outfit as a gift.  So, she was a cheerleader.    I was very tired this year as you can imagine and did not feel like being creative.  At all.


Halloween 2012
Kagen was and still is in to horses.  Her birthday party last year was a cowgirl theme.  So we kept the theme and the girls were cowgirls for Halloween. 

The pink skirt was a baby shower gift when I was pregnant with Kagen!  I got the brown one online, super cheap, for Kagen's party.  Both these skirts are still being used.  They love to play dress up in them.   The handkerchiefs came from Hobby Lobby.   For the life of me I can not remember where Kagen's hat came from.  Kalli's hat was from Baskins.  $5 I think!  Kagen already had the boots and we borrowed the ones Kalli is wearing. 
She wasn't walking at the time, so it was ok that the boots were about 2 sizes too big.  ha!  {She was a lazy baby}

Halloween 2013
  We have some friends that Lex grew up with and they have two boys.  Levi who is Kagen's age. {They're two weeks apart, I'm sure they will get married one day} and Brody who is 6. 

Here they are as babies.  Aren't they so stinking cute?!?!?

  Ever since Kagen was born me and Erin have talked about dressing the kids up as characters from Grease. {sidenote: that's one of the best movies. ever.}
Each year passed and it never happened.  This year we both decided it WOULD happen.  The girls would be Pink Ladies and the boys would be the Tbirds.  Well after looking online I just couldn't bring myself to spend $50 on jackets for the girls to wear, once.  So I looked in their closet and found some stuff that would work.  It's not exactly what I had in mind all those years, but it will work.  Just picture these cuties next to some adorable little dudes.  I can't wait to see them all together!!!!

They both already had everything.  I love when that happens!!  Black skinnies.  Kalli's converse were Kagen's, so was the cardi. Kagen just got her cardi for her bday along with the sunglasses.   I found some extra fabric and just cut it in strips.  I was going to buy some scarves but decided this would work.  I was also going to get some 50's style glasses....I may still do that.  I wasn't sure if they would keep them on, but they kept these sunglasses on.  They surprise me sometimes.


I hope I helped you think of ways to be creative and save some money!  Look in your kids' closets, your closets.  Borrow things from people!  There's plenty of ways to have a super cute costume without spending a ton of money.