Updates and money saving tips

This weekend we went to Callaway Gardens with my dear friend Chrissy and her husband Chad. Way #1 to save money: go to Callaway when it's free this month! Also good because I really didn't think it was cool enough to have spent $18/person to go there. But we did have a nice time in the cold and seeing the butterfly garden and eating loaded baked potato pizza (yum!!).

Me and Chrissy and Matt as butterflies

Way #2 to save money: homemade popcorn! (Thanks Chrissy!) Matt loves popcorn (and I hate the smell of it) and it's expensive. Chrissy and Chad have always popped their own popcorn and talked us into trying it. Very tasty, healthy and cheap!! And it doesn't smell bad :)

Way #3 to save money: give your husband a haircut. This is one of my favorite things to do, not only because it's fun but because I'm good at it which I can't believe. (He also has curly hair which hides any mistakes, how convenient.)

Here is Matt post-haircut, you can see a before picture in the Callaway Gardens shots

A few other things.. movie recommendations: Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. If you like foreign films, which I do. They are in English, and perhaps not foreign films, but they are set in Europe and star Julie Delphi who is a French actress. I like her movies!!

We got Molly a dog bed now that she is almost one year old! Last night we left her out of her crate for the first time (while at home) and she did awesome and slept on her doggy bed.

And on to some cuteness, below is a picture of me with my friend Alice's twin boys at one month old. How precious!! And while I was over there semi-helping her, I realized that that could be my life one day since twins run in my family. They are not super common, but my grandmother was a twin and there is another set of twins somewhere on my mom's side. Scary thought ;-)

Speaking of babies, congrats to Scott & Laura Beth on the birth of their baby boy John today!

Couponing 101

For those of you who don't care to read about couponing, feel free to move on and wait for my next post. For those of you that do, I know I said I was quitting couponing, and I did, and I am less stressed out which is good. Matt and I have also analyzed the couponing and found that we don't really buy a lot of things that you could use coupons on. Sure there are the toiletries and cleaning supplies. But food-wise, I don't really buy much food in a box other than pasta and maybe some canned veggies, so I didn't use a lot of the deals that were out there.

But I do know from reading blogs, that couponing can be ridiculously successful. Things like buying $200 worth of groceries for $3. Now that is something I could get in on. I was so not good at it though. I would maybe save 30% and then have a lot of things I didn't even want. Now I have a chance to learn how to do it better. Here. I will be attending the class that is in Marietta and would love some company!! It is only $10. I actually do not plan on couponing again after this class though. With me working and running a household, I have determined that it is too much for me. However, one day, Lord willing, I will be staying at home with kids and then I can coupon with my new found skills.

Who wants to come with me?? :)