I'm half way to 50!

Today is my 25th Birthday!

It's in my opinion that Birthday's should be a YOU day. I love my Birthday because it gives me the chance to do whatever I please on and not feel guilty about it. Because it's my BIRTHDAY! This afternoon I'll celebrate by sitting in my PJ's with my coffee and watching all the shows I DVRed last week. Glamorous? No. But it's my perfect way to spend the day! Then tonight Josh is taking me to dinner and the Blue's Home Opener. Tomorrow we will take the boys to the Pumpkin Patch and maybe to dinner. Woohoo!

Still I cannot help but think how time has flown by. The biggest thing on my mind today is how badly I need to slow down and savor life. It seems an though my 24th Birthday was just yesterday....The last few years have been a whirlwind and it's time for me to take it a little slower. As a reflect on years past I'm happy with what I've accomplished and experienced and can't wait for the next chapter in my life to begin.

I'm glad to be growing older, it only means your growing wiser. Right?

Finally Feeling the Crunch

Josh and I have both been well aware of the Credit Crisis plaguing our country. We watch the news and did our research . We prayed for the families who's lives it was already ruining but always knowing it might start to effect us in some way.

We have been officially told we cannot re-finance. Our credit scores are at a dead stop from the steady hike they were making due to our credit companies lowering our credit limit and messing up our % of credit used. So instead of 30%, we are at 50%+. We exhausted our bank account finishing this house and need at least $5,000.00 to re-finance or to have lived here 1 year. The fact that they won't re-finance us makes little to no sense. We are not asking for a new mortgage. We paid $82,000 and need to refi for $100,000 but the house is worth $145,000. They just keep saying if you would have come to us 2 months ago....If it wasn't for the Credit Crisis....We can't help you right now but try again next month...Looks like we are up sh*t creek. Our monthly bills are going to start exceeding our income soon. The Home Depot card is the reason. We have to pay a % of what we owe each month and next month it's $2,000. If it wasn't for that damn card...It can't even be rolled over into a lower interest card because it isn't actually a credit card so that's not even an option.

Our next move is to sell this house. This home a poured my heart and soul in. The home we love. We always thought of it as a long term investment but we haven't even owned it 6 months. My heart is breaking. Jaxon would have to switch schools mid year. How do I tell that little boy who loves his house and school that he has to move away? How can I sit through closing knowing I just sold the home I loved so much? The what? Do we rent? Do we buy? Do we do another investment? I can't take this anymore. It's not stable enough for us. This was supposed to be it. This was the house we were supposed to stay in and now I have to do it all over again? How do we keep ending up here? If we try and hang on we could lose everything.

I cried myself to sleep last night. I can't think about anything but this but I have to be realistic about how hard life would be for us if we didn't sell and how debt free we would be if we did. I don't want to live in turmoil just to hang on to our home. Seems so simple right? I just can't stop thinking about how happy I am here and about the life we planned to have living in this house. What were we thinking????

I pray for the families who are hurting right now due to this awful mess that's been created. I know how unbearable the pain is to feel so out of options...to be faced with such a hard decision. I know things could be worse and thank god they are not but I wish this on no one.

More Walgreen's Deals for October

I don't know what it is about this month but I just can't stop! It's addicting and I may need an intervention!

Fifth Transaction

(2) Playtex Sport Tampons = Sale 2/$8
(2) Bottles of Windex = Sale 2/$5
(2) Glade Wisp Flameless Candles = Sale for $5.99 each and total $11.98
(2) Glade Scented Gel Warmers = $3.98
Pert 2 in 1 Shampoo = $3.49

Total Before Coupons and Rebates = $32.45

(2) Playtex Sport Tampons: used $2/2 ES Coupon + 2 $1/1 Manf. Coupons = $4/2
(2) Bottles of Windex: used 2 $1/1 Manf. Coupons and get $2 in rebates = $.50 per Bottle
(2) Glade Wisp Flameless Candles: Used BOGO Coupon and received $3 in Register Rewards = $2.99 for both
(2) Glade Scented Gel Warmers: used my last BOGO Coupon and get $2 in Rebates = $.02 PROFIT
Pert 2 in 1 Shampoo: used $2.50 ES Coupon and $1 Manf. Coupon = $.01 PROFIT
Note: I only found one Walgreen's that will let me do this Pert deal. I'm not sure why the others won't. I have 3 more sets of coupons and I'll try and use them elsewhere until the Walgreen's that will let me do this gets more in stock. If you don't have any Manf. Coupons to go with this deal $.99 still is not bad for Shampoo.

Total After Coupons, RR's and Rebates = $7.97

Approved!

We have officially been approved by the Building Commissioner to occupy our house! I need not say more :)

Is it possible?

To be in love with an inanimate object? Because I am and that thing is our new door.

It lets so much light in and really goes with the modern feel of the house.

As for the rest of the house we are taking the whole weekend and organizing the basement, painting and re-doing the office. I may even be able to talk Josh into some new office furniture....Maybe.

We also ordered the windows and siding and they should be in soon. Home Depot does this wonderful thing where they submit your order to a bid room and try and get you a lower price. Before it was submitted the bid was $3,400 and the lowest bid was $2,800 - so we saved quite a bit by having it done this way and it was just a few more days wait. God Bless Home Depot!

Walgreen's Deals for October

When I first went over October's Easy Saver catalog I was bummed because they were only offering 3 FAR items. But after a closer look I realized they were running a few sales and smaller rebate items I already had coupons for and that we actually needed.

I also did two transactions and got double the Rebate products and use another Walgreen's Gift Card for the second transaction.

First Transaction:

6 Hour Energy Shots 2pack = $3.99
Gillette Fusion Phenom Combo Pack/Starter Kit = $8.99
Soft Soap Pomegranate & Mango Body Wash = $3.49
Rimmel Long Lasting Finish Foundation = $7.49
Loreal Skin Genesis Cleansing Cloths 30 count = $6.99

Total Before Coupons = $30.95

6 Hour Energy Shots 2pack = $3.99 but FAR
Gillette Fusion Phenom Combo Pack/Starter Kit = $8.99 used $4/1 coupon and got $4 in Register Rewards = $.99
Soft Soap Pomegranate & Mango Body Wash = $3.49 and used $1 off coupon in EasySaver booklet = $2.49
Rimmel Long Lasting Finish Foundation = $7.49 but FAR
Loreal Skin Genesis Cleansing Cloths 30 count = $6.99 but FAR

Total after Coupons and Register Rewards = $21.95
Total in Rebates to be added to gift card = $18.47 + 10%

Total OOP = $3.48 + Tax (that should be covered by the 10%)

Second Transaction

6 Hour Energy Shots 2pack = $3.99
Rimmel Long Lasting Finish Foundation = $7.49
Loreal RevitaLift Cleansing Cloths 30 count = $6.99
Revlon ColorSilk Hair Color = $1.99
(2) Glade Apples and Spice Scented Gel Warmer @ $1.99 each = $3.98

Total Before Coupons and Rebates = $24.44

6 Hour Energy Shots 2pack = $3.99 but FAR
Rimmel Long Lasting Finish Foundation = $7.49 but FAR
Loreal RevitaLift Cleansing Cloths 30 count = $6.99 but FAR
Revlon Color Silk Hair Color = $1.99 and received $1 in RRewards = $.99
(2) Glade Apples and Spice Scented Gel Warmer @ $1.99 each = $3.98 and used B1G1 Man. coupon and got $1 in Rebates for each product = $.01 overage!

Total After Coupons and RR = $20.43
Total Rebates = $19.45

Total OOP = $.98 + tax (that should be covered by 10%)

*Updated to Include Following*

Third Transaction

Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush = $4.49
(4) Febreze Air Effects Air Freshener @ $2.49 = $9.96

Total Before Register Rewards = $14.45

Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush = $4.49 and received $4.50 in Register Rewards = FREE
(4) Febreze Air Effects Air Freshener @ $2.49 = $9.96 and received $5.00 in Register Rewards for Purchasing 4 = $4.96 or $1.24 a bottle

Total OOP = $4.96
Note: They could have been free if I would have had a few of the Febreze coupons circulating out there but I didn't and I really needed to re-stock the Febreze and it's a pretty good deal as I usually pay around $2.50 a bottle.

Fourth Transaction

(4) Glade Apples and Spice Scented Gel Warmers = $7.96
(2) Oust Air Sanitizers = $7.58

Total Before Coupons and Rebates = $15.54

(4) Glade Apples and Spice Scented Gel Warmers = $7.96 and used B1G1 Manf. Coupon and will receive $4.00 in rebates for each one which makes $.02 overage! Plus I got $1 coupons from each package for refills.
(2) Oust Air Sanitizers = $7.58 used $2 off Manf. Coupon + $1 Manf. Coupon found stuck to one bottle (score) and I'll get $1 rebate for both = $2.58 or $1.29 Each

Total OOP = $2.56

Ladies, note the sale price on Revlon's Color Silk color, $1.99 with $1.00 instant Register Rewards! If you use this brand of color it's a great deal!!! I don't because I use Feria but I can always use it in the future or give it to someone who will.

That's $86.oo worth of products for less than $12.00!! Cha-Ching!

Please Forgive Me

I'm going to jam up your Google Readers in the next few days. I have a ton to post about and a great deal of them deserve their own posts. I have some time available until this weekend and want to get it done. I need to get Baby Shower pics up for family, Nadia pics up for my Mom, Walgreens deals, House updates etc....

Progress Update

We recently installed a new side and front door. We use the side door as our front door. Before we installed the new front door the side door opened but would barely close so we just always used the side. It's become our "main" entrance. The one before just had windows half way up and my dogs would put their paws on it and move the blinds out of the way to see out and it was aggravating because their nails would scratch the door. Now they can just look out without messing up the blinds or scratching the door. My dogs must to be able to look out a window or door because they have been trained to keep watch and bark when something or someone unknown comes into our yard. If I didn't install this door they jump on the back of the living room couch and keep watch like birds and because they know they can't do that they get confused. This door makes everyone happy!

Yes, you see correct. The molding is off. The molding was around the old door and the old door was shorter. We'll fix it later.

The front door still needs to be painted before I post pictures but they are coming soon.

Also, the windows went in last night. Hubby asked that I not post about them because they weren't finished but I couldn't help it! Sorry Babe!

They still need to finish grouting, fixing the concrete and painting the foundation.

Fall Begins

Monday marked the beginning of the Fall Season for this year. Fall is my favorite time of year. It's also one of my most expensive times of year. We have (in order) my Birthday, the Blues Home Opener, my little Brothers Birthday, Jaxon's Birthday, my Sister in laws Birthday and Halloween. This is also the time of year we visit the wineries. Not to mention Thanksgiving, a few more Birthdays, Christmas and then a few more Birthdays as the year rounds out.

I don't think there is anyone who doesn't enjoy Fall. The leaves changing colors, the cooler weather, the sights, sounds and smells are all different. For me it's time to start baking, making different soups, planting my Mums and decorating for Fall. I usually go all out and even do little things such as changing my air freshener from Summer scents to Apples and Spice, Vanilla or Sugar Cookies. I change all my candles to these scents and even change my dish liquid and hand soup. I look forward to apple picking and visiting Rombach's Pumpkin Patch all year! I'm already trying to figure out how we will carve our pumpkins this year.

What a WONDERFUL time of year!

By the way...That's Gig Harbor, WA. I miss it most in the fall!

Shameless AW Moment

I was lucky enough to see my niece Nadia today. I haven't seen her since August and my has she grown! She smiles, laughs, holds her head up and even stands when held. She is so perfect! She looks so much like my Mom when she was a baby.

Isn't she the cutest?

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

I only check my Google Analytics about once a month. It's usually the same numbers. I usually get between 5 and 35. But Yesterday I received 160 visitors! Whoa! I am happy to get one a day. It looks as though about half came from Money Saving Mom's blog. A few more from Lisa and Kristal's blogs and some direct traffic. But why no comments? Who are you? Can you share your blog with me? I'm always looking for awesome new blogs and would love it if even a few of you let me know who you are....

So I want to invite all that read my blog to comment. Whether you stay for 1 second or read a few of my posts or whether you know me or not. You don't have to tell my anything about you if you don't want to. Maybe just tell me how you found my blog. Whatever you wish. I'll be sure to checkout your blog and leave a comment or two!

Early morning wake up call

This morning at 7:00 sharp I was again awakened by really load noises. I got up, looked out my window and what did I see? I very large concrete truck dumping concrete on in my yard to form our new driveway! Woohoo! The perfect way to start out my morning!

This is huge for us. This was one of the biggest projects that needed to be finished before we could "move back in". Now all we need is our windows....