Baby Button has a Name...

We've finally decided on a name for our little boy.  We've been calling him Button for awhile now.  I've wanted to name him since we knew he was a boy and Josh wasn't ready.  I finally bugged him enough and he broke down and said we could decide!  Our little bundle of joy will be known as Grayson Thomas Reynolds.  Thomas comes from my dad whose first name is Thomas.  I'm sooo excited to be able to call him Grayson, or Gray, and know that that's his name.  I'll still call him Button too I think, I've become attached to that nickname.  I'm 30 weeks right now, so just 10 more weeks till we meet him.  I can't wait!  

Grace

One of my best friends and college roommate of 5 years is getting married this Friday!  I've know the beautiful, amazing Grace Waitt (soon to be Matthews) since my first day at BYU as a freshman living in the dorms.  She is the kindest, sweetest person ever. 

Here we are- such little, innocent freshman

 These next 3 are sophomore and/or junior year

 Us with Karianne in the middle :)

Senior year- Grace, Karianne, Brienne, and Me

Carrie, Me, Karianne, Grace, Leslie, Charlotte

Charlotte, Brienne, Karianne, Me, and Grace (the 4 of us are all going to be in her wedding as bridesmaids this week! I can't wait to see them)

 Charlotte, Me, Grace, Karianne

Grace and I at a BYU footbal game

Me, Karianne, and Grace all graduated at the same time!

Friends through it all!  No matter who else we lived with, she and I were always roommates :)

 Karianne and Grace at my wedding in Florida

Now, she and Will are getting married in the Mt. Timpanogos temple in American Fork, Utah.  I love that temple, it's so beautiful.  If I had gotten married in Utah, that is the temple I would have chosen.  I'm so happy for them.  Eternal marriage is the only way!  

I'm so excited to be able to go out and see her and lots of my other college friends/roommates. It's going to be such a fun reunion to have us all together again.  Love you Gracie-lou!!!   I'm so happy to be coming out for your special day.  I wouldn't miss it for the world!


On a different and final note, here is my 29 weeks picture!

Pure Deliciousness

So I tasted my first-ever homemade strawberry freezer jam in the last year.  My amazing sister-in-law Jennilyn had some when we ate over there to go with rolls.  Oh my goodness... it was love at first bite!  I seriously could eat rolls and that jam every day.  Luckily she gave us some a couple times and another friend too, so we've been able to enjoy the special treat throughout this past year.  Well, I finally made some for myself!  I'd been bugging Jenn about a day to make some together for the past little while and we did it a couple days ago.  I was amazed that it wasn't very hard or complicated.  I cannot wait to have some of my very own now!  Maybe I'll go get some now...  Anyways, thanks Jenn for introducing me to this and helping me make some.  I will be forever grateful!

Here's how much I made, doesn't it look so good? I hope it lasts...

My Current Job

I’ve been couponing since Fall of last year and I’m still amazed at the deals I can get and the stockpile I’ve been able to acquire! CVS is the store where I spend the least money every week. For example, I made 2 trips this week (usually it’s only one) and spent 23 cents the first time and 78 cents the second. And BOTH of these amounts were ONLY the tax. My subtotals were -1 cent (yes negative one!) and 0! I got 6 deodorants, a box of tampons (tampax pearl, my favorite), a bottle of dish soap, a box of baby wipes, and a dove chocolate bar- all for $1.01. And like I said, the money I spent was only the tax on all the items I got, coupons can’t take away tax unfortunately.

Here is a pic of all I got

I was organizing my stockpile recently and want to show you the supply I’ve built up since Fall. When I first started couponing I would get these items super cheap, less than a dollar definitely, or free. After a few months I started learning some things will always be free at some point and I’ve learned what to wait for. For example, toothpaste for $0.25, sounds good right? NOPE! That is something you can get for free. So don’t waste your time or money, free toothpaste deals come around often. Same with razors, deodorant, feminine products, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, medicine, mouthwash, floss, toothbrushes, contact solution, and more. Also, once you get a stockpile of a certain item, such as shampoo, you know you can wait until a free deal comes around again before getting more. When you first start, you would want to grab some of these items at the cheap, less than a dollar price to get started. But one you have a couple, wait for the free ones! That is where I am I at now. Whenever we run out of something, we don’t have to run to the store and spend a few bucks on toothpaste or deodorant, we can get it from the stockpile. I always hated when you ran out of that kind of stuff, cause who wants to spend their money on those things? Especially tampons and such, which can be expensive.

So here are some pics of my stockpile of free or almost free stuff.

These little drawers are perfect for my TONS of free travel size items.

Here’s my diaper and wipes stockpile. I just organized it and I have 22 packages of diapers, 56 boxes of wipes, and 3 of the large packs of wipes refills.

This tub is full of nothing but wipes

I don’t get these for free, but for a lot cheaper than normal price. Diapers (well Huggies and Pampers) are about $9 average on sale. I spend about $3 a package for diapers and less than $1 for wipes (on sale around $2.50). I get the name brand (not that it matters) but for less than store brands. (Store brands don’t typically have coupons) I’m already buying size 3 diapers and my little Button isn’t even born!  Also can you tell which brand of diapers has good coupons?! Haha, it's pretty obvious since I have tons of Huggies and like 2 Pampers. 

Anyways, that’s why I choose to spend time cutting coupons, finding deals, and shopping at multiple stores. It may sound like a lot of work but when you go to check out and walk out spending next to nothing, it makes it all worth it! And if you seriously want to learn how to do this, I’d love to help you out. It won’t take 5 minutes, but if you sit down with me for an hour or so and go on a couple shopping trips with me, you’d get the hang of it in no time. People always tell me, “you have to show me how to do that,” but then they don’t really want to take time to talk to me or learn. So if you want to learn, know that it does take time, especially at the beginning. You have to learn a whole new coupon “language,” the rules of coupons, and different stores policies. But if you want to save money, it’s so worth it. And once you learn it, it gets faster and easier. Now that I’m not working anymore, this is a big way I’m going to be able to contribute to our household. By saving money AND making money even (through rebates and such). Yes, you CAN make money even when couponing. Just last week I got 2 Aveeno sunblocks and an expensive Aveeno Ageless Vitatlity set of moisturizing products for $23 at the store, but after submitting for the simple rebates from the store and the manufacturer, I will get back $50! Making the items free and making $27 on top of it… yes making money! Ok that’s it for my coupon rant. I just wanted people know how worth it couponing really is.

Happily Ever After- 2 years

*Warning* mushy gushy stuff below!

It is hard to believe that Josh and I have been married 2 YEARS today! Happy Anniversary my love! It seems like we’ve been married for a long time. Then again it seems like it can’t have already been 2 years since that wonderful day we were sealed for time and all eternity in the temple. I couldn’t ask for a better marriage and husband. He will do anything for me and always wants to make me happy. Our reception was a happily ever after/Cinderella theme. That’s how I feel our life is- the perfect happily ever after. Josh is my prince and my dream come true. I love you honey!!! I can’t wait to continue our eternity together.

Coming out of the temple- look how happy we are :)

 So in love...

 We're we nice to each other...???

 NOPE! But it was fun :)

Love you infinity infinities Josh! I'm so happy we are married!