To My Dad

Dad

I am so blessed to have had you for a dad. The past several days I've had several thoughts go through my mind. I wondered if you were comfortable enough while in the hospital or if you recognized us when you opened your eyes and looked at each one of us. I wondered why it had to be your time to go. But mostly, I have thought about all the wonderful memories I had with you and as a family. How grateful I am for those memories, for the time we had together on this earth, and what you have taught me.

I remember the first time I wanted to go running with you. Of course, my ability wasn't anywhere close to yours, but you ran by my side. Thank you for showing me patience.

You taught me responsibility at a young age through the paper routes. We had to wake up everyday at 6 a.m. You were right there with us folding papers, driving us around in the yellow truck, and helping us collect the money when needed. Thanks for teaching me responsibilty and how to manage money.

We had many good times sitting around the dining room table playing games. One of my favorite games was Rook. Thanks Dad for wanting to spend time with us.

I remember our family devotionals we had growing up. We all sat in the hallway before bed to read the Bible, sing songs and pray. Thank you for being the spiritual leader in our home.

I can't imagine having to buy a good, quality pair of running shoes for 4 kids 3-4 times a year. However, running is what we enjoyed and shoes are the most important piece of equipment for a runner. Thank you for being sacrificial.

At track and cross country meets, I always got so nervous standing at the starting line waiting for the gun to go off. Whenever I saw you or Mom in the crowd, I became more relaxed. Thank you for always being there.

As a grandpa, you always wanted to be present. I think about the time you and Mom woke up early to drive to Oklahoma for Brinley's birthday party. After the party that same day, you had to drive all the way back to Nebraska. I think about the time you and Mom kept 5 of the grandkids for a week for cousins' camp and this past September when you were in your garden with Brinley following you around. She loved eating the tomatoes right of the plants and helping you pick the peas out of the pea pods. Thanks for being involved.

Especially after having my own family, I often think about how good of parents you and Mom are and hope I can do as good as a job as you guys. You and Mom have been a wonderful example of what a godly marriage looks like. You loved Mom as Christ loved the church. You guys created a home that was loving and caring. Thank you.

Growing up, you taught me the verse Colossians 3:17. "In whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." You didn't just teach me this verse, you showed me how to live this verse. Whether it was through Christian education, what you chose to watch on tv, through your attitude, your speech, and how you treated others, you lived this verse. Thank you for being the Christian example you were to me. I'm going to miss you so much and I am looking forward to going for a run with you on the streets of gold someday! I love you Dad!

Love, Kristy

Dinner Time Prayer

Usually Brinley starts saying the prayer for supper whether we are ready or not. Tonight Alex asked if he could say it and Brinley said yes. It went something like this:

Alex: Dear God, thank you for the beautiful weather. Tha...
Brinley: And thank you for the food (saying it like a reminder so he won't forget)
Alex: And thank you for the food
Brinley: and for Mommy and Daddy and Brinley and Brooklyn
Alex: Yes
Brinley: and for Stacy and Scott
Alex: Is there anything else you want to pray for?
Brinley: Pray for my pink cake.
Alex: (giving me a look like what is she talking about) You mean your pink juice.
Brinley: My pink cake.
Alex: And be with Brinley's pink cake. In Jesus name, amen.

On the way home from the babysitter's, Brinley was telling me how she wanted her birthday cake. It is going to be pink with Dora, Swiper, Boots and baloons. Her birthday isn't until September but she has been talking about her birthday since her last one.

Say Awww Brooklyn

Brinley asked if she could finish feeding Brooklyn last night. I was trying to get supper ready and keep Brinley occupied at the same time so I thought sure why not. Brooklyn didn't seem very interested in her peas anymore anyway. I'll just have to throw Brooklyn in the tub after supper. I was surprised when she finished the rest of her peas for Brinley with very little mess. Both girls were occupied while I finished dinner. Maybe I should have Brinley feed her more often.

Say awwww Brooklyn.

Mother's Day

We spent Mother's Day in Missouri with my Grandma. It was fun introducing her to Brooklyn for the first time and just spending time with her. I wish we could go visit her more often.

Brinley making Great Grandma a Mother's Day card.

Playing outside. She loved chasing the birds.

Brinley enjoying her second bowl of Grandma's strawberries.

What can $1 Buy

I actually got this for $0.84! I'm still enjoying the couponing. I just wish my girls were older so they could help me cut the coupons. I'm very behind on that and so my coupons are very unorganized right now. But it is worth getting this stuff for basically free! The Scrubbing Bubbles is a product that I'm trying because I had a coupon. I think I am going to really like it (which is good because I stalked up on it). You just spray your shower after the last shower of the day and your done. It works excellent on soap scum. I also got a catalina for $3 off my next purchase!

On The Go!

This video was taken about 3 weeks ago. She has gotten the army crawl down now. She has even been trying to get her knees under her. Last weekend, she had her belly all the way off the ground.

I'm going to have to change the way I do things now in the mornings. If I'm not ready for work by the time the girls wake up, Brinley usually watches Curious George and I sit Brooklyn on the floor of our bedroom with a toy where I can see her through the bathroom mirror. I do this out of fear that Brooklyn will get sat on, drug acrossed the floor, or picked up by her big sister. So I keep her where I can see her. This morning I was blow drying my hair while Brooklyn was sitting on the floor. I heard her kinda fussing, so I looked in the mirror toward the floor. It caught me off gaurd when I didn't see her. I poked my head around the corner and she was halfway out of the room!

This is what I saw when I walked into Brooklyn's room this morning. So cute!

Bye Bye Paci

A couple weeks ago, we told Brinley when she was ready to trade in her paci for a toy to let us know and we would get her a toy of her choice. A few days ago right before bedtime, she said she didn't want her paci and was ready to trade it in. Then proceeded to get her paci and go to bed. The next day, we thought we would remind her about trading them in to see if she was really ready. After naming off a few toys she could get, she started to get excited about it. So Saturday, we took a trip to the store.

Ready to go to the store with her paci's.

She picked out a My Little Pony

She had no problem handing her paci's over to the cashier. But before we even got to the doors, she asked for them. I told her that they were with the cashier. If she wanted her paci's back, she would have to give her toy back. At this point I was preparing what I would say to the cashier. As if Brinley handing him a baggie of paci's wasn't awkard enough. Thankfully, she didn't want to give her toy up.

Giving Pinkie Pie a hug.

At bedtime she asked for her paci (that was the only time she got it). We told her it was at the store. She went to bed with her new toy and fell asleep fairly quickly. But about an hour later, she woke up screaming and kicking. I think it was because of her cold (she did this one other time when she had a cold). But she started yelling, "I don't want my little pony in my house." So I started to walk out of her room with it. Then she sobbs "I want my little pony!" I think she had a love/hate relationship for awhile. She still goes to the drawer where her paci's were kept, but she really hasn't gotten that upset about not having them.

I was kind of sad to see her paci's go. They were part of the bedtime routine. All we would have to say was "Are you ready to get your paci?"

She would run to get it and she knew it was time to get ready for bed. If she wasn't obeying while getting ready she would lose it. Now we have to figure out a new consequence that is going to be just as effective as her paci.

Couponing Again

The server at work is down so I decided to go to the store again before the cereal sale ended. We are now set on cereal for several weeks. I bought all of this for only $3.42.

This is how I did it.

Cereal was on sale 5 boxes for $12 (or $2.40 a box). If you bought 5 boxes, you got $5 off making it 5 boxes for $7. I had a coupon for 0.70 off one box (fruit loops), $1.50 off 2 boxes of frosted mini wheats, and $1 coupon off 2 boxes frosted mini wheats. This coupon doubled making it $2 off. Final price-5 boxes for $2.80.

Bottle water was $1.29 for a pack of 6 bottles. I had a coupon for $1 off 2 Nestle water packs. This coupon doubled making the final price $.58 for 2 six packs of water.

Freschetta Pizza was on sale for $5.99. I had a coupon for $1 off. The coupon double making the final price $3.99.

Cream of Chicken soup was on sale for $1 each. I had a coupon for $1 off 2 cans. This coupon double making it FREE!

I got the milk for FREE! I had a catalina from last time I bought cereal for free milk. I got 2 more after buying more cereal today!

I also got the bananas for $.01. I had a coupon for free produce up to $1 when I bought a box of Kellogg's cereal.

My total before the gum and any coupons was 24.10. I had a coupon for $5 off a purchase of $25 or more. So I grabbed the gum which was on sale for $1.

And that is how I paid $3.42 for all of this. A total savings of 94%. And I get to go get free milk again!

Couponing!

I love couponing! Or should I say, I love saving money by couponing! If I only saved a few bucks here and there, I would never do it. However, I am learning how to cut down on our grocery bill quite a bit by couponing. I just bought a Freshcetta pizza, 5 boxes of cereal, 2 boxes of toaster strudels, Rhodes warm and serve dinner rolls, Philadelphia cream cheese, Cookies and Cream candy bar, a Lunchable, and Glade air freshener (air freshener and lunchable are not in the picture because I gave it to my sister). I only spent $6.25!!!!!!!! On top of that, at the register I got 2 printouts for 2 free gallons of milk! Any brand I want!

I don't know why this picture is turned sideways.

Alex likes the couponing too. He says that there is more food in the house then there ever has been. And I buy things that I normally would not buy because of the price. There is still room for improvement, but tonight has been one of my biggest savings yet.

Wherever I Go

Music and lyrics by Brinley Awtry

Let's Try This Again

I know I have probably said this before but I'll say it again. I'm going to try to start posting once a week. Mainly because I am not doing a very good job writing things down about the girls such as milestones and fun things they do. So I am going to attempt this once again. And I'll start right now with a post about Brooklyn. I wanted to do this in my last post but ran out of time.

1 Month

8 pounds 6 ounces

Brooklyn has been a great baby since the beginning. In her first month, she gained 2 1/2 pounds. By this time, she was sleeping 6-7 hours during the night. I would try to wake her up around 4 to 5 hours but was unsuccessful. The doc said since she was gaining weight really good to go ahead and let her sleep.

2 Months

10 pounds 2 ounces

During this month, Brooklyn started smiling. The first time I really noticed that she was smiling was December 6th. We were sitting in bible class. Brooklyn was laying in my lap with her pacifier in her mouth. When I looked down at her, she was looking at Alex with a big enough smile to see it past her pacifier.

3 Months

Around this time, Brooklyn started cooing, laughing and holding her head up. I love listening to her talk.

4 Months

12 1/2 pounds

Brooklyn had been been flipping over from her belly to her back randomly. Sometimes she would do it 3 or 4 times a night then not roll over again for a few days. On February 13, she started rolling from her back to her belly! From this day on she rarely stayed on her back.

On February 19, Brooklyn was able to sit up a little on her own.