Coupons, Coupons, Coupons

With money getting tighter and the economy falling more each day, I've been paying more attention to what we're spending as a family and trying to save where we can. So, I started clipping coupons and shopping more carefully. I've started shopping mostly at Albertson's now - usually they have the highest grocery prices out of any store, but when they have a sale, it's awesome. Especially when you combine it with coupons.

This is what I bought last week.

6 Bottles Shampoo/Conditioner ($2.79 ea)
4 Jars Skippy Peanut Butter ($3.29 ea)
10 Bottles All Small & Might Laundry Detergent ($6.49 ea)
6 Betty Crocker Cake Mixes ($2.19 ea)
6 Betty Crocker Frosting Tubs ($2.29 ea)

I spent just over $60 on all that - between sales a coupons, I saved over $60. When I bought all of that stuff (it's stuff I'd have normally bought anyway, just in bigger quantities), I got 6 $5.00 off Catalina coupons. I used them this morning and got all of this:

1 Bag Malt O Meal Cereal ($3.59 ea)
2 Gallons of Milk ($2.50 ea)
14 Lean Pockets ($2.99 ea)
2 quarts Breyer's Ice Cream ($6.39 ea)
2 Sara Lee Frozen Pies ($6.39 ea)
1 Bottle of Johnson's Lotion ($3.99 ea)

GRAND TOTAL = $0.15 plus tax! ($1.17 total)

Sure, it's not stuff I'd usually buy (except the Lean Pockets, I love those things for lunch when Oliver doesn't give me three seconds to eat), I shopped the ads to see what I could get for as cheap as possible with sales and coupons. I think I did a pretty good job.

Car Seat

I have to rant about something... I hate when parents put their babies in infant carseats that they are too big for. I see it all the time, especially at the store. Babies are only supposed to be in infant carriers/car seats if they are 5-22 lbs AND less than 29" tall. This applies to nearly every infant car seat. Oliver grew out of his infant car seat already. Yes, he's only barely 17 lbs, but he's at least 29" tall and that's too tall for it. Besides, he loves his new car seat anyway. We just got the Cosco Scenera from Walmart for like $45 and it's awesome! No need to spend a ton of money, it got awesome safety reviews. And you can't beat the price.

That's all... I'm just grouchy today.

Halloween

Oliver was a dragon for his very first Halloween - he was so cute! He didn't mind his costume at all, except that it got a little too warm because it was like 70 degrees outside!

Oliver and his Elmo pumpkin Great Grandma Pettley made for him.

"Look at me, mom! No hands!"

He's such a pain to get him to take a good picture. I have no idea where he gets it from.

The Sunday after Halloween, Deanna and I dressed the boys up again because we didn't get a chance to take their pictures on Halloween. They were so cute!

Oliver and Trevor kept looking at eachother and laughing, they are funny little babies.

"I'm gonna kiss your face off, Trevor!"

New Pictures

We took Oliver to get his picture taken last Friday. It was pretty funny. He wouldn't smile for anything and just kept giving the photographer looks like he thought she was crazy. Here's a few pictures, we only got one of him smiling and it was only a half smile.

Half Way To One...

Oliver had his 6 month check up this morning. For the first time, he's gained more pounds than he's grown inches between visits. He's now a giant at 28 1/2 inches (that's above the 95 percentile for height) and 16 lbs 4 ozs (that's right at the 25 percentile for weight). He got more shots and only cried for a total of 5 seconds. He's such a good baby. Here's some of the fun things he can do now:

He's been able to crawl for almost 2 weeks now. His crawl is so funny - one knee and one foot:

Pulling himself up to everything:

Standing in his crib every morning when I go get him:

And he just started doing pull ups on the kitchen chairs:

Okay, just kidding about the pull ups. He just scooted under there and got stuck. Funny kid. He's getting so big, so fast. He loves to eat everything with his two little chompers, though you wouldn't know it by his lack of chubbiness. He also likes to cruise around in his walker (or as Spencer calls it, his "runner" because he doesn't ever just walk). He keeps us all laughing every day. Now, I just have the challenge of teaching him what "no" means since he thinks he has to crawl and climb on everything. This boy is seriously growing up way too fast.

Cookies and Licorice

I think it's so funny to let Oliver eat stuff that makes him all messy. He ends up with WAY more on his face and clothes than goes in his mouth, haha.

Growing Up...

I haven't posted any new pictures lately (I know that's all you're really here for, haha), so here's Mr. I Think I Can Crawl:

and here's Oliver all dressed up in his tux from Grandma Diane:

Oliver has one tooth now (on the bottom) that came in a few weeks ago and the one next to it is just about ready to cut through, too. I can't wait until his next doctor appointment to see how much he's grown! He's getting so big and so smart. I can't even begin to imagine life without the little guy. We all love him so much!

Babies on TV!

Last Thursday, I was watching Studio 5 on KSL. They had a question of the day that I just HAD to answer. They asked whether or not children's clothing with skull and crossbones was inappropriate, or just a trend. So, before they were even done talking about the poll, I was already online sending them an email. So, hopefully this will work so you can see. I have no idea how to get it from TiVo onto the computer, so my mom just recorded it with the camera, haha.





I love how Darin emphasizes the word Grandma, like she's 80 or something, haha. Yeah, she's not even close to 80.

Remember When...?

This is on a few blogs around here, so I took it and I hope you'll do it too! Have fun!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I have together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember....

2. Next repost these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory I'll hope you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave a memory for you.

Sitting Up...

Oliver can sit up all by himself now! He lasts a few minutes before he tries to grab something a little too far away and falls over. So cute! I'll try to get a few newer pictures of him up later. Also, I'll try to get some pictures from our trip to Yellowstone.

My Tall & Skinny Little Man!

So, my little man went to his 4 month check up yesterday. He's a wopping 14 pounds! Haha. Skinny butt. He's really tall though, 27 1/2 inches. Oliver loves his doctor, but seems to have caught on that the nurses are the mean ones - they give him his shots. =] He's really good about getting them though, he only cries until I pick him up, then he's fine.

Here's Oliver today after eating his oatmeal - he loves cereal!

He must have been still hungry though because he wanted to eat the camera...

Oliver has changed and grown up SO much in the last four months. He rolls all over the living room, loves to give hugs and kisses (and by kisses I mean he like to growl and slobber all over my face) and loves to pull hair and anything else he can get his giant baby hands on. In no time at all, he's going to be sitting up, crawling and finally walking. Oh man, time flies!

Cousins!

Oliver has a first cousin now! Deanna gave birth to Trevor on July 4th. I don't remember his exact measurements, but he's little and SO adorable! Here's a few pictures of Oliver and Trevor.

Oliver isn't a big baby or anthing, but he looks like a giant compared to Trevor!

By the end of the day, both Oliver and Grandpa Steve were tired!

I know the two of them are going to be great friends growing up. It'll be so much fun when they are running around playing and beating each other up, haha. But trust me, I'm in no hurry for them to grow up, they're too sweet as little babies!

Congratulations Matt & Deanna!

Oliver The Pirate

Yesterday was the annual Barney Family Reunion (that's my mom's side of the family) down in Provo. It was pirate themed and my grandma made some matching pirate onesies for the babies. I can't believe I forgot my camera! These are just from my phone, but hopefully I can get some good pictures from everybody that was there.

He makes such a cute little pirate!

He also makes a pretty cute little girl, haha. It's those long eye lashes!

This one is actually from today, he was pulling some funny faces and made me laugh! Such a cute baby! I love him to death!

Spencer finally made it to Texas safely for work. He left Salt Lake at about 11:00am on Friday and got to his final destination today (Sunday) at about 5:00pm. They had to drive straight there - that sucks! But I'm glad he's safe and not driving anymore. Hopefully he'll get some good sleep, he's got a long week and half ahead of him!

Elfie, The Silky Terrier

Holy crap! I was looking at a blog and decided to hit the button at the top that says "Next Blog" to see what came up. I've been laughing for like 10 minutes because this is a dog's blog. But I want to steal the dog, haha.

http://elfiethesilkyterrier.blogspot.com/

Funny, funny times.

***In less exciting news, Spencer is leaving in the morning for Texas. He has to go there for work. It's a place called Brownsville - it's literally as far south in Texas as you can go before you hit Mexico. He'll be there for almost two weeks and I am not thrilled about it in the least bit. Oh well, I think I'll live.

12 Weeks

Oliver will be 12 weeks old tomorrow, but it seems like just yesterday that he was born. He's changed SO much since he was born.

Just minutes after he was born, March 18, 2008 at 6:46 pm. He weighed 8 lbs 10 ozs and was 19 1/2 inches long.

This is Oliver a few days old, right before we left to go home from the hospital.

This is the little guy after one week... Already changed SO much!

At two weeks, Oliver grew out of his newborn sized clothes. He weighed 8 lbs 15 ozs and was 21 inches long.

One month old... So sweet!

Oliver at six weeks - I love this picture!

Oliver looked so cute in his blessing outfit, but he HATED it.

At his two month check-up, Oliver weighed 11 lbs 9 ozs and was 24 inches! Definitely a long and skinny baby!

Oliver smiles and laughs all day long, but the second you get out the camera, he won't smile for anything, this is as close as I could get. =]

Just last week, I put Oliver in his 3-6 month clothes... The shirts fit him lengthwise, but they are pretty baggy on the sides. And the pants are huge on him! He looks SO much like a little boy and not at all like a baby.

Being a mom is a hard job, but Oliver makes it a little easier. He's such a sweet baby, is always happy and loves everybody. The only time he ever cries is when he's hungry or wet. He doesn't scream at the top of his lungs too much anymore, which is good. But the second he's hungry or has a wet diaper, he's crying. He skips the fussy stage and goes straight to the all out crying - with tears! I have to be the one with patience because he doesn't have any at all.

My favorite things about Oliver:
*He WILL NOT drink a warm bottle, room temperature or cold bottles only.
*Getting him to take a nap longer than 20 minutes during the day is a challenge, he's a cat napper.
*But, he sleeps GREAT at night. He goes to bed by 9:30 every night, no problem and we don't even get out of bed until at least 10:00 the next morning. And I usually only have to get up at 4:00 and 7:00 to feed him. I think I'm pretty lucky to get to sleep in!
*He will mimic stuff I do: smiling, sticking out my tongue, and yelling (That one is funny, haha)
*If I put him on my lap to read a book to him, he holds it and looks like he's reading.
*He's learning to give hugs. Every once in a while, he'll actually hug me back, it's really sweet!

And that's my update on Oliver. I'll try to do it again before he's a year old. =D

Hubby Tag

So I guess if you read this you have to do it too. Have FUN! *Thanks Bry! Haha*

What is his name? Spencer Steven Young

How long have you been together? Since December of 2005

How long did you date? A year and few months

How old is he? 21

Who eats more? Spencer by a long shot

Who said "I love you" first? I did. And Spence didn't believe me. Took him two months to say it back. Jerk. Haha.

Who's taller? Spencer

Who can sing better? I think he can, when he's serious. And singing in the shower isn't him being serious.

Who is smarter? I'm more book smart. He's got more common sense I think.

Who does the laundry? Me. Spencer doesn't even know how to use the washer and dryer.

Who pays the bills? Spencer makes the money, but I actually pay the bills.

Who sleeps on the right side? Depends. Spencer has to sleep against the wall, so I get the other side.

Who mows the lawn? My dad, haha.

Who cooks dinner? Wendys does. Haha.

Who drives? We trade. But mostly I do.

Who is more stubborn? We both are VERY stubborn.

Who kissed who first? Spencer kissed me first.

Who asked who out first? Spencer asked me out for our first "real" date.

Who proposed? Spencer

Who has more friends? Spencer does, but at least I like them all.

Who is more sensitive? I'll say me

Who has more siblings? Spencer does

Who wears the pants? We both do... (Okay, I do. Shhh.. Don't tell him that.)

Bad Blogger...

Since my mom told me I was a bad blogger and needed to update this, I will. Oliver had his two month check-up yesterday. He's grown three inches in the last six weeks, but only gained a little over 2 1/2 pounds. He now weighs 11 lbs 9 ozs and is 24 inches long. He's a skinny little boy. He's getting stronger and smarter everyday and his smile lights up the whole room! I hope to have some new pictures on here soon. (I might be good at other technical stuff, but when it comes to digital cameras, I don't have a clue, haha!)

Spencer told me I need to change the name of our blog from "The Young Family" to something interesting... I agree, but I'll have to come up with something creative.

Oh yes, and in other HUGE news: Craig and Shannon are having a baby in January! I'm SO excited for them. And I'm also excited for Oliver to have another cousin. I was so afraid he wouldn't have any, but now he'll have two first cousins that he'll grow up with. As well as lots of other cousins (my first cousins) that he'll get to play with all the time. He's a lucky little boy!

Babies!

Yesterday, we had Oliver blessed in the Lake Point church. It was really nice and I'm very glad everybody came to share the special day with us. (I'll write more about that later.)

Afterwards, we had lunch/dinner at our house. There were a lot of people, but it was fun! Finally all the babies were together! Saebryn, Hunter, Addison and Oliver were all born within 4 months of each other. Saebryn in December and Hunter, Addison and Oliver all between the middle of March and first week of April! They are all very sweet, adorable babies. Oliver is lucky to grow up with so many cousins his age - and he'll get a new cousin, Trevor, in July.

Here's the best picture of them all together. So precious!

And here is Saebryn "holding" Oliver. She just wanted to kiss his face!

What cute babies!

Jumpin' On The Bandwagon

SO, I've also decided to get a blog on here. I usually post EVERYTHING on MySpace, but I thought it'd be nice if I made a blog that everybody could see. My grandmas and grandpas don't use MySpace and I know they'd love to see pictures of Oliver and see what's going on in our lives. Hopefully I'll actually keep this thing updated....