Our Christmas Shopping List...Where to find the best deals?

 I am really behind this year on our Christmas shopping. I love to shop and this year we are a little strapped for Christmas because we are now sending two children to daycare..the cost is insane! We are in the process of refinancing our house so once that goes through life should be a bit easier. I am hoping to get some good deals tomorrow online for Cyber Monday. Does anyone know of any great deals that are out there? Here is a list of some of the things I will be looking to purchase in the next few weeks. Would love to hear of any deals on these items or reviews if they are not worth the price. Hope you all find what you are shopping for this year :)

1. Xbox Live (T already has Xbox but now he wants to go Live...I know nothing about this or how much it costs)

2. Dollhouse (Looking for a nice Doll house with at least the mommy, daddy and two kids for Lady M. I was considering the Fisher Price brand one but there are several different versions & styles...very indecisive on this one)

3. Barbie Puppy Swim pool Dog Set (Lady M is really hoping Santa brings this) Target did have it on Sale for $19.99

4. Convertible Car Seat for Baby G (I have no idea what to get. I like the Graco brand. I am considering the My Ride or a comfort Sport) I am not sure where I can get the best price on this.

5. Moon Dough (Lady m saw this when we were in target and loved the farm set) The reviews say that it's really messy. I thought it would be cool b/c I heard it didn't dry up like playdoh. Anyone have this? I think it's selling for $14.99

6. Sketchers Twinkle Toes Sneakers Toddler Size 8. I think these are adorable but pricey. They seem to range from 30-40 $. Are they worth it? Again these would be for Lady M.

7. Reebok zig slash Sneaker (for T)

8. Imaginarium 5-Way Giant Bead Maze Cube (for Baby G)

9. XBox Game (not sure which one yet but my brother is getting this system for Christmas from my stepmom)

10. Borders Gift Card (for my stepmom...should be easy enough)

11. Down Feather Bed Queen Size (for my Sister in Law)

Does anyone have any shopping tips to share? I would love to hear what you will be looking for this year :)

Wordless Wednesday with Baby G

Baby G Just hours old

1 Month

 

2 Months

 3 Months

 4 Months

 5 Months

 6 Months

 7 Months

Where does the time go?

Post it Note Tuesday

Get your own Post It HERE and go link up...

5 Things I'm Thankful for this week...

1. Work was quieter...finally things are slowing down. I am a counselor in a middle school and the kids have been really challenging this month. They were all stressed about their grades and struggling to get along with each other but it seemed better this week.

2. My kids are healthy...I am almost afraid to type this. I don't want to jinx myself :) Lady M spent the first year of her life in a doctor's office...it was awful she was always sick but it has gotten better with her every year. I was worried Baby G would follow the same path as her sister but she has been happy and healthy. Thank goodness!

3. I got my holiday card coupon code from Shutterfly...50 free cards. I am so psyched! I love free things and I love the cards at Shutterfly.

4. Lady M is learning a lot at Preschool. She is starting to recognize more Letters and she is great at counting. More importantly she has wonderful little friends there.

5. Baby G is starting to sleep through the night again. We are all happy and thankful for that!

What went well for you this week?

Lady M's many questions???

These days I get asked lots of questions. Lady M is 3 so she has all these ideas and thoughts and seems to be looking for constant validation about all her new revelations...the girl makes me laugh! Now that we have Baby G, I get lots of questions about Lady M's life as a baby. She usually says "Mommy when I was a baby I didn't cry like that... right?" or "Mommy when I was a baby I use to wear that hat too... right?" Well today she caught me by surprise. She said "Mommy where did I come from?" I was shocked. I really thought I had some time before these questions came about...so my response "Ahhh you came from Mommy's belly" Lady M's comeback " Hmmm Mommy it looks like you are starting to get another baby in that belly... yup I think so." Guess it's time to get that workout regiment going!!! Her she is...my little comedian.

What hard questions have you had to answer lately?

Wordless Wednesday...I love fall

What were your favorite fall moments?

Post-it Note Tuesday

 

I am known as the post-it note Queen at work so this was too fun!

To create your own post-its follow this link :)

http://www.onlyparentchronicles.com/

Why I love Shutterfly

Shutterfly is an amazing website that makes organizing, editing and creating fantastic photos & photo products possible. I use this site all the time to create online albums to share with family and friends. I love how user friendly the website is. I have even started one of their share sites which allows me to create a website about our family. I share the website with friends and family members to keep them up to date on our growing family. Everyone loves to receive the monthly updates and it helps us all stay connected even though we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like.

This Christmas I plan on creating lots of fun photo gifts for family and friends. I love their calendars and photobooks. I have purchased several of them in the past. I love giving these items as gifts. The quality is great and I really enjoy making such a personal gifts for the important people in my life. The time that goes into a gift like that is so meaningful and always appreciated by the recipient. The prices are fair and I have never been disappointed with the results. Here is a link to the calendars that are available.
http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/desk-calendars

It has also become a family tradition of ours to send out Holiday Photo cards each year. We use Shutterfly to create them. There are lots of fun designs and great ideas to get you started. Every year we try to think of creative ways to share our Holiday Greetings with friends and family. We get rave reviews for the cards that we create. I have already been browsing this year's styles and I am love with a few already. Check them out!

Don't forget about the New Year either. Wish all your loved ones a Happy 2011! This is my pick for a great way to say Happy new Year!

To see all the fabulous designs visit Shutterfly today! You won't be disappointed.
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/new-years-cards

Shutterfly has an amazing offer right now Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly. Learn more: http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Don't miss it!

Getting to know me

So this is my first post and I will be honest I have no idea what I am doing. Please just bare with me as I try to learn as I go. I think I will start with a little about me and my life and a wife and mommy. I am happily married to T. We have been married for 5 years but have been together since we were just kids. We have our trials just like any couple but we are committed to each other and our family. He is a wonderful husband and father. I am in the counseling profession and he is a wind technician. Together we have two adorable little girls who we call Lady M and Baby G. Lady M is 3 years old. She is sweet and FULL of energy! She keeps us laughing with her funny stories and silly comments on life. I love seeing the world through her eyes. Baby G is 6 1/2 months old. She is such a good baby. She rarely cries and loves to sit back and watch the world go round. She is full of joy and seriously I can't help but look at her and smile...no matter how crazy my day might have been. My little family is my life and I love them dearly. Here are a few pics of our happy little clan.

There you have it. A little about me and my life as Mommy and Wife. Stay tuned :) I would love to get to know some other Mommy's who are juggling a busy life like myself. My biggest challenge as of late is balancing work with my family. What about you?