All this for $6!

This was my coupon trips to Target and Albertsons yesterday! It all cost me $6 (plus tax). Everything to the right of the second Palmolive was free!
Most of the coupons came from the Sunday paper inserts, but I did get the coupon for the free Vitamin water off facebook. A lot of companies are offering free samples of their products or high value coupons if you become their "friend" or "fan". You have to decide if it's worth it to you.
The coupon for the pasta came from a free Family Circle magazine I got. I only had to pay .19 for the pasta, not too bad! One of the Johnson and Johnson buddies soap coupons I printed off of the internet. The free egg coupon came from the Albertsons circular. I just want to show you that coupons can come from many different sources. You just have to keep your eyes open and be on the look out for them.
And be shameless and ask for them! Like I'm about to do right now, if anyone doesn't want their Sunday paper coupons from last week, especially, the Snuggle, Seattles Best Coffee, and Clean and Clear ones, I will take them. Shameless, I know! Thanks!

Please Pray For My Grandma

Please pray for my Grandma, you may remember, she has ovarian cancer that had spread to her liver. She has been having severe pain in her lower back and abdomen. Friday she had a CT scan to see if it was a bowel obstruction or what the problem was. Yesterday, the call came that it was not an obstruction, but instead that her cancer had progressed more and that she needed to come in and talk with her doctor.
She has been very strong and very calm throughout this whole cancer process, but that was just too much for her to bear, so my Grandpa called and asked my Mom to come down and be with her. My Mom was really upset about it all as well, and so my Dad went with her.
They had the doctor appointment today and the cancer has now spread to the lymph nodes and that is what is causing the pain. She has exhausted all further treatment options, and is now officially on comfort care. They have given her six months to live. I had to gulp just now as I wrote that sentence. For many years I was a medical social worker. I was very used to writing in people's charts about their terminal condition and their life expectancy in very black and white terms, but it is much harder to write when it is my Grandma whom I love dearly. I do think for me to process it (and I know it's the same for my brother too) I do want to know all of the medical details. So, at times it may seem like I'm delivering cold facts, but to me it is comforting knowing all of the details.
Right now the three biggest prayer requests are:
1.) Her and Grandpa's salvation!
2.) Pain management
3.) Comfort for my Mom (and the rest of the family, but selfishly, I'm most concerned for her right now)
(picture from about 4 years ago)

Catalina Problems

Recently my friend, Julie had a problem when she bought her Post cereal at Albertsons. She bought her first set of cereal and her Catalina printed with no problem, but when she made her second transaction, and bought three more boxes of cereal, no Catalina printed like it should have. The store was not able to help her with this because Catalinas are not managed by the stores, they are an independant company. I bring this up because this happens from time to time to people. If you find yourself in this situation, where you know a cat should have printed, but it didn't, here is the phone number you can call, 888-322-3814 and you will need to ask for customer service. You will have to have your receipt handy. They should send you a catalina in the mail for the amount of what should have printed out at the store. Hope this helps!

Spring Flowers

VanLierop's Flower Farm

I love my little bunnies!

I had fun crafting with my little bunnies today! We made bunny ears, bookmarks, chicks, and bunny cookies. Rylie also drew a cute lamb and caught up on some of her crafts and homework that she had missed from preschool.
Rylie is doing much better, her throat is healing nicely. She had her follow up appointment yesterday. Her doctor cleared her to go to her school pancake breakfast today, which she was very happy about. She still has to eat softer foods for another week, but they were upgraded a little bit.
The ENT also looked at Anna's tonsils and said that they were rather large as well, and we should have then removed when she is three. So, we'll see about that next year.