Where has the time gone?

Has it really been THAT long since I've updated this blog?  Yeeks, sorry!
Things are in a constant state of motion here at the Swinler home.  George's contract has been approved with a start date of August 2nd.  With that being said, we now get the distinct pleasure of packing our entire home ourselves and moving it up to our new "home away from home" in Vienna, Virginia.  We have 3 weeks until our move date and have I mentioned that George will be away in DC for one of those 3 weeks?  Yep.
At this time, I direct you to my new theme song  Pressure. 
I have faith that everything will work out.  I repeat...  I have faith that everything will work out. 

In other news, I have been really enjoying the continuing ed photography class that I signed up for at the local community college.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to take this class, especially with everything else going on in our little world.  Last week we had an assignment to utilize one specific setting on our camera.  I, of course, went directly for the "A" setting.  Why not start at the beginning, right?  LOL
Here are a few pictures that I have taken recently.  I hope you enjoy them.

Blueberries! 

My sweet Boy, Clayton. 

Lucy got mail!

As most of you know, I have an eagle eye for bargains. It’s not just something I like to do, it’s a passion. I’m pretty sure it’s in my genetic code though, as my Mom was always good at making a nickel stretch to a dollar in times of need. It seems like being “thrifty” is the new black though, which kind of irks me. It’s hip and cool and there are blogs everywhere you look explaining how to work this deal here, or print this coupon there. Maybe it’s just a personal quirk of mine but once things get really popular, I tend to not want anything to do with them anymore. I am NOT saying that I am a trend setter, actually I am far from it! Despite the popularity of being (or becoming) frugal, I will charge on. (Disclaimer: I do not use a credit card. Somehow the phrase, “I will debit on” just doesn’t have the same ring to it)

I am honored to say that I have inspired a few folks to become more aware of their spending. One friend of mine, we’ll call her “Daisy’s Mom”, has even decided to dive head first in to the world of (in my opinion, nearly obsessive) couponing. When they say things come full circle, it is true. Daisy’s Mom recently presented a talk to our local MOPS group (Moms of preschoolers, a Christian mother’s group) and I learned things from her! That’s fantastic!
The one thing I learned that I immediately started to do is to use my dog’s name for things that I request online. Anything that may lead to my name being added to some random mailing list, I use Lucy’s name instead. This way Jacqueline Swinler will not be pestered and I can also keep track of things that I requested, verses the items that are truly junk or spam mail. Yes, Lucy also has her very own email address. I will not share her address with you as she is not very good at typing (lack of opposable thumb) and has a pretty short attention span for anything other than her fuzzy green tennis balls. With this, my email box does not blow up with spam and/or other types of unwanted messages, offers, etc.
Here is a great example of this idea at work.

I love Gain laundry soap. Although many detergent manufacturers have added High Efficiency formulas to their line-up, Gain (and Tide, both Proctor and Gamble products) have always been there for me. I was running low and needed to buy more. I would never think to buy such a product without a coupon (gasp!) but I could not find one anywhere to print online. Alas, I went directly to the company website and requested one. Low and behold, Lucy received not one but TWO $1.00 off coupons for detergent and softener. Way to go, Lucy!
I am far from a pro when it comes to bargain hunting. If I can save money without having to lose quality time with my family (ie: hours and hours of clipping coupons and sorting deals) I am a happy camper!  I hope you can enjoy the benefits of utilizing your pet's name and get some good coupons for yourself! 

Fels-Naptha to the rescue!

So, we’re all aware of Clayton’s recent (unsuccessful) impersonation of Evel Kenivel and the subsequent trip to the Emergency Room. Let’s just say that the rumor that head wounds bleed a lot is NO RUMOR. It is for real, people! I could not believe what I was seeing! Needless to say, besides my beautiful 5 year old little boy covered in blood and having a gaping head wound, I looked like I had walked in from a crime scene. After holding Clayton, attempting to butterfly his wound with common household items (think MacGyver) and carrying him to the E.R., I was covered in blood.


**Key in super hero music** Fels-Naptha to the rescue! I swear there is a reason this stuff has been around for over 100 years! Not only has it been a proven laundry soap bar (grate it in to your washer or create your own laundry soap, recipe found here), it is an amazing pre-treatment for stains. Literally, you can watch them disappear before your very eyes! I washed my favorite pink long sleeve t-shirt (an essential in every Mom’s wardrobe) and, of course…. My favorite JEANS and every stain came out. **Happy dance**

I can also sing praise for having a micro-fiber sectional sofa. The seat covers zip off so you can wash them. Yes, our WHITE sofa looked like it had escorted me to the aforementioned crime scene. But not anymore! It is also clean as a whistle.

Even though there are loads of new cleaners out there promising to have bubbles that scrub, active stain lifters and a fresh, long lasting scent…. It never hurts to ask your Mom what HER Mom used for her laundry. Again, there is a reason this product has been around for over 100 years. Did I mention that it is the same, original formula also?

Thank you Fels-Naptha for swooping in and saving my day, along with my favorite pink t-shirt and jeans!

Dancin' to our own tune....

As you all know, we like to encourage creativity and individuality in our children. To sit and watch my babies play, better yet just listening to them have conversations with their toys, is a joy. It is amazing to watch their minds work and explore.


Today Brooke decided take a break from playing “Shug-a Shug-a Shoe Shoe” (aka trains) and become a ballerina. She pulled out her tutu that I made for her ( for directions, go to my friend Heather’s blog
at The Mommyhood ) and began to dance. George jokes that her love for being “girly” must be genetic. As far as I know, she has never seen George or myself prance around in a tutu…(ha) but she has the routine down pat. She will even bow at the end, extend her arm in the air and say, “Sank You”!

Now, if I can get her to remove this beloved tutu and get dressed….. we are heading to the Zoo today with Daddy. More pics to come!

Sunshine!

Don’t look now, but the sun is peeking out at us!

After a dark & dreary week, Mother Nature has decided to grace us with a touch of much needed sunshine. After picking up Clay from preschool today, we came home and went directly to the back yard to play.
Armed with some new shovels and pails (thank you Target dollar spot), the kids were on a mission.

Lucy took it upon herself to pre-dig a few good holes for the kids. Atta’ girl, Lucy!

Along with some good swing and slide time, we had a wonderful afternoon OUTSIDE!

Thank you, Mother Nature. You sure made us smile today!

Zoo time!

It was a chilly, overcast Monday here in E. Tennessee. The beautiful thing about living in this area is that there is never a shortage of things to do. Finding the motivation to do them….now that’s another story~

Despite the cold temps and threat of rain, the kids and I bundled up and took off for the zoo! We quickly realized that we would be spending the majority of our time inside. I thought for sure it was March in TN….where’s the SUN?
We really enjoyed playing in the newly remodeled Wee-Play area. They removed a few walls and really opened up the space. Clay and Brooke always enjoy making pizza’s (Melissa & Doug wood toys) and scooping ice cream.

We were also able to tap in to our budding veterinarian skills with the play pet hospital. It was great to watch the kids imitate what they have seen or experienced, with the plush animals. Brooke examined every pet’s ears and administered shots (she just had her 2yr check up with vax) to keep them healthy. Clayton spent a lot of time with the x-ray light box making sure no one had any broken bones.

We were able to go for a short walk to visit a few animals before the rain came. 

All in all, it was a fun day!

To the moon with excitement!

As we all know, Clayton just celebrated a very big birthday.  The boy has been asking "When will I be 5?" for years!  For some reason, the big "5" is a very exciting time for him. 
George and I decided this would be a great year to have his birthday party somewhere other than at the house (as we have done every year since he was born).  Photos and notes from that exciting day will be in a separate post, soon. 

I wanted to take a minute to create this separate entry because the level of excitement in our house right now warrants it!  Clayton loves Space.  He sleeps with a tiny space shuttle replica that he got at the Air & Space Museum in D.C.  He loves to watch rocket tests and shuttle launches on Youtube and can tell you how fast the shuttle goes while in orbit, etc.  He really is a very neat little guy!  (**love**)
He has been eyeing this super cool Space Shuttle toy at Target for a few weeks now.  Well tonight was the big night....  armed with a birthday card and funds from Grandma & Grandpa Swinler (thank you!!), we set off to get his Space Shuttle toy. 

As you can see, he is VERY excited to finally be bringing his shuttle home! 

Thank you, Grandma & Grandpa Swinler, I am sure we will have many  more photos to share as he enjoys this awesome new toy!