My sister-in-law, Lisa is a photographer in the Denver area. When their family was visiting, she took some great shots! I thought I would put them in a slide show so you can see them! If you live in the area and need a great and affordable photographer, check out her website at www.lisaackerphotography.com

Music from the past

I got busy playing around on www.myplaylist.com(I know...what a waste of time!) and I kept thinking of all these old songs that remind me of my childhood. Many of these songs I learned from my older sisters or from my Grandma's house in the country, Geneva, Idaho(Bear Lake area). Enjoy a blast from the past!!

Couponing!!

Ok, I have used coupons in the past but never like I did today! Earlier this summer, my sister-in-law, Jenny, got me interested in the couponing idea. It's an actual job and I have been following websites and watching how it's done and it really is a different mind set. For example, before when I had a coupon, I usually still get the larger size, but I have learned to print off multiple coupons and get the smaller size making some items free or I even can earn money! The down sides are, you have to buy what is on sale, you have to print most of the coupons off from your computer, you have to be familiar with the stores and what is on sale(or follow the websites I follow..they tell you everything you need to know). Another complaint is that the food is often pre-packaged and not the healthiest(but check out my fresh items below).
Well, all 3 kids were in school today so Brock and I headed out to Target on a shopping/couponing adventure. I had a folder with my coupons in it(6 to a sheet if you print it landscape style) and spent about an hour. A couple of things were priced high enough that it didn't make a good deal at this time, so I held onto those coupons for another time. I also only chose coupons of items we would normally eat to start out. Here is what I got:

Pineapple $3.99 with $1.00 off =$299
2lbs of apples $1.48 with 2 /$1 off=$1.78
1.5 lb bananas $.58 with $0.50 off=$0.47
I found 4 packages of combos crackers clearanced for $1.25 and 4/$1.00 coupons=$1.00
2 bags of Purina Dog Food on sale for $4.74 with 2/$3.50 man. coupons & 2/$2.00=
-$1.50 I made!!! WOO HOO!!!
2 boxes of cereal-general mills $2.54 with 2 man. $1.00 off $ 2 store $1.00 off=$1.08
2 boxes of Annie's crackers-$2.39 with 2/$.50 =$3.20 for both
2 boxes of Archer Farms crackers-$2.19 with 2/$1.00 off=$2.19 for both
2 boxes of kudos-$2.54 with 2/$1.00 off=$3.00 for both
2 Artisian Farms french bread(small size) $.99 each with 2/$100 off= FREE
2 Dove deoderant $3.29 each with 2/$2.00 man. coupon and 2/$1.00 store coupon=$0.58 WOO HOO!!
Box of 9 of goldfish snack size-$3.99 with 1 man. coupon $1.00 and 1 store $.50=$2.50
Poptarts(tried to pick the healthiest flavor.LOL)-1.46 with 2/1.00 off=$92
14 packs of gum on clearance for $0.58 a piece...we chew a lot of gum!! =$7 something
Glad ware plastic bowls-set of 3 on clearance for $1.74
Archer Farms salsa-on sale for $2.50
limes-on sale 3 for $1.00
1 box of generic cereal- on clearance for $1.74
package of twixles cookies-3.09 (I guess I forget to give my $1.00 off coupon;()
On the border thins chips on sale for $2.99--sooo yummy! like Chilis chips
2 ovaltines-on sale for $2.85 each
Make-up remover-no sale but I needed it $4.49

So after the clearance prices, my bill came to $97.72 and after handing in the embarrassing coupons, which she told me people do it all the time and not to be embarrased;)...I saved another $41.07!!!
All these groceries for $56.65


After all is said and done, it was well worth it and now I have even more ideas and thoughts, but the key I found is 1)to always look for a STORE coupon and a MANUFACTURERS coupon and you can use both together and then print more than one coupon at a time and buy as many as it will let you. And the key 2)to purchase the least expensive item you are allowed..for example, I had the man. coupon on general mills cereal and the store coupon on that cereal, so i found the least expensive cereal and used that. Same with the poptarts, the coupon was for any Kelloggs snacks and poptarts were cheapest.

Fun day! I would be happy to show anyone how to get the coupons and now I have an excited blog to remind me how I felt after to keep me going and remind me how this is all done! Off to Walgreens tomorrow!!

I'd love to hear any other great finds anyone else has found!

Ackers visit Wichita

Again, out of order, sorry. When we left Denver, Grace got to bring her cousin Samantha home with her. Then a few days later Sam's family, Brad(Derek's brother), Lisa and other two kids, Joe and Emily, came out for a visit and to pick up Sam. We had a great time together!! We played sardines every night(notice the black garb and tights on the head), went to Freddy's and Two Brother's BBQ, swam in Robbin's pool, went to see Harry Potter, had bubble baths, went night fishing and just hung out and had a great time! Brad and Derek did a little P90X and although we were forbidden to go downstairs, we somehow managed to snag a few pictures of them!! Sweaty boys! Emily was such a big help and was willing to be babysitter too! Thanks Ems!! Lisa has a photography business and took our family pictures which we are so excited about! Thanks Lis! I'll try to get some of those posted soon! Thanks for visiting guys! Come back soon!!

First Day of School

I LOVE the summertime and we don't waste even one day! But since we play hard in the summer...I soooo LOVE the first day of school! Jaxson started 3rd grade and still has Mrs. Harrison, who we love. Grace started 2nd grade is now on the lift team with her brother. Her teacher, Mrs. Freund is new to the school and Grace loves her. My little Isabella started kindergarten this year. She's gone now all day! She has Grace's old teacher Mrs. Leeds and Bella loves her!!! They all ride the cute little yellow bus(not to be mistaken the the short bus...not that I have anything against that, just clarifying!) and it is so cute to see them get on and off it!
I guess kindergartners do staggard attendance(you think I would know since this is my 3rd kindergartner!) and the school encourages you to mail in your school registration(where they give you the staggard attendance schedule) so after I sent all the kids to school today(second day), I get a call from the office saying that Isabella is in there because it wasn't her day to come! Poor girl! I know they think I am just a crazy mom! I'm glad they put up with me! Now that I have blogged this..I hope I will remember for Brock! There is also a picture of Brock sitting on the steps waiting for them to come home! (No, he is not still in his pj's and diaper at 3pm..ok, maybe his is..but my bathrooms are spotless!!!)

Football has started!

We are trying football out this year for Jaxson. He is actually still in his trial period. Practice is 4 days a week for 2 hours a day and games on Sat. It is quite a commitment and we don't want it to affect him in school or at home, so if he can balance it all(and we can too), he'll continue out the season. Yesterday, he was hitting pretty hard and one of the other coaches was talking about what a hard hitter he was, not knowing I was his mom...his coach told me he's his "all american player". He's the biggest on his team and can outrun not only his team but most of the 4th, 5th and 6th graders. I don't know how I can keep him humble when I have a hard time staying humble myself!! Both Derek and I LOVE football, so when you combined a sport you love with a child you love...it is a very emotional thing! Any advice? LOL!!






The girls were recruted by the cheerleading squad, so I am sad to say, atleast for this year, they have all given up on soccer! I'll post pictures of the girls in their uniforms once they get them!

New Couch!

We have had this old clunker couch downstairs that we traded for carpet cleaning with some friends a few years back. Derek had leaned on his chair so much, no one could sit in it but him...we desperately needed a new couch, but were trying to save up for a nice one. Well, my sister totally saved us. They just remodled their house and couldn't fit their couch(only 2 years old) back in and when we stayed with them in Colorado we asked about the couch in the garage. She said we could just have it..just like that! I hope to be more giving like she is, that is a very admirable quality about her and her family! We were thrilled, we rented a Ryder Truck and loaded it up, then DA started going through her home and finding all sorts of her "junk" which turned into our treasures. Even the kids freely gave up some items for the Acker family. I am usually heart broken to go home after vacations...this time, I was so excited to set up my new basement! We changed things all around, threw out a bunch of junk and we LOVE our new basement!!
THANK YOU GILL FAMILY!!! We LOVE You!!



We were able to fit in her round kitchen table that she is giving away to Stacie and Jess. We are breaking it in for them...Derek's not sure he will be able to let that go;)...again, we need to learn to let go and give!!! Time to come for a visit to get your table guys!!! In the meantime, we'll take good care of it!

SLC

I just got some more pictures from our last couple of days in SLC. Sorry, some of these are out of chronological order! My camera ran out of juice towards the end of the trip, so I have been at the mercy of others!
Our last day in SLC was Emma's baptism! She was beautful and it was a very nice meeting(Amy can I get a picture of her to put in here?). Great talks and the spirit was very strong. For some reason when Derek comes to Utah...he always has shoe issues, here he is wearing his tivo's thinking no one will notice. It was also great to have Matt, Jenny and Maisy drive down for the day.

Denver, Colorado

Our last stop on our summer vacation was Centennial(or Littleton) where Derek's family lives and Highlands Ranch, where my sister and her family live. Derek's dad had 3 of his 15 siblings in town, so we took lots of family pictures. It was fun getting to know aunts and uncles that we didn't know very well!














I have also included some of our pictures from Casa Bonita, where we went on our way through Denver two weeks earlier! You can't really tell from the picture, but as Brock and I were getting to the best part of Casa Bonita..the scones...the honey lid popped off and we were dripping with honey! Tommy had a friend visiting from Australia and her sister and neice, they are in the group picture outside of the building by the fountain.





Another fun thing about Nanny and Papa's is the walking paths and creek behind their house. The kids love to go on walks and play back there. Derek also played there as a child so he loves going back there with his kids! I have also included some cute pictures from swimming at Joshie's pool!