Kroger and CVS deals for the week

Well, I think I did better at CVS than at Kroger, for some reason...Trying to do all this couponing, while dealing w/morning sickness, is a proving to be a challenge for me, but is well worth it when I get home and see what all I got:)


CVS-

(1) Finish powerball detergent
(3) Lysol disinfecting wipes
(2) Lysol kitchen spray bottles
(2) Glade Sense n Spray refills
(2) Glade 4oz jar candles


Total after coupons and ecbs-$6.59
Still have $15 ecb to spend next week!

Kroger-

(2) Right Guard defense deodorants (FREE)!
(1) Poise pantyliners (FREE, not too thrilled w/this one, but nontheless still free)


Practically free items after coupons:

(1) Johnsons/Johnsons baby shampoo (58cnts)
(4) Pringles chips (49cnts ea)
(4) Swanson chicken broth can (19cnts ea)
(1) Dannon danimals drinkable yogurts (49cnts)
(1) Dannon Lightnfit yogurt (80cnts)


There wasnt much this week, as you can see, but I still saved like crazy!

Kroger total before sales/coupons- $134.75
total coupons- $53.10
Total spent- $81.65

#4 is on the way!!!

Well, this past weekend was very busy for us......First Fall Festivals, basketball games, Halloween and oh................ANOTHER BABY ON THE WAY !!.....Talk about cramming alot into a couple days :)...We were so ecstatic to find out we're expecing another baby that I took pics of the kiddos in their Halloween costumes holding a sign that says "#4" on it, to put on Facebook....and the header read:

"Audrey, Jake and Emma Grace have something they want to say,
Little Lonas #4 is on the way !!"

so, as you can imagine, the kids are REALLY excited and Audrey and Jake argue DAILY over wether its going to be a boy or girl....And I havent been able to escape speculation, that this could be #4 AND #5 !! Although twins DO run thru my family RAMPANTLY, I really feel like it could just be one little "bean" in there, but it would be a total blessing if it was the other way around....We have our first ultrasound next week (6 weeks) and are blessed to see what God has in store for this little one He is, so graciously, giving to our little family of 5....PRAISE YOU GOD for you abundant blessings...Love you..

Audrey's 9th birthday

Well, my baby turned 9 this past weekend, and Im STILL in shock!! I cant believe it, wow, 9 yrs REALLY goes by fast...Prepare yourself Andrew and Sarah :)) !!

All of a sudden Audrey just seems so grown up now and likes to make sure her hair and clothing is "just right" and theres no stains on her pants or anything....Shes becoming such a young lady, until she hits the basketball court or softball field, then her inner "tomboy" comes out :))

This year, for her birthday, she and some friends went to Skatetown (aka Smokey mtn skate center) and they had a blast!!! I can still remember having birthday parties at OUR local skatetown when I was a little girl....As expected, the facilities werent "up to par", but we didnt care, WE HAD A BLAST !! Even Emma Grace skated for the first time....Birthday cake, skating,a few bruises, gifts , $$ and 3 gift cards later, we ended the afternoon on a happy note, and Audrey informed me this was the BEST birthday she'd ever had....Love my babydoll...Happy Birthday my 9 yr old :)

PS-TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAST PIC, THAT WAS HER FACE WHEN WE TOLD HER WE WERE GETTING A DOG FOR HER BIRTHDAY TOO !

Shopping Trip #2- More FREEBIES!!

Well, went for my 2nd shopping trip this week, using my couponing skills, after finding this website, (southernsavers.com) and , again, did VERY WELL!! I got some more "FREEBIES" this week @ Kroger and CVS....


KROGER- Obviously to me, having a husband and 3 kids makes couponing worth the patience...(scratch that- 4 kids, lets be honest here, my hubby eats as much as the kiddos do :)...So I ventured out (w/Emma Grace this time, so it was a "quick" trip lol) and here's the deals I got THIS week, pretty similar to last week, they extended that "Mega Event" at Kroger for another week....

**Total in groceries before taxes/coupons: $193.41 **
**Store coupons/manuf.coup/Kroger card : $95.90 **
**TOTAL SPENT: $97.51
so to recap, again, I basically got $200 worth of groceries for $90 bucks!! Yay Me!

(5) Coffeemate liquid creamers (FREE)
(4) Land O Lakes butter tubs (FREE)
(5) California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas (w/coupons-$1.99)
(2) Sister Shubert Rolls (w/coup-$1.25)
(8) Coke products (79cnts ea)
(1) Huggies diapers ($4.77 after coupons!!)
(1) Pampers babywipes (80cnts after coupns!!)
(2) Kelloggs cereals-Cinnabon and Apple Jacks (50cnts & $1.25)!!
(2) Juicy Juice 46oz ($1.50 after coup)
(2) Simply Orange-Juice ($1.49 ea aftr coup)

And a few other things...so it was a good week!....Now, remember, Kroger only has their Mega Event every so often, so its a possibility I wont get this good of deals, next week, but lets hope!!

CVS- wasnt really a great week here, but I ended up w/some high value face products (I may end up returning them, cuz dont think I'll need them)

Total before coupons/extra care bucks- @ $25

(1) Garnier Nutritioniste 3in1 - $6.89
(1) Garnier Nutritioniste Defining moisturizer - $16.99

Used: $10 ecb
$1/$2/$4 coupons

after taxes total out of pocket was: $10.19---BUT----Got $10 back in extra care bucks to use next time!!

Im addicted to couponing !!

Well, I have a new favorite hobby....COUPONING !!! I've starting "stalking" this website Southernsavers.com (thanks Sarah!!) and I cant BEGIN to tell you how much $$ Im saving at the grocery store and drugstores too....My favorite places to save at are Kroger, CVS and Walgreens....Couponing is something that requires alot of time, organizing and patience, but in the end you'll be glad you did it...Getting the coupons is pretty easy, you have coupons from the paper, ecoupons, printed coupons from internet sites and manufacturers coupons from their sites and its so easy to get very cheap groceries or even FREE like I did this week!...I recently discovered a hidden treasure called CVS extra bucks too!! Why have I never done this before!! Its a couponing system in CVS that gives you extra "bucks" to use in the store after youve made a purchase...

Ok, so lets cut to the chase....Im gonna tell you what GREAT deals I got this week..First:

KROGER- Are you ready for this? I got $200 worth of groceries for $86 !!!!! I used ALOT of coupons and they have this "mega event" that saves you alot of $$ too...I also got MANY free items just because of this sale! FREE ITEMS-20 Nabisco snak packs w/oreos,chips ahoy,etc (they were 49cents and I had several $1 off 2 Nabisco items coupons, so they were FREE!) (3)Idohoan mashd potato packs ($1 this week, had 3 $1off coupons), 5 Philidelphia cream cheese(on sale for $1) (used $5 off 5 Kraft products coupon)....those are just the main freebies!! I also got Chiquita apple bites and coffee free too!! Here are some of the "nearly" free or discounted items after coupons and discounts-Michelinas frozen meals 57cnts, Caprisun juiceboxes 49cnts, Sister shubert rolls 49cnts, New York garlic bread 49cnts,Triscuit/Ritz crackers 68cnts-99cnts, Nestle breakapart cookies 99cnts, Progresso soups 50cnts, Coke products 79cnts......so as you can tell, was a good trip!!!

CVS- had $10 extra care bucks (instore coupons)-ok, I basically got
(2) Colgate toothpastes
(2) Quaker Oatmeal boxes
(2) Dawn dish det
(1) Dial 3pk barsoap
(1) candy bar
(1) Brach's candy corn
ALL FOR.....................FREE!!!! yes, free...w/coupons and my extra care bucks, the total was tax only!....See, when you use your "bucks" on certain advertised items, you make "bucks" back, like for instance, Colgate was on sale for $2.99, and you got $2.99 back in ecb, and I also had a 75cnt coupon, so I had enough overage to get a candy bar too!! Also, when you walk in the door, you scan your card at the coupon center (another perk) and you get coupons good in the store, so today I got $1 of Brach's candy corns and they just happend to be on sale for $1, so its FREE!! And guess what the best part is......in addition to getting ALL OF THIS for FREE, I got back $10 extra bucks more to use again the next time I shop !! WOO HOO!! It definitely "pays" to shop at CVS!!

Walgreens- ok, Im just getting startd there, but still ended up w/some freebies..
-bought Huggies diapers (on sale $8.99) used $2.50 off coupon-total was $7.38-still cheap (earned $2 registry rewards-what they call them)

Noxzema 4pk razors ($3.99) used $2 off coupon and $2 registry rewards-- (Got them FREE AND earned $3 more RR)

Halls refresh cough drops ($1-on sale) used $3 RR and GOT 3 HALLS COUGH DROPS FOR FREE!! (Earned back $1 RR)


Well, I have to say Im so excited about this website, I hope you'll take some time to check it out and maybe YOU CAN get some freebies the next time you go shopping!!

Happy Anniversary !! 12 yrs of wedded bliss :)

Well, this past weekend was mine and Russ' 12 yr wedding anniversary! WOW, doesnt seem likes its been that long, I still remember the nervous quivers in my stomach, right as I was getting ready to walk down that aisle, my flowers were shaking all over the place, and I still recall what my dad said, right at the last minute, "I dont look at this as losing a daughter, but more like gaining grandchildren"...Ha Ha, just like my dad to lighten the mood, cuz I was a bundle of nerves at that point, but that definitely put me at ease...Well, the wedding day went great, everything was PERFECT....

Fast forward 12 yrs....You know, its amazing what all you can accomplish in just 10 yrs or so, I teased Russ one time, saying, we got married, had 3 children, built a house, and traded at LEAST 7-10 cars in that period of time....LOL....He agreed w/me....Well, THIS anniversary, we went to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge to spend our weekend....First off, I apparently didnt get that great of a hotel, was kinda old fashioned, but CLEAN...as long as its clean, I dont care HOW old it is...but was still nice :)....We had reservations for The Peddler (and for those of you who know about Ye Olde Steakhouse, the Peddler is right up there w/it). Well, our reservation wasnt til 8p, so we decided to go to Calhouns for an appetizer, and everyone that knows me, knows we eat at the Lonas house by 5 or 6p during school time...so I was STARVING by then...Well, 7p rolled around, and Russ and I decided since we were already there, and were hungry, we'd just stay and eat at Calhouns..lol...so needless to say, we saved an extra $50 that night, and STILL got to eat Prime Rib! You cant get much better than that...:)....We walked up and down the Gatlingburg strip and assumed we were getting "old" in our married life, when we decided to walk back to our hotel room at 9p, following behind the 60yrs+ crowd in front of us...lol...I guess we ARE getting old...All in all, it was a fun weekend..I love you honey, and cant wait to spend 12 more yrs of "bliss"..:))

Don't Cave In

This was my Journey women's devotional for today...It spoke VOLUMES for me, I really needed to hear this...And I really NEED to be reminded DAILY to "Pray WITHOUT ceasing"...Afterall, doesnt God command us to do so?? I hope you get as much out of this, as I did..

"Jesus told them a parable on the need for them to pray ALWAYS and not become discouraged." (Luke 18:1)

A woman once came to Jesus with a desperate plea for Him to rescue her daughter from demon possession. And Jesus, who was always compassionate, didnt answer her. But she kept asking. Finally, Jesus told her that since she was a Canaanite and not an Isrealite, she was really outside the scope of His ministry right then. When He suggested that helping her would be like taking Isreals food and giving it to the dogs, she said, "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table" (Matt 15:27). Jesus answered by calling this "great faith". Then He did exactly what she had been asking-all because she had enough faith to be persistent.

Desperation and persistence are given as examples of how to pray with GREAT faith. Hannah was completely desperate before God, and He gave her a child (1 Samuel 1). Even Jesus offered "prayers and appeals, with loud cries and tears" (Hebrews 5:7). Something about our deep desperation and stubborn persistence MOVES God to action.

So if you gave up on praying about something because you assumed God hasnt answered, THINK AGAIN. Scripture ENCOURAGES you to pray AGAIN and AGAIN. The examples in the Bible seem to indicate that God might NOT answer if you dont follow your requests all the way through to the end.

Alot happens when you pray this way. Your faith gets clearer, and God may help you adjust your request until it fits His will. But alot also happens outside of you when you pray this way. God is MOVED by your persistence and your intensity. When you pray and nothing happens, thats an invitation to KEEP praying and not a sign to stop! As Jesus said, pray and dont give up.

Father teach me to be persistent in prayer and to trust You with the timing and the results.

FUN WITH EMMA GRACE :))

We were alittle bored one morning and I decided to ask my 2 yr old a few random ??'s....Enjoy...

Where's the moon?---"At my house"

How old is Mommy?---"2"

Who's the president of the United States?--"Jakie" (Jake)

How many legs does a dog have?-- "5"

Whats your favorite food?-- "green"

Whats your favorite cartoon?--" Um, t.v."

Whats your favorite dessert?-- "popcorn"

Where do you like to go?--- "that way"

What did you do at the park yesterday?--"I not hit boys"

Whats the best thing about being 2 yrs old?--"the beach"

As you can see, I was giggling all morning, it was a fun day :)) LOVE my Emma Grace.

BOOMSDAY-2010

Well, it was that time of year again for the awesome display of loud, booming fireworks for all to see at Labor Day..Every year, Knoxville holds a "Boomsday" celebration complete w/hot dog vendors, various radio DJ's, and a MILLION people venturing out on Neyland Dr in Downtown K-town, to witness the most spectacular fireworks show EVER!!

We had a blast!! We met up w/our friends, The Keebles, and faught the crowd to get to a good spot, and boy did we!! Russ works for Knox County, so we got to park at the City Co bldg for FREE!! And got some great seats along w/it...The fireworks show started and, if you've never been to a "real" fireworks show (and I dont mean your neighbors in the backyard shooting 3 or 4 at a time), I mean several HUNDRED going off at once and the booming SO LOUD you can feel it pumping your chest, THATS the show you want to be at!!


So, fireworks lasted about 30-40 min, we started to pack up our things and head to the van, said goodbye to the Keebles and went on our way. We all got in the van, seatbelts fastened, pulling out, and then we literally went about 10 ft, thats the last thing I recall, because after that, we were so tired all we really wanted to do was GO HOME!! The Knoxville Police had our parking garage blocked off for "street" traffic for 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES!!! It was pretty ridiculous, it took us 2 hours to get home, what would normally only be a 35-40 min drive....And for those of you who know my husband, we also had 2 of Audrey's friends in the back laughing and carrying on, so to recap, thats 5 KIDS....needless to say, we FINALLY got outta there, and got home, but it was a most memorable Boomsday for us...

Count your blessings...name them one by one

"HE is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am the tree...Then all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by Glory, then I realize just how beautiful YOU are and how Great your affections are for me,,Oh, How HE loves us...."


God has a way with me, sometimes, that just makes me remember He is STILL there and that no matter what my "plans" are, the timing is NEVER as important as His.....His timing with HIS plans are PERFECT....so, what I thought I'd do today is post some of my favorite promises of scripture, as a reminder, we HAVE a God who adores us, we HAVE more blessings than we can count, and we HAVE the most wonderful blessing to look forward to....Our eternal home of Heaven...We love you Lord and thank you for all that you are, and your reminder to just "Be still" and know you are God........

"No eye has seen, No ear has heard, and No mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him" 1 Corinthians 2:9

"What is impossible with men, is possible with God" Luke 18:27

"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you, for everyone who asks receives,he who seeks finds and to him who knocks, the door will be open" Matthew 7:7-8

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28

"Let the little children come to me,and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these" Matthew 19:14

A conversation between me and Jake..

** The names and corrections in spelling HAVENT been changed, so we can fully understand what a conversation w/my son is like..LOL...Enjoy ***

Jake (holding his stuffed animal, "Buster") said, "Now Buster, Im gonna haf to go to school now, so you haf to stay here, ok?". Jake took Buster and asked me to undress him out of his pajamas from the night before. (They were actually Jakes pj's, but to him, it didnt matter that the legs/arms of the pjs went well past Busters limbs, they were still his)

Jake then proceeded to undress him, himself..I said, "Buddy, your gonna be late for school, you'd better go.".."But Mama, I dont want to go to school today"..me- "well, you know I always pick you up, dont I??"...Jake- "Well, ok, I"ll go, but I want you to pick me up before four-furty (4:30), Ok??" Me- "Well, ok, I'll pick you up before then, more like 2:45"...Jake- "How about one-furty", me- "No Jake, I cant negotiate this fact w/you, you get out at 2:45", "How bout two-furty??"...We all knew where this conversation was headed, nowhere FAST! So for the sake of time and sanity, I told him he was close enough and I'd see him this afternoon....I just love my baby boy, God knew I'd need a laugh , once in a while, being a mommy...

Baby Caitlyn's baby shower

BABIES, BABIES, BABIES!! Well, it was time for another wonderful baby shower...It seems like all the women in my life are having baby girls, or getting ready to, lately!! ITS SO EXCITING ! I recently had the excitement of hosting a baby shower for my sweet friend Michelle Deck, who's due w/baby Caitlyn in Sept...This is Michelle's 4th child and 2nd girl, so I would consider her a "pro" at this point...lol..We had a blast, complete w/chicken salad, chips,pasta salad, and fruit for dinner and topped it off with a white cake, welcoming baby Caitlyn, for dessert...Michelle was so happy getting her gifts and holding them up!!(you know as women, it doesnt feel "real" that were carrying these sweet bundle's of joy, til we get those sweet little pink and white frilly baby girl outfits that confirms baby will be here soon!!)---or blue, if its a boy :)))...We had such a great time gabbing about everything, from babies and pregnancy to softball and dress-up clothes!! (Thanks to Jake, Ty and Emma Grace for making us laugh with your rendition of "superhero warriors", your mommies were proud!!)...We we're so caught up in all of that, that we forgot to play the baby word search game, for a door prize!! All in all, was a fun night! We're anxiously awaiting your arrival, baby Caitlyn!!

Jakes 1st day of Kindergarten

Well, my baby boy is going to Kindergarten...Can't believe we're already here, at this place...I was just thinking yesterday how small and soft and "new" he seemed laying in my arms, going home from the hospital...He had what we called "spider fingers" cuz his fingers were so much longer than his hands...Lol....So, the first day was actually, kinda the opposite of what I expected...We walked Audrey to her hallway, she is in the "big" hall now where the 3rd-5th graders go, its almost like walking her into the "upperclassmen" section of hs....Wasnt ready for that also...Anyway, we walked Jake back to his K room. (when I say we, I mean Emma and I, in her stroller, cuz theres no way Im letting her loose in a school w/hallways a mile long..lol) He was soooo excited, immediately found his cubby hole to put his backpack, lunch and napmat in, then proceeded to find his name tag and desk...Mrs Murr and Mrs Vickie came over to greet him, and hand him his scissors and pencils and told him to start cutting out his craft...He did just what they said, he was on a mission to start school and get his work done...I think at one point, he actually forgot I was in the room, well, I guess it was time for me to go at that point, so I kissed him at least 12 times on the cheek, and we went on our way...What surprised me about this day being the opposite of what I expected, was when I got home and noone was looking, I started crying....It was then that it hit me, and I realized, my baby boy was all grown up and I had 2 kids in school now.....WOW, makes me tear up now, just thinking about it....Im so proud of my "little man" and cant wait to see him grow and learn the rest of his schooling day.....Well,,,,,,maybe I can....

Charlotte Mae is here!!

Well, my neice, Charlotte Mae Mcaffry made her way into this world last night @ 10pm....She weighs 8lbs 4oz, 19 1/2 in long....It was a wonderfully, long, long, long day for most of us,,,ESPECIALLY my beautiful sister in law, Sarah, who, in my opinion was the MOST gorgeous, laboring AND delivering, new mama you would ever see!! She did soooo great and Im so proud of her for experiencing that with such dignity and grace....Everyone woman thats been there knows what I'm talking about,,can I get an AMEN!!! LOL....I wont post much about this experience because I know the best is YET to come, when Sarah updates her blog, about this beautiful little baby born to us from Heaven, named Charlotte Mae.."Children are a gift from God". Thank you Lord for making me an aunt, again....

Cades Cove bike ride-11miles

Last Saturday this Lonas clan ventured out w/another family to ride the Cades Cove loop (in Townsend, Great Smokey Mtns) on our bikes.The loop is right at 11 miles long, so as you can imagine, this was no small feat for me!! We went w/the Keeble family (Jason, Deidre, Kailey and Ty; we were missing their eldest, Calvin), but they were so supportive and very helpful as to what it takes to ride this trail w/endurance and of course, enough rest stops (looking back, Im thinking those were meant MOSTLY for me, but we'll just say EVERYONE needed it..lol)...We started off, it was a BEAUTIFUL morning, not too hot yet, just perfect...Now, to recap, there was probably about 10 of us, cuz remember we both have pretty big families, so we had to pace ourselves....The loop has many uphills and downhills, but very equal, so everytime you were pushing yourself, struggling to get uphill, you knew in the back of your mind, there was ALWAYS a downhill waiting for you somewhere...thats what saved me..ha ha...So, were going at a pretty good pace, on our bikes, and then about a 1 1/2 miles into it, I hear Jake crying..Now, this is not a sound you want to hear about 100 ft in front you, and not able to see..He wrecked, and it was not pretty, according to my husband, he couldnt control his speed going down a BIG hill, and apprantly wiped out, flipping off his bike about 4 or 5 times...Well, a few crocodile tears and a couple bandages later, we were back to the trail..I have to admit, I was getting tired by the 8th mile, then miraculously my 2nd wind kicked in...By that mile, we ran into a park ranger who said there was a black bear not too far ahead of us, that was spotted...We never did see the bear, but we saw several deer, one of which , was right next to my friend Deidre...All in all, we finished the whole 11 miles...And did I mention, my kids did it too!! They were such troopers....Glory be to God, we have this kind of blessing to look at everyday, in our little East Tennessee dwelling...It was a GREAT day!!

New Family Pics!!

Well, my sweet "SIL"..(Thats what I call my sister in law, Sarah) has come, once again to take some pics of our family...But this time its for my long awaited niece thats due this month, Charlotte Mae!!...Sarah's idea to put pictures of the family in Charlotte's nursery is a GREAT way for her to get to know us, by seeing us everyday and recognizing her cousins, that love her dearly already!! Sarah is a very talented photographer and I know working with THIS family is no easy task...lol...but she always does it w/patience and grace....and tonight, I was thinking we'd add labor contractions to the list!! Charlotte is due to arrive anytime now...Cant wait to meet you, sweet neice, and show you your family!!..

The Twins are Here!!!

Well, My cousin Amy in California had her twins a couple days ago....From what I hear Mother and babies are doing just fine...and big sister Allie!! Im so excited for them, what a wonderful blessing, to have 2 !!! "Children are a heritage and a blessing from the Lord"....Amy and Robert are a beautiful and amazing example of Christian love and marriage and I pray for them as the embark on a new and exciting adventure...They went from 1 to 3 children in the blink of an eye!! Isnt God neat??....Now, all I can say cousin, is were tied.....LOL...Love you and God Bless you always w/these sweet little ones...

The Tooth Fairy

Well, my baby boy, Jacob Ryan Lonas, has lost his FIRST TOOTH!!! Alert the press!! It had been loose for awhile, probably about a month or so, but this past couple days, it was just dangling!! It was ready....So Jake, as he usually does, somehow retreived a sucker from Monie and Pops (Russ' mom and dad),without asking, and as he was pulling it out of his mouth, it pulled his tooth out as well!!! OH BOY, WAS HE EXCITED!! He KNEW the tooth fairy was going to swoop into his room that night and pay him a visit, when I say "pay", that means something else...lol...So he got his shiny dollar from the tooth fairy and all was right in the world of a 5 yr old that night...

CHEETAHS ARE #1 !!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!! All I can say is WHAT A DAY!!...The Cheetahs played their very, very best yesterday in Crossville, and came out VICTORIOUS!! Despite a hot, tiring and exhausting day, full of tears, sweat (including the parents side), a little drama, a pinch of frustration, some physical illness, and being so nervous, sitting in your chair was no longer an option,,,we STILL came out and became the CHAMPIONS !!! I know Ive said it before, but Im SO PROUD of these girls, they played so well, gave their all and they SO TOTALLY DESERVE THIS!!! And I couldnt mention them, w/o mentioning their Head Coach, my hubby, Russ..(ok-cue mushy-ness)..My husband is the most hard working, dedicated, passionate and loving man any wife could ever ask for..His heart is bigger than anyone REALLY knows, and he loves these girls SOOO much, he fights for them and sometimes fights WITH THEM, but ALWAYS out of love for them to be the best they can be and see it to the end, so that they know they will ALWAYS be winners, no matter what...I love you honey, you're the best coach and husband, and Im VERY proud of what you've accomplished...A special thank you to Jason Keeble, Jason Deck, Lance Fuson and Cora Woods, you know Russ owes you his life (in softball land, anyway..lol). You all were the DEFINITE backbone of this team, and NONE of this could be accomplished w/o you, so thank you...Thank you to all the parents for their support and love for the game, and a special thank you to Shannon Hughes for supplying alot of the pictures of the team, Lord knows they'd be 21 and grown by the time I had MINE developed...Renee knows what Im talkin about,(note to self:change Emma Grace's pic once in awhile, she ISNT 6 mos old anymore, and has blonde hair now)...Last, but DEFINITELY not least, the girls...These girls are AMAZING....COURTNEY-"speedy", always willing to run 1/2 mile in 1.2 sec to get the ball there, Congratulations on winning 2nd place in "fastest runner"!!....KAYLIN-our mighty 1st-baseman, you are the "heart" of this bodily team, the body cant function w/o the heart, and you were always there to get the out for the team, great job..KASSIDY-All I can say is you might be the "cub" of the team, but underneath is a large FIGHTING CHEETAH! You never ceased to amaze me w/how tough you are, even after a broken nose, you got out there and finished the game..so proud of you, and I know coach is too...KAILEY K- YOU GO GIRL,, MRS. MVP!!!..You amaze me w/ your athletic ability , at such a young age!! Can I get your autograph now, before you become famous and its really expensive??? lol....LAUREN-This girl, Ive known for awhile, and how good she is @basketball, but now I see her playing softball, WOW! A consistent hitter, way to go girl, thanks for playing w/us!! HALEY- This girl just cracks me up!! Despite being a great catcher (way to go on that pop fly too!), she is also a sweet ,sweet girl, instead of practicing w/the girls, she was more content to walk around giving everyone a backrub!!..Too cute..KAELEE- every team needs a great outfield, or they cant do the job, you showed your true talent out there yesterday, and one more thing, ALWAYS listen to your mother, she can teach you ALOT about this game..SYDNI-"Cindy-Lou"-Ive know this girl since she was born, and dont let that red hair fool you!! SHE'S FIESTY!!..Much like another daughter to me, Syd and Aud have ALWAYS been together, like sisters, and now they get to play softball, as well..GREAT hitter and GREAT at catching pop flys!!....AUDREY- my babydoll, wow, I cant believe you've been playing now for almost 5 yrs!! 3rd base is hard, but you field it well, Im so proud of you, and I know its hard sometimes, but listen to your daddy, he knows what he's talking about(well, most of the time..lol)...KELSEY- you prove at every game, you were meant to play 2nd base...your thinking is ALWAYS quick and ALWAYS very calculated, and THATS what it takes to be a great 2nd baseman..great job!....JAYLA-Our secret weapon!!-This girl can HIT the ball, even though she just started w/us at the tournament yesterday, she proved already she's a Cheetah.....And last but not least, it wouldnt be right w/o mentioning the few players who didnt join us yesterday, but were still w/us in spirit, and who helped in making this team who it is, and thats OLIVIA, ALEAH, AND APRIL...We STILL love you girls and are proud of all you've accomplished on this little Cheetah team from Eagleton..thanks for being apart of this team...Well, thats all I guess..More than just winning, may we ALWAYS remember this as a wonderful time in our childrens lives...These girls sure do LOVE their softball........Thanks for the memories girls.....

Crossville, Here we come!!

Well, the Cheetahs are heading to Crossville this weekend, to play in the ISA World Series Softball Tournament, AND I couldnt be more proud of these girls!! (esp. the 3rd basemen, who just happens to be my baby girl #2)....Anyway, they were invited to come play w/4 other teams, after placing 3rd out of 10 teams , at the last tournament...Russ is the head coach of the Cheetahs, so there's much pride at our house right now , not to mention numerous trophies...Pop's gonna have to build us a trophy case now!! LOL...Im so excited for these girls, they've worked sooo hard and sooo deserve this, as does coach Russ!! Please pray for the girls and their safety during these games, because unfortuntely, last time, we had a horrible accident, when our left fielder, Kassidy, was reaching for a fly ball, and was hit directly on top of her nose which made one terrifying "POPPING" sound and broke her nose....Let me tell you, as a mother, (and I speak for all the mamas that day) that is NOT a sound you want to hear over 500 ft away, coming from your baby...The force of the ball hitting her was so hard, that it knocked her head back, and knocked her to the ground...All the moms had their hands over their faces, crying for sweet Kass...But she went to the hospital, was healing well, and was at our practice last night, like the little fighting Cheetah she is, and back on our team...So, please remember these girls this weekend, they sure do LOVE their softball!!!

Fun in the Sun

Well, apparently Maryville (where we live, for you California folks), has a new water spray park on the Maryville College campus, for the kiddos to run thru, much like Splash Country (again, for California family, thats Dollywood)....Anyway, we ventured out, as we usually do, in search of this new found treasure for my kids, and much to my dismay, an employee there said they were closed temp for insurance reasons....Maybe a kid fell, or something, who knows....Well, my babies were all upset over it, and dissapointed....So we took our fresh cheese pizza we had just got from Little Ceasars and headed back home to just sit,,,,when I realized our wonderfully giving neighbor, Frank Mimbs, told us the day before we could go swimming in his pool anytime!! YEAH, YEAH, YEAH! The kids shouted!! So we did just that, Emma Grace slept most of the time in the van, w/the doors all open to feel the airy breeze we were fortunate enough to have, even in July , and just swam and enjoyed ourselves for a couple hours....Thanks for the fun day Frank!!

Wow, time flies !!

I cant believe its been since Feb that I was on here....THATS TERRIBLE!!....Well, Im here to tell everyone, I'M BACK!! Im going to start updating my blog, hopefully everyday!! Because in some ways, its also a great journal for me and my kids, I love to look back at what Ive posted, sometimes sweet, sometimes sad, but its our life!! Well, whats happening this week....Audrey's been extremely busy w/softball, we have atournament coming up next Sat. in Crossville, very exciting! And it just HAPPENS to be on Emma Grace's 2nd birthday!! We'll have to find a Chuck e cheese or somehting,,you only turn 2 once!! the night before, we will have a birthday party for her though, at the Carl Cowan water park....I cant believe my BABY is 2...wow...I cant fathom it yet...Sarah my advice to you- Take LOTS of pictures, enjoy EVERY moment, even the messiest ones, and dont forget to look back every once in awhile, cuz it IS like a blink, then its gone...Looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us this week...BLESSINGS TO ALL!!

The Pampered Chef

Hello everyone....Just wanted to let all my friends and family know I've started selling The Pampered Chef and I love it so far!!! I get to go into women's homes and demonstrate a cooking show for them w/the products, show them how to make delicious and time efficient meals wether their retired age or have young ones at home (like me!!)....I love the recipes and the fact that I get to "party" once a week w/other women, get free products and eat amazing food and get PAID for it!! I have 5 shows booked for this month, but if anyone at anytime EVER wants to order anything, I will be putting orders in almost weekly...And your always welcome to have a show, you get TONS of hostess credit, 1/2 price items, 60% off items and YOU DONT EVEN HAVE TO LIVE HERE!!" (Thats right, Im talking to all my family that DOESN"T live in East TN..lol)...Im on Facebook,or my email is mslonas@yahoo.com...Go to pamperedchef.com to see the latest catalog....Thanks for all your help!!

MOPS playdate-Great American Cookie Co

Jake, Emma Grace and I had our 2nd playdate w/the MOPS group this morning....We got to tour the Cookie Co , see how the cookies dough was stored and baked...and..they got to decorate their OWN cookie w/icing and had a coke...all for $1....We had a blast and got to eat lunch at Cancuns mexican restaurant w/friends...The highlight of the afternoon...Eating in the room (w/noone else thank goodness) , where the bar is, letting the kids sit at the bar to watch cartoons on the bar tv....I cant decide which is worse, the kids sitting at the bar, or the bar tv playing cartoons....go figure....Anyway, it was a fun day to say the least!!

BAKE SALE FOR HAITI VICTIMS

Audrey and I, like most of you, we're watching all the devastation undfolding in Haiti from that horrific earthquake last week on the news....Right in the middle of the interview on CNN, a reporter heard what sounded like a baby crying, so he put his mic in the crook of his arm and starting digging in the rubble, only to find an 18-month old baby girl...ALIVE!!...He immediately started pouring his half drank bottle of water over her dusty looking head, then into her mouth, she was ,at first, in shock but soon started guzzling the water like she hadnt drank in days...literally....that was enough for me, I started crying, and immediatly thought of Emma Grace, she is too 18 mos old....that could have been HER....my heart went out to those people, and right away, Audrey and I were concocting a plan to raise $$ for this poor nation....We decided to have a bake sale, and sell all the goodies at mission friends/Awanas Wed night....I baked Tues night and ALL DAY Weds....from 8a-time to go!!--WE had 200+ cookies (Nestle TH Choc Chip, Double Choc chip, Snickerdoodles, Lemon Iced and plain cookies) @50 brownies and 50 rice krispie treats!!! Thanks to our friends at our local Food City for donating a $25 gift card toward supplies!! And.......Im proud and priviledged to say Mt.Lebanon Baptist Church showed their true giving spirit Weds night,and we were able to raise $340 to send to Haiti!!!!!!! Praise God!!! We will be giving this $$ to World Vision (a Christian org that helps missionaries and disaster relief).....God is Good, All the Time!

Christmas-2009

I love the different seasons God made, in his infinite wisdom...I have to admit though, after Christmas is over, it seems like theres just no point to having Winter anymore, ya know?? Its almost kinda depressing...Anyway, we had a wonderful Christmas, though, filled w/wonder, joy, complaining (of course), but most of all excitement....Santa was plentiful this year, bringing the kids a Wii to play with...(It was either that , or a real puppy, per Audrey's request--the Wii sounded more "economical" lol).....Jake got a bow-n-arow, nerf gun, 2 remote control monster trucks, Emma G got clothes, mostly and a baby stroller...Audrey got clothes, puppy calendar, boots, barbies, polly pockets...But most of all, we wanted to instill the REAL reason for Christmas, this year...And thats the precious baby boy, Jesus that was born to be our Saviour....Praise be to God for his unfailing love...Hope all of you felt that this Christmas season too...