Why I Love...

...Checkout 51.

Checkout 51 is a smartphone app that gives you cash back for groceries you purchase, similar to Ibotta. 

Simple. Buy groceries, earn cash back.

Easy. Use your smartphone to snap pictures of your receipt and upload to the app. Most receipts are reviewed within 24 hours and your account is credited.

And real. I often found with Ibotta the products listed were too random, stuff I never bought anyway. So far with Checkout 51 I have earned cash back on bananas, eggs, milk, bread, Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks, and Folgers coffee. That was only in two weeks. There are some non-grocery items on there, too, like Glade products and Shout spray (a staple in our house!). 

I am always, always, looking for ways to cut down my grocery and household expenses, and every little bit counts!

Funny how that works...

Life, that is.

I can't believe how busy I have been these last six months...which would be the last time I wrote a blog post.

I only missed a few monthly Easton summaries. He would be almost on month 13 now, having just celebrated his first birthday in January. I can't believe he is so big already!

Natalie is two and a half and is no longer a toddler, which is really crazy for me. I can't believe how big she is getting, either!

I have been working full-time since the beginning of January, which has been a big adjustment for me, but so far we are making it work, although it does mean our weekends are more filled with chores than fun. Hopefully someday life will slow down a little bit, although I have my doubts.

So, let's try this regular (sort of) blogging again, shall we?

Easton: Seven Months

Vital Stats
Easton weighs 20.8 pounds and is 29 inches. He is going to catch Natalie before too long (she is 33 inches)!

Milestones This Month
Easton can sit fairly well, although he has a freaky tendency to suddenly throw himself backwards. Mommy is not a fan of that. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth constantly, so will probably be crawling before too long. And then, watch out!

Sleeping

Easton has been doing well sleeping at night. He isn't the nighttime sleeper Natalie is, but is pretty consistent. With the current heat wave he hasn't been sleeping as well, but neither has anyone else. Naps are hit-and-miss. Sometimes he will take a great 2-3 hour nap, and sometimes it will only be 30 minutes. Mommy always plans for 30 minute naps so she can be pleasantly surprised when they are longer.

Eating
The doctor told Mommy at Easton's last appointment that "there are no real food restrictions, except raw honey" and to start giving him red meat! So sky's the limit for this boy. So far Mommy hasn't branched out too far, but he has had some spaghetti and almost every fruit and veggie under the sun. Mommy keeps trying to give him Puff snacks but he isn't crazy about the texture and ends up gagging most of the time. We are working on it.

Communication
Easton is pretty good at getting his point across. He giggles, smiles, cries, and whines with the best of them. He doesn't babble as much as the last month, but he is pretty busy with physical milestones so social milestones have taken a back seat.

Play Time
Easton loves to play! He is really starting to get into his toys, and Natalie's toys, much to her consternation. She isn't a huge fan of letting Easton play with her toys and often has to be convinced that it is okay. Watch out world when he starts crawling; we are going to have a VERY unhappy big sister! Easton isn't as entertained in his jumparoo, exersaucer, or bouncer as he used to be. He would much rather be on the floor playing with toys, rolling/scooting around, and trying to crawl.

Americana

I love the Fourth of July. And Americana decorations. I buy them whenever I can, but my favorite time to buy them is July 5th. You can get some good deals, man.

I got this napkin/silverware holder last summer on clearance after the Fourth.

And also these wind things...I know they have an actual name, but I'm only coming up with windmill, and I know that isn't right.

We bought a flag this year and put it on our garage. It mostly blows up on the roof, but sometimes it hangs nicely.

My mom gave me this earlier this year. She's had it since I was a kid but hasn't used it much recently. It has all kinds of themes. Currently we have a "Happy Birthday" cake up there since Natalie's birthday was a few days ago.

I got this on a garage sale in the cities a few years ago...

...and I got this handy-dandy Americana mail holder just last summer. This one stays up all the time. 'Cause it's okay to be patriotic year-round, you know.

31/52

I have failed at these lately! But here are some cute pictures of my kiddos:

Thanks, Mom!

 

 

Easton: Six Months

 

Vital Stats
Easton weighs 19.5 pounds and is 28 inches. Mommy pulled out the 12-month jammies yesterday! He is getting so big!

Milestones This Month
Easton is a fairly proficient roller, and can almost sit unassisted. Mommy has seen him get up on his hands and knees only once, so it will take a lot more time and practice before he is crawling.

Sleeping
There was an unfortunate waking-in-the-middle-of-the-night phase that lasted about two weeks. After that there was an almost-as-bad waking-before-the-crack-of-dawn phase. Mommy finally figured out that yes, Easton CAN hear her walking around at 5:20 a.m. and put a big, noisy fan in his room. The first morning after that he slept until 7:30 and Mommy sang praises to Jesus.

Eating
Easton is almost ready for stage 2 baby foods. If he knew it was coming he would probably be excited! He appears to be very tired of the same old, same old sweet potatoes and bananas. How about some variety, Mom? Easton eats three meals a day, with an occasional mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon bottle, and a bottle before bed.

Communication
Easton babbles!! This is new for Mommy because big sister Natalie almost never babbled, and certainly not at this age. Mommy loves hearing Easton’s “dadadadadada”! Easton is also a master at expressing excitement, especially when it’s time for a bottle. It’s a perfect mix of anxiety and anticipation: “Give it to me NOW, Momma. NOW, NOW, NOW!” (Cue waving/grasping hands and frantic expression.)

Play Time
Easton is playing with toys on the floor more and more, much to Natalie’s dismay. Yesterday Mommy told Natalie she had to let Easton play with some of her toys, and, with a very concerned look on her face, she stared at him from the corner of her eye. Easton also still enjoys his bouncer and jumperoo, but he isn’t as content for as long as he used to be. Much more like how Natalie always was: ready to be on the move!

an ode to my sheets

I love clean sheets. They are one of my favorite things. I may have mentioned that a time or seven.

I used to wash my sheets every week. I used to clean the house every week, too. But that was back before I had kids. And internet. Kids and internet take up a lot of my free time.

Now that we are living in our own place, with our own washer and dryer, washing sheets is way more convenient than it used to be. I was so excited for it.

But then Easton was born. Easton, with all his crazy skin problems. Easton, who ate in the middle of the night for FOREVER, it seemed to me. Easton, who would come in contact with my sheets. Which meant, unfortunately, they had to be washed in dye-free, SCENT-FREE detergent.

What a sad state of affairs. No more clean-smelling sheets. Instead, they would smell like nothing. Like NOTHING! For about one day, I guess, and then they would smell like formula spit-up.

But now Easton sleeps in his own room, in his own bed, and never comes in contact with my sheets. You know what that means? For the first time in about four years, my sheets can be washed weekly in yummy-smelling detergent. And I can enjoy clean sheets once more.

Let me hear you now..."CEL-E-BRATE GOOD TIMES, COME ON!"