What's in a Name?

What's in a Name

So I am 32 weeks pregnant!! Which is great, although I feel a little apprehensive because it was at 32 weeks when I went in to preterm labor with my second darling. We have the nursery ready and all of the 0-3 month clothes have been washed. Speaking of that why do you think that you can put clothes into a box completely clean and after a couple of years in the attic they come out stained? Its like there is some little, mischievous leprechaun up there peeing on everything:)We had to throw away so much! 


Anyway, we have the nursery ready. We have the clothes washed and put away. Last weekend, we bought anything we were lacking, like a Pack-n-Play because the last one met an unfortunate end after my 30 birthday party when someone..... tried to take it down quickly and then really "took it down" like a Bambi's mother on doe day! We have diapers and wipes. What we don't have is a name!


Naming is getting quite ridiculous. It becomes a Facebook epidemic every time I post something complete with multitudes of comments and suggestions that even seem to leak onto other people's walls. It was so funny to me how one time I went to comment on one of my dear friend's walls and found a whole discussion about this little girl's name. I am so lucky to have so many people who care:)


However, that does not solve the problem that the only name this kid has is Lady A. Yes, her name must start with an A. We have an Aubrey and an Addison and multitudes upon multitudes of monogrammed clothing. Anyone who knows us realizes that we are way too cheap, I mean thrifty;) to let those clothes go to waste. 


We have tried Adalyn, Abree, Alivia, Aniston, Archer, Ansley, Alli, Alaina, Alana, Amberly, Analeise...and countless others including Axel Rose;) However, we cannot agree on any. Every time we come close one of us, usually me, changes their mind.  


It is no surprise this is happening. It was very difficult to name our first 2. We actually found the name Aubrey in the boy's section of the name book, and it took forever to come up with Addison (and Brian still pouts about her being name for an adulterous ho on Grey's Anatomy;)'. 


I would like to blame it on Brian whose number one response to name suggestions is " H- No!", but I must admit I am just as picky. I mean "What's in a Name"?...EVERYTHING!! Alas, it looks like we might be in the hospital naming this kid unless we just decide to predetermine her future as a pop star or a duchess and leave her name as Lady A!

Our Awesome Trip to the Publix

Our Awesome Trip to the Publix

Before I begin to reveal the secrets of one of our most successful shopping trips ever, I must be honest. I did not do any couponing for it. My hubby did it all. He slaved and cut and printed and organized. I just split up the list. Hey, it was totally worth it! We spent a total of $110 and saved $145!!! Go ahead stand up and start the slow clap. It deserves it. However, you might want to wait, because when I tell you what all we bought you might want to start an encore.

First so that you can truly appreciate I will bestow upon you our list of items:

2 Stouffer's Family Style Entrees
1 box of Pampers Swaddlers

4 boxes of Nutrigrain Bar 

Pampers wipes

1 package of Pull-Ups

2 Pam Sprays

4 Marie Callendar Meals

3 gallons of milk

4 Juicy Juice bottles

4 Zephyrhills Water (12pk)

Bananas

Grapes

Blueberries

Pepsi Max

1 box of Huggies Supreme diapers

2 Gorton's Popcorn shrimp

Crab Meat

2 Planters Honey Roasted Peanuts

2 jars of Classico Alfredo sauce

1 32 oz Kraft Velveeta Cheese

1 box of Cosmic Brownies

2 boxes of Pepper and Oil Triscuits

2 Skintimate shave gel

2 bags of Doritos

2 pounds of Ground Beef

Squash 

Zucchini

Asparagus

2 packages Strawberries

2 dozen eggs

Rotisserie Chicken

All for $110!!!!

So here is what we do (or in this case what Brian did).

1. Visit Publix site or use Publix circular to make a list of what you need that is on sale. Focus on Buy One Get Ones (BOGO).

2. Look in coupon box for any coupons for items

3. Visit Southern Savers.com and look at their Publix list where they have all of the coupons there are for all of the items on sale. 

4. Print as many coupons as you can. Again, epecially for the BOGO's.

5. Make sure you visit the other store sites, like Food Lion, Harveys, Target, and Rite Aid for any of their coupons.

Helpful hints:

•  If you have BOGO's and then you have a coupon for 1 item then print 2 coupons because you can use two. 
• If you have a manufacturer coupon, you can also use competitor coupons for the same item.
• Sometimes they only take a limited amount of competitor coupons, which is why we split up our list and shop in two different carts.

Here are some of our monumental savings for this week:

1. Zephryhill water- We bought 4-12 packs for absolutely free. How? They were BOGO at 2 for $3.79 which made them $1.90 each. Then we had a coupon for each for $1 off each 12 pack and then a Harvey's coupon for $ 2 off. 

2. The Huggies Box of diapers was originally $19.99. We had a $3 off Publix coupon, a $3 off Food Lion coupon, a $2.50 off Target coupon, and a $2.00 off Manufacturer coupon. So that was $19.99-$10.50=$9.49! (Important: They will sometimes only except one competitor coupon for an item, but sometimes, if you split them up, it will work).

3. Gorton's Popcorn shrimp were BOGO at $2.74 each. We had $1 off each and then $1 off 2. Plus we had another competitor coupon for $1 off each. So we got those for $.25 each. 

4. Pampers box was $19.99- $7 off Target-$2 off manufacturer

Plus, we got really lucky. A woman who was leaving handed us a $5 off $30 Publix coupon as she was leaving and we had $2 off Harveys coupon for fruit and vegetables. 

All in all our trip to the Publix was pretty AWESOME

If Looks Could Kill

If Looks Could Kill

 Thursday morning was really not a pleasant time for me. Now, no, it was not a horrible day, and I know that it could have always been worse. However, I feel the need to share the intense unpleasantness. 




Thursday morning marked my OB appointment where my glucose was tested. Now anyone who has ever been pregnant is going, "YUCK". You know what I am talking about. This is where you have to drink that nastiness disguised as orange soda which tastes nothing like it and has an automatic reaction of gagging. Not only do you have to drink this disgusting mess, but you are not allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before. MIDNIGHT!! That is hard for anyone, but it is especially hard for a pregnant woman and even harder for a pregnant woman who allows herself one cup of coffee each morning. 


Needless to say, I was not in the best mood when I arrived at my appointment at 9:00 in the A.M. As I sat waiting, not happy at all, a girl walked in with her mother. I say girl because she looked all of 16. I glanced up and had to look again to make sure she was actually pregnant. She had a little bump, kind of like the one I have all the time when I am not pregnant. Then she informs the front desk that she finished her glucose drink at 8:15. 

At this point I almost choke. Why you may ask? Well, you have to be between 25 and 28 week to do the glucose test, which means she was as far a long as I am. However, the difference was insane. I know, I know. Everyone is different but this mess is ridiculous!!!

Me!! (not really, but close. I am actually a bit bigger)

Her!!!! (not really, but this is pretty accurate

I now begin to sink into a little bit of depression. However, it is lightened when I get called back and get to talking with my super fabulous nurse and the BEST midwife in history! The bubble bursts though when super, skinny B---- comes back in to the small room to have her finger pricked. I ask her how far along she is. "25 weeks", she responds snottily (I guess the B---- was an accurate description). 

I look at my midwife and say (close to tears), "That is ridiculous! Look at her and look at me!" My midwife says, "Liz this is your third baby! You look great. You can't compare the two!" I feel a little bit better until the super young, skinny b---- opens her mouth and says (totally lacking in any tack whatsoever), "It's my third baby, too."

My midwife and nurse later told me that if looks could kill that little heifer would have bee dead on the spot. Seriously, have some compassion!