Where have YOU BEEN??

In case you haven't noticed, this blog is being "phased out" to make room for the new one!

It's a more grown up one about us and becoming married!

So, join this one now since this one is being left in the single life ;)

(read: if you like following this writing, you're gonna be missing out because the new one is where I/we will be writing!)

So join that one. Now. (Pretty please. It makes us feel cool to have followers!)

alwaysandforeverafamily.blogspot.com

See you there :)

Oh, Wow, November!

We're engaged! WOW!

November is a great month!

I'll tell the story later! Right now we're just enjoying the newness of it all :)

I Admit It...

Yeah, I admit it.

I'm officially an obsessive couponer.

Saving an average of 35-50% is just SO VERY addictive.

Then taking it home and organizing it,

First into a pantry.

And then into the beauty...

The stockpile.

It may be small (ish) right now, but it's definitely growing weekly.

As I coupon my way through drugstores, grocery stores, and supermarkets in the ME area.

As I teach my ways to my little sister.

And...

As I get more obsessive!

So, fellow couponers, let's do something awesome.

Comment my "Weekly Three" posts with your top 3 coupon steals of the week!

Happy October!!

Happy October, y'all!

October means two things this year:

Emmett will be making his arrival at any time!

And my Mom is having a very special birthday!

What are you looking forward to?

Baby Talk.

I speak 3 languages mainly:
1. English
2. Landon-ese
3. Luke-ish

The last two may not be considered real to you guys, but they are to me.

And I have to flip back and forth between the two depending of which little guy I'm talking to.

Now that's what I call fluent.

For example, take the word "dup". (Yes. Its a real word.)
In Landon-ese, it means "Yup" or "Yes".
In Luke-ish, it means "Give me my cup before I start to scream!"

Example #2:
How do you know when the child is done eating and ready to get out of their chair?
Landon-ese: "Ah guh guh duh" (All gone done)
Luke-ish: "UNNNNN!!!!" (Done.)

They both like the crayon that is yellow (in English).
In Landon-ese: "Lellow"
In Luke-ish: "Ye-yo"

I love seeing them both learn to talk and express themselves, only sometimes, the innocent bystander/fellow grocery store patron/elderly couple at the next table don't...

For Example:
Luke says "Uck" instead of truck. Yep, imagine the stares we get for that one as we head down the grocery store aisles and Luke is saying (screaming) "Uck! Uck! UCK!!!"

I have multiple times resisted the urge to turn to the person giving him and me a dirty stare and tell them that he's saying "truck" and to get their minds out of the gutter.

I am aware of how random this post is.

But that was what I was thinking about today.

Now you know :)

Hunan Facts:

 Changsha is the embroidery capital of the country. Its all done by hand and absolutely gorgeous.
The food is spicy!
The women here are said to have tempers, so they call them "Spicy Hunan Girls". I thought that was funny!

"What I'm drinking..."

Chinese equivalent of diet coke. AND ITS COLD!!! Yay!!
we board in about 20 min so its about time to go use the bathroom (no squatty potty because they have western toilets!) Although Lori says that to the Chinese, western toilets are like their handicapped toilets. So funny!

Slient Tears 56% Through reflection:

Silent Tears by Kay Bratt. 56% of the way through reflection;

-Memorable quotes:

Santa is Sheng Dan Lao Ren “The Christmas old man” in Chinese

-information books liken china to an onion; the analogy describes the different layers of this country and how peeling each away reveals increasingly more of China’s true nature. The longer we are here, the more I understand.

-we’ve discovered that a smile goes a long way when you can’t communicate with words. Our eyes have been opened to a part of the world harboring some very needy people; they are real and not just pictures on television or in the mail.

-a family is a family no matter what continent you live on; all you need to survive is love and a lot of patience.

So I am 56% percent of the way through this book.  I had every intention of stopping at 50% and collecting my thoughts and reflecting as I am doing right now, but it’s just so good that I literally can’t. I’m typing at super speed right now in order to get through and get back to reading.

I am amazed by this book. Amazed, heartbroken, saddened, and so connected to the writer. From what I read, she seems to have a lot of similar personality traits to me. So I connect well.

The difference between the states and in the orphanage described is shocking. I was brought to tears when I read one part…without giving it all away because I’m hoping that with my recommendation you will pick it up and read it yourself.

This particular day at the orphanage, one baby was refusing to eat, because they were trying to switch her from milk to rice in one try. The baby girl obviously got frustrated and upset, and the particular ayi (nanny) was feeling extra impatient…

My mouth literally dropped as I read what happened next…the ayi picked up the little girl, took her over to the window, flung it open and dangled her out in open air threatening to drop her. Tears absolutely flooded my eyes. If that had happened in the states, the ayi would have been taken to court. But there, they could do nothing but sit back and watch.

I could tell story after story from the book, but I want you to read it yourself J  It just amazes me that the care that they get contrasts so sharply to here in the States. Americans, we are so very blessed. Even those of us who think we have it bad.

The care these kids are getting doesn’t sit well with this girl….

Okay, back to reading…but before I do, ill beg you for a third time to READ IT!!