Free Item at Victoria's Secret

If you're interested, you can visit Victoria’s Secret PINK Nation and register to be a member. After you do that, it will open a screen to allow you to print a coupon for a free item as well as a coupon for $10 off a $35 purchase. I'd read on the internet that the free item was a choice from four different styles of tote bags - and that was enough to get me to try it, but when I took my coupon in and asked what my choice of a free item was, the sales girl asked her manager and they said it was a free panty of my choice! I was already excited at the possibility of a free tote bag, but the reality of free underwear was even better!! Angie came along and enjoyed some free underwear too - and Kate LOVED looking at all the different designs as we hunted for our pairs. Go forth and enjoy the free-ness!

Google Adsense Pays

Are you a fellow blogger? If so, you should definitely check into Google's Adsense program here. Today I want to testify that Google Adsense definitely pays - this week they sent me a $100 check in the mail!! When I started blogging this past fall we checked the program out and decided to take a chance on it - because what did we have to lose? Cody helped me figure out what needed to be done to add one ad bar on the right side of my blog and we were done. There are lots of other options on how to arrange their advertisements on your site, but we decided to keep it simple.

Google's program does some sort of magic to "read" my blog and try to display relevant ads to what I'm posting about (sometimes this works and sometimes not). When people click on the ads as they read through my blog a few cents goes into my Google Adsense account. And as soon as the account totals $100, they send you a check (your choice of direct deposit or snail mail).

For the last few months I've been eagerly watching and waiting as my account slowly but steadily climbed closer to that $100 mark so we could see what would happen. And I'm THRILLED to report that as promised, Google came through for me by faithfully mailing my check! I understand $100 isn't much considering it's taken a few months to accumulate it, but for my little family $100 is absolutely FANTASTIC!! You know with my bargain shopping and coupon clipping I can make $100 go pretty far...

And here's a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has clicked on those links in the past - we so appreciate you and your time spent clicking... and please keep it up! If you want to know anything else about making the process work for you, I'd be glad to help because my bank account is now living proof that Google Adsense really works!!

Winter or Spring?

Saturday morning it was in the 20s in Lubbock. Someone across the street from Cody's grandparents' house left a sprinkler going overnight and had some MAJOR icicles hanging in their yard. Kate was SO EXCITED to see all those "popsicles" hanging from the trees. She's really enjoyed watching icicles form this winter (and since we live in DFW ice is just about the fullest extent of the season). And then yesterday - a mere three days later - while we were at the zoo we saw the first signs of spring coming! There were a few trees with blooms and buds starting to emerge. It's hard to believe the difference a few days and a few miles can make...

My Pony Tailed Girl

This morning we decided on the fly to go to the zoo. In efforts to get out the door a little more quickly so we could meet our friends on time, I grabbed a hat from my closet to wear. Just as I was finishing up brushing my teeth Kate came running into my bathroom with her beloved Boston hat and announced she wanted to wear it just like I was. How do you argue with that?

Normally when she wears her hat we just brush her hair out and pop on the cap, but today when I tried to do that she started to cry, shriek, and perform various other sad girl activities. When we were finally able to return to some semblance of sanity, I was able to understand that she was upset because she wanted a "pony-tail-hat-like-momma."

A few months ago this would have been an impossible feat, but today my girl had enough hair to sweep back into a single pony tail - thus making her wish come true as well as ushering in one of those new chapters of toddler life I blogged about yesterday. Sitting on her stool in front of the mirror she grinned from ear to ear as her hat went on and her pony tail was pulled through the hole in the back! And such grins definitely necessitate pictures to share :).

Another Toddler Transition

From the time her entire body could fit in the crook of an arm, Kate has enjoyed napping in the peaceful arms of her BeeBee. As her healthy little girl body grows, it looks like the space for that favorite pastime is unfortunately diminishing rather quickly! Last Friday afternoon she was so tired she got to enjoy about an hour nap in BeeBee's arms - and as you can tell from the picture, it was very likely her last...

So many baby type things seem to drawing to a close in Kate's life these last few months. In some ways that fact brings a degree of sadness to my heart, but in so many more ways I'm excited about all the new little girl doors that are springing open as those baby doors shut! Every day I stand amazed at what she is big enough to do - she says and does so many grown up things now. Even though two and three years old isn't usually the stage that most people enjoy being around children, there are so many exciting things happening in those little hearts and minds! No matter what her age may be, I will always be so blessed to have this precious girl in my life!!

Flip Side: Part 2

To follow suit, here's part 2 of our trip down memory lane. One thing is for sure in Kate's life: if you're naked, you're definitely going to get to do something fun! And unfortunately for Cody, Kate likes to enjoy making messes as much as I do :). And again I stand amazed at how much hair she's grown over the past year. But I imagine this will be the final chapter of Kate's birthday suit pictures... naked babies in diapers are cute, but little girls definitely need their privacy at some point - from now on we're going to have to find ways to have fun with clothes on. All hail the new era of fun IN our clothes (at least for pictures anyway)!!