Coupons and Free Stuff!!

I've gone full force into coupon-mode!!  I have joined groups/ websites..forums...anyplace possible to get a coupon or two for diapers...wipes....food...toiletries....cleaning supplies... etc..you name it, By the end of the month, I should have a coupon for anything and everything we need...plus some left over.
Thank you to a good friend, letting me in on a few secrets...I did pretty well today-my first day:)
I bought about $50.00 worth of stuff for $25.00, including toilet paper/diapers/dishwashing soap/laundry detergent/shampoo/razors--2 free packs of batteries and hair dye for me:)  and I have $12 in cvs bucks....so I think I did pretty well for the first time around....but MAN--alot of work, between scanning websites, printing coupons, checking out flyers..dragging two beautiful babies around finding the exact stuff on the coupons... and then wrapping my sleepy head around the math part....hummmm...I'd still say it's worth it.  A little effort can get you a long way--and I'm committed to saving!! 
Hopefully I will be able to keep up with it:)

Another cool thing I've been doing lately-I've joined a local Mom's group, which is another awesome way to connect and network.  They have classifieds, playgroups, ideas, recipes, exercise advise....everything--I'm pretty excited!
I found my son's first walking shoes for $20.00 today--See Kai Run shoes--brand new in his size--didn't fit the previous owner anymore:)..but never worn....And they are sooooo cute-little bowling shoes.  Usually they are like 40 bucks--

Here are a few cute photos from a recent park adventure!! They are just getting more fun every day:)   They interact so much more now...giggling and tickling each other, and smiling all the time.  I thank God everyday for my two wonderful gifts!  And thank you MUM:)

Climbing?? OHHH NO:)

Well, I'm officially in trouble--my little girl has figured out how to climb..I guess this is only the beginning!!  She started with one leg up on a plastic tub...and then pulled herself up with one hand reaching over the side.  She is soooo cute!! and so smart!!  I think all mothers think their babies are the smartest,cutest and most talented--but its sooo true:) ALL babies are the cutest and the smartest!-especially mine:)
My twins are really starting to have fun with each other too.  It is such a trip to watch them interact.  When they first see each other in the morning....they just smile and giggle and peek at each other.  Now they are doing it at nap time too, which is awesome to listen to them giggle at one another from their cribs...but not so good..when they are cranky because of the no nap.   But, I'm so glad they have each other and will have a playmate all the time:)
Here's something new.....I'm starting to make scrapbooks as well as photography.  I will take all your photos--of your children/family and/or you and make a special one of a kind scrapbook.  I'm sure there are tons of Moms out there..that have boxes of photographs--meaning to put them in albums., but never get around to it.  I'll do all the work for you!!  I will be charging a set fee, depending on the amount of pages in the scapbook.  I have some for you to choose from/different sizes and colors....or you can pick your own.  Let me know if you are interested by email at ladybirdbluephotography@gmail.com and we can talk over rates and ideas!  I'm pretty excited about this....I love photography and doing anything creative is my forte-so-it should be alot of fun! Plus I love looking at photographs and getting a sence of a person's history--family history has always been a hobby of mine.  Ohh yeah that reminds me...check out this website if you have ancesters from Ireland--http://www.nationalarchives.ie/--this is the irish census of 1911---it is so cool, I've found great grandparents and there family-it lists who was living there...how many children...the ages ..and even how many rooms they lived in and how many windows to the front (odd...but interesting).

Back to Work

Well, my family visit has ended.  Sadly, my aunt has flown back to Ireland.  She left on Friday, my Mum's Birthday-- My Mum would have been 62 this year...strange..how she will always stay young in my mind....never to become the "grandmother" figure---always the young and fun Mom--that is the image I'll always have:)--Which is kindof cool...if you knew my Mom--that is the one thing about her--she was FUN!
On to a more up beat topic.....shopping:)
Well, just in case you're all wondering where I've been for the past week....we've been checking out the sites..ie: shopping....shopping and ....more shopping:)  Ohhhh how the Irish love to shop:)  wink, wink to all my Irish peeps out there.  Can't help it with everything being WAY cheaper over here..now that the dollar is in the toilette.  Well, whatever goes down must go back up? Right?  I am a total optomist.  It just can't stay down.   Change is the way of life.
Ohhh how I love shopping...though....and just wish I had millions of dollars and could shop freely all the time!
Unfortunetly, shopping for myself has become a thing of the past.  A no longer....
Diapers, baby stuff have become the extent of my list.   I'm ashamed to say, I'm still wearing clothes from my pregnancy....yes...maternity stuff.  Granted....I'm WAY more Mama..than I used to be.  But, I just would not look good in the clothes I would want to wear.
But, I know I will get back to that point.  I always do.  I've been up and down with weight my whole life...
Adjusting to motherhood has set me back a little.  The whole transition, without having my Mum around and having two-no sleeping cutie pies- was very hard.

Here are a few more photos from my portfolio archives:)

Finally, I feel like I'm settling into the routine.  Slowly but surely getting to know "me" again.  Getting to know the me I have become after having children.  It's a totally different person.-you wouldn't think so, but for me-it is..and its taking a while...to try to find my rhythm.

Here is some of my travel photography...It's been a crazy week..The babies are teething like you read about and I'm totally exhausted!!! Up every 2 hours is not a fun experience.....I hope to have some more fun adventures and photos posted over the weekend, but here are a few from adventure past...

Happy Labor Day!!

Hope everyone is having a great Labor Day weekend--out and about having fun!!

Here are a few more photos...some portrait ones too--considering I'm advertising as a portrait photographer.:)

Here are a few links, while I've found them.

The lighthouses in NE--amesome! Can't wait to start my exploration!!

And--of course the twin lights on Thacher Island-can't wait...would love to go now--but don't think it would be safe for me w/ 2 babes in a small boat??

Beautiful artwork-Twinkle Star Art--I just love it!! And one of her favorite things IS the movie Amelie--which is one of my all time favs too! If you haven't seen it--find it--ASAP! There was a time in my life when I was Amelie, I even had the same haircut to boot--I'll have to post a few of those photos some time in the future:) French was my major in college, and at that time--I was very French-chic. Uhhhmmmm- "heavy sigh-insert here"-remembering the days when I was chic..very chic--I was at one point a very cool cat:) and not a frumpy-mummy.

Japanese fabric and craft supplies--I love Japanese artwork-especially ArtNouveau Japonisme-check out this blog too!!

And a cool recipe fro Lavender Biscotti!--Haven't made it yet, waiting for a trip to a lavender farm to get some fresh-first. But if anyone makes it--let me know:)

And here are a few of my photos...the first one is from upstate NY...home to my babies' Daddy--we'll call him "BD"..the second one is a local house--i love the shadows:) and the 3rd is a daisy plant my BD gave me for Momma's Day--in the shape of a heart--also a favorite thing of mine--I'll tell you that story some other day!

Gotta go...baby1 is up and talkin'

In Search of Inspiration

Yesterday, we went for a nice drive...in search of inspiration. Unfortunately, we found potential, I guess , a few..."okay" things, but, not the BIG BANG of inspiration I was hoping for. I went down roads I've never gone, looking for, searching for... something to jump start my mood. Something I haven't seen before. Something new for my lens.. I was hoping to come upon a wonderful find, but it just wasn't in the stars. Or should I say Moon? Come to find out later...it was a full one yesterday...no wonder why we were all cranky:)

I followed a sign for an herb farm and basically it was someones house with another sign that said "wander at your leisure" - which is great- but I'm not going to take 2 babies out of car seats, strap them in the stroller...to wander around someone else's yard. Not to mention, not a happy day for the babies! They hated being in the car....and stroller:(...driving with 2 unhappy(screaming) babies, and no where to pull over, has got to be THE most stressful experience on earth.

We did find a state park, but no place to walk with a stroller.....I did come across some potential adventures- though--a lighthouse search??

There are so many around this area. I think we are going to start up a little tour of lighthouses, a photographic exploration of the lighthouse:)...I've always thought they were magical. And what history....beautiful stories to tell....I love tales of the sea. The ones that are on small islands with just the ocean around them---ummm----very scary!!

There is a posting on Boston.com, which has a photo listing of all the ones in New England. I'll post it, once I can find the link....and there is a website too...I think it's all the Maine ones.

Here are some of the photos I took anyhow. The tree one is cool. Trees are my "old faithful". They always come out nice. I'm such a tree hugger:) I was alone alot when I was a kid, and I loved playing in the woods. I would just wander around talking to the trees and making forts next to them with twigs and leaves. I actually remember giving them hugs:) I told you--I am a tree hugger!

And, of course..I found some SanPellegrino aranciata--my favorite!! It has such the perfect amount of bubbles! I love everything ITALIAN:)

Now it's time for a shower, feed the babies lunch and then off to the Topsfield Art Fair. I am bound to find inspiration there!!!

Lots of fun things to do this Labor Day weekend...plus ITS MY BIRTHDAY:)

Plus...so many projects, so little time. I have to finish up some quilts--I just HAVE to.....I'll post some photos of the "work in progress"..later this week.---they have been hanging around for way too long. Then, a logo for my new name--LadyBirdBlue. And I've been working on some baby letters-hopefully my babies won't be adults, when I finally finish those:)

Wish I had an art studio!! Maybe some day....Another dream..another day:)

Ciao for now.