a big update and then a bunch of chatter over coupons. just to warn you haters.

I have been in Kentucky since Monday (I thought we were going to TN but our hotel was a few miles inside KY) visiting my sister-in-law Melissa, her husband Larry and their new baby girl, Jaiden. My mother-in-law and I did the drive together and yesterday on our way up 81 we stopped in Harrisonburg to pick Andy up and continued on to Strasburg, where we met my parents for dinner. Afterwards Barb continued on to Winchester and Andy and I drove home in our new van!

Big news: My parents sold us their Honda Odyssey! Even though I'm not a mom yet, after Andy's car died we both decided we should look for a vehicle that would hold future babies + our dog Casey. We were hoping my parents would consider selling the van and we are so happy to own it! It is the nicest van. Leather, heated seats, DVD player, lots of room...and my favorite: volume control on the steering wheel.  :)

Andy now drives "my" Camry (it's going to be weird to call it his now) which means he finally gets to have AC and a working radio/CD player! As sad as he was to say goodbye to his beloved Mitsubishi Mirage, I think a part of him is relieved to no longer sweat the whole way home from work.

After he left for work today I got to work organizing all the coupons my Mom had brought me and headed out to CVS, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target and Kohls. I saved $40 at CVS (spent $61), saved $10 at Bed Bath and Beyond (spent $26), saved $16 at Target (spent $85), and saved $55 at Kohls (spent $21). While I still spent a lot of money: $193 total, but I saved a total of $121! The ONLY thing I bought for myself that I don't need was a $1 small blue bin from Target that I plan on using for stashing my many lipsticks and glosses and balms.

I have been doing a LOT of shopping lately, and it's time to put a stop to some things:
-- no going to Bath and Body Works until 2011, even though I keep getting amazing coupons. I have enough hand soap to last me until then.
-- no more candles unless they are for gifts.
-- no more shampoo, body wash or deodorant for Andy
-- no more razors or shave gel for me
-- no buying makeup unless I'm getting Extra Care Bucks (or it's on sale) AND I have a manufacturer's coupon
-- no buying pens or notebooks (sniff)

I'm exhausted.