March madness!!!

Seems like March just flew by!!! It was a very busy month for us seems like we had something going on everyday this last month. Three great days for our family this past March was first our anniversary, then we had Hudson dedicated at Church, then Kinley was baptized that next Sunday! All just huge milestones in the Hardcastle house:)  You all know I'm a big ol' cry baby so I won't even try to describe the feelings I had when Kinley was baptized because honestly there just are none that do that feeling justice!  So I will just save myself the tears & share some pictures instead. ;)

" I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth." 3 john 1:4

7 years!!!

 7 years ago today I was boarding a plane for my honeymoon!! Oh what I wouldn't give to be back on those sandy beaches in Nassau right now!!! Yesterday was our 7 year wedding anniversary, time flies! I just can't believe it has been that long because it seems like a long time when you say we've been married 7 years but really it has went so fast it doesn't even seem near that long. When I look back at what I had "imagined" our  life would be like compared to what it is now it is really the complete oppisite! And I am so thankful for that. I thought we would have moved to Van Buren where all of Brandon's family lives but instead we built a house in Rye Hill so still Greenwood schools but close to Fort Smith to. I thought I would still be working at the hospital like I was when we first met but now staying home with the sweetest boy ever:). I thought we would be done having kids by now but really just got started! lol I thought we would have a cute little family dog but anyone who knows us knows we should not own a dog;) I thought we would be still going to Church with Brandon's family but instead we found a Church and made our own Church family. There are so may things I had planned for our lives some came true some proved to be not for us. But this life I live is just amazing for me! Every morning when I pray with Hudson as we start our day I say Thank you Lord for another day in this life & boy do I mean it! Guess it just goes to show we can plan and plan (which I am the HUGEST planner) but God's plan always preveals and is always better! And that's what makes life so wonderful:)

So grateful...

The last Sunday in October we got ready for church as a family of four for he first time. I knew this would be an emotinal day for me as a I held this 6 day old miracle in my arms beacuse it would be his first time in church where so many prayers had been said for him. I sat that there so proud & so thankful for this amazing life I had been blessed with, I was just overwhelmed. So as Brother Tony began to preach my tears flowed like crazy. He began talking about the orphans in Haiti and how our Church was going to send a mission team every month to help an orphanage there. Feed, clothe, build, minister to just anything & everything they can. We then watched a video clip that showed some children over there. I just looked at Hudson, he will never go hungry, unloved, or unbathed, he will attend school, feel safe at home, attend church, have toys and birthday partys. Our worst will never even be their best. When we say we are starving because we didn't get to eat lunch at 12 we really have no idea what hunger is. My tiny apartment in college could quite possibly be their dream home. Those clothes I don't want to wear because their "old" might be the best outfit they have ever owned. The legos I throw away because I get tired of stepping on them in the floor might have been the only toy they had ever seen. That new purse I just had to have wouldn't mean much to them because they have no posessions to put in it. I could just go on and on... I'm grateful.

I am so thankful to attend a Chuch that is so mission oriented. It is our job. I am so thankful for my friends and Church family who are or who have gone on mission trips. I'm not going to lie the thought of flying across the world to a desolate area terrifies me. At this point in my life I know that is not a call on my life but who knows what the future could hold. But I do feel the need to tell people they need help! Mission trips are not cheap they are not free. So whatever any of us can do will be so appreciated and put to good use! If we all could just give a little it could change so much. Even if you could give up eating out one time a month and donate that money you would have used it seriously could make a childs life better!!!

Mommy makes it best!

So I got this big idea I was going to make my own baby food!!! Hudson just started baby food a couple weeks ago so I bought a few jars at about 50 cents apiece. He was not the biggest fan at first but has soon changed his mind:). So I headed to target and got myself a bullet and a couple ice cube trays and started whipping up some baby food for this hungry little boy! I've made sweet potatoes and green beans so far and it is so easy just throw them in a pot of water for a few minutes then just a few seconds in the bullet add a little bit of water or formula/breast milk and they are done! I chose to make up a bunch to freeze so I just put it in an ice cube tray then once it froze just pop it out & put it in a freezer safe container then you can just get out as much as you need at that feeding. It lasts for 2 months in the freezer. So you can make an entire months worth for just a few dollars!!! But not only is it a huge money saver it is so much healthier for this sweet boy to have fresh fruits and veggies with no additives. Once he's bigger I can just throw whatever we eat for dinner in that little bullet as well! I must admit I felt very accomplished after this task!

Target savings explained!

Ok a lot of people have asked for details on the savings so here goes! Wish I had saved my recipet because I can't remember everything I got but the picture above is some of the best deals I got. For those of you who don't know target will allow you to use two coupons on one product if you have a manufacture coupon & a target coupon. You can get target coupons by going to their website & printing them off & also sign up for their mobile text coupons because they are both different offers. The mobile coupons change weekly but the website coupons probably change every 2-3 weeks.

Kelloggs crunchy nut cereal- reg 2.99 on sale for $2.50 used $1.00 off coupon from sunday paper & $1.50 off coupon from target.com= FREE

Similac $5.55 used a $5.00 similac check I got from signing up on similac.com= .55cents

Hamburger helper-reg $1.50 select flavors on sale for $1.00 used $1.00 off 3 boxes from sunday paper & target coupon for the same= $1.00

Finish dishwashing tablets- reg $2.99 on sale for $2.50 used $1.50 0ff from target & $1.00 from paper= FREE (This is not the normal brand I use b/c it's usually more expensive per load but it was FREE!!!)

Gerber rice cereal- $1.32 used coupon for $1.00 off any gerber product I got in the mail from signing up at gerber.com= 32cents

Taco Bell taco shells & sauce- around $1.00 apiece used a coupon from coupons.com I printed for $1.50 off any two taco bell products= about 50cents.

Brownie mix- can't remeber how much it was but the coupon was for 60 cents off one box printed from coupons.com

I also double couponed for some papmers used a $2.50 off coupon I recieved in the mail then a $2.00 coupon I got in target the last time I checked out.

Colgate toothpaste- I think it was $2.08 I used $1.00 any colgate product from the paper & from target.com so it was about 8 cents. ( again not my favorite brand but hey for less than 10 cents I'll use it!)

The rest off the stuff I bought was groceries I can't remember everything but I know I had a coupon for everything except my bread & my coke! MUST have coke!!! They were all small coupons for 30 cents here & there but it sure adds up :)

No nap bender!!!

   Well Mr. Hudson has been protesting naps alllllll week! Yes this sweet little angel has not had a nap since Sunday morning in the church nursery. But  he hasn't been cranky so I've let it slide;) So needless to say I have not gotten anything done around the house this week. So I must start on the laundry soon! We have taken several strolls around the neighborhood enjoying this nice weather! This boy just loves to be outside. We also made a trip to Target, Hudson's 1st time there, he loved it! Actually I think he just loved all the bright lights. I had a great time there to I just love to go look around. I was very proud of myself I got some groceries, diapers, formula, and razors my total was $58.96 then turned in my large stack of coupons and it was $15.83!!! That is probably my favorite thing about target is that you can double coupon there & get a ton of stuff for free or for just a few cents!!! Hudson is starting to give me the eye from across the room so I guess it's bottle time!

Occupation:Mommy!

Well I have just completed my first month as a stay at home mom and I LOVE it!!! It was a very hard decision for me to quit my job & stay home to Brandon it was a no brainer but just the thought of not working scared me for some reason?!? I have always worked sometimes two jobs went to school full time coached all of Kinley's sports team (cheer, soccer,tumbling,competitive cheer) & still found myself bored at times. So on my last day of work I said my goodbyes with tear filled eyes not knowing what the next day would be like. I cried on the way home thinking what did I do I gave up a job that I loved & was very good at I just loved working with the kids. But as soon as I walked in my front door Hudson gave me the biggest smile & the Lord gave me the best sense of peace I have ever had, that was the first time I knew this is exactly what I am meant to do. So with that said this has been one of the best months of my life :) I love spending every minute with this precious baby of mine. I love having dinner made for my sweet family when they get home. I love being able to have a special dessert made for Kinley because she loves it & has a sweet tooth like her mama;) I love being able to spend more time doing my devotional. I love having playdates with all of my sweet friends. But most of all I just love doing what I know God has planned for our family & I have no doubt that this is exactly what he wanted for us!