Baby on a Budget Guest Post: Hand-Me-Downs

When I was pregnant with Lucia, I was fortunate to be gifted a hand-me-down swing and bouncer from a friend with two young children.  These were two big ticket items and I felt very fortunate to receive them.  Even better, they were in great shape!  It wasn't until then that I realized how quickly babies grow out of their baby gear (not to mention baby clothes) - so quickly that they don't have time to wear them out.  If you are wanting to save money on your little one, hand-me-downs are one of the best ways to do so.  Below, Karen writes some really great advice about learning the value of hand-me-downs (and shows off some adorable pictures of her youngest, Katie, in hand-me-downs).

__________

Eleven years ago I was pregnant with my first child.  Taken in by the aura of new baby products, I simply had to have everything new for our new baby.  I had been offered hand-me-downs of almost all the essential baby gear [bassinet, crib, swing, baby bedding, infant car seat, electric breast pump] by my cousin, but I was stubborn and wanted new items.  It didn't help that my mom and several other relatives also weighed in that I should have new baby items for my first baby.  I won't say that I wasn't happy to have all new baby gear and clothing for our first child, but financially it was a big mistake.  After buying a new home and feathering our nest with all new baby gear (Most baby items were gifted to us, but we purchased a lot of things, too.) we were in a bad situation money wise.  If I could go back eleven years in time and talk to my past self, I would assure her that saying yes to hand-me-downs, even ones you don't want or think you will need, is a good thing.

 Katie in hand-me-downs

Very shortly after becoming a new mother I discovered that hand-me-downs were actually not all that bad.  My best friend brought some of her daughters' baby clothes to me without asking if I wanted to borrow them when Madeline, my oldest, was just a few weeks old.  I really didn't want to use hand-me-downs for my baby, but we didn't have a lot of money to spare for baby clothes and my friend had blessed us with several very large trash bags full of barely worn clothing from her two older girls.  For Madeline's first year we had loads of hand-me-down clothes that were adorable.  If I had been more practical, I would have only used hand-me-down clothes and those items that were gifted to us and left it at that.

With our second daughter I really began to see how silly it was of me to not accept hand-me-downs of toys and baby gear that only gets used for a short period of time.  With the exception of some clothing, everything we used for our daughter Ellie was a hand-me-down.  After all, when you use something new for your first child those same items essentially become hand-me-downs for all the rest.  It was with Ellie that I fully came to embrace and appreciate the value of hand-me-downs.

sitting in a hand-me-down high chair wearing hand-me-downs

After Ellie was born we didn't think we'd be adding any more children to our family.  We decided after much thought that we would give away all of our baby stuff.  If down the line we found ourselves expecting again we figured we would just buy the things we needed.

Remembering how difficult it was to buy everything new when we were starting out with our first child, I began to give friends and acquaintances who were expecting our baby items.  I didn't want to part with most of it, so I felt tremendously better about giving it to people I knew who could use it than I did about selling it in a yard sale to strangers.  I couldn't bear the thought of selling it and so we chose to bless people with what we had to offer.   I found peace in knowing that I was helping others get ready for their babies.  What I didn't expect was the outpouring of gratitude that we received after giving people hand-me-downs.  I had not only gained space in my home, but I had made several families very happy.  The absolute bonus for me was seeing the babies use our daughters' old things.  So much better than storing items in an attic or selling it to a stranger.

wearing hand-me-downs

Fast forward several years to when a still, small, voice nudged me and made me realize our family wasn't complete.  Remembering that I gave almost everything baby related away, I agonized over whether expanding our family was practical.  Buying all new items seemed crazy.  "What if our next baby is the last?"  I wondered.  My husband once again reiterated that buying all new items wasn't a problem, but the nagging cheapskate in me dug in her heels and said no.  I had a list of must have items which I broke into items I could buy second hand and items which needed to be new (such as car seats and the crib mattress).  I was going to approach having a baby like we couldn't afford to have one even if that wasn't really the case.

Once we had finally conceived our third child, I spent the first trimester bargain hunting and doing price comparisons.  We hadn't told anyone about our baby on the way.  I had a friend who we had given some baby items to several years back that I told the summer before we conceived that we were looking to grow our family.  Since they weren't planning to have any more children, I was bold and asked if she would keep me in mind for hand-me-downs.  After we announced that I was pregnant, I was overwhelmed that several families had hand-me-downs for us.  Two families that we know had little girls born in the fall the year before our youngest was due.  They showered us with not only loads of adorable baby outfits, but also baby gear like high chairs, and bouncy seats.  There is even someone who I have never met that has been giving my best friend, our baby's godmother, her little girl's outgrown clothes.

closet full of almost all hand-me-downs

Katie, our youngest, is outfitted almost entirely in hand-me-down clothing.  We've been so blessed by the generous outpouring of hand-me-downs that I frequently cannot justify keeping the brand new clothes that I buy for her.  I joke to my husband all of the time that all I have to do is buy a few adorable new outfits for the baby and within a day or two several bags or boxes of hand-me-downs will materialize containing outfits very similar to the ones I just purchased. From where I stand, the only downside to accepting hand-me-downs is it virtually eliminates the need, but not the desire, to shop for adorable baby clothes and that's really not much of a downside at all.

My former self would bristle at the thought of accepting all these second hand items.  She would point out the dings and scratches on some of the baby gear, or the tell tale signs that the clothes have been used.  I would tell her that those things give the items character.  The clothes will only be worn for a few months, and while baby clothes may pill will use, but they really don't wear out.  And while receiving these items is certainly a blessing, I know that our accepting and using these previously loved items is also a blessing to those who have given them.

For me, I think the greatest thing about hand-me-downs is how they have come full circle for us.  Many of the items we gave to friends have found their way back to us.  Favorite outfits have been returned to us along with many more that are new to us. Big pieces of baby gear have been sent back to us no worse for wear along with some updated pieces.  Whether you're the recipient or the giver, when it comes to hand-me-downs it's an all around blessing.

Karen is a Catholic stay at home mom to three little girls who make every day an adventure.  When she finds a spare moment amid the craziness she writes about their adventures on her blog Karen in Mommyland.

Please check out the other posts (including other great guest posts) in my Baby on a Budget series. If you liked this post, you may want to read about Encore Baby Registry, an online registry that allows you to register for new and hand-me-down items! 

AR 15 Shirt Review

I had the chance to review a gun shirt last week and I already have the opportunity to review more equally awesome gun t-shirts.   AR-15 Shirts.com has a variety of shirts with fun designs and witty saying that feature none other than the AR-15 gun.  These shirts are a trendy way to make a public statement about your support of the Second Amendment and your love of recreational gun use.

I love wearing this gun shirt in public, not for the shock factor, but hopefully to have a hand in the normalization of gun ownership.  I grew up in a hunting family that also loved target shooting for fun.  I was shocked when I realized in high school that the majority of my friends had never shot a gun and many of them were raised in families that frowned upon gun ownership.  To be honest, I still am a little amazed to hear of people that have never held a gun.  My husband and I look like the average responsible citizens toting around an adorable baby girl.  We in no means look like extreme gun fanatics (and we aren’t), yet we are gun owners who own guns for protection and for fun.  By wearing this shirt, I feel like I’m an example of the average gun owner and will helpfully be able to help break the stereotypes that many people have of gun owners.  

All designs at AR-15 Shirts.com come in a variety of colors and styles, including particularly feminine ones like pink and baby doll tees.  Having spent many years going to sporting goods stores with my dad, I find it unusual and refreshing to be able to buy feminine gun shirts!  I recommend these for the female gun aficionado you know.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Coupons for Some of Our Favorite Baby Products!

I know I am not a coupon or deal site, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to mention the coupons I just saw for two baby items we personally use with Lucia:

I mentioned the Rock 'n Play Sleeper in an earlier post as less expensive, space saving, and multi-purpose alternative to a bassinet.  At nearly six months, we still use it with Lucia on a daily basis.  It is especially useful to put her in when she naps while we are in the living room and we put her in there next to use while eating dinner.  She is high enough up that she can see us and be satisfied that she's getting attention.  It is light, easily moveable, and can be folded up to take to grandma's house, move around the rooms with you, etc. And an added bonus I never considered until after we had a baby: it can easily be taken apart and washed after spit-ups, diaper leaks, and any other sticky, stinky baby situations.  It retails for around $50, so $7 off is a considerable discount and you could possibly find a sale to match this coupon with!  If you have a little one on the way or know someone who does, this is one of our must-haves!


Lucia's Laugh And Learn Puppy is her favorite toy.  She loves to cuddle it and she's been able to press it's paws, heart, and ears to make it make noises and songs since she was about 4 months (she's not able to do it purposely yet, but doing it accidentally works for her just as well!).  In fact, she can "accidentally" entertain herself with her puppy for twenty or thirty minutes at a time while I get laundry done!  We received ours as a hand me down, but looking online, it's usually about $20 so $3 makes a difference (again in your local ads to see if there are sales you can pair the coupon with). (UPDATE: Read the comments to see Amanda's great advice for an upcoming Target deal on this Puppy!)



This post contains my affiliate link. This does not influence or change my opinion.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Take 59)

--- 1 ---

I have started a new blog series, Broken: rising above damaging relationships.  It's come to my attention recently that (unfortunately) my past abusive, self-esteem crushing relationship is not unique, but that discussing it with other women with similar experiences has been healing for me and perhaps could prevent other young women from getting into those situations in the future.  If you think you would like to contribute (you can do so anonymously if you wish), please read the post for details.  And of course, pass on information on the series to any women you think may benefit from it.

--- 2 ---

 

I wrote a guest post earlier this week over at Truly Rich Mom.  It's part of her "Amazing Grace for Moms" series and is on motherhood and patience, obedience, and dependence.  I think this series is wonderful, who doesn't need a reminder of God's grace in our daily lives?

--- 3 ---

I took blogging easy this week because I was engrossed in The Hunger Games.  I seriously loved them!  I think there is going to be an upcoming post about The Hunger Games vs. Twilight, especially regarding how love is portrayed.  Now that I'm done, I've been looking for my next great fiction book (I'm always in the middle of a non-fiction book or two, can't ever just read one book at a time!), and I've gotten a few suggestions for The Ender's Game so that's what I'll probably go with.  I am curious for some other suggestions though (and I really do like almost all genres) since I get most of my books through Paperback Swap and I need to put them on my wish list long before I plan to actually read them.  So, what is the last book you couldn't put down?

--- 4 ---

As swimsuit season begins, I found 8 Things You Need to Know Before You Buy A Swimsuit Online very helpful.  I'm not a big fan of bikinis and post-baby, I have to say that I can't wear a bikini again anyway, but it's so difficult to find nice one-pieces (or tankinis) in-store.  I especially love the specific store recommendations based on customer-friendly return policies!  While we are talking about swimsuits, here's a great piece on addressing whether bikinis are appropriate for little girls.

--- 5 ---

Right after reading these two pieces on swimsuits, I noticed there is currently 30% off and free shipping at Lands' End.  If you already read the online swimsuit shopping guide above, you'd know that's one of the stores recommended because of their great sizing guide and return policy.  And that's not the first time I heard of them, I heard of them previously as the place to go for modest swimsuits for women and little girls; they truly have a ton of options!  They can be pricey, but at 30% off, I would say their prices are very comparable.  I'm not really in the place to buy anything until David gets a job, so I'm just going to keep wearing the maternity suit I bought last year (I promise, it doesn't look like a maternity suit without a belly to stretch it out!), but if you are looking for a swimsuit, take a look.  Oh, and if you buy through Ebates (it's a online shopping cash back program - if you don't have it already and shop online even occasionally, you have to get it!), you get an 6% cash back for Memorial Day weekend (usually it's only 3% cash back from Lands' End).

--- 6 ---

I thought that taking a more natural approach to obstetric and gynecological care by using a midwife and birth center meant that I would have support using NFP.  No such luck.  The midwives asked me several times during and after pregnancy about which birth control I planned to use and warned me that NFP is not reliable in the postpartum period.  So I was really excited to see this piece on How to find an NFP friendly doctor.  I think I'll wait until we find out where we'll be be for good before I change doctors, but I can't wait to have a doctor that is supportive of my family planning decisions.

--- 7 ---

I've had blissfully trouble-free breastfeeding since Lucia was born.  I was prepared with breastfeeding books, the number to La Leche League and a local breastfeeding support group, and made sure that the pediatrician we picked had several lactation consultants on staff.  Thankfully I didn't need those resources, but I am so grateful that they were there had I needed them and that they are able to help other women get through their breastfeeding difficulties.  My friend Kendra recently wrote a blog post about her breastfeeding struggles and I think she was brave to do so!  I hope her story might help other breastfeeding moms out there know that they are not along in experiencing problems and that with determination, you can work through them!  I know that breastfeeding is different with each child, so I hope to be able to turn to Kendra for support if I have any troubles with subsequent babies.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

My Baby Compass Review

New motherhood is a confusing time.  In addition to trying to negotiate my new role as a mother and redefine my relationship with my husband, I also had the practical concerns of caring for my daughter and making sure she is developing on schedule.  I entered this time with three huge books for baby’s first year, but unlike my pregnancy when I had ample time to read about pregnancy and fetal development, I couldn’t seem to find the time to read them and make sure that my daughter was meeting the appropriate milestones.  When I was given the opportunity to review My Baby Compass (Birth to Two Years), Lucia was already five months and I wish I had access to this resource since birth. 

My Baby Compass is “an easy program to help your child think, speak, move & thrive”.  I would equate it to a streamlined book on baby development, with milestone checklists, brief advice for seeking help if baby is not meeting milestones,  and short sections with ideas for age-appropriate toys and activities, and songs and rhymes that help with development.  The appendices are also helpful and include resources such as common signs to use with your baby and information on various tests and screenings that your child might have during regular doctor visits or if there are suspected development problems.  The best feature of this guide is the small pullout pamphlets of checklists and activities.  Each one covers a few month time frame and has broken down into sections “Baby Talks”, “Baby Hears”, “Baby Understands”, “Baby Moves”,  and “Baby Feels”.  The left side of the page lists milestones the baby should have completed while the right side lists specific activities that will help the child develop in this area.  It is so well organized and easy to follow, perfect for the average parent with little background in child development.

the pullout checklist and activities

My Baby Compass is by no means a comprehensive baby guide as it addresses only milestones and development, but this specificity is its strength.  I still need one (although probably not three!) of those hefty “first year” baby books on hand to reference other issues such as teething or difficulty sleeping.  When it comes to development, however, I’m much more likely to monitor Lucia’s development with the My Baby Compass streamlined checklists than to wade through the large monthly chapters dedicated to development and everything else baby in those larger books.  That means that I’ll also be more likely to discover development delays as they occur. 

My Baby Compass is written by Kathryn Thorson Gruhn, a speech and language pathologist with 35 years of child development experience.  It is also endorsed by several pediatricians and various child development specialists which makes me very comfortable that the information is credible and thorough.  The completed series will include four books: Birth to Two, Two to Four, Four to Six, and Six to Eight.  They can be purchased on Amazon.com for approximately $40.  Initially, I was uncertain if they were worth this price, however, since they cover several years, the price is similar to the average cost of buying two single-year development books.

I received a copy of  My Baby Compass to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine. See Disclosure Policy. 

Hungry Hippo Creations Review

Hungry Hippo Creations is an Etsy shop filled with unique vintage-inspired baby and children's clothing.  I have high expectations of anything that comes from Etsy, the WAHMs that sell their products there put so much love and attention into their products, and Kellie's work at Hungry Hippo Creations certainly lives up to my expectations.  For the price of an outfit at a big box store (the most pricey items are only $28), you get boutique-worthy clothing with the quality of homemade!  I was given the privilege of receiving two pinafore and bloomer sets  for Lucia to review from Hungry Hippo Creations and I couldn't be happier with the products I received.

The outfits are absolutely adorable!  To me, these are only comparable to items that can be bought in a boutique; they have a classic, vintage quality to them.  Most of the outfits I've received for Lucia are trendy and will go out of style before our next little one comes along, but I can envision the two sets being in the family for years, perhaps someday worn by my granddaughters.  The quality is such that I can imagine them being around that long as well.  In fact, one of my favorite features is that the material is not only adorable, but durable as well.  Unlike the flimsy material and questionable quality of some of the cheaper items in Lucia's wardrobe, these pinafores are made of exactly the kind of material I would envision little kids play clothes to be made of - something that is comfortable and that will last.

In additional to high quality and classic style, all the pieces from Hungry Hippo Creations are also very affordable.  As mentioned above, the most expensive dresses are only $28.  And this is the price for a customized item - Kellie has many different materials you can choose from for your items and will work with you to make something that fits your (little one's) style.  I'm not very good with design, so I picked a pattern that I liked and Kellie was able to help suggest other fabric patterns to accompany it.  I particularly loved the pinafore because it is fully reversible with adorable complementary patterns on each side, so each one was like having two different outfits.  Lucia will also be able to wear it for many months to come.  For the warm weather and just hanging out around the house, I didn't put anything under it, but I can add a long sleeved onesie under it for the winter and once she's taller, I can pair it with jeans or leggings instead of bloomers. 

If you are looking for a really sweet outfit for a special occasion, as a gift, or just some adorable play clothes, I can't see how you could go wrong with Hungry Hippo Creations.  Please check out Hungry Hippo Creations Facebook page and click on the photo albums to see what other sweet outfits and fabrics Kellie has to offer.  And don't make the mistake of thinking that Hungry Hippo Creations is only for little girls; Kellie has some really adorable neckties and outfits for your little man as well!

Hungry Hippo Creations is giving away a $30 credit to one Catholic Newlywed reader as a part of the Shake, Rattle, & Roll! Giveaway Hop. The contest runs May 22-June 5.  You can enter it here.  Good luck!

 

 

I was sent a two pinafore and bloomers sets in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% mine. See Disclosure Policy. 

Shake, Rattle, & Roll! Giveaway Hop

Lucia in Hungry Hippo Creations

Catholic Newlywed is taking part in the Shake, Rattle, & Roll! Giveaway Hop by giving away a $30 credit to the Hungry Hippo Creations Etsy shop.  Hungry Hippo Creations has homemade, vintage style clothing.  The most expensive Hungry Hippo Creations product is $28, which essentially means you can choose whatever item(s) you want!  To read a review of Hungry Hippo Creations, click here.  Enter below on the Rafflecopter. 

The Shake, Rattle, & Roll Giveaway Hop features a variety of great products for kids of all ages! Once you have entered to win here, be sure to visit all of the participating blogs at the bottom of this post!

Don’t forget to enter to win the Shake, Rattle, & Roll Grand Prize sponsored by Tommee Tippee! You will have the chance to win a Closer to Nature Audio Baby Monitor valued at $149.99!  Visit Formula Mom to Enter the Shake, Rattle, & Roll Grand Prize Giveaway!!

Disclosure: Formula Mom, Tales From the Nursery, and the Shake, Rattle, & Roll bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that fail to fulfill their prizes.

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This Blogging Break Brought to You In Part By...

The Hunger Games

(and in part by the opening of our apartment pools, can't you just tell Lucia loves it?) I've been engrossed in the Hunger Games Trilogy the past few days and probably won't have another "real" post up until I've finished.  I've been reading several non-fiction books recently and while they've been fascinating, there is nothing quite like getting lost in a good fiction book (or three).  

Tell me, what's the most recent book you couldn't put down?  I'll be looking for another once I'm done. 

While I'm on this little break, I do have a few giveaways to keep you busy:

Catholic Family Gifts Giveaway - ENDS TODAY!
Shake, Rattle, and Roll Giveaway Hop - ends June 5
MyStrollers.com Montly Giveaway: MamaRoo -ends June 18 
Disney Cruise Giveaway - ends June 18)

And a few posts you might have missed from the past few weeks:

Guest Post: Open to Life, A New Perspective
Baby on a Budget Guest Post: Top 10 Couponing Tips for Beginners
To my husband, on the event of his graduation
Ssh-oes Review and Discount Code
Guest Post at Truly Rich Mom: Amazing Grace for Moms: On Patience, Obedience and Dependence
What I'm Loving Lately: Food on the Table
Guest Post at Caffeinated Catholic Mama: Blessed are those who are persecuted...
When Political Issues Become Personal Attacks
Nostalgia for Newlywed Life

I'll rejoin you again once I know that Katniss is safe and sound, the Capitol has been taken down, & true love has conquered all.  And once I can convince Lucia that the pool isn't so bad after all!

Disney Cruise Giveaway

Acadiana's Thrifty Mom has teamed up with American Family and a group of bloggers to bring you an incredibly giveaway! One lucky fan will win a Disney Cruise for a family of 4 valued at $3000!  This giveaway is brought to you by American Family and Acadiana's Thrifty Mom, and hosted by Frugality For Less, and Debbie Does Coupons. GOOD LUCK!

*This giveaway is opened to U.S. residents only. You must be 18 years of age to enter to win. The winner will be responsible for transportation to and from the port of departure. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook, Google, Pinterest, or Twitter in any way. Please read HERE for complete rules. 

AK 47 Shirt Review

My dad is an avid hunter and gun enthusiast.  I grew up spending days with the family target shooting out on the prairie or at the shooting range.  When I was given the opportunity to review awesome gun t-shirts, I thought about getting one in my dad's size and letting him test it out for me...but I decided that this shirt was too fun to pass up on and got it for myself instead.

In addition to being a fun way to express my support of the second amendment (and being a bit cheeky and controversial too!), I thought this shirt was very flattering.  I ordered a small men's shirt and expected it to be baggy, but it was the perfect fit.  Browsing the AK47shirts.com website, I was also impressed that each shirt design (and there are several fun designs!) is offered in various styles, ranging form the traditional shirt that I reviewed to long sleeves, hoodies, girly tees, baby doll tees and more.  It's not often that gun shirts are offered in specific female fits! 

Overall, I was very pleased with this shirt and I would strongly consider buying one for my dad, husband, or other gun enthusiasts in my life.  As for my shirt, I'm interested in seeing the reaction I get wearing it next time I go to yoga class or Whole Foods!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Guest Post at Truly Rich Mom: Amazing Grace for Moms: On Patience, Obedience and Dependence

I am honored to have contributed a guest post for Truly Rich Mom's Amazing Grace for Mom Series about what motherhood has taught me about patience, obedience and dependence.  Here's an excerpt:

Although I know that God has always had plans for me, now that I am a mother, His plans are more visible than ever.  And in fact, motherhood in itself is part of God’s great plan and the surprise answer to so many of my prayers.  My daughter is the obvious answer to my husband’s and my prayers for a child.  The role of motherhood, however, has answered my prayers for increased patience, obedience, and dependence on the Lord...continue reading at Truly Rich Mom

If you are visiting Catholic Newlywed for the first time from Truly Rich Mom, I invite you to look around and join the conversations about marriage, motherhood, keeping house, saving money, serving the Lord and more!

MyStrollers.com Monthly Giveaway: MamaRoo

 

I've joined Sweet Pea Savings, MyStrollers.com and group bloggers to bring you an amazing giveaway!

MyStrollers.com is givings away a 4moms MamaRoo In Black Classic! When we were registering for baby items last year while pregnant with Lucia, David fell in love with the MamaRoo.  We ended up being gifted a hand-me-down swing, but if I had the option to win one for the next child, I would be all over it.  It's so popular that it was just recently featured on The Ellen Show for her Mother's Day Giveaway! Check it out here!

This giveaway will begin at 12:01 am on 5/20 and end on 6/19 at 12:01 (eastern)

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. You must be 18 years old to enter to win. Any problems or questions please email sweetpeasavings@hotmail.com

Are you ready to win, it's simple, just enter the rafflecopter below!

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7 Quick Takes Friday (Take 58)

--- 1 ---

Thanks to those of you who prayed for my mom last week.  Her infection was minor and she was able to come home on Saturday. She's still experiencing quite a bit of pain and her recovery has been difficult because my dad works out of town four days a week and can't help her.  Continued prayers would be great, but it looks like she's on the mend and she's scheduled to be back at work a week from Monday.

--- 2 ---

 

I had a new guest post this week in my Baby on a Budget series entitled "Top Ten Couponing Tips for Beginners".  It's a great introduction for anyone who wants to start couponing or who wants to do a little more with it.  It is by no means only for the parent of a baby, the post was written by Beth Anne of The Catholic Couponer who is not a mom.  I am planning to write a more specific post on baby coupons, but this is a great introduction.  Although I consider myself to be pretty handy with the coupons (but not a professional "couponer" by any means), several of the tips were completely new to me.  Thank you, Beth Anne!

--- 3 ---

In case you missed the big news for our family, my husband graduated on Sunday!  I wrote him a letter earlier this week to tell him how proud I am and how much it means to our family.

--- 4 ---

Speaking of graduation, David is now looking for jobs.  Well, he didn't just start, he's been at it for awhile, but no luck yet.  We are going to have to make some very difficult decisions soon about whether David should continue pursuing post-docs to work toward his dream career in academia (which would most likely mean we would stay here in North Carolina) or whether he should widen his job search to industry jobs in order to have a better chance of moving back to Colorado.  If you get a chance, would you shoot up a prayer that we might soon given a sign as to which way God wants us to go?

--- 5 ---

Today, two students asked me if I was pregnant.  My response: no, but I did just have a baby.  I didn't add that by "just" I meant over five months ago.  I'm within five pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight, but as evidenced by the questions, not everything is distributed quite the same as before.  I thought I was looking quite nice when I left the house this morning; there's nothing quite like a few middle schoolers to humble you.

--- 6 ---

David's graduation happened to be on Mother's Day, so we didn't really do anything special.  But since it was my first Mother's Day (at least with a baby in the arms instead of in the womb), I did get a picture with my favorite girl.  Unfortunately, you can't see the corsage I was wearing.  David's mom bought it for me and I wore it with pride all day!

--- 7 ---

What is your favorite online tool?  I recently discovered an amazing meal planner.  Then I found a few sites that make going out of town a bit easier.  And I can't forget the many ways I make a little money online to help supplement our income.  And then there are those that are just fun (read: time sucking) like Pinterest.  Are there any big sites I'm missing out on?  I'd especially love to find more of the former (useful ones) than the later (time killing) ones (although to be fair, I have found some awesome recipes on Pinterest).

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Nostalgia for Newlywed Life

This morning, I was reading this blog post by Emily of My Song of Joy about what she missed about life with her husband before her kids were born.  I realized that there are a few things I miss about life "just the two of us" too.  It's not that I wish I could still do those things, because I love life as a family of three and acknowledge that it requires some fundamental changes about our relationship and what we can do together.  I just think fondly back on those memories.  They had their time and place, and the moments I miss were so integral in building our relationship into a strong foundation onto which we could support a family.  These are the little moments I miss:

When we were first married, David frequently brought home flowers for me.  They were almost always roses (my favorite) and they seemed to show up almost once a week.  One of my "love languages" is gifts and I could have just burst with happiness when he came in the door with them.  When we decided to start trying to have a baby, the roses were an expense that we couldn't justify anymore, but now we have our own little Lucia Rose, the greatest gift David's given me!

In the early months of our marriage, I worked odd hours at Starbucks and David often had to go in to work on experiments at all hours of the day and night.  But the odd hours didn't matter, because there were only two of us  and we were young enough to be able to work around the hours to find plenty of time together.  When I worked in the evenings, David would often come to Starbucks with his computer to work on his homework.  We really wouldn't have the chance to talk, but it was comforting to be able to look up whenever I wanted and see my husband.  Similarly, if he had to go into school on days I was off or evenings when I was home, I would often go with him.  Sometimes I'd join him in his office or lab, but just as often, I would stay in one of the study rooms on the floor above.  Again, we wouldn't always be able to spend that time together, but just being in each others' presence was enough for us, especially after having just spent two years living several states apart.

our first meal homemade meal as a married couple

If neither of us was working in the evening, we would go to the grocery store in the late afternoon to pick up ingredients for dinner.  I loved our daily grocery trip and then making dinner together afterward.  Sometimes we would pick a complicated meal (the first meal we made together as a married couple was a risotto), other times it would just be spaghetti and pasta sauce.  With a little one, getting out as a family to shop isn't as practical.  Neither is cooking dinner together, since someone needs to be entertaining Lucia (although we recently had some success bringing her in the kitchen with us and handing her kitchen utensils to play with).  Now that we are a family of three, we are watching our budget more closely, and choosing meals out of a cookbook and on a whim just aren't as cost-effective as meal planning around sales.  Someday, when David retires, I think this will be a newlywed tradition that will be resurrected (well, I wouldn't mind bringing back frequent flowers either).

After we decided to start trying to get pregnant, we cancelled our cable and internet.  For a few months we didn't have an antennae either, so television was completely off the table.  It was so fun finding things to do together - we would play board games and card games, we would cook elaborate meals, we would hang out late at Starbucks, drinking coffee and surfing the internet together.  We would watch one episode a day of House from my DVDs of the first three seasons (everyday we just couldn't wait for the next episode).  We would read.  We would pray.  We had so much time together, time to learn who we were as a couple, time to learn who we were as individuals, time to learn even more reasons we loved each other.  To be honest, when I think back on this time, I dream of a house without television (I'm not a particular fan of our children watching television anyway).  At least for the time being, internet is a necessity in the home so that our families halfway across the country can see our little Lulu, but I wouldn't mind getting rid of it once (if) we live by family.  Our time together is precious and irreplaceable. 

as newlyweds

The first six months of marriage were difficult.  It was hard to learn to live with someone else, not just in a roommate sense but intimately.  To be honest, I don't remember many of the difficult moments.  Instead, these are the moments that I remember of newlywed life.  Our wedding ceremony made us Mr. and Mrs., but it's through these moments that God taught us what is is to be husband and wife.

Those of you that are married, what do you miss about newlywed life?  

How do you keep the "newlywed" spark alive?  

If you are a newlywed, what do you think you'll miss? 

If you aren't married yet, what do you think you'll love most about newlywed life someday?

Ssh-oes Review and Discount Code

My husband and I love the show Shark Tank.  If you are unfamiliar with it, here's the basic concept: people present their company/product to a panel of investors ("sharks") in an attempt to get them to invest money in their business or invention.  Some of the best ideas (and the ones the sharks fight over) are those that make my husband and I say, "Why didn't I think of that?"  The concepts are so simple, so obvious, and fulfill a real need.

"Why didn't I think of that?" is exactly what I thought when I first learned about Ssh-oes.  Ssh-oes is a line of very stylish, very quiet heels.  I received a pair of ssh-oes heels to review and I have to say, I don't quite understand how they work, but I can say that the noise reducing heel lift does work.  In fact, it took me a while to notice just how quiet they really are because it is difficult to notice something that's not there.  It wasn't until I wore them for an extended period of time in my kitchen that I realized there was almost no noise to speak of.  These shoes quickly became my favorite for student teaching - no more noises to startle elementary students or to announce my presence to high school students allowing them to hide their phones (or other contraband) before I get to them.

The noise reduction isn't the only feature that makes these shoes my favorite for long days on my feet; they are also very comfortable.  I am not one for very high heels, so I specifically picked the lowest heels Ssh-oes sells.  They were extremely comfortable compared to other heels of the same height that I already own. I would imagine that the taller heels would compare favorably to other shoes of the same height as well.  The next time I'm looking for particularly high shoes, I'll be turning to Ssh-oes first.  In fact, I wish I had learned about Ssh-oes before I bought the nude heels for my brother-in-law's wedding.  I'm a bridesmaid in the wedding and would be much more confident walking down the aisle in shoes that are less noisy (the ones I bought will be loud on the church's tile floor) and much more comfortable. 

The only criticism I can give of Ssh-oes is that there are only a half dozen styles offered currently (although all the varieties that are offered are cute!).  Since these shoes are so comfortable and so quiet, I would love to have my closet full of them if only enough styles were offered to compliment my entire wardrobe.  

If you'd like to have a pair of Ssh-oes for yourself, I'm so excited to offer you 60% (yes, that's SIXTY) percent off Ssh-oes with the coupon code CatholicNewlywed.  Enjoy!

I was sent a pair of Ssh-oes heels in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% mine. See Disclosure Policy.