Grocery Shopping is Fun Again

I used to enjoy going to the grocery store. I can remember the days when I would leisurely stroll down the aisles and fill my cart. These days going to the grocery store has just become one of those things that must be done. When I was living in Greenville, someone told me about a website where they tell you how to use coupons and the sale ads to get some great bargains. (http://www.thegrocerygame.com/) I decided to give it a try, and I love it! Lincoln and I went to Kroger today. We bought 22 items. I paid $19.20, and I saved $26.82. Here are a few of our great deals:
-Cheerios $1
-Kraft bar-b-que sauce $.36
-Softsoap handsoap FREE : )
-Cottonelle toilet paper $.24
-Chex cereal $.75
-Nature valley granola bars $.50
Instead of being a chore, now I look forward to going to the grocery store.

Lincoln went for a ride on his horse tonight.

As you can tell from his hat, it was a wild ride!!!!

It's been a while since I posted pictures of my little man.

Today was a school holiday, so we went shopping with my mom. Usually I just let Lincoln get on the little rides and push the buttons. I actually put money in the little ride today.




"Wow! I can't believe this thing really moves!!!"

Lincoln had to try out the water mat that we found today. He had lots of fun!

"I'm looking for a summer hat. What do you think?"

You Know You're a Mom If. . .

you find yourself singing along with The Wiggles when you are alone in the car.

Lincoln has started to request his "susic" when we are in the car.
This morning we were listening to The Wiggles. I dropped him off, and then I headed to work. I had been in the car several minutes when I realized that I was still singing along to his cd. : )

It's hard to believe that Lincoln will be two in a month and a few days. Where, oh where did my baby go??? Here's a little of what he has been up to:

One of his newest words is "yikes." On Sunday someone dropped the collection trays at church, which obviously made quite a bit of noise. He kept saying "yikes" over and over again in a not so quiet voice.

He has started to kiss his own "boo-boos."

"Nack" (aka snack) seems to be his favorite word these days. He must be going through a growth spurt because he eats and eats. The other night he ate dinner, a few cookies, and then two nutri-grain bars before bed.

He likes to observe bugs, but he does not like to touch them. I've tried to put a ladybug and a rolly polly on his hand, but he wanted nothing to do with them!

Rest and Relaxation

Lincoln and I spent a lot of time outside this weekend. The weather was awesome!!! On Saturday, we headed to the zoo. (I decided to buy a membership with some of Lincoln's birthday money-that he doesn't have yet because his birthday isn't until May. : ) It was fun to go just the two of us. On this trip, I think he enjoyed the fish the most.

I also managed to read an entire book (300t pgs.) this weekend. I started it Friday evening and read until about 11. I woke up early Saturday morning, made some coffee, and crawled back into bed to read some more. I don't get to read much these days, so that was a treat!

I guess you can consider this a continuation of the post before last. It's funny, some posts write themselves. Sometimes I can just sit down and type away. Then there are other times when I spend a few days on a post. The Mar. 30th post falls into the second category(as does this one). The truth is that I was never really satisfied with that post. I struggled and struggled with putting my feelings into words. I finally just gave up and posted it, so I could move on and post about Lincoln.

Though everything I said in the post was true, I never got to the root of the problem. I've been thinking a lot since I wrote that post. I've come to the realization that I am tired. Tired is probably an understatement. It's not that I'm not getting enough sleep. I'm just worn out by life. The past two years have been hard. I went from being excited about having a baby to having a newborn and a husband undergoing chemo treatments. I went from hoping that the chemo would work to realizing that the chemo wasn't working. I went from wanting as much time as possible with Keith to wishing that he would pass on, so that he would no longer be in pain. I went from learning to be a single mom to learning to be a single working mom.

Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself. I feel like I should be "okay" by now. Though I try to make it appear as if things are fine, if I'm being truley honest that isn't the case. I feel so far away from God right now. I feel like I've been left out in the desert. Though I know He hasn't left my side, I just don't feel his presence like I once did. It has never been harder to sit back and trust Him.

I had to opportunity to go to a Jeremy Camp concert last weekend. He lost his first wife to cancer. I will end the post with the song that he wrote shortly after she passed away:

Scattered words and empty thoughts
Seem to pour from my heart
I've never felt so torn before
Seems I don't know where to start
But its now that I feel your grace fall like rain
From every fingertip washing away my pain

I still believe in your faithfulness
I still believe in your truth
I still believe in your holy word
Even when I don't see, I still believe

Though the questions still fog up my mind
With promises I still seem to bear
Even when answers slowly unwind
It's my heart I see you prepare
But its now, that I feel, your grace fall like rain
From every fingertip washing away my pain

I still believe in your faithfulness
I still believe in your truth
I still believe in your holy word
Even when I don't see, I still believe

Well the only place I can go is into your arms
Where I throw to you my feeble prayers well in brokenness
I can see that this was your will for me
Help me to know that you are near

I still believe in your faithfulness
I still believe in your truth
I still believe in your holy word
Even when I don't see, I still believe

A Lincoln Update

This morning I was giving Lincoln his medicine. I said, "You sure take your medicine well." Lincoln said, "Amen!" The boy truly loves medicine. It is not uncommon for him to ask for more after I give him a dose. (I don't give him more-of course!)

Mom cut his hair on Tuesday. I let him play in the sprinkler afterwards. He refers to the sprinkler as "rain."

Lincoln is now saying some three word sentences. I think his first one was "I need juice."

Lincoln is currently terrified of the bathtub. He recently pooped in the tub, which totally grossed him out. He kept saying "Yuk! Yuk!" I guess he is scared that he is going to do it again because he cries when I put him in the bath. I'm really hoping we get over this soon. Bathtime used to be such a pleasant time.