Christmas Cards

If you're like me, the whole Christmas card thing is kind of an ordeal.  I always procrastinate on taking our family picture, then take forever looking for the cutest card with the best price and before I know it, it's January and no one has heard from us yet!  But not this year.  This year I took that bull by the horns and my cards are DONE!  Ok, not in the mail or anything but printed at least.  And the best part?  I spent a whopping $28 for 200 photo cards!  Yes, you read that right.  Here's what I did....

We took a family outing about a month ago and bribed the kids with ice cream if they behaved and smiled for the camera when I asked them to etc.  Sadly, they did NOT earn their ice cream...they were complete turkeys - yes, I'm the kind of mean mom who follows through on things like that.  I was very unhappy at the end of the experience and we ended up taking our screaming clan home without their ice cream.  Ugh.  But, that's not the whole story.  Here in SLC we have such beautiful fall colors and I wanted to capture them.  I decided taking the clan up to the foothills of the Wasatch front would be ideal.  There we found a kind biker who volunteered to snap some pics for us while we posed (did I mention we are CHEAP and don't pay to have our pictures taken?  Yes, we use the self-timer and a tripod).  Anyway, this is the kind of thing we ended up with:

Ya, turkeys right?  And what the heck am I thinking with those two huge white power poles in the background?  I thought that the wagon would be a fun prop but it ended up being a death trap for the tiny tot who wouldn't sit down to save his life. 

So, we got into the car and headed off in search of a better location.  I remembered a little bridge, tucked away in the middle of the city next to Old Navy.  It is a little piece of nature inside the city.  So, that's where we ended up.  Really, I couldn't believe we actually got any 1/2 decent pics out of the day but I did end up with one that was "editable" enough to use (since I'm not about to subject us to that kind of torture again). 

Next, I took said image and imported it into Picnik.  I have photoshop on my computer but it takes so long to open and use on my 4 year old ancient laptop that I prefer to use something quick and easy like Picnik.  If you haven't found it yet it will change your life!  I am addicted.  It's so easy to boost color and edit photos with fun effects!  You'll love it.  Here is the photo that we started with:

No one would sit still.  But I guess it kind of captures our life right now!  So, I then headed on over to picnik.com and made it black and white, boosted the contrast and faded the effect a little so that some of the green showed through and then I added text to make it our Christmas card.  They have a ton of fun fonts you can use and it's all FREE!  Here's the finished product:

No bad eh?  So THEN I got online and sent the sucker to Costco's 1-hour printing service (I've searched around a bit and have found that Costco really does have superior quality compared with the other brick and mortar businesses I've tried).  I ordered 200 copies, matte finished with a white border for $.13 each and picked them up 1 hour later!  Yahoo!  Anyway, I'm supposed to be printing out my envelopes right now but instead I'm blogging about my great deal.  Again, I'm a procrastinator.  Happy holidays! 



Coupon Codes....Hooray!!!!

Well, at LOOOONGGG last Etsy has set up the capability for us to use coupon codes!  Hooray! So, instead of convo-ing me before your purchase, all you have to do now is enter the code: PREGO to get the pregnant deal this weekend!  Just to remind you, it is going on through Monday only - that includes the free shipping deals.  I am super excited about this coupon code thing...I'll definitely be using it often!  After my sale this weekend I plan to employ a 'BLOG' coupon code for you faithful readers.  More on that next week!  In the meantime, enjoy those wonderful turkey leftovers.  I know I've been resisting the urge to raid the fridge...now that it's lunchtime I think I'll go unleash my appetite on the overstocked refrigerator! 

Happy Birthday SALE!

In honor of my little guy's first birthday (yesterday) I am offering FREE SHIPPING to purchases made in the U.S.!  This sale will go through Black Friday and end next Monday (11/22).  This only applies to instock items, not customs so you'll notice that the custom items haven't been adjusted. 

Also, I'm extending a sympathetic gift to those of you who are expecting.  I remember one year ago being in the overdue days of my pregnancy and my heart goes out to you :)  So, to ease the discomfort of preganancy and to help with your nesting impluses I'm upping my discount to 20% off for pregnant mamas!  Just convo me before your purchase and I will adjust the price.  This is ONLY for expecting mamas (if you are adopting that counts as expecting too:)!

So make your way over to my little corner of Etsy and clear out my inventory PLEASE!:)  And, have a fantastic Thanksgiving this week! 

They Are Finally Here

Ok, I know I promised weeks ago (at least it seems) that I would post my new diapers for sale....and then I didn't:(  How bad.  Anyway, life just got crazy and it seems my 5 minutes here and there just wasn't sufficient to make it happen.  Also, I have been selling them on the side to friends and such and kept finding my inventory depleted!  BUT, I have finally found the time to post a bunch for sale over at my store, so go check them out!!  And, thank you for your patience, so sorry to not live up to my own expectations:)

Here is a sneak preview in case you decide to wait to check them out there:)

The Bandwagon

So, I know I announced that I'm coming out with something new and exciting....and I'm finally ready to post here to show you all what has been keeping me busy and away from my little blog! 

I'm proud to announce my new 'hybrid' AI2 diaper! 

So, where do I begin?  Phew.  This has been one of the things keeping me from announcing it...how do I describe this?!  It's a pocket AI2 one-size diaper that is compatable with other 'hybrids' that the major brands are coming out with. 

Some of my favorite features are:
Side snaps - convenient for potty training stage and make for a trim fit under clothes
Lightweight - PUL lined with lightweight nylon, no fleece lining like other AI2's...this makes it possible to just fan it dry and put it back on again. 

No red marks - yes, there is binding (FOE) around the edges but this diaper is designed so it doesn't have to be super tight against the legs or back in order to do it's job, thats what the snug fitting insert is for!

Pull-Up - Over the years I've gotten several requests for pull-ups from moms of potty training toddlers or kids who wet the bed.  I've been at a loss as to what I can offer them, having tried several options myself and not having any luck.  Untill now!  This actually WORKS!  My 3 year old can make it through the night, wetting the bed but his jammies are still dry, let me tell you, this is the first time I could say that about a cloth pull-up. 
Customizable - is that a word?  Anyway, the insert or removable pocket, is 'stuffable' so you can stuff as much or as little absorbancy in it as you want - making it day or night friendly.  It's also got elastic at the legs, keeping messes in place!
And, perhaps the best part of all is that I'm offering several adorable prints as well as super cute solid options. 

Oh, and did I mention that these are a combination of natural fabrics as well as PUL (can we say natural and 'super-natural'...hehe...ok, that's cheesy).  But really, for the outer layers I enlisted polyester fabrics becuase that's where they shine, waterproofing is what they do best.  Then inside, I just can't find a fabric I like better than bamboo!  It's absorbant and NOT stinky (heaven help us as we put that load of microfiber diapers in the wash!). 

I'm also offering OPTIONS - more ways to customize.  For the inserts I have either bamboo velour to top it off or super soft fleece for a stay dry option (again, what poly does best!).  Then, for the insides you can either use inserts you already have to save money, or you can buy my trifold bamboo stuffers that are made to fit perfectly.  Also, the shells can be used as diaper covers, and they are one-size so they snap down to fit from little to big! 

The idea behind this diaper is that you can purchase 3 - 6 shells as if they're covers and then 12 (or however many) inserts you need to create your stash....can we say money SAVER!! 

Wow, I know I'm forgetting something...but for now that's all I can think of.  'Geez!' You're saying...is this really that great?  I made sure to have some other moms try this out so I'm not just tooting my own horn here.  My little group had a variety of shapes, sizes and ages of babies.  These moms have experience with other types of diapers and were able to test the pros and cons for me.  So far I've gotten a very positive response!  It's been fun to see an idea I've had for almost a year come into fruition. 

The cuteness never ends!  Watch for these in my store in the next two weeks.  If you would like to preorder just convo me! 

Change is in the air....

I have a new product that I'm about to release!  I can't tell you how excited I am about this new diaper.  It's been in the works for a long time.  I've had this concept in mind for over a year and the design has been in the 'fine-tuning' stage for the last few months.  It's getting rave reviews from my testers too!  A few lucky people have been around at just the right time in order to get in on some already but I plan to release it in my Etsy shop in the next couple of weeks.  I will have an official release date very soon!  Be sure to check back often as I will post about it here right before I list them on Etsy.  I can't wait!:) 

Overalls

I have to admit that I'm getting a little bored with longies...you can only knit the same pattern so many times before needing a little challenge.  So, recently I got the itch to come up with some cute overalls for Jasper and I found this wonderful pattern on Ravelry.  These are 'On the Go-veralls'...so cute!  The bummer is that they fit him NOW and it's August (90 degrees here).  So, alas, I think I'll have to give these away and make a new pair.  I'm actually making a pair of soaker/overalls right now that he can use for the rest of the summer.  More to come on that when they're finished! 

News

Wow, it's  been a while.  Life kind of grabbed hold of us and took us for a spin!  This summer has already flown by, I can't believe July is almost over!  It's been a summer of big moments for us here at the Lovejoy household.  Jack turned 6 and lost his first tooth the day before his birthday.  I didn't realize what a big deal that would be to me, but it made me a little choked up!  To think that he got his first tooth right around 6 months (actually the official day that he turned 6 months:) and the lost it the day before he turned 6.  This year he's headed off to Kindergarten...not sure I'm ready for that.  It's like breaking into a new phase of life! 

Along with those changes, I've made some new changes to my diapers as well!  Out with the old, in with the new.  I've trimmed up my diaper pattern a bit, it's narrower through the mid-section and the inserts are a little trimmer as well.  It's still the same great diaper, just a little less bulky and hopefully more favorable to you all!  We have been loving it here:)  I'm offering the first ones with sherpa as the innner, making it a little more economical, lighter weight for summer and still the great absorbancy that I'm not willing to compromise on.  I'll be listing the first ones in the next day or so, be on the lookout!

I'm really proud to be introducing my new medium size diapers as well!!  These have been in the works for some time now and they are finally ready to start offering to you!  I'm super excited about them, they've been a fantastic addition to my own diaper stash now that Jasper has grown out of his newborn/smalls.  They are the same great fit as the smalls and the one size just a little more specific to that 'baby' stage (10-20lbs.approx.).  Again, I'm introducing these with sherpa on the inside but will be offering them this fall/winter with my yummy heavy fleece.  I can't wait!!  Hurry over and check them out for yourself.  I'm listing a few today and more to come soon!! 

A special Mother's Day...

And this is what I'm asking for.....

An organization that we strongly support as a family, Children's Hopechest, is partnering with Adoption Fathers to bring us these beautiful and unique necklaces for Mother's Day this year.  Proceeds will go to help stop sex trafficking in Moldova.  Here is the info I just got in my inbox from Tom Davis, the director of Children's Hopechest : 

I'm on my way home from Russia after various flight cancellations and re-routes due to this volcanic ash cloud. Hopefully by the time you get this I'll be headed toward US soil.

While on this trip, I heard a powerful story that is weighing on my heart to share with you. It is an encouragement and a strong reminder that girls absolutely MUST be protected from sex trafficking. Not optional. Here's the story.


This week, I met with "Masha," a bright young lady who visits our Ministry Center in Kostroma.


She told me about the day some professional women came to her technical school in Kostroma and promised her a new job with lots of money, clothes, and jewelry.


Instead, they trapped her in a rundown apartment, beat her when she asked questions, and forced her to work in a strip club.


Scared and alone, Masha was terrified at what came next. "You'll have sex with 10 men each day," they told her. But before that, some men would come to her apartment to "teach her" what to do.


Masha managed to escape the apartment and ran to the HopeChest Ministry Center for help. Our staff immediately called the authorities, and brought her to a safe place to live.


Fortunately, Masha avoided a life of forced prostitution and stolen dignity, thanks to the intervention of the HopeChest Ministry Center in Kostroma.

My wife and I have seven children-including two daughters from Russia-and the thought of them being raped makes me extremely angry. When I heard Masha's story I wanted to do something to protect her, like I would protect my own children.


Today, you also have a unique opportunity to help protect and defend girls like Masha. Buying a Mother's Day Gift from HopeChest is just one way to join the fight against sex trafficking and forced prostitution and provide a safe haven for orphaned girls in their time of greatest need.

When you buy this necklace for your mother, wife, sister, or daughter, proceeds will go directly to support young women like Masha, and other girls who benefit from programs at the Ministry Centers. Each necklace provides one of the following:

2 weeks of direct assistance for a women in our Young Mothers Program


Nearly 1 month of mentorship, counseling, and discipleship at our Ministry Center
 
I encourage you to check this out!  We have been supporting this ministry for a few years now and have adopted a child in Swaziland through them.  For the past two years we have sent teams of people from our church who have actually spent time in our little guy's home and held him on their lap!  The came back with funny stories of him and we've been able to send personal photo albums and letters to him hand delivered by our friends here.  This is a worth while organization I can assure you!!

Pampers Dry Max...

As you all know, I'm a huge cloth diaper advocate.  I love them and plan to use them for the remainder of my diapering days.  I personally think they are the best, safest way to go when it comes to my kids.  It took a mindshift when we first converted, but my hubby jumped on board and we just went for it.  I guess maybe it's the crunchy side of me that I just can't shake!  Anyway, I always had a feeling that the disposables that I had purchased at the local SUPERmarket didn't just start out bright white and it's just not natural for paper, or plastic or whatever they're made of to absorb a bladder full of pee.  Not to mention that smell, the baby powder oder or whatever they smell like.  It's like they're trying to redefine the 'baby smell' people always naustalgically mention when they see an infant. 

So I just read on a blog that I follow (Dirty Diaper Laundry) about the newest addition to the Pampers arsenal, Dry Max Cruisers.  Apparently they are causing a ton of problems for the little bums that they cover...like chemical burn type rashes.  Yikes!  This particular blog showed a picture of one such bum (I will spare you the graphic proof) and it was horrible looking.  Now I myself have battled diaper rash with my second son Noah.  He's got really sensitive skin, it's the redhead thing I think.  Anyway, he would bleed and be so sore that I was afraid to even wipe him when he had a poopy diaper.  With all that said, we saw relief when we switched to fitteds without a cover or with a breathable wool cover.  That's the main reason I made the change from pockets to fitteds.  Anyway, I also relied on Bag Balm of all things to take away the rash.  It did wonders...who knows what's in it...but it did the trick.  After trying things like olive oil and milk.  Anyway, be warned!  Those of you who use disposables even part time, don't fall for the flier in the mail with the coupons!  If you must buy disposables (which I understand, and I confess I have a few on hand) get the unbleached kind like Seventh Generation!  I know I'm starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist today...but hey, we all want the best for our little ones and ourselves so if this is at least thought provoking then I'll be satisfied. 

I am not an animal rights activist.  I love to eat meat and can't imagine a diet without it.  Lately though, I've been reading up on where it comes from and even watched 'Food Inc.' a couple of weeks ago (I would totally recommend it if you haven't seen it!).  Anyway, I just read an article from Mother Earth News that reminded me of some of the reasons I've started reading labels a little closer.  It's just scary to me to think that we don't actually know everything that is in our food, especially meat.  When I buy a package of meat, say ground beef, I expect it to be ground beef and nothing else.  But, I'm learning that there are things in it that aren't specified even on the label.  Recently I've started noticing that the ground beef that I buy at Costco doesn't smell good while I'm browning it...it kind of smelled sour.  I even returned it once because I was convinced it had gone bad (even though I had come straight home and put it in the freezer)!  Anyway, after watching 'Food Inc.' I decided to start buying the organic ground beef at Costco and I've noticed a remarkable difference in the smell while I'm cooking it.  Ok, maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm not the only one who noticed that smell.  We had guests over that time when I cooked some that I ended up returning and I had to change what I served them for dinner becuase we were all grossed out by the sour smell!  Who knows, maybe that was a bad batch, no one was brave enough to taste it, but I'm sticking by my new convictions anyway.  I don't trust the FDA and their labeling omissions.  They don't make it mandatory for meat packers to tell us what is in the meat they sell so I just won't buy it!  I have a right to know what I put into my body thank you very much.  Not to mention what I offer my kids! 

So, I just had to rant about this.  Read for yourself and make your own educated choice.  I know that organic food (meat AND produce) is usually much more expensive, at times twice as much...but then I realize too that we have an abundance of food in our culture and maybe my family doesn't even need to consume quite so much.  I've started cooking with a lot more legumes and rice and making things from scratch too and the kids love that.  Maybe it's time we get back to a more earth reliant diet...someday we might see some change at the top if demand becomes higher.  Read that article and pass it on!

Wanna Win?

Starting tomorrow, Ivy at Nault's Nook will be doing a giveaway series and first on her list is...you guessed it, me!  If you are after a free diaper, venture over to her blog and enter to win one!  She's doing a review and a giveaway of my one-sized diapers!  This is no April Fool's joke by the way:)  Check it out!

Jasper's Wool Stash

I've been meaning to post this for a long time now (like 4 months). He's now grown out of his newborn woolies and in between his smalls and mediums! This guy is growing like crazy. I know my other guys are growing too but it's just not as apparent on a day to day basis. But if our grocery bill is any indication, we are definately a house full of growing boys! I came home from Costco yesterday totally blown away at how much food we go through! They aren't even that big yet...maybe it's the food that's just expensive? Please, someone tell me that's it...Even in the summer when we grow a garden it doesn't seem to slow the spending on groceries. I feel like we just eat our money up! I'm sure in another 10 years I'll be an expert at cooking rice and beans with the occasional 'ramen' surprise to keep from having to re-mortgage our house to keep up our eating habits. Ugh.

Ok, back to the wool stash...here are the newborns.

Oh, and that's the little shirt that I dyed and appliqued. This is what he wore home from the hospital. Wow, I'm really late in posting these pictures! He looks nothing like this anymore!

And I had to add a picture of some of the stuff my mom has made for us over the years. She's the official 'bootie-maker':) She also made the adorable bonnet, but unfortunately that hasn't gotten much (any) wear from our boys!

Here is a jumper that I actually made the pattern for. I totally love it, but I actually made it for Noah and then never put the buttons on it until Jasper came along. I figured that I'd better get it done for this one or it would not get worn!

Here are some of his small longies that we are now having to phase out of.

The yellow and green pair were made by my friend Janice who dyed her yarn and made them in Tunisian Crochet. These are amazing!! We wear them all the time...and they fetch compliments all over the place. We love them! Here's her shop.

This pair is my upcycled debut. I bought a bunch of sweaters at the thrift store a few weeks ago and decided to try my hand at a pair of yoga pants. They turned out really cute and fit well, but I'm not sold on the soaker side of things. They don't really do the trick, maybe it's becuase they're too thin. Anyway, I am going to be trying some wool interlock soon (as soon as it arrives!). meanwhile, these are way cute on my little baby-J!
 
Finally, I do have one pair of medium longies that he's started wearing.  I went through an argyle phase...

I think I'll post later with my sweaters.  This is kind of sobering to look through, I knew I was a knitting addict, but I didn't realize I was THIS addicted! 

Spring Special!

Good morning!  I just listed a few new diapers at my store online and wanted to buzz on over here and let you know.  I'm running an Easter special for you, so from now until Easter (midnight Easter day) as a blog subscriber you can get 20% off your purchase instead of just the usual 10%!  This includes longies and even custom orders for shorties etc.  Just convo me when you check out and I will refund it for you.  I hope you're enjoying your spring like I am!  Although it did snow last night, for the first few days of this last week it was almost in the 70's...it makes me hopeful!

Really? Wow....

So the other day while trying to entertain my sick kids I pulled up Pandora and made a station for kids music.  You never really know what's going to come up when you do that kind of thing so I should have known that I might encounter some crazy stuff.  But, how could I prepare myself for this little gem?  Ok, I'll be honest, I wasn't sure how to react at first...but the humor of it and my own experiences with poop got the better of me and I just laughed my head off!  I ended up making my husband listen to it later that day and the kids just thought it was the funniest thing ever!  I can only wish my reaction to poop smeared walls would be so inspired...actually I have to say that I've been pretty lucky on that front.  We haven't had any poopy art sessions yet (mainly just accidents etc.) but it's amazing how it dominates our conversation, especially at the dinner table.  I'm hoping that #3 saves his artistic expression for the appropriate time too...we'll see.

Baby Cocoon Tutorial

Ok, this is my first attempt at a tutorial!  My hope is to have several of these over the next year but we'll see...I've written a few knitting patterns for myself but I've never pollished them enough to share with others.  So, I decided instead of waiting for the pollishing to happen I'd give you the rough draft and see how it goes!

I've absolutely loved this thing.  I've used it for photo props and even for nighttime warmth in our cold house this winter.  It's great for just snuggling your baby too, like a no fail blanket that won't come off or get bunched up where you don't need it.  These little cocoons have become a rage in the photo prop world because they basically make an adorable photo in just about any setting!  One of the best parts is that it's super easy to knit up!  I love the chunky texture of big yarn so that's what I used.  It would be easy enough to adjust the gauge for smaller yarn if you have something you just can't help using.  I've also added ribbon to them and fun furry yarns just add more texture which in my opinion is even better!  So, here is what you'll need to get started:

2 skeins super chunky yarn (I used Lion's Brand Thick and Quick - it's soft, fairly durable and comes in nice colors, plus it's cheap!)
Size 13 circular needle (at least 16")
crochet hook or darning needle for weaving in the ends

To begin, CO 45 sts. 
Work in stockinette st without joining in the round until the cocoon measures 6" ending ready to begin a RS row.  Knit around and join in the round.  When you come to the joint, k2tog (44sts.). 
Continue in stst until cocoon measures desired length (I made mine 21" long).  Cut yarn with a 10" tail, thread it onto your darning needle and then through your live sts.  Tie off and secure inside by weaving in the end.  Now just weave in your tail of yarn at the top and you're done! 

I liked the bumpier look of the purl side so I decided to do a reverse stst on mine after the collar. 

On this one I added little eyelits and laced some fun ribbon through for my cousin's little baby girl (finally a girl to knit for!). 

So, use this to sell them, make them for yourself or your friends I don't care.  Just enjoy!  BUT, please let me know if you do use it, I would love to know!!  I'd also love to know if you find that I've made a mistake here:)

Spring!!

Since we got home it's been sunny sunny sunny! It was almost 60 degrees when we got here on Saturday. For me, that's a breath of fresh air...for my husband (bless his heart) it means the end of winter is near...in other words, the end of ski season is near. Oh well! The garlic I planted this last fall is bursting through the ground and my rhubarb has started to sprout up as well! I just LOVE it when these little promises of spring burst out of the ground. You never know when you actually plant something if it will actually produce something so when it actually shows up green months later, there is something so satisfying about it. I think without the waiting in between I wouldn't appreciate it so much!

Get 'em While They're Hot!

I just listed some new diapers!  I'll be going on 'vacation mode' for two weeks starting on Friday, so I'm only shipping for two days so hurry over to get the best selection.  I'll be back at the end of the month so no worries if you can't make it right now!  This is the last time I'm offering the Iced Giraffes colorway so if you've been looking at it now's the time to grab it (it's bamboo interlock too, so the WHOLE diaper is bamboo!). 

I'm In LOVE!

The other day I found the most precious Valentine's goodies on Etsy! These are plantable cards for your sweetheart. The paper is imbedded with seeds for flowers so it's a bouquet and card all in one! I couldn't help it, I bought the 20 pack. I'm sure I can find 20 well deserving friends to give them to. I'm a sucker for unique things and this one did me in! I've also been drooling over her 2010 Calendar...might have to make another purchase soon...find these irresistable goodies right here!

P.S. Free shipping to boot!

Valentine

So, this is really a Christmas gift that I gave my husband this year but I thought I'd post it here for a Valentine idea. I have a husband who has pretty much everything he could ever possibly want or need. For some reason he seems to attract friends in the outdoor retail business who have excess 'stuff' and love to give it away...this means that he is already well equiped for pretty much all of his interests. Great for him, bummer for me when I'm brainstorming for gift ideas. Another interesting thing I've learned about my guy is that he's a 'quality time' lover. If you've ever read or heard of 'The 5 Love Languages' you know what I'm talking about. Basically it means that he really feels loved when you spend good quality time with him. He's also in the 'acts of service' camp too (another love language)...like he'll clean house or do the dishes or watch the kids for a day so I can go to the opera with a good friend (like he did this last Sunday:) just becuase he wants to show me that he loves me (don't I have a GREAT husband?!). Anyway, this year I was really trying to think of something he'd appreciate for Christmas that would speak his 'language'. I was checking out gift ideas on the internet when I came across a little notepad idea. It was so cute, made up like a little book of matches only with scrap paper inside. I didn't really have a use for that, but I decided it could pair quite nicely with the old coupon book idea. So, I made up a stack of coupons like '1 day of skiing with a friend', 'An evening by the fire with me', '1 steak dinner', '1 day to yourself', and so on. There are back rubs, car washes and coffee dates in there too. I did put an expiration date on them all of December 31, 2010 and a place to write the date that each one was redeemed. This way, he's required to use them all within the year guaranteeing that we'll spend some good quality time together and we'll also have a record of when we did what over the last year. These days, if we don't plan our time together it's likely not to happen!

Anyway, you can make one of these too! Just type and print out your coupons then cut and stack them in the order you want. Cut out some card stock that is a little longer than twice the length of your coupons (you'll have to use the 12x12 paper for this). Fold the card stock so that it wraps around the coupons and then overlaps toward one end and staple it all together. Then you can tuck the longer end of the cover into the stapled end and voila! You have yourself a cute little coupon book. This was a big hit for us, in fact a few of them have already been put to use. If you make this, write me a comment and tell me how it goes!