So.. I know, this isn’t a baby blog. I’m sorry. But look at these adorable feet:

One of my favorite parts today was photographing big sister Esther holding sweet precious Naomi. I hope to get some shots with Jared being a big brother, too.

So.. today was one long day! I woke up at 7 to get to the farmer’s market to buy boysenberries, then had to stop at my mom’s for oranges, the grocery store for some more supplies, a quick stop for gas and then to the real work – baking 100 cupcakes!

Half the cupcakes were Orange Cream with a delicious Orange-Infused Swiss Meringue Buttercream and the other half were Boysenberry Cupcakes with Boysenberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I have to say, the orange ones were absolutely to die for. (The boysenberry was good too, but I’m telling you, the orange ones remind me of creamsicles. Yum.)

All went well, the cupcakes tasted and looked fantastic and I hope the bride & groom and all the guests had a great time.

And to top it off, I just got signed on to do another wedding next month. And this time, 200 guests! Bring it!

So.. everyone knows I love babies. I love to hold them, to smell their little heads and kiss their cheeks. I love fat babies. The ones with the roly legs and arms and fat cheeks. You just want to eat them up and squeeze them tight. And as of this morning, there is a new little baby for me to do just that. Little baby Naomi, my sister Ruth’s newest daughter, was born this morning at 12:15am. 7lb, 11oz. 20 inches long. And pudgy cheeks.

So.. lately I’ve heard a lot about couponing. I think it started with some news stories, all about how these women were getting stuff for free or almost free, sometimes getting paid to buy items. They would talk about how easy it was and how you just do this and that and bam! Free stuff!

There are blogs for it. You follow the blog and they tell you where the deals are. I kind of sat wondering how do they know. What do they do all day, do they go shopping and find deals? Do they get paid for this?

Anyway, then some people I actually know in my real life started doing it. Bags of groceries for just dollars. Including my sister Ruth. I was amazed at the steals and deals they were getting. I wanted in on this action.

The newspaper had a special to get only the Sunday paper for a year for $20. I signed up. And you know, I tried the blog thing. I tried to follow and know who was doing what deals and when to use the coupons in the paper. It’s overwhelming, I’m telling you.

So I went to Plan B and I started just saving the coupons for stuff I know I buy. Well then they just sit in my little coupon holder and look messy and expire and then I throw them out recycle them. (YES I RECYCLE!)

I don’t know what to do. I don’t have time to follow blogs and go shopping at specific stores when the blog tells me to. I basically shop at Winco and Safeway (for food) and then usually Walmart for other necessities if Winco doesn’t carry my brand.

That’s another thing – I like specific brands for specific things. Tresemme for my hair. Dove body wash and deodorant. Aveeno lotion. Because these are things I have tried and work well for me and I don’t want to buy something just because it’s a sale or has a coupon and then look like crap for a couple weeks til it’s gone.

Anyway, what I want to know is if there is anyone like me who actually has succeeded at this couponing thing. I can’t take a lot of time at it. And honestly, I don’t go shopping every week either. And also, how do you remember to bring the coupons to the store – the right coupons? Or are you the crazy coupon lady standing there going through them all holding up the line? Just to save 50 cents on 3 packages of Ziploc bags?

I’m definitely skeptical. I need help. I want to save money but I can’t figure this out.