Sunday, July 29, 2012

34 Weeks & Maternity Photos!

This week we took maternity photos and I am so happy I have them back already so I can share them!

We had the maternity photos done by Michael Afonso. You can see his work Here.

The location we chose is called the House of Refuge and its on the beach in Stuart, Florida. I loved the place we picked because there is so much diversity in the scenery.

I am so pleased with how the photos came out and overall it was such a fun experience! Michael is actually the boyfriend of one of my friends, Asia, so she came along too which made it even more fun. Here's some of the pictures. Enjoy!
















I also wanted to include a belly shot for the week since this photo shoot was taken on Wednesday and it is now Sunday.


Do I look any bigger?! I feel like I get bigger everyday! Lately, I have been feeling oh so heavy like I want to just hold my belly up when I'm walking.

I've also been seriously slacking on exercise, but honestly, at 34 weeks pregnant everything other than sitting feels like exercise. Well maybe not the kind of exercise I am used to but let me tell you after walking on the beach from location to location for the photo shoot I felt like I did a decent amount of work so let's just call that my workout for the week!

Next week I'm going to talk about what I'm bringing in my hospital bag. It's getting so close! : D

xoxo Jessenia + Baby

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

33 Weeks

& 3 days :)

I know I say this every week but I cannot believe how close it's getting to my due date. Our little one should be in 6 weeks or so. That is crazy and exciting and amazing!

Last week and this week I have finally been able to start working on the nursery. There's not much too it yet but it's coming along.

The best part it is, it has a floor! My hubby and brother finally got around to flooring in with the wood laminate that is in the rest of my house. I am so happy to see it finally look like a real room!

I also did some artwork for the walls, got a rug, thrifted a vintage rocker, put in a bookshelf, sorted baby's clothes, got an adorable little rocker, and started on a sweet handmade ottoman.

Here's the sneak peek :)






It's not really going to look "finished" when he gets here because his crib is in our room and will be for the first 6 months but that's okay with me! I'm just so excited for him to have a room that's all his own for all of this clothes and things and to spend time with him in.

Here's a bump photo: (It rained all weekend so I had to take it inside)


Here's a little update:

  • Weight gain: 20 lbs total so far
  • On my mind: Everything! I can't stop thinking about giving birth, seeing our little guy for the first time, post delivery, being in the hospital, coming home, him sleeping in his crib ... you get the picture haha 
  • Days till next appt:
  • Excited about: Maternity photos at the beach tomorrow! 
  • Cravings: Honey whole wheat bagel toasted with butter from Moe's bagels. Just thinking about it makes me hungry.
That's all for now. Have a blessed week! 

xoxo Jessenia + Baby Boy 

Monday, July 16, 2012

CVS Deals - 7/15

Happy Monday! Did any of you hit up CVS yesterday? I did! Here's a summary of my trip:

Items bought: 6

Spent: $10.09

Saved: $24.95

Earned: $6.00 eb

Coupons used:

  • $0.50 coupon for each toothpaste 
  • $1.00 coupon for Aussie products 
  • $1.00 coupon for sunscreen
  • $6.00 CVS coupon for sunscreen
  • $4.00 EB
  • $2.00 EB
  • $1.00 EB


The only thing I didn't have a coupon for was the Axe spray. I only got it because it was on sale and the Husband needed more. ;)

Overall, I was really happy with this trip. It's always nice to have a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon (like I did for the sunscreen) because you end up saving even more. I only paid $2.00 for the sunscreen and then I got $2.00 extra bucks for buying it! Pretty much got it for free. :) 

I'm late on my pregnancy update as usually. It will be coming soon to a computer screen near you! 

Leave me a comment if you get some good deals this week! I'd love to hear about them! 

xoxo Jessenia + Baby


Monday, July 9, 2012

CVS Deals - 7/8

Time for my first CVS deals update! I always go to CVS on sundays after I get the paper and plan out my trip to make sure they have everything in stock. Also, I just get really excited and I can't wait anymore. I know I'm a nerd.

Here's a recap of my trip:

Items bought: 3

Spent: $9.66

Saved: $15.70

Earned: $7.00 EB

Coupons used:

  • $0.40 coupon for toothbrush 
  • $2.00 coupon for Bic razors 
  • $4.00 coupon for Venus razor 
  • $5.00 EB from last week 

I had more items on my list but decided they weren't as good of deals as I would have wanted once I got there so I only ended up with these three items. I always like to make sure the deal is good enough for what the item is and that I need the item, not just want it! Razors and toothbrushes are always needed. Gotta keep up that personal hygiene! ;)

Have any of you gotten any good deals this week?! I want to hear about them! 

xoxo Jessenia + Baby Boy



Sunday, July 8, 2012

31 Weeks

It is officially less than 2 months until my due date! - by one day ;). I was thinking yesterday how these are the last two months of our lives that we won't be parents. That is such a crazy thing to think about but so ridiculously exciting! 

I said last week that I had finally decided on sleeping arrangements for the baby and that we were going to be using a co-sleeper that goes in the bed. As I'm finding out, pregnancy makes me very indecisive and I have already changed my mind about that arrangement! I have now decided that we will be side caring the baby's crib up against our bed and using it as a co-sleeper for the first 5-6 months and then hopefully moving the crib and our little boy to his own room. 

The main reasons I decided this are because of space, comfort, and money. 

Using a co-sleeper that goes in the bed probably would have worked for us but it would have been pretty cramped because we have a queen size bed. I know that we will both already be getting less sleep and I didn't want being uncomfortable to take away from the sleep we will be getting. 

I also wanted to make sure not only the baby but also that the husband and I are comfortable. I think it's really important to give your husband just as much attention as the baby. Having the baby in between us every night just didn't seem like something that would end up being a comfortable situation for us. Don't get me wrong I want my baby boy as close as possible to bond, snuggle, and breastfeed but I also know my husband and I know he will want to feel close the me also. 

Baby stuff can start to get expensive and as far as sleeping goes I wanted to make sure that our little boy had the best sleeping environment since babies spend most of their time sleeping. Therefore, I opted for a more expensive mattress. Since I was already spending money on a crib and mattress (actually my parents bought the mattress as a gift, thanks guys!) I didn't want to spend any extra money on a co-sleeper whether it be in the bed or next to it. 

The solution is side caring the crib we are already buying! I think it will work out for us perfectly and I'm actually really excited about it! 

Here's the crib we bought: 
Ikea Gulliver Crib, White

Here's the mattress my parents got us: 
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Organic-Cotton-Orthopedic-Mattress/dp/B003BIFNYQ

Here is a picture of what a side cared crib looks like: 

Via: Soul Mothering

Also, this website has a great video on how to side car a crib safely. There are quite a few safety issues concerned with the process and it's very important to follow all the guidelines to ensure the safety of the baby. I'll be getting my crib and mattress in the mail in about a week so I will definitely be writing a
post about how we are going to set our crib up next to our bed! 

Here's a weekly update and bump pictures: 

Weight gained: 0 lbs. Still at around 17 lbs gained. 

Workouts: 2 - 1 mile walks 

Thoughts about labor: Excitement! After getting some great advice from my mother-in-law and reading the Bradley Method book I'm feeling so peaceful and prepared! 

Baby's position: I'm almost positive my little boy is head down now but we will see at my appointment on Friday what the midwife says!


Have a blessed week! 

xoxo Jessenia + Baby Boy

Thursday, July 5, 2012

I Love CVS!

For as long as I can remember every time I went to the store with my mom growing up we were only allowed to get things that were on sale or had a coupon. I've always tried to live this way as an adult in order to make the most of my money.

I never really got into couponing though until a good friend of mine reintroduced me to it. She taught me the basics and I've been at it ever since. I, by no means, am a crazy coupon lady haha I just use my basic skills to get some good deals!

I'm going to walk you through my basic process so hopefully some of you can give it a try!

Where you shop: CVS

What items you buy: Mostly toiletries, cleaning supplies, makeup, and occasionally food

Where to start: Coupons can be found in many places these days but I always start with the Sunday paper. Make sure you are buying a paper that has coupon inserts. In my area it's the Palm Beach Post. Cut out all the coupons you will use and file them in a coupon book.



(I usually don't cut out the ones I know I won't use but I always feel like I'm wasting them. I'm thinking about starting a coupon swap so none of my coupons get wasted.)

Next, get the CVS flyer from the newspaper (it should be in the same area as the coupons where). Look through and look for the best deals. As a rule for myself I usually look for the deals with Extra Bucks first and then decide if it's something I really need (It's so easy just to buy things because it's a good deal) and then look if I have a coupon for it.

Note that under the deals that have Extra Bucks it says -1.00 or however much extrabucks. This is how much you will get back. Also, it shows you if there is a coupon in your local newspaper. 

When I find something I want I circle it and set the coupon aside so it's ready for my trip. (Note: Extra Bucks are unique to CVS and they are basically cash back rewards in the form of a coupon that can only be used at CVS. The importance of these is that on your next trip they can be used and the amount of Extra Bucks you have will be taken off your total.)

Note that is shows you how much it's worth, when it expires, and what you got the reward for. This one was for buying a Gillette Fushion ProGlide and Manual Razor. 

Other places to find coupons: I don't always have the time to find more coupons but there are plenty out there on the Internet that can simply be printed out.

  • A good website to check is www.iheartcvs.com. They feature a section each week devoted to the weekly CVS flyer and the coupons that go along with it. 
  • All You Magazine is sold at Walmart and not only is this a great magazine to read but it also has good coupons. 

  • The coupon center at CVS: While I'm on this subject, before you start your CVS adventures you will need to get a CVS card if you don't have one already. This card is scanned at every trip to ensure you get your extrabucks and and other rewards (I.E. if you enroll in the beauty club (free) you get $5 extrabucks for every $50 you spend on beauty products but you have to make sure you are scanning your card at each trip.) 
    • Now back to the coupon center. When you walk into CVS, there will be a red machine somewhere close to the door. If you scan your card under it, it will print out coupons for you and if you're lucky you might get a good one like $5 off $25! Even more money off your total! 


What to bring: When you are heading out to CVS make sure you bring your coupon book with coupons you are using ready and your CVS flyer. Being prepared is the key to not spending hours walking around aimlessly.

Once you get there: Scan your card for extra coupons and start shopping! Flip though your flyer and start getting your goods. Always make sure you are getting the right product for the sale, noting the size and other details. Also, match your coupon and make sure it is the same product. (Note: if you don't see a sale sign next to an item you know is on sale, pick it up anyways and show the cashier the sale flyer. Sometimes they either haven't marked something yet or maybe have forgotten.)

Once you get to the register: Get ready for the fun! This is always my favorite part because I get to see all my hard work in action. Let the cashier scan your CVS card. Then unload all your items for the cashier to scan and make sure you watch the little screen to make sure everything that is on sale rings up for the correct amount. (Note: you will not see the Extra Bucks until the end). Then give the cashier all of your coupons and Extra Bucks. I always have them scan my normal coupons, then Extra Bucks after. Sit back and watch your total go down and down!

Once you get your receipt: I always always check my receipt before getting into my car. At the end of the receipt there should be all of your Extra Bucks printed out. If you are off by even a few cents on how much you had to spend to get the Extra Bucks you will not get them so be sure to see that you got all the Extra Bucks you were supposed to. If not go back in! Also check how much you spent and how much you saved! This part is so exciting! :)

Once you get home: Cut out your Extra Bucks from your receipt and put them in your coupon book for your next trip! (Note: you should register your CVS card online because that way if you lose your Extra Bucks from your receipt, your online account will have them saved and you can print them from your computer).

I'm going to share a few of my trips with you so you all have some motivation but before I want to give you a little side note.

If this is your first time going to CVS you will likely not have any Extra Bucks. Therefore, your bill will be higher than if you did have Extra Bucks. It's okay! The reason is, your first trip will lay a foundation and then each trip you will spend less and less because you will be getting Extra Bucks back every time. So don't be alarmed if you spend more on your first trip. It'll be worth it!

A couple weeks ago I was starting from scratch again and spent around $50. I got a lot of stuff but of course it would've been lower if I had some Extra Bucks. But at that trip I earned about $18 Extra Bucks so now my trips since then have been much lower spending. Here's a sample:

June 3rd: 
Spent: $20.12, Saved: $44.42, Earned: $12.00 Extra Bucks.


June 24th: 
Spent: $2.20, Saved: $24.91, Earned: $8.00 Extra Bucks.


If you have any questions let me know! I hope some of you give this a try. It's so rewarding, literally, because you are saving so much money on items you already buy and it's really fun! I'll try to give an update each week on my weekly trip.

Happy Thursday!

xoxo Jessenia + Baby

Monday, July 2, 2012

30 Weeks

I'm officially out of the 20's and into the 30's!

Today the Husband and I went to the beach and it was sooo beautiful out. Even with this terrible summer heat I absolutely LOVE living in Florida! I don't think I could live anywhere else.




30 Weeks Update: 

Weight gained: 1 lb

Cravings: still buttermilk biscuits!

Feelings: excited, anxious, excited

Baby related research: spent a lot of time contemplating where baby boy would sleep at the beginning and settled on a co-sleeper that goes in the bed. Hopefully we like it!

Looking forward to: Dr appointment next week and hospital tour next week

On a different note, I'm thinking of adding a couponing/ bargain shopping section to my blog. More on that tomorrow. :)

Have a lovely week!

xoxo Jessenia + Baby Boy